I haven't written in the new year. So far, it's been okay. I'm really hoping that this one is a better one. I do have a lot of things to be excited about in 2011, but there are also some worrisome events in the future...
However, worry is stupid. It really isn't doing anything for me, is it? All it does is take my energy away from finding solutions and dealing with what is happening right now.
In the weeks since I last wrote, it has pretty much been a mix of a lot happening and nothing happening. I spent New Year's in Athens. I love my friends. Only we would bring in the New Year by watching football (please don't ask, don't talk about it, I know and it makes me want to cry) and playing board games. We tried to go Hispanic dancing, but that turned into an epic fail- the place was closed, even though there was a facebook event and fliers. Sadness. We made it fun, though, and Boyfriend was sweet enough to drive in from Chattanooga. Ferguson, the Intrepid English Man and Boyfriend's Bestie, took offense to this, but you know what I say?
LINDSAY: Pbbbbt. You didn't make plans, so I get him.
FERGUSON: I'm cranky. And English.
On New Year's Day, Susana and I set off for Orlando, accompanied by Susie's brother Daniel (Intrepid Teenage Muscleman) and her cousin Alfredo.
Orlando was... Fun. We got there about 12:30AM, because of a combination of crappy travel occurrences. First of all, it rained nearly the whole way. Secondly, we hit a couple patches of bad traffic. It also took forever for us to get dinner. Anywho, we got to the... place... very late. I think I shall call this part of the chronicle:
ADVENTURES IN THE LAND OF DISCOUNT BALLOONS
Our condo was in a very strange area of Florida. Some might call it ghettoville. It was pretty much just on the four lane highway, and the side of the road was filled with crazy shops that were covered in murals. These murals were mainly American Flags or safari animals. We attempted to get to a place we could sleep. The way it worked was that we had to call the office and get the code for the drop box, which would contain a key and directions to our condo.
We couldn't find the box.
We aimlessly drove around for awhile, convinced that we would be eventually kidnapped and sold into slavery. We decided to sell Daniel and Alfredo to save ourselves, because Daniel is prettier than us and Alfredo cannot speak English. Finally we called the office again. We made Daniel talk this time.
DANIEL: Where is this office?! And please don't let my sister sell me.
RANDOM WORKER: I think I'll give you really bad directions. Not because I hate you, but because I am an idiot.
DANIEL: I'll take what I can get. I don't want to die.
So we drove around some more, now with a slight idea how to find the place. On the way, this exchange took place:
DANIEL: Susie, where are we staying, anyway?
SUSANA: It's called Florida Magic.
DANIEL: The Lord of Magic?
SUSANA: ...Yes.
DANIEL: You've killed us all.
The best part of this is that there was a shop that had a huge wizard on the top of it. Susana nearly told Daniel that he had to stay there.
Anyway, we finally got to the box, got our keys, and got to the condo. Then we got to the really "interesting" part.
It was a strange mix of grandiose and crappy. It was huge, with four bedrooms and three baths, a kitchen, a den, and a sort of sitting room. The furniture was really nice, even though it kind of looked like someone had time-traveled to the Victorian Era and brought back couches, then reupholstered them in velor. Also, there was a dark red stain on one of the couch's arms, which we termed the "small animal sacrifice" spot.
Susana and I pictured it as a lot of "Oh s***" moments. For instance, the TV didn't quite work, and the walls were really thin. And the flooring in my room wasn't laid quite properly, so whenever I walked on certain spots the wood buckled. In Susana's room, the bed and the dresser didn't really both fit. So the dresser was pushed in front of the window, which might have been fine except for the whole "giant Victorian furniture" think I was telling you about. The mirror completely covered the window- all you could see was the top edge.
But all of this was really fine. It was actually the perfect combination, because none of it was truly bad- we could just laugh about it all. So the next day, we drove past the flock of vultures in our parking lot (yes. The flock. Of vultures. In our parking lot.) and went to Universal.
Universal itself was really awesome. Harry Potter World was great, in spite of the crazy amounts of crowd. I tried butterbeer, pumpkin juice- the gamut. I would actually like to go back at a time when there might not be so many people, but I don't know when that would be. It was really nice to go with a bunch of people who really wanted to do all the roller coasters. (Note- the Rip Ride Rock it. Epic.)
On the second day we had to go to the Florida Magic office and turn in our registration sheet. Susie and I went in. The lady there was pretty interesting. She was wearing clothes that she should not have been wearing, and she had the most ridiculous hair I'd ever seen. We asked her a couple questions, she seemed perfectly nice. Then this happened:
LINDSAY: So do we have to wash the dishes?
LADY: Naw, just let us take care of that!
SUSANA: Thanks! And sorry about getting this in late!
LADY: That's alright, my loves. *creepy smile*
LINDSAY AND SUSANA: *twin looks of horror*
We immediately tried to leave. Susana attempted to open the door. It wouldn't open. She tried the other. No dice. She frantically began shaking it. I saw the descent of my life into slavery in the Ukraine and my eventual death flash before my eyes.
Thankfully, the door finally gave in. I think it sensed our growing desperation. We ran, escaping our captors narrowly.
But the rest of the trip was fine! Except for traffic in Atlanta, we didn't really have any problems getting back.
I got home, hung out with my mom. We went out one day to celebrate her new job. Then I headed back to Athens. Boyfriend cooked me dinner on Saturday (he's a gem) and then on Sunday I was promptly snowed into my apartment. That's when the whole "absolutely nothing" comes into play. It was fun for awhile, but by Thursday I was really happy to go to class.
This first week of class has been okay. I don't know quite how I feel about things yet. There's been a little drama with classes, but so far it's been fine. I think I now have everything together. I'm only taking 12 hours, but that doesn't mean it's easy. I've still got four classes (for science majors that's a lot) and it looks like all of my tests/essays are going to be falling in the same weeks. So I might die, but what's the fun of school without fear of imminent mortality? No fun at all, I'm telling you.
I leave you now, with
The Lord of Magic!
