All things considered

The rat is dead. It was messy and gross. Fortunately, my neighbor found the actual massacre first and disposed of it; I cleaned the aftermath. Yes. Ew is the appropriate response.

***

Since I've been keeping an eye out for cool, new apartments for others, I have become a craigslist stalker for new digs of my own. With this stalking has come the startling and apparent realization that I can never move into a larger apartment, at least not into a place sans roommate. Rents went up over 9% in the city in 2007...enough to bump out of my price range.

This morning, during my normal gander at new listings, basking in the "what if," and "maybe today," I found a posting for a one-bedroom in my building. I consider my rent reasonable (if not awesome) for my wee studio, and my landlord has always been my last hope for potential upgrades, given my wonderful tenant status and his penchant for not charging out the ear.

Till now. The apartment is over twice the price of my studio! And while the place really does sound lovely, $1700 is just way too much. Having laid the price out, city dwellers will scoff at my cheapness, which shows how far we have come; he will completely get the full 1700 smackaroos.

They don't even know about the sneaky, plumeria eating rats.

***
Me, lately:

The earth is definitely doomed

Apparently, Google Earth took offense to my request.

When you don't have cable

who knew wheat could be so pretty

of perfume, of pumpkin, of sherry

It had been sunny all day (goodlord she hated the fog), and clear skies were promised the next. Her sons and their wives, grandchildren and great-grandchildren drifted in and out of the ranch house rhythmically; we spoke over her bed, conversations about love and living and rememberings, like we were all sitting at a table for tea. The house had a gentle hum.

When I was young, she and my grandfather would wake really early, by 6AM, and from the small room my sister and I would sleep in just off the kitchen, we could hear wood placed in the stove, coffee brewing, talk radio turned on low, the door open and shut to the outside with its promise of cold. The sun had not yet rose. I was too young to be annoyed about being woken from slumber and I would lay there. And listen to them.

we only come out at night

rat-i-fied

My apartment building wraps around the corner; it's a small thing, about three stories high and only having about 8 units. A cheese store used to be in the first floor space, so the occasional mouse down by the trash bins is fairly common. The wee rodents usually stay down by the laundry and recycling. But....

lately, the rodent droppings have been larger. And oh so plentiful. Littering sticky traps in mock. I was disgusted but only became thoroughly grossed out when I saw, up on the garden shelf of my kitchen window (on the third floor of the inner stairwell), evidence of a savage feast on my plumeria. And rat droppings. That night, at 3am when I went for a glass of water, I flicked the light on in the kitchen to see a rat butt pushed against the window and the rat chowing down on the greenery. Sleepily, I banged on the window. The wee bugger whipped around and stared at me, eye to eye. He only fled when I waved my hands at him, a silly dance.

Ew.

The landlord has declared war, apparently. I came home to an absent plumeria plant, and in its stead, the largest snap trap I have ever seen in my life sitting on the shelf of my kitchen window. Instead of his most favorite snack, this rat fellow is going to find something else.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. I hope I don't find the carnage. I hope it doesn't happen as I snap peas.

Why I didn't go to the office today...

This is the highway in San Rafael by my work.This is our freeway on-ramp right by the bridge. My office is all of 100 feet from the water, soooo....
I stayed home.

I am perfectly resolved

I'm not a huge fan of the New Year's resolution. Generally, people seem to create grandiose goals that are almost impossible to actually attain. Resolution determination fades with the hangover from New Year's Eve and disappointment leaves you feeling worse than you did pre-resolvedness. Who needs that?

Despite this opinion, I always find myself considering things I could improve upon with the turn of the year. Sure, eating better and filing my taxes on time (and correctly) are good ideas (and common sense), but in a more everyday life theme, I will say the following:

In 2008, I will gmail chat less and play the piano more.

I think that should do it. Happy New Year's all. Hope you are recovering from your holiday festivities and I wish you a good start for 2008. Tabula Rasa.