Nice Apartment

Psst. Did you guys know I'm in grad school now? No? You're not alone. Most people don't know what happened. Including me. In the past month I have:

• applied for grad school kind of on a whim
• been offered a graduate assistantship
• signed up for and took the GRE without time for studying
• moved into my first apartment
• started working toward a master's in journalism

Remember in The Wizard of Oz when Dorothy's house is tossing and turning through the air during the twister? Well my life has been kind of a whirlwind lately, too, and I also have landed in a new technicolor dreamworld, not counting a hellish load of homework from textbooks the size of Oxford English.

I'm rather pleased with how my apartment is shaping up, so let me show you around.

Here's my green wall. I've been eyeing that green chair at an antique store for months but only finally had a need for it two weeks ago. I found that floral upholstery fabric at a garage sale for a couple bucks, but it's saving me paint money now.

When I first moved in, I had no furniture, save for an air mattress and a folding lawn chair. So I set about making the new apartment feel like home by covering the walls with scarves. And maps. I've always wanted to do that. High-five, Koko.

This young chap is a Very Nice Thing that constitutes his own long-overdue post. His charcoal and pastel portrait was the only thing I truly wanted from my grandparents' house when they moved out, and the family graciously complied. He looks as bored with his new view as he did with his last, but maybe he'll reflect on prettier things after I fix up that corner the next time I am procrastinating on a 10-page book report.

Finally, here is my favorite of three bicycles currently hanging around the apartment. I got a deal on a Craigslist bike rack so I could be a better commuter. But what I saved on the rack I quickly realized will end up costing me more as I conveniently pick up every vintage bike at every yard sale I see. This one was a mere $40.

I'll sell the other two so I can buy more textbooks next semester!