Free Day

I have to compliment my Banana Republic experience today. I went to Nana Pubs because Shaked sent me a 40% off coupon and I need jeans. I went to the one in Metro Center and met up with Kerry. We walked in and were immediately offered free manhattans. Free cocktails? What's going on? Little did we know that we were walking into the Mad Men line release party. Free drinks, little appetizers being offered as you shop; what a great shopping experience. It made me totally not care that they didn't have the jeans I wanted in my size. But come to think of it, that's pretty weird. I'm a really common size. What kind of self-respecting Banana Republic doesn't have jeans for me? One that serves cocktails apparently, so I am actually fine with that trade-off.
Then on the bus ride back home the fare reader was broken so I got a free ride. And at dinner I got a free cold shoulder from the bartenders. Fifteen minutes without so much as looking at me. The service is consistently awful at Chef Geoff's. Well, our server was good actually. So they aren't even consistent. But look, if you are planning on not serving anyone drinks for the last fifteen minutes of happy hour, just make happy hour end at 6:45 instead of 7.

Spring break is so close. Two classes away. I'm going to San Francisco to visit Emma and Blake. For some reason the inevitable reaction when I tell anyone that is "Have you been there before?" Why is that your first reaction? Yes, yes I have. So what? No one asks me if I've been there before when I go to Boston or New York. Is the west coast some otherworldly place with unicorns and leprechauns? Well...California is sort of some otherwordly place with hippies and medical marijuana. And a bridge made of gold, I hear. Oh no wait - I've been there and seen it. Maybe everyone asks so that if I say "no" they can make up lies to tell me about California. That's what I'm going to do whenever someone tells me they are going somewhere for the first time. "Oh you are going to Prague? Make sure you check out the wizard society. They own a lighting bolt-shaped building in the exact geographic center of the city. And when you see the dog that looks exactly like Pluto riding a unicycle, don't be alarmed. He is a national treasure to them, so no pictures."

Sadie came to visit a couple weeks ago. Baller. Ok, well she really came to interview for grad school and hung out with me also, but that's neither here nor there. It was good seeing her. Except that the first night she was here she refused to go out with me. She insisted on sleeping. This from the girl who used to have a full week of parties at her house during high school? Disappointing. The next night she was definitely more of a gamer. We walked around Georgetown, went to dinner, and played skee ball at Buffalo. She also introduced me to "Party Down" (or at least made the show amusing for me - I think it's better to watch with someone else). It sounds like she's been living the life in Austin. Everything is cheap, nice weather, good people, what more could you want?
The other amusing part of her visit was actually due to my roommate who came back very drunk one night. He met Sadie and then proceeded to rant about 1) republicans in general, 2) Rick Santorum, and 3) how he doesn't understand transgender people. Sadie, of course, went to transgender university, Wesleyan. She did a great job of trying to make him understand the thought process behind it. It totally would have worked on a sober person. But Ryan just kept shouting "I'm sorry, I just don't get it. Why would you want that?" That was really the only answer.