Last Night

Is graduate school the new "college?"

Last night, our grad student neighbors had a Halloween party. Hey, at least this time they were kind enough to tell us in advance and "invite" us, though we all knew the invitation was a token only.

And it was really ok.... until people started going home at about 1AM. At which point their front door slammed ever 2-3 minutes or so, hard enough to shake our house, and people would linger outside our bedroom window chatting it up until they finally walked away into the night. It kept us awake for over an hour despite the fact that we had the noise machine going at full blast and the windows were closed.

And then, at about 2AM the party came outside, and a group started chatting loudly right below our window. After about 15 minutes of this (we figured we'd give them the chance to disperse or go back inside before we said anything), I stuck my head out and told them if they didn't go back inside, I'd call the cops.

Which they did, thank god.

They probably think I'm a total bitch.

They don't know how lucky they are. If I were my neighbor from across the street, I would have just called the cops with no warning to them first.

But seriously guys, WTF. It was 2AM! This isn't college anymore! You live on a block with other people who have jobs, obligations, things to do on the weekends besides nurse a hangover! I don't think I acted like that past age 21 or so, and then at least I lived in a dorm where staying out late was quasi-expected. These "kids" are 26 or 27 years old!

(Luca was thinking he might start leaving out the front door in the morning at 5AM when he goes to work, slamming the door repeatedly, and trying to coerce the dog to poo in a loud voice, but I said that just putting the baby room next to theirs and leaving the window open when we stop sleeping with him/her in our room would probably be sufficient revenge.)

I guess I'd mind less if it didn't take me so long to fall back to sleep these days, and if I didn't feel completely knocked out by any sort of activity. Putting in the lilies DESTROYED me on Friday. I was so winded, and after I came inside I had to sit quietly for about 20 minutes before I could muster the energy to go upstairs and shower. Then I walked back and forth to school for a meeting, and promptly passed out on the couch at 6PM.

It's starting to become difficult to find a comfortable position when I sit on the couch, which is only going to get worse over the next three months. This makes me cranky. Pretty much any activity requiring physical exertion has been curtailed above the bare minimum I have to do to do my work. Luca and I want to go to NYC to see an art exhibition at the Guggenheim that starts 11/4, but all I can think of is all the walking I'd have to do, and how exhausted I would feel. We'll really have to think about whether it's worth going.

Welcome to trimester #3 I guess!