Return to Craigslist

My friend Lovett is spending the summer in Buenos Aires, and I have begun a mission to visit her at some point in August (wisdom teeth surgery...you're getting pushed back again). However, this potential visit poses some serious obstacles. Okay, basically just money.

I'm working at an unpaid internship all summer, and due to my lack of profits, my parents are bound to be less than generous with possible donations/sponsorships toward my BA adventure. Therefore Lovett and I have hatched a plan that has take me to a place I fear and avoid like guys from New Jersey...

Craigslist.

I've already expressed my sentiments about personal ads on Craigslist, and now I've explored the job section. While I've come across a few potential babysitting gigs that I may be able to handle, I was more interested by a man who was seeking essentially a young white woman who could teach him how to meet and talk to other single white females. This ad seemed like it could get me into some situations reminiscent of Silence of the Lambs or Hitch. Who said this job market is busted?

Seven strangers picked to live in a house...

Never before this year have I felt so fortunate to live in Washington, D.C. The year 2009 first brought our nation's capitol the charismatic and inspiring President Obama, and now, the 23rd season of The Real World.

That's right. Unless you've been living in Africa for the past 6 months like my friend Hannah, you've probably heard that MTV will begin production on The Real World: Washington, D.C. this summer. Rumor is they've already bought a house on 20th and S, which I may note is not far from my friends' place, which is officially called "The Mansion." Vevmo.com has posted this photo of the alleged Real World house:

This is my one issue. Does anyone else feel like this house is kind of ugly from the outside? I don't know, maybe just because there are such gorgeous houses around NW. I'm sure the inside will be sick.

The next area of speculation is where the Real World cast will go out. D.C. is a bar city, but I fear that the cast will fall into its smaller, shady club/lounge scene. Because I know very little about that side of the city, I'm going to make a few predictions that I've discussed with friends and strangers:

1. Adams Morgan - I feel that this is going to be the best bet to run into the cast. Everyone knows A Mo has the craziest nightlife. I predict the Reef, Madams Organ, Grand Central, and a few others. Something tells me they won't be around 18th and Red or the Mill though...

2. Georgetown - Gtown is going to be tough because of our city's love of red tape and making most degeneracy difficult. However, I could definitely see a few of our favorite college bars letting in the production and camera crew, aka Champions, Old Glory, etc. It might be a crap shoot though.

3. Dupont - I mean, they're living there so obviously they'll be out there. I would love to say that we could run into the cast at Lucky Bar or Front Page, but as popular and fun I find these places, they're small and I just don't see them letting the whole MTV crew in. Other than that, what do I know about Dupont night life?

Next up, jobs. Every season, the Real World makes the cast work for some company/business. They'll probably get some gig helping an obscure interest group working for DC voting rights or something else nobody who watches the show gives a rat's ass about, but how great would it be if they worked at something like this in 94 degree DC summer humidity?

Or they could at least be rickshaw drivers or something. I mean, something a little entertaining that would get them out there on the streets where people could buy hotdogs or "Stay Off the Grass" t-shirts.

21st Birthdays

I love 21st birthdays. Now going into my senior year and a few months past my own night of shame, you'd think, like a lot of college students, that I'd be sick of those facebook invites of "So-and-so's finally 21! Pregame at (insert apt. here) then out to (insert DC bar that everyone goes to every 2 weeks anyways)!" No way.

If there's one thing college students know how to do, it's celebrate holidays. Halloween, Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick's Day, Christmas season...they all make for great parties. And 21st birthdays are pretty much more holidays thrown in on random weekends throughout your college years. Two of my best friends turned 21 this past week, and I may have enjoyed the evenings more than them.

My one friend Katherine loves 21st birthdays so much that she has celebrated her 21st birthday for her past 3 birthdays! 

Like every other wonderful occasion in the world, there's the downside to 21st birthdays - your friends who are still under 21. Everyone has those friends whose parents had the brilliant idea to put them in kindergarten as young as possible and then they don't turn 21 until the fall of senior year. Like my friend Brendan, who is often called the "baby" (this is not just because of his age but also his complete lack of facial/body hair). However, the upside is that these usually make for the best birthdays of all because everyone can finally go out without worrying about some big bouncer on a power trip!

Not being an 8th grader

Saturday, I was mistaken for an eighth grader. For the third time this spring. Seeing how I am 21, I can't help but feel a little offended. To make matters worse, today I went to Radio Shack to buy some supplies for people at my office (power cords, etc.) and the guy behind the counter asked me if it was for a science project. I can't make this shit up.

Everyone older tells me that this isn't a bad thing, that it's good to look younger than your age and when I get older I will love it. But here's the thing, there's a big difference between being 30and looking 25, and being 21 and looking 14. Have you looked at your middle school yearbook lately? Do you remember what we all looked like in eighth grade?

It's almost enough to stop me from wearing hair ribbons. Almost.

Creepin on Craigslist

Is there some weird transition that goes on when you turn 27 where you have to get interested in things on the internet that us younger twenty-somethings deem sketchy? For example...Craigslist. The other day I heard this woman on the metro (late twenties/maybe thirty) talking to her friend about a date she was going on with a guy she met from Craigslist. Does this seem kind of like a bad idea to anyone else? I mean, Craigslist? At least go on EHarmony or something - maybe a website that doesn't have a killer stalking around personal ads?

Songs that remind people of people, More about blogging

Have you ever had someone tell you that a song reminds someone of you? For me, it's usually not a good thing. I never get something like, "That song 'Beautiful' by James Blunt reminds me of you." I get, (this is a real example) "That song 'Let Me See Your Hips Swing' from 'Knocked Up' reminds me of you." (For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it's the song playing while drunk Katherine Heigl is dancing with the funny chubby guy throwing invisible dice). What does that reference say about me?