Today our landlord brought another prospective tenant over to our apartment. This is the second time they have done this without notice, but the first while I was home. Betsy handled the last one while I was at work. Whereas she is more passive-resistant, I am aggresive-confrontational.

So, this morning, we hear “KNOCK KNOCK.” Jolted from sleep, Betsy and I, of course, have no pants on and think that the world must be ending. I stumble out of bed to the window to see who it could be. Betsy darts off to hide in the other room. Still with no pants on, I hear the turning of a key in our lock! Yes, they are coming in. But, good for us, we always lock our deadbolts. They are denied. I say, “One minute!”

After putting my pants on, I open the door. The landlord says he is here to show our apartment. I respond that 24 hours notice is standard and that we are not prepared to show it. He retorts, “Not in our leases.” I respond, “Well, I guess I have no choice.” He said, “Yes, you have a choice. If you don’t let us in, you lose your security deposit.” I say, “WELL, COME ON IN THEN!” In they walk, with various clothes, etc, strewn about. I’m wondering if Betsy has pants on yet. He asks me a few questions about the closet, and I respond, “Look, don’t ask me any questions! You can barge in at any time you feel, so just do it. Since it’s clearly your apartment, just do what you have to do and get out.” He opens the door to our bedroom, and since I don’t hear any screams from Betsy, I assume she has found her pants.

The prospective tenant apologizes. I say that it isn’t her fault, but rather that guy’s.

Upon leaving, I call the apartment management office. They basically respond with apathy. When I tell them that we are consciencious and will clean the apartment to have it more presentable for showing, they say that really doesn’t matter. When I tell them that they turned the key with me in my underwear, they say that might have been a selling point for the young prospective lady tenant. I respond, “Sure! And she might also have learned that when she gives notice a year from now, some creepy guy will walk in on her in her underwear.”

So, it is with this story fresh in my mind that Betsy and I set out to create “10 Things to Do When You Have Given Notice (and your Landlord can barge in on you at any given moment).” We like lists.

10. Don’t even try to put on your pants. Show up in underwear and scratch your belly upon opening the door.
9. Throw clothes about the room so as to impede the door from opening.
8. Hit on the prospective tenant, regardless of sex, while still in underwear.
7. With a devious grin on your face, encourage them to open your closet.
6. Take them to the bathroom and close the door behind you. Bonus points: You and/or the kitty just left a huge present.
5. Laugh and say “Argh, matey!” when the best word the representative can find to describe your kitchen is a “Galley Kitchen.”
4. Nerviously, ask if the representative is going to look under your mattress.
3. Laugh and ask the prospective tenant if they would like to meet your pet roach Bill. Say, “Bill loves to drop on your face in the middle of the night! He’s funny that like that.”
2. Look at the tenant, and say, “Hey! You’re moving in here? I think I might renew my lease, sweet-cheeks. We can go 40/60.”
1. Show up butt-naked to the door. Hey, in the great words of the apartment representative, “Maybe that’ll be a selling point.”

So, this starts the third week of class. Mom gave me some perspective on the phone this weekend. She said that it was a third over. Then she said that by the end of this week it would be half over. Then the week after that 2/3 over. I hate to be counting the days (in prinicpal), but I am anxious to focus on our imminent move and my next job. But, it is nice to get some perspective that Summer semester is really, really short.

Ugh. Betsy and I have been feeling sick since yesterday. That sucks!

Here is a picture of a sick frog to cheer us up.

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Today Betsy is coming to lunch with me! Usually I have 2 hours to sit in my office between my classes, but today Betsy is coming. That’s great. We are going to go grab something to eat. She might even stay and attend my second class. She has never seen me teach before in class. She’s always wanted to but has felt uncomfortable coming into the class. With my new HUGE lecture hall classroom, I think she can slip in unnoticed. So, my weekend has started off very well (and I’m still at work even!).

Hmm…Do I have a life outside of school? If you read my blog, it would appear not. hehe. I’m drinking a nice cup of French Vanilla coffee and chilling with Betsy right now. That’s life too. I should put in on my blog. It’s “bloggable.” I need to get back to the good ol’ days of personal ranting about things of general inconsequence on my blog.

I’m listening to Juan Luis Guerra – No Es Lo Mismo Ni Es Igual. Haven’t listened to this in a while. His bachatas are so beautiful and relaxing.

Betsy and I have been relaxing by watching BBC documentaries. We both agree that they show some of the most amazing and awesome things we have ever seen. Most of the things we have never even heard of. We finished “The Blue Planet” series and now we are on “The Planet Earth.”