Off Topic: I don't suffer from bystander apathy

Ok, so in my 12th grade AP Psych course, we did a module on bystander apathy -- aka the tedency of humans to ignore a fellow human's cries for help in an emergency situation, instead assuming someone else will call 911. But last night I proved that I am no apathetic bystander (although a bystander nonetheless).

At around 6 p.m. I was dutifully checking Facebook for the 172nd time that day when I heard my neighbor scream, "Chuck! Oh my God, someone call 911!" I look out my 3rd story window and all I can see is my neighbor bent over being attacked by something. At first I thought he was being attacked by a dog because my neighbor's wife and another neighbor were trying to pull whatever this was off of Chuck...and then I notice it's no dog but another one of our neighbors! And he's strangling Chuck!

The adrenaline is pumping as I call for my mom to come look and we call 911. Finally the wives are able to separate Chuck from this man (leave it to the wives to make peace) and next thing I know Chuck launches a right hook into the guy's face and then kicks him in the nose as he falls to the ground. There's blood in the street, on the men, all over their clothes...the second neighbor keeps trying to come back at Chuck and the wife is doing everything she can to get him to stop. First she kicked him where the sun don't shine (no effect), then she rammed her head into his stomach to try and push him (he pushed her back) and finally she attempted to use her body weight to push him up the stairs to their apartment. Meanwhile I'm watching all of this unfold from my bedroom window praying for the cops to arrive.

Fifteen minutes later (a person could be dead by then) and many a heavy heartbeat in tow (on my part, not the actual victims of the assault) the cops, a firetruck and an ambulance finally come roaring into our normally quiet neighborhood. And they stayed for more than 2 hours, talking to everyone, assessing the injuries and finally arresting the nameless neighbor (not Chuck, it turns out he wasn't the one who started the fight). After everything calmed down my mom and I went down to make sure Chuck was okay (which he was) and to let him know we called the cops.

What a night!

Musical Dorms

This afternoon I was searching the HBS Bulletin Boards while eating my Chinese take out (chicken lo-mein, delicious!) and noticed someone had posted about re-arranged floor plans on McCulloch Hall (my hall). I went online and lo and behold, my room had not only swapped places with another room, but it is now a one-room large single and NOT a 2-room suite. Are you confused yet? I know I am.

I called the Housing Office and the floor plans were apparently outdated on the Web site prior to yesterday. The deets (as of today) on my room are that it is for sure a one-room large single, it has a full-size bed (not a twin bed, which means all that bedding I bought is going back to Linens N Things), a built-in desk with bookshelf, one closet and one sink. Other than that, things seem to be the same. Here's the new (and hopefully final floor plan):

As you can see, the dimensions are about 16" X 12" -- definitely a nice size, although the futon idea is out. In other good news, the update means that I can in fact bring all of my linens, decorations, knick-knacks, etc. up from my current bedroom, so the decor that I'll need to purchase is essentially nilch (aside from a few bath towels and a pair of shower shoes). Hopefully with this update, the game of musical dorms has come to an end!

More Dorm News...

Today I found out the most miraculous dorm news yet...my two-room suite is all mine. No roommate, no suitemate, just two huge rooms all to myself! I was actually really surprised to hear that I wouldn't have a suitemate -- I guess I just misunderstood the meaning of a 2-room suite from my sorority house days where you not only shared your room with one person, but also had two suitemates next door. Nevertheless I'm thrilled! It does mean more decor will be necessary ;) and I think I'm going to make one room the typical bedroom and the second room a living area, with perhaps a futon for guests and my study area. We'll see how much money I have left over for decorating once the semester starts. I know they have IKEA in the Northeast and their stuff is pretty stylish and cheap, so I'll have to do some scavenging and dig out the deals.

This afternoon I also picked out my bedspread and matching pillows so I have a theme going for the room (I know I'm such a planner, I can't wait until closer to the actual moving date to get started on this stuff). I wanted to stick to similar colors to what I have in my bedroom right now (which is more subdued blues, greens and yellows) so many of my accessories and knick-knacks could transfer to the dorm room (no sense in buying a million vases, lamps, picture frames, etc.). What I chose is far from subdued, but it sticks to the green and blue theme. Take a look:

Now this isn't exactly what I got, but I did get the green comforter, which comes with a matching sham, and three decorative pillows that aren't shown here -- two are large (one green, one the color blue shown in the photo) and one is a small accent pillow (blue). I haven't decided yet if the green striped sheets as shown here might make for a tad too much green, so I may go with white and blue, but I wanted to hold off on purchasing those until I got more Linens N Things coupons in the mail. I purposely went for the bright colors when I saw them because, hey, I know Boston winters can be a tad bit long and gloomy, and there's nothing that can brighten your day better than a bold bedroom to come home to. What do you all think?