is it really only wednesday?
i've been having a really normal week, but somehow it's dragging on infinitely.
is anyone else having this problem?
rilo kiley with my sister tonight... maybe that will help! or maybe it'll just make me tired... and the week longer... bad attitude!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
is it truly location, location, location?
an update: saw a ton of condos on wednesday with my lovely real estate agent. she definitely seems to 'get' me, and a lot of the places would be just fine, if not ideal. two really tickle my fancy: one in an awesome location that's very small (and i have two people and a LARGE cat to think about), another in a less-awesome location with more space. hmmmm. any thoughts? a recent first-time-homeowner friend of mine said the conventional wisdom is "whatever you buy, you can't pick it up and move it," so you better like the location. she quickly followed that with c.w. #2: you can't make more space. so, yeah. i have no idea what to do. and there's a third option: wait it out longer, see if more places pop up, and see if i have a bit more $ than i think to play with. it's possible i will. no matter what, i'm not buying anything RIGHT away, but there is a slim possibility next month will be my last paying rent. it blows my mind every time i think about it.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
on the prowl
well, it's official... i'm house-hunting. well, to be more accurate, condo-hunting. for two years or more i've been scanning listings, trying to get a grip on the local market and doing a lot of thinking about what i do and don't want. i do want to live somewhere where i can walk to the metro during the day without trepidation, and reasonably but more cautiously at night. i do want a one-bedroom... when i started the search, it was before the market dropped (or, i'd say, normalized), and a studio was the best i could hope for. fortunately, my patience seems to be paying off and now it's not out of the question that i could have a one-bedroom like a civilized person. it'd be nice to live somewhere with some sort of basic exercise room. i'd prefer a gas range. and no condo fees over $300 - that's just bananas. i don't want a place that needs a lot of work, and i don't want to live somewhere where i have to worry about leaving my car in the street.
the time finally came to stop observing and dig in when i saw a property listed that sounded perfect. it's a conversion in a great area, and though i know it'll probably sell out before i get it all together, it was the kick in the pants i needed. to that end, i've been preapproved for my loan, an unsettlingly easy process online with my credit union. and today i meet with the woman i hope will be my agent! i'm pretty pumped.
i've got an interesting and exciting variable in all of this... cam. we're going to move in together (it feels so strange to type that! it's a first for both of us.) once i've got my place. he wants to help financially, and while i'm definitely not going to buy a place i can't pay for 100% solo, it's intriguing to think about how his contributions will ease my financial situation.
and of course, much more intriguing than even that is the thought of combining our lives. we virtually live together now as nomads, crashing at his place or mine, and the thought of erasing all that commuting is like crack. i know the homebuying process is complex, frustrating, and expensive... but i feel like it's going to be worth it in the end. i can't wait to have a place of my own... and then to make it ours.
the time finally came to stop observing and dig in when i saw a property listed that sounded perfect. it's a conversion in a great area, and though i know it'll probably sell out before i get it all together, it was the kick in the pants i needed. to that end, i've been preapproved for my loan, an unsettlingly easy process online with my credit union. and today i meet with the woman i hope will be my agent! i'm pretty pumped.
i've got an interesting and exciting variable in all of this... cam. we're going to move in together (it feels so strange to type that! it's a first for both of us.) once i've got my place. he wants to help financially, and while i'm definitely not going to buy a place i can't pay for 100% solo, it's intriguing to think about how his contributions will ease my financial situation.
and of course, much more intriguing than even that is the thought of combining our lives. we virtually live together now as nomads, crashing at his place or mine, and the thought of erasing all that commuting is like crack. i know the homebuying process is complex, frustrating, and expensive... but i feel like it's going to be worth it in the end. i can't wait to have a place of my own... and then to make it ours.
Monday, September 17, 2007
impromptu oc weekend
bests, in a random top-10 format...
1. chucking parachute men off the top of the ferris wheel
2. making out in the haunted house
3. 1.0000001, 1.0000002, and 1.000003
4. fisher's on the beach, dumser's on the boardwalk
5. reading cosmo aloud in the car on the way home
6. AAA discount on the last hotel room in the world
7. team whac-a-mole, peter's the prize
8. speed skee ball to procure the aforementioned parachute men
9. bike week: a bazillion motorcycles to ogle and matching his-and-hers black&orange outfits, turquoise fringe, and that psychedelic skull shirt
10. the irish band, getting called-out for drinking boh, and the last-song dedication of "fairytale of new york," though i may have been half-asleep.
and the bottom of the barrel (but i'd do it all again)...
47. the trip home on the drunk bus (but i was protected)
48. the traffic on the way home (but i had entertainment)
49. the constant roar of harleys (but they sure were pretty)
50. the "cuisine" (there MUST be a good seafood place in OC!).
all in all, a fantastic weekend, capped off with fresh eastern shore produce and salmon for dinner in front of a dismal chargers game and an incredible windows-open night of sleep.
one observation this morning... women with long pedicured toenails always make me pause. do they sleep alone? do they have king size beds with a line drawn in the middle? there are few things i dislike more than accidentally scratching or being scratched with a toenail, it gives me the shivers.
1. chucking parachute men off the top of the ferris wheel
2. making out in the haunted house
3. 1.0000001, 1.0000002, and 1.000003
4. fisher's on the beach, dumser's on the boardwalk
5. reading cosmo aloud in the car on the way home
6. AAA discount on the last hotel room in the world
7. team whac-a-mole, peter's the prize
8. speed skee ball to procure the aforementioned parachute men
9. bike week: a bazillion motorcycles to ogle and matching his-and-hers black&orange outfits, turquoise fringe, and that psychedelic skull shirt
10. the irish band, getting called-out for drinking boh, and the last-song dedication of "fairytale of new york," though i may have been half-asleep.
and the bottom of the barrel (but i'd do it all again)...
47. the trip home on the drunk bus (but i was protected)
48. the traffic on the way home (but i had entertainment)
49. the constant roar of harleys (but they sure were pretty)
50. the "cuisine" (there MUST be a good seafood place in OC!).
all in all, a fantastic weekend, capped off with fresh eastern shore produce and salmon for dinner in front of a dismal chargers game and an incredible windows-open night of sleep.
one observation this morning... women with long pedicured toenails always make me pause. do they sleep alone? do they have king size beds with a line drawn in the middle? there are few things i dislike more than accidentally scratching or being scratched with a toenail, it gives me the shivers.
Friday, September 14, 2007
she lives in dreams
this morning i was looking at my cat, laying on the floor per usual. he's absolutely enormous - if you don't know winston, he's 16lbs of long, lean cat... which is HUGE. so huge that his vets (he has a couple he's seen recently for 1-year checkups) both exclaimed "oh my gosh, he's huge!" one had read his weight on his chart before actually seeing him, and she was like, "i expected this big fat cat, but he's not fat at all, he's just huge!" so yeah, winston's a monster. he's also the sweetest feline ever on 4 paws, but i digress.
anyway, this morning i was looking at him lounging, he never sits curled up or in a loaf, it's always an all-out sprawl. and it suddenly occurred to me how everyone always takes pictures of their babies on the floor next to their cats, and how when i have a baby someday it's going to be hilarious (ok, maybe not everyone takes those pictures, but i know there's one of me stretched out in front of the fire after a bath, our siamese suki next to me). so cam comes in from his shower and i'm just standing there laughing, and i tell him, "you know how people always take pictures of their babies and their cats on the floor? i hope win's still around when i have one, because that kid's going to be a toddler before he's bigger than winston!" cam just looked at me bemusedly and was like, this is what you're thinking about...? he laughs and counters with, "just picture our baby laid out beside our great dane!" so i guess we're getting a great dane, too. and then he said, well actually, maybe our baby won't be a shrimp, because babies in my family are BIG. he's talking like 10lbs big. yikes! babe, how do you feel about adoption?
anyway, this morning i was looking at him lounging, he never sits curled up or in a loaf, it's always an all-out sprawl. and it suddenly occurred to me how everyone always takes pictures of their babies on the floor next to their cats, and how when i have a baby someday it's going to be hilarious (ok, maybe not everyone takes those pictures, but i know there's one of me stretched out in front of the fire after a bath, our siamese suki next to me). so cam comes in from his shower and i'm just standing there laughing, and i tell him, "you know how people always take pictures of their babies and their cats on the floor? i hope win's still around when i have one, because that kid's going to be a toddler before he's bigger than winston!" cam just looked at me bemusedly and was like, this is what you're thinking about...? he laughs and counters with, "just picture our baby laid out beside our great dane!" so i guess we're getting a great dane, too. and then he said, well actually, maybe our baby won't be a shrimp, because babies in my family are BIG. he's talking like 10lbs big. yikes! babe, how do you feel about adoption?
Thursday, August 30, 2007
sad hangover
i have a sad hangover today. i had a long, difficult (but very good) conversation till late last night, then got zero sleep thanks to JB, the cat from hell (tho i love him so). then a dumb lady made me cry on the bus this morning - normally i'd have been fine, but after the aforementioned events, i was pretty fragile. work's been fine, and then cam called just to see how i was feeling and to tell that if the forecast is good, he's riding over to my place on the motorcycle tonight. now that's a thought to cheer me up! still sad hungover, but there's a break in the clouds.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
pretty mama
i have really got to do something about my ipod situation. my ol'workhorse, the 40gb 3rd generation (first with the click wheel!), has died. its battery has become increasingly unreliable (i can't really complain - i've had it since 2001 or 2002) and i feel like purchasing a new battery is just asking for it to fall ill with another ailment. my nano, which is not yet 2 years old, is on the fritz. i've always used it as my workout ipod (as opposed to my regular one, which was my commuting ipod... i know, the excess is... excessive), and one time i stuck it in my sports bra because i forgot my armband... i think the subsequent sweat may have jammed up the works. now, even after a full reset, i can only toggle forward unless i put it back on the charger. that means that i can't play it and use the timer to time my workouts at the same time, and that if i skip the "shuffle" screen, i have to just listen to all my songs in alphabetical order. it's annoying. i've carried it on some recent commutes, but mostly skip it. in the last couple of weeks, however, i've learned that commuting without an ipod isn't just annoying, it's infuriating... when i'm plugged in, i can't hear the lewd and "appreciative" remarks made by men i pass on the street. it's something pretty much all women have to deal with, and when i'm listening to my ipod i usually don't hear it, and if i do, it's easy to ignore because there's no way romeo knows if i heard it or not. and believe me, i do NOT need to hear "sexy" hissed at me as i pass you in the metro station, or "mmm look at that ass" when i walk by the bus stop. i really don't.*
*there are occasional exceptions, when the comments are original or humorous. my favorite? once i was walking past the dc public library and a guy there yelled up from his camp, "hey miss! nice legs!" and it had me laughing for the rest of the night.
*there are occasional exceptions, when the comments are original or humorous. my favorite? once i was walking past the dc public library and a guy there yelled up from his camp, "hey miss! nice legs!" and it had me laughing for the rest of the night.
Monday, August 20, 2007
hot coffee
man! this weekend was one of those that just didn't seem long enough, even though it had a little something for everyone. friday night was quiet... a trip to the gym, and a fantastic batch of homemade red sauce, if i do say so. i froze most of it, so we'll see how i feel about it in time. saturday was absolutely gorgeous, though i slept till 11 so i didn't quite maximize it! but i ran, and then went to the nats/mets game that night, thanks to squidpants. it ruled - front row seats! when all the presidents ran by, TJ gave me a high five. now that's living. the game ended just in time for me to meet cam at the airport, just in at midnight from south bend. finally! sunday we had a big breakfast, then parted ways because i had a date with psmee for an urban hike! she and her love have a strong commitment to walking the city, and i adored taking part this weekend. we walked from eastern market to dupont circle, where we stopped for beers and greek food at zorba's, then all the way back to metro center where we hopped a train home. it was so much fun - the best possible quality time with a dear friend, and one of the best things about her is how she's so enthusiastic about her love for this city. it's infectious, and it makes me feel good about living here. it's a special time indeed. i returned home exhausted but happy, did a bunch of satisfying chores (these days, a to-do list is no match for me!), then grilled steaks, baked potatoes, and sauteed asparagus for cam&i for dinner. i make a mean steak, thanks to my mom. 5 minutes on a side, and set the timer - that's the secret!
and today is cool and rainy, a hot coffee day for the first time in months. cheers to that!
and today is cool and rainy, a hot coffee day for the first time in months. cheers to that!
Friday, August 17, 2007
love is all around
ok, so the first round of the bad was pretty bad. even though cam was gone for 9 days instead of 10, i hit a low low spot around day 5. i love being alone, but this time, i was too alone. my best dc friend was out of town, my awesome roommate was out of town, and i just felt lonelier than patsy cline. after a fantastic phone date with cam i realized hey! i have the resources to fix this situation! and just a few hours later, my weekend was PACKED. friday after work i headed home to visit my bff, her hubby, and little evan, then dashed to my sister's and then to dinner downtown with her, her bf, and some other friends. we had two rounds of tapas at kyma, two bottles of wine, and more than two hours of good conversation. the funniest part came toward the end... i headed down the street to the atm to get a bit more cash for my share of the bill. the line took forever, and when i finally slipped my card into the slot, the brightest light shone straight on me from the street. what?! i shielded my eyes and checked it out - it was a cop car shining its spot on me. huh? i sort of glared and turned back to the atm. next, "ma'am: you there, at the atm, are you alright" boomed over the cop's pa. duh, of course i am. so i shot another glare over my shoulder and went back to the machine. again, "are you ok at the atm?" next thing i hear is my sister laughing, and i look over once more just in time to see her tumbling out of the backseat of the squad car - our friend, one of annapolis' finest, had picked her up as she trailed me to the atm to make sure i was ok (since i was taking so long). hilarious!
the next day was a doozy too - up early and over to newlywed ernie's new condo to hang out with her and her husband, over to mom's to say hello, then home for about 4 hours and off to a pig roast in brookland. it was fantastic - hosted by the parents of a former intern of ours who graduated from american this summer. they're latino, puerto rican and salvadoran, and man did they throw a feast! the pig was roasted slowly in a large box with coals on top, and accompanied by potato salad, spicy rice, and tons of beer. we dined under a large tent set up in the driveway at tables adorned with vases of flowers, and as soon as the sun set a variety of instruments emerged from the house, and soon thereafter the music began. it was so warm and inviting and fun, i had a hard time leaving.
sunday was another round of the good - more tubing! a different crew this time, and less drunken, but no less fun. and monday i dashed out of work and picked cam up and all was right in the world. he's gone again now, for a day or maybe two... the unpredictability is frustrating, but it's so important and his employer values him so highly that i know we'll make it work. and i'm so proud of him.
the next day was a doozy too - up early and over to newlywed ernie's new condo to hang out with her and her husband, over to mom's to say hello, then home for about 4 hours and off to a pig roast in brookland. it was fantastic - hosted by the parents of a former intern of ours who graduated from american this summer. they're latino, puerto rican and salvadoran, and man did they throw a feast! the pig was roasted slowly in a large box with coals on top, and accompanied by potato salad, spicy rice, and tons of beer. we dined under a large tent set up in the driveway at tables adorned with vases of flowers, and as soon as the sun set a variety of instruments emerged from the house, and soon thereafter the music began. it was so warm and inviting and fun, i had a hard time leaving.
sunday was another round of the good - more tubing! a different crew this time, and less drunken, but no less fun. and monday i dashed out of work and picked cam up and all was right in the world. he's gone again now, for a day or maybe two... the unpredictability is frustrating, but it's so important and his employer values him so highly that i know we'll make it work. and i'm so proud of him.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
the good, the bad, and the ugly
the good:
tubing! on saturday my birthday week continues with tubing at gunpowder falls state park with 10 of my favorite people! we found a rad place that lets you drink beer and float for 2 1/2 hours... the water will be ice-cold, but we have deluxe tubes and we will OWN that river.
the bad:
cam's new job starts sunday night... it's a great job, and i'm so proud of him for being such a superstar at work that they've essentially created a position for him, and it's what he's always wanted to do. the bad part is that he'll be on the road for 10 days at a time, then home for 5. i don't think i need to say any more about why that sucks, but i will say that we have a plan and i think we'll be a-ok... it's just a big adjustment.
the ugly:
i am FAT. fat fat fat. i don't quite have to buy new clothes or anything, but everything's riding a little high as the waistband tries to find a thinner place to rest... and fails... and then rolls/wrinkles a bit. it BLOWS. but i guess the good thing about cam's new job is that it'll mean i can get back to my exercise/eating routine, which keeps me very happily in shape. it'll be tough to get back to where i was, physically, but i'll have the time to do it now.
tubing! on saturday my birthday week continues with tubing at gunpowder falls state park with 10 of my favorite people! we found a rad place that lets you drink beer and float for 2 1/2 hours... the water will be ice-cold, but we have deluxe tubes and we will OWN that river.
the bad:
cam's new job starts sunday night... it's a great job, and i'm so proud of him for being such a superstar at work that they've essentially created a position for him, and it's what he's always wanted to do. the bad part is that he'll be on the road for 10 days at a time, then home for 5. i don't think i need to say any more about why that sucks, but i will say that we have a plan and i think we'll be a-ok... it's just a big adjustment.
the ugly:
i am FAT. fat fat fat. i don't quite have to buy new clothes or anything, but everything's riding a little high as the waistband tries to find a thinner place to rest... and fails... and then rolls/wrinkles a bit. it BLOWS. but i guess the good thing about cam's new job is that it'll mean i can get back to my exercise/eating routine, which keeps me very happily in shape. it'll be tough to get back to where i was, physically, but i'll have the time to do it now.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
happy birthday!
cam: "you know how that belt on your car's been squeaking? i can take it in to work today, i should have time to take a look at it..."
emma: "you really want to do that? i mean, that would be great - sure!"
cam: "no problem."
12 hours later, he picks me up at the metro station after work...
cam: "so, do you hear anything?"
emma: "nope! you fixed it! thanks! what was wrong with it?"
cam: "there wasn't anything really wrong with it, i checked everything out... atmospheric conditions... air conditioning... i fixed it by rubbing some dish soap on it."
emma: "that is so cool! thanks!"
cam: "ummm... that's not the only thing i did to your car..."
emma: "huh?"
cam: "yeah... check it out!"
dudes, he totally got me XM for my birthday and installed it in my car. it is SO pretty and fancy and it looks sooooo nice - he wired everything so that it looks like it's always been that way, and today we should be able to activate it and i should be in business! best. boyfriend. EVER.
emma: "you really want to do that? i mean, that would be great - sure!"
cam: "no problem."
12 hours later, he picks me up at the metro station after work...
cam: "so, do you hear anything?"
emma: "nope! you fixed it! thanks! what was wrong with it?"
cam: "there wasn't anything really wrong with it, i checked everything out... atmospheric conditions... air conditioning... i fixed it by rubbing some dish soap on it."
emma: "that is so cool! thanks!"
cam: "ummm... that's not the only thing i did to your car..."
emma: "huh?"
cam: "yeah... check it out!"
dudes, he totally got me XM for my birthday and installed it in my car. it is SO pretty and fancy and it looks sooooo nice - he wired everything so that it looks like it's always been that way, and today we should be able to activate it and i should be in business! best. boyfriend. EVER.
solo
Stolen from jbd's blog...
You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend? work.
3. Your hair? damp.
4. Work? distracted.
5. Your father? swimming.
6. Your favorite thing? friends.
7. Your dream last night? rats.
8. Your favorite drink? water.
9. Your dream car? scratch.
10. The room you're in? humming.
11. Your pet? enormous.
12. Your fears? dulled.
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? mom.
14. Where did you hang out last night? bars.
15. What you're not good at? criticism.
16. Eyebrow rings on the opposite sex? ew.
17. One of your wish list items? received.
18. Where you grew up? harbor.
19. The last thing you did? coffee.
20. What are you wearing? stripes.
21. What aren't you wearing? pants.
22. Your computer? overloaded.
23. Your life? exquisite.
24. Your mood? mellow.
25. Missing? kahlil.
26. What are you thinking about right now? future.
27. Your car? garaged.
28. Your work? manageable.
29. Your summer? unbelievable.
30. Your relationship status? loved.
31. Your favorite color? green.
32. When is the last time you laughed? bed.
33. Last time you cried? past.
34. School? completed.
You.
Can.
Only.
Type.
One.
Word.
1. Where is your cell phone? desk
2. Your boyfriend/girlfriend? work.
3. Your hair? damp.
4. Work? distracted.
5. Your father? swimming.
6. Your favorite thing? friends.
7. Your dream last night? rats.
8. Your favorite drink? water.
9. Your dream car? scratch.
10. The room you're in? humming.
11. Your pet? enormous.
12. Your fears? dulled.
13. What do you want to be in 10 years? mom.
14. Where did you hang out last night? bars.
15. What you're not good at? criticism.
16. Eyebrow rings on the opposite sex? ew.
17. One of your wish list items? received.
18. Where you grew up? harbor.
19. The last thing you did? coffee.
20. What are you wearing? stripes.
21. What aren't you wearing? pants.
22. Your computer? overloaded.
23. Your life? exquisite.
24. Your mood? mellow.
25. Missing? kahlil.
26. What are you thinking about right now? future.
27. Your car? garaged.
28. Your work? manageable.
29. Your summer? unbelievable.
30. Your relationship status? loved.
31. Your favorite color? green.
32. When is the last time you laughed? bed.
33. Last time you cried? past.
34. School? completed.
Monday, July 30, 2007
magic
ever since i returned from vacation (flickr photos soon, i promise!), i've been having the best time hanging out with friends i missed while i was gone. the past two weekends have been standout - last weekend i had psmee and her lovely love over for dinner, and it was one of those evenings that isn't special because of some amazing meal, or delicious gossip, or the announcement of good news (though there was some of that!)... it was just special for the intimate feel, the relaxing pace, and the quality guests. the meal was good, all thanks to TJ's - a variety of olives, followed by marinated pork loin on the grill, new potatoes with butter and parsley, salad in a bag with gorgonzola, spinach, and cranberries - but not at all difficult, and easy to make while chatting. it was just one of those nights that leaves you loving your friends even more than before.
this weekend was a total lovefest too, from start to finish. ernie got married, and all our high school friends made up the bridal party. friday night was the rehearsal dinner, a classy dress-up affair with mouthwatering food (i had rockfish over crab risotto, with lumps of crab... gorgeous) that made me wish my dress wasn't so tight. it was so fun to hang out with my girls, all dressed up - haven't done that since prom! - and meet their boyfriends, and see them all meeting one another. saturday was wedding day, which started with manicures and BLT's with my sister and her bf (well, just the BLT for him), followed by helping ernie into her wedding dress (an inexplicably joyful thing that made me almost hyper with anticipation), and then witnessing she and her betrothed exchanging vows. the reception was a ball of dancing and drinking and laughing and love. and sunday may have been the best day of all. after cam brought us all breakfast, my sister, her bf, cam, and i went to my best friend's house to visit her, her husband, and little evan. being a part of this family and this little guy's life is the most special thing, and he's so round and beautiful right now i never wanted to put him down. then the four of us had lunch and were joined for fishing and a swim by five more wonderful friends - quite a group! sister's bf launched plans to surprise the newly-27 twins with a birthday party, so he and my sister and i snuck around preparing tacos and cupcakes for everyone. it defies description... these are the events as they transpired, but i'm not nearly elegant enough a writer to get at the feeling, the warm, relaxed mood that pervaded the day. it was perfect.
this weekend was a total lovefest too, from start to finish. ernie got married, and all our high school friends made up the bridal party. friday night was the rehearsal dinner, a classy dress-up affair with mouthwatering food (i had rockfish over crab risotto, with lumps of crab... gorgeous) that made me wish my dress wasn't so tight. it was so fun to hang out with my girls, all dressed up - haven't done that since prom! - and meet their boyfriends, and see them all meeting one another. saturday was wedding day, which started with manicures and BLT's with my sister and her bf (well, just the BLT for him), followed by helping ernie into her wedding dress (an inexplicably joyful thing that made me almost hyper with anticipation), and then witnessing she and her betrothed exchanging vows. the reception was a ball of dancing and drinking and laughing and love. and sunday may have been the best day of all. after cam brought us all breakfast, my sister, her bf, cam, and i went to my best friend's house to visit her, her husband, and little evan. being a part of this family and this little guy's life is the most special thing, and he's so round and beautiful right now i never wanted to put him down. then the four of us had lunch and were joined for fishing and a swim by five more wonderful friends - quite a group! sister's bf launched plans to surprise the newly-27 twins with a birthday party, so he and my sister and i snuck around preparing tacos and cupcakes for everyone. it defies description... these are the events as they transpired, but i'm not nearly elegant enough a writer to get at the feeling, the warm, relaxed mood that pervaded the day. it was perfect.
Monday, June 25, 2007
vive la france!
last night was a celebration of the highest order: my sister, her boyfriend, his mom, cam, and i gathered at my parents' house to cook them dinner as a thank-you for our upcoming trip to france (full credit to cam for proposing the event). it was a party from the get-go: my dad had a cooler of beer and a bowl of homemade guac on the deck for us when we arrived and the celebration was underway. the dinner was a total collaboration - wine and beer and apps from mom and dad, i roasted zucchini, sister made a salad, her bf made lime roasted potatoes, cam grilled swordfish, and sister's bf's mom assembled the most amazing confection i have ever eaten... a cake decorated like the french flag, four layers of meringue and ground almonds with grand marnier infused custard between them, iced all over in homemade whipped cream, blueberries and raspberries in every layer and all over the top... served with veuve clicquot. 4 hours flew by in a flurry of jokes, anecdotes, and comradery. my favorite part, however, may have been the very end, when we divvied leftovers between my sister, her bf, and myself - delicious doggy bags for workday lunches today. i have leftover salad, topped with the roasted zucchini and a wedge of the swordfish... and so much cake for dessert that i had to send out an S.O.S. to my colleagues lest i attempt to finish it myself. eating my lunch was like a little piece of the warmth of last night here at my desk. i can't wait for the trip!
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
a party in my mouth
note to self: eating pop rocks at your desk at work is not a great idea. they stick to everything, including your face, the front of your shirt, and your clothes.
Friday, June 15, 2007
5 of the 7 deadly sins
recipe for a mind-blowing weeknight:
ingredients:
1 4-pack piraat beer
5 eggs from grandma's farm
1 onion
baby broccoli
fresh basil
fresh spinach
prosciutto
goat cheese
fresh parmesan
toasted tuscan bread
herbed goat cheese
directions:
put recently-procured piraat in the freezer, then have a cheap beer with cam while you wait. listen to boxer, pour piraats. drink piraats and crack second round, then realize one should start cooking before downing second piraat, as they have 10.5% alcohol and cooking requires both knives and fire. chop and sautee the onion, then add broccoli, basil, spinach, and prosciutto. top with scrambled eggs. allow to set for a bit, then top with more goat cheese than seems prudent. toast bread and cut into thirds. pull pan off stovetop and put it under broiler for about 45 seconds. spread herbed goat cheese on toasts. slip frittata onto a plate, sit on the couch and share it on toasts along with the remaining piraat. loudly proclaim one another's culinary genius. then pull the blinds.
ingredients:
1 4-pack piraat beer
5 eggs from grandma's farm
1 onion
baby broccoli
fresh basil
fresh spinach
prosciutto
goat cheese
fresh parmesan
toasted tuscan bread
herbed goat cheese
directions:
put recently-procured piraat in the freezer, then have a cheap beer with cam while you wait. listen to boxer, pour piraats. drink piraats and crack second round, then realize one should start cooking before downing second piraat, as they have 10.5% alcohol and cooking requires both knives and fire. chop and sautee the onion, then add broccoli, basil, spinach, and prosciutto. top with scrambled eggs. allow to set for a bit, then top with more goat cheese than seems prudent. toast bread and cut into thirds. pull pan off stovetop and put it under broiler for about 45 seconds. spread herbed goat cheese on toasts. slip frittata onto a plate, sit on the couch and share it on toasts along with the remaining piraat. loudly proclaim one another's culinary genius. then pull the blinds.
pink light
i have so little to say these days, and the only explanation for it that i can come up with is that i'm just too dang happy, and happy translates to boring, on paper anyway. i recently had an email exchange with psmee that gets to some of what's going on that's left me wordless. i mentioned, sort of off-handedly, that i'd stopped missing my loneliness and subsequently launched into this manic phase that continues today. she responded,
to which i replied,
i want to clarify, my loneliness was rarely something that got me down - VERY rarely. most of the time it fortified me, kicked me in the pants to attend this event where i wouldn't know many people, go out with that new friend even though i didn't really know what to say to her, and, in quieter times, write things and get all introspective. it's no secret that pain inspires art, and while NOTHING i have produced would be considered art, it's true for me too.
it's nice, though - now i've stopped mourning and get to more fully enjoy the fantastic things going on all over - the marriage of ernie, lots of quality time with my sister, my satisfying job, my fabulous cat, the beach with sara, the upcoming trip to france with my whole family AND my cam. i'm incredibly lucky, and at long last i can finally revel in it, and appreciate it fully.
that's an interesting concept- you've stopped missing your lonliness. it's almost like you had so much time to be a single girl that lonliness was your "thing," your M.O., in a way.
to which i replied,
yeah, my loneliness was kind of my partner for so long - you put it well when you say that it was my "thing" - i owned it really well and was comfortable with it, so much so that when it was gone, it felt like losing a friend. it was a place i could always go in my head, and it was something i drew strength from. weird, but true. so i mourned the loss of it for quite some time.
i want to clarify, my loneliness was rarely something that got me down - VERY rarely. most of the time it fortified me, kicked me in the pants to attend this event where i wouldn't know many people, go out with that new friend even though i didn't really know what to say to her, and, in quieter times, write things and get all introspective. it's no secret that pain inspires art, and while NOTHING i have produced would be considered art, it's true for me too.
it's nice, though - now i've stopped mourning and get to more fully enjoy the fantastic things going on all over - the marriage of ernie, lots of quality time with my sister, my satisfying job, my fabulous cat, the beach with sara, the upcoming trip to france with my whole family AND my cam. i'm incredibly lucky, and at long last i can finally revel in it, and appreciate it fully.
Friday, June 08, 2007
look out!
it's bachelorette party weekend! more later... just in case the bachelorette's reading this!
Friday, June 01, 2007
vacation, all i ever wanted
last week's sojourn in tortola was both the most and least remarkable vacation i've ever been on. least remarkable because it was just that - when people come up to me and ask me "how was your vacation? what did you do?" the answer is very simple: it was amazing - i laid on a beach with a book and a pina colada every day... not much to tell! but most remarkable in that it's the first time in my life i've ever done just that, and only that, for an entire week. and let me tell you, it's well worth it. my mental state is vastly different than it was when i left. when i left, i was feeling dull around the edges - happy about happy things and sad about sad ones, but everything had lost its luster, and my job irritated me more than usual, and my road rage was more than was warranted (or healthy), and my physical health, or lack thereof, was a constant worry.now, though nothing's actually changed, i like my job again, i shrug off the mcdonald's semi riding my ass for mile after mile on 395, and though i'm still not healthy, i'm handling it better. and the happy things? the happy things are that much happier. the thrill that you get in your chest, that happy bubbling when you're thinking about something good, or anticipating something exciting, has returned just when i was sure it never could. that, more than anything, was the best thing about my vacation.
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