Blue Moon

As I was out with the dog on skunk watch, I realized there is a big, full moon tonight. Given that it's our second one in a month, it's Blue Moon. Of course, it would be better if it was actually blue!

Last Week and Memorial Day

This was a great weekend. It was so nice to have time off and to be outside.
The downside was the nasty cold I managed to pick up. Given the stress of the last few weeks, I suppose it was inevitable. It's been a miserable one and my head still feels like it's going to explode. In spite of this, I did manage to have some fun.

I was quite busy last week and out almost every night (which is probably why I got the cold I have!). The Web Innovator's Conference was a lot of fun and I met some new people afterwards. It was very busy Tuesday night!

What happens when you a bring a box of Cheez-its to a bar? That was what my friend and I found out when we grabbed dinner later in the week. We went to a place she is a regular and there was some back story about the Cheez-its. Surprisingly they were a good bar nibble and created no end of controversy for the Cheez-it-less people in the restaurant.

Though I was feeling a bit stuffed up, I headed into the city on Friday night to meet another friend for drinks by the water. It was such a gorgeous night out we had our drinks and dinner outside. We tried to solve the mysteries of dating in Boston but she and I didn't come to any solid conclusions. We walked back to the T via the Harbor Walk.

Even though we thought my Pomegranate Martinis were providing good anti-oxidants, apparently I needed many more because I woke up Saturday with my cold in full bloom. I had no energy and had to cancel the plans I had because I couldn't leave the couch. It was a bummer but it was better I not spread my germs.

Sunday was BBQ time. It's really not Memorial Day weekend if I don't have some form of meat on a grill. I wasn't feeling great with the cold so it was only a short visit with the family. The food looked great but with my nose so stuffed up I couldn't taste much of it.

Today was a relaxed day outside with the pets and reading a book. All in all a good weekend!

First Summer Day

It was a gorgeous day Friday and the weather was perfect. The dog enjoyed some time in the pool to cool off!

Light up my life

Everyone knows how handy a flashlight is. Imagine that you have no electricity at all. No light to read, do your homework, keep you safe or seek medical attention. Imagine you live in a refugee camp. What's the one thing that you do have? Sun. So how about a solar flashlight? Brilliant idea. The creator of this light has a deal for you. It's the ultimate buy one, get one free. You purchase one flashlight for $25 (plus shipping) the free one gets shipped to Africa and an additional $1 gets donated to an aid group. It's a great idea and I encourage everyone to get one. You can learn more about this program here.

Friday Night Fun

After a rather long week, it was good to have a night out with my friend. The downside was the fact that it was cold, rainy and raw. With umbrellas in hand, she and I still had a good time. We had fun at our usual Irish pub where we managed to pick up a bachelor party. We chatted with the two Jim's from Philly. It was amusing and I'm sure the boys had quite the evening! There was one quirk however. Due to construction, we had to get to the ladies room by leaving the bar, going around the corner and coming back inside. It really made you evaluate whether you wanted to go or not.

We then headed to my friend's usual spot over by Faneuil Hall. When we got out of the cab, I managed to make a friend from Calgary thus continuing my streak of International men. The bar was a cute neighborhood place and fun. I met a handsome Spanish man who was very disappointed he could not persuade me to have another drink but we were off to the cigar bar. I have smoked a few in my day and just love the smell of cigar smoke. To me there is something so masculine about it. It's hard to explain. All in all, a great evening!

Goodbye Gilmores

I generally do not watch a ton of television. No Survivor, American Idol, or Lost for me. I have the attention span of a fruit fly when a new show comes on. I watch the first one and then forget all about it. Besides The Simpsons, the only show I have watched religiously has been Gilmore Girls. I loved the show the first time I saw it in 2000. The fast talking mother and daughter as best friends was enormously appealing. As someone who has a very similar relationship with my rather young mother, I was instantly hooked. The musical and pop culture references were astounding.

Tonight was the series finale. It came as a surprise to me and I was saddened to have to see it go. So with thunderstorms rolling through, I watched and cried.

Goodbye Gilmores, thanks for being my steady date on Tuesday nights.

Dating Post-mortem

A few thoughts after recent events.

"Act your age" - I've dated someone 50 who thought he was 20. If you are 40 please do not act as though you are ready to head to Boca to play shuffleboard and eat dinner at before it's dark outside.

"I want kids. Maybe. Sort of" - This is a yes or no question. Mind you, I wasn't sure if I wanted to mingle my genetic material with yours but at least know where you stand. Given that in this day and age all I need is a credit card, Internet connection and a turkey baster to have a kid, I know where I stand.

"I called ahead to the restaurant to see if jeans were ok" - That clears things up. I had assumed when you opened the door that I was early and you hadn't changed yet. While it may be fine to wear jeans to the restaurant, we were also going to the theater. I took time to dress up since it was a date and all. Nice to see you put in such effort.


"You should tell her you hope she gets cancer" - To my boss? Are you serious? How is this appropriate adult behavior? The fact that I had a family member who was diagnosed with cancer a mere three weeks before you uttered this statement shows a remarkable level of insensitivity.


"You're a good kisser" - Yes I am. Thanks for mentioning it. While we're at it, could we clear up that kissing is all about lips. It is not about you sticking your tongue down my throat for ten minutes. This isn't fun for anyone and if I wanted that I'd be dating a Labrador retriever.

"I don't go to concerts unless I have great seats" - Well aren't we picky. For me it's an evening out and a chance to hear some good music. I can hear just as well from row 27 as I can from row 2. Thankfully the concert I was kind enough to invite you to was open seating.


"I like the outdoors" - Great! Me too. Do you ski? Snowboard? Kayak? Mountain Bike? Hike? Oh you walk. Well that's like hiking except for the trees, dirt and bugs. Going to a Starbucks is not considered an outdoor activity.


"I don't want to get in the way of your school" - Thanks for that. Given that I have worked my butt off for the last three years and this was my last semester I appreciate the understanding. Why then during finals, did you have attitude with me when I couldn't spend time with you? I've been in school for 3 years. I've known you for 2 months. Which did you think was my priority?

"I really like my life nice and quiet" - That's great that your life is so quiet. I assume my life will be quiet too. When I'm 90. Right now, I'm a bit too busy enjoying the noise.

All About My Mother (and Stepmother)

Of course, unless you are living under a rock, today was Mother's Day. It was one of those days where the sky is perfectly blue and the new leaves are still lime green. My mother being the excellent cook that she is, opted to roast a chicken instead of my brother and I taking her out. The dog and I had a very nice time. We both got a doggie bag of leftovers to take home. My stepmom and Dad had other plans so I just dropped off her card and gift.

It was a day with a bit of a cloud over it however. I had a puzzling conversation with CBM last evening that really irked me. I am a ridiculously direct person and I expect the same thing from people. When I don't get it that really annoys me. I can't change the fact that I have pets and he can't change his allergy to two of them. It's not just my felines, there were other, larger issues as well but it is what it is.

Stressful day, warm night

I was just outside with the dog in my bare feet on skunk watch. It's one of those nice May nights where you can still feel the heat of the day emanating from the pavement. While he sniffed around I had the chance to stare up at the stars which are out in full force on this clear night. I always seek out the Big Dipper first since that's the very first constellation my Grandfather ever taught me. It's so peaceful and quiet that it helped to blur the stress of the day.

Work has not been a wonderful place for me of late. I have a boss from hell who finally decided after 3 years to give me a review. To call it a review is an understatement. It is a 16 page, single spaced massacre. I'm pretty sure it blames me for every ill of our department and possibly blames me for global warming.

I believe this line sums things up. My boss said "although we discussed some issues that need to be addressed, please accept our appreciation for the part of your efforts in which our expectations have been met." Ouch. In non middle management speak I think she's trying to say thanks for nothing,

Today I had to work on my rebuttal. Thoughts of taking a black Sharpie marker and writing "COMPLETE LIES. I DISAGREE." on every page did cross my mind.

Since I've finally finished finals, all signs point to finding a new job. Until then, I have to suck it up and trudge in. Thankfully this week is almost over.

Food glorious food!

Mangoes from India are finally being allowed into the US! Oh the wonders or irradiaton and bilateral trade.

Mangoes are one of my favorite foods. That blend of gingery and almost piney flesh and the juice are incredible. The best mango I have ever had was once in Grenada when our tour guide, Clint, pulled over at some woman's house and asked her if he could have a ripe mango from a tall tree in her yard. It was warm from the sun, like a cherry tomato from the vine in the summer. The juice that came from this fruit was amazing. The taste was incredible and I have yet to replicate it here. Hopefully once the Indian mangoes hit the market, I will be able to indulge.

The other food news is a bit puzzling. Yes, it's the Kool-Aid Dill pickle. It's as puzzling as it sounds and gives a normal pickle an otherworldly red hue. Apparently it's from the South and combines sour and sweet in a new way. As much of a fan of sweet and sour as I am, it looks a bit off putting.

You Are What You Eat. Sort of.

Interesting stuff about obesity in the New York Times today. It would seem that if you are overweight and you lose weight, then you should be able to keep the weight off. Not exactly.

It seems that "each person has a comfortable weight range to which the body gravitates. The range might span 10 or 20 pounds: someone might be able to weigh 120 to 140 pounds without too much effort. Going much above or much below the natural weight range is difficult, however; the body resists by increasing or decreasing the appetite and changing the metabolism to push the weight back to the range it seeks.".

Huh. Who knew? It makes all those people who insist that when you hit "25, 30, 35, 40, 45 you will see" look a bit silly. I have a hard time believing that once you turn a certain age you will suddenly just wake up with 20 extra pounds. I do realize that metabolism does slow as you age but these people seem to forget that every one's metabolism is different. Some of us are luckier than others in that regard, but as long as you keep active your weight should be pretty stable.

Chicks!

So today the dog an I took a little trip to visit my family. We headed out to my Dad's house to see his latest arrivals. The new chicks were here! My Dad started raising chickens a few years back. I grew up with all kinds of animals both as pets and non-pets but this has been an interesting experience. I can't tell you the last time I had to buy eggs in the grocery store. There is something so very cute about a fluffy little chick. As the designated chicken-sitter when he and my step-mom go on vacation I have a significant number of charges this year!

Disco Ball With Legs

One this very busy weekend of finals, I did what anyone preparing for exams would do. I went out of course!

Last night was a fun night with my usual Friday night nacho eating friends. We laughed and had a great time but I stayed out far later than I had planned. We were all amused by the women wearing the odd silver sequined dress. We were in an Irish Pub so she was definitely overdressed. Black leggings did not add to the outfit at all. When my friend said that this woman looked like a disco ball we all realized we are going straight to hell for being so catty. At least we'll be in good company! When I came back from the ladies room I have no idea what happened in my absence but the lady who looked like she had escaped from Princess Bride kept glaring over at us for the rest of the evening. By far the best comment of the night, "Nice shirt. Did you buy it or was it a gag gift?"

This evening was the Brandi Carlile concert in town with CBM. What an amazing show! There is something so sexy about a woman who can play the hell out of a guitar and she certainly can. The show started with a Dylan cover, had a great version of Creep by Radiohead and a rollicking Johnny Cash tune. It was a blast and it was one of those shows where clearly all the planets have aligned because the music and performance were so incredible.

My New Sister

Well I do have a new "sister" but it's not in a traditional sense. I just got a package from Women for Women International containing the information about the latest sister I am sponsoring. She is living in the Sudan.

Here are a few facts -

-She shares a home (hut actually) with 24 including her 5 boys. She had 6 children but one died. There is no running water or electricity and the main source of lighting is kerosene.

-She cannot read her name or write and has never been to school.

-Medical attention is too expensive, too far and has a shortage of medicines.

-In the Sudan, a woman is more likely to die in childbirth than to graduate from primary school.

-Almost 90% of women in Sudan have experienced FGM (female genital mutilation). Women who do not under go FGM risk being shunned or sanctioned.

-Rape has been used extensively as a tool of war during the conflict in Darfur to terrorize the population.

It's a big reality check as I wrote my letter to her in my home with heat, hot water, ample food, computer, tv, cell phone and pets that are probably better fed than some of the residents of Sudan.