A Fitting Farewell

When my dog Nik died, my ex and I agreed to get his ashes returned so we could scatter them. He was a dog that loved being outside and would not have wanted to be in an urn stuck on a mantle. So with the weather finally cooperating, we set off to hike a mountain. We choose Mount Watatic as Nik's final resting place. Like many other mountains in New England it was a small ski area in the past. Unlike the one down the street from where I grew up, it was not turned into housing but left as an open space.

It was not a difficult hike and such a gorgeous, sunny day out. He would have loved it. We spent so much time out doors and hiking with him that it was weird to be together without the dog. We left him on the summit overlooking his favorite lake. We said our goodbyes, thanked him for everything and shed more than a few tears. We laughed about the day we got him (he was the puppy that ran over to me and untied my shoe.) I was in love with him from that moment on.

First Day of Summer

Today was the first day of summer. Appropriately enough Solstice is the longest day of the year. And let me tell you, was it ever. It's been a long week with work going into the wee hours of the morning. I could barely get out of be this morning after only a few hours of sleep. The highs and low of database testing have run me ragged. I was so happy to get home. And take a nap :-)

Man Purse and Tater Tots at the MFA

Ok, so there were no Tater Tots at the First Friday "Meat Market under the guise of art" event at the MFA last night. But there was indeed a seventy-ish year old man with a man purse. I thought at first he may be holding it for his wife but no, it was his. How do I know? Of course he decided to come over and talk to me. In addition to his man purse he was clearly lacking in any concept of personal space. He kept getting closer and closer to me as he talked and I kept backing up. Unfortunately I could only go so far as there was a sign behind me. Fortunately one of my friends saw what was happening and saved me.

There was the usual display of fashion challenged people which provided no end of amusement. It is a fun event to people watch at but the whole pick-up scene is just a bit much sometimes. There's nothing like the naked desperation when the end of the event comes. With odd, openly lecherous men hanging out by the door waiting to snare any women who wander by on their way to the coat room and hoping for one last gasp of hooking up. It's not very pleasant and was really irking one of my friends.

After the MFA we headed to Cambridge for a beer and a burger. Mine was a cheeseburger with jalapeños and avocado. It was really good but the tater tots made it better! It may have seemed like I was channeling elementary school but they were hot, salty and full of processed potato goodness. It went perfectly with the beer!

Girl on the Go

Well my normal busy life got ever busier. I spent a lovely week in the Carolinas (South and then North) for work. The bonus, beside going to Charleston and Charlotte, was spending the weekend with my Grandparents. We had the best time. I loved sitting at the kitchen table with my Grandmother having coffee and watching the birds in her backyard. The fleeting glimpse of the bluebird in her yard was amazing. The mockingbirds apparently do not like the bluebird and chase it out.

The weather was so nice. It was like instant summer. I did actually get to enjoy a day outside as part of team building at the US National Whitewater Center. The ropes course (actually wires not ropes) 35 feet in the air was great fun and very challenging. It was instant bonding and I did end up with two sweaty hand prints on my shoulders. (Nothing like adrenaline to give you sweaty palms.) The rafting was fun but just a bit monotonous given that it's man made. The rapids were fun, but there were only two loops to go in. And the weirdest part was the conveyor belt (think like the grocery checkout line but instead of apples the entire raft and all its contents paddle up and get on.)

This was no vacation. My boss apparently didn't realize I was actually working while I was away and presenting. She kept sending me emails with deadlines that were so unrealistic given the fact that I was actually traveling, on a raft or on a plane.


I will admit that as much as I do love traveling,it was so very nice to come home. There is nothing like sleeping in your own bed :-)

Busy Girl

Well this has been quite the week. I was out and about and being a social butterfly in addition to lots of work. I was very happy to have time to myself this afternoon and evening. I do feel like I need another weekend just to recover from this one!

I did have the good luck to have a wonderful time on Friday night and to laugh so hard I cried on Saturday. I just love getting silly and cracking up. I'm not sure the other people in the bar got quite what we found so amusing but it didn't matter.

So as I get ready for bed I am getting organized for two dinner parties this weekend with spectacular menus, if I do say so myself! I have some travel coming up for work that I need to get pinned down as well.

Spring!

Well spring has definitely arrived. Actually it was more like summer today in the 80's. It's been so nice to see all the magnolia trees, tulips and daffodils finally in bloom. And robins. I saw about 15 of them on my walk this evening. After working like crazy this week, it was nice to be able to get outside to play.

Less nice was the giant hornet on my bathroom skylight when I got home. It was huge and not very happy. I tried to coax it into a plastic container for release outside but it was not having it. So not wanting to get stung, or worse the cats getting stung, I determined to get the bug spray. Well, turns out I don't have any bug spray. I had Lysol. So I figured enough of that would do the hornet in.

Now I can't find where the hornet went. It's either dead and somewhere on the floor or really, really angry and smelling outdoor fresh waiting for my bare foot.

Nice To Meet You

I am not the most huggy person by nature. I grew up in a family that didn't really hug and kiss too much. This all changed when my Dad got remarried the second time and I found myself in a supremely "hug and kiss" family. It took awhile to get used to.

I really need to feel a connection with someone in order to want to hug them. So the people I do hug should feel honored :-)

It is never my first reaction with meeting a new person to haul off and hug. I am a hand shaker. It presented itself this weekend when I met up with a new friend. He went in for a hug and I stuck my hand out for a handshake. It was slightly awkward for a few seconds but did not put a damper on a lovely walk on a very warm spring day.

Women Helping Women

raison d’être

I've always loved that phrase and when I saw a beer with that name, I had to pick it up for the party last night. It was a busy day with getting ready, but we had a great time. It was good for a lot of laughs, and fortunately no tears, as we said good bye and good luck to my friend who is departing for the other coast this week.

The fact that she is leaving finally sank in today as I left her place for the last time, with her plants who are coming to live at my house.

This has been a crazy month. Tremendous highs and lows with everything else in between. It started with tears and is ending that way as well though the tears this time are not so much about grief but bittersweet ones. I am so happy that my friend is taking this great step in her life but sad it's going to be on the West Coast.

I am beyond tired right now. I got home from the party way too late and oddly wide awake for the hour it was. I am mentally and physically worn out from so much, including the nasty after hours email I got from my new boss. I'm still working that one out.

So I welcome April. I am happy to be having a moment to catch my breath, get a much needed haircut, do my taxes and put the finishing touches on my new apartment.

Get Out Your Easter Bonnet

Ok, so there was no bonnet involved on my end but I did witness quite a few during my weekend in New York. It was quite the onslaught of pastel colors on 5th Avenue this morning and many hats with small, stuffed animal bunnies mounted to the front. It looked like an odd cartoon taxidermist advertisement. I continued my color assault on my poor eyes by spending the bulk of the day at the MOMA.

Of course I was not in town just for the parade. I was catching up with the girls for lunch and my new NY friend for dinner. The girls had some issues and could not head into town so I was left with an afternoon all to myself. It was really nice and I got back to the hotel to relax, read and take a quick nap since I was still recovering from my nasty cold during the week.

Dinner was another fantastic time. The company was incredible as was the food. It was great and I am still giggling about our waiter's unbridled enthusiasm about mustard seed zabaglione. And the cheese course with an almost toasted marshmallow runny cheese and a make-you-swoon double creme cheese. Oh and additional swooning for the wine. Holy cow. I apparently have been a very good girl to get to enjoy a meal like that!

So while I did not spend Easter with my MA family, I stopped in on my "adoptive" White Plains Italian family to say hello. It was a great visit and one that I walked away from with my heart feeling really good.

It was such a tremendously good weekend, I didn't mind the traffic on the way home.

A Little Cheer

Well, it's been a tough week, but I've appreciated all those who have been of help and understanding. I came home from work this week and got a great cheer up. Who can be sad when they get a bunny cupcake?!?

Goodbye My Special Guy

It is a sad day today as I find myself writing this difficult post. My handsome, special guy, Nikita died yesterday. He was the best dog and I am so heartbroken. I could not bear posting his picture here so I borrowed my friend's special condolence email he sent to me last night. It's the new dog in his family and it actually made me smile on a day with so many tears.

So with that, I have a few words about my amazing dog ^..^

I will miss that big, white head with ears down and sleepy eyes greeting me at the top of the stairs when I get home from work. His tail wagging a mile a minute and stepping on cats, he would tell me all about his day.

I will miss walking him around my neighborhood, feeling so very proud of all the "he's so handsome" and "he's so beautiful" comments I would get.

I will miss feeling so safe and protected knowing that as long as he was around, nothing would harm me. I will miss him putting himself in front of me and issuing a bwoof warning any strangers to keep their distance from his mom.

I will miss his spirit, intelligence, persistence and sense of humor which was often evidenced by that gleam in his eye as he would toss his slobbery, squeaky soccer ball at one of the sleeping cats.

I will miss his determination and stubbornness that didn't wane even as his body was getting old.

I will miss him pitching his toys at me to play with him.

I will miss watching him belly flop into my dad's pool or hanging out in his kiddie pool, happy to be cooled off on a hot day.

I will miss telling him "I'm going to get you" and watching him take off for me to chase him.

I will miss watching him unwrap presents during the holidays. Both his presents and anyone else who isn't paying attention.

I will miss his ability to hear an ice cream sandwich wrapper being unwrapped from a mile away. And his ability to get to the source of that noise in 2 seconds flat.

I will miss him sleeping next to me at night, hogging the bed and kicking me when he had his puppy dreams of chasing squirrels or whatever else.

I will miss him waking me up in the morning by putting his head on my pillow and kissing my face.

I will miss him standing guard on the bath mat every time I take a shower.

I will miss teasing him about his nemesis, squirrels, with every word that begins with a "sq" sound.

I will miss him licking my face when I cry and then bringing me one of his toys to try to cheer me up.

I will miss telling him "get the kitties" and watching his face light up. The cats will probably not miss that.

I will miss watching him being so gentle nuzzling Jack out of the way to make room for himself on his bed.

I miss being able to think about my dog without tears running down my face. I am so very sad it seems a million years away that I will not.

Goodbye my handsome boy. Thank you for everything.

Lesbian School of Dance

It's been so busy with work and life that I haven't had a second to relax. Friday night brought a very happy, informal house warming party that was a blast. It was such a great night for pizza and beer and hilarious conversation. And 25 pairs of giant cat eyes from the creepiest wallpaper I have ever seen.

This winter has been fantastic and I have certainly gotten my fill of snow. It snowed out on Friday late and it was just beautiful to drive home in. It was still snowing the next morning but it was those giant, wet flakes.

The weekend was good and I got a lot accomplished. My kitchen is finally fully unpacked and organized the way I want. Sunday night brought sad news. It's always so difficult when my pets get sick. They can't tell you what's wrong and it's so sad.

The Planets Align

Well, actually it was a lunar eclipse so only the sun and moon aligned with the earth in the middle. It was an amazing sight to see through the skylight as it's a chilly night out there.

It did seem an aligning day as I got an email from someone I had been hoping to hear from. Work is also going smoothly and I sat in on a training today to get to learn some of our products. I think the effects of my finally getting my butt back to yoga are carrying me through the week. I'm feeling much more calm, focused and relaxed than I have been.

Happy Valentine's Day

Yes it's that time of year again. Valentine's Day.
Or what it was to me - Thursday.

My friend sent me the best e-card (well two cards actually) that summed up my thoughts of this day totally. I am not one for forced affection. I'd rather know I'm loved on a random day that one the day that the greeting card companies say.

For the Soul

I am not one of those people who will wait in line for hours for a ticket to a sporting event or a concert. On Friday I became one of those people. The Museum of Fine Arts was offering free tickets if you got online and through at 10 am. So at 9:58 I clicked and started to wait. Obviously the server was swamped and it took an agonizing 24 minutes until SUCCESS. What got me all giddy was that the MFA was showing the documentary The Gates about the creation of the amazing exhibit in Central Park in 2005. Not only were we seeing the movie but the artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude were there and we were 3 rows away from them!

It was wonderful and made me relive the amazement of the exhibit all over again. It was seredipidious and last minute trip to NY for an exhibit at the Met and lo and behold there was this amazing exhibit in park. The luminous orange gates snaking their way through the park against the monochromatic February landscape was amazing. I am so very glad I was able to witness it then and again on Friday with my friend.

Super Tuesday

Well here we are at the end of Super Tuesday. As I've mentioned before, I have a love of voting. It reminds me of my grandmother when I used to go with my Mom and visit her working at the polls. I like to think she'd be thrilled to see a woman on the ballot. I headed to my polling place after work and was happy to see how many people were there.

I have been thinking a lot about who to vote for. I weighed a lot of factors and was undecided for a lot longer than I usually am. I mean, I am a registered Democrat so it wasn't like I was suddenly going to go Republican or anything. I made my decision and I am glad I finally had an election I was truly excited about.

I will say that a part of what influenced my decision was what I will call the Oprah affect. I think Oprah's a great person with her giving away cars and opening schools in Africa. But I don't think she should be telling the country who to vote for. And it got quite annoying with her and John Kerry and Ted Kennedy. Enough. I'll make up my own mind thank you.

Beautiful Day

Since Mother Nature has been so kind as to actually give us a winter this year, it only seemed right to get out on Saturday and play in the snow. So that's what we did. The ladies went Cross-Country skiing. It was cold on Saturday but we certainly were moving enough to work up a good sweat. We had a break in a heated yurt and got going after we started to chill down. The return to the lodge was blissfully mostly downhill!

We stopped at a great brewpub on the way home where an inexpensive oatmeal stout and piping bowl of chili warmed us back up for the ride home. It was a great day! I can't wait to do it again.

Moving Sucks. And So Do Clowns.

Ok so the big move was this weekend and I can't find a blessed thing. It took me an hour and a half to find Saran Wrap this weekend. Anyway, with all that going on plus it being my second week of the new job, my brain is fried. Hopefully this weekend with provide me with some much needed relaxation.

In my wanderings on the internet I came across this Don't Send in the Clowns. Turns out kids don't like clowns. As a person who was afraid of clowns long before It scared the bejeezus out of me, I could have told you that. The best quote from the article, "We found that clowns are universally disliked by children. Some found them quite frightening and unknowable." Hmm, a big brightly colored made up person running around like a maniac making balloon animals. How could that be scary to a child? Heck, as far as I am concerned clowns are universally disliked. Yet my own mother had clown knickknacks when I was a kid. And I once did date a man who was a clown. He showed up at my door in full makeup. He's very lucky I don't own a gun.

Verizon FIOS Customer Service Sucks

Ok, so I start my new job this week and it's been so busy. I finally get a second on Friday during lunch to call Verizon to schedule my FIOS service to be moved to my new apartment. No problem. They had a service appointment available for the 13th and they were shutting off my existing service on the 14th, just in case. I should have been concerned but once again I assumed people were competent and doing their jobs. Wrong.

I get home Friday night and instead of packing, I spend an hour troubleshooting why I can't access the internet. It finally dawns on me that Verizon shut off my service already.

Phone call #1 - So I wade through the god awful prompts and finally get an agent. Oops, they shut my service 10 days early. Hey, we're really sorry about that but we need to place another order to get your service back. I speak to a very helpful (heavy sarcasm) agent named Lynne who tells me that she will personally walk this order through and my service will be restored in an hour. Ok. You guessed it, no service.

Phone call #2 - Another rep. Another set of apologies. Apparently my order is "held up" somewhere and this rep offers to once again walk this order through. I mention the name of the rep I spoke with last night and am told "She's a very good agent". Well I'm sure she is, except for the fact that she lied to me! So now I am told that my service will be back in 4-6 hours. Once again, no dice.

Phone call #3 - So now, a full 24 hours after the original promise of my service being restored I am still without. And the worst part is that they completely inactivated my email account when they shut off my service. So no email since Friday at noon. Great. This agent, who gets bristly when I have the apparent nerve to be angry, says his supervisor told him to expedite this order and my service should be back within 24 hours. I am not feeling warm and fuzzy about this but I keep trying throughout today.

Phone call #4 - If this is how they treat an expedited problem I hate to think how long it takes them to handle a typical order. I am still on hold and I've noticed that during my many minutes on hold that their hold music annoyingly skips. While waiting on hold, I used my time productively and filled out a complaint with the BBB.

So my educated guess is that the rep made a typo and cancelled my service on the 4th instead of the 14th and as a result, I have been fighting with Verizon all weekend. Not really my idea of a productive use of my time. Thanks a lot Verizon. It's called Customer Service. You might want to look into getting some.

We Are Not a Cab

So here were are in the first full day of 2008. It was a quiet day after a late night and the snow seemed to have kept everyone in. It was funny to see that all of us decided to walk our dogs at the same later hour this morning! I guess we all slept in today.

It was a great holiday season for me. This year wrapped up with dinner and going out with friends. It was sad to say goodbye to two who moved out of town today. So it was fun but a bit sad. We went to a very interesting club that was unclear on it's own theme for the night. Aliens or Aerialists what's the difference? We stopped at out favorite watering hole for a last drink but sadly they were closed for a private party. While we drove home (huge thanks to the friend who drove) people kept trying to hail us. It was hysterical! I did feel bad for people as it's impossible to get a cab in Boston on a normal night. If my friend wants to consider a second career as a gypsy cab driver she'd clean up!

I'm not generally a New Year's resolution person. While I stood outside with the dog in the wee hours of the morning, I pondered a few. With so much change happening for me in the next two weeks, I have my plate full.

Resignation

It was such a relief to finally get a new job! I have been ready to leave my job from hell for months and I finally can. Once I had the offer in hand, I gave my notice the next day. It was better than I could have expected! I have been dreaming for months about being able to walk into work and say "I quit" and that moment was finally here. It felt so good! I have not been able to wipe the smile off my face. One of my co-workers told me I was absolutely beaming! I am indeed. It's such a relief that I feel 1000 times better to be leaving the stress and dysfunction of my group.

In preparing to quit, I realized that in I haven't done it in awhile. I was laid off from my last two jobs which made resigning rather redundant. I have been transitioning and purging all this week. It's amazing what you accumulate over four years in the same job. The hardest part is definitely leaving the people I have come to know. I sent out my "Farewell" email with my contact information and the responses I have gotten back are so kind and sweet and touching I am trying not to cry when I read them. I wish that my company could have gotten it's act together and I could have transferred to something else. But they treated me so badly that I am glad to be having a clean break. I can't wait to start my new job!

Snow Day

Today was a great day. Actually this has been a great week for a few reasons I'm not ready to post here yet. I went into work for the morning but as the snow totals kept creeping up, I headed home. It was a very fast storm as it took about ten minutes from the first flake to fall for the roads to start to get covered. It was snowing so hard at points that the poor dog was completely snow covered standing in the yard.

We just got back in from brushing off the car and taking a walk around the block. I love everything about snow, but that quiet hush that falls over everything is really something. People were just starting to dig out and pull their kids on their sleds in the road.

Chock Full of Holiday Spirit

It was off to NYC this past weekend to see the sights and wrap up the birthday celebration of my friend. We left on Saturday morning and arrived in Grand Central just in time to see a stream of Santas. One after another they flowed into the station. No one had any idea why. After we got home we found out it was a Santa Bar crawl. I think I am not alone in amazing at how many people have Santa outfits!
Out hotel was conveniently located so we dropped the bags and headed out for lunch.
Barbecue of course! We hit the MOMA and wandered into an exhibit of Latin American art that was nothing like either of us had expected. She's an artist and I love going to museums with arty people. They have such a different perspective on things it's fun to watch.

Heading back to the hotel, we took 5th Avenue to try to get out first glimpse of the tree. The throng of people was impenetrable so we took a shortcut via Banana Republic and viola, there it was. It's a pretty tree this year.

Dinner was in SoHo and we had a great meal. Post dinner was a fun trip to a good smelling store and walk through the village. We hit Rockefeller Center late and the crowd had thinned a bit. Seeing all the lights, the tree, the people, the Saks window and snowflake display put me right in the heart-swelling holiday spirit good will towards men kind of mood. Until my toes were run over by another baby stroller.

We were two tired girls as we sank into bed that night and were up bright and early to hunt down a breakfast place. We wandered around SoHo again and I showed off my favorite store and solved a vexing camisole mystery. It was such a fun trip!

When Life Hands You a Five Pack

That was my life Friday night when I stopped at Trader Joe's to get some pre-party supplies. I got to the register and the clerk and I both realized at the same time my 6-pack of beer was a bottle short. I have no clue where it went, but got a 6-pack with all 6-instead. I was worried this might be a harbinger of how the party was going to go. I did not need to worry.

My Mom arrived and offered up some tremendously needed help, along with a wreath for my door. She and I both foodied out at the new grocery store in my town. It was so bitterly cold on Saturday it was a perfect night to light up the fire place. When my friends arrived, they greatly appreciated the heat!

After cooking and cleaning all day, it was nice to catch up with everyone. It was a great chance for everyone to come together and get to know each other. Plus, I think the birthday girl had fun. The food was great, if I do say so myself. The spiced nuts with sugared bacon were a hit (thanks NY Times Food Section). The baked brie was so good I will make that all the time now. My favorite red lentil dip went over well. For the main course it was lemon and herb risotto with chicken piccata. And the peanut butter cupcakes with chocolate frosting hit the spot. It was such a fun evening I can't wait to do it again. Once I get rid of these dishpan hands that is!

Pickle Trays and Green Bean Casserole

It's been a busy week but I was glad that Thanksgiving was on the horizon. It meant a lot of yummy food. The dog and I headed to my Mom's house a bit early on Thanksgiving to help out. She had already done the pickle tray, which I love. I have a particular love of anything pickled so a whole pickle tray is a treat! I pitched in with the cheese and cracker tray. The dog enjoyed the scraps! It smelled so good in her house. There is nothing like the smell of turkey. I went a different route for my pumpkin contribution this year. I love pumpkin, except in pie. It's the texture I am not a fan off. As one friends says, it's too much like mousse in a crust. So I made a pumpkin upside down cake with cranberries and pecans. It was very good, though I will make some tweaks to the recipie the next time I make it.

My mother was in her entertaining element on Thursday. And to top it all off, she had three other Green Bean Casserole fans at dinner. I am not a fan at all. In fact I dislike all Campbell's Soup based casseroles, which is weird since we never had them as a kid. My mother was good that way. I love green beans but add that can of fried onions and cream of mushroom soup and yuck. No thank you.

Addictive Site

Combining my love of words and altruism is the ridiculously addictive game located at Free Rice. The premise is simple. They give you a word and four possible meanings. You choose the right one and viola you win grains of rice. You get enough right and the grains add up. Added bonus is if you get a word wrong, they will give you the right answer without penalizing you. Plus you get to add new words to your vocabulary! Play now and play often.

House Guest

After a week of miscommunication and cultural differences, my house guest arrived this weekend. It was nice to see him though it's always a bit nerve wracking having someone to your home for the first time. I cleaned so thoroughly that I can't seem to find anything!

We had a great weekend with sunny but cold weather. We went to the beach and saw some great waves, to a great breakfast place/maple barn and of course to the main event - The Police concert. What a great show. They were amazing. They played so well and we had great seats. Sting looked so hot that I am ready to take far more yoga classes! And it's not often that you get to stand next to someone playing air guitar. The man next to me found his sad attempt at rhythm. His date seemed properly horrified. He was playing so forcefully he kept bumping into me. So I had to keep moving closer to my date thereby almost pushing him into the aisle!

The time flew by. It was a good trip as we really got to talk. While email, IM and texting are handy sometimes you really need a good face to face conversation even if it does go into the wee hours of the morning.

Family Time

After enjoying a quiet, rainy day at home on Saturday today I spent time with my family. I met my Mom to head over to my 98 year old Great Aunt's house for tea. Mom and I stopped and picked up my other Aunt along the way. My Aunt, my Mom's older sister, has been stricken with MS. Her legs do no work anymore. Looking at my Aunt you would never know anything is wrong with her. This once very active woman is now trapped in a body that doesn't cooperate. It's beyond tragic. She is pretty much confined to a wheelchair in a non-wheelchair friendly world. It's very difficult getting her from point A to point B. As tired as I was, I can't even imagine how she gets around. I would be so depressed. But she has the strongest spirit that is just amazing. My Great Aunt is amazing too. She is healthy, lucid, active and lives alone. Not many other 98 year olds can say that. She's a tough cookie that you don't want to make angry. I think part of her longevity can be attributed to this!

My Dad and Stepmom had a football party today too. I stopped by after tea with my Aunties. All in all, given I am still trying to recover from my cold, I had enough. I was exhausted and though I love them, had my fill of family today.

Happy Halloween!

Well once again it's that time of year for costumes, pumpkins and candy. If you look back to the pagan roots of this holiday, it's approriate that it's a time of ending in terms of harvest as it's usually coincides with our killing frost. It's also believed that it's the time of year that the boundaries between the living and the dead are thin. Halloween is the modern name for Samhain, an ancient Celtic holy day which many Neopagans — especially Wiccans, Druids and Celtic Reconstructionists — celebrate as a spiritual beginning of a new year.

So with that, enjoy your Reese's Peanut Butter cups and beware of the spirits!

It's All in the Telling

As I sit here on my couch with a nasty cold and a raging case of laryngitis, I do appreciate the slight irony of the subject of this entry. As I sip my umpteenth cup of tea with honey, I was reflecting on some interesting events of the last few weeks.

I am a person who will tell you anything you want to know about me. Occasionally this has gotten me into trouble, but the positive effects of it far outweigh the negative. For some reason, some people in my life are taking different paths lately and it makes me wonder why.

I have a man in my life who tells me about his life in great detail, but then balks when I try to share similar details with him. There is the friend who just completely pulled away in a puzzling silence that has yet to be broken. Another friend has taken to not keeping me in the loop, but then tells me events with a look that makes it clear to me that he thinks he already has told me.

From my experience, if a friend isn't being upfront and honest with me it means there is something to hide. I consider myself a good friend who is always around to listen but it's hard to listen when people won't talk. Given my current condition, I should be talking again by midweek!

Hello Again Big Apple!

After trying to get together for most of the summer, I finally headed back to NYC to see the girls and catch up. I also was meeting a new friend courtesy of my Mother's intervention.

It was a gorgeous weekend, just oddly warm for October. I dropped my bag off at the hotel and headed off to meet the girls. Walking towards our lunch spot, there were an odd amount of puddles. I tried to avoid one and managed to splash right into it. I got water into my shoe and let out a rather loud "Dammit". As I looked up, I saw the two priests and a nun waiting for the light staring at me. It was like the start of a bad joke!

The girls are well and we had quite a few laughs. I found out my dinner date was earlier that I thought so I had to go back to hotel to check in and get ready. I was a little nervous since I don't have a great blind date track record, but he called me about an hour before dinner and we got to talk. He had a good voice so I figured I'd be ok.

Dinner. Oh. My. God. He took me to Nobu. As my friends know, this was the best place to impress me the foodie. He was funny, charming, smart and eats the way I eat. We started with Fig Martinis that were so very good and got a few dishes to share and then our entrees. It's rare for me to want to lick the plate but with the Kobe beef I was prepared to. Words can't even describe how good this beef was. Or the oysters. Or the yellowtail with jalapenos. Or the salad with lobster and shrimp. Or my black miso cod. Butter fish indeed! It was a great date of amazing food and wonderful conversation.

Spice of Life

Like most people, I can procrastinate like the best of them. So when faced with studying I should be doing, often I can find about twenty other pressing things that need to be done. Take my spice cabinet for instance. While I should have been doing something else, I got the brilliant idea to organize my spices. They are nice and neat now. I will admit to a love of Penzeys and spices that seems a bit excessive, I do indeed use them all. I also am a fan of what I term procrastibaking. It's when, once again I should be studying I decide I want something sweet. So I bake cookies, brownies or a cake from scratch. I will say that it could have been worse. At least I didn't arrange them alphabetically or by region!

To the Top

In spite of the rather summery weather of last week, it is autumn here in New England. Given that, my friend and I decided to go for a hike and see the foliage. We got up early on Saturday and with coffee in hands, headed north to the White Mountains. It was a pretty drive but we weren't sure if the foliage would be peak or past. Well after a fun, yet really vertical hike, we got our answer. Perfect peak and a tremendous view to eat our lunch by. It was gorgeous. And the weather could not have been better. Though showers were called for, they did not appear until we headed back down. After such physical exertion, of course we headed for a brewery and the coast.

Shunning the 45 minute wait outside in the rain, we plunked down at another grill and had the most perfect Pumpkin Ale and burgers. It was such a good day but once I got home and showered, I was beat. I slept like a log.

More Work Dysfunction

So while it's known that I do have the boss from hell, one of my friends actually has me beat. It's sad but true. As evil as our bosses are, they do have something in common. Apparently they went to the same management school since they are inept at communicating anything or giving direction. And when you somehow can't figure out what exactly they want you to do with a project and you give it your best shot, all hell breaks loose. With my charming boss, she runs to HR and spreads lies behind my back. This is bad, but my friend has a better story.

After yelling at her team about a job he feelt they did poor (mind you while receiving no direction) he, as a creative professional, decided to draw how angry he was. That would be the hysterical drawing you see here. It's him being the leader and dragging the rest of the team behind him to bring them up to his standard. You can be sure that any time any us has an emotional response from now on, we are going to draw it!

Urban Chick

Well I survived my week away with the chickens. It was fun but I don't really think I'm going to give up my city life for the farm life anytime soon!

It was such a crazy week last week that I am still trying to get caught up. But it's very nice to be home. I started watching the PBS series The War. I am not normally a fan of Ken Burns documentaries but for some reason I got hooked. It's always odd to me to watch historical films. The suspense should be gone since we all know how WWII turned out by now. But watching all the archival footage and stories it has been enthralling. The stories these men, mostly boys really, have to tell are incredible. The horror they had to deal with day in and day out is just unimaginable. It makes me think what the troops in Iraq are going through.

Displaced Person

Well I am not at home this week. Instead I am house and chicken sitting for my Dad and step mom in my hometown. It's been a horribly stressful week (yes I am aware that it's only Wednesday) and I really just want to go home.

When I read Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Pray, Love, I identified with her description of crying on the bathroom floor. I've been a bathroom floor cryer for a long time. It's not that I find the bathroom particularly comforting but it's generally the one room in a house that you have complete privacy for a meltdown. It's also actually really efficient since you are not out of reach of things to wipe your tears on.

So after a nasty, angry, vicious phone call with someone who has been a friend for far too long, I find myself sitting at my Dad's kitchen table in tears. And it doesn't feel right because this is not my home. Once again I am in tears, having a cry, sitting on a bathmat. I am angry that this person made me feel this way. I'm tired. I'm hungry. I'm stressed beyond belief right now. How dare he.

Roses Are Red, Pineapples Not So Much

Being single, I am firmly involved in the dating game. Though it may seem a bit old fashioned there is something to be said for getting flowers. I love roses, only if they actually smell like roses, orchids, peonies, and really any cut flower other than carnations. I've gotten flowers before the date, after the date, just because, and they always manage to make me smile. It's a clear signal that someone is interested in you.

Trying to account for regional or gender differences in dating styles I still can't stop laughing at a male friend of mine and his choice of what to send a girl he is interested in. No mere roses for him. Nope. He's going with the Fruit Bouquet choice. Yes indeed, fruit on a stick. He was thinking about not signing the card and sending it anonymously. Can you imagine getting anonymous fruit?

I think he might have gotten a bit offended that I laughed at him (still laughing by the way). I have gotten some odd gifts from the men I have been involved with but if any of them showed up at my door with a fruit bouquet that would be the end of that date. Red roses say "I really like you". A fruit bouquet says "Good luck Grandma with that cataract surgery" or "So sorry that sinkhole ate your car."

Brain Static

There has been so much going on I can’t even begin to see straight this week. Today at work was the group announcement to those affected that we are undergoing a reorganization”. My boss from hell is no longer my boss which is great. I did not get laid off (darn) but got reassigned to a different boss. I’ve worked with him in the past with no problem but I still want out of that company.

So I head home with a brain full of so many thoughts I feel like I have a hive of bees up there.

As I got off the train I thought

-I need to get gas oh and oj still need that book for book club what am I going to wear to the party Friday boy it’s really getting dark early it’s chilly I am definitely wearing pants tomorrow I need to send out some more resumes where are all my pants anyway I cannot believe how early I have to go to work tomorrow stupid meeting what the heck is that woman wearing I still have to do that data mapping project at work you know she is being a bitch to me where are my keys I could really go for a pizza do I have $2 for parking tomorrow god I do not want to go to work tomorrow is that my phone-

SMACK
I managed to not open the car door as wide as I thought. As I went to get into the car I smacked the left side of my jaw on the top of the door so hard I thought I had cracked a tooth. Both the real ones and the ones I paid for were fine. It hurts to open my mouth (so much for pizza). I can’t even touch that side of my face it hurts so badly. As one with jaw issues (TMJ) this is not good. Plus it will be a very oddly placed bruise.

*sigh*
So I have decided, since I have a busy weekend, to take Monday off and try to get myself back to center.

There but for the Grace of God

My Dad is a recently retired firefighter in my hometown. After hearing of two firefighters killed in a fire last night in Boston and two others killed in New York my heart just goes out to their families. I know that it could have so easily been my family. And I feel selfish because I offer a huge prayer of thanks that it was not.

I would get phone calls from my Dad after roofs would fall on him or he got heat exhaustion while being on a roof battling a blaze and my heart would just sink at what could have happened. Then there would be a sigh of relief that he was still able to call me on the phone and tell me what happened.

Neither my brother nor I became firefighters. I think it's truly a calling to perform a job like that. One that I did not get. I am so proud of my Dad. As we get ready to celebrate his retirement, I reflect back and thank the heavens that he made it out ok. And I wonder how long it will be until hearing the sirens stops my heart for a moment.

Balls of Hamburger, Bowl of Gouda

Well it was another Friday of fun! The food and drinks we had to start our evening were very good. The inattentive waitress and vinyl covered seats were not so good. It was an evening of confusion over a purse (which made me wonder just what that purse was made of!) and a pseudo-frat/college party. Oh and the round about ride to the liquor store that gave us a chance to explore :-)

While I am quite comfortable with my mind being constantly in the gutter, I was certainly not alone on that car ride. I will admit the talk of "man nipples" actually caused me to stall my car. On a hill. At a light.
I plead the 5th on why ;-)

It was truly fitting when we arrived at the party I did actually park in the gutter. I did appreciate the appropriateness of it.

All in all another good Friday after another difficult week at work.

Reason #145 Why My Boss Sucks

So one year ago, in typical hurry up and wait fashion, my boss asked me to build a database for some contracts we had received. No problem. I created the database, populated it and filed the contracts away. As per our agreement, she needed to look over the database and make sure it was what she wanted. Fast forward to a week ago.
She finally started looking at the database. Took her a whole year to do so.

It seemed from the beginning that there may be other contracts that went to our legal department that should be in the database. I had no proof of this, just a hunch and was not getting any confirmation from legal.

My boss decides there must be more contracts so she asked me to make a list of all the ones we do not have. So, she wants me to make a list of files I don't have. I have no copies or paperwork stating what files are missing but yet I need to list them. Once again she seems to be under the delusion that I have ESP.

It took me pointing this out to my highly educated, yet clueless, manager from hell, that maybe it would make more sense to make a list of the ones already in database and ask legal if they have others above and beyond that. Maybe I just have too much common sense.

So even though I threw my back out and was is some serious pain, it still was better than going in to work. Yup, time for a new job.

Best Moat Themed Party Ever

So as a means to show off her art, my friend decided to host a party. But what theme to pick? Of course. Moats. There is a back story to the whole moat thing (of course there is). And here it is.

Out at our usual Irish pub Friend One says "My dad loves boats". Friend Two says "Moats?". And that was it. We were off and running. Now we have a Moat Song (to the theme of Mr. Ed), a drink (Moatini of course), a cake and many other "moat-ments" of silliness. It was a great party of good snacks (mmm, cheese), fun, witty and occasionally lewd conversation, amazing artwork, and a ton of laughs.

It was a weekend of good drinks. The Moatini is a lovely mango concoction that goes down far too easily. The night before was an amazingly perfect lemon drop. It was perfectly sour and sweet and icy cold. Those went down far too easily as well.

Open mouth, insert foot

So I met this older man on the Red Line one evening. He was handsome and we shared one of those common public transportation moments at the expense of the very inebriated girl berating her poor boyfriend. We both got off at the same stop and started chatting as the train stopped. We exchanged numbers outside and spoke the next day. Turns out he's divorced (seems like not by his choice) and has 4 kids. So this puts him out of my dating range. But he's really interesting (pilot, artist, chef, designer) and I wouldn't mind grabbing a drink with him and being friends.

Anyway, so we spoke after my recent trip and he made the comment about my work ethic "you are just like my ex-wife". Uh, ok. Awkward. I surmised that he meant it in a positive way so I let that slide as a slip of the tongue. The next comment he made threw me for a bigger loop.

We talked for a few more seconds and he said "Who knows, you could be my future ex-wife". Oh boy. Lucky me.

Away

Well I was lucky to be able to head out on a much needed but very impromptu vacation. I desperately needed a change of scenery after the hell that work has been for the last few months. A week recharging in San Diego was too good to pass up, especially with the person I was invited by. I got the invitation on a Monday and had my ticket by Tuesday at lunchtime to leave on Saturday. I think some of my friends and family were a bit shocked especially since my travel partner is a new entrant into my life.

So with a little bit of nerves and maps in hand, I headed out. I received quite a nice welcome upon my arrival. In spite of still being on East Coast time we stayed up far too late catching up with each other on many levels.

San Diego was a blast. Since my friend was attending a conference, I had the days free to roam. I had a great time at the beach just people watching (hot surfer guys and alarmingly tan women) and body surfing in the ocean. The zoo was so much fun. I saw a lot of interesting animals and for some reason, all the big cats were on. The gorillas were zonked out in the heat pressed up against the glass. I always feel like I am in a Far Side cartoon when seeing gorillas like the display is reversed and we are actually the exhibit! Balboa Park was amazing and I stumbled into a great rose garden in full bloom. The bees were drunk on the fragrance, as was I. The Desert Garden was beautiful but the people using it as a jogging path were far braver souls that I.

I spent one evening in La Jolla. It is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is home to Children's Beach that has been taken over by Harbor Seals who have no inclination to give the beach back. They were fun to watch zoom out of the water like bullets and become less sleek once terrestrial.

The food was great and I ate very well. I wandered into one cute trattoria an evening I was solo for a quick bite and had so much fun. The bartender has a sister up here and the man next to me was a New Yorker. We chatted about everything under the sun and the food was fabulous. I had a great arugula salad and gnocchi that were everything gnocchi should be but often aren't. It was such a great meal that we went there again right before I had to catch the red eye. The other meal that stands out was just amazing food and a great view of the water and the little military planes engaging in a faux dogfight.

All in all, a great trip to explore a new city and to learn much more about a new friend.

Social Butterfly

This has been such a busy month I have been a bit remiss in my blogging.
So here is my attempt to catch up a bit.

If you enjoy fiction, run don't walk to get Water for Elephants. It's a gripping novel that had me sitting in my car after I got on the train so I could read the last 20 pages before I got home.

On the movie front, I've seen a great French film at the MFA French Film Festival, Family Hero. It was a fun, complex film that showed a whole new side of Catherine Deneuve to me.

The next great movie I saw was Ratatouille. What a great movie! I had seen the movie trailer for this ages ago and have been waiting and waiting until it finally came out. I can't say enough about it. The animation was so amazing that at times you forgot that you were watching a movie about a rat. Plus it was a fun contrast seeing a French film and then one by Disney!

Add to that a Caribbean themed party (ok, so the espresso mini cupcakes I brought weren't technically on theme - they still went over well) and it's been quite a full week.

Kiehl's

I have loved Kiehl's since I first wandered into their store on Third Avenue. The simple black and white packaging and their great products have kept me a customer since then. Conveniently there is a Kiehl's right next to the hair salon I go to. I went in last week after my hair appointment to get some more Coriander shower gel (normally I would question trying to smell like an herb but in this case it works). The great part about Kiehl's, other than the products, are the samples you get at checkout. I had a cute Kiehl's boy helping me out and he very emphatically told me he was putting samples of his absolute favorite product into my bag. He put in a few others as well.

When I got home I unloaded my Kiehl's booty. I got some moisturizer, some great hair product and not one, not two but seven packets of Massage Cream! I was not quite sure what to make of this. Apparently the Kiehl's boy thinks I lead a more exciting life that I do. Or his life is quite fun!

Summertime

This time since my birthday has been very interesting to say the least. It's one of those periods of time where you meet someone and a week later you can't imagine not knowing them. I've clicked with people in a whole new way - both old and new friends. It's been fun and only slightly dampened by a nasty summer cold. Now that I am finally feeling better, I can reflect with a clearer head on the events.

Sitting with a friend overlooking the Boston skyline after one odd evening last week helped to put some further perspective on things. That evening was a meal with a new friend we had met at a birthday party. It was an evening that really required other people since the dynamic made it seem like we were all on a date! Add to it one surprisingly loud restaurant that did not help things and well, you have a pretty different evening.

I feel like this birthday has given me clarity that I've been working without for the last few months with all the nasty drama at work. For the last few days I have been accomplishing things that eluded me for many weeks. It feels good and I'm back to feeling like I am on the cusp of new things and positive changes finally.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well yes, it is my birthday. I am not one of those bashful birthday girls. I will tell anyone! It's hard having a birthday right around the 4th of July since most people travel. So sometimes it seems like I am celebrating my birthday for two weeks. That's fine with me!

I went out the night before my birthday for dinner and drinks with my best friend. We had a great time, as we always do. We went to our usual bar and met an very nice Southern gentleman in town for a conference. My friend met him first but he and I quickly hit it off. She is such a good friend that she headed to the ladies room so often that I was beginning to wonder if she had a UTI! She thankfully does not but the sparks he and I had were clear to her before they were to me. Once he found out it was my actual birthday the next day, he insisted I had to let him buy me lunch. Not one to turn up a meal or good company, I readily agreed.

After coming home far, far later than I had intended (I did not really mind seeing the sun rise on the morning of my birthday) I caught a little sleep, did some errands, gave the pets some attention and headed back to the city for my lunch. He even got me a card! It was very sweet. We sat outside on Newbury Street and just watched the crowd strolling by. He is just such a great conversationalist and a lot of fun. We found plenty to occupy our time and even went for ice cream. I can honestly say I had the best birthday ever :-)

Fourth of July

I happen to love this particular holiday. Though it was unseasonable chilly for this one, it's usually a day of BBQ, fireworks and swimming. A friend of mine from London recently asked me if the 4th of July is a big deal here or not. I had to answer that it was. It's not all about the food and fireworks (which, granted, are a part of my holiday celebration). I told him it was about more than that. For me, it meant a reminder that I am actually proud to be an American. Mind you the current administration does not make this easy. But I am not going to focus on the mind-numbing badness of the current political quagmire for this holiday.

My best memories of the 4th of July are getting up early and heading to get a good seat for the parade with my grandfather and grandmother. It seemed like hours of waiting before the parade would start. But then, there it was. This started my lifelong appreciation of parades. You can imagine my delight when I moved to New York and realized that it's a very pro parade city!

Fireworks are also a big part of my 4th celebration. There is something awe inspiring of seeing them burst against the dark sky. As kids, we were given Sparklers of our own to run around the yard with. I guess that wouldn't happen now since Sparklers can burn at 1800 degrees F. Guess they are not so child friendly. Once again this proves my point that any of us who grew up during the 70's are lucky to be in one piece!

A Matter of Faith

I grew up as a Catholic. Irish Catholic to be exact. I am not a part of the church anymore for a variety of reasons ranging from the sex abuse scandal to the exclusionary aspects of the religion. I'm pretty sure I lost my faith somewhere along the way. My only recent visits to church have been either weddings or for funerals. While I don't consider myself Catholic it's amazing how the rituals and routines of the service have wormed their way into my memory (sit, stand, kneel, pray, shake hands, sit, stand).

This weekend I was able to attend a Hindu temple with my friend. It was amazing. The first thing I noticed, after I took my shoes off, was the incense. It was so fragrant. The incense in the Catholic church reminds me of death and seems to smell like dust, dirt and old men which is actually the way I think of the church.

The colors were eye popping. The women in their saris, the glittering deities, and the priest in his saffron colored robes. My friend was a fabulous guide and explained everything to me. I felt that I needed to pray while my friend prayed. Granted my prayers were more along the lines of "you have a lovely temple" or "thanks for having me". When my friend finished his prayers we sat for a bit on the cool marble floor. I wasn't sure exactly how to sit or if there was a certain way so I just sat cross legged. Our conversation was surprisingly about pedicures. (Or not surprisingly since we were barefoot). At one point the priest came over to my friend to tell him he couldn't sit the way he was sitting. Turns out he had the soles of his feet facing the deity. That's a big no-no. My friend left to run to the men's room and I just sat alone. It was so serene and spiritual. It was oddly quiet and loud at the same time. I felt really peaceful there.

Shiny Men and Plastic Women

Last night was the birthday celebration for my dear friend. It was a fun night but we were out in an area of Boston I normally don't hang out in. The rule of the night seemed to be that the bar patrons believed in the theory of more is better. More hair gel. More sunless tanner. More makeup. It must have taken some of the ladies hours to shellac themselves and flat iron their hair. The men were equally coiffed and plastic. It did provide for great people watching.

The downside of going on on a Thursday night is that it feels so like Friday as you tip back your third ruby colored drink with the controversial star fruit garnish. The evening started right after work and seemed to go on forever. It did turn out to be late as we tried to nudge the rather tipsy birthday girl into a cab. It took some persuading but finally, with fare clasped in her hand, she was off. When I finally got through the door I realized that spinach and artichoke dip does not make a meal. I was dealing with the fight of two very strong urges - sleep or hunger. Hunger won out.

Father's Day

It was a beautiful day out today to visit with my family. My Stepdad was out fishing so I didn't get to see him today. My Dad and Stepmom were home so that's where the dog and I spent most of the afternoon. My Dad opened the pool today. He didn't put the chlorine in because he wanted to let the dog swim. It's a riot to watch him since he looks like a polar bear in the water! It's such good exercise for his old joints and it keeps him cool. He was good about staying away from the liner on the sides of the pool. My step-mom absolutely adores him and she actually made him an ice cream cone to enjoy by the pool. Yep, he's spoiled rotten but he is such a good boy he deserves it!

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of my grandfather's death so it was a bit of a subdued family visit. It does not seem like it's possible that it's already been a year but yet it some way it seems like the Friday I watched my grandfather die was a lifetime ago.

Friday Night on the Town

Well this last week was a tough one. So it was very nice that old friends and new could head out for some drinks and laughs. It was fun and in spite of promises that none of us was staying out too late due to Saturday morning commitments, we closed the bar down!

After hailing some cabs, one friend and I decided to walk across the Mass Ave bridge to where my car was parked. It was such a nice night out and walking across the bridge did remind me how pretty Boston can be at night. Our topic of discussion was the immense pride and awe at living in the only state in the Union that allows for gay marriage. I was thrilled and happy that all of my friends have the right to marriage regardless of their orientation. That is the way it way it should be and I'm glad I'm living here at this time.

Man's Best Friend (Woman's too!)

So as a dog owner and science geek, it's been very interesting to read about the recent progress of the Dog Genome Project. A lot of the research that is going on with dogs could very well have applications in human genetic research. If you own a purebred, AKC registered dog you can help. They NIH is looking for owners to submit either blood samples or cheek swabs for selected breeds. You can learn more about it here.

Laugh so hard it hurts

Well it was another fabulous Friday night out with my friends. After being laid out with my cold last week, it was so nice to be out and about. As one friend said, I was on fire that night! We started the evening at a cultural/singles event that provided way too much fodder for snarky comments. We may all be going straight to hell for some of them but at least we'll be together! After that, it was back to our usual Friday night spot for some more fun. There was indeed a moment that I was laughing so hard that I was afraid beer would come out my nose. Thankfully it didn't because really no one likes that. A surprise gift of a strand of pearls from my friend brought me to tears. The gesture was so sweet and unexpected it took me by surprise.

I can't even begin to relay some of the comments of the evening here because I don't know where to begin. I have been breaking into a Cheshire Cat grin as I play back the events of the evening. One friend headed out a bit early since she had to be somewhere at the crack of dawn on Saturday. We stayed a little later and then headed out to grab a cab. I do admire my friend's continued belief that he can hail a cab faster than I can. He is such a gentleman when we are out and it's always a sweet gesture. He's cute and all but what cabbie isn't going to stop for a girl in a short black skirt and tank top! I did finally make it back to my car and got home to three very sleepy pets.

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.