Wow, I hadn’t realized how long it’s been since my last post. I guess work was pretty busy last week.
Friday
No half-day for me, which was okay since I feel like I accomplished a lot.
After work YP and I went to his friend’s art show in Brooklyn, which was far better than the one in NJ last weekend, and then dinner and drinks afterwards.
Apparently the bar we were in was a gay bar, but it didn’t seem very gay. Maybe cuz it was virtually empty since it was so early and it’s new. It was still fun though. Had a couple of gin and tonics, and played some pool. I suck by the way.
Saturday
In the morning helped YP with a photo shoot for his flyer for his next stand up show before heading up town for my haircut. Yay, finally!
Grabbed a late lunch with SB. Ridiculously expensive dim sum. Shrimp dumplings, pork dumplings, turnip cakes, and fried squid – for $50! In Chinatown we would have paid like a third of that. Last time I’m eating dim sum in my area.
Had a run in the late afternoon. Gorgeous day. Wanted to do 8-10 miles, but was kinda hungover and sleep deprived. Did 6.1 at a 8.34 minute mile.
Sunday
Was up early again for another photo shoot with YP since the pictures we took on Saturday didn’t work out. Then out to the Brooklyn Book Festival.
I almost never run into anyone I know, but as PL and I were standing in line waiting to get into an event, guess who came out of the crowd. The history professor. We totally made eye contact so there was no way to avoid each other. Like a civilized person, he did come over and chat a bit though probably for too long. It was really really awkward but pretending to be normal. Whatevs.
After the festival, PL and I grabbed some dinner near me, as well as dessert at Pinkberry.
Tonight I’m supposed to go to the movies with a coworker. When it rains, it pours!
The dating front
This super cute guy wrote to me, but his emails sucked. He didn’t ask me anything about myself, and in his very first email, he asked about getting together. That might be okay for someone else, but I personally need a little back and forth before agreeing to meet up.
Still, I wrote back with some questions for him – just making conversation – and said sure, getting together sounded like fun. He responded a couple of days later, not even answering my questions, just: “So when do you want to get together?”
Um, never.
I’ve been in correspondence with a couple of other guys. One is probably too old for me, though he looks young, and the other seems cool. We’ll see.
body
17
Sep 07
Weekend highlights
06
Sep 07
Had one of those sleepless nights
Don’t know why. Was it the Diet Coke at lunchtime? Or the chocolate chip cookie in the afternoon? It’s hard to believe either would have such an effect on me. Anyway, I couldn’t fall asleep till after midnight, then was awake at 4:30. At least I got up early enough to hit the gym.
I have a dentist appointment later this morning. Fun fun. But it’s a good thing cuz I noticed last night that I’ve actually worn through my mouth guard. Not the whole thing, just tiny parts of it but still. Imagine if I wasn’t wearing that thing. It lasted more than 2 years, which I guess isn’t bad. Another wad of cash to spend.
A bunch of people are being moved tomorrow so we’re all required to work from home. Or “work” from home, I should say. I do have a call at 9, but that’s it. Guess I should bring my Blackberry home.
Getting my haircut finally on Saturday, and then doing the Race for the Cure on Sunday. Just 5K but should be fun.
17
Aug 07
The desert that is my brain
Maybe I’m just not in a blogging frame of mind lately. I’ve been working on my other writing – the positive thinking essay, a running essay, the second part of my memoir – and have started trying to take more pictures again. Also reading a lot. Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures is pretty engrossing.
I thought it was a novel, but it’s actually more like a series of vignettes with the same cast of doctors. Most of the vignettes focus on a particular patient, and once the patient leaves the doctor, the story for that person is over, like on E/R, which always leaves me feeling a bit dissatisfied. Like, did the mother live? did the baby? is the baby healthy? I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a great book, like The Kite Runner and Atonement are great books, but I like it very much.
I’ve been obsessed with running, actually scheduling it into my weekends. This afternoon or more likely tomorrow I hope to run 10 miles. (6 on Sunday, 4 on Tuesday, 4 yesterday.)
I reactivated my online ad once again. Eep.
This time around: lots of dating. Lots and lots of dating with a variety of people before you-know-what. I’m gonna party like it’s 1959.
06
Aug 07
The weekend didn’t go quite as planned
But it was still a nice one.
ES ended up going straight to New Jersey Thursday night. Unfortunately SB got sick and wasn’t able to host her, and I had the concert. ES said she wouldn’t mind staying at my place on her own, and I said great! since SB had extra keys. Unfortunately she couldn’t find them. That’s awesome in case I ever get locked out.
The concert was pretty fun, though it wasn’t so much a concert as a 30-minute performance at the end of a long evening. Portions of it were entertaining, like the fashion show and the lip synching drag queens, but parts were tortuous, like all the awards given out and long-ass speeches. (It was a fund raiser for Pride in the City.)
En Vogue was great. They performed all of their hits: My Lovin’, Free Your Mind (my fave!), Giving Him Something He Can Feel, Hold On, Don’t Go, and one or two others I didn’t quite recognize. They’re excellent performers.
Even though ES wasn’t around, it was good I had Friday off since I didn’t get home from the concert till about 1. YP had taken to day off too, so that morning I helped him take some pix for the flyer for his next stand up comedy show. Afterwards I hung around Union Square, going to the Strand, the comic book store, and an Asian market.
Saturday I had to wait around for the exterminator. I hate it when he gets there so late (about 1 this time). By the time he finished, I had total cabin favor.
I went to the Met. Looked at the Poiret exhibit as well as the Asian Art wing. I always like checking out the Buddhas. Plus that part of the museum is icy in the summer, a nice reprieve from hot yucky weather.
Besides Poiret and the Buddhas, I had another celebrity sighting at the Met: Lucy Liu. As she walked by, I thought, That looks a lot like Lucy Liu. Then she smiled and I knew it was her. She’s a wisp of a girl. Probably not more than 5 feet tall and 90 pounds soaking wet. She was with some supercute hipster boy.
That’s the third celebrity sighting I’ve had in as many weeks. Two weekends ago it was Derek Jeter at the Starbuck’s near my house, and then Tony Danza in Central Park. Tony Danza looked kinda weird. He had his shirt off and is definitely in shape, but he seemed almost too wiry. And although he was reading, he kept smiling to himself, like he knew people were watching him.
After the museum, I headed home. I balanced my checkbook (finally!) and paid some bills, including my rent. I have $190 to last me till 8/15. Yikes! I have savings as well but I don’t want to touch that – anymore. I’ve been dipping into savings all summer and I hate myself for it. Buying that MacBook really pushed me over the edge, plus the little trips I’ve taken and the slew of running clothes I’ve bought.
Around 6 I headed out for a run. It was pretty toasty so I was a bit worried, but it was actually all right. The trees in the Park do such a good job of providing shade. I think I started out more conservatively than usual because at the Public Theatre, which is my 2/3 way mark, I thought, Already?
At the end of the 6.1 miles, I still had some energy so I jogged up to the Reservoir entrance, about half a mile, then once around, 1.58 miles. So in total a little over 8 miles. Yay! I used to run 7 or 8 miles at a time when I lived in Boston, which was almost 10 years ago and on a treadmill. To do it outside with some challenging hills felt really good.
The next day was the NYC Half-Marathon. I saw people coming out of it and really wanted to be one of them! Next year, totes. In the meantime I’m gonna look for a 10K. I have a 5K in September, the annual Race for the Cure.
As I was walking out of the Park, I saw this squirrel sitting in the middle of the pathway. Usually they run off when you come anywhere near them, but it didn’t move even when I got up close. Squirrels are fluffy-tailed rats to me, so I slowed down, wary about its next move.
It jerked towards me, which me jump, and then finally ran away. The guy walking behind me was laughing. Nice squirrel.
Sunday morning I worked on my writing, and in the afternoon went to Asia Society to see this film exhibition, which was closing that day. It’s a Taiwanese filmmaker, Chen Chieh-Jen, and the films are silent, extremely artsy performance pieces.
I understood the ones that took place in old factories, but I really didn’t get one that starred himself in a factory, making prints. Then there was one that was a live re-enactment of a photograph of lingchi, which is a Chinese form of torture. Basically, criminals were slowly dismembered till they bled to death. Nice.
Had a quiet evening in, reading and listening to This American Life. Watched more of The Two Coreys, despite myself.
Haven’t heard yet about the job. Will call HR tomorrow morning. In the meantime, my boss sent me a document that is supposed to help me justify my getting a promotion. Hmmm. . .
02
Aug 07
The blogging blahs
I’ve been kinda busy, but I don’t feel there’s much to write about.
Monday night I couldn’t sleep for some reason. Got into bed at 10:30 but then was wide awake. After about 45 minutes, I said screw it, got up, and watched the new episode of Anthony Bourdain’s show. Shanghai, China. Of course it made me really hungry. By the time I fell asleep it was 1. :(
Tuesday night I saw Hairspray with YP. It was very entertaining. At first I thought it was such a dumb idea – a movie based on a musical based on a movie. Yeah, yeah, The Producers was done that way too, but that doesn’t make it a good idea. But I thoroughly enjoyed the new Hairspray.
It was funny cuz when I got home, the original version was on TV. It was interesting to see how much darker, sexier, and more tasteless it is in comparison.
Wednesday morning I had my *fifth* interview for the position I started interviewing for last week. It was with the coworker I disliked, but she was perfectly pleasant during our talk. We spent more time gossiping about old colleagues than actually interviewing. I should find out tomorrow.
That afternoon I finally worked out. I hadn’t since Sunday. Afterwards I was exhausted and starving, and so ended up picking up a burger and onion rings. Bad bad. Also finally got my laundry and dry cleaning, which have been languishing for weeks.
My dry cleaner, who is Chinese, will be going to Hong Kong for about 10 days. Her father died recently. I said I was sorry, and suddenly she was talking about it like crazy, how she almost didn’t see him before he died, how she was at his bedside when he passed, how his heart stopped, then started beating again for 10 minutes, enough time for all his children and grandchildren to gather.
I felt bad for her, but at the same time, my laundry stuff was really heavy, my burger was getting cold, and I had to pee in the worst way. But obviously she felt like talking.
Got another workout in just a little while ago. Tonight YP and I will be going to an En Vogue concert, the original line-up I believe. Tomorrow I have off. Woohoo! ES will be in town.
I’m so tired of this weather. The worst is getting ready in the morning. By the time I get dressed, I’m sweating bullets. Waiting in the subway station is especially bad. Can’t wait for chilly fall.
I guess I did have stuff to write about after all.
30
Jul 07
What weekend?
Not that it was busy. More like one minute it was morning and I was vegging in front of my computer, and the next it was five hours later.
Thursday and Friday were pretty busy, between coming back from the meeting in Chicago, my office move, interviews, and a semi-big meeting I ran Friday afternoon. By Friday night, I crashed and just did laundry, then chilled with my book and TV.
Saturday was the day I managed to do almost nothing till about 4. My one accomplishment was cleaning the bathroom, no small feat I guess. Late afternoon I ran a couple of errands. It was so hot and humid, by the time I got home, the last thing I wanted to do was go back outside. Cleaned more.
Sunday I was finally able to get it together and write a little, though not as much as I wanted. Another humid day, though cloudy and not as hot. Had lunch with SB and company. Was going to go to the Park to write, but it was pouring by the time we left the restaurant. Went home and finished cleaning. Cleaning my place really kills a whole weekend.
I finished up around 5, and by then the downpour had slowed to a drizzle so I headed out for a run. Since I hadn’t had one since Tuesday, it was fairly manageable. Plus there was no sun. I’d rather have a steady drizzle than sun. I was going to run the Reservoir but there were too many giant puddles. The lovely Loop instead.
Didn’t pull any muscles, but I did have some stomach issues. Literally had to sprint home and up three flights of stairs. Made it in time! Whew. That would have been really embarrassing, not to mention disgusting.
Watched The Two Coreys last night. It wasn’t that entertaining. Corey Feldman’s wife came off as really uptight. Corey Feldman looks kinda good, I have to say. Corey Haim looks like a washed up frat boy. Both still look pretty young though.
I can’t believe it’s been 20 years since The Lost Boys. That’s so wrong.
Had my last interview today. Four for one position. I’ll hear at the end of the week.
Sushi for lunch. Wholly unsatisfying. I need something dessert-like, and yogurt’s not gonna cut it.
22
Jul 07
Sunday quick-scramble
Gorgeous weather makes all the difference in the world.
Yesterday morning I did the writing-at-Starbuck’s thing, getting there earlier than I usually do, by 9:30. About an hour later, I looked up to see – Derek Jeter! He was on his way out with big iced coffee in hand. No one in the cafe seemed to notice, and if there was any hubbub beforehand, I didn’t hear it since I had my headphones on.
At first I thought, That guy looks a hell of a lot like Derek Jeter. Then outside someone came up and shook his hand, and then someone else asked for his autograph so that pretty much guarunteed it.
Later in the afternoon I had my Loop run. It was quite sunny so the run was a bit tougher than usual. But my knee and hamstring didn’t bother me much at all.
I had my first encounter with an annoying fellow runner. He was pretty far ahead of me, but when we hit a hill, I was able to slowly close in on him, not on purpose or anything. I wasn’t even paying attention, but suddenly I was right behind him. I know it’s annoying to have someone running in your blind spot, so I pulled ahead.
Then he decided we were competing and caught up to me, and ran right next to me. It’s like, dude, either go slower or faster, I don’t want you as a running partner, thank you very much. So I forced myself to pull ahead again, going faster than I wanted. Luckily I didn’t poop out towards the end.
On my walk back home, I saw that SB, her hubby, and Ellie were sitting outside their building, eating popsicles. The Manhattan equivalent of sitting on a porch on a summer evening. I had a popsicle too – which surprisingly hit the spot – and suffered Ellie putting her freezing cold hands on me every two seconds.
This morning is writing and maybe some pilates if I can squeeze it in. This afternoon YP and I are heading to Central Park to take pictures.
I wish I had my camera yesterday when I was in the Park; I had to make do with my cell phone when I saw this dog sitting on a bench like a person.
You can barely make out the German shepard on the left. He has his back to me.
I have to get back in the habit of carrying my camera everywhere.
16
Jul 07
Quiet week into a quiet weekend
Which was fine by me.
Saturday morning I headed out to my favorite Starbuck’s and wrote for a bit before SB called. It was such a beautiful day, we took a walk, Ellie in tow of course, stopping at Sephora’s to ogle beauty products we didn’t need.
Afterwards we had lunch at her place – well, SB and I did. Ellie licked cream cheese off pita bread (gross) and then resisted her nap, getting crabbier by the minute. When she finally ate, the faces she made while immensely enjoying some delicious banana were hilarious. Are all kids this expressive?
That afternoon I spent a lot of time in the Park – wrote on a bench and ran the Loop. 6.1 miles! Woohoo! While I was running, my left hamstring and knee were achy, but today my leg feels okay. Maybe the pilates is working.
There are some excellent hills on the Loop. It’s interesting to see the entire jogging/biking/rollerblading population start to move in slow motion when we hit a steep one. Suddenly we runners are pulling ahead of rollerbladers, and some cyclists start walking their bikes. Then of course when we reach the downhill portion, everyone’s zipping past us.
I love the Loop because it takes me to parts of the Central Park I don’t otherwise see, like who knew there was a giant public pool? Probably lots of folks, just not me.
I was thinking yesterday how it’s taken me two years to really begin exploring the city. My first summer I was caught up with getting used to this new life, post-divorce, living on my own again. I spent most weekends wandering up and down 3rd or Park Avenue, visiting the same museums over and over.
Last summer I was caught up with dating DK, but I did start to get to know the Park a little then. Sometimes we’d meet at the Bandshell, and since he lived almost directly west from me, I learned to maneuver across the Park, rather than taking the very slow bus.
This summer I’ve finally gone out of my way to delve into this huge playground just a few blocks from my place, whether it’s reading by the Alice in Wonderland sculpture, climbing up Belvedere Castle, or trying to find peace in Shakespeare’s Garden.
On July 4th, I went running in the rain, and on my way home, I passed the little pond where people sail miniature boats. Usually that area is packed, but that day of course it was empty, and I was amazed at how peaceful it was with the rain falling on the water.
Yesterday I did some more exploring, this time walking to the East River. It’s pretty nice from the low 60s to about 75th Street, but after that you’re pretty much on the FDR, which between the fumes and kicked up grime, is not so fun.
I also woke up with a sore throat yesterday and was feeling kind of run down. So I didn’t mind staying in for most of the day and working my writing. I ended up revising three pieces, two of which are close to being finished, one of which kind of stinks.
This morning I was hoping to get up early and go to the gym, but last night some idiot stood below my window and screamed into his cell phone for a solid hour. I didn’t get to sleep till after midnight.
My throat hurts today too, and I still have that fatigued feeling. Lots of liquids and vitamin C, and a light workout at lunch. Hopefully, it’ll go away in a day or so, and not grow into a full-blown cold.
14
Jul 07
TCOB Friday
Well, except for a post.
Friday morning I did a lot of work for a change. Just hunkered down and did it. I complain about my job, but it’s not the work I dislike. If I’m just left alone to do what I need to do, it’s fine.
It helps one of my new co-workers seems pretty cool. We’re working on this project together, and agree our boss has been very unclear about his vision. Since she’s new, she was able to go to him and say, “I don’t get it” (though not in so many words), and so at the meeting he was able to clear things up. I’m still not sure if the project has any value, but at least we’re all clearer on the direction.
Had a meeting at noon (no lunch! had to concentrate on keeping from stomach from growling) and that consultant I have an on-and-off crush on joined via phone. I was hoping he’d show – I even wore a cute outfit (yes: I’m a loser) – but I think his office is in New Jersey. I got all giddy when he addressed me by name directly. So high school.
I accomplished even more work after the meeting, and was still out by 3.
Oh yeah, I also finally made dentist and eye doctor appointments. Well, the eye doc appointment is on time. The dentist is overdue from April. Also made my travel arrangements for a meeting in Chicago at the end of the month. For some reason, I’m really looking forward to it. Probably because I won’t be presenting, just participating in different trainings. Plus it’ll be my first time to the windy city, outside of stopovers in O’Hare.
Today’s reserved for writing and running. I’m looking forward to my jog in Central Park, and the weather seems perfect for it right now. Tomorrow there will be thunderstorms and I would prefer not to be hit by lightning. Ouch.
06
Jul 07
Rambling on Friday
No Boston for me :( I have to wait for the darned exterminator on Saturday. I tried to get him to come earlier this week but understandably they’re short-staffed.
I ended up not checking out the fireworks on Wednesday. In the late afternoon, I ran in the Park although it was raining. But really it was only drizzling and the trees provided good coverage.
On Sunday I ran 5 miles of the 6.1 Loop. Wednesday I wasn’t sure if I had the energy so I hit the Reservoir path instead, which is 1.58 miles. I think I ended up doing 5 miles again.
When I finished, it started raining really hard, and the several-block walk back to my apartment kind of sucked. Oh well.
I’m feeling sort of addicted to running in the Park. I thought about going again yesterday although my hamstring sort of hurt and I needed a rest. Didn’t go, mostly cuz I didn’t have time.
I also started doing pilates again. I feel like I’m losing both flexibility and strength, hence the aching hamstring. Pilates is HARD. I have a DVD, but I guess it’s been about two years since I’ve done it, and I was sweating bullets. Plus I’d like to do yoga more often. I only do it once a month or so, basically when I remember.
The challenge is my apartment is pretty small. I need to move my coffee table out of the way in order to do anything.
Yesterday I bought a pilates mat. My hardwood floor, even with rug and four towels, is killer on my bones. I figure the mat can double for yoga as well.
Rambling rambling.
Work is absolutely dead today. I’ll work on some writing, then hit the gym this afternoon. Oh yeah, last night YP and I went to this birthday party at this bar in Tribeca (straight one this time, where, ironically, the guys were available but far less attractive). Swanky! That whole area is adorable, very unlike Manhattan: wide streets, townhouses instead of highrises or walk-ups – I never knew it existed.
Speaking of Manhattan, that’s what I had. Woo! Yummy but strong. Maybe I drank it too quickly, but afterwards, I basically couldn’t feel my hands. That feeling faded though. It helped to down a club soda and gorge myself with some pesto pizza.
Mmm, pizza.