it's a beautiful thing when you walk into work and you are given good news right off the bat. there had been discussion about splitting the managers' shifts on the 4th but up until tuesday, it was just that, talk.

strolled into work half an hour early on wednesday(significantly lighter traffic than anticipated) to be told by my manager that i would get to leave work at 2:30!!! i was so excited. that would give me plenty of time to get home, hit the gym, and get ready for the evening's festivities.

celestial was having a dinner/fireworks watching party at her place in LIC around 6:30 or 7 and it was the first time mr.ct would be meeting any of my friends. mr.ct arrived at 6pm as i was racing to finish getting ready and we were at celestial's sometime after 7pm. there was a nice spread- bacon wrapped dates, cheese tray, hummus & pita, bbq chicken, sangria, mojitos, and cava.

the view from celestial's apartment was amazing- right by the water and on the 22nd floor, we had an outstanding view of the macy's fireworks. afterwards, we hunkered down for a round of taboo (mr CT and i triumphed over QQ and celestial). a rainy walk home sharing an umbrella (so typical that i would leave mine behind!) ended a fun filled, enjoyable evening.

it's official!!!

word on the street is that taz is officially dr.taz!

congrats my friend. . i have been rooting for you. i have met few others that the econ phD is such a perfect fit. . i still plan on sending my kids to you one of these days when you are professor taz.

uh and when/if i ever have kids. . .

family weekend

my parents are visiting this weekend. . .i'm quite looking forward to it- actually hoping i can get out promptly and meet them at home.

they were in DC when i called around 12:30PM and on route to philly to pick up the bro and his wifey. tonight we are going to churasscaria plataforma in meatpacking to eat some obscene amounts of meat. would be fun to go out with my brother, his wife, and blondie but feel bad leaving my parents alone at home.

tomorrow morning is dim sum at ping's seafood. . a new place for me, i've heard they are just as good as golden bridge but much cheaper. . haven't had dim sum in quite some time. maybe mosey around chinatown for a bit.

after the fam leaves will meet up with mr.ct in willie-b for a concert at mccarren pool- i'm really interested in seeing dengue fever perform live. they are a cool band i heard about years ago on NPR- a 70's sounding rock band whose lead singer is cambodian. should be lots of fun. plus, i haven't hung out in willie-b in AGES! will do the bar hop thing for sure, larry lawrence, sputyn dyvil. . .see where the night leads. . .

stifling heat

despite being able to fall asleep instantaneously upon head hitting the pillow, i woke up several times throughout the night due to the stifling heat.

i've been very lucky thus far in the summer and have been fine without AC. my huge windows actually let in a good flow of air from outside and have kept my tiny studio cool for the most part. . but last night, the air was completely thick and it was difficult to breathe.

don't think i'll be able to make it through the summer without breaking down and buying a new window unit. . .

i have been living in new york too long

grabbed dinner with shim at cho dang gol. nice atmosphere. all wood decor and almost a romantic, cozy feel to it. shim and i split a tasty seafood pajun (tho i think han bat's is still #1) and i ordered a tofu & kim chi stew for my entree. pretty good. not the best i've had.

after dinner, we went to gama at st.marks for watermelon soju (following the korean theme). Q2 met up with us there. very refreshing. afterwards, i wanted to take shim to death & co so we went there for a drink while Q2 headed home to finish up some work.

a round of sazeracs and we were both ready for bed. shim grabbed a cab and i headed for the bus. a little old lady grasping onto a cane and a railing asked me if i could help her cross the street.

my first thought, "is this a scam?" as i surveyed the scene for a partner in crime. seeing no one and grabbing onto my bag with my left hand, i extended my right arm.

old lady: we should wait for the light to turn green. . can't take any chances!

v: sure thing. i really hope this is not a scam

old lady: we should wait for the light to turn green

v: yep. why is this woman stalling. . what's going on? i hope this isn't a scam

i help the old lady across the street.

v: have a good night and get home safely

old lady: thank you so much, God bless you.

v: no problem.

looking around and seeing no one suspicious, i am filled with a sense of guilt for suspecting the little old lady of being a scam artist. . .i have been living in new york too long!!!

robert moses

Q2: mommy are we there yet?

sunday morning, Q2, VK, VK's fiancee, and i found ourselves in a minivan driven by our "rents" kev and theng, headed east to robert moses beach. we joked about the three daughters- Q2, VK, and myself- being too expensive. VK was the eldest, responsible one, i was the middle child, and Q2 was the rebellious teenager.

it was a beautiful day. warm but not too warm. sunshiney. the beach was perfect- the water a dark, blue, clean, and most importantly, not too crowded.

we staked out a little area and spread out our assortment of bed sheets, towels, and beach mats. the girls lathered up in sunblock and i found a nice patch to lay down on. i had a stack of magazines, my ipod, a bag of snack food, and my girlfriends to chat the day away with. after half an hour, the rest of our crew arrived- rickitintin, phil, mittens, and jus. we were all impressed with their "beach preparedness"- coolers, umbrella, football, volleyball, cards, etc.

for me, the beach is one of the few places were i can just be a complete bum and do absolutely nothing. i don't go into the water (unless it's so hot i really need to cool off). i don't play frisbee, volleyball, or cards. i sunbathe. i hang out. i actually relax.

after a very long long week at work, a relaxing day at the beach spending quality time with my friends is what i really needed.

just a few hours.

but i just don't feel like going to work.

sigh.

almoooost there

by tomorrow's end, it'll have been 10 days since i've had a full day's break from work. . . ahh. . can't wait. wednesday was supposed to be my day off but we had a big corporate visit and i was asked to come in during the morning. . . have yet to see if it was worth it, but i think it was. . more on that later. in any case, looks like i'll get to leave work a bit early tomorrow because of it and start my 3 day weekend off early!!

in typical V style- i have a big, event filled weekend planned.

fri night i'm going out with my girl QQ and getting dinner at kura sushi. . we'll see where the night leads. . death & co? wine bar? dancing on top of bars? jk. maybe.

saturday will hopefully be able to squeeze in a run at central park and test drive my new asics. meeting up with mr. CT in the afternoon- hmm- the options. mermaid parade at coney island, hip hop festival in brooklyn? dinner in k-town for an early b-day celebration. . .

sunday i'm rallying up the troops to check out robert moses beach. get my tan on, catch up with my girls, read some mindless zines, and snooze in the sun. . bliss. dinner with mikey in the evening.

monday i hope to sleep in. maybe lunch with nels and dinner with shim. then back to the daily grind. . .

sweet relief

left work around 7:15 sunday night and didn't get home until 9. luckily, got to catch up on some phone calls on my way home and didn't mind the traffic jam. went to bed around 10 and didn't wake up until 7.

woke up feeling like a new woman, refreshed and ready to conquer the world.

ok. hopefully i can stop posting so much about sleep!!

fun week ahead.

tonight meeting up with j for steak dinner. wed having a girl's day with VK- gym, chinatown, etc. wed night meet up with mikey for take-out and opera performance of faust in central park. thur night might try to run with the harriet running club unless i have a dinner date with qq or theng. meet up with mr.ct over the weekend and sunday is the beach. then monday will be a blissful day of doing whatever the hell i want.

3 mornings in counting

that i've beat my alarm clock. . .thur morning woke up an hour before the alarm, fri woke up at 4:30 AM, and this morning i woke up at 2 something. friday i actually went to the gym and got an early start to the day. but this morning, i organized a bit and then forced myself to go back to sleep.

looking forward to this evening, going with mr.ct to the blue note for the first time to see a friend's band perform. the group doesn't go on until 12:30 so i have to find some places to hang out before hand. . unfortunately, the west village is outside of my usual stomping grounds so i have been researching some options:

employees only, little branch, blind tiger ale house, the otheroom. . .

i've already taken mr.ct to a handful of bars with great mixologists. . .so the first two are kind of redundant though i've heard great places. am thinking a winebar would be a nice change from routine.

enough is enough

two days in a row i beat my alarm clock. which is normally i love but when i'm feeling tired and cranky and have a headache, is a bad thing.

eesh. i wake up. lay in bed. try to go back to sleep. then start thinking about all the things i'm supposed to get done.

at that point, might as well stop fighting it and get out of bed.

i suppose i've never been a great "sleeper". i use to resist naps like a plague. in college, i adopted the philosophy that i could get more work done in a day if i slept less. as an adult, while i've gained some balance and appreciate sleep for it's funcitonal purpose, however, i'm still not good at it! noise. light. being too cold. being too hot. etc. can all ruin it for me. then i'm up and up.

which is why it's 6:42 and i've washed my dishes, done a load of laundry, and caught up on emails and blogging.

A long way down

accompanied my sis & her family on her drive from VA to Gainesville, FL. the trip was a bit bittersweet- as i'm happy that my sister's husband is furthering his career and they get to try living in a new place, but i'm sad for myself that i won't get to see my nephew and niece as frequently.

nonetheless, the first roadtrip for the girls- vern, tj, and i was wonderful and i haven't spent so much quality time with my sis in a very long while. since vern gets carsick if anyone else is driving, i got to be passenger and babysitter for the duration of the drive. though i must say that my niece is very good at long road trips. set her up with her portable dvd player, gave her some candy and snacks, and she was all set.

so what did i learn about the south on my road trip?

1. southerners really are super duper friendly

2. fireworks, guns, and babydolls are all popular items to purchase along the highway. (in fact, you can get your guns and jewelry all in one convenient location in gainesville)

3. you are never more than a stone's throw away from a crackerbarrel

4. a suburb in VA feels like a suburb in NC feels like a suburb in SC feels like a suburb in GA feels like a suburb in FL

5. FL has some damn good bbq

t-shirt junkee

a little secret about myself- a few times a year- i like to go through my closet and refold/organize everything. i especially like to fold t-shirts. . i remember working at the polo outlet and we had these great boards that made t-shirts look crisp and were perfectly shaped. . . i would love to get my hands on one of those boards!!!

in any case, on my day off. . i got into a little bit of a cleanin frenzy- trying to clean the brown burn stains off of my pots & pans (VK the ajax works but it's still not pre-burn state), clean the stove top, then tackle some of my closet drawers.

i had done a good portion a few weeks ago when it was time to put winter clothes towards the back and bring the spring/summer duds front and forward. inevitably, and why this habit is so great, is that i rediscover what i do have and this squelches the feelin that "i have nothing to wear" and my need to shop for more clothes.

today was "shirt day". as i was folding all my tops, i counted 20 t-shirts. 20. yes, i love t-shirts. t-shirts with funny slogans.

"my eyes are up here" with arrows pointing up
"i may be short but i'm a genius"
"look but don't touch"
"little miss fun"
" good girls go to heaven bad girls go to montreal"
"let's focus on me"
"hip hop and ya don't stop"
"i love nerds"
"ucla girls rock"

so 20 t-shirts in counting. . but i know it's getting to be a problem. .there are only so many days in a week and most of mine are at work where i can't wear my funny t-shirts. . . but i find them irresistable.

all the difference

went into work in the lousiest mood (see previous post)- the minute i walked in there was one customer problem after the next. lori told me i was being a b***h and should take a comp day so i can relax and get back to my normal self. . then she proceeded to call our boss and tell her i needed a day off. i had been having a streak of bridezillas and momzillas, wasn't sleeping well, and overly stressed.

ack!

my boss called me in to see if everything was ok. she talked me into taking a day off, gave me some good advice, and chatted for awhile. .

there are days that i question my career/job choices- but there's days like today. . where i realize i have some pretty amazing co-workers and boss, and that is very rare. . . .so i'll swallow my pride and take a personal day wed. . . and i know it's goin to be a beautiful day.

restless sleep

have you ever been so tired you have trouble falling asleep. work and outings with friends have been kicking my butt!

i was excited to go to sleep last night- settled under my down comforter and the sound of rain coming down- i was sure i would get a solid 8 hours. . sadly, that did not happen. sleep alluded me and i drifted in and out of sleep all night. woke up at 7 and have had a headache that won't go away.

doesn't help that i have four days before i get a break from work. . really dislike these long stretches. . .makes me cranky. . .

one of those days

was overly ambitious this morning and set my alarm for 5am- hoped to hit the gym and be in my car headed to work by 7:30.

5am

WHAAA WHAAA WHAA WHAA

the alarm goes off. . i half wake up from my vivid dreams and shuffle over to the alarm clock and shut it off. 5 am. what was i thinking? i start fiddlin with my watch and attempt to set it for 7. half knowing that i was doing it incorrectly, i still dozed back to sleep.

suddenly, i bolt up out of bed. glance at my watch. 7:48 AM. shit!!! i'm gonna be late for work.

i jump out of bed and run the shower. . as i rinse off, it suddenly occurs to me that i sorta kinda remember resetting the time instead of the alarm.

i get out of the shower and throw on a towel and walk by the kitchen where my clock sits. 6:55AM. WHEW. i have plenty of time to get dressed, eat breakfast, and head out to work.

a un-fun day full of crazies (i'm telling you, the full moon is coming tomorrow and they are out with a vengeance). left work feeling deflated and with the blood sucked outta me, it's now 9pm and i'm still trying to recover.. hopefully a trip to the gym will help!

summer adventures and a growing to do list

i love love love summer time in new york. summer stage- the beach- dining al fresco, etc. this is the painful part about working retail hours that attending all the free summer events is difficult. .alas, i will do my best to complete my summer to-do list:

1. go hiking at least once
2. go to fire island at least once
3. attend minimally 2-3 summer stage concerts at central park
4. picnic at central park during opera in the park
5. check out the hamptons (gotta see what all the hype is about)
6. drinks at the met's rooftop cafe
7. go to ps 1's warm up parties

in memory of a great man

i just learned that my advisor has passed away. he has been suffering from lung cancer for some time now, the final stages have been very difficult. in a way, his passing may be a blessing- an end to his physical suffering.


i think i have been in denial about his condition for quite some time now- and have dealt with it by simply not dealing with it. and now i feel a terrible sense of loss.


often with death, social norms dictate that we should overlook an individual's shortcomings and only reflect on their good qualities. with my advisor, there is no need, because there are actually no shortcomings- only wonderful and remarkable qualities.


for you see, he is perhaps the greatest man i have ever met. exceedingly brilliant yet humble and always gracious and kind. he is an advisor that a graduate student could only hope for- supportive, wise, and patient.


he touched the lives of students, researchers, staff, etc. he was never too busy to help someone in need, to spend hours of his time to talk to a student or read his paper, etc. he saw the good in people and was not afraid to praise it.

i am filled with sadness. my only consolation- is knowing that while his life was too short- he lived a full life filled with many admirers and loved ones, and accomplished more than what most men could in 10 lifetimes.

making a commitment

when it rain it pours. my big bro and co-worker, D, have unloaded some new music on me.

amy winehouse.
desaperecidos.
feist's new album.
el-p.

to name a few. sometimes, i'll love a new band/album instantly. many others, including some of my absolute favorites, requires more of a commitment and an investment of time where i need to listen to the album several times before i develop a true appreciation for it. unfortunately, if i don't do this immediately, the new (for me) albums will be forgotten and sit in my itunes library collecting dust.

not to disappoint feist fans, the new album is a richer, deeper version of her first album- trademark ballads that are at once beautiful, lyrical, and soulful.

desaperecidos, much like bright eyes, i know will require some listenings to. . but has potential.

dinner part-ay

evilbrown and i have been talking about co-hosting a dinner party for some time now. . it finally came to fruition this past friday night and i dare say that i have met my match. he met me at my apartment around 6pm armed with bags of groceries and a cast iron grill pan.

over the course of two hours- evilbrown whipped up pao de queijo, bouillabaisse, and lamb chops. every bit was delicious, especially the lamb chops which were exceedingly fresh.

i made two batches of bacon wrapped dates and a chocolate coconut fondue for dessert. otherwise, i was completely left free to relax, entertain, and mingle. . perhaps my first dinner party that was stress free for me.

it was a bigger turnout than expected, theng, hosmillo, Q2, J, rickitintin, mittens, rum-runner, nels, k, and a friend of theng's. everyone was happy, just enough wine and food, and the conversation flowed equally well.

check please

you've had a fabulous conversation, enjoyed a wonderful cocktail or dinner, and then there's that inevitable, awkward moment. the waiter brings out the bill and places it front of the male customer.


scecario 1.

guy immediately pulls out his billfold or wallet and pays before gal even has a chance to say or do anything. moment passes.


woman thinking, " awww, that was nice of him!! problem solved, glad i don't have to stress about arguing over who is paying. . . "

scenario 2.

guy ignores the bill and continues to talk. girl is very aware that the bill has been placed on the table.

woman thinking, "hmm. . .does this mean he wants to go dutch, should i offer to pay half? is this a date? maybe he just wants to be friends?"

and then there's me.
scenario 3.

guy glances at the check and reaches for his wallet.

v: want to split it?

guy: no no, i want to get this.

v: are you sure?

guy: yea

v: ok, i'll get the next round of drinks.

i've always felt weird about letting a guy pay for meals, etc. . i believe this stems from being raised not to take anything from anyone. .that i should do thinks for myself. and i learned to associate another person paying as a form of dominating someone and this signalled a risk of being dependent on someone, something i did not want. moreover, most of my dating experience has been in the context of a commited, serious relationship so it made sense to share the burden of going out and i never had to deal with this whole issue.

now it's this awkward, weird thing. i'm not the type of girl that will write a guy off if he doesn't pay for everything. i think there is a lot involved- who asked who out? etc.

perhaps there is a biological component? a guy that can pay is more likely to be a good provider. regardless, i am kind of curous about the male perspective on this issue. . .

all those

The International Council of Manlaws, Ltd.

(just had to share this with you all- thanks celestial!!!)


1: Under no circumstances may two men share an umbrella.

2: It is OK for a man to cry ONLY under the following circumstances:
(a) When a heroic dog dies to save its master.
(b) The moment Angelina Jolie starts unbuttoning her blouse.
(c) After wrecking your boss's car.
(d) When she is using her teeth.

3: Any man who brings a camera to a bachelor party may be legally killed and eaten by his buddies.

4: Unless he murdered someone in your family, you must bail a friend out of jail within 12 hours.

5: If you've known a guy for more than 24 hours, his sister is off limits forever unless you actually marry her.

6: Moaning about the brand of free beer in a buddy's fridge is forbidden. However complain at will if the temperature is unsuitable.

7: No man shall ever be required to buy a birthday present for another man In fact, even remembering your buddy's birthday is strictly optional. At that point, you must celebrate at a strip bar of the birthday boy's choice.

8: On a road trip, the strongest bladder determines pit stops, not the weakest.

9: It is permissible to drink a fruity alcohol drink only when you're sunning on a tropical beach ... And it's delivered by a topless model and only when it's free.

10: Only in situations of moral and/or physical peril are you allowed to kick another guy in the nuts.

11: Unless you're in prison, never fight naked.

12: Friends don't let friends wear Speedos. Ever. Issue closed.

13: If a man's fly is down, that's his problem, you didn't see anything.

14: Women who claim they "love to watch sports" must be treated as spies until they demonstrate knowledge of the game and the ability to drink as much as the other sports watchers.

15: Never hesitate to reach for the last beer or the last slice of Pizza, but not both, that's just greedy.

16: If you compliment a guy on his six-pack, you'd better be talking about his choice of beer.

17: Phrases that may NOT be uttered to another man while lifting weights:
a) Yeah, Baby, Push it!
b) C'mon, give me one more! Harder!
c) Another set and we can hit the showers!

18: The girl who replies to the question "What do you want for Christmas?" with "If you loved me, you'd know what I want!" gets an Xbox. End of story.

19: There is no reason for guys to watch Ice Skating or Men's Gymnastics. Ever.

20: We've all heard about people having guts or balls, but do you really, know the difference between them? In an effort to keep you informed, the definition of each is listed below:

"GUTS" is arriving home late after a night out with the guys, being assaulted by your wife with a broom, and having the guts to say, "are you still cleaning or are you flying somewhere?"
"BALLS" is coming home late after a night out with the guys, smelling of perfume and beer, lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the ass and having the balls to say, "Roll over, You're next!"

I hope this clears up any confusion,

The International Council of Manlaws Ltd.

friday night shennanigans

work has been busier than usual due to staffing- lori has been in FL taking care of her daughter who had a medical emergency and D is on vacation. . . leaving me and lazy L. needless to say i bolted out the door at 6pm and headed home.

got quickly dressed and met up with celestial and Q2 at kura sushi. a little drama unfolded during the course of the meal but was luckily resolved before celestial headed home. Q2 and i stopped at the tasting room where i enjoyed a beautiful california wine. the tasting room is a great venue, tiny hole in the wall place with a great homey vibe. not to mention knowledgeable and uber friendly staff.

next stop was pegu club- aussie bartender happened to be working and we chatted a bit. Q2 and i ended up hanging out with a group of (mostly) rhode island natives who were celebrating a b-day. surprisingly a fun group of people. got a good vibe from atl-boy, maybe it's the southern charm? unlike the others, atl knew the b-day boy from a previous job and was not a childhood friend.

after about an hour or so, Q2 was done and ready to head home. aussie and i had decided to meet up fo a drink at angel's share after his shift. so i amused myself by chatting with the b-day goers for a bit more until aussie was done.

aussie changed into t-shirt, jeans, and sandals and had a beer and shared an appetizer before heading out. over drinks, we had a nice conversation and learned more about each other. unlike most bartenders in nyc, he's actually a career bartender and quite serious about his profession- entering & judging various cocktail making contests. a traveler/wanderer, eating out enthusiast. laid back. interesting guy and enjoyable company.

just say "blah"

today i was in pain. my fault for staying out until 3AM knowing i had to get up for work at 7AM so i can't really complain.

so my night. . .despite the late hour, it was really a bit anti-climactic.

met up with the young gosling for a drink around 10:15PM. yes i know- your thinking- why waste my time with such a young gosling?

1. he's so darn cute.
2. he's demonstrated a healthy amount of interest.
3. i was curious about what was beneath the pretty face.
4. i try to be open-minded when it comes to dating.

he texted me mid-day to see how my day was going. i called him on my drive home from work to firm up plans. we decided to meet up at banc cafe in midtown. he got there first.

*side note: this is the part that always kills me. i am normally a VERY punctual person, usually a bit early actually. but i hate showing up first for a date. . so i walked s-l-o-o-w-l-y from the subway stop to the restaurant.*

i met him inside the restaurant/bar/lounge where we hugged briefly and got a table outside. i ordered a drink and we proceeded to chat. over a shared appetizer we talked about general interests, work, family, religion, etc. we ordered another round. during the course of the date, i started to get tired of making such an effort to keep conversation going. then i started wondering what my girlfriends were doing.

don't get me wrong. young gosling is a pleasant enough fellow- seems considerate enough, nice, not stupid. and yet, he was bringing nothing to the table. no flavor at all. at the very least, i expect a companion to be able to share interesting conversation. so after we finished our drinks, i politely excused myself and reminded him i had a birthday party to attend.

he paid for the check and we walked together for a few blocks before parting ways. can't remember if we hugged or not. i thanked hiim for a nice time and wished him a pleasant rest of the weekend.

met up with Q2 and celestial at ps 450 (i had forgotten how much i hate midtown venues- so generic, bland, and meatmarket-esque). had a couple drinks. nothing too exciting. we were all hungry so we headed to k-town for a late late feast. chatted for an hour then made my way home.

when life is full of disappointments

tho i refrain from playing favorites, i must admit to having a soft spot for "natalia". she is an incredibly hard worker, excellent saleswoman, bright, enthusiastic, & energetic. she's from eastern europe, has a thick accent, and happily describes tasty food followed by "yum yum".

recently, she got into a car accident that left her relatively, physically unscathed. however there was a couple thousands of dollars of damage. according to office gossip, natalia's husband was unwilling to share the financial burden and shortly thereafter, i hear that natalia got a second job.

as she described her difficulty picking up hours at her second job because of her schedule here, i sensed her anxiety and stress. . .when i asked her if her husband was able to help, she shook her head and struggled to fight back tears.

in the moment i saw how alone natalia felt and was deeply moved. without a family in america. supposedly on a third marriage, and another unhappy one at that. i was frustrated that such an industrious and capable individual was embedded in such a miserable situation. feeling helpless, i gave natlalia a hug and assured her i would do what i could to adjust her schedule.

moments later i continued to reflect on that encounter. what i sense is a greater tragedy. i can envision it so clearly- natalia as a young and beautiful woman, vibrant with dreams and high aspirations. i see natalia now, consumed by unhappiness, haggard, and feeling defeated by a life seemingly full of disappintment. the contrast is both sharp and unnerving.

the good kind

today was crazy busy- the kind of busy where i missed my lunch break and was running around frantically. . . the kind of day that makes the day pass by ever so quickly.

even better, i generally had only nice clients today.

that's the best.

mrs j had called a week ago asking me about prices of items on a registry. she stopped by the store today and we were able to order the merchandise for her. afterwards, she sat and chatted with me. turns out the gift is for one of her best friend's daughter who was 40 and getting married for the first time. the woman was a new yorker, had a great career going, attractive and vibrant woman but had never found the right partner. unexpectedly, while vacationing on a cruise in the mediterranean, she met her fiancee. he was middle aged and had also never been married. lovely story.

over the next fifteen minutes, mrs j and i discussed how difficult it is for "young people" these days have such a hard time meeting one another, her son's continuing bacehlorhood, and etc. she asked me about my status and what i thought about finding a partner. as i spoke with mrs j, i was reminded how enjoyable my job can be. connecting with someone and having them open up to a perfect stranger.

car ride revelations

had an epiphany yesterday morning on my drive to work- listening to an episode of this american life. interviews of middle aged women that were going through the arduous process of selecting a sperm donor. you see these women had gotten to the point in their lives where they were tired of waiting to get married and just wanted the "baby" part.

i won't get into the whole argument of whether or not it's sensible for a single woman to bring a child into the world. yes, every woman should be able to have the miraculous experience of having and raising a child. then again, i think it can be difficult for a boy to grow up without a father figure.

in the middle of listening to these women and their selection process, it started to dawn on me that i may never find someone that i want to marry. i can easily see myself having fulfilling, meaningful relationships with different individuals throughout the course of my life. but marriage. . . i'm not so sure yet. . . i then realized that i would have to become comfortable with the idea that i might never get married or necessarily have children. fortunately, i can do the latter vicariously through my sister's children and my friends' children.

until now, i had never questioned whether or not i would ever get married, it was more a matter of timing. yet, it's not so terrible of a fate. it beats settling. it beats divorce. just some reflections.

robbing the cradle

wonderful saturday- perhaps its the gorgeous weather but i've been floating on cloud nine.

had brunch with DJ at flea market. delicious smoked salmon salad. food was as good as i remembered- service much worse than i rememembered.

afteroon outing with the ladies- Q2, celestial, theng, and i went cosmetics shopping in soho in the afternoon. stopped in chinatown to get a snack before heading back to Q2's place to get dolled up for dinner at peep. enjoyed giving theng a mini-makeover.

long line at peep so we put on name down and walked around to see if any other restaurants had an open table. in the end, we decided to go back to peep and sit at the bar and have some drinks. by the time we finished our first round, it was time to get seated. we ordered a boulliabaise dish, calamri, squid ink noodles, sea bass, and scallop tartar. all was surprisingly good and not too expensive.

after dinner, theng headed home and our little triumverate headed out to the westside. we went to level V and were shocked by the poor turnout, despite a mostly male crowd, it was definately not a new york crowd. we hung around for a drink before heading out again. Q2 headed home so celestial and i decided to head back to the LES.

on our way to our old standby, a ryan gosling look alike waved us over.

gosling: hey ladies! what are you up to?

v: just hanging out. not sure where we're going.

gosling: i'm hanging out with some of my friends. we're going to X bar, you want to join us?

i look over at celestial and try to gauge her level of interest. gosling is hot but seems young. i glance bac over at celestial. she's got a poker face.

v: celestial?

celestial: whatever you want.

damnit, she's playing it cool.

v: yea, i think we're gonna go.

we walk away and once we get a block over celestial asks if it's too late to go back.

v: wait, you wanted to hang out with them? jeez, you gotta give me a hint next time. otherwise i'll always decline. yes, it's too late.

as we stand there debating for a few mintues, i notice gosling has wandered over our way.

v: so are you following us now? haha.

gosling: no no. just calling my friend. at this point, gosling is very inebriated as demonstrated by his difficulty managing his cell phone. we lost one of them. he took off, did you see him?

v: what does he look like.

gosling: he's white with dreads.

v: um, no, we didn't notice anyone.

gosling: gosling goes on for a bit about the story behind his friend's disappearance. he calls another friend to tell him where he is. so where are you two headed?

celestial: verlaine or schillers but we haven't decided yet.

gosling: do you want company?

v: sure.

gosling's friend/roommate stops by. rounds of introductions. the boys accompany us to verlaine and buy us drinks. we chat for awhile. gosling is talking to celestial so i make small talk with the friend. the wingman. he's a nice kid, you can tell he's used to playing this role or being overlooked for gosling. over the course of conversation, i discover that gosling and his roommate are college friends and they graduated a year ago. a year ago. mental calculation. 22/23 at best?

as the night wears on and i continue to make conversation with gosling, his age becomes more an more apparent. eagerness to please. lacking in direction. as we talked, i played with the idea of dating a younger man.

the pros- i could teach young gosling how to be a superb boyfriend, educate him about women, culture, food. then let him go and make the perfect boyfriend for some young girl his age.

the negatives-do i even need to mention them?

i suppose it's b/c it's hard to guess an asian girl's age. young gosling probably has no idea he was hitting on someone 5 years his senior. i'm not sure how i feel about it all. if i was a man, i'd feel pretty pumped, right?

breaking up the monotony

my commute to work has become the bane of my existence . . . or at least, the most annoying part of my day. i get frustrated with traffic, bad drivers, the monotony of it all.

taz recommended downloading "this american life", a podcast produced by NPR that gives first person accounts and short fiction pieces. . . it's quite entertaining. and so i rediscovered podcasts!

living in LA and VA, i used to keep up with my news via NPR. these days, i'm always behind on current events, and just catch snippets here and there online.

this american life. check.
talk of the nation. check.
wait wait. .. don't tell me. check.
learn spanish with coffee break spanish. check.

my car ride yesterday was the most enjoyable, entertaining, and engaging drive i've had. it flew by and i felt like my time was being used productively! (learning spanish has been on my to do list, and up'd the anty with my upcoming trip)

confession

hi my name is v. this is the hardest thing for me to admit, but i'm around surrounded by friends. your support means so much.

(deep breath)

i am a bachelor show addict.

ok, i know this isn't really news. . b/c i've talked about bachelor nights with VK and drinking games based on stupid, repetitive things that the contestants say.

in any case, i recently found out that the season had already started. last night while i was browsing on line, i discovered that the full episodes were viewable on ABC's website. so i snuggled into bed and started watching. . and after episode one, i told myself, just 15 more minutes. then somehow episode 2 flew by. then episode 3.

ahh. . why do i love it so? perhaps it's the romantic in me that somehow believes that crazy things can happen and people can truly find love in weird ways (no matter how fabricated and surreal. or, maybe it's just the fact that i am a voyeur and somehow enjoying all the awkward moments in dating and interpersonal relationships and seeing people reveal things about themselves through slight expressions and behavior. it's like watching a train wreck sometimes, just can't look away.

anyways, it was a great kick off to a "v is going to relax and do whatever she wants" day off. today i'm going to the gym, do a little shopping, hole up in a tea house and do some reading and internet surfing. what a beautiful thing.

prayers to the hokies who are injured, victims, witnesses & their friends & family

during a normal week, i would rant about something inconsequential- something that annoyed me about work, driving, or dating/not dating. . . but i'm at a loss. it's such a sad thing that has happened at virginia tech.

some of my friends from grade school are alums. it just hits kinda close to home.

my prayers go out to all those that have been affected by this massacre.

balancing act

the downside to my new job is that i only have two weeks of vacation a year. initially i expected to go visit my big sis in her new home in FL in july and go for a long weekend to NN. i thought this would give me another week to work with to take a real vacation (i.e. out of the country) in september.

somehow, my vacation requests came back as a week off in july and a week off in august. while i love my family dearly, i was bummed by the fact that i might not get to go traveling this year. for those that know me, i am perpetually fighting wanderlust and start feeling antsy if i'm in any place too long. next on my list has been latin america (peru & argentina) and of course vietnam. the latter somehow always gets pushed back- mostly because i would love to spend an extended amount of time there.

in any case, i had hoped to go to latin america last year with eddie and Q2 but it never worked out with the timing. a new opportunity seemed to arise.

vern called me over the weekend to see if i would be able to help her drive down to FL in june. i spoke with my manager and was able to clear a 4 day weekend to go help my sister out. that left july free free free to go wherever i wanted but still have a week to chill with the folks in NN in august!

cross your fingers- looks like it just might work out! eddie should be back in lima for work and i can meet up with him there. . . machu picchu here i come!!!

b-flat

called my girl on the drive home to see what she was up to. Q2, dollface, and i all meet up at angel share for drinks and snacks. chatted with my favorite bartender winnieL.

he told us the scoop. all the bartenders and servers were walking and opening up there own bar called b-flat at the beginning of may. new concept, new menu, new cocktails. perhaps a new favorite spot?

interesting conversation- dollface was offering advice on body language/signals and how to appear more approachable to q2. unfortunately, there was no opportunity for a demonstration of her coy skills as the rest of the night was lackluster and no suitable prospects to practice on. met up with celestial at a birthday party in flatiron and had a drink but we all called it an early night.

wing girl

must be a full moon coming out. all the crazies and difficult customers are out.

rough rough week at work and by thursday, i needed to go out and play. rushed out the door after turn to meet up with Q2 for dinner and drinks. got to her place in record time and was at her place around 7:30. we got dressed and freshened up before heading out.

first stop was momofuku for some savory pork neck ramen. plans to play wing-girl were quickly crushed as we found out that my girl’s crush had recently gotten married and no longer on the market. nonetheless, we had consoled ourselves with sake and a delicious dinner and were off to the next stop.

pegu club. made friends with the gorgeous aussie bartender. gotta love an accent. then headed out to verlaine where polo-shirt k killed us with overly strong drinks and free shots.

bad idea. paid for it all friday morning and early afternoon. . .

catch up day

went to work on the early side today hoping to catch up with the work i missed on my day out sick. that, plus, i had to move my car by 7am. i love getting an early start. had time to stop by micky-d's for an egg mcmuffin and get my car gassed up before sliding into work an hour early.

so much easier to be productive when there are no customers to bother you!!

in any case, today was a problem solving day. somehow managed to resolve several complicated customer issues by lunchtime which gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. rest of the afternoon was wrapped up in clienteling then a managers meeting which i had to leave early to help a bride. once that was done, it was time to go home! hung around for a bit longer to get the last batch of emails out and prepare a work plan for my associate.

good news, i might have a new hire before the month's end and many exciting developments at work.

happy easter

met up with tintin, mittens (tintin's new girl), Q2, and JP for dim sum at golden bridge. i was the first to arrive. reaching up the top of the stairs, i was welcomed by chaos. angry sounding chinese woman barking cantonese and english numbers from her podium. grandpas and grandmas sitting in rows waiting for their tables. little tykes milling around restlessly. i push my way to the head of the line, wait for the woman to stop yelling into her mic.

v: 5 people. lifting my hand to show all five fingers

the woman hands me ticket number 64. phone rings. Q2 is on her way. shortly after, Q2 then tin tin and mittens arrive. just as our table number is called, JP comes in. we're directed to a four top.

v: i said five. again lifting my hand to show all five fingers.

woman: i'm sorry. you can squeeze into the four top?

v: sure.

we scramble around while they pull up an extra chair. finally, we are all seated. by now, it's after 1pm and the carts are slowing down, the selection is more limited, but we are all starving. the first cart rolls around. we pounce on her and order har gow, rice flour rolls filled with roast pork and ground beef, taro dumplings. five rounds later, we were all satiated. especially tin tin as we were egging him on to finish up all the dishes.

after taking care of the check (really dim sum is always more expensive then anticipated), JP, tin tin, mittens, and i walked around chinatown for a little grocery shopping. i picked up some veggies, dried plums, and roast pork. we wandered our way over to the east village and stopped by sunrise mart where i got some picked veggies, spiced squid, and brown rice. with all my arms loaded up, it was time to head home.

within ten minutes of walking through the door, the phone rings. it's Q2 and she's dying to go out. i'm cold, fighting my cold, and beat from walking around town all afternoon. . but hey, what are friends for right? we met up at cha-an for some tea then yokocho for yakitori and sake and capped it off with a drink at angel's share. . a beautiful end to a wonderful friend-filled day.

calling out

spent wednesday running around in the cold rain doing site inspections for my class.

by late afternoon, i felt the first signs of illness creeping up on me. itchy throat and that "sick" feeling. by the time i was sitting in kura sushi with VK, i could tell that it would be bad. still, i had a fabulous dinner (rainbow roll and spicy scallop sushi- yum yum) and stopped by cha-an afterwards for a green comfort drink before heading back uptown.

next morning, my cold had definately settled in. body aches, alternating fevers and chills, and just feeling miserable overall. that on top of a 2.5 hour customer issue i had to deal with in the afternoon, i left work feeling whiped out. after spending way too long looking for a parking space, i stopped by duane reade to pick up cold medicine and some vitamin waters.

went to bed early, woke up for a few minutes to assess my health. not feeling much better, decided to call in sick and went back to bed. a delightful 3 hours later, i woke up feeling much better. sleep is always the best medicine. besides a runny nose, i'm feeling pretty good and will be ready for a long work day ahead.

best kind of benefits

sometimes relationships and people surprise you.

i never expected my friendship with taz to develop the way it has. i still recall meeting him for the first time at orienation and having lunch at ackerman. study sessions paved way into walk breaks during our second and third year. . . leaving behind taz, eulalie, eddie, and maekre was tough. especially being uncertain of how those relationships would weather distance.

happily, all of these friendships have survived. and taz has become one of my best male friends. needless to say, i was very excited that he'd be visiting nyc for a conference.

wed night he got in and we met up at brother jimmy's bbq for a late dinner. talked into the wee hours. friday night met up with VK, Q2, and taz for dinner at pardo's chicken. (really really excellent peruvian chicken)- after which taz pointed out that he hadn't been given a handle yet. little did he know that i'd tried in the past, but finding a short word to capture or characterize him is extremely difficult. saturday met up for lunch at les enfants terribles (superb couscous with merguez sausage). sunday night went to a nearby sushi restaurant and caught a late showing of "blades of glory".

with taz back on the west coast- who will tell me truths about myself that aren't always so pleasant to hear but cushions it in a way to make it bearable (you know you're high maitenance right? not in a bad way at all only in a good way)? who will help me dissect any scenario, situation, relationship, problem with the patience of a saint and precision of a surgeon?

can't wait til you move back to the same time zone!

A Sad Day for the Bruins

last night met up with a bunch of friends and bday boy at the village pourhouse to watch the final four.

b-day boy and his fellow georgetown alum friends arrived early to secure a spot to watch near the bar. Q2, celestial, and i arrived around 6:30pm figuring we'd have no problem getting in. . . no such luck. b-day boy warned me via text that it was crowded and to try the back entrance and say we are with the ucla alumni club and the line stretching around the front entrance confirmed his words. we made our way to the side door and tried to talk our way in. the bouncer wouldn't budge. no one in or out until 10 minutes before the ucla game. i texted b-day boy and told him our predicament.

b-day boy came to our rescue. he came to the back entrance and told the bouncer that we were with him and there was space near him and we were miraculously let in.

village pourhouse was a madhouse. an official georgetown (and ucla) bar, the crowd was intense, drunk, and loud. perfect for watching the game.

the rest is history. georgetown fought hard but was not able to come back and take the lead against ohio state. ucla fared even worse. halfway into the game, they fell apart. perhaps they got psyched out playing against florida once again. it was a sad sad night for the both the b-day boy and myself.

i couldn't even watch the last minutes of the game and we quickly left the pourhouse. a group of us headed to solas for a bit before heading over to level V for a b-day party.

interesting underground club in meatbacking- nice dance space and private rooms for parties. b-day boy's friends were all nice, having a great time, and in various states of drunkenness (the party had been going for a bit). we hung out for a couple of hours then decided to call it a night.

a woman in love

i heart afflalo.

i heart howland.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/25/sports/ncaabasketball/25kansas.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

now can i get an 8-clap?

GO BRUINS!!!

tube tied

given that i'm often the maternal one in relationships- it's nice to be "mothered" every once in awhile. these days, that's laurie's role, although she's much wilder and crazier than my mom!

our conversation turned into an extensive lecture about dating men.

l: (sigh of relief) only this past year did i finally got my hubby down to 3 times a week.

v: and that's a good thing?

l: yes! sometimes i just want to be left alone.

v: hmm, i know of women who have the opposite problem. they want it more than their partners.

l: (giving me a serious stare) what type of guys are these? are they american?

v: (i nod my head) for the most part yes.

l: then they should date europeans. it's true. american men spend too much damn time obsessed with sports- basketball, football, baseball, hockey. you name it and all year round, there's some sport to follow and american men are always spending all their time with their male friends. all their testosterone gets riled up and spent on sports! european men only get excited about soccer and the world cup once every four years! they are more into spending time with you and the family.

v: (totally disregarding the fact that a european man can obsess just as easily and as much over soccer as any american man over all american sports combined!, i prodded her on) you think so? tell me more. all european men?

l: let me tell you. i married at 25. but before i got married, i dated every type of guy. didn't waste my time if he wasn't exciting, if he had a small *you know what*, and if he didn't do it for me. but you gotta stay away from the greeks.

v: really? why?

l: my GOODNESS. . unless you want it up the ass! they will keep you under their thumbs they are so domineering.

v: hmm. ok. what about latins?

l: ooo. that would be nice. romantic. their culture is very sensual, dancing, etc.

v: so you don't think there would be a problem with sex drive with them?

l: hmm. well, they are all about scoping out women. when they talk to you they will stare at your boobs. so they are arousal is always elevated and this could lead to a lower sex drive too.

v: hmm, so i guess europeans are the way to go huh?

l: yep. i married a german.

while i found laurie's advice giving endearing, i found most of the conversation (which continued on for a bit) amusing. i find it hard to believe that american men are so tied to the tube watching sports that they are not as passionate and sensual with their partners. . . your thoughts?

step it up boys!

wonderful evening. had dinner with j at sushi of gari. i had three and a half rounds of omakase and split a couple bottles of sake with j as we caught up on one another's lives.

this is our routine. every 3 or 4 months we'll go out for a delectable sushi dinner and talk for a couple of hours.

j is a hoya devotee so we talked about college basketball for a bit and he checked the score for the UCLA-Indiana game for me during dinner (yes a little dorky). i suggested going to bar coastal to watch the second half of the game.

march madness + st. paddy's day turned bar coastal into a frat house!! (assuming that's not what it's normally like which i don't know since it's my first venture there) tons of drunk young boys drinking pitchers and pitchers of bud and coors light, getting in fights with each other, etc. j and i felt (1) old and i felt claustrophobic. . but it was the only guaranteed bar to show the UCLA game so we toughed it out.

i bought us a round of beers (brooklyn lager for j and amstel light for me) and we watched as UCLA almost gave away the game. . . while i love my boys, watching them play indiana reminded me way too much of their lavin days. playing with no heart and being lazy and sloppy because of a 10 pt margin. i almost lost it when indiana tied the match. luckily, UCLA won out in the end. . .they won, but honestly they weren't playing like a winning team. the bruins need to step it up if they plan on making it to the final bracket.

i have faith in my boys tho, and howland. for now, i can sleep soundly with tonight's victory.

feeling not so "groovy"

spent all day cooped up inside on a beautiful day studying for my quiz. thought i would reward myself by meeting up with Q2 for drinks at angel share after class. with our busy work schedules, our impromptu get togethers after work have all but ceased so we were both looking forward to hanging out.

class ended promptly at 8:30 and was at our chosen destination by 9 (even made a pit stop for my favorite wasabi fumi furikake at sunrise market). most of the seats were taken so we opted for the bar. i ordered the "groovy", a refreshing drink made with yuzu and shiso leaf. we chatted an hour away and had a second round.

feeling the need for change, we decided to hit up decibel- an underground sake bar just steps away. the host directed us to our seats. as we settled in, Q2 started sniffing the air and crinkling her nose.

Q2: do you smell that?

V: china smell?

(if you've been to china, you know that there is this unmistakable odor- associated with subways, little alleys, etc)

Q2: it smells like urine. ugh, i can't take it. . let's move.

V: ok. motioning to the server. can we move?

S: sure.

we get up to look around. the only seats are at a short bar right next to the entranceway.

V: wanna sit here?

Q2: hmm. i don't know.

as the server tries to assist Q2, a random asian guy walks by and asks me where the bathroom is.

V: huh? i don't know.

RAG: oh, sorry, i thought you work here.

uh, yea RIGHT! all the guys that work here are wearing robes with japanese characters on it and i'm wearing a brown/beige polka dot dress. but ok, let's give him the benefit of the doubt.

V: nope. sorry.

eventually Q2 and i decide to go back to the original seats. we order 2 glasses of sake and edamame to share. we chat. we order 2 more glasses of sake. by now, we've both reached our limit and decide to call it a night. when we walk the stairs, we see RAG and his friend smoking cigs by the doorway.

RAG: sorry, i really thought you worked there. leaving already?

V: no worries. yea, it's late.

RAG: what is your background anyways.

V: guess.

and guess he did. . every nationality under the sun. japanese. taiwanese. malaysian. singaporean. siamese?!!? pretty sad pick up line i have to say. not only is it generic, but it shows he can't tell one asian from another!!!

so lessons to be learned?

guys- can we be more please just be sincere. what happened to "hi, my name is X, what's your name?"

for me- 2 drink maximum when i have to go to work the next morning. . woke up feeling not so groovy.

unexpected call

chatting chatting chatting with eulalie.

ring ring from the other line.

v: can you hold on a minute

e: sure

switch over

vk: how far away are you from the city?

v: hmm. .maybe 20 minutes? what's up?

vk: can you stop by?

v: what's up?

vk: we locked ourselves in! can you come and open the door?

v: sure. i'll see you in a bit

vk: thank you thank you thank you.

turns out VK had managed to lock herself into her apartment. . . of course, me and my tickets, i rushed to her apartment, double parked and left my hazards on, got buzzed in, ran up the stairs, unlocked VK's door, asked if they were ok, ran back down the stairs, got to my *thankfully unticketed car* and drove back home.

now, how did VK manage to lock herself into her apartment? i still don't know. . only know that the design of her locks is that you can lock yourself in but now out? how does that work???

fighting cravings

had my first taste of it on tuesday after lunch. i only finished half. so perfect and oh-so satisfying.

a couple meetings at work. then my first craving stirred. luckily i still had a half left. polished it all off.

can't stop thinking about it. . yep. . trader joe's greek style yogurt. it is creamy, thick, and has the exact consistency of a rich frozen yogurt or soft serve ice cream. unfortunately, there is only one TJ's in the city and i have been unable to go back to get more. yesterday i was craving it so much after lunch that i broke down and bought a $3.25 small cup of frozen yogurt from the company restaurant (which is actually very good but not cheap). then i realized that i needed to go to TJ's as soon as possible. even thought about whether i should lug a suitcase full of it from newport blues back to nyc but i dont' have the fridge space for it. . . and it's dairy and shouldn't be out of fridgeration for so long. . . .

it's been a torturous two days without TJ's greek style yogurt. wed night had class until 8:30 then had to rush back home to have a conference call, thur night met up with VK for dinner and was too slap happy to do much of anything except for chatter away on the phone with theng.

but it's friday morning, i've got a late shift and will drive out to work early to hit the gym there. there's also a TJ's 20 minutes away from the gym so i can do a little shopping and store whatever i get in the manager's fridge before my shift begins at one.

sigh. . i can see how addictions begin. . .

homeward bound

spent weeks worrying about how i would fit my parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew into my 400 sqft apartment. . .looks like an easier solution arose. . . i'm heading back to bad news sat morning. it'll be a short trip. arrive sat morning leave sunday afternoon.

can't believe how much i've been missing the place- haven't been home since october. . maybe it's just missing a comfortable bed and my momma's cooking!

so march madness begins

channel surfing while i was burning out the stair climber at nysc last night. caught the tail end of the VCU-GM game. . VCU was down but stepped up to win back the game. . very exciting game!!!

somehow the significance of march had passed me- perhaps it's being out of grad school and less contact with my grad school friends. . . nonetheless, glad to see my boys are representing!!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/rankingsindex

anyways, if you see a little asian girl at a sports bar yelling at the t.v. during a bruins game in the middle of nyc, chances are it's V. . .

brunette and brunetter

had been looking forward to going out with Q2 all week. . .plan was to meet up at her place, get dressed, grab dinner and catch up, and then hit the b-day party. the "slumber party" themed b-day party. feeling adventurous, we decided to go for it- b/c with any theme party you have to go all out and be obvious or risk looking silly?

right? well at least that was our thought process!

we glammed up in sexy sleepwear and hit the town, of course, careful to cover up with cardigans to be decent for dinner.

enjoyed a great dinner at a local sushi spot and a couple glasses of otokoyami for "courage" and headed to the gallery bar. upon arrival there was a small line forming but we spotted the b-day boy at the entrance way and got in straightaway. taking in our surroundings, it quickly became apparent that we were the only ones that dressed up!!! (well, except for a petite japanese girl wearing cutesy pjs)

uh oh. this doesn't feel awkward at all. the fact that we were dressed in sleepwear was not in the slightest embarrasing. good thing we weren't wearing anything too scandalous!

of course the b-day boy assured us we looked great!

um yea, of course you think so, you're a guy.

nonetheless, it took a few more drinks before we relaxes. . .and i suppose the outfits did make for a great story and got us invited to another b-day party downstairs. a "blazer" crowd of doctors, lawyers, consultants, etc representing the bulldogs. made conversation with the boys for a bit but started to feel as though we were fulfilling some asian fantasy and decided to head back upstairs for a bit of dancing. . .the music was a bit uninspiring so we headed back to Q2's to change into our regular going out clothes and hit la caverna.

met up with celestial and her date, a nice aussie boy. music was rocking and we danced up a storm. after some time, we decided to head back to verlaine. small world that it is, we ran into jere, deb's cousin. . .a drink later, i was done and our crew rolled out of verlaine and being that it was 3AM, we went to rosario's to grab a slice of pizza. perfect end to a fabulous night!

great finds!

it has been a WONDERFUL day off! slept in until 10:30. . i think a first for me since i can't remember when. fabulous workout at the gym.

met up with m.fem. around 2:30 to check out a studio sale by one of my wedding/special events planning super-heroes. they are moving offices and are getting rid of a lot of their inventory- beautiful fabrics, candle holders, and vases galore. . i was in heaven!!!

i picked 3 silver/beaded candeholders, a couple candles, and this gorgeous white fabric that was hand beaded. . all for $60!!!! i'm goin to nail the fabric up on my wall (until i buy a big mirror or flat screened t.v.). i also spoke with the staff and got info to volunteer with them. . sigh, that would be amazing!!

after our bargain hunting, m.fem and i went to trader joes where i stocked up on groceries. . very long line. . . sigh, i miss LA and the less crowded TJ's. nonetheless, the staff there exudes a great energy. chatted with the line/traffice director for a bit before getting rung up by "dilan" who was fantastic.

dilan: how are you?

V: great, you?

dilan: good. find everything you want?

V: pretty much, but got to the end of the line and realized i had forgotten one thing!! arg.

dilan: what did you forget.

V: fresh basil

dilan: why don't you go get it while i ring you up.

no encouragement needed, i sprinted to the produce section and grabbed a container of basil and back to the cashier.

V: i love you! thanks so much.

madonna playing on the overhead speakers.

dilan: don't you love this song? this is my favorite song. better watch out!

V: why, you might bust a move?

dilan: yea, i just want to start dancing. call up the girls and start dancing.

V laughs.

dilan: you want one of these? he holds up an array of my energy snack bars.

V: actually, yea, i'm starving.

dilan: which flavor? i start to touch the "cookies and cream" flavored zone bar. hmm, i would save that for later. . peanut butter caramel?? hmm? yes? good choice. V laughs.

how can you beat TJ's? great food, great prices, and great staff.

grumble grumble grumble

didn't leave work until 10:30. got back around 11:30 and spent half an hour looking for parking. . . was trying to find a spot so i wouldn't have to move for street cleaning in the morning.

sigh, had to switch my days off work due to work politics. . UGH! so going in tomorrow on the late side. which is annoying b/c now i have to miss my girls night out- art gallery exhibit opening reception and chance to meet with the artist. . .alas, it's the "right" thing to do workwise.

damn sensibilities- i wouldn't be able to enjoy myself anyways if i knew i wasn't doing the "right" thing. . .

dude, where's my car?

left the apartment at 8:40 AM even though i had a bridal event and could come to work later. . . street cleaning starts at 9AM and i wasn't chancing another ticket! as i started walking, i tried to remember where i parked on sunday night. . seemed like eons ago. . i know that it was an odd numbered street since it was one way headed west.

as i walked west on the street i thought i had parked on, i started to have a mini panic attack as i realized i didn't see my car in sight. .

was i late. . has my car been towed? damnit, where did i park my car???

finally, i remembered feeling relieved to have found a parking spot so close to my apartment after driving around in circles for half an hour on . . .so i walked up a couple streets and found it!

would've been a great excuse not to go into work right?

so yea um, i can't make it in today because i can't find my car. . .

awkward locker room moments

so gym locker rooms are a funny thing. especially for modest girls like me (yes, i may show a bit of skin when i'm going out, but full nudity is a weird weird thing). growing up i always felt shy undressing in front of other girls. i had mastered the technique of changing and not showing any, eh-hem, private parts. most women probably have this skill, along with the taking off the bra without taking your shirt off. . .

in any case, i've become more comfortable showering & changing in the locker rooms out of necessity and don't really care as long as its strangers. just try to do things quickly, mind my own business, and avert my eyes.

this morning, VK and i went to NYSC and did a total body conditioning class. . loads of fun. we decided to shower at the gym rather than her place to save time. i showered with lightning speed and rushed to get dressed as to avoid the awkwardness of having VK see me naked.

perhaps even more modest than i, VK comes out of the shower room carefully covered up with two towels, one wrapped around her top and one wrapped around her waist. . .seriously, can they make the towels just a little bit smaller???

as i put on my makeup, VK discreetly got dressed. in the middle of blowdrying her hair, we heard a woman make a noise.

large woman wrapped up in two towels, but her ample left breast hung out from the towel.

LW: i can't open my locker. i need help.

VK and i exchange slightly bewildered looks.

VK: is your lock stuck?

LW: it's brand new. i can't open it.

VK: i'll help.

i go back to blow drying my hair as VK successfully opened her locker. later at UTDT, we discuss how weird using public lockers are and how we both were trying not to stare at the woman's huge breast. . .but it was just so massive, it was hard to look away. . . hmm. . i think i sound like a man. . .

housewarming partay

Spent the better part of Friday running around buying groceries and bits and pieces for the apartment.

Oh wait, I forgot the cornstarch.

Darn, TJ's doesn't have pitted dates.

Oh wait, I don't have a hammer or nails.

You get the point. . but it all came together. The food was mostly prepared by the time everyone arrived and I was actually able to relax and enjoy myself.

Menu: 3 cheese (emmentel, gruyere, and brie) & champagne fondue served with bread cubes, broccoli, and carrots, bacon wrapped dates stuffed with parmesan reggiano cheese, and fresh fruit. plenty of bubbly and red wine.

It was a wonderful gathering. There was just enough food (perhaps a little too much fondue) and more than enough alcohol. Everyone loosened up and stayed til 1:30 talking and catching up.

peak time

just got back from the gym. apparently, saturday morning is a peak workout time.

the downside- every cardio machine was taken and the weight room was packed

the upside- the weight room was packed with quite a bit of eye candy of the male variety.

yum yum.

too bad i work most saturday mornings. . .

deja vu friend

have you ever found yourself drawn to a person b/c they remind you of someone you knew?

mfem is a woman i met through my night class. we ended up as partners on a class project since we live a few blocks apart. interesting woman- moved to israel recently with her husband for his work. surprisingly independent, curious about life, and extremely direct. we clicked immediately.

after a couple classes, i realized why i felt so comfortable around her. she reminded me- both in appearance and in personality of a woman who i had been good friends with in california. it's happened to me a number of times now- similarities between old & new friends. mikey & ahern. bj and nels.

in any case, i'm a sucker for making new friends. we grabbed dinner after class at a local italian restaurant. food was decent but the conversation was wonderful. a great end to a very long work week and a promising start to a new friendship!

running running running

feel like i'm always on the go these days.

Q2 pointed out that i always have the habit of overextending myself- especially when i'm not in a steady relationship. work. gym. class. planning my high school reunion. squeeze in dinner or drinks with friends when possible. entertain out of town guests.

my days off are no better, try to catch up on my errands- dry cleaners, go to a real grocery store rather than the corner deli, spend quality time with my friends, decorate my apartment, etc.

it's not a complaint, just an observation that i really don't know how to relax. . .hmm. . maybe the "type A" V is coming back???

restless

it's been awhile since i've had such restless sleep.

woke up around 3:30AM thinking that it was probably 6AM. . damn, there goes my attempt to get 8 hours of sleep!!! stayed snuggled under the covers for half an hour contemplating whether or not i should get up or try to fall back asleep.

neighbors arguing very loudly outside the door. she sounded tearful and angry. . . he sounded just angry. dog barking.

by 4, my mind is racing with all the things i need to do for the week and so sleep eluded me.

in the meanwhile, i've done a load of laundry, changed my sheets, written a couple emails, and worked on my to-do list.

will hit the gym shortly and hopefully that'll give me a second burst of energy. . have a late shift at work today and have a feeling that it will be a very long day. . .

debunking MSG myth

i always thought MSG got a bad rap! our people have been eating it for years with no problems- it's in canned soups, potato chips, etc yet chinese food gets the negative rep. . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/18/opinion/18dunlop.html?em&ex=1171947600&en=6ddb397afad82409&ei=5087%0A

Happy New Year!!!

Year of pig. . . hmm. . . doesn't sound so peachy

The Year of the Pig starts Sunday and Chinese fortune-tellers say it will be a good time to have a baby but also warn there will be an upsurge in epidemics, disasters and violent conflicts around the world.

Oh wait, sounds kinda like 2006. . .

bad day

woke up and realized i had to move my car for street cleaning. spent an hour and a half looking to no avail. broke down and shelled out $13 to park my car in a garage. had to cut my gym session short since i spent an hour and a half looking for parking. no time to go to the grocery store.

got to work on time but managed to knock my side rear view mirror b/c i was blindsighted by the glare on my dirty windshield.

had a pbj sandwich for an early dinner at 4:45pm and was starving by the time work was over.

left work after 10pm and had to shell out $4 for a snack. missed my exit b/c i was lost in thoughts. ended up having to pay $4.50 for the midtown tunnel toll.

greek goddess

decided to pop into benjamin moore after my workout to look for supplies for my little apartment craft projects. i actually love hardware stores and was content to wander the aisles (maybe i just love shopping?) but seconds later an employee in a bright orange jacket (BOJ) asked me what i was looking for.

V: glue sticks

BOJ: what for

V: for a hot glue gun

BOJ: right here

V: great! perfect!

BOJ: what do you need them for?

V: for a craft project at home.

BOJ: goin to the gym?

V: just got back

BOJ: why didn't you tell me, i woudla gone with you? i look blankly at him and laugh awkwardly. need anything else?

V: craft paint

BOJ: i'll show you. leads me to the paint area. what's your name?

V: V

BOJ: that's my grandmother's name!!! it's greek for *******. V is the goddess of fertility.

V: ha ha. great, thanks for all your help.

BOJ wanders away. In the background I hear. . .

BOJ: V is my grandmother's name. I'm going to marry that girl!

blizzard?

momma V called twice on tue to warn me of the pending snowstorm. .

momma V: i heard on the news that there is a big snowstorm heading to new york. don't forget to get gas and make sure you have groceries!

flashback to 1999

momma V: 2000 is coming!!! make sure you have gas in your car and plenty of food and water.

because the end of the world is coming and i would drive where????

in any case, there's been just a dusting of snow so far and the night has been good. found a great parking spot just a block away. class is cancelled for tomorrow so i can actually relax at home tomorrow, watch dvd's, and not spend the day rushing around to get everything done!

celebrating the little things

still am adjusting to life on the UES . . . never thought i'd end up here, but i fell in love with the apartment and the rest is history. in any case, the perks- proximity to my friends, the river, the highway, the gym, and a pleasant walk to central park (weather permitting).

i'm learning to use the buses more (theng's influence, and b/c damnit, avenues are really long!) and figuring out street parking.

i've yet to settle on a drycleaner, wine shop, butcher, etc.

a small victory tonight. on my way home from the gym, i decided to venture a little further west and happened upon a speciality grocery store. . i was a bit wary- suspecting astronomical prices. . .i was pleasantly surprised, nice selection of organic/healthy producs, regular groceries (read: non-organic), produce, and asian products. . the best part, prices are reasonable!!! not like lee's grocery on the corner that charges $3 for the smallest carton of milk!!!!

while it's no tops (i will still have to go elsewhere for meat products) and not 24 hours like sunac, it'll do just fine.

Before Photos

Before shots . . . luckily i'm working with what is an already gorgeous apartment!

training in the city

probably the highlight of my job thus far. central (headquarters of my company) organized a 4 day long training in manhattan for all the associates sharing my position in all of our branches. everyone was flown in and put up in the doubletree in midtown. unfortunately or fortunately for me, this coincided with my move and i have been so damn eager to start staying in my new place that i opted out of the free hotel stay (no warm cookies, soft bed, and free cleaning for me!).

it was a busy four days- we strategized, visited show rooms, and met with one vendor after another. who knew there was so much to learn about luxury products- the difference between baccarat and waterford crystal or berneadeaux and gien or kitchenaid and cuisinart. for the most part they are all fine products and a lot of the difference is stylistic or perception.

highlights-

1. forming some solid connections/friendships

2. freebie's!!! a waterford hostess set, caphalon cooking utensil set, martini shaker, and tapas pans, all clad saucier, towels, a faberge clock, etc.

while this seems extravagant, it makes a great deal of sense from the vendor's perspective. i can pitch a product that i've owned and used a lot better than one i only see on display!

3. night culinary activities at both ICE and the French Culinary Institute- cooking demos and scrumptious dinners that would please any fellow foodie! i had the exceptional opportunity to speak with a former top chef finalist that i'm a huge fan of. she was extremely gracious and i even got a photo and signature! not to mention she's an excellent chef!

now i'm back to the grind, but it doesn't feel like a grind. i feel invigorated, see so many challenges and areas for business development, and more confident in my role. so i guess training was an unexpected success!

home sweet home!

sorry for the absence! i've been in the process of moving, had house guests, etc. my laptop has been sitting at Q2's place for over a week and i can't believe i've gone without email for that long! a record for me.

in any case, internet should hopefully be set up tomorrow at the new pad and pics and an update will follow.

family visit

my parents and brother decided to drive up and visit me afterall. . mom was wavering b/c she was concerned about the weather but in the end, her need to see her babygirl conquered all! they arrived friday night and despite working a late shift i managed to beat my folks to the apartment. perhaps because my dad is surprisingly bad with directions and always gets lost (this is both annoying and endearing- perhaps b/c i have his terrible sense of direction?).

they arrived armed with a small carryon, some bags, and a box of random stuff. they toured the apartment and fell in love with it. then it was time to turn in. i insisted they stay on the futon and i slept on the airmatress which i realized in the middle of the night does not retain air as i felt the hard wood floors pressing against my back.

the next morning we all rose early. i made coffee for the folks and we headed down to chinatown for dim sum. great morning meal and i was glad to see my folks eat well (a sign for my mom that she's happy) and they actually enjoyed the dim sum. next up was a lot of window shopping, or shall i say chandelier shopping, at lighting stores in chinatown. got some odds and ends at pearl river mart and a chinese grocery store. by mid afternoon my dad needed a nap so we dropped him off at home and moms and i headed back out. after a few hours we were exhausted and cold so we headed home to relax for a bit. by 6 my parents were starving so we ventured out (a whole block away b/c it was too cold and my folks aren't used to it) to a local restaurant and had a feast.

after dinner, we went back home and my dad proceeded to watch the news while i cleaned and hung out with my mom. my brother arrived around midnight with his wifey and we watched saturday night live for a bit before going to sleep. five people. 400 square feet. i was sleeping on my old rug. bro & wife slept on the airmatress. my parents on the futon. you get the picture. . .in spite of the close quarters, i was able to get a good nights rest curled up in a ball wedged between the bed and my big closet.

folks left around 6AM to head home. i left for work around 9 and got home by 8 to meet up with my brother and his wife for dinner. went to a sushi restaurant a couple blocks away.

all in all, a delightful weekend with the family.

settling in

the move went surprisingly well but that was probably due to the help of my three male friends!!!

it was actually a 2 day proccess. i started with the help of R on the night of the 27th, getting the remaining items out of my car and moved inside. i cleaned and threw out a few items left by the previous tenant. sunday i met up with mikey at the apartment and blondie at the storage unit. R met us back at the apartment. the storage unit was cleared out in two trips. after stacking up all the boxes, bags, and general clutter in the apartment, i took the boys out for supper.

went to a great israeli restaurant and had the best swamara i've ever had! the rest of the night i spent unpacking and it's been a slow proccess of settling in. i want to refurbish a few things- get a black chandelier, repaint, change some fixtures- all in due time. i'd rather do it right then rush to finish it all now. i have much less space then before but luckily was able to have my parents and brother bring some items back to VA. it's starting to shape up and i'm hoping to be quasi-ready for my housewarming party by the end of the month!

warning label please!

now that i've moved out of willie-b and left my beloved maxim gym, it's time to find a new gym. (remember new years resolution to say "bye bye" to poochie?) for the past two weeks, iwas doing a whirlwind tour of the different New York Sports Club gyms. 76th & york, 96th, soho, long island. . . my favorite is soho. . .only one floor and every weight machine that i want. long hours. overall, i like NYSC but feel that it's a bit too impersonal and corporate. . .the only complaint is that a lot of the trainers aren't in such great shape (some are even, dare i say, overweight?) and i wonder how good they can be if they can't practice what they preach.

i'm now sampling the new york health & raquet club gyms in the city since i got a free one-week pass. have only made it to the 77th st and astor place location. . overall i feel that it's a bit too chi-chi for me, i mean, the 77th st location plays classical music in the locker room. although it's older, i actually prefer the UES location. they have most of the weight machines i'm accustomed to using.

had a very "V" moment tho. was using the leg press which happens to be my favorite weight machine at the moment. doing warm ups and realize that the lock/release lever was a lot more complicated than the simple turn of the handle. to release, you have to pull up and to lock you have to push the level to the left and down. now, try that while trying to support 225 lbs with quickly fatiguing legs. luckily, the cute trainer jumped in to help me a few times. but it was still embarassing to not be able to lock the machine myself. . .totally made me lose my rhythm.

new years resolutions

so last year (please let's not even review that), i had a long long list of new years resolutions. . of which i may have met one or two of!

there's two philosophies i could have about this.

-if you reach for the stars, if you fall you'll still land on the moon (thanks cuz)

-keep it simple and achievable. e.g. drink more water (thanks cassanova)

well, i'm going for the middle ground this year.

so here they are:

1. stop commuting.
it's crazy to live in NYC and have a car unless you are fabulously rich. i miss my daily subway rides, stopping at the bodega to pick up snacks and energy drinks, meeting up with my girlfriends at a moment's notice for happy hour. i hate alternate side parking, parking tickets, etc.

2. settle into my new apartment.
for reasons which i may go into at a later point, i am still without my own place. i wistfully look at pictures of my new pad like i would a long lost lover. i am aching to move, to decorate and make it my home, to cook in my own kitchen, to throw dinner parties, to watch dvd's or just read trashy magazines in comfort.

3. to embrace singlehood.
that doesn't mean a swinging, crazy life ala sex in the city. . .rather, it means to focus on building my own life, furthering my career, and pursuing my interests instead of dating and romantic involvements.

curse the parking gods

i jinxed myself. got a parking ticket. . guess two days parking in a "no parking zone" was pushing my luck. . .

unexpected pick up

Q2 and i got a quick bite and drink at the bar next door- like literally next door, or i should say literally across the street, as in i walk five steps and i'm at the bar. . . it's a beautiful thing. in any case, we it's a cozp spot, dark and very european pub feeling. i order cava and venison sausage. Q2 orders cauliflower soup and salmon.

we're engrossed in conversation- the kind that only women can immerse themselves in.

there's a group of three elderly people, two men and a woman, sitting at the table to my right. occasionally i see one of the men staring at us.

while Q2 and i are polishing off our dinners, the group prepares to leave. the man that had been staring stops and introduces himself.

old staring man (OSM): i am looking for two pretty women and you two seem to fit the bill.

we stare at the man with both suspicion and surprise.

OSM: you see, i'm part of this organization called X and we are looking for pretty women to help advance our cause.

we continue to stare, now blankly, at OSM.

OSM: our case is that we believe every person can be a better self. not that you can't be better if you aren't pretty. . . in any case, here's my card. if you are interested in helping us with our cause, please give me a call.

V: hmm, alright. thanks.

Q2: yep. thanks.

i'm pretty amazed, (1) that a man that is old enough to be my grandfather would try to pick up two young women and (2) that he would try to use a charitable (?) organization to do so. . gotta give OSM some credit for his balls.

rules shmules

the first day that i stayed with Q2 i was daunted by the parking situation in the LES. fearful of getting a parking ticket, i diligently moved my car every hour until 7pm.

this is not goin to be fun!

almost every street had restricted parking- no parking from 8-5pm M-F, parking for 2 hours everyday except sunday, no parking from midngiht to 3AM on Tuesday, thursday, and saturday, etc etc etc.

the days have progressed, i've become more accustomed to parking. . then suddenly, i had an epiphany.

no one follows parking rules!!!

the stretch on orchard with the "no parking 8-5pm, M-F"?

completely disregarded!!!

when in rome. . .

channeling george costanza

ever seen the seinfeld episode where george takes a nap under his desk? has his little pillow and alarm set up? that was me yesterday around 2pm.

i had participated in inventory two days in a row. which means getting up at 4'ish AM, leaving the apartment by 4:45, and working a 5:30AM to noon shift. adding to the brutality of this schedule was having to move my things from my old apartment to storage on monday afternoon and preparing and attending a bridal show on tuesday night.

yesterday afternoon, there was too little time to trek back to the city and back so i opted to hang around for a couple hours before i began preparing for the show. my plan was to shop for new sneakers and check out clearance sales, but i was simply too exhausted to be in a shopping mood. so i decided to head back to my office and attempt to take a nap. i locked the door, balled up my puffy green coat for a makeshift pillow, turned off the light, and laid down. unfortunately, there was too much noise and i was too cold to fall asleep.

instead, i went up to chat with some associates, helped deal with some customer issues (obviously, not being in uniform does not deter our customers for asking you for help!), and had lunch. by the time that was over, it was time to prepare for the show. it was a successful event and we got a lot of leads. unfortunatetly, i had to return to the office to drop off the merchandise before heading home because (1) i didn't want to leave it in my car and invite someone to break in and (2) i didn't have the energy to drag it up four flights of stairs. consequently, i didn't get back to q2's until 10:30 and fell asleep shortly after.

mapping the city by foot

one of the upsides of my current state of homelessness is that i've gotten to reside and somewhat explore different neighborhoods in nyc. east harlem, upper east side, and now the lower east side. Q2 has been gracious enough to let me take over a good chunk of her living room.

one major downside of my current state of homelessness is difficulty keeping up with my gym routine. in any case, i broke down and got a 2 week trial membership at a gym. i had planned my sunday perfectly. wake up at 7. have my protein shake. jog to the gym. do weights for an hour and jog back. have an hour to get ready for work and an hour to get there.

unfortunately i didn't wake until 7:45 a.m. so i decided to go for a run instead. i suited up, got my nano and nike arm band ready, and went for a run. my route- west on canal and north along broadway. i ran from the lower east side, through china town, through soho, and to union square and back. all the streets, subway stops, shops, and sites that i had frequented throughout the past year and change had always seemed like scattered and separate entities. but by foot, all of it started connecting. . i finally was able to see it in north-south-east-west perspective.

i'll have to continue running and exploring the city. i have been scared to run with my bad knees and have gotten bored with cardio, but right now, my knees are feelin pretty good (being iced now) and the run was exhilirating! what a great way to get to know the city!!!

a moving comedy of errors

spent the better part of new years eve helping the boy move back into his old apartment. saturday morning i woke up around 9am and headed to east harlem to meet the boy at his old place. he had dunkin donuts breakfast and coffee (yum!) waiting by the time i arrived at 10.

the boy suggested that i double park the car while we loaded the car up with his things. the process took a good hour. i helped pack up odds and ends, then we began the task of bringing everything into the elevator, then outside, then into the car. while i've been inbetween apartments, i had left my prized money tree in his care. the boy placed the plant on the floor of the passenger seat. while we began to load the other items, he moved the plant to the top of the car. . . when the wind began to blow and i saw the plant shake precariously, i decided to place the plant on top of the trunk to shield it partially from the wind. once we moved almost everything, one final burst of wind came and the plant fell to the ground, strike one. . . luckily the container did not shatter and the plant survived. once we rescued it, i noticed that there was a parking ticket on the windshield. $115 for double parking. strike two.

that was the first trip. the second trip during which we got the majority of the remaining items was much smoother. i stayed in the car while the boy loaded to prevent a second ticket. after this was done, i headed to the grocery store to buy food for the evenings festivies. . . i was sticking to a surprisingly simple menu since it was such a small crowd- just two other couples- empanadas, fruit, cookies, and sparkling white wine with juice. company was expected to show after 8pm, so we had a good 8 hours to get everything together.

by the time i arrived at the boy's apartment, he was already waiting there. we began bringing all the bags upstairs. after that, we had to run out to pick up some odds and ends. turns out the apartment was having drainage problems in the bathroom & kitchen sink as well as some electrical issues. after we got back from CVS, we tacked the task of cleaning and organizing.

around 5, the apartment was looking pretty good. i wanted to shower and get dressed so i could spend the rest of the time cooking and relaxing. i noticed that the kitchen sink had been leaking so the boy decided to look into it. all of a sudden i heard a huge crash that startled me. the light fixture in the kitchen fell and broke into a g'zillion pieces, strike three!!! shards of glass were everywhere!!! both of us cut ourselves on the glass. at that point, i had to just laugh at all the things that had gone wrong during the day.

we were still able to finish tidying up and snacks were prepared by 8. our first guests did not show until 9, so we had time to rest for a bit. we snacked, drank champagne cocktails, and played jenga until countdown time. it was a lovely evening. . . .despite the eventful and laborious day, i had a wonderful time setting up the boy's apartment and spending the day and winding down with a few good friends, a perfect day and way to end 2006.

happy new year!!!