"literally" picked up

saturday night was a frenzy of social outings- much busier than i've been of late. shopping in soho with the boy in the afternoon, dinner with theng and q2, then drinks with celestial at verlaine. after one round, we decided to go to schillers and continued to catch up. after another round, we decided to leave and i planned to make my way to willie-b. celestial was on the fence about heading home, out, or to a friend's so she hopped into my cab with me. i did my best to convince her to come along to no avail.

cabbie: where to?


v: williamsburg, just get off at the first exit off the bridge.


celestial: can we make two stops?


v: c'mon, you should come with me to williamsburg. it's gonna be a lot of fun.


celestial: i duno. i'm really beat.


cabbie: yea, the night is young. you should party. i'll come with you.


v: you don't have to stay out all that late. . . you're gonna have a good time!


cabbie: so where should i take you?



celestial: V, i think you should go ahead adn have a great time. i'm so glad we got to catch up.


v: ok i will, be good-bye!


cabbie: so to williamsburg?


v: yep, n9th and kent. i'll show you how to go.


cabbie: so where are you going? to a party? we should party together!


v: something like that. i'm going to meet up with my boyfriend and some friends for a couple drinks.


cabbie: so where do you live? i can wait around and pick you back up later.


v: no, it's okay. i have a ride.


cabbie: what's your name?


v: V. what's yours.


cabbie: amir


v: nice to meet you. so amir, do you flirt with every female passenger that rides in your cab?


cabbie: no no no. not at all.


v: don't you have a girlfriend or something?


cabbie: yes. but she's not like you. it's not so serious. can i get your number? i can pick you up later or i can come in and get a drink with you. we can hang out.


v: no i don't think so. i told you i have a boyfriend already. i'm not that kind of girl.


cabbie: i didn't say you were that kind of girl. no one is like that.


v: ok, here we are. can i get $11 back?


cabbie: ok. i really don't mind waiting to give you a ride. here i'll park my car and come in.


v: realizing that amir was not goin to give up and that he seemed relatively harmless, i conceded. ok, but my boyfriend is inside you know.


amir muttered "sure sure" as he followed me. my friend was waiting outside to show me where the unmarked door was. we went inside and the boy and his friends were sitting around a back corner table. i made the introductions as we sat down.

cabbie: you weren't joking! your boyfriend is here. i feel weird.

v: of course i wasn't. it's fine, really not a big deal. you might as well have a drink while you are here.

cabbie: um. . no now i feel really weird. i'm sorry. thanks for everything. you all have a good night.

ith that, amir left. . . certainly the first time a cab driver has tried to pick me up and while i was initially annoyed, i had to give the guy a lot of credit for his chops!

prune

feeling ravenous on saturday afternoon, the boy and i decided it would be a good time to test out TONY's list of best burgers.

after making a couple calls to see which restaurants would still be open around 3PM, we setled on prune in the east village. i was excited- prune has been on my mental "to try" list of restaurants for quite some time and i'd only heard positive things about it. so we headed downtown and arrived around 3:15, 15 minutes before their kitchen stopped serving brunch, but luckily with enough time to be guaranteed a table.

prune is a cozy, nook of a restaurant with small tables closely spaced together, an open kitchen in the rear, and a small wooden bar on the east side of the room. the atmosphere carried an unmistakeable european undertone. standing inside, one could just as easily be in a bistro in paris or cafe in florence. apparently, the other guests felt similarly as i heard just as many european accents than american ones.

when we finally sat down, we were given brunch menus and a list of beverages including several variations on bloody mary's, a weakness of mine. i asked the server if we could order off the lunch menu and were politely told no. i was heartily disappointed that my second attempt to test out the TONY list was again thwarted. however, an order of monte crisco and a southwestern style bloody mary provided all the comfort i needed- plus an excuse to return to prune for lunch!

it was only the second ever monte crisco that i have had (i shouldn't even count the horrible excuse for a monte crisco that was essentially an over swiss cheesied french toast concoction that i had at some UES diner at 3AM) and i have no qualms about calling the best in nyc. the sandwich was comprised of three slices of bread layered with ham, turkey, and swiss cheese lightly battered and perfectly fried. the monte crisco was lightly dusted with powdered sugar and served with currant jelly and a side of fried eggs. presentation was beautiful and the elements were perfectly balanced with no one ingredient overwhelming the other.

while savoring our delicious food, the boy and i took note of the little details that make prune distinct- the antique brassy looking pepper mill, the alkaseltzer in a small white bowl sitting on the bar for customers recovering from a late night of carousing, the never ending george michael playlist, the great stemware (where can i find those double old fashioned glasses?). . . i'm looking forward to trying out their lunch and dinner- prune just may have made my top 10 ny restaurant list.

the hands gave it away

i am officially halfway done with my training with one more month to go. . .this has been a source of confusion for many of my friends- since officially i started my new job on feb 4th. technically however, i have to complete the training program which includes computer based training, shadowing in our assigned departments, learning about different aspects of working as a merchant (advertising, brand strategy, etc). during the 6th week of training, interviewing begins for our final placements. there are several rounds of interviews, during which two trainees are sent in to meet with buyers with open assistant positions, until each trainee is finally placed.

in preparation, we are all required to participate in a mock interview which i had today.

i began obsessing over it on monday, visiting a couple stores to competitive shop and familiarizing myself with the business. i prepared a cheat sheet summarizing the department's business trends and got tips from my shadow. i went to bed extra early last night and woke up at 6AM to review my notes. i got to the interview half an hour before schedule and waited in the reception area during which my stomach twisted with nerves.

somehow i managed to get through and got a lot of feedback from my interviewer. we discussed my verbal and nonverbal interview skills and strategies for improving.

what i learned:

(1) that the only indication of nervousness in my body language was when i repeated touched my neck, jawline, and hair.
(2) my interviewer did not like my russian navy nail polish.
(3) i come across as mature, comfortable in my own skin, creative, and highly analytical.

as is commonly the case, while there were equal parts if not more, good rather than bad comments, i mainly remember the criticism. . .

overheard on the bus

riding on the bus back uptown after an exhausting day at work (more on that in a later post), i noticed a middle-aged couple sitting across from me. an asian woman with shoulder length straight hair, serious air, and wrapped up in a fur lined coat and a caucasian man with rimmed glasses and a grey mustache adorned in suit and overcoat. occasionally the man would look up from his paper and mutter something to the woman. she seemed to mostly ignore him, transfixed by her phone. . . that didn't seem to stop him.

man: y'know what's worse than a male chauvinist?

woman: silently gazing at her hands

man: (triumphantly) a woman who doesn't do what she says!

what was the woman thinking?

a. dear God why did i marry this man?

b. i wonder if anyone else heard him? maybe if i pretend that he didn't say anything, everyone else will do teh same. . .

c. dear God, will this stranger stop talking to me?

it's so cute!!!

every few months, i feel the need to change my hair in some fashion. for the past couple years- t was all about growing it out superlong and playing with layers and color. . .but somehow, i had come to the point of being bored and tired with my hair. i needed a drastic change.

so last sunday, with several clippings of various hairstyles and colors, i went to my little hair shoppe. as we discussed styles, my stylist was getting more and more geared up. after agreeing on the look- he grabbed my hair in his left hand and with his right hand took a dramatic snip and the next thing i know he is swirling my formerly long locks in the air triumphantly.

over an hour of cutting then another hour of coloring and styling, i walked out feeling chic and enjoying the feeling of having a bare neck.

over the course of the week- i heard a barrage of comments- it's so cute! . . you look more corporate. . .sophisticated. . . you look more mature. . . urm. . . i really like it. . .you still look like V.

i still can't tell what's worse- being told that i am "cute" or "mature"?

high fidelity take 2

groggy from my afternoon nap on president's day- i hear my phone beep indicating a text. glancing down i see a text from rex-mex. . . curious. . .

rex-mex: hey- i'm doing the whole john cusack hi fidelity thing- are u open to talking? feel free to say no.


v: yea sure


rex-mex: does now work?


v: before 8pm is fine.


ring ring.


textmex: i really appreciate you talking to me. i am deconstructing past relationships to gain insight on why i keep repeating the same mistakes.

v: ok, what's the problem?

rex-mex: i keep seeking out emotionally unavailable women. they string me along, flirt with me, and i keep going back to them. but they don't want to commit so i eel as though i have to convince them to be with me. it makes me feel terrible and insecure. then the women that i meet who are truly interested in me and are interested in a relationship, i don't want.

v: hmm. . . maybe it's the thrill of the chase and the challenge that you like?

rex-mex: i don't think that's it. i feel miserable.

v: are you truly ready for a serious relationship? maybe you are subconsciously choosing women who reject you because you really are not ready to settle down. maybe you are scared of having another unsuccessful marriage?

rex-mex: no, i am ready.

v: then that doesn't make sense.

back and forth- me suggesting possible explanations and him ruling it out.

v: well, i dont' know what's going on but you are too old to be making the same mistake and wasting your energy on women that don't value you. you aren't getting any younger and if you do want to remarry and have children, you need to break out of these bad cycles. it'll just leave you feeling depressed and go no where.

rex-mex: i know, you are right. i don't know why i keep doing this. well, thanks for talking. . .i am just grasping for straws and trying to get as many viewpoints as possible, maybe something will make sense and strike a chord.

after our conversation ended, i was troubled. not that rex-mex was unhappy per se- but just how his situation signifies the reality that there are no guarantees in life. we all are responsible for the decisions that we make- which means that while one may make the right choices and find happiness, one may make bad choices and fuck up their life. scary thought.

wonderfully productive day

there are those days (most of the time) that i only finish half of my to-do list. today i actually got an early start and was able to knock of everything on my list.

bank
gym
sweep & mop
clean the bathroom
organize my piles of paper
grocery store
k-mart
pharmacy
chinatown for feng shui improving pieces

AND i even got a nap and some catching up phone calls in!

i love having full weekends to catch up on errands and rest. . . monday off is just gravy.

department for mortified vagrants

it's been on my to-do list for an embarassing amount of time now. . .

exchanging my CA drivers license for a NY drivers license.

there's so many reasons why i've procrastinated: (1) the DMV sucks, (2) i didn't want to waste my precious time off during the week at the DMV, (3) the DMV had short hours so i had to go on a weekday, (4) my old license is valid until 2010, (5) the DMV sucks. of course, many reasons why i should: (1) i don't even live at the address on my CA license and not sure if my former colleague still does, (2) i could be called for jury duty and not know it then be fined for dodging jury duty, (3) i've lived in NY for over two years, (4) it's irritating to explain why i have a CA license , NY address, and where i'm from, (5) i can't register to vote in NY.

i got out from work at 1pm today and decided to finally suck it up and go to the DMV. i tried to minimize any waiting time by making sure i had all the proper identification, all the forms were out, had my sister fill out the eye exam form for me and was all set to go. i arrived at the express DMV (mostly for renewals and exchanging out-of-state licenses) to pure mayhem.

usually, there are three lines. the first to get any forms you are missing and your ticket to wait in line, the second to take the eye exam, verify your forms, and take your photo, the third to input your info in the system, turn in your license, and pay the fee. unfortunately, the ticket machine/system was down so the lines were out of control and for a good thirty minutes none of the employees knew what to do. since the attendant couldn't give out tickets, she gave each person in the first line another piece of paper and directed them to the second line. the second line then stalled for quite some time. the line two attendant was walking back and forth around the office frantically trying to figure out what to do since the system was done. much discussion back and forth among the employees. finally, line two attendant decided to call whatever remaining ticket numbers out in order then start to help people in the order that they were in in line. . . BRILLIANT!

gradually, line two began to move. eventually i got through and headed back to line three which seemed to have merged into line 1 but actually line 1 no longer existed as it had merged into line 2.

as you can see it was chaotic and everyone's face exhibited the suffering and pain that they were enduring. . . and about an hour and a half later, i had relinquished my CA license and gotten my temporary card.

conversations at a hotel bar

i met angel a year ago at a work sponsored/organized training in the city. hailing from minneapolis, angel struck me as a vivacious, bright, warm, and good woman. despite our notaceable differences in age, backgrounds, and upbringing, i felt an immediate familiarity and kinship with her. despite bonding over the course of the training, it was difficult to keep in touch, not that that was surprising- with the distance, crazy work schedules, and otherwise full lives.

nonetheless, i was excited to find out that angel would be attending this year's training. since i had switched jobs, i couldn't attend the training myself, so instead we agreed to meet up for drinks monday night at the doubletree. the training group was running late so i got a seat at the bar, ordered a marker's mark, and an order of buffalo wings (yes, i sound like an old man).

i ended up making conversation with a nice middle-aged couple from vienna, VA who were in town visiting a sick relative. i also got to know the former model-bartender rhodie. by the time training group had all arrived at the hotel, i had heard her whole life story- modeling at the age of 12/13 walking the runways in paris, anorexic and taking coke to dull the hunger, stopped modeling in her late teens,worked as a hostess at a greek restaurant before getting her current gig as a bartender in a hotel. dating an older, divorcee with a psycho ex-wife (aren't they all) and two children. rhodie's fuller figure and the content look on her beautiful (if generic in a magazine shoot way) face conveyed her happiness.

it always amazes me how much individuals reveal about themselves.

Xin Nian Kuai Le!

to celebrate lunar new year's eve, my friends and i went to szechuan gourmet on w.39th between 5th and 6th avenue...who knew you had to go to koreatown for the best sichuanese food in town?

upon entering the boisterous restaurant, the scent of peppercorns and spices greet you. the food is delicious, cheap, and authentic. for appetizers, we ordered poached chicken and crispy soy beans, dan dan noodles, spicy mung bean jello salad, and thin sliced beef tendons. the poached chicken cleverly juxtaposed cool chicken and crisp cucumber (not soy beans) against a fiery, tongue numbing chili sauce and was the clear winner for the apps. the dan dan mian were underwhelming (grand sichuan does a better job here). jello salad was nothing special and the sliced beef tendons were tasty but not compelling.

for main entrees, we shared a braised whole bass in a sichuan, chili miso sauce, stir fried fresh pork belly, stir fried greens (dou miao), and wok tossed crispy beef fillets. i loved every dish. the sauce adorning the fish was extremely flavorful with just enough spiciness, saltiness, and sweetness. the stir fried pork belly was decadent with complex textures. the beef fillets were essentially deep fried beef spiced with cumin and reminded me of meals of spicy kabobs and naan that i savoured in xinjiang.

theng bought up predictions for the year of the rat for those born in the year of the horse which sent me into a tizzy of concern- afterall, the boy and my brother are both horses (not to mention theng herself). . . to find out what 2008 entails for you.. . read this http://www.fengshuiweb.co.uk/advice/chineseanimalpredictions2008.htm

favorite meal of the day

whether it's dim sum in chinatown, a good ol new york bagel loaded with light lox cream cheese, or eggs benedict with a spicy bloody mary- brunch is a favorite for me. it is simply a wonderful way to start a weekend day- sharing an indulgent if not greasy (the best cure for a late night out) meal in the early afternoon with a group of friends.



the venue was stone park cafe in park slope- michelin referred and highly rated for their biscuits and gravy. . . actually, the reviews were so complimentary that i was getting nervous that i would be sorely disappointed. luckily, my concern was for naught. it was the best brunch i've had in a long time.

i ordered the hangfry- a frittata with oysters, bacon, vermont cheese, and the boy ordered biscuits and gravy, their signature dish, with a side of bacon*. my dish was pretty tasty though it would be improved by (1) better distribution of bacon and/or cheese or (2) more of both. the biscuits and gravy were quite delectable. the biscuits were perfectly light and buttery and the gravy was just rich enough.

all in all, a great brunch. . . and hopefully the beginning of many now that i have weekends off again!!!

*pics to follow in updated post

it's my party

for a girl that grew up being the "sensitive one" (read: crybaby), i doubt i would be described as emotional as an adult. my friend xiaofun claimed i sounded emotion-less on the phone, lori called me cold when we were saying our goodbyes before she left my company for good, sappy movies do zilch, and i generally have a fairly stoic view on life tragedies. and yet tonight, i was nearly moved to tears.

this evening was my GM's going away party- a dinner at an italian restaurant in huntington village. my GM is an amazing woman who has dedicated 8 years of her blood, sweat, tears, and soul to the company. her enthusiasm, her empathy, and her sense of fun have touched each and every one of us and has made my company a better place to work. so it was without surprise and with great love that all the managers rallied together to have a farewell dinner and get a nice gift for AL.

after work let out, a few of us met up to share a couple drinks, unwind, and catch up. one by one, the majority of the team came out and by 7:30/8PM we had all arrived and were seated. apps were brought out and served family style. we all digged into the calamari, salad, antipasta, clams, and bread. diva ordered entrees for the group. everyone was happily eating, cameras were snapping away, and the chatter was steady.

after the apps were cleared away, the store manager stood up and announced that gifts were to be presented.

SM: (lifting up a huge, beautifully wrapped box) this is something from all of us, we wish you the best of luck, and want you to know V, that you have truly left your mark here.

in stunned silence, i looked around at the table and realized that i was attending my own (co) going away party. .. and that all these people cared enough to give me their blessings but were sad to see me go. i was completely moved and realized, once again, how i would miss this second little family, the good friends that i've shared so much with and grown to love.

and i realized, that while i did not cry- part of me is truly sad to see the closing of this chapter in my life- to lose this sense of comraderie and support in a work environment. i know it is a rare and valuable thing. so while i will look forward to this new stage in my life, one full of new challenges and relationships,i hope and vow never to forget my beginnings and the people in HNT.

bit by bit

i am finally car-less and it's a beautiful thing. i had two days off in a row and decided to drive the car out to my brother's place for my parents to pick up on the weekend. i piled into the car- armed with coffee and lots of quarters and small bills (couldn't remember how many and how much the tolls are) and headed out to PA.

once i got to the tunnel- i realized that i left my brother's house keys in my apartment. damn- that meant having to find a place to stop and wait. in any case, the ride- except for passing periods of near blindness (i hate driving during dusk, the glare is horrendous) and near passing out (i always get sleepy driving long distances)- was uneventful and i made good time. i found a CVS near chimmy's house, bought some magazines, and headed over to dunkin donuts to have a coffee and read.

half an hour later, i met chimmy at his house and waited for the missus to get home. we exchanged christmas gifts and chatted in the meantime. dinner was at yang ming, a surprisingly good chinese restaurant not too far from their home. after feasting on hot & sour soup, fried lobster served in a coconut curry sauce, a tasty eggplant and tofu dish, and 4 spice beef, we waddled our way to the grocery store where i was astounded by how cheap groceries were.

back home, we watched the first half of superbad before we all got tired and went to bed. the next morning, chimmy dropped me off in philly's chinatown and i grabbed the 9AM bus back to nyc.

it took me over an hour to get home- F train to 60th & lexington, transfer to the 6, and the 6 to 77th. i didn't mind one bit. it was funny, it was as if i haven't taken mass transit before- seeing the different types of people and listening into odd bits of conversation... i had forgotten how much i love it all.

dining out

after reading the tony reviews for top 10 burgers in nyc, i was very excited about going to market table with Q2 which had secured the #1 spot.. . but fortune would not have it. we were unable to score reservations or bar seats. instead, we decided to go to perilla... a restaurant started by harold dieterle, the winner from the first season of top chef and which has been on my "to-try" list for quite some time.

so instead of a burger, i got to feast on spicy duck meatballs, buffalo tataki, and roasted guinea hen. poor me, right?

the spicy duck meatball, was actually not spicy and quite a bit more mild than i was expecting- served with pasta and a tasty gravy with egg yolk reserved for dipping. while this app was well balanced and solid, it was not extraordinary. the buffalo was served in thin slices across a delicate bed of greens- surprisingly sublte flavors for what i assumed to be a gamey meat. the roasted guinea was the winner for the evening- amazingly succulent, fresh (i haven't eaten chicken so fresh since china in 2000), and as flavorful as duck. the hen was served with a persimmion sauce and on top of a bed of spaetzle that was a perfect blend of chewiness and crispness.

all in all, the dining experience was wonderful and warrants a second visit. while not every dish was a hit, the chef shows tremendous promise and talent. the atmosphere was cozy and laid back and the service was fine (not particularly good or bad).. . compliments to the chef!!!

nyc will do that to you

i don't know how i manage to do it- but i manage to come back to work after a restful 5 days off with a cold. it's still in the early stages so i'm trying to head it off by listening to my body and getting lots of rest (right taz?).

in any case, inventory wrapped up on the 15th and on the 17th, i made my way to gator-town to visit my sister + family. i brought the NE weather with me because it was rainy and cold during the majority of my stay. in spite of it all, i had a lovely time with the kids, got my fill of chick-fil-a and crackerbarrel, and plenty of sisterly bonding.

during my time in gatorville, i realized how i have guarded i have become and unaccustomed to southern hospitality.

scenario 1:
after rushing from home to the subway to the bus to newark international airport, i buy a couple of magazines and make myself comfortable at the gate. a short wait later, we board onto the airplane. i get to my seat 6A and realize someone is sitting in my spot. the seat stealer (SS) looks up anxiously.

V: i think you are in my seat, 6A?

SS: i'm not in 5A? i'm so sorry. let me change seats!!

V: (glancing at the long line of passengers waiting to walk past me) no no no.don't worry about it. (i quickly throw my carryon into the overhead bin and get situated)

SS: (leaning towards me) are you sure it's ok? we can switch seats?

V: really, it's fine. the seats are the same.

i put in my earbuds and pull out my book to signal the end of the conversation. shortly after all the passengers, the pilot's voice comes up on the sound system.

P: after loading all the luggage, we discovered that the plane was overweight. however, closer inspection indicates that the two fires have gone flat. we need everyone to take their belongings, deplane, and reboard after we replace the tires. this should only take an hour.

seriously? how often does that happen? i gather my belongings and get off the plane with SS trailing behind me.

SS: that's the most basic mistake an airline can make!! how often does that happen?

and so SS continued to make efforts to engage me in conversation. wary of his intentions, i give one word answers to his questions in hopes that he'll get the hint that i don't want to talk. nevertheless, he continues prodding. eventually, i get tired of the whole thing and find an empty chair to plop down on until it was time for reboarding.

scenario 2:
an elderly gentleman (EG) shuffles towards me, hand stretched out with a little red buttons with white characters on it.

EG: can you read this?

i glance down at the pin and recognize that they are japanese characters.

V: (shaking my head) no i can't.

EG: it's chinese

V: no, it's japanese and i can't read it.

EG: can't you read it? aren't you chinese?

now i'm annoyed- why would this man assume that i am chinese? if i were, that wouldn't necessarily mean that i could read chinese. and if he can't read it, why would he insist that it's chinese characters.

V: sir, i'm not chinese. i am vietnamese. besides, those are not even chinese characters.

EG: (he points to my sister) but she said you could read chinese.

V: well like i said, i'm not chinese and those are japanese characters.

EG: (rifling through his pocket) wait wait, i have another one that's chinese. (he pulls out another small red pin. also with japanese characters)

V: (making no effort to hide my irritation) sir, that's the same pin. it also has japanese writing. (i walk towards my sister and the kids)

EG: (incredulously) so you are not chinese? what are they? are they vietnamese too?

V: (emphatically) yes, we are all vietnamese.

looking back at both encounters, i realize that both situations involved harmless individuals who had good intentions. paraphrasing a title from smart went crazy, all i can say is, nyc will do that to you.

the baggot inn

back in november, digits, boston, and i started a new tradition of meeting up around the 15th of every month for drinks. however, after another exhausting day of inventory prep and warnings of snow, i was this close to cancelling my plans to meet up with digits and boston. but a promise is a promise, so i met the girls at the baggot inn to listen to the charles soule band.

i'm glad i decided to go. it was nice catching up on work gossip, checking out a new venue, and listening to a new band- who were good despite not being my type of music. all in all, a good night.

gutter balls

i've been meaning to check out the gutter, a bowling bar in williamsburg for some time. . . so i was pleased that the boy and i winded up going on friday night. we arrived sometime after 11 and were able to secure two bar stools and got a number for the waiting list.

i liked the bar a lot- the pluses:

1. very homey in a neighbor's basement/living room during the 80s but not the hip 80s sort of way
2. prices were reasonable
3. unpretentious crowd
4. friendly staff
5. beef jerky snacks for sale!!

three rounds of maker's mark and brooklyn browns later, we were up! we got our bowling shoes- which i've always had an affinity for- on and headed to lane 1. turns out all the equipment is old so we had some problems with our lane restarting between sets properly, but were given a round of drinks on the house by the owner. by then, i was certainly not bowling straight yet somehow managed to score a strike.

it was a lot of fun to do something out of the norm- though i wouldn't mind if bowling became a regular. . . while i am terrible at it i can't help but love playing!

rallying

the holidays are finally over and there was a intermediate lull in my busy schedule. last weekend off allowed me time to rest and recover from long stretches at work, angry and impatient customers, and the increasingly negative vibe of my work peers. a beautiful weekend- lunch and cell phone shopping with Q2, some quality V time, and a nice night in with the boy.

now, it's back to the grind- double time due to inventory. it's a tremendously arduous, tedious process that requires meticulous planning and preparation. for the past couple weeks, i've been slowly but surely prepping my areas and before i knew it stockroom inventory had begun.

teaming up with MM and over the course of 8 hours of nonstop work- we made our way through one of the most difficult stockrooms, mostly because it was filled with thousands of pieces of small merchandise, much of which was without tickets or possibly discontinued. working like a team twice our size- we made sure that everything was labelled and accounted for.

i had started the morning with a mug of coffee and two energy drinks but still started to lag by early afternoon. a break with sher and tinyD helped was much needed relief before making a final push in the afternoon. around 7, MM and i surveyed our progress and left work, proud of our accomplishments for the day but exhausted.

with only 5 hours of sleep, i'm relying of caffeine to get me through another day of inventory.

feeling a little torn

i awoke this morning overwhelmed by a sense of melancholy- it's been creeping up on me for a few days now. and inspite of my pretenses and feeble attempts to drown it out with happy music and mindless distractions, this feeling of sadness persists, troubling my sleep, and weighing me down.


these feelings are at odds with the blessed life i lead- one full of amazing relationships, loving friends and family, exciting prospects. and yet, no matter what i do or where i go, i can never escape it completely. because inevitably, i am reminded of the troubled life of another- marked by loneliness, paranoia, and bitterness. it is enough to make me weep.

so today, even though i recognize doing so will resolve nothing, i allowed myself to be sad. i listened to songs that reflect my somber mood. i took a long walk- losing myself and my thoughts in the crowds, and hoping to find the strength to stop running away.

noche vieja

new years, much like valentines, is one of those overly commercialized and hyped events. . . there is this sentiment floating around that insists that one does something absolutely fabulous, surrounded by a million partiers, screaming like maniacs when the clock strikes 12- or else you are a loser. there is a plethora of options if you are willing to pay- all the restaurants have fancy (read expensive) prix fixe dinners, clubs that promise to deliver a mind-blowing party in exchange for a king's ransom for cover. if not, you have to convince one of your friends to throw a house party and hope that (1) you know more than a couple of the guests or (2) there are cool people to make conversation with so that you aren't bored out of your mind.

to circumvent the whole dilemma, i decided to gather my small group of friends over at my place to celebrate the new year. as usual, the east coast anal (thanks keting2 for the new term) part of me was mildly panicking over preparations. i had chosen a spanish theme and devised a somewhat ambitious tapas menu that required more prep time that i actually had to spare. moreover, i was expecting a bigger party than i had originally anticipated so i was starting to get concerned with not having enough food. luckily keting2 had arrived in town sunday night and was both willing and able to play co-chef. while we caught up on each other's lives, i prepped the dates and meatballs. by midnight, the bed was calling me so i decided to turn in.

monday morning i headed off to work and was pleased by the relatively stress and drama free day of work. a few friends cancelled at the last minute which relieved my concerns about food quantity as well. the icing on the cake was when my boss excused me to leave half an hour before closing time so i was able to get home by 6:30 and score a sweet parking spot for the boy. i rushed in and was relieved to find keting2 had everything in control. i set up the apartment, got dressed, and starting working on food prep. the rest of the night was smooth sailing and i think it was the most stress free party i'd ever thrown thanks to keting2.

the party was a great success. everyone got along tremendously well. everyone enjoyed the food. there was plenty of alcohol and no dead, awkward moments. around 11:30, we started divying up grapes for each individual and passing them around. then at midnight, the boy cued the sounds of 12 clock chimes as we each began to furiously try to eat one grape per chime. as i looked around the room and began to reflect on 2007, i felt truly blessed at the wonderful developments in my life and the people that have become part of it. . . and excited about what 2008 will bring.