Buh Bye

So I haven't been blogging lately. Have you noticed?

The last time I decided to shut this site down, I got inspired again and wrote a few posts. And then... nothing.

This started as a way to keep in touch with people while I was in grad school. For a time, it was about the bedbugs. For a great majority, it was about dating.

Life looks a little different now. The past year has been one of the most challenging and difficult times in my life. With that said, I've also been (and continue to be) enormously in love, and incredibly grounded and present in my world. And there have not been words to document the disparity in these two experiences.

There may be words later, in a different place, and from a different voice. For now, I am content to just be.

In Case You're Wondering

Lately, I've been questioning why it was a good idea to become a Social Worker.

Or maybe just the smaller question of why it was a good idea to accept my current promotion.

New Links!

To the right... 3 new links, courtesy of JH.

And that's all the news that's fit to print.

AKA Dog

B and I are currently fostering a dog.

This came about *not* with careful planning and reasoned discussion, but with one of us (ahem) responding to an ad on Craigslist about a dog on the euth list with less than 24 hours to live.

How could we say no?

We pikced up Kilo this past Saturday, with the information that he was a 9 year old "Staffie mix" who had recently been abandoned when his owner was called for service in the army. We thought we'd be getting a nice, sedate companion dog.

Kilo is a maniac.

He hurls all 50 pounds of himself toward squirrels, birds, and insects. He circles our couch, never settling down. He doesn't seem to know his own name, or at least, does not respond to it. He's not so familiar with basic commands like "sit", "stay", or "please don't chase after squirrels". And in the past 24 hours, he's developed a wicked case of kennel cough that has him horking all over the apartment at all hours.

He's also a sweet, dopey, gentle dog who never got the right training. And though he is generally uncouth, when left alone in our home, he's very respectful.

B and I would love to adopt him, but neither of us has the time to devote to training, discipline, or structure. So, if you're looking for a dog, or know someone who is, would you consider Kilo?

After all, you could probably rename him anything you'd like.

Mr. Doomsday

While I was out today during this brief non-rainy weather than we're having, I passed a street vendor.

"Ummmmbrellas", he sang.

People kept rushing by. So he changed it up.

"It's nooooot ov-er", he intoned.

I hope he's wrong.

Aw Shizz

One of my clients just called me to cancel her appointment because she thinks that she has the swine flu.

Half Marathon Summary (One Word Answers Only, Please)

Long.
Windy.
Raining.
Long.
Cold.
Painful.
Fun.
Raining.
Cold.
Long.
Long.
Long.
Triumphant.

I've Still Got It

There's this super annoying woman at work (she doesn't work for my company, she works down the hall) who comes into our office and asks for coffee, which my officemates brew each morning.

I gave up caffeine 4 months ago, so any mention of coffee makes me super cranky.

Today, she knocked and entered before anyone else was at work:

"Can I have some coffee?" (cup in hand, anticipating a yes)

"My co-workers aren't in yet, and it's not made. And I don't drink coffee." (uneccessary commentary, not sure why I engaged)

"How do you stay energized?" (attempt to socialize to make it seem as if she actually cares, rather than the alternative, which is that she is a coffee mooch)

[Pause. I'm aggravated that she's even talking to me, and I can't for the world think about how I actually do survive without coffee. The question is too big for 9:10 am. ]

"I eat a lot of fruit." (this is a blatant lie, but she left)

I Wanna Be A Gorilla! Or A Tiger!

Due to the current swine flu panic, I think I could make some serious money by importing these from Japan - only 620 yen! Who DOESN'T want to protect their health and look like a ridiculous animal at the same time?

(Am I back to blogging? Maybe.)

Hello and Goodbye

I haven't written for a while, and I can't really say that I've missed it.

I have, however, been thinking about this blog. Specifically, thinking about the start of the blog in 2005 and the blog now.

I started writing as a way to communicate with people. In some cases, it was my way of expressing myself without having to talk to anyone. Now, the world feels different. I am different. And I'm trying to figure out how to connect with and rebuild relationships in a direct way. There are people that I am missing, and it feels heavy, and a blog post isn't going to be a substitute for that contact.

I'm not sure what this means for this space. I do know that I need to time to figure it out.

Next Time, No Thanks

B. accompanied me to the gym at 5:00 this morning. (Ahem. I mean 6:00 this morning. But despite the clock-changing nonsense, I think we can all agree that it was really 5:00. And pretty dark. GRRR.)

The gloriousness of that decision was quickly negated by his gloomy attitude and noticeable lack of reciprocation of high-fives during our walk home.

He did come in handy when I needed a new towel after my run. 4 miles, yo!

I Rock

This morning:

- I ran 2 miles in 19 minutes
- The Metro New York newspaper lady actually greeted me and complimented my sneakers
- I was able to reframe a potentially upsetting piece of communication as a marker of personal growth

Schlump Day

My Wednesdays are CRAZY. CRAZY. I'm going to document it here so I can look back one day and just laugh and laugh and laugh.

5:47am: Awake to the soothing sounds of NPR and B. snoring
6:16am: Leave the house
6:30am: Arrive at gym, rock it out on the treadmill
7:15am: Back home, wake up still sleeping husband
8:30am: Subway, roll eyes at crowding and egregious violations of etiquette
9:00am: Arrive, psychoanalytic institute for advanced trauma training
1:00pm: Subway, roll eyes at crowding and egregious violations of etiquette
1:30pm: "Lunch"
1:45pm: Meeting with supervisor
3:00pm: Subway, roll eyes at crowding and egregious violations of etiquette
3:15pm: Arrive at work, two client appointments
6:15pm: Subway, roll eyes at crowding and egregious violations of etiquette
6:50pm: "Dinner"
7:00pm: Psychoanalytic institute client
8:00pm: Next psychoanalytic institute client
8:45pm: Walk to trivia
9:00pm: Arrive, Conker Hill for trivia
11:00pm: Win trivia
11:10pm: Bus ride home, roll eyes at crowding and egregious violations of etiquette
11:40pm: Pizza, garlic knots
11:45pm: Top Chef
12:30am: Sleep - sweet, sweet sleep

Being An Adult Can Be Fun!

Based upon an early morning visit to the internist, B. and I are developing a new song, tentatively titled "Poop On A Paper Plate (Plastic Spoon Remix)".

Sample lyric: "No I don't wanna go back in, don't wanna go back in, don't wanna go back in that bathroom".

This will be a follow-up to our previous hit, "Downwind At Urine Park".

Trust me, it's going to sweep the nation.

Knuckle Sandwich / Knucklehead

You know it's going to be an interesting day when you manage to bite your own finger, so hard that you cause a buise, while you're eating breakfast.

The Definition of 'Healthy' Is Broad

Yesterday morning, towards the end of an exercise class at New York Sports Club, the instructor told us to "do something good for yourselves today - drink lots of water, take a walk, and eat something healthy!".

My interpretation of that directive was to go to a bar, watch Syracuse basketball, drink beer, and eat chicken wings.

How To Be An Awesome Newlywed, Part 2

1. Register for a half marathon.
2. Realize that the only training time your schedule will allow is mornings before work.
3. Set the alarm clock for 5:47 am.
4. Unintentionally wake your husband up at that time.
5. Go running.
6. Return to your apartment.
7. Intentionally wake your husband up by loudly proclaiming your awesomeness.
8. Ask for (and give) many enthusiastic high-fives.
9. Refuse to believe that he could possibly be tired.
10. Engage in more discussions about your awesomeness.
11. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

How To Be An Awesome Newlywed

1. Keep your husband awake until 1:00 am by forcing him to watch Save The Last Dance, a movie he has no interest in seeing.
2. The next morning, wake him up by poking him in the ribs. Repeatedly.
3. Continue to poke and prod him as he goes through his morning routine.
4. Sit next to him on the couch, be ridiculous, laugh hysterically at your own ridiculousness.
5. Get annoyed when he refuses to participate.

I Thought I Was In Relatively Good Shape...

until this morning, when I stumbled back into my building after a run, only to be asked by the doorman (who, btw., reportedly sounds exactly like B's ex-father-in-law) if I was "feeling ok".

(Sidenote: I've had enough of winter and slush and cold and slogging around the city. Enough. M'kay?)

MHP'ing

Today I was able to diagnose myself with bedbug PTSD following an incident where I spotted a reddish-colored object on my chair, and spent the next half hour freaking out, phantom itching and all.

(It was a stray grain from my 7 grain bread, but still. No such thing as being too vigilant. )