Brief, yes, but that is all the time I can spare January 30, 2008

OK, sorry for the rapidity of this post, but believe me when I tell you I am simply too busy.  That isn’t just lip service, I swear!  This is actually the first time I have had more than 5 minutes to sit down at my computer since Friday, and I had a lot of emails to sift through.

Here’s the gist:

1.  Was in Alabama.  Lovely, chilly, and I came home with about 6 pounds of beef that was at one point hand-fed by my mother.  If the cuteness of the cow was any indication, it’s going to taste delicious.

2.  Started work on Monday morning, but only after not getting home until 2:30 AM due to the rapid accumulation of snow on our back-country roads and the total lack of snow-plowing.  And we didn’t have Pete’s giant truck with us.  Needless to say, I think I left permanent indentations in the dashboard of his mother’s Volvo (because there was no way in hell we could take my little Kia home, which was left at his parent’s house when they took us to the airport) and probably lost years off my life.  There was much skidding.  And y’all know what happened last time.

3.  Am more exhausted than I have been in a very long time, what with the previously mentioned lack of sleep on Sunday night and the fact that I’ve been getting up at 5:30 AM.  I have never in my life gotten up at 5:30 AM on any kind of regular basis.  Especially when I’ve spent the last 4 months languishing in bed until 9:30.  ( I know, cry me a river and such.  I’m not trying to make you feel sorry for me, just trying to make you understand my exhaustion)  Last night I was asleep by 9:30 PM, and it was perfect, but I’m still slight deprived.

4.  Um, Boston is full of germy people, and I have to be thisfuckingclose to them for my entire subway ride.  The crush of people is both exhilarating and alarming, but I have found myself washing my hands obsessively every day.  I am TERRIFIED of their yucky germs.  Now I know what happened to Howard Hughes.  I’m about 3 days away from peeing in bottles and wearing kleenex boxes on my feet.

(I really wanted to insert a picture of Mr. Burns when he went through his Howard Hughes faze, but I just don’t have the energy to do it right now, and my bed is looking mighty comfy.  Just google it yourself, k?)

(Was that rude?  I didn’t mean it to be rude.  I’m sorry.)

5.  Loving the job so far.  Still very hectic and I don’t know the names of 75% of the 49 people who work in my office.  Lots to learn.

6.  I walked outside this morning and it was 41 degrees outside and there is still a very thick blanket of snow.  So I says to Pete, I says:  “Holy shit!  It’s so warm out here.”  I am slightly concerned I might be losing my mind.

Now sleep.  Later more posty, maybe.

hot damn! (and somehow I managed to cram 7 parenthesis into this short entry..wait this makes 8) January 24, 2008

Well, thankfully yesterday I was interrupted from hand-lettering the “This space for rent!” sign that I was making to hang on my uterus by the lady from that Job That I Wanted Really Badly (but that I was certain I wouldn’t get because…you know…it was WEDNESDAY and I still hadn’t heard anything) to offer me the job!

So I’m employed!  Hot Damn!  I’m so relieved (and I’m certain my uterus is also!).

I start on Monday and I’m slightly dreading it just a little because I’ve been sleeping til 8:30 or 9 almost every morning since I’ve been here, and this job is going to require that I leave here by 6:30 AM in order to catch the train into Boston (How awesome and grown-up is that?  That I’m taking THE TRAIN into THE CITY to go to my BIG GIRL JOB that has BENEFITZ AND SHIT) (In fact, it’s always been one of those silly little dreams of mine to one day have to take “the train” to my job.  That always seemed so cosmopolitan and European to me) (Give me a break.  I grew up in Alabama on 50 acres of woods 20 miles away from the nearest settlement of any substantial size.  For a girl who went naked until she was 6, riding the train is pretty freaking exciting.)

Oh my god!  I just told the internet the very thing that I lived in FEAR of my parents telling all my friends until I was about 16.  Progress.  Let me show you it.

ANYway…I’m also kinda nervous because I’m going to have to, like, get dressed and shit.  What the hell is that all about?  And look semi-cute every day (though this is actually kinda fun, because yesterday after I got the call, I went out and rewarded myself by buying some cute red shoes to wear to work.  And I actually don’t have much “professional” stuff, which means I get to go shopping!  With all the money I have!  Which I don’t!).  And we’re also going to have to figure out how to cook dinner and all that nonsense.  Usually I do it just about every day.  1. because I enjoy it, and 2. because I’m here at home, and 3. Because Pete usually doesn’t get home until after 6 and I’m already gnawing my arm off by that time.  But now, I probably won’t be getting home until 6:30 or maybe even 7, which seems like too late to start cooking, you know?  I think I may try doing that cooking for the month thing where you take a weekend and cook 9 million things and just freeze them.

I dunno, it’s going to take some getting used to, that’s for sure.

But YAYYYY!  I’m employed!

(also, this weekend Pete and I are going to Alabama so that is very exciting as well.  Mostly because this affords me an opportunity to  eat at my VERY FAVORITE BBQ restaurant in the entire world.  Seriously, my mouth is watering just at the thought of it.  I have been in such terrible BBQ withdrawals since I’ve been here.  Pete and I did go to one place, which he loves, but they have hickory sauce which is dark and viscous and *shudder.*  I don’t like that.  It’s mustard-based or nothin’ as far as i’ma concerned, y’all!)

It’s amazing what one perfect light will do for a relationship January 15, 2008

 Remember when I posted those pictures of my newly finished dining room? Well, for the record we are doing quite well together. The passion is still there. We still kiss unexpectedly and the Dining Room whispers cute little things in my ear when we are at the grocery store picking out grapefruits. We’re talking about getting a dog together. I’m feeling confident here, people.

Even more confident, because right before Christmas we finally replaced what was the hideous, hairy mole on our relationship – the “contractor’s special” garish chandelier that made me think our kids might end up being cross-eyed and harelipped or something and always gave me pause when thinking about our future. (Also, I would like to note that this home still retains a great many of the “contractor’s special” elements, which we are slowly weeding out. In fact, we’ve currently taken down and replaced 4 of these lights in various sizes and have 2 more to go. I feel certain that they are currently breeding in our basement, but I haven’t the heart to face the possibility of more of these things existing in the world, so I avoid that particular area.)

So here is a picture of the newly-updated dining room with the lovely new lighting element and all dressed up festively for Christmas. (And before you start thinking, “CHRISTMAS! It’s January 15th! Why are we only getting this now?” I would like to remind you that it is ME we are talking about, and in case you haven’t noticed, I’M SLOW AT DOING SHIT. You need to recognize and accept this.)

Is that SO. MUCH.  BETTER. (?)  I think so.

Pete put this up all by his handsome self, and there was minimal cursing, which was impressive.  Baby Jesus would have been proud.

Snow Day! January 14, 2008

Really!  Pete got a call this morning at 6 saying that his school was closed.   We peeked out the window and could see that there was snow, but it was too dark to see how much.

When Pete woke me by JUMPING ON THE BED at 10 AM (Gee Mrs. Peteslastname, it sure is fun babysitting you THIRTY THREE YEAR OLD son!) there was a considerable amount of snow.  Several inches at least.  It’s still falling quite hard and the wind is howling and blowing the snow all manner of directions.  We probably won’t get as much as we did last time, but it’s still a lot for me!

And anyway, that means there is someone here to make me pancakes.  Yay!

whoops! January 12, 2008

Right…so, I have a blog!  That I keep kinda forgetting about!  And that is really crappy of me!  But, thankfully, there are some people out there who occasionally remind me that I haven’t written anything in quite a while.

Mostly, it’s because I’m not doing anything terribly interesting.  I did have two job interviews last week.  One of them was for one of those previously mentioned jobs that I would love.  I went in, had a fantastic interview, and then had to try and keep smiling at the interviewer when she told me “I have no doubt that you are completely capable of doing this job, and doing it well, but I’m worried that you’d be very bored in this position and I think you’re overqualified.”

Don’t you just freaking hate that?  I know that I’m overqualified for this job and yes, I probably would be bored, but really now!  Someone tell me what job they have where they are NEVER bored.  I’d be very interested to have it.  I can handle being underutilized in a job that pays well, has fantastic benefits, and is part of an organization that I really respect and would be proud to work for.

So, even though after the interview I had a delightful walk through Chinatown (though by delightful I perhaps mean somewhat frightening and alarming – I’m really afraid of aggressive homeless people, I’ve found – though still colorful and interesting) and got to bask in a day where it was SIXTY-SEVEN DEGREES in JANUARY in BOSTON (hello heaven!), I went home feeling really bummed.   However, I did get a message from her yesterday asking me to PLEASE call and touch base with her on Monday because even though they had a few more people to interview I was still one of the top candidates and she wanted to make sure I hadn’t taken another position yet.  So, that was a lovely end to the week.

Now I can’t decide if I should call her up be honest and BEG her for the position and tell her that I will, like, I don’t know, spit-shine her boots for her or something if she gives me the job or if I should call and be all coy and aloof and tell her that people are positively BREAKING down my door to get me to come and work for them but I’m really too busy ordering around my maids to come back to work just yet.

(Obviously, though, I’ll do neither and I’ll just call her and be polite and charming and keep all my toes crossed that it works out.  Y’all do too, ok?)

Still haven’t heard a word from that other position but the job announcement is still up on the website so maybe they haven’t closed it yet.  Dunno.

The other interview I had was one of those things where I walked in and immediately wanted to turn and walk out.  And then they told me that the hours were 1 to 10 PM.  And I seriously almost laughed out loud at them.  Needless to say, I don’t want that job.

So…that’s what I’ve been doing.  I’m bored with myself so I haven’t been very inspired to write.

(and it’s getting cold again this weekend.)

Disjointed thoughts January 3, 2008

The tree outside of my bedroom window (and the room my computer lives in) is full of Crows.  I love birds of all kinds, but Crows creep me out something fierce.  I want them to go away.  They are unsettling me.

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I need to go out to get some drafting paper for a Victorian dress I am making, but it is 11 degrees outside and I’m avoiding leaving my house at all costs.  I am simply not prepared for this kind of weather.   This is too cold for me to function.  And every time I say that, Pete looks at me with a mixture of sadness and dread, like I’m going to die.   It’s only December…

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Speaking of Pete, I miss him.  For the last few weeks, he’s been home to entertain me and we’ve had such a good time.  Now he’s back at work and the house feels lonely and empty.  AND I CAN’T ESCAPE (see previous note).

(also maybe because there isn’t anyone here to make me breakfast, which isn’t so great)

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St. Nicholas brought me a motion-controlled heater for the bathroom  (The Future.  I live in it.)  and I find myself going in there just to stand in front of it.  As a result, the bathroom is more organized than it has ever been and my eyebrows are plucked to perfection.

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Obviously, I don’t have a job yet (IN CASE YOU HAVEN’T NOTICED ALL THE FREE TIME TO PLUCK MY EYEBROWS AND SUCH.  GAH!), which is cool in that “I don’t have to get up and go out into the cold” way but really, really sucky in that “I’m so bored I’m thinking about cutting my own hair” (which=BAD!!) way and that “when I look at the balance in my bank account it makes me hyperventilate a lil’ bit” way.

———

On that front, I’ve applied for two jobs in the last two days, either one I would LOVE LOVE LOVE and am perfect for, and now I just have to sit and WAIT.  Which sucks all kinds of ass.

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Oh right!  And Merry Christmas (or Happy Tuesday) and Happy New Year!

Just a wee bit late.