Sunday, March 29, 2009

Merits of my roommate... I mean... boyfriend

Today started out as a sorry excuse for a Sunday - rainy, muggy, and generally bleak. But as I was standing in the Gap checkout line, eagerly waiting to purchase two new bikinis for my upcoming vacation to Key West, I heard the girl at the cash register say, "Is that the sun I see?" And sure enough, I turned around to discover a bright yellow beacon shining through the dissipating cloud cover. And for the rest of the day, it's been gorgeous and warm. I also made several more purchases at H&M and Old Navy which satisfied my need to have cute summery dresses for the trip. And did I mention it was warm?

But I've had no one to share the beautiful day with, which is a little disappointing. Will is at work doing some last minute stuff before his busy season is over, and who knows when he'll be home. I had to go grocery shopping by myself, and I have to admit that maneuvering through the grocery store is tough and carrying heavy bags home is even harder when you're on your own. And don't get me started on how hard it is to get out your keys and open the heavy front door while holding three large bags. I know sometimes I need my alone time, but the simple act of food shopping makes me grateful that I don't have to settle for just one set of hands... and it helps that the other two hands helping me are the hands of someone I love. :)

Monday, March 16, 2009

The Tale of Irish Mayhem

Once upon last Saturday, three good friends celebrated St. Patty's Day. Though it caused their livers much chagrin, it brought much joy to the rest of their lives. The good tidings began at around 3 with lunch and an inaugural drink at Eulogy. There, the friends mused about who the heck St. Patrick is. The doe-eyed, bushy-haired girl was under the impression he was a dude who led some snakes out of Ireland. It sounds outrageous, but the little literature scholar wasn't so far off course.

The rest of the day unraveled as the group had hoped, with much debauchery and celebration that included, but was not limited to, imbibing Irish car bombs and downing shots of Jameson. But, kids, this story is not without a twist, and so I introduce: The Dirty Leprechaun and the Magic Pizza.

At some point in this most wonderful of Saturday nights, one of the friends announced that a shot would be consumed. "What shot?" asked the jolly bartender. "The dirty leprechaun," answered the friend, with a twinkle in his eye. "I've never heard of that," said the bartender. "Pray you, tell me what to put in it!" The friend paused, having no idea what was in the shot he had just prescribed. That's because he wasn't sure the shot existed. (sidenote: it does!) But damned if that friend was going to let the moment pass with nary an alcoholic intake.

So he made the shot up! "Bailey's, Creme de menthe... and... and..." he struggled to name another cordial. Then another friend, sensing his frustration, spoke up. "BACARDI!" she offered, happily. Though the rest of the friends gave her strange looks, the shot was concocted, imbibed, and verily enjoyed. And since it warranted such enjoyment, it was repeated again through the night.

Of course, as the night wore down, the friends grew tired and drunk... with joy. They headed home, but their stomachs cried out for nourishment. "What shall we do?" they asked, frantically. Luckily, they located a pizza place with reasonable prices and hearty fare, and there they placed their order of a large pepperoni pie.

Well, kids, let me not exaggerate from the truth here: the pizza was indeed magical. It's properties were so great as to span not just deliciousness, but also the staving off of a future hangover. Surely the next morning would have been painful had it not been for that magical pizza with its perfectly round pepperoni and crusty, doughy goodness. Surely!

Thus concludes my tale, but the St. Patrick's Day mayhem lives on in the hearts of all good friends, including YOU!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Murder is NOT funny

But all murder aside, there are two things about this NYT article that made me crack a bizarre smile. One - the murderer's name is Mazoltuv, which sounds like it could be some Jewish kid's "hey-aren't-I-funny-and-clever" screen name (to be fair, she is Jewish). And second, this line:

“We are going to drink vodka,” said a cousin [of the deceased], Ilya Khaimov.

I don't know about you, but that's always my first reaction to a trial where a relative of mine is found guilty for hiring a hit man to kill her husband. Get blootered!

Good thing it's just in time for St. Patty's Day.

Monday, March 9, 2009

The Hazy Philly Skyline

The title doesn't mean anything, it's just what I see from my office building window. We're on the 18th floor, which means spectacular views of all the high-rises and the streets below, but also on days like today when there's a wind advisory in effect, we shake, rattle and roll. A lot.

So I wanted to share this article from the NYT (surprise!) Op-Ed section about a new healthcare system that rewards people for staying healthy over a designated period of time, say 5 years. I think this is a really great idea, although as the authors Tom Baker (represent UPenn, woot!) and Peter Siegelman say it would need lots of planning and oversight. Still, they make a good point that lots of young people (ahem... me) don't want to spend money on health insurance that they don't think they need.

I know I need health insurance on a logical level, but I do oftentimes justify not getting it by saying I can wait a year to get a check-up because I believe i'm pretty health overall. I also hate to think that I'm paying into a plan that's helping other unhealthy people and not really benefitting me at all if I lead a healthy lifestyle and don't see a lot of doctors.

With this plan, I'd be rewarded for my overall health, and that's appealing to me. As they say it's an investment, rather than an expense. I didn't wake up at 7AM this morning for a 2-mile jog and NOT expect to be compensated in some way! Sheesh.

As I was complaining about healthcare earlier, I think this is kind of a cool idea. Does anyone else have any thoughts?

Also, I have a new article up so check it out if you're so inclined.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Last night, I had a dream

Actually it was two nights ago. I was sitting in a little courtyard with wooden benches, and a few girls I was friends with in college were sitting with me. It was summer, and we were enjoying being outside. Some of us were reading, some just basking. But we were also at the bottom of a ski slope, which of course was green with no snow. 

There was a ski lift as well, but it was really old and not working. We noticed a guy sitting on the lift, and he was pushing it all by himself so he could get to the bottom of the mountain. He was African American and he scared me. When he got to the bottom of the mountain, he ran over to us and I could tell he was homeless and probably drunk or high. He came up to me specifically, and started screaming at me and trying to kidnap me.

Then he pulled out a gun and started shooting. We all scattered, and I hid under the wooden bench. He kept shooting. Finally I heard the police coming and they struggled with him but finally got him in their car and drove off. I watched them and as they were driving over a tunnel, my vision zoomed in on the police car and I noticed that there was a hole in the floor of the car, and that the man was smiling knowing he could escape.

Then I woke up, and I was pretty freaked out. 

So of course I went to a dream analysis site and looked up what it all meant... supposedly. But let me paraphrase. Basically I feel threatened or victimized by something, represented by the homeless man, and it might have something to do with my relationship with other girls... jealousy perhaps? And I may feel like I have this threat under control, but the truth is I don't. 

So what of the ski slope? Well the site says that represents that I'm pushing my physical abilities, and that I'm my own "fiercest competitor". This makes sense given that I've been trying really hard in the past weeks to get in shape, and I'm doing a pretty good job of running/working out and then I feel proud of myself. But the fiercest competitor part may also signify that what is threatening me is all in my own head. 

Well gosh darnet... I guess I just have jealousy issues that I need to overcome by realizing that it's my own insecurities that cause it... plus I need to stop blaming it on other girls and thinking I've successfully kept it at bay. Easy enough, eh? Thanks, dream, for that insight.