July 2009
July 17, 2009 at 10:19 am
There is much to like about the new apartment. The cats have more space, so they reenact Roman Gladiator fights far less frequently. The kitchen has a dishwasher that actually cleans dishes instead of leaving spots and clumps on all the plates for me to pick off with my fingernails. Most of all, I love having an office:
And, ok, occasionally that guy who wears Dr. Pepper pajama pants and plays his Nintendo while he walks the dog goes traipsing past the window. And, yes, the neighborhood kids like to play baseball or soccer or ultimate Frisbee or whatever games kids play these days in the patch of grass between apartments. But this is why they invented curtains and venetian blinds and window decals.
Yes, I know the curtain rod is bowing. I have a metal rod to replace the plastic one with, but I haven’t hung it up yet. Otherwise I have all I need to work here: a laptop, a monitor, a stereo system, and a new printer/copier/scanner. Printers sure have come a long way [...]
July 15, 2009 at 9:33 am
Comedian Mike Birbiglia has a bit in a routine where he talks about “one outfit for everything.” This is used to lead into the bit where he is ironing his pants backstage at a fund-raising event while wearing only his boxers. However, after much reflection I have to admit that I too believe in the concept of “one outfit for everything” and that outfit is jeans, a t-shirt, sweat socks and running shoes. In the winter a pullover sweater is added for warmth, but I would argue that adheres to the concept of one outfit for everything because it is part of the layering strategy. Thus, the sweater is part of the one outfit, but can be removed if the wearer determines it is too warm outside.
When I was losing all that weight, I became fascinated by clothes because I was now small enough to have a selection in outfits instead of just having the option to buy a mumu in black or dark blue. There were blouses and jackets and mini-skirts, oh my! How [...]
July 13, 2009 at 8:43 am
The last minute is always the hardest. I am tired and out of breath, just like I’m out of quarters for the laundry. But I keep going because the last minute is where I make the most gains. It’s where I push my body a little bit further than it’s gone before, so tomorrow it can heal and go even farther the next day.
Today I will run for 8 minutes and walk for 5 minutes and run for 8 minutes as part of the 2nd day of training in the 5th week of the Couch to 5K program. I’m halfway there! I am pretty sure that last minute will be rough, but it will get me closer to the 5K and farther from the couch. It’s only a month and two days until the Midsummer Night’s Run 5K, and I’ve got to stick to every day of the training schedule to be in shape in time.
I’ve “enjoyed” the Couch to 5K program so far, but I have to put quotes around the word “enjoyed” because [...]
July 10, 2009 at 9:21 am
The first person I told about the book deal was the HR lady. It was during my exit interview.
“So, why are you leaving us?” she asked.
“Well, I just got an offer on my book proposal!” This was also the point at which I expected to ride home on a unicorn via a rainbow, because that is another thing that only happens in dreams. I was probably the happiest exit interview the HR lady ever had the pleasure of conducting. I smiled and laughed and bounced around happily in my seat before dancing back down to my desk to reread the email I had just gotten. Then I told my boss and my coworkers about the offer and they were happy for me, and slightly stunned, but I’m sure the “I’m quitting to pursue writing!” speech I’d given last week suddenly seemed a lot less flimsy.
So yes, I have been all sneaky-like and wrote a book proposal, which I sent to agents, and one of them liked it, so we joined forces and she suggested revisions, [...]
July 9, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Two weeks and one day ago, I walked into my boss’s office, closed the door and said, “I’ve been doing some thinking lately…” which is when he leaned far back in his chair, as if moving out of hearing distance would stop me from telling him what he knew I was going to tell him. “I’ve decided I want to pursue freelancing full-time.” It is odd to think that speaking those words and signing a short letter is all it took to end a one-and-a-half-year period of my life. It is strange to know that you can leave your daily routine at any time you wish, and the only thing keeping you there is money or fear or comfort in the known.
I am so grateful for having that job for the past 18 months. It gave me respectable health insurance benefits during a period of medical distress. It paid well enough for me to cover my medical bills while also saving up money for this leap. I got to work in an office where my [...]
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"What distinguishes us one from another is our dreams and what we do to make them come about." - Joseph Epstein
