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May 24, 2006
Maybe Namibia??
What a weekend! New York was wonderful, as usual. And it was so, so great to see Meg. Her boyfriend recently left to go back to Germany after failing to get a visa to stay in the States, so she's been pretty down, pretty bummed and feeling very alone. Having me down there really raised her spirits and put her in a more positive state of mind. I was so very glad that I could help her in that regard. We've been friends since the first day of first year...in August of 2000. We've been through a lot. Some good, some bad. But I feel like now we're both really happy with ourselves and the directions in which our lives are headed and that only serves to make our friendship stronger and more comfortable than ever.
Friday night Meg's mum was in town and the three of us went out to a lovely Italian restaurant in Astoria. We spent Saturday looking at apartment for Meg (she's moving into Manhattan, because she's going to be starting her M.A. at Columbia in the fall). Then wandered down to the Upper West Side. Wandered, chatted, subwayed down to Union Square and bought some wonderful greens, tomatoes, and sheep's cheese that we took home and turned into a splendid dinner. We met up with one of Meg's friends for a glass of wine and then went to this fancy-schmanzy mid-town literati party. It was fabulous. But we're pathetic, and despite that fact that we were definitely the youngest people there, we could hold out past about 1:30a.m.
Sunday we spent in Queens: a Greek church festival, dinner in Jackson Heights. We had wonderful, amazing, Indian food...in gluttonous portions. It was heaven.
Monday I did way too much damage shopping. Let's not talk about it. I'm trying to ignore to nagging voice in my head that's adding up how much I spent.
Yesterday I awoke to find an exciting email in my inbox. Back in April I applied for something called the Junior Professional Consultant Programme with the United Nations Association of Canada. I found out that out of 1400 applicants (for 17 positions), I've been shortlisted to worked directly under the Communications Director at the United Nations Development Programme in Namibia. It sounds like an amazing position and opportunity. And ofcourse I'm going to continue to pursue it. But I can't help worrying about the reprecussions it could have on my life here. And that scares me. But mostly I'm excited out of my mind.
On my iPod: "Nada" --Juanes, "Papercutz" --K-os, "Such Great Heights" --The Postal Service
Posted by alegato at 11:33 AM | Comments (1)
May 18, 2006
Long Weekend Break
I'm pretty excited that I get to take a break from cardboard boxes and tape guns to spend this fine Victoria Day weekend in New York with Meg. We haven't seen each other since October, and we haven't really spent a reasonable amount of one on one time together since.....I guess since we were in Asia two years ago. And given that we spent our four university years attached at the hip, we've been going through a good deal of withdrawal. I'm really, really hoping that the weather cooperates with us and that we can spend a good deal of time wandering the city. (Note to self: pack mini-umbrella).
So far out to-do list consists of the following:
-find a really great, authentic Indian restaurant. To that end, we've been doing some reading and have narrowed our search down to Jackson Heights and the Little India that is to be found there. I'm very excited about the chai, dosa and thali options that we will find there.
-find a really great Greek place...this is a given since Meg lives in Astoria and is surrounded by a huge host of Greek restaurants
-eat as many black and white cookies as is humanly possible (okay, I think that's more my goal than Meg's). I don't know why I'm so obsessed with them. I just am. And I feel no need to justify it.
-Meg's going to be attending part of Darby's workshop at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala. I'm abstaining because I am not worthy/can't afford it. (Although I'm sure I'll find a way to afford some shoes...and myabe some new jeans.....).
-Buy at least two more of these Body by Victoria Shaping Full Coverage bras...because we don't have VS here in Canada, and I hate paying the shipping fees...and no other moulded cup bra fits me. Seriously, I spent all summer last year trying on every, single moulded cup bra I came across and I found one, ONE that fit me. Most manufacturers don't make my size (my ribs are apparenlty too small around in comparison to my cup size). Damn them.
So, I'm off now....I'll be back on Tuesday evening. Which will leave me with exactly 3 days to pack up the rest of my apartment in time for my move next Saturday. Oh the good times, they just keep on coming!!!
On my iPod: "Crooked Teeth" --Death Cab For Cutie, "She's Hearing Voices" --Bloc Party, "Let You Down" --Dave Matthews Band
Posted by alegato at 12:43 PM | Comments (2)
May 17, 2006
Randomness
The main item on my to-do list for today? Pack up the apartment. Ask me how much packing I've done. Ask me. Okay, I'll tell you: none, zero, nada. Packing is my most hated activity in the world. Especially because right now I have to divide things into "Boxes that are being moved to my parents' place," and "Boxes that are going into storage." Moving sucks.
I've developed an odd addiction to chocolate covered pretzels. Please tell me that these constitute a healthy breakfast. It's strange, because I don't like pretzels by themselves, and I'm not a chocoholic, but put those two together, and BAM, I'm hooked. It's the salty-sweet thing
I'm going to NY on Friday to hang out with Meg until Tuesday. I have yet to pack, or even think about packing a single item. Oh well.
I just got home from the gym. Why? Because I can't, cannot bring myself to do yoga at home. I don't know what the problem is, but just the thought of it is horrible to me right now. I long for a studio with a teacher and other students and shared energy and heat and pools of sweat on my mat. Although, now that I think about it, I couldn't practise at home even if I really wanted to, thanks to the fact that the only space in my apartment big enough for me to practise in (and that isn't covered by really thick, cooshy, not-conducive-to-yoga carpet) is currently FILLED with about 40 cardboard boxes.
I'm scared to start my job. I realise this is normal. But I really wish I could just skip this whole job thing and move right on to retirement. Okay, that's not true at all..I wouldn't feel fulfilled if I did that, but....starting a new job in a new field is scary.
Also, nope, wait, there's no also. That's all there is. My life consists of chocolate covered pretzels, the gym and boxes. Try not to faint at the mere thought of all that excitement.
Posted by alegato at 1:56 PM | Comments (0)
May 12, 2006
Must remember....
when I've made appointments for movers to come see the apartment so that I'm not sitting around in a pink silk nightgown with a bright blue clay masque on my face when they come.
Because that situation results in me: sitting dumbfounded when the door bell rings, realising why the doorbell is ringing, running into my room panicked, throwing on sweatpants and putting a shirt on backwards and realising that it's see-through and then quickly, fueled by adrenaline, running to the bathroom and washing like hell to get the blue masque of my face.
Just something to remember for the future.
Posted by alegato at 10:02 AM | Comments (1)
May 11, 2006
Not About to Lose
If I were to listen to my doubts
I'd think my time was running out
But I'm old enough to do it
And young enough to do it again
I'm not about to lose
I'm not about to lose
This feeling that I've found
If I were to listen to the sound
Of that little voice, I might turn back now
But I won't be taking fear's advice
Not after all I've sacrificed
I'm not about to lose
I'm not about to lose
This feeling that I've found
Though my heart is overcome at times
Still it knows
Where it's coming from
And where it must go
Just like an oak I'll take my stand
But like a willow I can bend
I'm not about to lose
I'm not about to lose
This feeling that I've found
--Ron Sexsmith, "Not About to Lose"
Posted by alegato at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)
Accentuate the positive..
The past few days have been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. Second interview went well. Third interview went well. I got the job. That was a positive. Until I started thinking about leaving the Guy behind in London. Negative. Get to move to Toronto. Positive. There are no reasonable, liveable apartments in the area I want to live. Negative. Found out that what was supposed to be a 6 month job has turned into a 3 month job. Not sure if that's negative or positive. So now I'm not moving to Toronto, I'm going to commute from my parents' place. Positive (because it means I'm closer to the guy and I get to save all my income). Not living in Toronto, I can't do Mysore practice. Negative. But living at home I can practise in Burlington all the time. Positive. Driving home from Toronto last night took 4 hours. Usually it takes 1.5-2. Definitely negative.
So, now I'm in the midst of getting mover and storage quotes. I'm moving in about two weeks. I start my job on the 29th. I'm going to be doing communications/marketing for Goodwill.
Enitrely positive news: I finally booked my flight to go visit Meg next week..so I'm going to be in NYC from Friday to Tuesday. She wants to do part of Darby's workshop at the Ashtanga Yoga Shala....unfortunately, I really can't afford it right now, but I encouraged her to go take part, because I know she'll really want to see Darby.
Other than that, it's packing and organizing for me. I hate moving.
Posted by alegato at 2:42 PM | Comments (2)
May 9, 2006
Life without the pill
Second interview went well yesterday. I have a third interview booked for tomorrow. This all seems like a faily exhaustive process to find a six-month intern, but....if it gets me a job it will be worth it, I guess. I'm very conflicted about moving to Toronto. It breaks my heart a little. But there are good things about it: living down the street from the Model (whose name I'm going to have to rethink, because I think she's given up on modelling, which she never really liked in the first place), mysore classes...Ashtanga classes period, for that matter.
After dinner and a pitcher of sangria with the Model on a Yorkville patio yesterday, I came back to Burlington and played tennis with the Gay Husband. And here's what I observed: depsite the high stress day I had, despite all the walking around I did (in heels) and despite the two hours of commuting I was SO full of energy. Whereas the last few times I played tennis I was sluggish and winded and so physically tired, this time I was running everywhere, barely winded and if it hadn't gotten so cold I could have kept playing for much longer (as it was we played for over and hour and a half). While I suppose this could be chalked up to conditioning, I don't really think that's the case, because I was working out just as much then as I am now. Even the Gay Husband noted my energy and said my game was, "100 times better."
The only difference in my life that I can think of: I'm not on the pill. I feel so amazing, it's incredible. I'm taking a supplement called PMS+ that's mostly vitex and some other hormone regulating herbs. TIme will tell if this is actually the case, but so far so good. It's the first time in a LONG time that I can use the word 'invigorated' to describe how I feel.
Posted by alegato at 9:15 AM | Comments (1)
May 8, 2006
Setting priorities
No, I haven't gone missing. I've just been busy. And stressed. As I write this I can feel my heart beating faster than usual...maybe it's the fact that I drank a (small) coffee this morning, or maybe it has something to do with the (second) interview I have this afternoon at 2:30.
I had my first interview for this job on Thursday. It was with a recruitment agency. I was there for 3.5 hours being interviewed, taking computer tests and writing a hypothetical letter to the mayor from the company with whom I'm interviewing. Turns out it's a well-known non-profit that's in the midst of becoming for-profit, and therefore requires a bigger marketing/communications team. My interview this afternoon is with the VP Marketing/Communications. And I'm strangely nervous. I'm not usually the nervous type when it comes to interviews, but, depsite all my preparation, I'm afraid she's going to ask me a question about the company that I'm not going to know the answer to. Then again, if I humiliate myself, she and I will be the only ones who know.
I spent the better part of yesterday at a first birthday party for the Guy's niece. It was nice. I got an accidental sunburn. We spent awhile playing baseball in the park with the kids.....I spied a hill in the middle of the park and all I wanted to do was scamper over there and practise dropbacks. But I didn't, because I thought they might think I was weird (well, I am), but best not to frighten his family this early in the game!)....but damn, it would have been so much fun.
Meg called the other day to chat. She's riding a bit of an emotional rollercoaster right now. So we chatted about how much has changed even in the past year. How she and I and the Model (who just got back from Thailand on the weekend!!!) have seen a major shift in prioroties.
We used to be the girls who were going somewhere, and we weren't going to stop at anything to get there. We're still going places, but we're taking other things into consideration. I've stopped being the girl who thinks, "No guy is going to get between me and my career." Because, well, frankly, that's just silly. As much as a career is something I want, personal happiness means so much more to me...and I'm not going to give that up for a high-powered career. A career can't raise a family with me or hug me. No, it can't.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up on what I want professionally, I'm just not focusing exclusively on that. Things this good aren't easy to come by. In fact, I've never been involved in anything this great and supportive and loving before, and I'm not quitting on that.
It's the same issue that Meg and the Model are struggling with. How to achieve that balance?
On a lighter note, the job that I'm interviewing for is in Toronto.....it would mean a move back to the city and a move back to regular morning mysore practice. Oh, what a sweet dream.
Posted by alegato at 10:43 AM | Comments (0)
May 2, 2006
Mother's Day Present
I'm so excited about my mum's Mother's Day gift. SO excited. It's a little ridiculous. I keep telling people about it, and after awhile their eyes all glaze over. I don't blame them. Anyhow, I decided I wanted to do something a little more special and much more personal this year. My mum has done so, so much to help me out this year. There's no way for me to really let her know how thankful I am. But this is my tiny, little attempt at repayment.
Posted by alegato at 10:24 AM | Comments (1)