Ablaze

This could also be titled "The Real Reason People Live In New York." It has been the most glorious fall- crisp air; clear blue skies; red, green, brown, gold, orange, purple leaves scattered everywhere; golden light around every corner.
It has been the kind of fall that belongs in movies.

Sadly, most of this has already gone the way of the winter winds. The trees are becoming bare, preparing themselves for frost and ice, and the wind is blowing just a bit more sharply.
Instead of the smell of leaves and cinnamon in the air, there is now the unmistakable scent of winter. Of cold, and smoke, and hurry.

All there is to do now is soak up these last days of fall, because soon I will really have to stop wearing my sandals. And that is the real tragedy here.

The jury's still out on this one

In the theme of spring's slightly disconcerting "I'm wearing a shirt with a belt, and thus I don't need to wear pants" fashion trend, the new uniform of stylistas in the city seems to be a pair of extremely small (referring to both length and overall roominess, or lack there of) shorts, paired with tights and boots- of the fuzzy, clunky, or "booty" variety. Now, this is not to be confused with the other trend of the moment, which is an equally alarming desire to once again not wear pants, and instead replacing them with see-through tights. Sheer nylon does not good bum coverage make, people. But that's a blog for another day. Back to the subject at hand...

When I've seen these mavens of style strutting down the street, I've been struck with two very distinct reactions:

1. I think, oh my, how clever! These people have figured out a way bring summer into winter! And such cute shorts!
2. I think, who came up with this idea?? These people look like clowns! And even though she now has two pairs of pants (well ok, 1.5 pairs of pants- neither the teeny shorts or see-through tights can actually count as a whole pair of pants. See above.) you can still see her butt! All of it! And she looks weird! And her boots seem to have a small animal attached to them!

Love it or hate it? You Decide!

(I just can't let it go.)

Peeved.

Would you not agree- by the time you are:

A. enrolled in graduate school
B. holding down a job requiring listening and/or comprehension skills
C. over the age of 8

that you would be able to control the motor function of your mouth, the volume of your voice, and the conscious thought in your brain that all insist that your conversation is important enough to be had over the person who is actually supposed to be speaking at that moment, be it a teacher, a boss, or a building superintendent, and whether or not the person is saying something you find worthy of your (obviously) superior remarks?

Editors note: Eric just said "is this a blog or a diatribe?" Well, in the spirit of election night- You Decide.

Freak Show

Halloween 2008, NYC. Characters spotted:

Geisha. Sexy Geisha. Witch. Sexy Witch. Pink Witch. Sexy Pink Witch. Pumpkin. Woman dressed in orange that may have intended to be a pumpkin. Sexy woman dressed in orange that had no purpose. Cat. Sexy Cat. Devil. Sexy Devil. Goblin. Ghoul. Bristol Palin. Man With Green Mohawk (ok I see him every day...but still..he's a good time). Cheerleader. Sexy cheerleader. Disco king. Sexy Disco queen. Paul Staroba. French Maid. Sexy French Maid. Man dressed in underwear. (Sorry not sexy). Pocahontas. Sexy (male) Pocahontas. Russian police officer. Sexy NYC police officer. Janitor. Tin Man. Sexy Tin Man.

The list goes on. These people go CRAZY for Halloween!

But---the best costumes of the night HAD to be Eric and I---drumroll, please...


The (one and only) SEXY Chimney Sweep!


One problem, however---I think I may have done too good of a job on my enticing stare and messy hair. The irony and brilliance of my costume was completely lost on most people, who (foolishly) believed that I was among the (equally foolish) sexy girl contingent. Puh-lease.



Onto the true winner of the costume brigade. Meet...

The Sudoku Board.

Let's just say that Eric was by FAR the most popular one at the party!

Clearly, WE were the most awesome this Halloween...

Milestone II

Today I ate, oh horror of horrors, carrots. As a snack. Of my own free will.

And a few weeks ago, I made calzones with tofu instead of cheese. On purpose.

And a few weeks before that, I made stuffed shells with tofu instead of cheese. Because I wanted to.

It's like I don't even know who I am anymore, I'm such a grown up!


In other news, it is suddenly winter outside or something. It's not even 40 degrees! That's absurd! And I was wearing sandals! Which is more absurd! (But also typical)

The wind is blowing like a maniac. I'm surprised it didn't pick me right up and take me to New Jersey. Also, the rain is coming down in that strange sideways pattern again? Tell me- does it really do much good to have an umbrella as big as your house if the rain is actually coming straight out you?

And, in yet more other news, we have already reached the end of an era in our New York lives. On Saturday, we said goodbye to one of our group of six- my friends from grad school that have, with their significant others, become some of our best friends. And now, Kara and Christopher are moving back home to Cincinnati. And then there were five...

I can't even really believe that we've been here long enough to have reached the end of an era! Time, once again, is going faster than anyone could keep up with.

Milestone

Yesterday was a big day. And not just because it was Julie's birthday, and not just because we got to go to Maraca's with Allison Gomer, and not just because I got to go to my favorite of all my favorite independent coffee houses, Joe: The Art of Coffee.

Yesterday, I did a handstand.



(Note: Please disregard my funny outfit and sweat stains.
A. a running skirt does not a good handstand outfit make.
B. We had just gone running and I am not pleasant after a run.)

Now, this may not seem like that big of a deal. I mean, little kids can do these things, and I'm leaning against a wall for Pete's sake. But, I beg of you, you go try to get yourself into a handstand. And then you'll see why I actually yelped for joy when I kicked up and my legs stayed there! And then I did it again! And again! And when I got home, I did it again! And again!

And now I've been doing handstands all the day and all the night. The people who can see in our windows probably think I'm a complete handstand freak, but I have to say- it is so liberating! I have been working towards one of these in yoga for months and I just can never get my legs up there. They have been the bane of my yoga practice, I'm telling you. But suddenly yesterday, despite this cold, this extremely annoying, never-ending hamstring injury, and my general nervousness of kicking my legs over my head and actually standing on my hands, I did it. And I'm still so excited I want to do one right now.

...

In honor of this very special moment in my yoga career and in my path to true fulfillment, I want to share this list of life rules that I found in my book this morning. They are so simple and so great and actually extremely difficult to achieve most of the time, and I think , because my handstand deserves it, I will try to follow them this week.

1. It is what it is.
2. Think for yourself.
3. Show up (on time).
4. Finish what you start.
5. Play hard, play fair.
6. Clear your desk every day (editor's note- have you seen my desk??? this is going to be the hardest one I think...)
7. Don't complain (editor's note- even about grad school.)
8. Be brave, be bold, let not your heart grow old.
9. (editor's personal addition) Sing, dance, floss, travel.

Inspiring, yes?

OH, and we achieved (or nearly achieved) another milestone today- we are SO almost done with our thank you notes!!!!! THIS is cause for a major celebration (but not more than handstands).

Sick Day

Boo hooo hoooo...I have a cold. Why do I always get colds at the busiest times of year at work? Could be that EVERY time of year is the busiest, but this is just very inconvenient, I have to say. And also, I thought that practicing this much yoga was supposed to keep you from getting sick- what's that about?

Fall is so on its way and I'm so excited about it! The weather has turned, soon the leaves will change, it's time to start drinking cider and eating apples...my favorite season has arrived- no never-ending heat wave like last year...

It has been boring around here lately! I've got nothin'! Maybe it's because everyone (including me) was celebrating National Stay At Home Week so no one (including me) could be bothered to go out and be entertaining because they were all too busy watching all the new shows on tv.

Alright that's it---- back to being sick and feeling bad for myself :)