supercheesegirl

Yoga # 10 and # 11 for 2010
Thursday February 4 and Friday February 5, early morning
20 minutes and 30 minutes, respectively
280 minutes total

Yesterday's yoga practice was a little off for two reasons. First, the heat was out in our apartment, so it was really chilly--hard to get out of bed, and cold in the yoga room. Also, I was having one of those mornings where I space out and forget to do things. I laid in bed, awake and with the lights on, for an extra ten minutes before getting up; after breakfast, F got up to take the dishes out to the kitchen, and I just sat there staring at nothing until he came back. I am usually much more on the ball than this. F said, "It's time to go do yoga now. YO-GA. In that room, on the right. You're going to go in there and do yoga, okay? I don't want to come back in 20 minutes and find you just standing here in the kitchen!" That cracked me up, because it was entirely possible that I would just be standing there. So I went and did some yoga, and tried to make it a fast-paced practice so I would keep moving and not just stop and stand there. I was really getting into it when my 20 minutes were up and I needed to go get in the shower.

Today I was a bit more awake and managed a good 30-minute practice. Fridays are usually my jammie-yoga day, but I was in the mood for something a little more active. I started out on the floor, then did some sun salutations, then moved back to the floor and did some boat pose and tabletop and pigeon.

As I often say, I need to figure out a way to find time for an hourlong practice somewhere in my week. When F got out of bed this morning, I woke up a little and thought to myself that if I were a better person and a really dedicated yogini, I would get up now too and that would give me time for a full hour of yoga. But I didn't want to get up extra early, it's not my routine to get up that early, and I decided that I wanted to stay in bed until my usual time. Then I felt guilty. I still feel a little guilty, but I'm trying to remind myself that I am doing the best I can right now. There's a lot going on, and I should be proud that I am doing as much as I'm doing.

Yesterday I went on many roller coasters. Roller coasters and thrill rides in general are not my favorite thing. I think the last time I went on a roller coaster was maybe four years ago, and before that, I don't know, early college? Anyway, I was pleased that I made it through an entire afternoon of roller coasters and didn't die or throw up.

Here's a sample roller-coaster conversation:

R: (incoherent screams of terror)
F: LIKE A LEAF ON THE WIND, BABY!
R: (incoherent hysterical laughter)

Clearly I have found the right man. (Also clearly, we have finished watching Firefly and Serenity, and F liked them.)

From yesterday:

(Some discussion arises as to the quality of F's singing voice and whistling technique)
F: Well, I sing in my own special register.
R: Yeah, a *special* register. Really *special*.
F: Like from Fisher-Price!

I near died laughing.

This weekend, F and I have painted the new bookshelf red (two coats!), visited the farmers' market, made delicious zucchini and portobello wraps for dinner, gotten the grocery shopping done, bought a new shower curtain, and we're finishing up two loads of laundry. It's been a good weekend!

Conversations from today:

R: This coffee isn't very good, it's kind of sour.
F: Well, I really screwed up my tea. I have to eat my tea with a spoon!

(six hours of off-and-on driving later)

R: Are we going anywhere tonight?
F: No. (sexy voice) Just to the heights of ecstasy, baby.
R: Can we just stay home?

Happy new year, everybody!

First of all, here's a conversation that illustrates the awesomeness of my family:

Me: I'm reading a book about the first epidemic of bubonic plague, during the Byzantine era!
Mom and Dad, together: OOOH!

Aren't they fabulous?

Anyway, this was an awesome book. Full title: Justinian's Flea: Plague, Empire, and the Birth of Europe. It took me well over a week to read the whole thing, and it kept my interest the whole time. It's about (as I told my parents) the first epidemic of the plague, which occurred in late antiquity. But it's also about what the world was like at that time, and how the plague completely changed things. If the plague hadn't hit the Roman empire in 540, Rosen argues, all of Europe as we know it would be different. Justinian, the emperor, had reconquered lost lands, built the Hagia Sophia, restructured the law, and was generally being an awesome emperor, on his way to reclaiming Rome's lost glory for Byzantium. Then the plague struck, wiping out probably half or more of the population of the empire. Fewer soldiers meant fewer wars of conquest, and fewer people to defend the territories. Fewer farmers meant less food, more starving people, and a complete restructuring of how society worked in the places that would become Europe.

Rosen covers everything: early Christian philosophy, military history, the economics of the silk trade, epidemiology, the economics of the silk trade, and more. It's a really fascinating story of not just a plague, but a whole culture, and the cultures that surrounded it, and how they changed at this pivotal moment in history.

(As a side note, fans of Guy Gavriel Kay might be intrigued to know that Justinian is the emperor on whom the Sarantine Mosaic is based. His queen Theodora really was a prostitute and dancer before she married him. It was very cool to get a look at the real historical people who inspired Kay's books, and the history was made more vivid to me because I already loved those characters. I'm planning on looking up a biography of Justinian and Theodora so I can learn more.)

My mom just called me up in tears because she just finished Mark Doty's Dog Years. I said, "I gave it to you because I thought it was a good one!" She said, "It was a really, really good one." Then she said I'm not allowed to give her any more books or stories because they make her cry. I protested that just this summer I gave her Haven Kimmel's Zippy, and she suddenly remembered that she had the sequel to Zippy on her shelf and that maybe that might make her feel better.

I'm going to drink some wine and watch The Incredibles. I can't wait until F and his Netflix membership move in with me.

Got up at 7:45 this morning and went to the gym. Go me. 30 minutes on the elliptical (the non-moving-arms one, the others were all taken). Did all my weights, did a bit of stretching but not much because I had to get home and shower. Met my parents at the arts festival in the park at 11:15. Busy morning!

The weather is really beautiful today. I saw a lot of dogs out and about. I lost count after 15 or so, but there were definitely more after that.

Best line of the day: "I want to make a picture of a bird." My dad is awesome sometimes.

Tonight: small gathering at Lisa's. Don't know what I'm wearing. Argh. I made hummus, though, in my new food processor. That thing is fierce! You should've seen the way it went after that garlic! I am humbled and awed by it. I put in too much tahini, I think, but that's my fault, not the food processor's, and the hummus is still tasty.

I have been thinking about it, and I have decided that I'm looking forward to fall. I hate to admit it, with all the griping I do about when's it going to be summer, but fall might actually be my favorite season. I love halloween, I like that back-to-school feeling, I like a little bit of crispness in the air, and I'm looking forward to watching the Eagles screw things up again. Fall is a pretty good time.

Today's "Welcome to my brain" moment:

At my work, I burn CDs using a program called Roxio. Every single time I use it, it reminds me of the old commercial jingle for Polly-o string cheese that went "Yo! Polly-o!" (The guys in the commercial were supposed to be cool rappers or something?) So my brain is happily singing "Yo! Roxio!", and from there, it suddenly occurred to me that the phrase "polly-o string cheese" has the exact same rhythm as "Eleanor Rigby". You can guess what's playing in my brain right now. I'm shocked that Polly-o has not yet jumped on this marketing opportunity.

Similarly, you wouldn't believe how many three-syllable words there are that can be substituted in for "erotic" in Madonna's "Erotica" song. It's disturbing.

Okay, time to get out the ipod.

This post brought to you by the same brain who brought you disturbing little penis songs.

Chelsea: Sometimes, I buy strawberries! And I take them to work. And the people at work eat them! (pause) I'M SO HAPPY!!

I'm back from Florida. I may or may not make a longer post about the trip later. Here are some highlights:

Awesome times with Heather and Kim

Making new friends (Dustin, Eric, Adam, Ahmad, Rachel, Junot of course, and lots more)

AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL WEATHER HOLY FUCKING CRAP

"Sylvia Plath, with her head in the oven, baby!"

Having a really terrific workshop group and a good group dynamic

Riding a bike for the first significant time since I was maybe 13

Hearing, from more than one serious writer, that my work is good

Hanging out with Junot Diaz for a big chunk of the weekend. Shit, yo. F, we totally have to invite him to our wedding.

Discovering a lot of new writers whose books I want to ~~run out and get~~ order from the library (I'm going to AWP next week, I need to be careful!)

Conversation with Heather:
R: Are you sure your legs won't be cold in that skirt?
H: No, I'm not.
R: OK, then, if you don't think you'll be cold--
H: No, I meant I'm not sure.
R: Maybe we should bring some pants for you. (singing) Just-in-case pants!
H: (singing) Fuck that!
R: (can't talk, laughing)
H: (singing) Motherfucking just-in-case pants can kiss my ass!
R: (singing) That's what they wanna do 'cause they're pants!
(pause)
H: You have a point.

I absolutely love that Heather will randomly sing conversations with me. Not everyone will do that.

Heather: "I don't think that just because you're gay means you should wear a bad hat." An indisputable statement.

Overheard at Mallory Square Sunset Celebration:
"Mom, can I play the bagpipes--" "NO."

I got some excellent pictures of three different sunsets, many headstones in the cemetery, many Hemingway cats, and many drunk writers. I ate a lot of really good food. I did not buy too many books. I only bought two.

I wore flip-flops all week except for one day, when I wore sneakers. The one day in sneakers gave me horrible blisters on two toes. Flip-flops are better. (Also, I may need new sneakers. I've been wearing these ratty-ass green ones since at least 2005.)

Awesome moment: I am waiting in line to have Junot Diaz sign my copy of Oscar Wao. He is doing the book-signing author thing, chatting politely with people, you know. Then he looks up and sees me next, grins all big, and says "Hey sweetie!" My little heart = all warm.

I laid in a hammock and read a book. I went in the hot tub every day. I made new friends. I wrote some, and had a piece of my work critiqued. I read at an open mike night and everyone laughed at the funny parts (theoretically, I may have a webcast of the reading to post--will let you know). I went to the beach. I took long walks and ate good food and had a goddamn awesome time.

Random discoveries of today:

- At some point this summer, the maintenance man came into my apartment and replaced my thermostat. I noticed this in the middle of my yoga routine. How odd! The new one is really nice.
- On my walk this afternoon, I saw two little boys walking with their dad. The boys were skipping along and singing a happy little song that went "We're going to the bank!! We're going to the bank!!" The dad was looking vaguely embarrassed. He shouldn't have been, it was totally cute. I'm never that excited when *I* go to the bank. I hope Dad had a big ol' deposit to make!
- Three words: Green Apple Gelato. OMFG.
- If my mom ever comes up missing, tell the police to check the basement freezer.
- Coupons really do make a difference in grocery shopping expenses. And cereal really is cheaper at Walmart. And my mom really will insist on buying my cereal for me. I think she feels better knowing I have food in my apartment. I also now have chicken patties, baking soda, and dish detergent courtesy of my mom.
- There's a claw game machine at the Walmart near my parents' house--you know, where you try to grab a stuffed animal. The last time I was there, there were stuffed Presidents in the machine--I tried to grab Andrew Jackson. (If it had been Grover Cleveland, I would have gone back in for more quarters.) Anyway, tonight there weren't any Presidents in the machine, but there were incredibly adorable Gremlins plushies. Unfortunately, the machine was out of order.
- Yoga/workout pants that fit me! From Walmart! For $10!

We had Missi's bachelorette this weekend in Atlantic City. Parts of the evening were not as cool, like doing so much walking that none of us got really drunk. But some things were really fun, like dancing until 2:30 in the morning, and bonding with every other bachelorette and bachelor party in the vicinity. There were lots. I was glad I had thought to get Missi some bachelorette gear: I got her a tiara with an attached veil, and bright pink beads for all of us to wear, and we found the flashing "Bride-to-Be" button I'd gotten for her shower. Missi's mom got her a Miss America-style bachelorette sash that also flashed, so Missi was well outfitted and everyone we met knew she was a bride, which only added to the fun. Donna also got a packet of bachelorette party buttons for everyone--they said things like Party Girl, Wild One, Tease, etc. I wore Drunk and Slut all night. Colleen had Bitch and Tease, Missi wore Dated The Groom, because no one else had, and Lauren got Single and Always A Bride's Maid. Just goofy fun.

( More fun stories from the party )

There were lots of other great moments, too. Lots of fun and excitement. I think Missi had a good time. I did learn, however, the the night before your best friend's bachelorette party is NOT the time to resolve to be more careful about spending. That resolution went completely out the window--between dinner and drinks and drinks and more drinks, I think I dropped $100. It could've been worse. No shopping for me until at least July--I'm allowed to buy food and gas and that's IT, seriously. Well, and plane tickets. Argh.

In other news, I caught the 7:38 train this morning with no problem and totally made it to work on time. Day 1 of summer hours is a success.

From yesterday's newpaper, in the Religion section:

"In life, death Jesus is the answer"

Death Jesus! \m/ YEEAAAHHHH!!!!!1

Yet another example of how omitting a comma can change the entire meaning of your sentence.

An item description from a catalog Lauren was looking at:

"It'll turn any toilet into a jolly snowman!"

This sentence simultaneously makes me want to write for catalogs and also makes it clear that I'm not nearly imaginative enough to write for catalogs. Holy crap what a great line!

Also, obviously, my mother needs this product.

From the realm of Things That Seem Related But Really Aren't:

Crissy: (something something) Sarasota.
Rox: Oh, I have a friend who lives in Sarasota! but he's moving to San Diego.
Crissy: Really? I have a friend who lives in San Diego, but she's moving to Pensacola!
Rox: Oh wow!
...And then we laughed really hard.

From the realm of my parents:

(As Mom and I dig through all the Black Friday sales fliers)
Me: Ooh, look, stand mixers. My friend just got one and she loves it. But these are too pricey for me.
Dad: Look, here's one that's a lot cheaper. Probably not as good, though.
Me: Yeah, I don't really need one of those right now.
Dad: How many do they have?
Me: What, stand mixers? How many do you need, Dad?
Dad: No, sales fliers! [He actually said, how many do *we* have, meaning fliers on the table.]
Mom: They probably have a couple hundred, don't you think?
Me: Dad wants to get a different stand mixer to match every one of his silk kimonos.
Mom: He's going to show up at Kohl's at 5AM tomorrow morning with a cart.
Me: The guy at the checkout will be like, "Picking up some holiday gifts today, sir?" and Dad will be like, "No, these are all for me!"
...And I'm still giggling about this, just picturing my dad surrounded by stand mixers in a variety of pretty colors, wanting to buy them all.

::edit:: All afternoon we've been making up an opera about how much we love potatoes--all three of us crammed in the kitchen, singing in silly baritones about where are the potatoes and how many do we need and we love to eat potatoes. Sometimes I really love my family.

(a phone call)
Mom: Hello?
Me: Hey Mom, it's me. I'm at the grocery store, do you need anything?
Mom: Which store are you at?
Me: The Acme.
Mom: Oh God, you poor thing!

I don't know why she hates the Acme so much. She just does. It's not so bad there, really.

In other news, this morning Mom took my packed lunch instead of her own. Now she's got the hummus and pita bread I was all excited about, and I was left with crackers. I have already sent a snarky, guilt-inducing email to her work email address ("I hope you enjoy your lunch. I know I would have."). And it's funny, because last night as we were packing lunches, I was telling her how pleased I was about the special treat this hummus would be for my lunch and how much I was looking forward to it, and she said something like, "If that was my lunch, I wouldn't be looking forward to it, I'd be dragging my heels and not excited at all."

Hopefully she will buy herself a lunch she will actually enjoy and bring home my hummus so I can have tomorrow instead.

Current Mood: disappointed

I would just like to note that on last night's CSI, Alan Tudyk was the creepily-hottest pedophile EVER. (When I got excited to see him on TV, my mom said, "Ew, but he's a pedophile!" to which I replied, "No, no, he's really a spaceship pilot!")

Jorn (reading Momus's blog): I think Momus is the most intellectual person I've ever met.
Rox: Oh yeah?
Jorn (reads): "Friday, for me, was a day of blockbuster avant-architecture shows."
Jorn: He went to more than one!

Last night I went to my cooking class at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. It ran over an hour and a half longer than I expected it to, but I learned a lot and had a good time. I can now pan-sear chicken with confidence, and I learned the easiest and yummiest roast potato recipe ever. There's a maple salmon recipe with a couscous salad that I'm definitely going to try, and a pork tenderloin recipe that I might actually try despite my dislike of pork.

The other girls in the class (it was all women) were mostly really cool. Four of them were from Saudi Arabia, vacationing in the US for the summer. Haneen wrote my name in Arabic for me. I thought that all of them were really beautiful. However, I hit it off best with another white girl, Kim, who had some of the same culinary confusions I did:

Kim (as I emerge from the walk-in freezer carrying three large bundles of Swiss chard): Wow, I thought chard was going to be a cheese!
Me: Well, I thought couscous was going to be a meat!

Our teacher, Jenn, was supercute. She made cooking look all graceful and artistic. Watching her sprinkle salt on a piece of pork was artful. I think she got a kick of out of me, too, especially when I said things like "So the maple syrup in this recipe... we're not talking Aunt Jemima here, are we?"

Overall? I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it, but it was an awesome thing to do, and I'd totally do another such class. I would be more confident next time, because I can in fact follow recipes accurately, even if I can't pick a stainless steel saute pan out of a lineup. Last night it was largely my lack of confidence that was holding me back, since I was too intimidated to try a food project that was unfamiliar to me (hence me making the pan-seared chicken instead of the couscous). Kim told me that she had asked for gift certificates to the place for the last few holidays, and now she had enough for several such classes, which I thought was an absolutely awesome idea. Once I get to Philly, I'd like to find a cooking school and do the same thing.

Jorn just tried to stop me from entering the bathroom by manically and enthusiastically dancing the robot all over the hallway.

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supercheesegirl

September 2018

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Entries tagged with conversations

Yoga # 10 and # 11

roller coaster love

the special register / good weekend

(no subject)

books 2008: Justinian's Flea, by William Rosen

mom call

misc

my brain, with string cheese

Awesomest story ever

Key West: Brief Summary

today's random discoveries

Missi's bachelorette weekend

Newspaper headlines

catalog copy: the jolly snowman

conversations on Thanksgiving

My mom hates the Acme in Lansdale

Alan Tudyk is awesome

conversations: Momus

my cooking class

He was just trying to be helpful