Lame Catch Up Post
Here are the Cliff’s Notes to the last few months:
So much has happened that in summary it seems mundane. I am trying to revive this thing as a sort of mental wash, so this might be like when you cook crepes; I am curing the pan.
I think about my dad a lot. The hardest part is the finality of it; that I don’t have him available at my disposal. The direct aftermath was hard. The month pretty well blew, but time passed and I really had my will challenged, and I left stronger and more intact. The times that are hardest for me are (1) when I’m flying on a plane (I think about all of his visits to me and I see the ground through his eyes, and imagine what he was thinking en route), (2) going to Glide (I always felt like I was going to cry, but did when I went last time; like a faucet), (3) receiving a package from his wife with pictures I had never seen and his prized Movado watch. I feel like I understand my priorities a little more. Losing my Ipod and petty fights are just not important.
Through the trips to Florida, I really formed a strong connection with my nephew Parker. He is so cute it pains me. He associates me with dogs and the Ocean.
After spending the holidays with mom and Basil in Austin, Anu and I embarked on a road trip from Arizona (Scottsdale, Tempe, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, Sedona) to California (Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, San Francisco). I then went on to Seattle and Vancouver. Aside from getting stuck on the PCH at night with flying gravel and rough roads, being chased by wild javelinas, and almost having to stay in Canada (and traversing a blizzard from Vancouver to Seattle in a massive Nissan Armada), the trip went without a hitch. Actually, it was great fun. As you all know I love California, yadda, yadda, yadda.
Last weekend Sarah and I went to New York, and it was too cold and I bought a great cashmeres sweater and I ate too many carbs (bagels, pizza, waffles, cream puffs, pancakes, naan, fries, rice….oops). (Side note: I need to start working out. I am feeling guily.) I love the Upper West Side - yay for Zagar’s. And, the East Village. And drinking flavored Belgian Lambics.
Through both of these trips, I saw lots of friends along the way, and reconnected with them. There was lots of flaking (on both sides) - but the good friends I saw. I am accept flakiness as part of getting older and busier with less synchronized schedules.
With that said, it’s been nice to be back in D.C. I am feeling pretty well-settled here. Last night was fun in particular. I went to my good friend "water polo Mike’s" home and he cooked me a homemade dinner and we chilled with his very cool roommates. Trying to keep life a little more simple.
Trying not to worry about money. Had a couple of unsettling money troubles (father’s funeral + costs, property tax and insurance + and road trip icky credit card debt). I am highly considering moving to Virginia in July to save money on taxes and rent (in keeping with my habit of moving constantly). My old roommate Ahmed moved to Dubai. My new roommate is here virtually never, and puts me to shame in terms of decorating.
Work has been good. I lost Sasha (big loss), but hired a new Assistant Director, new to the world of higher ed — and she seems like she will be great! Hiring was an arduous process, but I feel like we have a great person, and she is starting on Monday and will be living for her first month with Sarah. World’s colliding…
I lost a lot of friends to other cities since coming to D.C., but now I’m adding people. Susan Marcantoni from law school moved here. We had dinner tonight and it was lovely to see her! Also, I must note that people visited me a lot more when I lived in San Francisco, even though I was exponentially farther away.
I am having a big birthday party. If you are in D.C., I hope you come. I was going to go to NC this weekend but am abstaining because I need some constancy.
