January 3, 2008

• Welcome, Year of the Rat!

  We’re three days into 2008 and life’s been busy. Lots of holiday travel. New job. Getting used to my new life in NYC. Adjusting to a new routine has never been a strong suit of mine. With as many major upheavals my life has seen, you’d think I’d be more adaptable. But I struggle each and every time to get into a groove, where I am happiest. I don’t generally like surprises.

  Once my mom tried to surprise me with a trip to the circus when I was a girl. She told me we were going out for ice cream to get me out of the house. When we arrived at the circus, I was furious. I was all set for ice cream. I could have cared less if I got ice cream AND tigers doing tricks. I’ve always liked the sense that I am in complete control of my own destiny, even though I know that its only an illusion best cultivated with solid routine.

  Its just hard to wait for things to feel normal, to wait for things to become routine. Because only time can make that happen. And while January marks the fourth month of my life life as a New Yorker (yuck – I think I hate that term and will never use it again. It feels weird), I feel like I only just started in earnest here. January marks my first month in NYC sans frantic job hunt, holiday travel, and manic fits of alternately loving and loathing NYC (which I must remind myself that I feel upon moving to every place I’ve ever moved to for at least 6 months). I think I’m really going to like my new job at the writing center, but I started at
  their busiest time and I feel like a pesky cat underfoot, all in the
  way with my clumsy learning curve.

  Anyhow, my main resolution for 2008 is to try to be patient with the city, with Shaun, and with myself as I settle into this new life. I am really hard on myself. Trying new things, reinventing your life in particular, is bound to dredge up insecurities and other nasty little doubts. So I’ve got to hold fast to my happiness and trust that I’ll get used to this place, this strange new life. I always have. And I’ve always liked it too.

  We spent the weekend closing out 2007 in Baltimore with some of our most favorite friends in the world. Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, a version of the telephone game played with drawing, posing as townspeople for Jessie’s master’s stop motion animation film – uncomplicated, pure fun was had by all. It felt good to laugh so much. And Baltimore is darling.

  
  ***

  
   
  ***

  
  ***

  
  I ate a pizza with crab, pesto, and love here. Now craving it nightly.

  

  ***
  
  ***
  
  ***
  
  ***
  
  ***
  
  ***
  
  Beth and I are pretending to ride bikes. I am making the funniest face I think I’ve made in some time.

  
  Here, Shaun makes the face that never fails to crack me up.

  
  There were lots of cute little shops scattered around the city. I wanted mainly everything in this one. It was a very girly time, complete with perfume sniffing. I rarely have those type of moments and I nearly forgot how fun they could be.

  
  This is an ecstatic mannequin.

  I leave you all with this tranquil picture, taken on a pit stop in Pennsylvania last Wednesday, on our way home from spending holiday time with family in Michigan. Its sort of achingly melancholy in a way. Not to be lame, but I kind of feel like this picture. Okay, yes. It is lame to feel like a picture of a waffle house. But there’s something detached, indulgent, yet pretty in the colors, shapes, and depth of feild in this photo – something that I can identify with at the moment.

  
  ________________________________________________________________________________
  What was your favorite thing about ringing in the new year? How do you handle transitions?

  Also, this Steinbeck book, East of Eden, is changing my life.

  • 9:36 pm
  • 5 Comments