I have been listening to my Ipod for the last three hours in order to drown out the sounds of my chatty coworkers and the NYC traffic outside.
I am totally delirious.
Word.
Friday, October 01, 2004
Where is the Indian Buffet?
Things from today:
Can’t stop thinking that Jude Law is the best looking person on the planet.
My coworkers were standing in my bay a couple of days ago and saying “We should all go out for lunch on Friday!” They didn’t ask me about it or really tell me, but I figured they’d just let me know on Friday. Today, they were all hovering in the bay at around 11:30 finalizing their lunch plans, which involved going out for Indian buffet. I thought “Indian food! I love Indian food! Yippee!” So they’re talking and still nobody mentions to me the lunch plans. Then at 12:00 they all just leave.
I had a few thoughts while this was all happening:
Maybe they think they told me. But still – if they did tell me, why wouldn’t they say “Hey – are you still coming?” or “Hey – are you sure you can’t come?” like they were saying to everyone else.
Maybe they think I don’t want to eat with them since I eat by myself. But, if this is the case, might they at least try once to invite me for lunch? Did it occur to them at all that I might not want to invite myself along?
Maybe they don’t know me well enough to invite me to lunch. But, might it not be a good way to get to know me?
I am really upset about this because I feel like the outcast new kid in school who doesn’t have the right outfit. And by right outfit, I mean “spouse.” Maybe they hate that I wear my hair in ponytails or they are jealous of my fabulous red hoodie or they don’t like that I ordered disposable cell counters for everyone. Regardless, this sucks.
I decided to reward myself by eating a burrito for lunch, so I went to this place slightly uptown called Tex Mex. It was awful. Worst burrito I’ve ever had. It didn’t even look like a burrito.
One good thing was that while in the burrito place a 14-year-old-kid looked at me, smiled, and said “Hi.” I smiled back and said “Hello, how are you?” and he said “Good. How are you?” I told him I was fine and then did everything I could not to say “Actually, I’m not fine, because you’re the first person who’s spoken to me in two weeks and my coworkers hate me and do you have any idea how much it means to me that you smiled?”
When I got back to my building, I decided to talk to the security guard in order to continue my long line of being friends with everyone non-science at my place of employment. Well, it’s not really that long a lineage, but it includes:
the crazy walk-around-security hip hop producer who worked at my company two companies ago and who was my new best friend after I ran into him at the LL Cool J show
the nutty guy who worked in the Rebecca’s Café downstairs two jobs ago who gave me awesome hip hop bootlegs
all of the fabulous admins from two jobs ago
the security guard in the lobby from one job ago who made me feel really good about life
I said hello and he said “So – you just started working here?” and I said “Yeah, I actually just moved here” and we got to talking about that, and Boston. Then he said “How do you like your new job?” and I downloaded and said “Too soon to tell – but I’m not sure I like my coworkers” and told him how I feel so overwhelmed and they’re not very accommodating.
Then he said “Well, that’s New York for you. Everyone is really selfish” and I told him about how I eat by myself and he said “Better that way. Everyone here is in such a rush that they don’t have time for anyone. Don’t think about anyone other than themselves.”
And then he said this:
“You just need one. It’s best that way. You only need one who you can trust.”
I think he’s right, and I think I’ve identified possibly three. It doesn’t need to be everyone. You just need someone.
Can’t stop thinking that Jude Law is the best looking person on the planet.
My coworkers were standing in my bay a couple of days ago and saying “We should all go out for lunch on Friday!” They didn’t ask me about it or really tell me, but I figured they’d just let me know on Friday. Today, they were all hovering in the bay at around 11:30 finalizing their lunch plans, which involved going out for Indian buffet. I thought “Indian food! I love Indian food! Yippee!” So they’re talking and still nobody mentions to me the lunch plans. Then at 12:00 they all just leave.
I had a few thoughts while this was all happening:
Maybe they think they told me. But still – if they did tell me, why wouldn’t they say “Hey – are you still coming?” or “Hey – are you sure you can’t come?” like they were saying to everyone else.
Maybe they think I don’t want to eat with them since I eat by myself. But, if this is the case, might they at least try once to invite me for lunch? Did it occur to them at all that I might not want to invite myself along?
Maybe they don’t know me well enough to invite me to lunch. But, might it not be a good way to get to know me?
I am really upset about this because I feel like the outcast new kid in school who doesn’t have the right outfit. And by right outfit, I mean “spouse.” Maybe they hate that I wear my hair in ponytails or they are jealous of my fabulous red hoodie or they don’t like that I ordered disposable cell counters for everyone. Regardless, this sucks.
I decided to reward myself by eating a burrito for lunch, so I went to this place slightly uptown called Tex Mex. It was awful. Worst burrito I’ve ever had. It didn’t even look like a burrito.
One good thing was that while in the burrito place a 14-year-old-kid looked at me, smiled, and said “Hi.” I smiled back and said “Hello, how are you?” and he said “Good. How are you?” I told him I was fine and then did everything I could not to say “Actually, I’m not fine, because you’re the first person who’s spoken to me in two weeks and my coworkers hate me and do you have any idea how much it means to me that you smiled?”
When I got back to my building, I decided to talk to the security guard in order to continue my long line of being friends with everyone non-science at my place of employment. Well, it’s not really that long a lineage, but it includes:
the crazy walk-around-security hip hop producer who worked at my company two companies ago and who was my new best friend after I ran into him at the LL Cool J show
the nutty guy who worked in the Rebecca’s Café downstairs two jobs ago who gave me awesome hip hop bootlegs
all of the fabulous admins from two jobs ago
the security guard in the lobby from one job ago who made me feel really good about life
I said hello and he said “So – you just started working here?” and I said “Yeah, I actually just moved here” and we got to talking about that, and Boston. Then he said “How do you like your new job?” and I downloaded and said “Too soon to tell – but I’m not sure I like my coworkers” and told him how I feel so overwhelmed and they’re not very accommodating.
Then he said “Well, that’s New York for you. Everyone is really selfish” and I told him about how I eat by myself and he said “Better that way. Everyone here is in such a rush that they don’t have time for anyone. Don’t think about anyone other than themselves.”
And then he said this:
“You just need one. It’s best that way. You only need one who you can trust.”
I think he’s right, and I think I’ve identified possibly three. It doesn’t need to be everyone. You just need someone.
Debate 1
Lots and lots to say today. Lots.
I think that I’ll be telling this story to my future fictional phantom children someday when they say “Ma, what was it like when you first moved to NYC?”
Roommate and I were supposed to go out last night to play pool in the East Village with some Friends of Roommate who are in an all chick Depeche Mode cover band. We opted to stay in, however, due to various girl issues and to the general malaise we’ve been feeling about life as of late. Plus, we’d get to drink wine and watch the debate on our fabulous snowy TV that only gets CBS!
We watched and made fun of the end of Snowy Survivor while starting to drink.
Sitting there in the papasan chair while Roommate sat on the floor, I began to freak out because it seemed like Dubya was winning the debate. Not that he was being even semi-competent. It just seemed like Kerry was really nervous, and Dubya actually had some points (the horror). Although, Dubya’s reaction shots were awesome. He looked like an irritated four-year-old. I said “Do you think the rest of the country is distressed that the leader of the free world looks like a Keebler Elf?”
(I was also horrified by Jim Lehrer’s eyes – like he has beady beady beady freaky eyes, which look even more beady and freaky on snowy TV)
This prompted both Roommate and I to start drinking lots and lots. Lots. It was about 35 minutes into the debate when I said “I’m… not… going… to… make it….” and I then said “Do you know what we should do?” I don’t know what I was going to say, but Roommate said “Raise monkeys?”
This prompted me to launch into my tirade about how I hate how the media exploits monkeys. Which is not what I meant to say. If I’d been sober I’d have said how I hate how monkeys are dressed up as people and how it’s absurd that people think its funny when monkeys are dressed up as people, because it’s really not funny. Like really, what is funny about a monkey with a blonde wig and a pocketbook?
Things deteriorated from there. It became “Senator Kerry, what is your feeling on the domestic issue of Monkey-Xploitation?”
By the end of the debate we were trashed. I couldn't even get out of the chair. We were also depressed, because we thought Dubya had won, so we were slightly confused by the recap polls or whatever that said people’s opinions of Kerry had improved. Sweet! Don’t know why, because I was wrecked, but it was good, because I really needed to laugh.
We also had a fabulous drunken conversation about how surreal our lives are right now. It is so awesome to be able to share this insanity with someone who’s going through the exact same thing. It’s not easy here, and I can’t really explain it to anyone who’s not here. But she knows, and knowing is half the battle.
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Roswell
A friend of mine sent me this email the other day and I'd like to share it with you because it cracked me up. This person consented to this, so don't get on my case!
I had a dream last night that finally answers the question "How can you and I have sex with me being in a 'loving' relationship?" The Answer: We just need to get abducted by aliens!!! I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. In the dream, you and I were driving in some desert, when the cliché alien lights appeared over our car. We were sucked up into the ship, and the aliens explained that their technology is fueled by human dreams (or some other nonsense), so they hooked us into the machine, took what they needed, and then said they were going to wipe our memories and bring us back to earth. Then, the brilliance... we reasoned out that if we didn't remember hooking up, then when we got back to earth, it wouldn't have technically happened. We explained our plans to the understanding and accommodating aliens, who left us alone in the dream-sucking chamber...
I think the sci-fi sex dream is funny and elaborate and far better than the dreams I've been having about unpacking stuff. I also think its cute how he thinks this particular question needs to be addressed. And equally cute that his subconscious would rather be abducted by aliens than be monogamous. Oh, boys, you never cease to entertain me!
This friend wants me to write a song about him. I think I'll just adapt the lyrics from this email verbatim. So stay tuned...
I had a dream last night that finally answers the question "How can you and I have sex with me being in a 'loving' relationship?" The Answer: We just need to get abducted by aliens!!! I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out. In the dream, you and I were driving in some desert, when the cliché alien lights appeared over our car. We were sucked up into the ship, and the aliens explained that their technology is fueled by human dreams (or some other nonsense), so they hooked us into the machine, took what they needed, and then said they were going to wipe our memories and bring us back to earth. Then, the brilliance... we reasoned out that if we didn't remember hooking up, then when we got back to earth, it wouldn't have technically happened. We explained our plans to the understanding and accommodating aliens, who left us alone in the dream-sucking chamber...
I think the sci-fi sex dream is funny and elaborate and far better than the dreams I've been having about unpacking stuff. I also think its cute how he thinks this particular question needs to be addressed. And equally cute that his subconscious would rather be abducted by aliens than be monogamous. Oh, boys, you never cease to entertain me!
This friend wants me to write a song about him. I think I'll just adapt the lyrics from this email verbatim. So stay tuned...
How Not To Make Friends
On my way to work this morning, I thought "You know what's a good way to meet people? Show shirts. Like if I was to wear my Blur shirt, someone might say "Hey - you like Blur! Me too! Let's be best friends!"
On my way to lunch this afternoon, I was in the elevator with this shaved-head hobbit wearing a Radiohead shirt!
I said "Have you seen them before?" and looked towards his shirt.
He said, timidly, "Yeah."
Pause.
"Where?"
"Liberty Park." (Maybe not Liberty Park. I didn't know where he was talking about, so I just nodded.)
Silence.
Normal people would be like "Yeah, man, the show was awesome" or "Yeah, man, the show totally blew" or "Have you ever seen them?" or "They're my favoritest favorite band."
Awkward.
My building is tall, so I felt like we were in the elevator for a whole minute in awkward silence. I was so upset. How could I have scared this boy with six words? It's not like I said "Hey, I'm new! Be my friend!"
Then he murmers "Have you seen them?"
And I'm scrambling to speak, because this is the first time anyone's spoken to me in weeks outside of the lab or my apartment, and I'm like "Yes..."
And he said "Where?"
And I said "The Tweeter Center in MA...."
And then we were in the lobby and he was going in the opposite direction and I didn't get to tell him my The-Radiohead-Show-Changed-My-Life story.
So. This was a good first attempt, but it didn't really work.
I was talking on the phone last night to a friend, and I was sort of downloading about how I'm feeling a little disappointed with the whole NYC thing. He said "Everyone who knows you loves you. I don't see what the problem is." I think the problem is that everyone who doesn't know me is apparently scared to death of me.
Today I am annoyed that the new Green Day song sounds like an Avril song.
I am also feeling cheesy and am listening to Interpol's "NYC" nonstop. Which reminds me that I have to get Interpol tickets. I shall do that now!
On my way to lunch this afternoon, I was in the elevator with this shaved-head hobbit wearing a Radiohead shirt!
I said "Have you seen them before?" and looked towards his shirt.
He said, timidly, "Yeah."
Pause.
"Where?"
"Liberty Park." (Maybe not Liberty Park. I didn't know where he was talking about, so I just nodded.)
Silence.
Normal people would be like "Yeah, man, the show was awesome" or "Yeah, man, the show totally blew" or "Have you ever seen them?" or "They're my favoritest favorite band."
Awkward.
My building is tall, so I felt like we were in the elevator for a whole minute in awkward silence. I was so upset. How could I have scared this boy with six words? It's not like I said "Hey, I'm new! Be my friend!"
Then he murmers "Have you seen them?"
And I'm scrambling to speak, because this is the first time anyone's spoken to me in weeks outside of the lab or my apartment, and I'm like "Yes..."
And he said "Where?"
And I said "The Tweeter Center in MA...."
And then we were in the lobby and he was going in the opposite direction and I didn't get to tell him my The-Radiohead-Show-Changed-My-Life story.
So. This was a good first attempt, but it didn't really work.
I was talking on the phone last night to a friend, and I was sort of downloading about how I'm feeling a little disappointed with the whole NYC thing. He said "Everyone who knows you loves you. I don't see what the problem is." I think the problem is that everyone who doesn't know me is apparently scared to death of me.
Today I am annoyed that the new Green Day song sounds like an Avril song.
I am also feeling cheesy and am listening to Interpol's "NYC" nonstop. Which reminds me that I have to get Interpol tickets. I shall do that now!
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Goods are good
I have a timer! And a power supply! And two fabulous blue calculators!!!! Now all I need is a vortex genie, a microfuge, and lab tape, and I'll be the happiest girl this side of the East River.
I also bought a red hoodie yesterday. I am wearing it now and it makes me happy.
I recorded last night for the first time in the new place. I still have problems with tempo, but all in all, it went remarkably well considering I've been away from it for months. Hopefully the loft will be connected by the end of the week, at which time I will, gasp, post a song! I can't freaking wait. Maybe then I will feel somewhat normal.
I'll also be able to post photos from my parents' visit. My father literally took 400 pictures while they were here. It's extremely annoying while he's doing it, but he's an amazing photographer and when its all said and done, I am thrilled to have the pictures he's taken.
Their visit was great. At first they were like "You live here? We're taking you home immediately" and they weren't kidding. I said "Could you possibly be any less supportive?"
By the end of the weekend they were enamored with NYC. Of course they were. How could you not be? This is what we did:
1. Ordered food on Friday night and stayed in - $20 for 4 people to eat - Williamsburg, I love you! This was a FIND because this place has amazing potato knishes for only $1.50!
2. Brunch on Saturday at this cool hipster place in Williamsburg that I've now eaten at three times.
3. Times Square - chaos! Naked Cowboy, Nasdaq, lights, taxis, madness! I bought a fabulous pair of pink sparkly sunglasses at the flea market.
4. Rockefeller Center.
5. Central Park - got lost, because you always do, but managed to find Strawberry Fields and the Dakota, which I knew my father would dig.
6. WTC site - really depressing, but you have to go. I'd never been. It's just, well, empty.
7. Dinner in Little Italy which happened to be during the Feast of St. Genarro - I was worried about the parents because there were literally people packed in solid for blocks - but they loved it. Very different from feasts in the North End - rides, hip hop, crazy vendors. And of course I fell in love with Deep Fried Oreos.
8. Hung out on the pier at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge - while there, we saw this violinist from Vienna recording a music video. The guy was unbelievably good. My father took approximately 44 pictures of him as well as three movies using his digital camera.
9. Walked halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge since my father's feet were killing him after all the walking from the day before.
10. Went grocery shopping - found my Tropicana Twister! All is right in the world! Also went to Target, which was insane because its two stories but there is no elevator, so you have to put your cart on this weird escalator/conveyer belt which isn't always functional; needless to say I just carried my stuff around in my hands.
We had a really good time. I was sad to see them go. But since they are smitten, I know we'll do it again.
Photos coming soon....
I also bought a red hoodie yesterday. I am wearing it now and it makes me happy.
I recorded last night for the first time in the new place. I still have problems with tempo, but all in all, it went remarkably well considering I've been away from it for months. Hopefully the loft will be connected by the end of the week, at which time I will, gasp, post a song! I can't freaking wait. Maybe then I will feel somewhat normal.
I'll also be able to post photos from my parents' visit. My father literally took 400 pictures while they were here. It's extremely annoying while he's doing it, but he's an amazing photographer and when its all said and done, I am thrilled to have the pictures he's taken.
Their visit was great. At first they were like "You live here? We're taking you home immediately" and they weren't kidding. I said "Could you possibly be any less supportive?"
By the end of the weekend they were enamored with NYC. Of course they were. How could you not be? This is what we did:
1. Ordered food on Friday night and stayed in - $20 for 4 people to eat - Williamsburg, I love you! This was a FIND because this place has amazing potato knishes for only $1.50!
2. Brunch on Saturday at this cool hipster place in Williamsburg that I've now eaten at three times.
3. Times Square - chaos! Naked Cowboy, Nasdaq, lights, taxis, madness! I bought a fabulous pair of pink sparkly sunglasses at the flea market.
4. Rockefeller Center.
5. Central Park - got lost, because you always do, but managed to find Strawberry Fields and the Dakota, which I knew my father would dig.
6. WTC site - really depressing, but you have to go. I'd never been. It's just, well, empty.
7. Dinner in Little Italy which happened to be during the Feast of St. Genarro - I was worried about the parents because there were literally people packed in solid for blocks - but they loved it. Very different from feasts in the North End - rides, hip hop, crazy vendors. And of course I fell in love with Deep Fried Oreos.
8. Hung out on the pier at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge - while there, we saw this violinist from Vienna recording a music video. The guy was unbelievably good. My father took approximately 44 pictures of him as well as three movies using his digital camera.
9. Walked halfway across the Brooklyn Bridge since my father's feet were killing him after all the walking from the day before.
10. Went grocery shopping - found my Tropicana Twister! All is right in the world! Also went to Target, which was insane because its two stories but there is no elevator, so you have to put your cart on this weird escalator/conveyer belt which isn't always functional; needless to say I just carried my stuff around in my hands.
We had a really good time. I was sad to see them go. But since they are smitten, I know we'll do it again.
Photos coming soon....
Gift Bag
I got this email yesterday from HR at the new company that said "Please stop by my office when you have a chance. I have a gift bag for you."
I thought "How nice! Perhaps there will be OFFICE SUPPLIES in it." Like a company pen! And maybe even a calculator!
Turns out the bags were from their summer outing. Below is the bag's inventory:
1. beach bag (giant outer beach bag with company logo containing the rest of the contents)
2. not one but two pairs company flips flops
3. company baseball cap
4. company visor
5. two company towels (and very NICE towels - big and fluffy and not entirely hideous)
6. sunscreen
7. lip balm
8. aloe
9. company beach ball
10. company frisbee
11. company thing to hold your drink
12. Fossil watch
13. insulated smaller company beach bag within the beach bag
14. Dance Floor Divas CD compilation
15. cool but slightly creepy transparent paperweight thing with vial of company's approved drug on the inside
MADNESS.
My former company gave us a beach chair that didn't actually function in any way as a chair.
This being said, my former company was generous with office supplies and didn't require you to accout for your presence during every moment of the day.
But really. A Fossil watch? What am I going to do with it? And the flip flops? And the beach ball?
I am psyched about the towels though - now I can have more visitors because I have more towels! - and the beach bags. Not that I'll be going to the beach ever again since I have no friends, but two beach bags!!!!
I thought "How nice! Perhaps there will be OFFICE SUPPLIES in it." Like a company pen! And maybe even a calculator!
Turns out the bags were from their summer outing. Below is the bag's inventory:
1. beach bag (giant outer beach bag with company logo containing the rest of the contents)
2. not one but two pairs company flips flops
3. company baseball cap
4. company visor
5. two company towels (and very NICE towels - big and fluffy and not entirely hideous)
6. sunscreen
7. lip balm
8. aloe
9. company beach ball
10. company frisbee
11. company thing to hold your drink
12. Fossil watch
13. insulated smaller company beach bag within the beach bag
14. Dance Floor Divas CD compilation
15. cool but slightly creepy transparent paperweight thing with vial of company's approved drug on the inside
MADNESS.
My former company gave us a beach chair that didn't actually function in any way as a chair.
This being said, my former company was generous with office supplies and didn't require you to accout for your presence during every moment of the day.
But really. A Fossil watch? What am I going to do with it? And the flip flops? And the beach ball?
I am psyched about the towels though - now I can have more visitors because I have more towels! - and the beach bags. Not that I'll be going to the beach ever again since I have no friends, but two beach bags!!!!
Monday, September 27, 2004
The Feast of St. Gennaro
I'm not sure who St. Gennaro was, but all I have to say is:
Deep fried Oreos = HEAVEN
Song of the Day:
Modest Mouse, "Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds"
I will write more later when I am writing to write and not writing to procrastinate.
Deep fried Oreos = HEAVEN
Song of the Day:
Modest Mouse, "Make Everyone Happy/Mechanical Birds"
I will write more later when I am writing to write and not writing to procrastinate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
