(no subject)
These last couple of months in New York aren't just about museums and cupcakes. They're about the family I have here. I've been really trying to be present in my friendships. It makes me wish I could get more of my MP days back, days when I was so depleted from work that I'd turn down social opportunities and spend the evening tucked away in my apartment, trying to decompress.
Yesterday my only plan was to make some yummy food for the bbq Wes was having after work. I planned to meet both Wes and Chad at Columbia at 6 and then we'd head over to Roosevelt Island together. The night before, though, during one of my routine panic attacks about moving in August, I remembered that my friend Gabe was going through it right now. So rather than sit and stew in my own stress, I thought I'd try and relieve some of his. I sent him a text and offered him whatever moving help he might need. He responded that he and Renna were heading up to the new place the next day and would really help them out if I could take their French Bulldog, Brutus. We worked out the logistics and arranged for me to pick up Brutus and Gabe's house keys the next morning at 8:30. So BBQ day was now also Brutus day.I took the dogs straight to Inwood's dog park so they'd have plenty of room for butt sniffing. We stayed for an hour and were too early for most of the other dog owners.
I got a call from Allison at noon. She was meeting our very good and pregnant friend Sarah for lunch at two, and wanted me to join. I wasn't sure about leaving Brutus and Greta together alone in my studio apartment, and even less sure that I could get from Inwood to midtown, have lunch, come back, drop off Brutus and get back down to Columbia by six. But Allison reminded me that I'd soon be an Illinois resident and Sarah would soon be the mother of an infant. I told her I'd make it work.
When I showed up to meet Allison, she had bad news: Sarah couldn't get away from work. But there was good news too- Allison was free. It was too pretty not to eat outside, so we got a sidewalk table for two at Puttenesca http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/Puttanesca/ . The food was decent but a little pricey, so we split a vegetable pizza and just enjoyed the company and caught up. After lunch, we stopped by Sarah's work and did snag her for a 15 minute cram session. She's one of those glowy pregnant women who only gains weight in her belly. There was a lot of laughing, though- we can count on Sarah to give us the straight and sometimes scary story of what pregnancy is really like.
I walked and dropped off Brutus when I got back to Inwood, taking Gabe's keys off the ring and slipping them under the door. Then it was time to meet Wes and Chad for the BBQ. I threw the chips and guac I made along with some wine into a bag and got back on the subway. Chad has turned his assistant job at Columbia over to Wes and is moving to Tennessee to get his Masters in.......Ministry? Theology? He's going to study the Bible and then go on a tour of the south, educating young people and church patrons about gay rights and tolerance. We had a lot of great conversation about turning a new page and taking chances. It's also conceivable that we might get together in the coming years.....Nashville isn't too far from CDale.
The BBQ was great. Wes and Greg and Chad were there, along with Tabitha and her boyfriend. We wrapped up around 10:30, and I was once again thankful for funemployment, knowing I wouldn't get back to my place much before midnight. I came home to a cuddly Greta and went to bed feeling tired and happy.
Yesterday my only plan was to make some yummy food for the bbq Wes was having after work. I planned to meet both Wes and Chad at Columbia at 6 and then we'd head over to Roosevelt Island together. The night before, though, during one of my routine panic attacks about moving in August, I remembered that my friend Gabe was going through it right now. So rather than sit and stew in my own stress, I thought I'd try and relieve some of his. I sent him a text and offered him whatever moving help he might need. He responded that he and Renna were heading up to the new place the next day and would really help them out if I could take their French Bulldog, Brutus. We worked out the logistics and arranged for me to pick up Brutus and Gabe's house keys the next morning at 8:30. So BBQ day was now also Brutus day.I took the dogs straight to Inwood's dog park so they'd have plenty of room for butt sniffing. We stayed for an hour and were too early for most of the other dog owners.
I got a call from Allison at noon. She was meeting our very good and pregnant friend Sarah for lunch at two, and wanted me to join. I wasn't sure about leaving Brutus and Greta together alone in my studio apartment, and even less sure that I could get from Inwood to midtown, have lunch, come back, drop off Brutus and get back down to Columbia by six. But Allison reminded me that I'd soon be an Illinois resident and Sarah would soon be the mother of an infant. I told her I'd make it work.
When I showed up to meet Allison, she had bad news: Sarah couldn't get away from work. But there was good news too- Allison was free. It was too pretty not to eat outside, so we got a sidewalk table for two at Puttenesca http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/Puttanesca/ . The food was decent but a little pricey, so we split a vegetable pizza and just enjoyed the company and caught up. After lunch, we stopped by Sarah's work and did snag her for a 15 minute cram session. She's one of those glowy pregnant women who only gains weight in her belly. There was a lot of laughing, though- we can count on Sarah to give us the straight and sometimes scary story of what pregnancy is really like.
I walked and dropped off Brutus when I got back to Inwood, taking Gabe's keys off the ring and slipping them under the door. Then it was time to meet Wes and Chad for the BBQ. I threw the chips and guac I made along with some wine into a bag and got back on the subway. Chad has turned his assistant job at Columbia over to Wes and is moving to Tennessee to get his Masters in.......Ministry? Theology? He's going to study the Bible and then go on a tour of the south, educating young people and church patrons about gay rights and tolerance. We had a lot of great conversation about turning a new page and taking chances. It's also conceivable that we might get together in the coming years.....Nashville isn't too far from CDale.
The BBQ was great. Wes and Greg and Chad were there, along with Tabitha and her boyfriend. We wrapped up around 10:30, and I was once again thankful for funemployment, knowing I wouldn't get back to my place much before midnight. I came home to a cuddly Greta and went to bed feeling tired and happy.