[update] Friday-Sunday
Friday:
Mid-upper 40s all day but I didn't need my jacket at all (which is good, since I hadn't brought it). (Saturday I swear the temps were about the same -- maybe even 50s on Saturday? -- but the lack of sun really makes it feel cooler. Sunday I actually wore my coat -- as opposed to my jacket, which I wore on Saturday.)
Prof.B. asked me to let his wife know she was invited to some upcoming event, at "the Hyatt -- across the street." I Googled to get an actual address (suspecting she might want that) and dude, that wacky building I go by every day on the T.
~11:45 he asked: "Where's my next meeting, at one o'clock?"
"Your next meeting is a twelve o'clock student lunch in the conference room at the end of the hall." [gestures] "Your one o'clock is in [snip]."
I was a little worried about leaving before he actually went to his 12:00, but I am tired of having to treat people like kindergartners. [Yes, by "people" I mean him, but there are also all the students who manage to get lost on their way to a conference room even after you've given them directions.]
We had lunch at Pho again and then hit Hidden Sweets, so we passed Peet's Coffee on the way back. Mary Alice said she wanted a latte; "I'm very suggestible today; no one better say anything dirty to me." To which Amanda responded: "mud puddle"
later:
Mary Alice: "I'll eat anything."
Eric: "Anything, anywhere, anyone -- I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."
me: "Dude, I was totally thinking that."
Saturday:
I had a bitchy afternoon.
No luck shopping (no surprise).
Another reason to dislike summer: tourist season. Oh the slow-moving crowds of people. It's great that you're not in a hurry, but I walk faster than you -- or I would like to, if you'd let me.
I was lazy and took the T from South Station to Govt.Ctr. and then back to Park St. and was all self-loathing about that ‘cause I think people who do that are teh laemxors. [The walk to the realy office and back again was substantial, though, which made me feel better about my earlier laziness.]
I got lunch from the Greek place at Downtown Crossing's Food Court and it was totally falling apart as I ate it. I didn't bring a bottle of water like I'd meant to, so I got a smoothie at Harvard T Station (day's special -- mango-orange-something). The guy was sticking paper umbrellas in the drinks. The girl in front of me got a strawberry-banana and thus a pink umbrella, and I got an orange umbrella.
On my way to fill out my rental application I passed a Presbyterian Church in Inman Square, and it occurred to me that that's one denomination I haven't attended services at yet.
Assuming my credit checks out (and I see no reason why it shouldn't) I should be moving in mid-late May. (My brother's coming home from college -- I keep going to say he's graduating -- the second Saturday in May, and I have company the first Saturday.)
On my way to Nicole's, I directed 2 people back to the Square. Yay being helpful.
I called her at 5:04 and both she and her roommate were out, on two separate sets of errands, so I browsed the nearby furniture stores until one of them got home to let me in (which turned out to not be until 5:43; c'est la vie; I'd told her I'd be early and by early I meant 5, and she told me they'd be in and out all day and would try to be in around then).
I liked this couch muchly -- though obviously I am not spending that much on a couch. My understanding is that the current couch (in the apartment I expect to move into) will be departing with one of the roomies, hence my looking at couches at all. (For actual purchases I'll be looking at places much cheaper than Crate and Barrel, but since one was in the vicinity I figured why not.) Once I know I'm moving in for sure I'm gonna go back to feel our my room when it's actually empty and also take measurements so I can figure out how to fit my furniture and also to make decisions about possibly replacing some of my furniture. There will also be discussion about common space furniture, but that might be able to wait until a third roomie moves in, depending on what we're missing once the currents move out.
I agreed to help prep for dinner since I was gonna be there early (duh) so I got to know Nicole's roommate Laura and Laura's sister Kate better. (Yes, it was very weird to say "Laura and Kate.") While socializing, I chatted much with Claire who works with Nicole and saw my Firefly calendar (this then pulled in Emily, whom I remember from last time -- who lives in Coolidge Corner and used to live in Teele Square; and Lizzie). I also chatted much with Jay, who goes to school with Laura.
I seriously considered having nametags when I have a shindig at my apartment.
Early in the party, Nicole was talking about absent-minded-professor etc., and I felt better about the fact that I'm always so critical of Prof.B. (she gets to see him be brilliant, whereas I only see him in my capacity as his babysitter, so I sometimes worry that she thinks I'm too harsh or whatever, but listening to her that night it seemed like we were on similar wavelengths). And she was sad that I had to leave [this should be the last time I have to depart early for commuter rail]; and I got thanked multiple times for helping, even though I basically just cut up food and occasionally went downstairs to let people in.
Started off the evening with ginger beer + lemonade + vodka (somebody's idea not mine, but it certainly didn't taste bad; they used the vodka Laura's sister had brought for the last party -- Grey Goose). And then we made mint juleps, totally winging it. I would have thought they'd be gin based ‘cause they're so classically old Southern, but no, bourbon based. (Nicole's mom queried whether it's uncouth to have bourbon before the Kentucky Derby starts -- like unto wearing white after Labor Day.) I felt like we had practically half and half (bourbon to sugar water) and wondered if that was too much, but checking webtender.com today, I get proportions of: 2½ oz Bourbon and 2 tsp Water; 3 oz Bourbon and a sprinkling of water and sugar; 1.5 tblsp sugar syrup and 1.5 oz Bourbon.
I had some water when I got home, but clearly I should have made more since I woke up with a headache. Sigh.
I swear I saw Chris-the-technical-writer-from-Walpole hanging out outside South Station when I walked down the track to board the train. I did not walk over to find out, though. ‘Twas extra funny ‘cause when I was leaving Nicole told me to be safe on the commuter rail and I said I would and that I would have to tell her my story about my last commuter rail ride home after a party -- "I'll have to tell you next time we have free time -- like June."
Sunday:
My mom's cousin Tracey, whom we like, came over for brunch. She brought Swedish bread (from Gloucester) with cardamon. Teh yum. And I actually kinda liked the blueberry French toast my mom made.
My parents went to Art in Bloom on Saturday, and one of the artists was Fluffy Winner. No lie. This prompted discussion of nicknames, and my dad Googled Muffy of Arthur for me (real name: Mary Alice Crosswire; and D.W. Read is Dora Winifred, if you were curious).
We played a round of Scrabble and I dictionaried and learned that "crony" does in fact come from the same root as "crone" -- khronios, long lasting, from khronos, time.
I haven't checked my e-mail all day (and thus haven't seen any LJ comments). I am mostly caught up with the flist. Is tomorrow slated to be a busy day? I don't even remember -- and refuse to pull up the calendar to check since I'll be there soon enough.
I need to decide if I wanna go to the Blogging and the Law conference on Friday so I can decide whether to ask for the day off or not. And I was thinking of seeing Christine Jorgensen, though I'm more hesitant now from my mom's paraphrase of a Metro review she saw (not that we necessarily trust the Metro's reviews, of course). [I'm also just not all that committed to going to the show.]
Mid-upper 40s all day but I didn't need my jacket at all (which is good, since I hadn't brought it). (Saturday I swear the temps were about the same -- maybe even 50s on Saturday? -- but the lack of sun really makes it feel cooler. Sunday I actually wore my coat -- as opposed to my jacket, which I wore on Saturday.)
Prof.B. asked me to let his wife know she was invited to some upcoming event, at "the Hyatt -- across the street." I Googled to get an actual address (suspecting she might want that) and dude, that wacky building I go by every day on the T.
~11:45 he asked: "Where's my next meeting, at one o'clock?"
"Your next meeting is a twelve o'clock student lunch in the conference room at the end of the hall." [gestures] "Your one o'clock is in [snip]."
I was a little worried about leaving before he actually went to his 12:00, but I am tired of having to treat people like kindergartners. [Yes, by "people" I mean him, but there are also all the students who manage to get lost on their way to a conference room even after you've given them directions.]
We had lunch at Pho again and then hit Hidden Sweets, so we passed Peet's Coffee on the way back. Mary Alice said she wanted a latte; "I'm very suggestible today; no one better say anything dirty to me." To which Amanda responded: "mud puddle"
later:
Mary Alice: "I'll eat anything."
Eric: "Anything, anywhere, anyone -- I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."
me: "Dude, I was totally thinking that."
Saturday:
I had a bitchy afternoon.
No luck shopping (no surprise).
Another reason to dislike summer: tourist season. Oh the slow-moving crowds of people. It's great that you're not in a hurry, but I walk faster than you -- or I would like to, if you'd let me.
I was lazy and took the T from South Station to Govt.Ctr. and then back to Park St. and was all self-loathing about that ‘cause I think people who do that are teh laemxors. [The walk to the realy office and back again was substantial, though, which made me feel better about my earlier laziness.]
I got lunch from the Greek place at Downtown Crossing's Food Court and it was totally falling apart as I ate it. I didn't bring a bottle of water like I'd meant to, so I got a smoothie at Harvard T Station (day's special -- mango-orange-something). The guy was sticking paper umbrellas in the drinks. The girl in front of me got a strawberry-banana and thus a pink umbrella, and I got an orange umbrella.
On my way to fill out my rental application I passed a Presbyterian Church in Inman Square, and it occurred to me that that's one denomination I haven't attended services at yet.
Assuming my credit checks out (and I see no reason why it shouldn't) I should be moving in mid-late May. (My brother's coming home from college -- I keep going to say he's graduating -- the second Saturday in May, and I have company the first Saturday.)
On my way to Nicole's, I directed 2 people back to the Square. Yay being helpful.
I called her at 5:04 and both she and her roommate were out, on two separate sets of errands, so I browsed the nearby furniture stores until one of them got home to let me in (which turned out to not be until 5:43; c'est la vie; I'd told her I'd be early and by early I meant 5, and she told me they'd be in and out all day and would try to be in around then).
I liked this couch muchly -- though obviously I am not spending that much on a couch. My understanding is that the current couch (in the apartment I expect to move into) will be departing with one of the roomies, hence my looking at couches at all. (For actual purchases I'll be looking at places much cheaper than Crate and Barrel, but since one was in the vicinity I figured why not.) Once I know I'm moving in for sure I'm gonna go back to feel our my room when it's actually empty and also take measurements so I can figure out how to fit my furniture and also to make decisions about possibly replacing some of my furniture. There will also be discussion about common space furniture, but that might be able to wait until a third roomie moves in, depending on what we're missing once the currents move out.
I agreed to help prep for dinner since I was gonna be there early (duh) so I got to know Nicole's roommate Laura and Laura's sister Kate better. (Yes, it was very weird to say "Laura and Kate.") While socializing, I chatted much with Claire who works with Nicole and saw my Firefly calendar (this then pulled in Emily, whom I remember from last time -- who lives in Coolidge Corner and used to live in Teele Square; and Lizzie). I also chatted much with Jay, who goes to school with Laura.
I seriously considered having nametags when I have a shindig at my apartment.
Early in the party, Nicole was talking about absent-minded-professor etc., and I felt better about the fact that I'm always so critical of Prof.B. (she gets to see him be brilliant, whereas I only see him in my capacity as his babysitter, so I sometimes worry that she thinks I'm too harsh or whatever, but listening to her that night it seemed like we were on similar wavelengths). And she was sad that I had to leave [this should be the last time I have to depart early for commuter rail]; and I got thanked multiple times for helping, even though I basically just cut up food and occasionally went downstairs to let people in.
Started off the evening with ginger beer + lemonade + vodka (somebody's idea not mine, but it certainly didn't taste bad; they used the vodka Laura's sister had brought for the last party -- Grey Goose). And then we made mint juleps, totally winging it. I would have thought they'd be gin based ‘cause they're so classically old Southern, but no, bourbon based. (Nicole's mom queried whether it's uncouth to have bourbon before the Kentucky Derby starts -- like unto wearing white after Labor Day.) I felt like we had practically half and half (bourbon to sugar water) and wondered if that was too much, but checking webtender.com today, I get proportions of: 2½ oz Bourbon and 2 tsp Water; 3 oz Bourbon and a sprinkling of water and sugar; 1.5 tblsp sugar syrup and 1.5 oz Bourbon.
I had some water when I got home, but clearly I should have made more since I woke up with a headache. Sigh.
I swear I saw Chris-the-technical-writer-from-Walpole hanging out outside South Station when I walked down the track to board the train. I did not walk over to find out, though. ‘Twas extra funny ‘cause when I was leaving Nicole told me to be safe on the commuter rail and I said I would and that I would have to tell her my story about my last commuter rail ride home after a party -- "I'll have to tell you next time we have free time -- like June."
Sunday:
My mom's cousin Tracey, whom we like, came over for brunch. She brought Swedish bread (from Gloucester) with cardamon. Teh yum. And I actually kinda liked the blueberry French toast my mom made.
My parents went to Art in Bloom on Saturday, and one of the artists was Fluffy Winner. No lie. This prompted discussion of nicknames, and my dad Googled Muffy of Arthur for me (real name: Mary Alice Crosswire; and D.W. Read is Dora Winifred, if you were curious).
We played a round of Scrabble and I dictionaried and learned that "crony" does in fact come from the same root as "crone" -- khronios, long lasting, from khronos, time.
I haven't checked my e-mail all day (and thus haven't seen any LJ comments). I am mostly caught up with the flist. Is tomorrow slated to be a busy day? I don't even remember -- and refuse to pull up the calendar to check since I'll be there soon enough.
I need to decide if I wanna go to the Blogging and the Law conference on Friday so I can decide whether to ask for the day off or not. And I was thinking of seeing Christine Jorgensen, though I'm more hesitant now from my mom's paraphrase of a Metro review she saw (not that we necessarily trust the Metro's reviews, of course). [I'm also just not all that committed to going to the show.]