love from overseas

So, Mom & Dad recently got back from their summer trip through China. My father took some amazing photographs, which you can view at his (self-coded!) website. Last night, Bethany stopped by with some yummy dinner & a couple of very cool presents that the 'rents had transported back from the Far East:


This, clearly, is a t-shirt from Tibet. It's so pretty (and I've already gotten about 8 compliments on it just today!). I don't know about those Tibetans & their strategically-placed designs, though... :)


And I already hung the prayer flags above our kitchen window. They look lovely up there, non? (Notice those awful broken blinds, though? Dan & I just placed an order at SelectBlinds.com for new sets for all over the house -- some in chocolate brown, some in slate blue, some in silver, and some in burgandy. Oooh I'm so excited for them to arrive! We don't have curtains in our windows, so it'll be nice to spruce them up another way.)

Thanks so much for the fantastic presents, Mom & Dad! I wasn't able to pick up many souveniers in Austin, unfortunately, but nothing would have held a candle to these things, anyway! :) xoxo

knit extravaganza

In no particular order, many of the things I've finished or am currently working on:

The latest charity baby blanket.

Closeup of the same blanket. I'm now done with the turquoise section & am onto a dark blue section.

Dan's camo socks. The ends have since been woven in.

A rather poorly-done Hello Kitty doll (everyone agrees, it's that the eyes are a bit too far apart, oh well!). This is going to Bethany's friend's new daughter, I believe. My grandmother helped me with some of the embroidery, as I desperately needed it! Haha.

Closer image of the doll, if you're at all interested.

A pair of socks I started on the plane home. They were boringly plain, so I've since ripped them out & restarted (see below).

They just needed a little bit of flair. Not too much, because I wanted the beautiful yarn to be shown off, too, but I thought a bit of cabling would liven things up.

...And there's one more thing I really want to show but can't, yet. You'll probably have to wait till Christmas. :) xoxo

i hate waste.

I hate totally wasteful people, particularly. I was about to cry this morning on my way to the WLP, because it's near the end of the month & lots of people are moving out of their apartments/sublets, so there was a TON of TOTALLY usable "trash" all over the sidewalks. If I hadn't been on my way to somewhere, I would have spent hours upon hours scrounging around all of the piles of things that people considered too junky to take with them when they moved on. Things like perfectly good couches & clothes that could actually be USED by other people!!! Augh. I was sooo frustrated by the time I climbed aboard the T. I wish there was something we could do about it -- I was speaking with some of the WLP staff, and they agreed that it would be awesome if, instead of "Big Trash Day", the city could sponsor something like "Goodwill Day", where everyone could leave things they no longer wanted on the curb, and Goodwill trucks (staffed by volunteers, I guess) could go around & collect everything for redistribution to those who wanted it. Sigh.

And it's not like people don't even have options, right now. Personally, I'm an avid fan of FreeCycle, and even CraigsList has a "free" section for things people want to give away but probably can't sell! Plus, I just found out today that Goodwill actually does come pick up things like used-but-still-okay furniture. So there's really no excuse, except that people are lazy. And goodness knows I can be, too. But I also can't stand to throw still-functional things away. (Or anything, really.) Bethany & I watched the second installment of "Affluenza" last night, and we agree that it's such a shame that people throw things away instead of trying to get them repaired, these days. I wish we could see a resurgence of repairmen...but things seem to cost so much more to fix than to replace, now. Gah.

Okay, I'm done with my rant -- for now. I will leave you with a book recommendation: Gone Tomorrow, by Heather Rogers -- she's actually coming to speak at the Center for New Words this fall! Yay! And with a proposal to start a local "EcoTeam" -- who's with me??

On a much happier note, Dan & I did get a lovely coffee table from one of those piles o' junk last night. Save for a few tabletop mars, it's like new -- and it was entirely free. Can't do better than that.

...and she's back.

Wow. I owe y'all a LOT of catch-up posts. I'm going to start with a short one, to say hello & that I've missed you all! :) I had a very good time in Austin & an okay time at the retreat, and I'll fill everyone in on that stuff. For now, I'll leave you with a picture of the beautiful bouquet that Dan brought me when he met me at the airport

like our makeshift vase? hehe
(major points for that one! he's wonderful -- I didn't even ask him to meet me), and a list of things that I intend to post about (so that I can't let myself slack off like I sometimes do...) :

1. a much-needed knitting post


2. Austin, TX


3. the CodePink retreat


4. my last SP8 present (sad!)


5. Mom & Dad back from China!


6. a book review


7. ...more? (you'll have to wait & see!)

More soon! xoxo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

2 in 1

Two book reviews for the price of one! I really want to get these both done, so:



TITLE: Microserfs
AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland
I really enjoyed this book, although I kind of find that surprising because Coupland doesn't really develop terribly strong characters. I suppose what I found most endearing of all was the uber-liberal sprinkling of pop culture references used throughout the book -- almost every single one made me grin in recognition. Coupland definitely gets "Gen X" spot on; I believe, if I'm not mistaken, that that is what he is known for. He writes believable, if not very in-depth, characters, and I did find myself becoming attached to a few of them, particularly Dan (the protagonist). Despite this being a book I feel was almost devoid of emotion (from any of the characters), I still did find myself rooting for him. The story is written in small chunks, to be digested like mini-chapters (it's supposed to be Dan's "diary"), so it's easy to feel kind of as disconnected from the plot as each chunk is from the next. But at the same time, a fine story is woven -- and, I did find myself emotional at the sentimental and heartwarming end of the book. It's definitely a fun read, especially for those who grew up in the 90's -- not to say I'm anywhere near the age the book's characters would be, but I still recognized everything they referred to. My particular favorite thing about the book was Dan's stream-of-consciousness journaling -- you'll have to read the book to see what I mean. (Target. Oh I wish I were an Oscar Meyer weiner. OJ & Nicole. Tickle Me Elmo. The stained dress. Ring Pops. --See? I can do it, too!)


TITLE: The Kite Runner
AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini
This book was...amazing. I cried so many times while reading it. I didn't find it terribly engaging at first, but it ended up really drawing me in -- the last half of the book flew by so fast! I thought it would take me ages to read, but that was not the case. Hosseini manages to create such lovable characters, even out of the protagonist who you want to dislike for his childhood mistakes. But of course you end up understanding why he made the choices he made, even if you disagree with them. It's a heart-wrenching story, to be entirely honest, but I do recommend that everyone who hasn't already should read it. I learned so much about Afghanistan's history & people -- I was talking with my mom about this book, and we both agreed that what we love most is what we learn about people from the novels we read. You don't even realize you are learning a bit of history here & there as you become engrossed in the story being told. I really didn't know nearly as much about how the Taliban came to Afghanistan, and the country's history (at least from the 1970s on). I am interested in learning much more, now. I know that a novel can't give me the entire story, but my interest was definitely piqued. I think that's the thing about stories -- they can give you such perspective. Something you might not otherwise see, because it's very difficult to put yourself in someone else's shoes. Wonderful storytellers can do that for you, make you see the world through someone else's eyes. I think Hosseini did an amazing job.

Okay -- it's late(ish), and I have to get up to catch a 6:45am flight to Texas tomorrow morning. Which means I'll probably be up at around 4 (if I ever get to sleep at all!). Oy.

I'll be in Austin for the next week (until Sunday afternoon), so I probably won't post unless I find myself near a computer with a bit of time to kill, but I don't mind the break. Love & kisses until you hear from me again! xo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

odd

I was just in a UPS store mailing a package, and a FedEx guy came in with a delivery.

Does that sound really off to anyone else?? Haha.

I wish I could have snapped a picture.

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: The Kite Runner AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

gnarsly, dude

Some winner down the street from me apparently loves himself some Gnarls Barkley. He's been blasting the CD every day at this time all week. Uggggh.

very busy

Sorry for the dearth of postings, but I have been so incredibly busy this week -- between tons of things to get done at work, meetings every evening this week, and Restaurant Week meals almost every day after the meetings, you could say I'm a little busy. A little.

I promise I'll be back hopefully in full force by this weekend.

Not that you were crying in your soup from missing me, I know.

xoxo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: The Kite Runner AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

photo extravaganza!

Finally, finally, finally, I've got photos for you of the awesome SP8 package that arrived several days ago! (By the way, thanks Dan for letting me use your camera for this -- so much better than my camera phone, anyway!) So, here we go:


The outside of the package, with some pretty decoration (and, SP8, did I ever express to you how much I love your handwriting? Well, I do. It's so pretty).


A fun (but totally unnecessary) warning underneath the brown paper wrapping -- I think it looked great, and it was tons of fun. You didn't need to apologize! :)


A couple of packages before they were opened (there were 4 of those small rectangles)...


...and, after they were unwrapped. The ginger was awesome -- I've never tried it before! It's already almost all gone. And the adorable little lunch boxes each had fun candies inside: Boston Baked Beans (which I actually had never tried before now, oddly enough -- they're good!), Lemonheads, Red Hots, and Cherry Sours. Yum! I'll have to find something fun to do with the mini lunchboxes.


A beautiful woven bag to add to my collection. Ah, I love bags. I can't wait to use this one!


And last but certainly not least, a huge pile of yarn!! My SP8 wrote that I could either spin it or knit with it as is (I'd guess by spinning, SP8, that the guy meant I could ply it...it appears to be pretty spun already, but then again, I still know so very little about spinning at this point!). It's a fun color, one that I've never worked with before. I can't wait to think up something fun to knit!

Thank you so much for the always thoughtful gifts, SP8. You are great.

Okay, so still no pictures of the 2 pairs of socks, the new scarf, or the new baby blanket, but those will come soon. I'm working on it!! xoxo

p.s. Also, later today, I'll try to get in that review of Microserfs that I've been meaning to write....

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: The Kite Runner AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

don't call me, i'll call you

A quick update:

I went in to speak with a representative at a Verizon store, and I was told that my contract would not automatically or implicitly be renewed if I kept using my phone. Nor would my phone service be shut off. Basically, I would simply be using my phone on a month-to-month basis, with no contract. They told me also that I shouldn't cancel with them if I wanted to port my old # to another provider (and also that I could port my #, even though it's not a local area code, which is very good news).

Sigh. I'm still convinced that they are going to give me a bad deal. Perhaps they'll charge me an arm & a leg for being in a month-to-month contract, who knows. I am going to try to switch over to another company very, very soon, so that I don't have to worry about this much longer. It's almost been keeping me up, nights. Stupid cell phones. How I wish I could live without one entirely, but as it's my only phone, I don't really have the option.

The shitty part is, I don't even really like to talk on the phone all that much. Which is why I'm aiming more for a phone that I can use the internet on, and perhaps get charged by the minute for actual calls so I don't have to have long phone conversations. I feel bad doing that, but it's much more up my alley. I just am not that good being on the phone. I'd much prefer letters or a face-to-face meetup.

In any case, I figure if the worst happens & I am stuck in another Verizon contract, at least I'll get the $100 credit towards a new phone. It's not like I was dying being on a Verzion plan; I just didn't love their customer service or their sneaky business ways (or their business ways, in general). I know I won't find much better anywhere else, but I'm willing to try, especially if that means I can be on a (cheaper?) "family plan" with Dan.

Anyway, enough phone talk. I will write more later on more interesting stuff, I promise! xoxo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: The Kite Runner AUTHOR: Khaled Hosseini
	TITLE: Signs of Life: Channel Surfing Through 90s Culture AUTHOR: Jennifer Joseph & Lisa Taplin, eds.

c'est dommage

Oh! I wrote this the other day & forgot to post it:


TITLE: Weekend in Paris
AUTHOR: Robyn Sisman
Ah, this book had such potential as a fun romp through Paris. But I had problems with it: such as that it was clearly totally unbelievable that the main character Molly could have simply "brushed up" on some high school French & then help the conversations that she did. Believe me, it is not that easy to speak fluently in French when it's your second language, even after 8 years of semi-serious study! Heh. That suspension-of-disbelief probably normally wouldn't have bothered me, but it really got to me this time because I worked hard studying French & was still barely able to speak passably. Bah.

The book was fun & quick & I dunno cute enough, but I guess I have higher standards for my "chick lit" (as oxymoronish as that sounds...). Clearly the author also felt she had "higher standards" because she kept making sure that the reader knew that her protagonist was a well-educated & literate (and thus strong & independent) woman. I mean I like the ideas, but I felt like she was just trying to shove it down the reader's throat, that a girl can be smart & silly & innocent, and the world can still fall at her feet. Okay, heard that a million times in many of the same ways. The formula for this story was pretty predictable, and it didn't do much to redeem itself in terms of really catchy characters (although I did like the Australian friend).

I do have to admit that I did swoon a bit while reading this book, though, but it wasn't because of the "sexy French hunk" that Molly falls for. It was rather the places they went -- I so miss Paris. I was especially ecstatic to read about their visit to the Rodin Museum -- they sat in the exact same bench as I did, admiring the view facing the back of the building! Okay, okay, so I know, the museum isn't that large, and that bench is probably pretty well known by anyone who visits there, but still. It brought back amazing memories of visiting the museum and pausing to sit alone on the bench and contemplate the grounds as I tried to decide where I would go next (which, I believe, was a failed attempt to locate a film museum near the Eiffel Tower). I especially hold those memories dear because it was me against the Big Bad Foreign City (I spent the day wandering around alone, because Alexei was unfortunately unavailable, and my visit to Robyn in London didn't get to happen), and I felt so much more confident with my ability to get by even after that single day. Upon my return to Nancy (where I was living), I am sure I lost some of that confidence in the day-to-day necessary French interactions, but still. I think it was a notable time, for me.

Okay, I've let this book review devolve into a nostalgia party, so I'll just say this: I don't really recommend it, even to those who do like France (oh & by the way, I'm pretty sure there were some errors with the book's French) & chick lit. It just wasn't really worth the time. Although as a light beach read it might have been fun, because it required very little focus (and had a fun enough story).

I dunno. I could take it or leave it. So, make your own decision! xoxo

Bethany posts via me

Haha okay, so I wanted to mention both of these things, too, but Bethany emailed me the other day to remind me that I should:

1. Anisha's new blog! She talks food, and never fails to make my mouth water. Keep an eye out for good things from her. :)

2. Brian & Karl's new CD! Bethany designed the cover, and I must say it looks absolutely fantastic:


And you didn't even see the inside, yet. (And no, she requested that I mention their music, not plug her design work.) It's a great CD -- very low-key but very together, with a fantastic sound. I look forward to more good things from them, too. And, hopefully they'll come play up here sometime soon! (Eh, Sarah K?)

More soon. Have a good Friday night! xoxo

books

A short note on the books I read:

For all those whom I have borrowed books from, here's the deal: My basic order of operations (which I've decided to stick as much to as I possibly can, as of now) is that I first read books I've borrowed from the library (which are almost always those related to book clubs, because I want to get them done quickly & without spending money). Second, I aim for any books I've borrowed from other people. Third, I read ones I know that others want to borrow from me (even if it's just on PaperBackSwap.com). And lastly, I read those books that I own & really want to get to.

Needless to say, I don't read many from that last category. I've had several really huge volumes (Stephenson's last 2 Baroque Cycle books, Infinite Jest, etc.) on my bookshelf for years; books that I itch to get to, but also want to put off. Ah, it's a continuous battle.

Haha, and I know, I know, I bring it upon myself. I think I need to slow the flow of books for the time being. Dan & I were just commenting on how we only very recently purchased a new bookshelf, and already that one's rapidly overflowing, too.

I read as quickly as I can! Ah, how I wish I were superhuman in that respect. xoxo

can't blog well right now

Hi everyone,
Sorry (especially to my SP8) that I've been terrible about getting pictures up & stuff. I think Verizon isn't charging me until my contract is technically up (the 15th), which I realized also means that I will have to get myself a new camera, either in another phone, or a standalone (gasp!). I haven't had my own camera in years. Mostly because I'm not much of a picture-taker, and I never feel like the little use I would get out of one would justify its purchase. But, now I feel lost without one! I really like having images in my posts.

So, I'll keep y'all updated on that. For now, a bit of a catchup post, again:

Wednesday after work, I finally finally attended the North End stitch n' bitch group!! I had been meaning to do that since last summer, and I'm so glad I went -- I really liked it! I was, however, extremely nervous (meeting one new person at a time makes me anxious enough!), and so I was a bit awkward until I settled in a bit...and, truth be told, I was kinda nervous the entire time, worried that I wasn't liked or wasn't making a good impression. The girls there are great! The group is a lot younger than I'd expected (the spinning group at Mind's Eye regularly welcomed a slightly older demographic), and they were exactly the kind of women I love to hang out with -- crafty, funky, fun. I would like to return again next week; we'll see if I get up the nerve. :)

In other knitting news, I finished up Dan's socks & am almost done with one of a pair for my father. (Oh, how I wish I could post pictures...!)

Thursday evening, Jess came over & we went out for Ernesto's pizza & then came back here to watch Memento, which was awesome. I have had that movie on my to-watch list forever, and even after such a long wait it did not disappoint. I was even quick enough to catch a point that Jess said she hadn't even noticed the first time she'd watched! (And, as a bonus, the guy who plays Teddy also voiced the penguin in Olive, the Other Reindeer, which is a fantastic holiday movie.) I'm so glad I got to finally hang out with Jess again and watch the movie. Awesome.

This weekend is Dan's & my 2nd anniversary (of dating). We're not quite sure what we have planned yet, but I'm sure I'll fill you in on details maybe early next week.

Hopefully by then, I'll also have a camera. Hmpf.

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Microserfs AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland

i won!

I am one of those people who never wins anything (in comparison to my sister's fiance, who wins everything), but yesterday was my lucky day. Instead of meeting Christine for coffee, we decided instead to meet up after work and head over to Newbury Street to run some errands. I managed to get a post office run in before I met her without being too late, and then we hopped on the train to the Arlington stop. Since Christine had a gift certificate for La Perla, we went there first, but spent very little time in there after finding the bras priced at $400+. Oy.

We next headed to a spa so she could pick up a gift certificate, and then met Danny on his way home from work, so the 3 of us wandered around a bit, rather aimlessly. We found ourselves at one point outside of Lush (I just love their fizzy bath products, even though I don't have a bathtub...), and when we were inside, we were each handed a raffle ticket for a little drawing they were doing right then. And they pulled my ticket! It was quite exciting, especially because what I won was actually "shower jelly", which the saleslady told me was fantastic on a hot day, if you store it in the freezer. Mmm. It's already there.

Otherwise that night, Dan & I ate a quick meal at Boloco, and then went home & watched Old School (Dan had never seen it & I insisted he did). I worked several more rows on Dan's socks and took a shower, and then it was time for bed. A very pleasant evening, all in all.

p.s. The SP8 pictures are coming soon, I promise! I can't wait to share the fun with everyone. :) I just am waiting for my cell phone bill to roll over to the next monthly cycle, so I don't overdo my picture-messaging limit & get charged an arm & a leg! Arg.

p.p.s. I'm terrified that Verizon isn't going to let me out of my contract that should be up mid-August, but we shall see. I need to go talk to a store to talk to someone in person, I do believe.

p.p.p.s. My parents are back from their trip to China! I will definitely have more to say on that soon. Welcome back, Mom & Dad! Glad to have you back stateside, safe & sound. xo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Microserfs AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland
	TITLE: Weekend in Paris AUTHOR: Robyn Sisman

some knitting

Now that I've given it to her, I can finally post the bag that I knitted for Tanya:


The reason I remembered it is that today I am sending out the black version of it to my friend Robyn, because I've been promising her a bag for years now. Yay!

I have other knitting things to post -- like 1.5 of Danny's camo socks! -- but again, the pictures thing can't happen today. Tomorrow, if at all possible, I promise!!

I just hope I don't eat all the candy that my SP8 mailed me before I get some photos in... :)

sigh

Due to an unexpected problem coming up at work at the last minute, I didn't get to attend the BKO meeting or run any of the errands I had wanted to. Oh, well. At least hopefully I can get the latter done this afternoon, instead. And maybe I'll run some of my errands while or after I'm having coffee with Christine.

I thought I had more to say, but I guess I don't at this point. More later. xo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Microserfs AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland

miss fortune

TITLE: Misfortune
AUTHOR: Wesley Stace
Wow -- it's late & I just finished reading, so I'm ready for bed, but I wanted to make a quick note about this book -- it's very good. I don't read as much Victorian-era (if that's the correct time period) fiction as I should, but I usually do enjoy it when I finally get around to it. This one was no exception, despite that it was published in 2005. What a novel concept (no pun intended) -- when the girls of the NYMBC first explained the basic plot at our last meeting, I was thoroughly intrigued, and eager to start reading. In fear that I will reveal too much, I won't say much more beyond that it is the story of a man who is raised as a woman in the time of lords & ladies & English aristocracy. It's a unique idea, and it works really well. Stace (also known as the musician John Wesley Harding) is a fantastic writer, and he weaves his tale completely believably. He seems to entirely understand the conflict & emotion that all his characters go through, even though in truth, that must be impossible.

I fear that I am rambling uselessly at this point, unfortunately, so I am going to get to bed. I would recommend this book to anyone, particularly those who generally enjoy a good Bronte novel -- but even to those who don't. I think it's a book with real resonance, and such a good story to tell.

Don't let the 500+ pages scare you off. They really do fly by.

Goodnight! xo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Microserfs AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland

several days

Friday: I worked late into the evening, trying to get my two work computers to talk to each other. I was almost literally banging my head against the wall in frustration. Thankfully, Sarah K called at midnight as expected, and she, Karl, Dan, & I all headed over to the People's Republik for a drink & to meet up with Karen. (Of course, we all called Tanya together to wish her a happy birthday around midnight!! 8-5/5-8!) It was a late night (3ish) & we were all wicked exhausted by the time we all got back (sans Karen) to our apartment. I quickly made up the futon for our guests, and we all fell asleep immediately.

Saturday: I got up at 7:15 in order to meet my sister to go Haymarketing. I know, I know, insane (less than 4 hours of sleep!), but we really both wanted to beat the crowds there. Which we did, and picked up some good vegetables in the process. I enjoy that occasional-Saturday-morning ritual with Bethany.

After I returned home, I realized I wasn't all that sleepy, so I spent a few more hours barricaded in the office, trying to figure out the computer problem. Still no luck, so around 10 o'clock, I found Sarah & Karl all ready to go (they were such great guests -- they tidied up after themselves!), and the 3 of us headed over to pick up their car from the lot they'd parked in the night before.

Of course, it couldn't all go smoothly, either -- not with me involved! :) Karl tried to clear a space for his music equipment in the trunk, and unfortunately closed the keys in! So AAA was called, and we hiked over to Theo's to get some takeout for breakfast, as we were all starving. Thankfully, the adventure didn't last long -- by the time the food was ready, the car was unlocked! Hurray! Sarah & Karl drove off to do some Boston things, and I went back home to try to get some more work done.

The day sped by, because before I knew it (perhaps that midday nap helped hurry things along), it was time for me to head over to Sue's to help her with the Raging Grannies banner. That went somewhat successfully (I'm never 100% happy with my own work), and then it was time to rush back to the apartment to pick some stuff up before Dan & I boarded the 7:30 train to Waltham. Kevin (Bethany's fiance) picked us up from the station, and the 4 of us spent the evening eating dinner & watching Venom (a movie I'd never watch (it's a horror flick), except that Bethany's and my high school friend, Pawel, is in it).

Sunday: This was the most exciting day, at least in terms of blogland! :) I was barreling through the Prado on my way to pick some things up at CVS, and lo and behold, someone called my name! I was so shocked I was kind of lost for a second, and then I recognized none other than Christine (and her "boyfriend/partner/whatnot", I believe) sitting on a bench near the fountain. Yay! We finally got to meet in person. We chatted for a bit, and she seems very nice. I am so glad we finally ran into each other. Hopefully this'll be my impetus to finally attend the North End SnB this week, too....

The rest of the day wasn't nearly as novel; I spent most of it reading/napping, and waiting for Karen to call me back about going to see Scoop, although she never did! (Hopefully we can still go see it sometime soon, eh, K?) Last night, Danny & I went out & bought like 7 varieties of cheese & had ourselves a cheese-platter dinner, yum.

Monday: Nothing much to report on yet today, except for the fact that I realized how stupid I've been about my work computers -- I totally forgot that I have a jump drive that I can just copy files onto, from one computer to the other. D'oh. I feel so incredibly stupid. Sigh.

In better news (although that was pretty good news, too, in its own way!), I received a package from my awesome SP8!! I got a few pictures but I can't get any of them off my phone until tomorrow (I've already used up my photo-messaging limit for this billing cycle, which fortunately ends tomorrow!). So, I promise a really fun photo-post tomorrow! :) And thanks, SP8!!

For now, I have lots of work to get done, so I should probably go do that.

Tonight, I have a Boston Knit Out meeting at Borders (check out that website; I've been doing the content updates!).

More later. xo

Currently Reading:
	TITLE: Microserfs AUTHOR: Douglas Coupland
	TITLE: Misfortune AUTHOR: Wesley Stace