Weird. I actually miss my blog, the music on it, the photos on it. And of course all the pals I have here. Too bad I have so little time for blogging these days. I am working full-time (plus) and teaching two classes at a local college (twice a week) and trying to do renovations on the new place. So: a lot on my plate right now!
Summer's here. Woo hoo. It's been warm and humid and perfect since I know in a month it'll be over (most likely).
Been reading (in snippets when I can squeeze in 10 pages or so on the subway to the school across town where I've been teaching) Jane Bowles' Two Serious Ladies which is excellent. Married to one of my favorite writers, Paul Bowles, Jane Bowles wrote very little in her lifetime (she ended up dying in a hospice in the Spanish countryside after suffering a series of strokes at a very young age). But what she did write (a novel or two, a handful of short stories) is so funny: I actually laugh outloud on the subway in the mornings...it's rare a novel that can make me laugh so hard.
Sleeping well because I am so worn out after these long days, but I've been watching Ken Burns' 10 part documentary series on the Civil War. Loving it though I can usually only catch about 20 minutes each night before I fall asleep. I bought the DVDs in China when I was there a few weeks ago and it was so well worth it. At this rate, it'll take me six months to watch the entire series.
Those are paltry distractions, but at least it's something. Hardly even going out these days, though we did have dinner with friends on Saturday and drinks with some others on Sunday. But that's it. Wondering how long this busy period will last (been going strong for a year now) and what I will do when it's over...
It's been interesting having Carrie's dog for the past week. Though we've watched him for a few days here and there before, in all honesty, Masa was the one who did everything. But now, between his French class in the mornings, working a few nights a week at a Japanese restaurant around the corner AND heading up our renovations, I have been left with dog duty almost completely.
hmm. what's this? oh i think i'll smell it. now i'll pee on it.
hmm. what's this? oh i think i'll smell it. now i'll pee on it.
It's 12.15am and I've been at it since 7 this morning (after staying up late reading about electricity until 1am last night) ...but amazing how much one can get squeezed into a day. We took down the drop ceiling in the dining room and bought paint and tools and then I came home and worked for 10 hours (at my JOB!). In the middle there, I went shopping, cooked dinner, took Masa a snack (he worked all day at the new place) and walked the dog twice (we are watching him while Carrie is in France).
Woke up this morning and took a long walk before my crazy hectic day of work and meetings...
Some pics:
What the hell?
So I'd heard about this show In Treatment (we don't have HBO here) but I never had the chance to watch until I was on the plane back from Shanghai this weekend. I really liked it. They had four episodes there and I had to watch all four once I started. Great show!
The acting is good, the writing is interesting, and the characters are compelling.
The premise/set up is unusual: each day of the week (it plays M-F) is a 30 minutes episode featuring one person's therapy session. So Thursdays is always the angry couple in love on the verge of divorce, etc. Fridays is always Dr Weston's own therapy session with his therapist (played by Dianne Wiest).
It sounds like it could be dull or self-indulgent. I mean nothing happens really except people sitting around talking about their problems. But it's very entertaining...
I really want to run out and by the entire series on DVD but damn $40 seem like an unnecessary luxury right now.
And we can't watch HBO stuff in iTunes Canada.
Grrrr....
It's official. I'm a homeowner. This afternoon I wrote a big check, signed a stack of papers and shook many hands.
to be broke! Really broke. Maybe in a way I haven't been since my mid-20s (you know that kind of broke that payday's on Wednesday and on Monday you have $4 to your name).
Three weeks away is tough. That last 50 minute flight from Toronto to Montreal turned into high drama because of a thunderstorm over Montreal: we circled Ottawa for like 3 hours, finally landing when we started running out of fuel. We then sat on the tarmac for another 90 minutes and then once we got word that the weather had cleared, we were up and in the air again.
It was a really fun evening. Everyone was charming and friendly. Maybe I just truly don't understand how co-workers are supposed to interact at work anymore.
We went to a beautiful place called LAN Shanghai, just a block from the river, an amazing view of Pudong from the terrace. Sparkling skyscrapers, icy mojitos, river barges zonking their horns, Grace Jones (?) videos on the screen.
It was too hot and humid to be outside, but it was still great: chatted with people from work and we actually DIDN'T talk (only) about work. We talked about the Italian countryside, REM, Athens, Georgia, studying foreign languages, crime in South Africa, French wine, African politics, models, Clive Owen (he had been at the club the night before and the maitre'd was telling us stories), Quincy Jones, bad suits, Michael Jackson, pizza, the Indigo Girls, winter in Shanghai, summer in Montreal, Kent, Cornwall, etc. etc.
Afterwards, my boss and I walked back up through the old town, dodging construction (new subway lines) and buses. She spent half the time trying to convince me to move back. That's so nice! Honestly! To feel like your work is valued.
And for a second I imagine it, or try to.
But right now, no. Right now, my mind is not here.
Who knows down the road.
One thing: my horrible hangover was gone the instant we stepped out of the office at 6pm....
:)
