Semi-Anniversary

Jason and I have been together for six months now. We went out a few times before being more affectionate than a good-night peck on the cheek, so an actual anniversary date isn't really defined. No matter. This isn't high school where people get monogrammed mirror keychains and celebrate every month and all that crap.

This is the longest, most substantive relationship I've ever been in. It's a little scary, but at the same time, I really like Jason and am happy we have been doing so well for this long.

At the minimum, I still have no homicidal tendencies. To the best of my knowledge, he hasn't cheated, telepathically broken up with me, tried to kill me, talked smack behind my back, or otherwise pissed me off. But there's more to it. I look forward to spending time with him. He's a good kisser. We have similar views on finances and values, and we can talk about everything from books to bars. On the flip side, I think he appreciates, among other things, my lack of psychological disorders and academic issues. I think our only major difference is that, to quote Sarah Silverman, he is one of the Chosen People, and I believe Jesus is magic. I am not gushing because he is going to read this. Smooches, hun :).

So far I have been to the gym every day this week and while not hardcore SouthBeach-ing, am trying to behave. Last night I had a moment of weakness licking the bowl after making brownies for my building's super and custodians. But there is a glimmer of hope. While not quite comfortable, my favorite jeans do not feel like sausage casing anymore. Hooray for progress!

Please Put Me Down

Just finished reading Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. Although it made the NYTimes 100 Notable Books of 2005, I thought it dragged out too long. It should not take an entire chapter to describe a conversation. This is not to mention the underlying concept of the book, children who are cloned from society's outcasts solely to donate their organs.

I much preferred On Beauty by Zadie Smith, and the NYT placed this on the Top Fiction of the Year. While it overwrought some cliches on African-Americans, the familial dynamics and issues they confront in the multi-racial marriage really hit head-on. This was worth the $2.25 in overdue fees that I incurred at the Forest Hills branch for returning a 7-Day book a week late.

Thigh Anxiety

As I get older, I'm starting to hate the holidays. The materialism and over-hyped commercialism is one thing, but I am very good at getting shopping done - this year I got about 75% of it done in London. What is freaking me out is the incessant feasting, and the subsequent effects on my lower body girth. Here is the schedule so far:

Thursday: dinner at Tiro a Segno with Auntie Nancy and Uncle Michele

Friday: dinner at an Italian restaurant with Cathy and Laura

Saturday: Christmas Eve - sleep with the fishese in my stomach

Sunday: food food food at ny Aunt Judy's house

I feel my upper thighs expanding just thinking about this. Starting New Years, I think I will be going South-Beach vegan or something.

KCMO ho

I have been pleasantly surprised by Kansas City. Really, I didn't know what to expect. Granted it's a city, but it's in the middle of the Midwest, in red-state country. I wasn't sure how they would react to a Yankee like me. It's actually been a lot of fun these past few days. Almost won a hundred bucks playing Hold 'Em until I lost my chips after rebuy passed going all in and getting beat by a higher pair.

Things I like about Kansas City so far:

• co-workers are really nice and fun to hang out with
• more frequent flier miles
• Culver's ButterBurgers
• Diet Cherry Limeade at Sonic - they advertise in New York but there are none north of the Mason-Dixon line. I went back at 10:30 to get another one, although I may not be able to finish it
• barbecue - Jack Stack's baked beans especially kicked ass
• the Plaza buildings decorated with lights look like gingerbread houses - tres cute

Things that piss me off:

• driving to work - there will be no transit strike here because there is no transit
• 6:30am flights on Friday mornings - OUCH!
• 1 hour time difference is really throwing me off with meetings
• not being in the Big Room back in DC to browbeat my coworkers on recycling soda bottles instead of playing trash basketball with them
• missing the account Christmas party in Washington and my department's Christmas party back home

Crusade for Christmas anyone?

This whole "Take Back Christmas movement" is very odd, almost farcical. I'm somewhat torn about the whole debate - while I like to be inclusive to non-Christians or those that don't celebrate Christmas, there's nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah (however the f you spell it) or Kwanzaa or the Winter Solstice or Festivus or the New Year or any holiday in general. When did everyone get so sensitive about wishing someone a good holiday by its name? Holidays are good things. They make people happy, and they usually mean time off from work. We should encourage people to be festive, and we shouldn't be ashamed to say "Merry Christmas", "Happy New Year", "Good Festivus", etc.

On the flipside, why are people wasting time and money suing and threatening lawsuits and all this junk? Doesn't anyone have better use of their time, say for fighting hunger or doing things that would really make Jesus proud? There was a great editorial in the NYTimes about this over the weekend. Too bad you have to pay to read it now...

Somebodies vs. Nobodies

I got a copy of Somebodies and Nobodies free from BookCrossing. While it has some good ideas and I related to some of the personal anecdotes, it's about 50 or 75 pages too long and gets a bit repetitive. Moreover, I doubt people with power will have an epiphany and stop treating their underlings like sh*t; it's too much fun sometimes to watch people suffer. I would bet money that employee satisfaction would go up if every senior manager in my company read it and actually took some of the ideas to heart.

Speaking of books, Reprint Bookstore in DC is closing after fifty years. Damn shame, since everything else in L'Enfant Plaza, including 70% of the lunch options near my office, are shutting down as well to make way for a children's museum. However, the entire inventory is marked down at least 20%, and sales are fun :).