So I suppose from my lengthy and uncharacteristic silence you might infer one of two things: either my summer is going terribly ridiculously insanely awesomely well, or it’s a disaster and I’m under a rock crying in self-pity and frustration, too embarrassed to update the blog.
Well, let me assure you — the reason is totally the former. I’m actually not sure how this summer could be going much better (well, no, I am – but more on that in a moment).
I knew it was going to be great pretty much from the instant I got here. In my first week back in the States, I got to enjoy a surprise visit from Diana (surprise to both of us, actually — sneaky Jason!!), go to a FREE production of Hamlet in Central Park with Clarke, Megan, Will, and a buddy of Clarke’s, go to the MoMA, take the little boys to a pub in the Village to watch the Eurocup final, and spend a LOT of time hanging with the family. Not a bad way to start a summer, right?
In the following week, I started my Awesome Summer Job. Which is really all I could *sort of* complain about, actually. Because it’s… well… in a word? Boring. Really really really boring. And not that awesome at all. However, to be fair, it’s really the name on the resume that matters, right? And furthermore, after a WHOLE year of identity crises, frustration, an acute case of square-peg-round-hole syndrome, and general ebbs and flows of school-related misery – I have to say, it’s kind of okay. I finish my 10- or 11-hour work days with plenty of mental energy, and the job causes me exactly ZERO stress. Really, none at all. So that’s not so bad. And, er, they’re compensating me rather handsomely to be, you know, mostly bored, soooo… Yeah, like I said, it’s annoying, but I really shouldn’t complain.
I will now, in bullet form, give a quick overview of the many things that have been making my summer so very kickass (in no particular order):
– Family!! One of the hardest things about living abroad is the distance from the family, so I have been soaking up as much family time as I can — and it’s been AWESOME. Mary and Doug are some of the coolest folks I know, and it’s a total bonus that we just happen to be related and I get to spend the summer with them. And the kids? Man, don’t get me started. Let me just say that they all rock and are becoming very impressive human beings, and I am totally enjoying our time together.
– 4th of July weekend in Boston — catching up with Laura and Sean, Becky and Ben, the crowd at the JJ, brunch with Lauren and Tom — all awesome stuff.
– Charlie Chaplin shorts in Prospect Park for Jason’s birthday — picnic in the park with beer, Charlie Chaplin, great friends, and a live orchestra? For $3? Are you kidding?
– Dark Star Orchestra concert on Governor’s Island with Doug and some of his work colleagues (Dark Star is a Grateful Dead cover band, so I was apprehensive, but MAN, was it a fun show!!).
– 4-mile run with Megan, Annie B (18-year-old cousin who was here to babysit for the boys in July), Will, Doug, and a friend of Megan’s in Central Park (yes, folks, I ran — well, more walked than ran, but still! — a 4 mile race!!), followed by brunch at the Boat House and a trip to the Met. It was easily one of my favorite days this summer.
– Dating — it’s just not happening right now. I had a few half-attempts at dates, only to realize that I just can’t be bothered to make romance any kind of priority at the moment. Which I consider a personal triumph.
– LA for J&L’s wedding! Highlights from CA: finally getting to the (beautiful!!) Getty to see where my awesome aunt Annie spends so much of her life; lunch with Scotty H — hadn’t seen him in YEARS, and still love him to death just as much!; dinner with Guille in Newport (his wedding is in PR in two weeks, and we KNOW that’s going straight to the list of summer highlights!!); pre-wedding bonding time with Jen; protein shakes and killer talks with Annie every morning; dancing with Casey at the wedding (BIG moves!!); the wedding itself, obviously — J&L really know how to throw a party!!; real mexican food!; bowling with Annie and Martin and the folks who live in their building. Anyway, the list goes on, but it was a very busy week!!
– Movies! It’s been a great summer for movie-watching — both at home and in theaters. It’s just nice to have the free time to do that, I guess.
– Beer!! I’ve made a few dangerous discoveries in Brooklyn that have led to some rather expensive but CRAZY delicious beer drinking. The Beer Table in Park Slope might be my new favorite bar ever. If only they had beer for less than $14… Siiiiigh…
– Food!! Much like the above entry, I’ll say that this city offers WAY too much wonderful, though expensive, cuisine. But damn! I’ve been eating well. And of course, we know that my uncle is pretty effing awesome in the kitchen, so it would be innacurate to say that all of those excellent meals have taken place outside of the house. Probably more like half, actually.
– Grad school friends! Megan lived just 2.3 miles away (really — she made me clock it in the car) so we spent a good amount of time together, and it was GREAT! Also: Christopher (my hermanito from school!) came for a whole week. We managed to catch a Broadway show (39 Steps — out of control hilarity!!), drink a beer on a lawn in Central Park, eat some fabulous meals, visit with friends, and just generally enjoy the city.
– Laura in Brooklyn! She actually just left about an hour ago, but we had a GREAT weekend, and I got a chance to show off almost everything that I am loveloveloving about Brooklyn.
So that brings us to now. Mary and Doug and the kids have all been in CA and get back tomorrow, and I can’t wait! I’ve missed those guys! And then I’ll have just about a month before the next adventure begins. Of course, before the Big South African Adventure starts, I can look forward to a trip to Puerto Rico, hopefully another weekend in Boston, a week or so in CA (Summer’s wedding!), and lots of other New York wonders.
So: apologies for the long silence! But I’ve been busy enjoying my awesome summer. Seriously, this might just be my best summer ever. F’real.
