Day 230

I'm being so social these days I barely recognize myself. My circle is expanding, slowly but surely. And I don't hate it either. I even helped blow up balloons today for the Halloween office party. I think they think I'm a (gasp) team player. Could be worse. 

Day 229

My head is full of stuff I do not understand.

Day 228

Tacos and foreigners for dinner. Yum.

Nice way to follow up a company-wide meeting with our 30-something, headset clad CEO to inform us that he sold the company he started (and I just joined) at 21 for $350 million to some even bigger mega e-commerce retail company. And that things "weren't going to change". 

Oh Corporate America, you so crazy!

Day 227

Went to see Federico Aubele open up for Thievery Corporation. WOW.

Day 226

I want to see Where The Wild Things Are Again.

Carol: It's going to be a place where only the things you want to happen, would happen.
Max: We could totally build a place like that!

Day 225

Rainy day. Good company. Homemade pasta. Where The Wild Things Are. Tons of wind. Tons more rain. The Christmas tree bar. Martinis. Conversation. Sleepover!

     

                                          

Day 224

I like today. A lot. I left work an hour early after chatting online and reading nyt.com all day. Then I went to work at the wine shop stopping at the Salumeria to pick up semolina flour so I can make fresh pasta tomorrow. Fresh pasta that I learned how to make in Chianti last month. Came home with two new bottles of wine. One, an orange wine, a cutting edge new style of wine that's really just an old style enjoying a comeback. A white wine made in the style of a red. It's weird. But good! It started to sprinkle just as I was walking home, down my tree-lined street in to my Cosby Show-esque apartment. And I just felt really satisfied. 

About 5 years ago, I was watching a special about Boston on the travel channel, specifically the North End. I remember thinking how charming it looked and hoped that one day I'd escape the suburbs of Detroit and live in a little Italian neighborhood with little markets and cafes and I'd know people names. And they'd know mine. 

I have the life I've always wanted. Of course 5 years later, I have new dreams and am curious about new places and careers etc etc. But right isn't so bad. Not at all. 

 

Day 223

An oasis of horror in a desert of boredom. I've been there before. This morning actually.

("W" Magazine)

Day 222

Sometimes I'm so busy thinking my job is stoopid that I forget how much it doesn't suck. Had some free-time at work today so I was able to finish re-writing a friend's resume. He is a financial auditor. DO YOU KNOW WHAT AUDITORS HAVE TO DO??? I got both bored and confused just reading his resume. Holy color coded excel documents and pie charts. Not cool. 

Today I'm thankful I am not an auditor. 

Day 221

A light at the end of the tunnel. Today, in the tunnel, I smile and nodded a lot. And reminded myself that none of it really mattered, so just do what they say. Talk in a phone voice to upper-management when necessary. Pretend to share their enthusiasm. Agree (lie) that you will help with Halloween decorations. Gchat to pass the time. Roll my eyes every now and then. Bite my tongue. Leave at 4:59:59. 

Day 220

Can't stop making music videos.

Day 219

Dear Brian, 

If these fools can do it, SO CAN WE.

Herbs & Spices,

Stephanie

Day 218

Working on wine shop stuff. Watching movies. Eating PB+J. Forcing myself to continue to write on this thing every day even though I have a job(s) and even if I have nothing remotely interesting to report. Because it makes me think about my job sitch. And reminds me not to get comfortable. I don't like being comfortable. I like being excited. Which means I need to find ways to escape 9-5 before it sucks the momentum from me. 

Day 217

We are all going to die. 

Simon, thanks for the heads up. Another fantastic project from one of my favorite photographers. 

Day 216

Somebody at the wine shop asked me what I do for a living besides the wine shop. I do not like this question. 

Day 215

I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. I'm not going to get sick. 

Day 214

Exactly 7 months later, and after putting it off for as long as possible, I'm officially employed. I have a "real" job again. But if loving having 2 or 3 or 6 unrelated jobs instead of one is wrong, I don't wanna be right. Variety really is the spice of life. For me at least. So the "real" job is temporary. 

I promise. 

Day 213

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Surprised my mom with a day trip to New York City.

She is the only person on earth I would ride a double decker tour bus for. She told me she had the best time of her whole life.

Day 212

The Julies breakfasting.

The Julies posing on Commonwealth Avenue.

The Julies takin' the Orange Line.

The Julies munching.

The Julies stoopin'. 

Double the Julie. Double the fun.

Day 211

The Julies are here! The Julies are here! I've been shopping and cooking ALL day. My mom's turn to Vivir Bien. And my last weekend of technical unemployment. The best job title I've ever had. 

Day 210

Bartending school. Check!

Passed my written AND drink drill. I'm ready to judge bartenders on things other than their shitty personalities. And order things like sidecars and grand golden margaritas. And moonlight at some swanky hotel bar that caters to olive-skinned international travelers (and EXTRA awesome renegade whities like Jen + Brandon, bien sur). 

Topped off my Friday with a tasting at the wineshop. Took some footage for the upcoming music videos I will make for the wine shop's web site. I can't stop. Although iMovie will be the death of me. 

Day 209

Being a producaaaa is my new favorite job. And Facebook and YouTube are cramping my style BIG TIME. Got a notice from Facebook this AM informing me that they deleted the video I made of my friend's wedding because the song was a copyright infringement. A video YouTube wouldn't even let me upload for the same reason. That is total horseshit as my Uncle Charlie would say. What's next? Am I not going to be allowed to play the songs in my own apartment in case my neighbors can hear it without penalty! Fuck. It's a HOME MOVIE for crying outloud. My memories require fresh lyrics and sweet beats and low maintenance mass distribution. End of story. 

Day 208

10 counts vodka
2 counts olive juice
Stir
Pour
Garnish

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Day 207

Thank God for movies.

Day 206

Things I learned at bartending school today:

To 'Flag a drink' means to garnish with a cherry AND orange.

Fizz means 7-up.

Fuzz means peach.

Pres means ginger ale and soda.

SoCo is not a whisky, it's a liqueur.

Rum was spread by pirates.

Light liquors love lime

Anything with ice gets a straw

Always grab bottles by the neck.

Never touch glasses 'above the equator'.

I want to go to Ireland really bad. Like now.

Day 205

Since I'm about to come out of early retirement, I've been trying not to exert myself by you know, putting on clothes or something stoopid like that. But I needed toilet paper. So I had to miss the last half of When Harry Met Sally (good thing it's on again at 9!) to run to the market. 

The guy in front of me must have been an early retiree also. Only a giant bottle of Jack Daniels and peanut M&Ms for him. Maybe he has yet to discover how much retirement RULES. Or maybe he wasn't laid off at all and he is just an alchy with sweet tooth. 

Day 204

Flip Camera, have I told you lately that I love you?

Day 203

Unpacking and finding incomprehensible notes, tiny pieces of papers with email addresses and tons of business cards. Including one from the Kiwi Farmers!

Of my favorite people we met on the trip are the organic kiwi farmers from New Zealand. They used to be teachers. Then it stopped being fun and they got tired of dealing with all the BS. So they quit and bought a kiwi farm. Did they know how farm kiwis? No. Did they know how to farm anything? No. Did they know about pollination/harvesting/farming organically? No, no and no. They asked a lot of questions and made a few mistakes here and there and figured it out. They do everything together and they get a kick out of it. And they bounce around Europe on their down time.

What.

Oh and they told us about some program called something I don't remember where you go live on a kiwi (or whatever) farm for a couple days, pick for 4 hours in exchange for room and board, then just hang out and sightseeeee. Hmmmmmmmm....

Just kidding. Maybe.

Day 202

One word. DETOX.

While browsing Trader Joes for things with no sodium or preservatives or taste, I talked on the phone. Loudly. I can't help it, my voice carries. On my way to the check out, an older employee stopped me (at first I thought to cuss me out for being super annoying) because he heard me mention Barcelona. He told me he was leaving for Spain tonight and got so excited when he heard me mention it. He and his wife are taking off for 3 weeks and renting a house in some city in the north of Spain. Last year the rented a villa south of Florence. The year before that they rented a place in Burgundy. Wait, it gets better.

He said this trip was kind of fluke, planned last minute. About 9 months ago, they were in Venice and he was so inspired, he started painting. So he booked the Spain trip because he just wanted to paint again.

It gets mo' better. On December 5th, he's already arranged for an exhibition of his paintings at a cafe in the South End.

He had never touched a paint brush before his trip to Venice. He. Works. At. Trader. Joe's.

HOW COOL!