List #231: Thankful

When I lived in Greece many years ago, I asked my students what they thought Thanksgiving was about in America. They told me it was America's way to practice for Christmas.

The holiday homesickness was settling in around that time. I would not be returning home for Christmas and knowing that all of my loved ones were busy doing American things was sad. So I got my friends together and we had a Thanksgiving party in biggest apartment. We bought chicken breasts, I cooked some type of couscous dish, we had green beans (maybe), and corn, and wine. Someone brought Ferrer Roche and it was warm enough for us to be able to drink on the balcony.  Actually, I think it was really starting to get cold that night, but we went out on the balcony anyway.

That year I was thankful for Greek beaches, Vodophone, retzina, new friends, weekends off, and family and friends who wrote me emails, chatted with me on AOL Instant Messenger, and supported my adventure. Often when I think about that time now, I can't believe I actually did it. It seems so far away, so much a part of life that was almost like a movie. I was watching it all unfold, experiencing the plot twists, but the fine details seem blurry now like I almost didn't touch them at all.

Lots of things have happened since the year I tried to share American tradition with the Brits, the French, and the Greek. And there is so much more for which to be thankful:

• Family. Who make me laugh, always support my decisions, and cheer on new directions.
• Friends. Who feel like family.
• The boyfriend. Who makes me laugh, is so kind and considerate, and who likes to read in bed too.
• A baby. Who is nothing but giggles and smiles.
• My job. That is fulfilling and thrilling and different every day.
• Radley Cat. Who is so ridiculous that his favorite toys are coffee stirs and bottle brushes.
• A warm house. With bright windows and a big couch. 
• Great coworkers. Who are good teammates and often friends. 
• Books. Because I appreciate the freedom to read and learn.

And, a whole bunch of small things that kind of sound like a list that could be written at preschool storytime:

• lip gloss, a fixed desk chair, conditioner, gloves, scented candles, Chinese takeout, tights, flowers, Coca-cola, tea, board games, dresses, the Sunday paper, and purses.

Happiest of Thanksgivings to you. 

List #230: Cha-Cha-Changes...of the address variety

This weekend I did this.

I own many pairs of shoes and assorted children's toys.

So as of right now, my apartment looks something like this.

We found 1 bent knitting needle, a lone purple crayon, dusty lightbulbs, a lot of sunscreen, and eventually the matching knitting needle. Also bent. And found in a different closet. 

Related: The boyfriend is a very patient man. 

When I moved into my apartment nearly two years ago, I assumed that any man I date would have the lesser abode. I thought my mediocre apartment with a retro farmhouse sink and really ugly carpet would win out because it was spacious and warm and didn't include roommates and wasn't a place for hoarders. Based on some of my previous experience, this assumption was not farfetched. 

However, that assumption turned out to be wrong. And now I am moving in with the boyfriend. 

The space will be tiny-ish, the neighborhood convenient but not permanent, our neighbors younger than us. It will be filled with too many clothes, lots of bottles, tea mugs on the coffee table, and bottles of water under bedside lamps. But we're making it ours. 

And in doing so, many things have happened:

• We've been to Ikea twice in one day.
• The cat has lived here for three weeks.
• Three closets have been emptied.
• We've wondered if someone is randomly shaving in my bathroom.
• New keys have been made.
• A cat escaped his carrier.
• An ongoing battle of stray litter has begun.
• A kitchen has been painted.
• Tile has been selected and purchased.
• Shelves await installation.
• Brownies have been baked.
• The house has been taken over by pine-scented soaps and candles.
• Laundry has been forgotten.
• One Hallmark movie has been watched.
• The New York Times has been delivered. 
• Parents have brunched.
• And so many other things.

But somewhere along the way, my apartment started to feel like a storage place and not my home. My bed became the one that didn't provide a restful night's sleep. And the better shampoo was found in his shower, not mine. 

There is still more time before the keys to my place get turned over to the landlord. In fact, I'll still have the apartment for a few more months. But all of my clothes are gone and the rest of its contents is slowly being emptied. 

I'm getting used to calling this place home. The boyfriend seems to like having me here. And Radley is making himself comfortable.

List #229: Things I Shouldn't Tell Anyone (And a Few Things Everyone Should Know)

• I find myself watching Toddlers & Tiaras more often than one should.
• I have no idea what the fox says.
• I miss my bubbie when I sleep at the boyfriend's.
• Blue cheese makes me throw up in my mouth.
• Sometimes I'll wear my tights twice before washing them.
• I have no problem eating a stray peanut M&M from the bottom of my purse.
• I've been reading a monthly horoscope for years.
• I'm really glad that Halloween is over.
• I haven't listened to Christmas music yet (and I won't) but I really really want to.
• I've lost the guts to wear colorful tights.
• Sometimes I forget to turn out lights.
• I should learn to cook more things.
• I think Modern Family is overrated.
• I often find myself singing the theme song to Full House in the shower. 
• I still love being a librarian.
• I still love making out.
• I don't like dessert wine.
• I've never had Mad Mex's Gobblerito.
• Tights are always better than pants.
• I will never say no to nachos.
• I snore.
• I have only watched episode of SNL this season. 
• I've fallen asleep before 9:00 pm on a Saturday night. Recently.

Guest Post #5: The Time I Forgot About Alex

I'm starting this post with an apology. An apology to my dear blogging friend Alex over at Everybody Loves You. See, Alex is one of those super cool bloggers who never lets his readers down. He blogs regularly, he's funny, he organizes cross-blogging activities for other Pittsburgh bloggers, he's in a blogging fantasty football league (well, we both do that), he's really good at yoga, he's back in school earning another degree, and he has a baby son. He posts a lot of Instagram photos of that baby son and I will admit, he's a pretty cute baby.

And I have no idea how Alex manages to do all of this at any given time.

See, back in June I asked Alex to guest blog for me. And he did. And then my computer died and my blogging abilities started to suffer. I met a man and fell in love, and I started to question all of the things I really wanted to share here.

Oh, and a little baby burst onto the scene too. Don't worry, I didn't give birth and not tell anyone. And I'm not a celebrity who orchestrates adoptions behind the scenes. It's just that my very tall, dark, and handsome boyfriend is also a dad. A pretty awesome and amazing Dad too. Chances are if you know me well, you might know a good amount about this part of my life. But the fact that my life just kind of popped in a little baby is kind of unbelievable at times. You might have a hard time believing it, because frankly, sometimes I still have a hard time believing it.

But the fact that Alex can blog, dress himself, listen to Drake, tweet funny things, work, be a husband, and a father, and not drop the ball on anything is a wonderment to me. Especially considering I couldn't even manage to get his guest post up in a reasonable amount of time.

Alex is doing it right, you guys. So go on over, read his blog, and wonder just "how does he do it?"
I'm sure he'd love to share some tips.

An Engineer’s List & Letters – List #1: Labor, Delivery & Recovery Recount

My wife and I checked into Magee Hospital at 11:00pm on Wednesday, May 15. Our baby boy was delivered the next evening, and we checked-out of the postpartum unit that Sunday at 1:00pm. Below is a list of things I learned during our 86-hour experience.

• Some nurse’s smoke.
• Oakland has its fair share of shady characters.
• The Italiano Grilled Cheese sam’iche at Hello Bistro is the perfect lunch. Especially when paired with a White Lightning Witbier.
• Ellen Degeneres’ wardrobe is extremely similar to mine. I mean, I’m sure her cardigans are J. Lindeberg in lieu of J. Crew and she has a Rolex Yacht-Master while I have a G-Shock, but our looks are near exact and I’m still not sure if that’s a good thing or not…
• Pain trumps modesty. More people saw my wife’s privates during one day of labor than have seen mine throughout my entire life.
• The nori (seaweed) chips at Sushi Fuku are the exception to the rule that anything fried is delicious.
• Epidurals are amazing...when they work.
• Procreation doesn’t discriminate. I was one of the few new-dads that wore shirts with sleeves and didn’t have a face tattoo.
• Other than Ellen, daytime television sucks.
• I really thought that I would cry when my son was born, but I didn’t. I felt the tears starting to well up, but my wife was pretty nervous during the delivery and I figured it was best for me to maintain my composure to help keep her calm. It’s like my brain told my heart to put it all aside and we’ll get to it later. I can still feel it inside of me, and I’m sure any day now it will come out. I’m just hoping it doesn’t happen while I’m in a tanning bed ‘cause that would be dangerous.
• Post-birth boobs are huge…but busy
• Some nurses are angels.
• Sleeping in jeans on a couch sober is much more uncomfortable than sleeping in jeans on a couch drunk.
• A lot more comes out of there than just a baby.
• I really envy people that get to wear scrubs to work. They look so comfortable.
• Babies are awesome.

 

List #228: Boyfriends and Cats

When I first adopted my cat Radley last fall, I had some visions of how I saw the whole thing playing out.

• My cat would be the best cat.
• My apartment would always be better than any future date's apartment. 
• All future partners would prefer to sleep in my bed over theirs. 
• I would not meet someone allergic to cats.
• Anyone who dated me would have to love my (awesome) cat.

Well, in reality, pretty much all of those minus the first have been wrong. My cat is still the best cat. But the boyfriend is a man who has a fully stocked bar at his house, a lot on his plate, and a severe allergy to cats. Oh, and my apartment is pretty crappy.

But this weekend, Radley came for a visit to the boyfriend's. I was pretty much in my bliss and deemed only the tiniest thing missing. 

Here is a list of a few things that happen when boyfriends and cats mingle:

• Crying while stuck in closed-tunnel traffic.
• Hiding under a new couch with plush carpet.
• Fearing the Swiffer on a morning of cleaning.
• Pawing blankets on cold nights.
• Laughing a cat who is a neb-nose in the windows.
• Smiling when hearing the boyfriend call the cat "buddy."
• Sneezing. But not as much as one would think.
• Cuddles on the couch.

Overall, I'd say we all deemed it a success.

This is Radley hanging out under the table . He seems pretty pleased. 

It was a pretty fabulous weekend. And in related news, I can't believe I wrote this blog post.

List #227: Music for Lazy Weekend Mornings in the Fall

October has been a whirlwind. Too much on the plate, too many events to attend, too many work-trips to balance, mini-getaways to appreciate. In short, it's been a month of happiness and gratitude. But this weekend, with the exception of celebrating my mother's birthday, nothing is on the agenda.

And since the weather forecast says cool, I say open your windows wide and snuggle under the blankets.  It's going to be the kind of weekend to read books, drink cider, eat Chinese food, and it if it's possible, to have a few rounds of morning sex. Or perhaps, wander into a bookstore and chat up the cute person next to you and invite them to the nearest coffee shop for a continued discussion on how horrible James Patterson actually is. To each their own, but to each a soundtrack of quiet, happy, and content moments.

Here's what I'll be playing:

List #226: Rain and Thoughts on Wednesdays

I woke up this morning to the sound of rain hitting my apartment's windows. There was a heavy chill in the air and because I worked the late shift at the library, I got to burry down deep inside my blankets, let the cat cuddle up beside me, and drift off to a morning lie-in. It was nothing short of glorious.

I've probably admitted numerous times before that I much prefer this type of day (cool, grey, slightly rainy) than to a scorcher of heat and humidity. Quite honestly, it felt like perfection. And the only thing missing were the people, big and tiny, that I miss in the morning.

It was a good morning for a soak in the tub, some fall reading, and thinking.

I thought of lots of things this morning:

• New friends
• Hard work
• Saying sorry
• How to be a better friend
• Old lovers
• Scarves and sweaters
• Ways to keep my cat happy
• London in autumn
• Leftover vacation days
• Moving on up and over
• Sign language
• Sororities
• Deep lines
• Cooing

Here's to autumn days, falling leaves, and memories that make us happy for the present and eager for the future.