Maine bound

I’m off to Maine for the long holiday weekend, which will entail lots and lots of lounging with a new book (The Help) and soaking up the sun and enjoying long, lazy boat rides, with the boy and many fun friends. I will have zero internet or television exposure. I will escape my unpacking duties and work projects and money concerns and life worries.

I can’t wait.

And when I return, I will stay true to my vow of writing more, blogging and posting regularly, to give myself joy and share it.

Expect some beautiful Maine photography upon my return next week as well : )

Books in Bed

I loved this scene from the first Sex and the City: The Movie.
Utterly romantic. Yet so simple and pure.
Reading in bed with a loved one.
Super sexy.

gross lists

Factors that have been causing me to feel lots of stress, way too much stress and have prevented me from writing in the past 2 weeks:

- new work projects daily and so much to tackle that i’ve been working my ass off; got rewarded with a promotion and thus work to-do list has continued to increase rapidly, rapidly increasing stress

- realization that i have to move out of my apartment by may 31…nope, by may 26 since (thank goodness!) i’ll be headed to maine for a much needed relaxing memorial day weekend

- trying to game plan ways to move all of my ridiculous amounts of clothing, accessories, food, books, furniture and more out of this apt. that i have lived in for the past year and a half

- trying to find a place to store an incredibly heavy pull-out couch for the summer, as i move into a new place to sublet for a couple months until my future roommate’s lease runs out and we can move into a nice girly apartment in august or september

- realizing i’m moving into a house where my new roommates will be 3 boys. i have a feeling my cleanliness and orderly desires will have to be tossed out the window

- complete lack of healthy food and exercise, resulting in panic has bathing suit season is approaching quickly

- complete lack of sleep

- zero time to enjoy my books and magazines

- zero time to enjoy much of anything

- homesickness

- exhaustion; physical, mental, emotional

So over the past 2 weeks I have been (in addition to majorly stressing and not sleeping):

- working a lot

- throwing all belongings into bags and boxes and moving them into my new room thanks to my strong boy and this mother’s huge SUV

- eating junk food and feeling gross

- planning to exercise and not really doing much of it at all due to collapsing onto couch by 8 pm

- a beautiful dinner party at my boss’s home where the boy met my coworkers and i actually had a really nice evening (there have been some good spots in the stressful mix!)

- a bittersweet goodbye dinner and margaritas with the current roommate where we reminisced and i felt sad over my home and roommate for the past year and a half and we laughed at our adventures and mistakes and lessons learned as we dug into chips, salsa, and guac and sipped from large margaritas last Friday night in harvard square, a location that i’ve fallen in love with over the past year and a half

- caught up on my tv and became obsessed once again with Grey’s Anatomy and Gossip Girl and yet feel relived that all my season finales are done (even LOST…tear) and that i can make plans and enjoy the summer without thinking of what television programs i may be missing out on

But I see the light at the end of this stress tunnel…I’m 2/3 of the way moved out of my old apartment and making a big effort to eat pure and healthily. I’m on the verge of maybe even getting a grip on the majority of my work projects and I have a long weekend ahead of me, in Maine.

I’m staying productive and hopeful.

“I have to remind him that you just must bring a hostess gift to the BBQ we have on Sunday…I guarantee he wouldn’t think of it,” - me

“Honey, that is why there are women in the world,” - my mother

goodbye writing hiatus

the rain poured down in albany for tulip fest but my girlfriend & i still had adventures

pre-rain, the view from a friend’s fabulous window in his apartment

I’m back from my unplanned writing hiatus. I’ve been busy, too busy, and this has left me exhausted, too exhausted to even look at my computer, let alone write and post and blog.

Last Friday I boarded the Greyhound bus headed for Albany to see one of my absolute dearest friends and favorite people in the whole world. I don’t remember the last time I was as excited as I felt during those 3+ hours of bus boredom.

And despite the chilly temps, rain and hail, I had a wonderful weekend: we ate too much Mexican food (mmm), drank silly treats all day, danced around and laughed til my sides hurt. And it was perfect.

The rain kept us from fully enjoying the Tulip Fest in downtown Albany, but it couldn’t damper our company and my love of being with someone who is so important and vital to my life. All of our inside jokes were as alive as ever, even though we’ve found it difficult in our busy lives to visit often. It’s so good to know that over time and distance, some friendships never weaken; they only grow stronger and more resilient. As I returned to Boston on Sunday, I felt exhausted from all our partying and lack of sweet sleep, but my spirit was stronger than ever.

But tears were shed since I couldn’t be with my own mother on this Mother’s Day. Meeting my girlfriend’s adorable niece and a dinner with the boy’s family on Sunday night made me ache for a family visit of my own. Phone calls just don’t cut it sometimes.

And now it’s Tuesday night; my homesickness has worn off a bit and the tough days of the work week are behind me. I’m crossing things off my to do list, slowly but surely, and trying to stay positive, not allowing missing home, exhaustion, or anything negative to bring me down. I have hopes to make delicious, healthy meals for myself but by the time I get home, I have zero energy and have been settling for soup or cereal. I’m thinking some baking projects this weekend might lift my spirits…

Anyways, writing helps. It clears and sorts out thoughts. And tomorrow is Wednesday. And I’m about to crawl into bed with a magazine, book or the tv remote : )

The 2010 Met Costume Gala

The style stars of the night:

my favorite fashionable couple (and dress) of the evening

And those who should have just stuck with a LBD instead…

photos from people.com

Baseball & rainbows

a rainbow over Fenway

A spontaneous Red Sox game with the boy and some friends last night

led to a very eventful evening and a very exhausted Wednesday at work.

Last night the rain skipped out and we were able to enjoy a classic baseball game

in premium seats thanks to some it’s-who-you-know luck

and the views of both the field and the Boston skyline were breathtaking.

The Italian sausage with peppers and onions was satisfying as always.

And as usual, I indulged in way too many peanuts and beer.

And today was harsh;

headaches, exhaustion and a desire to just be lounging in my bed

that didn’t wane all day long.

But it was worth it for the fun of last night,

including riding the T home

with a group of adorable marines

that are in town visiting Boston.

With that in mind, I did not participate in any of the Cinco de Mayo festivities

and instead thoroughly enjoyed getting my hair trimmed and colored

back to my preference of a rich chocolate brown.

Thank goodness tomorrow is already Thursday. I’m spent.

This weekend summer made an early grand entrance. Both nights I played with the boy and friends; out in Davis Square Friday night where we planted ourselves at the bar for a majority of that evening and where I thoroughly enjoyed a Blue Moon and too many late night snacks.

Saturday morn, the boy introduced me to a new brunch spot, Sound Bites in Somerville, where we each indulged in an eggs benedict customized for our individual tastes: mine with slices of avocado and tomato, his with hash. Delicious.

And as the sun shined down, over 80 degrees warm, my roommate and I walked over 5.6 miles, through Cambridge with a stop at Tommy Doyle’s for some brunch, across the Longfellow Bridge for pedicures on Charles Street, through the Commons and down Newbury for some shopping and frozen yogurt, and then down Mass Ave homeward bound.

With some sun making my face and shoulders rosy, and extremely tired feet, we collapsed at the boy’s place and enjoyed his grilled chicken and my new obsession of snacking on sun dried tomatoes from the grocery store’s Mediterranean Bar.

And after a hectic, overwhelming Monday at work, I felt all adult-like and responsible as I went to the bank and set up an IRA account and added to my savings account. Less spending money now, more fun later on hopefully.

And then I trekked the short distance to Inman Square where I met up with some Passport ladies and sipped a yummy cocktail at Trina’s Starlight Lounge and sampled their delicious french fries, a tasty cocktail and an apple & cheese melted sandwich with onion jam, and relished in fun, girly company and reminded me the amazing power of girlfriends.