i haven’t had much time to rock the spacekadet mothership. time has been filled by mostly better things - so my absence is good news. then this morning i found myself emailing a life update, and so i’m stealing most of the following from that.
Work is crazy - blah blah blah. But it’s good. Reeeeal good. I’m lead writer on the latest project. Our team “theme” fullfills a childhood fantasy of mine: to be an officer on the Starship Enterprise (circa Star Trek: The Next Generation). And here I was, worried about losing my geek identity. Turns out I didn’t need to be a math grad student to be a geek. I’m geek enough on my own.
I spent about an hour last night sketching some CD cover artwork. I was inspired by the recent popularity of a fake band I made up (just to keep the hipsters on their toes). The drawing was cathartic, and I sense more of it in the future. But at the same time, I have not been rocking the tattoo design: shame on me. Why have I been procrastinating on this? A workmate and I have been discussing the issue of procrastination lately (he’s taken a ride into the danger zone of self help books, starting with “The Now Habit”, which I supplemented with my copy of “Getting Things Done”). The Now book says there are two major sources of procrastination: “Fear of success” and “fear of failure”. So which is it? I think I fear creativity. I don’t know how to artistically brainstorm. But that’s not true, as last night proved with the cd cover. So what got me started?
In other news, I’ve bonded with the roommates a bit. Not too much, just a smidgen. A week ago last Friday I ran into BK and various other mathies downtown after a work happy hour / dinner - I ended up joining them at some awful bars like “Rain” and “Oilcan Harry’s”. But I danced, and it was fun.
And on a related note, I haven’t had anything alcoholic to drink since then which makes me feel good and in control in ways I haven’t felt in a long long time. As a result of this hiatus, I’ve learned a lot about myself and my relationship with food and drink. I won’t get in to it because it’s woefully personally. I’ll just say that I am calmer and healthier in mind, and it feel spectacular.
Back to roommate bonding. Yesterday, E and I went to the Hobby Lobby so we could both tackle some framing issues. I also needed to restring a necklace and practically had an orgasm in the bead aisle: I walked away with a roll of hemp string and some beads (I know, hemp is soooo 1998, but I saw someone wearing a hemp necklace the other day and I really liked it and I think my marble bead would look good in a hemp necklace … and whatever, I’m crunchy, I can pull it off). Oh, but I also got some stuff for picture framing.
After the Hobby Lobby we went to Pippa’s new Sex and the City apartment to meet her cat, who is a little gray ball of personality. Pippa has been taking cooking classes at the Central Market and showed us how to make Pad Thai. We have a lot to learn about thai cooking, but our lacking in culinary know-how was made up for by the shared mutual joy of preparing and sharing a meal.
Before the meal we made a trip to the Central Market where, among other things, I bought some chopsticks - I’d like to slow down my eating a bit and I think chopsticks are a good way to do that. Plus, it’ll make me look cool and wordly. I also bought some fine gorgonzola cheese, aged extra long for that extra tang. I think it’ll be really yummy with a pear I have in the fridge.
Next Sunday I’m off to State College, PA to meet the statisticians I’m working for. It would be cool if
a.) It wasn’t in State College, where I attended the “Mathematics Advanced Study Semester” in 2000. This is where my career in math really started to take a plunge. Not a great time math-wise, but I did walk away with some great friends who I still keep in touch with (such as the couple who got married in Boston last month).
b.) I didn’t have to miss day 3 of ACL for it.
c.) My flight back didn’t require TWO plane changes.
I’m going to try to make the most of it. State College is in the valley of the Appalachian Mountains (the royal “they” call it “Happy Valley”, which makes me want to puke). It could be potentially beautiful. I probably won’t have much time for hiking, but the atmosphere of the woods and the mountains could be quite peaceful in itself.
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