Saturday, February 26, 2011

Dating Hibernation

I have this pattern I've repeated for the past couple of years that I've recently started referring to as"dating hibernation".  It's basically exactly what it sounds like.  I don't really date/have much  interest in dating during months of December - March.

Maybe it's the cold.  Maybe it's the 5 lbs. you put on in the winter.  Maybe it's the fact that holidays (Dec.), followed by my organization's annual fundraiser (Jan.), followed by Love of Friends (Feb.), doesn't leave me with much free time this season.  Maybe it's just become a habit.

I feel like I've been asked a lot lately if I'm dating anyone, to which I say "no", and when asked "why not?" I don't have any good answer to give other than "I don't feel like it."  I don't think people would necessarily understand what I mean were I to start responding, "Of course I'm not dating anyone, it's February!"

Now of course, I'll change my mind about this the moment I to meet someone who is wow-ing.  But, I'm picky, and am so far enjoying my hibernation.

I have a lot of friends who are in really amazing relationships that are moving forward to exciting next levels; marriage, moving in together, making the relationship official on facebook.  They are totally inspiring to me, and I would be a liar if I were to say I didn't want that for myself.

It's a choice, being single.  And one that I'm quite happy with lately. And just to be clear, not dating does not mean there's no flirting.  That's a skill that needs to be practiced year-round.

Come April, I'll shed my tights, and winter parka, and the 5 lbs, and start dating again.  Until then, I'm going to enjoy cooking dinner for myself, working on some really exciting projects, and going dancing with my friends.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Pittsburgh > Your City



Rated #1 Again!

And why shouldn't it be, things here are great.

Though, if Port Authority would get their act together, or we finally get some light rail, maybe we'll make it into the worldwide top 25.  We don't stand a chance with those European public transit systems...

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Things Precisely Tells Me as I Leave the House.

"Stay Skinny!"

"Remember, only half the salad."

"Lose the bubble hem!"

"Maybe that coffee is all you should eat today…"

"Have a wonderful day, eat a lot of chocolate.  I just read that the world’s supply is running out."

"What, did your sister wives pick that outfit for you?" (in my defense I was about to go for a run and yea, the clothes were baggy and ugly, but whatever I was just going to sweat in them!)

"I don’t care how wide your scarf is, you’re still not Swedish."


He keeps me grounded.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

A Conversation with my Mother on "Groundhog Day" , and while she Might Think I'm Crazy, I think I Make Total Sense

My Mom visited this past weekend.  She came out with some neighbors who were checking out the University of Pittsburgh.  It was a really fun weekend (it's always fun to show off Pittsburgh to people visiting for the first time).  We drank champagne (because I was all out of regular wine), I put her to work crafting for Love of Friends (she's a teacher, cutting things and crafting is a talent of hers), and at one point we started talking about the movie Groundhog Day.

Mom: "That's a movie I would like to watch.  I haven't seen that in ages."

Me:  "Yea, that's a good movie.  Well, we could certainly rent that."
        "Man that would suck.  Out of all the days to have to relive...Groundhog day?  Really?"
        "Although, I guess it would be better than re-living, say, Christmas over and over and over."

Mom: "Why???"

Me:  "Because, then it would be like that story you read to us as kids about the boy who wishes it was Christmas every day, and then Christmas was absolutely horrible!"

Mom:  "I guess reliving Christmas every day would not be so great."

Me:  "Really, the only way it wouldn't be so bad, is if you were re-living a totally normal, boring uneventful day over and over."

Mom: "wait, what?"

Me:  "You know, a totally average day, then it wouldn't be so bad to relive it, cause really, Tuesdays aren't all that different from Wednesdays, and most of the time you can't really tell the week days apart anyways, so it wouldn't be so bad.  Maybe you're living Tuesday over again, but maybe it's actually Wednesday which just feels a lot like Tuesday."

Mom:  "Ew, that's weird.  Why do you think that?"

The discussion kind of ended there because I was exhausted and went to bed.

But I still think I'm right, and not that I'd like to have to live any day over and over again, but if I did, I'd want it to be some random boring Tuesday over Christmas or any other holiday for sure.  I feel like when it's all said and done, the special occasions and holidays are great, but what we'll really miss are the boring average every-days.  What do you think?

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Thoughts While Apartment Searching on Craigslist

2 bedroom in Pittsburgh...oh really?  Pittsburgh?  that's it?  That's as specific as you're going to get?  Well guess what I don't even believe you. There's no way this apartment is even anywhere near Pittsburgh.


This is nice!  Oh my gosh this is so nice!  No wonder, for that much money it better be nice!  WHY DON'T I MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR?!?!?!  :: reconsiders career in non-profit ::

This is cool, this is nice.  The northside!  Gah!  Why the northside? That might as well be Siberia without a car!  Maybe I should buy a car...


Ew.  floor to floor carpeting.  no.  


This looks promising :: opens listing :: oh no. no way we're living in a building that looks like that.  How did that design ever get approved?  The seventies must have been an awful time...


Hmmm, handyman special.  We could do that.  We're industrious!  And the rent is so cheap!  of course, we've talked about doing a lot of things... and we're really not home much... and I don't really want to spend the time I'm home ripping out tiling... and I always hate painting 5 minutes into the process.




So Precisely and I are moving.  Well, looking to move.  And yes, we have a pretty sweet apartment.  Open, with lots of natural lighting, tons of space, a sweet shared walk-in closet, BUT, we've also had a leaking roof since I moved in.  And it's been patched, but it keeps coming back, leaks spring up in new places, and we're not in college anymore, so a leaky roof is neither romantic or tolerated, and our landlord seems to be less than interested in the maintenance of the roof, and we don't have money to make him an offer for the building... so we're moving.

Anyone know of a 2-3 bedroom apt. opening up in Lawrenceville come May or June???