This is 2010, people

Every time I get back into the news, I'm shocked all over again at the fact that our society is STILL debating gay rights. I feel exhausted just thinking about arguing over this issue yet again. Isn't it perfectly clear to anyone with a brain that LGBTQ folks are not a menace to society and that said society will keep on functioning just as well or better if they are allowed civil rights?

Seriously. Just get the fuck over it, bigots.

Holy lord it's October

Oh hi. Where has the time gone? Blah, blah, blah.... lame excuses for not blogging.... blahblahblah.

So. Chicago Friends School opened on September 7!!! That was a huge relief. An even huger relief would be if we didn't have a $4,000 monthly deficit. Working on that now...

Jane and Hillary are coming to Chi-town in November. So far I've planned their first day here, which will include an airport pickup by Bradley and a beer tasting/tamale eating shindig with a few select friends. The next day will probably be a Nature Museum trip and some sort of ethnic cuisine that's new to them.

Also, Brad gets to come home with me for Thanksgiving!!! After over three years together, it's about time.

Dreams

I've been having some memorable dreams lately. A lot of them have been about work, which is somewhat odd, because I don't feel that my job is stressful at all - usually it's the stressful parts of my life that make it into the dreams I remember.

In one recent dream, I was in a shared office with a coworker (one who is way more powerful than me at work, and who has a penchant for paranoia and unjustified firing of good people). My computer screen faced his desk, so he could see whatever was on it. My workspace was a mess. Papers stacked high, dust everywhere, trash strewn on the floor. This is something I don't tolerate in real life. I was desperately trying to tidy up in the dream when I noticed on my computer screen several pop-up video chat windows. My friends were on screen trying to get me to talk to them and make plans for the evening. I was so afraid that my coworker would see them and think I was deliberately chatting on the job. This is such an obvious work-life balance dream. The thing is, I don't feel like my work and life are out of balance... so why did my brain create this dream?

Another one was much more fun. In the dream, I had applied for another volunteer management job. The interview was a huge party. Candidates were to come to the party, and the one who was deemed the coolest person there would get the job. I showed up at the party and had a great time. I chatted with everyone, made friends, all that good party stuff. The next day, they called me to say that I was indeed the coolest person at the party and offer me the job. The salary was $53,000 (way more than I make now). This was one of those dreams that you believe really happened when you wake up. My first thought upon waking was "Oh man, how am I going to tell the Nature Museum?" Then reality set in, and I made the mental leap back to my current salary. But what does this dream say about me? Do I just want to be cool? I thought I passed that hurdle in high school.

Brad said I was talking in my sleep last night and trying to tell him something. Apparently he told me I was sleep-talking and I said "Oh okay," and stopped.

I love dreams. And I'm glad I remember most of mine.

You know what's sad?

I have no idea what's going on in the world right now. Couldn't tell ya what the Senate is voting on tomorrow.

I miss activism.

I need a good protest. Luckily, the Air and Water Show is coming up next month. See you there, American military might.

The list

Remember that list I made of the things I wanted to do post-graduation? Well, here's a status update.

1. Join the gym down the street: CHECK. And I've even worked out at it! My routine so far is running one mile on the treadmill at 5.4 mph, free weights for arm toning, leg press, thigh machine, pilates for the abs, and then another mile on the treadmill at the same speed. It hurts so good. I'm thinking I might even run in the Museum's 5K in October if I can keep this up. My boss is running, too, so I figure that'll score me some brownie points.

2. Read whatever the hell I want to read: CHECK. I'm reading a friend's unpublished novel right now, along with an autobiography of a former Latin King - My Bloody Life. I just finished A General Theory of Love, a fantastic throwback to my days as a psychology major. And before that it was Arundati Roy's wonderful novel, The God of Small Things. I was incredibly moved by this book. I enjoyed every single word of it. It almost doesn't matter that the story line is compelling (and it most certainly is). Her language is so rich and deep that you can't help but be lost in the words. I cried on the train as I read the last chapter. Plus, the story is set in Kerala, India, which is where I was in 2007 and where I bought the book. This is definitely my new favorite novel. Sorry, Anne Tyler, I promise I still love you, but I really need to check out some more Arundati Roy.

3. Go for drinks with friends after work: CHECK. Enough said.

4. Start planning an awesome overseas vacation: sort of check. Debra and I have started a conversation about Mexico in January. We will see.

5. Start paying Mima and the government back for my loans: sort of check. Mima is letting me wait until I finish paying Brad's dad back for the loan he gave us for our down payment. That will be April next year. My first payment to the government isn't due until December, but I'm going to start paying sooner. I just have to log on and schedule the auto deductions. At the rate they suggest, it'll take me 10 years to pay off a measly $5,500 debt. That's ridiculous. I'll probably do some large lump sum payments to get it down quick. I do not like to pay interest, my friends.

Another thing I'm adding to the list is getting back into Spanish. I can't really afford to take lessons again, but I'm going to try to read at least one Spanish news article per day out loud to myself (or to Brad, if he's unlucky enough to be home at the time). I just read the one for this evening, and I totally got it. Almost every word. Now if I could just speak it when I need to or understand it when spoken to...

Chocolate chip cookie-induced empathy

I'm in pain. I bit the shit out of the corner of my lip a few days ago and the wound refuses to heal. This is a fairly embarassing injury, as it resulted from me getting way too excited about a warm, chocolate chip cookie. I had just gotten off work, and Brad and I stopped at a coffee shop to buy a bag for home. I spotted the delicious cookies in the display case and just had to purchase one. In my excitement at taking the first bite - you know, it had been a long day at work... I was happy that Brad was off... there was the anticipation of a nice night at home together... plus the very real joy of eating a cookie - I over-chomped. I bit right into my lip and tears came to my eyes.

Alright, fine, I thought. There goes the cookie ecstasy for the time being, but no biggie. Mouth sores heal quickly.

Five days later, this clumsiness wound is worse than ever. It's right at the spot where my teeth (which have always been a size too big for my mouth) scrape it constantly, so it never really gets the chance to recover.

This sounds so dumb, but it's shocking how much this one little injury is affecting my life. I can't smile right, I can't talk right. And worst of all, it's affecting what I eat! A moratorium on Indian and Latin food is in effect until this goes away. An addiction to Orajel is looming in the near future.

I am being such a baby about this. If you don't believe me, just ask Brad. In a search for something noble (or at least less whiny) in the situation, I've thought about one of my good friends who has a condition that leaves him in almost constant pain every single day. The fact that my whole life is affected by the pain from a tiny little puncture wound gives me just a teeny bit of insight into what his life is like. I feel like I understand him a little better.

So thanks, damn chocolate chip cookie that did this to me, for the nugget of empathy you've created.

Inspiration

Hey y'all! Check out the newest blog on the block by Maggie and David: http://mdeats.wordpress.com/

They're just great, and so are the first two posts.

...

Yeah, yeah, yeah - I know it's been almost two months since I've written anything. I blame three factors: the euphoria of graduation (I'm a Master of Public Service, by the way), the beautiful Chicago summer weather (I haven't seen a cloud in like a week), and the fact that my laptop died (leaving me with only Brad's desktop to use, which would anchor me inside and out of the sunshine - unacceptable).

More later, I promise. I've been inspired to write by Fooding Around.

Couple Things

First, I am officially trained to handle snakes, turtles, salamanders, stick bugs, and hissing cockroaches.

Second, I am going to start eating meat again.

I don't really feel like explaining either of these two things right now, so I'll leave you to ponder them until I do. Enjoy.

Top five things I'm going to do post-graduation

1. Join the gym down the street
2. Read whatever the hell I want to read
3. Go for drinks with friends after work
4. Start planning an awesome overseas vacation
5. Start paying Mima and the government back for my loans
   

Happy Birthday to G'da!

It's G'da's 81st birthday today. Love you very much, G'da, and can't wait to see you at Christina's wedding in August!