the end of the road

well, in another hour, november will be officially over...and with it comes the end of nablopomo. it's been a fun experience for me, and it's made me realize that being disciplined about writing - even if i don't really have much to say - is a worthwhile endeavor. i mean, this isn't really news, i guess, but this experience has reinforced that understanding even still....

this evening has been kind of weird. i'm nursing a rather pervasive headache and some muscle pain, so i'm not feeling super well. also, i ate a strange dinner of a smart ones meal and some sauteed edamame and corn with cheddar. it tasted good, but i think it wasn't the best idea for me tonight.

in more upbeat news, we drew names for secret santa at work today. i always love finding just the right gifts to surprise and delight my pal. this year's choice is actually kind of amusing and ironic, but i'm gonna have fun doing the whole thing anyway....

oh, and bella is doing marvelously well. she's even getting herself a bit of a fan club at my job. honestly, i'm not surprised that people can't resist her. she's just far too swell for her own good:).

so, i guess with that bit of newsiness, i'm going to head off to dreamland. for those of you who have stuck with me over the last 30 days, i hope you'll continue to drop in from time to time. and i can pledge in return that i will blog as often as possible (interesting or no).

and the final verdict? sarah 1, nablopomo, goose egg!

gravy

okay, since it's before 11 p.m., let me try and sum up my life.

to recap, although a woman hit my car last night at the cathedral of mary our queen, there was absolutely no damage done, so i'm not pursuing the matter further. besides, i was a tad stern with her, and she apologized. i was a bit incredulous, still, but what more can i do? it's not like i was going to go all cujo on her hind parts.

this weekend was just divine. after scoring isabella on friday evening, salimah and i took a late-night ride around (one must christen the new vehicle) before coming home to zonk out. saturday we drove out to frederick and had lunch with my mom and dad, who were on their way home from the family gathering in pa. afterwards, we hung out with two of my other gal pals that evening and had wine and appetizers and talked the night away. sunday, i got a bunch of work done in the morning and then s and i went to see 'stranger than fiction,' which was just fantastic. really, if you haven't seen it, i'd give it two thumbs up. and what's more, it's a fun movie to deconstruct afterwards over dinner, which is just what we did. conveniently, there's a california pizza kitchen right across the parking lot from the theatre, and we had a lovely, relaxed meal before calling it a weekend.

i went back to work on monday feeling rather rested, because although i had done a lot of different things, i didn't have to travel anywhere far, and i've realized in recent years, THAT is what exhausts me. getting to sleep in my own home is just better for my body, mind, and soul. don't get me wrong - i love to travel. i just wish i could bring my bedroom with me wherever i go....

so, let's see, not much else on tap for the next couple of days except poetry group on friday night. between now and then, i'll just be doing the usual....work, more work, some tv, a bit more work, then sleep.

but don't you worry. the month ain't over yet. i'll still stop by here at least once till thursday:).

oh, and in case you're wondering, the thanksgiving leftovers are finally gone! talk about accomplishment....

ringing in the season

tonight, i went to see this.

other than the fact that an older lady hit my BELLA in the parking lot (!!), it was a lovely evening. oh, and don't worry. she's perfectly fine. not a scratch or bruise on her. close call. thank God.

i'm off to bed.

please don't be mad at me, blog world, but i've found myself in the place again tonight where my brain is mush and i have nothing to say except goodnight and goodnight and goodnight....

but just to let you know, my bella is doing wonderfully well. my seats were very cold this morning when i got in the car, and she rectified that in under a minute. i do love her so....

so sleepy. i'm off to dreamland. let's try again tomorrow night, shall we??

so much to say...

...so little time before bed. i'm actually too tired right now to blog about everything that's on my mind, so please believe me when i say that i'll fill you in tomorrow.

in the meantime, i'm watching the new show 'trial by choir.' very interesting....

isabella grazia

please say hello to my new very good friend bella....



isn't she lovely?

recovery

yesterday's meal went off without a hitch. there was more food than anyone knew what to do with, and it all turned out rather well (if i do say so myself). here's what we had:

brined turkey breasts with an herb rub
homemade stuffing with sausage, dried cranberries, sage, pine nuts, and other goodies
mashed candied sweet potatoes and butternut squash with pecans
macaroni and cheese casserole with buttered breadcrumb topping (salimah's family tradition)
kicked-up green bean casserole with caramelized shallots and portabella mushrooms in a red wine sauce
cranberry sauce with oranges and a few liquor enhancements
hot rolls
fry bread (salimah's sister made)

for dessert:
dutch apple pie (gotta thank marie callender for that one)
pumpkin-gingerbread trifle
carrot pie (salimah's mother made)

and to drink, we had an assortment of wines and this yummy rum punch i made that i am still drinking today (and actually, is it wrong that i had some with breakfast?)

you know, the funny thing about days like yesterday is that no matter how full you get, there's always a need for replenishment after a time. good lesson for the day. for life, really.

and i'm out.

way more than turkey

in honor of the day and because i do not cultivate an attitude of gratitude nearly enough, i present you a small list (by no means exhaustive and in no particular order) of things for which i am thankful today....

1. freedom
2. having some dear friends with whom i am truly close and who have let me in to their lives in a significant way
3. financial stability (no matter how transient)
4. the love of a Father who is far more steadfast and long-suffering than i could ever hope to be
5. the clarity to understand who i am
6. an apartment full of memories and lots of little things that make me happy
7. plenty of food to eat (you should see the refrigerator, stuffed with today's dinner)
8. parents who love me and whom i'm proud to call my friends:)
9. a sound mind and a heart that is open to hope
10. the dream of something even more than all of this

happy thanksgiving, all. may this day find you truly blessed with an extra measure of all that brings you joy....

countdown to bird

it's the day before thanksgiving (for those of you who aren't paying attention), and i'm starting to realize how much cooking i have to do....it's gonna be fine, but there's always that nervousness that comes before you've actually started. i'm sure that once begun is half done (at least i hope).

last night, my dreams were strange and filled with ex-boyfriends, all of whom i was trying to arrange to let stay at my parents' house. and in the midst of that, i had agreed to bake these incredibly elaborate cakes (that included piped marzipan) for all the students who went to a particular school (thousands). i was feeling a bit overwhelmed to say the least....

so, now that i'm awake, i'm going to try my best to just relax, take deep breaths, and make it through today without any snags in mood or energy level. and, i'm endeavoring to remember, with thankful heart, that our turkey day feast includes just seven of us, and there's not a piping bag in sight....

brief update

okay, sleep last night was AWFUL. i wound up staying up for 'heroes' and then fell asleep during it, went to bed shortly after, and woke up at 2:30 a.m. with a HORRIBLE headache. i got out the heating pad, laid my neck and head on it, and took several advil (i'm not sure - i was in a stupor).

in more pleasant news, it seems like my blog post from last night FINALLY went through. ridiculous.

also, i'm considering getting a new car. stay tuned.

major pain where i don't need one

i have tried posting three times, and both of my other posts disappeared. who knows if this one will work.

anyway, tonight i'm trying to muster up my best efforts to work, but i've got a wicked headache. all i really want to do is go to bed, and it's quite a tempting idea, despite the fact that i want to watch 'heroes' at 9. i'm going to take some advil and see how long i can make it.

in the mean time, anyone care to place bets on whether this will post?

sloppy joe...slop-a-sloppy joe

i watched '50 first dates' for the umpteenth time today, and it only further confirmed the fact that i love adam sandler. and the song he sings for drew barrymore's character in the movie (lucy) has the best line....

forgetful lucy
cracked her head like gary busey

i ALWAYS get that part stuck in my head (and right now is no exception). sometimes i even catch myself singing it out loud when i'm doing little random tasks (hanging up my coat, washing a pot, putting on my socks).

which reminds me...adam is the author of the beloved thanksgiving song. listen to it here. and of course, it couldn't be outdone by this.

(i would like to acknowledge that there IS, in fact, a part of me that is clearly a 12-year-old boy.)

enjoy!

over the hump

so, now i have passed the halfway mark of the month (by 3 days, actually), and i've managed to stick with this nablopomo endeavor. honestly, is it too early to feel a little bit proud of myself?

i must admit - i'm actually enjoying feeling this committed to blogging in a way that i haven't in a long time. who knows - maybe i'll try and keep this up beyond december (stranger things have happened).

for now, though, i must go get ready to leave for bethesda. i'm meeting friends at jaleo for lunch, and then i'm off to no va to hang out with a dear friend from back in the day.

the sun is shining, my stomach bug is gone, and my car is all fueled up. it seems, in life, that there's always a bit of adventure waiting around the next turn, and i intend to go and find out what that is....

bottle of red....

i stopped off at a wine and spirits shop on the way home from work today to buy a gift for a friend i'll be seeing tomorrow. while there, i spotted some good deals on spanish reds, so i got myself a couple of bottles to try. by the time i got home, i was feeling like tasting some, so i uncorked a bottle (it's 20% cabernet and 80% tempranillo, if i remember correctly). as soon as the wine hit air, i smelled cherries. this can never be a bad thing. i'm telling you - this wine is so delish....very smooth, not heavy, nice undertones. leaves a very clean finish. i'm so pleased. and it was only 9 bucks on sale!

so, the plan for MY evening is to finish this glass of wine, eat a lean cuisine, and try to stay awake until bedtime. i really need to do laundry, but i'll be honest - it may not happen at this point. i'm relaxed...and i feel i deserve that.

life lesson: roy g. biv

this afternoon, after torrential rain poured down on baltimore for hours and hours, a huge rainbow broke out in the sky. i mean a full, 180-degree arc. and then there was a partial double rainbow on its outside edges. and then, in a moment of what seemed like cinematographic genius, this flock of birds flew through the blanket of sun and clouds, and they were completely illuminated...glowing, even. my coworkers and i stood in the parking lot, transfixed, for a good 15 minutes or so....it was stunning.

the rest of my day was a mixed bag....i left two windows open in my apartment and had to call my rental office to come and shut them (knowing, full well, that i had piles of dirty laundry in my bedroom waiting for the wash - how embarrassing!). i also had a major freak-out that involved a jag of uncontrollable sobbing (i think it's about to be that time of the month - i'm not normally prone to such things). plus, i've been eating a mostly starch diet until my stomach bug fully abates, and i think it's making me grouchy.

but it was during those moments of standing in spitting rain staring at the sky today that i remembered myself as someone who is alive. it astonishes me how infrequently i look up...how often i forget to just wait and observe. i needed the object lesson, in the midst of the madness....the neon sunset after such a storm....the quiet hum of my nearly dark apartment before sleep....the reminder to breathe in, breathe out, be.

elton john didn't even KNOW

after dropping off one's graduate thesis and eating a meal of steak frites at a local café, there is really only one thing for two thirty-something girls about town to do on a wednesday evening: sing, triumphantly (and with the windows down), the line from the elton john classic we all know and love....

'HOLD ME CLOSE NOW, TONY DANZA....'

i understand fully if you think i'm a huge cheese puff when i make the following statement: i'm seriously invested in who wins 'dancing with the stars' tonight...so invested, in fact, that i voted online using multiple e-mail addresses. i know. it's a sickness. but at least it's almost over....(for awhile anyway. don't forget that american idol starts up in january - as does 24:)....)

it's been kind of a weird day otherwise, but i frankly don't feel like getting into all of that. let me just say that i've been thinking it through and, if i had a few select people in front of me, here's what i'd say:

1. i miss you.
2. i wish you'd call me.
3. i'm sorry i never called you.
4. i'm sorry i never wrote you back.
5. i'm just sorry.
6. are you even kidding me?
7. please stop the madness.
8. yes. yes. a million times yes.

okay, so now that i've been vague as can be, i'm going to the post office. peace out.

viscera

one thing that never ceases to amaze me is how you can have an experience, move forward with your life, grow and change for many days/months/years, and then your life presents a moment that mirrors that original experience, and you're right back there, emotions and all. for me, it is music that takes me on journeys like that, and today was no exception.

for me, the moment was late winter/early spring of 2005, sitting in the balcony of an exquisite hall listening to dvorak's new world symphony. today, in my ears, i heard the melancholy oboe, and it nearly tore me in two.

and what shocked me the most was all that came with the memory...and the fact that it still mattered so much to me....

micah 6:8

i feel like a shepherd who's sent his sheep out to graze and cannot remember what pasture he put them in. seriously, it's a mess inside my head. there were moments today when i thought i'd drive myself mad....but then this came to me, plain as day:

He has showed you, o man, what is good.
and what does the LORD require of you?
to act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

ask me—have i been doing that lately? not very well, my friends. not very well. i really needed some clarity today. more than anything, that is what makes me well...what nourishes my sometimes worn out soul and reminds me of who i am.

and i gotta tell ya, even despite everything, that's not bad for a monday....

slug in the city

okay, so the day is nearer to being over than not, and i really haven't gotten as much done as i had hoped i would. i mean, yes, i made some green tea muffins (trader joe's mix), loaded and ran the dishwasher, worked on freelance, took a nap, and watched a movie, but i can't help but feel like a slacker.

oh, and i also went through some mail and shredded a bunch of credit card offers (i love my shredder!). plus, i had a grilled turkey and provolone sandwich with a layer of cranberry sauce tucked inside (really good, but i still don't feel very well) for a late lunch. i would contemplate dinner, but i don't particularly want to eat anything else. i don't have much of an appetite just now, and i'm trying to roll with it.

i must say - i'm not loving the fact that tomorrow means back to the grind, but until i absolutely have to leave my home, i'm going to hunker down under some blankets and listen to the rain and wind swirling furiously outside my window. it's drafty in my apartment, but there are a few thoughts keeping me warm tonight, not the least of which is that i am loved beyond measure...even if i am a lazy bum.