Zippidee-doo-dah

Lickety split and it is the end of 2005. Life sometimes seems to go by so fast, that I am not even bothered by the fact that it is the end of 2005. I used to get a little antsy at the end of the year and just be blah for about six weeks waiting to "start again" - a blank slate. My diet, my exercise routine, hair, wardrobe and so on. Now as I have aged, I am just over it. Not in the passive, depressed way. But I feel more mature about it. I approach it more with the attitude of "Yes, everyone. We age! Months go by fast. It is crazy. Now get over it!"
Whereas I used to be more analytical about it. I am sick of being analytical.

As one of my favorite people on the planet said on her 60th birthday, Gee it went really fast, I must have been having fun!
Sure it is just a readjustment of words taken from "Time flies when you are having fun" but gosh darn it - it's true. And I love that she said and so genuinely meant it. My life is like that too.

So, analytics of life, time and its swiftness - Out.
Having fun and therefore making time go by quickly - In.

Ok, so glad that is settled. Now we can analyze the definition of having fun. This is not the exhaustive list of fun. Just for today.

Fun is realizing that you don't have to analyze every little thing.

Fun is going to a work reunion, downing a margarita a bit too quickly, and not sticking to your rules of politeness.

Fun is singing (or saying)this song out loud.

The Emperor's New Clothes

Sinead concert at Webster Hall tonight. Pretty cool. We got there way early and ended up standing very close to the stage. Makes for a fun show when the guest of honor is less than 5 feet away. (not sure if we were THAT close but it felt like it)
I had never seen her in concert and honestly have not really listened to much of her music since like, 1991. One of my favorite all time songs is The Emperor's New Clothes. But I knew she wouldn't sing it. And she didn't. (I am not glad that I was right)

She sang all of her new songs which are all reggae style. And she basically rocked! She has a beautiful voice. I didn't realize her voice was as deep and as raspy as it was tonight. The raspiness could have totally been due to too much touring - or not. It could totally be her voice. I will be purchasing some of the tunes off of iTunes. I loved her first song. It was acapella(sp?) and about halfway through the song I knew it was going to be a great show.

When she comes back to NYC, I will definitely get tickets.

Ouch

So, I write that I don't like to shop and then what do I do on Monday?! Yer smart. I went shopping!

And I did some damage.
(in my book, over two items purchased = damage) Do you ever need more than two new possessions in one day?! (The answer here, folks, is NO!)
So it is damage if it is over two. Damage to your psyche (you start to believe "ooh things make me happy!") Damage to your cash flow or credit card or debt or piggy bank. (you get me?) and Damage to your living up to the ultimate statement, "I will only buy what I love and what I need."
Yeah.
I tried that. For like a day.

So, I bought
1-one pair of shoes (color not on site. Mine are bronze.)
2-two sweaters (both cashmere - yummy), and
3-a pair of earrings.
All pretty un-necessary.
Again, damage.

My "damage" definition excludes food products or let's say, home decorations - if you are moving into a new home then purchasing over two items is expected, I would think. (New sponges, new chairs, a new coffee table that fits the new living room, etc)

Anyway, reading the end of my blog entry from the other day, I am now officially a cliche of a cliche of a cliche. I am also
1-a masochist since I partake in activities I don't truly like and
2-a hypocrite since even though I didn't write it, I was judging all the people who shop shop and shop and
3-going to look so good all winter in my new sweaters!

This is me.
One day: Ew consumerism.
The next day: I want that and it will be mine!

So? What are you gonna do about it?

X number of things about me: I

*A good friend of mine, Allyson, lives in Wilmington, North Carolina with her husband, Meade and two kids (two!) Campbell and Delia. Delia was just born on Monday! Here is her photo. I spoke to Allyson yesterday and man, do I miss seeing her. She and Meade lived in New York for four years (1999 - 2003) and I loved having them as neighbors. I am sending Delia a little onesie that says 'Someone in New York Love Me'
I am proud to say, I am that someone.

*While I love Broadway showtunes, I don't love them all.
Favorites, in no particular order, include: the entire soundtrack of Rent, For Now from Avenue Q, The Wizard and I & Defying Gravity from Wicked, Love-erly from My Fair Lady, Sound of Music, Chicago (the movie) and of course, Grease.
(Yesterday I caught Grease on TV and watched what I thought was my least favorite scene - Frankie Avalon and Beauty School Dropout but I don't know that I have ever closely listened to the words and now having watched the scene again and the great song - gotta be goin' to that malt shop. . in. . .the. . sky! My opinion has changed.)

*I have recently started to randomly bake things, about once a week. Odd and weird and well, ok - strange too. But I like my new hobby so don't judge. Today I am baking a pumpkin bread with white chocolate chips.

*I went to Jubilee (one of the markets in our area - Financial District) and bought a new kind of chip - Rice Chips, the Santa Fe Barbecue variety and they are very good!
New Chip of the Day

Side this

A good sighting. I saw this guy on the subway last weekend with his wife and little boy. How odd that the previous night I had caught some scenes from Sideways on the teevee and I had enjoyed it much more than when I first saw it in the theater in 2003. Unlike ALL of the critics, it was NOT on my list of favorite movies of the year. Though I did enjoy it last night. Maybe, for me, it needed to age a bit.

Anyway, back to the subway sighting. He was so him. In a Harvey Pekar, Miles, Pig Vomit kinda way. (In a recent article in New York Magazine about Howard Stern himself a reference was made to his former boss but it was Pig Virus, not Vomit. Interesting. Very interesting. In a not interesting kinda of way. Which makes it more interesting, doesn't it?)

What we had was beautiful.

Geez - what a downer that last post was.

Did I mention I have a great life?! A great husband. A great family, including a great sister, brother-in-law, and a great mom and a great dad.

I am currently a bored housewife who - as mentioned in the last post - wants to speak out about those of us who are feeling mid-life-ish but we are not mid-life-ish at all. Basically, I am the complainer who can't complain. Don't you usually hate that person?! I will try to turn that attitude around. And make THAT person (aka me) more likeable.

I resigned from my job five months ago and am waiting to hear from business schools. I applied to two in New York City and I hope to get into at least one and start in a month. I am trying to live a life right now as a lady of leisure but the lack of goals right now are bringin' me down! My husband (the great one, listed above) works from home so my motivation to leave aforementioned home is difficult in the morning - unless I have a place to go, a place to be, a friend to meet, etc. Friday was a great example of the life of a lady of leisure. I met my friend Lori at the MoMA and cruised around the sixth floor (special exhibition - Elizabeth Murray), fifth (paintings), fourth (paintings), and third (photography). I hadn't been to the new MoMA (for shame!). It is incredible. A great museum. I venture to say my favorite one in the city. Overtaking former first place museum, the Whitney.

So, a huge, huge factor I am leaving out in my not lovin' life as a lady of leisure musing is that while I live in New York City, the shopping capital of the world, I am not a huge fan of shopping. The consume, consume, consume of attitude of this city (ok and our American culture) drives me a little batty. I think ideally I would like to live in more of a country setting, slower pace etc. I say this after over ten years of living here. I love Manhattan. I just am not IN love with it anymore.

Lucky Life

I'm feeling overwhelmed by life. As a thirtysomething woman in America in 2005, there is so much to be nostalgic about and there is so much to look forward to. This photo says it all. Sitting on the beach, the present is so wonderful and looking out towards the ocean - wow - there is so much the future holds.

So. Life.
To recap - lots of good times in the past. Lots of good times in the future. Profound, eh?
Well, sure. To be less sarcastic (as that "profound, eh?" was meant to be), I really have found in all my experiences, reading, movie watching, blog-lurking, there is not much to be said out there for the thirtysomething woman withOUT a child, withOUT a career calling, withOUT a passion. What could be said, you ask?
Well, we are going to find out.