Sunday, June 27, 2010

California we have a problem

For a month or so at least.

And it's all because of a baby tooth. One of my baby teeth doesn't have an adult tooth underneath it. I had the same problem on another tooth and had to have it removed and an implant inserted. I won't go into the nausea-inducing details but it's an expensive process that takes a few months. i knew that I'd have to get it done eventually but was planning to hold off for as long as possible since it's so expensive. But when I went to the dentist last week he told me the tooth had to come out.

Ugh.

And that my insurance would cover a significant portion of the costs.

Oooh?

Apparently the reason insurance didn't cover it for the other tooth was because I had different insurance when I initially had the tooth removed. Obviously I'm going to get it done if insurance covers it. Unfortunately that means I'll have to stick around for a couple more months until the process is complete. So as I'd feared, insurance is holding me hostage at my job. Curses! That also means I need to start looking for a new apartment as my lease is up in a month. It's disapointing but I'm not that upset about it. I'll be able to save more money and have a shiny new tooth.

The procedure is scheduled for tomorrow and then I have to wait for it to heal before they can screw the new tooth on. I'll have more details on how long it'll be tomorrow. Hopefully not too long. I really can't fathom spending another winter in the east coast. Last winter was B-R-U-T-A-L.


Thursday, June 17, 2010

Text Life

I recieved this text today from Jill out of the blue (as are all of her texts). If I had to sum up Jill in a text message, this would be it.



*if she'd texted me while I was listening to a different song (ie. Taylor Swift), this would've never seen the light of day.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

I went to Rwanda and all I got was this national healthcare

In my last post, I mentioned that my only fear of quitting my job is losing health insurance. Interestingly, right after I wrote it, I stumbled upon this article about national health insurance in Rwanda. Some food for thought.

Excerpt:
He met an American college student passing through last year, and found it “absurd, ridiculous, that I have health insurance and she didn’t,” he said, adding: “And if she got sick, her parents might go bankrupt. The saddest thing was the way she shrugged her shoulders and just hoped not to fall sick.”

Click here for the full article

Progress is a town in Texas



Holy crap it's almost July!

To be honest, progress hasn't really been made on the trip planning. Chris is applying for a job that would keep us on the east coast for a few more months. He really wants this job so I am willing to put the trip on hold temporarily. Best girlfriend ever. I am still planning to quit my job and leave New York City at the end of July. I might get a freelance job in Philly or move down to South Carolina for a couple months or travel abroad. It's all up in the air until we hear back about this job. For some people this would cause panic, but I operate best under pressure.

I have 3 doctors appointments to make sure everything is okay with my health before I quit. It's my only fear about giving up my job: that I'll get sick and be without insurance. Until Universal Healthcare kicks in, such is American life. If I get a clean bill of health, I'm good to go. I'm so ready for this adventure. After five years of floundering in maddening office jobs, I want a break. Will I end up back in corporate America? It's a possibility. But I hope that I'll take advantage of this adventure to figure out what I really want to do.

It's easier said than done. I'm an inherent contradiction. I crave both adventure and stability. And as much as I hate working a 9 to 5, it does provide stability. Luckily I am in a relationship that will hopefully provide the stability I require while we pursue the adventure. This will be a true test of our relationship, our perseverance and our sanity. But that doesn't scare me. What scares me is looking back on my youth one day and being disappointed that I didn't take more risks and embrace change.

I'm doing this for 50 year old Zina. She's married with 3 teenaged gay sons and 4 elderly chihuahuas. She wears a (sequined) mumu on the weekends and can't remember the last time she had a vacation. But she looks back on her 20's and smiles. Her eyes light up as she regales her boys with stories of her well-spent youth. They listen to her tales, enraptured.

"My God" they think, "our hag has lived."

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

On Target

The targeted ads on a website tell you a lot about the content.

I'm kind of disappointed, I'm still not seeing a theme in my ads.






































Is it possible for a blog to cry for help?

My AA cardigan is in the mail.

Here's to you, Rue

Some days, the Notes from the Universe really strike a chord with me. Today was one of those days:

Insecurity, Zina, is the greatest social piranha in the pool of human existence. Yet discovering that no matter what anyone else thinks, you can still choose your own thoughts, manifest your own things, and live happily ever after is like wearing underwater, titanium body armor in your favorite color, with built-in rabbit ear slippers and a giant hoodie.
Priceless,
The Universe

We all get insecure sometimes. We care too much about what others think. We second guess ourselves. But it really is a waste of energy. Whenever I'm having a moment of insecurity, I think about old people. I'm sure they were all insecure once. But now they're older and wiser and clearly don't give a hoot what anyone thinks. They will walk around wearing only a tablecloth, tell you exactly what they think of you and take their sweet time getting off the elevator with no regard for anyone else. Granted some of it is physical limitations (and sometimes, dementia). But a lot of it is just an indifference to other peoples' opinions. Screw you, I'm 98, I'll do what I want. It's something I've always admired and something I am continually trying to cultivate. Other people's opinions, beliefs, insults, prejudices do not matter. Be comfortable with yourself and nothing can stop you.













And rest in peace, Rue. You remain an inspiration.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

The hangover














I give up

I woke up this morning, with a raging inferno of a hangover. The type that makes you feel like you're still drunk. Or perhaps I was/am.

Last night was one of those ridiculous nights on a rooftop with coworkers that is awesome at the time and  cringe inducing the next day.


Now I'm a zombie. I can't function. All I can think about is getting home and into bed. It's no way to live.

Beer, I'm done with you. There's no way around it. This relationship is abusive. You show me a good time then you throw me down the stairs.

There is no "moderation" when it comes to us. We need another month apart.

Thanks for the memories, boo(ze)

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Memorial Day Weekend Recap

Another weekend recap already? It must be Christmas.

Friday morning I headed off to Philly yet again. It's unclear why I ever left. Oh that's right, a dead-end job and unwillingness to settle down anywhere for longer than 2 years. On the subway on my way to the bus I had a celebrity sighting.

I was disappointed that Curious George wasn't with him but apparently he's in rehab.
I'd planned to crash at Chris' while he worked. But my friend Brian was also off from work and he convinced me to accompany him to Home Depot. Home Depot is probably my least favorite place in the world. It's just so...straight. My head starts spinning as soon as I walk in from all the testosterone in the air. I liken it to a straight gay bar. It's full of super macho types who are so focused on the man-toys that they don't even notice when women show up. I could have walked around wearing only a bright orange apron and a smile and they wouldn't have flinched. Just kidding, I obviously would never be caught dead in an apron. I actually tend to get extra dressed up when I go there to counteract all the testosterone. As if wearing a ball gown and pearls will keep me from turning into a lumberjack.
After that adventure in masculinity, we picked up a case of Miller lite and proceeded to drink on his couch. We don't hang out as much as we did when I lived in Philly but whenever we do it's a good time. We are both very convinced of each others' (and our own) awesomeness so it works out well. When we were about 7 beers deep, Brian's girlfriend Lisa and another couple showed up and we met Chris for dinner at a BYO called Sazon. I didn't have high expectations for the meal but it was actually pretty good. Especially Chris' which I ate half of. I don't know what it was but it was delicious.
The service was pretty good too. They even refrigerated the 4 cans of Miller lite I brought in my purse. Waste not, want not. And they didn't mind when Brian broke out into song during dessert. Chris and I were exhausted by the time we finished so we took Geritol and passed out.

Saturday we woke up at 9 AM and didn't know what to do with ourselves. Usually we awake around 1 pm and slowly make our way to world of the living. But considering we went to bed at midnight on a Friday, we were rearing to go.

We decided to go outlet shopping for summer clothes. His younger brothers were both in town so we brought them with us. Before Chris, I always said that the next guy I dated would be an agoraphobic war orphan. But I have changed my tune. His whole family has always been very welcoming and supportive. Most of my life I lived with just my mom, so I always love observing families with all sons. They just sit around and crack jokes on each other. It's hilarious.
Onto outlet shopping. I'm pretty cheap but outlets are my weakness. Usually I end up blowing half my paycheck at outlets on clothes that I don't need. But I've had to be more frugal lately now that I'm planning on giving up my 9-5. I didn't end up finding anything that I really liked but the boys all found stuff so it wasn't a complete waste. Plus, I ended up going to the mall and buying a dress at Urban Outfitters anyway. Later, we picked up some BBQ supplies at Trader Joe's and beer and drove to his brother Jon's place for a barbecue. Once the beer was finished, Chris and I went to a bar to get food and watch the Phillies and Flyers game. On our way into the bar we noticed this guy taking a snooze.
He appeared to be breathing so we continued on our way. On the way back to the car an hour later, we saw him again:
Apparently gravity had a field day with this guy. Since I'd recently watched back-to-back episodes of What Would You Do, I decided we had to do something. He could just be a drunk idiot but what if he was in a diabetic coma? Then what would I say when John Quinones shoved a microphone in my face? I couldn't let him down.












So I flagged down a cop car and they gently helped him up. Just kidding, they kicked and yelled at him until he finally woke up then shoved him in the back of the squad car. I'm sure he'd still be eternally grateful to me. I was going to offer the cops my contact information in case they needed me to testify or be interviewed by the newspaper but Chris dragged me away. My dream in life has always been to testify against someone in court. When I was a kid (ie. 15), sometimes I would stay in the car while my mom shopped in case the store got robbed and I could be a witness. I never said I was a normal child.
The next day we had a delicious outdoor brunch. Food is so much better when consumed outside. I ate a Men's Health approved breakfast. My entire "healthy" routine is based around these slideshows.
Brian had an annual Memorial Day BBQ at his parents house so I headed to that after brunch. Chris had to work overnight in Northern NJ so I was on my own. Lots of beer and baked goods were consumed and lots of dancing by the pool followed. It was a great time. I didn't partake in the water activities because I was intentionally sans bathing suit. No one wanted to see me in a bathing suit after 3 days of drinking. Or, ever really. Men don't have these concerns.

We drank for about 12 hours straight. I wanted to keep going but no one else was having it. We're all getting old. The next day I awoke on the floor with a hangover that continued to get worse the longer I was awake. It was a struggle to form words, let alone hold conversations with the stragglers from the night before. I spent the rest of the day lounging by the pool with Brian's family, alternating between laughing at their stories and praying for a respite from the pain. I wanted to go for a swim and I even put on my fat kid bathing suit at one point.
But after nearly capsizing a pool float, I realized I just didn't have the energy. Finally my chariot arrived to whisk me back home. It was difficult to leave the peacefulness of the suburbs and head back to the city. I could've stayed by that pool forever. It was a pretty perfect weekend overall.

Remember that blog I wrote about drinking in moderation? Well obviously I couldn't start doing that until after the Memorial day weekend. Plus a friend is in town tonight, and I have a work happy hour tomorrow. Just get off my back okay?!?

To Do

This weekend I realized just how close this huge life-altering journey is and how much we still need to get done. Thus, I'm making a to-do list. In no particular order...

  • Quit job
  • Plan drive across country, including stop at Mom's house.
  • Get road trip supplies - tents, sleeping bags etc.
  • Throw huge, amazing going away party for self
  • Give away stuff to Salvation Army
  • Fly to LA to look at potential apartments
  • Secure sublet in Los Angeles
  • Turn 27
  • Save 2000 more dollars
  • Pack bar minimum of belongings for drive to California
  • Pack up everything else and store at Chris' parents' house to be shipped later
  • Find a doctor
  • Get a physical
  • Lose 8 lbs
  • Buy bathing suit that won't frighten children
  • Drink much less
  • Cancel gym membership
  • Look for freelance jobs
  • Network with LA contacts
  • Get a bike

Yikes. Better get started....tomorrow.