Ok, so this will sound silly to most people, but I've discovered that I really like that cd player/radio combination desktop stereo that the average person has at work. Nothing impressive, but I just got my first one (from friends who are getting rid of things as they prepare to move) and I love it! I've never owned one- didn't ever buy or get one for some reason or another, and mostly because I've moved around so much that it was just one more thing to move. But it totally beats my alarm clock radio- mostly the speaker bit. I'm quite happy with it.

roommate is a bad influence. meatball subs at 2:30am are not a good idea for either the budget or the waistline... however, they are delicious!

You know what will always brighten my day (though today didn't need brightening, even with the torrential downpour outside)?

Chat conversations with my French students. Somedays I really miss those 'petits monstres!"

I have a bed! They delivered it and set it up this morning!

Seriously, everyone goes on and on about pillowtops- but I always feel like I'm continuously and slowly falling, or that I'm going to roll over and suffocate myself. Besides the thrifty aspect of a more basic mattress, I think it just feels better to sleep on.

Now I can pretend to feel like an adult... even more so because now I have to go do laundry. The one time I will do laundry during a weekday for a long time to come.

The best Valentine's Day ever!

I had completely forgotten it was V-Day until about the third time it came up in a conversation with Nathan while we were out mattress shopping today. It finally clicked when we were talking about Leanne, and I was the idiot who finally asked if it was ok with her for us to be out mattress shopping on this of all days!

It was later in the evening, as Kevin and I were finishing up dinner that I realised that his mention of the V-Day Prom Karaoke at the Milky Way was in reference to Valentine's Day rather than Victory Day (which is still a few months -both of them- away). It's a side effect of having moved across the country and then not having to work for the last week-ish, that I can remember the day but not the date!

So we dressed up a little, went down the street to meet the others, and then headed out for Jamaica Plains for quite the interesting night! This group really gets into their karaoke! I'll be seriously inspired once I get over my shyness. We danced, we sang, we were part of the small minority dressed up, and we made fun of the one truly obnoxiously bad guy, and we raved over the great twentieth century invention of karaoke and it's accessibility to all walks of life! I wish I would quite forgetting my camera!

Quite honestly, the best Valentine's Day ever!

They say the snow is starting to let up. It's been a fun, first storm for me in my new home. I stayed indoors!

Sarah asked me to post about the move, but there really isn't much yet to post.

After my usual bout with moving anxiety, I settled a bit more into my new home. The anxiety slowly subsided, so my internal dialogue wasn't set on the heart-stopping, nerve-wracking repetition of 'What was I thinking? Am I going to make it here?'

The day after my late evening move in, Kevin gave me a ride out to a possible work site for an informal meeting. Turns out it's quite a nice place, and I think I would enjoy working there, even with the commute. Though I think the commute will be a great excuse for reading time.

Friday night was quite a bit of fun. I went to a Chinese New Year celebration with Justin, and then went to the Kevin's show "In The Garage", which was hilarious. We went out to dinner with his parents afterwards, followed by a cast party of sorts.

Saturday was low-key again, though went with Kevin to the Courtside for karaoke with his friends. How I wish I'd had my camera! Even though the music was mostly rock, it brought back such happy memories of Country Karaoke Night at the Longbranch on Thursday nights! And I seriously felt like I was back in one of the small-town bars I ate burgers in all summer long- like a touch of Iowa out here! Afterwards we all ended up at home, waiting for the snow to start and watching Stewie Griffin.

It's mostly been the little details that make me realise that I've moved: the different languages I hear on the streets (I've heard French!), the new metro system to become acquainted with, the smells in the air at 5 o'clock (not fried chicken, which hung over Creston), and being on my own again.

Today has been even more low-key. Mostly experiencing my first nor'easter from the warm comfort of my room.

After a year of searching for the name of my blog, I vowed to stop changing the title. But I was sorely tempted last night after reading some more Wright. "If one cannot live an independent life of one's own, one may at least become a modest parasite and, instead of honest arrogance practice hypocritical humility."

I am enjoying this book so much more than I thought I would!

What else are you going to do on a snowy Sunday afternoon.

MY STAR WARS NAME(first 3 letters of your last name + last 3 letters of mother's maiden name /+/ first 3 letters of your pet's name + first 3 letters of the town you live in)

Dosman Som

Despite all the other moments, I think this might be my truest "I am here" moments.

I haven't yet decided if I'm going to be like the crazy Arizona tourists and go for a little walk or stick to my sensible midwestern roots and wait it out inside.
I suppose it's quite a good day when that's to be my major decision. Until then, I might go have a bowl of oatmeal.

seriously need to blog about tonight (which isn't apparently over yet) regardless of what serpico thinks of my blogspot blog...

you know you've moved farther north when it's darker than you'd been used to at 5pm.

if only we could all be gods...

'God' faces name-change deadline