Lazy Bones

I didn't end up going to half of the things I had planned this week... Work was just too overloaded; I was too tired and a huge emotional mess. My grandpa had two heart attacks this week. He's fine for now, but it really blows. I had a pretty good rest of the weekend, though, considering. Played Nintendo and ate some pizza with a good friend Saturday...confirmed that I really suck at video games. My mom wouldn't let me play when I was a kid, so I never got much practice. She said I was "too anxious" a child to play. That I would take it too seriously and become emotionally dependent on winning. Instead, I'm still an anxious person, I suck at a skill all my peers mastered, and I get embarrassed when playing. So good job, Mom, you were totally right on! I actually told her all of this recently (she reads my blog so I have to be fair to her) and she still stands by her decision. And other than this one little thing, I turned out basically alright, no?!

Other than gaming I just loafed about. Spent most of today reading several of the magazines/journals I'm getting now. Ever since I finished grad school, I've been in a reading craze and just ordered stuff en masse: Bust, Bitch, Mother Jones, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Magnet, Museum News, Curator, Journal of Popular Culture, American Quarterly, etc. etc. etc. Good thing growing up I got lots of practice at reading while all the other kids were playing Mario Bros. Love you Mom!!!

The one event I did make it to is the only one that sucked. I went to a bar on Friday in Dupont with some old friends (all over the age of 30, several with kids or kiddies on the way) and I couldn't drink. The boy had my driver's license (he was making a copy of it for our car insurance claim) and the ABC people were on the block. I'm obviously not under 21 anymore people! I mean, it's not like I need to drink to have fun with my girls (like everyone says), but who am I kidding. I really wanted a drink. It was nice to see my girls' claws come out for me; they were determined to get me to drink. When ordering one for themselves and passing it on to me was called out for what it was, Barbara began harassing our waiter and loudly too. Every time he asked us how we were doing, she would yell at him about how he had ruined our whole night and keep yelling as he walked away. I thought he might flip out. Gotta love that lady. She's a spitfire. I ended up staying pretty late and even though one of my mates snuck me some bourbon for my diet Coke, I was blacklisted for the whole night. Even regulars, people that have gone to this bar every night for the last 10 years, couldn't get drinks if they were seen with me beforehand... seriously. Apparently, fascism is alive and well in many parts of DC and not just near Lafayette Square. I know, I know, law law law...and total misuse of the word fascism, but all I wanted was a G&T people! Sigh.


During this little melee, however, the thought did cross my mind that perhaps this is a sign from above to do a little less imbibing in the future. Truth be told, I've actually decided to cut back on the booze and other unhealthy life habits (read: chips, oven pizzas, take out). The past year has been so chaotic and I'm finally settled into my new job, house, pay scale... All the good habits I gained over the years (cooking, running, taking my vitamins) went down the drain during graduate school. It was eating whatever I could find, wherever I could find it, when I could find the time. Followed by a lot of diet Coke. Or beer. I haven't gained much weight, but I just don't feel as alert and healthy as I used to. I know that a lot of people have the philosophy that we only get one life, so live it up. I tend to be more of the thought that I only have one life and I'd rather not feel like crap during it. I don't want to get cancer at a young age, or have diabetes, or liver failure, or be a whale of an old lady. I'm 25 and I've already lost several good friends. I know that anything can happen. I don't want to fuck this body up because of something so ephemeral as booze or Doritoes.

Now, don't take this the wrong way. It's not like I'm becoming some sort of crunchy, granola health freak... or a straight edge. I got shivers just writing that... I just want to be more conscious of what I'm putting in my body, like I did before this city and graduate school took over all my energy. I'm still going to go out, probably more than now since I'll be less run down. I'm still going to get a beer when I do and I'm still going to eat popcorn when I go to the movies. I'll just make sure I don't drink every night I go out and I'll order a smaller size of kernels. But still with butter, of course. Moderation, people, that's all I'm saying. And now that I know where I'm living for a while and who's writing my paychecks, I can finally settle down and get back to making my life instead of reacting to it.

Now if only I'd been in a moderation state of mind before I ordered all those journals and magazines... and when writing run-on sentences. Oy.