Monday, September 26, 2005

Bibliophile

During the great purge, a.ka. My Big Move, I swore that I would never have to make ten trips to Goodwill again. If I don't absolutely love it, it is not coming into my house. A corollary to this resolution: getting (and using) a library card.

My new place is a few blocks from a library - YES!! And a short walk from a great spot to settle down with a book and a cuppa. In keeping with my La Vie en Rose manifesto, I am now turning to you, gentle reader, for your top 5 books.

So, there's your assignment - do me proud!

Friday, September 23, 2005

55 Fiction Fridays: 0-55 in 3.3 seconds

Friday in the Bay.

Up, up, up to the little park with the breathtaking view. On one side, San Francisco emerging from the fog, on the other, the bustle of San Jose. She would have never found this little gem if it hadn’t been for the test drive – an unexpected benefit to having to deal with a fast-talking Texan.

Thursday, September 22, 2005

Speechless

Test driving a car today:

Salesguy: So, basically how it works is that if we sell 100 cars this month, we get 101 cars next month. We have to keep selling a certain number to get that number from Honda.
maisnon: Oh, so it's like breastfeeding.
Salesguy: {silence, followed by stammering.}
maisnon: What I mean is "use it or lose it."
Salesguy: Um, yeah.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

Lycanthropy

I've been living some kind of double life, trying to adhere to both the East Coast and West Coast time zones. As usual, time wins. I'm just plain exhausted.

For all who have asked, Gia is a rockstar traveller. Her little carrier was tiny - it made me claustrophobic just to look at it. I had to take her out of it to get through security. (Walking through a metal detector in an airport holding a cat - a bit nerve-wracking.) Having a cat in an airport makes you very approachable. A number of people stopped to tell me how gorgeous and well-behaved she is. (True, and true.)

On the flight, I sat between an older Italian couple (they switched seats to sit in the same row, but didn't want to switch to sit next to each other.) I tried to ask them if they were allergic to cats, which wasn't happening in English. I decided to ask if they spoke French (which, of course, they did.) Only I could end up chatting about universal health insurance in French on a cross-country flight. (I even learned a word in Italian: capito, which I think means "understand.")

Here is my MacGyver/Ocean's 11/Knightrider entree to SF: the Star took off for Asia the day before I flew in, and parked his car at the airport. He had his father in Seattle send me the spare keys to his car. I arrived at the airport and dragged my 100+ pounds of luggage (not including cat) onto an airport shuttle and found the car. The Star had left the keys to his place in the car. I stopped by the pet store, then found his place, dragged everything upstairs, and collapsed.

I saw Pat the next day. Oddly enough, her whole place smelled like Glade Country Garden Scent. Oh, the irony. I managed to drag her out on the "rounds" of looking at apartments. So, so depressing: I have no problem living in a place built in the 1960s, but do the appliances have to be "retro" too? Not cool.

It's not easy reinventing your life. I know that sounds incredibly obvious, but it is something I lose sight of: I was craving personal space and time and I thought I'd be so much happier once I was in California. No, in reality, I'm Goldilocks (Blackilocks?) - DC: not enough space, California: too much space. I know that will change: the Star gets back next week, I start work the week after, I'll soon know my way around again, etc.

Things are on the upswing already: I signed a lease on an AWESOME place yesterday. I couldn't be much happier: 2.5 miles from work, blocks away from CalTrain and the library, and the "main drag." I expect to see brimful soon(ish), I have a hot date with IKEA, and SJM is moving here this weekend.

And now, I'm heading out to the door to drive a little too fast with the sunroof open.

Monday, September 19, 2005

Au re voir

I'm not good at goodbyes. I have a long history of this.

When we would go to India, my uncle Prabha would always say "I'll just go and come back" (in Malayalam.) It took me a long time before I ever actually asked where he was, since he'd said he'd be back. That's when my mom explained that you don't actually say you're leaving - you just say that you're going to go...and come back. Like most slightly inexplicable Malayalam things, I think it's a superstition. (And there are many superstitions about exits - my mother gets really upset if you come back in the house because you forgot something. She also gets mad if you leave shoes or a broom by the door.)

Leaving DC means leaving the life I've made there - the family, friends, classmates, etc. I kept meaning to have some kind of party or happy hour. As usual, life got in the way, but more than that, I realised I simply did not want to say goodbye. It's not that I didn't want to move, just that I wasn't up for the gut-wrenching repeated ad infinitum. So, I slipped out like a teen that's been grounded. I apologize, but it's what I had to do.

French is quite similar to Malayalam with regard to taking one's leave. Goodbyes are constructed as "à" (to or until) plus a time.
A bientôt - see you soon
A demain - until tomorrow

Au revoir - until I see you again.

Friday, September 16, 2005

55 Fiction Fridays: Somnolent

Friday, in a new time zone!

She sank into the bed like a fist kneading bread dough, enveloped in pillows and swaddled in thread count. An entire year to assemble it – the perfect duvet, coordinating bedskirt. How could anyone compare? Her bed had no expectations, never tried to hit on her girlfriends, and was always there for her – warm, supportive, unconditional.

Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Gym Shorts

  • I see the irony in watching "Celebrity Fit Club" while doing cardio at the gym. (But, does it ever make the time whiz by.)
  • Are there still women who get dolled up for the gym? Seriously? I thought that was over by ... 2nd year of college.
  • Dude, lay off the bench press and do something about your chicken legs. Your center of gravity is so high that if someone tapped you, you'd fall over.
  • Gym fashion, best not to dwell on this one.
  • Gym as community center: one of my professors (who's had a heart transplant!!) goes to my gym, his daughter is a trainer here, the receptionist always asks me how law school, the Bar, etc. is going.
  • Man, I'm going to miss this place.

Friday, September 09, 2005

1,000 words


From left to right: Ganapati, Baby little bro #1, Nataraj, Chivas Regal, maisnon at a young age.

This is from my parents' living room - didn't have to touch a thing.

Thursday, September 08, 2005

Room to romp!

My place is finally on the market!! I'm having an Open House on Sunday.

(Drop me a line if you would like an invite.)

LESS than a week, mes p'tits!!

55 Fiction Fridays: Crystal Ball

Friday, thanggod.

He stared intently at his palm, analyzing the lines, folds and wrinkles, as if they could speak his mistakes and missteps aloud. “If the head line is connected to the heart line, then…” Someone had ripped out the next page. Now he’d never plumb his inner depths, or understand the hand Fate had dealt him.

Wrapped up like a...

Matt: Don't be a douche*, call me sometime!
Me: Oh, whatever - you could call me, you know!
Matt: Uh, I DID!!!
Me: Oh no you did not! I. Called. You!
Matt: {pause} Oh wait, that's right - you did.
Me: Dude, this is the second time we've had the SAME conversation.



* I've chosen to assume that this is some kind of play on the French se doucher - i.e. to shower.

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Beavis

I'm working on the ad for my house, and came across a website with helpful hints and phrases to use in your ad. Is it wrong that I find these possible headlines about the size of one's house hilarious?

Size of House
- Bring Your Tape Measure!
- Small Wonder!
- Petite Retreat
- Room to Romp
- Soooo BIG!!!
- Growing Pains?

Red Light/Green Light

I know it's been a few days since I've posted. Trust me, I've written enough for about 5 posts. But somehow, everything I write ends up scrapped. Instead, here is a post about the posts that didn't make it:
  • In light of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath, I wrote a post detailing my experience with a natural disaster/living through a national emergency. I ended up thinking it just didn't feel right. Showing the width, breadth, and range of blogination, both Instapundit and Go Fug Yourself have great lists of charities if you'd like to make a donation.
  • Chicken Curry Girl (those who know, understand. As for the rest of you - this post may yet see the light of day.)
  • Advice on how to study for the Bar - this is another one that will eventually be posted. Sort of a reflection on what I did, what I would have done differently, and (ahem) what I may do differently if there is a second time.
  • With the move impending, I'm finding that I am making .... New Life Resolutions? Just... an internal/blogdraft list of things I want to do, try, keep in mind once I'm settled. I'm either very, very late with my New Year's Resolutions, or hella-early. ;)
  • More on my family - probably would have been funny, but seemed kind of mean when I re-read it (specifically, how I feel that we all try to be efficiency experts, i.e. we question why a family member chose to do something in a particular way. And we do that for every.little.thing.)

I think I'm in the quiet before the storm: I'm neither here nor there. The house isn't quite ready to go on the market, and probably won't be advertised until after I leave. I took Gia to the vet for her travel certification today. I'm not quite at the packing stage. I'm just at the "I wish I were doing something about the house or moving." I know things will suddenly take off on me, but there is a comfort in activity. It can be hard to sit still and listen to your pulse when your mind and body are coiling up and preparing to jump.

Friday, September 02, 2005

55 Fiction Fridays: extra butter

Friday, I'm in love.

At the back of her closet, she found an old forgotten favorite: her suede jacket. In the side pocket, she found a movie theater ticket stub. The faded writing brought it all back - the spilled popcorn, the predictable plot arc, and cola-flavored kisses. She rubbed the scrap of paper against her cheek, and smiled.