Have a thick skin, Cancer

In the course of some actual work, I was on the Toronto Star website and stumbled across my horoscope for today:

Cancer (June 22 — July 22)
The current cosmic climate makes it essential to have a thick skin and a lot of stamina. Remain focused on your goals and a certain melodrama will lose its power.

Not sure how reliable it is, given it's Canadian and all...but I think the cosmic significance of these things surpasses national borders.

In any case, it's pretty appropriate. I've been letting a couple of drama-filled situations get me down, and I need to toughen up and get over them. The subhead of the horoscope page was even: Have a thick skin, Cancer.

I guess someone wanted me to get the message.

Lovely Lady (and Lady Parts) News

Real Lady News: Texas A&M to add Women's Studies Degree

Whoop! Look at my alma mater go!

Via The Battalion (my former employer):

The Board of Regents has approved the establishment of the Bachelor of Arts degree program in women's and gender studies at its March 26 and March 27 meetings. Approximately six students will be enrolled in the first year of the major, rising to 18 students in five years. In November 2008, 42 students were enrolled in the women's studies minor. According to the proposal, the program is designed to allow students to increase their research and critical-thinking skills, provide an in-depth study of gender from social science and humanities perspective and encourage students to look beyond their own culture and era in understanding the role of gender in shaping society. The proposal is in line with Vision 2020, with all of Texas A&M's college peers except one offering a women's and gender studies program. The program will be interdisciplinary, but will continue to be administered by the College of Liberal Arts. It will require completion of 120 hours.

Fake Lady News: Renowned Hoo-Ha Doctor Wins Nobel Prize For Medical Advancements Down There

Excerpts via The Onion:

The world's foremost authority on ailments down south, Dr. Victoria Lazoff led a team of cutting-edge hoo-ha doctors to develop new strategies for detecting abnormal growth in...you know, that area. The accomplished physician humbly accepted medicine's highest honor before a crowd of her peers, and spoke about the importance of regular screenings to prevent unnecessary complications up inside one's business...

"...We should be encouraging an open dialogue with our young women, one that isn't constrained by some outdated facade of 1950s morality," Lazoff said to a crowd of people looking down at their shoes. "I cannot say this clearly enough: Ladies, please, make an appointment to get your annual [looksie-doo], especially if you are [seeing a fella] or have experienced pain or sensitivity in your['Hello, my baby! Hello, my darling! Hello, my ragtime gal!']."

Don't jump!

This weekend I took the bus up to NYC to meet up with my sister. She was there with her church for spring break and had a free day Friday. It was great to see her, and the second time this year we have been able to meet up outside of Houston and a holiday or official family event.

After an exhausting day of walking Friday, we slept in Saturday morning. As I was getting ready, my sister opened the window and sat on the ledge to enjoy the beautiful day. About 15 minutes later, she was helping me straighten my hair when someone started beating on the door. I was sitting there in just a t-shirt, and even though I assumed it was one of the girls from my sister’s group, I decided to put on pants (good move!). As I was zipping up my jeans, about six NYPD officers stormed our room. Apparently, someone in the apartment building across the way had thought my sister was a jumper and called it in. Needless to say they were a little annoyed with us and lectured us about how “you can’t do that kind of thing in New York City.” I guess they really thought we were a couple of bumpkins from Texas.

It was pretty entertaining; I wish I could have gotten a picture of my sister talking to the cops, but they were already pretty upset and I didn’t think they would be amused.

The Little Weekend That Could

This was one of those weekends where I didn’t have big plans, but things just happened and it was actually one of the most fun DC weekends I have had in awhile.

Friday, I went to an iMovie class at the Apple Store and am now completely coveting iLife 09. Afterward, I ended up staying at work longer than I planned (pretty typical for me) and by the time I got home, I really just wanted to stay in (pretty atypical for me). However, I had agreed to meet a friend for a drink later so I eventually got dressed and headed out. It was pretty chill, but a good time. Ran into a girl I used to live with in a group house when I first moved here, and found out one of the other roommates is pregnant – which makes like the 10th person I know that is preggers right now. Man, it has reached epidemic proportions! As usual, last call came way too soon and I reluctantly went home even though I wanted to keep the party going.

Saturday, I went to watch my friend and former neighbor play rugby at this cool park by the airport with KB. Even though it was rainy and cold, it was fun to go to the match. Growing up in Texas, I never knew anyone who played rugby or saw a match until I moved to DC, and now I am learning. We decided to go grab just one drink (famous last words) with the team at their sponsor bar. Five or so doubles later, our Saturday night (although early) was in full swing. Next thing I knew I was filling a Gatorade bottle I had in my purse with the remainder of my vodka and ginger and taking it and the party on the road. We were headed to another bar with one of KB’s high school friends, but I ended up grocery shopping, which is never a good plan when you are drunk. I got home with very random items (avocados, Frosted Flakes, pot roast) and without most of the things I actually needed from the store. What a hot mess! To make the night more interesting, I also spent a fair amount of time on facebook and texting…that was nice to go back through and read this morning…

I ended up passing out in front of the TV while I ate a frozen dinner and woke up about 2 am, when I spilled a glass of coke I was holding in my lap. Interesting texts (some replies from my drunken messages and other random, unsolicited ones) kept coming and entertained me until I passed out again around 6am. So much for getting my body back on a regular schedule…

So we meet again...

Yesterday I found myself in familiar territory…in a place I once loved, where I used to commute every day, and a place that changed my life. That magical place is Manhattan. It was interesting being back for the first time in four years. It was a strange feeling to exit the train at Penn Station and make the walk I made so many times in 2005 when I used to work in the city. The whole day was sort of déjà vu. It all reminded me of my time there, which sadly was the worst time of my life so far. I hate that so many bad feelings are tied to a place I dreamed of living my whole life. I hate that New York is in a way tainted because the time I spent there was just so damn bad.

At the time, everything sounded perfect and I thought I had managed to make all my dreams come true and so early in the grand scheme of my life. I was finally living with my boyfriend of four years and thought we were on the path to getting married, I had taken a stand with my family, I was living on the East Coast and had landed a writing job in NYC. But my how things aren’t always what they seem. Within a few months it all unraveled and taught me a lot about what I really wanted and what actually made me happy. For that, I look back on New York fondly.

Yesterday, I returned to the city in a totally different –and thankfully much happier place in life. I was attending a meeting for a job that I truly love and returning home to a cozy apartment I adore and share with the #1 male in my life, my dog in DC. I also stayed in NYC and had dinner with an old friend from college and it was fabulous! New York will always be a place where I learned much about life and myself and I hope a place where I will soon have many good memories to outshine all those less than fabulous ones from 2005.

This Coughing May Kill Me

It’s been a terrible week. Last Sunday night I started feeling sick and it sidelined me the entire week. I didn’t go to work; I barely left the house, and most days I didn’t really get out of bed. I’ve been the sickest I think I have ever been in my life. It has been miserable. I managed to make it to the doctor Tuesday only to learn I had a virus that had to run its course. My body aches from coughing and I have been going absolutely stir crazy. While I do embody many of the characteristics of a Cancer (emotional, loving, intuitive, imaginative, shrewd, cautious, protective, sympathetic, and moody) the homebody part is not one of them.

It’s times like these when I wish I had a roommate…or maybe that I had had a child a few years back that could bring me more juice or another pillow - I know my mom used to use us for that. If only I had planned a little better...or rather not planned my parenthood so well, then I’d have someone here to help me. ☺ Oh well.

I finally feel a bit better today. I just want to get back to work and out of this house.