The Fever

Every time I spend a weekend in Maine I come home and start half-heartedly perusing job listings up north. And every time I see my employment options, well, that straightens me out right quick. It is not practical for me to want to move to Maine, and there are lots of reasons I'm very attached to my current home, from the home itself to the city to the good friends we have made here. It's not just the job. Also, I don't want move farther away from Mike's family. But I can't shake the feeling that I belong back in the Pine Tree State. Not just because most of my family's there, I mean, that's a big part of it, but there is something about the place that has a hold over me for reasons I can't define and can't ignore. If I get to retire, maybe. Or if I win the lottery I'll establish a second residence. Barring those things, it's not all that far away, so we visit as much as we can. It's just always so dang hard to leave.

We had a really spectacular weekend up tha coast. To his credit, HR handled all the car travel pretty well, and has been solid as a rock with his potty training, even out of his element. We have to cart his duck potty everywhere because he refuses to entertain the idea of the Big Potty but I will carry that thing along until he's 20 until I have to because he uses it. I invite no superstition when I say that we've got us a housebroken boy.

Friday night we had a really fun night out in the city with my sibs and some friends, courtesy of the grandparental sitters' network. The rest of the time we hopped from one graduation party to the next, half enjoying/half complaining in the brutal heat and humidity. I think I might have drunk my weight in Miller Lite, and that's how summertime rolls. Mike had to come back to work on Saturday, which was a bummer, but I soldiered on in his stead, buoyed along by the kindness of my sister's hosting and my brother-in-law and father's driving skills. I'm so happy we had the chance to see everyone.

And now we're home and no matter how great it is to be in our own space doing our own thing, I'd always go back in a heartbeat. And actually, there are only a few thousand heartbeats until my next visit--a bittersweet, but much awaited one--for Niki's memorial.

All in all, I'm feeling good today, even on a Monday. At this point in my life, I've lived in Massachusetts longer than I lived there, but Maine will always be home to me. For the record, though, I'm not going anywhere, any time soon.

So Far, So Rabies-less

There's something about an uber-bananas day--one like today, that encompasses things like multiple people knocking on your window instead of going to the front door like civilized humans, a mass exodus of volunteers less than two weeks before a major fundraising event and, oh yeah, a bat flying around the premises--to really galvanize a workplace.

What else can you do but laugh and carry on? (Also: get your luxurious locks under cover.) And be downright appreciative that the weekend approacheth. For this one, friends, I am extraordinarily jazzed.



Any madness left? Brang it.

Pop Pop Pop Music

Pop Music Obsessions, Summer 2013 Edition
(Note: most of these songs are not strictly new, I just happen to be into them right now.)

"I Love It" by Icona Pop



I first heard this song in the "Hannah does coke" episode of "Girls" and it stuck with me. This song is a feeling, a moment, a fist pumping in the air. It's energy. It's sonic summer.

"Come and Get It" by Selena Gomez



I know. But come on, it's great. I'm struck by how mature her voice is, too. None of that baby fakeness. Selena, drop the Biebs for good and let's hang out.

"Fuckin' Problems" by A$AP Rocky featuring 20 other dudes



This is so catchy, but also kind of horrifying. On one hand, how do you not love the lyric "I love bad bitches that's my fuckin' problem, and yeah I like to fuck I got a fuckin' problem" in its poetic simplicity? At the same time, how do you live in a world where being called a bad bitch is a compliment? And how can Rocky be such a beautiful looking person with that grill? And then you have Kendrick Lamar, who I could listen to all the time? But then... Drake? The conflict, the conflict.

Palate cleanser: "Q.U.E.E.N" by Janelle Monae featuring Erykah Badu



This speaks for itself in its amazingness.  "I'm cutting up, don't cut me down." If I ever walk into a club again, this is what will be playing in my head.

"Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke 



I can't say enough about this song. I love it so much I don't care how dumb the lyrics are. Or how embarrassingly bad the video is. A song this genius gets a pass from me. Plus Pharrell, always Pharrell.

It's hard being a feminist and liking mainstream music, y'all. I don't always feel good about what I like, but I can't help what speaks to me. Most of the time I just don't sing along. Not a perfect solution, but it's summertime and what can you do.

Have fun getting these out of your head!

If Your Cup is Full

I truly didn't want the weekend to be over. It had everything, from seeing old friends to hanging with current ones, playing games (Cards for Humanity - which is the. bomb.), making the best of the miserable Saturday weather by going on a puddle walk to get ice cream, and later that night huddling with blankets, wine and bad TV. Sunday was a peaceful HR-and-mama day, and Monday, the most glorious day, I got to go to my boy's Monday music class, and later Mike, HR and I crossed the river to get some outrageously good barbecue and meandered home on foot. We even got a start on the new Arrested Development. The best part was having so much unstructured time with my favorite guys, the rarest of gifts. Aside from the odd three-year-old meltdown, life's been pretty fun.

Many people I know and love have served their country, and though I don't observe Memorial Day with any particular ceremoniousness, I am always grateful to my grandfathers, and uncles, and every person who has given so much for this country. While I'm also grateful that my dad's draft number was too high to send him to Vietnam and that my brother and husband came of age in a time when they were able to choose not to enter into military service, I can't even imagine what it is like to knowingly do what these generations of people did so that, basically, I can write swears on the internet and go about this beautiful, easy life without a second thought. So that I can take this for granted, even on the day dedicated to remembrance.

I'm not a big Deadhead, but this is the gentle note on which I'd like to go out today.

With Content Like This, It's a Wonder I'm Not Star of All Blogs

Today is my 12-year blogaversary. Not of this blog obviously, but of when I started writing online in my secret-yet-public diary. That is a lifetime ago. I can't believe I'm still doing it, but I can't imagine not doing it. For all of its occasional pointlessness, engaging in this pursuit has brought untold richness into my life. I can't even tell you.

I'm incredibly pumped for this coming weekend. Not because we're doing anything special, I mean some fun things, but the weather is supposed to be like, March-awful and really I'm most thrilled because Mike, HR and I will get some real togetherness time--an extra day of it, even--and that is the rarest lately. The other night after dinner we were in the living room before Mike had to go to work, and HR took in the scene and said, "The whole family is watching a movie!" He notices so much, even when I don't notice him noticing.

Potty training is going amazingly well - something has clicked for the dude, and though there are occasional accidents, we're really on our way. It's a good feeling. Now to get him signed up for preschool in the fall and I will earn a passing grade in "bare minimum parenting." Fingers crossed!

J. Cole, no fluke.

Maybe Not So Detailed, Definitely Mushy

My cousin/goddaughter graduated from college this past weekend, so a lot of my dad's side of the family came in for the occasion. It was great to see everyone, even if only for a whirlwind 24 hours. I'm spoiled in that I see these family members for a huge concentrated chunk of time every summer, but I rarely see them otherwise over the course of the year, so it was a bonus. It's especially great that HR gets to have lots of interaction with his extended family. It makes me so happy that he knows them and has real time with them.

When I graduated from college a lot of year ago, this was my cheering section.

That's everyone. My parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, my (then future) in-laws, a friend and my mother's best friend. What's most impressive is that exactly three people in the picture--Mike, me and our roommate/friend--lived in the Boston area at the time. And for my cousin last weekend, it was no different. Everyone makes the time and effort to be there when it counts. Maybe you miss an occasion here or there, it's inevitable, but to an overwhelming degree, once these kids come into the world they are priority #1 for the whole herd. Every little thing they do is a big deal. And every thing that's good about me as a person is because of this.

Major congratulations to my cousin, who I can't help but think of as a kid but who has grown into a smart, kind and beautiful young woman who is now following her heart across the country.

And congratulations to the rest of us for getting to be part of this crew. We lucked into it, plain and simple, but we know what we have, and it's up to us to keep it going. This many generations in, I think we're on a roll.

You're all my sunshine.

Hack Job

Mondays and me writing in my blog: we're just not that into one other.

I will say that this past weekend was terrific. I'm exhausted from fun and family love and being out too late and potty training. About that last bit, I actually don't mind the process, especially since I think we're rounding the corner on success, but it's so much more work than changing diapers at this point. It requires vigilance, son. And vigilance is the enemy of relaxation. But for better or worse, everything is temporary. It's all good. That's enough platitude rehash for one paragraph.

Expect a mushy, detailed recap tomorrow. Or, if you don't like mushy and detailed recaps, smell you later because that's pretty much my one note. Oh wait, I do have one other note and that is maniacal write-ups about So You Think You Can Dance. If you come around for those, you too will be in luck sometime in the next few weeks once I catch up with my DVR.

Straight ballin', per uzhe.