Bitten

Just when we thought we got out of our wilderness vacation unscathed... we found what we're pretty sure is a deer tick on Mike yesterday, and the baby has a bite on his ankle that looks all kinds of weird. So they're both getting checked out, just to be safe. What happened to good old mosquito bites and poison ivy? Not that I like those, but I at least know how to deal with them. Here's hoping we're just being overly cautious.

This morning I ran for the first time since before vacation, and it went surprisingly well, but then again it's usually the second run back that gets me. We'll see. For some reason I find that the fourth song that comes up in my playlist can make or break the overall success of my workout. I used to run without any music at all, I had this thing about being in the zone and it was all a big mental challenge for me, but when I was gifted with an iPod shuffle I realized the whole "zone" thing was my way of making up for the lack of a musical device. Anyway, there's something about that fourth song that can get me pumped or slow me down and today "Hypnotize" came on (I've gone on record with my feelings about the Notorious B.I.G. many a time here) and though it's not the fastest paced song, those first "Uh, UH!"s came on and I was on fire for the rest of the run. It's good to be back into it, my body already feels happier.

**HUGE SYTYCD section** - cozy down or get lost, because this is gonna be a long one. As I live and breathe, the season finale starts tonight and I can hardly believe it. I'm so excited I could pee! And as for the Top 4, I have to say I approve. I don't think Tadd should win, even though I'm quite enamored with him (and he was extra hot with Melanie in the broadway routine), but his body of work isn't the strongest among the four. Other than that, though I am rooting for the unbelievable Miss Melanie, I'd be just as happy with a Sasha or Marko victory. More about the current season tomorrow and the next tomorrow, I'm sure.

Now let's talk about some of the All-Stars - my very favorite winner, Season 4's Joshua, will be on tonight. Josh-bear, where have you been? I'd link my favorite dance of his, but I don't have one. He was magic in everything - nothing he couldn't do. I can't wait to see what the pairing will be.

That said about Joshua, I would like to take a moment to go public with my enduring devotion to Season 3's Neil Haskell. Good god Neil. I liked him OK in his season, it was the first one I got to see all the way through and I appreciated his athleticism and eye-candy factor (and I don't go for the pretty boys usually, so that's a thing) but he wasn't my favorite (to be fair, this was the year of Danny Tidwell). Something happened along the way though and now I can't get enough of the guy. He turned into a man as so many do after the competition, and I guess you can say I'm a bit obsessed. I have the All-Star program to thank for that since we see him a lot. Honestly though, go here and tell me you don't want your own personal Neil. If I were a choreographer, he'd most certainly be my muse. And that's enough about that outta me.

Anyway, I'm dorkily counting the hours to tonight's show (8), hoping my insect-violated menfolk are OK and looking for a breath mint because that garlic lover's hummus I just ate is no joke. In honor of last summer's winner, Lauren Froderman (who I sort of want to be) and one of the BEST routines ever performed on the show, here's some Ludacris and Nicki-Nik. Stay in the pocket, y'all!

It's Just Sea Mist in My Eyes

Yesterday I said I had a lot of stories and a lot of pictures from my vacation to put into today's entry.  Then I realized that 1) though I am a well-intentioned photographer, I'm bad at actually getting out the camera and using it, so I'm missing pictures of many family members and of basically anything that isn't HR and 2) when you go to the same place every year with the same people and do pretty much the same thing every day, there isn't much to tell. Sure the people come and go in different combinations and the jokes and themes and memories change, but overall, it's beach/family/games/beach/food/cocktail hour/campfire/family/beach/stars ad nauseam. And that's my kind of sickness, baby.

This year was different for me because everything is different with a toddler. For one, he reverted to the default state when he's out of his element: extreme clinginess, specifically to me. Even when Mike was right there, he didn't want to leave my side. It didn't make for the most relaxing time ever, but we worked with it. His sleeping got all kinds of wrecked and we resorted to rocking him to sleep every night and more nights than not he ended up sleeping with us when we went to bed. We're making great strides to correct this already, but let's just say the unfamiliar surroundings did not add up to ideal bedtime conditions for any of us. We probably also hindered his walking progress because a lot of times the ground wasn't quite even and there was nothing reliable for him to pull up on so that was almost two weeks of natural practice he didn't get.

But it was so worth it to me because when, in the span of about 12 days, do most people have the chance to see just about every member of their extended family? Both my grandmothers were represented, and my parents, and my aunts and uncles and cousins and their kids (who I swore I just cradled as newborns and are about to go to middle school or college or, in one case, become parents themselves) and it was a beautiful thing when HR let his guard down and they were able to fawn all over him and get a real opportunity to know him. I look forward to this being a part of his growing up, as it was mine. When I was a kid we only went for one week, and I feel inextricably linked to my family as a result of this intensive time spent together. It can be a lot, particularly on those who weren't born to it, but lucky for me Mike's a good sport and I know that, as long as it's not pouring, he actually enjoys himself.

The weather was mostly gorgeous this year, and we spent a lot of time on the beach, which helped my little city kid unleash his inner dirtball.

He was cuddled within an inch of his life and even enjoyed it sometimes.

He got to fall sleep to the sound of the waves instead of cars and sirens and the neighbors' dog.

Having camped so many times being only responsible for me, this year was tough on me at times, and surely confusing and uncomfortable for him. But I will never look back on it with regret.

It seemed to me that he learned so much in the short time, from how to do a killer elephant imitation to how to blow kisses to how to be patient (as much as a 15-month-old can grasp such a thing). That's due to my sister's influence, mostly, but it felt like he did so much growing up right before my eyes. It's like that every day with a toddler, I guess, but it's important for me to note that for posterity. 12 days can be a long time in a little one's life.

As much as I miss the ocean air and the exploding night sky, I'm happy to be home and settled into our routine once again. But a big thank-you my family for a magical couple of weeks. I miss you all so much, and can't wait to see what next year brings.

Camped Out

I have returned! Mountains of laundry have been done (though not quite put away), sleep training 2.0 is underway (and just as fun a the first time), my liver is about to get a good long rest, and I seem to be over the worst of my post-vacation blues. It's almost as if the past two weeks didn't happen, but happen they did, and in a wonderful way. All in all our vacation was a glorious time. I've got lots of stories to tell and pictures to post but alas that must wait until my workaday life is put back into proper order.

As far as I'm concerned, it can be fall now. OK, not quite yet, there's still plenty of good summery stuff on the horizon. But I've turned that unmistakeable corner where the big thing I've been awaiting has passed and now it's on to the next thing.

Here's a bittersweet cusp-of-a-season-shift little tune for your Monday. And it's good to be back! Mostly. Stay tuned for the good stuff.

Like a Prom Dress

I knew you book humpers wouldn't let me down! Thank you so much for your reading recommendations - now to carve out some time to hit the bookstore before our travel begins. For someone on the cusp of a two-week vacation, I'm feeling awfully calm. I'm nowhere near packed and I've still got a lot of loose ends to tie up on the work front, but somehow I remain chill. I know it'll all get done, it always does.

You'd think I'd be a bit more freaked out, especially about the prospect of spending two weeks at the mercy of the elements with a sorta-walking baby who loves his TV time and is very particular about his routines. We went last year for a few days, but he was a whole other kind of creature at that time. The truth is, I have no idea what to expect aside from the likelihood that he'll be a miserable boo, at least until he gets used to it. So I'm just throwing my hands up to the universe. Worst case scenario, we go home. Which would make me sad, but hey, a staycation is still a vacation. HR represents the third generation of babies in my family who have camped out this way, though, so I have a feeling it'll all work out just fine. I'm more psyched than anything, which is a great thing to be in regard to vacation. Otherwise, why do it? Right?

**SYTYCD thoughts: Sasha and Twitch! I have to say I didn't go crazy for him during his season, because that was Joshua's season and Joshua is my all-time favorite contestant so he overshadowed the rest. But as an all-star, Twitch has come into his own for me, and the pairing with Sasha last night--as well as the KILLER routine by Christopher Scott (thank you for the palate cleanser after the Uganda debacle of last week)--was the highlight of the show. I may have re-watched it a few times. I feel like Mitchell was thrown under the bus by Tyce's choreography, which sucks. And I always thought Jordan was overrated, but she was great last night. Plus she was paired with Brandon-- welcome back, B, you are stone amazing. I have no idea who's headed to the bottom three, which is kind of cool. Also, Neil Patrick Harris, please be on every show ever.**

Even with all my zen, I do have a lot that needs my attention, but before I chuck my deuce up at you for the next fortnight, here's my anthem from a couple of summers ago. I just can't help loving that Ryan Adams.

Attention Nerds

Last night I finished Stewart O'Nan's Emily Alone and I'm sad because there's no more. I really fell for the Maxwell family over the course of the two books about them, and that's no mean feat considering they're all pretty irritating. It takes a major talent to write a story with absolutely zero action about a cast of very flawed human beings and leave the reader wanting more when it's over. I hope he writes more about the Maxwells, any of them, but I'm guessing O'Nan never intended Wish You Were Here to spawn a series, more likely he just couldn't get his characters out of his head. Understandable.

Anyway, this leaves me virtually bookless for my vacation. Not that I'll have the time to read that I used to thanks to my friend the baby, but just the idea of striking out for two weeks empty handed is unacceptable. The two books I'm co-reading right now are behemoth hardbacks that I can't justifiably pack into our already maxed out car. And I refuse to bring my Kindle on a camping trip on principle. Sooo... any paperback suggestions? I'm not against bringing something serious to the beach (this is the scene where I read Roots and Helter Skelter in my adolescence), but unless it comes with an emphatic, must-read endorsement, I'm leaning toward lighter fare. Maybe even the literary equivalent of this:



Thanks in advance!

Eye Candy

I've lived in the greater Boston area exactly half of my life at this point, and I've always felt that I don't take advantage of what's available to me. For example, we're members of the Museum of Fine Arts and if we make it there once a year we consider it a success. It's a damn shame. We always say we'll do better, and then life gets all up in our business. Of course that sounds like and excuse - the goal is to take charge, to be the boss of life. But who besides, like, David Lee Roth or J.K. Rowling gets to get in life's way, you know what I'm saying?

For today, though, armed with our membership cards and capitalizing upon my job's flexibility and physical proximity to the Museum, we were able to put together a quick lunchtime trip to look at ahhht. Mike and I had both been keen to see this exhibit and as it will be gone by the time we get back from vacation, we settled on today. Turns out it was a great collection to count as HR's first museum visit because it's all flash and ooh and ahhh. I personally loved it, not because I'm into whimsy in and of itself, but because every now and then there are things that make you smile, that are beautiful and interesting and are done just because, and they are as vital and necessary as Important Art. This particular "just because" was a welcome oasis of color and light and happiness (not to mention baby cuddles) in the middle of a packed workday, and helped remind me not to overthink so much, to just get out and do. At the very least, I'm grateful we got our act together and didn't let this show pass us by.

And while I'm all hopped up on sparkles and bubbles and fairyfarts, here's this song, an unofficial ode to summertime magic. And probably MDMA. But I'm going with my thing.

Kissing Up

Busy! Here are five things that make me smile:

1) My new side project. Youse with kids: won't you please submit some pics?

2) "Tractor." That's HR's confirmed second word. I can't get enough of hearing him say it.

3) This time next week I'll be beginning my vacation at the beach.

4) Did I mention that this time next week I'll be beginning my vacation at the beach?

5) Kissing: one of the better human inventions. I never talk about it, but it's never far from my mind. The subject actually relates to my song pick of the day, so kindly bear with.

One summer I had enough extra lettuce to join the Columbia Tape Club. It happened to be the same summer I made my belated entry into the world of making out. I'd had a couple kisses here and there, pecks really, and that was all well and good. But then there was the dude that wasn't scared of me like the other ones seemed to be and lo and behold I was in the makeout club. Oh, friends. For all its misery, there are ways in which being a teenager wins the award for excellence, life-wise. Even with all its awkwardness, learning about making out is a blue ribbon experience. Without going into detail (a lay-dee like myself has some secrets), I will always remember that summer fondly, even the dude,  although that didn't end so well. The point is, the Juice soundtrack (along with Pearl Jam's Ten, Lou Reed's Magic and Loss and some other selections that will both date me--as if my admission that I belonged to a tape club didn't take care of that on its own--and out me as a musical omnivore) was one of my introductory CDs. I listened to it into the ground, and to my ears it stands the test of time in the way that the movie does not.

Rakim is awesome, and I can't hear this song without thinking of the summer of my burgeoning independence, and other assorted loveliness.