my life be like

Whirlwind as usual.  There are some interesting progressions going on these days, as my lifestyle continues to be shaped and to shape itself like wet sand, or something like that, something that has a mind of its own.

Let me follow up on my promises from last time.


Wanderlust was hilarious.  One, because I love Paul Rudd, and his awkward super-deadpan.  Also because the wild hippie parties remind me of certain parts of my life, or of a mishmash of different parts of my life.  Like a combination of our family Christmases in the Canadian wilderness when I was little and my sophomore year of college, which involved a lot of pink lights and guitars and spinning and people suddenly becoming vegetarian.  (The vegan thing didn't really pick up steam 'til junior year.)  I also can't knock the whole "enjoy your life, roll with the punches, and don't take the people you love for granted" overtones.

My friend Carly (the first person my age I met in Delaware) regularly uses the hashtag #iworkinanoffice, which I love for the same reason I love meeting Kristy after our 9-5 jobs to do grown-up evening things like working up a sweat at the Y, checking out a new happy hour, or looking at home decor and beachwear at Burlington Coat Factory.  (Foreshadowing!)  It makes me feel capable, independent, successful, and mainstream--satisfying my thinly-veiled inner meta-hipster.

ANYWAY.  One thing that I kept forgetting to use the #iworkinanoffice hashtag on this week was our new office percolator!  We used to use one of those single-cup pod coffeemakers but recently decided to backtrack out of the space age in favor of a more economical, if retro, coffeepot, and this week it has been the hub of activity and excitement in the office.  So here I am, once again coerced into a minor coffee addiction for social reasons.  My mom tells me the proverbial water cooler plays more of a social role in the life of an organization than a hydrating role.  Ours has a stimulant infusion, sometimes pushing OD-levels of caffeine sludge, and I'm told this is bringing me more officially into the World of PR.

All of the numerous "you-know-you're-in-PR-when" lists feature some version of the "caffeine-alcohol-repeat" mantra (it's #20 on this list), so in the spirit of fully experiencing my career path I also experienced my first-ever happy hour this week.  The only reason I planned to go out on Monday (usually my designated Night In) was because it was Jess' birthday and she told me on Friday she wasn't doing anything to celebrate.  Naturally I couldn't let this happen so I invited her and Kristy out to happy hour at Shellhammer's, where J. goes a lot with the guys he works with.  As it turns out, Jess had a date with her boyfriend, but Kristy and I decided it couldn't hurt to go anyway and check out the venue.

Note that the specials board I linked to boasts $3 Captain Morgan drinks, but they're now $4.  No big deal, really, but we went for Absolut, bartender's choice, since like good girls we usually go for the fruity stuff when we go out together.  This will change come summer, when I wean Kristy onto beer, but for now she is encouraging me to ask bartenders for recommendations and suggestions.  Next step is asking them what exactly they've made us, because we had to play a guessing game this time, which I won with the peach Absolut in grapefruit juice combo.  Surprisingly delicious, and light.

Definitely not light, but still delicious, are Tuesday night nachos.  Klondike Kate's on Main Street has half-price nachos every Tuesday, so every other week the That's-What-She-Saiders get together there, thanks to Craig, O Great Organizer.  The in-between weeks are yoga nights.  I'll bet you can guess which kind of Tuesday makes me feel less like I need to go to detox.  I might have to go for a salad next time, even though the BBQ-Ranch pile of chips and whatnot is delicious.  Plus, even the small takes care of my lunch the next day.

I eat out all the time these days.  It's getting out of hand.  After eating leftover nachos for lunch on Wednesday, I dropped Maria off at band practice and met up with J. at the co-op, which featured half-price organic chocolate bars through the month of February--and Wednesday was the last day in Februrary.  As if by divine intervention.

Unfortunately they had run out of the kind I wanted so instead we got all-vegan sandwiches from the cooler for supper.  Only because there weren't any non-vegan options.  Jason got a falafel wrap which I think he quite enjoyed, and I got an avocado "chickn" wrap.  The quotes were included on the label, fyi.  There was no chicken in the wrap.

I know I'm supposed to be a hippie, and I will pretty much inhale several giant vegan chocolate chip cookies, but I straight-up distrust things that claim to be something other than they are.  At least the wrap was up-front about lying about its identity, but still.  Why couldn't it just say, right out, "avocado soy product wrap?"  By all means.

After reluctantly enjoying our well-balanced, earth-friendly sandwiches (OK, OK, after I reluctantly enjoyed mine; J. wasn't that reluctant about it) we headed out to Maryland to State Line Liquors, which is the most giant and heavenly place I have ever been.  It's kind of like my beloved Firehouse in Northfield, but bigger and with a warehouse-level selection of wines and beers.  Plus it's family-owned, which is cool, and everybody there knows their shit.  I found my fave, Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout, and found that it has the COOLEST caps: they look like Harry's Patronus.  They will make some baller earrings.  Jason also helped me pick out a few good options for Kristy's beer-weaning.  More to come on that.

Also, it's weird how close we are to Maryland.  And Philly, and Jersey.  Small state.

Takeaway messages from this week:

• It's good to have good girlfriends.
• Also good to have traditions, like Zumba & Applebee's Thursday nights, 1/2 price nacho Tuesdays, and watching ABC on Monday nights with the fam.
• I do pretty much everything for social reasons: I drink coffee when it suits me socially.  I like drinking certain drinks because they remind me of someone.  I think of the Sunny V Summer every time I get BBQ-Ranch nachos because Ann and I ate ranch dressing on EVERYTHING.  It's easier to work out with a buddy.  Easier, and more pleasant, to do almost everything with somebody else.
• BUT I really need to remind myself that I desperately need to take time for myself.  DO THIS CLARA.  GO.

Pumped now to go out tonight, and when I get back my brother will be home for the week!  Look for more fun to come.