And the verdict is...

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Well - about 20 minutes of rainfall at midnight last night. That's it. I feel silly that we made such a big deal about it, but also lucky when I look at the devastation wreaked on those at the coast. I guess when they are sending evacuees to your city, you are probably not in danger. Note to self for next time.

I added "Relearn Spanish" to my 101 list but am nervous about actually doing it. I studied the language from age 10 to 16 and aced the hell out of it, but I can't speak a word. I understand a lot and can translate signs and such for people here in Texas, but I couldn't speak to save my life, honestly. I find that tragic. How could I have wasted 6 years of my life working on something that would open me up to new worlds of people and places, not to mention make me more marketable, just to lose it? (I have had to forego applying to many jobs down here because I'm not a Spanish speaker.) It just seems silly.

The only fear I have is that focusing on the Spanish will hurt my already fledgling Italian. No, Italian is not as useful in today's world (in a practical sense), but I have strong ties to it through my heritage and upbringing. It means a hell of a lot to me and I will be very sad to exchange it for Spanish. I know that they are similar, as all Romance languages are, but rather than enhance my learning, I fear I will become confused between the two. Maybe these fears are unfounded, but I don't really know.

To that end, I've started a blog that is exclusively written in Italian, so that perhaps I can get Italian speakers to comment, correct and dialogue with me there. Also, I just wanted a place to write in Italian several times a week. We'll see how it goes.

Took this from Mo, the funniest lady in cyberspace. Go check her out.

You've gotta note the very white, very American cultural vices you are willing to admit to.

#92 Book Deals - I don't have one, I just want one.

#91 San Francisco - Never been but would love to go.

#90 Dinner Parties - My apartment's too small but I want to give them and I enjoy going to them, so I'm gonna bold this.

#89 St. Patrick's Day - I'm Irish, but not a big drinker. Eh.

#88 Having Gay Friends - Woohoo! I wear my "Fag Hag" sign with pride.

#87 Outdoor Performance Clothes

#86 Shorts

#85 The Wire - Never saw it.

#84 T-Shirts

#83 Bad Memories of High School

#82 Hating Corporations

#81 Graduate School - Plan to go.

#80 The Idea of Soccer

#79 Modern Furniture

#78 Multilingual Children - Yes, dammit!

#77 Musical Comedy

#76 Bottles of Water - I drink tap out of bottles, but I don't think that's what they mean.

#75 Threatening to Move to Canada - Um, it has crossed my mind. Don't even think about a draft, Bushie.

#74 Oscar Parties - I don't even watch.

#73 Gentrification

#72 Study Abroad - Yee ha! Send me back!

#71 Being the only white person around

#70 Difficult Breakups

#69 Mos Def

#68 Michel Gondry - Don't know who this is.

#67 Standing Still at Concerts - That is very me.

#66 Divorce

#65 Co-Ed Sports

#64 Recycling

#63 Expensive Sandwiches

#62 Knowing What's Best for Poor People

#61 Bicycles

#60 Toyota Prius

#59 Natural Medicine

#58 Japan

#57 Juno - Didn't see it.

#56 Lawyers

#55 Apologies

#54 Kitchen Gadgets

#53 Dogs

#52 Sarah Silverman -Nooo, she is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

#51 Living by the Water

#50 Irony

#49 Vintage

#48 Whole Foods and Grocery Co-ops

#47 Arts Degrees

#46 The Sunday New York Times

#45 Asian Fusion Food

#44 Public Radio

#43 Plays

#42 Sushi

#41 Indie Music

#40 Apple Products

#39 Netflix

#38 Arrested Development

#37 Renovations

#36 Breakfast Places - I could live on breakfast tacos. And french toast. And omelettes. And coffee. So... yes to this one.

#35 The Daily Show/Colbert Report

#34 Architecture

#33 Marijuana

#32 Vegan/Vegetarianism

#31 Snowboarding

#30 Wrigley Field

#29 80s Night

#28 Not having a TV

#27 Marathons

#26 Manhattan

#25 David Sedaris

#24 Wine

#23 Microbreweries

#22 Having Two Last Names

#21 Writer Workshops

#20 Being an expert on YOUR culture

#19 Traveling

#18 Awareness

#17 Hating their Parents

#16 Gifted Children

#15 Yoga

#14 Having Black Friends

#13 Tea

#12 Non-Profit Organizations

#11 Asian Girls

#10 Wes Anderson Movies - Don't think I have seen any.

#9 Making you feel bad about not going outside

#8 Barack Obama

#7 Diversity

#6 Organic Food

#5 Farmer's Markets - I never go, though.

#4 Assists

#3 Film Festivals

#2 Religions their parents don't belong to

#1 Coffee

Perhaps I should not be making a cup of hot chocolate that says "Good Night Kisses" or hugs or whatever it's called, while I'm at work and trying to be alert :)

Oh well.

Yesterday the Bollywood workout arrived. It was okay - not bad. I didn't feel quite as sexy as I do with belly dancing. In truth, I felt a little ridiculous. They want you to "SMILE!" while you're doing these crazy positions and it's like, I know they may smile a lot in Bollywood films but I'm not happy right now. The woman actually says in the introduction that it is so much fun you will not be able to stop yourself from giggling.

Now, I would make fun of this if not for the fact that a Tae Bo video I've been doing recently has made me giggle. It's totally random... I'm punching and kicking the air and then I break into a fit of laughter. Must be that some point in the video releases such a burst of endorphins that happiness floods over me, I don't know.

But that didn't happen in old Bollywood. I hope that if I continue to work at it (I was not in good enough shape to do the whole 50 minutes) it will get better.

This morning I came across the most beautiful picture ever. I know that's kind of random but it really is something. I didn't want to deal with the copyright issues of posting it here so go look.

So yesterday Boss made me Project Manager of this new marketing venture we are undertaking. I was pretty happy. Yes, it means more work but it made me feel good.

Tonight is our company Christmas party and I have nothing to wear - yay!

I may post a poem later in the day because I am feeling arty. Stay tuned.

I made Indian food for the first time last night! It was very exciting. I had never done it before because the recipes are so complicated - you've gotta have turmeric, cumin, and all this other stuff. I didn't realize that if you just buy "Curry Powder," it's got all of that stuff in it already. I made chicken curry with onions, and garlic naan (not from scratch, are you crazy?). I also made a soup that didn't turn out well. For dessert, I made bread pudding using Boyfriend's mother's recipe; she taught me how to make it during the visit since it is his favorite. I felt very domestic and proud of myself. A rare occurence. Don't get too excited.

I just want to take a moment to say that I love Cinnamon Raisin Bagel Chips.

I am going to go back on Weight Watchers. A friend of mine is on it and is helping me reorient myself, since it has been... oh... six years since I last did it. I am also joining an aerobics class for the month of September - yay!

Almost completely over the infection. The wonders of antibiotics. I will probably even go home (to my parents' house) tonight. Fly *home* home on Saturday. Moving this weekend - aaaggghh! - and then by next week should be back into my groove.


Interesting short little fact: I recently read somewhere that Hindus do not really believe in many gods. Rather, they believe in one God but many different incarnations. Kind of like representations of traits, but not separate gods. Then Boyfriend's Mother said something to that effect last night as we discussed religion. She also drew parallels between the Garden of Eden mythology and Hindu mythology, that both stories are about humans who go beyond the boundaries of where they are supposed to go, and get punished for it.

Kind of interesting, I thought. Still dying to read the Ramayana; think I may when I get home.