Njena kosa izgleda kao da su macke sisale

Translation: Her hair looks like a cat has been sucking on it. That's my new favorite Serbian phrase. OK, really, it's my only favorite Serbian phrase.

So, where were we? Oh, right, I went to Long Island last weekend to see dear Stephanie! She kills me. We had so much fun catching up, reminiscing about college days (where is that Brian Reimer now?), and just being girls.

Of course, Stephanie being the great wing-woman that she is, finds some nice guys for us to chat with at a local bar. Two guys who live in the area, but are originally from the former Yugoslavia. It's just like Steph to find the two cutest guys at the bar who come with gorgeously sweet accents, a funny combination of long-island and slavic intonations. Something like, The Unbearable Lightness of Being meets The Sopranos.

I think it is Steph's personal mission to see me happily in love as dear Steph is constantly trying to match me up with various gentlemen that she encounters in her business and her travels. She just walked right on up to these boys an opened up a conversation...knowing very well that it's not really my style to do such a thing myself. Well, it worked.

So, to make a long story short, and to semi-quote the movie Good Will Hunting: I am returning to NY this weekend to see about a boy. This boy:

It's a little crazy, a little spontaneous, and very un-interravision-like. But maybe it's just what the doctor ordered. If I have to feel any sense of regret, I'd rather regret DOING something rather than NOT DOING something. You know what I mean?

So, for now, I bid you dovidjenja. Wish me luck.

For the Single Folk, Part 2

Last night, after being woken up at 3am by some girl screaming drunk on the street outside, I was thinking about yesterday's post again.

And I decided this: it's really about hope. Not knowing what destiny holds for you means you continue to hope. This can be a beautiful or painful thing. I am proud that despite many disappointments I am able to keep hope alive and remain optimistic (most of the time). However, that in and of itself is a challenge. I don't want to become embittered and angry. It takes work to keep one's spirits up when faced with type of frustrations that I have been plagued with most recently.

I think I am just tired of being optimistic. Of hoping that I can get this right. It just sounds easier to know for sure. Or maybe I am just tired because a girl on the street woke me up screaming at 3am.

For the record, I'd want to know if I was terminally ill too. Not that these two things are necessarily related.

I am off to NY tomorrow to visit Steph. I am sure I'll have plenty of fun Stephanie stories when I get back!

For the Single Folk

When Erin and I were at the game last weekend she posed this question to me:

Would you want to know if getting married (or the like) was not your destiny and if so, how would you live your life differently?

I have been thinking a lot about it. What would I do? Would I stop dating completely and find deeper contentment in my solitude? Would I date or have casual relations just for fun and temporary compaionship? Would I adpot a child on my own, if I decided I had the means and resources to do so? Would I mourn the knowledge or celebrate it?

I know this: I would want to know. I don't know how my daily choices or my lifestyle would change, but I definitely would like to know. Also, how great would it be to have an answer ready and waiting the next time someone asks you, "...and when are you planning to settle down?" "Oh, sorry, destiny told me it's not going to happen... But thanks for asking"

I am still pondering this. Would you want to know?

This test was hard

This test was hard. Maybe just because I had only about 4 or 5 hours sleep last night. Yes, *sigh*, went to another red sox game last night.

Very Well-Rounded You have: 62% SCIENTIFIC INTUITION and 70% EMOTIONAL INTUITION

My test tracked 2 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender: You scored higher than 46% on Scientific You scored higher than 60% on Interpersonal The represents your place in Intuition 2-space. As you can see, you scored above average on emotional intuition and above average on scientific intuition. (Weirdly, your emotional and scientific intuitions are equally strong.) Your Emotional Intuition score is a measure of how well you understand people, especially their unspoken needs and sympathies. A high score score usually indicates social grace and persuasiveness. A low score usually means you're good at Quake. Your Scientific Intuition score tells you how in tune you are with the world around you; how well you understand your physical and intellectual environment. People with high scores here are apt to succeed in business and, of course, the sciences. Try my other test! The 3 Variable Funny Test It rules.

Fun at Fenway!

This weekend was all about the baseball. Saturday afternoon with Erin, and again on Sunday afternoon with Reilly. The weather was great, the fenway franks were hot, and we didn't play so badly either.

This series of photos cracks me up...

OBJECTIVE: Take a self-picture of me and Erin, where Erin manages to keep her eyes open
OBSTACLE: She can't seem to do this.

Take #1: "Damn, my eyes were closed"


Take #2: "Oww, my eyes!"
Take #3: "Ooops I closed my eyes again!"

Take #4: "OMG, it's so funny I can't keep my eyes open!"

Take #5: "OK, lets try again...DAMN!!"

Take #6: "Ugh. You're killing me!"

Take #7: Ahhh... finally! Success!

Lesson of the Week

It's not always a good idea to give people second chances.

I'm just saying.

I'd Like to Thank...

I'd like to thank the Academy of slumber for bestowing upon me the best night's sleep in over two weeks last night. It is such an honor for me to be the recipient of this great blessing. I could not have done it without the help and support of the following:

First, to my dearest Ashbloem who came over yester-evening, listened to me vent and ate thai food with me. Curry is better when you are around, my dear. The Pilsner Urquells went down real nice-like and surely contributed to the sweet sweet coma into which I was induced last night.

Next, I'd like to thank Mr. Mike who once again took the time to pass on some very sage advice that calmed my frazzled thoughts. I owe you one, man. I couldn't have done it without you.

Last, but certainly not least, I'd like to thank the makers of the sweet nectar of the (sickly) gods, Nyquil. As advertised, yes, your product did come to the aid of my nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, and fever so I could rest. God bless you.

Oh and speaking of God: Word Up, man. Praise be Yaweh.

Wild Kindgom on our Doorstep

In front of my office, we have a pretty little man-made pond, waterfall and manicured bushes. Sometime ago, someone stocked our little pond with a lovely variety of goldfish. Some were small and bright orange, some were large and pale white. Occasionally we'd see some of the staff, and the people who live in the condos across the way, feeding them. It was nice to walk across the bridge over the pond every morning and evening and see them swimming happily about.

Then came the ducks.

We were all excited when a male and female mallard couple made our pond their home. They waddled around, swimming, shaking their tail feathers. People 'Oooh'd' and 'ahhhh'd' and we all started having dreams of baby ducklings taking their first dip in our little pond.

Then the fish started to disappear.

Did you know that ducks eat goldfish? I didn't. I guess it isn't so strange, but it's sort of sad. Those were our fish, now they're all dead, yesterday's lunch.

Woo-Hoo Opening Day!

Today marks the start of the 2006 baseball season.

Maybe it's because I live a stone's throw from Fenway and when the season start the whole vibe of my neighborhood changes (well, at least parking becomes even more of a nightmare than it usually is)... maybe it's because my brother would yell at me to leave the room if he thought I was jinxing the Orioles when I was a kid... maybe it's because Jason Veritek is just so damn cute... but whatever the reason, I have become a true blue baseball fan. Well, maybe not as much as this guy:

Sitting in fenway park with a beer and good friends and/or family on a sunny afternoon is one of the best places to be. Erin and I will be heading to a game on in a couple of weeks, which will be my first of the season.

There are also tons of photo opportunities when sitting in the stands. Here are some of my favorites from the past few seasons: