Oh world, I missed you.  BUT the good news is that a receptionist started on Monday, so now I'm saved from answering the phones and jumping up when the doorbell rings and I can focus on my new job solely.  I also managed to re-arrange the cubecastle so that any pedestrians walking past can no longer see my monitor.  I'm very proud of myself, and I think I pulled it off so it seems like I just made more space (and am not a creepy porn-at-work pervert or anything.)  The downside (or maybe still an upside) is that the young summer intern in the cube next to me gets to hear all my animal noises of frustration that I make without realizing it, because I am an 80-year-old man.  I think it's part of relationship-building, personally.  I do get to listen to his fratty apartment/roommate troubles by overhearing his phone conversations, too, so I think we're even.

What else is new?  Where was I last?  Oh right, the week after my brother's visit.  So I have an update on Montana... After my last post about the sporadic texting, he called me on Wednesday night, and we chatted a bit. He was out with friends and wanted me to come, but I was in for the night, so he asked me out for lunch on Thursday. He wanted to take me to this place in Union Square because they have a shrimp dish he loved, and he said we'd take a cab from my office so it doesn't take too long. And then he said he had a plan for Thursday night, and he'd tell me about it at lunch, but he made sure I was free. So then I went to sleep and he'd texted later to tell me to "Bring a change of clothes to work tomorrow and a bathing suit. Work clothes, though the suit is optional." WHHAAAA? This was fun and exciting and made the planner in me very nervous. But it was rather charming, and I didn't think he's going to murder me or he wouldn't tell me to bring work clothes, right?

So then we had a very nice lunch, and he kissed me hello and goodbye. His plan was to go to Connecticut right after work that night. His mom lives there and her condo has a pool, and he said we'd hang out with his friends and sleep either at his mom's or friends'.  And I'd take an early train back.  He said "It may not be a good plan because it's far..." and I said it sounded like an adventure and he also said something about how he knows I don't know him that well, but I said I liked the spontaneity.  I did say I couldn't stay up all night and he said "No, we'll go to bed at 10."

So we took the train to Stamford. It was so fun -- we hung out with his friends, an engaged couple, and we stayed at their apartment.  It ended up that I didn't meet his mom -- she is a teacher and there was graduation yesterday and then an "after party" so she wasn't at her place, and we just went straight to the pool anyway, where it was empty and surrounded by trees and condos and sat at a table and ordered sandwiches and played in the water and stuff, then back to the friends' apartment when the pool closed and watched tv/hung out there (with their neighbors, too), and then bed. Twin bed in the extra bedroom with no A/C but a fan. He made good use of some ice cubes, let me tell you.

I took a 9 am train back (they'd dropped me at the train station) because I'd previously cleared coming into work an hour late, so I had a bit more sleep time. We did not go to bed at 10, but maybe 1, then stayed up till 3 having fun (and he said that he should've made us go to bed earlier, too, but I agreed it's hard when people are having fun and drinking beer) and then I didn't sleep much until after the sun came up, then I dozed a bit. But his friends were really nice and hospitable and it sort of felt like being home in Ohio. And he's just adorable and very sweet and I may have had bite marks on my back.  So, you know, score.

He's just very mellow but attentive.  I like the combination of rough-around-the-edges dude and sweetness.  And bearded blue-eyes, you know.  We decided to talk on the phone while he's in MT and said we "like" each other, so we'll see what happens. Yeah, I'm also trying not to get ahead of myself, but I don't feel too crazy about it -- I'm in a good spot.  I think.  But I'd be in a better spot if he calls me soon.  He actually first asked me to call him, but I'd rather not be first, because I'm a girl and self-conscious.  Still, I'll give it till the weekend and then perhaps reach out.  WHAT DO WE THINK ABOUT THIS, readers?  I should be more optimistic probably, but I always have a Plan B.

WOW LONG STORY, sorry.  I don't know that much else is very newsworthy.  Schmauren moved to Boston on Saturday, so I'm in denial about that.  Wahhh.  Britch is also in Laos for six weeks, which means even less communication than when she was in London!  And also, I hope she doesn't get a communicable disease. 

That said, this past weekend was a nice quiet one after so much activity.  Friday night I crashed early to recover from Connecticut.  (That sounds weird -- has anyone had to recover from Connecticut ever before in history?)  Saturday I fed a friend's kitties and played with them for awhile, then got a fancy facial with a gift certificate I received for Christmas -- it was so relaxing and amazing.  Then home for Netflix and bed.  Sunday I did some cleaning and organizing at home and avoided going outside in the heat as much as possible, and that's it!  Last night was Harpie dinner, and it was as delicious as always (though low-carb this time), but my stomach still got very angry with me, and is still a little upset today.  I hate that it holds a grudge.

Tonight I should hit the gym if I can hold up my motivation (and if my stomach calms down), and tomorrow night I have a 5:30 softball game and a 6:30 kickball game, so I may only make it to the bar-end of kickball, but we'll see.  I hope the weather forecast is right and it's cooler tomorrow -- I may die if it's 90 degrees.  This upcoming weekend should be good and social again, so life is pretty grand.  I clearly heal from heartbreak via a rebound, so thank goodness that process is happening.  I haven't talked to Mex in two and a half weeks, and I've fully realized my anger and his selfishness, so I feel good about moving on and away from him entirely.  I mean, it icks me out to think otherwise.  Anyway, FINALLY I have some optimism back. 

Food isn't worth getting into today -- normal breakfast and then lunch salad is all I have.  Gross leftover Trader Joe's chicken sausage ravioli is waiting for dinner.  (Seriously, don't buy it.  It's mushy and bland.)  I will say that I weighed myself at some point over the weekend and I'm still pretty much in the same zone, so that's good news after the brother-visit-pig out.  I hope to be more regularly blogging again, too, so get ready for inane reports of my office managing days!

Snow and Sun and What I Ate: Thursday

Afternoon, countrymen.

So after the drudgery of this week, today I feel like a weight has been lifted. I guess it's from getting caught up on my outside-of-work work, but maybe it's also a mood change. There was some very pretty snow this morning for my commute, and now the sun is out and I was able to take a nice walk at lunch with a co-worker. We even tried on sexy boots and I almost bought a blue pair, but decided that I will indulge my own need for a lower heel and skipped it. Though now I really want to buy some boots -- I may have to look online, as everybody's having sales!

Last night I stayed worked OT for another half an hour, then decided to forego the gym and focus on my two freelance jobs so that those weren't hanging over my head. I'm glad I did -- two hours later, I decided I should finally eat dinner (at 8:30), so I prepped my entree for tonight's dinner party while I ate my pasta. No time for salad. It may not have been the healthiest night, but that's only because of the absense of exercise and veggies -- I didn't actually eat anything I shouldn't have! So tonight is my turn to host the monthly gathering of my very first NYC friends. We have potluck dinners, usually themed, and I picked a Burns' Night (). While we won't have haggis, I made a cheesy sausage and potato dish (hopefully it's cooking successfully in the Crockpot as we speak), and the rest of the dishes are also going to be Scottish-themed. It should be interesting! But also hard to count point-wise, so I'll have to try to behave over the weekend.

I forgot to give my weigh-in info yesterday, so I'll do it now. I was between 144 and 145 again, which is a little discouraging, but I still feel the difference (especially in the fit of my clothes) so I'm trying not to dwell. It probably didn't help that Tuesday night before weigh-in was the pizza/wine/OT night.

Today's plan, as much as I know it:
B - coffee, Honey Bunches of Oats, skim milk (4)
L - spicy chicken and provolone on sandwich thin, L&T, Miracle Whip light and mustard; pear (5)
D - Scottish feast of numerous points
S - Dannon Light & Fit yogurt (1)
Total - 10 plus lots
Activity - dancing a Highland jig, attempting to drink Scotch
Flex points remaining - 35 for now

Also, the MaybeEx (MEx?) is back in town today after a short trip to Baltimore. I was promised a souvenir. I would also like someone to initiate some plans, but we'll see what happens over the weekend. On one hand, if we're just having fun, I'm free to make the first call, but on the other, I don't wanna. It'll make me happier to be asked, you know? We shall see.

As Robert Burns would say:
Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be thankit.

Also, thank the Lord I'm not actually making Haggis tonight: