It's A Wonderful World

I am back at Sweetwater's in downtown Ann Arbor and it feels fantastic! I am transported to the end of fall semester first year. On a crazy whim, I decided to leave the main campus area and work in this little place I always saw but never entered. I quickly made it my own, working here every day. This place was a welcome reprieve from college life. Professionals come here. Graduate students of all stripes come here. The interior is tasteful. It doesn't smell. Now that I live in the burbs I never make it here. Yet today, after a morning of working out and Christmas shopping, I desired to continue feeling like a grown-up. And so I'm here. Isabel and Dan are on great terms. She is always sitting on his lap and she looks so content. I am so happy to see that they are friends. Last night was great. A group of us went to Cafe Habana for happy hour. I love this new place. The place replicates a swank club in Havana circa 1930. We ended up staying there and having a lovely time. Overall, I'm just happy. That is why I decided to post. Now this post feels pointless. All apologies. Now back to work!

Backhanded Compliment OR In Desperate Need of Social Skills

It's a rainy Sunday and I'm in the fishbowl surfing the internet. I spent the entire day cleaning the house and I was determined to hit the gym around 4:30. I had already admitted to myself that I wasn't going to get any work done today. I'm just not in the mood, which is a terrible excuse, I know. I did have a lot to do this week, including submit a draft and prepare my presentation for the "Getting to Know EU" (I know) program. Anyway, I was folding clothes and I flipped the TV on to Vh1. "Rock of Love" was on and I don't know why, but I couldn't stop watching it. People are so strange! The house was half-filled with strippers, which was perfect really, since there were poles in every room. An interesting decorating choice to be sure. All of these contestants are fighting over a slightly overweight (pudgy? husky?) Brett Michaels. Why do I love bad reality TV so much? WHY? Oh the shame. On a different note, perhaps my viewing habits aren’t so harmful. For one, my love of low culture allows me to interact with people normally (humor me here). Yesterday a friend of mine (or at least I thought was my friend) gave me the most backhanded compliment. I think he needs to watch more reality television. "Jen," he began, "You have this way with people. They just really like you" At this point, I was beginning to turn pink. Oh, how nice of him! "I mean, you do this dumb blonde thing and underneath it you have this sharp mind. But you don't intimidate anyone. I can't imagine you intimidating anyone!” The smile fell from my face and I was overcome with this desire to know his glasses off his face. Instead, I summoned my inner Jackie O (who was smoking a cigarette, reading The New Yorker and was not at all pleased about the interruption). "Well," I started slowly, weighing each word carefully, "I don't think I come off as a dumb blonde and I certainly do not intend to, but I appreciate you saying that people like me." In the span of the next five minutes, he also managed to say that my boyfriend and I are made for each other because "we talk incessantly." Jackie! You’re needed!