I'll drink to that!

I have a history of being a lack-luster journal updater. I’m not very good at staying on top of a daily account of life, though I need to try harder.

Since my last entry I’ve moved to my new apartment with my roommate Hannah. The move was made much easier by family and friends, though did not take as much time or effort as I had anticipated. At this point, almost one week after hauling all my possessions to Cleveland, I’ve got a fair majority of the boxes unpacked. Things are stacked all over my bedroom though in piles.

One corner is devoted entirely to books. While I disposed of many of them I still have probably close to 200 books. I need to invest in supplies to construct shelves on the walls to hold all said books and a variety of brick-a-brack. Someone said to me, “I think getting to know you through examining all your stuff would be very interesting.”

Earlier this week I battled with the evil do-badders at Time Warner Cable. Without going in to the whole long drawn out tale though, basically their customer service is sub par, and I wasted a considerable amount of time trying to get internet hooked up. In the end I came out ahead with about a month and a half of free service for my trouble.

My new neighborhood is teeming with things to do with my friends, all of whom - with the exception of the Toledo-ites – live within walking distance of my front door. Tuesday evening is 35 cent wings at the Winking Lizard, and a good excuse to go and try their Beer of the Month. You get a free commemorative glass to take home. Wednesday evening is ½ priced margarita night at Mi Pueblo, a hole-in-the-wall Mexican restaurant next to Case Western’s campus. If my mom is reading this she is surely holding her head and fretting that I am on a steep decline towards alcoholism.

Then of course Sunday we all have brunch together at one of our apartments. This past week Brandon made Eggs Benedict with rosemary parmesan potatoes and garlic butter green beans. While I had to eat and run in order to get out to the winery for work that afternoon, it was a really fantastic meal. I need to follow his steps for poaching eggs, as I’ve never seen them done so beautifully.

Monday I rejoined Colette out in Westlake for Pilates. I was glad to be back, and after exercising I felt very good. She does things a little differently than when mom and I had attended her classes before, but it’s still a good work out. I’m thinking about attending two times a week, but initially may opt just for once a week so that I’m free on other weeknights to participate in other activities (i.e.: there’s a dance class I’d like to take this fall on Monday evenings, and another – and cheaper – yoga class on Wednesdays).

Tuesday evening I took Hannah to the Whole Foods Market on Warrensville and Cedar. She, as no one can help but doing, fell in love completely with the wonder that we like to refer to as the “Whole Foods Experience,” or WFE. We picked up a bottle of the 2004 Shingleback Grenache I had ordered, a couple delicate pieces of dark chocolate, and then went home to enjoy them together. Red wine and chocolate are two of the best things on earth – and keep in mind, both have been shown to be beneficial to your health to a certain degree!

Last night I bought a wireless router from Wal*Mart, and while it works perfectly fine it seems to hiccup while I’m connected to the internet. It’s – thank god – nothing to do with the actual service, so I’m pretty sure it is the router itself. I need to call their customer service line and see if they have any answers. Hopefully they can fix it because browsing the web or chatting with a friend and suddenly losing your connection only to re-establish it 45 seconds later every 5 minutes or so is rather annoying.

I’ve heard from Libby two or three times since she started her Camino to Santiago across Spain. I’m proud of her for going over to take on the adventure by herself and think that she’ll come away from the experience a much happier and healthier person. Talking with her a couple days in a row on the phone made me really long to be back on the train, backpack, boots, and all. I’m not sure if granted the opportunity I would head back right away, but living vicariously through her brings a smile to my face for the time being. On that note, I need to remember to reconnect with some fellow pilgrims I’ve not spoken with in a while. My memories of that time are so abundant and wonderful.

I’ll get back some day. In the meantime I am perfectly content with the place my life has taken me to this point. I love my job, I love my new home and neighborhood, and I’ve got a great family and wonderful friends. I really can not complain.

I need to go to the Barnes & Noble downstairs and see if I can find a copy of Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch – I miss reading Miller, and that I can fix.

Until later.