Our Lady of Syntax

It occurs to me that I have been doing a shoddy job of keeping you, my adoring el jay public, up to date on the variously hilarious, ridiculous, surreal, wonderful, weird, and otherwise noteworthy events of my riveting life.

Some highlights of the past few weeks, in no particular order:

*Joined sternel at a Vienna Teng show in which we were invited to sit with a couple gumpy guys who just happened to have scored a table with an awesome view, and ate woefully overpriced chocolate cake. Watched her drummer play the drum set with one hand, a glockenspiel with the other, and kick this weird cube-shaped bass drumesque thing he was sitting on with one foot, all without missing a beat. Between sets, got Vienna's autograph. Also, she and her violinist both complimented me on my alligator purse (that is, a purse with an alligator on it, not a purse made of alligator).
*Met a girl who keeps pictures of Janel Maloney in her wallet where most people would keep photo ID and pictures of their family.
*On a whim, went to a John Vanderslice show with a perfect stranger who happened to have an extra ticket, only to find out that his ex-girlfriend was in my wretched computer class last semester. Had an excellent, silly, hip-bumping time. Made a shiny new show-buddy (hi, vert!).
*Encountered a black bouncer who, when checking my ID, was utterly dumbfounded by the fact that I, in all my skinny white girl glory, have the balls to live in Bed-Stuy.
*Went to a midnight sing-along of the Buffy musical episode, performed a la Rocky Horror, which was way more fun than it had any right to be. Came home at 4AM for maybe the first time since I moved here.
*Purged the hell out of my wardrobe in preparation for a Sooper Secret Life Development which I will be posting more about once plans are finalized.
*Got to try Stephen Colbert's Ben & Jerry's flavor (Americone Dream) for free at work, because my company is publishing his book.
*Got the hottest haircut EVAR.
*Donated a huge pile of picture books to my old school, to be divided equally between the only two teachers there who regularly treated me like a human being. Found the act to be surprisingly satisfying.
*Acquired an internet admirer through incredibly circuitous means involving the Gawker linked blogs and a comment I left in theuglyvolvo's journal. Said admirer is a big schmancy midtown lawyer with an impeccable educational pedigree and does not appear, much to my surprise, to be creepy in any way. We may be getting drinks this week sometime.

All in all, things are going more swimmingly than I would have thought possible as recently as a few months ago. It's skirt weather, my job still rules, I'm meeting new people and leaving my cave from time to time, and big plans are in the works. Life, at least for now, is a very fine thing indeed.

Dear February,

Way to not suck this year. 3/4 of the way over, and I haven't once had the urge to listen to Dar Williams' "February" on repeat. Good job.

Sincere thanks,

Melanie

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We're smack in the middle of what my favorite ex-roommate charmingly refers to as the "February Fake Out"--that week in the depths of winter that teases us with beautiful spring weather before yanking it away and plunging back into subarctic temperatures for another month or so. Actually, given this winter's lack of depth thus far, I wouldn't be all that surprised if it turned out to be the real deal, but in any case it was almost 50 degrees and sunny this morning, and I meandered toward the subway through the melting slush listening to "Year of the Rat," and I really couldn't have been happier unless I'd been wearing my Victorian Hooker Boots to my first day at my new job. Things being as they are, I'll just have to hold on another 12 days and enjoy the glorious weather in the meantime.