Quickie #2

Stuff to do, stuff to do... And if I'd stop taking 3–6 hour naps, I'd get most of it done! My sleep patterns have been so messed up recently. I think a lot of it has to do with a lack of discipline—I want to spend time with Matt, but I know the only way to do it is if I stay up really late. Every few days, I try to be awake when he gets home so we can watch a little bit of TV or talk for a few minutes, but it's difficult. It's so late. And I have to be up so early.

Another thing that's throwing me off recenlty is a lack of exercise. I went to Planet Fitness twice two weeks ago and I haven't been back. It's depressing, actually. I want to go, but I just keep finding things to do... like nap... It's really hard to get home at 6:15, eat, and then head back out alone. I think I'm going to try to bring all my gym stuff to work with me and either change there or change at the gym and just go straight there. That way I don't have time to think about how much I don't want to go or how I don't want to go alone. Once I'm there, I'm okay. I can stay forever, reading my Kindle and sweating my ass off. But it's the getting there that's the hard part. And stopping home in-between right now is like an automatic game-changer.

This weekend was lots of fun. Chatti came out to visit, which makes her the first person who actually said they would visit and fulfilled that promise. Which makes her even more wonderful in my book! We did so much in a two and a half day span that I'm having a hard time recalling it all. We went to Taka Taka on Friday night and had the most amazing (deep fried!) sushi experience ever. We closed the place and then went down the street to Matt's restaurant and waited at the bar for him to get out. Then the three of us were up until at least 3:30/4 watching Workaholics.

Saturday brought brunch at 181 down the street—a small, affordable cafe that Matt and I have become huge fans of—a walk around the farmer's market, exploration of three different book stores, and then a viewing of Spiderman. (My third viewing, by the way.) Then we trekked to Brooklyn to go to Mike's birthday party, which was on Kevin's roof—a roof that had the most amazing views. (See below.) It was great to see Mike and his friends were all extremely entertaining and welcoming. I had no idea that one of them had offered her couch if I didn't find a place to stay when I first moved to NYC, but I was as appreciative of the offer now than I would've been in May had I known.

Empire State Building and NYC view from Kevin's rooftop.

Being in Greenpoint for a few hours and walking around a few streets made me really want to consider moving somewhere else when our lease expires. There were real grocery stores (which, by now, you've figured out is important to me), people who spoke English... I'm sure I can find this elsewhere, and I definitely don't have my sights set on Brooklyn, but I think we'll be looking for a new area. I love this apartment, but the area doesn't feel like home to me. We rushed into this because we needed a place to live, and I think that's just fine. I'm happy with it, for the most part, but I don't know that I'll ever love my surroundings. I'm going to try to keep an open mind and let the neighborhood grow on me, but... I think it's going to be difficult. Especially if I keep visiting people and liking their areas better lol.

After a small mistake on my part on the way home from the party, we ended up taking an expensive taxi ride back home. Although it was costly, we just weren't in the mood to navigate the stuffy, humid subway system. Even though it's extremely convenient during the day, it's irritating at night. The trains run every half hour. So if you miss one by two seconds, you're stuck on the platform for another 30–35 minutes until the next train comes. I accidentally got us off the L two stops before we were supposed to and there was no way we were going to stand on the platform for another half hour, waiting for the L to come back around so we can go two stops and then wait for the A for God knows how long. So I forked over the cash for a cab and a relaxing drive up the highway. We made pizza when we got back and watched a few more episodes of Workaholics with Matt.

Sunday morning, the three of us were supposed to go see The Dark Knight Rises, but Matt had work in the afternoon and it was going to be too difficult to go all the way downtown for a movie and then come uptown for his stuff and go back downtown to work. (He brings a 50-lb bag of knives to work every day; there was no way—especially with recent events like the Batman massacre—that he was going to bring a bag of knives into a theater.) So Chatti and I went to Times Square to see the movie and then after burgers and fries on the corner (Hudson View Restaurant, not McDonald's lol), she left and I went to bed. At 5 pm. I was more than a little exhausted.

I have a feeling this whole week may be pretty exhausting. Matt's working six days (something he really hoped wouldn't happen just yet, but it's Restaurant Week in NYC... which means three weeks of specials, critics, and who knows what else) and we only have one night to go grocery shopping and try to hang out. He still wants to see The Dark Knight Rises, too, so I'll be back in a movie theater sometime soon. Aunt Fil is in town tomorrow, so I'll be meeting up with her tomorrow night. That leaves Thursday and Friday to myself. Maybe I'll go to the gym or something on Thursday, but I'm spending Friday night on my couch with a decent dinner while I watch the opening ceremony for the Olympics. Thrilling, I know. But I really need a night of nothingness.

(Tonight doesn't count because I've been trying to clean up a bit.)