New specs

New specs! Also I've gotten good at pinning up my short hair.

New glasses from Innervision! They have quite a selection, most of it is kind of this geek-chic look, but they also have some super unique frames. This is my first pair of plastic frames, so it's taken some getting used to.

It's so nice to replace my old pair. I loved my frames but they were starting to break down. Moreover, they were not strong enough. Cambodian optometrist: would not recommend. Not because he was Cambodian, but because he wasn't trying. He asked me to read a line, changed the lens, and read the line again. Well, I already memorized the line from 5 seconds ago! There was no fine tuning and they were not quite good enough for driving. They're good back-ups, though.

Now I can see like real people! I was shocked the way I haven't been since I got my first-ever pair of specs. Maybe my eyes have gotten worse, but when I put these on I feel ten years old again: You can see all the leaves on the trees! The writing on the road signs! Stars sparkle! Okay, maybe stars only sparkle because of the glare from your glasses, but it's fun to see them in two different ways.

I had a Groupon to Innervision so I saved a boatload of money (paid about $60 for the Groupon which covered the exam and up to $200 on frames- these frames were $179, from their cheaper selection); I probably couldn't afford them otherwise (no insurance). I paid for anti-reflective coating because it seemed like a good choice and they didn't try to sell me anything else. Innervision is right by Rittenhouse Square. The store is in an old townhouse-like space, and it was a bit messy- as if they had just moved in and wasn't sure where to put everything yet. Also, I made at least four trips up and down those stairs which wasn't so necessary. Overall it was a nice experience and the optometrist was super friendly and kind. I kept laughing during the exam and having to re-focus.

I'm almost dressed for work in this photo; just need to put on a blazer. With the pearls, the updo and the specs I feel mature, like a librarian first lady that you should probably respect.

Feed yourself

To move on call one of your best friends who has been dealing with you for ages now because you know that although they stood by your choices, they always made it clear that deep down they thought "fuck that guy"; and now they can agree with you out loud: it would be best if you just get over it.
To move on, cook yourself a nice steak and feel better. Caramelize some onions, don't turn on the fan because onions cooking in butter smells amazing. Two minutes later turn on both fans, open the door, don't feel bad when you burn them. 
Let go of making excuses for him.
It's okay to be angry.

It's not that okay, but let your mostly-self-guided Buddhist upbringing make up some logic to support having the feelings you want to indulge in. You shouldn't be angry; you should let go of negative thoughts and accept- but you've been accepting for months and it's only made you sad and bitter and angry in a different way, and if you can say FUCK THAT GUY and be mad and cut him out, you will have let go of all of it and finally moved on. It always hurts to lose someone but it's been hurting more keeping them around. So you will fill your head with bad advice and angry thoughts and only remember the worst parts of him, therefore you can dismiss him, then you can clear your mind. Right?

Sure.

You've gotten good at steak how you want it and fuck what anyone else is going to say about it. Make the onions, the steak, warm the butternut squash puree you made yesterday, make a red wine jus, feel fancy, all in the same pan, dump it all in the same plate so it looks like crap, eat the FUCK out of that plate of food that YOU made all from scratch.

Except the sour cream from the Mexican grocery store. You can't do everything by yourself and that shit is awesome.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Moving to Las Vegas, counting my time in weekends

When I went to Las Vegas to visit I decided to move there.
There isn't enough keeping me here anymore. I can finally save up some money and/or start paying my student loans off (if I can only afford to do the latter, I'll still feel awesome getting out of debt).
I am moving at the end of this short month, meaning I only have about two weeks left. I'll miss my restaurant job, but it's gotten really negative between staff lately & I'm not the only one leaving. I am not much torn up over leaving my day job- they were good and all, but I haven't felt like I was doing a good job since the promotion, and I also found out my direct boss is having an affair with a much much younger coworker. Off-putting.

In good news, my ex and now friend is moving out (remember, the girl I couldn't stand living with) and so I have someone to take a lot of my house-stuff, and in return they are helping me move by taking anything neither of us want to a thrift shop. Yay!

On Sunday I got back, on Monday I took my friend Alex to see Jack's Mannequin and Jukebox the The Ghost (and Allen Stone) in concert (it was awesome and I was super friendly) and they were very good live at the Theater of Live Arts. On Thursday I was supposed to go get my driver's license but it turns out my friend (whose car I was using) does not have a valid insurance card. He pays month-to-month, but when he gets pulled over the cops just look up the car to see that it's insured. The DMV won't do that, I didn't know anything about it, his mom told him to check but he ignored her thinking the DMV would also look up my info. I can't schedule another exam before I leave, so I have to learn the Nevada laws and do it there.
Unless somehow I can convince my mom to let me take the Z4, I'll either have to do it in the 4Runner (impossible. How would I parallel park?) or spend more time with one of her friends and do the test in his car. Problem: I can't stand him for very long, especially if we are one-on-one (like in the car). He's a great guy, does a lot for the community and for my mom, but oh my goodness when I had a driving lesson with him I wanted to stab my eyes out.

On Friday we had a going-away party for another coworker who is moving to Nantucket, and I had a lot of fun but didn't sleep until around 7 in the morning. Then, I woke up at 9:30 to catch a train into the city because I had an eye appointment with a place called Innervision that I found through Groupon. BUT, since they were busy (through Groupon, I imagine), my appointment was delayed and the glasses wouldn't be ready until about 3PM- and I still had to catch the train back to go to work, so I decided to come back another day. I'm not sure when that will be.
On the train ride in I was in a FANTASTIC mood. Maybe I was still drunk, but I just felt so happy, I was laughing at everything, talking to strangers, I gave some beggars money, I'm not sure why I felt so energetic and uplifted. I did connect with someone at the party, but I'm leaving in two weeks- though if I wasn't leaving I would probably have continued to refrain from moving in on them. I guess it's bittersweet.

I ate at Perch Pub for lunch/dinner and while the interior was cool, the view was nice, and the bartender a great bartender, I ordered Eggs Benedict and they didn't agree with me. Also, they were cold! I made it back in time for work and ate some fruit to stave off the hunger.

Saturday night at work I made plans with a different coworker for later in the week- and then he got fired that night! Afterwards I watched movie, was company, didn't sleep until close to seven- the sun was already coming up. I woke up at eleven (I think the stronger sunlight woke me up) and then I had to go home. I made myself soup from scratch, but before I could eat it at 2:20 my manager calls and asks where I am.
Me: I come in at three!
Manager: You come in at two on Sundays.
Me: What? I've always come in at three!
Manager: You've always been wrong!

So I rush in to work and spend the next 7 hours super hungry, but when I got home to my soup I couldn't eat much before I was full. Maybe my stomach shrank from being empty?

That night I slept for about 12 hours straight. Tomorrow is Valentines Day so I'm trying to prepare for a long, busy night full of couples making out and sitting on the same side of their table.
I'm hosting, which bums me out because I won't be making as much money- but I also won't be working as hard. Also also, I won't have to deal with so many PDA couples, so that's good for all of us...