January Was Here

Happy 2016 to you and to me!

2016 has gotten off to a great start!

Ralf & Jim invited to us to a New Year's Eve Dinner and Reykjavik New Year's toast--celebrate New Year in Iceland time--9 pm, then wrap up at 10. It's everything I've ever wanted. Good friends. Dress up a little (boots and cute dress, of course). Great food. Elegant wine. Sparkling conversation. Warm fireplace. Christmas trees and Christmas music. Then home in bed in jammies by midnight! Unfortunately, Larry came down with a cold and didn't want to pass it along to the other guests, so he had to sit this one out. Sweetheart he is, however, wanted to drive me so that I could enjoy a little wine and get home safely. (This was 13 months into not drinking, and I was looking forward to some nice wine.)

Ralf & Jim promised just a quick, casual meal as they both had to work that day. Quick casual for them is of course six kinds of artisan cheeses that take 10 minutes each to explain, a beautiful harvest salad with apples and nuts, sweet sauerkraut, a beautiful pork roast, "piggy-figgies"--tender figs wrapped in locally sourced thick bacon, mashed potatoes, and a beautiful assortment of cookies, biscotti, and coffees, and of course the luscious wines and champagne.

I missed Larry but I had a wonderful time. I love small, semi-formal, friendly and festive affairs that start and end early. I love Ralf & Jim! Also in attendance was a fascinating woman from Jim's church who was the first female vice squad police officer in Indianapolis, starting back in the mid-1970s.

Ralf & Jim packed a to-go box for Larry, and were both regretful that he could not attend and appreciative that he chose not to infect them. He's polite that way. I just hate it when someone sick shows up to work or a an outing. They complain about seeing sick and then get you sick in the process. Leave your germs at home!

I was hosting a temporary roommate from India namedRavi, and things were going fine with that. Then he asked if his girlfriend could join, and I had misgivings and told him no, and he kept begging, and I kept demurring, and he begged again, and finally I agreed. Should have stuck with "no." They were a pain in the ass. She hogged the kitchen at all hours, sometimes making elaborate meals at 10 pm. They also complained a little. Then they asked to renew, and I said, "no." I was really happy the day they left! I think I even did a happy dance. At any rate, their short stay with me paid my mortgage and utilities for the month and made me appreciate my space and my kitchen.

I also had another short-term roommate from China who moved in January 1. She, however, is low maintenance. She is set to leave on Feb 11, but I hope she stays longer as this is very easy money for me.

On New Year's Eve I got a call from my firm that they were still waiting to hear if my project would be extended past January 21. As we spoke, I suddenly felt confident to ask for the raise I've been meaning to request for two years on now. I felt really happy that I asked. It seemed like a great way to end the year.

The first week of January, they called me back to inform me that my contract was extended much longer than the three months they expected, that my boss said I was doing a fantastic job and didn't want to lose me, and that my raise went through! I called Larry to tell him the wonderful news, and a few  hours later, I got a call from reception (Kim, one of two people who greet me everyday at the Office of Soulless Vacuums) that I had a delivery. He sent a beautiful bouquet! 

I wish I had known sooner that my boss held me in such high esteem. I think I still suffer boss PTSD from my previous job. By the way, I had dinner with one of my former colleagues who is still there, and she is not very happy. In fact, she was under such tremendous stress that she wound up in the hospital for two weeks with a heart condition. PTSD boss, who gave her the condition, didn't even go visit her. I am so glad I got out of there when I did even though at the time it really felt like a punch in the gut.

Anyway, I felt myself feeling better about my job and my work--both put a spring back in my step!

I also got to catch up with some friends early in the year--sushi with Dave, The Aristocrat with Andre, Indian food with Amanda, a play and dinner with Chrissy.

First weekend of January was Gift Card Redemption weekend! First up, Dance Kaleidoscope at the IRT--always entertaining, although this particular program was our least favorite. Next day was a massage at Woodhouse spa, complete with luxuriating in essential oils and fluffy robes. Then a little home furnishing shopping. Then dinner at Season's 52. Then a movie--we saw Creed, which was pretty good--no actually it was really good. Very spirit lifting. Then we saw my friend Tristan direct and star in a local play at IndyFringe theater. 

The next weekend I started another phase of my home improvement projects: my bedroom! I finally made good on a New Year's resolution from 2008 and painted! I had forgotten the trials and tribulations of trying to paint a 15-foot angled ceiling. It took all weekend but I had fun! I even rearranged the furniture and really like the new look. I'm still getting used to the smoky plum walls, but I love the accent walls--aquamarine. 

I went shopping the next week to dress up the walls and reinvent the space, using years-old giftcards. I think it will look great! Once I painted it, I realized that the furniture needed to lose the honey oak color and that the trim would also need to be repainted. Kind of a can of worms, but I'll take it one task at a time until it's done, and then it will be out of style, and I can start all over again.

We saw a friend in a play Becoming Dr. Ruth, which is a great piece on the life Dr. Ruth. Very moving and funny! We went out with Chrissy and some of her friends afterwards at Binkley's. The next night I surprised Larry with tickets to a comedy tour called Sick of Stupid Comedy Tour featuring intelligent, hilarious, and frustrated-with-Conservative-America Southern comedians--Stewart Huff (our friend, actually!), Cliff Cash, and Tom Simmons. It was our first time checking out Morty's Comedy Joint, and the show was hilarious! Just what I needed after a long weekend of painting and cleaning up paint.

The next weekend I decided to tackle the un-honey-oaking of my otherwise beautiful bedroom suite. I chose a white-wash style, which turned out to be harder than it looks, and wound up just painting white with some aquamarine accents. It now looks crisp and clean. And now I notice that the trim and light plate switches must also be updated from cream to white.

We also went to a play at the IRT called The Mystery of Irma Vep, which was really really stupid and was supposed to be but at least was well done stupid. People like Stupid. Theater was packed. 

I haven't done much reading this month, other than tons of magazines and tutorials on DIY projects. I guess that's still learning and reading--and I love it--but next month I really want to get into the great books that Larry got me for Christmas (Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee, All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr) plus all the titles waiting for me on my Kindle.

Things are going well for me. On days when I feel like I might want to be lazy or give into the doldrums or a bit of listlessness, I manage to go for a walk, make some good food, work on some projects, and work-out in my home gym. (I'm holding on to what I learned, Heather!) 

Top Three/Six of 2015

Every year, Larry and I toast the New Year by listing our favorite three things of the previous year.

3. Trip to Detroit
For a few years, Larry has wanted to go back to Detroit, where he grew up, to see a Tigers game and show me around. First we went back in time 100 years to see the homes, labs, studios, and factories of American's greatest scholars, inventors, orators, and composers: Greenfield Village! We booked a room in an old mansion in the famous Brush Park area in downtown Detroit. We went to a Tigers game and stayed for the fireworks. It was fun! The teams played real ball and there was a young dysfunctional couple sitting in front of us, and their various fights, freeze-outs, and make-ups kept me entertained, and frankly, baffled.  The next day we hit the Avalon Bakery, the Detroit Institute of Arts--WOW!, the Detroit Public Library across the street from DIA, then got tickets for a tour of the Motown Museum. This was an emotional, exciting, and moving experience. I have heard that most people from Detroit have never been, and I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. Then we headed to Eastern Market. We were broken-hearted to hear that some asshole ("probably some rich white kid from the suburb" the guy who ran the AirBnb on Alfred Street seethed) burned burned Heidelburg Project, a blocks-long living art history museum of Found Art from abandoned Detroit. Okay, it looks like part of it still there. We're going next time! Then we headed to the play "Ernie."  Not a single man had a dry eye. Next day we met my high school friend Darrell and his wife JeDonna for brunch at The Dimestore and checked out the Guardian Building and the Detroit Riverfront. Then we packed up and headed to Pokagon State Park, IN, for some camping.

2. Lucinda Williams concert in Bloomington (June)
I found a place at the stage and danced for five hours straight in heels. Lucinda singled me out of the crowd and jammed with me.

1. Hiking trip to New Brunswick province in Canada and Maine (August/September)
From the surprises of stopping at Niagara Falls along the way (so much more beautiful than I had imagined!) to camping in the quiet wild purity of the Canadian boreal forest to hiking Acadia to the lighthouse/boat tour in the charming city Portland to a surprise visit with my best friend from high school--Jessica--in Syracuse, whom I hadn't seen in at least twenty years.

I had a hard time choosing just three, so I decided on six. Here are the other three:


6. IRT: "What I Learned in Paris" by Pearl Clege (April)
 Hilarious play by an African American playwright, an African American cast, and predominately African American audience who was all decked out in splendid 70s clothes and the VIP party in the cabaret afterwards with the cast, crew, donors, and patrons. There was a live band playing my favorites from the 70s and plenty of champagne and food and lots of dancing. I remember a distinct feeling of being welcomed into a life-loving community.

5. Camping trip to Red River Gorge
We took off early one Friday morning, eating cheese danish and listening to Lucinda and Patti on CD and set up camp by afternoon. Took off on a short hike. Had some issues with making fire. Oh well.

4. Valentine's hike and dinner at Turkey Run (Feburary)
This was a simple and fun and beautiful day/evening with Larry. It was one of those snowy, mild, sunshine-y days, where the white is still fluffy. Hardly anyone was on the trails. We got lost once or twice and had to help each other navigate some icy canyon terrain. We had a typical Indiana dinner at the Inn. It was candlelit and quiet and the fire was toasty. We took a final moonlit walk after dinner. Larry fell down the side of the canyon, but was okay. Before he fell, we admired the moon and the trees and the river and the snow gently falling.

Thank you 2015 for all of your surprises!