elephants overhead

Recently, I got asked to move out of campus housing and into the greater wilds of New York City. After saying-- and genuinely meaning-- that I'd think about, it seems that the universe is speeding up the thinking process.

A raucously elephantine party in the apartment above mine last night (not to mention the late-night entrance of my own, mutinous suitemates) has me thinking a lot more about dorm life. For the most part, I have had ideal dorm-living experiences, but this year has been pretty... different. I have never before lived in a "party dorm," and apparently this one is just that Thursday through Saturday. Last night, after calling the RA on duty, public safety, and berating my suitemates, I realized that I will always be a hermit, the curmudgeon-y guy who wants his peace and quiet after 1am. And maybe the best thing for me (and the University's obnoxiously exuberant party-goers) is for me to vacate the premises and carve out a new life somewhere else.

2009, au revoir

In this, the year of seemingly endless celebrity deaths, the avant-garde going mainstream, and a sizeable amount of personal growth, I'd almost forgotten that the decade was, well, over.

The 00's (aughts?) were definitely my formative years. But I wasn't really, truly cognizant of passing time until well into high school. Until then, life is infinite; when you're 14, only the elderly have sand timers around their necks. And then- bam- something happens and you look down at your own neck, and there you are, sand timer-ed like the rest of them.

In the New Year and well into the next decade (at the end of which I turn 30, dear god), I think I'll end up remembering the 00's as a period of self-realization (to be distinguished, for sure, from self-actualization). Here I am, ready for the next ten years, sand timer around my neck, plans in my back pocket.

Here's to 2010.

the week in news...

My ride! (via Flickr)

This has been quite the whirlwind week. For one, I have a(nother) job that'll last me well into the spring. I'm officially working at the Office of the Director of Graduate Studies. My interviewer told me that I can a) gchat and check Facebook if I ever have downtime (uh...) and b) that he is officially sanctioning-- indeed, welcoming-- any humming that may be a result of my proclivity to song. This job is perfect (although I must say that I was quite startled to have Facebook brought up so casually in a professional setting). I start on Monday.

In other news, I have a red, Ross brand hipster-mobile, name TBA (any suggestions?), birthday gifted by the wonderful Kate Lovely. I rode it around Astoria and found that there is nothing quite as exhilarating or terrifying as bicycling in New York City.

Also, did some community garden-ing this weekend with Kyle. The earth is an amazing home.

I feel really good about how things are going for me right now, in spite of how poor I am and how much work I need to do to be quite where I'd like in life. But finally, I feel like I'm making some progress.