It's raining in Baltimore, baby...but everything else is the same: September 2012

Yesterday was one of the strangest days I've had in a long, long time. I realize it perfectly symbolizes my life here, and the everyday tiny struggles that make me tired and oddly defensive when anyone suggests I could actually leave this difficult city. Brief aside: A friend and I once were watching "Turtle Man" on Animal Planet, which I was using as an example of the life I left in Kentucky, and they were chasing a groundhog out of it's hole. Turtle Man said this nugget "now, the groundhog, once he digs into his home, he ain't going an.y.where. He's moved almost 70 tons of dirt to dig in, and he's tough to root out."

Fast forward to brunch later, when I was grumbling about all the tourists that were in "our" diner that day. She said--you know, you're really territorial. I retorted that like the groundhog, I also move a metaphorical 70 tons of dirt to dig into my home and be able to stay, and yes, I don't want people rooting around in my tunnel. I thought she was going to throw up she laughed so hard.

The day went like this: Wake up. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office. Walk out to get a bagel with egg and bacon with an unsweet ice tea. Walk back. Glance over to where I'd parked my car the night before. Notice it's not there. Panic. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office.Call the police. Learn that my car had been towed a block away for absolutely no discerable reason to me. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office. Find the car. Note that I'm being charged $100 to be moved to the next block. Again, for absolutely no reason explained to me. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office. Find out I do not have to go to the office. Pick up a friend at the metro. Circle for a parking spot for 30 minutes. Go on a date. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office tomorrow. Go back to my neighborhood. Circle for a parking spot for 30 minutes. Give up, and park illegally. Drink beers. Two shots of Jameson shoved into my hand by said date. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office tomorrow. Put date in a cab at 1am. Friend comes over with wine to whine about men. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office tomorrow. Discuss our idiocy for being still awake. Go to sleep at four. Wake up. Check phone to find out when I have to go to the office.

Sigh.

I don't often have to go into the office on the weekends, but it's an extraordinarily busy time right now. It's going to be a hellish week. One day, I have to be in a meeting at FIVE AM. Holy shit.

Funny aside: I got a text message from my sister while sitting in a meeting on Friday. Open, discover it's NOT a picture, but a video that started playing in the middle of a presentation. It was of my niece opening her birthday present that I'd had mailed from Toys r us.com, and was a "barbie horse," as requested. She l*o*v*e*d it with the energy of a thousand suns, and I feel like the coolest aunt ever.

I went to Maine last weekend to visit my cousins. We went to Boston for one day, and then ended up heading with all 3 of my cousins, plus one of their young sons, to an island off the coast to spend the rest of the trip. It was amazing. I want to live there so much.

Better start digging that 70 pounds of dirt.

Happy Sunday....