I'm on my way

Today was a start. Around about 3:40, I decided to go running. It was surprisingly easier to keep at it (from my apartment to St. Charles and back) than I thought it would be. I almost instantly felt better, but maybe it's all in my head, just a self-esteem effect (I should be able to recall the term from my psych classes). So that was the step I needed to take. Additionally, after I made a ribeye lunch for Jesse and me (I know, not very healthy, right? but I had to finish the meat before it went bad), I placed my spaghetti squash in the oven. I left in there until I got back from running so by the time I retrieved it, it was a little burnt and disformed; now I have to either get oven cleaner and/or ask our landlord if it's a self-cleaning oven. But, I made spaghetti squash with red sauce, bell peppers and torn up slices of deli parmesan pesto ham. I just threw it together because I had stuff in the fridge. Even Jesse said it was pretty good, which is so big because vegetables usually make him gag--not that he had a bowl himself though. Ha.

This week is going to be busy because I need to really clean the apartment since my aunt will be visiting us for her 50th birthday. She sort of invited herself, which is a little uncomfortable because she'll be staying at our apartment. It's a one bedroom. But, as my parents raised me, Jesse and I will be sleeping on the futon and we'll be giving our bedroom for her. I have to dust and pick up the piles of books I've been putting off organizing. This place gets so dusty though and full of Saki's hair so this should be a cleaning week. And, by next weekend, Jesse and I will be tired from playing tour guide and faking tourists ourselves. Friday is my aunt's birthday and she wants to go clubbing after dinner! I don't really go out much these days, but I figure we'll stroll down Bourbon for her sake, and then mosey on to Republic and/or Hookah since it's supposed to open that weekend. Speaking of which, last week, Billy called to ask me if I wanted my job back. He told me that it would only have to be 2-4 nights a week so I could do it supplemental to my job with McGehee and ESL. But, after sleeping on it, as broke as I am, we don't need the money that much. I couldn't give up my weekends with Jesse. I'm busy enough.

I don't know why I keep on talking about this because honestly, I'm not sure that I'll progress to the next step with such an unsteady GPA history, but I'll know where I stand with Teach For America on Wednesday. They'll send me an email directing me on whether or not to set up a phone interview and who my recommenders will be. I wanted to wait to ask my desired recommenders if they'd fill out the online recommendation until I knew if I go to the next step, but TFA suggests that I ask in advance so I'll be going to Loyola on Tuesday to do so. I got Dr. Henne to write one of my letters of reference for McGehee and asked him to do so via email so this time I'm going to stop in at his office to ask. I have a couple of ideas on who else I'll ask, but I think I'll contemplate a little longer.

This weekend was kind of intense, but I have had plenty of rest, too. Friday was my first big person function as Jesse and I did go to the reception for Little Gate. The headmistress of McGehee decided to reward Little Gate faculty with hors d'oeurves and drinks at Sun Ray Grill in the CBD/Warehouse District; Little Gate was voted the number one preschool in the city by parents voting in a Nickelodeon contest. At first, I was a little reluctant and anxious about going. I don't know many of the teachers (or their names for that matter), and I feel a little out of place, not being in my baby-having phase of life. But, it ended up going very nicely and Jesse and I talked and mingled (with people I had more direct contact with at school and just enough for the first time, for me anyway, because I can be so awkward). Because it only takes a little, two chardonnays later, I felt a lot more comfortable, and luckily for me, that was about the time the party ended. Jesse and I went home and dosed off to prepare ourself for the crazy Halloween night to come.

Veronica came in on Thursday and I got to see her for maybe half an hour on Friday, but then we met up for lunch with her old roommate and her friends. Later, we planned to meet up for Frenchmen Street revelry, of course, which felt different post-college and with Jesse and Mia. Neither of them had a lot of fun, save for when Veronica and a couple of her acquaintances got there. It was so crowded and it took us over an hour to get from our apartment to Canal (via streetcar so we wouldn't have to deal with parking and drunkards). We ended up walking from Canal to Frenchman--by way of Bourbon to Royal--because the Canal line appeared to be blocked by police cars. It was not fun for the feet, but every now and again, there'd be a witty, unique or just good costume. I'll have to tell about the iPhone finding, more about Mia and Veronica, in particular, etc. But, I'll save that for the next entry since I'm getting sleepy.