OMy ability to mind-over-matter my way through a party was at it's best last night because after spending almost 7 hours socializing with both friends and strangers, I definitely experienced lunch and dinner for the second time at 5:30am (and no, I did not drink anything alcoholic at the party).

We all dressed up as a family for halloween, but when we took a picture we just looked like any other normal Austrian family dressed for a special occasion or festival.

If I was at a rally and wanted to see the stage, I don't think I would sit on top of a port-a-potty, but even more importantly, if I was at a rally, and I needed to go to the bathroom, I don't think I would go in a port-a-potty that had multiple butts on top of it.

For me, teaching someone a skill that I enjoy is almost as much fun as working at that skill myself.

I have earned my title of Italian grandmother without ever once having had grandchildren simply by pureeing rice with a garlic press and making ravioli from complete scratch with the most complicated tool being a rolling pin.

Is there ever a time when fighting is actually productive?

wonderful wonderful birthday party (two's a party!) with no baby and lots of outdoor hiking that tired me out so that i could only do 3 contra dances, and that with a break in the middle.

Today may or may not be the birthday of someone who may or may not also post regularly on this Live Journal. (YAY!!!)

brian's work used to have bagel fridays, but sometimes now they are on thursdays, and i always have fun if i drive him to work eating my free (free food *tastes* better) bagel in the car, and trying to figure out how much opium is left in the poppyseeds that get stuck between my teeth.

One more weekend of craziness and then I will have a full Saturday and Sunday completely free of plans!

i havent written in a long time and the mixture of guilt and non guilt stems from all the interesting things i have to say from my trip and from the amount of time i wanted to spend with my mom before she left until july (BUT NOW..... back to our regularly scheduled every day awesomeness)

I spoke Spanish for 5 straight hours today and I am proud to say, it went better than I thought it would, but I definitely need to beef up my vocabulary.

It was very difficult to say goodbye to a child and his family after working with them for almost a year and seeing them learn and grow together in such a positive and healthy way.

Some people are very good at making statistics talk for them so it is very important that you keep this in mind and always consider both sides to every argument.

In the Symphony Hall bathroom I witnessed a conversation between two women who were emphatically agreeing on the excellence of Beethoven's violin concerto, which we had just been performed, until Woman #1 said, "I'm sorry could you repeat that, I lost my hearing some time ago and need to see your lips," which I found rather puzzling considering the topic of their conversation.

I wouldn't consider myself a neurotic neat freak but there is a certain satisfaction that I get from cleaning my home... especially when I use scented cleaning products.

Last night I made my very first attempt at restringing my guitar (it went well I think), but then in the morning I had a note under my door saying that there have been a few problems in the building with noise violations and that tenants should refrain from playing musical instruments (among other things) after 11pm, though I don't think I am the only one who has been disturbing the peace because I realized that all of my neighbors received the same notice.

I was sooooo right about the day off thing... I feel GREAT today, and I have been singing all day long which is always a sign of holistic health for me.

I think that after working 5 days a week and spending the past 4 weekends running around and enjoying myself with wonderful friends, I am officially exhausted and really just need a day to collect myself and get a good night sleep.

I have a need to spend some quality time experiencing something artistic or engaging in an creating something that allows me to express myself in an artistic fashion, but what?

For the first time in our lives, Drew and I experienced a whoopee pie in the state of Maine.

It was a perfect day to explore some of the more "alternative" areas of Boston with my very wonderful friend.

I shared this ice cream magnificence that looked more like an Easter ham!

School buses always have the sign on the bumper that says "keep back 100 feet" but do you honestly think anyone driving in down town Boston is actually going to leave one hundred feet distance?

One of my 2-year-old local Boston clients picked up a box of blocks by its handle, told me it was his purse, and then said he was going to pick up some "Stah-bucks" for us.

My bird fell in the shower today (he often sits on the towel rack beside the tub while I shower in the morning) while trying to fly to my head, but once his wings got wet he lost his powers of flight and let me tell you, a wet bird is not a pretty sight.

I went to Salem, MA with Corey yesterday where we participated in a tour that left something to by desired, by one of the most uniquely scattered and random dudes I have ever met, whom we retrospectively named "Topher" since he managed to forget to provide us with his real name.

Boston Public Garden on a sunny Saturday in October means that every fifth woman you see is wearing a wedding gown and is being trailed by a parade of photographers and a disgruntled wedding party.

Perhaps you have a friend whom you go without seeing for weeks, months, maybe even years, but when at last you are back together again, it is as if you have only been apart for a few hours.

I consider it a great accomplishment that at 24 years of trials and tribulations, a thorough education, living in the "real world," experiencing heartache as well as great accomplishment, I am still able to derive such sincere joy from the simplest things... like the laughter of a 2 year old who has autism.

Every morning my bird calls me from my bed to come and play with him, but he has gotten to the point where he does not start chirping until he is sure I am awake, which he can tell by the sound of my movements; what a smart little animal.

Sometimes I am convinced that Mother Nature is incredibly empathetic; she picks the perfect days to cry.

It is not every day that I allow myself time to simply sit and experience a piece of music, and I say "experience" because when you have your headphones on (using headphones is the best way to listen with your whole body), and all of your energy is completely dedicated to attending to the sensations that are hitting your body through your ears, it truly is an experience.

Cold and rainy Monday's make me wish that I was wearing comfortable pants and that I was all wrapped up in someone else's arms.

 i have now bathed in a solid copper bathtub while listening to the rain drizzling down on the skylights

"Octoberfest" means 6,000 twenty-somethings crammed into the back lot of the Harpoon Brewery carrying the same Harpoon Brewery pint glass with oompa music being projected over the scene as it is performed by old German men wearing identical red vests.

only in new york city: church service with hundreds of dogs, a camel and a macaque and a turtle and (human) dancers with flowers in their hair?

This morning, I was early for the group that I run and when my boss saw me, she cheered and congratulated me the way your mom celebrates when you take your first ride on a training-wheel-free bike; maybe I should be early more often.

when somebody asks me what my favorite thing to eat is i never know what to say - do you?

This is the most binary-ish day I have ever seen: 10-01-10!

first day of october brings the start of packing for our austria trip next week, and a last violin lesson before i leave but unfortunately it doesn't bring taza chocolate since they don't carry it in every store in the nation, boo for having all the urban sprawl and not being able to use it.

Sometimes I forget that I live several miles from the coast and I find myself confusing the sound of wind in the trees for waves on the beach.

Found an overdue library movie behind the couch, and the irony is, i have 4 overdue library movies, all renewed once (2 weeks!) and we didn't even watch a single one, but we sure figured out how to hide them around our house for our treasure-hunting pleasure.

Watch the Amazing Race on CBS because one of my friends from high school is on it!!