My first vegetarian Thanksgiving--

Who needs turkey, anyway??

a little about not much

I've been nesting this week. It's cold, foggy, gloomy, and the perfect kitchen weather. Friday I spent all day (and ahem, several hot toddies) making roasted garlic cream of potato soup. I made vegan (!) chocolate-chocolate chip cupcakes for my neighbor's 26th birthday (or, the 10th anniversary of her sweet 16, as her party indicated). I had no idea such heavenly baked goods could be made without dairy or eggs but I am HOOKED. Amazing, and I didn't even have to get out an appliance. Saturday I made oatmeal muffins from the Magnolia Bakery cookbook. Sunday Brian and I made brunch (with some unbelievable rosemary pan-fried potatoes that I will share with you when I get the photos off his camera).

I'm preparing for my first vegetarian Thanksgiving and it's pretty exciting. Other than that- I'm just lying here in bed trying to decide if I have anything remotely decent (and clean) in which I can go do my laundry, or if I'll be pulling a Lorelai and running into people in cutoffs, a tie-die t-shirt, and cowboy boots. Oh, and today is farmer's market day!!

naked

As most of you probably picked up by the context clues of "hey you guys! I have been going out on dates!"- My on-again-off-again-for-the-past-10-months relationship and I broke everything off a couple of weeks ago. I have staved off blogging about it because well, the internet has eyes, as it were. Also, unlike past relationships where I felt screwed over and gladly welcomed ex-bashing, I would never, ever want anyone to anyone to think badly of him or think that he somehow wronged me- we just couldn't make the long-distance thing work. Which, although a perfectly legitimate reason to break up, doesn't make me feel any better, you know?

So, yeah. We broke up. And I am mad and I am hurt. Because that's what happens when people break up: people get mad and hurt and throw their hands up in frustration. Friends or more-than-friends, it is hard to cut someone out of your life that has been important to you for a long time. I am mad and I am hurt and I miss him terribly.

I know I will be fine, I know I will get over it, and I know I will move on. I'm not under any sort of delusion that he is the only person on the planet that will ever make me happy. But he is a good person that I felt I connected with and now that he is gone, I am dealing with pretty much this:

Break-ups are hard. They are horrible and they are hard and they are not necessarily indicative of what two people shared.

I need to remember that.

San Francisco

I am really enjoying my new town!! In addition to the beach and the massages last week, I had a fun Halloween with Brian and Sandy on Wednesday. We (ibym: Brian) made fondue and it was wonderful. We spent some time catching up with Sandy and it was really nice. Thursday turned out to be about 75 and gorgeous, so I went to the Park, enjoyed the sunshine, and watched the ducks at Stowe Lake. I went on dates both Thursday and Friday nights- both super-nice guys who are both super-interested in me but I'm not sure what I'm ready for right now (because as you all know, I only fall for emotionally unavailable men, but that's a whole 'nother therapy session). We'll see what happens.


Saturday I spent in the Park as well- I wore my new (ibym: bought in April but have never worn) hiking boots and fed the birds and saw Chomp!- an exhibit of carnivorous plants- at the Conservatory of Flowers. I ended up back at The Little Shamrock which is my new favorite bar ever- great music, cheap drinks, and board games! Thursday night date met me and Brian there and it was a really fun time.


Sunday was beautiful as well, so Suzy and I donned our sandals and met Brian for brunch in the Castro, did a little shopping, and then watched three movies at Harvey's- Mary Poppins, The Dark Crystal, and Death Becomes Her. Possibly my new 2nd favorite bar ever. Monday we went back for trivia night where we came in last place but had a blast- totally my new Monday night activity- and I met up with a guy I went to high school with and probably haven't seen in almost as many years as it's been since I've seen The Dark Crystal. It was really fun to see him and catch up.

Sandy stayed an extra day after her show and we went to the Legion of Honor (where The Thinker lives right now) and it was freezing, so we went- guess where? to The Little Shamrock- where she schooled me in Scrabble and then I kicked some Trivial Pursuit butt. There was a fire in the fireplace there and Irish coffees. I can't believe I have to go to Anaheim tomorrow- I feel like San Francisco and I are at the beginning of a beautiful relationship and I'm going to miss it incredibly while I'm gone.

I don't want to mention the fact that my shuttle is picking me up in just over 12 hours and amidst all the fun, I haven't done anything remotely productive like buy toothpaste, do laundry, test my show, water my plants, take out the trash, clean out the fridge, or pack. Or the fact that I'm completely wired from all the Irish coffees (whyeeee does the "Irish" not cancel out the caffeine?) and there are people asleep in every room of my house except this one, where I can't really do any of those things on my list. Well, I could pack, IF I had done my laundry.

Yes, my friends... tomorrow is going to be a very long day- a long day that ends at the Holiday Inn in Anaheim, which contrary to popular belief, is not really the happiest place on earth.