My summer hibernation is over, as is my time in my lovely building. At the end of this month I'm moving, yet again, this time to Queens. I'd be a lot more bummed about my current roommate getting married and needing me to leave if I hadn't found an amazing roommate.
I can't say enough good things about her.
Yesterday I saw two of my major literary crushes, Salman Rushdie & Gary Shteyngart, speak at the Brooklyn Book Festival. I missed Jeremy Scahill & Naomi Klein, which sucks, but it was a grey, rainy afternoon and I stayed in bed as long as I could. My friend patiently sat through Rushdie's interview of Tishani Doshi, stunning poet, dancer, and author of The Pleasure Seekers. It was so packed we sat on the floor in the aisle of an auditorium. For Gary Shteyngart's panel discussion we stood outside a classroom and listened in on his self-deprecating wise-cracks. Luis Alberto Urrea was the surprise of the festival for us; he recited a hilarious, evocative passage from his novel, Into The Beautiful North, from memory. It was an entertaining, thought-provoking afternoon and I wish I could listen to speakers like that more often.
My youngest brother is still scaring the shit out of my entire family, basically, but I love him so much. He agreed to take meds again, but they make him drowsy all the time and none of us are certain of what we're dealing with, exactly. We spoke the other night for a long time and he told me he misses me a lot and I got all choked up & felt awful. He wants to spend Christmas with me, which would be fantastic since I'll be here for the third year in a row, away from family. I always felt maternal toward him when we were growing up because he's the youngest, but now I just wish I could protect him from whatever this is. I always thought that of the three of us, he'd have the easiest time. I never expected something like this to happen to him.
So, things are alright. I'm still feeling insanely fortunate to be here in this city, on a daily basis. I'm happy that fall is here, and that even if I am poorer than I was, I'm rich in good books & friends.
time in the kitchen is excellent therapy:
I can't say enough good things about her.Yesterday I saw two of my major literary crushes, Salman Rushdie & Gary Shteyngart, speak at the Brooklyn Book Festival. I missed Jeremy Scahill & Naomi Klein, which sucks, but it was a grey, rainy afternoon and I stayed in bed as long as I could. My friend patiently sat through Rushdie's interview of Tishani Doshi, stunning poet, dancer, and author of The Pleasure Seekers. It was so packed we sat on the floor in the aisle of an auditorium. For Gary Shteyngart's panel discussion we stood outside a classroom and listened in on his self-deprecating wise-cracks. Luis Alberto Urrea was the surprise of the festival for us; he recited a hilarious, evocative passage from his novel, Into The Beautiful North, from memory. It was an entertaining, thought-provoking afternoon and I wish I could listen to speakers like that more often.
My youngest brother is still scaring the shit out of my entire family, basically, but I love him so much. He agreed to take meds again, but they make him drowsy all the time and none of us are certain of what we're dealing with, exactly. We spoke the other night for a long time and he told me he misses me a lot and I got all choked up & felt awful. He wants to spend Christmas with me, which would be fantastic since I'll be here for the third year in a row, away from family. I always felt maternal toward him when we were growing up because he's the youngest, but now I just wish I could protect him from whatever this is. I always thought that of the three of us, he'd have the easiest time. I never expected something like this to happen to him.
So, things are alright. I'm still feeling insanely fortunate to be here in this city, on a daily basis. I'm happy that fall is here, and that even if I am poorer than I was, I'm rich in good books & friends.
time in the kitchen is excellent therapy:
these photos make my heart go all aflutter:
VIEW 15 of 15 COMMENTS
hot_rod:
I'd say it's good to be back but 90% of my friends are inactive.
dragonchild92:
Como voc est praticando teu portugus (eu li teu perfil aps aceit-la como amiga), eu deixo meu recadinho no idioma de Cames, espero que voc goste da iniciativa. Obrigado por me adicionar como amigo, e bem vindo ao meu singelo grupo de amigos. Sempre que quiser dizer algo, comentar algo ou somente dar um al, sinta-se livre para isso. Beijos de seu amigo Brasileiro e mais do que isso, baiano.