Stop.Go.Stop.Marco?

This past weekend was really wonderful.

I thought I was off to do some healthcare canvassing with a UM friend, but our plans got a little whacked out of shape as she realized we would need to be speaking Spanish the entire time (she speaks none, I speak little) and after that sang in the road, the organizer ended up cancelling the day of service event last minute anyway to visit someone in the hospital (oh dear).

So I made my way to College Park anyway, since I missed JJ alot and never get to see her enough. We ended up swimming at her sister L's community pool, which was a beautiful place, but the situation was kind of aggravating towards the beginning since the lifeguard was 90 minutes late and no one could swim before he got there! JJ and her wonderful guy A hung around with me, A much more enthusiastic about the water than JJ, and we had fun like little kids with doing flips, relaxing on and pestering each other with those foam noodle things, and being otherwise aquatic.



After hanging with L and helping her unload some groceries for a roommate's going away party (she got JJ fresh cherries from the store, and we devoured them immediately after our laborious - not really - water workout) JJ and I abandoned A to go to Value Village, an amazing thrift store where JJ helped me find brand new Gap jeans for $14 and some funky tops for work (think shirts with wing-like features and swirls). I figure, when one is barely employed by three mental health groups, why not dress to express one's own mental oddness? Or at least I think this now, since it is my last work week at job #2 (goodbye dresscode!!) and I will be super-scrounging until full-time days to fill up my work week with honestly billable hours at jobs #1&3 (so all shopping should be second-hand shopping). From the Village of Value, I also got S a happy, fat Buddha, since we have a Jesus and some Hindu dudes in the new place but nothing in keeping with the Asian persuasion of religious figurines. Hopefully he will be a good luck charm for the new place (My recently re-Baltimored friend J is into feng shui, so she should be able to tell me what this little chubs guy can do for us).

Speaking of Asian, after shopping, A asked JJ and I to a pho restaurant, where we ate pho. If you haven't ever had it, stop to think about what it could possibly be, and then click here! It was really good, and paired with some plum sauce, some hot sauce, and a bubble tea on the side (and minus the meat!), the whole experience was delicious.

After eating, I really had to head back to Baltimore so S and I could go dancing. That's right, we dance. We just don't invite anyone we know or love to join us when we do, so we can really cut loose without damaging our reputations as simpletons of movement. We went to Red Maple's Michael Jackson tribute (RIP from your little fan at the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, Mike!) and before we got in the cab to go there, I forgot my ID not once, but twice after leaving the apartment. Chances are if you ever take a cab with me, you should personally take an inventory of the survival items I have or haven't forgotten, or else I might not make it wherever we're going together.

On Sunday we had family time, during which K won Trivial Pursuit (What is it with the guys winning all the board games recently?! I say conspiracy!!) and M gave us some yummy gummy snacks to take home.

Then last night we saw The Hangover, which was great, but forgive me, Mike Tyson can box/chew ears better than he can act.
It was a perfect weekend until O the cat became possessed with the spirit of Satan, no exaggeration. We had to lock him in the bathroom twice so he wouldn't claw us to bits in the middle of the night, and the second time we contained him, he started eating the door. This is all because we fed him two small evening meals instead of one giant one. I worry for our safety.

Well, with a fun weekend like that, it is safe to say that the week has begun just so-so, but I am excited to get home and to cook something very creative after a 2 granola bar lunch and an applesauce breakfast. And I have high hopes for Tuesday too..