jaysaint Getting it all down on paper…

I truly am grateful for my even-keeled disposition. I take no more credit for it than I do my eye color. My calm can be amazing. And I’m so lucky for that. And I keep trying to remind myself of that when I feel overtaxed or depended on by a needy friend who perceives my reservoirs to be bottomless. But sometimes the unworthy impulse to lash out can be strong.

On a cheerier note, we had an all-out-fabulous time tonight meeting Daniel, Rachel, John, Alex and Molly for dinner at Ariana Afghan Kabob House. I’ve never had Afghan food before and it was absolutely fantastic. Our waiter — Raffi — offered to surprise me. I will never pass up an offer like that. So I got a medley of extravagently seasoned veggies — pumpkin, spinach and eggplant. Then throw in a salad with tangy yogurt and a big bowl of brown rice. I could eat like that every day. It was one of those great dinners where we laughed and laughed and everyone talked a lot.

Daniel and Rachel are now back at Newark airport, checking in for their flight to Asia. So exciting. Going to Hawaii has really re-ignited my desire to be on the road. I’m trying to line up a trip to Englad asap.

Happy Christmas Everybody!

We have a lovely day planned. We’re going to go see The Chronicles of Narnia and then walk down 5th Avenue to admire all the shop windows. That will put us in Central Park at the end of our walk and we’ll take a stroll there before heading home.

Last night I boiled a huge mess of shrimp so that today we can eat pounds and pounds of shrimp cocktail, which is a big favorite around here.

It’s just me and Damon, and I love it.

Ah, the weekend. I do know that it’s Christmas weekend, but that’s getting only nominal acknowledgement around the house. We are burned out upon burned out. So this will be a lovely three-day sitting-on-our-behinds type of weekend. There may be gay cowboys on the menu for tomorrow. And it’s always a pleasure to be able to say that.

Right now we’re hunkered down with disc five of ‘Lost’ season one. I know this makes me the last one on the bandwagon, but I’m so in love with this show. I want to make out with every single person in the cast. I want to crash land in Hawaii.

And the New York transit strike of 2005 has come to a close.

It’s been interesting to watch. Working up to the strike and during the first day the city seemed sort of divided. By the second day most New Yorkers seemed to be turning against the union. It felt particularly manipulative to shut down the city when it was so freaking cold and this close to Christmas. I know that yesterday after standing outside in the dark for nearly an hour trying to make my way home I was enraged. But now workers will be back at the switch while the negotiations continue. So I’ll get in at least one normal day at work. I couldn’t face it, and worked from home today.

So here’s a vignette from my first week at Redbook…

I got an email that said, basically:

Hey Everybody, it’s that time of year again! We’re throwing open our cosmetics sample closet and everything is $1. All proceeds go to a charity that pairs women writers with teenage girls who need mentors. Bring singles to the conference room at 2:30
— The Beauty Babes

So at 2:30 I wandered into our little conference room and it was PACKED — table, floor, everywhere — with high-end beauty products. Everything from fancy Japanese shampoos to false eyelashes to fancy lotions. It was unbelievable. I bought 18 things. I meant to go to an even 20, but got a little too overwhelmed.

So I said to the Beauty editor, “How often do you do this???” And she said, “Oh, just once a year.” And I said, “My timing is fantastic.” And she said, “Well, we practice an open-closet policy. So if you ever need anything or are just craving some beauty, come on by and take what you want.”

AOL can suck it.

Kitty Update:

The new cat has been in the apartment since about 9 last night. He and Zoe have yet to meet, but I’m mightily encouraged by how neither of them seems to be the least bit stressed out about the other. There hasn’t even been any sniffing under the door. And they’ve both just been happily napping and getting petted in intervals.

Damon picked up some Bach Rescue Remedy and we’ve been putting it in their water. Now, I’ve heard of this stuff for a long time. But I admit that I’ve been skeptical that it would have that much impact. But it’s got to be having some sort of effect because these cats are spooky laid back right now. In just an hour or so we’ll meet and then I could be eating my words, but I’m feeling like this could really work.

Rachel is on her way to us right now and should be here in about an hour, and then we’ll open the door and let them meet at their leisure.

Damon’s completely in love with this guy and wants very much for him to be “his” cat since Zoe is pretty much fixed on me. Damon even spent the night in the guest room with him because he didn’t want him to be scared or loney. Silly, and yet my heart was just melting.

Milo and/or Miles has now emerged as name possibilities. I like “o” and Damon likes “es.”