On A Good Week

Image by Paolo Màrgari via Flickr

• Aero Tone on Monday
• Spin and Tone on Tuesday
• Total Tone on Wednesday
• Spinning and salsa class on Thursday

With this schedule, you'd think I'd feel in better shape. So why does climbing that second set of stairs at the gym kill me every. single. time?!

Airport Pick-Up

This is why I like Irish men. Many of my Irish female friends may dispute their value, but there's something unique in the blend of shyness, humor, and lager-induced bravado that can be quite appealing at times.

Last week was a perfect example. Somehow, I got picked up on my flight to the states, without even realizing it! It was like a dating "Sixth Sense" - the ball didn't drop for me until almost the very end :-)

This guy was smooth, patient, non-threatening, but not afraid to move in for the kill at the end of the silent chase. From sitting across the aisle from he and his buddies on the plane, to the final walk and wait at Baggage Claim, it was an exercise in patient hunting. And, by the time the prey copped on, she was already hip deep in conversation, admitting that no she wasn't married, and willingly passing on her mobile number.

Now, I like to think I'm pretty self-aware, but, in this case, cluelessness probably served to keep me calm, unflustered, and distant enough at the start to ensure that the chase kept going. Rather than anxious and self-conscious, I ended up feeling pretty pleased with both myself and him, and smiling a bit as well. The smile had to get bigger when, as we caught up with each other in the snakey Customs line, he sent a smiling wink and his friends chorused out "Hi Sirmelja!" :-)

All in all, an interesting flight.

Reluctant Truth

Those of you with sharp eyes may have noticed an update I just made on the side-bar. Sadly, it had to be done. As much as I'd like to pretend, I'm just not a 30-somethinger anymore :-(

But, hey, I may have just turned 41, but I still feel 31! And as long as people keep telling me I look it, I'm going to keep on smiling :-)

Reflections in an Airport

I recently flew to Miami for a sad occasion - the death of a very much loved aunt. I'm actually still there, writing in a spare moment while spending time with family. Thankfully, I hadn't had to attend a funeral of a loved one in years before this, so I'm trying to focus on the positives rather than dreading the inevitable outcome of my certain age where this will start happening more and more :-(

But, that actually wasn't the point of why I started to write this. While waiting for my next connection, on one of the layovers of the flight here, a few thoughts hit me:

• That first few hours on U.S. soil always brings a welter of mixed emotions. I feel blessedly normal (it's so much easier to blend in) but jarringly anonymous at the same time (there's nothing that special about me here... weird). In Ireland, I'm kind of exotic (not that many other Americans/black Americans/Jamaican-Americans running around). Here, I'm a dime a dozen. I'm literally of two minds about it.

• When did the whole world switch from laptops to netbooks? (All of a sudden, laptops look big and clunky). And, how can I get one??

• Being surrounded by rushing, semi-panicked strangers, tight spaces, bright lights and loud, clashing noises is NOT the best place to be when the worst sinus headache in the world comes crashing down on you! Don't. Do. That. Again.

Party Diversity... Irish Style

Four French, two Polish, one Russian and a Jamaican-American go into a bar... Ok, it was an apartment, but it still sounds like a great beginning to a joke. And, happily, there was lots of laughter.

An evening out at a friend's place in Cork is definitely more international than ones I would be used to. And not just the guests, the menu too! Lots and lots of crepes, handmade by the authentic French husband of my Polish friend. Washed down with wine, juice and, most intriguingly, a lychee liqueur that I have just got to try again! Not often though - 21% alcohol. Eeek!

The entertainment was just as new to me (though probably not to anyone else on the planet). Besides the fantastic accents and lots of French flowing in the background; we ended up playing Rock Band on the XBox. As a XBox virgin, let's just say 62% to 77% in 3 songs ain't too bad!

Can't Stop Dancing

I just can't stay away from the flashmobs it seems! How weird is it that I've done two in just a couple of months? :-)

Don't things come in threes? I wonder what's next.

Tis Finally The Season

I've been putting off getting too involved in the Christmas mania till now, not so much for any deep-seated trauma or drama... I'm just a procrastinator. There, the truth is out!

Combine my little personal foibles and the dread of dealing with the Cork Christmas shopping nightmare or braving the post office, and that means 3 weeks before Christmas was the first shopping foray.

I'm keeping things simple this year - largely because I'm plumb out of ideas - so I'm actually delegating much of the shopping handiwork to my mother and sister in Miami. I've dredged up some ideas and I'm leaving it up to them to drive to the Miami shopping malls to carry out their appointed missions. Cowardly, I know, but this year I'm embracing my spinelessness without a hint of shame :-)

If this all works out the way I hope, I'll stop procrastinating even further by finishing this post, then doing the wrapping and the boxing in preparation for the P.O. run tomorrow. Wish me luck!