and the doppelganger saga continues.



remember when i posted about my intellectual elitist tendencies (regarding the word doppelganger)? and then you all made me feel much better because you knew the meaning of the word--along with others that i had to then go look up?

well, the saga continues.

the word has served as the catalyst for a sort of treasure hunt within my family. we look to find the word written, spoken aloud, published--anything, and then we attempt to use it ourselves--to casually drop it into conversation.

the first night my parents were here, we were sitting around (my largest nyc bedroom to date) drinking champagne out of my brand-new-violet-colored flutes when my father relayed a story he had seen on oprah (this is confusing to me since my father doesn't usually catch a 4:00 showing of the reigning queen of day-time). but, for whatever reason, he saw an episode in which a former play-boy model (god is in the details) suffered from sex addiction (details), but only went for guys who were the (wait for it) dope-layngers of her father.

what? you say.

dope-layngers?

i had the same thought too.

and then the brain mushed it around, processed, and the revelation came out as good solid-week of laughter.

my dad was trying to say doppelganger. he did not. he said dope-laynger. and my father is an intelligent man.

so now the question (and thus the quest) is: do you know what it means? do others know what it means? and can you say it correctly?



the picture?
you can actually buy one
of these little guys at
urban outfitters. they're
called doppelgangers.
said co-worker in
the initial post got me one.
it sits on my desk as
an omen of good-tidings (though
doppelgangers are thought to be
bad signs, i decided i would turn
this idea upside-down.)

all around.



it's beginning to feel a lot like christmas.

i bought my own tree. my first tree.

i am blogging now under the glow of the tree lights. and only the tree lights.

17 days till i go home.

and for those 17 days i sure as heck am gonna enjoy this tree.


in defense of real books.




i feel guilty buying books.


there.

i said it.

i who value words above almost all else feel guilt when buying a book.

(though it should be noted that i who value words above almost all else also rarely know how to use them when it matters most).

the thing is, i believe in books.

not kindles. not ebook readers. not nooks.

but books. real-life, flip-the-page, spill-the-coffee-on books.

i know that as a woman who has no sustainable source of income (euf) books are a luxury that not only can i not afford, but i can easily navigate around--i mean, nothing is easier than borrowing and lending books--whole buildings have sprung up around this concept! (we call them libraries).

but i am selfish. and have no monetary foresight where stories are concerned. i want the paper. and the breakable spine. i want to scribble and write and underline and dog-ear to my heart's content.

the stories on my bookshelf are now my singular story. they are a part of me. and i want to be able to take them down again and again.

they are my proof of passing time. they are my life made tangible.


a thanksgiving visit. a half-week party.




my parents came to visit last week.

a few things you should know:

1. i've lived in new york for 5 1/2 years now

2. i worked extra shifts over this holiday so that i could ensure a week's vacation at home (in texas) come christmas time

3. in all those 5 1/2 years i don't know that my parents and i have ever had a truly successful visit, here

i cried on the phone to my mother two nights before she came. there is this thing known as guilt, of which, as a catholic, i am well versed in. and usually the visit is an experiment in how guilty i can feel for not having enough time or energy to give to my family.

but the monday before the arrival i cleaned and scrubbed and bought new champagne glasses, and thought, come what may, i'm ready.

it got off to a rocky start when my parents arrived too soon, and i forced them to wait in the car until i had arrived home and arranged some flowers--in my mind the flowers were more important than anything else. but they took a catnap and seemed in good spirits. so i pulled out the new glasses and we toasted family, togetherness, and stolen naps.

from there we walked to the new leaf cafe, which truly set the mood for the entire trip. the restaurant was gorgeous and unlike anything we've ever experienced here in the city (which became the theme for the rest of the week). it felt like we were dining in an over-sized cabin nestled into wooded green. the food was delicious and we left giddy with excitement over our find.

thursday morning found the three of us around the television watching the parade (my absolute favorite thing to do as a child) before we set off for aunt mary beth and uncle steven's home where we would join with three of my cousins: sean, ryan, mike--and sean's fiancee sarah--and of course my brother, connor, who drove down from his new home in boston. thanksgiving day was filled with laughter, copious amounts of delicious food, and the tail-end of the movie Rudy (only one of the greatest films, and no doubt the greatest soundtrack ever), not to mention a rousing round of celebrity (a game much like charades that's now become a family tradition).

i worked all day on friday, as i had on wednesday, but my nuclear family came into the restaurant for drinks, before i sent them on their way.

after working a half-day on saturday, i joined mom and dad in the west village where we were going to see the a production of thorton wilder's our town. it was there, next to the theatre, wait for me, that my parents stumbled across the restaurant one if by land. let me first say, the it is located in aaron burr's old carriage house. you know that i love history, yes? and aaron burr was one of the names i contributed to our game of celebrity (mentioned above). the restaurant was perfection. to be fair, we stayed only at the bar, but the lit christmas tree in the corner, coupled with the live piano music, the vintage couches, and the sense of history...well, i was in heaven.

one if by land was followed by a remarkable our town, a rousing round of gelato, and walk through the west village.

this visit was divine. it felt like we all showed up for the party, you know?

and now i'm counting down the days until i get to go home. 19, to be exact.

what about you all, how was the holiday?

thanksgiving




"YOU SAY GRACE BEFORE MEALS.


ALL RIGHT.


BUT I SAY GRACE BEFORE THE CONCERT AND THE OPERA, AND GRACE BEFORE THE PLAY AND PANTOMIME, AND GRACE BEFORE I OPEN A BOOK, AND GRACE BEFORE SKETCHING, PAINTING, SWIMMING, FENCING, BOXING, WALKING, PLAYING, DANCING, AND GRACE BEFORE I DIP THE PEN IN THE INK."


G.K. Chesterson




i am so thankful for all the things i get to say grace before, and all the people who taught me that grace is an act of love.