First off, happy new year to all of you, and a happy new decade! I hope everyone passed the holidays with friends and other loved ones, and that you're all well.
For some reason, the blogger won't let me comment-- has this happened to any of you? Josh, congrats again on the job-- it's perfect for you.
I was so excited to get to hang out with a bunch of you on or around new years, and I hope I get to see you guys soon. Please keep in touch with whatever it is you're doing either via this blog or whatever way works for you. Much love,
Where to begin after being silent for so long? Probably with the news: I have just accepted an offer for full-time employment with the Food Bank for New York City. I'll begin on the first Monday of the new year. After nearly four months of job-searching, interviews, applications and the like, employment is official. I've never felt so sure that what I'm about to begin is so fully a deliberate choice.
While I have been searching for full-time work for months, I have been working. Since October, I've been acting as a server at a kitchy, comfort food joint in Monrningside Heights called the Kitchenette Uptown. It takes a twenty minute walk to get there, so I've been meeting regulars who live in the neighborhood as well as Columbia students who frequent this popular brunch spot--I'm picturing our ritual Middlebury-weekend brunches transplanted in the Kitchenette, and I'm thankful for our shared dining tables, even if the so-called "free dining hall food" was simply illusory.
I'll tell you I'm acting as a server because I'm a bit of a hack. I had no restaurant experience prior to working there, which everyone tells me is impossible in New York City. Back in October, wearing an oxford shirt and slacks, no less, I walked into the restaurant and handed over my restaurant-less resume to the manager. After a two-minute discussion, she gave me the chance to train as a server. After a week training, the owners hired me. My first day of work, the manager who gave me a chance quit. If I had come in with my resume a week later, the new manager would not have considered me a potential hire.
I could write an entire post on my experiences at Kitchenette, and I hope to post some anecdotes eventually, but I'm using this entry to tell you about what's new in my life. After the summer months of hoping and doubting, and the autumn days of hunting jobs and prowling unfamiliar streets, I believe I've found what I was looking for. First, because I want to immerse myself in the intersecting worlds of food distribution, marketing, policy and education and its effects on the health and integrity of communities--and the Food Bank for NYC is one of the best organizations in which to do that. But I also feel that for the first time, perhaps even moreso than with college, I have taken responsibility for my next step. That, at least for me, for now, is news.
It may not seem like it, but this video represents the culmination of one of the most beautiful concerts I've ever been to. Everyone on that stage is super-psyched to be there, and I was thrilled to witness such happiness and to feel it myself. If you are ever in San Francisco at the same time Port O'Brien is having a concert, I highly highly recommend seeing them. It is joyous and tense and beautiful.
I haven't been bloggin lately. But I want to! I want to stay in touch and all of that. So, here's what's going on with me since my last post. well, I went and saw where the wild things are (seems like years ago) and it made me cry, just a little bit. It's not really a children's film, but more of a film for non-childs to reflect on our youth. i liked that spike made the characters wild emotions, but i think he might have done a better job showing that. The after party was at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and spike, dave, catherine keener (who they referred to as simply keener) and Max Records were there. Max wore a box on his head for part of the night. The Maurice Sendak exhibit at the museum was pretty cool, I recommend it to anyone passing through SF (i have a coupon btw if you want one). What Else? max's costume is in the pirate store right now.
I hit a milestone: finished my very first issue of the Bay-farer, the newspaper workshop that I teach. It made me really happy-- the reading/release party went really well, we had a lot of food and Every last kid read their article! (except the one that didn't show up). I was really happy that everyone felt comfortable enough to read, even the kids that barely spoke at the start of the 5 week workshop. And the paper looks great. My personal favorite article is titled Facts about Cats, but another catchy title is Canines: a Vast Subject and also The Smallest Monkey. Don't worry, there were non-animal articles, too. It's not a newspaper focused on animal journalism.
In other news, I've taken up a part time job of nannying for 6mo. old twin girls. They are the cutest and sweetest babies I've ever met! Their dog is really sweet too, and I'm less allergic to her for some reason.
I went to the Treasure Island music festival and was joined that weekend by some midd people like Emily and Rachel who live in the Bay and Miles and Ken who drove up from LA. Ken had driven up the weekend before, too. Most memorable acts for me were definitely The Decemberists (who completely killed it) and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros (who were really high but really beautiful voices). Other really good ones were Beirut, Grizzly Bear, and THAO! and The Flaming Lips.
I'm not sure what else to say right now except that I'm doing really well, been really busy. We're organizing an event, so I've been all tangled in that, but that will be over in just a few weeks. I'll talk to you all soon! Write!
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