Parkour!

Working in Government Center (although not for much longer!) leads to endless hours of entertainment before, during, and after the day. Music blasts, farmers sell their produce (which means we escape the office for a few minutes Mondays and Wednesdays to bask in the glory of the farmers' market, or just indulge in free When Pigs Fly bread samples...), and protesters protest. You get it. It's an energetic place.

On September 17th, Government Center was transformed into parkour paradise, complete with crane and enough clunkers to make a junkyard owner salivate. What is parkour? you ask. Don't worry, I needed an explanation too. Parkour is described as art in motion. Essentially, parkour athletes are extreme gymnasts who maneuver from point A to point B in the most abstract and unique ways possible. The more flips and death-defying stunts, the better. Parkour also means heart-attack-central to spectators. Twirling acrobats plus solid brick ground is, let's face it, cringeworthy.

Maddie and I watched them warm up for the big show as we left work that Friday afternoon. Competitors from around the globe free-styled their way through the course, each clad in sweatpants. (I'm assuming the sweatpants provided greater range of motion. Plus, every athlete looks cooler in sweats?) We weren't able to stay for the main event- due to rain, the show was delayed two hours- but we still enjoyed what we saw and tried, almost to no avail, to digitally capture the athletes in action. Trust me, it was difficult... they're fast little buggers!

 Mid-flight to some sort of twisty, turvy, terrifying flip.

I managed to find a video of the actual event online. The show was sponsored by Red Bull, which makes the video a publicity clip. Feel free to watch, although know that Red Bull did not put me up to this (I'm not even sure I like Red Bull, it's weird and sweetly bubbly, but not in a soda-type of bubbly and I feel like people judge me when I drink it although I'm not sure why I think this, after all I've only drank it twice because I received free samples, but the free samples were large and the caffeine is probably still in my system which could explain my rambling and the reason my fingers are typing faster than my mind can think). Also, know that Red Bull does not support this blog (they may support this blog for all I know, but I highly doubt it... if they do, then welcome, Red Bull, and thanks for a fun afternoon!)... I digress...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y5wtigwq8Y

Now that you've had a taste of the real parkour, enjoy as The Office (American) broaches the subject.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjgzwrnSoVE

Business Dates

It hasn't been very long. I really have no reason to complain. I've only been out of school for 16 months. Wait... what?! SIXTEEN months! That can't be right! You're delusional. I'm still a student and don't have to worry about a real job, or benefits, or a 401k. And bills? Who needs 'em! Pff, now who's delusional?

Clearly it was time for me to get my career-act together (and potentially see a therapist). Thanks to Jill's passing my resume along in her company, I managed to land a grown-up interview. That's right, I donned business pants with business pumps and toted a business bag which held my business resume for my very businessy meeting in Southie.

I would like to interrupt my story to point out that interviews are the work equivalent of first dates. They are mildy awkward encounters where you think to yourself, Am I talking too much? Did I really just say 'you betcha'? Do I have broccoli in my teeth? Why would I have broccoli in my teeth? I haven't eaten broccoli all week. Then what's stuck in there? I wonder if he noticed. Why won't my palms stop sweating? Is my smile starting to look creepy? It must look creepy, he's looking at me funny. What did he just say? I don't even know what that word means. Just smile and nod.... Oh man, that wasn't a yes or no question... the nod failed. What am I supposed to say? Where did that question come from? I don't know my favorite color nevermind the correct meaning of 'teamwork!' I take that back, my favorite color is green, but what hue exactly? Why does he keep looking at my sweater? I knew the flower accent was too much! Is this almost over? Interviews and dates, despite all the internal dialogue, are meant to show your best qualities and the occasional cute quirks, although toned-down. You keep your scary skeletons tightly packed away in the closet until you've worked the job for a month (or date #5), at least. After you've said your goodbyes, you anxiously wait by the phone hoping they had as much fun as you did. Date #2 is their call, not yours.

Anyway, I went to the interview. It went well. I got a second date. Long story short, my resume was finally handed off to the Director of Marketing, who arranged another interview. I arrived for my 9 o'clock yesterday, bright-eyed and bushy tailed. Again, it went well. I didn't have any previous design-interview experience, however, so how was I to know just how well it went? The answer came later that day. I got the job. Let me repeat that... I GOT THE JOB! Suffice it to say when I received the offer, only dogs could hear me. I proceeded to screech and frolic, both things I am not normally known for. What can I say, job offers bring out unusual behavior.

I am happy to say that my career-act is finally coming together.

Fun Facts

Did you know that in 1881, Arkansas state legislature made the state's pronunciation officially what it is today, rather than r-kansas? Did you also know that Pierre is the only capital city pronounced by the locals with one syllable (think peer)? And did you know about heteronyms, words that are spelled the same but when pronounced differently have alternate meanings? For example, tropic refers to a type of warm, temperate climate and tropic (with a long o) describes a hormone that targets endocrine glands. Thanks to pub trivia in Back Bay last night, I now know these fun facts and am thus able to share them with you.

We also covered that the letter D represents 500 in Roman numerals (easy as pie), Essie produces nail polish (pshh, at least challenge us), and President Chester Arthur's middle name was Alan (ok, consider us challenged...). I can feel my neurons making new connections as we speak. Next week, the other teams won't stand a chance!

It's one of those weeks...

... where every day is chock-a-block full. Movies, dinner, an interview, oh my!

I saw Rachel Getting Married on DVD with my friend Maddie - odd, confusing, and frustrating (not Maddie, the movie; those words do not describe Maddie at all) but a great performance by Anne Hathaway. Tonight, I will see The Town - Boston-based excitement, review: to be determined (I sense good things though; the triumphant return of Ben Affleck plus the always sexy - ahem - I mean, wonderful Jon Hamm... movie magic!).

Thursday night, a few of us relished in a meal straight from Julia Child herself. The delicious beef bourguignon was served up with a side of hilarity courtesy of Maddie and John Ogren and company.

And finally, I scored an interview for a real job - benefits, a salary, discount Red Sox tickets, what more could a girl want?! The interview went swimmingly and I will be hearing back in the next week. Keep your fingers crossed, don't walk under any ladders, knock on wood, or whatever trips your trigger... just hope for the best!

This type of week is going to continue through to the next. A lot is in store for the weekend, from the movies this evening to working a 70s disco version of A Midsummer Night's Dream Saturday to outlet shopping, football, and trivia Sunday. I'm already looking forward to October simply for the R&R time!

P.S. For some reason, I have a sudden obsession with the dash. My apologies for incorrectly overusing it. Then again - perhaps the grammarphiles agree - the dash is probably the sulker in the world of punctuation due to its lack of use. Why not throw it in the spotlight just this once?

Driving Woes

Walking around the city is, well, a cake walk. To get from point A to point B, you take the closest thing to a straight line you can get. No problem. (Side note: Watch for gas pipes sticking out from buildings while walking. Just ask my thigh; it had a nasty run-in with one such pipe last night. Perhaps I should look ahead while walking and talking. Or perhaps I should give walking and talking a break. My body needs time to heal after all.) Driving in the city is not as cut and dry. You look at a map (because like me, you don't have a GPS... kickin' it old school). You plot your course. You're confident in the adventure you're about to embark upon.

Your preparation is crap.

One-ways pop up out of nowhere and suddenly you're back, staring at the same brick apartments on Memorial Drive and smelling the delicious, grilled fare wafting from the green where the same weekenders are tossing footballs and frisbees, when you swore you were on the other side of the Charles and can't remember crossing the bridge, any bridge, again but apparently you had (because how else could you wind up enroute to Harvard Square?!) and last you thought you were about to stumble upon the Whole Foods in Brighton, which is thrilling because dinner time has arrived and you need to pick up a few items for the almost empty pantry at home and your stomach is demanding you fill it soon, the same way your gas tank will demand shortly if you don't find your way out of the hell hole known as Boston's (and Greater Boston's) crazy web of streets. Geesh! If you nodded along to that long-winded shpeel (I can guarantee this is not a word, but I may need to submit it to Webster... I say it fairly often. If anyone knows a spelling for this word, please let me know.) then you've been in my shoes. You've driven in a city, which means you've gotten lost in a city.

Despite my frustrations behind the wheel and my inevitable cursing, I still believe that losing my way is ironically the best way to learn. Let's just hope I learned a lifetime's worth today!

Roommates

Last Friday, it rained. It rained while I worked my first shift at the A.R.T. It rained while I waited for the 86 bus in Harvard Square. It rained while I continued to wait for the 86 bus. It rained all night. Needless to say, it was inevitable that I'd transform into a drowned rat on a night like Friday. As I've mentioned before, I love storms; however, on this particular evening, the storm did not live up to my standards and I simply wanted to be home, cozy in pajamas with a glass of wine in hand. The bus disagreed with this thought process.

As I waited thirty five minutes for my ride home, I became more and more frustrated. My roommates were home and I was not. I wanted to join the fun taking place in our dry, warm apartment which involved mindless television and Charles Shaw's finest cabernet. Unfair. At 11:45, I sloshed through the door wearing the most haggard of haggard looks and dragged with me every possible rain-soaked leaf in the neighborhood. My look immediately dissipated when I saw what was before me: a glass of red wine and chocolate-covered cookies. Adam, Jill, and Matt peered from around the corner grinning. It's official: I have, hands down, the best roommates.

Long Weekend

As expected around New England, the weather changed. Earl didn't live up to the forecasters' wild predictions and the Bay State wound up with a soggy Friday night. Otherwise, the rest of Labor Day weekend has been beautiful... even more so thanks to Saturday's inaugural Game Night! Friends new and old gathered to play hilarious rounds of Apples to Apples and Catch Phrase, drink adult beverages and eat some treats. There were no winners, just fun had by all (read: I lost and don't want to talk about it).

I realized Catch Phrase in particular shows the inner workings of each player's mind. It also shows how cruel your friends can be. I'm sorry I didn't think of specific models when portraying Honda, okay?! It was better than referencing Michael Jackson for the 'bad' in 'badlands,' Team 2! ;-) But seriously, the cruelty was minimal and Game Night was deemed a success. Is it time for the next Game Night yet?

Earl

Turns out, Boston has a negative side. It all falls back to my love of storms. (If you didn't know this fact, you do now. I love storms. Period.) The end of summer marks the beginning of hurricane season, which every year lets me down. Storms brew in the Caribbean and taunt New England, particularly the Cape, with the prospect of land fall... but to no avail. Now, I'm not saying that I dream of epic storms that wipe out entire towns, cities, and states. Obviously, Katrina was devastating and I would never wish that on any people. I do enjoy, however, the occasional gale force and deluge. Storms are magical. Laugh if you want, but can you blame me? After all, I was the child with her nose pressed to the window, counting the trees Hurricane Bob threw to the ground.

Tonight, Mother Nature's bringing a doosie named Earl. And what lies in Earl's path? Rochester... Home... Grrr. Boston will get some rain. Whoop. The city may even get some heavy gusts. Great. Honestly, it's not fair that the South Coast will get all the fun! Moving to Boston meant leaving some weather behind. It just so happens I'm learning that the hard way today. I'm not worried, though. Somehow I get the feeling Winter will make up for it. Regardless, wherever you may be, enjoy the stormy night ahead!

Game Night: Massachusetts Edition

This post acts as a teaser for what is to come this weekend. I cannot take the credit for drafting this email, but wanted to share it for the beautiful prose that is it. Thank you, Adam!

Dear Friends, Family, and People I mistakenly sent this to,
Some of you may have heard about Game Night; some of you may have even participated in past Game Nights; some of you may have no clue what this is all about so please allow me to explain. In short, Game Night is the greatest thing that will ever happen to you. It is an evening centered around the playing of awesome games, namely Apples to Apples and Catchphrase, eating delicious food, namely whatever we feel like making or you feel like bringing, and the drinking of adult beverages, namely whatever you bring because we're poor. As such, you are all cordially invited to attend the first of many Game Nights which will be held this Saturday, September 4th, 2010 at 9 PM. Latecomers will be permitted though not encouraged. Our address is ---, Brighton, MA 02135 and can be reached via public transportation in a number of ways; ask if you need help getting here. RSVPs are welcome though not mandatory. Bringing a friend who did not receive this email is also welcome though not mandatory.
Summary of important details if you opted not to read the above drivel:
Game Night
9 PM, Saturday September 4th
---
Brighton, MA 02135
Games, Food, Booze
Fun

Hugs 'n kisses,
Adam Patisteas on behalf of Adam Patisteas, Jill Howard, and Jocelyn Hotte.

Now, let the games BEGIN!