I'm not dead, just busy.

Please excuse me for yet another delay in posts. As you may have gathered, this summer has been busy. It was exceptionally busy at work, and even though I'm running a meeting at work this fall, I think everything will manage to be less busy than this summer was. I was thinking about copying and pasting an email to friends a while ago, but really, let's just chalk it up to poorly timed work travel coming after several short nights of sleep (averaging around 5-6 hours every night) combined with a death in the family three nights before I had to be in Chicago for a work meeting we were arranging, and this has all resulted in catastrophic stress levels that has caused what my doctor suspects to be an ulcer.

Most of what happened over the summer was good -- in fact, the only thing that wasn't good was the death and my stomach problems and work-related stress. Social life as boomin'! We recorded lots of episodes of We Heart Superman (You Should Listen!) and had a 10 year class reunion in Maine. I taught a couple of yoga classes for my old yoga teacher in Cambridge, and we went to a baby shower. I also purchased a few dresses this year, because it turns out that I look pretty cute in the 60's mod shift dress that happens to be in style this year. There are also A-line shirt dresses, so I got one of them too! It's the first time in years there have been dresses on the market that look decent on me, so I've been buying them up.

daN and I also went to California! We flew into San Francisco, got to hang out with Lyrica and her beau Chris, and drove down to LA via the lovely Pacific Coast Highway. In LA, we stayed wit the Bogs. It was so good to see all of them. My impression of San Francisco: chill, but not enough trees. I did definitely get the sense of a slower pace of life during the day and a hoppin' nightlife. The coffee there was FANTASTIC across the Board. My impression of the California landscape: breathtaking. My impression of LA: virtually soulless, with pockets of authenticity. Businesses there don't have a chance unless they have a blinking sign. It is, above all, convenient. And there are great smoothie places all over the place. The fruit is outstanding. For details and pictures, check out my Photos.

On Labor Day Weekend, daN and I did practically nothing. We took long walks in the best weather Boston has witnessed in months -- sunny, warm, dry during the day and chilly at night. Perfect. We hung out at home and did laundry and read and took naps. It was the best weekend and just what we needed after a hectic/good summer.

News: I have my 1970 La Pavoni Europiccola Chrome Lever-Pull Espresso Machine back from the shop! YAY! It works again! I can't express to to you happy I was to have it back. I was like a giddy kid. My boss let me leave work early to go get it. I am SO HAPPY to have it back.

Um, other news: I hope you're sitting down for this one, because it's uncharacteristically practical of me -- I am considering business school. Yes, going for my MBA. I was all gung-ho for anthropology, and all set to apply. I had written the personal statement, arranged meetings with professors and everything -- I just couldn't actually sit down to apply. Now, I have a hard time starting things, but I don't tend to have a hard time finishing what I've started. When I do have a hard time with it, my heart isn't really in it. The whole difficulty with applying gave me pause: did I really want to go through with it? Actually, no. As I have been sitting on the T, in restaurants, overhearing people at parties, the hum continues thus: "My sister is so upset. She didn't get tenure at ____ College where she's been working for years, so now she has to take this position in Missouri for a year because it's the only job in her specialty in the country right now." I just don't want that kind of life! I might really be able to see myself being a professor in the abstract kind of way, assuming that it weren't so difficult to get that job, but I definitely am not willing to move wherever. So, I was thinking about what kind of degrees would open up opportunities rather than limit them, have talked with co-workers and friends, and I'm going to look into an MBA.

Now, I know myself. I might get a certain distance into it and realize that's not what I really want either. And that's a right that I have. But I'm still letting myself be excited about it. The classes would be hard, but at the end of the road, I would have numerous options. And I've got great mentors and supporters at my job. Not to mention that my work benefits would cover a large portion of tuition. None too shabby.

Ah, life is so fascinating.