Living the Dream

I'm currently living out my long-running work daydream. The first thing I did today was go to my most senior boss and say, "This is my last day, do you honestly expect me to work today?" She said no, so my day so far has been something like this:

Random Sub-Boss: Here's the batch report from Wisconsin. Could you set up an escalation request and authenticate them?

Me: Isn't that your job?

Random Sub-Boss: Yeah, but you're so good at it...

Me: Would you like to talk about goalsetting?

Random Sub-Boss: Uh, what?

Me: Well, it's clear you don't actually work, since I usually do your job. And since I'm leaving today you really should start to plan out your next steps.

Random Sub-Boss: Uh, so you're not going to do it?

Me: Sorry, I can't hear you over my headphones.

Missing gene

Sometimes I wonder how the hell my father and I are even remotely related. Outside the fact that we look like father and son, we have absolutely no common point of departure. We're so different that we'll often talk to each other but have two very different conversations. Here's an excerpt from this morning's car ride into town:

Dad: You should start to swing your arms counterclockwise in two sets of five every morning.
Me: Uh, what?
Dad: It'll help you get rid of your asthma.
Me: Dad, I only get a little wheezy when my allergies are acting up. I haven't had an asthma attack since I was a kid. And what's the swinging supposed to do?
Dad: If you swing your arms twice and drink more grape juice you will be healthy. I think it could cure cancer.
Me: Ok dad, I'll swing my arms and drink grape juice.
Dad: Your digital camera isn't very good, there's a cheaper one in Staples right now. You should buy it.
Me: I just bought that camera, it's great, what the hell are you talking about?
Dad: Don't forget to swing your arms. Or the grape juice.

Ok, is it me, or has my dad taken that fateful step off the loony cliff? I'd like to think that excerpt was taken out of context but I assure you, there was zero context to take that out of...

NYC

My trip to NYC was very fruitful! I found a great room with a couple amazing roommates, I spent time interviewing BLS students (they were studying for finals and I didn't think anyone would want to talk to me, but they seemed to welcome the break) and I took a walking tour of BLS and most of the Brooklyn neighborhoods that'll be my new stomping grounds.

Brooklyn is just amazing! Much of the borough reminds me of Philly. My new pad is a 3-bedroom in a 4-story brownstone in Park Slope. It's seconds away from Prospect Park and has nice tree-lined streets. The crib has exposed brick, lots of sunlight and two really friendly and energetic roommates (Alva and Josh). Compared to the other 6 apartments I saw on Saturday, this place was a diamond in the rough (not to mention, rent controlled!!!)

I'll be paying rent from June, but I'm not sure when I'll be moving in. If I can find some temporary work up there, it'll be ASAP. Otherwise, I'm looking at the end of July (god I hate my job). I'm even considering just taking a lame-ass soda-jerk sort of job just to get the hell up there, but we'll see.

The visit would have been perfect, except that I had to go to a birthday party for my brother-in-law's old college buddy. Most of the people there were really great, except for this one couple who came across as arrogant, awkward and rude. It figures that they were both lawyers. Behold my new colleagues!

Anyway, the center holds and things come together. I feel warm and fuzzy.