Second Thoughts

While I am adjusting to my new life as a scantily-paid editorial assistant, I will have less time for blogging. That will change when I’m in a routine again, but for now I am transitioning; I find it difficult to do much writing until things are settled. Also, since I am no longer a temp, I don't feel justified spending half my day wading around on the Internet. So getting the posts up will be more difficult.

In the meantime, the job is great--I was amazed to arrive and find my own office with a window. I am paid to read books that teach English and proofread to make sure that the copyeditor’s changes were implemented. There are a lot of young people in the office and there are free provided snacks in the kitchen. Every morning there is a New York Times on the table in the eating nook. The walls are painted pastel green and blue (though they are currently remodeling, so that may change), they have pretty good art prints on the wall (a lot of Paul Klee), and I get a free book to pick out for Christmas--anything that anyone has ever published, even a first edition. They pay the first $100. I’ve decided on Larousse Gastronomique, which is just under 1400 pages—I’m taking advantage!

Spent the thanksgiving holiday in Dayton, OH with a couple of foodie aunts running the show. Highlight: a butternut squash with cream dish which, being orange-ish, was a suitable aesthetic replacement for the usual sticky sweet-potato-and-too-much-sugar casserole, and far tastier. Nice to see extended family, though my grandmother is in a rough spot health-wise, so I drove their car home to Wisconsin while they took an airplane. Actually, it was nice to drive through green space middle America, even if it was all interstate. The rest stops and fast food along the drive up I-65, which I completed probably twenty times during college, was comforting and familiar. Considering the fact that I went to Toronto to travel with my dad to Ohio, this was a five-state and two-country Thanksgiving. Phew.

I'm quite happy to be no longer working in Midtown--no overwhelmingly tall buildings and a general increase of laid-backness. And, most importantly, the lunch options are vastly improved and often cheaper. Case in point, Nick and I just met for lunch at La Taza de Oro and ate a huge bowl of Spanish beef soup for $3. I'm full. On the way up in the elevator, three people were complaining about spending enough money on nieces and nephews.
"There is no way I am spending $25 dollars each. I mean, if you had one nephew, maybe."
"I just want this holiday to be over."
"Yeah, I can't wait until January 1st."
"It makes me want to slit my throat."
Pause. So I piped in. "Don't you think that's a little drastic? You know, maybe you should cut your arm a little first, just to see how it feels." Chuckle, chuckle.
Serious expression. "Nope. I'm going right for the jugular."

Maybe because it's now December? Personally, I'm totally excited for the snow and the lights.