Spitting Indignities

En route to school today, I ran into Liz as she raced across the icy crosswalk toward me to beat the traffic light (as I stood absolutely still, not even bothering to try).

Liz: How are you?

Moi: I'm good.  We've got a call and then I'm headed home to get some rest.

Liz: With [Advisor Who]?

Moi: Yes.

Liz: I thought to myself, who's the "we" in your life?  And figured it was Who.

Moi: ... Not this again!  You're on this project, too.  You're part of the "we."

Birthday Terrors

(in a meeting this morning, Advisor Who showed off a foam-cutout R2D2 he made as a template for his son's birthday party activity while another collaborator discussed the puppet show rehearsals their family members held in preparation for her son's birthday party)

Moi: All this work you two are doing make me question whether my parents truly love me.  I never had this when I turned 7.

Prof Tom: They did send you to Nerd Camp.

Moi: I forgot that you know that.  

Prof Tom: I remember everything you say.  

Moi: This is terrifying.

Soul Mates

The arrangements for my very short work trip to New York were up in the air until the very last minute. This made arranging plans very difficult. Luckily, Allison and Dillon were super flexible and rolled with it when I told them last minute that I may or may not be in the City and wasn't sure where I was staying. 

(after a great dinner with 4 appetizers, HGTV talk, and a discussion of our mutual distaste for Italian desserts)

Moi: I'm so glad that you guys were available. 

Allison: I'm comfortable admitting that we didn't have plans. 

Dillon: I don't feel bad about not having plans on a Tuesday night at all. Now if it was Saturday-

Allison: We probably wouldn't have plans either. 

Dillon: And we probably wouldn't feel bad, either. 

These are my kind of people. 

The Shoe Fly

I had to be in New York today for a meeting. That sentence along is far more grown up than anything I am used to, nevermind the clothes I had to wear. And having to find a bag that could fit my laptop but was not a backpack and did not have cartoons on it was far harder than expected.

(chatting with Greg about work)

Greg: ... Sometimes I'll get to wear my Converse-

Moi: Shoot! I have to wear real shoes, too, to go along with my grown up clothes. 

Greg: Stilettos. Pumps. Stilettos-

Moi: Are you just naming all the women shoe words you know?

Greg: - pumps. Yes. Is this offensive?

(no, but what a weirdo)

Update: This was the reference that was lost on me.  Still a weirdo.

Lonely Hearts Club

After church today, a few of us from small group went out to lunch.  In walking around, Jesse showed off an uncanny familiarity with the shops around the Inner Harbor.  I thought I knew the area well from countless walks home alone after church in my first year at Gallery, but he had me beat.  We all assumed Jesse just knew his way around the city until he let drop an explanation that made my day:    

Jesse:  Before I had any friends, this was where I'd come by myself after church.

Naturally, I started stomping excitedly when I heard this.

Moi: This was where I used to come after church before I had friends!  I would get a burger from Five Guys and walk home.  

(Crystal then shares an irrelevant story of eating double portions of take out alone not because she had no friends but because she is a misanthrope.)

It was such a simple, and sad shared moment that I still laugh every time I think about it hours later.  In an incredibly corny way, it made me appreciate the community I've finally found and developed at church.  In a much more real way, it just goes to prove that I only get cooler with age.  I have tons of friends now.  And legions of fans.