Lesson of the Day
The cure for loneliness does not involve going to a coffeeshop on a Friday night. Yes, it is cozy and you can read and sip chai latte while sitting in a comfy chair and listening to music in the company of others. But that's just it. You won't really be in the company of anyone. You'll just be surrounded by a bunch of other people happily chatting with friends or groups of friends or boyfriends or first dates, reminding you how alone you really are with your half-empty cup and completely read book.

Bits and Pieces
-At my favorite pizza parlor the other night, I got stuck behind what turned out to be a U2 cover band. The thought process went something like this: Ugh, why is it so crowded in here? Wait, is that Bono? Wait, why does Bono have a Brooklyn accent?
-I may or may not have won a dance-off last weekend.
-I went to see a concert Tuesday night. Katie Melua. She reminded me of Norah Jones, if Norah Jones were British and played the guitar, and really I can't see Norah covering a song by The Cure, but wouldn't it be cool if she did?
-On a more serious note, a woman was murdered about two blocks away from my apartment Sunday night. I actually walked by the townhouse where it happened about an hour beforehand. It was domestic violence murder/attempted-suicide, so it's not like I'm afraid, it's just unsettling. I was a block and half away eatting a steak quesadilla and analyzing love and boys with a friend when a woman was stabbed to death. There isn't police tape out front, but there are some small green signs posted on the front door. I didn't know the people personally (it is after all New York City), but I had crossed paths with them, seen them shoveling their sidewalk, carrying in groceries. But I can't remember what they looked like, and somehow, that's sad.

Best CD Sticker Blurb of the Day*
"A Self-Defense Guide for Smart Girls in an Emo Boys World." -Spin

*FYI: The album is Tegan and Sara's So Jealous, which I bought today and highly recommend.

Sad Girl Lyrics of the Day
Where do you go, with your broken heart in tow
What do you do with the leftover you
And how do you know, when to let go
Where does the good go
Where does the good go
Look me in the eye and tell me you don't find me attractive
Look me in the heart and tell me you won't go
Look me in the eye and promise no love's like our love
Look me in the heart and un break broken
It won't happen
It's love that breaks the seal of always
Thinking you would be real, happy and healthy, strong and calm
Where does the good go
Where does the good go
Where do you go when you're in love and the world knows
How do you live so happily
While I am sad and broken down
What do you say it's up for grabs
Now that you're on your way down
Where does the good go
Where does the good go

-Tegan and Sara, "Where does the good go"

That's crazy talk
Two years ago today, I got on a plane to New York with a one-way ticket, two suitcases, no apartment and no job. Two years? That doesn't seem possible. But, I guess it is. Crazy.

Huh.
Some days you think your own life has just been far too dramatic of late, and then you talk to an old friend who in the past month has become a Christian, given up pot and had a brief stay in a mental ward. Hell, if he can look at things positively, so can I, right? If things are ment to be, they'll be, and all that good stuff, right? I'll give it a shot, but I'm not making any promises.

Funniest band I saw this weekend
Icewagon Flu

Funniest thing I saw this weekend
A bakery with a bouncer (seriously people, it's New York City; I'm not making this up)

Falling off the balance beam
There's a fine, fine line between a lover and a friend;
There's a fine, fine line between reality and pretend;
And you never know 'til you reach the top if it was worth the uphill climb.
There's a fine, fine line between love
And a waste of time.
There's a fine, fine line between a fairy tale and a lie;
And there's a fine, fine line between
"You're wonderful" and "Goodbye."
I guess if someone doesn't love you back it isn't such a crime,
But there's a fine, fine line between love
And a waste of your time.
And I don't have the time to waste on you anymore.
I don't think that you even know what you're looking for.
For my own sanity, I've got to close the door
And walk away...Oh...
There's a fine, fine line between together and not
And there's a fine, fine line between what you wanted and what you got.
You gotta go after the things you want while you're still in your prime...
There's a fine, fine line between love
And a waste of time.

-Kate Monster, Avenue Q

A Tale of Two Jacks
My cousin just had a baby boy last weekend. His name is Jack, and I can't wait to go to Boston and meet the little Irish lad. In other news, my favorite bartender is now working at a new bar right around the corner from my favorite bar, so I can visit him again. Hooray!

Funniest Thing I Read All Week
So part of my job is to read all of the American gossip magazines every week to keep up on celeb news. Occasionally after reading InTouch, Life & Style, People, UsWeekly and Star all in a row, my brain feels kind of like it's melting. But last week, British tabloid Heat was thrown into the mix. After a story about some British musical actor/singer I've never hear of leaving yet another fiance or bride or some such, they included the following contract (complete with official looking wax seal). I was in fits, so I had to share.

The Darren Day Pledge
Readers - your country is in crisis. Why? We'll bloody tell you why! Darren Day is back on the market! And at some point he will probably try to pull you. But he has ruined other people's lives and we don't want it to happen to anyone else. So we need every one of our readers to promise not to have anything to do with him. No flirting, no casual drinks, no sofa business. It's not that we don't trust you not to go anywhere near him, but to be completely sure of your commitment we need you to sign this pledge and send it to us now. Your future may depend on it...

I, the undersigned, pledge: (tick all)
-To avoid all eye contact with Darren Day (in the event of attempted eye contact, either squeeze your eyes tightly shut or run for the hills, but not both at the same time - that's dangerous)
-To never accept a drink from the aforementioned git (even if it's a nice cocktail with an umbrella in it)
-to not shed even the tiniest tear at any sob stories he may spout in a bid to woo me (look out form expressions such as "It's not my fault", "I had a difficult childhood" and "It's OK, I'll sleep on the sofa")
-to never appearin any musical (or soap, or reality TV show, in case he's ever at large in these industries too. We think you're probably safe in Hollywood, though)
-to stick my fingers in my ears and shout "No, no, no!" the minute he tries to serenade me with Any Dream Will Do (The Jason Donovan version is much better anyway)
-To never get engaged to him (no matter the size of the rock. Or at least take the rock and then sell it)
-And finally, to repeat the mantra "Being a bad old spinster with lots of cats is better than falling for Darren Day" three times a day, forever

Quote of the Day
"I'm not a fucker. Give me a gold star." -Julie

Goals for April
There are a whole lot of things I've been meaning to do and still haven't done/started doing. Maybe if I write them down like this it will help or something. A girl can hope.
1. Start eating normally. (That means three whole meals a day, every day. Oh, and some vegetables too.)
2. Start waking up early enough to do sit ups three times a week. It's only 10 more minutes. It shouldn't be that hard, right? And I used to be really good about it ...
3. Start getting to bed at a decent hour. It will help with goal #2.
4. Get a hair cut. It's not that hard to call and make an appointment, right? And I haven't gotten it cut since, oh, JULY, so it's really getting kind of desperate.
5. Make a dentist appointment. I think I was supposed to go in January. It's April. I have insurance. There is no excuse.
6. Make doctor's appointment. Ignoring a thyroid problem doesn't make it go away. (Curses, foiled again.)

Blah
It's gross and rainy outside, so my grand plans to hit some thrift stores and flea markets in Williamsberg this afternoon didn't happen. Instead I picked up my new glasses and contacts and bought a replacement ink cartridge for my printer. Thrilling, I know. But the new color cartridge allowed me to print out some stuff I wanted to include in my photo albums from the trip to Ireland. (I can't believe that was two years ago.) So I've been sifting through pictures and listening to Irish rock music all afternoon. This has resulted in a rather accute urge to (a) go to Ireland (b) go to Woodside or (c) hang out with Irish boys. Sigh. I guess I'll settle for making nachos for dinner instead.