Finally finished this non-fiction thriller: a combination between a fascinating exploration of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago, and a terrible accounting of a secret serial killer who ran rampant through the fair and beyond. A few quotes worth noting from this book...
* This book is about the evanescence of life, and why some men choose to fill their brief allotment of time engaging the impossible, other in the manufacture of sorrow.
* I get so tired sitting that I could get up and fly almost.
* It takes no end of time and worry to get a thing settled right but only a second to have orders given out for a wrong thing to be done.
* The fair taught men and women steeped only in the necessary to see that cities did not have to be dark, soiled, and unsafe bastions of the strictly pragmatic. They could also be beautiful.
13 December, 2009
09 December, 2009
SURPRISE!
Either an amazingly well-planned surprise baby shower was thrown for me at work today, or I am just really good at overlooking potentially surprise-ruining antics.
Having my first restless night of sleep last night (not comfortable in the bed, tried a rocking chair for an hour or so, then ended up half-sleeping on the couch) contributed to my less-than-ideal mood this morning and an apathy toward the work day ahead. During the first part of my day - when I was reconciling credit card receipts, paying bills, setting up tickets and other less-than-exciting tasks - there was apparently a cat getting out of the bag when a co-worker, not realizing I was there in the office, yelled across the hall: "So what's going on with this baby shower today?!" But did I hear it? Not at all. Then after a lunch date with a dear friend, I went to the theatre to check in on the student matinee - and was feeling so exhausted and cranky that I really thought about checking out and going home early. Except that there was a meeting scheduled late in the afternoon to discuss the constant leaks in the theatre and how to continue dealing with them, so I knew I had to stay.
The meeting was in a small lounge overlooking the main theatre lobby - and it started 15 minutes late - and it seemed like no one was actually talking about our leaks or how to better deal with them, but instead fondly recalling all the leaks at other theatres where they've worked in the past... and man, was I getting frustrated! (Little did I know it was a fake meeting.) About 10 minutes later, our maintenance guy popped his head in and said we just sprung a new, huge leak in the main lobby and we needed to come down and deal with it right away. Being that it poured that morning, and leaks were exactly what we were discussing, this was more maddening than surprising and I began cursing the gods. Leaving the lounge, I heard lots of talking from the lobby below and even looked out over the ledge to see a few people from the education staff and the actors from our show gathered there... but as we just had a student matinee, I thought nothing of it. Walking down the stairs to the lobby - silently swearing to myself that the next time I get 3 hours of sleep and it's pouring in the morning and I'm 33 weeks pregnant I would just stay in bed - I still had not the slightest idea what I was in for... until I turned the corner expecting a puddle of rain water and was greated with a "Surprise!!" and a sea of smiling faces and a cake and gifts and even my beau was there (what a good secret keeper)!
And even still it took me a moment to realize what was happening. And once I did I could barely say thank you because I had already started to cry - probably out of exhaustion and relief and humble gratitude. People from the office made the trek over to the theatre, our press team came too, and the actors, and the education staff, and my boss, and the ushers... a wardrobe supervisor/baker-extraordinaire made the cake, and our house manager got little baby favors, and we received an overwhelmingly generous gift card that should last us until our baby girl can walk!
A surprise indeed. But not surprising that it came from such wonderful people.
Having my first restless night of sleep last night (not comfortable in the bed, tried a rocking chair for an hour or so, then ended up half-sleeping on the couch) contributed to my less-than-ideal mood this morning and an apathy toward the work day ahead. During the first part of my day - when I was reconciling credit card receipts, paying bills, setting up tickets and other less-than-exciting tasks - there was apparently a cat getting out of the bag when a co-worker, not realizing I was there in the office, yelled across the hall: "So what's going on with this baby shower today?!" But did I hear it? Not at all. Then after a lunch date with a dear friend, I went to the theatre to check in on the student matinee - and was feeling so exhausted and cranky that I really thought about checking out and going home early. Except that there was a meeting scheduled late in the afternoon to discuss the constant leaks in the theatre and how to continue dealing with them, so I knew I had to stay.
The meeting was in a small lounge overlooking the main theatre lobby - and it started 15 minutes late - and it seemed like no one was actually talking about our leaks or how to better deal with them, but instead fondly recalling all the leaks at other theatres where they've worked in the past... and man, was I getting frustrated! (Little did I know it was a fake meeting.) About 10 minutes later, our maintenance guy popped his head in and said we just sprung a new, huge leak in the main lobby and we needed to come down and deal with it right away. Being that it poured that morning, and leaks were exactly what we were discussing, this was more maddening than surprising and I began cursing the gods. Leaving the lounge, I heard lots of talking from the lobby below and even looked out over the ledge to see a few people from the education staff and the actors from our show gathered there... but as we just had a student matinee, I thought nothing of it. Walking down the stairs to the lobby - silently swearing to myself that the next time I get 3 hours of sleep and it's pouring in the morning and I'm 33 weeks pregnant I would just stay in bed - I still had not the slightest idea what I was in for... until I turned the corner expecting a puddle of rain water and was greated with a "Surprise!!" and a sea of smiling faces and a cake and gifts and even my beau was there (what a good secret keeper)!
And even still it took me a moment to realize what was happening. And once I did I could barely say thank you because I had already started to cry - probably out of exhaustion and relief and humble gratitude. People from the office made the trek over to the theatre, our press team came too, and the actors, and the education staff, and my boss, and the ushers... a wardrobe supervisor/baker-extraordinaire made the cake, and our house manager got little baby favors, and we received an overwhelmingly generous gift card that should last us until our baby girl can walk!
A surprise indeed. But not surprising that it came from such wonderful people.
06 December, 2009
05 December, 2009
GRISWOLD-ING
Okay, okay. So our version is a FAR cry from going out into a field with your handsaw and chopping down the biggest fir you can find! But this weekend we'll be getting our Christmas tree - probably from a guy with a tree-stand on the corner near a deli (ah, the NYC charm of it all) - and I'm really looking forward to it. It's been a few years since I've had a real tree - or any tree for that matter - in New York. I can't wait to be able to smell the pine needles in the corner of our apartment; to arrange our furniture so the tree will fit; to re-discover the ornaments and decorate it with lights; to have some holiday cheer right in our living room. And then the best part - to be able to come home, sit on the couch with only the twinkling tree lights casting a glow over the room, with a hot beverage in hand and a book or soothing music nearby... and just be.
CHILDBIRTH CLASS 3
After a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday, we were back to our childbirth classes this week with a lesson that involved information about baby presentation (what position the baby's in for delivery), cesarean birth and the care for mom & baby afterward, and we practiced pushing positions (without actually pushing... just in case!). We also watched a video and saw a real c-section being performed.
During the class, my partner was playing with my hair at certain points and there was also a constant ticking of the clock on the wall - which allowed me to recognize that both of these things were extremely comforting to me... perhaps some things to remember when I'm trying to recall those relaxation exercises during labor.
Gearing up next week for baby care & the week after is our final one: a visit to the hospital to see where it all happens!
During the class, my partner was playing with my hair at certain points and there was also a constant ticking of the clock on the wall - which allowed me to recognize that both of these things were extremely comforting to me... perhaps some things to remember when I'm trying to recall those relaxation exercises during labor.
Gearing up next week for baby care & the week after is our final one: a visit to the hospital to see where it all happens!
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