I decided to take lunch outside because it was a nice day. I sat on a park bench, swinging my legs like a little kid, and just marveling at how beautiful it was.
And then Jimmy happened to come up behind me. He was dressed in a fancy suit because he had to give a presentation for a class. He had mentioned how much time this presentation and the project was taking and now it was finally over for him. He seemed relieved, and also tired, since he was up at six.
And then Jane walked by and she excitedly told me about how she was at this Indian restaurant and how one of the waiters had admired her yellow pants, which lead to a conversation, which lead to a job.
I could almost hear my Mom in the background, yelling "Ask her if she could get you a job!" I might ask her eventually, but maybe I should wait until she has some actual pull at this place. And you know, to make sure she likes it. Might be a miserable job for all I know.
Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lunch. Show all posts
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
Approaching an Answer
So, I asked Jimmy about the conversation I had at lunch yesterday. His thoughts were that I was approachable only if someone knew me. Otherwise, not so much.
I realized as I asked him how naturally shy Jimmy is. It's one of the many things I love about him. I asked him if I had scared him away, and he said no. But of course, at that point, I was already friends with Justin and Ryan, and we had those people in common.
Jimmy did note that I'm usually the one to approach people anyway, which is true at least in some cases.
I realized as I asked him how naturally shy Jimmy is. It's one of the many things I love about him. I asked him if I had scared him away, and he said no. But of course, at that point, I was already friends with Justin and Ryan, and we had those people in common.
Jimmy did note that I'm usually the one to approach people anyway, which is true at least in some cases.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Approachable
Another meal, another round of strange conversations. At lunch, Predad sat down with me. Later, when Tamar came and Predad was gone, I complained about Predad coming around, saying I don't understand why she wants to be around me when I am not friendly towards her at all. (I mostly didn't talk as she sat there. I would rather eat alone, in silence, then listen to her mostly incoherent babbling.) "Well isn't this a common problem for you?" Tamar asked.
"What's a common problem?"
"Well, you know, since you're easily approachable."
What? I don't agree at all. I don't her I feel like I have the exact opposite problem. People don't want to come anywhere near me. I complained about an episode from several years ago where someone said some nasty things about me, that implied, among other things, that he would rather not go anywhere near me.
"He was just being a stupid boy!" she answered. "He just wanted your attention, so he said those things."
Well, he most certainly got attention from me. The negative kind of course, and then I began to avoid him because I was all "Uh-huh. This guy is awful and mean and really? I can't believe he said those things with absolutely no evidence."
Tamar maintains that he wanted my attention. I'm skeptical. He had plenty of opportunity and could have used all sorts of false reasons to come and talk to me and we had mutual friends and he never used any of it.
The conversation ended with Tamar saying that "I don't know how men think!"
"I can tell you right now," Jenny chimed in. "They don't think."
Oh well good. Another person giving guys a slide on the whole being brainless thing.
I still disagree with Tamar about being approachable. It's not that I generally try to turn people off, though there are time I actively try, it's that I'm not doing anything nice. Really.
I would ask other people what they think but I can kind of guess. Josie would agree, though she would frame it differently than Tamar did. Ashley would probably say something nasty about it. Dan would say something about me being an enigma, which is a whole other thing I am frustrated with right there.
"What's a common problem?"
"Well, you know, since you're easily approachable."
What? I don't agree at all. I don't her I feel like I have the exact opposite problem. People don't want to come anywhere near me. I complained about an episode from several years ago where someone said some nasty things about me, that implied, among other things, that he would rather not go anywhere near me.
"He was just being a stupid boy!" she answered. "He just wanted your attention, so he said those things."
Well, he most certainly got attention from me. The negative kind of course, and then I began to avoid him because I was all "Uh-huh. This guy is awful and mean and really? I can't believe he said those things with absolutely no evidence."
Tamar maintains that he wanted my attention. I'm skeptical. He had plenty of opportunity and could have used all sorts of false reasons to come and talk to me and we had mutual friends and he never used any of it.
The conversation ended with Tamar saying that "I don't know how men think!"
"I can tell you right now," Jenny chimed in. "They don't think."
Oh well good. Another person giving guys a slide on the whole being brainless thing.
I still disagree with Tamar about being approachable. It's not that I generally try to turn people off, though there are time I actively try, it's that I'm not doing anything nice. Really.
I would ask other people what they think but I can kind of guess. Josie would agree, though she would frame it differently than Tamar did. Ashley would probably say something nasty about it. Dan would say something about me being an enigma, which is a whole other thing I am frustrated with right there.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Aggressive
I had lunch today with Vicki and Sharon. Vicki and I were, at first, alone together, and we chatted amiably about nothing important.
Then Sharon sat down. She has been spending the past few weekends going to plays and ballets, and she told us she felt kind of guilty about spending money on things like that.
But then we got talking about men, and I mentioned how frustrating it was sometimes, because guys were far more likely to react negatively towards my aggressiveness than women.
"Well, it's because you're so intelligent," Sharon said.
This again? I thought. My ego so doesn't need this.
I tried to direct this conversation away from that and onto the larger issue.
I've been thinking about it since then, and I'm wondering if women don't react negatively to aggressiveness because they are used to men acting aggressively toward them anyway, so it's nothing they don't already deal with every day. Men only deal with aggressiveness when it is in a fight or as an intimidation, so even well-intentioned, non-antagonistic aggressiveness automatically rubs them the wrong way, and they can't distinguish any difference in kinds of aggressiveness.
Then Sharon sat down. She has been spending the past few weekends going to plays and ballets, and she told us she felt kind of guilty about spending money on things like that.
But then we got talking about men, and I mentioned how frustrating it was sometimes, because guys were far more likely to react negatively towards my aggressiveness than women.
"Well, it's because you're so intelligent," Sharon said.
This again? I thought. My ego so doesn't need this.
I tried to direct this conversation away from that and onto the larger issue.
I've been thinking about it since then, and I'm wondering if women don't react negatively to aggressiveness because they are used to men acting aggressively toward them anyway, so it's nothing they don't already deal with every day. Men only deal with aggressiveness when it is in a fight or as an intimidation, so even well-intentioned, non-antagonistic aggressiveness automatically rubs them the wrong way, and they can't distinguish any difference in kinds of aggressiveness.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The Return of Ruth
Today at lunch I was happy to discover that Ruth was back. We had a good time chatting with one another.
I told her that I had missed her very much. "I talked about Bernie Maddow with the girls a couple of days ago, and they very politely listened," I said, pausing for effect. "And then changed the subject."
Ruth laughed. "They must not realize what kind of clothes he designs." This, in turn, made me laugh.
"I think," she said, carrying on, "that being like this makes us unfit for general company. I was hanging out with a bunch of history post-graduates, and the conversations revolved around things like Kennedy's Education Reforms."
I don't know how much I would want to talk about that. To be honest, I don't really know much about that.
This got us talking about what some of our mutual friends do like, including the Bachelor. "Doesn't anyone realize what a jerk he is?" Ruth asked.
It's so good to have her back.
I told her that I had missed her very much. "I talked about Bernie Maddow with the girls a couple of days ago, and they very politely listened," I said, pausing for effect. "And then changed the subject."
Ruth laughed. "They must not realize what kind of clothes he designs." This, in turn, made me laugh.
"I think," she said, carrying on, "that being like this makes us unfit for general company. I was hanging out with a bunch of history post-graduates, and the conversations revolved around things like Kennedy's Education Reforms."
I don't know how much I would want to talk about that. To be honest, I don't really know much about that.
This got us talking about what some of our mutual friends do like, including the Bachelor. "Doesn't anyone realize what a jerk he is?" Ruth asked.
It's so good to have her back.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Lunch with Sharon
Had lunch with some friends today, including Sharon. I'm sort of on the fence about Sharon. There's something about her that seems really nervous. And she seems to struggle to understand what I'm saying. I'm not sure if this is an issue of me or her, although mostly everyone else gets me.
Sharon was talking about her brother, who she calls "retarded." (I could hear Dan's disapproval ringing through my ears as she said that.) She mentioned that her brother lives alone, but loves movies. I mentioned maybe as a present she'd get him Netflix, since you only have to pay a monthly fee. I think she misunderstood me, and thought that you had to pay for each individual movie. I tried to explain that no, you just pay the fee and get as few or many movies as you want.
There's something rather nervous about her. She speaks fast, not to the point that I can't understand her, just in a way that makes me wonder if she feels she has to impress me.
She told me that, unlike a lot of other girls my age, I'm actually interesting and smart. It was a nice compliment, but I wonder if it makes her feel like she has to live up to some imaginary standard.
Lately, several people have told me that I scare them or make them feel like they aren't measuring up, which I feel terrible about, because I generally don't intend to make anyone feel that way. Occasionally, someone will tick me off and I will "pull rank" as it were, and lean on them slightly so they know I don't approve. But if I keep someone around, generally that's because I like them.
Sharon was talking about her brother, who she calls "retarded." (I could hear Dan's disapproval ringing through my ears as she said that.) She mentioned that her brother lives alone, but loves movies. I mentioned maybe as a present she'd get him Netflix, since you only have to pay a monthly fee. I think she misunderstood me, and thought that you had to pay for each individual movie. I tried to explain that no, you just pay the fee and get as few or many movies as you want.
There's something rather nervous about her. She speaks fast, not to the point that I can't understand her, just in a way that makes me wonder if she feels she has to impress me.
She told me that, unlike a lot of other girls my age, I'm actually interesting and smart. It was a nice compliment, but I wonder if it makes her feel like she has to live up to some imaginary standard.
Lately, several people have told me that I scare them or make them feel like they aren't measuring up, which I feel terrible about, because I generally don't intend to make anyone feel that way. Occasionally, someone will tick me off and I will "pull rank" as it were, and lean on them slightly so they know I don't approve. But if I keep someone around, generally that's because I like them.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Cafeteria Crushes
Had lunch with a bunch of my friends today.
At another table there was some sort of debacle. We still haven't figured out what it is, but it involved making an hour of Lenny's life bad. This is what usually happens when certain people get unhappy: it doesn't matter who is actually at fault, if you've made the mistake of being nearby, you're the target for their anger.
Also sad is that my cafeteria crush was not in today. I haven't seen him around all weekend. Claire has finally relented that he is not, in fact, too young for me. Jenny thinks he's very much around twenty, which sounds just about perfect. It also appears that because he so much more polite than a bunch of the other cafeteria workers about that he is generally a favorite with everyone else. Though apparently no one else is as rapid for him as I am.
Lunch itself was sort of terrible. I thought they had set lime jello out, so I took a bunch. I was so happy to have jello. Turns out it was mint jelly, and that people put it on lamb. I don't eat lamb very much and I certainly don't know what to do with mint jelly. So I was very disappointed by it.
But the best news is this: Ruth is back! I saw her walk into the cafeteria and it was just like old times. We were back to having our little private conversations and giggles with one another. I have missed her so much. I love being around her; she is one of the few people who I feel I implicitly understand and vice versa.
I asked her what she did on her Christmas break, which was mostly traveling to see old friends. (Not doing her work, you'll notice.) She said her sister got to the family house just in the nick of time, Christmas eve.
She has a new roommate, who she described as a "belly dancer." Anything, really, would be better than her old one, who was so mean. If Ruth had come maybe two days earlier, she might have ended up with me.
At another table there was some sort of debacle. We still haven't figured out what it is, but it involved making an hour of Lenny's life bad. This is what usually happens when certain people get unhappy: it doesn't matter who is actually at fault, if you've made the mistake of being nearby, you're the target for their anger.
Also sad is that my cafeteria crush was not in today. I haven't seen him around all weekend. Claire has finally relented that he is not, in fact, too young for me. Jenny thinks he's very much around twenty, which sounds just about perfect. It also appears that because he so much more polite than a bunch of the other cafeteria workers about that he is generally a favorite with everyone else. Though apparently no one else is as rapid for him as I am.
Lunch itself was sort of terrible. I thought they had set lime jello out, so I took a bunch. I was so happy to have jello. Turns out it was mint jelly, and that people put it on lamb. I don't eat lamb very much and I certainly don't know what to do with mint jelly. So I was very disappointed by it.
But the best news is this: Ruth is back! I saw her walk into the cafeteria and it was just like old times. We were back to having our little private conversations and giggles with one another. I have missed her so much. I love being around her; she is one of the few people who I feel I implicitly understand and vice versa.
I asked her what she did on her Christmas break, which was mostly traveling to see old friends. (Not doing her work, you'll notice.) She said her sister got to the family house just in the nick of time, Christmas eve.
She has a new roommate, who she described as a "belly dancer." Anything, really, would be better than her old one, who was so mean. If Ruth had come maybe two days earlier, she might have ended up with me.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Lunch with Emily
Had lunch today with Emily. We talked about some mutual friends who she had spoken to more recently than I had. It's hard to believe that we have so many people in common.
She told me that Charlotte was in St. Louis, having recently had a baby girl. She had also gotten married.
I told her that Erin was trying to get into graduate schools, including Sarah Lawrence. Emily told me that she thought Erin was a great writer.
We also had a long chat about relationships. Neither of us is in a relationship right now, and happy to be. (Sort of. I would be glad to be with certain boys, but most of these boys aren't interested in me, and there's nothing that can be done about that.) Emily told me that she is having so much trouble getting her own life together she doesn't have time to consider the extra problems of someone else. This is sort of how I feel too.
We had some mutual friends who got married, and then the young woman just gave up all career hopes. Period. It was really something, because she was always carrying on about what a brilliant student she was (as someone also with a large ego, I didn't think she could even compare to me...) I almost told her to drop out of school midway through, since she was not apparently planning on using her degree and why bother paying for it otherwise? Emily agreed with me on my thoughts on that.
I had just been thinking about Ashley this morning. Ashley has never had a boyfriend, and I feel sorry for her, but I found myself thinking about her desire for a boyfriend isn't about her loving anyone in particular, it's about having someone make her feel whole. Ashley, in all the years of gripping about her single status, has never mentioned liking any one guy. This to me indicates that it is not that she is in love with someone but in love with the idea of "love." It's not even real love, it's an idealized version where love isn't hard work. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship knows it is hard work.
Times like these I wish I had a boyfriend who was flexible enough that he could just go anywhere. But I realize that's a pipe dream.
Maybe Emily and I will hang out some more soon. I'd really like that.
She told me that Charlotte was in St. Louis, having recently had a baby girl. She had also gotten married.
I told her that Erin was trying to get into graduate schools, including Sarah Lawrence. Emily told me that she thought Erin was a great writer.
We also had a long chat about relationships. Neither of us is in a relationship right now, and happy to be. (Sort of. I would be glad to be with certain boys, but most of these boys aren't interested in me, and there's nothing that can be done about that.) Emily told me that she is having so much trouble getting her own life together she doesn't have time to consider the extra problems of someone else. This is sort of how I feel too.
We had some mutual friends who got married, and then the young woman just gave up all career hopes. Period. It was really something, because she was always carrying on about what a brilliant student she was (as someone also with a large ego, I didn't think she could even compare to me...) I almost told her to drop out of school midway through, since she was not apparently planning on using her degree and why bother paying for it otherwise? Emily agreed with me on my thoughts on that.
I had just been thinking about Ashley this morning. Ashley has never had a boyfriend, and I feel sorry for her, but I found myself thinking about her desire for a boyfriend isn't about her loving anyone in particular, it's about having someone make her feel whole. Ashley, in all the years of gripping about her single status, has never mentioned liking any one guy. This to me indicates that it is not that she is in love with someone but in love with the idea of "love." It's not even real love, it's an idealized version where love isn't hard work. Anyone who's ever been in a relationship knows it is hard work.
Times like these I wish I had a boyfriend who was flexible enough that he could just go anywhere. But I realize that's a pipe dream.
Maybe Emily and I will hang out some more soon. I'd really like that.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Health
When I got home, I decided to get some lunch. I ate all of the Swedish Fish Lisa gave me and then made some nachos. As I was eating, I flipped through CSI and Law and Order: CI. I don't honestly get how people can stay home all day and watch tv for days on end. I was bored right then and there.
My Mom came home and asked if I wanted to go with her to the hospital to see Grandma. Sure. I got ready (which mostly consists of combing my hair, there's no one who needs me to wear makeup in the hospital) and then we left. My Mom had to drop something off, and I flipped through the radio on the car, trying to find something we could agree on. I stopped at the Beatles's "Blackbird."
At the hospital, my Mom realized she had forgotten her cell phone out in the car, so I was sent back to get it. And then finally I wandered up to see my Grandma.
She looked worse than when I had seen her last. Her arms were swollen, and when I inspected her fingers, they were too. Her skin looks so weird and gelantaneous and her skin has weird patterns on them. She reached for my hand. I took it, not really thinking. She was hot to the touch.
Because she is so sick right now, no one is suppose to touch her without gloves on, and after remembering, I did put them on. It felt weird touching my Grandma's hand with a glove on. Like wearing a condom, sort of.
I skipped around on her tv, looking for something she might like. Score! Criminal Minds. The hottness, once again.
I read a celebrity magazine as my Mom talked to her. She mostly reasked the same questions about where she was and what happened. My Mom was impatient with her, but I tried to answer her questions patiently.
My Dad had been there earlier in the day, and I noticed that he was reading a book on Freud. Maybe now he'll know something about psychology? Probably not.
Various nurses and doctors came in to see her. One asked me if we needed anything. I said that she needed to be placed in the chair so she could eat her dinner. She went to go get someone else to help her and we sat her down.
They brough my Grandma dinner. My parents then left to get themselves something to eat, and I sat and watched her. I read the magazine, or parts of it. (There were lots of celebrities I had never heard of.) I turned on SpongeBob Squarepants.
My Grandma ate by herself, which is a big improvement. She asked me for something to drink, but we're trying to get her to do it herself, so I pointed to where it was on her tray and she did it herself. A doctor came in to give her pills midway through her meal.
My parents came back and then we left. We went out to dinner. I have been desperate for protein, so I had an omelette, even though normally I have either an omelette or a hard-boiled egg every morning anyway.
When I got home, my sister was about to leave to go to the movies. I got on my computer, intending to maybe write something.
There was a message from my friend Christine that she had a miscarriage. This has to be her second one. I feel badly for her, because I know she really wanted this baby. I guess I'm also surprised, because she told me a few days ago how he (or she. It was never really determined.) was kicking about and all excited for New Years Eve celebrations.
Seems like no one in my life is doing well health-wise.
My Mom came home and asked if I wanted to go with her to the hospital to see Grandma. Sure. I got ready (which mostly consists of combing my hair, there's no one who needs me to wear makeup in the hospital) and then we left. My Mom had to drop something off, and I flipped through the radio on the car, trying to find something we could agree on. I stopped at the Beatles's "Blackbird."
At the hospital, my Mom realized she had forgotten her cell phone out in the car, so I was sent back to get it. And then finally I wandered up to see my Grandma.
She looked worse than when I had seen her last. Her arms were swollen, and when I inspected her fingers, they were too. Her skin looks so weird and gelantaneous and her skin has weird patterns on them. She reached for my hand. I took it, not really thinking. She was hot to the touch.
Because she is so sick right now, no one is suppose to touch her without gloves on, and after remembering, I did put them on. It felt weird touching my Grandma's hand with a glove on. Like wearing a condom, sort of.
I skipped around on her tv, looking for something she might like. Score! Criminal Minds. The hottness, once again.
I read a celebrity magazine as my Mom talked to her. She mostly reasked the same questions about where she was and what happened. My Mom was impatient with her, but I tried to answer her questions patiently.
My Dad had been there earlier in the day, and I noticed that he was reading a book on Freud. Maybe now he'll know something about psychology? Probably not.
Various nurses and doctors came in to see her. One asked me if we needed anything. I said that she needed to be placed in the chair so she could eat her dinner. She went to go get someone else to help her and we sat her down.
They brough my Grandma dinner. My parents then left to get themselves something to eat, and I sat and watched her. I read the magazine, or parts of it. (There were lots of celebrities I had never heard of.) I turned on SpongeBob Squarepants.
My Grandma ate by herself, which is a big improvement. She asked me for something to drink, but we're trying to get her to do it herself, so I pointed to where it was on her tray and she did it herself. A doctor came in to give her pills midway through her meal.
My parents came back and then we left. We went out to dinner. I have been desperate for protein, so I had an omelette, even though normally I have either an omelette or a hard-boiled egg every morning anyway.
When I got home, my sister was about to leave to go to the movies. I got on my computer, intending to maybe write something.
There was a message from my friend Christine that she had a miscarriage. This has to be her second one. I feel badly for her, because I know she really wanted this baby. I guess I'm also surprised, because she told me a few days ago how he (or she. It was never really determined.) was kicking about and all excited for New Years Eve celebrations.
Seems like no one in my life is doing well health-wise.
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Literary Bad Boys
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