I'm very pleased to announce that Miriam has finally moved her blog out of the depths of MySpace and onto a real blogging platform. Now all of us adults can read it, too.

I am such a bitch about MySpace, but really, it's the devil's tool. You should stop using it. Right now.

Since she added me to her blogroll, I plan to reciprocate. But this also opens another can of worms that I've known for some time needed opening: I need to seriously update my main site. The services offered on my website no longer coincide with the range of services I provide to Tucson's non-profit and political communities.

To wit: I've made sort of a cottage industry out of interim development work. I'm currently Interim Development Director for Wingspan, southern Arizona's LGBT community center. It seems to be where there's the most need among Tucson non-profits right now, and I'll gladly do the work.

So keep your eyes peeled for an upgrade to m²powered.com over the next couple of months. And since my contract with Wingspan ends on July 31, please also keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities for me to support the non-profit sector.

Labels: career, jobs, Miriam, social networking, Wingspan

My flight arrived about a half hour earlier than scheduled. Jason and Brandon came to pick me up. I'm home now with a very appreciative and affectionate cat. That helps me be less sad about being back in Tucson.

I have to extend thanks yet again to Miriam for her hospitality throughout the last week, to Damon and Tamara for traveling from Philly to spend time with me, to Marla for helping me ring in my 30's just the way I wanted to, to Debra for the wonderful birthday massage, to Mell for dinner and the great conversation, to Teddi and Jack and David for being so pleasantly surprised to see me, to Mitch for being Mitch, to Hillary for taking care of Leif and taking me to the airport - I literally couldn't have taken my vacation without her, and to Jason and Brandon for being the friendly faces I needed to see when I got back to Tucson.

On the flight home, I kept getting a little teary. Not out of sadness at returning, mind you, though I would rather still be in New York. No, I'm misty even now at the realization at just how lucky I am to have people like these in my life, even if I rarely get to see them. I'm fortunate to have the means to take a trip like this. I'm truly blessed in so many ways, and I'm so fucking grateful for all of it. Cat included (he's sitting next to me purring as I type this).

When I was in JFK waiting to board and searching desperately for New York anything-edible to bring in for my client, I realized why New York's siren song calls to me. There's just an sense there that anything is possible, which, coincidentally, has become my mantra over the past year. It's a hard feeling to hold onto in a place like Tucson, where the options tend to be limited. I'm trying to stay positive here, because I've certainly managed to create wonderful opportunities for myself out here. But am I truly living up to my full potential? Or is there more for me?

My 30's are going to be the best decade yet for me. To make that happen, I have to be positioned appropriately. It's like Tucson is missionary and I like more kink out of life. There's nothing inherently bad about the missionary position - it gets the job done. It's just not always the most fun way to do it, and it's certainly not very imaginative.

I've said it before on this blog, that I moved to Tucson for the wrong reasons. But moving to New York feels so right to me. I'd be moving for me. Now all I need is a job when I get there and at least $5,000 in the bank. How hard can that be?

I should probably just go to bed. I'll upload pictures in the morning. Pinky swear.

Labels: celebration, challenge, change, friendship, hope, Jason, Miriam, moving, New York, sex, strength, success, Tucson

I'm having a great time in New York. I got to spend time with my friend Damon, who I lived with my senior year at Ithaca and who I haven't seen in a few years. I've been spending a lot of quality time with Miriam, which is wonderful. (I forgot to add that we went to see Hannah and Her Sisters last night at the Film Forum...there really is nothing like seeing a Woody Allen film on a big screen in NYC) Tonight I'll have dinner with my uncle and then see my friend Marla.

So far I've been to the Met and the Guggenheim and we went to see Spring Awakening on Friday night. I'm about to head down to the TKTS booth to buy a matinee ticket to David Mamet's new play, November, starring Nathan Lane and Laurie Metcalf.

Tomorrow (my birthday!), I may just try to get to the Today Show (Dad really wants me to). Then I have a deep tissue massage scheduled, thanks to my sister (thanks Deb!). I'm going to try and get down to the MoMa tomorrow too. Then tomorrow night, my cousin David is performing his stand-up act at Caroline's.

I said I was going to make the most of this trip, and damnit, I am! When I get back, I'll try to start doing a better job of saving, because I've been reminded of just what I'm missing in Tucson!

Labels: birthday, Debra, Miriam, musicals, New York, personal, the arts, theatre

I've arrived, in one piece. Miriam met me at the airport. Actually, she was a little late because the train was only running local, and then she got a little lost once she got to JFK, but what a trooper for venturing out so early in the morning! I'm blogging from her bed right now, while she's at work. I'm heading into Manhattan in a few to dick around there until she gets done with work, then it's off to dinner and who knows what.

Needless to say, I've been swamped getting ready for this trip and making sure life was in order enough that I wouldn't return to chaos next week. I've been derelict in my blogging duties, I know. I completely missed blogging both my homoversary and my yogaversary. So happy both of those to me!

I brought my camera and will hopefully have pictures to post, if not while I'm here, then definitely when I get back to Tucson.

And I am still taking souvenir requests.

Labels: birthday, homoversary, Miriam, New York, personal, yoga

It's official, I bought my JetBlue tickets this morning. I'll be in New York December 20-25 (leaving on a redeye at 11:59 PM on December 19). I'll take souvenir requests, but I'm not making any promises.

Thanks to Hillz for watching over the furball while I'm gone, till she heads back east herself. And thanks to Miriam for putting me up part of the time I'm there. The rest of my nights will be spent in a Fabulous Room (that's really what it's called, I swear!) at the glam W Hotel Times Square.

Labels: birthday, Hillary, Miriam, New York, personal

First, Merry Christmas to my many goyim friends.

Yoga Oasis was offering a free class this morning, so I figured I'd go. When I got there (only a couple of minutes before the class was about to start), the parking lot was packed. Busier than I'd ever seen it, though my frame of reference is admittedly small. Rather than staying, I decided to practice at home, which I ought to be doing anyway.

On my way home, I stopped by Casa Video to see if there was anything there I wanted to rent. For my four-year anniversary at the Center Against Sexual Assault, some of my colleagues chipped in and bought me, among other things, a Casa gift certificate. I've only used it once, so today I figured I might as well take advantage of my credit.

I rented Oh! Calcutta! and the second season of Little Britain. I was going to rent this other movie with Elijah Wood (who I've had a little crush on for years, Lord of the Rings nonsense notwithstanding). But the cover said it had extreme violence in it, and I'm not in the mood for that right now.

Side note: Hair is often credited as being the first Broadway musical with nudity, but it was actually Oh! Calcutta!. My high school chorus teacher frequently pointed that out for some reason. Also noteworthy, Oh! Calcutta! counts among its authors John Lennon and Sam Shepard.

So I came home (after nearly an hour of wandering around Casa), laid out my yoga mat, and proceeded to practice as best I could. I did all right. In fact, I did better than all right: I did a backbend rather effortlessly! Backbends are supposed to be good for stimulating the thyroid and pituitary glands and for heightening mood. Given how I feel right now, I'm inclined to believe it.

As I was typing this, Miriam called me to ask for a ride home from the airport later tonight. I'm so excited to have her back (for however long it lasts till she moves to NYC for good). She's usually my birthday buddy - what else would two Jews do on Christmas Eve but spend it together going to a movie?

This year I went to see The History Boys at the Loft by myself. I did enjoy the movie. I especially appreciated the reminder of the future subjunctive tense - that which may or may not happen. Seemed rather a fitting concept for me to think about on my birthday.

I also want to thank Hillary for spending so much time with me this weekend. She had an extra ticket to see the Arizona Theatre Company production of Ella on Thursday, came to my party on Friday, and went to yoga class with me on Saturday, after which she treated me to brunch at the Blue Willow for my birthday. And then she sent me a happy birthday text message yesterday.

I feel really blessed - as blessed as an atheist can feel - to have such light and love in my life. In the year ahead, I commit to remaining open to grace.

Labels: birthday, British comedy, celebration, Hillary, Miriam, musicals, New York, personal, relationships, Tucson, yoga

Still not really wanting to be absorbed into the MySpace evil empire, I popped over to see if I could find my friend Miriam's blog to read it without signing up. As luck would have it, I can read up on her adventures in NYC without selling my soul.

I always knew Miss M could write, but I never knew what an incredibly talented scribe she is. She's in New York visiting her sister (hi Ryvka!) and all her friends who she claims have deserted her by moving to the city. And now she's contemplating moving there too.

I'd miss her terribly, but I think it could be a good move for her. New York City is a frenetic, vibrant metropolis that I think would really suit her. I'd of course be terribly bitter and jealous, but I can also be a supportive friend. Really. I know I could.

I anxiously await Miriam's return to Tucson so she can regale me with all her wild tales of adventure and drunken revelry. Until then, keep living the dream, Miss M, keep living the dream!

Labels: Miriam, New York, personal, Rupert Murdoch's evil empire, social networking