Where did the summer go?

I can't believe it is already August. Haven't been to the beach yet.... and the summer will soon be over. I was looking forward to it all year and now that it is here, there are more floods and thunderstorms than sunny days.

I only went to the pool twice.... and one of those times I didn't even get in!

I haven't written in a while, so here are the highlights and lowlights:

10) Seeing John Pettit play his new trumpet that we all pitched in to get him for Christmas at the Friends of the Library show at the Khyber. (+1)

9) Re-watching "Raising Victor Vargas" with friends and eating Mexican cinnamon bread on Anu's porch in D.C. (+2)

8) Hanging out with Priyo from Bangladesh and exploring Washington D.C. together. I never knew, but D.C. folks are so nice! I had a great experience when I was lost on the metro. (+2)

7) Finally I got called for an interview for a full-time teaching position at Belmont Charter School.... and I really really want it! Praying that I get it! Of course, I'll post what happens with that. (0)

6) Saturday, I went to a college party with Deep. And for the first time, I was the OLDEST person at the party. Most of the kids were from Villanova, but some were from other places..... anyways, they were all in college so it was interesting. So much idealism and carefreeness in the room. We played a drinking game and I kept losing and therefore got drunk pretty fast. A day later, Deep called me and said he enjoyed the party and am glad that i danced with him. "What? But I never dance!" I don't even remember doing that..... I did the shopping cart and bus driver and sprinkler and all! He he he. (+1)

5) On a sadder (and madder) note, I got drunk enough to also erase all the phone numbers of an old significant other. I hate the dating "culture" in the U.S. .... It made me wonder, does our free market system carry over to people? I mean, we live in a society of disposable diapers, disposable cameras, etc. etc. We have too many choices, and old things are constantly being replaced by new ones (instead of being fixed). It is a disposable society and I wonder if it makes some folks feel like people are disposable too. Anyways, I think that best describes how I feel now, like a crushed Dixie cup. I'm tired of people trying to get close to me and walking out of my life. I spent a lot of days wondering what went wrong, about any mistakes I made...... and then when I was watching South Park one night by my lonesome I had an epiphany. It was the episode where Satan is deciding between his caring, understanding boyfriend Chris, or his exciting, sexually adventurous and evil lover Saddam. Chris doesn't have a problem with Satan being friends with Saddam, he even suggests "Hey, why don't you invite Saddam over for dinner?" and after Satan cheats on Chris with Saddam at a sleazy motel with greasy dildos, Chris tries to understand why it happened so asks Saddam to go for a walk in the park to talk. Saddam stabs Chris in the head but Chris is such a pussy. At no point does Chris get mad or put his foot down...... he always gives the other person the benefit of the doubt and tries to understand the psychology of the person. Ok..... so here is the epiphany part..... Satan says to Chris "I need you to give me some boundaries." When I heard that, I felt deja VA. Basically, Satan wanted Chris to say "No, I don't want you to see Saddam." I realized that I AM CHRIS! So from now on..... with my school kids, own kids and future main squeeze's I am setting some solid boundaries. (-10)

4) I saw Eric's band "Goldenball" play at the Khyber on Friday, and although I was extremely tired, I am glad I stuck around because I think its the closest I will get to seeing "The Doors." Justin taught me a valuable trick...... late at night, it is better to take the 21 bus to 69th Street rather than the Market-Frankford Night Shuttle. We hopped on the 21, and he is right! Definitely less drunk, crazy people and less crowded. Also, the ride is faster since it doesn't stop for 10 minutes at City Hall or have to pick up as many passengers. As a non-driver, I am very appreciative to Justin. For sharing the tip, and for sharing his herb-flavored cashew nuts. (+1)

3) On Sunday the roads were all really flooded, so I stayed in at Tisa's house and Sabah was over so we all played "Heads and Bodies" which I haven't done since I was a kid. On a side note, Sabah is an AMAZING artist and she is only ten years old! (+1)

2) Kristie took me to this gelato place for the first time..... it was called Capogiro or something on 12th and Sansom. And wow, it was incredible....... not at all like Gelati (from Rita's) this stuff is smoother and creamier. Its expensive, but oh so worth it. Speaking of Kristie, if there are any 18-year-old boys reading this, Kristie needs a boyfriend. She likes em skinny, young, and with a nice record collection. (+1)

1) Hanging out with Jay-dawg in Philly. A big portion of the weekend was spent smoking "West" cigarettes from the Phillipines and watching South Park. We also hung out with one of his old buddies from CMU, and his lame yuppy girlfriend. After meeting each others friends over the past few years I think we realized how different our social worlds are. Jay's friend makes more than three of my friends combined! Anyways, this kid was really down to earth, so it was very cool and comfortable. We went to this barbecue place by the Wissy Trail and then went for a walk (apparently, this is also a make-out spot for adolescents..... so we left before it got dark), then we played billiards (which I sucked at), and drank really really good beer at Eulogy. We met up with Tasu and Tina apu at Cafe Spice after that, and Jay proceeded to give girl advice to a FOB that bumped into me earlier. It was entertaining to watch how pathetic he was..... "Why do all Indian girls say the same thing?" he said. "I have a boyfriend" is what they all say. Little does he know! (+8)

So...... 7 points for Devalina! I am thankful that the good outweighs the bad and that my mom is OK in Bangladesh with all the floods happening.