I believe they call it "irony"

Yeah, so for like the last two weeks (since just before I was given the news that my services would not be wanted at Jesuit U.) I've actually been straightforwardly enjoying life in Spookytown. Can you believe it? For example, last Saturday I went to a nice party at Lieberman's house, where I got to see people who are usually just so busy that we don't hang out as frequently as I'd like (I suppose I may in part be to blame for this, what with the "never actually being in town" thing I had going on for most of the fall.) And there were a couple of last-minute, casual, you-live-in-my-neighborhood social events, one of which took place when I realized I was wasting a good hair day on cats and grading and so texted a hypersocial (and usually adorably flirty in a rather youthful way) local acquaintance -- within half an hour I was ensconced in a slightly hipster bar, getting discount drinks due to my companion's connections. Other highlights include an early evening walk to the nation's cathedral while getting lots of academic gossip (all ostensibly done in the name of exercise and taking advantage of the latest globally warmed heat wave in Spookytown - highs have been hovering above 50, sometimes above 60, for over a week), and a klezmer punk (or punk klezmer) show at a historic synagogue with my new friend Blackie, who I'm so delighted to be hanging out with -- finally, a local companion who likes Ethiopian vegetarian platters followed by Yiddish beat box rap as much as I do. Oh, and to top it all of, a delightful date with a handsome, well-educated, debonair charmer who not only was teasing me within 15 minutes as if he were, well, any of you reading this right now, but also had Gang of Four and the Pogues on his ipod -- even if it ends up going nowhere, an afternoon of swooniness does a lot to boost the morale.

Finally, yesterday I went an a little urban hike (the doctor has maybe figured out what my hiking-induced butt injury is, to wit, serious Vitamin D deficiency leading to possible early stages of osteoarthritis, but until we're sure I'm not doing any high-impact exercise beyond walking) and saw some decidedly aesthetically pleasing non-urban type things, all within just a few miles of the Postage Stamp:






Ok, I'm headed to New York in literally five minutes so I'd better shut down. Hope everyone is having a lovely holiday season!