Dar Williams: “The Christians and the Pagans”

“The Christians and the Pagans” has been one of my favorite Dar Williams songs for a long time — so much so, in fact, that I chose it as my senior solo with my a cappella group in college (it helped that my friend offered to arrange it for me, though). It is not, however, a song that Dar performs frequently, from what I’ve been able to tell from my four concerts (and multiple YouTube searches). Nevertheless, at her concert at the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, MN, Dar sang “The Christians and the Pagans,” and it was wonderful.

The Barbershop: Finally Found Somewhere to Cut My Hair

I have posted more than once about my attempts to get a haircut. It feels like such a complicated process that I usually end up putting it off until my hair begins to look like a chia pet. The haircut almost inevitably seems to be more expensive than I really want to pay and/or be thirty minutes away from where I live (or further) — and then there’s the issue that I nearly always get misgendered, and that’s stressful as well. All of those other issues actually tend to feel more important than the actual haircut itself: as soon as my hair is shorter, and I don’t look terrible, I’m usually satisfied on that front. Today, I may have found my solution to my Minnesota haircut dilemma (the answer to the Chicago one would be to have one of my awesome haircut-competent friends cut my hair) through The Barbershop. 

Feeling Better About Minnesota

Despite my apprehension about my new job, I have begun to feel progressively better about being in Minnesota. Or rather, as I began and ended this week (Monday and now today), I was — and currently am — feeling positive.

Monday:

For all that visiting Chicago has made me desperately miss it and wish I were still/already living there, my brief time back has also, perhaps counterintuitively, made me feel better about spending the next year in Minnesota. Let me be clear: I miss Chicago; I miss my friends; I wish more than I can articulate that I were living there now. And yet, the fear that I’m going to be forgotten if I stay away is slowly ebbing. That fear was really fueling the need to get back now — the feeling that not only do I not want to wait, I can’t wait, or else I’ll lose everything and everyone I miss so much. It’s a stupid, irrational fear, but it was strong.

Have My First Four Months In Minnesota Gone According To Plan?

Almost exactly four months ago (four months ago yesterday), I wrote up tentative four-month, one-year, and two-year plans for my life. I just rediscovered them, was very surprised to remember that I’d made a four-month plan (and one that ended yesterday), and decided to see how my life currently measures up to those plans. 

Cocktail Hour at the Lake Elmo Wine Company (A New Video!)

Tonight, I went to the Lake Elmo Wine Company (a little, really fantastic, locally owned wine and alcohol store) with my mom for a cocktail making party/lesson. Despite the fact that it was technically “for women” (apparently, I still pass as a woman), it was a whole lot of fun. Here are my thoughts on it:

I Found A Job!

After applying for jobs in Minnesota for the past four months, I have finally been offered a (non-temporary) job! I heard yesterday that I’ve passed my background check and fingerprints test, so I should be all set. I’m really relieved to hear about the job, especially since it means that I can now start making plans for the next year, given that I’ll know where I will be living. 

My third Twins game

As of tonight, I have been to exactly three Twins games (Minnesota’s professional team) — or at least, three that I remember — and they won!

As most of you likely know, I’m not a big sports fan. But I went to a game tonight, actually paid attention (mostly) and ended up enjoying it.

It Will Always Be Camp Snoopy To Me

Oh, amusement park at the Mall of America, you'll always be Camp Snoopy to me.

While I was at the Mall of America the other day, I was rudely reminded that Camp Snoopy no longer exists — or at least, not as I knew and loved it. For several years, when I was little, my parents would take several of my friends and me to Camp Snoopy for my birthday. We’d get wristbands and run around the park all day, riding all the rides. It was glorious. Camp Snoopy has a very special place in my heart. And now, that timeless, lovable Camp Snoopy has been replaced by Nickelodeon Universe.

Rihanna at the Target Center

Rihanna at the Target Center

Last night, my two Twin Cities-based cousins and I went to the Rihanna concert at the Target Center. It was like no show I’d ever seen before. Half a dozen costume changes, pyrotechnics, glitter, platforms rising into the air — the works. Granted, I’ve never been to a concert so big before (Dar, Ani, Flogging Molly . . . I suppose the Glee tour comes the closest). All in all, Rihanna really puts on a show.

The Little Things Make Me Smile

I’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts for the past few days — stressed about job searching and deeply missing people in Chicago, mostly — and so I decided to make a list of things that make me happy. More than that, I decided to compile a group of photos from the past week or two (not just of people and places that I miss) that make me smile.