34 Sentences

As if on auto-pilot, I found myself skipping the next train and heading for the movie theaters on Times Square last Friday. I had planned on going home first before meeting up with a former colleague from Philippine Cosmo at a bar on the Lower East Side, but instead I made it to an evening showing of 27 Dresses which was still playing (surprisingly, as it has been weeks since it came out). I had just seen The Other Boleyn Girl the previous Friday, and loved it (read my blog entry here). While I thought it was a beautifully produced film, the sheer weight of the drama made me crave for lighter cinematic fare. Enter my first chick flick in months. After a quick dinner at Yoshinoya (they have one here and they actually serve shrimp!) I got nachos and melted cheese and found a cozy spot amidst the crowd (spilling the savory orange goo on my faux fur collar within minutes, setting me back $18 on dry cleaning).

I came out of the theater with very mixed feelings. On one hand, I was quite entertained because not only Katherine Heigl and James Marsden (and a slew of cast members) were funny, but also the movie was shot in New York and I actually recognized the streets and places shown. But on the flip side, the euphoria of a rom-com ending happily was fleeting: I was hit with a bout of sadness. Another Friday night spent alone in bustling Manhattan. The contrast between my solitude and the city's busy streets was unsettling. The only comforting factor was I actually had money in my wallet this time to enjoy life's little treats in the form of movie tickets, dinner out, snacks, and even after-dinner drinks.

I guess that feeling of emptiness and solace triggered this funk I am going through which I will not dignify with an elaborate explanation. (As I know I'll snap out of soon, out of necessity and sheer persistence.) There is work to be done, pieces to be written, and a precious relationship to keep nurturing, despite the distance, constraints and distractions.

Keeping me busy are as follows:

1. French lessons through French colleague. The twists and tricky nuances of the language keep me kissable.
2. Quest to expand anorexic DVD collection. Recently purchased season 1 of The Tudors, and There's Something About Mary on sale at Target. Next up is a boxed set of Sex and the City the minute I am able to cough up the $200 price tag. (No pirates allowed here.)
3. Writing, writing, writing. Keeps me seated. Keeps me grounded. Eases the fidgeting.
4. Reading, reading, reading. I get free magazines AND purchase more magazines. Piles of them plus books, still waiting to be thumbed through. One weekend is not enough. Thank goodness!
5. M-U-S-I-C. Exploring, listening, wandering, and wondering... about this Pandora's Box I have opened. Saperlipopette!