2008: the learning curve

i realize it's only february. but already i've learned some things, remembered some things, and had a few things reaffirmed.

lesson 1 (the shoe on the other foot): being the traveling blog-half is way more fun than being the one left behind. that goes double when it's really cold and snowy out and your blogmate is someplace warm and sunny (see lesson 2). it goes triple when you're the one left holding down the fort at work while said blogmate is (one would hope) drinking margaritas, sunning herself on the beach, and drinking more margaritas. not there's anything new about one us having fun while the other toils away on call, but 57 out of 72 hours spent at the hospital just seems like way too many.

lesson 2 (it was bound to happen sooner or later): chicago winter sucks ass. i agree wholeheartedly with my good blogmate that snow is lots of fun, but with only 11 minutes of sunshine for the entire first week of february, i'd trade a good bit of that snow for better weather. i feel particularly strongly now that the one sort-of day off i get this week (see lesson 1) promises a high temperature of 4 degrees.

lesson 3 (benefit from other peoples' misfortune): slow down for enormous pot holes. lucky for me, i haven't had to learn this the hard way, as i'm pertty sure that i only theoretically know how to change a flat tire, and i'm quite sure that i don't want to be one of those people pulled over on the side of lake shore drive at 7AM in the freezing cold (see lesson 2).

lesson 4 (timing is everything): avoid starting to date someone right before his birthday, or even worse, right before valentine's day (or even worse, right before both his birthday AND valentine's day). can anyone tell me how to play this?!

lesson 5 (know your limits): don't think for a minute that it's possible to coexist with a tub of homemade chocolate frosting. it can't be done. you will inevitably attack it with a spoon in a moment of weakness, and there's no way around the self-loathing that comes with catching yourself in the act. if you know what's good for you (and for your rapidly expanding middle section) you'll throw it away before you get into trouble.