Century Link Hottie

The highlight of my week was when the CenturyLink guy came to install a router at work, or something like that. He was the hottest man I've seen in awhile, and it also got me thinking...where do all the black people in Portland hang out? Haven't seen many at the hipster bars I hit so infrequently these days, but I do see them at PCC and on the bus...there have got to be some underground hip hop bars or something...is that racist? In any case, my current insane schedule doesn't really permit hottie-shopping. I'm hanging on in stats and econ, (took the first midterms, so 1/3 of the way through the term!!), and work is work. I'm trying to find the beauty in the mundane (a repetitive/reliable routine is kind of nice), but the nicest thing about it is that I won't be working in this office forever. Bigger and better things are on the horizon. I'm going to be a student again! And buy a bike and hipster glasses. One thing at a time.

I'm anxious to hear from grad schools but also need to enjoy the beauty of this moment of not knowing. Just waiting means I don't have to make any decisions yet, or worry, or start looking for apartments, or whatever. I'm just treading water, nose to the grindstone, earning some cash and taking some community college classes (which I love, have I mentioned how much community college is rocking my world?). So instead of seeing this time as frustrating and wishing I could fast forward to mid-March, I'm going to enjoy the studying, the running I need to start doing and the yoga. Little by little, pang'ono pang'ono.

Malawi, I miss you. I don't think about you too much because I'd get sad, but that's the truth. I wish Zoona and Manzo were here to drink Specials with me. Mmmm specials!

Oh, and I met Megan at Pine State Biscuits on Alberta this morning for brunch, so I'm managing to do some cool ass shit in small increments here and there. And then I got a free supportland card. I love Portland! I love being an Oregonian!

Oregon, how I miss thee!

This picture from the OSU website is so true and cute! Everyone wishes they were from Oregon, but not all of us can be that lucky! :)

I've been lazy with this blog lately. Lack of a computer has been a contributing factor. (Also lack of the internet and infrastructure, but I'm not holding my breath for those things anytime soon.) But at least my computer is fixed and back in my possession thanks to Bindili (although does anything really belong to us?), so expect some musings and more complete accounts of my recent African adventures soon. For now, here are some tidbits:

• My cat Zona's tail caught on fire a few nights ago, just a few minutes after Shawn was musing whether it was dangerous for her to be sitting so close to the candle. "She'll be fine, she does it all the time!" were my famous last words
• My birthday celebration was a 3 day extravaganza, including a soiree at the Ambassador's house (okay, that wasn't for me, but I drank the free wine as if it were all in my honor!), margaritas and Mexican food (or as close as one can get in Malawi), and dancing!
• Teaching is hard work! Girls Club is limping along...at least it exists! Yesterday we finally talked about sex! There were some good questions, including 'what happens when a girl has sex while she's menstruating?' and 'what is a boyfriend?' Although it was a pretty 1-sided conversation it was good, and things they need to hear.
  

Now I'm off to felafel and good times with my dear friend Sally. Happy 11-11-11, world!