september starts

The shortest weeks are the roughest. Fresh from an easy holiday weekend, I kept my promise to Helen & Kristin (co-workers of mine) in that I would start going to Pilates class. They have been steadily going since their arrival at AOL. I remember taking one class early on, and much like yoga with Rebekah on Tuesday nights, falling off. When I was training at Gleason's I had focus and discipline. Given, I am no longer an active member but for a good while there I was quite content to wake up at 7am on a Saturday morning to train. And yet, I don't know how I can start something with gusto only to lose interest so quickly...mind you, this only tends to happen with exercise routines. Is it boredom perhaps or just an inflated form of laziness. Other than that I have no excuse, classes are free and conveniently scheduled during lunchtime and after work hours, equipment is provided. What more can anyone ask for? Hopefully I can keep the momentum up--the initial benefit of feeling great could certainly spur that on.

Tuesday night was a French Tuesday as we celebrated Florence's birthday on the UES in her building's garden. I was in charge of the mojitos. Adept as I am at drinking the Cuban beverage I am not so capable in making them. The batch was most definitely stronger than sweet. Florence's friends (most of whom speak French) were very sweet...Vivek filled me in on the geographical history of India (shaped like a diamond), Sham invited me to his Belgian Beer Hall Vol de Nuit (named for a book by St. Exupery) downtown near NYU and J.B. (short for Jean-Baptiste) educated me on the proper way to pronounce Detroit, as in Deh-twau--in French le détroit du Lac Erie.

Above: Sham, Nikki, Andrea & Florence (09.04.07)

My iPod has been terminal for quite sometime. Though an attempt at resuscitation via the iPod Doctor back in April, the diagnosis was shorter than expected and the 3rd generation iPod has made its way to the junk drawer in the sky. I headed over to the Apple store Thursday night for a replacement. What mayhem, the Steve Jobs empire was thriving...and without too much pain I was able to upgrade to an 80 GB iPod Classic (and subsequently spent most of the weekend souping it up).