so I haven't had much time for the Xanga thing this week. This is actually the first time since Thursday that I've even turned my computer ON.

Tuesday after ballet I ran home, cleaned up and caught the train into the city to meet some of the other SLC writers at a bar in the Village. Hooray for non-smoking laws! It was SO nice to not have to deal with the smell, or have my eyes and throat start stinging from the smoke. I for one will be more likely to go out now that the law is in effect. Good thing too, because the way my schedule is shaping up, I'm only going to see most of my school friends if I make the effort to go out. Anyway, it was fun.

Wednesday one of my stories got critiqued in workshop. It went over a lot better than I expected. I think I was having some misgivings because the subject matter is far more dramatic and fantastic (as in "dealing with fantasy") than my usual stuff. It needs work, of course, but people seemed to enjoy it.

Friday, against my better judgement I went to the Palisades Mall. I needed some stuff from Target, but I figured while I was there I'd amuse myself by looking in some of the clothing stores. Wandered into H&M for the first time. Big mistake. Really great clothes, and prices I could actually afford, which meant I had a hard time resisting the impulse to buy. But I did, though I gave in at Old Navy and bought a new black shirt because I needed one and it was on sale. I fear, however, that one day I will succumb to the siren call of H&M. Good thing it is thirty minutes away.

Saturday I wasn't planning on doing anything, but Susan called late Friday and said she and her friend Mike were going to the Jersey shore. As hard as this is for many people, especially those who did not grow up in landlocked states like I did, to believe, I have NEVER been to the ocean. I've SEEN the ocean, but I've never been to the beach and played in the waves and what have you. So of course I said yes. Even though it was a little cool for swimming, especially since it took us until late afternoon to get out there, it was a lot of fun. And yes, I was surprised at how salty sea water really is. The waves were pretty strong thanks to the aftereffects of Isabel, so it was a good workout just to stand about waist deep and jump into the waves. And of course I got to hang out with Susan for the second Saturday in a row which was great, as always.

Unfortunately my day at the beach was somewhat marred by my worst ever GW Bridge experience. I arrived at the bridge at 11:25 PM having left Susan's place just after 11. For some reason they had closed the entire lower level of the bridge and then construction on 95 -- the main highway crossing the bridge -- narrowed traffic to one lane just across the New York side, so it backed up even worse. I did not reach the toll plaza, which is on the NJ side until 12:35, and then it took another half hour to get over the bridge to the exit to 87. Ninety minutes -- almost double the time it took to get from Susan's to the bridge and from the bridge to my apartment. All of which only increased my resolve to never, ever have to drive to a job in the city. Yick.

So that was my entertaining week. Of course I didn't write nearly as much as I should have, though I did manage to finish a new section of the thesis and start another one. I'm hoping I can finally settle down this week. Well, I can dream, can't I?