17.03.2002
i finally buckled down and sorted thru all my Gourmet mags, saving only a few. i've been reading Gourmet for well over 10 years at this point, and recently let the subscription run out, as it was taking far too long to get around to reading it. plus, there's a point at which every new recipe is just a variation on one that you've already seen. so as appealing as the pretty pictures are, it's just not something i want to spend my money on.
also, ten years worth of issues takes up a lot of space. i had them stored next to my refrigerator, and there they sat, collecting dust and cat hair. it's not that i really need the space to put something else there. i just wanted the space back. it's nice to get rid of clutter and have a little more space where you live, i think.
they're going to good homes, don't worry. half of them are going to a friend at a restaurant; the others will come in to the office. i'll pile them up somewhere and let people take what they want. that way, they're still useful. and if they aren't gone after a week or so, i'll pack them back up and take them to a library.
i took myself out to dinner at the Gs after dropping off the mags, and ran into a huge group of good friends whom i hadn't seen in far too long. turned out to be a great night; i got to rant, and people found humor in it. plus, they've all been thru it themselves, so i got a lot of solace and support.
we ended up going out to another place and it felt really cool to be able to offer rides. so nice, after 34 years, to be the one with the car. of course, they also got the near death experience when i stalled in the intersection. ;) but we all made it thru in one piece, and i made friends with my first gear again. overall, i felt pretty damn fine about the whole thing. the whole outing was social, and warm, and friendly, and i felt accepted. such a nice group of people, and they take me in as one of theirs. i think i really needed that, especially in light of the last few days.