You know that movie, Failure to Launch? I’m relatively certain that I watched it while snow-banked in a hotel during a college track trip gone awry, and I always mix up the plot with The Family Stone (which I also watched on a college track trip that also went awry, but then again they all sort of did) but my point here is: the title always appealed to me, far more than the unmemorable movie itself. Failure to Launch is a related and debatably worse fate than being stuck in the Midtown Holding Pattern. Is it better to endlessly circle in search of a safe and happy spot to land than to never get off the ground in the first place? Although I’m stalled at the moment, my case implies a certain level of progress, but I’m afraid of landing somewhere that maybe isn’t the safest or happiest place simply because I’m running out of fuel and Dramamine. Is it worse to start things and never finish them, or just not start at all?
I am, as it turns out, a failure. Of the twelve items on my Summer To-Do List, I completed four. Four! I scored a lousy 33 1/3% for the summer – and they were things that I wanted to do! Sure, I accomplished many things that were not on the list (like learning how to drive a boat) and some of the things from the list turned out to be unfun (like the Guggenheim Shapes of Space exhibit) but I’m undeterred and shooting for a higher Social Life GPA this semester.
The Fall To-Do List:
The Arcade Fire, 10/6
Apple-picking upstate
Divine Bar Wine Tasting, 10/9
Tori Amos, 10/11 & 10/12
MS Bike Tour (possibly my first century ride!), 10/14
HHS XC retirement party for Coach W, 10/20
The Shins, 10/24
Foundation for Hospital Art Mural Painting Event, 10/30
HHS Five-Year Reunion, Thanksgiving
Enchanted, in theaters Thanksgiving (don’t judge me)
Visit The Cloister Museum once the leaves change colors
Mythic Creatures exhibit at the AMNH, through 1/6
Richard Prince exhibit at the Guggenheim, through 1/9
Implicit in this list o’fun is the goal to finish what I start, to follow through with plans, to say “yes” (or “no") and mean it and hold true to those convictions. Also: to stop temporizing about grad school and just fucking apply. Then if I actually get accepted I can debate the merits of attending. Duh.
In other news, I've been doing okay regarding the dietary restricted list. Sure, I've indulged in a fruit tart (or five) but overall I'm pretty proud of my willpower. Then, some days, I just fall completely off the wagon. Today wasn't even about pastries or desserts, my usual pitfalls. It started out innocently enough: my standby tuna melt sandwich, a Perrier, and a fruit tart. Then I fell and ordered a personal pizza. A delicious margarita pizza on hand-rolled crust with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella. I half-ass planned on taking it home with me and eating it for dinner. Cut to 2pm and the entire pizza is digesting unnecessarily in my tummy. So much for that willpower.
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8 comments:
Julz and I are going to Ithaca this week-end. You could do your upstate apple picking! Want us to stop in NYC and pick you up?
uh. Wasn't "Failure to Launch" all about being babied (to a ridiculous degree) by your trust-fundy parents and then having to settle for Ms. Shoe Face Parker?
I'd have to agree with you, though, a dreadful fate (though it did have Matthew McConaughey, who's so dreamy)...to be avoided. Who wants to live at home in the boat house and have Mom make breakfast everyday?
(the plot summary on wikipedia is laugh out loud).
anyway.
"overpromise, underdeliver."
Ithaca is a fine institution of higher learning, one for which I can offer the highest of recommendations...I mean, look at me now! Ps. Apple Fest is the best time to be up there in the fall. All of the leaves change color for like one week and then its cloudy and snowy...this is that week. Plus, apple wine is sooo much better than regular wine.
In other news...uhhh....5-year reunion?!? Aren't I supposed to be 3 times my size and 5 times richer by then. Cause I'm pretty sure I'm the same size and am still whippin a geo prism....
Haha. Aidan, I'm going to iron that onto a tshirt. And Glazer, I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be half the size and married to someone five times richer, so looks like we're both failures. Wanna be my date? It'll be like that wedding we went to, only boozier. Much, much boozier. Pick me up in your Geo at 8?
rattling plastic side-view mirros and all of 1 hubcap will be there 8.
In fact, lets tell people we're dating.
Yea, that'll be good.
and yea....boozier
Even better: let's tell people we're engaged! After all, you're half my size and I'm five times richer than you! Loooove you.
sadly, truth and truth.
Get your party pants on.
Whenever you plan on going to the Cloisters, let me know. That's my neighborhood! (slash park that I run in).
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