Back in November, I offered myself a challenge:

I believe in giving myself challenges. As such, I decided that I would end my tenure as a 28-year-old on a high note so as to challenge my 29-year-old self to bring the A game. And how much higher can you get than the 103rd floor of the Whatchu Talkin Bout Willis (nee Sears) Tower? … OK, 29. You’d better figure out how to top the top of the world. You have 365 days to do it, so get to it.

Dear Self:
I think I figured out how to do it. Stay tuned.
See you on the flip side–quite literally.
V

Know what’s lousy? Getting sucked into Game Seven of the NBA Finals, to the point that you’re shocking yourself by shouting (expletives) at the television during a neck-and-neck fourth quarter that ends not only with Boston losing, but with the sight of Bill Russell handing the MVP trophy to Kobe Bryant.

And after all that, you go to Boston.com to read up on how sad Boston’s just become…

…and you read that the Simon and Garfunkel concert for which you have tickets–the one that would cross off the top act on your musical bucket list–has been postponed.

Indefinitely. With refunds to come.

I know these are first world problems. BUT STILL.

Woke up, realized I had overslept compared to the ridiculously early hour at which I’d intended to rise because I wanted to go to my gym, work in an early morning run, and then shower. Because I have no working shower in my apartment.

Down: One shower.

Realized that I overslept because my BlackBerry (which provides one of the three alarms I require to wake up in the morning–not a morning girl, this one here) wasn’t on. Turn on BlackBerry. See White Screen of Death that proclaims that there is a technical issue and I should return it to the point of purchase.

Down: One shower, one now-bricked BlackBerry.

Go to gym. Skip running, as there isn’t time and–oh wait–earbuds for iPod are still sitting on the table by my armchair.

Down: One shower, one now-bricked  BlackBerry, one pair of earbuds.

Realize after gym shower that the hairbrush I’d intended to pack in my gym bag is still in my bedroom.

Down: One shower, one now-bricked BlackBerry, one pair of earbuds, one hairbrush.

Arrive at T stop closest to office more than an hour earlier than usual. Trip up stairs leading to street.

Down: One shower, one now-bricked BlackBerry, one pair of earbuds, one hairbrush, the skin on one knee.

Stop by Verizon store during lunch break, drop off phone, hear that new replacement BlackBerry–because the OS upgrade I was prompted to install successfully fried my device–won’t arrive until Friday.

Down: One shower, one now-bricked BlackBerry, one pair of earbuds, one hairbrush, the skin on one knee, my patience.

Me: “OR you can overnight it so it arrives here in the store tomorrow. So I can pick it up tomorrow. Because this is a known issue and you should have replacements ready.”
Them: “Let me talk to my manager … OK, we can do that. FedEx will overnight it, which means it can arrive anytime tomorrow between morning and 7 pm …”
Me: “Oh, trust me, I know all about FedEx shipping BlackBerries.”

Down: One shower, one now-bricked BlackBerry, one pair of earbuds, one hairbrush, the skin on one knee, my patience, my mind.

Return home from most ridiculous of days (albeit one bolstered by a gorgeous run along the Harborwalk and City Hall Plaza) and discover that I won’t have a working shower until this weekend.

Down: All that other stuff, plus any lingering “aw, but isn’t this hilarious” sentiments from earlier in the day. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, go directly to ImprovBoston to be entertained by funny and talented people I know. Best decision I made all day.

UPDATE: Ah, the powers of friendship and the Internets! This was sent my way and was promptly bookmarked. And watched four times in a row. WHAT DON’T JUDGE ME. Thank you, van der Awesome.

Test, one, two. Test. Hey-o, test. This thing on?

The problem with letting time pass without blogging–no matter how well intentioned radio silence might be–is that it’s so incredibly difficult to catch up when the time comes to do so.

So what was up? You might have picked up on the biggest part if you noticed how this site as updated and modified: About two and a half months ago, I lost my job. The company for which I had spent about two years working shut down and I found myself presented with the opportunity to examine my options, to figure out what it is what I wanted to do next. It was frightening and exhilarating–probably about 60/40.

Long story short, I have a new job now and I’m thrilled with it. I was technically out of work for about two months, but it didn’t necessarily feel like I was unemployed. I made finding a new job my new job. I enjoyed spending more time at Fenway. I bought a couple of really sharp and snazzy suits, in which I met many people and discussed a lot of jobs. I shook many hands. I accepted a job while lying on a gorgeous beach on the Gulf of Mexico. I’m excited to go to work each day. I’m happy. And that’s about all the Internets need to know about it.

I spoke with many people about the experience of losing a job–both before, during, and after my particular situation arose. It’s difficult now to not at least know someone who has gone through the experience, and I’ve learned that some people have handled it well, others not so much. I like to think that, all things considered, I handled things quite well. There will be writing to come about the experience and what I learned, but that’s not for today. I will say, however, that the experience showed me a great deal about the people who have become a part of my life, especially since moving to Boston three years ago. To say that I am fortunate to know the people I know is such a gross understatement.

Otherwise, what’s been going on? The quick hits, which I hope will become blog posts at some point in the near future; if not, they’ll make for fun conversations over cocktails or coffee:

• Beth and I finally made up for the 10/15/04 Crossfire incident by attending a taping of Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Saw Ben Stiller again and again pledged my devotion to Stewart.
• I took in a lot of hockey, including my first AHL game since the days of seeing Aaron Ward and company play for the Red Wings up in Glens Falls. In my last game before the break, the players all seemed so old–when I saw the Providence Bruins play on Friday night, I was cheering for babies on skates. When did that happen?
• My last skating session of the season turned out to be an epic failure, given that my right wrist is still feeling the effects of the fall I sustained at Frog Pond. Next winter? Wristguards.
• I have now registered for all of my 2010 running events, including the Let’s Run series I ran last year…and a marathon. Operation 26.2 is back underway: date change, venue change, but same awesome objective.
• I am growing a palm tree in my apartment. Much to the amusement of my roommate, I have named this baby palm tree Benji. Why? If I name it, hopefully I won’t neglect it and kill it. I also am now growing a plant at my new workplace. Green thumb efforts all over the place. I know. It’s weird for me, too.
• I celebrated an anniversary of sorts.
• I have read much. I’ve accepted the fact that novels do not appeal to me as much right now as all the amazing nonfiction out there waiting for me. I haven’t written as much as I would like and am working on remedying this.
• I’ve started to research new cameras and photography courses. In the meantime, I want to start playing around with lomography.
• I was again blown away by Wilco live performance.
• I’m applying for a passport. Finally. And I intend to use it. Finally.

I’m not going to be talking about sports online for a week.

No Twitter, no Facebook, no posts here on the matter. And while that’s not to say that I’m going to forgo talking about sports entirely – come on, I’ve got Bruins tickets on Thursday and I have that whole job talking about baseball thing, so I’ll be chatting about sports during facetime or phonetime with people, I’m sure – but it’s important that people either remember or be reminded of the fact that there’s more to me than just a love of athletic feats.

I have many interests, people.

Given that the Olympics came to a close tonight and March dawns tomorrow, this seems like the perfect time.

One week. Let’s see if it can be done.