the second week (?)

Although this is my second week working full-time in Cincinnati, it’s actually been my fourth week since moving all my shit down here. Thus the (?) at the tail-end of this post’s title. Things have continued being great, and here’s the rundown of my day-to-day life last week here in Cincinnati.

Monday. Probably the hottest day of the year yet. After work I picked up Mandy from Fusion Sushi, and although it was only a five-minute drive, we were drenched in sweat by the time we got back to the house. That was only the beginning: we rented a U-Haul in Delhi and spent the afternoon moving the rest of Amanda’s stuff from her apartment into the Claypole House. We were done by 6:00, a good three hour ordeal in the blazing heat. Mandy almost passed out and I had a splitting headache from not drinking enough water. Spent the evening in the cold basement hanging out with Amos.

Tuesday. After work I hung out with Mandy and her friend Kelly at the house. Kelly’s pretty cute, and I told Mandy as much, and she said, “She wouldn’t be into you like that. She thought you were eighteen.” I had a good laugh at that one, I think. Picked up Brittany from the college where she teaches, and then Amos, Rob and I had a work meeting after the shop closed at 6:00. Afterwards we went to Rohs Street in Clifton to hear a band play, and then Amos and I went back early because we were so damned tired.

Wednesday. Mandy and I went for a walk around C.C.U., our old college. It was vacated, obviously (because of summer), and it was weird walking that “hallowed ground” many years later, reminiscing on all that took place there. And the chapel—the birthplace of countless legends. We went to Clifton to see Sarah & Chris, and Begley was there. We sat out in the alley at a foldout table with foldout chairs and smoked cigarettes and drank beer late into the night.

Thursday. I went to Mount Echo after work for a bit, and then I hung out with Amanda back at the house. Jessie came into town for her wedding Saturday, along with her best friend Rae. Jessie, Rae and I went to the Bloc Coffee Shop and they went out for their bachelorette party and I went to bed.

Friday. Work went so well that I even had time to go walk around Fountain Square once the lunch rush ended. Rob and I had my first official barista training session. Learned how to operate the synesso machine, pulled shots and made excellent steamed milk, better than I ever have, and I topped the night off with my first attempt at latte art, which came off looking more like a dick and balls than anything else. “You’re off to a great start,” Rob said. Later on in the evening I went for a drive through Mount Adams and Eden Park like I would do back in my C.C.U. days. T.J. stopped by for a while, and we sat on the front porch long past the fall of night, smoking cigarettes and chatting about life.

Saturday. Breakfast at The Anchor: toast and coffee. A trip to Mount Echo, and then a trip down to the Starbucks in Mariemont for a pumpkin scone and an iced soy caramel macchiato. Blake, Ams and I hit up Rock Bottom Brewery for dinner. I had an amazing vegetable pizza (pic below), but I spent most of Sunday trying to expunge it from bodily memory. At 6:30 we had the Heckenmueller wedding (see previous post), and after the reception a bunch of us hung out at the house.

Sunday. Went to Dayton for a few hours. Saw Mom before she and Dad ran off to New York to visit Niagara Falls and to participate in the 2011 Iron Man. I went to Spring Valley to see Carly for a bit. So good to see her; the aim is to hang out later this week, on Thursday. Maybe hit up The Anchor or something classy like that. Tyler came over in the evening and we had Subway for dinner. When I got back to Cincinnati we made a fire in the backyard and a handful of people came over. I went out there this morning and found the remnants: tons of beer and liquor and wine bottles shattered and molded together in the fire-pit like some grotesque and inexperienced postmodern art.

A new week’s beginning, and it should be good.

Tomorrow: I get to see Monica, the first time in over a year.

Thursday: I get to see Carly, and spend a decent amount of time with her.

And, of course, there are all the everyday antics of the Claypole House.

Life. Is. Good.