Hello my pineappley friends,

It’s been a minute since we’ve had a chatty, catch-up sort of post, hasn’t it? I blinked and November was here, the most wonderful time of the year (sorry Andy Williams, but I’m right.), with the dry leaves skittering across the pavement, the nor’easters popping up out of nowhere and raining straight into my shoes and breaking my wonderful wind-proof umbrella, the trees turning almost garishly bright colors, and the radiators once again rattling away and warming my toes under my desk.

I’ve been so busy that I’m not sure I won’t blink and find I’m suddenly forty. Work days turn into a happy blur, interrupted only by brief weekends which are equally busy, and I’ve almost forgotten what leisure feels like. Sleep? Who needs that? My introvert meter dips daringly low, and I find sometimes I have to deliberately carve out little moments to do what reenergizes me- writing, cooking, savoring a delicious book, or maybe just properly cleaning my stove. Do I sound like a proper adult yet?

Still, here and there an evening like this appears where I can leisurely buy a little kale and coffee at my grocery store, have a little dinner, put on a little Christmas music, and do a little brain dump. So what’s making me so busy? Well, I’m so glad you asked.

I have a new job, and it has been an absolute whirlwind. They needed me to start several yesterdays ago, so I hastily finished my previous engagements and dove in without a breather. One day after I officially started, my immediate supervisor left for ten days of well-deserved vacation. It was sink or swim, so I doggy paddled just as hard as I could, and found that I was able to tread water. And when my boss came back, my other boss up and committed matrimony, which accidentally coincided beautifully with our veritable Everest of year-end work being due. So I’ve been dashing out scores of proposals as well as running around at a gorgeous wedding coordinating volunteers and it’s been a ride, you guys! A very stretching and very beautiful ride. And it’ll only get easier from here, right? Right?

But really, I’ve never had another job which has been so interesting and varied and fulfilling and oh boy, I’m grateful to God for dropping it into my lap. It’s such fun to spend my work days doing anything from planning decor for events, to learning how to run sound systems, to filling out financial requisition forms, to discussing how to follow God’s will.

And what about the weekends, you ask? Well, sometimes I’m working weekends, but I also got asked to join the BT singers, so every Sunday I’m marching myself out of bed early to sing my heart out in uncomfortable shoes. The big choir isn’t back yet and won’t be until some more 2020 complications have passed, so the singers are doing the music till that day comes. It’s been such an honor to get to join them, and eye-opening how much harder work it is than the choir. Besides standing the whole time (and trust me, it’s a long time) instead of sitting during announcements as we did in the choir, we also are much more exposed and each have a mic, which means that if I sing the wrong notes and sway the wrong way, I can’t hide in the middle of the crowd as I used to. And trust me, I make pleeeeenty mistakes. My goodness though, it’s such fun! We’ve been practicing some awesome Christmas songs, and I cannot wait for our Christmas concert on December 19. If you’re in town, come join us!

So when I haven’t been hustling at my job or my singing, I’ve been…what have I been doing? Trying to remember to answer basic texts, shower now and then, not run out of clean clothes, and get a modicum of fresh air. I’ve been only mildly successful. Also, I’ve been sneaking in a minute now and then to admire photos of my new nephew and niece’s perfectly soft little cheeks, and anticipate meeting them next week over Thanksgiving. I can almost smell their perfect baby skin through the screen.

So all in all, amid the harried, I’m happy. Because as Hunter S. Thompson notably said, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a Ride!'” That’s the plan.

A Year Ago:

Let’s Walk Through Central Park

Little Letters: Fall in NYC Edition

Two Years Ago:

Lottery Winnings, Love Life, and Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything

Three Years Ago:

Taking a Budget Trip to Philly in Five Easy Steps

The Evil Gummy Bears Got Me

Four Years Ago:

The Red Pineapple, or, My First 5K