I blew an entire paycheque for a hotel room in New York City today. Yikes. And it’s not like I’ll be staying in the Waldorf=Astoria—this is a 1.5-star hotel, people. While perusing apartment ads on Craigslist, I’ve cringed at the price listings for studios in Manhattan for $1500 a month (which is apparently on the low end)… though now, in contrast, that doesn’t seem unreasonable at all (that is for an entire month, you know). This is what happens when you don’t reserve a room six months in advance. I accept that this is a business expense, but acceptance does not mean approval.

Today’s restaurant recommendation: Serafina. For those who imbibe, there are many, many wine selections and a delightful variety of mixed drinks. The pasta dishes are lightly spiced with balanced flavors (can that sentence be any more vague?). Great ambiance, too—great place for a date, particularly in the lush courtyard during these beautiful, lazy summer months. Pretty waitresses and cute waiters (with pin-striped pants—always a plus). I’ve never had gelato before and the caramel gelato is tasty stuff.

College brainwashes us. I recently met another UCLA alum and we both spoke about our disdain for people who are alumni of U$C. It’s striking how we obnoxious we can get when discussing our rival. He’s a new dad; his wife was musing (in jest) about their (not even one year-old) child attending USC, if that is what the child wanted. The father was aghast at this idea and asserted that his child would absolutely not attend USC. Unfortunately, I’m not that different: If I learn that someone attended USC, my opinion of them automatically drops. I entertain assumptions about their (lack of) morality, intellect, and sophistication. I believe on some level that Bruins are intrinsically and unquestionably superior to Trojans in every way possible. It’s frankly a bit disturbing.

I think I’m now a runner. I’ve been running on a regular basis for 13 weeks now. I can run for thirty consecutive minutes without difficulty (please note that “without difficulty” does not mean “fast”). This is noteworthy. During week one, I was alternating between running for two minutes and walking for two minutes. It was difficult. I didn’t enjoy it. It was uncomfortable and challenging. I had hope at that point that I would, one day, run thirty minutes without problems, but that seemed like such a distant goal and, well, a mere thirteen weeks later, I’m doing exactly that. And, surprisingly, I like it.