The Price for Fun

This week has been pretty great. Tuesday night, one of my old friends Nikki (we went to the same college but didn't really know each other and then ended up working next to each other at the lab in Boston after college), came to visit. I have been missing seeing friends and just talking to people so I was eating it up! Frenchie made us steak and we stayed up late and talked.

Also, on Wednesday I had my orientation at the women's shelter. The shelter is on one of the fanciest streets in Boston, Newbury Street, in the basement of a church. Nikki and I took the T down there and tried to find something to eat before my orientation. We found a place called Stephanie's on Newbury. They are always voted Best Salad or something like that and I was curious to check it out. We ate with the fancy people and ordered our salads. Nikki got the fruit salad which said came with yogurt and granola. Sounds hearty and healthy, right? Well, it actually came with a giant pile of beautiful fruit and berries, about a tablespoon of yogurt and a sprinkling of granola. Obviously, this restaurant is not for people who like to eat, as was apparent when the girl next to me received her salad and then with a disgusted look, handed it back to the waiter saying "Um, I asked for the dressing on the side!" The waiter grabbed her salad back and as he walked by me he muttered something in Spanish. She may have received some spit with her side dressing. Anyway, it was just a funny Newbury Street experience.

The orientation was amazing. I am so excited to volunteer at this place. They are a women's day shelter that serves breakfast and lunch and then close at 2. They have a reading room, computers where guests can use internet, countless advocacy resources, a clinic, a nap room and just a general whole community. The lunch is served restaurant style, not buffet style and the staff and volunteers sit and eat with the guests. Of course, after three years of being a poor student, my first thought was "Free Lunch!" Which is obviously horrible because I can afford lunch, these women are homeless for gosh sakes!

Then on Wednesday I went to Cape Cod for Frenchie's lab retreat. Normally significant others aren't invited but I got a special invite because I worked in the lab for three years and the admin (who runs everything) loves me. So we drove off to the Cape on a gorgeous day and partied with the lab late into the night. Of course I drank a little too much and am now on Day 2 of retreat headache, but that is the price of fun sometimes...

Not sure what is in the plans for today. I'm thinking I definitely need a few hours at the gym though. ugghh.