Don't worry, Hookah is not a drug...

cool and breezy this morning in NYC... just got back from breakfast with Raj. Typical of him to want an 8:30 am breakfast..actually it was originally 7:30 ("business man's breakfast, darling") but he texted me in the middle of the night to change it to 8:30 because he was "having trouble sleeping." Oh, ok, fine that you were having trouble sleeping, never mind the fact that I had to work until 3:30 am, you were perfectly fine to schedule it at 7:30 aware that I would only get 2 hours of sleep, but as soon as you're afraid you won't get your beauty rest you change the time. Also, the diner where we met was right around the corner from him whereas I had to take a subway and then walk ten blocks...seeing as I've only been in the city a week and he knows his way around, wouldn't it make sense for us to meet somewhere relatively easy to get to, and not on some obscure street that only runs the length of gramercy park and then changes names at the edge of the park without so much as a warning?

oh, and the first place we went, the coffee wasn't strong enough for him so we had to leave and find someplace else. He kept complaining how tired he was and that he needed strong caffeine in order to "man the battle stations."

But in an odd way, it was really good to see him again and we worked out a writing thing and he did pay for breakfast and say "you're a struggling student, if you ever need anything you know where to come."

speaking of money: MY JOB! So when I went for the interview I was on the first floor, where there is a bar, and I thought that that was it. It turns out, that bar is just where people wait to get tables-- upstairs is this huge room with table after table after table (there are 100 tables in the whole restaurant) and it looks like you just walked into Morrocco..the decor is really exotic and fun and after midnight when they stop serving food its just a hookah bar and bottle esrvice, so the whole place is really smoky and spicy and exotic and there are belly dancers and fire breathers standing on top of the bar and they clear out all the tables and chairs at midnight and it just becomes a dance floor and there is a dj there every night and its just a really really cool place. It's really informal too, they just want us to look like we're having fun, so the whole time you aren't waiting on people you're on the dance floor dancing with customers. You know how I love to dance!

The only thing I'm kind of worried about is that last night it was packed, and the manager said wednesdays are like the slowest night of the week, and that last night was about 1/3 of the people they cram in any other night. So I'm worried that it will be super hectic and stressful...and also I'm on like probationary hire (everyone is), and it only becomes official at the end of our training, so I might be getting all excited about this only to be told that it isn't working out or something... But I'm not going to stress about that, I'm just going to go to work like I already have the job.

also all the staff gets there at 5:00 and we have this big family meal together where the cooks make all their incredible dishes and we eat for an hour before we go to the floor... so if nothing else I'm getting free meals out of this, which one should never turn down.

Mama, Zumba sounds great, I've been hearing so much about it, it's really popular in Montreal and a lot of Kelsey's friends do it.

Grandma, I LOVE The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo! I have yet to read the second one in the series...hmm, maybe I'll pick it up for the subway.

Also, I still have not met one of the roommates. And the other one I have not seen since tuesday. So I really have nothing interesting to report there.

Bought toilet paper and garbage bags for the first time yesterday. I guess I really am on my own.

Dinner at Tabby's apartment tonight! Until then, a nap is an order.

Love you, xox