Wow, the past few days have been crazy fun... oh New York! How I love thy late hours, cheap PBR and constant happenings! Yet how I simultaneously loathe them the next morning! And by morning I mean noontime!
Lots of sleeping in, for sure. And napping, too. New York does not joke around when it comes to celebrating Halloween. Apparently they have this monster parade on the actual night, and tons of events leading up to it. All over the city all weekend long were various parties with zombies and blue-haired moonchildren and mobsters and toga-wearing Greeks, all dancing and drinking and celebrating. What fun! I dressed as a rather convincing Frida Kahlo and danced at the L-magazine party in the East Village on Friday, then split with my group to see my friends from Boston (Session Americana) play a few blocks away. However, my plans were thwarted when a really friendly janitor misled me and I ended up walking along the hairy scary FDR and Williamsburg Bridge until I found the correct path. Eep! All the while dressed as Frida whose unibrow was slowly dripping off from the steady rain.
I ended up at Banjo Jim's way after their set had ended, wet and still in costume, but was well entertained by the friendly fellows despite my extreme tardiness. Afterwards, I mosied down the street to another party to re-meet my group, but we all fled the scene once we discovered the amount of horny, drunk, 20-somethings dancing around. All in all, the night was weird, but I did get to see a large portion of the Lower East Side, and definitely had fun getting dressed up and going out with the girls.
And hey, there was plenty more fun to come on Saturday! I went to Queens to meet up with my new friend, Cassie, and we all (including her boyfriend and their friend, and my roomie Liz) made wonderful chili that went along nicely with the finally cold autumn that has set in. I carved a pumpkin while the boys turned into some pretty sexy Catholic school girls, and then a competition broke out with Cass, who was also a school girl, to see who got hit on the most. Definitely received some strange looks while still in Queens but fit in nicely once back in the 'Burg. I again became an extremely talented painter with very defined facial hair, and Liz transformed into a 50s housewife, and we all went to the biggest hipster house party I've been to ever. It felt very much like I was back at Tufts and a group of hipsters created a frat that threw keggers on the weekends...the puking girl, the face-sucking couples, the dance floor grinders, the way-too-loud-and-rowdy boys upstairs...very reminiscent of freshman year, but add in lots of tight jeans and glasses, good music and meticulous, artsy costumes, and a boatload of smokers in the back yard. But I actually had a lot of fun, spending most of my time in the smoking yard since inside was too hot and crowded. Met some very fun people, did a bit of dancing on the inside, then went for more pizza at the damn Alligator Lounge afterwards. I just can't seem to stay away from that free and delicious cheese pizza! Except this time there was no Elli to clean up the leftovers, so I happily took his place. And my lactose-intolerant belly has been mad at me for it all day. Come back, Ells, please, I can't be your replacement on pizza nights anymore!
Woke up at 2 today and met up with the writers group I mentioned. And it's so perfect! Just what I was envisioning when I organized it!
For those of you unsure as to what this group is, when I first moved here, I wanted to join some kind of workshop or writers class but didn't because of their appalling fees. So, I decided instead to form my own group! I posted on Craigslist about what I was looking for, got a lot of great responses, and set it up. During the past week, we sent each other some of our most recent stuff, and today met to discuss it. It was incredibly productive, constructive, and flat-out fun. I love the others' stories, and their input was so genuine and helpful. It felt really good to be in a group of writers and readers who are focusing on becoming better writers, and helping each other in that mission. I'm very happy for this! We're looking for a few new people, so if anyone is interested, please contact me. It was definitely inspiring, and made me feel good that I now have regular coaches, so to speak, while also being able to coach them. I like the reciprocity of it all! And because their suggestions were so right on, I'm now all excited about making these changes that I think will really enhance my stories. Who needs expensive workshops! Craigslist all the way!
So, I'm looking forward to a low-key week (minus Halloween night, of course) full of studying for these delightful GRE's and writing on my portfolio. And visiting with the lovely DJ Define! He's coming from Boston for a whole week and we're going camping over the weekend, and I feel like some ridiculous teenager who has a crush on the quarterback and gets super giddy when they talk. I'm looking so forward to a weekend away in the woods together!
It's very interesting to compare my activities and general feelings now to even just 3 months ago. I'm so happy with this move. Even though it has separated Dave and me, and I very much miss other people in Boston, this has been such a great move for my mind and creativity and overall life. I feel like this was a nearly perfect next step for me. And once I learn my way around, I'll take out those lost nights in the rain and it will be even more perfect. Woo, maps!
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
CMJness
This past week in NYC has been nuts! CMJ, a big indie rock music festival that happens all over Manhattan and Brooklyn for something like ten whole days, has been rocking my music lovin' butt. Unfortunately, it has also rocked my bank account, but that, my friends, is why I nanny.
Notable highlights from the past seven days of musical extravaganza:
The Gay Blades: A Brooklyn-based duo that relentlessly attacked the crowd with their sassy divaness and hard-rockin' rhythms from the very beginning. The frontman reminded me of Jack Stripe with his flashy guitar solos, melodic yet scratchy voice and intense screams, but added a nice touch of bitchy flair you'd expect from someone like Queen Latifah or Joan Jett. The drummer, an adorable nerd-type who sometimes backed up the singer with spoken word or high-pitched falsettos, only laughed at the antics while aggressively playing his fills. Throughout the night, a cup of ice was thrown at the crowd, my friend was told she was ugly for talking between songs, mostly everyone else was insulted in some fashion, and a large portion of the audience was pulled on stage to back up the singer's ultimate diva closure. I felt like his assistant princess when I got to officially end the music by banging the tom-tom and cymbal with a very worn drumstick he grabbed from his partner and thrust at me (which I then stuffed in my purse for keepsakes). Woo! And to top it all off, they played at the Lit Lounge, this cavernous venue with a twisty layout and extreme lack of light that promoted a kind of eerie and fun desire to get close to everyone.
The Press's costumes: The Press played an okay show musically but looked ultra hot physically. They apparently always dress in Native American costumes, complete with flowy panchoes, war face paint, and bandanas tied around their foreheads, but it was my first show and I fell in love with the look (I also fell in love with the spectacular third floor garden at the Delancey...definitely worth checking out before the winter!). Never before have I been able to watch a group of men jam out while simultaneously playing some weird version of "Cowboys and Indians." It was hot in that adult-who's-still-a-little-kid-at-heart kind of way.
The Woes: This enormous orchestra of random instruments was not a good fit for their venue, the Parkside Lounge, but despite the rough sound mix, they played a fun, solid set. Their gorgeous, dreadlocked lead singer alternated between banjo and acoustic guitar while twangily singing their blues/folk/rock influenced tunes. Their lineup included a pianist, accordianist, alto saxophonist, upright bassist, drummer and trumpeter, and probably something else I'm leaving off. They were packed up there on stage, all dancin' and smilin' and shoutin' along with the words. A good ol' time for sure.
The conversations I overheard: I was totally inspired. Like, every corner I turned would be another group of young people analyzing a performance or talking about their next show or sharing stories about falling off stages or discussing some philosophy behind their art. Dave B. and I would walk into one place, overhear lots of interesting chatter, go down the steps and listen to some music, then make our way down the streets, passing the crowds of music-goers, to another club to begin this process yet again. And let me point out: This all started somewhere around 12 noon. NOON!
The amount of pizza I ate Friday night during 11 straight hours of going out (I realize pizza has nothing to do with CMJ): Elliot came to visit on Friday and helped set off these 11 ridiculous hours. We had an absolute blast bashing in NYC, and I loved pretending like I'm Miss New Yorker who knows my way around everywhere already. Anyway, it all started when I ate a slice of pizza with the girls for dinner, then got off super early (at 5:30!) and met Elli at this yummy and very cool mex place called the Cosmic Cantina. We ate delicious, organic, and cheap food, accompanied with a $12 pitcher of Tecate that was abnormally large. Then we made our way to Brooklyn and met up with some others to enjoy those delicious $3 margaritas at my new favorite bar, Anytime. Then the Gay Blades entered the night, followed by another slice of pizza that entertained us on the walk to the Cake Shop, a club with this very inspiring and funky bar/cafe/record shop on the first floor and an intimate and arsty venue down below. The music was good (Yeasayer, check 'em out) but the below too hot and stanky, so we chilled for a bit and then decided more pizza was necessary. Our appetites led us all the way to Brooklyn to a place called The Alligator Lounge, a bar at Lorimer that serves huge, delicious cheese pizzas for FREE with every drink purchase. I opted for a water and a slice of Lizzy's pizza, who also only ate a slice or two herself, thus leaving half a pizza for the trash can. But wait, fat-ass Elli saved the day! Props to him. He ate so much food that night, it was remarkable.
Somehow, midst all of this I have been working hardcore on my portfolio. If anyone is interested in reading my current stories and offering advice, I'm looking for all the help I can get. I also formed a writer's group via Craigslist to meet every other week and review each other's stuff...first meeting is this Sunday, so stay tuned.
Notable highlights from the past seven days of musical extravaganza:
The Gay Blades: A Brooklyn-based duo that relentlessly attacked the crowd with their sassy divaness and hard-rockin' rhythms from the very beginning. The frontman reminded me of Jack Stripe with his flashy guitar solos, melodic yet scratchy voice and intense screams, but added a nice touch of bitchy flair you'd expect from someone like Queen Latifah or Joan Jett. The drummer, an adorable nerd-type who sometimes backed up the singer with spoken word or high-pitched falsettos, only laughed at the antics while aggressively playing his fills. Throughout the night, a cup of ice was thrown at the crowd, my friend was told she was ugly for talking between songs, mostly everyone else was insulted in some fashion, and a large portion of the audience was pulled on stage to back up the singer's ultimate diva closure. I felt like his assistant princess when I got to officially end the music by banging the tom-tom and cymbal with a very worn drumstick he grabbed from his partner and thrust at me (which I then stuffed in my purse for keepsakes). Woo! And to top it all off, they played at the Lit Lounge, this cavernous venue with a twisty layout and extreme lack of light that promoted a kind of eerie and fun desire to get close to everyone.
The Press's costumes: The Press played an okay show musically but looked ultra hot physically. They apparently always dress in Native American costumes, complete with flowy panchoes, war face paint, and bandanas tied around their foreheads, but it was my first show and I fell in love with the look (I also fell in love with the spectacular third floor garden at the Delancey...definitely worth checking out before the winter!). Never before have I been able to watch a group of men jam out while simultaneously playing some weird version of "Cowboys and Indians." It was hot in that adult-who's-still-a-little-kid-at-heart kind of way.
The Woes: This enormous orchestra of random instruments was not a good fit for their venue, the Parkside Lounge, but despite the rough sound mix, they played a fun, solid set. Their gorgeous, dreadlocked lead singer alternated between banjo and acoustic guitar while twangily singing their blues/folk/rock influenced tunes. Their lineup included a pianist, accordianist, alto saxophonist, upright bassist, drummer and trumpeter, and probably something else I'm leaving off. They were packed up there on stage, all dancin' and smilin' and shoutin' along with the words. A good ol' time for sure.
The conversations I overheard: I was totally inspired. Like, every corner I turned would be another group of young people analyzing a performance or talking about their next show or sharing stories about falling off stages or discussing some philosophy behind their art. Dave B. and I would walk into one place, overhear lots of interesting chatter, go down the steps and listen to some music, then make our way down the streets, passing the crowds of music-goers, to another club to begin this process yet again. And let me point out: This all started somewhere around 12 noon. NOON!
The amount of pizza I ate Friday night during 11 straight hours of going out (I realize pizza has nothing to do with CMJ): Elliot came to visit on Friday and helped set off these 11 ridiculous hours. We had an absolute blast bashing in NYC, and I loved pretending like I'm Miss New Yorker who knows my way around everywhere already. Anyway, it all started when I ate a slice of pizza with the girls for dinner, then got off super early (at 5:30!) and met Elli at this yummy and very cool mex place called the Cosmic Cantina. We ate delicious, organic, and cheap food, accompanied with a $12 pitcher of Tecate that was abnormally large. Then we made our way to Brooklyn and met up with some others to enjoy those delicious $3 margaritas at my new favorite bar, Anytime. Then the Gay Blades entered the night, followed by another slice of pizza that entertained us on the walk to the Cake Shop, a club with this very inspiring and funky bar/cafe/record shop on the first floor and an intimate and arsty venue down below. The music was good (Yeasayer, check 'em out) but the below too hot and stanky, so we chilled for a bit and then decided more pizza was necessary. Our appetites led us all the way to Brooklyn to a place called The Alligator Lounge, a bar at Lorimer that serves huge, delicious cheese pizzas for FREE with every drink purchase. I opted for a water and a slice of Lizzy's pizza, who also only ate a slice or two herself, thus leaving half a pizza for the trash can. But wait, fat-ass Elli saved the day! Props to him. He ate so much food that night, it was remarkable.
Somehow, midst all of this I have been working hardcore on my portfolio. If anyone is interested in reading my current stories and offering advice, I'm looking for all the help I can get. I also formed a writer's group via Craigslist to meet every other week and review each other's stuff...first meeting is this Sunday, so stay tuned.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Grad School Freak-Out
I've been talking for awhile about going back to school, but debated at length over what type of degree I wanted to get. I finally decided to go for an MFA in creative writing and then go a little further for a PhD in English. After that, the plan is to get a job teaching at a university and use money to develop a program that sets up college students with Spanish-speaking children in the area to work on English and literacy skills. Assuming I get accepted into all of these programs and jobs, and get enough funding to do all of these things, it's a pretty good and exciting plan!
So, I've been checking out some MFA programs in New York City and getting excited. I'm interested in three places so far, but I have my heart set on one of them that seems totally perfect -- a Master's at NYU that combines English, American literature, creative writing and foreign language studies. And also, they have all of these literacy outreach programs and fellowships where MFA students work with young ones in the city on their reading and writing skills. Yeah, that's right, all the things I want to be doing with myself! There couldn't be a more perfect fit for my master plan.
So, since the other applications I've looked at are due in February (I'm also interested in the New School and Hunter College), I just assumed this one was due right about then as well and was taking my time putting the pieces together. Turns out, I was way wrong... THE NYU APPLICATION IS DUE DECEMBER EIGHTEENTH!
What?!? What admissions counselors need that much time between application deadlines and when the semester actually begins? Ahhhh! So, I properly freaked out, as the app requires three recommendations, two official transcripts, a two page statement of purpose, a twenty-five page portfolio, a resume, and GRE scores. Holy shit, right? Holy shit!
But then I kicked my ass into gear and so far, I've secured my recommendations, received my transcripts, outlined my statement of purpose, signed up for the GREs (Nov 10th) and bought one of those stupidly expensive Kaplan books, and have been writing writing writing. Luckily, NYU doesn't mind reapplying so if I don't make it this year, either I'll get into one of the other programs or I'll get in next time! But ahhhh, I really hope it doesn't come to reapplying next year... eep, I'm nervous!
But whether I get in or not, this is definitely a good experience for me as a writer. I've been writing every day and have fallen into a groove where it feels good and normal to be writing that much, whereas in Boston it was a struggle to write twice a week. I'm definitely feeling very inspired here, by the vibe of Williamsburg, by the people I'm meeting, by the music and art I pass in clubs and on the streets and in the subway (59th and Lex on the 4/5/6 is gorgeous, by the way...beautiful mosaics all over the station! And Union Ave tends to have the most eclectic musical performances... one day, a woman in a dress singing high-pitched opera, the next, a black man with dreads wailing on the guitar, the next, two very buff drummers banging on buckets...). This City definitely has its own energy, and I'm completely feeding off of it right now in really good ways. Let's hope NYU thinks the same!
So, I've been checking out some MFA programs in New York City and getting excited. I'm interested in three places so far, but I have my heart set on one of them that seems totally perfect -- a Master's at NYU that combines English, American literature, creative writing and foreign language studies. And also, they have all of these literacy outreach programs and fellowships where MFA students work with young ones in the city on their reading and writing skills. Yeah, that's right, all the things I want to be doing with myself! There couldn't be a more perfect fit for my master plan.
So, since the other applications I've looked at are due in February (I'm also interested in the New School and Hunter College), I just assumed this one was due right about then as well and was taking my time putting the pieces together. Turns out, I was way wrong... THE NYU APPLICATION IS DUE DECEMBER EIGHTEENTH!
What?!? What admissions counselors need that much time between application deadlines and when the semester actually begins? Ahhhh! So, I properly freaked out, as the app requires three recommendations, two official transcripts, a two page statement of purpose, a twenty-five page portfolio, a resume, and GRE scores. Holy shit, right? Holy shit!
But then I kicked my ass into gear and so far, I've secured my recommendations, received my transcripts, outlined my statement of purpose, signed up for the GREs (Nov 10th) and bought one of those stupidly expensive Kaplan books, and have been writing writing writing. Luckily, NYU doesn't mind reapplying so if I don't make it this year, either I'll get into one of the other programs or I'll get in next time! But ahhhh, I really hope it doesn't come to reapplying next year... eep, I'm nervous!
But whether I get in or not, this is definitely a good experience for me as a writer. I've been writing every day and have fallen into a groove where it feels good and normal to be writing that much, whereas in Boston it was a struggle to write twice a week. I'm definitely feeling very inspired here, by the vibe of Williamsburg, by the people I'm meeting, by the music and art I pass in clubs and on the streets and in the subway (59th and Lex on the 4/5/6 is gorgeous, by the way...beautiful mosaics all over the station! And Union Ave tends to have the most eclectic musical performances... one day, a woman in a dress singing high-pitched opera, the next, a black man with dreads wailing on the guitar, the next, two very buff drummers banging on buckets...). This City definitely has its own energy, and I'm completely feeding off of it right now in really good ways. Let's hope NYU thinks the same!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Accidental Intermediate Yoga
I finally joined a yoga center! I've been talking for months about how great I think yoga would me for my weirdly tight legs, slouchy posture, tense shoulders, and overall strength and clear-headedness, but have seemed to be content with just talking about it rather than actually doing it.
But now, no more just talk! I have entered a new era of a healthier me! I am now a neti-potter, facial mask wearer, daily protein smoothie drinker, and yoga master.
Well, not quite. Yoga absolute beginner is more fitting, but it's very interesting how I can already feel the benefits. Even during the actual poses I can feel my body opening up and stretching out and relaxing a bit more. And afterwards I feel so rejuvenated, and so motivated to drink herbal tea and take vitamins. It's weird how doing yoga only twice so far has kicked me onto this healthy Becky path. But hey, I'm down!
So anyway, my first class was the other day and my second today, and I'm diggin' it. But today's class was definitely a much more uh, appropriate session for me and my current in-flexibility. I accidentally went to an intermediate level class for my first session, and wow. The teacher was really helpful and nice to me, but I spent a good portion of those speedy and difficult salutations chillin' out in my downward dog. At one point she came over and helped me into a different pose, and I then spent a good portion of the next round chillin' out in my new pose. I was able to keep up for the first hour, but then it just kicked into this fast, twisty, legs over necks and arms around backs stuff, and I almost laughed at loud at the idea of me attempting these poses. But then the final half hour was doing bends on the floor, and I learned that I can push my legs up in the air when laying on my back, and then roll them all the way behind me so that my shoulders are on the floor and my knees are also on the floor except beside my ears. My body was all twisted up and it felt very strange but quite nice, actually. Then I got embarrassed because I queafed and the teacher was near me, but she didn't seem to notice. And anyway, I think some of the moves are supposed to cause gas passing. Later on, once we rolled out of this pose and back into the just normal stuff, the teacher came over to me and said, "Good job, I'm impressed!" I had spoken to her prior to the class about how I've never really done yoga before (that's when I found out it was an intermediate class), but since there were no beginner classes that day, she let me stay. And she was really sweet about it, too. According to her, my body is "very open." But according to me, my body was very confused during those two hours.
But besides all that, I felt better for having stuck through it, and found my beginner's class today to be perfect. Much slower and much more instruction, and much less complicated. I really like it, and am excited about continuing. The center, Greenhouse Holistic Center, is really great, too. It has a strong community feel...everyone is really friendly and warm, and the teachers appreciative and happy to be teaching something they clearly love. There are also pilates and belly dancing classes (oh la la!), and a suana that I can use for free whenever. I am looking forward to getting all sweaty and gross, which apparently cleanses me and revitalizes my skin.
I'm finding all of this really, really fun. And I can't wait until intermediate is the perfect choice for me! It will be nice to casually curl my leg around my neck and put my arms straight above me. Perhaps I'll learn how to do it while also soaking in the suana, drinking some roobois and pouring the neti-pot through my nostrils. Then I will have obtained the ultimate in health.
But now, no more just talk! I have entered a new era of a healthier me! I am now a neti-potter, facial mask wearer, daily protein smoothie drinker, and yoga master.
Well, not quite. Yoga absolute beginner is more fitting, but it's very interesting how I can already feel the benefits. Even during the actual poses I can feel my body opening up and stretching out and relaxing a bit more. And afterwards I feel so rejuvenated, and so motivated to drink herbal tea and take vitamins. It's weird how doing yoga only twice so far has kicked me onto this healthy Becky path. But hey, I'm down!
So anyway, my first class was the other day and my second today, and I'm diggin' it. But today's class was definitely a much more uh, appropriate session for me and my current in-flexibility. I accidentally went to an intermediate level class for my first session, and wow. The teacher was really helpful and nice to me, but I spent a good portion of those speedy and difficult salutations chillin' out in my downward dog. At one point she came over and helped me into a different pose, and I then spent a good portion of the next round chillin' out in my new pose. I was able to keep up for the first hour, but then it just kicked into this fast, twisty, legs over necks and arms around backs stuff, and I almost laughed at loud at the idea of me attempting these poses. But then the final half hour was doing bends on the floor, and I learned that I can push my legs up in the air when laying on my back, and then roll them all the way behind me so that my shoulders are on the floor and my knees are also on the floor except beside my ears. My body was all twisted up and it felt very strange but quite nice, actually. Then I got embarrassed because I queafed and the teacher was near me, but she didn't seem to notice. And anyway, I think some of the moves are supposed to cause gas passing. Later on, once we rolled out of this pose and back into the just normal stuff, the teacher came over to me and said, "Good job, I'm impressed!" I had spoken to her prior to the class about how I've never really done yoga before (that's when I found out it was an intermediate class), but since there were no beginner classes that day, she let me stay. And she was really sweet about it, too. According to her, my body is "very open." But according to me, my body was very confused during those two hours.
But besides all that, I felt better for having stuck through it, and found my beginner's class today to be perfect. Much slower and much more instruction, and much less complicated. I really like it, and am excited about continuing. The center, Greenhouse Holistic Center, is really great, too. It has a strong community feel...everyone is really friendly and warm, and the teachers appreciative and happy to be teaching something they clearly love. There are also pilates and belly dancing classes (oh la la!), and a suana that I can use for free whenever. I am looking forward to getting all sweaty and gross, which apparently cleanses me and revitalizes my skin.
I'm finding all of this really, really fun. And I can't wait until intermediate is the perfect choice for me! It will be nice to casually curl my leg around my neck and put my arms straight above me. Perhaps I'll learn how to do it while also soaking in the suana, drinking some roobois and pouring the neti-pot through my nostrils. Then I will have obtained the ultimate in health.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Sik in the Sity
I caught a cold, complete with sore throat, lots of drippage, achy limbs and tired-tired-tiredness. I laid in my bed from midnight until 2:30 IN THE PM today. I feel worthless when I'm sick. And to be sick when I want to be exploring my new city! Though my clubhouse bunk bed is super fun, I think I have fully explored all of its four, small corners.
It's not exciting in any way to be sick when you're an adult. As a kid, you get to miss school and drink Sprite and eat mashed potatoes and watch movies all day. But as an adult, you still have to go to work unless you really just can't go, and if that's the case then you have to deal with falling behind or, in my situation, with the amount of stress your illness puts on your employer. I know that Linda is understanding enough that if I were really sick, she would find backup. But it would be so hard for her to work all that out! And I don't want to make something really hard on her for just a measly little virus. I am stronger than this common cold!
Anyway, me and my cold have been going to work but the girls have taken it really easy on me. We made tea and by the end of last night, I was literally lying on the couch with my eyes closed while Angela read something out loud to me. But then I got a free car ride home, so that was sweet. Last night and tonight are both late nights, but it actually might be better for me to be stuck here. Otherwise I may be too tempted by the lights of the neighboring bars near my house!
Actually that's false. I have no desire to put any type of drink in my system other than OJ and herbal tea right now.
I'm rambling. Basically, I'm using all this space to say that I've worked and slept all week. I've worked more than usual, but it's not real work because once the girls go to bed, I just sit and chill out with their amazing, adorable, sweet and cuddly dog. And Marie and I have had our best week yet. She's arguing less, but I've also adopted a new outlook toward her. Instead of letting her sarcasm and attitude get under my skin, I've decided to focus on the comical side of it. It is pretty hilarious to see a 10-year-old mouthing off some of the stuff she comes up with! Obviously I don't laugh out loud at her because that's just insulting, but I understand that she has a lot going on inside of her that makes her angry, and that she's just being a normal 10-year-old, and that it's nothing personal against me. When I keep all those things in mind, her little bursts are kind of hilarious.
Before I close, I must mention the fun but exhausting weekend. My family came all the way from farm land KY, via a car, to visit me in the big city of sin! Dad, Mom and the Granny DROVE from Kentucky to scope out their daughter's new 'hood. We did have a good time, but most of our visit was spent in their hotel room. Granny wasn't feeling her best, and all three were overwhelmed by Brooklyn.
By Brooklyn! Some of the top quotes: "Too many people." "The cars just park on the corners like that, you can't see anything! That's dangerous." "Those people just pop out from everywhere, they don't even look!" It was funny. When I'm being hard on myself for not being a big tough city girl, I just think of where I came from. Overall, the visit was good. I taught Mom how to play Texas Hold 'Em and we bet with Skittles. And they bought me yummy food all day long. Then on Sunday, all of them met Dave over brunch at this neat restaurant with weird art on Staten Island. Of course they adored him. Then we parted ways, and Dave and I walked all around, exploring the very residential lands of Staten Island. Quite pretty, but a little boring in comparison to other boroughs.
And then I got sick. But you've heard plenty about that already. Just one quick piece of advice: EAT LOTS OF VITAMIN B AND C! Being sick is lame.
It's not exciting in any way to be sick when you're an adult. As a kid, you get to miss school and drink Sprite and eat mashed potatoes and watch movies all day. But as an adult, you still have to go to work unless you really just can't go, and if that's the case then you have to deal with falling behind or, in my situation, with the amount of stress your illness puts on your employer. I know that Linda is understanding enough that if I were really sick, she would find backup. But it would be so hard for her to work all that out! And I don't want to make something really hard on her for just a measly little virus. I am stronger than this common cold!
Anyway, me and my cold have been going to work but the girls have taken it really easy on me. We made tea and by the end of last night, I was literally lying on the couch with my eyes closed while Angela read something out loud to me. But then I got a free car ride home, so that was sweet. Last night and tonight are both late nights, but it actually might be better for me to be stuck here. Otherwise I may be too tempted by the lights of the neighboring bars near my house!
Actually that's false. I have no desire to put any type of drink in my system other than OJ and herbal tea right now.
I'm rambling. Basically, I'm using all this space to say that I've worked and slept all week. I've worked more than usual, but it's not real work because once the girls go to bed, I just sit and chill out with their amazing, adorable, sweet and cuddly dog. And Marie and I have had our best week yet. She's arguing less, but I've also adopted a new outlook toward her. Instead of letting her sarcasm and attitude get under my skin, I've decided to focus on the comical side of it. It is pretty hilarious to see a 10-year-old mouthing off some of the stuff she comes up with! Obviously I don't laugh out loud at her because that's just insulting, but I understand that she has a lot going on inside of her that makes her angry, and that she's just being a normal 10-year-old, and that it's nothing personal against me. When I keep all those things in mind, her little bursts are kind of hilarious.
Before I close, I must mention the fun but exhausting weekend. My family came all the way from farm land KY, via a car, to visit me in the big city of sin! Dad, Mom and the Granny DROVE from Kentucky to scope out their daughter's new 'hood. We did have a good time, but most of our visit was spent in their hotel room. Granny wasn't feeling her best, and all three were overwhelmed by Brooklyn.
By Brooklyn! Some of the top quotes: "Too many people." "The cars just park on the corners like that, you can't see anything! That's dangerous." "Those people just pop out from everywhere, they don't even look!" It was funny. When I'm being hard on myself for not being a big tough city girl, I just think of where I came from. Overall, the visit was good. I taught Mom how to play Texas Hold 'Em and we bet with Skittles. And they bought me yummy food all day long. Then on Sunday, all of them met Dave over brunch at this neat restaurant with weird art on Staten Island. Of course they adored him. Then we parted ways, and Dave and I walked all around, exploring the very residential lands of Staten Island. Quite pretty, but a little boring in comparison to other boroughs.
And then I got sick. But you've heard plenty about that already. Just one quick piece of advice: EAT LOTS OF VITAMIN B AND C! Being sick is lame.
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