Truly, Madly, Deeply - Savage Garden
Hey Leonardo - Blessid Union of Souls
Dreamlover - Maraiah Carey
Jack and Diana - John Mellencamp
I'm Sorry Miss Jackson - Outkast
All I Want - Toad The Wet Sprocket
I Saw the Sign - Ace of Base
Kiss Me - Ten Shekel Shirt
Kiss From a Rose - Seal
Good times :) Just thought I'd jog some memories!
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Boys and Girls
I read a quote from Shannon Doherty the other day, and it came at an interesting time. See, I've never really been one of those "bad boy" girls, and I spent some time the other day talking to a very good friend who is most definitely not a bad boy. It seems he's having the frequent and repeated trouble of dating girls who only want bad boys, and his current interest is no different.
I even went on this chick's blog and here's what it says:
"So...how is it that I manage to get treated like a piece of poo by guys? (yes, I said "poo") Even the nice ones, somehow I manage to be the ONE girl that they decide to treat badly...ooo so disappointing."
Elsewhere:
"I've decided that I'm absolutely horrible with relathionships. It seems like I'm never good enough for anyone, they always find my flaws...so I've continuously lowered my standards...but, then I find flaws, or just realize that by lowering my standards, I'm not happy. So, when I do get a really great guy, such as one I've met recently, I spend way too much time doubting myself and worrying about when he's going to realize that I'm not good enough for him....it's a viscious cycle.."
Ok, so my annoyance here is that I'm totally on this boy's side and this girl isn't making any sense. And I know she's not alone. Girls complain about guys treating them like crap, they talk about how inadequate they feel, but then they get a nice guy, a really sweet one who won't walk all over them and who makes them feel adequate and then they seem to purposely screw it up!
(I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge that I feel much too old to be posting this blog. I feel at 23 we should be past this, and this girl is actually 24, I think. Also, this isn't a personal problem as in "I have this friend" just in case you're wondering :)
I have two theories on this:
My first theory is pretty much what everyone else always says and what Shannon Doherty concurred with:
The other theory is one I'm working on and plan to publish soon, but it's just not ready so I'll post it here. Maybe the girls who complain about always being with bad boys who don't treat them well are just too sensitive or confused and they think that the way they are treated is bad when really it's not. Now don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying that every woman who complains about her significant other is derranged. I know that domestic violence and physicial and emotional abuse are very common, but I'm talking about the girls who just generally complain about boys and don't really have anything specific to back up their claims... Perhaps no boy stands a chance because they are just hyper-sensitive to being in a relationship...
Either way, as Jim Carey said in "The Mask," nice guys do finish last. Boys like my friend don't appear to stand a chance with these girls and really don't stand a chance. Which brings us back to the age-old proposition, lets just all wear signs around our necks!
Perhaps not the most insightful post, but just wanted to get something out there on this annoying topic.
I even went on this chick's blog and here's what it says:
"So...how is it that I manage to get treated like a piece of poo by guys? (yes, I said "poo") Even the nice ones, somehow I manage to be the ONE girl that they decide to treat badly...ooo so disappointing."
Elsewhere:
"I've decided that I'm absolutely horrible with relathionships. It seems like I'm never good enough for anyone, they always find my flaws...so I've continuously lowered my standards...but, then I find flaws, or just realize that by lowering my standards, I'm not happy. So, when I do get a really great guy, such as one I've met recently, I spend way too much time doubting myself and worrying about when he's going to realize that I'm not good enough for him....it's a viscious cycle.."
Ok, so my annoyance here is that I'm totally on this boy's side and this girl isn't making any sense. And I know she's not alone. Girls complain about guys treating them like crap, they talk about how inadequate they feel, but then they get a nice guy, a really sweet one who won't walk all over them and who makes them feel adequate and then they seem to purposely screw it up!
(I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge that I feel much too old to be posting this blog. I feel at 23 we should be past this, and this girl is actually 24, I think. Also, this isn't a personal problem as in "I have this friend" just in case you're wondering :)
I have two theories on this:
My first theory is pretty much what everyone else always says and what Shannon Doherty concurred with:
"I wish I'd grown out of my bad-boy phase much sooner. But every girl has to go through it. If you have an amazing guy or a bad boy, you go for the bad boy. It's just that rawness and that feeling of rebelling."
-the ever-wise Shannon Doherty.
Some girls just prefer bad boys. This group can be further divided into those who, like my good friend Shannon, acknowledge their preference for bad boys and stand by it. The other group is the group who swears they don't like bad boys but somehow just (Oops!) end up with them anyway. I really don't have anything profound to say about that, sorry, just pointing it out.
The other theory is one I'm working on and plan to publish soon, but it's just not ready so I'll post it here. Maybe the girls who complain about always being with bad boys who don't treat them well are just too sensitive or confused and they think that the way they are treated is bad when really it's not. Now don't get me wrong, I am NOT saying that every woman who complains about her significant other is derranged. I know that domestic violence and physicial and emotional abuse are very common, but I'm talking about the girls who just generally complain about boys and don't really have anything specific to back up their claims... Perhaps no boy stands a chance because they are just hyper-sensitive to being in a relationship...
Either way, as Jim Carey said in "The Mask," nice guys do finish last. Boys like my friend don't appear to stand a chance with these girls and really don't stand a chance. Which brings us back to the age-old proposition, lets just all wear signs around our necks!
Perhaps not the most insightful post, but just wanted to get something out there on this annoying topic.
WTH?!
That's the censored version of WTF, of course.
Haha well it appears my parents are having trouble understanding this post. Well, according to this news story, Pluto is no longer a planet. Well, the rest of the post was just me rambling about how this screws up the whole mnemonic device we used to use to memorize the planets back in the day. And since the conclusion of said device is that the children get 9 pizzas....I just figured now they'd be in trouble, what without the pizzas and all. Ok, happy now?
Um, so apparently I go away for a week and we LOSE A PLANET...Pluto has apparently been voted out of the Solar System. I mean, usually when you go on vacation you expect a little news, but this is BIG...I mean seriously what will happen to all of those mnemonic devices?
My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas....
And all of a sudden, we have no more pizzas. And its not like there are many foods that start with N....
nuggets, nothing,
I mean seriously!! These poor kids are going to be starving....
Leave it to me to really get down to the nitty gritty. Pluto is no longer a planet=children somewhere are without their nine pizzas. 'Tis a tragedy.
Haha well it appears my parents are having trouble understanding this post. Well, according to this news story, Pluto is no longer a planet. Well, the rest of the post was just me rambling about how this screws up the whole mnemonic device we used to use to memorize the planets back in the day. And since the conclusion of said device is that the children get 9 pizzas....I just figured now they'd be in trouble, what without the pizzas and all. Ok, happy now?
Um, so apparently I go away for a week and we LOSE A PLANET...Pluto has apparently been voted out of the Solar System. I mean, usually when you go on vacation you expect a little news, but this is BIG...I mean seriously what will happen to all of those mnemonic devices?
My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas....
And all of a sudden, we have no more pizzas. And its not like there are many foods that start with N....
nuggets, nothing,
I mean seriously!! These poor kids are going to be starving....
Leave it to me to really get down to the nitty gritty. Pluto is no longer a planet=children somewhere are without their nine pizzas. 'Tis a tragedy.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Vacation Videos!!
Ok, a BIG thanks to Brittany for helping me get my videos up on here! I'm so glad it finally worked. They both show me riding on this REALLY rocky trail that we took back to go fishing...Believe me, it was harder than it looks!
Back from Vacation 5
Ok, some out-of-blog comments now. First of all, does anyone know how to put videos from photobucket into this blog? If so, please e-mail me or comment me the instructions: carissa.lucyk@gmail.com. Oh, and another thing, you can see all these pictures in much more detail if you just click on them.
Also, if you want to read the previous few blogs in order, start with "Back from Vacation" that's the original, then read them up the blog from 2-5. Just a tip.
Finally, I want to give a shout-out to all of my loyal readers from my family. It was so cute on my vacation, I kept telling stories that were already on my blog, and they would say "Oh, I saw that on your blog." In addition, they kept asking me if things would end up on the blog. It was cute that everyone is keeping up with me. So here's a shout-out to Grandpa and Nana, Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Geoff, Aunt Cathy, Grandma Lucyk, Grandma Hooper and more!! I also have some great friends who are keeping up with me, including: Dillon, David and Linnette, Bria, and Becca! If you're reading and want a shout out, then feel free to e-mail me or post a comment so I know!
Ok, I promise I'll get back to posting very profound, thoughtful things soon, I just wanted to catch everyone up to speed!
Also, if you want to read the previous few blogs in order, start with "Back from Vacation" that's the original, then read them up the blog from 2-5. Just a tip.
Finally, I want to give a shout-out to all of my loyal readers from my family. It was so cute on my vacation, I kept telling stories that were already on my blog, and they would say "Oh, I saw that on your blog." In addition, they kept asking me if things would end up on the blog. It was cute that everyone is keeping up with me. So here's a shout-out to Grandpa and Nana, Aunt Sheryl and Uncle Geoff, Aunt Cathy, Grandma Lucyk, Grandma Hooper and more!! I also have some great friends who are keeping up with me, including: Dillon, David and Linnette, Bria, and Becca! If you're reading and want a shout out, then feel free to e-mail me or post a comment so I know!
Ok, I promise I'll get back to posting very profound, thoughtful things soon, I just wanted to catch everyone up to speed!
Back from Vacation 4
And speaking if mamas and babies, here's an adorable picture of a mother and baby moose near our cabin! 
Finally, here we have some bison crossing the road. Apparently we were in their way!
Finally, here we have some bison crossing the road. Apparently we were in their way!
Back from Vacation 3
We also spent a good portion of our vacation-ok most of it-eating. I believe we spent about $900 on food for the 16 people for 7 days. A typical day went pretty much like this. Wake up, eat breakfast, change clothes, snack, sit around, eat lunch, go for a ride, snack, dinner, snack, drink, desert....basically life was just punctuated by food. Well, our first formal dinner was steak and I just wanted to show you a picture of the giant steaks on the grill!
Speaking of meat, we saw quite a lot of wildlife on the trip. First, feast your eardrums (T) on these adorable shots of a mama black bear and her two babies up in the top of a tree eating!
Back from Vacation 2
Ok, I'm sorry but I just realized that this is going to be a very, very long post :) I have many pictures and even some videos! Apparently I will need to break it up to fit it all, so you may not be reading this in my desired order :) Oh well!
So you might wonder what we could possible do for 7 days without cell service or computers. Well, let me assure you, we had a four-wheeler to person ratio of .875 to 1. That's right, 14 four-wheelers for 16 people. Several times throughout the week, we managed to take out almost all of the bikes at one time. Here is a picture of 12 of them ready and rarin' to go!
In Cooke City, it's pretty much expected that you ride your four-wheeler on both the trails and the public roads. We, of course, partook of this tradition like natives and, at times, I felt like we fit right in! Twice, in fact, I walked into the local pub and really did feel like a local, as I knew more than 2/3 of the people in the room! The first time, we were all exploring downtown Cooke City and I ended up getting behind me group. I glimpsed some slot machines inside a little bar and realized that my grandma was probably in there. Well, I walked in and most of my family was in there drinking beers, playing pool, and otherwise carrying on. The second time, Taryn and I had returned early from a long ride and almost everyone else was out riding still. We decided to head to town to buy some marshmallows and spotted a large mass of fourwheelers that looked quite familiar outside the bar. We walked in and once again found everyone around a table drinkin' beers! I felt like I knew everyone in town! Here's a picture of a few bikes outside the bar. These aren't even ours, apparently it's also quite normal to drive your four-wheeler to the bar!
So you might wonder what we could possible do for 7 days without cell service or computers. Well, let me assure you, we had a four-wheeler to person ratio of .875 to 1. That's right, 14 four-wheelers for 16 people. Several times throughout the week, we managed to take out almost all of the bikes at one time. Here is a picture of 12 of them ready and rarin' to go!
In Cooke City, it's pretty much expected that you ride your four-wheeler on both the trails and the public roads. We, of course, partook of this tradition like natives and, at times, I felt like we fit right in! Twice, in fact, I walked into the local pub and really did feel like a local, as I knew more than 2/3 of the people in the room! The first time, we were all exploring downtown Cooke City and I ended up getting behind me group. I glimpsed some slot machines inside a little bar and realized that my grandma was probably in there. Well, I walked in and most of my family was in there drinking beers, playing pool, and otherwise carrying on. The second time, Taryn and I had returned early from a long ride and almost everyone else was out riding still. We decided to head to town to buy some marshmallows and spotted a large mass of fourwheelers that looked quite familiar outside the bar. We walked in and once again found everyone around a table drinkin' beers! I felt like I knew everyone in town! Here's a picture of a few bikes outside the bar. These aren't even ours, apparently it's also quite normal to drive your four-wheeler to the bar!
Back from Vacation
Yesterday, I returned from a 1-week vacation in the mountains of Montana and Whyoming. Remember my previous post about being a northern redneck. Well, if this trip didn't embody that ideal, I don't know what did!! And I loved every minute of it. My entire family on my dad's side, plus some welcome additions converged on the TINY town of Cooke City, Montana, 16 of us in all. We spent the week riding four-wheelers and otherwise exploring. Here are some highlights, complete with photos where possible.
We started our trip out right with a late-night trip to Denny's in Billings, MT. Much to Brent's dismay, we did indulge ourselves in some of the largest meals ever sold for under $6. If only there were Denny's in New York. And even though we ARE pretty crazy (Aunt Cathy assured me she frequently visits Denny's post-midnight ;-), we did not indulge in the beverages advertised in this picture.
We spent our week at Big Bear Lodge where we were the only guests under the careful watch of the crazy pothead caretaker, Yvonne. Unfortunately, I was unable to secure a photo of Yvonne because, as far as I know, she never spent more than 2.7 seconds in the same location, not to mention the same personality. Big Bear Lodge had much to offer, including a hot tub, Direct TV, and good water pressure. One thing that Big Bear Lodge lacked, however, was a dinner table capable of accomodating our large group of large appetites. Fortunately, the ever-innovative Lucyk family thought of a suitable solution: The traible. That's right. We invented a new word by using my dad's four-wheeler trailer as a table all week.
Ok, I'm sorry but I just realized that this is going to be a very, very long post :) I have many pictures and even some videos!
So you might wonder what we could possible do for 7 days without cell service or computers. Well, let me assure you, we had a four-wheeler to person ratio of .875 to 1. That's right, 14 four-wheelers for 16 people. Several times throughout the week, we managed to take out almost all of the bikes at one time. Here is a picture of 12 of them ready and rarin' to go!
We started our trip out right with a late-night trip to Denny's in Billings, MT. Much to Brent's dismay, we did indulge ourselves in some of the largest meals ever sold for under $6. If only there were Denny's in New York. And even though we ARE pretty crazy (Aunt Cathy assured me she frequently visits Denny's post-midnight ;-), we did not indulge in the beverages advertised in this picture.
We spent our week at Big Bear Lodge where we were the only guests under the careful watch of the crazy pothead caretaker, Yvonne. Unfortunately, I was unable to secure a photo of Yvonne because, as far as I know, she never spent more than 2.7 seconds in the same location, not to mention the same personality. Big Bear Lodge had much to offer, including a hot tub, Direct TV, and good water pressure. One thing that Big Bear Lodge lacked, however, was a dinner table capable of accomodating our large group of large appetites. Fortunately, the ever-innovative Lucyk family thought of a suitable solution: The traible. That's right. We invented a new word by using my dad's four-wheeler trailer as a table all week.
Ok, I'm sorry but I just realized that this is going to be a very, very long post :) I have many pictures and even some videos!
So you might wonder what we could possible do for 7 days without cell service or computers. Well, let me assure you, we had a four-wheeler to person ratio of .875 to 1. That's right, 14 four-wheelers for 16 people. Several times throughout the week, we managed to take out almost all of the bikes at one time. Here is a picture of 12 of them ready and rarin' to go!
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Coming to you from Columbus Circle
Hey friends, I'm writing this post from the Samsung store in Columbus circle. Taylor is off looking at sweet cell phones, sound systems, and other boyish things, and I decided to take advantage of the free internet to just write a little something.
Today was a nice day. Taylor came by after work and "picked me up" which basically means he met me there and walked with me out of the building. Then we went to the sweet Apple store at 59th and 5th. It's the one that has the big cube of glass as the entrance. It is the busiest place ever, but not very useful, as their accessories are kind of lacking. Oh well.
Then we walked across the south end of the park to Columbus circle. I'm on the hunt for some scrapbooking goods for a gift, and Taylor is going to get a pair of the sweet retractable headphones I got at Bed Bath and Beyond. Tonight we're going out to dinner because I'm leaving on vacation for a week tomorrow and won't get to see him. Which also means I won't get to see the blog, SAD!! Don't miss me too much :) Oh, and I actually had blogspot un-blocked at work, so I might do a post from there tomorrow if I have time.
Sorry this one isn't more exciting, I'll be sure to think of a bunch of exciting and riveting topics during my vacation. Oh, and if you're bored, check out www.girlyoubetterrun.blogspot.com. She's one of our Team in Training participants and her blog CRACKS ME UP!!!
Today was a nice day. Taylor came by after work and "picked me up" which basically means he met me there and walked with me out of the building. Then we went to the sweet Apple store at 59th and 5th. It's the one that has the big cube of glass as the entrance. It is the busiest place ever, but not very useful, as their accessories are kind of lacking. Oh well.
Then we walked across the south end of the park to Columbus circle. I'm on the hunt for some scrapbooking goods for a gift, and Taylor is going to get a pair of the sweet retractable headphones I got at Bed Bath and Beyond. Tonight we're going out to dinner because I'm leaving on vacation for a week tomorrow and won't get to see him. Which also means I won't get to see the blog, SAD!! Don't miss me too much :) Oh, and I actually had blogspot un-blocked at work, so I might do a post from there tomorrow if I have time.
Sorry this one isn't more exciting, I'll be sure to think of a bunch of exciting and riveting topics during my vacation. Oh, and if you're bored, check out www.girlyoubetterrun.blogspot.com. She's one of our Team in Training participants and her blog CRACKS ME UP!!!
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Catch 22's and other frustrations!
So today I went to the bank because I ordered checks like three weeks ago and still have not received them. They told me that they had attempted to deliver them, but that the mailperson must have not recognized my name as being someone who lives in that apartment, so they sent them back. But, the reason that I need the checks is so that I can mail a check to the leasing company so that I can officially get my name on the apartment. So, I need checks to get the apartment and I need the apartment to get the checks….lovely.
And on other random address-error news, I have been waiting almost three weeks for a reimbursement check to come in the mail. Since my paychecks are currently being mailed to my New York apartment, I just assumed that this reimbursement check would also because I was told, “It will go to the address that we have on file for you.” So, when I called to check on the check, they told me that they sent it to 110 Acklen Park Drive in Nashville. Which is my old address from last year. What I don’t understand is WHY they have an old address on file for me.
Oh, and I’m also having trouble accessing my online banking because I have a randomly-generated username that I am incapable of remembering. And in trying to change this username, I, of course, had to identify myself for Bank of America’s emlpoyees via phone. I have counted no less than the following either “passwords” that I need to know to do this:
Access ID
Online ID
Username
Sitekey
Passcode
Pin Number
Verbal Password
Temporary telephone pin number
P.S. none of which I currently know!!! Good times!
Honestly, none of this really bothers me that much, I just wanted to share some of the silly things that are happening to make my life a little more interesting (read: difficult).
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Fun times with old friends!
In other news, I went to a wedding last weekend of some very good friends from high school. It was a fabulous time seeing everyone I haven't seen in 5 years. The cool part was, everyone was exactly the same or cooler than they were back in the day! It was nice to see people again and realize that they would still be your friends if you found yourselves in the same city or whatever. Unfortunately, though, people are flung far and wide. It was just a good reminder of great times gone by. Here are a few photos. 
Oh, and while I was unpacking from my recent move, I found some REALLY old photos. Compare these two!! Unfortunately, we were unable to snatch the bride for this one!
Oh, and while I was unpacking from my recent move, I found some REALLY old photos. Compare these two!! Unfortunately, we were unable to snatch the bride for this one!
My Room!!
Ok, so it's not completely done, but it's almost there and I just wanted to show everyone!
The room is really small, but these pictures do a pretty good job of showing it :) I'm still working on a duvet, but I think it looks pretty good!
The room is really small, but these pictures do a pretty good job of showing it :) I'm still working on a duvet, but I think it looks pretty good!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
A Beautiful Day in New York
A beautiful day in New York
Today has quite possibly been my favorite day in New York so far. It has been 75 and sunny all day, long with almost zero humidity. I needed to be at the first Team in Training practice of the season at 8:15am. I woke up before my alarm, threw on my running clothes, and headed off to practice. It was one of those perfect mornings for running. Cool, sunny, slight breeze. I ran about 3.4 miles with the Team and also got to meet a bunch of new people, which was quite fun.
On a funny note, I have to wear this ridiculously bright vest to practice so people know I’m Staff…just thought I’d show you!
After the workout, I decided to go check out the Upper East Side branch of my gym (the one where I got a free membership). I decided that since it was such a nice day, I would walk to the gym, so I walked from 72nd and Central Park to 81st and 3rd Ave. In doing so, I got to walk through some really beautiful areas of the Upper East Side including strolling by Caroline Herrera and some really nice Park Ave. apartments.
I went to the gym and pumped some iron, then headed out in search of some iced coffee. I found a Starbucks in no time flat and bought my coffee. Then, on my way to the crosstown bus, I saw these really pretty flowers and bought them for our apartment. So, carrying my Starbucks and my flowers, I hopped on the bus to Amsterdam. Then, I walked up Amsterdam, just checking out the little restaurants and bars. It was such a relaxing, fun morning (all of this happened before noon).
It got home and took a shower, and headed out to meet my roommate Susie and her friend who is in town for the weekend. We met downtown at Old Navy and did some shopping there, at Bed Bath and Beyond, and TJ Maxx. I bought some new headphones with a retractable cord. (For those of you who are familiar with my iron and my fondness for retractable cords!!).
Then, we went down to Soho and just walked around. I’d never been there before, and it’s a really neat area with lots of really expensive stores and cute restaurants. We just walked around and checked it out for a while and then headed back home. Now we’re sitting here watching Sex and the City, about to order in some Chinese and drink some wine. What a fabulous day! I apologize for those who had a busy day today, because I know how much I used to hate when people had nothing to do on the weekends and I was busy, but I really enjoyed today and just wanted to share it J
Oh, and in other news, I completely finished unpacking today and my room looks really good!! I’m going to go take some pictures right now and post them in a separate post. Enjoy!
Today has quite possibly been my favorite day in New York so far. It has been 75 and sunny all day, long with almost zero humidity. I needed to be at the first Team in Training practice of the season at 8:15am. I woke up before my alarm, threw on my running clothes, and headed off to practice. It was one of those perfect mornings for running. Cool, sunny, slight breeze. I ran about 3.4 miles with the Team and also got to meet a bunch of new people, which was quite fun.
On a funny note, I have to wear this ridiculously bright vest to practice so people know I’m Staff…just thought I’d show you!
After the workout, I decided to go check out the Upper East Side branch of my gym (the one where I got a free membership). I decided that since it was such a nice day, I would walk to the gym, so I walked from 72nd and Central Park to 81st and 3rd Ave. In doing so, I got to walk through some really beautiful areas of the Upper East Side including strolling by Caroline Herrera and some really nice Park Ave. apartments.
I went to the gym and pumped some iron, then headed out in search of some iced coffee. I found a Starbucks in no time flat and bought my coffee. Then, on my way to the crosstown bus, I saw these really pretty flowers and bought them for our apartment. So, carrying my Starbucks and my flowers, I hopped on the bus to Amsterdam. Then, I walked up Amsterdam, just checking out the little restaurants and bars. It was such a relaxing, fun morning (all of this happened before noon).
It got home and took a shower, and headed out to meet my roommate Susie and her friend who is in town for the weekend. We met downtown at Old Navy and did some shopping there, at Bed Bath and Beyond, and TJ Maxx. I bought some new headphones with a retractable cord. (For those of you who are familiar with my iron and my fondness for retractable cords!!).
Then, we went down to Soho and just walked around. I’d never been there before, and it’s a really neat area with lots of really expensive stores and cute restaurants. We just walked around and checked it out for a while and then headed back home. Now we’re sitting here watching Sex and the City, about to order in some Chinese and drink some wine. What a fabulous day! I apologize for those who had a busy day today, because I know how much I used to hate when people had nothing to do on the weekends and I was busy, but I really enjoyed today and just wanted to share it J
Oh, and in other news, I completely finished unpacking today and my room looks really good!! I’m going to go take some pictures right now and post them in a separate post. Enjoy!
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Making it on my own
Whew! I can't believe I haven't written in three days. I have so much to tell...though I apologize, this may be random and/or not interesting to some of you! Let's start with Tuesday:
My roommate and I had a fabulously domestiv evening. We met up after work and went to Bed Bath and Beyond and JCrew (I wanted some sandals, but they didn't have the ones I want). I got some wonderful new towels. I realized that home furnishings are my weakness. Last year, I spent $30 on a pillow, this year, $20 a piece on towels. It's funny because I abolutely will not splurge like that on food, clothing, or pretty much anything else. But home furnishings, you bet!!
After Bed, Bath & Beyond, we decided to make pasta for dinner and went and bought wine and cooked dinner together and watched three episodes of Sex and the City. Isn't that cute?! Then we went to bed at like 10:30pm and both got up and worked out. I went running ( 3.5 miles, I'm proud!) and she did a workout tape in the apartment.
Speaking of working out, I have exciting news!!! This co-worker of mine had a fundraiser last week at the 40/40 club. He came up to me yesterday and asked if I had a gym membership yet. See, I had bought a raffle ticket at the party, but I had to leave early so I gave it to him and he swore to tell me if I won. Well, I asked him Monday if I won and he said no, but then yesterday he told me that there was an extra prize and he wanted me to have it. Its a FREE 6-MONTH MEMBERSHIP TO A GYM!! How exciting is that? And apparently its a really nice gym RIGHT by work, so I can go right after work. I'm so happy! We'll see if I like it I might continue on there, but at least I won't have to pay for a while. And that's worth a lot of money because gyms here are like $75/month...ugh.
Speaking of free goodies, a friend of mine apparently had to go by her boss place yesterday and get something. And her boss was like, "Hey, I got this bag as a gift and I don't want it. I was going to sell it, but I thought you might like it" Turns out, it was this $2,600 Louis Vuitton bag!!
It's a charmed life, that's for sure!
Well that was Tuesday and, if I do say, Wednesday was extremely uneventful due to the fact that I spent twelve hours at work.
On to today :) Today was a very productive day. Allow me to list my exciting accomplishments today
My roommate and I had a fabulously domestiv evening. We met up after work and went to Bed Bath and Beyond and JCrew (I wanted some sandals, but they didn't have the ones I want). I got some wonderful new towels. I realized that home furnishings are my weakness. Last year, I spent $30 on a pillow, this year, $20 a piece on towels. It's funny because I abolutely will not splurge like that on food, clothing, or pretty much anything else. But home furnishings, you bet!!
After Bed, Bath & Beyond, we decided to make pasta for dinner and went and bought wine and cooked dinner together and watched three episodes of Sex and the City. Isn't that cute?! Then we went to bed at like 10:30pm and both got up and worked out. I went running ( 3.5 miles, I'm proud!) and she did a workout tape in the apartment.
Speaking of working out, I have exciting news!!! This co-worker of mine had a fundraiser last week at the 40/40 club. He came up to me yesterday and asked if I had a gym membership yet. See, I had bought a raffle ticket at the party, but I had to leave early so I gave it to him and he swore to tell me if I won. Well, I asked him Monday if I won and he said no, but then yesterday he told me that there was an extra prize and he wanted me to have it. Its a FREE 6-MONTH MEMBERSHIP TO A GYM!! How exciting is that? And apparently its a really nice gym RIGHT by work, so I can go right after work. I'm so happy! We'll see if I like it I might continue on there, but at least I won't have to pay for a while. And that's worth a lot of money because gyms here are like $75/month...ugh.
Speaking of free goodies, a friend of mine apparently had to go by her boss place yesterday and get something. And her boss was like, "Hey, I got this bag as a gift and I don't want it. I was going to sell it, but I thought you might like it" Turns out, it was this $2,600 Louis Vuitton bag!!
It's a charmed life, that's for sure!
Well that was Tuesday and, if I do say, Wednesday was extremely uneventful due to the fact that I spent twelve hours at work.
On to today :) Today was a very productive day. Allow me to list my exciting accomplishments today
- I saw a homeless man's butt on Park Avenue
- I worked out during lunch and managed to cram it all in to 1 hour and 10 minutes
- I left work shortly after 5 despite my boss's "suggestion" that I might want to stay longer
- I purchased some bronzer that had a $4 off manufacturer's coupon (I thought they outlawed those in New York!)
- I got a New York Public Library Card, and checked out two books.
- I took a cab, just for convenience (this is not something I normally do)
- I installed and configured a wireless router (which I am using to post this blog!!)
- In doing so, I spoke with a man in India who remote-accessed my computer, so I got to watch him move the mouse and type things...it was interesting!
Well, I hope that this keeps you entertained for today :)
Monday, August 07, 2006
Penn-sanity
(Note: I am done catching up....we're live folks!)
Ok, raise your hand if you’ve ever traveled on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station. Keep your hand up if you were successful in purchasing a ticket without the help of a local. Keep your hand up if you were able to find the correct track for your train without the help of a local. For those of you with your hands still up…may I suggest a career in transportation psychology?
See, I think I have a pretty good sense of direction and I also have significant intuition when it comes to the transportation in New York City. And still, Penn Station at 5pm last Friday threw me for a total loop. I’d like to describe it for you.
I arrived at Penn Station via the M34 bus. This was my first bus experience in the city and I have to say that unless its 100 degrees outside (it was) or raining, I would avoid the bus because walking is probably faster than driving in city traffic. Anyway, the LIRR terminal was an absolute zoo. Due to the fact that you can only pay with credit card at the few automated machines, each machine had a line of approximately 10 people. I got in a line that moved relatively quickly, only to remember that I have no idea how to use the machine. I tried to watch how the people in front of me were doing it, but apparently they were all world-record-holding ticket buyers because they hit the buttons so fast I had no idea what they were doing! Anyway, I was smart enough to ask the lady behind me for help and managed to purchase a Peak/Off-Peak roundtrip from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma for $22.50 in just over a minute.
Once I had the ticket in hand, I realized that I would need to find out where, exactly, this train boards…which would prove to be more challenging than you may think! When I was in line for the ticketing machine, I had noticed everyone hovering around this screen with the names of various destinations, and I wondered what they were doing. Well, after watching them for a minute I realized what was happening.
Trains at the LIRR are not assigned to a track until approximately 7 minutes before their departure. Therefore, everyone must stand around watching this really old-fashioned looking screen, waiting for their train and its corresponding track to appear on the board. This leaves the afternoon commuters looking much like the little green alien gumball machine toys in Toy Story….
So, as soon as the gate number for a train pops up, all of the people who are taking that train simultaneously detach their eyes from the giant track sign in the sky and SPRINT for their gate. This is especially funny because half of these people are men with giant briefcases and they nearly tackle the poor, innocent souls who are still riveted on the screen. After seeing this a few times, I realized that I have no idea where any of the gates are, thus I would probably get run over and miss my train once it popped up. So I did what any clueless tourist would do, I waited for my gate to pop up and just started chasing the hoarde of people who started moving at that moment. Of course my plan worked and I ended up on the train to Ronkonkoma with no trouble.
But if you’re ever in New York on a Friday afternoon in the summer, I suggest you take a quick jaunt to Penn Station to watch the Penn-sanity ensue!!
Ok, raise your hand if you’ve ever traveled on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) from Penn Station. Keep your hand up if you were successful in purchasing a ticket without the help of a local. Keep your hand up if you were able to find the correct track for your train without the help of a local. For those of you with your hands still up…may I suggest a career in transportation psychology?
See, I think I have a pretty good sense of direction and I also have significant intuition when it comes to the transportation in New York City. And still, Penn Station at 5pm last Friday threw me for a total loop. I’d like to describe it for you.
I arrived at Penn Station via the M34 bus. This was my first bus experience in the city and I have to say that unless its 100 degrees outside (it was) or raining, I would avoid the bus because walking is probably faster than driving in city traffic. Anyway, the LIRR terminal was an absolute zoo. Due to the fact that you can only pay with credit card at the few automated machines, each machine had a line of approximately 10 people. I got in a line that moved relatively quickly, only to remember that I have no idea how to use the machine. I tried to watch how the people in front of me were doing it, but apparently they were all world-record-holding ticket buyers because they hit the buttons so fast I had no idea what they were doing! Anyway, I was smart enough to ask the lady behind me for help and managed to purchase a Peak/Off-Peak roundtrip from Penn Station to Ronkonkoma for $22.50 in just over a minute.
Once I had the ticket in hand, I realized that I would need to find out where, exactly, this train boards…which would prove to be more challenging than you may think! When I was in line for the ticketing machine, I had noticed everyone hovering around this screen with the names of various destinations, and I wondered what they were doing. Well, after watching them for a minute I realized what was happening.
Trains at the LIRR are not assigned to a track until approximately 7 minutes before their departure. Therefore, everyone must stand around watching this really old-fashioned looking screen, waiting for their train and its corresponding track to appear on the board. This leaves the afternoon commuters looking much like the little green alien gumball machine toys in Toy Story….
So, as soon as the gate number for a train pops up, all of the people who are taking that train simultaneously detach their eyes from the giant track sign in the sky and SPRINT for their gate. This is especially funny because half of these people are men with giant briefcases and they nearly tackle the poor, innocent souls who are still riveted on the screen. After seeing this a few times, I realized that I have no idea where any of the gates are, thus I would probably get run over and miss my train once it popped up. So I did what any clueless tourist would do, I waited for my gate to pop up and just started chasing the hoarde of people who started moving at that moment. Of course my plan worked and I ended up on the train to Ronkonkoma with no trouble.
But if you’re ever in New York on a Friday afternoon in the summer, I suggest you take a quick jaunt to Penn Station to watch the Penn-sanity ensue!!
Sunday, August 06, 2006
August 3, 2006 - I love Craigslist!!!
Ok, perhaps my title is a little emphatic, but today I had yet another glorious Craigslist experience, further cementing in my mind my opinion that Craigslist is the best invention of all time. Allow me to chronicle my Craigslist successes for you:
Success #1 - Nashville, TN - September, 2006 -
I first began using Craigslist in the late summer and early fall of 2006 when I decided to quit my job as an RA on Peabody and accept a position with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In order to do so, I needed to secure an apartment close to campus at a reasonable price. So I started looking and spoke with several people about some places, but one listing caught my eye. The girl who posted it seemed to have a lot of personality and I thought we would have a lot in common. She even put a link to her MySpace on the posting, further enticing me to check it out! So, I e-mailed her and went and saw the apartment a few days later. She called me later that week to tell me that she would like me to have the apartment. I was ECSTATIC!!! Not only did we get along really well, but the apartment was GORGEOUS with a huge room, a walk-through closet, and my very own bathroom. It was a great experience, and thus my love affair with Craigslist was born!
Success #2 - New York, NY June, 2006 -
Ok, Craigslist, its time to see what youve got, I thought as I clicked the Manhattan button and brazenly indicated that I refused to spend any more than $900/month on my apartment. IMPOSSIBLE! they cried, NEVER! cried the naysayers, but I trudged on, confident that Craigslist would prove itself, once again. And so I began e-mailing post after post, touting the fact that I like to go out sometimes but am by no means a party animal, even promising that I am inclined to do my fair share of housework. And no one responded, at all. I think I must have send out 30 e-mails and I only got one response. Luckily, it was from someone who thought we sounded like a good match, and we began chatting back and forth about the apartment. One thing lead to another and I was lucky enough to secure an apartment BEFORE I even got to the city. And the best part is, my roommate is fabulous. Craigslist, youve done it again!
Success #3 - New York, NY August, 2006
So today I began looking for a router for my computer. The apartment has internet access, but not wireless access. And my computer has never been violated by an ethernet cord in her short little life, so no need to start now. Anyway, so I started looking online, consulted my favorite computer nerd, and searched on Craigslist. Again, with reckless abandon I put in the maximum price of $20, though I know that routers, even cheap ones retail for about $50. Sure enough, I found one still in the box for $20 and e-mailed the seller. Wouldnt you know that he had appointments all day at 29th and Park (3 blocks from my work) and he brought it with him and called me. When he called, I agreed to meet him at the Bank of America at 25th and Park because I had to go to the ATM to get the $20. A little frightened of what might happen when I met this man in broad daylight, I forced my co-worker Ashley to come with me for what ended up being the most seamless transaction of all time. I handed him the $20, he handed me the unopened router, and we both went ou our merry way.Craigslist never ceases to amaze me
Success #1 - Nashville, TN - September, 2006 -
I first began using Craigslist in the late summer and early fall of 2006 when I decided to quit my job as an RA on Peabody and accept a position with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In order to do so, I needed to secure an apartment close to campus at a reasonable price. So I started looking and spoke with several people about some places, but one listing caught my eye. The girl who posted it seemed to have a lot of personality and I thought we would have a lot in common. She even put a link to her MySpace on the posting, further enticing me to check it out! So, I e-mailed her and went and saw the apartment a few days later. She called me later that week to tell me that she would like me to have the apartment. I was ECSTATIC!!! Not only did we get along really well, but the apartment was GORGEOUS with a huge room, a walk-through closet, and my very own bathroom. It was a great experience, and thus my love affair with Craigslist was born!
Success #2 - New York, NY June, 2006 -
Ok, Craigslist, its time to see what youve got, I thought as I clicked the Manhattan button and brazenly indicated that I refused to spend any more than $900/month on my apartment. IMPOSSIBLE! they cried, NEVER! cried the naysayers, but I trudged on, confident that Craigslist would prove itself, once again. And so I began e-mailing post after post, touting the fact that I like to go out sometimes but am by no means a party animal, even promising that I am inclined to do my fair share of housework. And no one responded, at all. I think I must have send out 30 e-mails and I only got one response. Luckily, it was from someone who thought we sounded like a good match, and we began chatting back and forth about the apartment. One thing lead to another and I was lucky enough to secure an apartment BEFORE I even got to the city. And the best part is, my roommate is fabulous. Craigslist, youve done it again!
Success #3 - New York, NY August, 2006
So today I began looking for a router for my computer. The apartment has internet access, but not wireless access. And my computer has never been violated by an ethernet cord in her short little life, so no need to start now. Anyway, so I started looking online, consulted my favorite computer nerd, and searched on Craigslist. Again, with reckless abandon I put in the maximum price of $20, though I know that routers, even cheap ones retail for about $50. Sure enough, I found one still in the box for $20 and e-mailed the seller. Wouldnt you know that he had appointments all day at 29th and Park (3 blocks from my work) and he brought it with him and called me. When he called, I agreed to meet him at the Bank of America at 25th and Park because I had to go to the ATM to get the $20. A little frightened of what might happen when I met this man in broad daylight, I forced my co-worker Ashley to come with me for what ended up being the most seamless transaction of all time. I handed him the $20, he handed me the unopened router, and we both went ou our merry way.Craigslist never ceases to amaze me
August 1, 2006 - Here's to New York and Rednecks!
Last night, my parents and I toasted to my new life in New York. We drank Sam's Club wine out of Super 8 cups (complete with Super 8 logo). See Exhibits A and B:
This juxtaposition of trendy, fashion-forward New York and skeezy Super 8 naturally got me thinking. I am the Super 8 of New York. I'm a little out of place here, much like our hotel, but that's ok with me. I've done a lot of thinking since I got here and I've realized that I have virtually no desire to "fit in" in New York. I mean, I want to experience all that the city has to offer, and I have no problem with embracing the excitement of it all. But I just can't see myself changing to the point that I fit in with the hoighty-toighty fashionistas I rub shoulders with every day.
Someone once told me that I am a northern redneck. I think he said it after seeing these pictures:
To which I obviously replied, "What, everyone doesn't go on 'rides' with 25 four-wheelers in caravan, spend 'vacations' in a cabin with no running water and an outhouse, and play euchre into the wee hours of the night?" Well, if being a redneck is wrong, I don't want to be right. I absolutely love and adore where I came from, and I have no shame in being a redneck of the north. The friends and family who tricked me into thinking I was normal all these years will forever remain close to me heart, and I will have no problem slipping into my northern accent and un-hygienic practices each time I return to my first life... I want to be the girl who says "pop" and shows where I..'m rom on my hand. I never want to forget how to fish with a worm or shift a dirt bike... I will never be too good to put on a helmet or jump in a lake. That..'s just me.
So, what can I do to fit in here, at least a little bit? After much thinking and strategizing,
I have decided that I will be rocking the "friendly chic" approach to life in the City. I see this as both an attitude and a personal style. It may not be "cool" to be friendly here, but I want to be. And I never want the way I look to make me un-approachable. So look for me in TJ Maxx, Kohl's, and Forever 21, not Macy's, Lord and Taylor, or $500-a-shirt boutiques. You'll find me at Subway and random hole-in-the-wall restaurants, not Asia de Cuba and Tavern on the Green. Because I am here, practically in a different world; but the way I see it, I am faced with two options: I can be like all other twelve million people in New York merging their hearts, souls, and lifestyles into big city life. Or I can be Carissa Lucyk, the young professional who is bringing the small town to the City.
This juxtaposition of trendy, fashion-forward New York and skeezy Super 8 naturally got me thinking. I am the Super 8 of New York. I'm a little out of place here, much like our hotel, but that's ok with me. I've done a lot of thinking since I got here and I've realized that I have virtually no desire to "fit in" in New York. I mean, I want to experience all that the city has to offer, and I have no problem with embracing the excitement of it all. But I just can't see myself changing to the point that I fit in with the hoighty-toighty fashionistas I rub shoulders with every day.
Someone once told me that I am a northern redneck. I think he said it after seeing these pictures:
To which I obviously replied, "What, everyone doesn't go on 'rides' with 25 four-wheelers in caravan, spend 'vacations' in a cabin with no running water and an outhouse, and play euchre into the wee hours of the night?" Well, if being a redneck is wrong, I don't want to be right. I absolutely love and adore where I came from, and I have no shame in being a redneck of the north. The friends and family who tricked me into thinking I was normal all these years will forever remain close to me heart, and I will have no problem slipping into my northern accent and un-hygienic practices each time I return to my first life... I want to be the girl who says "pop" and shows where I..'m rom on my hand. I never want to forget how to fish with a worm or shift a dirt bike... I will never be too good to put on a helmet or jump in a lake. That..'s just me.
So, what can I do to fit in here, at least a little bit? After much thinking and strategizing,
I have decided that I will be rocking the "friendly chic" approach to life in the City. I see this as both an attitude and a personal style. It may not be "cool" to be friendly here, but I want to be. And I never want the way I look to make me un-approachable. So look for me in TJ Maxx, Kohl's, and Forever 21, not Macy's, Lord and Taylor, or $500-a-shirt boutiques. You'll find me at Subway and random hole-in-the-wall restaurants, not Asia de Cuba and Tavern on the Green. Because I am here, practically in a different world; but the way I see it, I am faced with two options: I can be like all other twelve million people in New York merging their hearts, souls, and lifestyles into big city life. Or I can be Carissa Lucyk, the young professional who is bringing the small town to the City.
July 31, 2006 - This is frightening
I am not typically one to get all worked up about global warming, but this literally scares the crap out of me. What is HAPPENING to our country?!
July 28, 2006 - My Band-Aid® Philosophy of Relationships
Well, as I mentioned like 8 posts ago, I am indeed new at this MySpace thing. Well, this has become even more apparent as I just spent the last 20 minutes trying to find the post I am about to re-write. I wrote the entire thing, it took me like 2 hours (you'll see why once you read the re-write) and then I swear I posted it, but I must not have done all the frickin' confirmations because its not there and I didn't save it anywhere else.awesome. So I apologize if this is poorly written, but frankly, I don't know that I am capable of amassing the remarkable anthology of magnificent anecdotes and astute observations contained in the original post a second time (P.S. I just used the thesaurus feature of Microsoft Word for almost every word in that sentence!). Frankly, I just dont have the energy. Anyway, on with the blog.
Relationships are like Band-Aid®s. Do you remember when you were younger and it came time to take off a Band-Aid®, what did your mom always say? Let's all say it together:
"Just rip it off really fast, honey. It will hurt worse, but only for a second."
Ok, maybe we weren't in complete chorus on that one, but I'm sure you said something similar.
And little did I know at the time, but my mom had given me some valuable advice with applicability far beyond kindergarten first aid.
In fact, I am a firm believer in the Band-Aid® philosophy of relationships. This philosophy emerged for me from several experiences.
The first was a break-up that I went through several years ago. After dating this boy whom I'll call Ryan for about 2 years, we decided to break up, citing the possibility that at some point in the future, things would work out. For the record, this is not a good way to end a relationships. Leaving the door open while simultaneously trying to move on creates a really difficult tension, especially for women who naturally have difficulty letting go (generalization). So our break-up went along in typical fashion for the first two months. I hung on for dear life, keeping up with all of his activities and frequently calling him to grovel about this or that. The truth is, I didn't even think very critically about whether or not I was ready to move on, I just clung to him because he was familiar and I knew I cared about him. About when I realized that the break-up was turning into a long, drawn-out, painful affair, I made an incredibly wise decision, even though I didnt know it at the time.
After about two months, I decided that I needed to just cut all ties with Ryan for a while to allow myself some time to realize that I could survive without him. I needed to stop e-mailing him, calling him, and IM-ing him until I was ready to move on. And that is what I did. We had absolutely no contact for almost 4 months until I saw him at a hockey game in our hometown. When I did, I realized that though I would always have a special place in my heart for him, breaking up had been the right thing to do and, more importantly, absence really had been the best medicine. Now we occasionally talk and are very friendly, but I am convinced that life would have been much harder for me, and we would not be where we are if I had not taken the step that I did to cut all ties with him until I had worked through it.
Oh, and the second thing that has lead me to adopt this theory is witnessing several of my friends go through long, drawn-out break-ups with boys whom they truly cared about. It is so difficult to watch my friends go through pain when they see their ex start to move on without them, or to see them struggle with their own inability to let go. I try my best to instill what little wisdom I have in them, but often am ineffective and unconvincing. Hence, this blog J
So the Band-Aid® philosophy essentially states that it is much better to rip a relationship off really quickly than to painstakingly peel slowly. Though painful, this amounts to the equivalent of taking your mothers wise advice. The end of a relationship is always painful, but it can be made less painful by dealing with it quickly, allowing yourself to move on. In fact, sometimes it takes the separation to realize that you really didnt need the relationship at all. Much like you cant see if your wounds have healed until you actually take the Band-Aid® off, it may take that clean separation to realize that you are completely and utterly fine without the relationship. Maybe some time on your own really was just what you needed. Just maybe.
Ok, well thats the end of my tedious re-write. Again, I know its not Sex and the City quality reflection that I have going on over here (For the record, I am not trying to be Carrie, just writing something I feel strongly about!). Keep in mind that 1) this is just my opinion and 2) I realize that nothing I typed here can apply to all situations.
P.S. I'm listening to The Wreckers because I feel their song "Leave the Pieces" is applicable to this post :)
Ok, this is me signing off.
Relationships are like Band-Aid®s. Do you remember when you were younger and it came time to take off a Band-Aid®, what did your mom always say? Let's all say it together:
"Just rip it off really fast, honey. It will hurt worse, but only for a second."
Ok, maybe we weren't in complete chorus on that one, but I'm sure you said something similar.
And little did I know at the time, but my mom had given me some valuable advice with applicability far beyond kindergarten first aid.
In fact, I am a firm believer in the Band-Aid® philosophy of relationships. This philosophy emerged for me from several experiences.
The first was a break-up that I went through several years ago. After dating this boy whom I'll call Ryan for about 2 years, we decided to break up, citing the possibility that at some point in the future, things would work out. For the record, this is not a good way to end a relationships. Leaving the door open while simultaneously trying to move on creates a really difficult tension, especially for women who naturally have difficulty letting go (generalization). So our break-up went along in typical fashion for the first two months. I hung on for dear life, keeping up with all of his activities and frequently calling him to grovel about this or that. The truth is, I didn't even think very critically about whether or not I was ready to move on, I just clung to him because he was familiar and I knew I cared about him. About when I realized that the break-up was turning into a long, drawn-out, painful affair, I made an incredibly wise decision, even though I didnt know it at the time.
After about two months, I decided that I needed to just cut all ties with Ryan for a while to allow myself some time to realize that I could survive without him. I needed to stop e-mailing him, calling him, and IM-ing him until I was ready to move on. And that is what I did. We had absolutely no contact for almost 4 months until I saw him at a hockey game in our hometown. When I did, I realized that though I would always have a special place in my heart for him, breaking up had been the right thing to do and, more importantly, absence really had been the best medicine. Now we occasionally talk and are very friendly, but I am convinced that life would have been much harder for me, and we would not be where we are if I had not taken the step that I did to cut all ties with him until I had worked through it.
Oh, and the second thing that has lead me to adopt this theory is witnessing several of my friends go through long, drawn-out break-ups with boys whom they truly cared about. It is so difficult to watch my friends go through pain when they see their ex start to move on without them, or to see them struggle with their own inability to let go. I try my best to instill what little wisdom I have in them, but often am ineffective and unconvincing. Hence, this blog J
So the Band-Aid® philosophy essentially states that it is much better to rip a relationship off really quickly than to painstakingly peel slowly. Though painful, this amounts to the equivalent of taking your mothers wise advice. The end of a relationship is always painful, but it can be made less painful by dealing with it quickly, allowing yourself to move on. In fact, sometimes it takes the separation to realize that you really didnt need the relationship at all. Much like you cant see if your wounds have healed until you actually take the Band-Aid® off, it may take that clean separation to realize that you are completely and utterly fine without the relationship. Maybe some time on your own really was just what you needed. Just maybe.
Ok, well thats the end of my tedious re-write. Again, I know its not Sex and the City quality reflection that I have going on over here (For the record, I am not trying to be Carrie, just writing something I feel strongly about!). Keep in mind that 1) this is just my opinion and 2) I realize that nothing I typed here can apply to all situations.
P.S. I'm listening to The Wreckers because I feel their song "Leave the Pieces" is applicable to this post :)
Ok, this is me signing off.
July 26, 2006 - Public Transportation
As implied by my last post, living and working in New York City requires utilizing the services of public transportation. And spending a significant amount of time in a confined space with New York's finest selection of weirdos, contortionists, and all-around nutcases. Presently, I will list a few examples, complete with photos, where possible.
Example 1: The Asain contortionist (I can talk about Asains because I'm dating one ;-). This photograph is of a girl on the bus whose head literally looked like it was going to fall off when she was falling asleep. The angle is funky because I was trying to take it discretely on the bus, but I think you can get the picture, her head was leaned back and to the left at like a 100 degree angle!!
Example 2: Today on the Uptown 6 platform at Union Station, I observed a most unusual and in appropriate scene. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a girl who looked to be about 18 go in for a SERIOUSLY sexual kiss on her boyfriend, whom I originally thought was a female because he had long hair and was fairly skinny. When they finally stopped necking, it became clear that these two people were also travelling with two older looking gentlemen who didn't seem terribly phased by their make-out. The two older men just kinda looked away while they did it then started talking to them when they stopped.
So this in and of itself was a little strange. For one, I couldn't figure out the relationship between the couple and the two men...they didn't appear to be friends, and I couldn't imagine her dad letting her go at it like that on the platform. Second, things got a little more fishy when the water bottle entered the scene. First, the girl and her boyfried took turns making out with the bottle while looking at each other...meanwhile the two men looked on, disintrested. NEXT, they each took the bottle and simulated their respective versions of oral sex with said water bottle....which was especially awkward because there were many people looking on wondering when they were going to laugh as if to say "aren't we silly?" But the truth is, they weren't kidding or silly, they were seriously practicing...and don't forget about the older men...in fact they looked like this was pretty much par for the course for them. Interesting.
Example 3: See entry "Rats and Randomness"
Example 1: The Asain contortionist (I can talk about Asains because I'm dating one ;-). This photograph is of a girl on the bus whose head literally looked like it was going to fall off when she was falling asleep. The angle is funky because I was trying to take it discretely on the bus, but I think you can get the picture, her head was leaned back and to the left at like a 100 degree angle!!
Example 2: Today on the Uptown 6 platform at Union Station, I observed a most unusual and in appropriate scene. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a girl who looked to be about 18 go in for a SERIOUSLY sexual kiss on her boyfriend, whom I originally thought was a female because he had long hair and was fairly skinny. When they finally stopped necking, it became clear that these two people were also travelling with two older looking gentlemen who didn't seem terribly phased by their make-out. The two older men just kinda looked away while they did it then started talking to them when they stopped.
So this in and of itself was a little strange. For one, I couldn't figure out the relationship between the couple and the two men...they didn't appear to be friends, and I couldn't imagine her dad letting her go at it like that on the platform. Second, things got a little more fishy when the water bottle entered the scene. First, the girl and her boyfried took turns making out with the bottle while looking at each other...meanwhile the two men looked on, disintrested. NEXT, they each took the bottle and simulated their respective versions of oral sex with said water bottle....which was especially awkward because there were many people looking on wondering when they were going to laugh as if to say "aren't we silly?" But the truth is, they weren't kidding or silly, they were seriously practicing...and don't forget about the older men...in fact they looked like this was pretty much par for the course for them. Interesting.
Example 3: See entry "Rats and Randomness"
July 25, 2006 - A picture of me at my desk
Here is a picture of me at my desk, just in case you care to view it :)
You may wonder why I am on MySpace at my work. Well, technically the work day hasn't started yet because, due to my utter powerlessness in my commute, I am early. If you wouldn't mind, indulge me in giving some advice that, though obvious, may be helpful should you ever find yourself commuting from New Jersey to the city on a regualr basis.
The morning and afternoon commute operate on an approximate bell curve where the X axis is the time you depart from either your bus stop in the morning or Port Authority in the evening, and the Y axis is the amount of time that it takes you to reach your destination.
Example:
I started out last week leaving Taylor's house at 7:30am to catch a bus at 7:43am from the Tenafly bus shelter. Under this arrangement, the bus would get caught in a significant amount of traffic, usually arriving in New York City between 9am and 9:30am. Tack on my 20-25 minute subway ride to where I work and I was averaging a half hour to an hour late. So, I finally decided I would be willing to reconsider my departure time and I began leaving Taylor's 15 minutes earlier, at 7:15am. Under this arrangement, I catch a 7:27 bus which arrives in Port Authority promptly at 8:12am. Thus, I was almost 20 minutes EARLY today....
Thus the bell curve. There is an increasing increase in commute time beginning at approximately 7:30, so I cannot avoid being either quite early or quite late. Getting up 15 minutes earlier is not a problem for me at all. For those who know me well, you know that the real annoyance lies in the fact that I cannot seem to finagle a way to get here on time exactly. And therein lies the rub.
Ok, I think I'm done being a total nerd....oh who am I kidding?
July 24, 2006 - My first try at HTML code....yeah it's nerdy, but also kinda hot!
Thought someone might appreciate my first stab at the world of HTML code....It's a jumble of nonsense, Team in Training stuff, and the text and styles recommended by the sketchy website I was using to "train" me....perhaps the computer nerds will enjoy!!
Thanks for stopping by!
This is my Team in Training Page
A volcano is a location where magma,
or hot melted rock from within a planet,
reaches the surface. It may happen violently,
in a massive supersonic explosion, or more
quietly, as a sticky, slow lava flow.
Volcanoes have been a part of earth's history long before
humans. Compare the history of human beings, a few million
years in the making, to that of the Earth, over four
billion years in the making.
Volcano Terminology
Volcanic Places in the U.S.
Mt. St. Helens
Long Valley
Volcanic Places on Mars
Research Project
References
July 24, 2006 - Apparently I am in the correct city!
So I was just looking randomly online at good cities, and I did this little quiz thing and look what came up!! How crazy is that? Sorry, its a little blurry...
July 24, 2006 - Rats and Randomness in the Subway
After a nice dinner at Shun Lee Palace, Taylor and I decided to suck it up and take the subway back to my apartment. Really, it wouldnt have been that expensive to take a taxi, and it would have saved us about 45 minutes, but if we had, I would not have this story to tell, so you see everything happens for a reason.
Reason number one, I was destined to kick a rat on my birthday. Thats right. As we were walking onto the platform, I felt like I had kicked something with the very tip of my toe. I looked down at my foot and saw that this was impossible, as there was nothing around. Then the woman behind me said something about how dirty the subways are and Taylor goes, did you see that? to which I responded, What? He replied, A rat just ran right in front of you. thus solving the mystery of what exactly I had felt hit my toe. Awesome.
Reason number two, Taylor and I were destined to meet a crazy person on the subway. Taylor and I made a last-minute decision to board the downtown E train and just take it to Port Authority where we would change to the C and go up to my apartment. Because Im wearing heels, I naturally decide to sit down on the subway. With about 8 inches between myself and the person next to me, I decided it would be acceptable to set my bag next to me on the seat rather than hold it in my lap.
So this guy gets on in picture-perfect fat-boy get-up. Yellow Polo, pleated-front khakis, tennis shoes with no socks. He stands in front of the not-so-open space to my right (Taylor was on the left) and waves his hand back and forth, apparently trying to say that I should move my bag and make room. The train wasnt that full, so I thought it was kinda dumb that he had to have THAT spot, but he was clearly drunk, so whatever.
He then turns to us and asks if this train goes to 110th street. It does not, but Taylor and I just happened to be headed that way on this train, a strange coincidence considering we were taking an alternate route. So, he ends up telling us that he has been lost all night (and apparently drinking to drown the sorrows of it all) and is JUST trying to get to a kegger at 110th and Central Park West, like 5 feet from my apartment. He then elects Taylor and I as his guides since we are going the same way (WHY did we tell him that?).
So the next 45 minutse consist of us riding a train, waiting for a second train, riding that train, and generally being entertained by Brian, the drunk. We found out several interesting things about Brian:
When asked where he is from, he responded, Everywhere
Upon further questioning, he revealed that he went to UNC Chapel Hill after attending Eash Chapel Hill High School, which lead us to believe he might be from North Carolina
He lived in Lake Tahoe for a year, and spent most of his time snowboarding
He trades oil on the floor for himself and doesnt care about anything but the numbers
He hustles for a few million a year to fund his oil trade
He lives in New Jersey
He plans to work on Wall Street for 10 years and then go back to Tahoe
He speaks Swahili
When a woman gets on a train and announces that she needs money for food, he will quicly whip out his wallet and give her $5
He got a B in Spanish III
We left Brian on the train, talking to a bi-lingual man about how he might improve his Spanish so that he can get a better grade in Spanish III next time. And thus ends the story of my birthday
Reason number one, I was destined to kick a rat on my birthday. Thats right. As we were walking onto the platform, I felt like I had kicked something with the very tip of my toe. I looked down at my foot and saw that this was impossible, as there was nothing around. Then the woman behind me said something about how dirty the subways are and Taylor goes, did you see that? to which I responded, What? He replied, A rat just ran right in front of you. thus solving the mystery of what exactly I had felt hit my toe. Awesome.
Reason number two, Taylor and I were destined to meet a crazy person on the subway. Taylor and I made a last-minute decision to board the downtown E train and just take it to Port Authority where we would change to the C and go up to my apartment. Because Im wearing heels, I naturally decide to sit down on the subway. With about 8 inches between myself and the person next to me, I decided it would be acceptable to set my bag next to me on the seat rather than hold it in my lap.
So this guy gets on in picture-perfect fat-boy get-up. Yellow Polo, pleated-front khakis, tennis shoes with no socks. He stands in front of the not-so-open space to my right (Taylor was on the left) and waves his hand back and forth, apparently trying to say that I should move my bag and make room. The train wasnt that full, so I thought it was kinda dumb that he had to have THAT spot, but he was clearly drunk, so whatever.
He then turns to us and asks if this train goes to 110th street. It does not, but Taylor and I just happened to be headed that way on this train, a strange coincidence considering we were taking an alternate route. So, he ends up telling us that he has been lost all night (and apparently drinking to drown the sorrows of it all) and is JUST trying to get to a kegger at 110th and Central Park West, like 5 feet from my apartment. He then elects Taylor and I as his guides since we are going the same way (WHY did we tell him that?).
So the next 45 minutse consist of us riding a train, waiting for a second train, riding that train, and generally being entertained by Brian, the drunk. We found out several interesting things about Brian:
When asked where he is from, he responded, Everywhere
Upon further questioning, he revealed that he went to UNC Chapel Hill after attending Eash Chapel Hill High School, which lead us to believe he might be from North Carolina
He lived in Lake Tahoe for a year, and spent most of his time snowboarding
He trades oil on the floor for himself and doesnt care about anything but the numbers
He hustles for a few million a year to fund his oil trade
He lives in New Jersey
He plans to work on Wall Street for 10 years and then go back to Tahoe
He speaks Swahili
When a woman gets on a train and announces that she needs money for food, he will quicly whip out his wallet and give her $5
He got a B in Spanish III
We left Brian on the train, talking to a bi-lingual man about how he might improve his Spanish so that he can get a better grade in Spanish III next time. And thus ends the story of my birthday
July 23, 2006 - Why I love running
So I just put up my "body type" on this profile thing. I'm not entirely sure that was necessary, but I decided why not. I selected athletic, which is something I had never considered myself. But the other day, while running around the Tenafly track, I had an epiphany.
I love running.
I remember in junior high, 3 laps around the school seemed like an ETERNITY (I'm sure all you p-burg peeps remember Nutter's gym class :). Then in high school I could force myself to run a couple miles to try to lose some weight or whatever, but never did I consider it enjoyable at all.
Then last year I started training for the 1/2 marathon in Nashville and realized that running is really a mind game. It's all about believing you can go a certain distance and finding a way to enjoy it. I ran 10 miles a couple of times with my dear friend Laura Folse. I never did the 1/2 marathon because 1) my ankle stopped working and got REALLY swollen and 2) I had to go to Minneapolis the weekend of the race for training for Youthworks and couldn't get out of it. But I still plan to keep running, hopefully completing the full marathon next year in Nashville.
Anyway, back to the Tenafly track. So I just moved to New York City, as many of you are aware. And I really feel like a fish out of water here. First of all, people tell me I have a Southern accent...ME...imagine that. Second, I don't really know my way around, I am not Jewish, and blonde hair is surprisingly uncommon here. But when I'm running, none of that seems to matter. I don't find myself lost or out of place. I usually listen to country music or Sanctus Real or something else that makes me feel like I'm at home. I know this all sounds very "What Women Want"-esque, but the road truly is la place where I feel like nothing else matters. And like the cheesy Gatorade commercials, a mile is a mile whether you're in Central Park, running the loop, or on a treadmill at the Y. A hill is a hill, pavement is pavement, and I am myself more than I am most other times. I love running, because it takes me home.
So, there's really no point to all this, but if you're still reading, I challenge you to go for a run. Don't worry about distance, time or style (but don't hurt yourself!), just pay attention to the feeling of being all alone while surrounded by people. And don't forget to thank God for the ability to get out of bed each day, happy and healthy!
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Bringing the Small Town to the Big City
**I just decided to switch my blog from MySpace to Blogspot, so these are old posts. I will list the original post date at the top of each one to give some context :)**
July 22, 2006
Well, I'm not sure if people actually use the blog feature of MySpace, but I seem to always have something to say, so I guess it will work. I'm not sure exactly who will read this, but I feel its fine :)
I just moved to New York City and I love it! The city is so exciting and there is so much to do all the time!! Don't get me wrong, I miss the midwest and the south like crazy, and I plan to be back one day, but for this part of my life, I know NYC is the place for me. I am on MySpace mostly to keep in touch with old friends and to network with new friends in New York, so please don't hesitate to write me on here! Also, please check back because I think this might end up being my outlet for all my good stories and adventures :) God Bless!
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