Atlanta

I was in Atlanta all last week and then spent the weekend feeling terribly sick. Things will be normal soon. But as a quick recap I'm thankful for:

- traveling to new places
- Xander
- All my new friends from training
- The sister who just passed her last thing for upgrading to Captain - go her!
- Just My Luck, I don't care what you say that movie was good.
- Sicko - - if you haven't seen this movie you should, not only does it make me want to move to another country, it is just all around great.
- Maya, "new- Mexican" place in the upper east side. Very good food! Yum!
- Target
- Having bosses that care when you are sick
- Home sweet home!

Sing along

1. Karaoke! I have had the wonderful pleasure of karaoke-ing in Japan with some of my best friends, in a private room on the top of a very large skyscraper. The room was all windows, had benches for dancing, served a lot of drinks and was basically amazing. I hadn't been to a karaoke place since that time in Japan which was 3 years ago. I did convince my family to buy a karaoke machine which allows us to belt out 80's songs in the living room at the top of our lungs -- hours of drunk entertainment I swear, but not quite the same.

Last night Amy and I decided to wander into the local karaoke joint "Iggy's" and I think I could spend most of my nights there. It's like the live version of those beginning episodes of American idol; its a free for all and they let anyone sing. But...you don't have to feel bad watching some persons dreams ripped away from them because everyone is drunk and everyone claps at the end of people's performances. If the person's good it's really good free entertainment. If the person sucks you go to the bar and drink some more. Not a bad way to spend the night. And some of the people were really good. So I'm thankful to the Japanese for inventing Karaoke.

2. Bottled water. I know that it's absolutely insane that we pay three times as much for bottled water than we do for gas (and gas is really expensive). But, it tastes so much better then the free kind. I cannot drink water from the tap even when I'm hungover, thirsty and all I want is some cold refreshing water. I blame it on drinking out of the hose when I was little - it ruined that tap water for ever.

3. I don't like to tell other people how to raise their kids. I am however very thankful that my mom didn't allow us to have fast food when we were little. My mom made dinner every night, not most nights, every night. We rarely ate at restaurants only if it was someone's birthday and I can probably count the number of times I had fast food on one hand (probably 1/2 because we didn't have money but still). If we did, it was usually because someone was in town visiting or we were on a road trip. I adore the fact that my mom raised me this way.

We also had to make our own breakfast for as long as I can remember, there was no after school snack waiting and we made our own lunches after we complained once (which was probably when I was in the first grade). Because of this, I do not rely on the convenience of fast food. I do not think it is normal when people eat three meals a day that are served to them.

I also do not think it's normal that walking around I saw almost ten kids that looked pregnant. I know these are tourist kids because they looked to be having difficulty walking in general. But, a ten year old girl should not have such a large stomach that she looks pregnant. I don't believe that this all of these kids have weight issues due to genetics. I will let one of the 10 use that as an excuse. The rest of these kids need to examine what their parents are giving them as food because if they look that big now, lordy only knows what they'll look like after gaining their freshman 15 in a few years. This is really funny though ---->

Damn, I wish I was funny

So... I apologize if this ends up like a journal entry.

After work yesterday I went to my old apartment to start cleaning it and basically get as much work done as possible. I then filled two rather heavy bags and jammed my purse full of stuff that I could take to my new apartment.

While cleaning I got a call from my mom saying "Are you okay?" My response: Yah why wouldn't I be? She informed me that something happened in Manhattan and she wanted to make sure I was fine. Well, something always happens in Manhattan - - I told her yah yah, we chatted and I said I'd call her later.

As I left my apartment I realized that there were lots (way more than normal) of people walking on the street. In the lobby the doorman had the news on really loud. I guess some kind of pipe explosion or something...not really sure. The point is I decided to not deal with all of the confused people that I'm sure would be making the subways horrendous and walk from my old apt to my new apt.

Turns out the gas thing was kind of serious and it actually smelled quite powerful. My old apartment is approximately 2 blocks from where this happened and I had no clue as I was cleaning.

So I walked through central park, dodged some tourists and made my way up to my quaint and lovable upper east side.

Under normal circumstances I would write about how happy I am to be alive but that isn't what struck me as what I was thankful for yesterday. I instead realized last night as I was telling my friend about a very interesting blog-- I realized I am happy that even when I have an ordinary day - - there is nothing ordinary about it.

I love big cities because: I can be two blocks from something broad casted all over the news and not know what is going on, I can still use public transportation to get to work the next morning, nothing ever stops or really closes, when I walk home I walk through one of the most famous parks in the world, my license has been suspended for almost a year and a half and it doesn't matter, there are more independent restaurants on this little island of Manhattan then most cities in America will ever have, there are NO strip malls, there is no Cheesecake factory, BJ's, etc located conveniently by a westfield mall, shit there are no westfield malls, walking about 2 1/2 miles home with heavy bags does not phase me.

I could go on forever but what I realized is - - I feel sorry for people that will never experience this, not to say that I am better than anyone because there are so many things other people have done that I will never do. There are people that have no desire to live in a big city or to experience someplace they have never lived and that is fine. It's just not me. And I am so happy that instead of wondering what if? I will be able to say -- I lived it, and I loved it and I wouldn't take it back for the world.

I guess the saying "to each their own" makes a whole of a lot more sense when you figure out what your own is.

Tempting

I wish I had more exciting things to post about being thankful for, but my life has been . . . dull. Well maybe not dull, but not the normal unexpectedness and spontaneity. I've been saving money. You'd think that would make me more spontaneous because I would be off on adventures that don't require money -- but without my partner in "adventures" from San Diego, it seems that I've been spending my last few nights...jogging, watching movies or tv, and reading. I know - - it's only been a few days. But I like it in a way.

I'm thankful for:

1. Saving money. - As much as it sucks to tell myself no when I really want something, it feels good. I have challenged myself to only spend money on things I need untill October. That is a long time for me. And so far - so good. It's funny that I really don't need all those things I think I do.

2. Beauty and the Geek, I am so embarrassed to say that I actually enjoy this show. I doubt I will watch it on a regular basis because that would require me having some kind of a schedule for my night (unheard of), but it is entertaining.

3. Moving on. I enjoyed my last apartment - A lot. Who wouldn't want a rather large studio in a doorman building between Lexington and park avenue with no roommates, smack in the middle of Manhattan and a very very quick walk from Grand Central?! I am however, very happy to have a new neighborhood, very easy access to a running path, pay less rent, etc etc.

I just cancelled my cable and electric and am going to clean it all out tonight and set up to have the furniture taken away...Cheers to something new! (And the 9th time I've moved in the last 5 years).

Busy, Busy Bee

1. Monday was ... tiring. There are certain times that I just get slammed with work and this was one of those days. I am not complaining at all because I do not envy the new people that have nothing to work on. I actually am quite thankful that there is so much work to do and that all of my bosses come to me when they need certain things done. It's pretty satisfying.

2. Cell phones. I officially have a cell phone again. After 4 or so days without one I was starting to miss having the ability to call someone anywhere at anytime. I won't lie, at first I was so happy that no one could get in touch with me directly that I even contemplated taking the bold move of just getting a house phone and saying screw cell phones. I mean we lived without them for how long?!?! But...I gave in. And I'm thankful for this little piece of silver metal that is sooo damn useful - -even if it's only for sending text messages =)

3. Jogging in Central Park on a nice cool summer Monday night. So wonderful.

** Oh and just as a little extra, I am really into the second Lord of the Rings Book...

With a little help from my friends

1. I know what I want next. But, with a little encouragement and booze - - I'm actually going to make it happen instead of just saying "someday." Here we go studying!

2. BIG words. I love having an extensive vocabulary. And I love even more when my new lawyer friends at the bar share their vocab knowledge while enjoying views of Park Avenue (nice ones) until 7 or so in the morning.

3. Not being lame, lazy or lethargic. Alliteration, allegories and ... Amy. Haha.

You don't know, but I do

1. "Don’t cling to the things in life that cause you grief. Learn from them and move on."

2. People intrigue me. Sometimes I wish I could get all the people that know me together just to see what it would be like. I'm sure it would be an interesting mix of people.

I've been called "too friendly" on several occasions. I even had a high school boyfriend who told me that I had no idea when I was flirting because I was just so nice to everyone. I'm not sure if this is bad or good and in some ways I'm sure it is both. But I can't help it.

I have no reason not to talk to someone if they sit down next to me and want to talk. I have no reason to not talk to the maintenance guy about the weather or my 4th of July. I have no reason not to be nice.

I'm thankful for all the people that I've met and that through little words of wisdom have touched my life. Or from little experiences they have changed my perspective. I have had some of the best nights out with someone who started as a complete stranger. Like passing out fliers in Greece...

I guess I'm happy that I'm "too friendly" because I would hate to be whatever the opposite is and have missed out on all those new friends.

3. It's finally cooling down.

If only I wasn't so nerdy...

1. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - - absolutely reccomend this book.

2. I finally watched the first Lord of the Rings movie. I wish I could say that I was really impressed, but I wasn't. I'm thankful that I read the book because I really love the fact that when you are reading something, no matter how descriptive the author is, it is your own picture in your mind.

Things that upset me about the movie: that whole battle scene at the end never happened, why did they make Frodo out to be such a wuss? I don't think he needed to cry that often, and the Titanic music that they used for the boat scene with Sam and Frodo was so unneccessary. The movie should not have been three hours, that is way too long for any movie. Oh and I would have guessed that the elves looked more like dwarves.

Things I enjoyed: Strider, I totally have a crush on him. I love the added little bit of love when that dwarf chick gives strider her immortality necklace (although I don't remember it in the book). And the setting looks really pretty - - I'd like to visit.

Well it's on to book two and I hope that it gets better. More action and less walking around watching Frodo cry.

3. The running path along the east river....especially after work when there is plenty to concentrate on while running =)

The simple things...

1. The sky
2. The sun
3. Moms and all the crazy ways they make you who you are.

To the brim

1. It's funny that I remember walking home in the rain on various occasions last summer and I hated it. I remember the subway being disgusting and feeling almost suffocated on really hot days. Maybe this summer has been mild or maybe I'm just happy. A different kind of happy.


The kind of happy where I wake up and I don't want to go to work but I don't mind because life is good. I smile when I end up walking home in the rain because...rain really isn't so bad.


I don't know how come I feel this way, I really don't understand it, but whatever this sense of fulfillment is...it's wonderful.








2. Sunflowers.






3. Bouley. The restaurant is expensive, but the bakery has wonderful desserts and affordable food.

*Little Love*

It's been a while,

I am thankful that I'm not afraid of rain or falling down and that I surround myself with like minded people. I am not the girl who runs when it starts to pour and I am not the girl that doesn't get back up when I fall: biking, walking, wherever. I am the girl that laughs and says: "I'm so happy to be alive."

Wave runners. We went on some jet skis in the Hudson this Saturday. I am thankful for a) jetskiing in the Hudson b) the fact that because we left our bikes and things on the West Side Highway 3 people called the cops because they were worried about us and no one stole anything (whoever said that NY was unsafe/impersonal). I do have a very large bear claw looking scrape on my leg due to falling while trying to get off the wave runner...but whats a little blood?

Brooklyn Apartment parties.

The community that you enter when you become a triathlete. The sense of appreciation and respect that can not be explained.

Life: It's just life and you've gotta live it.