kari, je t'aime.

Dear loyal followers,

2011-02-10T13:03:00.003-05:00

And by "loyal followers" I mean "Tina, Annie, and Mom."

I have moved. You can now reach me at karijetaime.tumblr.com

I have moved because I like the community aspect of Tumblr and how easy it is to share content. Do not worry—you can still visit and comment (and I expect you to!) and things there will be much like they are here.

Do not fret; this glorious archive will still be here in case you desire to read my thoughts about Junior Prom, AP tests, college graduation, or my phase of unemployment.

Much love,
Kari

Why PARENTHOOD is awesome

2011-02-09T11:40:00.002-05:00

With a cast of many characters, I don't dislike a single one of them. On the same note, I can't pick a favorite, because I like them all. Sometimes someone is annoying or I disagree with them, but they are all written as well-rounded characters. You always see both sides to an individual's drama.
The diverse age of the characters allows a variety of storylines, which keeps things interesting.
It's simple. It's comedy and it's drama. But it's realistic drama that is not obnoxiously contrived for the sake of television.
It's sappy, cheesy family stuff that I'm totally a sucker for. My eyes well up most episodes.
They have lame dance parties.
Even if you're a parent, it's still ok to be a kid and depend on someone else.

Consider this a promotional ad. NBC, Tuesdays @ 10PM EST/9PM CST.

Here are some things that currently disgust me.

2011-02-04T16:38:00.004-05:00

I graduated from high school seven years ago. Which means I also was a college freshman seven years ago.
It was five years ago that I studied abroad.
I'm suffering from the end of a cold and my nose is a dripping faucet.

Mostly this post is about how I am sad that time flies by and my glory days of carefree school youth are over and my next birthday causes me to enter the "mid- to late-twenties" phase of my life.

Here are two pictures I just scanned of that lovely first visit to Paris while studying abroad, because I realized that it was this first of February weekend five years ago. (Actually, it wasn't so lovely because it was freezing cold and I had the flu. But happily I am still friends with all of these people.)

Speaking of computer illiteracy...

2011-02-01T11:24:00.006-05:00

What a gem. I really enjoy being the generation that straddles both a pre- and post-Internet society.

Breaking out the books again

2011-02-01T11:19:00.001-05:00

I just read somewhere where I wrote senior year that I was happy about being done with school forever. Except NOT, because three years later, of course, the nerd I am required another approximate three years of school to learn how to become a librarian (all formalities because, really, I knew how to be a librarian at age 16...let's be honest, it is my destiny!).

Last night I had my first of two weekly classes at Queens College. There are four required courses that they call "boot camp" and they sound pretty boring. The book for one of my classes is called "Practical Computer Skills" (and frankly, I am surprised they still publish such a book, because it is 2011, not 1991). But anyway, the program feels small when I compare my 20 person class last night to the 300-person intro classes at NYU. In the 10 minutes prior to start time, guess what everyone was doing. Yes, READING. Everyone had a book out reading quietly to themselves and I felt like such a nerd in nerd heaven and it was awesome.

The faculty members that have spoken to us new students have continuously warned, "This is grad school. These intro classes are work intensive." But our assignments for this first class include three quizzes and a research project that lasts all semester and only requires a 6-8 page paper and a 10-slide PowerPoint presentation. I'm sorry, where is the "work intensive?" Compared to my weekly reaction papers and 30-page final paper for one of my senior year spring semester classes, I find this incredibly easy. I hope I am not cursing myself. And it is probably going to take some time to get used to the work ethic of a student again (not something I am looking forward to). But as so many people have told me, I am a "lifetime learner" and I will get in the swing of things again quickly. I hope. As long as I can deal with spending 2.5 hours on a bus/subway/subway to get to and from class two nights a week, I may make it out ok. Why it is so difficult to get from one outer-borough to another, I will never know.

How many days until the next ski trip?

2011-01-31T10:15:00.000-05:00

I am so obsessed.

Because I've become one of those ladies that takes lots of pictures of my cat.

2011-01-22T16:56:00.000-05:00

In which my perspective broadened a bit.

2011-01-21T10:20:00.001-05:00

I just read Persepolis, the graphic novel about a woman who grew up in Iran around the time of the revolution, and I am currently very intrigued by Iranian history. Sad to say, I don't know much about it, despite having a best friend whose father hails directly from Iran.

As a American child of the nineties knowing little of Middle Eastern history or culture beyond seemingly never-ending war, the picture that pops in my head when I think of Iran (or, really, any Middle Eastern country) is this (which is from a girls school in Iran):

I am so amazed, however, that a society dominated by traditional Islam is only a tiny blip in Persian history. Pictures of Iran pre-1979 revolution clash dramatically with that mental image from above. This picture from Iran in the seventies could be from California in the seventies, and this blows my mind! It's like I suddenly stumbled onto a new way of seeing history and the world, and I want to see more.

I know that the veils and traditional garb are not at all representative of modern Iran, and I know Iranians are probably tired of being misrepresented as this in western media. I know modern Iran has a rich, vibrant culture, despite years of ruling by the traditional Islamic Regime—this is evident in the major controversy surrounding the 2009 presidential elections. But this is seriously a place I am curious to learn more about. I read Persepolis for a year-long World Reading Challenge in which I am participating, and this is exactly what I have hoped to get out of the books I read.

Mmpleaase, I do dare sayyy

2011-01-19T13:48:00.000-05:00

That is the "fancy voice" as used by my coworker when I said I went to the ballet last night. He also asked if I wore a top hat and a monocle. The answer to that question was 'no.'

I went to the New York City Ballet with my New-York-quasi-mother-figure, Jane. We sat in the Orchestra section in the 5th row. I don't think I have ever been five rows from the stage at any kind of show unless it was a mosh pit at an Arcade Fire concert.

Valse-Fantaisie

I've seen the ballet once—The Nutcracker in Nashville during high school when I convinced my mom we should act very high-class. The rest of my ballet knowledge comes from the movie Center Stage (a classic). You know what happens at the ballet? People don't clap and cheer; they clap and say "Bravo!" No joke, they literally shout "Bravo!" and clap for about 10 minutes straight after each finale as the dancers bow at least four different times. What a riot! I sure would like a life that allows me to do high class things like go to the ballet and shout "Brava!"

The ballet is pretty beautiful and astounds me with its grace. The show last night was comprised of four short ballets: Walpurgisnacht Ballet, Duo Concertant, Valse-Fantaisie, and The Four Temperaments. The last was my least favorite, though I think it was probably everyone else's favorite. Both the music and dance were more modern in style, but I thought it looked more jolted and animalistic, if that makes sense. It wasn't very smooth and had odd movements, which I did not find to be as appealing.

An Eye for Annai

2011-01-19T11:00:00.001-05:00

Jon Klassen is an awesome illustrator I discovered a few months ago while I was reading a YA series called The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place. I loved the cute little people in his illustrations so I Googled him and found out he also worked on developing Coraline to the big screen.

Also, he worked on this which I temporarily forgot about until now and don't want to forget again because it is too awesome.

Watertown, TN

2011-01-18T10:25:00.002-05:00

July, 2005

Cheese and potatoes are never a bad idea.

2011-01-16T14:41:00.001-05:00

My friend Michelle is a foodaholic in every sense of the word. She likes to eat, she likes to cook, she likes to read about food and cooking, takes classes on food studies, and blogs about interesting food politics tidbits (though these tidbits will never stop me from eating chicken nuggets or other things deemed unnatural). She is probably the only other person in the world who likes all forms of cheese as much as I do. So this is why you can understand it is a very big point of pride when she is impressed with my cooking projects, seeing as how she is the one who inspired me to start cooking in the first place.

Last week, I decided to tackle the blue cheese red potato tart that was on my cooking queue. This was actually a pretty easy recipe once you get past the crust, which was kind of a pain (this was the part of the recipe that impressed Michelle). The recipe warns you that it may be difficult but with a little "elbow grease," it comes together nicely. But all the "elbow grease" just caused it to dry out more so I had to keep sprinkling water in the dough to prevent 100% crumblage. Then it crumbled anyway when I tried to pick up my flattened crust and put it in the pie pan, so I just put it in pieces and smooshed them all together.

ANYWAY, once you get past the crust, ingredients are really simple. You just need baby red potatoes, crumbled blue cheese, heavy cream, one egg yolk, and whatever seasoning you want (I used rosemary). Slice the potatoes, cook them in a saucepan until they're tender, then dry them off and place them in your pie pan in overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle the blue cheese on top, pour your mixture of yolk and cream over the potatoes, and season. Then cook for about 45-50 minutes. Full recipe can be found here.

Mine was not as pretty as the one in photos on smitten kitchen. And I don't think I cooked it quite long enough because the cream came out a little more liquid-y than custard-y (though it looks much better once it's been in the fridge and you eat the leftovers!). However, it was delicious! And it made the apartment smell so good! Colin even liked it and he hates blue cheese. This would be a great dish to bring to a potluck. I paired this with a simple salad for a nice balanced dinner. Cheese and potatoes...never a bad combination.

Quince

2011-01-15T19:24:00.000-05:00

Meet the newest member of the Edgens-Hunt household.

Yo, I made this!: Cupcake edition

2011-01-11T18:46:00.003-05:00

Every time it is someone's birthday in my office, we have a party at the conference table at 3pm, complete with dessert and singing. The baking for these birthdays has gotten quite intense over the past year. We've seen Cookie Monster cupcakes made with blue sprinkles and Chips Ahoy, ocean themed cupcakes with partial Twinkies frosted as sharks and powdered donuts as rescue rings, hamburger cupcakes, and a peanut butter jelly cake. Today was a coworker's birthday and dessert duty was passed off to me because the girl who would normally bake him goods was going to be gone.

It was last minute dessert duty and I did not want to gyp Chris with store bought goods, so I decided to make Pina Colada cupcakes because baked goods containing alcohol are always a good idea. The recipe was fairly simple but became an involved process for me because I decided to buy a whole coconut, drain it, bake it, and get the fresh shavings from it. Let me tell you, that is a pain in the ass.

Overall, the cupcakes were very good, though they tasted more like a vanilla cupcake than a pina colada. The pina colada taste was very very subtle...I think you'd only be able to notice it if you knew there was rum and pineapple juice in the mix. So maybe next time, I should throw a little more of that in to get a real pina colada flavor. But at least they were pretty!

It is official.

2011-01-10T14:32:00.002-05:00

I am a student.

The Misadventures of Vermont

2011-01-10T12:31:00.003-05:00

How to plan an epic weekend:

Get caught in snowstorm while driving a car with zero winter traction tires, and spend 4+ hours only to make it halfway to a destination normally four hours from starting point.
Pullover and get a hotel room thanks to parental hotel points.
Sleep on and off for 3 hours as three people in a full size uncomfortable pullout sofa bed.
Wake up at 5am while still dark and get back on road.
Go through two states and hit more winter driving conditions in final state.
Have moment of panic as you spend 10 minutes trying to roll up a faulty car window during moderate snowfall.
Reach destination and have glorious ski day.
Sleep for 11 hours.
Pack car.
Pull out of driveway at 1pm and drive onto main route.
Flat tire.
Call AAA and every tire warehouse in southern Vermont area.
Locate tire, drive to tire dealer, replace tire.
Begin trip home at 5pm.

But it was totally worth it!

Two mountains in two weeks.

2011-01-09T22:24:00.002-05:00

I could really get used to this frequent skiing.

Whiteface, NY

Mount Snow, VT

I like to think I'm a pretty good photographer, and then I realize there are a million people better than me.

2011-01-07T09:14:00.001-05:00

This is such a cool story! What an awesome discovery. I can't even imagine taking 100,000 photos. I would love to see the library of this woman's work.

Things in my kitchen queue

2011-01-03T16:56:00.001-05:00

Milk punch — How could I not love an alcoholic beverage made with milk? If I was allergic to dairy, as a friend is, I would probably turn suicidal. Colin would enjoy this one as well since it has bourbon. However, I may have to wait a while for my taste for sweet milk drinks to come back—two weeks ago I puked for 9 hours from a stomach bug, unfortunately right after drinking an iced chai. I'm still slightly gagging at the thought of the taste.
Spaghetti with chickpeas — I've discovered I'm a big fan of chickpeas and everything thrown into this sauce makes it sound super good. And healthy. I guess that's a plus.
Raspberry limeaid slushies — Because I like to pretend it's summer when it's really 23 degrees outside.
Porch swing — See above.
Blue cheese and red potato tart — Cheese and potatoes...sounds good to me. As long as I don't tell Colin it has blue cheese, he'll eat it.
Cannoli cupcakes — Um, do you know about my love for cannolis? Thank goodness there is an excellent Italian bakery near my apartment if I ever need a fix.

New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-03T14:21:00.002-05:00

I'm happy to say 2010 was my favorite year of recent years. I did not get laid off. I did have to move but it was a good and relatively painless one. I saw the beach. I saw family and friends that live in different cities often. I actually exercised. My New Year's Resolutions for 2010 were as follows:

Run more than a mile without getting winded. Maybe even 5. CHECK, I made it up to 3 before an injury put me out for a while.
Play yuppie-league soccer. CHECK, see recent post on soccer team.
Explore new places in the city, rather than stick to the same restaurants and bars. CHECK, this one wasn't too hard.
Go on a vacation that involves a beach not in Jersey or anywhere on the Eastern seaboard, for that matter. CHECK, and dos cervezas por favor.

Thinking up resolutions for 2011 are proving a little more difficult, because all of those from 2010 were things that had been on my "to do" list for years and finally actually did. But a couple I've come up with:

Run in some sort of race, probably a 5K because like I said, I only made it up to 3 miles in 2010. Maybe I'll make it to a 10K by December.
Cook more and discover new recipes.
Visit a foreign country.

This is a pretty crappy, short list so hopefully I can think of some more. And in terms of personal goals, I need to work on my patience (thanks Dad, for my complete lack of it) and tone down my first-glance judgments. And will 2011 be the year I finally stop biting my nails??? I bet not.

Greetings from Finland!

2010-12-13T22:06:00.001-05:00

I've embarked on this very cool project called Postcrossing, located at postcrossing.com, in which you send postcards to strangers around the world and get some in return. And after sending 3 postcards (to Russia, Germany, and France), I just received my first today! It is from Helsinki, Finland, and it only took 5 days to get here! Apparently Helsinki just got 50cm of snow! This is very exciting. I plan on covering my fridge in postcards from around the world. What a cool idea. Why is the postal service SO FUN????

This is my postcard that you see above.

The soccer team that should be a Disney movie

2010-12-11T14:23:00.001-05:00

So we lost all 10 of our games. And I still have a foot injury that will probably cost me hundreds of dollars once I finally go to the doctor about it someday. But gosh darn it, we had spirit and we were not that bad—we had the potential to be great; we were just the only free-agent team so it took us at least half the season to get used to playing with each other. But at least it brought us friendship and weekly dinner dates. Look for the inspiring cookbook soon to hit shelves.

Yo, I made this!

2010-12-10T10:03:00.001-05:00

I know this picture of brown gunk looks...less than appetizing...but it most certainly IS appetizing, I promise.

One reason I miss living with Franny is because she loves to cook and I'd get to eat all her creations. One of my favorites was a curry she made with potatoes, cauliflower, and chickpeas. It's delicious and pretty easy and excellent to reheat! So when I desperately craved something new to make, I tried it out for myself.

What you need is this:

4 medium potatoes, cubed
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup
1/2 cup cream or milk
1 (12 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

I used only 2 potatoes and added half a head of cauliflower. So you cook those first by boiling them in a saucepan, then drain and set aside. The cauliflower takes longer to cook so add that first and then add the potatoes a few minutes later and cook maybe 20 min.

Then you heat the oil in a skillet and add the onions and garlic, and cook until the onions are transparent. Then add all the spices and mix together. Then add the tomato soup, the milk, and the chickpeas. Mix together and let it all simmer for a few minutes. Then add the potatoes and cauliflower and serve over rice. Yum!

The officially recipe is here, just in case you're interested.

THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVERYDAY

2010-12-09T09:36:00.002-05:00

Funny - Funny Videos

Today's life lesson from last Sunday

2010-12-08T11:08:00.004-05:00

"School gives you KNOWLEDGE."

As heard on the Brooklyn-bound L train from a 10-year-old boy.

Today's life lesson

2010-12-07T13:35:00.001-05:00

"Jesus had two dads and he turned out just fine."

As seen here.

You know what's really fun to watch at 12:30am?

2010-12-06T20:53:00.000-05:00

The British House of Commons on CSPAN. People just yelling and cheering and booing and David Cameron giving pompous, snarky remarks to questions from his opposition.

I think Britain does politics right. They can all argue and hate each other over conflicting parties. But then they can grab a beer and talk about how much they love the Queen. At least they all have something in common.

Weekend fun find!

2010-12-06T11:01:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-12-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

Needed: ice cream and pajamas

2010-12-01T11:07:00.003-05:00

I always hate waking up before 10 in the morning, but it was particularly awful today. It's rainy and dark and one of those days not worth getting out of bed for. Plus, I had super weird dreams all night, so I woke up sleepy. Other than that, life's in a great in-between right now. I just had a great visit from my parents for Thanksgiving—we went to the Macy's parade; great dinner dates with the lovely ladies from my soccer team; in two weeks I'm going home for 10 days; and then, a ski trip. Almost makes up for the dreaded dead season quickly approaching.

I've come to the conclusion...

2010-11-19T09:10:00.000-05:00

that there are way too many people in this city, and it is driving me crazy. I would give anything right now for my car and open roads far far away from the tri-state area.

Sandpiper

2010-11-11T11:58:00.003-05:00

I saw on Facebook that an old friend from middle/high school just released this music video. Haven't talked to her in years, but it's pretty awesome. It makes me:

a) miss Nashville and open fields.

b) wish I had more creativity.

c) miss Nashville.

Action! "Sandpiper" (Official Video) from Action! on Vimeo.

Recent Theatre Wrap-up

2010-11-10T14:43:00.005-05:00

I feel like I have been sitting in the audience of a theatre pretty often lately, between "Million Dollar Quartet," Brian Regan, and the random play here and there. That's a major perk of Colin's job—I get to accompany him to lots of shows he sees for clients. Usually, my memory sucks and I forget things pretty often, but as I am talking with Michelle, the good thing about a blog is that it can serve as a sort of digital scrapbook for things I have done or seen. So then I won't forget everything within a couple of weeks.

On the night of our big moving-in-together day a couple weeks ago, we went to see "Wings" at Second Stage. It's the story of a woman who has a stroke, told from her perspective as she struggles to use and comprehend language. At first, all the lighting and set pieces got me thinking—and dreading—that I was really watching some weird experimental theater, like in She's All That (what a great flick, by the way). But by the end, I was sucked in. The lead actress was amaaaaazing. I definitely shed a couple tears during the show, and I pretty much broke down bawling in the subway, much to Colin's (and probably everyone else around us) surprise, because I thought it was so affecting.

On Monday, we saw "After the Revolution" at Playwrights Horizon, which was about a recent law graduate raised in a Marxist family. She's started a fund, named after her blacklisted grandfather, to help individuals treated unfairly by governments and people in charge. But when it's revealed that her "unjustly blacklisted" grandfather may have actually been a Communist spy for Russia in the 40s and 50s, the foundations on which she's built her life and work for the past four years are shaken. I thought this play was cast very well, and the acting was great. It also didn't take itself too seriously; it could've turned into a family melodrama, but it didn't ever quite get that far.

The conversations Colin and I have when looking at theatre programs are so fitting of our personalities:

Me: (pointing) "Where do I know her from?"
Colin: "Oh Christine Ebersole? She's in lots of stuff. A lot of theater and she's in Amadeus..."
Me: "No, she's in My Girl 2. And Richie Rich!"

Later, in the waiting room...

Me: "That guy over there (subtle head nod) is an actor right?"
Colin: "Yeah, I can't remember his name, but he does a lot of thea...."
Me: "It's the dad from Blank Check!"

Clearly I know the actors in kids' movies quite well.

The big yellow one is the sun!

2010-11-08T22:33:00.002-05:00

Stand-up is one of those things that can be so painful, it makes me cringe. You can just tell when a comedian is trying too hard and forcing the jokes, and it hurts me to watch. Actually, most stand-up comedians don't amuse me, particularly the ones who throw a lot of vulgar, coarse language in their routines because they think that automatically makes it funny. Well, it's not. It usually makes the "jokes" highly unoriginal. Bob Saget stand-up was the worst show I have ever seen.

Three comedians that always make me laugh, though—Ellen Degeneres, Jerry Seinfeld, and Brian Regan. Because they all joke about everyday things and use a lot of expression to get their point across.

Colin and I saw Brian Regan live on Saturday at Lincoln Center as part of the New York Comedy Festival. I highly advise watching his comedy specials instantly on Netflix.

This was Halloween.

2010-11-02T14:31:00.000-04:00

We were going for this.

Good couple costume, right? It's always easy to dress like an old lady. Goodwill will be your best friend.

The music of my people

2010-10-29T15:36:00.005-04:00

Colin and I saw Million Dollar Quartet last night, which was my birthday present. Ummm, SO GOOD! I'm not sure how the performers managed to make their voices sound exactly like that of well-known singers with very distinctive voices, but I am beyond impressed. I'm glad to hear that this show has been a success, because usually the Broadway shows I like don't seem to last very long.

At the final stand-up applause, Colin and I humorously noted that we were probably 2 of the 5 people there under the age of 60. Ha, our generation just doesn't appreciate good music (or have the funds to purchase Broadway tickets...it's probably that). But it's ok...I was wearing my cowboy boots so I fit right in.

Alors...c'est la faute à Fidel?

2010-10-28T11:00:00.002-04:00

Great movie I watched last night. Really great.

I'm still working on my French skills and I think it helps to watch a lot of French films. Fortunately, that won't be too difficult thanks to my Wii's capability of viewing Netflix instantly and the large French language film collection they offer for instant playback.

It's awesome when a video gives you chills and makes you want to cry at the same time.

2010-10-27T16:38:00.000-04:00

I could see them live eighty-thousand times and it would never be enough.

The days are getting shorter and I just want to sleep.

2010-10-27T10:46:00.001-04:00

I took this picture one rainy night from the castle in Central Park. I was going for a darker image...guess I left the shutter open too long. Whoops. Still doesn't look too bad, though.

This change of season, coupled with the current rain, is killing me. I am constantly sleepy. I always forget how long it takes me to adjust to shorter days. I feel like I'm in a perpetual state of sluggishness.

The White House Photostream

2010-10-26T14:49:00.005-04:00

What a fun Flickr account to browse.

Finally got some film developed...

2010-10-26T13:53:00.001-04:00

...and discovered my camera has a big light leak! Bummer.

The Unseen Sea

2010-10-21T14:00:00.003-04:00

The Unseen Sea from Simon Christen on Vimeo.

Time lapse of San Francisco fog. Sometimes I think I'd love to live in California.

It's a bad sign when...

2010-10-21T13:35:00.001-04:00

you hear an emergency vehicle coming down the street and get angry at whoever needs it for disrupting your walk with sirens.

Happy birthday to me.

2010-10-19T12:18:00.002-04:00

I am 25.

UGH, that means I am in my mid-20s.

My sister sent me a message that said something along the lines of, "I remember when your walls were covered with pictures of JTT and Freddie Prinze, Jr!" When she sent that, I was laying in bed watching Disney Channel shows on Saturday morning's ABC Kids. So clearly not much has changed.

25 seems so grown up. I still wake up sometimes with the fear that I didn't finish Calculus homework. I wonder why that happens. Maybe it's because my self-image is still me as a 15-year-old. I don't feel old enough to have a real job, nor to be moving in(!!) with a boy.

I've discovered you have to work hard as you get older to keep life less complicated, because it just seems to naturally do that. But it's super exciting to be building my own life on my own terms, just as long as I can still play innocent and watch Saturday morning cartoons.

Reaching Out

2010-10-13T10:59:00.007-04:00

By Hugh Holland, from Locals Only: California Skateboarding 1975-1978.

I am dying to go to Paris.

2010-10-01T20:18:00.005-04:00

I'm working on improving my French skills. I aim for "mostly fluent." I found a great podcast that helps called Coffee Break French. Short conversational lessons, perfect for listening to at my desk. I'm about a quarter of the way done with the whole program and, so far, nothing is really new. But it's practice that makes a difference.

My boys

2010-09-30T11:49:00.001-04:00

But not really mine. Really, my sister's.

Children of the 90s

2010-09-17T11:02:00.004-04:00

This is by far the most amazing internet thing I've found all week. No, all month. Possibly, all year.

How could I have forgotten Trapper Keepers, Lisa Frank, Shrinky Dinks, BOP, Kid Cuisine, or Yikes pencils??? I may spend all day on here.

80s and 90s Teen Movie Songs. WHAT GEMS.

I will never live down the day I watched that movie at Carol's house and cried myself silly.

Another good source is Retro Junk.

Snapshots from home

2010-09-14T21:12:00.003-04:00

Oh, you tossed your cookies!

2010-08-31T20:30:00.003-04:00

I recently discovered that many of Nickelodeon's old cartoons are available to watch instantly on Netflix. This is amazing. Therefore, I have recently been watching old episodes of Hey Arnold!, which is still a great show. Along with the movie version of Harriet the Spy and Felicity, I'm pretty sure this was one of the things that made me want to grow up and live in NYC. And you know what's funny? I remember most of these episodes, and I crack up at scenes I distinctly remember cracking up at when I was 11 years old. Clearly my sense of humor has not matured AT ALL. But I'm okay with that.

From the heart of the battle...

2010-08-24T21:59:00.005-04:00

My empathy levels are absolutely off the charts right now as I read—and am in the very midst of—all this discussion of Islam in America. Though, to be honest, it's not much of a discussion, as it should be. It's two sides fighting (what else is new?) because they are standing strong behind the agenda of their two parties. It absolutely tears me apart and I start to wonder what I can do, how I can help, to educate, to strengthen ties, to soothe unrest. And I've realized what the issue is. No one bothers to question. No one bothers to consider all sides. No one bothers to investigate for themselves. They just side with their political party and use the facts they hear in mainstream media to back it up. And this, I'm certain, is the fundamental problem with the world.

After reading this great article in which the author did, in fact, set out to find answers, I had an amazing discussion today with one of my closest friends, a Muslim friend. It's rare that people take the time, effort, or courage to learn about what they don't know. You sometimes feel silly or maybe offensive or politically incorrect asking about things that you don't know but maybe should. But how much better off are we once that dialogue has begun?

I'm not going to get up on my soapbox and tell you my thoughts on the situation. I just beg for you to start thinking critically—think critically, ask questions, search for an unbiased answer (or at least read valid opinions from both sides), and come to your own conclusions. The media can be our worst enemy; they try to simplify everything and paint all situations in black and white, when controversial situations are most often far more colorful.

Biking through Queens

2010-08-16T17:22:00.005-04:00

Yesterday, Colin and I biked to Jackson Heights and ate tacos on Roosevelt Ave, then to Corona Heights where we ate Italian ice from “The Lemon Ice King of Corona”. Yum yum.

I need to learn Spanish.

Also, I found where I could happily live if I had to spend the rest of my life in one of the five boroughs. Sunnyside, Queens. It’s the most peaceful place I’ve ever been to in New York City.

A World Without Islam

2010-08-13T16:23:00.000-04:00

This is a good discussion. Religion seems like a scapegoat for political conflicts. I need to go back and read American history and find out why the hell we got involved in the Middle East in the first place. And not just the simple answer like “oil” or “democracy.” What was worth starting 40 years of conflict halfway around the globe, and how did it escalate so much?

Haiti

2010-08-12T15:17:00.000-04:00

Arcade Fire is beyond amazing live. No joke, it’s a religious experience. It gives me chills. And for a song that is pretty tame on the recorded album, I am blown away by how much they ROCK OUT to “Haiti” live.

I just saw them twice in one week—Madison Square Garden and Lollapalooza. That is recipe for a wonderful week.

America in Color

2010-08-05T10:11:00.006-04:00

These are some pretty amazing shots! Just reinforces my love of film.

The Denver Post has an amazing photo blog, and one of their features—about a young soldier's journey into the Army and Iraq—won this year's Pulitzer. I spent a couple hours one day looking at it. It's very good.

Yo, I made this!

2010-08-01T16:11:00.007-04:00

I'm no chef, but I can follow a recipe. And when I find one I want to try, I actually enjoy cooking. The presence of a new Trader Joe's in Chelsea that is so much better than the old one on 14th Street inspired me to buy lots of things from the produce department. And then my friend Michelle showed me an awesome website with lots of great recipes, like this one that included lots of the ingredients I had just bought.

So a cloudy Sunday afternoon and I headed into my tiny half kitchen to make Spring Asparagus Panchetta Hash—a recipe that consists of potatoes, asparagus, onion, and panchetta. I have to admit I had no idea what panchetta was until this and had to go hunt it down at the store. Thank goodness for Trader Joe's and their seemingly gourmet foodstuffs.

I really like chopping things. My cooking method includes setting up my laptop on one side of the kitchen cart and chopping on the cutting board side while I listen to ambient music like Corinne Bailey Rae or Madeleine Peyroux.

After chopping, you then have to cook everything in a skillet one at a time. First, the panchetta. Remove and drain. Then the potatoes in the panchetta grease. Then add the onion, then the asparagus and cover. This made me really want a seasoned skillet. You know, one of those kinds that is pretty much a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. Something like that makes you feel like a real cook.

And after all is done and mixed together, voila. I sprinkled my first serving with a bit of Gorgonzola cheese, but I always forget how strong Gorgonzola is. So I would not recommend that. The original recipe recommends goat cheese, so I'll try that next time.

Excellent breakfast food! (Or in this case, 4:30pm supper?)

The risks of redecorating

2010-07-19T14:38:00.006-04:00

It seemed like a typical Sunday afternoon, discussing paint colors and reupholstery, but July 18th, 2010, will go down as the day in history that Colin and I found a loaded firearm in a chair he purchased last October. I guess you never know what you're getting from thrift stores.

The rest of the story: it apparently belonged to an ex-cop from Philadelphia who was born in 1921 and who also left behind his wallet—complete with driver's license, health and car insurance info, bank cards, phone numbers, AARP card, car inspection results, and a couple four-leaf clovers—with the .25 caliber. We also know he frequently shopped at Buy Right, wore a pacemaker, drove a 1983 Lincoln, and was Catholic. He may or may not be deceased. We called the local precinct and they took the gun; Colin is no longer unknowingly armed.

Holy Moly Me oh My

2010-07-19T14:30:00.005-04:00

They may be confused as to which decade we're in, but everything about this little ditty and its video makes me smile.

5 years ago...

2010-07-16T13:54:00.007-04:00

The seven-year-old who wore me out this past weekend with street hockey and Scrabble was only 2!

Photos are fun to develop five years later.

Friday the 13th

2010-07-14T14:04:00.006-04:00

I have spent three years dating this boy and it gets better every day. He took me on a lovely sailboat cruise down the Hudson and by the Statue of Liberty where lots of colorful sailboats were lined up on a humid, misty summer evening. I forgot my camera, but you wouldn't have gotten to see a pic soon anyway—I'm big into film lately.

Toy Story 3

2010-06-29T14:56:00.003-04:00

Last night, Colin and I saw Toy Story 3 (in 3D!), and I'm pretty sure I laughed through the entire thing. I don't remember much about the first Toy Story; I never saw Toy Story 2; and I know Pixar movies are generally really enjoyable for adult audiences; but WOW, I was laughing to the point of tears. I think it was the voices. That's one cool thing about animation—if the voice actors are successful, they can really entertain and convey tone with their expressions and enunciation. The characters' personalities and individualities were conveyed through their voices. In this movie in particular, the voices and the one-liners were what got the laughs, more-so than the plot or scenarios.

The Ken doll may have been my favorite.

I love going to the movies. It's ridiculously expensive but it still has some magic.

OMG ITZ MILEY!!!!!!!

2010-06-20T21:12:00.011-04:00

I'm telling you right now that I will never grow up! My favorite movie is still Harriet the Spy, I have the High School Musical soundtracks on my iPod, and I like watching Disney shows on ABC Saturday mornings. I'm pretty much a 12-year-old at heart.

Mostly I find that people my age in NYC try to act too old, too fast. And I just find that to be no fun at all! So when Miley Cyrus is playing a free concert near my apartment, before work...WHY NOT?

The restaurant below

2010-06-16T17:07:00.005-04:00

Combined, we make the perfect woman.

2010-06-08T23:27:00.003-04:00

I miss them.

Title quote via Carol.

Summer in the City

2010-06-04T14:20:00.005-04:00

Last night I went to see Sex and the City 2 because, well, I'm a girl and I live in New York—it's a rule or something. I was expecting it to be awful because most everyone everywhere said it was awful. I didn't find it awful...I found it unnecessary, more than anything. These characters and their storylines have been beat into the ground so far, there's nowhere else for them to go. The show had, without a doubt, maybe the best ending I have ever seen in a series I've watched from beginning to end.

Oh man, I watch that and I still get chills, because it's just so good.

I'm not going to give a lecture on why Sex and the City is noteworthy television and more than mere pop culture (really...it did have a lot to it!). I'm going to talk about why it gets me. It gets me because it features a glamourous New York City. I started watching the show with Carol right before I moved to NYC for college (much, I'm sure, to my mom's distress), and I feel like it kept me looking at New York through some rose-colored glasses (Prada or Gucci, no doubt) for most of my time in college. The city that you see in the show is seductive and exudes perfection.

Real life in New York is not that perfect—at all. It's smelly and loud and dirty and crowded and expensive and there are crazy people and the constant threat of terrorism and it takes forever to get anywhere because you have to depend on public transportation. The vast majority of people are never going to be able to afford the lifestyles seen on the show, and while the show tried to mention the negative realities, they never developed beyond lovable quirks of city life.

Which is why, to this day, my heart jumps a little when I hear that familiar allegro jazz theme, and I think about the glamour of the show—the nightlife, the music, the friends, the excitement of all this city has to offer and how excited I was to experience it all. So whenever I get down about the smell, noise, grime, crowds, cost, etc, etc, I can just hunt down a couple old episodes and retreat to my idealized version of the city and think maybe it's not so bad.

And really, summer in the city is fabulous.

I AM NASHVILLE

2010-05-18T19:25:00.006-04:00

So an outfit that includes this shirt with my UT hat and my cowboy boots...think that style choice is acceptable in NYC?

Summer is beginning!

2010-05-16T19:46:00.000-04:00

The official start of the summer: terrace party at AGDubs, complete with massive inflatable pool, propane grill (an upgrade from last summer's mini charcoal one), and mini-fridge stocked with cheap beer. PERFECT DAY (despite the epic odyssey and failure of a Red Bulls game later that night). Words cannot express my excitement for summer and more days like this one.

Sink or swim

2010-05-14T08:56:00.003-04:00

Nashville is the greatest city...in all the land!

Dixieland after hours

2010-05-09T19:52:00.000-04:00

After Colin and I successfully completed the 42-official-plus-about-15-extra miles of the Five Borough Bike Tour, we returned to Brooklyn and collapsed in his apartment. It was hot and humid and we lacked air conditioning. As a result, we opened all the windows and turned of all the lights. And then we start to hear this glorious music wafting in from outside. The French restaurant downstairs often has live jazz on Sunday nights, but this jazz was different. And it was completely AMAZING.

It was a Dixieland jazz band from New Orleans called Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns, and we both fell in love. I don't think there could have been a more perfect end to the day. It felt like we were hanging out sometime in the past in a room above a busy New Orleans street in the dead of summer. And I LOVED IT.

And then I found out Nashville flooded, and I didn't love that so much.

But anyway, you should check out this band, because they're pretty fab. They played again this weekend, and we bought their CDs.

50 miles do not make a happy bum

2010-05-05T18:29:00.003-04:00

Colin and I rode in the Five Borough Bike Tour this Sunday. It's pretty self-explanatory—a bike ride that hits all five boroughs. We woke up at the ungodly hour of 5:40am and discovered a car bomb was discovered in Times Square (yep, it was that day). But despite the threat to national security (someone wants to attack New York? Surprise surprise) we headed out from Brooklyn at 6:15, crossed the Williamsburg Bridge into Manhattan, and gathered at the starting line near Battery Park. Then we waited. For almost two hours.

The route led us up 6th Ave which was nice enough, through Central Park which seemed ok, then we hit a bottlenecked traffic jam. And that was pretty much the theme for the rest of the day. There were so many people participating in this ride (about 32,000), and city streets cannot handle that much traffic. We hit several points where we had to just get off and walk our bikes, and it was infuriating. Around Brooklyn (the fourth borough), it cleared out a bit. And then we hit the BQE which was on a slight incline but because we'd been inching along up to that point, Colin and I BOOKED IT through. It's really satisfying to 1) ride on a major expressway that is usually bumper to bumper traffic, and 2) to pass lots of people because you're AMAZING ON A BIKE!

By the time we crossed the finish line around 2:30, my rear end has never been more sore. Surprisingly, it wasn't the legs that were tired after 50 miles of riding. It was the bum. But then of course, we had to take the ferry back from Staten Island and ride back to Brooklyn. So 11 hours and 60 miles after we began, we made it back in one piece. Luckily, it was a GORGEOUS day out (it was 85+ degrees and sunny, which was lucky since last weekend it was cold and rainy); it wouldn't be worth it if it was gross out. I had a great day, but I don't think I'll be doing this ride again. I did feel pretty much like a rock star decked out in my bike gear, though.

I finally finished Buffy.

2010-04-29T22:22:00.010-04:00

It only took me eight months (plus about seven years), but I finally finished all seven seasons of Buffy. And now my head hurts.

On season 7:

I feel like 18 out of the 22 episodes were "something big is coming but we don't know what it is and we're just going to wait for it." It got sooooooooooo tired.
Buffy is generally a great show because it's all a metaphor for real life, real problems. And usually the writers are very good about throwing in subtle metaphors about character or plot. [I mean, entire books have been written on Buffy and academia.] But wow, the writers were not at all subtle with this season, especially the series finale. Xander as the 'seer,' Anya's human issues, and that nice little shot of the original four—Buffy, Xander, Willow, and Giles—in the hallway of Sunnydale High before the big battle. Oh, it comes full circle from season 1! But wait...why do their voices seem to speed up? And why is the camera circling them like crazy? That was the weirdest scene of the entire series. I get what it was trying to do. Didn't do it well.
How much do the writers hate Xander? That guy can't get anything good in his life.
WHY is Buffy/Spike still a storyline? It was supposed to be over in season 6, because they just kept rehashing the same thing. Then it continued to be "nothing" in season 7, but they kept making it something by continuously saying it was "nothing" and they were STILL rehashing the same thing. And then it carried on to the VERY END. Agh, infuriating!
...which made the sudden, brief appearance of Angel so satisfying because you remember how much better he is than Spike. For the first time, I REALLY wanted Buffy and Angel to just suck it up and be together.
Buffy got way annoying in the end. I know that was the point, but I've never been so happy to see Faith return to the scene. She was such a breath of fresh air. I loved her for that whole handful of episodes.
I have a major fan-girl crush on Nathan Fillion, though more of his Castle persona than psycho priest persona.
Also really loved Principal Wood. I liked his storyline.
Small annoyance: the costume designers are really getting out of hand in terms of dressing Buffy up. She's wearing dangly earrings and pointy-toed heels for a war scene! C'mon! This isn't a one-on-one battle with Angel as in days past...this is, as she says, WAR. You don't think about style choices like dangly earrings and pointy shoes when you're going off to war.
The ending wasn't very satisfying. I didn't get that proud feeling of accomplishment at the end like I have in past seasons. For a plot they dragged out all season, it felt rushed or something. And the conclusion seemed kinda Television Writing 101 in terms of series finales to me.

Overall season rankings:

Season Two - you laugh, you cry, you're sucked in and it doesn't get any better than this
Season Four - a personal fave; lots of character growth and variety
Season Three - you just feel proud watching the final battle
Season Six - such a satisfying end; dark concepts explored with some memorable episodes
Season One - so fun to see them so young; overall, just fun to watch
Season Seven - kinda boring, no stand-out episodes
Season Five - blehhhh bring back the Scoobies!

Is it sad that I still immediately know the season of any given episode by Buffy's hair?

Windowsill still-life

2010-04-29T12:13:00.004-04:00

One of these hydrangea blooms was wilted within four hours. I'm pretty sure I ruined it cutting the stem, but I'm angry none the less.

These are my new cowboy boots and I am in love with them.

A thought from long ago

2010-04-24T10:13:00.000-04:00

I just read this entry I wrote in my notebook back in the summer of 2004. I wrote:

"I looked outside my bathroom window tonight and saw the sky lighter than I have ever seen it at 1:45 am. Then I saw the moon. It was a full moon, burning like a light bulb in the sky, brighter than I'd ever seen it. It was pearly white, but glowing. It makes me think of simpler times, when the moon was the only light after the sun set. Back when explorers sailed the seas, or homesteaders tamed the west, or when lovers sat on the dock of a lake on a warm summer night. Time passes so quickly yet there is time for so much to happen. I think about how much I do in a day, a week, a month, or a year. How many memories I make, or decisions. Multiply that by six billion, and all the people before us. All the people of 2004, 1904, 1804, 1704, 1604...or how much history is still to be written. It makes this moment seem very insignificant. Moments important to me do not exist to the rest of the world, the rest of history. It's so easy to feel unimportant in the scheme of things. There are few people known the world over, that live on through time. Legends. But think of all the people whose name and memory dies with them. The people who struggle just to get by in life. What role do they play in history? Are they just there as background scenery? Or like extras on a movie set. Do they just fall in the scene?"

Damn, I was deep. I remember that night, and I got all that from one moment looking out the window. What happened to that pensive side of me?

iTunes Roulette

2010-04-23T21:03:00.006-04:00

Every once in a while you open iTunes and see a song you haven't listened to in months. And for whatever reason, that song is suddenly the best. song. ever.

Right now that song is:

The Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight

Man, they have some EPIC songs.

A Quick Sojourn to DC

2010-04-23T13:05:00.007-04:00

I had never been to Washington, DC. Twenty-four years old, six of which I have been stationed a few hours away, and I'd never been to our nation's capital. That's kinda sad, right??

Well luckily now I have a couple of friends living in DC, so after our Philly meet-up in January, we decided to have a DC meet-up in April. Clint gave me a nice tour of all the monuments and memorials, with his own little did-you-know facts thrown in. We also got to go on the White House Rose Garden tour. So, we walked up right beside the White House! Pretty exciting!

Clint lives in Arlington, which I loooooved. His neighborhood has lots of cute little houses with yards and parks down the street, all within Metro distance of DC central (and reasonable driving distance, too...not an hour and a half like here!). Apparently, the real estate near him is also really expensive. Major bummer, because I already started decorating my imaginary future house in Virginia—which is another plus: it's in the South! Other location suggestions are welcome.

Home Sweet Home

2010-04-12T19:52:00.003-04:00

Nashville is pretty much the greatest city in the world. I spent a gorgeous four days back home with most of my favorite people and tried to cram as much in as possible, as usual. Between Dad, Jennifer, and Josh's birthdays, there was a lot to do. I got to see Jennifer's fabulous new apartment/house, FINALLY attend a birthday party of one of my nephews (7 years and I haven't been to one), and also finally get to see one of their baseball games. One on hand, everything in Nashville is so familiar from my 18+ years there, but on the other, it's a completely different city. So I know the Nashville I lived in as a high schooler, but it's a completely different city for an adult. I wish I had lots and lots of time to explore what it has to offer someone my age. Unfortunately a few days here and there each year doesn't really cut it.

When I'm in New York, I get really caught up in my life here that I kinda forget my whole other life back home. It's not that I feel like a different person, but when I'm in New York, I just forget about all my history. That's why going home is so wonderful. It's home, and no explanation is necessary for anything. I think it will probably always be the only place in the world I feel 100% comfortable and confident. My biggest wish in the world is that the distance between Nashville and New York was cut in half. How can we make that happen?

Lacking inspiration.

2010-04-07T15:08:00.007-04:00

Last week I went to a gallery opening featuring an artist who paints people (literally, she paints ON people) and then takes a photo of them in various settings so that the person then looks like a 2-D painting. Got that? No, probably not. This is what I mean:

Timmy on the Metro
Originally uploaded by AlexaMeade

There were also some photos there in square format that were very simple shots of rural, domestic life. I see these things and get inspired to be creative. Where did all my creativity seem to go? I had so much in high school. I think it's time to pull out the camera and conjure up some ideas for photo projects. I've never really done one before...only taken photos to document certain events or places.

Any ideas or suggestions? I live in New York...how pathetic that I lack inspiration. What camera should I use? I've got three: Rolleiflex square format, 35mm film, and digital.

NPR has a pretty fabulous photo blog, too.

Get your kicks...

2010-03-24T10:14:00.006-04:00

I've been to Europe. I've been to the Caribbean. The next big vacation I want to take is one I've been wanting for years—roadtrip across the country! There's just something about long-distance driving that I absolutely love...and I love it even more now that I only get to drive when I visit home. Mixtapes, windows rolled down, rest stops, passing from one landscape into the next...oh man, it's heaven. I bought a book on roadtrippin' across the USA back when Gretch and I were planning our spring break senior year, and I've never gotten to use it. BUMMER. I just know there are so many kitschy, awesome motels and restaurants I can patronize, not to mention all the scenery that my little eyes can devour and all the different people and communities I can meet. I feel it's something every American should do. I've seen much of Europe; why not see my own country??

And why would you not want to stay in these awesome themed motels???

Photo from Flickr.

Photo from Flickr.

No room for Miss Priss

2010-03-23T15:50:00.000-04:00

When I rode the bus home from the gym the other day, there was a girl who looked about 11 or 12 dressed in basketball shorts, a stylish t-shirt (meaning an Abercrombie-type one, not just a plain t-shirt), and tennis shoes. And I realized for the sixth or so time that if I have a daughter, she better be a tomboy. I can't deal with prissy, and being a tomboy is just so much more fun. I don't have many old pictures on my laptop but I found this one. I don't know why I was willingly wearing a vest at camp, but my best friend and I brought toothpaste to the campfire to win a $1 bet from our counselor when we threatened to attack her with toothpaste and she bet we wouldn't. Prissy girls just don't do that. And I'm still waiting for that dollar.

On with the book learnin'!

2010-03-22T09:09:00.005-04:00

I took 3 years of French in high school (with 3 different French teachers...MLK fail) and 3 semesters of it in college, but my French skills are spotty. The two times I've been in France, I actually impressed myself at my comprehension, but I want to get better. I found this book at the library that may be great. It's called Better Reading French: A Reader and Guide to Improving Your Understanding of Written French, and it's supposed to improve your reading comprehension. Now, I'm pretty good at reading and have the most trouble with hearing (as most would with a foreign language), but this book is worth a shot. I've already renewed it once and only made it to section 4 out of 62 (hence my "may be great"), but I will get to it sooner or later. Just like I will get around to learning a dozen or so languages from the Rosetta Stone CD I got from Fran. Sure I can learn Spanish, German, and Dutch. Eventually. It would be really cool to live in a foreign country where you are forced to learn the language...and you do, naturally and without any books or cds. But then again, it would be really cool to do a lot of things, but who's got the time?

Signed, sealed, delivered

2010-03-19T23:18:00.002-04:00

Today I got a letter in the mail from my mom. A 6-page, handwritten (in cursive, no less!) letter with updates from home and musings from Mom. Granted, I already knew about 75% of what she wrote because we talk on the phone so frequently, but this is one of the 4893208432 reasons I love my mom. Who writes letters anymore? She does. I get them occasionally, and I love it.

It was timely, too, because I just read this blog post discussing if readers are an endangered species. It triggered some thoughts I always have about how little things in the way of life are endangered. Like letter writing. And things like gardening and building fences and fixing cars. These are things my parents have always done, but I don't know a single person in my generation that has these skills. So are these skills going to be a lost art, fading out as the digital age claims another generation? Something to think about.

NPR also recently had a feature on Obsolete Occupations. I miss the milkman.

I think I'll write my mom a letter now; I don't think I've ever written her one back.

Hats need to make a comeback.

2010-03-18T14:42:00.003-04:00

What happened to February?

2010-03-06T19:15:00.004-05:00

I really have no idea what happened to that month. I can't find pictures of things I did; I certainly didn't blog about anything interesting. I have no idea how I spent those 28 days. I don't mind much...it's by far the worst, most boring month of the year. I'm pretty sure I just went to work everyday anticipating the last day of the month...

Because the 28th was when Colin and I went to the Dominican Republic! Yay, sun! We booked this trip back in January through CheapCaribbean.com and got a sweet deal on an all-inclusive 5-night vacay. We played beach games, participated in water aerobics, got our picture taken by a topless woman, found where Mr. and Mrs. Claus spend the rest of the year, posed for photos with both a lizard and a monkey, played a lot of pool, and drank a lot of Presidente. Our resort, the Coral Costa Caribe, had a nice variety of people there—old couples, young couples, families, spring breakers. Also, good representation from many countries. We found some other Americans our age and hung out with them for most of the trip. And now I have a tan, am stuck in the cold, and have to return to work on Monday. I feel like a real adult now that truly appreciates a vacation and dreads the end of it. I enjoy the disconnect from electronics. Real world YUCK.

A little Valentine's Day lovin'

2010-02-17T18:05:00.005-05:00

Colin's gift to me:

And my gift to him:

That's how our little holiday tradition goes. This year we left out the questionably bad movie (though come on, Paul Blart: Mall Cop wasn't THAT bad).

As for the food, I made Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi with roasted asparagus and lemon rice pilaf, and it was the most delicious recipe I have ever made. And it was super easy. I hate recipes that require a lot of time for the main course to marinate, and this one fit the bill. My new favorite website is allrecipes.com. It's like social networking for food. You can even keep a virtual recipe box that is so much fun to browse. I am now going to be spending my down time at work (if that ever happens again...gahhhhhh) browsing food and making myself hungry.

Buffy Season 6

2010-02-16T11:32:00.003-05:00

Man, I got through that season fast. When I was 16, I completely hated it. And now, I completely LOVED it. How, why did I hate it so much back then? I have a couple theories, but mostly I just think I was growing out of that stage. Oh well, that's what maturity will do.

With this season, I swear it's like Joss Whedon read my current complaints about season 5 and fixed them all perfectly. What did I love about this season?

There was a GREAT balance of focus on each character. Last season was all Buffy and her family. This season still had a great deal of focus on Buffy, but we also got to see what was happening with Xander and Willow. And, Tara and Anya both served more of a purpose than in either of the two previous seasons that featured them.
Dawn has blended nicely into the plot. She still had her temper tantrums that annoyed the hell out of me (basically because she was all "me me me!!!"), but I'd say she only annoyed me 5 of the 22 episodes instead of 21 out of 22 as in last season.
Buffy had a dark side. After being dragged out of heaven and brought back to life, the girl is gonna have some issues. The writers did a great job of showing her at her worst and then gradually bringing her back to life.
The season's initial "Big Bad" was kind of a red herring. The whole time we were led to believe that the nerd trio was going to be a huge threat, but it ends up that Willow is the one they have to stop from ending the world. Normally, not revealing the Big Bad until 3 episodes before the finale could make the whole season seem slow and pointless, but the rest of the season had very strong storylines to keep it moving along—Anya and Xander's wedding, Buffy in the mental institution, Willow and Tara's issues with magic and relationship, and (ick) Buffy and Spike. It was very reminiscent of season 2 when Angel becomes the Big Bad halfway through the season, and it hits you so much more because one of show's beloved central characters is suddenly evil.
Another win: a good balance of the episodic and the serial. Each episode stood on its own but I was hooked to the season arc.

What I did not like:

Buffy had sex with Spike. YUCK. That is what made me despise it back in the 10th grade. I get the whole storyline, and I am happy that Buffy proved herself strong enough to realize her behavior is destructive, but still. YUCK.

Other random thoughts:

The musical is so much lamer than I remember. And I guess by lamer, I mean cheesier. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but in general it makes me cringe watching people who can't really sing...well, sing.
Buffy's concluding revelations about wanting to show the world to Dawn made me want to gag. Who wrote this stuff? Was it written after a romantic comedy, chick-flick marathon?? Utter and complete CHEESE.
Every time I cut my hair short, I go for Buffy's at the end of this season. And every time, it fails. I really should learn to never cut my hair short.

Six down, one to go.

Weekend in Philly

2010-02-12T09:15:00.008-05:00

I meant to post this like 2 weeks ago when I actually went to Philly, but I just haven't seemed to get around to it until this slow Friday at work. Plus, I just finished another season of Buffy and wanted to get something in about real life before I post more about a TV show. I'm not that big of a loser.

SO, a couple weekends ago a bunch of my friends met up in Philly for a reunion weekend. See, all my college friends live either here in New York, Philadelphia, or D.C. so we just rotate where we visit [though I have yet to actually visit D.C. It will happen in Spring]. It was the most fun I've had in a while and also the latest I've stayed up in a while! Philly is kinda like New York but not. We closed down every bar we went to...because they close at 2am. That was weird. Also, public transportation is not that great, so you have to take cabs everywhere. When you pile 5 people in a cab, it's cost effective but if had to do it everyday, not so much.

We discovered this cool place called the Philadelphia Magic Gardens which is a whole museum/maze/tunnel thing decorated with mosaic tiles, done by a guy who may or may not have tried to cut off his own genitalia at some point in his life. But despite that, it was really cool. And it snowed right when we got there. Colin got a tattoo (finally) to commemorate his biking trip from two years ago. We went dancing to celebrate Aqsa's birthday that wasn't until two weeks later, and it was like a London reunion. Then we went to Boathouse Row and had cheesesteaks (amaaaazing. Never get anything but cheese whiz), which all in all, made for a most excellent weekend.

Buffy Season 5

2010-02-01T17:14:00.002-05:00

I just finished season 5 of Buffy. It took me a while, because I wasn't really excited to watch it. I was dreading a couple of episodes and had to be in the right mood to watch them, but I got through it. I definitely did not enjoy this season as much as I did when it was on back in 2000-2001. I'll just sum up my likes and dislikes with a quick checklist.

Likes:

Anya. She's definitely the comic relief of the gang. That's what Xander used to be—I'll go into this issue more later.
The exploration of what it means to be the slayer. This was a very cool concept. For the whole series, we've known that the "Slayer" is as old as time, and this was the first time Buffy tried to find out what that means. It was a nice foray into the myth and lore of the show.

Now for the dislikes:

Spike is pathetic. This was one of my biggest complaints back when this season was on. In season 4, he was a formerly bad guy who couldn't hurt anyone except for demons...and it was hilarious, because it showed he just wanted to kick some ass...anyone's ass. Now he's a loser stalking Buffy. Ugh. Total degradation of character.
Dawn is annoying. I know I said this last time, but she still is. It did get better, though.
Glory sucks as a villain. And I mean sucks. I almost couldn't stand watching her scenes. I don't know if that's how the character was written or if Clare Kramer just way over-acted it, but it was pretty unbearable.
There was almost no monster-of-the-week format. Most every episode dealt with season arc which got a little tired.
Related, this season dealt so much with the season arc of Buffy and her family that the other characters suffered from a lack of focus. What do we learn on a whole? Xander can prove himself useful, occasionally. Willow has become a very strong witch. Anya and Tara are still the significant others of Scooby Gang members; they provide support, but there's not a ton of character development there. Giles is still Giles.

This season contained "The Body" which is pretty widely voted as the Best Buffy Episode (but it's not mine). It takes a departure from the mystical undead to deal with the real dead, and the writing was fantastic. The cinematography, the sound editing, the score...it all created the perfect tone for the subject matter. Usually Buffy is a metaphor for real life, and most of this season dealt with actual real things. In general, I personally find it hard to watch really painful things because I am the great empathizer. I internalize the pain and it's hard to get through [Note: this is the biggest difference between watching Buffy now and back in high school. I wasn't always the great empathizer]. It took me a while to get from "Shadow" to "The Body" because it was just hard to watch.

As "meh" as I was about the season on a whole, I thought it ended really strong. The last three episodes were like one long movie, and everything came together. For the first time (to me, at least), I felt like the audience could really connect with Buffy and how hard things are for her. Sure, she's faced apocalypses before, but with this one gave you this terrible feeling of inevitability and the sense that things might not work out. Buffy's weakness was exposed when she almost decided to give up. Because she's right—it all just keeps coming, no matter how hard or how long you fight. I found this to be the beginning of a much darker side of Buffy that extends through the rest of the show's run.

And though I say it ended strong, I'm still not quite sure I buy all the connections that led to the concluding moments. Buffy can stop the apocalypse because she has the same blood as Dawn, the "Key," because the monks created Dawn from Buffy. That revelation came from Buffy during an emotional moment and seems way too speculative to me. There was no hard evidence of such. Oh, but whatever. Details, details.

How long does it take to build a subway?

2010-01-24T16:58:00.010-05:00

Well, think about this. The first subway line in the city began construction in 1900 and opened in 1904. Now look to the present. Construction for the 2nd Avenue subway line has been happening on and off since the 1960s. Somewhere under the city, there exist tunnels that were dug out 40 years ago and then abandoned for financial reasons. Construction began again in 2008 and phase one is set to be completed in 2016. 2016! And that's only the first 30 block phase! There are THREE MORE PHASES! It only took four years to build the entire first subway line, and they tunneled from scratch. And probably used pick-axes and wheelbarrows instead of the powerful electrical equipment they have today. And I would bet serious money on completion being delayed another few years. Construction is happening near my apartment, requiring my street to be closed during the day to through-traffic from Dec 21st to Jan 15th. Except now they delayed it to Feb 26th. Ridiculous. I should just buy my apartment because its value will skyrocket in a couple decades if and when they actually finish.

Anyway, the point of all this is that Colin and I went to the NYC Transit Museum last weekend. It was pretty cool and really cheap. They have a historical record of everything—all the old tokens and turnstiles. The best part was exploring the old subway cars, back when air conditioning was non-existent and seats were somewhat cushioned. The subway is such a cool infrastructure, despite my paranoia of terrorist attacks and claustrophobia. The concept of building a tunnel underneath the East River just blows my mind.

New Year, New Eats

2010-01-15T09:56:00.007-05:00

Part of my New Year's "Resolution" was to try new restaurants and explore more in the city. My goal right now is to try one new place a week, but it doesn't have to just be a nice restaurant (because I am poor). It can be a lunch spot or a bar, as long as I haven't been there before. Last week we went to an Indian buffet called Chennai Garden for lunch. All-you-can-eat for $7.00=pretty sweet deal. I don't eat Indian food that often—I've probably only had it once or twice before—and I have no idea what all I was eating, but it was excellent. Then, last night, Colin and I went to a Turkish restaurant on the UES called Beyoglu [I've talked a lot about it in the past 2 days and still have no idea how to say it. I just know what letters are in the word]. After a lengthy debate on the differences between Mediterranean and Turkish, we came to the conclusion that Turkish is a subset of Mediterranean food but it includes more meat (like beef and lamb). That may be completely wrong, but it sounded right to us. Anyway, the bread and hummus at this place were amazing, the doner kebab was excellent, but the grilled shrimp appetizer was a total rip-off [$7.50 for three pieces of so-so shrimp is no bueno]. All in all, an excellent dinner decision. Then we went back and watched Wait Until Dark, an uber-creepy thriller with Audrey Hepburn, in the dark and ate ice-cream. Happy 2.5 years!

In other news, I participated in my first ever book club at Idlewild Books, a super cool travel bookstore near my work. I went to the gym three whole times this week and can finally run one whole mile without stopping. This may not seem like much, but apparently I was either really out of shape or people totally lie about how much they run in their Facebook statuses. I see all these people saying things like, "Just ran [insert number here] miles! Man, it's been a while!" and I have to think, "There is no way in hell THAT person can run better than I can." I live in New York City where walking is my main mode of transportation; there's no way I was that out of shape. So I've just come to the conclusion that people are lying or exaggerating, at the very least.

A somewhat dreary New Year's Day in Brooklyn.

Buffybuffybuffybuffy

2010-01-05T15:38:00.011-05:00

I just finished season 4 and began season 5 of Buffy, thanks to the frigid cold of last weekend that inspired me to stay inside all day Sunday and watch 10 episodes in a row (great to kill time, not great for my eyes or my back as I lounged in bed all day). Season 5 is where I began to lose interest and dislike characters when it came on back in the 9th grade (2000-2001), so I am not excited to get through this season at all. I am, however, excited for seasons 6 and 7 because I never fully watched them so it's like it's brand new! I don't know how much I'll like them, though.

So for a quick recap [just a note that you can ignore this entire post if you wish. I'm writing it more to record my thoughts than anything]...

Season 2 was much scarier than I remember. I must've been totally fearless when I was 13 and watching it, because at 24 I often minimized the video screen and watched it through the thumbnail on my menu bar. Pathetic. I also let the tears flow, because apparently I have a heart now that I lacked in my adolescence. When Ms. Calendar died...oof, painful. Another thing, Angel is supposedly Buffy's soulmate, so I thought for sure now that I am older and understand things like relationships and love, I would get it more. But I'm still not head over heels for him or them. My heart never broke, nor was my gut ever wrenched. Most Buffy fans would put up a fight about this. But overall, oh this season is magical.

Season 3 was alright. I didn't think any episodes were just BRILLIANT, though I do have my favorites. It was strong overall, and I loved that the Mayor was this season's Big Bad (who was an EXCELLENT character, by the way. Very well-written). I still didn't like Faith, but I appreciated her much more as a character this time. The season arc was great, but no single episode really stood out for me. I'd still rate it as one of the best overall, though, and it does have that wonderful teenage association of "Ah, I fell in love with this show when this season was on."

I know in the Buffyverse, I am in a serious minority here but I loved season 4. When I was 14 and it was on, I probably would've just said it's because I think Marc Blucas is hot, but watching it again and having taken all those great media crit classes, I finally figured out why I love it. First of all, the characters start to change and really come into their own, developing into the adults they'll be for the rest of the series. Everyone has something different going on outside of their small little group, which makes for more interesting stories. Secondly, for three seasons, we've seen Buffy from inside her world. In this season, we finally meet people who are aware of all the evil but don't see it from the Scooby gang's perspective. We meet a governmental demon-fighting operation that fights demons like a war and has no idea what a slayer is, nor the any idea of the mythology and ritual that Buffy and her gang use to fight evil everyday. I thought it a brilliant and refreshing perspective because, come on really, does no one else in the world ever question all these monsters and mysterious deaths? Thirdly, I like (and liked when I was 14) this season because it's a Buffy I can relate to. She started college and is trying to live a normal life instead of let this call of duty drag her down. She's trying to step aside from everything that caused her pain in the past three seasons, by actually going to class, having a normal (somewhat) boyfriend, yet still staying as strong and independent as she's always been. Call me boring, but that's more like me—give me normalcy over intense doom and gloom any day. This season's arc was good in theory; some have criticized the execution of it, which I can understand. Parts seemed rushed, and if I went back and watched really closely, I'm sure I'd have lots of questions, but I thought it concluded well. This season transitioned from high school into college, which is always tricky and often unsuccessful for a TV show, but I think it did a great job; it's the same show with a completely different tone—that's growing up. I bet too many Buffy fans were just bitter that Angel left.

And then we get to season 5, and Dawn suddenly shows up as the little sister that Buffy has "always" had, and I despise this storyline. SHE'S SO ANNOYING. I know how it all turns out, and in the end, it was a smart and creative story arc, but I hate the dynamic she creates. I'm pretty sure I used to just be jealous that someone my age (at the time) got to be on Buffy. Maybe I still hold a grudge (and I'm really trying to view this whole series as new instead of basing my current judgments on my old judgments), but she really is annoying.

When I'm done, I can't wait to go through a hair-nalysis of Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Another one bites the dust.

2010-01-04T12:52:00.007-05:00

I've been trying to think of some really good way to wrap up the year in a blog post, something like "The Best of 2009" in lists or "2009 in Numbers" but I can't think of many lists, nor many numbers. Overall, this year was pretty low-key. It's been my first real year as an adult, where I have an adult routine that involves work everyday and no summer vacation. It gets a little monotonous and time goes by really fast because the days are so similar that it's hard to distinguish one day from another. I have to constantly brainstorm to find ways to liven it up. It's much easier in the summer when there are so many free, outdoor events in the city, but winter, as I unlovingly term it, is the dead season. I guess that's why we have TV on DVD, right?

I will remember 2009 as the year:

I gained excellent employment.
I went skiing with my family and the 6-year-old skiied better than me.
I started a book blog.
I had a 5-year high school reunion, to which about 5 people showed up.
The first of my close friends got married. I'm anxiously awaiting more (just no kids are allowed yet).
The Yankees won the World Series...and I cared.
UT got a new football coach.
I bought a bike.
I joined a gym...and actually used it.
Colin got an apartment.
Jennifer came back from Taiwan, while it seems like Tina will never come home.
I hit my mid-20s...YUCK.
I worked myself into a panic over only about 10 imaginary diseases instead of 40+.
I reminisced about all the fun things I did in the summer of 2008 and mourned because a real job doesn't allow that kind of flexibility.

My most memorable song has been "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas.

The best TV show I discovered has been How I Met Your Mother.

The best book I read was The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

I did not move (hurrah!).

I ask for practical things as gifts, like a duvet cover or a watch.

I still use a flip phone.

I'm still awaiting that first major vacation that I plan and pay for.

I am determined to continue going to the gym.

In 2010, I would like to:

Run more than a mile without getting winded. Maybe even 5.
Play yuppie-league soccer.
Explore new places in the city, rather than stick to the same restaurants and bars.
Go on a vacation that involves a beach not in Jersey or anywhere on the Eastern seaboard, for that matter.

Yay for 2010!

That winter wonderland sure goes fast!

2009-12-21T15:51:00.008-05:00

New York City got its first snow of the season in the form of a monster snow storm that hit the Northeast! It started on Saturday afternoon and didn't let up until well after I was asleep that night, even though I wasn't even asleep by 3am (thanks to the obnoxious French restaurant below Colin's apartment. Ha, you just got a noise complaint on your record, Fada).

Here's the thing about snow in NYC—it's nice and pretty for approximately one hour after it hits before the salt and snowplows come out to clear the streets and pile the snow up on the sidewalks. This particular snow fall gave us a few more hours since it started on a weekend afternoon, but sure enough, by the time the sun rose, the streets were clear and the snow drifts prevented one from easily crossing the street. For these reasons, snow in NYC is no fun.

But that's not the worst. We then progress to the post-snow days like today where all those piles on the edges of the sidewalks begin to melt just a little, and when a street has improper drainage, huge HUGE puddles of slush form at the handicap ramps between the sidewalk and street. Some street corners pose only a minimal threat, but the corner by my office is one of the worst I have encountered (closely tied with the corner of 91st and 2nd, at which Colin found a drowned BlackBerry in a pond-sized puddle during a torrential downpour). If you're not careful and observant, you could potentially step in a 6-inch deep puddle of freezing cold water, ruining your shoes and causing you to curse the city, the government, Bloomberg, the snow, the entire season of winter, and maybe the bodega on the corner for not brushing the water away from this corner like good samaritans. Luckily, I have braved five, long, terrible winters in this city so I know the rules: 1) Wear waterproof boots or, at the very least, any boots. Flats are out of the question. 2) Always stick pants in boots. 3) Think before you step. Map out your route in your head, looking at all possible angles of crossing the street. If you've lived in New York long enough, this should come naturally, as we are effortlessly able to weave in and out of pedestrian traffic anyway. 4) If possible, use all sick days and avoid completely.

Remember when winter precipitation used to bring joy and the possibility of a snow day? I must remember to brave the cold and make at least one snowball next time it snows.

Photo from Flickr.

Redneck Riviera, here I come!!

2009-12-17T16:40:00.005-05:00

I just found out that, starting this May, Southwest is going to fly to Panama City Beach. And I mean the good Panama City in the heart of Florida's panhandle (more lovingly termed the "Redneck Riviera"), not that foreign city in Central America.

No other beach can compare to this glorious location! When I think of beach and summer vacation, I think of Panama City. Sure, others may think of air-brushed t-shirts, booze, and MTV's Spring Break, but not I. Panama City has been our family beach vacation spot for as long as I can remember, and nothing beats it. Spending a week at the family-friendly Portside Resort, walking across the street to the beach in the morning, spending the afternoon at one of the three pools, planning our week of usual restaurant visits, cruising the strip, running in and out of various Alvin's Islands, and visiting the now-defunct Miracle Strip Amusement Park. I have so many memories there that it's not a real summer beach vacation if it's not in Panama City. The Atlantic Coast just can't compare to the warm, blue waters of the Gulf.

Panama City, we will meet again in Summer 2010...Northern beaches be damned!

Nothing's changed.

2009-12-07T12:50:00.004-05:00

I'm up to the end of season 3 in my re-watching of Buffy, and I just finished The Prom. This episode aired in 1999 when I was a mere 13 years old, but I watched it over and over and over and over. I seem to remember this being my favorite episode for quite some time [I can't remember if another episode ever took its spot or not]. Before watching it last night, I barely remembered the details at all. I didn't even remember that this was the episode where Buffy and Angel broke up (shame on my inner fan-girl)! But the second it started, I realized I could pretty much quote the entire episode word for word. Eleven years and I still remembered it that well. Eleven years is almost half my life!

Anyway, I'm having very different opinions of the show now than I did at age 13. I think if this was my first time seeing it, when I'm a little more mature and have a little more life experience, I would like/support different characters, different story-lines, and different relationships than I originally did. I just get it more now, and it's just as empowering (which is what I loved so much about it back then).

This is fun. I'm getting back into it. It reminds me of high school so much that it's hard to watch without getting nostalgic. It's my inner-geek coming out again, which I think has been hidden for so long. Sometimes I feel like college was a blip in my existence as I tried to forget about and/or change a lot of my personality from back from high school. But now that college is in the past-tense as well, I can blend the two versions of me and kinda start anew without starting over.

Cheekwood memories

2009-12-04T15:59:00.003-05:00

Not much interesting has happened this week besides going to see a play on Tuesday with Colin called "This." It was actually a pretty busy week at work, which left me less time to stall with things like photos and blogs. So since I haven't posted anything in over a week and I still don't have much to say, it's photo time.

Cheekwood is one of my favorite places in the world. No matter how many times I go there, I can never get enough of it. I think it started in high school as a place we'd go to feel cultured and run around in nature. And I always took photos [I must have 48392432 photos of the flowers at that place]. Cheekwood does this really cool thing in the summers where they create a themed project for their botanical gardens. In summers past, they've had mazes, treehouses, or birdhouses designed and created by local artists or architects scattered throughout the grounds. One summer, they had dinosaurs lurking amidst the foliage. I think this may be my favorite photo I've ever taken at Cheekwood.

The Black & White Ball Update

2009-11-25T11:52:00.004-05:00

As I may (or may not) have mentioned, my friend that threw the Black & White Ball this past weekend set up a photobooth in his bedroom, complete with a picture frame and masks (aha, so that's where the masks were!). The picture total came to around 842. This is the result.

When I own a house...

2009-11-24T11:42:00.004-05:00

One of the things that absolute excites me about growing up is the prospect of decorating my very own HOUSE. This time last year, I was excited to decorate the bedroom in my apartment, but I quickly learned that did not fully appease the decorator in me. Money and space were major restrictions, so I was left with more ideas than I had the capability to do.

At this point, I have determined my style preference is mostly vintage country. I love finding new uses for old things. Or rather, reading about them, because I unfortunately seem to lack the creativity I was sure I possessed. I subscribe to Country Living magazine, because I [not so] secretly can't wait to live somewhere in the country (or more preferably, the suburbs). I hate modern, angular decor; it seems so harsh. I prefer cozy over gigantic, previously loved over brand new, patterns over plain. I love the detail that can go into the small necessities, like coasters and cocktail napkins and sugar bowls. I can't wait to have the space that allows these kinds of things to be sitting on a table, making a statement, rather than hidden somewhere in on a shelf or in a cabinet.

This apartment from Apartment Therapy's Small Cool Contest of 2009 features my ideal style. Apartment Therapy is a good site to read for ideas. Even though it's not always my style, it usually deals with small spaces like NYC apartments, giving me good ideas for furniture placement and storage.

I also read Design*Sponge, which features sneak-peeks into the homes of interior designers and includes lots of do-it-yourself projects. My all-time favorite, which I WILL do someday when I have a screened-in porch, is this project that uses mason jars as a light fixture. Southern bliss!

The Black & White Ball of 2009

2009-11-22T23:54:00.005-05:00

After a day of painting Colin's bedroom [a color we can't exactly pinpoint aside from the following descriptions: wheat, Sahara gold, peanut butter, spicy mustard], we went to a party thrown by one of my friends from work. The party was out in Brooklyn...way out in Brooklyn. Way out to the point where I don't know where they buy groceries, because it is absolutely in the middle of nothing. Anyway, the party was a Black & White Ball, inspired by Truman Capote's famous party of 1966. Though we were promised feathery masks that never seemed to materialize, everyone was dressed fancy in black and white—everyone except Michelle and George who decided on a more casual look.

I would like more excuses to dress up and pretend it's pre-1970.

Sweet sixteen

2009-11-20T21:32:00.006-05:00

Seeing as how I have absolutely no family north of the Mason-Dixon line, I've been really lucky in connecting with a family here that treats me like one of their own. The history: I started tutoring for their daughter my junior year of college when she was 13. She also has a brother who is four years younger. Tutoring turned into babysitting which turned into friendship. I've gone on month-long vacations with them (paid!) and I spend a fair amount of time at their house, sometime babysitting, sometimes just enjoying a family dinner.

This week was Emily's sixteenth birthday, and tonight I went to her party at a laser tag place in Queens (which was nothing like Laser Quest!). There, I noticed some very big differences between being sixteen in upper-class New York City and being sixteen most anywhere else. First of all, though they live in NYC, I've never met such sheltered kids. Some that have lived their entire lives in Manhattan don't know how to use the subway because their life is contained in a ten-block radius. Parents are still omniscient and a close eye is kept on the kids. I was thinking back to my sixteenth birthday party, in which I drove myself and my friends ice skating where we paid and no parents were present. These NYC kids can't take public transportation without supervision, so the freedom that comes with a car would be out of the question. They do have the education thing going for them. At one point, Communist governments were brought into conversation, while I bet my sixteenth birthday included a lot of talk about shows on the WB.

Ah, high school. I never feel that far away from it until I hang out with a bunch of high schoolers.

My sixteenth birthday, 2001.

A roadtrip to the antebellum south

2009-11-19T14:25:00.005-05:00

This is one of my favorite photos I took back in the high school days. My aunt and I went on a roadtrip to small-town Georgia my senior year of high school. We went to a Gone With the Wind museum and stayed at a Bed and Breakfast owned by one of the guys that was actually in the movie. He was old. [I'm now thinking I need to Google him to see if he's still alive and/or if the B&B still exists.] Also, his wife was about half his 80+ years. They were nice, but she seemed pretty exploitative of his one line in a classic film.

Anyway, this photo was in one of the towns near/on-they-way-to the B&B. I have no idea the name of it (though I'm sure I wrote it down at one point), I just remember they were having some kind of street fair/car show. The picture kinda has that old school feel with the black & white, the old car and old store sign, but I like how the group of people in it are such a mix—gender, age, and ethnic—that could only be of modern times. I miss being able to drive somewhere off the beaten path like that. I miss having a car!