Random Happiness

It's really weird sometimes, the things that make me feel happy. Today, it's gorgeous weather, a little bit cold for my tastes, but sunny and cloudless. There is still snow on the ground. And for some unknown reason it makes me happy that I live somewhere that it snows. Totally nonsensical.

I guess a big reason I moved up here in the first place was that I wanted to be somewhere different than where I had always been before. Somewhere that people had common interests to me, where there was some respect for culture and individuality, somewhere that people enjoy getting dressed and don't just wear jeans and t-shirts or khaki capri pants every day, somewhere with seasons!

I really like that I live in a city--with tall buildings, and cute neighborhoods, and people walking their dogs, and restaurants, and museums, and theaters, and pubs, and coffeehouses, and teahouses, and celebrities, and taxis, etc. and etc. I don't take as much advantage of all of it as I should, but at least I appreciate it! (Except for Midtown in December!)

Another thing that is making me happy is the fact that I might FINALLY get to visit England and Scotland in 2008. My friend Desiree and I are hoping / planning to go around Labor Day! As exciting as it will be to see England, I'm really more looking forward to going to Scotland. It's another thing I can't really explain, but Scotland is calling to me! Has been for years now. Maybe it's the accents, maybe it's my Ewan McGregor love, maybe it's the Loch Ness Monster. I don't know but I can't wait.

Celeb Sighting!

Alan Cumming, walking by on East 9th, looked in the windows of I Coppi and made eye contact with me! I smiled! Well, that's my big excitement for the day.....!!!

Things'll Be Great When You're DOWNtown!

So, I spent my weekend playing tour guide to some of my family from Florida. We did all of those terrible annoying and secretly a little fun touristy things while they were here--Top of the Rock, a Broadway show, Statue of Liberty, etc. And I realized for the millionth time that I really dislike Midtown. Especially in December. It's way too crowded, everyone is rude and pushy, and there's waaaaay too much fleece on display.

What was really funny was that my cousins kept asking me very specific questions about the places we went. Questions I couldn't answer because we were at places I NEVER go unless someone is visiting me and wants to do touristy stuff. At one point my cousin's wife asked me to show her where the bathrooms in Radio City Music Hall were. Well, how the hell should I know that? It's not like I spend a lot of time just hanging out at Radio City Music Hall!

The best part of the weekend for me was when we went and had brunch at I Coppi. The food was amazing, we were able to relax, the place wasn't crowded, and the people I work with made sure we had TONS of food and our glasses were never empty. Afterward I showed my relatives around the Village--East, Greenwich, and West. It's so nice to go down there and just be in a real neighborhood as opposed to following a bunch of other out-of-towners around and acting like this is what real New Yorkers do.

I really miss living in the city, although I like the fact that now I can afford to take more trips and buy more stuff I want and all that crap. I'm really hoping that within the next few years I will start making enough to get my own apartment (not in Manhattan, although that would be awesome--help me out NY Lotto!). I'm over the roommate thing forever, I fear. The next time I move in with someone it will be because I'm in a relationship!

Also, I think I broke my foot or something. Ta!

Wow

iTunes just read my mind and played the EXACT two songs I was hoping it would back to back (on shuffle)! I'm scared and yet...overjoyed...

The Politics of Complacency

I was thinking this morning after reading a few different articles in the New York Times, that although I hate what (Fake) President George W. Bush has done to our country, at least his incompetency and refusal to do anything decent has motivated so many other, "regular" people to take action for causes in which they believe.

Maybe I just like the idea of resistance. But I also really like seeing people realize that change comes from within. There's no way you can rely on other people, especially your government (even when it's a government you voted for), to do the hard work and make the right choices.

It just proves that the U.S., no matter what conflicted feelings I or you or the rest of the world have about it, is really in the end what it sets out to be. A place where new ideas and individuality are safe, even though sometimes it feels like it will take forever for them to be fully realized or accepted. It still moves a lot faster than in a lot of other places in the world. Not ALL places, but a lot.

And I can't say enough about freedom of expression, so I won't even try.
Suffice it to say, although I and millions of others will continue to question it and criticize it, the idea of what we could be still means something to me. And that doesn't just go for the U.S., that goes for all of humanity.

Two inspirational pieces were titled:
"A Broken City. A Tree. Evening."
"The People We Have Been Waiting For"

If you have some time look for them on the site. It's free to register!

Night-time is the WRONG Time

I can't sleep at night. I could easily sleep all day, so it isn't an insomnia issue. I've just never been down with going to bed at night, for as long as I can remember. I remember VERY clearly when I was about 4, I loved going to my pre-school, but I also loved watching Three's Company. One night, my Mom gave me the option--stay up "late" and watch Three's Company or get up early and go to pre-school. I freaking AGONIZED over that decision. I don't even remember what I eventually chose, I just was dumbstruck by the thought that I would have to miss one or the other of them.

Anyway, I'm almost 30 years old, I should have dealt with this by now, but I've always managed to put myself in positions where I could stay up pretty late without doing too much damage. But now that I have a "real" job, it's really getting to be an issue.

Maybe I'll just start taking sleeping pills or something. Or maybe I'll just get fat. Yeah. What does that have to do with it? Nothing, but it's something I've been considering lately. Fat is the new black, I say. I have to wake up in five hours.

I shouldn't have had those two cappuccinos and that mocha latte yogurt today. Caffeine is about the last thing I need.

Parallel Universe Schmarallel Universe

Rose Tyler is returning to Doctor Who for part of Series 4! I can't wait to see their reunion and I really hope it isn't something that will ruin them for me, or be too cheese-tastic. I trust RTD, he's done a great job with the series for the most part. All I can do now is wait!! At least they treat their writers fairly in the UK, so they don't go all strike-y.

My Beloved Boob Tube

This Jared, from the show Kid Nation. I love this show. There are maybe three or four really spazzy kids on there, but Jared reigns supreme in my book.
His antics include:

Reciting a monologue from Shakespeare's Henry V in the talent show

Pimping himself out (hat and stick included) in western duds from the town's general store

Locking himself in a jail cell to protest the inclusion of another town spaz, Nathan, on his team

Anyway, he rocks.

I also wanted to ask that anyone in support of the WGA being on strike to join me in boycotting any upcoming scab programming that starts airing as original episodes run out. This includes anything that is aired in place of what would have been an original episode of your favorite scripted shows, including repeats. There will probably be some crappier-than-usual game shows and reality or celebrity-dancing-competition-type shows they try to use as replacements, too. As tonight is the final new episode of The Office that will air, for me this starts very soon and very sadly. But, I really believe that the network heads will not do the right thing by the writers until they start to actually feel the pinch from lost ad revenue due to declining ratings.

Also, don't watch your shows online!! The writers, actors, directors, etc. don't get paid when you watch online, but the network does.

There are lots of things you can do in your away-from-tv-time. Take a class, play a board game, have more sex, go out with friends, throw a dinner party, read a book, watch a Netflix, have a "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah", etc. So look at it as an opportunity and not a chore!

If you're with me, give me a call and let's hang out for some tv-less fun!

Halloween Costumes

This morning I read an article entitled, Creative Ideas for Halloween Costumes, or somesuch. Since I am planning to go to my friend Christina's Halloween party on Saturday, I thought, "Oh, good. Maybe I can use one of these." The suggestions, however, were completely retarded:

Flower (this is just weak)
Artist (I'm guessing this would involve a palette, smock, and beret?)
Tired Woman ( ! I can't believe this was actually a suggestion! That is my DAILY LIFE, kthnx!)
Pizza Slice (i guess you could do a really low-rent version of this and just glue or pin toppings to your clothes? dumb)
Pretzel (how would one walk around all night like this??)
Bubble Bath (What? If it involves going to the hardware store and buying a spare faucet to somewhow attach to my head, it's not worth it)
Punk Rocker (this is still considered a viable Halloween costume?)
Laundry Basket (why? just....why?)

I can't believe people who are called "journalists" get away with this crap! My trampled-concert-goer costume last year was way more creative than this. Every year in this country tons of people come up with really awesome costumes, and this is what makes it into an article?? Way to really work for it, person-I-won't-name-here.

My Morning Ritual

For some reason, when I am on the 7 train in the morning on my way to work, I always start thinking about incredibly serious crap--life, death, God, the war, people I haven't seen in ages, my childhood, whatever. This never happens on the way home--I suppose because I am too tired, and also I usually take a different route home, so I am on the 7 train longer in the morning than in the evening.

Maybe I'm just trying to distract myself from the constant poopy smell? Maybe the poopy smell that I smell everytime I get on the train is just my brain's way of expressing to me that I think the 7 line is a piece of crap and there really is no poopy smell? I've just convinced myself that there is a poopy smell, so I automatically smell it everyday after being on the train for approximately one minute? It sure makes me miss the maple syrup smell that we got a few times in Manhattan, though!

That's what I was wondering this morning, so maybe not all my thoughts are that serious, huh?

I used to write every day. Not really important or serious stuff, but sometimes I would really be happy with whatever I had done. There was some poetry that I thought was decent, not too self-indulgent, and also some essays that I was pleased about. In college I tried to write a novel, and it was crap, but at least it had my brain in use, practicing my skill. Actually, it was my second novel if I count that NKOTB thing I wrote when I was 13 or so (which, if I ever did become a famed writer, would be pretty funny tp publish one day). But nowadays, I don't write much anymore at all. And I still think I get really good ideas for things sometimes, but it's as if I've forgotten how to properly execute them. Or maybe I was never that good at the actual writing, and I was just better with the ideas? If that's the case I should probably write for a soap opera or something. I guess I could always go back and try my hand at a Harlequin romance, just to get back in the habit of doing it daily.

Celeb City

I was thinking the other day about how I haven't seen any celebs around on the city streets in quite some time. And that made me sad. So I decided to make a list of the ones I have seen in the past, to cheer me up a little. Hopefully, the recent dearth just means there will be a nice major sighting in the near future?

Martin Scorcese, at whom I almost cursed for stopping in front of me as I was walking, before I realized who it was

Julianne Moore on 14th St. holding a kid

David Duchovny, almost bumped into him as he jumped out of a cab while filming some crap movie I never saw

Natalie Portman filming the final scene of Closer in Times Square

Fred Schneider (of the B-52s) in Union Square

James Iha (of Smashing Pumpkins) several times as he used to live near me and hang out at some of the same events as my roommates and I at the time

David Byrne (Talking Heads)stood next to my friend Chris and I at a They Might Be Giants concert

Ric Ocasek (The Cars) in the Meatpacking District one afternoon

Shepard Smith (Faux News) in Times Square. (Does he count? I'm putting it, whatev.)

Jared Leto, I think it was in SoHo off on some weird side street

Ludacris, ate at the Olive Garden

Method Man, same

Neil Patrick Harris, same, sadly enough

Steve Irwin, Crocodile Hunter, promoting his movie by hanging out of a limo in Times Square

Tracy Morgan, OG again

Joanna Cassidy and Cybill Shepard, filming that Martha Stewart tv movie in Times Square

Kristen Chenowith, outside of a B'way premiere

Chris Noth, two or three separate times

Karolina Kurkova, TriBeCa area

Kate Bosworth, shopping in Flat Iron District

Steven Weber, in Hell's Kitchen

Martha Plimpton, on an uptown N train

Mos Def, leaving the W Hotel in Union Square

One of those Madden brothers from Good Charlotte, the LAST time I ever went to MisShapes

Here are some I met when I was working in radio:
Margaret Cho, Scott Thompson, Dave Attell, Michelle Rodriguez, Vin Diesel, Bryan Norcross (only SoFla people will know him)
Also, when I was at Zeta I spoke on the phone to Michael Vartan and Christopher Masterson.

Okay, I feel a little better now!

Time Passing By....

Wow, I haven't written anything in almost two whole months! Sorry to the 3 people that read this. I have been busy learning how to do my new job and going to baby showers and enjoying the new fall season on tv (my bestest friend ever, well, right after books).

So, obviously not too much interesting/crazy stuff has been happening, but I am bored right now so I figured I would do a quick update. Still alive, still employed, still living in Woodside, still having a bad hair day.

My new job has been a bit more stressful than I was expecting. I don't know why, but I worry constantly about my performance when I'm not there. While I'm there, I feel okay. Laid-back even. But when I get home and think about the next day, my pulse starts to pound and I obsess over what sort of mistakes I might make or what weird financial or insurance or payroll or bureaucratic or whatever crap will come up. You know that feeling that someone someday is going to come up to you and say, "You're a fraud! You suck at this! Get out! You're nothing but a child!"? Yeah, that's my secret fear before falling asleep every night. So, anyway, hopefully that will start to pass as I get more confident with my responsibilities.

At least I'm not alone. One of the managers told me yesterday that he had a nightmare about the Health Department doing an inspection while he is there! It really sucks to have work nightmares. As a waitress I would constantly dream about getting sat seven parties of 30 all at the same time and not being able to walk fast and forgetting everyone's drinks and there not being any salad! That is still kind of stressful to think about, actually. It also reminds me of the fact that as a teenager I would dream all the time about going to school in the morning, taking off my shoes to walk around before the bell rang, and then when I went back to get them they were gone and I couldn't go to class without shoes. Stressful! One time the dream got to the point where I had broken my foot in the morning before the bell rang, and I proceeded to hobble around on it in an attempt to locate my pesky shoes within the five minute period we had to get to first period.

It's nice that we are starting to get autumn weather, although it's still been a lot warmer than usual for mid-October. Today it's rainy, and I didn't bring an umbrella. Boo.

Sorry for the boring entry, I guess there just isn't much on my mind at the moment!

New-s

Okay, so it has been almost a month since my last post, not that it really matters, I'm not exactly the most widely-read person out here. It's been a somewhat turbulent time for me personally and professionally. Another year older, hopefully another year wiser, and hopefully I will stop making all the same choices that have held me back over the years from things I've wanted. Blah.

So, as pretty much everyone knows, I quit my job at the Olive Garden, where I have worked for 8 years almost (both in FL and NY). It's something I should have done years ago, something I MEANT to do years ago, but I really like comfort, and I was really in a comfort zone there. I could practically do that job in my sleep. SO, after being made to feel like crap and subsequently torturing myself over a freaking job waiting tables, I decided it was now or never and I put in my notice. Yay!

I was quite upset at first, because it was a decision I made on an impulse, and while I enjoy spontaneity, I wouldn't characterize myself as that impulsive (unless I am shopping). I cried, I stressed, I worried about losing touch with friends I've made. But as the two weeks went on, I began to feel happier and happier about my decision and my future. It was really like being released from prison after my last shift. Part of me wanted to run back and tell them I'd change my mind. But I am too stubborn to do that. It's the Leo in me. Pride.

So I was off to Florida for a week to reconnect with my parents and my sister and some friends. It was beautiful, I worked on my resume, I worked on my tan, I went gambling at the hotel where Anna Nicole Smith died. Fun!! Very relaxing and very what I needed--time to just sort of think about what I wanted to do and to work on some interviewing skills, etc. My parents were very helpful and supportive and generous, and they are the best!

I flew back to NY on Sunday evening, and on Monday I started calling temp agencies and sending my resume out to a ton of postings on Craigslist. I was starting to despair on Tuesday, thinking I might have to take a medical transcriptionist course and buy one of those foot pedal thingies, when the phone rang and I was able to set up an interview!

The place is called I Coppi, it's a Tuscan restaurant in the East Village, very small, owned and run by a husband and wife (she is from Tuscany--Pistoia, to be exact), and they needed someone to be a bookkeeper and reservationist, and basically to be there and man the place during the day when they are not open. The restaurant is only open for dinner on weekdays. I believe there is a weekend brunch, as well. All of which is great with me. I'm gonna get to learn a ton of new stuff, and I'll have very little face-to-face interaction with the guests. I'm going to get to take care of a lot of stuff behind the scenes, and it's a business I am familar with, so I still have some level of comfort. My interview went well, and so I came in on Thursday evening to meet the owner. At the end of our conversation, he offered me the position! I start Monday! And I get to wear my own clothes!! No more stinking OG apron and effing shirts with button-down collars that I can only ever find in the little boys' department (and sometimes not even then)!!

I can't wait to get started and learn as much as I can about my new job. I don't think I've been this excited about work in a long time, probably since I worked at Zeta and that was like, 6 years ago.

Awesome Weekend

Well, obviously, I had an awesome weekend, which I really needed after a LOUSY week.

Friday was my birthday, and all I wanted was to go to the beach and relax. So, my friends Jon and Christina joined me for a trek to Brighton Beach. The weather was perfect--blue skies, calm ocean, hot enough to go swimming and breezy enough to enjoy lying out. We spent 3 1/2 hours there and I still hated to leave. That is one thing I really miss about Florida, being able to just go to the beach whenever. It's such a part of the lifestyle down there. The neighborhood of Brighton Beach was fun, too. Quirky and quaint.

Friday night I had a little get together with friends for drinks at Perdition, in Hell's Kitchen (which I will always call Hell's Kitchen, I don't care who calls it Clinton). A great group of people showed up, I got gifts, I got a cupcake, I drank three martinis. It was a lot of fun, and hopefully everyone that came enjoyed themselves, too.

I was a little concerned this year about turning twenty-nine, but I have been surprisingly okay with it, thankfully. It helped that I had a really fun day and night, probably. I'm trembling thinking about next year, though!

Saturday was the Sonic Youth show. I've been a fan of theirs for a long time, so when I found out they would be playing their classic Daydream Nation album in its entirety, I bought two tickets immediately. My friend Jim joined me, and he is a HUGE Sonic Youth fan so I was really glad that he went. It was at McCarren Park Pool in Brooklyn, where I had never been before. It's basically a huge, empty old pool, crumbling and rusting all around you. Pretty cool if you like that kind of thing, which I do. Very Williamsburg. While we were watching the opening act (The Slits), Sonic Youth's drummer came out and stood right in front of us! Neither of us could work up the nerve to say anything, although I did give him a little smile/eyebrow raise when he turned around and made eye contact with us! The show was amazing, they sounded just as great as the album, had a little fun onstage, thanked the audience really pleasantly, AND did two encores with their newer material! We left during the second encore to try and beat the rush, and went to the Creek and the Cave to meet up with Drew and Flynn. Had a couple of drinks and some conversation, and I was ready to head home.

One day soon I'll talk about why my week leading up to this was so miserable. But, I hope it ended up being for the best. For now, I'm still enjoying the glow from the last two days. And tonight, the J.K. Rowling interview on Dateline, the Scott Baio reality show, and Rock of Love with Bret Michaels! I love tv.

Enneagram

I stole this from Elita's MySpace blog. Here are my results:

4
"The Romantic"
"I am unique"
Romantics have sensitive feelings and are warm and perceptive.
How to Get Along with Me
Give me plenty of compliments. They mean a lot to me.
Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me to learn to love and value myself.
Respect me for my special gifts of intuition and vision.
Though I don't always want to be cheered up when I'm feeling melancholy, I sometimes like to have someone lighten me up a little.
Don't tell me I'm too sensitive or that I'm overreacting!

What I Like About Being a FOUR
my ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level
my ability to establish warm connections with people
admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life
my creativity, intuition, and sense of humor
being unique and being seen as unique by others
having aesthetic sensibilities
being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me

What's Hard About Being a FOUR
experiencing dark moods of emptiness and despair
feelings of self-hatred and shame; believing I don't deserve to be loved
feeling guilty when I disappoint people
feeling hurt or attacked when someone misundertands me
expecting too much from myself and life
fearing being abandoned
obsessing over resentments
longing for what I don't have

FOURs as Children Often
have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games
are very sensitive
feel that they don't fit in
believe they are missing something that other people have
attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, etc.
become antiauthoritarian or rebellious when criticized or not understood
feel lonely or abandoned (perhaps as a result of a death or their parents' divorce)

FOURs as Parents
help their children become who they really are
support their children's creativity and originality
are good at helping their children get in touch with their feelings
are sometimes overly critical or overly protective
are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed

I think this is accurate in a lot of ways, especially some of the stuff under "What Is Hard ABout Being a 4" and "Fours As Children".

Here is a link if you want to take the quick test!
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/take?testid=6711512663497470889

The Big Day

Today is the release of the final Harry Potter book. Well, tonight at midnight, anyway. I can't believe that within 24 hours I will probably know the ending to this series that I have been following for about 5 years! It's exciting but I feel quite sad as well. Good thing I bought some kleenex last week, I'm sure it'll come in handy.

I read the review in the New York Times yesterday and was disappointed that they sort of gave away the meaning of the title, but I guess that's what I get for reading a review! Thankfully after tomorrow I will be able to go about my business on the internet without worrying about encountering spoilers.

I really hope that Harry, Hermione and Ron make it out alive. That is all.

Bette Davis Eyes

I think my all-time favorite 80s song lyric is from this number.

"ROLL YA LIKE YOU WERE DICE!!!"

The delivery really sells it.

Beautiful Bette in "Of Human Bondage"

World Series of Pop Culture

I'd really like to get a team together and try out for this next year! If anyone bothers to read this and would like to join forces, get in touch with me.

This year, I'm rooting for Team Wocka Wocka. All the teams are great, but I really like them for some reason. They seem to have a reasonable but not crazy amount of knowledge, so I guess they are relatable to me. Twisted Misters are fun, too!

Oh, and as far as Three Men and a Little Lazy go--how do you not know the Pacific Princess???

July

July, from Les Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (I took this image from Wikipedia. Hey, it's in the public domain!)

I have always been really happy to have been born in July. My birthdate itself is kind of cool--7/27, like an airplane. In numerology 7 is usually regarded as a mysterious, highly spiritual number, relating to such concepts as the seven days of Creation, the seven archangels of the Revelation, the number of magnetic power points radiating through the Earth (see Nikola Tesla's magnetic fields), and is just generally representative of God's force. Nine (27) is no slouch, either. Mathematically, all of its products come back to it, anything you add to it will also come back upon itself, and it's three of three (3 being a powerful number in its own right). In alchemy it is referred to as the Red Dragon. The compound number 27 (3 of 9) is called The Sceptre, and is highly beneficent, a number of karmic reward in which intellect, imagination, and creativity are highlighted.* That must be why I'm always so freaking happy. ;-) Anyway, I enjoy that kind of thing so it's a reason for me to love the month.

July was also always the only month in summer that we had completely off, school usually ending in early-mid June and picking up again in late August. When I think of the happiest times in my life thus far, they usually involve lazy, sunny days spent at various pools and beaches, or out on the front porches of Georgia in early evening, catching fireflies with my cousins, any sort of responsibilty the furthest thing from my mind, flora and fauna out in full force and all smells intensified! There's just something about summer that I don't think I'll ever get over. I'm almost superstitious about it, really. If I have a bad or boring summer, then I'm not ready for fall to begin, and certainly not psychically ready for the misery of winter.

There are also heavy political connotations to the month. The name itself comes from Julius Caesar. In France they have Bastille Day. The U.S. and several South American nations celebrate Independence Day. FIREworks. It's quite a magnificent month. (I won't even get started on the whole sun god, king as god, worship deal. I'll save that for a discussion on Leos!) I've always been intrigued by the idea of the heat and intensity of July finally causing angry people to just go ahead and freaking revolt.

At any rate, July is usually a happy time for me, and this year it has been especially fun, with all the Harry Potter (who has a [fictional] birthdate of July 31) mania. The seventh book being released in the seventh month of the year 2007. I feel connected to it in a lot of ways. There is even a powerful spell in the books called a PATRONus charm that a wizard uses to protect him or herself from dark forces. Let's face it, it's all about me.

I just hope that my birthday is a nice day with good beach weather. I was trying to plan a trip to Point Pleasant, but it was just too expensive. So, now it looks like either Jones Beach or Brighton Beach for the day. And the following night I get to see Sonic Youth perform the entire Daydream Nation album at McCarren Park Pool!! Talk about exciting...

Also, it's National Ice Cream Month. Need I say more?

*A lot of this info. is culled from Linda Goodman's Star Signs. She's THE authority on all matters astrological.

Welcome

This is my blog. If you want to know what's going on in my head or my life or just have something to make fun of me about, this is probably a good place to go. I'll try to only post interesting stuff, but I make no guarantees.

Excitement for this month: July 4th, Harry Potter fifth movie, Harry Potter seventh (and final!) book, my birthday (July 27).