wind and rain and eating and reading

Here is a synopsis of my weekend… eat, cook, eat, read, knit, eat, read, watch movie, cook, eat, watch tv show, eat–all from the same spot on the couch in my living room. I would feel guilty about doing so much lazing around if it weren’t for the fact that it was hurricaning outside and public transit was suspended (still is actually). Just in case there was any confusion, I survived my first hurricane. Now we are just waiting for the subways to get up and running.

Other than the hurricane, life here has been pretty uneventful, it is amazing how quickly you settle into a routine in a new place. Work is good, I like where I am for now but I am going to keep my eyes out for something that will give me more relevant experience. Both of my roommates came home last weekend and it is so good to have people around again. I am also getting more settled in my apartment. Here are some pictures to prove it!

The thing above my bed is my attempt at artsy using flashcards of influential authors (a gift my dad gave me when I was in middle school), I am pretty proud of it.

The last little bit of information that I would like to share about my life is that I miss home and everyone who is still there soooooo much. Every picture I see of someone or something gives my heart a little pinch of sadness and I have been extremely nostalgic for home lately. Some events that I have been absent from lately include:

an orca whale pod in Elliot Bay
the last family boating trip of the summer
my brother’s 21st birthday

Besides missing out on these awesome happenings, I have just missed seeing familiar places and faces everywhere. The good news is that someone at work called me AIDS the other day. That was a nice little taste of home. The following song is from the newest Little Brutes album. It is called “Where I Used to Be” and it conveys my nostalgic feelings very well. Enjoy and check out more of their music here.

Last things last… I am going to be starting a knitting blog. As if I wasn’t obsessed already. Also, school starts in a week and I am getting more nervous everyday. I hope I have what this is going to take… only time will tell at this point. Happy Sunday everyone!

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update on life in nyc

Yikes, this week has been a whirlwind. I have been attending job interviews galore and exploring like non-other. There is good news though… I got a job! I am now an Executive/program assistant for a nonprofit called Community Impact. We do job training, college counseling, GED/ESL classes, programs for healthy living, and plethora of other things. You can find more information about us here if you are really interested. I started work today which was a little crazy but I am so glad I will have a couple of weeks to settle in with work before I start classes. Employment feels soooo good!

Also, I bought a lamp for my room! This is a very exciting thing for me as I spent the greater part of the past week scouring second-hand shops in search of a lamp for my bedside table. The only sad thing is that after all that searching, I bought my lamp on Etsy… I love it though so I guess everything is okay. I also found my inspiration for my new bedding. I will be creating it myself so we will see how it ends up. Here is a sneak peak (of the inspiration, not my actual bedding)!

I found the pattern (which I will not be following) on a knitting blog called Nocturnal Knits. I am attending a social knitting group tomorrow night at what I think will be my local yarn shop and I am going to start investigating yarn options (color suggestions are welcome, my sheets are gray).

The other awesome thing that I did this week was go to church. I know this might not sound like the most spectacular thing but just being in the presence of people willing to engage me in conversation was amazing! Having the house to myself for the past week hasn’t been awful but human interaction feels super awesome. After the service, I had four different people come up to me to introduce themselves and I really felt super welcome. I talked with the administrative assistant for the church after the service and was so excited to hear that she lives in my building. She even brought me brownies last night which was awesome! I was also invited to a Thai food lunch by a great little group of people. In short, I don’t think it is going to be hard to fit in here. I have been invited to so many things already–it really is amazing how friendly people are on the east coast.

There are a million other things I could talk about but I think it will suffice to say that I am finding my groove here. As time goes by it will be exciting to see what other surprises life holds but I am happy for now.

I am reluctant to end this blog post because it means I have to face the thunderstorm outside as I shop for groceries and make my way home. Don’t worry, I am equipped with a raincoat this today.

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lessons learned: day 3 in nyc

So, yesterday was an interesting day overall. I ended up pretty frustrated by the end of the day but I made it through! Some things were comical and some just sucked. The happenings of the day make quite a hilarious story but I think I will just give you all a list of some of the lessons I learned along my way.

1. People are much more politically active here: they are so politically active that when you try to call Verizon to fix your internet, everyone will be on strike and the automated system will hang up on you 5 times because there aren’t any real people working anyway.

2. Waiting to shower until right before you have to leave is a good idea: although you might still show up to your destination sweaty.

3. People in New York carry umbrellas with them for a reason: that reason is that it will be 86 degrees and we will be expecting thunderstorms all day.

4. Bringing a change of clothes to change into before an important event is a good idea: just make sure that your change of clothes is not cloth shoes and a pale pink blouse, especially if you are expecting thunderstorms. It will rain, you will get wet, and you might as well walk home in a bra…

5. When you are walking home in the rain, never assume that it is raining as hard as is possible: it can rain harder, you will get wetter, and you will be soaked when you get home.

6. Waterproof mascara is not just for crying: it is for rain too.

To sum things up, this was one of the worst days I have had in a while. Not to worry though, things are looking up…

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when i was 22 i moved to new york city

Weird, this sentence is officially part of my life story. I don’t want to say that I never thought this would actually happen but I think there is a part of me that still can’t fathom the fact that I have lived here for a whole 8 hours. In a strange way, I feel like I am watching my story happen in front of my own eyes. I know have been an active participant in my life, but a sort of amnesia has set in and I feel like these past couple of months have literally happened to me. The good news is that I ended up where I am supposed to be (by the grace of God it seems).

Today I met my roommates for the first time; they are so awesome and I think this is going to be a great living situation. After unpacking I went grocery shopping which was an interesting experience (I think most things about this move are going to be a bit of a culture shock). I also do not think I am ready for this humidity. Seriously, I feel like I just got out of the shower and I am just sitting in my room. First task for tomorrow, BUY A FAN!

Here is a first glimpse at my room. It isn’t great yet as I don’t have bedding and I haven’t really set anything up yet but I have high hopes. Also, the picture quality isn’t great as my camera is having difficulties but you get the picture… hahahaha!

Until another time…

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new york state of mind… literally

Be advised: this post is best read while listening to the following video.

Well folks, the big move is coming soon (Saturday to be exact) and day one of packing is underway. Yesterday I posed my beloved trombone for sale on craigslist and I started today with last-minute paperwork (that was supposed to be submitted yesterday) and then progressed to my mountain of belongings in the garage. After sifting through CDs, clothing, books, and random chotchkies (shout out to Deb Nondorf for that one!), I found some great things that I will list below.

Gems of my past:
GS Megaphone CD
a screen-printed t-shirt produced after the 1st St. Helens explosion
various unfinished knitting and sewing projects
a librarian action figure complete with shushing action
pictures of me with (GASP) long hair!
a bouquet of origami roses
a deck of author flashcards

Gems that are not mine that I found in my boxes anyway:
some Billy Joel CDs
rat poop
Amy Grant, Carmen, and Michael W. Smith CDs

Gems of my future:
a vintage map of Manhattan that will soon hang in my bedroom
some small jam jars that don’t have a use yet
a book of postcards to mail

I will finish this post with a few general things that I am excited about. First, I can finally put my hair in a pony tail. Second, I have a great idea for an infinity scarf and I even have the yarn to do it. Third, I have brilliant decorating ideas for my new room (my first room to myself!). Fourth, I have two job interviews waiting for me in New York. Fifth and finally, I just started reading Invitation to Sociology by Peter L. Berger and I am getting pretty excited for classes to start.

New York City, I’m coming for you ready or not!

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