Reminders of Home

Ah, Vegas. I grew up watching people sit in dim, smoky casinos, as well as convenient gas stations, wasting their lives and money away. I never understood it, the concept of getting something for nothing.
In Vegas, it's slots and tables. In New York, it's the lottery. Looks like NYC is attempting to combine forces. At least this Vegas theme makes a lot more sense than the one with bunnies and kittens on the advertisements with the words "winning is sweeter than sweet, which is sweet." I had to laugh at that one, and also smile... 'cause the baby animals were quite cute. Didn't make me want to play the lottery, though.

I'm Lovin' It

Sometimes McDonalds just hits the spot, especially when purchased with coupons. And I love the text on my cup:



I like to think that's a perfect description of myself--long, tall & cool, indeed.

It's my last week as an intern for school. I literally have nothing to do, but I'm here, nonetheless. In two weeks I'll be starting as a paid employee here as a Respite Worker. It's basically like a Big Brother, Big Sister role, in that I'll be taking a teenage girl out for about 6 hours, once a week to do something fun and recreational. I'm really lookin forward to it. I've already met the girl and have noticed ways I can relate to her. I also hope and pray I can be of help to her in the way that she needs me to.

City Living

Oh, the laundromat. How I don't love you.


I actually don't mind doing laundry, but the fact that I have to leave home in order to do it is not very fun. Especially when it's rainy and cold outside.

Suburbia Saturday

Meet Holly! She's super sweet. She slept by me last night.:)
This morning I went to a service project in Queens. On my walk to the Long Island Railroad, to get back into the city, I saw this!
Ahhh, suburbia. Gotta love the Sev. Slurpee summer!!

Oh, What A Beautiful Morning!

Walking my neighbor's dog, Holly, this morning through Central Park = picture perfect


The Great Lawn


Ok, so I'm beginning to love it here. Springtime makes a world of difference, among other things.

Behind the Driver's Seat

That's exactly where I was today, behind the driver's seat, literally. My internship allows me the opportunity to get in a car and drive each week. I go as passenger, too. Both feel amazing when you're used to taking public transit every day, for months on end. But the driving? I've never felt so in control!



Driving has never felt so good. I think it's a sense of freedom or something. A sense of power, maybe? I don't know. It just feels good every time I do it. Too bad after next week, I won't get to do it anymore, since my internship is ending.

It's a good thing I live around the corner from three or four car rental places. I guess I'll just have to satisfy my driving craving this summer by taking multiple road trips to surrounding areas, such as D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, and Rhode Island! Never been to any of those places, and I've always been fascinated by the tiniest state in the country.

I'm a Little Slow

I recently have noticed a fashion trend going on. It seems that all of a sudden, every other woman I see has this style of bag on their shoulder:
I couldn't help wonder what is it about this bag that makes it SO popular! I think the same thing about Coach and Louis Vuitton bags. Why do women spend hundreds of dollars for a purse with a bunch of letters all over it?! It just doesn't compute in my brain. I'm sure others wondered the same about me, but on the other end of the spectrum when I used to wear baggy corduroy pants from thrift stores and boys' skateboard shoes. Why would I spend money on that stuff, right? Actually, someone did wonder something similar about me and asked me once. It was my childhood crush, to be exact. I'll never forget it. We were in high school by this point, and though I would never have his heart, I still had this long-lasting crush on him. That is, until he asked me the question, "Why do you wear guys' shoes?". I don't even remember the answer I gave him. I was kinda embarrassed (duh), and I think I said something like, "Because I just like them. They're comfortable". We kinda laughed about it, but it was then that I knew he would never love me for me. Well, he would never love me, regardless, but I think I learned something from that moment. I remember thinking, if he doesn't like me because I don't wear the "right" shoes, then he's not for me. Anyway, I don't know what that story has to do with the trendy bags I was talking about, but that's where my thoughts took me.

And apparently those bags have been around for a few years, according to a classmate of mine, but I just started noticing them recently. Funny. I guess I've never been one for the fashion trend world.

Crazies in Crazytown

Sometimes I forget that I live in a city of 8 million people....and then I find myself waiting for the train home, near a couple of random "crazies".

Now, I know that is not a very politically correct term, and you'd think I'd be more sensitive to labels since I am in a field that wants to break down labels. But I'm sorry, these two particular people I saw tonight were just crazy. First, I'm minding my own business, playing Solitaire on my phone (it's the one game I'm good at cause I play against myself). All of a sudden I start hearing a slew of curse words coming out of someone's mouth, someone very near by. I actually passed this man when I first got to the platform and heard him talking, and thought maybe he had phone reception and was talking on his Bluetooth or something. I obviously didn't hear him then. He just kept repeating the same three cuss words, and it sounded as if he was threatening someone. Naturally, I tried to look at my surroundings to make sure I was far enough away from him. I pulled out my headphones and turned on some music to drowned him out. I also moved just a little bit further away.

Then, there was another guy, similar distance to me. He had a briefcase and was reading a newspaper. Nothing unusual. But then I started to see pages of the newspaper slowly fall onto the subway tracks, like, intentionally. I slyly glance over, using my peripheral vision, and sure enough, he's doing it on purpose. It was as if the train tracks had ticked him off and he was getting back at them. But wait! This angst against the train tracks spread to the actual train, as it arrived. He got closer to the platform edge as it approached and stuck his head out, like he was playing a game of "chicken" with the train. I couldn't believe my eyes! And then, before the doors opened, he started pounding on the windows with his fist! It was crazy. I wonder what the people inside must've thought. Probably something like, "Who is this crazy guy pounding on the window of the train? Am I safe?!" That's what I would've thought. It was so strange.

At that point, I had moved away from both of the crazy men and stepped inside the next subway car over. To be honest, I looked around once or twice, to make sure they didn't somehow change cars mid-run (people do that all the time, walk in between cars while the train is moving). But alas, they had not moved trains. I don't know where they got off, but I looked around when I did. Not that I was in imminent danger, but seriously, these days, you can't be too careful, right?

p.s. Mom, I know you're reading this. Don't worry, I'm safe. :)

It's Time

With only about two weeks left of my first year of grad school, I'm going a little bit crazy. Actually, that's not entirely true--it's more of an internal thing. I seem calm on the outside, but inside my body is anxious. I have A LOT to do in the next two weeks, and that's the understatement of the year. It doesn't help that I'm distracted by non-related school things, though I like the distraction. Did I mention it's beautiful outside?


This is on NYU campus. I love it.

Oh Boy

Ok, so I am finding it extremely difficult to concentrate on the last four week of this semester. First, the weather has turned!!! It is Spring, officially. I had to take my cardigan off while walking home tonight because I actually felt warm. Incredible. It makes me just want to be outside all the time.

Second, I don't want to face my final assignments; one 15-page paper, one 10-page paper, and another 10-page paper, plus studying for an multiple choice exam...all due in about 4 weeks. Yikes. Let's just say, I'm not promising all As this time around. I never promised those in the first place, but yeah, I'm totally OK with Bs. And third, there's just a lot goin' on around here. It's been three full months now that I have lived in my apartment in Manhattan. I think it's safe to say I feel settled in and am starting to really make friends and get to know people and be familiar to people. So, that's nice.

This past weekend was General Conference for the church and I watched all four sessions at the church. I really think I got a whole lot more out of it, because I was at the church, dressed up, sitting up, and watching a big screen. All these factors contributed to an inspiring weekend. In between sessions on Saturday I joined a small group of people in Central Park for a picnic. How's that for a New York moment?! I still sometimes can't believe I live here.

A few favorite notes from Conference:

-It is possible to feel bathed in help, even in turbulent times.

-There are those who have imagined a Jesus who wants people to work for social justice, but who makes no demands upon their personal life and behavior.

-There is no greater good than motherhood.

See Those Shoes!?

This ain't no April Fools!



Spring has arrived!!!! :) I've been wearing some form of boot since October. It felt good to put these shoes on today and know I wasn't going to be cold.

Also, these are a good sign.