No One Likes a Frowny Face

Ok. I admit it. I've been a Negative Nancy WAY more than I've been a Positive Penelope since I've moved to New York. I feel it every day I step outside my door and walk down the busy, noisy, sometimes dirty streets. I need to "change my ways, while I'm young" as Brandon Flowers sings so lovingly in The Killers song, "Smile Like You Mean It". That song is playing in my headphones as I type this. I totally didn't plan that, but how awesome. This post is all about smiling like I mean it in New York City. I've decided it's time I focus on the things that I like here. So, what this means is that I am going to post once a week something positive. Ha. Now Brandon just sang "heaven ain't close in a place like this". So true. Crap, that was negative. I'm not starting my weekly list of positive things until this coming Sunday. Sunday is the Sabbath, after all. What better day to focus on positive thoughts!

In the meantime, here's some positive photos of my adventure driving outside the city last week (Don't worry, it took all of TWO seconds to take these photos, and I did NOT take my eyes off the road, promise. My method is aim and shoot and hope you get something good)

I LOVE bridges, especially driving over them.
The leaves are changing! I LOVE Fall!!!!!
Suburbia! I "LOVE" Walmart!
I also LOVE puppies!!
He wanted to come home with me.

I'm Kinda Busy

I don't know what happened. School started, then my internship, and BAM! I forgot what summer was all about. I'm already a week behind in school reading assignments. Why do professors think and expect I'm going to read anything on the syllabus prior to the first day of class?! So, I show up to class, think that I am on top of my readings for the week, and then I go the next week and realize I'm a week behind. Aggggggh! It bugs. However, I must say, the reading material in my classes is much more interesting to me than last year's. So far, some of what I've read has been about the brain and it's crazy terminology, schizophrenia, and the various views on death and dying. Also, my internship is going to be amazing. I went on my first visit alone to visit a client TODAY, second week in! I even got to drive a car out of the city to do so, too. It was a beautiful thing. I got to sing to the radio and everything! But these days I'm always tired, my back hurts, I am in major need of a massage, I miss eating cheese and bread (trial run for potential intolerance), I'm tried of not getting cell phone service in my apartment, you see, see, and I don't even like Lady Gaga, but "I'm Kinda Bu-sy!"

This One's for My Mama

I was about to go to bed, and yes, it is WAY past my bedtime (as usual). But! I know my mom (hi, Mom!) checks this thing regularly, and I didn't want to disappoint (even though she'd rather me be in bed).

This weekend was pretty laid back. Friday I worked all day babysitting and doing my respite care thing. I got to play with Play-Doh for the first time in, I don't know, AGES, and I got pretty into it.
We were working hard on a pepperoni pizza. I'd say it looks almost edible!


But above is what it looked like after Brandon added his final touches. He's about to cut into it! Yum!And this was us a few weeks ago at the end of our last full day together. We're best buds! I love him. Oh, and his baby sis--also TO DIE FOR. See for yourself:
Did I already post this picture, previously? I wouldn't doubt it. I love her, too! I want the Todd family to adopt me as their Aunt Liz.

Stand A Little Taller, Indeed

I haven't opened the book of the same title by Gordon B. Hinckley that often over the last six months, but when I do, it's spot on:

Prepare For A Career

"I don't care what you plan to do as your life's vocation, but prepare yourselves. Get the best education you can. Qualify yourselves the best way you know how. It's part of a mandate from the Lord that you train yourselves."

And the scripture of the day:
"Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge." Proverbs 23:12

It's good to know I'm doing something right!

On a totally unrelated note, I went to the Brooklyn Art Museum last weekend to see Andy Warhol's art of his last decade. See what I saw:








Apparently, he was a devout Catholic but kept it hush-hush until this time of his life.

To Trench is To Be Divine

Yeah, I just made that up. I took advantage of my "no school/no internship yet" day and stayed in my robe (yes, robe) until 1pm today. But don't worry. I made up for it by doing my work-out video. I ventured outdoors once and once only to return a few items I bought at H&M. I was so tempted to buy several things, namely, two AMAZING trench coats, perfect for the Fall season that's rapidly approaching! I was tempted, I pondered, I tried on and looked in the mirror multiple times!...and then I put the coats back on the rack and walked away. This is pretty incredible of me, especially since this lady saw me with one of them on and told me how perfect it fit me and how good it looked on me. Thanks for nothing, lady! But actually, I love that lady. And I'm afraid that, for $59.95, I'll be returning a.s.a.p to that lovely H&M store to purchase [at least] one of the two wonderful and totally affordable (I just remembered, I get paid tomorrow!) trench coats!
Besides, I have not.one.single.trench.coat.in.my.wardrobe! It's justified.(That's not the one I'm talking about, but it's adorable, too! Ugh! H-n-M, you kill me)

Oh, and blazers. I'm gonna need one or two of these, since my internship will probably require me to dress up a bit. Again, justified.

(But the actual one is a lot nicer looking. Yes, for me, this is "dressing up")

A Little Vegas and SLC

I can't believe I didn't take more photos while I was home last week. But this is what I managed:


Me and Sawyer! He knows my name!:)


Me and mama at brunch


That grass felt like velvet!


Holy Blue


Yes, I'm a tree hugger. Ha. Ha.


Friend's art of friend!


Live friend!


Family history-the house my parents lived in when my brother was born



Mountains

And last, but not least,


Grandpa!

My grandpa is doing better than first thought. It was so good to hear his stories and wisdom told. He's a wonderful man!

It was a great week spent at home with family and friends. I want to do it again real soon.

Back to the Books!

Today (Sept. 7th) was the first day of the second-to-last semester of my life. How's that for dramatic?! And I should be in bed right now. Go figure.

This semester I have all four classes on one day, so it's a long one, but I think I'm going to like my schedule. I go to school once a week! It's pretty great. I just need to make sure I stay on top of all my reading for homework and such. I think I'm going to like all my professors pretty well, and I know at least two people in each class from last year, so that's nice. I tried a new thing this semester and rented my books from the NYU Bookstore, rather than buy them. Some may think, "why rent when you can own?!" and I say, "I saved over $200 doing it that way and most of those books I will NEVER USE AGAIN", so I don't mind at all that I have to send them back when I'm done. You may think as a grad student I'd want to keep all of my books, like they may be useful one day. But don't fret, I'm keeping the ones I think I'll need/use in my future social work practice. I'm not that desperate for cash. Just a little.

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I will be working at my internship, which I'm really excited about. I'll be working at an adoption agency that will go unnamed here, for confidentiality purposes. I think I'm really going to like it and do well there. I start there next week. The powers that be at NYU give us a week to sink into our school work before they plunge us into the depths of social work practice in action. But I'm ready! I can take it.

Home Sweet Home

Mama's got it all wrong:


I'm not going "home" this Sunday. And apparently Sunday has already passed. Ha. I love you, mom.

Oxymoron

First, the above word is underused. And it's a good one. Second, below is a picture definition of the word:


I'm sorry, but slot machines and cigarette smoke in Las Vegas are inevitable. Nice try, though.