Don't Quit Your Day Job!

Oh wait, I don't have a day job. Well, not in the technical sense, like a 9 to 5-er. But I do take care of children a lot lately, and that's during the day. But today is an overnighter. I was asked last minute to come tend to four children overnight till the next night, and for a decent amount of cash money. This isn't a bad gig, considering the family lives in the nicest, biggest apartment in Manhattan I've been in so far. It's a mansion compared to my shoebox apartment! Their living room/kitchen area alone is more square footage than my two bedroom/one bath apartment. It actually feels like a "home" here. I'm sure the four kids with their toys, video games and snacks have something to do with that, too. I fed them dinner and got each one to bed in chronological order, starting with the two youngest first, then the next oldest, and the very oldest got to stay up latest. As I put the clean sheets on the bed I'll be sleeping on and cleaned up the kitchen and living room, I had this, "so this is what it's like" moment. And I must admit, I liked it. But since this is only pretend, I'm sure I'll change my tune when I actually AM a mother (though probably not of four) and am caring for never-ending needful creatures called children. So, tomorrow night I'll return to my childless cube of an apartment and savor solo time while I have it. I'm just glad this babysitting stuff is workin' out for me this summer. I've missed being around children.

And since I'm a fan of photos and side notes in posts:


I walked by this yesterday. The World Trade Center being rebuilt. I've been spending a lot of time in that area lately, walking through the narrow, grid system streets, and I can't help but think of 9/11. That whole area, covered in...well, lots of stuff. Kinda morbid, I know. It gives me a reality check, of sorts, and that's not a bad thing.

I Will...No...I DID Survive

No, I haven't received grades, yet, but I can safely say that I survived my first year of grad school at NYU. I'm not gonna lie, I'm feelin' pretty good about it. Duh. I just finished writing my last paper of the school year, to turn it in on Friday at my last class. SIGH of relief!!!! Now I get to focus on making some money via various jobs this summer (i.e. babysitting, possibly a paid internship at a senior center, and a paid respite job with my current internship), and having FUN with that money, New York City style! Things are looking up! I've babysat a few times over the last month, and while it's not big money, it sure feels good to be earning again! Seriously, to work and get paid for it...there's just something about it. I feel like I'm contributing to society and society is contributing back...in CASH!!! Also, I get to pay tithing at church again. Once more, the ability to earn and contribute = good feelings, not to mention blessings.

The babysitting gig may be short-term and it's only once a week, but hey, it's something. I met the mom and the two kids today and the kids are SO ADORABLE! They both have dark brown, almost black adorable curly hair and dark brown, adorable eyes. And they totally took to me! I've always thought I had a knack with kids. I told the mom this, and she saw it in action and confirmed it. She was impressed. :) For some reason, kids just love me...probably because I love them first. They're like dogs. They can sense if you like them or not. Babies and dogs. I love them. They love me. There's a certain age range of love, though. Kids between the ages of 1 and 4, maybe 5, love me. Maybe that's just because that's the stage where they still rely on adults a lot. I like to think it's my golden blond hair and big smile that gets 'em every time. ;)