Thursday, February 12, 2009

New Hope, PA

Last weekend I went to visit Becky in New Jersey. On Sunday we decided to go on an adventure and drive to a town that she heard was cute. The town was called New Hope. It was just on the other side of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania. 
    The weather was amazing. Sunny, and in the 60's. Coats were not necessary. It was a lovely weekend. 





Here are some ducks and geese.
The Delaware River, full moon, steeple and bridge. Of course my eyes would be closed.

Here is Becky with some random animals that were in the parking lot we used. 



Monday, February 9, 2009

25 Randoms

1. Contrary to popular belief I do NOT have blue eyes. I have never had just blue eyes. I think people assume I do because I have blonde hair. Starting from the pupil they are yellowish/greenish/blueish. My mom has always called them golden.

2. In 4th grade I wanted a retainer or braces because that is when a lot of the kids were getting them. So I would go home, form gum to the roof of my mouth and then freeze it. When it was frozen I would then wear it like a retainer for 10 minutes until it unfroze.

3. I collect pressed pennies. I even have a special pressed penny book I keep them all in.

4. I have been to about 40 of the 50 states. New last year were: New Jersey, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut.

5. Things I've done more of in the last 6 months than I have in the last 6 years: eaten more chickpeas than I would have liked, used public transportation, cried in public places (on the subway, walking through Times Square, at Barnes and Noble, in a Thai restaurant), walked, written postcards, spent hours at a time at Barnes and Noble (debatable), missed love ones.

6. I talk to my mom on the phone every day and I always ask how LuLu is. Then I make my mom tell me exactly what LuLu is doing.

7. I secretly wish I was as witty as Derek. Or I wish someone thought I was as witty as Derek. There I said it.

8. I've decided the only state I really love and would want to live in for long periods of time is California.

9. My grandma once told me if I was a Popsicle that I would taste good.

10. I've been to a lot of concerts and shows and by far the best was Coldplay this summer.

11. The only breed of dog that i'll ever own is poodle.

12. I have less than 20 units left to get my Master's degree and I have absolutely no desire to at this point.

13. Technically my first car was a hideous, green 72' Chevy truck that use to have our camper on the back of it. It was actually broken, so I only drove it once. The camper use to have poodle wallpaper in the bathroom. We bought it like that, I swear.

14. I currently reside in West Harlem. It’s not too bad. I live across the street from a police station.

15. When I was little I had a Cabbage Patch preemie. She was little and bald. I named her Penguin. I slept with her every night and took her places. She was more of a world traveler than many people I know. She traveled to Australia, Mexico, Hawaii, and numerous other states with us. My mom use to make her doll clothes from McCall patterns and once pierced her ears for me. She is in my closet.

16. I was in 2nd grade when I got my ears pierced. When I was 18 I went and got a 2nd hole and the lady said the 1st holes were uneven.

17. It makes me cringe when adults don’t know the difference between, ‘your’ and ‘you’re’.

18. I listen to Grammar Girl podcast and I really, really like it.

19. I went to 5 different McDonalds to get 2 Hotel For Dogs, Poodles. I’m really quite ashamed to admit that. Technically 4, but I went to 1, twice. Don’t judge me.

20. I have a quote book that I write down funny quotes in. In the last 6 months I’ve written maybe 2. My roommates give me very little to work with.

21. I still take children’s chewable vitamins. The sour chewy kind. Adult vitamins are too large to swallow, and the adult chews taste nasty.

22. All the doors in our apartment are creeky. I can tell who is leaving their room just by listening to the creek.

23. My top 5 favorite animals are: Penguins, poodles, seahorses, owls, and llamas.

24. I can’t seem to go to Target and not spend less than $ 50. Ever.

25. A kindergartner once told me that if I didn't stop talking to him then he wouldn't be my girlfriend. To this day I am still perplexed by that statement.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Brief Update

I have tonsillitis, AND possibly Strep.
Cough medicine with codeine helps me sleep. 1 teaspoon every 6 hours. Powerful stuff.
It is snowing right now. And yes I did have to take the 3rd graders out for recess.
I have been watching Arrested Development on hulu.com. I'm fairly certain that website has changed my life. Its a really funny show, you should watch it.
I have 5 large, red bug bites on my arms. At least I hope they are bug bites.....I did ask the Dr. and he didn't seem concerned.
My friends are coming in 10 days and I couldn't be more excited.
I miss LuLu.

Friday, January 30, 2009

2 Weeks....

In 2 short weeks 3 of my dear friends are coming to visit me from CA!!!
I am SO, SO, SO excited!!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Aaaaaaaand Back!

I'm sorry for my extended absence. 
I'll do a brief fill-in and then address more exciting points in further detail later. 
             California was glorious while I was there. How could it not be? I left the day after it snowed allllll day, and then arrived in warm weather. I wasn't sure I would make it CA, because I had a layover in Chicago where it also had been snowing. Luckily my window of departure and arrival time worked hugely in my favor. 
            We went to Vegas for Christmas, which was weird but fun. Very relaxing. We stayed at the MGM Grand, which was really nice. My aunt, uncle and cousins were there also. It was great to be with family. Mom, Em and I went to midnight mass at an Episcopal church that I picked out of the phone book because of its nearness to the hotel. It turned out to be great. The priest preached an sermon about social justice (a personal fav), we sang silent night at midnight  the lights were dimmed and we sang by candle light. It was so lovely.
           While in CA I got to spend time being pampered by my mom, driving my car, cuddling with LuLu, eating in-n-out and other equally delicious foods, and actually having friends who wanted to spend time with me!  I didn't want to leave. THEN my plane flaps were broken as we taxied out, so I actually did get to spend another night in CA!
          Last Friday I had a huge meltdown. I couldn't get ahold of my mom,  due to a quilt convention and her cell phone being in the car. I couldn't get ahold of any family member. I found out that the principal of my school (whom I love dearly) was leaving, and I was sick of the apt and the stupidness of it. I made plans to go see Jacque, and spend the night at her apt.  Poor Jacque, I always cry to her. I got on the subway and then off so I could try to call my mom one more time before I got to Jacques. I reached my dad and then proceeded to cry to him while I was in Barnes and Noble. I then got on the subway, cried some more, cried as I was walking through Times Square, cried to Jacque. She made me delicious cookies and we watched a movie. SIDE NOTE: My aunt nicknamed me Tiny Tears. It's funny because it's true.  I got home the next day and had an e-mail from a roommate, saying he wanted to switch rooms with me! We did and I must say it is life changing. I can breathe and move. In Feb when the ladies come to visit we can all fit!
       Any-who, this Friday the principal spoke to all of the staff. It was incredibly sad and I fought back tears as he spoke to all of us. He is so kind and warm; just the kind of man you would want to run a school. But apparently politics disagree. 
        I just did laundry. I find it easier to do it every week so that I can actually carry it all without giving myself a hernia. I was sitting reading a book and this kinda crazy lady asked if I was a student at Columbia. Not only do I look young, but I also look smart! I told her I wasn't. Then I wasn't really sure what to tell her so I went to check on my clothes. While I was over there she came to the corner about 4 feet away, said, "you'll have to excuse me." THEN she put one foot on a stool and peed into a coffee mug!!!!!!!!! I could thankfully only see her out of the corner of my eye, but OH MY GOSH! I'm slightly traumatized and I hope that in turn you are also.
     Tomorrow I am going to do my usual Saturday business of Target and Starbucks. Target is comforting to me. I don't feel like I am in New York, and it's actually full sized (unlike most places) so I don't feel clausterphobic. 
Pictures of my NEW room coming soon!
XOXO Tiny Tears

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Tuesday, December 9!

Tuesday I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the first grade classes. We thought that we were suppose to take small groups of children around, but The Met wanted us in groups of 15 to take guided tours. New York field trips are interesting because all the children are so bundled that museums and other places that host school trips have big rooms devoted solely to holding large rolly containers that all of the children pile their coats and winter accoutrements into. By the time that is all taken care of there is about 20 minutes left. My group was first taken past the large statues of naked men (that is quite something for 1st graders) then we went into a furnished room of King Louie the 14th, or something. Booooring. By the time we got there we had 20 minutes left of the field trip and we hadn't even seen what we went to see! Which was the Angel Tree, which is lovely. It was my 3rd time seeing it. 
On the way to The Met in the big yellow school bus, as we were stopped in traffic on 5th Ave. we luckily stopped RIGHT in front of where they were tapping Gossip Girl!! Luckily I was able to whip out my camera in time to get the backs of Penn Badgley and Blake Lively. 

Then that night we had our first snow of the winter. It was actually sticking too! This picture is from the next morning in our "front yard".

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Last Night

     This will be my last blog from the really uncomfortable spot at the end of Alissa's bed.  I leave tomorrow, but there may be more to write about for a few days.  
    On Sun. we went to church at the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  7 years ago they had a big fire & half of the church & the organ have been closed.  They reopened it last Sun. & blessed it for almost 3 hours.  Every high- up in the church from around was there.  Even Hillary who spoke briefly.  You had to get special tickets to get in!   They honored the firefighters & then put them to work when a bishop or someone up near the altar had a problem & people were all huddled around him.  They wheeled him out later.  Huge stone church got really, really cold after a few hours.
    Tonight, a roommate got tickets to a men's choral group performing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  They sang right in front of the huge angel tree & Alissa sneaked a few pictures!
The group was called Chanticleer from San Francisco - supposedly world famous!
    I leave tomorrow very early.  Suitcases weigh a ton, & I sent boxes.