Fill in the Blank Friday!

1.  My first memory is     standing in front of a window, holding my younger brother as a baby.  I'm not sure if this is a real memory, a manufactured one, or an image I had in a dream, but I'll keep it .

2.  My first love was   a good learning experience.  Well, you should learn something every time!  .

3.  My very first favorite color was    purple and I'm sticking with it.

4. The first time I really felt like a "grown-up" was when    I lived in my first apartment, and was walking my dog through the park after school all dressed in black (black v-neck and velvet tiered skirt, if you need the visual) to stage manage a performance that night.  I felt capable of juggling my obligations and my passions and certain of my life.  I thought to myself, "Someday this will be me, walking my dog through Central Park every day."  Strange that those fantasies have come true, and I am walking through Central Park on a daily basis.  .

5. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is   check my phone...ugh...such a Gen Y cliche!  Then I turn on the fairy lights, contemplate coffee, remind myself to take my vitamin.

6. The first CD (cassette tape, record, etc...) I ever bought was    a New Kids on the Block record.  I was six!  We were all obsessed!  As a teen, I spent every dime I could scrape together on musical theatre cassettes.

7.  My first car was  a beloved red Dodge Grand Caravan named Big Red.  I crashed it two weeks after I got my license, in a no-fault black ice accident.  It was never the same, always having problems!  I later dubbed it The Red Scare.  I adored that car and will always miss it.  The grunge phase I was going through at the time, eh, not so much:

Seven Things Link-Up #24

Get psyched for more Seven Questions with Gentri Lee, comin' at ya!  Holla at me if you know what I'm holding in the picture!


1. Describe your perfect day.

I wouldn't have to work, for starters!  I'd wake up really early and drink some bitter coffee, then head out to the UWS and treat myself to Le Pain Quotidien while reading a book.  Stroll across the park to the Met, wander my favourite exhibits, back through the park around dusk, take the train down to Greenwich Village and get lost among the twisty streets and brownstones.  Home early, watch a movie, fall asleep.


2.What was something that you were afraid of as a child?

Tornadoes, ghosts, spiders, being noticed.


3. What's something you're afraid of today?

Death, and not being noticed.


4. Would you rather be obsessed with yourself or someone else?

Having been on both sides, I opine that being obsessed with yourself is much better.  MUCH better.


5. What is a favorite restaurant that you could visit over and over and never get sick of?

Saggio, in my old neighborhood.  But shhh, it's Washington Heights' best kept secret!!!


6. What is one food you used to hate but now enjoy?

Mushrooms!  I used to think they were the grossest thing!  Now I can handle mushrooms the same way I handle escargot - I can enjoy it if I don't think about it too much!


7. Fill in the blank: Star ________.

Dust.  We all have a bit of it in us.

My Little Life

I've been so busy going through the days that I barely stop to think lately what I'm doing with my life.

That is, I've been so intent on surviving that I'm hardly pausing to acknowledge how great it is.

Surviving moving, long weeks, losing my voice, hurting my foot, more long work weeks.

My life is really sweet.

I walk to work through Central Park.  I feel the cool breeze and the sunshine and the change of the seasons.

I spend my days sneaking up on tourists and giving them candy.

I go home to my beautiful nest of my own creation, that my hard work allows me to pay for, to my wonderful chatty roommate, and relax how I want to.

I sleep in pitch blackness, on a firm mattress, surrounded by pillows.

I have the life.

I am so grateful.

Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

1.  Something I am very proud of is   overcoming my funk this week.

2.  My favorite thing about myself is   my odd sense of spirituality.  In that I have none.  But I kind of do?  My love of humanity and the universe and everything in it.

3.  My favorite color for fall is   blush pink.  I know it's not the season, but I've been feeling a pull towards it for a while, subconsciously picking up sweaters in this soft shade.  Maybe I'm going soft in my old age?

4. Something I've been learning lately is   not to underestimate people.  I had an amazing conversation recently with a group of people I'd all but discounted as boring.  It's opened my eyes to my need to listen and not judge.

5. A book I am reading now/have read recently is   Funny Misshapen Body by Jeffrey Brown.  I love the way his syntax creeps into you through the panels and you find yourself thinking in his way.  I can't wait to read more of his work.

6. My favorite Pandora Station is   the Badfinger station.  It comes really close to imitating one of my favourite radio programs from childhood.

7.  This weekend I will   run copious errands, cash in money, spend some money, work hard and play harder.

I Believe...

I Believe in Science.  I believe there is so much more to understand and so much more to discover.  I kinda believe one day we will unlock the key to superhuman abilities.


I Believe in Playing Devil's Advocate.  In listening to people but always pushing them to examine the motives behind their thoughts and keep searching.  I believe no argument should ever go unquestioned.


I Believe in Opening your Heart to Joy, even if that means opening it to pain.  I believe a closed heart experiences nothing by staying guarded, even if that is the sensible thing to do.


I Believe New York City is the greatest place on Earth, even when it smells like garbage, people are rude, and nothing happens according to plan.  I believe I may love this place more than anything else on my life right now.


And lastly,
I Believe I look like a total retro babe in the above photo.
I Believe those boots were made for rawrrrrr.And most embarassingly,
at the time, I believed I was channeling Carole King from her Tapestry album cover:

Source: webalia.com via webalia on Pinterest

Please, nobody shatter that last belief.

Always Brush Your Teeth

On Tuesday, I woke up in a bit of a funk.  No, not just a funk.  Worse than a funk.

As I told my coworkers at the start of my third nine-hour shift that week, I felt entombed in a granite version of myself lazily yearning to break free in slow motion while everyone and everything else around me swirled about moving faster and louder than I could handle.  I was going crazy.  Sinking fast.

I spent the morning writing out my feelings and by labeling them, I was able to realize that I could push them aside and function somewhat normally.  I say "somewhat" because in all of my dreary moodiness, I left for work having forgotten to brush my teeth.

What am I, twelve?

Anyway, 7 and a half hours into my day, day had turned to night and sun had turned to rain.  There was nobody in the store.  Nobody save for myself, my colleagues, and one boy about my age in a gray v-neck shirt.  Desperate for human interaction, I struck up a conversation.

Half an hour later we were still talking:  about European travels, British television, vegetarianism, human pathology.  I believe this is what you call, "Hitting it off."  After what seemed like almost too long...


"Hey, I'm sure you get asked this all the time, but, if you're free, maybe you'd like to..."

"Let me give you my number,"  I rushed ahead, relieved to have not been so wrong about the vibe of the conversation.

"Alright, well, I should be going.  The rain.  Talk to you soon!"


I waved goodbye and smiled at my own victory.  I felt my tongue graze my teeth....ew.



Moral of the story, no matter how bummed out you are, ALWAYS BRUSH YOUR TEETH.  You never know what the day has in store.

Seven Things Link-Up #23

Everybody loves a link-up!  And for today's Seven Questions Link-Up, I have two funny pictures of things I saw at work:

...because WITHOUT these helpful hints, we would have NO IDEA what to do with a bag of marshmallows?

And this was on a bucket full of Safe-T Pops.  SERIOUSLY?  I feel like Safe-T Pops may be being just a bit TOO cautious.  Stop telling us how to parent, Safe-T Pops!

On to the questions!


1. Do you ever have reoccurring dreams?

I have a reoccurring theme:  whenever I'm stressed out, I dream that I have problems with my teeth.  Loose teeth, holey teeth, teeth falling out.  I also dream about not being able to climb stairs, not being able to scream in an emergency, and not being able to find an adequate bathroom.  That last one actually happens a lot IRL in NYC.


2. It's the first day of Fall (or Spring for you southern hemispherers) in a few days, what are you looking forward to most?

COLD WEATHER.  I love layers.  Pile some sweaters on me, baby!  I love it!


3. Because a lack of coordination, would you rather not be able to tie your shoes or cut your own food?

Who needs to tie shoes?  I would wear Vans slip-ons and boots for the rest of my life!  But anything that got between me and food would be horrible!!!


4. Would you rather live in a house made entirely of glass or a house with no windows?

No windows, definitely.  I wake up with the sun every morning because I can't sleep in light.  You saw my bedroom!  My roommate thought I was kidding when I said I wanted to live in a cave.  I would!  I can't sleep at all once the sun is up.


5. Would you rather walk on you toes or heels forever?

Heels, I guess?  My toes are all hurty from 45-hour work weeks.  Is that a lot?  It sounds like a lot to me, and I miss having evenings free.


6. What's your favorite sense?

Hm.  Hearing.  In this case, I decide my passion for music outweighs my passion for food.  So far, today we have learned:  Music > Food > the ability to tie shoes.


7. What's your favorite movie quote of all time?

The first one that popped into my head was "Go that way.  Really fast.  If something gets in your way, turn."  From the John Cusack movie Better Off Dead.  Which I have seen an amazing amount of times, thanks to it always being shown on Comedy Central.  I always say it in a French accent when giving directions to tourists or cab drivers.  Does that make me a bad person?  Yes.  Yes it does.

Me, Myself, & I Link-Up #3

It's that time of the month!  Me, Myself, & I Link-Up time.  Share your answers and link up with the lovely hosts!

{one}

When you're feeling down, what do you do to pick yourself up?

That's a terrifically loaded question.  I woke up in a funk today and was avoiding talking about it.  Mainly because it won't do any good:  I still have to get up, work 9 hours, and get through it just to turn around and do it again three more times this week.  The mundane pointlessness is getting to me, I feel run-down and generally unwell, I'm homesick, and I'm starting to have those paranoid thoughts that everyone around me secretly hates me.  This is why I see a therapist every week.  So how I deal is to hang on until Saturday and hope she'll figure it out for me.

{two}

 If you had to live in a different time period which would you prefer?

Late '60s early '70s.  I'm on a huge classic rock kick.  It feels simpler somehow, straightforward.

{three} 

What is the most creative Halloween costume you've ever worn?

In high school, I dressed up as Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind.  It was amazingly fun but for the fact that I needed help carrying my books to get from class to class.  Still totally worth it.

Source: costumedramas.tumblr.com via Natasha on Pinterest

{four} 

Five weird things about you we wouldn't know without being told?

I'm allergic to almost all fruits and eggs, I'm 28 (you wouldn't believe how many people don't believe me until I show them my Driver's License), I'll only drink coffee with Splenda, I used to play the baritone ukulele, and I hate overhead lighting with a passion.  I LOVE LAMP!

{five}

What would you tell your 16-year-old self?

That it gets better.  Despite the funks and the fears, life gets so much better than she could ever have imagined.  All the dreams she had would come so close to coming true in a mere dozen years, and the life she'd eventually have may even one day exceed her expectations...and I think my funk just lifted a little bit typing that out!

Say Something

Source: retronaut.co via Dayle on Pinterest

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is an important announcement from the New York City Police Department.  Protect yourself.  If you see a suspicious activity on the platform or train, 

DO NOT KEEP IT TO YOURSELF..."

I cast a glance to my left.  There was a bag sitting by itself on a seat.  I raised an eyebrow at the gentleman sitting to the left of the bag.  Then back down at the bag.

"Oh!  I'm sorry.  That's my bag,"  he apologized.  "I'm just lazy, I guess."  He pulled the bag onto his lap and straightened up in his seat.

"No problem,"  I relaxed.  "As a New Yorker, I just wasn't sure whether I was 'seeing something,' and whether or not I should 'say something'."

He laughed, and inquired about the bag on my lap.  My tour bag.

"Are those bloody footprints?"  he referred to the design on my canvas tote.

"Yup!"  I beamed.  "I do ghost tours!"

"No way,"  he doubted, incredulously.

"Absolutely!  Here's the information!"  I pulled a card out of the bag and showed him.  

"Tour guide?  And that pays the bills?"  my new friend raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I also work full time at a candy store.  Greeting people, telling them where the bathrooms are, feeding them candy.  Basically in all spheres I get paid to talk to strangers,"  I joked with a slight wink.  "But enough about me.  What do you do?"

"Oh, I work at a bank,"  he slumped in his seat.  "But I'm really a musician.  I just came from a gig.  Jazz piano."

"Oh?  Do you know Todd Robbins?  He plays piano in Woody Allen's band!"

"I can't say I do know him, but...how do you know him?"

I laughed.  "Well, he's a carny, and I worked for a magician when I first moved here four years ago..."

"Magic, ghosts, candy.  You have a fun life."

I turned serious for a moment:  "You know in high school, when they ask what you what to do with your life?  Well, the only answer I could really settle on was, 'I want to live an unusual life'."

"Well, it sounds like you're living the dream,"  he nodded thoughtfully.  "I'm Fred."

"Meghan,"  I replied, shaking his outstretched hand.  "If you ever want to take a ghost tour, or eat some candy, I can hook you up."

Fill-in-the-Blank Friday!

1.  Right now the weather where I live is   ideal.  Cool enough to wear jeans (jeans!) but warm enough for long strolls!  I can't wait till - dun da dun! - jacket weather!!! .

2.  The best piece of advice I've been given is   probably my answer to #4, but I will say this one as well - nothing is so terrible that you can't figure a way out of it.  Sometimes I let myself get trapped in bad situations because I'm afraid to speak up or make waves.  The truth is, you don't have to suffer .

3.  My most favorite person in all the world is   me!  Self-centered?  I don't know.  I grew up wishing I could be anyone else, and even when I stopped hating myself, I always put other people first.  I finally got out of the habit of turning down compliments and now, when people say "You're so nice!" or "You're the best!"  I reply, "I know." It comes off as a joke, but the things is I do know.  Why not give myself credit?  As RuPaul says, "If you don't love yourself, how in the hell you gonna love somebody else?"  Right now I'm just loving myself.

4. If I were to have a "mission statement" for my life, it would be    DO NOT TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY -- YOU WILL NEVER GET OUT OF IT ALIVE.  My dad is fond of this saying and it's even on a coaster we have in my childhood home.  Is it weird to think that I let a coaster influence the way I live my life?  At least it was a profound coaster, and not just one with a corny bar joke on it.

5. My most favorite item in my closet is   my 1920's men's robe that I bought in a thrift store in San Francisco when I was 16.  It is literally falling apart, but whenever I wear it, I feel so cool.

6. The best cure for a bad day is   a good night's sleep.

7.  Today is  gonna be so relaxing!.

Things I Love Thursday: My Bedroom

I've been waiting to show you my new bedroom until it was "finished".  Not that I think it will ever be "finished", but it's pretty darn close.  My new bedroom, that made me weep with happiness, the tiny closet I was afraid I'd never feel comfortable in that has now become sweeter and more dear to me than I could have ever imagined, welcome welcome welcome:

I hope you enjoyed the warm inviting glow and coziness of my little room as much as I do every time I'm in there.  To quote Mae West, "Come up and see me sometime" for a better view.

Always Carry A Pen

During my walk through Central Park yesterday on a rare afternoon (ish) off, I was feeling brave and free.  I had one hour to stroll to my tea-date with my roommate, and only the slightest idea where I was going in the park.  I emerged onto a familiar landmark and saw, to my delight, a guitar/cello* combo playing. 

And ERMAHGERD you guys the cello* player was gorgeous.  Curly blond hair peeking out from under a fedora, Ray Ban sunglasses, an ironic T-shirt tucked into ironically high-waisted pleated pants held up with suspenders.  Ironic hipster jackpot.

My sunglass gaze caught his sunglass gaze.  I slowed my roll and his head turned to follow me.  My head flashed an ingenious plan:

I would pull a dollar from my wallet and write a message on it:

"Oh hai foxy cello* player!  My name is Meghan.  555-555-5555."

Then, I would toss it into the guitar case with the tips.  Crazy!  Insane!  Genius!

Only, I didn't have a pen.

Instead, the cute cello* player and I held our gaze as I walked away, tossing my hair over my shoulders and feeling the early autumn sun burn my cheeks. 

Over tea, I told my roomie about my crazy plan.  Later, I asked to borrow a pen to sign my paycheck to deposit it in the ATM.  And guess what?  She didn't have a pen either! 

"Oh, how will we ever nab street-musician husbands if we don't carry pens with us?"  I lamented.

Later, on the subway ride home, I pondered random encounters and fate.

"I can't stop thinking about the butterfly effect,"  I confessed.  "If I had had a pen, the course of my life could have been completely different."

"Or, it could have stayed exactly the same,"  my wise roommate reasoned.

"True.  But then, I wouldn't have had to borrow a pen from the restaurant to sign my paycheck."


The moral of the story is, always carry a pen.

*  in the end, it turned out for the better that I didn't write this message on the bill, because the hot cello player I was lusting after turned out, after several hours' contemplation, to be playing an upright bass.  And when hitting on street musicians, it's probably a good idea to be able to correctly identify their instruments.

Seven Things Link-Up # 22

Hiya chickens!  It's time again for Gentri Lee's Seven Questions Link-Up and as such, here is my goofy photo for the week.  I took a picture of myself at Bethesda Fountain yesterday and felt silly being all by myself but I loved the walk!  Back to the questions!

1. Do you have any weird food combinations that you love?

Sometimes I worry that I *only* love weird food combinations.  I used to eat ice cream with potato chips.  You know, let the ice cream get melty soft, then scoop it up with chips?  Oh no, it gets worse.  My favourite kind of ice cream is coffee.  My favourite flavor of chips is Onions & Garlic. 

But perhaps nothing tops my go-to Denny's order:  one order of mozzarella sticks, and two salad bowls each of Buffalo sauce and Ranch dressing.  Oh yeah.  If you want to come close, take leftover pizza and dip it in those sauces, it's divine, and I defy you to try it and tell me I'm wrong.

2. Have you ever written a blog post, published it, then immediately deleted it?

I have 20 drafts saved!  Sometimes stupid things pop into my head and I start a draft on the subway and then look back and think, "WHAT?"  But I don't delete them, and sometimes I come back months later and I understand my own thoughts, and pull it off.  Isn't that how creativity works?

3. What is a hair style you wish you could pull off, but would never be brave enough to try?

I wish I could be a girl who pulls off a pixie cut.  It would be so punk, so easy, so sexy.  But alas, I have learned through the years that my face needs a frame, and I need hair to twirl when I'm being coy.  I'm actually giving a lot of serious thought to growing my hair long again...we'll see how I feel once that starts happening.

4. Would you rather have to always use the sun to tell the time or directions by the stars?

I would use the sun to tell time.  The sun wakes me in the morning anyway (despite my blackout curtains!), and I know when it starts to set I have only a few more hours of work.  Or that my tour is about to kick off!

5. What is a fall trend that you are excited to try?

I don't know if they're trendy, in fact I hope they're not, because I hate being trendy (even if by accident, like when I start a trend), but I desperately, desperately want a pair of flat, fringey boots for fall.  It's still a zillion degrees out, so I wouldn't be able to wear them forever, but I saw some on a customer and I couldn't stop staring:

Source: Uploaded by user via Lindsay on Pinterest

6. Who is your style icon?

I love Diane Keaton, I feel like she's always so classy and put-together.  But I also love Courtney Love's innocent cute-punk aesthetic - babydoll dresses and dirty hair.  But the tops?  Janis Joplin.  WHAT?  I know.  But check it out:

Source: Uploaded by user via Priscila on Pinterest

7. What's your favorite outdoor activity?

Is it lame to say "walking"?  I love the slow pace of exploration.  Any other form of transportation you are rushing, you can't notice things.  When you walk, you have to notice the smell of a wood fire, or shop window displays, people swirling around you, interesting buildings you never saw before.  I notice so many things on my walking tours that may slip by other people in a rush - a porcelain squirrel in a window-box, evil gargoyles, spelling errors on signage.  It may take longer, but walking gets you there, you know?

Imagine

Imagine you get out of work, and the sun is still shining.  Imagine a cool breeze and hazy sunlight with the crisp chill of fall stinging your nose and cheeks.  Imagine taking a walk through Central Park past smiling faces, laughing children, and really REALLY cute upright bass players.

Imagine you're listening to Pandora radio on your iPhone.  Imagine you're rocking out to classic 70's in your wide-leg pants and floor-length sweater, leaving a trail of psychedelic rainbows and love in your wake.  Imagine you find your way to your favourite place in the park, Strawberry Fields:

Then, Imagine that Pandora plays this song for you:

Imagine my reaction.

Cuz I'm A Winner

True story.

Whilst walking with my new roomie from BB&B (Bed, Bath, & Beyond) to DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) on the UWS (Upper West Side), we came across a mobile makeover station.  New roomie wanted to get a mini makeover, so we chowed on lollipops (the candy, I can't escape it!) and chatted with other ladies in line.  While the makeover team were making my already gawgeous roomie look even prettier, one of the girls working the event informed me of a drawing that was about to go down for a free Le Sportsac tote. 

"All I have to do is tweet at you?"  I inquired incredulously.

"And the drawing will be held in a few minutes," she replied.

Cut to a few minutes later, hanging out on the sidewalk and a totally different girl shouts out "Is Meghan here?"

"I'm Meghan!  I'm at-sign-Meghan-Sara-K!"

"YOU WON!"

Yup, just by buying extension cords and shopping for shoes, I won this totally boss tote bag full of swag:

And oh, of course, more lollipops.

Panty Watch 2012

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet.  If you follow me on Instagram @meghansara, you know that my new neighborhood has some, er, quirks.  But none are perhaps as interesting as the panties across the airshaft.


I'm not a creep!  I'm not sitting by my window with binoculars to spy on the neighbors.  I'm just a lover of humanity and I enjoy observing it's funnier aspects.  And sometimes those are sitting on the windowsill across from your kitchen window!



So this neighbor started with one pair of panties.  Then there were two, and I decided to document it:

Then there was a whole other pair!

For a few days they've been tamely flying what I think is a black pashmina shawl from their windowsill.  UNTIL TODAY!:

I will certainly keep you posted of any further interesting developments.

POMS Link-Up: Don't Cry Over Boyfriends

I'm breaking the rules today because I have to tell you that I have lost weight.

Between work, moving, and taking vitamins, and my new positive outlook.  I'm sorry!  It wasn't intentional.  I've been sneaking candy at work and cooking enchiladas and tuna melts at home.  It's just something my body decided to do.  But I had to tell you that because now I am a size four and how do I know this?  My boyfriend told me.

My boyfriend jeans!  The ones I bought oh, say, four years ago?  I loved them and wore them to death.  When I found I could no longer get them up over my thighs, I cried.  They were my Carole King Tapestry album cover jeans.  My Freaks and Geeks wide leg faded "I Finally Found Pants Long Enough To Touch The Ground Because I Am A Tall Leggy Type Person" jeans.  I spent $8 on them secondhand and I felt like a genius.


And now, they fit again.  The denim feels like soft butter.  These are some high-quality jeans.  I heartily thank the previous owner for taking such good care of them.  The waistband is cut on the bias for stretch, the pockets are so deep they cradle my entire iPhone, and they hold tight to my hips whenever I sway back and forth.

Just like a good boyfriend should.


The moral of the story is, don't cry over boyfriends.  You never know when they might come back.

Fill in the Blank Friday!

1.  My favorite grade in school was   probably senior year.  I tried out for plays, I made friends from all areas, I started coming out of my shell.  I know what you're thinking - Moi?  In a shell?  It's true.  But don't worry, those days are far behind me!

2.  My favorite teacher was   my high school drama teacher   because,  she gave me opportunities outside the classroom to pursue what I love and put in a good words for me to launch my theatre career .

3.  The highest level of education I have completed is  my Bachelor's in Comparative Literature.  I have an Associate's Degree in Theatre as well.

4. School lunches for me were usually    boring?  I don't remember lunches very well, actually.  Granola bars, perhaps.

5. The amount of money you'd have to pay me to go back to high school would be    pay me?  I'll go for free!  My new secret dream is to be a high school teacher.  Or a college professor.  Or first one, then the other.  I'm looking into going back to school or trying an NYC teaching program next year.

6. A few things that will always remind me of going back to school are:  the smell of looseleaf lined paper and fresh pencils.

7.  The first day of school was always   stressful!  I hate change, so having to learn a whole new routine was always jarring to me.  The first few days, at least.  In college, I'd think I'd never get used to trying to find my way around, running across campus to make classes!  Ah, but I always did - even when I had to run from Dance all the way to the opposite end of the campus to Composition!

Winning Friends and Influencing People

If you give your neighbor some candy,

They'll bring a bag of organic treats to your door.

You'll reciprocate by bringing Jell-O shots.

They'll invite you to a show at Webster Hall and send you home with coffee and books.


Bolstered by this success, you'll take Jell-O shots to the music students on the fifth floor.

And they'll invite you to a party they're planning to have "sometime in September".


And that's how you make friends in your new building.


Let's be honest, the Jell-O shots help some.

Nice, Like Rice

In the middle of the bassoonist upstairs practicing, and getting ready for work, this happened:





Please ignore my almost-gone voice

and my thumb in the frame most of the time.

Seven Things Link-Up # 21!

Yes, I am super busy and hectic, but I can't pass up Gentri Lee's weekly Seven Questions Link-Up.
At what point do addictions become serious?
Here's my funny photo:





I have no rational explanation for this.  I was chopping vegetables for food for the week, and my hand started swelling up huge and I blame the zucchini.  So I took a picture with it?  I don't pretend to understand my own mind.  But maybe you can with the answers to these questions...


1. I say "Jump" You say ______.

"How High?"

That's right, I'm the boss.

2. What is your favorite flower?

Hydrangeas always make me happy.

Source: web.stagram.com via Angela on Pinterest

3. If you had to choose between having plumbing or electricity, which would you choose?

Plumbing.  No question.  I am inhuman without being able to wash myself.  It's one of my main deterrents to camping and wilderness.  I need posh toilets

4. What is your go-to funny YouTube video? (keep 'em clean)

I've definitely watched this video far too many times for a normal human being:

5. Do you think dreams mean something?

Definitely!  I know that when I dream about teeth, I'm stressed out.  I had a dream lately about flossing, because I was working five 9-hour shifts and moving and doing tours and living out of trash bags...oh wait, that's reality.  Let me go floss.

6. Do you collect anything?

Mess?  No, in going through my belongings (and trying to find room for them here), I have discovered a remarkable number of scarves.  Mainly winter scarves, but all kinds, really. 

7. You're in a situation that is everything it should be. You're with the right people, in the right place, doing the right things, but it doesn't "feel" right... What do you do?

Tell a joke or offer to buy people candy?  I don't know, I've never been in that situation.  But those are my go-tos lately.  I'll let you know how buying that candy worked out.

Seven Things Link-Up #20!

 Ugh, I've been so busy lately with moving and packing and working and stuff.  That doesn't mean I'm not having fun though!  I'm doing daredevil stunts, bonding with my new roomie and look!  I'm on a boat!

Well, the ferry to Ikea.  Can't wait to have actual human furniture!  This massive air mattress takes up my entire bedroom.  Yup.  On to the questions, please!


1. Hamburger or Hotdog? (veggie versions count)

Gimme a veggie burger from the Hudson View Diner!  Veggie burgers ROCK.

2. If you had to live on any other planet in our solar system, besides Earth, which would you choose?

Venus seems nice, I hear women are from there.

3. Share a photo of an outfit that represents your personal style, please. (doesn't have to be of you)

The above is pretty much it - denim and metal details.

4. Would you rather get ready for the day or get ready for bed?

Get ready for bed!  It feels so nice to be able to scrub the day away and take off all the daily accoutrements and then get horizontal.  I'm writing this from bed, after all!  Well, air mattress, which is like a tiny island of temporary bed.  Listening to Steely Dan.  Full of pan-fried noodles and my feet throbbing from a hard day's work on five hours' sleep.

5. You have to choose between never having eyelashes or never having eyebrows, which would you choose?

I guess eyebrows matter less to me.  You rarely see them with the bangs, anyway, and I would love to draw them on, like a drag queen.  Fabulous.

6. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Different from all the rest.  How am I doing?

7. Do you set your clocks right on time, or a few minutes ahead or behind?

My clocks have to be reliable.  It bothers me when I have to do math.  All the clocks at work are off in one way or another - four minutes slow downstairs, 18 minutes fast upstairs.  I never know if I'm late or what!

Settling In

Please excuse my absence while I make my new apartment my home.  The internet has FINALLY been set up, and though it has some quirks, I am thrilled that my new home is slowly taking shape.  I haven't forgotten about you, Blogland, I've just been on a hiatus!  I can't wait to show you all my cool new neighborhood and share all my happiness with you!