For the grandparents

We taught Mad how to kick the ball this weekend and seeing her figure it out and then feel SO proud of herself was just too much to handle.  I would do anything to get this reaction out of her.  Why can't we all feel so proud of ourselves every day like her?

The reason I can't get enough of Boston.

Proust Questionnaire

The lovely Janet of Slice of Pink introduced us to the original meme, by Marcel Proust.  It's supposed to reveal your true nature.  Some of these questions are real head scratchers, but I had a good time thinking up my answers (and adding photos, for fun.)

Let me know if you fill out out.  I'd love to read yours!  

What is your idea of perfect happiness? 
Sometimes I feel these moments when I'm walking around the city and it's one of those rare days when the weather is just absolutely perfect, low 70s with no humidity.  Everything is balanced.  I've got a little money in my pocket, everyone I care about is okay, and the forecast is just optimistic.  There's a feeling of complete joy, and I'm just beaming, like I could burst, and I feel perfectly happy. 

What is your greatest fear? 
Being unhappy in life and forgetting that I have control over my own happiness.   
And spiders.  Hate those SOBs. 

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? 
Laziness. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others? 
Unrighteous judging. 

Which living person do you most admire? 
This is a really tough question, because I admire so many people, and I wouldn't want to hurt anyone's feelings.  That being said I have to say one of my best friends, Chelse.  I realized how much I love and respect her on her wedding day.  Never have I felt so much happiness for another person.  I literally could not keep it inside, and was a teary mess most of the day.  She really defines "low maintenance, high yield" in every aspect of life.  I have never had the pleasure of knowing someone so strong, and so optimistic, who can truly keep it together through life's storms.  She has endured some hard times for someone of such a young age, and always comes through with grace and beauty.  Gosh I can hardly even type this without choking up.  Love you Chels. (And it's her birthday today!!)  

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What is your greatest extravagance? 
Jubilee Marketplace.  Nothing beats picking up the phone and having your groceries delivered in under an hour. 

What is your current state of mind? 
Antsy. 

What do you consider the most overrated virtue? 
Diplomacy.   

On what occasion do you lie? 
When it will save myself, or someone else, from an unnecessary headache.  (That makes it sound like I lie a lot.  I don't.) 

What do you most dislike about your appearance? 
My sausage arms. 

Which living person do you most despise? 
I have to reach to answer this question, so why try?  Don't need to put that in the universe. 

What is the quality you most like in a man? 
Confidence. 

What is the quality you most like in a woman? 
Confidence.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse? 
Freaking.  I'd love to quit that one. 

What or who is the greatest love of your life? 
TBD 

When and where were you happiest? 
My first year in New York.  Everything was just so good. 

Which talent would you most like to have? 
I would love to be able to sing. 

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? 
I'd be the kind of person who gets up and goes running every morning. 

What do you consider your greatest achievement? 
Making it totally on my own in the Big Apple. 

If you were to die and come back as as person or a thing, what would it be? 
A bird. 

Where would you most like to live? 
Lately Europe's been calling my name...

What is your most treasured possession? 
My memory. 

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? 
A life alone. 

What is your favorite occupation? 
When I was 19 I worked for a company that scheduled termite inspections and fumigations.  I made appointments and worked up the reports when they came back.  I actually really loved the work.  I did not like my coworkers, however, which has been the opposite situation of every other job I've had.

What is your most marked characteristic? 
People at work would say I'm happy.  My friends and family would say I'm picky. 

What do you most value in your friends? 
Support. 

Who are your favorite writers? 
I love reading anything written by my family. 


Who is your hero of fiction? 
Jack Bauer. 

Which historical figure do you most identify with? 
Don't know much about history.... 

Who are your heroes in real life? 
Parents.  Any parents.  It's got to be the most selfless thing you can do in life.



What are you favorite names? 
Everyone in my family knows this question is off limits... 

What is it that you most dislike? 
Cold, rainy, windy days. 

What is your greatest regret? 
Caring too much about what others thought about me in high school, not pursuing a semester in Hawaii in college, taking my smokin body for granted when I had one, and not asking Sarah Jessica Parker for a photo when she said hi to me. 

How would you like to die? 
An old lady, peacefully in my bed, with my sweetheart. 

What is your motto? 
Take advantage of every opportunity. 

Coldplay and Central Park

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My friend Mark is a ridiculously talented photographer.  I love looking at his posts because he's traveled everywhere and has the photos to prove it.

Check out one of his most recent posts.  Such great work.

Current read

I picked up this book on my way to Australia, carried it all around the country with me, and am just now getting around to reading it.  I'm so glad I didn't forget about it, because it's so good.  It's a true story and written by the same author who wrote Bringing Down the House.  It's an easy read with short chapters, which I love.

Here's what the back cover says:

After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, an Italian American kid from the streets of Brooklyn decides to take on the testosterone-fueled Merc Exchange in lower Manhattan-where billions of dollars in oil money trade hands every week and where fistfights are known to break out on the trading floor.

Soon our hero is living the good life in the gold-lined hotel palaces of Dubai and on private yachts in Monte Carlo, teeming with half-naked girls flown in by Saudi sheikhs, and making deals in the dangerous back alleys of Beijing.  But that's only the beginning.  Taken under the wing of another young gun and partnering with a mysterious young Muslim, the kid embarks on a dangerous adventure to revolutionize the oil trading industry-and, along with it, the world.

This is a true story.

Today I read this passage which struck a little too familiar:

He made a pistol with his hand, fired off two faux shots at David's face, then cut left toward an office on the other side of the room.  David watched him go-and realized, for the first time, that Mendelson wasn't wearing any shoes.  His suit was tailored and obviously expensive, he had on a Rolex watch and a tie that could have been Prada or Gucci, but his feet were bare and he was padding along the carpet like a kid on Christmas morning.

David was still staring after him as he reached the elevators.  Reston was already there, a grin on his face.

"Yeah, Mendelson's a character," he said, holding the elevator door open for David. "He made a fortune trading crude.  He was so good that some of the other traders got together, made a million-dollar bet with him that he couldn't make three times that in a single afternoon.  Mendelson was so sure he'd win that he even raised the bet by throwing in a pair of his favorite shoes."

David raised his eyebrows as he stepped into the elevator, Reston right behind him.

"Mendelson lost?"

"By one hundred thousand.  He made 2.9 million, had to pay a million of it to the other traders-and he never wore shoes to work again.  Still, he came out with 1.9 million for himself, so don't feel too bad for the guy."

I don't work at the Merc, but I do work on a trading floor, and this sounds very similar.  A middle-aged guy on my team wears shoes in and out of work, and any time he needs to step on the floor, otherwise he walks around in his socks all day.  No clue why.  And I've seen many interesting, very lucrative bets take place.  Nothing like millions, but I've seen guys win $400 in pushup contests, and have heard stories of bets that pay out in the four digits.  I've heard of entire groups of men shaving their heads in honor of the son of one of the traders who had cancer.  One of our most successful guys in the group is from Yugoslavia.  He wears cowboy boots with his designer suits every day.  He once told me he has at least fifty pair.  He always compliments my shoes, and eats a bowl of garlic cloves for dinner every night.  He literally smells like garlic, sometimes to the point that I have to put my hand over my nose.  It's like a cloud of garlic smell, like Pigpen.  I work with such brilliant, such eccentric men.

I started working on Wall Street when it was already headed for a nose dive, so I haven't seen the happier days, but from the little I have seen, I can only imagine what kinds of things have gone down.  It's a fascinating environment, and these guys are the extreme when it comes to the "work hard, play hard" mentality.  (For instance as I was typing this I just received a call from the boss man who's in London.  It's 3am there.  I can't be sure if he was just getting to bed for the night, or just getting up for the morning.)

Some of the stories I hear are just unreal.  

I feel so blessed to work in such a unique environment.

If I ruled the world

Shoes would come already broken in.

Eyebrows would be self maintaining.

The trash would take itself out.

I wouldn't be powerless against the force that makes me flip through every page of the Victoria's Secret Christmas 2009 catalogue, and loathe myself with each and every piece of lace and rhinestone.

Postage would be free.

All my friends would live in my neighborhood.

I'd wake up refreshed every morning when my alarm went off.

I wouldn't have jowls.

There'd be an endless supply of Goldfish in my cupboard.

*Update, I was just eating Goldfish while watching The Biggest Loser and totally inhaled one whole.  After a few hacking attempts to try to get it back up, coupled with nervous looks at Maria who was prepared to give the heimlich, I finally swallowed the whole thing.  Maybe I wouldn't have an endless supply...

For Vera Wang, modest is the hottest.

I love Ivanka's dress, and even though she had to wear the sleeves for the traditional Jewish wedding, I still love it.  I love that Vera designed the dress and is hoping the sleeve trend catches, and I mostly love that basically all the commenters agree that there needs to be more wedding dresses with sleeves as an option.

Finally

Something Miley and I can agree on.

Making me happy

Walking through the West Village, and seeing restaurants with people eating outside.  In the middle of November.  The middle of November.  In New York!  Oh yeah, did I mention I was sporting rainbows and no jacket?  It was incredible.  Incredible.  New York, I love you.

Rue La La!

I love my Vera Bradley duffel.  It's the perfect weekend bag.  It holds as much as a carry on size suitcase, it's easy to carry, and it's fashionable.  I also love that I got a Very Bradley garment bag that retails for $130, for $50.  I belong to this members only site called Rue La La that has super good deals on designer items.  I don't typically like to join sites like these because 20-30% off items that are over priced still doesn't make a good deal to me, however everything I've looked at has been at least 50% off, which is totally worth it.  My friend got some Hunters Wellies for $49.99!  (They retail for $149.99.)  If you want in you can use my link.  

Happy shopping!

I suck at updating my blog

According to Jason. It's true though, I know I do. I just haven't been motivated to blog. I have a draft from Halloween but just haven't made a point to finish it.
During the day I always think of things I wanna blog about, but when I get home I just don't feel like it. It's not a lack of time really, I just haven't been up to it. In a bit of a funk I suppose. Sorry.
To make up for my laziness, here's at least a quick recap of the latest:
-Yankees won. Had a few viewing parties. Was ecstatic by the win, but happy to see the season come to an end. Baseball is quite the commitment.
-Went to Boston Halloween weekend with friends for a conference. Got to see Bradialine, and my mom for two extremely short hours. Dressed up fancy formal Halloween night for a masquerade ball. So. Much. Fun.
-Been busier at work. The boss man is traveling internationally a ton lately. He continues to be the best boss, and I constantly feel like the luckiest girl to work for him.
-It's also high stress time at the bank. Bonus numbers are headed our way in three months and tensions are high. It's always the worst day of the year, for reasons that aren't neccessarily obvious if all you know about Wall Street is what you learn from the media.
-I'm sticking around the city for Thanksgiving since I have to work Friday, and I'm okay with that. Thanksgiving in NY is a lot of fun and a nice mellow holiday. Hoping to make it to Boston for at least part of the weekend.
-Looking forward to all the visitors and weekends away that will start happening every weekend from Thanksgiving through New Year's.
-I'm constantly overwhelmed and overjoyed by the people who surround me. My friends are so extremely talented it's unreal. Typically I can't make it through listening to my roommate Libby sing one song with choking up (or sobbing) because she's THAT phenomenal. I love her so much and want nothing more than for her to get a show.
-Sitting on a plane right now heading to San Antonio to meet up with Dad for the day. A long trip, but it's been two decades in the making.
-Lastly, before I shut off my phone, my coworker bought me this Yankees snuggie when I was devastated I couldn't go to the Yankees parade that runs in front of my apartment. Thank you Cyrus!!

Love to all.

Hurray!

Happy Halloween!

A very happy Halloween indeed.