Friday, August 14, 2009

Reason #732 I love New York.

New Yorkers are nice.
Remember that time the kind, gorgeous, Irish gentleman returned my iPhone to me after I carelessly left it in a cab?  That wasn't just a fluke.
I just dropped a pack of gum, gum people, on the ground as I was walking home, and a guy caught up with me to let me know and give it back to me.  Nice.
Then I stopped to pick up my dry cleaning, sort of dreading it because I hate paying for dry cleaning.  Neil, my new dry cleaning friend, was in a good mood today, and gave me 50% off.  Twelve smackers got me a clean button down, blouse, pair of pants, and a skirt.  Nice.
I'm off for a jog.
Happy weekend!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Meet my BFFs: Brad


Brad's first visit after I moved to New York, 2007

It's Brad's birthday!  It would surprise few to mention the fact that Brad and I are close.  When we were younger we were always in different phases of life (he was the cool high schooler, I was the annoying kid sister in elementary school always looking for a ride.)  However during the window of time when Jason was on his mission and Rebecca was living in Boston, he and I were both college students in the Mormon belt, and got to know each other better as friends, and have only gotten closer as time went on.  We share a lot in common, mostly our senses of humor.  You can often find our whole family at the dinner table, and Brad and I will be hunched over our plates with tears streaming down our faces, which are beet red from laughter.  Everyone else will be looking at us either confused or just rolling their eyes.
Maybe the only thing we don't have in common (as you may already know) is our dedication to our favorite professional sports teams, which just so happen to be bitter rivals.  If you could read emails and texts exchanged between us from April-November (and even sometimes during the off season) you'd see a whole lotta trash talk.
One of Brad's strongest qualities I admire is his huge heart.  I can remember from an early age Brad always had a soft heart.  I can even remember as far back as when I didn't go to school yet, and one particular morning when all the other kids in our family were leaving for school, I was so sad and started to cry because I didn't want them to leave.  Brad being the tender guy that he is gave me a quarter and all was made better.  (Guess I was easily bought even in the early years.)
Anyway, even though all my family is out west, as well as Nadia's family, I'm selfishly grateful to have Brad, Nad, and Mad just a four hour bus ride away.  Brad is so great to always see me whenever he's in town on business, and they're always so welcoming for me to come stay with them at any time.
Happy birthday Brad!  My love for you has only grown as I've watched you become a husband, and more recently a father.  You continue to to amaze me with your talents, willingness to sacrifice for your family, and never ending love.  (Not to mention, I love you because you're freaking hilarious.)  :)

What do you do?
1. Husband
2. Dad
3. Serve
4.  a. Sell medical devices
b. Boston Red Sox Fan

Describe your perfect day.
Sleep in.  Southern California, 77 degrees, beach, clear skies, good food, whole famdamily over for dinner at the house.  Maybe watch a good game at night.  No phone.  No email.  No blackberry.

If you only had time to watch one tv show a week, which would you choose?
ESNP Sports Center and catch The Soup during commercial breaks.
(Mmmm, I love me some Soup!)

What's something people would be surprised to know about you?
I like to draw, but suck.  Wish I played an instrument.
(Lies, he's a great artist, just never shows anyone anything.)

When you've had a really bad day what makes you feel better?
A good run, but on the 364 other days of the year something greasy, followed by something sweet.  When that fails, Nad always is there to pick me up.

Who's your celebrity crush?
Female: Marissa Miller
Man crush: Dan Patrick

What's one of your favorite childhood memories?
Sports with Dad and Jason.  Fishing with Jason.

What's one of your guiltiest pleasures?
Snowballs, and maybe rap.  I mean, am I gonna listen forever?

If you could change one thing about the female race what would it be?
That's a no-win.

You've been married for over five years.  Is there anything that still surprises you?
How little I know.

If there was one year you could go back and relive, either to make changes or just because you had so much fun, what year would you pick and why?
Probably second or third year back from my mission.  It was a lot of carefree fun and I would make a few changes.

What's one of your favorite things about living in Boston?
Great city, great sports, great people, great feel.

What's your favorite part about being a dad?
Seeing the hope and love in her eyes and countenance.

What book are you currently reading?
Just finished a good one, The Expedition, and just picked up The Bourne Identity.

If I gave you $100,000 with the stipulation that you couldn't save it or invest it, and had to spend it within a week, what would you do with it?
Buy a hacienda...is real estate an investment?

What is a piece of modern technology that you could not live without?
Crackberry

Where is the most beautiful place you've ever been?
Is Rome, Austria, Costa Rica, Havasuppai a place?

What book should be required reading for (every American) everyone?
(Parentheses around original question.)

You've got two roundtrip tickets anywhere in the world.  Where do you go and who do you take?
Egypt, Nadster

What three material possessions do you value most?
Journal, picture books, MJ autograph

What are you looking forward to?
Closing the next deal.

What are three things on your "bucket list"?
Travel: Walk the Great Wall/Explore the Pyramids
Accomplish: Run a marathon with kid(s)
Learn: Water ski barefoot

Who is someone who has changed or shaped your life for the better?
Nad

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self?
Fight for everything.  Even the little things.

What do you know to be absolutely positively true?
The gospel, and I'll always hate the Yankees.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

And speaking of sweet news

Ryan started kindergarten today!  Where'd my baby go??

And G and Meg are coming to the Big Apple!  Just a three musketeers trip.  I cannot cannot cannot wait!  I. CAN'T. WAIT!  They arrive on Gina's birthday in December and stay for three days so we can celebrate Megan's upcoming wedding, and then we all three fly back together!  I apologize now for those sitting in front of, behind, or next to us.

Sweet and Sour

Sweet...went running (outside!) for the second time this week

Sour...my room is a mess

Sweet...I bought my tickets to go home for Christmas (Dec 21-28)

Sour...My favorite guy (other than my boss) at work left the company Monday-SUCKS!

Sweet...I was asked to take off work to dog sit in the Berkshires (and have my friends up, and enjoy the newly built pool) next Wednesday-Sunday

Sour...I'll be out of town those exact days

Sweet...I get to see friends and family in Vegas, Rexburg, and Salt Lake City next week

Sour...I've gained 5 lbs

Sweet...Chelse's getting MARRIED next Friday!

Sour...I'm moving in two weeks and have to pack

Sweet...I've made friends with the owner at the new dry cleaners and get 25% off for life

Sour...I'm speaking in church this Sunday

Sweet...I'm speaking in church this Sunday

Sour...I'm broke

Sweet...My money's gone to plane tickets-I'll be in California for Labor Day!

Sour...I need to paint my room white

Sweet...30 of us chipped in $1 each for the Mega Millions lotto-my chances at 1.6 million are that much better

Sour...I fell asleep at the movies this weekend

Sweet...I had lunch at Koi on the company this week

Sour...Summer's almost over and it just started

Sweet...Jac Attack is back

Sweet...I got an IKEA catelog in the mail today

Sour...I feel like my hair won't grow

Sweet...I've gotten some fun mail recently; a safety whistle from Gina, sunglasses from Jeff, and some books from my mom.

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Today's Page Six cartoon

Love it.

Freudian slip

Today on the phone I got the accidental, "Love you, bye" from someone totally inappropriate.
I laughed harder than I have in a week.

Friday, August 7, 2009

Thursday, August 6, 2009

It's official






Every single member of my family over the age of 5 is on facebook.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Me n Mad, just cuz.

And speaking of slow days

A few weeks ago we got the following email from a guy at another bank:
In an attempt to break the grip of a summer Friday Jon Smith* is attempting to eat one of every item in the vending machine.  I just smacked his belly and it sounded like a 55 gallon drum.  Woooohoooo!  Have a great weekend.  Go Jon!

Done: Special K bar, Wheat Thins, Oreo Snack cookies, Popcorn (unpopped), Lays Potato Chips, Kit Kat, Gold Roll Pretzels, M&Ms with peanuts, Doritos, Almond Joy, Cheetos, Sun Chips Cheddar, Frito Lays Original, Cheez-Its, Gold Honey Wheat Braids, Fig Newtons, Oreo Cookies, Short Bread Cookies, Pop Tarts strawberrt, Famous Amos Chocolate Chip cookies, Animal Crackers, Twizzlers, Snack Wells Creme Sandwhich, Twix, Rice Krispy Treats.

Left: M&Ms, Starburst, Ruger Wafers chocolate, Ruger Wafers vanilla, Snickers, 3 Muskateers, Hershey Bar, Raisonets, Welch's Fruit Snacks, Skittles

A couple hours later we got the following email, titled "Man beats machine!"

Jon "the Snackman" Smith has successfully eaten one of every item in the vending machine.  The entire trading floor erupted in applause as he finished up with a flare by eating five blue M&Ms one at a time.  It took him under four hours to consume 9,642 calories.  We now believe that the credit crisis is officially over!  Have a good weekend!

This is one reason I love working on a trading floor.  When things get slow these guys combine their wit and creativity with their need for gambling, and come up with the funniest bets.  I've seen money bags (everyone writes their name on a $20, throws it into a bag, and one is drawn, leaving the winner upwards of $1000,) pushup bets, and a mariachi band for a birthday but never something like eating one of every item in a vending machine.  It's really awesome when something like this happens, because everyone really does get involved, and it's just crazy to have 350 people erupting in cheering and applause.

All in a day's work

I often times am asked what I do all day at work.  Some days I'm very busy running around booking extensive international travel, decoding piles of expenses, arranging meetings with several extremely busy MDs, tracking people down, etc.
Other days my time is filled with tasks not quite as...traditional as one might expect to find at one of the world's largest banks.  Today was one of those days.  Today was filled with the following:
  • Running to Lord & Taylor for the bossman to pick up a gift with the Batman card
  • Grabbing some almonds for an under the weather loose cannon
  • Continuing to act like a collection agency, following up, and following up, and following up with the stragglers, trying to get them to jump through some HR hoops
  • Researching and then comparing the nutritional information between Baked Lays and Classic Lays, and then printing out and highlighting for the bossman (who's supposedly on a diet)
  • Guessing the age of one coworker, who offended another coworker by putting them in the same age category.  Something along the lines of, "Do you know any good bars for people our age?"  (The one asking is 14 years older.)
  • Arguing the differences between blonds and brunettes.  I told my coworker to check out some photos online (of a guy I didn't know) who was cute.  She then told me, "Oh I get your type now."  "What, scruffy?"  "No, blond."  "Blond??"  I've never dated a blond, nor ever really been interested in a blond.  This coworker has seen pictures of different guys I've dated in the past few years.  I listed off the guys, all of whom she said were blond.  One of these guys came into the office once, so I asked another coworker if she thought he was blond, she said yes.  What????  So then we proceeded to scour the floor for guys either of us considered blond.  For the record, we could not find ONE blond guy on the entire floor.  It turns out my light brown is a New Yorker's blond.  There are no blonds here.  (Anyone who reads this who knows guys I've dated.....do you consider any of them blond?)  

Some days are tougher than others.

Nights I fall asleep early




I love to wake up to this. Let's go Yanks.

Saturday, August 1, 2009

Some weather I can get behind







Every other day is rain, so when I wake up to this, I'm beyond thrilled.
Today was spent in the West Village and SoHo, brunching and shopping with my favorites, making new bffs with Aaron and Adam (some very fabulous actor men) and now headed to the water for dinner.
Successful shopping as well. Got my jewelry for Chelse's wedding and some Ray Bans. Woohoo!