Reviews

It's safe to say in the last month I've seen a lot of movies.  Here's my thoughts:

Good acting by Sean Penn, as always.  Interesting story that made me think.  I'm surprised they didn't release it before Prop 8 was voted on.  Sort of slow at times, they could have cut out maybe 20 minutes.  Oh yeah, and I love Josh Brolin.  Totally crush on him.

The best movie in all these.  Absolutely phenomenal.  So inspiring.  It was tough for me at times to not jump up and cheer.  Everyone should see this, and I wouldn't say that about very many R-rated movies.

Great acting, but totally depressing.  I wouldn't recommend it.

I realize "great acting" is redundant, but it's true. Meryl Streep was awesome.  I wouldn't put it at the top of your list, but definitely worth seeing.  It's nice to see a different story line.

Loved it.  I haven't seen many Clint Eastwood movies (Million Dollar Baby might be my only one?) but it really was great.  I couldn't figure out how it was going to end and then I totally loved how they wrapped it up.  If you're sensitive to racial slurs this is definitely a no go.  It's slightly cheesy at times but still really great.  I could have done without Clint singing the song to the ending credits, however.  I also loved that Clint's character reminded me of an extreme version of my grandpa-old war vet, grumpy, racist, very handy, and lovable.

Eh.  I didn't love it.  Interesting story, and even though you know the ending it gets really intense at times, however I was often bored, and thought it was lame no one spoke with a german accent (except Hitler, who was surprisingly sort of creepy to see.)

Anne Hathaway was amazing.  Not a movie I'd recommend to just anyone.  Sort of artsy, and some might just say it was dumb.  I was entertained, and enthralled by Anne.  She's reason enough to see it.  Interesting portrayal of families and how they cope with life's curve balls.

Cute.  Bring tissues.  Jen is gorgeous and I want to hate her.

Extremely well done.  Interesting story that kept me invested.  Sad.  Great acting.  I love the girl in it, Freida Pinto, she's strikingly gorgeous.  Everyone loves an underdog and this one is a winner.

I was dragged to this one despite thinking it looked like maybe the lamest movie ever.  Going in with the lowest of low expectations I found myself pleasantly surprised.  It made me laugh a number of times.  Completely unrealistic and ridiculous, but good for a laugh.

I still have yet to see this one.  It's rare I'm not fighting sleep in any movie, so I have to really gear up for this lengthy film.  I've heard really mixed things so I'm going in with no expectations.

Craps

There's a chance I may have learned this game this weekend.  And hypothetically speaking,  I could have taken $100 and turned it into $400.....hypothetically.  Hypothetically there were high fives all around.

I can see how people become addicted.  I'm just sayin...

I'm feeling...

1. Not able to rest, relax, or be still:

2. Not satisfied to be at rest or in peace; averse to repose or quiet; eager for change:

I can't shake it.  The need for change.  (What?!)  I know.  I'm the one who's always fought off change.  I like things the way they are.  If it's not broken why fix it?  But maybe it is broken.  I don't really know.  And I'm just feeling, well, restless.  I can't think of a better word.

Never in my life have I felt this way.  I would imagine this is because before New York my whole life was governed by the time table of school.  Whether it was big or little changes, they were inevitable.  And after I moved back to California?  I was working towards moving to New York.

Clearly I've been in love with life since coming to the big apple, but lately I just can't shake the feeling that I need a change.  Not necessarily a move per se, just something.  But what?

I've been plagued with these feelings for, oh, about three months now, maybe.  I did get a little distracted by the holidays (even if I was particularly scroog-ish this year) but now that I'm settled back in, forced back to a routine, it's hanging over me again, like an itchy wool cloak that somehow needs to be adjusted, or just removed all together.  It's annoying.

Maybe it's just the winter blues?  I don't know.  Maybe not.  Maybe my life is supposed to go in a new direction.  Maybe there is something out there, waiting for me to steer my life towards it.  But, is there?  And if so, where is it?  What is it?  What steps must I take to find it?

Sigh.

I'm also feeling a dire urge to meet a whole bunch of new people.  A whole new scene of interesting, stimulating, people with whom I just get along smashingly.  Okay, I'll be honest, when I say new people, I mean new guys.  I want new new new guys to meet.  I was sort of stoked when I found out the singles wards were doing a speed dating night.  As lame as that makes me sound, I sort of just thought it would be fun, if for nothing else a few laughs and awkward stories.  I've never done speed dating before and thought, why not?  I convinced a friend to agree to go, and said we'd go into it expecting to meet some new people, and laugh on our way home about the dumb small talk we'd had.  And if a date came out of it?  Bonus.  Then this morning I realized it's the same weekend my (very married) bff Shantay is coming into town.  Out of desperation I then texted a good guy friend asking to be set up.

I actually really hate, no loathe small talk and the whole "getting to know you" conversations that always go the same way.  It's like endless job interviews where you're selling yourself.  But still, I'm feeling the need.  

I've sort of been distracting myself with trying to plan vacations (Lake Placid over President's weekend!  A tropical getaway in March!  A looming two week vacation to figure out!)  Some days this excites me, but other days it overwhelms me.  I'm left thinking, will I have the money for this?  Who will come with me?  I've already accepted (and am looking forward to) the fact that one, or more, of these vacations will be solo, but I don't want that to be the case every time.  

Oh yeah, and that two week vacation I mentioned?  I found out last week that two of my vacation weeks have to be taken all at once.  It's called core leave, and up until this point, as an assistant I didn't have to take a core.  Last year I found out towards the end of the year I technically had to take a core, for five days.  No sweat, I was leaving for Thanksgiving for a week.  But two weeks?  What the heck am I going to do for two weeks?  And better yet, who else has two weeks off they want to spend with me?  Yes, yes, I could go to California, or make my core leave overlap my Christmas break, but I want to do something.  I don't want to waste this opportunity sitting around my parents' house, or sitting around New York.  Yes, those are great things to do, however I can do them any time.  I want to take advantage of this daunting two weeks I'll have off.  And like I mentioned, I can make it overlap with a Christmas break so that I don't have to use other days off for that, but for some reason it just seems like that time isn't the best time to be going on vacation.  Too many other things going on.

Part of me wants to take a multi-country trip to Europe.  Part of me wants to take a cross country road trip.  Part of me wants to go somewhere super far, like somewhere in Asia, or Australia, while I have the spare days for flying (and recovering from jet lag.)

But figuring out vacations is really not the biggest worry on my plate.  It's something I have to figure out, but also something I get to dream about.  It's a task, and also a distraction.

Meanwhile, what about everything else?  What about my life?  What about the other 48 weeks out of the year?  I've looked into different things (volunteering, taking a class, getting a second job) but the motivation to do those things lasts about a week.

Where is my writing in the sky?  Where's my fairy godmother?  Where's my Jiminy Cricket?  I asked for a life coach this year for Christmas but Santa's elves didn't really have the means.  Maybe I should start looking for a shrink.

Oh yeah, and my hair seems to have grown three inches overnight.  All of a sudden I'm sort of hating it.  I feel like chopping it off.  I've never really had short hair, and didn't realize how frequently it has to be cut.  When my hair was long I cut it, like, twice a year.  Seriously.  It hasn't even been two months and now I'm like, what am I going to do?

And some days I'm feeling skinnier, and other days I'm feeling fat.  And I have no clothes.

I swear I'm not an unhappy person.  Just restless.  Is this my quarter-life crisis?

Hilarious

Some might hate me for this, but I seriously think whymormongirlsstaysingle.blogspot.com is pretty hilarious...and maybe it's kinda true...

New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve this year was so fun.  I normally am not a huge fan of New Year's.  In my opinion, it's totally overrated.  It gets so built up, and usually is just not as cool as the hype.  Oh yeah, not to mention if you don't have a date, it's not that cool.

My flight back to New York was supposed to have gotten in at 10:15 pm on the 30th, however due to an engine problem that came up mid flight, we ended up landing in Vegas and hanging out for four hours while we waited for a new plane.  We ended up getting into JFK at 3 am, and I was home by 4 am (and then proceeded to get yelled at by the cab driver who thought my tip wasn't big enough.  Seriously???  Like, he was yelling at me in front of my building.  You better believe I got back in his face, and reported him, like any good New Yorker would.)

Needless to say I was so glad I'd taken the 31st off, and slept the day away.

Mike, Greg, and I met up at one of my favorite mexican restaurants, Harry's Burritos, for dinner and to figure out the plan.  It was exceptionally cold that night, and I just wasn't feeling up to doing much.  (Seriously, I don't think I've ever been out in such cold weather.  It turned out New Year's Day was the coldest we've had in six years.)

Greg talked us into going to the progressive party on the Upper West Side, and I'm so glad he did.  We ended up having such a blast!

The first stop was at Tony's apartment.  It was a smaller, more chill group.

With Dan

Mikey Perkey

BFF Greggy

The next stop was Peter's apartment.  I was so stoked when I got here because all my downtown peeps were there, and there was dancing!  (A staple for any good party if you ask me.)

The typical party scene.

Getting down with Libster.

Maybe one of my favorite photos from the night; with Anita, Libby, and Heidi.

The last apartment was where we hung out for about fifteen minutes and watched Dick Clark and the ball drop, and then, of course, more dancing.

Heids and Ashley

With Steveo

Happy New Year!!!

Oh yeah

When we hung out in Cardiff Jason took me for a scoot on the vespa.  They live a quarter of a mile from the beach.  So fun!!

Christmas

So my initial Christmas plans were to spend half my time in Utah, and half in California.  Due to some flight problems, I ended up spending most of my time in Utah, which ended up being great.

It was really fun to just hang out at my grandparents' house and just sit around, eat, sleep, chat, eat, sleep, sit around, etc.  Seriously, it was five days of just that.

Sitting around sharing our memories of Grandma and Grandpa

With my cousin Kim

Grandma and Grandpa Marks

With Grandpa and cousins Kim and Nick

Mi madre

With Grandma and Kim

Maddie with her great grandma

Even though I was bummed I had to cancel some plans in California, I was really glad I ended up being able to spend so much time with family in Salt Lake City.  There was SO much snow that fell while we were there.  It was gorgeous, and such a nice trip.

Thanksgiving in January

So I realize these photos are two months late, but I had some difficulties between losing my camera cord and having bad internet.

At any rate, I went to California for a week to spend Thanksgiving with my family.  It was such a fun trip home.  All my siblings were their, and on Thanksgiving my grandparents, Uncle Mike, cousins, and cousin Adrienne's family were with us for dinner.  Such a good time.

I was able to spend some time seeing my sister's new house in Murrieta, and brother's new apartment in Cardiff by the Sea.

I didn't get as many pictures as I normally would have liked, but here's a few.

Maddie with her daddy, grandpa, and great grandpa.

Little cuties Ryan and Adrienne's daughter Jolie.

I can't squeeze these kiddies enough.

Brad and Mad.

The sibs, Brad, me, Rebecca, and Jason

Our failing attempts to get six kids under the age of five to sit for a photo.

Maddie and her grandpa

Oh the places (I hope) to go

I hadn't thought much about New Year's resolutions.  I never really do.  A few changes I'd wanted to make in life I'd started working on a few months back.  It wasn't until I spent some time in Utah over Christmas with family and had a few days to hear all about my cousin Kim's fabulous jet-setting life style that I started thinking more about how I really really want to travel more this year.  I've lived in New York for almost two years now and am embarrassed to say I really haven't been anywhere.  A somewhat lame excuse is that last year I did have quite a bit of traveling to do for two weddings I was in, a bridal shower I threw, a baby blessing I attended, and somewhat of a family reunion over Thanksgiving.

This year (as far as I know) I don't have too many other obligations so I plan on spending my money and vacation days on seeing more of the US and world.  No more envious feelings while I hear about awesome trips to Hong Kong, London, Costa Rica, and Egypt (and then some!)

This year I'm going to travel travel travel!

So I've made the following goals.  This year I will:

*Visit one new country

*Visit two new US cities

*Take a tropical vacation to a new place

*Take a solocation

This Saturday I found myself in Borders browsing the travel section and I added these books to my library:

It was a tough call between the original 1000 Places to See Before You Die and the US and Canada version, but I went with the latter because I feel like I already have somewhat of an idea of other countries I want to see, but I really want to learn more about what the US has to offer.

I'm really excited about the second book.  The woman who wrote it has done a ton of traveling, and has visited six of the seven continents, at least once by herself!  She covers all the basics of where to go, what to see, how to do it affordably, and what things to keep in mind regarding safety.

I've been working on enjoying doing more things solo.  Obviously it's always really fun to do things in a group, or with a significant other, but I do enjoy some things by myself, like seeing movies, shopping, or just being alone.  I want to expand my experiences, and want to do some of those things by myself.

I'd love any suggestions of where you all have gone, especially if it was a solo trip!

I'm open to so many countries, but I'm thinking I really want to go to England.  It's just across the pond and I feel like it's a sin to live in New York and never visit London.  I'd love to see other areas of Europe as well.  I really want to go to Paris.  I've already seen a good amount of Italy, a bit of Germany, and glimpses of Switzerland and Austria.  I'm sure there's so much more for me to see in those countries, but right now the focus is places I've never been.

As far as US cities go, I'm dying to see San Francisco, New Orleans, and Seattle.  I also plan on going to DC this year.  There's no good reason I haven't been there seeing as how it's only a four hour drive, and now I really have no excuse since I have friends there.

Where else should I go???

PS Thanks for the suggestions regarding my trip with Shantay!  There's been a little change in plans.  Now she's coming here!!  I'm so excited to finally get to show her my city.  (She's been here, but not since I've been a local.)  

In the mean time, I'm still planning my winter getaway with some other city dwellers.

New fav

Amazing!!

Vaca

So I learned the hard way last year that planning a sunny escape mid-winter is a must living in this city.  So I've been thinking a lot about where to go and when.  My first long weekend is two weekends away so that's too soon, and President's weekend is also Valentine's weekend (such lame timing) so I imagine most probably want to stick around (but if not, let me know!)

My wifey Shantay and I have also been saying for a few months that it'd be really fun to meet up somewhere for a little bff/twinner/wifey getaway.  Now that she's a grown up married lady (not to mention lives 2000 miles away) we don't really get to have our weekly lunch dates anymore.  Seeing as how we were basically attached at the hip (it's hard not to be when you're twins separated at birth) this has been ridiculously difficult.

So we were chatting today and decided we're going to make it happen!!  I could not be more excited!

So now we're let with figuring out where to go!  We've both been to Cancun and Puerto Rico (plus don't want to go quite that far east anyway) and I want to do something a little more exotic than Florida.  Any suggestions?  My initial thoughts were Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, or Belize.  I know lots of people who've been to the first two but don't know much about Belize.  Or there's always the other places in Mexico.

Also, we want to make it somewhat central for both of us, so neither has to travel super far.  And then obviously, cost.  I've heard great things about all inclusive vacations, but I've never done one myself.  Plus I think it makes it sort of tricky since we're flying from two different destinations.  I'd love to hear any recommendations!  We're thinking maybe four days, five max. 

I know no matter what we'll have so much fun just being together, but an awesome location would make it that much more perfect!

Reunited and it felt so good

BFF Chelse drove through Salt Lake with her darling boyfriend Riley and they were sweet enough to drop by my grandparents' place for a bit to catch up.

Isn't she gorgeous?

But not too grumpy to make an appearance at the Third Annual Ugly Sweater Party

With Steveo and Mikey

You know you're a seasoned New Yorker when

you don't even make the effort to make the easy 10 block walk from work to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree because you don't feel like dealing with the crowds.

I finally saw it last Friday when I headed to Rock Center because I wanted to treat myself to something at Anthropologie.  And even then, I didn't even notice it until I was about 15 yards away.  Maybe I was really grumpy and more focused on wondering why all the tourists seemed to be gathering right in front of where I was trying to walk.

Oh.  Got it, the tree.

Woops.  I may have been a bit of a scrooge this year....

Merry Christmas from Madeline

More holiday recaps coming soon.

Saturday night.

It was fantastic.  Seriously.  One of the best films this year.  Bring tissue.

Friday night

+

=

a great night.

Loving New York

New York Magazine complied their fourth annual list of reasons to love New York.  I loved it so much, I had to list my favorites on my blog.  The italicized parts are blurbs from the write up under each reason.  They also had readers write in with their reasons, some of those are included in this as well.  My favorites (of the favorites) are in bold.

"Because it loves me!  I was born and raised in Texas and moved to New York City when I was 25-twelve years ago.  In Texas, I was thought to be difficult, hardheaded, controlling, opinionated, bitchy, etc.  When I moved here, all of a sudden I was considered sweet, polite, kind, intelligent, etc.  I know I didn't change-I was just free from the South's idea of how a woman should behave."

Because our generosity comes through even-perhaps especially-now.

October 15, 2007: Citymeals on Wheels donations: 314, for a total of $22,760.  DOW dropped 108 that day, closing at 13,984.

October 15, 2008: Citymeals on Wheels donations: 603, for a total of $49,201.  DOW dropped 733 that day, closing at 8,577.

"Because sooner or later everybody comes to New York: every band, every friend, everybody I want to see."

"The choice to be seen or be invisible."

Because our mayer is a self-regarding masochist.

Even in the best of times, you need a masochistic streak to live in New York.  Now, with the worst looming, it turns out the guy in charge of city government may have the biggest one of all.

"Because in addition to charging me like crazy every month for electricity, the fine folks over at Con Ed also dispense cooking and entertaining advice.  After I called in response to a notice of 'irregular gas meter readings' (i.e., never turning on my stove), the Con Ed rep asked if I lived by myself and ever cooked.  He then went on to advise me, 'Invite some people over, or at least make a cup of tea once in a while.'  Gee, thanks, Con Ed."

*Sidenote, I actually know someone that was called by Con Ed for the same reason.

Because where else would a tour-bus driver also be a king?

The most difficult part is the stupid taxicabs.  We call them "yellow rats."

Because Madonna's back to distract us.

We predict this Brangelina-style absurdity will continue well into 2009-and thank goodness.  It's just the tabloid diversion we need in such gloomy-news times.  We can already see how this will play out: First come the imaginary baby bumps, then the botched Dominican adoption, then the UNICEF ambassadorships.  After that they both get cornrows, A-Rod appears in one of her videos, and before you know it, they're both wearing burkas to the Grammys.  In blackface. We can't wait!

*The next two are blurbs that were published about New York this year.

"At three-thirty in the morning, the scene in front of 27 Eldridge was fairly typical: the last of the last-call stagger-zoo, many of them walking as if it were their first time on ice skates; a kid in the back of an open-doored taxi staring at the knot of damp cash in his hands as he tried to make sense of the meter; and up the block a shirtless, bearded man sticking the top half of his body out of a sixth-floor tenement window and screaming at everybody to shut the *u** up and go back to New Jersey, then slamming his window down so hard that it rained glass, the people below whistling and applauding."

"You know: where are all the baby pigeons?  It's the burning question on every New Yorker's mind.  'They're everywhere.  You just have to look,' says Ralph, who seems not to have heard the urban myth that pigeons arrive on the earth full grown and ready to be despised-or that they perform a backward version of human migration: raise babies in the suburbs, then move into town."

Because just when you take the Empire State Building for granted, it seduces you again.

Because Eli is now the Manning.

"Because every time you visit another U.S. city, you instantly realize how attractive and sophisticated you really are..."

"Because I moved to L.A. almost two years ago, and I've read maybe six books in the time since.  In New York, I'd read on the subway and finish a book a week (at least!).  There are millions of reasons to move back, but I'd do it just for the books."

"Sue Simmons dropping the F-bomb on TV."

"Because you can be poor and from the hood but still bump elbows with all different kinds of cultures.  I grew up in the very rough parts of Bushwick, with a single mother originally from the Dominican Republic.  Because of our limited resources, I was exposed to gangsters, hustlers, and all kinds of freaks.  [But] an entirely different world was always a subway ride away."

"Because despite the stereotypical high-mindedness of New Yorkers, most still watch crap TV."

"The MTA [riding the subway] is like working at a bar; you learn everything about human behavior."

"The baseball fields in Battery Park City almost directly across the street from the old World Trade Center site.  I love seeing the rich green grass and Little Leaguers where there was barren earth not long ago.  To me, it's the best example of new life and regrowth.  Oh yeah, and it also says, 'Eff you, we live here!' "

"Because when people find out I am single, they don't look at me in a way that is the perfect combination of horror and pity."

"Because it's the best place to earn one-sentence stories to amuse friends and family back home.  Like: 'I was at a hipster dance party and some flailing NYU student accidentally punched me in the eye.' "

"...Because  no one gives me a second glance when I'm working out at the gym and tears are streaming down my face as I watch Dr. Phil conduct a meth-addict intervention."

Because every once in a while, there is dancing in the streets.

Because we're resilient.

Psychologists define a resilient person as one who after experiencing a trauma has one or no symptoms of post-traumatic-stress disorder.  A Columbia study of New Yorkers a few years ago found that 65 percent of us were certifiably resilient following 9/11-as were more than half the people who'd actually been in the Trade Center buildings during the attacks.  But the study's finding I love best describes what kinds of 9/11 survivors were least affected, the quickest to bounce back, the most resilient: the so-called self-enhancers.  They, according to the psychology professor who ran the study, "are somewhat grandiose.  They are preoccupied with themselves, they score high on measures of narcissism, and the research shows pretty clearly that they are annoying to be around."  In other words...New Yorkers!  Cue the Gloria Gaynor.

It baffles me...

...that customer service can really be that bad in New York.  Honestly.  You'd think I'd just be used to it by now but it never ceases to surprise and annoy me.  Honestly, it's so bad!  

I was just at Target in the (very slow) check out line and when I get up front I politely say hello to the checker and how she is.  I get a very mumbled, "fine", I think.

Then when she finishes putting everything in bags one has way too many items so I ask for another bag.  I get the eye roll and sigh, then the bag.  I tell her in a sincere tone, "Thank you so much."  No response.  I then end the not so pleasant conversation with, "Have a good day."  No "you too", no "thanks", not even an acknowledgement of my existence.

Not a huge deal, but honestly this is pretty much my experience in every store I go into whether it's Target, Duane Reade, H&M, etc.  Basically if you go to any sort of affordable store you're getting crap customer service and it's so annoying!!!

Finally.

So I've been on the hunt for a good pair of black flats for what feels like maybe a year.  

This has been slightly difficult, as it turns out I've gotten to be super cheap, and just don't feel like spending more than $50 on a pair of shoes, especially flats.  Other than my Louboutins, I guess you could say I prefer cheap shoes.  I'm a firm believer that cheap shoes don't necessarily mean bad quality.  It was 2004 that I got a bogo pair of black flats from Payless for $3.  Yes, $3.  I just got rid of them this year.

I've now gone through two cheap pairs this year and I've gotten frustrated with my inability to find a pair I really like.  My first pair fell apart, and the second pair are uncomfortable.  I've tried on so many pairs at so many stores, but I just haven't found anything.  Everything was either too expensive, or ugly, or uncomfortable, or not my size.

So when Catherine told me the quinn flats at the Tory Burch sample sale were more than half off, I thought I should go check them out.  I waited in line on Wednesday forever just to try them on, but decided against them.  I still didn't want to spend as much as they cost.

After I left I was sort of kicking myself, thinking maybe I should have just gotten them.  I decided I'd go back on Friday (payday) and see if they still had them (unlikely at a sample sale.)

Yesterday was miserable outside.  I made it about four blocks and my current, cheap flats were completely soaked through and my feet were freezing and wet.  I had to stop and buy some rain boots along the way, and thought, wow, now I really hope they still have my size.

And guess what?  They did.  And I love them so much I dreamt about them last night.

Men are like...

So last night as I was falling asleep a commercial came on that made me laugh out loud.

Girl #1: Guys are like subways, if you miss one there's another coming along in five minutes.

Girl #2: Yeah, unless it's the end of the night...then you'll get on anything.

I found myself chuckling out loud to myself because it's so true....the part about the subways late at night....

The weekend

Friday night took a random 6:30-8:30pm nap.  For some reason I've been so exhausted after work lately.  If I sit down when I get home I'm sure to be falling asleep by 7pm.  Needless to say I didn't feel like going out so I bought The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants II on demand.  It was cute.
Saturday I actually got myself up and out the door by 10:45am.  A total feat for me.  I hate to still be in the "sleep in super late and waste my day away" mode, but it's hard not to when you live in a bedroom with no window.

I met up with Dan for brunch at Alice's Teacup (he assured me he wasn't too many for it.)  As boring as this sounds, I highly recommend the granola and yogurt.  I've gotten it the last two times I went and it's SO GOOD.

I didn't spend too much time out and about as it was so cold.  I was disappointed because the weatherman said mid 30s and it was super sunny which usually isn't too cold but it was just ridiculous.  

I made it home around 3 and finished the movie I couldn't stay awake for the night before, and then followed it with a nap.  (Apparently I'm like a bear.....I like to spend my winters hybernating.)

Saturday night Britt, Whit, and Carly and I schlepped clear up to West 105 for the annual Holiday Sweater party.  Everyone had some pretty sweet ensembles and as soon as I can find my cord to upload photos I'll post them.

Yes, that's right, I can't find my cord!  I think maybe I left it in California over Thanksgiving but I'm not sure.  Sad.

Today was a fab day at church, as always.  We had our Christmas program in Sacrament Meeting which is something I always look forward to.

It's going to be a crazy week, with a few Christmas parties, meeting up with friends, etc, but I'm looking forward to the festivities.

XOXO

So I'm not a huge Gossip Girl fan, at all.  I'd quite watching it, but I will admit to watching the last few episodes.  I guess at this point it's just one of those shows I'll watch if I have nothing better to do, and let's face it, at this point in my life I've sort of gone into a reclusive antisocial phase so I have my fair share of spare time.

So my friend Monica at work mentioned to Catherine, Liz, and I that her friend worked for Teen Vogue and they were having a Gossip Girl party that night at Louis Vuitton on 5th Ave, and she could get us on the guest list if we wanted.  Hmmmm, I don't exactly hate the show, so I should go, right?

It was a miserably hideous night weather wise, but I still made the mad dash downtown to get spruced up a bit, then back to midtown for the party.

Jessica Szohr was the only cast member at the party, as the others were filming and one was sick, but it was still fun to see her.  She is definitely way thinner, and so gorgeous in person.  She was also super nice.

We chatted about all the fans in our office (most of the girls are obsessed) and shopping (she loves Urban Outfitters.)

There were also a few other celebs as well, such as Amber Tamblyn, and Kim from cycle 5 of America's Next Top Model.  She is actually a lot smaller than I'd imagine.  There were a few other girls there who looked super familiar, but I just couldn't put my finger on who they were.  There were also a lot of models, and boy, you definitely should have seen them posing for the photogs.  Wow.  

Overall it was a really fun night.  The Teen Vogue crew were actually super friendly to those of us that weren't exactly VIP.  The LV store was really cool.  They were offering makeovers and manicures which was fun, and the hors douvers were really good.  And the best part?  Since it was Teen Vogue there were underage girls there, which mean Martinellis in the fancy champagne glasses.  Something fun for me!

I can honestly say I'm so happy I don't work in that industry though; talk about insecurities being brought to the surface.  Everything there was so tall, so thin, so gorgeous, and had amazing clothes.

I prefer to stay in my sheltered little life and enjoy these parties every now and then.  :)

Death by chocolate

Yesterday I tried out a recommendation I read on Amanda's blog forever ago.  And really, I almost died of pure euphoria.  Are you ready for this?  Hot chocolate made with three parts whole milk, one part heavy cream.  I know.  But it's worth every calorie.  And hey, I opted out of the whipped cream on top.  A girl's gotta watch her figure.

Apparently now I plagiarize

I subscribe to 108 blogs via google reader.  I take a daily paper, and two weekly magazines.  CNBC runs on the floor at work all day every day.  I do my own share of guilty tv watching.  I'm constantly emailing, texting, checking facebook, and talking on the phone.  I try to read the Book of Mormon every day, and a conference talk a few times a week.

It's safe to say I have a high intake of information.  Perhaps there's been times I've regurgitated info that's not 100% original thought.  Or maybe I've seen something somewhere I really liked and thought, "Hey, I'd like to do that too."  (For instance, my California by the numbers post.  I've definitely seen that many many many times.)  I've seen my ideas taken as well.  I put the shows I record down the side of my blog and then noticed another friend put it on hers as well.  "Cool" was my thought.  In turn, I changed my links to have "+" in between each name instead of "," or "and."  I got that idea from my friend KB.  I mentioned to her that I liked it, and her response was, "Cool, I think I actually stole it from someone else, but didn't have the courtesy of mentioning that I'd gotten it from them."  KB didn't care that I'd borrowed, and I imagine the person she borrowed from didn't care either.  We all do it, consciously or not, no?

I (along with someone else very close to me) have been accused of blatantly and obviously stealing thoughts.  One of us (or both?) have apparently "copied blog posts outright, made our whole blog look exactly like someone else's, and even started completely morphing into another person"  !!

Really?

Hm.  Doubtful.

However, maybe someone else out there feels this way?  Maybe I'm completely in the wrong here?  Just throwing it out there, you know, in case I've tried to steal any one else's identity.  If this is the case, my sincerest apologies.  If I ever like an idea you have, and put it on my blog, and it bothers you, please let me know.  I'm not too worried, seeing as how I'm too lazy to switch up my blog frequently.  But you never know I guess, right?

*And no, I won't send you a link to this person's blog, so please don't ask.  My intent is not to embarrass anyone via the www.

Marriage

This weekend was the annual Lingos night.  I didn't make it to last year's and was so disappointed after everyone raved about it.  Lingos is a night where we all get together and watch videos people have worked on putting together the last couple months or so.

This year's winner was made by my friends Ryan, Collin, and Kim.

Ryan has got to be, hands down, the funniest person ever, and anyone who knows him will agree.  He's always "on."  

My new favorite political blog

Blurtdaily.com.  I love crazy Republicans.

Alma 37

Don't worry, I haven't fallen off the wagon.  Truth be told, however, I did fall behind last week while I was in California.  For the last month or so I've wavered from being 1-2 days behind.  I never could quite catch up.  However, with my vacation my routine was totally thrown off and I sadly, missed reading more days than not.  

SO.  Here's what I've decided.  Rather than turn what's an inspiring and motivating goal into something that feels like a task I'm wavering a bit on my deadline.  I'm still shooting for the end of the year, but I know mathematically that's not possible.

So, I guess like anything else in life, I'm just doing the best I can.

Tonight's reading was really good for me.  It was just one of those nights where you feel like, wow, this is definitely what I needed to hear.

In verse 36 Alma tells Helaman:

Yea, and cry unto God for all thy supoort; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

I love this.  I love knowing the Lord wants to know everything.  I love knowing that He already does know everything, but He still wants to sit and listen to me talk about it.  He still is happy to listen to me ramble on and on about the same things, no matter how trivial they are, no matter how meaningless they are in the grand scheme of things.  I love that we're not only told that we can talk to the Lord about anything, but that we should talk to the Lord about everything.  It's so.....relieving?

Also, I loved in verses 44-46 when Alma states:

For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the word of Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass, which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

And now I say, is there not a type in this thing?  For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.

O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us.  The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

It's so plainly stated.  Just as the Liahona directed Nephi and his family, we have the words of Christ to direct us, as a compass, to eternal happiness.  How plain and simple is that!

Sorry if some of my thoughts don't make sense.  They're just some fragments from my mind that mean something to me.

California by the numbers

In-N-Out stops (within the first 24 hours)

2

Amazing home cooked meals

4

Flights

4

Inches of hair cut off

12

Family members at Thanksgiving

21

Number of donut runs

4

Dollars spent

Way way way too many

Stressful airport moments

2

Kilometers I didn't run in the Turkey Trot due to the rain

10

Episodes of CSI watched during travel

13

Days I drove on the freeway

6

Number of friends I saw

Not enough, never enough time!

Hours spent traveling back to New York, door to door

14+

Number of times I wore a jacket or coat

0

Number of vehicles to get from my parents' house to my apartment

6

(one car, two planes, one train, and two subways...oy)

Hours spent laughing with friends and family

Countless

And just for fun....

Minutes it takes to blowdry my new do

3(!)

My new wallpaper on my phone

Little darlings.