Year in Review
What a gorgeous Summer day, in January. It's 70 degrees here in NYC. Looks like Gore wins again. Just like last time - in that not really winning kind of way. How's life? Did everyone else make a million resolutions on ways to make themselves healthier, skinnier, and happier? December is always my crazy month. Everything kind of unravels and then there's the holidays and then I sleep and chill out and put things back in perspective.
I've had a very I Heart NYC week - even it it's just been 3 days. It's difficult to start here. I finally have friends that I've known for over a year and thefore "know" me.I don't have to explain my actions and guise my stories or stop myself from saying ya'll anymore. I've decided this year is going to be a year for me. Last year was absolute madness. Madness. I've had some amazing experiences though. I'm glad I've toughed it out and made something difficult into something great. It's like I was a freshman in life. You remember freshman year. You have no idea how you survived, how so much could happen in a year, and how you'd never do it again but it was pretty fantastic. You eventually forget how traumatizing those times were when your roommate brought a homeless man with her in your overcrowd. So, in that vein, I'm going to bullet point some memories and some photos from this past crazy ass year. Yes, this is incredibly overindulgent.
January
It all started New Years - and boy did it start off badly. Basically I was without money or a phone or a clue as to where I was in the middle of ghetto Brooklyn at 4 a.m. Long story short, magically, a cab appeared and dropped someone off exactly where I was - the guy gave me $20 and I eventually made it home after 2 more cabs and a visit to the police station. I was absolutely traumatized. It was then I vowed to never spend New Years in NYC, ever. again. Besides, it gets so crowded and unbearable and insane here during that time - it's not worth it.
My coworker Erik turned 40!
I somehow convinced Erik and his live in girlfriend to allow me to sleep on their couch so I could get to work the next day. They had to leave at 5 a.m. to catch a flight the next morning and I said, sure, sure, I'll wake up and go into work early. If you barely know me - you know that I am really awful at waking up in the morning. They shook me, smacked me in the face - nothing worked. So, they left the key beside me and trusted that I would have enough sense when I woke up to lock the door. I did not see the key. Long story short - I scared the hell out of them by calling them in Puerto Rico while they were gone for a few days but got the landlord to lock the door for me. He and Talor were not pleased with me.
That was exactly a year ago and I had hoped that I have grown up sense then. But today, I have a hicky on my neck and I feel like I'm about 14.
February
February was a toughhhh month for me. I decided to preempt my inevitable sadness that would occur on Valentine's and buy some tickets for Cat Power. Then she fucking cancelled the show on me! I ended up meeting Nick - which was awkward b/c I think he had to get back to a girl he was dating at school - which I figured out later, through facebook. Two guys called me that night - but I ignored them and went to sleep, depressed.
I still lived in Astoria - with two guys - in a bright yellow, huge room with no closet.
March
It gets COLD in New York and everyone has one of those sleeping bag jackets so I decided to get one too. I'm an outdoorsy person and I hate it when it's painful to be walking around. I'm sure I walked around with this scowl on my face.
The two guys who called me on Valentines had the exact same birthday - same year. Neither of them called me on their birthdays.
The Creek and the Cave
Christina and I spent a lot of time here. It became our bar, with our bartender, and cranberry and vodka being our drink.
Our bartender, Howard. He's become a good friend of mine. I can't say enough nice things about the establishment and the people there. It's like a clubhouse. Each night had a different feel to it. One night I would be clogging to country music, another throwing pumpkins and bottles over the fence, admiring the oldest tree we'd ever seen in the city ... which eventually died and almost killed someone, teaching the metal band yoga, having a lot of laughs, "jamming" on the keys. It became our city 412 - just more expensive. Because space is so tight in the city, people can't really hang out in their apartments and we have to spend a lot of time at bars if we want to socialize. It's both good and bad. I'm glad I found a place.
April
I had a very depressing birthday. I was dating this loser - Dr. Weiner (i kid you not) who was a suicidal philosophy professor at a community college and lived in my neighborhood. I didn't plan a shin dig and didn't go to work and felt sorry for myself.
A couple days afterwards, when I was looking to buy shelves for my little wardrobe, during my lunch break, a box full of metal poles fell on my head. I got a concussion and had to go to the hospital. After waiting, alone, for several hours I was finally seen and then told I was too young and had to go to the pediatric ward. I started crying at this point in a room full of other crying.. infants.. and fish tanks. If this year were a movie, this would be that low point. Nobody in my office was there - I couldn't convince any of my friends to bring me a sandwich. I called Nick in hysterics and scared the hell out of him since I hadn't spoken to him in a while. I got whiplash! Everyone in the office thought I was faking it so I could sue. The doctor asked me if I ever had a penis inside me! Things were looking bleak.
May
I moved! Christina and I got a nice little apartment in Long Island City - now within walking distance from my bar. I love my neighborhood. It's near a bunch of warehouses so it's busier during the day than at night. Some might find this creepy - but I love love love being able to walk down the street and not see anyone. I live near the water and ride my bike or run to the state park and read on docks facing the NYC skyline. I played pickup basketball against boys from the ghetto! I feel truly comfortable in my new home.
This is my good friend Liam. Everytime I see him, something changes in my life. Always for the best. He puts things in perspective and I stop worrying about things (and boys) that aren't worth the time. I think I'm secretly in love with him but it would never work out. He's been a friend for over a year! One time we were in a pub, arm in arm, singing "Dirty Ole Town" by the Pogues. He came to England on a "I bet you're not really going to move to America" like dare and he's half Irish half English - meaning he's a big drinker with a coke problem. After we finish the song - I say, that's it, I'm going on a trip by myself to Ireland. Because that's just kind of how things work when I see him. I.e. That's it! I'm going to break up with Nick!
On the very day that Nick graduated from college. The same day I had been looking forward to for four years when we would finally be on the same page in life - I was on a plane trip to Ireland ready for an adventure. It was amazing.
I met some great people. I got over feeling sorry for myself. I made myself become vulnerable again. Before this I had closed myself off - not ready to be disappointed by life again. But, when you're in a foreign city by yourself and you want to have some fun, you gotta go to the pub by yourself and meet some people! I met an amazing guy, Richard, who drove me to the cliffs of Mohr, and took me to a beach party on the Aran Islands. Sure, it wasn't the smartest thing to do and my mom would have killed me if she knew what I was doing but I have some great memories and you only live once. I convinced myself that I was going to move to Ireland May of 2007. Now I've stretched that out to probably next year and maybe just London - but the itch to travel and live overseas is definitely there.
Summer
I got myself a boyfriend - sort of. I met this Bulgarian, 37 year old artist at a bar, expecting it to be another dead end relationship kind of deal. He entertained and fascinated me and I had a great time with him. And yes, there were tons of red flags. But i had a great time with him. Shooting roman candles from a window in a building COVERED in graffiti, going to East Far Rockaway on the subway to watch him boogie board and making a small boat out of trash and watching sail away, buying a bike!, watching him build his rooms in an artist studio, pillow talk about Communist Bulgaria, yelling at him at 4 a.m. b/c he was still on ebay, having a companion - it was nice. Now it's over - and I miss him as a friend. And, just like many other times in life, I'm amazed that someone is completely out of my life all of a sudden and I'm having a tough time swallowing that. He's holding his birthday present I gave him - a potato gun.
Work
These idiots have become my family. They're all the big brothers I never wanted. Sure, maybe I have a hicky right now from one of them which makes my analogy stranger than I'd like. I couldn't ask for a better right out of college job and opportunity and great group of people to work with. It's amazing how much we've all grown together this past year. Everyone's male and at least 30 but they've become a core group of friends. My ideal Friday night is to go out for some drinks after work with them, shoot the shit, and go home early. Though everything's been rocky and difficult while I've been in NYC - they've been my backbone.
Roots/Holidays
Thank god for the technology gods that have made keeping in touch with people so much easier.
Even though I'm always having to make new friends whenever I decide to torture myself and move away from all my good ones - I keep in touch. I try to, at least. That's why I have this stupid livejournal and myspace and facebook...
In short, it's a good life and I'm excited to see what this year will bring me. If you read this - I'm impressed and I owe you a dollar.
I've had a very I Heart NYC week - even it it's just been 3 days. It's difficult to start here. I finally have friends that I've known for over a year and thefore "know" me.I don't have to explain my actions and guise my stories or stop myself from saying ya'll anymore. I've decided this year is going to be a year for me. Last year was absolute madness. Madness. I've had some amazing experiences though. I'm glad I've toughed it out and made something difficult into something great. It's like I was a freshman in life. You remember freshman year. You have no idea how you survived, how so much could happen in a year, and how you'd never do it again but it was pretty fantastic. You eventually forget how traumatizing those times were when your roommate brought a homeless man with her in your overcrowd. So, in that vein, I'm going to bullet point some memories and some photos from this past crazy ass year. Yes, this is incredibly overindulgent.
January
It all started New Years - and boy did it start off badly. Basically I was without money or a phone or a clue as to where I was in the middle of ghetto Brooklyn at 4 a.m. Long story short, magically, a cab appeared and dropped someone off exactly where I was - the guy gave me $20 and I eventually made it home after 2 more cabs and a visit to the police station. I was absolutely traumatized. It was then I vowed to never spend New Years in NYC, ever. again. Besides, it gets so crowded and unbearable and insane here during that time - it's not worth it.
My coworker Erik turned 40!
I somehow convinced Erik and his live in girlfriend to allow me to sleep on their couch so I could get to work the next day. They had to leave at 5 a.m. to catch a flight the next morning and I said, sure, sure, I'll wake up and go into work early. If you barely know me - you know that I am really awful at waking up in the morning. They shook me, smacked me in the face - nothing worked. So, they left the key beside me and trusted that I would have enough sense when I woke up to lock the door. I did not see the key. Long story short - I scared the hell out of them by calling them in Puerto Rico while they were gone for a few days but got the landlord to lock the door for me. He and Talor were not pleased with me.
That was exactly a year ago and I had hoped that I have grown up sense then. But today, I have a hicky on my neck and I feel like I'm about 14.
February
February was a toughhhh month for me. I decided to preempt my inevitable sadness that would occur on Valentine's and buy some tickets for Cat Power. Then she fucking cancelled the show on me! I ended up meeting Nick - which was awkward b/c I think he had to get back to a girl he was dating at school - which I figured out later, through facebook. Two guys called me that night - but I ignored them and went to sleep, depressed.
I still lived in Astoria - with two guys - in a bright yellow, huge room with no closet.
March
It gets COLD in New York and everyone has one of those sleeping bag jackets so I decided to get one too. I'm an outdoorsy person and I hate it when it's painful to be walking around. I'm sure I walked around with this scowl on my face.
The two guys who called me on Valentines had the exact same birthday - same year. Neither of them called me on their birthdays.
The Creek and the Cave
Christina and I spent a lot of time here. It became our bar, with our bartender, and cranberry and vodka being our drink.
Our bartender, Howard. He's become a good friend of mine. I can't say enough nice things about the establishment and the people there. It's like a clubhouse. Each night had a different feel to it. One night I would be clogging to country music, another throwing pumpkins and bottles over the fence, admiring the oldest tree we'd ever seen in the city ... which eventually died and almost killed someone, teaching the metal band yoga, having a lot of laughs, "jamming" on the keys. It became our city 412 - just more expensive. Because space is so tight in the city, people can't really hang out in their apartments and we have to spend a lot of time at bars if we want to socialize. It's both good and bad. I'm glad I found a place.
April
I had a very depressing birthday. I was dating this loser - Dr. Weiner (i kid you not) who was a suicidal philosophy professor at a community college and lived in my neighborhood. I didn't plan a shin dig and didn't go to work and felt sorry for myself.
A couple days afterwards, when I was looking to buy shelves for my little wardrobe, during my lunch break, a box full of metal poles fell on my head. I got a concussion and had to go to the hospital. After waiting, alone, for several hours I was finally seen and then told I was too young and had to go to the pediatric ward. I started crying at this point in a room full of other crying.. infants.. and fish tanks. If this year were a movie, this would be that low point. Nobody in my office was there - I couldn't convince any of my friends to bring me a sandwich. I called Nick in hysterics and scared the hell out of him since I hadn't spoken to him in a while. I got whiplash! Everyone in the office thought I was faking it so I could sue. The doctor asked me if I ever had a penis inside me! Things were looking bleak.
May
I moved! Christina and I got a nice little apartment in Long Island City - now within walking distance from my bar. I love my neighborhood. It's near a bunch of warehouses so it's busier during the day than at night. Some might find this creepy - but I love love love being able to walk down the street and not see anyone. I live near the water and ride my bike or run to the state park and read on docks facing the NYC skyline. I played pickup basketball against boys from the ghetto! I feel truly comfortable in my new home.
This is my good friend Liam. Everytime I see him, something changes in my life. Always for the best. He puts things in perspective and I stop worrying about things (and boys) that aren't worth the time. I think I'm secretly in love with him but it would never work out. He's been a friend for over a year! One time we were in a pub, arm in arm, singing "Dirty Ole Town" by the Pogues. He came to England on a "I bet you're not really going to move to America" like dare and he's half Irish half English - meaning he's a big drinker with a coke problem. After we finish the song - I say, that's it, I'm going on a trip by myself to Ireland. Because that's just kind of how things work when I see him. I.e. That's it! I'm going to break up with Nick!
On the very day that Nick graduated from college. The same day I had been looking forward to for four years when we would finally be on the same page in life - I was on a plane trip to Ireland ready for an adventure. It was amazing.
I met some great people. I got over feeling sorry for myself. I made myself become vulnerable again. Before this I had closed myself off - not ready to be disappointed by life again. But, when you're in a foreign city by yourself and you want to have some fun, you gotta go to the pub by yourself and meet some people! I met an amazing guy, Richard, who drove me to the cliffs of Mohr, and took me to a beach party on the Aran Islands. Sure, it wasn't the smartest thing to do and my mom would have killed me if she knew what I was doing but I have some great memories and you only live once. I convinced myself that I was going to move to Ireland May of 2007. Now I've stretched that out to probably next year and maybe just London - but the itch to travel and live overseas is definitely there.
Summer
I got myself a boyfriend - sort of. I met this Bulgarian, 37 year old artist at a bar, expecting it to be another dead end relationship kind of deal. He entertained and fascinated me and I had a great time with him. And yes, there were tons of red flags. But i had a great time with him. Shooting roman candles from a window in a building COVERED in graffiti, going to East Far Rockaway on the subway to watch him boogie board and making a small boat out of trash and watching sail away, buying a bike!, watching him build his rooms in an artist studio, pillow talk about Communist Bulgaria, yelling at him at 4 a.m. b/c he was still on ebay, having a companion - it was nice. Now it's over - and I miss him as a friend. And, just like many other times in life, I'm amazed that someone is completely out of my life all of a sudden and I'm having a tough time swallowing that. He's holding his birthday present I gave him - a potato gun.
Work
These idiots have become my family. They're all the big brothers I never wanted. Sure, maybe I have a hicky right now from one of them which makes my analogy stranger than I'd like. I couldn't ask for a better right out of college job and opportunity and great group of people to work with. It's amazing how much we've all grown together this past year. Everyone's male and at least 30 but they've become a core group of friends. My ideal Friday night is to go out for some drinks after work with them, shoot the shit, and go home early. Though everything's been rocky and difficult while I've been in NYC - they've been my backbone.
Roots/Holidays
Thank god for the technology gods that have made keeping in touch with people so much easier.
Even though I'm always having to make new friends whenever I decide to torture myself and move away from all my good ones - I keep in touch. I try to, at least. That's why I have this stupid livejournal and myspace and facebook...
In short, it's a good life and I'm excited to see what this year will bring me. If you read this - I'm impressed and I owe you a dollar.