Pictures of my room

First things first, a pic of me from Christmas! Yay!
A view of my street and my house. The first brick house on the left is chez moi <3
Another view of my street taken from my balcony (can't wait til it's warm out!)
Across the street (notice how none of the houses look the same? What's up with that?)
The view from my window. That's the empire state building on the left! It's actually really pretty but my camera wasn't too good at capturing it. Time for a new camera?
One shot of my room (purple and green are my "it" colors this year)
Another angle of my room. See my cool postcard thing on the wall? And my pretty bookshelves from home? Also, my grandfather made that lamp!
My closet and my bathroom. Cute :)

My week so far

This week feels like it's been really long...even though I've only worked two full days and it's Friday morning. It feels like it should be next Thursday or something.

After my nice, day off on Monday I headed back to work on Tuesday. Things were going really well. The "young people" in the office had planned an ice-skating outing for Tuesday night, I was all excited to get to spend some time with Ira outside of the office building, I was wearing my new sweater from Old Navy, Ira im'd me in the morning to ask me about my day off...and then he sang to me over im... (I might be making this sound more romantic than it was. The song was "Lucky" by Britney Spears but I still thought it was cute) Then we had a celebration in the afternoon for the Jewish holiday Tu B'Shevat (Jewish Earth Day)...Ira sat next to me...the people in my office are really weird/random. It was fun/funny.

And then ice skating was cancelled and pushed to Wednesday. Fine. Debbie and I went for drinks in Astoria and had fun and everything was OK. I told the bartender that I wanted to try something new so she made me an 'Alabama Slammer' which I LOVED! It had orange juice, cranberry juice, amaretto and southern comfort...with a cherry on top! MMM.

I went home and watched 'Heroes' with my roommate Jamie (So, I got her to start watching it so that I could have someone to watch it with and so I could watch it in the livingroom on the big TV without feeling like I was being a TV hog...and now I think she likes the show more than I do!), went to bed...

I woke up at 4 am with HORRIBLE stomach cramps. I couldn't sleep. I felt like I needed to throw up but I wasn't throwing up...I was just nauseous and ugh. I guess I fell back asleep and I woke up at 7 to my alarm. I showered. I sort of stood around...decided to get dressed...called my mom and asked her if I should go to work...decided to go to work...(I had my interview for the marketing assistant position anyway so I really wanted to go in)


I had my interview for the marketing assistant position. Which took 5 minutes and basically consisted of the marketing director at JNF telling me that I haven't been working here long enough for her to consider me for the position but that she's "really glad that I'm interested in working for her department and now that she knows I'm interested she'll keep me in mind for job openings in the future. She was really nice about it but I just felt sick anyway and then I was rejected. I walked back to my desk and sat there trying not to cry. I had a strong feeling that I hadn't been here long enough to be promoted but it still felt bad to be rejected for something that I wanted.

I ended up going home early and sleeping for most of the day. I woke up around 6:30, got some gatorade from the RITE-AID two blocks away, watched TV and went to bed at 10:00. Thursday I woke up feeling much better, went to work and...

MY NEW IPOD WAS WAITING FOR ME :) I was so excited to get it! It's silver-so pretty! Skinny, beautiful display-I couldn't wait to bring it home! Luckily, Debbie has an IPOD charger that she keeps at work so I was able to charge the ipod at work.

So last night I, obviously, set the IPOD up! It's official name is 'baby' like the TLC show 'Bringing home Baby'. I don't know why I thought of that name but I just felt like my new ipod was a little baby being brought home for the first time last night :) I have about 7,000 songs on it and I'll put more on later but in the meantime, for my trip to DC, it'll do.

And finally, to end this long, eventful, been sick and now feeling better, flirting with Ira and now he's out of the office, watching 'Heroes' and being tired week, I'm going to DC! It was Gerardo's birthday yesterday and it's Vanessa's birthday tomorrow so I'm hoping to celebrate with both of them. And possibly see Melissa? I'm staying with Jon tonight near Union Station and then heading over to Julia's NEW apartment in Arlington tomorrow night. Doing dinner with Giuliana, Jason, Erin, Jeremy, Julia and Adam tomorrow night. Possibly seeing my boss, Mike, from my internship? Heading back to New York on Sunday afternoon.

Nap on the bus down to DC? yessss

Playing hookie!

I took today off from work! It's the first personal day that I've taken in over 4 months-and it feels really good. I did laundry, slept in a little and am now working on decorating my room.

To recap:
I had a pretty good weekend. Friday night Katelyn and Alex came to see my apartment. We went out to dinner/drinks too. I was glad to have them come and check out Astoria...though Katelyn was being a bit of a downer. I really don't think she smiled at ALL during dinner. How can someone not smile in TWO HOURS?! That type of life wouldn't work for me but...

It was the last time I'll see Alex for a month too. She's off on her English adventure (she saved up money during her last semester of school and left Sunday for a month in England! She's never been overseas-I hope she has fun!)...I expect a postcard ;)

They left around 9 and then I got ready and met Debbie and a group of her friends in the East Village for a concert/drinks. The concert was so fun! The band is called The Gaskets and they have dancey/rocky songs and really cool dance moves. The singer dances on stage like I dance when I'm alone in my room listening to music on my computer. He was so uninhibited which made everyone in the crowd feel freer...so I got to dance around like I was 5 :) Dancing is a better way to relieve stress than drinks I think. Who would have thought that I'd ever say something like that?

Debbie's friend were really nice too and I enjoyed joking around with them and being part of a big group. It's interesting for me to meet new people. I feel like the more new people I meet the more I learn about myself. I used to think that I was different around different groups of people and that I had separate, disparate 'Beckys'. But, that's not really true anymore. I mean, of course I don't talk about the same things with my nana as I do with my boss or my friends from college. But overall, I'm the same with everyone and seeing how I react to new situations and new people helps me see the kind of person I am. I don't know if that makes sense BUT anyway...

I got to explore a different area of the city, meet new people, dance in a silly way, have a gin & tonic, eat some good french fries (there's this place called 'pommes frites' in the East Village that has DELICIOUS fries with different dipping sauces...MMM)...all in all, a good night.

Saturday, I met Kia downtown for lunch and a movie. We went to COSI <3 And I got to have some delicious tomato soup...I really, really like tomato soup. And Cosi has GOOD tomato soup with a side of their MMMM delicious bread. My love for tomato soup might be a phase. Or maybe not? Well, went to see the movie '27 Dresses' which was really cute and funny. It's nice spending time with Kia :)

And then, I met my sister and we went home until this morning. We had brunch plans on Sunday with long-time family friends of ours, The Malakoffs, so we took the train home Saturday night, hung out at home Saturday night and then did brunch yesterday. The Malakoffs are the best people ever! They made delicious food for us and had lots of funny stories to tell. They're really warm people and I just feel good when I'm around them. They've led such interesting lives and done so many great things...I want to be like them when I grow up! Lisa (Mrs. Malakoff) said she's going to help me make a t-shirt quilt that I've been planning so that's cool! I'll get a fun quilt/get to see her more often too!

So yeah. now I'm in my room, sitting on the floor (my laundry is on my bed), going to put up some postcards, going to put my laundry away, eat lunch and then take some pictures of my room/neighborhood to post up here. Stay tuned!

8 months and counting...

Just a note before I get into the 'meat' of this entry. Isn't is kind of funny that after you sign into blogger there's a blog kept by blogger.com listing all of the website's new updates? Blogger.com's blog? I think it's amusing.

Anyway...
Kristyn texted me on Sunday (a text I received right when it was sent since I had a hard time sleeping Sunday night and was wide awake for hours...as my sister slept next to me snoring.) with this thought 'it's been 8 months since we graduated'.

It's been 8 months since I graduated?!

I can't really believe it. It was odd enough NOT being in classes this fall and having to start stories with 'last semester, before I graduated...'. But now, I graduated almost TWO full semesters ago (even though it feels like yesterday. seriously.) and more importantly, I graduated last year. Last year is not a good way to start stories. It's boring from the start.

So where does that leave me? And what exactly has happened in the past 8 months. When I was in college, last year, two semesters ago (see? boring!) I measured my life in weeks and months and semesters. How had the past week been? What was my semester like as a whole? Did I make new friends in class? Did I go to a lot of parties? How many times was I drunk?

But now, I don't measure my life like that anymore. Weeks are similar and not eligible for individual judgment, I guess. If I go to work every day from 8:30-5:30, and my commute is the same every day, and I have lunch at around the same time during the week, and I'm in bed before 11:30 every night...what makes my days different? Without grades to measure my success what have I DONE in the past 8 months?

That being said, things have changed since graduation. A lot has happened.
First of all, I had a temporary job this summer for almost 3 months! I met a whole series of people through that job, was able to experience working in downtown Stamford and having a real 9-5, business casual, type job.

Second of all, I've taken lots of weekend trips since I graduated. Since May I've visited Philly, Allentown (twice), been down to DC for 4 or 5 weekends, spent a long weekend in Cape Cod, been to Long Island a few times, spent a few weekends/overnights in Brooklyn (with Kate and at David's), spent a few weekends/overnights in Astoria. So, in 8 months that's a lot of travelling.

Thirdly, I got a job! I've been working at JNF for almost 4 months. I have healthcare now. I have money taken out of my pay check for savings. I have vacation days that I can take. I'm part of a union. I have a cute, decorated desk. I have friends here.

More recently, I put a down payment on and have moved into an apartment in Astoria! I have two cool, friendly roommates AND the biggest room! I've been cooking dinner, budgeting myself for groceries, reading in bed, watching TV in the livingroom. It really does feel like a home. And I've been able to hang out with my friends on the weekends and WALK home. I can wake up at 7:15, take my time getting ready, leave for work at 7:55 and still be at the JNF House by 8:25. What an easy commute...

I celebrated my 22nd birthday with my family and friends (sort of-if you count Katelyn taking me out to dinner a few days before my actual birthday as celebrating with friends). I went out for drinks with Kate and we painted Park Slope red. I had dinner with my family and cousin Andrew at a delicious Indian restaurant in downtown Stamford. I received cards in the mail from friends. I love getting packages! Now I'm 22-I guess I'm really a "20 something" now.

I've also planned a vacation for June to Honduras! I'm very excited about that! Not only was the ticket only $72 out of pocket, but I get to spend Kristyn's birthday with her and explore a new place. I love going to new places and learning about them :)

On a sadder note, the past 8 months have also been very hard. I wasn't prepared for the loss I'd feel now that college is over and my friends are all over the place. I don't think I took my friends or my college experience for granted...I DID appreciate living in The Berks while I was there. And I loved going out to Dupont/parties every weekend. And I had a lot of fun with my friends...watching TV together, ordering dinner, taking walks, going to the store, sitting and listening to music or just talking. And now that everyone's gone, or really I'm gone since I guess I left first, I really miss my old life and how fun and full it was.

I didn't cry at graduation or during my last weeks in DC. I sort of cried on the drive home from DC to Connecticut. This summer I cried...

I had so many friends. I always had things to do. I had classes that I enjoyed and learned a lot in. And I still have a busy life. I have work. I have some friends here. I have an apartment. There's PLENTY to do in the city (if I can afford it). But I miss my friends-people that know me, who understand my sense of humor, who like the same things as me, who compliment me, who I understand and know about...

So that's the past 8 months in a nut shell. I'm not ANYWHERE that I thought I'd be during graduation. I knew I wanted to do music work in Manhattan. I thought I'd be living in Brooklyn with Kate. I thought I'd have taken a few road trips to DC.

But working at JNF, living in Astoria, going to Honduras in June, Buying a new IPOD (yes, I bought a silver, 80 GB, pretty, IPOD yesterday at amazon.com. I was against buying a full 80GB ipod because I thought it would be too expensive and I didn't want to spend that much money at once. Amazon.com offered discounts off of the retail price for the IPOD. So I bought it there. And it turns out if I 'd just CALLED apple I could have gotten a student discount and actually saved more...oh well. money is money I guess), short hair...

Who knows where I'll be in the next 8 months?

Hm

Well, I'm feeling upset and though I can explain why I know that I'm being silly. I have a new apartment and am living in a very exciting city. I have a job that pays well enough and I get to work with nice people every day. I've made friends at work. I have cute clothes to wear to work. I have friends. It's supposed to be really nice out this week.

But I just feel cranky and unfulfilled. I mean I have so much to be happy about but I don't feel that happy...

I just feel kind of lonely. I really miss my friends and having people to hang out with all the time. I'm a social person and I get a lot out of my friendships and relationships...so I am living in a great city and there are fun things to do...but who am I going to share it with?

Of course there's the potential and the probability that I'll make friends and in 6 months or a year this feeling will seem far away. But right now, as I'm planning to go run errands after work and bake chicken when I get home I just feel lonely. I want to go out and get drinks with my friends. Or I want to take a walk around the neighborhood with my sister...

But no one's really available for me.

I guess I need to get used to living on my own and being more independent. I guess I'm just so used to being with people or near people that I care about that the idea of just being on my own is scary.

And I don't really feel like I have anyone that I can talk to about it. I have my family but they're all sad that I left Stamford and are like 'you're going to forget about us bla bla' so I can't really talk to them about leaving. And my sister's going through her 'I'm turning 30 phase' so she's doing her own thing. My friends from work will listen but I don't really want to burden them with my problems. And then all my other friends are off in other places busy with their own lives. And I feel silly being upset when there's no big thing to be upset about. I had a good day. I should basically be really happy right now and looking forward to a relaxing evening at home.

I think I'm feeling this way because I didn't get to listen to my music in the morning...
seriously.

About time for a post

Well, I'm writing this from my NEW, COMFY, green and purple bed in my NEW, COMFY, multi-color apartment in Astoria! Today was the big move-in and it was...hard, easy, fast, slow, horrible, great.

I'm suddenly getting really tired from typing and looking at the bright screen but I'll do my best to pull through and elaborate on my life in general right now.

So yes. today was my big move-in day! It started at 7:00 am when I woke up to drive to UHAUL in White Plains, NY with my mom. Apparently there were NO 4'x8' trailers available in Stamford, or Norwalk, or Darien or anywhere closer than White Plains. We got lost on the way (the mapquest directions told us to take a sharp left on a street where left turns weren't allowed...awkward), but once we got to UHAUL things went quickly and we got back to our house by 9. We were ahead of schedule (I hired moving helpers from 1-3, so we wanted to leave Stamford by 11:30 to get to Astoria by 12:15 and unload stuff before the moving helpers came) even and in good spirits.

BUT...
then my mom was having a hard time backing into the driveway with the UHAUL trailer on her car. I told her to pull forward into the driveway across the street and then back up straight into our driveway. But that didn't work...and my mom pulled all the way forward into the driveway across the street and got stuck (it's a long, curved kind of driveway). I couldn't direct her out...so these two ladies who lived in either side of the driveway were yelling to us from their windows...
It was horrible! My mom was getting all upset and these ladies were trying to give us directions but I was tired and cold and not paying attention. And apparently my mom doesn't know left from right. And apparently if you want the trailer to go to the right you need to back up to the left because it moves in the opposite direction of the car.

45 minutes later...
We finally made it out of the driveway and my mom hit our neighbor's car with the trailer.

We had breakfast and packed the trailer and the back of my mom's car relatively quickly. We actually left Stamford at 11:25-5 minutes ahead of schedule. We got to the apartment without any problems, were able to find a big parking spot and unload stuff from the trailer.

But then the moving helpers were late. And when they finally did show up (we were expecting them to c ome in a van or something but they just took the subway over) they looked homeless and really scrawny. One of the guys had holes in his clothes and was smoking a cigarette and HOLDING it in his hand when he introduced himself to me. I'm pretty sure the hand he held forward for me to shake had a cigarette in it-who does that?!

However, against all odds and appearances, the moving helpers were GREAT and fast. It only took them 30 minutes to carry all of my stuff up the three flights to the apartment. I directed them on where to put stuff and nothing was broken or anything.

HOORAY!

So, I did some unpacking and then my mom, David and I decided to walk over to this restaurant that my mom's friend had recomended to her. She said it was the BEST Greek food she'd ever had.

But, we walked in the wrong direction first and then we were way off from the restaurant.

An hour later, David was being cranky and my mom was showing off her nervous smile so we pulled into a Green pizza place and had some heroes/fries/baklava. I guess I had a bad sense of direction. When I'm driving around or walking on my own it doesn't matter if I'm going the wrong way because I can just turn around and not worry. It's just when I'm with other people that I notice how far off I am with directions...

We got back to the apartment around 5 and they left :(
I unpacked, made my bed (see above), put some posters up (including a map of the NY subway system above my dresser-I don't care how dorky it is!, and a cat calendar that my nana gave me. why a cat calendar? there are so many different kinds of calendars people can have), talked with my roommate Jamie for a little while (Larry's in Long Island til tomorrow), talked on the phone for a little, tried to watch TV and now I'm going to bed! I could really use a good night's sleep so here's hoping...

Besides the apartment, things have been going well. New Years Eve was fun if not a bit stressful. Katelyn, Jesy, Alex, Heather and Mike met me in Brooklyn and we went to a party in Brooklyn with my friend Erin from work. It was HARD finding parking for everyone and coordinating everyone's arrivals. But, we made it to the party and had fun. There was pot everywhere, the people there besides us were total hipsters, but there was good hummus, champagne at midnight, a nice view of Manhattan...so I can't complain. Plus it was just really nice having everyone together. We haven't all been together, for an extended period of time (K, A, H, and I) since August! That's too long to go without seeing some of your best friends...

Anyway, next year I am NOT organizing New Years Eve. Someone else can plan and worry...
My dress was cute though and there were some nice pictures taken and posted on facebook. I did get some nice phone calls after midnight so that made my night a little bit :)

Work is same as usual. Phones ring, sometimes people really annoy me, lunch is fun...
My mom baked some peanut-butter cookies for me and I put them at my desk on Thursday. There were 48 cookies-they were all gone by 1 pm when I got back from lunch! People from the 5th floor walked down just to pick up a few and I got calls and e-mails telling me HOW delicious the cookies were and asking for the recipe :) That made me feel nice.

I'm trying to plan fun things now that I'm gonna be in the city. This upcoming week I'm having dinner with Kate one night, going to play MAFIA at Erin's house Wednesday, having dinner w/ Kia on Thursday (location TBD), and then doing Shabbat services w/ Erin somewhere.

I saw the movie 'Juno' Tuesday with my mom. I just need to note that here because I AM in love with the movie soundtrack and the movie itself. IT was such a great, feel good, spunky movie. I loved the character of Juno. I want her to be my friend. I'm definitely buying it when it comes out on DVD (Kristyn-do you have a DVD player? If I buy the DVD I can bring it to Honduras and we can watch it together. I REALLY think you'd like it). I already bought the soundtrack :)

Who should I vote for for President? Clinton vs. Obama...