UPDATE: He’s here. His name is Rex Manning (yes, it’s Rex Manning Day). Now, I can quote Empire Records everyday for good reason. He has a goatee. And a tie.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
#17 So.. I adopted a cat.
#9: Go to a country I've never been to
Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
It was beautiful. I wouldn't say it was the best trip I've been on, as far as destinations go, but I had an amazing time with my sister. The three bottles of sunblock we went through in a day and a half made sure that we didn't burn. We enjoyed our free drinks and food. We lounged by the pool and beach, danced at the disco and night club. We spent a rainy day swimming with dolphins, sharks and sting rays.
This leads me to #20. I didn't realize that I was actually terrified of sting rays. But, it turns out that I am. Like irrationally terrified. I don't have any photos of that endeavor because the proof was just too sad. Lisa and I screamed like little girls and I swear I almost cried. The animal trainers kept screwing with us because, after all, we were scared, screaming Americans.
Yes, that's a shark on our laps.
Friday, February 26, 2010
0 Down, 30 To Go
In exactly two weeks, I will turn 28. That's almost 30. It got me thinking about all that I have done in my life, and all that I haven't. Over the next two years and two weeks, I hope to accomplish these thirty tasks. It's not that I'm not proud of where I am now - I've graduated from college, bought my own place (and a real, non-hand-me-down couch), I've been in love, I've learned to manage my crazy, I've lived in Europe, I've zip-lined and rock climbed and snow-shoed. I've been to Hawaii. I got into nursing school... But there's alot I haven't done. Thanks to my friend Rob, and his awesome 30x30 list, I've started my own. So, without further adieu, here's the list:
Bring my credit card debt to zeroPut "RN" after my name- Go to Nashville, Graceland and a rodeo
- Learn to change a flat tire
- Go parasailing
- Go skydiving
- Run a 10K
- Do 100 pushups
Go to a country I've never been toMarch 4, 2010Go scuba diving- Go blonde
Keep a plant alive for six months- Go snowboarding
Take surfing lessons- See AFI's top 100 movies
- Paint or draw something to hang in my place
Get a petMarch 14, 2010- Ride 100 miles on my bike
- Play 18 holes of golf
Do something I'm terrified ofMarch 2, 2010- Buy myself an amazing piece of jewelery
- Take a cross-country road trip
Host a fancy-pants dinner party- Read 10 classic novels
- Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
- Scan and organize my family's photos
Give bloodMay 7, 2013- Spend a full day volunteering
- Learn to drive stick
- ??? Open for suggestions
Monday, May 11, 2009
Boot Camp - Day 1
My cousin and I joined a four-week, five-days-a-week boot camp. Monday, Wednesday and Friday cardio and strength training. Tuesday and Thursday yoga. Today was day one. Day one started at 5am, when I picked up J, who could barely speak English at that time. We started out w/ some stretching and jumping jacks, followed by running two laps around the park. I ran about one and a half. Next we did some wall sits, pushups, climb ups... more jumping jacks, jump rope, lunges. Gosh. I'm pooped! And my abs are killing me.
I'm pretty pumped, even though this is totally going to kick my ass. The trainer did a body composition test first.. with one of those pinchy things. I'm at 25.5% body fat. Which is just above the average, but well above what's considered to be ideal.
Tomorrow's yoga. Umm.. yah. We'll see how that goes. Bet J topples over at least six times. Taking at least one other person out with her (hi).
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Low-flying planes
Ok, I know it's been a couple of weeks since the "OMG! There's a plane in Manhattan" debauchery. But, it's still on the news. So, I'm going to talk about it.
One simple question: Doesn't the government have access to Photoshop? Because, by paying some designer (actually an intern would do it for free), you could save 300K and get 30 images of AirForce One flying over NYC. Or, the Taj Mahal, or the Eiffel Tower, or Mars!
God, I'd do it for $20. Or an iced coffee. What morons.
And that, my good people, is why I'd make a great president. Although, I really don't care about alot of stuff. And I'm kinda lazy. Also, terrible at geography. I didn't *know* where Pennsylvania was until I actually drove there myself. (I grew up in NY.)
One simple question: Doesn't the government have access to Photoshop? Because, by paying some designer (actually an intern would do it for free), you could save 300K and get 30 images of AirForce One flying over NYC. Or, the Taj Mahal, or the Eiffel Tower, or Mars!
God, I'd do it for $20. Or an iced coffee. What morons.
And that, my good people, is why I'd make a great president. Although, I really don't care about alot of stuff. And I'm kinda lazy. Also, terrible at geography. I didn't *know* where Pennsylvania was until I actually drove there myself. (I grew up in NY.)
Sunday, April 12, 2009
..at least I can communicate w/ customer service reps now
I think that I've come a long way.
My friend, Cesca's father passed away this week. She has every right to flip out. She was a thirteen hour plane ride away when it happened, and needed to get back home. During travel arrangements things got sticky a couple of times. She told me later that she "flipped out like you before the therapy."
That's pretty sad. I can say that at least I've figured out some of that. My anger and short fuse were the demise of my relationship. And probably the biggest obstacle I've faced throughout my whole life. I've been the thing that's held me back and made me unhappy....and miserable in the past.
After Lee and I broke up, I immediately started seeing a therapist. The trigger? Lee told me that he couldn't bring kids into the hostile environment that I created. To hear that, so clearly, so directly, from the man I thought I was going to marry... well, that shook me hard. That made me snap the fuck out of my pitiful being.
There's not a day that goes by that I don't blame myself for losing that. But, I also feel that I spent twenty six years throwing tantrums. And that I sorta deserved to be punished for my actions. I'm still being punished.
I look at everything differently. It's like a switch went off in my head as I pulled out of his parking lot with my car filled to the brim with three years worth of stuff left behind. With my bike strapped to the trunk. With my towels and tooth brush and pajamas and shoes and laundry and movies and books and life. I knew instantly that I had to change. And I have.
I can't get angry over stupid menial things any more. In fact, it's funny, I can't say I've really been angry at all since the break up. That's strange for me to say since I spent nearly every day of my life prior to that awful day in August, yelling and stomping about something.
God. If only I had been smart enough to fix myself before losing him.
My friend, Cesca's father passed away this week. She has every right to flip out. She was a thirteen hour plane ride away when it happened, and needed to get back home. During travel arrangements things got sticky a couple of times. She told me later that she "flipped out like you before the therapy."
That's pretty sad. I can say that at least I've figured out some of that. My anger and short fuse were the demise of my relationship. And probably the biggest obstacle I've faced throughout my whole life. I've been the thing that's held me back and made me unhappy....and miserable in the past.
After Lee and I broke up, I immediately started seeing a therapist. The trigger? Lee told me that he couldn't bring kids into the hostile environment that I created. To hear that, so clearly, so directly, from the man I thought I was going to marry... well, that shook me hard. That made me snap the fuck out of my pitiful being.
There's not a day that goes by that I don't blame myself for losing that. But, I also feel that I spent twenty six years throwing tantrums. And that I sorta deserved to be punished for my actions. I'm still being punished.
I look at everything differently. It's like a switch went off in my head as I pulled out of his parking lot with my car filled to the brim with three years worth of stuff left behind. With my bike strapped to the trunk. With my towels and tooth brush and pajamas and shoes and laundry and movies and books and life. I knew instantly that I had to change. And I have.
I can't get angry over stupid menial things any more. In fact, it's funny, I can't say I've really been angry at all since the break up. That's strange for me to say since I spent nearly every day of my life prior to that awful day in August, yelling and stomping about something.
God. If only I had been smart enough to fix myself before losing him.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Turn Your Head and Cough
Well. It's official. I just opened my Amazon package containing my TEAS study guide. The TEAS is way less fun that the name suggests. It's the nursing school entrance exam. It tests you on some weird crap. Apparently, it's mostly a general aptitude test that includes reading comprehension, language, math and basic science. But, I've run across some practice questions that are just ridiculous. But, whatever. I've gotta do it.
I am often asked about what brought this major career switch to the forefront. I'm currently in marketing. I always assumed I'd have an MBA before I turned 30. I'm 27 and I have zero desire to continue on in the corporate office environment. I feel it's slowly killing me. And, I like my current job.
The school I went to required six months of classroom study and six months of internships each year. So, upon graduating I had about two years of office experience. (Part of that was spent bartending, but we don't talk about that.) During that time I did have some beneficial experiences as well. I spent six months at an advertising agency in downtown boston and six months at a major media company. Working at the giant company as a menial peon made me angry. I guess I think I'm important. I don't like office politics. I don't kiss ass. I don't call my co-workers "Mr." or "Ms." because it's ridiculous.
I don't like that at the end of the day, leaving the office, I felt like I had no impact in anything. I don't like that I worked there fore $8 an hour, while the ads and programs I scheduled made billions for the C-level staff.
After college, I changed my focus. Instead of running to the nearest ad agency or media company, I chose to work for a national charitable organization doing PR and marketing. But guess what. A desk's a desk. Shortly after starting, I realized that I was wasting my early 20's sitting in front of a computer, teaching others how to use Excel, and walking on eggshells. I was given constant "professional development" advice from some people who had the worst business sense and ass-kissery I'd ever encountered. I was told I couldn't speak directly to my SVP. What?
While my press releases and instruction manuals did, eventually, lead down a long windy road that resulted in providing charitable aid to people, it was difficult to "feel" that I was having an impact. And, with that missing, I learned that that's what I was craving.
It's funny. I went to a great school for careers in the healthcare sector. Of course, I had no interest in that back then. Now, I'm rushing around, going to night school at a community college to obtain the necessary prerequisites for entry into one of several mediocre Associates degree programs that cater to evening and weekend schedule needs. All in all, it's going to take me longer to complete an AS than it did to complete my BS plus two years of internships.
Regardless of how much effort it will take, I am happy to be doing some hard work in a totally foreign field to achieve an actual goal. Plus, I get to wear a white lab coat.
I am often asked about what brought this major career switch to the forefront. I'm currently in marketing. I always assumed I'd have an MBA before I turned 30. I'm 27 and I have zero desire to continue on in the corporate office environment. I feel it's slowly killing me. And, I like my current job.
The school I went to required six months of classroom study and six months of internships each year. So, upon graduating I had about two years of office experience. (Part of that was spent bartending, but we don't talk about that.) During that time I did have some beneficial experiences as well. I spent six months at an advertising agency in downtown boston and six months at a major media company. Working at the giant company as a menial peon made me angry. I guess I think I'm important. I don't like office politics. I don't kiss ass. I don't call my co-workers "Mr." or "Ms." because it's ridiculous.
I don't like that at the end of the day, leaving the office, I felt like I had no impact in anything. I don't like that I worked there fore $8 an hour, while the ads and programs I scheduled made billions for the C-level staff.
After college, I changed my focus. Instead of running to the nearest ad agency or media company, I chose to work for a national charitable organization doing PR and marketing. But guess what. A desk's a desk. Shortly after starting, I realized that I was wasting my early 20's sitting in front of a computer, teaching others how to use Excel, and walking on eggshells. I was given constant "professional development" advice from some people who had the worst business sense and ass-kissery I'd ever encountered. I was told I couldn't speak directly to my SVP. What?
While my press releases and instruction manuals did, eventually, lead down a long windy road that resulted in providing charitable aid to people, it was difficult to "feel" that I was having an impact. And, with that missing, I learned that that's what I was craving.
It's funny. I went to a great school for careers in the healthcare sector. Of course, I had no interest in that back then. Now, I'm rushing around, going to night school at a community college to obtain the necessary prerequisites for entry into one of several mediocre Associates degree programs that cater to evening and weekend schedule needs. All in all, it's going to take me longer to complete an AS than it did to complete my BS plus two years of internships.
Regardless of how much effort it will take, I am happy to be doing some hard work in a totally foreign field to achieve an actual goal. Plus, I get to wear a white lab coat.
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