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Wednesday, June 15, 2011
A Moment in the Sun.
Like the spiders that hang from the ceiling of my guest house, I swing back and forth in the air, trying to relax as I hang from the rope that is keeping me from falling 60 feet to the rocks below. I manuever myself to avoid banging into the tree that grows from the side of the mountain. It is my first attempt at rock climbing and I am going to get to the top if it kills me. This is what I am thinking at that very moment. Because after attempt number four to swing my leg to the next notch available, I am starting to get frustrated. My new friends below have already shimmied up a couple of different rock faces and here I am, swinging in the air, having fallen. Again. The sun is hot and the rocks feel like they are melting my fingertips. Only ten more feet and I'll hit the ring that signifies my success. Sweaty sunscreen trickles down my face, stinging my eyes. I am going to do this if it fucking kills me. The thoughts of anger and frustration run through my mind. Tapes that had started to feel unfamiliar come back more easily than I would like them to, creating cobwebs in my brain. I am tangled, trying to fight through to the positivity that seems to be winning over these days. With another curse under my breath, I gather up every ounce of strength and grip on to the small slippery ledge I have available to me. I heave my leg up and it catches. Oh my God! I did it! I am up to the top in a few short motions. I bounce off the side of the mountain as I work my way down. I think to myself, with a bit of self- satisfaction, It's about time I left the web weaving to the experts...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The North
Since my last entry, I've explored Chiang Mai where I went to a cooking class, learned how to make curry paste, pad thai, tum yum goong, and most importantly mango with sticky rice (get excited friends!)
I went to a jazz club with a friend of a friend the next night, listened to some incredible music and was surrounded by people who filled the room with the most contagious positive energy. I smiled so much my face hurt by the end of the night.
I then moved on to Pai for a couple of days-- definitely NOT enough time in case you were wondering-- and met a couple of people with whom I shared some great conversation(a rarity in travel companions.) We spent our days riding through Northern Thailand on motorbikes, watching the countryside pass by as we rode our way up to the Coffin Caves in Supong. Up until that point, I had never seen scenery so beautiful... Hugging the curves of mountain after mountain, we prayed for large rickety trucks filled with people to avoid hitting us as they flew past. I went solo to the waterfalls, trying to beat the setting of the sun. I watched it sink behind the huge fluffy clouds that looked almost cartoonish while people on the side of the road called out offering opium. You know, just in case I was interested... (for the record, I was not.) When I finally reached the waterfalls though, the fear of being stuck on a motorbike I wasn't super familiar with riding, particularly on a dirt road in the dark, dissapated. I jumped in the waterfall and swam around, the water cold, but envigorating.
I was sad to leave Pai, but Chiang Mai beckoned with the prospects of meeting my friend and finally staying in a hotel that didn't have blood stains and gecko poo on the bed. Who knew that my standards had dropped so significantly?? Toilet paper AND soap?? SIGN ME UP! We spent our time wandering around the city, exploring temples,
pushing our way through crowds and trying out random but delicious street foods. Taking chances with some interesting chip flavors (teriakyi chicken and sweet basil anyone?) and Archa, the PBR of Thai beers, we escaped the frequent downpours and watched some questionable (at best) Thai TV.
Saying our goodbyes at the end of the weekend as I moved on to Ko Phi Phi and he to Laos felt bittersweet as it often does with many of the people I have met along the way, but I suppose that is a post for another time. This has already gotten pretty long and my Internet time is running up. Until next time...
I went to a jazz club with a friend of a friend the next night, listened to some incredible music and was surrounded by people who filled the room with the most contagious positive energy. I smiled so much my face hurt by the end of the night.
I then moved on to Pai for a couple of days-- definitely NOT enough time in case you were wondering-- and met a couple of people with whom I shared some great conversation(a rarity in travel companions.) We spent our days riding through Northern Thailand on motorbikes, watching the countryside pass by as we rode our way up to the Coffin Caves in Supong. Up until that point, I had never seen scenery so beautiful... Hugging the curves of mountain after mountain, we prayed for large rickety trucks filled with people to avoid hitting us as they flew past. I went solo to the waterfalls, trying to beat the setting of the sun. I watched it sink behind the huge fluffy clouds that looked almost cartoonish while people on the side of the road called out offering opium. You know, just in case I was interested... (for the record, I was not.) When I finally reached the waterfalls though, the fear of being stuck on a motorbike I wasn't super familiar with riding, particularly on a dirt road in the dark, dissapated. I jumped in the waterfall and swam around, the water cold, but envigorating.
I was sad to leave Pai, but Chiang Mai beckoned with the prospects of meeting my friend and finally staying in a hotel that didn't have blood stains and gecko poo on the bed. Who knew that my standards had dropped so significantly?? Toilet paper AND soap?? SIGN ME UP! We spent our time wandering around the city, exploring temples,
pushing our way through crowds and trying out random but delicious street foods. Taking chances with some interesting chip flavors (teriakyi chicken and sweet basil anyone?) and Archa, the PBR of Thai beers, we escaped the frequent downpours and watched some questionable (at best) Thai TV.
Saying our goodbyes at the end of the weekend as I moved on to Ko Phi Phi and he to Laos felt bittersweet as it often does with many of the people I have met along the way, but I suppose that is a post for another time. This has already gotten pretty long and my Internet time is running up. Until next time...
Sunday, May 29, 2011
A Little Lonely...
The one thing I had really been nervous about prior to leaving for this trip was being by myself. Because being by myself would ultimately fuel a sense of loneliness, a feeling that I have never particularly been comfortable with. Thankfully though, since being in Thailand, there have been very few moments where loneliness has hit, but it is happening right now, as I am riding on the overnight bus to Chiang Mai, writing only by the light of my cell phone. After a couple of pretty spectacular days in Bangkok with friends, new and old (although I suppose in this case, "old" is somewhat relative) the feeling of being by myself is overwhelming and a little sad. I have a hard time not imagining them having experiences that I will not be a part of. I know that as I continue on my travels, I will also continue to meet new people and new friends. To me, these connections are what makes traveling such a transformative experience. In a way, it makes the world feel like a smaller place, and causes you to wonder how and why certain people come into your life. Take my friend Jon for example. During this trip, I've thought to myself on a number of occasions, that had I never met him in the first place, I may never have come on this trip. So did he come into my life for that reason? To help me feel compelled enough to leave my job and go to Thailand? Perhaps. Even if not, I am grateful for his presence, for helping me to not feel so alone on this trip and introducing me to his friends, who I think have done a great job of including me despite their prior close connections. And so we come full circle, back to this sense of loneliness that has subsided a bit in writing this post. Because I know that even as I sit here on the bus, in the dark, that not only are there are people out there who know me and love me, but also so many people I have yet to meet...
New Friends!
And Some Old...
New Friends!
And Some Old...
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Most Perfect Day
Alex, Jon and I rented motorbikes this morning so that we could get to Erawan Falls, a national park about an hour outside of Kanchanaburi. Riding on the back of Jon's bike, we passed jagged hills covered in green as we followed the River Kwai. We arrived at Erawan Falls and hiked up a series of 7 different falls, all of which you could swim in. The "fierce monkeys" swung above our heads and the tiny fish nipped our feet in the clear water below, but as we swam through the cave, all I could think of was how I could possibly put this amazing experience into words. We continued our hike to the top and all we could hear were thousands of beetles sounding like a collective group of deafening chainsaws and the ominous sound of thunder in the distance. Throughout it all though beauty surrounded us-- huge twisting vines coiled up on the ground and swinging from the massive trees, hidden waterfalls around every corner and butterflies in bright yellows and oranges fluttering silently throughout the jungle.
Heading back down our stomachs growled, but the threat of rain hung in the air so we quickened our pace and made out way back to the motorbikes.
On our ride back to Kanchanaburi, the rain hit. We had been planning on checking out the Bridge at the River Kwai at sunset but given the weather, it looked that that was not going to happen. Like millions of tiny pin pricks pelting every inch of exposed skin, I clutched on to Jon's waist in the hopes that we would not skid out and get a "Thai tattoo." Somehow though, despite the misery of being wet and freezing, flying through the Thai countryside in the rain was amazing. Sure, I could barely see through my sunglasses that were covered in water and most likely a dead bug or two, but the air smelled like a mix of grilled meat, fruit trees and firewood, and I felt alive... It wasn't until Alex rode up next to us though and shouted "Fuck the Bridge!" that I realized how tense I had been since the rain had started. She was stating the obvious and sitting at the stoplight, we laughed, almost deliriously, at the insanity of the last 45 minutes. We eventually made it back and rewarded ourselves with the spiciest bowl of noodle soup and a few more laughs at our own expense.
Quitting my job and going to Thailand= The BEST decision I've ever made.
Heading back down our stomachs growled, but the threat of rain hung in the air so we quickened our pace and made out way back to the motorbikes.
On our ride back to Kanchanaburi, the rain hit. We had been planning on checking out the Bridge at the River Kwai at sunset but given the weather, it looked that that was not going to happen. Like millions of tiny pin pricks pelting every inch of exposed skin, I clutched on to Jon's waist in the hopes that we would not skid out and get a "Thai tattoo." Somehow though, despite the misery of being wet and freezing, flying through the Thai countryside in the rain was amazing. Sure, I could barely see through my sunglasses that were covered in water and most likely a dead bug or two, but the air smelled like a mix of grilled meat, fruit trees and firewood, and I felt alive... It wasn't until Alex rode up next to us though and shouted "Fuck the Bridge!" that I realized how tense I had been since the rain had started. She was stating the obvious and sitting at the stoplight, we laughed, almost deliriously, at the insanity of the last 45 minutes. We eventually made it back and rewarded ourselves with the spiciest bowl of noodle soup and a few more laughs at our own expense.
Quitting my job and going to Thailand= The BEST decision I've ever made.
Monday, May 23, 2011
So Far...
I write this as I am laying in a hammock listening to the birds sing overhead. After a bumpy three hour trek to Kanchanaburi, laying here and feeling the warm air tangling my hair feels worth it. So much of this trip has been spent on cramped minibuses, only to be rewarded by amazing food and relaxation. It's such a welcome change to how I was feeling a little more than a week ago. Part of me doesn't even know what to do with myself though. I recognize the importance of being in the moment and appreciating this time I have, but the other part of me can't help but feel the familiar feeling of panic. Panic that I won't get to the beaches in the South or be able to experience Chiang Mai the way that I want to. I continue to tell myself that I know that's not true, but I can't help but wonder why I continuously live in this state of being. I mean, would it kill me to just lay here and take in the fact that I am Thailand?? I mean I'm in Thailand for God's sake. I am not working, I'm eating some of the most incredible food I've ever had (super spicy noodles at 2am?! Yes!), I'm drinking coconut water out of their shells on the beach while the waves are lapping at my feet and all I can think of is how I may not get to everything that I want to see. I haven't even gotten to see Bangkok yet. But you know what, I am going to try my best not to worry about it. Overall, I hope that what I can learn from this trip is how to relax and enjoy living in the moment. We'll see how I do but I'm off to go try. Dinner at the Night Market? Yum.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Just a Note
For those of you who are following my travels-- thanks!! I just wanted to let you know that pics will hopefully be coming soon, although I'm not entirely sure how I am going to upload them quite yet, as I didn't bring a computer... I'll figure that out in time though. Keep checking back for updates!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
A 13 Hour Flight Isn't So Bad...
unless you happen to be seated next to a Christian Baptist minister who wants to convert you...then a 13 hour trip is actually quite long. Especially if he gives you a pamphlet telling you that you should believe in Jesus Christ. After all, don't you want to go to heaven?! Good thing he laid off after about 10 minutes, cause it would have sucked if I happened to drink a lot of water and had to pee every hour on the hour...but I suppose that wouldn't have been very Christian of me...
Anyway, the following are thoughts from the plane:
The flight map, which is conveniently all in Japanese, shows me that we have almost reached Alaska, which means that we are about halfway through the flight. It is 4am in Bangkok, so I feel like I should probably be sleeping, but given the accommodations and the fact that I am pretty much curled up in the fetal position, I've been doing okay with actually being able to sleep. I'm glad I didn't opt for the aisle though, sleeping against a window is so much comfier...
Anyway, over the last six hours I've done the following:
--watched the movie "No Strings Attached" with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, which was surprisingly funny and pretty good.
--eaten a bagel (note to self, do not take malaria meds on an empty stomach--Feeling like you are going to vomit pre 13 hour flight,NOT cool) a granola bar, and soggy french toast that was not easily salvaged by a vat of maple syrup.
--contorted my body into odd shapes in an attempt to get in a "comfortable" position.
--watched an episode of 30 Rock that I've already seen.
--listened to "pop" music courtesy of American Airlines that made my ears bleed just a little... perhaps that's why I was doing the NY Times crossword and after staring at it for 10 minutes, I could only get one!! (where are you when I need you Sam?!) Seriously though, it was so hard...
Well, I am off to play a rousing game of Tetris. Hope this gets me through the next seven hours...
Okay, I'm back. Tetris did not get me through seven hours-- Christian dude is playing Tetris next to me, and man does he suck. I almost feel bad for him, he's on level zero and he's gotten a high score of 664. I mean it's sad, really. Anyway, moving on to more important things--we got a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, not too shabby--not picking the Japanese meal though? Bad idea. They got a choice of udon noodles or teriakyi chicken with rice. Also, I imagine I will see a lot of interesting things on my trip, but there is a dude sitting on the laps of the two guys in front of me. I am not mentioning this because it is guys on guys, more so because I can't imagine anyone sitting on top of me when there is about a foot and a half of space between me and the seat in front of me. I am getting uncomfortable just looking at them...
So the second half of my trip to Bangkok was far better--I slept for a good chunk of it, and I met a new friend! I think we are even going to meet up in Chiang Mai-- he is a documentary film maker and is doing volunteer work there for a few months. So cool...
Well, I'm off! I'll update more once I eat some delicious food :)
Anyway, the following are thoughts from the plane:
The flight map, which is conveniently all in Japanese, shows me that we have almost reached Alaska, which means that we are about halfway through the flight. It is 4am in Bangkok, so I feel like I should probably be sleeping, but given the accommodations and the fact that I am pretty much curled up in the fetal position, I've been doing okay with actually being able to sleep. I'm glad I didn't opt for the aisle though, sleeping against a window is so much comfier...
Anyway, over the last six hours I've done the following:
--watched the movie "No Strings Attached" with Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman, which was surprisingly funny and pretty good.
--eaten a bagel (note to self, do not take malaria meds on an empty stomach--Feeling like you are going to vomit pre 13 hour flight,NOT cool) a granola bar, and soggy french toast that was not easily salvaged by a vat of maple syrup.
--contorted my body into odd shapes in an attempt to get in a "comfortable" position.
--watched an episode of 30 Rock that I've already seen.
--listened to "pop" music courtesy of American Airlines that made my ears bleed just a little... perhaps that's why I was doing the NY Times crossword and after staring at it for 10 minutes, I could only get one!! (where are you when I need you Sam?!) Seriously though, it was so hard...
Well, I am off to play a rousing game of Tetris. Hope this gets me through the next seven hours...
Okay, I'm back. Tetris did not get me through seven hours-- Christian dude is playing Tetris next to me, and man does he suck. I almost feel bad for him, he's on level zero and he's gotten a high score of 664. I mean it's sad, really. Anyway, moving on to more important things--we got a ham and cheese sandwich for lunch, not too shabby--not picking the Japanese meal though? Bad idea. They got a choice of udon noodles or teriakyi chicken with rice. Also, I imagine I will see a lot of interesting things on my trip, but there is a dude sitting on the laps of the two guys in front of me. I am not mentioning this because it is guys on guys, more so because I can't imagine anyone sitting on top of me when there is about a foot and a half of space between me and the seat in front of me. I am getting uncomfortable just looking at them...
So the second half of my trip to Bangkok was far better--I slept for a good chunk of it, and I met a new friend! I think we are even going to meet up in Chiang Mai-- he is a documentary film maker and is doing volunteer work there for a few months. So cool...
Well, I'm off! I'll update more once I eat some delicious food :)
Friday, May 13, 2011
Changes?
It’s been a crazy week, but somehow I managed to make it through. The interview is over and I think I did okay. However, the job is in Ithaca... New York... Oh, did I not mention that yet? Yup. And the position is at Cornell, the college my mom used to drag me to every time she thought I needed a little motivation to do a little better in school or needed a place to show to her friends--"look everyone, we live near an Ivy League school, isn't it just so exciting?! I just hope that Joy goes there someday... oh no, I'm not picky, I'll take Princeton too." Okay, so maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but that's pretty much how I interpreted what she was saying. Anyway, now that I'm a little older though, I suppose I can at least give her the fact that Ithaca is also a very pretty town. It's a town though, and a small one at that, so needless to day, I’m not quite sure how I feel about it yet.
As I was walking through the sprawling campus with its redbud trees blooming with thousands of tiny purple flowers (no, I have no idea why the tree is called redbud either-- I think it's a conundrum that Cornell likes to pose to all of us silly common folk. I'm guessing the buds of the tree are red??) and looking out into the scenery, I seriously contemplated whether or not I could live there. It was beautiful right now, with a smattering of delicate purple petals floating through the air, but what about when those petals turn to snow and it's piercing your face like a million little icicles. Would I still like Ithaca then? When I am sitting alone in my apartment because I have no friends and only my pups and my computer to entertain me, am I going to be cursing the fact that I took this job to begin with? Okay, I know, I know. I am getting waaay ahead of myself. I haven't even gotten the job yet. My interview seat is probably still warm....perhaps it's a little too early to be worrying about all of this. But I'm starting to wonder if I should have even opened this door for myself in the first place, especially if I feel compelled to take it. It would be like my dream job... I get to work with Asians and in Higher Ed? For only 10 months a year? I mean I don't know that I can really think of anything better right now, well except if the job were in Boston or NYC (this is not what I meant when I wanted a job in New York, if you couldn't tell.) Anyway, I guess I can't sit around and worry about this, especially since I haven't even started packing yet, and I'm leaving in two days. So until I get that offer letter in the mail I guess all I can do is focus on Thailand, focus on Thailand, focus on Thailand....
Ithaca is Gorges...
As I was walking through the sprawling campus with its redbud trees blooming with thousands of tiny purple flowers (no, I have no idea why the tree is called redbud either-- I think it's a conundrum that Cornell likes to pose to all of us silly common folk. I'm guessing the buds of the tree are red??) and looking out into the scenery, I seriously contemplated whether or not I could live there. It was beautiful right now, with a smattering of delicate purple petals floating through the air, but what about when those petals turn to snow and it's piercing your face like a million little icicles. Would I still like Ithaca then? When I am sitting alone in my apartment because I have no friends and only my pups and my computer to entertain me, am I going to be cursing the fact that I took this job to begin with? Okay, I know, I know. I am getting waaay ahead of myself. I haven't even gotten the job yet. My interview seat is probably still warm....perhaps it's a little too early to be worrying about all of this. But I'm starting to wonder if I should have even opened this door for myself in the first place, especially if I feel compelled to take it. It would be like my dream job... I get to work with Asians and in Higher Ed? For only 10 months a year? I mean I don't know that I can really think of anything better right now, well except if the job were in Boston or NYC (this is not what I meant when I wanted a job in New York, if you couldn't tell.) Anyway, I guess I can't sit around and worry about this, especially since I haven't even started packing yet, and I'm leaving in two days. So until I get that offer letter in the mail I guess all I can do is focus on Thailand, focus on Thailand, focus on Thailand....
Ithaca is Gorges...
Monday, May 9, 2011
Insomnia
It's 4:30am and I haven't been able to sleep all night. Half awake, I'm aware that I'm grinding my teeth and flipping on my back and my side and my stomach. It's not that my bed is not comfortable. In fact, my sheets are soft and I can feel a little puppy head leaning against my foot. Biggie isn't supposed to be on my bed, but I generally make exceptions since I'm sleeping and can't feel him jump up anyway (or at least that's what I tell myself- the reality is, I'm too lazy to tell him to jump off, plus I kinda like it.)
Today marks exactly a week from which I am leaving. In fact, next Monday, I will probably be in the car on the way to the airport as of right this very moment. I haven't had a whole lot of time to think about my trip though. People keep asking if I am excited and whether or not I'm ready and the fact of the matter is that I am not. Things keep piling up on this side of the week-unnecessary meetings, and exciting interviews and goodbye dinners... While some of the things are good, and some are bad, every extra thing that I have to do feels like a thousand times the amount of the responsibility. I've learned a few things in the past few months though, as I've been packing in the hours trying to make money for this trip while trying to gain experience for this job that I'm interviewing for-- that as long as I have an end goal I can't pretty much make it through anything. There have definitely been a few moments, some time mid 12 hour day when I worked 12 hours the day before and was working on about 4 hours of sleep because I got called in during the overnight shift that I genuinely thought that I was going to totally lose it. I was going to just start crying and not be able to stop. But somehow, I have made it through. I have one week left. One week that is filled with paperwork, and packing, and prepping for this interview (no easy feat) and baking cookies and quiches (for Katie's bridal shower) and doing laundry, and driving home five hours Upstate only to drive back to Boston to leave the next day for New Jersey, trying to remember all the little things i have to do before I leave... I know it sounds like I am bitching. I know that I did this all to myself. I know that it will all be worth it when I am laying on a beach in Thailand. But there is a part of me that is scared; I am scared that I won't make it through this week and of this crazy trip that I am taking, and the fact that I won't have a job when I get back, and maybe I won't meet people or make any friends and my stuff will get lost, or I will have forgotten to bring something, or something will happen to me. Most of all, I'm scared that I'll be alone for six weeks and that I'll be missing events here in Boston--bbqs on Memorial day, concerts at the Hatch shell, walking through the public garden which is so very beautiful this time of year, drinking beers on a patio (my very favorite thing to do come summer time.) I guess it's just hard to see what's ahead of me right now, even though that is what has been pushing me through these last eight weeks of hell.
I am going to try to go back to bed now and get at least one hour of sleep, I have a long week ahead. Only a few more days left...
Today marks exactly a week from which I am leaving. In fact, next Monday, I will probably be in the car on the way to the airport as of right this very moment. I haven't had a whole lot of time to think about my trip though. People keep asking if I am excited and whether or not I'm ready and the fact of the matter is that I am not. Things keep piling up on this side of the week-unnecessary meetings, and exciting interviews and goodbye dinners... While some of the things are good, and some are bad, every extra thing that I have to do feels like a thousand times the amount of the responsibility. I've learned a few things in the past few months though, as I've been packing in the hours trying to make money for this trip while trying to gain experience for this job that I'm interviewing for-- that as long as I have an end goal I can't pretty much make it through anything. There have definitely been a few moments, some time mid 12 hour day when I worked 12 hours the day before and was working on about 4 hours of sleep because I got called in during the overnight shift that I genuinely thought that I was going to totally lose it. I was going to just start crying and not be able to stop. But somehow, I have made it through. I have one week left. One week that is filled with paperwork, and packing, and prepping for this interview (no easy feat) and baking cookies and quiches (for Katie's bridal shower) and doing laundry, and driving home five hours Upstate only to drive back to Boston to leave the next day for New Jersey, trying to remember all the little things i have to do before I leave... I know it sounds like I am bitching. I know that I did this all to myself. I know that it will all be worth it when I am laying on a beach in Thailand. But there is a part of me that is scared; I am scared that I won't make it through this week and of this crazy trip that I am taking, and the fact that I won't have a job when I get back, and maybe I won't meet people or make any friends and my stuff will get lost, or I will have forgotten to bring something, or something will happen to me. Most of all, I'm scared that I'll be alone for six weeks and that I'll be missing events here in Boston--bbqs on Memorial day, concerts at the Hatch shell, walking through the public garden which is so very beautiful this time of year, drinking beers on a patio (my very favorite thing to do come summer time.) I guess it's just hard to see what's ahead of me right now, even though that is what has been pushing me through these last eight weeks of hell.
I am going to try to go back to bed now and get at least one hour of sleep, I have a long week ahead. Only a few more days left...
Thursday, April 28, 2011
18 days
Today marks 18 days until I leave for Thailand and truthfully I am starting to freak out a bit. Not because I feel like I made a bad decision, but mostly because of all the things I have to do before I leave. My ability to empathize with friends who have been in similar scenarios is growing greater by the day. But I won't bore you with all the details of having to do paperwork and tie up loose ends. Instead, I will torture you (and myself for having to wait another month until I am able to indulge in this) with this video of Anthony Bourdain eating Banh Mi in Vietnam. Doesn't this look amazing??
And with the fried egg on top? I mean who doesn't love a good fried egg???
Soon Banh Mi, I will have you...
And with the fried egg on top? I mean who doesn't love a good fried egg???
Soon Banh Mi, I will have you...
Saturday, April 16, 2011
A Fresh Start?
Lately, I've been debating whether or not I want to keep this blog going during my trip to Southeast Asia or start a new one. On the one hand, anyone who wants to read my blog can read it...obviously, since it's hanging out there on the Internet and what not. On the other hand, do I want to be advertising it? Clearly my concern is mostly around the stuff I wrote last year. I mean sure I have been about as open as I can be about Tony and our breakup but do I want everyone who is reading my blog for the traveling piece of things to know about those feelings? I'm not quite sure. I'm guessing though that with everything else that is going on in my life at this very moment between wrapping things up at work and prepping for my trip, that when it comes right down to it, I will end up keeping this blog going out of sheer laziness. I will say though that at the very least this blog is evidence of how far I've come in the last couple of years (can you believe it's been that long?? It sure doesn't feel like it!!) And while there is something to be said for a fresh start, I know I've definitely come a long way in that time and maybe it's nice to have evidence of that transition....Pretty sure that this time last year I would not even have begun to consider actually going on a trip like this-- it's one of those things you talk about but never actually do, you know? But why not? What's stopping you? For me, it was an insecurity that I could do it, financially, job wise, logistics wise. But things have shifted, I've worked my ass off and as far as I'm concerned now, I totally deserve it. So exactly one month from today, off to Thailand I go!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
My Own Personal Cheering Squad
I'll be honest, when I made the decision to quit my job and go to Southeast Asia for 6 weeks, I anticipated a primarily negative response--something along the lines of how irresponsible that was going to be, how bad the economy is to leave my job at a time like this, and how dangerous it's going to be to go by myself, etc., etc. Perhaps it was my own insecurities playing out or perhaps I just didn't have a lot of faith in my friends and family (sorry guys!) but in my unavoidably negative state of mind, I assumed that most people would think that my decision was just plain ridiculous. However, in the last month, since officially putting in my resignation and announcing my plans to the world, I have gotten nothing but an outpouring of support and excitement on my behalf. The offers of advice around traveling to Thailand and Cambodia and Vietnam have been abundant and people I barely know have been beyond generous with their time and information. I can only hope that the response I have been getting will be representative of my experience to come.
Truthfully though, I feel as if I have never known people to be so kind as they have been in recent weeks. It's as if I have a whole new view of people in general. In reality I know that's not true, as I have had many people be kind to me over the years, but I think I may be in a different place these days--in a place where I feel that I can accept peoples' kindness, and maybe even deserve it. I can't pinpoint what has changed, all I can say is that I know something has. It's as if I have suddenly passed over into a new place in life. I've even gotten feedback that I seem "different..." and not in a bad way! So I'm gonna go with it and I'm gonna bring this new and "different" me to Southeast Asia with me. Anyway, for those of you who have been showing your never-ending support, thank you and stick around for new adventures to come in just a few short weeks! Eek!! (Yay!)
Truthfully though, I feel as if I have never known people to be so kind as they have been in recent weeks. It's as if I have a whole new view of people in general. In reality I know that's not true, as I have had many people be kind to me over the years, but I think I may be in a different place these days--in a place where I feel that I can accept peoples' kindness, and maybe even deserve it. I can't pinpoint what has changed, all I can say is that I know something has. It's as if I have suddenly passed over into a new place in life. I've even gotten feedback that I seem "different..." and not in a bad way! So I'm gonna go with it and I'm gonna bring this new and "different" me to Southeast Asia with me. Anyway, for those of you who have been showing your never-ending support, thank you and stick around for new adventures to come in just a few short weeks! Eek!! (Yay!)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Mexico Continued
More highlights from Mexico!
We celebrated St. Patty's Day the way we imagine the locals would:
We ate some delicious tacos with a sauce that deceivingly looked liked avocados, only to slather it on and realize that it caused a small firestorm in your mouth:
We went for a bike ride through the Mexican countryside:
We saw some amazing ruins:
In general, we just had an amazing time. The perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, good food and great friends! To sum it all up? This is pretty much how we felt the whole time:
VIVA MEXICO!
We celebrated St. Patty's Day the way we imagine the locals would:
We ate some delicious tacos with a sauce that deceivingly looked liked avocados, only to slather it on and realize that it caused a small firestorm in your mouth:
We went for a bike ride through the Mexican countryside:
We saw some amazing ruins:
In general, we just had an amazing time. The perfect mix of adventure, relaxation, good food and great friends! To sum it all up? This is pretty much how we felt the whole time:
VIVA MEXICO!
Thursday, March 24, 2011
The Best _______ Ever
My roommate Kate always makes fun of me for saying that things are the "best ever!" So I've now been limited to making such narrow statements as,"that was the best turkey and cheddar sandwich with granny smith apples I've ever had!" instead of "that was the best sandwich I've ever had" because in fact that may not have been the best sandwich I've ever had... especially since I probably just stated that I had the best sandwich ever the previous week. Anyway, after that lovely run-on sentence, I'm assuming you get the picture.
So as you know, last week I was in Mexico with my friend Leslie. We found an amazing deal on LivingSocial.com for a resort in the jungle and somewhat spontaneously, off we went to the backwoods of Mexico (you know, if Chetumal was the deep South.) FIve short hours after we landed in Cancun, we arrived with our rental car at the resort and proceeded to have the best Mexican vacation ever at the Explorean Kohunlich!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I had been concerned about the drive down to the resort, but it was totally fine. The only issue was came across were these pesky road bumps. Actually the road bumps were quite big and the sign to indicate them. Well... let's just say they looked less like a bump in the road and more like this:
So we started our trek down the the Explorean with a bang. Literally. Leslie went flying over one of those bumps and I'm pretty sure the front of the car was not happy with us. Thankfully the rental car company was less than precise in checking the car when we returned it. Needless to say, the rest of the trip consisted of me shouting "boobs!!" every time I saw that sign. You know, as an indication to slow down-- not because we are 12 year old boys and cracked up every time it happened.
After we finally got there though, nothing mattered, because we were at a place like this:
The next day we headed out on our first excursion, kayaking and swimming in a lagoon:
And every morning we were greeted by hot coffee, fresh orange juice and a small delicious house-made pastry of some sort. We were also greeted with one little random animal after another all searching for some crumbs:
Most importantly we met some amazing people! You know how I was worried that I wouldn't meet people during my trek through Southeast Asia? Well I am totally not worried about that anymore. We met some of the most awesome people on our trip to Mexico, that I'm pretty sure Thailand is going to be twice as awesome. They absolutely made the trip about ten times better than it would have been otherwise. We even met a couple from Boston and a guy who is going to be in Thailand the same time I am!
Our Family Portrait:
So, yes, it was the best Mexican vacation ever. Maybe not the best vacation I will ever have in my life ever, but for now, it's right up there. I'm guessing my trip to Southeast Asia will trump this trip about a thousand times over, but that is not a vacation, it is a life adventure and remains to be seen. Stay tuned...
So as you know, last week I was in Mexico with my friend Leslie. We found an amazing deal on LivingSocial.com for a resort in the jungle and somewhat spontaneously, off we went to the backwoods of Mexico (you know, if Chetumal was the deep South.) FIve short hours after we landed in Cancun, we arrived with our rental car at the resort and proceeded to have the best Mexican vacation ever at the Explorean Kohunlich!
As I mentioned in a previous post, I had been concerned about the drive down to the resort, but it was totally fine. The only issue was came across were these pesky road bumps. Actually the road bumps were quite big and the sign to indicate them. Well... let's just say they looked less like a bump in the road and more like this:
So we started our trek down the the Explorean with a bang. Literally. Leslie went flying over one of those bumps and I'm pretty sure the front of the car was not happy with us. Thankfully the rental car company was less than precise in checking the car when we returned it. Needless to say, the rest of the trip consisted of me shouting "boobs!!" every time I saw that sign. You know, as an indication to slow down-- not because we are 12 year old boys and cracked up every time it happened.
After we finally got there though, nothing mattered, because we were at a place like this:
The next day we headed out on our first excursion, kayaking and swimming in a lagoon:
And every morning we were greeted by hot coffee, fresh orange juice and a small delicious house-made pastry of some sort. We were also greeted with one little random animal after another all searching for some crumbs:
Most importantly we met some amazing people! You know how I was worried that I wouldn't meet people during my trek through Southeast Asia? Well I am totally not worried about that anymore. We met some of the most awesome people on our trip to Mexico, that I'm pretty sure Thailand is going to be twice as awesome. They absolutely made the trip about ten times better than it would have been otherwise. We even met a couple from Boston and a guy who is going to be in Thailand the same time I am!
Our Family Portrait:
So, yes, it was the best Mexican vacation ever. Maybe not the best vacation I will ever have in my life ever, but for now, it's right up there. I'm guessing my trip to Southeast Asia will trump this trip about a thousand times over, but that is not a vacation, it is a life adventure and remains to be seen. Stay tuned...
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Mexico, Here I Come!
As I may have mentioned in posts past, I have been working a lot lately. And by a lot, I mean like 60 something hrs a week, which pretty much makes me want to lose my mind. I keep telling myself that there is an end to the insanity, and quite a fabulous end at that (um, hello, Thailand!!!) Anyway, to keep my sanity in the meantime, my friend Leslie and I are heading to Mexico next Wednesday. We are staying at a resort in Chetumal which is a five hour drive away from Cancun. We are renting a car and driving down the coast, which I'm hoping is going to be safe. I'll be honest, the thought of getting car jacked or kidnapped is not appealing to me, but I suppose if we just don't stop along the way we'll be fine (note to self: do not drink anything before getting in the car.) Either way, I'm sure the end result will be well worth it:
Saturday, March 5, 2011
My New Life Plan, Part One.
I have a new life plan! My new life plan is that I am going to Southeast Asia for 6 weeks in June and then in September I'm moving to NYC. Okay, well maybe I'm moving to New York. It's all still a bit in the air. RIght now, I'm just trying hard to focus on the first part. It's amazing how many details need to be worked out when you decide to take a trip across the world. VIsas and dog sitters, and subletters, and what the hell I'm going to do about my job... Yeah, I haven't quite figured that out yet. However at this point I'm prepared to quit. I'd prefer not to, but sometimes it feels like it's my only option. Anyway, enough about that-- back to the fun stuff!! So Southeast Asia! This means I'm going to start in Thailand, move through Cambodia and leave from Vietnam. And can I be perfectly honest? Aside from all of the amazing and beautiful things I imagine I'm going to see there, the thing I am most excited about right now is the food. Are you surprised? You shouldn't be. Other than eating a lot though, I've got nothing. So far my plan is to purchase a ticket to Bangkok and book a hotel for the first night to sleep off the jet lag. After that, well, I'll be flyin' by the seat of my pants. It's exciting for sure, but also a bit nerve-wracking. The thought of being alone for all that time is not all that appealing to me as I am not really one who likes to be alone with my thoughts. In fact I prefer to avoid them. I recognize the irony in this being a social worker but it's true. I'm sure I will meet people along the way, but being by myself will certainly be interesting... Although I suppose as long as I'm here, I think I'll be okay:
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Shift.
I have been to New York City about a million times in my life. Okay, maybe not a million, but definitely quite a few. When I was little I used to go there with my mom for weekend trips regularly. Needless to say, I got to know Chinatown pretty well. As I got older, I was able to convince her to go to Manhattan on a couple of occasions, but the trips got more infrequent until at some point they just stopped. These days I've reduced my visits to a handful of times a year despite having more than a few friends living there. Pretty much every time I go though, I think to myself, why don't I live here?? And every time, I had a reason: I'm settled in Boston, I'm too scared to start somewhere else, my career and my connections are in Boston. I even thought that having a hairstylist that I liked in Boston was a good enough reason to stay!
However, when I went to New York this weekend with my friend Erika, I had a bit of a transformative experience. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure when it happened, but somewhere between Friday Night Live, the live demonstration of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy at the Albert Ellis Institute and being out in the Village until 5am meeting a bunch of random new people, I had a realization: I am doing okay. Yes, I realize it's not incredibly profound, but it means something. It means that for the first time in many, many, many years, perhaps even my entire lifetime, that I have felt like I am in a good place. Sure I am busting my ass and working a million hours a day, but it feels like I am getting somewhere, like I am working towards a goal and feeling pretty good about it. And yes, the dating process is a complete pain in the ass, but suddenly for some reason, I don't know that I care anymore. I'm not completely in denial. I can recognize that I'd like a relationship at some point, but I think I may have stopped obsessing about boys (for the time being.) What it comes down to though is that I have wonderful friends and a career that I like. I have fun when I'm not working, and I have two amazingly sweet and funny pups that still manage to love me unconditionally even though I don't take them for long enough walks. I live in a great city in an amazing location with a fantastic roommate and I'm in a good place financially. And if there is one thing that I have figured out in the last year and a half, it's that I'm a strong and capable and resilient person who has been through some really shitty stuff, but has managed to make it through somehow. For those of you out there who know me, I'm guessing you think that I have totally lost my mind. And for those of you who don't, I imagine you're thinking I sound awfully obnoxious right now, but believe me, it's taken me a hell of a long time to get here and I'm still not %100 sure about it all.
So basically the long-winded version of what I'm saying is that my reasons for staying in Boston now feel completely invalid but I now know I wasn't ready back then. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was a feeling of being stuck, but whatever it was, I think a shift may be in the process of occurring. Perhaps my time is done in Boston and I'm ready to move on. If I stay or go is yet to be seen (and largely dependent on whether or not I find a job out there) but I'm officially open to whatever comes my way...
Me and Erika at the beginning of the night at the Brooklyneer:
Me and our new friends at the end of the night at a random but delicious falafel stand:
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However, when I went to New York this weekend with my friend Erika, I had a bit of a transformative experience. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure when it happened, but somewhere between Friday Night Live, the live demonstration of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy at the Albert Ellis Institute and being out in the Village until 5am meeting a bunch of random new people, I had a realization: I am doing okay. Yes, I realize it's not incredibly profound, but it means something. It means that for the first time in many, many, many years, perhaps even my entire lifetime, that I have felt like I am in a good place. Sure I am busting my ass and working a million hours a day, but it feels like I am getting somewhere, like I am working towards a goal and feeling pretty good about it. And yes, the dating process is a complete pain in the ass, but suddenly for some reason, I don't know that I care anymore. I'm not completely in denial. I can recognize that I'd like a relationship at some point, but I think I may have stopped obsessing about boys (for the time being.) What it comes down to though is that I have wonderful friends and a career that I like. I have fun when I'm not working, and I have two amazingly sweet and funny pups that still manage to love me unconditionally even though I don't take them for long enough walks. I live in a great city in an amazing location with a fantastic roommate and I'm in a good place financially. And if there is one thing that I have figured out in the last year and a half, it's that I'm a strong and capable and resilient person who has been through some really shitty stuff, but has managed to make it through somehow. For those of you out there who know me, I'm guessing you think that I have totally lost my mind. And for those of you who don't, I imagine you're thinking I sound awfully obnoxious right now, but believe me, it's taken me a hell of a long time to get here and I'm still not %100 sure about it all.
So basically the long-winded version of what I'm saying is that my reasons for staying in Boston now feel completely invalid but I now know I wasn't ready back then. Maybe it was fear, maybe it was a feeling of being stuck, but whatever it was, I think a shift may be in the process of occurring. Perhaps my time is done in Boston and I'm ready to move on. If I stay or go is yet to be seen (and largely dependent on whether or not I find a job out there) but I'm officially open to whatever comes my way...
Me and Erika at the beginning of the night at the Brooklyneer:
Me and our new friends at the end of the night at a random but delicious falafel stand:
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Monday, February 21, 2011
Swanking It Up
I have recently lost the inability to sleep. I'm not exactly sure why but I think the fact that I have been totally overloading myself with work has definitely contributed to it. It's not like I am laying there with my mind racing, it's somewhere a little closer to feeling like I can't breathe. Okay, maybe I am confusing that with my cold, but it's what I'm feeling right now, at 7:15 am on a Monday. Being up this early on a Monday is not abnormal for me, it's just that today is supposed to be a holiday, when I'm supposed to be relaxing and not thinking about work.
You know, I've never been like this before. I've never been someone who hasn't been able to leave my work at work, but apparently now, I'm someone who is worrying about how to get everything done in the time that I have to do it. Does that even make sense? I don't know anymore. What I do know is that part of my job is to push "self care" down my clients' throats, mostly because they forget to do it, or have so much going on in their crazy lives that they don't have time.
Unfortunately, I haven't exactly been practicing what I preach.
So in an effort to start, I bought a month long package (off of RueLaLa--awesome!!) at this amazing gym/spa by my apartment. And for the first time in about 6 months, I finally went back to working out. Disgusting, I know. Trust me I've felt pretty gross myself. But I'm turning things around, getting back to me, and I'm doing it here:
Pretty fancy right? I know, I am excited-- just in time for Mexico, 25 days and counting!
You know, I've never been like this before. I've never been someone who hasn't been able to leave my work at work, but apparently now, I'm someone who is worrying about how to get everything done in the time that I have to do it. Does that even make sense? I don't know anymore. What I do know is that part of my job is to push "self care" down my clients' throats, mostly because they forget to do it, or have so much going on in their crazy lives that they don't have time.
Unfortunately, I haven't exactly been practicing what I preach.
So in an effort to start, I bought a month long package (off of RueLaLa--awesome!!) at this amazing gym/spa by my apartment. And for the first time in about 6 months, I finally went back to working out. Disgusting, I know. Trust me I've felt pretty gross myself. But I'm turning things around, getting back to me, and I'm doing it here:
Pretty fancy right? I know, I am excited-- just in time for Mexico, 25 days and counting!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Dating Rocks!
I have been on an awful lot of dates lately, mostly boring, but some crazy. My friend Erika and I also found this fantastic movie making website. Put the two together and what do you have? An awesome movie of one of my crazy dates. Enjoy!
Friday, February 18, 2011
On Being Sick...and Soup.
So far 2011 can be summed up in a few short words: work, bad dates, work, mediocre dates, work and oh, a little more work. No need to take pity on me though, I have definitely brought it all upon myself-- partially because I like to keep busy for a variety of reasons and partially because I have been feeling the need to "put myself out there." Not exactly sure why, but as the new year rolled around I thought to myself, I need to meet more people. And so I did. I met so many people and went on so many dates that I am now officially burnt out.
I realized it on Valentine's Day when I started to get that tickle in the back of my throat. It was coming and I didn't know how to stop it. You guessed it, a cold, a full on head cold of mammoth proportions, one that started on Valentine's Day and has not let up since. The significance of Valentine's Day is really non-existant, aside from the fact that it is a day that represents love and the one person I have been forgetting to love this year is myself. A bit ironic isn't it? Since last year was the "Year of Joy?" Apparently, this year has started off being the year of everything/everyone but Joy. So I'm starting over. I'm abandoning on-line dating and I'm going to try to get back to myself. Starting with... feeling better. I am making myself this soup tomorrow and it is going to be yummy.
Avgolemono
adapted from a recipe by Cat Cora
1 (3 pound) free range chicken
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 leek, cleaned and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
2/3 cup aborio rice
3 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Directions
Place the chicken in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water, enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, skimming when necessary.
In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until clear. Set aside.
When chicken is cooked through, remove from the broth. Let the chicken cool and pull the meat from the bones. Dice into large cubes. Set aside.
Add the onion, bay leaves, leek, and carrot to the broth and simmer for 1 hour. When finished, remove the carrot and leek from the broth and add the rice. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium high to simmer until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 30 minutes. Add the chicken back into the broth. Add more water if needed.
In a small bowl beat the eggs and lemon juice together. Pour 2 cups of broth slowly into the bowl of egg and lemon, whisking continuously. Once all the broth is incorporated, add the mixture into the pot of chicken soup and stir to blend well throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
This image was stolen from someone else's blog. I chose it because it looks very similar to my soup and I used the same pot (except mine was blue)
I realized it on Valentine's Day when I started to get that tickle in the back of my throat. It was coming and I didn't know how to stop it. You guessed it, a cold, a full on head cold of mammoth proportions, one that started on Valentine's Day and has not let up since. The significance of Valentine's Day is really non-existant, aside from the fact that it is a day that represents love and the one person I have been forgetting to love this year is myself. A bit ironic isn't it? Since last year was the "Year of Joy?" Apparently, this year has started off being the year of everything/everyone but Joy. So I'm starting over. I'm abandoning on-line dating and I'm going to try to get back to myself. Starting with... feeling better. I am making myself this soup tomorrow and it is going to be yummy.
Avgolemono
adapted from a recipe by Cat Cora
1 (3 pound) free range chicken
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 leek, cleaned and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and quartered
2/3 cup aborio rice
3 large eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
Directions
Place the chicken in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water, enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, skimming when necessary.
In a separate pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until clear. Set aside.
When chicken is cooked through, remove from the broth. Let the chicken cool and pull the meat from the bones. Dice into large cubes. Set aside.
Add the onion, bay leaves, leek, and carrot to the broth and simmer for 1 hour. When finished, remove the carrot and leek from the broth and add the rice. Bring to a boil and then turn heat to medium high to simmer until the rice is cooked to al dente, about 30 minutes. Add the chicken back into the broth. Add more water if needed.
In a small bowl beat the eggs and lemon juice together. Pour 2 cups of broth slowly into the bowl of egg and lemon, whisking continuously. Once all the broth is incorporated, add the mixture into the pot of chicken soup and stir to blend well throughout. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
This image was stolen from someone else's blog. I chose it because it looks very similar to my soup and I used the same pot (except mine was blue)
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Year of Joy is Over
The Year of Joy has come to an end. And what a pretty good year it was... So good that I apparently forgot to keep blogging. Sorry about that everyone! At some point though I did feel as if I was writing about the same things over and over again. That despite all the good things that were happening, I managed to remain focused on the negative (so much for that resolution. Ha.) So in an effort to put 2010 in perspective, I stole this questionnaire from my friend Kendra (please keep in mind I can barely remember past December, so I may be missing stuff from the rest of the year-give or take a month):
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
A keg stand!
Bought a song off of Itunes (yes, I have just entered the 21st century)
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't believe I kept any of my new year's resolutions which were the following:
-to drink more water (definitely did not do)
-to cut myself a bit more slack (I gave this a valiant effort, although I don't think I ever really believed any of the things I told myself)
-floss more (this is my new year's resolution every year)
-set some goals for myself i.e 5 yr plan (I set goals for myself- see 101 things entry, but not a 5 yr plan)
-walk dogs every day for at least 30 mins (yeah... I am a bad puppy parent. This definitely did not happen)
-come up with a weekly meal plan and follow it (also did not happen)
Okay... so with that, you would think that I would not bother making resolutions again. But that's the one thing that I am consistent about. I make resolutions every year. Sure, they are usually the same every year but what the hell...
My resolutions for 2011 are:
-to drink at least 5 glasses of water a day (seriously, this is good for me. I usually don't drink any. Bad, very bad.)
-Floss at least once every weekday
-Do something active every day (whether thats going for a run, walking the dogs, taking a class...)
-Do at least one social activity a week where I am out meeting and actively engaging in conversation with a new person.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Um, yes. It felt like everyone was freaking pregnant. My lovely friends Sarah and Kendra and Kelly who all have very cute babies, a slew of people on Facebook and oh, yeah, Tony has a baby too.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my grandpa :(
5. What places did you visit?
Aruba, Cape Cod, NH, Maine, Colorado, NYC, The Jerz. I think that’s it...
What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Aside from more money? I would like to feel at peace with myself and where I am and the things/ people I have in my life.
What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 28, 2010: the date I was supposed to get married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
31 days of yoga in the 31 days of January
Umm... drinking a lot? I don't know that I really achieved much this year aside from having a lot of fun....
I got a few part-time jobs that I was super happy with and think will help me on my path towards a better career (let's hope!!)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Oh God... I consider everything a failure, but in an effort to be realistic, to be honest, I don't know. I must be awesome at everything!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no, thankfully
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My computer.
Oh! and my favorite cardigan ever-- pretty much every time I wear it, I wish I bought one in every color.
Oooh and my bed. I love my bed.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Biggie's!! He is no longer living in his crate and he has reduced his barking significantly. So proud :)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Definitely Tony's, 100%, and sometimes my own.
14. Where did most of your money go?
My wonderful student loans, rent, and restaurants. I went out to eat, a lot.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Talking about Cape weekend
My birthday party
Going to Colorado to see my Bestie Erin
All the exciting news my friends' had to share-engagements and weddings and babies, oh my!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Hmmm... not sure. Will have to think on that. Maybe Dog Days by Florence and the Machine-- yes, that one.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter
c) richer or poorer? richer
Two outta three ain't bad...
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I had worked a harder to be a little more positive and aware of my actions
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I had eaten less... actually let me rephrase: I wish I had engaged in a little less emotional eating.
20. How will you spend Christmas?
I spent it with my family in New Jersey
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
If I was 22 I probably easily could have, but I’m 30 and trying to be a little more judicious with my emotions these days, not to mention a little more realistic with the long term potential of relationships. That may be another achievement actually.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee! Gossip Girl.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't think so...
24. What was the best book you read?
Ugh I wish I read more books... I read The Help though which I really liked
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Parenthood Soundtrack
26. What did you want and get?
College counseling experience
27. What did you want and not get?
Okay, I don't want to say a boy, but I'm going to say it: a boy. Ugh, is it terrible that I am a little disgusted that I just admitted that?
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Oh, I loved Easy A. So hilarious.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was the big 3-0. I had a party at a bar and acted like a 22 year old. Good times :)
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Had I accomplished more than 31 in 31
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
generally classic with lots of scarves and/or bikinis depending on the weather.
32. What kept you sane?
Oh without a doubt- my friends!!
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Did I "fancy" the most? Um... I'm not sure.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I will not say that I don't care about politics, because I do, but not enough to remember anything that stirred me in particular this year.
35. Whom did you miss?
All of my dear friends who moved away :(
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Well technically I met Erika in 2009 but we didn't really become friends until this year. Definitely the best, if not the most fun person that I've met.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
That I need to fill my life with more fun, less sadness, and hopefully I'll manage to figure out the stuff in between.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything will be just fine, everything will be alright."
Quite a step up from 2009, which was "I wanna be sedated"
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
A keg stand!
Bought a song off of Itunes (yes, I have just entered the 21st century)
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't believe I kept any of my new year's resolutions which were the following:
-to drink more water (definitely did not do)
-to cut myself a bit more slack (I gave this a valiant effort, although I don't think I ever really believed any of the things I told myself)
-floss more (this is my new year's resolution every year)
-set some goals for myself i.e 5 yr plan (I set goals for myself- see 101 things entry, but not a 5 yr plan)
-walk dogs every day for at least 30 mins (yeah... I am a bad puppy parent. This definitely did not happen)
-come up with a weekly meal plan and follow it (also did not happen)
Okay... so with that, you would think that I would not bother making resolutions again. But that's the one thing that I am consistent about. I make resolutions every year. Sure, they are usually the same every year but what the hell...
My resolutions for 2011 are:
-to drink at least 5 glasses of water a day (seriously, this is good for me. I usually don't drink any. Bad, very bad.)
-Floss at least once every weekday
-Do something active every day (whether thats going for a run, walking the dogs, taking a class...)
-Do at least one social activity a week where I am out meeting and actively engaging in conversation with a new person.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Um, yes. It felt like everyone was freaking pregnant. My lovely friends Sarah and Kendra and Kelly who all have very cute babies, a slew of people on Facebook and oh, yeah, Tony has a baby too.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my grandpa :(
5. What places did you visit?
Aruba, Cape Cod, NH, Maine, Colorado, NYC, The Jerz. I think that’s it...
What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Aside from more money? I would like to feel at peace with myself and where I am and the things/ people I have in my life.
What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 28, 2010: the date I was supposed to get married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
31 days of yoga in the 31 days of January
Umm... drinking a lot? I don't know that I really achieved much this year aside from having a lot of fun....
I got a few part-time jobs that I was super happy with and think will help me on my path towards a better career (let's hope!!)
9. What was your biggest failure?
Oh God... I consider everything a failure, but in an effort to be realistic, to be honest, I don't know. I must be awesome at everything!
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no, thankfully
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My computer.
Oh! and my favorite cardigan ever-- pretty much every time I wear it, I wish I bought one in every color.
Oooh and my bed. I love my bed.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Biggie's!! He is no longer living in his crate and he has reduced his barking significantly. So proud :)
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Definitely Tony's, 100%, and sometimes my own.
14. Where did most of your money go?
My wonderful student loans, rent, and restaurants. I went out to eat, a lot.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Talking about Cape weekend
My birthday party
Going to Colorado to see my Bestie Erin
All the exciting news my friends' had to share-engagements and weddings and babies, oh my!!
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Hmmm... not sure. Will have to think on that. Maybe Dog Days by Florence and the Machine-- yes, that one.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter
c) richer or poorer? richer
Two outta three ain't bad...
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I had worked a harder to be a little more positive and aware of my actions
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wish I had eaten less... actually let me rephrase: I wish I had engaged in a little less emotional eating.
20. How will you spend Christmas?
I spent it with my family in New Jersey
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
If I was 22 I probably easily could have, but I’m 30 and trying to be a little more judicious with my emotions these days, not to mention a little more realistic with the long term potential of relationships. That may be another achievement actually.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Glee! Gossip Girl.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I don't think so...
24. What was the best book you read?
Ugh I wish I read more books... I read The Help though which I really liked
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Parenthood Soundtrack
26. What did you want and get?
College counseling experience
27. What did you want and not get?
Okay, I don't want to say a boy, but I'm going to say it: a boy. Ugh, is it terrible that I am a little disgusted that I just admitted that?
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Oh, I loved Easy A. So hilarious.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was the big 3-0. I had a party at a bar and acted like a 22 year old. Good times :)
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Had I accomplished more than 31 in 31
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
generally classic with lots of scarves and/or bikinis depending on the weather.
32. What kept you sane?
Oh without a doubt- my friends!!
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Did I "fancy" the most? Um... I'm not sure.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I will not say that I don't care about politics, because I do, but not enough to remember anything that stirred me in particular this year.
35. Whom did you miss?
All of my dear friends who moved away :(
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Well technically I met Erika in 2009 but we didn't really become friends until this year. Definitely the best, if not the most fun person that I've met.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
That I need to fill my life with more fun, less sadness, and hopefully I'll manage to figure out the stuff in between.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"It just takes some time, little girl you're in the middle of the ride.
Everything will be just fine, everything will be alright."
Quite a step up from 2009, which was "I wanna be sedated"
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