I Love Tomorrow

A friend of mine said that to me recently. He was referring to the literal sense of tomorrow, but for a brief second i misread the meaning of the sentence. Instead it read as more like the love of the promise of tomorrow, the future, the unknown, etc. It had and has such a positive outlook. I don't know. I realize I misread it, which is pretty amazing as it is a very simple statement with a very direct meaning. Even so, reflecting on the meaning I attached has made me really love the way it sounds. Must have been thinking about that sort of stuff at the time.

Singin', Laughin', Dancin'

Today was a day that could have had more of that, had it not been for the rain. When I walked out my doors today I thought - given the distance we have to walk with the kids from subway to theater, I bet they are going to cancel it. But in case they didn't, given the weather, they are definitely going to need the help with all of the kids.

Ultimately, it was cancelled, and I cannot make it to when it is being rescheduled. Bummer.

On the upside, one of the kids who left the program in the fall came back last week and today was the first day I got to see him. He was definitely a kid I connected with early on, and was pretty bummed when he left the school. Realizing I had only been at the school for about a month and a half or so before he left, I figured he wouldn't remember me. It has been 5 months since, and he is only four.

Wrong. He came right up to me, remembered my name (more than some of the kids who see me every week) and wanted to tell me all about his new house which is 'out of town'. It was awesome.

That is coupled with two quotes that totally remind me of why I love being there:
#1
Teacher: I am thinking of a number between 1 and 5 and whoever guesses it first can put a picture up on the board.
Kid 1: 5
Kid 2: 6
Kid 3: Iguana!
#2
Teacher: We are going to go around the room and say what our favorite season is.
Kid 1: Summer
Kid 2: I love everything
Teacher: But which season do you like the most?
Kid 2: But I like them all, I love everything.

Field Trip

Tomorrow we are going to see How To Train Your Dragon. I am really excited because field trips with the kids are a blast. In addition, I wanted to see this movie.

What a great way to start Easter Break.

A Sign

I get a lot of junk mail. Some of it is not even junk, but it is mail I don't always feel like reading. I asked for emails from Borders and Barnes and Noble because I get discounts that way. I don't always want a new book so most of the time I skip over those emails. Today, by chance, a 40% off any one item, in store only, today only, coupon caught my attention. I had a meeting at 6 but if I could get on a Ram Van by 8 I could make it to Borders before they closed at 9 and pick something up.

I recently read the first 12 issues (Book 1) of the Walking Dead series and loved it. I actually read it all in one sitting. I found out there is a compendium that actually has the first 48 issues in it. While I would be paying for the first 12 in that compendium, of which I have already read, buying Books 2-4 would be more expensive. At 60 dollars, I wasn't jumping to buy it, but with the discount it would only be about 35 dollars. That's a bargain, and worth the quick trip.

I got to Borders in time and found the Graphic Novel section and as I turned the corner to walk towards it, on the ground in front of me was the next book in the series. It seemed to be a sign. It not only pointed me in the direction of where the shelf was that held the series, but it was also a sign that they carried them.

Unfortunately, that is where the signs ended. They had sold the last copy of the compendium the day before. Why not check if it was available before making the trip? Well, I did request the book to be reserved on Borders.com. The catch is, they email you to tell you if there is a book to reserve. I never got an email, which doesn't mean there was no book, it just means they are slow. In addition, I decided the coupon was only good for one day and there were other books I had considered before, or been told to read by friends that I could get instead.

So the trip was not a complete waste. Actually, the employee who helped me is a fan of the series as well and turned me onto another series by the same author that has been running simultaneously. So I picked up the first book of that series, which I am eager to start.

Catch A Llama

Some lyrics were meant to be misheard.

It's not about the destination

It's about the journey.

That is the mindset I have adopted from my friend, Warren, about trips into the city. Needing a goal, an errand, a destination to spend time in the city is silly. Instead, the time spent in the city leading up to that goal, if there is one, is worth it in it of itself. Tonight I went into the city with him and my friend Kristen. I had a few loose goals: see if I can pick up a book at the library, and hunt down a Frame store to finally frame a print of a painting I purchased a few months ago. Warrens only goal was to get into the Mozart show at Lincoln Center.

All of this backfired. The library was closed by the time we got into the city, and they don't carry the novel at Barnes & Noble. The frame store was closed by the time we got to it, and the show was sold out. Nonetheless we were mobile from 5:15 to 10:15. Even though we accomplished none of our goals, we all still agreed we were happier to have made the trip than not.

This Is Where I Work

Well not literally. I don't work at the or for the subway. But if you were to take the subway to where I work, this is where you would take it to.

Movie Night: It's not that boring

It should be noted that even though this picture captures two people at tonight's movie night screening it is not a reflection of the movie. Tonight we watched Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Wes Anderson. The movie was really great. The people pictured below (yes there are 2, one is half under the table) brought the movie, and had seen it before.

How did we come to realize they were sleeping. The movie reached a quiet, speech-moment, and at the same time, Nate started snoring. Not so subtle.

Also, quickly, we found out today that we will not be playing at Senior Night. We went into today with the expectation of this outcome. It was about 80/20 that we were not going to play. The upside is that it seems as though this is not because of us, our music, or the idea of a live band, but the short notice that the student committee gave the faculty to make this decision. Despite telling us a few weeks ago that we were being considered, they did not bring the notion to the school until Monday. It was too little of a window, with other circumstances complicating the matter, and we're out. But, as I said, the reasons make it hopeful that we could play the next (last) one. Fingers Crossed.

Why The Big Pause?

I don't know what is better: those jokes that are so silly they sound like they originated on a popsicle stick or when you witness someone missing it.

Tonight my roommate performed in Fordham's Got Talent. He played In Your Atmosphere by John Mayer and did a damn good job. Really love the guitar work for that song. But, as in typical fashion, to start it off he told the crowd a joke first. He has actually told this joke before, but it's funny every time, and you laugh when everyone else who hasn't heard it laughs at the punch line.

But, after the laughter calmed and he prepared to start playing, I overheard a girl behind me say 'It's because he is a polar bear, get it, the paws?' which was followed by silence before that 'ohhh' you have heard before. This is a very simple joke, and one that really only works when it is told, and not read. But I have faith that anyone who is reading this is capable of understanding the punch line. Which is why, knowing someone did not catch the point of the joke made it even better.

Does anyone remember any of those popsicle style jokes? Here is one for you:

What did the lawyer name his daughter?

(answer below the picture)

Answer:

Sue

(Today's picture is of the church down the street from my apartment. There is something interesting about a church which is supposed to be a place of community and coming together being surrounded by barbed wire. I understand why it might be there, but the image still plays as ironic)

Forbidden As A Child

Remember those things you weren't allowed to do as a kid? There were always certain video games I was not allowed to play, certain music I couldn't listen to, television shows I couldn't watch, and food I couldn't eat.

My parents weren't in the more eccentric group of parents who keep their kids from any tv or only allow them wheat based products. They did, however, have some restrictions, growing up, that I still remember. I was never allowed to watch The Simpsons. Roseanne was another show not allowed in our house, as was Ren and Stimpy.

Cereal was another big one. We weren't allowed to have certain cereals as they were unhealthy. It's not like I grew up on shredded wheat and oatmeal. I ate my fair share of sugary cereals, but never the extreme ones. I was allowed Frosted Flakes and Kix, but what wasn't allowed was Lucky Charms and Count Chocula. A big one that we always begged for but could never have was Captain Crunch. That was the mother of all sugary cereals and was an absolute no. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, however, we won on. This was a cereal we initially were not allowed to have. It was on the 'no way, Jose' list. (Not a real list.) Somehow, we eventually were allowed to have it. I don't know if it was that we got older and were considered to be more able to handle it, or if they just figured if they let us have just one, we'd be satisfied. Anyway out, it was a victory, and I still love that cereal to this day.

Funny thing about cereal, ask anyone about it and I bet they have strong opinions about what cereals are the best. They might have a few they still buy now, like Frosted Flakes or Cheerios. But ask them about what they loved as a kid, mention a few brands and watch their eyes light up. Cereal has an instant connection for people to their childhood. It's pretty awesome.

Practicing

We had band practice today. I can almost 100% say that we are playing on Thursday and in a good time slot, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow for the second part of that one.

I am excited for the show, albeit a bit nervous. As far as I know, there has never been a band at senior night and so they're kind of going out on a limb letting us play this show. It was something we talked about last year, that maybe we would get the opportunity to do so. It was not as easy a task as once imagined, but now that it is only a few days from now, I can't wait.

I am going to be playing drums for a song, and that has me a bit nervous. I am capable of playing the song and keeping time. What I am more concerned about it hearing and the sticks. I don't know how the sound will be and I am worried I might not be able to hear the rest of the band. In addition, a few times in rehearsing the song today I dropped a stick. I am hoping that this does not happen on Thursday. I am more concerned about this than I am about singing any of the songs, or just singing at the event in general, and thats an accomplishment.

No matter how many times we play a song, I always come to practice with the lyrics sheet. Something about it, I could know the song very well, and could even sing it to you in any other situation, but come time to sing it as a band and sometimes I just blank. I also have a tendency to misplace said lyric sheets after practice, making my final act before leaving for a practice looking up most of the songs online and printing out lyrics sheets for them. I probably have hundreds of pages of lyrics at this point. I should get a folder.

Back to classes everyone!

( Note: We are not playing as TSRJ for this show. Instead, we are going to play as Carlos The Dwarf)

It Felt Like Two Days

Ever have one of those days that either has been so active or where the first half of your day and second are different enough that they feel like they could not have happened in the same day? Today was one of those days for me. Around 6 pm today I realized that events I thought occured yesterday were actually earlier this morning.

I was woken up by a phone call at 10:30 am. I ignored it, but the damage was done, I was awake. Then about 15 minutes later my roommates phone rings (which I can hear) and it's the same person who called me. I get out of bed and go to my computer to see an IM from another friend and I assume - people are trying to organize going out to breakfast.

I was wrong - the two things were unrelated (the IM and phone call) and the caller just wanted to get outside. I appreciate the outdoors (which you have come to realize) but at 10:30 I want to sleep.

Amongst several other things today, we grilled. Tonight after mentioning it casually earlier, I wanted to pursue my previous half-hearted offer to grill tonight. We picked up a table-top style charcoal grill from a friend and invited some friends over and had a little barbeque. We made chicken, hot dogs, and burgers on the grill as well as a pasta salad, house salad, and french fries. It was great. Next time - start earlier. We started grilling at 10 pm, and it was a bit dark and a bit cool, but great nonetheless.

I know it is March, but it felt like summer.

(This is what happens when you have one of those days. It's exhausting, and you're falling asleep before 6 pm.)

Bawiden

If you get a chance to, do yourself a favor and spend sometime, on a nice day, in Washington Square Park. Walk around a bit and check out some of the people performing there. Most of them are performing there, and not at home, because they want you to listen, so don't feel like you are intruding if you walk over to someone who is playing an instrument of some sort.

Today we watched a 5 piece doowop group doing songs like In The Jungle, under the arch. Next we saw an upright bass, but it was being put away and it turns out we had just missed a group performing. Not to worry, though, as we overheard a banjo and bass drum. As we walked around the fountain we found a man playing his banjo and singing while sitting on a brief case. The briefcase, which was positioned in a way that propped him up the highest, was also doubling as his bass drum. He had a bass drum pedal attached to it and was stomping on that with his heal (in reverse), thus hitting his briefcase, creating an audible tempo. There was a small crowd around him and we hung out for 4 or 5 songs before purchasing his cd. He was that enjoyable.

We came back later to find, and actually help a man with a piano (more rare in Washington Square park) by lifting it over the wall of, and carrying it down into the middle of the fountain area. He then teamed up with a bucket-drummer and a few dancers to put on a show for anyone who would watch, which turned out to be a lot people.

On our way ouch, under the arch, we once again found our banjo friend. He positioned himself under the arch with his back against one side. Standing on the other, the way the sound bounced around - his voice and banjo carried perfectly and it was really awesome.

So, if you get a chance, at some point you should really find some free time and head over there to take in some of the free, and usually entertaining, performances going on. This little square is quickly becoming my favorite place to spend time in the city.

An Amazing Album

So this past weekend my two sisters were here to visit, along with a very close friend of ours. We spent some time in the village and, because I cannot help myself, we stopped into a record shop. There are a few albums I listen to that just come off like they were meant to be played on vinyl. Records can be pretty damn pricey, though. Sometimes records sell for 35 to 40 bucks. And these are not limited prints either.

One album I have considered getting since having a turntable is Norah Jones' Come Away With Me. Unfortunately, whenever I see it in a store its listed for 30 dollars. Luck was on my side that day, as the store, which had maybe 40 vinyl total, had this record priced new at 12.99. No hesitation there.

If you have not listened to this album before, I suggest you do. Put it on when you have time to relax, or need to relax. Find somewhere to just sit, outside or inside, and put this album on. It'll do you some good.

Maybe I Am Getting To Be Redundant

This weather is amazing and spending it outside just makes coming home at the end of the day and getting in bed more satisfying. Today, I didn't actually make it outside until 4 but pretty much from then until about 30 minutes ago I was outdoors. Met up with some friends and played soccer for a bit. Returned home to take a quick shower and headed into the city.

We got into the city and walked. A Lot. We were dropped off at 59th and 8th. We walked from there to 65th and 1st. Which is a decent walk as avenue's are about 3.5 blocks each. After meeting some friends at a bar, we decided to head to meet other friends at 50th and 8th at a place called Blockheads. In route, however, we found out that they were already announcing last call and so we'd have to find somewhere else. That place would be on 50th and 10th - adding two more avenues to walk. So this walk was from 65th and 1st to 50th and 10th - basically the width of the island. After our night here we walked back to Rockefeller Center.

I'd say as much time was spent at the destinations as it was spent walking and that is fine by me. The fact that at 1 am I was walking around in the city with a light jacket, unzipped, and comfortable, even on the verge of warm, was awesome. It was so pleasant to be there.

Tomorrow I go to the daycare, and then heading into the city to hopefully check out Top of the Rock and maybe even dinner in Brooklyn. Excited about the school because its warm enough to start going outside with the kids again for their activity instead of arts and crafts.

How To Sum Up The Day

Today I was productive. I had a brief lapse where I considered not going through with it, but it passed and I am glad it did. I was able to get into the city, even on little sleep, and have an excellent breakfast at the Tick Tock Diner. I ordered the Captain Crunch French Toast. Never heard of such a thing, but it was great. After leaving Warren at 10 am, I headed west to the water and walked south along the path for awhile. Eventually I headed back north and made it to 42nd and 8th in just enough time to catch an early morning movie. Because of the lack of sleep and such I decided against Oscar nominated performance movies like An Education and A Single Man, seeing The Crazies instead for the adrenaline rush. The movie wasn't reinventing the wheel, but it wasn't attempting to, either, and I appreciated it a lot. I was actually surprised at the violence/gore in the movie. It, other than some blood spatter from gun shots, was not nearly as gory as most films of the genre. This is not to say it was dull. On the contrary, the movie was well paced in it's tension.

Anyway, from there I bought a book, called Lowboy, about a 16-year-old paranoid schizophrenic boy. I spent some time in the Times Square pedestrian zones reading it before heading to Jersey for some eats, malls (it's what they do best), Lost, and Cranium.

Tomorrow I plan to be outside but less mobile. Trying to get some more quality time in the sun and reading so I think I might head to Battery Park and sit for awhile, and read some more of this new book.

Picture today is a summary of the day. I took many pictures and most, if not all, were better quality, but this picture sums up what was most important about today, and what made it possible. (Note: no worries - this is actually just the sun, not an asteroid heading towards earth)

What A Mess!

Note: I had written this blog entry already when my iTunes froze. I quickly went to quit the application and accidentally quit Firefox instead thus closing and losing the post. I know it 'autosaves' these posts typically, but strangely I noticed there was an error trying to do so just before the mishap. Bummer.


You know, you would think that with me being the only one here for a week, it'd be easier to keep things in order. But ever since everyone left a few days ago, I have really dropped the ball. Everything I have worn is on the floor or somewhere else that isnt the laundry basket, dishes are in the sink, etc. Typically, when everyone is here, I am more on my game, but now when it is just one person to worry about I can't seem to get it together. Not sure what that is all about.

Getting up early tomorrow and getting breakfast with a friend at the Tick Tock Diner before heading into Jersey for the night. Hoping to be back by a decent hour on Wednesday and get some solid time in, in the city.

Happy Pi Day!

If I was truly nerdy I would have spent the day listening to the score of, or watching the movie Pi. Instead, I watched The Jerk for the first time. It was alright. I expected it to be funnier, but it didn't help that I was really tired watching it. Maybe I'll give it a second watch.

In other movie related news, friends of mine had gotten No Country For Old Men on Netflix. I am just going to paste the envelope plot summary below for you. Anyone who has seen the movie will note the very poor job here:

"A hunter stumbles upon a dead body, $2 million and a stash of heroin in the woods. He absconds with the cash, but the brutal thief, Anton Chigurh comes looking for it, with a local sheriff on his trail. The roles of hunter and prey blur as the violent pursuits of money and justice collide."

Just in case it has been awhile since you have seen this movie I will point out the problems. Llewelyn Moss is seen hunting in the opening of the movie but is not a 'hunter'. Secondly, the setting where Llewelyn comes across the bodies, drugs, and cash is not the woods - not even slightly. He is in the middle of the desert. There is 1 tree in the whole area, where the man with the money is found - he was most likely there seeking shelter from the hot sun which is problematic in the desert, not the woods. Next, Anton Chigurh is not a brutal thief. He is a contract killer or a gun for higher. He wants nothing of the money nor does he plan to steal it or con his way to get it. He very calmly follow leads in order to get the money to complete his end of the contract or bargain, killing anyone he has to, to do so. Yes he is brutal, but not even close to being a thief. Finally - the roles becoming blurred. I don't know about you - but when I watched this, Llewelyn was always the prey, and Chigurgh was always the hunter - no questions asked, no lines blurred.

I apologize for the rant, but for a movie like that that both won Best Picture, and is widely known, at least by title you'd think there would be a better or more accurate summary for it. I love Netflix and recommend it to anyone who likes movies, especially if he or she has a way of streaming to their TV, but this is lazy.

Just to clarify - I am not mad about this. I know with how it reads above it sounds like I am, but this is too silly of a thing to be mad about. I was more just baffled at this and wanted to share it.

Believe it!

It might be a little hokey, it might be pretty strange, but we found our entertainment for a few hours today in the Ripley's Believe It Or Not building in Manhattan, and we all enjoyed ourselves. One of the last things you can do there is a lazer room. Straight out of any spy movie, you enter a room and it is filled with green lasers that you have to maneuver through and reach the other side, press the yellow button and make your way back. Sure you aren't stealing the Declaration of Independence like Nic Cage would have hoped, but its a fun time. Based on time and number of wires you trip you receive a total score which everyone else with you can try to beat. It was just one part of the day but it was pretty cool, even if I sucked at it.

(todays picture is of good old frank. But look closer and it becomes apparent that this picture is made entirely of butterfly wings - courtesy of Ripley).

Ignore The Weather

Sometimes you just have to forgo. Today, my sisters and a close friend came to visit. They are here for 2 days, and the two worst days NY has seen in the past 10-14 days. We were especially spoiled after last weekend and the start of this week. As this weekend approached and the forecast was telling nothing but bad news, there were brief talks of trying another weekend. Ultimately it was deicded that, despite the bad weather, this was the most convenient weekend.

Sure, there was a lot I wanted to do that was 100% dependant on good weather like walking High Line Park, eating lunch in Union Square, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and spending some down time in Battery Park, but you do what you can. Today we hit a bunch of places and were in the city, and on the go from 1 pm until 11 pm. Fortunately for us, not until we reached the final part of our night - searching for a restaurant for dinner, as well as the trip home - did we really battle the elements.

Tomorrow is looking to be a bit worse, but after spending a few hours online we came up with a few options, keeping in mind the volume of people in the city on a Saturday and that many will be looking for similar indoor activities. Hopefully something works out, and if not, we already have lunch reservations in the city, and the plan to have some quality down time in my home, capping the weekend off with a trip to Arthur Avenue for Little Italy before heading to Penn Station.

Highlight of the day was the boardwalk at Southstreet Seaport overlooking the river with a view of the Brooklyn Bridge. They really loved it - everyone had their cameras out taking pictures. If you haven't been to this area I would check it out - the mall/shops combined with the restaurants are all great entertainment in an area with such an impressive view as this.

To Quote A Show

If you do your spring cleaning now, you know what you will have to do when spring gets here? Nothing.

I don't know if that's exactly the quote but it comes from The Office. It might not have been my reasoning for my cleaning today, but it applies. Recently, when a boggle cube when missing, I pulled some of the furniture out to look for it. What I found was hidden gems. The gems are priceless. Why? Because they literally are worth nothing. Aside from the large clumps of dust, several bottle caps, batteries, change, and pens lay underneath the couches. I pulled them away, along with the run and most of the other furniture in the living room today and cleaned the floors, the baseboards, etc. There is definitely a sense of satisfaction or motivation that comes from a clean home. Not a surface clean, but a get-in-the-cracks-clean that only happens a few times a year.



Spring break is upon us. I will be staying in New York City to check out and check off a few things on my list of places to see before I graduate. Hopefully the next weeks BreadCrumbs will consist of snapshots of these activities or places. Wish me luck.

"It's a crazy world...

Someone ought to sell tickets."

That would be a quote from the movie Raising Arizona, by the Coen brothers, which I finally got around to seeing today. Kept me entertained while I made myself a big pot of Italian pasta salad to hold me over for the next few days since we have run out of just about everything else.

Had another meeting for my GO trip. I am excited to head to Mississippi. I went to a basketball camp for a few years when I was younger, but never an actual summer camp. It will be enjoyable to experience that and spend a week with a group of kids.

At the meeting we made ice cream. It was basically like a high school chemistry experiment, except it functioned as an ice breaker. Take milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and sugar and pour them in a plastic bag. Take this bag and put in a larger plastic back which is filled with ice and salt. Shake for about 20 minutes and you have your own ice cream. It was a lot of fun.

Tomorrow I have to go on my first one-on-one. Meeting up with another person in our trip for dinner. It should be interesting.

Hope everyone got to enjoy the sun these last few days. I know the rain is due in in the next 24 hours, so if you haven't spent some time in the sun you should try to do so at some point tomorrow before you are kept inside for several days.

The Lake Has No Benches

I had wandered into Central Park a few days ago a bit later than I had hoped and spent very little time in there as it is quite creepy in the dark. What I accidentally found was the giant lake that starts at 86th street. Despite having been in NY for almost 4 years now I have not spent much time in Central Park, almost never traveling north of 70th within it. I decided I wanted to go back to this lake when it was day time in the stretch of amazing weather we were to experience.

Today I did just that. I walked from Penn Station, after leaving a friend of mine, all the way up to Central Park and then proceeded to stroll through the park with the end goal of reaching the lake, finding a bench, and reading for a few hours. Little did I know that the path surrounding this body of water is purely meant for walkers and joggers and thus is without a place to sit. Bummer.

I did find another bench and got some reading in. Today was an excellent day to be outside and I am glad that I was able to be for much of it.

America as it's own religion

You'd think with a title like that, a long and well informed blog post would follow. Not tonight. It's too late. It is an interesting prompt though. Is the way in which our society functions, was created, and celebrates, a religion in its own way?

We're going to need more songs

A day to be spent outside

That's all that needs to be said about today. Was able to, for the first time in 2010, have lunch sitting on the steps in Union Square. It was beautiful today. Only regret is not making it to Central Park before dark. Luckily it is supposed to be this nice for a few more days.

A Solid Evening

This year, and semester especially, trips to the city have been improving in both frequency and quality. While I did make it to the city once a week last semester, those trips were for class and it was rare that I did much more than go to my class when I was there.

This year, being off campus, and maybe with the countdown to graduation in our minds, there has been a increase in activity/mobility. I would said I have been in the city 75% of the weekends I am in NY this semester. It's really great that we are getting to do this kind of stuff and it definitely wipes away any of those pesky 'if I had gone to a local college I'd be in so much less debt right now' thoughts.

Tonight was a really solid 'hipster kid' night, looking back on it. A few of us met up in the city and after getting falafel at Mamoun's (which is an absolute must if you are near Washington Square Park), to see Michael Haneke's newest film, The White Ribbon. While the movie was very good and incredibly well shot there was a big problem with the screening. What is a sure fire way to ruin a foreign film? Having someone in front of you who is tall and does not care enough to slouch for the rest of the audience behind him. So what, you might say, he couldn't have blocked much of the screen. And you are right, but when you are directly behind him, the part of the screen his head is blocking is the subtitles. I spent the entire screening leaning one way or the other trying to see around him. I think the lady next to me thought I was attempting to put my head on her shoulder. I know moving sounds like an option but the only row we could have sat in would have been in the front and I couldn't decide if that would have been better.

From there we went a few blocks over to a record store which I have become fond of this semester, and then onto Cafe Reggio, this really awesome coffee shop that has been around since the 1920s and is open all but 4 hours a day (from 8 am to 4 am).

So in summary to add up the hipster-ness of the night (which is not intentional but in recapping, I realize how it sounds) I spent the night 1.) in the village 2.) at an arthouse seeing a foreign, independent, black and white film 3.) followed by a trip to a record store 4.) capped off by getting coffee not just at Dunkin or McDonalds but at a coffee house dating back to the 1920s.

It was a solid night.

Pancakes, MoMa, Sabarsky Cafe, and Sushi-birthday dinner on 96th tomorrow.

Goodnight!

Take a new route

Have you ever walked down the block past where you normally stop, or took a different street to get you to the same place? Lately, I have been taking a different route home from the day care, each time. I am not expecting to stumble upon anything incredible, but I feel like we get into routines and changing them just a bit might be a good thing.

Even though I have been walking from my apartment to the day care since September, there are probably 50 streets that I could and have not ventured down to get me from A to B. I am not planning to go out of my way, just trying something different each time for a literal change in scenery.

Today I stumbled upon a pretty cool looking mattress out in the garbage, a much larger community garden area than the one next to my building, and a little fruit stand where I was able to buy 5 apples and 4 oranges for 3 dollars. Not bad, I'd say.

A Welcomed Change

I know it's a little late to be pointing out something I appreciate in my apartment this year as compared to last. But at the same time, maybe not. As I was about to write this blog, I was packing up my things to notice a guitar lying out. This, while not typical, is a representation of how much music is played in my apartment this year.

While most of us last year were music fans and were typically all listening to something at any point that we were home, playing music was not a common occurrence, and it was not with my previous roommate either. It is something that I love.

I may not always have time to pick up my guitar, but I don't think a day goes by that one of us hasn't played our guitars. And the beauty is when its a communal thing, finding two or three of us sitting down and playing music together. It's definitely something I love and have become accustomed to and one of the bigger things I will miss about this place in a few months.

Planning Ahead

It is definitely something easier said than done. And the word ahead, brings a vagueness to it. I tend to think I plan ahead decently in the short term. But planning bigger things, larger steps that encompass much bigger chunks of time, now that is an area I tend to fail at.

I met with a professor and friend of mine today to talk about an assignment I was hoping he could assist me on. We ended up spend 40 minutes of the hour I was there talking about my plans for the future. I know that in 10 years, there is a definite place I would like to be. That place would be working in a private practice setting as a clinical therapist for children and adolescents. It does not have to be my own practice, and honestly if it's through a center but the job is the same, that is fine too. Regardless - this is my long term goal.

The plan to get there is a lot less defined. After talking with my teacher, less so. Not because he made me change my mind or anything, but he more was able to lay out how many different routes there are to go without really listing anything specific. I know I need a PhD. It was originally decided that I was bypassing the Masters but after the discussion today, that is no longer certain. As far as jobs, places who will employee me while I go to class for the next 7 years, finding a place that is relevant, that will pay for this schooling, and will pay me well enough, that place seems as realistic as winning the lottery right now.

I have managed to make it to 22 without ever needing a resume, without ever having to formally apply for a job, go through an interview, etc. There will be a lot of firsts piling up over the next few months, that is a definite. I just hope I can start making bigger strides in my planning ahead.

Risky Business

We played our second game of RISK tonight. I need to stop trying to conquer Asia. I end up spreading myself too thin and everyone is afraid of someone controlling all of Asia because of the number of extra armies per turn so I end up wearing a bullseye.

Fingers crossed for two beautiful weekends in a row. Plan is to go to Montauk this weekend and then my sisters are coming up to visit the following weekend for, hopefully, two full days in the city.