A Trip With Nothing To Show For It

My intention for going to NY was to get done the things I would have done today in Philadelphia. Since graduating and moving back home I have realized that there are several things I need. My dress shoes are ripping, my black sneakers have a hole in the toe, my headphones are dying, etc. I have had money issues (ehem, Drexel). Because these have recently been solved, I decided to use this weekend where I had nothing planned to pick up a few things.

I ultimately went to NY because I miss the city and could accomplish all of the things I needed to there and spend a day walking around outside in the sunshine in Manahattan. I came home with no shoes and no new clothes for work. I did get headphones, although that one was very low on my list of necessities.

Instead I spent 2 hours in a coffee shop talking to a friend and saw a movie. It, however, was far from a wasted trip. The movie was spontaneous and due to my friend dropping me off in the city about 2 hours earlier than expected (different friend than the coffee friend.) And the coffee pit stop was really really great. As for the clothes/shoes - it is not as if I did not try. I went to three H&Ms and was not interested in anything useful. I went to two shoe stores and both were out of stock of the one shoe I really wanted.

In the end, I am glad I made the trip. I was able to buy the headphones I wanted in the store instead of having to order them, wait, and pay shipping. I was also able to catch up with a friend. Side note, while catching up I was interrupted by a staff member at the coffee house. You see, I was wearing my DriveShaft t-shirt. I have been asked and approached about it before. Here, it was so well appreciated by the staff that they offered me a free coffee. It was a small glimpse at stardom. I loved it. Note to self: where this shirt more often, consider buying a replacement for good measure.

Long Weekends

Somehow long weekends are all but long enough when it comes down to how well rested you are going into the next week. Typically a long weekend means some sort of plans that happen to be a little more involved, have you a little more active, and leave you needing that extra day just to get back to base line.

Point and case - I woke up at 1 pm today. Sure it was after going to bed after 4 in which case thats only 9 hours, but if this had not been a long weekend, that kind of thing would not have happened.

Ultimately, the lesson I learned this time around was - no parties on your bonus day. What should have been a day of lounging and resting up for the return to work was spend at my Uncle's house for our family 4th of July party. By the time I got home I had about 2 hours until I wanted to be in bed. Note to future self: Take your extra day off and spend it on the couch!

(Here is the pillow case I kept referring to in my GO! blogs. I think it's pretty darn good)

more effort for the better

tonight i decided rather than being lazy like usual when it comes to dinner, i'd make it legit. too often it comes time for dinner and i realize i am hungry but am either too lazy or occupied to go right then. the problem then becomes that the re-realization that i am hungry is what calls me into action but by then i am too hungry to want to do anything that will extend the time between right then and when i can start eating.

tonight, despite that feeling, i convinced myself that while i wanted to eat sooner rather than later, i also would be less than satisfied if i just threw a chicken cutlet on the george forman and called it a meal. instead i fried up some green beans to start, which turned into a fried rice with green beans, onions, bell & banana peppers. the chicken i coated with an asian marinade and then covered in breadcrumbs. the difference between plain forman chicken and breaded, slightly seasoned chicken is absolutely worth the time and prep work. now i just have to work on my timing of my meals - delaying dinner until 10 is not so great.