Turning Seven

This past weekend, my niece Anna -- my first niece -- turned seven years old. She especially invited me to her party, which turned out to be a whole weekend of celebrating, and told me it was very important to her that I be there. I haven't missed a single one of her birthdays yet (something I unfortunately can't claim for the other four nieces and nephews), and I've been looking forward to it.




I still remember the day her mom, my beloved older sister, called to tell me it was time. It was so exciting, more so because she arrived 2-3 weeks earlier than expected! She was absolutely gorgeous from the moment we laid eyes on her. Even one of the doctors asked if she had been born by Cesarean section (her head did not have that squished, just-born look).

She has grown into a young girl with a vivid imagination, a curious nature and a compassionate heart. She is a delightful little person to be around.

In addition to her party, I was able to watch her rehearsal for her upcoming ballet examination and celebrate in style at a local Greek restaurant. The ballet exam that is coming up is very serious business, and these small girls have had to memorize each position of hands and feet and what to do at the brief announcement from the judge. It was very impressive and entertaining to watch.

The Greek restaurant was a blast! This is a neighborhood place that my sister and her family frequent, and the owner knows Anna well. There was also a belly dancer that evening, and Anna did an impromptu dance with her! I could see the ballet influence in her movements, and her face just lit up with the excitement of the spontaneous performance. At the end of the meal, the owner told Anna that in Greece, they celebrate momentous occasions by breaking a plate and asked if she'd like to break one. Her eyes got huge as she said Yes with amazement that she would be purposefully doing something that would be considered unthinkable at home. We all yelled "Opa!" as they threw the plate down together. Much giggling ensued.

It was a terrific weekend, and I realized I had as much or more fun than I do on some of my own birthdays!

Welcome to the City

So I think it was (is) the flu that I've been suffering from. This incredible headache is really the most disturbing, along with the congestion. Oh well. It's got to be done soon...right?

Several NYers have regarded me with compassion, nodding their heads and admitting they got sick a lot in their first year in the city, too. Seems that when you cram this many people together in one space, the germs go crazy. Hopefully, I am building an incredible immune system and next year will be easy.

Everyone told me I'd be tired of winter by March, too. I haven't minded the cold at all, even enjoyed it, and it's very mild now anyway. But it's very gray, and we've had a lot of gray. I am looking forward to spring's sunshine and new buds. (meaning flowering plants, but hey, new friends would be great, too!)

Infirm Again

I am sick. So sick. Sinus pressure and pain, ears congested, cough with yuk, occasional fever and aches. I think I caught this virus while visiting my sister after the reunion. Unfortunately, it has proven to be stronger than my defenses, and although I came in to work today, I'm going home now. Just too weak. This marks day 5. I saw a doctor on Saturday who had little sympathy and told me just to wait it out. And I had to cancel two dates because of this.

4x4 Meme

I recently found this meme on a colleague's blog and decided to participate. The point of this meme is to give you a bit more insight into who I am and what makes me tick on a personal level. The meme has four questions that each require four answers:




4 Jobs I've Had:

• Worked the drive-thru window at McDonald's
• Corralled kids at a daycare (my class was the 3-year-olds)
• Sold tickets and popcorn at a movie theater (and had to clean up the theaters after the movies)
• Prior to the TSA, I worked at airport security (I only lasted 3 weeks as I was not fond of the early morning shift)

4 Places I've Been:

• Belize - although it was just a stop on a Carribean cruise, it was a beautiful place with welcoming people
• Hawaii - I've been fortunate to have been to Hawaii 5 times, mostly Honolulu, once to Maui. Simply gorgeous
• England - Not only have I been to London, but I've gotten to travel through the smaller towns where my relatives live. Love the gorgeous countryside of Shropshire
• Amsterdam - I visited the city for a weekend with my cousin Lindsey last year

4 Bands or Artists I'm Listening To:

• Norah Jones
• Dixie Chicks
• Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (Once soundtrack)
• Alicia Keys
  

4 of my Favorite Foods:

• Mexican
• Indian
• Sushi
• Italian

I hearby tag Steph, Jenn, Daddy and Paula with this meme!

Parade Pics

St. Patrick's Day is a big celebrated holiday in NYC. While I didn't drink any green beer, a coworker and I did slip away at lunch time to take in the sights of the parade. We saw many men in skirts (kilts), several individuals dressed uniquely in shades of green, horses and marching bands.

Down Home Visit

Just back from an extended visit back to Texas. I heard on Wednesday of last week that my dear great-aunt Sudie was back in the hospital. She had back-to-back bouts of the flu and bronchitis, and it was just about more than her 93-year-old body could take. I flew down and sat with her, holding her hand. She was delighted to see me and kept repeating, "All the way from New York City!"

On Saturday, we had a family reunion in Waco. It was great to see everyone, and with my new hometown, I was one of the few who had travelled the farthest.

I delivered my New York City books to my nieces and nephews. I bought four stuffed animals (koala bears for the girls and polar bears for the boys) and took them around the city, taking their picture at many of the iconic sites. I wrote the story from the animal's point of view, and the stories were well received by not only the kids but by the adults, too!

Yesterday, as I was saying goodbye to my niece Anna, she started sobbing and held her arms tightly around my neck. At first she said she didn't want me to leave, and then she said "take me with you!" Neither of which was possible. It just broke my heart, because I hate to leave her, too.

Nametags, a Timer and Singletons

Oh! Do I have a story for you today!

Last night I went to a Speed Dating event. You've probably heard or seen something on TV about this type of activity and know the basic premise: every 7 minutes or so, they ring a bell and the guys rotate to the next table where sits another single gal looking for a connection.

It did feel a bit like giving a quick sales pitch of myself, over and over again. I answered a lot of the same questions each time. But I was guaranteed to have 8 "dates" during the event. Unfortunately, I didn't feel a real connection with any of them, but I said "yes" to two with whom I at least had interesting conversation.

With a couple of guys, the seven minutes just seemed to drag by. I can talk to pretty much anyone, but there are some people who don't have a lot of social skills and conversation is stilted at best. But the absolute worst were the three I'll call Angry, Arrogant and Slimy.

Right before Angry sat down, the girl he'd just finished talking to gave me a warning look. Not bothering to introduce himself, he launched into a rant about the advertised age range for the event. He asked me what age range I'd signed up for and said that everyone he'd talked to so far (I was the third girl) had a different answer. [So you're wasting your seven minutes with each girl ranting about this? Great impression.] I calmly explained to him that for this event, I noticed on the website that there were different age ranges for girls (28-36) and guys (31-39). That pacified him somewhat, but he was still incensed about one guy who seemed older than 39 (referring to Slimy, and I agree, he probably is older than 39). But what does it matter to him? Isn't he there to meet girls? At least that seven minutes was up quickly.

The guy I'm calling Arrogant sat down and introduced himself like a normal person. I thought he had nice eyes. But in exchanging our professions and finding a slight overlap of areas, he proceeded to tell me what I should know to do my job. I guess he thought he was impressing me, but he was rude and conceited. He didn't really take the time to listen to what I do, just started telling me what he knows and how I should look into it. I was recruited up here for my job because of my expertise, you arrogant a**hole! Then he asked if I like baseball. Um, not really. I find it a really slow, boring sport (of course I said it in a less negative way). He got a stony look on his face and pretended to get up to leave the table right then (not that I would have minded). Then he tells me how he's just exhausted, having just returned from a work-related trip in Scandinavia, obviously bragging about his world-traveler status. He said he really didn't want to come tonight because he was so tired and just couldn't wait to get home and sleep. (I'm not stopping ya....)

But the absolute worst of the evening was Slimy. I had noticed him slink into the room at the beginning, and his smarmy smiles and overly slicked-back thinning hair didn't appeal to me. But add to the visual the following rapid fire questions:
"Are you divorced?" [and barely was Yes out of my mouth before he asked...]
"What happened? Did he cheat on you? Did you cheat on him? Was it money? You know the top two reasons why people get divorced are infidelity and money." [No, that wasn't the case.]
"Do you want to have kids?" [Yes, I hope to someday.]
"Oh, you will." [Well, I hope so. If not, I'll adopt or something.]
"CAN you have kids?" [Well, I hope so, but you never know until you try, right?]
"Have you been practicing? You should practice a lot." [uncomfortable smile and silence from me]
"Hey, I want you to know something about me. I'm a World Class Cuddler. And Spooner. I love to cuddle. I just thought you should know that. I'm the best at cuddling and spooning." [Ok. Good to know.]

Unfortunately for me, the host got distracted during this particular time period, and after giving us the 1 minute warning, he talked to the bartender and let us go for another 3 minutes. Oh. My. God. I couldn't wait to get rid of that guy.

What I've Been Up To

Did anyone else suffer from the Daylight Savings Time change? I certainly did. 'Course, it didn't help that I was out late Saturday night, into Sunday morning.

Saturday was a very gray, wet day, and I spent most of my day in my apartment, working on a baby quilt for a child that was born last year (got to finish!). It was surreal sitting in my living room and looking out to see only clouds where there are usually tall buildings.

I finally got cleaned up and went to dinner in Brooklyn with my boss and his family. We had a lovely time, and after I left there, I didn't quite feel like going home. I found a pub near my apartment that I hadn't tried yet and stopped in for a beer. I soon found myself engaged in a conversation about the upcoming Presidential election with a couple of firefighters. NY firemen are in general an attractive group, but these two were both married. Anyway, we ended up playing pool, which I am pretty terrible at. Fortunately for me, they had been drinking for several hours, and I actually won a couple games. It was nice to just hang out and talk to people.

Sunday morning came MUCH too early, but at least it was no longer raining. After church and a phenomenal choir practice (we are sounding GOOD), I walked around the city for about 4 hours, finishing up my photography for the books I'm making for my nieces and nephews. Here's one pic I took...can you tell what neighborhood I was in?

Pics of NYC

Reminiscing

I finally went to the doctor yesterday. He gave me antibiotics and a steriod inhaler, and I am feeling better today than I have in a week! And, it's a beautiful sunny day.

I don't know if it's been the effect of the gloomy weather, feeling crummy and unable to get a deep breath or just sick of being lonely, but I've been rather homesick lately.

Things I miss about Texas:

• Mi Cocina, especially their salsa!
• Being close to family, close enough to drive down for a last-minute weekend getaway
• Having a multitude of friends to call on
• Having a "best friend"
  
• My motorcycle
• Bluebonnets
• Blue Bell ice cream
• Shiner Bock beer
• Wide, open spaces
• Knowing my way around
  

Things I don't miss about Texas:

• Driving, especially in traffic
• The persistent heat
• Having my vote not count because of the messed up electoral college system
• The arrogant belief of so many that Texas is the best/only place to be, even though they've never set foot outside it's boundaries
• Huge belt buckles. Really, what's the point?
  

The Five Love Languages

Have you read this book (by Gary Chapman)? It's very interesting. Years ago, I read it and shared it with my parents. It basically says that humans have five basic ways of expressing love:
1) Words of affirmation
2) Quality time
3) Gifts
4) Acts of service
5) Physical touch

Each of us has one primary way we express our love and unconsciously want to receive love in that same way. Difficulties can emerge between two people who love each other, but are expressing that love in very different ways. Say, for example, a woman just wants to spend quality time with her partner, but he expresses his love by giving gifts. She may initially enjoy the gifts (who wouldn't?) but get frustrated that he's not spending more time with her.

My primary love language is physical touch. Now, before your mind goes in the gutter, this can be as simple as hugs and holding hands. Learning this about myself resonated with me, especially considering my volunteer work with the Neonatal ICU, holding preemies. I still remember one statement from the book that said, "If your partner's love language is touch, there is nothing more important to her than holding her when she cries."

My secondary love language is gifts. Unexpected gifts are the best. I remember one time when I was ill as a child, my dad came home with a small red-and-blue-checked soccer ball. I'm not and never have been what you might call athletic, but the fact that he thought of me and brought me something showed how much he cared.

What's your love language? See which of these statements most sounds like you in this simple quiz.

Rest and Lots of Liquids

Nothing much to report on. My weekend consisted of sleep, tissues, lots of water and tea, and movies. I didn't even leave the apartment yesterday.

I'm feeling marginally better, but I was so bored with the idea of spending another day at home, I decided to pull myself together and come to work. (Bronchitis isn't contagious.)

Good movies: Coach Carter, The Interpreter
Just ok: Raisin in the Sun, Love Song for Bobby Long

Quick Update

Sorry for no posts. Work has run me ragged, travelling most of last week and this one, and now I've come down with bronchitis. No surprise really. The body just can't take that much.

People who don't travel for work think it must be so great. They don't realize you don't see much of the city you travel to. It's airport, hotel, client, hotel, airport. When I arrived in Miami earlier this week (usually a great getaway), they were experiencing a power outage. So I couldn't even connect to the Internet and work (or blog).

I'm behind in my work. But all I want to do is sleep!

Men & Women

I'm in St. Louis for the majority of this week, meeting with colleagues from all over the globe and attending training sessions. I love meeting the colleagues; the all-day training sessions are a bit draining.

When I went from my previous employer -- a privately owned, relatively small company -- to my current employer -- a part of a publicly traded company with offices around the globe, several of my friends and family members remarked that maybe I would meet some interesting guys through my work.

I have learned that while this field attracts great communicators, the majority of the men in my company are married or gay. Plus, the men are WAY outnumbered by the women.

I work with a number of bright, successful, attractive, single women. It's interesting to note when we have a company function and there is one single male, all the single women flock to him. The guy must love it. It seems a bit pathetic in reflection, but I'm not so sure it's all about just looking for a mate. I think it's also about the balance. I appreciate the balance of men and women in conversation and in work. I think people from all backgrounds bring interesting points to the table, and I missed the influence of testosterone when I worked at an almost-all-female office early on in my career.

Girls Night

I had drinks with my girlfriends Kelly and Christine on Friday. We met downtown, near my apartment and close to Christine's office. Kelly's husband Sammy is working construction on a building down there, and she suggested we check in on the guys. (They had gotten off at 3:30 and were a few drinks ahead of us.) As we three girls walked into the all-male-patroned bar, we received shouts, like "Hurrah" and guys instantly vacated bar stools. The reception was a bit overwhelming, and had the other two not been with me, I would have run for the door. But we found Sammy, who in addition to being a sweetheart is built like a football player and very protective of us all. He started introducing us to the guys he works most closely with, saying "This is my wife Kelly, this is my cousin Christine," and then he looked at me and, again wanting everyone to know not to mess with us, said, "and this is my sister Emily." Now, Sammy is of Puerto Rican descent, and I am as pale as pale gets with blonde hair. Needless to say, his comment caused a few to raise their eyebrows.

One very intoxicated fellow offered to buy us girls drinks. Kelly felt bad about this (because there were 3 of us), but the other guys laughed, saying the offer came from someone who is usually very tight and doesn't buy his share of rounds with the guys. I just wondered aloud what he would expect in return for the drinks, but Sammy said I was worried for nothing.

A little while later, our drunk one-time generous friend came back and asked Kelly and Christine, "How about a buy-back?" While they both tried to think of how to respond politely, I really couldn't stand it. "Are you kidding me?" I said. "I can't BELIEVE this. This would never happen in Texas, but maybe that's why they say we have gentlemen in the South." The guy stood his ground, and I asked, "Are you single?"
"Yes," he replied proudly.
I said, "And that's why."

The girls busted out laughing, and needless to say, we got out of there without having to buy him another drink.

The other hilarious thing that happened was when Christine, annoyed with having to answer the same repeated questions from another guy who'd had too many, finally answered his question of "Where do you live?" with "Germany."
"Sprechen Sie Deutsch?" he asked.
"No, and it's been a very tough year."
He persisted, saying "You really don't know ANY German?"
"No," Christine said, "That's why it's been so difficult!"
He deserved it. He was like talking to an elderly relative that asks you the same questions every 15 minutes.

While we didn't meet any eligible or interesting guys, we had a lot of laughs together, so it was a great night.

Anti-Valentine Party

Remember in junior high when you'd go to dances, where no one was really dancing, and everyone milled around awkwardly in a dimly lit gymnasium?

That's what last night's Anti-Valentine Party reminded me of, complete with 80's music. (At least the music was good.) Except there were no popular people and there was a multitude of geeks. I know it will make me sound very snobbish, but it seemed like the coalition of the rejects.

Besides the fact that there were almost 2 women for every man, and every girl (except me) had dragged a girlfriend along to at least talk to, I was stunned at the number of older singles. The biggest compliment I got of the night was from a guy who looked older than my dad ('course, my dad looks good for his age!) who told me, "I'm glad to see there's someone attractive here tonight." Kinda smarmy, but that was as good as it got.

Each person was handed half a Valentine with instructions to "find your other half." Cute idea, and it gave you an easy opener to talk to people. But in looking around the room, I realized I didn't really want to approach any of these guys. I talked myself into it after a half-price Cosmopolitan (hey, the bartender wasn't half bad looking), and began asking if anyone had the other half to a Spiderman Valentine. I ended up talking to three guys. The first was really awkward. He seemed nice, but I wasn't at all interested and the conversation was challenging. The second guy would have been okay to talk to except for the bad breath. I felt bad for him, because he was obviously chewing gum, but it wasn't enough to overcome the halitosis. The third guy, while probably 10 years older than me, was decent enough. We were having a good time discussing NY neighborhoods in regards to restaurants. His buddy, who was probably the best looking guy in the joint, was talking to a woman much older, probably in her 50's. At a mutual break in the conversation, the buddy introduced me to her and to his friend and then arrogantly said, "Okay, ladies, well, it was nice talking to you! Good luck tonight!" An obvious brush-off!

At that, it had been an hour, and I decided I was better off alone on my couch, enjoying some Indian take-out and wine with my snuggly cat.

Kiss Kiss

In recognition of Valentine's Day, I'd like to share some recent data about kissing that comes from Albright College in Pennsylvania.

Kissing, smooching, snogging...what does it really mean? The hypotheses were
1) It can be used as a mate assessment
2) It promotes bonding
3) It induces sexual arousal

Researchers found support for all three of these hypotheses, and found that women place more emphasis on the taste and smell of the person they kiss than men do. (Men tend to have less acute senses of taste and smell than women.) Kissing is also a bigger potential deal-breaker for women than for men. Men were more likely to expect kissing to lead to sex. (No big surprise there.)

Though it's been a while since I've had a proper kiss (not counting the sweet ones from my niece and nephew this weekend), I have had several deal-breaker kissers that stand out in my memory. In high school, I was thrilled to have a date with a popular guy until we got to the kiss. He slobbered so much I had to wipe my chin! Gross! Smell is also very important to me, and when you get that close to someone, you get a nose-ful of their scent. One guy smelled like cedar and my mind wandered to hamster cages filled with cedar shavings.

Tonight I'm headed to an Anti-Valentine's Party for single NYers. I'm not expecting to kiss anyone, just hoping to meet some new friends and who knows? Maybe someone I'd like to see again.

Memories from the Weekend

Here are a few pictures from my visit to Houston.
The twins had a pirate-themed birthday party to attend, and Graham had his mom draw a mustache for it.
The baby I'm holding is Toby, son of friends Katie & Nick. He was completely relaxed and deeply asleep.

Puffy Coat Day

It's snowing! It's snowing!

I am one of the few people in my office excited to see the white stuff starting to accumulate outside. Just got back last night from a lovely warm weekend in Houston, where I was the recipient of many hugs and kisses from my family. I neglected to bring my camera to work today, so I will have to post pictures tomorrow.

It was great to see familiar faces and to get so many hugs and kisses, especially from the little people! Paige and Graham, my 4-year-old niece and nephew twins, flanked me most meals, and I often had one of their precious hands in mine as we walked along. The newest member to my sister Steph's family, Evelyn, is as lovely as her name. She is a sweet baby with smiles that light up the room and a belly laugh that we all try to induce as often as possible.

I've been neglecting my blog a bit of late. Partially, this was due to a rebellious nature in me. After posting nearly daily for a couple weeks and receiving hardly any comments, I decided to stay quieter. (I live for comments!) However, it was also partially due to a saddened state brought on by homesickness and unending gray weather. For now, at least, I am rejuvenated by my family and enthralled by the beauty of the snow. And I got to break out my "puffy coat," aptly named for its appearance and warmly stuffed with down. It's so comfortable and warm, it feels like I'm wearing a sleeping bag.

GIANTS among men

What a great way to start my first year in NY -- a tremendous upset by the NY Giants to win the Superbowl.

I travelled over to Jersey City to watch the game at a local bar with my friends from New Year's. It was great fun being with a large group of cheering fans. We stood throughout the second half as it got more exciting, and one guy started us all chanting, "Let's go Giants, let's go! [stomp, stomp]" as if they could hear us...

When the time ran out and our win was secure, people were hugging and high-fiving complete strangers. The excitement filled the air all the way back to the city, with cheering crowds everywhere.

Unfortunately, I have to miss the ticker-tape parade this morning to attend a client meeting in Jersey. Walking by City Hall last night, (where the parade concludes with speeches by players, coaches and the mayor) I saw the preparations in building a scaffold and hanging NY Giants banners. This morning, the streets were already beginning to fill with blue, white and red-decked fans.

Seeing a Different Part of the City

Guess where I was yesterday? Harlem!

I was there all day to meet with a new client. I've heard and read so much about Harlem, I've been wanting to go and see it for myself. Of course, I've rarely felt so white. While there is a significant Hispanic population now in Harlem, the majority of the residents are black. And then there's me, walking around in my white coat with my whitey-white skin. No worries, as in the rest of NY, no one pays much attention to you.

Our new clients are fantastic, and it's going to be a pleasure to work with them. We went to a Jamaican themed restaurant for lunch and toured a couple facilities where we might have an event.

Interesting Trends

I met yesterday with a vendor, and after commenting on all my beautiful nieces and nephews whose pictures adorn my shelves, he mentioned that at his 20-year high school reunion, he and his wife were surprised to find they weren't the only ones with young children. He said he thinks our generation -- the Generation X thirty-somethings -- are in general waiting later to have kids. Hm. Maybe. I guess I've always measured my experiences with my sisters, both of whom already have kids.

I've also noticed in talking to other single thirty-something women here in NYC that the trend is definitely to get married later in life. They comment how surprised they are with friends and family in the South getting married so young.

In a conversation earlier this week with a 36-year-old friend who's just gotten married, she talked about how once she reached her thirties, she broadened her idea of the type of guy she was looking for. She didn't exclude someone from possibility just because of religion or profession, for example.

Another friend mentioned it to me in a more disturbing way, saying since the field has narrowed considerably as we get older, you get a lot less picky about who's attractive.

The thing is, as I've gotten older, I've gotten MORE discerning. In my case, maybe this is a good thing! I think I settled too much when choosing previous marriage partners. I've also found that as I've gotten more successful in my career, my potential date-ables have lessened. I don't want to be a sugar-mama, and many men still find it threatening if a woman is more successful than they are.

Impromtu Happy Hour

My friend Kelly invited me out on Tuesday to an impromptu happy hour and to meet her friend Christine. I have friends! :-)

Tragic Endings

The City is shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Heath Ledger in his SoHo apartment. It is so sad to lose someone so young and so talented.

But then it makes me think of all the other young men and women who are dying in service to their country, unknown and unheralded.

From Oh-So-Warm to Bitter Cold

Miami was warm, humid 80*. I came back to frigid temperatures with wind chills making it feel like 18*! Still, I do like it. (crazy, I know.)

Miami was great, but exhausting. Being "on" and meeting so many new people, presenting multiple times in a day just wore me out. It was wonderful to be at the luxurious Four Seasons with their incredible beds and a bathroom bigger than my kitchen. I slept so well without any interruptions from construction!

I went to the beach on Saturday with my boss and his family. We rented an umbrella because they are as pale and sunburn-prone as I am. I found I was much more accostumed to the heat and humidity than they were, though. (They're Canadian...they handle the cold much better than I do!)

I had a massage on Saturday morning by this gorgeous guy. My mind wandered, thinking how this is the first time in a long time a man has touched me, and I'm paying him for it! Ha ha!

I did get to eat Cuban food, as well as Mojitos and key lime pie. It was delicious. Now I'm working it off...running, walking and lifting weights.

Flying back into NYC, we had a perfect view of downtown, and I was able to locate my building amid all the high rises. I do like living here.

Anticipating Cuban Food

I'm travelling to Miami this morning for a couple of presentations to the global leaders of my company. I will get the opportunity to meet the CEO, who I've been told has already heard about me.

I had to get up at 3:30 this morning. Freakishly early! It always makes me feel a little sick to my stomach. I'll sleep on the plane, though.

I'm staying in Miami for the weekend. Looking forward to seeing a beach and getting some delicious Cuban food. It's not TexMex, but it's tasty!

Waiting

I've been contemplative lately. I feel like something is missing in my life, and I'm not altogether sure that the missing piece is a someone. It's a feeling that is difficult to put into words...like a sense of discontentedness.

Looking at my bookshelf this weekend, my eye happened upon the perfect book to re-read at this point: When the Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd. She talks about the spiritual significance of waiting and likens it to a butterfly in a chrysalis. I began reading it last night and was struck by several passages, including these:

" ...the life of the spirit is never static. We're born on one level, only to find some new struggle toward wholeness gestating within...and rarely do significant shifts come without a sense of our being lost in dark woods..."

"Waiting...involves listening to disinherited voices within, facing the wounded holes in the soul, the denied and undiscovered, the places one lives falsely. It means struggling with the vision of who we really are in God and molding the courage to live that vision."

Many months before I left Dallas, I mentioned to my therapist that I felt the need to do something differently. I told her I had entertained the idea of getting rid of all my possessions and going abroad to help on mission-work, like Doctors without Borders.

In moving to New York, I did get rid of many possessions. Some were easier to part with than others, and in many ways, it was freeing to pare down. I've also stripped away other things that used to define who I was, some by conscious choice...I've had to let go of a few relationships, though it breaks my heart, and hope it's for the best.

I'm waiting to see what's in store for me next. I'm anxious, but trying to be patient. As the butterfly must struggle against it's cocoon to strengthen its wings, I want to be ready for the next stage and know I'm where I need to be for the moment.

The Best-Laid Plans...

I recently read an online article from Redbook titled "This is what Adoption feels like." I do so want to have children someday, and as the clock keeps ticking along with no appropriate man in sight, I like to research my options.

I really enjoyed the author's intro to the article, where she writes, "I recently found an old diary from my teenage years, where I blithely wrote about my future, figuring I would get married around 28 and have children soon after." Isn't it sweetly naive how as children, we think just because we want something it will happen?

My niece Anna has recently been thinking about being a flower girl. As I am her one unmarried aunt, she has me in her plans. "Can I be your flower girl when you get married?" she asked me, unaware that I've been married before, before she was born.
Of course. "Well, when do you think you'll get married?" Ah, that's the question, isn't it?

Actually, I now wonder if I will get married again. There are many things I like about being on my own. Not that I wouldn't enjoy having a partner to share things with, but I'm trying to be content with whatever life hands me.

The Ice Luge

For those of you who had a hard time imagining it, here's a video:

Detoxifying Seaweed

Steph gave me a very generous gift card to Bliss Spa, and I decided to use half of it to try their Deep Sea Detox, which is described as "firming oil, lymph drainage, French marine seaweed hot pack and stimulating shower combo in this relaxing and detoxifying wrap simultaneously slims, remineralizes, relaxes and hydrates." A friend and I who are starting off the new year with a diet agreed to go together and kick off our weight loss with a good detox.


It's not a treatment for the modest. They give you one of those lovely disposable thongs to wear, and that's it. The therapist first massaged my limbs with an aromatic essential oil blend to stimulate the lymph. She then slathered on their Fat Girl Slim cream on my thighs. Then I was coated all over with the seaweed mud and wrapped in a mylar foil blanket and a heated blanket like a burrito. To make sure I was warm enough (!) she piled four or five blankets on top of me and left me to "bake" (her word) for 15 minutes. I got uncomfortably hot, but she said that's what I'm supposed to do. She unwrapped me and brought a body-long collection of shower heads over me to rinse off the muck. It felt kinda weird, showering laying down, naked except for a flimsy material below in front of this woman. She finished me off with more Fat Girl Slim cream for my thighs and a body butter cream for my arms. I felt very soft.

I'm down about a pound this morning (had to check!) and the treatment was very relaxing. Let's hope it kicks everything into gear!

Discombobulated

Ever had one of those days where everything seems off?

I left my apartment this morning with that feeling that I was forgetting something...

It's rainy and still warm, which means I probably shouldn't have even bothered to fix my hair, except I have lunch with a vendor today. I got to work sweaty and hot. Yuk!

The company decided I should move offices. Someone who had a coveted office retired, so a senior partner moved. My boss took his old office, and I got my boss's old office. It's bigger, so that's nice, but everything here is on the opposite side of where I had it before. Although most of my afternoon was open yesterday, I got moved 15 minutes before a conference call. So, I haven't had time to unpack everything, and when I go to look for something, it's not in its usual place. Then I type and my wounded pointer finger smarts! Ack!

And I finally remembered what I forgot at home. My sister Steph's birthday present! I bought it last weekend, finally wrapped it last night, and had planned on mailing it today. Oh well. I can send it 2-day tomorrow so it still gets there on time.

Crazy Yankees

We're having a bit of balmy Dallas-like weather in NY this week, and today's high is supposed to be around 66*. So I was stunned to see so many of my fellow NYers still wrapped up in their puffy coats, Ugg boots, scarves and hats! I eschewed any winter gear today and instead chose to wear a bright orange dress jacket that was a gift from Steph. I would be sweating up a storm if I dressed like most of the people I've seen. I've been surprised ever since it started getting slightly cooler in November how much people have wrapped up. I agree it was needed on those days when we had a bitter wind and high of 15*, but it almost seemed as if people were wearing their winter gear because of the calendar, rather than the weather forecast. Perhaps they don't watch the weather news.

In Dallas, I remember longing for cooler weather and the chance to perhaps wear a cotton sweater without feeling suffocated. And on one trip to England in the spring, when we still felt chilled and needed a light jacket, I remember seeing hopeful Brits striding around in shorts. So it seems odd to me that NYers, who should be accostumed to a proper winter, seem so cold-natured.

What's New in My World

Man, the weekend FLEW by! I didn't get everything done that I had planned (like taking down the Christmas tree...ah, maybe tonight), and I'm exhausted. That could partially be due to the noisy construction at Ground Zero.

Since I came back from Austin at Christmas, they've been doing the pounding noise from 5 a.m. until 3 a.m. the next day...so basically, I have two hours of quiet a night. I've called the local community board and was told that since it's a Port Authority project, the Community Board has no sway over them. The only good news she could tell me is that it is only supposed to be another month.

So I've figured out that if I have my air/heater unit on Vent, my small oscillating fan on, and my white noise machine on as loud as possible, I can't really hear the pounding. Of course, then I hardly notice when my alarm goes off either. :-)

In other news, I've joined WW again. No, not Worldwide Wrestling...Weight Watchers. Inspired by my cousin Paula's success, I've decided to give them another go. I stocked up on the veggies and made some chili last night with lean meat and lots of good vegetables. While washing out the cans for recycling, I sliced the crap out of my right index finger. I haven't cut myself that badly in awhile. It made a bloody mess of the kitchen, and I had to put a tight bandage and hold it above my head to get it to stop bleeding. Curses! Everytime I touch it on something, it starts to bleed again. Typing doesn't feel too great either.

On a happy note, one of the girls I met at New Year's invited me out to the movies on Sunday afternoon. It was so nice to have a friend to do something with! We saw Atonement. Wow. Powerful movie, great acting.

Year of the Frog

Amphibians are facing the largest possible extinction since the disappearance of dinosaurs and in 2008 (a leap year, of course), a non-profit group called Amphibian Ark is coordinating a global awareness campaign called "The Year of the Frog," to raise public awareness and understanding of the amphibian extinction crisis.

The Clorox Company has signed on as the first official corporate sponsor, donating funds, as well as its fungus fighting bleach - one of the most important tools in the fight to save the frogs.

Visit savethefrog.com to learn more.

New Year's Eve Shenanigans

So I have three tentative friends so far. What I mean by that is, we've hung out at least once, going to a bar or dinner, and we've text-messaged each other a few times. These friendships aren't solid enough to call and cry on their shoulder, but it's a start.

I text-messaged all three to find something to do for New Year's. Kelly called back, and I joined her and her new husband in Jersey City at a neighborhood party. We had a good time, and I met several other nice people. Kelly said she thinks I'll be spending a lot of time in Jersey City this year!

She told me the party was going to have an ice luge. Naively, I thought she meant for us to slide down. Fun! But actually, it was for drinks. I don't do shots (never a good idea, I think), but they had watered these down to 75% juice/25% alcohol. The pourer would stand at the top of the block and the sipper would slurp from the bottom. Your face got really cold up against the ice!

Mom and Dad in NYC

Snow flurries greeted me as I left my building this morning. It's supposed to be a cold couple days, but I'm still enjoying it. My apartment is so high up, I still haven't turned on the heater. All the heat from the lower floors keeps me more than cozy.

Here are some pictures of my parents' recent visit to NYC. I only captured a couple pictures on the subway! My dad has more on his blog.

My dad just looked so NY on the subway, reading his paper. His dog Patchie poked her head up to see what was going on. Patchie came with us throughout the city, and my mom and I commented that her senses must have been on overdrive with all the new sights and smells.

Catching Up on the Blog

I know, long time with no post. Everything has been rushing by...I can't believe December is already over.

My parents came back to NYC with me after Christmas. It was really great having them here. I put them up in a nearby hotel, and I think it was good for all of us not to be cooped up in my small apartment. We had two very lovely dinners with wine-a-plenty, and as my dad mentioned on his blog, we did quite a bit of walking! On Friday, I took the day off to spend with them, and we had a beautiful sunny day. I really enjoyed walking slowly and enjoying the sites, rather than my usual speed-walk to work.

I often tell people up here how I miss Tex-Mex food. People always recommend different restaurants, and after I try them, I realize they don't know good Tex-Mex. However, a friend who's in the restaurant business recommended a Mexican restaurant to me, and I tried it on Saturday. OH MY GOD...so good! I ordered tomato-habenero salsa and chicken enchiladas with a green sauce. Delicioso! I really enjoyed it and will definitely go back.

I have to work today, although we get off early. Not much going on anyway. Just cleaning up, getting ready for the new year.

As of last night, I finally have plans for the New Year celebration! (I feared I was going to be alone in my apartment with Netflix and a pizza.) I called a few girlfriends, and one invited me to a neighborhood party in Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from where I live. She said it should be a blast, and they are even planning an ice luge!

As I mentioned in some of my Christmas cards and to my parents when they were here, I never imagined at the beginning of 2007 that I would end it working and living in NYC. Life is full of surprises. Who knows what's in store for 2008?! Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

The children are all snuggled in their beds with visions of stuffed stockings and multiple presents from Santa in their heads!

I'm with my sister, bro-in-law, niece Anna and nephew Colin for Christmas. We had a delicious midday meal of Mexican food, and then Jenn and I walked with the kids to the local Methodist church for an interactive telling of the Christmas story. (The storyteller had the congregation respond with sound effects for particular words. Like, "Ba-a-a" for sheep and "No room! No room!" for innkeeper.) When we got home, Anna excitedly wrote Santa a note and recited all nine of the reindeer names for us, insisting that we leave nine carrots for them along with the milk and cookies for Santa.

Should be a fun-filled morning of unwrapping frenzy and whoops of joy from the kids!

Time to Grieve

Blogging from Austin...

I got here yesterday. I've already eaten Mexican food twice so far. :-)

I received some terrible news on Wednesday. A very dear friend and former colleague in Dallas lost his wife. My friend is very private, I don't feel it's my place to publicize the details of her death, but it was definitely unexpected. She was 38.

My heart aches for my friend. Such a terrible time of year to lose a loved one, although to lose someone so young is never easy. I'm headed up to Fort Worth tomorrow for the funeral. I wish there was more I could do.

Life is so precious and so fragile.

Mornings are Not my Best Time

Rushing around this morning, I was getting a Mucinex tablet out of the container (still have a little residual chest congestion) and it bounced out of my hand and into the cat's water bowl! Ack! I'm not going to take that one now, but obviously won't let my sweet Sabrina drink that. Can you even imagine giving a cat an expectorant? They are so prone to expectorating fur already.

Then I decided to open my new ear covers (like ear muffs without the middle bar to crush your hair). The package was difficult to open, and when it did succumb to my pulling it apart, one ear cover flew out and fell right into the freshly cleaned cat water!

Did I mention I'm a bit of a klutz?

Movie Mania

Being sick all weekend, I spent most of my time either sleeping or snuggled up on the couch with a warm blanket and my cuddly kitty. And since the writers are still on strike (can't they figure out a deal already?) I didn't have many shows recorded to catch up on. So, I watched entirely too many movies, and most of them not great:

From Netflix:
Amelie (very cute)
Cinema Paradiso (enjoyable)
Cinderella Man (enjoyable, too, although Renee Zellweiger seemed to always have a pinched face...maybe I'm just over her)
Previously recorded on TV:
Something's Gotta Give (loved it as much as the first time)
Mission Impossible 2 (wasn't desperate to see it again, but the motorcycle scenes are good)
Dare Devil (I like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner, but this wasn't one of their best)
The Prince and Me (ok, pretty sappy I know, but I do like Julia Stiles)
The Prince and Me II: The Royal Wedding (Julia didn't sign on for this one, and it was absolutely the worst movie I saw all weekend! And this was the one replaying in my head at night.)
A Hallmark movie called Love's Long Journey (I was desperate)

What was interesting to me is how many movies have scenes in NY. One of the shots in Dare Devil was a courthouse scene, showing an aerial view of City Hall. I walk past that every day!

Winter Weather

I broke down and bought a down-filled coat today. Walking to church was an effort with the mighty wind and rain. I held my umbrella almost horizontal as I tried to walk against the wind. My umbrella sounded like kite flapping in the air. I made it to church (only a couple blocks away) with a chapped face and shivering.

After the service, we had rehearsal for our ensemble. There were 7 of us today, and the group mentioned another that was there last week. Our first performance will be the second week of January, and it is sounding pretty good. No one stands out too much, and since we had to audition, everyone is on key.

The church is beautifully decorated, and it really feels like the 18th century in there. Several of us helped decorate the Sunday after Christmas, and since not everyone decorates their apartment, for some, this is their only decoration. I could never compromise that, though. I have my full tree and decorations about, although I have too much for this small place.

So after church and rehearsal, I went to the discount store, Century 21, and bought a nice, warm, snuggly down-filled coat. I feel prepared for the storms now. I have rain boots and snow boots, several scarves and gloves, hats and coats.

the Importance of Family

One of the values my parents instilled in me and my sisters is the importance of family. Moving around brought us closer together. It's my sisters I go to when I want to reminisce about grade school or high school.

Now I'm finding more strong relationships with my cousins. As we all grow just a bit older, the age differences between us don't seem as significant. I love the correspondence I share with Paula in England, and I treasure my growing relationships with Kelley and Lindsey in Seattle. Beverly, who always seemed like a niece to me, is now a beautiful, fun young woman of 18, and I can see our relationship slightly changing as she enters adulthood.

Just thankful for all these incredible women in my life and family.

A Little Too Much

...fun, that is! I went to Dallas last weekend and just had a blast seeing so many friends. First stop was Mi Cocina, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, for lunch with my friends Lauren, Wendy and Sherry. Lauren brought her baby Ellie, too. We had a blast, laughing and catching up. Lauren reminded us we've been doing our "Christmas Lunch Bunch" for nine years.

Then I went by my old office. So many people came up and gave me hugs...it was great touch therapy! Several people asked if I was coming back (hell no!).

Sherry managed to get us free tickets to the Stars hockey game Friday night. We met for dinner beforehand at another Mexican restaurant, Mattito's. Lauren was able to join us for dinner but had to get home to her family after that. We enjoyed the game with "tasty adult beverages" and more laughter, even though the Stars lost.

On Saturday, I had a schedule to see everyone, beginning at 10 a.m. I met Jo for coffee, and we had a nice visit. Then I had lunch with Ian and his family, which includes a new baby and an adorable 18 month old. At 2:15, I had a hair appointment to get highlights and a cut by my hairdresser. Later that evening, I met up with my gay boyfriend Daniel and some other friends, and we danced and drank until the bar closed at 2:00 a.m.!

I had to get up early on Sunday to return my rental car and get to the airport, where I met up with another friend (Lisa) who already had plans to come to NY. She's here on business but came up early on Sunday to visit with me. When we got here, I showed her around my neighborhood and the Hudson River, and we had a delicious dinner at Nobu.

I'm exhausted, but that's not all...I seem to have acquired the bug that has been going 'round the office here. I know I wore myself out this weekend, but it was so much fun. It was just great to see everyone and feel so much love.

Cold, Cold, Cold!

Brrr...it's cold outside!

I've actually been coping with the cold weather fairly well. Everyone here expects me to be a sissy, coming from warm Texas, but after so many years of heat, it's nice to have the seasons really change. I'm also enjoying all my new accessories: gloves, hats, scarves, and coats!

Tuesday and Wednesday we had snow flurries. Yesterday's were blowing sideways from the wind. But nothing has really stuck. Today, the sun is out, and I always enjoy seeing it when it appears here.

Today is the coldest day we've had so far: the high is only going to get to 35*F (1*C for you Brits). Right now with the wind chill, it feels like 12*F (-11*C)!

My only complaint has been the dryness and the toll it is taking on my hands and lips. I'm religiously using hand cream and lip balms, but it's a constant fight.

My Thoughts While Walking This A.M.

The snow from Sunday (pictured below) is already gone, but today as I walked to the subway through the park, there were flurries flying around. I felt like I was in a snow globe! Nothing is sticking at the moment, but we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. (Most NYers aren't excited by this, but I am!)

As I walked from the subway to my office, I noticed how many people in the throng in front of me haven't cut their X-stitch from the rear pleat in their coat. Don't they realize it's there? Don't they know the coat would move a lot better without it? I almost think about walking around with a pair of scissors in my coat pocket, surreptiously snipping through those X-stitches!

What I Did Last Weekend

This weekend, I got even more into the holiday spirit with candy making. Yes, it's the annual Tiger Chocolate fest, taking these ingredients:










And turning them into slabs of swirled candy:












I made four batches, and my fridge smells of chocolate and peanut butter. I really can't stand the smell. I've been making this for so long and in such large quantities that it holds no sway over me.

On Sunday, when I finally decided to roll out of bed, I found it had snowed! Our first for the year. Here's what it looked like out my windows:

















The church here is not the one I go to. This is St. Paul's, the church across from Ground Zero that was miraculously unharmed by all the devastation that day. The snow-covered field is actually a cemetery, with many tombstones dating back to the 1800's.

I did get together with girlfriends this weekend, but there was no spa day. I unfortunately had the wrong date...it's NEXT Sunday, and I won't be able to join them then. However, I had fun on Friday and even met two new friends, single girls in their 30's like me that reassured me NYC is the best place for single professional women to be. Then I met up with Jenna at a bar that made me feel really old! I swear everyone in there was 13 years younger than me. (Jenna is 10 years younger than me.)

On Saturday, I went to the Spotted Pig, an English pub inspired place that is so popular, the wait for dinner was 3 1/2 hours! Fortunately, I knew about this ahead of time and had a snack before I left the house. It was a cute place with lots of good-looking people. I met my friend L, her boss and her boss's friends. Actually, I was the only American! L and another girl are Canadian, the boss was Australian, and her friend was visiting from England. We had a nice evening, although I didn't think the food was worth the long wait.