Tomorrow evening I will depart for Berlin at 7:00 PM. I am procrastinating packing as we speak. Although I'm almost done, actually.
I'm cracking myself up. I'm trying SO hard not to overpack. I went shopping last week for some cheap summer t-shirts. I found the best t-shirt at Old Navy. They are better then regular old t-shirts; nice shape, v-neck with a little pleating, good arm length, etc.
So what did I do? I got a red one, purple one, navy one, white one, black one, and a gray one. And those are the shirts I am taking - along with one jogging shirt and a t-shirt from school.
So don't be surprised when you see my pictures from the trip and I'm wearing the same shirt in every.single.one. Except the color will change.
Auf Wiedersehn, and I will update as I can! So excited!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Forty Things I Love About Turning Forty: An Introspective Essay
1. I will be an even number. I dislike odd numbers. Immensely.
2. Not only will I be an even number, even the two numerals that make up 40 are even. This makes me quite happy.
3. The anticipation of turning 40 will finally be over.
4. I can look back on my 30's and safely say that they were spectacular and much better than the 20's, so I can only assume this decade will even be more amazing.
5. I am in better shape than I have ever been, even when I was skinny. When I was skinny it came naturally, not by exercise and eating right. Now, even though I still need to lose more weight (33 pounds down so far), I can now run 2-3 miles without too much trouble. No way could I do that when I was skinny (recalling the time I quit track in high school after one lap around the field).
6. I am still blessed to have my 88-year-old grandpa. I know how lucky I am, even when he calls me and yells, "Forty!" into the telephone (for the past three years) or laughs until he has to sit down because I stepped in cow crap.
7. I still have both my parents, who have now been married for 41 years. And who NEVER, EVER give me a hard time about not getting married or having children yet. Now those are cool parents.
8. After almost 20 years of teaching - yikes - I still completely love my job.
9. I am still best friends with one of my high school best friends, and it's like no time has past at all.
10. I live in the coolest city. Ever.
11. I have traveled to every U.S. state except Alaska and lived in eight different states, and there are certain things I love about every one of them.
12. I have traveled to twenty different countries. This is a gift.
13. I feel I have grown more in my spiritual faith in the last two years than in the rest of my life.
14. I am blessed to have some of the greatest friends one could possible ever ask for, who would be there for me at the drop of a hat.
15. I can look at the stupid things I do and understand why I do them.
16. Now, if I could just stop doing them in the first place.
17. I still like to eat Kraft macaroni and cheese once in a while, and I've accepted the fact that it will always be in my cabinet for one of those moments.
18. My memory of my childhood is so clear and concise I can recall what each of my classrooms looked like, as well as my teachers.
19. I can recall with great clarity when mean things were said to me by classmates in junior high school, which helps me teach my students how words are never forgotten.
20. I have learned to not worry about getting older.
21. Okay, well, that's a lie.
22. I have learned to laugh at my OCD tendencies (I mean, CDO). So what if I count cracks in the sidewalks and count letters on subway advertisements (hoping for even numbers, of course).
23. I have a secure job that allows me to live a relatively comfortable life in a teeny tiny apartment in Manhattan which really doesn't seem so tiny anymore. Until I visit someone outside of the city.
24. I have faith that what I haven't found yet I someday will.
25. I continue to have perfectly straight, white, healthy teeth.
26. I have been looked at with disbelief by people at least 10 times in the last month when they have learned I am turning forty on Wednesday.
27. I am able to go to Broadway shows whenever I want to. Believe me, it will never become "old hat" to me.
28. Every single roommate I ever had was relatively normal. (I have to put this one because six of them are FB friends).
29. Well, I will make an exception for my former roommate Kevin, because most roommates don't steal your Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, make photocopies of him at work, then put up missing posters around the apartment complex.
30. Even though I do not have any brothers and sisters, I have cousins and friends who may as well be.
31. I've learned that simplifying one's life can be quite invigorating.
32. I have been able to spend my last seven birthdays in foreign countries, celebrating with flamenco dancers in Barcelona, rappelling off of New Zealand cliffs, sleeping on ferries in Greece...who knows what this one will bring in Berlin.
33. I am breathing.
34. I haven't lost any of my heighth yet.
35. I can safely say that I crack up laughing every single day for one reason or another, usually at myself. Or, since I moved to NYC, at other people.
36. I still like to play board games like Yahtzee and Clue, and I still dislike playing them with my mother, because she always wins.
37. I have less stress in my life now than ever before. This is due in fact to two things: a) I don't own a car and don't drive in traffic, and b) I don't have to deal with state testing in schools anymore.
38. I have maintained relationships with many, many former students, some of which have graduated college now. Let's just hope they remember my rule: NO ONE gets married until I do.
39. I am still a person that can always find the positive in situations, even ones that seem hopeless.
40. It took me very little time to come up with this list, and that makes me very happy.
2. Not only will I be an even number, even the two numerals that make up 40 are even. This makes me quite happy.
3. The anticipation of turning 40 will finally be over.
4. I can look back on my 30's and safely say that they were spectacular and much better than the 20's, so I can only assume this decade will even be more amazing.
5. I am in better shape than I have ever been, even when I was skinny. When I was skinny it came naturally, not by exercise and eating right. Now, even though I still need to lose more weight (33 pounds down so far), I can now run 2-3 miles without too much trouble. No way could I do that when I was skinny (recalling the time I quit track in high school after one lap around the field).
6. I am still blessed to have my 88-year-old grandpa. I know how lucky I am, even when he calls me and yells, "Forty!" into the telephone (for the past three years) or laughs until he has to sit down because I stepped in cow crap.
7. I still have both my parents, who have now been married for 41 years. And who NEVER, EVER give me a hard time about not getting married or having children yet. Now those are cool parents.
8. After almost 20 years of teaching - yikes - I still completely love my job.
9. I am still best friends with one of my high school best friends, and it's like no time has past at all.
10. I live in the coolest city. Ever.
11. I have traveled to every U.S. state except Alaska and lived in eight different states, and there are certain things I love about every one of them.
12. I have traveled to twenty different countries. This is a gift.
13. I feel I have grown more in my spiritual faith in the last two years than in the rest of my life.
14. I am blessed to have some of the greatest friends one could possible ever ask for, who would be there for me at the drop of a hat.
15. I can look at the stupid things I do and understand why I do them.
16. Now, if I could just stop doing them in the first place.
17. I still like to eat Kraft macaroni and cheese once in a while, and I've accepted the fact that it will always be in my cabinet for one of those moments.
18. My memory of my childhood is so clear and concise I can recall what each of my classrooms looked like, as well as my teachers.
19. I can recall with great clarity when mean things were said to me by classmates in junior high school, which helps me teach my students how words are never forgotten.
20. I have learned to not worry about getting older.
21. Okay, well, that's a lie.
22. I have learned to laugh at my OCD tendencies (I mean, CDO). So what if I count cracks in the sidewalks and count letters on subway advertisements (hoping for even numbers, of course).
23. I have a secure job that allows me to live a relatively comfortable life in a teeny tiny apartment in Manhattan which really doesn't seem so tiny anymore. Until I visit someone outside of the city.
24. I have faith that what I haven't found yet I someday will.
25. I continue to have perfectly straight, white, healthy teeth.
26. I have been looked at with disbelief by people at least 10 times in the last month when they have learned I am turning forty on Wednesday.
27. I am able to go to Broadway shows whenever I want to. Believe me, it will never become "old hat" to me.
28. Every single roommate I ever had was relatively normal. (I have to put this one because six of them are FB friends).
29. Well, I will make an exception for my former roommate Kevin, because most roommates don't steal your Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, make photocopies of him at work, then put up missing posters around the apartment complex.
30. Even though I do not have any brothers and sisters, I have cousins and friends who may as well be.
31. I've learned that simplifying one's life can be quite invigorating.
32. I have been able to spend my last seven birthdays in foreign countries, celebrating with flamenco dancers in Barcelona, rappelling off of New Zealand cliffs, sleeping on ferries in Greece...who knows what this one will bring in Berlin.
33. I am breathing.
34. I haven't lost any of my heighth yet.
35. I can safely say that I crack up laughing every single day for one reason or another, usually at myself. Or, since I moved to NYC, at other people.
36. I still like to play board games like Yahtzee and Clue, and I still dislike playing them with my mother, because she always wins.
37. I have less stress in my life now than ever before. This is due in fact to two things: a) I don't own a car and don't drive in traffic, and b) I don't have to deal with state testing in schools anymore.
38. I have maintained relationships with many, many former students, some of which have graduated college now. Let's just hope they remember my rule: NO ONE gets married until I do.
39. I am still a person that can always find the positive in situations, even ones that seem hopeless.
40. It took me very little time to come up with this list, and that makes me very happy.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
I'm Being Tested
So today I went in to school to help my co-worker organize her classroom. We really made good progress and worked for four hours.
But then, I started on my summer project called "Project Underground". Next to our stage, which is in the basement (hence the reason it's called the Underground Theater), there is a section that is enclosed by caged doors. We call it, funnily enough, the Cage. In the cage are all the props and costumes for our theater. Shockingly enough, no one has kept care of it for years, and it literally is a disaster area. Things thrown on the floor, stuffed in bags, thrown in boxes... I had no idea how bad it was until today. I'm just grateful that no living creatures came out of there at me.
I started by taking every.single.thing out of the cage and putting it on the stage. I promise I will have pictures up tomorrow, because it truly is indescribable!
After I got everything out of there, I swept the floor and cleaned the shelves. And don't worry; I was wearing cleaning gloves. I also organized the backstage area.
Then I started making piles - hats, wigs, etc., while throwing away stuff. I can guarantee you that at least %60 of this stuff is going in the trash. Kids have left their clothes back there when changing into costumes, there is make-up that is probably 5 years old, and I don't think we need to keep 50 baskets.
But then my back started really hurting, so I had to stop today. I came home expecting to go to running class, but we are having severe thunderstorms, so I guess that's out for tonight.
I'm starting fresh at 8 AM in the morning; I have two days to get this done. I have to say that this is the biggest organizing/cleaning job I've ever done, and it's testing my patience. But the fact that I am getting paid for this will help me persevere. ;)
To Be Continued...
But then, I started on my summer project called "Project Underground". Next to our stage, which is in the basement (hence the reason it's called the Underground Theater), there is a section that is enclosed by caged doors. We call it, funnily enough, the Cage. In the cage are all the props and costumes for our theater. Shockingly enough, no one has kept care of it for years, and it literally is a disaster area. Things thrown on the floor, stuffed in bags, thrown in boxes... I had no idea how bad it was until today. I'm just grateful that no living creatures came out of there at me.
I started by taking every.single.thing out of the cage and putting it on the stage. I promise I will have pictures up tomorrow, because it truly is indescribable!
After I got everything out of there, I swept the floor and cleaned the shelves. And don't worry; I was wearing cleaning gloves. I also organized the backstage area.
Then I started making piles - hats, wigs, etc., while throwing away stuff. I can guarantee you that at least %60 of this stuff is going in the trash. Kids have left their clothes back there when changing into costumes, there is make-up that is probably 5 years old, and I don't think we need to keep 50 baskets.
But then my back started really hurting, so I had to stop today. I came home expecting to go to running class, but we are having severe thunderstorms, so I guess that's out for tonight.
I'm starting fresh at 8 AM in the morning; I have two days to get this done. I have to say that this is the biggest organizing/cleaning job I've ever done, and it's testing my patience. But the fact that I am getting paid for this will help me persevere. ;)
To Be Continued...
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Weekend Fun
I was hoping to have some fun pix to post, but alas, it rained continually yesterday. My friend and I went out to Brooklyn to see her new apartment, and then we had planned to go to Coney Island to watch the first-of-summer spectacle known as the Mermaid Parade. Yes, you can picture Ariel and cute little Disney-like mermaids if you'd like, but you'd be wrong. Picture instead grown women AND men dressed as mermaids, complete with pasties and all. Both of us were curious to watch it, but not so curious as to stand out in the rain all day.
So instead I went to Target! One always needs to take a trip to Target before a big trip.
I started to get very excited about finding a new apartment in late July after seeing my friend's new one. Of course, hers is much bigger than mine will be since she is going out to Brooklyn. But just thinking about having more time to find the perfect place and setting up a new house is exciting to me.
One more week of summer camp, and believe me, my mantra has been, "Only one more week, and it's paying for your trip." The kids have all gotten along very well, but it makes for a very long day and I am tired of it.
Heading to Virginia on Friday evening to see my friends. I'll be spending Saturday at two little girl birthday parties, and then I'll have my own party with a few friends for my upcoming birthday. Can't wait to eat at The Melting Pot - yum!
The most exciting thing coming up before I leave for VA on Friday is that I'm going to see "West Side Story" on Thursday night - cannot. wait. I was told yesterday to "settle down" by my friend when I started singing the tunes on the subway. :)
That's about it right now - will post pics from VA when I return!
So instead I went to Target! One always needs to take a trip to Target before a big trip.
I started to get very excited about finding a new apartment in late July after seeing my friend's new one. Of course, hers is much bigger than mine will be since she is going out to Brooklyn. But just thinking about having more time to find the perfect place and setting up a new house is exciting to me.
One more week of summer camp, and believe me, my mantra has been, "Only one more week, and it's paying for your trip." The kids have all gotten along very well, but it makes for a very long day and I am tired of it.
Heading to Virginia on Friday evening to see my friends. I'll be spending Saturday at two little girl birthday parties, and then I'll have my own party with a few friends for my upcoming birthday. Can't wait to eat at The Melting Pot - yum!
The most exciting thing coming up before I leave for VA on Friday is that I'm going to see "West Side Story" on Thursday night - cannot. wait. I was told yesterday to "settle down" by my friend when I started singing the tunes on the subway. :)
That's about it right now - will post pics from VA when I return!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
A "Good" Deed
It's always amazing to see these moms and nannies carrying up strollers two or even three flights of stairs from the subway. Sometimes they have taken the kid out, or sometimes, unbelievably, the kid is still in the stroller.
If they are alone, almost 99.9% of the time a stranger will automatically help them carry it up, or at least ask them if they would like help.
So coming up from the subway I saw a woman standing at the bottom of the stairs, contemplating how in the world to get her stroller up by herself. The stroller was facing the stairs, so I automatically grabbed hold of the back and said, "I'll help you - let's go."
She didn't really look at me or even acknowledge me, but she lifted up the front and started moving. So I did, too.
When we got to the top of the stairs, no thank you, gracias, bitte, whatever. Nothing.
That's when I looked into the stroller.
It was carrying a baby doll.
If they are alone, almost 99.9% of the time a stranger will automatically help them carry it up, or at least ask them if they would like help.
So coming up from the subway I saw a woman standing at the bottom of the stairs, contemplating how in the world to get her stroller up by herself. The stroller was facing the stairs, so I automatically grabbed hold of the back and said, "I'll help you - let's go."
She didn't really look at me or even acknowledge me, but she lifted up the front and started moving. So I did, too.
When we got to the top of the stairs, no thank you, gracias, bitte, whatever. Nothing.
That's when I looked into the stroller.
It was carrying a baby doll.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Ding Dong, the Dork Is Here
I am a dork.
I know most of you already knew that, but I'm extra dorky today. Last night I was straightening up the apartment. I took my lease renewal and was going to look over it, just to make sure I only had to give 30 days notice. Well, I was right about that, but my lease doesn't end until AUGUST 31 instead of JULY 31.
So if I had found an apartment this week, I would have been paying double rent for August because of my dumb mistake.
BUT - I will justify my dorkness. When I moved here in 2007, I paid a full month of rent for August, but didn't move in until August 11. They then pro-rated those 11 days out of my September rent. When the lease was renewed last year, it was starting at the end of August - August 2009. So that's why I was confused.
Thank goodness I looked at it again. So now my life is a little less stressful this next three weeks. It's way too early to look for a place for the end of August. So I will go on my trip, then come back and look for a new place, and move at the end of August instead of July. School doesn't start until September 10, so I'll have plenty of time to get settled in before it starts.
So now, for the next three weeks I can just concentrate of doing summer camp, organizing my friend's classroom, continue the jogging, and preparing for the trip. And when I come back, I will find a fabulous apartment!
This weekend will be spent just relaxing, getting over the end of the school year, and staying clear of Puerto Rico weekend, which culminates in the largest parade in the country on Sunday, after which literally millions of Puerto Ricans will emerge onto my neighborhood to continue the party.
Good Times.
I know most of you already knew that, but I'm extra dorky today. Last night I was straightening up the apartment. I took my lease renewal and was going to look over it, just to make sure I only had to give 30 days notice. Well, I was right about that, but my lease doesn't end until AUGUST 31 instead of JULY 31.
So if I had found an apartment this week, I would have been paying double rent for August because of my dumb mistake.
BUT - I will justify my dorkness. When I moved here in 2007, I paid a full month of rent for August, but didn't move in until August 11. They then pro-rated those 11 days out of my September rent. When the lease was renewed last year, it was starting at the end of August - August 2009. So that's why I was confused.
Thank goodness I looked at it again. So now my life is a little less stressful this next three weeks. It's way too early to look for a place for the end of August. So I will go on my trip, then come back and look for a new place, and move at the end of August instead of July. School doesn't start until September 10, so I'll have plenty of time to get settled in before it starts.
So now, for the next three weeks I can just concentrate of doing summer camp, organizing my friend's classroom, continue the jogging, and preparing for the trip. And when I come back, I will find a fabulous apartment!
This weekend will be spent just relaxing, getting over the end of the school year, and staying clear of Puerto Rico weekend, which culminates in the largest parade in the country on Sunday, after which literally millions of Puerto Ricans will emerge onto my neighborhood to continue the party.
Good Times.
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