last week was one of the most intensely emotional weeks i have been through in a loooong time. probably the heaviest since i learned of my father's death. it's been about 9 months since he passed and i'm just now coming to terms with it. finally letting it all out, so to speak. dealing with death is such a personal thing. everyone does it differently. i know a lot of my friends were concerned that i hadn't dealt with it yet. i just thought you get teary eyed in little bursts from time to time. and i was doing that. but i never felt that utter depression, where i couldn't eat or move or think or motivate. that's what happened last week.
so now i'm dealing with "part of the process." finally. i realized a lot to with my lag in going through this process was that i was just too preoccupied with my own life to think about it. i was in my hometown that first month dealing with the lawyers and banks and arrangements and when i got back to NY (my new home), all i wanted to do was explore the city. i wanted to go out and dance and meet people and have a merry old time... like my dad would have wanted me to do... keep on living. a month later i had a boyfriend. yet another distraction.
and let's look at the big picture now. i'm all on my own again in a city that's not so new anymore. i don't have to be thinking about what events and activities my boyfriend and i are going to be doing that weekend. the work has slowed down now so i don't have that distraction either. it's just me with my own thoughts. i have the time to think about my dad and get upset. and that's what happened last week. and was it shitty. it was the kind of depression where i just felt heavy. burdened with sadness. didn't know what to think, what to do. just had buckets of tears pouring out for what seemed like no reason. people would call and i'd just start bawling. it was kind of scary. i felt like a crazy person.
but i feel like the worst of the storm has past for now. i know it will come up it waves. but i'm just happy to know i'm dealing with the so-called healing process. who knows. like i said, everyone does it differently. if there was a method to getting over it, everyone who has experienced loss would sign up. but there's not. so we just have to deal in our own way.
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Monday, September 27, 2004
this is why i love NY
as i walked home today from a good journey out, the gold toothed man who always greets me so warmly, said something to his friend that just made me laugh out loud:
"now that's one FIIIINE piece of white chocolate."
i suppose some could take it as a lude remark, but i loved it. white chocolate!
genius.
"now that's one FIIIINE piece of white chocolate."
i suppose some could take it as a lude remark, but i loved it. white chocolate!
genius.
travel books
i need a new book to read for my upcoming trip. i want something on the light side (nothing to heavy or heady), maybe funny, well-written of course, and something that would be good to read while travelling. maybe a book of travel essays? i don't know, you tell me. please send any ideas of your favorites. thanks!
friend stealer
so my 2-week old ex-boyfriend has turned into a complete dummie. i mean i kinda knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed (one of the reasons we broke up), but his latest actions take the fucking cake (god i'm full of cliches today).
first let me set this up. we all know that i'm new to NYC. been here almost a year (which in this town still means new). i have my handful of old friends (mostly college buddies) and an even smaller handful of new friends that i actually call to do stuff with. most everyone else i come across fits into the acquaintance category. i see them from time to time, but not on a regular basis. regardless, having new people that i actually like hanging out with is somewhat of a big deal to me. i'm an only child and have always valued my freindships. it's kind of like you're robbed of having siblings, so friends are super important.
getting to the point of the story. so alex (the ex) was a loner type. it was actually a red flag when i first met him... that he only had 1 good friend. i tend to judge people on their friends, so it was hard to judge him on this 1 dude. he told me he wasn't really a social guy. kind of kept to himself. went out by himself a lot, etc, etc. i obviously looked past that, as i found other qualities that made up for his lack of a social circle.
well, what do you know? we start going out and i broaden his horizons. he actually enjoyed meeting other people and going to parties (something he never thought he liked). i think he got on this social high, learning from me and all my efforts to socialize and meet as many interesting people as possible.
cut to last night. i get a phone call from one of my new friends telling me he has some strange news. he and my other new girlfriend had been invited to alex's house for a dinner party! WHAT??? it's been two weeks and he's throwing a dinner party for MY friends??? what the fuck is that? i'm confused and pissed and just think it's weird behavior to be calling my friends that i introduced him to. granted, we'd all hung out on various occassions, but they had never gotten together without me before. this is weird right?
so i call alex to ask what the fuck? he finds no fault in his actions. doesn't get why i'm getting all bent out of shape. like i said "not the sharpest tool..." i can't decide if he's playing the stupid card, or if he truly doens't think this is a big deal. then i find out he's been emailing and calling various other friends of mine in LA! huh???? i just want to shout from the rooftops GET YOUR OWN FRIENDS, don't take mine. i mean this is the kind of stuff that makes for a great sex and the city episode. "THE FRIEND STEALER."
it's just too too soon. i don't think i'd have as much of a problem with it if it were months later. but 2 weeks!?! and where did he get all of these friends all of a sudden? he had 1 friend when i knew him. guess my fun socializing rubbed off a little too strong on him. it's like i created a monster.
lesson learned: next boyfriend must have many many friends so he can't take mine. :)
first let me set this up. we all know that i'm new to NYC. been here almost a year (which in this town still means new). i have my handful of old friends (mostly college buddies) and an even smaller handful of new friends that i actually call to do stuff with. most everyone else i come across fits into the acquaintance category. i see them from time to time, but not on a regular basis. regardless, having new people that i actually like hanging out with is somewhat of a big deal to me. i'm an only child and have always valued my freindships. it's kind of like you're robbed of having siblings, so friends are super important.
getting to the point of the story. so alex (the ex) was a loner type. it was actually a red flag when i first met him... that he only had 1 good friend. i tend to judge people on their friends, so it was hard to judge him on this 1 dude. he told me he wasn't really a social guy. kind of kept to himself. went out by himself a lot, etc, etc. i obviously looked past that, as i found other qualities that made up for his lack of a social circle.
well, what do you know? we start going out and i broaden his horizons. he actually enjoyed meeting other people and going to parties (something he never thought he liked). i think he got on this social high, learning from me and all my efforts to socialize and meet as many interesting people as possible.
cut to last night. i get a phone call from one of my new friends telling me he has some strange news. he and my other new girlfriend had been invited to alex's house for a dinner party! WHAT??? it's been two weeks and he's throwing a dinner party for MY friends??? what the fuck is that? i'm confused and pissed and just think it's weird behavior to be calling my friends that i introduced him to. granted, we'd all hung out on various occassions, but they had never gotten together without me before. this is weird right?
so i call alex to ask what the fuck? he finds no fault in his actions. doesn't get why i'm getting all bent out of shape. like i said "not the sharpest tool..." i can't decide if he's playing the stupid card, or if he truly doens't think this is a big deal. then i find out he's been emailing and calling various other friends of mine in LA! huh???? i just want to shout from the rooftops GET YOUR OWN FRIENDS, don't take mine. i mean this is the kind of stuff that makes for a great sex and the city episode. "THE FRIEND STEALER."
it's just too too soon. i don't think i'd have as much of a problem with it if it were months later. but 2 weeks!?! and where did he get all of these friends all of a sudden? he had 1 friend when i knew him. guess my fun socializing rubbed off a little too strong on him. it's like i created a monster.
lesson learned: next boyfriend must have many many friends so he can't take mine. :)
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
found: i eat poo!
i just love found magazine, don't you? well, i actually haven't purchased the latest copy, but the website is pretty great for laughs.
last week, when walking into the 42nd st. subway station, i saw this on the stairs:
it cracked me up and i had to pick it up off the soggy floor. the note was pretty clear, but upon further inspection, i noticed it was written on a pace university student gov't association post-it. even more strange than the message itself. perhaps the class president was fed-up after the last fundraiser. that or just extremely bored in a meeting.
when i saw it, i immediately thought "must send it in to found!" i sent one note in once, but never got on the site. i'd love it to be find of the week! think this one will make it?
last week, when walking into the 42nd st. subway station, i saw this on the stairs:
it cracked me up and i had to pick it up off the soggy floor. the note was pretty clear, but upon further inspection, i noticed it was written on a pace university student gov't association post-it. even more strange than the message itself. perhaps the class president was fed-up after the last fundraiser. that or just extremely bored in a meeting.
when i saw it, i immediately thought "must send it in to found!" i sent one note in once, but never got on the site. i'd love it to be find of the week! think this one will make it?
Monday, September 20, 2004
hoodstock
yes, that's what they were calling it. hoodstock. kinda funny really.
on a random block in clinton hill, brooklyn (quincy and downing to be exact) was where the insane production was held. it was dave chappelle's baby... he put the whole thing together and i must say, the line-up was sick: kanye west, dead prez, erykah badu, jill scott, the roots, mos def, talib kweli, common, and the fugees!
the idea behind it all was to create the next installment of wattstax and it seems as though they may have pulled it off. the weather was kind of crazy for an outdoor event, but sara was right, it added a nice element. it was raining for most of the day. the production people handed out clear plastic ponchos to everyone in the crowd, which must have made for some good visuals for the dvd. the sound system was fucked for a good portion of the day too. the left speaker just kept cutting out, which was a big bummer for the crowd. it would get fixed and then be fucked for big chunks of time. like the whole mos def/talib/common portion was practically inaudible! grrrr...
but besides those little annoyances, it was pretty cool to be there and witness it all. i think erykah badu's set was my favorite. she's such a badass performer. she came out in her big crazy afro wig and the wind was blowing so hard, it almost blew the wig right off her head. so finally she said fuck it, ripped it off and did the rest of her set in her natural nappy state. so great! did a fantastic version of "back in the day (puff)" which got the crowd really grooving. awesome.
i was pretty disappointed in jill scott's set. i was really looking forward to her as i've been blown away by her performances before. she did a really ballad-y set, totally bringing down the upbeat vibe of erykah who preceded her. her voice was great, but the song choice was just not in that feel-good spirit of the rest of the show. ah well. the roots were pretty great. and the fugees reunion was amazing. eventhough i had a terrible run-in with security over my digital camera, i still had a good time. it was cool to be there. but i can't wait to watch the dvd, in the comfort of my own home, nice and warm and not standing in the rain.
read the official ny times review here.
on a random block in clinton hill, brooklyn (quincy and downing to be exact) was where the insane production was held. it was dave chappelle's baby... he put the whole thing together and i must say, the line-up was sick: kanye west, dead prez, erykah badu, jill scott, the roots, mos def, talib kweli, common, and the fugees!
the idea behind it all was to create the next installment of wattstax and it seems as though they may have pulled it off. the weather was kind of crazy for an outdoor event, but sara was right, it added a nice element. it was raining for most of the day. the production people handed out clear plastic ponchos to everyone in the crowd, which must have made for some good visuals for the dvd. the sound system was fucked for a good portion of the day too. the left speaker just kept cutting out, which was a big bummer for the crowd. it would get fixed and then be fucked for big chunks of time. like the whole mos def/talib/common portion was practically inaudible! grrrr...
but besides those little annoyances, it was pretty cool to be there and witness it all. i think erykah badu's set was my favorite. she's such a badass performer. she came out in her big crazy afro wig and the wind was blowing so hard, it almost blew the wig right off her head. so finally she said fuck it, ripped it off and did the rest of her set in her natural nappy state. so great! did a fantastic version of "back in the day (puff)" which got the crowd really grooving. awesome.
i was pretty disappointed in jill scott's set. i was really looking forward to her as i've been blown away by her performances before. she did a really ballad-y set, totally bringing down the upbeat vibe of erykah who preceded her. her voice was great, but the song choice was just not in that feel-good spirit of the rest of the show. ah well. the roots were pretty great. and the fugees reunion was amazing. eventhough i had a terrible run-in with security over my digital camera, i still had a good time. it was cool to be there. but i can't wait to watch the dvd, in the comfort of my own home, nice and warm and not standing in the rain.
read the official ny times review here.
Friday, September 17, 2004
seniors rule!
this has got to be the best collection of photos i've seen in a loooong time (thanks to fernando).
my senior portrait was pretty awful. if i remember correctly, i had big curly hair (done with hot rollers and a can of spray), a terrible puffy sweater, a tilted head to one side, and i think i may have been positioned behind a fake tree (memory is failing). these pics bring it all back.
did you ever take a dorky class photo?
my senior portrait was pretty awful. if i remember correctly, i had big curly hair (done with hot rollers and a can of spray), a terrible puffy sweater, a tilted head to one side, and i think i may have been positioned behind a fake tree (memory is failing). these pics bring it all back.
did you ever take a dorky class photo?
star gossip
heh heh, i love this stuff. so i'm hearing all the funny annoying things that these artists are asking for/complaining about. i'm kind of disheartened that jill scott seems like a bit of a primadonna. she seemed so humble the times i saw her perform. apparently she didn't consider her suite a real suite at the w hotel and wanted an upgrade. AND the room she had, happened to have an odor she couldn't get rid of with her smelly candles. we're trying to track down just what this odor was (or if she was just desperate to get a room upgrade). oy vey!
other requests include nag champa incense for all the artists' trailers, lots of vegan food orders, and special SUV transportation for the entourages. gimme a break.
i always wonder if it's the stardom that turns people into assholes. is it because they have all these people telling them they're god's gift all the live long day? or does all the cash make them think they are superior? or maybe, just maybe it's because they grew up with nothing, worked real hard to earn that bling bling and think it's their right to have better. deeeep thoughts for the day.
other requests include nag champa incense for all the artists' trailers, lots of vegan food orders, and special SUV transportation for the entourages. gimme a break.
i always wonder if it's the stardom that turns people into assholes. is it because they have all these people telling them they're god's gift all the live long day? or does all the cash make them think they are superior? or maybe, just maybe it's because they grew up with nothing, worked real hard to earn that bling bling and think it's their right to have better. deeeep thoughts for the day.
Thursday, September 16, 2004
snoresville: update from a bored worker
i'm BORED. i've been sitting here with nothing to do for god knows how long. i've typed ONE memo. and proofread some contracts. zzzzzzzz
whatever, i'm getting paid.
best news of the day: my fave, jill scott is playing at this show. woo-hoo! and mos def. and the roots. and lauryn hill. and common. and talib kweli. and the show is happening real close to my neighborhood. sweet.
oh, and mos def's real name is dante smith. tee hee.
whatever, i'm getting paid.
best news of the day: my fave, jill scott is playing at this show. woo-hoo! and mos def. and the roots. and lauryn hill. and common. and talib kweli. and the show is happening real close to my neighborhood. sweet.
oh, and mos def's real name is dante smith. tee hee.
a step back
i'm biting the bullet on this one. i took a office helper job for two days in a film production office. HA! i'm laughing at myself but there are some bonuses. A) i'm helping out a friend, B) i'm earning some much needed cash to pay for some much needed items for my upcoming trip, C) i'm getting out of the house (been a bit of a hermit lately in my saddened state), and D) i'm getting a major perk out of this thing: free tickets to this show! this production is actually for the dvd filming of the show (seems like a cool project). but alas, i am the lowly typer/faxer/proofreader. swallowing my pride but getting some good stuff out of it (i'm sure i'll be bitching by the end of the day).
haven't worked in a production office since i was fresh out of college, working as a production assistant, thinking i would be the next great filmmaker, working my way up the ladder. those days were numbered. production offices suck. long ass hours with long stretches of time with nothing to do. but for some reason there was always a ridiculously stressful situation at hand. i never understood how people could get so worked up about an actor not signing their deal memo. it's a friggin movie people, not the end of the world, ok? jeez.
these offices are all the same too. same plain office space with temporary office furniture and equipment. just new faces, stressing out over the same shit. it's rather amusing to watch now that i'm not trying to work my way up that ladder anymore (thank god!)
oh and speaking of, avenue q last night was fantastic (story line was basically about young people trying to figure it all out). i really loved it. when we walked in, the usher said "welcome to the r-rated muppet show" which was exactly what it was. great singers/puppeteers, memorable musical numbers, fun sets, and some outrageously raunchy material. i don't want to give away any of the good parts, but if you like the muppet show and sesame street and lived through your 20s, you would love this show too!
haven't worked in a production office since i was fresh out of college, working as a production assistant, thinking i would be the next great filmmaker, working my way up the ladder. those days were numbered. production offices suck. long ass hours with long stretches of time with nothing to do. but for some reason there was always a ridiculously stressful situation at hand. i never understood how people could get so worked up about an actor not signing their deal memo. it's a friggin movie people, not the end of the world, ok? jeez.
these offices are all the same too. same plain office space with temporary office furniture and equipment. just new faces, stressing out over the same shit. it's rather amusing to watch now that i'm not trying to work my way up that ladder anymore (thank god!)
oh and speaking of, avenue q last night was fantastic (story line was basically about young people trying to figure it all out). i really loved it. when we walked in, the usher said "welcome to the r-rated muppet show" which was exactly what it was. great singers/puppeteers, memorable musical numbers, fun sets, and some outrageously raunchy material. i don't want to give away any of the good parts, but if you like the muppet show and sesame street and lived through your 20s, you would love this show too!
Wednesday, September 15, 2004
on broadway
finally, after almost a whole year of living in this city i am going to a broadway show. sara and i got tickets to see avenue q. the one show that i've really wanted to see. dude, it's got singing puppets for christ sake! now that's my kind of show.
i know some people diss the whole broadway thing, but i have to say, i'm a bit of a sucker when it comes to musicals. i went to emerson college where students loudly and proudly sang little ditties from shows like "les miserables" as they walked to class. this, of course was slightly annoying (as most of those musical theater kids were), but i'll admit it, i would hum along from time to time too. i don't know what it is. the cheese factor? the spectacle of it all? or maybe it's when those singers can belt one out and give me major goose bumps. i don't care how unhip or uncool it is to like musicals. i just do. so there.
anyway, i'm excited for tonight. i'm wearing a dress! and make-up! we're doing up the town tonight baby. yeah. (review of the show tomorrow).
i know some people diss the whole broadway thing, but i have to say, i'm a bit of a sucker when it comes to musicals. i went to emerson college where students loudly and proudly sang little ditties from shows like "les miserables" as they walked to class. this, of course was slightly annoying (as most of those musical theater kids were), but i'll admit it, i would hum along from time to time too. i don't know what it is. the cheese factor? the spectacle of it all? or maybe it's when those singers can belt one out and give me major goose bumps. i don't care how unhip or uncool it is to like musicals. i just do. so there.
anyway, i'm excited for tonight. i'm wearing a dress! and make-up! we're doing up the town tonight baby. yeah. (review of the show tomorrow).
Monday, September 13, 2004
going, going... gone (soon)
i did it. i'm going to new zealand. i just bought my e-ticket. holy shit.
i leave november 2nd. just in time to get my vote in at the booth. and i will be in the air when they name our next president. if it's who i'm afraid it will be, i'm really happy i will be on the other side of the planet. might just stay there if that's the case.
i return december 1st. a whole month. god, i'm so excited. for the first couple weeks, i'll be going on this camping tour of both islands. after that, i have no idea. i figure i'll get a good overview of lay of the land and then i'll have 2 more weeks to go back and explore the good spots. or i could hop a plane to fiji (it's only like $90!). sky's the limit baby.
feeling a bit better already. guess it just takes spending a huge chunk of cash to feel better. that and making plans for the future always helps.
i leave november 2nd. just in time to get my vote in at the booth. and i will be in the air when they name our next president. if it's who i'm afraid it will be, i'm really happy i will be on the other side of the planet. might just stay there if that's the case.
i return december 1st. a whole month. god, i'm so excited. for the first couple weeks, i'll be going on this camping tour of both islands. after that, i have no idea. i figure i'll get a good overview of lay of the land and then i'll have 2 more weeks to go back and explore the good spots. or i could hop a plane to fiji (it's only like $90!). sky's the limit baby.
feeling a bit better already. guess it just takes spending a huge chunk of cash to feel better. that and making plans for the future always helps.
monday blues
this weekend was hard. sure, there were some fun things happening, but i felt like i had to fake my way through them. saturday night, i ended it with alex. and i'm still not sure how i feel about the decision. i've been so wishy-washy about the whole thing. part of me really wants to work it out and still hang out with him and the other part just wants to be alone and not have to deal. but i realized that's just not fair to do to him. he's so great and understanding of all my fucked up-ness but for some reason, i just couldn't go there again with him. and i tried. i really did. the real sad part is that this is my exact same pattern. i'm sick of it, but i keep doing it!
find nice boy to go out with. hang out for a bit, then hang out all the time. fall deeply in love. then all of a sudden, fall out of love and need space desparately. end it. that's the pattern. i don't know how many times i've done this but it's been more than a few. so obviously, the problem is mine. sucks the big one cuz he was a good one too.
i'm partly scared to be all on my own now in the big city. no more comfort blanket. but just going out with someone for security sake isn't my style. shitty thing is, in the back of my head, i keep thinking i made a bad decision. i just don't know anymore.
i guess i just need some me time again to sort myself out. i've had a pretty big year: moved to NY, dad passed away, dealt with family drama, started a new relationship. jesus. i guess that's enough to make anyone crazy.
i'm going to new zealand in november. i did decide on that. the year is almost up and i have yet to reach my goal of visit one new country every year. i've also never traveled alone, so i think that will be good for me. i found a subletter for the month of november (which will cover the plane ticket) and the rest will be up to me. who knows, maybe i'll find my dream kiwi boy OR i'll discover that i did make a big mistake in my decision this weekend. but most importantly, i hope to find a little peace of mind. then when i get back, i'll be ready to kick some ass again.
find nice boy to go out with. hang out for a bit, then hang out all the time. fall deeply in love. then all of a sudden, fall out of love and need space desparately. end it. that's the pattern. i don't know how many times i've done this but it's been more than a few. so obviously, the problem is mine. sucks the big one cuz he was a good one too.
i'm partly scared to be all on my own now in the big city. no more comfort blanket. but just going out with someone for security sake isn't my style. shitty thing is, in the back of my head, i keep thinking i made a bad decision. i just don't know anymore.
i guess i just need some me time again to sort myself out. i've had a pretty big year: moved to NY, dad passed away, dealt with family drama, started a new relationship. jesus. i guess that's enough to make anyone crazy.
i'm going to new zealand in november. i did decide on that. the year is almost up and i have yet to reach my goal of visit one new country every year. i've also never traveled alone, so i think that will be good for me. i found a subletter for the month of november (which will cover the plane ticket) and the rest will be up to me. who knows, maybe i'll find my dream kiwi boy OR i'll discover that i did make a big mistake in my decision this weekend. but most importantly, i hope to find a little peace of mind. then when i get back, i'll be ready to kick some ass again.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
smurfy dream
2 nights ago i had the strangest dream. it was halloween night (my favorite holiday, btw) and the costume i had planned just wasn't working out. i felt totally stressed out not knowing what to be and party time was drawing near. all of sudden, i had a brilliant idea... i would be smurfette! all i needed was some blue paint and i'd be good to go.
next part of the dream was me in a paint store, stressed out over which was the perfect smurf blue. i was going through paint swatches, trying desperately to find just the right shade, but i was having trouble deciding. i finally picked the closest one.
next scene, i was painting my whole naked body blue. then i realized that i didn't have smurfette's cute little white dress or white hat OR white shoes! what was i to do? "i know!" i thought, "i'll just go naked and be NUDE-ette!" that was it! so i started to walk out the door, completely naked covered in blue and then i felt embarrassed. "i can't go out totally naked. someone will think i'm from blue man group or something!" so my next brilliant idea was to wear a bra and underwear over my nakeness, and that's what i did.
totally covered in blue, wearing a 50s style bra (very pointy) and underwear (grandma style), i walked out the door happy as could be and started introducing myself as NUDE-ette, the smurf. what the fuck???
next part of the dream was me in a paint store, stressed out over which was the perfect smurf blue. i was going through paint swatches, trying desperately to find just the right shade, but i was having trouble deciding. i finally picked the closest one.
next scene, i was painting my whole naked body blue. then i realized that i didn't have smurfette's cute little white dress or white hat OR white shoes! what was i to do? "i know!" i thought, "i'll just go naked and be NUDE-ette!" that was it! so i started to walk out the door, completely naked covered in blue and then i felt embarrassed. "i can't go out totally naked. someone will think i'm from blue man group or something!" so my next brilliant idea was to wear a bra and underwear over my nakeness, and that's what i did.
totally covered in blue, wearing a 50s style bra (very pointy) and underwear (grandma style), i walked out the door happy as could be and started introducing myself as NUDE-ette, the smurf. what the fuck???
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
camping new jersey style
labor day weekend. i only got to go camping once this summer and i was itching for more, so i asked terra if she and kevin (our new friends who we'd met at ariel/andreas' wedding) wanted to go camping somewhere close-ish for the long weekend. they did! terra found a campsite in northern new jersey and was under the impression that it would be a good spot. honestly, i was a little skeptical. you just don't think of jersey as the ideal outdoor fantasy land. but all i really wanted was trees, sunshine and some water nearby.
i was picturing a dusty campsite, with a smattering of trees, and lots of loud families right near our site. it was none of the above. first of all, it was so green, i couldn't believe it. there were tons of gorgeous trees everywhere. the actual campsite was totally rustic (no running water) and huge... you couldn't even see or hear the other few campers around. we had a little outhouse on our site too, so we didn't even have to treck through the grounds to do business. we had our own little piece of paradise. i was happy.
scott (terra and kevin's friend) was the official camper of the group and handled the fires and wood gathering. and alex was the official camp cook. he made the burgers and dogs and sandwiches and a chocolate tart (!) AND a rotisserie chicken over the open flame! i was so impressed and we all ate so well the whole weekend.
the first day we checked out the nearby sunrise mountain which had a beautiful view of rural jersey (it is called the garden state, you know). next day was pretty overcast and cloudy so we went to the rivine which was fairy wonderland. and our last day trip was to this hidden lake that scott (the local) knew about. it was sunny that day so we were psyched that we might get to go swimming. the hike up to the lake was great. pretty steep in spots but it made the anticipation for the lake even greater. working up a little sweat we were ready to get right in.
"OH MY GOD" terra exclaimed as she got the first glimpse of the lake. it was pristine! huge and clear surrounded by trees and big rocks. rad. there were others there, but we didn't care. we pealed off our clothes, jumped in and swam over to the jumping rock. the water was absolutely perfect. we climbed up to the top of the rock and i decided i was going to jump. it seemed high, but not too bad. after a long time, i went for it. holy shit, it was higher than i thought, but pretty exhilirating. i did it again and then swam around for a while.
we finished off the trip with a fantastic meal at kevin's parents' thai restaurant. soft shell crab, shrimp, spring rolls, satay, turnip cakes, mango with sticky rice, the whole bit. so so so good. and THEN, a ride home from kevin's dad! i felt so lucky about the whole trip. a car, great food, amazing people all in a beautiful setting. be sure to check out my camping photos on flickr.
i was picturing a dusty campsite, with a smattering of trees, and lots of loud families right near our site. it was none of the above. first of all, it was so green, i couldn't believe it. there were tons of gorgeous trees everywhere. the actual campsite was totally rustic (no running water) and huge... you couldn't even see or hear the other few campers around. we had a little outhouse on our site too, so we didn't even have to treck through the grounds to do business. we had our own little piece of paradise. i was happy.
scott (terra and kevin's friend) was the official camper of the group and handled the fires and wood gathering. and alex was the official camp cook. he made the burgers and dogs and sandwiches and a chocolate tart (!) AND a rotisserie chicken over the open flame! i was so impressed and we all ate so well the whole weekend.
the first day we checked out the nearby sunrise mountain which had a beautiful view of rural jersey (it is called the garden state, you know). next day was pretty overcast and cloudy so we went to the rivine which was fairy wonderland. and our last day trip was to this hidden lake that scott (the local) knew about. it was sunny that day so we were psyched that we might get to go swimming. the hike up to the lake was great. pretty steep in spots but it made the anticipation for the lake even greater. working up a little sweat we were ready to get right in.
"OH MY GOD" terra exclaimed as she got the first glimpse of the lake. it was pristine! huge and clear surrounded by trees and big rocks. rad. there were others there, but we didn't care. we pealed off our clothes, jumped in and swam over to the jumping rock. the water was absolutely perfect. we climbed up to the top of the rock and i decided i was going to jump. it seemed high, but not too bad. after a long time, i went for it. holy shit, it was higher than i thought, but pretty exhilirating. i did it again and then swam around for a while.
we finished off the trip with a fantastic meal at kevin's parents' thai restaurant. soft shell crab, shrimp, spring rolls, satay, turnip cakes, mango with sticky rice, the whole bit. so so so good. and THEN, a ride home from kevin's dad! i felt so lucky about the whole trip. a car, great food, amazing people all in a beautiful setting. be sure to check out my camping photos on flickr.
dancarchy photos
if you want to see photos from the dancing protest click here.
i didn't get the kind of shots i wanted... it was dark and we were constantly moving, but you'll get the idea.
i didn't get the kind of shots i wanted... it was dark and we were constantly moving, but you'll get the idea.
Thursday, September 02, 2004
i hear music in the streets
omigod, did i have some fun in the heart of the RNC last night! holy shit, was our little expedition comical. dancing in a group of 30 or so strangers down the crowded streets of new york to the likes of stevie wonder and wang chung played on a crappy boom box, carried by an aging hippie (who i loved!). i'm so glad i opted for this "movement" of so-called protesting, rather than stand in an angry group on a sectioned off corner under the watchful eye of many cops.
oh no! this was the complete opposite. we got to spread joy and gave the republicans and police discomfort at times and big ol' smiles at others. we danced and danced and danced all over the city. i feel like i danced for 10 miles. from 10pm to 3am! my feet hurt so bad, i felt like i'd been dancing in one of those old time dance marathons for 40 hours straight.
but it was damn worth it. we started as 20 and ended up with about 40 by the end of the night, picking up curious dancing fools. i didn't know one of them personally, but we were just smiling and laughing and boogying all the while. there's just something about creating a positive energy with a group of like-minded people that makes you and everyone else around you feel good. we even got a few cops AND stiff republicans to join along. so worth it.
i'll be joining them again tonight! this time, i'll be bringing a cd. yay!
to read all about it from the creator of THE PARTY, check this.
oh no! this was the complete opposite. we got to spread joy and gave the republicans and police discomfort at times and big ol' smiles at others. we danced and danced and danced all over the city. i feel like i danced for 10 miles. from 10pm to 3am! my feet hurt so bad, i felt like i'd been dancing in one of those old time dance marathons for 40 hours straight.
but it was damn worth it. we started as 20 and ended up with about 40 by the end of the night, picking up curious dancing fools. i didn't know one of them personally, but we were just smiling and laughing and boogying all the while. there's just something about creating a positive energy with a group of like-minded people that makes you and everyone else around you feel good. we even got a few cops AND stiff republicans to join along. so worth it.
i'll be joining them again tonight! this time, i'll be bringing a cd. yay!
to read all about it from the creator of THE PARTY, check this.
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