City to the Suburbs

This past week I was graced by the presence of the one and only Mr. Teen Heartthrob. He stayed a record 5 days and during this time, there was a lot of night time hitting the city on account of our ridiculous work and school schedules that keep us at respective locations till 9, 10, 11 pm. A few things we did in the city:
We took the Roosevelt Tram to Roosevelt Island. I've been wanting to do that since I moved here and finally all dreams came true. It was much larger than I thought. I think I expected more of a kings dominion experience where the cars are all tiny and just fit 4 adults uncomfortably. Not the case. Anyway it was a great 4 minute ride across the East River, and then a walk along the shore of Roosevelt Island with unparalleled views of the city. I felt so far away from the busy city that never sleeps. It was nice.


Being away from the city makes you feel a little less claustrophobic. And makes you wonder where all those empty cargo ships are headed. And how many bodies are at the bottom of the river.
That night we ate at Persepolis and had the most amazing Persian food. Hummus and a beet and pineapple salad for appeteaser. TH got salmon kebab and I got some eggplant and lentil curry. There were 4 flavors of rice to choose from - dill, orange and almond, and sour cherry. We tried the dill and the orange. Orange was the clear winner. If you're ever on the upper east side, I recommend this restaurant. I will be a return customer.

We also went to a Mexican restaurant next to my apartment building. The food was so-so.The waiters and the clientele are what made this place memorable. The table behind was had a few very inebriated kids who were really enjoying themselves. The waiters and them at one point broke out into a spontaneous "shake-off" which culminated with the waiter lifting his shirt and doing the body wave with his huge gut hanging out.Other things than food and eating that we did? We hung out on 5th avenue, just generally looking and being important (read: tourists)We also got out of the city for a day and went to the once-beloved home of TH: Princeton, New Jersey! We took the train there and explored the city a little bit. I got to see where TH used to stay up late in his hot lab coat, being all sexy and handling specimens and chemicals. I saw where he lived for a few years and let me just tell you, Ivy league student housing is extravagant. I saw Albert Einstein's house and Stargazers field and the campus that I recognized from the movie, A Beautiful Mind.
This is us getting off the train and TH saying "geeeeeez, woman, take it easy with all the picture taking."In Princeton, we went on an ice cream tour, wherein we tried 7 different kinds of ice cream from 2 shops. Bloat city. My favorite was a plum lavender blend or strawberry saffron.

We also went to Princeton Record Exchange, which is this transcendent store that buys and sells CDs, records, and DVDs for super cheap. I made a killing in that place: 7 CDs and 3 movies for under $40. AWESOME.

Princeton was a lovely little town where jazz quartets played on every corner, lines are always spilling out the doors of ice cream shops, and kids and adults alike sit in the park to enjoy a nice day. I loved it. I could easily live in a town some day, away from the crazy city life I currently enjoy.

Today we took a bus ride to church, and stayed the entire time, all 3 sessions (you should be proud) before TH had to head back to DC.
Now its back to the harsh reality of grad school. Oh, if anyone cares I did awesome on my presentation last week. Hooray for mirrors and imagining people in their knickers.

Yes, thats about right

Let's see...an important presentation to make tomorrow morning...its 12:30 and I have no immediate plans to slumber...procrastinating by writing this blog...dancing around in front of the mirror to "get comfortable being in front of people"...trying on all sorts of outfits to find the cutest one...cleaning my room...standing in front of the AC...

Hmm. I think I should really get cracking on this presentation. And it also helps my late-night studies that, after a brief 3-day hiatus from caffeine, I am back on as of 1:04 pm today. It felt so good. I am an addict. It's my fuel source, what can I do about it? I can't QUIT in the middle of grad school for goodness sakes. That's like trying to quit chocolate and cheese when you're on vacation in France. Or quitting strip clubs when you're a pervert.

...Impossible...

The night the air-conditioner was installed

Weekends in the heat

Man oh man if there was ever a time to live in Alaska for the summer, it would be right NOW. The heat from this past week has been growing exponentially suffocating. The heat made me do funny things. Things I wouldn't normally do. Take the following examples:

Friday night: For a fancy rooftop party hosted by this lady, a one-time muse of Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, now a MORMON, I decided to dress up because pants was out of the question. I essentially wore a mu-mu because it is the airiest thing I own. The worst part? I wasn't even embarrassed because Ultraviolet was wearing the same thing. Twinners. (The penthouse apt was bought for her by Salvador Dali and overlooks the guggenheim and entire west side of NYC. It was seriously amazing.)

Saturday day: After putting the finishing touches on a kick-a$$ presentation for school, I headed out into the heat to go to the Siren Festival in Brooklyn. I took one step outside and realized I'd need a sec before committing to a day in the heat. I met up with a friend for late brunch and after sitting in an air-con restaurant, realized there was no way I'd be standing around in the heat (especially after only sleeping for a few hours the previous night due to Batman showing and early awakening for school-stuffs). So I DIDN'T GO TO FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL cause it was too hot. How lame am I?

Sunday: Last night I couldn't sleep. Our apartment is SO hot at this point. 4 days of increasingly warmer temperatures makes one want to dunk themselves repeatedly in the Hudson. It's that hot. So its 2 AM, I wake up in a sweat (even with the fan blowing full-blast right on me) and go to the shower. I take a cold freezing cold shower for about 10 minutes and then go back to my room, lie on the floor, and proceed to sleep until about 7 and (hot again) go into the living room and lie on the couch, falling asleep in front of the gigantic econo-size fan gripping a bottle of advil due to my heat-induced migraine. My roommates might think I'm crazy at this point. Or, conversely, they might completely understand. Hmm.

I tell you, no man or woman should be forced to live like this. Truth be told, I realize I'm NOT being forced, just being stubborn. Well, now that I've essentially lost all will to live, I am breaking down. I'm buying the AC unit. Ok? Yes, you were all right. I can't make it through an NYC without the aid of air-con. You win, I lose. I am no longer the stalwart, "nothing-affects-me" woman. The heat has humbled me. Now if you'll excuse me - I have to go down to my local appliance store and make a large purchase. Grrr. There go those new pair of shoes I was lusting after...

POTUS jokus

So I says to Hu, I says "Hu! Me, you, and coal - it's the new trinity!" Ya'll should build 1,000 new coal plants, too! Hell, forget it - lets all finish tearing down the Amazon and we can power our Ford F-150's with the tears of starving children and polar bears!

Did everyone hear the AWESOME joke that G Dub made the other day?*

As he was leaving a private meeting following the G8 summit, surrounded by some of the most powerful leaders in the world, he pulled a Bushy.

As he ended the meeting, he brazenly bid adieu to everyone saying, "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

What? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. My president said that? MY president? The very same that has the worst environmental record (runner-up to Reagan maybe?) and has a lower approval rating than Saved by the Bell: The New Class?

This can't be.

* Disclaimer: I'm not trying to morph this blog into a political tirade, but this damn liberal degree and liberal school and general dissatisfaction with current policy priorities and all - its terribly unavoidable.

Oh man. Man oh man.

Getting me to focus right now is like telling a baby to stop crying. Or telling sister Murray to stop watching disney movies.

Why does school seem so uninteresting to me today? Could it be because I don't CARE about ecological management and assessment tools? Yes, yes it could be precisely that. This assignment is boring times boring.

POTUS interruptus

From the white house press conference this morning.


On the gas tax moratorium:

POTUS: ...And we'll consider interesting ideas. But, Jim, what I'm not going to do is jump right in the middle of a presidential campaign. We'll let the candidates argue out their ideas.

Q Well, would --

POTUS: I just told you I'll consider the ideas. If it's a good idea, we embrace it; if not, we're analyzing the different ideas coming forward.

SMACKDOWN!!!

On strategies in Afghanistan:

Q But do you think we're winning? Do you think we're winning?

POTUS: I do, I think we're making good progress. I do, yes.

Q Can I just add to that, a couple weeks ago --

POTUS: No, you can't.

Continued:

Q Can I just say --

POTUS: They just cut off your mic. You can't, no.

Q A couple weeks ago you said --

POTUS: Now she's going to go without the mic. This is awesome. (Laughter.)

SHUT DOWN!!! PUBLIC HUMILIATION!!

On opening up ANWR for oil exploration:

Q But what --

POTUS: Let me finish, please, Sheryl. Strike one on the exclusive. (Laughter.) Excuse me, strike two. (Laughter.) That -- you made me lose my train of thought, of course -- maybe that's what you were attempting to do.

FACED!!

Damn, G dub. You take that bull by the horns then. Holly is right, the POTUS is one funny man. That press conference release was full of jokes, compliments and just a good ole fashioned texas way. God bless America.

Me and Elmo

Confessions

1. When I hear soundtrack music on my iPod, I imagine myself running and pumping fists in the air and being triumphant. In this image I'm usually holding a sword and wearing some type of robin hood type attire. By soundtrack music, I'm talking about Stardust and Lord of the Rings. And DON'T judge me for having these songs on my iPod.

Anyway I think I'm going to start running to that music through central park.

2. I like sandwiches with funny names. I still order them, but I feel silly every time. The Pregnant Lady: peanut butter and pickles. Girls Night Out: avocado, tomato, and muenster cheese with lemon vinegrette dressing. "Yes, hi. I'd like a girls night out on a roll, please." I can never say this without feeling like a total schmuck. But something like this would never stop me from ordering any types of food though. So, there.

I think I'm going to go have a girls night out right now!! It is Friday night, after all.

4 days fly by OR how i became a tourist in my hometown

I did a lot of nothing this weekend in DC. And we all know when I say nothing, what I mean is SLEEP. Oh man. I slept and slept and and napped and snoozed, etc. It was glorious. When I wasn't sleeping I was hanging out with various friends including, but not limited to:
Iggy!!! (complete with hardcore stitching and R2)
Tim with the glasses and the Nelson sisters! (Tim voluntarily engaged me in what may be the highest pick-up and hug since I was in my diaper days)
My family!! The lovely Murray, Gramma Deb Deb, Papa Mickey, and Murray and her betrothed

These pictures show Papa and Gramma looking at the phone because Brooklyn was calling to tell us about the fireworks she saw. She is 2. Oh and apparently, they are called Fi-merks. Jenny later was featured on the speakerphone, calling to give us some Lizzie updates. We're all so excited to have her family moving back to Virginia! I wish everyone would move back and live with Papa Mickey again. Just like old times. In that last picture - Murray's Betrothed is looking into her eye for a runaway dust particle - because they take care of each other and are SICKENINGLY adorable. I love you Murray, you know I do.

Also, there was a lot of hanging out with this one:It was a good weekend for the teen heartthrob fan club (me).

Two favorite stories from this weekend:

1. TH and I went to Arlington National Cemetery before church on Sunday. We wanted to go see L'Enfant grave on account of I just read a book about Pierre L'Enfant - the creator of the city DC - he lived an unappreciated life and was never truly recognized in his lifetime for his great achievements. We walked through the hoard of tourists in our Sunday best and made our way up the hill to the Gravesite. As I approached his grave, I had an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the beauty that had resulted from this one man's artistic vision. I walked over to the plaque which had a brief description of who L'Enfant was and what he did. I waited patiently until the tourist man who was reading the plaque noticed I was there and he moved aside so I could read. As he moved aside, Tourist Man looked at me and with a dismissive wave of the hand informed me, "Some French guy". Ha. Poor L'Enfant. Still ignored. Here's Tourist Man, surveying DC in all its glory.
2. Talent Night with my family. We decided to hold an impromptu talent night, wherein I played a Mozart Sonata on the piano ( I MISS playing the piano!), Murray sang a soprano solo - a Broadway song for which I aptly butchered the piano accompaniment, and Papa Mickey played a little diddy he recently learned on the guitar.



Some other favorite moments: Netherlands Carillon, Hall church, Friends marathons, Fireworks with friends in the rain, Delicious sushi from Uni sushi, making The Cookies with family.

Least favorite moment: The train ride home stuck next to Disgusting Farting Man. Some people have no shame.

Oh Pierre, how can I thank you for your crappy design that keeps me coming back for more??

Half a semester down, 5 more to go. I think this means I am 1/6 of the way finished with grad school. How is this possible??

I can't say I've learned anything concrete, other than there is a lot of toxicity in the environment and a lot of it isn't even man-made. Oh, and Marty's on 106th sells the cheapest Monster around.

I've also introduced new vocab and buzzwords into my daily speech patterns, including "anthropogenic", "redox reaction" and "pesky environmentalist". I've also learned how to survive on approximately 5 hours of sleep on weeknights, using my weekends as extended siestas, wherein I become comatose and unresponsive for 2 days straight. (Sometimes 3!!)

I've made some really great friends already and feel totally lucky to have met such amazing people in this huge city. Once you have friends to have fun with and help sustain you, it makes living in a new city much easier!

I've realized there is still such a thing as a crappy roommate. My roommate is ridiculous. I don't think she's ever touched a dirty dish (after she deposits them in the kitchen sink where they mold and decay until I come in with my latex gloves and concentrated liquid soap). She wouldn't buy toilet paper after I held out for A WEEK. I bought it last time, so I assumed she'd step up. Common sense, right? Guess not. I kept a stash in my room for my own use, but I have no idea what she did in the meantime. I shudder at the thought. And the trash. She has never emptied any garbage can, and the "she who tops it drops it" rule is lost on her. Smelly garbage in the kitchen and girly (yes, girly) items spilling over the floor in the bathroom - it's the most puzzling thing I've ever witnessed. How is she able to be in an apartment that smells like steaming sour baby diapers and is littered with her disposable items. Truly disgusting.

Breathe.

Ok, so enough of that. Onto more exciting news...

I get to go home tonight!! I'm going to DC, which is so fitting for this weekend. What better place to celebrate independence day than the city where freedom was found? (Actually freedom was found in Philly...but who's counting) I'm so looking forward to hopping on my 6:00 train and truckin my yankee-poseur self back to the south where I belong. And taking a break from school. And being in air-conditioned housing. See you soon, DC.

Doing better, thanks

In light of my recent meltdown, I'd like to share some stories with you. You know, to lighten the mood a bit.

Tales of a Teen Heartthrob


Gnomie: (referring to a recent wedding TH attended) So, how was the wedding?
Teen Heartthrob: It was good.
Gnomie: Oooo, what was her dress like?
TH: Um, it was like...a normal wedding dress.
G: ?? What? Like how?
TH: You know...like a tank top dress.
G: (Stifling back the laughter) Um, what else?
TH: I don't know. Beads and stuff on it. And like a long veil...or train. Yeah.

Lesson learned: Boys don't pay attention to the same stuff girls do.

Gnomie: Oh, hey - how was that party you went to?
TH: Oh, it was really good. Yeah. Really good food.

Lesson learned: The most important party item to TH is food. And, I'm going to have to go to other sources to get my party gossip.

If these go over well, we may look into making this a weekly feature.