Finallyin my new apartment! Thank god! Moved in last Wednesday and have beenscrambling to get myself nested and settled while managing a very heavycourse load and a very packed social life. Let me tell you ... growingup is hard.
That being said, growing up is also the most awesome feeling and the weirdest feeling in the whole world....at the same time. Being a senior on campus has definitely been a huge reality check. After three years of university education, I can finally say that I feel smarter and more prepared for the real world. All my classes make sense and are super interesting (which is good because if they didn't make sense and they weren't interesting I probably would have slit my wrists by this point due to my intense work load). I'm taking one freshman level class this semester and it's funny to watch the little ones scramble and bang their heads against the wall for an intro level course. Bahahaha. Silly freshmen.
At the same time, I've got my own 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom apartment with the cutest little balcony in an Asian-themed apartment complex run and occupied by all Hispanics. Could this place be more perfect for me? Probably not. And here is the best kept secret about getting your own place: GO TO SALVATION ARMY FOR FURNITURE. I got the cutest little love seat and a dining room table with 4 chairs for under $300.... price included the delivery to my door (which is a second story apartment in a building with no elevator... big shout out thanks to the delicious man meat that carried all my furniture up to my apartment).
Decorating is probably one of my all time favorite activities. Especially in the first space that is entirely my own. My friend Hillary calls it the 'nesting period' and she's right. As soon as I got my keys I went to target and spent 2 hours and an embarrassing amount of money on plates, bowls, mugs, kitchen towels, aprons, tablecloths, wine glasses, chopping boards, a bath mat, a toothbrush holder, a shower curtain, a desk lamp, side tables, mirrors, picture frames, etc. etc. And I swear to god I came all over the place when my kitchen and bathroom were completely set up. It's a wonderful feeling to have a place that is entirely your own - your space, your decorations, your thoughts and dreams and hopes manifested into one tiny little one bedroom apartment. It's the little things in life. I built my bed by myself (again) and started unpacking boxes of clothes and got my closet organized. I hugged each article of clothing and told it how much I missed it because everyone knows that clothes look better on you when you talk to them and tell them how much you appreciate them. And this weekend I will be having my first official house warming dinner and game night for all the lovely ladies that housed me in my time of need. Many thanks to Hillary, Stacey, Lauren, Leigh, Lana and Sierra. xxx
But there's more to being a grown up than having your own apartment and being cooler than the freshmen. It's about time management and confidence. Confidence in what your doing and how your doing it. Confidence in your goals and morals and life plans. Confidence in who you are and who you want to be. I see it in the smallest of events in life. Everyone I meet is suddenly an equal to me... whether they are 21 or 51. I realize that, yes as you grow older you gain wisdom, but once you reach a certain age (20-22) you realize that those people called 'grown ups' are really just as confused as you are about what the next step is going to be.
Suddenly, the system has decided "Okee dokee.... last stop, senior year of college, everyone get off the effing bus and figure it out for yourselves from here on out." And that's what the real world is. Whether you are President of the United States or starting at an entry level position in a major corporation, you're really just trying to figure shit out on your own: how to pay the bills, how to save enough money for that awesome trip to the Bahamas you've been dying to go to, how to find a boyfriend, how to keep your parents from killing each other, how to this, how to that. Society brings you to a certain point and guides you saying "Well first you go to preschool, then elementary school, then middle school, then high school, then college and by then...by the time you have lived on this planet for 21 years...well then you can start making your own decisions without a wag of the finger and frowny face from big brother." Well. Thanks society. I'm glad that you have guided me this far and then are dropping me off completely bewildered into a neverending sea of people who are just as smart as me and just as ambitious as me and just as cute as me. Awesome. I think I just crapped my pants.
Just when I thought that I had seen it all and was completely prepared for anything and everything, I realize just how scared I am of leaving this sanctuary known as 'college'.
Still no Internets at my apartment so posts will be less frequent but stay tuned as little bear tackles the big effing world.
xxxxxx
Wednesday, September 15
Wednesday, August 25
Hello friends and lovers! Sorry it has been a while. Since my departure from the great Manhattan life has been a little bit crazy. 2 days after moving out of the city I left for California for my PADI X marketing internship training and open water dive certification. Returned from that little trip and left almost immediately for a weekend vacation with family friends to Montreal. They call me the jet setter for a reason.
So to give a little recap of my adventures: SCUBA DIVING IS AWESOME! It was by far the most physically and emotionally challenging thing I have ever done but also the most rewarding and fulfilling experience of my life. The 4 days I spent learning how to breathe and dive 20 - 60 feet underwater were incredible. There is something so serene and peaceful about being on the ocean floor - all you can hear is your breath and your body sways back and forth with the current. You are left completely alone with your thoughts in a state of meditation and relaxation. Inflate your BCD with just a little bit of air and you hover right above the ocean floor, suspended in water effortlessly. But the time I spent in California was more than just an individually moving experience. The people I met there and worked with for 4 days became a mini family to me. We all supported each other through the good and the bad, had a lot of laughs and a lot of really deep conversations. I guess I should've expected it to be a group of awesome people since we were all there for the same reason - to learn to scuba dive.
PADI X August 2010 <3 forever in my heart
So to give a little recap of my adventures: SCUBA DIVING IS AWESOME! It was by far the most physically and emotionally challenging thing I have ever done but also the most rewarding and fulfilling experience of my life. The 4 days I spent learning how to breathe and dive 20 - 60 feet underwater were incredible. There is something so serene and peaceful about being on the ocean floor - all you can hear is your breath and your body sways back and forth with the current. You are left completely alone with your thoughts in a state of meditation and relaxation. Inflate your BCD with just a little bit of air and you hover right above the ocean floor, suspended in water effortlessly. But the time I spent in California was more than just an individually moving experience. The people I met there and worked with for 4 days became a mini family to me. We all supported each other through the good and the bad, had a lot of laughs and a lot of really deep conversations. I guess I should've expected it to be a group of awesome people since we were all there for the same reason - to learn to scuba dive.
PADI X August 2010 <3 forever in my heart
Wednesday, August 11
You for scuba?
Ahhh!! I can't believe that MTV internship is over and I'm currently in Lake Forest, CA training for my PADI X Scuba Marketing Internship. Arrived last night and met some really cool people already. Woke up early today to finish my online score and skipped a lot of the questions because honestly who wants to take an exam at 7am so I got a 77%, just enough to make it over the 75% minimum required score. Woot woot! Got a full day today (and every day this week for that matter) but expect lots of funny pictures of me and my group in wet suits and general sillyness when I return. YAY WEST COAST!
xxx Bear
xxx Bear
Thursday, August 5
A toast...
Born in Queens, raised across the GW Bridge in Bergen County, NJ .... This bear has always dreamed of living in Manhattan. When I was a wee, little bear I used to tell myself "One day I'm going to live and party and work and be awesome in New York City." So Summer 2010, thanks for making one little girl's dreams come true this season.
I came into this summer the same way I come into every situation and opportunity life throws at me - excited but about to poop my pants from nervousness. Sure, I went to Buenos Aires, Argentina last year without knowing anyone and barely speaking Spanish, but somehow this summer seemed more terrifying. Looking back now, I can't really remember the reasons why. Maybe it was because I was taking my first professional steps into the media industry with my MTV internship. Maybe it was because I was afraid my expectations were going to be too high for my realities to compare with. Or maybe it was just because I am what I am and I tend to worry about things. I don't know. What I do know is that every expectation that I had seems silly and small compared to the reality of what my summer has been. Every minute that I have spent in this magical place has gone above and beyond anything I could have dreamed or hoped for. There was never a dull moment (maybe I should have scheduled some in however to protect my poor, exhausted body) and knock on wood, nothing horrible happened. Good times were had with good friends, relationships that mattered became stronger, and I have to say that I am incredibly proud of me and my go-to-team for surviving. But more importantly, I am incredibly impressed that this city survived us haha.
So here's to you, New York City - the concrete jungles where dreams are made of, and there's nothing you can't do. I'm still in New York. And you can be damn sure that I will be back here again one day. Consider Summer 2010 the trailer to the feature film.
Stay tuned for updates as I spend the rest of my summer in Jersey, Los Angeles, Montreal and then head back down to Miami for senior year of college EEEEEKKKKK!! Thanks for reading this summer (all 4 of you hehe).
I came into this summer the same way I come into every situation and opportunity life throws at me - excited but about to poop my pants from nervousness. Sure, I went to Buenos Aires, Argentina last year without knowing anyone and barely speaking Spanish, but somehow this summer seemed more terrifying. Looking back now, I can't really remember the reasons why. Maybe it was because I was taking my first professional steps into the media industry with my MTV internship. Maybe it was because I was afraid my expectations were going to be too high for my realities to compare with. Or maybe it was just because I am what I am and I tend to worry about things. I don't know. What I do know is that every expectation that I had seems silly and small compared to the reality of what my summer has been. Every minute that I have spent in this magical place has gone above and beyond anything I could have dreamed or hoped for. There was never a dull moment (maybe I should have scheduled some in however to protect my poor, exhausted body) and knock on wood, nothing horrible happened. Good times were had with good friends, relationships that mattered became stronger, and I have to say that I am incredibly proud of me and my go-to-team for surviving. But more importantly, I am incredibly impressed that this city survived us haha.
So here's to you, New York City - the concrete jungles where dreams are made of, and there's nothing you can't do. I'm still in New York. And you can be damn sure that I will be back here again one day. Consider Summer 2010 the trailer to the feature film.
Stay tuned for updates as I spend the rest of my summer in Jersey, Los Angeles, Montreal and then head back down to Miami for senior year of college EEEEEKKKKK!! Thanks for reading this summer (all 4 of you hehe).
Thursday, July 29
Love-Hate Relationship
9 weeks into my internship. One week left. Diggity damn. After working in this office for 9 weeks I've come to think of it as home, and as with every home I've ever had, there are definitely things I like and things I hate about working in Times Square. So here's my list:
Things I LOVE about working in Times Square:
Fantastic smelling food.
Mostly from the gyro and falafel street vendors. Not only does it smell delicious and taste pretty damn good, but a giant gyro only puts you out about $5 (not bad for NYC). Mmm.
Convenience
The fact that from my place of residence in NYC on the Lower East Side it only takes me 20 minutes to get to work in Times Square via the F train is super convenient and awesome. Thanks F train. You're my favorite.
Men in suits eating ice cream cones
Summertime in the city is always interesting. You want to look professional for work but HOT DAMN it is blazing outside and the last thing I want to be in is an effing suit. Here's to all those business men in their Armani suits scarfing down ice cream cones on the corner.
The view from my office
Working on the 34th floor has been awesome. And I love my view. It might be half the reason I'm still coming to work everyday. Just kidding, I love my yob. (An actual picture of my view coming soon.)
Things I HATE about working in Times Square: (warning, excessive rants may follow...)
Crazy New Yorkers on Bicycles
Let's forget for a minute that some of the bikers in NYC are absolutely retarded and do things like this (-->) which make me facepalm real hard. Let's also forget for a second that they zip around on streets and avenues with complete disregard to traffic and pedestrian signals. Let's focus on me for a second. A couple weeks ago I was running a work errand from one building to another (across Broadway...seriously, just had to cross the avenue) and I got hit FULL ON by a guy on a bicycle. The asshole knocked me flat on my tush, picked up his bike and rode off. THANKS JACKASS. grumblegrumblegrumble. I'm gonna find you one of these days and get my sweet, sweet revenge. Possibly with my dad's friend's minivan. Hehe. No I'm kidding. But I'm still pissed.
People that handout promotional flyers
It bothers me to NO END that I cannot walk the 3 blocks from the subway station to my office without having 12 flyers shoved in my face. No, I am not going to buy your shit. No, not even if you shove flyers in my face. In fact, your continued habit of annoying me and trying to sell me your shit makes me want to buy it even less, just to spite you. No, I do not need a haircut. No, I do not need a new stereo from your electronics store. And no, I definitely do not need your restaurant flyer as I am holding my bag of lunch food while I exit this Chipotle. Dumbass. Oh and just a side note, I see your flyers littered all over the streets of this city, so thanks for killing trees while contributing to NYC pollution. I think you deserve a medal for your excellent contribution to society as a human being.
These idiots
I understand that it's your first time in New York City and that Times Square is full of awesome shiny things, but do you think that you, your family and your camera could move out of the middle of the effing sidewalk? I mean...last time I checked, it's called a sideWALK, not a sideSTAND. Come on people. If you've been in Manhattan for even 5 minutes, the one thing that you should know is that everyone is always in a rush. Don't get in my way. I will trample you and your child on a leash. Have some respect for the people that are not on vacation such as your lovely selves and are rather hustling and bustling about the city for work purposes. Le sigh.
Stupid Pedestrians
Everyday I watch as pedestrians run across the street in front of taxis because they are in SUCH a rush that they can't wait 30 seconds for the walk sign. And everyday I cringe at least 5 times when a pedestrian ALMOST gets hit by a taxi or a car that has the right of way. I hate people that argue that pedestrian's ALWAYS have the right of way, because that's not true. Pedestrians have the right of way on the crosswalk when the little white man says walk NOW. Not always. If you can't abide by those basic rules, then you deserve to get hit by a taxi. I'm sorry, but you do. Share the city.
I realize that a lot of the things I hate have to do with stupid people. But that's probably because I just hate stupid people. It doesn't take a lot to live a smart life in this city and I have zero tolerance/respect for people that do stupid things.
But I definitely don't want to end this post on such a negative note, so let me share with you a little tale that warmed my heart yesterday.
Yesterday I went home for the afternoon to visit my family in Jersey. After dinner my mommy dropped me off to the Port Imperial Ferry Stop around 8:50pm. I bought my ferry ticket (redonkulously expensive by the way) and headed out to slip 2. I saw that the ferry was just pulling away from the dock, but the weather was nice and I really didn't mind waiting the 20 minutes for the next boat. I stood at the railing and watched as all of a sudden the boat came back to the dock. I was the only one standing on the slip and the captain waved at me from his post on the second floor of the boat and gave me a big smile. It almost brought a tear to my eye that the captain, a stranger to me, came back to the slip just for me. Thank you kind sir. You have restored my faith in humanity.
It's the little things in life....
Things I LOVE about working in Times Square:
Mostly from the gyro and falafel street vendors. Not only does it smell delicious and taste pretty damn good, but a giant gyro only puts you out about $5 (not bad for NYC). Mmm.
The fact that from my place of residence in NYC on the Lower East Side it only takes me 20 minutes to get to work in Times Square via the F train is super convenient and awesome. Thanks F train. You're my favorite.
Summertime in the city is always interesting. You want to look professional for work but HOT DAMN it is blazing outside and the last thing I want to be in is an effing suit. Here's to all those business men in their Armani suits scarfing down ice cream cones on the corner.
Working on the 34th floor has been awesome. And I love my view. It might be half the reason I'm still coming to work everyday. Just kidding, I love my yob. (An actual picture of my view coming soon.)
Things I HATE about working in Times Square: (warning, excessive rants may follow...)
Let's forget for a minute that some of the bikers in NYC are absolutely retarded and do things like this (-->) which make me facepalm real hard. Let's also forget for a second that they zip around on streets and avenues with complete disregard to traffic and pedestrian signals. Let's focus on me for a second. A couple weeks ago I was running a work errand from one building to another (across Broadway...seriously, just had to cross the avenue) and I got hit FULL ON by a guy on a bicycle. The asshole knocked me flat on my tush, picked up his bike and rode off. THANKS JACKASS. grumblegrumblegrumble. I'm gonna find you one of these days and get my sweet, sweet revenge. Possibly with my dad's friend's minivan. Hehe. No I'm kidding. But I'm still pissed.
People that handout promotional flyers
It bothers me to NO END that I cannot walk the 3 blocks from the subway station to my office without having 12 flyers shoved in my face. No, I am not going to buy your shit. No, not even if you shove flyers in my face. In fact, your continued habit of annoying me and trying to sell me your shit makes me want to buy it even less, just to spite you. No, I do not need a haircut. No, I do not need a new stereo from your electronics store. And no, I definitely do not need your restaurant flyer as I am holding my bag of lunch food while I exit this Chipotle. Dumbass. Oh and just a side note, I see your flyers littered all over the streets of this city, so thanks for killing trees while contributing to NYC pollution. I think you deserve a medal for your excellent contribution to society as a human being.
I understand that it's your first time in New York City and that Times Square is full of awesome shiny things, but do you think that you, your family and your camera could move out of the middle of the effing sidewalk? I mean...last time I checked, it's called a sideWALK, not a sideSTAND. Come on people. If you've been in Manhattan for even 5 minutes, the one thing that you should know is that everyone is always in a rush. Don't get in my way. I will trample you and your child on a leash. Have some respect for the people that are not on vacation such as your lovely selves and are rather hustling and bustling about the city for work purposes. Le sigh.
Everyday I watch as pedestrians run across the street in front of taxis because they are in SUCH a rush that they can't wait 30 seconds for the walk sign. And everyday I cringe at least 5 times when a pedestrian ALMOST gets hit by a taxi or a car that has the right of way. I hate people that argue that pedestrian's ALWAYS have the right of way, because that's not true. Pedestrians have the right of way on the crosswalk when the little white man says walk NOW. Not always. If you can't abide by those basic rules, then you deserve to get hit by a taxi. I'm sorry, but you do. Share the city.
I realize that a lot of the things I hate have to do with stupid people. But that's probably because I just hate stupid people. It doesn't take a lot to live a smart life in this city and I have zero tolerance/respect for people that do stupid things.
But I definitely don't want to end this post on such a negative note, so let me share with you a little tale that warmed my heart yesterday.
Yesterday I went home for the afternoon to visit my family in Jersey. After dinner my mommy dropped me off to the Port Imperial Ferry Stop around 8:50pm. I bought my ferry ticket (redonkulously expensive by the way) and headed out to slip 2. I saw that the ferry was just pulling away from the dock, but the weather was nice and I really didn't mind waiting the 20 minutes for the next boat. I stood at the railing and watched as all of a sudden the boat came back to the dock. I was the only one standing on the slip and the captain waved at me from his post on the second floor of the boat and gave me a big smile. It almost brought a tear to my eye that the captain, a stranger to me, came back to the slip just for me. Thank you kind sir. You have restored my faith in humanity.
It's the little things in life....
Tuesday, July 27
Summer 2010 Shenanigans
THE END IS NEAR! I can't believe how quickly this summer has come and gone! Less than two weeks left in the big apple and I find myself looking back and asking "WHAT THE BAWLS DID I DO ALL SUMMER LONG?" Well. Let me share with you some of the awesome things I did. (Well, at least I think they're awesome...)
1) OM NOM NOM NOM.
I ate some amazing meals in this city this summer. Whether is was super awesome chopped steak with my parents at Benjamin Steakhouse (quick shout out to our incredible waiter, Ricky - you da man Ricky) or sweet ass deals like 3 sushi rolls for $10 or street vendor gyros, this city has filled my belleh and made me a most satisfied bear. mmm.
2) Throw a BBQ
Fourth of July weekend was fabulous - I shimmied my way over the GW Bridge to my parents house in Jersey, invited all my friends over for the weekend, and had a slamming time. Swimming, tanning, eating, dancing, lounging, drinking... you name it, we did it. And had the house looking spotless before my parents got back home from their vacay. HIGH FIVE!
3) Photography
I am a big fan of the traditional film photography and I brought my darling camera up to New York with me for the summer. I have snapped about 12 rolls of film and can't wait to get back down to Miami to develop them and see what I got. From South Street Seaport to the Upper East Side, my camera has traveled almost as much as I have this summer. Almost.
4) House/dog-sit for someone
My friend Stephen has two adorable little puppies - Biggie and Cali - and they have made my summer filled with so many more snuggles than I could have ever expected. Stephen went out of town for a weekend, so me and my best bear Hillary house and dog sat for him for the weekend. Added bonus: he's living in his parents' apartment on the UES on the 26th floor with an ILL view. Taking the puppies for walks, feeding them, and snuggling in bed with them late at night was wonderful. Much love to my two favorite pups.
5) Walk for a really long time
Earlier this summer I decided to walk from 42nd & 6th to 87th & Lex for fun. A lot of you are probably like "Wow you have a warped definition of fun" but allow me to explain myself. There are so many different neighborhoods in this city, with so many fascinating stores and restaurants and people of course - I feel like I miss so much of it riding the subway. The weather was fabulous and I had my iPod and a pack of stogs and decided to go for a stroll. It's not that I saw any one thing that was outrageous or mindblowing, but being in the city and not under it and watching the neighborhoods change slowly was awesome.
Fun fact: I just mapped it and discovered that my walk was 2.7 miles. Sweet!
6) Cook an epic breakfast
Last weekend we (me and all my friends up here from Miami) went out to Long Island for another weekend long BBQ event at our friend Brandon's parents' place (THANKS B-HILL!). Sunday morning came and me and my best bear Hillary decided that we were going to cook breakfast for everyone (not that many people, only like 12 of us). So we jumped our friend Teggles and harrassed him into taking us to the grocery store for we are sans transportation, bought a whole buncha yummies, came back and whipped up eggs, bacon, cinnabuns and pancakes for everyone with a side of strawberries and OJ. Mmmm. I have never seen so many happy hungover people before.
Obviously I did more than just the above mentioned things, but these are a few of the events that stick out most clearly in my memory right meow. Thanks summer 2010 - you've gone above and beyond my expectations.
xxx Nikbear
1) OM NOM NOM NOM.
I ate some amazing meals in this city this summer. Whether is was super awesome chopped steak with my parents at Benjamin Steakhouse (quick shout out to our incredible waiter, Ricky - you da man Ricky) or sweet ass deals like 3 sushi rolls for $10 or street vendor gyros, this city has filled my belleh and made me a most satisfied bear. mmm.
2) Throw a BBQ
Fourth of July weekend was fabulous - I shimmied my way over the GW Bridge to my parents house in Jersey, invited all my friends over for the weekend, and had a slamming time. Swimming, tanning, eating, dancing, lounging, drinking... you name it, we did it. And had the house looking spotless before my parents got back home from their vacay. HIGH FIVE!
 |
| From BBQ 2009 - Me, Lil bro, Sushi & Bear <3 |
3) Photography
I am a big fan of the traditional film photography and I brought my darling camera up to New York with me for the summer. I have snapped about 12 rolls of film and can't wait to get back down to Miami to develop them and see what I got. From South Street Seaport to the Upper East Side, my camera has traveled almost as much as I have this summer. Almost.
4) House/dog-sit for someone
My friend Stephen has two adorable little puppies - Biggie and Cali - and they have made my summer filled with so many more snuggles than I could have ever expected. Stephen went out of town for a weekend, so me and my best bear Hillary house and dog sat for him for the weekend. Added bonus: he's living in his parents' apartment on the UES on the 26th floor with an ILL view. Taking the puppies for walks, feeding them, and snuggling in bed with them late at night was wonderful. Much love to my two favorite pups.
5) Walk for a really long time
Earlier this summer I decided to walk from 42nd & 6th to 87th & Lex for fun. A lot of you are probably like "Wow you have a warped definition of fun" but allow me to explain myself. There are so many different neighborhoods in this city, with so many fascinating stores and restaurants and people of course - I feel like I miss so much of it riding the subway. The weather was fabulous and I had my iPod and a pack of stogs and decided to go for a stroll. It's not that I saw any one thing that was outrageous or mindblowing, but being in the city and not under it and watching the neighborhoods change slowly was awesome.
Fun fact: I just mapped it and discovered that my walk was 2.7 miles. Sweet!
6) Cook an epic breakfast
Last weekend we (me and all my friends up here from Miami) went out to Long Island for another weekend long BBQ event at our friend Brandon's parents' place (THANKS B-HILL!). Sunday morning came and me and my best bear Hillary decided that we were going to cook breakfast for everyone (not that many people, only like 12 of us). So we jumped our friend Teggles and harrassed him into taking us to the grocery store for we are sans transportation, bought a whole buncha yummies, came back and whipped up eggs, bacon, cinnabuns and pancakes for everyone with a side of strawberries and OJ. Mmmm. I have never seen so many happy hungover people before.
Obviously I did more than just the above mentioned things, but these are a few of the events that stick out most clearly in my memory right meow. Thanks summer 2010 - you've gone above and beyond my expectations.
xxx Nikbear
Tuesday, July 20
CRACKberry
One day last week I arrived at work and rode the elevator up to my department with 6-7 other people. All of these people, including myself, were furiously typing away emails and text messages on their blackberries. The only sounds in that little box that carried all of us strangers to our respective floors was the sound of mini keys clicking on tiny blackberry keyboards.
I found myself wondering for the next couple days why we are so dependent on technology, and furthermore why is it necessary for us to always have the LATEST technology IMMEDIATELY? My younger brother went out a couple days ago and bought the iPad. When he came home all proud of himself for having called every Apple store within driving distance of our house until he found a store that had the iPad in stock (he did this for about a week - calling every hour on the hour) I didn't really understand why he needed it. He already has a MacBook and a MacBook Pro (one is for personal use the other for/from his job) and I just couldn't comprehend why on earth he needed a THIRD laptop. After playing with the iPad a little bit, I get it, it's cool...but I still don't understand the intense craze surrounding it.
You see - I've had the same computer for the past 2 years and the same shitty, old, outdated blackberry for the past 20 months. Recently, a whole slew of my friends got blackberries and decided to add me on bbm and have been trying to send me picture messages which they can't do because my "old" blackberry doesn't recieve picture messages. To which they all laughed and said "LOL what kind of phone doesn't recieve picture messages? How do you tweet and post funny pictures of things you see walking around the city on facebook if your phone doesn't have a camera?" Um. I don't. And I kinda like it that way. I'm so sick of nearly running into people in Times Square because they are video taping the jumbo screens on their iPhones. Does our generation even remember how to see things with our own naked eyes, or must we view the world through the lens of our camera phone?
My contract with my cell phone provider expires in a few months and I was temporarily toying with the idea of getting the new iPhone before I realized how much I would hate myself for doing something like that. When I first got my blackberry I was so excited to have a smartphone. Now I hate the damn thing. I hate that I get emails all the time. I hate how slow it runs because its trying to do 50 things at once and then it crashes on me saying "duhh sorrrryyy" (no it doesn't really say that, that's just the voice I've given my phone in my own head) and lands up doing none of those 50 things. I hate how the battery dies after 8 hours of use because its just too overwhelmed. But most of all, I hate that I have become associated with it as a 'blackberry person'. What does that even mean? Someone said that to me the other day "Oh...you're a blackberry person, never mind" and I wasn't really sure how to take it. Is that a bad thing? Is that a good thing? Is that some new disease that your smart phone passes through your ear while your on the phone (gross)? I mean, last time I checked, I was just a person - defined by my morals and beliefs and not by the type of phone I use..... but the last time I checked was also a while ago, so maybe things have changed....
I found myself wondering for the next couple days why we are so dependent on technology, and furthermore why is it necessary for us to always have the LATEST technology IMMEDIATELY? My younger brother went out a couple days ago and bought the iPad. When he came home all proud of himself for having called every Apple store within driving distance of our house until he found a store that had the iPad in stock (he did this for about a week - calling every hour on the hour) I didn't really understand why he needed it. He already has a MacBook and a MacBook Pro (one is for personal use the other for/from his job) and I just couldn't comprehend why on earth he needed a THIRD laptop. After playing with the iPad a little bit, I get it, it's cool...but I still don't understand the intense craze surrounding it.
You see - I've had the same computer for the past 2 years and the same shitty, old, outdated blackberry for the past 20 months. Recently, a whole slew of my friends got blackberries and decided to add me on bbm and have been trying to send me picture messages which they can't do because my "old" blackberry doesn't recieve picture messages. To which they all laughed and said "LOL what kind of phone doesn't recieve picture messages? How do you tweet and post funny pictures of things you see walking around the city on facebook if your phone doesn't have a camera?" Um. I don't. And I kinda like it that way. I'm so sick of nearly running into people in Times Square because they are video taping the jumbo screens on their iPhones. Does our generation even remember how to see things with our own naked eyes, or must we view the world through the lens of our camera phone?
My contract with my cell phone provider expires in a few months and I was temporarily toying with the idea of getting the new iPhone before I realized how much I would hate myself for doing something like that. When I first got my blackberry I was so excited to have a smartphone. Now I hate the damn thing. I hate that I get emails all the time. I hate how slow it runs because its trying to do 50 things at once and then it crashes on me saying "duhh sorrrryyy" (no it doesn't really say that, that's just the voice I've given my phone in my own head) and lands up doing none of those 50 things. I hate how the battery dies after 8 hours of use because its just too overwhelmed. But most of all, I hate that I have become associated with it as a 'blackberry person'. What does that even mean? Someone said that to me the other day "Oh...you're a blackberry person, never mind" and I wasn't really sure how to take it. Is that a bad thing? Is that a good thing? Is that some new disease that your smart phone passes through your ear while your on the phone (gross)? I mean, last time I checked, I was just a person - defined by my morals and beliefs and not by the type of phone I use..... but the last time I checked was also a while ago, so maybe things have changed....
Thursday, July 8
Plenty of fish in the sea
There are two kinds of men in this world - the ones that like you too much and the ones that don't like you enough. (This applicable to women as well, I'm just thinking from my perspective.) The exceptions are the ones worth dating. I know that I'm young and I don't have the wisdom and experience of someone who has been married for 15 or 20 years, but I've seen a lot of men in this world and I've observed a lot of relationships (my own and those of my friends). We live in a world where everyone's worried about finding that special someone to settle down with and love forever, so it's inevitable that something like this would be on my mind and worthy of writing a post about.
A good friend of mine (affectionately known as Councilfart) gave me some excellent advice: "You never want to date someone who is more into you than you are into them, or vice versa. The best relationships are those where the attraction (physical and mental) is balanced on both ends." I've been trying to remind myself this everyday because it makes a lot of sense. Too many of my friends have gotten into unbalanced relationships and have felt suffocated and it just ends really badly. Nobody wants a messy break-up. And nobody wants a broken heart.
So how do you find the balance? Well, like I said, I'm no dating expert but I'm a firm believer in being open and honest and always laying out your cards on the table if you really care about someone. Earlier this summer I was briefly seeing a guy who I had met at a family event. He was very attractive and very sweet and we felt a connection immediately. However, he had some baggage and I had some hesitations - all of which we talked about on the first or second date - and in the end it didn't work out. I felt really bad because I knew he really liked me but (and this is going to sound really harsh) in the end, I just wasn't that into him. I think that a lot of people have a hard time admitting that. We all get so caught up in the heat of the moment and the thrill of finding someone who is interested that we forget to take a step back and really look at the situation and see if its the right thing. Maybe I'm just blabbering and this is all just in my head, but shwatever. It's my blog and I'll ramble if I want to.
So getting back to the point - being honest... really important. Lucky for me I don't always have a filter (like today I accidentally said in a meeting that I sometimes find my job boring and repetitive) and if I'm having a good conversation with someone I'm not scared to open up to them, even if it is the first time I'm meeting them. I like to let people know who I am, where I'm coming from and what I believe in and I don't see anything wrong with that. A lot of guys have told me that they find it very intimidating, but screw them. I am who I am and if I'm ever going to find someone in this world I'd rather start eliminating the ones that can't handle me right off the bat. I hate girls that act differently in front of guys because they want to make a good impression. I hate girls that don't eat when they go out to dinner with a guy because they think they will look fat. Um, hi. You're on a date with a guy and he's taking you to this amazing restaurant with great food and you're ordering a salad and eating two bites of it because you're afraid he won't like you if you eat a normal person meal and then he won't want to be with you and he won't want to marry you and then you'll die alone? Rewind for a minute, crazy chick. I'd rather stuff a burger in my face and eventually find a guy who loves me for that than be stuck with someone who has a skewed perception of me for the rest of my life. Not to mention you will probably be anorexic and die of malnutrition. Just saying. That seems dumb to me. Eat a sandwich.
So as I've established before, there are a lot of people in this city. Which means lots of options. Hehe. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge. But ... it's got me thinking about why I'm still single. I realized that it's not that I haven't met people. Oh boy, oh boy have I met people. It all comes back to my first statement in this post: the guys that I've been meeting are either not really interested or stage-five-clinger-status. With the guys that aren't that into you - yea it sucks but I've made some awesome friends in exchange. With the latter? Well... We've all been there.... Every day people come to this city looking for new opportunities: new work opportunities and new chances at finding love. There's a reason why they call it the city where dreams come true. With that many people, yes you're chances of finding the right person go up, but at the same time the number of wrong people you meet on a daily basis increases drastically as well (something they fail to mention in the brochure). No, random drunk person on the street, I will not give you my phone number even if you do badger me for the length of my entire cigarette.
Damn you sneaky lunch break - always ending before I get a chance to figure out what the point is of my blog post. Ok. Really quickly. Bottom line? Keep an open heart, an open mind, and an open mouth (hehe that's a little dirty). Remember to be honest with your partner AND YOURSELF. Don't shut anyone out before giving them an honest to god chance. And always keep your chin up. If things are good, be grateful. If things are bad, stay positive. It's a big world out there with billions upon billions of people. In the search for true love, if nothing else, you'll make some great friends and memories along the way.
A good friend of mine (affectionately known as Councilfart) gave me some excellent advice: "You never want to date someone who is more into you than you are into them, or vice versa. The best relationships are those where the attraction (physical and mental) is balanced on both ends." I've been trying to remind myself this everyday because it makes a lot of sense. Too many of my friends have gotten into unbalanced relationships and have felt suffocated and it just ends really badly. Nobody wants a messy break-up. And nobody wants a broken heart.
So how do you find the balance? Well, like I said, I'm no dating expert but I'm a firm believer in being open and honest and always laying out your cards on the table if you really care about someone. Earlier this summer I was briefly seeing a guy who I had met at a family event. He was very attractive and very sweet and we felt a connection immediately. However, he had some baggage and I had some hesitations - all of which we talked about on the first or second date - and in the end it didn't work out. I felt really bad because I knew he really liked me but (and this is going to sound really harsh) in the end, I just wasn't that into him. I think that a lot of people have a hard time admitting that. We all get so caught up in the heat of the moment and the thrill of finding someone who is interested that we forget to take a step back and really look at the situation and see if its the right thing. Maybe I'm just blabbering and this is all just in my head, but shwatever. It's my blog and I'll ramble if I want to.
So getting back to the point - being honest... really important. Lucky for me I don't always have a filter (like today I accidentally said in a meeting that I sometimes find my job boring and repetitive) and if I'm having a good conversation with someone I'm not scared to open up to them, even if it is the first time I'm meeting them. I like to let people know who I am, where I'm coming from and what I believe in and I don't see anything wrong with that. A lot of guys have told me that they find it very intimidating, but screw them. I am who I am and if I'm ever going to find someone in this world I'd rather start eliminating the ones that can't handle me right off the bat. I hate girls that act differently in front of guys because they want to make a good impression. I hate girls that don't eat when they go out to dinner with a guy because they think they will look fat. Um, hi. You're on a date with a guy and he's taking you to this amazing restaurant with great food and you're ordering a salad and eating two bites of it because you're afraid he won't like you if you eat a normal person meal and then he won't want to be with you and he won't want to marry you and then you'll die alone? Rewind for a minute, crazy chick. I'd rather stuff a burger in my face and eventually find a guy who loves me for that than be stuck with someone who has a skewed perception of me for the rest of my life. Not to mention you will probably be anorexic and die of malnutrition. Just saying. That seems dumb to me. Eat a sandwich.
So as I've established before, there are a lot of people in this city. Which means lots of options. Hehe. Wink-wink-nudge-nudge. But ... it's got me thinking about why I'm still single. I realized that it's not that I haven't met people. Oh boy, oh boy have I met people. It all comes back to my first statement in this post: the guys that I've been meeting are either not really interested or stage-five-clinger-status. With the guys that aren't that into you - yea it sucks but I've made some awesome friends in exchange. With the latter? Well... We've all been there.... Every day people come to this city looking for new opportunities: new work opportunities and new chances at finding love. There's a reason why they call it the city where dreams come true. With that many people, yes you're chances of finding the right person go up, but at the same time the number of wrong people you meet on a daily basis increases drastically as well (something they fail to mention in the brochure). No, random drunk person on the street, I will not give you my phone number even if you do badger me for the length of my entire cigarette.
Damn you sneaky lunch break - always ending before I get a chance to figure out what the point is of my blog post. Ok. Really quickly. Bottom line? Keep an open heart, an open mind, and an open mouth (hehe that's a little dirty). Remember to be honest with your partner AND YOURSELF. Don't shut anyone out before giving them an honest to god chance. And always keep your chin up. If things are good, be grateful. If things are bad, stay positive. It's a big world out there with billions upon billions of people. In the search for true love, if nothing else, you'll make some great friends and memories along the way.
Monday, June 28
It's been a while since I've rambled
I don't know what I want to be when I grow up. Unfortunately for me, I have to figure it out relatively soon. You see, when I was a kid, I never had that one thing that I absolutely had to be. I kinda jumped around in my head from dream job to dream job. First I wanted to be a teacher, then I wanted to be a dancer, then I wanted to be a lawyer, and by the time senior year of high school came around I decided on a journalist because it gives me the freedom to do research on a lot of different things and write about them. I've always loved writing so it seemed like the logical career path for my constantly changing interests. After three years of college and many journalism classes, I'm not so sure if I made the right decision anymore.
Let's start with the obvious and inevitable: print journalism is a dying industry. With the speed and ease at which the Internet delivers news, printed newspapers and magazines are struggling at best. Although I may love to pick up a newspaper and read it and turn the actual pages and smell the fresh ink on the crisp paper, my love for printed media is not enough to save the industry. It makes sense - the Internet can deliver breaking news to anyone in any place on the planet in a matter of seconds with the click of a button. Advertisers love it because everyone is constantly online and they reach greater audiences on the web than they do in print. I get it. Just because I get it though, doesn't mean I have to like it. But I've talked about all this in an earlier post - so let's move on because I absolutely hate sounding like a stuck record, even if it is something that's on my mind 24/7. (Yes, that's right, even in my dreams I think about the Internet - how scary is that?)
So print media is dying. Ok. Big whoopdeedoo. That's not reason enough to say that journalism isn't for me - I mean, journalists are still needed to write the online articles and do all that good stuff, right? Well...yes and no. Thanks to wonderful sites such as this one, blogging has become huge. Anyone can be a blogger and write about whatever they want. Obviously I'm a fan or I wouldn't be sitting here right now on my lunch break rambling on and on, but it's making the profession of a journalist and the study of journalism obsolete. If anyone can write and be published online and deliver information to the masses for free, well, why pay for 4 years of college and spend all that time learning something that the rest of the world is already doing. I'm a student of journalism. I'm wicked scared about not being able to find a job in this economy to support myself. Yet, there are people who haven't gone to college to study journalism but are blogging and getting PAID to do it. So what am I really learning in college, because it seems to me that now journalism - both print and online - is just a silly thing to be studying.
Lucky for me I go to a great university with a superb School of Communication where they don't just teach you about your major, but they teach you about communications and media as a whole. Yes, you can specialize in journalism or public relations or advertising with your major, but you get a well-rounded, complete education where you leave knowing a little bit about a lot of different things. (At the same time, we are required to double major, with our second major being outside the School of Communication - the idea here being, "Well ok so you're a journalist and you can report and write, but what are you going to report and write about?" I picked International Studies, and I love it.) So in our communication classes we learn about reporting, writing, advertising, designing, photo editing, publishing, pitching, marketing, etc etc. Basically, they plan on sending us out into the real world with a strong base in COMMUNICATIONS and MEDIA RELATIONS. (For the record, this is all just my own, personal speculation - please don't quote UM on any of this.) After three years, I might not think that journalism is for me, but I know that the communications industry is. Ok. Phew. Phase one of "What I want to be when I grow up" complete. Now the hard part comes in by deciding what that means and what kind of a JOB I want.
So this brings me to my final point and the reason why I'm writing this incredibly and obnoxiously long post - is it better to be really good at one thing or decently good at a lot of different things in today's world? Employers want to hire experts in various fields, but job-seekers are encouraged to be proficient in various fields and subjects, which makes it harder to become an expert at any one thing. So what are we supposed to do? Become experts in lots of different fields? That seems really hard and I don't even have one field mastered, so maybe I'm screwed. Are we supposed to lie and say that we are Photoshop gurus when really we can just edit saturation levels on photos? That seems dumb - I'm not big on lying. Not to mention that we're young and still learning - isn't the whole point of working your way up the ladder to learn as you go? What good does it do me if I'm already at the top? If I'm already at the top, shouldn't this be easy?
Closing statement? Dear World: WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? Please get back to me at your earliest convenience as I know you are currently busy with things such as Global Warming and Wars and Resource Depletion and Poverty and Hunger and 2012 is coming up so that must be stressful too, but whenever you get a free chance and remember this little bear, please do shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. Much appreciated....
Let's start with the obvious and inevitable: print journalism is a dying industry. With the speed and ease at which the Internet delivers news, printed newspapers and magazines are struggling at best. Although I may love to pick up a newspaper and read it and turn the actual pages and smell the fresh ink on the crisp paper, my love for printed media is not enough to save the industry. It makes sense - the Internet can deliver breaking news to anyone in any place on the planet in a matter of seconds with the click of a button. Advertisers love it because everyone is constantly online and they reach greater audiences on the web than they do in print. I get it. Just because I get it though, doesn't mean I have to like it. But I've talked about all this in an earlier post - so let's move on because I absolutely hate sounding like a stuck record, even if it is something that's on my mind 24/7. (Yes, that's right, even in my dreams I think about the Internet - how scary is that?)
So print media is dying. Ok. Big whoopdeedoo. That's not reason enough to say that journalism isn't for me - I mean, journalists are still needed to write the online articles and do all that good stuff, right? Well...yes and no. Thanks to wonderful sites such as this one, blogging has become huge. Anyone can be a blogger and write about whatever they want. Obviously I'm a fan or I wouldn't be sitting here right now on my lunch break rambling on and on, but it's making the profession of a journalist and the study of journalism obsolete. If anyone can write and be published online and deliver information to the masses for free, well, why pay for 4 years of college and spend all that time learning something that the rest of the world is already doing. I'm a student of journalism. I'm wicked scared about not being able to find a job in this economy to support myself. Yet, there are people who haven't gone to college to study journalism but are blogging and getting PAID to do it. So what am I really learning in college, because it seems to me that now journalism - both print and online - is just a silly thing to be studying.
Lucky for me I go to a great university with a superb School of Communication where they don't just teach you about your major, but they teach you about communications and media as a whole. Yes, you can specialize in journalism or public relations or advertising with your major, but you get a well-rounded, complete education where you leave knowing a little bit about a lot of different things. (At the same time, we are required to double major, with our second major being outside the School of Communication - the idea here being, "Well ok so you're a journalist and you can report and write, but what are you going to report and write about?" I picked International Studies, and I love it.) So in our communication classes we learn about reporting, writing, advertising, designing, photo editing, publishing, pitching, marketing, etc etc. Basically, they plan on sending us out into the real world with a strong base in COMMUNICATIONS and MEDIA RELATIONS. (For the record, this is all just my own, personal speculation - please don't quote UM on any of this.) After three years, I might not think that journalism is for me, but I know that the communications industry is. Ok. Phew. Phase one of "What I want to be when I grow up" complete. Now the hard part comes in by deciding what that means and what kind of a JOB I want.
So this brings me to my final point and the reason why I'm writing this incredibly and obnoxiously long post - is it better to be really good at one thing or decently good at a lot of different things in today's world? Employers want to hire experts in various fields, but job-seekers are encouraged to be proficient in various fields and subjects, which makes it harder to become an expert at any one thing. So what are we supposed to do? Become experts in lots of different fields? That seems really hard and I don't even have one field mastered, so maybe I'm screwed. Are we supposed to lie and say that we are Photoshop gurus when really we can just edit saturation levels on photos? That seems dumb - I'm not big on lying. Not to mention that we're young and still learning - isn't the whole point of working your way up the ladder to learn as you go? What good does it do me if I'm already at the top? If I'm already at the top, shouldn't this be easy?
Closing statement? Dear World: WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME? Please get back to me at your earliest convenience as I know you are currently busy with things such as Global Warming and Wars and Resource Depletion and Poverty and Hunger and 2012 is coming up so that must be stressful too, but whenever you get a free chance and remember this little bear, please do shoot me an e-mail or give me a call. Much appreciated....
Wednesday, June 16
These are a few of my favorite things....
In 2008 the population of Manhattan was estimated to be around 1.6 million people. Manhattan is just under 23 square miles. That's about 70,000 people per square mile. That's ridiculous. If you think the numbers are scary, imagine living in it. It's amazing that there's enough fresh air to go around for all these people!
If you've ever stood on a Times Square street corner at ANY given time you know what I'm talking about. The people rushing about from offices to lunches and meetings and subway stations... and let's not forget that they are literally running circles around the tourists that just kinda stand there in the middle staring up with their mouths wide open and their cameras pointed at the sky. Oh oh! And my absolute favorites are the ones that are posing for pictures with the lights and shiny buildings in the background and the photographer is trying to wait till there is nobody else in the frame.... ..... ......... HA.
Just by standing on a corner in Times Square having a smoke for five minutes you can see the whole world go by you. People in this city remind me of bees in a hive - buzzing and busy. The city breathes in a low humming sound scattered with car horns, sirens and people screaming obscenities. Just watching the busy-bodied people around me often winds me up and has me yearning for a bubble bath in a tub that I do not have (yet). So for this post I want to talk about some of my favorite ways to unwind in the city.
Music!
I love music. Thanks to my wonderfully diverse college friends I have been exploring and loving all different genres of music. Last year, when I was abroad, I was without music for 3 months and it nearly killed me - my iTunes broke on my computer and an mp3 player I did not have. This year I was reunited with my music but not in a portable way as when I went to a friends house with my headphones, her pet rats chew through the wires (it's ok, I still love you little ratty babies). So upon arriving to NYC and having some money to blow, I decided to indulge and treat myself to something pretty as spending money ON MYSELF is not something I do very often. VOILA! Awesomely bright and obnoxious headphones that are a permanent fixture on my bodice - on the subway, at work, walking around town. Super comfy and great sound quality - perfect for blocking out all that New York noise. (Wearing them right now, actually, and grooving to this song!)
Tea!
During the day, I'm all about my coffee. At nights, after being cracked out for 14 - 16 hours, caffeine is the last thing I want to put in my system. However, I still find something very soothing about the steam and warmth of a cup of tea at night. I discovered this tea when I was in Argentina and fell in love with it. I call it my bedtime tea and brought back what I thought would be enough tea bags (little did I know that my roommates would enjoy it as much as I do). This particular tea is made from a plant called Linden that is used in many cultures to control anxiety (although no clinical trials have confirmed its effects). Learn more here. For me, one cup of this tea and I'm out like a light and still waking up refreshed and renewed: body, mind and soul.
Books!
Another lesson on relaxation I learned while abroad was the wonder of bookstores. During my semester abroad I did all my studying for both my midterms and my finals in the cutest little cafe/bookstore in Buenos Aires. Sure, it was a 14 block walk to get there, but it was totally worth it. Boutique del Libro had delicious deals on homemade empanadas and those super cool ladders that roll against the amazingly high walls of books. With a semi-covered patio and big comfy couches, I don't know how I still get my studying done outside of this place. It was perfect. Aside from the comfortable seating and old-fashioned feel, I've always been a book lover. I love the feel of a good thick book in my hand, the smell of an old classic novel, or the crispness of the pages of a new book by an emerging author. I wish I had more time to read - I've loved reading ever since I was a little girl (hence the thick glasses since I was a little girl). When I went to New Orleans last spring, I walked along the streets of the French Quarters and stopped in lots of little second-hand bookstores. There's something so calming and pleasant about being able to curl up on a windowsill with a cup of tea and a good book... escaping into a world far, far away....
Yoga!
I started doing a little bit of yoga this year. Like a lot of people, I carry all my stress on my upper back, right between my shoulder blades. A little bit of stretching and some good breathing exercises have made a WORLD of a difference. Not to mention the notions of peace, serenity and inner strength that lie at the root of yoga. As a young woman living and working in New York City, it never hurts to have a little bit more of those things in life. If you've never tried yoga, I say shame on you. I live by the motto of try everything once, especially if it's something that promotes and improves health of the body, mind and soul. Seriously. Try it. Just once. [oh and just a side note - the picture for this part of my post was taken on my SLR film camera on black&white film. taken by me, processed by me, printed by me. hell. yea. come on...it's my own blog, i'm allowed to toot my own horn every once in a while hehe. special thanks to stacey for letting me photograph her!]
Hmm all this talk about things to do when you want to unwind has me wanting to do some of them ;)
More soon!
xx Nikki
If you've ever stood on a Times Square street corner at ANY given time you know what I'm talking about. The people rushing about from offices to lunches and meetings and subway stations... and let's not forget that they are literally running circles around the tourists that just kinda stand there in the middle staring up with their mouths wide open and their cameras pointed at the sky. Oh oh! And my absolute favorites are the ones that are posing for pictures with the lights and shiny buildings in the background and the photographer is trying to wait till there is nobody else in the frame.... ..... ......... HA.
Just by standing on a corner in Times Square having a smoke for five minutes you can see the whole world go by you. People in this city remind me of bees in a hive - buzzing and busy. The city breathes in a low humming sound scattered with car horns, sirens and people screaming obscenities. Just watching the busy-bodied people around me often winds me up and has me yearning for a bubble bath in a tub that I do not have (yet). So for this post I want to talk about some of my favorite ways to unwind in the city.
Music!
I love music. Thanks to my wonderfully diverse college friends I have been exploring and loving all different genres of music. Last year, when I was abroad, I was without music for 3 months and it nearly killed me - my iTunes broke on my computer and an mp3 player I did not have. This year I was reunited with my music but not in a portable way as when I went to a friends house with my headphones, her pet rats chew through the wires (it's ok, I still love you little ratty babies). So upon arriving to NYC and having some money to blow, I decided to indulge and treat myself to something pretty as spending money ON MYSELF is not something I do very often. VOILA! Awesomely bright and obnoxious headphones that are a permanent fixture on my bodice - on the subway, at work, walking around town. Super comfy and great sound quality - perfect for blocking out all that New York noise. (Wearing them right now, actually, and grooving to this song!)Tea!
During the day, I'm all about my coffee. At nights, after being cracked out for 14 - 16 hours, caffeine is the last thing I want to put in my system. However, I still find something very soothing about the steam and warmth of a cup of tea at night. I discovered this tea when I was in Argentina and fell in love with it. I call it my bedtime tea and brought back what I thought would be enough tea bags (little did I know that my roommates would enjoy it as much as I do). This particular tea is made from a plant called Linden that is used in many cultures to control anxiety (although no clinical trials have confirmed its effects). Learn more here. For me, one cup of this tea and I'm out like a light and still waking up refreshed and renewed: body, mind and soul. Books!
Yoga!
Hmm all this talk about things to do when you want to unwind has me wanting to do some of them ;)
More soon!
xx Nikki
Monday, June 14
Flags, Fifa and Facebook
Yesterday's adventure had me frolicking about Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey with a few friends. What a GREAT idea to go now before the season really kicks in - we had perfect weather and there were hardly any lines. However, while at the park I was missing the World Cup Argentina-Nigeria game. I had asked my dad to send me text updates of the game but quickly discovered something incredible brought about by the miracle of facebook and blackberries.
Ah, yes, blackberries. I have a love-hate relationship with my crackberry. I hate how when I'm trying to escape the world of stress it becomes nearly impossible to ignore all the e-mails and text messages I recieve every three minutes via crackberry. But on rare occassions, such as the football match yesterday, it can be really convenient and helpful. The ability to check facebook on my blackberry mixed with the status updates in my newsfeed allowed me to follow the game easily.
Super cool, right? Aside from that - my newsfeed was filled with status updates about the game from all the friends I made on my semester program. Good job technology. Two points to social media.
It's amazing how easy it is to stay in touch with everything going on in this world with today's technology. Globalization isn't just something that we are reading about in textbooks or discussing in terms of political science and international relations - it's something that we are furthuring every single day.
When you update your facebook status and a friend from halfway around the world can read it and comment on it, that's part of globalization. When I write on this blog and my French roommate from Argentina reads it, that's part of globalization. When the World Cup Soccer matches are taking place in South Africa and I can get facebook updates on my blackberry about game scores and track the play-by-play of the live match online, that's globalization. The speed at which information travels from one point to another on this globe is absurd. Everyday we are sending and recieving thousands of pieces of information across the planet - and it seems so normal, so mundane, so uninteresting to us because we do it ALL THE TIME.
Maybe it's just me, but I find it astounding how much our society has come to depend on high speed internet connections and wireless mobile devices. With the release of the new iPhone and it's front-facing camera, they say that the future of communications is going to be video-calling from your phone.
With all of this new technology it's scary for us media students. We are in the middle of a transition from print media to digital media. Not only do we need to learn the basics of writing, printing and publication but now we are expected to be leaders on this new path that news delivery is taking thanks to the Internet. Working in digital media this summer has definitely opened up my eyes to the possibilities and easier access to larger audiences that the Internet readily provides. Somehow though I wish that digital media didn't exist because I still love the simplicity of picking up a newspaper or turning on the telly to watch the evening news. I'm not the biggest fan of being bombarded 24/7 with twitter updates and newsfeeds telling me about some celeb's latest breakdown.
I feel like the media sector is becoming more focused on the entertainment industry. Granted, this isn't any new knowledge - entertainment pieces will bring in a larger audience which is better for advertising revenue. Everyone knows and has known this, but it still bothers me.
Ok I'm not really sure where I'm going with this anymore - like I said, my relationship with the Internet is a love/hate one and I could probably ramble on for hours about all this so let me stop and revert to my original comment: Facebook updating me about the World Cup Soccer while I'm riding Nitro at Six Flags? That's a win in my books.... ;)
More soon!!
xx Nikki
Ah, yes, blackberries. I have a love-hate relationship with my crackberry. I hate how when I'm trying to escape the world of stress it becomes nearly impossible to ignore all the e-mails and text messages I recieve every three minutes via crackberry. But on rare occassions, such as the football match yesterday, it can be really convenient and helpful. The ability to check facebook on my blackberry mixed with the status updates in my newsfeed allowed me to follow the game easily.
Super cool, right? Aside from that - my newsfeed was filled with status updates about the game from all the friends I made on my semester program. Good job technology. Two points to social media.
It's amazing how easy it is to stay in touch with everything going on in this world with today's technology. Globalization isn't just something that we are reading about in textbooks or discussing in terms of political science and international relations - it's something that we are furthuring every single day.
When you update your facebook status and a friend from halfway around the world can read it and comment on it, that's part of globalization. When I write on this blog and my French roommate from Argentina reads it, that's part of globalization. When the World Cup Soccer matches are taking place in South Africa and I can get facebook updates on my blackberry about game scores and track the play-by-play of the live match online, that's globalization. The speed at which information travels from one point to another on this globe is absurd. Everyday we are sending and recieving thousands of pieces of information across the planet - and it seems so normal, so mundane, so uninteresting to us because we do it ALL THE TIME.
Maybe it's just me, but I find it astounding how much our society has come to depend on high speed internet connections and wireless mobile devices. With the release of the new iPhone and it's front-facing camera, they say that the future of communications is going to be video-calling from your phone.
With all of this new technology it's scary for us media students. We are in the middle of a transition from print media to digital media. Not only do we need to learn the basics of writing, printing and publication but now we are expected to be leaders on this new path that news delivery is taking thanks to the Internet. Working in digital media this summer has definitely opened up my eyes to the possibilities and easier access to larger audiences that the Internet readily provides. Somehow though I wish that digital media didn't exist because I still love the simplicity of picking up a newspaper or turning on the telly to watch the evening news. I'm not the biggest fan of being bombarded 24/7 with twitter updates and newsfeeds telling me about some celeb's latest breakdown.
I feel like the media sector is becoming more focused on the entertainment industry. Granted, this isn't any new knowledge - entertainment pieces will bring in a larger audience which is better for advertising revenue. Everyone knows and has known this, but it still bothers me.
Ok I'm not really sure where I'm going with this anymore - like I said, my relationship with the Internet is a love/hate one and I could probably ramble on for hours about all this so let me stop and revert to my original comment: Facebook updating me about the World Cup Soccer while I'm riding Nitro at Six Flags? That's a win in my books.... ;)
More soon!!
xx Nikki
Wednesday, June 9
Om nom nom nom
A city of great shoes, but also a city of great food. I've only been living in Manhattan for a couple weeks but my lack of a well equipped kitchen has had me eating out a lot. Here are a few of my favorite restaurants so far:
Ali Baba's Terrace
862 2nd Ave (btwn 46th and 47th)
If you're looking for some good Turkish and Mediterranean food, definitely check this place out. I went here with a Turkish friend and let him do all the ordering (which was quite possibly one of the best decisions I ever made). From seafood salad to a Cupra (whole grilled Mediterranean Dorado fish) I have to say that this meal is definitely in the top 10 meals of my life. Don't forget to sit upstairs on the terrace and try the raki (Turkish alcoholic beverage) if you dare.
Appetizers $6-$13; Entrees $16-$26
Visit their website!
Spice Market
403 West 13th Street (on the corner of 9th Ave)
My parents live right across the Hudson in the Jersey suburbs and frequent the city for dinners with friends. This is one of their finds. The best way to enjoy a meal at Spice Market is to go with a group and order a bunch of different things to share. The restaurant features common Asian dishes presented with new twists. Everything I ate was delicious but the highlights for me were the Ginger Margaritas and the Kumquat Cheesecake (drool).
Appetizers $9-$15; Entrees $10-$35
Visit their website!
Noodle Bar
172 Orchard Street (Orchard and Stanton)
This place is just down the street from where I live. They have the best noodles and rice dishes on the block FOR SURE. It's cheaper than a lot of other noodle places I've been to and the food is STELLAR. They also offer some locally bottled non-alcoholic beverages like a Lemon-peel-ginger-root-fizzy-drink. Mmm. Also, some of the waiters are super cute. Hehe ;) A great alternative to the noodle shops in Chinatown.
Appetizers $4-$8; Entrees $6-$12
Visit their website!
I'm really glad I ate my lunch before writing this post, although writing this did leave me wishing I had gone to one of these places during my break instead of the corner deli. Oh well...Thank god for dinner, I always say!
More coming soon!
xx Nikki
862 2nd Ave (btwn 46th and 47th)
If you're looking for some good Turkish and Mediterranean food, definitely check this place out. I went here with a Turkish friend and let him do all the ordering (which was quite possibly one of the best decisions I ever made). From seafood salad to a Cupra (whole grilled Mediterranean Dorado fish) I have to say that this meal is definitely in the top 10 meals of my life. Don't forget to sit upstairs on the terrace and try the raki (Turkish alcoholic beverage) if you dare.
Appetizers $6-$13; Entrees $16-$26
Visit their website!
403 West 13th Street (on the corner of 9th Ave)
My parents live right across the Hudson in the Jersey suburbs and frequent the city for dinners with friends. This is one of their finds. The best way to enjoy a meal at Spice Market is to go with a group and order a bunch of different things to share. The restaurant features common Asian dishes presented with new twists. Everything I ate was delicious but the highlights for me were the Ginger Margaritas and the Kumquat Cheesecake (drool).
Appetizers $9-$15; Entrees $10-$35
Visit their website!
172 Orchard Street (Orchard and Stanton)
This place is just down the street from where I live. They have the best noodles and rice dishes on the block FOR SURE. It's cheaper than a lot of other noodle places I've been to and the food is STELLAR. They also offer some locally bottled non-alcoholic beverages like a Lemon-peel-ginger-root-fizzy-drink. Mmm. Also, some of the waiters are super cute. Hehe ;) A great alternative to the noodle shops in Chinatown.
Appetizers $4-$8; Entrees $6-$12
Visit their website!
I'm really glad I ate my lunch before writing this post, although writing this did leave me wishing I had gone to one of these places during my break instead of the corner deli. Oh well...Thank god for dinner, I always say!
More coming soon!
xx Nikki
Tuesday, June 8
Covet not thy neighbors pumps...
Walking around this city is starting to become a health hazard for me and my neck. There are too many awesome shoes in this city. (Sorry gentlemen, I am still a woman and my one true love will always be footwear.)I don't even know where these women get there shoes from or how they walk in some of them, but I have to admit: I. LOVE. IT. From shiny ballet flats to skyscraper heels, I want more. Nay, I need more. I feel like a crack addict.
The other day I was heading down my building in the elevator with my best friend and we were both deep in conversation. We stopped at a floor and two girls got on the lift, also deep in conversation. All of a sudden one of the girls says to the other "I love your shoes" and me and my friend instantly stopped talking and looked down. (She did have fabulous shoes, by the way). And then we all laughed.
I have to admit that one of the things that I admire most about New York women is that no matter how much or how little money they are making, they all have fabulous style. I will even admit that I am trying to up my stylish-ness and put-together-ness. In Miami it was so easy for me to roll out of bed and head out for the day. Make-up was a foreign concept to me unless it was after 11pm. Here in New York I find myself way more conscious of the way I look and I suppose it's a good thing; I suppose it's a part of growing up. I suppose I should, after all, look like a grown up.
Growing up scares me :\
xx Nikki
Monday, June 7
Welcome to the Entertainment Industry
All my life, I've never really cared about the world of celebrities or reality shows or awards ceremonies. I've always found them to be silly. I know maybe 5 actresses and 5 actors by name and face and please don't ask me if X and Y are still together because I'll probably just say "Who and who?"
For these reasons I find it extremely wild that this summer I am interning at MTV Networks and working with the International Department on projects regarding their primetime shows and music/movie awards. If learning more about digital media wasn't enough of a challenge for this summer, I am now finding myself trying to catch up and keep up with the celeb lives. I find myself actually reading tabloids (and yes I still find them freakin hilarious and absurd, but definitely more relevant) and I'm not sure if its a change I like or not. Everyday at work we are sent out a blast email containing all the entertainment headlines for the day. And everyday I read through, select the most ridiculous one, and share it with my friends on facebook.
For these reasons I find it extremely wild that this summer I am interning at MTV Networks and working with the International Department on projects regarding their primetime shows and music/movie awards. If learning more about digital media wasn't enough of a challenge for this summer, I am now finding myself trying to catch up and keep up with the celeb lives. I find myself actually reading tabloids (and yes I still find them freakin hilarious and absurd, but definitely more relevant) and I'm not sure if its a change I like or not. Everyday at work we are sent out a blast email containing all the entertainment headlines for the day. And everyday I read through, select the most ridiculous one, and share it with my friends on facebook.
TODAY'S PICK OF THE DAY:
HOMOPHOBIC NEWS.
Christian Newswire, a homophobic public relations company, has issued a press release blaming Ellen DeGeneres sexual orientation for the decline in American Idol’s ratings this season. While ratings for the hit singing competition did in fact decline this year, the show still consistently beat out all other TV programs on the nights it aired.
Christian Newswire, a homophobic public relations company, has issued a press release blaming Ellen DeGeneres sexual orientation for the decline in American Idol’s ratings this season. While ratings for the hit singing competition did in fact decline this year, the show still consistently beat out all other TV programs on the nights it aired.
This brings me to another point: the use of the internet. There are a lot of things about the Internet that I hate but working with digital media here in New York this summer has made me have a greater understanding and appreciation for the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in the media industry. I had never understood the concept of Twitter, much less why anyone would want to use it obsessively to update a status, until I actually started seeing it being applied in the entertainment industry. Especially with the management of foreign sectors! I'm hoping to learn more about these aspects this summer because, as much as I may hate to say this, the world is relying increasingly on these outlets and the Internet to deliver information.
Okee dokee. Lunch break is over. Back to work I go!!
Stay tuned for more updates from your Little Bear in the Big Apple!
Stay tuned for more updates from your Little Bear in the Big Apple!
xxx Nikki
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