Rewind: 6.25.09

I wrote this post last week and forgot to put it up:

Some days more than others, I'm much more equipped to deal with the commute and the tons of people I have to deal with on the streets. Today was not one of them. I walked off the train feeling overwhelmed and wanting to turn around and head back home. Even as I type this I'm tired and grumpy, and it's taking everything in me to be productive. I need an iced coffee. I'm babysitting my friend's cat for the next few days, and I'm a little worried about it. Granted, he's in a new environment with some strange lady and it's only been less than 24 hours since his mama left him, but I'm concerned that he's spending way too much time hiding under my coffee table. He did a little exploring last night while I was watching TV, but that didn't last long. The minute he heard noise from outside, he bolted for the table. Sigh...I hope he adjusts soon.

Update: As you can tell from the photos above, little kitty eventually came out of hiding and was so cute. He loved rolling over and having his tummy rubbed and I found it interesting how his paws would always flex--he'd stretch them out then close them up again. He was always at my feet, which meant I accidentally stepped on him a few times. I guess he can't help being affectionate! In the last pic he's checking out my bookcase, trying to figure out a way to get up there. He never did figure out the logistics. But he did manage to find a teeny tiny hiding place by my stove. Amazing how a 20-pound cat can squeeze his body into such a tight space.

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So, I have another new favorite TV show that I've discovered during my Netflix summer. Everyone and their mama has been telling me how great this show is, but without access to Showtime and an already packed TV schedule, I never had a chance to check it out. I'm talking about Dexter, the friendly guy-next-door-do-gooder serial killer. Love him! I'm watching the Season 2 finale tonight, which makes me a little sad. Season 3 doesn't come out until August 18, which is only one month and maybe three weeks away, but I'm addicted. Just can't get enough of Dexter Morgan. Oh well...hopefully Battlestar Galactica and The Tudors will keep me distracted.

I thought this ad campaign was awesome
even though I hadn't seen the show yet.

I can hardly believe the end of June is here. Summer is just flying by at record speed. Before I know it Christmas decs will be out and we'll be ringing in 2010. Can time just slow down a little, please? I can't catch up.

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In the past I've gotten a few wrong numbers. The most noteworthy of those was some man with a very heavy accent looking for some girl. To my ears he sounded like some drunk pimp looking for his hooker, but that could have just been my overactive imagination. After a while those calls stopped--I think he may have realized he was dialing the wrong number when no one was calling him back. I think I distinctly remember him sounding a little pissed in one of his messages.

Anyway, today I received my very first wrong number text. This is what it said: LOL Did I kiss your Bf? Oy vey...had so much fun with you guys. Thanks for saving me from all the crazy boys.

From what I can tell, the call originated in a suburb of Chicago--the Northbook West area. No clue where that is. It must have been one hell of a night for this young lady if she's kissing her friend's boyfriend. Or best friend...who knows? For a second there I thought I might have actually had a life last night. But I guess my evening with the anti-social cat was real.

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Upon seeing my checkcard, the Starbucks guy made an observation today that no other cashier has ever made: You're not from around here, are you? At first I was a little confused and simply said that I was, well, at least now. I guess you could consider me a person from this area after five years. He said my Wells Fargo checkcard tipped him off because there weren't any here. At that point the light bulb went off and I explained to him that his assumption was correct. He proceeded to tell me he was from Texas and I said I was from California.

As I walked out, I couldn't help wonder what the correct answer to the where-are-you-from question is without giving my life story. The question has never offended me--it just confuses me. While I was in TN last weekend, the question was posed to me and I automatically blurted out California. I guess it's because this person knew I'd traveled from NJ and knew I probably wasn't "from" there.

Sometimes the question gets even more confusing when it's meant to be where are you from, as in what country did your parents come from? See? Confusing question. My answer hinges on various factors--the conversation, the circumstances, the person, whether the full moon is in the house of Saturn. Sometimes I don't even feel like I'm from this planet, so maybe I should just say Venus. I think my response next time will be Hawaii. For some reason that seems to make sense to people and doesn't warrant any further explanation.

Update: Yeah, I was feeling a little random that day. I pretty much recorded every thought that popped into my head, well, the ones that didn't have to do do with work.

Great Expectations

A little over a week ago, I saw Bryan Greenberg in concert. Although he performed well, it was a much different performance compared to the last time I saw him.

After a year of missing his shows in NYC for one reason or another, I was finally able to snag tix last December. At the time DS was in town visiting and kindly took time out of her much-needed vacation to go with me. I wasn't really sure what to expect--I just knew that I was finally going to see him live. The show exceeded my expectations. The music from all three performers was great, their chemistry onstage was awesome, and it was really fun. DS and I ended up having a great time. I walked out of the Canal Room on a high and eager to see his next show.

December 2008 Concert @ the Canal Room with Graham Colton

Fast forward to the most recent concert. I had expectations--I expected a show similar to the last one. The minute I walked into the main room, I was already let down. The set-up of the room was similar to that of a dinner theatre: a stage with a sea of tables in front of it and bars on each side of the room. Since CR and I had already eaten, we opted to stand by the bar. At first, this was fine. I had a wall to lean on and a clear view of the stage. I was a happy girl.

The minute Amy Kuney's performance ended, a flood of people came out of nowhere and decided to block my view. I thought many of them would just grab their drinks and move on, but that was not the case. Directly in front of me I had a group of gay men chatting endlessly among themselves--not even paying attention to what was happening on stage. To their right, at the bar, was a group of girls babbling loudly about work and moms and other girls. At some point they did stop talking and paid attention to the singing--so I'll give them that.

Then, when I managed to find a clear view of the stage and BG decided to bring up his co-star from his new HBO show to sing one of his new songs, a group of people on some sort of double date decided to invade my space and be loud and obnoxious. I could barely enjoy the song and before I knew it, it was over. Luckily I was able to move back to my original spot next to CR. I tried to get comfortable while BG started singing one of his slower songs, which is kind of sad since it's about death and sort of requires a little silence from the crowd. Unfortunately, the double daters next to us didn't get the memo. At one point, CR even shushed them loudly, but that wasn't enough to stop them. (Thanks for the effort, CR!) Personally, I wanted my fist to connect with their faces. Although a bar-room brawl would have probably caught BG's attention, I'm not sure that's how I'd want to get anyone's attention.

I know I could have moved around and tried to find another spot, but no matter where I went I'd end up blocking someone else's view--sometimes I'm way too nice. But for the final two songs I realized I needed to do something so I decided to stand next to BG's number 1 fan, well, behind her. Unfortunately, this spot was in front of the kitchen so I constantly had to keep moving for the waiters, but at least I had a better view.

June 2009 Concert @ the Highline Ballroom

Who's BG's number 1 fan you ask? Well, CR and I gave her this name only because she had this stalker-like quality about her. She claimed a spot early on and stood her ground--during the entire show it seemed as if she had a nice cushion of space around her--no one bumping into her or getting close enough to block her view. She wore sweats and from the looks of it she put zero effort into the way she looked that night. (Now, I'm not one to get all gussied up with overdone makeup, barely there outfits and too-high heels, but I will put on some lip gloss, maybe a nice top and run a brush through my hair.) CR swears she saw her put something in her hoodie pocket for BG to sign later.

I know I shouldn't judge, because well, I am a stalker too, but not in that weird, creepy way. I can't even go up to the guy and say hi. She, on the other hand, was kind of giving off the creepy vibe.

When his set ended I really saw no point in hanging around, so CR and I stopped by the merch table, I bought a CD (even though I already had half the songs on there) and headed home.

One last thing about the concert—his bass/harmonica guy was awesome! He was like a one-man band. I used to play the big-ass bass (very badly) when I was younger so I have this odd appreciation for it. Lugging that thing around at 13 was not fun, but I did like standing out in the orchestra. :)

Anyway, I can’t end this music post without sharing one of my first MJ memories. The first celebrity poster I ever bought, which probably started my fangirl ways, was of MJ. It was the summer of ’84, and I was in Europe for a month with my family. Some street vendor in Paris was selling black and white posters of the top pop artists, which included MJ, Madonna and Boy George. At the time I was a huge MJ fan so I asked my parents if they would buy it for me. Amazingly, they did. I can’t remember how long I had the poster before it was completely ruined and had to be tossed, but I can still remember what it looked like to this day. Although I eventually moved on and became obsessed with other singers (as you can tell from the story above), I still smile whenever I hear one of my favorite MJ songs. I especially loved watching the Thriller video/listening to Thriller around Halloween.

On that note, here’s a list of my Top 5 MJ tunes:
1. The Way You Make Me Feel
2. P.Y.T.
3 Thriller
4. Billie Jean
5. Rock With You
Honorable Mentions: Beat It, Smooth Criminal & Dirty Diana

Lucky Number 15

Not much else to say. Woohoo!

Party Down!

I have a new favorite show. Well, a new one to add to the already long list. Thanks to Netflix, I just finished watching all 10 episodes of the first season of Party Down. Let me tell you--it is LOL funny!


The show is about a group of struggling dreamers (mostly actors) working for a catering company and waiting for that one big break. Maybe I'm a little biased because Rob Thomas is one of the creators and many former Veronica Mars cast members make an appearance, but really, this shit is funny.

I'm attracted to pathetic but likable characters and this show definitely has no shortage of them. They're completely ridiculous, but your heart goes out to them. They're kind of like the great Michael Scott. You shake your heads at them, but at the same time you just want to give them a hug.

When the last ep ended, I actually said "Nooooooooooooo" out loud. I was so sad. I can't wait until the second season! If you like these types of comedies and you've got Netflix, I highly suggest adding this to the list.

Back to Bayside

If you're a fan of Saved by the Bell and didn't see Zack Morris on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon last night, you have to check out the video below. It's so awesome! I totally signed the petition for a reunion on the show. I mean really, who doesn't want to see Zack, Kelly, Slater, Jessie, Lisa and Screech together again?!

Addicted

To what you ask? First let me say that I sometimes refrain from participating in things or partaking of things because I know I have to set limits--when I get too involved or find that I really like something, let's just say that I tend to be a little extremist. With that said, I fell off the wagon and now I'm paying for it.

We all know I'm addicted to TV. If you've ever seen my Tivo lineup, you know it's pretty extensive--and that's only regular cable. Imagine if I had all the premium channels. Now that it's summer, there isn't much on television to distract me. Well, except for Burn Notice. Love that guy! Anyway, to fill that void, I decided to sign up for Netflix so I could watch those other TV shows everyone keeps raving about--Battlestar Galactica, Party Down, The Tudors, Dexter, True Blood, etc., etc., etc. I swore I'd only be a member for the 3-month summer hiatus. HA! Within the first 48 hours I already had about 50 TV shows and movies on my list. Pathetic. The current total: 72 DVDs and 15 Instant Views. Yeah, looks like the membership may go into fall.

Another thing I find myself gravitating to in the summertime is iced coffee.

Random thought timeout: "Come As You Are" just popped up on my "radio." I don't know about you, but whenever I hear this song I feel like I'm transported back in time to my awkward teen years. And I say "radio" because a few weeks ago my coworker introduced me to Pandora.com and now I'm hooked. I've only created three stations so far that I listen to regulary--My Girly Music, Grungy Boy Music and Rap Radio (well, mainstream rap--too soft for the hardcore stuff). I've even discovered a few new songs and artists. Love it!

OK, back to iced coffee. I quit drinking coffee regularly a long time ago. At my first real job, I used to walk into the office, put down my stuff, grab a cup of coffee and steal the yummy hazelnut creamer from NT's (now NG) desk drawer. She always had it right next to her secret stash of vodka. (I kid, I kid!) After I got laid off from that job (not because I drank NG's secret stash)...

Another random thought timeout: OMG! "Paradise City" just came on! Man, I loved Guns N' Rose back in the day. I know, shocking since my iTunes is filled with sappy girly music.

...I just stopped drinking coffee. I guess I drank it more out of habit, so I guess you couldn't really say it was an addiction. But now...well now, I kind of crave it. Ever since summer started I've had more than my fair share of iced coffees. The main reasons being I've been falling asleep at my desk, I've been really stressed at work and I've really been craving the taste. I buy coffee ice cream, too. What did I say earlier about going to extremes? Well, when the weather starts to cool down, I'm pretty sure the coffee addiction will, too.

OK, back to adding more movies to the Netflix list. Is there a 12-step program for this?

Adventures in NYC

I've lived here for about six years now, but some days I still feel like a tourist. One of the great things about having out-of-town guests is they give me an excuse to do things in this city I've never done before. I originally wanted to give you a rundown of everything I did while they were here, but I'm in no mood to write a really long post. So I'll just give you a few highlights.

While WH was here, we decided to hop on the 1 train and take it to Battery Park. This was my first time down there, and I was not disappointed. It's a gorgeous park with some incredible views. If you're reading this, could you send me some of the pics, WH? I was a lame tourist and forgot to bring my camera. After walking around a little bit and trying to avoid some very large snakes that were on display, we found ourselves by the Wall Street Bull. Of course everyone and their mama was there taking pics on the bull and at the bull's ass. Then it was off to St. Paul's Church and Trinity Church. Although I'd never hang out at a cemetery at night, there's something about walking around a really old one that's fascinating to me. It was cool to look at all the headstones and how they'd aged over the years. If you can look past the creepiness and forget the horror movies, there really is this unexplainable beauty about a cemetery--especially the old ones.

While the Mizzou Boys were here, we saw a ton of things and walked just about everywhere. This time, I actually managed to snap a few photos.

I finally got to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Although I have this total fear of heights, I was able to look straight ahead and get to the other side--and then do it all over again since the car was parked in Brooklyn. Here are a few pics:

Welcome to Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Bridge

A view of the Manhattan Bridge from the Brooklyn Bridge

We also decided to make a trip to Coney Island--another first for me:

The boardwalk

The Cyclone rollercoaster

Freaky posters

We spent an entire day devoted to all things Japan. I attended my first-ever Japan Day in Central Park. Of course Hello Kitty was there to make an appearance:

Hello Kitty in a traditional Japanese outfit

L-Dawg and I visited one of the Japanese bookstores on his list. This is where I found a book I totally wanted called Brown Diary. It's kind of odd because it's filled with pictures of a teddy bear doing all sorts of things--kind of like that garden gnome that travels the world. Anyway, when I saw the picture below, I totally wanted it but didn't really think paying $20 for the book was the best thing to do given my economic state. I thought I'd be able to snag a bunch of photos from the website, but apparently it doesn't exist anymore. Luckily, L-Dawg was able to find this for me:

Too cute! I love that he's in his PJs!

After the bookstore, we all met up again to eat at Ninja New York. This was truly an experience--ninjas serving our food, dishes served in flames, ninjas trying to stab us with their plastic swords--very fun! I don't have any pics of this, but hopefully one of my guests will be kind enough to send me their pictures from the trip. ;)

Those were just a few things I'd never done in the city and was happy to do for the first time with some of my favorite people. Another cool highlight was our celebrity sighting at Cafe Habana. We're pretty sure we saw Blake Lively eating at the table near the door. I'm pretty sure it was her because I'd just seen her at the CW upfronts the week before. Yes, I was able to see a few celebrities as I stood outside of MSG waiting like the fangirl I am, but sadly, I did not see the people I really liked. All the actors from the old-school WB shows were not in attendance. Instead, I was only able to see the casts of 90210, Gossip Girl, Melrose Place, the new vampire show and the new show about models. It was a little disappointing.

Before I sign off for tonight, I have one last thing I'd like to share. The other day, I received a package in the mail from DS. When I opened it, I found the first season of October Road staring at me. I love that show, and I love Bryan Greenberg even more. I saw him in concert last December (yes, he's a singer/musician, too) and I'll be seeing him in concert again on June 18. So excited! Anyway, I called DS to thank her, not realizing there was more to her present. She told me to open it up and when I did I totally freaked out. When she went to his L.A. concert, she was kind enough to get an autograph for me since she knew I'd never get the cajones to do it myself. Bryan Greenberg signed my DVD with her Bono sharpie! Check it out:


That's right, you read it correctly--he wished I was there. LOL! How awesome is that?! She's a total rockstar! I'm so lucky to have such awesome friends. I really am--they're all awesome in their own special way. Sometimes I just feel so undeserving, but I'm so very thankful I have them.

Speaking of friends, a few of them have been going through a rough time lately. Without naming names (I think you know who you are) and broadcasting your business across the net, I just wanted to take this opportunity to let you know that my thoughts and prayers are with you. I know you're dealing with a lot right now, but if you need anything, just let me know.

I hope all the readers of my little blog are happy and doing well. Have a great week!