my heart was in the right place...

... but my peppermint hot chocolate still exploded all over the microwave.  After my roommate had spent a good while scrubbing said appliance.

At least I've got Vince Guaraldi playing in the background.

But then again, there was a stovetop fire and massive flood in the building at work today, which caused it to "indoor rain" all over my desk and forced everyone to spend the day cleaning and running around and doing damage control.

At least I could see my breath as I rode my bike home from my second shift of the day, the wind going right through my safety-pinned coat.

But then again, there is still the issue of having no time for anything in these last few weeks before Christmas-- it's all comings and goings, laundry left undone, overdue DVDs and subsequent fines (I know, that's what I get for still checking out movies from the library), inevitable lack of time for a run or yoga.

At least I've got two boxes of Christmas lights just waiting for the right little evergreen to come along and live in my apartment.

I guess optimism is more easily come by at this time of year than usual.  Thank goodness.

hello brooklyn.

The past few weeks have been among the craziest since I got home from South Africa.  I have no complaints, but life has happened at warp speed.  I unpacked my bags, got a job (twice), and then had to suffer only two months of commuting before moving into a gorgeous apartment with two very cool roommates in Brooklyn.  We joke that our walk from the subway to the front door is a little like wandering down Sesame Street-- it sure looks that way.

Here are some photos from our first few nights.  It's time to get into some semblance of a routine, including regular posting again.

Our move-in weekend mostly involved high levels of stress, but luckily such worries were eclipsed by champagne toasts, avocado and lemon pepper, the record collections of both our dads, finding working speakers on a stoop in Carroll Gardens, and the view of downtown Manhattan from the roof.  That and the company of some good friends have me very happy to be here.  It's going to be a good summer.

 

Postscript: I am so ok with how central our hardwood floors are to these photos.

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oh, life.

Life has been crazy lately.  Since my last post, I wrapped up a very short-lived career "trading for Joe", and began a new job at a non-profit in Brooklyn.
Yep, that's right.  Brooklyn.  As in, "I live in Pennsylvania and commute to Brooklyn every morning and every evening".  Luckily it hasn't been as bad (yet) as I'd thought and within a few months I'll have saved enough money to pay a deposit on an apartment in New York.  But for now, my travel time clocks in at just under 2 hours each way, which I'm viewing as extremely valuable reading/podcast time (Ira Glass, I'm lookin at you).

I've got a lot of figuring out to do, most especially in the How will I ever find time to do the things I enjoy doing in the free time I don't have? category, but it will come with time.  And for now, I've got my first real job working for an organization I believe in in one of the greatest cities in the world.  And though the commute may get long at times, that fact is certainly nothing to complain about.

This weekend, updates about life.  Promise.

joyeux anniversaire

One's younger sister only turns 21 once in her life, and there are only so many times a number of one's college friends can gather together in the same city.  Thus, I spent the weekend at Villanova, my alma mater, for some good ol' (disappointing) college basketball, quality time with old friends, and birthday celebrations.
I coerced my friend Diana to drive up the dreaded PA Turnpike with me late Friday night, and we arrived on campus just in time for a French-themed fête at Niamh's apartment, where red lipstick, cheap wine, and striped apparel abounded.
Saturday morning took us bright and early to the Wells-Fargo Center, where after some raucous tailgating and joyous reunions, we watched Villanova lose to Georgetown in quite a nail-biter of a second half.  Oh well.  After snacks and lots of lounging, our stamina failed us and we ended up choosing bedtime over bars.  Typical postgraduate behavior.
We spent Sunday morning eating sandwiches and getting caffeinated at Milkboy Coffee in Ardmore, an excellent haunt where I spent many a long thesis-writing weekend as an undergrad.  When our drinks were finished, we ran around campus in the winter sunshine, reminiscing and trying not to look too out of place-- next time, we'll bring backpacks.  After saying goodbye to friends, Niamh and I got ready to meet our parents and little sister for dinner at Sangkee Bistro in Wynnewood, where we ate lots of delicious Asian seafood, showered Niamh with birthday love, and laughed at our waiter's ridiculous antics.  And then, after the family had gone home, there was a trip to the bars for a celebratory drink (or four) come midnight.
On Monday, I walked back to campus to meet up with two of my former professors.  Though reminiscing about college life with my friends on Sunday left me feeling a bit bereft, the strange feelings lessened come Monday, and I felt as though I could have sat there, drinking coffee and talking for hours.
Confession: I not-so-secretly long to have the life of an academic.

I left campus and drove home with the Arcade Fire blasting, the window down (halfway), and feeling very positive about life.  It was so nice to sit down and instead of discussing philosophy paper deadlines or conjugating the ever-elusive subjonctif, we could swap book titles (and actual books), chat about interesting movies, and catch up on life in general.  It was very nice indeed.
Optimism continues to prevail and I feel quite confident that whatever direction my life is due to take in the next few months, I will still have some really great relationships with my family, old friends, and other acquaintances I can count on for intelligent conversation, movie recommendations, and des spectacles (merci, SW).

And now, some photos:

Post-script:  I baked the Avoca Cafe chocolate orange cake for Niamh's birthday.  Recipe to follow.



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the potential story of my life.

Note: There was a video posted here about the joys of applying for jobs as an "aid worker"... but it seems that Global Poverty Project has taken it down.  Le sigh.


At least it's good to have a sense of humor about these things.
Thanks to friend and fellow former SA volunteer, Emma, for sharing this one. It gave me a good chuckle on the heels of my first really disappointing employment rejection.




Video via Texas in Africa

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what it's worth.

It's been a whirlwind ten months since my last post on this blog.  I've been keeping myself busy here, but I thought I should share this on my "everyday life" blog as well, just for posterity.
As I face my final two weeks as a volunteer in South Africa, I can't help thinking back to all the frustration, sadness, giggles, and driving on the "wrong" side of the road that has happened in the past ten months.  Teaching has been an amazing experience, and my time at St. Leo Primary has awakened new passions within me that I didn't give one ounce of thought to before.
Amid the three-week strike, the World Cup fiasco, the lack of student attendance and the inadequacy of education in this country, one of my learners in Grade 7 dropped this note on my desk as she left class last Friday.  And this is why I'm here.

"To Shinad
Hi Shinad How are you me I am fine. I would like to tell you something. Shinad at first I did not like white people because of aparteid but I have realise that you must not hate somebody just because of the colour. You must not judge some body the colour of the skin, and since I have relise that you are a good person and you are a kind person. And even you are not near me I will always love you. You show me the love that my parent never show.
Shinad I love you with all of my heart
From: Hlengiwe"

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what a year for a new year.

I really loved 2009.
No, like, really.

In January, I started off the year sipping cocktails with my best girlfriends from high school, started the last semester of my undergraduate career at Villanova, and joined thousands of people in Washington, D.C. to witness President Obama's inauguration.

In February, I celebrated my 22nd birthday, cheered on Villanova as they made their way towards the NCAA championships, and crossed my fingers as I sent in my application to my volunteer program.

In March, I got to be Ashley's date to NYU's Violet Ball, drank a pint of Guinness before 11 am on St. Patrick's Day, spent my entire spring break writing the final draft of my senior thesis, and drove out to Detroit with my roommates to watch Villanova in the Final Four.

In April, I attended my final classes as a college student, shut myself up in the library as I finished my thesis, and found out that I'd been accepted as an Augustinian Volunteer in the South Africa program.

In May, I celebrated the end of classes, spent senior week in a celebratory haze with my best friends, graduated magna cum laude from Villanova, celebrated some more, and moved out of the poor excuse for a house that myself and seven other girls came to cherish... and back home.

In June, I spent ten days eating feta, drinking Mythos, and soaking up the sun in Greece with my best friends from high school; visited family & spent Bloomsday in a very Joycean fashion in Dublin; and returned to France for market-fresh dinners on the patio, bike rides among the sunflower fields, and some Parisian joie de vivre.

In July, I was reunited with some college friends for apple pie & beer on the 3rd of July, and quit selling books in favor of three very random weeks working at a summer camp in northern New Jersey (and would not have traded it for the world).

In August, I drove to Newport, RI with Colleen & Wil for a very flannel & beardy weekend at the Newport Folk Festival, spent a week getting oriented with my fellow Augustinian Volunteers and community members going to South Africa, and started my job at ADROP in Philadelphia.

In September & October, I came to accept the fact that my life no longer runs on a semesterly schedule and sank my teeth into some really good reading (for pleasure!).

In November, I spent a weekend in New York City and got to see Amy Poehler and Rachel Dratch in a show at UCB, then flew across the country with Colleen to whet our west coast appetites visiting Becky in San Francisco.

And in December, I finished out my time at ADROP, ate huge Christmas meals until I was fit to burst, enjoyed a very beautiful snowfall, and began to make preparations for my trip to South Africa in just one week's time.

What an amazing year. Though I think New Year's Eve can be a bit overhyped, I must say that today, going into 2010, I feel so blessed to be where I am. I'm surrounded by people I love, with a fulfilling decade behind me and a new adventure about to begin.
Here's to you, 2010.

EWR -> SFO

In about twelve hours, I'll be coasting through the air on my way to... San Francisco! I'm headed to the west coast to visit Becky, my best friend (and roommate) from college. But it's doubly great because my other best friend/roommate Colleen is coming too! We're meeting up at Newark tomorrow morning & we have the makings of a delicious picnic to eat on the flight.

Becky is spending the year as a Jesuit Volunteer in San Francisco, so I'm excited not only for our reunion but to see a slice of her volunteer life as well. She's got a lot of great things planned... I'm most looking forward to In-N-Out, Irish coffees, seeing the Golden Gate Bridge, and bottomless mimosas at brunch on Saturday. Yum.

Stay well & have a great weekend, friends. See you on Tuesday!



Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/futurowoman/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

december!

Rabbit rabbit!

Happy December everyone! Sorry I've been so absent lately; I finished up November with a delicious and relaxing Thanksgiving & a weekend in New York City.

Now I'm getting ready for the end of the year with lots of Sufjan Stevens Christmas music, a trip to San Francisco this weekend with my best friends from college, and attempting to prepare myself for my move to South Africa. Whew.


Photo courtesy of JoshuaDavisPhotography.com

the glass is half-full.

Things, other than my cute cat (even though she's much bigger now), that make me glad:

1. this track featuring Sufjan Stevens-- and yes, it's by Chiddy Bang
2. discovering Polaroid 600 film on Craigslist for a very good price
3. mum's freshly-baked lemon muffins
4. the last of the beautiful autumn colors in the trees
5. the Modern Love column in the weekend NY Times
6. tights!
7. crossword puzzles-- lots of crossword puzzles

Have a great weekend!

pay it forward.

I am a lucky girl.

Last night, after a day at work with no internet, after a stressful afternoon debating the merits of rescheduling my imminent GRE exam, I decided to skip out on seeing Jonathan Safran Foer speak at the Free Library in favor of heading home to study. I sat in Suburban Station, chatting on the phone and eating Laughing Cow cheese on Wasi crackers-- one of my favorite snacks.

As the announcement heralding the arrival of the R3 came over the PA system, I got up from my bench, spilled Coke all over the floor, but had to hit-and-run as I scurried downstairs to track 2A to catch my train home.

An hour later I was at home, changing into yoga pants & preparing myself to face the vocabulary words (opprobrium? Really?!), when our home phone rang. Mum came into my room, phone in hand. "It's Septa," she mouthed, and I held the receiver to my ear, very confused as to why the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority was calling my house, asking for me. Did I have to pay a fine for leaving spilt Coke on the floor of the train station?

As it turns out, the phone call was much more surprising than that. The woman on the other end told me that my wallet had been found near the ticket office in Suburban Station, and someone had turned it in at Lost and Found. I couldn't believe my ears-- I rarely leave things behind (especially after this debacle!) and I hadn't noticed that my wallet was missing!

"Does it seem like everything's... intact?" I nervously asked, remembering that my spoils from a weekend of babysitting had been nestled inside the turquoise lining; I hadn't had a chance to deposit the cash in the bank.
"Well, there's 206 dollars in there, if that's what you're asking."

I think my relief must have been palpable, because she laughed before giving me the details on how I could pick up my wallet at my earliest convenience.

I hadn't even counted my money, but I knew that I'd had a good amount of cash in there.
And that's how, on a Tuesday night in November, my faith in humanity was restored.

I picked up the wallet today-- and I had put my monthly train pass in my jacket pocket so I had no trouble riding the train without my wallet last night and today-- probably contributing to the fact that I hadn't noticed its absence.

Thank you, random stranger in Suburban Station, whoever you are. You should know I plan on paying your good deed forward.



Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/russmorris/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

the glass is half-full.

Orange and black decorations? Is this Halloween, or Princeton Parents' Weekend?
I need to know whether to be scared, or proud of my cousin.
30 Rock

A spooky Halloween weekend happy list:

1. reminiscing about last year's shenanigans with my roommates-- dressed up as Mario Kart characters!
2. pumpkin bread
3. candy in packages small enough to not be that bad for you (right?)
4. a chance to reuse my fantastic Wilma Flintstone costume -- thanks Becky!
5. pumpkin soup
6. scary movies that make me jump even after having seen them hundreds of times

7. still having that magical Halloween feeling at the age of 22

Have a spooky, silly Halloween! I hope everyone gets a chance to dress up today, even if it's only in a Phillies or Yankees jersey...

fake friday.

Today I had a seriously grumpy morning. I've been tired all week and finding it really hard to get out of bed when my alarm goes off, and I haven't worked out as much as I'd like to.

I got really frustrated after ESL class today for a couple of reasons: Rosalba's computer stopped running Rosetta Stone completely after a few weeks of spotty performance, which led to her insistance that I take the entire hour and a half to learn extra Spanish (and by learn, I mean try to make out what she's saying). Then I got irritated thinking about how I'm considered the default IT person where I work; it seems that just because I work with older people and am straight out of college, they assume I know everything about technology. I'm not completely dumb when it comes to computers or internet or networks, but I'm no technician either.

Thankfully, another young guy who works next door happened to walk into my office (as the steam was still spouting out of my ears). He and I shared stories of our mutual frustration for a while, and then he took the troublesome laptop from me and seems to have fixed the problem-- fingers crossed.

A few deep breaths later, I was a bit calmer, but still wished to be at home preparing for Homecoming weekend rather than sitting in my cold office. I stepped outside to run next door, and the sunshine felt so welcoming and boosted my mood so instantaneously that I called to my boss and let him know I was leaving, then packed up the heavy laptop and walked outside.

I had originally planned to go take a little peek in H&M for a sassy dress for Saturday night, but the thought of lugging my heavy bag all the way to the center of town was off-putting, so instead I wandered over to Cafe Ole, a great discovery since working at ADROP. It's a trendy little European coffee shop with the most amazing vanilla chai I've ever tasted-- and I decided to get a Greek salad and sit outside, enjoying the unseasonal warm weather.

So here I am, iced coffee next to me, and having just eaten the best Greek salad I've had since returning from Greece! It's got leaves (unlike traditional Greek salads...), but also giant chunks of fresh feta, diced cucumbers and tomatoes, marinated olives, and.... stuffed grape leaves! I'm in heaven.

Plus, this neighborhood is just brimming with young people outside at the moment, enjoying the weather. It's perfect for people-watching-- one of my all-time favorite activities! There are young parents showing off their adorable babies to each other. There's a boutique gym across the street with a couple of mustache-adorned men flexing their muscles. Everyone around here seems to be dog-walking at the moment, and it doesn't hurt that cute boys riding bicycles zoom by every few minutes.

And the best part of it all is knowing that after ESL class tonight, nothing stands in the way of me and a much-anticipated weekend reuniting with my college roommates. I'm getting a badly-needed haircut early tomorrow morning, then I'll be off to pick up Becky from the airport (she's flying in from San Francisco!) We're going to eat lunch on campus and then hang out with my sister Niamh for a while, mostly so that I can raid her fabulous closet. And then the rest of the weekend festivities will begin! I'm so excited to be reunited with my college friends-- especially since I may not see some people again before I leave for South Africa.

Fake Fridays are even better than real Fridays!

the glass is half-full.

What a wet weekend! Here's what I'm thinking of to keep myself warm & dry.

1. summertime evenings on the patio outside our French cottage
2. the laughs during Toy Story 1 & 2 (in 3D!!) with my sisters today
3. the triumphant return of polaroid film!
4. smooth and creamy Guinness
5. having the chance to break out the tights and boots in this terrible weather
6. Jones FuFu Berry soda
7. only one more week until homecoming at Villanova!

Happy weekend-ing.