The Weather Outside Is Frightful

When outside looks like this...

...it's time to change the layout of my blog.

Disregardia

Disregardia.  The place where dismissal lives.  Not my favorite place.  In fact, probably my LEAST favorite place to dwell.

Yet somehow I've found myself in the location that is Disregardia.  (Is that like Rihanna's Disturbia??  Which, btdubs, I totally sing "Astoria" in place of "Disturbia"...)

It's not the first time in my life, and I'm sure it won't be the last.  But being disregarded or ignored or dismissed is one of the worst things I am ever faced with.  I rarely even put myself in situations where this can be achieved.  I'm a pro.  I manipulate circumstances to unobtrusively have the last word, keep my distance, leave my guard up, and ensure those vulnerabilities stay under wraps.  Yes, I'm the picture of perfect healthy handling.

Intentionally I didn't do this of late.  I've felt pretty good about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  And, BAM!  Out of the blue!  I get dismissed.

What to do about it?  Do I press for an explanation?  Do I ignore it completely, chalking it up to simple douche-baggery?  I'm not 100% sure yet, I do know that openness is in order.  Everyone goes through stuff, and I can't help but still care in the wake of my perplexity.  Although I've been down that road many more times than someone my young, fresh age should have had to.  It throws me into a flash-back frenzy.  And it ain't cool living in Disregardia.

Time will tell what happens here... Good thoughts for your favorite New York fancy pants please.

2011 - The Year of Snow??

I'm determined to love 2011.  I feel it in my bones.  It's gonna be my year.  A year of changes.  A year of pulling it together.  A year of pulling it apart.  The changes start right away.  The Universe is teaching me to embrace snow.  To not see it as cold, slushy, and slippery... well, not ONLY cold, slushy, and slippery.

Last year there were blizzards every weekend for 6 weeks.  But at least we had 5 days in between the weekends of thawing, sun, and easy commutes.  So far this year, there has been constant snow.

Here's some pluses.

• I've been sporting some major boots of all kinds - rainboots, zippy snowboots, suede ankle boots, cowboy boots, knee boots, f'uggs, and even house shoe boots.  
• I get to wear knee socks or legwarmers every day if I want... and I want.  Don't you worry, I want.  
• I've been able to utilize all my scarves, hats, and coats.  In fact, I need to add even more versatility... shopping trip this weekend anyone??
• I've refused to let a lil snow impede my distance-run training.  I'm becoming a pro at dodging black ice on the sidewalks.  And the cold makes me run faster by default.  So I'm killin' it.  And I've lost 10 pounds (shout out to my cousins who are movin', shakin', and inspiratin'... er, inspirin')
• With little else to do, my house is spotless.  In fact last weekend I threw out bags of clutter.  Ok, ok... so my friends say I didn't really have much clutter to begin with, but I REALLY don't now.  I think I'm the opposite of a hoarder.  Is there a term for that?
• Indy is cuddly.  Nuff said.
• The cold allowed for the seriously brunette to invade.  It's different.  But I love it.

I think the wax lips only enhance the brown hair... agreed??

Full of Surprises

I write this from my favorite Midwest get-away.  The Mohrs of St. Louis' living room.  Snuggled up on their couch under blankets next to a window looking out on the snowy street could not be better.

(iPhone pic not the best... but you get the idea)

I came to surprise my darling friend Katie for her birthday.  Katie is married to my cousin Russ who's been more like my brother than a cousin for as long as I can remember.  And somehow Katie has worked her way through the years into my innermost part of my heart as she has so many others.

(me and Katie in NYC a few months ago)

Russ and I chatted last weekend about me coming down for the birthday festivities, found a great airfare, and hopped on over Saturday for a 48-hour funfest.  Katie was surprised by my visit and then surprised with a Bingo night at some friends.  I do so love me some Bingo - MUST try the new Saturday night Bingo at Le Poisson Rouge in the Village...

(photo credits: the lovely Dana Seibel)

I leave tomorrow, and while I normally CAN'T WAIT to get back home to the city, to my friends, and to my life... I find myself a bit mellow over the prospect so soon.  The Mohrs are so refreshing.  They are so witty.  They are so lively.  They are so loving.  And they are oh-so fun.  After a blahsy week (more on that later after I unpack it), this surprise for Katie wound up being an even better surprise for me.  Seeing their love for life, their love for their friends, their love for each other, and their love for me is very much needed as I enter into 2011 with a vengeance.  I hope they truly know what an immense influence they are on me and my life.

I'm not sure what I'd do without Katie.  Her emails/texts of encouragement, edification, and simple laughs due to awkwardness keep me sane some days.  Just hearing that she values my opinions about things like fashion (and more important things too) means the world to me.  And knowing that she always takes the time to listen to my trivialities without judgement is something you don't find too often in this world.  In short, she is wonderful, and anyone who is lucky enough to know her is better for it.

I will miss St. Louis.  I will miss my silly tomato, Eliot.  And I will miss Russ and Katie.  Thank you guys for surprising me with such love and acknowledgement.  You mean the world to me.

(seriously... how awesome are they???)

Detox Woes and Yays!

I titled this Woes & Yays because I like to get negatives out of the way so the focus can go to the positives.  So here we go.  You asked.  I'm answering.  The detox was great.  Had it not been for the groupon giving us 50% off, I'm not sure I'd say it was worth it.  I feel like you could buy a juicer and the veggies/fruits/herbs that go in each of the drinks for less... which I kinda recommend.  Because I feel amazing.

Here's a rundown of my past 3 days:

Day 1.
8am: Chlorphyll Shot - Tasted like a refreshing shot of seaweed.  Actually pretty good!
11am: Grapefruit Juice - DELICIOUS!! (Thanks to Liz for trading with me... she got my pear juice)
1pm: Young Love - Celery/Cucumber/Spinach.  Not as bad as it sounds.  Needs some sugar or something.  Um.  Update: Young Love grows to be Yuck Love.
3:30pm: Master Tonic - B's cleanse.  Lemon/Cayenne Pepper.  Pretty decent.
5:30pm Mellow Love - Green Satan in a bottle.  Disgusting.  Finished about 2/3 of it.
9pm: Veggie Vibrance - Kinda like V8.  Not my favorite, but not awful.  Totally has that "healthy" feel to it.
Lots of water throughout the day.  Peeing every 45 minutes like an incontinent pregnant gal.  I had a Coconut Water that I never got to.  I'm hoping I'll get them all in tomorrow.

Day 2.
10am: Chlorophyll Shot - Still refreshing. But I had to consume it at work and the murky green it turns your teeth was fun to brush away in the theatre balcony bathroom.
Noon: Apple Juice - So nice.  I love the fruit ones.
3pm: Starting to get hungry but subconsciously not wanting the Yuck Love.  Went for it anyway.  Not as horrendous as I recall, but definitely not able to finish it today.
5pm: Master Tonic - Quite refreshing and downed it quicker today.
7pm: Veggie Vibe - Like this one even more today.  I think some of it was because I was a bit hungry.  Also worked on it through President Obama's speech, which I found INCREDIBLY moving.  Positivity all around despite the happenings in Tuscon.  Wishing Rep. Gabby Giffords a speedy recovery.  We need more representatives like her.
10pm: Coconut Water.  I'm a new fan.  Selby called me Dominican for liking it, but he's racist like that.  It's a nice thing to be a fan of by the way.  Apparently it aides in weight loss, rehydration, and killing intestinal worms - 2 of 3 I can totally use.  Can you guess which ones??  Read more here.
Again boatloads of water (and potty time).  I skipped the Cucumber Water.  I was just too full after the Veggie Vibe.

Day 3.
11am: (Had to wait because there was a bit of a mix-up getting my sustenance).  Orange Juice.  Heaven.
Noon: Another orange juice.  (Thanks Dana for taking my Young Love today).
2pm: Master Tonic - I really like this stuff.  I see why Beyonce used it to get into her Dreamgirl tininess (is that a word?)
4pm: Coconut Water.  Reminds me of something from childhood.  Haven't put my finger on it yet.  But I love it.  Like whoa.
6pm: Chlorophyll.  Not as good at the end of the day.  Maybe I'm just ready for real food.
Met Suzanne for a the Wakey!Wakey! concert.  Btdubs - if you're not a fan, you should be.  Check out their website which contains their entire 1st album FOR FREE... LOVE them.  Website with free music.  Shared a nice, light, small thin-crust pizza with tomatoes (and a few tater tots) with Suz.  They were quite robust.  And I couldn't possibly have finished more than a few.
I still have 2 bottles of juice leftover from the 3 day-er.  Carrot Juice and another Veggie Vibe.  I think I'll try to drink them over the next couple of days... why not, right?

I asked my friends (and cohorts in this endeavor) to sum this process up in 2 words - 1 positive, 1 negative.  Being verbose (hmm... I guess likekind does produce likekind, huh?) they did so with follow-up.  Negatives (again get those nasty things out of the way) - Frustrating, Expensive, Hollowing.  Frustrating because it made us realize how much we reach for food out of habit and couldn't do it.  Expensive (without the groupon), explained above.  Hollowing in the literal sense of being hollowed out from no food.  And also hollow in the fact that there was extra time on the hands.  Without having to sit down for a meal, go out for lunch, prep your breakfast, the extra time felt empty.

Positives (I love that word)... Convenient, Clearing, Enlightening.  Convenient because you were rarely able to get hungry.  There was ALWAYS another new juice to have.  Clearing because the caffeine and sugar was taken out and left the mind to be free and open and, well, clear.  Enlightening feeds into the frustration a bit.  The realization that you CAN live without a snack on the couch, at your desk, before you go to bed proves that the crap we eat is mostly unnecessary.

Now to retox, right?  Ok, ok, I'll go easy.  But a little celebratory drink should DEFINITELY be in order sometime over the holiday weekend.  For now, I'm having coconut water.

Uh oh. It's time for a Detox...

Call me crazy.  Call me brilliant.  But it's time for a detox, which means by the end of the week you'll be able to call me a glowing, radiant, healthy beauty.  Ok, ok, I know a 3-day detox will not EXACTLY produce glowing, radiant results that quickly, but it'll be my food for the next 3 days.

My poison of choice this time is hardcore.  Forget the I'll-quit-meat-and-dairy-for-a-few-days detoxes.  Screw the no-sugars-no-white-flours-no-caffeine temporaries I've done in the past.  This one is a little thing called FOR REALZ.

It's a vegan juice fast through Organic Avenue.  And I will be participating in Love Deep.  Maybe it will help me learn to love :)

Wish me luck.  Wish my coworkers luck (3 of which are doing this with me).  Wish my friends luck.  Heck, wish my dog luck.  And cheer me on!!  (But maybe the encouragement should stick to texts, emails, and FB messages... I'm not sure how the hunger and lack of coffee is gonna treat us all...

And now I'm off to eat a Lunchable... a girl's gotta get in some trash while she can, right??

What did 2010 teach me???

Every day is a new chance to learn.  A chance to experience.  A chance to delve.  All of my favorite things.  2010 provided a number of learning experiences.  And my accountant brain goes into over-drive when I get to list things, so here you go.

Things I learned in 2010.  Some important.  Some ridiculous.

1. Lady Gaga is worth every ounce of trouble in getting tickets to her concerts.

2. Dance at every turn.  Never miss an opportunity to do so.

3. If good friends move, it's ok to miss them.  It's also ok to go visit them.  Friends don't have to be location-specific.

4. Impromptu trips to Disney are the best ones - as long as they begin with a trip to Toontown and end with a funnel cake, even if it induces vomiting.

5. Being too serious about dating is dumb, lame, and overrated.  Just going with the flow is SOOOO much better.  And so much more authentic.

6. Failure is my biggest fear.  My body failing me might top that list most of all.  From stupid tonsils, to migraines and brain blahs, to my lady-parts not cooperating, body failure is definitely yuck.  Having 15 people in my life have babies in 2010 caused some significant agita.  But ya know what?  Life deals you the hand you're dealt.  If a biological baby isn't in my future, so be it.  2011 is sure to have less suck where this is concerned.  And the tonsils I'm determined to keep in... stay tuned on that front.

7. Bless Yourself.  Take that how you will.  As deep or shallow as your mind would like.  For me, it means taking care of me first.  Something new for me.

8. Running is my heart.  It is my home.  It is my religion.  It is my me-time.  It is my spiritual time.  It is what will help me get over my ailments (even if doctors say not to).  It is what helps keep me grounded.  It is what makes me proud of myself.

9. Never miss the chance to hang with people you look up to.  You may not have them forever.  Glean from their wisdom at every turn.

10.  Know your friends.  Know who loves you.  Love them without fail.  Every day.  (I only put a smattering of pics here - I have more than these listed below for whom I count my lucky stars every single day...)

Gotta love those Republicans...

Oh, Republicans.  You guys kill me.  I can't decide which part of this vid is the best.  Reince Preibus (who???) stating "The Reagan Diaries" as his favorite book, Ann Wagner letting us know that her kitchen table is her favorite bar, or Michael Steele quoting Dickens as the opening line to his favorite book "War and Peace"... 

Movies Galore

In prep for the upcoming awards shows I've seen a few flicks lately.  2010 had some suck-fests for movies... until the last 2 weeks of the year.  See these...

"The Fighter".  Worth it for Christian Bale's performance.

"Black Swan".  Darren Aronofsky is a genius.

"Blue Valentine".  Gut-wrenching.  Indescribable.  I think this one might be tougher on women than men.  And Ryan Gosling is beautiful.

"True Grit".  Sheer perfection.  Even down to the Arkansas accents.

Best movie of the year.  Colin Firth had better win.  Geoffrey Rush's speech in the Abbey is worth the ticket price alone.

And finally - I was asked recently my thoughts on "The Shining" and couldn't really answer as I don't think I've seen it since maybe Alyse Day's house in 7th grade... and I think I may have fallen asleep then.  Needless to say, thanks to Netflix streaming through Wii I watched it tonight.  And.it.was.brilliant.  From the opening chords of Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique" (which is one of my very favorite pieces of orchestration) I was hooked.  The imagery, the acting, the cinematography, and most important the BEAUTIFUL direction.  I can't wait to have a further discussion of this film.  And instead of the traditional pic of Jack axing through the bathroom door saying "Here's Johnny", I've included the visual that is probably my favorite after this first real viewing.  I love this kid.  I love this carpet.  I love his big-wheel.  Get it, Danny.  Get your shining on.

Weddings? Ehn, not so much. Flash Mob Expression? Sure.

For those who know me best, know my thoughts on love and marriage.  But this video I can get behind.  A presumably inexpensive and somewhat thrown together expression of two people's feelings for each other. Also anything that provides smiles and tears of joy to random strangers walking through a city like Boston, I'm down with.

But mostly, I love what the officiant says.  Amen, sister.  (Zoom to 4:03 if the rest is silly to you)

Great Starts (isn't that a cereal??)

2011 has started off relaxed and well.  Here's my weekend in pictures...

This is a New Yorker's view of snow.  The pretty white stuff doesn't last long around these parts and this is what it quickly turns into.  Hawt.

Central Park with what's left of the pretty stuff after an afternoon working at a Community Lunch Program on the UES - Thanks, Jessica, for the opportunity!!!

 Wollman Rink on New Year's Day.

Remains of a Times Square NYE.  Poor plastic glitter hat.

Let's get this year started!!! 1-2-3 (4)...

Coming into 2011.  Happy New Year, everyone!

And one final random send-up... Cosmo says grey is the new pale pink for the fingers.  So I obliged.  Glittery magenta on the toes.  I'm sure these are someone's school colors somewhere out there ;)