Hey guys!
Remember that one time when we had the international controversy over whether Dracula had a birthplace or not? Well, I just discovered that today is Bram Stoker's birthday, so it's a little bit like it's also Dracula's birthday. (Can't wait for clau2002 to come at me over that one).
I just participated in a writing competition where we had to rewrite a page from an 19th century vampire novel, "Varney the Vampire." Also, we just had Halloween, so I'm feeling like all of these coincidences should mean something. Like soon I'm going to meet a vampire or something.
But really, it's probably just telling me to go see the new Twilight movie next week. And I will. Who am I to ignore all these signs?
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
WTF: October
Today is the first day of October. To which I say: WHAT. This summer was awesome, and I'm just not ready to let it go (let's face it: I'm never ready to let summer go). But this year it just seemed to fly by so quickly and fall weather came on like an asthma attack: quick, unwelcome and almost unprovoked. I love boots, jeans and sweaters, but with the changing of the leaves, my fingers and toes freeze up, not to thaw for 9 more months. It's not a change I love.
This summer was absolutely fantastic, as I have mentioned. The one good thing about October is that I fully expect it to be a continuation of the awesomeness of the summer as far as my social schedule goes, so hopefully that will distract me from the weather growing ever colder. I've got something booked every weekend this month, whether it's the nuptials of my (probably) future-in-laws, my first 5k being chased by zombies, or a visit from my favorite young married couple. It should be a good month.
I'm on week 7 of my running program. The other day I ran about 2 miles without stopping. I can unequivocally say that is the longest distance I have ever run without walking in my entire life. I've never been a runner, but I'm not hating it this time around. Also, yesterday I joined a gym, so hopefully I won't lose momentum as the weather gets colder and my lack of warm running gear becomes an issue.
Plus, I've got two brand-spanking-new roommates, who moved in this weekend. After the stress and drama of the apartment search, I'm looking forward to settling in and getting to know them. I'm optimistic about the situation.
So, here's to starting the fall off on a good (if frozen) foot. I just need to get my butt to the store and stock up on wool socks and fingerless gloves for typing at work.
This summer was absolutely fantastic, as I have mentioned. The one good thing about October is that I fully expect it to be a continuation of the awesomeness of the summer as far as my social schedule goes, so hopefully that will distract me from the weather growing ever colder. I've got something booked every weekend this month, whether it's the nuptials of my (probably) future-in-laws, my first 5k being chased by zombies, or a visit from my favorite young married couple. It should be a good month.
I'm on week 7 of my running program. The other day I ran about 2 miles without stopping. I can unequivocally say that is the longest distance I have ever run without walking in my entire life. I've never been a runner, but I'm not hating it this time around. Also, yesterday I joined a gym, so hopefully I won't lose momentum as the weather gets colder and my lack of warm running gear becomes an issue.
Plus, I've got two brand-spanking-new roommates, who moved in this weekend. After the stress and drama of the apartment search, I'm looking forward to settling in and getting to know them. I'm optimistic about the situation.
So, here's to starting the fall off on a good (if frozen) foot. I just need to get my butt to the store and stock up on wool socks and fingerless gloves for typing at work.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Why I Haven't Blogged Since July
Lately, some of you have been getting on my case about not blogging much this summer (I'm looking at you, Mike MacDonald), but I swear I have good reason. Actually two good reasons.
The reason I didn't blog in July/August:
Work. I was doing three people's jobs (for the salary of one) and it was a crazy summer in the office. It was also a crazy summer outside of the office--crazy good, actually. Probably my best summer yet. I went to Virginia Beach with some of my favorite people ever, attended 2 concerts, started running, networked my ass off, signed up for an extra-curricular committee, have been super social and met a bunch of new people and turned 24, to name just a few things. All that didn't leave much time for blogging, even though I know I have put up hardly any pictures of our trip to Hawaii (but I take solace in the fact that my travel buddy and blood relative has put up NONE).
And the reason I didn't blog in September:
Potential homelessness. My lease is up in exactly 6 days, and I still have nowhere to live. I've applied to stay in my current apartment with two new roommates, but we still haven't heard whether or not we're approved. I can't even tell you how many plans I have had fall through. I was looking at 2 bedrooms with a girl who turned out to be crazy. I was going to get my own place, but rent is hella expensive this fall in any neighborhood where the probability of my death is less than 50%. I was gonna live in a not-great neighborhood, but literally, all the apartments I saw where terrible. I was going to get new roommates in my current place, but one backed out. I replaced her with another, but then she told me she was waiting to hear about a different place. Her other place fell through, so we got our applications in, but now we still aren't approved and there is no time to come up with a new plan if we're not, so I will literally be without a home.
"Wow," you might be saying. "How is she handling all this stress so well?" I'm glad you asked. A great support system, and a little prayer. But mostly wine. And Rolos.
The reason I didn't blog in July/August:
Work. I was doing three people's jobs (for the salary of one) and it was a crazy summer in the office. It was also a crazy summer outside of the office--crazy good, actually. Probably my best summer yet. I went to Virginia Beach with some of my favorite people ever, attended 2 concerts, started running, networked my ass off, signed up for an extra-curricular committee, have been super social and met a bunch of new people and turned 24, to name just a few things. All that didn't leave much time for blogging, even though I know I have put up hardly any pictures of our trip to Hawaii (but I take solace in the fact that my travel buddy and blood relative has put up NONE).
And the reason I didn't blog in September:
Potential homelessness. My lease is up in exactly 6 days, and I still have nowhere to live. I've applied to stay in my current apartment with two new roommates, but we still haven't heard whether or not we're approved. I can't even tell you how many plans I have had fall through. I was looking at 2 bedrooms with a girl who turned out to be crazy. I was going to get my own place, but rent is hella expensive this fall in any neighborhood where the probability of my death is less than 50%. I was gonna live in a not-great neighborhood, but literally, all the apartments I saw where terrible. I was going to get new roommates in my current place, but one backed out. I replaced her with another, but then she told me she was waiting to hear about a different place. Her other place fell through, so we got our applications in, but now we still aren't approved and there is no time to come up with a new plan if we're not, so I will literally be without a home.
"Wow," you might be saying. "How is she handling all this stress so well?" I'm glad you asked. A great support system, and a little prayer. But mostly wine. And Rolos.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Book Worm, Big Island
Ok, we never went to the Big Island, and the islands that we did stay on were relatively small, but just go with it, ok? Here is the first installment of Hawaii pictures, in which Bridget and friends go to Pearl Harbor.
E&M traveled separately from me &A because we each of different frequent flier programs, but we started our journey together very early (3am-ish) on Thursday after varying amounts of sleep. I think I had the most, with about 3 hours and Mike had the least with <1. So needless to say, we were all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and in fabulous moods when we got in the car.
I'm gonna skip over the flying part because it was 15 hours long and not a lot happened, except I watched Midnight in Paris, which was not good and paid $7 for some red wine, which the flight attendant apologized for, but which Andrew and I thought was a really good deal, because now where in NYC can you get 2.5 glasses of wine for $7.
We landed at around 5pm in Honolulu and took a shuttle to the Aston Waikiki Beach hotel. We were all pretty zonked, so we just went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Of course we ordered fruity drinks and the boys bought the girls leis which was super sweet, because, unlike any movie or tv show you've seen (I'm talking to you, Full House), you do NOT get lei'd upon arrival.
We hit the hay pretty early that night and got up for breakfast on the beach (kind of--we were running late, so we made it breakfast on a bench looking at the beach) and an early shuttle to Pearl Harbor.
We had about an hour before our tour was scheduled at 9:30, so we walked through a couple of exhibits. There was a ring of plaques surrounding a flag pole out by the water which commemorated the 52 submarines that were lost during WWII and some indoor exhibits about the events leading up to Pearl Harbor. My favorite thing, though, was the Pearl Harbor veteran signing books outside. He took a picture with us and told us about his experience. He enlisted in his early 20s (I think he might have been only 20, actually) and was immediately shipped out to Pearl Harbor. He arrived on December 6th 1941. Everyone who went to PH thought of it as a vacation, I guess. It seemed very far removed from the war. On his first full day, Pearl Harbor was attacked. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. I mean for anyone who was there, but especially for this young, green soldier.
At 9:30am we lined up and watched a 20 minute video about the attacks. Then we loaded onto a shuttle boat out to the Arizona Memorial. For some reason, whenever I thought about Pearl Harbor, I never thought about taking a boat to the memorial, but I guess that's really the only way it could be.
The memorial was beautiful, just like any picture you've ever seen. The walls and ceiling were open and the bright whiteness of the walls was very striking against the blue water and green land behind. There is one area with a hole in the floor, surrounded by a wall, where you can look straight down and see the battleship. The harbor is so shallow that part of the ship are still above water. What I found most interesting, and something I never really thought about before, was the oil. Obviously, battleships carry fuel, and when they sink, that fuel goes down too. The Arizona is still leaking oil--only about a quart or so a day, but enough that you can see it on the water. The memorial committee decided not to disturb the ship--because it is the grave of so many soldiers--so they fuel is still down there. It's been over 70 years, and they estimate it will leak for another hundred. For some reason, that fact really struck me, even more than any of the other things I learned that day.
Below are some of the pictures I took. I always feel weird taking pictures in memorial-type places, but I think it's important to remember my trip there.
Up next, and on a lighter note, will be our Friday night luau!
E&M traveled separately from me &A because we each of different frequent flier programs, but we started our journey together very early (3am-ish) on Thursday after varying amounts of sleep. I think I had the most, with about 3 hours and Mike had the least with <1. So needless to say, we were all bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and in fabulous moods when we got in the car.
I'm gonna skip over the flying part because it was 15 hours long and not a lot happened, except I watched Midnight in Paris, which was not good and paid $7 for some red wine, which the flight attendant apologized for, but which Andrew and I thought was a really good deal, because now where in NYC can you get 2.5 glasses of wine for $7.
We landed at around 5pm in Honolulu and took a shuttle to the Aston Waikiki Beach hotel. We were all pretty zonked, so we just went to the hotel restaurant for dinner. Of course we ordered fruity drinks and the boys bought the girls leis which was super sweet, because, unlike any movie or tv show you've seen (I'm talking to you, Full House), you do NOT get lei'd upon arrival.
We hit the hay pretty early that night and got up for breakfast on the beach (kind of--we were running late, so we made it breakfast on a bench looking at the beach) and an early shuttle to Pearl Harbor.
We had about an hour before our tour was scheduled at 9:30, so we walked through a couple of exhibits. There was a ring of plaques surrounding a flag pole out by the water which commemorated the 52 submarines that were lost during WWII and some indoor exhibits about the events leading up to Pearl Harbor. My favorite thing, though, was the Pearl Harbor veteran signing books outside. He took a picture with us and told us about his experience. He enlisted in his early 20s (I think he might have been only 20, actually) and was immediately shipped out to Pearl Harbor. He arrived on December 6th 1941. Everyone who went to PH thought of it as a vacation, I guess. It seemed very far removed from the war. On his first full day, Pearl Harbor was attacked. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. I mean for anyone who was there, but especially for this young, green soldier.
At 9:30am we lined up and watched a 20 minute video about the attacks. Then we loaded onto a shuttle boat out to the Arizona Memorial. For some reason, whenever I thought about Pearl Harbor, I never thought about taking a boat to the memorial, but I guess that's really the only way it could be.
The memorial was beautiful, just like any picture you've ever seen. The walls and ceiling were open and the bright whiteness of the walls was very striking against the blue water and green land behind. There is one area with a hole in the floor, surrounded by a wall, where you can look straight down and see the battleship. The harbor is so shallow that part of the ship are still above water. What I found most interesting, and something I never really thought about before, was the oil. Obviously, battleships carry fuel, and when they sink, that fuel goes down too. The Arizona is still leaking oil--only about a quart or so a day, but enough that you can see it on the water. The memorial committee decided not to disturb the ship--because it is the grave of so many soldiers--so they fuel is still down there. It's been over 70 years, and they estimate it will leak for another hundred. For some reason, that fact really struck me, even more than any of the other things I learned that day.
Below are some of the pictures I took. I always feel weird taking pictures in memorial-type places, but I think it's important to remember my trip there.
Up next, and on a lighter note, will be our Friday night luau!
 |
| The plaques commemorating downed subs and their crews |
 |
| Open floor over the battleship |
 |
| Inside the memorial |
 |
| The slow-leaking oil |
 |
| Parts of the Arizona rise above the water |
Happy Independence Day!
Happy Independence Day everyone! I wish I could have spent it with you. All of you. Or any of you. I spent my day alone (being independent, get it?). I used to really like spending time alone, but lately, not so much. So as much I was looking forward to today, I ended up a bit lonely. Was super productive though! I did some freelancing, went to the gym (for the third day in a row--probably a personal record) ran some errands and I even went out to dinner at this place I've been wanting to try. Not a bad day, just would've been nicer with some of you guys!
Anyway, Happy Fourth of July, and keep reading, because I'm about to post some Hawaii pictures!
Anyway, Happy Fourth of July, and keep reading, because I'm about to post some Hawaii pictures!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Twenty-one minutes left of work before vacation and I CANNOT CONCENTRATE!! This time tomorrow I will be in the airspace over the Pacific and that is all I have been able to think about for the last hour. I was super productive up till then, crossing things off my list left and right. But after lunch it all went down hill.
I should really take my bosses up on their offer to skip out early.
I should really take my bosses up on their offer to skip out early.
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