After the craziness of the last couple of weeks I dedicated this weekend to cleaning and finally finishing finding spots for all the stuff in my room. Of course, I can only be efficient for so long before one thing or another side tracks me and the nostalgia sets in.
Whether it was stopping to look through my photo album from studying abroad or flipping through random papers still unfiled from college, I tend to let those moments from the past overtake the plans I had for today.
Today's culprit was actually a box of post-its. In college, when I lived in the dorms, my friends and I would write down the funny things we accidentally said on a post-it and pin it to the bulletin board. As the months wore on and the board started filling up with colored squares all containing the name "Rhyme", the sayings quickly got renamed to the Rhyme-isms Board. Flipping through all those old post-its made me remember the good ole days so I thought I'd share some of them...Rhyme and Nicole if you're reading this prepare yourselves...everyone else, this probably means nothing to you other than to see how ridiculous we once were (still are?):
"Great Books: that class would be really interesting if there wasn't so much reading." -Amanda
"I wasn't talking about my individuality...I was talking about how different I was from everybody else." - Nikita
"I've had the same crotch for 18 years. I'm pretty sure I know where it is." - Rhyme
"Sometimes I wish I was allergic to people." -Rhyme
"If I were an M&M I'd eat myself." - Rhyme
"N: It's like selective hearing. J:Yeah. But most of what she doesn't hear comes out of her own mouth. It's like selective consciousness." - John and Nicole
"I don't like it. And I shouldn't have to put things I don't like in my mouth." -Random resident in Alice Lloyd
"If I wasn't afraid of you I'd throw my show at you." - Nikita
"Joe Paterno is the Hugh Hefner of college football." - Rhyme
"It's like a drinking contraceptive." -Samira
"If she's anorexic she's really bad at it." - Rhyme
"They were talking about school...you know how I feel about that." - Rhyme
"I deleted channel 14. How do I get it back?" - Nicole
"He's Asian. I can tell by his shadow." -Rhyme
The Rhyme-isms include many more, but to keep this blog mostly clean and appropriate I took editorial liberty with the ones I posted.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Why I haven't posted in awhile...
I thought that moving to CT would give me so much to write about that I'd be posting every other day at least. I didn't anticipate being so busy that I wouldn't carve out the time to write at all. It's not even a busy work life that had me whirling around in chaos (my manager has been on vacation for the last two weeks leaving me with very little to do between the hrs of 9-5).
Instead, for the first time in what seems like forever I have a legitimate social life. Here's the line up of the last couple of weeks and what's coming up on the calendar:
Week 1: Jotted down to the City for a Friday night. Spent the evening eating and drinking too much, two things I always seem to do in NYC. Recovered on Amy's balcony the next morning overlooking lower Manhattan with fantastic views of both the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty as her bf made us breakfast. Commuted back to Stamford with Amy where I dragged her through CT traffic to an Ikea, then found the local seafood hotspot and the closest Blockbuster for our chick-flick movie marathon.
Week 2: Amy's friends from high school have a house on Cape Cod. Since the bf had other plans I joined the weekend festivities as her plus one. Drove up to Boston to pick her up, got to see the outside of Fenway (next time I'm definitely touring), and then headed down to the Cape. Proceeded to again drink like I was in college (sort of...at least early college) and spent the weekend playing croquette and laying out on the beach. Frolicked in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in recent memory and realized how much better I like fresh-water lakes. Was also stunned by the percentage of people in that house that knew how to play Euchre. Nothing like sun, sand, liquor and cards to make an enjoyable weekend.
Week 3: Since all the managers on my floor are on vacation the box tickets to the Patriots preseason game against the Saints were up for grabs. Snagged 3 and brought along Amy (huge Pats fan) and my roommate Jeremiah. There were a couple of other people I knew from work there and several I didn't. But for my first NFL game it was pretty amazing. Sucked that I again put another 300 miles on my brand new Escape, as it's a 3-hr drive to the stadium from Stamford, but since I only had to do the drive one way I guess I can't complain too much. We also met up with a friend of Amy's (acquaintance of mine) from Michigan who got drafted to Pats this year. It was a 10-minute convo but I can now say I've hugged an NFL player :)
So that's my synopsis of the last couple of weeks. In between the major events was basically Jeremiah and I doing all the necessary things like grocery shopping and figuring out how to set our DVR to record all our favorite TV shows.
Being out here is still surreal sometimes and I'm not as settled as I'd like. Still struggling to find people in the area other than Jeremiah and Amy to hang out with. But I'm sure that will come with time. Reality will also come crashing down in the next couple of weeks as work becomes crazy. But I'm optimistic that I'll be able to handle it relatively well. Can't dwell on that too much otherwise that aforementioned optimism disappears.
On the other hand so super excited for the next couple weeks due to non-work related activities planned: Jersey Shore, Girls Weekend in the City for Labor Day, and sailing to the Hamptons are all in the line-up.
Instead, for the first time in what seems like forever I have a legitimate social life. Here's the line up of the last couple of weeks and what's coming up on the calendar:
Week 1: Jotted down to the City for a Friday night. Spent the evening eating and drinking too much, two things I always seem to do in NYC. Recovered on Amy's balcony the next morning overlooking lower Manhattan with fantastic views of both the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty as her bf made us breakfast. Commuted back to Stamford with Amy where I dragged her through CT traffic to an Ikea, then found the local seafood hotspot and the closest Blockbuster for our chick-flick movie marathon.
Week 2: Amy's friends from high school have a house on Cape Cod. Since the bf had other plans I joined the weekend festivities as her plus one. Drove up to Boston to pick her up, got to see the outside of Fenway (next time I'm definitely touring), and then headed down to the Cape. Proceeded to again drink like I was in college (sort of...at least early college) and spent the weekend playing croquette and laying out on the beach. Frolicked in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time in recent memory and realized how much better I like fresh-water lakes. Was also stunned by the percentage of people in that house that knew how to play Euchre. Nothing like sun, sand, liquor and cards to make an enjoyable weekend.
Week 3: Since all the managers on my floor are on vacation the box tickets to the Patriots preseason game against the Saints were up for grabs. Snagged 3 and brought along Amy (huge Pats fan) and my roommate Jeremiah. There were a couple of other people I knew from work there and several I didn't. But for my first NFL game it was pretty amazing. Sucked that I again put another 300 miles on my brand new Escape, as it's a 3-hr drive to the stadium from Stamford, but since I only had to do the drive one way I guess I can't complain too much. We also met up with a friend of Amy's (acquaintance of mine) from Michigan who got drafted to Pats this year. It was a 10-minute convo but I can now say I've hugged an NFL player :)
So that's my synopsis of the last couple of weeks. In between the major events was basically Jeremiah and I doing all the necessary things like grocery shopping and figuring out how to set our DVR to record all our favorite TV shows.
Being out here is still surreal sometimes and I'm not as settled as I'd like. Still struggling to find people in the area other than Jeremiah and Amy to hang out with. But I'm sure that will come with time. Reality will also come crashing down in the next couple of weeks as work becomes crazy. But I'm optimistic that I'll be able to handle it relatively well. Can't dwell on that too much otherwise that aforementioned optimism disappears.
On the other hand so super excited for the next couple weeks due to non-work related activities planned: Jersey Shore, Girls Weekend in the City for Labor Day, and sailing to the Hamptons are all in the line-up.
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Where do Connecticuters go to Driving School?
I've been in Connecticut for 48 hours and I've come to one main conclusion...people in CT are CRAZY ASS DRIVERS. Multiple times in the last 2 days I've witnessed, heard about or been forced to partake in the utter suspicion of anything resembling a traffic law.
I knew driving on the East coast would be different than my mostly Midwestern experience. I knew that I'd be honked at, passed, maybe even cause of a road rage or two.
But here are a couple things I DIDN'T know:
1) Driving without a GPS is near impossible...you always need to know an alternate route when you encounter stopped traffic on the highway almost everyday
2) There are more BMWs, Lexus, Range Rovers and Porches on the road than one could imagine. But that doesn't mean the drivers aren't going to still try and run you off the road.
3) Turning lanes are mere suggestions, common practice is to just chose whatever one is more convenient and then gun it in front of the person next to you.
4) Signaling with your blinker is a courtesy they are too busy making money to bother with
5) Don't expect to find a parking lot, learn to park in a too crowded multi-level garage between a pole and a chick who parked her SUV right on the line.
There is one New England driving skill I have mastered...the running of the yellow light. I never thought it'd be safer to speed through a yellow than stop but believe me, in this state it is.
I knew driving on the East coast would be different than my mostly Midwestern experience. I knew that I'd be honked at, passed, maybe even cause of a road rage or two.
But here are a couple things I DIDN'T know:
1) Driving without a GPS is near impossible...you always need to know an alternate route when you encounter stopped traffic on the highway almost everyday
2) There are more BMWs, Lexus, Range Rovers and Porches on the road than one could imagine. But that doesn't mean the drivers aren't going to still try and run you off the road.
3) Turning lanes are mere suggestions, common practice is to just chose whatever one is more convenient and then gun it in front of the person next to you.
4) Signaling with your blinker is a courtesy they are too busy making money to bother with
5) Don't expect to find a parking lot, learn to park in a too crowded multi-level garage between a pole and a chick who parked her SUV right on the line.
There is one New England driving skill I have mastered...the running of the yellow light. I never thought it'd be safer to speed through a yellow than stop but believe me, in this state it is.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Social Networking: The Importance of Stupid Stuff
As a young professional I hear all the time on the importance of social networking. And in today's age of Twitter, Facebook, and email a large majority of all that is obviously being done online. Last week I attended a lunch & learn at work on that very topic. It was originally geared on how to keep up with your professional network, but being as we were all women it eventually switched to personal networks and how to balance busy careers with keeping up with family and friends that may be spread out across hundreds of miles.
As I've mentioned before this has been a huge personal challenge for me in the last six months. After the lunch & learn, I had renewed energy to make more of an effort to attempt to fix this situation.
One of the biggest hold ups for me was the amount of trite conversation that occurs when you call a friends for the first time after months of no communication. It's all "So what's new?"...."Not much"..."How's work?"..."Ok". There's no realness there. All the things I loved talking about with my friends (the inside jokes, the advice, the laughter) don't exist because we don't really know what's going on day to day and don't share any recent common experiences.
The last two months I've made two major trips to Chicago and Dallas to visit two different sets of friends. In person the things we lost over the phone seemed to magically appear again. Especially after the Chicago trip we made the effort to keep connected and there's been a noticeable change in the quality of our conversations. I don't need to ask what's new anymore because I know. Instead we can joke about things that have happened even though we might not have been there together. Instead we can make plans about future trips and future visits.
Part of our ability to stay connected has been our ingenuity in using technology. The majority of my friends who gathered in Chicago have Blackberrys. We now have group bbms that seem to blow up each day with the amount of conversation that passes through. My friends who gathered in Dallas are all on Twitter. None of us use it more than to keep in touch with all the stupid things happening in our lives. But it's those stupid things that make us more connected. It adds that personal touch that brings you back to the good ole days when you did those stupid things together.
In terms of staying connected I've discovered that 30 seconds a day beats an hour once a month. Surely, I'll be able to carve 30 seconds a day out of my schedule. Keeping in touch now seems a lot more doable.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Won't You Be My Friend?
I didn't realize finding friends after college was so difficult. I've never had any problem before: not at camp, or on study abroad, or freshman year, or any of those other times when I was thrown out into the big bad scary world by myself.
But it's like as soon as people graduate they forget that there are other people out there, people like me, who'd just like one friend within a 2 hour radius of their apartment.
Don't get me wrong, I can understand the hesitation to meet new people. I just came back from a weekend in Chicago visiting with friends from college. It was honestly one of the best weekends I think we might have ever spent together: consisting of 7 tangled (and yes--clothed--mother) bodies napping in a bed, breakfast and champagne at 3 in the morning, boutique shopping with the girls, ballroom dancing to 80s music, grilling burgers on the balcony, and friends who drive 8 hrs after work just to surprise you.
Why would we want to meet new people when we can have that?
Because we can't always when we live in 5 different states, work in 6 different ones and are spread out across 1500 miles.
So basically I need to bone up on my social skills and re-learn how to meet people. I thought I'd been doing well, finally having met all of my next-door neighbors. However, although leaving my alarm on to go off at 6:30am all weekend is a good way to meet my neighbor once, twice just makes me an annoying jerk.
Hopefully, I don't have to find out what I become after a third time...
But it's like as soon as people graduate they forget that there are other people out there, people like me, who'd just like one friend within a 2 hour radius of their apartment.
Don't get me wrong, I can understand the hesitation to meet new people. I just came back from a weekend in Chicago visiting with friends from college. It was honestly one of the best weekends I think we might have ever spent together: consisting of 7 tangled (and yes--clothed--mother) bodies napping in a bed, breakfast and champagne at 3 in the morning, boutique shopping with the girls, ballroom dancing to 80s music, grilling burgers on the balcony, and friends who drive 8 hrs after work just to surprise you.
Why would we want to meet new people when we can have that?
Because we can't always when we live in 5 different states, work in 6 different ones and are spread out across 1500 miles.
So basically I need to bone up on my social skills and re-learn how to meet people. I thought I'd been doing well, finally having met all of my next-door neighbors. However, although leaving my alarm on to go off at 6:30am all weekend is a good way to meet my neighbor once, twice just makes me an annoying jerk.
Hopefully, I don't have to find out what I become after a third time...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Fanny Packs are Like Mini Vans...
So May 1st was the big event...my first 5k race. Here are some do and don'ts I learned:
Do: Find supporters, even if you need to pay them
The atmosphere is infectious, especially if you're there with a large group of people. The group energy alone can carry you through the first couple of miles.
Don't: Eat the dust of the people supposedly running with you
I ran with my cousin who was awesome and took pity on me--running the entire thing with me when I know he could have easily finished a good 5+ minutes sooner. It was great that he was there pushing me but the entire time I felt guilty that I was slowing him down. So find a running buddy that complements your pace...not too fast/not too slow.
Do: Go to the bathroom in a toilet and not your pants
Running with a full bladder is not fun. You actually have to make the decision to slow down or pee your pants. I'd never before been so sympathetic of those performers (i.e. Fergie) who pee on the stage during a concert. As gross as it is, at least then you can get over it and concentrate on giving your best performance.
Don't: Pig out on the free Panera bagels heaped on tables at the finish line
Doesn't it sort of defeat the purpose of running if you consume 3000 calories in bagels afterward?
Do: Double Knot Your Shoelaces...or buy Velcro
How much would it suck to be in the middle of a race and trip on your own shoelaces? Or worse yet have somebody else step on them and take an entire pack of racers down for the count?
Don't: Get angry at the twelve year-old passing you
They don't know any better and have not yet experienced the pleasures of college binge drinking and late night pizza runs that go straight to their hips. Let them have their moment before the harsh realities of adulthood hit them square in the face. At that time I give you permission to laugh in retaliation.
Do: Find a something to carry the necessities: ipod, inhaler, sunglasses, ID, debit card, extra shirt, car keys etc.
I highly recommend the dinosaur known as the "Fanny Pack". Once used by middle-aged moms at theme parks, this endangered carrying case is making its comeback debut. The fanny pack, like the mini van, may not be stylish but is pretty damn functional.
I might not have made my goal time (breaking the 30 minute barrier)...I'm blaming the bladder...but I finished strong, 30:52. I'd never before understood what people meant when they said racing was addictive. However, I don't even like running that much and now can't wait for the half marathon in July. The high you get from racing is better than crack...although I don't know for sure, I'm sure there is someone out there that can support that claim.
Do: Find supporters, even if you need to pay them
The atmosphere is infectious, especially if you're there with a large group of people. The group energy alone can carry you through the first couple of miles.
Don't: Eat the dust of the people supposedly running with you
I ran with my cousin who was awesome and took pity on me--running the entire thing with me when I know he could have easily finished a good 5+ minutes sooner. It was great that he was there pushing me but the entire time I felt guilty that I was slowing him down. So find a running buddy that complements your pace...not too fast/not too slow.
Do: Go to the bathroom in a toilet and not your pants
Running with a full bladder is not fun. You actually have to make the decision to slow down or pee your pants. I'd never before been so sympathetic of those performers (i.e. Fergie) who pee on the stage during a concert. As gross as it is, at least then you can get over it and concentrate on giving your best performance.
Don't: Pig out on the free Panera bagels heaped on tables at the finish line
Doesn't it sort of defeat the purpose of running if you consume 3000 calories in bagels afterward?
Do: Double Knot Your Shoelaces...or buy Velcro
How much would it suck to be in the middle of a race and trip on your own shoelaces? Or worse yet have somebody else step on them and take an entire pack of racers down for the count?
Don't: Get angry at the twelve year-old passing you
They don't know any better and have not yet experienced the pleasures of college binge drinking and late night pizza runs that go straight to their hips. Let them have their moment before the harsh realities of adulthood hit them square in the face. At that time I give you permission to laugh in retaliation.
Do: Find a something to carry the necessities: ipod, inhaler, sunglasses, ID, debit card, extra shirt, car keys etc.
I highly recommend the dinosaur known as the "Fanny Pack". Once used by middle-aged moms at theme parks, this endangered carrying case is making its comeback debut. The fanny pack, like the mini van, may not be stylish but is pretty damn functional.
I might not have made my goal time (breaking the 30 minute barrier)...I'm blaming the bladder...but I finished strong, 30:52. I'd never before understood what people meant when they said racing was addictive. However, I don't even like running that much and now can't wait for the half marathon in July. The high you get from racing is better than crack...although I don't know for sure, I'm sure there is someone out there that can support that claim.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Finding My Happy
I thought I knew how to multi-task. Then I went to work in corporate America for one of the worst workaholics I've ever met. Now my life consists of extreme highs and lows, 60 hour work weeks, and not enough hands--or brain cells--to cross off everything on my to-do list. I don't know how to prioritize, or compartmentalize, all the requests people ask me, phone me, email me, ping me, and, in one random event, toss through the air on a paper plane at me (...not really, but how cool would that have been if it was true?)
I've always been a worrier, someone who causes more stress than need be but in the end tends to thrive and excel on it. However, lately my normal elevated stress levels have mutated into panic attacks: random bouts of tears, hyperventilating at the thought of to-do lists, etc. It's not every day. Not even every week...but it happens often enough that something has to change.
It sure isn't going to be work. When I mention how I'm trying to adjust to the new lifestyle and workload my manager just tends to chuckle and mention that I have another 20-30 more years of this. Today, he actually said the following while I was commenting on the bazillion and one things I had to get done before the weekend, "Good, I'm not doing my job right if you don't leave here as miserable as I am." What a way to view the world. And not exactly what I was expecting leaving college all dewy-eyed and optimistic.
So after a breakdown last night, I decided that I need to remember to breathe, and relax. It wouldn't be the end of the world if something wasn't done perfectly or if the work piled up. I returned to the office this morning, fresher and functioning more effectively than when I left the night before at 8:30pm, and found the aptly titled women's magazine article, "How to Feel Happy" when I opened my inbox.
I took it as a sign and decided that I would start doing one thing a day to increase my happiness. Today as the kick-start I ramped up the happy levels by trying several things:
1. I stopped to breathe, to remember that I was living human being...not a lab rat in a cubicle maze.
2. I plotted 20 ways to maim, disfigure, and otherwise torture my kickboxing instructor. While the exercise was good for me, the creative thinking was even better.
3. I left the TV off. Instead I skimmed a People magazine about the world's most beautiful people and took a candle-lit bath.
Did it work? I'm healthier, slimmer, more creative (one could also say a little more evil), and more relaxed than I've been in days. I think it's a good start to finding my happy.
I've always been a worrier, someone who causes more stress than need be but in the end tends to thrive and excel on it. However, lately my normal elevated stress levels have mutated into panic attacks: random bouts of tears, hyperventilating at the thought of to-do lists, etc. It's not every day. Not even every week...but it happens often enough that something has to change.
It sure isn't going to be work. When I mention how I'm trying to adjust to the new lifestyle and workload my manager just tends to chuckle and mention that I have another 20-30 more years of this. Today, he actually said the following while I was commenting on the bazillion and one things I had to get done before the weekend, "Good, I'm not doing my job right if you don't leave here as miserable as I am." What a way to view the world. And not exactly what I was expecting leaving college all dewy-eyed and optimistic.
So after a breakdown last night, I decided that I need to remember to breathe, and relax. It wouldn't be the end of the world if something wasn't done perfectly or if the work piled up. I returned to the office this morning, fresher and functioning more effectively than when I left the night before at 8:30pm, and found the aptly titled women's magazine article, "How to Feel Happy" when I opened my inbox.
I took it as a sign and decided that I would start doing one thing a day to increase my happiness. Today as the kick-start I ramped up the happy levels by trying several things:
1. I stopped to breathe, to remember that I was living human being...not a lab rat in a cubicle maze.
2. I plotted 20 ways to maim, disfigure, and otherwise torture my kickboxing instructor. While the exercise was good for me, the creative thinking was even better.
3. I left the TV off. Instead I skimmed a People magazine about the world's most beautiful people and took a candle-lit bath.
Did it work? I'm healthier, slimmer, more creative (one could also say a little more evil), and more relaxed than I've been in days. I think it's a good start to finding my happy.
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