Am I a Dork? Doesn't matter... I have good company.

Am I a dork if I live in the most exciting city in the world, but playing speed Scrabble, doing face masks, and ordering take-out is my idea of the perfect night?

Go ahead and judge, but trust that if the company is right, it doesn't matter what you are doing.

I watched The Real Housewives of New York City, but I would bet you a Power Jamba Juice and a full body massage that I am having MUCH more fun than those women are.

Rooftop delight

There are only a handful of perfect days between a NYC winter and the sweltering summer. Although they are few, spring days in NYC are definately worthy of celebration.

Last Saturday was one of those perfect days. Seth, one of my dearest NYC friends and I started our morning with a garden brunch at 44 1/2 and left with the desire to continue enjoying the weather.

Seth had the BRILLIANT idea to grab our books (ironically, we were both reading the same book), head over to the rooftop of the Hudson Hotel, and and enjoy the lounge chairs and mojitos in style.

Some quick thinking and conversational manipulation on Seth's part got us into the "guests only"area. Great views, gorgeous weather, and delightful drinks.

We declared that spring had officially sprung.

Did I forget to mention... ???

So, after putting it off for over a decade, my New Years goal for 2008 was to apply for graduate school. I have been mentally debating options over the years... MPA, law school, MSW... what to do. I think the reason it took so long to make a decision is an indication of my committment phobias that plague every other aspect of my life.
However, after choosing the OYR Masters of Social Work program at Hunter College in NYC, I put all my eggs in that basket- translation: I applied to no other school and no other program.
Realizing I might be giving myself too much credit and feeling anything but confident, I patiently waited for a response. It came in the form of an interview request. I went into the group interview feeling 80% confident I would get into the program, and left feeling 80% sure I would be rejected. I was not prepared for such a high caliber of competition!!!
The good news came about a week later.
I am going back to school!!!
New student orientation August 25-26, classes start the following week.
I will continue to work full time while being a full time student for the next 24 months.

Thanks to Carlos for planning a celebration dinner with the gang. A huge bouquet of pink balloons was the icing on the grad school cake!
See you all in 2011~

A New Man in my Life

There are many people who know me pretty well, but only a handful of people who truly know me well enough to be aware of my strong feelings for the short lived (but life changing) television series "Ed."

I developed not only a love for the series and everything about it, but a slightly unhealthy crush on the corporate attorney turned bowling alley manager imaginary character Ed Stevens (Tom Cavanagh).

It has been a number of dark years since this show went off the air (without even any ongoing syndication or DVD release). I was beginning to think I would never again find such a handsome, charming, slightly neurotic, television attorney again.

Thanks to Carlos and his very persuasive skills- I am now hoooked on the new series Eli Stone. He is the closest match I have found to my lost love Ed Stevens.

Watch it- you won't be disappointed.

New Things to Consider

So, yesterday I spent much of the afternoon shopping in Soho. I was looking for two things that I have been very eager about purchasing- things that I have been wanting to wear but unable to for most of my life due to my former dependence on spectacles... hats and sunglasses.
Our first stop wast the Young Designers Market. This is an indoor flea market where people WAY cooler than myself sell their homemade goods. T-shirts, jewelry, hats, etc...
Of course, I found a fantastic reversible well fitting hat- and of course, it was about $40 more than I would usually spend on headwear (my price is somewhere around $10).
I admit, my fear of authority (the cool designer selling the hats), peer pressure (Jen would get a discount on her purchase if I bought one as well) and my overwhelming response to praise (apparently I wear hats well), I laid down $50 smackers for a hat I will probably wear once.
To top it all off, as we left the market and walked around, I found nearly identical hats on every corner for $10.
AHHH!!! Talk about buyers remorse. However, I shook it off and didn't let that deter me from the next purchase. As we were nearing Chinatown I felt confident that sunglasses were going to be a cinch and I had learned my lesson about buying the first pair that looked good.
I am pleased to report our mission was successful.
Thanks to Seth's keen eye and bartering skills, I am now the owner of some lovely $6 Dulce & Gabbana pink sunglasses (really, they are TOTALLY NOT knock-offs).
LASIK has opened up a whole new world for me.
***Pictures to follow***

A very good weekend

Occassionally I have a Saturday where I never leave the house. These usually come when I am getting sick, sick, or getting over being sick. Then there are days where I find myself frantically running around trying to get everything done and get all the socializing in that I can.
This past weekend was the perfect medium. Aah, if only they could all be this good.
I was thrilled on Friday when Carlos called and said Joe was out of town and he wanted to go on a roadtrip somewhere (when the cat's away...). Only those who live in Manhattan could understand the pure JOY that comes from the opportunity to leave town IN A CAR!
Two of my besties, Carlos and Eddy and I drove out of the city to enjoy the first day of nice weather in 2008. We put on some tunes and hit the road with only an inking of an idea where we were heading. We soon found ourselves in Sleepy Hollow, NY (home of the famous legend).
Our day could not have been better- Greek restaurant for lunch, home made ice cream shop, sitting outside in the sun with the dogs (of course Buster the Pug and Pearl the chihouhou were there as well), outlet shopping, and ending the night at MY personal favorite... Target!
Of course, an outing with these boys would not be complete without a wildly uncomfortable conversation about my sex life, their sex life, and their plans for my future sex life. AAAHHHH!!!
Special thanks to Carlos for pick up and drop off service.

Who AM ?!?!

So, it has been one week since my LASIK surgery and I have to admit, I am not convinced I made the right choice. Up until last week I was totally glasses dependant. The first thing I did in the morning was put them on, and taking them off was the last thing I did each night. I barely recognize myself in the mirror without my specs!
Prior to the procedure I had done my research- and of course by research I mean I had talked to some friends who had previously had LASIK. The overall response I got was that it was the best thing they had ever done, they had perfect vision immediately, and there was very little discomfort.
Either these people are LIARS, or I am horribly unfortunate (stop reading here if you are considering LASIK surgery).
I am pretty tough. I have a fairly high tolerance for both pain and inconvenience. I tend to deal with things pretty well. I felt pretty confident that I would handle LASIK like a pro. I was wrong.
Although the procedure was only about 15 minutes, it was the most excrutiating 15 minutes I can ever remember.
Imagine laying on a table with your eyelids clamped open, having your eyeballs polished (think mini facial microdermabrasion tool) to remove the dead cells, and then seeing your cornea being cut and a flap lifted up. After this prep work has been done, the laser does it work (the least invasive part of the procedure). Following the laser, the doctor then lays your cornea back and uses a small spatula like device to smooth it out. OVER YOUR EYEBALL!
This is all done with zero medication, anestesia, or even valium. True, there is very little pain. However, I again repeat that, among other things, they are POLISHING YOUR EYEBALL!!!
For someone who has never had so much as a contact in her eyes- this experience was the stuff nightmares are made of.
I have to say, if I walked away with clear vision, every second would be worth it. The bad news is, things are still very blurry. I can barely read at all, I can only use the computer in small doses, and it's a good thing I live in Manhattan because I could not drive in this condition.
Now I am hearing that it could take 3-6 months for vision to be restored. I find myself constantly reaching for my glasses, but they do me no good anymore.
So far all LASIK did for me was make me sore, blind, and broke.
To avoid being a total drama queen/wimp, I will say that there was very little post-op pain. Only mild irritation and discomfort. AND, if my vision really does sharpen up and I can see perfectly in a few months- I will probably agree that all the inconvenience and torture was indeed worth it.
*** The day wasn't a total bust. My friend Seth came and kept me company in the doctor's office while I waited. He came bearing fruit leather (country cranberry and mango sunrise) and following the surgery we had lunch at Mariebelles- our new hangout.