Perfectly Unexpectedly Wonderful

A week ago tonight I took a much needed little trip home for a few days. I had originally planned on meeting Meredith and having a fabulous time running all over and eating at all of our favorite places. However, as blogged about earlier plans change and it looked as if I would spend much of my five full days in NYC alone. At the time I tried really hard to be positive and I tried even harder to keep my chin up but I was worried about my sanity and emotional well being for spending so much time alone. A few years ago I would have been completely and totally comfortable in that situation but things have changed and I've changed and the thought of it was very unappealing. Since I already had a plane ticket and four Broadway show tickets I bit the bullet and jumped on the plane. Perfectly. Unexpectedly. Wonderful. That's what this trip was for me. I was with friends nearly the entire time. I had unexpected calls, texts and invitations that made my trip fantastic. Even running into my Doppelganger didn't wreck my trip--may have put a slight damper on it but the fact that I won a ton of ridiculously expensive fabric in the same hour made it all worth while. Especially since I got to give it to Kendra for her to make dresses for two of my favorite little girls in the entire world.

Lexi being fascinated by the yarn winder thingy.

Lexi and Ang at Economy Candy.

Cope's eating yummy dumplings in China Town.

Ella...hard day?

Ang at Brooklyn Bridge

Gorgeous! Love that view.

Why even pretend as if I didn't go to New York for the food?
This is Economy Candy and part of my fabulous and

fun filled day in SoHo, China Town, LES with

my favorite family in the whole city.

Do I need to say anything? Probably not.

Jeff said this was the best food he'd ever had in NYC.

I didn't believe him and I hate being wrong.

This little Indian food cart is easily the best Indian food

I've ever eaten and quite possibly the best food EVER!

46th and 6th Avenue

Mmmmm, good! What could be better than

sitting at the Chip Shop in Park Slope

being waited on by a HOT British server

listening to The Smith's and eating the best

fish n chips and fried PB Cup in the world?

Could only have been better with Mere and Andrea.

Me at the Chip Shop

Shake Shake UWS. So good and totally worth

the wait on a dreary bleak and rainy Sunday afternoon.

Oh, my heavens! Best doughnuts I've ever consumed.

Corner of Norfolk and Grand, LES.

Most favorite people in all of the city. I love you guys so much and had the best time hanging out with you and Alexis and Ella. Loved our Saturday walking all over the city, will forever treasure Sunday morning memories and the good morning hug I got from Ella and for dinner at Sosa Borella. I love my bag too--I've gotten a zillion compliments! You are so wonderfully talented and I'm so happy we are friends. I do think it is humorous how we all became friends--especially given my current feelings on the program in general.

Some friends are forever and I'm so glad we met.

Ang and Kendra

On Wednesday morning I got to see the Picasso exhibit at The Met.

I was blown away by The Blind Man's Meal & Man with Hat and Violin but

nothing can explain the feelings I had when I saw Mother and Child on a Bench.

That painting touched my heart so much.

I have tears in my eyes right now just thinking about it

and I stood in front of it for a good 15 minutes taking it all in.

Someday I will get a copy of that picture for my home.

I love NYC parks. If the weather hadn't been so completely and totally wretched I would have spent a lot of time sitting, reading and people watching in my favorite places. Instead I took a couple of pictures in Bryant Park, Central Park and Washington Square Park so I'd have a memory of all of the other hundreds of hours I have done those activities in my favorite parks.

Bestest Friends

I have the coolest, sweetest, most incredible friends.

One such friend gave me this completely fabulously clever 'thank you' gift. How amazing is it? I love it and don't really want to take it apart.

Death of a DVR

I'm not a hoarder. I don't keep old stuff. I don't have a lot of sentimental attachment to things and whatnot but I do save stuff on my DVR. The thing that makes it so I don't just turn on the TV and watch random ridiculousness. The thing that records all my shows whenever they are on. The thing that makes it so I rarely have to think about anything until I'm in the mood to watch. Sometimes I save shows so that I can re-watch (Parenthood, Glee, FNL) and sometimes I save TV for a "rainy day" and/or summer when there's nothing else to watch (The Office, HIMYM) and sometimes I save stuff because it is nearly impossible to watch certain shows one at a time (Lost). Last Thursday night my DVR died. Dead. Hard drive fried. Tonight the new one came and although I'm relieved he's back I'm just a bit sad about the 80 hours of fabulousness and happiness that is gone. Tonight since I clearly have no life and according to the unbelievable bitch from last night I have no priorities I am setting up my season passes and hoping I don't forget anything. Good times.

Damn You, American Idol!

Thanks to a show that I HATE I missed the end of Glee! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Thank goodness for Hulu but I like keeping them on DVR so I can re-watch.

Damn, damn, damn!

Power of a Great Dress

It's been a long time since I felt the Power. If you are a girl you know what I'm talking about--the power of a great dress. Last Friday night I had to go to my friend LJ's wedding. I did not want to go and when I received the invitation I half hoped it would be this weekend so I wouldn't have to go but it was last weekend and I was in town so I knew I had to go. I adore Lynley and wanted to see her happy but you know...weddings. Ugh. Full body shiver.

I desperately needed something hot to wear and had looked around a little bit but mostly just waited until the last second and then freaked out about having nothing to wear. My friend Z came to the rescue with the most incredible dress...the dress completely transformed me. It was so pretty and flattering and with the dress and the jewelry and really great hair I felt like a princess. Not creepy Barbie going to the Prom princess but like a good kind of princess. Actually, I looked so little like me that LJ's dad didn't even recognize me and her mom started crying when she saw me. All I can say is clothes can give you power and for a teeny tiny moment I got to experience that power.

Law of Accountability

Last week I agreed to run a 5K on June 26th and I know the only way to keep me accountable and on track is to blog about it. I'm sure a 5K is no biggie for most people but for me it is going to be huge. The fact that RHC couldn't get me out of my reading chair to take a walk tonight makes me skeptical that I can begin the training this week but I said it and I wrote it and now I have to do it.

Go me.

P.S. my new reading chair is really comfy and my book is really good and I feel really shizzy lately so there are a few reasons that I couldn't go on the walk. Not just pure laziness.

Fear and Loathing Volcanoes

A not smart person would say that it is ironic that a while ago I likened myself to Iceland and now that lovely country's act of God is messing up my vacation plans. However, that not smart person would be taking vocabulary lessons from Alanis and not from Richard Castle or Troy Dyer. Irony isn't really really bad luck. Today I got the official news that Meredith is stuck in Dubai and then London until after I leave to come back to The UC. I'm not mad. I'm not even terribly upset. I'm just kinda sad. I will still have a terrific time next week in New York seeing my friends and exploring all of my favorite places but I was very much looking forward to doing a lot of that with Mere. Oh, and also damn happy that I got distracted by something dumb last week when I was going to buy surprise theater tickets for the two of us for Tuesday night. Now I can just buy one and call it good. Guess it is a good thing that I'm kosher doing things by myself. Oy vey.

P.S. Mere--I'm super happy you finally got a ticket out of Dubai.

Thoughts about Mothers

About a month ago my good friends found out that their mother's cancer was back and that she was very ill and beyond treatments. It's been a very rough month for their family and will only get worse as the end gets closer. I've struggled so much with wanting to do something but being completely impotent other than random homemade deliveries and being there for Ju when she needs a Lost break. Today she shared the news about her mom with a bunch of her closest friends and also included a link to her sister's blog where sweet Emily had written a very special tribute to their mother. There I was, sitting in my office holding my phone up to my eyes so I could read the text with tears streaming down my face. The tears were getting in the way when my phone was sitting on my desk so I had to hold it up so I could actually read. Emily is an incredible writer and had so many wonderful things to say about their mom and about how time has been for their family. I couldn't control the tears and finally had to have my friend Z distract me with random conversation so that I could stop crying. I'm so sad for my friends and their family and for the fact that they are literally watching their mother slip away but also because there's no way to experience this with someone you love and not think about it happening to you. Of course my parents drive me bonkers. They are both so kind and good to me and I love them dearly but as hard as they try to relate to me they have no idea what my life is like and no real concept of the things that I go through. Even with all of that and the normal and not-so-normal struggles that we face I cannot imagine my life without them--thus the tears and the fact that I'm crying yet again. To my mom and to all of the other mothers in my world thank you so much for your example and for the gifts that you share with me every day. To Nate and Emily and Julia I wish you peace.

Baseball, anyone?

I just drove past a ball park and nearly burst into tears. Yes, I hate the sports but I love me some live baseball and love watching my little nephews play ball. The best part about having three little boys playing baseball is that there is always a game to watch. This year will be different. My boys and their sister (and their parents) moved last Saturday to Atlanta and so there will be ZERO games for me to watch. I could and probably will watch Steve on Sunday afternoons. He plays in the Hispanic league and those games are pretty decent. Not as fun as watching little guys figure out how to play ball but better than nothing. Of course there are always my Owlz too. Hopefully RHC is up for more baseball than usual and will invite me along.

Oops...I forgot...

I forgot one of my new favorite things: The Moth podcast on iTunes.

Laughing so hard I can't catch my breath.

Crying like a baby.

Loving every single second of every single episode.

Stuff I Love

I complain a lot on my blog so tonight I thought I'd do something a little different and list some of the things I love...

New Kotex commercial
Will, Emma, Rachel, Terri, Quinn, Finn, Puck, Sue, Kurt and the rest of the gang
The Chocolate
The Word The
Blue Lemon
Wearing cute shoes again
Incredible friends
20 little people
Steve Jobs
Cruise control while on 1200 E in Lehi
DVR
Red
Freshly laundered sheets
TV on DVD
Sunday jeans
Perfectly manicured fingers
Earrings
72 degrees
New books
Not stupid people a.k.a. smart people
Diet Coke from work
Baking
Smiles
8:30
Chanandaler Bong
Massages
Shuffle
Nicknames
Mountains

I'm sure there are hundreds of other things but these are the few that popped in my mind while I was trying to positive prime myself.

The End in Sight

This afternoon I learned the bestest thing ever -- 2.5 more months of GH and then we're donnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Happiness.