5.24.2007

Day 4/Day 5

Well, yesterday was my last evening in NYC. I didn't do too much. Walked to Times Square, hit D&B for some take out. I watched the military people in the streets, as there were a LOT of them due to Fleet Week. Everyone was going out of their way to make them feel at home, offering to take pictures of them and thanking them for their service it was really cool. I took a few final pics of T.S., but then my batteries decided to die. Oh well, wasn't worth the money to buy new ones when I have a bunch at home. I took a few lower quality pics on the camera and called it an evening.

The best part of the evening was when I was walking back to the hotel. I was talking to B on the cell and I come across a limo and taxi driver arguing in the street. "You're a freakin' moron" caught my attention. Before I knew it they were in each others faces, shouting insults with true New Yorker accents. I don't know why, but if you just listened to what they were saying it sounded like something out of a television show or movie. It was so stereotypical. I felt like my trip was complete.

Once I got back to the hotel Lost had started, so I managed to stay awake two more hours to watch the finale. I'll admit, I knew what was going to happen because I know where to find the good spoilers. Spoilers help me decide whether it's worth my time to watch a show or not. However, I still thought the show was pretty good. Of course there are more questions - why does Jack want to go back to the island, who is the boat off the coast that Naomi is with, how did Locke get out of the pit, and was Walt a manifestation of Jacob and/or the smoke monster? Charlie's death was pretty cool, though I think I'm the only one (besides my brother) out there that actually didn't mind the character and am sad to see him go.

Oh yeah, and I guess Jordin won A.I. My mom is happy, though she was a Melinda fan.

This morning I partially attended the last day of the Conference. During the break I went up to my old boss and thanked him for allowing me to attend. He looked horrible and did not looked thrilled that I had chosen to speak with him. It's a shame things have to end this way, but in the end he made his own bed. I'm sure he was relieved to see me leave; I know I was relieved that I no longer had to see him every day. Had he been more approachable it would have been nice to have a conversation with him and offer him some friendly advice, but he had to be a jerk. Life goes on.

On the way back to my hotel I stopped by Grand Central Station and did a quick walk through to an ATM. Once again, another very cool building, but not enough time to explore. Went back to the hotel, finished packing, grabbed a taxi and headed to La Guardia. For the next couple hours I'll spend my time relaxing in the Club with a glass of wine watching the planes come in/take off.

If I leave out the Conference, I really enjoyed my time here these last 4-1/2 days. NYC, even in the short amount of time I was here, is an awesome city. Being a Chicago girl I feel like a bit of a traitor when I say that I actually think NYC is now first on my list of favorite cities. Don't get me wrong, I'll always be a die-hard Bears and Cubs fan, and I'll always love Chicago and think of it as home, but NYC is unlike anywhere else. It's funny, because prior to coming here you hear about the crime, homeless, how dirty and smelly the city is, how rude the people are, etc. And honestly, I didn't see that. Granted, Bryant Park did have a foul stench to it, but everywhere I went people were nice, streets were clean, no one asked me for money, and people were very friendly. There was plenty to see and do, great food and a great atmosphere. Honestly, it was an amazing experience. And for anyone that has not been here, I suggest you add it to your list of places to visit.

5.22.2007

Day 3

Today was an experience.

After another uncomfortable Conference session, I decided to change into some comfortable clothes, hop on the subway and head to the WTC site. It was worth the trip.

I spent almost four hours exploring the area, and once again there was something new around every corner. The first thing I came upon after arriving was the WTC site. Words can not describe what my senses took in. Though I am very familiar with large cities and particularly skyscrapers, the footprint where the towers stood is enormous. A big hole still remains in the earth, filled with concrete, crains and even some emergency vehicles. Even after almost six years, many of the buildings around the site are still being rebuilt.


The one thing that will forever stick in my mind was the silence. NYC is not known for being quiet, but in this place where thousands of people died there was this silence that filled the area. Even as you walked to/through the financial towers, it was just quiet. People were there, but no one spoke. It was very somber and heavy. I went into a few of the financial towers to the west of the WTC, and they were very beautiful in design. It's amazing that they remained standing.

Being there really helped put things into perspective. Everyone saw 9/11 through the television, but this really brought it to life. I couldn't help but relive the day and feel the grief of the people who were there or who lost a loved one that day. To think about where we were as a country back then and where we are now is frustrating...we have definitely strayed off course.

I found myself at the Hudson River shore and started walking south through Battery Park. It was amazing, because I went from the WTC to this absolutely beautiful park. I have never enjoyed a park as thoroughly as I did this one. There was a slight breeze, the sun was out in full force and it was just perfect. I completely lost sight of the fact that I was still in the city. It was a quiet, peaceful paradise. From the shoreline I could see Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Several places along the path I would come across a structure that you could climb up on for a better view. I didn't want the journey to end. I thought about my aunt, uncle and cousin who lived in Battery Park until about a year or so before 9/11. I can see why they still to this day reminisce and talk about how much they would like to go back.

I soon got to a point where I realized I should probably head back towards the financial district, so I changed course. I walked through a maze of narrow streets and came across St. Pauls Church, built in 1776. Once again, I was familiar with the structure but it was even more detailed and beautiful in person. I went inside, looked around and then made my way to the adjacent graveyard. Amazingly enough, none of the headstones, hundreds of years old, were destroyed from when the tower's clasped. It seemed so implausible.







I continued my way down Exchange Street until I reached Wall Street. The first building I noticed was Federal Hall, the scene of George Washington's inauguration as President. It had similar features to the White House and Capital buildings in D.C. Diagonally across the street was the New York Stock Exchange. I was immediately surprised at how old and small the building was. It looks so much larger in photos. On the front of the building was the American flag, which definitely made an impression. The streets were narrow and laid out to where you knew they had been designed in the 1700's where most people rode by horse or walked by foot.

I left Wall Street and headed back towards the WTC. I stopped by the WTC memorial museum, which had some wonderful stories, footage and personal items. One of the items was a stuffed WTC rabbit, which had been found in a fireman's arms. The rabbit was damaged but mostly in tact. A quote next to it stated "If this can survive, why couldn't everyone else?" Other articles included a WTC Windows of the World menu, personal belongings, and a fireman's coat and hat; the coat had been ripped right down the back, off of the fireman. When I left the museum, the road was filled with firetrucks; up the street were police cars lined up in the road. Sirens were going, and for a moment I had to stop and wonder what the hell was going on. I'm still not sure, but it looked more like a gathering than an emergency. Down the street a ways was a marathon, so maybe that had something to do with it?

I walked along the east and north sides of the WTC site and back towards Battery Park, where my aunt and uncle lived. Their building was a couple blocks away from the Towers and was heavily damaged. I came across another part of the park where there were families and kids playing various sports, swinging, playing tennis and spending time together. It's a great thing when you can live in a city of this size and still have this type of place available for people to go, relax, and enjoy the nice weather.

By this time the nerve pain was really kicking in so I reluctantly walked to the nearest subway station. My last sight was of the Empire State Building, standing tall and proud.

Today was a great day, yet it was an emotional one. To see such beauty and a place where such a horrible tragedy occurred...it's conflicting. I'm glad I had the time to visit that part of town; it made my trip complete.

As for the rest of the evening, I stopped by a chinese restaurant for take out (it was delicious!) and took it back to the room. Spent a few hours working, since I have to earn my keep. Tomorrow is my last full day in NYC, and I'm not sure what I'll do. The back/leg pain will probably restrain me to staying within the area. I've seen more than I thought I would, and I really want to do the full, true-blue NYC stay with B sometime soon. I have found NYC to be my kind of town!

5.21.2007

Day 2

Today was a weird day. Not as good as yesterday. But ok.

First of all, I had to go to day 1 of a conference. There I ran into my former boss; it was not pleasant. As I stated in an earlier post, I can't say why I am at this conference, but the fact he is there has something to do with it. He cornered me in the hallway during the first break and at first tried to be nice on a personal level (asking about my back surgery) and then asked the question I have been waiting to hear for the last couple of weeks - "What are you doing here?" He of course flexed his muscle, tried some intimidation tactics, and then the session continued. What a jerk. I must say it was difficult to listen to him at times during the 6.5 hour session. And I have three days more of this...

On the good side, I did go out and explore some more today. I had work to do so I took my laptop to the Rock and sat outside and worked. Then went back to the hotel, dropped off the computer and went back into the theater district looking for a place to eat. Nothing sounded great (my appetite has diminished lately, probably due to this new anti-inflammatory medicine I am on), so I just ended up stopping by a small pizza joint and picked up a slice of pizza for $2.50. Took the pizza and walked about a block and came across a beautiful area between two buildings. It was peaceful, calm, and the pizza was amazing. We're talking Cossetta's (St. Paul, MN) amazing. I wished B was here, as I know he would have appreciated it.

So, afterwards I walked back to the hotel and continued on about eight blocks and found another big shopping area. But by then my feet, which had spent all day in dress shoes, were screaming in pain so I limped back to the hotel, had a drink at the bar and came back to the room to complete some work and hit the sack. Tomorrow I think I will go to Ground Zero, so I want to rest up. Hardly had any sleep last night (too stressed thinking about what I would face today from my old boss), so I'm due.

A few random items:

1. I had my first NYC celebrity sighting. 6:45am, Kennan Thompson of SNL, smoking a cigarette by Grand Central Station.

2. Though traffic is not as bad here as I imagined it would be, you still couldn't pay me to drive a car through this city.

3. Times Square/Theatre District reminds me of...The Wisconsin Dells. I'm talking the bright lights and billboards of almost a circus-like quality competing for your brain's attention. The only difference is that here it is cool, and in WI it looks like one big nightmare/joke of a town that wants to make me drive far away as fast as I can.

Enough procrastinating, I have to get to work. Have a good one.

5.20.2007

NYC: Day 1

Today was great. Spent about four hours walking the streets of Midtown and exploring. The sights:

  • Rockefeller Center/NBC Today studio
  • M&M and Hershey store
  • Times Square
  • Central Park (though just the outskirts)
  • Apple store (near C.P.)
  • Bryant Park
  • Trump Tower
  • Fox News studios (Trace Gallagher was on air)
  • Broadway
  • A ton of stores, restaurants and hotels
Not bad for four hours. Unfortunately by the time I got back to the hotel I was exhausted...and didn't realize there were no food options near the hotel. Ended up going to the closest open place...which was Chipotle. Ugh. Tomorrow I'm going somewhere that is authentic to NYC!

Cool shot of the day:

Destination: New York City (via LaGuardia)

Well, today is the day. I'm about 2.5 hours away from being in the Big Apple. Have spent the last 30 minutes in the Club catching up on work stuff. Of course, it would take me about an extra two full days on-stop work to catch up on everything.

I'm not sure what is in store for today. The forecast calls for rain and thunderstorms, so I guess I'll have to access the situation once I'm there. I was hoping to go to the WTC site. B thinks I should visit the Midtown Apple store. Wonder if there is time for both?

Yesterday was crazy; last minute shopping, lunch with the family (post-birthday celebrating) and then an Indians game, which we lost. B, my brother and I went, along with a co-worker and her husband. Maybe I was just exhausted, maybe it was because I didn't get to sit next to B and A during the game, but it just wasn't as fun as it typically is. It was a beautiful night, though, and perfect weather for a game.

I'm a bit bummed to be going somewhere cool without B, especially knowing that when I come back he'll be in Iowa. It's been a long time since we've been apart more than a week. Oh well, it will be nice to work some on the house and bond with the fish, who I have been seriously neglecting lately. This morning I didn't even recognize the little one...he's grown a bit. I guess I'm just in my own, pain-filled world these days.

See you in New York.

5.17.2007

The Office Finale

Tonight is the season finale for "The Office." 8pm EDT/7pm CDT. If you can't watch, then be sure to set your Tivo's or VCR's to record.

So what are my predictions? Honestly, I don't have any at this point. Too many directions for the show to go. I'm just going to sit back and enjoy!

5.16.2007

Good Day...and Week....

In regards to yesterday...it was a good day.

Hardly anyone in the office, though the phone kept ringing with requests from our clients and consultants on the road. My day was filled with birthday well-wishers and e-cards. I came home to a loving B. who had not only taken off work early, but ended up cooking me a fantastic dinner. The family came by briefly (unfortunately in the middle of dinner) to drop off gifts and cake. Opened cards and a few gifts with B; this year the gifts rocked - "The Simpson's Season 9" with my FAVORITE episode called "The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson" AND a new iPod. Best. Birthday. Ever. Ok, maybe not best, but it was up there. I like those simple days.

Not only was it my birthday, but the anniversary of B's and my engagement - six years. I always tease him that if I had said no or if our marriage ever fails he will have forever ruined my birthday. :-) However, I did said yes and we're still married after five years so it's all good.

So what lies ahead? A pretty busy week, actually. Lots to do to prepare for my NYC trip. Several work-related deadlines to meet. Need to squeeze in time for a Haircut and possibly highlights or a color (I like changing things up from time to time), along with a little clothes shopping. Post-birthday dinner with the family on Saturday afternoon, then an Indians vs. Reds game with co-workers Saturday night at The Jake. Then it's off to the airport Sunday morning.

5.14.2007

Bye-Bye 30

Tonight is my last night being 30. Tomorrow...hello 31. Even though if you want to get really technical, I won't officially turn 31 until 12:17am on May 16 (since I was born at 9:17pm on May 15 in CA, and which means EDT it would have been May 16, and since I live in EDT now...).

I won't really miss being 30. I'll be honest, it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. I somehow had it in my head that it would be this big turning point. And, mostly due to this whole back issue, I ended up being in a holding pattern for most of it. I've come to conclude there is no use waiting; chances are I probably will not see much more improvement than what I have seen any time soon.

So, for those of you who have been through your 31st year, do you have any suggestions? Words of advice?

Bye-bye, 30. I'll always remember you...not for anything great or monumental, but because you were my first age that started with a "3" and had another number behind it.

5.12.2007

Entertainment-Related Thoughts

  • If you are not watching "The Office", you have one more episode before summer hiatus. If you love smart comedy with a truly talented cast, you must tune in. Last Thursday's "Beach Games" was pretty darn brilliant. "Hi, my name is Andrew Bernard, and I was with a company called Dunder Mifflin...." And to top it off, it's definitely renewed for next season so you don't have to worry about falling in love with it and then have it go off the air.
  • If you like Jason Bateman and/or Zach Braff, then be sure to go to your local movie theater this weekend and watch "The Ex." I haven't even seen any promos for it on tv this week, but it is out in theaters. I am even planning on seeing it, though I rarely step foot in a movie theater any more.
  • Saw "The Queen" on Tuesday, and it was pretty cool. Great acting, solid drama. I can see why Helen Mirren won an Oscar for the role.
  • Sudoku is not as dumb as it may appear at first. Yes, it can be challenging at times, but it is my new replacement for crossword puzzles.
  • "Lost" is back to being great again.
  • Who is watching A.I this year? B and I sort of are, but it sucks a lot more compared to last year. I kind of want Blake to win, though he's not the best singer. He has, however, been the only entertaining person on the show.

Return from my MIA status

Hello blog world. Long time, no see/write. It's amazing what a difference a month can make.

First of all, I must acknowledge that two years ago yesterday I had artificial disc replacement surgery. Now, this is a not a topic I plan to talk about too much on this blog (I have another one dedicated for that), but since it significantly effects my life on a daily basis I thought it would be appropriate to mention it today. This was the surgery that was going to give me a more normal life, and instead it just made things worse. Worse enough where I had a second surgery to repair fractures caused by the artificial disc in February, and I'm still struggling with constant and severe nerve pain. It easily makes me feel more like 80 than 30. It's hard to realize that two years ago you were sitting in a hospital bed, crippled with pain yet so optimistic about the future...all for nothing.

Speaking of 30, I can technically only say that for a few more days. My birthday is sometime this upcoming week...not sure what day. Remember when you were a kid and you would count down to your birthday? Well, this year I'm hoping the day just passes with little acknowledgment. Yes, part of that is a small part of depression I feel from the whole "the pain is not better" scenario, I'm sure. What goals should I set for my 31st year? Suggestions are welcome.

Work has changed quite a bit over the last month. After I met with my boss and told her I had one foot out the door, almost overnight the owners panicked and made sure they changed things for me. That doesn't mean I don't have frustrating days/situations, but it has improved. I'm being treated with more respect, and finally got a second title and a little more pay, all without me even asking. In return I'm back to working hard and putting in extra hours, which makes for long days. I've also stopped my job search for now, though it's mostly due to my poor health. I do not want to start a new job dealing with the issues I'm dealing with.

Another work bonus has been additional travel. The bad - not client related, but instead related to potential litigation which I can't discuss here. The good - I get to travel on my own; I spent a day in D.C. a couple of weeks ago; and the week of the 20th, for the first time, I will be going to NYC for 4-1/2 days. Midtown. Considering I have never been to NYC AND it's been my number one "wish trip" since we moved to Ohio, I am thrilled. Yes, it sucks I won't have time to do much sightseeing and B. can't join me. But to go to New York all expenses paid, even under not-so-great circumstances, is pretty cool. I will definitely be bringing the camera.

Have a good Mother's Day weekend, everyone.