People All Over the World, Join Hands

People from all over the world (joining hands)

"A flash mob isn’t about dancing well. It’s about spreading joy.” – a comment on the Flash Mob America website

I danced in a flash mob yesterday with my sister Katie, and it was every bit as joyous as promised.  There’s no real reason for a flash mob - it's just about having fun. And it absolutely WAS.

The moves were pretty easy to learn, and a lot of fun to dance. Lots of shimmys, boogying, and my new favorite, a move called “monkey arms.” The theme of this flash mob was social media, so we also danced our way into giant formations including an @ sign and a hashtag.

The absolute best part was definitely the crowd. It was a total cross-section of NYC, with people of all ages, shapes, sizes, colors, and dance abilities. A little girl in a long sundress and a giant bow along with her friend wearing a pink sequined beret. A lady who drove all the way from Pennsylvania by herself because “it’s on my bucket list.” And of course, there has to be at least one man who knows everything about everything. In total there ended up being almost 500 people there, and it seemed like every single one of them was upbeat, exuberant, just plain happy.

The flash mob itself took place at Pier 84, on West 44^th Street.  It was 11 minutes of pure joy.  Tourists were gaping from the Circle Line, a helicopter was filming above, and hundreds of dancers were boogying away.

The final formation included joining hands to spell out “I <3 NY.” Perfect. I really do. And now, I <3 flash mobs, too!

Video coming Thursday, but for now, here are some pictures of the funnest day ever:

Flash mobbing begins!

World-record-breaking hash tag

Cue sound effects. Whoooooooooooooooo!

Where's Waldo(s)?

Here we are! Thanks for a great day Katie!

A Little More Light

"Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves." - J.M. Barrie

Make a Friend With a Boat: Part III

New friends!

Magical things can happen when watermelon margaritas and Zac Brown Band are involved. While I was enjoying both of these things this weekend, I met my very own, delightfully Southern, friend with a boat!

Okay, so the boat is on a lake somewhere in Georgia, but my new friend Mary Raines said that I can totally come hang out on the boat whenever I’m in the South. She also promised me that if I do move to the South, there will be plenty of cute, straight, gentlemanly men who will be just dying to marry me and have lots of blue eyed babies. As long, she added, as I don’t mind moving to the South.

Well, that is NO problem, new friend!

I’ve always believed that my soul is Southern.  And I can totally picture myself going to the South -- a New Yorker who doesn’t quite fit in at the beginning of the story, but ends up falling in love and line dancing in a dive bar by the end. Um, so, pretty much just like Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama, minus the part where she’s actually from Alabama to begin with. But, the point is that my Southern story would end with a happily ever after, maybe some sweet tea, pecan pies, and homemade wine... and also, definitely, a boat.

Shut Up and Drive (Remixed)

My 5 hour pre-licensing class was yesterday, and I learned quite a lot. Some of the highlights:

·         It is very, very easy to kill someone while driving.

·         It is very, very easy to get killed while driving.

·         My glasses might be cute, but they will get me killed. My 62 year old instructor (a total look-alike for Marie from “Everybody Loves Raymond” btw) said, and I quote, “you can walk around looking pretty in those glasses. You can wear them to the club. But don’t you dare wear them to drive.”

Um, ok. More anxious now than ever! But my driving test is scheduled for 8/2, so I’m going to do my best to get past it before then... we'll see? In any case, I guess I'll be wearing my contacts that day.

Some things I'm thankful for today

Vacation days
Babies wearing sunbonnets
Inky pens
"Pleases" and "thank yous"
A sea breeze on a broiling day
Beach bags and sandy toes

Shut Up and Drive

Today I’m finally starting driving lessons. And I am TERRIFIED.

The first and last time that I was behind the wheel was five years ago, when I was living in Phoenix. It was the first time that I’d ever lived somewhere that you really need a car to get around. And it was a major shock. I was lucky enough to have wonderful roommates who were constantly driving me around. But still, it was difficult to have to depend on other people for rides all the time… or to risk heat exhaustion walking myself around.  I would be dying for a NY Times and a frappucino, but the nearest Starbucks was about two (hot, dry) miles away. And sure, I walked it many times, but it was definitely unpleasant.

So one day my roommate Joe tried to teach me how to drive. We took our trusty old Nissan, Ms. Grace, to a completely empty parking lot. I just knew it was going to be great.

And it was a disaster. The car would inch forward, and I would get nervous, screech, and slam down on the brakes.  I would try turning a little bit to the left, get nervous, screech, and slam on the brakes.  I’d see a person walking three blocks away, get nervous, screech, and slam on the brakes.

Disaster.

Luckily for me, Joe is the nicest guy in the world and was way more patient with me than I deserved. But still, there was only so much screeching and braking I could subject him to.  It just wasn’t worth risking our friendship and/or permanently harming Ms. Grace’s frail old brakes.  So that was the end of driving lessons, and it was back to sweaty walks to Starbucks for me.

Fast forward five years, and I’ve finally decided to brave it again. I know that driving will help me to feel more adult and more independent.  So many things would be easier - I’d actually be able to buy as many groceries as I want without worrying about how I’ll carry them home, run out for lunch if I want to without depending on a coworker, rent a car on vacation… And maybe most importantly, where I live now I have to take a BUS to get to Starbucks. That’s just not working for me.  Imagine one day being able to drive myself there anytime I want a latte… the world would be my oyster.

But first, I have to face the terror of lessons again. Hopefully by now I’ve grown up enough to refrain from screeching at the instructor? I guess we'll see!

Make Your Own Cooking Class

Next goal up  -  Cook a different recipe once a month for a year.

I wouldn’t say that I’m a bad cook, but my repertoire is definitely limited.  Limited, and also a little odd – my expertise includes tofu stirfry, eggplant parmigiana, and a delicious apple crumble pie. I find myself making the same things over and over, and many days, feeling bored with my choices and calling for delivery.  But now I’m trying to eat healthier and depend less on take-out, so it seems like a good idea to master some new meals.

My DIY cooking classes started tonight with a recipe I found online for Skillet Cajun Spiced Flounder. (Although I made it with tilapia instead of flounder because I had some in the freezer.)  The recipe was so easy, and so delicious! It had just a little bit of a kick to it, and totally tasted like summer.  I made some brown rice with it, and sauteed spinach with garlic on the side. 

Recipe #1: success - but next month I have to work on my plating!