New year, New blog post

Hello, 2013! In this new year I resolve to write more, worry less, dance more, and start finishing up my 30 before 30 list!

Rockaway Running

I went running a few times while I was on vacation in Montauk this summer, and I have never felt so much love from other runners. All along the road, runners passing the other way would give a "keep it up," a wave, a thumbs up. I loved it! Back in real life in Rockaway, though, runs are not quite as friendly.  Once in a while I’ll get a smile, but in general the other runners are very thin, very blonde girls who are super focused and running hard. So today I was surprised when a girl ran right up to me, tapped me on the arm, and what did she have to tell me? “There’s a weird man in the bushes about five blocks up.” Much more helpful, actually, than the cheerleading. Thanks for looking out, Rockaway runner!

Just My Cup of Tea

“She pointed this out to Mma Ramotswe, who laughed, and said that each of us needed to find just the right way to take our mind off our problems, and it did not matter what that was – a drive in the country, an expedition to a shoe shop, a quiet cup of tea under a cloudless sky; each of us had something that made it easier to continue in a world that sometimes, just sometimes, was not as we might wish it to be.”  -- Alexander McCall Smith, The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party

Surfin' USA

In the past two years that I’ve lived in Rockaway, I’ve spent a lot of time watching the surfers on the beach, my little heart filled with envy. They always look so cool and like they’re having so much fun. (Especially when they’re hoisting their surfboards through the subway car on their way to the beach, and I’m dragging my tired self to work. But anyway…)

Ready to ride the waves!

On Saturday my friend Andrea and I finally joined them! We took lessons with Locals Surf School on Beach 67^th Street.  Our surfing may not have been as effortless or as pretty as the real surfers' looks, but we definitely had our groupon's worth of fun.

We started by learning the lingo and practicing our moves on land. Apparently my “pop ups” were sub-par and I was told I would “wipe-out.” Luckily we also learned an acronym, “CRAWL,” to teach us how to fall off the boards – pretty much what I got from that lesson was to cover my head right away and hope for the best.

Once we got in the water, I continued to wipe out. I’m pretty sure I got close to "popping up" a few times, but I never actually stood up before I fell right off the board. Oh well!

 

These surfers are not me. But maybe someday!

What I did learn, though, is that I am obsessed with surf culture and surf attitude. No matter how quickly I fell off my board, every time I paddled back out to the instructors, I’d get a high five and a little pep talk as they pushed me back into the wave: “I know you’ve got it! This one’s gonna be your wave.” Then, I’d wipe out again, but somehow, I felt so good about it!

The lesson ended with a talk about surf etiquette. How to know when it’s your turn to surf, paying respect to more experienced surfers, things like that. And we learned that the most important thing to remember in surfing is to “Smile. Have fun. Put good vibes out there and they’ll come back to you.” Words to live by if I’ve ever heard them.

 

I’ve got the good vibes part down, even if my pop ups need some work. I definitely want to try again – next time, I’m pretty sure, it really will be my wave!

 

 

One Fish, Two Fish

My mom never really cooked fish at home when we were growing up, so I always thought it was the biggest treat in the world when I got to order seafood at a restaurant. Then I went vegetarian for ten years, until I came to my senses and realized that fish is way too delicious to give up forever. Now I’m obsessed with seafood again. And whenever I manage to make a delicious fish dish at home, it's like all of my little kid food dreams are coming true.

To help me with my cooking quest, my genius-chef friend Sherry sent me a whole bunch of salmon recipes that she’s worked on with Good Housekeeping. I want to try all of them!!! For my August recipe-of-the-month experiment, I went with the pomegranate-glazed salmon. I substituted couscous for the bulgur, because I already had couscous in my cabinet... and also I don’t know what bulgur is. Otherwise, it was pretty easy, and it turned out DELICIOUS!

 

 

I made a kale salad to go with the salmon. Mine had blue cheese, cranberries, almond slivers, and was dressed in a light vinaigrette. I’d never had kale before, but I might just be a convert!

 

 

Who Runs the World?

I get so lazy so easily that I sometimes forget how much I actually like to work out. I mean, I like sitting on my couch and eating Cooler Ranch Doritos more… but still. 
 

I haven’t exactly been training like I should be for the marathon in Vegas in December. But the past couple of days I’ve gotten out and had some great runs. I always have to push myself to get out and start, but once my feet are moving, I’m so happy. I love the feel of sweat on my face, I love the sound of my feet rhythmically hitting the boardwalk. I love being able to tell myself – hey, look at me go!

My most of all favorite part about running, though, is listening to all my favorite songs over and over, until I end up learning all the words and making up dance routines in my head. (I’m an amazing dancer in my head.) As my runs get longer, I’m sure my imaginary dance routines will get even fancier. I just have to remember to pay attention to my running before I end up popping, locking, dropping down the boardwalk along with the music in my head.

Have to remember this!

My running playlist of the moment is called “I Got This,” inspired by Jennifer Hudson’s book about her weight loss. (If Jenny can do it, so can I, right?)

Top five songs in heaviest rotation right now are:
What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) – Kelly Clarkson
No Scrubs – TLC
Love Shack – Glee Cast
Million Dollar Bill – Whitney Houston
Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce

Things I love today

Sequins worn in the daytime
Beach volleyball
Running playlists made up entirely of cheesy pop music
Gold medal tears
Bouncy ponytails

All My Single Ladies

I’d wanted to try speed dating for a while but hadn’t mustered up the courage.  I’m very shy when it comes to meeting new people, so the idea of meeting a twenty or so guys at once was intimidating… but also kind of intriguing. So much possibility, and how nervous can you really get about a date if it’s only going to last two minutes?! (Also, it looked like a lot of fun when Reba McEntire went speed dating with her best friend on her sitcom, and I’m pretty sure she met someone cute in that episode.)
 

Sitting pretty, ready to date speedily!

Last Tuesday I finally went for it! I rounded up a few of my single lady friends and went to a speed dating event at Inc Lounge in midtown. Starting with our first happy hour drink, we had the best time. The four of us got to sit next to each other while the guys sat across and rotated every few minutes. It was kind of a whirlwind, but a fun whirlwind, where you had no idea who you were going to see next and what you’d talk about for the next two minutes.  With a few guys it was the standard “what do you do” and “where are you from” conversations, then with another it was two minutes about the Australian pop music scene. One guy spent the whole time talking about how he’d attended a speed dating event before, hadn’t met anyone he liked, but had been asked to come back by the speed dating company because he was “such a great dater.” He then repeated the story (with not even one hint of humor) to my two friends next to me, and later to another girl across the room.  Another guy, in a bid to be most interesting, made up a very involved story about his job creating new toothpaste flavors (none of it true, but I was amused).

We each got a score card to keep track of the different guys, but it was more fun to gossip with my friends as the guys moved on, so by the end I was having a little trouble keeping track of everyone. I didn’t end up with any matches, but I did have a lot of fun and would definitely give it another try. Maybe next time - speed dating in the South?!

The Middle of My Movie

If my life were a movie, I’m afraid it would be Bridget Jones right now.  I’ve been having a lot of clumsy heroine type of moments recently, moments that would fit right in to the middle of a Bridget Jones movie. You know, like when Bridget is trying her very best to get herself together, stop drinking too much wine and reading too many self-help books… and then she falls off her treadmill.

My most recent hapless heroine moment: I failed my driving test. And I failed without ever leaving the curb.

I don't know what happened. I didn’t even think I was nervous the day of the test. I was doing all my best deep breathing, positive thinking, cracking jokes with my driving teacher and the other student who was taking the test with me.

And then the test started. I sat down, adjusted my seat, adjusted my mirrors. I went to turn on the car and I have no idea how, but the windshield wipers came on. And, I freaked out. I had no idea how it happened, and no idea how to make it stop. Then the horribly mean DMV lady started yelling at me to “turn it off!!!” so I turned the car completely off… then turned it back on, and there go the windshield wipers again. So she yelled at me some more, and I did the exact same thing again, hoping I guess that it would go better the second time? (It didn’t.) Then, I just started frantically pushing and pressing every control I could possibly reach in the car.

FINALLY the wipers stopped moving, the car was running, and I got ready to pull out. I signaled left, checked my mirror, checked my blindspot… and I drove the car right into the curb.

And then the test was over.

So I have to wonder – what would happen to Bridget next? We all know she never becomes totally self-assured and graceful by the end of the movie… but she does end up with Colin Firth, who loves her just the way she is. So maybe there’s hope for me yet. Guess this mess of a heroine is off to schedule some more lessons…

One week till my road test...

... and some how I'm still mixing up the gas pedal and the brake? (eek!) I'm not sure how this is going to go. But, in general, I think it is probably a good sign that my driving instructor (still the most supportive person in the world) has started allowing for off-topic conversation. She's been playing music, asking me for restaurant suggestions, and giving me tips about speed dating. I'm going to take that I'm doing better than I think I am... as long as I can stay calm and keep track of my brake and gas!

Things I love today

People who say “bless you” when strangers sneeze
Sunny days
Rainbow sprinkles
Kids who speak two languages and use them interchangeably
Real Housewives reunions

On Facing Fears, and The Nicest Person Ever

My driving instructor is seriously the nicest person I’ve ever met, and thank goodness for that.

Driving lessons started last weekend. I wanted to be upfront, so I started off by explaining exactly how old and exactly how nervous I am.  I’m sure my instructor, Wendy, must have thought I was a crazy person, but she was super sweet and patient. She kept reassuring me that I was doing great, and that she couldn’t even tell I was nervous at all. (Definitely lies, but lies that made me feel good.) I didn’t expect to be out on the streets so quickly, but after just a few minutes of going over some basic instructions, we hit the road! Since it was early in the morning, there weren’t many cars out at all, and soon I was (somewhat) confidently breezing along the empty streets.

The lesson this week was not quite so breezy.  I had an evening class this time, and there were tons of cars on the road. I freaked out. All my nerves came back. I was shaking every time I had to make a turn, and kept stopping the car way before the stop signs. I pretty much forgot everything poor Wendy had been telling me.

A big part of me wanted to jump out of the car and run to the nearest subway stop to renew my unlimited Metrocard. But I really want to do this, and I can’t spend my life running away from things just because they make me uncomfortable.  So I kept telling myself to take a deep, centering breath and listen to Wendy’s pep talks. And I managed to keep myself in the car.

I was still feeling pretty shaky by end of the hour, but my driving was much smoother. Wendy had me drive straight for a while, and I was feeling good about ending the lesson without killing anyone. Then all of a sudden she told me to make another left… onto Cross Bay Boulevard! My inner monologue was going nuts – sounding something like OMG I CAN’T DO IT WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE I’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!

But, there was nowhere to go, so I listened to Wendy’s instructions, made the turn, and then there I was, driving with six lanes of traffic on the Boulevard.

I only drove for a few blocks until we ended up at my drop off point, which, perfectly enough, is the Starbucks. I know I have lots of work in front of me – I need much more practice, have to memorize my stop signs, and need to build my own confidence up instead of relying solely on Wendy’s positivity. But at least for now, I can say that I faced some fears, and I definitely earned myself my frappuccino.

#flashmob

Here's the video of our flash mob, released today by UrtheCAST and Flash Mob America. Clearly I'm watching it again... and again... and again... reliving all the fun! Best time ever!

And here's a picture of our I <3 NY formation from the helicopter. So cool... so happy!

Some things I'm thankful for today

Pineapples
Slow sailboats
The randomness of my ipod on shuffle
People who have found a job that’s the absolute right fit for them
Brightly colored beach umbrella
Patriotic sing-along songs

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!