...seven hours in a car alone will make anyone crazy

This morning I got up (read: my parents woke me up) at 7 am and made me drive back to school. Okay, they didn't make me (I had to return to school!) but they.. shuffled me out the door (read: my dad packed my car - 2 suitcases, 3 misc bags full of clothes/junk, a new desk unit (thank you ikea!), and a few other items).... and then I proceeded to drive back to Virginia. I passed 4 accidents on I-81, was delayed multiple times, but thanks to my quick driving during open streches and 10 minute gas pumping adventure (okay its REALLY hard to pump gas, I don't care what anyone says - it gets me everytime), I was able to arrive in approximately 7 hours. Upon arrival, I picked Tyler up and he and Robbie carried the aforementioned suitcasesbagsjunkdeskthingyandotheritems up to my room. Ah, lucky.

So, I took a three hour nap, had some chili, and now I'm looking at all the clothes that are still in my now open suitcases and I think I'll go back to bed. I did however START to reorganize my closet (which means I refolded my sweats, moved them over on their shelf, and then put the shorts up a shelf so that eventually I can put sweaters there). Seriously productive, I know.

Alright, enough of me rambling. Breakfast club tomorrow at 8am, though I think I'll sleep in.... I hope its cold so I can wear one of my new jackets (seriously who am I?!). Side note, the shopping addiction has fully continued as Kristen and Robert (my brother) and I went to Blockbuster to RENT a movie and managed to spend 17 dollars (actually 23 because we got a $5 gift card at one point during the transaction fiasco) and returned home with candy, a movie (um, yeah...), soda, and 4 glass "Coca Cola" glasses. No one else could turn Blockbuster into a shopping opprotunity. You know, it just occured to me, my strategic thinker of a father (so his business card says), once told me that there are no problems- merely opprotunities. So, this isn't a shopping problem - - it's a shopping opprotunity -- which means, clearly, I should shop more.

OH, remind me to tell you about my spring break plans. I was thinking about how I'm a bad person for shopping so much, and then I remembered I'm not really a bad person... you'll see what I mean...

...some holidays are just better than others.

So, Kristen and I have realized that some holidays are just better than others. Below, I provide you with the list of holidays that are definately better than Thanksgiving:

your birthday (mine namely), christmas, hanukkah, new years eve, easter, sinter klaus, 4th of july, valentine's day, halloween, st patricks day, all days that you might have off (ie. labor day, etc.)... and THEN thanksgiving.

therefore, please reference www.mm327.blogspot.com and realize that his entry is completely pointless, despite some of these not being actual holidays, they are clearly better then thanksgiving.

although, today, on thanksgiving i provide you with the list of things i am thankful for: my family, my little brother (yeah he's so cool he's seperate), kristen harris, shopping in the city, little cafes, my friends (erin kara chriscalle etc), pumpkin pie, my bed, my room at school, people who talk to me from banks, and being healthy, happy and smart.

:-)

...you live a fabulous life.

So, while I haven't worked at all this week (read: I'm extrodinarly poor), I have so many great things coming up that I can't help but be excited. Kristen made a "Calendar of Events" so we can track the fabulous things we have to do ... which includes, but is not limited to:

- manicures and pinkberry asap
- Yankees game SATURDAY (6/9)
- Comedy Club (next fri or sat)
- Romeo and Juliet (Central Park)
- Yoga in Bryant Park (thurs)

.... well I have to go to the gym and then run a few errands (always bad when you haven't worked). On the bright side, its a gorgeous day, the cars are honking, it's FRIDAY, I've never not worked in my life (err since like Jr year in hs), and for once, I'm just having fun. Maybe that's just what I needed.

Where can you get Ice Cream at 11:15pm in NYC?

The answer: Penn Station. Last Sunday night, Sean and I decided to see "Knocked Up" but were craving ice cream. After wandering Chelsea for 45 minutes, it suddenly occurred to me, that one place that would remain open and serve food was the train station. I know, it seems ridiculous, but once we went down into the station, we found rows of food- 5 serving ice cream. Outside, in the "city that never sleeps" the shops were closed, even Macy*s which hosts two ice cream venders inside their massive store was closed. Yet the train station remained open, boasting soft ice cream and hard, as well as 10+ kids of cheap beer. We have figured out where the late-night action in the city is. And it's underground.

Kristen and I are looking for odd jobs. Both of our internships are part time, and as imaginable, we need extra spending money. How can we live life to the fullest if our entire paycheck goes on the three new pairs of shoes I just HAD to buy last week? Oh, and the sushi that I ordered for dinner. And the three cab rides around lower Manhattan. It's impossible. She found a dog walking job that is 9-5, five days a week. I told her she should go ahead and pass on that one. No dog needs to be walked 40 hours a week, and if it's multiple dogs that need walking, well then she'd really be in trouble.

I've been informed by my readers that I don't update enough. Well, readers, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you wanted to read more. Perhaps this week I'll be a little better disciplined. It was hard last week because I spend the weekend in Maryland watching my brother and his German exchange student play in a soccer tournament. They didn't win, but I love watching them play. They're so competitive. I wish I was half as athletic as all the kids on his team. (Ps. That's my little brother to the left!!! Yay) So, the entire weekend was spent watching soccer and, oh, eating crabs, because that's what Maryland is good for - soccer tournaments and all you can eat crab restaurants.

Roommate update: Well, C snores. Like, last night I woke up to her gasping breaths and painful snores at 3:15, and didn't fall back asleep until almost 6. Otherwise, I actually really like C. Well, if we forget the fact that when I came back from Maryland my internet was unplugged and she had plugged her stuff into my power strip. I quickly unplugged it and put it on her bed. Oh and confiscated my fan back. Seriously, why was my fan in her bed? I don't know. Z is still pretty cool, though I feel like she judges me when I have off from work. HELLO does she realize she's 22 and living in the dorms? I'll have graduated and have a real job by the time I'm her age. She can't judge. Finally, E. She's just kinda loud. Not in voice, but in mannerisms. Like today she was slamming cabinents and dropping things. I almost hated her immediately because she put all of her stuff in the window that overlooks 6th ave. That's where I sit when I'm on a job call. There is no need to pile massive amounts of hair products there. Seriously. I've never even seen her use makeup or hair products, so why does she have so many? That remains one of the mysteries of life: why does a girl who never uses product, buy more than a girl who does? And how does having more/using me, equate to looking worse?

That's all for now.

$1 million, A Shoe Zip Code and Vitamin Water

I was particularly touched by the Yankees donation to Virginia Tech of $1 million dollars the other night. A lot of times I feel that my school and home life are very removed, because in fact they take place 8+ hours away and in two completely different worlds (Blacksburg vs. New York City, you do the math). The Orioles were allowing VT students to go to games for free, however (with the exception of this weekend) when am I ever in Maryland during the summer? Answer: never, or very rare, and definitely not to see a baseball game. I found myself wondering where my Yankees were... and here they have done something even better. I think the best part was the hats (pictured right) because it just meant a lot to see that VT all over the place. I've always loved the Yankees, and now they've proven why they are the best. They were in the city that witnessed 9/11 first hand, and saw how people came together for that, and to see them step up both with VT (and they also donated $1 million to Katrina victims), is just amazing.

I'm leaving the city in about an hour to head home and then to Maryland. I don't think I'm going to bring my lap top, so there won't be any updates until Monday or Tuesday. Kristen returns to the Great US of A on Sunday and I'm so excited for that. I'm apprehensive because when I come back on Mon. or Tues. I will have all my roommates. Right now it's just Z & Me, but with E and C here it should be interesting. It's a big apartment, until you put that many people in it. And seriously, if C thinks her 15 year old sister is hanging out here all the time, she is very mistaken. When C brought her bedding her mom said something about how maybe her little sister could sleep on our couch because she's working M-T over by FIT which is pretty close. I'm sorry but I'm paying $1,000 dollars a month to share space ALREADY, do you think I want to share with some little kid? I mean don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind if she had her over maybe once a month - but come'on we can't use this place as a hotel. I have my fingers crossed she keeps it as nice as Z and I have. C also asked what Z and I had been doing for groceries. Um, what?! We've been buying our own food and eating it. What are we, best friends because we share room keys?! I have no intention of taking turns making dinner for the 'fam.' Just so that's clear.

Saks 5th Ave's Shoe department is getting it's own zip code (I know, laugh). 10022-SHOE. Saks says they plan to make the 8th floor a "destination" complete with an elevator directly to that floor. Interesting.

Coke is buying Vitamin Water for $4.1 billion. This makes me very excited because a) I own stock in Coke and I think this is a good move to help them expand their business into areas of the market they had not explored and therefore beneficial to my investment and b) I love Vitamin Water, like LOVE vitamin water. I love that it comes in pretty colors and I love the descriptions on the side of the bottles. I have one in my fridge right now. I kinda wonder if it actually works. Like, One of them is for "Power." Or one is for "focus." Idk how you'd know if they really work, but I still like them, so yay, go Coke.

Okay, that's all for today/this weekend. I know I'm not very interesting. I've got to go pack and trekk to Penn Station.

...Self, today, you should join a gym.

I was told that I should make a blog. I thought this was an amusing idea (shout out tfast), until I told Meg and she replied with "I'll read it." Yeah, lets see how long this lasts...

Yesterday I decided that if I walked all the way to the Ipod store I could buy an Ipod shuffle. I wasn't sure how far I had to go, just that the IPOD store is clear, and at 797 5th Ave. So, I set out on my adventure (starting at 34th, 5th ave). I got distracted by Bryant Park and the New York Public library for approximately 1 hour. However, back on track, almost 30 blocks later I reached the Ipod store and secured my brand new green ipod shuffle. Look how cute it is. So now that I was all the way up 5th by the Plaza (see plazaresidences.com), central park was calling my name. At some point, while I was debating whether or not to pay 10 dollars to enter the central park zoo, I realized I was approximately 40 blocks away, and uninterested in riding the subway. (I decided against visiting the zoo alone, though the unlimited pass at $70+ dollars was tempting. But then, seriously, how much would I go to a zoo that has like 5 exhibits. Negative.) So I leisurely strolled some 25 blocks back towards my lovely residence (pictured next to the empire state building), until I ran into a graduation ceremony, which caused me to veer approximately 3 blocks off course, but the detour allowed me to purchase fruit for dinner... which is always exciting.

Tonight, in addition to encourage me to start a blog, Meg told me I could never live alone. I feel this is an accurate assertion as it leads to me walking 5 miles and more recently, today, joining a gym (the thing on my key ring loudly shouts in a bold font "GO TO THE GYM" - - I think they meant it to be encouraging, but instead, I kinda want to take it off my keys. But then I'd lose it, and that'd be annoying). I think I need a pet. Preferably a small dog. I dislike cats. I should add that to my list at the right, but that's a lot of work, so just remember - no cats.

So anyway, my big new york city adventure is postponed tomorrow around noon because I'm going to Maryland for the weekend. Nothing like crab cakes and soccer games to celebrate memorial day.

It's rather strange to realize I'm going to miss my doorman and the crazy tourists that constantly take pictures of the empire blocking my path to ... everywhere. Ahh, sweet city. Ps. New Maroon 5 Cd = 4.5 stars, Download: "Can't Stop"