Happy Humor Thursday

It's finals week and I'm living in Stressedville. What better way to get through this mountain of work than to find funny clips of Will and Grace on Youtube? Here are a few of my favorites.

This one's for you, Jaspy:


And possibly my favorite of all time:

Musings

Wait. Are musings supposed to be serious? Do they contain deep thoughts? If so, I believe I've made a terrible mistake in naming this post. Nevertheless, here are a few of my thoughts before I call it a night.

1. I found myself in the middle of a Friends episode today and it made me chuckle to myself. I was actually cleaning the bottle of dish soap that sits at our sink. Some of the liquid soap had dripped down the sides making it sticky. So as I'm rinsing off a bottle of soap, I got a picture of Monica Gellar pulling out the dust buster to clean her vacuum. And now I can identify. "Hi, my name is Becca. And I might be OCD."

2a. We have big storms heading our way tonight. School was cancelled in the middle of class and I hightailed it home only to sit and watch hours of coverage by the news with the wind barely blowing. I'm not saying the storms aren't serious. The death count and video coverage says they are. I just think that sometimes the news feeds off of fear. I usually love storms but after watching a few minutes of the news, I was nervous and antsy and anxious for Sara to get home. So I turned on The Voice instead. Please told me you watched. How good was that show?

2b. As I got ready for bed, I walked around the apartment to make sure all of the windows are closed and blinds are drawn in case the storm does hit as badly as warned. I felt like Kevin McAllister preparing for house war against the Soggy Bandits in Home Alone. Now let's see these tornados try and get in. Not really. Flimsy venetian blinds aren't going to keep a storm out. Fingers crossed it goes North and South of here. And that my bullfrogs and Abner, the bright orange koi, find a safe spot in the pond to wait out the worst of it.

{Amen.}

It's Summer-ish

My bedroom windows are open and I fall asleep to the sound of my ceiling fan spinning on high and the bullfrogs croaking.

In the past 2 days I've been barefoot more than I've had shoes on. That leads me to realize my desperate NEED for a pedicure. What was life about before spa chairs and "Florida pink" polish?

My porch door is open and I can hear the birds chirping all morning and then the thunder rumble from the brief afternoon storm. Then I take a break to sing a bar of Thunder Rolls by Garth Brooks. It only seems right.

I played tennis Friday night and Saturday morning. Both times I realized that my breathing was labored--not because of the physical activity, but the extreme humidity in the air. I now know what life inside a cloud is like.

There's a bowl full of cous cous salad sitting in my refrigerator. Right next to container of guacamole. And in case you're interested in having the beset cous cous salad in town, here's the recipe Sara taught me last year. 3 cups cous cous (I use whole wheat), 1 can of black beans, 1 green pepper, 1 container of cherry tomatoes-halved, 1 small container of feta cheese-chopped finely, 1 red onion-chopped finely, 1 cucumber-chopped finely, balsamic vinaigrette, ground salt and pepper to taste.

The family sat out by the pool yesterday afternoon to get some sun. I rolled my pants up in an effort to get any ounce of color on these pail wintery white legs. Later in the evening I realized that my knee caps were the only ones to oblige me. So that's how it's gonna be, huh?

I catch myself dreaming of trips to Six Flags and Stone Mountain. And what would the laser show be without some Dippin' Dots and maybe a glowing necklace?

I can't stop listening to You and I by Ingrid Michaelson, Eet by Regina Specktor, American Honey by Lady Antebellum, and Breathe Again by Sara Bareilles. The perfect warm weather soundtrack....open sunroof required.

All is well in the world.

Today's Focus

"Keep your tongue from evil

And your lips from speaking deceit.

Depart from evil and do good;

Seek peace and pursue it."

-Psalms 34: 13-14

I Owe You One

An update, that is. I'm fighting a headache so hopefully I can remember it all. Last week was so busy, I woke up this morning feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. So while I may or may not still be in my pajamas, I'm trying to stay productive.

Last Wednesday Sara and I (along with 2 of her dancing friends) headed down to the Fox for the filming of America's Got Talent. We got there just in time and as we headed in the doors, a guy stopped us and asked if we had seats. When we replied "not yet" he cocked his head to his left shoulder and spoke into his head set and then ushered down the isle....to almost the front! I didn't hear him, but apparently he told the headset that he had some camera friendly people coming to sit. So we were placed about 6 rows directly behind the judges. So cool! I yelled "I love you, Howie" but not loud enough I guess. I didn't want to make a total scene. At one point before it started, a guy came by and was coaching us on how to act--cheering and booing. He was telling us we would be on screen the whole time so whatever we did, the camera would see. So even if you aren't a fan of the show, I recommend watching the Atlanta audition to see if I made the big screen. I can't imagine they'd keep us on for long if so because we were seated in a mass of young high schoolers who were doing anything but paying attention. By the second half of the show the whole row behind me was asleep. That can't be good for ratings. We had a great time--although we all agreed it was way more exhausting to sit in the audience than just watch. We saw a couple of singers, a magic act, a one man band and son, some BMX bikers, jugglers, and the coolest dance act I've ever seen. I hope they go far.

Saturday, I spent all morning and afternoon at school for a workshop. It was so interesting, but I was seriously dragging tired. I grabbed a grande non-fat caramel macchiato on my way home (my new fav) and chugged it before heading back out the door to the Tim McGraw concert with Sara. I'm sorry to report that was the LOW of the week. It was at a venue neither of us had been to before, so we followed the parking attendants....who really just scammed us. They told us we were a block away from the amphitheater (more like a solid 15 minute walk that took us on a bridge over interstate) and then charged us $20. Boo. On our walk we realized that all the other closer lots were charging $10. Then when we got in, we scoped out the best seats. If you can picture an outdoor arena, we had lawn tickets. So while we knew we'd be towards the back, we figured we'd go sit on the hill against the back wall. That way, if people were walking in front of us, our view wouldn't be blocked. Really--worst. decision. ever. Soon after we sat down, I realized that we were surrounded by Atlanta teenagers in the shortest shorts (I'm talking cheeks exposed) and strapless dresses with cute boots on. It was a fashion parade....not the redneck crowd I was hoping for. Before the main act even came on stage, I saw a girl no older than 17 walking and barfing at the same time. The kids were insane. Drinking. Groping. Smoking. Making Out. By the time Tim came out I was over it. It felt like I was sitting in the middle of Sodom and Gomorrah. OK...maybe that is a bit extreme, but it was disgusting. And it was so distracting I don't remember much about the music itself. We saw some kids get kicked out and security break up a couple of fights. As the night went on, some of the boys figured out they could run up the hill and pee on the wall behind us. Eww. One kid finished peeing and then walked over and tried to buy a beer off of me. It took everything in me not to laugh at him in his face. Then later some young couples came up there and were up to no good (the b.y.o.blanket and pants unbuckled kind). The temperature dropped so Sara and I were bundled up to our chins in fleece blankets. By the time we decided to leave (we stuck around until the encore started) it was literally like walking through a brothel. Countless (well, maybe not countless but I wasn't willing to look down and try and count) horny teenagers coupled up and going at it and one kid passed out in the fetal position by himself. It was really sad. It was an interesting study to see the kids freeze and all pay attention to the music twice--for the 2 songs that currently play on the radio. I started listening to Tim McGraw when I was their age so now I have memories attached to most of the other songs he performed and they didn't even recognize. So we counted that as a bust.

Yesterday I played tennis at Olde Towne, which is one of the old tennis clubs I used to take lessons at in middle school. It is now owned by pro tennis player Robby Ginepri and his family. His sister was playing on our opponents team, but a different line that I was. Michelle and I played line 5 and had a great match. It was the first time in a long time that I've felt like my game was on. We lost in 2 sets, but no shame there since we both played our best. Mom came out to watch and told me as we were walking off that Mr. Ginepri (Robby's dad) had commented on how impressed he was with my serve. Not that it really means anything, but nice compliment anyway. I left there at 5:45 and had my friends coming for dinner at 6:45....and I hadn't gone to the grocery store yet.

In true procrastination, I had only decided what to make for dinner yesterday at noon. So I hit the store and got home about 15 minutes before the girls arrived. We had a great night together and I even tried a new recipe. I really liked it and have a hard time judging how good it is by how much everyone eats. One girl had 2 servings but the other two kind of picked around theirs. I enjoyed it and it was super fast, so I'll make it again. And for all of you lovers of recipes as I am, here's what we had. I went to Publix and got the Roasted Garlic Bread (it's rustic french bread with whole cloves of roasted garlic baked in)--so good. Then we did a simple spinach salad with red onion, yellow pepper and cherry tomatoes. I found a great new salad dressing--Raspberry Merlot. Then I made a ravioli dish with shalots, lemon and peas. It was really refreshing and felt springy with the lemon addition. [This post is getting lengthy, so if you want to exact recipe, email me or comment and I'll send it your way.] For dessert I made the famous peach dump cake. It was late by the time I took it out of the oven and so I think we ended up eating some out of obligation instead of really wanting it. So next time I'll prep ahead of time for that or just not do dessert. We sat around and chatted and played one round of Jenga before everyone called it a night. I fell into to bed at 11:30.

So there you have it. Today I got up and showered first thing...and weighed myself to find out I lost 4 pounds last week. YES!!! I guess those weighted squats that left me hobbling did some good. Looking forward to keeping this momentum going.

Now I'm off to job hunt. Please cross your fingers, toes and eyes that God will lead me in the right direction (and kinda quickly). Love you more than jelly beans!

Inspiration

from here.


from here..

It's the Little Things

I took this season's first bite of watermelon yesterday. Heaven in my mouth. I polished off the rest of it with my breakfast this morning and am already looking forward to my next trip to the store. Watermelon and peaches are my favorite summer fruits and I'm looking forward to enjoying them in the heat.

I also tried my hand at the Sandwiches by the Sea "shake" that we all know and love. Frozen strawberries, one banana, pineapple juice and vanilla yogurt (+ a scoop of vanilla protein powder for good luck). It was great! I think I had too much juice so it wasn't thick (also, my yogurt wasn't frozen) but it was still delicious and instantly reminded me of our favorite South Florida city.

Tonight I'm going downtown to the Fox Theater with Sara. She got us tickets to be in the audience for a taping of the auditions for America's Got Talent! I can't say I'm a huge fan of the show, but the taping has to be interesting. Who knows--maybe I'll get to boo someone. I keep telling Sara that my goal is to fist bump Howie. Or maybe I'll just show him how great my Minnesota accent is--he is the voice of Bobby World, remember. "Oh Bob-o, doncha knooooow!" :) I'll keep you posted.

I did one of the workouts on Chris Freytag's DVD two days ago....and now I'm walking around like a grandma. Seriously. Who knew a workout video could do so much damage? I'm thankful for the sore though. It reminds me that I did something good...and need to keep moving in that direction because this many aches after 20 minutes of weights means I've been off the wagon for far too long. Plus, there is a lot to be said for the positive endorphins that flow after a solid workout. I think I skipped around the rest of the night. Now there's a mental picture for you.

I've learned that I'm in love with dreaming. I mean, I have multiple binders full of pages of ideas and dreams. About the kind of house I want to live in, the kind of food I want to eat, the kind of gifts I want to give, the kind of crafts I want to make, and the kind of vacations I want to take. I even have a whole binder on quotes worth remembering. I've recently discovered www.pinterest.com from Sara Cleaver (baby Cleaver #5 for those counting) and can't get enough of it. Essentially it is a virtual bulletin board for all things inspirational. You can set up your own boards and pin things from the internet and then you can also follow and see what other people pin. In order to actually pin, you have to give them access to your Facebook account which made me feel squishy. So instead, I flip through the homepage and whenever I come across something I want to save I use Evernote and just tag the posting. It is so fun! Along the same lines, I'm learning that I need to be careful not to just dream life away. I have a 3 inch binder full of recipes that I haven't made yet. Well, to be honest there isn't much I've done from any of the binders and online links I've collected. So I'm making an effort to make the life I dream about. Planning dinner parties, getting crafty, etc. I'm excited. First dinner party is on the books for this Sunday. Not first one ever, mind you, but first one with this new perspective. I'm having Annie over to introduce her to my 2 favorite classmates--Hannah and Chezon. Now to figure out what to make...

Sara and I went to the bookstore Sunday night. She had a Groupon that was about to expire. We found a couple of games for her, and I found one g-r-e-a-t puzzle. I opened it up the second we got home and our table has officially been converted into the puzzle table. I love it! The puzzle itself is 1000 pieces and crazy hard. It is a pop art design that has taken all of the letters of popular food items and cut them up and form the map of the US. Does that make sense? So the map is all words--the states in bigger letters and surrounds cities in smaller letters. It is so tricky to work and fun to see how many different brands we recognize just by the font and colors. Oh wait--I just found the picture online:

I've gotten: Cheerios, Twix, M&M's, Advil, Sour Patch Kids, Airheads, Reese's, Kellogg's, Folger's, Muselix, Tropicana, Dunkin Donuts, McDonald's, Boca Burgers, Rica-A-Roni, Lean Cuisine, Charleston Chew, Green Giant, Honey Maid, Wheaties, and Oreo. Can you identify any others??

In other news: I'm officially through 9 books in the Old Testament now and next up is I Samuel. I welcome it after Judges which was hard to get through and pretty brutal. I've never spent much time in Judges before and Ruth was the perfect love story to follow up on the harshness. I'm about 6 days behind on my reading schedule but still pumped that I'm moving forward. In other reading, I finished reading Shauna Niequist's book called Bittersweet. It was really good. An easy, conversational read. She writes like she talks (I imagine). Her books are so easy to get through because you feel like you're sitting on the back porch trading life stories with her. I love her ability to pull lessons out of the circumstances in life--both trivial and monumental. Her other book, Cold Tangerines, is so refreshing. I recommend it. Now, I've moved on to the Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. It is a culmination of letters that are traded between a seasoned demon and his young demon nephew on the ways they keep us from connecting with God (their Enemy). It is really interesting!

I realized this week that we are already double digits into April and I don't have an April resolution. I bombed March's to do more cardio. Started strong but was a bust by week 2. [wah wah wahhhhh] April snuck up on me and while I've pondered other things, I just never nailed one down. So it's a resting month. I'm still learning and growing but not with a specific title across the top of the calendar. Hopefully to be resumed in May. Speaking of May, it is going to be an exciting month. So far I'm planning on: celebrating Mom's birthday, going to Martini's and IMAX at the science museum (where there just so happens to be a West Coast Swing flash mob that Sara is in), working Deaf Day at Six Flags, playing tennis, having dinner with sweet girl friends, officially completing my first year in SLIP (Sign Language Interpreting Program), and potentially traveling abroad.

OK, I've gotta go now so I can get through the rest of my to-do list for today before the big show tonight. Love you more than Lisa Turtle loves side ponytails.

Me Again

It's bed time here on the East Coast, but I'm just not ready to close this day. It has been so great! For starters, I slept soundly and uninterrupted until 11 this morning. What am I--a college kid? My body was rejoicing to be back in my own bed with all the space and none of the dog spooning. I spent the morning (or what was left of it) getting unpacked and re-settled from the week while listening to the start of an older sermon series from Buckhead Church called Game Plan. It's talking about how to know what to do with your life. Seems fitting and made some great points. I found the reference in Colossians refreshing since I've been spending so much time in the Old Testament. I read in the afternoon and then met up with Sara and her co-workers for Happy Hour. Typically I would've bailed at the invitation seeing as I only barely knew 2 of the 10 people there. But since I'm embracing "NO FEAR" (please don't picture the corny t-shirts from the 90's when you read that), I decided to go. It was fun and a nice excuse to get out of the house. I came back afterwards and have spent the evening alone watching a movie, reading my new cooking magazines and getting homework done. All in all a good day.

Want to know the kicker? In another effort to step outside of my shell and LIVE, I got 2 lawn tickets to next Saturday's Tim McGraw concert. YESSSS! I saw the email promotion come through this morning and sent it to Sara. We joked about getting free tickets and then talked each other into jumping in and going for it (money's just gonna burn in the end anyway, right?) So after we had committed to spend the cash and go have fun together, my mom announced that she wanted to buy the tickets for us. Double bonus! I'd had it on my mental list to go to a country concert this year. There is just something about country music (and the people who like it) that is so comforting to me. Like a big bowl of mashed potatoes. It hugs the part of my heart that longs to live in a cottage in the country or on a little farm. This one will be great because it is legendary Tim McGraw....but also Luke Bryan and the Band Perry. The last country concert I went to was Rascal Flatts at the Florida Fair Grounds if I recall. Shelbs and I sat through it on a tarp in the pouring rain. Such fun!

In other news: High Tea at the Ritz yesterday was perfection. I didn't take any pictures because I didn't want to be that girl pulling out a camera every time something new came out of the kitchen. We reclined in sofas and arm chairs that circled little coffee tables. I had the Vanilla Bean black tea and accessorized with natural sugar cubes.

The first round was 5 mini finger sandwiches--chicken salad with corn on pumpernickel, cucumber on brioche with dill/mint cream cheese, jalepeno and ham corn muffin with creme fraiche, salmon salad on wheat with caviar to garnish, and egg salad on brioche with a slice of hard boiled egg and dollop of pimento cheese. Then the tower of goodies came out. The top plate (and voted favorite by the whole table) was the warm cherry chocolate chip scones. Heavenly. The next tier had 4 of each dessert so we didn't have to arm wrestle over who got what. There was a lemon poppyseed cake with lemon glaze, chocolate brownie/cake with edible 24 carat gold leaf on top, and a mini key lime tart with a blackberry and edible rose petals. I ate traded my cake for Heather's tart (and thought of you, Jasper, when I ate them). The bottom tier had a butter sugar cookie, a tangerine french macaron (I'd been dying to try one since they are the rage on www.foodgawker.com) and an apple pie panna cotta that was served in a shot glass with white chocolate straw.

Who knew that so much little tiny food can fill you up so quickly? We couldn't finish it all, but were sure to take as much of it to go as we could....including stuffing our purses with the miniature jars of honey, strawberry preserves and clotted cream that we could manage. It was such a pleasant visit with Heather and her mom. The last time we had done that we were seniors in high school (I think I told you that before) so it was fun to be able to reminisce over the past 11+ years together.

Sadly, there wasn't another Toni Braxton sighting. We did have a lady sitting next to us who had a see-thru dress on...and she wasn't wearing underwear. Heather and I looked at each other at the same time when we caught site, but thankfully the mom's were engrossed in conversation. Or maybe they were just too mature to not comment. Either way, kinda funny.

Alrighty--bed time for bonzos. Don't you fret. I've made a list of more things I want to tell you all about. Hope you girls enjoy your weekend--especially you, Julie. Christian is home on temporary leave from his assignment and I hope you are able to relax and soak up every minute with him.

Love.

"And It Was All Yellow"

I'm pretty sure that is the first time I've ever quoted Coldplay, but it just seems appropriate. It is officially Spring in Atlanta which means a couple of things. First and foremost, it means POLLEN season. Everything is covered in a fine dust of yellow. Bring on the sneezes and allergies. Second is the bizarre changes in weather. It's like Mother Earth is having an identity crisis. I played tennis on Sunday and got my first color (read: sunburn) of the season. On Monday, it was 85 degrees and I thought I was going to have a heat stroke as Robin, Birdie and I walked through the park [more on this later] and then after a few tornados and severe storms late that night, it was back to cool sweater weather Tuesday and Wednesday. It is nice enough to be outside, so I'm thankful.

I'm sitting here at Zach and Cristina's apartment writing this when I really should be prepping for school tomorrow. I have my first cold examine which makes my knees knock a bit when I think about it. That means we have to watch a video 1st time through and write the script of what is being signed. Gulp. I spent 2 hours with Annie today at the coffee shop so hopefully that'll help keep my brain in top gear for the fingerspelling. Anyway, I feel kind of scattered but wanted to write an update while I had a quiet minute and while there was still time to procrastinate.

This week Zach and Cris celebrated their 2nd anniversary with a trip to San Francisco, which means I offered to help keep the dogs. I am exhausted. These girls are sweet but so trying for someone who is used to having her own space...and not having to use plastic bags to clean up after others if you know what I mean. They are both more like children to Z&C which means they insist on sleeping in the bed with you at night. Under the covers. Touching you. Chuck, the youngest, insists on touching you/licking you/sniffing you at all possible minutes of the day. I can't get dressed without her leaning up against me. If I'm on the couch, she is sitting so close her chin rests on my shoulder. Sweet at times, but ultimately trying to my patience. I wanted to help so they could go on their trip, but I knew it would be a challenge. Today has been especially rough since I'm on my last day and am wiped of all patience and energy. I even teared up when trying to make simple plans with my mom on the phone. Crazy. They get back tomorrow and I'm looking forward to an exodus back to my apartment where I am free to sleep solo :)

The up side has been getting to walk to breakfast with my friend Robin Hollingsworth. It brings back the fun part of city living and that is getting access to cute restaurants all within walking distance. Have you seen Life As We Know It yet? Apparently it was filmed in Atlanta and the restaurant in this pic is where I ate this morning. Cute little bakery/coffee shop called Belly. I had a bagel with cream cheese and don't regret it. I haven't seen the movie yet. Seems a bit too predictable for my taste, but am now intrigued since it features Atlanta.

In other news...I'm going to high tea tomorrow at the Ritz in Atlanta! Heather's mom, Ouida and my mom are friends. Ouida suggested that the four of us get together for a tea party and who is going to say no to that? So I'm excited to get to go sip tea and eat scones with jam and finger sandwiches--minus the salmon. Ew. I always skip them for the obvious grody factor. When we were seniors in high school a group of us girls and our moms all went to high tea together and I haven't been back since. Hopefully Toni Braxton will be there again like she was 11 years ago. Sing with me now: "Unbreak my heart............"

In other news: I've come up with a fun plan for Sunday. Wanna hear?? Sara gave up sweets for Lent. I didn't give anything up. Oops. I prayed about it on Ash Wednesday and didn't feel led but can't say I followed through with that prayer. It appears I've forgotten the true meaning of waiting and seeking. But alas, that is another topic for another day. We learned this year that whatever you choose to give up during Lent is permissible on Sundays. They are feasting days celebrating mini-Easters if you will. So Sara counts down each week to Sunday and the treat she will have. I'm in the baking mood, so I've turned it into a game for her. I proposed that I write the names of a bunch of different sweet treats on slips of paper and then let her draw one out of a hat. Whatever she pulls, I'll make for her Sunday "feast". So far I've just come up with a few cookie/brownie/bar ideas. Going to search for a few cupcakes to throw in since they are her favorite. Any suggestions are welcome. All will involve some amount of chocolate.

OK, I'm going to cut this short (HA--like any of these posts have been short) because it is already 9:30 and this schoolwork isn't going to do itself. I should know. I've put it off all week waiting for it to take care of itself. Dang homework. Frickum-Frackum notecards. More to come...hopefully this weekend.

Love you more than Uncle Jesse loved his hair. Have mercy.

The Big Apple

So I guess I should start this going back a couple of weeks ago. Sara and I were sitting around the apartment talking about something and I made the comment that I was afraid. See, I can't even remember what we were talking about, but I do remember her response clearly. "You're afraid of everything!" We had a good laugh and went on about the evening. I didn't take offense because it is true. Save a few bold moments in my life, I am 99% afraid of life. I could list of opportunity after opportunity that I've let pass me by because I'm afraid/squishy/unsure/hesitant/nervous for one reason or another.

Around that time I got an email from my friend Nick letting me know he was going to be in New York City at the end of this month and he asked if I would meet him there. A quick background for you: Nick is a guy I met when I was living in London and vacationing in Scotland. He was traveling alone so my group of PBAers (mainly, Meghan and I) took him under our wing and he was our buddy the rest of the trip. After that weekend, we went back to London and he went back to Australia (at least that is the short version of the story) and I haven't seen him since. Thanks to modern technology and the bursting popularity of social media, we reconnected back in 2006 and have stayed in touch since then. He's invited numerous times to visit him in Australia, but since he is basically a stranger....and that is a long trip and mucho dinero (that means a lot of money in Spanish) I kept putting that trip off. Then last year he and his girlfriend, Ellie, moved to London. Again, he offered for me to visit many times and that is really something that I would love to do. I just have yet to coordinate it with my bank account and school work. So then when I got this email about him being in New York I figured it was the same time zone as me and really I would have zero excuse. So I accepted.

Reason two for the quick trip is one Ms. Nancy Beno. She and I haven't seen each other since May of 2004 when we all left Florida for the land of grown-ups and real life. We talk on the phone probably every 1-2 weeks. She has been in New York (on and off) for the past 7 years and I've been promising a visit for about that long. It goes something like "I'll come when the weather warms up.......{6 months later} It's too hot now, I'll come in the fall........" Play on repeat for years. So when I realized that I was going to journey up to see Nick and Ellie, I figured I would catch a visit with her as well. Lucky for me, she had 1 day left in the city before her big move to Maine for her new counseling job. So the stars aligned and I told everyone I was coming.

Then Saturday night the fear crept in and I found a laundry list of reasons not to go. What if I couldn't navigate the city by myself to find Nan? What if Nick wasn't as nice as I remember? What if people could tell I wasn't a local? (Strange, but it did go through my head.) What if I got stuck there and couldn't get on a flight home? What if it was awkward combining these 2 parts of my life? I had homework that still needed to be finished. There were large scary storms hitting Atlanta so I told myself that I'm sure all of the flights would be oversold due to cancellations. Yadda Yadda Yadda. You see where this mental path is going. I still decided to try and set my alarm for 4 a.m. on Sunday.

I woke up at the first sound of my alarm and could hear the pounding of the storm still against my window and let the sleepy brain take over on the reasoning. I got out of bed, promptly wrote Nick an email letting him know I wasn't going to make it and then went back to bed. As I was closing my eyes trying to back to sleep, God gave me a clear vision. I was sitting in my living room and Sara looked at me and said "So, you decided not to go?" My reply was "Yeah, but I really regret not even trying to get on a flight". My eyes shot open and I had instant clarity. If I know I'm going to regret this action in a couple of hours, then I need to do something about it. I jumped out of bed, showered and drove through the pouring rain to the airport. On my drive there I realized that I rarely step out of my comfort zone to a place where God can really lead me on "adventure" that should be life. Instead I sit at home where it is nice and safe (and boring). I told God that if he had something to show me, that I was all game and if I didn't make the flight that would be OK too.

Sure enough, I got on the first flight....and on first class even! He knows how to show me! I slept most of the way until I realized that I was missing breakfast. A quick bowl of Cheerios and a bowl of fresh fruit and then I was right back asleep until we landed. I took the airport tram, transferred to another train and then got on the Long Island Railroad into Manhattan. Found Nancy perfectly--she was sitting on the steps outside of the Post Office across from Madison Square Gardens. She gave perfect directions and I didn't get lost once. We walked to get the most amazing pizza for brunch (only $1 a slice!) and then sat on some steps chatting and keeping out of the cold wind.

I was in a pickle about how to get in touch with Nick and hated the idea of being so close in the big city and somehow missing him. Thankfully Nan had a smart phone and I could email him telling him to disregard the first email and that I was in the city and happy to meet up. I told him to call me (he has a London cell number so he can call me but I can't call him) with a location and time to meet. Then I proceeded to sit down and put my phone back in my pocket and MISS hearing it ring when he did call. His message said they were in Penn Station and he would try back in 10 minutes. We sat down across from the station to give him some time to call back and just chatted about life and the city. I would jokingly look at all the people crossing and let Nan know that each man that passed wasn't Nick. Then I look across the street and there they were! Nick and Ellie had come out of the station to buy a pretzel and had spotted us. Only God could've orchestrated that meet-up. So the 4 of us spent the afternoon wandering around together. It was great! Nick was just as nice and fun as I remembered. Ellie was so pleasant and laid back (I'd only chatted with her online....so this was our first face to face meeting) and they seemed to get along with Nan well too. We went to Times Square and sat on the big steps under the NYE ball (which already says 2012 for the record) and people watched. Here's a couple of pics from there.

Then we hiked from there to Central Park so I could sit on the big rocks and imagine Kevin McAllister running away from the scary bird lady in Home Alone 2......or picture the big snowball fight from Elf. Either way, now you have a mental picture of where we were. We were playing an ongoing game of what we liked to call NYC Bingo. Essentially, anytime you saw someone out of the ordinary, you could point them out (no finger pointing unless you were far away), and call Bingo. Shelbs gave me that idea after telling me about the Redneck Bingo game that happens at the Minnesota State Fair. So we had plenty of sightings for the day--men in pink feather boas, a toddler beauty queen decked out in fake lashes, matching roller bladers, hot pink tennie runners, the list goes on and on. At one point I tried to get Nan to take a picture with me which led to a series of hysterical shots. Mainly because I was turned around backwards and she insisted on doing heel stretches and all sorts of gymnastics. Pretty funny.

The greatest Bingo find of the park was a teenager in full ballerina gear including pointe shoes posing for pictures in crazy dance poses. Very entertaining. Here are a few more pics of the park although sadly, none of the Bingo finds.

After the park we decided to break for happy hour. Nan led the way and had us stop at this restaurant so I could pose in front of it.

Sitting down was welcomed after marching over the whole city...and the cocktails weren't bad either! I asked the bartender to make me something fruity and had mentioned that I liked sweet tea vodka, so what came back was essentially my go-to STV and lemonade. No complaints here! Half way through our time there my friend Cami came to join us. She and I worked together at Starbucks in Atlanta and she is now living in NYC as a student of Parsons. Take a moment and think lovingly of Tim Gunn. No, she's never met him....but still. I was going to crash on her couch for the night. Since she lives in Brooklyn (which is far far away from Manhattan) she came in to meet us for drinks and dinner before leading back to her place. Soon after she arrived, Nancy told me that she had a surprise for me and needed to take me away for 20 minutes just the 2 of us. I felt squishy (what's new) because Cami had just gotten there and met Nick and Ellie. She was a great sport and took them to the M&M store so Ellie could get her hands on the new pretzel M&M's. Nan and I took off for the secret destination and in the process we ran into her brother on the street. That's right--I got to meet Howie Jr. He's the last Beno I had yet to meet. I guarantee it wasn't on the agenda, but since we were passing him on the sidewalk, it was a bonus for me! She led me to his apartment building and then up all 5 steep flights of stairs, and then onto the roof. I had commented earlier in the day that I would love to see the city from one of the rooftops. And while this was no skyscraper, it was still so breathtaking and beautiful. The sun was just going down all of the building lights were glowing. I was briefly tempted to dance around and sing "America" from West Side Story. Lucky for her (and the people living on the top floor) I restrained myself. We tried to take a couple of pictures together but they really came out all washed out or all my face. And since we all know what that looks like, I'll leave these here for you.

We ended the night at a classic New York diner for dinner and then all went our separate ways to find sleep. Nick and Ellie were staying at a hotel in town but had a booked day for Monday so we shared goodbyes on the street corner. I am still so amazed that meeting up with them worked out and spending time together was as effortless as I had hoped (pre-fear). I'm strongly considering a trip over to London this summer to celebrate finishing up my first year in the interpreting program...and really, who needs a reason to go to London? The streets are calling my name. Or maybe that is the Crepe Man at the market. Either way, anyone interested in going along for an adventure you are officially invited.

Back to this trip. Cami and I headed back to her apartment and I crashed the minute I sat down. I got up first thing the next morning and navigated my way back to Nan's part of town to meet her for breakfast. It was so empowering to move around the city by foot and subway. Standing shoulder to shoulder with people who've lived so many different lives and have so many different stories to tell. I kept myself entertained the entire train ride trying to figure out their pasts. Atlanta is diverse, but you have to get in your car and drive to the different neighborhoods to get that feeling. It isn't something I necessarily encounter on a day to day basis. Being in such close proximity to all of those people really gives you a grasp for how significant (or NOT) your problems are. You always hear that there is always someone better off and worse off than you--but to have the chance to be with them is a nice change.

Nan and I found a little bakery and had a bagel and cup of tea before I had to start working my way back to the airport. Her girlfriend, Suzie, came into the city for the day and I got to meet her long enough to say hello and goodbye before boarding the bus in Harlem bound for La Guardia. I wish I had thought to take more pictures that day. I made it on the first flight back, watched a couple of episodes of The Real Housewives of Orange County, and was home in time for dinner. I even beat the rush-hour traffic on the way through Atlanta. That is a miracle in itself.

The trip itself was such an amazing experience. I was in awe of how smoothly everything worked out and even how great the city was. I've taken a couple of other short trips to NYC but have never been enamored with being there and definitely couldn't see the draw of why people want to move there. This time was different. I felt alive as I sat on the subway and I made sure to pause and take a deep breath as I passed Broadway and all of the theater lights. OK, that's not true. I paused and threw out some jazz hands that even Michael Peacock would be jealous of. (I hope my house in heaven has a Broadway stage...and a pair of tap shoes.) I could so easily relive the mental fight I had just the day before on whether or not to come so I felt like I was seeing this trip through the eyes of no regret....and I loved it.

I stopped in before leaving Time Square one last time and bought a New York mug from Starbucks.

Seems like a silly souvenir, but it was a monument for me--a way for me to look back and remember what happens when I step outside of myself and my comfort zone to what life is offering all around me. As I've been working my way through the Old Testament, I see God telling the Israelites to build altars after he does something huge....like crossing the Jordan River on dry land. He tells them that they altars will stand as a site of worship and so they will be able to tell their children of the work their God has done on their behalf. That stuck with me as I was heading out of town, and since I do some serious consuming of tea, I knew my eyes would see the mug often and be reminded of the whirlwind 36 hours that gave me fresh perspective on life.