It's WHAT day?

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE long weekends. But seriously - how on Earth is it Thursday already?

There's so much that still needs to get done. Yikes!

And I found out recently that I'll be headed back up to Michigan on Friday to help with wedding stuff. My big brother is getting married and it's a bridesmaid's duties to try on pretty dresses in the planning phase.

Okay, so there's more to it than that, but on Saturday, that's essentially what I'll be doing.

But with the short notice and my pre-planned skydiving adventures this weekend it's going to be a busy couple days. Looks like the weather is going to cooperate so if all goes as planned I should be able to head up to Michigan, do some wedding stuff, have sushi with some friends and see their new puppy - we all know that's a priority - and head back down for Sunday morning jumping at Cleveland Parachute.

It'll likely be exhausting, but totally worth it!

What do y'all have planned for this weekend?

Cheers!

-A

p.s. If you're interested in keeping up with my skydiving adventures or just want to know more about the sport and what's going on in that community, come on over to SkydiveChick.com - or follow theskydivechick on Twitter (that's me!) and check it out.

A complete blank

My mind is, at least.

The last couple days I've been thinking hard about the topic of today's post, and to be honest, I got nothin'.

Most of my weekend was spent skydiving - which I'm sure comes as no surprise - and y'all don't wanna hear the details of that, I'm sure.

But on the way in this morning I did think of something that might be of interest.

So as you might be aware I'm slightly obsessed with the Food Network and Bobby Flay. Well while I was in NYC last week a few of my colleagues and I headed out to Mesa Grill - one of Bobby's Manhattan restaurants.

I was surprised to see an item on the menu that was recently showcased in a Throwdown. It was a chile relleno. 

As you can see, the presentation was gorgeous - and the taste was even more sensational. It left me with a spicy taste in my mouth for the rest of the night.

We also indulged on his dessert sampler that consisted of 6-7 featured items on the dessert menu. Needless to say, my standard PinkBerry run was not needed this time around.

If you're ever in the NYC area, check out Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. You won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday...on a Thursday

(The brilliant idea for this title, stolen from my good blogger buddy and real-life friend Narm.)


It's that time again...this time it's the Jamaica edition.

Please note, that most of these images were not taken with a professional-grade camera. In fact, on all of our excursions we took one of those disposable waterproof, hard plastic cameras on a rubber band string doohickeys.

You get the point.

Oh Jamaica...where do I even start?

Let's just say if I never went back to that island I'd be a happy camper. Don't get me wrong, the island was beautiful, and I actually wish we would have had more time to explore the rain forest, maybe even do a zip line tour - which we passed up because upon further inspection it wasn't that adventurous after all - but I'm sure the scenery was gorgeous.

Looking at this, I'd imagine so:

(Some form of steam coming from the forest...)

Anyway, so when you get off the ship at what I understand to be an old sugar mine, you are immediately accosted by locals trying to get you to go into their cab to take you God knows where on this island.

Once we found our group we waiting, and waited - you'll find this to be a theme throughout.

Our excursion was split into two separate events. The first was what they referred to as white water tubing. We were going tubing down a river with exciting rapids, stopping at one point to cliff dive 30 feet into the ocean, or at least, this is what I was sold.

In reality, the river looked more like this throughout.

(White water...huh?)

There was a five year old girl in her own tube, what does that tell you?

When we stopped half-way through, we saw the "cliff," which was a man-made wooden plank about 15 feet above the river water, which at that point was, oh, about 2 and 1/2 feet deep, tops.

It said jump at your own risk. Unfortunately, I didn't capture this on film - I was too appalled.

If it says that in Jamaica, it's translated as "you will most likely die if you attempt this," in American.

Needless to say, we passed on that opportunity.

After tubing we were supposed to get picked up by our driver. So we waited, and waited, in the hot ass sun, slightly frustrated from our overly-hyped river tubing experience, and getting more pissed off by the minute.

And since we were told to leave all our stuff on the van we were all slightly concerned about our belongings, too.

But he showed, eventually, and then we were off to our next adventure. And that it was!

We climbed Dunns River Falls - a 600 foot, never-ending waterfall. The experience was one of my favorites from the trip. There was just enough danger and excitement involved that it kept our blood pumping.

(A small section of the 600 feet we climbed that day!)

Though after, we were led through a tourist trap of Jamaican shops. We were caught by the first tent by a guy who called himself the Termite - real name, Jason Smith....quite Jamaican if I do say so.

We were led back into his lair where the SO purchased a Bob Marley shirt for his roommate, and the Termite proceeded to carve our names into these mahogany figurines. Then he told us some story about stacking them on top of one another when we are "mounting" each other. No joke. This guy was a trip.

Anyhow, after that we really had to get back to the ship so we practically ran through the rest of the shop area, getting touched and yelled at by Jamaicans, telling us we had no respect.

Sorry people, we had no time, either.

The driver picked us up right on time - GASP - and we made it back to the ship in one piece - though starving and exhausted from a long day on the island.

It was a great experience, but next time, I'm choosing Turks and Caicos over another visit to Jamaica, mon!

Cheers!

-A

Birthdays...a thing of the past?

(Commence the celebration of the unbirthday!)

I love birthdays.

It's true. Just like when I was a kid I still look forward to this day as it approaches every year.

Only now I don't bring cupcakes to share with the class - though I bet my co-workers wouldn't mind so much if I did. But no singing please, that I can do without.

I also despise the happy birthday songs they sing to you in restaurants. Sure you get free dessert, but it's so not worth the public attention and humiliation. And usually the songs are way lame. Trust me, I used to work at Chi Chi's, which had the lamest birthday song ever. But the fried ice cream was pretty damn good.

Okay, so not the point.

Blast, I'm way off topic now.

Oh, birthdays, right.

I like birthdays. And not just my own. In fact, I think I might like to celebrate other people's birthdays even more than my own. It's the gift giving that gets me...I love giving people presents.

Now, I didn't say I loved buying them, but it's fun to give someone something they wanted, needed, or just something pretty that they like. It's all about putting a smile on someones face.

What can I say, I'm a giver.

The best part about a birthday is that it's the one time a year where you get to celebrate the individual. One day where it's all about them.

Most other celebrations are about family, friends, religion, a couple. But birthdays are just about you.

But the older I get the more I'm realizing how other people don't really feel the same way I do about this annual event.

If they did, I wouldn't be traveling for work for the third consecutive year on this oh-so-special day.

Three years in a row. Are you freaking kidding me?

Actually, I wasn't all that surprised. When I found out about it, I laughed right out loud - in the middle of a meeting - with no good explanation per usual.

Maybe this is the universe trying to tell me to give up on the birthday. After all, what's so special about them now? We're just getting closer to things not working the way they should, right?

I guess after 21 it doesn't really matter anyhow. The only perk to 25 is the onset of the quarter-life crisis and the nervous breakdown that's bound to ensue.

Oh and my car insurance is going down. But I got that call in March so how much of a birthday surprise is that, really?

Well, the universe can suck it, because now I'm just going to spoil the crap out of my friends and family for their birthdays since I can't even enjoy my own.

Take that, bastard!

-A

Flying lyrics

Photo: Las Vegas Sky Diving

Lately I've been into songs about flying, falling, soaring...you get my drift. Music like this tends to be freeing, with lyrics that migrate toward liberating.

You know the songs I mean: Free Falling, Learning to Fly, Jump, even Major Tom (yes, I know it's about space travel, but it feels the same to me).

It definitely ties back to my new love for skydiving.

Though one might think it's because I've been such a world-traveler lately.

Okay, so not really the world, more like Midwest to Northeast, with the occasional trip to sunnier places.

As you might have guessed, I'm back in New York City this week. I know, right? I barely manage to get unpacked from the vacation and I have to pack up again for another week in the big city.

Don't get me wrong, I love a good trip on the company dime, but five days away from home, five days sleeping in a strange bed, without the SO, eating out constantly, and having little to no routine - it's exhausting.

I'm going to need another vacation after this!

Especially given the amount of hours that I tend to put in while I'm out here. Whew!

So, given those circumstances, you can imagine my need for this Monday cop-out. Though your trip here wasn't for nothing...I leave you with a few more pictures from the Caribbean.

There are still more stories coming - promise.

(One of the other cruise ships anchored in Grand Cayman.)

(On our balcony, still in the Port of Miami.)

(These shoes got to see it all. And they saved our tootsies in the process.)

(A glimpse at the blue waters of Jamaica...more to come on this later.)

Cheers!

-A

Steve Irwin would be proud

Alright, so back to the vacay.

One of my favorite excursions during the trip was on Grand Cayman Island.

Note: if you ever take a trip, try to book excursions with outside vendors rather than with your cruise line. There will be far fewer tourists in your group and it's often significantly cheaper.

And a huge perk of these islands is that you get to participate in at-your-own-risk events, in that there's no waiver, very few safety precautions, and often little to no direction. All of which are huge benefits if you're looking for adventure and definitely not something that would happen in the U.S. Did I mention that we spent an hour signing our lives away - literally - prior to skydiving?



Anywho, the Grand Cayman Wave Runner excursion was definitely an adventure!

After arriving at this gorgeous resort situated on a white sand beach overlooking the Gulf, we paid our money and were introduced to our jet skis.

With a total of three minutes of instruction, including a brief statement that if you've never driven a jet ski before you're kinda screwed, we rode off into the sunset.

Okay, not quite, it was 10 a.m.

But our rather rude "guide" kept the pack moving at a quick pace - though not quite quick enough given that the SO was reprimanded on more than one occasion for getting too far ahead of the others. Though what do you expect when you're moving along at full throttle?

Looking back, they definitely should have broken groups out based on ability level...then we really could have moved!

Regardless, it was a quick 4 mile trip over to the stingray sandbar.

This is where things got really interesting.

Okay, so nothing too out of the ordinary happened, actually, but it was great to hang out with these little....er, big guys.

We got to roam around with them:



Touch them:

(Note the appearance of the SO's hand here...)

And even kiss them!


I have to admit, there was a hint of fear inside me, given that these creatures have some lethal barbs that have been known to puncture the heart, but wading around in their turf, letting them swim by and rub up against you with their cool, smooth skin was pretty amazing.

And having them do this felt pretty good on the ole sunburned back!


If you're ever in Grand Cayman, I highly recommend taking a trip out to the sandbar. And if you can, get with a smaller group and make the trip on jet ski - it definitely made the experience that much more personal. I'll certainly be doing so again, if I have anything to say about it!

Cheers!

-A

Back to reality

Did you miss me?

Okay, don't answer that...but I'm back from a much needed seven day vacation in the Caribbean, and honestly, I'm not ready to be home.

Normally, after a vacation I'm ready to be back to a routine and feel rejuvenated. Not this time. Don't get me wrong, I'm relaxed and feeling more like myself than ever, but I spent the last day of vacay contemplating a strategy to sneak onto a neighboring cruise ship and do it all over again.

And as you've probably guessed, this week will be filled with stories of the people we met and adventures had. Trust me...there was a lot of both.

What a better way to kick it all off than by sharing the best part of the trip first.

It's pretty self-explanatory, really...skydiving in Miami.

We left this for our last day, going out on a high note - no pun intended. And boy was it ever!

The entire experience was perfect. It was a gorgeous 85 degree day. The staff at Skydive Miami was amazing and I had the best tandem instructor ever - Randy. 

For a guy who's jumped over 1,400 times in his career he sure enjoyed our tandem experience, which made me enjoy it that much more. It's inspiring to meet someone who loves what he does so much that he's excited to share it with others. But really, who wouldn't be, if jumping out of an airplane was how you made a living?

On the plane ride up he asked about my job, and once he pulled the 'chute he welcomed me to his office. 

And quite the welcome it was...

I have to say, it was the most thrilling and liberating experience of my life. I've conquered the sky and I can't wait to do it again. The next jump is already on the books for this spring!

So tell me dear readers, what has been one of your most exhilarating experiences?

Cheers!

-A

Checking out

Well dear readers, this is it. The last post before I venture off to the Caribbean for 7 days.

And this is a total cop out because, well, my brain's just not in it today. But I wanted to stop by and let you know that I'll be thinking about you the entire time.

Okay, so really I just wanted to tell you that I won't have any updates until early April. Yeah...too lazy to line up guest posters.

So, I'm off to finish up some work and get some packing done. Hope y'all enjoy the next week.

Cheers!

-A

More of the good stuff

It's Monday again, can you believe it? Where did the weekend go?

Oh, that's right. I spent mine in a car.

Given that Christmas was the last time I visited my parents in Michigan, I forgot how draining these quick trips can be. And this time was even quicker than usual.

Leaving on Saturday morning really puts a dent in the amount of quality time with the fam. But what can I say, yoga was calling my name and knowing that I've gotta be ready for beach wear in less than a week, I really couldn't deny this need.

After arriving home I had just enough time to chat with the 'rents before heading out again to get my hair did. Oh and in case you care I'm a blonde again...whew! I definitely feel more like myself.

And after my appointment I decided to do a little more cruise shopping - I was already in the mall, after all.

Speaking of spending, I really need to get my budget in order after this vacation. Know of any good financial advisers?

Anyhow, lucky for me by the time I got back, a vegetarian pizza from my favorite joint back home - Deluca's - was waiting for me on the table.

Well, there goes the yoga class....but it was definitely well worth it. Yumm...

But the heavy dough put me to bed early. And in an effort not to miss my Spartans beat down on USC yesterday evening, I left Michigan earlier than anticipated. Sorry Mom and Dad. I promise to come back soon!

But in the meantime, I thought it would be fun to make some additions to my list of The Good Stuff that I started earlier this month. Because, let's be honest here, there's lost of good stuff out there.

• Shirts straight out of the dryer. No matter how warm it is outside, donning a freshly dried hoodie always feels amazing. And it smells great too!
• Trips on the company dime. This stems from my recent week spent in NYC. I love visiting that city. But it's expensive. So traveling there for work is always welcome as I get to stay for free. Sure, I spend the majority of the time working, but those little moments of downtime make it all worth it.
• When a Barista learns your order. I love the Starbucks in my building. More than that, I love the fact that two of the Baristas know what I'm going to order. It definitely makes you feel like a valued customer.
• An unexpected March Madness upset. Even when I didn't call it in my bracket, this is great to see. Like Cleveland State beating out Wake on Friday. Or Siena almost beating Louisville. And we all remember George Mason's run to the Final Four 3 years ago. Gotta love a great underdog victory!
• Being a regular. Whether it's a bar, restaurant or even a store, being a regular somewhere has it's perks. You know there's always something you're going to like, you can bring friends and family to share in the experience and it never gets old, and sometimes even discounts are involved...just because they know you.
• Perfect hugs. Let's be honest here, I'm a hugger. Friends, family, even people I've just met. And nothing beats a good hug. You know what I'm talking about. You're with a significant other and you find that spot that's just so comfortable you never want to let go. Yeah...that's what I'm talking about.
• Natural blue. You know the color I mean - when you look up and say to yourself, "wow, the sky is really blue today." Or when you go on vacation and the water is this bright blue - almost turquoise - and yet when you walk in it's crystal clear. There's no color in the world like it.

Can you tell my brain has already checked out on vacation. Sorry y'all. I'm sure it's getting a little old. But there will be plenty of encounter stories when I get back. And of course, a Photography Friday with lots to share.

What'd y'all do this weekend? What are your additions to The Good Stuff?

Cheers!

-A

We'll see about that

Life has been rather random lately. Not that I'm complaining - it keeps me on my toes, which I like.

You know what else I like, lists. This should come as no surprise to most of you. Just check out the number of posts labeled "lists" on this blog, that should tell you something. Or don't. I certainly wouldn't if I were you. It's much easier to take my word for it.


But this is not about my laziness.

I highly recommend, if you're also a lover of listing, that you check out this list of ways to acquire peace and happiness. It made me happy just reading it. This also happens to be from one of my favorite photography blogs, Shutter Sisters. You should definitely check back often for some great photography.

Oh wait, maybe it is about my laziness after all - I'm not even writing my own list.

Okay, okay - I'm sure I can come up with some random stuff.

What I really should be doing is making a list of all the crap that needs to be taken care of before my trip like buying sunscreen and getting cash from the ATM - because, really, who carries cash these days...certainly not me. Though this is hardly the venue for that type of list...y'all don't need to waste your time reading that boring drivel.

But I'm sure there are some things I can complain about in the meantime - to help balance out the peace and happiness stuff, anyhow.

Hmm...let's see.....................

Okay, so we're in the process of moving our office to another building right now and the office is so cluttered, and my personal office is half packed and the disorganization of it all is driving me bonkers.

Not to mention the fact that at home I'm only half unpacked from last week's New York trip and I've already started piling up items to take on the cruise - so my apartment is pretty messy too.

Today started with an early deadline which I took care of from home. It felt like a good start to the day - you know those days when you wake up and you're all like, "yeah, I own today. I'm going to kick today's ass." That thought was derailed the moment this intense, nagging headache set in. I'm not a girl who gets headaches, so this is rough.

Shut up, Thursday. I can hear you laughing. Don't be a bitch. Sure, you're whooping my ass now, but the day's not over. I have Advil and Enya on my side...you haven't won yet, Thursday.

Though it would help if the atmosphere was a little more serene around here. With all the disassembling of office furniture there's a lot more banging, stomping and power tool noise than usual.

Don't even get me started on the abundance of moving men walking past my office. Guess I won't be able to get in my usual 2 p.m. nap, eh? Just kidding, just kidding. Though I did used to work for someone who did this daily. Seriously. But that's a story for another day.

If there wasn't so much work to be done I wouldn't have to concentrate so hard. Not that I should be complaining.These days, lots of work is a good thing. But I am doing everything in my power not to mentally check out before next Friday. It's tough. I'm in desperate need of a vacation. Haven't had a real vacation since college...over three years ago.

Wow, I'm old.

On that note, it's time to excuse myself and show Thursday what I'm made of.

What's on your random list this week?

Cheers!

-A

*Editors Note: see I told you I could use my brain and make a list...random as it may be, it's highly appropriate to my current state.

Spring cleaning

As a follow up to my discussion on a few things I love about spring, I thought it appropriate to broach the subject of spring cleaning.

It's time to face the facts, my life is cluttered.

Now I'm not just talking about my office or my apartment (both of which we can not leave off the list), but it's more about the intricacies of my mental state, rather than the physical world around me.

Believe it or not, there's a lot of deep thought going on upstairs that hasn't been addressed in quite some time.

So the time to clean out the proverbial mental closet is past-due. I definitely consider it a good thing that I'm headed back home for the weekend. The nice 3-4 hour drive gives me plenty of time to sort through everything that needs my attention.

And given that it's the weekend before the big Caribbean cruise - c'mon, you know you're excited for me - it'll do me a world of good to get the thinking out of the way so I can enjoy some fun in the sun.

Yes, I just said that.

Yes, I'm slightly embarrassed.

Yes, I'm sticking to it.

The time away, in and of itself, will definitely help ease the mental strain that comes from the constant interaction with social media and the virtual world around me, too.

In fact, I've even made the decision to turn my phone off for the duration of the 5-day cruise. Yes, willingly.

And, given the friendly threat from the SO, and I quote "if I see that you smuggled your Blackberry onto the cruise it's going into the f*cking Atlantic!" there won't be any work going on for an entire week.

I'm not saying it's going to be easy, in fact, I'm expecting a twinge of social media withdrawal, it's much needed. But of course, I'll miss you all dearly!

And until then, hopefully I can slip in some real spring cleaning with the remainder of my time.

What's on your spring cleaning to-do list?

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday...on Monday?

Welcome to the Monday edition of Photography Friday. Since I suck and wanted to spend some time making out with the SO was too exhausted after my flight back from NYC, I didn't get around to uploading any of my shots from the week.

Given that my free time in the city was rather limited, I'm pretty happy with the selection of photos I walked away with. Between Grand Central Terminal, The Daily News Building, and of course the streets of NYC, I managed a few artistic shots worth noting.

The clock on the timetables booth at the center of Grand Central.

Here's one I actually got around to Photoshopping. Another from Grand Central.

Outside the terminal. I'm obsessed with this clock. And thanks to my Tamron 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Asph. Macro Lens I was able to capture this from the street.

Chrysler Building. Enough said.

A tile around the edge of the World in The Daily News building.

All in all it was a great trip. Though I wouldn't mind going back for a little less work and a little more photo play time.

Cheers!

-A

To-do list

Well, I'm half way through my stint in New York and I've barely put a dent in my to-do list.

It wasn't long, but aside from actual work, there were a few things I needed to accomplished while I was here:

1) Grand Central Photo Shoot - this has partially happened. But one of the best parts of Grand Central Station is the lighting, and honestly, that wasn't quite right yesterday. I'll be heading back tomorrow or Friday I hope.



2) Chelsea Market Visit - the intent was to go this morning after a run, neither of which happened. Maybe I can sneak out for lunch? I'm desperately in need of some Ninth Street Espresso and a tall glass of chocolate milk - the best of which is only found at CM.


3) Local Shopping - this isn't completely necessary, but being in the Big Apple it's just one of those things to do. Plus, I could really use a few things before the upcoming vacation. It's penciled in for after work today, we'll see how well that works in my favor.



4) Hotel Runs and Workouts - this is my being obsessive over not gaining weight before the aforementioned cruise and an attempt to stay somewhat on a normal schedule. And given that I'm staying at a pretty fabulous hotel right next door to Grand Central, they've got a well-stocked gym. Monday was a bust, but last night I made it. Fingers crossed for three more before the week's over.



5) A night out with colleagues - has been scheduled! I'm lucky to have some kick-ass co-workers in our office here that have decided on a night on the town the day before I head home. Looking forward to a great dinner and plenty of wine tomorrow night.



So maybe I'm not doing so bad after all. Though it doesn't seem like I've accomplished much yet, I have a good feeling that I'll walk away satisfied with the trip and content with my NYC fix for the time being.

Cheers!

-A

Daylight suckage

I'm exhausted!

Ugh.

So this week I was sent to New York City for a client immersion of sorts. Feels more like submersion at this point because I'm beat.

Completely and utterly exhausted. And guess what, it's only day one.

I'm sure it has a lot to do with the fact that I didn't go to bed until 1ish this morning and had to peel myself out of bed at 4ish so I could make my butt-crack-of-dawn flight time.

But really I blame it on this daylight savings time garbage.

"Spring ahead" sounds so lovely, doesn't it? WRONG! Wrong on so many levels.

Today, it's been the bane of my existence.

Losing that hour on Saturday night caused me to sleep in later than I would have preferred on Sunday, so come Sunday night I couldn't go to sleep at a decent hour because of the "sleeping in," and having to get up way earlier than usual today has just about thrown me over the edge.

Quite the chain reaction there, eh?

If I wasn't a guest in our NYC office today I certainly would either be, a) on my way home for a nap (which, BTW, it's National Napping Day, so how appropriate), 2) asleep at my desk, or d) a combination of both, landing me somewhere in Lake Erie, or the East River, depending on which city I'm in.

And of course, tonight the team wants to take me out for my first night in the city for some dinner and drinks...regardless of how glazed over my eyes look. Let's just hope I don't end up face first in my margarita.

Cheers!
-A

Photography Friday: The Movies

I know, I know. It's about damn time I got around to actually posting on Photography Friday.

I've been slacking hardcore this winter. What can I say, so what if I'd rather cuddle up in my Snuggie on the couch and veg out with the SO instead of braving the bitter cold Cleveland winters for a few good snow-covered shots. What's wrong with that?

However, a recent trip to Tower City Cinemas for a client filming event provided the perfect opportunity to get a good behind-the-scenes picture of the inner workings of the theater.

There were a number of artistic documentary-type images I was able to capture so I had a lot to choose from. But believe it or not, this was my favorite.

(Diet Dr. Pepper in the fountain machine...brings me back to Texas!)

Without the proper lighting (and because I'm not a big fan of indoor flash) the shutter speed was slowed way down which helped to capture the bright colors of the scene. And personally, I really enjoy the depth of field, here.

Next week I'm off to NYC for work, but hopefully I'll have some time to venture out with the camera so I have more photos to share next week, too.

Cheers!

-A

Schedule FAIL

Yeah...so I intended to get my ass in gear this week and start operating on some form of a schedule, and that definitely hasn't happened.

Gah! Somehow I always manage to get derailed in my plans.

Maybe little Otis will help me with this. After all, he's not going to stand for my sleeping in when he's awake, hungry and wants to go out.

Note to self: quit referring to my dog as "little Otis." He acts big, and certainly thinks he's big, I don't want him to end up with some kind of complex just because mom's trying to be cute.

Referring to myself as mom sounds weird. I officially succeeded in creeping myself out.

.....

Ugh, last weekend I downloaded that new All-American Rejects song Gives You Hell, honestly because the SO heard it on the radio and liked it, and then for some unknown reason I put it on my iPod, and it seems to come up an awful lot on shuffle mode. It's one of those GD songs that drills into your brain and gets stuck for days. It's playing right now.

.....

Okay, so I just did a quick Google search on sticking to a schedule and came up disappointingly empty handed. Was really hoping to share something of value with y'all.

Speaking of y'all - the word, not as in you people. Sorry that was rude, I didn't mean you people, I meant my lovely readers - damn, I can't get to my point. The other day my southern accent came back, just for a brief period, it sounded so beautiful. Try as I might, I can't seem to scrounge that up to save my life now...I'd like to spread the love a little.

Wait, that wasn't my point at all. Oh hell!

I can't even stick to a post topic - within one post mind you - how on Earth do I expect to stick to a schedule. Looks like I might be f-ed.

Kinda like this post. Ha!

But, on a bright note, I'm in a fantastic mood today. In less than one month I'll be on a cruise sailing around the Caribbean. Okay, yeah, so you don't technically 'sail' on a cruise ship. Shut up, you get the point.

And tomorrow, I bring home my puppy! Which of course, y'all are just as excited about as I am, right? Cuz then I won't be all "I'm bringing home Otis in 2 days." Well joke's on you - now all you'll get is vlogs and pictures incessantly. But given that he's the cutest puppy in the world I'm sure you won't mind, right? RIGHT?!

Okay, this seems like a good place to end. I know, thank GOD right? Whew, this exhausted me too.

Cheers!

-A

Manhattan is mine!

Okay, so not really, but for the next couple days I'm going to pretend as such.

Today is being spent in the NYC office of my company - and it's exciting. With all the time I spent here last year, I didn't even step foot into the office.

It's quieter than I imagined.

Regardless, I'm excited to be here. It's a beautiful sunny day outside, cold, but still beautiful. The lack of sunshine back home makes me appreciate every bit of it.

Flying in, my side of the plane had the best view of the skyline and it made me melt. I never imagined myself much of a big city girl, but honestly, it just feels so right.

Though I have to say, if I ever had to drive anywhere here I'd be screwed. For someone who prides herself on being a good driver, I'm terrified of this place. What can I say, cab drivers scare the bajeezus out of me.

Long cab rides are another downfall of the city. Granted, natives most likely travel by foot or subway most days, but having to ride from LaGuardia into Midtown in rush our makes anyone with a weak stomach a little on edge. I want to vomit just thinking about it.

But enough with the negativity....

It's time to enjoy my stay here and get something accomplished. Let's just hope I can find time to make a quick stop at Chelsea Market for one of those amazing milk shakes.

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday: Philadelphia

Welcome to Photography Friday, the Philadelphia edition. Again, we're going back in time here as these sub-zero temps have made it nearly impossible to head out for some decent shots.

You may recall this summer (assuming I still have any readers from back then) when I traveled to Philadelphia on business - you know, the trip where I met Tony Danza...yeah, that one.

I was fortunate enough to head out on the town upon my arrival to check out the scenery. And even with my point-and-shoot I captured some great shots.

The Comcast building caught my eye, not just because it's the tallest building downtown, but just check out how reflective it is.


During a night on the town after a full day of work, a friend and I trekked across the city to the Rocky steps and back. I found this crosswalk to be interesting.

(And honestly, got lucky with the creative blur)

Hope y'all had a great week - stay warm this weekend.

Cheers!

-A

Photography Friday: Hiking

Welcome to Photography Friday - the hiking edition.

These are actually from a little over a year ago, when the BFF and I went hiking on Grand Island out in Lake Superior.

Due to my recent crazy schedule, leaving me little time to head out to snap some nice winter shots, you get to relive this experience with me. Yay!

Aside from the bear encounters, torrential rains, and supposed tornado on the island during our first night (which we didn't find out until the countless voicemails from our concerned friends and family, post-trip), it was a fantastic trip with phenomenal weather - and I managed to get some great shots, too.

You'd never know, by looking at these images, that it was late September in northern Michigan.

(From the campsite the first night. Just before the storm hit.)

(A look at the beach from high atop a cliff.)

(As you can see, the lake rose pretty high in the storms the night before.)

(Check out how blue the water is...hard to believe that's Lake Superior.)

(A day spent hiking the cliffs and relaxing on the beach, what more could a girl ask for?)

Necessary update

Hey Blogosphere,

Remember me?

Yeah, I know, I suck. I said I'd still be around then I dropped offline for a week. Yikes!

The holidays have this way of sucking me in and pulling me away from the normal routine. And I must say, it's been difficult to get back into the swing of things. Next week, after a break for the New Year's holiday and a big move to a new apartment, I'm sure it'll be just as difficult.

So here's the update on what's been keeping my time so occupied this last week.

-Two family Christmas parties. Light load, I lucked out this year!

-Completing Eclipse and starting into Breaking Dawn. Yep, still addicted.

-Getting to see Joe after his (extremely too long) absence while stationed in Iraq.

-Attending the MSU vs. Oakland basketball game at the Palace with my old college crew.

-Getting to see one of my favorites, Chris, who came in to visit from LA! You still reading, Chris?

-Planned a trip out to LA to visit the rest of the crew this summer.

-Played many a game of Mad Gab.

-Officially picked a dog breeder and mailed in my deposit.

-Met up with one of my bestests for coffee and to meet the SO.

-Discussed the art update with the BFF who's decided to use my photos as a staple throughout his house!

-A 5 hour drive to visit the 'rents, a 4 hour drive back to OH for one night, a 3 hour drive back up to the D and another 3 hour drive back the next day...whew!

On top of all that, I'm attempting to fight off the plague that seems to be circulating through the SOs family...fingers crossed.

One more day until New Year's festivities begin - anyone have any fun plans this year?

What did you do to celebrate the holidays?

Cheers!

-A