Feb 20, 2012

Fire at 3rd & Washington

One of the many things I decided for this year is that I am going to listen to my gut more. Even if it's a whisper in the morning that maybe I shouldn't take 280 to work. I usually ignore that urge and those are the days there's some sort of disaster that translates into a three hour commute. Last night, when I got back into town from Newark airport, I decided to walk home from the PATH on Washington, which I never do.

When I got to 1st, I saw news vans and wondered what was up. Not too long after I smelled smoke and saw crowds. By the time I got to 3rd, I saw what all the commotion was for—a building on the corner was on fire. There were flames coming out of the left side of the building, but it looked like it was mostly under control, so I assumed it had started long before I had gotten home and the fire fighters were close to putting it out. 

This morning I read that it went on well into the night and eventually engulfed the entire building. I swung by on my way to work to see what the damage was, and to my surprise, there were still fire crews out at 7:30 a.m. Hopefully no one was injured.


Feb 19, 2012

Day Three in Chicago

Sometimes when Gen and I find statues, things like this happen...

 
 
 
 
 
 

Day Two in Chicago

I was told to see two things when I got to Chicago: the bean and Goose Island. When I arrived in Chicago, Gen informed me that Goose Island isn't so much an actual island as it is a brewery, so that handful of minutes I invested wondering if I'd have time to take a boat somewhere was time wasted. I did see several flocks of geese and was tempted to take a picture to text my friend and ask if I had, in fact, found Goose Island. I never made it to the brewery, but I did get to see the bean and made a new statue friend. 

 
 
 
 
 

Day One in Chicago

My first day in Chicago I got to see the lovely and talented Gen Burruss in action. She had a shoot for Mignonette Bridal, owned by Kpoene—not only an awesome wedding dress designer, but an awesome chick all around. I tagged along for the afternoon and took some pics of my own. You're going to want to stay tuned to Gen's blog though, because her images from this day are absolutely breathtaking.

 
 
 
 
 

Subterranean, Chicago, Ill.

I went to Chicago this weekend to visit a friend and go see the Jealous Sound play. While said friend and I stood in Subterranean watching one of the best Jealous Sound shows I've seen yet (yet as in, please don't want another ten years to keep making music so I can see you again soon), this guy stared at us from the top of the stage...

Feb 18, 2012

Newark Airport, 7:30 a.m. — The People On My Flight

I'm sitting at Newark Airport, terminal C, gate 81, playing Scrabble, waiting for my flight to Chicago. There's a man, pot-bellied, maybe in his late 20's, saying, "Awful," under his breath, repeatedly. Well, he's not really saying it, he's almost singing it. He's not talking to anyone about anything, he's not watching T.V., not reading a newspaper or magazine, just repeating, "Awful." 

I have developed a head cold and am a little nauseous from the generic Mucinex I took that morning, so I got up to get some water. I'll never know what was so awful for my fellow traveler. As I am waiting to be rung up, I notice that the store is selling lollipops with real scorpions—HotLix.   I'm a little horrified, a little curious, but mostly tired.  

My seat next to Mr. Awful had been taken while I was filling my backpack with toilet paper (make-shift tissues) and buying water, so I found a new location and started reading the book I brought with me—the book that was suggested to me to study character descriptions, so that I could go back and work on the characters in my book. A woman sat down next to me, Afrin in hand i.e. demonic nasal spray. Have you ever used this stuff? I've never done crack, but I have to assume the addictive powers are similar. My new gate neighbor is either suffering from a cold and is congested, or she's addicted to Afrin, but either way, I'm not sure she was aware that she was wearing an entire bottle of perfume. As someone used to say all the time, "Why have perfume if you can't wear the whole bottle?" Whatever the reason, I had to move. 

I now find myself next to a young woman yelling Spanish into what I can only assume is some sort of automated system. Her Spanish was broken up only by the words, "psychiatric clinic." I guess she got what she needed, because she's hung up her phone and is now testing every single ringer on it. She settled on crickets. 

It was right around this time that I look up and see someone I went to high school with and haven't seen since. We spoke to each other over a couple of rows, before I decided to stop being the loud one in the terminal and got up and sat next to her. She's working in PR now and is on her way to Chicago for some Irish organization's event. I let her know that I love Irish people, because, well, I do. She took down my email and said she'd add me to the local chapters happy hour list. Win. 

But alas, now it's boarding time. This flight I'm in boarding group six instead of last week's eight. I'm moving up in the Continental/United world. Trying to figure out where the line actually is, I asked a tall, curly-haired-almost-dread-locked man if he was on line.  He was. He's also not a fan of the new boarding process. This particular flight is especially lacking logic because they are boarding from the front of the plane. But, whatever. Curly is now telling me that they should be boarding from the back of the plane and window seats first, anything else is absolutely disruptive. But he quickly changed his mind.

"Well," he said, "I guess it makes sense. I saw the woman who starred in Groundhog Day, so it makes sense that they would let her board first. I mean, she wouldn't want all these people coming up to her, asking her for her address. I mean, autograph."

Um, what?

Finally settled in my seat, I figured my people watching time was over. But, no. I'm seated in an aisle seat, which is not my first choice, but I'll take it over middle. The middle seat is occupied by a man who is entirely too tall to be sitting in coach. I felt a little bad for him, all crammed in there like a sardine. As the plane begins to ascend, he begins to sporadically grab at his chest. I considered asking him if he wanted a Xanax, but that's weird. I also considered talking to him, but instead I'm writing it all down. With the lady in front of him trying to recline her seat, I'm pretty sure he's going to lose his shit. He's trying to hold up the seat in front of him frantically, with three fingers on his left hand. He's shaking, he's desperate. Now he's battling the chair with both hands, his right arm, and his legs. Eventually he loses and is now grabbing at his chest again. This must be what I look like to people when the plane hits turbulence. I become like a cat, trying to avoid a bath tub filled with water, clutching the armrests like if I hold them hard enough, I can somehow steady the plane. 

But right now, I am starving and I do not want an $8 snack pack. The rest of the flight is uneventful. We land at O'Hare and taxi for what seems like an eternity. It was definitely over ten minutes. Maybe we landed somewhere else and are driving to Chicago. Crickets sounded a few rows back. 

Welcome to Chicago—O'Hare.

Feb 16, 2012

My Greeting Card Project

I am taking a Greeting Card Marketing and Design class at Parsons. It's not quite what I expected...I pictured a bunch of twisted creative geniuses making cards reminiscent of Bald Guy Greetings (yes I keep referencing them because I freakin' love them) or the cards found on the Oatmeal. But, strangely, a lot of the graphic design students are from other countries—Mexico, Georgia, Spain—and do not write their own copy since English is not their first language. It's also less about pushing the envelope and more about pleasing the masses. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a mass pleaser. BUT I've been making some cards that have been cracking me up. And that's the most important thing, right? To be able to make yourself laugh? Well, I guess that may not make me any money, but I don't care. I love my cards. A lot.

The cover quote is from MTV's the State — Old Fashioned Guy, to be exact. Google it if you're not familiar, it's fantastic.
Cover photography by the lovely and talented Genevieve Burruss.  I prefer this as a horizontal card, but teacher says they are harder to merchandise. Like Yogurt said, "Merchandising, merchandising, merchandising!"
(Don't get that reference? Look it up. Again, hilarious.)
Yep. That's me. Thanks Mom and Dad.

Feb 11, 2012

Florida's Turnpike

I drove the three and a half hour stretch from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando this week on Florida's Turnpike, after forgetting to turn off the toll road option on my GPS. Fifteen dollars and over 200 miles later, I delivered myself into a minor disaster. But that's a story for another day. 

For now, my question to you is, why is Florida so selfish? We have the New Jersey Turnpike, there's the New York State Thruway, the 405, the 805, and a million roads in between. This was the first time I encountered a road named possessively. I'm picturing Florida as a three year old child wrestling a toy away from a friend. "No! It's mine!"

Florida is flat. Florida is needy. I couldn't wait to get out of Florida—as evidenced by me changing my flight...twice.


Feb 9, 2012

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Here's what I've reaffirmed for myself in Ft. Lauderdale...I really suck at using those hotel key cards. I don't know if I swipe too fast, too slow, or too spastic. Swipe...nothing. Swipe again...red light. I look at the room number to make sure I'm at the right room. Swipe...red light. Did I forget what room I'm in? Maybe this isn't really my room. Swipe...nothing. Now I consider going back to the lobby and telling them my key card doesn't work. Maybe it was somehow deactivated at the gym. Or maybe the magnet in my wallet erased all the data on the card. Ok, I'll go back to the lobby, but first, I try one more time. Swipe...ah, sweet green light. And all is well again.


Feb 7, 2012

2012 Rules!

I just wanted to take a moment to say that 2012 has been amazing so far, and it's only February! Like I said to my friends on New Year's Eve—you can't start the year on a tropical island and not have it been an awesome one. So what has 2012 offered me so far?
  • Turks & Caicos kicked off the year—a bonfire and fireworks on the beach...what better way to say Happy New Year?
  • I'm taking a Greeting Card Marketing & Design class, which I have wanted to take for awhile now, and it's at Parsons, so I feel fancy and artsy.
  • This week brings me to Florida for a little work and a little sun.
  • I'm headed to Chicago next weekend to see the lovely and talented Genevieve and a concert (I've always wanted to travel for a concert!) Which leads me to:
  • The Jealous Sound is finally on tour again. Their new album is amazing and I cannot wait to see them twice next week.
  • Reykjavik in early March, where we will (fingers crossed) see the Northern Lights.
  • Seeing Dan Andriano's solo project in late March at the Bowery.
  • The Fray in April—hooray for more live music!
  • Just booked a week in Paris in May.
Je suis une fille heureuse. Time to start brushing up on my french!