this week's simple moments

1.  seeing a can of campbell's condensed soup on the subway tracks
2.  blossoming trees along park avenue
3.  seeing men in suits playing ping pong in bryant park during lunch time walk
4.  downloading tkts app after enjoying its fruits on saturday with clare
5.  cleaning four days worth of dirty dishes in about 20 minutes

self portrait

i call this self portrait bored at the reception desk

trippin' down memory lane

next friday i'll be on a plane headed for san francisco.  haven't been to that city by the bay in about 10 years.  really looking forward to returning as a tourist ready to soak in the atmosphere, smell of seafood, tour alcatraz at night, expense of riding the cable cars and cheating on my childhood oakland a's by attending a giants game.

one day we are heading through the caldecott tunnel to walnut creek - my home as a child and adolescent.  haven't been to that turf in a very long time.  yesterday i google mapped our route from the city back to walnut creek.  as i was looking at the roads to take suddenly memories started flooding back.  flex and moochie were born at john muir medical center.  big lug and i would ride our bikes to enjoy a togo's sandwich then stop and rent a VHS tape from local video store.  viewed multiple fireworks displays from the top of the large hill by our house.  riding my bike up snyder lane to hang with the contractors building our house.  piano lessons with my mean teacher.  listening to barry manilow on my portable tape player while watching cars drive down ygnacio valley road.  birthday slumber party for my friend susan where we were taken to breakfast while wearing our pajamas.  doing a dance routine as a merrie miss for church talent show to donny osmond's "soldier of love".  being mad at oakland a's fans for cheering texas ranger's nolan ryan as he threw a no-hitter.  hosting a boy/girl party for valentine's that resulted in slow dancing with my 7th grade crush mike requa.  annoyed that big lug always got to take moochie out of church sacrament meeting instead of me.  riding the bart train to dad's office in embarcadero square and his secretary mary letting us get drinks from the office soda fountain machine.  dancing around rose courtyard to paula abdul's "forever your girl".  winning the free throw contest as a 5th grader - beating all girls AND boys.  coming home each day after school to watch days of our lives with joani.  suffering some of the worst allergies ever.  seeing les miserables for the first time.  (just to name a few memories...)

i think it will be an emotional experience to go back to a place that was such a part of my young life.  hoping i can hold it together as i trip down memory lane in about a week and a half.

personal realization #2

yesterday i realized that i spend money when in a foul mood or frustrated about something.  i remember when big lug left on his mission that i spent $300 in a day...as a high school student.  that was the first time i remember where shelling out the benjamins stemmed my pain and emotional anguish. 

right now i'm knee deep in frustration with my inability to get an iPad 2.  came back from attempt #9 to troll craigslist for my iPad.  called the premier silver reward program with best buy to try to work my magic on getting the inside info on how to get an iPad.  called apple stores in manhattan who told me that people are still lining up at least 5 hours before the store opens.  all of this info just made me more annoyed that i can't have something i want. 

my way to cope with the aggrevation was to spend some money pronto.  so i looked up expensive restaurants for my vacation to san francisco.  priced flights to london to enjoy jimmy eat world's performance in june as well as their show in SLC in may.  almost reserved a zipcar to drive to the outlet mall in harriman on saturday.  checked to see if the broadway shows i want to see were on TKTS - they were. 

thankfully i was able to control the beast and only spent $30 on groceries yesterday.

need to be very aware when i'm annoyed, sad, frustrated or emotional to keep the debit cards, credit cards and cash buried in my very stylish coach purse.  otherwise dreadful things could happen like ordering product from an infomercial.  oh the horror.

a weekend in april with clare

the standard four weeks had passed between weekends where either clare comes to new york or i go to connecticut.  this past weekend it was clare's turn to brave the crowds on the metro north train from westport to my humble little one bedroom on the upper east side.

soon after her arrival on saturday morning we took off to times square to purchase the important 7 day park hopper walt disney world pass she will need for her upcoming family trip to the happiest place on the east coast of america.  the disney store must be one of the happiest places in times square.  probably tied with mcdonald's.

one of the things on our weekend to do list was see a show.  we weren't sure which show.  but knew we wanted to enjoy a show.  soon found our way to the line at TKTS.  we chatted with a friendly couple from denver who were enjoying the city after 30 years.  after the discounted shows were illuminated on the info board clare and i decided to see "catch me if you can."  hadn't really heard anything about the show but knew the leads were fantastic singers and more importantly very good looking.  i have my priorities.  picked up the tickets and headed for dinner.

our friend MC met us at famous dave's for a ton of BBQ food and chit chat.  when i say a ton of food i'm really not embellishing all that much.

the show was great.  the dancing was energetic.  the singers were fabulous except at parts when the orchestra drowned them out.  set design was minimalistic and classic.  costumes were 1960s & 70s classic especially when the male lead was shirtless.  all in all it was a fun show and didn't drag on like the movie did.  thank goodness.

once we arrived at home i decided to take an allergy night pill because of all the crazy wind kicking up bloomage.  my allergies weren't happy.  went to sleep by midnight with my black out curtain drawn across my windows. i slept for 11 hours.  seriously slept through the night with no random waking up for 11 hours.  i don't know that i've ever done that before.  it was fantastic!

sunday morning MC came over and ended up making clare and i breakfast.  it was so good!  we hung out for a bit and then headed out.  clare and i ventured to the american museum of natural history.  a place i had never been but always wanted to go.  it was so much fun!  we went close to closing so the kiddies were gone and enjoyed a relatively crowd free dinosaur wing.  this is also the point where i took my camera out for some snap shots.

jumping for joy at being back in the desert

                                                                    clare in the beauty of a new england autumn

wouldn't want this guy charging towards me

after our time with the natural history we went to shake shack on the west side for some din din and then walked our way across the park with a stop at the belvedere castle.  it was a gorgeous early spring sunday evening. 

found this field of wild daffodils

once we got home it was all about lounging on my most awesome couch and watching episodes of friday night lights.  we watched 3 episodes but had the will power and determination to stop once the clock struck 10:30pm with 2 episodes left because we wanted to get some sleep for work the next day.

such a great weekend to be out and about in the city and end with a three episode marathon of friday night lights after wandering through central park.  now only four short weeks until i head to connecticut to enjoy a facial, tanning, possible trip to the aquarium, eating at chain restaurants, hair trimmed, etc.

this week's simple moments

1.  scottish pride parade up 6th avenue on saturday meant a lot of men wearing kilts and playing bagpipes
2.  attended opening night of "Catch Me if You Can" on broadway with hugh jackman in the audience
3.  when entering a BBQ restaurant need to realize that it's a marathon not a sprint
4.  saw a man wearing a full tuxedo and carrying a steam iron at 8:30am...hmmm
5.  black out bedroom curtains create a cavelike environment allowing me to sleep for 11 hours  

excited by the small things

my youtube posted video of jimmy eat world performing "movielike" from a concert i went to last october has been viewed by over 500 people.  all about getting excited by the small things in life.

add your view to the rapidly growing number of people who have enjoyed this performance.

gilmore girls short hiatus = friday night lights

been going strong with my gilmore girls viewing challenge to complete all seven seasons.  have really enjoyed my time in stars hollow thus far.  began season 3 this morning.  however...decided to forego stars hollow for the next little while for a very important purpose.  Friday Night Lights!

the final season of Friday Night Lights came out on DVD today.  because i haven't been able to view on TV due to a lack of owning Direct TV i have been impatiently waiting to view the end of this absolutely fantastic series via DVD.  my daily trip to Best Buy didn't produce an iPad today but wasn't a total waste because i walked out with a purchased fifth season of friday night lights on DVD.  hooray!

hands off matt saracen, he's totally mine!

a little promo for season five below...

iPad 2 quest

its been three weeks since the peeps have lined up and attempted to purchase an iPad 2.  i have not been standing in any lines or stalking the UPS delivery trucks to best buy.  but i do want one.  i've saved my pennies and am now ready to purchase.  only problem is that within the last 3 weeks there hasn't been a stockpile of inventory at the best buy stores in my hood.

(let me back up and just mention that i choose to purchase at best buy because i am part of their reward program and want to use gift certificates and obtain points.) 

now i'm determined to obtain my 64 gig wi-fi only black iPad 2 prior to departure for my san francisco vacation.  leaving for the west coast in a little less than three weeks.  that's an almost 6 hour flight where personal entertainment is imperative.  so the quest is on...

boss man has agreed to allow me to run away from my desk each morning to walk briskly to the best buy store located 4 blocks away on fifth avenue.  thanks boss man for understanding the importance of this want to join the millions of other who look cool.  friday was the first trip of the quest.  the entire attempt #1 lasted about 15 minutes from desk to desk.  no iPads that day.

really hoping that this quest to obtain something i want will have better results than my ongoing Wicked ticket lottery disagreement.  wish me luck!

the month of april

i love april!  it is probably my favorite month of the year.  just saying "april" makes me smile and encourages cheerfulness.  here are some reasons why i love me some april:

• winter is over. 
• the flowers and leaves will be in full bloom by the end of its 30 days. 
• the easter celebration means reese's peanut butter eggs, cadbury mini eggs and of course the Easter celebration itself. 
• one of my 9 annual holidays takes place on april 22nd which means i will be getting paid to vacation in san francisco this year. 
• spring cleaning!
• general conference weekend = spiritual rejuvination and a sunday off from primary
• fruits like berries and melons start to come into season
• three pay periods in april
• flip flops!
• generally walk home from work for the first time in april.
• eating outside for lunch break.
• daylight shines for both my commute to and from work.
• no more wearing tights under skirts
• WINTER IS OVER!

why do you enjoy the month of april?  what do you look forward to the most when the calendar moves to the fourth month of the year?

this week's simple moments

1.  felt no guilt when i cut off a man to reach the cab line outside JFK first - it was really cold outside
2.  enjoy the fewer people on my subway and bus commute due to spring break
3.  haven't seen a full day of only sunshine in about a week
4.  arriving in time to actually partake of the food at the relief society birthday party
5.  helping a friend's daughter show flat stanley a good time in NYC and reminding me why i love this city

honorable mention:  doing my across the floor combinations in dance class correctly

my time in the UT

went to utah last weekend.  started a bit rocky when i saw the line for security at terminal 3 of jfk airport.  thankfully used the sky priority line and got through just fine.  was also able to see most of the byu v. florida sweet sixteen matchup. would have been a better outcome if the cougars had pulled out the win.  oh well.  i got to share in the excitement of the three annoying spring breakers behind me who were loudly proclaiming their allegiance and adoration for kemba walker and the uconn huskies team.  if only i was allowed to pick the people that sat around me on an airplane.  alas...

friday i got to meet my newest nephew named mckay warren.  he is the cutest thing with gorgeous hair.  i mean a full head of hair.  poor little guy wasn't feeling great so he mostly slept which meant i took his older brothers blake and jaxon to pick out a toy at target and grab some grub at the local mickey d's.  our little journey in the minivan also taught me that bribery is a time tested method for getting children to do what you want.  i got an obedient blake and he scored a plastic cougar toy.  that's what i call a win win.

friday evening i had purchased tickets to the byu men's volleyball match versus hawaii.  myself, joani, coyote and the nephews attended the match at the smith fieldhouse on byu's campus.  the crowd looked really young to my almost 10 years since i graduated from byu eyes.  we had a good time and the boys loved to watch the players hit the ball really hard.  jaxon even got some high five action from cosmo when we spent a bit of time outside running the track together.  the cougs finished off the hawaii warriors in a tense and fun 5 set match. 



i just felt bad that sunshine couldn't join us due to mckay's illness.  luckily joani has found the volleyball love and she and sunshine will cheer the cougs to victory this thursday.

saturday was all about my friends runner and g-man's wedding at the salt lake temple.  it was so great to be there for the special moment of starting their forever family.  the bride and groom met in nyc, dated in nyc, got engaged in nyc and opted to marry in slc.  their celebration was extra special because i was able to reconnect with friends who left nyc and live in utah.  didn't want the party to end.  runner looked absolutely beautiful and glowed with happiness.  i've seen many a bride in my time but never one as calm and confident as runner was that day.  very grateful to be their friend and hope for many more tennis matches with the newly wedded in nyc to come.

sunday we celebrated grandpappy's 83rd birthday with the always enjoyable pork roast and potato casserole feast.  grandpappy was sung to, opened presents and told us how much he loved us.  couldn't ask for a better celebration.  able to spend a little time with my byu attending cousins from north carolina as well as gooch's parentals, sibs and niece.  sometimes i forget that my cousins have grown up and aged like i have.  seem to still think of them as pre-teens.  did learn that the NC cousins had a bit of a bad track record while driving in high school.  the things you learn.  also have checked off all but two places every child should see from list flex shared with us all.  still missing some national park in idaho and alcatraz.  aunt K-T nailed all ten places.  well done!

went downstairs after the festivities and that is when i was introduced to a show on lifetime called "coming home".  should always be leery of any show on lifetime network.  this one is about service men and women and the way they surprise family members when coming home from duty.  it was joyful, emotional and gave me an overwhelming sense of who the men and women are of our armed services.  am so grateful for their sacrifice and that of their famiy.  and of course i cried like a baby.



flew home on monday. 

these trips to the UT always make me happy because i get to be with my family and enjoy a little bit of surburbia.  thankfully only 3 short months until the next sojourn to happy valley. 

and this time joani didn't forget to pick me up from the airport.  progress.

what i've learned recently

going to try to do a new series on my little blog where i share things i've recently learned or observed about myself.  last night is a perfect example...

i always make a "to do" list before heading out of town for any length of time.  a standard "to do" on that list is to clean my apartment.  joani would always leave our home spotless prior to any family departure and i have kept the tradition alive.  so last night's "to do"s were laundry, dust & vacuum the living room, clean the bathroom, make dinner that can be used for left over lunches, burn CDs for joani's classes and one for me while i drive the wilds of utah roads. 

here's the part where i realized something about myself.  i'm a creature of habit which means lounging must occur for at least an hour after getting home from work.  all of my "to do"s lasted from about 6:15pm to around 10:15pm last night.  you would think that i would prep for sleeping at their completion since it was about the time i like to hit the hay.  but instead of doing that very practical thing i chose to lounge on my couch and watch hawaii five-o and then bethenney ever after (my new guilty pleasure - shhhh).  i chilled on the couch for over an hour watching shows that are still parked on my dvr.  why??  this meant i didn't actually turn off the lamp next to my bed until 12:30am because of course i had to read for a half hour.  that's just ridiculous! 

now i'm tired and a bit grouchy from only 6 hours of sleep last night.  hmmm.  need to seriously work on the newly discovered lounging requirement after my "work" for the day is done.  or at least move the lounging to my bed so that i can get to sleep at a decent hour and not worry about bethenney's religious hang ups.

jimmer fever from 30,000 feet

thank goodness there is nothing currently worth watching on television right now because all of my focus the past weekend has been ncaa men's basketball.  been glued to the BYU men's basketball team and watching their success.  it has been fantastic to see jimmer play as well as all of the BYU players.  well done boys.  well done for moving the farthest a BYU team has ever gone in the tournament since it expanded.

after the win on saturday over gonzaga i was concerned about the broadcast timing of their sweet 16 matchup against florida.  the reason why is that i'm heading to utah this weekend to meet my newest nephew and attend the wedding of some good friends.  i fly out thursday night which is when the cougars are scheduled to play the gators. 

this morning i quickly located the time and broadcast network for the sweet 16 games.  my cougars are playing at 7:27 EDT on TBS.  quickly pulled up the delta website to determine if TBS is one of the satelite television networks available and learned that IT IS!  woot woot!  my guess is there would have been quite a few anxious individuals on my flight wanting to know the outcome of the game immediately upon landing or paying the ridiculous fee to obtain wi-fi access to watch on their phones or iPads whilst flying the friendly skies.  thankfully, i can view the game in its glory from 30,000 feet while enjoying a nice tall glass of water.

some of the awesome highlights by jimmer & co. versus gonzaga on saturday night:



just might start calling my oldest nephew "jimmer" instead of jimmy...

pathways #9

it's raining, it's pouring...

from top of Eiffel Tower

click on picture for larger view

this week's simple moments

1.  getting an iPad 2 in manhattan is virutally impossible
2.  still detest st. patrick's day revelry in new york city because the air smells like alcohol
3.  saw first sprung daffodils in central park
4.  shocked by knock on my door by exterminator at 9:05am on a saturday when he had from 9am - 12pm to stop by and spray
5.  allergies attack

personal progress update

an update on all things i'm trying to achieve, avoid or change in my life:

• still haven't won the Wicked lottery after about 35+ attempts
• only caffeine consumption since january 1st was on valentine's day
• facebook remains in exile until conclusion of lent
• attended my jazz funk dance class on thursday nights 6 out of 7 times (continue to work on double pirouettes without getting dizzy)
• first book club meeting last night provided plethora of reading options for the next few months
• successfully avoided ticket purchase to london to see jimmy eat world in concert
• habitually arrive on time to work in the morning
• have not added any new television shows to current DVR record settings
• reading harry potter 4 on my iPhone during commute

i think i'm doing pretty well all things considered.  always open to suggestions on things or ways to make my life fuller and more meaningful.  just no justin bieber related suggestions please.

don't tease me mr. weatherman

my weatherman chris cimino told me that this friday the temperature in new york city is going to approach 70 degrees.  holy moly!  haven't seen the number seven with another number behind it in a very long time.  hoping this trend continues but kinda figuring that mr. cimino is giving me a small taste of what is in store in another month and a half.  patience is not one of my many virtues.

in celebration of this news i woke up in the middle of the night suffering from itchy throat and sneezed about 6 times in a row upon arrival.  and hello to you seasonal allergies.

this week's simple moments

1.  went to the gym multiple times this week
2.  achieved an almost perfect score on "beat it" from the michael jackson experience for the wii
3.  felt no pity for people waiting in line in the rain at the 5th ave apple store for the iPad 2.0 release today
4.  gchated with doc while she was in costa rica
5.  booked condo for charleston, sc vacation in june and hotel in union square for san francisco in april

honorable mention:  watched 6 1/2 episodes of gilmore girls season 1 in 5 days which means i'm already ahead of schedule

jimmy eat world in london

already explained why a trip across the pond was ruled out for 2011.  that decision was made before i found out that my favorite band jimmy eat world is performing in london in late june.  at their show they will be playing their most awesomest record ever "bleed american" or the renamed "jimmy eat world" in its entirety! 

all of the songs off "bleed american" are my absolute favorites.  i could listen to that entire album on repeat for hours.  hence why i'm contemplating using some hard earned frequent flier miles to enjoy the sounds of my favorite band. 

it doesn't hurt to hear the male concert attendees sing along with british accents.  that's what i call an added bonus.

earthquake memories

the awful destruction and loss of life in japan is so sad.  it is always a bit shocking how one minute the earth is still and the next it is shaking and rolling, causing damage and despair.  this morning's news took me right back to the worst earthquake i experienced living as a child and adolescent in walnut creek, california.

it was october 1989.  my joani, baby sister moocher and i drove to my aunt and uncle's apartment after school to visit because my grandma was in town to support my aunt before she had her 2nd baby.  we were hanging out in the living room.  i remember that i was standing with baby moocher while the adults were sitting on the couches.  suddenly the earth started moving.  it was almost like a rolling sensation.  my pre-teen self thought it was "awesome".  my grandma was nervous and worried.  my aunt and joani seemed unfazed.  we left soon afterwards to get home which was a 20 minute drive or so.

we pulled up to the house and the gardeners were clustered around a little radio listening to the earthquake report.  it was a 6.9 magnitude on the richter scale and a portion of the bay bridge collapsed.  it was amazing to me that i could go from "riding the earthquake wave" to understanding how this 15 seconds had caused massive damage and lives were lost.  suddenly it was a somber event.

the other piece was that my father worked in san francisco's embarcadero center and was virtually stuck in the city because the BART trains weren't running.  he would have to push his way onto a ferry to cross the bay and then look for a bus to try to get him towards our home.  it took quite a long time for him to get home that evening.

i've been in other earthquakes...even one at school when i was a seventh grader, but this october 1989 quake will forever stand out in my mind.  i saw a showing of community solidarity and outpouring of love by strangers to help each other.  if only natural disasters didn't have to happen to motivate people to care about each other.

i pray that those families affected by this quake in japan will find solace wherever they can but more importantly, love and support each other.

46 days without facebook

one great thing about living in new york is that it has educated me on other religions and their holy days.  i especially like the catholic celebrations of the easter season.  they observe lent which is to give up something to show gratitude and humility.  i've tried to incorporate this thought of sacrificing for the 46 days between ash wednesday and easter sunday.  this year i'm saying bye bye bye to facebook.  it seems that i rarely use facebook so i'm hoping it won't be too hard of a stretch.

what are you giving up for lent this year?

spelling and grammar epidemic corrections

found a helpful guide at the oatmeal for teaching how to use proper spelling of words that can confuse peeps.

you can purchase a poster of these helpful hints for your home, office, school classroom or car here.

honor code commentary

i've come across some interesting commentary by some non-sports peeps about the honor code violation and enforcement of brandon davies.  in so many ways i'm shocked by the positivity coming from the american media towards my alma mater.  generally i feel like they want any excuse to laugh at us.  seems to show that society is ready to applaud a person or entity who actually understands and lives the definition of integrity as well as choice and accountability.

The Times article

The Washington Post blog post by LDS public affairs chief Michael Otterson

New York Daily News editorial

bring on the gilmore girls

as previously explained, i watch television episodes on my computer in the morning as i get ready.  i used to watch tv but that became to distracting.  series television on dvds is the perfect combo of entertainment, no commercials and i've already seen it so don't have to pay as close attention as necessary for tv watching.

over the last almost two years i've enjoyed the following: alias (5 seasons), grey's anatomy (2 seasons), felicity (4 seasons), dawson's creek (1 season), brothers & sisters (3 seasons), studio 60 on the sunset strip (1 season), friday night lights (3 seasons) and the big bang theory (3 seasons).  today i started on a journey that includes seven seasons, 154 episodes, 6,622 minutes or 397,320 seconds of gilmore girls.  if i watch one episode a day for the 5 business days a week then it will take me over 7 1/2 months to complete the entire show; meaning i'll be watching gilmore girls from today, march 7th until approximately the first week of october.  this is if i don't watch any episodes in the evening or on the weekends.

i'm diving head first into the world created by amy sherman-palladino of lorelai & rory gilmore, residents of stars hollow, connecticut.  maybe when i'm done i'll get a t-shirt made that states my great accomplishment.

pathways #8

i haven't shared something from my "pathways" series in more than a year.  figured it was past time to be reminded why i enjoy taking pictures of this amazing city.  just need it to be warmer so it isn't so difficult to be outside for hours.

brooklyn bridge

click on picture for larger view

there's just something about sunday

i kinda don't like sundays.  let me clarify - i enjoy attending church and spending time learning the gospel with the primary kids.  the reason i don't like sunday is it often allows for way too much weekly personal reflection and evaluation.

i need a sunday afternnon/evening hobby.  there is just too much solo time after waking from my necessary three hour nap.  it might be time to actively make a plan to accomplish something every sunday.  you know what they say about idle hands.

this week's "hobby" was to bake some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies while watching the les miserables 25th anniversary concert.  the only problem with this chosen activity is that self reflection doesn't go away while baking cookies & eating cookie dough.  instead it highlights the negative and encourages eating empty calories.

this week's simple moments

1.  my local 24 hour CVS store employs the most kind hearted graveyard shift workers
2.  bathroom toilet has a powerful flush
3.  friends to bring soda crackers and sprite while suffering from stomach flu are worth their weight in gold
4.  television programming in march is full of re-runs and made for TV movies
5.  best intentions to go to bed before 10pm failed on more than 3 occassions this week

BYU honor code violator

first things first...joani close your eyes and don't read this post if you don't want to read about your eldest daughter's rebellious ways as a BYU college student...

i attended BYU for my higher education.  it was a choice made with a clear understanding of how i would live my life for the next four years.  ok, in all honesty it took me five years to finish my degree.  but that's beside the point.  every year i was required to be ecclesiastically endorsed.  my bishop and i had to sign a letter that i was living all aspects of the honor code.  the honor code was clearly defined.  thankfully for me i grew up in a home that required honor code living.  it wasn't a stretch to be honest, chaste, abstain from alcohol, dress modestly, attend my church meetings, etc.  that was until halloween of 1998.

my roommate, who shall remain nameless, and i went over to our friend tyler's apartment prior to attending a party.  while we were there he was lamenting that he didn't know what costume to choose for this very pivotal halloween party.  since he had numerous options, roomie and i decided to give him our opinion.  we entered his room to review the choices in his closet.

let me back up for a moment - there were about 5 other guys in his apartment at the same time as our quest to help tyler find that most awesome halloween costume.  ok, back to my rebellious ways...

we finally found something that we knew would be great so we left tyler's room and went to eat some crackers and chips and salsa with the dudes while tyler changed.  and then off to the party we went.

about a week later i received a letter in the mail from the honor code office.  i was scheduled to meet with an honor code advisor to discuss my possible infraction.  i was absolutely dumbfounded.  i had NO idea what i had done to warrant a possible honor code infraction.

the day of my meeting i put on my sunday best and went to the honor code office.  when i met with my advisor i learned that one of tyler's roommates had contacted the honor code office about the fact that i had entered his bedroom.  my very first inclination was to think..."are you kidding me!  i was in the room with two other people, the door was wide open, numerous people were walking down the hallway and it was halloween!  how could that possibly be a problem when i have been an exemplary honor code student?"  thankfully i didn't say any of these things.  instead i listened to my advisor when he asked me if it was true.  it was.  i admitted to being in tyler's bedroom.  that's when the advisor smiled.  not the "i've got another one to send out into the cold with a large HC Violator on her forehead."  instead it was the smile of one who wanted to listen to me and motivate a renewed vigilance in keeping all aspects of the honor code.  our little chat probably lasted half an hour.  i walked out of the honor code office not feeling beaten down, indignant, enraged or disgusted.  instead i left with a renewed determination to walk the line perfectly.  i wanted to live up to the trust and faith brigham young university had put in me.

i've been following the byu men's basketball team this season.  it's been fun to watch their success and the amazing talent they share as a team.  the decision to suspend brandon davies from the team saddened me.  but i have gained a new found respect for some sports commentators who have not mocked the standards that BYU requires all students to uphold.  they have been complimentary to my alma mater based on its decision to care more about their integrity than a possible road to the final four.  as many sports dudes have said, very few schools would do the same thing at the same point for their team's possible ultimate success.

i echo their statements.  well done BYU!  and i know from my experience that those in the honor code office are ONLY there to help students who might have faltered.  it isn't a place for judgments or defeating the goals and aspirations of a student.  instead they are there to motivate and teach what is most important in this mortal existence.  again, well done BYU!  i wish brandon davies a great advisor to help him return to full status on the court but most importantly on his personal road to achieving the ultimate reward.

now about that time i was cited at the library for drinking an open can of soda (non caffeinated of course)...

spelling and grammar epidemic

i think there is an absolute epidemic of people who don't know how to spell or use correct grammar.  under my personal pet peeves, i must admit that bad spelling and grammar is close to the top.  i think it shows a definite lack of care and pride in your work.  it could also be the perfectionist in me.  there is no excuse for not learning how to properly spell a word and to use it correctly in a structured sentence.  my writing is by no means perfect but i know how to spell. 

epidemic case in point...all of the media attention on charlie sheen's antics produced the below screen grab from an interview on "good morning america."  there is a glaring spelling mistake.  take a look and let me know if you can figure out what the good folks at morning television obviously didn't learn in their more than likely very expensive education.

for the love of andre & pete

my first celebrity crushes weren't musicians or actors; instead they were tennis players.  i loved pete sampras and andre agassi.  loved their atheleticism.  loved their rivalry.  loved their flair (well andre's).  loved their grace.  loved their creativity.  loved their competitive nature.  just loved watching them play.

i've never had the opportunity to see pete sampras play in the flesh.  have been able to enjoy the mastery of andre at the us open on numerous occasions.  it was beautiful to watch.

tonight my teenage crushes are playing at madison square garden.  thank goodness for espn2 to show it for free on my big television.  love that these men still love to play and enjoy the competition.  thank you for the wonderful memories and allowing me to fall in love with you and tennis.

click for absolute favorite tennis commercial ever made by nike with my two tennis boyfriends.

travel responsibility

last weekend netter and i had a bit of a pow-wow to discuss travel plans.  in the course of this discussion we realized that there is quite a bit of travel in the plans for 2011.  together we travel in january to disney world, june is charleston, july is chicago for my birthday and i personally have utah in july, indiana in september and utah in march.  we also realized that we each need the miles on our chosen airline to keep our status.  small little problem is our airlines are no longer friends which means we have to fly separately.

in our quest to plan for spain in april we looked at all possible options.  we couldn't come up with a way to get there without one of us losing miles or the cost being exorbitantly expensive.  hence, we elected to be responsible and save spain for another day.  instead we're going to head to san francisco for a little long weekend and each earn over 5000 miles. 

this will be only the second year in 8 years that a trip to europe will not happen.  and that's ok.

hooray for bank mergers

on a recent trip to times square with clare to check out the new and improved disney store i saw to my delight a small alcove on the corner of 45th and 7th avenue with two wells fargo ATMs housed inside.  it made me giddy with excitement.  i even made a point to tell netter all about my discovery the next day.

why would ATMs make me so giddy you ask?  the reason is simple.  all of my primary banking is done via wells fargo bank.  my first checking acocunt at college was through a bank that was bought by wells fargo.  since i wasn't entirely sure of my longevity in NYC, i opted to keep banking with wells fargo.  when it became apparent i wasn't going anywhere i chose to open a bank of america account strictly for withdrawing cash and depositing the random checks i receive.  still did all of my "main" banking with wells fargo.  up until now, there wasn't an ATM in the 1,000s of miles vicinity of my home.

that has all changed!  wells fargo purchased wachovia many moons ago and on my cab ride home from the previously mentioned plain white t's show i saw MULTIPLE wells fargo bank branches lit in their customary red and gold lighting.  there is even one across the street from my office!

this might not seem like an exciting topic for my 450th blog post but to me it means financial abilities that were previously unavailable to me.  i can walk into a branch and get a certified check if i want.  i can pull cash whenever i want without buying a bottle of water and opting for cash back from the local CVS.  the opportunities are endless!

the first $40 removed from Wells Fargo ATM in Manhattan!

today's lesson is don't ever take your local fee-free ATM for granted and welcome westward migration of all that is good.  next order of business - bj's restaurant for an occasional pizookie.

concert #1 of 2011

attended my first concert of 2011 last night.  it was very enjoyable.  netter and i indulged by purchasing $20 tickets to see the plain white t's at highline ballroom. 

this was our third night together and it didn't disappoint.  best part for me was netter and i were able to score seats at the tabletops located on the upper level bar.  this meant unobstructed view and the ability to get dinner and beverages in a leisurely fashion. 

the unexpected highlight was the opening band parachute.  very much enjoyed their set.  well done boys.

the news boys are coming

loved the disney movie "newsies".  boys singing and dancing...yes please!  have had a few conversations with friends about how the movie could be turned into a broadway musical to the delight of fans the world over. 

turns out someone agrees with me.  they are staging a musical that will be playing at the paper mill playhouse in new jersey in september.  will definitely grab a zip car to enjoy the music, dancing and possibly see christian bale in the audience singing along to santa fe.  let's seize the day...

how i spent my weekend

friends and family, prepare to be very jealous after reading how i spent my weekend in the greatest city in the world.  you've been warned...

saturday morning woke up around 8:30am.  made breakfast.  did the dishes that had piled up.  made a "cleaning" playlist on iPhone.  plugged in iPhone to apartment speaker system.  started cleaning.  dusted.  vacuumed, washed window sills, reorganized DVD/Blu-rays, plumped couch cushions, swept the floor, took out trash and recyclables, scrubbed tub and shower, reorganized under sink items, cleaned sink, swept floor, disinfected toilet, stripped bed, swept floor, dusted, reorganized books on bookshelf, dusted picture frames and then did five loads of laundry.  washed sheets, towels, clothes, bathroom floor mats and blanket.  folded laundry and put it away.  ate scrambled eggs for dinner.  rotated mattress and made bed.  slept.

sunday was church.  as only member of primary presidency i had to set up the classrooms and primary room.  run opening exercises for both junior and senior.  teach sharing time for both junior and senior.  do the five minute door knock reminder.  count attendance.  submit receipts for reimbursement.  took a nap.  went to hang out with my friend who recently had surgery.  talked about life choices and which boy band from the 90s was the best.  (my pick is still 'n sync).  made dinner of frozen weight watchers meal.  watched les miserables 25th anniversary blu-ray.  went to bed and slept.

monday came.  made bed.  ate french toast for breakfast with hot chocolate.  burnt cinnamon rolls.  did dishes.  took nap.  watched linkin park concert on tv.  showered.  met netter for pampering.  got a manicure and pedicure.  browsed best buy.  went home and ordered food from barking dog with netter.  netter and i spent the next 3 hours trying to figure out our 2011 travels.  got frustrated with cost of trip to spain.  made decision to forego spain this year and just enjoy long weekends in the great cities of the u.s. of a.  threw away remnants of barking dog dinner.  read.  slept.

tuesday...slept through my alarm.  arrived at work an hour late.

didn't i tell you that you would become green with envy over the excitement and level of cool in which i lead my life in new york city.  i apologize if i burst your bubble that i get glammed up, eat at fancy restaurants, see broadway shows every weekend or have someone to clean and do my laundry.  it just isn't true.  i do everything you have to do in your life.  i just do it by myself and have to pay more.

the little thought that is still being ignored

ever had a thought come into your head over and over again but you just ignored it due to its absolutely ridiculous nature?  i've been fighting such a thought for a couple of months.  it's been getting increasingly difficult to not spend a little time pondering the ramifications if i chose to finally delve into the effects of making this choice.  it makes no sense and i actively didn't choose to bring this little information morsel into my consciousness. 

the fight continues between actually thinking about making this choice or ignoring it by listening to music by jimmy eat world, linkin park or snow patrol.  good thing i love all these bands because they might be on constant rotation until the inevitable happens.

thanks to my childhood buddy heidi for talking to me about the topic without even knowing about my little not going away thought...

this week's simple moments

1.  i love travel by train (of the non-subway variety)
2.  it's ok to spend lots of money to fly to utah when i know it will be my "cheapest" vacation this year
3.  took subway home two nights ago
4.  loves the 60+ degree weather today but is very cognizant that it won't last
5.  eating at two suburban chains today - PF Chang's and Cheesecake Factory

maybe next year british isles

best laid plans are sometimes complicated by outside forces.  this is what happened to our british isles vacation 2011.  as previously posted the royal wedding is taking place smack dab in the middle of netter's and my time in europe this year.  this means that costs for flights, hotels, rental cars, food and every other tourism industry produced commodity at the very least doubled in price.  these increases coupled with the fact that the pound kicks the dollar's "booty" meant that netter and i needed to do some re-evaluating of our european vacation destination. 

in a cramped sitting area of la guardia airport whilst waiting to board our plane to florida we decided to enjoy the abundant beauties of spain.  i'm excited to enjoy the visual wonder of guadi in barcelona, the art and food of madrid and maybe make netter drive through spanish countryside avoiding sheep. 

the conclusion to this story is that i forgive william and kate for messing with the prices of my british isles vacation because there are still plenty of places to go and see in europe.  if there weren't these alternate options then i might be less likely to offer my full forgiveness.

j.c. wiatt's fashion choice explained

in the late 80's diane keaton starred in the movie baby boom.  it tells the story of a hardened new york business woman named j.c. wiatt who inherits a baby from obscure relatives and must learn how to adapt her life to this new role.  it is funny, heart warming and reminds us all where to focus our priorities. 

however, i remember watching this movie as a youth and being disgusted with one of the film images.  i saw images of women walking speedily down the street wearing business suits with SNEAKERS!  the horror.  the disgust.  the fashion outrage.  how could a woman pair a nice, classy ensemble with something so loathesome as sneakers?  i searched for answers and have finally come to understand the motivation of the costume designers to put sneakers on the extras' feet.

i wear sneakers to work.  my nice, classy ensembles end with sneakers on my feet every morning.  this is because i walk from the subway to my rock center office or from my apartment to the bus stop on a daily basis.  i do lots of walking (on average about 3 miles a day).  no one in their right frame of mind wants to do that much walking in high heels, sparkly sandals or even loafers when they can opt for the comfort of sneakers.  the pinching and ball of foot pain comes when i get to work and open my drawer filled with vast amounts of heels, flats, loafers and other shoes to wear with my professional outfit.

to those who still seek answers to the question posed earlier, i invite you to leave your car keys at home.  walk to your work, school, grocery store or other errand whilst wearing your highest heels.  then maybe the answer will come to you as it did to me.

this week and last week's simple moments

1.  i really don't like ice storms
2.  another piece of evidence proving my entertainment addictive nature - big bang theory
3.  knowledge that i'm seriously out of shape thanks to my first advanced beginning jazz dance class
4.  nephew told me he just wanted to the two of us to go to BYU men's volleyball game in march
5.  perfectly acceptable to order a slice of key lime pie after brunching on eggs benedict and bacon
6.  six hours of karaoke singing is best followed by a trip to visit pinkberry
7.  hoping to eventually switch the swing direction on my refrigerator door - seems hard to do
8.  two morning alarms can fail at the same time
9.  never agree to assist my co-worker ken in finding the hidden tennis court in grand central station
10.  tired of wearing my snow boots daily

apparently fenway park takes precedence

gooch, netter and i bought tickets for the new kids on the block and backstreet boys concert to be held on long island in june.  the three of us were a bit giddy to see this boy band super group as well as spend some time on the beautiful long island beaches.  that was until...

a week ago the newly monikered NKOTBSB announced they would be performing at fenway park.  i was happy for the boys of boston to get this rare treat.  then the other shoe dropped...the date chosen for this once in a lifetime show was the same date as our long island concert.  hence, they had to reschedule our show for sunday, july 31st. 

normally i would be all about some boy band love on my birthday but this year i have my heart set on hanging out in chicago.  a city i've never been to.  it was a quandry of epic porportion.  but in the end since NKOTBSB forsook me on june 12th, i've decided to foresake them and head to chicago for some deep dish pizza and extravagant shopping on the magnificent mile.  something tells me that they won't miss my attendance amongst the sea of 25 - 45 year old women in the audience.

already annoyed with february

not only does february have the most ridiculous "holiday" but now it is beginning with this...

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.

* LOCATIONS...PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND.

* HAZARDS...SNOW AND SLEET TUESDAY. SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN TUESDAY NIGHT. FREEZING RAIN TO RAIN WEDNESDAY.

* ACCUMULATIONS...2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION...AND A QUARTER TO PERHAPS A HALF INCH OF ICE ACCUMULATION BY LATE WEDNESDAY.

* TIMING...SNOW BEGINS AROUND SUNRISE TUESDAY. LIGHT SNOW AND SLEET CONTINUES MUCH OF TUESDAY. A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT. THEN THE WINTRY MIX CHANGES TO PLAIN RAIN SOMETIME WEDNESDAY. THIS IS WHEN THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR.

* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE IMPACTED TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE FOR DANGEROUS TRAVEL. ANY ICE ACCUMULATIONS COULD KNOCK DOWN TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

if it wasn't joani's birthday month as well as the potential birthday month of my about to be born new nephew i would be exceptionally disgruntled with february.

disney world 2011

we came.  we saw.  we rode.  we ate.  we wore flip flops.  we took photos with princesses.  we conquered.  disney world 2011 to celebrate the birth of netter was successful and a ton of fun.

first day in florida was spent within harry, hermoine and ron's stomping grounds of hogsmeade and hogwarts.  we sampled highly enjoyable butterbeer, saw the spectacle of olivander's wand shop, rode the dueling dragons and embraced the universal.  ended the universal day with a great diner meal at mel's. our day wasn't done yet though...had to hit the outlet stores to know how much room would be left in the luggage for disney souvenirs.  netter and i highly enjoyed our time in the coach outlet store.  went back to the condo and crashed.

next morning was all about magic kingdom and netter's birthday celebration.  arrived at the beginning of the day and left a half an hour after the rides closed down at 12:30am.  ate dinner with cinderella, aurora, belle, snow white and ariel.  wore fake tiaras to embrace our "princess-ness".  we know how to get our money's worth and party it up.

sunday was all about epcot center.  rode test track three times and soarin' twice.  ate some excellent food and enjoyed the sunshine.  best part for me was purchasing mikimoto pearl stud earrings and pearl pendant.  joyful, joyful experience.  one of the best purchases of my adult life.  headed back to condo for an early evening.  going to bed early was truly a wonderful moment.

then the rains came on monday.  we headed to hollywood studios where our first stop was fast pass at the toy story mania ride.  decided to enjoy the aerosmith ride and learned it was pouring rain upon our ride completion.  literally pouring.  stayed at hollywood to enjoy the tower of terror, muppets, eat pasta, aerosmith roller coaster and then netter became brilliant.  she suggested we go to animal kingdom to ride the two rides we wanted.  drove to animal kingdom and rode expedition everest twice in a row then saw the beautiful animals on the safari ride.  finally ended the day with DINOSAUR and triceratop spin.  final stop of monday was to enjoy the fireworks of magic kingdom.  it was an added bonus that we rode almost every ride in fantasyland whilst all the little kiddies were being tucked into bed.

then came tuesday...decided to buck our trend of arrival at park opening.  instead decided to sleep in another thirty minutes.  we are rebels.  spent morning and afternoon at magic kingdom.  must say the best part of that day was the spending two consecutive rides upon the people mover.  it was literally joyful, restful, relaxing, encouraging, floating, peaceful, crowdless, wind ruffling in our hair, eyes closed bliss.

on the way to the airport received the phone call that our flight was delayed an hour.  hmmm, what to do?  chosen path was a leisurely meal with plastic cutlery at the outback steakhouse in orlando international airport.  landed at la guardia, walked to luggage pick up and waited only 5 minutes before our luggage was out.  that was the fastest i've ever experienced luggage retrieval.  the cab line was even better.  no line just cabs anxiously awaiting passenger arrival.  great ending to a happy and wonderful vacation.  happy birthday netter!  can't wait until next year!

self portraiture with light

grew a little bored earlier.  tried to take a picture of my new mikimoto pearl earrings but came up with this photo instead.  kinda like it.  taken with my trusty iPhone 4.

apologies for doubting her judgment

netter has consistently praised the goodness to be found watching the cbs sitcoms "how i met your mother" and "the big bang theory".  generally i would just nod and smile as she extolled their virtues without developing any personal motivation to add either show to my repertoire of weekly television viewing. 

then i was on a plane from salt lake city to new york and happened to watch the free episode of big bang theory.  it took everything in me not to start laughing out loud at multiple points in time during the episode.  basically that one episode showed me that netter was 100% correct in her assessment of the hilarity to be found on the big bang theory.  i have now watched the entirety of the first season thanks to netter's dvds and greatly look forward to catching up on the rest of the season.  it has certainly been added to my weekly dvr recordings.

i invite all to learn from my mistake and add the big bang theory to their thursday night 8pm viewing on cbs...not just because netter said so, but because it is one of the funniest sitcoms i've seen in many, many moons.

and the snow continues...

my arizona and california upbringing didn't instill a love of snow in me.  we didn't take family trips to flagstaff or tahoe to go "swish swish" down a mountain covered in the cold icy stuff.  once my dad decided to take us camping in yosemite.  we drove all the way to the camp ground (about 4 hours) then my dad heard it "might" snow the next day so we slept in a tent one night, packed up all of our supplies and headed home the next morning.  first time i saw snow falling from the sky was as a BYU freshman.  i was probably the only person to run out in my parka coat, hat, scarf and gloves to dance around.  (i think that particular snow produced a 1/4" of slush)

i grew up as a sun worshipping child.  which is why it is curious that i live in new york city.  where it snows.  a lot.  my first winter - 2003 - produced what is currently the 7th worst snow storm on record.  now FOUR additional snow storms i lived through have compiled enough inches to be included in the top 6 worst snow storms on record in the new york city metro area.  today i discovered that january 2011 broke an 86 year record for the most snow fall in a month - 49.4".  didn't sign up for this...

today's high in mesa, arizona is 72 degrees.  hmmm....

business pinky always wins

i think i'm quite good at my job.  my personality, skills, organization and overall work ethic make me a good employee who loves to complete a task so that i can highlight it off my "to do" list.  for some reason using a highlighter equals a great sense of accomplishment. 

i've learned recently that business pinky generally always wins...meaning it is very hard for me to turn off my practicality, motivation and organization when in situations, conversations and social environments.  my life outside of the walls of my rockefeller center office runs pretty much the same an my life within.  my expectation is that others should operate their lives like a business as well.  life just doesn't work that way.  i'm trying to be better at not going straight to aggrevated when things happen slower or more haphazard than i would enjoy.  it's a work in progress.

uk shopping update

it finally arrived!  only seven weeks after the intial purchase i have finally received my blu-ray Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert.  very excited to watch it on the gloriousness of my Ed (aka my HDTV).  hoping it will constantly remind me of having a great time for my 12th birthday when i saw the show for the first time.

also glad to know that ordering things from the uk will eventually find their way into the doors of my office at rockefeller center.

this week and last week's simple moments

1.  airports in warm locations with glass ceilings need to invest in massive air cooling circulators
2.  getting a cab to/from la guardia isn't as difficult as it has been in the past
3.  rented condos should always supply extra toilet paper and paper towels
4.  universal could have learned a thing or two from disney when building their Harry Potter world
5.  lived through the #1 record breaking rain storm in orlando
6.  lines at hollywood studios, animal kingdom and magic kingdom were non-existent thanks to #5 above
7.  coach outlet story in orlando likes me a lot...i mean they really like me a lot
8.  laid in bed reading books from 8:30am to 4:45pm on saturday because i could
9.  reviewing annual spending reminds me that living in new york is expensive
10.  owning a sleeping bag style coat fully of fluffy feathers is imperative for january and february

self portrait with a towel

had some fun at clare's apartment recently.  did a little self portraiture practice.

i call this one "self portrait with a towel"

bad idea to do the calculation

when i moved to new york i came with two medium sized suitcases and a box full of bedding.  definitely have accumulated a lot more over the last 8 years.  definitely couldn't fit "my life" into two medium sized suitcases and one box. 

decided it might be interesting to see just how much i've spent on dvds and blu-rays.  it was a pretty ugly number.  then chose to calculate an approximate number of how much i've spent on tickets to concerts and sporting events since moving here.  double ouch.

the thing about these calculations is i do not regret anything that i've "purchased".  wouldn't change my time spent with jimmy eat world, us open tennis, snow patrol, etc. for sitting at home eating ramen noodles or kraft macaroni and cheese.

a book to laugh and cry to

gooch recommended a book that i had to read immediately.  she said i would laugh and cry.  opted to get it from the library.  started to read and essentially couldn't put it down.  it was hysterical and emotionally poignant all at the same time.  gooch was 100% correct.

i loved it so much that i gave it to almost all of my friends for christmas this year.  i'm sure they will be sending me a thank you note in the mail in the very near future.  (hint hint moocher)

the book of which i speak is called "the actor and the housewife" and is written by shannon hale.  highly recommended.

love the mockery

found this funny or die video called "nuthin' but a glee thang" and it made me laugh so hopefully it will make you chuckle also.

Nuthin' But A Glee Thang with Heather Morris, Matthew Morrison & Sofia Vergara from Heather Morris

hazards of online shopping from the UK

i bought the blu-ray of the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables from amazon UK in early december.  they estimated it would be delivered by december 31st.  well, december 31st has come and gone with no delivery of my blu-ray of the 25th anniversary concert of Les Miserables.  contacted amazon UK who asked me to wait until january 8th to see if the mail was just slow.  not holding my breath that the blu-ray is going to arrive in the lobby of my building today or tomorrow.

these are the hazards of ordering items from foreign countries as well as the extra fees for currency exchange.  still pretty sure the blu-ray will be worth all of the hassle but would have really liked to watch the concert last night while taking down my christmas decorations. 

alas...

why did i order from amazon uk you ask?  because the concert wasn't offered in america and blu-rays aren't region specific...they run on all blu-ray players without needing converting software. 

softly falling snow

it's snowing right now.  the flakes are large and floating down.  this storm only holds about 5 inches so i'm much more disposed to enjoy these snow clouds. 

there is something beautiful about watching softly falling snow from the 20th floor of a high rise building. 

there is also something wonderful about being able to get home tonight completely underground with only stepping on the street for about 1 minute.  thank you apartment building for being so close to the subway station.