Hibernation

Winter. Hibernation. Some animals know what's up. I have been going non-stop for the past 3 weeks, not a minute of downtime, literally. It's been exhilarating but also exhausting. This past weekend I was home with no major plans and it was just what I needed. I did dinner and movie w/the old roomie Friday night (Shopaholic...made me want to go shopping), then to bed before midnight. Saturday met some friends for coffee, shopping with Jill (bad girl Lauren, bad bad girl), the purchase of a new amazing staple accessory...a classic, designer piece that every fashionable woman should own. Some other small items. Hot shoes on major sale...something I wouldn't normally get but have always wanted to try out Lunch w/Caroline and her sister, bro-in-law and niece. Great people. Some Nintendo, old school style. I'm the WORST at duck hunter...I mean, terrible. Started on some initial stages of cleaning my horrendously disorganized apartment. Then to Becksters for some delicious whole-wheat crust veggie pizza from Leonardos, salad and wine and then the movie "The Changeling"...SOO good. Seriously, go rent it. Intense. 

Sunday was one of those days that felt perfect to me in the lamest way. Woke at a reasonable hour to crack my door just enough to retrieve my Sunday NYTimes. The whoosh of the espresso machine, steaming the milk, brewing the espresso. Warm toast. Some fresh snow. The morning was spent reading the paper, then starting on reading the bookclub book for this Wednesday - Beautiful Boy. A rough Skype conversation that left me in tears. Then the cleaning began. First unpacking of the NYC bag...a week later. Then hanging up the new clothes and plucking a few old pieces that need to be donated. Laundry. Trash. Vacuuming and mopping. Bathroom scrubbing. Dishes. Then the daunting task of the mile high pile of mail, catalogs, bills from the past month. A quick trip to Homeport for a letter organizer. Michaels for cork board. City Market for dinner supplies. Back home to yet more organization. I put cork board on the inside of my closet door to tack up inspiring images, outfits, colors, etc. I love it already. You know when you see a great outfit in a magazine but then quickly forget it? Not anymore...snip snip snip and on the board it goes. I'm feeling clothing inspired. Then more reading. I'm addicted to the book, which is funny because it's about addiction. Ignoring of phone calls. Ignoring of invites to hang out. Skipping the gym. Cooking a big lasagna for the week, cutting up fresh fruit for breakfast. Sex and the City while eating the delicious veggie lasagna. More reading, and stiill more reading in bed then drifting into slumber with some bizarre dreams I can no longer remember. Waking up today to a beautiful, clean, fresh smelling, organized apartment. Heaven.

There's something about a day where I don't converse with anyone. Where I don't interact with anyone. Where I do things I need to do. I hibernate in the comfort of my warm apartment, listening to soft jazz or classical or French music, smelling the fresh candle or food baking in the oven, watching snow fall. It was rejuvenating after a long 3 weeks of chaos. And to wake up to all that I had done yesterday was a great way to start the week. Happy Monday!

Revival

New York, New York. I have begun to realize that every time I go to the city, I love it even more. I go there looking for a little excitement, a battery recharge, an energy boost and I always leave satisfied while longing for more of it! I've spent my whole life testing many things out, going many places, challenging myself, seeing what's around different corners. Despite loving my small, beautiful, Vermont town, sometimes I feel like I've run out of corners to look around, rocks to turn over. I need stimulation, adventure, excitement. I shun complacency yet when there isn't always some form of new stimulation, it can happen to the best of us. 

New York always provides me with so much. I love culture...art, music, history, theater. Every time I go there I go to at least one gallery or museum and it is always so amazing. Even if I don't love the art or exhibit, just being exposed to it is so great. Then there is the the general buzz of the city. Putting my iPod on, strolling through the busy sidewalks, wandering the Union Square farmers market, waiting patiently on a subway platform. 

You know when a subway train comes rolling into the stop and you feel that big rush of air hit you, that rolling energy from down the tunnel? That's how I feel when I step onto the streets of New York for a long weekend...a rush of energy, power. 

This particular trip included some added highlights. I got to see some great friends while down there, people who I always have such great conversations with, such great connections with, so much fun with. Then we went to visit my sisters good friend from home, Ben...an evening at a very exclusive, members only club in the MeatPacking District (the Soho House). We got into the elevator, rode to the 5th floor, and upon hearing the ding of the doors opening, we walked into a room of amazement...the most beautiful male specimens I think we'd ever seen in one space at one time. We exclaimed..."we found them!!" No wonder it was a gay party. Perfect though...such nice men, and the visual portion of it, outstanding. 

Sunday included some delicious Dim Sum followed by a failed attempt at ice skating in Central Park. One day I WILL get to ice skate in Central Park!!! Some shopping and beers with Dom and then off to yet another form of heaven. Ben's boyfriend got us into a NY Fashion Week fashion show!!! If you know me well, you know that this is like my personal mecca, my personal heaven. It wasn't a main Bryant Park event but it was still incredible. The designer, Carlos Campos, had some really interesting pieces..my particular favorite was a woman's one piece "suit" where the bottom portion ended in a bathing suit fashion (i.e. no pants, underwear type bottom) and then the sheer tights w/thigh high designs on them. So great. We had 2nd row seats just behind Tyson Beckford. I felt like I'd died and gone to fashion heaven...I couldn't believe I'd gotten to a show! I think I need to work in fashion...something about it makes me tingle all over.

On that note. Another favorite about New York is the ability to wear whatever you want!

It's amazing. I brought a few of those outfits that I gaze at in my closet and think, Burlington isn't exactly the appropriate location for this...when will I get to wear it!?? NYC, anything goes. I wore the dress to the right  to the gay Valentines Day party and it was a show-stopper...and you know it's a winner when gay men praise it!!  Then there was the fashion show...talk about no-pressure to wear something great. I pulled on my trusty black skin tight turtleneck dress, black sheer tights, over the knee black socks and my fave boots...topped off with my favorite mass of necklaces. So much fun to rock fun, slightly over the top outfits!! My mom was actually the one who pushed me to get the pink and black Herve Leger-esque dress...talk about good taste! 

Oh New York, I love thee so. Until next time...

Under the Sea...or Pool more accurately

So, I have been, still, crazy busy. Work is starting to even out a little bit but I have been working towards my Scuba certification which has been consuming my free time. The first week of class was last week and we met twice from 5:30-9:30pm...after a full day of work. Two hours in a classroom, two hours in the pool each class. In an attempt to finish the program sooner, the instructors have added a class this week and next so we finish a week early...which means that this week and next I spend 3 nights in a row in class..two hours in class, over two hours in a pool. It is intense...and exhausting. Leaving the house at 8:30am and getting home at 10pm is taking it's toll. BUT, it's awesome...I'm so excited to be getting certified. 

Currently we look like this: 

No, this isn't my actual class. But we spend a lot of time on the bottom of the YMCA pool (which FYI is nasty...so nasty. I'm so glad I have something in my mouth and my nose covered to keep the water out of my system). Last night was our first night using the tanks and regulators...so great. There is nothing like the feeling of floating, neutrally buoyant, underwater and being able to breath regularly. Some people have been having a hard time with it, find it really unnatural and uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it's because I've dove before, but I really love it. Now if only our instructor was a little more light-hearted...he's so serious and kind of stern. Everyone in my class is cool and fun and we like to joke around but our instructor, not so much. All business. And when you end a long work day by spending 4 hours with him, it can be tough. I'm just glad the other "students" are cool. 

There is a father and his 8th grade daughter, a high school boy, a guy around my age, a girl my age who is a UVM field hockey assistant coach and then this really fun, cool couple in their mid-30's. They are hilarious. It's really fun meeting and getting to know these people. Granted, two of them know people I know but still, new people that I would normally never meet but that are really fun and neat people. I hope to keep in touch with them after this is over.

Back in the pool tonight for more work with the regulators. The craziest thing I think we've learned to do is to fill our masks with water and clear it while remaining underwater, as well as taking our masks completely off, replacing them and clearing them underwater. I was pretty worried about this skill but it isn't bad...and pretty bad-ass to be able to do it! Other than that, have had some issues with getting my weight balance correct - first I was like a lead stick, last night I was too light. There really is a lot of science behind Scuba...which makes me love it even more. 

The best part about all of this is that once I finish this class and go do my open water dives in Mexico with my sis and get my actual certification, I am certified for life and can dive anywhere in the world. How awesome is that?? I will get to explore the beautiful and amazing underwater miracles anytime, anywhere. Viva La Scuba!!!