Posts tagged personal
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I just learned about the 2013 International Toy Fair, which begins today. And, conveniently enough, occurs in New York.
Think of all the new toys that’ll be showcased here! Forget the kids stuff, I’m talking the increasing popularity of action figures and other items geared towards adults.
“Why, Tina! YOU live in New York…why don’t you just attend?” Oh I wish I could, imaginary person. But said event is restricted to trade only, public not allowed.
Not. Fair.
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I’ve lived in New York for nearly three months now and still experiencing “firsts”. The latest is occurring outside right now; my first New York snowstorm. It’s laughable, to say the least.
New Yorkers FREAK OUT. Over the course of the next 24 hours we could expect a foot of snow. There have been plenty of times in Minnesota where that occurred over the span of a few hours. But those snowstorms weren’t named. Hell, those snowstorms may not have guaranteed a snow day at school.
Not here. From what I was told, many schools in Brooklyn and Queens didn’t have school today. Manhattan schools appeared to be in session but likely because that borough didn’t have any actual snow sticking to the ground until late this afternoon/early evening. My office closed up early today and there still wasn’t anything measurable on the ground. By my estimate, there’s maybe an inch of snow outside my apartment now. Two, maximum. And some wind.
Schools/offices aside, people are literally stocking up on food. One of my roommates legitimately wondered aloud last night if she has enough food to survive the weekend. The trains are still running. Stores haven’t closed. And if you didn’t want to travel far, there are bodegas on every street corner. And those suckers never close. Plus, you can get anything and everything delivered. And said delivery businesses are still carrying on as usual. Hopefully they get some crazy tips tonight.
Events are being canceled. Bet the Fashion Week crowd are nervous wrecks.
People are walking at a snail’s pace. There’s no ice on the ground. On my walk from the train station to the apartment I passed a small group of people. They honestly asked me how I can walk my normal pace in these sort of conditions.
All I can do is smile, shake my head and internally laugh at all these fools. And this image of Bloomberg as Mr. Plow
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Hey, I helped out with this!
Semi real world update. I’m now doing some occasional PA work with CollegeHumor. So far, it’s been the most fun I’ve had since moving to New York. Getting to meet some really great people and feel like I’ve finally got my foot in the door somewhere. Hoping something more permanent will come from this occasional work…
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Dan Harmon and Jason Sudeikis Crank-Called Chevy Chase Last Night.
Community creator Dan Harmon’s full-speed, cross-country tour (one city per day) for his live podcast, “Harmontown,” stopped at Brooklyn’s Bell House Wednesday night, and his old friend Jason Sudeikis joined him and co-host Jeff Davis for nearly the whole show. But another old pal whom Harmon had contacted to cameo was a cryptic no-show: Chevy Chase. After Harmon and Sudeikis tried to decipher Chase’s odd response to the invite, they decided to do the next best thing to having him: crank-call him live.
Hey, I was at this show!
Pretty entertaining. It was also filmed so I’ll post video of that when available. One of the main camera guys meandered his way over to my left and filmed literally right next to me for most of the show.
Lessons learned:
Dan Harmon has a powerful hold on his audience. He literally got an entire room to quiet when crank-calling Chevy Chase.
Chevy Chase’s voicemail message is strange. As in, you’re not sure if it’s actually him.
Dan Harmon’s girlfriend is a young (28 I think was mentioned?), cute redhead. He also made her cry earlier that day.
They literally played Dungeons & Dragons at one point. And Sudeikis had no idea what was going on but went along with it. He also appeared impressed by the Dungeon Master’s ability to remember every aspect of the characters, their weapons/skills, and the game itself.
Everyone is extremely jealous of Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde. Especially Harmon’s girlfriend. The term “two angels finding each other” may have been used at one point. Also, Wilde’s mascara tears may be bottled and then sold to the public as Maybelline mascara.
And, this is horrible of me, but at one point I thought, “so THIS is where all the morbidly obese people are in Brooklyn!” Obviously not the entire audience but certainly the most I’ve seen since moving.
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I just composed a personal entry about some…struggles I’m currently encountering. Namely, the move to New York and the complete lack of support in terms of friends assisting me with my job hunt.
However, said post might be a little too bitter to post for a public Tumblr account. Maybe eventually. But, for now, it’ll reside in my drafts. Instead, I’ll post this video. It’s semi-depressing and mentions New York. Close enough.
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End of the Year Post.
I’m about half complete with a bottle of wine so now is as good of time to compose this. Usually I avoid these sort of, “end of the year/new beginnings” posts. However 2012 was such a grand transition year for myself I thought it warranted a summary. If only for my own sanity.
I began the year in one place in my life only to abandon it all for a completely new location and outlook on life.
Late 2011 into 2012 began a new friendship that bloomed from mere acquaintances to said individual becoming one of my closest confidants. All because of our weekly outings to the Minneapolis Beer School. The two of us meeting every Wednesday night for beer samplings, dinner, more drinks and conversations. Any sort of awkwardness immediately dissipates between us as we bond on multiple levels and find another like-minded individual. Enter hilarious and poignant late nights of drinking, semi-stalking her famous musician crush, and spending late summer nights drunk on her apartment floor listening to Tom Waits.
Valuable lessons are learned. The beginning of 2012 taught me that the idealized image of someone doesn’t disappoint. The crushing realization does. A man I coveted for an absurd amount of years reenters my life. My heart is not broken by any means but our time together quickly ends. It ends with me irritated and wishing I could have kept the image of us at age 19 alive.
March comes the demise of my second car. This car had been the bane of my existence within months of its original purchase. Finally I say, “enough” and bid it adieu. Brand new car purchased, despite my reservations. Namely because I still feel there are universal plans for me to be living in New York within a year. I am assured by family that such a situation can be figured out once/if that time comes. Said time comes both sooner and later than intended.
The personal life flows nicely together through the months of April-July. To backtrack a bit, I am informed by my father during Christmastime 2011 that his present to me is a flight to San Diego for Comic-Con 2012. Safe to say, such a pilgrimage has been a life-long goal of mine. Or, at the very least, a goal of mine since discovering such an event existed. In preparation, I become reinvested in comics. I had stopped in middle school/early high school. But becoming refamiliar in this form of art eventually introduces me to a charming local Minneapolis comic book shop and its two fantastic owners.
May I reconnect with a former coworker turned friend. Both of us are attending Comic-Con and both enjoy reading comics (although he never game up on the passion). We reconnect during the Marvel Movie Marathon. Another reason for me reconnecting with the comic book work and preparation for July’s event. The movie marathon may be an odd event to highlight in this reflection but it was genuinely such a great feeling being surrounded in a movie theater with like-minded individuals. 16 hours of Marvel movies (including breaks) and the mood within the theater was of constant joy. Also doesn’t help The Avengers was such a perfect popcorn movie.
Sadly a day before the movie marathon is the conclusion of Beer School. I am saddened by this as my weekly interactions with the friend mentioned earlier in this most diminishes to monthly, at best.
July comes the big week. Comic-Con. Having a theater filled with geeks doesn’t even compute with what I experienced. So much that my Facebook album of the events is one of the very few albums I’ve made public. Just because I want anyone interested to see the experience and get a taste of the happiness I felt. Being surrounded in a movie theater is nothing compared to the 130,000+ in attendance at SDCC.
That’s not to say it wasn’t filled with frustration. Waiting hours on end certainly takes its toll. Especially when you wait so long and you don’t get to attend the event in question (*cough*Iron Man III panel *cough*). Not everyone wants to be your friend. Namely, women who felt threatened by you in costume (but that’s just personal experience). Despite these occasional bouts of frustration, the week in San Diego was superb. Waiting in lines with people that you know have at least one thing in common with you. Seeing creators/actors/writers that you’ve coveted for years. Truly cosplaying for the first time, making people nostalgic for the character you’re representing, and getting several photographs of you taken.
I could recant snippets of random stories throughout the week but that could be a post in itself. Instead, I will just look forward to (hopefully) attending the event once again this year.
September I revisit New York with the intentions to find an apartment to call my own. It does not go successfully and generally made me feel like the week was a colossal waste. Obviously there were some highlights but the original intention was all for naught. Also during this stay I came to a crashing consciousness that seeing my family during the holidays is utterly important. I question whether I’m truly ready to venture to a new state, to a new life.
October. Mid-to-late month. A sudden bout of fortune comes my way. A friend of Chris is looking for a roommate for her pre-established apartment. A couple e-mails are exchanged, a couple Skype dates, but I keep most of the discussions close to my chest. The notion of moving so soon gives me knots in my stomach. Especially since I had recently agreed to be a bridesmaid at a very intimate wedding for an individual who has helped my family out numerous times throughout the years. Ultimately I come to the conclusion- I’ve found my New York apartment. I wreck my brain over how to tell my parents. It finally comes out one night at a fast food restaurant right before seeing a movie. They are surprisingly accepting of the news.
November. Preparation for the move is officially underway. Although, to this day, I realize I never 100% packed. I tell my workplace. It catches them by surprise but they’re ultimately happy for me. I visit friends for some goodbyes. I don’t see nearly as much as I wanted. The moving van is packed up the weekend of the 10th/11th (sidenote: if you’re just moving one person look into Enterprise. It’s significantly cheaper and I was able to fit nearly everything into a cargo van). The night prior I become an absolute wreck on the floor of my former bedroom. But on November 12th I set off for this new chapter in my life.
The ride itself it overall soothing. The notion of losing my complete life with a simple break-in makes semi-restless nights so the nights spent in motel rooms often consisted of me checking to make sure the van wasn’t broken into.
I meet my new roommates for the first time. They help acclimate me to New York. Skype frequently with my parents. I’m now, for the first time, within walking distance of my best friend. Many Monday mornings are spent with him, consisting of breakfast and watching the previous night’s The Walking Dead. Thanksgiving is spent with Chris and one of the roommates. It’s oddly soothing. Like I found a mini rag-tag family. Things don’t look so bad.
December comes a flurry of mixed emotions. New York is beautiful during the holiday season. I don’t consider myself a “Christmas person” but seeing the Rockefeller Tree, holiday window displays, markets, and everything else the city has to offer changes a person. Walking along and seeing everyone in a good mood was a blanket of comfort. As was the notion of my imminent return to Minnesota mid-month.
And so begins the aforementioned mixed emotions. It’s good to see friends, but I don’t see nearly as many as intended. I sense a theme with that (see: the move). Luckily I didn’t loudly broadcast my return so not many feel disappointed by us not finding time to meet. Many days are spent at my family’s home just feeling loved. But it’s odd that I’m now forced to sleep on a pull-out sofa and my room has been converted to a sewing/storage room. I enjoy quiet Sundays with my dad watching football. My mother and I more-or-less get along. At least for the first week. The bickering starts five days in.
The grandma comes to visit. Now I’m not sure how to approach this topic delicately so I’ll just type and move on. It’s nice to see her. But it quickly becomes annoying. Her borderline racism and homophobia quickly tires. I can’t wait for her to return to Iowa so I can spend my last days with just my parents. But then that changes. As does the remainder of my stay. A couple days after Christmas my grandma has a stroke. Not a severe one but it required an ambulance to come to the house and bring her to the hospital. I see Grandma outwardly sob at times and at her very weakest. She’s not completely better but I’d estimate 85%. She was just released from the hospital last night. Her next steps on the road to recovery include staying with my parents for a few more days and then they’ll tentatively bring her back to Iowa. The mother will then stay there for a couple days and the two of them will determine what sort of help she needs. My grandma is stubborn and refuses to live the rest of her days with my parents or in a home. I commend her for that. My only hope is that she will receive a strong support system in Iowa and be tended to without the whole family constantly worried.
Oh yeah, some dick(s) also stole my credit card information. Randomly found that out when checking my bank account for an entirely different reason. In the matter of three days they manage to spend over $1,500. So I got to deal with that drama on top of the daily hospital visits. Disputing claims with the bank and having to life approximately a week without a credit card. I hate living the cash life but now have a sense of fear that my credit card information can be stolen at any time. Especially since the card never left my possession, it’s likely the perpetrator used a reader for a machine I had used and put the number on a card. I express frustrations at my bank how they put a freeze on my account earlier in the year when attempting to get a haircut but charges in Pennsylvania, Texas and Minnesota within a matter of hours raises no flags.
New Years Eve is quiet. Spent seeing a movie and watching The Walking Dead season 3 marathon. Quiet was needed after the post-Christmas days.
That was my 2012. There were likely other events that occurred throughout the year that have simply been forgotten in my haze/bad memory. But this was certainly a year of changes for me. This year I’m hoping for a year of great personal growth.
Since returning to New York I have slumped into a bout of depression. Questioning, “What is home?” and truly upset at the small amount of friends I can physically turn to and complete lack of nearby family. I’m indulging in this depression for the time being but attempting to fully engross myself in the job search. In my mind, obtaining a job will make me feel better. I utterly hate seeing money simply leaving my bank account and nothing going in. I want a job to network and simply meet new people that could become New York friends. At first I didn’t quite understand the warnings of, “You likely won’t feel like you belong in New York for the first year”. The first month felt mostly good. A couple down periods but they were short in duration. I now realize that’s more of less because I had a vacationing mindset. It was just one long vacation and I’ll return to Minnesota. Now that I’m back in New York, in my apartment, and unsure when I’ll be returning to my family I feel more conflicted than ever.
And how was YOUR year?
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The Big Move Day 2
Much easier day than yesterday in terms of miles. Yet, because of the great distance I traveled yesterday, I didn’t feel as…accomplished? As mentioned in my last post, only 470 miles today. Pre-determined by me reserving a room last night to avoid another night of struggling to find an exit with a motel.
Soooo….I’m spending the night in Danville, Pennsylvania.
Tolls: another $0.80 given to Indiana. Ridiculously enough, $15 went to Ohio.
Ohio was another flat state. Seemed to be another straight shot the entire way. First half of the state had random, funky smells. And they seem to be the only state that allows semi-trucks with three trailers. Contemplated stopping in Cleveland for the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame. Passed due to me being in a travelin’ groove and the sheer lack of signage saying what exit to take. But mostly the former.
Pennsylvania. Total change of scenery. Winding roads the whole time. Literally, the moment you enter the state it feels like you’ve truly reached the East Coast. Definitely no zoning out while driving. Unless driving off a cliff is your thang. Was reminded via a phone conversation with my brother that I was/am in Appalachian Mountain terrain. Would certainly explain things.
Pennsylvania obviously cares more about their landscape than an exit every mile or so. I went miles upon miles without seeing anything other than forest. Of the marked exits, less than half had any visible stops such as gas stations. While I would ideally like to be closer to my final destination, looking at a map there’s a whole lotta nothing after Danville. Approximately an hour away until another town right off the highway. And the motels here are at $30 cheaper. Worth another hour worth of travel time tomorrow, me thinks. Plus, I hate nighttime driving. Didn’t like it yesterday in the flatlands, certainly wouldn’t have liked it tonight when I’m one bad moment away from careening to my death.
Tomorrow. The big day. Little nervous for a variety of reasons:
- One of the roads Google Maps has me taking is listed as closed. Not sure why Google Maps would have me take a road they themselves say is closed. Hoping it’s dated and there will be no issues.
- Traffic. I’m going to frickin’ NYC. I’m just hoping it won’t be utterly horrendous. Tentative plan is to arrive by 10am. That way, it avoids the 7-9am morning rush.
- Parking. Hoping for some miraculous parking spot right outside of the apartment
- Moving stuff up. Three flights of stairs. And a cargo van filled to the brim with stuff. Including one heavy as hell mattress.
Wish me luck tomorrow! Pictured: my travel route today.
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Day one of the move has come to an end.
The van is packed to the brim and I’m a tad fearful the bestie will hate me afterwards with how much work will be required to unpack the bitch. Pictured: my view if looking behind the driver’s seat. Incentive- there’s booze scattered throughout. It’ll be like a treasure hunt. A treasure hunt that consists of moving a cargo van FULL of stuff to the fourth floor of an apartment.
Over 650 miles traveled today. The last 50 or so was partially accidental due to the sheer lack of anything in-between South Bend and my current location, Fremont.
Got lost once due to not paying enough attention to the directions.
Traffic wasn’t so bad due to me traveling a bit farther as to avoid evening Chicago traffic. Well worth it.
Tolls are pointless. I spent $3 ($1.90 & $1.10) in Illinois and $6.90 in Indiana (and I’m not out of Indiana yet). Their roads weren’t any better than Minnesota or Wisconsin, which lack tolls.
Wisconsin has a ton of dead deer scattered along the shoulders.
Freaked out once due to the aforementioned lack of anything between South Bend and Fremont. Finally found “civilization” and hopped off the highway. Only to face a toll that wouldn’t accept my ticket; leading me to call for help. Then three non-labeled roads. May have picked a wrong road as it took me past my intended location. Started to drive on another highway and immediately took the nearest exit. Luckily it led me to my current location but still did not avoid cussing out tolls, semi trucks, and Indiana as a whole.
Food options in Fremont? McDonalds, Wendys and Subway. That’s it. Reminiscent of my horrid trip from Florida to Minnesota a couple summers ago.
Phone call with the father and a Skype date with the mother (with the father and dogs in the background) tonight. Miss them already. Dad said he was extremely proud of me; both traveling alone and this move. Just typing that has me all choked up so imagine hearing it over the phone.
Overall? Day one was a success. Tomorrow will only consist of 470 miles. Found a Super 8 for a relatively inexpensive price (at least compared to what I’m currently being forced to pay) in Danville, Pennsylvania. Didn’t want to risk another night of “why the fuck aren’t there any GD exits or motels!?”
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Realized I haven’t done a “real life” check-in for a while. Probably worth noting as some major changes are a’happenin.
Namely: I’m moving to New York.
And not some idealistic “someday” move. I’ll be packing up a moving vehicle on the 12th and going on a one-woman trip halfway across the country.
My last day of work is this Wednesday.
The realization I’m going to be living in New York in less than two weeks hasn’t quite set in yet. It did momentarily today when a couple coworkers hugged me goodbye.
I’m more stressed about packing everything by the time I pick up the van on Monday. And, even more concerning, whether or not it’ll all fit in said vehicle.
Packing is a nightmare. There’s too much going on/too many goodbyes that I feel much farther behind than I wanted at this point. Tuesday is a goodbye dinner; as is Wednesday. Thursday and Friday I’ll be in Iowa to visit the grandmother. Saturday I’ve got a bachelorette party that, unfortunately, sounds like it’ll be taking up my entire day and night. Sunday I’ve got an afternoon goodbye to my comic book shop guys.
Yikes.
Plus, kinda bummed all the apartment stuff I’ve purchased throughout my years may not be accompanying me. Mainly because the future-roommates are housing furniture for the individual I’m subleasing from. Although I might just say “screw it” and pack up as much as I can.
Everything happened very suddenly. The bestie had a friend who was looking for a new roommate. Contact information was exchanged, messages and Skype conversations occurred. I’ll be living in Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy to be exact. Luckily this area was safe from any Sandy damage. My only semi-worry is finding gas when approaching the city. But assuming the gas shortage will subside by the end of the week.
Three bedroom, two female roommates. One is utterly delightful. The other is…realistic? Dependable? Not someone I see going out with. But certainly no hatred towards.
The parents were informed of my decision on the 19th. The response was very unexpected. Rather than tears I got my mother bringing home multiple boxes the following day. Still waiting for tears. Guessing they’ll happen either when I say goodbye to them or during our first Skype conversation. That’ll be rough.
Notice was put in at work on the 23rd. Friday was my last day with my boss. She cried. I felt awkward.
Despite all this I am excited. I think. Nothing has really kicked in yet. Moving away from Minnesota hasn’t Finally accomplishing my dream of moving to New York hasn’t I’m concerned it’s all going to hit at once.
I’m also about 95% certain I’ll be back visiting Minnesota in mid-December. Friend’s wedding. Was asked to be a bridesmaid. Feeling obligated to do so considering she’s done quite a bit for my family. But the date (15th) is not necessarily close to Christmas so I might spend the holidays alone. Due to airline prices jumping on the 19th and potential boredom staying home alone for so long while the ‘rents are at work.
At least I’ve started to compile a list of “must-see” and “thinks to revisit” once arriving in New York. Gotham City Lounge, prepare to meet me. Bar None and American Museum of Natural History? I shall return!
Bonus, I found a couple bars that show The Walking Dead as it premieres (as I’ll be sans-television).
Professor Jerry Thomas
“Come watch the Walking Dead in the comfort of Thom’s Loft with other fans rather then home alone! Happy hour prices, free plot determined shots, and a free beer for anyone dressed as a zombie! Doors at 7pm.”
The Brooklyn Winery
“Join us for another free screening of the newest episode of The Walking Dead on Sunday, November 11 at 9:00pm. Watching Rick and his world weary band of survivors alongside other fans is just so much more fun than viewing alone at home. Also, Daryl Dixon wears a serape.
Seating is limited and is first come, first served, so make sure you get here early to stake out your spot. You’ll be able to order wine, beer, and tasty food to enjoy while you watch the show.”
Nitehawk Cinema, downstairs in the Cafe
“Zombie television for the masses.”
Think any of them show The Talking Dead as well?
Pictured: a neighborhood shot of my new home.
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Like so many others, my page will be overrun with all (or most) things Halloween this season.
Will kick things off with three costumes I’ve worn in the past year. David Bowie for last year’s Halloween, April O’Neil and Zombie Dark Phoenix during Comic-Con.
Three potential outfits for this year’s festivities. Also contemplating creating a couple new ones.
