Informal Poll

Proper response when co-workers are talking about you and you can hear them and they don’t know you can hear them….? GO

My new favorite jacket. It can be worn with the fur vest on the inside or out, without the vest, and you can also wear the vest alone! Genius!

"Ugh, I feel SO sick! My husband and son have the flu at home. None of us got flu shots."

Coworker who sits near me. GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM ME. Thanks.

Playing catch up

What have I been up to the past year? Here’s a list of 12 things to catch you up.

• I made a goal to read 50 books in 2012, and in the beginning of December, I completed my goal and made a stretch goal of 52 (1 for each week). I did it! 52 books read in the nick of time (I finished the last one around 6pm on NYE before I got ready for the night). 
• My BF (do I have a blog nickname for him? Is it his initial? Do I just call him his name? I don’t remember it’s been so long since I wrote!) is finishing up his last year of medical school. He will FINALLY be a doctor in June. I am an impatient girl and it’s been a long time coming. I am so proud. 
• I think this year will be a big one for US. I foresee an engagement in my future and I am over the moon excited. We’ve been together since college, and sticking it out through the tedium of med school is the definition of loyalty. 
• I wanted to surprise him with a trip as a gift, and planned a surprise trip to Italy (Rome and Venice) with an additional jaunt to Paris, which I gifted him as a joint birthday/Christmas present. He was shocked. I had a blast planning it. We leave in 29 days. IAMSOEXCITEDTOGOTOFREAKINGEUROPEINLESSTHANAMONTH. (I haven’t been since 2004. That is cray cray and should have been remedied long ago).
• My baby/son (he’s very fluffy and canine, but my baby nonetheless) is 3.5 years old now. He’s taught me such patience and brings our little family so much love, so of course Parker deserves a shoutout in my recap too! 
• I got another promotion last July. Work has been crazy busy and a bit stressful as of late. It’ll all be worth it as I hope to get the next promotion which I have been climbing the corporate ladder toward, for several years, this year. Cross your fingers.
• We still live in the same apartment on the UES. It’s been almost four years in one place. That’s a LONG TIME in Manhattan-renting-land. I still love it. It’s our home, and I’ve learned that feeling settled and happy and safe and stress-free in one’s apartment is golden in this city.
• I don’t miss California as much as I used to. I still miss my family every day. If circumstances permitted, I would move back but would then miss NYC and my job. Such is life of a bi-coastal gal. Grass is always greener. Et al.
• My baby sister (14 years younger!) visited me all by herself last August and we had a blast doing tourist things and going to several Broadway shows (she got the stage talent in the family and can sing/dance like the best of ‘em, so she was enthralled with the shows. I loved seeing her so excited). She’s also as tall as I am (and I’m not short!) and she’s only 13 (although she’ll always be about four years old in my head). 
• I feel old mature. So many people I know are married or having kids, or even buying (!!??) fancy apartments in Manhattan. Since when are my peers living such stable, adult lives? And affording real estate? I kind of love it. I can’t wait to be married, and someday have kids also. I am not one of those people who is wistful for youth. (I would not argue with looking 24 forever, but my personality and bank account appreciate getting older and wiser!)
• I joined the 21st Century and got myself a twitter account, which I tweeted on for like 2 days and now never participate. I DO love instagram. Follow me on instagram (NYJESSCA) or pinterest. That’s where I spend all of my social networking time these days. 
• I think 2013 is going to be a freaking fantabulous year. At the risk of sounding like a cheesy dork, I am just so happy and can’t wait for all of the excitement in store. 

Why hello there.

I haven’t posted in literally a year. Does anyone still follow this blog? I doubt it but am throwing this out there in case. I kind of miss it! Wondering if I should I start a new blog or continue here? (If I continue here, it looks like more pictures of sparkly shoes and pointless musings, based on what I reviewed as my most recent posts from early 2012, may be coming your way soon!)

In the meantime, have you been to Rome, Venice, or Paris?

I am going to all three cities next month. Reply with your favorite places to eat there, please!

remarkablelulu:

As anyone who’s read this blog knows, I love running. I announced last week that I’ll be running the Boston Marathon and I’m excited to tell you why and how.

If you’ve read my archives, you’ll know that I haven’t ever qualified. I’m on a team of 8 runners from around the country who are teaming up to raise over $40,000! We’re sending a team of high school students from Boston to help a village in Malawi build a primary school which will educate hundreds of children. The experience is life-changing for the urban American youth who spend two weeks in a developing country working hand-in-hand with the villagers to build the school.

As you know, I’ve been to Malawi and seen hundreds of children getting their lessons outside under a tree - a school building would mean everything to the families in this village. I’ve also seen the impact that a building like this has made in hundreds of other villages around the world which is why I’ve committed to running 26.2 miles in less than three months and raising $5,500 for this school.

I’m sure you know where this is going. I need your help. In order to make my goal of $5,500 by April 16th, every donation or assistance you can provide me helps immensely!

I encourage you to check out buildOn’s website here and if you want to see what we do firsthand, please watch this fantastic (short!) video on our website.

If you’re able to make a donation, here is the website where you can do so. Please know that buildOn is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and your contribution is 100% tax-deductible. My friends in Malawi and I thank you in advance for your generosity!

FINALLY, please reblog this post. Send it to anyone and everyone you know. Share my travel blog and buildOn’s mission and my big marathon goal. If you know anyone who’d be particularly interested in service learning and education both here and abroad, please let me know and I’d be happy to talk to them. Also, remember that your company may have a donation matching program that you can take advantage of and DOUBLE the impact of your gift!

Okay, enough of my sales pitch. I hope you all know that this is very important to me and I would be most grateful for any help you’re able to give. I love the people in these communities and feel very blessed to be able to help them by running 26.2 miles through the streets of Boston.

Most importantly, my friends in the photo above would be eternally thankful for an opportunity for education, for a future that they may not have had otherwise.

Please support Stephanie and all of the hard work (both for her organization and in preparation for the marathon) she is about to embark on! It’s for a great cause!

View high resolution

Inspiration courtesy of Etsy, all handiwork courtesy of moi.

View high resolution

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…

View high resolution

I rarely post anymore, but I had to share my pretty Christmas trees! (Multiple! Real trees! For a Manhattan apartment! Be impressed!)

The tree in the entry is tiny (3 feet) and the main tree is over 6 feet. Notice Parker relaxing alongside it (he must enjoy the scent as well). 

My trees are the prettiest in all the land. 

View high resolution

A VERY strong contender for my Halloween costume. Bring on the (faux) fur coat and glitzy underpinnings! Or the Bohemian-chic look! SO MANY OPTIONS AND SO LITTLE CELEBRATIONS!