Poppin' Bottles in the Ice - Like a BLIZZARD

Now I'm feelin' so fly lii-i--iiii--iike a G-6 - but that's how I roll.  The season's first major snow! Im loving it!  Too bad it wasn't a white X-mas but at the very least it can be a white Sunday (and possibly Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday?)  As the snow was falling today, I figured the best way not to get snowed into the house was to go out every hour or so and shovel so that it wouldn't be total accumulation... the logic was there but in practice it didn't really work out that way.  Each time I went out all bundled up and ready to brace the wind and snow, getting SLIZZARD (what does that even mean? I don't know, but I love the word), I noticed that the level of snow where I had already shoveled was essentially the same as where I hadn't! My guess is that the wind is blowing it all around keeping things even, which is making each time I head out less beneficial than the previous time.   

I heard that the local airports had canceled over 1000 flights today!  I didn't know that many flights came through on a daily basis, and I assumed that there were some easy day flights which weren't canceled, so that means that regularly there are even more scheduled flights - pretty crazy...

Back in the days of school, getting a snow day was really exciting! Now, in the Real World, the snow itself is just as exciting, but do professional work places give out such freebies?  Its still to be seen at my job.  At the start of winter I had asked around the office what the protocols were on really snowy days and apparently they do issue "Snow Days."  But how do they let the employees know?  When you attend school, often there is a phone line to call and see if this free day has been announced, but we don't have such a system for work.  If I were to call the office at 7 in the morning, depending on whose extension I dial, likely I will get the usual answering machine message letting me know the individual isn't at the desk and I should leave my name, phone number, and a detailed message.  That's not really going to help me if I want to know if I had the day off - paid.

I've already checked the bus schedule online and it seems as though the buses are expecting a 45-60 minute delay on routes into Manhattan.  As a commuter, I already have to wake up 2 hours prior to being due at the office - there is NO WAY I am waking up an additional 45-60 minutes early just to be the only one at the office (on regular days I usually get there before anyone else) - I'm just not important enough in my position to make that effort. 

So now that I've put in a call and e-mail to my boss (who I believe is snowed out of town - yikes!) the best i can do is hope for an answer (preferably with announcement of a snow day in the affirmative) before I go to bed so that I don't need to wake up for naught early in the morning. 

And on that note, I leave you with the following while I go enjoy my delicious cup of Nestle Caramel Hot Chocolate catching up on my DVR  (does it get any better?):

(They didn't even pay me for this product placement... but as an unofficial sponsor, Im happy to include it!)

In case some of my opening confused you, sit back, relax and enjoy the sober girls around you acting like they are drunk with the Far East Movement's video....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4s6H4ku6ZY

Go ahead - Punch yourself in the face...

You won't feel it!  Its been THAT cold outside! AM New York (sadly) is my main news source, and as a commuter I love the free resource.  Each day they announce the weather while giving a forecast for the following day, and this advice to hit yourself was the tagline one day last week.  I thought it was funny ‘cuz it was soooo true.  I often walk inside and feel like what I imagine Botox feels like!  I happen to love the cold weather much more then humid heat, but on some of these days, its really pretty damn cold.  I mentioned to a friend 2 weeks ago something that’s really weird about myself, and I figure why not share it in a public forum as well.  You know when you’re walking outside and its super frigid, so much so that your eyes start to tear a little and it feels as though your eye balls have been living in a freezer? I LOVE THAT!!! I know it weird, but when I’m walking and I’m crying because its cold, I like that feeling and I feel like it kinda looks cool (no pun intended).  To each their own, hey?

Anyway, I know this blog isn’t a music review, but for now, let’s pretend that it is.  Last night I went to what was supposed to be the last show from a group called As Tall As Lions (after last night’s show sold out a few weeks ago, they then posted a second “last show” for tonight – sadly, our tickets had already been boughten (that’s a Bring It On Parody reference)).  In summer of ’07 I believe, I met my very favorite concert Buddy – Tracey Patten.  We worked together at a PR internship and quickly formed a lovely friendship.  Tracey has been a big influence on musical taste and has introduced me to a number of new (to my repertoire) bands – one of which was ATAL.  We’ve since (as of last night) been to 4 of their shows but it seems as though it’s going to stop right thur because the band is dis-banding – hence the “last show” fiasco.  So we went to the Highline Ballroom yesterday evening to rock out once more to some of our ATAL favorites.  Unlike any other show we’ve been too, neither of us had any idea who was opening… boy were we in for a surprise. 

Doors opened at 7, and show was called for 8.  We got there shortly thereafter due to poor planning (on my behalf) and infrequent buses, hoping we wouldn’t be too late.  Much to our surprise the show wasn’t even close to starting, and after we wiggled our way into the relative front of the venue, we waited for at least half an hour until the first sign of performance.  Awkwardly this guys stumbles onto the stage, looking very much like a crew member and he lifts up this ghetto marching band drum and wraps it around his arms/shoulders with the string that its attached to – not straps, but string.  Being the lone man on stage, he lifts his 2 drumsticks in his hands, positions himself in front of the mic and starts to pound.  The beat sounded almost cult-like as if he was summoning spirits or at the very least his other band members.  While the latter didn’t come out just yet, it’s very possible the former entered his body.  He started singing, or rather chanting really, in this peculiar unique voice. (With my limited knowledge it sounded just a little bit like Neutral Milk Hotel).  Their MySpace page describes their style as “Alternative”, but to be honest, that doesn’t even begin to paint the picture.  Quirky and weird would be most accurate, although a little less tasteful. 

The band consisted of a saxophonist, a trumpet player, a drummer, a bassist and this eccentric singer who also played the guitar and sometimes the keyboard.  While listening to their sound, I couldn’t help but wonder, “What are they thinking when writing and composing this music? Do they actually think its good?”  The weird thing is that it wasn’t that it was just bad, rather it was really unlike anything else Ive ever really heard.  It was much more like a performance piece than it was a musical show.  In one “song” the lyrics were series of pronunciations of “we are____” and “we____”, again, not really singing but more so talking to the beat with a little inflection in the tone.  One of the re-occurring themes was making love either on the floor or in the streets, and somewhere thrown into the mix is a girl named Rebecca.  Love found its way into many of the songs, being measured “in bricks and mortar”, or having it in the street.  Some of the musical components were actually kind of good for about 10 second intervals, but they were abruptly interrupted with weird vocal noises or too many instruments playing disparate sounds at the same time. 

You may have noticed that I haven’t told you the name of the “band” or any of their songs yet but that is quite representative of how they introduced themselves to the audience.  It wasn’t until at least 2 or 3 “songs” in that they even told us who they were (oh yeh, they are called “Jive Grave” – it somehow sounds to me like it should be in the other order, the same way Lewy-Neuman would sound if it were Neuman-Lewy) and only for one song I believe did they tell us what it was called (I think it was something along the lines of “Some Sh*t Happened”).

The overall experience was kinda interesting and in a way thought provoking.  At the end of their set, I felt like I needed the time to reflect on what just happened and in its own kind of way that might have been what they were going for.  At some points during parts of the performance when I couldn't help but smile and even chuckle sometimes, I was checking out 2 of the band members – the bassist was feeling the music so hard (which is really cool) that he was making the most ridiculous faces to the point that I actually stopped at one point and said to Tracey “I actually would feel really bad if he has something wrong with him, like a tick of the mouth that makes him do that” – in the end we decided he didn’t because when he wasn’t playing, like in between songs, his face was totally normal  (actually sort of cute!) – also the trumpet player actually kept laughing a bit when the lead singer was doing his own thing and it was uber unusual, so it seemed as though he couldn’t contain himself either.  As a side note, by the way, As Tall As Lions was fantastic, and it was the best show of their that I had seen.  The energy both from the crowd and the band was amazing and even though it was technically their second to last show, they wanted to go out with a bang, and in my opinion they did!

So on that note, I leave you with the following:
Here is a link to the Jive Grave MySpace Music page: http://www.myspace.com/jivegravemusic

And here is a link to the Jive Grave Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/posted.php?id=227927035381#!/jivegrave

Is this gonna be forEVER?!?

As I'm quickly approaching the first quarter century mile mark, Ive recently been finding myself experiencing very "7-year-old" feelings.  Firstly, last Thursday I had my first dentist appointment in 2 and a half years! EEk! I know- really terrible, but Ive been off of insurance for that long, and it wasn't until I started working that I finally earned my own health and dental insurance plans (And I have to say that is the thing that makes me feel most adult in my life right now).  So I went in for one of my allowed bi-annual cleanings only to find that I had a small cavity! AAAAhhhhh!! In truth its not that bad, but as I was sitting there in the chair, having my lips stretched to epic proportions, I couldn't help but feel like an adolescent who has been eating too much candy, hasn't been brushing her teeth, and will walk out with tooth brushes for the next year and a special dental sticker! (In honesty, none of those were true - I haven't been eating TOO much candy - just the right amount;) - I brush my teeth twice daily, for an extended period of time [I wear out tooth brushes like its nobody's business] - and the only thing I walked out of the office with was an appointment for 6 months time and $50 less in my bank account).  The cavity, as I was told, was quite small and was able to be fixed just then during the appointment.  But who gets cavities past the age of 10??? I found myself quite anxious about the drilling and Novocaine and all that comes with it.  Lest I forget the fact that by the end I was major-droopy-face and felt like the left side of my head was at least 3 times the right.  It was a very 7 year old experience.

As a side note, it was a funny juxtaposition with the "gum-test" that they start doing when you get old enough (which I was), to test your gum health seeing how far from your teeth the gums separate.  A slightly painful test, but I came out earning good remarks.

As if my little cavity wasn't enough to make me feel oh so young again, this weekend I ended up getting quite sick.  I didn't do anything out of the ordinary that would have made me susceptible to sickness, but I guess "tis the season."  At first it started with fatigue over Shabbos, and what better time to rest than on the sanctioned day of rest.  And rest I did - from Friday evening Until Saturday night, I banked at least 17 hours (some were on the couch but those totally count - they are sometimes the best!).  Then on Sunday morning i was feeling a little lackluster and slightly ill with a heavy cold coming on, but I made it to an alumni volleyball practice at my old high school with the current varsity team (although I was one of only 2 alumni who showed up).  I plowed through and surprisingly played pretty decently, but by the end I was feeling feeling very much like death's cousin - really sick.  It probably wasn't safe that I drove home in the condition that I was in, but as soon as I was safely in the house, I immediately curled up on the couch (yes, same as before with the napping) - still in volleyball garb - knee-pads included, although minus socks and shoes - draped a blanket over myself and quickly called for my "Mommy."  Thank Gd I'm living at home, because I would not have wanted to feel that way without having someone to take care of me.

I was prepped with a cold wash cloth over my eyes, a rubbing on my back, a tucking in with the blanket and a fresh bottle of water.  I wasn't quite asleep for the whole time, but I managed to stay quite stationary for another 4 hours.  When I finally got up, after having bouts of cold sweats and hot shivers, I had my temperature taken for the first time in YEARS and lo and behold, I had a 101.5 fever! I literally have not had a fever in at least 16 years, and this too made me feel once more like a little girl.  For the past memorable years of my life, any time I would get sick, I would sometimes feel like I had feverish symptoms, but I wouldn't actually get a fever.  It was something I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see it on the thermometer (Thank Gd it was taken orally and not from the other end as used to be the case when I was little - ew). When you've gotten to the point of independence in your life (other than the fact that you may actually be living at home...) its an awfully strange feeling to suddenly feel so dependent on help from others.  Its also a good reminder to be appreciative that there are people in my life who will help me, even though I had resorted back to childlike instincts with basic and needy needs.

And on that note, I wanted to leave you with what would have been the following:
Comedian Daniel Tosh hosts a comedy Central show called Tosh.0 which is fantastic.  Hes adorable and an across the board offender/comedian.  In each show he has what is called a "web redemption" where he shows viral videos where someone has "failed" or made a complete fool of themselves.  He then Flies them out to LA where he meets with them, and gives them an opportunity to redeem themselves.  Its usually quite funny and in one episode he redeems "David After Dentist" which happens to be a favorite video of mine.  In his preamble before the redemption he does a little "bit" on going to the dentist and its really funny - unfortunately I can't seem to find it on the internet, so you'll have to take my word for it.  I will provide you with the link to the video David After Dentist (which likely you will have already seen) so that at least you can enjoy that, and from there, fish around on your own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txqiwrbYGrs

And for a little eye candy...

Do Unto Others....

I had a very humbling and honest conversation the other day with my parents.  Due to context of the conversation, my Mother, in a light manner, was acting out how she would describe me to someone else.  While sticking to complimentary attributes, she started with saying that I was fun, knowing how to have a good time, nice, caring, and had a strong sense of what is correct.  Missing, however, was the expected "she is a really kind person and does a lot of good for others."  Now I’m not fishing for compliments, but I would have thought that my Mother, someone who i expected to know me very well and think highly of me would have said something along those lines.  I actually asked her about it and she said "Well, of course you are a kind person, but I don't see that you really go out of your way to involve yourself in acts of chesed (kindness)."  This sparked a whole, long further conversation where I, feeling a little hurt, probed both she and my Dad to get an honest opinion of what they thought of me as a person.

I have always tried to be nice to other people and the part of Judaism that I am most attracted to and feel to be most important is treating other people properly.  In my opinion properly includes respect, kindness, and without trying to sound cliché, in a manner in which I would like to be treated. There is certainly room for me to grow, but I was feeling pretty content with myself, that I had been holding myself to those standards.  While my parents didn't disagree, they helped me see that maybe I wasn't actively embodying that trait as much as I could be.  My mom pointed out that knowing the person I am, it isn't a question that if a situation crosses my path, I will approach it in a kind manner.  However, I am not making the choices on my own to seek out situations where kindness is needed and making myself available.  My father, as well, agreed that I could be making more of an active effort to seek out Chesed opportunities rather than waiting for them to cross me by.

While I had initially felt a little hurt that my own parents didn't see me as I had seen myself, I soon realized that this was an eye opening opportunity for me to really get feedback and possibly make a change.  It’s easy to start feeling comfortable with your actions and stop flirting with your comfort zone.  It’s hard to hear at first, but in truth I asked for - both figuratively and literally.  I’m hoping that I will have the strength and courage to start implementing a change and look for Chesed  opportunities in which I could be involved.

And on that note, I leave you with the following:
As if the timing couldn't have been more perfect, just after I had this conversation with my 'rents, my sister shared with my mom  the following link and she sent it my way  saying "So simply beautiful -what a meaningful life - Gavi not a dig, an example and inspiration!"  I found it to be incredible and I would like to share it with you - open your hearts!
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=464334032902

Talk to corporate - Send some faxes - Promote synergy - LIKE A BOSS

Busy busy busy! Being a bee the past 2 weeks has sadly kept me away from my computer - my personal computer that is.  I do spend most of my working day sitting in front of a computer, but alas, that doesn't allow me the time to take care of my personal matters. For the first time in ages I'm actually really behind in answering e mails (I flatter myself thinking that I actually get important or time-sensitive material...).  Work has been a little nutty (still grateful that I have a job!) and kinda stressful - I can judge it by the fact that over the course of the past 2 weeks, I've bitten off my nails! I'm a nervous biter so I've had to resume painting these short stubs to prevent it.  Also, I can tell that I've been "working too hard" because I find myself frequently unable to log into my private accounts on my computer because I keep typing in my work password! How sad is that?  Next thing I know, ill be coding bills in my sleep... (Gd forbid)

2 weeks ago I was able to say that Ive never been to the west coast - current day that is no longer a truth!  Our company held our bi-annual retreat last week in San Francisco, California - It was rad! The retreat lasted only Monday and Tuesday, so I flew in on Sunday to spend the whole day being a tourist, which if I may say so myself, I do quite well.  It was fantastic riding the iconic cable cars all around town (I bought a day pass for unlimited ride-age) and visiting the famously gay Castro Street - home of Harvey Milk and his story, as well as seeing the crooked Lombard street and walking around Fisherman's Wharf.  It was a really wonderful opportunity (it didn't hurt that it was all on the company account - airfare and awesome hotel included) both for me as a traveler and for the work-me as I was able to meet people who we work with nationwide and see what we do in the field.  Very Educational. 

I've been having a few other Real World experiences related to work that have been really humbling and good life lessons.  A few weeks ago I went to cash a check for work - With HSBC, its a bit of a to-do, making sure to have all the proper documentation as well as identification, and endorsing in the correct manner.  To make a long story pretty long, I went to cash a check having endorsed it in the way that I very strongly remembered having done it the time before, and when they gave me a hard time, I got very stern and insisted that i was right, and had them look up the last check that I had cashed (having properly remembered the date and amount of that check).  I actually said to them "Look on the back - it will show that i did the same thing..." and I waited for them to look it up, excited at the prospect of proving them wrong and rightfully, as the customer - who is always right - making a big stink about it.  To my horror, they turned the monitor around to show me just how much I was wrong, and I was forced to eat my words.  I was absolutely mortified, and with my very red face, I quietly issued a small apology.  For the 2 days following, it absolutely ate me up inside with what a fool I had been.  I felt terrible that I had been so rude and so very wrong.  I was then faced with the challenge of having to go back to the bank to make a deposit - I only prayed that noone would remember the idiotic exchange from two days prior.  As I tentatively walked into the bank, i sighed deeply noticing that noone involved was actually present.  However, as I went up to the teller, she actually said to me "Make sure you've endorsed it properly - not like what happened the other day..." While she said it with a smile in jest, my heart sank - I was the story of the day, the one that everyone at work went home and continued to talk about! So clearly I was remembered, and having felt so badly I actually told her that I wanted to apologize properly to the people with whom I had spoken.  She assured me that she would pass on the message and said not to worry.  (I did get the confirmation that she did in fact pass it along, because the next time I was in the bank, I did see the teller who I had dealt with and when I apologized to him again he said that the other woman had already said I was sorry, and he said not to worry and thanked me for apologizing).  To make matters even better, as I was walking out of the bank, I was stopped by an employee who was issuing a brief survey about customer service, and I relayed the whole story to her, and gave a good review - I felt like with that, i was able to properly shed my shame and move on having learned the lesson to hold my tongue and always proceed in a humble and cautious manner.

So that's been work and subsequently, that's been life.  Im learning to take it as it comes and make the most of each situation, learning what I can.  A perk of being a working woman will be realized this weekend.  For the first time, I will get a paid holiday! Thanksgiving is moments away (in the grand scheme of things) and Im super psyched! Turkey for me - Turkey for you - I like to eat Turkey in a big brown shoe! Yay! really looking forward to that, while in the mean times the next 2 days will be quite hectic.  With a change in staffing is happening at work, a lot of stuff is filling up my plate, and Im sure ill be able to use the long weekend.  The title of this posting may look familiar to you if you are an Andy Samberg fan - once again i turn to the Lonely Island for inspiration.  Talking about the work I have to do brings my mind to "Like a Boss" and if you haven't heard it, get yourself on a boat, love your mother, and look it up!

On that note, I leave you with the following:
A picture montage of stolen pictures from Google image! Gavi Samberg.... has a nice ring to it...

The best things in life are free - but you can give them to the birds and the bees...

Once again, mention of "The Real World" came up today - I would like to think that people are talking about my blog, but no - my blogs namesake was the intention.  This evening I attended a short seminar on Financial Planning for the future.  Really I went because I figured that now that I'm making money (not very much, but money it is), I should learn what to do with it.  My financial vocabulary and knowledge are somewhat basic, and therefor a lot of what I "learned" at said seminar was a bit beyond my realm.  Sure, I understood that saving is important if you want to retire, and in order to be able to do so, you must earn more than you spend.  However, when it got into the Bull and Bear markets, as well as certain investment outlets, I suddenly found myself focusing on other things in the room (such as the fact that it was really warm...).  It would have been one thing if they were teaching us about these terms instead of just throwing them around, but that wasn't the case, so I felt my spacey-ness was legitimate.  Anyway, reoccurring in the PowerPoint presentations that were shown to us was comparison between an ideal situation and "the real world," often in relation to the way the markets move.  Obviously as soon as it first showed up I gave a little chuckle, but it proves to me once more that the whole notion that there is anything BUT our reality, or "The Real World" is comical.  When do we ever live in the fake world or in hypothetical situations?  The real world is all we have!  Fantasy is great for a little mental escape (I would be lost without TV/movies and books!) but crazy-enough things happen in our day to day life that all of it is part of reality, and anything is a possibility. 

For all you running fans ad followers of new york culture, Im sure you know the ING Annual New York City Marathon was this past Sunday.  I've always been a fan of the Marathon - when I was younger I would go with my dad to the house of a business associate of his where we would watch the start of the race on TV while eating a spread of bagels and coffee, and then we would walk a couple of blocks down (he lived in Brooklyn) to watch the runners in real time running by.  It was always so exciting! I even got to help give out little cups of water for which I was rewarded with a Marathon raincoat - first to protect me from spillage and secondly as a souvenir.  Nowadays I still like to read up about it and follow some of the pre-run media (I was following the "Idiot Runner" who is a staff writer for AM New york - my main source of news - and trained for the first time for this Marathon).  While it seems quite lofty right now, its on my bucket-list to one day complete the NYC Marathon - I urge you to follow up with me in 20 years to see if Ive already done it or have specific plans to do it!  While I didn't run this past Sunday, I did have a very busy day which brought me to 4/5 boroughs (no Staten Island), not unlike the Marathon, so at least in that way I got to channel it and keep it on my radar!  At around 3pm I found myself on W.66th street in New York where many runners were hanging out after having finished, and aside from randomly wishing people congratulations, it was really exciting to be in that kind of atmosphere where sheer physical ability and determination were so evident - I found it inspiring and it made me smile. 

There doesn't seem to be a real connective thread in this post, so going with that idea, I have one last thought to share.  If there's anything that Ive learned from the movie The Social Network and previous professional work experience, it is that anything you put in writing either on the internet or through e mail has the ability to come back and slap you across the face.  During the last semester of my senior year of college I interned at a big PR company in NY.  There was a lot of blogging as well as professional drama surrounding the CEO of the company.  One main instance that he will never live down is having verbally abused his former HR director who he had fired because she was had allegedly helped one of the employees leave this firm and start somewhere else.  As a PR "pro", he should have known that cussing her out in e mail, as well as calling her a vulgar term for the female genitalia was bound to leak to the internet and add to his already bad name.  What I learned from this (other than the fact that I shouldn't continue to work there, and I should be weary of listing that work experience on my resume) was that writing negatively about anyone on the internet will almost certainly get back to them.  Not to get up on a high horse, but I don't like to talk negatively about people in general (we all slip up every so often), so it shouldn't be too hard not to put it in writing either, right?  However, recounting funny work stories is certainly a temptation.  I don't have anything particularly bad to say about people at work, but when something notable happens, I urge to want to share it with others - but I dare not put it in writing!  Characters at work remain comedic relief on the work place and not on the internet.

And on that note, I leave you with the following:
This "song" or comedy sketch never ceases to make me laugh, and if I may say so myself, i do quite a good impression if it - I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! (I HEART you, Andy Samberg!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu5Uv0JH828

I've been POKED!!!

Get your mind out of the gutter, you! And no, I’m not talking about Facebook either. (I stopped using that stupid function about a day after I joined that social network).  I’m talking about acupuncture! Last night I had my first experience of what should most likely be a number-of-weeks series of acupuncture sessions. 

Ive been diagnosed with a quite common hormone disorder, and I’m hoping these Chinese medicine treatments can aid my body with helping itself.  To be honest, I don't really know much about acupuncture - I've only ever seen it in movies and on TV, and I’ve thought it to be fascinating and intriguing.  I agree that I should really know a bit more about these treatments if Im going to be receiving them, but what I’ve learned so far is that they shouldn't be detrimental to any other form of medical help, and (while it should be helping my body) it wont do any harm to my body.  I hope to learn more on this journey. 

During the initial consultation, where I disclosed about every single bit of information about myself - details that I wouldn't dare to even write in a diary - I was given all the warnings about acupuncture.  Other then potential bruising or redness or skin irritation, I was told that the worst that could happen would be that my organs could be punctured!  Quickly I was assured that a lot of training was focused on specifically avoiding that issue, but I couldn't help but think, "how hard would someone need to push for that tiny little needle to penetrate through all of the stuff between the organ and skin surface?"  It actually made me laugh out loud.  although, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe that our biggest organ is our skin, and so acuPUNCTURE, by definition is puncturing our organs.... something to think about.

Anyway, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but lying on that table, pre-needle pokage, I was really excited! I've been blessed with a really strong threshold for pain, and so I wasn't too worried about that aspect. I wasn't really worried about anything at all, but you could have called me George for the amount of curiosity I was feeling.  Playing in the background was this really pleasant, calming music that one would think was a cliché of acupuncture - I really liked it and I found it to be helpful in the relaxation process.  Each place where the needle was put in (and in case you have a queasy stomach, just note that the gauge of the needle is tiny - you almost can’t see it other than the top handle that is colored and a bit thicker) was carefully swabbed clean, and each needle is single-use and new.  Im not sure exactly how many points of entry there were, but my guess is about 15 (placed on my arms, legs and one in the center of my chest).  Some I didn't feel at all, but there were 2 that had a less than pleasant feeling when initially put in, but felt fine afterwards.  Seeing as it was my first time, fewer needles were used and they were kept in for a shorter period of time.

Once all the needles were in, i was left alone in the room, lights off and music playing.  At first I didn't feel anything, other than an awareness of the needles in the 2 "painful" places, but soon enough I started to feel my blood stream pumping through my body and there was this pressure and concentration of energy (a good kind - not at all uncomfortable) that flowed from my feet up to my head - it was really awesome! I'd never felt more at peace or physically calm then I did then.  It was as if there was nothing else in the world - just me - lying on the bed - and just being. I was a little sad when the time was up, and even after the needles were removed (totally painless), i remained in the same position for about a minute, as my body didn't want to move.  I felt like I was disturbing myself when I finally sat up.The after affects were minimal other then my legs felt as if I had just had a really good workout - specifically my calves were a little tight, but this morning felt back to normal.

Overall it was a really cool experience physically, and now I’m just hoping that the proposed beneficial effects will start to take place upon the continuation of the process and treatments. 

And on that note, I leave you with the following:

"I think Im in love with my radio...."

Music has been a longtime friend of mine.  When I was younger and I misbehaved (shocker, right?) my punishment used to be that I wasn't allowed to watch TV.  Distraught, I retreated to my room only to find comfort in the warm arms of my stereo speakers.  I instantly became a radio listener, which introduced me to lots of music, both current and classic, and there was born my love for music in general.  Now, I often find comfort in the warm arms of my iPod's earbuds, and I realize myself a bit lost when my iPod is out of battery.  What I'm about to say might shock you, so you might want to sit down.  Ive previously alluded to my lack of enthusiasm towards the exponential growth in the technology world, and the prime example of that is with apple products.  It seems as though every week there is a new generation of ipod being released.  Summer of '04, after I graduated high school, I bought myself an iPod to store all my music on for my year abroad studying in Israel.  It was a generation 3 iPod.  This is the shocking part.... get ready.... here it is:  Im still using that generation 3 iPod. It looks like this:

 

Of  course this is a much cleaner, newer looking picture, but that's my current ipod.  It did die once, about 4 years ago, but being the dedicated user I am, I brought it to the apple store and they gave me a refurbished one.  I love this iPod - I particularly love that the buttons are seperate from the scroll wheel.  Ok, so the battery life isn't great, but it still serves an iPod's main purpose - it plays my music! And for that, I still love it and intend on using it until it officially dies (may it live until 120 - poo poo poo).

I dont have a particular genre of music that I specifically only listen to, or absolutely wont listen to, but I can safely say though that im not a die-hard Dead-Head or Phish-Head or Jam Band groupie.  Thats not to say I won't listen to it, but it's not my go-to choice.  Saturday night I had a really interesting experience.  It was my friend Shira W's birthday, and as a birthday treat, we went to hear a Grateful Dead cover band (WigJam) play at a local music venue.  Seeing as it was Halloween weekend, it was also a bit of a festive bash where people, including the band members dressed up (that wasn't integral to the show, but it did add an element of fun to the feeling - watching Shrek bounce around to heady tunes is bound to be funny).  Ive been to concerts before, and certainly ones where people "feel" the music and dancefully interpret what they are listening to, but being at this concert was a whole new world for me.  It was exciting to watch a lot of people, most dancing in the same enthusiastic, full body movement manner! It made me enjoy the music more seeing other people enjoy it the way they were.  Now granted, I may have been high seeing as though people were "blazing" (now do I sound like a dead-head?) around us, but nonetheless I really had a nice time! I would totally go back and hear them again.  Just kidding about my being high, but there really were doobies being lit and enjoyed in our surroundings.  

Its interesting how sometimes one can sync with music.  Here's an example:  I had a stressful end of the day at work today, and by the time I left the office a half an hour late, I was feeling flushed, annoyed and slightly rushed to catch the next bus.  Walking quickly to the bus station, as I was catching my stride, I turned on my iPod.  Apple must have been tuned into my brain because my trusty iPod knew exactly what I wanted to listen to (and they weren't songs that I often chose, so it wasn't like my iPod had previously favored them) and it played all the right ones!  By the time I arrived at the bus, I was already in a better mood and smiling.  Look how helpful music can be!

On that note I leave you with the following:

This first link is quite long - it is the trailer to a movie slated for a 2011 release about the oldest living Holocaust survivor (107!!!) and how music saved her in the Holocaust - really beautiful and inspirational.

http://www.youtube.com/user/AliceTheFilm

In case that is too long, here is a "lighter" and shorter clip of someone who really feels the music- it is absolutely adorable!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0REJ-lCGiKU&NR=1

Enjoy!

You're Late, Clark Kent

Last night I saw a really incredible movie - it was so powerful, that I immediately felt compelled to write about it (is that an indication that the movie was really good, or that ive turned into a loser blogger? And im only on my 3rd post!).  "Waiting for 'Superman'" is a movie about the public school system in America.  In truth, I hadn't heard of the movie until about 1:30pm, and I made it to a 5:30 showing.  Optimum Triple Play is a magical combination that allows its subscribers a rewards card that includes 2 free movie tickets on Tuesdays at clearview cinemas.  I like to take advantage of this opportunity - Im movie-ternistic - as often as possible.  I had dinner plans with some friends in the city last night, and I had a few hours to kill in between work and our meeting.  I quickly searched for local Clearview Cinemas and checked out the timetables to see what movie was starting at the most convenient time.  It is through that sequence of events that lead me to the gem that is 'Superman'.

Quick sidenote - As I arrived at the box office outside of the theater, while reaching into my bag to take out my rewards card, I heard from behind, "Gavi?"  Coincidentally, my friend Mike had just showed up at the theater (in Chelsea) from uptown at the very same time, going to see the same movie, also on his own.  He put it beautifully by saying "we couldn't have even planned this better."  He was a gentleman and treated me to the movie on his card. 

Anyway, learning about the public school system here in the States was an eye opening experience, especially for someone who had only been privately schooled.  My previous exposure to public schools was quite limited.  I live around the corner from the local public high school in my town, but other then running at their track or walking across the grounds to get to the highway, I never really learned about the inner workings.  (I was verbally harassed on 2 separate occasions on the school property - once in 6th grade and another time my sophomore year of high school... but really all that did for me was make the day I graduated high school a really exciting time because i KNEW each time I walked by the students from then on, that I was older, or at least in a further along grade then each and every one of them - that was my coping mechanism to feel confident).  This film is documentary style, following the journey of about 5 students spread throughout the states over the course of a year.  Each of them is in a position where they are trying to get into a public charter school to get a better education and improve their chances at a more successful future.  The children in the film range in age from about 5 to 12, and all except one come from minority families. 

A really interesting questions was posed by the narrator/creator - Do bad communities lead to bad public schools, or do bad public schools lead to bad communities?  Education is such an important tool that when used correctly can be extremely powerful, yet when abused can be really detrimental.  We learned that tenure in public schools is a really big problem.  Apparently, any teacher who keeps their job for 2 or more years automatically gets tenure.  That means that once a teacher manages not to get fired for 2 years (or as they say in the movie, "If a teacher continues to breathe for 2 years...") they are awarded the grand immunity from ever being fired.  It reported that some tenured teachers even said to their classes that they refuse to teach because they get paid either way, so whats the point?  Really horrific.

Having watched the movie, I was forced to do a little introspection, and take a step back to appreciate the experiences and opportunities that ive been given.  Its sad, when i think back about it, that I (and im sure others) didn't appreciate my schooling as I was going through it.  In truth, I don't think I was mature enough to see just how privileged I was.  2 years ago, when I was visiting the Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia, I met this young local fellow who was sitting and studying on one of buildings' stones.  It was rare to find someone who spoke English and wasn't trying to sell me anything.  Through our little chat I learned that he was working really hard to teach himself English.  His family were rice farmers, and they didn't have very much money at all.  He was able to find an English tutor who would give him lessons for 10 dollars a month, and yet most of the time he couldn't afford it.  He was doing everything he could to both raise the money and study on his own - his dedication was amazing.  But it also got me to think back about all those times I wanted to skip class 'cuz I was bored, or felt like school was getting in the way of the other "important" things I wanted to be doing with my time.  Each time I missed a day of school or even a class, I was wasting tuition money, and yet this boy didn't have the amount of money to pay for a month of classes that was equivalent to what most of my classmates would spend daily on just lunch.  Obviously Cambodia and America are in very different economic positions, but it was an interesting comparison, in my mind. 

Because we got to learn about the lives of these highlighted students, we grew to feel sympathetic towards them.  The interesting part for me, though, was that when things didn't work out for some of the students, we felt sad for them, and wished that maybe they could have received the spot instead of someone else.  However, had the movie documented the story of one of the students that did get in, we would have felt really excited for them, not at all thinking about the students that didn't get in.  We were taken in the direction that the movie makers wanted us to go. 

Im known to feel emotional about tv/movies sometimes (I've cried during wheel of fortune more than once when the final contestant has one really big - tears of joy, but tears nonetheless), but this one was something special.  I didn't cry per say (im sure my eyes lubricated themselves a few times, though) but I felt enlightened and educated afterwards.  I wholeheartedly recommend this movie to everyone.  If you watch it, I would be really interested to know your thoughts afterwards.

And on that note, I leave you with the following:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKTfaro96dg

Couch?.... I don't think so

Arrived (and passed) has the time for my cohorts to get up and move out of their parents houses. Simon and Garfunkle wrote a song called "The Only Living Boy in New York." Similarly, I am the only girl still living (in her parent's home) in New Jersey.  Its a sad truth when at the end of the day (literally when the day has come to an end - not like the saying meaning "in the end") your best friends are your parents and your 17 year old brother with whom you share a home.  Don't get me wrong - I actually get along really well with my family (including my sister who lives abroad - Hi Oriyah!)  - most of the time - and im happy to have them as friends - close friends - and furthermore im super appreciative that im allowed to live at home (despite the fact that my appreciation is questioned on the home front - this time literally).  But, a 24 year old girl needs to have a broader team of support.  And this isn't just true for me - its true for most people - male and female - in my general age range (least in America).  Many people from my social circles marry at this age, and unless you have a completely separate section attached to your parents house (I do know people like this, and it seems to work for them quite nicely), living at home isn't really a viable option - from either side. Other than the marrieds, tho, the singles too are leaving the nest and flying out on their own (even if it is supported by momma and poppa bird).

Just to clarify my position, I am SO for the whole moving out of the house deal, just barely making ends meet, and being independent.  I dig that - hard.  And not only do i support everyone who is doing it, im also a little jealous.  My current bank account funds are hitting pretty low due to my months of travel, and seeing as Ive only been employed for a few weeks, I hardly have the means to be paying rent and the other expenses that come with that.... So yes - Im mooching off my parents - THANKS MOM AND DAD!! The reason im more ok with this (my excuse, if you will) is that im hoping to move out of the country - Ive given myself until 2013 the absolute latest to save up what I can and move to Israel (where God knows itll be harder to save my money, assuming I can even make any... heres to hoping and praying and a touch of hard work!)  I channel Rachel Green from friends right now, circa season one when she is waitressing at Central Perk and gets her first paycheck which leads her to ask "Who is FICA and why is he taking all my money?!?!" -  JenAn - I feel the very same way.  My assumed salary is only giving 60% to my pocket and the rest im pretty sure ill never see again in my lifetime.  The idea that social security will be paid out to me when im older is a funny little joke which makes me cry instead of laugh.  But i stray from my thought process (get used to that - im sure itll happen a lot) - the point is that im trying to save as much money as I can right now, and that means living at home with the Lewy-Neuman clan.

But again, I am the lone chicken left in the coop here in New Jersey for the extended future months to come.  Just recently, basically my last couple of local friends have taken the plunge and moved into big old scary NYC.  Dope pad, by the way, but it doesn't make me feel better that im left to hold down the youthful fort in the neighborhood.  Theres no real reason for sharing the following, other than the fact that in hindsight it was a funny experience and I would like to write about it.  So it revolves around a couch. Being one who doesn't shell out a lot of money for things (are you getting the cheap vibe from me? Please Don't - maybe I used to be, but now Ive gotten better at spending money while maintaining my money-conscious attitude) I am all for getting free furniture and hand me downs of just about anything.  And when you are starting your life in "The Real World", every little bit of help is just that - helpful.  So when a friend of mine was moving out and needed to furnish their apartment, I agreed to helping them schlepp a couch from their house to their brand spanking new abode.  Other then the fact that im laden with super-human strength and physical capabilities, My dad also has a big white commercial-style van (completely empty back) that is perfect for moving stuff (= couches!).  So the couches of today are made to be aesthetically pleasing as well as comfortable and easy to maneuver.  Such is not the case with the couches of yesteryear.  Old-school couches, like the one in this story, might be sturdy as an Ox but are often made of wood, and are madly heavy.  Additionally, this piece had a fold out queen size bed - perfect for the sleepovers I was bound to have on it - not so perfect when it added about 100 pounds (im terrible at guessing weight - it could have been as little at 20 pounds or as much as 220 pounds) to an already heavy couch. Anyway, not wanting to believe that I wasn't physically able in addition to sheer determination, I went ahead with the plan of transporting this monster of a piece of furniture.

So we get to the city and find an illegal parking spot right at the corner. Knowing that the 2 of us wouldn't be able to bring the couch up on our own (oh, did I mention the apt was on the second floor -not counting ground floor - and no elevator) my friends roommate inquired at a pub next door to their place if there was a worker they could pay to help us.  It happened to be a busy time when we got there and the man wasn't allowed to leave to help us.  We tried to ask some other people who worked on that street if we could pay them to help, and each guy that came over attempted to lift a side of the couch to see how heavy it was, and immediately dismissed us while laughing at our misfortune.  Finally the roommate came himself to assist in the dragging.  The 3 of us each grabbed a side and hauled, leaving the veins from our necks at the original site of lift. Literally just getting it to the front door of the building used up most of my energy, and it was maybe 34-40 feet from where the van was.  I knew that this was going to be a difficult attempted adventure.  Somehow we managed to slide the couch through the narrow door, almost taking off someones arm with it, and we were able push it down the hallway until we reached carpet at the foot of the stairs.  The next plan was to conceptualize how on earth we were going to get the whale up the stairs.  Aside from actually lifting the couch off the ground, we also had to figure out which way to flip it so that we could get it around the bends of the staircase.  (here is where I channel Ross Geller of friends - circa season 5? - trying to get his new couch up the stairs of the building yelling out instructions; "Pi-Vot! Pi-Vooootttt!!!")  We somehow convinced ourselves to put the thing on its side - vertically, so that it was almost touching the ceiling.  It must have been about 15 minutes of leaning it in different directions trying to see how we could lift it a little bit more easily, actually getting it to fit in the alloted space.  I dont think it was until we almost broke the handrail, adversarially made of wood, and painted in green (at least when we got there it was) that we started thinking of possibly paying a moving company to hike it up the stairs before realizing defeat and knowing it was a lost cause.  It was a little sad for a minute or 2 knowing that our efforts didn't result in our desired outcome (well thats not true - i woke up that morning thinking how much I would love not to be able to feel my arms by the end of the day - thankfully i was able to check that off my list).  The funny part about it was actually re-loading the couch back into my white van and driving it back home.

Now, that may have sounded like a depressing story but if that is the message you got from it, please take off your current clouded spectacles and put on your rose colored glasses! We were a group of friends, working together towards a common goal and putting in some good old fashion elbow-greased hard work.  We also may have lived our lives in regret if we never would have tried - i can confidently say today that i have no regrets about not having tried that day - i tried and im proud of it! Of US!!! We weren't successful at getting the couch upstairs but as any teacher would have awarded us, we earned an A for effort.  Lesson: Always TRY! Additionally, if you are going to take free furniture from your house, try and make sure that you can actually move it and get it to your new place.  Trumping that, though, is the message to always take free furniture.

So in regard to my sign off, ive decided that i will end each blog posting with a link or picture preceded by "On that note, I leave you with the following:"  From there i will try and attach something that has to do with something ive said, but theres also a likelihood that it'll just be a music video or viral video that I enjoy.

So, on that note, I leave you with the following:

Courtesy of Colin Jacobs:

My New Blog!

And........... LAUNCH!

I've been wanting to start a blog for a really long time now, and its finally past the age of excuses for me. So here it is! I know every Joe Shmo starts their own blogs nowadays (case in point: this blog - Hi, I'm Joe Shmo) but the beauty about that is that those other people who have spent hours at their computer writing things that basically everyone else couldn't care about, has paved the way for me to do it, and for that to be OK.  Thank you people with unimportant thoughts! 


I remember the first time that I ever heard of a "blog."  It must have been at least 7 years ago - I was at a friends house for the weekend, and her father started attempting to explain this new phenomenon of blogging - people, in essence, were creating their own website where they wrote about what they were thinking.  While this concept of a blog is in every modern day 3rd graders kin, at the time, it was a really confusing idea to wrap my head around.  Average people, along with self-proclaimed-above-average people were just setting up websites and anyone could look at it...? Weird.  And who would care? But fast forward a couple years (which in technology years, not unlike dog years, is really like 7 times the amount of time) and here I am, sitting in my living room, doing just that - writing my thoughts on the computer, on my own "website" (thank you 'blogspot') and expecting that maybe someone would care to look at it. 


There were a number of influences that got me to thinking that I could start this thing.  Firstly, after having graduated college, I took about 9 months off to backpack "around the world," and while I was away, i maintained the facebook equivalent of a blog - I set up a group for those who were interested in reading about my adventures (it was appropriately named "Gavi's Around the World Adventures!") and every couple of days or weeks (depending on how on top of things I was), i would blast out a mass e mail detailing the previous couple of days' experiences, thoughts and stories.   Aside from sharing with others, it got me into the good habit of documenting my trip, and it gave me some structure to review my experiences and cherish those moments.  I enjoyed doing that, and wanted to continue in some way.  Additionally, a few months ago, I didn't have a job and I was trying to think of productive ways that I could fill my time and would possibly help lead to my getting a job.  I was(/am) interested in working in copy-writing, editing, or something creative that has to do with words, and I figured that keeping a blog could be a good writing sample to provide to future employers that would give them a good taste of my writing style and creative ability (or lack there of - I happen to agree with the former).  Im pleased to say that since having had that reoccurring thought, I have landed myself a job and I am now a working woman at a not-for-profit in midtown Manhattan and I'm ecstatic to be employed!



So why "The Real World?" ?  For this particular phrase, I have to thank my friend Shira W. of NJ who lives her life according to quite strict guidelines.  She is a big believer in doing things the way they are "meant" to be done, the way things are supposed to be in "the real world."  Anytime I would say something to her that didn't specifically fit into what she thought were proper guidelines, she would tell me that that wouldn't fly in the real world.  For example, Shira and I roomed together in college.  While she was good at keeping herself on a schedule and doing things in a timely fashion, I functioned more along the lines of handing in my essays that were due at 12am maybe a minute or 2 before hand - without proofreading.  My habits of staying up late to watch tv or movies would lead me to be tired during the day.  Anytime I wanted to lie down for a nap she would always remind me that "In the real world, you can't take naps during the day.  When you're working at a real job and you get tired, are you going to lie down for a nap in your office? Of course not!"  While I believed this to be true, I was also really aware that college wasn't "the real world," and I wanted to take full advantage of that while I could.  However, Shira isn't alone in that attitude.  While I was away traveling, I would often be confronted with the question "So what are you goign to do when you return to the real world?"  Once I came back, i got a lot of "How does it feel to be back in the real world" and "Welcome back to the real world - i hope you enjoyed your freedom while it lasted..."  All wonderful thoughts and encouraging words of wisdom - but they all left me with the same question - What is "The Real World?" 


My so far short stint back from "the fake world" (I can only imagine that would be an appropriate name for the real world's counterpart...) has lead me to believe that for each person, the real world is different. My current reality is getting up each morning, Monday through Friday at 7am, commuting for an hour to work, being there until 5:30pm, commuting for 45 minutes back (less traffic i guess) and making sure to go to bed by 11:30pm in order to get up the next morning and do it all over again. But is that the story for everyone?  I don't think so.  The other day on my walk to work from the Port Authority, I saw an elderly Asian man surreptitiously walk into one of the many Adult DVD/Peep Show stores on 8th avenue.  It couldn't have been past 8:45am.  All judgment aside (well, most judgment - I couldn't help but chuckle out loud when I saw this - but in all honesty, it is New York, and anything goes) if that's that mans "thing," then good on him! And that's HIS real world! Some people need a cup of coffee in the morning to start their day - this guy needed a good dose of smut and inappropriate nudity to get the ball rolling.  While I was abroad, i met this one girl in Australia who got up every morning at around 3:30am - She worked with horses.  Her job was to prepare and exercise the horses for being ridden later in the day by horse-racers.  And I bet you that she took a nap most days of the week.  Another real world.  So the point is that everybody has a different story.  We all function in out own ways and create our own realities.  I believe that we all choose our choices and if we needed a part of our world to be different from the norm's definition of "the real world," we would (and SHOULD!) find a way to make that happen.


So Im certainly no preacher telling others how to live their lives or what choices to make, but I would like to be able to defend my own choices and lifestyle.  And I hope for this web-log (I'm almost embarrassed to admit that it couldn't have been more than 2 years ago that I even learned that that's what blog was short for) to be my verbal playground, to be a place where I can share my point of view and give others a peak at what my real world is like.  I hope to make it interesting (for both your and my sake)!

(I should really come up with my "goodbye" signature... I know Tyra Banks ends each of her "Tyra Show"'s with "Peace and Love", and i kinda think that's silly - but again, that opens the door for me to have one as well.....I'm such a piggy-backer! I'll give myself homework that by the time next post comes around, Ill have my own little silly way of saying "see ya!")