hodgepodge

(it was absolutely inevitable: 

my thoughts are in a hodgepodged mess. 

enjoy.)

"anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment." - robert benchley

it's the end of the semester and i'm trying to be on my best behavior - working feverishly to finish all the tasks i have assigned to me - take home exams, essays, etc. however, yesterday, the temptation was far too great. 

with good intentions, alix and i decided we would rendezvous for brunch before heading to starbucks for some serious study time. we settled on the eatery, a wonderful bistro on 9th ave and 53rd street. the place was bustling, patrons on the patio and tables squished together inside. so here's some reality - new yorkers (residents and businesses) choose to take advantage of every drop of space. more times than i can count, i've had to shuffle my body around tables to get to my seat. (my apologies to those of whom i've bumped, jabbed, and smacked). it's usually quite annoying; but, it certainly adds to the coziness that is new york. more than once, i heard the gentlemen next to us comment: "oh my, her french toast smells so good!" (ok, maybe not the "oh my" part...) 

after devouring some lovely faire, we moseyed over to starbucks. we ordered our "usuals" and snuggled up next to the window. 

(window)

naturally, i sat down with cup o' tea in hand, and began my usual process - checked my e-mail, g-chatted with veronica, and discussed a variety of things with alix. it wasn't ten minutes into the execution of our plan that we decided the day was far too lovely to be spending inside. what did we decide to do next? 

ok, so the original argument did involve an element of lovely weather not to be ignored, but we decided any activity involving something other than school would suffice. 

so then, allow me to share some details about the empire 25 movie theatre in times square. it's outrageously over-priced (no student discount! lame.) and seriously resembles disneyland. because one photo could not effectively portray the type of experience one gains after visiting the empire, i'd highly suggest you visit here to get a taste of the view. depending on what theatre your show is in, you'll be taking a ride upon 3-6 different escalators. oh yes, lauren tells no lie. 

after watching matthew mcconaughey act in another average film, we decided to scurry on home to get cracking on the books. school couldn't be placed on the back burner any longer. 

the rest of the day followed as planned - study, nap, eat, repeat. (disclaimer: graduate students reserve the right to behave like children in times of extreme stress and anxiety.)

"new york is a different country. maybe it ought to have a separate government. everybody thinks differently and acts differently."

- henry ford

without further adieu, on to my learning experience for saturday : 

in the summer of 2007, i took a trip to costa rica for a volunteer initiative. like most experiences abroad, it was life-changing. i was lucky enough to meet so many wonderful people with whom i was certain to gain substantial friendships. while working on a community development project in san jeronimo, a small village outside heredia, i met aurore. like me, she was a college student interested in global outreach programs. we became good friends and maintained contact over the next few years. this weekend, she visited new york city. we ate at a wonderful cuban/italian restaurant in the village, candela/candela. it was absolutely amazing. the staff had the windows open causing the spring air to blow through the entire establishment. we spent the evening visiting with great food and great friends. 

historically, it's been said new york is the center of the universe. ok, maybe. however, this statement seemed to ring especially true for me yesterday. since moving to nyc, i've been exposed to a variety of backgrounds and cultures - gaining insight to life outside my own. i've made new friends from around the globe, and caught up with old ones. i've never been to the center of the universe, but nyc seems pretty darn close.