Good Week? Bad Week?

(photo via ffffound.com) 

It's been a bit of a week! And it's only Tuesday! I wanna wrap up the shenanigans of the last 7 days with a little game of good week/bad week. Hold on, this is kind of a roller coaster.

AmyJane and I got into APA!!! Good week.
I spilled coffee on myself. Bad week.
And my cell phone. Bad week.
And a staff member at my externship. Bad week.
But I got a new phone! Good week.
I started my new externship! Good week.
Buuuut, I'm not getting paid for it! Bad week.
It's gonna look phenom on my resume! Good week.
But I'm actually paying John Jay for the credit. Bad week.
I broke my bed. Bad week.
Twice. Bad week.
I fixed my bed! Good week.
Twice. Good week.
I opened the emergency door at my externship. Bad week.
Everybody laughed at me. Bad week!
I had brunch with a few friends on Sunday. Good week!
We didn't have mimosas. Bad week.
But we did have sexy sangria! Good week!
I slammed the door on my finger. Bad week.
But my uber attractive neighbor heard me yelp and he stepped outside to check on me! Good week.
I start school on Thursday. Bad week.
I start my final semester at John Jay on Thursday. Good week!
I haven't fudged on my austerity program. Good week!
But I'm bummed - Gap is having a sale. Bad week!
I re-heeled my favorite pair of boots! Good week.
One of the new heels fell off. Bad week.
I started reading a new book. Good week!
But I don't really like it. Bad week.
So I finished it real fast. Good week!
And started another new book. Good week.
And I don't like that one either. Bad week.

And so it's Tuesday. Good week.
And tomorrow is Wednesday. Gooooood week! ;)

Hazelnut Coffee is Bad for Blackberries

(photo via tumblr.com) 

Whoops! 

So, I've been so psyched about starting my externship - a big kid job! (Even though I'm not getting paid! Blows!) So, I've been waking up early and having a cup of coffee... And even taking my fun new thermos with me to work - filled with my heavily "blonded" (lots of creamer) Hazelnut coffee. 

For whatever reason, I have a hard time finishing my thermos of coffee, so I just stick it in my purse and try to keep my purse upright. 

Two words... Bad. And... Idea. Eh, I have them every once in awhile... 

As I sat on the subway on my way home from my externship today, I caught a huge whiff of Hazelnut. At the same time, I realized my leg was a little wet.  

Ugh. The goods inside were OK... I guess? 

My Blackberry didn't appear wet, but it has a little Hazelnutty aroma. In my defense, however, the buttons were sticking last week... And, the charger stopped working. 

Whew, I'm a Blackberry mess. 

First Day

(doesn't this photo just describe the first day perfectly?? photo via drapestakers.blogspot.com)

We all know how we felt on the first day of school or the first day of our new job... So an externship is like a mix of those - you have to do well like you do at work, but it's a reflection of how well you do at school...

Oye.

So today was the first day of my externship. I wasn't too nervous. I felt pretty good going into the day. A few little bumps in the road occurred, but I expected those. I was eager to go to lunch - get out of the office during those first day silences... Because you don't really know anybody that well, and you're not sure if they'll dig your crazy personality. Well, that was a mistake...

I've been to the office several times before, and each time - the stairwell door was open. I'm confident of this - because I took the stairwell those times... This time, the stairwell door was closed. Alrighty - I could take the elevator. However, it is one of my New Year's resolutions to take the stairs whenever possible. I wanna have killer legs... And thighs...

So anyhoo, I figured... I'll just push the door open...

No, the door was not labeled "Emergency Exit Only." Yes, the alarm went off. Yes, Lauren stood in the lobby with a few dozen people staring at her.

Ahh, I'll never forget my first day. :)

We're Reminded... Every Once in Awhile...

(image via ffffound.com)

I work in a large office. Lots of people come and go. It's always scary to leave your personal belongings around when you know they will be exposed to so many different people - a lot of them are students. Unfortunately, students get a bad wrap for stealing, among other things. However, there have been several occasions - this morning counts as one - where a student has returned something left behind by another student. The unfortunate soul who left her keys at one of the computer stations came back in a panic this morning - and was oh-so warmed when she discovered her keys (car, house, yacht, safe, etc) had been handed over to the front desk for safe keeping by another student. The world is not full of dishonest people, despite what we sometimes think...

I'm suffering from a case of the Wednesdays!

It's Wednesday. Work has been painful and school is draining all of my energy. (There is a small violin playing somewhere...) So, I'm suffering from a major case of the Wednesdays! To fight the torrids of my mid-semester depression, I'm enlisting the services of MSN's Wonderful World page. I'll be chipper in no time!

This 92 year old woman just went skydiving! I'd love to believe that I'll be the type of crazy old lady who decides to surf the skies once more before I die. (I was lucky enough to go skydiving with Emily for her 20th birthday several years ago!) Maybe they offer a senior discount?

How selfless would you consider yourself? I'm all about pulling off a daily good deed and embracing the altruist in me. This woman donated one of her kidneys to her neighbor. The Kansas City neighbors were not close at first, but have developed a strong friendship - sharing car rides and meals together. The donating neighbor has been driving the donatee neighbor to dialysis appointments for over three years.

This guy won major brownie points! He spelled out a marriage proposal in an Ohio wheat field to his long time girlfriend. Then, he took her up in a plane to see it. She said no. Haha, just kidding! She said yes, obviously. ;)

At age 84, this guy got his high school diploma. He was unable to finish his degree when he was drafted to fight in World War II. Every passing moment is another chance to turn it all around, and he took advantage of that. Amen, man. Amen.

Indeed, I feel better already. :)

Hells Kitchen Market

Although the weather has been pretty crummy the past few weeks (hot/humid/sticky/muggy/totally unbearable), I've decided to horde my pennies and start walking to campus more often. It's a short walk (Two avenues + 14 blocks) and takes about 20 minutes. Plus, I walk through Hell's Kitchen, which is a total delight early in the morning. Most restaurants are preparing for the day's guests and many of the bakerys and grocers are setting up their products.

More recently, I've come to sincerely appreciate the Hell's Kitchen Market, located on 9th Ave between 56th and 57th street. Basically, it's a series of six to eight tents offering up slices of heavenly bliss - fresh fruit, produce, and baked goods. Just walking by and inhaling the aroma of home-grown, heart-felt confections lifts me above the humidity.

a river runs through the time warner building

i've been working late recently. on my way to the subway, i pass the time warner building at columbus circle. usually, there are half a dozen luxury cars sitting outside the building - probably waiting for corporate big wigs or social elite to exit. tonight, i saw one... she was chatting with two other women. i told my co-worker to go introduce himself. he said no. haha, good call. oh my, mrs. rivers. oh my. 

red eye

(photo: cnn.com)

oh my. the time difference between the west coast and the east coast can be quite a drag. from new york to phoenix - piece of pie! from phoenix to new york, you gain three hours in flight - seriously, so ridiculous! so, i left phoenix at 9:15p on tuesday night. i arrived in new york at 4:30a on wednesday. and, i was scheduled to work at 9a that same morning. (wha, wha, wha...) so, i jumped on the airtrain and was able to get back to my apartment by 6:00a. i dozed for about an hour then got ready for work. i made it! i was a mess, but i made it! i sat at my computer all day looking like hell. red eyes? of course! and naturally, i got the occasional - "geez lauren, you don't look so hot." finally, i may or may not have tripped on the stairs on my way to the 2nd floor for my afternoon research shift. did i mention the time difference totally blows? 6p did not come quick enough. oi.