Son's Gonna Rise

This weekend was super nice. The weather was AMAZING and I spent a couple good daylight hours outside enjoying the city. From my apartment I walked up to Central Park and read for a while, then I went to the Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Square area, then I got some groceries and made myself a nice little taco dinner :) Sunday was just as fun. I spent the entire day with Jarling wandering around and people watching. I'm thankful for her friendship here.

Jarling and I went to a Citizen Cope concert a couple weeks ago:
We were FRONT ROW!
It was awesome because last time I saw him was a couple years ago with Monica in LA and we were in the nose bleeds.

Mom sent me an AMAZING Valentine's Day package!!! So I'm almost done with all the candy, have watched 2 of the 4 seasons of Will and Grace that she sent and have posted up the pictures she sent of the Navarros rockin' the 2010 glasses! I also got a wake up call on Vday from a flower delivery company! My friend Joe sent me flowers and made my day! Monica, my love, also sent me a card! This pouring of love really boosted my happy level. I was having a rough time with the NY winter.

I'm trying really hard to find a new job and improve my situation here. Kady and I think this will really improve my happiness and my life in NY. Better weather would be nice too.

Past in Present

Back in NY after a week at home for Christmas. It was pretty awesome. I left 16 degree weather in NY for 70 degree weather in LA and 60 degree weather in Bakersfield. Andrew and I met up with Laura and Troy for dinner in Santa Monica and then I spent a couple days in the Inland Empire with Andrew and the boys. We had lunch with Sandra and her family; it was so great to see the kids (I had to look up since they're both so tall now). Then Mom came to Pasadena and we went home the Sunday before Christmas.

Christmas week was a lot of shopping and prepping...and napping as much as possible. I was really tired. I guess working 13 hour days for a month and a half will make you sleepy. Christmas time was fun. I was nervous that mom's family would be split up but they were all in one place and grandma delivered a great Christmas Eve dinner. There are four little kids in mom's family that really made Christmas special. I spent Christmas day with dad's family. The kids make it fun, you know? They got a Wii and I thought I'd beat them at bowling at least (have played it once and I rocked it) but Meagan whomped on me. (BTW she got a cell phone and we text all the time. She's 11.) I made out pretty well this Christmas. I got 23 pairs of socks. It's kind of insane, I know.

So now I'm back in NY and you know what? I'm happy to be home. And having mom here with me is pretty great. We'll be doing Times Square NYE :D

Happy New Year!

Trouble Is A Friend

I had a really horrible experience a few weekends ago and I lost my wallet! Well I maintain that it was indeed stolen but I can only blame myself for allowing it to be stolen so we'll call it even at "it's lost." In it were my social security card and my debit card. Managed to get most things cleared up by now so it's ok. This is the second time I've ever felt that vulnerable (the first time was when my car was stolen right from the front of mom's house) and let me tell you - it's horrrrible! Especially for someone like me who analyzes things way more than they should be and dwells on mistakes/bad feelings. It was a dark couple of weeks in my world. There were many phone calls asking mom to come hold me. I know.
I also lost my iPod and as one of those New Yorkers (that's right I said it!) who lives for my own personal soundtrack through the streets - it's been quite an adjustment having to be so involved in strangers' conversations.
Raquel and Rebecca were in the city for a few days and it was SO great to see them. Raquel's really a soul mate of mine who I never have to waste awkward minutes getting "back" to wherever we left off. I am so glad I got to share my new life with her for a few days and catch up. Raquel was just the feeling of "home" I needed to get through the dark times. Here's a picture of us at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Rooftop Garden. There was a really neat installation and Todd gave us a tour! Not pictured: their dad Jose and Todd.

I had a wonderful weekend! My friend Julie invited a bunch of friends to her parents' lake house about an hour away from the city. It was gorgeous - such beautiful scenery and clean air! There was a great group of kids who made getting away for the weekend a really amazing time!
And...Andrew's coming! So excited! A whole week with the best part of CA in NY!

No Woman No Cry

Yo yo yiggity yo :)

Lots to talk about. I'll be short (ish) and put pictures. First a blog about goings-on in my life. I went to LA. It was spur of the moment kind of trip. Saw Mom, Grandma and the Jimenez family. And Andrew. I was very very grateful for my time in CA. It helped to replenish my stock of happiness. I miss the sun and the weather. A lot. I realized how torn I am between NYC and the Best Coast. Here's a picture from our beach trip:

Then Mom came to visit! We had a whole week together. I worked...sometimes...we ate, shopped, walked a lot!, visited with people, and spent a lot of time together. I was very happy to share my life (and bed) with her for a week and am sad that she's gone :( I am very thankful to have a mom who is supportive of my life-choices and who loves the city like I do. (or at least understands why I do.) Here's one of me, mom and Todd at the new museum:
Since mom left I've been getting back on track with friends, work and sleep. It was beautiful last weekend - Springtime is really here. Saturday everyone and their dog was at the park so on my way home from the store I woke Todd up and stole a blanket - he came out and we did a crossword in the park. This weekend is going to be just as nice - warmer even so I'm excited to go out and enjoy the weather :)

On another note: am thinking that I'm going to move into the city in the late summer. Probably August. My friend Kady is looking for people to fill rooms in her apartment since her current roommates are heading out of the country. I think moving into Manhattan will be a really good change for me. Living in the outer boroughs makes me really homesick. It's not until I make an effort to go into the city that I remember why I moved here! I love the energy of the city - the beauty of all the different sky scrapers. It will be a good thing for me. Kady is a New Yorker who went to Pitzer and I know through a fellow CMC '08er. She's awesome.

I'm in the process of going permanent at work and am gelling very well with co-workers. Over all I like my job. I just wish the office wasn't located in such an industrial area of Queens. Queens - not a place I really feel excited about so it makes my work place that much more blah.

I hope you all are doing well. I hope to hear from you :) Thanks for caring and take care of yourself.

Love, Anna

Suddenly I See

Hi there,

Did anyone hear that flush? That was the wonderful apartment deal going down the toilet. Yeah. Back to square one. Kind of. Luckily I have kept up the search and moving into a nice place March 1st is still an option.

I'm writing this update from a Cosi on 6th Ave and 22nd Street. Google that. Or not. Anyway I have come here to hang out and blog with my friend Jessica. Jessica's been my friend for a month and a half (today, actually) so I decided I could share her with you guys. See, I am making friends :) Jessica is 23, moved here a few days after I did from North Carolina, worked at Distinctive Personnel with me and we get along really well. (Most days) No really. She's great. She has a very quick, witty, sarcastic sense of humor and we're usually two steps ahead of anyone else around us. It's refreshing to be around someone who's on your level. Story!!! Yesterday Jess and I went to brunch in Union Square at 3 p.m. Our hostess (being very sensitive to the fact that we were two girls out together on Valentine's Day) sat us next to a very affectionate couple. We ordered very filling meals and when we noticed that the girlfriend sitting next to us was served an infant sized bowl of granola (w/o milk), Jess and I were already exchanging jokes through sarcastic glances. And then it happened again when the girlfriend needed to pack up her leftovers. This is us at her friend's show.

So the job is going well. I'm making friends and getting praise for knowing how to work the auto-highlighting feature in Excel. Life is good. Plus the boss put me in charge of ordering office supplies so I have post-its in every color!!! Just kidding. Also, I'm the new minute-taker at all the meetings and so I'm putting my past experience to use - I was my high school's ASB Secretary.

I had a very nice week, overall. I heard it was really cold in California. Thats crazy because it was very warm here. One day I had to take my jacket off on my way into the office because I was too hot. I also received packages - both Valentine's Day gifts - from Mom and Monica.

Thanks for reading. Let's catch up again soon,
Anna

This week's inspirational song.