Chrissy's Blog

Hunter College and my re-entrance into the world of learning! Oh school, how I’ve missed you! A couple of weeks prior, I signed up for a web design/programming class. I had dabbled in web design when putting together Dicey Weather and always wanted to learn more. Plus I feel like it is always a good idea to be abreast of technology. So I spent my precious few dollars on an Introductory Photoshop class. I was pleased to find that most everyone in my class was at the skill level as me, which is to say we had all heard of Photoshop but had never actually used it. We learned basic layering and adjustment. It was fun! I loved it and was only sad that I had to wait a week to learn more.

I also made a decision that as long as my finances permit, I want to always be enrolled in some sort of a class, whether it be practical (i.e. technology, career growth, grad school) or frivolously fun (salsa, yoga, baking, pottery). I just never want to stop learning. It’s what truly makes me happy.

It got hot. Fast! I’m not complaining, because I know it is going to get much worse before the summer is over. In all honesty, I’ve enjoyed the weather of late. It has been sunny. I haven’t had to wear a jacket. I can read outdoors. All good things. This day was pretty hot and sticky though. I came home from work and did this for a long time, put my pedicured toes in front of the fan, a wet towel on my legs, read, and wrote. I also had a tall glass of ice water by my side. All in all, not a bad way to spend an evening.

My final day in Boston was spent in a rather ritzy neighborhood. Kate and I got pedicures, drank iced coffee, sat in the shade and watched an old man feed a flock of pigeons McDonald’s french fries. I remember coming to Boston for the first time and wandering around this exact square, taking pictures of tulips and exploring the library where my sister now works. It’s strange to me to think about myself then, how I had no idea what lay before me, that I would end up in New York City, working at a vet clinic, running off to Boston for a weekend getaway. Life is a strange thing.

Another gorgeous day in Boston. We got brunch at a deli called Zaftigs. We started with the sampler platter which had an assortment of Jewish dishes and pastries. Fantastic! I love eating a huge breakfast. In fact, I just love breakfast. I think I love it so much, because I am not a morning person at all. I almost never have time for breakfast, because I’d rather sleep in. But when I do have time for it, I splurge and savor.

We spent the rest of the day engaging in a feminist debate on facebook and hanging out at “The Pond” by her house.

I love my sister. She is fantastic. I keep meaning to tell her this, but I somehow always forget. I am so proud of her being a librarian. When people ask about siblings, I always beam with pride when I say, “My sister is a librarian.” I couldn’t be prouder if she was a doctor, a lawyer, or the president of the United States. I think she is amazing, just the way she is.

After a long day of sleeping in, reading in coffee shops and playing Where’s Waldo on sister Kate’s iphone, we met up with her friend Abby at a bar I believe is called The Good Life. They were having a “Middle School Dance Party” themed night in the basement.

I found it absolutely hilarious that it started out so similar to a middle school dance party. We were there relatively early, a bit before ten, and everyone was standing in their group of friends, sipping their drinks, lightly swaying their hips, staring longingly at the dance floor wanting to know who would be the first to venture out and just do it. Finally those old pop songs from the 90’s overtook our souls and everyone went crazy. I was particularly taken with the man pictured above. I still can’t decide whether I like the fanny pack or the headband more.

We danced like crazy. Abby was surprised how many songs Kate and I knew by heart. But I truly believe that if you don’t have at least one Salt N Peppa song in your repertoire, you are not truly alive.

I spent the weekend in Boston with my sister. It was a lovely vacation from the city. The first time I visited Boston with my sister years ago we did a ton of touristy things. So now whenever I visit, it’s more about hanging out with my sister than anything else. We wandered around Boston Commons the evening I arrived. The weather was absolutely perfect, and the park itself was so sprawling and green. We grabbed dinner at a bar and went to see “Bridesmaids.” I laughed so hard it was difficult to breathe.

I work Monday through Thursday, so on this Thursday my boss was asking me what I was planning for Memorial Day weekend. I told her how I was going to Boston.

“You can’t miss Fleet Week?!” she exclaimed at me.

Fleet Week is a New York City event where the navy docks a ton of boats on the Western side of Manhattan and a bunch of sailors roam the streets. I was really looking forward to it but had no idea that it was going to happen on Memorial Day Weekend. I told my co-workers about it and demanded that we at least go out that night and try to meet some sailors. They agreed. I told my boss, and her eyes hazed over in a wave of nostalgia. “Oh, that sea of white uniforms,” she said.

I met up with my co-workers in Times Square where we were spotting sailors left and right. Our boss had recommended that we find a bar on the west side. We walked into a couple, but nowhere did we spot the sea of sailors we were looking for. One of my co-workers suggested that we try going to Chelsea. As we arrived in the neighborhood and ascended the stairs of the subway, we were disappointed to find absolutely NO sailors. We meandered to a little bar, pictured above. At this point, it was just me and one other co-worker. We sat down at a table and were quickly joined by two young guys. One of them zeroed in on me which I was okay with because he was very cute. Within five minutes though, I found out he was also a huge asshole. Some of his awesome flirting lines:

“You are of no worth to society.”
“I asked you where you were from, just f****** answer my question.”
“This ship we call America? It’s sinking, baby.”

At one point, I just told him he was an asshole. He told me that I was actually the asshole and bet me $20 that I couldn’t remember his name. Well, I did remember his name, and he didn’t give me the $20!! He bought be a beer instead, but I wanted my $20. At the end of the night, he asked for my phone number so we could “do this again, but just the two of us.” I laughed (not out of cruelty, out of incredulity) and told him absolutely not.

“I know I’ve been an asshole, but I’m just kind of drunk. I’d be better sober. I promise,” he pleaded with me. I felt bad for a moment, but I refuse to reward bad behavior and stuck to my guns.

So sad. No sailors. All I wanted was to be able to wear one of their sailor hats for a while and flirt with one. Sad face.

My new computer background. Albert Einstein was so super cool!

I am happy and feel fortunate about my living situation, but I’ m not going to lie. I really miss living in Manhattan. It’s just so darn purty.