Dr. Seuss writes about the Quarter-Life Crisis!

...I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you.

You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on, You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch with an unpleasant bump. And the chances are, then, that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump, you're not in for much fun. Un-slumping yourself is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked. Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked. A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin! Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in? How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right... or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite? Or go around back and sneak in from behind? Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find, for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, towards a most useless place. The Waiting Place...
...for people just waiting. Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite ot waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting...

... maybe a little of both?

Ok, so perhaps my post from this morning was a little harsh, making it sound like no one ever writes me back. Some people do reply in a timely fashion and I appreciate that. It's just hard when you are trying to plan something that ends up falling apart at the last minute because of a lack of communication, or when you're wishing that people would listen to you because you need someone to be an understanding ear/shoulder. I guess it boils down to the fact that I'm quite discouraged with the hand I've been dealt lately. While Frustrated and Gloomy might not become me, they seem to be like annoying guests who always stay too long at the party.

Why can't they just go home already?!?

Am I right or am I wrong?

Perhaps I am just spoiled by technology, but I appreciate email for its speed and efficiency. Being that I am not a telephone person, email is convienient and easy - often I can fire off an email in the amount of time it would take me to dial and leave a voicemail saying "Call me back so I can tell you what I need to tell you." It contacts people wherever they are without having to physically track them down. Responses can even be sent in the middle of the night without disturbing people.

So why is it then that people don't respond? I write to people - to say hi, to check in, to try and plan things - and either get no response at all or get one too late. It's not a one-time occurance and it's not pinned on to just one person... I get this a lot! Come on, people, it's not hard. It's quick to check and send, especially for the modern world that doesn't have to deal with dial-up, like me. Dumb people. Am I being too harsh here? Or am I just expecting people to be curteous? Or is it just that people don't want to talk to me? I know that email is an informal and casual form of communication, but still...

Let me know what you think.

Headcase...

Do you ever wish you could get inside someone else's head and see what they are thinking? I do, even though it really is a double-edged sword... you could find out that they are thinking exactly what you suspected, or it could be something so completely different and surprising... and either of these could be good or bad. Some people are just harder to read! You think that you know where you stand with them and yet the little voice of doubt makes you panic and think otherwise. And then people sometimes just do things that so confuse you that you're just caught up in a tailspin of questioning and uncertainty. Grr! Frustrating! And finding myself in a whole labrynth of transition yet again doesn't make it any easier. I think my brain just goes into doubt-overdrive over everything, myself included.

I think I really just need some happiness. Anyone got any to spare?

Job Counselor? I have a question....

Spring break is a wonderful, wonderful thing... especially after last week's hideousness. I like being at home. (Of course, I would enjoy a vacation more, but if it comes down to home-vs.-work.... home wins.) I think I need to find a job that lets me stay at home. There's a lot less bureaucracy here.

Kick her while she's down....

This week has been atrocious, for many reasons - none of which I'm going to write about here. The crowning jewel in the hideousness was yesterday, making the week one for the record books. If you know me and want to know what's up, get in touch with me.

One last thing... a question, really...

Do you think that the people in life who find it their job to make your life a living hell actually find satisfaction in doing so in the long run? Or do you think they wake up one day and realize how they have ruined others and, in that action, ruined themselves?

some things are just amusing...

The other day at school I was futzing around with stuff on my cart and a teacher in the "tenement" (where several of us non-classroom teachers - or at least our carts - have been placed) was talking with a student who needed to have some baby teeth removed. She called me in to chat about it, considering my recent experience with teeth. The kids and I chatted about it, and the topic of the Tooth Fairy came up. I mentioned, tongue firmly planted in cheek, that I had wanted to ask my oral surgeon for my teeth so that the Tooth Fairy would come, and several kids gave me their feedback on the idea: (paraphrased)

Student #1 - "You would have gotten $4!"
Student #2 - "You would have gotten $16!" (4x4)
Student #3 - "You would have gotten, like, at least $50!" (my guess is that grown-up teeth are worth more to the TF?)

I like student #3's opinion. I then mentioned that I thought the oral surgeon kept them for himself so he could collect on the money. All students assured me that the Tooth Fairy would know that the teeth were not his and that there would be nothing but teeth left under his pillow in the morning. ;)

Before I forget.... These two websites are really funny. I found them from reading LJC. Both made me laugh on a day when I was much more apt to cry. Enjoy!

words

frustration. communication. silence. longing. uncertainty. faith. doubt. hope. anger. love. tears. flustered. awkward. confident. forget. remember. snow. rain. broken. weak. fear. hurt. empty. year. fate. coincidence. future. past. lost. adventure. magic. rocks.

Rambling

Do you ever wish you could step out of your life and look at it from a new perspective? Actually back up and see things objectively, with bits of the past and future to help you understand the here and now? Yeah, I know we all do sometimes. I guess it just has to do with the fact that I feel like a hampster in its wheel - running, but really not getting anywhere. Maybe I actually am moving forward, even though I can't tell at the moment. I hope so. Maybe I'm not, and an objective look at the situation could help me figure stuff out. I'm not so good with so many unknowns at once - perhaps others like that kind of existance, but I'm better with some things in (relative) order to help me through the unknowns. It's the on-all-fours-and-stumbling-in-the-dark-without-a-flashlight kind of existance that gets to me. I know it's not always like that, and that we do need that sometimes in order to become who we are supposed to be. But that doesn't make it any easier.

sleep. yeah, sleep would be a good idea. goodnight.

Lucky Number.... 32?

Last night, our school's PTO hosted a Tricky Tray at a catering hall. This is the second one I've been to, and they are quite the social events! There were over 300 people there last night and loads of prizes to try for - some of the ones I tried to win included tickets to Great Adventure, the Bronx Zoo, Crayola Factory, etc - gift certificates to Old Navy, Container Store, the Melting Pot restaurant, Applebees, manicures, massages, etc - and even big items like a hotel weekend and a mini Ipod. Did I win any of those? Sadly, no. But I did win something I wanted, and perhaps this is a sign that I need it - a month of unlimited visits to a local chiropractor!

It might not be as fun as some of the others, but I'm happy with my prize and hopefully will benefit from it! :)

it might not be a big deal to you...

...but it is to me.

Yay to me for figuring out how to change the colors within the confines of this humble little blog. I was getting tired of the day-glo pink-and-green motif... so I went for softer colors. Note that I went for a tri-color concept and the fact that sidebar links that are normally black are now purple when you get near them and then blue once you've used the link! woo hoo!

(Ok, so for you computer experts, such drivel is child's play. But I had to do a lot of trial and error and bumbling through html code to make it work!)

Bah for work. Dumb work!

Tomorrow, I have to suck it up and go to work. Bah. I've really enjoyed being home... even with the all-liquid-diet, meds-every-six-hours, ice-or-heat-several-times-a-day, feeling-a-little-loopy, kinda-lonely-ness of it all. I was talked out of work today by several people (the winning vote coming from Nurse Mom) and I think it was a great choice... my jaw was just too sore to have done all of the singing I would have to do. Tomorrow will still be interesting... I'll have to play it by ear and see how it goes. I get the stitches out on Thursday, which I'm looking forward to... they feel strange! :)

"It would be a shame to miss New York in the Spring."

(can you place the quote???)

Having been born and bred in the area surrounding the Capital of the World, I've spent some considerable time there. There are an unspeakable number of places to go, things to do and experiences to experience - some of which I already have (and want to do again!), others that I plan to do, and still others that I am just finding out about here and there. Here is a short list of things I'm currently curious about/interested in... but beware, such a selection is quite short in reality! (hmmm... most are food places... I guess I must be hungry!)

Chinatown Ice Cream Factory and Grilled Cheese NYC (which I just heard about from reading LJC!), Dylan's Candy Bar and Serendipity (Marisa reminded me of these), The Library Hotel (you always need a place to stay!), Gray's Papaya, Zabar's, Kate's Paperie, Amy's Bread, 91st street Garden, Central Park Carousel and Zoo, Ferrara's, the Strand, Midsummer Night's Swing, Empire State Building, the Cloisters, the museums, etc, etc, etc.....

I'm lucky - I've had some exceptional trips into the Big Apple. I hope to have some more. It's strange that I have such fond memories of adventures in a place that scared me when I was little! :)

mmm.... ice cream for breakfast!

Kisses and hugs and much thanks to those who have called, emailed and visited over the past weekend. Your concern and wishes (and jello!) are much appreciated by this girl. Thanks for helping me feel better!

Update

Greetings from the toothless wonder! :) I went in yesterday morning for the surgery, and was more than a little nervous when I got there... but then they put the needle in my arm and told me that I would start to relax... I remember thinking, "wow - this stuff does make you feel better!" and then the next thing I knew, they were waking me up and saying it was all over. I spent a little time in recovery and then mom took me home.

My wonderful oral surgeon gave me some happy drugs - Vicodin and an antibiotic, and I spent most of yesterday icing my face and sleeping. I've been lucky to have such a fantastic "nurse" - my wonderful mom. She has been wonderful to her sick daughter!

I went back to see him for a follow-up this morning and he said everything looks great - honestly, I think he did a fantastic job, since I have very little swelling and feel pretty good. I've been eating more today - all soft things, of course, but he said that whatever I feel comfortable with is what I should have. I might swell more tomorrow, he says, but I don't think it will be anything I can't handle.

So I'll just take it easy for the next two days - he'd suggested that I take off Monday and I have already done so. I'll be happy to veg and sleep and watch movies and do very little. Just wanted to let people know that I made it through! :)

Will I now be dumb?

Well, tomorrow is April 8th. The day I lose all of my wisdom.... teeth, that is. Part of me is strangely at peace with the whole thing and the other part of me (surprisingly smaller?) is freaking out... so you can imagine what I'm like internally! I'm just thankful for the opportunity to do it now, while I can, and get it over with. I'd appreciate any good wishes, thoughts, prayers and the like.

...See you all on the other side of this, when I'll hopefully still be smart enough to write cohesive sentences! ;)

Sheep-in-a-Jeep invite #2!

A few minutes ago, I was sitting here, checking my email, when I see that I got an email today from my pals at Jeep. What I found was another invitation! This time, I was invited to an advance screening of Sahara, an action-adventure movie with Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, and Penélope Cruz... and, of course, the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara.

Too bad their timing wasn't better. The screening is tomorrow night at 7:30... just as my rehearsal begins. What's up with the not-much-advance-notice? Blast. But hurrah for Jeep and free things! :)

So what am I, really?

While at the Auto Show, I took a quiz from Land Rover to discover my AQ- Adventure Quotient. They told me I was Passionate Investigative Pioneer. I went to the site yesterday to investigate and took the test again. This time it was longer and more thorough. I found out that I am really a Inward Inspirational Seeker, whose secondary AQ is the P.I.P.

Here are the descriptions:

Having the AQ of an Inward Inspirational Seeker, you are interested in the internal rewards adventure has to offer. You seek the emotional rush more than the physical when engaging in exciting pursuits.
Your style of adventure is unique because you emphasize improving the self through experience - you are not interested in the instant gratification that adventure can bring. As your name suggests, you seek inspiration from within, not from sources outside of yourself.
You learn best by placing yourself in new situations - stretching your comfort zone helps you develop a clearer picture of who you really are. You are a rare breed who places equal importance on having physical and mental adventures - you are conscious of their distinct benefits. As a thinker and experiencer, you take precautions before engaging in potentially dangerous activities. Above all, Inward Inspirational Seekers are interested in the intrinsic rewards all adventure has to offer - peace of mind, perspective and personal growth.
Traits: curious, open-minded, low-maintenance, cautious, sensation-seeking.

The AQ of a Passionate Investigative Pioneer is that of a classic adventure seeker. When people think about adventurous personalities, this combination of traits is exactly what they envision. This AQ is spontaneous, energetic and broad-minded. P.I.P.'s are willing to forgo comfort for the sake of experience. They want to touch, taste, smell and see all there is, and nothing much that can stop them. The pioneering spirit is something that also separates this AQ from others. They don't rely on trends or guides in deciding where to go and what to do. This AQ is one of the rare few that can feel comfortable in any situation.
Secondary AQ traits: courageous, spontaneous, low-maintenance, sensation-seeking, curious, open-minded, energetic, extroverted.

Comment below and tell me if you think this is a good discription of me. Take the test yourself and then let me know what you are, if you want! :)

Merci! Gracias! Grazi! Thanks!

Kudos to Marisa for her help with the picture posting, and for the Woods for the offer of help. Yay for smart technology people to help us bumbling wannabees! :) A sticker for each of you!

Greetings from The New York International Auto Show 2005! 

Technical Help Needed!

To the few technological people out there who actually read this little blog:

I want to post pictures. I have some to post already. I downloaded Picasa and Hello as they requested, and can't seem to get to the next step. In Picasa, I select a pic and then click on the little "Blogger" button, which always takes me to the page to download Hello. Which I've already done. So it's a big viscious cycle.

Help, Help!

Crummy weather, crummy miss president

Although tremendous fun was had at the Auto Show, there was one thing which manifested itself into something not fun. I didn't know it at the time, but I was in the process of getting sick. I started to lose my voice that night and by the middle of the night, I woke up all scratchy-throated. Luckily, I had called out sick - I needed a "mental health day", and this ended up working out well since I just laid low and did minimal things. I went to work yesterday - perhaps not the best idea, but since I have to take off a few days in the very near future, I figured one would have to be enough for now.

Yesterday after work, we had to get in the car to drive Dad to the airport... on Long Island. We got out there in good time, but the homebound traffic was a beast, as expected. I was amazingly beat after that drive, and crashed on the couch for the evening, dragging myself to bed after sleeping through two hours of television.

So today I'll lay really low in this monsoon of rain. Maybe I'll drag myself out on a few errands, maybe not. Bah for sickness!