Late Night

Most nights I'm safely tucked in bed by 10:30pm. I don't really consider myself a night owl these days, but last Friday I defied the old lady in me and stayed out late and had the best time!

Friday the 13th...

My night began with the taping of the Jimmy Fallon show. I met my friends at 30 Rockefeller Plaza (yes, THAT 30 Rock). While waiting for them to show up, I saw two guys dressed as the Joker from The Dark Knight, in the Lobby. I thought it was completely bizarre, but I learned later that they were part of a skit on SNL!

Eventually my friends all showed up and the adorable NBC pages filed us in to the studio. While waiting for the show to start we got to listen to the house band perform, the band Roots, and they were AMAZING! We are already energized when Jimmy Fallon came on and (attempted) to deliver his funny monologue.

Then came the "Shared Experience". The idea was to have a bunch of people do something at the same time to create this shared experience. The audience all had warhead candies and we ate them at the same time, on camera. Lucky for you, you can see our reactions. I made it on national T.V. (woot, woot) Not so lucky for me, as my sour face is not the cutest... oh well!


The second "Shared Experience" of the night, and arguably the best, was when they asked us to reach under our chairs and take out our prize. It was the official blanket with sleeves, the SNUGGIE!!! We all put them on and snuggled up for the rest of the show. Little did I know that this blanket with sleeves would change my life. If you don't have one, ORDER ONE NOW! (I believe you also get a free reading light.) You don't think you need one, but you do. Even as I sit on my floor, laptop on my lap, blogging the night away, I'm covered in soft, thick, luxurious fleece, yet my hands are free to reach out to all of you!! I'm losing my train of thought... oh yeah! Jimmy. So Tracy Morgan was on the show, and he was hysterical. Then this funny animal guy with all of these neat animals. And then Trace Adkin performed. It was a great show and so much fun. You can watch it here: http://www.nbc.com/late-night-with-jimmy-fallon/video/episodes/?vid=1061185#vid=1061185

Here we are in our snuggies at 30 Rock, posing with Jimmy

But my night didn't end here. We were four girls with the city at our disposal. Next stop. Dinner in Brooklyn...


We went to a favorite place in the DUMBO neighborhood called Superfine, and it was just that. We were all still so obsessed with our snuggies that we couldn't just ignore them. So we put them on! On the train, in the restaurant, at the bar, at the pool table... And we weren't the only ones obsessed. "Is that a snuggie?" "Can I touch it?" were the frequent requests from strangers.

Next stop on our journey was a hair dying party. We had to make some stops on the way, pick up a car, pick up the bleach, take it to our friends apartment. By this point the show came on, (12:30) and we watched it . We screamed when we saw ourselves on the screen, it was pretty funny. My friend Sara has a DVR so we watched the episode several more times during the evening while we streaked our hair. Here are some pics of our dying mania!

The finished product. Well, almost. We added another chunk of blond to my bangs.

Wow! It was a fun night. I didn't get home until 4:30am!

Anyways, my old lady bedtime is approaching so I'm calling it a night. Peace!

Getting Older

In good news the weather has finally warmed up!!! After a crazy snowstorm on Monday, it's finally getting warmer. Today was 68 degrees :) and I couldn't be happier. We went out for a lovely brunch at this Mexican restaurant and we sat outside in the sunshine. I felt like I was in L.A. or something. Then we went to the park where I rode around on my bicycle. Now I am sitting in my apartment with all the windows open, and I may or may not be watching a Harry Potter movie marathon... (okay, I am!)



I had to tell you about my concert experience last night. Now I love going to see concerts, in fact, back in Vegas my friends and I would go all the time! So when I heard that Missy Higgins was playing in Manhattan, I promptly purchased my ticket. I met my friends Amber and Sara at the venue. I had to walk there (1.74 miles), the weather was nice so I didn't mind. The tickets said 7:00, which I took to mean that it started at 7:00... No, it meant they doors opened at 7:00. So we had to wait outside with all of these other crowds of people (and smokers, ew!). Then we waited inside for what seemed like forever before the show started. The opening act was this cute Australian girl, Lenka. Then it was this cute American/Asian boy Justin Nozuka. Then Missy Higgins came on- hours later! By this point I was completely annoyed with everyone around me. There is no such thing as personal space in a venue like this, but people were just being ridiculously up in my business. The other issue was my feet. I am not accustomed to standing for long periods of time and my feet were KILLING me! (pathetic, I know). I was also hungry and ready to leave. Then it occurred to me! I AM GETTING OLD!!! I wasn't like this before. I didn't understand people that would leave before the encore. Or why they complained about being shoved around. Now i was one of them!!! Also keep in mind that this isn't some "wild" rock concert. It was all very mellow music- anything you find on your light, adult music station. And I couldn't even handle THAT!
Anyhow, we made it through the concert (and the encore) then we limped our way to an overpriced diner (the only thing open) and scarfed on greasy food and chocolaty drinks. I didn't get home until 2:30AM, and I felt like an old lady! But, the concert was great. She put on a good show and I really liked it- after all was said and done.

In other sad news, my sister hasn't been feeling well. To read more about it: http://brandonrobison.net/2009/03/06/ashleys-ordeal/. Feel better Ash!

I also included a link to Heather and Nathan's new blog. Check out their cute little boys!

Baby it's cold outside

I don't like the idea of whining about the cold in my blog, but as most of my readers are enjoying warm west coast weather, I thought you should be aware of what I have to endure. (I am also known to get a bit depressed in February, so I consider this a good way of dealing with it)

It is 27 degrees right now. But that doesn't factor in the wind chill. 20MPH gusts of freezing air in your face is no fun at all! I wear layers upon layers every day. However, my office is really, REALLY toasty, so I'm usually dying of heat in the afternoon.

-as I write this on the train, someone smells like a bacon cheeseburger- YUM!-

Anyways, the heat in my office just makes me want to curl up for a nap after lunch.

In other sad news I lost a glove today. A very special glove.

When I moved to New York I had a pair of black, fingerless, Volcom gloves. They had a cute bow tie on the sides of them. About two years ago I came home from work and my old roomie Erin said, "Did you lose a glove?" I reached into my pocket to realize that I certainly did. She informed me that she found it on the street about three blocks away from our apartment. She immediately recognized it as mine and picked it up for me! So I was wearing these special gloves on this bitterly cold day today and when I transferred trains on my way to work I took them off to put my hair up. I shoved the gloves into my pocket and fixed my hair up. Then I read my book while the train took me to my stop. I got to my building and I was in line to order some oatmeal when I reached into my pocket only to find the left glove missing!! It is now on the V train making its way to Queens. Sad times :(

I feel like it might make its way back to me... then I could call it The Parable of the Lost Glove.

I'd hate to leave you on a sad note, so I will fill you in on all the fun things going on.

-I loved the Oscars this year! (yay for Kate Winslet and Slumdog Millionaire)

-My ballot won. I picked out most of the winners

-A couple weeks ago my two friends and I went up to Cornell University for a Church YSA conference. We had a really nice time! And took cheesy pictures, like this Abbey Road one...

-I am taking a class at NYU that starts tomorrow (an HR course on employment law)
-I ended up going out for a burger for dinner (Thank you Mr. Bacon Cheeseburger on the train)
-And I need to give a shout out to my sister from another mister, Miss Brittany Warnock. Her birthday is Thursday. Happy Birthday!

This is a pic from when she came to visit me in November. We are at the movies waiting for Twilight to start. It was probably around 11:45PM that this photo was taken.

I will try to be a better blogger and keep you up to speed on my life. I feel like there are a lot of good and blogworthy things on the horizon... TTFN

Fall is here

... even though I'm not ready for it yet.

So I have been a delinquent blogger (yet again), so I will just give you a few highlights from the past month.

Amber and I went down to the Jersey Shore one weekend for a wedding of a co-worker. The wedding events spanned the course of the weekend, with something going on each day. It was so much fun. (Driving in this crazy place...not so fun)

View of the beach from our hotel room
Butterfly
Breakfast!
Brunch on the porch of this beautiful, old victorian house

In other exciting events my BFF from Vegas- Kelli, has arrived!!! Yippee :)

She already has found a job too. We have been having a lot of fun. Last friday we went to the Museum of Modern Art (because its free and really cool). I was wearing high heels and my feet were KILLING, so I didn't have as much fun as Kelli did...

Warhol's Soup Can's

Jasper John's American Flag

Picasso

???

Okay, well I will try to be better with my updates. I will also try to stay warm and enjoy the fall. I am off to watch the presidential debate.

Remembering 9/11

The last couple years I have gone downtown to the World Trade Center Site on September 11th to pay my respects and remember the tragedy that occured there.

There is a lot of new construction taking place...



I can't believe that it has been seven years since the terrorist attacks in our country. I feel like we live in a very different world. My roommate, who teaches first grade, was saying how her students were born after 2001. They live in this post 9/11 world and that's all they know. It's strange for me to think that they have always known airport security the way it is. That they are familiar with homeland security's "threat levels" (we are currently at level orange in case you were keeping track) http://www.dhs.gov/xinfoshare/programs/Copy_of_press_release_0046.shtm

The other thing I wanted to say was how grateful I am for democracy. Last week we were at the Brooklyn Library and I was reading the inscription they had on wall outside (beware: another tangent)

"Here are enshrined the longing of great hearts and noble things that tower above the tides. The magic word that winged wonder starts. The garnered wisdom that has never died. The Brooklyn Public Library through the joining of municipal enterprise and private generosity offers to all the people perpetual and free access to the knowledge and the thought of all the ages."

I think that we often take for granted the access we have to this knowledge. America was based on these ideas that knowledge and power could be given to all of its citizens. I am sad that it takes someone challenging or threatening that ideal that makes us realize its importance. I hope we don't take our freedom for granted!
(end of tangent)

Now, I am off to the airport to pick up Kelli...

The end of summer and camping as I know it.

“I will never go camping again! I am not suited to this lifestyle,” were the famous last words I muttered while departing the campsite on Monday afternoon…

Funny enough, “I love camping; I am such a good camper!” were the ironic words I shouted two days prior, when I decided on this Labor Day Camping Excursion.

Growing up we always went camping on our family vacations. I have such wonderful memories of loading up the car and going to the beach to camp all week, so I didn’t hesitate when I was invited to go camping at Fire Island this weekend. I did not, however take into consideration the fact that I would have to borrow camping gear (as I have none, whatsoever) nor do I have a car to haul said camping gear! I wouldn’t let it get me down though. I was only staying the night, I planned on living in my swimsuit, the world was my oyster! I packed light and carried my stuff to the train. Amber and I took the 9am train about 1.5 hours out to Patchogue (don’t worry, the lady laughed at me as I tried pronouncing the name too). Then we walked to the ferry station- still carrying our equipment mind you- where we waited for the ferry.

It was a pleasant boat ride, about half an hour to Fire Island. When we got there we saw lots of boats and families. There was a beautiful wooden walkway and everything was green. It was a crystal clear day and we made our way to the campsite where we could meet our friends and set up.

That’s when it happened…

The defining moment of the trip…

The bugs…

Not just evil mosquitoes that hate me. Oh no! Something much more sinister. Evil, blood sucking, biting FLY’S! Swarms of them! Everywhere!
I coated myself with bug spray first thing, but it didn’t seem to matter. It was like icing on the cake.
The beginning of the end for me. The rest of my stay was a blur. I do remember that it was gorgeous and the water was nice. The people were friendly and the facilities were good. But the thing that stayed with me (haunts me to this day in fact) were the disgusting creatures that ruined my trip.
They were there with me at the beach. They were waiting patiently outside my tent. A few brave ones managed to get inside our tent. Trying to sleep that night was next to impossible, knowing that at any moment I would hear a buzz by my ear, or feel my flesh getting ripped into…

Another thing, is that bites affect me different than most people. They get really swollen and hard. Plus they itch like crazy!!
To top it off, I got bit at my eye. When I woke up, I could feel that it was swollen. I said to my fellow campers, “I think my eye is swollen from the bite?” The telling response was, “Oh! Wow!” :(
Today at work, I got a lot of “What happened to you?” because I could not wear contacts or make-up today and as Amber so eloquently put it, "you look like you were ran over by a truck" (it's good to have honest friends)

Anyways, there were parts of it that were definitely fun. However, I am emotionally (and physically for that matter) scarred from this experience. It will be a long time before I go camping again.

(unless I go in a car, with my parent and there are no killer bugs on the loose)

Below are some highlights from the trip:

Me on the Ferry... so happy, so clueless

The Beach

The last summer sunset

The path we took on our twilight walk into "town"

This photo captures the essence of the trip.

This bug spray was everything they ever wanted.

Amber and I on the beach

The pretty campgrounds

The beach

Getting ready to get the H- outta there!

(Thank goodness my hair still looks good, at least there's that)

The US Open

A couple of my friends had an extra ticket to the US Open, so I got to go with them.
I've never been before, and it was very exciting!

There are all these different matches going on, booths and exhibits, etc...

We caught the end of a women's doubles match, then we went to another stadium and watched an amazing game between this guy from Spain (ranked 4th) and this Japanese kid (ranked 126th). Nishikori, from Japan was the major underdog and ended up beating the highly ranked Spanish guy! It was a really great game!

Then we went to Arthur Ashe stadium where we had tickets to the Men's singles, where we watched Mardy Fish and James Blake.

Ferrer and Nishikori

Ferrer

Nishikori

Our seats in Arthur Ashe Stadium

James Blake, taken on the big screen (my camera is not that good!)

That's John McEnroe!

James Blake

A little bit of everything...

Well I have been a very busy girl... With traveling, vampire novels and the Olympics, when does one have time to blog about it all?

Traveling:
So at the end of July, five of my friends and I took a road trip to Montreal!
Nothing says true friendship like being stuck in a van with them for 7 hours...
We ended up having a great time though and getting along well (for the most part).

The six of us visited our friends Rachel Dave (center) before they move to Scotland.

Us gals went to the salon to get our hair cut. It was a fabulous experience and we came out looking like supermodels (obviously)

Shilo, Rachel, and Rachel (oversize sunglasses also pictured)

All of us gathered around the kitchen [and dining room] table for our Sunday, Family Dinner

Eating Poutine. (French Fries with Gravy and Cheese -sounds gross, but its very tasty!)

Now on to bigger and better things...

The Vampire Saga:

So these books have taken over my life for a bit. There were several weeks where I was entirely consumed by the characters Stephenie Meyer created. Luckily I am not alone in this obsession. Many good friends have stood by on my vampire journey. Even friends back home like Brittany, Bob, Marilyn, and Mom (thanks for the support guys).

My New York kindred vampire spirit comes from Amber, and I somehow managed to talk her into going to the "Prom Party" release of Breaking Dawn at midnight (the fourth and final book). We had a great celebration among the fourteen year old girls, goths and wannabe vampires.

Amber and I all dressed up for th Prom Party!

They served red velvet cupcakes. Yum!

Then finally, after weeks of waiting... the torture was over! Just after midnight I laid my hands on a copy of Breaking Dawn.

Sorry about the lipstick Mom- I usually don't wear something so severe, but in light of the vampire party I found it forgivable.


Since then, I have finished the book... It took me 5 1/2 days which is a long time in comparison to some people I know!

Now, I have the OLYMPIC GAMES:

I am obsessed with watching the games every day. It's getting out of hand. I stay up way too late and it's causing me to suffer the next day. But it's totally worth it to see Michael Phelps and the other US Olympians.

So for Family Home Evening this week, I organized our own Olympic events!

I took home the "gold" in The Hymnal Relay- which consisted of balancing a hymn book on my head and running the length of the room. I should have went to finishing school after all!

Amber and I took home the silver for the Three-Legged Race challenge. And yes, our Senior Missionary couple won the bronze!

Well I am off to go watch the Olympics!

I realize this blog was quite lengthy. Thanks for sticking through it. YOU deserve a medal.