If you’re wondering if I want you to…I want you to…
20,000 Piece Lego Kitchen Island
I think this is the kitchen that my brothers dreamed of at ages 7-10 years old.
I'm Thankful For...
Comedies.
For the genius of the people who create them. For the technology that allows me to watch them. For the joy and laughter that a well-written comedy brings into my life.
Seriously, on a bad day I can turn on an episode of The Office and turn that moment right around.
Favorites include: The Office, Arrested Development, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
And more recently…Community and Modern Family
And here is one of the best moments I’ve ever really seen on television, which still cracks me up after about 23209 plays.
community and modern family are the best comedies on TV right now
absolutely. although that statement really shouldn’t be complete without a link to the greatest modern family moment yet: http://www.hulu.com/watch/97919/modern-family-lion-king
Boys, Boys, Boys - NOT
It’s Thursday, which means another round of great articles in the New York Times Style section. There was one today that really made me take notice: Where the Boys Aren’t. The article showcases modern day New York women-only residences where ladies of all ages (though mostly in their 20’s) can get their own room, hot breakfast and dinner, maid service, use of a large garden and a roof deck with a spectacular views for only $1,000 a month - a total steal!
The catch? Men are only welcome in common areas.
Since their heyday in the 50’s and 60’s, New York women-only residences have reduced significantly in number and aren’t viewed as glamourous as those of the former era. In fact, I assumed they vanished from the city decades ago.
So why do I find this all so interesting? My father dated Kate Reagan while they were attending UNC Chapel Hill. And as most college loves go, after graduation they went in separate directions - him to DC, her to New York. To this day, my dad still talks about Kate and compares my move here to hers, describing the differences of young girls now and then.
Turns out, when Kate moved to Manhattan, she lived at the Barbizon, which the NYT article describes as: “The most famous for Women on East 63rd Street, was memorably depicted in Sylvia Plath’s 1963 novel “The Bell Jar” as populated by well-to-do “girls” whose parents “wanted to make sure their daughters were living in a place where men couldn’t get at them and deceive them.” Other famous Barbizon girls include Grace Kelly, Candice Bergen, Ali McGraw and Plath herself.
My dad and Kate still keep in mild contact through email and now Facebook (kinda cool, kinda weird…) and to this day, my dad is still trying to get me to meet Kate - after all, she still lives in New York. Honestly, I think it’d be kind of cool to meet her and get a sense of what my dad was like way back then, particularly since he seems to have selective memory.
Here are some highlights from the article, but I’d definitely give it a full-read, especially the slideshow.
This is pretty much how all girls live on campus at ND. So the concept isn’t crazy to me. Maybe this is an affordable way to move off Long Island and into Manhattan?
- Apartment houses that provided temporary refuge for young ladies hoping to find fame, or start a career (or snare a husband) in the big city occupy a distinct sliver of New York lore.
- Though the Barbizon and others, such as the Parkside Evangeline on Gramercy Park, have succumbed to developers’ offers over the years, sold and remade into condos or luxury hotels, the smattering of all-female residences that remain are thriving, most with waiting lists of prospective tenants
- Bygone conventions like curfews disappeared years ago. “On Saturday night, you start seeing everyone all dolled up and walking out the door…. you might see them walking in again on Sunday morning or afternoon.”
- Other rules are very much alive. “Please note: Male visitors may not use the elevators without a staff escort,” reads a sign near the dining room at the Webster.
- The appeal today is not so different than it was in the past: safety, cleanliness and — especially attractive in modern-day New York — a good real estate deal.
Excerpt: Eight strategies to stop procrastinating | Unclutterer
- Similar to what you might do when exercising, play music with a fast rhythm.
- If you drink caffeine, consume it in small, frequent amounts instead of just one large cup at the beginning of the day.
- Set time-specific goals in two-, five-, or ten-minute increments. Identify what you want to accomplish in a very short amount of time, and then set a timer and go for it.
- Isolate yourself. Remove the desire to procrastinate by not having any other options but to work.
- Acknowledge that you’re procrastinating. Often, just realizing that you’re putting something off is enough to get you working.
- Challenge a colleague to see who can get the most work done in a set time period.
- Ask someone to help you stay accountable. There are professional motivators who will call you once a day to see how you’re doing, but a trusted and willing friend or coworker can do the same thing for free.
- If the task doesn’t require much though, listen to an audiobook while you work. Agree to only listen to the book when you’re working on the project you don’t want to do. This way, you’ll be interested in hearing more of the story each time you take on the undesirable task.
I'm Thankful For...
My job. The year of service that I get to participate in every day.
Working at a non-profit called Global Kids as an Americorps member.
Yes, it means a 3 hr roundtrip ride on the LIRR every day to get into Manhattan.
And sometimes it means performing some pretty thankless tasks.
But at the end of the day I’ve been blessed to receive the opportunity to take what I’ve done and use it to give back to those around me.
Even if it’s not the best day at work, I’m able to leave happy knowing that I was able to contribute to such an amazing program.
FYI…Global Kids is an after-school program that provides support to urban youth by teaching a global curriculum, often focusing on social justice issues (like through the Human Rights Activists Project, or by visiting the Council on Foreign Relations) and promoting leadership skills
30 Days of Being Thankful
Just saw this idea posted from yourbeloved and I thought it was great.
30 days in November, 30 things you are thankful for.
Let’s get inspired, tumblrs.
Allen Ginsberg reading Howl in 1959 (Chicago)
ILLUSIONS!
George Bluth: I hate your stupid magic tricks
Job: My illusions, Dad, you hate my illusions.
This is just.. incredible. Classic. Is it too naive to wish, if I ever have a family of my own (emphasis on the IF), that we should have wonderfully delightful mmoments such as these?
(via kadehydrated)
