gardens

I have been traveling a bit as of late - Chicago, Washington, D.C., St. Louis, Connecticut. Getting through security has been a humorous learning experience but more on that later. Let's just say that I learned my lesson after trying to sneak through the "Premier/First-Class" line with my "Back of the Bus" ticket and getting caught. Luckily no hand-cuffs were involved. But, all the pat-downs aside, the journeys have taken me to some beautiful places. Here are a few highlights:

My last visit to St. Louis allowed me the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Gateway Arch. The experience was powerful, much more so than I expected. The structure sparkled in the sunlight, rising up from the ground in a dance of metal, elegant and strong. As I sat on the grass underneath the rainbow of metal overhead, I was filled with hope. Hope and possibility suspended in air.

My travels to Washington, D.C. brought me to the beautiful gardens of Dumbarton Oaks, a historic mansion in the heart of Georgetown. The artistic design of the entire property is magical. From every vantage point, the eye is given a new perspective on the various "rooms" and cutting gardens. The benches throughout the gardens invite as a quiet place for reflection or reading nook of sorts. I particularly loved this walkway with the alley of trees.






Finally, to Connecticut, to the backyard where I learned how to sunbathe and jump on a trampoline. My mother's garden is quite possibly one of my most favorite places in the world. The roses were in full bloom outside my window, while a vase full of them graced my bedside. Quite a perfect way to wake up on Memorial Day to remember all of those who devote their life and devoted their lives to keeping this country safe.

rain or shine

Today's rain has me in a sleepy and achey mood after the beautiful weekend of sunshine. How nature seems to keep us from becoming unappreciative is quite amusing and indeed necessary. But could I ever get sick of sunshine and eighty degree breezes? In any weather, the weekends end and Monday begins without delay. I am grateful that this Monday I was smart enough to bring an umbrella and wear rain boots to my interview with a change of shoes in my bag. Otherwise, standing at 1370 6th Avenue at 3:30pm for an interview at 3:30pm looking for 1372 6th Avenue would have ruined my amusement. Luckily the fault of the wrong address was not mine but was written incorrectly in the email that was sent to me. All in all, as I arrived at 1372 Broadway, my feet were dry, my resume was legible, and the woman I met with was genuinely kind. We did in fact own the same rain coat which we admired on the back of the door and shared stories about our experience with spinal issues. Who knows what will come from my conversation with her but when I left the building, my multiple cab rides getting there seemed from a different day. Our time together gave me new hope in my job journey. Rainy days can turn out to be ok too.  

happy weekend

My kitchen is finally ready. Two weeks of living with plastic curtains and tarps (the dishwasher, refrigerator and oven in my hallway, the bathroom sink holding dishes) was a test for my patience. Yes - there was water damage. No - I did not overflow my bathtub. Long story short, there was a pipe that burst two floors above me, leaving my apartment the only one to have six gallons of water wash its walls every hour for 24 hours. Naturally. So I laughed and cried throughout the process, trying to find the humor in the chaos. I think my mother would be proud with my fastidious attention to "sealing" off the rest of my apartment from the imposing dust and dampness. Even the donuts I brought to the workmen as a bit of an incentive, was an homage to the ice cream sandwiches she has at the wait for the UPS man. After all, she does teach me everything I know. So the moment is only appropriate to go into this Mother's Day weekend with a sparkly new kitchen. What a welcome feeling of zen. I hope you all have a happy weekend filled with fun and sun. 

to have or to hold

Happiness is not having what you want, but wanting what you have. - Anonymous

I have been a bit distracted - as you can tell by the date of my last post. When I say distracted, really that's just my excuse for being lazy. Lazy when it comes to putting my thoughts on paper. I have been thinking of other things, leaving me daunted by the idea of trying to be creative in my words instead of energized by the ritual of sharing with you. A job offer was one such "thing", followed by a waterfall of sorts in my kitchen from a burst pipe above, an Easter celebration, job networking, and travel. You're thinking, wow - that sounds pretty nice, minus the water invasion. And you are certainly right. Most of these so called distractions are luxury problems, a time in my life to really reflect on life balance and who I am, who I want to be and how I want to be. I have time to carefully ponder such age old questions as, to have or to hold? Take said job offer - I spent 24 hours (and a few days) struggling with my decision. My thought process went something like this: To have - a job in a prestigious company with great benefits and a healthy salary. OR To hold - to wait for an opportunity that has a thread of content that makes me excited to walk into work everyday, where my mind is challenged. To have a paycheck or to hold for a career? It's been months (we can count if you like) since I left my job. Fear sets in about how much longer I should wait until taking the next offer. Self doubt begins to creep into the crevasses of self reflection. Am I looking in the right places? Do I need to work harder? Should I waitress? I am working on the side as a consultant which allows me to survive with my savings as supplement but there is only so much longer until I will be contemplating joining the circus. So until then, I hold onto faith in myself, feeling blessed to have people in my life that I love and who love me. So this Monday morning, on the last day of April, here is to holding on to the good things and having a sense of humor while water pools at your feet in the middle of the night. Talk to you tomorrow - hold me to it. 

thoughts

The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function. - F. Scott Fitzgerald

inspiration

meet warby parker

Don't you just love the name? No more four-eyes, only chic frames. He knows his audience from t-shirt to tie. He flatters each face with a glimmer in his eye. He magnifies the world with a clear vision. Each spec he approves is done with precision. Mr. Parker inspires us to look beyond the lens. When we work together to give back, change is easy my friends. He admires quality with the utmost taste and appreciates what's at his fingertips within the continental United States. You too can be privy to the treasures of his wares. There's no catch, I promise. Only spectacular care.