knock-knock

Squeak - Boo! Did I scare you? Happy Halloween. Hope you have a full moon evening with your ghosts and goblins. Maybe sneak a Snickers in that pocket too for the walk home. Sweet treats.

Ps. makeup session to transform into a cat = that's unemployment for ya' 

see the wonder this fall

Last weekend I celebrated Fall on Spring. I waited in line on Spring Street outside the green lacquered doors before entering the wonder world. C. Wonder opened its doors to an eager audience of prepsters and hipsters, celebs and paparazzi, uptowners, downtowners, out-of-towners. Together they stepped inside the lifestyle brand flagship store to a sea of goodies. Where else can you get a pink bike after shopping at the jewelry bar before monogramming a cashmere throw for your mother-in-law and spotting a Henley striped shirt for yourself? What I was most interested in was the home section in the back with everything from glasses to picture frames. Go C. for yourself.

thirty two

They met on a blind date. She was running late. He was thinking about the work on his desk. She wore a dress. He wore a suit. They met for dinner. Her blue eyes sparkled and his brown eyes smiled. Thirty two years later, he pulls her chair out at the table before she sits down. She leaves him a note before he leaves for a trip. They still dance among the stars, disagree while supporting each other, and hold hands driving to dinner. Thirty two years of sharing life and love. Happy Anniversary Mum and Dad. 

how do you roll?

Unemployment = budget. At least more so than before. Gone are the days of weekly manicures and caviar on toast points. OK, OK - there was never caviar nor will there ever be caviar...I mean a special spoon for fish eggs? I also would rather eat sand but I digress. As one who is normally cost conscious (although I do love a good foot rub), I am much more aware of a dollar here, two dollars there these days with change only leaving my bank account. Today I went to shop for toilet paper and was overwhelmed with the options. The ultra-plush name brand might as well be cashmere as each roll is twice the price. Down the aisle I went in search of a rougher deal. I settled for the Duane Reade brand, although I opted for "extra soft", on sale with my club card. Not only did I save $6.99, but I also got a laugh from their clever marketing tag-line. Let's see if you can find it in the picture. All in all, a win-win. Aren't you glad I got to the the bottom of it?

whatcha been up to?

It's been 41 days.  Friends look envious when I tell them the news. A congratulations followed by how nice to be able to sleep in, are the normal segways to what do you do all day? Clearly I have fallen short of my plans to drive across the country, fill you readers with endless wisdom from my daily finds or have a start date for my next career on the calendar. While I stick to the structure of daily alarms at 7am and desk time devoted to researching possible opportunities, the days quickly pass. 41 days. When I say the words out loud, I get panicked. 41 days of no work. I am trying to keep the anxiety levels down but productivity levels up. Productivity. The frustration hit an all time high yesterday and today as I sat staring at my computer. I know I could do a better job pounding the pavement taking every opportunity to find "it". But I am looking for that feeling. The legacy of Steve Jobs continues to remain in my thoughts as I search for that feeling of purpose. "Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

So until then, here is what I have been up to as I look for love:

1. I painted a wall in my apartment blue, thanks to the inspiration from my artistic sister who painted stripes in her hallway (I began with stripes - crooked stripes)

2. I painted the wall that I painted blue, back to white

3. Celebrating birthdays

4. Walks with friends

5. Cooking

6. A date

7. Going to the swings with Miss P

8. A movie by myself (with a little candy as my date)

9. A concert in the park with friends

10. Accepting a board seat on an important cause dedicated to research for spinal deformities (more on that to come)

11. Training and orientation to become a Big Sister of New York City

12. A train ride to DC

13. A car ride to Delaware

14. Sitting on some steps on Park Avenue

Hasn't been all that bad now that I think about it. Best part about those 41 days - spending time with those I love and admire, some near and some far. Looking forward to tomorrow. Another day to do something I love. I'll keep you posted, I promise.