Strolling the Boardwalk

Friday night, after battling through traffic to get to Mug's house we got on the road to Atlantic City. I was totally excited, I love to gamble, I love going to new places, especially when I don't have to drive. The drive down, Taco Bell, Easy pay and a, um, speeding ticket (damn quotas). We arrive, change, down a few drinks and brave the cold wind on the Boardwalk to go to Casbah (or is it Cashbar ;) at the Trump Taj Mahal. I had forgotten that AC is a touristy place, the club reminded me..random people, random ages..the group of old indian men, the asians going crazy on the dance floor and then the groups of Jersey folks - tough, buff men with earings and chains trying to pick up the blond and brunettes who are looking for someone to buy their drinks. Everyone wins in AC I guess.

I learned how to play craps and roulette (will continue to play the former and disregard the latter), found out which casinos on the boardwalk have SicBo tables. Won about 40$ on the slots and 60$ at the tables. Not a ton but its more than zero (or negative) so I'm happy.

Most of all it was nice to just hang out, these guys are just like me...stage fright discussions, random pictures, shots of apple vodka, singing in the car...and best of all - headstands on the bed paired with a cry of "This is how we do it in JERSEY". I'm cracking up just writing this.

I put my pics up - I'm waiting to collect some more. So check back for additions.

Drop it like its H-AW-T

The week is ending...this has been a great one, focused on work, settling in, etc.

My apartment is starting to feel like a home, I come home and don't get frustrated with the mess, I can just relax and enjoy my space. My bed is a bit wobbly, I'm not strong enough to tighten the legs fully. I'll wait until Wednesday when Neil is visiting and get him to fix it.

I moved cubicles at work, I am now located a full two floors above my boss in the same building. Its a bit strange being so far away, strange and liberating at the same time. I feel a bit more in charge of my own time. Before I was sitting with the Finance group...all the chit chat around the office was related to ledgers and line items. Now I am among a sales/pricing/distribution group. They product oriented people, I am constantly hearing whispers of retailers, deliveries and invoices. The good thing about being on a Commercial floor is the samples, I'll leave it at that.

I have work to do. I am a team member. I get allocated stuff. People think to ask me, or more appropriately, bid for my time. I'm busy, it feels good.

I finally have cable and a phone. I spent last night pausing and unpausing TV with my sexy new DVR. After having horrible experiences so far with grumpy, tired delivery guys, the cable guy was the nicest man I've met, he even gave me free audio cables for my surround sound system and didn't laugh at all the underwear strewn around my bedroom (I didn't know he would need to go in that room). I didn't have any cash to tip him so I gave him a few packs of gum. I realize that I will probably be doing that all the time now. Giving people gum when they are nice to me.

I have business cards! I am going to be a pimping, mack daddy. Well not really but it feels good. I've been having issues because I've been giving out my number like its water. Now I'll be able to track it.

I'm off to Atlantic City for the night with Mug, Risha, Thanusha, and some others I don't know. I'm excited about it (G is for gambling!). A night away with friends should be good.

Check, check, check it out!

Flashback:

Don't be cruel (the prelude, you remember it) comes over the internet airwaves via launch.com and I get this memory...

Early 90s, Amish's Camry, driving down a street somewhere in Richmond/Surrey, tinted windows, body kit, speeding, trying to outrun the cops, pushing the garage door opener at the EXACT right time, loud music, the woofer 'box' in the trunk, being scared, pulling in just in time, the door shutting just as the cops zoom by, laughing, going in for ice cream.

Remember that car...I wish I had a picture. Those were good times, life was good.

If I ruled the world...

Stuck in traffic, I was inspired by a song on the radio .

Teaching is the highest paid profession. There is no death penalty. Everyone retires at 65. Education is free. Health care is universal. People pay taxes without complaining because they see the benefit. Everyone can read. Investing in people provides a rate of return. There is mobility between the classes. People value the arts. We are all different colours. Some people get hurt. Some people are happy. Everybody is safe. There is always parking. They found a cure for HIV. There are no tobacco companies. Tabloids don't exist. All adults vote. Children get to experience grandparents. People take chances. People make soft landings. Rape carries a life sentence. Imaginations run rampant. Women can walk home safely at night. Doors are left unlocked.

Forget about practicality, forget about reality, that is my dream world.

Ow, ouch, it hurts..I'm sore

I hurt. My body is in pain. Putting a bed and dresser together all by oneself can cause your arms, back and wrists to get quite sore. I knew that bed was heavy but had no idea that today I would feel like I fell down a flight of stairs. Once I clean up a little, I'll upload some pics of my apartment.

This morning was a mess, I got to my car and realized that there was no way I could get out. The car was trapped in snow and the only door I could manage to open was the back passenger side one so I crawled in and turned on the car so that it would warm up while I figured out an exit plan. I called Dorota (carpool buddy) with an emergency SOS, looking for a shovel, ice scraper, and moral support. Thankfully she managed to get into town late last night and hadn't left for work yet, she came in her truck and saved me - I shovelled and she drove my car around until we got it out, she's Polish and is a snow superstar (I know, I know I'm Canadian, I should be one too but I swear, for the 100th time, it doesn't really snow in Vancouver!).

Two blocks away, while waiting at a stop sign I saw this car and realized that, no matter how bad a situation is, it could always be worse. I'm lucky I wasn't this guy (as perspective, my car wasn't much better):

What's making me happy right now...

Drunk 'n dialing. Listening to hardcore hip hop at the office (through headphones) and watching the straightlaced people around me appear to be dancing to it. Unpacking my last box, no more living out of suitcase. Wearing a skirt and heels in below freezing temps. Putting my new bed together all by myself. Making friends alot more easily than I had anticipated. Mug's MSN nick: "Asha is Cool". Random discussions with my boyz, Hetal and Jay. My pink and green throw pillows. The fact that heat and electricity is included in my rent.

Fuzzy channels

Stupid snowstorm. The cable guys aren't coming today to hook up my cable. They aren't working today. So I'm going to have to go yet another week without cable and a phone. Boo. I was really looking forward to testing out my TIVO. I didn't go out last night partly because I didn't think I would make it back in time to make my cable appointment. Double boo.

I'm a bit worried about the drive to work tomorrow. My car is trapped under almost 2 feet of snow. Note to self: next time there is a blizzard warning park the car somewhere where the wind will move snow off the car instead of my car becoming a snow drift. My carpool mate is stuck in London because her flight home was cancelled due to the snow, she has an explorer and parks in a garage, would have made it much easier.

I'm now starting to plot ways to move myself up on the waiting list for my local garage, I believe I am currently number 144 - March or April, which is long after I will need to protect myself from winter nights. So far all I've come up with involves alot of smiling and big eyes, any other suggestions?

The joys of a carpool...

Ever since I made my decision to live in Hoboken I have been torn regarding my commute to work. My home is in Hoboken, and my work in Parsippany. Parsippany is about 30 miles (about 50km) west of Hoboken. This means that for the past two weeks, I've jumped into my car in the morning and driven the 40-60 minute drive to work...alone. This has been tough for me, because I was frustrated about my negative contribution to my community and environment. I had the choice of where to live - and I chose a long time ago to make my personal life and not work time the deciding factor in my house choice, that made the choice of where to live easy, but that didn't help with my unhappiness regarding the commute, the time, the gas, the traffic...its too many wastes to list.

Yesterday I took charge of this and organized a carpool with a colleague. I drove today, she'll drive tomorrow, and so on. Not only is one less car on the road but it makes the time pass much more quickly. I can't wait for tomorrow, I just get to sit back and get picked up. I have another potential passenger in mind. One more driver, one less day a week I have to drive, more money in my pocket and most importantly another car off the road.

Baby steps...baby steps.

My thoughts since I moved here have become less and less complex and introspective. My worries seem to have moved from life-changing to potentially day-altering. I'm fascinated by traffic patterns, colour schemes and furniture. I worry about banking and the price of a gallon of gasoline. I think less about the world I want to live in and focus on my immediate surroundings. I've started drinking alot more and caring more about how good my shoes look than about the person who made them.

Yesterday on the way to meet some friends to watch the game I had an interesting discussion with a colleague about what I want to get out of my time here in New York. I haven't really thought about it, I've been focusing so hard on having a "normal" life that I didn't stop to define what normal is for me. I'm going to stop approaching this move as permanent and try to take advantage of the city, the sights, the shows, the museums, the people, the diversity, as I would if I was just passing through. Although time passes quickly when one is a party girl, I'd much rather try and learn and leave my little footprint somewhere by making some sort of difference in someone's life, as well as in mine.

I'm not sure how long I'll be here, maybe a year, maybe 5, or even 50 but I want to use this time to grow. That is my commitment.

O-Sydney Episode 1

My comments on your recent batch of photos: 1) You look hot with a tan. 2) I'm jealous that this beach is down the street from your apartment. 3) Holy tube tops, do you ever cover up? tsk, tsk.

I can't believe you get to live in a place that looks like that. As I prepare to go to the store by putting on a sweater, followed by a wool coat, scarf, hat and gloves, I'm beginning to question why I didn't just follow you to Sydney!

Lets make a phone date on Saturday evening for me and Sunday morning for you, I'm in need of some O-Sydney loving :)

Obsession with weather

I think as you get older you become more and more fascinated with the weather. It is raining today...one could call it a torrential downpour, flooding on the roads on the way to work, I was awoken at 6am by what sounded like hail banging on my window. People here are always talking about the weather, and everyone lives so far away that they check weather.com to see if its snowing at their houses. If so, they leave early to avoid the snow/traffic. This rain has got people unnerved, they are not used to it. Makes them feel uncomfortable.

I feel at home.

Becoming a Jersey Girl - Part 3

Whoo hoo!! My application for Social Security has been approved. I will soon be a tax paying US resident! The reason this is good is that once I "transfer" to the US I will be getting a a little more salary due in part to the decreased taxes in NJ compared to BC.

I move into my apartment tonight. All my life's possessions are sitting in my car in the office parking lot. I keep running out to check on them, but doing so in a way that doesn't make it obvious that I have valuables in the car. Just found out that the movers will be coming tomorrow!! Yay! This is good, I will have dishes to eat on and pots to cook in and most importantly a bed to sleep on.

Star light, star bright

First star I see tonight...
I wish I may, I wish I might...
Have this wish I wish tonight.

I still recite that childhood poem (and make a wish) whenever I look into the sky and see my first night star. Every night on my way home I look up into the sky at all the lights. New Jersey is good for that, there are always bright flashes in the sky, I never know whether I am indeed wishing on a star, or a satellite or on a plane. Today there must have been a delay at Newark airport because all of the stars were circling around in a formation.

I can remember being on a night flight when I was younger and looking out the window at the sky. We must have been flying over the Atlantic because it looked like we were flying through a tunnel of stars, above, below and to the sides. Then we got to land and passed over lots of towns and cities. I remember thinking that it looked like someone was shining a spotlight down on each city. I don't know when and how I figured out that it was just the city lights, but now each time I fly I long to see the spotlight towns along our path, I still think that spotlights from the heavens make more sense.

The multiplier effect in action

For every dollar I give both the Canadian government and Cadbury will match my donation and contribute to the relief effort. $1 = $3.

Makes me want to give a bit more because of the increased impact my money will have. I wish I had bigger pockets.

I forgot Hippo, my stuffed animal, in Vancouver. After telling myself all week not to forget him I made my bed on Saturday and made him in it. This makes me a bit sad, but I feel guilty asking to get him shipped. If you, or anyone you know, will be travelling from YVR to NYC anytime soon please bring him with you :)

Ever since I refilled the washer fluid in my car I've been obsessed with spraying the windshield clean as often as possible. Even when I don't need to, I convince myself that it needs it. I think the spray off the roads is dirtier here.

Because of this horrible weather it looks like my goods are being held up on the way here. My stuff will arrive on the 12th at the earliest but I have to move out of my current place by the 11th. I'm going to need to borrow a temporary bed (not a real issue but just a bit annoying). Grr.

This company was made for me :)

Everyday at work I drink a bottle or two of Snapple (whatever flavours are in the break room cooler). Today I looked under the cap of one of them and saw the following message: "Real Fact" #284 Mt Everest has grown one foot over the last 100 years. Can you believe it?!?! Its like they took my brain and put it in a bottle. I'm just having my second one now, I'll save the random fact for later. I know they're called "real facts" but you must admit that they closely resemble the "fun facts" I am famous for. Its so meant to be.

We forgot to take pictures :(

Sometimes things just work out for the best. All last week I was debating whether or not to extend my stay in Vancouver by a couple of days, in the end I sucked it up and got on my scheduled flight on Saturday night. I had a reasonably bad flight (which rarely happens to me) and was feeling a bit lonely and sad the whole way.

However, I am so glad I decided to come back to New York. Vishal was here! After not seeing him for about a year and a half, it was nice to be reminded how lucky I am to have such great people in my life. It felt like no time had passed, I seriously can't believe we let so much time go by. Never again.

It was really good to see you, I didn't realize how much I missed you, but remember that this visit doesn't count, you have to come again :)

Seriously, I've turned into a sap lately. This needs to stop.

At 2am PST and 5am EST on the plane ride home I had the following epiphany:

I can not have it all. Not right now, at least.

I need to learn to appreciate and enjoy one thing at a time. Because although I don't have everything, what I do have is quite good.

KBJ, Murder and Cohibas - Images of my NYE

It was a good night, especially the ride in the slushmobile. Thanks again Kap for being our DD!!

I'm off to the airport in a few hours, I'll miss you guys - please come visit!!