It's amazing how, thanks to Tropical Storm Debby, we can have two extremes of weather in a week's time.  Starting last Sunday, we endured three days of constant rain and flooding in many areas of the county.  For being a tropical storm, quite a lot of damage was done due to how stationary it was.  Thankfully by Wednesday morning, we were simply left with overcast skies and muggy humidity.  Today it's 98 degrees and sunny.

Two tropical storms in a month for Florida... let's keep it at that!  I don't want to see a repeat of 2004.

I slept a good 12 hours last night.  Best night's sleep ever!  I was hoping for another nap this afternoon but it doesn't look like that's going to happen.  I work tonight, and am on kind of a crazy every other schedule for the week.  That is not fun when you work night shift, I'll tell you.  Oh, well.

I am home now from what was a fun-filled and incredibly tiring week of VBS.  Once again I helped out in crafts.

I'm sitting on my couch watching the Olympic trials-- gymnastics!  One of my favorites!  I love Olympics.  I have loved them ever since I can remember, when my sisters and I would pretend we were gymnasts like Shannon Miller, Amanda Borden, Kerri Strug, or figure skaters like Kristi Yamaguchi, Oksana Baiul, or Nancy Kerrigan.  We played speed skating in the driveway, and of course wanted to be like Dan Jansen.  We put on "figure skating" competitions in our roller blades, as well as gymnastics competitions.  I used to hum the NBC Olympic theme nonstop when they were on (I even own some of it on my iTunes now... yeah I'm really that cool).  So when I say I love the Olympics... I mean I LOVE them!!  Not just "OMG everyone is watching Michael Phelps and he is soooo hot!"  (sounds a lot like my high school self though...)

Even though I haven't always loved sports, I really enjoy watching the Olympics.  Any event, I'll watch whatever I can.

This also just made me realize I have passed my official four-year blogging anniversary.  I say official as far as this blog goes since I actually had a blog in high school and then a xanga.  But those posts are better left alone and lost in cyber space.  I remember posting once four years ago about the summer Olympics, which is what reminded me of that.  So happy blog-aversary to me!  How much has happened in four years!  In a lot of ways I am very much the same, but in more ways I am a different person.  Time changes a person, that's for sure.

Anyway, just an update of nothing really, as not much is going on these days.  I seriously need to recuperate from this week however, so peace out.

Do I ever feel sorry for myself because I'm single?

When that subject comes up with others, it is often with pity that I am regarded.  I'm told God has a plan or that He will bring the perfect man along someday when I least expect it.

I really don't feel sorry for myself.  I figured out this week that even though I spend a lot of time alone, I rarely feel lonely.  I look forward to coming home from work and having no plans.  Lame?  Probably.  When I see my friends on facebook going on about their children, breast feeding, cute baby clothes, or their husbands, I really don't feel jealous.  I don't feel bitter toward them either, just somewhat indifferent about the idea of marriage and family at the moment.

I suppose maybe I'll feel differently someday.  But I'm happy right now.  I'm getting to travel, take time for myself, and looking into some exciting opportunities in the near future.  I provide for myself and not in an "I-don't-need-a-man" kind of way, but because I have no other choice.  I'm happy that I have come to a place that I don't need another person to define me or to be happy.

I have my cat, and I'm happy just spending a Saturday night curled up on the couch with The Big Bang Theory on TV, a diet coke in hand.  My life looks lame from the outside, but I really do enjoy it.  I don't know if I'll ever get married or have children, so I'm not going to spend my twenties desperate for those things.

Thanks, Melissa (my fellow single cat-loving sister), for inspiring these thoughts.

NYC: Part Four

New York City at night is such a different place.  It truly is the city that never sleeps.  Saturday night Kat, her boyfriend Adam, and I went out with a few of Kat's friends.  I took a few pictures.

 I have to say, Times Square was actually kind of a disappointment to me.  It was definitely cool, but the crowds really made it almost impossible to enjoy.

 On the Subway

I added this one, because it reminded me of the Corduroy book where he gets lost in the laundromat and looks for a pocket.

NYC: Part Three

 Since high school, Kat and I have taken pictures in front of Starbucks.  You know, back when they were original and cool, but it's a tradition we haven't given up.

 Kat took me to a place called Sarabeth's where we enjoyed what is popularly known throughout NYC as brunch.  Apparently brunch is the "in" thing up there, and I suppose it will be everywhere soon as well.  You heard it from me!

 Kat with her fruit and granola!

 Me and my healthy choice of french toast.  It was the best french toast I have EVER had!

 This is a place called Sheep's Meadow (I think?) in Central Park.  I found it amusing that people come out here to lay out.  Like, bikinis, swim trunks, even speedos.  I don't think Kat understood what was so funny about that to me, but coming from a Florida girl's perspective-- you don't just see people go out in a big, grassy field in their swimsuits when there's no water around.  It was just odd to me.

 We laid on a blanket talking for a little while.  Mimosas + exposure to the sun probably weren't the best combination so we didn't last very long.

 I really wanted to get a paddle boat out there.  How fun!

This is Bethesda fountain, apparently featured in many popular movies (though I couldn't remember any).  I was simply looking around for Joe Fox the whole time in Central Park, with his dog Brinkley.  He never showed up.  Just to our right out of the picture, there was a man (or a woman?  not sure) dressed in a huge robe, wearing a wizard's hat, and a long fake beard.  One thing about NYC is that you see a lot of strange and unusual things there.

Most of these pictures, except for the Starbucks one, are from Saturday while I was there.  The weather was so amazingly perfect the entire weekend.  It never got above 75.  I wish it could be like that here in June.  Apparently that is a little nicer than normal up there, but I was glad because we did A LOT OF WALKING!  Even though we ate so much, I didn't gain even a pound because of all the walking that we did.  People walk everywhere and that's just the way it is.  It's either that or spend a lot of money on a cab, or take the subway which people don't really enjoy.

Today is my first day back at work since coming home.  *sigh*  Trips are fun, but it's no fun coming back to reality when they are over.

NYC: Part Two

Because my cousin had to work Friday, I had most of the day to myself to do what I wanted.  I had originally intended that because I had been up for 36 hours prior to Thursday night, I would most likely sleep the day away while she worked.  However, when she had the idea to wake up on Friday morning and walk down by the Today Show where Justin Bieber was singing, I realized after walking there with her that Manhattan really isn't a difficult city to navigate by yourself.

For about four hours I walked all over.  I spent a good hour or so on 5th Avenue where a lot of stores are.  But I can't even really tell you much about the places I walked except they were awesome!  There really is nothing better than "getting lost" in a city like New York.

NYC- Part One

 New York City!  I have wanted to visit this city since I can remember.  Possibly prompted by my exposure to the movie Newsies, but my cousins and I used to watch the movie Annie and when that song NYC came on, I always imagined myself being there.  This past weekend that dream came true!!!  When I got off the plane I took a cab over to my cousin's, which was wonderful because I got to see the skyline with the sunset as we drove over.  Also getting a cab is an experience in itself.

I was so, so excited on my way into the city!!

My cousin Kat welcomed me with a little "New York survival package."  We drank some wine and chatted into the night.

Friday night, we made another dream come true and saw Newsies on broadway!  I can't even BEGIN to tell you how amazing it was.  The whole time, I could only think of all my old Newsies friends: Lindsey, Callie, Sarah, my sisters, Lauren.  I wished they could all be there with me.  During Carryin' the Banner I was suddenly overwhelmed with the memories and got teary-eyed.  How many memories of my childhood revolve around singing and dancing to the soundtrack, going to friend's Newsies-themed birthday party, taking on a character as our own, writing fan fic (yes, yes, we did), printing Newsies pictures off the internet for our Newsies scrapbooks, and so much more.  I realize how incredibly cheesy that sounds, but it's true. Though I've seen the movie hundreds of times, it's never had that effect on me like seeing it live.  To all of you Newsies friends who are reading this, know dat ya pal Mush was missin' ya!  Kid Blink, Racetrack, Spot, Crutchie, Jack, Boots, Bumlets... all of yous!

Of course, we dressed up a little to see our first musical!

Waiting for the show to begin!  The anticipation!

We did a lot more over the weekend but I'll have to post about it in hitches if I ever do get around to it or else I will bore you to death.  It was such a good, wonderful weekend.  New York City was everything I thought it would be.  I was afraid that because I have wanted to go for so long and always had this idea in my mind of what it was like that it would be a huge disappointment.  It wasn't.  I hope that someday I can go back.

Also, I turned 25 yesterday.  I went to New York just a young'un and came back wiser.

*sigh* Once again it's time to go back to work tonight.  I love vacations, but why does it have to be so hard to go back?  Not to mention my sister is in town this week, and I have to work the whole time.  Oh well.  She spent the night last night and we went to see Hunger Games so it was ok. 

My trip up north was good.  We went to my cousin's wedding, which was a lot of fun.  I love being with all my cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  I'll tell you what, my grandma DOMINATES the dance floor!  How many people do you know that still play Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men at their wedding?  It all started when our first cousin got married eleven years ago and that song was popular, and my grandma thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread.  Every cousin has since had it played at their wedding for her.  And she loves it.

Back home now, and back to reality... I know I am going out of town again next week but I will be doing nothing but working and sleeping until then.  So I feel really stressed out about it all.  I just have to think about the fun I'll be having in a week instead of stressing out about all I have to do until then.

Here's to a good week for all!

I am back in town.... have been for awhile now and just no motivation to write anything on here.  I had a good trip and will post more about it sometime.  I spent the first half trying to get onto a day schedule..... here I am now trying to get back onto a night schedule so I don't die when I go back to work!  Such is the life of a night nurse.  Sometimes I think about going back to days.  But I don't think I could go back to waking up at 5 am.  Somehow, staying up all night is easier than that.

Life has settled into a nice little summer rhythm.  I look forward to a trip to New York City at the end of next week.  The beginning of many travels that I hope are to come!