Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Proof

I have been horrible at taking photos since leaving San Francisco. Occasionally other people take photos and I am in them, but then I never get copies.

This morning I received some photos from Annie's birthday party at the beginning of January and I thought that I'd share so that you can see that I actually do have friends here. Also, I was in DC for meetings last week, so I went down Sunday night so that I could see some friends on the Monday holiday. I will include those for your viewing enjoyment as well.

Scott & Annie - some of my favorite people. Aren't they darling?

Annie, me, and Traci




The perfect place to be on President's Day - Mt. Vernon. There was a surprise party for George.

This pic is mostly for my parents - this is the original Prayer at Valley Forge that used to hang over Arnold's fireplace. We miss you, Arnold.

I called him "George" and he didn't seem to like that too much. "Not even my wife calls me George, young lady." haha. oops!



Maybe one day I will really start taking photos again without my coat on so that you can see that I haven't gained 50 pounds.

Friday, February 18, 2011

As seen on tv.

So a close friend of mine got engaged a few weeks ago and so this morning, we did this:

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Scattered Pictures....

Finally got around to putting pics up on my wall. Please note that many of you are also framed. Good thing there isn't a friend quota. Sheesh.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

You should know...

I feel like I have this conversation with my friends here fairly regularly(especially Traci), but don't really share it with the masses:

I really love living in New York. I don't actually miss San Francisco. Yet. I DO miss the people there for sure. One day my old coworkers put me on speakerphone and I could hear everyone yelling their hellos at me - and I could have cried. They are great people. But back to New York - I love that today I walked to work because it was a beautiful day; cold, but beautiful. I was walking down 5th Avenue enjoying all the window displays while almost no one else was out on the street. I love not having a car and not having to deal with parking, gas, paying for parking, insurance, registering, moving the car on street cleaning day, moving the car when your roommate parked behind you in the garage, etc. I love that other people are constantly in your face - not in your business, but just that you look other people in the eye all day long. You say you're sorry to people when you walk into them and you say thank you when someone holds the door open for you - and it happens all the time. New Yorkers are really nice and helpful. I love that it is 7pm and I am still here at work with my other coworkers (but that we aren't bitter about it). I love that the grocery store is just a block away from my house. I love that there are always friends in town. I love that there is so much history around here - mostly, I just love it here.

Love.

Love.

Love.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentines Day 2011


I haven't seen a photo of myself in my sleeping bag before. Tomorrow I'm starting my diet again. Also, Valentines day was great.

I spent the evening with good friends and felt very loved today - the texts that I received were amazing- there was virtual kissing, teasing, promises of risque photos, and cat calling. What more could a girl ask for? Maybe watching The Cutting Edge at the park with your girlfriends? If so, I asked for it and I got it. Life is good.

Hope your Valentines Day was amazing.


Post-edit - here I am with my girls at Bryant Park. Love these two.


Sunday, February 13, 2011

What are we going to do next, Pinky?

Someone said to me tonight:

"I asked someone recently, 'Did Steph just move into our ward? How does she know everyone??'"

My plan to take over the world is slowly working.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Estefania

I am not as skilled as some of my friends when it comes to snapping mobile pics when the right opportunity presents itself (you know who you are).

Tonight I was riding the bus on my way home from my friend's comedy show. To avoid awkward encounters with my fellow riders, I was playing Nerts on my iphone. I noticed the guy sitting across from me staring at me and I was doing my best to ignore the situation. I have found that the best way to deal with these types of things is to pretend that they aren't happening. After a few minutes the Latin gentleman pulled out a book and started paying more attention to his book than me. My stop was next and when I stood up to get off the bus, I noticed the title of the book he was reading: "Estefania!" If only I were more savvy with the camera on my phone.

I'd also like to make a few shout outs.

1. MJ - Happy Birthday to my great friend. My friendship with Jill was destined for lots of reasons that we could discuss in a later post. Her ability to make me laugh is my favorite reason. Knowing her in real life is the best. Reading about her life on her funny blog is the second best.

2. This season of the Mormon Bachelor is almost over, but since Rick Buck is one of my favorite friends, this shout out is way past due.

xo

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Should I be worried??

This morning I got on the subway like usual. I even snapped this photo so that those of you who have never experienced 8:30am on the 1 train going downtown can see what it looks like. The guy on the loudspeaker usually says things like "Next stop 50th Street" or "Stand clear of the closing doors!" This morning, the doors closed and it was unusually quiet on the train when he said "Well, this is going to be an adventure!"

I would like to report that I experienced nothing unusual and got to work without a scratch, but after the conductor's announcement, I wasn't sure that would happen. Oh, New York.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

In which my personal belongings are like boomerangs

There are things about me that you might not know, even if you have been reading this blog for years, unless you are a day-to-day friend. The best example of this that I can offer you is that I have this amazing ability to lose things and then have them find their way back to me.

Case(s) in point:

Last year when I was running the Ragnar Relay in Southern California, my teammates and I made a pit stop in a random cul-de-sac somewhere along the route. An hour or so later, a friend of mine (who was luckily on my team and in another van) called to tell me that someone found my phone on their lawn and she was the last person I'd called, so they called her. I had no idea my phone was lost.

Later on last summer, I went to Vancouver for work. I was in my hotel room taking a nap when the hotel phone rang. Who calls each other on the hotel phone anymore, right? I answered and it was someone who found my phone, called the last person I'd talked to - my Dad - who told them who my boss was and that they should call her (by finding the number in my phone), and then my boss told them what hotel I was staying in. Yet again, I had no idea I'd lost my phone until they called.

This also happened once on the BART - but we've had enough stories about me losing my phone, haven't we.

A few years ago I was running some errands on my way home from work in the Tenderloin of SF. (In case you aren't familiar, think of crack heads and then think of more crack heads) All I remember is that I had to fill the meter for street parking and then I went on my merry way. Later on that night, I realized that somewhere between the parking meter and that evening, my wallet had disappeared along with my social security card, and the $200 cash I had in my wallet. Bummer. The next morning at 5am, the police were banging on my door telling me that my wallet had been found and I needed to go to the police station to pick it up. I lost it in the Tenderloin and everything was there when I got it back. Miracle.

A year and a half ago, I went to the wave organ with some girlfriends on a Sunday evening. I was trying to not take a bunch of stuff with me, so I put my debit card and drivers license in my back pocket (normal behavior for me) and away we went. We got home, and I couldn't find them. We'd just walked about a mile on a jetty in the dark. Good luck finding it unless you put on scuba gear. So I ordered a new license and debit card. I went to DC for work a week or so later and took my passport with me as my photo ID and my temporary drivers license - and then at the last minute decided to go to London for reasons that we don't need to discuss. The day that I got home, a blind and deaf man showed up on my doorstep with a note saying that he'd found my license and debit card and I could go pick it up at the yacht club in the marina. That is a true story.

Fast forward to the present time. I bought some really awesome pink knit gloves when Amy was here at New Years and I wear them constantly due to the cold. I took a cab home a few weeks back and ever since then, could not find them anywhere. Blasted. Someone in a cab somewhere was wearing my gloves. I was coming home from visiting some friends in Queens on Sunday afternoon and all I could think about on my way home was how hungry I was. I decided that even though I didn't have any food, I had a few pieces of bread and some eggs, so I could make do without going to buy food on Sunday. Seconds after thinking that, I was walking toward the front door of my apartment building when I saw something pink sitting on the parking barrier covered in snow and ice - and a bit dirty.

I was telling my coworker about this ability that I have and she said to me: "I lost my hat the other day. You want to walk around with me for a little while?" If only this were a skill that could be hired out. Some people just have skills. Or luck - not sure which this is.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

The Meetles. Apparently.

Remember this scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off?

Well, the other night, I was coming home from Stef's comedy show when I came across this:


Somehow in person they all look much more homeless. I don't mean that as a slam - just an observation. I even put a dollar in their guitar case. And maybe Traci and I danced in the subway station for a little while before getting on our connecting train.

I love New York.