Live from New York, It's Stephanie's Life!

We all need weeks where we hit the recharge button.  This week has been one of those for me.  I went to bed at 8 o'clock on Monday night because I could barely keep my eyes open.  I was crafting while pretending to watch a baseball game with our neighbor and he had to cheer me on so that I could finish my craft before passing out.  Not even diet coke could help at that point.  I surrendered to my bed and it was delicious.

Waking up at 3am was not delicious.  But I digress.

We all know you are here for the photos.

Without further ado: This past week (or so) in photos!!

Slept in a bar.

Went to a floral design class.

Occupied Wall St.

Took a pic of my friend sleeping on the subway while listening to a homeless man sing "If you think I'm sexy"

Spent lots of hours sitting outside at Shake Shack enjoying the weather. 

Bought this fancy thing for my bedroom wall.  It is perfect for my room.

Added some adornments in the living room as well. 

Happy Fall!

Sky writing in Central Park on Sunday afternoon.  I'm glad I didn't see the more "threatening" messages!

Me with my new friend Jill.  She is all sorts of awesome.

Exciting things:

• I am heading to New Hampshire this weekend to do some leaf peeping, apple picking, and dance partying.  Huzzah for Fall!   
• Beyonce has an office IN MY OFFICE BUILDING.  I have seen her twice now.  We should talk about that some time.
• I got the new iPhone.  AEAEAEEAE
• San Franidazzle 2011 is happening.  eeek!

Three months late - San Francisco trip!

A few months ago I went to San Francisco and I just recently realized that I never put the photos up from that great/too short trip.  I was really lucky that my sister and her kids happened to plan a vacation there the same time that I was there, so I was able to see my always adorable niece and nephews and give them too much candy.

Can you blame me?!  Hannah - age 4.

My Uncle Mike.  He is the best.  I am his number one niece, after all.   

I asked Hannah to smile for the photo and this is what I got.  I would like to put her in my pocket so I can take her with me wherever I go.  She is a hoot.  

"Daniel, be sad!"

Sam & Ryan climbing in the tree outside Gram's house.  Lots of generations of Zundels have climbed those trees!

Me and my sis.

Gram & Hannah

Hannah is also the only child who will sit still long enough for a photo.  Can you tell?

Auntie Ilene & Daniel

My awesome Gram.  She is going to be 98 in December.  Can you believe it?

Deb & Blair.  Aren't they darling? 

Andrea!!!!!!

I already had this photo on my blog in the last few months, but I love it so much, that here it is again.  Cannot wait to see you in a few months!

Silvia drove up to see me from Santa Cruz - at the time she was about 7 months pregnant.  Isn't she the cutest pregnant lady?  Sil - thanks again for making the drive.  Gold star.

I'm not sure how well you can see this photo, but it is the fog rolling over the hills off the 280.  Oh, nostalgia.

Making the familiar drive over the Golden Gate Bridge on the way to my Gram's house. 

 Breakfasting with Jane.  

Lunching with some of my favorite old coworkers.  These ladies are the best.  

I will fully admit that when I walked into the lobby pictured below (my old office), I ran into an old coworker and started crying when she hugged me.  I think I just realized how much I really loved working for the Academy.  I still feel like they are my family and I am now for sure an eye doctor snob.  Walking down the hallway, people would say hi to me as if I was there every day and then a few steps later they would stop and say "Wait! You don't work here anymore!"  Speaks volumes for a company where hardly anyone leaves.  I miss you guys.

And last but not least, the view from Rachael's apartment at night.  I'm considering quitting my job and just occupying Rachael's living room.  I hear she makes good desserts, too.

 I'm going back to San Francisco in approximately 2 months and I can't wait.  Just, you know, visiting the pieces of my heart that I left behind.

Split Screen Sadness

You know in the movie "500 Days of Summer" when Tom is going to Summer's party and you see the split screen of reality vs. expectations?  I have felt recently in my life that a split screen like that would be applicable in many aspects.  As you can probably tell from my last post, I have been extremely frustrated with dating recently.  With LDS guys, with non-LDS guys.  Yep, I have been on dates with both flavors lately.  And now you want details.  I can tell.

The hard thing for me in this aspect is that you, my readers (fans), aren't all LDS or not.  So let me paint a picture for you of what some aspects of a given date are like:

Greeting with an LDS date:
We see each other and there might or might not be a hug that is definitely not super affectionate.  Things that might be said at this time - "How are you?"

Greeting with a non LDS date:
We see each other and there is a hug and a kiss on the cheek followed immediately by a "You look great!"  Then possibly a "How are you?"

During dinner we both have good conversation.  There might be an awkward moment with the non-LDS guy when I don't order an alcoholic beverage.  I will also say that in my most recent experiences, the LDS guy paid for me and the non-LDS guy didn't.

We leave dinner to go to our after-dinner activities.

LDS guy either has a plan that for some unexpected reason doesn't work out or hasn't made a plan and is now fumbling, trying to figure something out.  I make a suggestion.  We do that.

Non-LDS guy asks me if I want to go get another beverage.  I agree and we end up at a bar where we watch "the game" on TV and talk more while he puts a very G-rated move on me.  I am now drinking sparkling water, just to be completely clear.  Still awkward for my date that I am not drinking something a bit harder.

Saying goodbye with LDS guy: In my head I am wondering if he is going to escort me to either a) my home or b) the closest subway station.  Neither happens.  We have a very awkward goodbye that feels very much like "See ya, buddy!"  I walk myself to the subway very confused.  And upset.

Saying goodbye to the non-LDS guy: He has already asked me out on a second date while he is holding my hand walking me to the subway station without being asked.  He gives me a nice kiss goodnight and I go into the subway station and go home, not wondering what just happened.

The funny thing about BOTH of these scenarios is that they both ended up in the same result.  A few days later, it was either "I don't think that we are a great match" or "I didn't feel our relationship moving to the next level."  I will let you guess which response went with which scenario.  What I'm saying is that the result was the same in the end, but the delivery was totally different.  I think that both of the guys are really nice and I had fun with both of them.

There is a singles conference this weekend here in New York and let me tell you in my most monotone voice how excited I am to go to it.  Get me to a nunnery, STAT.  I think that I am just in a funk but it is nothing that a bunch of hummus and games of hearts can't cure.  Good thing I have a plethora of those in my life thanks to Costco and a very social roommate.  Thanks, friends.

Sad faces all around

Today I got caught in the rain on my way back to the office after lunch.

It fit my mood so I went with it.

I am having a hard time understanding why dating has to be so hard.  Someone said to me today that being single is like not having a job.  You find temp jobs and have lots of interviews, but never land the job.  I've been at this game for 12 years now.

Uncle. ?!

Crying on and off since I got on the subway this morning is not good for my makeup.  Or my morale.  Let's go dancing and hook up with strangers.  Sound good, everyone?  I thought so.

where i been

Last weekend I was in Toronto for work and the only thing I did outside of work was go to the Yankees/Blue Jays game on Friday night with a gaggle of colleagues.  You might be surprised to find that cheering for the Yankees helped me make some friends - a Canadian in front of me turned around and wanted to know why a girl like me was cheering for the Yankees.  We chatted for a while and of course the conversation turned to hockey - we were in Canada, remember - and then I tuned out and tried yet again to explain to my British friends how baseball is different than Rounders.  

Yep. It was exciting.

A few gems from my trip:

I was sitting in a hotel lobby at a registration desk helping people get their badges for a conference.
Man runs up to me like he is about to pee his pants - at least that is what it looks like is happening
Man: in a foreign accent Can you tell me where the &$*&#$# room is?!
Me: Are you looking for the restroom?
Man: NO NO NO! (Doing pee pee dance) THE WASH ROOM!!!!
I put this story on facebook, but it cracks me up every time.  Lost in translation, apparently.  Then it happened again, about 30 seconds later with another guy.  

I also decided on my halloween costume.  Let's just say that I'm rocking a princess costume this year.  Just. You. Wait.    

This weekend I am going to Utah to visit my parents - the first time since their accident back in June.  We have fun plans like getting my hair did with my mom and going fishing with my dad up at Strawberry.  I'm also having a birthday dinner with my nephews and niece.  Tons of fun packed into one weekend.  Maybe if I'm lucky my mom will make me tuna casserole or tacos.  And see some of you?  Have your people call my people, if you know what I mean.

Zundel out.

Day of Remembrance

Hard to believe that 10 years ago I was in Logan, Utah, and now I actually live in New York City.  A lot of lives have been changed due to those events and I hope that we can feel more love towards our fellow men always.

Since we are remembering things today, last weekend my girlfriends asked me re-tell them the story of the time that my ex-boyfriend rode in an avocado truck as a stowaway in Mexico ON A FERRY to spend the weekend with me.  

Click here to check it out.  Please keep in mind that it was written over 3 years ago and the story itself actually happened in 2006.   Also, it is awesome.

Alive. Barely.

Well, it is official.  I'm no longer in my 20's.  The night of my birthday, I was laying in bed with one of my best friends and she said "Do you feel different?"  I looked at her and said "Nope" and she said "See? Not so bad, right?"

I will post all the gory details of my birthday celebration in the next few days, but for now, I just wanted you to know that I made it.  I'm not exactly sure how I got here, but here I am and 30 feels just fine.

This week I was sitting on the patio of my new apartment with friends, playing hearts and I seriously thought to myself: "Life. is. good."

Someone told me a few months ago that I didn't seem settled in New York.  I didn't know exactly what he meant by that and after doing a lot of thinking and soul searching and purging,  I'd like to officially announce that I am settled.  And it feels so good.

Pre-Celebration

This week I am celebrating the last week of my twenties.  Just to give you an example of how busy it has been:

• I haven't been home before 10:30pm any night this week
• I have been to a sporting event in Queens - the US Open - maybe you have heard of it?
• I went to a concert in Central Park last night (from 4:30pm until after 10pm)
• Today I have plans for breakfast, lunch, dinner, 4th meal, and 5th meal (I am not kidding)
• 6th meal will undoubtedly happen at Chick-Fil-A tomorrow morning when I have not slept at all and arrive in South Carolina with 3 of my besties.

If this is any indicator of what the coming decade is going to be like, then bring it.  This last one has been pretty amazing.  Also, I need to lay down.  I am quite tired.

Update!  My week so far in photos:

Monday

This is an entirely new level of red pants.  Hipster preppy red pants!  I seriously stopped this guy in the subway to ask him if I could take a photo of his red pants.  WHALES!  I have absolutely no shame.  He probably thought I was kidding about the pants - but obviously I do not care the least about his face.  

Tuesday
Watched Rafa at the US Open.  Who doesn't love him?

Wednesday

Went to see Joshua Radin & Sara Barielles in Central Park.  On nights like that, I am reminded why I am head over heels in love with this city.

Thursday...so far

This morning I had breakfast with my friend Dan - who I hadn't seen since I was 18.  It is so great catching up with old friends. 

In other news, I have done my hair 4 of the last 5 days.  That might be some sort of new record for me.  Watch out, world!

Thursday - update again

I failed to take a lunchtime update photo, but imagine me sitting in Bryant Park with a good looking, funny man who took me to lunch.

Post-work with Rachael.  If you call eating cherry licorice and cheezits a treat, that is fine.  I call it dinner.  Sometimes it is weird to think that Rachael and I don't share a bedroom door anymore.  Just so glad I was able to celebrate with her today.  Love you, Rach.

Scott took me to 4th meal at Shake Shack and it was delicious.  By that time, my eye was being weird and though it looks like I am crying, I am just fine.  JUST FINE!  I surely don't spend as much time with Scott as I'd like to, so I'm glad he came to take me out for my pre-celebration.   I did celebrate Scott's 30th with him here in New York a few years ago.  

Thanks for making me feel so loved this week and especially today, friends.  I can't begin to tell you how lucky and blessed I am in the friend department.  Sometimes I try, but it is always a fail.  I have the best - just believe me.  I wish you were all here with me all the time.  Today someone asked me where my closest friends live.  San Francisco, Salt Lake, Rockville, Arlington, Seattle, San Diego, Charleston, LA, Phoenix, Tucson, Syracuse, San Jose, Palo Alto, Huntington Beach, Provo, and New York.  Is that a good answer?

There are no strings attached to my friend with benefits.

Yesterday I came across this hilarious list of 25 questions to ask someone when you're stuck together during a hurricane. I was kind of stuck with someone this last weekend and though we are great friends, we aren't romantically interested in each other. I still sent it to him. And it reminded me of a recent list that I came up with (I'm sure based on some other list that I saw on that website). Drumroll please.

Reasons to justify having a makeout buddy.

1. He has cable - you don't.

2. He lives alone - you don't

3. His couch is quite comfortable and yours feels like a metal bench with a piece of pleather over it.

4. He always seems to contact you when you are out and about - and he lives close to a subway stop.

5. I like to kiss. So shoot me.

And in relation to the list above:

Reasons to justify not having a makeout buddy:

1. He doesn't speak to you in public.

2. You like someone else.

3. Two of the reasons above no longer exist due to a recent move.

Carry on.

West Coast - Seattle

In July I went to Seattle for approximately 24 hours to spend some time with close friends. When I arrived at the airport, I was glad to see that little Lucy had forded the river safely and made it to Oregon Washington. I have been worried about that ever since I quit in the middle of my Oregon trail game in the 5th grade.

Kim, Steph, and Me. I love these girls so much. So here is the back story - The two on the left are cousins and their respective mom and dad grew up in the same ward as my mother. Kim's family moved to North Carolina when I was 11 and she quickly became my best friend. When Kim's cousins came to visit, her Aunt and my Mom would catch up and so the first time I met Steph I was probably 12 or 13. Fast forward through years of living in Utah and being best friends still with Kim, I would see Steph around campus at Ricks College and other various things that we were both involved in. We were bridesmaids at Kim's wedding in San Diego about 3 years ago and Steph and I were both at a loss as to why we weren't closer friends. The rest is history. Sometimes I forget that they are related - and then they act like each other and it freaks me out. I was so glad to be able to spend time with Kim - the time we get to spend is far and few between these days. Boo to that.

For something to do on a rainy day in Seattle, we went to Pike's Market and ate donuts, crepes, and cherries. Oh, those cherries were amazing.

Every time that Kim and I see each other, we try and get a photo - that should be a post in and of itself. Now that I have a photo scanner, maybe I should get on that, eh? Here is our 2011 pic.

And anyone who can hula hoop, play the guitar, play the harmonica, sing, and dance at the same time deserves to have a photo on the blog.

And seeing Kim's cute little girl, Abby, wasn't so bad either. :)

And I will leave you with a cute pic of Steph and Marcus.

Action Jackson

Maybe you heard about some of the action that has been going on in New York over the past week? Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, rumors of wars, etc. I have to admit that things got a little exciting around here as far as natural disasters go. Maybe that can be another post? Maybe.

Really though, the most exciting thing that happened in my life this last weekend was that I moved into my new apartment and I could not be happier about it. There are a lot of great things about it and I'm sure that those things will become apparent in subsequent posts, but here is a photo of my new bedding (and bed!) - I am in love with it.

This was one of the best weekends I've had in New York - and I left the apartment once. And before anyone thinks that I am ungrateful, I owe many many people so much for letting me stay with them during the past month. I think that in the month of August I slept (alone, Mom) in 8 different beds. To anyone who housed me or fed me or friended me - you are the best. Oh, I am so happy. So happy.

Spa Heaven or Hell

A friend of mine is moving away next weekend. And while I am sad to see her go, I am moving into her bedroom, I took her calling, and she is moving to San Francisco. Maybe she can move into my old bedroom and take my old calling? Would that make things even?

As a going away, we had a spa day with some of her nearest and dearest in Heaven. Heaven is in Queens, believe it or not; and is a place also known as Spa Castle. Holy cow - if being in water and laying in saunas is your thing, this is the place to go.

First off, the girls all wear matching outfits and so do the boys. Then in each locker room, there are bathing areas where swim suits are not allowed. Scary. For most of the day, we laid in saunas, hot tubs, special pools where the water flowed over you, etc. Each sauna had different minerals - like jade, gold, salt, etc. and was pretty cool (and hot). I run fairly hot naturally so I didn't last as long in the saunas as some of the girls did. I really enjoyed my 45 minute nap though in a lounge chair this afternoon. Those were special times.

By 6:30pm, there were only 3 of us left at the spa. We went down to the locker room and checked out the spa there and decided that we were going to brave it and go full throttle. Let me also say that the towels that they gave you in the locker room were about 6 inches wide and 12 inches long. If you were going to do it, you were going to do it. I must admit that after about 30 minutes of being in the room with about 50 other women who were baring it all, it became fairly empowering and suddenly I realized that no one cared the least about what I look like without my clothes on...except me. And then I ate a huge burrito and a snow cone for dinner. I'm just going to eat away that pain!

So - would you do it? I'm curious. Are you too self conscious or would you strip down in front of your friends in a bathhouse?

Why yes, I can be talked into doing things...

The other day I somehow stumbled across this song called "The Pretty Girl From Matthews".

Dear The Avett Brothers,

If I'd have known that you wrote a song about me, I would have loved you so much sooner.

Love, Me.

But really - I want to know who this song is about because if she is from Matthews, I know her. For reals. I have used my crazy amazing deducing skills to figure out that this "Matthews" is my hometown. I will stop rambling about this now.

It is quite a country song. Which is fitting if you are singing a song about a girl from North Cackalacky.

Last weekend I went camping with friends. Please reread that. I went camping. I was talked into it for a few reasons. The first being that I really liked who invited me (in a friendy girly way). The second was that I decided that in an effort to make more friends, I was going to say yes to anyone who invited me to do something unless I already had solid plans. So, I borrowed some camping gear from a generous friend (who is also hott - thanks, Jen!) and headed out into the wilderness of Scranton, Pennsylvania! No, I did not see Dwight Schrute there.

Here is how you camp as a New Yorker:

1. Pack up a rental car so full that you are fairly sure that you will be feeding 100 people and housing 50 in the woods for 2 weeks.

2. Get stuck in traffic on your way through the Lincoln Tunnel at 9pm on a Friday night.

3. Take a photo with Adrienne in a car, because you are in a car and not in a subway or on a bus.

4. Make friends with the local campers when you arrive at your campsite and have them give you enough wood to make s'mores. Put your headlamp on so that you look more outdoorsy.

5. In the morning, plug your waffle-iron in and eat up.

6. Appreciate the outdoors with 7 friends after breakfast and stay in this same position until someone realizes that it is 2pm.

7. Put some real clothes on and head down to Lake Lackawanna. (It is approximately 50 yards away)

8. While you are kayaking across the lake, it will start pouring rain and you will spend the balance of your time in the wilderness inside a tent napping, reading, talking to friends, OR you will be under a tarp eating dinner and you will be mostly damp.

9. I will spare you photos of this, but you will be munched on by approximately 500 bugs that I have decided were chiggers. Just imagine a foot that looks like it has chicken pox over every inch of it. There you go. Also, imagine the cute pedicure that I got today at lunch. That's even better.

In regards to the other craziness in my life (aka - couch surfing), things are going well. I am really grateful for good friends. Also, my dad is going under the knife tomorrow and getting a rod put into his leg. The saga continues.

I am waiting for my compensatory blessings

This is part of a conversation that I had with someone last week:

"So, a lot has been going on with me.
1. My parents were in a horrible motorcycle accident in Spain and they are finally back in Utah and it will be a long road of recovery for both of them.
2. My ex-boyfriend who I really loved and was going to marry showed up on my doorstep for a week
3. I found out that my roommate was overcharging me by $400 per month and pocketing the money.
4. I AM TURNING 30 IN 3 WEEKS."

And then I cried.

OK - maybe I cried a little earlier.

Life has been hard the past few months - not going to lie. I sent out an SOS to friends last week and was sent a lifesaver within minutes from so many. People invited me to stay with them, to dinner, to classes where I could punch people in the face, to help me move.

Last Saturday was easily one of the worst days that I can remember in recent history. Moving under duress is never good. BUT - I went to brunch with some friends that morning which was wonderful and needed, then that evening I went to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where I stood in line for more than 3 hours and caught up with a wonderful friend (or 2).

Just wanted to send out a little note to say that I am alive and doing well. I watched Bachelor Pad last night with my friends and who knew that watching Vienna and Jake (and Kasey) again would cheer me up so much?

If bad things happen in three's, there are some amazing blessings waiting for me around the corner.

That's what friends are for

In the midst of catching up on the blog, life has happened and tonight instead of going to play flag football with friends, I decided to lay in bed and catch up on blogs and chill out.

I was out until approximately 2:30am on both Friday and Saturday night, and my lack of sleep is catching up with me in a major way. That is my excuse, ok?

A few weeks ago I had a chat with someone about how I've struggled to make friends since moving here. I have friends - don't get me wrong. I have wonderful friends here. I've never sat home at night due to loneliness, but I don't have a group of friends that I can always rely on. I think you know that I'm saying. Right? I told Rachael this already, and continue to tell her constantly, but the Lord is answering my prayers to have good people put in my path and to make friends that will bless my life now and forever. My prayers are being answered - not always in the ways that I've expected and sometimes the process hurts, but I am getting there. We so easily look at other people's problems and see the ways things

turned out and think to ourselves that our problems are harder to bear in some way or another. No one knows in their darkest moments how the light is ever going to come again - and I am so very grateful that I am being molded into the person that I need to become. So many people have reached out to me lately and I have felt very loved.

I will eventually update you on my trip to the West Coast a few weeks ago, but for now, these girls should know how much they are loved. What a great group of friends I have. A year later and I am still calling you withmy problems. Thanks for being the light at the end of my tunnel. You know how easily scared I get.