Testing the SoundCloud widget. Let's see how it goes...

So I'm pretty much in love with SoundCloud. It's the easiest way to share/send music online right now. I'll be posting songs on to both my blog and Facebook. All you have to do is click the down arrow to the right of the track player right below "info" and voila! You can download the song!!! Hopefully you enjoy my choices enough to download for yourself. So here are today's picks:




Pretty awesome remix incorporating "Heads Will Roll" which is a beautiful song on it's own. I must say, this remix is pretty slick though. Well done. Give it a listen!

 " Yeah Yeah Yeahs & A-Trak ": Heads Will Roll (Electric Soulside ft Odissi Mix) - Free Track by electric soulside




Here are two remixes of Ozomatli's "45" that I uploaded on SoundCloud. One is a little dance-ier than the other. Both are good. I like the first one a bit better. What do you think?

  Ozomatli - 45 (The Return Of Chic Remix) by NIKvsNYC

  Ozomatli - 45 (Ultrasparx Remix) by NIKvsNYC



And of course, from this weekend, we have an awesome group of DJ's from Brooklyn called Punches! They revved up the crowd and came through even after the hype. They were fantastic. Here's their original remix of Jackie Wilson's "Higher and Higher." Once you get passed the intro, you're good to go and the song is hot. Check it out.


 Higher And Higher (PUNCHES Remix) by NIKvsNYC

Moms Should Read This, And So Should Everyone Else

DISCLAIMER: You don't have to read the whole thing, but to get a little perspective on something important, you should read the first two paragraphs of this post. I hope you agree.

Okay, guys, INSANE conversation with my mom a little while ago. I really don't understand how moms just know everything. Really. What is it?? I feel like you're just presented this outrageous amount of knowledge about life and the world the moment you birth a child. Or maybe it's presented to you in their teenage years as repayment for all the crap you have to put up with as a mother. The talking back, the fighting, the attitude, etc... I think that's it! We put our mom's through torture, some worse than others, and their repayment from the powers above is this all encompassing knowledge about life that they get to spit out at their kids during almost every situation or problem that arises. Now, you may wonder how that's a gift in this specific scenario? Well, simple. The gift is ALWAYS BEING RIGHT! How great is that feeling?! Especially when your bratty kid is giving you a hard time, thinks you're crazy because you're a mom and you're "old," and says things like "What does she know? Pshh, I'll show her!" And then BAM! Turns out, yes, your mother was right all along. Sweet victory is hers. I mean, I'm not saying seeing your kid down about being wrong is a good feeling, but that's really how you build their trust. You're consistently right! Eventually, as they grow up and as it keeps happening, they see this trend. They see that they don't have to necessarily fight with mom anymore. They can turn to her in guidance, because after all, mom is always (okay, don't get too cocky, moms. Let's say MOSTLY) right. 

In my instance, her favorite thing to say that I hate hearing is "God has a plan for everything. Everything happens for a reason. You'll see." Never fails. I remember in college, in particular, she used that horrible combination of phrases on such a regular basis that I really started to loathe hearing "everything happens for a reason." I was bitter because sometimes what I originally thought I was supposed to do didn't actually happen. I remember being so upset and feeling so stupid for "failing" at something, and then, here they came... Those dreadful words. She'd repeat them with ease. "It's in God's hands," she'd say, "he's got a plan." She was always right. If you know me at all, you know how much I looooooooove being right. Oooh there are two things I love most in this world: 1) Music (that was easy) and 2) Being right. Considering how much I love that, you'd think I would REALLY despise being wrong ever. I do for the most part. But the truth is, my mother being right so much makes me love her that much more. I've reiterated my age (25!) a lot recently on this blog, but here it goes again. At 25, I fully understand and appreciate my mother's knowledge. Mom's in general, but really, most of all, my own. She knows me better than anyone in the world, and somehow she just knows what's right for me. I trust her more than anyone, and I'm actually thankful I've been wrong so many times with her because that's how I've created this superior bond and confidence with her. I know not everyone is actually as fortunate as myself to have such an outstanding person in their life, but I sincerely hope there's someone out there for everyone who fills this role. She doesn't read this blog, but maybe I'll send it her way somewhere down the line. For now, I have faith she just KNOWS how much I absolutely adore her as much, if not more, as humanly possible. It never hurts to hear it, but she knows everything. I know she knows this.

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Right, well, the first sappy part is over. You know I don't like sappy so let's move onto awesome! YEAH! Unfortunately, this post is mainly an epiphany post. A self-realization, if you will, based on the conversation with my mother today. It's going to be a lot of words, and probably no pictures. If you're curious about the conversation, read on. Otherwise, I hope you got something out of the intro above!

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So, today I was talking to my mom on Skype basically about my take on my life at the moment and how fantastic everything seems to be. It's looking like things are falling into place and I can't tell you how psyched I am at the months to come. I'd say years, but I really don't want to get ahead of myself. Right now, although I'm not in the most ideal scenario making big bucks at a snazzy label and living in a penthouse in Manhattan, I'm liking this whole set-up. You gotta pay your dues, and well... I'm finally starting to pay them. Life is good. 

You share my happiness and enthusiasm, right? You're psyched on my behalf just as much and sometimes more than me about things falling into place slowly but surely, right? You're cheering me on and sincerely hoping for the best for my sake, right? You've been supportive this whole way and you don't even want to present the idea of failure because that's not an option. Going home is not an option, right????? 

Wrong. Well, maybe not you. And maybe not completely wrong. But I get the feeling sometimes not everyone is on board with this whole crazy ride of mine. Maybe it's because it's just that: absolutely insane. I didn't choose to go into medicine or engineering or any other secure field. There's nothing wrong with those careers. They're pretty awesome. They're also not for me, and there's nothing wrong with my choice either. Maybe it's my fault that I haven't built the credibility and faith in the eyes of others that I do have the passion, drive and ability to get what I want and ultimately succeed. No, really. I do. I've created this happy go lucky, very easy going (borderline lazy), laid back, not a care in the world persona that so many of the people closest to me see. I've become a jester. I'm easy to laugh with (and at) because I've put humor at the forefront of my personality. You'll hear my college stories about putting off papers till 1 a.m. or how my roommates rarely saw me take my textbooks out of the bag from the bookstore until finals. I can see how this image has been painted that I don't really take life or myself seriously, so then why would I take my career seriously? Unfortunately, I haven't boasted enough about my efforts with the Music Business Program in college or my internships in both Georgia and London. Yeah, people like to talk about MTV because they've heard of it, but I did MUCH more substantial work elsewhere that no one really knows about. That's fine. I keep that to myself. But I've recently started to become a little fed up with this portrayal that I'm guilty of painting in the minds of family and friends. How is anyone supposed to have faith in me with that in mind? 

Well, in all honesty, I kind of gave them the benefit of the doubt. It wasn't until recently when I realized how poor my image truly is with some of the people I love most and hold nearest and dearest to me. More so, now is the time when that really sucks. As I mentioned before, I've landed two pretty awesome jobs with two pretty awesome companies in NYC. Again, one is with a music publicity company that isn't necessarily well known by name, but their client list is anything but shabby. The other is a very well known company which is practically ruling the world right now. My role in both companies is small and low on the totem pole. For some reason, one of them is highly overlooked. I cannot emphasize enough how little so many people care about my role with the music company. Instead, they ask and only want to hear about Apple, even though it's in retail. Don't get me wrong, I actually kind of like retail. And let's face it, Apple retail is pretty awesome (not so much Apple snobs though....). The stores are always stunning. The workers are usually pleasant. The company is brilliant in how it treats it's employees. Okay, I can see why you're happy about Apple. However, as absolutely grateful and ecstatic as I am about landing that Apple job, I did not come to NYC with the sole purpose of working in retail. It's a means of keeping me here for now. You know why I really came here? MUSIC! Guess what! My work with the music company is just as, if not more so, significant in my being here in NYC. It may only be 2 days a week and I may still be doing grunt work for the most part, but hey! It is a step in the right direction! I more than likely will not being spending the rest of my life trying to move up the chain of Apple retail. I'm movin' on up in the music biz, baby! What's gonna get me there? A POSITION WITH A MUSIC COMPANY!!!!! No matter how minor it may be. Got it? Good. Let's be equally grateful and happy about both. They're both amazing.

So you may be wondering how this all ties in with my mom (sounds like a joke. haha It's not). We spent the first 30 min or so discussing the paragraph above. Then we moved into the good stuff. 

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON!!!!!

There it is again. That phrase I had grown to hate but now appreciate so much. She's right again! It's been a pretty spectacular journey to even get where I am today, and also to continue on in the direction I'm going. It sounds cliche but I'm thrilled I read "Eat Pray Love" at the beginning of this NYC endeavor. It puts things into perspective and makes more sense now than I think it would have any other time in my life. The book largely emphasizes the path of life and the "plan" we already have set for all of us. How you perceive that I guess is up to you. You just have to let it play out. There's a story in the book where the author, Liz, is discussing an incredible life-changing deed she's done for a great friend of hers, Wayan. Wayan asks "what would I do if you never came here?" Liz writes (directly from the book):

"But I was always coming here. I thought about one of my favorite Sufi poems, which says that God long ago drew a circle in the sand exactly around the spot where you are standing right now. I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen."  

Elizabeth Gilbert, you are so absurdly correct, ma'am. I agree wholeheartedly. This came up with my mom as we discussed this crazy journey and where it all started, when I was but a wee tot. My mom said she sees a drive in me like no other. She sees a passion that maybe no one else really sees. Apparently she's seen it for quite some time, which is why she is so fantastically supportive. [Have I mentioned how lucky I truly am to have been blessed with the parents I have? Yeah. So lucky!!!] However, not even my mother knew how far back this puzzle of my career dates back. And I say puzzle because I feel like everything works together and little bits and pieces fit like a puzzle in achieving my ultimate goal of success in the music industry. 

I'm sure you've all heard about when I was about 7, I used to pretend to be a radio dj on my computer. I'd plug in the mic, headphones and pop in a cd. Then I'd talk to my "listeners" about each song like I was hosting a show. *NERD ALERT* Yeah I really was that cool. Then I wrote a letter to KTFM, the most popular radio station at the time in San Antonio, about letting me and my friends on the air for "Munchkin Hour" because we (I) had been practicing on our (my) computer at home. I bothered those people at the station quite often before and after that. I'm pretty sure they knew me by name. They were thrilled about my efforts and overall pitch of this new, sure-hit radio show. I even said they could pay us in cd's!!!! No money necessary! Well, I guess they were flattered by the offer, but unfortunately were "all filled up" at the time. But they still paid us!!! SCORE! In the currency we requested, too. We received a box in the mail from the station full of cd's and cassettes (that's how long ago that was). I was more than happy to accept, but still a little disappointed we didn't get the gig. My first music business rejection. 

Alas, I kept at it. My next music biz memory I informed my mother about occurred in middle school. I was in gym class discussing with a friend the topic of our future careers. I mentioned that I'd like to be a music producer. She asked "like Dr. Dre?" Yeah.... I guess. She followed with an outburst of laughter. This wasn't funny to me. I was serious. Well, I didn't really fully think I wanted to be a producer, but I also didn't know how to word that I wanted a career in the music industry, because I didn't really have any knowledge of such a career. I knew the term "producer," so I said that. I don't even remember that dumb girl's name. I wonder what she'd think now if she knew I was in NYC working in the music business. Sucka.

The next step in the puzzle is a bit of a sore subject with my family: Georgia. I am forever grateful to that state for changing my life. Had we not moved to Georgia, I wouldn't have gone to the University of Georgia. Had I not gone to UGA, I may not have discovered the Music Business Program and I might actually be embarking on a different career path altogether without ever knowing how to get started in a career involving my lifelong passion. (But then again, I was never going to NOT move to Georgia, remember?) Now, I know it sucks for my extended family to think about that because the move to Georgia was quite difficult. Hindsight, it changed all of our lives, and I'll even go so far as to say it saved us. My aunts and uncles used to tell me "there's nothing wrong with SAC," meaning San Antonio College, a community college. They're right. There's nothing wrong with it. However, what that meant to me was that they really never expected much from me. In their eyes, with that slacker persona I created, I possibly wasn't cut out for a major university. Well, back then I set out to prove them wrong and I would accept nothing less than a major university. I chose the University of Georgia, largely because of the HOPE Scholarship. I may have been able to go bigger, but anything smaller was just not an option for me personally. If you tell me to do something that I don't want to do, I'm going to do the opposite. That's just how I am. Today, this is applicable because I am absolutely sick and tired of hearing "it's okay to come home to San Antonio if NYC doesn't work. The job market is tough. Blah blah blah." I know all this, and I appreciate your acceptance and support should things not fly my way. However, that thought is so far out of my mind, as it should be. Right now, San Antonio is not an option, and the more I hear about, the clearer I would like to make that it will probably never be an option. I've gotten out of there, and I think I'm better for, in my particular circumstance. As much as I would love to be with family, I've got things in my life I have to take care of career-wise, and SA just has no market for me. Hearing about the acceptance of my potential failure is really only driving me more to make sure that doesn't happen. 

I thought all this was only playing in my head, and that maybe I was possibly a bit *gasp* wrong about my family's perception of my life/career. It was reassuring to know that my mom saw everything the same way. She swooped in to save the day, and she was right there with me the whole time. We never had this discussion before in any way, yet she knew exactly what was going on and had thought about it all before herself. I just find it so interesting how well mothers pick up on what's going on in our brains. Maybe it's because we are an extension of them, so we tend to think the same way. I really don't get this phenomenon, but I won't fight it. I fully embrace it. I realize I am so lucky and blessed. I have the coolest, funniest, kindest lady in the world as my mother, and I have her full support in every single thing I do. My dad ain't so bad either! He's right there with her on the sideline cheering me on and backing every decision I make. They're helping me out financially right now but they consider it an "investment" and expect to be paid back with a bit of interest. I'm thinkin' Daddy gets a sailboat/yacht and Mama gets a baller trip to the Vatican. 

I'm sorry if this post is a little all over the place. It was really all about my conversation with my mom, and it touched on the overall gist of it. I know, at the end of the day, I truly have the hands down GREATEST family in the world, and I know they're all supportive of me and want the best for me. Again, I'm so fortunate and so very blessed to have been born into such a great support group and I love them all more than anything. I just hope I can show them all what I'm capable of and ultimately make them all proud. So, c'mon, New York. If I conquer you, maybe my family will be more supportive at the thought of me conquering London next! :)  That's all for now, folks! Night night, world!

WORK?!?! I Didn't Come To NYC to Work! :)

Juuuuuust kidding. Of course I came to this beautiful chaotic city to work!!!! Did you think I came here solely to galavant and party? Okay, well, I can see where you may have gotten that idea. But the fact of the matter is I've been bustin' my butt to get the slightest bit of hope that I actually belong here, and guess what, I ended up with 2 gigs! They have no idea what they're getting themselves into. haha


In case you hadn't heard, I will now be working at both Apple and Big Hassle Media. Apple just pulled through at the last minute, but I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty psyched they did! I'll start there next week. I actually already started with the music company yesterday! It was fantastic! They had me working on pretty legit projects on my first day, which shows me possibly one of 2 things: 1) they trust my work/capabilities already and that's good news for me, or 2) they were insanely swamped with work and needed any help they can get! I'd like to think it was a little more from the first choice, but it very well may have been the latter. Either way, it was great! I'm so eager and enthusiastic about anything relating to music. I am the epitome of a music nerd! If you see me as a slacker who procrastinates and is pretty apathetic about anything remotely serious in life, well, you're wrong. I care about music. Who needs the rest?! haha More so, I'm enthusiastic about this particular company! They do amazing work and represent amazing bands and I am so much more than thrilled to be a small part of it! I could go on for days... really... actually, I have gone on for days! I just hadn't blogged about it yet. I think you're getting the basic gist of it for now though.

Then there's Apple. After applying 2 months ago, and going through the most outrageous interview process of all time, they finally decided to offer me a job! Woot woot! Employee discount, here I come! haha Well, I'm actually excited about this gig for more than just the sweet discount on pretty sweet products. I'm super psyched to meet the other employees and be a part of such a fantastic company to work for. They treat their employees quite well, and for the most part, they're just passionate about what they do. Also, many of the employees happen to be more in tune with the creative part of the brain. I don't know which side. I'm into the creative side as well, not science. Knowing the parts of the brain would be too much science for this kid. haha  Yeah, it really is sad. Anyways, seriously, I want to get to know artists and film editors and musicians and photographers! I can't wait! There's bound to be a cool kid or two employed at that location.


Speaking of location, both of these jobs are in siiiiiiiiick parts of town! Apple @ W. 14th St and 9th Ave between Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. Snazzy! And Big Hassle is straight up ballin' on Wall St! What what!!! I get to wear jeans and sneaks into a building where everyone is wearing suits and ties. Suckas. hahaha they're both awesome parts of town that I'm anxious to learn my way around!


Can you tell that I'm ecstatic? Just a little? Well, I am! BIG TIME! But I think it's enough talk about work, I don't want to bore. Let's get some pics up!


Now, I've been snapping a few shots around town then coming home only to be ultra nerdy and photoshop all night. Here are a couple of my faves right now. I'm actually taking feedback about these and would LOVE to know what yall think. Which one is your favorite? Do they look over-edited? Honesty is key here, folks!  So here we go:

Possible T-Shirt Image

A

B

Original Pic

Sorry they're all so small. Place your votes, please! Which one do you like best, if any??

Like I said, I've been spending a lot of time playing with Photoshop lately, so I will definitely be posting more of those images soon. Looks like you'll just have keep checking in for more awesome pics from around town. Soon to come, cliche Times Square pics. Yaaaayyyyyy! haha I suppose that's all for now. Brief post in comparison to previous posts. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been so supportive through my search for work. Seriously, I know I still don't have my dream job just yet, but I'm working on it. And a lot of people didn't even think I'd get what I have now. So to those of you who fit in that category, always happy to prove you wrong. For the rest of you who have been optimistic even when I wasn't so much, I genuinely thank you. I have the best friends and family in the world!!!! :) Aight, kids, I'm out!

Latest Count---Aug 2010: NIK 1 - NYC 1

25, I Think We Might Just Be Friends After All....

[This was actually written last night... I just didn't get a chance to post...]

Ahh, a blog after only two days! Hooray! This one shouldn’t necessarily burn your eyes from reading so much. Actually, I couldn’t help but type today, especially in this perfect environment for it. I’m back in Williamsburg at my lovely coffee shop, Fabiane’s (I’ve been here 3 times, so now, it’s mine). Another gorgeous evening in Brooklyn. All the cool kids are out and about on Bedford, hipsters galore, which is to be expected for a Friday night. I had an absolutely fantastic evening last night galavanting till the wee hours with Renaldy and friends, which was just an awesome ending to an amazing day.

View From The Rooftop At Renaldy's Work. [siiiiiiick!]

I had an outstanding interview yesterday with Big Hassle Media. One of my interviewers was from UGA! It’s always so nice to meet a fellow Bulldog outside of Georgia! The camaraderie and pride built from a major university is a truly beautiful thing. Besides the Georgia thing, the interview was just dandy in general! It was completely conversational, and I feel like the position is exactly what I’ve been looking for in my search in this city. Although, it is part-time so I would definitely need to pick up a 2^nd gig to keep this whole thing going. Ahh, yes, a 2^nd job. That brings me to my next point: Apple. I had pretty much given up hope on that company after being 15 min late to the interview and not having heard a single thing in a week. I figured it was a lost cause and I might as well keep looking for other options. Well, this morning I was greeted with a call back for a 3^rd and final interview. At this stage in the hiring process, things are looking pretty darn good if you make it to the final round. Basically, I’m gonna just have to make sure I’m 2 hours early to avoid botching this up! If all goes according to plan, I will have 2 ideal starter jobs in the city, one of which being directly in the music industry, the other being directly surrounded by lots of other young professionals in a similar position as myself. With over 300 employees at that specific location, that makes for an ideal networking position for me. Nothing is set in stone, and I don’t want to jump the gun by any means, but if either of these, and more so, if BOTH work out, then things will be just grand, kids. Absolutely wonderful!

Yes, things have been looking good. I have reason to be extraordinarily happy. I can’t fight this good mood that is bordering on gross. I’m not saying it’s cool to be down about things, but man, I know how some people cringe at others’ optimism and positivity. I’m asking you not to do that now. I had a rough first month here in the city. I’d go so far as to say as far as “Nikki VS the Big City” goes, the city was dominating. I know it was only a month and everyone (including myself) kept reminding me that it’s damn near impossible to make something happen in such a short period of time anywhere, much less here. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel like the losing character in a game of Mortal Kombat. At night, the more I’d think about how bleak my situation was looking, the more I’d hear the voice from that game saying “FINISH HIM!” (her, in my case). I was rejected from Starbucks. STARBUCKS?! Who has a college degree and plenty of work experience and still doesn’t get a job after an interview at Starbucks!??! If that doesn’t scream “FINISH HIM!” I don’t know what does!!! I mean, I really cannot emphasize how badly I needed just the slightest positive response. A phone call. An email. Another interview, even if I didn’t get the job. I just needed something thrown my way, and I wasn’t getting a thing. A month, actually a little over a month, without a single hint of potential can be a major Debbie Downer.  Not to mention, I explained before how utterly depressing the number 25 sounded. Not just because of age, but more so because as of now, I truly still have nothing to show for that age, professionally speaking. All my friends are making something of themselves and this kid has nothing but a degree and some internship work. So I prayed, and prayed, and prayed, for a sign. Anything, really, I actually prayed for anything. Everyone asking questions like “How long are you planning on staying there without a job?” or “When is your time limit till you give in if you don’t get anything” didn’t help. You ask me those things enough and it’s going to start seeping into my brain. Then trouble brews. At that point, I have 2 choices: 1) Really let those thoughts get to me, think about them too much, get incredibly down about it and start to wonder the answer to those questions myself. OR (the route I’d much rather take) 2) Make ABSOLUTELY sure to do the exact opposite of what they’re predicting may happen. If you know me at all, you know I like proving people wrong. That, my friends, is what I’m setting out to do. So as I embark on this next week which should *hopefully* bring be good news, I’m ready to take on option 2. I’m ready to get things started. I’m ready for my career to begin… With that being said, keep your fingers crossed, and keep this kid in your prayers that something awesome will work out. Determination… failure is not an option. Bring it on, NYC. You had the lead for a little over a month. It’s time to even up the score.  I’m predicting NYC 1 – NIK 1 by the end of the week!!! Here we go….

Quarter Of A Century... Say It Ain't So...

Dear Blogspot,

I’m sure you thought I had abandoned you. You haven’t seen any love in about 2 weeks. No pics. No videos. No words. Alas, baby, I haven’t forgotten about you. Truth is, I think about you a lot. I just can’t be tied down right now. I can’t make the commitment to post a blog once every few days or even once a week. But then again, I also don’t want to lose you. So, here I am. Asking for a second chance, if you’ll have me.

Love,

NIKvsNYC

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AND NOW, FOR ANOTHER UNNECESSARILY LONG BLOG POST! ENJOY!

Sorry, guys, for the long awaited post. I’m sure you kids have been anxiously checking your subscription on a regular basis to see if I’ve posted another long and overly detailed blog about my New York adventures. Alas, I have been out of town, and life has finally been chaotic! CHAOS! I LOVE IT! Who would have thought someone would want such a thing in their life?? Truth is, I thrive off of chaos. I live for a hectic schedule. My attention span is short, so I need lots going on to stay fully entertained.

Travel is a GREAT form of such a distraction. Airports are chaotic by nature. 9.5 times out of 10 you’ll leave an airport with a story. My last blog began the morning of the start of my trip to SA. Even that was a story on its own. The 45 minutes of sleep to begin my travels. The 4:45 am cab ride. The power failure on the plane while taxi-ing before takeoff. Then, the fantastic birthday surprise of my beloved Juanathan! It worked out perfectly, thanks to everyone’s help keeping quiet, especially Chef Steph! The rest of the week to come was just as perfect. Time with the family was spectacular (as always!). I got to see nearly all of my gorgeous San Antonio friends. I partied like it was… well… last year, 2009. We roadtripped to Austin. Hit up all the best food joints in town. Everything was perfect, simple as that.

And then…. It happened.

It pains me to say this, but on that fateful 19th of July, I hit the quarter of a century benchmark in my life. I’m sorry, let’s just take a moment to really take this in. A quarter of a century… Halfway between 20 and 30... the start of being in my “late twenties.” It just hurts my heart to think about. I just recently graduated in my brain from voting age to legal drinking age. I feel like I’ll mentally stay around 22 for a few more years. Some people like their birthday every year at our age. They feel more mature. They feel wiser. They feel successful. I just feel… old. I know I’m not, but I can’t help it. I explained to someone that I will fully accept my age and mature to that number the day that I’m a successful professional, when I’m a contributing member of society, and I’m 100% self-sustaining. Until then, I’m 22 and I’m sticking to it!

I must say, my birthday was pretty awesome. I’m so glad I got to see everyone, both friends and family. Really, overall, the trip was what I would consider a MAJOR success. And, of course, to be expected, it was incredibly hard to leave. Never fails. That beautiful city right in the center of the greatest state in all the land will always have a hold on my heart like no other. No matter where I reside for the rest of my life, San Antonio will ALWAYS be home.

Alas, I had to get back to “DO WORK, SON!!!” That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, or trying to do. I jumped back into the city head first, ready to attack the job market and make something happen. I was warmly welcomed with interviews, career fairs, and more opportunities than I had when I left. At the same time, I have not forgotten to take a step back in the evenings and remember where I live. After all, this whole blog is about ME and NYC. As depressed as I was to leave SA, all I really have to do is walk around and open my eyes to see my surroundings here and feel better. It’s a cure all. This city, with all of its quirks, is so unique and becoming more comfortable every single day. I’ve been doing quite well meeting new, friendly faces and venturing out to see extraordinary sights I never knew existed. Every day is an adventure right now. Every day feels so new, not monotonous. It’s like the beginning of a relationship. New York and I are in our honeymoon phase and that isn’t changing anytime soon. I’m learning so much about this city, and it’s learning about me. I’ve been here about a month and a half and it’s really starting to feel like home. I get to the apt on a regular basis with a warm welcome by my lovely neighbors. They’re kind enough to check in and ask how everything is going. Even short conversation makes me feel like I belong, definitely more than I did a month and a half ago when they looked at me and Leya like we were from the moon. Every day I love my roommate more and more. I really cannot go on enough about this guy. He truly is a blessing, to say the least. He’s made this adaption so much easier, and I’m incredibly fortunate to have stumbled upon his craigslist ad! Haha

All in all, I just feel great. I’m kind of in this cloud 9 stage where the world just looks better to me. The food and drinks taste better. The air smells better. The music sounds better. The subway ride isn’t as troublesome (with the exception of last Friday. The L train was PURE EVIL!!!!!). I think everyone should move away on their own to a different city at some point in their life, if even for a few months. I think it’s a great way to evolve and learn about yourself and the world. The more obstacles you encounter and overcome on your own, the better off you’ll be. For every problem that arises, you’ll benefit tenfold from the knowledge and experience acquired. Now I feel like I’m lecturing, but really, it’s just how I see it. That being said, I’ll move on swiftly and try to wrap this thing up with a short week in review!

(Sidenote: Joao Gilberto is playing over the stereo in the coffee shop now. I really adore this place. Like really really reeeeeally adore it.)

Wednesday: Arrived back in the city. What a torturous experience. I think someone was screwing with my life that day. Maybe it was bad karma for being so hungover from the night before… correction, week before. Alas, after a very long day of traveling, I was finally home in my cozy apartment.

Thursday: FIGHT WITH SPRINT DAY! For the billionth time. We got it fixed. We’re cool again. Also, “Venture Through Manhattan, Stumble Upon A Movie Set, Chill At Grand Central Station, Accidentally Run Into The Empire State Building, And Remember Why You Love This City So Freakin’ Much” Day.

Friday: Horrific experience with the L train. Again, someone was screwing with my life. 15 minutes late to my 2^nd interview at Apple. That’s looking to have not turned out pretty.

Saturday: Street Markets. Street Markets. Street Markets. Lovely set up in Greenwich Village. Reminded me of Notting Hill’s market on Saturdays. Also, birthday dinner at Fornino’s in Williamsburg with the roomie and Hector. Two exceptional gents, if I do say so myself. As for Fornino’s, I will most definitely be frequenting that place from now on. That pizza was pure brilliance, and the sangria was outstanding. If you visit me in NYC, we’re going there!

Sunday: Legit fish & chips in Greenwich Village. No really, all the workers are Brits. This place is super legit. Their accents were just a bonus to the heaven on a plate that they serve. Caught a flick after that: “The Kids Are All Right.” It was good. Not necessarily what I was expecting considering I didn’t know much about the movie ahead of time, but it was definitely good.

Monday: Career fair! YAY! Wait… no… maybe not so YAY. Unless you consider paying 30 bucks to stand in line for hours for someone to tell you to go online and check out their positions available a ‘YAY’ kind of time. I don’t. I DO, however, definitely consider talking face to face with someone from Universal Music Group and them accepting my resume and taking particular notice to it a ‘YAY’ moment! Cloud 9.

Tuesday: Job hunt. All day long. Then time to party. Karaoke to be exact. Fugees, Billy Joel, and Spice Girls. Yessss, it was pretty sweet!

Okay I’m done. That was definitely quite a long post, but after 2 weeks, what did you expect? I’m going to try to keep to my vow to Blogspot to be a little more faithful and update more frequently as always. Otherwise, you will all have no choice but to read a novel every so often. So, hopefully you’ve read most of this, or skimmed at least, and enjoyed! Happy reading to you all! J

PS - Sorry now pics/video this time, guys. My phone isn't cooperating, and I don't have pics from a regular camera. I contemplated stealing other peoples pictures just for the sake of posting things, but that just wouldn't be right, would it? :/

Hooray for still posting on my blog! :)

Blogspot is being super lame so all the pics are out of order.... sorry.

Magnolia Bakery in Rockefeller Center. Made famous by Sex And The City.

Sorry for the delay again, guys. It's been an extremely busy week and a half. And without my phone, life was miserable. Luckily I went to DC to keep my brain occupied (though the phone would have helped tremendously on the bus. Soooooo boring). We actually watched the 4th of July fireworks at the Lincoln memorial, over the national monument! It was a truly spectacular sight that should be experienced by all. The 4th of the July has really only ever been special to me bc of my cousin's (Lil Marty) birthday. Like I said, fireworks always get me, but the holiday itself isn't that intriguing to me. Spending the day at the capital definitely changed my mind. It's just that much cooler knowing the White House (and OBAMA!!!!) were only a few steps away. Ugh, I love that man. I'll spare you my thoughts. I was just really happy to see two of my best friends in DC. Considering how long it had been since we all hung out, it was a fine reunion in a pretty awesome city. Chinatown at night is sweet! Free drinks are also pretty sweet. As are Irish pubs in Chinatown. So legit. Haha Overall, the most patriotic moment of the weekend was definitely my bomb pop. Who doesn't love red, white and blue frozen goodness on a stick? Amazing.

It was surprise how nice returning to NYC was. I can honestly say it felt good to be "home." I really shouldn't put that word in quotations. This city is home now. I've officially been here over a month! It's gone by so fast, but it's been so great so far. A few rough moments here and there, but I really have to stay optimistic. I'm meeting wonderful people and, really, livin the life! Sometimes I walk around, look up, see something especially cool, think to myself "woah, it would be so awesome to

live here!" then I realize... I DO!!!!!! Such a weird feeling. If I was a bit cheesier, I'd purchase an "I NY" shirt. I think I can do without for now. NYC knows I love it.
This past weekend was pretty spectacular as well:

Thurs: Finally a roomie dinner! We went to this cool asian restaurant in the East Village. I wish I could remember the name. All I know is I had trouble pronouncing it. Whatever it was, it was good!! We shared 2 appetizers, a bottle of sake, and each had a meal for 23 bucks a piece! Great deal!!!
Friday: Hit up happy hour with Nicola. Once again, I forget the name of the place, but it was just

north of union square. Very good mojitos! Then we went to one of the coolest places I've been to in NYC. It's called the Frying Pan. Whoever is visiting me is definitely going there! It was a bar/restuarant/club on a boat! A BOAT! Located on the Hudson, overlook an extraordinarly gorgeous NYC skyline at night. The view from the 2nd floor of the boat was truly breathtaking. I think

I'll be frequenting this bar quite a bit.

Saturday: Mandi got into town, a bit later than intended, but we we able to galavant around the Upper West Side bars with the NYU kids. Again, free drinks from the waitress at our bar. Fun night.

Sunday: Brunch at Half Pint. It was quite delicious if I do say so myself. Then we moved on over to the East Village for drinks and World Cup futbol at the Village Pourhouse with Renaldy, Vinyetta, and Christine. It was nice to see Espana win. Next, I introduced Mandi to the wonderful world of BOBO TEA!!!!! Typical response... she didn't HATE it. She thought it was good, but didn't love it either. Never fails, but then they always become bobo tea lovers. Mmmm I love that stuff. Spend the rest of the afternoon wandering around Chinatown then back up through Greenwich. We had an extremely shady experience in Chinatown. All I know is, if a random person on the street asks you if you want "Gucci, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana" then just keep walking. Those people are so freakin

shady!!!! You'll end up walking four blocks in the opposite direction into a group of Asians with cell phones and walkie talkies, strategically placed to look for cops. Then one hands you a paper and tells you to pick a bag. Once you pick the bag, they show it to a little man and he runs off. As you start to get anxious and nervous that the popo might bust out of the corner, you show your emotion, and ask to call off the deal. The persistent psycho lady assures you her little friend will be back in one minute. Seriously? One minute? You said that 15 minutes ago. Okay, the whole thing may have taken all of 5 minutes, but it surely felt like an eternity. Finally, the man runs around the corner with a purse in a bag. The rest is up to you.... whether you pay for it or not. Ahh, shady Chinatown, you are always a good time. Our anxiety from our illegal endeavors quickly vanished upon receiving our pizza at Numero 28. Very good Napoli style pizza. I wouldn't mind going back. Last but not least, busy Sunday.... we hit up Magnolia Bakery for CUPCAKES! However, we waited to devour them until we arrived at the pier in Brooklyn overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. Ugh, what a gorgeous evening it was (definitely one of those "can't believe I LIVE here" moments). It was definitely a great Sunday.

This is from tonight at the bowling alley. I hate blogspot so much right now.

Monday: We hung out in Central Park and hit up Rockefeller Plaza before Mandi had to return back to DC. Sad day.

Tonight: Met Renaldy and friends at Bowlmore for a little Manhattan bowling. It was cosmic bowling, which is always fun, however, the bill for 107 bucks was not so fun... eek :/ On the way out, I noticed magazine shots from this specific place. Apparently Paris Hilton brought her chimp there, and Michael Phelps visited as well. I guess it's actually some celeb place to bowl. Still insanely expensive... No thanks. Followed up bowling with Despicable Me. What a great movie!!!! It's kinda like Up! but even funnier. I really loved it!!! I hope everyone goes and sees it if they get a chance, if you haven't already!

Alright, time to wrap this up, my brain is fried.... I woke up early for an interview (cross your fingers) this morning, and didn't nap nap nap-a-roo like I originally planned. And it's almost 3 am... sooooooooo that being said, I hope all of you have a lovely evening (or day, depending on when you read) and another birthday shout out to my Juanathan!!! Hope you have an AMAZING birthday!!!!!!!!!! I miss you like crazy, my fwend!!!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!

Rant of the day! Hollahollaholla:
As I walked to the subway station today, some dude stopped me and called me "mami." Needless to say, he did not get the response he was looking for. I'm pretty sure they need to add an extra class per day in grade school on ettiquette starting at a very young age. I don't get it. Who taught these boys to talk to girls like that? In the history of mankind, has there EVER been a documented case of a sober female who responded in an even remotely positive manner?? Seriously, if you have a story about this actually ever happening, let me know. I honestly do not know a single girl who finds the infamous "holler" attempt flattering in the least.

Enjoying a Red Velvet cupcake from Magnolia in Rockefeller Plaza. They're good but... too much sugar.... ugh, that's not good. :/

View from the pier in Brooklyn of the Brooklyn Bridge.

View of the Manhattan skyline from the Frying Pan. It's really beautiful in person.

Sorry that was so out of order....... stupid blogspot.

Happy 4th of July! (almost)

(since I don't have any pics to upload today, I'm stealing someone else's for now, just to get the point across! haha Enjoy!)

What is it about the sound of fireworks that's so intriguing? The visual is one thing. It's quite a spectacle. The vibrant colors. The way the light shimmers. The shape the sparks take as they fall, like willow trees. Visual is totally understandable. But I like the sound (and the smell... I'm such a pyro). Now, I think in previous blogs I wrote about fireworks going off on random evenings in my hood. I know when I first moved in, Leya and I were both caught off guard and definitely curious to make sure the booms we heard around the corner were indeed fireworks. Now that I've been here almost 4 weeks (wait... what?!?! yeah...) I've definitely gotten used to the sound of Black Cats and whatever else these freaks in my neighborhood like to set off every other night around 2 a.m...

---edit: I accidentally refreshed my page a minute ago and was scared I lost my previous thoughts. That's happened to all of us before, I'm sure, whether it be an essay or just an email. Luckily, blogger.com is amaaaaazing and automatically saves every few minutes. Thanks, blogger.com! Now... where was I?---

Once again, somehow, tonight's fireworks are different. Maybe I'm just insane for liking the sound of these. I've always been so fascinated by firework shows though. I can remember being probably no more than 5 and heading out to the air force base for what I can only assume was the 4th of July. I remember my dad having the radio on and me sitting on the hood of the car. I also remember slipping off the hood of the car and cutting a huge gash in my leg, but that's a different story, and no surprise since I'm so accident prone. Regardless of my misfortune, the overall atmosphere was exciting and the light show itself was quite memorable. Maybe I'm just easily entertained. Very possible. Anyways, I'm enjoying this evening in Brooklyn. It just makes me that much more excited for tomorrow night in DC!!!! An update with pics is sure to come soon upon my return!!!

My book is getting better and better everyday. Unfortunately, I'm the slowest freakin reader on the face of the planet, so I'm only halfway done. I haven't made time to just sit and read since I got it, with the exception of a bit of time in Central Park the other day. Other than that, I read on the subway, which is quite possibly the greatest discovery I've made thus far in NYC! Reading on the subway makes your trip so much faster!!!! (unless you're stopped in between stations for 20 min because of a random investigation on the train in front of you, like I was today) It's amazing how much this book makes me want to write. Not professionally or anything, but just to write. I almost want to make this blog more selfish and get out all my crazy thoughts compiled throughout the day, but then I think that would make this a journal. And although I don't have many readers now, I'm sure to lose them all the second this thing turns into a journal! haha I know what you kids want. You want updates on this crazy city and pictures! After all, the title of this blog is specifically about my battle with the Big Apple. Somehow, I think that's what I find particularly interesting about this book. I completely understand where the writer is coming from in so many ways in her desire to travel. I'm sure we all do at some point or another. But really, I REALLY REALLY REALLY can relate to her mentality. Sure, I've never been married or divorced. I'm also not in my 30's or well established in my career yet. That's not really the part I'm talking about. I'm sure we all have that dream to just pick up and move somewhere new and make something of yourself. Whether it be your career, a family, or in this case, just finding your true self, acquiring knowledge left and right, and coming to terms with exactly who you are. I'd like to think that's why I'm here. I definitely want my experience to heavily involve my career. At the same time, I don't want to become so completely engulfed in my work that I forget to breathe and take a look around at the beautiful city I live in and the joy it brings me. That's really the battle. Find the job, then conquer it so you take full advantage of your surroundings and ultimately work towards the closest thing to pure happiness that you can get (whatever that may be). That's definitely why I want to work in music. That's what "completes me," so to speak. Yes, music is Renee Zellwegger and I'm Tom Cruise. Not really, I hate Tom Cruise. You get me. Music is what I'm initially working towards, and then the happiness bit is sure to follow. Enough of that for now...

I can't believe on Wednesday I will have been here a month. Outrageous! This job market sucks. I hope you're all praying like crazy for me. I need it. Every bit of help matters! In just a month, I'm already really getting used to this place. I did, however, get lost in the ghetto today! Since I don't have my Pre, I have a crappy LG from Virgin Mobile to hold me over. It's not holding me over so well. I miss my lovely Pre. It's no iPhone 4g, but I don't care. It's head and shoulders above this archaic piece of junk I'll be carrying in my pocket until I return from DC. I wish I had random pics to post from my day, considering I explored a lot today, but this phone doesn't take pictures!!!!!! UGH!!!! Palm Pre.... if you're out there.... if you can hear me... you're a smartphone, so I know you can... baby, come back!!!! Maybe this is God teaching me a lesson to not be so dependent on my cell phone. I get it, big guy. I'm gonna try harder next time not to use it so much, I promise. In all honesty, as much as I complain about not having it, some aspects of being without a smartphone are pretty nice. It was surprisingly fun to be lost today. Not being in the ghetto, but just being lost. Someone once asked me to put away my phone and just be lost for once when I was in NYC before, and, of course, I didn't listen. I didn't get it at the time. Little did I know, it wasn't until I moved here that I'd realize how right she was. It was definitely a test of my knowledge of the city to get from point A to point B (or from super ghetto, straight up LEGIT PROJECTS back into civilization, or somewhere I didn't fear I'd be jumped in broad daylight). It's okay, if they jumped me, I didn't have any valuables on me. No cash... my mp3 player only has 4 gb and is already full with lovely junk like Lady Gaga remixes and "Party In The USA" and of course, they would probably have to pay someone to take the cell phone currently in my possession. I guess I wasn't worried at all today. I was ultimately proud of my navigation skills, and yes, I was rewarded with... you guessed it! BOBO TEA!!!! So worth being lost for that. Mmmmm..... Plus, I was coming from Puma City, where I watched Spain battle it out for an EXTREMELY exciting win over Paraguay! I hope you're all watching the World Cup. Some of you will watch for the pure interest in the sport, others will purely watch for the boys playing. Whatever reason it is, just enjoy it! Still hoping Espana pulls through against Germany! We'll see though. Should be exciting either way.

Alright kids, considering I have to be up tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. and that is an ungodly hour for me, I suppose I'll leave you now and let you rest your eyes. Hopefully I'll have an awesome next post after DC with plenty of pics and an exciting story about how I met Obama and how he and I have become bff's and we're hangin out again next week. Okay, hopefully part of that comes true. Mandi, do work, son! Make it happen. Night, kids! :)

Oh, last thing! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LIL MARTY!!!! To my favorite partner in crime, one of the coolest cats you'll ever meet (bc he's related to me), definitely one of the weirdest, I love this kid to death!!! Wish I could be there for his bday, alas, the northeast won't let me go. Hope it's a fantastic day, jerkface! I miss you tons!!!!!!!