Saturday, July 31, 2010

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 2nd gig to keep this whole thing going. Ahh, yes, a 2nd 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 3rd 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….

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

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 2nd 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? :/

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

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.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

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!!!!!!!