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!!!!!!!