Drunken Post... ish...

WASSUP!

So it's past 3AM, NYC time, and despite having a lot of drinks (sangria, beer, cocktails and shots) I think I'm still pretty coherent and capable of spelling and typing things out in a readable format. We've had 1.5 days in Manhattan so far, and it's been interesting in the following ways:

1. Manhattan is HUGE. And that's only ONE of the five boroughs! But you have upper Manhattan which has the Empire State building, and then lower Manhattan which had (and will have again) the complete World Trade Center... it's like one ginormous skyline. There's so much to see and do here...

2. But I'm not super impressed. Granted, it's only been a day and a half that I've been here, but I remember going into downtown Chicago for the first time and being in awe of how beautiful the skyline was, and how clean things seemed (for a downtown area) and how "cultured" and historical the downtown area felt... I didn't get the same impression here. Right now, it feels like a bigger LA to me. As in, lots to see and do and a center of American entertainment, but a nightmare to drive through and seemingly pretty dirty and seedy in areas. I mean, a hot girl walks by and you want to offer a free hug? Really?

3. (removed upon the sobriety of the next day)

4. The bartender at our hotel is very cool... this is the second night we've been there til closing, and he's been giving us free shots... which is why I'm feeling all "wooooo" like...

5. Because we were at the bar, we've met cool people, including a guy tonight who expressed dismay at the whole typical American cycle where we make money and then spend money, but how he was over that and it wasn't making him happy. Man, can I relate... he's going back to Africa next year to work on the non-profit he's part of... he gave me the info to look it up, and I will definitely do so in the AM.

Anyways. Thursday daytime awaits!

Shorts Bursts of Randomness: ...On A Concert High

Foo Fighters. 2011.10.17. Best night of live rock music in my life thus far.

Short Bursts of Randomness: ...On Merchandising

Tonight, Sarah and I went down to Humphrey's Concerts By the Bay to help sell merchandise for Andy Grammar, as he was the opening act for Colbie Caillat.

Some thoughts:

1. Selling merchandise is not as easy as it looks. You have to check everything in, check everything out, sort all the merchandise, handle the lines of customers and money being exchanged, write down all that's purchased, account for everything and then make sure the venue gets their cut of the profit. But having a great team of merch sellers helped. Besides Sarah and I, there were three other girls who volunteered and they were very cool. One was like a super Andy fan, which was awesome to have that positive energy there. Otherwise, it would've been kinda rough.

2. We got to see Jason Mraz sing his duet with Colbie, and it was pretty awesome... I'd never been super stoked on the song to begin with, but the experience is just another example of the magic that happens at a live concert.

3. I could never be a celebrity in the pop world. Dealing with lines of people wanting to get your picture taken with them, having various items signed, older men trying to give you career advice, and wannabe giving you copies of their demo CD... Andy handled it all with charm and aplomb, and he's been doing this for awhile now. Even just sitting there listening to it all, I and one of the other girls caught ourselves rolling our eyes sometimes at the hoopla. And when an 8 year old gets excited that Andy's not married and her father seems just as excited? Creepy. So yeah. I'm waaaaaay too cynical and realistic to make it as a celeb. (We'll ignore the whole needing to have the looks/talent/charisma part.)

4. Humphrey's is a GREAT venue... and it made me think for freakin' stellar it would have been to see Adele there, had we scored tickets somehow the first time (and had she not cancelled the initial date)...

5. I'm not a huge Colbie fan, but she gains major props in my book for cutting through the bullshit and telling the audience that we weren't going to have to play the "encore waiting game". She just gave her encore immediately after the "final" song, and told the audience how it was gonna go down.

6. Now to bring on concert #2: the Foo Fighters with the broseph, the old roomie, and the fraternal twin (because Ash, I think we're pretty dang similar except for how you're female and Turkish).

Short Bursts of Randomness: ...On Worship

Sometimes you're there singing, then suddenly hit by the relevance and magnitude of what you're singing. Tonight was one of those nights.

And if our God is for us, then what could ever stop us?
And if our God with us, then what could stand against?

A good reminder of His providence in times of uncertainty... in a time when so many seem to be touched by the words of Steve Jobs from his Stanford commencement address, yet remain unable to put his charges into action, to take a leap of faith and trust that He will still continue to connect the dots in that perfect way that we could never draw on our own.

I think I posted this song before, but to Chris Tomlin's version. Here's the band I heard tonight (from a previous service though, not from tonight's).

Short Bursts of Randomness: ...On Smiling

Flights to NYC? Booked.

Hotel room three blocks from Central Park? Reserved.

Good friend from work going with me and just as excited? Confirmed.

I don't think my face has felt a smile this big in awhile. :) Less than two weeks to go!

Short Bursts of Randomness: ...On Needles

I dislike needles and getting stabbed by them.

Ok. So maybe "stabbed" is being overdramatic. But I don't like it. Especially as I feel like I've heard stories of nurses who can't seem to get the needle in the right spot initially.

But I needed to get blood drawn at the doctors office this AM. And as the nurse prepped me, the following exchange occurred:

Me: I apologize in advance if I swear, I get a little jumpy around needles... It's not you, it's me.

Nice Nurse: ...I've never had anyone warn me before. (laughs)

(seconds pass, I'm looking away, then...)

Me: Sonofabitch!

And then we both start to laugh as I squeeze that squeeze ball and blood is drawn from the other side of my elbow for a good minute.

[/end burst of randomness]

The Shoe

Two days ago, a few departments from work went to a nearby park for a potluck lunch and some game time... such as the egg toss (which we were out after three tosses) and musical chairs (to the tune of "Moves Like Jagger" and the ladies telling the guys to dance around the chairs). It was a good time and a nice break from the monotony of the workday.

In talking with another coworker during the lunch, she began talking about shoes, in both the literal and metaphorical sense. I'm not sure how it started exactly, but she was saying how sometimes you'll see be at a store and come across a pair of shoes that look really good, fit really well and work for you, but then you have a bit of hesitation to purchase them... and her point was "why? Life's too short. Go grab that pair of shoes and rock the shit out of 'em."

Ok, she may not have said the s-word. That's my embellishment there.

But I got the message, I think. Obviously, you can't just grab any pair of shoes you want. Maybe it's not the right time, whether that's due to financial responsibility or familial obligations. But if you don't have either of those two things stopping you, is it wrong to be a little selfish and self-indulgent? And can it even be considered selfish if getting that pair of shoes is not to the detriment of anyone?

And so I've been going around with shoes on my mind. Some that are smaller and more easily obtainable - to the point where a tool to get that shoe is on the couch next to me. And other shoes that require a little more preparation, discernment and/or training.

But for now, year 27 seems to be the year that I'm shoe shopping. To that end, TV off, laptop to soon be closed, and study guide to be opened.

Hmm. All that shoe talk sounds gay. So five things I'm looking forward to in October...

5) The Treezy Wedding (because I get to be paired up with one of my best friends, Jo)
4) Jimmy Eat World's "Bleed American" 10th Anniversary Concert!!!

Oh wait. That's technically in September, as it's in two days with Chris... but screw it, I'm super excited about it!

4) Grand Canyon!!!
3) Foo Fighters!!!
2) Bring It On (The Musical)!!!
1) New York!!!