Other things that make me nervous...ACK!

TGIF, everyone. And yes, It's actually Friday while I'm writing this.

Oh...you might not know this but sometimes, I start a blog entry on, like, say...Thursday. And I don't get a chance to finish because I get distracted by looking at my iphone or gchatting or reading The State of the Union or looking at dresses for Jamie and Shane's wedding even though it's in 7 months. So um...yeah

(This is a current possibility, FYI...loves?)

But today is actually Friday. I'm feeling good about things. I'm heading home for the weekend to sit in my pajamas, get a massage, go to the symphony with Nana (true story) and possibly Kate (please come home!), and then have brunch with Nana and all my cousins and Josh and possibly Kate (please come home!).

I haven't had a massage in 6 months you guys. Life is getting rough. And my back feels like a loaf of Challah bread.

(Inappropriate on a baby bib?)

After my last blog entry a few of you commented that I seem to just have issues with public transportation. Becky, you said, So you're basically just anxious when you take the subway and walk outside?

No. Not really. I guess I didn't do an extensive enough blog entry. I'm anxious about tons of things! Not just transportation! The thing is, with the lists and all, sometimes I like to have long lists that are not as detailed, and sometimes I like to have shorter, more in-depth lists of things. I went for the second option in the last blog entry, but maybe, or definitely, I have more to say on the subject.

Other things that make me anxious

1) Counting change. OOF. Are you ever at the grocery store and your total comes to some ridiculous number like $45.63, and you happen to have 3 $2o bills, and then also 7 pounds of change in your wallet? And then you say to yourself 'This is an opportunity' so you open the change compartment in your wallet which is so full you're wondering how you even managed to close it, and you slowly count out some nickels and dimes and pennies, only to look up and see the cashier staring blankly at you.

And then you look to the line that's formed behind you and see looks of contempt in the eyes of the other customers and you worry that maybe they're going to jump you after you leave the check-out line. That makes me nervous.

2) Ordering at restaurants. I have a hard time talking to waiters and waitresses. In my mind, I sound like a perfect lady, polite and well-spoken, when ordering off a menu. In reality, I sound like a complete douchetard.

Becky's perception: Oh, hello! I hope you're doing well! Thank you for coming to take my order! I'll have the chicken salad (*author's note* - I'm obviously trying to give a certain impression by ordering a 'chicken salad' in this fantasy...anyway). Thanks so much.

The reality: OH H E L L O. I HOPE you're doing W E L L (as if I'm talking to someone who reads lips and can't hear, or doesn't speak English, or is slow, or whom I hate). THANKS "so much" for coming to take my order (asshole). I'll have the chicken salad.

Now, I wasn't aware of this habit until a few years ago, and I've tried to rectify my ways by talking to waiters / waitresses / servers (what's the PC term these days? American Indian?) as I talk to my friends...in a nice, calm, chill way. But it's still on my mind every time I put my menu down on the table and wait to order. It makes me a bit nervous.

3) Walking on ice. Most of you had heard this story, but I don't care about you. So for the people who haven't, let me spin you a yarn. I was walking home in high school, on a post-snow-y day (hey, remember when it used to snow like, once a year and then it was icy for a bit, and then it was gone and back to normal? yeah, me too. RIP those days), wearing adidas sandals and socks (I swear, lots of people wore sandals and socks in high school...ugh), walking down a huge hill, when I noticed an elderly man fall on a huge ice slick. He was about 50 feet ahead of me, further down the hill, and in my sandals and socks (I dress much more sensibly now...oh wait, no. That's false) , I was powerless to help him. What if I fell, too?

Now, whenever I walk on ice, I think of that guy, and I think of falling, and I think of people watching me fall, and I think of no one being around to help me. I fall on level, dry, surfaces all the time. And we're going to add ice to the equation? Really?

(Google image search 'icy sidewalks'. Results: ^)

4) Wearing heels. I basically never wear heels because they make me nervous. Sure, they look awesome and something about guys liking them and me wanting guys to like me or whatever. But, I just don't like being uncomfortable. I do my best to wear socially acceptable sweatpants whenever possible. Dresses made out of cotton. Pants with stretch in them. Jeans that are actually leggings in disguise. So, though I find heels attractive, I know, from having worn them before, and having talked to people who wear them, and having hung out with friends in heels, that those thingies are uncomfortable. I make a pain-grin when I am uncomfortable, so, apart from the fear of being out and about, and trapped in footwear that feels like a dozen elves clawing at my feet, there's the fear of my pain-grin and how scary I would look to other people.

Making a face like this:


Would negate wearing shoes like this:

(C8lin, if you read this...do you own these already? cuz they kind of have you written all over them)
No?

In conclusion, perhaps a third entry on this topic is to come. ENJOY YOUR WEEKEND EVERYONE!

Things that make me nervous

Welcome to Mediocre Monday, everyone!

Actually...it hasn't been that bad so far. I've gotten some compliments on my outfit, and I just shared a delicious cosi sandwich/salad with Joel for lunch. nom nom nom


What was I talking about? Oh...Monday!

Anyone like that Katy Perry song 'Firework'? It's kind of horrible...but I can't get it out of my head! Actually, it's more than kind of horrible. It's completely horrible. The lyrics are cliche and Katy Perry's voice could burn a hole from Queens to China. And yet, here we are...or rather, here I am...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood...let me take the one less traveled! LET ME!

So, I can be a bit neurotic. Some of you might be saying 'Really, Becky? You're a bit neurotic? I think you're off-the-wall crazy'. To which I respond 'Oh really? GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!' (my house being this blog, of course)

But yeah, I can be a bit neurotic. I think I play it off well by being cute and charming, too. And let's not forget to mention my accessories. Some of my dangly earrings definitely negate some of my crazy. But 'some' is not 'all', n'est-ce pas?

Therefore, I bring you:

Things that make me nervous.

1) Walking along the edge of the subway platform. Anyone else in NYC feel me on this? I have to do this, usually, once a day and every time I walk, full-of-concentration, mere INCHES from a 10-foot drop onto electric-wired train tracks, I think about who would get my CD collection, or whether a good Samaritan would lift my fried corpse off the third rail, or whether everyone would stand playing Angry Birds on their iphones and wait for the FDNY to come get me, were I to trip and fall to my death. And what if I was able to play it cool and not, of my own accord, trip and fall off the edge of the subway platform? But instead, was walking by someone who turned suddenly and KNOCKED ME off the subway platform? EEP!

As if that isn't bad enough, what makes me EVEN MORE NERVOUS is when a train is coming up to a platform I'm creeping along the edge of. I have a hard time walking in a straight line when my life doesn't depend on it. Add a rush of wind and a visual distraction and I'm surprised that I'm here and even able to tell you about this.

2) Going through revolving doors. Am I the only person that has a problem with this? It seems like that could be the case because every time I prepare to revolve with people I don't know, I look into their eyes, and apart from the fear their eyes exhibit from having a stranger stare them down, I see nothing.

I just...don't like limits and expectations...and being shoved in a revolving door 'section' (what's the proper term for the little compartment? compartment?), with limited space, and having to move at the same pace as the other people in the door with me, makes me nervous. What if I don't fit in the compartment? What if I'm going too fast? Or too slow? What if someone gets injured? I don't want to exit or enter a building with blood on my hands.

An aside: H. Bockhacker of Berlin was granted German patent DE18349^[7] on December 22, 1881 for "Tür ohne Luftzug" or "Door without draft of air". Who cares about the draft? I care about safety!

3) Going through subway turnstiles. This is along the lines of revolving doors but...exiting and entering the subway makes me nervous. I mean, sometimes for good reason because I can be really poke-y and if a train is in the station, and I'm trying to get my metro card out, and stand upright, and hold on to all my belongings without dropping them...obviously I'm a ball of nerves. But even when I'm leaving the subway, and heading home for a night of relaxation (read: Oprah DVR catch-up and cheez-its), waiting in line to exit through the turnstile, coupled with the question of 'will I fit in this small compartment with all my bags and miscellaneous items?'.

And sometimes, the turnstiles and revolving-exit-door-thingies in the subway, get stuck, and people are waiting behind you, groaning to themselves because this MORON in front of them is taking too long...and that, also, makes me nervous.

4) Getting on or off the subway
This photo appears to have been taken in Japan, but just look:

In conclusion *teeth chattering*

Pittsburgh N' At

Hi Everyone!
In addition to being 'busy' at work (read: needing to seem 'busy' and hide my Internet usage from certain people in the office) I had Monday off for MLKJR day.

At my LAST JOB (not to mention the name of the organization specifically or anything...no seriously. I did that once and one of my co-workers was linked to my blog in his google news alerts...awkward) I didn't get MLKJR day off. It was super lame.

But, at my new job, I definitely got Monday off. I don't wanna work...I wanna bang on the drum all day. My freedom coupled with cheap jetblue fares, led me to Pittsburgh, PA last weekend. Well, the fares weren't the only thing that lured me, if I'm going to be honest. My FRIEND CAITLIN is from there and had invited me to come visit her. How could I pass up this opportunity?

Also, in case you don't remember C8, here she is in all her glory:

(Yeah I might have taken that. By 'might have' I mean that I DID take that...using the hipstomatic iphone app obviously).

Well, she moved to Spain for LOVE and because her job was lame. Before that though, Caitlin lived in NYC and we totez hung out and like, went to Spa Castle (I blogged about that b's, so don't even act like you haven't heard of it...actually...after my stunning recommendation, did any of you make it out there?) and French Movie Night (RIP) and drinking tea, obviously. Before that though, Caitlin and I went to AU together and were friends

(Nothing like a mutually unattractive photo to really bring people together. I always say that, this one time)

Caitlin is originally from Pittsburgh, so rather than visit her in exotic Spain, I thought I'd take a trip left and meet up with her during her Siesta there.

Let me tell you, it was a great trip! Pittsburgh has more to offer than you would think. Things I liked about Pittsburgh

1) The color yellow. So I think the prominence of the color yellow has to do with The Pittsburgh Steelers, whose colors are black and yellow in case you didn't know. But regardless of why, seeing bridges painted with BRIGHT YELLOW paint brings a smile to my face and a smile to the entire city I'm sure

(AUTHOR'SNOTE-Ihaven'tactuallytalkedtotheentirecityofPittsburghsomaybeyellowbridgesdon'tbringasmiletoalloftheirfacesbutwhatever.shutup.youredumb)

2) BEER. The Pennsylvanians like their beer. Coincidentally, I like beer, too. I went to a cool place on Saturday night in Da Burgh (that's what the 'natives' call it) called The Church Brewworks. It's an old Church that has been converted in a restaurant/bar/brewery. The vaulted ceilings and columns remain, but all the stained glass has been blacked out, and on the alter, instead of a Crucifix, there are big, silver, beer brewing vats. Instead of being in a church for God, It feels like being in a Church for Beer. That's a religion I could support!

3) French Fries. So, the peepz in Pittsburgh, like to put French fries on everything. UM...so do I! But normally, for fear of judgment from my peers, I don't. I eat salads with lettuce and other vegetables...boring. In Pittsburgh, I had a salad with FRENCH FRIES ON TOP OF IT. AND THEN, another time, I HAD A SANDWICH WITH FRENCH FRIES IN IT. Why get these things on the side and waste time and plates (and water washing those plates, which, is bad for the environment)?


4) Sammitches. I guess that's what they called sandwiches in Pittsburgh. I had an awesome sandwich at a place called Primanti's. UM...it had delicious, fatty, bologna on it, and coleslaw, and fries. Luckily, I was wearing a sweatshirt and yoga pants or else pant buttons could have popped.

(Sometimes you need fries on the side, too)

5) Museums. I do get off while visiting a good museum. I mean, I don't think that's the appropriate way to say what I wanted to say. UM. Moving on. We went to the Andy Warhol museum and the Henry Clay Frick house museum (Frick as in 'The Frick Collection' in NYC what what). In the Andy Warhol museum that was a room that made me die of happiness. It had fans blowing BIG, silver, BOX-y balloons blowing around. You could, basically, run around in the room and swat at shiny balloons as if you were a kitten. Since all it takes to set up such a place is balloons and fans...I MIGHT have one of these myself one day. YAY!

6) THRIFT SHOPPING. I am thrifty. AND I am a shopaholic. Therefore, I appreciate a good thrift store. Or, if I'm in Pittsburgh, I appreciate 10 good thrift stores since that's how many we went to...give or take. I didn't actually count. I did actually get a SWEET black, wool coat for $13 and a purse for $14 and a sweater dress with stripes on it (duh) for $14.

(she opted out of the teal jacket...why?!)

7) FRIENDS. OHHHH Caitlin, Brooke and I had an awesome time catching up. We giggled to our hearts content. And played Scattegories and Life. And drank champagne. And went to fancy dinner with Caitlin's parents.

8) The Airport. I have no expectations when it comes to airports except that they have a bathroom. Sometimes you don't want to go on the plane. Anyway...I was pleasantly surprised by the Pittsburgh airport. THERE WAS A DINOSAUR THERE. And a display case featuring Mr. Rogers sweater (he's from Pittsburgh, too...what what). And some Andy Warhol stuff. AwesomeFest2011

In conclusion, Pittsburgh, because of its use of yellow, french fries, beer and bla bla bla, is a place you should all go. WEEKEND WIN!

Oh what a week!

...Late September back in '63. What a very special time for me...bla bla bla...what a night!

Well, that lyric doesn't exactly apply because the title of the post is 'Oh what a week!' but...it's what came to mind when I typed that out so...deal with it, kids!

As you may or may not know, it's 2011 now.

I know, right? I'm going to turn 26 this year (not 16, contrary to popular belief). How is that possible?

Anyway, yes. Another year is upon us.

Actually...I'm gonna go take a nap. BE R B.



No joke. I started writing this on Saturday and it's now Tuesday night. HAHA. I AM THE WORST. Or the best?

But let's talk about 2011 and some exciting things that have ALREADY happened in the last 11 days (an aside: Yesterday at work I said out loud, to my friends that are in the cubicles ADJACENT to mine 'Is today the 8th?' and they responded 'It's the 10th'...way to lose 2 days Becky, way to lose 2 days).

Things that have happened in 2011:

1) I got drunk! OH MY GOD! I love getting drunk! It's so fun! I got kind of drunk on New Years Eve (so drunk that Jason felt the need to text me, after he left the party, to say 'You're drunk'...really?). Let's look at the facts: party with limited number of friends + table full of alcohol (no exaggeration here...a whole table) + finally celebrating new years with Kristyn + did I mention the table full of alcohol? = obviously I'm getting drunk. If I do recall correctly...I didn't shame myself in any big way. AND NOW I can cross 'drinking absinthe' off my 'to do' list.

2) I danced! So...Jon and Jackie got married! I know...it kind of feels like they were already married to me, too. But, I guess they wanted to make it 'official' or 'technical'...or at least wanted to get some presents/moneyz. Let me tell you...I had a BLAST. First of all, Jackie blessed me (according to the Jewish tradition, a bride is really holy on her wedding day so she can give out blessings to people that ask for them...nothing officially...just freestyle kind of stuff) so now the rest of my life is going to be awesome. Second of all, I danced off 10 pounds (which I've subsequently gained back but 'bigger is better' is a thing, isn't it?). Third of all, I danced like no one was watching even though EVERYONE WAS, OBVIOUSLY, because I looked awesome. HOLLA! Fourth of all, I want my wedding to be like theirs...with NSYNC 'Bye Bye Bye' as the last song of the night...though...I will be wearing jersey knit, duh.


+

+

=

3) I drove! GOD. I drove to Baltimore. To DC. To New York. Oh. I guess that's it. And I found parking right away...moving on...

4) I DIDN'T BLOG. ha um...

5) I online shopped (and 2/3 of the things I ordered came today!). WOW. Cute new shoes (omgz...ah. way cuter in person than they were on the monitor. that NEVER happens. 2011 - year of winning!). A cute new purse (with fringe - amen!). Coming attractions (the last 1/3 of the stuff I gotz): New wool coat!

6) I ate some good food...oh god. I eat really well. I really do.

This isn't interesting to me anymore but...HAPPY 2011 everyone. I have good feelings

OMG #FAMOUS...

OH wait. I'm not on twitter.

Are any of you? I find that hashtag trending thing they do on there to be very funny.

(OK, so, Twitter is all about trending topics. 'They' want to see what everyone is tweeting about, and a way that 'you' can contribute to the global twitter 'counts' is by putting a '#' sign before your 140 characters of joy. For example, if Justin Bieber said he was dating someone, and you were a Bieberette, you could be like #JustinBieberIsDatingSomeone OMG I CANT BELIEVE IT, and then, if people went to the twitter home page and looked up 'JustinBieberIsDatingSomeone' your tweet would come up...

Am I explaining that well?

It makes me want to put a pound sign before EVERYTHING I say just to be funny or unpredictable. Except, it's the opposite of unpredictable. That hashtag joke has me written all #over it.

Anyway, I was talking to #HeyItsMala and she sent me this link:

http://gothamist.com/2010/12/28/32_hours_stranded_on_the_subway_one.php

Click on that, and look at the bottom right of the picture that accompanies that article.

Oh god. You're not going to do it, are you?

HERE:

LOOK! ITS MY SILVER RAIN BOOTS! AH!! IM FAMOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!

fin.

SNOWED IN

Well, I thought I'd have to wait until next year for a snow day (I know that 'next year' jokes the week of New Years Eve are really clever) but, I was wrong. I know. You're all upset because you view me as a source of knowledge and morality, and if I'm wrong about something, then what's right?

But anyway, it started snowing yesterday. I was at home in FT, and was woken up by my mom who said something like 'If you want to go to Kohls and grocery shopping then you need to get up now'. The 'if' implied that the trip wasn't guaranteed. Sensing that a trip to Kohls could easily be ripped out from under my feet, I got up...and sat around. But then, I got ready.


It had already started to snow by the time we left for Kohls at 11 am.

YUCK. I mean...maybe not yuck. Snow in general isn't bad...in fact, sometimes, it's kind of magical.

FIGURE A: FIGURE B:It just becomes tricky when snow, magical and pretty in its own right, starts to interfere with your plans. And by 'your' plans, I mean 'my' plans.

Even things I love like unicorns and cats, were they to interfere with fun things I'd lined up, would tread on my bad side. So snow, which I don't feel so positively towards, obviously positions itself on my S-H-I-T list when it comes into town and threatens to interrupt my discount shopping.

Anyway, back to yesterday. By 12:45, Mom and I had finished up grocery shopping (including a trip to T!R!A!D!E!R! J!O!E!S!), and I was on the road back to Queens.

And I made it. There was a spot right in front of my house, for which I was thankful as I began to unload my overnight bag. And my laundry. And my presents. And my groceries.

What I'm trying to say is, life is really rough.

And now, here I am, snowed in. It's Monday now. So, I've been in my apartment, chilling, for a day.

For those of you who know me, you understood how weird this is for me. I enjoy afternoons of solitary shopping and walks around the city by my lonesome, but I don't tend to spend days by myself. Actually, I honestly can't remember the last time I spent a WHOLE day by myself. I mean, sometimes, if I have plans on a weekend night, and I'm tired from my STRESSFUL LIFE (that was supposed to be over the top THANK YOU), I'll just catch up on my DVR during the day, make dinner, and then head out to whatever soiree I've been invited to. I'm really popular.


But, I can't remember the last time I did nothing during the afternoon, and evening, and then woke up in the morning to do nothing, followed by an afternoon of nothing, and then maybe a nap, and then an evening of lounging.

And you know what? It hasn't been THAT bad. I'm pretty enjoyable! Sure, I enter a semi-sloth mode when left alone to my own devices, and then when I do end up having conversations with people they're awkward and I giggle a lot, but, if the Nuclear Holocaust were to go down, and I was left alone, I think I'd be OK. I mean...I'd MISS all of you so I'd be really sad...uh...but besides that. Just fine.

I've:

-Eaten some cookies
-Eaten some skittles
-Eaten some cheese (sensing a pattern?)
-Watched some 'Soap' (anyone else watching this / watched this besides me and Kate?)
-Watched 'Annie Hall'
-Watched 'Dr. Phil' (try as I may, I can't seem to kick the habit)
-Napped
-Napped
-Watered my plant
-Eaten some jelly beans
-Taken a shower (because I was GOING to go out but then, you know, decided against it...yuck)

In conclusion, Snow is still on my 'list'...esp. as it is now over 36 hours since it started snowing and they haven't plowed my street...but...it's not all bad. Maybe tomorrow I can see real people?!!!

A new oasis (in the big city?)

Well, it was just another Tuesday. Yesterday. You know, when it was Tuesday. I had made plans with Laura to hit up happy hour but one question remained: where?

There are so many bars in Manhattan, aren't there? Not to mention the approximately 2320569594 dive bars in Queens.

But then I remembered a conversation I had with...uh...someone (really not sure who. I'm not trying to pique your interest by lying or trying to hide evidence of a conversation I had with a particular person) about this bar in midtown that has cheep burgers, beers and shots. I researched and found out this place was called 1 2 3 burgers shots beer.

Wait, what?

BURGERS + CHEAP SHOTS + BEER ALL IN ONE PLACE. This sounded too good to be true.

Flash forward to this Tuesday (which was now, two days ago…as I admittedly had work to do yesterday and today and was out last night…so didn’t get to finish this…though I did accidentally post it as a few people pointed out to me) when I remembered that conversation with whoever it was.

I suggested to Laura, who is pretty easygoing by nature, that we go to ‘You know, that Beer, Shot, Burger bar’ and sent her a link. She was in.

We both got off work early and were able to meet up around 5:15. Well, in case you’re wondering, this place was about as good as I had thought it would be.

To be fair, the burgers were sliders and you had to order at least three of them…but the shots were tasty (I got a ‘sex and the city’ shot, and…a ‘jolly rancher’ shot)…and then, I mean, beer is beer…unless you rufie it in which case you’re dealing with a whole different beast.

To be fair, again, it was your typical dive / sports bar…moderately crowded…and with a decent soundtrack playing.

And then, these guys asked us to play beer pong with them. I landed one ball in two games (that’s what she said). But I did get kind of drunk and I did NOT have to pay for any of the beer during beer pong so I would call it successful.

In conclusion, you should all really go to the bar. And if you go, invite me!

It’s good to know that I have another bar I can go to and get drunk at for a moderate price.

Not that I drink OK. This is all hypothetical.