my man Dee Brown...what more can you say...

[This was written before the announcement that Dee and Roger had made the team for the Jazz. ]

Dee Brown
From the Salt Lake City Tribune: Glad Hander

As the final buzzer sounded last night in Sacramento and the players walked off the floor, I noticed something unusual that made me laugh. As Dee Brown passed referee Eric Lewis, he held out his hand. The referee appeared startled, but slapped palms with the Jazz guard, and sort of watched him walk away with a quizzical look. He, and the rest of the league, had better get used to it. Because if Brown hangs on and makes the team next week, the NBA will have a new goodwill ambassador making the rounds. The rookie guard is just about the most upbeat, friendly, genuine athlete I've run into. He's got the people skills of Ron McBride, able to talk to anyone he meets, and he shows real interest in what they're saying. During warmups in Detroit last week, one of the basketballs rolled away and ended up next to a toddler standing along the front row. Brown went after the ball, and probably spent a minute and a half crouched over talking to the little girl, obviously enjoying her shyness. It's hard to picture many other NBA players having that moment, and apparently enjoying it as much as he did. It's no wonder he>was the most popular player at Illinois. Brown's future in the NBA is far from secure, but he's clearly going to have people rooting for him. How friendly is this guy? Before the game in the Delta Center last week, he even came over and shook hands with the writers. Now THAT'S something I'm not used to. ~Phil Miller

Living the Coffee Cart Dream

When I moved to NYC last March, I was always out and about in the mornings going to interviews and I would see people lined up at the coffee carts on the street corners. I would watch these people intensely. They would walk up, put their money down, and the coffee cart guy would hand them their coffee and donut/bagel/croissant with no words exchanged, except maybe a Good Morning or how are you today.

BUT never anything such as Coffee Black, Cream and 2 sugars - none of that.

These people were REGULARS to a SPECIFIC COFFEE CART - every week day like clockwork they would stop at their Coffee Cart and get their coffee and maybe breakfast.

At the time I was taking it all in - new to the city - and I thought some day I want to have a Coffee Cart and be a REGULAR to a Coffee Cart.

I am a avid coffee drinker - I HAVE to HAVE it EVERY MORNING. In the old office, there was a Starbucks in the building so I would just stop there and grab my coffee. When we moved to the new location, Starbucks was on the way from the Subway to the Office so again I would just pop in.

Then one day (after my Starbucks giftcard that I got for my birthday ran out) I thought shit Starbucks is expensive and I don't love the coffee (way over-roasted) so why not stop at the Coffee Cart Right outside of Starbucks (and I had noticed he had iced coffee, which I love yum yum!). **This was also after many conversations in the office about how much we all hated Starbucks and how we needed to find new places to get coffee.**

So I stopped at the cart - the guy was very friendly and to my surprise the Coffee was GREAT! I sent Carolyn there (who also was in a quest for a new coffee place) and she loved it too. Since that Day - I have become a REGULAR. I walk up to the cart and he is making my coffee - cream, 2 sugars - and it is basically in my hands by the time I put my $$ down.

He always has a smile on his face, always saying "good morning sweetheart" or "how are you today?" or "did you have a good weekend, stay out of trouble?" or "you are running late today!" and on Fridays he always says "have a good weekend and stay out of trouble!!"

One Monday morning (which happened to be Columbus Day), I approached the coffee cart corner and the cart was no where in sight. I was confused and astonished. I had to go to Starbucks - I didn't even know what to do. I walked into the office and Carolyn exclaimed "Where is he?? why is he not there today?" On Tuesday, he was back and he said "Did you work yesterday?" I said "I did, BUT YOU DIDN'T!!!" He retorted "I took a holiday and worked at home." I suppose he deserves a Holiday, I suppose.

As the weather started to turn colder, I noticed he wasn't making my coffee as soon as he saw me and he started to ask "Iced??" Every morning, he still asks that and I just smile and say "Yes, iced still!"

However, today I threw him for a loop - I was chilled to the bone this morning and I walked up and saw him reaching for the clear plastic cup for the iced coffee and I said "Today HOT!! I am soooo cold!!!" And he just smiled, nodded and replied "I was wondering when this day would come!"

I went back for my second cup today and Carolyn and I went together. He looked at us with a huge smile (because she is a regular now too) and he said to me "Iced or Hot?" Still chilled to the bone I got hot. Then Carolyn said black and sugar and he smiled his cunning little smile and said "Yes I know who you are!"

We decided we should get him a Christmas present! (not coffee, donuts or bagels though...)

So there you have it! I am a REGULAR - I am living my coffee cart dream!!!

Epiphany

I had one tonite - an Epiphany.

Watching the slide show on Maryangela's Myspace page made me see it...

I posted a blog on Friday the 13th - called Floating - in that blog I said:

"I should just appreciate that I had a glimmer of blissful happiness and

hope I have the chance to have it again with someone. I mean not very many people get to experience that, right?Anyways i will be alright...soon...i guess this is what i want,

this is what i thought i could potentially have (the lyrics to my myspace song)"

So my Epiphany, while listening to the song tonite - Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol - I have this "what I want" and "blissful happiness."

I have my girls - I have my friends and they are all I need and want and they give me that blissful happiness. And the lyrics to the song (take it out of a romantic context) fits perfectly for them. I love you guys.....

I PRAY TO GOD EVERY DAY THAT I NEVER HAVE TO WALK WITHOUT THE TWO OF YOU BY MY SIDE...

Your arms are always there to hold me and pick me up when I fall...

You are my sanity monday-friday, at the least...
NYC would not be the same without you...

You always know how to make me smile, laugh, forget my worries and DANCE, what is life without dancing...

You are my sister and my best friend on earth, I have no clue where I would be without you...

You kept me afloat when I thought I was drowning and you still do...

My pashmina (no other words needed - you know).....

You were my first friend in NYC and you will always be my friend....

You guys are my world...
Thank you for being who you are and always being there for me.

To you guys I dedicate:

We'll do it all Everything On our own We don't need Anything Or anyone

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

I don't quite know How to say How I feel Those three words Are said too much They're not enough

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told Before we get too old Show me a garden that's bursting into life

Let's waste time Chasing cars Around our heads

I need your grace To remind me To find my own

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

Forget what we're told Before we get too old Show me a garden that's bursting into life

All that I am All that I ever was Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see I don't know where

Confused about how as well Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here If I just lay here Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

(Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars)

I found a pumpkin to carve...

Carve your own pumpkin at pYzam.com!

All i want is a PUMPKIN to carve!!!

So a week from tomorrow is Halloween, right?

Well last week Carolyn and I were walking down the street and I saw the coolest white pumpkins. Me loving ugly pumpkins - see a previous blog - thought the white pumpkin was the ultimate pumpkin for me this year. We work in the wholesale flower shop district - so they were everywhere! On the sidewalk at every little shop!

So this weekend I was going to poke around my hood and see if there were any pumpkins - because to be honest with ya'll I wasn't really looking forward to dragging home a potentially 4-8lb pumpkin on the subways on NYC. I mean

I will cart home bags full of new shoes - but a pumpkin I thought that was a bit much - the logistics of it all was just too much for me to contemplate.

Picture this:

Imagine me carrying an 8lb pumpkin, my work bag in my 2-3 inch heels walking to the N R W train from work and then transferring at 59th Street to the 4 train then waiting for the bus at my stop and then toting it another 2 blocks after my bus stop to home????

Right, I don't see me doing it either.

BUT I did NOT go look for pumpkins this weekend. So Carolyn and I went out to get one for me this afternoon and I was going to lug it home. BUT there were NONE - not one single white or ugly pumpkin to be found anywhere - ok one place had orange ones but they were all perfectly round - and I wanted either a WHITE one or an UGLY one.

EVERYONE and their dogs in NYC must have been out buying pumpkins this weekend.

I am depressed I wanted a pumpkin to carve...this may be the first year in a long time (not counting the Halloween I spent in Europe). I will still keep my eyes open this week I guess...

for now I have a little tiny white pumpkin sitting on my desk (too small to carve) and next year I will have to plan better....

what a boring week

This past weekend was great, expensive, tiring and FUN! Some of my lawschool friends were in town so we hit the town Friday nite with some of my NYC friends and Saturday was Jenn's Bday dinner at the 21 Club - which was really nice - then Nicole and Adam's Engagement Party at BED. I had sooo much fun this past weekend and I am sooo worn out.

I also won my fantasy football game this week - making me 3-3 - BUT this week was important because I was playing the only guy who was undefeated (5-0). I PULLED IT OFF and I BEAT HIM!!! What a VICTORY!

However this week has been boring boring boring. After such a crazy weekend of FUN and FRIENDS...this week is draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaggggggggggggggginnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg. All I have done is work and sleep, work and sleep, work and sleep. Yep thats it. THAT is IT!

Tomorrow I am going to get a mani/pedi for SPA week - last week I got a massage at SPA week prices. I may have to schedule another one of those...it was soooo good and the guy was HOT.

NO big plans for the weekend either - I mean I am sure we will go out and I know we are apartment hunting this weekend - BUT no off the hook parties planned - which is OK - because NEXT weekend will be crazyyyy - Halloween parties galore!

So that's it, thought I would update you all on my boring, boring, boring week.

floating...

This week I just kind of feeling like I have been floating. Floating in thoughts - sometimes to the brink of almost drowning in my thoughts.

I have been working a lot and spending a lot of time with myself. I am sad. Not overtly sad. Just missing someone sad.

I hate when you meet someone and you just click, connect, its all there but for some reason or another it doesn't work out. I was telling my friend last nite that its almost natural instinct to want to pick up my phone and call that person or send a text to that person to tell them things that I would only tell them, that only they would get or understand or think was absurdly hilarious. But I don't, I just sit here at my desk and think those thoughts to myself and no one to share them with.

Well, I have people to share them with but its not the same. I am trying to move past this, climb out of the well and over the wall. but its hard - he made me happy, blissfully happy. I was happy before him and I am still happy without him - but him not being around has made me slightly sad - i hadn't had that kind of blissful happiness in a really long time...but obvioulsy it was not meant to be for whatever reason and I should just appreciate that I had a glimmer of blissful happiness and hope I have the chance to have it again with someone. I mean not very many people get to experience that, right?

Anyways i will be alright...soon...

i guess this is what i want, this is what i thought i could potentially have (the lyrics to my myspace song):

We'll do it all
Everything On our own
We don't need Anything Or anyone
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
I don't quite know
How to say
How I feel
Those three words
Are said too much
They're not enough
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
Let's waste time
Chasing cars
Around our heads
I need your grace
To remind me
To find my own
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
Forget what we're told
Before we get too old
Show me a garden that's bursting into life
All that I am
All that I ever was
Is here in your perfect eyes, they're all I can see
I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all
If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?
(Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars)


BTW FREAKY - its FRIDAY the 13th!

If I lay here, If I just lay here, Would you lie with me and just forget the world?

i just wanted to post some pics from my summer and the past few months...life has been good and grand! I can't wait for more adventures....

watch as long as you would like to there are plenty of pics....

Get Your Own! View Slideshow

just feeling a little bit nostalgic today and missing someone really bad.

Love to all my family and friends! MUAAAHHHH!

The Drunk Dialing Phenomenon

The Drunk Dialing Phenomenon.

What is it in Alcohol that makes us pick up the phone and call or text people that we normally don't talk to? i.e. ex-boyfriends, men that break up with you, old hook ups - etc etc.

What is it? Why do we always think it is an EXCELLENT idea to pick up the phone and make that call? These people don't want to talk to you when your sober so why do we think they want to talk to us when we are blabbering drunken fools? Because that is attractive and will win them over - I am sure of it - they will come running right back to you after you picked up your phone at 2:00am and dialed their # and then slurred some incoherent message on their voice mail that you don't even remember the next day...

if someone out there has any words of advice about why drunk people always think this is a good idea please let me know.

also saw this article and this is totally me - i think i need some help:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/SaveMoney/CompulsiveShopping.aspx

I wore a scarf today...

mmm Fall has arrived. I know just not long ago I posted a blog about when did Fall come? But I am ready for it now. It is October, yesterday was sunny but had that crisp fall feeling in the air. It made me excited for all things fall...

Carolyn and I were walking over to Penn Station and were chattering on and on about apple picking, pumpkin carving, using carved out mini-pumpkins for chili bowls, zucchini bread, pumpkin bread, Halloween decorations, and gourds (and how Andy hates gourds and freaked out last year when she put some in a bowl on the table - hahaha).

I told her how last year my brother and his wife had a Fall Party at their house - with all things Fall food and drink - cider, chili, pumpkin everything! (bread, pie, etc. etc. etc.) and how Katie bought mini-pumpkins and carved out the middles and used them for bowls for my mom's chili (mmmmm mom's chili mmmmm). I then told her that after everyone left the party Jayson, Katie and I carved our big pumpkins - I love to pick out the ugliest pumpkin and name it...sometimes they are sooo ugly they don't need to be carved(like Warty Last year) - every ugly pumpkin deserves a home too (kinda like the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree).


We also went overboard and decided to carve faces on all of the little pumpkin bowls. We each had like 4 or 5 pumpkins to carve it was crazy BUT FUN - Katie's pumpkins were always perfect with perfect smiling faces AND the pumpkins belonging to Jayons and I were always extremely retarded looking and got worse and worse and worse (that may have been influenced by alcohol - hehe). But Katie just looked at Jay and I and then our pumpkins and said "God I can tell you two are related...."

I have some pics of all our retarded pumpkins somewhere I will have to dig them up and post them.

Do you see Warty there in the middle??? I loved him - so ugly and so not carvable!! BUTTT totally needed a HOME WITH ME!!

I can't wait to get a pumpkin and carve it this year - ANYONE WANT TO DO IT WITH ME???


I love October - i love wearing sweaters, blazers, cords, scarfs, my flippy mittens and boots. Today I have on a scarf and a corduroy blazer...


It is really hard for me to let go of summer - i love lazy days laying in the park reading, days at the beach sun-bathing but when ALL THINGS FALL come Flooding at me...I am ready!!!


FALL HERE I COME!



P.S. Mom can you send me your pumpkin bread recipe and your chili recipe. thanks! muah! love ya!

Karin a Football Fan?? What is this world coming to?

Sunday nite I was hanging out with one of my guy friends and we were watching football. I know, I know...I was sitting and watching football. I am having a hard time telling people that, uttering those words hurts my soul.

But what hurts my soul even more - i KNEW the NAMES of the players - i knew who the players were.

Hearing their names being called out by the announcers - the thoughts running through my head were "oh he is a running back....oh carolyn has him on her fantasy team....oh he is good...oh he is wide receiver...oh shit that guy is screwing up my fantasy football points."

SEE this is what fantasy football has turned me into.... A FOOTBALL FAN. uuuggghhhhh

I have become a man's dream...a woman who knows useless crap about football and is into football because I am way too competitive for my own damn good and care about everything happening to my fantasy team.

So there it is....Karin has become a Football Fan. I think the Apocalypse has started...

I miss my TURBO

This is more of a plea than a blog about anything real.

It is directed to one person and one person only.

TURBO! I miss TURBO!

Turbo (AKA my BROTHER) has been promising since June that he would come spend a weekend in NYC with me.

And he is a busy busy busy newly married man that has no time for his fabulously fun lil sis in the City.

When I lived in Massachusetts, I lived with my bro - so he got to see all of this fabulousness EVERY DAY! And I know he was more than ready to get RID of me but Ever since I moved to NYC from Massachusetts in March we hardly get to talk or see each other - AND I KNOW HE MISSES MY ASS!

So TURBO - my plea to you - COME SEE YOUR BABY SIS!

ANY weekend in November works! You name it! I am yours all weekend!!!!!

love ya,
Kar