I have bad Carma. That is bad luck with cars. I swear a huge part of the reason we moved to NJ was because I thought it would be so charming and fun to not have a car, and it was in a lot of ways. When we decided to move back I was excited about the prospect of buying my first new car, and getting to pick out WHATEVER I wanted. I did research and I picked a pretty color and I got a loan and put a down payment down and although I love my Olive (the car's name) it has turned out to be a huge pain in the ass.
Let me back up and tell you my history with cars. When we moved to NJ I had already been through 3 of them. The first was a Dodge Shadow that was totaled when someone rear ended me (ha ha ha) on a bridge. The second was a convertible Dodge Shadow that had the rag top slashed 1x for just jerky vandalism and 1x to steal the car radio. The same car had all four tires slashed by a jerk who I broke up with, and I ran into my mother's car and my friend's car with it, and it ended up breaking down on a lonely country road and Teddy and I had to walk about a mile to a pay phone and call my dad and then wait about 2 hours on the side of the road for him to come get us. After that my in laws lent us their Celebrity which was an old white station wagon that I kinda liked. That car was totalled when someone T-Boned me (ha ha ha) after running a red light. ANNNNNNNNNNNNNDddd then we moved and I swore off cars.
In August when we bought our new car I thought that surely my luck must be better and that having a NEW car would solve a lot of our problems. Well I was WRONG. Since we got the car, Teddy has gotten a speeding ticket, a squirrel chewed through the transmission harness and I got to pay almost 900$ to have it fixed (our insurance did reimburse us 400$), and then yesterday a nice lady in a gigantic SUV ran into my car in a parking lot. It wasn't bad enough to report, just a small black smudge from her bumper and a tiny dent, but it was still my BEAUTIFUL NEW CAR. The lady felt so bad, and she was really nice because she waited around for me for about 45 minutes until I came back to my car....but still.
I have a weird thing about thinking things ALWAYS happen in threes. If something bad happens I find myself being anxious just KNOWING that two more bad things are going to happen. The other day I broke my watch when I was taking it off, and then later that day the button ripped off my coat and I JUST KNEW something else was going to break. The next day I accidentally broke the handle off my coffee mug and Teddy said "hey! it's the third thing!" and I was so relieved because it wasn't something I really cared about.
Anyway, all that was just to say that I am really hoping that the third thing has passed and now I can get over my bad Carma.
Showing posts with label city life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label city life. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
How I remember it.
The phone kept ringing and I was getting really annoyed, it was early and I wanted to sleep. I finally got up and answered because the person on the other line kept hanging up and calling back. It was my sister, I don't remember what exactly she said but she told me to turn on the TV.
I stumbled over the boxes still left over from our recent move and I turned the TV on. On every channel was the World Trade Center burning because a plane had just flown into it. I asked her what happened, she didn't know. While we watched the second plane flew into the second tower, I panicked...I thought we were being bombed and our new location approximately 5 miles from the World Trade Center wasn't going to fare well for us.
I told her I had to go, I needed to find my husband, he was on his way to his second week of work in Manhattan and he was on the NYC subway. What if he went through the World Trade Center that morning? I started banging on my Brother in Law's door, I told him to get up, we were being bombed. He came out and we watched the TV together. I tried and tried to call Teddy but the phone lines were too busy. We didn't have cell phones at the time, I didn't know where he was and I was scared.
Our friend who had lived down the street from us in Alabama, now by a weird coincidence lived down the street from us in NJ. Her boyfriend had gotten up that morning and gone to work in Manhattan too, she was scared and wanted to come over. She came over and I chain smoked cigarettes, we walked down to the park close to our house that over looked Manhattan. We couldn't see much because there was too much smoke, and then there was more smoke and the smell....it was a smell like gasoline and burnt plastic. The towers had fallen.
My sister was able to finally get Teddy on the phone, what in my memory seems like hours later. I cried with relief. I wanted him home, I wanted to be home, back in Alabama where things were safe and no one tried to kill you with an airplane. We waited for hours, me sitting in my bay window peering out to see if I could see Teddy. One of the big wigs from his job was going around picking up people who lived in NJ and taking them all home, they came over the GWB and I think he was home by maybe 9 PM that night. I was relieved he was home and so ANGRY that he was expected to go back to work the next day.
I was scared for a long time after that, I remember a year later when the blackout happened I started having a panic attack because I just knew someone was bombing us. I was very afraid for a long time of being attacked, and I was very nervous about riding the subway. After a few years the constant worry subsided and we felt proud for staying and sticking it out. We belonged to a group of people that told our stories every year. We started to love where we lived, and we swore we would never leave.
That is how I remember it.
I stumbled over the boxes still left over from our recent move and I turned the TV on. On every channel was the World Trade Center burning because a plane had just flown into it. I asked her what happened, she didn't know. While we watched the second plane flew into the second tower, I panicked...I thought we were being bombed and our new location approximately 5 miles from the World Trade Center wasn't going to fare well for us.
I told her I had to go, I needed to find my husband, he was on his way to his second week of work in Manhattan and he was on the NYC subway. What if he went through the World Trade Center that morning? I started banging on my Brother in Law's door, I told him to get up, we were being bombed. He came out and we watched the TV together. I tried and tried to call Teddy but the phone lines were too busy. We didn't have cell phones at the time, I didn't know where he was and I was scared.
Our friend who had lived down the street from us in Alabama, now by a weird coincidence lived down the street from us in NJ. Her boyfriend had gotten up that morning and gone to work in Manhattan too, she was scared and wanted to come over. She came over and I chain smoked cigarettes, we walked down to the park close to our house that over looked Manhattan. We couldn't see much because there was too much smoke, and then there was more smoke and the smell....it was a smell like gasoline and burnt plastic. The towers had fallen.
My sister was able to finally get Teddy on the phone, what in my memory seems like hours later. I cried with relief. I wanted him home, I wanted to be home, back in Alabama where things were safe and no one tried to kill you with an airplane. We waited for hours, me sitting in my bay window peering out to see if I could see Teddy. One of the big wigs from his job was going around picking up people who lived in NJ and taking them all home, they came over the GWB and I think he was home by maybe 9 PM that night. I was relieved he was home and so ANGRY that he was expected to go back to work the next day.
I was scared for a long time after that, I remember a year later when the blackout happened I started having a panic attack because I just knew someone was bombing us. I was very afraid for a long time of being attacked, and I was very nervous about riding the subway. After a few years the constant worry subsided and we felt proud for staying and sticking it out. We belonged to a group of people that told our stories every year. We started to love where we lived, and we swore we would never leave.
That is how I remember it.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
mean people suck
There are a lot of things I will miss about NYC but to be quite honest, the people are not one of them. I lived mostly in small towns growing up and people are polite, they hold the door for you even if they have to wait an awkwardly long time, they say hello, they wave when they drive past...just generally friendly.
I will say in my experience a lot of the people around here are douche bags (obviously a lot are not). I actually yelled at a pregnant woman today in Union Square because she was such a bitch, and honestly that isn't like me, I'm pretty polite. Here is my take on the NYC culture: people (of course I am generalizing here) think they are all super special snowflakes, and YOU are in the way of their most special snowflakedom so you must be KILLED or SHOVED OUT OF THE WAY so they can get whatever they want.
I told Teddy today that I think New Yorkers are the rudest people in America. Now, there is A LOT of America I have not been to, and yet I'm comfortable making this statement.
DISCLAIMER: I totally get that not all people in NYC suck, I'm just saying in my lifetime I have seen and dealt with more crazy assholes in NYC than anywhere else on earth. OH and here is another generalization I'm going to make, people in NYC stink. I know, I know I'm terrible, but let me tell you NYC in the summer is really not that awesome. It is hot and you walk down the street and the nasty air conditioner water drips on your head, and you can smell the cooking garbage on the sidewalk. People go from the hot sidewalk to the even hotter subway station and then the inevitable starts to happen and they get a little ripe. It really is a very smelly city.
(for a completely different take on the city, you can go read my sister's post)
I will say in my experience a lot of the people around here are douche bags (obviously a lot are not). I actually yelled at a pregnant woman today in Union Square because she was such a bitch, and honestly that isn't like me, I'm pretty polite. Here is my take on the NYC culture: people (of course I am generalizing here) think they are all super special snowflakes, and YOU are in the way of their most special snowflakedom so you must be KILLED or SHOVED OUT OF THE WAY so they can get whatever they want.
I told Teddy today that I think New Yorkers are the rudest people in America. Now, there is A LOT of America I have not been to, and yet I'm comfortable making this statement.
DISCLAIMER: I totally get that not all people in NYC suck, I'm just saying in my lifetime I have seen and dealt with more crazy assholes in NYC than anywhere else on earth. OH and here is another generalization I'm going to make, people in NYC stink. I know, I know I'm terrible, but let me tell you NYC in the summer is really not that awesome. It is hot and you walk down the street and the nasty air conditioner water drips on your head, and you can smell the cooking garbage on the sidewalk. People go from the hot sidewalk to the even hotter subway station and then the inevitable starts to happen and they get a little ripe. It really is a very smelly city.
(for a completely different take on the city, you can go read my sister's post)
Monday, June 22, 2009
I really know how to party.
Last Friday my niece was in town and she agreed to babysit for us for the evening. We headed out to the new fancy hotel in town (the only hotel in town) and had a drink with a fabulous view of the Hudson River and the Empire State Building. It was awesome (except three drinks cost 50$). After our drink we went to one of our favorite little restaurants and I had a great meal of eggplant parmigiana and a glass of wine. We indulged and shared a piece of chocolate cake and it was one of the most delicious, relaxing meals I have had in a VERY long time.
My niece was staying with us so we had planned to go out after dinner for a few drinks, and because our babysitter was sleeping over there was really no set time for us to be home. We took a walk around the park and headed to our favorite bar but when we got there I just didn't feel like going in, instead we went and bought my niece a cupcake and then got ourselves a cup of coffee and went home and drank it on our front stoop before going inside. We were on the couch by 10 PM.
Today Teddy and I had the day off so after dropping Eli off at daycare we went to Target where we stocked up on bathroom supplies and dog food, then we headed over to Ikea. I bought some cookie cutters in the shapes of animals and a rug for Eli's room. We got home at 2 PM and CLEANED. Man we are the most boring people alive, but really I had a great time.
One of the things I worry about is being hung over, or too tired and having to take care of Eli. I have a hard time going out and drinking too much, or staying out too late because all I can think about is I'm still going to have to get up at 7 AM and take care of a toddler. I can't even imagine a day when Eli could get up and make himself a bowl of cereal and I could stay in bed. I am starting to understand why people have their kids so close together because right when I could possibly start having my own life back is when we would start considering having another.
My niece was staying with us so we had planned to go out after dinner for a few drinks, and because our babysitter was sleeping over there was really no set time for us to be home. We took a walk around the park and headed to our favorite bar but when we got there I just didn't feel like going in, instead we went and bought my niece a cupcake and then got ourselves a cup of coffee and went home and drank it on our front stoop before going inside. We were on the couch by 10 PM.
Today Teddy and I had the day off so after dropping Eli off at daycare we went to Target where we stocked up on bathroom supplies and dog food, then we headed over to Ikea. I bought some cookie cutters in the shapes of animals and a rug for Eli's room. We got home at 2 PM and CLEANED. Man we are the most boring people alive, but really I had a great time.
One of the things I worry about is being hung over, or too tired and having to take care of Eli. I have a hard time going out and drinking too much, or staying out too late because all I can think about is I'm still going to have to get up at 7 AM and take care of a toddler. I can't even imagine a day when Eli could get up and make himself a bowl of cereal and I could stay in bed. I am starting to understand why people have their kids so close together because right when I could possibly start having my own life back is when we would start considering having another.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Freddy and Jenny
My previous post just seemed to raise more questions and confuse people, so I'm going to tell you the story of our friends....let's call them "Freddy" and "Jenny"...
Freddy and Jenny moved to the NYC area in September of 2001. Freddy was excited because his new job had promised him a lot of growth and potential, but he would still be a public servant and helping children, things that were very important to Freddy. Freddy was also given a scholarship to get his Master's degree. Freddy and Jenny moved from a small town in Alabama to pursue their dreams of living in the big city.
Freddy's new job began well but during his commute on his second week of work a plane crashed into the World Trade Center, and I don't think I have to tell you what happened after that. The monies that had been previously set aside for Freddy's job in NYC where now being channeled into Homeland Security and things began changing rapidly. The potential for Freddy's job quickly declined but he was still able to complete his Masters degree. Freddy and Jenny had been living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet but they thought that once they had completed their graduate degrees things would change.
Freddy and Jenny both completed their graduate educations and believed that soon they would be able to make enough money to live comfortably in their chosen city. They both have jobs as public servants and typically these are not high paying positions, coupled with the administration at the time, things were not good in the land of non profits. Their salaries increased but the cost of living increased more. Freddy and Jenny had a baby, and they were thrilled but also in a predicament that Jenny could not afford to stay home but daycare was also EXTREMELY expensive (think mortgage payment). Freddy and Jenny continued working and hoping that THINGS would improve (mainly they would magically make more money and NYC would magically become cheaper). Jenny became increasingly frustrated with Freddy's Saturday work days because he was missing their child's swim classes and family weekends but Freddy's work required Saturday hours.
Jenny was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with her job but she felt she was stuck there because it was only a few short blocks from their child's daycare and her work was flexible with her hours if she needed to leave to pick up a sick child or attend a program. Twice Jenny threatened to quit and twice she was given tiny raises and promises of new and better things to come...Twice these promises really didn't pan out.
Freddy and Jenny began discussing OPTIONS because they were not living their dream in NYC as they had hoped. They didn't make enough to do anything other than live comfortably and eat, there would be no extras and no vacations, there was no hope of EVER buying a place to live, and Freddy was still working on Saturdays. Freddy would ALWAYS have to work Saturdays and the options of moving on to bigger and better things with in his place of employment were becoming almost non existent. Freddy began talking to Jenny about pursuing his PhD. Jenny agreed under the circumstances that she would ONLY move back to the town where her sister and Freddy's brother were living because if she was going to move to the middle of no where she had to at least like the people that live there.
Freddy was accepted into the University and given a great deal where he would make a teeny tiny amount of money but he would not have to pay tuition and Jenny was so frustrated with her job she was THRILLED at the thought of moving on. Freddy and Jenny planned on giving their jobs two months notice and started making plans to move.
If you didn't know, moving is EXPENSIVE and Freddy and Jenny will also need to buy a car. They are saving as much as possible but don't know if they will have enough to make things easier for them, while also having a bit of padding in case Jenny doesn't find a job right away. Freddy is a couple days away from announcing his resignation when he receives an email sent out to ALL employees that they are offering buyout packages so they may be able to stave off layoffs. Freddy would have to sign up and attend a counseling session and a couple of meetings in order for the powers that be to decide if he was eligible for the buyout package.
Freddy and Jenny wondered if there were ethical/moral concerns about taking a buyout when they already planned on quitting....
That is where our friends Freddy and Jenny are now...to be honest, they are going to try and get the buyout but are curious if others believe this is a wrong/unethical/immoral thing to do.
Why is this whole post in italics?...well, it started out as an addition on yesterday's post but then I cut it and past it into a new post and it won't let me fix it, so maybe you can pretend like it is a dream sequence or something...
Freddy and Jenny moved to the NYC area in September of 2001. Freddy was excited because his new job had promised him a lot of growth and potential, but he would still be a public servant and helping children, things that were very important to Freddy. Freddy was also given a scholarship to get his Master's degree. Freddy and Jenny moved from a small town in Alabama to pursue their dreams of living in the big city.
Freddy's new job began well but during his commute on his second week of work a plane crashed into the World Trade Center, and I don't think I have to tell you what happened after that. The monies that had been previously set aside for Freddy's job in NYC where now being channeled into Homeland Security and things began changing rapidly. The potential for Freddy's job quickly declined but he was still able to complete his Masters degree. Freddy and Jenny had been living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to make ends meet but they thought that once they had completed their graduate degrees things would change.
Freddy and Jenny both completed their graduate educations and believed that soon they would be able to make enough money to live comfortably in their chosen city. They both have jobs as public servants and typically these are not high paying positions, coupled with the administration at the time, things were not good in the land of non profits. Their salaries increased but the cost of living increased more. Freddy and Jenny had a baby, and they were thrilled but also in a predicament that Jenny could not afford to stay home but daycare was also EXTREMELY expensive (think mortgage payment). Freddy and Jenny continued working and hoping that THINGS would improve (mainly they would magically make more money and NYC would magically become cheaper). Jenny became increasingly frustrated with Freddy's Saturday work days because he was missing their child's swim classes and family weekends but Freddy's work required Saturday hours.
Jenny was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with her job but she felt she was stuck there because it was only a few short blocks from their child's daycare and her work was flexible with her hours if she needed to leave to pick up a sick child or attend a program. Twice Jenny threatened to quit and twice she was given tiny raises and promises of new and better things to come...Twice these promises really didn't pan out.
Freddy and Jenny began discussing OPTIONS because they were not living their dream in NYC as they had hoped. They didn't make enough to do anything other than live comfortably and eat, there would be no extras and no vacations, there was no hope of EVER buying a place to live, and Freddy was still working on Saturdays. Freddy would ALWAYS have to work Saturdays and the options of moving on to bigger and better things with in his place of employment were becoming almost non existent. Freddy began talking to Jenny about pursuing his PhD. Jenny agreed under the circumstances that she would ONLY move back to the town where her sister and Freddy's brother were living because if she was going to move to the middle of no where she had to at least like the people that live there.
Freddy was accepted into the University and given a great deal where he would make a teeny tiny amount of money but he would not have to pay tuition and Jenny was so frustrated with her job she was THRILLED at the thought of moving on. Freddy and Jenny planned on giving their jobs two months notice and started making plans to move.
If you didn't know, moving is EXPENSIVE and Freddy and Jenny will also need to buy a car. They are saving as much as possible but don't know if they will have enough to make things easier for them, while also having a bit of padding in case Jenny doesn't find a job right away. Freddy is a couple days away from announcing his resignation when he receives an email sent out to ALL employees that they are offering buyout packages so they may be able to stave off layoffs. Freddy would have to sign up and attend a counseling session and a couple of meetings in order for the powers that be to decide if he was eligible for the buyout package.
Freddy and Jenny wondered if there were ethical/moral concerns about taking a buyout when they already planned on quitting....
That is where our friends Freddy and Jenny are now...to be honest, they are going to try and get the buyout but are curious if others believe this is a wrong/unethical/immoral thing to do.
Why is this whole post in italics?...well, it started out as an addition on yesterday's post but then I cut it and past it into a new post and it won't let me fix it, so maybe you can pretend like it is a dream sequence or something...
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Polar bear, take 3
May 2007
May 2008
April 2009
One of the things I was thinking about as I was jogging this morning (HOLY HEAT! How come no one told me jogging in the heat is a whole new ballgame? I thought I was going to die, or throw up, or maybe pass out and it was only like 80 degrees) is that I really love traditions and that is something that makes me sad about moving.
I know we will get to make new traditions with more family and I think it will be very good, but I will miss the Spring trip to see the polar bear, and the annual Mother's Day picnic on the pier, and Eli's birthday at the sprinklers, and the same mall Santa we've seen for the last three years...and well anyway, you get my point...
Next year maybe we'll drive to Atlanta, they probably have a polar bear there...
ETA: I just checked the Atlanta Zoo website and they don't even have a Polar Bear, now I'm sad.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
