Vacation Time!!

I'm heading off to New Mexico tomorrow! 7 days of hanging out with LGG & the (now) 4 cats, taking photos and sleeping in. I CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!!!

I'm STILL spending money.....

After over a YEAR of dealing with my poor sad broken (cause I got drunk one night and dropped it on my hardwood floor) laptop and several months of research I think I am finally going to bite the bullet and buy a new one. I was going to make the PC to Mac switch, but I've decided against it and am just going with a new version of the exact same computer I have. It served me very well, and had I not dropped it, I would probably still keep it, but my USB ports are all blown out, I have no J key (I have to cut and paste to do Js) and the battery is toast. I've been feeling inspired to work on my photography more and I'm just not able to use my current machine to do that. My hard drive is full and my memory is maxed out so even opening Photoshop crashes it. I don't really have the money right now, but I should be getting a hefty Christmas bonus this year and they have a 90 day payment plan so I'm hoping I can swing it. I can't believe in the past 2 days I've spent over $2,000! OUCH! It will be worth it though to be able to really work on my photos without worrying about the limitations of my machine.

Let's just hope I don't have a heart attack when the credit card bill comes.

Retail Therapy.....

On a whim I just bought myself a VERY expensive camera lens.

I have been working INSANE hours at work lately and its making me cranky, so I decided to buy myself a present. I'm heading to New Mexico in 5 days and thought a new camera lens for the trip would be cool, so I up and just purchased one. A little impulsive and I'm kind of having buyer's remorse, but as of now I am the proud owner of a Canon 70-300 4.5-5.6 IS USM lens.

I can't wait to try it out on my trip! Photos to come!

Back on Track

After months of unhealthy eating, it's time to shape up (literally!) and start eating healthier again. Check out my weight loss blog for new updates and recipes!

What ARE they carrying in there?

I commute to work on the train and connect through Grand Central terminal so I see hundreds of people on my twice daily trip and lately I've been noticing something. I see people carrying multiple large bags/purses to and from work EACH day. I see women with two purses and a grocery sack, I see men with a briefcase, gym bag and backback, and I wonder: What on earth do they have in all those bags? I've seen people with up to FOUR bags EVERY day and I just can't fathom what is in there.

Any multiple bag carriers out there that can shed some light for me??

I really should be more grown up than this.....

I knew when I met Tennis Guy that he traveled extensively and that we would be apart for long stretches of time. The being apart part I can TOTALLY handle, it's the not being in contact part that's harder to accept. Practically I know that not hearing from him for 2 days is NOT something to worry about at all, especially since he's overseas and is working, but emotionally I feel like it doesn't take THAT much time to send a quick text message letting me know he's thinking about me. I can completely see going for periods of time without contact once things are established a little more and I have more security in our relationship, but so early in the game, it's hard not to assume that he's just lost interest. I know he is absolutely not the type to just disappear on women, he would definitely tell me if he didn't want to see me again, yet I still sit at work and worry he's "over me". I wonder if I'll ever grow out of my insecurities and stop being afraid that people are going to hurt me and/or leave me.

In other news: I won this week's football pool at work, so I have $50 extra dollars to blow this week, AND the books I ordered from Barnes and Noble that I thought got lost randomly showed up today.

What should I blow my $50 on? more books? a really good meal? put it on the bank? What would you do?

I'm still here! & a Recipe

I've been a bad blog friend lately. Work is nearly killing me with long hours and crazy deadlines and it is taking its toll. I promise I'll start keeping up and commenting more! I miss you guys!!

Cooler weather is FINALLY here which means it's time to start cooking again and eating healthier. Here's a recipe I found in the New York Times Magazine last week that sounded interesting. As soon as I can find time to get to Whole Foods for the ingredients I'm going to make it. Let me know what you think if you try it out!


Eggplant in Disguise

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
nutmeg
Approximately 6 tablespoons olive oil
2lbs Eggplant cut in 1/3 inch slices
1 1/2 cups ricotta
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make a bechamel:melt butter in a saucepan, when foamy, whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, bring to a boil and simmer until thickened and smooth ~2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and nutmeg. Cover and let cool.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add as many eggplant slices that will fit in one later. Season with salt and brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining oil and eggplant.

Fill base of 8x8 inch baking dish with 1/3 of eggplant. Cover with 1/3 of ricotta, followed by 1/3 of bechamel. Sprinkle with thyme. Repeat 2 more times. Spread Parmesan on top and make for 20 minutes. Place under broiler for 1 minute to brown the top.

Serves 6

The Visit

My weekend with Tennis Guy was amazing. I had a really rough week at work so I wasn't up for going out much, so we just had a lovely relaxing weekend at home being very domestic. We watched movies, talked, cuddled, cooked and just spent time together. We have plans to see each other again in early December (this time I'm flying to see him). He wants to take things slow, which I know is the right thing to do, but it's hard for me to resist the urge to just jump in and get serious since I do like him so much. I think part of his hesitation is also that he knows how resistant I have been in my past to commitment and he doesn't want to push me. I need to figure out how to communicate to him that I can stop playing around and be committed to him when the time comes.

Stay Tuned!

Bullets of Randomness

* My trip to Rhode Island was LOVELY. It was so peaceful and relaxing and I'll definitely be going back. I SO miss having a car and driving.

*My job is draining me to the point that I can feel the effects its having on my body. The tension, stress and long hours are more than I can handle and I've hit my breaking point. I requested a temp for the rest of the week, but only got a "we'll see" answer so who knows if I will get one. Fingers crossed.

*Things with Tennis Guy are still going strong. Daily texts, phone conversations that last for hours and he's coming back to NY to see me in 8 days!! I wake up every day and wonder how I got so lucky.

*I am SO over the whole being hot in LATE September thing. It was nearly 90 degrees this week! I refuse to turn the AC on when it's officially Fall! Bring on the cooler temps or at least get rid of the humidity!

Hitting the Road

In 24 hours I'm hitting the road for my big Road Trip! I am SO excited!! The cameras are charging, the CDs are packed and the directions have been printed!

Rhode Island here I come!

Tell me this isn't a new look.....

Today during my usual walk through Grand Central Station I saw a guy wearing a very expensive-looking business suit and tie, with a coordinating belt, carrying a gorgeous Kenneth Cole briefcase....

and wearing flip flops.

Has anyone else seen this? I'm hoping it was just an anomaly.

Road Trip

I'm heading up the coast this week and taking myself on a little road trip. I've rented the car, made my "car" playlists on iTunes and planned my route. I'm extremely excited about getting out of the city, meeting new friends and taking photos of a new place. A few weeks ago I blew off an afternoon at work and spent some time sitting in the park with my friend E who is a photographer. My conversations with him are always very inspiring and even since our conversation I've been inspired to go out and take some new photos.

Let's just hope I remember how to drive...it's been months since I was behind the wheel of a car!!

I'm ready!

For Fall! Bring on the flannel sheets, the long sleeve PJs and all those cute fall fashions.

I am READY!

This IS fun!

Had my second date with Tennis Guy (TG) last night and it was amazing. We joke around like old friends already and he's amazingly respectful and sweet. He's a bit older (40), but I don't mind that at all. He does travel quite a bit, so I just assumed it was just going to be a weekend thing, but he says he wants to date me and is going to come back to NY to see me again after the next tournament is over in a few weeks. I'm going in with cautious optimism, but so far things are good and I definitely can't wait to see him again.

What They Say is TOTALLY True...

I've heard the "oh you'll find a man when you aren't looking" SO many times, but I never really thought it was true.

Until last night that is.

After things with the Young One went South I had sworn off men. I made a conscious choice not to think, obsess or seek men out. In a bizarre confluence of events I ended up having drinks with a guy who is in town working on the U.S. Open. I went in with no expectations, didn't dress up or do my hair and generally just went in with the mentality of "I'm just going for 1 drink and to meet a new person". And it was fun! Good conversation, good laughs and plans to meet up again before he leaves. No stress, no pressure, no anxiety and no expectations. This is TOTALLY the way to go. He's texted me several times since last night and even called me in between matches today. Unfortunately he travels for work 35 weeks a year so there isn't any real chance of a relationship, but I'm actually ok with that. For 2 nights I got to go out, have fun and have good company. I learned that taking the pressure off myself and the situation is absolutely the way to go and hopefully my new zen attitude will pay off in the end and I'll find Mr. Right!

Annoying News

I've always maintained a love/hate relationship with the news and this week it's HATE.

1) Is anyone else annoyed that early iPhone buyers are whining because the price of the phone recently dropped? Nobody FORCED you to buy the thing the day it came out. I remember wanting the Razr when it first came out, but waiting almost a year until the price dropped to half of what it was and now the thing is practically free. I say they should have to pay for their impatience and should quit demanding a refund of the difference in price!

2) Fred Thompson and his (final) declaration to run for President in 2008. If I hear one more Reagan comparison I'm going to hurl. Not to mention the fact that if he wins I am moving out of this country for good.

3) The Idaho senator who can't decide if he's resigning or not. Get a daisy and start pulling petals off and make up your mind already!

I think it's time for the news and I to break up for awhile. I recently rejoined Netflix and I think this is an excellent opportunity to start catching up on all the movies I have been missing. Let me know if you have any suggestions!!

I give up!

So things with the Young One officially have gone south. We had plans to meet up last weekend in Chicago and he had something come up and he canceled, then we made plans and he bought me a plane ticket to come see him this weekend and something came up and he canceled. Neither things were his fault, but I just can't handle the ups and downs of it all any more. It sucks because I REALLY enjoy talking to him, but you can only get so involved on the phone and we've hit the point where we need to meet in order to see if its going anywhere, but things just keep getting in the way.

It just shouldn't be THIS hard.

Rethinking this whole moving back to IL thing.....

I had a great trip to Chicago this weekend, but MAN did my allergies act up. I think I sneezed continuously for the entire 48 hours I was there. I went to Target and got allergy meds, but they didn't help much. I miss trees and all, but man it makes me rethink this whole moving back to the Midwest thing....

Achooo!

Off to Chicago....

Heading to Chicago for the weekend!

Everyone have a safe and Happy Labor Day!!! No laboring required!