New Favorites

First off, this is a picture I loved the other morning driving out of Philly on my Blackberry. How pretty is that? It looks like the city is glowing.

OK...onto the blog post!

I am not a huge television person. Now, don't get me wrong...I LOVE TV series. But there are very few that hook me to the point of wanting to watch the entire series on TV. Plus, my roommate and I don't have a TV. But that is besides the point.

Anyway, two shows this year have got me on the edge of my seat. 1st, although now over for the year, was True Blood. I cannot say enough wonderful things about Alan Ball and his amazing take on the Charlene Harris books, especially in season 2. Just, phenom.

The second, which is currently showing on FOX (let's hope they don's cancel it like Firefly or Freaks and Geeks...) is Glee. Glee is about a high school Glee club (duh...I know) but it is just such a GENIUS show, and for a musical theater geek like me, I am in HEAVEN! HEAVEN! I really cannot rave about it enough. A few of the singers have been on broadway, and of course, one of my Broadway idols was on it: Kristin Chenoweth (from the OC of Wicked!). So yeah, I am just in love. You should check it out! Sarah recommended and approved! ;-)

Heading to NJ for a weekend with the roomie tomorrow. My first time ever in North Jersey, but I am excited. We are going to be shooting skeet and apple/pumpkin picking. And I am helping her out with a photoshoot as well. Check her out at: http://karaloomisphotography.blogspot.com/ She is pretty good!

Have a good Columbus day! (In 1492....)

New York, New York

Or more specifically, Brooklyn. Spent a wonderful weekend up in the Big Apple, visiting a good friend of mine who works for OUP. When she comes and visits me, she usually takes the train, BUT, since I was leaving straight from work, I drove. Oh poor poor decisions.

For one, I sat in traffic for an HOUR trying to get out of Philly. I moved 10 miles. Do the math. Secondly, tolls will rape your wallet dry. D-R-Y. Bah.

My big issue, however, is WHY does it cost MORE to get OUT of NY that it does to get INTO NY. Seriously...what is that about? Tolls should be the same price both directions. Bah. "Come in, come in...only $8!" (Which is still outrageous.) "Don't leave! We will charge you $11 as punishment! BWAAHAHAHA!" No me gusta.

Anyway, besides the tolls, Brooklyn was pretty cool. I hadn't really gotten a chance to explore like I wanted to, but I did this time. We went and walked all around the Bay Ridge burb, and also went to a very cool party in Carroll Gardens. The party was pretty fantastic, and I had a very good time.

I do have a new appreciation for timetables and trains though. Philly, for the most part, tends to be on time. Or in the general vicinity. The subway? Free for all as far as time goes. Makes me love my R5! :-)

Anyway, thanks to my friend for a great weekend! And hi to all the new people I met!

Personal Space

I like traveling into the city because of the anonymity of it all. You can wear pretty much what you want, do what you want and blend. There are over 1.5 million people in Philadelphia. I come from a town of roughly 55,000. There's a big difference there. Everyone was all up in each others business in my small town, but I adore the fact that I can walk through Reading Terminal Market, or Rittenhouse Square, and more or less, not get hassled. There is the occasional homeless person or crazy person. We all know that...it comes with the city.

However, it is the uncomfortable "hitting on" me that makes me anxious/irritated. For example, a good friend of mine came into the city from D.C. this weekend, arriving on the Chinatown bus. The Chinatown bus station is located at 55 11th Street, in an underpass. It is borderline shady to me, given the lack of light, and people trying to sell you tickets (I'm from the south, and therefor, slightly paranoid in urban settings, as much as I love them). So...I am sitting in the terminal, waiting, and reading a lovely Sookie Stackhouse book, minding my business.

"Hey there pretty girl, what are you reading?" Strange man asks me.
"A book." I answer, not looking up from the page.
"A book?" he asks, trying to be coy, but let's face it, just coming up creepy.
"Yes." I shoot him a look that says 'go away' but in fact, in his strange alien mind, says 'Please, engage me in more conversation. I am so interested in having a discussion about my reading material with you.'
"What is it?" he asks, attempting to read my page. I turn the book away from him and ignore him.

He eventually left me alone, but seriously. Why in God's name would you bother someone like that. It's like that MadTV skit my roommate turned me onto the other day, where the guy asks for the girl's number like 400 times. Being anonymous is what we need sometimes. If sitting in a bus terminal with a nose in a book and a get the hell away from me body posture doesn't get that, I don't know what does.

Crisis of Life...

I am going to start this blog with a crisis. Well, a crisis situation at least. Two things have happened this week that could have been potential much worse than they were. How we cope within a situation, especially one that we have zero control over, fascinates me. Do we panic or do we stay calm? Do we laugh or cry?

The first incident occurred on a train ride back from the city, to my small "burb" town. The train broke down, which was a first for me, and a 10 millionth for my girl friend with me. Twenty minutes later I get up, walk to the front of the car, and figure out what is going on. Now, about 15 people have exited the train at this point, and we are lounging in the back chatting (not really one to panic about just being stuck). So I saunter up and inquire as to What the Heck is going on?

Low and behold, the brakes don't work. Brakes. Not wire malfunction. Brakes. What was the solution you ask? Well, I was thinking..."Hey, we are totally going to get a new train, right?" Hell no. I was told..."Mam, we are going to attempt to work the breaks in the front car, and move everyone up there." Attempt. No No. You do not attempt to work breaks. They either work or they don't.

Needless to say, we got off the train. (As a side note, it IS possible to look sketchy in work clothes while waiting for a cab. I was just praying the cop didn't pull up and ask, god forbid, if I had been drinking. "Why, yes officer. I did have a glass of Merlot with my veggie burger, post-shopping." Jeez!)


The second incident that happened wasn't necessarily to me, but was freaky none-the-less. My poor roommate had a hacker break into her email. Terrifying! And he/she was able to talk to her, and changed things around on the account, along with other accounts linked to that email. That is a scary thought. In a world where we all depend heavily on technology, that has the ability to be crippling.

Both events, although very different, have the ability to cripple someone, and ingnite a bonfire of emotions. How would you have reacted to each, being that both are completely out of your control?