The best day of my life.

Subtitle: Joyfully, joyfully, biking to our home

I feel like I have been bike obsessed for the last several weeks. Before I did something crazy like going out and buying one, I decide to borrow someone else's to see if bike riding is really as awesome I remember it being. I attempted to borrow one Saturday morning and even had it in my possession for a full 40 minutes, but due to a long series of small, seemingly unconnected events that were somewhat humourous but which I will omit here for the sake of brevity, I only ended up riding it for approximately 3 pedals. That, however, was enough to convince me that I absolutely had to have a bike that day.

I called my friend Marcus who is a hardcore biker and therefore knows things. He told me the best place to go and even came with me to help pick one out. With Marcus' help, it was an easy decision. I fell in love with this one right away:



Mine is red like the one above, but has a woman's frame like the one beneath:


I decided to include them both so that you can begin to fully comprehend how beautiful my bike is even without seeing it.

To date, the purchase of my bike is the biggest impulse buy I have made in my life. But I think even just for the joy it has already given me, it is worth it. I get absolutely weak in the knees when I anticipate a full summer of biking about. Oh the joy and rapture!!
Marcus, Corina and I went on a little bike ride on the Hudson River Trail to break in my bike and the whole time I just kept singing a happy song (for the exactly lyrics see "Subtitle" above).

Here's a picture of me and Marcus at a lookout point long the Hudson River Trail.



Then Marcus had to high-tail it back to his place to get ready for stake priesthood meeting while Corina and I lolly-gagged around a bit enjoying the beautiful weather and the feeling of wonderfulness that is bicycle ownership.

Then we manged to leave our bikes for just a few minutes to do a bit of rock climbing:

(We were trying to make it to the boat seen below and we almost did, but decided Corina was in the wrong shoes to go into the water, which might have been necessary.)

Oh, I am a happy happy girl to own a bike!!!

PS I named my bike Rosie, partially because she's red and partially after Rosie the Riveter (because she's made out of metal and Rosie the Riveter is awesome).

The Rumors are True

Due to certain irresponsible, and some would say near-suicidal g-chat status messaging (done largely by me) rumors have begun to circulate that I underpaid my 2007 taxes by nearly $800.

These rumors are true.

Upon making this startling realization, I will admit I felt heavy internal pressure to unravel, which I did but only to the extent of issuing public g-chat status messages regarding my state of turmoil and subsequent arrival at peace.

Having thought it over more thoroughly, I have decided to turn this into an opportunity to be thankful to be a some-what aggressive saver so that this little incident will not actually affect the quality of my life at all. I've also decided that $800 is a small price to pay for living in what is largely considered to be the country place on earth.

So really, I've made it a joyful experience.

Musical Apartment

A few weeks ago, I procured a piano keyboard. This was part of my ongoing desire (although, as yet lack of follow-through) in becoming a proficient piano player. My goal is to be able to sight read hymns.

Well I spent about 20 minutes trying to play out of the hymn book, then I lost interest probably largely due to my lack of talent. Then we had a rip-roaring roommate music fest. Although my musical talents extend only as far as typically being able to pull off a good alto, my roommates are more talented. Amelia played the piano, Christina played the violin, and I sang (soprano--ugg). It was pretty awesome. Blissful even.

It's a running gag

Subtitle: Best $2.50 I ever spent.



Yes, I made another heart-shaped cake. Yes, I'm aware I have better things to blog about. But for some reason, I've turned compulsive with the need to bake, badly decorate, and blog about heart-shaped cakes.

But, in my defense, (i) I do make a tasty cake, (ii) usually when I host, the heart-shaped cake pan is the only one available, and (iii) I've come to think that my guests expect a yummy heart-shaped cake awaiting them at my home. (I realize this last one is probably not true, but leave me my fantasies please.)

And just so you know my life does, in fact, have meaning, purpose, and direct--here are some other blogs I'm planning on writing in the near future:

1. on my new working space
2. going green
3. turning my living space into a home
4. why I like my job II

Food Storage!!!

I know, two posts in one day--crazy! But I want to make an official record of my commitment to compile a 3 month food storage. (I know, I know, all my blogs are about food lately. I've been thinking on this and have come to some interesting conclusions, but those will have to wait to be blogged about until later, if ever).

One of the things that finally clicked with me is the idea of storing what I actually eat! (because quite frankly, I've always been a little intimidated by just regular wheat) This way it is stuff that I actually use and is also therefore totally easy to rotate. This is what I"m going to store: canned tuna, salmon (which I don't normally buy because I consider it too expensive, but now that I think about it when it's on sale it is still cheaper then tuna), dry beans (which I have recently started using frequently), brown rice, sugar (white and brown), flour, cream of chicken soup, pasta, canned tomatoes, tomato sauce etc, canned veggies, peanut butter, jelly, crackers (which are not currently a part of my diet, but I will figure out how to rotate), oats, soy milk (I switched from the cow stuff last week which is convenient because this stores better--it's good for 9 months without refrigeration), legumes (I haven't started eating these regularly yet, but intend to), garlic (in a jar--I can't live without it), dehydrated onions, salt, baking soda and powder, some sort of drink powder with Vitamin C.

This is the plan: there's storage placed above my closet and i can make some more under my bed, plus my kitchen space can be used more effectively once I get this organized. I will start buying in bulk (more so then I do now) when things go on sale or when I"m at a store that has certain things cheap. I will set up a store in my closet. I will keep the stuff that I'm using in the kitchen and as I use it, replace it from the storage. All purchased canned and dry good will go directly into storage. It's so simple.

Oh my heck, I am excited!

Thank you for bearing with me during my official, public declaration of intent.

PS (added the next morning) It occurred to me there are other non-food items that I would not like to run out of and will therefore store: deodorant, saline solution, lotion, soap, toothpaste, etc. I love storage!!

Job report

I had to come to work this morning at 9am. I don't know how the rest of the country does it. I had to wake up at 6 (yes, SIX) thirty to get here on time! And the subways are much more crowded at 8 then at 10. It's a good thing I only have to deal with it one day a week. With this in mind, I have decided to make my official "New Job Report"

Things I like about my new job: (in no particular order)
1. Not having to be at work until 11am four days a week and still getting to leave at 6.

2. Awesome co-workers, including the attorneys

3. Time and a half after 35 hours

4. This is the building I work in (to the right of Trinity Church [the church featured in the end of that Nicholas Cage movie about treasure hunters whose title elludes me at the moment but doesn't warrant looking up])

The interior of the building (esp. the entry) is very lovely as well (gold-domed ceilings, cheribum, etc), but I couldn't find pictures that would copy over.

5. I love working in the financial district. It is just such a pretty place. I love all the tall, old buildings so close together. It creates a very unique and somehow magical atmostphere.

6. I don't have to switch trains for my commute.

7. When the phone rings, it is my job to answer it but it is very rarely any sort of a problem that I have to deal with, which is very liberating. I just connect them into the right person. (this is a very welcome change from my last job)

8. I work on almost the top floor which makes me feel special. I like to feel like I'm more important than the people on floors 1-19.

9. It is just what I wanted--an easy job to keep the money flowing in,but requiring very little of my brain power while not being boring.

10. It seems that I am in a building full of gentlemen and I like it! My male co-riders in the elevator just about always let me get out first and they usually hold the door. I know it's a small thing, but it really makes me feel like a lady and I like it.

11. Free subway pass!


Things I don' t like about my job
1. When people ask me what I do i have to admit that I"m an administrative assistant. For a while I responded "I work at a law firm on Wall Street," but then people inevitably thought I was a lawyer or at least a paralegal. I know that every sensible person recognizes the supreme importance of a good secretary, but still it doesn't strike a person as a job for a person with drive and ambitious. Of course, I guess I contradict myself (see #9 above)

One Week. Three Heart-Shaped Cakes (Subtitle: Hostess with the Mostest)

Well you know I'm always writing blogs in my head and hardly ever writing/publishing them. And I know you all are probably wondering about my job, but first things first! I want to tell you this story about the second week of February (because I have pictures).

This was a week with crazy amounts of hosting. It was fun.

First, on Sunday: I hosted a dinner group. I can't exactly remember now, but I think about 15 people came:















As far as I know, a good time was had by all. (We had tacos because there was a recipe I had been wanting to use. It was good. [if I were a blogging diva, I would connect the recipe with the blog in blue letters where it said recipe. That would be cool, but alas, my blogging skills are lacking!])

At church before the dinner group, I invited a girl because it was her birthday. She said she didn't know if she'd be able to come (which is great, because when it's your birthday you should be able to do whatever you want sans obligations but have lots of good options) but since I thought she MIGHT come, I decided to make a birthday cake. Since the cake pan was full of lemon squares, I used the totally awesome silicone heart-shaped cake pan I got at Target for $2.50. I decided I would use a can of frosting that had been in the pantry for several months. Although I was vaguely aware that it was left over from Christmas, I was caught by surprise that it was Christmas-tree green. Also, I forgot the cardinal rule that cakes should be cooled before frosting. This was the result: It was actually fairly tasty. The green frosting was just vanilla and since the cake was still hot, it kind of melted in which turned out to be quite yummy.

Next Party--

Valentine's Day Celebration of Love

Back in January, someone in the halls of church jokingly suggested that I would spend Valentine's Day crying. I was so disgusted by the very idea that I decided to throw a massive Celebration of Love Valentine's Day party. The idea is that we all know that someday love will come into our lives, so why not celebrate that now instead of mopping that it hasn't come yet. I invited everyone I knew. About 50 people came. Success! I didn't take any pictures of the people, but I did get a picture of the cake that I made and decorated:


Some of you more observant readers might recognized (as several of my friends have) the uncanny resemblance between the Valentine's Day 2008 cake and the Independance Day 2007 Cake:









And to those of you, I say "Holy cow, cut a girl some slack! I only went to one, two hour class. And I only own three colors of food coloring. Good gracious!" (PS but I did the letter on the Valentine's Day Cake myself.)



So, Valentine's Day was Thursday, and then Friday my long-time BFF Jamie came to visit from St. Louis. Since she was only here for a day and a half we ran around the city revisiting the greatest hits of Jamie's 2007 New York City Tour. Some touristy photos:























Jamie left Sunday morning, which freed up my Sunday afternoon for a dinner party for twelve friends which my roommate threw. But I did provide the heart-shaped cake. Aptly named Heart Shape Cake #3:Again, it tasted better then it looked. It tasted dang good, now that you mention it. It was a cake that turned out too misshapen to use for the double layer Valentine's Day Cake (AKA heart-shaped cake #2). But we needed a quick dessert. It was still frozen when we ate it, but this cake served the very important purpose in my life and will always be remembered for introducing me to the absolute wonder of homemade buttercream frosting.

So, that was a fun week. Recorded for posterity only 5 weeks after the fact.

The end.

Rearrange Your Room, Rearrange Your Life (subtitle: I'm employed!!!

For starters, last Sunday (Jan 27) I decided that it was time to get to serious about a job. The next three days were kind of weird , but I can't really say why or how. Let me start here:

For many years I have been an ardent believer that the energy of your bedroom and the energy of your life are completely intertwined. However, I accidentally forget this. Spending a lot of time in my room lately, I had started to really hate it. One day in the depth of my despair (well, I don't really "do" despair, but I was feeling very odd emotionally) I finally decided that I was going to clean the outside of my windows, darn it! So what if I am, in fact, contractually obligated to NOT clean the windows, the property managers weren't going to it do, it had been annoying me for six months AND it's bad feng shui. Luckily my room has the fire escape so it was only partly death-defying. I was amazed at the difference!! For the first time I felt like people would actually be able to see me when I changed in my room at night. I had no idea that clean windows would make such a big difference.

The next day, inspired by Corina's new room (complete with feng shui professional consulting), in a fit of long-pent up energy, I decided to move everything out of my room and start over. I had the wisdom and foresight to do a "before" picture:There are several things wrong with this set up. (please feel free to skip this paragraph.) First, the bed is totally the center of the room, you totally have to just sneak around it to get anywhere. Second, the chi (life energy) flow is totally off. I mean, I am not a feng shui expert, but i know a think or two. Third, the back left corner is totally hidden (AKA invitation for a mess). I will skip my psychoanalytic interpretation in lieu of showing you the "after" picture:Much better!! Of course, the photo doesn't capture the entire beauty, but it is much better, much more inviting, and much more open for good things to flow into my life.

The very day I cleaned my room, I also got a second head hunter. Friends and acquaintances started calling and emailing me with job leads. Between my two head hunters and my social referrals, I had an interview almost every day. (Also, more new friends started flowing into my life, which was great, but I guess that's a different story.)

All my interviews went really well. The recruiters kept calling, I pretty much had decided the job I wanted and knew they were going to make an offer higher than the original offer but had not yet. To be honest, I was feeling quite overwhelmed by all the possibilities flowing into my life. I remember something that Sister Orton had said in a meeting--that we tend to shy away from living in abundance because it is very stressful to us when our cup is literally running over. Instead of thinking "Wonderful! I need a bigger cup for all these blessings" we tend to only think of the mess it is making. That is exactly how I felt! It was pretty nifty. I love living in abundance!!

Finally, Thursday I got the call to discuss the salary at the job I wanted at a law office. I spoke with the partner I had interviewed with. He made an offer 10% higher than the original offer and I talked him up to 15%. (I give the Spirit all the credit.) At the end, the offer was the one I thought in my head that I would need in order to happily accept the job.

To be honest, there is an exciting twist here regarding a very successful and intriguing interview at the University of Oxford North America office. I will leave out this part of the story for the sake of brevity. I was very very seriously considering taking that job, but decided against it.

Here are some of the totally awesome things about my new jobs:
1. I work at a Wall Street law firm. I think that sounds very nice.
2. 35 hour work week. If you come in at 9, you can leave at 4!!
3. Time and a half for anything over 35 hrs/wk
4. I kind of know 3 people who work there and they all love it a lot
5. Everyone there seems really nice (yes, including the lawyers)
6. Free subway pass every month
7. It seems like something I would be really good at. No feeling like a competent, confident feeling.
8. A fun new New York neighborhood to explore! The financial district!
9. Flexibility with hours
10. It just feels right!

A Humorous Quote in Honor of Election Day

by Dave Barry (shown below)

"Republicans hate the news media. They're up front about this. They basically come right out and say 'We're prosperous and religious and patriotic and clean-cut, and you media people are communist atheistic dope addicts wearing clothes that look like they came from a store called the Fashion Dumpster.' I find this attitude refreshing. I'm always happier around Republicans, who are honestly hostile, than around Democrats, who really want the media to like them and who get all pouty when we note that they have the managerial competence of oatmeal."



End quote. This is Holly talking now. I decided about a month ago that I'm a McCain gal, but i woke up this morning confused and thinking maybe Romney was a better choice. I really like them both so much. For a moment I had the brilliant idea that perhaps they could be running mates and was quite pleased with this idea. Then I remembered that they hate each other. Too bad.

Still unemployed

I saw this shirt but it unfortunately did not come in my size.

I have been unemployed about a month now and it is getting old. I only started counting myself as unemployed since I've been back from Christmas. But really it's been closer to two months.

I have lots to do, but can't seem to get it done without any sort of structure in place.

Apparently I have a small but noisy following of my blog and they (you?) have caught on to the fact that I haven't updated in awhile. So, I will report on my life.

This is how I spend a typical day:
Wake up when I feel like waking up. (that has lost its charm)
Stay in bed for a while reflecting on how to fill my day.
Look at the bedroom wall.
Get up and eat something.
Think about exercising.
Do something else.
Think about exercising.
Maybe surf the internet a little.
Give up on exercising and just get ready for the day.
Unless I had something planned for the day it is now approximately 1:30.
Look at and apply for some jobs.
Usually I have something planned for the afternoon.
To be honest, I don't really know how I fill my days. But it does seem like I"m busy without ever acccomplishing anything.

Do I not sound like myself? I don't feel too much like myself either. Goodness, this blog entry is a downer.

Several times a day I remind myself that everything is going to turn out wonderfully and that makes me really happy.

Also, these ties I found (but did not buy) at the thrift store make me happy:


Sad that I had not reason to buy them, ay?

Also, the fact that this is the view from my bedroom window makes me happy:It's hard to photograph, but it's the George Washington Bridge. Very lovely.