WHAT'S WORSE...SMELLING LIKE SMOKE OR AXE?

So, I definitely haven't been updating this as regularly as I used to. Whoopsies. I got to hang out with Brittany, her mom, and aunt! It was so good to see Brittany! I went to Tarrytown where they were staying and they were sooo nice enough to pay for my train ticket! Hopefully Britt and I will get hang some over the weekend and
do something fun!
Working at Old Navy has been surprisingly great. I went in with stereotypes and preconceptions as to the way I thought this job would be like. But out of all the jobs I have ever had (and that's a lot) this is one of the best work environments I have ever been in. Everyone is so nice and always willing to help me when I have any questions. When I told them about my interview at the pr firm my managers were so excited for me and wanted to hear all about it! Of course, working in retail there is always crazy people who become outraged over small things. One lady in particular told me that she found a shirt that was marked incorrectly and wanted to receive the low price that was on the ticket. I told her that we didn't do that and just apologized. She insisted that what I was saying was illegal and that all airlines give discounted tickets for mistakes all the time. Number one, it's Old Navy, not an airline, and NOTHING there is expensive or worth embarrassing yourself over. Number two, I probably should have let her HAVE the $7.99 men's polo she was so torn up over, it probably would have fit better than the tiny Fantasy by Britney Spears t-shirt she had on.
I have yet to hear back from my interviews with Lou Hammond but I'm not discouraged yet because they said it may be a couple weeks before I hear anything. My first interview at the pr firm went really well. They made me write a press release about the invention of the wheel. I just kept trying to remember the stuff Dr. Armstrong had taught us in class. I always knew that going to PR Writing at least once a week would pay off. So, PR majors, when you are tempted to skip PR Writing class....do it. I used all my absences and look at me now suckas.
I also had a second interview which didn't go as well. I met with the owner/founder Lou Hammond who (PTL) isn't doing the hiring. She did a double take when I came in because the old geezer (who's hair color could be described as punk rock red) thought my resume said Elane. Cool. Then she was confused because she thought my major was music, and then we topped it off this super successful interview with my not-so-wonderful GPA. But at least we talked about Texas, she's obsessed with Texas but has never lived there but claims to be a 4th generation Texan. What a poser.
My other job is causing me to slowly die inside. Yesterday, my boss wasn't there and I joked about her asking me to fan her like Cleopatra and my coworkers thought it was ridiculous that I would refuse to fan her even if my job depended on it. I told them that out of respect for myself I would draw the line at standing over someone and fanning them. I already allow her to literally snap her fingers at me when she is on the phone and needs something. But I'm in a place in my life where I don't have much of a choice, sooo I have just been trying to have a servants heart. A huge downside is I always leave work smelling like an ashtray because my boss smokes inside. On Tuesday, I went to Urban Outfitters after work. When I opened the bag later I saw they had put like 10 samples of Axe body spray in my bag. Sadly, I used a small amount hoping to eliminate the smoke smell from my clothes. I never intend on using it again and you certainly won't catch me among the ranks of consistent users like Grant Greenwood or Pat Herman.
I can never say that the people who live in NYC are not friendly. I was running late to work one day this week (you know...the norm) and I needed to get another MetroCard but the line was super long. But a man offered to swipe me through with his card! I guess he saw how much of a hurry I was in or maybe he heard a few foul words under my breath when I saw the line. Either way, this random act of kindness will not be taken lightly and I intend on digging deep and paying it forward just like that wise Haley Joel Osment would.
I ran into the girl Jordan, who's room I used to live in while she was out of town. She was shopping at Old Navy and came to my register to talk/hold up the line. She said that she wanted to have coffee with me sometime so that we could chat about the different churches she and I have been to. I just thought it was crazy to run into her in such a big city!
I recieved an e-mail from my Mom this week that was so inspiring. I have been struggling with being content with my life but not wanting to get comfortable in my part-time jobs and not-so-great apartment. So I had really been praying for God to show me a balance or just allow me to be more satisfied with the things He has blessed me with.
My Mom's e-mail talked about how at a Bible study she was at a woman named Helen came over and said that God had put words of wisdom on her heart that were intended for their son in NYC. She said, "Be steadfast, be still and listen, He is standing behind you." My mom said that that was all she said and sort of just walked away.
That is all of the e-mail. When i first read it I was just like, "oh that's cool" but then iIlooked up the definition of steadfast and realized that it means moving forward to what is ahead and focusing on the next step. This was so awesome to me because it is what I have been feeling burdened by. I can also be so horrible at listening to what the Lord is telling me. So this e-mail was God speaking to me in an amazing way!

-I'm currently in love with the song Disturbia by Rihanna. But now confused as to what disturbia is...
-I saw the girl Bailey who won the Legally Blonde show on MTV near the main entrance to Central Park.
-I can't decide if it's only okay for celebs to wear scarves in the summer.

WELCOME KNOX AND VIVIENNE!

Since I moved here, no two weeks are the same, which is good and bad. I love doing crazy random thing but since I'm in an unfamiliar place still some consistency would be nice.

I was able to go into the studio for my job and listen to singers audition for management. It's sad to think that middle aged people are sometimes still convinced they can make a living singing and have no clue they suck. It's sorta like those people you cringe at when you watch the first 3 weeks of American Idol. I didn't get to rake singers over the coals like Simon but I was able to give my input (which pretty much makes me a funnier Ryan Seacrest in this scenario.)

The studio we were in was really small but in a nice part of town and super cool. The guy that owned it was running all the sound boards and he was saying how he is reading the Shopoholic books because he is writing some of the songs for the movie that comes out soon. I thought my boss had turned over a new leaf because she told me that she wanted to buy me lunch that day. I was so excited that she wanted to do something nice for me and I was getting a free meal. Then the food came and I didn't see mine, she sent me on an errand that way when I got back I could eat what was left of hers. What's sad is that I ate it.

Angela came back into town this weekend and she was sweet enough to buy me a ticket to see Rent with her! It was great, of course! I also got to hang out with some of her cool Aussie friends. Then the next day we went and saw Lady Liberty from a distance, saw how scary Central Park is at night, and then Angie missed her bus back to camp. Whoopsies.

I started my job at Old Navy this weekend and I really like it. I'm definitely different than my fellow employees. In my orientation group there were names like Alfia, Wanthony, and Ishala. I'm hoping that I can pick up all sorts of new lingo, but the only thing I've heard is this one girl thinks its funny to call everyone Becky or Becks. I love having a job were everyone is younger and just wants to be chatty. That's definitely something I haven't experienced in a while since I used to work with only old ladies and the office I work in now is silent 90% of the time. My discount isn't as great as I had hoped but still nice. Evidently, I need to use my discount at Old Navy because I have already been called out for wearing clothes that didn't look like they were from Old Navy. And, yesterday while I was working the register everyone started freaking out because some famous guy came in that A. No one talked to B. No one knew his name C. No one could name any movie he had ever been in. So this so called "celeb" is definitely not going down in my spotted celeb tally.

I'm finally going to have a TV. My mom is mailing me a TV and a coffee maker. She said that the box I'm getting is around 75 lbs. Which hopefully means that this box is enclosed with other treasured necessities. But we can only hope.

I have a job interview at 10 on Wednesday for a company called Lou Hammond. I don't really know what the job is that I'm applying for. But I think this is a place I would really like to work and I'm really excited about it! So definitely pray for me!

I'm currently obsessed with the new Jordin Sparks song (I'm lame), Big Brother 10, and Brangalina's new babies.

YOU UGLY, YEAH, YEAH, YOU UGLY!

As I'm writing this I'm watching an actual fight. I'm not sure if these men are homeless or just drunk and poorly dressed. Either way, park security just got involved, and it was really intense they were hitting each other so hard and screaming in Spanish! I have to start coming here more often.
My apartment is the same, no internet of course, which is why I'm always using the free wifi at random places. I've been having to sleep with headphones in because there have been people setting off fireworks close to my apartment. But other than that I can't complain.
I went to a really good church on Sunday, no one really talked to me all that much or was really welcoming but the service was good and I could see myself going regularly. The whole church visiting process has really opened my eyes to what it's like to be new in a situation where you don't know anyone and you are literally praying someone will start a conversation with you. Never again will I be someone that sees a visitor and hopes that someone else will go talk to them. I now know how hard it is. But I know God will reveal the church He calls me to in time and will provide valuable friendships for me there.
The people I work with are so nice and always concerned for my well being because of where I am living. Today,Tori gave me a Safety pamphlet that a police officer gave her. She gave it to me as sort of a joke, but sadly I learned important info that I didn't know before, like easy way to spot criminals before entering the elevator or if someone asks for your wallet or bag you just give it to them. I'm pretty sure if they don't have a gun, I'm saying no...then running away if possible.
I also told them about an article I saw in the subway that morning when I was reading over someone's shoulder. They told me that you aren't supposed to do that on the subway and it's a huge no no. Little do they know, I do it all the time and no one has ever said anything. I'm sneaky. It's even easier than pretending that your not listening to someone's conversation.
Working at Fretless has actually been really cool, all the people that they represent always have some sort of cool story (or a jingle they are notorious for.)
Like yesterday, a girl named Karen came in who used to work there and she used to be in a band that was big in the UK and the only song they ever really got big with was that U-G-L-Y song from Bring It On. After that, she came to NYC and started doing jingles. Now, her and her best friend are trying to become writers for television. They came in yesterday and wanted my co-worker Tori to look at some scripts they wrote for Gossip Girl and 30 Rock. I thought that was so cool! But there are a lot of people like that that Fretless represents.
When our boss Andree (it's actually pronounced like Andre...Agassi) is gone we listen to the radio, the only thing is every song I love Laura and Tori hate it. So I now take flack for loving that new PCD song and sat silently when they made fun of that John Mayer song. But, they listen to showtunes all the time so they shouldn't be hatin'.
I'm officially an employee at Old Navy, starting next friday I will be training to fold clothes and be nice to the people that are there to mess up everything I fold. I'm excited because I definitely need the money. I just hope they are willing to work with my schedule at my other job. I can't wait to show those high school kids who's boss/King of Graphic T's and cargo shorts.

MIGUEL VARGAS FOR PRESIDENTE!

My week has been eventful yet uneventful all at the same time. I've been surviving in the city which is eventful, but I STILL don't have a job which is uneventful.
My living arrangement in the new apartment has been ok. Since neither the husband or wife that I am living with speaks English very well, communication is kept to a minimum, (like I would want to anyway, jk.) The bathroom is horribly gross and I had never seen a plastic wood grain toilet seat until now.
I have managed to make it feel a little more like my own space by putting up pics and getting new bedding. But the first day of living here I realized that my room had been looked through. I typically would never notice something like this because I'm so messy, but for some reason I did this time. Not because I am a paranoid racist but because pictures and suitcases were obviously in different places than they were when I left. But that's nothing compared to me walking into the apartment the other night only to find Mr. Jimenez (my hispanic roomie) wearing nothing and walking to the bathroom while putting on a towel. My first week here and they apparently feel very comfortable around me?! But if I sit on a certain part of my bed I pick up the internet from the next door neighbors. PTL for the idiots who can't figure out how to put a password on the wifi. They also are going to cram 2 more pieces of furniture into my room soon, I'm not sure where they are going to put it though.
Last weekend I saw WICKED! It was probably the best thing I've ever seen, I do know every word to pretty much every song but I refrained from singing along. It was sold out and I had one of the best seats in the house! But it really made me want to see every show here!
I had double duty today and did 2 interviews, neither of which went that great. The first one was a cool experience because I got to take a train out of NYC for the first time and see the area around the city (from the train of course.) The interview lasted literally 5 minutes and they didn't even ask me any questions except why I don't go by Colby. So who know what will come of that. The job was to do PR and promotions for children's organizations like DARE and Make-A-Wish. So it would be could because I always thought I would want to do non-profit work at some point. They also require that you would have a car so you can drive to events which means I would have to go back to Abilene to get it if I got the job. Which sucks because I moved here feeling relieved that I wouldn't have to drive anywhere. The other interview was at Old Navy (a slight step up from my 6 month stint at Rue 21) and they actually had me work the dressing rooms during the interview to see how I would do. Of course since I had experience doing that at Rue 21 so I rocked it, especially since there weren't any panty bins to organize. But, the manager told me that she was skeptical about hiring me because I won't be able to be as flexible with my hours. But whatev, I got a second interview for Tuesday (I didn't know clothing stores did second interviews.)
This weekend has been a lot of fun! Angela came into town from New Jersey and Molly is in town with some of her family. We all went to the M&M store together and hung out. Then today Angela and I went and took her iPod to the Apple store and then went to Chinatown. Chinatown was crazy, I had only been that one other time I went to meet my relative. We saw all sorts of nasty fish and live frogs in buckets. But we ate at a really good Vietnamese restaurant that was cheap. We followed one of the ladies selling fake purses to the back of a store and Angela bought a fake bag and I bought a hand gun.
I showed Angela the campaign sticker on our door that says, "Victor Vargas for President" on our door, but then she pointed out to me that there is a sign in the hallway across from my apartment door that says, "BE CAREFUL WHEN GOING INTO THE ELEVATOR AND STAIRS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED!" I wasn't worried about my safety until now.
I have two new obsessions for the week, hand sanitizer and the new Coldplay cd. I have been listening/using both quite profusely this week. I'm turning into my Dad who uses hand sanitizer in an addictive sort of way. He keeps a huge value sized Purell with a pump in his cup holder. I haven't reached that point of obsession yet though.

COME TO MY APT...WE'LL MAKE CHURROS!

The last few days of my life have been sooo intense.  Tuesday, I started my first day of work at Fretless Productions, where I am an office assistant/personal assistant.  As soon as I sat down to work my boss (who is also the owner) dropped of some peaches and told me that she wanted those washed and brought to her at lunch time.  Neat.  Then she turned to one of the other workers and said, "Can you go get me my coffee?"  So, Tori, the other assistant from Arlington, took me to the nearest Starbucks  CHURROS and told me that our boss Andree likes a venti, decaf, with a shot of espresso.  Then you have to pour out some of the coffee and fill it up again with half and half.  At lunch I had to fetch her an $8 cheese and I learned how to make her her "juice"  You take a bottle of Poland Springs water pour out the first two inches of water into an empty bottle and store that in the refrigerator and then replace the missing water with cranberry juice, making some sort of really diluted juice/Vitamin Water looking stuff.  But I can't complain too much, she raved about how great my first day was and was super nice (and a super chain smoker.)  

Wednesday (yesterday), wasn't so good.  I was at working just sort of messing around on the computer (what I do at every job) and saw that I had an email from the lady I interviewed with at the PR firm telling me that they had decided to go with a different candidate.  I literally wanted to punch the computer screen.  It was dumb of me to get so excited about that interview.  I mean, who gets the first job they interview for right out of college?  I guess I was just super excited about the position and the company and let myself get too excited.  I had to walk into a different part of the office just to get away and think.  It really put me in a horrible mood.  But, when I came back to my computer, I had an e-mail from someone at a small PR firm that told me to give them a call when I got the e-mail.  So I gave her a call, and it was a friend of one of my roommates who knew I was looking for a job and wanted my resume and said that they were hiring.  This definitely shows that God always opens one door when he closes another.  Even if this doesn't work out, God always provides me with something to keep me from consistently being discouraged!  When I left work, I wanted to go sit, pray, read my Bible and just really think about things.  So I went downtown, and had just sat down at a table and it starts pouring down rain.  The subway was no where near where I was, so I had to walk through the rain without an umbrella.  I sorta felt like I was in some sort of crazy movie where someone is having a bad day and they walk through the rain as like some sort of symbol.  I was literally living out the saying, "When it rains it pours."  But, I was able to make it home and dry off in time to watch So You Think You Can Dance? and eat ice cream.  

Today, I knew was the day that I knew I HAD to find a new apartment.  So, I left work a little early and met with this guy who said that he could hook me up with a cheap apartment.  I get there and his office is in a pawn shop.  Red flag?  It should have been.  I'm in there with 2 other ladies who are also looking for places.  I was actually really glad they were there because I don't know that I would have gone through with anything if they hadn't convinced me that it was the real deal.  He then tells me that he gave away the apartment that I had asked for him to hold for me that was downtown.  I almost walked out.  But I asked what else he had, and he said an apartment in Sugar Hill.  I didn't know what that was but the ladies said it was nice.  So, I went and looked at it.  The neighborhood is a little nicer that what I have been used too and the apartment complex is nice too.  When I knocked on the door a Hispanic man answered the door, and he didn't speak any English.  He showed me the bedroom which was about the same size as what I have now and I have easy access to the bathroom, but no access to the kitchen...we'll see about that.  When they showed me the bathroom I noticed there were turtles swimming in the bathtub.  They told me (in their own special hard to understand way) that they aren't always in there.  They showed me that they sleep in plastic drawers, you know, the kind that you can get at Wal-Mart and it has wheels?  So, I'm sharing the bathroom with, not only an elderly Hispanic couple but 3 turtles.  The only thing that REALLY has me worried, is I don't think they have Internet.  I asked and he just looked at me.  I tried to ask in several different ways and it just ended with him showing me where all the outlets were.  If there is no Internet, I seriously don't know what will happen.  So, that's my new apartment.  I have to pay week by week, which is amazing.  That way I can bail when bigger and better things come along.  

JOEY...THIS IS ESTELLE!

Today, I got my first job in NYC.  I know, I know. But don't get too excited for me yet.  It's definitely a lot different that I had imagined it.  I'm working at Fretless Productions, a small music representation company.  This is only a part time job that will provide a little help for me until I can find a career type job.  

The lady that owns the business runs it out of an apartment that she has so wonderfully scented with cigarette smoke.  (Think of Joey's manager Estelle from Friends.)  She told me that I would be getting paid $8 an hour (I was originally promised $10) and that my duties would include being an office assistant, personal assistant, and setting up PR for her company.  She said one of the main reasons that she picked me was so that I could help create advertising for her company.  How can she expect me to create an entire PR plan for her when I'm getting paid $8 an hour and working 3 days a week?  Fortunately, I will be working with one of her "child stars" Laura, who is grown up now and trying to make it in the city.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed hoping Laura pulls out typical child star stories about the glory days, drugs, and sexcapades.  

But at least I'm getting paid every week, but judging on how the office is run, I'll probably be paid in spare change that she found in her purse.  All I know is I'm gonna be recommending myself to sing in a commercial especially if it's something cool like McDonald's.

I didn't hear back from the place that I really wanted to work today, I'm still praying that they call.  But I'm giving up hope Wednesday at 5:00.  

So I'm back to applying at every random place I can think of.  But don't expect to see me at Subway, I'm waaay to good for that.

My mom sent me a magazine in the mail today.  To most people this wouldn't have been a big deal.  But, with me being on a tight budget, I hadn't looked at a magazine since I got here.  I've had to rely on E! online for all my celeb news.  So getting a magazine in the mail was the icing on my cake.  

I HAVE A DEFORMED LEFT EAR

The last few days have been filled with splurging and going to the movies again, rain, Arizona Green Tea, and extreme withdrawals because I'm not able to watch So You Think You Can Dance.

Thankfully the rain has been making it less humid and causing me perspire less.  I also realized that my vice had become drinking Arizona Green Tea.  You know the kind I'm talking about, the 99 cent tall can with a geisha on the side.  I had the same sort of vice my freshman year of college too, except with a nightly red Gatorade and a bag of Funyans.  I've always liked that kind of Green Tea, but now that I'm on a budget I crave it.  Mainly because with my new CVS card I can buy 1 get one free.  So you better believed I stocked up on those bad boys and have 4 unopened cans sitting in a drawer underneath Jordan's bed, which she cleaned out for me to put clothes in.  But, I wanted it to feel more like home so instead of putting my clothes in the drawer I dumped them all in the floor.  I'm sure if Jordan (who I'm assuming is a neat freak judging by how the room looked before I moved in) would flip if she saw how "settled in" I have become.  

I've also realized something very strange about New York City.  Everything weird that happens, people reply by saying, "Only in New York,"  and use this as a cop out or way of justifying people being idiots.  Like when I went and saw the Happening, it was a packed matinee show and a lady starts screaming at the person next to her about 10 minutes in saying something like, "Shut the !@@$% up!  I'm trying to watch the movie!"  There was a lot more to it but that's the jist.  But the people sitting next to me just turned to each other and said, "Only in New York."  But last week I was walking down the sidewalk and I heard these two women (who I'm pretty sure were strangers) were yelling at each other on the sidewalk.  One women said, "Oh my gosh!  You are just ridiculous! You're crazy!"  To which to other lady said, "Welp, this is New York.  What do you expect?"

My job interviews last week went really well!  I had a really big exciting one at a PR firm called Weber Shandwick.  This would be the kind of job that I was hoping I would get when I moved to NYC.  It's a position for a Assistant Coordinator which translates to pee-on, but either way, I would love to be that company's pee-on.  The interview went well, it deals with travel and tourism which was perfect because that's all I dealt with in my internship in Abilene.  Plus, she was super impressed I brought old press releases I had written to show because that is a major part of the job.  They said they would let me know early this week if I get a second interview.  So I'm keeping my fingers crossed and praying hard!  But I basically rocked it, and no, I didn't make any of my strange noises or wear anything with polka dots.  

The other job that I interviewed for was a part time position at a music management company called Fretless Production.  The company is a 2 person company, the owner is only in the office 2-3 times a week and her only employee Tori, runs the office the rest of the time.  So they want me to help out and just do random stuff.  The company represents vocalists that are only interested in recording jingles, radio ads, and back up tracks.  It would sort of be a fun job (until I find a career) and I'd be able to judge, I mean listen, to all the people that she represents.  I meet with them tomorrow for a second interview, I also have a funny feeling I'm the only person they interviewed....

I've recently realized that my left ear doesn't hold in those iPod ear buds.  I've gone my whole life never realizing it.  The last portable music device I had was a red discman in the 9th grade which had real headphones.  But now my Dad gave me his old iShuffle (thanks Dad) so I've been trying to use it and my left ear is physically incapable of holding the ear bud.  What a predicament.  

I HATE HUMIDITY!

These last few days have been eventful yet uneventful at the same time.  It's hard to think of stories and events that have happened because I do everything by myself.  I'm not sure what is more sad about that...the fact that I don't have any friends yet or that I broadcast on the Internet that I'm a loner in a city of millions.  

Have I ever mentioned that I HATE humidity?  I have always hated it and been thoroughly annoyed by any place that is humid.  I knew New York was going hot, but of course when I get here the temperatures are record breaking and there have been light showers at night making it humid during the day.  Most people wouldn't care, but I have the tendency to get extremely sweaty.  Yesterday, I went to go meet with a lady who was going to give me some pointers about finding a job, so I get dressed up because this is one of my first big New York meetings.  I barely make it there and I start sweating hardcore style.  So, I do a sweat check before I go in and I think, "Okay, I'm not that bad."  Later when I went to bathroom I noticed I had a really classy back sweat stain all over my back.  Yessss.   So, it's been like that for the last few days, I walk any where and I end up looking like I ran a freakin' 5K. 

I spent a portion of the weekend not feeling well and the other just taking a break and relaxing and trying not to worry about finding a job and trying to enjoy being in New York.  I am finally understanding the subways system a lot better!   This week has been going really great for me, I had meeting with different people today and yesterday all providing great advice for me in looking for a job.  The meeting I went to today was with a Staffing Agency and I thought he was going to have an interview set up for me, but didn't.  I became really frustrated, and for the first time really doubted me being here and what exactly God's direction was.  Then, later in the afternoon I got a call for an interview at a really large public relations firm here in New York.  God is so good and definitely provided me reassurance.

I MOVED TO NYC FOR THE CELEBRITIES...

After spending a whole semester in Digital Portfolio creating a resume, my parents tell me that my resume isn't very good and that I should have someone on Monster.com re-write it.  So for about $100 you can send Monster your resume and they will change it and make it freakin' good.  There is no way I could have every written any of that.  Deceiving to my future employer?  Probably, but I'm desperate.  But I don't have a printer, so I went to Kinko's and accidently printed off 10 copies of the wrong resume and didn't realize until like an hour later.  Awesome.  But because my life as an unemployed post-grad is majorly chaotic, I went to Chinatown to goof around for a few hours until I was supposed to have dinner with one of my relatives.  So I wander around Chinatown for a while and decide that I really want to try Bubble Tea.  That crap is everywhere in Chinatown,  sooo many people were walking around drinking it.  So I realize that I have time to kill so I go into this coffeeshop and order a strawberry Bubble Tea.  I had no idea it was like little jello balls.  They sorta looked like chocolate chips, I knew they weren't, but I figured if they look like chocolate chips they should be good.  Bad logic.  

So after I chewed my tea, I decided it was time for more wandering around so I wander outside of Chinatown and find myself in a nice business district on the Lower East Side near the Brooklyn bridge.  So I looked around for a while and I decide that I wanted to go sit at this small park that was really shaded and had a fountain.  I sit down and a man comes up to me and says, "Are you in the cast?"  I look at him funny and say no.  He then tells me that I have to move to a different bench because they are about to start filming there.  So I'm like Ok.  So I move to a different bench.  Within minutes of me moving, I see Josh Duhamel in the exact spot that I was just in!  So for the next 30 minutes I sat and watched them shoot the same scene over and over of Josh Duhamel walking down the sidewalk talking on the phone and then he runs into a tree.  I figured out that the movie is called "When in Rome" with Kristen Bell, John Heder and Danny DeVito.  I was super pumped that my first New York celebrity citing was also while they were shooting a movie.  I kept waiting for other celebs to show up (hopefully Fergie) but no one ever did.  

I later met up with my relative at the Peking Duck Restaurant in Chinatown and it was really nice and the food was great.  It was me and a lot of adults talking about business, which I had no idea what they were talking about.  But I didn't really get any job leads from the dinner which was my whole intention of going but oh well.   I got to take home everyones leftovers! Whoop!  I'm excited about spending my first weekend here. I don't know what I'll do, but hopefully it involves more celebrities! 

I MOVED TO NYC FOR THE CELEBRITIES...

After spending a whole semester in Digital Portfolio creating a resume, my parents tell me that my resume isn't very good and that I should have someone on Monster.com re-write it.  So for about $100 you can send Monster your resume and they will change it and make it freakin' good.  There is no way I could have every written any of that.  Deceiving to my future employer?  Probably, but I'm desperate.  But I don't have a printer, so I went to Kinko's and accidently printed off 10 copies of the wrong resume and didn't realize until like an hour later.  Awesome.  But because my life as an unemployed post-grad is majorly chaotic, I went to Chinatown to goof around for a few hours until I was supposed to have dinner with one of my relatives.  So I wander around Chinatown for a while and decide that I really want to try Bubble Tea.  That crap is everywhere in Chinatown,  sooo many people were walking around drinking it.  So I realize that I have time to kill so I go into this coffeeshop and order a strawberry Bubble Tea.  I had no idea it was like little jello balls.  They sorta looked like chocolate chips, I knew they weren't, but I figured if they look like chocolate chips they should be good.  Bad logic.  

So after I chewed my tea, I decided it was time for more wandering around so I wander outside of Chinatown and find myself in a nice business district on the Lower East Side near the Brooklyn bridge.  So I looked around for a while and I decide that I wanted to go sit at this small park that was really shaded and had a fountain.  I sit down and a man comes up to me and says, "Are you in the cast?"  I look at him funny and say no.  He then tells me that I have to move to a different bench because they are about to start filming there.  So I'm like Ok.  So I move to a different bench.  Within minutes of me moving, I see Josh Duhamel in the exact spot that I was just in!  So for the next 30 minutes I sat and watched them shoot the same scene over and over of Josh Duhamel walking down the sidewalk talking on the phone and then he runs into a tree.  I figured out that the movie is called "When in Rome" with Kristen Bell, John Heder and Danny DeVito.  I was super pumped that my first New York celebrity citing was also while they were shooting a movie.  I kept waiting for other celebs to show up (hopefully Fergie) but no one ever did.  

I later met up with my relative at the Peking Duck Restaurant in Chinatown and it was really nice and the food was great.  It was me and a lot of adults talking about business, which I had no idea what they were talking about.  But I didn't really get any job leads from the dinner which was my whole intention of going but oh well.   I got to take home everyones leftovers! Whoop!  I'm excited about spending my first weekend here. I don't know what I'll do, but hopefully it involves more celebrities! 

Today, I had an interview at Starbucks.  I had always wondered why people with degrees worked at places like that, now I know.  It's hard to find a job and you need money.  But I had a really good feeling about the interview.  I saw one of the craziest things I have ever seen in my whole life today.  I was walking down the street in Harlem and all of a sudden people start screaming, so I look around and I notice water hitting the ground in random spots along the sidewalk.  I was really confused because it wasn't raining.  I then see 2 men look up and say, "Oh my gosh, that guy is pissing out his window!"  It was sooo nuts!  I also stepped in vomit coming out of the subway today, I was trying to dodge the woman sitting eating chips, but while I was starring at her and her Air Jordan t-shirt, I stepped in her vomit.  Awesome.  Well, I'm assuming it was hers anyway.  Yesterday, I ran out of places to visit and drop my resume off at so I decided to go see a movie.  This was a huge deal for me because I wasn't sure I could ever go by myself and I did!  It was nice to be able to sit in a nice movie theatre and just relax.   I saw "The Strangers" and it cost me $12.  Needless to say that's the last time I'm going to the movies while I'm unemployed.   

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS

Today was the first day that God has really given me assurance that this is where I need to be at this point in my life.  Today was also the first day I had ever been to Dunkin' Dounuts, and I was throughly disappointed.  

I walked around today hoping to find amazing places that would see that raw working skills (such as stealing from workrooms, checking my facebook, and talking non-stop about celebrities) and and hire me instantly.  When this didn't happen I was greatly discouraged.  I then realized that I was put in this exact place in my life for a reason and God has control over when things are going to happen.  

Not having a single clue about where I want to go to church I visited a Tuesday night service at Times Square Church.  I pray no one can Google "Times Square Church" and this pops up.  Oh well.  But I went early for their prayer service and I thought, "This is going to be so good, this is exactly what I need."  As soon as I walked in someone started waving to me like they knew me.  I thought, "I know they are not waving at me, I don't know a soul in this city."  Turns out it was an elderly man that was a little slow.  He proceeded to talk to me for the majority of the prayer service.  I zoned out for most of it, but my favorite part was how no one should listen to Mariah Carey or Annie Lennox (whom he thought was a boy) because they're lyrics are deceiving and sometimes sound spiritual.  My second favorite part was when he fell asleep and started snoring, but woke up to scratch himself occasionally.  Yessss, NY is awesome.  

So here's my day in a nutshell-H&M didn't hire me, I didn't see Rachael Ray at Dunkin' Donuts,  You shouldn't listen to Annie Lennox his lyrics are bad, and I really want to work at the NYC Visitors Center.  

THINGS REALLY ARE GREAT WHEN YOU'RE DOWNTOWN

Today, when I got up I had every intention of finding a job.  I was going to get my resume printed on nice paper and take it to some cool places.  This simple task was made difficult because my computer doesn't have a word processor.  After an hour of using someone else's computer and getting really frustrated.  I settled with the idea of finding a job that would possibly hire me right away.  So, since I scoped out the area surrounding my apt last night I was able to have a good idea on some jobs.  Starbucks, H&M, Old Navy, and T-Mobile were just of a few places that I visited and had a good response from...but no job yet.  But I know that God works in His own timing.  But, I was able to talk to a relative of mine who is coming to Manhattan for a board meeting invited me to out to eat at a place in Chinatown to meet some New York business people.  Free food and business talk ? Heck yes.    

Later in the day, I decided that I needed to go and get the proper software that way I could easily work on my resume whenever.  So I decided the best place to go would be the Apple store on 5th Avenue.  It was crazy nice.  But it was also good to get out of Harlem, window shop at the designer store at all sorts of crap I can't afford, and be in a part of the city where the subways don't smell as weird.  I really felt important today because 3 people asked me for directions!  I only helped two people though, and one was some girl that couldn't really speak English and she was looking for the Apple store....and it was definitely right across the street.  Either way full day number two was way easier I'm starting to understand the subways better now.  Huge, I know, but I can't really read a map so this is earth shattering for me.  I don't have any crazy embarrassing story or funny one-liner from today. Except I totally wish that some of you could see some of the crazies that roam the streets down here, all over not just in Harlem!  Yeah, I'll admit...I thought about buying the pirated "Made of Honor" from the blind man outside of Dunkin' Donuts.  But I didn't.  But only because I was really scared.  

COFFEE CREAMER COMMUNION

My first full day in the city was interesting to say the least.  I got up early to visit a church and because I'm new at the subway system I gave myself a whole hour to get there.  I left the apt at 9:30 hoping to make it by 10:30....nope, definitely 12:30.  Fortunately, they had a 1:15 service (and I thought only Beltway had a super late service?!)  So I walk in and there is only about 40-50 people there.  The church sorta made me think of Crosspoint in Abilene, it was a lot of young people.  But as soon as I walked in someone offered me communion....that was in a coffee creamer cup...you know the kind that they have at restaurants where you peel back the foil lid?  There was also a very chewy wafer attached to the top.  I'm convinced it was partially made of paper but whatev.  The people were all very friendly, I met so many passionate Christians and the worship was great.  Until....the preacher got up and started speaking tongues like literally ever 10 minutes.  Now, I have always said that I believe in speaking in tongues, but I had also never been around it.  I really thought I was going to start laughing!  It was so unusual, so I had a really hard time with that just because I had never dealt with anything like that in a service before.  THEN, the pastor says, "Someone in here has knees that are hurting."  A guy raises his hand and I turn around and he grabs his knee and his leg starts shaking and he said, "I don't know what it's doing."  The pastor comes over and the guys says he just had knee surgery 2 months ago and then the guy pulled his leg behind him and said he couldn't have done that earlier in the day.  I firmly believe in healing and God can do anything, it was just so much for me to handle for one service.  

The pastor had also talked a lot about being prideful (which is a huge problem for me) and how we have to rely and seek God in all we do.  So it was perfect for the situation I was in!  But the more I thought about it later the more I realized that I TRULY need God to have control of my life because everything is so unclear.  So I got a little discouraged but God is good and has given me assurance that His will will be done if I just seek Him first.  

After it took me like 2 hours to get home after the service I was totally wiped (the subways run different on weekends, which really helps my cause) so I went home and took a nap and figured out a plan of action for looking for a job tomorrow.

Later I went out and decided that I wanted to see what is all around the Harlem area, plus I hadn't eaten all day.  So I'm walking and low and behold there was an H&M literally like 2 blocks from the apt I'm in!  My day went from okay to uh-mazing.  Then I went to a Starbucks (also close to my apt) and asked for an application (because I'm in total need of cash flow.)  They said they were out but I should come by and get one tomorrow at 11 and meet the manager because most of the people who apply aren't qualified to work there.  Score. I knew my degree would come in handy.  So keep praying for me!  

MY FIRST DAY

Okay, I am totally not used to writing in a blog like this so don't judge on how any of this may sound....

My first day in NYC has been sooo crazy and intense.  It started out by my flight leaving out of Dallas at 7:20 in the morning and then having a layover in DC, aka-the layover from hell.  We boarded the plane and then sat on the plane for two hours while there was a tornado watch in DC.  While on board I made friends with the old man sitting next to me, he said he was a DC native that was on his way to Midtown to meet his daughter, who he said only carries two things in her freezer, lipstick and wine.  I didn't really get the joke, but he told me that once we left the terminal he knew what bus we should take.  So I walked out with him and we went to get on the bus and they bus took Metrocards and $2 in change, which i had neither of.  Awesome.  So I go inside and find a change machine but it was broken and one of the workers told me that I could go to the next terminal and use that one.  So then I waited 30 minutes for the shuttle to come pick me up.  

After I got my change I got on the bus I needed to take me to the apartment.  Please remember that I have 3 suitcases and a bag, and getting it all on the bus was super complicated so I parked it in the front of the bus where there was more room and I could fit all my stuff.  When a flight attendant who was off duty got on the bus she had to squeeze by my luggage and muttered something along the lines of, "Well, you're being considerate of others."  I just tacked it up as my first encounter with rude New Yorkers.  As it turns out I was sitting in the handicapped only section, so I did sort of look like a jerk, but whatever, it was easier for me!  So I get off where I think I'm supposed to go, which wasn't even close to the apartment I'm staying is.  So, needless to say, I wandered around Harlem with my heavy luggage for literally 45 minutes.  I was so pissed off, upset, and sweaty (it's freaking humid) that I wanted to sit down and wait for someone to help, but then I remembered that I don't know anyone.  So I flagged down a taxi and told him where I needed to go and he starts asking where I'm from.  I ask if its because I have an accent and he said, "No, it's because you're so nice to me, real New Yorkers are mean and don't talk to me."  So I asked about his life story and then he got distracted and started taking me to 23rd Street and not 123rd Street.  So he pulls around and takes me where I need to go, and $50 later...I was finally at the apartment!

Being at the apartment wasn't at all what I had expected!  It's so big!  The whole apartment is larger than any apartment I've seen in Abilene!  But Jordan, the girl who is going to Belize, who's spot I'm living in has 3 roommates who are teachers in Harlem.  2 boys and 1 girl, they all wanted to go out to eat at a Korean restaurant in a korean part of Midtown.  Knowing no one and having a dire need for friends, I tagged along.  I had no idea most of the things I ate.  Except I had squid.  I could see it's tenicles.  Gross.  But it was fun, until the ticket came and it was $177!  But they said, "Welcome to the city! You only have to pay $20!"  So that was a relieve!  I say all of this to write the most disgusting and embarrassing part of my day!  I walked home later (which I figured out by myself! woohoo!) and came home and took a shower and used the bathroom.  Needless to say, the korean food did not sit well and it wasn't pretty.  SO, of course the toilet started over flowing! In the main bathroom that everyone uses! With my korean food crap in it!  This is all probably total TMI, but I don't care.  So I flip and start plunging and can only think of what everyone else is going to think (or smell) if this gets in the floor.  I'm also thinking about how this exact thing happened in Along Came Polly!!  So it didn't get unclogged and I had to go and tell Jordan that I clogged the community toilet.  I've really made my mark here so far in NYC.  

But today has really been such a rollercoaster of emotions, I cried, I got excited and I cried some more.  But I know that God is really going to bless me and hopefully use me in some cool ways.  So PLEASE pray for me I really need it right now, I'm in a place that is a total 180 from good ol' Abilene.