|
| Wednesday, August 15, 2007 |
| Emotional Reset |
Someone (TomO I think it was you) said at Eddypolusa this year that the annual event is sort of an emotional reset for him. As soon as the words left his mouth I thought: Yes! YES! That's exactly it.
In years past that reset, that sense of calm has always stayed with me for months. Not so for 2007. Faced with a boss whom I've described at length before, I came back and was working weekends, was working on my days off, was driving myself insane. The anxiety I felt between the hours of 9 and 5 was following me home, constantly nipping at my heels.
I was headed for a breakdown and I knew it.
And then the weekend arrived. A weekend that promised the company of some of my guy friends, some baseball, and some beer. Saturday found us in the second row of dead center field at Camden Yards watching Beckett pitch a masterful game - the only one the Sox won in the series. Saturday night there was some Mexican food, many MANY beers, and a lot of entertaining conversation.
After a hangover-curing greasy brunch, there was a surprise sailing trip. 4 guy friends, a cooler full of beer, and my first trip on a sail boat (yes I am the worst Rhode Islander ever). As we floated past the monuments, swam in the placid waters of the Potomac, and talked about absolutely nothing for hours on end, I felt further away from work than I had since my days on the St. Croix.
But a 2am arrival time back in NYC and a morning that came far too fast brought Monday crashing down on my head. And then I did the smartest thing I've done in a long time.
I called out sick.
A lazy day of no work, sleep, some tv watching, and more sleep found me sitting in the office yesterday morning with a slight smile on my face as my boss called me insubordinate. For planning a happy hour. After hours. For a coworker who was leaving.
I'd officially figured out how to emotionally reset myself. And damn did it feel good.
 Labels: baseball, drinking, friends, photos, Red Sox, travel, work |
posted by FINY @ Wednesday, August 15, 2007   |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
| Young and Impulsive |
A wise person once told me, that looking back in 20 years, it's the experiences you'll remember, not your bank account balance.
I've done a lot of cool stuff in my 26 years. I've been to more Sox games than I can remember. Went to the Dominican Republic. Travelled to CA Chicago, every state on the Eastern seaboard. Sure, you can't exactly call me worldly, but I've done enough to keep myself happy.
All these trips though, all the money spent, they were always well thought out. How much I could afford and when. Sure my mother disagrees with the way I've spent my money, thinking I should put some of it into CDs, etc. And she's definitely right, I probably should have.
But sitting here, feeling like I am rotting away in my apartment, I've come to a conclusion. Being smart doesn't always mean being happy. With that in mind, February has turned into a rather interesting month. A fantastic month. One for the books. And it hasn't even started yet.
This weekend, I'll be travelling to Boston. An inexpensive and comforting trip to visit my friend DTR. The weekend of the 16th, back up to Boston I go for the "Winter Summit", a gathering of a core group of us who travel to Minnesota every year for Eddypolusa. 12 of us will converge of the city of Boston from all over the country. So if you live in Boston watch out, it might not still be standing when we're done with it.
But then, the big one. The one I just booked today. The last weekend in February, I'll be flying to Los Angeles to visit my friends who moved out there 5+ years ago and whom I have never been out to see. These are some of my best friends in the world, and four days in sunny Los Angeles with people I hold dear sounds like, well, a little like heaven right now.
I debated this in my head for a long time. Actually, I debated this with the voice of my mother that is always in my head for a long time. I've got money in the bank that can more than cover these expenses. I'll eventually have a job with which to replenish the funds, etc. etc. But in the end, you know what won out? I NEED this. Really need this. I need to get the hell out of the city that has been kicking my ass for a number of months now. Away from the amazing feeling of failure that's been hanging around my neck these past three weeks. I need to escape the depression that's kept me from feeling genuinely happy for the last few weeks. I need this for my own mental health.
Sure, it might be impulsive, maybe even stupid. But I'm 26 years old. Is there any other time in the world when I can live like this? When my mother was my age, she had had me. Eventually I want to have a family. Get married, have kids, become an upstanding member of the community. But right now, right this very minute, I've got literally nothing holding me down.
So Boston, LA, watch out, Finy's coming! Consider yourselves warned.Labels: Boston, friends |
| posted by FINY @ Tuesday, January 30, 2007 |
|
|
|
| Thursday, August 17, 2006 |
| What Do You Need to Accomplish to Consider Yourself a Success? |
Whenever a group of friends gathers every year, wether it be on a river, at a concert, or even just at a bar, certain traditions are bound to begin. For my high school friends, the tradition IS the trip. Every year we gather at a Dave Matthews Band concert in Boston. For the college friends that I just took a trip with, the traditions are many. Friday night is supposed to be the calmest of the parties (though it's never anything close to calm). The first person to pass out must get written on. Chipotle must be had for lunch on Sunday afternoon. These are just a few. Some of the others aren't so "Mom" friendly.
But by far my favorite tradition of Eddypolusa is Sunday night. for while there is a campfire every night we're on the St. Croix, Sunday night is the night that we all sit around together, lazily sipping our drinks, and ask eachother questions. Each person asks one, and everyone in the circle has to answer. The questions range from raunchy to thought provoking to all out odd, but laughs and tears almost always involved.
This year, a question was posed that stuck with me. "What would you need to accomplish to consider yourself a success?" My placement in the circle put me as the last person to have to answer the question, and almost immediately I began thinking of answers. I want to publish a book someday. I want to raise a family someday. The list goes on. But as I listened to all of my friends answers, all of them legitimate, I realized something. I'm already there.
It sounds cheesy and stupid, and I read somewhere that "happy blogging doesn't work" but I just don't care. See, I'm twenty-six years old. I've lived a life that a lot of people out there couldn't have dreamed of, even if I deem it relatively ordinary. I have the most amazing family in the world, friends that would stand by me through anything, I've loved, and I've lost, and I've loved some more. I don't need people to remember my name generations from now, I just need those that I love to know I love them (and let's be honest, I'm not exactly shy about telling people) and to know, in my heart, that I've lived as much as I could.
So now I pose the question to you, dear readers (if anyone is even still reading since I have been slacking lately with the posts - bare with me everyone, it's been a busy couple weeks): What do you need to accomplish to consider yourself a success?Labels: drinking, friends, self-improvement |
| posted by FINY @ Thursday, August 17, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Saturday, July 29, 2006 |
| On Why It's Good to Have Girlfriends |
Up until I graduated from college the majority of my friends were male. While in school it was Finy and the guys, a group of four guy friends I met orientation week and promptly hung out with every day for four years. It was easier, we had a ton in common, there were no weird backstabbing issues, we didn't fight over who-liked-whom, and I could always count on them for a beer and a night of cards or sports. Sure there were a few weird are-we-really-just-friends When Harry Met Sally type moments, but overall, these guys were like family to me.
But as I get older, I've begun to realize more and more how important it is to have really close girlfriends. And yesterday was a prime example. I was facing many women's biggest fear: the dressing room mirror. Faced with the reality that I had worn most of my bras threadbare, and that in two weeks time I would be in MN, on a beach, not owning a bathing suit, I was about to endeavor on a shopping trip fit for a House of Horrors. Bathing suit and bra shopping share something in common - they require a LOT of near nakedness in front of an always-unflattering mirror while being lit by some asshole dressing room designer intent on squashing any self-confidence you may have had before entering. I needed reinforcements.
Luckily DTR was faced with the same issues I was, and agreed to take the trip with me. As we wandered around Lord & Taylor and Macy's, lamenting the fact that the cutest bras are only available in teeny girl sizes and laughing at the issues a water bra could present (think Will and Grace) I found myself laughing more than I ever would have on my own. DTR is quite possibly one of the funniest people I know, and having her there, taking my mind off the fact that the bathing suits I was picking up are a good two sizes larger than where I would ideally like to be (and where I was last summer) was ridiculously helpful. I mean, none of my guy friends would have been able to help when I walked out of the dressing room wearing a "size reducing bathing suit" looked like a stuffed pig. They wouldn't have been able to laugh with me as I struggled to get the damn thing on, or realized the hilarity in the fact that yes, my torso looked great but only because the suit had pushed all my fat to above and below said suit. And if I had been there alone I just would have cried instead of laughed so hard I almost let out a little pee.
And what guy would have been able to try on wonderbras with me even though both of us are way too well endowed to be able to wear them? Or exclaimed over the dressing room wall "I look like the bow of a ship in this thing!"
Exactly none. Not even the gayest gay man could have done what we did yesterday. Sometimes, only girlfriends can get the job done.Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Saturday, July 29, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Thursday, July 27, 2006 |
| Zoom! |
My name is Zoom and I live on the moon, and I came downt to earth just to sing you this tune. Hey Finy, it's your birthday, TODAY!
Every year for as long as I can remember, those lyrics have woken me up on the morning of my birthday, and this morning was no different. At 7:30 this morning the voice of a small martian sung to me via my mother's cell phone.
That's right everyone, it's Finy's birthday. Between the birthday party last weekend, MM buying me a birthday lunch this afternoon, The Twin planning some sort of surprise for the evening (I was only give clothing tips: comfortable. And I know it's outside.), and DTR taking me out to lunch next week, this is turning into a seriously drawn out birthday - but I'm not complaining!
But I would just like to take a second to thank my Mom today. It's been ridiculously hot the last couple days and I can't imagine that being 9-months pregnant in July of 1980 was all that comfortable. I LOVE YOU MOM.Labels: family, friends, misc. |
| posted by FINY @ Thursday, July 27, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Friday, July 21, 2006 |
| Let the Partying Commence! |
Drink, and dance and laugh and lie,
Love the reeling midnight through,
For tomorrow we shall die!
(But, alas, we never do.)
~Dorothy Parker
No, but we usually feel like we'd like to, and I am certain that come Sunday, I'll wish nothing less than death to cure the hangover I'll be feeling. Because starting this evening, the drinks will be flowing, and it's not going to stop until the wee hours of Sunday morning.
I don't know what it was about this year's birthday that I wasn't really getting excited about. As a matter of fact, I kept flat out forgetting it was approaching. I had decided early on that I'd just get a few friends together the night of, have a few drinks, and have that be that.
The Welshman convinced me otherwise. Our birthdays being only ten days apart, we decided to hold a joint party at our favorite bar, Professor Thom's, and suddenly what started as a small gathering of friends has ballooned into a guest list that is pushing 90. And just as suddenly, I find myself ridiculously excited about it. Not so much for the birthday celebration aspect of it, but the idea that all of my friends, everyone I care about in NYC, are going to be in one place at one time. That's just fun! I am a little worried about how my liver is going to hold up, considering the bartenders/owners of Prof. T's already have a penchant for plying The Welshman and I with beers and shots on normal nights ... God only knows what tonight is going to be like, but I am sure it won't disappoint.
And then, before the hangover can really set in on Saturday, the party continues at DTR's on Saturday with a birthday BBQ for her roommate. There are going to be friends from college there that I haven't seen in four plus years. Drinks will be had. Reminiscing will be done.
Why do I have the feeling that come my ACTUAL birthday on Thursday, I am still going to be feeling the after-effects of this weekend?Labels: dating, drinking, friends |
| posted by FINY @ Friday, July 21, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Friday, July 14, 2006 |
| Thoughts and Prayers |
 I'm not a very religious person. Never really have been. I believe in God and Jesus and would best describe myself as a Christian, but I have too many fundamental disagreements with the Catholic Church to remain a church-goer.
I found out today that my friend Judd Hardy has been diagnosed with Leukemia (ALL). At the risk of pissing off a potentially vengeful God by praying for the first time in years, I am simply sending every positive thought I can out to Salt Lake, in the hopes that Judd knows how much we love him, how many lives he's touched, and how we're all here now to support him through what is most likely going to be a tough battle. But if any of you out there ARE on God's good side, please say a prayer for Judd. Oh, and if anyone knows Bono, ask him too (see the last comment on this post).
Edit: If you'd like to know more about Leukemia, I've added The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to my "Organizations I Care About" list at left. I've also made a donation Dave Copeland, who is running the Dublin Marathon in October as a member of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. If you'd like to support Dave, his donation page is here.Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Friday, July 14, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, July 11, 2006 |
| One Sweet Show, Pt. II |
After leaving the Pour House, The Welshman and I headed over to Boston Billiards to meet my high school friends before going into the show. THIS is where the wheels fell off. A very quick beer and two shots later, we were headed into Fenway. I am still convinced that it was those two shots, which were my second and third within an hour and a half, were my downfall. And I think the picture of the Welshman speaks for itself:
But once inside Fenway, I was absolutely giddy. Though many of the male members of our group were not exactly excited to see Sheryl Crow perform, I really enjoy her music and she played a solid set (though I think we missed a few songs waiting in line to get onto Yawkey Way).
The break between Crow and DMB gave me a chance to look around the park, kind of take it all in. One of my favorite parts of the entire day was the Green Monster, which spelled out Dave Matthews Band (you can click on these pictures to make them bigger by the way):
The break also gave the Welshman enough time to start planning to jump over the barrier onto the infield just so he could roll around on it. The idea being that the one scrawny security guy on our side of the field probably wouldn't do much damage to him.
And then, it was time, Dave came out, and I lost all track of well, everything. They played a great set list, most notably, a fantastic cover of Sweet Caroline, which was just so venue appropriate I couldn't stand it. During that song, as I am prone to do, I called The Twin, said absolutely nothing, but held the phone up for him to listen to the song. After about 30 seconds he hung up. Which made total sense as I had called him before we got to Boston Billiards, warning of how that would most likely happen, and telling him to feel free to just hang up.
But I told him that when I was relatively sober. I have now been drinking for somewhere around 5 hours. So all throughout the show I am texting him. Telling him I'm so sorry I was calling and texting too much and that I promised I'd stop. But of course I didn't. Instead I KEPT texting about how sorry I was. And in my totally wasted state, I was upset. No good reason, just upset. Hell he even texted me back and told me it was fine. At the time, I totally didn't believe it.
That small issue aside, the show really was amazing. They opened with One Sweet World, one of my favorites, and closed with Two Step as an encore. And in all honesty, they could have played all their hits, and only their hits, and even though I HATE it when they do that, I still would have been happy as a pig in shit. I was at Dave Matthews at Fenway Park, it just doesn't get much better than that.
 Labels: Boston, drinking, friends, music, photos |
| posted by FINY @ Tuesday, July 11, 2006 |
|
|
|
|
| One Sweet Show |
Well, I survived ... barely. It was quite the weekend in Boston, here's the illustrated story:
The Welshman and I arrived in Boston around noon, dropped our stuff off with a friend of his we were staying with, and headed out on the town. Our first stop? 21st Amendment on Beacon Hill.
And it was there that our first two beers were had while watching the beginning of the Sox game in Chicago. Perhaps it was a bad idea for me to start drinking at 1:30, knowing that I was going to continue on through the night. But at the time, that didn't really occur to me.
Soon after the bar we headed to Boston's famous North End. While I was in college I was OBSESSED with Bovas Bakery, which, no matter how hard you argue, I will always think makes better pastry than Mike's.
And let's just say I was really effing excited to be at my old college haunt:
So after that brief respite from the alcohol consumption, clearly we needed to get back to the bar.
So off we went to The Pour House, another college tradition of mine, where shots of SoCo and Lime and a few rather large beers were had. At this point, it's around 4:30, there's still a lot of night ahead of us ...
More to come later since Blogger is having a problem with photos at the moment ...Labels: Boston, drinking, friends, music, photos |
| posted by FINY @ Tuesday, July 11, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Friday, July 07, 2006 |
| Just for Jason* |
Well, in a few hours I will be heading, once again, to a destination weekend. This week's stop? Boston, MA for the Saturday Sheryl Crow and Dave Matthews Band show at Fenway Park. That's right, one of my favorite bands (DMB) is playing at one of my favorite places on the planet. It's possible that my head is going to explode from being so freaking happy.
Seeing the DMB concert in Boston, whether it be at Great Woods (I refuse to call it the Tweeter Center), Foxboro, or now Fenway Park, is a bit of a tradition with my set of RI friends. We haven't missed a summer tour up there since somewhere in the mid-nineties. It's become more about getting everyone together than it has about the show itself, though in all those years we've seen some amazing ones. And inevitably, stories abound, so be on the look out for wasted Finy stories come Monday. It should be a great weekend!
*The title of this post refers to a friend of mine who recently accused me of becoming lame since getting back together with The Twin. The lack of drunken debauchery has him seriously worried. Don't worry, Jason, I'll do my best this weekend to provide you with many an embarrassing moment!Labels: Boston, friends, music |
| posted by FINY @ Friday, July 07, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Thursday, June 15, 2006 |
| You Can't Teach Your Life's Lessons to Other People |
The email came in early yesterday morning from DTR.
"Museum Girl just got fired."
I immediately jumped up from my desk, hustled down the hallway, and found DTR on the phone with her. Memories from that day three months ago came flooding back all too quickly, though with not nearly the same sting they used to carry with them. Instead I was remembering the feelings without actually feeling them. I thought this would make me excellent counsel for Museum Girl and that night joined her and DTR at DTR's apartment in Hoboken for some dinner and some good old fashioned cheering up.
But as we sat there, MG in the same shocked state I had been in – feeling like a failure, wondering what she was going to do, still replaying the conversation in her head – I realized that I actually could be of no more help than anyone else. When I was fired everyone told me I was going to be fine, actually better. For five weeks I dismissed them all. Thought, they don't know what I'm going through. How the hell do they know anyway, this is my life, how am I going to make rent?! It wasn't until after I got the new job and got out of the terrible situation I was in that I realized they were all right. And that's going to be when Museum Girl realizes we were right too. One day down the line she's going to wake up and think, oh my God, it was completely true!
Until then I guess all we can do is get her a good stiff drink, some chocolate, some ice cream, and some tissues.Labels: friends, work |
| posted by FINY @ Thursday, June 15, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Monday, June 12, 2006 |
| Cars, Artists, and Street Fairs |
For my first weekend back in NYC after traveling for what feels like forever, I took advantage of what the city had to offer over the last three days. Friday started off with a trip to the movies to see the new Pixar movie Cars. Yeah that's right, my friend Barnard Boy and I went to see a kids movie on opening night. But you know what? It was so worth it. The movie wasn't just completely adorable, in that way that all kids movies should be, but there were also a lot of jokes that were specifically for adults (as is the norm with most of Pixar’s offerings). For example, there's a line in there that's straight out of wedding crashers. It was a fantastic way to start the weekend.
That night, a group of us went out with Barnard Boy and his mom, who came into the city for the weekend. This is something I would really love to do with my Mom at some point. While the dinner party I threw at my apartment the last time she and my dad came down was great, I'd really love to just gather all my friends at one of my favorite bars and have my mom booze it up with us. Because knowing her she'd love it, AND she'd probably be able to match us beer for beer.
Saturday afternoon was spent at PS1. DTR (the college friend that hooked me up with the new job) and I found out about this event they were holding through our friend Museum Girl who was in charge of publicity. The event was called Iron Artist and it was, for all intents and purposes, the Iron Chef with an art twist. Two artists were given the same materials, a theme (Love and it's discontent), and 45 minutes to create whatever they wanted. It could be a sculpture, a painting, a performance piece, didn't matter. There were two hosts, two roving commentators, two essayists writing on site about each piece (the essays were immediately turned into part of the "catalogue" for the event), and four judges. I can't tell you how much fun this was. Each artist had a number of assistants, and the showmanship was intense. Check out the pictures below:
Ok, never mind that I guess, blogger's having a really tough time today with photos
Both artists chose to use large blocks of Styrofoam to create sculptures, which in the end, ended up on EVERYONE in the crowd:
Again with the missing photos
In the end, one of the artists created a makeshift solar system, and she and her assistants performed a short skit. While the other carved a snowman out of Styrofoam and hung him upside down.
The running commentary throughout the 45 minute "duel" combined with the dancing ninja what was a part of one team and the overall spectacle that was taking place in front of us made for a REALLY enjoyable time. I hope they do this again because it was just a fantastic idea.
There was a second "duel" that afternoon; however, having never really explored the museum itself, DTR and I decided to wander through the exhibits. I never realized that the roof of the building was open to the public, here are some pictures from that:
These are the ones I am really sad I can't show you, I took a picture up there that I absolutely adore. Well, I guess as soon as blogger gets it's act together I'll try posting them again
Once we were done at PS1, DTR and I headed back into the city for some shopping before going our separate ways: she to dinner with Barnard Boy and his mom, me to dinner and drinks with the Brooklyn crew. Meegan, KO, JK, and I went to a little Italian place on 5th Ave in Park Slope that none of us had ever tried before. I wish I had sooner. The pizza that JK and I split was absolutely amazing. Deep dish, three types of meats, caramelized onions, peppers, it was a thing of beauty. And JK was especially excited since his wife KO is a vegetarian and normally he wouldn't be able to order a carnivore's pizza.
Dinner was followed by drinks and a lot of conversation at O’Connor’s. Having just gotten back from FL I hadn't seen KO and JK in a while and I ended up getting a lot of questions about what's going on with The Twin, most of which I couldn't really answer. It's funny, though DTR and the rest of her Emerson group of friends and I had lost touch after school, now that I am working with her I am spending an inordinate amount of time with them. Which is fantastic, I love all of them (ok, that's a lie, most of them) but I almost forgot how much I missed the Brooklyn crew. I need to start doing a better job of balancing night's out.
Sunday was a relatively lazy day. DTR, her roommate, Barnard Boy, and I all hit a street fair on 3rd Ave in the afternoon. In an effort to funk up my jewelry a little I purchased 3 new necklaces, which combined only cost me $16. Street meat was had, as were corn dogs and funnel cakes. I'm not going to lie; I really love street fair food. But my God by the end I felt like I was going to burst. There's no question the food baby was in full effect.
After wandering the street fair, we all retired to Prof. Thom's to watch the second of the two Sox games of the day. Of course we ended up seeing the blow out instead of the rather exciting first game of the double header, but hey at the end of the day it was a great weekend and the Sox are still in first place. Can't ask for much more than that.Labels: friends, misc., movies, NYC |
| posted by FINY @ Monday, June 12, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Friday, June 09, 2006 |
| Booked!! |
As if I haven't been traveling enough this spring, I have officially booked my long weekend getaway to Minnesota for this coming August. I know, sounds like an odd place to spend a weekend, but let me tell you, I couldn't be happier about it.
 Each summer, The Red Head's friends from high school and college gather at his family's cabin on the St. Croix River and spend a long weekend drinking on the beach, drinking by the camp fire, and well, just drinking. It's an opportunity for everyone to get together, catch up, escape from the every day, and create stories that (in some cases unfortunately) live on for quite some time.
I missed last year's event (and it is an event, it's got a name, a website, even video trailers!) due to scheduling, but this year, it's official, I'm in. And I'm so excited, I just had to share. What a great way to start a Friday.Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Friday, June 09, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, May 16, 2006 |
| Rule #76: No excuses. Play like a champion! * |
If by, "play like a champion" you mean drink like a fish, then yes, I would say that aptly describes the four days I spent down in Florida.
Hangover aside, the wedding was absolutely fantastic. I can't wait to get the pictures back from the professional photographer since they include a pictures of:
1. The bridal party running down the road past a line of traffic (most of whom were wedding guests) in an attempt to get to the beach before sunset for pictures. 2. Multiple photos of me peeling off my nylons when we reached said beach. 3. A picture of all of the bridesmaids tearing off Haynes T-shirts Hulk Hogan style since we all forgot to bring button down shirts so as not to mess up our hair or makeup after it was professionaly done. This of course on top of around 1000 other pictures. Should be good stuff.
I feel like I've been gone for a lot longer than I actually have. In the four days I was down there I attended a seemingly endless stream of events, sang more irish drinking songs than I care to remember, and had more to eat and drink than my body could be reasonably expected to hold. You'll all be excited to know that this was a wedding for two die-hard sox fans. I got to watch the Thursday night Sox v. Yanks game at the bar after they requested it be played, the bride's mother gave her a Build-a-Bear Bride Bear with a Sox jersey on it instead of the top of the dress, the bride's garter had a Sox logo on it, and at the reception the Dropkick Murphy's versions of Tessie and Dirty Water were blasted over the speakers. And happily, the only tears I shed were out of sheer joy for the bride and groom.
I was a bit scared that all these weddings coming up were going to push me even deeper into the bitterness that the Twin began a month ago. Happily, it had the exact opposite effect. I don't like being bitter, and to be honest, I do it very poorly. When it comes down to it, I am a positive, hopeless romantic at heart. One of my college friends calls it my "fluffy bunny". It was in full effect this weekend.
As I stood up at the altar, watching the bride and groom literally glow with happiness, I realized that no matter how much the breakup hurt me, no matter how much I pretended that I feel like I have given up on love, I could never really reach that point. It's stupid and sappy, but I still believe in it. I still believe that some day I am going to find it, and somehow that makes this easier to deal with. I mean, I deserve someone who loves me as much as I love them. Who one day I can look at like that. The Twin obviously wasn't that guy. And that's ok. I am not even remotely trying to say that I am looking to get married tomorrow, but it's nice to still believe that I will someday. Of course talk to me in ten years and if I'm still single, I may have changed my tune, but for now, I'm just going to roll with it.
* - From The Wedding Crashers. Such a great freaking movie.Labels: drinking, friends, photos |
| posted by FINY @ Tuesday, May 16, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Thursday, March 02, 2006 |
| Best.Present.Ever. |
Quick post since I am a little drunk at the moment. So a while back (read: I don’t actually know the date but it was Spring of last year sometime) my friend Ryan and I decided to get engaged. He very sweetly proposed to me by melting a stirrer together at a bar one night. See, Ryan is originally from England and needed hi visa. Well back at my birthday in july Ryan mentioned that he had a birthday gift for me, but since then I had heard nothing about it. Below is a picture of the best birthday present/engagement ring(s) of all time. Who cares that the Sox lost their first Spring Training game tonight? It’s spring training and only two of our potential starters were in the line-up. My hang says SOX baby!
• I should note here that I am a little wasted. Oh well!!! :)
edit: picture fixed, embarassing drunken post left as is.Labels: friends, Red Sox |
| posted by FINY @ Thursday, March 02, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Thursday, January 19, 2006 |
| We Finally Meet |
I'm always a bit wary when people preface my intorduction to someone with "Oh my God you're going to love *insert name here*! You two are so much alike!" It feels almost like your being set up for disaster. I mean what if you don't adore this person? What if you only "like" them. Worse yet, what if you absolutely despise them and this is someone that you're supposed to be exactly similar to. Does that therefore mean you loathe yourself somewhere deep down that you don't want to admit to?
Meegan had told me more times than I can COUNT that I was going to love LizyLizy. And I believed her. How could I not? I had spoken to Lizy on the phone, we'd been emailing for about a month, and I'd become an avid reader of her blog. But still, you just never know. Emails and phone calls and blog posts are one thing, but how would we get along in person?
In a word? Famously.
No joke, I love this girl, she's awesome (and no, not just because we read the same books, love the same foods, are both sports fans and happen to share one of the greatest friends any two girls could ask for). It was just so easy! Like we had known each other for ages. I knew we were going to be fine the minute I saw Meegan and Lizy walking towards me and Lizy broke into a run before nearly tackling me with a bear hug. Yug, she's my kinda girl.
Lizy, babe, it was SO fantastic to meet you this past weekend. Anytime you need a Danny to sing to your Sandra, you know where to find me (little inside karaoke joke there).
(visual confirmation of our meeting to come. I have to upload it from another computer since Safari doesn't support Blogger that well ...)Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Thursday, January 19, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Tuesday, January 03, 2006 |
| Starting 2006 Watching Swimming and Singing |
The year 2006 is only two days old. And in that two days I've experienced a true dichotomy here in New York. Sunday morning, January first, was spent watching crazy people, The Twin included, running into (and quickly out of) the Atlantic Ocean off of Coney Island with the Polar Bear Club. Tonight was spent at the Metropolitan Opera House watching L'Elisir d'Amore, and Italian opera written in the early 1800s. The two days couldn't have been more different, or more
enjoyable, if I had tried.
Sunday morning The Twin and I arose, surprisingly with only small hangovers, and made our way to Coney Island. The plan was for The Twin to photograph the event. I knew that was bull the minute he purchased a bathing suit and a bathrobe at Target before going out there, He was going in the water.
As we approached the boardwalk I was shocked at how many people were around. Hundreds of people were drinking coffee, drying off, dancing to the DJ, it was a regular party out there. For an area of Brooklyn that is usually deserted this time of year it was positively packed. Having woken up late we missed the mass dash into the water but there was still a crowd at the waters edge watching stragglers taking the plunge. The Twin stripped down to the newly purchased swimming trunks and in he waded, camera in hand, to photograph a group of people who were staying in the water to play catch.
The number of us who were there for emotional support of those insane enough to participate far outnumbered those who actually went into the water, but it was a lot of fun to watch. And afterwards wandering around the mostly closed up boardwalk was an interesting sight to see. All in all it was an odd, and really cool way to start 2006 (but there was still no way in HELL I was going in the water).
Coney Island is sort of the epitome of cheese. With carnival games
such as "Shoot the Freak" (with paintballs of course) and every kind of food on a stick you can think of being sold out of boardwalk stands. I was struck by how drastically different my first two days of the new year were as I approached the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center last night. The dress slacks, high heels and blazer I was wearing were on the opposite end of the spectrum from the jeans, hiking boots, hoodie, and baseball cap that had been my attire the previous day.
This was my first trip to the Met as a ticket holder and my first opera viewing experience ever. I had taken a tour of the famous opera house my senior year of high school when my choir was participating in a festival in Alice Tully Hall (walking onto that stage to perform is still one of the highlights of my life to this point). The grand stair case in the center of the lobby, the giant chandeliers, and the gracious, yet somewhat snooty crowd immediately transport you into this whole other world. The opera, L'Elisir d'Amore, was fantastic. I had been given the full rundown of the story before the curtain opened, as the lyrics are in Italian, but was also helped along by nifty lcd screens which are inserted into the backs of the chairs and roughly translate the action on the stage. I tried not to use those too much as it required taking my eyes off the stage and potentially missing some of the action.
L’Elisir d’Amore was probably a good opera to start out with. It was light, comical, a classic “boy meets girl” story, kind of a chick flick of operas, and the arias were just amazing. I’d love to see one of the doom and gloom operas one of these days, but to begin with this one really did blow me away. I won’t try to comment on the actual performance as I know little to nothing on the subject, but I did really enjoy myself.
As Missy and I left Lincoln Center and headed back towards Brooklyn I was again struck by how great my first two days of 2006 had been. Here’s to hoping it continues this way, though perhaps a bit more toward the middle of the road. A girl could get whiplash from that kind of culture shock.Labels: dating, friends, NYC |
| posted by FINY @ Tuesday, January 03, 2006 |
|
|
|
| Monday, December 12, 2005 |
| Only The Red Head |
I get a call this afternoon on my work phone:
ME: Good afternoon this is Finy
The Red Head: Good afternoon Finy.
ME: Oh my God, Hi! How are you?
The Red Head: Doing ok, how you doin'.
ME: Ok, ok. What's up?
The Red Head: So let me ask you something ... where are your offices?
ME: 26th and Madi ... wait, why?
The Red Head: Cause I am standing on 50th and Park and want to steal you away from work to get a coffee.
Of course a coffee turned into a beer at a bar nearby, as tends to happen with The Red Head, but good Lord was that the best surprise ever. I finally got to give him that hug I had wanted to for so long and to just sit there with him for an hour. And as he left all I kept thinking was, only the red head could just show up at my door like that. It's good to know some things never change.Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Monday, December 12, 2005 |
|
|
|
| Sunday, November 27, 2005 |
| With Love |
I retunred to Brooklyn tonight to some unexpected news. One of my good friends from college, we'll call him the Red Head, returned a call I had made to him back on Tuesday night.
While in Ireland for the holiday, he was met with the kind of news you can never be prepared for. His mother, who had fought a long battle with cancer, died on Thanksgiving Day. He was flying from his home in Los Angeles tonight to be with his family in Minessotta.
So many thoughts are running through my head. I want to be there for him. I am wracked with guilt that I can't just walk up to him, give him a hug, be there for him. I literally can not imagine what he's going through right there right now. His mother was a wonderful woman who I wish I had known better. i met her only once or twice, the last time being a 4 day trip to the family's cabin on the St. Croix river. She was the matriarch of a large family, who tonight must mourn in ways I can't fathom.
I want to be there for The Red Head. I want to let him know I love him. I want to let him know I would do ANYTHING to help him through this. Even when I know he knows all that.
And in light of all this, I want to let my mother know I love her. More than anything. I called her twice tonight to tell her that. I just wanted to say it again.Labels: friends |
| posted by FINY @ Sunday, November 27, 2005 |
|
|
|
| Monday, November 07, 2005 |
| Weekend Update |
Completely unimaginative, but I had a great weekend this weekend, and since I have something else weighing rather heavily on my mind (more on that later) I figured the traditional: day by day breakdown would have to suffice. My brain is too fried to be more imaginative right now.
Friday night was fantastic. I got to meet up with Fleece Boy from college who I hadn’t seen literally since the day we graduated. It was so great catching up. Though my hangover the next morning was a bit rough it was at least lessened a bit by our 4am trip to the diner.
Saturday was spent on the couch. I was in a lot of hangover pain. Which is weird because while I had a lot to drink, it’s definitely nowhere near what it usually takes to get me that hungover. Perhaps I’m getting old?
Anyway, that night I met The Twin in Union Square. We had coffee, wandered around Barnes and Noble for a while, and then went to see Jarhead. I’d actually really recommend this to everyone and would love to read the book so I can see how closely they mirrored it. Ironically, it actually made me think about The Ex quite a bit since he’s a Marine now and is apparently stationed at Camp Pendleton where the first half of the movie is set. You’ll find out why that was ironic later.
After the movie The Twin and I headed back to his place to grab his old Polaroid camera before going back to my place for the night. Why grab his Polaroid? Well, other than simply because he carries his equipment with him most everywhere, he wanted to have it with him to take some shots of the NYC Marathon that ran straight past my apartment on Sunday morning.
The Twin and I spent all day Sunday with the roommates, they’re boyfriends, friends, and my buddy Ry. It was a LOT of fun. A live band was playing just half a block away, I got to see my friend Derek run by, and we watched for a while from the apartment building roof, which while scary to those of us who are afraid of heights, it was a great view.
Later that afternoon, The Grad Student Roommate, her boyfriend and friend, and the Twin and I went out to have a few beers and sit outside since it was so gorgeous out. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. We only had a couple beers, but we were there for a few hours and God did we have a great time.
Afterwards, The Twin and I met up with his studio manager to celebrate her finishing the marathon that day. I walk into the bar and run into a guy I went to college with. He was dating one of the Studio Managers good friends. Small world. Was nice to see him though.
We got back to the Twin’s place relatively early, hung around for a while, and passed out from sheer exhaustion. It was a great weekend, that I’ve taken two things away from:
1. I absolutely freaking love this city. Sitting on top of my roof watching thousands of people run past, walking down 4th Avenue in Brooklyn after it was over and it being completely deserted, sitting in the garden of the bar, it was just such a great “My God I live in New York City” type day.
2. Similar events happen in groups. I’ve seen or heard from more Emersonians in the last few days than I can even explain. Fleece Boy and my friend WriterGirl on Friday. ComedyGuy on Sunday at the bar. And then I came into the office today to receive a voicemail message from one of my favorite people in the world, AT. AT and I were senior class officers together and we see each other maybe once or twice a year. This year it’s going to be next week! And then I turned on my computer, and, well, a few pieces are about to fall into place here people, because what do I see, after two and a half years of complete silence? Wait for it …
… an email from The Ex.Labels: dating, friends, movies, NYC |
| posted by FINY @ Monday, November 07, 2005 |
|
|
|
|
|
