News! Good News!

I got a job! I got a job!

Not just A job, but a job I am really excited about. The company does a variety of incoming travel services for NYC... broadway tickets, hotels, transport, sightseeing...you name it, they do it. It's a young company full of potential, so it is exciting to become part of a organization that is growing by leaps and bounds. And the people I met with the company are so positive and seem to love working there-- a welcome change from my most recent employment adventure.

I start on Thursday!

I can't help but think that fate is playing a role here. The timing and circumstance seems a little too perfect. They have been looking for someone for this role for nearly 4 months.

One of the great benefits of the job is the opportunity to attend almost any show, event or function hosted in NYC. For someone who still knows relatively little about this great city, that is a huge plus. I am embarassed to say I haven't even been to a broadway show since a Teen Club trip in the 7th grade when we went to see 42nd Street.

Cross your fingers for me that this job works out a heck of a lot better than the last one!

Channeling Lindsay

Alisa does her best impression of Lindsay Lohan circa 1992.

Keepin' On

It has been strange, these first days of my recent unemployment. There are moments of extreme stress followed by extreme optimism and a massive sense of relief. I was invited back by the company that I interviewed with on Tuesday, so that is tremendously encouraging. My second interview yesterday seemed to go well. Who knows? Monday I could very well have a job offer to ponder. And if not, well, I know something else will come along. Well, sometimes I know that and sometimes I think I am royally screwed.

This makes me think about the importance of career confidence. Is this a woman's issue? It seems to me that my female friends are more likely to get down on themselves when things go wrong at work than my men friends. Men seem to say, "F-that" and move on while women say, "was it me?" Yes, I am generalizing, inappropriately perhaps.

My mantra of late has been "its just a job", and I repeat that over and agin. I feel blessed to have moved into a cycle of life where work is no longer the central focus of my existance. It is definitely important to me to find a job that I find personally rewarding, but my priorities have certainly shifted.

Greener Pastures and Silver Linings

I lost my job today.

Well, I didn't exactly lose it. I know where it is, I just don't have it anymore. The whole story is odd and confusing and more than a little frustrating. I don't think it appropriate to put all the details here online, but know that I did my best and I can be proud of that. In many ways it is a relief, though I don't relish the idea of being unemployed again. I actually already have an interview for what sounds like an interesting job in Manhattan tomorrow.

I have a feeling this will turn into one of those "blessing in disguise" scenarios. Seriously, I know it sounds cheesy, or a trifle Pollyanna, but it seems like a good thing to be moving away from a situation that really wasn't all that pleasant.

Damir was able to grab a few hours away today and we took a long relaxing drive to the Hamptons and had lunch on beautiful Shelter Island. It was a gorgeous sunny day and it felt great to be outside. This past weekend we had a blast during a whirlwind trip to Boston (I was there for my sis' wedding shower) and we found time for a game at Fenway before heading back to NY.

I don't know what is next for me. I am scared about being unemployed, but excited about new opportunities that are just around the corner.

Another Step in My Transformation to a New Yorker

It's nearly complete, my transition to being a New Yorker. Today I stood in a very long line and surrendered my Massachusetts drivers license for a NY license. It actually made me a little sad, not that I feel any sense of regret (other than missing my friends, naturally). Plus I have done more driving since moving to NY than I did in the 4 years in Boston so really it only makes sense since my license now serves a purpose for something other than getting carded.

My next step is to put NY license plates on the pick-up truck. It should come as no surprise that I would love to put one of the following Red Sox tributes on my customized plates:

RDSOXLVR
TEKRULZ
PAPIFAN
MNYBMNY
YNKZSUK
FNWYPHK

See, I will never truly be a New Yorker. But, as Damir wisely put, it might not be a good idea to risk having the truck keyed, bashed, hit, 0r rear ended just because I am an avid baseball fan. Of course the fact that he is a Yankees fan who often rides along with me in the truck had nothing to do with that advice.

Speaking of which, I am still quietly trying to convert Damir's silly Yankees loyalty, but it isn't easy when catching a Sox game on TV is so rare. To love the Sox is to know the Sox, or is it vice versa? Anyway. So the next step in my evil plan is to take him to Fenway next weekend to see the Sox play San Francisco. I will ply him with beer and Fenway Franks and make him forget A-Rod and Jeter's overpaid, over-glamorized celebrity . I also just scored tickets to see the Sox play the Orioles at Camden Yard later this summer, where not only do we have the Sox playing, but also one of my favorite former sox players, Kevin Millar, is the O's designated hitter. I am sure my plan will work, just give me time. MWAAHHHAAAA HAHHHAAAA HHAAAA!

PS- this is old news, but I love love love the Fenway Faithful and their sense of humor. This picture of A-Rod in Boston with the "Blondies" behind him kills me! For those of you out of the loop, he had recently been seen in several cities strip-club hopping with "longtime stripper and Playboy Bunny-wannabe" Joslyn Noel Morse (a blonde). This wouldn't be so bad, or even surprising given today's code of conduct for A-list athletes, if he weren't actually married. Also not surprising is the fact that his wife is now accompanying him on away-game trips.

Summer Loving

The weather has finally turned hot and humid which can only mean two things:

1) Beach weather!
2) I won't have another decent hair-day until October!

D and I started our summer tour of NY State Parks on Monday, taking full advantage of the Empire Pass that allows us free entry into all the parks for the upcoming year-- including the best beaches Long Island has to offer. What LI lacks in culture, it does make up for in a plethora of State and County parks to explore.
We checked out Captree and Heckscher parks on Monday. Captree was nice, with a good picnic and BBQ area right on the beach as well as multiple boats in their marina offering fishing trips and coastal cruises. Hecksher looked like it had seen better (funded) days. I already have the beach chairs, towels and suntan lotion stored in the back of the truck for any unexpected beach going moments that might catch me by surprise.

Speaking of Summer Love, Penny's wedding last weekend was lovely and it was fun to see some college pals I hadn't seen since graduation. Penny was beautiful and the weather held for the important parts of the day, namely the reception held under the blue open skies.

We were seated at a table with a friend from college, Janine, her husband Michael and their toddler. As luck would have it, Michael is a first generation American... his father was born and raised in Montenegro! Damir and Michael got on like a house on fire talking about all things Montenegro and their sweet son Eli seemed to take a special liking to Damir and followed him around and about the wedding reception. Or maybe it was the other way around. I have to say, it was pretty darn cute.