n = Grown Up Problems

I recently came across a less than pleased friend about his opinions on working on MLK. Mind you that this is a holiday weekend, something adults look forward to with great anticipation. This is his story...

Now to set the mood, people just came over for wine and cheese night. Drew saunters into the room.

Yo, you would not believe what my boss asked me to do today. He comes up to me, "Hey Drew, do you have any plans for this weekend?"

I looked up suspiciously, "No, but I am really looking forward to relaxing."

"Great! Would you mind coming in on Monday?"

"I am the ONLY black guy on this team! And you are going to ask me to come in on the ONLY black holiday my people got?"...well I said this in my head. What I actually said was, "Sure, no problem." and I said it with a big 'ol smile!

It might have been a YOU HAD TO BE THERE kind of moment, but we were rolling! Realistically, as an adult, sometimes we have to do things that we don't want to...but that's okay! Grown up problems....

n = Growing Up

I recently found myself incredibly ill...I am talking praising the porcelain gods kind of ill. I remember back in the day when I was still just a young(er) tyke, when I would get ill, Mommy and Daddy would be there to take care of me.

One of my favorite memories: I was quite young and sick (I fell asleep on the tile and caught a cold) and my daddy brought home a big bag of Big Stick popsicles to make me feel better. Yeah, I might be a bit of a daddy's little girl.

Now that I am all grown up, being sick sucks! Not that it didn't suck before, it is just worse now because I have no one to take care of me! Which means that as I am dieing, I have to buy/make my own soup, get my own blankets, purchase my own medicine, etc. The down fall to being an "adult." Fortunately, my friend felt so bad for me that they bought/made me soup, got me more blankets, and brought me medicine...the upside to making new friends!

n = Bedtime Story

One night, just before I am about to lay upon my pillow and put my active imagination to rest, my friend tells me a bedtime story:

Do you remember that story about my friend's house that was haunted and how it locked her ex-boyfriend in the bathroom? Apparently, whatever it was that caused this mischief in her house despised men. It never bothered the women, there were three--the mom and two sisters--but it always went after the father.

One night the sisters had a couple friends sleep over, all girls, and they crashed in the living room. After they fell asleep, one of them began to feel another girl's hand running up and down her leg. In a joking manner she said "knock it off, I'm trying to sleep!" Once it stopped, all was calm until one of the other girls woke up to feel the same thing. The two girls sat up and notice that not only were they the only ones awake, but they were on opposite sides of the living room.

Everyone knew weird stuff happened in this house and as the girls were discussing what happened, one of the sisters went upstairs to the bathroom. They heard her walk out, but she didn't come back down. The girls began calling out her name, but worried when she didn't respond, so they walked over to the foot of the stairs to investigate. All they saw was the sister standing at the top of the stairs in a cold, dead trance staring into her parents' bedroom. One of the girls rushed up the stairs and grabbed the sister to bring her down. The sister wasn't crying, but was hysterical. Especially after seeing what looked like a long haired, dark figure looming over her father as he slept in his bed.

They have moved out since....

n = I am BACK!

I realize that my promise was to blog weekly, but I have recently been crazy busy doing the same thing just about every weekday! My days consist of applying to jobs and interviewing...all week, that's it.

I have recently tried to become a runner and thus far am failing miserably! (and I started off so well) I think that I am going to have to invest in expensive running attire so that I feel obligated to use it and wear it out. My goal is to become a marathon runner so that I can run marathons around the world! How embarrassing would it be to be part of an international marathon and not make it to the finish line. Those who know me, know that I am determined to make it! Bottom line, I need a running partner, maybe something like this...

The point being, I am determined! I am determined to be a successful "New Yorker" (and I use New Yorker loosely because I will always be a true Californian), just as I am determined to become a world traveling marathon runner...

n = The C Train

While in the process of moving to New York, I’m surfing the couch waves at Ms. C’s. HANG TEN! Ms. C is wonderful. She feeds me, keeps me out of the rain, and is incredibly supportive. Granted this is temporary...

This week’s activities:

-Starbucks, where I spend WAY too much time, to send/respond to e-mails…EVERYDAY. (I mainly go to Starbucks to make sure I get my daily exercise)

-Informational interview in New York.

To get from New Jersey to New York, I have to walk, because I’m too cheap to drive, 2.1 miles (oh, I GPSed it) to the bus stop, then hop onto the A train into the heart of the city.

I went into the city for my informational interview (which I killed…I think) and was on my way back to Ms. C’s.

Let me explain the train situation. The trains are divided by color then number/letter. The color shows which trains are on the same routes and the number/letter shows where they split. Before I can get back to the bus stop to New Jersey, I have to get on the blue line, A train.

I’m waiting for the train and sweating my life away. I tell ya, the subways give hell a run for its money…I’m just saying. I get on the train, my headphones a-blarin, off in my own world, and replaying my interview when suddenly, I’m alone in this tacky, 70's chic train that’s not moving and engulfed in darkness.

Side note: I’m claustrophobic. I can’t wear mittens, have my arms pinned to my sides, be in rooms with no windows, etc. I am a mammal. I need to be free. I need fresh air!

Turns out, I am on the blue line, C train. I’m walking up and down this tacky train trying to find a way out before all the "fresh," and I use that term loosely, air is gone. At either end there is only an emergency break. What am I going to do with an emergency break in a stopped train?

Low and behold, the door opens and my knight in neon orange and yellow comes to my rescue. Not to be rude, but I pretty much began the okays and head nodding once my knight told me that he would get me back to the next terminal safely. There was something about being careful when wearing headphones (which I put back in immediately after he left) and I’m not the first this has happened to. We finally get to the next terminal and my knight is chatting up a storm and while I appreciate his assistance…sir, less talky more door opening.

By the time I get back to Ms. C’s and begin to feed my addiction to movie channels, the C train is mentioned on every station! That stupid train seemed to be mocking me!

So what did I learn this week (again)…train number/letter first, color second!

n = BRIEF Catch Up

I was born and raised in Cali, but was bitten by the adventure bug and had to get out of Santa Clarita! I miss my family of course...especially the cutest babies in the world...my nieces, Nug 1 and Nug 2, aka my girls! Not to mention the Mexican food, which is to die for...El Partiente, oh how I miss thee.

As soon as I graduated from Hart High, I hopped on the first plane to Michigan to become a Spartan! I’m talking die hard Spartan (borderline embarrassing, cult-like enthusiasm).

Then it was off to the Big Apple!

And this is where my adventure begins...

n = The Setup

I consider myself to be somewhat of a nomad, gypsy, adventurer, Indiana Jones type (minus the aliens and brushes with death). I have the tendency to jump in, eyes closed, wholeheartedly. The only problem is that I tend to go M.I.A. because I become consumed in whatever I am active in.

This blog is essentially a way for followers to either support or keep up with me as I embark on a new adventure and start all over again. And by ALL OVER again, I mean...new job...new apartment...new friends...new home!

I will attempt to post weekly, but because I am in advertising I will also most likely be posting advertising bits and pieces that I find intriguing along with my weekly posts.

So it begins...