the naked truth

Charlotte: I didn't grow up in a naked house.
Carrie: Well I didn't either.
Charlotte: {looking towards a naked woman in the locker room} I bet she grew up in a naked house.
Carrie: She might still live in a naked house.

"Sex and the City, Attack of the five foot ten woman"

Living in a city where roommates are a norm to break down the cost of rent, you learn to live along side other people's habits. Dishes in the sink, singing in the shower, sleep schedules, etc. But can nudity be grouped within this category or is it something all together separate? With the understanding that there are many situations that may change the opinion about this, take my own for instance. I live with a woman my own age. Someone I knew in college but wasn't exceptionally close with. Out of the two of us, I am the noted "naked roommate." Being scatterbrained and doing several things at once usually means I'm part getting ready, part on the phone, part eating and part trying to get dressed. I'm clumsy too, add this to the equation. I drop foundation daily which splatters all over the sink and usually onto myself. I catch my shirt and necklace in my hair brush when I blow dry my hair. I can't possibly put curlers in without burning my scalp and sweating to death from the unbearable heat. I feel comfortable walking around half dressed when I'm getting ready or say my self tanner is setting in but does this mean it's acceptable? Not always. I know that my lack of clothing doesn't offend my roommate but what if it did? How would that make me feel? When it comes to nudity, why are some of us more comfortable than others?

Is it sibling related; having brothers vs. sisters? Is it location specific; growing up in a warm vs. cold environment? Or is it religion and moral specific? For me it comes down to being comfortable with myself. Everyone has things they would like to change or improve upon but this understanding seems to even out the field. I think my opinion would change if I lived with someone who was less thrilled by my mindless nudity. (For the record I am usually in a bra and underwear out of respect!) Where do you yourself draw the line? Are you the naked roommate/housemate? Or are you the one shielding your eyes as your roommate bares all? Comments welcome :)

the wave

The ocean is in constant motion. The surface of the ocean is pushed by the wind which creates movement at different speeds. As the air tumbles forward and the ocean moves to and fro, a circular motion is created. The downward and upward pressure cause a wave to form. The back of the wave tumbles forward but beneath the crest, the water moves towards the back to continue the cycle and to create a new wave.

If relationships are the ocean, it's only a matter of time until they build up and tumble forward. The wedding wave seems to be breaking all around me. Every time I blink it seems someone new is getting engaged and then married. Friends, friends-of-friends, family, family-through-friends. At 25 I can hardly accomplish half of what I need to in a weekend let alone plan a wedding and organize engagement, rehearsal and bachelor-type events. When did we grow up? When did these flings and boyfriends become fiancées and (pause) husbands? I can't help but feel like I'm being pulled by the undertow. You know that feeling when you're swimming out and suddenly you're a quarter of a mile away from where you started. You panic, you look for your friends, your towel, anything that looks familiar but the truth is, you're on a whole other beach.

I find it most amusing that I never ride out the waves in the ocean but dive beneath them. How many waves can you dive under until one comes alone so strong and powerful that it sweeps you up? When will I get tired of going against the current? How many waves will pass until one brings me back to shore?

I'm optimistic that as this wedding wave breaks, that there are plenty more waves to come. Some that I'll dive beneath, some that may pull me under and toss me back up and one that will push me safely back to shore. I may end up on another part of the beach all together but when I do, I'll make it home.

seasonal habits

Every weekend seems to come and go faster than the previous one. I feel like the seasons here in

NYC influence my weekend routine more than anything else. Fall means football and Penn State alumni gatherings. I seem to spend more time reading and in coffee houses during this season than any other. Winter is used to lay low, a sort of hibernating with lovers and friends either in the comfort of your apartment or that of a warm bar. Spring slowly crawls in and everyone seems to wipe the cobwebs from their eyes, get back in touch with friends who have been M.I.A. all winter and break in new running sneakers. And then, there is a NYC summer. Every restaurant, store, bar and shop has their windows wide open. Drink and food specials last from 10 am until 4 am and the city buzzes with the sound of laughter and air conditioners. While I don't have a car here, I am blocks away from a train to take me to the shore whenever I need to escape and less blocks away from the park to sprawl out, throw a ball around and picnic with friends. Just thinking about summer makes me crave lemonade, fresh mussels and sunglasses. The weekends seem longer in the summer because the week seems so much shorter. Here's to counting down until hot summer days and warm summer nights. Have a wonderful weekend.

short story

When exactly do you toss your leggings to the back of your dresser come spring? Do you wait until you see another baring all or are you the first one to break out your shorts and skirts with legs au naturel? The weather in NYC has been less than desirable lately but on those days that promise sun and a little bit of warmth I dream of stretching out on the park lawn. The problem with the beginning of spring though is winter skin. Months without sun exposure leaves my skin uneven. I plan to jump start my tan with lots of running outside and Jergens natural glow lotion. Out of all the self tanning lotions, I feel that this one smells the least strong. I 'water down' the lotion with a pump of perfumed lotion to make streaks less visible and to knock down the smell even more. I also have extremely sensitive skin and this is one of the only products that doesn't make me break out. What do you do to prep your skin for spring and summer to come?

at your fingertips

I live in a city where psychics are a dime a dozen. There are 15 places one could go right around the corner from my apartment to get their future revealed. Once, at 15 years old, I had my palm read. It was at total random with my best friend Mallory while down the shore for a week. At 15 there is hardly much to do and we figured we could space $10 and a good laugh. The experience was light hearted and we both left wondering if anything she said would hold any weight later in life. I was told three main things about my future. 1. I would have a creative career path. 2. I would be asked to be married twice and the first time I should most definitely say no. 3. I would have twins.

At 15 I was planning on being a veterinarian. A creative career never crossed my mind because I instantly associated it with being a "starving artist." But here I am, 10 years later, a graphic designer. At 20 I was told that by senior year, my at the moment boyfriend was planning on asking me to marry him, I said no. 2 out of 3 seem to be pretty good odds and it makes me wonder, are these things happening because my conscious links them to the palm reading or were these things set out for me and completely out of my own control? What would of happened if she would have told me something terrible? Would that have affected me also or would I of been more reluctant to believe her because I didn't want it to be true? I know this sounds spacey and far out but it really does make you wonder. Later in life (much later I may add) if I do end up with twins I may have to track down the psychic. What do you think? Palm readings, tarot cards, magically crystal balls - believer or skeptic?

fish dish

I'm not much in the kitchen past breakfast foods. However in hopes of eating better and crossing off a personal 'to-do' of learning to cook, last night I prepared panko crusted tilapia for dinner. The entire dish took 30 minutes to make from start to finish and was easy as can be. It was also not only edible but delish. I escaped with only one burn on my hand. The dish cost about $8 which if you know about NYC, you can't even get a sandwich under that for lunch. Here's the recipe I used but mostly just for the ingredients. Once you get it all on the table, it just makes sense how to go about it. I also did not bake my dish but broiled it because it took only 7 minutes per side and everything I bake, burns. Enjoy!

monday dash

Monday morning madness...you know what I'm talking about. When you get snooze 6 times only to realize that you have exactly 14 minutes to shower, do your makeup and hair, have breakfast, dress and scoot out the door. Monday is always a rush for one big, fat reason; Sunday. Sunday which brings the heavy of all those things you meant to do Saturday but didn't do because you were too busy socializing or sleeping in. It's inevitable that Sunday night I can never fall asleep. I think about all the things I didn't get to and all the things I need to do for the upcoming week. My professor in college had a motto that went; worry in order. I'm adopting it as my own. It puts some sort of organization to all the craziness. Happy Monday everyone and if you do have to worry, worry in an orderly fashion.

perfect pair

Whenever I'm at dinner or thinking about making dinner it always stumps me on which wine to pair with which food. I had clipped out a cheat sheet from a magazine years ago which I recently found again and thought I'd put to good use. It's simple, useful pairings makes selecting a wine easy as can be. I'm sure there are tons of opinions about which could be flip flopped but for now, this will do. Enjoy!

red in a book

In January I posted about my "blessed journal" where I was writing down 5 things at the end of each day that I was happy for. I was using a ratty small notebook that for a while was lost in the move, found again, spilled on (tea before bed), etc. For my birthday my wonderful roommate, Valerie gifted me with the Kate Spade "Spade Journal" which now has replaced the old journal. The fabric cover with gold stamped spade is the perfect addition to my bedside collection. I'm not a fan of books that aren't spiral because I feel the pages fall out too easily but because I'm not using it for more that a few minutes a day, this one will probably last the test of time. Thank you Valerie.

pulling at the seams

Isn't it funny that you never realize how cruel the universe can be until something really gets under your skin and you can't seem to escape it? People ask you questions that spark unkind feelings, a simple lag in response time makes you want to pull your hair out and you swear the coffee guy knows that you didn't sleep by the way that he assumes you want a large coffee rather than a small this morning. Everything seemed dramatic and overly played out this weekend. To the point where I actually stopped this morning in the middle of the sidewalk and said 'really?' aloud to no one other than 'the universe' for casting a slew of heart pulling music to my ipod. I spent half the weekend trying to avoid myself and the other half in bed. Just because I'm 25 doesn't mean I still don't deal with things as if I'm 14 when the mood strikes. Thank goodness though for friends who never do sleep (Mallory), kind bartenders who make sure you have extra bread for your mussels (Flex Mussels) and people who can actually understand you through tears and that terrible hyperventilating snob/nose blowing (Mallory, again). Dare I say that I was looking forward to work knowing that I'd be distracted from myself for at least a few hours today. It's funny how no matter how many relationships I have, friendships come and go and situations which are less than desirable, my heart still breaks the same. I still worry about things and people I can't change. I ignore, ignore, ignore until sometimes like some asshole stealing your favorite leather jacket (you'll get your karma whoever you are) pushes you right over the edge. This week is about getting back on track - gym, laundry, blog, self. I feel like once this weather breaks everything will mend itself, I hope it breaks soon.