25 Things

Ever since I started this blog I have always included a birthday blog with a list of things I've accomplished in the last year/life...whatever. While I am 3 days late on this posting, I knew I needed to post it because a) they are fun to look back on and b) I have been incredibly lacking in the blog world as of late. So here it goes, a list blog.


25 significant things I experienced before the age of 25:

1. Grew up in the same house that I still think of as home and had an incredibly happy childhood. I will always look back with fond memories and know that I was a child for as long as I wanted to be and I didn't grow up too fast.
2. Learned another language. Even though I am not fluent, I am surprised by how often I find it useful that I speak Spanish. Earlier today I even had to write an email in Spanish to someone in Spain. Who knew?
3. Went on student exchange. Experiencing another culture is so important and to do so at 15 helped to open my eyes to how other people in the world live.
4. Lost a best friend. Sometimes you need to know who will be there and who won't and how truly precious your friends are.
5. Was a geek in high school and college.  I never strayed from my true self and I have life-long friends because of that.
6. Learned to swim. I will always feel comfortable in any body of water and I'll have a form of exercise when I'm older and my joints aren't as good (like now!)
7. Learned the piano. I have a keyboard in my apartment and am so thankful that I can play whenever I want to. It's something I love to do when I'm alone.
8. Went to college out of state. While I absolutely hated it at the time, I really learned how to grow up and take care of myself. I learned that I am the only person who can choose to make myself happy. Being depressed about a situation is not going to change anything. Change must come from within.
9. Became a gym rat. I taught myself how to exercise and how important it is to stay active. I know that if I'm feeling sluggish a workout is just the thing to pick me up.
10. Had a high school sweetheart. I learned that love does exist and how happy one can be when they fall in love. And how terrible it is when your heart is broken. After that, anything can be overcome.
11. Had an older boyfriend. I learned that I can't just be a spoiled brat when it comes to relationships. It's about giving to-when you're ready.
12. Had a college boyfriend. Practically living with someone else for a year teaches you what is important to you in another person and in yourself. I learned to appreciate someone else but not to lose sight of myself and my goals.
13. Went to film school. I found my passion and learned how important it is to express myself. Film school taught me that my ideas are not stupid and that I should not be afraid to speak up or be open.
14. Directed my first film. I wrote and directed a film about a very tough subject and was incredibly rewarded because of it. I was almost too afraid to make it but a Drew Barrymore quote told me “If you don't take risks, you'll have a wasted soul.”
15. Went to Hawaii with my girlfriends. Because that was just the most fun ever and probably the last time I didn't have any responsibilities or anything to worry about. That's over.
16. Discovered that I wanted to be an editor. I suppose in a way I always knew that, but it feels good to have a passion to set my mind to. Listening to my friends as they still try to figure out what they want to do makes me feel lucky that I already know.
17. Made lasting friendships with incredibly talented people who I am sure I will work with in the future.
18. Followed my dream and moved to New York. A lot of people didn't believe that I would do it. But it was one of the scariest but most liberating things I've ever done.
19. Learned that just because she is your friend doesn't mean you'll make good room mates. Fighting with someone you're close to is never easy, but I'm so happy we're still friends now.
20. Lost the job I was promised from my internship. I'll never forget: I was on my way to the airport to spend a week with my parents in Scotland when I learned the job I thought I was coming back to had been pulled. I was absolutely terrified. What was I going to do? Where was I going to work?
21. Spent a month in Scotland with my parents. Seeing the highlands and Lake District in England was amazing and it felt so good to be able to recharge and figure out my life.
22. Took a temp job as a receptionist at a post-production company at which I am now an assistnat editor.
23. Battled cockroaches and bed bugs. No matter what living situation comes my way, I'll always know it could be worse. And I'll know that I can handle anything on my own.
24. Asked for a raise. I was terrified. But I did months of research and I got it!
25. Raised $10,000 to make a documentary about Trichotillomania, something I am passionate about and something I hope will make a difference not only in my life as a film maker but also in the lives of all the trichsters out there.

I'm sure there are things I left out but those are some major things that came to mind. I've done a lot in 25 years, but I also haven't done much. I look forward to the next 25 and hope that I continue to push myself to become the person I want to become.

Thanks for reading!

I love New York

Ahhhhh...summer! Each day that I walk out of my apartment I feel it in the air more and more. The mornings are growing warmer (but not yet too hot!) and the sun is setting just past 8pm.

Yesterday I had nothing to do after work so I decided to walk home.

I walked up through Soho and over to Washington Square Park where there were musicians playing guitars, drums, violins, an other instruments. I walked through the arch and up to Union Square where people were playing chess and the farmers market was just wrapping up for the day.  I walked straight up Broadway and was confused by all the people taking pictures until I realized that they were all staring at the Flatiron building in amazement. There's a little market just north of it that has a bunch of food trucks and stands where you can buy beer and wine that people were enjoying. I walked west through Chelsea and laughed at the gay bars that I passed: "Rawhide," "Cubbyhole," and "Flaming Saddles Saloon." I walked through Hell's Kitchen and envied all of the people sitting drinking wine at outdoor tables. I looked down 49th street where I used to live. I can't believe it's already been a year since I battled roaches and bedbugs on a daily basis! I walked up past Columbus Circle and remembered how in awe I was of it when I first came to New York as an intern almost five years ago. I can't believe it's been that long!

Just as I was getting home the sun was low and pink over the Hudson River yet the air was still warm and humid. I love summer nights in New York. My sister and I are going to have a blast this summer. While there are times in the winter or during heavy rains that I question why I moved here, nights like that remind me what it is that I love about this city.

....And then when I got back to my apartment there were giant blisters on the bottom of my heels. Because I had just walked over four miles in flat sandals. And now today I can't walk. I hate New York.

Ringworm

Sasha has ringworm. And now so do I. Bedbugs....ringworm....what else you got for me world! Bring it on!

.....It seems like one negative thing after the other this year....

By the way, buying a cream that says "Cures Most Jock Itch" in big bold letters on the front is kind of embarrassing. That's right, I'll be using jock itch cream. On my face.

The Move: A Prequel

Moving with bed bugs. Or should I say, without bed bugs. Is this even possible?

I don't know. But you can bet your ass I'm trying my hardest to accomplish it!

I spent Monday and Tuesday hauling the majority of my laundry over to the laundry place a few blocks away. I put everything (including my dry-cleaning) in the dryers for 36 minutes. This only cost my $1.50 a cycle, thank god, as I am currently broke due to the fact that I had to pay August rent at my current apartment, prorated August rent at my new apartment, $150 credit check fee, deposit on my new apartment, AND September rent. Exhale. That's a lot of money for someone who makes just enough to not be considered poverty.

So I have embarked on my master "moving without bed bugs" plan. It goes as follows:

Step 1: All this week, get as much out as possible. Take all high-risk items (curtains, all clothing, towels, etc.) to the laundromat at put in dryer on high for 36 minutes, ensuring the buggies are gone. Double bag in plastic garbage bags and duct tape closed. No bugs in! Throw out rug, and all unnecessary pillows. It's just stuff. Even though it's my grandfather's stuff. *Pang of guilt* It's just stuff. Repeat. It's just stuff.

Step 2: Steal boxes from work and bring them home. Store AWAY from bedroom and use duct tape to tape all corners and both open sides completely shut. Spray EVERYTHING with bed bug spray (environmental safe, I might ad) before inserting items into boxes. Keep AWAY from the bedroom.

Step 2.5: M was nice enough to drive me home from work yesterday and help me bring my 9 bags of clothing and bedding to my new place. She likes it and says she can't believe I've been living in this hell hole. Hey, me neither.

Step 3: The day before the move: vacuum like it's the plague. Vacuum everything and anything. All furniture, floorboards, the mattress, everything! Promptly through away vacuum bag. Use the Shark to steam EVERYTHING. Furniture, the mattress, everything. Promptly get rid of towel used to shark. Use bed bug spray and drench everything I own in it. So what if I smell like vinegar? Do this to each individual shelf, drawer, and bangle until I'm SURE they are not there.

Step 4: The morning of: Throw out sheets. Throw out box-spring. Repeat spraying process. And, finally, GET THE FUCK OUT OF THERE!

This has become my personal action plan, and all that I can think about. I will beat them I will I will!

Bedbugs

I never thought it could happen to me!

After catsitting on the Lower East Side for two weeks and finding myself bite free, I was sure those nasty mosquitoes who had been biting me were retired for the summer. This may be true, since it's been a while since I've had a mosquito bite. But the first night I spent back in my own bed, I knew I was being bit. I was itching and scratching everywhere, and I couldn't force myself to sleep.

Finally, at 2am, I threw my covers off and turned on the light. And what did I find tucked in the corner of my sheets? A tick sized bedbug! I quickly killed it with a paper towel only to find that it was filled with my blood.

Well, there was no way I was sleeping now. I sat on my computer for the next 2 1/2 hours researching bedbugs. Gross! I'm so clean! How did I get them? From the cruise? From the building? Should I go to work the next day? How can I get rid of them? Ugh!! Why did this have to happen on my birthday week????

The next day I successfully left a message on my landlord's phone after being hung up on three times. I was finally able to talk to someone in the office who sent over an exterminator, meaning I had to miss a big chunk of my workday. He told me that I had a minor case, and not to worry about the majority of my clothes, though I did have to bag up everything in the bins under my bed. He did find one and it's eggs living in my box springs. I've never seen anyone spray so much...extermination chemical! He COVERED my apartment. Of course, I told him that even if he needed to spray my silverware it was fine with me, just get them out!

Well, I put bed bug encasings on my mattress and boxspring, and took my bedding to the dry cleaners. When K came home we did the same to her room. Unlike me, her bed is made with wooden slats, which we can't cover, so she's been sleeping in my bed with me.

This whole experience has brought us back together. We were able to talk through everything and I definitely feel like we're healing. We're both fighting a war against the same devil!

K actually went around asking the other tenants if they have experienced this problem. Turns out, this building has had bed bugs off and on for months, even though K and I signed a paper with the landlord stating they had no knowledge of bedbugs. We found our out!

We called the landlord's office and complained immensely! K was able to get him to tell us that we didn't have to stay and that we could likely get our security back if we wrote him a letter. You bet we're writing him a letter- a very strongly worded one!

So now we're left with this: we're both moving, separately from each other. I hope to be out of here as soon as possible and into my new place. It's just going to be rough to hire movers and pack up all this stuff, not to mention continuing with weekly exterminations until we know the bedbugs are gone for sure. I've had no bites for the past three nights, and I'm feeling very good about our situation now.

So please, craigslist posters, respond to my emails! I need to move. And please don't charge me more in rent than I can afford. Thanks.