Wednesday, December 30, 2009

So Bashert: A Very Gluck and Company X-Mas

I now believe in Christmas miracles. Okay, this was maybe not a miracle, but just so "bashert" (Yiddish for fate or destiny)that there had to be some higher power that made the stars (or better yet, the NYC Subway and NJ Transit) align for this to actually happen.

I had heard early Christmas Eve day that a few of my friends from back in the day NFTY-GER were getting together for Chinese food and movies that night. I didn't think much of it, and continued my my day work and happily left early.

After rushing through crowds in the Subway and Penn Station, I had about 15 minutes to wait at Secaucus Junction before my train back to Rockland would arrive.

I felt a tap on my shoulder. It was my friend Erica from GER! After the initial "what are you doing in New York" questions were asked, she informs me that she's heading down to our friends Shira and Ellie Gluck's house for said get together, and invited me along.

I love how sometimes plans can change so quickly for the better. I was expecting a night at home watching my parents fall asleep on the couch. Instead, I was in a car on my way to a good-old fashioned girls slumber party!

After TONS of Chinese food as well as "Clueless", "Love Actually" and "Dirty Dancing", I kept having flashbacks to my weekends in high school, being with my GER ladies. Some things, even after years apart, never change.

So call it just a freak coincidence. Or just a bit of good luck that I didn't have a boring Christmas. I consider it my little Christmas miracle that brought me back to good friends, really good food, and lots of fun!

Just like 2003 all over again. But with wine.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

How Santa...I mean NORAD...does it

What goes in to tracking Santa?
Apparently more than I ever thought.

Take a look. :)

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Don't Compare Your Productivity With Santa, You'll Lose.

Honestly, what's better than Tracking Santa around the world when you're bored at work? But it makes me feel even less productive than ever before.

What have I done in the past 2 hours?
Me: Wrote two e-mails, constantly checked "To-Do" list, realized I can't actually do anything until next week, practiced using differnt internal work systems, made two cups of tea
Santa: Delivered presents to the entire continent of Australia and half of Southeast Asia

Productivity Fail.

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Down Time, What's That?

In my opinion, the best time to start a new job in corporate America is during the Holiday Season. During the holidays, the environment is relaxed, everyone is a little happier, and no one is here past 5:15pm. I'm actually easing in to my new responsibilities rather than being thrown in head first.

And I even have this thing called "down time" that gives me a moment to check my e-mail, and even write a blog post.

But here have been the highlights so far at work:

Pros:
-Bigger Desk (Minus the big support beam in the cubical. I'd take a picture, but I don't want to seem like a creeper just yet)
-Learning Final Cut Pro
-Learing other fun tech things, I'll soon be an expert!
-I have to be super organized, so I'm taking advantage of all the free office supply! (Hooray Post-Its!)
-Production Pot-Luck Lunch... so tasty!
-Holidays and Half Days!
-Friendly Co-Workers
-Constant communication between teammates (some might find this annoying, but it's quite refreshing compared to my previous work environment)
-My very on company Blackberry... I look forward to getting addicted. :)

Cons:
- My desk is next to the men's bathroom (I'll know people's pee schedules :P)
- My teammate went to Duke (But he's teaching me everything I need to know, so I'll let it slide...for now.)

I've already been told to prepare for a crazy busy January, so I'm really appreciating the down time to really get my feet wet, and practice all the stuff I'll be responsible for.

Now if you'll excuse me, Gchat is calling...

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful...

As much as I wanted to see all of my friends before I moved back to New York, leaving a day early to avoid the impending snow cracked the Top Ten in the "Best Decisions I Ever Made" category. I scrambled to shove everything I owned into my car and was on my way by around 12:30pm Friday.

After 6.5 hours, D.C. traffic, Delaware construction traffic, a major accident on the NJ Turnpike and then NJ rush hour traffic, I was finally home.



This is when I thought it might be smart to take a detour around Exit 7 of the Turnpike. Turns out it had road construction.







Not a happy camper.








But this traffic would have been nothing had I stayed in DC another 12 hours. Not only did I avoid the Blizzard of 2009 (My town only got about 6-8 inches), I missed producing round-the-clock coverage of the snow storm on ABC 7/Newschannel 8. Odds are, I would have ended up sleeping in the newsroom so I wouldn't die going back and forth from my shift. Now as cool as it sounds to be in a newsroom covering this storm, I have a pretty good feeling I would have still hated waking up at three in the morning to be a part of it.


See, not so bad. We missed the brunt of the storm.
NYC got about a foot.






I think even Donkey liked the snow! (Or at least, didn't run back inside when she realized her paws were cold)






Now just a few more hours before I finally join the masses on the "Case of the Mondays" commute into NYC. Excuse me while I stay warm by the fire....
How Delightful!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Damn You, Mother Nature

Thank you Meteorologist Adam Caskey from WJLA/Newschannel 8 for the great graphic.

I understand the job of the weatherman, he may exaggerate the weather to get a point across to idiots who plan on driving in the stuff.

But when local forecasts, multiple online sites and The Weather Channel say this is going to be a big snow storm, I guess I shouldn't take my chances.

Miss my DC friends already. :(

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Packing Master

Sam's Packing/Tetris Skills: 1
Laws of Physics: 0







Old Dream, New Reality

This move is 5 1/2 years in the making.
I've always considered myself a misplaced New Yorker that in the future, would get pointed in the right direction and finally head back up that I-95 corridor one last time.
I would get a job in NYC, really start to believe the mantra, "I'm from New York, therefore I'm better than you", and grow fat and happy from all the delicious bagels, pizza and Chinese food I would regularly eat to make up for lost time. Now that journey is only a day and a half away, and that new job in the city begins in just four days.

So a few things:
1. I realized that my previous attempt at a blog failed because there really was no exact theme to most of the posts. At least this time I hope it's different.
2. This blog will (hopefully) be about making up for lost time with my family and friends in NYC, finding fun (and reasonably priced) things to do in the most expensive city in the country, and treasuring weekend nights, now that my job isn't forcing me to go to bed at 9pm to get up for a 4am shift.
3. You never actually realize how much stuff you've accumulated until you have to pack it all up.


This is just some of the stuff that will hopefully fit into my scratched-up Ford Taurus. A trunk load of stuff and then some went back with the boy last week.
I'm also packing my car up alone because no one else is in-between jobs and can help on a random Thursday or Friday afternoon. Damn employed friends.

Goal Today: Use old-school Tetris skills to efficiently pack my trunk and backseat. Lets hope it's possible.