Livin it up in The BIG APPLE

Saturday, June 03, 2006

D&B

This morning I totally slept in and then Laurel and I met at 1pm to go to Times Square and play at Dave & Buster's. For those of you who aren't familiar with the place, it's like Chuck E. Cheese for grown-ups, with lots of virtual games, race cars and other fun things to do. We decided to eat lunch before we went to play and had some AWESOME hamburgers, although they serve just about every kind of food you can imagine. Our server, Nicole, was great with really good recommendations. We got this dessert called Banana Foster which was seriously AMAZING! It's like a banana cream pie type dessert with banana slices and caramel drizzled everywhere. It was SO good! Dad, you would love it!

We went to play games and found our favorites to be the basketball shoot out game and the race cars. With the basketball shootout you can set it up so up to 5 people compete against each other. I did really well until about the 5th game where my arms said they needed a break...haha. What a woos! So, we played again right before we left and I did better again. :o) In the end I had 777 tickets. Laurel had 60. haha. It's because the games she played didn't really give tickets and I played games that did for the most part. So, we combined them and I got a glass D&B cup, a shot glass for Laurel's collection (ironically enough she collects them, likely because they're small and easy to transport...and cheaper!), some Yankees playing cards and a D&B frisbee for kicks and giggles. The frisbee cost a whoppin 10 tickets but I don't know when I'll be to another D&B so I decided to use them while I could and Yankees were the only types of cards available. Sorry, Kassi.

We got home around 6pm and then I just made some phone calls and chilled. I'm working on conference stuff and my Media History paper now. A group of interns went clubbing and dancing tonight, but I'm just not into that stuff so it's just a me kind of night. Oh, and I'm chatting with two of my most favorite people online: Sarah Heitman & Erin Pierce! :o)

-mk


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Laurel & I at D&B.

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This is a virtual reality race car game. So, you sit in the car and the view is as if you're the one driving the car. It made me SICK from all the bouncing around! When you hit the wall you would spin on the screen. The car didn't spin but it may as well have...ugh. If you plan to ride it, eat AFTERWARDS. The lady who got in after me had been drinking so I'm not sure how she made it thru without puking...haha. Maybe she did, I don't know.

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On this game, the entire chair moves...also nauseating.

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Laurel and I waiting for the train at 145. Our stop is really 125, but every weekend they do construction so we have to ride all the way to 145 and then catch a southbound train to 125. Construction is supposed to end soon, so who knows if we'll be there next week. :o) So many memories at that station...

Friday, June 02, 2006

F.R.I.D.A.Y

For those of you wondering when I'm going to post the information and pictures from last Saturday, know that I've been working on it every night. The problem is that I took 191 pictures that day (yes, I did THAT much stuff) and I have to load them on to Photobucket.com for everything to come out right on the blog. So, it's coming, just be patient. There will be some pretty cool things on there -- or at least things that I thought were pretty cool.

Today was an interesting day and that's about all I can say on that. Work was good, nothing fabulous, but it was good to have Maria back today. Melissa and I sit in the reception area with Glenys & Maria (the receptionists) so we always have a good time with them. On my lunch break I went in search of dropping off an invitation to speak at conference to Dave Checketts who is here in NYC. The only problem was the address I was given said he was located on the 5th floor. I got to the building just fine, but it took me about 20 minutes once in the building to actually find his office. Let's just say it involved a wild goose chase and a lot of time. I didn't have a chance to have lunch, but I wasn't that hungry anyway so it was fine. Turns out, in the afternoon, we had a little party in the reception area for one of the accountants. It was a Haagen-Daz ice cream cake from Hallmark of all places. It was amazing! The outside rim of the cake was built with small chocolate pirouettes -- love those things! The cake was just beautiful. Expensive. Free for me. But beautiful.

After work I went to the temple. I had a lot of things on my mind and figured it was the perfect place to take some time to relax and think. I was 20 minutes too late for the 6pm session and an hour+ too early for the 7:30pm session. So, I asked to do initiatories. I'm glad I did because it was exactly what I needed. It's been a while since I've participated in that ordinance and it brought home a lot of things that I really needed to hear today. I'm so grateful for the blessings of the temple and to have the opportunity to find peace there when so many things of the world clutter the mind. What a difference the spirit can make in your life! For those of you who haven't had a chance to go thru the temple yet, go often and treasure the experiences you have there.

Tonight Laurel came by after her dance class. Today her verdict is to stay in New York...haha. I told her I'll believe her decision is final when she dies because she won't be able to change her mind then. Silly girl. Anyway, I spent like an hour teaching her the basics of Spanish and some common phrases. The breakfast guy in the morning (don't know his name, we call him "potato man" because we always get hashbrowns from him) is latin and he always wants to speak Spanish to Laurel (he thinks she looks latin). So after several mornings of trying to speak Spanish to her and her telling him she didn't know Spanish, he told her that he knew someone from BYU did, he just couldn't remember who. So, then I showed up and he was like "You! You speak Spanish, right?" I assured him I did and since then he only addresses me in Spanish. It's fun. :o) Good way to brush up and practice. Anyway, he told me this morning he was sad because he wants to talk to his friend more (Laurel) but he can't because she doesn't speak Spanish and he doesn't speak English well. I told him his English was great, but he insisted tehy both needed to learn more of the other's language. After I told Laurel that this morning, she was determined to learn some phrases. So, after tonight's lesson, she can now say:
* Good Morning!
* How are you?
* What's happening?
* My friend who speaks Spanish (because he's inevitably going to ask her how she learned these phrases)
* I want ____________ (potatoes, french toast, bacon, eggs)
* Slower, please (meaning, speak slower please)
* Little Spanish (meaning she doesn't speak very much...just in case he starts going off)

Anyway, it should be fun to try out on Monday morning.

Well, it's getting late. G'night!

-mk

Thursday, June 01, 2006

The longest day EVER

Today was the slowest day I think I've ever lived. Everything seemed to drag on forever! I had stuff to do at work, but nothing to keep me very busy or awake. It was a rough day. There was a temp receptionist today to help Glenys because Maria was out taking her son to the doctor. The temp was AWFUL though and did nothing but chat on her cell phone to her friends the whole day. Then, when she was confronted about it, she lied and said it was her temp supervisor calling to give her directions for the next day. Since there were three of us who overheard her chewing out either a boyfriend or some friend, we knew that wasn't right. Anyway, in the future they've decided to go elsewhere for their temps. Apparently they've had several bad temps from this agency.

After work I went to Old Navy to get some new flipflops for the shower since my other ones are wearing down. I met up with Sherilyn and Lurel and then we headed up to Madison & 50th for a meeting with NYLDSPA (New York LDS Professionals Association). The group wanted to meet the BYU interns and give us some advice and direction in our New York experience and the transition time from internship to job. Elise Soukup, who wrote the coverpage Newsweek article "The Making of the Mormons" that was released in October, shared her experiences and how she got to be where she is now -- an assistant editor at Newsweek. It was cool to see some people's work, hear what they do and learn from their mistakes and successes. Afterwards, Laurel and I came home together and had another one of her famous "what am I going to do with my life" talks. That girl is so funny. It's a hard decision to make, but I think we're getting closer...or at least I hope. For a long time it felt like the decisions were going in circles but I think its getting better. :o) I know it's tough cause I've had to make those type of decisions several times and I'm not sure they get any easier. So, I think it's nice for her to have someone to talk them through with. I know that I learn for myself when I talk to her about what she's thinking of doing.

Anyway, it's late and I'm of course exhausted. :o) G'night.

-mk

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Success

Today was a great day at work. I did some follow up from some pitches I did last week and found out that one of the two papers covered the event I pitched. That was exciting!

I also called several editors today to follow up from a product sample I sent them. A good percentage said they would use it or are considering using the product for their Back To School issues, while others allowed me to provide them information for future issues -- all good coverage! I was going over the results with Matt one of the team members on the account that I report to, when his supervisor, Meredith, walked by and asked how things were going. Matt told her I was on fire and they weren't going to let me go back to school. :o) That made me feel good, like I'm actually out there doing the real stuff, ya know? Anyway, it was a great day at work. I love being busy!

Tonight I went to Laurel's room and watched The Diary of a Mad Black Woman. It was a pretty funny movie. Sad, cute, funny, everything. It was good.

Sorry I don't really have any pictures to post tonight because I didn't really do anything out of the ordinary. I'm not really tired but know I will be in the morning so I better get going to bed.

G'night.

-mk

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Tuesday is the new Monday

Well, I definitely got plenty of sleep last night. Yesterday morning by lower back started bothering me like it does once or twice a year. On the way home from Coney Island though it got worse, so I came home, did some stuff on the computer and then took a muscle relaxer the doctor gave me last time it happened. That knocked me out at 5pm and by the time I woke up at 1:30am it was time to go back to sleep. So, I officially slept for 14 hours last night. Ridiculous, I know.

Work was fine, nothing spectacular. I made some calls to some editors and got some good leads. I'm keeping pretty busy, so that's been good.

Tonight I worked on some stuff for conference and things are making their way along in that area. I love doing conference stuff!

Anyway, it's getting late. I just stayed up talking to my dad on the phone and Dan Posner online. Dan just got back from a mission two weeks ago, so it was fun to talk to him for the first time since he got home.

I just found out today that Holly Glazebrook, a friend from who knows how long ago, will be coming out to visit in June for a few days before I go home, so that should be fun.

G'night.

-mk

Monday, May 29, 2006

Happy Memorial Day

This morning a group of about 20 of us rode the train down to Coney Island. It was about an hour and a half train ride so it was nice to be with a group of others. We went and stuck our feet in the Atlantic and then headed towards the famous Cyclone of Coney Island. It's the roller coaster that all the other "Cyclones" are based on (i.e. Texas Cyclone, etc.). It was $6 so there were 4 of us who decided not to go.

Afterwards, we all went for "coney dogs" at famous Nathan's, the place that made hot dogs famous. They have a hot dog eating contest every year and there's a complete countdown, record chart, etc. on the side of the building. Check out the photo below to see the record for the past 5 years. You'll notice it's held by the same guy every year. Sick! That's all I can say. Hot dogs are good and all, but not that many.

Anyway, enjoy the pics!

-mk

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This picture is taken from almost the top of the escalator and front of the line and is FILLED with BYU interns on their way to Coney Island! :o) The subway at our stop is one of few that is above ground and only accessible by escalator. Becca Foster leads the pack in the picture, followed by Dallas & Chateau.

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The whole group on the beach

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Laurel and I at the beach.

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THE Cyclone rollercoaster

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Becca, Alicia, Jane & Lyndsey pose while standing in the freezing waters of the Atlantic at Coney Island beach.

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Brandon, Erik and Chris all chose to wear lime green polo shirts on Monday. It must have just been a bright green kinda day because it sure wasn't planned.

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Countdown until the next July 4th hot dog eating competition

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Fifty-three and a half hot dogs! Please, make me sick! And the guy has the record for the last FIVE years! I'm amazed he lived that long! I wonder what his doctor has to say about that...

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Kathrine, Kimberly, Meridith, Brandon, Lyndsey & Jane enjoy food from Nathan's after a stroll around the beach.

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Exhaustion

This morning I took my time reading my scriptures and getting ready for the day. We went to church and had a really good Sunday School and sacrament meeting, but I was so exhausted. On my way home I took a walk through Riverside Park (across the street) to see if I could find somewhere relaxing to sit and read conference talks. Much to my surprise, the park was FULL of family parties for Memorial Day weekend. Music, sports, and BBQs of every size were covering the grounds. So, I decided to go inside and open my window (it faces away from the park so its a little quieter) and take a nap. It was only supposed to be for about 20 minutes, but 2 hours later I was fighting like crazy to even get up. I just kept falling asleep. I made myself get out of bed and went to dinner for some pork stuff that was ok.

I sat and talked to Brandon for a while and Lyndsey made some phone calls. It was fun. We talked about family background, the church and where we see ourselves each living some day. I love those kind of talks with people. Laurel and I have those talks every Sunday but she decided to go to the Harlem family ward today so I didn't see much of her.

Anyway, that's pretty much all I did. I talked to Amber Allison, Holly Glazebrook and some other friends tonight. It's been good.

Well, I think we might be going to Coney Island in the morning so I'm out. G'night.

-mk