Times, they are a changin': job, health, location and a lipid panel.

So much has been going on these past few weeks. I'm really not able to talk about a lot of it in an online forum. But the next twelve months will be full of changes with my job, health, location and basically everything.

First, the job... we are working with a consultant to help save the business. I'm being kept as the office manager, but the title is the only thing staying the same. If we succeed in saving the business, I will need to adapt to all of the new systems, hours and quit my freelance work (conflict of interest). If the business fails, which is all dependent on the doctor's willingness to accept change and listen - characteristics in which he is incredibly weak... if the business fails, I may need to seek employment elsewhere.

Second, the health... I'm finally insured and am seeking the way to make lapband happen. Turns out I need year's worth of medical documentation at weight loss attempts, a letter of recommendation from my primary care physician and to be able to pay my deductible up front (roughly $4000). So there was a night of tears, realizing it wasn't going to be as easy or seamless as I thought. Okay... so that means I'm getting my ducks in a row and preparing that paperwork. I have picked a primary care physician that I'm visiting tomorrow. The mister may also be able to connect me with a dietician in his family and maybe I can save my $30 copay.

Third, the location... There are whispers on the winds about relocation. Again, a hefty consideration with all the change at work. I'm hesitant to commit and say that it is happening because life is incredibly variable right now. Meanwhile the freelance work, which I can do from anywhere... that they want me to quit if I take doc's new hours... Is the only sort of financial security that I would have if I relocated.

That's what's been happening lately. There have been lovely things in between... snow, tea, salads, chinatown, company christmas dinner...   But figuring out those three items has been weighing on my thoughts for now.

The Wisdom House company dinner - a night of peruvian cuisine at the Natural Gourmet Institute. 

Today I went to the MIC Women's Health Clinic to renew my birth control. Because I now have active insurance (as of Dec 1) and am no longer a NY state benefit recipient... they were going to charge me $250 for the visit as opposed to the $30 copay that I was expecting. Only slightly disappointed, because I'm going to the Primary Care Physician tomorrow and I'm sure I can get it there too... But what I did get were my medical records. And can I just say... my lipid panel was awesome.

Cholesterol: 153 -       ref: 120 -200
HDL: 48        ref: >40.
LDL: 90        ref: 100 - 130. LOW
Chol/HDL ratio: 3.19 (less than 1/2 the average risk).
Triglycerides: 77       ref: 30 -175

So here's to knowing that whatever all these life changes bring, I won't be having a heart attack over them. Woohoo for clean arteries!

My street this morning... just a little snow to remind us it's December.

Our dapper kitty keeping me company. 

Snow on Bowery St. - My first trip to ChinaTown. The Dumplings are great! 

NYC Winter Wonderland...

NYC in winter...  is only about 30% of what it is in the movies. It's beautiful, no doubt. The decorations and lights are intricate and lovely. The window fronts are festive. And the big, wet snowflakes are delightful.

But let's talk for 2 seconds about what you don't get in the movies. The smell. Wool coats, fleece accessories, jeans, shoes, socks, unwashed hair and bodies... plus wetness. I've heard people complain about the subway in the summer... but it's NOTHING compared to the damp smells in the winter. The homeless have fewer outdoor options and it drives them into the subway.

You know that if you see a half empty subway car in rush hour, it's not your lucky day. It's probably a smell. And I don't mean the discomfort of a stale fart or someone who is steeped in 25 years of 2-packs a day secondhand smoke. I mean... you get in and immediately your eyes water. Smells you have never smelled before - Every type of rare body cheese and fungi, wet socks, feet, hair & the wafting of concentrated trash, urine and feces. And you will see the unfortunate, probably mentally unstable, homeless person sorting their newspapers or sprawled across a bench getting a nice $2.50 nap.

My "Oh GROSS!" reaction can last up to half the train ride before I remember that there's a person in there that lives with that 24 hours a day and really, finding a place to stay warm, something to eat, a little change to get into the subway is of absolute importance. That person still has feelings and no body enjoys being the smelly kid.

In all frankness, the subway is the culmination of all things gross here. Above ground it's street sludge, construction drips and puddles.

But the snow, while it's falling, is absolutely magical and lovely. Today the snow is falling...   And it is glorious.

A Theory, A Judgement, A Couple Pictures and A Closing Number

A Theory

When I first got here, someone told me that every time you leave the house, plan on spending $20. I laughed. Yeah. Right. I was living off of my $1500 in savings trying to make it last 3 months (rent already paid).

But now, I get it. Today for example. I went to work and had coffee with Katya then went home. It should have been a $5.00 day.

Grocery store $17.58 (chocolate, tea and tomatoes).
Starbucks $12.00 (peppermint mocha mix and a peppermint hot cocoa).
Total: $29.58.

Tomorrow is another day... More importantly, payday. I'd say I can go without buying anything, but I've gotta pick up a few things here and there...

Milk $3.00
Laundry $10.00
Metro Card $5.00
Total: $18.00

Again... basically $20 for leaving the house.

A Judgement

Instead of going to Goodwill or Deseret Industries, you can just leave stuff on the sidewalk and people will take what they want. Tuesday, I loaded up a box with some old lotions, make up items, A gym bag, jump rope and 5 books. I dropped the box off in front of our house and went off to the gym. I worked out. About an hour later... I get home absolutely every item EXCEPT for the books had been taken. And the books were good - Neil Gaiman, The Help, The girl who played with fire, etc.

For this... I judge you, neighborhood, I judge you.

Pictures

Can you guess who this celebrity is? Really... Guess in the comments. Tracy should know how good she is. 

This is how the fancy cat sleeps. 

An Independent Thanksgiving

Okay, so it is the 2nd year that I've done Thanksgiving on my own. We're heading into the holiday season and I'll probably be doing most of them by myself. My roommates travel and the mister isn't in town for the holidays.

Last year it was a little emotional and overwhelming... This year not so much.

What do you do for Thanksgiving on your own?

- You make a Thanksgiving smoothie (no turkey involved, just fruit).
- You scrub the Thanksgiving tub and do the Thanksgiving dishes (and because you're at home by yourself, you know they stay done).
- You take a Thanksgiving personal spa day - exfoliate, pluck, shave, deep condition and spend 2 hours in a hot bath.
- You pick a TV show (Ugly Betty this time around) and marathon during all of your activities.
- You make some Thanksgiving wraps...
- Then you feel a little left out of the pie-a-thon.
- You go to the corner store and buy a cake mix and some frosting.
- You bake a Thanksgiving cake... and continue to watch Ugly Betty.
- And then you wind up the night with all the skin care you normally neglect... and flossing.

I'm really grateful that I stuck it out here in NYC. I've got a beautiful house, lovely roommates, good friends, a great boyfriend and a loving family. And for Black Friday, I'm staying home, doing some laundry and avoiding all crowds... and eating some Thanksgiving cake.

I have a first world problem.

Today's shipments. 

So I am doing those subscription beauty boxes (glossybox, ipsy, julep)... and they give you great discounts for products. Well, this last month, there were really great coupons. I bought a couple items here... and another couple there.... and then NYX had a great sale and they have these great glittery eyeliners that I've been obsessing about for about a month and then their eyeshadow pots were only a dollar, and their nail polish was only $2 a bottle.

Well, All the orders came in today. Which was surprising. And overwhelming. And eye opening. Looks like I am going to be canceling two of the boxes. But I don't know which to quit.



Ipsy - $10 per month. 4-6 items. 

Brands that I could afford and buy at the duane reade... More makeup than skincare and haircare.

However, if you quit. Then you have to join the waiting list again before you can sign up again.



Glossybox - $23 with shipping per month 4-5 items. 

Luxury foreign and high end brands. Great sized samples. Excellent actual boxes (for easy organizing at home) :) Usually an even smattering of haircare, skincare and makeup.



Julep - $20 per month 3 items. 

3 nail polishes or 2 polishes and 1 beauty product. I CAN skip months with Julep instead of fully quitting.



WEAK! I am weak.

So December... Here we go. Gotta make some cancelations. Save a little money and go through the massive amounts of stuff I already have.

First. World. Problem.

ART NIGHT!

Today was a stay-in-holy-cow-it's-freezing day. Our heater is half working (hey, it's keeping us at about 60 degrees). So I've been wrapped up in Lauren's electric blanket (kind woman) making hot chocolate and thinking of things to bake and cook for the upcoming week so I can keep the oven or stove going. I cooked up a bunch of hamburger for this week's lunches, hot chocolate, soup. I also made baked chicken for lunch. I contemplated brownies... but didn't have the eggs. Next time. 

My dear friend Katya came over for a girls evening. We did the obligatory nail painting and then busted out the art supplies. 

Tamara went on a shopping spree a while back and gave me a bunch of shoe box lids to use for art projects. 5 months later we put them to use. 

I don't know the exact measurements of the "canvases" but I do imagine taking them in and asking for them to be framed in size 9.5... 

Our final products... 

Stranger than thou.

I walked out of the train station, down the front steps. It was all normal, rowdy kids shouting at each other, that sunken looking dude that's always begging for change, a police officer on the corner. I caught the eye of a strange white guy I've never seen before. And believe me, the white people are the minority. You notice someone new. He said hello. I said hi back.

"hope you have a good night!"
"Thanks!" I hefted my bag higher, grabbed my keys and kept walking.

The kitty lady from earlier this week had already filled the food bowls for the strays. The orange one I like so much was sniffing around the fence near the sidewalk. The mind wanders..

Tiffany & Co.... on the way to dinner.

Katya and the delicious mac. 

....Katya and I had the best mac and cheese tonight at S'mac. I'm sure glad I met her. See the doc's office isn't that bad. We're going to have a salon day this December. I ran into this dude peddling a salon package on my way to dinner. $400 worth of services at the 5th ave aveda salon for $69. I told him I couldn't afford it. Then he sweetened the deal. Two packages for $69. It's Christmas after all. It would make a great gift. . I paid for the certificates (mom, don't worry. It's a real thing). And he walked with me from 52nd and 5th down to 34th just sorta chatting along the way.

I walked from the Columbus circle area all the way down to 12th and 1st ave (that's like... 3.2 miles). Man... I can't wait to get home and kick these shoes off. My dogs are barkin'.

At that point in the mind wanderings, the man from the subway passed me. His phone in one hand. A glowing cigarette in the other, "Hang on a sec. Hey, I wanted to tell you back there, I really like your shoes."

"Thanks, New Balance is the best. I haven't seen you around before. Are you new to the neighborhood?"

"I've been here 2 years. My name is Nathaniel. So you really like them? The shoes?"

"Yeah, I've been through about 7 pairs of new balance."

"They wear out quickly?"

"No. I just mean... brand loyalty, you know? I really like them."

"Do they get hot? Do they keep your feet from getting hot and sweaty?"

"Yes. I mean. They've got mesh outers, so it stays pretty fresh in there."

"Any chance I could see your feet sometime?"

"Oh, wow. Ummm... No. That would make me uncomfortable. But thanks! Hey man, It's nice to meet you. I'll see you around."

And with that. I am 100% sure my day was weirder than yours.