Ferocious.

Best show on Netflix...

If you haven't watched Derek on Netflix... you need to. I was expecting it to be an irreverent comedy starring Ricky Gervais. It's not at all. Within 7 episodes, I cried 3 times. It is SO unlike everything on the TV these days.

It doesn't glorify sexiness, or social climbing or anything like that. The message is the importance of being nice. Kindness is the cool thing here. Being an innocent and good person is what's valued in this show. I think it definitely contrasts with so much of TV today... Weeds, Dexter, Breaking Bad... these shows are deliciously gritty. They have protagonists that are so human. You both love and hate them. 

Derek is not like this at all. It is endearing. It is uncomfortable. It is sweet and small town. It reminded me of grandma in the nursing home. It reminded me of singing for school or church, when we went around to the different living facilities. Derek is disarming. It doesn't allow you to be cynical or jaded. Because it's a show about goodness... how do you hate that? 

I just can't recommend watching it enough. 

Latest in the Life in the Times of Nanette... 

- Spent the afternoon talking about imaginary concepts with my freelance boss. I have got to get away from faux medicine. I just don't think that placing lucite cubes with markings on them will change life that drastically. 

- Outreach project at work is beginning to take off in a most delightful way. We may see this business turn around here in the next quarter. 

- Walked the length of midtown and nearly the width of Manhattan today (just a couple avenues short). And didn't buy a thing. Gotta save for the big move. 

- Also managed to not eat everything in sight. Been seeing the weight respond. 

Summary: Success. 

Trying this thing...

Be patient with me...

I'm trying to get this auto post to facebook thing working...

11:17 on a Tuesday. That's the shawl you gave me at the wedding, Laura! :) 

Just another Tuesday in Bushwick

My normal work schedule has me in Manhattan Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It's a cush gig. Work 4 days a week to afford my needs and a little extra to pay off whatever my last irresponsible purchase was. On top of that Wednesday - Friday are only half days. It's great. I get a full weekend and a random Tuesday off in the middle of the week.

Today was nothing special. Laundry. Cooking. Cleaning up the house. Prepping a donation bag (AKA: I didn't have enough hangers for the stuff I washed today). 

The boy came out tonight. We watched Freedom Writers (it's part of his juvenile justice course) and made dinner. I'm learning to whip up a mean toasted wrap (goat cheese, grilled chicken, spinach, tomato and guacamole). 

My major accomplishment today was taking the train into the city on my day off - my metro card is unlimited, take advantage of it!  I walked through 6 stores and didn't buy one thing. Not one thing. Nothing more to add to the collection of odds and ends. (please feel free to break into song... "look at this stuff, isn't it neat? wouldn't you say my collection's complete?" *bonus points if sung in a swimming pool*). 

I'm trying to make the transition from the boy's neighborhood back to my own. I understand why I thought he was snooty. It IS different. I mean, my neighborhood doesn't make me uncomfortable at all. But there are a lot more people yelling at each other... some very obvious crack houses...   and his neighborhood is a bunch of tall buildings, immediate stores and shops on the ground level of every block and everyone is walking a dog or a baby. 

I would still consider my neighborhood more friendly. Everyone says "Hello" in passing. If anything they are usually too affectionate. "mmmm... girl! Walk this way." Right. I'm sure that will work one day and then you will fall in love and live happily ever after. 

In this neighborhood, it's important not to keep eye contact for too long or you wind up showing that you're interested which... if like me, you are prone to staring off into space on the subway, instead of closing your eyes or playing on your phone... can lead to awkward and amusing situations. Let me just tell you... I drive the 40+ year old latin men wild. Now, this is a gross generalization, but it seems that in most cases, they just happen to be eye level while sitting on the subway.

I got the stare down by an older latin man just today... With his straw resort style hat, cream colored suit and dark, but-not-so-dark-you-can't-see-him-make-eye-contact-and-raise-his-eyebrows, sunglasses. I spent 16 awkward minutes trying to look anywhere but in his direction. I did the quick visual scan of the train from left to right a couple of times to see if he was still staring...   nnnnngggghhhh...   Being the object of Creep-o-vision has a distinct feel - similar to being backed into a corner... or the uncomfortable mind-odor of knowing that you are sunburning (red heads out there, you feel me?), except this time it's sunburning a hole through you. 

Sex in the city got it wrong. That's not what dating out here is like... at all. Maybe it's a plus-sized thing? Maybe a difference of salaries thing? Maybe it's a Bushwick thing...  But I'm just saying, in my personal experience, there has been little to NO similarity. 

Also, wearing heels while in the city... stupidest idea ever. If you're ever here, just know it's normal to see a business skirt suit paired with sneakers on the street. Don't be ashamed and don't let TV tell you different. 

Love, 

Nanette

Testing Facebook Autoposts...

This is what it looks like when I try to wink. 

This is a morning commute on a bus. 

This is where I sleep... also where I watch movies with the cat. 

This is where I work...

This is one of my favorite nights with one of my favorite people... and that's a needle through her nose, stuck in a cork. 

10 minute free write...

9:25pm... ready... set...   Go!

I started writing something like this at the doctor's office and I quickly realized I don't get 10 uninterrupted minutes... ever.

Today was a good day in the office. I was able to be very frank and communicate clearly about doc's behavior being in conflict with what we discussed in the work meeting. Priorities... Getting new clients in the door and retaining them. I mean... who leaves a patient waiting so they can microwave their coffee. Stop wasting everyone's life. The patient's... because they are just waiting and it's a particularly frail one who needs a good chair and can't stand for a long period of time. Mine because I have to stop being productive in order to nag the crap out of him for being a complete idiot. And his own... really, you're microwaving coffee that you're not even going to drink but rather use as a prop and a time consuming device to make yourself feel important.

It's nice to know that I've retained some of my original Idaho self... the part that can't freaking STAND people wasting my time.

Back to home... Back to my house, my bed. Mom and dad sent me a birthday check. I used a little bit of it to buy some fancy socks. they have lavender in them and buckwheat or something. You're supposed to microwave them and they turn into puddles of black bear coziness. So far... they're working. So... there's that. The rest of it is going to pay my gym membership registration fee. So... you're encouraging me to keep fit for another year. Thanks!

I was thinking on my way home that I have bought all the fun things a girl could need. Makeup, nail polish, shoes, perfumes, hair stuff... And when you have too much it's not fun anymore. Just another thing to keep and store. So I guess I'm all about using everything up and getting rid of things. I'm actually taking my first trip to donate stuff. I have gone from no mattress to 3 tubes of the same damn lip crayon that makes me look too pale (thank you subscription boxes).

So this is 27. I love to make a list of things that I want to accomplish in the year... using my birthday as my own personal new years. I have it somewhere. I should post that.

As any of you who were directed here from my facebook know, I'm taking a little hiatus. Facebook is so full of anger and hate and boredom. It's frustrating to watch and be a part of. I like sharing my thoughts and photos... and can't stand those stupid posts about what facebook should be... 12 worst types of selfies, or top 10 worst kinds of posts... etc. etc. etc. So I'm withdrawing. People can use social networking how they will. I'm just going to bow out. But I don't want to lose this time in my life... Facebook is such a good documentation. Daily snippets, photos, notes from loved ones. it's a sentimentalist's dream.

But for now, I will enjoy these cozy socks and the warm glow of the laptop screen and bid you all good night. My 10 minutes are now....   three... two... one..... Over.

365 days...

As of June 2nd, 2013... I have lived in NYC for a full year.

One of the hardest years of my life? You bet. One of the most emotional years of my life? Yes. One of the most truly independent years of my life? Absolutely.

I am proud of myself. And I'm going to take a little opportunity to brag...

Over the course of 365 days I have...

• Gone from being unemployed to having 5 jobs. 
• Worked my way up from $12.50 an hour to $20 an hour. 
• Acquired insurance. 
• Started "Project Identity" where I replace all my lost identity documents. 
• Become proficient at using both buses and trains... no more panic late night on a Sunday. 
• Become a smart phone user. 
• Touched the ocean - that's going to be happening more this summer. 
• Begun donating a monthly amount to a charity. 
• Purchased permanent items... like a bed, larger furniture, more enjoy-life kind of stuff. 
• Enough in savings to survive a month without employment 
• Paid for a trip to visit Idaho. 
• Learned how to use groupon to afford nice things and fun events. 
• Paid off 2 credit cards 100%, closed the accounts and cut up the cards. 
• Enrolled at a gym that I attend at least 2 times a week... (for over 3 months now, that makes it a habit, right?)
• Got a Pedicure. 
• Visited 5 eastern seaboard states. 
• Ridden 2 boats. (ferrys really). 
• Learned how to dress for all 4 NYC seasons. 
• Become rather smitten with that nice boy I mentioned in the last blog... 
• Established quality friendships with great people like Cat, Laura, Will, Tamara... that whole crew over at Kidville (they are the best co-workers I've EVER had). 
• Taken a month of piano lessons. 
• Begun learning spanish (check out the fun website I'm using HERE).

I have also melted down completely a couple of times. There's been tears, snot and throat infections... poorly assigned medications and a bad match on birth control. There has been tons of paperwork... arguments with bosses, arguments with roommates... ninety tons of laundry done and too much self criticism. 

But that's LIFE! Good times. Bad times... but I'm so happy to be growing and learning still. I'm sure that my next year here will teach me so much more. I'd like to discover my curiosities and learn some new skills. Maybe even buy a piano keyboard and get back to speaking terms with music. 

I'm super blessed to have my friends back home that have kept me together this last year. Trent has listened to tirade after tirade... Sarah has reminded me that I am a rational human being (and an interesting one at that). Julie is always there with a friendly Facebook "Hey girl!"... Taylor has actually picked up his phone a few times! Ha! Just to name a few. I love you all and can't wait to see you guys again. So I don't know if anyone is going to read this, but there needs to be a big ol' THANK YOU! out there for all those folks who have kept me company when I was lonely or entertained when I couldn't afford a real show or shared your lives with me. THANK YOU! 

Year-in-summation-ly Love, 

Nanette

On a Boat! 

My subway stop smells like freshly cut grass in the green seasons. 

Beautiful sunset, worth posting twice. 

Laura drinks coffee and means business. 

Cat is adventurous. 

Toni... well... she worries sometimes. HA! 

Extreme sports at kidville... Climbing without a helmet. 

I went to the zoo!!! They have butterflies there?