Shana's Storey

we're moving!

2011-07-04T07:26:00.004-04:00

On Jul 26th, a big ol' moving truck will be pulling up to our Brooklyn apartment and taking our belongings to holding facility until we close on our potential home in Merritt Island, FL (or an apt on Cocoa Beach if the house doesn't appraise).

Justin and I have been packing up the place we have called home for almost 6 years! Which is the longest either of us have lived in one location since we were kids. What's even more odd, the longer we lived here, the more transient the apartment felt, as we counted down years, months and weeks until we were able to make the timing and location work for both of us. Trust me, we kept trying to escape, but it just never seemed to be the right step. And as I have spent more than 1/3 of my time living out of a suit case in various hotels (either for work or to see family) the apartment in Brooklyn just continued to feel like a weight on my chest. We hated our neighbors, the noise from above, the cigarette smoke from below, the construction from the right, the guy who is a jerk on the left and the people who all have parties all night from all around. We were sick of the too hip to actually be labeled as hipsters who have sailor tattoos but couldn't tell you port from starboard or stem from stern, let alone what kind of ship or anchor was adorning their skin. Yet we will miss the over priced, always wrong deli orders, that were always convenient.

In the last six weeks we have said goodbye to more than 200 books, 6 bags of clothing and multiple peices of home goods to both the trash pick up, Brooklyn street donations, or to Goodwill/Salvation Army! We have 2 weekends, two rooms (bedroom and bathroom), one closet and one drawer to clean out and organize. And then the last weekend will be spent in balance between our friends and closing up the dry docked big boat and preparing her for land transit.

To sum it up: NYC we may miss your warm nights with fireworks, good friends and good drinks, we will miss sailing in your harbor, and I will miss your cheap mani/pedis. I will miss my good friends who have gotten used to my odd schedules. But mostly NY, we find it funny that we will miss Mystic, CT the most and the weekends we went up to dine at DPI and meander around your little town and beautiful historic seaport

It feels good to be cleaning house, shedding the old, and getting ready to start new!

Holiday recap

2010-12-27T13:11:00.006-05:00

I like the holidays. I love wrapping presents, decorating the tree and making my annual holiday treats. This year, I was dreading all the above. I didn't think I was going to be home long enough to bother on the tree, I was using up left over paper, so everyone had a different theme from a year past, and I was positive I wasn't going to get to the annual holiday treat baking until the new year. The only thing I was right on was the annual treats.

My good friend Alexis was state side this year, and we put up the tree and wrapped all the presents together, which was tons of fun!

I also love receiving presents (in addition to presents I also accept cash, gift cards, checks, and cards for no reason). As years past have illustrated, as an only child I am still lavished with super awesome presents! If you browse past holiday photos, I have received planes, trains, a sack of presents from Santa, and this year a Robot! He was made of veggies and a new jucier. Thank you parents!

New Photos up!

2010-12-12T21:10:00.001-05:00

I will be posting the stuffing entry my dad made shortly, but you can check out recent photos (or within the last 6 months). Links are on the left!

‎105 days of my food detox program

2010-11-02T09:04:00.003-04:00

low grain, low sugar, some dairy and I feel great!

Here it is, about 3 months since my last post- when I was new to the low toxin food program. I am still juicing, in fact I own a manual crank juicer which I purchased to travel with, and many days I prefer to have a juice for breakfast and in the afternoon.

I had added back some natural fruit sugar, and small amounts of refined sugar which I don't beat myself up over. I am still avoiding grain 95% of the time and most starches. I like corn chips, so I have them when I want them, and about once every 6 weeks, I find myself in a sushi bar with a spicy tuna roll!

The program has provided very noticeable results. I have officially lost 30 pounds (this morning was 30 to the ounce). I went from a very uncomfortable 16 to a comfortable 10 and even some size 8s. What is awesome, is the weight loss wasn't my focus (although it is a wonderful benefit, and keeps me extremely motivated to continue eating like this!), the fact my stomach feels so much better is the true benefit. My allergies have improved. As has my energy levels, and my vitamin levels. I haven't felt this positive since I was a kid!

So here's to 105 days (I was too busy on day 100 to post) and a life time of feeling so great.

Food detox: week 3

2010-08-02T13:43:00.005-04:00

About 6 weeks ago, I went to my doctor* and he said I want you to try the program by Natalia Rose, Detox 4 Woman. There is no reason why you should be struggling with your weight loss, and there is no known reason why you are still unable to consume so many foods.

I bought the book. I read the book, 3 times. I responded to the book with a good old WTF, there is no way I can ever do this program.

Over the course of the following 2 weeks, I tried to modify my meals. I ate vegetable starches with veggies, and flesh proteins with veggies. I increased my raw veggie intake 10 fold. I started to remove olive oil.

I went back in for my follow up appointment,and he asked the dreaded question: Did you start that Detox Program? I sheepishly responded: It's expensive to juice, and I don't have the time, I travel to much, I am already eating close to the program, sooo...no, I didn't start the program. He looked at me, and said, look just give it a try. I know how ridiculous this all sounds, but let's see what happens. If it doesn't help, you don't need to continue on this program.

I near the end of the 3rd week. I drink fresh juice 6 mornings a week. I eat mostly veggies for lunch with either a sweet potato or avocado. For dinner I consume veggies both cooked and raw, cheese and meat. I go out to eat. The only real adjustment has been the juice and not putting starch based meals with protein based meals. I have even traveled 2 times while on this program. I follow the guidelines, within reason and I have had a very successful first 3 weeks. Needless to say, I will be sticking with the program a lot longer than the 4 weeks, but after 4 weeks I can add back fruit and a few other items in moderation.

*I have been seeing this doctor for over a year now. he has helped me tremendously with my thyroid issues, adrenal problems and the rest of the issues that 10 years of mismanaged hoshimotos and graves disease caused. Additionaly, he recommended me to see a surgeon when change in my thyroid nodules came up, which did turn out to be encapsulated cancer.

pondering subway ride.

2010-06-25T18:35:00.006-04:00

I am not the largest woman that rides the NYC subway, but I am certainly not the smallest. I avoid sitting in middle seats, so I do not sit on the people on either side of me, or even touch them.
If I don't think I will fit, I don't even try.

When someone sits next to me on the subway, and if I feel uncomfortable, I just get up and leave. For some unknown reason, this happens a lot on nearly empty trains. I don't say anything, but I want to ask "why would you sit HERE, when it is empty over THERE."

I don't dare say anything. In fact the last time I defended myself when someone pushed me and was yelling, I stated "stop acting like a bitch," but this was only after she started screaming profanity at me. This was a bad choice, but it is funny to watch the G train, that was too crowded to move with non-English speaking Polish people, back out of the way for the crazy, very large black woman scream at the short white woman, not worry about defending herself when she said the word bitch.

Back to today's story.

I was raised a middle class, catholic, mid-westerner. You don't say anything rude, especially to strangers. And you do your best not to make a bad impression, or cause anyone else harm. I have seen it go down where the younger guy yells at a woman of his same ethnicity say "Lady, oh no you don't! What makes you think you fit here, what is wrong with you?" Let's just say the ix of Bushwick working class woman, Bushwick kids, and 20/30 something hipsters, and 30 something yuppies (which, as I type this, is the category I fall into and is topic enough for another post) makes for an interesting ride home.

When the 275 pound linebacker sits between you and an even more overweight woman this is the procedure:
1. You scoot over
2. You get up
3. You NEVER EVER let them know how you feel
4. It's your fault they don't fit, so look like you are sorry, and you apologize to them for sitting on you (Catholic guilt included).
So tonight, when the big guy sat on me, and I scoot over, he took up more space. AND he was listening to horrible, music, so loud I could hear the lyrics, and touching me. I don't want to hear the music, and I really, really don't want to be touched.

I just stood up. It happened to be at the 3rd Ave. station, and his friend got out of my way so I could exit the train. I said (which I feel bad about saying) Oh I just didn't fit there anymore, so I got up.

The kid, then stood up and was like “I can move, it is obvious you don't want to be touched, it's hot and after work." We exchanged dialog, and he got up, and I sat down and then a 100 hipster guy sat next to me, and didn't touch me or the woman on the other side.

When I went to leave, I said I am sorry, but I wanted to thank him for getting up. He said something that isn't sitting well with me. "It is obvious I was making you uncomfortable but your reaction could be offensive, I didn't want to touch you." I appologized for maybe being a little bitchy, but it's been a long day.

As I walked home, it dawned on me; his words implied that I didn't want to sit next to him because he was black.

Dude, I don't care what color you are, but be cognizant of you're size and the size of the people you are trying to sit next to.

And to all you people, if you don't fit there, don't try!

30 things

2010-04-17T18:09:00.004-04:00

climbed lettie's shrouds
spent (almost) 3 weeks away from home
went rock climbing
after 6 years together, Justin and i went to an amusement park
visited Utah
drove to Wyoming
saw a prairie dog
saw antelopes
saw a butte
randomly took a trail on a morning hike alone to waterfalls and a lake
took standby on another airline
got a promotion to manager at jetBlue
purchased a sailboat
planned, and sailed/motored our boat from Noank, Ct to City Island, NY
learned about fuel to oil ratio for a 2 stroke engine
realized no matter how prepared we thought we were for boat ownership, we weren't
learned how to use epoxy and how to do deck work
completed my NYU Cont. Ed. Certificate in Training Management
provided year end reviews
went to the probowl
met professional cheerleaders, which proved my theory about them
got pulled off a subway by multiple cops and i had no idea what i did
got a ticket for riding on a subway
reconnected with close friends of my family
drove across the state of Florida
saw an alligator in the wild
learned how to short splice
had my thyroid out
went to Disney's Wild Kingdom after hours for an event
survived cancer

31 things

2010-04-17T08:43:00.000-04:00

made no plans for my birthday, but still had an awesome time just hanging out with Justin and friends

went to the volunteer party day at South Street on my birthday instead

Took a one day trip with W.Palm Beach with Lex

Bought my Aunt dinner! Which is near impossible to do and has been evading me for years!

Went sailing with AP

Went to Park City Utah

Had Elk for dinner

Looked at old census records for my family

went to St. Lucia

Bathed in a natural hot spring

Saw a semi-active volcano

Stood in a waterfall

Dove on the left side of the street, with the steering wheel on the right

Drank fresh veggie juice

Detox program

Sailed past Atlantic City at night

Transited on a classic yacht

Had a *BAD* scopealomine reaction

Drove a tallship under a bridge!

Spoke at a conference

Dove to Ohio alone from NY

Attended a Donkey Basketball game

Drove around FL looking for an area to move to
received a trophy at work for the help our team game to another work group

Went down an ice slide in a cocktail dress, heels and a parka

The death of my Grandpa, the entire experience was new to me, and completely different from the positive list this typically is.

Went kayaking on the ocean off key west

saw a bald eagle in a nest

rebuilt a hatch
was invited to speak at a conference later in the year
interviewed and hired people

Working from home

2010-04-14T08:54:00.002-04:00

The Backstory:
I haven't worked from home in quite awhile, mostly because of the construction next door. So today, I thought was a perfect day to work from home. I have to run out in the afternoon for about an hour, and I have a great new laptop from work.

I got up this morning and set up my work space. (Which now includes 1 desktop machine, 1 netbook, and my work laptop). After some shifting around of the existing space, and organizing my tasks for the day, I decided to make my netbook, my dedicated machine for running vMeetings, chat and Skype. Minimize distractions!

It's small, and I can have it live side by side my working machine, and keep all the apps open, just in case, someone, actually wants to meet me online! (so I may be over zealous thinking that someone would want to do that...)

Sounds like there are no downsides!

Audio working, check.
Mic working, check.
Video working, check. Oh, wait. Hmm... Huston we have a problem.

No, I can't look that bad. What is going on.

Oh, I rolled out of bed, and put on workout clothes (my normal wfh attire) and pulled my hair, into a pony tail. All of which seem acceptable to me, when staying in the home office and not seeing anyone all day.

Keywords: not seeing anyone.

Acceptable? Not anymore. Now anyone I set up a call with, or who is on Skype and wants to connect for a chat can just see me in my dishevelved attire, any time they click "Call."

So, after I quick touch up, and a little hair brushing, I am now open for business from my home office.

You can reach me on Google chat or skype: shana.storey

food stamps for hipsters...

2010-03-16T21:04:00.001-04:00

I went to work full-time at a grown up job while I was in grad school for installation and mixed media painting, so i could eat at non-foodie mac and cheese standards and keep a warm apartment. Clearly, I should have waited for a change in administration and gotten food stamps. What was I thinking?!

http://www.salon.com/life/pinched/2010/03/15/hipsters_food_stamps_pinched/index.html

Ticket for sitting on the subway

2010-03-14T12:34:00.003-04:00

I felt threatened as if I breathed too loudly they would arrest me.

"Section 1050.7 of the MTA’s Rules of Conduct concern disorderly conduct, and section j involves passengers and the seats to which they are entitled. A passenger shall not “(1) occupy more than one seat on a station, platform or conveyance when to do so would interfere or tend to interfere with the operation of the Authority’s transit system or the comfort of other passengers;” and may not “(2) place his or her foot on a seat on a station, platform or conveyance.”

Last month, on my way to work (granted I was dressed like a college student with a cabbie hat, khaki pants, chucks and a backpack, rather than the adult I actually am) I reveived a ticket for occupying more than one seat on a subway car with 7 or 8 people on it.

I did not know it was illegal.

So when a cop stopped the train as the doors were closing, and screamed "Mam, get off the car now", I looked around.

After she repeated it a few times, I realized she was speaking to me. (Glad I didn't have my noise CX headphones in, I would have been arrested for resisting).

She yelled* at me about what I was doing (which I didn't know was illegal). I appologized. 2 other large NYPD or NYTO approached the situation.

When I was first approached, I didn't even know they were real officers, no one showed me a badge, they did not identify themselves. I was worried, as a lone woman in a subway station, that something "really bad" was going to happen.

She took my license,
She asked if I had any warrants for my arrest, out standing tickets, or if I have ever received a ticket or summons. I stated, no but I have gotten a parking ticket in the past.

She proceeded to detain me, and run my license, which took about 30 minutes.

During this time, the other two "officers" proceeded to make light of the situation saying things like "hey is it before 9, I want to call this in, I can't wait to get a laugh out of so-and-so"

I also pointed out other offenders of occupying more than one seat, and she yelled "I can only take care of you at this time, no one else" as the other 2 officers stood around.

Eventually, she gave me a ticket, gave me back my ID and I was sent on my way.

Related links of interest:
NYPD Quota
Teen Ticket
Rules
G Train in Dec

*Past lesson learned was never laugh at an officer who yells do you know what you were doing. That lead to a ticket (traffic), a story I will tell at a later date.

welcome back to the world of blogging

2010-03-12T22:20:00.003-05:00

Over the past 8 months, I have had a decline in a social media presence, something that I have for over 10 years in various blogs, sites, forums. Am I burnt out on writing updates, have I found less of a need to share my inner thoughts and feelings? Have I just forgotten the passwords* and sites I used to post various? Do I think I am not as interesting as I once perceived myself?

I don't know. It took me 6 months to update online photos, which I used to post so regularly. Maybe it just, I can't imagine sitting down and writing these days. But I will work on documenting adventures with more regularity, as well as add more frequent pictures of those special moments when I am short-splicing, or digging out rot from the deck of Halcyon.

*I admit, I have forgotten passwords lately.

New pics!

2010-03-11T15:06:00.002-05:00

I finally got around to uploading photos from 2009! Check out the links to the right for some of our adventures.

YAY!

2009-08-07T12:42:00.002-04:00

Mommy, you added a comment! I am so excited.

When will we take you sailing?

Well we need to get the boat back to NY first.

The best 2 days you will have with a boat...

2009-07-26T18:46:00.002-04:00

are the day you buy it, and the day you sell it.

Today we out our down payment on a 1967 Columbia 26'. I think the best day will be when we get to sail her, but for now we have a lot of tasks to do to prepare her for her new home in City Island. This week will be busy! We plan to sail her home starting next Sat. If we encounter good weather, we estimate it will be an 18 hour sail.

I will be blogging more in the weeks to come with our adventures but here's some photos for now.

Utah: Weekend 1

2009-06-23T12:11:00.001-04:00

So I am out here, in Utah for work. But I decided to use this time wisely.
Exercise, massages and spending time outdoors.

My frist weekend here, Justin came to visit. Here are the pics.

Adventures in baking or I have a belly ache

2009-06-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

I was recently reading a former college of mine Elissa's post about these cute little cupcake pops. So from her post, I followed the link to Bakerella's blog. I thought, hey if Ellissa could make these, I should be able too!

As I read reading about how to make them, it dawned on me, that these adorable little treats would be perfect for my Gluten Free cake. If you have never had GF cake,it is usually dry and crumbly. So breaking apart cake and mixing it with the frosting to form somehting like modeling clay, made perfect sense.

Saturday night I made 1 spice cake, modified from Gultino's Old Fashion Cake and Cookie Mix and 1 vanialla cake using Whole Foods 365. I used 2 different mixes only bexcasue I am trying to find out which GF mix is best for cake.

Sunday morning, I awake early to begin my adventure. I started out by molding about 100 small cake/frosting balls and placing them in the fridge to cool. Around 10 am, I to set up a make shift double boiler and melt the chocolate. And began the process of dipping each little cake ball into the melted goodness.

I had some trouble with the dip, often my little cake balls would contaminate the metled choclate with crumbs and I would need to start the pan over again. Those crumbles also provided me the excuse of needing to eat the misatkes. Which resulted in the frequent comment of "wow, I really have a belly ache." It didn't stop me! I kept working on my dipping technique, and think I need more practice.

Not long after I cleaned up the first mess, I started on the batch of white chocolate cake balls, by 1130, I had quite a few of these:

Posting just for you

2009-06-05T08:17:00.003-04:00

This week Neha of Cravings, also soon to be leaving the JetBlue Family, mentioned to me, that it has been a long time since I have blogged. It isn't that I don't write, but my level of sharing has been reduced to one liners on facebook.

However, this post is just for you!

20 Questions for Food Lovers

1. How often do you eat out? 3 -4 days a week for lunch, and usually 2 dinners a week. Between working 10 hour days, 2 hours on the train, juggling yoga or the gym after work, and other things I love doing- eating is usually the best way to catch up with friends!

2. Favorite restaurant? This one is tough for me, just because it is my favorite doesn't mean eat there all the time. My new favorite: Pala - www.palapizza.com. Gluten free pizza. And it is amazing.

3. Favorite food? french fries

4. What do you ALWAYS have in your fridge? romoano cheese

5. What do you ALWAYS have in your freezer? Neha, great mind think alike, I always have icecream. Current flavors: Cococonut Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Gelato

6. Favorite spice? dill or garlic

7. Favorite herb? A toss up between Rosemary and Sage

8. What do you eat every day? I need a lot of variety, so I am pretty sure I don't eat any of the same thing every signle day. Maybe spinach or rice, I eat each of those 3 or 4 times a week

9. Favorite fruit? Fuji apples are perfection.

10. Favorite vegetable? Spinach

11. Favorite drink? non-alcoholic: root beer
with the sauce: patron margarita with salt made with fresh lime and agave nectar or a dark and stormy.

12. Favorite comfort food? almost anything my Mom makes. at home, grilled cheese- boy do i miss it.

13. Favorite grocery store? WholeFoods.

14. Favorite dessert? a true toss up between key lime pie or a lemon tart

15. Favorite appliance? the steamer

16. You can't cook without...? a good all purpose pan

17. You never...? roast meat. I like roast meat, but I don't like turning the oven on.

18. Where do you get restaurant reviews? http://aglutenfreeguide.com, http://allergicgirl.blogspot.com/, http://www.celiacchicks.com/

19. Most disappointing meal? I just wasn't wowed with Mesa Grill

20. Best meal? Too many to count, but consistently- my Dad's Christmas Eve dinner, we start planning the menu around New Years, and he tests out the creations and plating all summer, so when Christmas comes, it is executed perfectly. And the best part- he makes me special gluten free substitutes, and he's my Dad.

GF eating

2009-01-20T09:01:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in a long while- I think I have even been slacking in keeping my photos updated. Sorry Mom!

This morning I decided to take a spin around the internet and look up GF Cooking classes in NYC, which then brought me to http://aglutenfreeguide.com. She even has a guide to eating GF in Italy! Anyway, I found links to Miller's Gluten Free Bread Company in NJ, who sells online and even has GF pirogois and also learned that S'mac, the little E Village mac and cheese place i used to adore, now has GF elbows and breadcrumbs- making going back to a place I thought was gone from my culinary adventures, possible again!

photo updates!

2008-11-12T19:46:00.003-05:00

I have added lots of photos from the fall so far, but still have lots more to add from my trip to Learning 2008, maintenance days and a few other things in between.

Here the links already in my picture list:

Marty and Yan's wedding
Transit from VA to Baltimore on Lettie G.
Sailing on the Long Island Sound
T5 Crewmember only party
Gloucester Schooner Race

ouch!

2008-10-14T16:18:00.002-04:00

so after out last weekend volunteering on Pioneer this sailing season, my elbow was starting to feel non-functional, at best.

Sunday night I awake with a startled yelp, I assume, from trying to roll over onto my left arm. It is feeling a little better but still a little more painful than sore. So I took a trip to the doc and found out i have some bursitis in my elbow and and some tendon issues in my wrist and hand. I was told to take it easy for a couple of weeks, take some pain killers for the next day or 2. So sailing this weekend? She said no, unless I "take it easy."

I say, if the pain is gone without meds, and I can keep my wrist wrapped for stabilization, sailing is the only answer, that and a dark and stormy.

We'll be headed out Friday late afternoon on a road trip with some friends headed down to Postmouth, VA to bring Lettie up to Baltimore. It feels like being in my early 20's all over again, but even better. Becasue I am extremly happy, my friends are awesome and my boyfriend is willing apart of the adventure! There is going to be parties, and sailboat and my friend Leslie who loves in the next town over.

slacking on the sailing posts.

2008-10-11T06:43:00.003-04:00

back in early September justin and i took a road trip up to gloucester, ma for the schooner race! which i posted a quick link to, but didn't post about.

I spent my day on the topsail team, tacking as needed, gaining some solid understanding of how a topsail works and a few good callouses.

we came home and i have been working on my fears of being on the head rig on pioneer. This is me and kerry, chey snapped this picture my first climb out. so little by little i am working my way out. i think today i may try to go out and work since we're going to spend a full day on pioneer.

and i''ll try and post soon about the fun we had out on LI Sound on Lette last weekend.

Back to the Gluten Free life

2008-10-07T21:18:00.004-04:00

I went for my Celiac test last Thursday. Prior to the test I spent 3 weeks gorging myself on things I missed or only ate with guilt. Warm bread, mac and cheese, PB&J on potato bread, pizza, egg sandwiches on everything bagels and beer.

My taste buds were happy- but my tummy not so much. I managed to gain roughly 9 pounds in those 3 weeks. But I had to try to trigger the autoimmune reaction for confirmed diagnosis.

Even if it comes back negative, I am returning to my no wheat/low gluten diet. It seems like wheat bothers me more than anything. Easting other items that have high gluten don't seem to have an effect I notice.
A few days before my test I went to the supermarket to stock up on alternatives of the above mentioned favorites. My freezer stocked and ready to go!

So for starters, on week 1, it is a low gluten intake. I wanted to wait until after the weekend out on Lettie before I tried to do major alterations on foods. So today, Tuesday, Oct 7, is now day 2.

At work, some of us have decided to participate by removing refined sugars or processed white bread. I know that week 1 for me will bring a lot of high fat foods and some snacking on chocolate to supplement my early withdrawal bread cravings. So I am not being overly strict about other foods as of yet, but by November, I want to reduce my dairy to 2-3 times a week and remove most process sugars (unless it comes in chocolate). this will help me keep track of substitutes and my dietary changes, and maybe inspire others to try different things.

Challenge: attempt 2 new vegetarian meals a week

So week 1 recipes:
Monday:
Lunch: Meat cart chicken combo with extra lettuce and 1/2 scoop of rice, yogurt sauce
Espresso with steamed fat free cream, 1 teaspoon sugar
1 fun size pkg of skittles
glass of coke
Dinner: 1/2 cucumber, 1/4 low fat cheese, grilled veggies, fat free sour cream with dill, 3 oz grilled chicken, and 2 small corn tortillas, 1/4 cup quinoa salad with black beans
1/4 cup frozen yogurt with live cultures (can someone explain how they are alive if they have been in the freezer for months?), and gluten free, low fat caramel sauce

Tuesday:
Breakfast: low fat small curd cottage cheese and 1/2 fresh peach
Lunch: repeat of Monday's dinner, Espresso with Skim milk, 1 can of pepsi
Snacks: 1/2 peach, 1/4 quinoa salad, 6 slices of peperoni (I don;t know if it was GF, I didn't look)
Dinner: Challenge: Tofu chicken fajitas- 2 corn tortilla , 2 tbps sour cream mixed with cilantro, salad: 1/2 cup garbonzo beans, mexican corn, and fresh salsa , 1/2 small avocado, and 1 serving fake chicken strips

Wednesday:
Lunch: lean cuisine, ice cream
Dinner: cheeseburger, on a bed of alfalfa sprouts, heirloom tomatoes, backed potato (scour cream) bean salad

Thursday
Lunch: Yumm Thai food
Snack: icecream
Dinner: left overs from Tuesday, and than nachos at the bar with a margarita

Friday:
breakfast: 2 slices of bacon and some potatoes
lunch: Wednesday dinner left overs
snack: coke for my pounding headache
dinner: 1.5 cups rice pasta with metled homemade cheese sauce, tomatoes

what i should be doing, and what I am doing are very different

2008-09-08T10:31:00.002-04:00

I have a million tasks at work to do today. A million things that need to happen to finish training materials for T5.

I also have a big empty place in my brain and chest filled with worry about my Grandma.

I have the desire to be on Lettie this week that I can't even begin to explain. I want to climb aboard and not leave. I want to nap on deck when I am off listing to the wind. I want to haul on line until my hands are raw. I want to hear nothing but the wind passing and quiet my brain.

The yearning to be on the water is always there now. The yearning after last night, is now exploded. I wandered around the house pouting like a 4 year old after being told that can't have that REALLY AWESOME TOY. I pouted so much, Justin finally told me to stop.

It is a clear thought in the million bits rapidly firing chaos in my brain. This week my heart will need to settle for the partial calm of the NY Harbour and Pioneer and the electric stars that look down at us.

so to quill the unease at work and to avoid working, i am shopping for gear. I found very nice fowl weather boots in my size on ebay. Now, my feet will be dry!

so many thoughts, so very little time

2008-09-04T14:04:00.003-04:00

this is my first time as an adult i have watched old age take over life. as a child and teen both my grandfathers struggled with clogs in arteries, either at the heart or brain. And more recently, both.

however, my grandmothers, aside from a small hiccup here or there have been fine until about 2 years ago.

it is hard watching these 4 people age. you hold a hand and remember that hand helping yours make cavatelli. and the person who used to carry you around so you could be 5' tall, you tower over at her former height and when you hug you feel like you could crush her.

i write infrequently about this, becasue i am distancing myself from my emotions, letting reality settle in. letting logic dictate why things happen they way they do: the brain's loss of function, the hearts ability to pump correctly, lungs can't hold enough air to speak beyond a whisper and the fragility of the inner workings to regulate body chemistry.

it puts me at a place, in between meetings or on the subway, when i have a moment alone to think about all these thoughts and how little time i leave to process them.

and all these thoughts and dreams and little time to live them we all have.
---
my grandma, who i wrote about last week, is still in critical condition and "in the woods." Her heart still revealed to the world and hidden only behind a sheet of stapled plastic to her body. and her mind lulled to sleep by medication. i saw her late last week before going to Gloucester. She was awake, and knew who I was and that I was there. I haven't gone to see her since they have kept her asleep. but i call to check on her every 4 hours. becasue each hour that passes, so many changes can happen.

this week on sailing with shana and justin...

2008-09-02T07:46:00.003-04:00

Photos are here.

Here's the first video, more to come.

i am not often with out words

2008-08-22T14:24:00.002-04:00

but here I am. my grandma in critical condition apparently leaves me with little to say. i am in the position of being a support system for my family- which is how I deal with high stress. That and humor. So I am in a good place for me, but also I know the amount of emotion I am restraining because of how I am. realizing i deal with the unknown by boiling things down to just facts, and taking care of small details (keeping my grandpa well fed, my mom's feet in wool socks, my dad plently of distrcations) i sit alone, avoiding my own thoughts of sadness. I thought by writing just the facts, I could pass the next 20 minutes until J gets home without an emitonal meltdown.

so here goes.

almost 3 weeks ago my grandma (in ny) went into the ER in the middle of the night with congestive heart failure. my mom, at the hospital with my grandpa was asked if there are any advance directives.

her response was do everything you can, she may be 81 but she is sound of mind, and relatively healthy (aside from high blood pressure, anemia, and this being her second episode of heart failure. Her first was on her 80th birthday almost 18 months ago, her heart working well on medication since.)

her pulse down to 30. she somehow bounced back.

i saw her the next day. she did not even look like she had anything happen the night before. after 1 week at smaller hospital she was transferred to a bigger, and more state of the art heart facility to get a little stronger and have 2 valves replaced, followed by a pace maker.

the surgery was postponed by a week due to some dehydration and the need to hydrate her slowly so she would not have blood back up into her lungs again.

yesterday she underwent the valve replacement. 10 hours later, 2 valves, 1 too strong for her heart, leakage, and an emergency by-pass she left the OR for the first time in 24 hours.

At about 9 pm last night, I got a call that she was going back in. Her O2 levels were extremely poor along with some other things. They opened her back up, removed a clot, dealt with a hemorrhage and she left the OR about 1130. They decided to keep her chest open. We left the hospital around 2. Between 2 AM and 830 am, she went back in to clear another clot.

Sometime between 830 am and 11, she had a grand maul seizure. The nurse stated it as "pretty bad"- translation from nurse- is means really, really bad. I speak nurse, my mom is an RN. Which is probably why I deal just in facts when I am in awful situations.

we'll be leaving for the hospital soon. my 2 aunts will be here (conveniently on my airline) tomorrow at noon, while i am conveniently already at the airport but i think my dad is picking them up.

we are not out of the woods. i said to my mom we're not even into the woods yet, we're still plunging down the rapids after the waterfall. my stomach is a mess, but I am happy to report that the hospital bathrooms are clean and not a bad place to get sick in. aside from my stomach being a mess between the possible ulcer and the fact i internalize my stress into stomach issues, i am just watching the clock and keeping positive thoughts.

so please keep her in your positive thoughts, hearts, or prays pending on your beliefs, all of us here appreciate them.

hello mommy!

2008-08-18T17:04:00.002-04:00

I bookmarked my site in your favorites, I am wondering if you have looked at my blog yet. If you have, you should post a comment.

To post a comment:
1. At the bottom of this post click "comment"
2. Type your comment in the text box "Leave a comment"
3. Select "Anonymous"
4. Click "Publish your comment"
5. Call me and let me know of your success!

2008-08-18T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tuesday: We set sail by 0700, had breakfast and needed to be in Hell's Gate (Harlem River and East River meeting point) by noon. We watched as the city neared and motored down the E River, because our top sails do not fit under all the bridges.

We ate lunch and sailed around NY Harbour before heading up the Hudson. Pier 40 on the west side, is a sign I am almost home any day of the week, and even more so that afternoon.

We docked up at the 79th street boat basin, next to the picnic tables. I am sure those folks eating lunch were floored when the semi-clean Crew jumped off of a 125' boat onto the dock next to their lunch.

We did clean up, and sat down to debrief over cold drinks using the highs and lows, moments most proud talking points. For me my low was feeling seasick on day 1, my high not feeling seasick anymore and my proudest moment- the only one who offered and the first to stand bow watch during a storm.

Raining again.

2008-08-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

"Kids go to sea to grow up, adults go to sea to feel like kids again" -
Shana, Day 2 on Lettie G. Howard

Monday: I went below after breakfast, grabbed my sleeping bag and headed up to the deck to sleep away the morning. The air was cool and we were in the LI Sound ahead of schedule. I slept on and off most of the morning and work up at 1100 with orders to grab my rain gear again before my 1200 watch. As soon as we were on duty again, all hands were called to strike sail and prepare for another storm. "A watch" was beginning to be marked for rain at every step. We motored through the storm for about 2 hours and as it cleaned up I took over at helm (see photo above) and sails were raised again. At 1600 my watch was over, the sun was shining and I decided there was no time like the present to wash my hair over the edge of the boat with seawater.

We watched towns on the North Shore pass by and could see a shadow of NYC ahead. We ate dinner in shifts, and planned to anchor in Hempstead Bay/Harbor(?) for the night. Sails down again on the 2000 start of my watch, anchor down at 945 and anchor/boat check assignments for the night were given for pairs. I was thankful I got first watch with Justin, and were off duty till 0530 for all hands on deck. I hit my mini bunk and don't remember a thing until my hot tea and sunrise.

Justin was wishing for thrid mate to strike the bell

2008-08-17T08:08:00.002-04:00

"Strike the bell, second mate, let us go below,
Look you well to windward you can see it's going to blow!
Look at the glass, you can see that it has fell,
We wish that you would hurry up and strike, strike the bell!"

Sunday: After breakfast, (which I could eat and keep down) I decided I would spend part of the morning on deck, my next shift wasn't until 4 pm and I thought an afternoon nap would be perfect. Soon into sailing on Sunday morning, we encountered a pod consisting of about 50-75 dolphins. They played with the boat driving under. popping up on the other side and darting around the bow or under the boat again. They swam with us or around us for about 20 minutes. We continued on our journey, and neared Nantucket right before I settled into afternoon nap. At 1530 I woke up and started my shift at 4 and steered the boat again for about an hour off Maratha's Vineyard. I ate a quick dinner knowing I had the 0000-0400 shift and there was weather systems ahead. We need to make it to the LI Sound (nicknamed the race) before the tide ebbed- so we had to sail strong and fast. I went below to sleep, but the warmth from the galley and the excitement that I felt kept me from snoozing.

So I put on foul weather gear and headed up top by 10 to sleep in the cold breeze and light drizzle. I was woken by the folks on C watch and grabbed a hot cup of tea, put on the full rubber jacket and was assigned to get sails down as soon as A watch was up from below and before C watch was given a break. The forecast called for hail, gusts up to 50mph and heavy rain. We struck sails, and Justin started below after kissing me on the cheek as I strapped myself into a harness. about 90 minutes of my watch, it poured, had lightening and gusted. I shared bow watch with the 2nd mate (who was not on duty at the time) and we had those types of conversations reserved for many beers or late at night with friends. Such as evaluating how you got where you are at this moment, and why you are here and stories from your past.

In sailors talk, it also means talking about ship wrecks and abandon ship situations. His stories were numerous and time passed quickly. With the water churned up, the phosphorescent organisms were lighting up the water pushing off the boat. And the feeling I had was that of awe, relief, and excitement, a feeling you don't often feel as an adult unless you take the time to look for it.

shoes

2008-08-16T20:10:00.003-04:00

if you know me at all, you know i have a deep love of shoes. i usually own anywhere from 70-90 pairs. I own vintage shoes, expensive shoes, affordable shoes, and shoes in many colors. just because I own many shoes, does not mean i actually wear them.

in the winter and rainy days i tend to wear sneakers to and from work, switching into some snazzy looking pair that no one will see me while my feet are under the desk. in the summer, i wear flip flops or keens. my desk alone houses about 10 pairs of heels or dress flats.

i have countless shoes that live in the car. boxes of shoes under the bed or dresser. i tend to usually have 2 pairs of shoes on me at all times. one on my feet, one in my bag so when i get where i am going i can look good.

this summer, things have changed a bit. i don't go out, unless it is to dinner after sailing or rowing. so i have been living in keens. i wear them to work, i wear them in the rain, i wear them on the weekends. i wear them so much they to smell awful causing me the need to get a second pair before i went on a sleep away boat trip so i would not be embarrassed about my shoe smell. stinky keens are to the left, new keens are the 1st picture.

i haven't done any dress shoe shopping in months. the last pair of shoes aside from keens i bought was a pair of handmade, leather, reproduction, square toed buckle shoe from the 1700's from Flying Canoe Traders. And I only got these because i sprained my ankle wearing my fugawee (other wise known as an explicit word) Anna shoes walking across a very busy street. Or should I say falling on a very busy street.

so today i went on a shoe buying spree. justin had to stop me from a 3rd pair but these are the two new ones.

Aren't they so pretty!? Impractical but i am glad i got them. shoes just make me happy! (must learn to proof blog posts before hitting the post button)

Day 3: Sea sick and in love

2008-08-13T14:28:00.003-04:00

Wake at 0530, all hands on deck at 0600, leave dock by 0700, sails set by 0730, breakfast by 0800, all hands on deck 'till 0900, watch assignments, and working on A watch until 1200, lunch at 1230, dishes at 1300, ongoing nausea, patch at 1400, whales by 1430, watch at dinner at 1730, watch at 0600, off duty 0800, assigned to stay on deck, strike sails at 0900, to bed by 0930.
Too hot to sleep, stayed awake partially, nausea subsiding.

So you read the introduction to the day and wonder how I could be in love?

Saturday: We left the dock with high tide, and set sails pretty quickly and by the time they were up, breakfast call started.
After eating we mustered and were divided into watches and given assignments. I was in A watch and Justin C. Which is nice because we usually could spend a little time together over meals. Right after assignment of watch, I started to feel seasick. A feeling I tried to just plow through but after 5 hours I just couldn't take it any longer and I put on the patch.

Good thing I did, because an hour later, we were almost to the tip of Cape Cod, and you could see the poofs of water appearing on the horizon from whales! (See photos site for whales). The whales were beautiful, friendly and loved swimming by the sail boat. I started to feel ok to eat crackers and water and the day was long, especially after the 2 hours of sleep the night before. I was off duty from 2000- to 0400, but was too excited to sleep all that much since we were in off-shore Atlantic fishing grounds, pushing 7.8 nm an hour and there was a meteor shower happening that night. I went to bed around 2200, and woke up (by the sound of the sales tacking) to go up and much on saltines and water and watch the stars streak across the sky. I basically spent half the shift before mine and my 1600-2000 am shift enjoying the sparkling sky and sunrise. I have never seen a night sky with out the influence of artificial light, let alone a sky lit up like that also having a meteor shower. I also got to learn how to do dead reckoning, use the charts and GPS and perform hourly boat checks. I got to steer during the afternoon, and was much improved after the last time I tried to steer a 60 foot sail boat. Justin came up on deck with a surprised face that the smooth ride (and not hitting the waves dead on) was actually me! I have definitely improved.

Day 2: Nice to meet you Lettie!

2008-08-13T13:53:00.003-04:00

We woke up and had breakfast with the others that stayed there and discussed our upcoming adventure on the Ocean with the owners of the B&B. They graciously let us leave our bags in ]
their hall while we wandered around town, and got to see in a few more sites.

We did a tour of the House of Seven Gables and I bought a beautiful reproduction traveling writing desk from the 1800's. We picked up our bags from the B&B and made it down to the docks. We were the first volunteers to come on. We chatted for awhile, stowed out bags and decided to talk a walk down to the post office to mail my desk home.

On our walk there, the clouds decided to weep large drops all over us so we sat on a stoop of an office building under the cover 'till it lightened up enough to finish the errands.

We made it back to the boat, just in time for the rain to stop. We met the others and spent time talking with them and getting to know each other before we all went to sleep before an early call of all hands on deck at 6 am.

Day 1: Salem

2008-08-13T13:00:00.000-04:00

Day 1:
We took Amtrak to Boston, then Commuter Rail to Salem.

The weather was cool, dreary and rainy as our can brought us to the Amelia Payson Bed and Breakfast. We spent the afternoon wandering around Salem, catching a sneak peak of Lettie G.

After a big dinner of Shepard's Pie we walked around a little but more and made out way back to the docks. Across the docks I saw one of the volunteers we know, Tommy, walking and I hollered to him. We met up and meet one of the professional Crew and ended up back at the boat meeting the others and sharing a drink or 2 with a lot of singing of Bon Jovi, Queens and getting to know each other.

Around midnight, we went back to the B&B for an evening of sleep. Our room had a beautiful canopy bed, and even the same wallpaper pattern I had as a child in the room at my grandmas. I slept so peacefully on Thursday night that by 8 am I was ready to start day 2 of the adventure.

Pictures from the sailing trip

2008-08-13T09:36:00.001-04:00

Sailing trip log will be typed as soon. But here's the pics.

wisdom from justin

2008-08-05T07:30:00.001-04:00

i am sitting here in the living room in a half awake state and justin walks in saying "that explains why they never got off giligan's island.... they were boaters, not sailors. 'tho the songs says The mate was a mighty sailin' man..."

then he walks away.

sailing update

2008-07-31T18:19:00.000-04:00

"It is more like I am transitioning from a pirate hobby to the pirate lifestyle" - Shana

If you have been following my summer time activities you probably know I am pretty active with Rowing (Village Community Boathouse) and you may also know Justin and I volunteer with Southstreet Seaport Museum as Volunteer Crew on the Schooner Pioneer.

We started this marine training summer as part of our medium term goal of buying a sailboat. To gain as much knowledge and experience as possible. We went out on a trip in May out of Mystic, CT. Our biggest take away was "We need to do more of this."

And more of this is what we have been doing. Which sort of explains why we are volunteer Crew at Southstreet. Southstreet has multiple boats, but only 2 are schooners which are taken out to sail. The Pioneer goes out 3-4 times a day with educational, public or charter sails. The other boat the Museum has is the Lettie G. Howard. She is about 125 and requires 7-9 people as Crew.

And guess who is going out as apart of her Crew next week?! ME! (and Justin) I AM SO EXCITED!

2008-07-24T09:50:00.001-04:00

so I dressed nice for work today, did my hair- put on make up, wore glasses have on heals put on a skirt and I walking through an area that I don't talk to anyone in but i know the people over there
and as I passed by i heard a small whisper say "who was that"

I am not sure if that was directed about me or just part of another conversation

and if it is about me, I either look really bad every day and today I look really nice or it is the other way around

I have a feeling it is the 1st one.

29 things

2008-07-23T16:02:00.006-04:00

this is the running list of accomplishments and "new" or "adventitious" things I have been doing during my 29th year. My goal this year was to do things more adventurous and be more psychically active (aside from hours of yoga a week)

ran 2 conferences back to back (1, 2 weeks before I turned 29 and one a few days after)
sailing on schooner brilliant
went to, was not arrested, nor had a nervous breakdown at my cousin's wedding (this goes on the list of risks and accomplishments)
bought my first dslr
attended Hampton Blackbeard festival
started rowing on the Hudson
Continued rowing on the Hudson (and I have gone out many times now, so I have rowed to NJ, uptown, and almost all the way to Governor's Island but the wind was pushing us too hard to actually get there)
passed Coxswain training
joined the volunteer crew program at southstreet
started working on my AB checklist
sailed on Lettie G. Howard from Salem to NYC (this was a goal I set for myself this summer)
Saw whales in the wild
Saw dolphins in the wild
Worked on a watch, that pleasantly hit rain every time I set foot on deck.
Saw the night sky, horizon line to horizon line with no additional light or land interference
Watched a meteor shower from the ocean
Sailed in the Gloucester Schooner Race
Saw phosphorescent in the ocean off the boat
can climb out on the jib and do stuff!
Took Amtrak
Spent the week between Christmas and New Years in New England just hanging out
Took and passed ASA 101, 103 and 104
Sailed to Catalina
Charted sail boats
Went to the San Diego Zoo!
Found a good endocrinologist, it has only taken 11 years
Learned to make simple earnings
Learned that as an adult, you can still make new friends
Learned that trusting myself is essential to success in anything you do

28 New things (2007-2008)

2008-07-16T09:51:00.005-04:00

Spent my birthday at Chichen-Itza (Happy 28!)
Drove downtown Cancun
few on a flight deck jump seat from JFK to PIT
Drove down the Pacific Coast Highway, across the state of California and up route 49
Saw the fireworks from Fisherman's Warf on July 4.
Went rock scrambling in Yosemite
Swam with a sea turtle in the keys
drove to and attended the Maryland Renaissance Festival
Saw Atlantic City and the Storyland Theme Park
Attended my first Pirate Festival
Toured ancient roman ruins with my mom and dad
Saw Artemisia Gentileschi and Carrivago's work in person in Florance
Went to the Sistine Chapel
At lunch staring at the Colosseum
Stayed in a true 5 star hotel on the "key access only" level
won the official Gobbler Stuffing trophy at my annual family Thanksgiving Stuffing competition
organized, produced and managed a team of people to run internal conference
took a total of 29 flights (estimated and I think I missed a few)
flew from spain with an inner ear infection and lost my hearing out of my right ear for about 10 days
flew to tampa for the day, and had sonic for lunch
went to the flordia state aquarium
had lunch 45 min after I saw the food network
voted in the primaries
started hand sewing again (yay stays!)
went sailing (in the poring down rain) on a key west vacation and loved it

in retrospect

2008-07-16T09:48:00.004-04:00

A few months ago a friend and I were talking about aging and how she makes it a goal every year to do X amount of new things. X is defined by the age number she is turning.

This year on my 29th birthday, I decided it would be awesome to just be more adventurous.

However, in retrospect I thought it would be fun to define the year before 28 new things and then start my running list of 29 new things/adventurous things so when 30 hits next April I can feel like I have accomplished a lot.

rowing log: or sprinting down the dock

2008-07-11T05:49:00.003-04:00

or it could have been called "something weird is in the air." I also don't have a whole lot of time to write- I am waiting for my Mom and Dad to get here but I was instructed to walk to the deli and pick up breakfast for us before the drive to Ohio.

Last night Rosanna from work and I went down to Pier 40 to meet Justin and spend the evening rowing. Rosanna is a new rower but has been kayaking a few times so I thought maybe she would like this. So we got in, waited around for a Crew to be set up. Boy was it packed with a lot of new faces!

We went out on the water with someone who was out on the water with me the first time. Justin was in bow (as usual), her brother , Rosanna and then me in Stroke. We rowed a few times around the basin, and went uptown to the next cove. I took a few pics so I will post them when I get home on Sunday.

We came back, rowed around the basin some more and had a little trouble docking so we ended up docking in reverse. We cleaned up the boat- said some goodbyes and see you on Sundays and started walking to the end of the pier. On the way out some crazy kids were riding bikes yelling get out of the way. 2 grown ups were biking pretty hard behind them (haha grown-ups more like my peers).

I thought "Wow I kinda wanna go running tonight, maybe I'll stop at the gym on the way home"

Then I hear someone yell call the police. Repeat. I turn my head and see kid from bike running at us, and Henry running behind. Thought 1: Kid must have done something really bad, what if he stole the boat house keys or a wallet.
Thought 2: Can't adjust weight and balance to tackle kid by the time he reaches us
Thought 3: He's in front of me now, start to run.
Verbal reaction : You mother fucker (yelled pretty loud)
Thought 4: I am gonna be able to catch him (I was gaining on him ^_^) must decide if I am going to throw my weight onto him or run and restrain (not that I have tried to run and restrain anyone in a number of years but at the time my brain did not think about that)
Thought 5: we're going to round the building, I need to give distance so he can't ambush me must start to move out

As we're nearing the end of the dock- I hear Henry yell stop. Which means, I should stop. I was almost of full sprint, not much time has actually passed. But I was pretty sure that I would have been up to the kid and probably able to pass him if we were racing.

So I know I scared the crap out of Henry. I am pretty certain I scared Rosanna and Justin. I don't think anyone expected my reaction to be that of chase and catch the kid. I am pretty sure said kid went home and said this fat, short crazy white lady started chasing me like she could catch me. Ha, what you don't know buddy is I can sprint like that for almost a mile now and there is no way you are in as good as shape as me even though I am probably 10 years on you.

The good things: I am pretty protective of stuff that means anything to me- which means the boathouse and rowing and the people there qualify on that list. My keens are amazing to run in, in fact I may switch to the at the gym

The bad things: The kid is a kid and I am crazy white lady (not crazy white chick) I guess almost being 30 will do that to you. I still don't think about my size or gender as a hindrance. I have had many bruises because I am the first to follow a friend into a bar fight and the first to protect people I care about. Which means I don't process consequences. I process how to fix something at that moment.

The really disturbing: after that experience we walked back to W4th for the subway- and we say crazy drugged out couple arguing. Rosanna got on the train and we kept walking. We then saw guy with pants around his ankles and laying in a pile of trash bags face up.

Yup last night should be called something weird in the air.

But I did finally get the run I wanted the other night.

rowing log: we don't need to stinkin' ferry.

2008-07-09T09:00:00.004-04:00

Sat Justin and I enjoyed a quiet day in NJ only to return to Weehawken, NJ on Sunday with the VCBH. We rowed up to about 45th St on the Manhattan side, rowed across the Hudson and up a little further to dock about 3/4 of a mile walk from the Weehawken ferry terminal. A bio break and a soda later we were headed back.

2 boats went across, with 10 people. I was rowing hard, or at least it felt that way since much of the time my butt was lifting off the bench. On the way back, Phil noticed and thankfully took my place while I slid into steer for the first time. It was a long row, we got back to dock about 1630, cleaned up the boat and headed home.

why take the ferry when you can row?

i am just tuckered out

2008-07-08T22:31:00.004-04:00

well with all the rowing happening, I had cut back on the gym to 2 days a week.
Now with adding another weeknight out on the water sailing- which was my one weeknight off a week I am now officially not going to the gym. At least this week, because this Friday I will be traveling to my family in Ohio with my mom and dad.

Maybe next week I can go running. I am so, so tired- but all i want to do is run.

Well its now time to cram down something for dinner and go to bed.

Night night

rowing log: 4th of July (or rowing in swamp air)

2008-07-08T08:01:00.005-04:00

Better late than never is what I say! Ok not really- usually I am a little more nutty about certain things being prompt. However, this weekend was kinda busy, making it difficult to post about the 4th.

We got to the VCBH about noon with a few packs of veggie burgers, some beef burgers buns cheese and macaroni salad. Put stuff in the fridge and were out on the water about 1230.

We rowed uptown, against the tide, no wind in either direction. It was hot and muggy with heavy cloud cover. The clouds dissipated as we started across the river where we continued to row up the Hudson.

We stopped about parallel to the Steven's University Tower where Phil told us he heard on the radio it was a flushing pressure testing facility from the 60's. I hope he's serious because that makes me laugh way too much.

We headed back with another boat the 3rd boat pressed on toward the small beach between Hoboken and Weehawken.

We came back across, cleaned up the boat and started to get the picnic stuff together at the end of the pier.

I assigned myself to the grill, where I proceeded to attend to the meat grill for the remainder of the afternoon, trying my hardest to cook the burgers evenly to requests and also had the prime pickings for hot dogs and medium rare beef at the tips of my tongs.

I think about 20 people attended, it was actually great getting to know a bunch of people we have seen around and since we're still new it really helped me with learning names. Although I will admit, I don't think I will remember everyone's name for some time to come!

July 4th pics start here

rowing log: trip 5 or rowing on a treadmil*

2008-07-01T22:23:00.008-04:00

I made it down to pier 40 as it was nearing 6pm; the tide was almost high when we got there, and 5 boats were already out for the night. I was happy to see we would be able to go out on my favorite boat.

We got our life jackets on and went out by 1815 with a full boat or 7 people. I was on 2nd, which I was really happy with as the evening progressed, I knew I had to work but I was glad it wasn't me setting the pace as the current was pulling like crazy, and every few waves were splashing into the boat. It really felt like we were doing to go over. I had a couple of near nauseous moments, and was terrified to move thinking I would fall off if we did. Justin has been in bow almost every week so far, and he seems pretty happy about it.

We made it down to where a new dock is being built, it took about 30 or 40 minutes, and then got to stop for a rest.

We switched crew for the row back with Henry on stroke, and I think Robert (or John?**)as coxswain.

I took some pictures tonight which can be seen here.

In addition, I want to resubmit my self portrait from my spring 2008 photo assignments

We are looking forward to our first long row on the 4th of July and also our first volunteer sail with the pioneer on Thursday.

What a totally fun week this has been so far. Including my cholesterol is almost normal and my triglycerides are normal. I bet at the end of the rowing season, I can have BOTH normal.

* basically, we rowed constantly without getting very far, but what resulting in rowing for 5 minutes and being back in our cove.
** I am so bad with names

rowing log: trip 4

2008-06-27T13:10:00.002-04:00

I somehow skipped writing the sailing trip recap from last weekend. So I am going to make an effort to report in on my process with rowing after each trip.

Watching the weather yesterday, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to row after work. I took the 75 minute (best time yet!) trip after work to Pier 40 and was out on the water about 1815. Both J and I were anxious to try out our new life vests and see if mine didn't ride up and sit under my chin. They were fabulous to work in.

I am not sure how long we were out; we rowed up the Hudson on the NY side nearing the old garbage hold around 14th street. I was on stroke, my first time in this position, and an after thought- I wasn't ready to be in that place. I also dislike the boat we were on last night. The foot block is too close on the nearest peg and WAY too far on the 2nd peg- causing me to either be so far back on the seat I have no stability or so far forward I am barely balancing in the edge. The various angles cause a lot of problems with my hips and lower back from having to constantly contort to be able to row, causing a bit of residual pain even this afternoon.

We went across the Hudson, tide was about 3 hours before low, rowing hard and fast with a large barge, holding what appeared to be crushed cars about 1 mile up river, moving toward us. You don't realize how small you are as a 25' wooden boat, let alone your insignificant form as one human being until you can see yourself in its path. Although we were safe, it gave me a moment to reflect upon this week's book, The the Heart of the Sea. Some of my thoughts are echos of words from the men who survived the sinking of the whale ship, Essex, the inspiration for the novel Moby Dick. Your vulnerability of being handful of people on open ocean with squalls, waves, and wild life attacking you at all time is something you don't often this about. It is healthy for the soul and mind to remind yourself of your humble existence in the presence of the world.

We rowed across taking a needed rest in a cove on the South end of Sinatra Park. I talked to the coxswain about out location, both Justin and I spent countless hours lounging the the soft grass of that park looking at the city the summer we meet. It was also nice seeing the park from the water.

We headed back across, the a ferry approaching and using it's wake to our advantage. We rowed into the dock area, retrieving a soccer ball from a group of adamant children (who I think purposely kicked it into the water below) cheering us to throw it to them. They must have not wanted the ball badly enough to come down and get it from us when we landed. Throwing it up about 4 stories while being on the water wasn't an option.

We cleaned up the boat, and put away the supplies. I am starting to feel at home at Pier 40-- not only do I enjoy rowing-- but I am starting to feel that I can be apart of a community or group besides my work. When I leave water at night, I feel happy, like I am on vacation, that I am happy to love in NYC again. That people here, aren't always so awful. Even on the subway home, I joked around the a person next to me when they moved away to give room for Justin to sit. It's nice to feel a sense of calm while being here. I didn't think I would actually find it again.

fashion faux pas

2008-06-23T14:07:00.002-04:00

I am not the most stylish person out there. I am excited about new shoes that are handmade and are reproduction of shoes from the 1700's. But I have some common sense. And I think this is the first post I have ever made insulting anyone.

BUT COME ON PEOPLE: NO SOCKS WITH CROCS!

If a presidential candidate wants my vote he needs to be on board with this cause. It's bad enough people wear socks with sandals, but with CROCS. Those things need to be outlawed to begin with. They are not fine except for working in the yard or a child wearing them.

Note to any readers: I am sorry if you like crocs, it is your choice to wear them, I just think you should know I will probably question your choice in footwear if you happen to wear socks with crocs, i may not just question it, but I will probably tease you for it.

Rowing Log: Stardate: 61928.2 (or I went rowing for the 3rd time)

2008-06-18T13:16:00.003-04:00

So last evening, Justin and I went rowing, again. This is our 3rd week (or 3rd trip) out on the water. So far, this adventure has been very intimidating to me. I keep going back determined to actually improve.

Which, I have.

This has been the most progress I have made in any athletic adventure to date, let alone the shortest amount of time I have seen me progress in a phsyical activity.

Last evening, we rowed across the Hudson River at sunset, lounged around in a cove near Jersey City and rowed back across and had the boat cleaned and away before sundown.

What a way to spend the evening :)

Photo Assignment: Part 1 Tell A Story

2008-06-14T20:38:00.003-04:00

This morning, I intended to find an opportunity to take a photograph for this assignment while attending the Long Island Pirate Festival. We ended not spending a whole lot of time at the festival and on our walk back to the car, I fell. My left ankle went out from under me as we were crossing a very busy street. Justin moved my equipment out of the way, while I crawled on my hands and knees with him practically pulling me a long because I couldn't put any weight on my foot to stand.

Let's not forget to mention I was crawling while wearing a full mantua (wool dress with a train) stays (corset) a skirt and a tri corn while yelling obscenities about the pain.

So no pictures were taken today. I do have 2 from the archives that I think sorta capture the theme of tell a story. I wanted to get something in tonight- but if the ankle can hold weight tomorrow we are going to CT for the Sea Chantey Music Festival at Mystic Seaport- hopefully I will get the assignment done with current photos by tomorrow night.

Image 1: Travels to Aruba, Gaffiti- Aruba, December 2006

Image 2: May 2008 Mother and daughter, May 2008

new york moments

2008-06-10T10:51:00.003-04:00

Here is the first of 2 I am posting.
In the last 27 hours I have encountered too many, not positive, New York moments.

If you know me outside of the internets, you know that the more I travel, the more difficult it is every time I come home to re-adjust to what I had considered normal behavior for so many years

I find it harder and harder to fortify my shell with each trip. We got home from Virgina last week, so far with little incident.

Yesterday, at 730 in the morning I am notified by my land lord in broken Italian-English about the home next to us getting knocked down.

In the suburbs you would say, what on inconvenience U am going to live next to all that noise for the next year! I won't get any piece and quiet.

I say, crap what are we going to do now!

The homes are adjacent and the floors on our side slope heavily (unsafe, many inches) toward that outer supporting wall. If they pull down the house next to us (you can imagine how my mind begins to race here..)In addition to this process affecting me, it has also been plaguing others in our area of Brooklyn during the last few years.

From their experience I have heard horror stories about the fire marshal evicting the people in homes next to the site the morning of the scheduled demolition and giving them only 2 hours to move out all their belongings and not return for 2 weeks. You can imagine my brain wondering how we are going to pay for movers, storage and a sublet or getting a new apapartment, all of which will cost thousands of dollars. Even the cheapest option, and the most risky to all of our stuff and if the building falls, will results in at least 3500.
You can see my concern now.

The best part, the building department customer service line knows nothing about what happens to people in adjacent homes; neither does my landlords daughter (who is not only our translator, but also a wonderful downstairs neighbor).

Photo Assignment # 13 Self portrait

2008-06-07T11:14:00.003-04:00

A little late but better than never. I am not happy with this photo.

I took a photo I was happy with, but I was over exposed- and I was working on the adjustments in photoshop- but I think this images says more about me than the previous image. I am standing in a marina in Weekhawken, NJ- which is about half a mile from where Justin was living when we met.

I chose to stop here last evening to take the self portrait because I thought that showing the city as the background with the boats in the foreground would say alot about where I am right now in life. I don't think either of these photos capture a my self image as projects focusing on this area have in the past. So for your viewing please I present to you self images made between 2001-2005.

2001, still from video

2003, still from video "bound"

The 2 below- were accidental self portraits taken when our christmas tree fell- but I think it captures some of where my brain was at the time.

Photo Assignment # 12 Expression/eyes

2008-06-07T11:10:00.003-04:00

I may have mentioned before, taking pictures of people is not my strength. So the wedding was prime opportunity to work on those skills, along with get to use my Nikon D60 for the first time.

In these photos, (taken before the assignment was given) I focused on not capturing posed faces. But rather emotions or moments that last seconds but express so much.

They are in order of time taken. I hope you enjoy.

Photo Assignment # 11 feet

2008-06-07T11:09:00.000-04:00

this weekends focus

Photo Assignment # 10 hands

2008-06-07T11:06:00.002-04:00

Photo Assignment #10
Image 1

This photo was taken, of an unsuspecting couple on a sail out of Southstreet Seaport. Candid, unposed, lighting touched up in Photoshop and cropped.

This photo was taken of the master rope maker, living historian, at Blackbeard Festival in Hampton, Va. June 1, 2008.

Photo Assignment # 9 Reflection

2008-06-07T11:05:00.002-04:00

Mystic Seaport, Apothecary Shop
May 2008

Photo Assignment # 8 Movement

2008-06-07T11:02:00.003-04:00

In this small series, I focused my camera on following this bee around the flower garden in Williamsburg, VA.

I spent about 10 min about 50 photos on this model. Boy was he a challenge.

Here are my results

Photo Assignment # 7 Creative Backlight

2008-06-07T11:01:00.000-04:00

In process

Photo Assignment # 6 Rule of Thirds

2008-06-07T10:59:00.001-04:00

Mystic Seaport, Ct May 2008

Photo Assignment # 5 Repetition

2008-06-07T10:58:00.001-04:00

Still in progress...
Here's an old one from Key West, FL Oct 2007

Photo Assignment # 4 POV

2008-06-07T10:52:00.002-04:00

The first image , was one of the most successful images I took on my trip to Rome with my Mom and Dad last September. I felt this was a strong example of a POV. This image, like most of the ones I will post is untouched after the shoot.

The hard part of doing all the homework in less than a month, is not having varying subject matter. If you can't tell, we spent most of May Sailing aside from one weekend I was at a wedding. So here is a POV shot on the Schooner Brilliant Sail Training class Justin and I did a few weeks back.

Disclaimer- I shot on point and shoot that weekend due to risk of taking my new DSLR on a boat that goes sideways on the water. All photos from the archives were on a point and shoot. The only difference with this one is it is a Cannon. Other photos in the archives all are on Nikon Cool Pix.

Photo Assignment # 3 Color

2008-06-07T10:49:00.002-04:00

I spend a lot of time shooting stills when traveling. I typically focus on color and shape. I find shooting people to be extremely challenging and have chosen this picture because, of the vibrant (un-touched) color I got the morning of my cousins wedding.

Neil and Jackie Evans, Wedding, May 2008

Photo Assignment # 2 Lines

2008-06-07T10:43:00.004-04:00

Digging in my photo archives I came across the following image. I remember taking this trying to capture the shadows in their strong linear patten. Capturing shadows has been a passion of mine even since seeing Bjork in 1995 (?) at the Roseland in NYC.

For the assignment, I actually focused on capturing the lines of rope seen in sqaure riggers. I felt the contrasting directions of the sails compared to the masts and rope rigging proved to be an interesting subject.

Mystic Seaport, CT, May 2008

Photo Assignment 1 - Light and Shadow

2008-06-07T09:31:00.006-04:00

I have been playing catch up on Miriam Lovells assignments since early May. Although many of these shots have been completed during the last 3 weeks- some have been done out of order- which is not how college photo classes are run! WOOHOO I got to work at my pace, playing catch up, in what ever order I felt like. I also got to interpret assignments as I saw fit.

Here is Assignment 1- Light and Shadow
Image 1

I chose this image because as the couple walks out of the shadow of the building and into the light on their wedding day. I feel it signifies a start of a new journey they just began.
May 2008

Image 2

In this image, the lighting enhances the shadow definition of the braiding in the rope.
Schooner Pioneer Sail, Southstreet Seaport, NY May 2008

it's not work if you love it right?

2008-06-04T09:17:00.002-04:00

Recently a friend of mine confessed she admires the amount of things I do, all the time, and I never stop moving.

She said something to this effect when I met her for dinner at 9 pm, after 2 hours at the gym, which was after working 10 hours at work and I mentioned I joined a book club. She already new about the sewing projects, the insane travel schedule I had during spring.

With Blackbeard Festival wrapped up- and my solid kit of clothing built for both Justin and I- I can start focusing on other activities besides sewing like a lunatic every evening. I will probably make new stays come winter time, and I would like to sew a new brown petticoat, and maybe work on a ladies riding outfit from 1720 and possible a second mantua in a deep, deep purple- it isn't a rush. They are all nice to haves, but I don't need them. I also don't need to lug around so much clothing when we travel. We already had to check an extra bag to fit both our kits. Although the bag was full it was only 30 pounds- so maybe we'll just get a bigger suitcase.

So my 3 new projects:
1. Finish the 15 or so photo assignments posted by my friend and co workers' wife- Miriam Lovell
2. Work on persona as living historian (this is a post on it's own)
3. Begin the process for learning to pain in enamel for miniatures accurate to the 1600-1800's

Sail Training: A trip overview

2008-05-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are unaware (or I did not proclaim my excitement toward during the last 3 months); last weekend Justin and I went on our first step in a long chain of tasks to complete toward owning a sail boat,.

We figured we would start strong, with an overnight trip out of Mystic, CT on the Schooner Brilliant as a part of a working trip on the ocean to learn some basic sailing skills.

I'll be making a lot of posts around this adventure during the next few days between playing catch up and getting ready at home for next weeks trip to a reenactment festival in Virgina.

But here's some pictures to get you started

Mystic Seaport 5/19/2008: http://picasaweb.google.com/shanastorey/MysticSeaport?authkey=aLCmY1orWp4
Sail Training, Schooner Brilliant, 5/18/2008 : http://picasaweb.google.com/shanastorey/SailTrainingSchoonerBrilliant?authkey=itiqw_1YS6M
Mystic Aquarium 5/16/2008: http://picasaweb.google.com/shanastorey/MysticAqurium?authkey=hqAeRU_jSRU

Attending a Wedding, Lessons Learned: Facilitating a Wedding Rehersal

2008-05-13T09:24:00.000-04:00

Maybe the person who has become the wedding coordinator (also this past weekend- Old People Coordinator, Make-up Artists, Photographer and other things) should have been to more than 2 wedding ceremonies in her life. As I am at work, ever ready to do a job being thrown at me (BSO office, Feb 14th anyone?), I try my best to surpass expectations.

Lesson 1: Know Your Audience (or time to break the ice)
As I stand in the front of a chapel-I thought heck (censored for both the blog and the fact I shouldn't swear in a spiritual building) organizing 30 people that don't know, and who probably don't know each other and getting them through the rehearsal where the Minister was unavailable to attend, is just like Facilitating a class of unmotivated folks. So I make a few jokes and decide to full the old Name Game out that Winter and I taught at the Learning Summit. My family thought it was loads of fun but the Groom's family looked at me like I had 3 heads and arms reaching out of my stomach.

Inspired by Neha's post about how weddings are an opportunity to bring 2 families together, I felt using all the facilitation skills I had was the best thing I should do to combine my love of fun and my ability to motive people in interesting ways (if only to get me to stop talking as the goal) I ran with it.

Lesson 2: Set the Expectations and SMART Goals SMART (make 'em short and sweet: you there you walk with her..)
As clearly explained with my sarcastic joke (also listed above) - people who don't attend weddings- actually do not know what happens at them! Fortunatly my co-wedding helper, Dennis (that also was thrown into it at the last minute) put together a outline of how weddings work. It didn't cover helpful things, like what music the organist was going to play, or how to walk appropriately down the aisle. However, I laid out the following 30 minute "practice wedding" activity as easy as possible, explaining who walks with who, how to walk in time to the non-existent music. I did manage to give them a ready time of 10:15 Wedding Day and it worked for almost everyone.

Lesson 3: Assign people to deliverables (or when all else fails, you have to do it yourself/Roll with the punches)
With no confirmation of the organist attending on Sat morning, I yelled out- who has an iPOD. Silly people who did not answer, I just then was prompted to tease them about no iPOD. I assigned the bride to give over the song list to an individual (another cousin) to download music to the iPOD. Then self assigned buying speakers that night to use, just in case the musician forget. I may have missed a good one, because I assigned such SMART goals for all other tasks-I because people forgot to drive the bride that morning so she was there promptly at 11 AM . I didn't think I needed to assign that specific task to anyone which meant, just another mini crisis and a lot of singing of that song "Church on time" for 30 minutes in the car on the way there.

Lesson 4: Establish the Rules and follow them and use available resources (Drive like you learned to drive in NYC, or I can break the rules and get away with it sometimes)
Driving from Point A to Point B in a place you only have been as a child 15 years ago can be interesting. With the help of a Garmin, it made the "Church on Time" drive much easier, along with safer. However, I certainly obey the speed only when other cars are on the road and there is no where for me to pass them, or there is a cop within the foreseeable future. I am not a fast driver normally but when there is a woman giving birth (thank which ever deity you believe in here) I have never been in that situation, or when a bride might miss the Go Time for her wedding. In other events, such as being late to dinner and hoping to get a good seat at a BIG table it is also the case to push the speed limit about 5mph. Which is odd because I left the chapel 20 min after everyone else, yet I arrived at the restaurant the same time they did for the dinner. At first I couldn't figure it out, what were all these people driving 5 MPH on the parkway? Did I accidentally yell profanity at them with my arm giving a friendly gesture on the way there? After a quick discussion with a family friend, I found out people who live locally don't take the express way- they take local roads because that's how they learned to get around. So I chalk my ability to get places in a reasonable amount of time to not breaking the rules as much as pushing the speed limit by about 15 mph (please tell my mom it was only 5)

Lesson 5: Assign Seats Accordingly (Don't let the bad kids sit together)
I get to the dinner, thankfully in time not to be stuck next to anyone I don't know! And quickly my 17 year old, emo cousin with a septum ring sits next to me. Growing up in NY, there is not much you can shock me with. In fact, I will encourage the conversation to shock other people around us, even when I don't need so say anything. Giving me reason to giggle like a kid who just got away with something. Which makes the coroner pocket of the table fit quite nicely with the rest of the bride's family. Now better known as the "eccentric" side of the long skinny rehearsal table. Emo boy to the left, goth girl to the right of me- it looks like this evening could be fun filled. Across from me, the nicest family I ever met, the Grooms family talks about normal things as the bride's side begins heated debates over philosophical topics. At least Politics and Religion were avoided. Note to self- try to break the bad kids up, especially when you're one of them! At some point, during the eccentric table discussions, I try to convince people that stealing the Groom's shoes would be a great activity- but that just caused some really odd looks thrown my way.

Last but not least
Lesson 6: Be a Brand Ambassador (Smile, smile, smile don't say anything bad, and help out where I can)
In the middle of my presentation (or the rehearsal at the chapel, while playing the role of Minister) someone whispers (in a building with no carpet) "wow she's really good at this" and my Cousin (the bride yells out) "That's because she does this for a living, she works for JetBlue." Only slightly embarrassed, but proud of the compliment to the folks that helped me learn to facilitate, throw crazy experiences at me and prepare me for this moment, as so many more- I smile and laugh

this is why i love my job

2007-12-19T10:50:00.000-05:00

Blogs and Wikis at JetBlue

Has your ship been boarded? Will we join the fleet?

2007-12-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

These are all questions you may ask about our trip thus far.. as a summary- not many pictures are to be had due to large quantities of libations, but here is a picture of us at the parade meet up point.

And if you be askin' yerself how we wound up in a parade, when your bus is full of drunk pirates who are a signing- you just go along with the flow.

sitting and waiting, luckly I don't mind airports

2007-11-29T18:18:00.000-05:00

I flew for the first time a positive space, paid ticket on a domestic flight. This is the first time in almost 3 years to be on a domestic carrier aside from my love, i mean JetBlue. Thankfully the flight was 48 minutes long because if I had to sit next to the space hog in the undersized seats any longer or done one more circle around FLL I was gonna puke. The space hog coughed a lot, and spit was going everywhere-(reason for space hog making me feel sick). I <3 getting up as soon as possible to wash my hands.

My luggage got here, so I am happy. But not my boyfriend- he was stuck on a 2 hour delay on Spirit out of LGA...I wonder how he will feel after that when we fly home next week. I hope his bags get here-other wise he is going to be pretty prickly pirate this weekend ARG!

So here I sit waiting in FLL on 5 hours sleep, my stomach a little upset from the flight or maybe from last night out with my coworkers. 2 hours to wait for him left, a car to pick up and a 2 hour drive to my aunts which we should already be on our way to see, for a nice family dinner before heading down to Key West for the Pirates in Paradise festival!

I have 2 flight highlights:
1. Ground Ops guy saying to me as I walked down the jet bridge, Smile you're flying southwest. I guess my dislike of the boarding was already annoying me.
2. Bag going into overhead bin (it was a passenger helping me) my bag fits everywhere, its a rolling tote for a laptop. He and I were jamming the sucker up there and I said out loud "But it fit on all JetBlue planes!" I guess I just miss them already, and I have only been away for 1 flight.

Learning ergonomics...

2007-11-04T13:15:00.001-05:00

I actually hope I answer the question in the ramblings here. I am really focusing on the delivery of how the course can work, which builds a background on how I can take the learning out of the course and have the learner apply it into their work day- reinforcing the knowledge. As a whole, the Constructivist and Connectivist methods really can expand from module 3- which is lower in the post.

Knowing how my course needs to be delivered and the limitations of the LMS and technology building a social environment into learning is going to be difficult since the course is a self-pace eLearning built in Flash and limits the social environment. I also know my audience- depending on the work group we have people who range from 18-70, but one thing is consistent- they no longer accept basic online delivery of a course. All the groups (except the people who are most mobile: pilots) like their courses online, short seat time, using audio and video and images. Over the last year we have increased the level of interactive flash games and simulations- which has actually impacted older courses that do not use more 'interesting' content delivery methods. We have also increased the amount of blended learning in the classroom adding individual online delivery of activities and games. When sitting in classes where this is implemented- students are more eager to be involved and remember the content because the delivery was different.

I am fortunate to be given a lot of creative freedom when developing activities, delivery themes and flash activities. How we are proposing to deliver the course is as a combination of video, text and interactivity in flash.

The activity that follows module 2-is not to just have a cool flash activity for the sake of building a cool activity- (ok, I lied- on some level it might be, we really like building new things and pushing our shops limits on things we love to make and the learners will enjoy and impact)

I can think of the activity in 2 different ways. The second option is much cooler, but is likely to not be approved because of dev time constraints.
1. Would have the student select the correct image of the example shown, using roll overs and video that will play after selecting the correct image
2. Would have a figure which is movable in a position in a built environment, and when the learner correctly moved the individuals legs/arms/ into the right spots for correct ergonomics, the individual would solve the problem and move to the next situation

The next module is where I think I can add a social interaction (off line) connection to. The third module will deliver the tips and tricks to better posture and reductions of injuries- I think there are 2 ways I can build this off line. In this module it will also deliver that you should help others if they are having ergonomics related issues ( a check system in place between people)

1- we are able to deliver additional content to company blog (hopefully soon a wiki), I can work on having a regular posting the the SME is responsible for of additional tips and tricks to go out to the whole company- where employees are able to post comments or their own tips and tricks (this is much trickier because I would have to really get involved with areas outside of our delivery methods, approvals and outside departments) however, this whole type of wiki is actually currently in R&D as how we will be delivering some learning in the future.

2- On completion of the course, an email will be sent with an attachment that can be printed out on any printer and cut out to fit in employees badge holders offering job-specific safety content.

3- an assessment can be released 1 month post course completion to have the individual gauge their work ergonomics, and also encourage people a fill in section where they can write about an experience they had related to helping a fellow worker, these stories can be released in the company wide newsletter or on the Intranet- which I think is something we can help roll out to keep the learning going

4- what is currently being done, should continue to be done: having Ergonomics SME visit sites and work directly with teams to improve safety and reduce injury

---

There are advantages to all of the options- the biggest disadvantage is the 'cooler' the delivery the harder it is for approval based on need, priority, and time constraints. The cool part of this is, although I am exploring options with this course in mind- doesn’t mean we will use them for this course, but may use them in a course or delivery tool for another area, specifically with the 3rd option. I can see this working with soft skills such as customer service or leadership- it builds on some of the things we already do as a company and would be easier to implement. None of the options are impossible since we are always striving to push methods of learning and knowledge sharing as a whole company.

How do you learn what you learn?

2007-11-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

I learn my best when I am actively excited about the material. (Not surprisingly, is how I am at work) Sometimes it can be new material that I have no previous knowledge (sometimes I enjoy learning for the sake of learning and experience much like a child) and other times I have to have a buy-in for the learning (adult). Newness, a new class, new content, a new delivery system that works, a new area of study- I am one of those people who had no knowledge of WWII but got engrossed in the H channel and love to talk about the propaganda, and the good the bad and the ugly that came out of it. But if the content isn't new, I need to love the subject or find a facet to focus on during the course/program/etc. I like to write about the topics, I hate mandatory short papers- I loved working on both my thesis papers- to obsession. I like involvement mentally and verbally- and approach my class room facilitation the same way. Sometimes, I lose my audience and other times I may inspire them with the level of enthusiasm- I have gotten better at dealing with managing their expectations without losing my strengths.

Learning for me is about fun and expanding my thinking. When I start to have to read too much on a subject that doesn't keep me excited it becomes tedious. Or when there is always a short assignment to do (i.e.: math or science classes) - makes me uninterested. I like to learn independently but share knowledge or ask questions with others. I usually need to internalize material but at times I don't need to and I like a lot of conversation about the topics. I really hate when I am in a lecture style class, there was a class I did during undergrad which I showed up about 1 times every 2 weeks for and the only thing that kept me awake was counting how many times the guy said "ladies and gentlemen" - I didn't learn a thing. I photocopied someone else's notes prior to exams and read the book- and got an A. I don't remember anything from it. I wasn't excited- I was just a number. I didn't get to talk about theory, find connections to other areas. Classes that spawn talk, and promote independent thinking I adore, even if the content gets stale. But I can't be left alone with out deadlines, I won't get anything done. It is that balance

If a course were designed for me:

I took a Western Civ class about 10 years ago in community college. No big assignments, 2 exams one midterm, 1 paper/presentation and 1 final (which he surprised us with 2 weeks before the end of semester as a take home!) The only thing we really had to focus one was the 1 project the whole 14 weeks. Pick a topic, and focus on it. Even though it was a western civ class, I focused on the impact of Western Society on Japanese arts and role of woman. (Eventually this was apart of a thesis I wrote 4 years later) The course was about learning the content and subject matter and tying it into an area that interested you the most. Each week, since the prof (nearing retirement) knew the topics of discussion he would tie content into his lectures/discussions that we could all relate too. The level of interactivity excited me, and I guess I took that with me moving forward during my spells of teaching lessons in Art History in grad school, and how I develop activities and materials for courses now.

To answer the question most simply: a course that is for me, is one I am given free range to expand on areas of interest and able to tie in content that may not be as interesting but can be relevant. Where I am given the ability to get involved in the abstracts and connect to concrete, the ability to discuss (in this case blog) my thoughts or process.

And since I am a blogger (although slacking) most of these posts will also be linked on my blog.

Learning Styles...

2007-11-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

I have a high level of interest in these self-assessments. Call it a late night online addiction and call this a blog post not a homework assignment- and a bit of non-professional me.

When I did the MBTI at work I came back as an INTP- however the reality of it my INTP switches easily on a retake (weather, bad day, good day, a little to much caffeine) The formal results pegs me as an Introvert with high Extroverted tendencies- when it boils down to it I learn both independently, and then needing to outwardly discuss items I feel strong about, that inspire me or I have a lot of questions dealing with. I.e.: this topic.
When taking the MBTI at home I still have a borderline I/E but I come back with an NFP

So when doing the PLSI (which I think helps with some of this flexible evaluation) I took it outside of work hours and I came back with

E: 6 I: 6
N:10
F:7 T 5
J: 6 P:6

Which if I remember correctly on the evaluation from the MBTI I did through work- everything was close to borderline except the N. I am always a very strong N. I don't think I am really a J- I think I am closer to a P. It's the F and T that cause the swapping too...

What does it mean? I don't know. What I do know is my basic personality changes with my surroundings -both environmental and socially. People who know me personally know I am completely different in a professional setting as I am from personal setting. Basically, the 3 consistent results I always get or INTP, ENTP, or ENFP. I have a varied amount of interests and loves- which I usually approach from an academic and theory standpoint- but I am highly driven, goal oriented but hate strong deadlines.

I have been called an enabler to my friends and cohorts, and that I plan for spontaneity - plane tickets and car rentals to places I have never been- a map, a guide book I got at the airport and no hotel nights booked. I don’t mind sitting back as long as I feel the person in charge is competent (or the educator is intelligent) other wise I start to strive for control– and if needed I will always step up to the plate.

As a worker (or learner), I am amazing at the beginning of a project, getting it started, getting people going, getting out the ideas, developing the possibilities, assigning the time lines but toward the end- I can't wait for the next project.; unless the project has a lot of little things that keep me going. Problems=fun! I keep a messy desk, but organized systems. I do best under pressure in an over saturated content environment. Jack of all trades, master of none with a tendency for being a workaholic.

What I also know if I have a strong call to the arts (both performing, and visual) but I also adore science and history equally as much. I am not content living in a theory based quiet world of slides and research, I am not content sitting behind a desk at an office everyday either - yet I crave stability and knowing I am needed. I hate large parties yet I love performing on a stage. At work I dress conservatively, at school at least a 3.75 gpa, and you would never guess I had a pink mohawk for most of the 90’s. I like the separation, it keeps me sane. There’s an introvert and theorist here protecting the extrovert and emotional side of me… This is why I think I came back with the INTP on the pay-per-take fees.

That's how I ended up getting where I am, creative, stable, goal driven, theory based, solving problems all the things I love. And without a surprise I sit on all fences with the other learning styles assessments.

VARK I came back as V 12, A 11, R 12, K 10- no shock there- I actually think people who grew up with high levels of technology or with varied learning preferences from their parents/education exposure will have a more equal distribution across all areas.

And for brain dominance... R 9 L 9- when I retook it I got R 10 and L 8
Not a surprise for me, the fence sitter.

--

Since I frequently approach things from many dimensions, I am happy learning in the online environment- I adjust to the needs I have to meet. The ability to blog my homework is a plus- because if gives me the conversation (although mostly one way)- or the ranting I really need about areas I start to really dwell on. I don't mind the Centra classroom environment, but I prefer in person classes, and content delivered online for independent learning.

so much to do...

2007-10-12T08:36:00.000-04:00

it feels like so little time. Only because I like it that way. I start back in classes officially on Monday night. Hopefully in less than 6 months I will have my professional certificate from NYU school of continuing ed in Instructional Design.

I have added some new links to pictures on the right hand side. Both Italy and last weekend's trip to Key West are listed.

geez someone either walked by the house who bathed in cologne or someone who lives below or above us is currently spraying it like it is going to save his life. My whole apartment started to have this awful cheap man stink permeating the anti-odor home I currently keep.

well off to work- again so much to do so little time

Off to Italy!

2007-09-17T17:40:00.000-04:00

Less than 4 hours till push back- I am getting ready to leave work. I will try to post pictures and updates during my trip with my parents- but my access to the net will be limited- as I am leaving my laptop at home!!

See you soon :)

what does seeing family, sunburn and giant sea turtles all have in common?

2007-08-16T13:57:00.001-04:00

Going to Florida!

I flew out last Thursday for a much delayed trip to visit a vendor I work with in Ft Lauderdale- which I quickly turned into a long weekend with my Aunt Diane in Key Largo!

On Friday night we threw and impromptu dinner party for 5- I made my favorite salad with blue cheese, pears, warm bacon and mushrooms tossed with spinach with a vinaigrette dressing- asparagus- meatloaf (2 whole pounds!) and a desert of mixed berries, hot biscuits and fresh cinnamon whip cream. There were hardly any left over and my first dinner party came out fantastic!

Sat morning- we had an early wake up call for a day long boat trip which we visited Molasses Reef, French Reef, picnicked on the Bay Side of the keys and finished off with a swim off Rodriguez Key. 9 hours, multiple applications of sun block later I had the worst sun burn I will ever have. The snorkeling was fabulous and I saw so many beautiful fish, sea fans and a GIANT brain coral. The best was swimming with the hawks bill sea turtle in the ocean.

I cut my really fun weekend short(due to the sun burn and just wanting to be at home); I flew back to NY and brought myself to a walk in clinic to get some pain medicine. The pain medicine was a bad idea, but my sun burn has finally faded and I have turned into lizard girl. My belly is still unhappy.

So next week- I am going on a road trip to see my Grandma and Grandpa with my Mom.

home again!

2007-07-09T16:44:00.001-04:00

We are back home, and back at work. I wish we were still away- the trip was amazing. You can see the photos here

that be gold in them thar hills...

2007-07-05T11:10:00.000-04:00

I hope you read about route 49 or know a little about the gold rush of '49...

about 4 months ago we were watching the travel channel and we saw an episode about how you can still pan for gold out in California.

That explains a little about why we ended up here...and also why I was trying to get north on 49 in such a rush...

so we wake up in Pop. 115 town of Coulterville on Tuesday morning in a quaint little room head out and I eat my first meal of biscuits and gravy. We get checked out about 10 or 11 and start the drive out to Yosemite.
This side trip wasn't planned and I am starting to understand why you do road trips and don't obsess about planning vacations and just go with the flow..this is so much fun!

After another crazy day of driving vertical on the side of mountains we reach the park entrance. Thankfully, the roads are paved.. Dan was right - it was going to be packed!

So we tried to get lodging for the night but with no success- we we went hiking up to the lower level falls by el Capitain. These are the 5th highest falls in the world!

We determined Justin is far better suited to rock scrambling than I am. He glided up this with ease - while my short limbs struggled just to get from one bolder to the next for me it was a little more painful with a lot of stops and a cold and rewarding foot bath when we reached out stopping point

We left the park around 2 or 3- we had made reservations in a town called Columbia which was 40 miles away (2-3 hour drive...) We got in this small reproduction/re-enactment town around 630 after the 3 hour drive of me needing to stop a million times because of the drive being so vertical and up and down my stomach wasn't very happy.

We stayed at Hotel Fallon - i think we were the only guests- which was pretty cool if you ask me.

We took a stroll around town, had a bite to eat and headed off to bed although the sun was still up- we knew it would be another long day of driving on Wednesday- and so it was!

We got up early to get out of Columbia before the 10 am 4th of July kick off part started with cannon fire and a parade and scooted on up toward Angles Share. About 2 hours still from my goal stopping point of Monday night (Volcano, Ca) Who knew it would take about 9 hours to drive 180 miles...

You ask what is so important about Volcano? Well it is one of the few places left you can still pan for gold on a tour at a camp site We got there about 2 hours too late- the day trip left for the day. So I pouted and we talked about staying out in the hills another day.. Justin said it was ok to cancel our reservations in San Fran because he knew after 9 hours of sitting the car and driving on those insane roads I was going to pout all day about not getting to go.

So to fill our time while I was deciding we went on a tour of Black Chasm Caves. In the Sunny, dry 105 degree heat- the constant temp of 58 felt amazing. The only caves we had ever been in were hotter than hell in Aruba- so this was amazing to us. The formations were even more awesome and we spent about an hour down there yesterday afternoon.

We decided that we can always come back and we headed out of the mountains about 2 pm for San Francisco. Watching the hills get smaller and the clear sky look hazy with mist we drove over the bay bridge as expected around 5 pm. Checked into the hotel- Sat down on the bed and opened all the curtains - we decided we were going to stay another day right here! We added another day to our reservation at Park 55

We headed out to watch the fireworks (the COLDEST 4th of july we have ever spent) on Fisherman's warf and walked back since traffic was so bad. The hills were so steep you could fall over if you stood still and the wind blew.

See you later!
(pics to come later connection too slow)

Sat-Monday night- big drive...

2007-07-03T23:00:00.000-04:00

Finally stopped moving. Really it is the first time since Sat we have just hung out. Why now?

Well we are somewhere along route 49 in the sierra Nevada Gold Mining route.

We did get to Oakland around 1am PST on Sunday morning. We picked up a car, had some problems finding a car that I could see over the dash- settled on a mini van with intent to come back the next morning after 630am to pick up a compact.
Slept at the Quality Inn by OAK - woke up early- swapped the car, and started on the trip down the Monterey. Stopped om San Jose and saw round domed movie theaters and thought about stopping at the mystery house. But I didnt feel like being there on the 3 hour tour - while in San jose we
picked up some maps and had Jack in the Box (yumm, i am glad I concurred my fear of the tainted meat e-coli breakout of the 90's)
About 2 hours and 120 miles later we found the hotel we booked and scooted on over to the Aquarium. and we saw seals sun bathing on some rocks. At that point we were exhausted- but managed to see the
whole place grab dinner at a water front place and find a whole foods. After the quick shop- we went to hotel made vague plans for Monday and slept for about 11 hours.

Monday:
On the road about 9 am - started down for the 17 mile drive around Pebble Beach. Stopped along the way and saw seals swimming in the bay and some really skinny squirrel's who like to sun bathe too.

We drove down into some town called Carmel. A rich people hide-a-way with coach and sharper image and snobby looking people. We grabbed a bite to eat I had a modified Eggs Benedict that had avacado and spicy hollandaise sauce.
We continued driving down Hwy 1 along the coast and it was some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seen.

Continued driving to Big Sur and got out of the car to sun that was so hot- I was definitely not going hiking.

Glad I did the switch on the car we spent 4.57 for a gallon of gas on our trip and we started driving up 1. A impulse decision to drive out to Gold Mining areas and 5 hours later we are sitting on hotel jeffery's roof deck of a building built in the 1800's with past guest including Teddy Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

It has a real saloon, with people who should be paid to entertain tourists as they stop for a bite to eat. There are about 8 buildings in the town center- and so many stars I can hardly believe my eyes. (population 115)

Our original destination was Volcano, but around 5 pm while munching on dinner at IN and Out Burger (who is a religiously owned company) we decided our route and to stay somewhere along the southern part of route 49.

We are about an hour out of Yosemite with plans to visit in the morning and plans to crash somewhere on the N end of 49 tomorrow night, spend Wednesday am in some caverns and panning for gold with Fireworks on the Bay area, and a trip to Alcatraz on Thursday.

And hopefully extend our trip to Friday- as we still haven't gotten North of San Fran to Muir woods for out hiking and beach.

The drive out here was amazing...Here are some highlights:

Attached by Bruce Lee when I went to thebathroom...

still cold...

getting into the mountains- driving here was interesting..

justi and my luggage..again

the hotel

going to california

2007-06-30T16:14:00.000-04:00

well no AZ for us this July but we are headed to sunny, and 60* Northern Cali where we are going to hike, visit aquariums and hopefully get there within the next 12 hours. It's been a long uncertain few days about where we are going and if we can get there- Alas,I think I found a way, a little more money for the car rental but at least I know we can get there

I'll be posting from the road- I am bringing the camera cable and most of the places I think we are staying have wi-fi. Both of which are a first. This is our first trip together stateside, other than a weekend in Vermont and Ohio visiting family since September 2003. So I know there will be a few things like Starbucks and wifi and 7-11s (maybe converted to a Kwiki-Mart ;) to stay in touch with every one.

We only have hotels books for tonight when we land and tomorrow when we drive south. Who knows where we will end up or when we are getting back. We both have 8 days until we have to be back at work- and it should all be fun!

See you soon.
<3 me

Talk like a Pirate Day

2006-09-20T11:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we had a Talk Like a Pirate Day Party here at work (you can always tell when I organize activities) anyway it was great! Lynn made Parrot stew and i made a traditional 18th century honey cake which used ground ginger and pepper. It was very tasty, I am brining the remainder to my mom's for desert tonight.

I cannot get the add picture link to work-(read with pirate voice) so I will spare yer eyes from the blasted pictures from er fetstivities..

It has been a good week, work is busy but not as busy as it usually is. Which is how I am managing a post mid-day before lunch.

We have been doing a lot of things together at work, and my coworker Leslie, gave notice yesterday. My social circle here has gotten dramatically smaller the last few months- I am running out of lunch buddies and people to hang out with after work. It has been a month of reflection- a lot of my friends are getting married or having babies (Erin's baby, Kate was born LATE last night at 6.12 lbs - mom and baby are doing great!)

So here is your answer (for those of you who do ask me) I am not planning on kids, and marriage is still not in my equation for personal fulfillment.

On that note, my patner, Justin and I are doing well. His work has him busy and he has had some great opportunities recently to show off his talent with predicting needs with server funtionality. And we are getting ready for a week vacation to Aruba in december.

As for me- the series of job interviews I went on have not panned out to anything at this time. I am hoping to stay here at the airline a bit longer. There are not many places that the VP of the department comes in and talks like a pirate and hangs out. Needless to say, at least I fit in here :) no need to leave. However, making more money going project management elsewhere seems like a wonderful idea. So, we will see what happens.

Well, I am starving and I need to grab a bite to eat before the Chess Tournament today.

it's been awhile

2006-09-13T09:03:00.000-04:00

I never update, and it is not about lack of things to write. Justin and I have had a great summer- with trips to the Bahamas and Vermont. I also visited Grandma and Grandpa in Ohio, and spent time in Orlando teaching for work. I did not get to visit my friend Jenny in Seattle as I had hoped or make it to Austin for BBQ with my folks, or get out to AZ for some off road experience. We stayed close to home for much of it- and I saw some sights in the city with people from work on 2 team off-sites- one a scavenger hunt all over NYC and also a trip to the Central Park Zoo. Justin and I also took a day trip out to Montauk back in June.

I spent much of the last 6 months working on our apartment, hanging pictures, organizing furniture, and cooking. Just call me domestic these days. Well, not really, it is more like obsessive over the details of the house and hoping that I can get our kitchen to look kitsch 1950's retro. I have a few things to finish (like recovering the seats for the chairs of the Formica set we bought) and getting my hands on a red or black cosco kitchen cart and a matching step stool) Once the kitchen is complete, I will post some pictures. I have been passively working on decorating the bathroom and bedroom also. And saving up to buy this pretty bed frame from westelm. See it is mostly about the obsession of wanting to live in an apartment that looks like a fashionable movie set. At best, Justin ignores my compulsions toward this goal. But doesn't seem to mind that the bedroom is all black and white with red and hot pink accents. I think he would like to leave the pink out of the equation but indulges me in my quest.

I have not been painting much. If anything, I have started taking a lot of nature photography while I travel. I feel upset that I have not been making the work I think about, but just haven't had the level of energy to get anything done. My studio (the 2nd bedroom) sits there empty, ready to be used with the door shut and an empty canvas on the wall. I guess it is about time to go in there and start working again.

I will post some pictures later, and send out an updated link to those of you who have interest in my blog later this weekend.

2006-01-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

its been a hell of a week. knee deep in a project and it birthed a new one. I will be away most of feb. between conferences, the new project and a personal trip to seattle. I don't want to go anywhere on the days justin and i are taking off, i want to stay home and lay around and snuggle. because when it is march I will be away again for 2 full weeks all on work plus a weekend. maybe this time J will take a day off and meet me in flordia so we can lay on a beach!

it is really exiting all the opportunity and development of my brain. pushing myself to limits I didn't think I would find out in the real world of work outside of higher ed. the excitement of having 6 weeks to develop a course, all the materials needed, have review sessions, trial runs, and be in the classroom for the first time in front of a group of students, teaching them something you adore.

this past week a small group of us sat locked in a room for 5 days dealing with the massive amounts of printed materials used in our entire training department. we found all the major problems, decided on standards to implement, and training needs to get our curriculum designers up to speed. the next 6 weeks will be insane. You have to add to the fact I will also be developing another small program with a colleague to implement instructor usage of the testing and tracking program for online courses and also transitioning training to do support of our online learning applications to additional individuals for assistance.

this all days place around 5 days of personal business in seattle, and 5 days in savannah at a conference, 4 days of training for myself in New York, and a 4 day weekend for justin and I.

my brain is terrified and excited all at the same time.

pictures May- today

2006-01-01T13:01:00.000-05:00

a long over due update.. i figured i would pack in a ton of pictures from the last year.

I was trying on a wig for my upcoming performance here (as seen below I decided on no wig...)
but I think there is some family resemblance due to the hair style....

May 5th 2005
this is from my thesis performance last may.

this is what 9 months of straight work, and 3 years
of graduate school amounted to. This display housed
multiple pieces of my work, and also gave me space
for the performance work I did.

May 2005- Justin and I went to Vieques, which is a small island off the coast of Puerto Rico. Here are some pictures.

This is the oldest tree on Vieques I was being bit by a fire ant when this picture was taken. Notice how giant the tree is. There were bugs EVERYWHERE and many of the branches had really large cocoons.

I made Justin go hiking in a Dry Forest River bed in search of a Black Beach, which we never found.. but the hike was fun!

that isn't me making Justin blush! It was the start of his sunburn. OUCH!

We spent a lot of time on the beach while we were there! And who wouldn't! Many days we would not see another person for 5 hours at a time.

this was me on the last day of our trip. I didn't want to go home, and we are looking forward to going back to Vieques in 2006.

A picture of my friend Giulianna and I before our friend's wedding in July

The big stuffing competition....

This was my stuffing when it came out of the oven.. and this was my Mexican stuffing on the table - This year I won the big stuffing competition.. so next year I have to be even more creative with my entry.

Here are the rest of the family's stuffing..

Jimmy made a florentine stuffing in a sour dough bread bowl shapped like a turkey.

Grandma G made an Eastern European stuffing with rye seeds

Mom made her traditional stuffing but added apples this year. I liked her stuffing the best! I didnt get an up and close picture but it is on the table in the center with the turkey.

Here's a picture of Mom watching the football game, and Grandma trying to fix the votes on the stuffing- I think I forgot to mention she REALLY wanted to win this year :)

And this is the only picture of me, not a good one, but I am packing up left overs to bring home with us.

I did not take any picture at Christmas, except for the big package my dad and mom got me, which my dad built as a JetBlue Airplane!

Here is a picture of our tree at our house!

That leaves us with this morning, I made my first quiche. It had 4 or 5 cheeses, mostly imported Spanish and French, and mushrooms. I enjoyed it, and here is a picture when it first came out of the oven.

Talk to you soon ( This is a picture from me putting these images on line)

alittle slow with the pictures

2005-11-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

sorry for the slow update.
Thanksgiving was great, even so great that there was no traffic to or from Long Island!

I will post pictures later this week.I goofed up and put a box in the same drawer with the camera cables and the box jammed the drawer shut. So no pictures until Justin fixes the drawer problem. Which will probably be tonight.

Our apartment is almost completely unpacked. I bid on a 1950's kitchen table in red and cracked ice white and chrome on ebay. It is the full set. It even includes the matching step stool! I hope I win. I will also post pictures of the table if I do.

Off to work I go. At least it is not cold outside today. It's almost 50!

The night before Thankgiving

2005-11-23T19:29:00.001-05:00

and all through the house..I finally finished my cooking for tomorrow. Although, I have only made a stuffing and a cranberry sauce, I have been busy since 3:30 this afternoon working on my creations.I can not reveal my secret recipes, even if this is my first post, because the family's stuffing competition is one of great challenge and pride. I am in it to win this year! And I will post pictures tomorrow of Thanksgiving dinner and our family unit in the NYC/LI area.Justin and I ordered a pizza and we are eating happily as he watches yet another war documentary and I type this up. It was extremely cold this morning on my walk to the train. I am so glad we live so close to the train station.
So you get some reference to where we live in relation to the train and the city:

map

The yellow icons are Subway stations. Feel free to use the zoom tool on the map to see where we live in relation to the city, and also other things around us. I am sure Jackie/Jacqui - i am not sure how she spells it these days, can help Grandma when looking at the map.Well it is almost time to watch a movie, I will post more after Thanksgiving to put up an update of how things are, and some pictures of our dinner and Mom and Jimmy's newly resided house!