Spring Photos

In lieu of posting about what I've been up lately, I thought I'd show you.

PS- If you are younger than 25, you've already seen these on Facebook.

It's time for a weekend.

Today I walked from the subway...through Little Korea...to work...with my skirt tucked in my underwear.

Springin'

Last night was my first softball game since third grade. It was so fun and the weather was perfect. And we won. I think my little cousin, Grant, would be proud, no?

On the way way home I was walking and a man in front of me grabbed the woman he was with at the stop light and started dancing with her. It was cute. They were happy.

Today I went to the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens with Samantha. It's a nice 40 minute walk from our apartment. I broke out the spring dress and we had ourselves a nice time:

Better than folding socks, Alison?

It reached the SEVENTIES today. I spent five hours cleaning. But then...

Me and Alison and Kate spent our Saturday night outside drinking wine, eating pizza, and blasting Pavarotti from our window.

Yesssss.

"High F above C..."

Last night I finished reading this book; Julie Andrews' memoir about her life up until she was offered the role of Mary Poppins.

When she was nine she started taking voice lessons and eventually was on the vaudeville stage with her mom and step dad. When she was twelve she began singing in a variety show called the Starlight Roof. The gag was, the host would have all the kids in the audience run up to the stage and he would pick out one to talk to (Julie) and after a few jokes, this random girl from the audience would sing.

She was a hit at first, but became a little boring as she got older and the song she sang got easier. So she showed them what she could do with "Polonaise Mignon."

You have GOT to listen to this. The whole way through. No cheating.



Now go buy the book!

Thank you, spring, for dresses and celebrities.

Today is sunny and in the 60s and I'm wearing a dress and boots. I couldn't be happier, even though I fell asleep on the couch last night and slept in thus prompting a semi-stressful morning.

I walked down to Union Square on lunch, like I have been doing for awhile now. It's about a mile away but I sit all day, it's nice out, I have a good book, and I like watching people.

But today, everyone and their dog was out. I mean that literally. Including Ethan Hawke and his dog. He walked by me on 21st street near Madison Square Park and was very involved in his phone conversation.

Anyway, it was really tough to find a place to sit down and read today that wasn't on the ground. Would it be weird to bring a lawn chair with me to work? Do they even have lawn chairs in New York?

Brittany makes stuff.

Check out my other blog that I just created at Alison's persistence.

Friday in the a-p-t.

Hmm...I spent my Friday night writing music. Two songs, AND I had time to whip up some brownies from scratch. I tell you truly, I am amazing.

I spent the first half of the night finishing up some stuff on the keyboard, then moved on back to my room and pulled out my guitar. It's been too long, guitar.

I added one song to myspace.

"Complete Me"

(I promise the song is not as lame as the title makes it sound...I think)

I've said terrible things
I've done horrible deeds
I was ashamed to tell you
I'm not what I seem
I'm not who they see

Tell me, Lord, that You'll fill the void
When I fall short
I need you, Lord, to fill the void
When I fall short
I'm halfway full
Complete me, complete me, Lord

I'm not good on my own
I'm a wretch on my own
I'm not ashamed to say
That I don't belong
I don't belong here

Tell me, Lord, that You'll fill the void
When I fall short
I need you, Lord, to fill the void
Where I fall short
I'm halfway full
Complete me, complete me, Lord

And isn't is just like You
Just like You
To fill my weary soul
Isn't it just like You
Just like You
Just like You
To mend my broken bones
And make me whole

Lord, please
Show us Your grace
Lord, please
Lead us with faith
We stand unashamed
For You are good to Your word

Tell me, Lord, You'll fill the void
When I fall short
I need you, Lord, to fill the void
Where I fall short
I'm halfway full
Complete me, complete me, Lord

I would like to thank Alison for letting me use her computer while mine is with the mac geniuses getting a new hard drive because mine crashed. We don't need to talk about it.

Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALISON! I love you and I don't know what I'd do without you. I know we joke when we say that but...seriously.

Quips.

Sometimes I think New York is like my husband. All shiny and exciting at first, and then he gets a belly and, I don't know, stops wearing deodorant. (This is what Alison says while we search for rats to curve boredom while waiting for the train.)

Sometimes I feel like my life is a movie. But then I think, "If my life were a movie, I'd have a better wardrobe." (This is why I spent way too much money on only three items at the largest store in the world after one particularly bad day.)

Brittany, quit flashing gang signs. (This is what my mother yells to me across a crowded subway after I wave my fingers at her. Wave as in, "HI MOM," not as in, "MEET ME LATER TONIGHT WITH THE GOODS.")



Family always makes New York just a little bit prettier =)

My Hands

About that list...I've been working on the first one. The music one. I started a song on Feb. 21 inspired by the Africa trip this summer. I've written a few about it but It's still in my heart and I think more music will come from it. I worked on it tonight and thought I'd share what I have so far. It's rough...

Click here to listen.

I will apologize
and I'll take the blame for what I've done
I'll study your fearless face and find
You're hopeless for hiding grace

And I would, I'd be on my knees if not for this
Now I would, I'd give you my hands just for this
That you might use them well

You show me your wounded daughter
You tell me I'm ready to fight for her
Please show me your fearless ways
I find I'm helpless without your grace

I see the pain in her eyes
It gives me strength enough to try

And I would, I'd fall on my knees just for this
And I would, I'd give you my hands just for this
And pray they will not fail

For the sons, for the fathers
For the girls without their mothers
For the hope, for the hope of the world
For the suffering to start ending
For the life that's ever flowing
For the victory I see coming
To the horizon we are running
For the hungry and forgotten
For the lovely and the heartless
There is hope, there is hope for the forsaken
For the sons, for the daughters
Only looking for the fathers
There is hope, hope for the forsaken

I'd give up a million things
But I just keep on livin' selfishly
There are days I know there's more to me

I should be on my knees just for this
And I should, give you my hands...

On to the next.

About six months ago, I wrote a list of things to do. I figure now is a good time to revisit and re-assess:

Write music
(Write good music)
Send Lauren a letter
(Who cares, she's coming to see me next week)
Find a church
Get involved in a church
(Working on it)
Join a choir
(I started the process, haven't auditioned yet)
Make a photo grid a la the one I saw in Pottery Barn (Re-hang photo grid in new room)
Try writing another (better) children's book
(Haven't started writing yet, but am reading. It's research. )
Join a gym
Take a cooking class
(Am cooking more. )
Take a language class
(...I have nothing. Although there are some "learn how to speak French" CD's around the apartment somewhere.)
Take guitar lessons
(Still thinking about it.)
Visit Washington DC
(Not yet. )
Read
(Continue reading. )
Stop buying cheaply made clothes and be satisfied with fewer, nicer ones
(I've done well, here. Mainly due to the fact that I should try to be presentable at work. I dread the day when my boss calls me into his office and tells me I wear my jeans too much and I end up asking for a raise so that I can buy more clothes. I would accidentally do that.)
Develop pictures
(I typed this up before my computer crashed to the floor with my 2,000 Africa pictures. Let's move on. )
Go to some museums
(Easier for me to do when it's warm out. I'm going to some next week!)

You may have noticed how I failed miserably at all matters of classes and further learning. Well, that is not true. I signed up for a dance class that starts in April. Can't help but feel like I'm a little backwards here. I never danced as a little girl. I took baton for awhile, but it was disastrous. I wasn't bad, no. I was just the ONLY GIRL IN THE WHOLE FORT WORTH PARADE WHOSE PARENTS MADE HER WEAR SWEATS INSTEAD OF THE PRETTY RED FRILLY OUTFITS ALL THE OTHER GIRLS WORE. Then I lost my baton. I cried a lot and I never got a new baton. And I was always jealous of the girls who got to go to "make-up" classes. Because I thought it was a class about putting on make-up.

After that experience, I started wearing baggy t-shirts and pony tails and begged my parents to let me play softball. No more girly stuff that was going to break my heart. I bought a shirt that said, "God is life. Everything else is softball." I still have that shirt. In fact, maybe I'll wear it to a game next month after volleyball season ends.

Well, I don't remember where I was going with this.

Oh yeah, I'm doing what every other little girl does, only I'm 23. I still have my character shoes from the last time I danced, high school show choir. I'm pretty nervous about this. Every night for two weeks I almost signed up, then didn't. I was talking to Joey about it on his birthday and it just became clear that I should do it.

So I'm doing it. Paid up front and everything.

On another completely separate note, for the last two days I've had a nervous/excited feeling in my stomach and I can't eat. This could have something to do with the dance class. It could have something to do with my family being here in four days. Or, it could be something else.

PS - Mom, I forgive you for caring about the temperature of my body and making me wear sweats to the parade. I promise you didn't ruin my childhood. In fact, you may have saved me from a life of big hair, pageants, and other stuff that is not nearly as cool as softball. Or show choir...

Infected.

I guess that it's time I explained...

I have MRSA, a form of the news-making staph infection.

It started on my leg in October. Then again on my leg, then my eyebrow over Thanksgiving. I went to the doctor the first time and got antibiotics. The 2nd and 3rd time it wasn't so bad, so I let it "run it's course," so-to-speak. Then last week I woke up and my lip was swollen. I decided to go to a clinic the 2nd day because it was looking pretty bad. He just gave me a prescription and I went back to work. The next day I woke up and it was twice the size. So I went to the ER. The actual infection was above my lip, but had made a whole side of my face swell up. I think that picture was from Thursday. The stupid doctor in the ER gave me more medicine but he did not help me at all. HELLO, my face is a balloon. Something is wrong with me.

Friday I went to the dermatologist. She finally helped me. She also hurt me a freaking lot. She had to put a needle in my face to numb me and I felt that thing go deep. Then she told me to close my eyes while she got a sample. I don't know what she did, but I still felt it. Then I started getting sick. I had planned on eating breakfast at work (I was crazy for thinking I'd be going to work), so I was on an empty stomach. It was not a good feeling. They started running around, lying me down, turning off the lights, finding food and water...

But it's okay. She gave me more medicine, a cream that I have to stick in my nose. It's supposed to get rid of the infection that I've been carrying for months entirely.

I was back at work on Monday and my face has, in a way, shrunk all the way down since Friday.

Two good things came from this:

I started watching Lost from the beginning online while I was at home with nothing to do. I haven't seen the first two seasons. This is good for me. Bad for the social life.

I looked really funny and although it hurt to laugh at the time, it's still very funny.

Woo hoo....adventures in the big city!

Botox gone bad?

I just thought I'd share with you what I've been dealing with the last few days. Those are my lips.

Weird New York

Today I walked to Union Square on my lunch break. There was a man sitting outside of the 5-Story Barnes & Noble affectionately playing with his white rat.

My Oscar Picks

WORST DRESSED

Bad:

George Clooney with the girl who is simply called, "Sarah." She is a former Fear Factor contestant who met GC when she was his waitress. I am sure she is a very nice girl, but she looks like a twig on a chipping birch tree.

Worse:

It's sort of a funny joke. She's Daniel Day Lewis' wife. She knows she's going to sit on the front row and she might as well wear something ridiculous because she also knows her husband is probably going to win his second Oscar. That's right, the girl with the ugly dress' husband won another Oscar. Whatchu gonna say now?

Absolute Worst:

I just can't see her as anything but the White Witch, even in this black velvet blanket. Her acceptance speech offered her a bit of redemption, though, when she poked fun of George Clooney and his batsuit. Girl has a personality!

BEST DRESSED

Good:

Amy Adams gets major points for singing a song about rodents scrubbing the toilet at the most prestigious event in Hollywood and pulling it off. She rocked this dress! Original color that goes great with her hair, and an awesome cut.

Better:

Heidi knows she's hot. Why is she at the Oscar's? Who knows. But that color (which was very popular and a nice surprise) and the top of that dress? LOVE it.

Best:

I LOVE this dress. And it looks fabulous on her. The fabric is beautiful, the way it catches the light. The cut with the train in the back is like Audrey in Sabrina. And the random sleeves work! She was my favorite of the whole night, for sure.

And now just for kicks, my favorite guy of the night:

Jason Bateman :)



So...what do you guys think?

Though the world is fast asleep...

Well, it seems that in the future I'll need to rely on things besides the weather to get me to update, but for now, I am pleased with being encouraged by snow. I am sure most of you know by now, but on Friday morning, I woke up to this:



And I trudged to work in this:



That's right. I trudged!!

My roommates and I are watching Samantha and Caleb's dog this weekend. Convenient enough for me, he wanted to go outside when I got home, and I needed a friend to play in the snow with me. So begins our two-hour walk:



I took him to Prospect Park. The park pretty much took my breath away. I had landed in a post card. It was almost silent but for the other few out with their dogs, or having a snowball fight, or trying to snowboard...yes, saw that. I walked into the middle of a field and laid down in the snow and just took it all in.











Happy in the snow :)

I met a lady walking two dogs and ended up talking with her and walking to her place. She told me a little of her story and I told her a little of mine. I was hesitant to talk to her when she first said something, anxious to get on with my evening alone, but after she briefly mentioned her divorce and after I realized how normal two people talking is, I was happy to go against my "blinders-always-on" instinct. I don't know if she was lonely, but I think we needed to meet. And it was a good night.

Today I planned on going to Central Park but it didn't snow anymore, so I figured it wouldn't be as nice. So I stayed in and walked Fargo down the street to our bagel place and felt like I was a part of all this. Snow on the ground in Brooklyn, walking a dog and eating my bagel. Then I did my chore for the week (we have a chart), which was cleaning the kitchen. My favorite of the chores because I use it the most. I also cleaned my room. I did all that after I watched four or so episodes of Arrested Development which came from Netflix a few days ago. If any of you have the time to watch that show, do. But be sure to watch it from the beginning. You'll find out where Michael Cera and Jason Bateman came from before Superbad and Juno. You'll also find out where Scott Bayo and Henry Winkler ended up, among others. Plus there is rumors of a MOVIE!

So on to the next...I decided to go to the grocery store down the street to buy some fruit, bread and chicken. I made up a recipe that involves chicken with lime juice and bread crumbs. It's very, very good, I think.

After a little dinner, I got on the train to go babysit. I left an hour early, which is normally okay, but the trains were not moving tonight so I ended up jumping in a cab around 34th street (I was headed to 72nd near Central Park). I was rather annoyed but then decided that if there is any place to be late and stuck and traffic, it is Times Square. Not terrible, really.

This has got to be my favorite part of the day: I totally had a Mary Poppins moment.

Since I've been here I've been baby-sitting for two little girls most Saturday nights. Sometimes I sing to them and normally when I do, they just stare at me. I think hearing someone sing must be an amazing thing when it is brand new. Tonight right before bedtime I was sitting on the floor, holding the baby and helping her older sister put on her pajamas. I started singing, "Stay Awake," the song Mary Poppins sings after a long day in London and the children don't want to sleep. Well, totally cute and unexpected, the girl gets her pjs and and then sits on my knee and cuddles up with me and her sister. And they just sat there and listened to me sing. And I didn't want to move!

But I did, I put the baby to sleep and walked out to see her sister sleeping on the couch where she normally waits for me to read out of her favorite book, her children's bible. Not kidding.

When I walked out of the apartment, I heard an older man tell some older other people, "Well, goodnight kids."

Then I saw an older woman walking a tiny dog. He was trailing her and decided to roll over without her knowing. She kept walking, therefore, dragging the dog. I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing to loud.

I decided to walk a little over half a mile to the next subway stop so that I could look over Central Park.

It was quiet, but I could still see all the lights and millions of cabs next to me.

I passed a couple. The girl was whining, "I want to be in a cab right now." The guy said, "Just walk with me. Come on, give me your arm." I felt for him.

I saw an older couple on the subway. The woman looped her arm through her husband's who made a joke about her almost knocking him off his chair in the process. I was happy for them.

I went to Starbucks for a tall, skim, white hot chocolate because snow calls for hot drinks and chocolate, as I've already said. They charged me too much and gave me something with coffee in it. Oh well.

And then I read my book (Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis: it gets you thinking and makes me feel comforted, safe, challenged) until my stop came.

I worked on a song I wrote this week for about thirty minutes and now I'm sitting on the couch with Fargo, listening to my top 25 most played on itunes (includes Jon Foreman, Sara Bareilles, Harry Connick Jr.).

I rarely talk about the day-to-day things that I do and have had a few requests for something of the sort, so here it is.

I wasn't consistently happy all day but I feel happy now at the end of the day and since the end typically sums up everything else, I think it is safe to say that it was a happy day.

Now it is passed my bedtime and I've still got some reading to do, so I leave you now. Goodnight!

"The Lord of Darkness..."

Yesterday marked my six months with NYC. I won't go over the list of things that have changed or the list of things that have stayed the same, for that matter. Overall, things are great and I have no plans to run away in the near future.

But I am a little bit sad, to be honest. New York winter is not what I thought that it would be. WHERE is the SNOW? It snowed once in November and once last week, which was nice, until it rained for about twelve hours the day after. I knew that the rain was coming, so I did my best to enjoy it while it lasted.

The view from our apartment:

I sat by the window and read and drank the first of many, many hot chocolates last week:

And then I finished up with an Audrey Hepburn movie:

So it is still cold and still dark and I am ready for the sun and I can't wait to go to the beach.

But here's hoping I'll see Central Park in the snow sometime soon because I am just not used to thee long, long winters...

Well Kate's family is telling us what to do and that includes putting away my computer. Sorry for the abrupt ending, but it's okay because I think I'm pretty boring right now!

Branching Out

I switched rooms this weekend and have a roommate now. We love our room! We painted it a few weeks ago and on Saturday we painted the brilliant purple tree. I can't stop dancing in the new space!

I want my mommy and I'm not ashamed.

When you leave work early Monday afternoon because you feel like you suddenly have sawdust stuck in your throat (but you promise you'll be back tomorrow).

When you make a nest on the couch because you know you won't have the strength to climb up and down your lofted bed three or more times in the middle of the night.

When tomorrow comes and the sawdust is still there and hey! Now there is a fever, too.

When you call in sick to work for the first time in your "adult" life (but you promise you'll be back tomorrow).

When you want to sleep in but you can't stop moving a single part of your body long enough to breathe straight.

When you can't watch your favorite sitcom because fits of laughter turn into fits of cough...ter.

When it takes all of your strength to stand up and peel an orange.

When your fever won't break.

When you can't speak at normal volumes.

When your fever still won't break.

When you finally sleep through the night.

When you wake up and find your fever STILL WON'T BREAK.

When you call in sick for the second time in your "adult" life (this time, no promises).

When you begin to fear the strep.

When you decide to walk a block to the family clinic.

When the family clinic is filled with rows of sick people watching Montel in a pink and green pastel waiting room that is in itself enough to make you sick.

When you don't have any cash so the lady says, "you can just pay me next time."

When you find out for the first time since you were five you have the flu.

When you're too tired to wait in line for the throat numbing prescription at the pharmacy.

When your sick of starving yourself so you order a pizza for $18 that you can hardly eat so your roommates have at it.

When not even watching Mr. Darcy for two hours makes you feel any better.

When you decided your fever WILL go away and you WILL sleep in your bed and you WILL go to work.

When you go to work (...with a slight fever).

When you make it through the day okay.

Until.

You walk home with no umbrella in freezing temperatures and a mixture of wind, rain, and snow beat you down and force you to walk fast against your sad immune system's will until finally you arrive in your apartment with your heart beating in your neck and your lungs as dry as a really, really dry place.

When you have to carry your laundry down the stairs and out the door in that same weather on that same night because if you don't do it tonight, you have no underwear tomorrow. And you don't want to go through that again...

When tomorrow is your 23rd birthday.

When you know you are going to feel sick on your 23rd birthday.......



....is when all you really need is your mom and your dad and your sister and your sister.



I can't wait to see you guys on Saturday. SCREW the FLU! Who's with me?

Coming to America.

This is the inspiring true story about two ugly cousins journeying across the tumultuous seas from dinosaur-infested Germany to America, the land of beauty and hot dog carts.

Their names were Ludkhanna and Brunhilde Lienhardt. AKA number 24 and number 25 (at least that's what the Americans called them).

Please enjoy the following picture-story, beginning with the day they first boarded the USS Giganatee en route to New York City:



After eight months of living in 4x4 quarters with their own waste, Ludkhanna and Brunhilde finally caught glimpse of lady liberty.



Upon seeing Ellis Island, the girls could not wait to wait some more in a big room where they would hopefully be admitted into America.



Here is a special photo of a fellow immigrant. He was obviously in awe of what his future would hold. He was also cold.



After washing herself of her waste, the first place that Ludkhanna wanted to go was the famous Times Square.



Soon, the girls noticed they were ravished. They found solace in the German word, "wienerwurst," but they were more intrigued by the "Old Kentucky Whiskey".

[photos of Whiskey drinking not found]







But before we continue with the story, let us remember first where the cousins came from:
'Twas a dark, scary place. Where dinosaurs roamed the earth. Lundky tried to fend of the ferocious monster with a mysterious light that sometimes spoke at her and called her, "Ena".




Brunhilde, however, had no such mysterious light, and was forced to sing lullabies to the monster. The monster actually fell in love with her because he mistook her face for that of a fellow beast.





It was also severely cold in their home country.




Brunhilde skinned a 'coon to wear on her head to keep her warm and to make a fashion statement.



The girls missed their family from their home country. Here is Brunhilde in the last photo ever taken of her and the uncle that riased her, Edviener.



Ludkhannah had a much larger family. With 25 brothers and sisters, Ludky was the first to leave home.




Now, back to Ellis Island. Unfortunately, Brunhilde did not know how to write. Or hold a pencil. She is listed in the annals of Ellis Island history as: "~~~\/~ kumquat"
A young american on-looker could not believe her eyes.




Ludkhanna could write well and she laughed in Brunhilde's face shortly after this photo was taken.




Brunhilde was so excited to see the American Flag that she wanted to eat it.




Ludkhanna was still hunched over from the 4x4 living quarters.




Ludkhanna loved the underground tunnels so much, that she often danced around with the poles.





When the cousins realized they had only been eating flour and water for eight months, they decided to test the local fair. Brunhilde swallowed the triangluar meal in one bite.




Ludkhanna was mezmerized that a pig could be so small on a piece of bread.



The cousins realized their options for settling were limitless. Ludkhanna wanted to see Indian Territory. She heard they didn't wear underwear.



Ludkhanna could not believe the people were frolicking on a pond in front of an ice god.




The two cousins decided to board at the glowing pink mansion, Hotel Barbie. Ludkhanna lost her key and got trapped on the left side of the Barbie sign.




Ludkhanna also enjoyed shopping at a magical place called Chelsea Market.



The girls were having a WICKED awesome TIME, and even made friends with a DRAGON (Brunhilde refrained from singing lullabies).



In conclusion, America was a transforming place from this....



to this:



Henceforth, the girls are called "Paris" and "Brit Brit."

THE END.