Ducks Fly Together!

Ok, so I didn't work last night. I think John was annoyed at me, but oh well. I worked in the morning. I'm not giving away my entire Saturday - that's not allowed.

Instead I went to the ice hockey!!!! Chicago Wolves vs. Omaha Knights. I went with Judith, Miriam and her brother who is here visiting from Germania. Wolves lost 0-2. It was actually pretty boring. Like, really boring.

Also, question: do we boo the other team at sporting matches here? Because I can't remember ever having done that, and they do it all the time here, like when they first come on the ice and when they score a goal. It's not just for hockey, but for every sport - they bo the away team. I just think it's so mean! Oh, and when they see that their team has no way of winning, like when last night the Knights scored a second goal at 2 mins left in the game, everyone just starts leaving. That'd be so disenheartening (is that even a word?!) if I were a player. And no one claps at the end of the game or anything (possibly cos they've all left the stadium). I dunno. It just seems so mean! They've all tried their best and all....

Oh, and there were a few fights on the ice. It was funny when it all happened, but OW!!! It's on ice!!!

So when it was over Judith and I went outside for the car.... AND THERE WAS A BLOODY ICE STORM!!! Like, snow, but big and icey, but not hail. And the wind was blowing it everywhere and it was soooooooo painful!!! Oh my poor face! And then the wind had blown this thick sheet of ice on the windsheild and we didn't have an ice scraper in our car! I was like, OMG! What're we going to do?! So she asked the guy in the car next to ours if we could borrow his, and he let us, but I think we were too slow or incompetent for his liking and he got out of his car and did ours for us. :) It was so nice of him because it was PAINFUL to be outside. It took like an hour and a half to drive half an hour because the roads hadn't been plowed at all yet. Yuck. I was happy when we finally got home.

So that was my Saturday.

Judith and I are supposed to be going downtown today, but I'm not looking forward to it cos it's still snowing. Yuckyuckyuck!!!

Goddamnit!!!

I'm working lots of Saturdays, including tomorrow. At least, I think I'm working tomorrow. I hated the way John phrased the question, and he only asked me yesterday: "Are you around Saturday night?" (who's ever just "around" on a saturday night?????), and I was like, "I'm not sure yet what we're doing... and he's like, "well, I have this dinner thing I want to go to" (Frances will be out of town for one of her sorority things) "and i just wanted someone to look after jack."

Me: ummmm.....
John: hey, look, I'm just seeing if you want to, otherwise i can ask sarah.
Me: (thinking why the hell didn't he ask Sarah in the first place????????) Well, I'm not sure yet...
John: Ok, look, whatever, that's fine, we'll work something out.

So I think I'm working, which is stupid because my Saturday is already ruined because I have to take sarah to this exam thing for highschool and pick her up from it, and I know they don't consider that to be working times, cos i'm just dropping off and picking up and doing nothing in the meantime, it means that my Saturday is already broken up and I can't go downtown or something... I can't really do ANYTHING that requires more than an hour or so.

ARGH! I hate how John tries to make me feel guilty into doing something. Or to at least coerce me into doing it like I have the choice. Why not flat out say I need you to work this weekend?? Because then it's HIS decision. The way he does it, I know the meaning is that I really have to do it, but he doesn't want to come out and say it, cos then he's the bad one, and this way it's my decision. GRRRRR.

Allllllllrighty then: New York

So here it is: My New York weekend, aka, BEST WEEKEND EVER, or, BWE for short. ;)

Basically, long story short, on Thursday night I was whinging to Frances about how expensive my New York trip was costing me and how I was Not Happy Jan about the whole thing. It was the Presidents Day weekend and John and Jack were in Hawaii, and Sarah and Frances were going to San Diego, so Frances suggested that I see if I can find someone to go with me this weekend and go to NYC on her United buddy passes.

Hmmm.... free flight to NYC. Should I take it? Decisions, decisions....... YUHUH!

Managed to rustle up Judith on Friday morning and we left that night. Best flight EVER. Somehow, even though it was United, we managed to get the only nice flight attendant they have. She was lovely. Her name was Jackie and she was so sweet! She saw us looking at a guide book and was asking us if we had any plans, and she suggested things to do, then she said that the other side of the plane was best to see Manhattan when we fly in, so she made a guy move his jacket from a pair of seats so we could sit there and called the captain a few times to make sure we'd be flying over from that side and everything. After the flight she got us to follow her to make sure we got to the taxis and stuff correctly. Honestly, nicest person EVER! This is her:



I just wanted a photo so I'd remember her.

So we stayed at the HI hostel, which was great cos it was right near a subway station, which, btw, is so frigging easy to navigate, and so convenient. Anyone wanna make a suggestion to shitty rail?!

Here's the gorgeous view from our window:



Still takes my breath away. ;)

The next morning, after 4 hours sleep, we went out to get our fill of Manhattan. First stop, Times Square:

Here's a pic of me being a loser and jumping into Judith's photo:

Times Square is so cool - just like the movies. It was so cold though that we both bought ear warmers.

After this we went to the Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Centre to see the ice skating, then went into the NBC shop to look at the merchandise (gots me a "Passions" magnet - booyah!). I don't know if this made the news in Oz, but it was all over it here: there's this girl that hasn't stopped hiccupping in 3 weeks. Well, she was in the store browsing. I thought it was just weird that there was this girl just hiccupping away like it was normal, then I overheard a sales assistant mention who she was to one of the others. Quite funny.

After this we went to Saks 5th Ave. Of course, you know me - I had to try on all the hats. This one was only $1000. I'll buy it for the next funeral I have to attend.



Next door was St. Patrick's Cathedral:

Purty. We'd heard that it was used in an episode of Sex and the City (the ep where Samantha tries to hook up with the Friar), but coming home, I've heard it's a different church. I've got to rewatch the ep.

After this we went to Madison Square Garden and into Penn Station to meet up with Judith's cousin. We then walked through Central Park, which was lovely because all these familyies with little kids were there sledding on the hills, to Strawberry Fields where the John Lennon Memorial is:



Central Park



The memorial.

I like it. It's just a simple mosaic on the ground. Very effective.
Of course, we then had to cross the street to the Dakota apartment building that he was shot outside of.



God I'm morbid.

We walked on to the Museum of Natural History, which I had to see because I'm cheap (it has a "suggested" fee of $15, but I decided to just pay $5), a nerd, and it was in the movie "Night at the Museum", which I love.

I loved this museum, but we couldn't see everything because we didn't have much time. Also, Judith's cousin didn't seem like a museum person. In fact, she wasn't even a sight seeing person. I got really annoyed with her for several reasons:

1) I was running on very little sleep
2) She's an au pair about an hour from NYC (New York State), has been here for six months and she hadn't even been to Central Park because she doesn't really go "sight seeing".
3) Couldn't navigate the subway. I'd been there three hours and I was doing just fine. It was soooo easy.
4) Seemed to want to do anything but go to the places I wanted to go. Too bad - my vacation. :P

Anyway, after the museum we went to Times Square to try and get half price Broadway tickets, but because we got there so late (2:30, ticket booth opens at 3) there was a huge mother line. The girls didn't want to bother lining up, so I didn't get to see a Broadway show, which contributed greatly to the crankiness. ;)

We then went to a German pub for lunch/dinner (linner? Dunch?) and Judith and I left at about 6:30. Judith asked if I was tired (we had both felt exhausted before we got to the pub) and neither of us was, so we decided to go to the Empire State building.

That's us looking totally hot (i.e. sheizhaus) on the top of the ESB. Two words: Freeee Zing.

In this photo you can make out the Chrysler Building:



Beautiful views, which is to be expected.
Then we went back to the hostel and planned out our trip for Sunday right down to the subway line and station. God, we're good.

Woke up on Sunday, got ready, then headed out to Tom's Restaurant. It's a diner. You might be familiar with it, seeing as the outside of it is used in nearly every single Seinfeld episode!!!!



I'm such a loser. It was too exciting.

Next we walked through Central Park again, this time past the Jackie O Reservoir:

We went past the Guggenheim, but the steep entry fee ($18) and the long line outside turned us off. Instead, we went down the street to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. With it's "suggested" fee (I paid $5 again) and it's HUGENESS it was a definate winner. Honestly, this biatch's collection was extensive. They'd even recreated an Egyptian Tomb inside it, and whole French Revolution or Elizabethan rooms in it. Seriously, you'd need a whole day to really explore it. We had to really rush through. :(

Outside though I made sure I bought myself a NY hotdog from a street vendor:

Heiffer. Doesn't help that I was wearing about 5 or 6 layers of clothing. ;)

After this, Judith and I made our pilgrimmage to Mecca. Yes, Ladies:



That's me on Carrie's stoop. 66 Perry St in Greenwich Village. Whilst she supposedly lives on the upper east side, that's the stoop they use for outside shots of her apartment.

And just around the corner? Magnolia's Bakery! We stood in line for half an hour in the cold for these babies, and they were worth every bit of the $2 each (you had to buy a minimum of 12).

Mmmmmm..... soooo sweeeet, but sooooo goooooooood!!!!!

After that we went to Ground Zero. We only stayed for about 15 minutes because it really is very sad. They have metal fences errected around the site and they have big photos up taken from the day. I think one of the photos that really got me was a picture taken of a street full of people all looking up and all of them have their mouths open, their faces showing shock, horror, disbelief and fear. It was like Arlington Cemetery and the Dakota apartment: it feels wrong to take photos, but you just want something to remind you of how you felt at that moment, and to capture it.

Like I said, we only stayed to a short time. We then went to Century 21, a big department store across the road (love the juxtaposition), and then hopped on the subway to Brooklyn where we had dinner at this apparently really famous pizzeria called Grimaldi's. We were lucky because there was no line when we got there. About 15 minutes later though, there was about an hour's line outside in the cold. I so wouldn't have bothered. The pizza was good though. =)

Here's a view of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge:



We finished off our weekend with another trip back to Times Square, then went to bed to wake up at the ungodly hour of 3:45am (I fell alseep again after the alarm went off - we were supposed to get up at 3:20) and went to the airport. We were worried that we wouldn't get on our flight (the buddy passes we had were only standby tickets) but managed to get the last two seats on the plane.

So that was our weekend. I can't even tell you how happy it made me. After let down after let down, it was nice for something unexpected to happen that just went perfectly, right from the very beginning with Jackie our FA. =) Heck, I'm still happy, and I haven't nearly caught up on any sleep from the weekend. It's funny: Saturday I had nasty dark circles under my eyes, Sunday I had accompanying bags, and by the time we got to the airport on Monday I had bags under my bags. Hot.

I'm still going back for Spring Break, but I'll be cutting it down by three days. I'm actually looking forward to being by myself for a few days. As fun as it was having Judith there with me, I think I want to do the museums properly without having to worry that I'm boring someone with my taste in artwork and wanting to stand in front of one painting for an hour.

Best. Weekend. EVER!!!!!

Oh God, how can any weekend top the one I've just experience?!

I won't go into detail yet because I'm so tired from lack of sleep and I'm busy munching on a cupcake from the Magnolia Bakery. Yes, THE Magnolia Bakery from SATC. ;) Worth the $2 per cupcake. ;)

I'll post again soon with pics.

Ummm...

OH MY GOD I'M GOING TO NEW YORK TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...mebbe...

Erm... so, I might be going to New York this weekend. Stay tuned!

Oh, and...

...last night we went out for a V-day dinner and somehow the subject of babysitting came up and how much Sarah gets paid for looking after Jack, and how she gets paid more than I do on a per hour basis. Then John said, "Although, Sarah (me) doesn't really work her full 45 hours here", and I replied with a big, "HA! Are you kidding me?!" John looked at me a little puzzled and was like, "When do you work a 45 hour week?" and I was like, "Erm, try October, November and December, not to mention half of January!" and all the while I could feel my face getting redder and redder. Then somehow we weren't talking about that subject any more, but now my paranoia has kicked in and all I can think is, "OMG! Do they think I'm angry or something, or do they not believe that I actually worked all those hours?"

So yes. I need to stop over-analysing things, because it's now over 12 hours later and I'm still thinking about it...

NYC + Lara

Booked my flight to NYC so there's no backing out. The flight cost $180. Yuck. Next I need to book my hostel accom, but I'm going to search for a little while longer on that. I may even end up switching hostels for the last couple of nights when Jemma gets there, cos I'm not sure where she's going to be staying. Oh, and the flights I got are soooo crap: I get into Newark (New Jersey) at 10:05 on Saturday night (it's even more expensive on Friday night) so I lose a day there, but still have to pay for accom, and have to navigate the train system and make it to the hostel very late at night, but at least on the way back it's an evening flight, so I'll hopefully have all day Sunday 1st.

I spoke to Lara last night and told her that I wouldn't be able to go to Germany, which is just horrible because I miss her so much! It's just not going to be able to happen - this NY trip is just too expensive, but it sucks because going to visit Lara was really what got me through last month, you know?

Oh well, at least I'm going home early, which is good because I miss my grandma with an ache. An ache! Can you believe it? I miss her so much I feel it in my gut. :( So at least I'll be home early. I plan to start work soon after I get back and then just try and save as hard as I can so I can go to Germany next July in the uni hols. Maybe I can get some early bird tickets. Who knows.

I have the house to myself this weekend, which is good. :) I dropped John and Jack off at the airport and they're on their way to Hawaii, and Sarah and Frances are going to San Diego this weekend (Saaaan Diaaaaaaago, it's German for a whale's ------). Judith's coming over tomorrow night to watch The Departed and play my drinking game to it. ;) One sip for each f-word. We'll be drunk after 10 mins.

On Sunday I'm hoping it won't be too cold on Sunday (although weather.com say's it'll be -6C with a windchill of -9C) because I want to go downtown to Chinatown (lol) for Chinese New Year!! I love C NY.

NYC Vay-cay

So, for the last few days I've been trying to plan my NY trip. I cannot muster even the slightest bit of enthusiasm. I keep thinking, "Maybe I could go to Boston or Philli as a side trip!", then I look at the cost and realise, nope, not happening.

I'll be in NYC from 24th March to 1st April, and my friend Jemma will be there from 30th March. So yay! Six days by myself trying to think of stuff to do. I've written a list of things I want to see and do, and I'm trying to make an itinerary for myself, but I just have no drive for any of it. ARGH!

Meanwhile, today's Valentine's Day, and Frances bought us all some candy, which was really nice. I had to make cupcakes for Jack's class party, but at least I could just make them from a cake mix, and I didn't have to decorate them or do anything ridiculous like I had to for the Halloween party. Thank God. I still don't know why I had to go all out for that thing. Whatevs.

Also, yesterday it started snowing and snowed about 8 inches. Too funny. Oh wait, NO IT WASN'T!!! My arms hurt from shovelling.

*Cough*

So, yesterday I spent the entire day in bed. I'm sick sick sickedy sick. =) Yay.

I was supposed to work last night but couldn't. I felt so bad..... but I'm sick, so what can you do? My paranoia makes me think that they don't think I'm that sick, but hello?? The only time I left the house yesterday was to buy some cough lollies, and I'm staying in today as well. What a waste of a weekend. Though, at least I'm not spending any money.

So yes, while I sit here coughing up my lungs, think of me. ;)

Go go Gadget BRAIN!!!

I am an idiot!!!

Today has been good so far. Got out of the house and met up with Judith at 9:30 in Starbucks (where else?!) and just chatted/bitched for a couple of hours, then went to Old Navy and spent money I shouldn't have. :) I just needed to cheer myself up, plus it's Old Navy so it's cheap.

So the stupid thing???

I got into the wrong side of the car. HA! I haven't done this in 8 months! I seriously sat down in the passenger seat, looked at the dashboard, thought, "Hmmm, something's not quite right." and then tried to think what. All this took place in under 10 seconds, but still! I just started laughing at myself. :)

Good times.

Anyway, it was nice to get out of the house cos I was up half the night coughing up my lungs. At about 1:30am it occured to me that I wouldn't be able to sleep without cough syrup - the cough lollies just weren't doing anything, so I drank some syrup and managed to actually sleep until 6am. Excellent.

Another low period...

...though I have a feeling it's just part of the one big low period. And now there's complications:

John has informed me that he and Frances will be separating, though he didn't say when, and Frances hasn't mentioned it. So now I feel that if they are, then how bad would that be on the kids: mum and dad divorcing and their au pair leaving early. I feel like I have to stay here to provide some stability, though I also know that I'll be the one dealing with their frustrations and lashing-out.

Man. I so don't need to go through another divorce right now. Part of me coming here was to escape the one I was already tangled in.

Plus, I'm sick. Stupid Sarah has given me her cold. It's just one more thing to add to my misery.

Holy Jeebus

Yes, I know I've posted on how cold it is, but I've just gotten back from the movies and have to tell you JUST HOW COLD IT IS RIGHT NOW:

According to weather.com, in Arlington Heights it is -20ºC, and with the windchill factored in, it is supposed to feel like -32ºC.

Yep, that about sounds right.

Tomorrow, SUPERBOWL! With the Chicago Bears going in as the underdogs. For the past two weeks people have been driving around with Bears flags on their cars, shirts, hats and everything else Chicago Bears. Crazy town. ;)

The Days are Dragging

Garr. It's Thursday. It feels like it's taken five years to get here. The days take sooooo long.

I told Frances this morning that I'll be leaving on May 22nd, and she's like, "Ok, put it on the calendar." Jack was all, "Aww, what?" And I'm like, "Don't worry bub, you'll probably get an au pair that's a lot nicer and a lot more fun!" He replied, "You're nice enough!! You're plenty nice!" Poor guy. He'll be so much better off with someone who's happy to be here. He's the only one I'll miss when I'm gone.

Everyone says that after six months your time here just flies. I'm waiting for lift-off, but the weeks drag, and I know I'm doing it to myself - I struggle to shower and get dressed before midday. This has just been a recent thing. I struggle to leave the house, and I know that's not good for me. I want to go out for a walk or something, but the cold weather makes me reluctant to even drive to the grocery store. And it's not even just the cold weather - I keep stalling until it's the latest possible time to do anything.

Me being alone with my own thoughts for so long during the day isn't helping, either.