close of the semester, the 2008 year, and huge apologies

hello all, 

first of all, big apologies for not keeping this up. 2009 is a fresh start and i intend to keep this regular, as per one of my many new years resolutions (which i have a pretty good track record on keeping, by the way). 

new york has snow now and it is just as beautiful as i could have imagined. 

what a life changing year this has been. in retrospect, the choice to move to new york has had a profound impact on my career, happiness and general well being. i still am very much in love with this city and i could not have imagined what it would have been like to not have committed to this. i have always been an independent person, but this has definitely tested that quality and i feel that i have come out on top. i am not overwhelmed, lonely, or unhappy: all of the things i feared about moving here. 

the semester is, finally, OVER. it was brutal, i will be honest. the balancing of a social life, getting to know a new city and new people, with the heaviest case load i have ever had was a challenge. but finals and papers are done and i am interested to see how i did. next semester is a fresh start and there are PLENTY of things i plan to do differently. 

jasmine came to visit me in november, which was wonderful, but short. we did quite a bit of sight-seeing but i’m hoping to do more when she is out again in april. here is a picture of us watching obama win at rockefellar plaza: 

tomorrow morning i’m leaving for a snowboarding trip in washington state for a month. it will be nice to be out of the city and in the mountains for a while, although i’m somewhat bummed as well. i know i’ll miss it and regret the fact that i’m not in class and could spend more time exploring. i will have a few days before classes resume when i get back to have a little fun. 

i wish you all a happy new year and a safe holiday!

Good times

Well it feels like fall here. It has cooled down considerably (although school still blasts the AC). It rains frequently. I don’t mind this, my neighborhood is absolutely beautiful in this season. 

School is overwhelming. I’ve been going out far too much. I have personally resolved to knock it off and get back on track. I’ve kept up on reading but I haven’t been doing as much as the extra work that I usually do. 

I went to an amazing hip hop show in the village on Wednesday. Here’s a photos

This weekend my good friend, Natasha, from San Diego came back for a meeting with her 2L summer internship here in New York. Great times with San Diego crew this weekend… We ate a ton and drank a ton, shopping in Soho on Saturday followed by karaoke and pool in the village. Sunday night we went to the comedy cellar and saw Tracy Morgan outside. He seemed just as funny in person. The comedians were good and the sangria was even better. 

Tash and I eating REALLY hot falafel… and, thanks to Mike, the moment was captured beautifully. 

Best pizza in the world, Grimaldis: 

San Gennaro

After class today I took a brief break to check out the San Gennaro Feast in Little Italy. It was crowded, even for a Tuesday afternoon. I walked the length of Mulberry street, paid eight dollars for a beer and then headed back home to put in some work. Surprisingly, I didn’t get anything to eat (not the most vegetarian friendly) but I looked at some beautiful deserts and Italian dishes. 

http://www.sangennaro.org/

Productivity

Well its been a crazy week but I am feeling very accomplished and satisfied. I am (almost) up to date on reading and outlining. I have my accounting final on Thursday, which is pass/fail – pretty much the effort I am putting into it. F*ck accounting. I hate it. 

I signed up for Courtroom Advocacy for Battered Women… I start in two weeks with training before assisting women in drafting statements, going to court, etc. Should be pretty eye opening and I’m anxious to become involved in something. However, free time is quickly slipping away… so we will see what this adds to my work load and stress level. 

Thursday I met up with Jonnie, one of the guys we met in Rome in 2002 who lives here. It was amazing catching up with him again and it felt as if the six years had not passed between us. I’m looking forward to meeting up with Chris and Chris as well– they are such a fun group. 

This weekend I went out with some friends from NYU in the village. GREAT TIME. Lots of pitchers of beer and drunken sing-alongs with street musicians. 

Today, Sunday, is all business. Outlining, reading for Monday, and studying accounting (vomit). I also did some light housecleaning and am about to bake a few loaves of zucchini bread. I’m feeling very productive.

Hello World

I have internet! 

Two hours late, a crazy Russian guy with gold teeth finally showed up. Six hours later, we are business. I feel complete. 

You all can expect more prompt, complete posts.

At home

Forgive me for my lack of posts this week, school has been insane, as expected. Criminal procedure was cancelled, last minute, giving me a welcomed and unexpected break in the day. I will also have internet at home (it’s been ten fucking days and I’m going crazy) on Wednesday. 

I have pretty much completely moved in to my new home. I absolutely love it. I purchased new nightstands and a beautiful leather bench, which I’m anxiously waiting its arrival in early October.  I got my first (of many I’m sure) house plants from the farmers market in Union Square and so far they seem very happy in their new home. I am in the market for custom curtains for the two tall windows in the main room – I am still not accustomed to how bright it is at night and I think being able to close out the lights will improve my sleeping. 

Here are some photos y’all have been expecting: 

Chels – check out the perfect place for your art… 

Classes are overwhelming. I am taking five courses and the reading load is already daunting. I’ve been able to keep up, barely. This has been an obstacle in my goal to see the rest of the city. 

I had a BBQ for Labor Day… don’t know that many people here but they showed up and it was a lot of fun. I then went out in Williamsburg to play pool with a friend. 

I have been taking my reading to a bar in my neighborhood, Chez Oskar. It is a French restaurant and I really enjoy the place so I think it is the new “spot.” The owner and bartender is French so I get the opportunity to speak French, which I need to keep up on it and thoroughly enjoy. There was a great sax player playing and it was surprisingly easy to get my reading done over a cold beer. On Tuesday nights they do bottomless muscles so I am going to hit that up next week for sure. j’adore le coquillage! 

I started running again, after a long hiatus. Fort Greene park is just a few blocks away and it is a really nice spot. 

This weekend I had some friends over for dinner and then went out in the village to play pool (big surprise). Saturday we had a ridiculous amount of rain – so a friend and I stayed in doors all day – watching tv and eating delivered Indian (still delicious). 

I am still completely content with my decision to move out here. I have never been more happy with such a life changing choice. I love my school, my professors are challenging and engaging, my neighborhood is quiet, safe, and beautiful, the people are fun and interesting… this is really a city with a pulse (something I felt was lacking in San Diego). I’ve learned so much about living here in the last three weeks… for example, having a sense of “personal bubble” is pointless (especially at 8 am on a Monday morning on the L train into Manhattan). 

Miss you all.

My things have arrived!!!!

Last night Justin and I went out in the East Village to play pool… I played some of the best pool I have ever played. My game was ON. Night was polished off with the infamous $1 slice of cheese pizza. 

This morning I struggled through corporations and was out by noon. I then met up with the movers at my new place. Everything seems to have arrived safe and sound – flat screen tv and glassware included. Tomorrow I will do the unpacking process and spend my first night there! So pleased. 

This evening I met up with a childhood friend who now lives in London. She is taking a class in New York for two weeks so we met up with her and friend in the Upper West Side for Thai food. Panang with tufo and it was amazing. I love the food here. 

Heading out now… I’ll post more photos soon.

Wednesday

Classes are going well– I dropped a horrible class yesterday and took on two more in its place for a total of five. Schedule is now:

Corporations

Criminal Procedure 

Race, Law, and Remediation 

Wrongful Convictions 

Labor Law

So, not a terrible schedule. 

This morning I took the elevator up with another student and he told me he walked out of our building earlier that morning to see a window washer fall to his death. Outside our building! http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/nyregion/27fall.html?ref=nyregion

OGC coworkers, I have a newfound respect for the safety harness issue we worked on this summer. Absolutely horrible.

New beginnings

First day of classes today. I only had one class, criminal procedure. The professor seems nice enough and interesting. Buying books was a complete pain in the ass and it is already 10 pm and I have at least two hours of reading left for tomorrow. I’m starting to remember what this lifestyle is like… 

I also began moving into my apartment, sort of. I purchased a beautiful antique desk (extends into a table) and chair off craigslist, which I think keeps with the period of the house. The previous owner was nice enough to deliver it to my apartment. I think it looks beautiful but I guess you can be the judge: 

More pictures of the place: 

My head hurts

First Saturday night was great. Got dinner with a friend in Clinton Hill- Indian and it was delicious, a nice change from San Diego which has shitty Indian. The place was right around the corner from home so I imagine I will be hitting that up often. After that we went to a bar on Dekalb street and listened to some great live music. I’m pretty haggard this morning but trying to be productive today, as classes start tomorrow morning. 

I will have been here one week tomorrow and I’m still overwhelmed, but really excited to be here.  I’m so glad I went through with this.