The jungle

I sit here somewhat shamefully watching another episode of the second season of Lost. My boyfriend recently got into it and sucked me back into the abyss. I almost escaped it when I left the country and didn't have a TV for 2 years, but alas, I am now all about Sayid, Sawyer, Kate, and Charlie romping through the jungle fighting polar bears and building themselves a nice little island life.

But I have my own little jungle just behind my house! I'm lucky enough to live in a real house in Brooklyn with an actual backyard. However, as much as I've tried, it cannot be tamed. The boys at one point weeded it down to the dirt, but the weeds are dinosaurs and continue to take over. I tried planting wild flowers and sunflowers, and the sunflowers came up all pretty.

I have 2 tomato plants that are on their way out but still getting me tomatoes. 1 chive, 1 mint, and 1 chocolate basil given to me from farmer Joe at the McCarren Park green market.

This backyard is impossible. That mound in the middle, that's actually a chair. We've been using it as a measuring point, but now it's completely overgrown. A morning glory plant started on the back fence but now they've crept through all the weeds, crawlen up the sunflowers. There's some yellow flowers springing up, too.

So it's kind of pretty in a way, but frustrating that I couldn't get the garden that I wanted. At this point though it's not worth it. Not only is it almost winter, but with winter I have to move out of this house for reasons I'll leave for later.

It's surprising how dedicated NY is to gardens and plants. It's more evident at the farmers markets, all kinds of farmers come down from up state. There's also a ton of community gardens and rooftop gardens. My neighborhood around Pratt in Bed-Stuy has a lot of community gardens. There's a Target garden around the corner that's got a nice lawn, and another with a lot of veggie plots next to Evan's apartment. Having my few plants, it's nice having basil-mint tea in the mornings, and decorating my room with sunflowers.

I stumbled across this garden initiative called the "Dragonfly" vertical farming. Doesn't sound like it's going to happen anytime soon, but it's an extension on the vertical gardening idea that could feed cities locally, and which the rooftop gardener pioneers have already started.

Luckily, there're green markets all year round when I can't grow any more tomoatos.

Dedication

I haven't written lately. It's been a while, actually. But now my computer is fixed, I can share photos again, and I'm still in New York.

This photo is my dedication to keep blogging, to keep writing at least once a week, to critique food I eat, review places I go, to tell you about my molding, flooded house, and the new cocktails I've tried. As I sit here at 1am, watching old episodes of Lost and eating a sandwich made from really old vegetables, I realized I want to keep telling people about the old vegetables I eat.

I got home tonight from meeting two friends in Chinatown for some bubble tea. We all know each other and have been to the same places during school, but all during different times. But it was strange because it felt like we had hung out together before when really this was our first union as the 3 of us together. We hashed a lot about school, and work, and the awk-offs we're going to have, and the triple date we can go on for the first time because we all have boyfriends now. I felt like I've been in a weird rut lately with jobs and social circles and nothing really special or exciting. But now that it's fall and there are people here I love, during my favorite time of the year, and I'm going to do fun things in New York and write about them. I'm going to tell you about the awkward triple date we go on. Hope you don't mind.

Cheers! This isn't going to be like my friend Sasha's blog, which has also inspired me to start up again, but it's not going to be a diary either. I'm going to do this at least once a week. I need to keep writing to stop from such a terrible routine.

Tomorrow I have an interview and a date in Central Park, and need to spend some time working out my schedule. Wish me luck!

Humbert Humbert the Turtle wants out REAL bad

It has been a while, my friends. Cause... stuff... live.... I graduated. And I'm working. And my sublet turned into a real house (literally, with a backyard and a huge kitchen to boot). Still don't have a working computer of my own, but luckily the bf does.

It's strange being in the city with no one here. It feel almost like I'm in another country waiting for something to happen. Stuck in my hotel room, willingly imprisoned because you're too scared to be alone in the city, because you don't know what you'll do alone. It's weird. I really like New York, but I haven't done all the seeing-things I've wanted to yet. Haven't been to the Statue of Liberty. Haven't visited the MoMa. Haven't gone to Times Square. Stuff like that. Everyone thinks "wow, you live in New York. You must do crazy stuff all the time." To which I respond: "Oh ya, like watch episodes of The Office in my bedroom? Totally."

Doesn't help that the weather has been shitty, and subway rides are going up to $2.25 or $89 for 30 days unlimited which is mostly the best deal. I decided the real best way to go is to get a bike. I do feel bad, though, cause bf is building me one but it got halted. But I really need a bike by the time my metrocard runs out.

Beast is in Germany mucking horse stalls. Face is back from Germany and will be drivin' out here in her new biodisele van soon. Buila's in P-Town. Alley Cat's back in CO gettin' all healed from surgery. Bf's working at Radegast Bier Garten.

I've been going to yoga more. And will hopefully keep it up. Yoga to the People. Donation based yoga studio around Manhattan, with a new studio in San Francisco- check it out. I'm hella sore.

Really excited to be going home for Fringe in the end of July. I realized a lot of my being unmotivated and sad here is because I didn't have a transition from being a college kid to being just a person. I didn't go home for the summer to chill out. I'm just stayin' here. Which is fine and dandy, but I'm looking forward to some Minnesota summer. Hopefully my boss won't think 2 weeks is unmanageable and I won't have to look for another job when I get back. Cause that's exhausting.

Really want to go to California. Really bad. I miss sushi-ing with my Twin-san.

eXCALmATION poiNTS

I DON'T HAVE A JOB BUT I HAVE AN APARTMENT!!!
AND A BOYFRIEND!!
AND I'M ALMOST DONE WITH COLLEGE!!!!
I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS RIDICULOUSNESS.
!!!

What's Love Got to Do With It?

F-ing spring, popping up and all screwing with my emotions. What is it about fresh air and flowers that turns your heart to butter? At the time you need it to be the strongest?

Especially great timing for more drama, what with the already overwhelming anxiety that is the end of college. I have a thesis to write. I have homework to catch up on, an internship to attend. Jobs and places to live to figure out. Am I moving back to Minnesota next month? Am I staying here? What am I DOING with my LIFE is the main question bobbing around these days.

I've applied for 3 jobs, one with a tutoring organization and one with a elementary school in Harlem as a teacher's aide, and one with a youth retreat group back in Minnesota. I'm also going to be applying for a job as a leader with People to People Student Ambassadors. If I don't get a job I can't stay in NY. If I stay in NY, I'll miss out on skinny dippin' season in Minneapolis.

My entire block has been taken over by the movies. Well, a TV show I guess. It's called Bored 2 Death. I don't have TV so I don't know anything about it but apparently Jason Schwartzman is supposed to be in it although I haven't seen him today. They're filming at the coffee shop on the corner and there have been hipster kids hanging around all day.

TOday I also met Jimmy, Tina's 45 year old Saudi Arabian friend who lives around the corner. He is weird and creepy and has always chatted me up when I walked by before. But tonight we had pizze with him and watched a bellydancing DVD. Still weird and creepy. He definatley jerks off to that video. "Ya, you go, look at you."

Awkward.

Spring "Break"

More like, Spring Work Week. Thesis writing and internship, woo! There have been a few things to do. Actually, last night was the first time I went to bed before midnight in about 4 days. Blame it on Kayla's Birthday Margarita and Dance Night on Thursday, Birthday party for a high school from on Saturday night, Holi on Sunday (pic), date on Monday, and St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday. A favorite musician of mine, That 1 Guy, played last night and I had planned on going, but plans change and I was passed out really early.

New York weather... I thought Minnesota was random. The last 2 days have been beautiful, and today's it's rainy and gross. I can't wait for NY in the spring. And everyone is saying NY in the summer is even better. Not going to lie, I kinda want to be around for it. I'm leaving my options open. If something comes up here... maybe I'll stick around for a bit.

St. Paddy's day was disappointing. The parade was more a procession of all the Irish people in the city. And the streets were full of drunk high schoolers drinking beer "secretly" from Starbucks cups and trying to pick fights. We left pretty quick and got a Guinness at some Irish pub on 2nd full of suits and ties. Pretty rad. I got to see my friend Ian from Hopkins that night, celebrate his 21st in the Village before I ducked out early to go sleep for once.

Speaking of sleep, now that I've done that, I need to get some work done.
Peace!

Borscht and other things good

I made borscht last night and I can't help but show it off cause it was fuckin' amazing. It also took forever between our hotplate that barely gets hot enough to boil and our 2 cup blender.

Look at the delicious redness!!







We were fat and happy afterwards with Tina's NYC Garbage Conference stolen fruit and cookies.