next to normal trip with a miracle worker that rocked the ages

I loved walking around New York. Just nice to have a city that functions so well with walking. LA...not so much. However, I made the discovery that I get really motion sick on the subway if I have to stand up. This shouldn't have been surprising. I get motion sick on curvy roads if I'm not driving. Or in movies if I'm too close to the screen and there's a lot of movement. But whoa, this was bad. We'd done the red eye so after 3 hours of cramped sleep and a latte the subway just didn't agree with me. Once some commuters got off and I could sit, it was much better. For awhile there I just figured that if I had to run off the train to throw up people would just assume I had a CRAZY st. patrick's day celebration. ;)

We lost the lottery but got rush tickets to see Rock of Ages. The last time we saw it was in 2006 in LA so it was great to see it on Broadway! And why, yes, yes it is absurdly enjoyable. KT and I had to get the audience going a little in our section. They seemed slow to hold up their lighters and get into it! But we got them there...eventually. :)
Got to spend a day in Brooklyn (a great sunny day I might add) exploring and walking around with Kathryn. Even took some time out for a hipster photo shoot.
We won the lottery and got tix to see my frenemy in The Miracle Worker. It goes against my nature to say this, but she did a great job. And it was a nice surprise to be front row for $26 for my first Broadway experience ever. Not too shabby. Shabby Abbie...hmm, I like that. :)
KT dropped off her census form in NY just to mess with them. And to also be a good citizen.

Tourists? No way. We don't even consult maps. We just look in 3 different directions and go!
MOMA---Tim Burton exhibit. Very cool to see the progression of his sketches and drawings through high school into the present. "Surviving Burbank" cracked me up however as a title for some of his younger works. Um, Burbank is pretty lush. :) Rough life. Ha. There is also a woman there doing a performance type piece. Not sure if that's what it should even be called. She's going to sit there for a total of over 700 hours---all the hours the museum is open. Patrons can sit across from her if the seat is open. But yeah, she just sits. And stares. While sitting. Um...ok. Whatever floats your boat! :)

After Rock of Ages we grabbed dinner with Tom. Was great to get to see him be "Franz" again with such flair. And that mac n' cheese I ordered was top-notch!

We caught Next to Normal on Sunday--great show! Beautiful songs and a fun simple set. Box seats from the lottery---$25. Love it.

As a lover of the show Felicity, I of course had to make a stop at Dean & Deluca. And of course it looks absolutely nothing like the Dean & Deluca from the show since that was a set...and in Los Angeles. :) Details, details. I went and that's what matters! Was sad to see that my boyfriend, Ben Covington (aka Scott Speedman) wasn't working. ;) So all in all, our trip was relaxed but filled with fun activity. 3 shows, 4 1/2 days, 2 flights, many subway rides and about 50,000 clicks on the pedometer! Oh, and a lot of coffee.

The Big Apple

New York, Newwwwww York!

Tired. Packed. Missing doggie already. But I know he is in capable hands while I'm away. :)

And I'm excited to take my first just for me vacation longer than a weekend that doesn't include a wedding, a family visit, or a strict schedule (the first two of those are great---just usually doesn't feel like vacation).

So it's off to NYC for the first time...as soon as I'm done with work.

I did it again...

I have this habit of taking out my debit card and putting it in my back pants pocket when I just don't feel like carrying a purse. I did this last night for dinner with the boy. Picked up the mail, and ran in for a quick coffee this morning and opened my wallet to realize that my debit card is still in my jeans' pocket. Boo!

I told the manager at Starbucks, Carlos (who knows my drink and was already in the process of making it) that I had to go try to find my card and ran to my car to get quarters. I know, I know---pathetic, right? But COFFEE WAS A MUST. So I came back in with my quarters and he laughed at me and said I didn't need to pay. My drink was ready and I thanked him profusely.

By the door, I turned around and said, "If I'd known it was going to be free, I would have ordered the lobster latte!" He laughed. Thanks, Carlos!

Just call me Grace

I am clumsy. I'm not going to "grow out of it" seeing as I'm now 30 and still as clumsy as ever. Somehow even though I've had my car for almost 2 years I will randomly allow the door to slam shut on my shin as I'm getting out. I have also managed to hit my shoulder on the pointy top part of my driver's side door. This morning I parked in the garage at work because of street sweeping and had 2 boxes, mail, my purse, a bag, and a coffee. I thought I had it all handled and went to pick up my coffee from the top of the trunk. It was on its side. Sigh. Half a latte down the drain (more like down the back of my car and on the driveway).

When these things happen, I often talk to myself. "Really, Molly?!!" is a favorite. Sometimes I just wish I'd learned a little grace. But I was a swimmer, not a dancer. Guess I'm graceful in the water...or I used to be. ;)

Addendum

As I was thinking about that last post, I realized maybe I needed to clarify things a little bit so as to not sound bitter. I had a WONDERFUL birthday weekend this year. It was the big 3-0 so I wanted to enjoy my time with the people in my life.

I got a lot of amazing voicemails on my birthday as I wandered around the city of Solvang with Cooper. Since moving to LA, my long-distance friendships have become very dear to me. My connection with my Taylor Univ. girls is so special. And they each called and texted to tell me how important I am to them. There were many messages from friends and family. I don't mean to focus on the negative this way, but I guess it did strike a chord as I realized that some friendships really are non-existent in my life now.

When you sit and think about it, if a friend doesn't know anything about your life anymore and doesn't ever call you back it's not a current friendship. There are those rare situations where you have a "pick up where you left off" kind of friend. Those are to be treasured. I have some childhood friends that are that way with me. And that is precious.

Life is too short to chase people. But it's not too short for my dog to continually attempt to chase his nub of a tail. ;)

Communicate or seal our fate

I've been thinking about this since my birthday and probably a bit before. It ties in to the friendship post that I wrote quite awhile ago..http://molldawgla.blogspot.com/2008/11/friendship-phases.html

I have always been a good communicator--I like to talk to my friends. This year, I was a bit sad at all the friends who didn't acknowledge my birthday. In this day and age when you see there in your little sidebar "Molly Taylor's birthday--Today" on facebook, it really is super easy to say a quick hello and happy birthday. I'm not huge on birthdays in general. Didn't grow up having big elaborate parties. Because KT and I have bdays 6 days apart we usually did a small party at our house with our grandparents and homemade cake. I think the reason it hit me hard this year to not hear from people is that I was able to take a step back and analyze what that really means. Let's say a friend rarely calls you. If they don't call you or acknowledge you on the day of your birth it is pretty safe to say that you are not on their mind much in their life. That's a hard realization.

I have a really hard time letting people go...still. I read a book recently that has really helped me decipher my reactions.

There is a whole section in there about letting people go when you have a one-sided relationship and how that can be really difficult. I'm really not trying to be overly sensitive here. At the same time, a couple of these friends I am thinking of in particular said happy birthday to others a couple days later and I see that they will write personal messages to people but not to me. One friend claims "Ahh, I just hate talking on the phone" but then I will see a message saying "so great to catch up with you today on the phone!" ha. Um, ok. :) I get it. Friendships take work. Especially when you become long-distance as life takes us in different directions and different states. And maybe some of those friendships weren't as solid as I thought that they were.

Nowadays, a lot of my friendships are peripheral. I "see" them on facebook and send messages and comments. But the ones that really mean the world to me are the ones who make an effort. The friends that make me feel like I am a priority in their life and that once a month or so they really want to talk to me. :) I always want to be that type of friend to the people in my life. However there will come that day when I will put my banana phone in its holster and stop calling. For my own well-being.