Virtually Dating

He asked me out.

It came with a gift.

And he said not to touch.

He made it very clear.

I was too excited.

He said he prepared for that.

Box 1: He took me "out" to lunch.

Box 2: We shared "deep conversation."

Box 3: We colored together.

Box 4: And we said, "Good night."

Masterpiece Theater

I've had this theme music stuck in my head for ages.

Ahh, the memories.

And the retro furniture.

Too Late to Become a Doctor?

I’m at work right now.

I’ve never blogged at work before, but that’s because I used to care.

Have you ever felt like you were made for so much more than your daily routine?

I don’t know what I’m made for, but I’m to the point where frustration is welling up inside my head, holding back a few tears causes my eyes to gloss over, and my teeth hurt from the constant grind.

I’m done.

Get Lost!

Thanks to my move (pictures of my new apartment to come shortly), I feel like I'm learning New York and the subway system all over again.

Yesterday I got lost on my way home. All I was trying to do was walk the few blocks from the station to my apartment. I didn't realize the road had split--I didn't realize for awhile--and I had absentmindedly chosen the wrong side.

This morning on my way to work, I got off the train and tried to orient myself so I could choose the correct of 14 exits from the station--each causing you to emerge in a different place all over the area. I picked one I thought would put me closest to my building and started walking. Again, all of a sudden I was no longer on my street. I tried two blocks left, doubled back and tried two blocks right. I was terribly lost, and no body around seemed to know where I needed to go either. After about 30 minutes of 1/2 mile circles all over the area (so much for getting in to work early), I finally found a doorman who pointed me in the right direction: "Turn around and walk a block and a half that way and you'll be standing right in front of it."

...Turn around? ugh.

Then on my way home a C train pulled up on the A track (now these trains go mostly in the same direction, but C makes every stop and A is an express that gets me home much faster). I stuck my head in and asked if the C was running express. No body seemed to know (again). So I got on--it was a local. dang! So I got off at the next stop. mistake! the express flies passed the next stop. So I got on the next train that happened to pull into the station. Why do I do this to myself? Eventually I got home, but it took me nearly twice as long.

Maybe I'll have everything figured out by the time I move again.

A Tribute to Fatherhood

I love my dad.

Happy Fathers' Day.

Here are some more caring fathers:

Suicide Jumper!!

While hanging out in Times Square this week, we noticed everyone looking up toward this building.

When I zoomed in with my camera, I saw this at the top!

A man kept dangling his leg off and then would pull it back!

Ahh!!! We were sitting right below him.

First the helicopter came.

Then the police pushed us all back.

Luckily, the man wasn't too aggressive in his desire to jump, and he gave the cops enough time to run up and grab him!!

Family Fun!

Caleb, Camilla, Gpa and Gma Pritt came out to visit me!

On the ferry.

Caleb's head blocked the Statue of Liberty...

At Staten Island.

Camilla: "This is the biggest hamburger ever!"

Caleb stuck his company's stickers up all over the city--including Times Square!

In the Toys R Us on Times Square.

We had a blast messing around... but we also spent way too much money.

We just couldn't say "no" when an employee had a really good demo of one of the items!

After several times of trying to get a shot of all three of us, Grandma just gave up.

So, this is what we've got...

The one thing Caleb "had to see" was the Modern Art gallery in the MET.

This is who he fell in love with there.

Camilla and I already knew what we liked.

Look at the size of those New York slices!

...just don't look at Caleb...

A blurry shot before Westside Story started.

(We had to grab a quick photo since you weren't supposed to take any in the theater. :) )

Our three-day sleepover was so wonderful!

Humidity

The air hangs thick.

The fan struggles to stir its heavy heat around the room, but the same sticky cloud merely circles and consumes my body.

Sleeping is a nightly battle. Window open, too much noise. Window closed, can't breath.

I can feel the air settle on my crown. The pressure is too much. It swells at my temples, and my head feels like a peach in boiling water.

Moving Forward, Moving Over, Moving Through

When I introduced myself at National Geographic to all of the "higher uppers," they asked me what my goals were for the summer and what I thought they could to do help me expedite them.

I was honest.

I said I was here to figure out the rest of my life. They all laughed, and so did I. Then they told me they couldn't help me because they hadn't figured it out for themselves at 50 years old. "Join the club."

Much time and thought over the past few months has gone into this trying to "figure out the rest of my life." I'm at one of the biggest turning points I've ever reached. After so much time deliberating over my many wonderful options, I know I must move forward; but I still haven't figured out which directions that's in yet.

In the meantime, I'm trying to focus on what I'm know I'm supposed to do now. And I know I'm supposed to move over to my new apartment. As of this week, nearly everyone I came to the city with will be gone. Today I met my new roommates briefly at church. I can't express the blessings that have led me to these girls. Maybe I'm passing premature judgements, but I think I'm really going to love living with them. They're nice. I miss nice people.

I have a lot to share with you about my choices, thoughts, and decisions, but I'll get to that another time. I just know I'm looking for happiness, and I need to remember to find that in getting through every day, not just getting to the next.

God's got my back, even when I'm not patient enough to see it.

The Magnolia Movement

For the last few years, there has been an explosion of cupcake specialty bakeries here in New York to support the cupcake craze phenomenon.

So, what did we do?

Supported the craze, of course!

Magnolia Bakery is one of the more famous ones.

So, we had to go.

(Famous = $40 a dozen!)

Ben was meeting up with us later, so we decided to pick him out the most manly cupcake we could find.

I think he appreciated the pink frosting and sugar candy daisy we chose.

As always, I got chocolate with chocolate.

So good!

After our cupcake fun we spent sunset walking the Hudson.

Everyone else leaves next week.

What am I going to do for the next two months alone??

A Spoon Full of Sugar

We saw Mary Poppins on Broadway!

The set and effects were A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

I don't even know how to explain how fabulous they were.

The house was four fully decorated floors that moved up and down based on where the actors were. Mary Poppins flew out over the audience.

And somehow, Mary Poppins made a bed appear out of thin air!

Seriously magical!

Been There

Rachel and I used to run a trail along the Provo river.

It was pleasant.

I even went there by myself to ponder life.

Never again.

What a tragedy.

This makes me angry and sick, and sick and angry.

A crime in my backyard.

I feel violated.

But she was violated.

I may forget this happened.

But she never will.

Deseret News Reports:

PROVO — Police are still looking for the man they say brutally raped a 19-year-old woman and left her to die near her Provo apartment Wednesday.

The woman had left her residence at the Branbury Apartments, 425 W. 1720 North, Provo, and was heading to school using a trail near her apartment and the Provo River when she was taken into a nearby wooded area and raped, Provo Police Capt. Cliff Argyle said. He did not know which school she attends.

The incident happened very near to the woman's apartment, less than 15 feet from the trail and roughly 40 feet from another Branbury apartment, he said.

After she was raped, the woman was left by her attacker with a broken jaw, broken facial bones, a severe head injury and several missing teeth, police said. Because of the severity of the injuries, police believe the attacker either thought she was dead or would soon die.

But instead, the woman mustered enough strength to crawl about 30 feet to a sidewalk near the apartments, until people saw her and called police, Argyle said.

The woman had been beaten so badly that when an officer arrived, he had to kneel down and put his ear to her mouth to hear her, Argyle said.

The victim was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, where Argyle said she remains in the intensive care unit. Based on information from the woman's roommates, police believe she left her apartment at around 3 or 4 p.m., which means the event likely occurred in broad daylight and the victim probably lay unconscious in the wooded area for several hours before moving to find help.

"She's a very strong-willed person," Argyle said. "First, that she survived, second, that she crawled 30 feet to be found, and then, that she was able to speak to an officer."

Because of the life-threatening nature of the injuries, police are saying it was an attempted homicide along with rape.

The victim described her attacker as a white male in his mid- to late-20s, of medium build with tattoos on his neck and arms that resembled letters, and she told police that she did not know him, Argyle said. At the time of the incident, the victim told police she remembers the man was wearing a baseball cap with a logo on the front and a black T-shirt with colors and printing on the front.

Detectives were able to gather some evidence at the scene and are hoping it can help them solve the case. Argyle said "flashers" are commonly reported in that area, but rapes are unusual.

"This affects everyone," he said. "You would like to think you could walk that trail at 3 or 4 in the afternoon and not have to worry."

Argyle said the woman's family is from Utah and is with her at the hospital.

Police are looking for information from anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious on Wednesday. Argyle said police officers were questioning people on the trail this morning and even asked several homeless people who camp near the trail to watch for the attacker.

Anyone with information on this incident should contact provo police at 801-852-6210.

Yippie, it's Glee!

GLEE FINALE IN THE I-HOUSE PUB!

(Guys kept coming in to watch the game. They'd look around at all of us girls {and two boys} and then stare at the TV with a really confused look. By the end of the evening we got really good at picking out who was looking to watch the game {generally large men with beer} and simultaneously all saying, "the game is in the next room." They were relieved.)

The Time Has Come

...to catch you up on the past week!

We went to "Sylvia's: Queen of Soul Food" in Harlem.

The big black woman served us, and when I asked her for her recommendations of what to eat she said, "Oh, Honey! Every thang's good. Jest depends on whacha hungry for."

And she was right!

Best sweet potatoes and cornbread on the planet!

Definitely one of my top recommendations!!!

There was SO much food, I decided to save some for later.

But PROBLEM. We decided not to go back to the apartments, but went for spontaneous adventure instead.

I gave my leftovers to Kimberly--the homeless woman that rides the 1 train a lot. I've given her an apple before. She was very excited.

Spontaneous adventure: The Brooklyn Bridge!

We found the port, and could even see the bridge, but we couldn't figure out how to get on.

The boats were so much fun. I loved the sea breeze and the sound of the boats creaking on the water. We even had a nice light rain come down on us--so lovely.

Of course, we had to go back and try the bridge again...

Yay! After nearly an hour and walking in a lot of circles, we found where the people get on!

Jade, Ben, Megan

On the bridge!

The air was so lovely!

I could have sat up there all night.

We walked all the way across to the Brooklyn side!

We thought, "No big deal, we'll just jump on the subway when we get to the other side and ride all the way home."

We were wrong.

When you get to Brooklyn, highways run along side the path, so you can't cross the street from the path to any of the subway stations. You walk passed several stops...and you just keep going, and going.

By the time we got to a subway station it was nearly midnight and still over 80 degrees (plus humidity!). Everyone was clearly tired, and a little grumpy. And then we waited 20 for a train. It took us well over an hour to get home.

AND we didn't know there were multiple trains running on the same track because of construction. So, although we got on our usual track to get home, we got on the wrong train and ended up in the middle of Harlem...late at night... it was scary. seriously.

We all stared at the ground and walked as fast as we could. A gigantic rat nearly ran across my foot, and a few groups of large scary looking men were noticing how out of place we were.

Megan was practically running to get home.

Amid the building tension, this drunk man started following us and talking to Ben.

"Damn! Where did you get all of these womans? You're the king, man. How many? Three womans! One day I'm going to be king like you, man."

We all giggled and felt much better.

(But still walked briskly the rest of the way!)

What an adventure!

Next... Coney Island!

Right off the train we got fish and chips and homemade lemonade at Nathan's!

Fish and chips taste so good when you're looking out over the ocean.

Ben is eating frog legs!

"Food and tattoos," all you could ever ask for at the fair.

This roller coaster was built in 1927.

It's famous. And it's old.

And, of course, we went on it!

It was SO MUCH FUN.

We also went on one of those rides that screams, "You know I'll make you nauseous!"

True. But still fun!

We got our fortunes told!

My fortune:

"Don't let opportunity knock at your door in vain. Grasp it and the course of your life will be different. You will be very happy with the one you have chosen for your life's companion. Be patient... You seem very impetuous and outspoken. This has caused your dear ones some moments of unhappiness..."

But what does it mean?...

Such a beautiful day.

Playing his stereo like a drum.

Drunk man helped himself to dancing with each of us. Kind of took me a bit by surprise to have a random Peruvian decide he was going to "teach me how to Salsa."

He too congratulated Ben on his "six womans!"

He said Ben was very luck... his friend said Ben was asking for a headache.

Finished the day off at an African restaurant.

The kabobs we so tasty!