Friday, August 26, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Freeky Friday: Happy Days Are Here Again
A lot of people, places, and things make me happy. I am quite literally at a loss for words here. Instead of telling you a story, I'm just going to give you a little picspam of what I believe are some of my happiest moments... with captions, of course.
I am happiest when I am baking (duh).
I am happiest when I am making a fool of myself on UF's campus
I am happiest when I am drowning in books that I bought for $1 each.
I am happiest when I am goofing around with my TA loves.
I am happiest when my sister and I are acting like children around our parents.
I am happiest when we come up with impromptu inside jokes.
Even more after the jump!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Subway Series: Let's Play A Game
We're nearing my one year anniversary as a New York resident, so I'd like to take some time to pay tribute to our honored transportation system. The Subway Series is a collection of posts dedicated to the ridiculousity of the Metropolitan Transit Authority's underground tunnel system, relied upon by so many New Yorkers to get to school, to work, to home, to play, to shop, to study, and to explore. Today's topic:
Let's face it: subway commuting is boring as hell, and we all need something to do to occupy our time, mainly involving silently making up back-stories for our fellow-commuters. Here are some suggestions for games to play while riding the subway:
What's That Smell?
Is it food? Is it body odor? Is it someone's dog? This is especially fun to play on the platform waiting for the train to come. A tip: you only win if you can successfully move away from the smell. Even if it's pleasant, you won't think so after you're trapped in a stuffy box next to it for an extended period of time.
Have I Been In This Car Before?
Haven't I seen that ad before? I think I remember that graffiti. That gum stain over the transit map looks familiar. Chances are, you haven't; there are over 6,400 cars on the MTA roster. But it's fun to wonder if you have, reminisce upon the time you stared at that same dent on the wall for 25 minutes, and waste a few minutes.
Guess The Stop
This is my absolute favorite game because I always win. Pick a person on the subway. Guess the stop at which they are going to get off. You are not allowed to change your mind - you must stick with your original guess. At the desired stop, watch to see if your target exits the train. Easy stops to spot: hub stops like Columbus Circle and West 4th street (commuters who need to switch to another train), transportation centers like 42nd Street and 34th Street (people with luggage), and 116th Street/Columbia University (let's be honest, we have a look about us). I have never guessed that someone was going to get off at 116th Street and been wrong.
Speak Another Language
This is my favorite game to play with friends. It's easy: just start using another language. People will stop and stare at you because they will assume you're talking about them. Chances are you weren't - until they started staring at you. This is especially fun with American Sign Language for a couple reasons: First, people will spend their entire commute trying to figure out which one of you is deaf (bonus points if none of you are deaf). Second, people will start talking about how ASL is a beautiful language. This is your cue to start signing horrible things and watch them smile at how lovely it is. And finally, subway signing is the best because subways are loud, cacophonous environments. Isn't it nice to not have to shout over all of that?
Guess The Font
This game is not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. Look up at the ads lining the walls. Is that a serif (Times New Roman) or a sans-serif (Arial)? Is it a cursive (connected) or a script (disconnected)? Do you have that font in your arsenal? Would you even want it? Once you've mastered the ads on the walls, move on to the bags people are carrying, or the type on their shirts. Most official MTA things will be in Helvetica, but on the off chance they're not, contemplate why they chose to mix in a serif. Note: if you can come up with a valid reason for why MTA has recently chosen to do this, please let me know, because it's been bothering me for months. Shut up, I like typography.
Gay or European?
Often, you will find two well-dressed, nicely coiffed men riding the subway together. Sometimes they are holding hands. Sometimes they are speaking another language. If they are doing either of those things, you are not allowed to play Gay or European. If they are not, the fun begins. Don't forget to create a back-story for how these lovebirds (or les copains) met.
Homeless or Hippie?
This is a slight variation of Gay or European, meant to be played in the wintertime, when everyone is bundled up and it's hard to tell who is who. Does the person give off a distinct odor? Homeless. Does the person look like they don't care about anything? Hippie. Is the person asleep? Homeless. Does the person eventually get off the train? Hippie. The biggest difference between this one and Gay or European is that you will most likely be able to answer this one definitively at some point. Also, Gay or European is much, much cleaner.
Tour Guide
"This is 42nd Street, Times Square. Transfer is available to the 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R, 7, and the Shuttle to Grand Central. The next stop is 34th Street, Penn Station." When you hear that friendly little announcer, ask yourself where else you can transfer to at this stop? What's the next stop on the Q train? If you were to get out and onto the street, what's the first thing you'd see? Where could you go from here? Try to come up with elaborate transportation routes, like taking the Shuttle, then the 4/5/6 up to 86th Street, walking three blocks west, and going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Or, try to come up with walking tours, like walking down 6th Avenue to the New York Public Library. I like this game; it tests my knowledge of my city.
What Have You Been Up To?
And finally, another game to create elaborate lives for your fellow commuters. Look at her outfit. Where is she going? Where is she coming from? Why does she think those shoes match that top? Why is her hair so tangled? Who is that guy standing next to her? This is useful when you are coming back from something relatively lame, like a study date at a friend's apartment, and other people have already pre-gamed and are headed out for a night on the town. This game is especially fun when it's 9 am on a Saturday and you are headed to Trader Joe's... and that girl standing across from you is clearly still wearing last night's makeup. Look, I'm in grad school. I have to live vicariously through other people's fun.
What games do you play during your commute? Have you ever played any of these on a subway? Did you win? I always win.
Fun Games To Play with MTA
Let's face it: subway commuting is boring as hell, and we all need something to do to occupy our time, mainly involving silently making up back-stories for our fellow-commuters. Here are some suggestions for games to play while riding the subway:
What's That Smell?
Is it food? Is it body odor? Is it someone's dog? This is especially fun to play on the platform waiting for the train to come. A tip: you only win if you can successfully move away from the smell. Even if it's pleasant, you won't think so after you're trapped in a stuffy box next to it for an extended period of time.
Have I Been In This Car Before?
Haven't I seen that ad before? I think I remember that graffiti. That gum stain over the transit map looks familiar. Chances are, you haven't; there are over 6,400 cars on the MTA roster. But it's fun to wonder if you have, reminisce upon the time you stared at that same dent on the wall for 25 minutes, and waste a few minutes.
Guess The Stop
This is my absolute favorite game because I always win. Pick a person on the subway. Guess the stop at which they are going to get off. You are not allowed to change your mind - you must stick with your original guess. At the desired stop, watch to see if your target exits the train. Easy stops to spot: hub stops like Columbus Circle and West 4th street (commuters who need to switch to another train), transportation centers like 42nd Street and 34th Street (people with luggage), and 116th Street/Columbia University (let's be honest, we have a look about us). I have never guessed that someone was going to get off at 116th Street and been wrong.
Speak Another Language
This is my favorite game to play with friends. It's easy: just start using another language. People will stop and stare at you because they will assume you're talking about them. Chances are you weren't - until they started staring at you. This is especially fun with American Sign Language for a couple reasons: First, people will spend their entire commute trying to figure out which one of you is deaf (bonus points if none of you are deaf). Second, people will start talking about how ASL is a beautiful language. This is your cue to start signing horrible things and watch them smile at how lovely it is. And finally, subway signing is the best because subways are loud, cacophonous environments. Isn't it nice to not have to shout over all of that?
Guess The Font
This game is not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. Look up at the ads lining the walls. Is that a serif (Times New Roman) or a sans-serif (Arial)? Is it a cursive (connected) or a script (disconnected)? Do you have that font in your arsenal? Would you even want it? Once you've mastered the ads on the walls, move on to the bags people are carrying, or the type on their shirts. Most official MTA things will be in Helvetica, but on the off chance they're not, contemplate why they chose to mix in a serif. Note: if you can come up with a valid reason for why MTA has recently chosen to do this, please let me know, because it's been bothering me for months. Shut up, I like typography.
Gay or European?
Often, you will find two well-dressed, nicely coiffed men riding the subway together. Sometimes they are holding hands. Sometimes they are speaking another language. If they are doing either of those things, you are not allowed to play Gay or European. If they are not, the fun begins. Don't forget to create a back-story for how these lovebirds (or les copains) met.
Homeless or Hippie?
This is a slight variation of Gay or European, meant to be played in the wintertime, when everyone is bundled up and it's hard to tell who is who. Does the person give off a distinct odor? Homeless. Does the person look like they don't care about anything? Hippie. Is the person asleep? Homeless. Does the person eventually get off the train? Hippie. The biggest difference between this one and Gay or European is that you will most likely be able to answer this one definitively at some point. Also, Gay or European is much, much cleaner.
Tour Guide
"This is 42nd Street, Times Square. Transfer is available to the 2, 3, A, C, E, N, Q, R, 7, and the Shuttle to Grand Central. The next stop is 34th Street, Penn Station." When you hear that friendly little announcer, ask yourself where else you can transfer to at this stop? What's the next stop on the Q train? If you were to get out and onto the street, what's the first thing you'd see? Where could you go from here? Try to come up with elaborate transportation routes, like taking the Shuttle, then the 4/5/6 up to 86th Street, walking three blocks west, and going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Or, try to come up with walking tours, like walking down 6th Avenue to the New York Public Library. I like this game; it tests my knowledge of my city.
What Have You Been Up To?
And finally, another game to create elaborate lives for your fellow commuters. Look at her outfit. Where is she going? Where is she coming from? Why does she think those shoes match that top? Why is her hair so tangled? Who is that guy standing next to her? This is useful when you are coming back from something relatively lame, like a study date at a friend's apartment, and other people have already pre-gamed and are headed out for a night on the town. This game is especially fun when it's 9 am on a Saturday and you are headed to Trader Joe's... and that girl standing across from you is clearly still wearing last night's makeup. Look, I'm in grad school. I have to live vicariously through other people's fun.
What games do you play during your commute? Have you ever played any of these on a subway? Did you win? I always win.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Freeky Friday: 99% Perspiration
We've gotten a few requests for this topic, but my sister and I kept nixing it. Whenever someone asks me this question, I always talk about my cousin, Mark, the creator of Freekware. And we've already talked about that. But when July's Freeky Friday winner requested this topic, I couldn't say no to her. My sister and I decided to do it, and neither of us would write about Mark.
The easy thing to do would be to write about my college ASL teacher, but I've already written about him, too. Not so much on here, but in almost every single personal statement-type piece I've written in the last three years. No offense, Tucc, but everyone knows how much you inspire me. Today I'd like to honor someone else.
Photo taken by my friend Stephanie on her cell phone
(Yes, I did think it was a pro pic. That's how legit she is.)
I'm not going to talk about how my mom consistently puts the needs of her children ahead of her own. I'm not going to talk about how I call her whenever I'm upset and she reminds me how wonderful I am and completely rejuvenates me. I'm not going to talk about the speech she gave me when I was deciding about becoming a teacher. In fact, I'm not going to talk about her as a mother at all. Don't get me wrong - my mom is a GREAT mom. But that's old hat, my dears. I want to talk about my mom as a person.
(The pictures, however, will continue to reflect my mom as a mom, because that's what I have)
Let's get something off the table right away: my mom is a breast cancer survivor. Now, I admire all survivors because they remind us to be strong, stay brave, and keep moving forward because our work here is never done. But when I think about my mom having cancer, I don't remember her suffering at all. I just remember how lighthearted she was about the whole thing. I mean, she went into the operating room with a piece of tape on her leg in the shape of a V (for victory, of course) that read "not the leg, the boob." Why? Because why not? My mom inspires me to never stop laughing. Life is ridiculous. You might as well enjoy it.
My mom is a teacher at heart, and since I began my pursuit of education happiness, I've really turned to her as a resource. I absolutely love being able to talk shop with her. Last semester when I was struggling with getting through to my students and undoing some bad practices instilled by their previous teacher, someone told me that I couldn't beat them all and to just try what I could and then give up. I immediately called my mom. Was I really supposed to walk away so soon? No, she said, but I did need to realize that not every single student was going to leave my class and start interpreting school. She helped me brainstorm creative ways to incorporate the problem into regular lessons in order to focus on the weaknesses of the few without boring the heck out of the many. My mom inspires me to be a more grounded, more productive teacher.
The other day, I had a conversation with my mom that must have lasted for hours. She told me she worried for me, since my brain was always running a mile a minute, and she wished she could help me see things more simply, the way that she does. We talked forever about the beautiful little things in life, like the time she was walking my dog and just stopped for a while to sit and appreciate a tree, or the time she came to move me in to New York and was totally unamused by the whole city except the ducks in Central Park.
No matter how many times she teaches me this lesson, I need constant reminding: My mom inspires me to slow down, to appreciate what I have and what's around me, and to relish in the time I have alone. She inspires me to be comfortable and grateful for who I am and the world in which I live. She inspires me to love the little things. Cheers to you, Mama Bear!
Photo by ShipLikeTheBoatPhotography
Who inspires you?
Remember, anyone can get Freeky on Fridays! You can participate in three different ways:
- Write a blog post using the badge html above, then comment on my post with a link to your post
- Tweet your answer using the tag #FreekyFriday
- "Like" the Freekware Facebook page, then comment on there with your answer
Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of August, you'll be entered to win some homemade cookies and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are three Fridays in August, so you can be entered to win up to 9 times!
Be sure to come back next Friday, August 19th for an all new prompt:
When are you most happy?
Friday, August 5, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Freeky Friday: The Freeking July Winner!
We thought June was good, but this month was even better! In July, we had 64 Freeky Friday participants. You guys rock, and we really appreciate all of your wonderful contributions this month!
Before we reveal our big winner for the month of July, let's recap a bit, shall we?
... Emily! She wrote about D2, Freedom Writers, and Despicable Me - all wonderfully upbeat movies! I highly recommend her blog, Write Twenty Eleven. It's chock full of positivity, love, and some wonderful thoughts on education!
Before we reveal our big winner for the month of July, let's recap a bit, shall we?
- To commemorate America and ring in the month, y'all shared your favorite Fourth of July memories. We loved hearing about your exhilarating travels and happy families.
- On July 8th, we asked for the best advice you've ever been given. From movie quotes to famous thinkers, from rethinking what you've always known to encountering something new, you all truly inspired us with your words.
- We jammed out with another positivity playlist on July 15th, this time looking for the tunes that pick you up when you're down. We had classics like The Beatles and Singin' In The Rain, alongside modern hits like Mumford & Sons and Pink. I'm definitely adding some of these to my iPod!
- You really seemed to love our July 22nd prompt asking for your favorite feel good movies - we had a whopping 22 responses! Love Actually was the front runner, not surprisingly, followed by movies from our childhood, movies to pump us up, and a whole lot of Disney.
- And finally, last week we got to hear your most embarrassing moments. We had some good "That's What She Said"s and some excellent public displays of stupidity, but some of you agreed with me that embarrassment just isn't worth the energy. It's better to just laugh it off!
Without further ado, I'm pleased to announce this month's Freeking Winner! The random number generator chose a number for us...
...so we turned to our handy dandy spreadsheet to see that the lucky Freek was...
... Emily! She wrote about D2, Freedom Writers, and Despicable Me - all wonderfully upbeat movies! I highly recommend her blog, Write Twenty Eleven. It's chock full of positivity, love, and some wonderful thoughts on education!
Emily will receive a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in her name, as well as some Peanut Butter Smores Bites! As for the rest of you, you've got another freeking month to participate! Augusts's first topic is:
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?
A new month means a new giveaway! Every time you post, tweet or comment in the month of August, you'll be entered to win some Reverse Chocolate Chip Cookies and a contribution to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in your name. There are four Fridays in August, so if you blog, tweet, and comment every week, you'll be entered twelve times!
Hop to it, Freek Nation! See you on Friday!
Friday, July 29, 2011
Sunday, July 24, 2011
But You Were All Yellow
I've mentioned many times how much I love wandering around the city. With the recent heat wave, I've found myself walking even more; yes, I said more. That's because on the streets you get the breeze off the Hudson and can find shady spots to hide in, while the subway platforms feel, quite literally, like hell. So yesterday when my friend and I decided to visit a bit of Midtown East, we decided to give our walk a bit of a purpose. Inspired by a sorority sister, we picked a color and took pictures of everything we could find in our scheme. Today's color: Yellow.
More yellow (and a ton of pictures) after the jump...
More yellow (and a ton of pictures) after the jump...
Friday, July 22, 2011
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