testing out this blogger on the go biz

Sunday afternoon run around S. Manhattan

Me & my love Mel spent Sunday running around the city, literally. We ran up and down the east river, we admired the salty water smell-- it reminded us of when we were training on the track team in college and used to run that same route. We ran over the often neglected Williamsburg Bridge into Brooklyn and thought that it reminded us of Coney Island-- it's just something that you think of if you are aware of your environment, the colors, the peeling paint, the water, everything. Then we ran back over the bridge into Manhattan, through the super cool Lower East Side until we arrived at my house, took a shower, then went out to celebrate :p
Great day in the sun, running, and staying active. In NYC the runs are very stimulating, there's always something to look at or a new route to explore, even if you're from here.

There's Mel, WAY ahead of me, like always!

Gorgeous, visually stimulating view, I do this bridge run everyday! NICE! I <3> RUNNING & I <3 NYC

I'm sick and he is my only remedy.

I need 24 hour care.

"Work"

"If you like what you do, you never have to work a day in your life."

If this is the case, I haven't ever worked in my life. I know it's impossible for most people to believe, but I have always loved every single job I've ever had. I wake up everyday happy to go to work. My job is fulfilling, I help change people's lives and we work towards a goal.

I am a film teacher, I work for one of the greatest, most well known media organizations in the USA, and I am so happy.

NYC reunions

The hardest thing about living in another country is missing your culture and your friends, so when I have only 3 months in NYC I live it up with my people! I visited my girl, who is 6 MONTHS pregnant with her first baby! (Before I went to Spain we had her bachelorette party in AC, now shes pregnant! ha, crazy) Then we celebrated her birthday with a big BBQ!
I want to support her and hang out with her as much as I can this summer because once the baby is here, I'll be in Spain and when I come back, things won't be the same, I wont have as much access to her as I would want to! We can do mommy's-to-be things together, like go shopping, the beach and I can sing to the little princess! YAY!

I also visited my friends from the hood, I grew up with these girls & guys, we used to play ring and run together and give each other advice on our first kiss, we felt like we RAN BK! HA! So when I heard that there was an 80's party to celebrate my girls b-day, I was all about it, I got to see everyone in ONE night! I went crazy when I saw my girls, I was so happy and it was like I never left! It's kind of sad not to live near them anymore, and have those little everyday friends moments, but a party once in a while is better than nothing! Here's my sexy girls and the 80's party!
I am also inspired to dress super cool and funky when I'm in NYC! :)
I always have such an amazing time with the people I grew up with, it's GUARANTEED! (we look out for each other too, so it's always all good and all cool)

These are just a splash, I always feel like I have to shout out my people, they are so great, and So fun, kind and just plain AMAZING! Maybe I should start a friend blog... nah, I'll stick with the my life mezcla!

What would I do without my loves!!!!?! I appreciate you all so much, you are always there for me and know how to make me smile! xo.

hot/cold, up/down, in/out: lovin life right now.

haha...
pointless, aimless blog:



It's interesting, because sometimes I get these thoughts, like really intense thoughts, deep feelings for people, so strong, they overtake me and my emotions, then they are gone, as fast as they came, ha. Other times, I am indifferent, I don't think about things, I don't care about anything or anyone, it's so strange, these thoughts. People recognize it in me, and in certain situations it works to my advantage...

My first week back in NYC was tough, everything stressed me out, I was overwhelmed and I was emotionally connected to someone I couldn't be with, the last two weeks (minus one day) have been amazing! The things that bothered me before don't even tickle my toes right now! ha.

This weekend, I had birthday parties and reunions to attend to, I was so happy happy happy, like a 48 hour happy spree. I got a few "surprise" emails from two people in particular, thanks guys, I appreciate all the love!

ok, enough of my randomness for now, ha. I'm just feelin a bit silly at the moment :p

I'm almost dead:

Physically and emotionally. Today has been a tough day.

taking a breath

Sometimes I just need to take a second to breath.

**sigh**

It's the small things in my life that need appreciation.

Life isn't ALL about the big travels, and finding the love of my life or even learning about things through books. I learned today to cherish the small moments I share with people.

For example, the dinner I prepared with my uncle in Queens. How we cut coupons together in his house while KTU was blasting in the background. How I teased him for getting old, because only old people cut coupons... how we walked together under one umbrella to go grocery shopping for dinner. The platanos I helped him peel and cut. The funny (and painful) moment when the oil splashed on our arms, our burnt garlic bread and our hilarious conversations over the meal we just prepared with all of our love.

Those moments I will cherish.

Or, when I got to my 87 year old grandmothers house this evening and she admired my bracelet (I appreciate her taste and when she likes something of mine I am very flattered, I always looked up to her vintage, unique, girly style as I was growing up!) She wanted to shine it for me, so she took out the jewelry shiner, the same [jewelry shiner] jar that she used since I was a little girl, there was only a bit left, but that didn't stop her from trying to get my bracelet the shiniest that she could! After carefully and lovingly drying it thoroughly, she asked me to put it on and in her precious, aged, voice told me how beautiful it looked on me.

These moments I hold deep to my heart. These small moments when I experience a one-on-one connection to the most important people in my life, these moments when I live through an ordinary experience with extraordinary meaning to me, I hold them dear to my heart.

I will always cherish these moments, always.

always.

Random Spain & memories

Just looking through photos and thinking about random Spanish moments while I'm in a cafe on the Lower East Side on this miserable, rainy, foggy, day in New York City!

me & my love in a small town the weekend before I got back:

Acting silly together like always!

those dinners with the coworkers!

My friends and the man of my dreams, aka my coworkers, all under the same roof everyday! how wonderful it was!

Only if life could always be so carefree... its becoming this way in NYC, actually, it gets better everyday, but will never be as great as Spain was and will be!

around the world: my friends

My best friend Melissa is still in Spain

My friend Flonia is traveling around the world with her man for the next 3 months

My girl Linsday is working in Washington DC

BJ, my darling, is getting her masters degree in France


HALF OF MY GOOD NYC FRIENDS ARE OUT OF NYC and it's just not the same anymore :(

Goodbye/Hello

WOW, My friends are fabulous! Before I left Spain, my girlfriend threw me a goodbye party at her house, she cooked, bought drinks, invited all my friends, etc. It was so nice and so thoughtful. It's rare to meet and keep such great people in your life that you know you can really trust and rely on.

My goodbye PARTY in SPAIN with my loves:

And at the same time, on the other side of the world, my most amazing friend Joyce was planning a welcome home party for me in a club in the city! She emailed all my friends, and organized everything! It was so fun and so nice to see everyone, and party my ass off with real NYC music!!!! Enough with the European shit!!! haha.

I definitely felt the love. My childhood best friend was there, my high school friends, and traveling buddies, awwww... I was happy to be back in NYC!

Through my goodbye and hello parties I was able to see, yet again, how amazingly loving my friends are and how much we care about each other! A CHEERS to my friends for life, all around the world! XO.

My first 4 days back in NYC

Here's my initial observations:

New Yorkers say good morning to strangers more than any other country I've visited. I left my house early every morning this week and random people say good morning to me. Mostly men and I lost my bitchy NYC attitude, so I smile and say good morning back. I wondered why only men say good morning. I don't think they want anything from me, after I greet them back, they continue walking or working, so I decided to start saying good morning to woman to see what happens (I am very experimental, haha). Today, there was a middle aged woman walking her dog and I gently and friendly said "good morning" as she passed. She smiled and nodded. NICE! That was the end of it, I didn't want to talk to strangers anymore, haha.

New York brings out the worst in me. I am constantly stressed here. I constantly feel like I have errands to run, people to see, and work to do. I get depressed at the drop of a dime for no reason. People are angry and make it known. I have to travel too far to get somewhere and during the transit period, my body reacts, I have too much time to think, I can't digest my food properly because of the stress either. People are tense and so am I. I have enough self control to not take it out on other people, but believe me, I want to scream at most people! NYC is not a happy place for me.
Maybe I just need to sit in a garden in the sun somewhere for a while.

New York is the best place in the world to shop! I have been on a 3 day shopping spree and it is addictive! There are so many shops, neighborhoods, and styles, it is a SHOPPERS PARADISE! And at affordable prices! I LOVE it! I have a whole new wardrobe and I didn't spend half as much as I would have in Spain and the clothes are 100% better! DRESSES, JOE JEANS, SEVEN JEANS, LEATHER SANDALS, EARRINGS!!! <3

I realized how much I LOVE interior design and something that I have denied for a long time: I actually enjoy cleaning (shhhh...) I am having a grand old time in my new place doing this! :)

I think I need to get involved in some cultural activities, I am still readjusting to the time, meeting with friends and family, etc. Once my set schedule kicks in, I feel like I will be more normal... hopefully.

The African, Spanish, & English fairy tale

Once upon a time me and my love were driving along a highway and saw a beautiful image, a foreign land in the distance, we were in Spain, and there was Africa, it was 20 minutes away-- across the sea.We continued driving until we came to a huge rock, called Gibraltar, and it was owned by England.
Passports ready, we drove to the boarder and were transformed into English people in a matter of minutes. We drove closer and closer to the huge rock and decided to park the car. We got out and went hiking up Gibraltar. Only to find wild monkeys wandering around.
The more we hiked the more monkeys we came across, monkey families too!
The more we saw, the more scared I became.
Until finally I needed a rest, so I took a nap.
Eventually we returned to Spain, after having seen 3 countries in one day, phewwww...
And the monkeys and us lived happily ever after. The END.

te echo de menos

I'll cherish our last weekend together my handsome love.

Bonito. Perfecto. Especial. Natural. Sereno.

Para siempre en mi corazón-- mi amor, mi vida, mi mundo.

Brooklyn

I woke up this morning and there was a cat, a black cat with a white beard looking at me.

I woke up this morning and turned on the television, the news was strange.

I woke up this morning to the sound of voices, strange voices outside my window.

I woke up this morning to the smell of a different detergent on my pillow and sheets.

I woke up this morning and there was no one next to me.

I woke up this morning and went for a run through familiar but strange streets.

I woke up this morning and did not breath in sea air, instead, city air passed through my lungs.

I woke up this morning and realized I was back in Brooklyn.

I'm back in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn.

BROOKLYN.

Brooklyn.

Brooklyn.

Brooklyn.

I'm back in the BK. wow.

adios España

I'm headed back to New York with the prettiest, most wonderful memories.

Estoy volviendo a Nueva York con las más bonitas, más maravillosos recuerdos.

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.”
-Pat Conroy

Alex & Chris May 16th 2009, Marbella