festivalities

Here's a sneak peek at a photo I took. I have to say, it might be awhile until I figure out which photos to share since I have hundreds already, and most are boring photos documenting theaters. But have no fear, some will be on their way in the coming weeks.

It's been fun now that the festival has started - taking photos have gotten me into some cool places and gotten me some great food (perks!). But on the other hand, I am exhausted. I had to be somewhere to take photos at 7am this morning, and I woke up at 3:30am, convinced that I'd slept through my alarm, then stayed up stressing about all the photos I need to take and places I need to be over the weekend. Ah, I just love my mind at night. So active. So unnecessarily stressed. So I'm running on empty, and I've got another event I need to work at tonight. Whoopee! Then another 7:30am morning tomorrow! Whoopee! But with free pancakes! Whoopee! And....good night. Nap time perhaps? That sounds sooooo nice. Ok, it looks like I'm delirious so perhaps a coffee is a better idea. I'd better go before I continue to talk more nonsense.

and so it begins

It has been a busy busy week, which is going to continue into a busy busy weekend. But I wanted to drop by and say hi very quickly. I think the next post I do after the Festival should be a good one, with some good photos, hopefully some celeb sightings, successful festival stories, and a refreshed, relieved me. I am no fun to talk to at the moment, as I'm nervous, stressed, frustrated, antsy, etc. That is why I have been a bit MIA. I know it will turn into excitement (or at least I hope!) so I am keeping the faith. And it's always good to have an ending date in sight. A light at the end of the tunnel. So, wish me luck, and I will be a better person in 6 days. See ya then.

countdown to september 2nd

Why hello! Yes, this is Coney Island, not Telluride. The photos I've been taking are all taken with film, and I have yet to finish the rolls so I have no new visuals. Hence, the year-old photo. I like it though, and I feel that the water is good feng shui for happy times.

A few updates:

Went to Durango over the weekend for a day trip with Kelley and Charlotte. It was cute! The people were cowboy-ish and we were confronted with many, many choices of country music radio stations (the other choice was 90's - apparently the town is about a decade behind), but it was a fun little town. We had happy hour sushi with rolls for $3 each and a beer for $2. I think that's amazing. Especially after being here in Telluride where prices are quadruple that. No exaggeration. They had an amazing natural food store, which made me long for Whole Foods and Trader Joe's again. Not their 20 minute Manhattan lines for checkout, but the food. Ahhh, the food.

In-floor heating. Have you heard of it? If not, I will introduce you to this amazing phenomenon. It is getting cold here at night, and I decided to turn on the heat the other night in my room, thinking that 78 was a good, medium temperature (right?), and I woke up in the morning and my feet were toasty upon hitting the ground! And when I say toasty, I mean hot! The bathroom floor was like fire! But I loved it. It worked so well, I was sweating. Which was gross.

Work is still intense. The thought of half-marathon training stresses me out, with the idea of adding it to my full time, over 8 hours/day of non-stop work, which is apparently going to get longer and more stressful. I was informed today that I should be working on the weekends. When my mom is here this weekend. And when I'm not getting paid for those extra days. Can anyone figure out how that makes sense? It was told to me in a sort of way that seemed like I was being guilted into coming in these extra days, and I'm not falling for it. I'm getting my stuff done, and I'm not there to pick up the pieces for other people slacking throughout the past year. That's the most frustrating part - that there really isn't that much extra to do, but everyone loves to stress out and think they are SOOOO important and busy. But if everyone just got their shit done when they should have, we would all be fine and stress free. So there!

And now I'm tired. So good night.

working 9-5

It's been a week full of work work work. And with work full of people who stress stress stress. I want to lead the world in one big sigh, followed by a repeat-after-me moment of "This really isn't that big of a deal". As I've always liked to remind myself, the world will keep on turning if a mistake is made or if something doesn't go as planned. Really, I promise you, it will. And there's no need to anticipate the worst, because you know what? Often times the worst doesn't end up happening. And then you've stressed yourself out in the meantime. Perhaps I should be a motivational speaker. Or just someone who slaps others in the face to remind them there is more to life than work and stress. I'd be damn good at that.

Anyways, in summation - work is busy. The festival is in two weeks. I'm excited for it to happen, but I'm also excited for September 2nd when it will be over. But in the meantime, I've been meeting some cool people who are in town seasonally for the festival, and I've been feeling more productive in my work, as it's getting down to crunch time. I like to feel like it's all coming together. And I'm also an expert procrastinator. So this is prime time for me.

On another note - I'm resenting this half-marathon. I find it impossible to wake up in the morning to run over 4 miles before I go to work. My body won't cooperate. So I've been slacking. But I have faith (and fingers crossed) that it will go ok. Like I said before, regardless of what happens, the world will keep turning. But I may just end up in the hospital with breathing tubes come September 27th.

stuff. best title ever.

ahhh NY Times. Do I have a story for you. You really should have consulted with me before writing this story on "neighborly competition" that seems to have been a lot more friendly in your article than it was (and still is) in my building. Once it is all complete, I will share the entire story with all of you. Which includes a psuedo-celeb (very pseudo, more of a struggling celeb I would say) and a very irresponsible building management company. Or perhaps I will spare you of the trauma that is certainly more dramatic in my mind that it would be for others.

On other notes:

I've been watching some of the Olympics, and is it weird that I get a little emotional? I am quite possibly the least patriotic person in the United States, but when I saw the Americans making their way around the track at the opening ceremony I felt very proud. Proud of people I don't know. And proud of a country I don't necessarily feel proud of all the time. I was moved. And don't get me started on the national anthem. That melody tears me up every time. Maybe I'm less so patriotic, more so emotional.

I've become a fan of Tori Spelling and her husband, Dean something-or-other. If you watch that show, you will know that they're kind of funny. Maybe just to me? I teared up a bit when watching that show, too, when Donna Martin - whoops I mean Tori - was about to give birth.

Oh my god, I almost forgot to share - I climbed my first mountain over the weekend! Mt. Ajax. Elevation 12,800 feet. Plus or minus a few hundred. It was crazy. So challenging. The worst part though was coming back down. The knees! So bad for the knees! And the next day I had to run six miles for half-marathon training. I probably didn't plan that one very well, but in the end, it's done. And my hips are sore, I have shin splints on the outside of my right shin, and oddly I feel like I have tennis elbow.

fancy digs

Like my new room? Ha. I would too if this was my room. Unfortunately I'm on a bit more of a budget than this person - as this is one of the penthouses in a hotel here.

We had a hotel disaster with my job since one of the hotels that was housing 16 of the filmmakers and that has been under construction for months is not going to be ready for the festival (they tell us now, three weeks prior. lovely) so we had to scramble to get something as a replacement. So I had to head over to a few hotels to take photos of what they look like so the bigwigs could give their approval. I say, I approve. The places were gorgeous.

But as for my room, it's a bit more modest than this, and as I keep promising, the photos will be up soon. I'm doing heavy duty cleaning and laundry today so it will be spic and span for you to see.

august, week one

Been a busy week so I thought I'd do a quick wrap-up, as I'm feeling short-winded and not in the mood for in-depth writing, but I wanted to give an update. (I'm not sure the reason for all the hyphens in that first sentence)


-I sold TWO, count 'em TWO sponsorships. Whoo hoo! And the good news is, that's it - we've reached our cap so I can't sell more! Even if I was good at it and enjoyed it. Which I'm not and I don't.

-I've been watching non-stop Friends, Scrubs and Family Guy. Seems like that's the only consistent entertainment on TV and it makes me happy. TBS may be my new favorite station.

-I ran five miles on Sunday! Quite an accomplishment. I have to wake up at 7am tomorrow morning to do a four mile run, which will be more than just an accomplishment. Waking up that early is one thing (for me), but actually exerting energy at that time is unthinkable.

-Speaking of my runs, I pass the time listening to Spanish podcasts on my Ipod to refresh myself for Central America. It's great - I think (and hope) it's brainwashing me with the language, which is great. I've learned how to discuss a wedding, how to plan for a party and how to talk on the phone. I debate sleeping with my Ipod on so I subconsciously will become fluent - in my sleep! Effortless. It's coming back to me, which is positive. That minor in Spanish at BU is paying off, thank goodness.

-I got a bed! What a difference it makes. I know I keep putting it off, but I swear I'll put up photos soon. Now it will be once I get some stuff on the walls. The place looks terrible in photos without anything on the lonely, white walls.

-The herbs are growing back!

-My Ebay/Etsy obsession is back!


And that's it really. Hasta luego.

breaking ground

First of all, this is not my car, nor is it the car of anyone I know. Don't worry. It was an abandoned truck on our hike the other day, and I thought everyone may be sick of landscape shots so I threw this one in. In fact, it has nothing to do with this post. Just a cracked windshield for your viewing pleasure.

The real news, I may have just sold a sponsorship. This is huge. For me. Being an anti-salesperson with no persuasive skills whatsoever, I may have found a company here that will buy a sponsorship. And not at the lowest level! It only took me about two months. And there has not been confirmation quite yet, just a verbal yes, so keep your fingers crossed until I get the official thumbs up. See - it only took contacting about 100 companies to get ONE! God I hate sales.

Also, in relation to my previous post, last night I resorted to watching Pam Anderson - Girl on the Loose and Sunset Tan. My brain is bleeding.

tv trauma

And one more thing, can someone please tell me that I should have hope for TV these days? Please advise what to watch. I have found nothing.

MTV seems to now be full of ghetto reality shows. Including something I am watching now about two teenagers who are getting married in Times Square, live (good god why?!), called "Engaged and underaged". It is incredibly awkward because they have their entire families there who should NOT be on TV. No one knows what to say. Not even the hosts, who have questioned their decision to get married a few times. Ah, that just ended and now it looks like Randy Jackson is hosting a dance competition. Quality.

VH1 is also full of ghetto reality shows. Disappointing. I watched Brooke Knows Best. I don't know what to say about that. Hulk Hogan's daughter? Really?

E! truly makes me feel like a sad person when I watch their celebrity news wrap-ups repeatedly. With what I feel are the most annoying hosts (is it just me?). That's all they seem to have. Except for Denise Richards: It's Complicated (great title) and tonight is the premiere of Pam Anderson's show. Whee!

Bravo, my old staple, is even disappointing me, with stuff like Date My Ex, that hair cutting show and Flipping Out. Train wrecks. I'd be quite happy if all they had was Real Housewives (from either coast, I'm not picky) and Project Runway, all the time. Ooh but I do love the Kathy Griffin show. Should I be embarrassed to admit that?

Maybe because it's summer is why it's so bad? I know I could always turn it off but I won't give up hope! I will find something good to watch - if it takes me all my life to cut through all the crap, I will do it! (And if you haven't already concluded, I don't get the HGTV channel, unfortunately, because if I did, this post would not exist)

desert town, colorado

Yesterday Kelley, Charlotte and I went up to Alta Lake which is at the top of the mountain on the other side of the ski runs. On the way up we passed an old ghost town - a deserted mining town from early in the century. It was creepy. So interesting that the town just up and left one day and these old wooden structures were left behind to decay. One of my pictures has a ghost in it! Or else it was that moth that I thought flew out of the frame before I took the shot...but I felt spirits! Anyways, it was a pretty interesting view of old ruins. Perhaps it is kind of like how things will be when our world ends. Which, according to the Field Museum, will be coming up since we are heading into a mass extinction. But keeping postiive.... the hike was so pretty. The flowers were blooming. Charlotte had a ball, especially when she discovered a mystery meat on the trail and inhaled it quickly before Kelley caught her.

In other news, I've been spending the past week settling into my room. I love it. I went to Montrose during the week to get some furniture and to go to my beloved Target. I researched some antique stores in the area so that I could find inexpensive furniture with some sort of history rather than the bland pieces I have been finding online, and when I went, I found a cool wooden desk that will be my work station. I also bought another little night table that requires a stack of coins under one of the legs so it doesn't tip, which is so cute. I'm glad that my collection of foreign currency is coming in handy! The store had wonderful stuff. Got sucked into antique store shopping again. I was thrilled at the idea that I was being "green" and using old furniture rather than buying something made brand new. And then I went to Target and spent about $300. Oh well, I do my best. I've only rearranged my room once, which is a major feat for me, and I love it. I'm feeling settled, and I'm getting a mattress on Tuesday which should complete the room. Then I will take photos to show you guys.

On a side note - if anyone knows anything about trying to revive herbs that may have died, please let me know. I am watching the plants while my roommate is gone this week and I think I have killed his herbs. I'm sick to my stomach about it. It's not my fault though! I think an animal got into them and dug them up, burying a few of them in the dirt. When I found them in the morning they were limp, brown and lifeless. Terrible! Help! Can they re-grow by next week? Please say yes. Please say yes.