Way too excited to sleep!

It's 3 days until the beginning of the journey of a lifetime! 3 seemingly short days however they're creeping by as slowly as they possibly could. I'm thinking they're doing this to me on purpose... spitefully making the hours and minutes tick by at a more relaxed pace rather than the way they normally go by. I'm convinced that Time is taunting me. Placing the bait of Friday elusively in front of me and then saying "ah ah ah" as if I'm a child going after the forbidden cookie jar. Except in this case... Europe is my cookie jar.

Europe! I honestly can't believe it and most likely won't believe it until we make our way to the apartment in Paris and even then I'm unsure if it will properly sink in. We'll be seeing so many countries and experiencing new cultures, new atmospheres, new people and most importantly... new food. Everyone keeps asking me what I'm most looking forward to and each time that's been asked the answer is always the same... the food! I can't wait to eat Pastries in Paris, Schnitzel in Germany and Pizza and Gelato in Italy! Of course I'm positive our other destinations will have incredible food as well and even more so I'm sure I'll be making a list and taking pictures of whatever I devour. I'm hoping not to come back 20 pounds heavier... with all the walking we'll be doing I'm thinking that won't be an issue but even if it is... who cares!? I'm going to EUROPE!

While away I'll be doing my best to update the blog. My thoughts are that I'll have the time in between countries while on the road to type experiences up and put them online for you all to see. I will most definitely miss NYC while I'm gone. Slightly ironic enough my very good friend Margot is actually spending the month of June in NY and if you know Margot then you know that this is unheard of. So I'm sad to be missing her time here and I'm hoping she'll go do summer NY things for me while I'm away! There is nothing like summer time in the city! Shakespeare in the park, movies at Battery Park, movies on the intrepid, kayaking on the Hudson and horseback riding in Prospect Park. We really do have it all here! But... c'est la vie right? I'm going to EUROPE!

So I suppose Au revoir for now!!!

~H-less

No One Is Alone

One of the good things about having a broken heart is that you’re never really alone. There are plenty of people walking around hurt every day because someone dumped them, chose someone else, didn’t want anything serious or quite possibly the worst excuse of them all… they said that it was them and not you. If you’re reading this and asking yourself if I’m broken hearted I should tell you no. This actually doesn’t have too much to do with me but a friend of mine who was very recently dumped by a girl he loved. I feel his pain. We all feel his pain because we’ve all been there and for as weird as that is I like to think there’s some comfort in that for him. Relationships are hard. Harder even still can be getting over them. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’ve been single for entirely too long. I’d be the first to admit that it hasn’t been an easy choice… but it has been my choice and on my worst of the worst days where I’m feeling completely lonely and wanting what I once had, I question why I’m doing it. The answer. Because I’m holding out for the real thing. I refuse to date just to date. It’s simply never been my style. I don’t like the thought of stringing someone along. So I’m waiting for my “someone” who will make all these lonely days worth it. He’ll confirm that all my days spent in self-refection, making me the woman I am today, will only have bettered me as a human being. Enough about me though. Back to my friend.

Giving him advice as to how to handle this recent blow to his heart has been trying. All the normal things of course are said. “You’ll be fine, there’s a reason for it all, you’re not alone, try to just live in the moment and move on, etc…” all of it… it doesn’t seem adequate. Nothing I can say seems enough to sooth his aching heart. The thing is though, he will be fine because that’s the type of person he is. Eventually it’ll become a blurb in his life where he looks back at what he had and realizes that it wasn’t for him because he’s with the person he’s truly meant to be with at the moment this part of his life becomes a blurb… a glitch even. Everyone knows that your relationships only get better. You have one relationship that you think is the best thing you’ve ever experienced, it ends and the next best thing comes around and you’re astounded at how much better it is than the last. It’s the way love seems to work. I’m not just speaking about my personal experience, I’m speaking of my close friends’ experiences and what I’ve seen happen and progress in their own love lives.

Bottom line. It’s all about perspective. His perspective right now is hurt and pain and nothing more. Mine has been ever changing… sometimes so lonely I can’t breath and others so incredibly grateful for the life I’ve been given, for the love of my friends and my family, that I can’t stop smiling. Perspective, however has been a hard lesson for me to learn. The things I want most in my life… marriage to my partner (whoever he may be), children, financial success all while maintaining my humanitarian ways… they’ll come eventually when the time is right. I just hope that the people who do have those things appreciate it as much as I know I would. I only say this because every day I see families on the subway, angry, yelling at their kids who only want their affection and attention, choosing to listen to their iPods rather than spend time with the beautiful children… children I’m sure I would give my own life to conceive. These people they have everything I’ve ever wanted and yet… they’re angry and for what?

My advice to my good friend… open your eyes and your heart… look at what you have and be grateful. Take off the blinders that inhibit you from seeing these things because life is way too short to focus on pain and hurt. Love will happen. It always does. It’s just a matter of time and I promise you… when it does happen you’ll be “flying high”. Peace and powers, friend.

~H-less

Europe Europe Europe!

Europe friends.... EUROPE!!! If you don't already know then you should know that I'm going to Europe this summer for the first time in my life! I'm needless to say ecstatic about it! There are several destinations in this month long excursion and this is where YOU come in. If you've been to any of these places I'm looking for any and all suggestions about places to stay, eat and see. As far as food goes keep me away from the tourist traps and put me into the arms of a local place that will make me drool for their food long after I come home. Places to stay I'm flexible... relatively inexpensive hotels and any advice you can give I will happily take. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail, send me a facebook message...whatever floats your boat.

OKAY! Itinerary:

Paris, France
Lucerne, Switzerland
Salzberg and possibly Vienna, Austria
Venice, Florence, Rome, Sicily Italy
Athens, Crete Greece
and
Ephesus, Turkey

So within this month long trip is a 7 day cruise so the only places I really need help with are Paris, Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

Have I mentioned how excited I am yet?

Please help if you can!

Class dismissed,
~H-less

These are a few of my favorite things

New York is one of the most amazing places to spend a day walking and simply taking in the city. It's one of my favorite things to do. My second favorite thing to do? Walk around the city while taking in a new album. It's inexplainable really why this is such a relaxing thing for me but when you're listening to new music and each song makes you that much happier that you bought the album... there's nothing like it! What's the album you ask? This time it was Adele's "21". Seriously... go buy it... you won't regret it! No sophomore mess-ups here. Each song is packed with her signature sounds and killer style! Trust me kids... if there's one album you need to buy this year... it's this one.

Class dismissed.

~H-less

Current Obsession

I haven't done this in a long time... but I'm compelled to share. I'm currently in love with this artist. Yes... I realize I'm a few years behind but I haven't been able to stop listening to her first album. This is just one of the songs that I think is really pretty! :-)

Enjoy!

~H-less

The end of an era

Though it's been quite a long time since I've written a blog... it is not without good cause. In between a recital, the holidays, and finding and moving to a new apartment I've been a touch busy. Not to mention starting a new job! The beginning of the year has provided me with many blessings. I'm happy to say that I'm working with the little ones again... but this time the really REALLY little ones. I'm teaching K-5th graders. It's an amazing age to work with and to be honest the K-2nd graders make me feel like I'm playing with my niece and nephews. :-)
This blog, however, is called "the end of an era" and the reason for that is this. Since moving to New York I have been a true Manhattanite. Living in and going out in Manhattan is what made me happy and for years I swore I would never move to any of those "other" boroughs. It astounds me to say this, but I have left Manhattan for another. It's quite weird. I some how feel that I'm cheating on the city that got me through the past 4 and a half years but they say that all good things come to an end.
Proudly, I'm now calling myself an Astorian! I've been here less than a week and I'm in LOVE with it! On moving day I had 5 neighbors come up and introduce themselves to me. The neighborhood is adorable and full of things to do and every single type of store I could want. Not to mention I'm a stones throw away from Steinway street, Little Cairo and 30th Avenue, which has many great places to hang out at. I'm surrounded mostly by Greeks and Italians and we have some of the best restaurants NY has to offer. The way I see it... I've traded up! My new place is in a pre-war building and the best way I can describe it is "charming". And if I ever get a hankering for Manhattan... all I have to do is jump on the subway and I'll be there in a very short 15 minute ride. :-) Needless to say, I'm a happy camper!

Life has been very good to me and it will only get better from here!

~H-less

Random Acts of Kindness

So... recently I've been thinking of starting this new thing. I've been noticing a lot lately random acts of kindness people are doing for each other. Inspired by that, I began trying to do at least one a day. For example, a few weeks ago I saw a Fed Ex guy struggling to open the door of the place he was gong to deliver because he had boxes in his hand. So I opened it for him. Or helping a woman carry a stroller up the stairs from the subway. A week ago I bought a bag of dunken donuts coffee for myself to brew at home. When you buy it, at least here in NY, they give you a free medium coffee. Well I didn't want mine... so I offered it to the women in front of me. Now don't get me wrong... I'm not saying all this to boast about myself. They're just examples of unexpected gifts that we can give to each other.

I feel like we all need to help each other out more. The simplest gesture can brighten someone's day. Even simply smiling at someone can make them feel good. So having said that, I'd like to encourage all of you to participate with me. Do something for someone else. Go out of your way to help a stranger or a friend without expecting anything in return. See how it makes you feel and then start to observe what people are doing to randomly help you out. All of you in Florida, maybe it's that driver who let's you pull out in front of them (I know you know that this is definitely a random act in South Florida driving). Start to observe how many people help you and how that increases as you help them. Remember that you get back what you give out and this is the best way to give out that I can think of.

So this is Random Acts of Kindness... I'd love to hear your stories about how this works out for you and please feel free to share what you did and what was done for you.

Class dismissed.

~H-less