If You Don't Give a Damn...

    New Yorker's don't give AF. Period. This is a concept that I've really started fully grasping this week after countless experiences on the Subway that just left me in awe. On my way home last night, I just laughed to myself and thought that I was so done with the Subway. I have seen and heard some of the most bizarre things that I just was not prepared for. Thank god I always bring my headphones and just listen to my own music.
    There are obviously those people who decide that the Subway is the best venue for an open-mic night, to share their heartfelt poetry or music with perfectly unexpecting strangers, or even just to pass out CDs. Then, there are those people who don't have a talent, but still feel like the Subway is the ideal setting to share. The other day, I got on the Subway and found an empty seat, unfortunately it was pretty close to this guy that just had stories to share with everyone who boarded. I'm certain that he was riding solo, but I turned to my music to listen, and he'd start off, "yo, dawg, you wanna hear some real funny sh*t? some real funny sh*t," and then proceed to tell a story that couldn't have been further from funny, or mattered any less to everyone else. And he was angry and disturbed, so I eventually had to move!
     Then, there are the people who are into their music and want to share, but rather through dance. Lol, this can sometimes be funny. Like, Friday morning I was sitting across from this little boy and out of nowhere he started to kind of Dougie a little bit in his seat lol and it was so cute! He was probably like 11 or 12 years old, and shy because if he realized anyone was looing at him he'd stop, but the beat in his head was just taking over his little body, so he'd start to Dougie. On the other end of the spectrum, sometime this is not funny, but just downright pesky! Riding home one night, this skinny little man was next to me, but the way the seats were, he was actually facing me. And at one point, there's just a lot of movement in my peripherals, and I realize he's dancing. But he's not discreetly dancing like the cute little boy was, he was like fullout pop, lock and DROPPIN it! And there was someone else sitting next to him, so it's not even like he had much room to work with. And then every now and then he would let a few notes, and start singing. Lol I couldn't even be upset because it was so entertaining. 
    Friday I decided to join the club of New Yorkers that are too cool for school and wear their sunglasses on the Subway. The Subway goes underground and the lights aren't bright, so it's mostly just obnoxious to wear sunglasses. However, it's a slick way to covertly creep on people because they can tell what you're looking at! So I think I'm going to start doing that more. There are so many characters on the Subway and platforms, and I'm so damn nosy, I just wanna observe.

Sawyer Sighting Part II

    Friday while I was in the newsroom, the floor manager for World News came in looking for fillers. Basically, during the show, they strategically place people at different computers around the set so that in each shot with Diane it looks like she's in a busy, hustling and bustling newsroom. So Kevin, the sports intern, and I were two of the people that got to go sit on computers during the show.
    When we got there, it was pretty cool because Diane was already on set checking her makeup, and preparing for the show. Throughout the show, and when I could, I was just like observing her. I probably looked like a creep staring lovingly at one of idols, but I was completely enthralled. It was kind of funny seeing everyone running around doing things that she didn't really have to lift a finger, but it was more cool being able to see how a network news show was run, and comparing that to how I've seen a news show run in a much smaller network. 
    I still didn't get to meet her. Right after the show, some people and kids showed up that she was hosting, so Kevin and I just introduced ourselves to the floor manager and went back to the newsroom. But I'm one step closer!

The City Doesn't Always Smile

     I was in a crabby patty mood today. That is the best and most concise summation of my day, but I wouldn't waste anyone's time by merely posting that single sentence, so I'll elaborate.


     I have a sinus infection, and it's a sinus infection with a vengeance. It started Sunday I think with just a few rounds of sneezes and itchy tongue and stuff, but it pounced on my like a lion yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night because I couldn't even breath, and trying to sleep with my mouth open wasn't an open. Lol and god, that's so gross! Hahahaha, thinking of someone like knocked out with their mouth open is hilarious because its so...just like, ...yuck! lol anyway. The congestion subsided enough for me to eventually fall back asleep, and then this morning, against my originally plans, I woke up on snooze control. I opened my eyes for probably the 8th time and saw that my clock said 11:11am..and no, I didn't make a wish. Outloud I said, "huuuuh?!?!" Picture how Tim Allen on Home Improvement used to say it, or how Nelly and the St. Lunatics start off the song "E.I.," or the sound Scooby Doo makes when he's suddenly perplexed. Haha, I made a sound that was a combination of those three when I saw what time it was. So I had to rush. Terrible way to start the day.

   Then, in addition to my sinus infection, I'm all hormonal and stuff, so that just exponentiates any negative feelings that I had. And at one point today, I became really overwhelmed at work. I had to manually ingest some mini-dv tapes of Huma Abedin (Weiner's wife) because a producer in DC saw I'd ordered the tapes and wanted to use it for a piece, blah blah. This story is full of jargon. Point is, there was a moment when I became so overwhelmed and got really anxious and had to just abort the situation, and come back to it later. It was more emotion added to what I'd already been feeling, and I hate not knowing what I'm doing. So I went and squirted a few tears. WAHH. 

Tuesday's Words of Wisdom

    Luckily, as usual, my team of people were there to comfort me when I took a break; mom, and my ace-boon-coons Rian and Megan. They helped straighten me out. And today I guess Megan was under similar stresses as she moved into her apartment in Atlanta, so we could bond over that. She sent me a text that I think captured the essence of the moment almost to a tee. 

Times Square in the distance

    Then, a few hours later, when I was done with work, instead of getting right on the subway and heading home, I just walked for a while. It's a crisp summery night tonight, and I need to do more exploring of the city, so I just walked. Granted, I was walking in familiar territory, but walking none the less. I walked 16 blocks to 50th and 8th Ave, passing the park and Columbus Circle on my way. For the first portion of the walk, I was on Central Park West and whenever I'm on that street I think of Thanksgiving 2010. I missed Turkey Day with my family last year because I had to work at the station and we had live feed from the Macy's Day Parade. That was about a week and a half after my mom and I were in the city for a career workshop I'd gone to, and I remember talked to the morning anchor at that time Michelle Linn about it. Once we'd finished the morning show and before GMA cut-ins, I remember the live feed being on the big monitor in the studio and saying to Michelle, "Ugh, I want to be there so bad." At this point, I'd already fallen in love with the city and was determined to return. And all she said was, "You will. Don't worry." But she didn't say it in a dismissive kind of way at all, just more of a guarantee, and I remember thinking like, wow, she's got some faith in me. 

Columbus Circle

  Thinking back to that morning and walking down block after block in the hustle and bustle of the city, I couldn't be crabby pants anymore. At the end of the day, I'm in New York City with the internship of a lifetime, doing exactly what I set out to do. And I'd be an ungrateful sonuvagun to spend any moment of it upset. 

Girly Crush

     The news of the day, after much anticipation, was that Katie Couric announced she was bringing her talents back to ABC after leaving her post at CBS. Oh. My God! I was obsessed! First off, I love Katie Couric. She seems like someone who, outside of her work, would be an absolute blast to hang out with. Like, your friend's really cool mom that you go over to visit almost as much, if not more, than you go over to visit your friend! She seems like that kind of lady. And she's adorable. Hence the title: Girly Crush. My adoration of her aside, I am fascinated by the fact that ABC continues to show why its a cut above the rest. Right now, think of the top female journalist in America. ...seriously, do it. (Don't worry, I'll wait.)

Gorg!

....now, outside of Oprah, who I'm sure came to many minds, you probably thought of Katie Couric, because she's now fresh in your mind, Diane Sawyer, and Barbara Walters. And they're all at ABC. Three women who have careers that I can only hope to model mine after, and they're all at one, single network, and I'm interning at that network. OH MY GOD! So I was just head over heels in love with Disney and ABC all over again. I remember during a few of my phone interviews for the internship when I was asked why I'd like to intern with ABC, and I said it was a brand loyalty thing. When you think about the best of the best, in a few different categories, it all leads back to Disney-ABC. The best in childhood movies and family fun: Disney. The leader in sports: ESPN. The best and most reliable, and objective, source of news: ABC. There it is, and here I am. In love with this company, and with reiteration that I wouldn't want to work for any other company. And of course that includes ABC-17 back in Columbia =]]


   Also in the news today was a whooole bunch of Weiner, and boy, America just keeps zingin' those Weiner jokes! Anthony Weiner, a representative in New York held a press conference admitting to sexting and sending pictures to some ladies he'd met on facebook. Mind you this man's been married for about a year, give or take. And his wife is an aide to Hillary Clinton I believe--lol that conversations that those two women must be having! But I had to contain my laughter during the presser, which was held in NYC. Earlier on, Weiner admitted that he'd meant to send the one of the pictures via a direct message on twitter, but accidentally tweeted it to all of his followers. HAHAH, prime example of smart phone, dumb people. Hee-LAR-ious!!! The best part though was at the end as he was walking away from the microphone and out of the room, you could still hear "journalists" asking questions. Two of which were, "were you fully erect?" and "will you support Arnold's love child?" I DIED!
And the Weiner jokes are a riot, one CG I saw on tv today read, "Meetless Weiner," because he never actually met any of the women in person. My god!

No Words Needed.

Sex with the City

    Friday night was the first time that the city of New York made love to me. Wined me, dined me--the whole shabang. It's Sunday now, so I have to think back in order to recall every fabulous part of the night..

Tenjune

    Kristin, one of my roommates next year is in town visiting a friend of hers, Vikki, who is also interning here this summer. So we planned for me to meet them at Vikki's apartment on the lower west side. I was still pretty tired from work that day, but I took a quick cat nap and was ready to go. I left home at like 9:30 and made it to Vikki's about an hour later. So, for the sake of backstory, Vikki has bee here three weeks and met people through her fashion internship and from the friend of hers that she's subleasing from. The people she's met including club promoters, whose job is essentially to get people to a certain venue. So that night we were going out with one of the promoters she'd met named Angelique. But these promoters basically just schmooze you so that you want to keep going out with them and going to the places they take you. So first, we met at STK Steakhouse in the meatpacking district. There were some other girls there too, but once we were seated it was just delicious food and champagne until our hearts were content. Salad, this delicious bread with like spinach dip stuff on top of it, steak, chicken, potatoes, everything we could ask for. 
   Once we finished with dinner, we headed next door to Tenjune. There was like a line of people waiting to get in, but we were able to skip ahead and go right in. We had our own little area off to the side, and enough alcohol to kill a small army. Needless to say, it was a good night. We were there til about 3, and Vikki, Kristin and I headed back to Vikki's. It was an awesome night, and all fo' freeee, so I doubley loved that!
     Saturday morning I woke up on Vikki's couch feeling like death, and headed back to BK shortly thereafter. My friend Patrick from work in Columbia was in town for a Mets game with his dad, so I met them in Queens for lunch. That was exciting because I haven't seen Patty since our last day at work at the station a few weeks ago, and he's moving to Vegas in a week for a job that he got out there. So who knows when I'll see him again. 

View of Manhattan I Caught After Lunch

     After I got back home from lunch, I was couch-ridden for the rest of the afternoon. I was super tired and still didn't feel too hot. So I watched Real World until I finally went to bed at like 10pm. But my first night really going out in NYC was nothing short of passionate love making with this fair city :)