Christmas Gifts

Did you enjoy your Thanksgiving with family? (Or, such as in my case, family you got to choose?) 

If you answered yes, then fantastic!! I'm so happy you did. I know I did.

Did you then enjoy Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday & find every gift for everyone on your list at a respectable price, at a place that pays their workers respectable wages? 

If you answered No to that last question, not only am I not surprised, but I have a solution!

I am setting up an Etsy account (at least it's in in the immediate plans for the end of November) to produce holiday greeting cards and prints of NYC. A real look at monuments, happenings, and in general just turning a fine art eye'd lens on the City I fall more and more in love with every day. 

This post feels snotty. I am in a really weird in-between mood, and for the first time in my entire life, it isn't because of the holiday season. I'm hoping for a silver lining, an extra bright star, some sort of sign that I'm making some solid decisions for once. I'm awfully tired of instability and inconsistency, so, again, as always when I'm in these moods, I turn to my entrepreneur nature.

Here's to hoping. Check back here soon for when I get the Etsy up and running!

MBFW NYFW 2012 Spring2013

Nothing terrifically personal pertaining to MBFW because I'm not really supposed to BUT, this stuff happened and it was pretty cool:

Orientation, as we were leaving, Sarah Jessica Parker was going into the Lincoln Center.

Fashion Week had started.

I scanned tickets for 

the Fashion Law Institute presentation

Noon by Noor

Rebecca Minkoff

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Tracy Reese

Erickson Beamon

Diane Von Furstenberg

Timo Weiland

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Joy Cioci

Farah Angsama

Angel Sanchez

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Brandon Sun

Badgley Mischka

Vera Wang

Naeem Khan

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Fotini

Whitney Eve

Clover Canyon

and got to hang out during the Vivienne Tam, Milly by Michelle Smith, J. Mendel, Carlos Miele, Carolina Herrera, Zang Toi and Nicole Miller. I did actually get to see the Clover Canyon Presentation on the last night, right before it closed down. All other shows I got to watch live stream from the lobby if I wasn't checking in other about-to-happen shows.

Various interesting people sighted: 

Nicki Hilton at two different shows, Maya, all of the Fashion Police folks including Joan Rivers, Melissa Rivers, Kelly Osbourne, Kimora Lee Simmons, Whitney (the designer from The City) and a slew of my favorite bloggers Keiko Lynn, Leandra Medine (aka the Man Repeller), and Claire Geist (who is, by the way, the sweetest thing. I might have fan geeked out a little when the other scanner with me was letting her in, and she acknowledged me without having the slightest clue who I was and that really stuck with me). There was also a handful of people I recognized but couldn't put names to (the usual).

People we stopped and shouldn't have:

I did in fact stop Kelly Cutrone, yes THE Kelly Cutrone. Woops. She wasn't wearing her pass, and I was just doing my job without quite realizing I should have committed more reality tv to memory beforehand.
... and Nina Garcia, although to be fair, as soon as two of us and the security guard realized she was being stopped, we stepped in immediately!

At one point, the kiosks for self check in went down. That was 0 fun at all.
However I loved the Fashion GPS system used to ticket people, it was efficient and quick and relatively simple to use. I had someone explain all the different ways it was used in the industry and it sort of amazed me. Who would have thought GPS systems could catalog so well? Mine barely gets me to White Plains without getting me lost.

I loved every minute of working fashion week, I would love to do it again and/or actually go see a show next time around. I definitely realized how much I like doing guest services and could get used to doing it more often. I'll be looking around for various opportunities now that I've got this under my belt.

Finally: I wore this

Sock bun (first attempt wasn't too bad, and worked out most days)

 Urban Outfitters dress, Betsey Johnson blazer, and Forever 21 flats that you can't see...

MBFW NYC 2013

Things I want to blog about: My experiences working Fashion Week

Things I'm not really allowed to blog about: My experiences working Fashion Week.

So in other news, I saw Sarah Jessica Parker yesterday. 

I wasn't officially working so I think that's safe to say...

Weekend According to my iPhone

From top left:

Post-Fashion Week interview in Bryant Park

My good luck kitty on my way to Friday's interview

Coldwater interview outfit

Art Critic Cop sticker, seen in the A train station (an inside Inwood joke)

Swayze stressing out a bird in the petstore while waiting to buy food

Armani Dresses, seen from the M66 bus

Lauren, pumped and ready to go at 5am Saturday

Dawn.

Keeping my camera dust-free with the Color Run bandanas

Pink station take 1 & 2

Lauren and Co. at the Finish line (Color Extravaganza I believe was the team name)

A color war at the main stage

Lauren's hair post-run

The rest of my Saturday afternoon light reading (September is the best.)

Let's discuss the swimsuit I borrowed to enjoy the pool in (the skirt, primarily)

But really, such a hard life at the gated community pool

Margarita on the rocks

Caviar and cream cheese

Jumbo shrimp

Cooked lobstah dinnah

Jill sporting her new haircut and a lobster bib (<3 span="span">)

My Weekend Kicked Your Weekends' Ass.

There's no doubt in my mind. The only people who's weekend even came close were those who got to partake in the first Annual Martini Walk in Downtown Bing and then the Big Ball Tourny (my bestie's weekend came in close second).

On Thursday, I had a mildly horrifying interview with the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week people for a guest services job (right up my ally) but I don't entirely expect to hear back from them. After moping around the City for the day, Jill more or less convinced me to come to the opening night of the play she's stage manager'ing: The Last Yankee, by Arthur Miller. It was excellent. Post small show, the weather was perfect and we decided to walk to a further train stop and take in some of Midtown. I fell in love with the City all over again, some nights when the tourists are few and the lights are bright, I don't know, it all feels possible again. 

Friday found me up and ready extra early for another interview, this time with Coldwater Creek, where Mike used to work and Gracie still is. The interview went super quick, and she just kept asking me why they didn't hire me sooner (I've applied twice in two years so hell if I know).  And then offered me a job, on the spot. I couldn't have been more excited, and it couldn't have come at a better time (Ok, yes I would have liked it to come two weeks ago, but better late than never).
To deal with my excitement, I grabbed some celebratory sushi across the street and waited for Gracie to finish up the last hour of her shift so we could go home together. On the walk past Central Park on the West side, we literally rubbed shoulders with Tina Fey. She was *rightthere* and time slowed down and I had to grab Gracie's arm to be reassured I wasn't seeing things. First celebrity sighting, only took me 8 months! Awesome.
After relaxing and gathering myself a bit, I headed over to the East Side to meet with Lauren and everyone at Anne's, who I finally met after having heard all about and seen pictures of through mutual friends. She was closer to Brooklyn, and that's where we were headed at 5am the next morning for the Color Run, the Happiest 5K on the Planet!

The Color Run was amazing to watch, I definitely want to do it next year (well, walk the majority of it) - it's where you get teams together in all white to run through stations of color. It's not quite a paint, it's more of colored dust that gets puffed up everywhere around and on you and tye-dyes you as you run through the stations. It's absolutely ridiculous and I was so glad Lauren had asked me to come photograph it for her. Running through clouds of colored dust with a nice camera isn't really anyone's idea of a good time unless they're properly covered, and no ones was, so I found myself in some great side line spots to catch all the action. After watching them try to get it off (not to mention looking like rainbow bums when we stopped at a Dunkin on the way home) I was sort of thrilled I had such a small role to play in the day, but I can't shake the feeling of wanting to be part of it for real next year.
As soon as I got home, I passed out like the dead from exhaustion and the heat. Left the rest of the afternoon to do what it wanted without me.  

Sunday found Jill and I on our way to Eastchester to spend the afternoon with her grandparents. They hooked us up with bloody mary's and wine as soon as we got there, which turned into margaritas, followed by Brooklyn Brews with dinner. There's no way to turn that down on a lazy Sunday.
Sammy met up with us for a bit to enjoy the pool, but mostly Jill and I lounged poolside just catching up. It's been a busy week for us and we haven't had a lot of quality time; taking in some sun and actually smiling was a huge improvement. August hasn't been kind to us, the happy break from reality was well deserved.
We returned to the house to caviar, jumbo shrimp, and freshfresh lobster. Just got totally spoiled. This week we will be back to Ramen and bagels, so we soaked up every flavor of luxury. I felt re-energized and recharged, and couldn't have asked for a sweeter way to end the weekend.

Today, it's back to business. I have a lot of loose ends to wrap up for this month, as well as get prepped and ready (aka wardrobe shop) for work (!!). 

 

All in all, the best kind of long weekend. 

(pictures to come in the next post)

Make that 2 interviews

I have one tomorrow at 11am and another Friday at 1230. 

I have nothing to wear. 

That's the most worrisome thought right now. 

The one tomorrow may or may not have something to do with this place:

No complaints, only looking up.

Looking Forward

I am obsessed with the feeling of fall right now. So much so that I wear long sleeves out the door before realizing it's still 80+ out some days, just because I've been looking at so many fall colors and pictures on Tumblr and re-reading old blog posts. It's my favorite time of year, and my NYC cuties are already planning October trips full of pumpkin patches, midnight graveyard tours in Sleepy Hollow, and scarves. I miss my boots. I miss my tights and leggings. I miss my not worrying about my super pale skin being blinding (I'm a snow leopard. Obviously.). I want to make new memories and new reasons to feel nostalgic for this time.

My friends and I have been having such a rough August that September and fall can't come soon enough. There's a breeze of change blowing over NYC right now, and I feel it in my bones that something great is brewing for my loved ones, even through the pain that August has been putting us all through (distance from our loves, breakups, loss of employment, financial struggle, the list feels never ending as of late).

This week though, 

it feels like things might actually be happening. 

I have my first ever Passion Party with Miss Lou. Every time she tells someone she's throwing a "sex toy and tea party," they instantly geek out a little; for reference, Miss Lou has always come off as reserved and not one to cuss or discuss intimate topics like sex, and she's definitely not one to go into in depth details about her own sex life. That, however, doesn't mean our Miss Lou is the most pure of pure, and she gets a deviant little smile whenever she confirms the party. I cannot wait to see her guests reactions, as well as their buying intentions, at the party tomorrow. Today, I have to put the finishing touches on my presentation, and get the little surprises for doorprizes taken care of (not to mention, rehearse the games a little more so I don't muddle the directions all up). I really want to get my running around errands taken care of, but UPS is taking their sweet time getting here today, putting a damper on my leaving-the-apartment plans...

I also have an interview on Friday that requires me to look professional and polished, something I haven't had to be in months, if ever really. I am planning on my JCrew blazer that I haven't worn out yet ($8 at Goodwill with tags still attached, score.) and maybe a dress? I doubt it, some black pants will probably bode better in my favor, but of the pairs I own, they seem to have seen better days. And until a paycheck gets into my account, I can't afford to spend any money on new outfit pieces at the moment (man, I can't wait until I can though - new clothes and tattoos for the back to school season, please! I miss when my mom took care of all this 'need new stuff' stuff. Sometimes I hate being an adult). Any good suggestions for pulling a less than polished wardrobe together to fool a future employer into thinking I can dress like that every day, from an otherwise unpolished closet? Once I am making consistent money again, I'd be thrilled to invest in clothes I don't feel shabby wearing.

I also sincerely miss posting photos. I take so many with my phone, but then I'm always too lazy to plug my phone into my computer and download them. I'll try to rehash good old blogging habits sooner than later. In the meantime, you should follow my instagram, as that's where everything goes immediately: Shannamckay !

Here's to hoping something pans out the way I'm hoping for finally. I need all the good juju you've got lying around for me - thank you oh so much in advance.

But Then What?

I'm left feeling like being an adult just means having the strength and energy to do all the things you wanted to grow up and do, and not having the time or money to do them simultaneously.

It works like this:

• If you have energy and time, you're not making money (me right now). 
• If you have energy and are making money, there's no time for the fun stuff. 
• And if you're making money and find yourself finally with the time, you're wiped of energy and bed and a movie is the best option. 
• If you succeed in all three, it's because you're a healthy 50something, or you've found the sweet spot post graduation. I know exactly two people who started their dream job right out of college.

I would love nothing more than to find a medium (preferably a happy one but really at this point I'm not picky) so that there's time to be young and lively, while still forging a career path. I get that Making It means making a lot of sacrifices, but what happens when there's none left to make?

What happens when you've given your all and still can't convince others to take notice? 

Where do we go from here?

How much harder does it have to get before something gives?

Does Anyone Check Up On Me?

I've moved to New York City. I continued working for B, and hating every minute of it. Started working another part time job, a bra and girdle and sex toy shop in the Bronx. I've found my calling in life: to sell sex toys to lesbians and old women who don't speak English. That job lasted all of four months total, when I decided I wanted to work for myself full time again, and not for someone that doesn't care about my skills, enthusiasm or qualifications. C'est la vie.

Which of course means I'm not really making much money, but I do my best to pay my bills on time and occasionally buy new shoes. There's a dog park across the street and new baby trees line my road. My apartment building neighbors are drug dealers, the lamp post across the road proves it with it's 116 pairs of sneakers hanging off. My actual building neighbors are mostly Spanish/Colombian/Dominican and are ridiculously nice to the awkward white girls and their puppy. They get my packages for me, actually tell me they have them by the end of the day, and don't open them, which is unexpected and nice. 

Inwood has the highest population of rats outside of a subway station in all Manhattan. There's something to be proud of. Only saw one cockroach in the apartment in 7 months (to be fair, Jill saw it, I just bought the Raid later that day). I had an internship for a while, it was a good learning experience, I suppose. I'm glad they don't really call me anymore, as the shoots tended to end with nothing for me to show for them other than exhaustion (and one time, first degree burns on my thigh), although I can't really be certain I'm done? No hard feelings. Still met and got to work with some really good people.

I've read more books in 7 months than I have in four years combined. My subway commute to the B has been 2 hours round trip, on a good day. I reduced it to just 40 minutes round trip when I take a bus to and from the Bronx, and now I don't go anywhere I don't want to (at least for the time being). I got unbelievably sick in April, and spent the entire month in a state of awake comatose-ness. It started with a run down cold, it morphed into an inability to breathe which led me to Urgent Care City MD, which led to xrays, blood work, and a CT scan. All tests were relatively negative, they wanted me to go see some GI specialist, but what would have been great would have been if they just diagnosed me with Mono the first time around. We did, however, learn that a) my blood runs like syrup b) my d-dimer numbers are off the charts and not in a good way but c) I do not, in fact, have a blood clot like those numbers suggested d) I have unaccounted-for scarring in my lungs and e) really though, I just had mono. I took antibiotics from the Dominican Republic and they had me right as rain in three days. Doctors are garbage and I no longer trust them.

Jill's family is close and visits often. There's always an excellent dinner and high brow conversation that I've always secretly craved with every meeting. And they like me. I couldn't be happier about the latter. My family has visited 1.5 times and Dad helped me hang my mirror. I have not seen a Broadway play since moving, but I'm hoping to put an end to that sooner than later. I have seen free comedy shows, free gallery shows, and a few fashion shows though so it's not all a bummer. I've even attended my first Bar Mitzvah. Also found a dancey lez-friendly gay bar ( Escuelita) and a few regular bars I enjoy frequenting on drink special nights (specifically Down The Hatch and Cafa Cana). So life, it seems, is finding a natural order and maybe, just maybe, I didn't make a horrible decision after all.

With the spare time I now find myself with, I hope to catch back up on all of the blogs I used to love, as well as the new ones I check in on whenever I have two minutes to myself (which hasn't been often, at all, until about a week ago). I miss doing DIY's and feeling inspired. I relaunched my website and hope to get more photo work in the near future. I have also become a Passion Parties consultant. I have a feeling both photos and toys will work their way back into this blog and maybe I can feel whole again by October.

I've missed you all so much.

That is all.