Affable

While skimming my last few entries I realize I have only written about things that would exist no matter where I lived. Strange. A speedy update on a lot of stuff you've missed:

I am currently balancing three amazing internships. The designer I originally came to New York to work with is out of town/country for the next couple of weeks. As a result he found a theatre/dance group I could do some dramaturgy work with [since that is something else that has interested me]. Around the same time I received a message from a friend from college asking me what my schedule was like. A family friend of hers runs a talent management agency and they were looking for some office help. Since she knew I was, at one time, looking into administration she suggested calling them. Well, everything worked out and now I technically have 3 internships. My original internship is majorly toned down, but will pick back up in a week and a half. Luckily I have had very little negative stress as all of the people I work with are incredibly understanding and encouraging. While my hips are getting frustrated at the 3-4 miles-a-day I walk in bad shoes every day [in addition to the subway rides], the rest of me loves going to my internships. Overall, life is definitely good.

This week I will see a total of 3 shows [the most different shows I've seen in a single week since I've been here]. Tonight I am going to see "Rabbit Hole," which my amazing friend Julie helped costume. Thursday night I saw "What We Once Where" with one of the managers at DS. It was a lovely set, but the play did leave something to be desired. On Wednesday I took a 5:00 train to New Haven and saw "Eclipsed," the play I had gone to Yale to work on a couple weeks ago. I wanted to see the 'end result' and the ME of the show nicely let me stay at his apartment over night so I could see the show. It was a bit of a crazy trip: see a show, stay up late, wake up WAY too early to take a 7:00 train back for a 10:00 day. However, it was a good adventure and worth the train ticket.

My family is officially coming up to New York for Thanksgiving. They're renting a place in Brooklyn and we are going to cook Thanksgiving dinner together. There are so many things to do in New York and it will be difficult to fit in the few things we are narrowing our days down to. Of course, there is the chance I will return here and we can do more next time :) It's an interesting feeling. I am looking forward to spending time with them, but am just hoping the pace of life won't change too drastically due to pressure of doing or seeing things. As exciting as New York is I hope it doesn't overshadow family time :)

I haven't ran since Sunday when I did a decent run pre-Marathon. I don't feel as guilty about it as perhaps I should. I have already walked over 25 miles this week. If people at work didn't mind me being smelly I would've ran that plus some, haha. In all seriousness, I am hoping to run track at Hope at the spring. I would like to [FINALLY] break 20 in the 5k and I would like to be strong enough to run a decent Steeple. The more I think about it the more I realize I want to and I need to run. If it runs into theater, then it runs into theater. I have given the past year and I will give many more years to theatre, I can spend one more semester dedicating a good portion of myself to running. As it is I will miss most of Tuesday and Thursday practices for the first half of the semester due to Principles of Design [darn 200 level theater classes, hahaha].
I miss my runners. I miss the Amherst girls and I miss my Hope runners. I wish I could have been with the Amherst girls as their season progressed. They did not make it out of regionals, but as a team I believe they stayed strong and there were many individual feats they accomplished. I am proud of them and my time with them has made me want to coach even more. I have a lot more to learn before I could put myself on the same level as any of the people I've run for, but those girls are amazing runners and amazing people; I have high hopes for them.
I miss the atmosphere and excitement of my Hope runners. I know, due to graduation and other things, the atmosphere will be incredibly different from the last time I was part of the team, but I miss my team. Contrary to what seemed to be happening my first semester at Hope, half of my closest friends have come from the team. Most of them won't be running in the spring, but that's not necessarily while I am running. They are a lot of the reason I am glad I have ran in the past.
Confession: I think part of the reason I am not minding getting pudgy is because A. I am not getting as pudgy as I was in London and B. Guys still make positive comments to me when I walk down the street. I realize this will change soon enough, but in the mean time, it may be shallow, but it makes me smile... especially when they say reallllly ridiculous things, hahaha. [I love this city] Upon reading this, you must also realize that I am not an attractive person compared to a large portion of this city. This is essentially the first time in my life that I have ever been asked for my number or even been hit on. It is truly flattering when it happens and so I am appreciating it whenever it does.

In attempt to satisfy my need for a team, I have continued hashing [to some extent]. While they're a "drinking club with a running problem," as long as they can empathize with my running, I love them. I watched the marathon with them last Sunday and it was a wonderful time. Every time I go, even if I don't know 90% of the people, everyone is friendly and it's always an enjoyable time. Thank you to Mrs. Dodge for suggesting I try it out [hashnyc.com]. They are some of the best- and most accepting- people in this city.

And an update on my possible career path: I am getting more attached to the idea of designing.
My friend Jeri, from Hope (who is currently doing the same program in London that I did last spring) and I are working on putting together a show to put up at Hope in the spring. She would direct and possibly sound design. I would do lighting and possibly some dramaturgy. I am ridiculously excited for this as we both have the same sense of dedication and I know Jeri is a reliable person. Plus we are both quickly approaching graduation so are both approaching this project from the same direction.

Let's be honest. I have high hopes for the rest of this semester, for next semester, and for the rest of my life. If I can stay surrounded by such great people, I will continued to be truly blessed.