Last night, a little after 11p, the fire alarms began to screech all throughout my apartment building, the Avalon (Avalon Bay Communities), waking all those who had settled into their warm, cozy beds as the blizzard of the decade rolled through town.
Pulling on boots and warm jackets over pajamas, my brother and I left our apartment first and headed directly for the stairs - only to be blocked by a wall of water crashing through the ceiling of the hallway, not twenty feet from our front door. We turned and exited through the other staircase with a stream of sleepy neighbours. Then, we all waited on the lobby for the firetrucks to arrive. All the while, fire alarms continued to whine incessantly against our eardrums. When the firemen finally arrived (it took an extra long time because of the snow-blocked streets), they didn't turn the alarms off right away, either. They had to first check the source of the problem - that leaky ceiling, though "leaky" seems like an understatement. It would be an hour before the blaring alarms were finally shut off, to which we all cheered :)
By the end of the night, the firemen had torn through the hallway ceiling and shut down the hallway lights in attempts to find the source of the leak. It was discovered that a fire sprinkler in a vacationing family's apartment had been set off due to high heat in the boiler room.
After such an upsetting event, you would hope we would never have to do this again. So it might surprise you to know that this same water damage happened last Christmas.
What failures and incompetences in Avalon Bay's infrastructure did not prevent this catastrophe are unclear to me. However, a fire alarm that went off without a fire seems completely counterintuitive. And having been disrupted by these faulty fire alarms three times prior this year plus last year's Christmas alarms, I would LOVE to see them fixed properly once and for all! Further disruption for such a trivial thing would be extremely irresponsible on the part of Avalon Bay.
Hoping you are all safe in your homes too
xxo, S
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Monday, December 27, 2010
100th post!
New York was hit by a great, big blizzard today that has tucked my already-quiet hometown into a silent white blanket. T tried to go sledding earlier (before there was so much snow) but it kinda failed. Tomorrow should be better for snowy day activities - we've gotten at least three more inches since the sun set!
In other news, this is my ONE HUNDREDTH BLOG POST!
Thanks to all you who read :)
Time to settle in with a good movie and some hot coco (my latest hot drink obsession)!
xxo, S
In other news, this is my ONE HUNDREDTH BLOG POST!
Thanks to all you who read :)
Time to settle in with a good movie and some hot coco (my latest hot drink obsession)!
xxo, S
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Wishing you and yours a very merry holiday celebration. In the spirit of the day, I won't be working very hard, so this post will just be a short one.
After many hours of MusicChoice's "Sounds of the Seasons"channel, we are finally going to my grandma's house for a big family dinner.
Feliz Navidad
Joyeaux Noel
Frohe Weihnachten
Gleðileg jól
...and all that jazz
xxo, S
After many hours of MusicChoice's "Sounds of the Seasons"channel, we are finally going to my grandma's house for a big family dinner.
Feliz Navidad
Joyeaux Noel
Frohe Weihnachten
Gleðileg jól
...and all that jazz
xxo, S
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Overheard...
Madison Bistro, 238 Madison Ave.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 7.45p
As told by a man who is friends with "Eric."
...and Eric has a sister. Well, in addition to his brother, the middle child. So it's Eric, his older brother and his sister. And apparently the sister is a mess. Like, she's really fat and a total pot head - you know, because of the dad - and she works at the dad's store. Kinda like a Duane Reade out there, like a pharmacy... Anyway, she works at this pharmac and she married a guy who works as a short order chef at the local diner... I know right, of all the people in the world... Well it turns out this guy has a problem with buying things on eBay. Like cars or old radios; either really expensive things or really crappy things, but he'll buy anything. And the sister couldn't stand it, he was always buying all this stuff. Anyway, it was a problem that he really didn't think anyone could help him with and so he wouldn't accept any help... It ended up ending the marriage... So sad, right?
...so she started dating this new guy, who I've never met, but Eric has. Eric just met him, he was down there visitng and when he came back, he told me that the boyfriend is [whispered] blind and has 80% hearing loss. [nods] Right??? Of all the people. And his sister met this guy because she works at the pharmacy and he had been there to pick up his medicine for his problems. Apparently it's a really terrible story. He was this athelete and he had this degenerative disease that first hit his eyes and then his ears, so sad...
...they were crossing the street and she ran off to catch up to Eric, like "Eric, Eric!" and she let go of her boyfriend's hand. And she was supposed to be holding his hand! And so he tripped and fell and scraped - it was warm, he was wearing shorts - he scraped up all his legs and his arms and face and it was all bloody... I mean, she let go of his hand!
THE END
Cross my heart this is truly what I heard next to me during dinner tonight. Don't know what else to say except that life is stranger than fiction!
xxo, S
Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 7.45p
As told by a man who is friends with "Eric."
...and Eric has a sister. Well, in addition to his brother, the middle child. So it's Eric, his older brother and his sister. And apparently the sister is a mess. Like, she's really fat and a total pot head - you know, because of the dad - and she works at the dad's store. Kinda like a Duane Reade out there, like a pharmacy... Anyway, she works at this pharmac and she married a guy who works as a short order chef at the local diner... I know right, of all the people in the world... Well it turns out this guy has a problem with buying things on eBay. Like cars or old radios; either really expensive things or really crappy things, but he'll buy anything. And the sister couldn't stand it, he was always buying all this stuff. Anyway, it was a problem that he really didn't think anyone could help him with and so he wouldn't accept any help... It ended up ending the marriage... So sad, right?
...so she started dating this new guy, who I've never met, but Eric has. Eric just met him, he was down there visitng and when he came back, he told me that the boyfriend is [whispered] blind and has 80% hearing loss. [nods] Right??? Of all the people. And his sister met this guy because she works at the pharmacy and he had been there to pick up his medicine for his problems. Apparently it's a really terrible story. He was this athelete and he had this degenerative disease that first hit his eyes and then his ears, so sad...
...they were crossing the street and she ran off to catch up to Eric, like "Eric, Eric!" and she let go of her boyfriend's hand. And she was supposed to be holding his hand! And so he tripped and fell and scraped - it was warm, he was wearing shorts - he scraped up all his legs and his arms and face and it was all bloody... I mean, she let go of his hand!
THE END
Cross my heart this is truly what I heard next to me during dinner tonight. Don't know what else to say except that life is stranger than fiction!
xxo, S
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Espionage & Spies
(in the literary sense, of course)
My aunt brought me a book over Thanksgiving titled, The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer, plus its sequel. Having never been one for modern literature, I was hesitant about reading it. But it sucked me in so fast, I forgot about my resistance instantly! I ripped through both novels and quickly proceeded to research the upcoming third in the sequence. Need I spell it out? A M A Z I N G .
Not to be confused with the recent film of the same title starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, Steinhauer's novel follows the life of disenchanted secret agent, Milo Weaver (to whom we are introduced under a different name). It turns out that his life has been entirely shaped by the underground world of espionage. We follow Milo through a series of events that threatens to overthrow everything he has worked to create after he vowed to leave the Company. Steinhauer's narrative also revamps the spy world audiences were exposed to by John le Carré and relates how we all deal in this post-9/11 world.
After reading these books, I watched a little James Bond marathon and The Bourne Identity, having been inspired by the life of a spy. Next, I want to read old-school spy novels like le Carré and Flemming. But I think I'll stay on this side of the metaphoric wall - no martial arts or rifling classes for me ;)
xxo, S
My aunt brought me a book over Thanksgiving titled, The Tourist by Olen Steinhauer, plus its sequel. Having never been one for modern literature, I was hesitant about reading it. But it sucked me in so fast, I forgot about my resistance instantly! I ripped through both novels and quickly proceeded to research the upcoming third in the sequence. Need I spell it out? A M A Z I N G .
Not to be confused with the recent film of the same title starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, Steinhauer's novel follows the life of disenchanted secret agent, Milo Weaver (to whom we are introduced under a different name). It turns out that his life has been entirely shaped by the underground world of espionage. We follow Milo through a series of events that threatens to overthrow everything he has worked to create after he vowed to leave the Company. Steinhauer's narrative also revamps the spy world audiences were exposed to by John le Carré and relates how we all deal in this post-9/11 world.
After reading these books, I watched a little James Bond marathon and The Bourne Identity, having been inspired by the life of a spy. Next, I want to read old-school spy novels like le Carré and Flemming. But I think I'll stay on this side of the metaphoric wall - no martial arts or rifling classes for me ;)
xxo, S
Surf's Up soundtrack
You know that silly DreamWorks animated movie that came out a few years ago when every movie had cute penguins? The one about the surfing penguins? Well, the Bearcat has taken to it recently, so I've watched it a few times. It's sweet, funny, and has Shia LaBoeuf as the main penguin. But best of all is the movie's soundtrack.
From Green Day and Incubus to Sugar Ray and Pearl Jam, got a real surf-rock sound and truly makes a lot of the scenes. So the movie itself is pretty generic... but so what? With memorable song choices, it's something everyone can enjoy :)
My favourite picks:
Into Yesterday, Sugar Ray
You Get What You Give, New Radicals
Reggae Got Soul, 311
Drive, Incubus
Big Wave, Pearl Jam
Welcome to Paradise, Green Day
xxo, S
From Green Day and Incubus to Sugar Ray and Pearl Jam, got a real surf-rock sound and truly makes a lot of the scenes. So the movie itself is pretty generic... but so what? With memorable song choices, it's something everyone can enjoy :)
My favourite picks:
Into Yesterday, Sugar Ray
You Get What You Give, New Radicals
Reggae Got Soul, 311
Drive, Incubus
Big Wave, Pearl Jam
Welcome to Paradise, Green Day
xxo, S
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Boston weekend
Today I came back from an extended weekend in Boston. First, I stayed my cousins who live north of the city for the few days after Thanksgiving. I don't usually get to spend a lot of time with their family when the rest of the family is around, so it was good to see them.
Yesterday, Ginger and I met up in Boston and spent the day wandering around. Then I spent the night at her house to the south of the city. I hadn't been into Boston in several years and even then, it was just a quick visit with my family. It was good to really go around and see what a nice city it is - even better with a friend :)
Ginger's family is really fun and it was cool to see her house (esp. since they're moving soon!). We planned a trip for her to come down to New York in a few weeks and she'll stay with me this time. It's comforting to have someone from DU so close by because the winter break is so long (five more weeks).
Now that I'm in New York, I think I'm here to stay for a good while. Drop by my high school, see friends who are around, spend time with my grandmothers and my family, and of course roam around the city!!! I love it here...
xxo, S
Yesterday, Ginger and I met up in Boston and spent the day wandering around. Then I spent the night at her house to the south of the city. I hadn't been into Boston in several years and even then, it was just a quick visit with my family. It was good to really go around and see what a nice city it is - even better with a friend :)
Ginger's family is really fun and it was cool to see her house (esp. since they're moving soon!). We planned a trip for her to come down to New York in a few weeks and she'll stay with me this time. It's comforting to have someone from DU so close by because the winter break is so long (five more weeks).
Now that I'm in New York, I think I'm here to stay for a good while. Drop by my high school, see friends who are around, spend time with my grandmothers and my family, and of course roam around the city!!! I love it here...
xxo, S
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