25 Days of Jen

T'is the Season!!!

For blogging, because I can't think of anything Christmassyer (< -- good luck)
In hopes of spreading some Christmas cheer, or just providing something to read every day, I begin a new project by blogging every day for the month of December. (Up until the 25th of course, because the rest of the month doesn't matter.) (Unless your birthday is this day, that is. Then it's one of the most important of the Gregorian calendar)

Also, I'd like to try an experiment--because I'm always one for an experiment--and try to jog my mental faculties regarding written expression.  Basically I will be giving my brains a good shake, and like a snow globe, see what falls from the heavens.  It could be sparkly, it could be glittery.  It could swirl around in nonsensical patterns.  We'll see, won't we.

A blog post for every day!   Could be related to Christmas.  Could be not.  What's going to happen?? I'm excited, aren't you?




p.s. happy birthday to this champ, who has one of the best birthdays ever-- birthday to kick off the holiday season.  3 cheers for Ash-bomb!

Thanksgiving, Here & Now

As i sit here at the desk, staying out of the way of the cooks, a hot casserole dish of the prettiest stuffing i've ever seen as my deskmate, I reflect on this day of thanks and what exactly it is meaning for me, right now, at this moment.

Today and specific to this thanksgiving, I am thankful for:

• Bullets, because they bring order to my life.
• Family to be here with us. It's a rare treat and they are two of my faves. Their names: The Uncles.
• Waterproof and odd-shaped bandages to wrap around an almost-severed finger.
• A pretty day of chilly sunshine and subdued but still present fall colors, and the brave leaves who are hanging on until the very end. 
• A small boy wearing my favorite fall colors: rusty orange and peacock blue. Jealous.
• Cooking, and actually doing some of it myself, which, on this day, probably accumulates to all that I do the rest of the year combined.
• Eating dark chocolate mint creams, because I like me a pre-dinner chocolate. 
• Letting other people do stuff while I sit at the computer. Hey, I'm staying out of the way. 
• knowing that I am basically the same kid I was at 14 years of age, 21, etc. 
• Endless conversation--most of it interesting--and a husband who knows everything about EVERYTHING.  Main discussion is regarding food, naturally, and Sean will give us some tidbit about the origins and ancient usages, etc.   Examples:  Honey, potatoes, onions, etc. 
• Watching Sean slather two giant handfuls of butter onto a turkey and lather and massage it with the greatest care. 
• This stuffing here, because it teaches me self-restraint and patience. 
• That I did not burn my esophagus yesterday whilst drinking Jacques Torres' wicked and wickedly hot chocolate. 
• To Kill a Mockingbird and making it the official Thanksgiving Movie (both are about birds, see).  
• Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit and how it makes me feel inside. 
• To read someone's blog and feel inspired to write a post. Thankful for some exterior thing to churn up the words inside my head when I feel boring and wordless. 
• A blog as a platform for the words.  You've been my constant companion these 7.5 years. Cheers to you  (and all of YOU.) 

Pre-Slumberland

Every once in a while, I attempt a nap.  As i've mentioned before, I have pretty much lost the ability to nap.  I'll doze off, super sleepy, and then enter the weird place that occurs before slumberland.  Not quite through the gates, but just outside, sort of loitering there, clutching the bars saying, "let me in... somebody?"  Always, I'll be halfway through the gate and then something yanks me back out and I depart, awake and wholly unsatisfied.  But time is spent there, this weird place where dreams exist but true sleep doesn't. And i can't go back, not until the next attempt, another time, another day.   I even get to the point of drooling, but never true sleep.  It's frustrating, and weird.
 
Very often when I'm in this zone of in-between, strange phrases or words will flash across my mind and ring in my ears, and they are so utterly bizarre.  They're like dreams in word form.  I have no idea where they come from.  My conscious mind certainly didn't just bust them out for no reason, so they're coming from somewhere. I think they live in this weird pre-slumberland.   And i remember them. I'm awake enough to roll over and write them down. If i didn't i'd most likely completely forget them, like a dream.  But no dream accompanies them. It's as if someone comes and whispers these words and phrases to me, and walks away. Someone who just escaped the insane asylum. Some strange passerby while I'm begging to cross the threshold. It would be alarming if the words weren't so nonsensical. But they really do feel audible to me. They're very distinct.

Perhaps this is where my genius lies. I'm not sure. Maybe this is where my subconscious and conscious meet and agree to a duel and, though the conscious wins every time, the subconscious gets some good hits here and there.  So i've decided to make a list and show it to you.  These are things I totally can't vouch for.  It's like suddenly waking up and finding a knife in your hand, not knowing how it got there.  So here are my words, (hopefully a little less violent) and, if you would be so kind to tell me what it means.

• Let's take the easy road, splice it up, and make it into a casserole.
• It's like challenging the arm of its strength to be able to carry something. 
• We need to Netflix out of the fashion of things.
• He must just be a three-legged kind of guy.
• He risked his shovel because of a terrible gunshot wound

I...am an artist!!!

I've been working on a project here and there in the past few months.  Etsy, here I come! I'm pretty excited about it.

I have to say, it felt pretty great making something with my hands.  Something to look at and hold rather just read or listen to, know what i mean?    And if that something is paint-spattered, then it is nothing short of a love connection. 

Sooo... Christmas is coming! I have a few pairs and have yet to open my actual shop (oh yes, it's happening) but if you want a pair, let me know your size and we'll work out the details.  I'm being serious. Who wouldn't want these?? WHO. 

Stormy Thoughts

The aftermath of this storm is miniscule for me and my day-to-day life.  But i am realizing little things that could be big things, and things that are definitely big things for others--very humbling things.   Sean came home today and told me how half of Manhattan, without power, is living one way and the other half is business as usual.  He said they're calling clients to talk about money owed and they're like, "yeah, a tree fell on my house..."  or "yeah the accountant's house is flooded."   People downtown are out on the hunt for water and electricity and people uptown are wondering why everyone isn't just back to work.  It's extremely bizarre, especially for this urban epicenter.

Click here to see a slideshow of totally crazy pictures.  It is so surreal to see so many places we visit under water.

Also, here's a video people took while biking around the city during the storm.




Also, click here to see a crazy pic of lower manhattan out of power.  Bananas!

Here are some facts:

The subways are an unprecedented mess.  For a time there were literally no trains into Manhattan from Brooklyn and other boroughs too, from what i can tell. And I'm not sure there were any trains running in Brooklyn at all.  Apparently there is/was a bus system at the Barklay Center (new basketball stadium) near our house that takes people into the city.  NO TRAINS.  I can't even wrap my brain around this.  So how many people live in the city? 8 million? Can i comprehend that, alone? No.  And how many people commute from Long Island, New Jersey, up north?  I don't even know. Probably additional millions.  So only cars and buses could get in and out of the city.  And if you take a car you have to have at least 3 people with you or you can't get in, simple as that. They turn you away.  Sean, who commutes to work in a car with a coworker who lives nearby, said that this has completely cleaned out the FDR which is the highway that runs along the outer edge of manhattan. He often has to wait in line in a cab to get on the bridge and this time it was empty.  Surreal.

So traffic that was already pretty awful, but a standard awful (so that you get used to it) is tripled. It took me an hour to drive 2 miles the other day.  Yeah, think of that.  And also think about what an idiot i am for not just walking. I know, i know.  It's cold out there, ok? Anyway,  so there's that.  There's also the evaporation of gas.  All i'm hearing/reading is no gas, no gas.  Cars are backed for miles at gas stations.  Either they ran out or they're without power.  This makes me nervous. I drive a lot, and of course I don't have to--nobody has to.  But it greatly changes things.

On NPR a few nights ago they interviewed a bunch of people who own shops in the city and had to shut them down because of flooding or power outages and one man had employees walk to his shop from the Bronx, about 15 miles, said the reporter, to help clean up.  The man said he dropped a marble table on his foot and broke his toe. He said there's nothing you can do for that so you wrap it up and keep going.  This is very different from my life.

Our upstairs neighbors have family staying with them who live in NJ and are out of power.

There are all these areas in the city that are flood zones and we were not in one of them.  But they are close and thousands of people continue to be without power and heat and running water and they have suffered extensive flood damage. Meanwhile it's getting down to the 30's at night. Bah. The storm itself wasn't that bad wind/rain-wise.  It was pretty scary but it wasn't like, torrential rains.  But the surge it caused from the ocean and rivers is unreal.  I can hardly comprehend the amount of water that gushed into the city and just filled every basement, parking garage with cars bobbing on top of each other, filling every nook and cranny.  Sean went down near Coney Island to help and was shocked at the destruction. Neighborhoods wiped out.  Water is such a mess. They helped at a local 100+ year-old catholic church whose basement was destroyed.  They took all these pews and beautiful old things directly to the dumpster. :(  

And not to mention the fires running rampant, burning entire communities. I can't comprehend it all. I can't. So i'll just leave it at that in this piddly statement.

There is nonstop relief effort going on around this town.  There have been carnivals at church to entertain kids and receive goods and donations (more specifically, there was a moon bounce(!!) Has there ever been a moon bounce at YOUR church?? At one point Julian and I had it to ourselves and we almost died from happiness.  He was absolutely terrified to go in the hole but when i realized it was empty I scooped him up and said, "Julian, you'll thank me for this one day" and threw him in and he quickly realized his good fortune.  There seem to be donation spots at every street corner.  We got to make some hot food for people in Red Hook who continue go without power and water.


View Larger Map

Every day there is an influx of emails or Facebook links to organizations and Initiatives and donations and supplies needed.

I wrote this next bit in an email to family and it continues to be my thoughts and feelings so I'll stick it here and you get to read how I write to my family and friends (hint: it is the same).

In short, the city, particularly Brooklyn is ALIVE with energy for the cause.  It's amazing to witness everyone instantly come together to help and support each other with such care and in so many ways. People giving rides, delivering supplies.  A friend in the 'hood offered to watch kids so people could help out on Saturday.  Another friend offered at least FIVE families to make them all dinner one night because that was something she could do. (and not something I could ever do--EVER. Five families, say what? And she delivered them on foot with her 3 kids in tow--WARRIOR.)   The city is this way anyway--people coming together--and i can only imagine what it was like post-9/11.  But it's one of the things that makes this city so beloved and gives it its magic.  

Another example: Today our favorite ice cream shop (and officially the #1 best ice cream in the entire city--it's true-- down the street is donating 100% of their sales toward storm relief. What fabulous neighbors. I love this so much. 

So that's what's going on over here. 

We're still in this, friends. When I read the list of things people need like diapers and coolers for insulin, it breaks my heart. And it feels so strange knowing how close these places are to me and how unaffected we personally were by the storm.  I'm humbled and am stirred up to be involved. If you'd like to help out, click here.

TEAM NYC!

Waiting Out the Storm

Well, are you on the edge of your seats, nails bitten to the nub, wrought with worry for your ol' pal Jen?   Here I am, safe and sound and ready to blog.

Well, I learned something this past week.  It is that waiting out a storm feels just like waiting out the storm. It's weird, it causes confusion, disorientation.  As opposed to waiting for a storm, which is exhilarating and exciting and scary and ominous. I wouldn't recommend this for too long of a time, but there definitely is something to be said for the anticipation and suspense.

Monday we waited for it to come and the whole day we would convince ourselves that there "sure was a storm brewing" when really it was overcast and breezy and a little bit rainy, that's it.  I guess the sky was a bit darker that cast a weird shadow, but really it was a regular rainy day.  Then the day turned into evening and the winds picked up and it got eerie and highly irregular outside.  Kind of a quiet wind.  Like a scary part of a movie and suddenly there's no music and it makes it even scarier.   We had stayed in all day and I think my serious cabin fever distracted me from feeling any anxiety over the storm (also, i think i used up all my apocalyptic fears for Irene).

It blew and blew and we went outside for a minute and almost blew away so we came back in.  We all went to bed and slept soundly and in the morning there were stormy residuals but it was over.

Here are pictures of all the festivities from before, during and after.  I'll try to put them in order.

First, and probably foremost, here am I in my costume:

                                     

What am i?  A rebellious Vulcan. of course.  a) i wanted to wear a wig. b) i wanted to join Starfleet (at long last) and c) pointy ears.  In short, it's the perfect costume.  I loved it and it felt like a second skin. And you can be sure i will wear that outfit on more than one occasion. Welcome to the regular rotation of my wardrobe.

And, guess what else?

                                           

We won a prize for our pie!!!  It wasn't the overall winner but I can't tell you how ecstatic i was to win at all!! Totally unexpected. And frankly, we already have the apron so this hand towel will compliment nicely. (< -- to be said snootily. ) So excited.   It was a concoction from my imagination.  I was sending recipes to Sean two days before the cookoff--"Sean, what about this? or this?? Or this! This would be a good combo, right??"  with hardly any feedback.  What, are you busy or something?  Anyway, it ended up being a Pumpkin Coconut Custard Pie.  Half pumpkin pie, half coconut custard.  Try it for yourself.  I was so pleased. No pic.  That's how unceremonious we were in making it.

Here are other costumes:

                                           

Tony Stark.  Sean, that evil genius, put a battery-operated LED light up his shirt and BAM--cool costume. Little bit jealous.

Julian's costume was adorable and perfect and we feel we hit the bullseye... on a completely different target.

                                       

What, you say? He's not a jedi?  No, actually. Believe it or not, he isn't.  Though it was SPOT ON.   And now we have next year's costume. No, but it's ok.  I ventured to one of my Scary Places, a fabric store--ALL BY MYSELF.  I asked strangers: "what do i do with this? do i take up this ream?  I think I do, right? [digging up memories visiting fabric stores of  yore with my mom] Is this called a ream?!"  *hyperventilating* And i may or may not have taken several pictures of everything in question to send to Sean so he'd tell me what to do.  We borrowed a sewing machine and, watching youtube videos on how to thread a bobbin, Sean got it going and whipped up Julian's costume to be...

The Old Dark Frog! from the story The Shivers, as told by Frog, from Frog and Toad, beloved by all of us.   The concept was adorable and Julian was too, but yeah, totally looks like a jedi.  Though he did have a jump rope in his pocket. 

Monday was spent looking at the dark boiling sky, everyone off work, just waiting at home.  Monday night was spent feeling that at any moment our house would be pulled from the ground and we'd see out the window an old hag on a bike. It gave an extra spooky ambiance by making the lights flicker all night long. I got so antsy waiting for the power to go off I wanted to yell, "just do it already!" and just turn off all the lights and pretend.  But it never happened, and thankfully so. 

Many people spent the 2 days indoors baking and cleaning. We did a bit of that but mostly we just participated in super random projects and activities. For example, we made a pumpkin using our cool mosaic blocks:

                                           

Each of us was in charge of an activity. That one was mine. Also mine was bobbing for apples which was fun and funny, as is this picture:

                                

I totally soaked my head in that bowl getting my apple, which reminded me why nobody likes to play bobbing for apples, and I held Julian's apple at the surface for him so he could get a grip but all he did was just keep taking bites out of it while i graciously held it for him inside a bowl of water.  Also, i saved this pic as bobapples which i thought should be Sean's alias, which makes me laugh because I'm a simple girl.  Hi, I'm Bob Apples.  Nice to meet you.

Julian's activity was Chutes and Ladders. I almost won and then fell down the big slide, if you must know. And yeah, it still stings a little.    

Sean's was building a rocket.  He made one using a glue container, lime juice, and baking soda.  We went outside and he launched it and it shot 20 feet in the air and I wanted to do it too. What started out as a simple activity turned into Operation: GJLFR, or Get Jen to Launch a Freakin' Rocket.  I asked Sean to take video of it and he did, for each and every attempt.  A short film sequence, and i should have combined them but then you wouldn't get to hit the play button a bunch of times.

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Six time's the charm! And it was very satisfying.  

Julian and I made silly food faces which was pretty good considering we had no food in the house. 

                               

This is funny because I really could have/should have made them out of our food storage food (see previous post).  

I made Sean and Julian go out on Monday to get us some stuff.  That's right, I put my family in danger. What, it was in the daytime and we needed groceries.  What, i didn't realize the storm was coming until Sunday.  

While they were out i texted Sean, "maybe some sandwich rolls?"  and he sent me this pic:

                          

Which made me laugh.  Ahh.... ok.  

He also sent this:

                                   

Tuesday we ventured out for a short walk to see the town. it was the usual post-mega-storm scene. Broken trees and limbs, some crashed upon cars or buildings. :( 

                                        

It is so weird to emerge from our houses, kind of bleary-eyed, a little nervous, out to survey the damage.   

We thought all the trees would be bare but some held on.  But the thrashen leaves did give us some lovely potpourri. 

                              

And it was a strange yet appropriate feeling watching the stormy aftermath with all the halloween decorations. 

                                         

It made for a very scary Halloween Eve, but not one I particularly recommend. 

Happily, we were still able to celebrate. Julian and I went trick-or-treating with friends and it was way too much fun and I so did not stay out long enough.  After a while though he got tired and we did some lazy trick-or-treating, or drive-by trick-or-treating.

                                       

Sometimes he'd hold out his bucket. Sometimes i would.  Sean got to join us in the end. His work has drivers so they sent him a car and he went into the city while everyone else was stranded home because no trains were running which absolutely boggles the mind. More on that later.

Sometimes our path would be blocked by a huge fallen tree so we'd turn back.  It's crazy.

 I'll end this now but I have a lot more to say about this storm and the aftermath.  I'll just give a quick prologue:  Monday night I was glued to Facebook and getting news and pictures that my brains were leaking out my eyeballs (eww--happy halloween!).    I saw a lot of pictures and some of them were ridiculous, looking like they were stills taken from The Day After Tomorrow--obviously fake.  But then some were like this, of our beloved Jane's Carousel and it really does break your heart. So eerily beautiful, is it not?

More to come.  Meanwhile, to have a laugh, click here to read a letter from Sandy herself.  So many good lines. Kudos to James.