A career-path or a just a hobby? July 18, 2008
Posted by NettyD in Health and Well-Being, Lifestyle, Millennials, Theories and Thoughts.4 comments
Growing up American, I’ve definitely felt the pressures to live “the dream.” From the age of about 19, however, I realized that this “dream” really is a crock of shiz. I began to notice early on that the people who worked ridiculously long hours, sacrificed their family ties, and who started to rack up clothes in their closets they didn’t even realize they had, not only seemed unhappy, but also really c-r-a-z-y!
And now, eight years later, my opinion about this hasn’t changed at all. And I’m glad.
Having said this, though, I am encountering hurdles when it comes to deciding exactly what I want to do as my contribution to the world. I have read many new-age books that stress the importance of the laws of attraction, and that life and its purpose will be revealed to me. Basically, I shouldn’t try to control my destiny. I believe all of this to a point, and feel that it explains why people who do try to control their destiny are so unhappy. But there are still parts about the concept I struggle with.
So far, what has been revealed to me in this life is that I’m very good at one thing: dancing. I’ve also discovered that I have a passion for writing and expressing myself. For me, these two activities have always been more about escape and release. But, if the universe has given me these skills does that mean I’ve been given an assignment of some sort?
My dilemma is that I’m afraid that if I turn my hobbies into my career, I will start to dislike them. By not doing what I’m good at, though, am I throwing away what I’m really supposed to contribute to the world?
Hmmmm.
New York Pics: Days Two and Three July 16, 2008
Posted by NettyD in Arts & Entertainment, Lifestyle, Millennials, Travel.2 comments
Alright folks, it’s time to see loads of pictures from my weekend in NYC. (Scroll down for Day One pics). First off, I just want to thank my home skillets Joy and Jeff for hosting me and showing me a good time. Never a dull moment in the city that never sleeps…
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DAY TWO
Joy works in the advertising industry and it just so happened that Latina Magazine invited her to an event at the Westin Hotel in Times Square while I was visiting. It was a free day of beauty services open to the public and hosted by the magazine and other sponsors. Because of Joy’s hook-ups, we were able to cut in front of HUNDREDS of crazy latina women and be one of the first to get our pretty on! On our way out, we were given a bag of swag. Yeah, I know, I’m cool.
Publicity, Publicity, Publicity!!
The nail technicians were only allowed 10 minutes to do each woman’s nails!! Yikes!
The contents of the swag bag! I love that the hair products were all about “anti-frizz.” Ha!
After the Latina Magazine event, we hopped on the subway uptown to the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). The top floor was a Dali exhibit, but they didn’t allow pictures, so I just took a picture of the entrance. After that, we worked our way down the six floors of years of art. This was the only thing I wanted to do while I was in NYC. I had the time of my life.
Dali and his ’stache – now that’s art people!
Magritte’s “The Menaced Assasin”
Jasper Johns’ “Target with Four Faces”
Monet! I couldn’t get the whole thing in the shot. It was divided into three panels and extended over an entire wall. AMAZING!
Joy and Picasso’s “Woman’s Head”
(Notice the “security guard” in the background. Is he working or people watching? You decide.)
More Picasso! I love how the teenage boy got in the shot. Art within art, no?
Yes, that’s Picasso’s “Three Musicians” LOVE IT!
What’s up, Warhol?
This piece was titled, “Little Girl.” It’s hanging on a barbed wire from the ceiling. Anyone care to interpret?
A piece by the feminist, Ree Morton.
A general view of one of the strangest rooms in the media gallery. Notice the mannequin standing in the left corner. That piece was titled, “Stand in the corner and be ashamed of yourself.” It doesn’t get more American than that folks!
I like big butts and I cannot lie…
This piece was titled, “Wrist Corsage.” It’s hard to see, but there is a picture of a little girl in the top left corner. It’s a juxtaposition between innocence and sexuality. This was my favorite piece. Many critical thoughts about my role as a woman came up while looking at this.
After getting all nerdy on art, we decided to meet Joy’s cousin Viviene and their friend Patrick for dinner and drinks at the “Boat Basin Cafe.” On the way there, we happened upon Bhangra dancing in Central Park!! The redhead in the green shorts and white top was waaaaaaay into it. I couldn’t believe she was barefoot in the Park. I hope she got a good foot scrubbing after this!
“The Boast Basin Cafe” is an outdoor restaurant located at the very end of 79th street with a view of the Hudson. The wait to be seated by the water was over an hour and a half! Because we were tired, and were in need of ice cold pina coladas, we decided to settle for the more interior seating. Everyone there was in the 25-35 age group. I observed the scene heavily and began to think about what it must be like as a wealthy, young urbanite. I won’t bore you here with my thoughts on the matter. Maybe another day.
NettyD and Joy oi oi !
Joy and her cousin Viviene, who is a dentist.
And now, DAY THREE
I woke up Sunday morning and after a quick chit-chat with Joy and her BF Jeff, I took the subway from Brooklyn to Times Square – again. This time I was meeting my aunt and my two cousins. It was great to catch up after so many years. They didn’t let me take pictures, so that’s all I have to say about that.
On my return to Brooklyn, Joy, Jeff, his cousin and I made it to the Brooklyn Museum of Art to see the last day of the Murakami exhibit. Murakami is an amazing Japanese artist. Some of his stuff impressed me more than exhibits at the MOMA the day before. Check out the madness!
This craziness greeted us in the lobby while we waited about a half hour to get tickets.
These two sculptures were facing each other. On the opposite walls were large pink and blue canvases with white splatter all over them. The room was titled, “Milk.”
The beauty of Murakami…
Jeff, Joy and Murakami
I stole these next three from Joy. (Thanks for that oi oi !)
Outside of the museum there was a really cool urban lawn. Sundays in New York 
We headed back to Brooklyn Heights after that, and decided to enjoy the festivities of Bastille Day! Technically this French holiday is celebrated on the 14th (which was the day after), but I guess Sunday worked better for everyone since they didn’t have to work! Smith St. was turned into an outdoor festival full of French food stands and merchandise. A piece of the street was even sectioned off and covered in sand so that attendees could play petanque (sort of like Bocce Ball). Culture, Culture, Culture!
We happened upon a skateboarding competition. Really exciting!
Playing petanque!
Roof deck party overlooking the madness on the street!
Happy Bastille Day!
One last shot of the Brooklyn Bridge. (oh, and Joy looking very tired and hungry). I love New York. I can’t believe it took me so long to go back, but now I plan on spending many weekends up there over the next year or so. Happiness!
I love New York! July 12, 2008
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Travel.2 comments
Hello all! I just woke up from my first night in Brooklyn, and I feel so excited. There is truly nothing like NYC. Nothing.
Yesterday I took an early train out of D.C. and landed at Penn Station around 10:45a.m. Then I jumped on the express train to Brooklyn, and met my dear friend Joy. She was waiting in line for an iPhone and by the time I reached her, they had all sold out. She had been waiting in line for four hours!! But even though the people around her in line were pissed off, and the sun was blazing hot, Joy took it in stride with a gentle shrug of the shoulders, and an “okay, let’s get out of here.” This is what I’ve always loved about my friend.
I’ve known Joy since we were freshmen in high school. We’ve been together through lots of things, good and bad. We were senior editors together on our high school yearbook and raised hell when we decided to change the Senior Superlative categories. We were tired of the boring ones like, “Best Looking” and opted for titles more like, “Most Likely to be in the Cast of Seinfeld.” We didn’t end up having it our way. All of the snobby popular kids would have been left out of the new categories and so they protested wildly.
Joy and I also traveled together to Europe the summer after high school graduation. We learned a lot about each other on that trip, including the fact that we both were unafraid of roaming big cities by ourselves and that we each had a talent for reading subway maps. One night while having dinner in Paris, Joy and our other friends couldn’t finish their red wine. So of course I drank all the glasses for them. Afterward, I remember floating down the streets of Paris drunk off my ass for the first time in my life. I can’t believe that was almost 10 years ago.
After graduation, Joy was accepted into NYU and she’s been living in the city ever since. Now that she’s older and more established, she’s living in the most expensive neighborhood in Brooklyn: Brooklyn Heights. Arriving into these parts yesterday, I was instantly reminded of The Cosby Show. There REALLY are rows of brownstones that house doctor’s offices below, and their living quarters above. So beautiful! Joy explained to me that Manhattan has become a bit too gentrified for most of the artists and young people of the city, so Brooklyn has become the new hip place to be.
After dropping my stuff off at her apartment, we headed for lunch at a yummy Thai restaurant and then walked around her part of the neighborhood. She lives three blocks away from the river and there is an amazing view of lower Manhattan from the park that resides there.
After a brief nap, we got dressed and headed to a sushi dinner. Then it was on to the old industrial neighborhood of DUMBO. On the way there, we passed through the Brooklyn Bridge Park. What amazing views of the bridge and the new man-made waterfalls they’ve created!!
Once in DUMBO, we hit up a bar and got a few drinks. This guy at the bar started asking us a million questions about where we were from, etc. I ended up talking a lot about California. It’s always hard for me to explain to someone where I’m from. Yes, I was raised in Virginia Beach, but since my life has taken so many routes since then, I never feel like it’s a suffice answer. Anyway, this guy was really drunk and I doubt he was even listening to what I was saying. So I guess my verbal vomit was more for my sake than anyone else.
After DUMBO, we headed back into Brooklyn Heights and stopped by the bar, KAMP. The theme of the bar is “The Great Outdoors,” and all the tables and chairs were situated as if you were sitting around a campfire. I ordered an espresso martini (with vanilla vodka) and Joy and I split a “S’mores for Two.” A waiter brought a platter of chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers to our table. Fire and all! We ate like pigs over girly chit-chat and such. It was great.
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Brooklyn Bridge at sunset
Lower Manhattan at sunset
Blurry, but cool view of the Brooklyn Bridge and one of the man-made falls
My camera wasn’t cooperating, but still a cool view.
Joy, intently roasting the ‘mallow.
A hot new blog! July 4, 2008
Posted by NettyD in From the blogger, Millennials, Philosophy, Religion.add a comment
My dear friend Alex, who now goes by Brother Damian, has a new blog about his life as a monk! He is a novice-monk of the Missionary Benedictine monastery of Christ the King Priory in Schuyler, Nebraska. He’s just starting it up, but I know for a fact that this will be a great blog to keep up with!
Check it out at www.nebraskamonk.wordpress.com Or click on the link under my Blogroll to the right. Enjoy!
The internet makes me a better friend. December 11, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology.add a comment
Life should be simple, but sometimes maintaining friendships is really difficult, especially when the people you love are far away. But keeping in touch and making the effort to send a little e-mail really goes a long way in this day in age.
There are arguments that the internet has made us a little more cold, or a little less personal. I disagree. Sometimes the internet has given me the courage to say things, or ask questions that I probably wouldn’t have the nerve to say face to face. I think this is better than not saying anything at all. Also, through the internet I have stayed in contact with people from elementary school! Social networking sites allow us to easily stay updated with our friends’ lives, and even provides us with features that secure our privacy – just in case that high school stalker boy suddenly contacts you.
This is all so much better than our parents’ way of keeping in touch with their old friends. It seems so ridiculous now to have to find a piece of paper, write “Hey, how are you doing?” and then purchase a stamp and make sure it gets into the mailbox. What’s a mailbox anyway?
Penn State students mock Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween… December 8, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology, U.S. and World News.5 comments
[photos courtesy of drudgereport.com]
I just read an article about two Penn State students who decided to dress up as Virginia Tech shooting victims for Halloween. WHAT????????????Not just because I am a graduate of a Virginia University, but because I am a human being, I am appalled and disgusted about this. What if your sibling, friend, child, was one of these victims? Would you just write it off as Freedom of Speech?
One of the Penn State students basically explains that he and his friend have a reputation for outrageous costumes on campus and they needed to uphold their standard of pushing the envelope for shock value. What selfish bastards!!! He goes on to say that this is about “a bunch of college students who now think it’s trendy to be upset about their friends getting killed.”
Um, excuse me Mr. Turdball, but last time I checked grief was a natural human emotion that no one really wants to feel, but happens instinctually. Doesn’t it seem that these two are somehow jealous of what happened at VT? It’s almost as if they want the same attention, but without the pain. And by the way, what the hell ever happened to dressing up as a super hero for Halloween!?
The new “Bonnie and Clyde” and entitlement in America December 7, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology.1 comment so far
[photo courtesy of abcnews.com]
Your family is well-off because daddy is a plastic surgeon and you’re a senior in college about to take advantage of career opportunities that many in this country dream of – what do you do next? Team up with your financial analyst boyfriend and steal thousands of dollars from your friends and neighbors, of course!
Jocelyn Kirsch and Eddie Anderton are an example of the kind of greed in this country that is making us sick. This greed is the kind that keeps us searching outside, instead of inside of ourselves, for happiness.
Has anyone else noticed the “Paris Hilton syndrome” that is taking over our young people’s brains? The lust and desire for material possessions and fame increases, while the standards of hard work and creativity diminsh.
Who is to blame for this? Is there a solution? Can we rationalize this somehow?
I hope these two spoiled brats are made into an example and that they get severely punished.
The Spice Girls 10 years ago… November 30, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Arts & Entertainment, Millennials.1 comment so far
This video of the Spice Girls in 1997 on the Clive James Show is really funny! I got such a kick out of it. I can’t believe it’s been 10 years! Now is also a good opportunity to go find a picture of yourself from 10 years ago. How much have you changed?
I bet your Mom dragged you to a few of these … October 7, 2007
Posted by NettyD in Lifestyle, Millennials, Sociology.1 comment so far
[Photo courtesy of www.schwimmerlegal.com]
TUPPERWARE PARTIES! I realized last night that a few of these artifacts have somehow ended up in my own kitchen cabinets. Honestly, what was up with these shindigs? I guess our moms were looking for ways to fit homemaking in, between joining the workforce and spraying a whole can of aerosol hairspray in their bangs. I really think we might be able to hold the 80s responsible for global warming.
