well...

at least i've added a few updates and a few more to www.shezzaspeak.blogspot.com

surely that counts...right?  right???

sigh.  alright, i'll get on the rest--tomorrow...

:-P SHEZ

Alright FINE!

sigh.  I am completely and totally determined to catch up on my blogging before school begins!!

As was pointed out to me, perhaps I wasn't having such a great time, but no....quite the opposite is true.  It's just hard to know where to begin nor if I can actually adequately convey everything, however, I suppose that the longer I wait the more likely I am to forget things.

feel free--I have a feeling I might regret this--to harass me 'til it's done.  Check back for updates in months of September, January, May, and July--hopefully I can get a big dent in my tales before I take my next adventure, which is actually Nerida coming to visit for a few days, followed by a week long trip home, followed by a few more days of Ned visiting (she's going on a cruise and is stopping here before and after!)...

TTFN!

:-P SHEZ

My Great Minnesota Adventure, Day 4!

Today we had a lazy morning and then met up with Jena for a trip to Minnehaha (ha ha ha! ahem, sorry couldn't resist) Falls.  But first, a bit of a side trip.  Our first stop was a quaint little chocolate shop with the most amazing chocolates!!  And the next was to Caribou Coffee, my first actually to the coffee shop, as April was most kind and got me a bag to enjoy coffee at home in the mornings without having to go out for it!

Then on to Minnehaha Falls--a park on the outskirts of Minneapolis.  First on the agenda was lunch at the Sea Salt Eatery in the park.  Of course, seafood was the mainstay of the menu--we all had something different and the portions were huge!  Highly recommended...and try the beer--it's locally brewed!

After that, we wandered around the trail that took us from the top of the falls, down to the bottom, and back up again...

After all of that wandering around, it was time for dessert, which meant ice cream from Izzy's--a local ice creamery and very busy spot for a sunny afternoon!  The interesting part about Izzy's is the Izzy-sized scoop, which is a dollop of a different flavor--your choice of about 30+ flavors.  Actually click here for a list of the flavors currently being served.  How current you ask?  It's updated about every 30 minutes!

After we left Jena (thanks for the fun afternoon), April & I went home to pack our bags and had a bit of dinner (Chipotle!  Which is insanely inexpensive comparatively speaking to NYC prices!!) on our way to the Centennial Show Boat Theatre to watch a play, who's name is of course escaping me at the moment.  It was fun and very Shakespeare-esque!

Then, just when you think the evening is over, April & I stopped for a few provisions and headed north to the lake!  Of course, after 3+ hours of driving in the dark and a quick tour of the cabin, we were ready for bed so we could get up early and go exploring!!

:-P SHEZ

My Great Minnesota Adventure, Day 3!

Four VERY exciting things happened today:

1.  I met April's friend Shana.

2.  Breakfast at Mickey's.  mmmmmm.....it was delicious.  I think I still prefer burgers & milkshakes, but the pancakes were awfully delicious!

3.  We drove to see the Largest Ball of Twine in the World Made by One Person, dubbed The Notorious B.O.T. or BOT for short and actually found it!  I say actually because it's not marked other than on a sign as your heading into the town, which reads "Home of the World's Largest Ball of Twine" but then neglects to tell you how to find it.

4.  We went to a winery.  They had really good wine...and a cute dog.

Four not-so-exciting things:
1.  Shana was sick...although she still went with us, so definite kudos to her!
2.  BOT was in a gazebo, protected by glass, which made taking pictures rather difficult and kinda hard to see (as you no doubt noticed by the picture above).
3.  The BOT museum was closed and there were NO TSHIRTS!!  i mean, c'mon people you are sitting on a GOLD MINE! GOLD MINE!! with BOT tshirts...alas...we drove away empty handed.  :(
4.  The winery did not ship to NY.  Phooey on that!  I deliberately packed light so as not to have to check a bag.  And while the wine was good, I didn't want to have to worry about packing it and checking my bag.  Lazy, perhaps, but well...it's ridiculous.  If you are reading this and live in either MN or NY, write your Representative and Senators and let them know how ridiculous.  Yes, I already did. Why do you ask?!?!?!?

ALSO! In looking at my pictures, I was reminded of yet another EXCITING thing that happened.  After we got back to St. Paul, we went in search of this:

I know you're in awe...and wondering what the?  but it's the worlds largest stucco snowman, mascot, I believe, of the school across the street!  Sit back and revel in its glory for a moment.  I did!  :)

And just when you think it couldn't have gotten any better, that night we met up with more Friends of April for dinner at a brewery (yummy beer!) in Minneapolis.  Afterward, we went to Sharon's house where we played games.  And by played, I mean they played and I--like an ungracious guest--fell asleep on the couch.  oooops!  did I mention how relaxed I felt around April?  And when you add beer and a comfy couch, it's just a VERY anti-social combination!!

:-P SHEZ

My Great Minnesota Adventure, Day 2!

So after a sleep in, I had AMAZING (yes, that's a word you're gonna hear a lot this trip!) Minnesota coffee.  If you ever have the chance to drink Caribou Coffee, Minnesota Blend--DO!  It's wonderful and robust, but smooth and perfectly roasted.

Anyway, I digress.

After lounging around, April, April's Mom, and I had an early lunch (Chinese, YUM!) and headed to the Minnesota Science Museum to go see their exhibition of The Dead Sea Scrolls.  They were AMAZING!  If you're in the area, you should definitely carve out a couple of hours of your time and see them. [on a side note: I recently discovered there is a workshop you can take, which has more in-depth information & guest speakers, which takes place just south of the Twin Cities.]

We were advised it would take 2 hours.  We thought we got through the exhibit much faster, however, to our amazement, it was just over two hours...time flies when you're viewing ancient history and are archaeology buffs, such as April & I are!

Later that evening, we met up with Sara to go watch the St. Paul Saints (whose mascot is a pig named Mudonna) take on the Ft. Worth Cats.  In the spirit of being a devoted Texan, I was one of maybe 5 fans in a packed stadium cheering for Ft. Worth.  We had front row bleacher seats, which was great...until everyone walked in front of us, completely oblivious to the fact that we were (shocking, but true) trying to watch the baseball game.  I mean, really, who goes to the game to watch?!??!?!?

It was a great start to the game, but in the end, the Saints (whose mascot is a pig named Mudonna) came back to pull of the win.  April & Sara didn't gloat...TOO MUCH...although more than my liking, since it meant that Ft. Worth lost.  Oh well, you win some, you lose some....but that's a long way to travel to lose (I'm just saying).

We headed home in anticipation of the next day [spoiler alert: The Big Ball of Twine!!  woo-hoo!]

:-P SHEZ

My Great Minnesota Adventure, Day 1!

So my "Great MN Adventure" began with April picking me up at the airport, introducing me to Flat Nico (more about her later), and heading to dinner at Chevy's with friends of April's who were spending the weekend in NYC, sightseeing and babysitting the darling pupcicle (adventurous of them to say the least!).

Amazingly enough, the trip to the airport and the flights were shockingly smooth and very un-Sherry-is-traveling-like.  Except of course, for my carryon bag (yes, I am capable of packing for a long weekend in a carryon--and even had room for presents!!)...which decided to be difficult and the handle got stuck in the up position, which cause quite a ruckus on the plane from NYC to Chicago, as my bag had to go in sideways (gasp!) and thus not as many bags could fit in the overhead compartment.  Several people with their HUGE carryons were grouchy about it, but the gentleman sitting on the end of the row, very nicely came to my defense and was happy to put he & his wife's bags on and around my bag to help conserve space....but of course, you know some people just need to complain about something.  In case you're wondering, I graciously checked the bag in Chicago, so as to not have any grouchy plane neighbors (see, I am capable of consideration when it is absolutely required).

ON A SIDE NOTE:   April & I managed to fix the handle (with duck tape, of course), however, it wasn't a permanent fix, and well, I ended up having the same problem on the flights home.  sigh...oh well, given my typical airport adventures I'm certainly not complaining!!

After dinner, we had a bit of an early night (thank you April)...and I even slept in the next morning (well, every morning in fact.  I think April is relaxing for me, as I tend to sleep a lot around her...maybe it's because it's not the hustle & bustle of my normal life, maybe it's the nice, cool, air conditioned room, maybe it's the fact that she lets me!)  Regardless....it was a great start to a great weekend!

:-P SHEZ

Look Familiar?

Okay, so if you're on FB & Twitter you've probably already seen it, but here it is again:

http://tattoosday.blogspot.com/2010/06/sherry-shares-her-lone-star-birthmark.html

and scroll down--it's really interesting to read the backstories & reasoning behind the tattoos

:-P SHEZ

Awwwww....

Yeah, we're freaking cute...well, okay...Addy is :)

CHEERS!

:-P SHEZ

Just When You Think It Can't Happen To You...

Ah....more traveling woes (because I know that you never get enough of hearing about my traveling travesties!)

Thanks to stress at work and school and general feeling of barely keeping my head above water, I've been, as Brie likes to say, "VERY anti-social" of late...and she forced (well, guilted) me into going to a coworkers housewarming party last saturday. The party was fun (pics on FB if you're interested), but it was the trip home that was, well, the most memorable that I will HOPEFULLY ever have.

Danielle (host of aforementioned housewarming party) lives north of school about 10 blocks, so the commute was very familiar to me....but of course it was the weekend and, even better, in the middle of the night...so keep that in mind.

I am on the train...FOOLISHLY thinking (probably jinxing myself) I might actually make the 3:30am ferry (what? the party didn't start until 9:30...I didn't travel 1.5 hours to stay for 10 minutes to get home at a somewhat reasonable hour)...listening to my ipod, contemplating life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, when a--what I believed to be--slightly inebriated gentleman (using the term loosely), walked over to me, and asked "does this train stop at 42nd-bleh, bleh, bleh" and when i say "bleh, bleh, bleh," i mean "puke, puke, puke."

That's right: HE PUKED ON ME!!!

take a minute. let that soak in (figuratively, of course, but if it helps you can think about it LITERALLY soaking in on my jacket) and join me when I say

EEEEEEEEEEUUUUUUUUUUUUWWWWWWWWW!

ha ha ha ha. i laugh now, mainly to keep from crying.

How does one keep one's composure when this happens? I'm quite sure Miss Manners does NOT have a chapter on this, so I very firmly and loudly yelled "go away from me. go sit over there (pointing to the other end of the train). and yes. this train stops at 42nd street." then I got off at the next stop and puked myself...but IN THE TRASH CAN.

Of course, since I got off the train and had to wait another 20 minutes for another, I then missed the 3:30am ferry...and spent the rest of the evening walking like a T with outstretched arms, in one hand my bag (THANKFULLY and MIRACULOUSLY escaping the deluge of puke--which in the grand scheme of things wasn't that much, but ANY puke from a human of whom you do not know is--in my opinion--a deluge)...and in the other hand my very smelly jacket.

Meanwhile it's about 40F, which would normally make for a nice brisk evening...unless you're reeking of puke and in a sleeveless shirt because you knew it would be slightly warm at the party and dressed accordingly, but didn't give it a second thought because you had jacket to keep you warm while you were standing outside for 15 minutes waiting for the shuttle bus to the ferry (because of course, it's the weekend and there's track work being done and the train doesn't go all the way to the ferry)...oh wait...

on a positive note, I had a seat to myself for the rest of the trip....not much of a consolation prize, but at least I got to take the ferry to the isle of staten and didn't have to make the side trek through Brooklyn again...

:-P SHEZ

PS--if you're wondering about the "human puke" comment, on Friday--the day before--Addy was sick and PUKED all over my feet in an attempt to get her downstairs and outside...so needless to say, but I'm going to anyway--I have had my fill of being puked on, thankyouverymuch (and Addy's okay, thanks for asking...I think she just drank too much water too quickly)

I'm Singing in the Rain....

In case you hadn't heard, NYC has been having torrential downpours, the worst part of which was on Saturday. Also on Saturday my friend Shannon was getting her first tattoo and I told her I would go with her, even though it was in New Jersey. I know Jersey sounds a bit far, since it's in another state, alas, only takes about an hour via public transportation or 15 minutes by car, but of course, this is a story of me and am currently without a car, so it is also a story about public transportation.

It is still raining as I begin my trek home with announcements on the train advising passengers traveling to New York via Newark, they had to get off in Newark and take the buses into NYC. Thankfully that was not me! :) I just kept thinking "pleeeease let me get back to New York and then I'll be fine." And made it I did. Whew! But alas, soon my good luck would run out.

I arrive at 14th Street at 8:10pm and I run (okay, quickly walked) from the train to the subway and caught a southbound 2 train, then transferred to the 1 train and got to South Ferry at 8:27pm, just enough time to run up 3 flights of stairs, huffing and puffing, but able to make the 8:30 ferry, as opposed to waiting for the 9:30 ferry because on the weekends after 7pm, the ferry only runs once an hour. But wait, what's this? Pause the music, take out the headphones, and hear the following:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the ferry service has been indefinitely suspended. If you want to go to Staten Island, take a Brooklyn-bound R train to 87th Street and transfer to a Staten Island-bound bus, s53 or s79."

My first thought: why would I be at the Staten Island Ferry Terminal if I didn't want to go to Staten Island?

My second thought: because of track work the R train, isn't stopping at the Ferry Terminal.

My third thought: WTF?

And the Fourth: Now what?

So I find the nearest MTA worker who advises that I have to take a Brooklyn-bound 4 train to Atlantic Avenue, then transfer to the R train, take it to 87th, yadda, yadda, yadda. Great. (yes, that was a sarcastic great...thank you for noticing). The nearest 4 train subway stop? 4 blocks away. Did I mention torrential downpour? Yes. Did I mention my big umbrella broke while walking TO the tattoo parlor in Jersey? No? I knew I forgot a vital detail.

So I walk...and arrive at the station soaked. Get on a Brooklyn-bound 4 train. Get off at Atlantic Ave, walk to R train platform, so far so good. Then I wait, and wait, and wait...finally--nearly 30 minutes later--the R train shows up. Get on, get off at 87th Street, okay, so it's not great, but it's not that bad. I head above ground, mind you I'm nearly dry at this moment. So I wait, huddled with everyone else who was attempting to catch the ferry and were now schlepping through Brooklyn to get to Staten Island. After about 20 minutes the buses show up and of course, people pile on and I move closer to the front of the line. Now at this point, I should mention USUALLY when a transportation service is halted, there are shuttle buses filling the gaps, but thus far, there has been no mention of shuttle buses. 15 minutes later, the next set of buses arrive--I get on the bus, with absolutely NO idea where this bus will actually take me. The bus driver announces that this bus is going to the middle part of the island, but the bus right behind us is a shuttle to the ferry. Since my house is closer to the ferry (and I have no idea where this bus will take me), I, along with about 1/3 of the bus, opt for the shuttle. So we get off and walk to the shuttle bus, whose driver will not open the door and let us on. Instead, he pulls up, so we follow. Still he will not let us on. He pulls up even further, but still won't let us on. After 10 minutes of this cat and mouse game (and let me remind you still torrential downpour and no umbrella = SOAKED again), driver of "shuttle" announces he will not be our driver and leaves.

We wait, and wait, and wait. Another bus arrives, announcing it's a shuttle going to Staten Island. Needless to say, we're a bit hestitant, but it's dry and warm, so we get on. And we wait and wait and wait...after everyone is on and we're ready, the driver announces that this bus is not going to Staten Island either and everyone needs to get off.

Fifth thought: Are you FUCKING KIDDING ME?

Sixth thought: I wonder how much a taxi is from here?

Seventh thought: Who cares it's worth it.

Eighth thought: Where the hell is a taxi when you need one?

The next set of buses come--this time on the other side of the road, so we all walk over (yes, I realize this is starting to sound like an Arlo Guthrie song, but you should have been there), but those buses are going to the Staten Island mall, which is 45 minutes by bus to my house and I wasn't sure at this point if that bus was still running (good guess, because that bus stops running at 11pm: it was currently 10:39pm and we were still in Brooklyn).

Ninth thought: Screw the taxi and the shuttle bus, I'll take my chances on the s53.

Tenth thought: I sure as hell hope there is another s53.

Eleventh thought: YAY! the bus.

Twelfth thought: Now, where to get off.

I tried to use my phone to map it out, however, with the weather phone was not cooperating, so I called Nico, who was nowhere near a computer. Then I called Christi & Tracy, who helped me navigate bus and by some form of a miracle, the s53 bus drives right past Addy's vet (read: I'm no longer lost). I am still soaked and freezing, but now within 2 miles of home, so my hopes are lifted...until I realize that--knowing my luck--the next bus will probably come along in 30 minutes. Nope! It's 5 minutes away....of course, it was late, but I didn't care...I've never been so happy to get on a bus in my life! A quick 7 minutes later, at 11:24pm, 3 hours and 14 minutes after I got back to the state of New York, I finally arrived home...a bit frozen and a bit pruney, but a very happy--and exhausted--girl.

ahhhh....life in New York certainly is never boring, especially when travel and Sherry are forced to converge.

:-P SHEZ

PS--in case you're wondering, ferry service was restored at 9:30pm and had I waited, I would have been home by 10:05pm. HA HA HA HA HA HA...I laugh mainly so that I don't cry.

Time Flies...

It's hard to believe, but exactly three years ago today, I brought home the darling princess Addy.

Of course, it was initially for a trial-run--depending on if she got along with Stella...and whether she would answer to a new name (originally she was Bella....but c'mon, I couldn't have a Stella and a Bella). However, I think we all knew the minute she stepped foot in the apartment, I was in for the long haul...and now I can't even imagine my life without her.

Yep, that's my baby.

:-P SHEZ

My Kinda Valentines Day...

Valentines, schmalentines....

After a brief stint at work, where one of my lovely baristas made my day with a HUGE kiss--of the Hershey's variety!, I headed over to Toy Fair to meet up with Emily & David. After spending the day exploring all the latest in cool toys--and collecting a few samples along the way--we were invited out to dinner at Arno by one of Emily's vendors. Delicious italian food, good wine, great conversation...and at the end? The coat check attendant gave Emily & I each a red rose. Awww...we fawned. David declared that sometimes is sucks to be a boy.

Yes, David sometimes it does.

:-P SHEZ

Oh Saturday...

...please come back! How I enjoyed my day off--obviously, I'm blogging about it.

I didn't get half the stuff done that I wanted, but I did manage to do some laundry and grocery shopping...so all in all, I'd call today a success, with the exception that it's now over--and i'm back to the real (work/school/work/school/work/sleep/work/school/etc) world....

:-P SHEZ

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow....

Ahhh...there's something magical about being curled up on the couch with the pupcicle watching it snow.

Yes, I realize it sounds crazy, but I love it. And not just because I have a rare day off tomorrow (not that i'm off...I already have tons of homework), but still...perhaps it's just knowing I don't have to get off the island of staten or even leave the house is the true magic...

:-P SHEZ