ROAD TRIPPPPP!!!

AAAAHHHHHH we're going on a ROAD TRIP!!! In half an hour me and Elysse are driving nearly 10 hours down to North Carolina to see our friend Maggie (and meet Paige and Jenna there). We're celebrating Jenna's 21st birthday in an epic way, so we're starting in the Outer Banks, then going to Maryland, Pittsburgh, Huntingdon, Kennywood... though not necessarily in that order. Then Elysse and I go back to New York on August 1st.

I'll try to post from the road, especially during the 10 hours of driving so y'all know where in the world I am, like Carmen Sandiego.

:)

At the risk of disappointing...

Y'all may not know this, but my favorite subject to photograph is people, especially people that I believe radiate some sort of beauty. The guy in this first photo is a very talented tattoo artist whose photo I took while he was working on my friend Sara. When I met up with her in the city a little over a week ago for brunch she told me that she had an appointment later that day for a tattoo, and I asked if I could go because I'd never seen it done before. Let me tell you, it's one of the most fascinating and intricate processes I've ever witnessed performed in my life! For me it really took the fear and apprehension out of actually getting a tattoo; and while I don't think I'll be getting one myself, at least now I know who to go to if I ever change my mind!


This man was doing some chalk drawings in the middle of Union Square on the same day I went to meet up with Sara. They were beautiful, symmetrical pieces-- almost like mandalas. He had a green bucket out for donations, and I would've given money myself if I hadn't needed to collect donations of my own for AVODAH. Either way, I really liked his hat. I have a weird fascination with straw cowboy hats. I'd buy another if I had a use for more than one straw cowboy hat. But, sadly, I only have need for one.

I took a bath this evening

Developed a recipe for the vegan banana granola peanut butter soy smoothie! Here 'tis:

V.B.G.P.B.S. Smoothie
1.5 bananas, sliced
1/3 cup granola
1/2 cup soy milk
1 Tbsp peanut butter

Put all of the ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and pop in a straw. That's it! You could probably add strawberries or whatever else you like--shredded coconut might be good--or adjust the recipe according to your taste preferences. By adding more peanut butter, e.g. That'd be my suggestion. Or scrapping the smoothie and eating the peanut butter au naturel.

On Thursday Elysse and I are driving down to Gettysburg to meet up with her friends from school, and then the five of us are going to epic-road-trip down to the outer banks of North Carolina, stay there for a few nights, then up to Pittsburgh, then camp out somewhere in the outskirts of that area. We'll be away 10 days, and I'm so excited! There will definitely be pictures from this trip. I know I said I'd post pictures from our trip to Princeton, but the pictures were kind of meh, disappointing. I need to exercise my poor camera*!

*which I have decided to name Jameson... colon-capital-D

Banana, Granola, Peanut Butter Soy Smoothie

That's what I had for breakfast. Oh my God, it was so good! And vegan! I'm kind of a secret vegan when I'm living at home; the meals that I eat by myself are almost always vegan (and definitely always vegetarian), but the meals I eat with my family often have dairy or eggs used because that's how my mom cooks. After two years they tolerate my vegetarianism, but the one time I was publicly vegan, back in my junior year of college, it didn't go over too well with them. They worried about me getting enough calcium because I wasn't eating cheese or anything. I've developed a lactose-intolerance in the past six months and since then have been eating way less dairy, but come September (after moving down to DC) I think I might try to return to veganism, maybe.

The hesitation comes from my extreme discomfort with my potentially burdening anyone with my dietary restrictions. If I'm a dinner guest as a vegetarian the hosts often freak out because they wonder what in the world to feed me; as a vegan, the freak out increases two-fold. No milk?? No eggs?? Spontaneous combustion!!!

Elysse and I are joining a new gym today. It's been way too humid to run outside, and our shotty treadmill in the corner of the basement is so overwhelmingly depressing in that it's in a corner of the basement remains unused except for the occasional walk-while-reading session. We're joining Gold's Gym, which is a pretty large franchise in the U.S., and also close to half the price of Sportset in our own overpriced hometown. I can finally be back on track, so to speak, with the physical fitness!

Strong Week

If I'm not busy with something every day, I feel bored. I worked today so that was alright, but tomorrow I have an open schedule. I do have to do some things for AVODAH though, so that'll be for then. Pamphlets to read. Phone calls to make. Etc etc.

Thursday Elysse and I are going to Princeton, NJ (which is one place that I've, randomly, always wanted to see; I hear it's very pretty). She has a friend who lives there, and I'm going along for the ride and the view. My camera will be loyally by my side- pictures will be posted!

Friday poses a bit of a problem. See, the Long Beach fireworks show is set for then, and I wanted to bring a couple of my friends from school, but there is also something else going on that night, which I might still be able to make, depending on how long the fireworks go... The only thing is, I don't know if I want to go to this second event anymore. I've been battling internally about with which friends my loyalties do and/or should lie. Because if each relationship is a teeter-totter, some of the scales are unbalanced. Know what I mean? These are my analogies.

Either way, there is also the fireworks show in my own hometown on Saturday, but I see those every year, and the Long Beach ones are, you know, on the beach. That in itself is cool!

Holiday Celebration FAIL

My family fails at celebrating holidays. No, we didn't watch the fireworks on TV like we've done in previous years (though my dad suggested it!). Actually, we didn't watch fireworks at all. And no one would go with me to scout out some fireworks in the area, so I stayed at home because I was afraid my family would feel betrayed if I went out, alone, to do my own thing. I just hate sitting at home in front of the TV at night. It's so lame. And life is too short to feel lame (because being lame is relative; some people don't feel lame sitting in front of the TV night after night, but I do)! I need to power pep talk my family members. Let's go kick some ass, people! Go, go, go!!

"C'mon, kidz-- it's just as good as fireworks IRL. Lolzzzz"

"We're not watching the fireworks on TV again, are we?"

My blog just got re-made-over, again. I'm so fickle with my online journals; tsk tsk.

Also, happy Fourth! It's 93 degrees outside-- not exactly good conditions for running, but I may take a slooooow walk instead, so I'm not so trapped in the house.

We're having company over later, including a 5-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl. Yesterday Elysse and I went out and bought 2 six packs of beer, so that makes it a party!

Once it's dark I'm going to go driving around looking for fireworks, by myself if I have to, because it's *kinda* lame to sit at home and watch firworks on TV. And my family's done that in the past. Whatttt. The eardrum-shattering noises are half the fun! When you can turn down the volume, no. No way. Not acceptable. Also-- OH MAH GAH-- Sparklers!!! Going out right now to get sparklers, sdlfwihjefmwlefm!!!!