Remembering Aprils

As with previous months, the responsibilities of my expanded job position and ups and downs in my personal life have prevented me from blogging as regularly throughout April as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for April:
April 2008
April 2007

Thoughts from Today's Meanderings Around the City

Leaving my apartment:
New neighbors moving in on the 2nd floor.

Somewhere on Madison:
Poodles and Bug-A-Boo strollers. Yep, we're on the Upper East Side.

Walking up Seventh Avenue:
Lived almost a year in Hell's Kitchen - yet it still feels weird that I'm walking through Times Square and I'm almost home.

Walking down Ninth Avenue:
And tonight, we're eating in Brazil ... on Ninth Avenue.

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today:
Phone Photo Op - Skyline Sunset
Phone Photo Ops - Ready to Assemble

Remembering Marches

As with previous months, the responsibilities of my expanded job position and ups and downs in my personal life have prevented me from blogging as regularly throughout March as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for March:
March 2008
March 2007

Remembering Februaries

As with previous months, the responsibilities of my expanded job position and ups and downs in my personal life have prevented me from blogging as regularly throughout February as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for February:
February 2008
February 2007

To Be or Not to Be ... Free

Highlights of the past week:
- Returning from the Caribbean ... not free
- Attending the premiere of "Madea Goes to Jail" ... free
- Lower-level tickets to the Duke game in Madison Square Garden ... free
- Friday morning bagel with Lox cream cheese ... not free
- Lower-level tickets to the Nets game at the Izod Center ... free
- Round-trip NJ Transit rail ticket to get to watch the Nets play the Wizards ... not free
- Good, hard Saturday morning work-out ... not free
- Placing third in a scavenger hunt at the Museum of Natural History ... free
- Celebrating said victory in an Upper West Side bar with friends ... not free (would have been free if we had won)
- Having wonderful friends ... free

The good things in life are not free ... the great things in life are.

A Year Ago Today: "Things I Love" Thursdays - Coming Home
Two Years Ago Today: Midweek Recap

Remembering Januaries

As with previous months, the responsibilities of my expanded job position and ups and downs in my personal life have prevented me from blogging as regularly throughout January as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for January:
January 2008
January 2007

There Will Be Scaffolding

Scaffolding builds its way into your life in New York City. Some days you love the shelter it provides from the rain and snow. Other days you despise its distraction from the beauty of many New York streets. And sometimes it reminds you just how beautiful those streets are when you make a right onto Eighth Avenue and wonder what's different.

A Year Ago Today: Comparing Ends
Two Years Ago Today: No post

Remembering Decembers

As with previous months, the responsibilities of my expanded job position and my trip to Japan have prevented me from blogging as regularly throughout December as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for December:

December 2007
December 2006

Remembering Novembers

As with last month, and under the moderate strain on my time created by my upgraded job responsibilities, I have not bogged as regularly throughout November as I would have liked. Thus, affecting my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for November:
November 2007
November 2006

Just a Look Back

A Year Ago Today: Night Out Summary Via Text Message
Two Years Ago Today: Phone Photo Op - Denzel & Crew

Just a Look Back and a Peek Forward

I have not bogged as regularly throughout October as I would have liked, in order to keep up with my Year Three in Preview, where "posts of present accounts of being will end with 'a year ago- and two years ago- today' links to the past of becoming until the third year comes full circle and the 'Becoming a New Yorker' blogtale is complete."

So here is a year ago this month and two years ago this month for October:
October 2007
October 2006

And tonight, my girlfriends and I will be dressed as distinct versions of sexy referees, and we will storm the streets, with whistles and "body check" calls, to celebrate Halloween only the way New York City can and penalize the men of Manhattan!

Just a Look Back

A Year Ago Today: See It To Believe It
Two Years Ago Today: Power Lunch

Just a Look Back

A Year Ago Today:
"Things I Love" Thursdays - People Watching
VH1 Hip Hop Honors Awards
Two Years Ago Today: Jersey Skyline

A Quick Peek Forward & a Short Look Back

Tonight is dinner with friends at Buddakan. Yum!

In the meantime ...
A Year Ago Today: Spotlight Live & Etc of Round 1
Two Years Ago Today: No post

Another Non-Twitter Tweet

Katie wants the 3 hours she spent watching the VMAs back. 1 minute ago

A Year Ago Today: My First Fashion Show
Two Years Ago Today:
How Often Does Lightning Strike?
Chrysler Moon

A Non-Twitter Tweet

If I had Twitter, I would tweet: "Katie wants her friends to read this post on text messaging ettiquette."

And what do you think this young couple tweeted after this subway ride?

I'm going to say their names are John and Rose.
John and Rose just woke up in Far Rockaway. 2 hours after their stop

Leave your own John and Rose twitter in the comments.

A Year Ago Today: Urban Hazzards
Two Years Ago Today: Subway Entertainers

Just a Look Back

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: First Day of Work

Just a Look Back

A Year Ago Today: City Walk #12 - Battery Park City
Two Years Ago Today: View from Lexington & E 40th

Just a Look Back

July 24, 2008
A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: For Sale

July 23, 2008
A Year Ago Today: Phone Photo Op - Is That a Banana in Your Pocket or Are You Just Happy to See Me?
Two Years Ago Today: A Different World

Cups of Coffee

Have you ever said something and immediately afterward - or within 10 city blocks - wished you had said it a different way? Anyone who follows this blog, even semi-regularly, knows that I have. And often. Or has someone ever hit on you, and even though you weren't interested, you wished you had responded differently?

Being a woman in New York, we become used to more than our fair share of assholes. So when a nice, slightly attractive and fairly dorky-looking man in a business suit simply said hello while walking beside me on 42nd Street, my emotional wall was already going up. I glanced at him through my black sunglasses, nodded and said hello. After a few steps, he asked, "Can I buy you a cup of coffee?"

Without thinking, and only half-looking in his direction, I replied curtly, "Thanks, but I've had a really long day."

He shrugged and said ok and a few steps later, he was turning south on Sixth Avenue and I was waiting at the intersection to continue west on 42nd Street. I watched him walk away in his nice suit and thought about my bullshit response. Then, I imagined how much courage it must have taken for him to approach a stranger and invite her for coffee. And I wondered how often he might get turned down when he does. I didn't know what it was about this particular encounter, but suddenly I felt bad.

As I walked up Eighth Avenue, I thought of all the things I could have said. It's not that I feel the need to cater to everyone's ego; it's just that when a nice-looking man finally offered something more pleasant than a lousy catcall or trite whistle, I shot him down with a lousy, trite excuse. I could have sincerely thanked him for the invitation and politely declined ... and maybe even asked his name and said it was a pleasure to meet him. Is that the South in me - still rooted in my gut two years later?

It reminded me of a dream I had once, where I walked into the Sean John store on Fifth Avenue and Diddy was in there talking to two of his sales representatives. In my dream, he glanced toward the door as I walked in and basically looked right through me as if I did not exist and without skipping a beat in his discussion. In the dream, I hated the feeling of being invisible, not worth noticing - not that I would ever expect or care if Diddy looked at me twice on the street - ok, maybe I'd be flattered if he did (I mean he's Diddy), but why he was the landmark in my dream, I may never know since he is not exactly a significant idol of mine.

Maybe I could have at least made the slightly attractive, fairly dorky-looking man in in the suit on 42nd Street feel like his name was worth knowing - and he was worth noticing - as a thank you for not looking me up and down like I was a tender cutlet.

But what's done is done. And while I'm not narcissistic enough to believe that he was still mulling over our brief encounter by the time he got to 41st Street, I just want to use my blog as a temporary platform to say to the gentlemen in New York City: Don't stop inviting women for coffee just because we are used to dealing with assholes on a daily basis.

A Year Ago Today: No post
Two Years Ago Today: A Year Since July 7