Boston Directions.

It is easy to get lost in a city like Boston. Unlike NYC and Toronto where you have a nice grid to follow (for the most part), navigating Boston streets have the ability to make you feel like you are in a labyrinth.  Especially is you are not from there and do not have a comprehensive understanding of things work.


In fact, the best way I heard it summarized for me five years ago was: "If you have to stop and ask for directions to somewhere, don't be surprised if you are told, 'You don't where that is? Then you don't fucking belong there. Just figure it out.'"


Boston can be a cold city like that. Back then, I hated that. But now I love it. It's harsh. And unfriendly. But having spent most of my life being known as "super nice" and "friendly," I love that Boston doesn't suck more energy out of me than I am willing to give.


There are many streets with the same name. Many streets are not labeled. Streets go only one way for quite a distance. Streets can be hidden and tucked into the smallest nooks and crannies. I lived on a street when I first moved to the city that had only one building on it... And it was at a known intersection... But not on either of the two streets that intersected... It's driveway off one of the streets... And it is considered a whole separate street.


So given all of this, I didn't bother to learn the names of all the streets I walked along when I lived in Boston the first time. I knew how to get to places, which streets to turn down. Which were ones to avoid walking down after dark. But the names of all the streets? No. Instead, I relied on landmarks.


I thought maybe I was the only one who was lazy and self-absorbed and did this. After six years living in Boston, I couldn't bother with knowing the names of streets? But as I learned last night, I am not the only one.


Dinner was with my best friend, Frogger,  in my renewed neighborhood of the South End. While fawning over a shared slice of genuine key lime tart (so many places "fake" the lime as being from the Florida Keys - SHAME), she was telling me about a divine grilled cheese sandwich cart that sits outside near her work building in Back Bay... And that I had to try it when I moved back. I asked her exactly where it was so I could make a note of it.


"Um..." she thought for a second. "It's at Dartmouth and Neiman Marcus."


I laughed.


"That's not really an address," I pointed out.


She agreed. But couldn't recall the name of the street that intersects with Dartmouth. So she named the closest marker she knew. And, as she knew it would resonate with me, she said Neiman Marcus.


The sad thing is, I SHOULD know what that street name is. The Hancock Tower sits on it; and I worked there for a few years. I would walk down that street all the time to get to work.


Later we walked past the intersection to get to the redone bar at the Copley Plaza Hotel. It's Stuart Street. And now I will always remember that.


I mean, after having moved to Boston the first time NINE YEARS ago, it is indeed time I learned the name of streets.

Back To Boston.

I leaked this on Facebook last week... And am ready to share it here.

I am moving back to Boston.

Confused? Yes, I just moved to NYC a year ago. And now Boston? Allow me to explain...

I missed Boston.

I decided about three months ago that I am at a point in my life where I want some familiarity in my life. I want to live in a place where my closest friends are. The Husband wants an easier pace when he comes to visit me in the States. I want to get back into my Bikram practice.

And since I am a big believer of taking your life into your own hands and manifesting what you want... I decided to say out loud, "I want to be back in Boston." 

And the opportunity came forward. Then this week, I went to look for an apartment. And the one I really wanted was the one I got. I signed a lease, and it begins in September.  So in a little over a month, I move back to my old South End neighborhood.

Feels like that weight I was writing about all those weeks ago has truly been lifted. And I am starting to see the light of a life beyond work... Which I haven't had in quite a while.

The Waking City.

The "Work Horse" Life.

The finest way of traveling between New York City and Boston is by train.  Especially early in the morning. The train is very quiet. You can usually find a seat in which no one will sit next to you. And the prettiest part...  Watching the city slowly wake-up as you ease your way out from the tunnels and into Queens.

Being cast among the tall buildings of the city, I easily forget that a good portion of the five boroughs is nothing like the island. There are more trees. Not everything is within an arm's reach. You have more space to breathe.

For the past year, I have been living in a box. I'm not referring so much to my apartment. More to my habits. When I moved to NYC late last Summer, I immediately fell back into my old habit from the last time I had lived here in the early years of the new Millennium... I became a non-stop workaholic.

No surprise, for those of you who know me. I pretty much have lived to work since before I even graduated university. But both times that I have lived in NYC, I have taken it to extremes (for me).

It's something about this city where I instantly begin operating in the mentality of, "There's something that needs to be done NOW. Personal life can wait. I can just squeeze out a few more words here... A few more slides there... Oh I really want to see how these projections will change if we maybe think about focusing on the SEO piece more than the SEM.  Oh... You need those estimates NOW and you forgot to email me last week to do the? No problem. I can do it now."

I have done Bikram maybe 40 times in the past year. And that is being generous. My practice is the worst it's ever been. Forget teaching. I am exhausted by the time I get home from work, and can barely stay awake to Skype with my husband. I often forget to eat until late in the day, which is bad. But the moment I wake up, I am off and running to get things done.

The energy of the city just absorbs me and it's always "go-go-go!" I get lectures from my husband, Mum, friends and HR that I need to set a better example and take time for myself... Other than the 60 minute pedicure I get every two weeks. (Note: It's actually supposed to be a 90 minute pedicure... But the place I go, the ladies know I like it quick.) But it's just too easy to for me to draw satisfaction out of being needed that I allow myself to always being moving on to the next project right away.

I asked my Mum recently what I was like as a child. I've never been a person who needed affection, or really direct attention. So I was curious if maybe I outgrew that at one point. Had I been a normal needy (in a good way) person when I was a child?

My Mum thought about it for a second.

"You always had the attitude of 'here's the next thing do/sibling to come along, let's get things done/make room for them'."

I was, and still am, very protective of my family... Even though there has never been any reason to be. And growing up, my parents always seemed to leave me in charge when they were out, even though I had an older brother. It's not that he couldn't handle things - he could, but I just seemed eager for the responsibility.

And that mentality has stuck with me my entire life it seems. And when you mix it with a city like New York, work becomes the first priority by default and to an extreme. For me, it's hard to yank myself out of the "work pit." I get off on being needed.

So I need something to help restore balance. Since I can't seem to do it on my own. And I know what it is I need. Some of you already know. But details to come later this weekend.

Have You Discovered Men's Pajamas?

I have. And swoon!

About two months ago, I was flipping through a random LL Bean catalog when I saw some men's pajamas that caught my eye.

"They look so comfy!" I thought,

So I began searching for some that would be appropriate for me. But I wasn't falling in love with any.  And I was worried about the fit.

I am a woman, after all. I do have curves. So I put the idea aside.

"I can just continue to sleep in Lulu's and tank tops," I figured.

But as fate would have it, while lying in my Lulu's and a tank top this weekend while reading the NY Times, I got an email from J. Crew about their Vintage Pajama Set.

Men's-style pajamas cut for women... And not in prissy colors! Score!!! 

They came yesterday and I love them. I feel very glamourous drinking my morning coffee and reading the news while lounging in them.

You're 35. Stop Being Cheap, Yo.

I am a right cheap bastard.

Well, with some things. Not every thing.

But one of the things I am super cheap with are my utilities. I don't have any extended cable channels in the NYC apartment. And I refuse to turn on the heat in Winter and AC in Summer so that I don't have to pay ridiculous energy bills. So as a result, I layer like mad in the Winter here... And in Summer, I live in tank tops and Bikram shorts while lounging at home.

But that all changes now. At least for the Summertime.

I got my electric bill for mid-June to mid-July today.  Because I had house guests for part of June and the early part of July, I actually turned on the AC. And after they left, I kept it running.

Well, I got my bill today, and was shocked.

It was cheaper than what I pay in the Winter time for heat. It's cheaper than what I would spend on dinner with The Husband.

"You can chill out (hee-hee) and stop being so cheap now," pointed out The Husband.

Yes. I think I will.

How To Be A Woman.

Tuesday this week can't come quickly enough.

For Tuesday is the day Caitlin Moran's "How To Be A Woman" is available for download on my iPad.

Source

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, you will have heard me mention in the past about how I find it extremely lame when I meet people who don't believe in "feminism." This is because their definition of "feminism" and my definition (which is the real one) are different. But it appears that my take and Caitlin Moran's are the same.** 

And, thus, I am very excited to read the book... Which is part memoir, part opinion, and (probably) hilarious all through-out. I am psyched!

**My take on feminism: It simply means you believe women are equal to men. And you support all the achievements that have been made to ensure that women and men are equal. Like voting. Equal pay. Not being viewed as "property" of men. 

The Glorious Freedom!

The past few years, ever since the pay wall was "built" on the NY Times site, my news reading has been very limited.

Sure, there thousands of news sites out there on the Internet. But only a small handful of what I would consider "quality" ones. And when you see a few putting in place the need for a digital subscription to view content, your choices dwindle down quickly.

Every month, I am meticulous with what I read on the NY Times. I know I only get 10 articles to view for free, per device. So I have my work computer... My home computer... And my iPad. That gets me 30 articles.

So I have been limiting my content viewing on the site to the Styles section, where I am even more selective about which fashion and food articles I actually click on to read. And some months I really ration out what I read, trying to be careful not to hit the wall too soon, but I end up not hitting the limit on any device.

This is what I call "waste." 


"Really now," my inner dialogue told me earlier this week, "It's time to stop being so cheap and shell out the $15 a month for a subscription. You've been known to spend more at Starbucks in a single day. Get real!"

So today I did. I finally got myself a digital subscription.

The weight has been lifted.

I feel so free.

So much content.

I have no limits.

I can do anything.

Even read the Times Magazine!

"Treat Yo Self" Day.

Props to my high school cheer buddy from way back in the day (who lives in Rome now - how jealous am I?) for reminding me that we all occasionally need a "Treat Yo Self" day.

Don't know what that is? Well then you clearly don't watch Parks & Rec (one of my favorite shows)...




While Tom and Donna only do this once a year... I believe it should be done way more often. Like at least once a quarter.

Or once a month.  (Depends how stressed you are.)

Today is that day for me. But, I have no idea what I will be doing. But I am thinking it will involve the procurement of fine leather goods.

This Is Couture?

Um... No.

Sorry, Rafe Simons. But your first couture collection for Christian Dior fails to hit the mark. It is beautiful, and full of incredibly wearable things. But it feels like it could easily be on the rack, ready for me to scoop up.

Where was the whimsy? The fantasy? The imagination? I need all that to make something feel truly "couture." I need to feel like there is no way something could be easily mass-produced and thrown onto a rack.

That said, again, I do love the pieces. They just aren't "couture" to me. Here are my favorites:

I love the pops of color!!! (And the strong lip color.)

Short List Of Reasons To Live: Independence Week.

Perhaps I am moving slow... And everything else around me is moving at a normal pace... But I feel like I am busier than ever lately.  Which is sad... As it is Summer. And things are supposed to be more relaxed.

This week, I will only be in the office three days because of the holiday. And I've committed myself to not getting pulled into the office/work emails/conference calls on the slightest whim. This is my Independence Week.

So here is this week's List of Short Reasons to Live:

• Magic Mike. I did not get to this movie this weekend. (I did see Ted, however.  Completely brilliant!) I intend to this week, since I will have time.
• Savannah Guthrie. It is no surprise to me that in just a few short years this woman, who I found inspirational as an intern when I worked with her back in the late 90s, is now in one of the top spots at NBC News. Sadly, Ann Curry really wasn't right for the morning show anchor role. She's complete perfection at human interest stories. But the "fluff stuff"? Let's face it, it's 50% of the job on the Today Show. You have to be serious enough to interview heads of state one second, and silly-assed everyday folks/idiot celebrities the next. Savannah was always an easy-going person in the newsroom back in Tucson. So I am looking forward to seeing her each morning at the anchor desk.
• Location Decision. I won't go into it right now... But I will be making a decision in the next few weeks about where I am going to be living. My options are: NYC (staying put), Boston (back to where this all began!) or Toronto. I have a few things to finalize before I make my decision. Work would take me to Boston. Or work could keep me here in NYC. Retirement would take me to Toronto. 

That's my short list for this week!