October 24, 2007

Busy Busy

I really should be sleeping right now, but I've got a lot to share. I'll start with the important stuff.

My internship is actually starting off pretty well. I've already put up one of my own posts (it's not my best work but it's a small, heartfelt little sports plea from one Lakers fan to Kobe Bryant). Within five minutes of being in the office building I was given the power (though not necessarily the authority) to change any text on any site in their entire network of ten plus websites. I already knew they were doing some high quality work, but now I'm glimpsing the behind-the-scenes action and the energy is infectious, in a good way. I must also be doing something right because my supervisor asked me to come in an extra day this week. I'm doing everything for free, of course, so that may not mean as much as it could but I still take it as a positive sign.

My rooming situation has been infected with a different kind of energy. First I had a room with my brother, then another room opened up for me, then it was taken by the squatter, then I was going to move out, then the room opened up again, then it was taken by the squatter again, and supposedly now the room is mine again. Despite it being available I'm probably going to find my own room elsewhere. I've been up front with my brother and our third guy about my needing a stable environment where I can write and study and so far this apartment hasn't been that place. My brother is bummed about it but he respects my decision. Now I just need to actually find a place.

I've already looked at one place that could work pretty well, but it's in a completely different community from what I'm used to - Caribbean folk. It's starting to grow on me, but I want to hold out for a place that is a little larger and more convenient with food options. I'm probably being greedy but I don't want to latch on to the first place I see.

I've done my best to study with the free time I've had, but between working, searching for an apartment and all the talking related to the whole rooming affair I haven't had a super focused time with my test preparations. It's a little confusing because the Verbal and Writing sections are probably the really important sections but they're also already my strengths. I want to be focused with my studies but not neglect other parts of my preparation as well. It's kind of easy to forget that I also need to prepare separate writing statements for different journalism programs and that'll take time too.

Oh and one final light story. Earlier today it started to rain on me while I was walking through the Union Square area so I decided to find an umbrella (and also a urinal - rain makes me pee). I found a mini Walmart location on my phone so I wandered around a three block radius enough times to start etching groove marks on the pavement. Finally I turned to a blonde woman beside me at the cross walk and used my polite gentleman voice to get her attention. Then she turned to face me and it suddenly became clear that her dog wasn't out there for the exercise or to spew little poopoo coils on the sidewalk but instead the dog was there to help her "see" because she was blind.

Awwwwkward.

I automatically felt a little embarrassed for what I was going to ask, but then I remembered that one of my good friends from college is blind and he has a better sense of direction than I do with both eyes and a map, so I asked the woman for directions anyway. Turns out she wasn't familiar with the area and she actually needed my help to find her destination which only took a few minutes and made me feel better about myself as a human being.

An hour later I was taking the subway home with my brother when the same woman and her doggie somehow darted in front of me and blocked me from getting into the turnstile. She got tangled up in the turnstile herself, being blind with a frisky dog after all, and I asked her if she was alright. She didn't recognize me but I finally realized why this woman looked so familiar.

She was none other than Eleanor Roosevelt.

Now I definitely need to sleep. Take care everyone.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hehe heh hee...

That reminds me of the best 'quote' from her:
"America is all about speed. Hot, nasty, bad-ass speed." - Eleanor Roosevelt, 1936.

Fletch said...

Well, a few weeks in and you're not broke and/or dead yet (because being a broke dead guy really sucks). I'd say you're doing pretty damn good.

BTW (you don't have to answer this), where exactly are you getting money from? Or did you just save up a bunch?

Matt said...

april - I remember that one! That Eleanor Roosevelt is one raunchy broad.

fletch - Thanks for the positive thinking! I think I take being not dead and not broke for granted. By the way, (I don't mind answering) I'm also able to support myself right now because I lived at home for a year. Also, I'm not exactly frugal, but I also don't have expensive tastes so I can easily save money without trying. It's a very useful skill for situations such as the one I'm currently in.