favorite day of the week

Today was a good day.

Applied for an internship at a PR firm (exciting!)... met with Eleanor (the wonderful, sweet, older woman I visit through Encore Community Services) and had a lovely bike through Central Park.

My hubby and I encountered something funny (and cute) in Central Park... a man trying to train his (ahem... snobby) cat to respond to commands.

Kudos to the guy for being patient.

So... to paint the picture, he had his cat on a long, long yellow leash. The cat was sitting up on a high ledge, just scowling at the guy, like really scowling. And literally not moving at all, despite the man's repeated attempts to get the kitty to "come." Tys and I probably watched for 20 minutes, and although this cat was in arms reach (I would have just yanked on the kitty's leash until he came... but then again I don't think I would have my cat on a leash in the first place...) the guy was so patient. Eventually he offered the cat a treat and the cat maybe moved two inches. Poor guy. Even though Tys said we weren't leaving until the cat left, we ended up ducking out of the fascinating cat training session early. So... we never found out if the cat ever responded, but I guess we can just hope we'll see this guy again on our next bike ride.

pump it up

I woke up this morning looking forward to my run today.

WEIRD. This has never happened to me. Even as I sit here now, I get excited as I think about running in the warm sun rays. I am eager to get out the door, put on my music, and hit the pavement.

Is this Alee writing? I don't recognize this girl.

Today I will run 70 blocks, equivalent to about 3 and half miles (20 Manhattan blocks = 1 mile). A half marathon is 13 miles, so once I can run 260 blocks (yikes) I will be ready for a race!

thighs of steel

At this rate, I'll be running a marathon next Friday.

I just ran 60 blocks! This is quite remarkable. You have to understand... I have never taken exercise seriously. Ever. I have stayed pretty slim, but that's due to a great metabolism and eating well. So this is exciting.

As a ran today, I envisioned myself running in some sort of race. Of course, in my fantasy, I crossed the finish line far before all the others in the competition. The officials handed me the trophy and I pranced off, all smiles and looking beautiful. My family and friends clapped and people asked for my autograph. The paparazi swarmed around me, searching for just one glimpse... okay, just kidding on everything after the winning part.

But seriously, I definitely need to sign up for something... but what? A mud race? A half marathon?

guess I'm on a roll

Two consecutive posts. Pretty good.

I just ran 50 blocks. FIFTY! By summer I am going to be fitter than the fittest of fit. And before I know it, the mayor will declare me the fittest of the land!*

I ran in Riverside Park, from 112th to 72nd, then from 74th up to 84th.

While resting at 72nd, I discovered that it isn't a dog's life I want, but a bird's. It was pretty windy, and this massive flock of seagulls was flying in circles. Whenever the wind picked up, the birds would glide on it for as long as they could. Then... repeat the whole thing again. People spend all this money to skydive when birds get to play on the wind all day for free. Honestly.

In other exciting news, I found out a new friend took communications and journalism too! We are hoping to work on some projects together.

*gotta credit Will Ferrell's Tight Pants song for that one

I've been a stranger

Hello. It's been a whiiiiilllle. As you can see.

But... my love for blogging has been reignited! (I think).

I don't particularly want to write about everything I have been up to... that just seems like... way way too much. But I will say this. I am applying for jobs in the city, and am super excited about some opportunities that I am finding.

I will also say this: I recently started volunteering with a senior's organization in Times Square, and the senior I am volunteering with has a Pekingese who apparently prefers young blondes with blue eyes... over any other person. So not only do men prefer blondes, but Pekingese apparently do too. Thank you God for making me blonde.

What else? I love New York City. My love for it is growing day by day. The more I see, the more smells I smell, the more crowded subway cars I ride in, the more taxis that zip past me. Every time Tyson and I talk, we add a year to the amount of time we want to live here. "Hon, we could live here after you graduate, right?" "Oh yeah, maybe we'll stay here for something like 5 years." "I am feeling 6 years is about right." "Well maybe I'll make a 5 year commitment to my job after graduating... so that makes it 7 years from this point. Does that sound good?"

And maybe, just maybe, this is where we'll live:

Alee and Tyson Kennedy
Bedford Street
APARTMENT 75 AND A HALF!
New York, NY

I promise you - If we ever live in this house, we will never leave. Ever. How could you ever give up this wonderful of an address? Basically, its story is that it is the narrowest house in New York. And right next to it, is the oldest house (as far as I can remember). It does cost about 4 million dollars so... that definitely limits the possibility of us ever living there, but I'll dream.

Today I met a celebrity

Okay, my title is misleading... I didn't meet her. But she did smile at me. Or at least in my direction. Maybe it wasn't to me, but the person sitting next to me.

Let's just say she smiled and acknowledged my section of the audience, a number of times, and I was sitting in the front row... so it's highly probable that at least one of those smiles was totally for me.

I'll stop being annoying and tell you who it was. 

Meredith Vieira, the host of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire!

I had the wonderful privilege of being a studio audience guest for three tapings of Millionaire this morning in New York.

No cameras were allowed during the tapings, but I did manage to snap this one in a commercial break... that's her in the pink jacket. 

Super interesting thing I learned today... apparently Meredith tapes a whole years worth of Millionaire shows in 4 months. I was told by the lady sitting next to me that she works 4 days a week from August until November and after that, is done for the whole season. The shows air as normal, but they've all already been taped!

This makes sense because the tapings this morning will be aired in either December or January. I don't know the date yet. 

Just for the heck of it, I'm going to give you the run-down of my day getting to/being at Millionaire. 

6:25 a.m.  Alarm goes off. I press snooze. My husband grumbles beside me. 

6:30 a.m.  I jump out of bed, excited for the day, but also quite sleepy.

7:30 a.m.  I am dressed to impress and out the door.

8:00 a.m.  I miss my stop on the subway because I am praying and not paying attention.

8:07 a.m.  I get off the subway and get on one going back the other way. 

8:15 a.m.  I walk the wrong way once off the subway. I backtrack again. I joyfully remember how directionless I am and am thankful I left myself plenty of time to get to the studio. 

8:30 a.m. I get to the studio

9:00 a.m. I am in a waiting room with a whole bunch of avid fans, one who later claims to the whole group that he just got off parole for an attempted bank robbery. Joking? Perhaps. Or... perhaps not. 

10:30 a.m. I am in the studio audience in the very back row... but then....

10:33 a.m. I am asked to come sit in the front row! Woo! Perhaps because I have a pretty red shirt on? 

1:05 p.m. After watching three tapings I am still pumped up, but with a coarse voice from yelling and cheering. 

Honestly, I absolutely loved my morning at Millionaire. So much in fact, that I'll be in the studio audience again next Tuesday! 

The only sad thing about this whole experience is that Canadians can't be contestants on the show. Only Americans or U.S. residents can.

It actually doesn't shatter any dreams for myself... but my dreams for my husband. I have said for months "Honey, promise me you'll audition someday. You would win for sure."

He is like a walking encyclopedia, and has random trivia knowledge on almost any subject.

So much knowledge... and no trivia game show to test it on... Oh well. What can you do?

Don't cry for me Argentina

Tonight, my husband's wonderful cousins who are visiting took us to Evita, the musical.

It was phenomenal. I loved the dancing, the singing, the set, the lighting...

But most of all, I loved it because it reminded me of my granny.

It was one of her very favorite plays. Granny especially adored the song Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

I can hardly remember a visit at her house without her playing her VHS recording of the song, and saying "girls, come watch this with me! Isn't she a beautiful singer? Isn't this a beautiful song?"

She would stand in front of the TV, totally enraptured, sometimes with tears streaming down her face. Sometimes she would sing along... sometimes she would just listen. I'm not sure why the song touched her so deeply. I wish I would have asked.

Granny had a beautiful voice. I get nostalgic when I think back to the days she would sing us all the old-time songs she loved. I remember her singing these three the most... Showboat's "Ol' Man River", Dean Martin's "Gimme A Little Kiss"and Johnny Mercer's "Goody Goody".