2014 goals

So I just finished reading a book titled "The Mole People."  The book is comprised of short chapters detailing the lives of the New York City homeless as told from the author's investigative perspective.

My main take away from the book is that the homeless community is just that.  A community.  Like us above ground dwellers, most "mole people" see life underground as a place they feel safe and have a group that they call their own.  A lot of people who try living above ground actually end up living back in the tunnels because it's not so judgy down there.  They have leaders, communal jobs, and don't care/ask what happened in people's pasts.  They just focus on one day at a time.  

I read an article about an apartment fire that happened earlier this week in midtown.  A woman was out on her balcony with her husband and baby to avoid smoke inhalation and was tweeting things like "Big fire in our building.  Hubby, son, and me seem safe on the balcony."

...tweeting?!?... during a life-threatening fire???????  

What has the world come to?  I deleted my work email from my phone, have been taking semi-real lunches, and trying to leave work on time every day in an attempt to do some actual life things.  Trying not be glued to my phone has definitely been a challenge especially since I use it so much for work, but I have to say that I am feeling better about it each day.  

For 2014, I want to get back to the basics and focus on foundation:

- spend more time with the people I love 
- get off my phone/computer and be present... be awake
- not worry about other people and spend more time focusing on myself and my happiness

Happy new year, everyone!
MK

I struggle with consistency

It's been a very long while since I've written.  Since my last post, here are a few highlights:

1.  I played a solo (actually duet) with an orchestra!  It was so much fun and I feel so lucky to have been asked to do something like that.  I was also really excited because my mom came into town to hear it!

2.  Went to Puerto Rico with Dan, Rick, and Andrew.  It was lots of fun and I highly recommend staying in old San Juan if you are traveling there.  One of Andrew's friends lives there so he nicely volunteered to be our tour guide for the week which was a special treat.  Just thinking about it makes me want to be back on vacation.

                              

3.  Celebrated Dan's 30th Birthday!  Ice cream cake and a new espresso machine!

4.  Left my CBUS store in the beginning of July and transitioned to being the Operations Manager at the SoHo location.  Going into a strictly operations role has been very different and so far and a major challenge for me.  That being said, I'm learning a lot and am excited for things to come.  Look at the cutest card one of my girls gave me!  There is a real kleenex glued to the front!

5.  I went to the Lake Placid Chamber Music Festival last week.  It was very nice being there and I remembered how much I love violin and miss music.  I took a month off of playing because I worked for about 30 days straight, 14 hour days.  I think this going back and forth with music will be a struggle I'll have to deal with for the rest of my life.

6.  Jackie and I went to Toronto for work earlier this week for an operations workshop lead by the manager at Bloor Street.  She was amazing and I got to share some of my best practices with her team as well as pick up a few good ideas that I'm excited to implement when I go back to work tomorrow.   Jackie and I also got to play tourist and did some relaxing time as well.  :)

welcome, March!

The month of February definitely flew by and I woke up feeling good that today was the first day of March.  Since my last post about a better work/life balance, I have been thinking about health in general.  I am not an unhealthy person but living in New York City definitely changes a person.  I rarely cook anymore and making food to bring for lunch seems like an awful chore.  When you live and work next to a plethora of immediate food options, sleeping that extra 15-20 minutes seems worth it.

The last week or so I've tried to make food instead of eating out all the time to be a bit healthier and save some money.  In addition I've been working out!  ...Only for 2 days, but I plan on keeping it up!  Yesterday I had time in the morning to do some yoga and make myself a delicious fruit smoothie.  This afternoon I went for a run.  Running felt tortuous as I'm still getting over a cold and cannot breathe through my nose; however, I'm glad that I forced myself to go.  After I got home I was sad to discover that I probably only ran 1.5 miles and that felt extra hard.  I know that once I get over the initial pain and crying it will be worth it.

I am excited to keep on with some healthier habits to make them part of my routine instead of just occasional random things that I pat myself on the back for.  Here are a few meals I've made recently and been very happy with.

Hope everyone had a great first day of March, too!

less work, more life

For the last few years, my focus has solely on work.  Since I've come back to Club Monaco, I've been trying to get myself to where I need to be to take over the store for the time if and when Brandee leaves.  I've been working long hours (not a new/good thing) and really trying to better myself as a store manager.  Things are going very well for me at work and I think that things can only go up from where I am right now.

HOWEVER, I have been thinking...

I think I'm going to stop doing what I'm doing.  I mean, I'm still going to focus on doing my job well and working hard when I'm there, but I am going to have a better work/life balance.  I am constantly tired and borderline sick all of the time.  I want the main part of my life to be about music, friends, spending time with Dan, making food...  doing the things that I love, which I realized (this week) requires me to work less, stress less.  It's not that I don't want to be promoted because I do; however, I've never felt content just being where I am for any given time, but I'd like to start.  Right now.  There was a time where I loved work and wanted to work all of the time.  This is no longer the case so I'm going to start prioritizing my life to put my outside-of-work-happiness first.

To begin my new major life decision, I had a really good practice session last night followed by making some super yummy sweet potato, red lentil, curry soup.

I read my book, fell asleep watching tv with Dan by my side, and woke up this morning in my sunny, Brooklyn bedroom with Sangria curled up next to my head.  

This is the life that I want.  This is the life I will have.

home sweet home

I recently got back from visiting my mom in Wisconsin.  While I was there I realized how much I miss seeing my mom in person!

Unlike most people, we talk on the phone every day and use skype on a semi-regular basis so I feel like I "see" my mom all the time.  I hadn't been home since last Christmas and my sister, Jenna, and I haven't been home at the same time for 2 years.  Jenna and I talked about going home more often than once a year so we're already thinking about a trip home at some point in spring time.

One of my mom's cousins found these photos of my dad with Jenna and me as babies and sent them to her.  We put them together to get the whole picture.

I also got to see Jacki!  I haven't seen her for over a year either so it was great to catch up, see her new apartment, and meet her new cat- who has no name and is really, really mean... but I still liked her.

xoxo- MK

settling in

 My new, semi-finished room!

 

And I also got to have dinner the other day with these beauties!

kitty adjusted

I am finally all moved out of my old apt and am feeling half-settled in my new place.  The thing I'm most happy about is that Sangria has totally relaxed.  She was super stressed the first day and was walking around panting.  She's now well-adjusted and loving the sink in the bathroom :)

Look at her being soooo good!

Stay tuned for some new home pics.

Happy 2011!!!

2011 is finally here. I love new year time because I really do see it as a new, fresh start. Plus, I think that people are in an all around better mood because they are also making resolutions to better themselves in some way, shape, or form.

I went out with my favorite boys, Rick and Andrew, to a German beer garden called Loreley. Such good food! I forget how much I love sauerkraut! We had some champagne at midnight and then went to DBGB to meet up with Matt. The restaurant was decorated so prettily with balloons and new years decorations everywhere!

I've resolved to be overall healthier/take better care of myself this year. Living in NY is hard because it's hard to go grocery shopping, let alone find enough time to prepare meals, and there are so many places to buy food it's easy to be lazy and just buy something. I'm making some changes such as ordering groceries online and planning meals out in advance to help with my new goal. Also, I got some super amazing new kitchen items such as a kitchenaid stand mixer, a new garlic zoom, a cast iron skillet, and a bread maker for Xmas so I'm really excited to use them!

I love presents! :)

To kick off the year, I arrived home to Canada to find two lovely packages on my kitchen table. One was a bottle of wine from my landlords. How fantastic is that!? They have the right idea. Happy tenants = Happy landlords who get rent on time.

The other was a package from Asha Beyer! Remember how I mentioned that I was one of the lucky winners in her giveaway? WOOOOO!!! My room already feels happier without that empty wall.