Mean Irene

Rt. 49 into Waterville Valley, NH

While I was at first going to make this post entitled "How to Survive A Hurricane" I decided instead to make this more about how you can help out after disaster has struck. My area of New Hampshire was hit pretty hard, check out the local news. The road I take to work was washed out, the dam down the road was breeched. All in all though, I was perfectly safe and happy playing Apples to Apples and watching movies (thank God for generators). Others were not so lucky and I would like to turn my attention now to Hurricane relief efforts in my second favorite state- Vermont.


You can donate directly to the VT/ NH Red Cross or check out this article via Seven Days about other ways to get involved.

When it comes to disaster relief and fundraising I always feel a bit helpless like there's nothing I can do, and whatever $10 I donate via text message isn't going to do much good. But this disaster is right in my backyard and I feel the NEED to do something. If anyone reading this wants to have a benefit concert or drive to Vermont with me and help out or help me set up a donations area somewhere... let me know.  I'm still brainstorming but would love some help.. helping.

anything or everything?

When you're a young 20-something with the world at your feet, what do you do? When you've had dreams and goals your whole life to do something and they suddenly don't seem so exciting is it time to find new dreams?

I am at the very fortunate point in life where I can drop everything and go anywhere and do anything. I can move anywhere and apply for jobs. I can travel forever until I'm bored of it. I could meet a nice guy and get married and have babies. Or, I could stay here in my hometown at the job I enjoy and not change a thing.

I'm still going to London I think, because of a non-refundable ticket.

I'm starting to realize that maybe what is important in life isn't where you are or what you're doing but the people you are with.

X

plans change.

In a matter of 24 hours my life went from perfectly planned to a complete mess.

Yesterday I was moving to London with my best friend in September & going to North Carolina this weekend for a lovely road trip.

Today I have no idea if I should go to London anymore as I will be going alone. I am not going to North Carolina at all (Thanks Mean Irene) but at least SouthWest will give me credit for my flight home.

Who knows. I'm just a little leaf in the wind.

X

Super Sick.

I went to the doctor's last monday (10 days ago) and I was told I had an ear infection. I was prescribed anti-biotic Z-pack for five days and took a lot of sudafed and nyquil. It just got worse and worse. Now my symptoms include a stuffy nose, pressure, ear ache and a deep-chest cough. I asked around for some advice that would naturally cure me without having to spend more money by going to the doctor. Most people said trying a Neti Pot. Those things scare me, I'm afraid I'll drown.

I went to my local natural foods store and bought garlic & willow oil drops for my ears. Right now it just feels like there's oil in my ears. Not sure if it's working.

I have to get on a plane in 5 days. I hope I don't explode.

*update: After a second trip back to the doctor I was prescribed an albuterol inhaler. Fun.

Crazy Weather

So as far as Summer in NH goes, the weather has been pretty normal- a little rainy but there were some nice warm sunny days too. However, today there was an earthquake... I didn't feel it but people just down the road did. Apparently the 5.9 quake had its epicenter all the way down in Virginia. Shake, Rattle & Roll. While researching the Earthquake I also discovered that on Sunday there was a Tornado? There was quite a crazy storm here on Sunday, high winds and torrential rain that kept me up all night.

To add to this crazy weather, Hurricane Irene is going to be moving up the East Coast this weekend- very convenient as I am going to be driving with my friend down to North Carolina. Awesome. Here's to hoping my flight home to Manchvegas won't be delayed!

So what causes all this craziness? End of the world? :0) Let's hope not because I've got a flight to London in about a month and nothings going to stop me.

A little kindness.

Today at work I noticed one of our guests had an accent so I asked where she was visiting from. She said Brighton, UK. I told her I was moving to London and that I had no real plan of what I was doing. She automatically wrote down her name and number and told me to call if I needed any help.

It made me smile, after all of the e-mails and skype interviews I've done trying to find a nanny job and feeling like there was nobody to trust and nothing to do.

It also made me realize how kind everyone I've encountered in this past year has been. (pretty much my whole life of course as well).

I graduated in May 2010, got two jobs with help from people, and I've pretty much had a free place to live since then ( in fact three different places).

One thing I want to work on in the next few months is learning how to be grateful & gracious for the kindness people give me, instead of feeling bad and unworthy or selfish and like i'm a leech.

Pay it forward.

x

London, take 3

London. September 13, 2011. Carpe Diem.