signs.

i like signs. i like taking pictures of signs, i like following the directions on signs to get me places, and i like knowing that they show up as inspiration and hope in everyday life.

so, how do i read the signs that are pointing me in all different directions? here i am 25, a seasoned (ah!) college graduate, living in one of the greatest states in this grand country, and i'm antsy, almost dissatisfied. again (yes, again!) i am no different than the day i shook my chancellor's hand and thanked her for four marvelous years. to some, this could be an awful telltale sign that their life has lead them nowhere prosperous but to others, like me, it comforts me. i know that i'm still that same person from three years ago, with an eye for adventure, hope, success, and for listening to, and watching for, signs.

do i follow the proverbial signs and hope they point me in the direction i'm meant to go? or do i ignore the signs and brace for the consequences?

what's just over this horizon that i'm running towards?

"We all have the ability…we just don't all have the courage to follow our dreams and to follow the signs."

- Paulo Coelho

life after new york.

life after new york--is there such a thing? to some, that notion does exist and to others, it's unfathomable.

when i decided to move out of manhattan, i believed the latter--how was i ever going to get used to having to drive places and not be able to get food 24-hours a day?! furthermore, how was i going to do all that going from manhattan straight back down to the good ole south?!

somehow, i did. and i'd like to think it was those nice southern people and A LOT of sweet tea that made me realize that the former is true--life does exist after new york!

as i packed up all of my belongings and loaded them into my dad's car and trailer, i wondered if i had made a huge mistake. you don't realize things usually until it's passed and that's exactly what happened to me--i realized right after i left new york just how much she meant to me.

i'll give you the brief version of my adventures:
i decided to go where life took me for the next month following my move out of manhattan. 

first stop: turks and caicos with the Kreislers who i had been babysitting for since september in new york. they have twin boys, grayson and andrew, and we spent a week in providencialies relaxing, tanning, and having a blast. i was heartbroken to leave them but, alas, the road is life. 

after spending a week in 80-degree island weather, i decided to go to the other extreme and spend 3 days in vail, colordao visiting old high school friends and skiing the rockies for the first time. after skiing in the 55-degree weather, i headed down to denver to visit with my old babysitting family, the Gavigans.  i stayed with their 3 children when i was in high school and watched them all grow up over the years. needless to say, i felt old when i saw that connor, their oldest, was taller than i was!

    

 last stop: sunny san diego! i spent 2 weeks with my sister in encinitas, california to relax and re-group. mostly, i just got to spend some quality time with my favorite little pup, wahoo!

and so, a couple of months later, here i am. slowly figuring out my life--getting a job, settling back in to adult life--and doing it in wilmington, nc during the best season wilmington has to offer.

the road of life continues on...stay tuned!

and the road of life continues on.

one year.

it's been one year since i stepped off the plane into cold, blustery weather and began a new life and new adventure in new york city.

one year of adventures, new experiences, and new friends. one year of new weather, new jobs, new people, new places, new memories. if i could list all the great things that have happened in the past year, i wou--hey, wait! that's what this blog is for!

now, i will admit my blog is a bit partial to the happy things.  it hasn't been the easiest year and i think in hindsight, that's made this experience all the better.

i made the decision to move to new york because i was somewhat lost after college and needed a "plan." that plan was to go somewhere, find a job, and have fun. when i moved to new york, that's exactly what happened.  i met great people, got a job (okay, i got 4 jobs) and i had a lot of fun.

so, as i embark upon another new year (i know, it's february!), i still have that voice in my head telling me to have more fun and to add to my list of experiences.  

so, as i admit to you that i fell in love with new york city and all that she has to offer, i must also admit that i've caught the travel bug yet again. i don't know where the bug will take me, but i do know that the bug doesn't stick around forever and when it hits, you've gotta go for it. at the end of february, i'll be leaving new york to find a new adventure. 

for me, the road of life will continue on. i'll let you know where soon!

it happened.

our first snowfall in manhattan and my first real snowfall. ever. 

to clarify the real-ness, i mean a snowfall of more than a dusting, lasting more than 24 hours, and not shutting down the city in which the snowfall occured.

growing up in the south, we rarely got snow and, when we did, it was usually less than an inch or two and our town all but shut down because we had no idea how to handle that white powdery stuff falling from the sky.

so, last week, when the forecast called for snow, i didn't believe it. after all, it is the end of january and it JUST snowed for the first time this winter (aside from that freak halloween snow!).

but alas, i woke up saturday morning to that eerily quiet that only comes with fresh snow. it was grand. i woke up early, cozied up with a great cup of coffee, then ventured out with my long johns, layers, and brand new camera lens ready to get some great shots.

at the end of the day, we had about 6" and some sleet. here are some of the 184 (yes, 184!) shots i got.  enjoy!

            

and happy winter!

how i spent my december.

hello followers! sorry for the absence but it's that time of year!

i'll try to sum up the last month as quickly as possible without leaving too much out. so, get ready for some great pictures!

luckily, my friend brett and i got VIP passes for the Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting.  it was AMAZING. seriously. a true nyc experience i won't soon forget. we were seriously about 10 feet from the foot of the tree and got to see lots of cool people including Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, and Donald Trump & family.  

                       

                            

my family came into town the second week of december for some good old fashioned Christmas time in the city! we spent four days hanging out, seeing all the Christmas decorations, and having lots of fun!

then, i got to go home to NC for EIGHT WHOLE DAYS! it was amazing. i relaxed, i baked, and i hung out with friends and family. back in high school, i used to bake a gingerbread house each Christmas.  for a few years, i didn't do one but this year, i started again.  i pick out a pattern, make my gingerbread dough, cut out the pieces, and bake them.  then i construct the house and decorate it! it was SO much fun. it took 2 entire days and a lot of help from my family.  the entire house is edible and this year, it lit up. for Christmas Eve, we did our usual tradition of going to the Christmas Eve candlelight service then to my aunt and uncle's house for dinner, drinks, Christmas games and lots of singing. then we did our usual traveling on Christmas day to my grandmother's house for dinner and presents with my mom's side of the family.

so, that's what i did this holiday season. and here's to an even better 2012!