What It's REALLY Like Living In NYC

With TV shows like "The City" and "The Real Housewives of NYC", we get to see how the "glamorous" people live in this beloved city (bad chemical peels and all - I'm talking to you, Kelly!). But really, how many people do you know that actually live like that? I know no one. I know people who like to pretend they do, and thus have obscene amounts of credit card debt, but the reality of it is, most of NYC lives something like this:

Tiny, overpriced apartment, mouse/bug problems, subway/bus to work/events (cab only when too drunk to get self home on subway), 14-hour work days for not a lot of money, shops at The Gap, Banana, H&M and Forever 21, and hangs out at dive bars where PBRs are $2 on a Friday or Saturday night (slash every night).

I want a reality show that follows the real people of New York City. A show that captures the bitter, angry residents when the MTA votes 12-1 in favor of a 25% fare hike, making a single ride $2.50 and a monthly pass $103. That goes to the dive bars and films us wearing hoodies and Chuck Taylors instead of minidresses and Louboutins, wrestling our way onto the 6 train in the mornings, screaming at the sight of a dead mouse on the kitchen floor, and getting drunk off $12 unlimited mimosas before going to the movies for the afternoon. Because that, my little apples, is how we in the Big Apple really live.

By Popular Demand...

My Top 30 workout songs, in no particular order (sorry Christine, I am not posting all 206 from my playlist):

1. Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf
2. Call on Me - Eric Prydz
3. Not Falling Apart - Maroon5
4. Fame Infamy - Fall Out Boy
5. Flashing Lights - Kanye
6. I Like The Way You Move - Bodyrockers
7. Valerie - Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse
8. An Honest Mistake - The Bravery
9. Beat It - Fall Out Boy feat. John Mayer
10. Ohh La La - Goldfrapp
11. Genesis - Justice
12. Electric Feel - MGMT
13. I Don't Wanna Be In Love - Good Charlotte
14. Le Disko - Shiny Toy Guns
15. Hot and Cold - Katy Perry
16. Disturbia - Rihanna
17. Closer - Ne-Yo
18. Poker Face - Lady GaGa
19. Womanizer - Britney
20. Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
21. Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings
22. Around the Bend - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
23. Untouched - The Veronicas
24. Here (In Your Arms) - HelloGoodbye
25. When I Grow Up - Pussycat Dolls
26. Yeah - Usher
27. Bombs Over Baghdad - Outkast
28. So What - Pink
29. Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
30. Shut Up - Black Eyed Peas

Things I Learned About Myself On The 25 Minute Train Ride Home

Slash things I always knew in the back of my mind but never fully realized until today:

• I am insanely jealous of people with one or both of the following: Chanel bags, Christian Louboutins
• I must walk at my own pace (which is fast); I cannot deal with people walking slowly in front of me
• I cannot stand behind a pack of people waiting to cross the street; I always work my way to the front (again, so I can walk at my own pace)
• When the subway is crowded, I get serious anxiety/massively irritated when people bump into my bag, which is usually slung over my shoulder

With the exception of the first bullet, I think this means that I have some personal space issues...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? First name - a song. Middle name - my mom's mother

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Yesterday when Jillian's mom read her that poem on The Bachelor.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yep

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Cracked pepper turkey

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I have a little brother. That's all I need.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Absofuckinglutely

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Nooooooooooo

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yessir

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Uh Huh

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lately... FiberOne Caramel Delights. And Erik - frosted flakes are not healthy.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? my only shoes that tie are my sneakers, and no.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? What happened to #12? And Half-baked.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? How they are dressed.

15. RED OR PINK? Pink

16. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORlTE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Not going there.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My dog. He is the only person (?) that I can't talk to every day.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Sure!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? I live in NYC... black.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The Veronicas... Hook Me Up

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Robin's Egg Blue. 10 points if you can guess why...

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? My mom's pasta sauce. And anything involving garlic.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Rebecca

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Uck Uck is the best little bro ever.

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Football

27. HAIR COLOR? So-dark-it's-almost-black brown

28. EYE COLOR? So-dark-they're-almost-black brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yep. And I used to have purple ones!

30. FAVORITE FOOD? Carbs

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? 13 Going on 30

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? 3 shirts: gray (tank), white (tshirt) and purple (sweater)

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer!

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Sex.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Ok 36 is gone too... Who knows...

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? See Above...

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Why Men Love Bitches.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Black

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The Bachelor

42. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? Silence.

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles. Forever and ever.

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Japan

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? My friends call me Rain Man... I remember phone numbers and birthdays like you wouldn't believe

46 WHERE WERE U BORN? Brooklyn, NY

47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone I don't know a lot about, and some friends I wish I knew better.

48. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER?

Friends with Exes, Yes or No?

I've had this conversation with a few people lately... and it's sparked a lot of thinking. Understanding that there are varying degrees of friendship, these conversations have got me thinking about my past relationships/hookups/indiscretions.

I don't really speak to anyone that I used to call "boyfriend", although am not on bad terms with any of them. When the relationships ended, there were hard feelings with some, which took time to heal, and now, for the most part, we are silent participants in each others lives, thanks to the wonderful world of Facebook. We exchange the obligatory birthday wall post and occasional comment to a funny photo, and that's it. One continues to pester and try to push buttons, and thankfully I have reached a place where I refuse to tolerate it, and wish he would just forget my email address. He also recently said he'd be fine with seeing me since he knows there is no attraction on either side. Well, did it ever occur to him that I might not want to see him? No hard feelings, but really, what would be the point of this encounter?

The hookups and indiscretions are always slightly (and by slightly, I mean extremely) volatile, at least in my case. A one night stand is not a one night stand if you have mutual friends. I learned that the hard way, more times than I would like to admit. It's awkward, and it takes a lot of effort on both sides to make it not awkward, and if one side doesn't put in the effort, well, fuck it. Not worth my time. But I did learn something, and it's that sexual chemistry does NOT equal compatibility.

I don't think I ever could be super close friends with an ex, unless by some miraculous event we both managed to put everything behind us and move forward, and as great and perfect as that sounds, you never really know when the feelings might crop up again, even if just on one side. It's a risk both parties have to recognize, and be completely willing to take. I just don't think I have that much faith in someone who most likely broke my heart.

Things You May Or May Not Know About Me

All these facebook lists have me inspired... let's see if I can get to 100.

1. I am better at football than kickball. But I play a mean third base.
2. I have not had to legitimately parallel park since my road test when I was 16.
3. When I was little, my mom got so mad at me she put me in the bathtub and dumped cold water on my head.
4. I got bit by a dalmatian when I was 8. It was on the 4th of July, and the dog jumped up and bit me on the cheek. I got $9,000 when I turned 18 because of it, in case I wanted plastic surgery to remove the scar. I didn't get the plastic surgery, and no one has ever noticed the scar unless I point it out. I did get the $9,000, and it went directly to Simmons College.
5. Is my favorite number. And not because of Nomah.
6. I took German for 5 years, and wish I had kept up with it.
7. Every time I drive past a cop my heart races a little and I stare in the rearview mirror until I am positive he is not going to turn around and pull me over.
8. I have only been pulled over once, and I just got a warning.
9. I have only smoked pot once in my life.
10. I have never smoked a cigarette. And I never plan to.
11. My favorite color is orange.
12. The cops came to my 13th birthday party because we were outside and "being too noisy".
13. I had my first kiss at that party, thanks to spin the bottle.
14. My first real kiss was a few months later, with my boyfriend, after seeing The Birdcage at the movie theater, during the credits while "We Are Family" was playing.
15. I have had a 20 year fascination with The Holocaust.
16. I visited a concentration camp in high school, and is hands down the most powerful place I have ever been.
17. My favorite memory of living in Brooklyn (the '82 - '88 years) is watching the fireworks over the Verrazano with my dad on the roof of our apartment building.
18. My favorite memory of living in Brooklyn (the '06 - '08 years) is the Memorial Day BBQ on the roof of our building in '07. That game of Cranium will live in infamy.
19. But then there's Tony's donut hole dance.
20. I will never forget the day I met Heather, when we were three in the park across the street from my apartment building. She jumped off a swing and it came back and hit her in the eye.
21. When Heather turned 5, I got a balloon at her birthday party. My brother, who was 2 at the time, really wanted it, so he hit me and knocked out a tooth that wasn't loose.
22. I got him back many years later. It involved a four square ball.
23. I had appliances in my mouth for 10 years. A palette expander, braces, and retainers. My teeth were messed.up.
24. My first pet was Bogie. Sometimes I don't think I'll ever be able to have another dog, he set the bar so high.
25. I wish I had met my mom's mother and grandmother, and I wish I could remember my mom's father and grandfather.
26. We had a Japanese exchange student when I was in 8th grade, and I spent two weeks in northern Japan the summer following. I wish I had been older when I went, I didn't appreciate it nearly as much as I would have now.
27. My first celebrity crush was Ron Darling.
28. I could name the entire starting lineup of the '86 Mets (in 1986). I remember most of them now, but not all.
29. I met my ex boyfriend the day that the Red Sox lost game 3 of the ALCS in 2004 19-8 to the Yankees. The first football game we watched together ended the Patriots 21 game winning streak. I think it was a sign.
30. I have met the guy who plays Big Bird, and spent two summers at his house in Sturbridge, MA with my family.
31. I have never said "I love you" and really, truly meant it (aside from my parents, brother, family, and two best friends)
32. I wear my heart on my sleeve, and get really hurt because of it. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I've learned so much.
33. I got kicked out of Girl Scouts because I missed a bridging ceremony to go to Funtown with my friends. My leader drove to my house and stood on our front lawn and yelled at my mother while she stood at the window.
34. 2008 was my worst year so far. Except that I got to go to London.
35. I really, really, REALLY want a Chanel Bag.
36. I was told that I am too nice by a person who I let treat me like shit for far too long. And now I silently protest him when I see him, which isn't very often (and I guess it's not so silent anymore).
37. Sex makes everything more complicated. Even not having sex makes it more complicated.
38. My favorite class in high school was AP Literature with Mr. Krill. The only book I hated was Pride and Prejudice. I couldn't finish it.
39. My favorite class in college was Women in Literature with Kelly Hager. That was when I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice.
40. I cry during the ASPCA commercials with Sarah McLachlan.
41. My favorite smell is my mom's pasta sauce.
42. It's also my favorite thing to eat. Don't even need pasta. Just give me a spoon and I'm good to go.
43. The only time there are no thoughts going through my head is when I am swimming.
44. I loved growing up practicing two religions. Well during the holidays, at least.
45. I sadly identify with Katherine Heigl's character in 27 Dresses on so many levels.
46. When I was little, my dad used to come home from work with a pack of Rolos, and he'd always give me the last one. For the last number of years, I've gotten my dad a pack of Rolos for Christmas.
47. I have a freckle on my left eye.
48. I am extremely bothered by people who are the "friend of the moment" type. The ones you're super close with for a little while and then all of a sudden, for reasons either unknown or nonexistent, you a dropped like a bad habit for someone else.
49. My new years resolution is to branch out. And spend more time with my college friends and my family.
50. If I could have any superpower, I'd want the power of teleportation.
51. I am fascinated by photography. It's why I take so many pictures.
52. I am an extremely sentimental person. This is also why I take so many pictures.
53. The most embarrassing thing that happened to me in elementary school was when I tried to open my crush's thermos of soup and dumped the entire thing on myself. It was clam chowder. Thank god my mom worked at the school and could take me home to change.
54. There are pictures of me from when I was 9 and 10 wearing NY Giants gear. No one will ever see these photos. Ever.
55. I also used to own a NY Rangers Stanley Cup Champions t-shirt. These are the things that happen when your entire family is from NY and you're sort of too young to make appropriate decisions on what teams to root for.
56. I have had a bruise on my left shin since I was 13.
57. I am pretty certain I am going to get breast cancer one day. I just hope to god there's a cure by the time I get it.
58. My favorite memory from college is my 21st birthday. And yes, I remember it.
59. There is not a single person who knows everything about me. Not even me.
60. I hope that my love for John Mayer never dies. There's something very comforting about it.
61. I am still bitter that My So Called Life and Arrested Development were cancelled. And Newsradio was never the same without Phil Hartman.
62. When I was in college, my dad sent me an email every morning when he got to work. One morning, my roommate and I were getting ready for class and I was reading my dad's email telling me how he and my mom had talked to my Uncle Stuart the night before, and how American Airlines had promoted him and he was now piloting 767's and they were so proud of him. 10 minutes later a girl down the hall came running into the room and told me to turn on the TV. An American Airlines 767 had crashed into the World Trade Center. It took me two hours before I could get a hold of one of my parents to tell me that my uncle was not in Boston when he talked to my parents. I have never been more scared in my entire life.
63. I have a disgusting addiction to facebook.
64. I miss walking around Brookline staring at the gorgeous houses with Jen and Kate.
65. I think my mother is the funniest and smartest woman I know.
66. Whenever I see a commercial for a drug, I play a game with myself to see if I can guess who manufactures it. Yes I am a nerd. But I am also usually right.
67. My true "nerd" and "you work too much" wake up call was when I realized, while watching a drug commercial for a sleeping pill, that Ambien means "good morning." Think about it.
68. The saddest thing I've ever witnessed was my 12 year old cousin's funeral. I was 13. I think he is part of the reason I am so passionate about oncology. Along with my mom's mother.
69. I will most likely be back in Boston in the next five years.
70. If I'm not in Boston, I'll be in London. I definitely don't think I'll be here.
71. I do not practice portion control.
72. My father is an amazing artist, and I wish he would draw and paint more.
73. I also wish he'd stop smoking. And get a colonoscopy and have his liver function and lungs checked. Actually I just wish he'd go to the doctor. If you're reading this dad, GO TO THE DOCTOR.
74. I am afraid of getting old.
75. College was the best four years of my life. I would not have done anything differently.
76. My brother and I are more alike than we realize. I think this is why we used to argue so much.
77. I cry a lot. Sometimes for no reason. Lots of times when I am trying to fall asleep.
78. I love reconnecting with people from my past. It keeps me grounded, and then I can never forget where I came from.
79. I hated growing up in Maine. It was cold, and boring. I know I can never live there again, but my god do I love visiting.
80. Favorite memory of college #2: Adrienne leaping out of her closet at 3 AM when I got home from a party. Oh you best believe I got her back.
81. Moving to Manhattan from Brooklyn has made me incredibly lazy.
82. I had a crush on the same guy from 4th grade all the way through high school. I haven't seen him in years, but I am pretty sure if/when I do, I'll still get butterflies.
83. I do not think Uggs are ugly.
84. I live in a three bedroom apartment that is smaller than the one bedroom I lived in when I was little.
85. For the first five years of my life, I was raised by my parents, my Uncle Mike who is 12 years older than me, and my fairy godparents across the hall, Grace and Joe.
86. My Uncle Mike and I are the only two people on either side of my family that are left handed. Thank god he is, otherwise I don't think I'd ever have learned how to tie my shoes.
87. I hate the way I look in my glasses.
88. I already have names picked out for a daughter and a son. Whoever I marry will have to like it.
89. I was named after a song, and my mom's mother. I hated my middle name until I learned the significance of the Jewish tradition. Now when my mom says "you are exactly like my mother," it actually means something.
90. I want to be able to do legit push ups. I have zero upper body strength.
91. My favorite food combination is tomato and mozzarella.
92. I cried at the end of Mary Poppins.
93. I am determined to get an apartment by myself this year. Even if it means moving back to Brooklyn. Maybe then I will become less lazy.
94. My bedroom at my parents house has a curved ceiling. I call it my igloo. Also because there is no heat in there.
95. I never had a real nickname until I got to college. Now I have about 5.
96. I don't know how to take a compliment.
97. My dream job would be a photojournalist for National Geographic. The perfect combination of travel, photography and writing.
98. I really want to go to Greece. And on a Safari.
99. I wish I was artistic.
100. I haven't touched my flute since my final band concert in June 2000. I miss it.

My Workout Playlist

Is a lot like my love life. Lots of songs, no favorites. Whenever I find a new song that I really like, especially one that really gets me going (think Kanye's Flashing Lights), I become obsessed, and listen over...and over...and over...and over... until I can't take it any more and hardly ever listen to it again. This is why my workout playlist has 193 songs on it.

Maybe someday I will find my 3 x 5. I never get tired of that song.