Mama needs a brand new pair of shoes

One thing I love about living where I do now is that i can see the seasons change. The past two weeks have been wonderful as the weather became a bit cooler, allowing the first leaves to fall and rustle around outside my front door. We have had absolutely beautiful weather, but the temperature change in the mornings made me come to a stark realization:

I need winter clothes!

I haven't needed a heavier coat or more sweaters for four years. I've lived in the South so long that I forgot what cooler weather felt like and replaced most of my wardrobe. There is a list of "needs" and not "wants," which is unusual for me. Plus, I am a thrifty shopper - bordering on incredibly stingy at times. I never buy things unless they are on sale, and I usually don't buy all of what I need. Given our current economical crisis, I should applaud this trait. However, walking out my door and being incredibly cold because I never bought that coat- that's a problem.

Which brings me to why I love Mr Christopher Columbus. Not only did the man accidentally set roots on this great continent, but his "discovery" translates to a day off work and deep discounts on retail products! Oh Columbus... how I love thee!

Today, E and I went to the outlet mall and bought a few necessities:

A bright orange rain "trench" coat... notice the fact that it wouldn't cover my left arm...



..and wine glasses, just because they have a wonderful name.


No really, I bought neither of these items, but we did purchase a lot of good work winter clothes that I desperately needed. And, we stimulated the economy. We rock.

The Bucket List

Everyone has a bucket list, whether you want to admit to it or not. It can be scribbled on a napkin or permanently etched in your mind, but the bucket list is a compilation of all you want to do before you kick the bucket. I’m not expecting to die anytime soon, but it seems that I’ve been doing more things on my bucket list lately. Last weekend, I made it ¾ of the way up a very tall rock climbing wall. I was fine until I looked down, seeing everyone below me as if they were ants, and I decided to get down as fast as I could. The problem, however, was that the rope always feels a bit slack before you drop and it catches to lower you down safely. I freaked out… oh yes, I did.

But, that was nothing compared to last week’s bucket list adventure:

Driving in NYC gridlock.

Now, mind you that I’ve only visited NY once before, and that trip was literally for 22.5 hours. It was all overwhelming and completely over my head, literally. I had enough time to navigate the subway system and remember how to count from 1 to 52. For the photo exhibit that I helped put together with a team at the International Center for Journalists, I had to do the unthinkable: deliver 28 framed photos (valued at more than $20,000) to 52nd Street between 5th and 6th Aves in the middle of the day. I had a nightmare on Sunday night, just thinking how crazy it was going to be.

At the risk of sounding snotty, I must say that it wasn’t as horribly difficult as I imagined it would be. It is terrifying that cabs surround you at every turn and that you constantly feel like you’re going to run over a pedestrian at any moment. But, it took me about 20 mins to get there in high traffic after exiting the Lincoln tunnel. The real trick was trying to get around Grand Central Station and find a parking garage.

Knowing me, I had to document the occasion with pictures. I will post them soon. Hopefully driving in NYC will not become a frequent occurrence, but I'm glad I gave it a shot! Next time, I'm taking the train.