
Well would you look at that, I'm actually early for this post. By early, I mean, posting it in the morning instead of late afternoon. This is Week 4 of the HV Nestie challange. This week is Favorite Book, Vacation Spot and job. Interesting mix, don't ya think? Two of these will be easy enough for me to answer. One...not so much. I bet you all can guess which one that'll be.
Here. We. Go.
Favorite Job (or dream job)
I don't have one. I like my job now. My official title is Museum Associate for Programs at Sunnyside. This basically means, when it comes to setting up for events, I'm the one that does all the behind the scenes preparing. I get the tables in place, make sure the contracts to vendors and performers are out, returned and signed, and lots of other countless little things that ensure the events go smoothly. I also supervise when needed, take care of the costumes and give tours. I do like this job a lot. There are parts of this gig I'm not a fan of but as the song to the Facts of Life went "You take the good. You take the bad". The good out weighs the bad. It's flexible. It pays decently. And it's not a regular 9-5 job. Is it my favorite? Very well may be.
Favorite Vacation Spot
New Orleans. My beloved New Orleans. Oh how I fell for this city and I was only there ONCE that trip only lasted 3 1/2 days. But I was in love the moment I landed in their airport.
This AMAZING photo was taken by a friend of mine named Doug. Doug lives in New Orleans. He took this picture recently and people loved it so much that I believe it's going to be a poster. This is HIS picture that he was so kind in letting me use. Please do NOT USE THIS PICTURE WITHOUT HIS PERMISSION. It's beautiful isn't it? **Edit to add: Here is Doug's Deviant Art Page. He has AMAZING stuff there.**
I went to New Orleans with my BFF Angel to meet up with my Drummer Man, his wife, his band and friends of theirs Danny, Steve, Mike, and Dennis. They were in a band called Lock and Load and they were in New Orleans to perform at a SONY show case at the Hard Rock Cafe that weekend. Plus, they had a gig in Metarie as well and were letting Drummer Man and his band open for them. We went January 6-10, 2005. Why are those dates significant? Because we were there SEVEN MONTHS before Katrina hit. At the time of this trip, both Angel and I needed a break from our wonderful other halves and we jumped at the opportunity to not only go to New Orleans but to hang out with people we liked. It was in fact, the first time Drummer Man and I were going to meet face to face. We met through another friend and had only spoken on the phone and on line before this trip. We knew we'd be best buds the moment we met.
I COULD post pictures from this trip. But many of them, well, I'm drunk. Let's be honest about that. I think I kept a steady amount of alcohol in me for 3 days. By the last night, I couldn't drink anymore and I knew I had to get up early to go home. Something I really didn't want to do, because I had loved it so much. We didn't get to do everything or see everything that trip. But the trip was fun just the same. There was one point, it was rainy and dreary, Lock and Load were getting ready to perform. I was out in Drummer Man's truck. We had the idea to give his band's demo CD to the people that were there. So I was sitting in his truck, writing our email address and web address on the back of the cover labels. I looked up at him, just watching him smoke a ciggarette while it was drizzling. Jimmy, his guitar player was sitting across from me and I said to them that I felt like Dorothy. They smiled and laughed at this. It wasn't until later. When the sun went down and I realized that Drummer Man was going home the next morning, how much I was going to miss him and the guys. I told them again how much I felt like New Orleans was Oz and that I was Dorothy. I called Drummer Man my Scarecrow that night. So those are my two nicknames for him. Harv is my Tin Man and Jimmy was and always will be my Lion.
I keep trying to convince Bear that we need to go to New Orleans. I want to make memories with him and show him the city that I love. After the Hurricane, I did my own small part to help out the people there. The City needs a lot of help still. I didn't know until after that one of the guys I went to high school with was living there. He's back in NY now, but I would have loved to meet up with him and have him show me around his city. Next time I go back, Doug has said he and his wife will show us around and I think that will be a lot of fun.
Favorite Book
Books to me, are like my shoes and music. I can't have just ONE favorite. I'm going to try to narrow it down though. REALLY...REALLY TRY.
So. Here's the ONE book that RULES THEM ALL. Hahahahahaa. I guess you all know what I'm going to say now.
Yes. I LOVE Lord of the Rings. The first time I EVER read these books, I was 13 years old. I had just moved to where my Mom still lives now. My first boyfriend gave me these books to read because he was a huge fan. In fact, it turned out nearly everyone in my new neighborhood (the crew I hung out with at least) had read them (or the stories were read to them) and they even had their own version of the Fellowship written out on one of the picnic tables. I feel in love with these books (just not the boyfriend d'oh!). These books gave me a comfort. They gave me a place to dream about and to fantasize about. When it came time to give me my Fellowship "name" at first they gave me Galadriel. But then they realize I was totally Eowyn and she was my character name for a time. I still love her. Though I love my Elven Queen as well. I became immersed in Middle Earth. Reading everything the Professor wrote. Okay, wait, that's not true...I've TRIED to read everything he has written. I don't have my hands on all the stuff he and his son Christopher has written. Tom Bomadil and his lovely wife have always been favorite characters of mine and I was very sad to see that they had to be left out of the movies.
Now I can't talk about these books without mentioning Peter Jackson's films. Because for me, they go hand in hand. I was a book nerd, fantasy nerd, comic nerd, what have you before it was cool to be so. I am like a lot of those Fan Boys (which I include The Bear in this group) who go see their favorite comic movies and cringe at the differences. This was not the case when I sat in that darkened theater in 2001. *goes into Sophia Petrillo mode*
Picture it! It's the Palisades Mall, West Nyack, NY December 19, 2001. It was a dark winter. We had just suffered the ultimate of tragedies not 3 months before. The Holiday season was upon us, and people were trying to celebrate, but it was more subdued given all the hurt and loss we suffered as a whole. Now picture it, 2 people, her, wearing a black dress and long sweater and kick ass high heeled boots. He's wearing dress pants, shirt, and yes, his sneakers. It was Bear's Holiday party that evening and even though we had bought our movie tickets 3 weeks in advance, we still had to make an appearance at his office party. We had just celebrated our 2 year anniversary. We arrive at the Mall to take our place on a REALLY long line. Hoping to find our friends. We did. Some arrived super early and saved us a place. In fact, there were about 30 of us in one group. 30 out of I don't even know.
Our friends and us took up 2 middle rows in Theater 10. I didn't care that I was completely overdressed. I was with Bear and our friends and all was right with the world at that moment. The lights went down and after a bunch of trailers, of what I don't even remember....I heard her voice. Cate Blanchett start to tell the tale of the Lord of the Rings. I think I held my breath those first few moments. I was in awe. I sat there looking up at that screen seeing all that I dreamed and had in my head come to life. When Viggo Mortensen came on the screen as Aragorn, I felt like Pete Jackson got in my head and saw the image I always had of Aragorn. The 9 ride out of Mordor and I truly believed there were Ringwraiths in our world. The best moment, for me though, was when Rivendell was shown. It was right out of my dreams. I'll admit. I cried. Just a bit. The emotion for me, it was a bit much because I truly love these books so very VERY much. People joke about having a religious experience at events in their life, I felt that Fellowship was my religious experience. All of the movies were. I love Peter Jackson and always will. This man brought everything any one of us who have read this story (and I've read it MULTIPLE times) to life. I truly hope that when the Hobbit comes out he will do the same.