Day 291/365 (May 4, 2015)

Got to work early and stayed for quite some time, then headed home to freshen up. It is a good thing i left for Long Island at 4, instead of 4:30. There was even more traffic than I had anticipated and it took me 2 hours and 26 minutes to get there! My average speed was like 18 miles per hour. I got there just about 6:30... so no time for dinner!

I went to Northport to see the Apollo Link concert. Thanks to a very nice theater employee, Todd, I was able to change my seat to front row center! Then Liz, the concession girl, was super nice and led me to yummy/bad decisions for my "dinner". I ran into JB III beforehand and he was like do you live on Long Island, and I was like nope! I didn't even know he knew me so that was funny.

The woman I ended up sitting next to was fun and a talker but she was a singer! She started to sing along and it was made worse because during the show they kept encouraging people to sing along! Then all around me were... ahhh!!!!! The concert itself was really pretty awesome. I can't wait to see it again next Monday because they will have ironed out the few kinks. Brandon kept promoting their swag which was pretty funny and I just cannot get over how ridiculous they all sound. Jake is an arrangement genius, and his use of a tuning fork became an ongoing thing, and Adam's voice just makes me want to throw things... so good! There was another boy by me that also got his seat to move up and he was into the concert like cray so that was nice to see.

After the show I chatted with them for a bit before heading off to Target! First I had to wait for the car because the theater had required free valet parking. I gave them my ticket and there was a sign that said it could take up to 15 minutes to get the car. 20 minutes later I was still waiting and realized the car was right out front. It had been there the whole time because no cars drove up and I asked again for the "key" and they were like oh sorry.

Then I headed off to Target and picked up a few needed things, then headed home. It is so nice being in a car by yourself. I was singing along loudly and car dancing and I just love road trips when there is no traffic. However I always end up with a sore throat after one.

Fred sleeping on playbill flower stuff.

Day 290/365 (May 3, 2015)

The morning started fairly early because of the Lola sleepover. I must say it is fun to be woken up by a giggly 5 year old! Then we made pancakes and improved her rocket ship after we discovered Fred had peed in her rocket ship from the night before... oh man was she upset by that, and couldn't understand why Fred would do that.

Then Karen and Sasha went off for morning errands so it was just Lola and I. we dressed up, played a wonderful few rounds of Hot Potato with the friends, though some of them ended up in time out for being sore losers. We read the Derblin book over and over. Derblin is a Derblin, and she even used some of the friends to act it out. She started singing a made up song to the tune of another song (and dance with pon poms) about all the activities we were doing and how it was the best Sunday ever.

Then after Ellyn arrived and Sasha and Karen were back we went to Bareburger for lunch. Then back home to play for a bit, and when Ellyn headed out to Kinky Boots the 4 of us headed to the park. Sasha would sing Let's Go Fly A Kite and we would lift Lola up and she was loving it! Then we got to the park and boy oh boy can that girl move! She met another girl, 6 year old Lila, and they became best buddies and poor Lila had to keep yelling after to Lola to "Please slow down I can't keep up" There were 3 adults watching this one girl and we were having a hard time keeping tabs! Eventually Lola got to have an ice cream before we left. She ended up being very tired and fell asleep before we made it back tot he apartment.

Later on I went for a few random walks to hit my step goal for the day and made a birthday card for Karolina that ended up needing Sasha's hep because my writing turned out so poorly. Charlie also still squeezes into that cat scratcher.

Day 289/365 (May 2, 2015)

Morning started off slow and then Jess arrived for the weekend! We chatted for a bit, then I headed off to get some food from Jenny. I came home and relaxed a bit before heading out with Jess to walk downtown to try the Hamilton lotto. We lost of course but at least tried!

Then we headed down to Stone Street to meet up with Avi and his girlfriend Andrea. She was super nice/fun. The place felt hip and like I was out of place but oh well. Had some yummy guac and plantains. Then Jess and I went went back towards Astor Place so she could get some makeup from e.l.f.

On the way home I found out we were having a surprise sleepover with Lola and she called me just as I was getting home to ask if we could have pancakes for breakfast... the buttermilk kind. I mean how could I say no? When she got to the apartment we played a quick game of checkers where i set her up to quadruple jump me just to end the game because it was late and I could tell she was tired. She was so pleased!

Then Karen and I went off to Food Emporium because I needed buttermilk to make the pancakes and we didn't have syrup since I usually use honey.

Fred drinking from the tiny sink is pretty comical. Charlie rocking Lola's rocket ship before Fred peed in it.

Day 288/365 (May 1, 2015)

The morning started off pretty early for me but I puttered around because I didn't want to get dressed. Finally did and headed to work and it was fairly chilly thanks to the stupid wind!

Afterwards I went home for a bit, then walked downtown to the PATH train at WTC to head to NJ to watch Harper. I got there early so I puttered around a bit. Then I met up with Harper and her parents. s soon as we were walking to her dad's place she asked if I brought the lollipop we got when she was with me last... I didn't because I forgot about it/no clue where it is. Then I was impressed as she led me to her dad's place. She has a good sense of direction!

She was so excited to bring me in and show me where all the light switches were. She then told me her dad got her a special treat and was so excited... they were pretzels! They were gluten and corn free and she loved them. (They tasted horrific to me). I had to use the bathroom so she showed me where it was and then when i shut the door she opened it and said that "you don't have to shut the bathroom door so I can come in if i need to" and I was like okay... ahh pee fast! Then we headed out to the park and she insisted on bringing a ball and these magnets (metro mags) in a small paper box along with a snack bag of pretzels.

She was a crazy one at the playground and went down a slide she used to think was scary. It kept making her hair go crazy from the static electricity. She used the magnets as a pretend phone and was getting a whole bunch of phone calls. I don't even know who is calling me. She said she was on the phone with her sister at one point and said her day was awful. Then she kept singing We Built This City. She wanted to push me on the swings and I was both amused and concerned because she is so tiny i didn't want to hit her, but we made it work. We played some pretend soccer and eventually it was getting dark so we headed off.

t this point she was tired so i was carrying her on my shoulders while holding the ball and the now broken paper bag and metro mags. Then I stopped to pick up the pizza I ordered and added that to my carrying along with two drinks... i wish someone could have gotten a picture because i was a rock star and even able to bend down to pick up the metro mags she kept dropping. Then we headed back to her home and i was impressed again by her directions because she knew where to turn!

Once we got back we did some light playing then got her ready for bed. The girl brushes her teeth better than most adults! She has a cool bunk bed tat is full size but underneath isn't another bed so you can have play things under there, but she wanted to seep on her dad's bed. She chose a Where's Waldo book and joke book for her bedtime stories... luckily she knew where Waldo was. Then as I was reading the jokes she would giggle like crazy and say "i get that" or ask me why it was funny/ Most were not funny! Her giggling was cute though. Then i let her pick one more book that was actually a book and she cuddled up next to me with her bunny as i read. She then asked if i would stay in the room with her. So I did and she took my hand and asked if I was comfortable. She kept trying to talk so i said if she wanted me to stay we had to have quiet time... that is the last thing i remember until i woke up some time around 11! That was a comfy bed... then I moved out to the couch and fell asleep again.

Eventually i headed home and hopped the wrong PATH train so it took me longer and watched a woman take selfies of herself for 7 minutes... it was ridiculous!

Day 287/365 (April 30, 2015)

Got up and headed to the office early, then helped hang a couple dry erase boards. We had everyone in the office for once... even our remote employee! We had like a 5 hour meeting, rough!

Then later I needed to figure out a way to professionally slap someone up side the head because of something. Then i headed off to home while taking a long walk via central park to get more walking in. I popped into the Marriot Marquis and met up with Zach and Brian for a bit, then popped home to change and met up with Jo Ann. Jo Ann's drink looked beautiful!

We went to The Sugar Factory and over ate the most wonderful stuff. Since I was already on a sugar high from over eating my baked goods this was probably not the best thing, but oh so tasty! We had mac and cheese balls, chocolate fondue, and I had a root beer float made entirely from alchol and a buffalo chicken sandwich that was divine.

The food was awesome and the wait staff were very attentive. It was nice to have our dinner date, then we walked back uptown and eventually I went home.

Day 286/365 (April 29, 2015)

day started off not so well. Sasha came out of her room and asked very rudely "what are you doing here?", and then went back into her room. A Little while later she popped out and asked me "when are you leaving" so i was like i don't know why? And it was because of her fit ballet but she she could have been nicer about it. It took me a bit of time to recover from that.

Then it was off to work, then I made my way to the gym before meeting with Travis for training. He gave me some sad news and although it is actually happy news for him and something I am excited for him for, it still made me sad and it took a lot of effort on my part not to burst into tears. This whole on the verge of tears thing at any given moment is really making my life difficult.

I also baked snickerdoodles and brownies for work for tomorrow. The brownies came out with the best texture I have ever made and they were pretty tasty as well.

Fred begs for food, and Charlie was all cuddlly.

Day 285/365 (April 28, 2015)

Woke up and awaited the Tony Nominations... they did pretty good this year, so that was exciting!

Then off to work... I left and went to the gym then as I was heading home to shower I got an email that required me to head back to the office, so I went as quickly as possible to shower and get back to the office. I got there and did the letter only to find out it wasn't needed anymore. Then i took off to meet up with Matthew.

We met outside Sirius XM's office building then headed upstairs to be in the audience for Seth Speaks, which is Seth Rudetsky's radio show. There were some great guests: Sierra Boggess, Lisa Howard, Tyne Daly, NYC's Public Advocate Latisha ?, VICTOR GARBER, and Brian Stokes Mitchell. They were all wonderful and charming and informative, and Victor just makes me happy and the poor thing kept having "heart palpitations" over Stokes' stories about forgetting lyrics. The final guest was Lane Bradury (I think) the original Dainty June from Gypsy. She was  very cookey! very very cookey! She also kept forgetting it was a radio show and kept trying to dance.

It was nice to see Matthew and spend some quality time with him... also even nicer because he admires BSM so much, so that was a very good surprise!

Then I went home and had a low key evening before turning in very early because I got scratched by Charlie again... OH yea and i took care of the litter boxes AGAIN!