"The people we work with are like family... disfunctional"

Today was my second to last day working at Salty Dog. It has been a whirlwind, but a lot of fun. I will miss it. Writing out Thank You cards to my two awesome bosses, Maggie and Tim, was a challenge. There is so much I want to thank them for that is hard to express through a greeting card. I couldn't have wished for better GM's. Working at Salty Dog is like one big family. Once you put in your time there, you get to know people from the various stores and restaurants who have also been there more than just one season and everyone kind of looks out for everyone else. If by some chance things don't work out in NYC, I am glad I have these people to come back to.

Tonight I am ready to "smash beers" and have one last good time with the friends I have made over the past year. I hope all goes well without it getting out of hand and the police being called. I feel optimistic about it though, it will be a good time. Speaking of party, I have just over an hour to eat dinner, make pigs in a blanket, shower, and get ready.

"Cheers to good times, good food, good friends, and good tennis"

Work sucked today. Not for any particular reason, it just sucked. We did get new stuff in, which is always kind of exciting for me in a retail dork kinda way. I couldn't wait for 6:00 to roll around, that is for sure. After work I spoke with someone (not sure who all reads this as of right now) who really pissed me the fuck off, thus making my bad day even worse. I am pretty sure I have lost even MORE respect I have for this person, if that is even possible. Unfortunately, this person is a family member. A family member who really needs to take a step back and appreciate what they have instead of being a total (insert choice word here) all the time. That is a whole other rant that I am not even getting into though.

After work I had met with my tennis buddies one last time to play tennis (obviously) and have dinner at Aaron and Cinda's apartment. We had a great time! Had some good laughs, enjoyed Hampton Hall's playground facilities, and took cheesy tennis team pictures, as seen below.

Afterwards, we returned to Aaron and Cinda's for our traditional weekly after tennis dinner. Tonight's menu consisted of delicious chicken tacos and fondue.. along with margaritas and champagne from the winery Aaron's dad works for in California! Everything was delicious, as always, and we shared more laughs. I will definitely miss our weekly tennis games and dinners, it has always been so much fun. Tonight definitely turned my day from shitty to really good.

Now I am completely exhausted after being on the go from the time I got out of bed this morning at 9 am until midnight. It is time for some sleep!

Boxes, Boxes, Boxes

I am coming right along on my packing. All I really have left is my clothes, bathroom things, DVDs, and a few random other things.

Of the 16 boxes I have packed, the breakdown looks like this:

4 to NYC
6 to my Parent's house
6 to my storage unit

Not so bad! Some of those boxes are small and could be combined into one larger box, but for now... this is where I stand.

The First of the Lasts

Today was my last shift at the upstairs T-shirt shop. This is where I worked when I first started at Salty Dog a year ago.

Some of the things I will miss about the T-shirt shop: The view of the marina from the back sliding glass door, Ernest going nuts and being talkative (sometimes), customers not being able to operate the sliding glass door, and the numerous stupid questions/comments involving the tides (i.e.: [at low tide] It looks like you guys are having water shortages too).

Some of the things I will not miss about the t-shirt shop: People wondering where the noise of the birds is coming from, wondering if the birds [in cages] are real, Roscoe's infamous honking noise, and the boredom during the off season.

I also had the pleasure of cleaning bird shit off like five shirts. That was awesome.

After work I swung by Kenny B's for some delicious Shrimp and Grits with Fried Green Tomatoes to go. While waiting on my food, I got to see the owner's huge English Bulldog. They are HUGE Georgia Bulldogs fans. The entire restaurant is filled with University of Georgia paraphernalia. The dog's name is Bubba Dooley. He was sporting his very own BUBBA DOOLEY UGA jersey. I'm not so sure about having a dog on the floor ten feet or so from where my food is being prepared, but what the hell, it was delicious as always.

This is my last night with nothing (aside from packing) to do before I move. I am pretty exhausted.. I don't really feel like packing but I do not have much time left with a busy schedule from tomorrow until I move.

Ten-Day Forecast

To check the ten day forecast for my next ten days, I have to look at three different reports! Hilton Head Island, SC, Pittsboro, NC, and New York City, NY! The Weather Channel is calling for a mixture of rain and snow next Friday when I arrive in New York City... ugh... I guess thats what happens when you leave a place where you can walk barefoot on the beach, sandals in hand, a week before Christmas.

"Good wine is a good familiar creature if it be well used." -William Shakespear

Today was the beginning of my last week at work at Salty Dog. I took 100000 pictures of the beautiful marina I have been fortunate enough to be able to call my workplace for the past year and a few of my feathered colleagues that have provided me with hours of entertainment, frustration, and enjoyment.

The marina and Braddock's Cove

In order: Ernest, Roscoe, Captain, Cherokee and Kiwi

After work I came home to the wonderful news that our sink and garbage disposal is fixed! The plumber recommended that we not put food down the garbage disposal anymore.. but that it does work. I question his craftsmanship for this reason, but I will be in my apartment less than a week at this point so I don't really care... just as long as we get our deposit back.

After a brief period of relaxation.. and be relaxation I mean searching the stupid Internet for jobs.. I went to dinner at Wiseguys with Maggie and Lindsey S. Wiseguys is a trendy wine bar/tapas restaurant Maggie's husband, Chris, manages on the North End. Delicious food, delicious wine, can't beat it! We had tempura fried asparagus with a creamy cheese sauce and baked goat cheese to start with followed by "Lamb Lollipops" over goat cheese mashed potatoes. Of course all of this was accompanied by a couple glasses of Malbec wine.

I have never had a Malbec up until this past weekend when Jen introduced it to me. As of right now, it is rapidly approaching Cabernet Sauvignon on my list of favorite wines. WineWeekly.com describes it as, "most Malbec wines share these characteristics: ripe black fruits, such as plum and blackberry; peppery notes; earthy; firm tannins; ample acidity; conducive to oak aging. In other words, a flavor profile that may be somewhere between California Cabernet Sauvignon and California Merlot." I highly recommend picking up a bottle and giving it a whirl if you like reds.

I also talked to Heather tonight and there is a chance I will get to see her next week during the couple of days I am in NC! I need to get in touch with the rest of the Chapel Hill crowd and see what they have going on. For now, I am going to catch up on some tv and get some sleep!

“Progress is man's ability to complicate simplicity.” -Thor-Heyerdahl

In exactly one week, I will no longer be on Hilton Head Island!

After another discussion with my mom on the phone last night, we finally came to a compromise regarding the storage of my furniture, etc. in Hilton Head. I called today and reserved a 10x10 storage unit just a mile or two from my apartment. I got a decent deal and the lady was extremely nice. I made an appointment to go check it out and start moving stuff in on Monday. The next step is to secure a moving truck so that we can move my stuff from my apartment to the unit. In my brain, all i see is expenses, expenses, expenses.. but oh well, I guess that is the price you pay (literally) when you decide to pack up and move to the city of your dreams.

I also got a lot of stuff packed up today. I still have a lot more to pack, but I feel like I am making a lot of headway. I have a whole organizational excel sheet for every belonging (alarm clock, calculator, laundry bag), what category it falls under (kitchen, media, office) where it is to go (NY, NC), the details of where it is to go (Parents to be stored, parents and maybe shipped to NY) what box it is in (NC1, NC2, NC3, NY1, NY2), and if it has been packed. Excessive.. yes, Organized.. you betcha! This decision to store some of my stuff in HHI screws up that whole system. Instead of adding yet ANOTHER column, I simply started a new spreadsheet indicating where each box is going to be. I am having trouble deciding what I can live without for a week until I move out of my apartment here, which is also ridiculous.

I have a ton of things I needed to get done today that just didn't happen. I need to pay a visit to Palmetto Electric to let them know where they can send my deposit to, I needed to contact the guy in charge of my savings stuff to let him know I need some money to help me get by until I find a job (and I need to pull it out since I've already lost A LOT in the past year thanks to the 'Economic Crisis' with their company), I needed to get an oil change, and I needed to figure out what to do about patching the walls. I also was hoping to have all of my kitchen stuff packed and ready to go by the end of the day, but some of my stuff is dirty and since I can't run the dish washer or the kitchen sink due to our garbage disposal problem, I can let that one slide. I did however meet Anne for lunch at Harold's Diner which has, in my belief, the most greasy food ever. It was so delicious. Just another thing I will miss about HHI!

Jen set up a blog today, you can check it out under the Blogs I Read list. I hope she keeps up with it, I think it can be somewhat therapeutic.

Speaking of blogging, I can't stop reading Becoming A New Yorker! It has become my crack over the past week. It is so interesting to read about someone else who has picked up and moved to the city. While our experiences will be totally different, there are also a lot of similarities (moving to NYC without a job, knowing friends up there, love for the city itself).

Awkward: socially uncomfortable; unsure and constrained in manner

So finally, at 5:35 after a day of laying in bed while hunting for jobs, catching up on episodes of my favorite shows, and being lazy (aside from breakfast with Jen and P.R.Sans. with Kristen), I finally got up to take a shower. After about a minute and a half of enjoying the calm, relaxing feeling of a shower, I hear a knock at the door. I don't think much of it, thinking it is maybe Kelley coming up to hang out with Anne or something. Then I hear another knock.. and another. I figure Anne must have left or is maybe asleep and doesn't hear it but do not think much of it because Kelley would come back later or give Anne a call. Then it hits me, Anne had sent me the following email early this morning:

Anne C. to me 7:59 AM

Crap, I forgot to tell you last night. Utty called and he's having someone look at the apartment this afternoon at 5:00.


At this point, do I get out of the shower, quickly dry off, and try to catch them before they leave? Do I wait until they let themselves in to find me in the shower and Anne asleep in her room? Do I jump out of the shower, dry off, and try to be somewhat presentable by the time the real estate person lets themselves in to show the apartment? Or do I continue my shower and hope they are gone by the time I am finished? I chose the last option. Luckily, they were on their way out the door by the time I finished up in the shower. Made for quite the awkward moment though, I didn't exactly want to be parading around the apartment with only a towel wrapped around my waist while my apartment is being shown to a potential renter/buyer.

Photos: Weekend Recap

I think I have figured out how to add pictures on my blog!

Jen and I in Savannah at Forsyth Park on Saturday

I was pleasantly suprised by how comfortable and practical the Snuggie really is! I think I want one.

Sunday Funday!

"I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you... And you... And you... Gotta give em hope." Harvey Mil

Today has been very eventful. Brunch and free mimosas, shopping, Milk, Casey's, Wiseguys! Excellent! I am exhausted!

Like I said, we went to see Milk today (the third time seeing it for me) and you catch new things every time! Jen had not seen it and it wasn't showing in Boone so I thought it was the perfect opportunity! I think it is amazing that one person can do so much in only eight years with the support of his peers. Although we are still fighting for civil rights today, I do not feel there are any Harvey Milk's or Martin Luther King Jr.'s or Malcolm X's of our time. If there are, I am completely unaware of their existence. I guess a lot of people are not recognized for their achievements until after they are dead though, maybe that is the problem. I find the civil rights movement of the 1970's very intriguing. I am also very intrigued by the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, perhaps I am just interested in the experiences of persecuted people, who knows. Anyway, I admire his courage to get up and speak to his followers seconds after receiving an assassination threat, his desire to reach out and do something to make a change for his supporters, and his belief in equality. I think one of my favorite parts of the movie is the very end, when they show the actual footage of the candlelight march through the Castro. I think it is unbelievable for that many people to come out to show their condolences for a man many of them probably never actually met. Even though San Francisco is a large city, that is a whole lot of people.

I really like the line that is quoted during that scene as well, "I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you... And you... And you... Gotta give em hope." This not only applies to civil rights, but to a variety of situations. I have hope for success in NYC for example. Hope is not all it takes to be successful, but why would I want to make such a huge life change without it? Without hope, why would I want to be doing what I am doing now? It sure as hell isn't because selling people t-shirts in a tourist hot spot makes me feel better about my life.(Don't get me wrong, my job can be a lot of fun!)

I find it unbelievable that the intolerance shown in the movie still exists 30 years later. We call ourselves a progressive country. How can this be true when people are shunned by their families, friends, coworkers, peers, fellow students, etc. for being gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual, black, Asian, Latin, a woman, Jewish, Atheist, Catholic, Muslim, Hindu, etc etc etc. It makes no sense!

"Wherever you are it is your friends who make your world..." -William James

Today Jen and I went to Savannah!

We started out at Oglethorpe Mall and then headed downtown. I bored her with useless knowledge about not-so-famous landmarks in Savannah that I picked up on numerous trips on the Old Town Trolley Tour (which I HIGHLY recommend) and we got frozen daiquiris at Wet Willies!

The highlights of this outing were:

1) We were at the mall and saw that there was an arcade so we walked in for a game of ski ball (during which, I only had like 4 balls to roll down the track). As soon as we walked in we were automatically blinded and deafened by the bright, flashing lights and bells, whistles, and various sound effects from the various games. I looked over to the counter, expecting to be greeted by the attendant, but she was somehow asleep! I can't see how ANYONE could EVER fall asleep in an arcade with all of the constant commotion. We continued to the back of the room and dropped our quarters into the slot which started a new series of sound effects. Thinking the change may alert the attendant, I took a glance back at the counter and sure enough she was still snoozing away.

2) Jen and I were strolling down Bull Street approaching Chippewa Square (where the bench in the movie, Forest Gump, was placed (but now removed due to vandalism and placed in the Savannah History Museum.. what did I tell you about my useless Trolley-provided knowledge). As we approached, we saw a man in khaki pants, plaid shirt, and red ball cap running through the square, across the street and down Bull Street. I though, "Man, that guy looks so familiar" and no sooner realized it was a Forest Gump impersonator. It was hilarious! Jen tried to capture a picture, but was unable to thanks to a rapidly approaching Oglethorpe Tours Trolley. We saw him again later outside the Sorrell-Weed House (which has an awful tour and the chandelers came from Home Depot), also on Bull Street but missed the photo opportunity once again. I've taken quite a few day trips down to Savannah and never, in the past year, have I seen this man who dresses as Forest Gump and runs around the city.

3) Later in the day we cruised down to River Street to check out the shops and grab a mixed daiquiri beverage at Wet Willies. As we sat out by the river sipping on our drinks a bluegrass group had assembled to perform for passing tourist. About the same time, a man with his huge dog sat down after what appeared to be a walk around town. People flocked to see the dog while maybe only one or two spectators gathered for the musicians. Oh well.

We also tested the Witch's circle again (read up, its cool!) which I can't figure out to save my life, not that I've spent much time trying to determine the mysterious echo.

OH! and a #4! We were walking through the outdoor market and there was a vendor who, for a fee, lets you have your picture made with his three Macaw parrots. Cool, in theory. I saw the pictures and he was letting strangers hold these birds! He had pictures with them holding the birds on their hands, shoulders, and heads! I freaked out! I cannot even imagine letting a customer come close to Captain, Cherokee, or Kiwi.. much less hold them! That is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I told the owner that I could never, EVER imagine putting our birds on a customers shoulder and he claimed that he had rescued his Blue and Gold Macaw four months ago from someone who had kept it in a cage for two years. He said it was aggressive at first but will not even bite him now. He even stuck his fingers in the bird's beak to prove it. What the hell is up with our birds at Salty Dog?!

Jen got me a going away present from the Smoothie place that we ducked into so I could use the restroom. It is a magnet that says, "Wherever you are it is your friends who make your world...". I like it! It is so true! My friends have had such an impact on my life, no matter if I was in Pittsboro, Boone, or here in Hilton Head. This will continue to be true in New York City!

I am going to miss my day trips to Savannah! I love that town, although I could never live there unless I lived and worked in the downtown historic district. The rest of it is kinda ghetto. The city has such an interesting history and the architecture is outstanding. I always enjoy a walk through downtown, especially down Bull Street to Forsyth Park, passing the Mercer-Williams House (made even more famous by Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil or "The Book" as Savanniahians refer to it as). The architecture and colors are astounding and the tour is definitely worth the dough. Walking by makes me think of visiting an old friend.

Anyway, we stopped at Piggly Wiggly in Bluffton to gather necessary ingredients for dinner then came back to my apartment and made my somewhat famous chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese and spinach and attempted to make mashed potatoes that left much to be desired. Afterwards we relaxed for a bit, Jen took a nap and I searched for jobs in the city, and then went to Remy's to meet up with some Salty Dog people for a couple beers.

Less than two weeks until I live in NYC! Right now I feel more excited than scared. I've got to get some rest to prepare for whatever we find to get into tomorrow!

"Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us." -Oscar Wilde

Jen is here! YAY! After dinner tonight I could probably live off chicken with goat cheese and mashed potatoes.

Last night we played tennis with Cinda's parents! It was fun, I was surprised how good they were! We came back to my place for some gourmet Papa Johns pizza and a salad, haha! After finishing off almost 4 bottles of wine and they left, I went to clean up the kitchen to discover that the garbage disposal was broken. After further investigation, it turns out Anne dropped one of my wine stoppers down the train drain and didn't realize it. Now that stopper is wedged between the blades or grinders, whatever it is in there that grinds up the food. Now we have both broken something in the kitchen and I don't feel as bad about the time I broke the stove.

Two weeks from this exact moment I will be in NYC! I can't believe it! Time to freak out! A customer from Long Island today was like, "Why are you moving there? Are you crazy? Its dirty, there is graffiti, people are rude... down here you have the beach and there is landscaping." I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.

Yesterday I made a list of the great (and not so great) memories of Hilton Head Island. There is a story behind each of these memories, to hear it, just ask! Here goes: Getting pulled over kayaking after watching the fireworks at Shelter Cove, Friends visiting from NC, dinner at Peppers Porch, Birthday Party at Wild Wings, Adam's house warming party, Midnight showings at Park Plaza Theater, Mom visiting and going to Charleston and Savannah, Open Mic Night at Peppers Porch, Rock Star Party, night out with the Salty Dog guys, Tim's Birthday party, Turkey Trot, Election 2008, Salty Dog night out at Casey's with the Thai kids and Karaoke, Fishing, Sunday night TV dinner and wine, Juliana's grandparent's house and Fibi, Prologic 13 with the Thai kids, Luau Party at Twist with Mari, being abandoned at the bait shop, getting hit by a bocce ball on the beach, reading by the beach/pool, My Generation reminding me of Full House, new tattoo, blowing up the stove, the air conditioner breaking twice in the middle of the summer, armadillos, long lines late at night at Salty Dog, Captain attacking Sumala, the man with a $300 mail order and stuffing the shirts in cups on a busy afternoon, Reggae Night at Big Bamboo, Wiseguys Soft Opening, Jaime's birthday at Truffles, "Save the Tata's", the lady who got hit in the face with a baseball, crazy customers, crazy employees, ___ calling from the bench across the courtyard on her cell phone to see if we were busy, "WELL GO GET IT!", Cadillacs and Grandma shots at San Miguel's, Shannon Tanner followed by the bushes, Silicone Sister at Riders with the crazy bitch, Foosball, Saint Patty's Day Parade, Sister Hazel, Badfish, Going Away Party at Tim's, working during the hurricane scare, Hilton Head Diner at 5 am, Historic Savannah and Old Town Trolley Tour, Savannah night out with Aaron and the cougar and the lady with two knives and a tazer in her purse, Halloween bar hop, Alligators, Limo on New Years Eve, the nasty costume from the Halloween Haunted Marina and the Palin McCain costumes, Doggie Deals, Homecoming 2007, ASU/Georgia Southern Game, Pepe and Papa Bill, Kiwi Daiquiris at Pool Bar Jim's, Oklahoma University Sooners, "OH-IO".. ugh and OHHIO bumper stickers, nights at Twist, Tennis and Dinner, Frito Chili Pie, Sean's Going Away Party at Up the Creek Pub and Mellow Mushroom, Superbowl at Ken and Gretchen's, day trips to Beaufort and Savannah, Chadwick Ernest Roscoe Kiwi Cherokee Captain, sunsets, far off lights from the beach and bridge.

“Stress is nothing more than a socially acceptable form of mental illness” -Richard Carlson

Last night was my going away soiree with my Salty Dog peeps. Lots of food, lots of beer, lots of wine! It was definitly a good time... that I paid dearly for today. I'm going to miss those guys a lot! Working at Salty Dog was like working with one big family and it was the best decision I could have made to accept the job and move down here after college. I can't imagine never knowing the people I have met through work.

Two weeks from today I will be back in North Carolina, leaving behind the beach, the friends, and the fun times that could have been. It is sad, but I know there is a big adventure ahead of me.

I was in Bluffton tonight after work to pick up some things and decided to swing by Moe's (because I love Moe's) and that place was packed! Im not even exaggerating, the entire parking lot was full except for 4 spaces in the very back! I couldn't believe it! I love their chicken nachos so much.

In other news. The debate concerning what to do with my furniture is driving me insane! I don't want to store it in Hilton Head because it is freakin expensive and I do not need ANOTHER bill to pay every month when I have no job in addition to my Dell bill, cell phone, final bills from HHI, new bills in NYC, rent, plus having money to eat. Ahh... this is getting stressful!!

Top Ten: Tennis

Over the past few months I have been playing tennis, mainly with Aaron and Cinda, but occasionally with others. We also take turns cooking dinner once a week after a few sets on the court. This has proven to be a lot of fun and a good way to unwind after a day at work... or to continue a relaxing day off. Tonight, while finishing up a set with Cinda, I realized I would probably only play with them a few more times before I move. That is pretty sad! We've had some good times. I decided to compile some of the highlights in a list, so here they are (in no particular order):

1. Doubles
This is probably the most hilarious one of them all. Aaron, Cinda, Cam, and myself were playing tennis out at Hampton Hall in Bluffton. It was a doubles set, Aaron and Cam versus Cinda and me. As anyone who has played with me knows, my first serve has A LOT of force beside it.. which rarely makes it over the net and into the box.. basically.. they suck. When they do make it in, they're really good though so I figure what the hell. Alright so we're playing a doubles set and I am serving. I toss the ball in the air, pull my right arm back for a vicious assault on the ball, make contact, and WHAM! The ball shoots off the strings like a bullet and hits my poor teammate Cinda square in the ass! It was so freakin' funny! I am sure anyone who may have seen us probably thought we were drunk. Cinda is doubled over in pain while the rest of us were about to pee on ourselves from laughing so hard. Funny how no one wants to be on my team anymore.. and when they do.. they stay far out of the way when I serve.

2. Sea-saw.
Oh man, I can't remember where we were playing for this instance. I want to say Hampton Hall, anyway, not important. We're out on the courts and it is Aaron, Cinda, and myself. Sometimes when we have three people playing, we rotate and one person sits out for a game, then rotates back in. It was me and Cinda on deck and Aaron was sitting out. He walks over to the plastic bench on the sidelines and takes a seat on the far end of the bench. Unfortunately, physics and gravity were not on his team because as soon as he took a seat, the opposite end of the bench shoots up in the air, leaving Aaron flat out on the ground. So funny.

3.Reason #11.
Cinda is a Physical Education teacher for Beaufort Middle and has a conference (I think) shirt that list the top 10 reasons to be a P.E. teacher. Most of them are kind of funny with some type of innuendo attached. As part of her job, it is important that she teaches her students the importance of good sportsmanship. Well, lets just say she doesn't always adhere to the practice what you preach rule. Aaron and I agree that number 11 on her top ten shirt needs to be, "You can cheat to win without others ever knowing any better."

4. Stouffers
As I mentioned earlier, we take turns cooking dinner in a rotation of once per week. One week it was my turn and for whatever reason I did not have a lot of time that day to prepare a meal. I dashed over to my local grocer deciding on a Stouffers lasagna, salad, and bread. Easy and quick! I quickly read the directions on the Stouffers box and thought, "Great, an hour and 10 minutes to cook! That will give me enough time to prepare the bread, salads, and enjoy a couple glasses of wine." I arrive home giving my roommate, Anne instructions to preheat the oven when I call so that we can pop the lasagna in and be good to go. We head over to Palmetto Hall, play a few games, and finally return to my apartment for dinner. I take the lasagna out of the packaging and someone asks me how long it takes to bake. I re-read the instructions and realize that I was an idiot and thought 110 minutes was an hour and ten minutes when in reality it is much, much longer. With it already being after 8:00, there was no way we could wait until 10 to eat. Instead we hop in the car and head down to La Hacienda for a quick meal and dollar margaritas!

5. In the Dark...
As any tennis player on this island knows, lit courts are quite the commodity. In order to utilize these hard to find gems, we usually have to either get someone to call us in a pass to one of the plantations offering such amenities to their residents, or battle private lessons and USTA people at the public courts (which is another story all in itself). One night, we could not find any available lit courts to save our life! After hitting up a variety of different options, Aaron suggested Marsh Point on the North End. We drive all the way up there, find that the courts do indeed have lights, and immediately realize the gate is locked from the inside so that only residents with a special key can use the courts. We were so close, yet so far away! I refused to give up. All that needed to happen was for one of us to scale the fence, hop over, and open the gate. Easy enough. I climb to the top of the fence, take a peek over, and immediately realize that I am going to die if I try making it down on the other side. There were no spots to catch my footing. After climbing back down and retiring that idea, I think maybe there is a hole or something in the fence. After checking the perimeter, I find where the bottom of the fence has been pushed out a big, giving some leeway. A few scrapes and a little less pride later, I made it under the fence, onto the courts, and open the gate. Unfortunately you had to drop quarters for light time and after about ten minutes the lights went out and we we're unable to get them back on.

#6. Building Blocks
Up until I started playing tennis again, "hanging out with friends" meant meeting up at whatever bar, drinking way too much, and going home to pass out. It can be a lot of fun, but doesn't lead to very substantial friendships, nor is it physically healthy. This has provided me with a positive outlet to release stress and increase activity levels. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know people through this common interest. You never know who likes getting out and smacking around a ball!

#7. Lushes
Every dinner most always involves the consumption of two bottles of wine.... if not more. It kind of defeats the purpose of getting physical exercise, only to go home and smash some food with a few glasses of vino. Oh well!

#8. Children Playing
As I mentioned, finding lit courts on this island is rediculous. I did a little research and found that there are public courts on Cordillo that are lit! Perfect, I thought, close to my apartment, how convenient! Aaron met me at my apartment and we headed towards Cordillo for a few games of tennis! We find them and it is pitch dark, all we can see is the movement of children running around on the tennis courts with the only light being a flood light plugged into a long, orange electrical cord. It is kind of a sketchy neighborhood and was not about to get out of the car to find the switch for the main lights, who knew what this group of kids would do. As we drove closer we realized that they we're kids at all, but rather a group of hispanic men playing soccer. I am an idiot, but it was funny.


I can't, for the life of me, remember the last two. I will have to get with my people (Cinda & Aaron) and try to remember.

After looking at the schedule today and seeing my last day posted on there, things are getting really real. I am starting to kind of freak out. What am I going to do with my furniture? Do I have enough money to really do this? It is too late to back out now, even if I wanted to (WHICH I DONT!). I HAVE SO MUCH TO DO IN SO LITTLE TIME, ALONG WITH SO MUCH GOING ON!!

Tomorrow: Work, Going away cookout with Salty Dog folks.
Wednesday: Work, Cleaning, hardcore.
Thursday: Work, Tennis and I am cooking dinner.
Friday: Work, Jen comes!
Saturday-Monday morning: Hanging out with Jen!
Monday-Tuesday: Packing, Mom may come down to collect some of my stuff?, Figuring out what to do with my furniture (I think it needs to go to Pittsboro, thats another rant for another day).

AHH!

“Live For Today...Plan For Tomorrow...Party Tonight..!!!”

It is late.. I am drunk.. but I had a great time! I got to see some people who I havent seen in a while and got to tell them about my Going Away Party which is Feb 28.. location TBA... just keep up with your facebook! I'm totally stoked about Jen being down next weekend! She has been by me through thick and thin throughout the past 6+ years and I will be so sad to be so far away from her. We have very different life plans, each of which suits us the best.. just not compatible.

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” -Lao Tzu

As many of you know, I am packing up and leaving this beautiful island behind for a new adventure in America's most populated city, the Big Apple! This is going to be a HUGE change especially considering Hilton Head (with a whopping population of 40,000) is the most populated town I have ever lived in, others being Boone (~36,000) and Pittsboro (120, hah). I am so excited about experiencing life not just a city, but the city I have wanted to live in for as long as I can remember. This has always been one of my goals of life and I couldn't be more happy!

The first question I always get is, "What are you going to do up there?", I reply with, "I have no idea." This is the truth, I have a roommate, Sean, and a place to live... but that is about it. I've been applying for jobs but haven't heard back from anyone. It is a little discouraging, but I feel optimistic about finding something once I am up there and have plenty of time to dedicate to finding a job. Worst case scenario, I will end up waiting tables for a little bit to earn some cash.

What do I want to do with my life in the city? I really have no idea. There are so many career paths I could see myself following, but with the economy being as shitty as it is, I won't be able to be picky at all. As of right now, I am mainly looking for jobs in the tourism/recreation industry (preferably not dealing with tourist though), retail (although I REALLY REALLY want a 8-5, Mon - Fri job), working with nonprofit organizations (geared towards something I have an interest in) and basically any basic entry level marketing position I can come across. I am also open to nearly any possibility. The main reason I want to live in the city is the culture. I love the idea of the hustle and bustle of everyday life of New Yorkers. I guess this is from living in the most laid back places imaginable. I also want to experience living in a place with diversity in its people, music, art, food, etc. I want to meet people. All kinds of people. People who moved to the city to chase their dreams, find themselves, or who have lived there their entire lives. I am also fascinated by the idea of relying mainly on public transportation. The one time in my life I had to rely on public transportation was second semester my freshman year at Appalachian when I had to take the AppalCart from campus to the most remote student parking area imaginable. It was hell. Anyone who ever had to rely on Boone's public transportation system can vouch for that though. I have used the NYC Subway and Bus system in the past and it is so convenient and easy to navigate, although I may be singing a different tune when I am commuting into the city from Queens rather than vacationing. Either way, it is so much better on the environment.

My fears about this move are getting mugged, losing everything, and not making friends. I am fortunate in that I have a couple of friends up there who have been living in New York for a few years. They're awesome and I can't wait to see them!

The details! I am leaving Hilton Head the first week in March and going to my parents house in Pittsboro for a few days, basically to drop off the majority of my stuff. Friday, March 6, I will be boarding a train in Greensboro, NC bound for New York City. I haven't ridden a train in the US EVER and I am kind of scared/excited about it. It makes me think of the olden days when the locomotive was the primary mode of transportation for long journeys. I like the romanticism associated with trains and embarking on a new adventure. Plus it is cheap and I can bring a lot of shit! (up to 6 checked bags and 2 carry-on's!)

I am going to miss Hilton Head and the people I have met here a lot! I've met so many people who have inspired me to be more active, more outgoing, and a better person overall. I will also miss the crazy nights at Salty Dog slinging shirts to out of control tourists followed by wild nights out at the bars, especially Riders, where you never knew who you would run into or where the night would lead. Then there are the warm, sunny days off! Relaxing on the beach with a book and my iPod or meeting up with friends and getting hammered at the Tiki Hut while watching people play volleyball and strolling down the beach.

Ahh well... there will be many good times to be had in NYC as well. For now I am off to Adam's Valentines Day Party and shennanigans...