Not Again!

So, here I am four months after Hurricane Sandy without power again. The storm was beyond anything any of us imagined it could be, and certainly reminded me I have a lot to be thankful for. One week without power in November was something I could endure, but I know that nothing compares to the strength of the thousands of people who were more deeply affected, and those that even lost everything.

Anyway…a transformer blew in my neighborhood and once again, my family and I are finding ourselves without electricity (hopefully not for too long!) Last semester in Dr. Brause’s class, she gave us the option of writing up “25 Things to Do When the Lights Go Out!”  inspired by the recent hurricane chaos. So many of these fun ideas could easily be transferable to the classroom and really urge you to get creative. My classmates had some awesome ideas and here are a few of my own:

1. Learn how to knit
2. Play ZOOM
3. Huddle together for a flashlight-lit story time
4. Make s-mores over gas lit appliances or candles (if safety permits)
5. Make a “reading” fort
6. Play “I Have…Who Has?” with states and their capitols
7. Play “I’m going on a picnic…”
8. Do a free draw “visualization” activity – one person describes a person, place, thing, situation and other’s draw it.
9. Do a “blind sketch” activity following the same rules as #7
10. Make puppets and put on a play or performance of a favorite story
11. Go on a nature walk and record and illustrate what you see
12. Play Mad-Libs
13. Round Robin Storytelling – Have one person begin a story and stop while their neighbor picks up where they left off…see where you end up!
14. READ!!
15. Write a story and illustrate it
16. Have a board game/cards night
17. Create a recipe book of favorite recipes
18. Sing, whistle or hum to play “Name that tune!”
19. Play 20 Questions
20. Put on a talent show
21. Play I-Spy
22. Do a jig-saw puzzle
23. Begin or write in your journal
24. Tell ghost stories
25. Go around the room and say one positive thing about everyone in it or a goal/dream that you have for yourself

…….As I finish writing this I’ve received a text from my mom that power is back on! Woohoo!!!

 

A Lunchtime Respite

Sometimes I think there’s nothing better than going out to lunch. Stealing away forty minutes to go to your favorite, mouth-watering spot with a friend or family member can truly brighten up your day, give you the strength to soldier on through the week, or simply relax you on a weekend. I almost never do this (and I know many of our jobs don’t permit it during the Monday-Friday routine)…but today, I did with the encouragement of my mom. On the odd day that you do, all you need is a partner in crime, someone who can look at you and say “Let’s go to (insert your favorite drool inducing, indulgent deli/restaurant/café/pizza place here)” and egg you on to take a little time for yourself. When the food comes out and you take the first bite, it is worth every bit of the effort of getting there. Every now and then, there’s something fun and refreshing about doing something unplanned in the middle of the day to treat yourself. I encourage everyone to do this once in a blue moon. I promise it will lift your spirits.

Girl’s Weekend – GGWP Day 1

This weekend I was lucky enough to go on a “girl’s trip” with my best friends from high school.  “Girl’s Trips” or weekends were something my mother usually did with childhood friends when she had a break from raising three kids. Here I am, having my first “Girls Weekend” that didn’t have anything to do with a co-ed spring break. We decided to go to Washington D.C. so that another one of us could easily meet us from where she lives in Richmond, Virginia.

 

Eight twenty something girls traveling together is obviously a spectacle. We are inevitable noisy, laughing way too loudly, and drawing probably too attention to ourselves in unpleasant places like the airport. Throughout the weekend we were asked numerous times “How do you all know each other?” When we answered “high school!” the person usually looked at us like we had five heads. Sure, we all still look like we belong in college, but why was it so hard to believe we go that far back?

 

It caused me to think about where we’ve all been the last few years. We all went to different colleges in different states and led completely different lives. Now, we’ve all moved back to New York and are pursuing even more drastically different career paths and trying to figure out who we are and where we want to be. Some of us have relationships and others are living life single. Yet, we managed to stay in touch and are closer than ever before. Looking back on this weekend makes me realize I am genuinely lucky to have a group of lifelong friends. Each one of them brings something different to my life, a different perspective, a different opinion, a different sounding board. Although I am left exhausted by the whirlwind weekend, I wish we all had more time to take trips like these. There really is nothing like taking the time to reconnect with the people who know you best.

 

So, here’s to “Girl’s Weekends” (or Boys’ Weekends!), indulging in a mini vacation, and spending time with people who have stuck by you since the beginning.