Bests and Blows of 2014

I have now been in NYC for 2 ½ years and I still find myself walking around wide-eyed and distracted as if I first arrived. Aside from that,  I can now proudly say that I only ALMOST get hit by a cab roughly 3-4 times a week, instead of the 3-4 times a day I was averaging when I moved here. I would like to note…this is not my fault. New York City makes it virtually impossible not to put on noise-canceling headphones.  No one in their right mind likes walking down the street to earsplitting sirens that constantly blare down every street. The vehicles attached to the deafening sirens are constantly trying to part floods upon floods of yellow taxis that are just not going to get out of the way for anything or anyone. In turn, this results in a weird horn-on-horn-on-siren battle that my headphones eliminate.

Ok, moving on…

As with any full year cycle of life, there have been moments of beauty, of heartbreak, of hello’s and goodbyes, of laughs, tears, fears, cheers and the ending (and hopefully starting) of a career (I meant to rhyme right there to cover up the fact that I am still indeed…unemployed).

I am still actively applying and if all else fails…I’ll follow in my brother best friend, Mitch Kremm’s path…open a shaved ice stand on the beach in hopes of the future Dr. Max Harris supporting me. Or live in a tree house. Whatever. I’ll figure it out.

"Sometimes we can be blindly walking down a path and then an obstacle, a detour, or a sharp turn appears, asking us to expand our mind and heart to see and feel differently.”

There’s this term in Buddhism called Duhka; referring to fear/unease. Duhka is this notion that we often feel uncertain about the world around us, partly because most things are out of our control. I try and settle my mind through different outlets, but it was this notion that helped me get through some really tough times this year. There were obviously some amazing things that occured, but oftentimes I found myself disregarding the good while continuing to dwell on the hardships (that were more often than not...completely out of my control). I would cast a shadow over my world and close off into this self-loathing state that had zero benefit in any realm of my life. I realized that all this negativity was not going to get me anywhere I wanted to be (regardless if I know where that is or not, currently). These challenges that I faced during 2014 I have come to accept, breathe them in, learn from them and let them go (while trying harder in the next go-round). I am entering 2015 with a new heightened optimism for the world ahead. Hallelujah! 

Anyways, as with any year there are always the highs and the lows, the whoopsies and the poopsies or whatever you would like to call them...here are some I would like to shed light on. 

Food:

High (i.e. Food Porn): 

Soup Dumplings from Shanghai Café in Chinatown. If you don’t know what a soup dumpling is…I like to refer to it as “an explosion in your mouth.” It looks like a potsticker, but low-and-behold, you put the dump in a soup spoon (or u just put the whole thing in your mouth)  and inside is a flavorful soup with the meat of a pot-sticker. Explosions in your mouth are timeless.

Low:

I still haven’t had Di Para pizza and I just know this is going to be the pizza of all pizzas ON THE PLANET. PLEASE SEE HERE if you would like to find a way to have it personally delivered to me.

Professional Strides and Collapses/Confusions:

High:

Quitting my job at Barneys

Low: 

Quitting my job at barneys…without a plan as to what I wanted to do next, hence my current unemployment status.

Music (albums): 

High: 

War on Drugs – Lost in a Dream (if you haven’t listened DO IT) HERE'S THE SINGLE

(Noteable Mentions: Phish – Fuego, Alt-J – This is All Yours, St. Vincent (badass poetic lyrics and guitar solos,), Jungle.

Low: 

I duno, but Ariana Grande kinda weirds me out. 

Wandering Gypsy Travels:

Highs: 

Croatia and being in DC for America’s birthday! (thank you Simons, for having me in your lovely household!)

Lows: 

Not going on a Safari in Africa and becoming one with the lions and elephants.

Croatia 2014 

Cliff Jumping in Croatia...How high? Who cares! 

In DC for the 4th of July! 

But not without causing trouble/annoying Noah on the way... 

Roommates:

I don’t know how to decipher which is a high and which is a low…

My dearest friend and roommate Aliza made the courageous move to San Francisco. I was so sad to see her go, but am so incredibly happy for her and even happier she is hanging with my best friends there!

Aliza moved out, as well as my roommate Jen (this is a high…the girl was the messiest human I have ever met. I just don't feel bad saying that whatsoever). 

So, two new roommates moved in and my apartment in NYC is now referred to (by me) as the MULTI-CULTURAL CENTER. 

I have two craigslist randoms that I could not be more entertained by: Jessica (pronounced Yessica) is from the border of Texas and Mexico. She is as every bit of a feisty Latina as it gets. I limit the amount of live Shakira concerts that are played in the apartment by yelling from my bed, “JESSICAAAA! ENGLISHHHH MUSICCCC TONIGHTTTT!” She laughs, I laugh…it’s a wonderful bond.

Then there is Jeanette. Jeanette is from a very Conservative Korean family, but this is not the case with my roommate. She loves Pho, but loves Tinder dudes even more and I often get the opportunity to meet multiple of these men every week! Jeanette is extremely sweet and it still continues to surprise me the dirty things that come out of this girls mouth.

So…all in all…the multi-cultural center is thriving here on the Lower East Side.

Books:

Highs: 

10% Happier by Dan Harris, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Low: 

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert. I was a sucker for Eat, Pray, Love, but this book just sucks.

I would like to dedicate 2014 to a very special person (dog), Ripley who passed away not too long ago. Ripley touched many people's lives in so many ways. She always knew when I was feeling down and always make everything better just by being Ripley. Love u Ripley Tang Harris. Miss u. 

Another prime part of my year...Summercamp Music Festival. These people are some of the kindest and best people I have ever met. So grateful to call them my friends, the weirder the better! 

Who woulda thought this girl and I would be living in NYC together...from Boulder High to these crowded streets. Boulder Bitches. 

Had to say farewell to this chap...a great NYC Partner-in-Crime. Thankfully, I got to experience his first pedicure ever with him. Miss you MIZZI!