Humidity is Rising

Day: 391

Photo taken on Saturday, August 27, 2011 in the living room at 1135pm.

Most people actually prepare for a hurricane: hit the grocery store for supplies, tape up windows, tie things in the yard down, leave flood zones. But not Steve and I, no. We do things a bit differently like play Mike across town in Borderlands and drink the beer in our fridge so it doesn't skunk when we lose power later. We have our priorities straight and right now it's drink this special beer Julia brought back for me when she returned from her trip to Canada last week. I'm already three beers in at this point, having cracked open two of our more expensive bottles while I watched iParty with Victorious upstairs.

Okay, I take it back, we did prepare--sorta. Today after we get two calls from the town advising us to leave the premises, I call Robyn to cancel my long run with the boys. I'm nervous about all these warnings and have already received several offers to stay with friends and family but I can't accept. I can't leave behind all my possessions and spend the whole night worrying if it's being carried away on the water in my backyard. Instead we decide to prepare the fort for battle with Irene. While Steve is at Stony Brook Orientation, I set to work cleaning the upstairs, putting everything away in its proper place to make room for everything from downstairs if need be. Our brilliant plan is to constantly check the water level outside and if it comes over the dock and hits the grass, then and only then, will we start moving everything from downstairs up. Then we'll leave the premises.

Smart right?

I wonder how it'll go with me half in the bag now and Steve preoccupied with online gaming.

The Outback Approach

Day: 366

Photo taken on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 on the back porch at Angelface & Kim's house at 1131pm. (Pictured from my big ass head: Steve, Angelface holding his lovable pup, Kevin, Elisa, and Kim F. soon to be M!)

So it's been a year and when I go to put the BLOG to rest I get many requests to continue. I had no idea that my pictures and writing actually entertain some people and that they look forward to where my days lead me. It takes some convincing on their part but in the end, here I am. Though things are going to change this time around:

1. No more writing out the numbers. It's getting too wordy.
2. The picture no longer has to be a selfer in order to get the shot I want. Making it a self portrait limited a lot of potential and I also felt really silly when strangers offered to take the picture for me and I had to explain to them why they couldn't and that it had to sit on top of a dirty trash can on a self timer.
3. I don't necessarily have to be in it, just in the vicinity. Sometimes pictures need no people.
4. I'm going to post the daily everyday and I might not write anything about it until I feel like it. The reason being, I have a lot of upcoming projects that need more attention and I seriously have to get a move on with bettering my future financially.
5. That's it. There is no 5, sorry.

Tonight we are invited over for a delicious home-cooked meal and lots of laughs by our generous hosts, Angelface and Kim. It bothers me a bit today when I realize that the four lovely folks pictured with me never make it into the BLOG in the first year. I had seen them but maybe the picture had been done for the day or I simply forgot and snapped it when I got home. I don't like that, so it needs to change.

I have high hopes for this year and I want you to be a part of it. I lost a good friend this past year because I was accused of ignoring them and excluding them from get-togethers. This is never the case with me and I apologize to those who read this BLOG and feel they are excluded. No one is ever left behind in my book. If you want to hang out, give me your number or if you're unavailable when I invite you out, extend me an invitation the next time you go out. I am very outgoing, open-minded, and caring but sometimes I don't know who really wants to go see a Jackie Chan movie so just let me know if you want to take part in something fun and I'll gladly let you in on my life journey.

I'm a pretty simple person and I don't ask much. What I do ask of everyone is respect: for me, for my loved ones, and for the life I choose to lead. I'm not perfect and I make tons of mistakes so this year I'm making an even greater effort to be conscious of my decisions and not sweat the small stuff. I think we can make this a really great year so let's live it up!

"I'm here for the party and I ain't leavin' til they throw me out."-Gretchen Wilson

A Good Year

Day: Three Hundred and Sixty Five

Photo taken on Monday, August 1, 2011 in the Manga Dining Room at 1143pm.

One year.

We made it.

And I couldn't have done this project without you.

A big thank you to everyone who supported this crazy idea of taking a daily selfer for one whole year. I am very appreciative for the people who took the time to comment whether it was on this site or on Facebook or through a text/phone call or when we actually met face to face, your compliments and criticism helped my creativity flourish during this task. There were some days when I was close to throwing in the towel but you all lifted my spirits and I continued on. There were times when inspiration came easily and times when I hit the proverbial wall. Regardless, it was a great experience that I'll never forget.

As I constructed the video montage of the past year, I was astounded by how many adventures my family and friends took with me. I remembered the patience everyone had in the beginning when it took me a few tries to set up the right shot and chuckled at how I never really got it down throughout the year anyway. It's amazing how many things I accomplished in 365 days: a half marathon then a full, 11 out-of-state trips, successfully broke one camera, and lived in two different places with a whole lot of fun mixed in there as well. There were some sad moments and rough days too but we managed to get through them and hopefully these trials will make us stronger.

The reason for me starting this project has been achieved: I learned to like myself a little bit more. I learned that no matter what, there will be days when I look atrocious in a picture but now I can smile at it and laugh about what else was going on when I snapped it. I learned that keeping this daily BLOG is an easy way to remember what you did every day. I always knew that it was the little things that counted in life and I hope that you took that away with you as well.

I live by very simple words and concepts:

1. Life is too damn short to be angry.
2. You only get to live once so live it to the fullest and eat dessert every chance you get.

I sincerely thank each and every one of you for sticking by me this past year. Love you all!

Enjoy the montage!

Death Note...DOMINUS!

Day: Three Hundred and Forty Six

Photo taken on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 in the living room at 950pm. (Families that watch anime together, stay together. From right: Pher, me, Steve, and Charlie)

Is it bad that I am totally taking off work tomorrow in order to stay up all night to watch anime and drink an 18 pack of Bud Light?

I know what you're thinking...

BUD LIGHT?

No need to worry if I'm sick, there will be IPAs later but right now I am trying to figure out how to scratch something onto the bottle with a key as I take notes for our other BLOG. It is so much fun to keep track of the jokes we are all making as Death Note unfolds in front of our eyes (two pairs of eyes completely virgin to the storyline). Between the dialogue the four of us add our own until we giggle so much we need to go back a few chapters. So of course after a few episodes I have to pose the question to my brothers:

"Would you use a Death Note?"

And why am I not surprised that both answer yes?

Home Entertainment

Day: Two Hundred and Fifty Six

Photo taken on Thursday, April 14, 2011 in the living room at 925pm.

Pher had done this in college and I thought it to be totally cool. Steve and I are doing it now, years later, and it is something real adults shouldn't be doing:

Makeshift stadium seating in your living room.

Where else can we put our counter stools now that we have no counter?

Halt!

Day: Fifty Four

Photo taken on Friday, September 24, 2010 in the Waldbaum's parking lot (again) in Great Neck, NY at 646pm.

When picking me up for our second job, Steve is forced to go down a different lane because a wonderful driver just stops for no reason, blocking his way to get me in our meeting spot. As he goes down the other way I use the element of surprise and jump out from behind another vehicle Akeem Joffer style. Luckily Steve stops in time.