a lot has happened in recent weeks in my life. a lot. i experienced my first real snow in the city. i experienced my first trip to the cleaners in the bk. i experienced my first trip home for the holidays. i experienced my first dinner with some fam in the bk. i experienced my first bike ride over the williamsburg bridge. i bought my first pair of real boots. i experienced my first vandalism in the les.

allow me to elaborate.

my first real snow in new york was stunningly beautiful. i cannot express how beautiful snow in the city is. after the snow stops falling from the sky though, it gets freaking gnarly nasty. melting snow creates huge puddles. maybe puddles is the wrong word. “mini-lakes” might be a far better description. fortunately, i had on the rain boots and was able to trudge along without a hiccup. but, i did feel for those struttin’ around in their chuck taylors. crossing the street for those folk turned into an obstacle course involving jumping, hopping, dodging, and many another a verb to avoid getting soaked. they all still got soaked. here a couple photos from my kitchen window of the epic snow.

new yorks laundry services.  amazing.  drop off your laundry on your way to work, pick it up on the way home.  clean.  folded.  hung.  ten american dollars.  need i elaborate?

as always, i failed to take any photos on my trip home.  so i don’t have any photographic evidence to prove it, but i had an amazing time.  time spent with the family was amazing.  time spent with friends was amazing.  i felt a strange sense of nostalgia.  the trip was kind of my last real hurrah in the lbc.  i don’t think i allowed myself to fully feel “moved to new york” until after this past holiday trip.  i won’t be back until may, so now i will have a solid five months of living life in new york, surviving, striving, and hopefully progressing in every way of life.  back to the subjects of family and friends, i am blessed.  i will, and already do, miss my friends and family profusely.

still on the family tip, my aunt judy and uncle chuck came out to brooklyn for the holidays to spend some time with grady, sam and felix.  aunt judy called my mum up, got my number, and invited me over for a chili dinner that reminded me of many a holiday back home.  growing up, my family would hop in the van, drive over to aunt judy and uncle chuck’s pad, eat chili with tons of old family and friends, and then hoof it around the neighborhood singing christmas carols.  good memories.  and dinner with them was really fun.  i’ve been so busy out here i haven’t had a second to contact grady and sam to try and meet up.  i’m really glad to have some family out here.  they are both amazing people and felix, well felix is probably the most adorable little dude i’ve ever seen.  i have never seen a kid laugh so hysterically at distorted pictures of his parents on their imac.  next time i hang, i will get photographic evidence of this kid.  amazing.

prior to dinner with the fam in bk, i had gone out with tommy and tiffany via bike to grab some dinner and beer at a joint in bk called dumont burger.  delicious.  tommy had a friend in the les that wanted us to meet up, so we decided to go on an adventure and ride our bikes over the williamsburg bridge.  that was beautiful.  only problem is, i left my bike in the les and haven’t had a chance to grab it until tonight.  which leads me to my experience of vandalism.  somebody straight up bent my front rim.  didn’t steal my seat.  didn’t steal my sweet headlight.  just bent my front rim.  its still there.  tomorrow i will figure out how to get it home.  lame.

the good news is, that with all bad things, comes some good.  since i couldn’t ride my bike home tonight, i had to take the subway and then walk.  on my walk home down driggs, i stumbled across a good sized square of sheetrock that i can use to illustrate on.  wouldn’t have been able to grab it if i was on a bike.  maybe my bike got busted for that reason.  (i’m trying very hard to make light of the situation).

i’ve been trying to decide on what kind of boots to get for a while.  i got some money for christmas, we are supposed to get a storm tomorrow, i met a kid that worked at the shop that sold them, he offered to hook me up with a deal, so i bought em.  they are one of two styles i’ve been debating between for over a month.  the other pair, made by quoddy, would take at least two months to receive.  in two months, the winter will be almost over.  these are red wing irish setters that are exclusively sold at j. crew.  they are based off a style made in the 50′s.  the leather is to die for.  honestly, these will probably last me forever.

thats all i got for now.  i have no idea as to what i’m going to do for new years eve in new york.  but, i’m supposed to take a bus to boston on new years day to visit jamie and mike.  along with the visitation comes a tattooing session at jamie’s house.  his buddy is coming up from the south to tattoo out of jamie’s house for a couple days.  i’m stoked.  images will soon follow.

see ya’ll in 2009.