crazy person

If you've been reading this blog longer than 5 minutes, you know that to get to work I take a train, a boat, and a subway.  It's a long commute.  If you know ME at all, or happen to see me in transit, you will know that this commute has the potential to drive me completely insane.
I know what you're thinking - but you take a BOAT, isn't it so lovely and peaceful?  Umm... sometimes yes, but many times no.  For example, sometimes in the morning I sit 3 feet away from someone listening to Nicki Minaj, at full volume, with 1 earplug hanging out blasting it to the world.  I like Nicki Minaj just as much as anyone else, but at 8am I don't want to hear anyone's music but my own.  Sometimes I don't want to hear ANYTHING at all.

Wouldn't it be awesome if this earbud worked? 

This problem used to be easily solved by my handy dandy earplug headphones, which blocked out all sounds and were exactly what I needed to zone out during my commute.  But they are now totally shot.  I used to be able to jiggle the plug and wrap it in place to keep the sound coming out of both earpieces, but that's not even working anymore.  Sadface.
Anyway, it's time for a new pair of headphones... you know, to save my sanity.  I'm thinking maybe these (more $$) or these (less$$).  I'd like some in-ear, noise-isolating ones, with in-line mic and volume controls... for all the fancy phone calls I make ;-)
Does anyone have a pair of headphones they love and would recommend?  I'm at the end of my rope here!

<3 barb

PS - If you want to see what it really looks like to commute in NYC, check out this article.  It's not very glamorous at all

i was right!

I was right!  And it's not terribly shocking to me at all... I'm just being modest here. 
Back in college, I used to (usually) do my very best to get dressed in a decent outfit before heading to campus for the day - even if I knew I was just going to be sitting in studio working on my project where pretty much nobody would see me.  The theory?  Look better, feel better.  If I'm dressed like I'm going to get things done, then its highly likely that I will, in fact, get things done.
Today, Refinery 29 told me that I was right.

Scientists part ofThe Journal of Experimental Cognition have been researching the effect that clothing has on the way we think and act, a phenomenon called "unclothed cognition"…and here's the magical part: You have to be wearing the clothes for it to take effect.

So it's no good to have the perfect blazer in your closet, you need to wear it on the day you want to feel powerful and confident.

<3 barb

PS - On days when you want to LOOK powerful and confident but would rather be wearing leggings, I recommend these pants.  They are perfectly stretchy, but look professional too!

my family is awesome

Random Fact: my family is awesome.

Last weekend we all went to Philly to visit the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  We saw Katie while we were there, too!

<3 barb

PS: I used the app PicFrame for that top collage, its one of my new faves :-)

on being a huge nerd...

Here's another random fact to answer any lingering questions you have about my coolness: I am a lifelong nerd.  Not in the geeky losery kinda way, of course, but in the accelerated programs throughout my life kinda way.  I was put in the top class in second grade, stayed in honors through middle school and went to a specialized high school where I totally nerded out for 4 years, scored a 1590 on the SAT (back in the day when 1600 was a perfect score), and took 6 AP classes.  Then I went to an even nerdier college, literally a place where the word "nerd" possibly originated.
I sounds like I'm bragging, right?  Well, I am... but I'm not just here to brag about myself - I'm here to brag about my high school, Staten Island Technical High School, which is getting some really good press as of late and I'm so happy to say that Katie and I are both alumni of one of the best math and science schools in the country!
This video is a little long, but I had to include:

Staten Island Tech: MyFoxNY.com

According to the U.S. News and World Report ranking of High Schools, S.I. Tech ranks not only #34 on the Gold Medal Schools list, but #13 on the list of Best High Schools for Math and Science!  It received the highest ranking of the NYC Specialized High Schools, which is something that Staten Island is really proud of.
All rankings aside, I really loved attending S.I. Tech and I agree that it is a very special school.  I made friends with intelligent, creative, and fun people during my time there that I have remained close with.  I have four years worth of memories of "spirited discussions" in class, teachers who were passionate and engaged with their students, and a feeling that everybody at the school was committed to the success of every student.  Maybe I'm sugar coating it now that I'm a few years removed, but high school can be a tough time and being part of a small community of like-minded people is a huge advantage in making it through successfully.
So, congratulations to S.I. Tech! You truly deserve it :-)
<3 barb

checkers

seriously, why was I taking pictures like this?

These were the shoes I wore in college. Literally all of college, I had three pairs of them... the last of which may or may not still be wallowing in the depths of my closet. Does this seem silly to you? Or even odd, that the girl who is now totally obsessed with boots, heels, flats, wedges, and really all manner of fabulous/ridiculous shoes would have defaulted to these checkered Vans sneakers for literally FIVE years?! Well, as I was thinking about this random fact post (and I knew I had to feature these shoes because, well, I TOOK PICTURES of them) I came upon what might be the reason I clung to them for so long. I was wearing these shoes during a major life moment- I was wearing them when I met the ladies who would eventually become my sorority sisters! 

I was at the final event of orientation week at my college, and I was hanging out with some guys (don't roll your eyes, my school was 75% male) when a group of girls who were obviously not freshmen introduced themselves to me and told me that they were members of Alpha Gamma Delta.  It was a turning point for me... I could easily picture myself being friends with these girls, they were friendly and fun and pretty, and on that day they picked me!  Maybe it had nothing to do with how I looked, maybe nobody noticed the shoes (actually, I'm pretty sure that someone later revealed the shoes as my identifier, i.e. "the girl wearing the checkered sneakers") but this was probably the reason the shoes stuck.  That and they're so darn comfy and easy to slip on... says the girl who wears "practical" 6 inch platforms to work in Manhattan and spends most of her 45 minute lunch break walking.  

the shoes at the end of my time in Rome... yes, those are holes at the toes

Even though their moment has passed, these shoes will always be a part of some very special memories!

<3 barb

P.S. If you're looking for pictures from Washington, DC... PJ took so very many, and after we weed through them, I'll be posting.  Thank's for your patience!

random fact - my commute

I thought it would be cool (and also a good space filler on days when I'm busy or don't have anything exciting to post about) to share random tidbits about myself on here. The first one will either be a fun fact or a fact of life depending on how you know me:


Every day I take the a boat to work... so does a large chunk of the rest of Staten Island's population... we take the Staten Island Ferry. The boat starts at the north end of the island, passes between Liberty Island and Governor's Island, and lands in lower Manhattan. The trip takes about a half hour.


Since the boat passes so close to the Statue of Liberty, it's a pretty standard tourist attraction... did I mention it's also FREE? Yea, that could have something to do with the scores of tourists who are always asking what side of the boat to stand on in order to get Lady Liberty in the background of their pics.


Despite the touristy-ness of the ferry, I really enjoy it. I get some time to unwind and relax after work, and it's not like I have to pay attention for my stop! And since so many people take the ferry to work, I often see friends and get to catch up while we travel. Did I mention... I'm on a BOAT?!

<3 barb