Spring 2011

Not actually from Spring. From February, when everything was still cold, gray, and yellow.

And then suddenly it was spring!

Cherry blossoms at the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens (04.23.11)

April showers bring May flowers (now I finally understand what that means).

hello, tulips!

I never used to like tulips. At least not in a vase. But seeing tulips all over the city was very heartwarming. There are also green leaves on the trees now too! I've never been so amazed! It's like I've come from a foreign land and have no concept of things blooming!

I finally feel like I have some spare time for myself, and it's nice that it coincides with the weather finally getting better. People have been telling me that this was an unusual winter. I wouldn't have known the difference. In fact, I'm fully prepared to reach for my wool coat and boots at a moment's notice. I'm still not convinced that it is truly spring. (It still rains too much to my liking).

I think I mentioned in the last post that the cold winter made it challenging for me to enjoy New York. That may sound silly, but I really think that it was really part of the reason (the other parts include: school work getting in the way, and lack of money getting in the way). I'm truly a warm weather person, and even West L.A., where I lived the prior 15 years, was a bit too chilly for me (seriously!).

There was one particularly cold day in February, I was trekking back to my place from the Westside Market 9 blocks away with two bags full of groceries. I had about 5 layers on and my nose started running as it is apt to do in cold weather but I had no free hand to reach for tissues. It was so cold and I felt so miserable I was nearly in tears!

Granted I've learned to let go of some old habits and adjusted grocery shopping substantially. Gone are the days of "one-stop shopping" - I buy things in piecemeal from 4 different stores on a regular basis. And although I've learned which store is cheaper for which products, at times, convenience (or lack of inconvenience) prompts me to close my eyes, ignore the price stickers, and just buy what I need or want wherever I am.

It's little things like that.

Looking back on some of my posts from last fall is interesting. The things I observed about NYC, my unhealthy obsession with stuff (still ongoing), and the general feeling of not knowing where I'm going....well, I still don't know. Lots to explore and do this summer.

I'm so acutely aware of it being cold again soon (even though soon is not for another 6 months) that I'm trying to come up with a list of outdoorsy things to do. Time seems to be flying by. It seemed to me, without notice, the leaves changed, it became ridiculously cold, it snowed a lot, and then the flowers bloomed...it's truly a foreign concept to this SoCal girl but in some sense it makes me more aware of my day-to-day, and more aware of making sure I make the most out of my time. Perhaps the lack of drastic changes in SoCal weather makes one day blend into another, and one month, and one year, and so on, making us lose track of time. (thinking positive)

Well, I would say I'm off to enjoy the warm weather this Sunday afternoon, but unfortunately, it's raining right now.