30 Days of Being Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you are with family and friends, enjoying good food all day long. I have my elastic pants ready to go and the parade is already on!

Throughout the month of November, I’ve seen lots of my Facebook friends post something they are thankful for each day. While admirable, I knew I could not keep up each day. So in honor of Thanksgiving, below are my 30 days of thankful, one for each day of November.

I am thankful for: 

1) the greatest group of girlfriends anyone could possibly ask for.

2) being raised to have macaroni and meatballs every Sunday while the Giants game plays in the background.

Cuddle bugs even at 9 and 10!

3) a nine and ten year-old who expect nothing from me and who still love cuddling.

4) my 20 year-old brother. While he can be challenging, life would not be the same without him, especially for my parents.

5) being close to the greatest city in the world and for getting to see the bright lights of Times Square almost everyday.

The most fun co-workers

6) all of my amazing co-workers who make sure work doesn’t always feel like work, especially the two women to the right who let me be myself and make each day fun.

7) being a part of the wedding of the year and getting to see my friend so extremely happy.

Wedding of the year!

8) the ability to travel and see so many great places.

9) Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Fire and Glee that allow me to escape reality for a couple of hours each week.

10) seeing sunsets in California.

11) wine and cheese.

12) my running buddy, who challenges me to push myself further and to be a better person.

The best running buddy

 

 

 

 

13) job security and doing work I believe in.

14) long distance friendships that can pick up exactly where they left off.

15) being real-world ready thanks to my Temple University education.

16) my parents who love me more than anything in the world and who make me laugh so incredibly hard.

17) my previous job as a Resident Assistant; a job that taught me how to respond in an emergency and where I met so many amazing people.

18) for FaceTime, instagram and Skype..so I can see those I care about almost whenever I want.

Just two of many little cousins!

19) these beautiful little girls and all my little cousins who let me be a kid whenever I want.

20) the Dunkin Donuts, Wells Fargo ATM and Duane Reed in Penn Station because I typically forget something on my commute in.

21) my large, loud, crazy and stubborn Italian family. Without them, I don’t make sense.

22) good music and dance parties.

23) club rockstar.

24) planes, trains and buses that get me where I need to be.

25) heated mattress covers

26) laughter

#TempleMade

27) my guardian angels who manage to keep me safe and watch over me morning, noon and night.

28) a Thanksgiving feast that will be complete in time for the 8:30pm football game.

29) Santa Claus, Elf on the Shelf and the magic of Christmas.

30) outstanding grandparents, who spoil me and share all of our family stories with me.

Truer words have never been spoken

Commuter Diaries Part 1

As I might have mentioned before, I commute to Manhattan everyday. My office is located on Madison Avenue between 41st and 42nd streets. Most days, I walk from Port Authority and others from my mother’s office. Either way, it’s a decent walk through the city.

Every major city is filled with commuters. These people hustle through the streets desperately trying to get to work without killing anyone in the process. As silly as it may sound, this is a legitimate statement. Millions come through Manhattan every day so walking in a timely manner can be a challenge. After about a month of completing my daily trek, I’ve come up with a few tips for those powering through any city each day.

1. Don’t break stride: Regardless of your direction, just keep moving. If you’re stopped at one corner, try to cross at the other. By not stopping, you are keeping the flow of people traffic moving. This being said, don’t cross a street if there are cars coming or if it’s going to be out of your way.

2. Be alert: You are absolutely allowed to walk with your headphones in or occasionally check your cell phone. However, you should not be focused on the ground, your phone or anything else. Your head should be up, paying attention to the people around you and the traffic on the streets. Make sure you actually look before running across the street and don’t just walk because other people are.

3. Hold on tight: Most commuters have purses, briefcases and laptops with them as they travel through the city. With everyone’s stuff floating around, it’s important to make sure your own belongings are secure. Be certain your wallet is deep within your bag and that all openings are zipped or buttoned.

4. Pay attention to events: The month of December brings tons of special events to the city of Manhattan. Most of these events bring mass amounts of people, especially tourists to the city. A smart commuter knows when these events occur in order to avoid the areas with extra volume on those days.

5. There will be obstacles: On any given day, there will be obstacles in your way that prevent you from getting to your destination. I’ve encountered Disney characters in Times Square and Girl Scout Troops in Penn Station. Always give yourself extra time in case you run into such challenges. And as always, pack your patience.

I’ve been learning the best routes to take on my daily walk to the office. It’s really fun to see all the Christmas decorations up; they bring the city to life! Getting from Point A to Point B can be a challenge but with patience, you can be a successful commuter too!