“…5, 6, 7, 8”

Life Lesson Learned: Don’t wait to do something you love! 

I’ve never been much of an athlete. That’s not to say I hadn’t given sports a try as a kid…but I quickly learned that to succeed in basketball you need to be able to dribble more than a foot and actually serve the ball over the net in volleyball. Imagine that! 

I fared a bit better at middle school cheerleading (lack of flexibility and tumbling skills aside), but my skills (and overall passion) seemed to be better suited for dance. 

Like many other girls I’m sure, I started taking dance classes in my preschool years. I remember very little about that initial experience, so I’m grateful my mom took photos for me to look back on.

I didn’t stay at that particular studio very long (which was two towns over), but evidently I enjoyed dance as my mom signed me up for classes right in town. 

They were offered by the Rabbit Run Community Arts association (the organization also behind the theater season at Rabbit Run Theater), with lessons being taught in Madison’s former village hall. At the time the dance studio was nothing more than a giant room with ballet bars on the side. Any seating required folding chairs placed around the perimeter of the room. Not the most fancy of locations, but it was certainly cozy!

When I was 8, I entered the dance world again and took classes with another local teacher, who taught both at the village location and at her own house. With the exception of my third grade year, we were taught jazz, tap and ballet. Generally the first half of the year was a focus on technique, while the second was primarily on learning and perfecting our routines for the annual recital. 

I decided to quit dance–despite my love of it–in sixth grade to try basketball instead. That later transitioned to the aforementioned cheerleading, volleyball and later theater. 

You can take the dancer out of dance, but you can’t take the dance out of a dancer…so in my junior year of college (when I had more time for fun classes) I decided to sign up for jazz dance class. I had debated between that and tap, but those classes were at a less convenient time (and quite frankly, I didn’t want to shell out for the pricier tap shoes). The class was an absolute blast, I learned quite a bit (I think far more than I did as a kid), so I did one more semester my senior year. 

Years after moving to NJ I could tell I was getting bit by the dance bug yet again. I stumbled across a tap performance at the Hudson River Park and it took every ounce of control not to start tapping my own sneaker-cladded feet along with them. It was on my “bucket list” to take adult tap classes, but I wasn’t interested in a full-length session due to the price and time commitment, so the idea eventually slipped from my mind.

But in early 2020 after a bit of research, I discovered that a company called Broadway Dance Center offered a pay-per-class option. Huzzah! I could show up for a class when my schedule allowed or if I didn’t have any other plans that day.

I remember being a bit nervous when my first class came around, but I was equally eager too. (Yet evidently distracted as I don’t believe I took a single photo of the place. So please enjoy these online photos)

 The building was a short walk from the Port Authority Bus Station, which was convenient, and there was just such an energy there. The studios were all bustling with various classes that were tempting to observe (I later discovered that in one of their waiting areas they had TV screens where you could do just that via live cameras), and you could tell most people were eager to be there. When I found the particular studio I needed, I quickly became overwhelmed not only by the sheer number of people who were there to attend the class, but the fact that so many of them seemed to know each other. It was like being the new kid at school, even as a “drop in” class! 

To make things even more awkward, the instructor also made mention of the fact that there were some “new faces” and that we should do our best to follow along. How hard could that be? Right?

Hard. If you’ve ever seen the television show Friends, there’s an episode in which the three female lead characters, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe, take a tap dance class in NYC. Though none of them have any kind of dancing experience, they all prove to have different skill levels: Monica struggles to keep up, Rachel surprises everyone with her talent and Phoebe knows she can’t do it and hilariously dances around in typical Phoebe fashion. At the beginning of the class, I was Monica. By the end….I was on the cusp of turning into Phoebe. 

This was likely because I had foolishly signed up for an intermediate level class, which called for 2-5 years of experience. Sure, I had the recommended 2 years of experience as a kid, but evidently just knowing what a “shuffle” is isn’t enough to be able to bump yourself up a level. 

To make matters worse, not only was I unfamiliar with many of the steps we were required to do, I was quite rusty at tap. In my experience, tap requires an extra level of thinking compared to other styles of dance simply because your feet have to be doing so much in such a short amount of time. Then I was expected to remember the choreography/combinations? Forget about it. My brain was not at all prepared for that, and this is coming from the woman who remembers her tap dance from fourth grade. 

I was able to laugh about it after class (once I recovered from the “trauma” of feeling like a deer in the headlights), and knew I’d be taking beginner level lessons after that. No shame in returning back to the basics!

Turns out, even the beginner level was anything but beginner. While it was easier for me personally, I was still introduced to a number of steps that were brand new to me. (It really makes me wonder if I hadn’t learned them as a kid because we were so young or my former dance teacher just never went nearly enough in depth). I at least felt like I could handle the class….and enjoyed it much better as a result! I do wonder though how anyone with zero dance experience was expected to keep up? That’s probably why the dance center had a number of reviews with complete novices complaining about the misleading levels of the classes. Yikes! 

Just as I was getting back into the swing of things, my return to the dance world came to a screeching halt with the arrival of the pandemic. My tap shoes, which had been worn no more than 4 times, were put back into my closet for what could very well have been an indefinite amount of time. Don’t wait to try a new hobby or return to something you love; you may regret it! 

While I only have a few memories from my time at the BDC, I do have at least one fun keepsake to show off that I took dance classes at an actual NYC studio. 

Life Lesson Learned: Sometimes, you gotta give yourself some “homework”

I knew when I moved back to Ohio that I was going to sign up for tap classes yet again (though I opted to wait a year to allow myself to get settled in first), especially because my previous adult tap experience was sadly cut so short. Around here, you’re in it for the long haul paying for an entire session. This has its perks though, because it gives you more time to perfect your skills!

This time, I knew not to make the same mistake of ending up in a more advanced class. After a two-year hiatus I was going to be rusty yet again, not to mention ridiculously out of shape this time around. Sigh. Plus, I was certain I had barely tapped into (pun intended), the foundations of tap dance that would be crucial for advancing forward. Again, back to the beginning!

My class is held at the Rabbit Run Community Arts building in the village, so, ironically, I’m returning back to my roots. Honestly the building and studio don’t look the least bit different with the exception of a small waiting area added to the room. Every time I walk in there, I can almost picture Little Shay hopping around with her leotard and ballet shoes, or doing practice shuffles in the middle of the floor. 

Evidently as you grow older, your class size grows smaller (NYC classes aside) because there’s more space in the studio than we know what to do with! (Meanwhile, at the BDC, you were lucky if you weren’t accidentally tapping on someone else’s toes). It’s a lot more relaxing though, which I do appreciate. 

We’ve covered a lot of the basics, but also move quite quickly. I think I’ve surprised myself with how fast I’ve been able to pick things up this go-around. Well, most of the time…

Unfortunately for a day bird like me, the class is held at 7:30 at night. My brain nearly ceases to work after 6 pm, and by the time class rolls around I’m lucky if I can remember my own name. I have to work extra hard to stay focused (a great mental exercise for the brain no doubt!) so that I’m not tripping over my feet. Most days I’m at my best as long as I’ve had adequate sleep, but even so I’ll occasionally have a complete “brain fart” in the middle of a step and forget what in God’s name I’m supposed to be doing until it clicks again two seconds later. 

Those times where I’m still lost but we have to move on? I go home that night and annoy my cat and bunny for the next week by practicing the step in socks every 30 minutes. Best self-assigned “homework” ever! It actually makes me feel more confident by the next class and keeps me from having a mental meltdown as I’m trying to remember it with my “ready for bed” brain. 

We’ve already surpassed what I learned in 2020 in just a month’s worth of classes, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. 

Time to go practice my paradiddles! 

Bring your appetite!

Life Lesson Learned: After a two-year hiatus, expect to be fighting crowds like it’s the Hunger Games

For me, September has always been that weird transition when summer fun winds down and you’re eagerly anticipating fall festivities. That doesn’t mean, however, that there’s a lack of entertainment options. Enter: the Geneva Grape Jamboree.

My hometown used to have a couple of annual festivals/carnivals that have, sadly, faded away over the years. While both certainly had some room for improvement before they ended, at least we had something, you know? Now there’s a lame excuse for a festival every July at the township park, but that’s a rant for another day…

Thankfully, the next town over does still have people who care enough to keep tradition alive via the annual Geneva Grape Jamboree. One thing I’ve always appreciated about the event is the fact that it has a theme; it makes for great pictures, fun contests and unique food! It’s also fitting considering we are right in the middle of Ohio’s wine country (though, ironically, my family and I have never been wine drinkers). 

Sadly, I haven’t had the chance to attend the festival since 2010. Being 3 ½ hours away at college for four years made it impossible, as did living two states over for the next six. Needless to say, I was eager to go this year, especially to see what was new and enjoy some of that delicious grape ice cream I remembered so fondly! The festival had also taken a two-year hiatus because of Covid, so I didn’t have the chance to go last year despite having moved back to the area. 

Although the Jamboree is a two-day event, a weather prediction of wet and rainy weather Sunday meant we wouldn’t be able to go that day even if we wanted to wait. Even more unfortunate news? I noticed before leaving the house that there was also a chance of a pop-up shower at noon. But that’s what umbrellas are for, right? Still, it would have been nice to be graced with nothing but sunny skies. 

The three of us should have realized just how busy things would be when we had to park so far away that the walk to the festival felt like miles. We were nearly tired by the time we got there! 

Our first stop was the craft fair, which was packed to say the least. To make matters worse, the meteorologists happened to be right for once and a few clouds did decide to hit us with a bit of rain. Thankfully our umbrellas came in handy, but I quickly learned that I’m a hazard to myself and others when trying to carry an umbrella through a crowd while simultaneously window shopping. I’m honestly shocked that the umbrella didn’t get caught on a tree at one point. (I will say, nothing is more of a challenge than using an umbrella in the Times Square crowds. I learned quickly to use a rain jacket instead so as to avoid dirty looks and rude comments. Sigh.). 

When we left the craft area after having taken fewer photos than I expected (not many grape themed items to be found there!), I was hopeful we’d see more in the main “strip.” Plenty of people were wearing purple, which is always fun (until you’re trying to find a family member who is also wearing purple) but we had to stroll behind all of the food vendors on the sidewalk to look for photo ops. Normally the downtown shops will decorate their windows with grape-themed displays in honor of the occasion.

We did see some cute displays, but not nearly as many as I remembered. It certainly didn’t help that one section of the street hardly had any remaining stores. Such a shame! (We even spotted one with a “closed because of Covid” sign that appeared to be two years old. It was like it was frozen in time. Talk about depressing and eerie!)

The day’s parade was not only late to start but was…lacking? Sure, there were some cute floats and some attempts at decorating for the grape theme, but far too many noisy, emergency vehicles, odd business vehicles and a bizarre inclusion of non-vintage cars. (If 1994 is considered vintage, then I’m clearly an old lady…even if I do feel it some days). We were so tired from standing that we walked away before the parade’s conclusion to try and snap some more photos elsewhere before the crowds arrived. Unfortunately for us, that didn’t last long. By the time I was ready for the much-anticipated grape ice cream, the parade was over and we were drowning in a sea of hungry humans. Nearly every vendor had no less than 20 people in line, making for very long waits and very little room to move around. We left the line to look around some more, hoping things would thin out by the time we got back to the ice cream booth. Wrong.

The line was even longer, though thankfully things moved quickly. And just as important, the wait was totally worth it. Yum!

There wasn’t much to see after that, and many of the most interesting events (like the grape stomping) had taken place earlier in the day before we arrived.

So with the crowds still growing, we decided to head home.  (On a side note, many attendees arrived with dogs….which I don’t understand. Why would you want to subject your pup to large groups of people who are not paying attention to where they’re even stepping?)

Though my stomach was certainly pleased with all of the festival goodies, I couldn’t help but feel like something was just…”lacking” this year. I know my Mom felt the same way! The large amount of people also made things feel more stressful. I’m guessing that the two-year hiatus made people more eager than ever to get their Jamboree fix, and the impending unpleasant weather on Sunday meant they worried they only had one day to enjoy the fun. 

Here’s hoping that they achieve a little more grapeness with future festivals!

Life Lesson Learned: There’s only so much you can do with pickles…

NYC has no shortage of festivals, with one of its most famous being the annual Feast of San Gennaro held in late September in Little Italy. If my memory serves me right, I first discovered the event in 2016 and couldn’t wait to go. Streets filled with Italian food vendors? Sign. Me. Up! I had also seen that there was Pickle Festival being held in the same general area, and knew I couldn’t miss that either. 

I was surprised to find the festival was set up in a somewhat dark side-street, though there was no shortage of tents and I was curious about what all was being offered. 

Unsurprisingly, most of the vendors were offering pickles. (What a concept!) Flavored pickles, fried pickles, pickles on a stick, pickle chips…you name it! 

Of course, when you’re trying to decide what to get…where do you even begin? How are you supposed to know what makes a great pickle? At that point, the only pickles I ate came in a jar from the supermarket. Are certain pickle flavors better than others? And what’s the appeal of a pickle on a stick? (I got one of these and still have no idea why). 

I ended up trying the aforementioned pickle-on-a-stick and a whole pickle that I’m guessing had some kind of flavor (maybe garlic? That sounds like something I’d pick!). I do wish I had given the fried pickles a try. 

Unsurprisingly, there didn’t appear to be much in the way of entertainment besides a giant checkers board? Granted I didn’t walk the entire length of the festival, but I can’t imagine what else would have been offered. A pickle ring toss? A pickle eating contest? 

I did see at least one vendor selling pickle themed merchandise, perfect for the pickle lovers in your life I guess. I personally didn’t buy anything though I do wish I had taken more photos of their inventory…just for later laughs if anything else! 

Though it was fun to stop by and see what the “dill” was, I decided to wander back to Little Italy to stuff my face full of carbs. 

I certainly appreciated the uniqueness of the “Pickle Day” event, but do wonder why they called it that when National Pickle Day is November! Overall, it was easy to see the limitations of a festival focused on a food that most people only like to consume in a few ways. It’s not like you can offer pickle-flavored dessert options, right? 

But after seeing these two food options being advertised….

I guess you never know what people might be willing to try. 

Me? I’ll have to pass.

A roaring good time

Life Lesson Learned: Sometimes it’s good to shake things up!

The zoo has been a “happy place” for me for as long as I can remember! My parents even have pictures of me looking at exhibits in awe when I was barely old enough to walk. 

I’m sure one of the many reasons I have had such a love for our “local” zoo (The Cleveland Zoo) is because of how well they’ve transformed so much of the property. It’s come a long way since my toddler days, and I still have fond memories of each visit where there was something new and improved to explore. From the Australian Adventure section that debuted when I was in elementary school to the most recent Asian Highlands renovation, it’s such a treat to see the animals thrive in their new habitats. Even now, in 2022, they have multiple projects in the works that our family looks forward to seeing upon completion. 

Despite these new additions, the three of us have proven to be creatures of habit when it comes to our visits. We head towards the lions and elephants first, then stop for lunch before Hangry Shay makes an appearance. The zoo’s food court has been an ever-changing roster of dining options minus one staple: McDonald’s. And despite the fact that we have a McDonald’s right in town, this has consistently been our zoo lunch of choice (Heck, I even get the same order there every time. Don’t judge!). The best part of the meal isn’t even the food itself….it’s our idyllic spot to enjoy it. Tucked behind the indoor dining area is a narrow, wrap-around patio with a handful of tables. Not only are you surrounded by shrubbery on one side, but there’s a picturesque view of some African grassland animals just on the other side of the railing. (And if that’s not enough wildlife for you, there’s guaranteed to be some French fry addicted chipmunks running near your feet, hoping for handouts). Thankfully, few people seem to know the spot exists and instead opt for the chaotic, hot-from-the-sun dining area that’s out in the open. No thank you! 

Our path then takes us to the rest of the African animals, followed by Wilderness Trek, the Primate, Cat and Aquatics area, and then ending the day through the Australian Adventure while running out of steam. I’m not sure why this has consistently been our routine, but it’s basically become tradition at this point. But who says traditions can’t be changed?

This year (our first time back at the zoo since 2019), we broke out of our comfort zone a bit. The zoo is 183 acres, and you can even see reviews from tourists stunned at how much walking is involved on the property. With my mom having back issues, she knew she wouldn’t be able to visit the whole zoo on foot this time around, so she ended up renting an electric scooter for the day. So glad they have that option! (Though we all like to joke that they need to offer Segways to everyone.) It took a bit of figuring out to operate the scooter, but things went smoothly after that. 

Given the size of the zoo, my mom suggested we start at the furthest away areas, figuring she could do the exhibits by the entrance on foot near closing if needed. This meant taking the tram up to the Primate region right after we got there. I have to say, it was nice not to have to deal with a huge crowd waiting for the tram like we regularly encountered in afternoons (especially since the day’s high dew point meant I was already sticky and borderline uncomfortable at 11 a.m.–not the kind of weather you’d want to be stuck in a huge crowd). 

The actual Primate, Cat and Aquatics area might as well be called “Some primates, one cat and what fish?” now given how few exhibits there are, but it was still worth a visit. We got to see baby gorilla Kayembe, who is the first to be born at the zoo. I’ll be honest that apes both fascinate and frighten me, but he was a cute little nugget! 

 

Our time in Australian Adventure wasn’t overly memorable, though I appreciated seeing it before we hit the point of “my feet are tired and I’m ready to go home” in the late afternoon. Lunch was just what you’d expect (Yes, McDonald’s with a view!), and then we headed in the opposite direction towards Wilderness Trek, which is easily becoming my favorite area. 

One of the highlights of the day was getting to see all of the displays for the Asian Lantern festival that’s held at night throughout the summer. Sure, they may not be as “wow-worthy” during the day, but I was still impressed! Plus, it made for some great pictures on top of seeing the animals. 

The other highlight? The baby animals of course (including little Kayembe and rhino calf Dahlia), and the gorgeous big cats that all three of us were swooning over. 

Before we knew it, we were wrapping up our visit with the last couple of African-themed exhibits near the entrance. How had the day gone by so fast? I was undoubtedly still tired from the summer weather, but somehow had sidestepped the exhaustion that accompanies our usual path through the zoo. 

I guess sometimes it really pays to change up your routine! 

Life Lesson Learned: When it’s hot, penguins are your best friend!

When I moved to the greater New York area in 2015, I made it my goal to visit as many of the NYC zoos as possible. I managed to see three of them before I moved, and it was a treat to learn about the similarities/differences between them all. 

Though the Bronx Zoo was by far the most impressive in my opinion, I loved the Central Park Zoo simply for the convenience (part of the reason I went there twice!). Sure, it was small, but at least you could go relax in a shady spot in the park when you were all done. 

One of my visits (you can read the original post here) was on a sweltering day in August, and I remember I was embarrassingly sweaty by the time I even made it to the actual zoo. This was one case of a small zoo being a blessing, because days like that at the Cleveland Zoo are brutal if not downright impossible. Unfortunately, the zoo had a small tropical building that I foolishly entered first, not realizing I was about to become even stickier.

The Cleveland Zoo actually has an impressive rainforest building with great exhibits, but who wants to walk through a humid environment when humidity awaits you outside too? Needless to say, we skip it just about every year. 

So after I survived the struggle that was the Tropic Zone at the CP Zoo, I wandered through the rest of the property to see their “temperate” animals trying to stay cool like the rest of us. I can’t imagine being a snow leopard or red panda in the heat; poor things! They were all snoozing (and understandably so) but I managed to get some decent photos given the crowds.

Then came a pleasant surprise: penguins! Thank the Lord, they had penguins.

The birds are funny to watch (and I remember there was one cutie who kept swimming next to the glass, looking for attention), but at that point they could have put out cardboard birds behind that glass and I likely wouldn’t have cared. The building was cool, it was dry and I was in Heaven. So I stuck around longer than probably warranted to watch them play in the water before accepting that I’d have to brave the heat once again. 

On my way out of the park, I stopped at what seemed to be the zoo’s main attraction: the sea lion pool. As I watched them splash around in the water, clearly unaffected by the high temps, I felt a small tinge of jealousy as a non-swimmer.  

Only one thought came to mind: Show offs!

Lights, curtains, action!

Life Lesson Learned: People pay to sit close to the stage for a reason

When you grow up close to a popular tourist attraction, you often take it for granted. My hometown’s proximity to Lake Erie was something I truly came to appreciate only when I went to college in the middle of the state—far from any bodies of water. 

Another overlooked attraction? Rabbit Run Theater, a barn theater that opened in 1946 and is one of a few barn theaters in the country still operational today.

Believe it or not, a number of famous theater faces have even graced the stage over its history. (The back wall of the theater offers a fascinating trip down memory lane).  

While I’m certainly not a celebrity, I even have a bit of a personal history there. Through three different summers of theater camps, I was lucky enough to perform on stage as a frog, school psychiatrist and member of the School House Rock live ensemble. (No, I can’t sing–everyone in the camp was in each show in some capacity. Good news for my non-musical self!) I was also in a middle school production called “Bad Hair Day” that held its performances there. 

Unsurprisingly, I have fond memories of the place, and plenty of “behind the scenes” shots from my short theater experiences too. 

Despite the theater being a stone’s throw away, I’ve actually only been to one production as an audience member. The details are a little fuzzy, but I do remember seeing Titanic: The Musical as a teenager or pre-teen with my mom. The actors were great but the show itself was…not my cup of tea. Love the movie Titanic, love many musicals….did not love the blend of the two. (And to me it’s an odd choice of story for a musical, but what do I know?)

This summer, my mom suggested that I might want to go catch a play; and I’m glad she did! When I looked at their season schedule, it didn’t take me long to decide which one: Newsies! It’s been on my radar for years; our final “performance” in my jazz dance class in college was choreographed to the song “King of New York.” Unfortunately the show closed on Broadway the year before I moved to the NYC area, so I never got around to seeing it. 

But a show set in New York with a focus on the journalism industry of yesteryear? Count me in! 

As I arrived at the theater, it was delightful to see so many people enthusiastic about catching a summer show. People from the Cleveland area will even make the trek out, which I guess says a lot.

The property looked exactly as I had remembered it, though they’ve added more picnic tables for pre-performance dining. (Or in the case of many; a chance to enjoy a glass of wine…something to which I can’t relate, despite growing up in wine country!) Another welcome change was the new seats in the barn itself. They didn’t exactly provide squishy couch levels of comfort, but they are now padded and much more pleasant. Those slick, hard wooden seats that were around at my last visit left much to be desired. 

When I bought my ticket in the weeks prior, I had limited options when it came to choosing my seat. Thankfully, flying solo meant I could squeeze in between other groups, and I noticed a spot available in one of the first few rows. Yes, please! 

Live theater isn’t like the movie theater, where you end up with a crooked, zombie-like neck the closer you sit to the screen. But more importantly, Rabbit Run Theater isn’t like Broadway. You aren’t paying almost $200 just to sit three rows from the back wall while trying to see the ant-sized specks on stage known as actors. At Rabbit Run, you pay the same admission fee no matter where you choose to sit. I could not have been happier to be sitting so close to the stage that I could practically count people’s freckles. (Or at least not feel like I was sitting on another planet like I did at a Broadway show). 

The show itself was fantastic! The actors (many of whom were younger than myself—boy do I feel old!) put on a great performance and quite a few of the musical numbers made me want to get up and dance along with them. 

And now i’m going to be humming “King of New York” the rest of the day after writing this! 

Life Lesson Learned: Matinees can lack a little “something”

During my time living outside of NYC, I was fortunate enough to see three broadway shows. Sure, I was stuck sitting in what may have been the rafters (as previously mentioned) because I didn’t want to drop half my paycheck on a ticket, but I have no regrets.

I also had the chance to attend a couple of off-broadway shows; and it was like night and day! No fancy gift shops, no extravagant lobbies, no 15 mile-long auditoriums. And yet, the shows themselves were still a delight to watch! 

My first off-broadway experience was seeing Gillian Anderson in A Streetcar Named Desire in 2016 at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. (You can read my original entry here!) That was my very first time going to Brooklyn—specifically DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). At the time, the area was pretty relaxed. I actually loved that it felt like a “hidden gem” though it was anything but vacant. The theater itself was one of only a few highlights along the East River, and dining options were scarce. You could choose from a Shake Shack location with no seating and underdone burgers, a pizza joint with lines out the door or hot dogs from a forgettable, stand-alone venue. For my first time in DUMBO, I ate a hot dog while sitting on a soggy bench. Fancy, I know.

Years later, I ventured back to DUMBO to visit their weekend flea market. I was stunned to see the transformation along the river front. The once peaceful spot had turned into a bustling tourist haven, partially thanks to the new Time Out Market.

Food options galore (figures!), as well as a roof deck offering incredible views. Of course, I too had to snap a bunch of photos because it was nothing short of awe-inspiring! Even St. Ann’s had created a lush courtyard that would have been perfect for an afternoon rest.

The area really looked great, but I can’t help but wonder how different my theater experience would have been if DUMBO were the area then that it is now. 

Speaking of my experience…

When I found out about Streetcar coming to Brooklyn, I initially bought a ticket for a Saturday matinee performance. Considering I lived in Union City, it wasn’t exactly a short subway ride home from DUMBO. I knew a regular night performance was out of the question; I’d probably barely make it to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in time to catch a bus! I did see though that the opening night performance was at 5:00 (which was far more reasonable for someone in NJ) so I snagged a second ticket. They were so “cheap” that even two tickets had cost less than my least expensive Broadway seat. Crazy! 

The great thing about St. Ann’s, just like Rabbit Run Theater, is that it’s a small venue. No matter where you sit, you’re guaranteed to have a great view. Plus, this was a theater in the round, which meant the stage was smack dab in the center and rotating throughout the performance. It was a unique set up that I wish more theaters would consider! 

As I had detailed on here at the time, the opening night performance had fantastic energy from Gillian and the rest of the cast; I was in awe! It was so much fun, in fact, that I couldn’t wait to see the show again the following weekend. 

Sadly, when that particular matinee show rolled around, I was underwhelmed. It wasn’t that it was bad per say, but compared to the other performance, something was lacking. (Though considering how long and intense of a show it is, I suspect everyone preserved much of their energy for the latter performance as there were two on Saturdays.) Of course, I likely wouldn’t have felt that way had I not seen the play on opening night…but am I ever glad I did! 

I’m sure it’s not a secret that I’m anything but a night owl. I was probably the only kid in the world who enjoyed having a somewhat early bedtime. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s this: when given a choice, head out for the evening performance. Because nothing beats the magic of theater at night!

One man’s trash…

Life lesson learned: You can manifest some yard sale finds! 

I enjoy summer for a lot of reasons (unbearable heat waves aside), but one thing makes the season particularly fun: yard sales! 

I’m someone who gets a kick out of selling just as much as I do shopping, and I’ve already convinced my mom to have a joint garage sale next summer that I’ll help run. She and I are quite the team when it comes to shopping too; we spent many summer weekends when I was younger tracking down the various sales around town. 

Not much has changed! 

Last summer, I was eager to hit up sales again (though anything I bought went into my temporary storage unit until I found my own place) and was thrilled that our town’s annual community sale was taking place just weeks after moving back home. My college years were the last time I had actually been able to go, and although I rarely had luck finding anything to buy, I still had a good time nonetheless. My parents and I got a late start at the 2021 sale as I spent much of the morning wasting precious shopping time waiting in line at the BMV to get my driving permit (the nerve of them! Didn’t they know we had important things to do?), but I did walk away with a Crazy Cat Lady mug–which I’m drinking from as I write this–and some DVD’s. Considering that was more than I usually found, it was a win in my book! 

This year, we were able to arrive at our local library for the sales at a much more reasonable time with shopping bags in hand.

Now, our family often jokes that the more prepared you are to walk away with a great haul, the less likely you are to find anything. In other words, if you bring a bag, all you’re going home with is said bag. 

Much to our surprise, that “superstition” never played out yesterday–none of us left empty handed! 

DVD’s are some of the easiest things for us to find. People downsizing their collections in favor of streaming means endless opportunities for us to expand our collections for a steal. I snagged so many movies last summer, in fact, that I still have plenty I need to watch! 

I found six in total to buy, but one really stood out to me: “West Side Story.” It wasn’t just that it’s a fantastic film…it was the fact that on Friday night, for absolutely no reason at all, I thought to myself, “I haven’t seen West Side Story in a long time! I’ll have to buy that one someday.” Lo and behold, there it was waiting at someone’s table to be snatched up…and in a never-been-opened box. Crazy! 

My mom had two similar lucky incidents. After mentioning at the beginning of the sale that she was still hoping to find the movie “The Color Purple” someday (which I found at a sale last year), she came across it at one of the last tables we visited. She also was stunned to find a set of white coasters (for a fantastic price too), after having it on her list to buy for a long time. Talk about fate! 

Before leaving with our bags full of even more goodies than I mentioned, we paid a quick visit to the garden next door at my old high school. My mom and I both are both graduates of the school, and I can tell you that no such thing existed at the time. I do think it’s a great thing for kids to learn (speaking as a novice gardener myself!), though I’m jealous it wasn’t offered during my years there. Anyway, we took a few pictures, sighed at the poor landscaping around the rest of the building, and peeked at what was being grown. Upon seeing the tomato plants nestled in their tomato cages, I was reminded (yet again), that I needed to get some cages for next year. (That’s for another blog entry!)

Then, what should I discover at a different yard sale no more than 15 minutes later? Three tomato cages for $1.50. Sold! 

My mom and I still would have been happy with just our snapshots of the more unusual yard sale finds throughout the day, but nothing beats having some “new” items to take home with you. If there’s something you’re hoping to find, try speaking it into existence! You might just get lucky! 

Life lesson learned: Go for the market, stay for the food

New York City isn’t exactly “yard sale” territory. That’s probably due to the lack of, well, yards. 

There are, however, plenty of markets to be found around the city during the warmest months! Many of these are craft or souvenir-based (and, of course, farmers markets), though it can still be fun to take a look. At the very least, you’re sure to find something that’s picture-worthy! 

Back in 2017, I was surfing the Internet for weekend happenings around Manhattan and stumbled across a craft market of sorts happening on the Upper West Side, alongside a food fair. Food and shopping? Count me in! 

I remember the day was hot, even for June, and I’m certain I was a horrifying mix of sweaty and frizzy by the time I actually got to the event. (Not hard to guess; that happens anytime I walk on concrete for a half hour on a sunny day!) 

The event took place at a local school, with tents and tables lined up both in the parking lot and inside the school itself. I didn’t see anything that really piqued my interest (though I appreciate the effort people put into homemade crafts!) and it was a bit hard to admire what was available with sweat pouring into my eyes. 

So I moved on to the edible section of the market with plenty of options from which to choose. I first grabbed a burger slider from a Bareburger stand.

The burger was absolutely delicious…if only it had been bigger! (Whose genius idea was it to make tiny burgers that require you to eat a mountain’s worth to satisfy your appetite?) I recall passing some of the Bareburger locations around the city for years after that, and oddly, never had one again. 

It’s only right that you balance out sodium with a bit of sugar, so I opted for mini donuts next. Amazing doesn’t even begin to cover it! Looking back, I’d love to know what I was thinking when I chose chocolate topping on a hot day. The heat was so intense, I actually ate my dessert up against a brick wall of the school to try and get some much-needed shade. 

It didn’t help. Chocolate still melts in summer heat, makes a mess and we humans eat it anyway because…when you want chocolate, you want chocolate.

As you can tell by this entry, I couldn’t tell you what the most exciting booth was at the Grand Bazaar, but I can still taste the donuts like it was yesterday.

So if you go to an event in NYC and it’s not as exciting as you had hoped…don’t worry; there will be food. There’s always food.

“May the course be with you”

Life Lesson Learned: If you think it’s a fun idea to play mini golf for Father’s Day, so will everyone else

Mini golf has been a summer pastime for my family for as long as I can remember. There are plenty of courses we’ve tried over the years (including the now abandoned one a short walk from my parents’ house. Such a shame!), but nothing has ever really compared to our go-to at Geneva-on-the-Lake (GOTL for short). Allison’s Mini Golf, which opened in 1924, prides itself on being the oldest miniature golf course in the U.S. in continuous play, which is pretty cool if you think about it! In fact, we (and so many other golfers I’m sure) have countless photos of the sign showcasing this fact. Bragging rights, perhaps? 

The course itself may not be the most exciting in the country, but it’s fun, just challenging enough, and…almost as important as the first two perks…it’s well-shaded. GOTL can be a rather sunny strip and when you’re visiting during the peak of summer, the last thing you want? To have the big ball of fire in the sky frying you to a crisp while you’re trying to get a hole-in-one. I suspect this is one of the many reasons the course has grown in popularity over the years, as the only other one available in the area is one of those shadeless locations guaranteed to leave you with some layer of sunburn.

 

For all of these reasons, Allison’s has been a family tradition for us for a long time. But this year we decided to do something a little different and hit up GOTL for Father’s Day. Somehow this has never happened before, and not just for the six years I was living in New Jersey. My mom said she didn’t think many dads would be mini golfing for the holiday, making it the perfect day to go, especially combined with the ideal summer weather. 

As it turns out, everyone seemed to have the same great idea! It. Was. Busy. The sidewalks alone were packed with people, probably the most I’ve ever seen on a visit there. At this point I think we all expected the mini golf course to be bustling, yet I was still surprised to see families sitting around and waiting for their turn to even start on the first hole. Crazy! 

Thankfully, the wait time wasn’t as bad as it looked. Equally surprising was the fact that we never once felt rushed by the group behind us (which can happen even on less busy days), nor did we have a wait between each hole. 

As always, it was a good time and a great way to celebrate Father’s Day…even if I was only one stroke over a tie for the win!

Life Lesson Learned: You better like the person with whom you’re playing mini golf…or it’s going to be a long game.

Given my long love of mini golf as described above, it should come as no surprise that I was thrilled to find I could still play the game in NYC at Pier 25. My first time there was with my friend/former colleague on a sunny August day. My initial impression of the course was that it was….crowded. Very, very crowded. 

There was a wait to play the first hole. Then a wait to play the next hole. And the next…You get the picture. I suspect part of this was that each hole wasn’t very challenging, at least in my opinion, as there were few obstacles to be found. You would think this meant that things moved quickly, but that was not the case. We would get through each hole quickly, then have to wait around for the next to be free. Thank God there were some trees providing shade, though I do remember roasting in the sun at times. 

While I wasn’t overly impressed by the actual course (spoiled by Allison’s, I’m sure!), it did have one thing going for it: the view! Its location on the pier meant you could enjoy looking at the Hudson River (and beach volleyball, if that’s your cup of tea), while you waited for your turn. 

Based on my personal review of the place, you’d think I probably had no intention of ever going back (especially when it took us 90 minutes to complete the course)…but you’d be wrong! Years later it seemed like the perfect spot for both a date and a “hanging out with a random person I met through a friendship website” meet up. I feel like mini golf is a low-stress and casual way to spend time with someone you don’t know very well yet. Or so I thought…

Evidently I had forgotten that the regular summer crowds at Pier 25 meant a long waiting time as you made your way through the course. Not a big deal if you’re playing with someone you know well; super awkward (at least at first) if it’s someone you’ve just met or only dated a few times. You’ll want to carry on a conversation between each hole while you fiddle around with your ball so as not to come across as rude or antisocial, but you don’t want to play 20 questions just to fill any moments of silence. Not to mention, once you do get involved in a chat, you may suddenly have to drop the current convo to focus on your swing as soon as you’re up to putt. (At least for the multi-tasking challenged like me). It’s an interesting social “experiment” to say the least. 

I remember having pleasant experiences both times, and by the end of the course, you felt some kind of connection over the mutual experience of trying not to embarrass yourself by sending your ball into the river or into the back of some kid’s thigh while sweating from the Manhattan heat. 

So while I got lucky with my mini golf acquaintances…you have to wonder, how do you survive a 90-minute-long course with someone that turns out to be a complete weirdo? 

Curious Critters

It doesn’t matter where I am…if there’s wildlife to be seen, you bet I’m going to snap a photo!

Life Lesson Learned: Bird feeders are deer magnets

As a teenager, my family and I used to joke that I had what we like to call “deer-dar.” Whenever we would go to a park, I had some kind of weird “sense” as to when a deer was present in the vicinity and, like a compass finding North, could quickly figure out where to look. (Good thing I’m not a hunter!) I’ve always loved seeing deer, so it was rather exciting that my “spidey senses” were in tune to finding them. 

It’s likely that Snow White-esque “gift” weakened when I moved into a city, but I did see a fair share of deer in NJ…despite being just outside of Manhattan. In fact, there were multiple occasions where I spotted deer (and a couple of fawns!) wandering along the forest’s edge while I waited to catch the light rail train on my commute home from work. It put a smile on my face!

 So imagine my delight when just a couple of weeks after moving into my new house, I discovered I was in prime deer territory. I remember sitting in my office plugging away at the day’s to-do’s when I received a motion alert from my Ring camera. I was shocked to see it was because a young buck had made his way across the yard.

Curious if he had stuck around, I poked my head out of the room and saw him chowing down at my new bird feeder just feet from my living room window. Amazing! Dobby, whose cage was parked next to the window, had a front row seat to the action and appeared frozen in time. I can’t imagine how intimidating that must have been for the little guy! Snape was asleep at the time (in typical cat fashion), but I pulled him out of bed and stood in the hallway with him, hoping he’d notice the massive animal in our yard. It took him a minute, then he sat in the hallway next to me watching in awe.

A week or two later, I had finished up with breakfast when my Ring had an alert again. He (now nicknamed Bambi) was back! This time I was able to stand in the living room to watch him help himself to the birdseed, and even managed to record a video. The hilarious part? Snape was asleep in the chair next to the window and would have missed the entire thing had I not nudged him in that direction.

Both visits made my entire day! Although I do have a “mini forest” behind my house, I certainly never expected deer to be frequent visitors in this neighborhood. Did my easily accessible birdhouse boost my luck of Bambi stopping by? Sure seems that way!

Unfortunately, that second visit appeared to be the last. I was so disappointed and kept hoping to catch him grabbing breakfast one morning!

Fast forward to a week ago: I was grabbing Dobby’s nightly veggies before bed when my Ring went off. “What would set it off this late?” I thought. I opened my Ring alert to find it was…a deer! Sadly, she was gone by the time I peeked outside, but I was so tickled to have one stop by again. I’ve already named this one Clarice…unless she turns out to be another Bambi, that is! 

Though I have yet to catch her during the day (more shy than Bambi, perhaps?) she did come back again a few days later during the wee hours of the morning for some zoomies in my yard. That was a fun video to watch! 

Life Lesson Learned: Central Park squirrels like KFC

Once my parents and I moved away from backyard barbecues for summer holidays, we decided to start having picnics at local parks instead. We’d either grill up some hotdogs or sausages to eat alongside picnic favorites, or bring something like KFC to enjoy. 

When I moved to the greater NYC area, I wanted to keep the tradition alive somehow, even if it was just me. Grilling up hotdogs (other than using the George Foreman grill in my apartment) was impractical…though I’m sure Central Park go-ers have found a way to do so! So I went with option #2: grabbing some fast food. A few Christmases ago, my mom gifted me a super cute (and practical) picnic backpack. The back portion of the backpack was insulated to keep foods hot or cold, and it even came with a blanket that could be rolled up and carried along with the bag itself. So clever! (Prior to this, I used to just throw everything into a large bag and carry my purse along with it too. It was a lot to handle!) 

I spent many summer holidays (and plenty of non-holiday occasions too), enjoying lunch from under a shaded tree in Central Park. I’d chow down, then usually read, listen to music or simply people watch. It was incredibly relaxing and, surprisingly, one of my favorite NYC activities. (When you love parks and nature, you’ll love them anywhere!) 

Some of my park lunches:

On one occasion, I opted to grab KFC for my lunch. After choosing the perfect spot in the park, I laid out my checkered blanket, sat down with the tree supporting my back and began diving into the deep-fried goodness. Not long into my meal, however, someone started to get a bit too nosey. 

No, not a group of tourists who had no sense of personal space and camped out next to my spot (yes, that happened on more than one occasion). It was a curious gray squirrel.  A curious gray squirrel who wanted my potato wedges.

I’ve encountered my fair share of hungry critters over the years, but craving some KFC wedges (RIP)? That was a new one. I snapped a few photos of the little guy so I could have some proof later, then tossed some pieces of potato his way. Unsurprisingly, he gobbled them up like it was the best thing he had ever eaten. It was adorable…until he was so captivated by the smell that he got what had to have been a foot away from me. He probably would have taken off with the whole box if I had let him. Forget Pizza Rat. He would have been KFC Squirrel! 

I can’t remember if his persistence caused me to find a new spot to chill or if he had finally given up when the box was empty and moved on to find dessert elsewhere. Hopefully the latter! Either way, it was definitely one of my most memorable Central Park moments! 

Maybe not as…unique…as being approached by a Hare Krishna member in the park when my mom was visiting the city with me, but certainly more adorable. 

A Year in Review

Before moving onto more regular updates, I wanted to do a round-up of some of the most notable things I’ve learned in the last year since moving back to Ohio. 

Without further ado, let’s get started! 

Life Lesson: Finding a decent apartment…or any apartment…in Northeast Ohio is like finding a needle in a haystack

After accepting my job in 2015, I wrote an entry about the horrors of trying to secure housing for my relocation to NJ. It was anything but a picnic, though it did work out in the end. 

This time around, I had the luxury of being able to move back into my parents’ house rather than having to find a new place to stay right off the bat. But I was also aware that inventory in my Ohio county is scarce. So when I saw that one of the “luxury” apartment complexes in my hometown had posted online that a two bedroom unit was available, I was beyond ecstatic. I happily called the number to get more information only to find out that though there were about to be some vacancies as advertised, there was also a waitlist. Obviously, I asked them to add me to it, filled out a general application and went back to focusing on the actual move. 

Then I waited. Weeks later, another apartment that was slightly more expensive (though still no more than my prior NJ rent) was posted as becoming available at the end of the month. I called again to schedule a tour, only to be told that there was still a waitlist ahead of me. Seriously? You’d swear I was trying to get into a luxury building outside of Central Park in NYC. 

I moved on and began looking at apartments in a city 30 minutes away (where I was initially considering moving), but there was a slight issue…I was without a license. (More on that later!) I didn’t want to move so far away from my parents without any way to get around, so I told myself I couldn’t move there until I was able to drive on my own.

It didn’t matter. Vacancies were hard to come by there too, and anything that was left…appeared to be vacant for a reason. (No AC? No thank you. No more window units for me! ). When one popped up online in July with a November (yes, November) vacancy, I gave them a call. It had just been rented out. 

My heart sunk. Yet another call to the first “luxury” apartment ended in the same, “Oh there’s a waitlist” conversation. Spoiler alert: It’s been a year…still never heard back from them.  My parents and I still laugh about it and roll our eyes in equal measure. 

Not that I was miserable at my parents’ or anything. But most of my belongings were tucked away in a storage unit, my cat was driving us all bananas and we knew eventually it was inevitable that I was going to have my own place to live again. Just…who knew that was going to be so difficult?

So…I bought a house.

Problem solved! 

Life Lesson Learned: House hunting is incredibly overwhelming

Before the apartment hunt was hitting complete roadblocks, my mom had actually suggested the idea of me getting a house instead. At the time it seemed far too daunting for me…houses are so much work! I wasn’t even interested in renting a house at the time. 

But when the apartment market was an absolute dog fight, I knew I had little choice. 

So I dove into the other market that was as equally crazy last summer: house hunting. 

To say I had no idea what I was doing was an understatement. When I connected with a listing agent to tour a condo in town, she asked me “Are you FHA or conventional?” and my first internal response was “Huh?”…I knew I was in trouble.

Needless to say that particular option didn’t pan out, but I was able to do more research, get a pre-approval letter from my bank and at least feel like I was one step closer to buying a house. 

I had high hopes for one that was just a street over from my parents; online it looked promising. Plus, on one drive past the house, my dad and I spotted a wild rabbit in the front yard. My whole family jokingly declared that it “was a sign” it was meant to be as I had just become a rabbit owner weeks earlier. Sadly, it was clear within seconds of being inside the house during the tour that the former rental needed a lot of TLC. Oh well. 

The next was a condo that looked like it had potential. Gorgeous interior, spacious and hey, I didn’t have to do any lawn maintenance! Win, win, win. 

After a stressful back-and-forth with my lender to get things prepared for the offer deadline, everything came to a halt when I found that the HOA didn’t allow “livestock animals” like rabbits. Welp. Another one bites the dust. 

People around the country are spending months house hunting and having offer after offer turned down, yet I was already feeling defeated. Silly, I know. 

Then the next Friday, a small ranch just behind my old elementary school went up for sale. The second I toured it I thought, “Yeah, I can see myself here!” 

Thankfully, my flexibility with moving (as I was still living at home with my parents) was appealing to the sellers, so my offer was accepted. 

Three houses. I only toured three houses over just three weeks and was absolutely exhausted by the time I went under contract. How do people do this? 

Life Lesson: Bunnies are hilarious, adorable, crazy toddlers

After I made the decision to move back home, I knew I wanted to get another guinea pig. My second had passed away when I was in high school and I still miss him to this day. Sadly, it just wasn’t possible to own a small animal in NJ (both in having someone to watch one for me during trips home and me having easy access to supplies), but I’m grateful that my parents were more than okay with me having one at home until I got my own place. 

The weekend before we were planning on going out to look for piggies, I was visiting our local humane society’s website. They had a few pairs that would soon be up for adoption, as well as some single rabbits who needed homes. My mom was jokingly suggesting that I should get a bunny, as my cat brother Duddy absolutely loves watching YouTube videos of them. 

I knew nothing about caring for rabbits. My dad had a couple when he was younger (though they lived outside) and my childhood best friend had some that I would get to pet when I went over to her house to visit. That was the extent of my history with rabbits.

Despite the lack of knowledge, I decided to fill out an application for adoption, with the plans to go see him the following weekend. The second I started scratching between his little ears, I was completely smitten. Thumper then became Dobby, and the rest is history! 

Once he started to get comfortable at home, it became quite clear that although bunnies are just as food-obsessed as their cavy counterparts, the similarities end there. 

Bunnies can’t say a word, so they’ll let you know they want something by thumping. Taking too long to grab veggies? Thump. Taking too long to get up in the morning? Thump. Dobby also loves to “punch” at his exercise pen when he wants something. It’s the equivalent of a toddler throwing a tantrum, and he has no problems doing so if he decides he wants attention from me while I’m in the middle of a work meeting. (I quickly learned that the hard way). 

Bunnies are addicted to sweets. At least mine is. You always see rabbit Facebook groups preaching about how bad treats and fruit are for bunnies. We humans aren’t supposed to scarf down a couple of donuts either but does that stop most people? I do my best to limit the amount he gets (and make sure Dobby still gets adequate hay, veggies and pellets), but much like toddlers…bunnies often need a little bribe. In fact, if I want him to do anything…and I mean anything…I have to wave an apple crisp in his direction. He knows this too, because he’ll often “expect” treats for certain behaviors. Little stinker, I swear. 

Bunnies are dramatic. Within the first week of having him, I noticed he’d suddenly fall over like a little kid who had enough. As it turns out, this is called “flopping” and means a rabbit is content. That doesn’t make it any less hilarious (or adorable) to watch him suddenly fling himself onto his side. The dramatic antics don’t end here. When he’s doing something he shouldn’t be doing (like chewing baseboards, ahem) and I call him out on it, he’ll do a little hop and flip his head back as if to say “Oh the cleverness of me.” His new favorite thing to do? Fling himself onto my body (or poor Snape) when one of us is sitting on the couch. I can tell he’s think it’s absolutely hilarious and I won’t lie; it makes me laugh too. 

I’ve had Dobby almost a year now and although there’s been so much to learn and re-learn about bunnies during that time, I wouldn’t change a day! In fact, I have a bunny themed guest bathroom and collect bunnies for decor now…which means I should be getting my “obsessed bunny mom” membership card any day now. 

Life Lesson Learned: If you take your driving exam (again) at 28, the test administrator will still think you’re 16

Within the first year of moving to NJ, I made the decision to give up my Ohio license and get a state ID instead. I needed something with my address on it to be able to pick up packages from the post office (What. A. Nightmare.), but didn’t see the point in having a regular license. I had no plans to drive–especially considering how overwhelming area traffic was–and no plans to buy a car. I can’t even imagine the headache that would have ensued from trying to park said car. Parking was so limited that whenever my dad came to my apartment, it was like the Hunger Games trying to find a spot in Union City. I don’t know how people there deal with that on a daily basis. 

Here in my hometown, however, not having a license or a car is not an option. Public transportation is all but non-existent and the only place within walking distance of my parents’ house is the township park and Dairy Queen (and even that’s a hike). 

So just a couple of weeks after moving back home, I got my learner’s permit (again) and began the process of re-learning how to drive. Thankfully, driving is a lot like riding a bike. You never forget. (Though who am I to talk? I haven’t ridden a bike since I was…10? I’d probably fall over the second I got on one.) Anyway, I was definitely rusty and still needed a lot of practice. Thankfully, I did have one advantage this time around: I wasn’t a terrified teenager. I felt more calm behind the wheel, at least enough to be alert without panicking. 

Unfortunately, taking the driving test again in Ohio meant I had to pass the maneuverability exam, a.k.a. “The dreaded orange cones.” That took more re-learning than anything, though at least I didn’t plow over any of them during my first practice this time. (Did I accidentally hit a construction cone with my mom’s car mirror on my way home from a smooth maneuverability practice? No comment.) 

I did seem to master that faster this time around, so by early October, I felt ready to take the entire exam at the BMV. My parents and I both figured that I just needed to be able to pass the test, and more experience would come with more time on the road. 

Despite feeling prepared, to say I was nervous is an understatement. I was required to pass the “dreaded cone” exam first, which was the opposite of when I took the test as a high schooler. I managed to pass that portion with a couple of do-overs (though I’m convinced to this day that the cones were spaced closer together than they should have been) so we were onto the driving segment. I was much more calm than I was as a teen, maybe because I knew the test was basically just a bunch of stop signs and right turns to get back to the BMV. Things went fairly smoothly, though I found the examiner to be frustrating. He would tell me to hurry along at a four way stop, wouldn’t tell me what street to turn on so I had to ask, to name a few. That being said, he did crack a joke in the final stretch of the test and I knew I was in the clear. 

Or so I thought. While he informed me that while I did pass, he insisted he speak with my dad. It was at that moment that he began to lecture us both about a “bad habit” I did not even exhibit during the exam and admitted he had to give that speech all day long. He also made some comment about how he didn’t care what my driver’s ed instructor had said…And that’s when I realized he clearly thought I was 28 going on 16. He finished his rant, and I explained the truth to my dad (not that he believed the guy in the first place) once the grouch left us alone. Even more ridiculous? My Dad found out the man had given the same speech to the crying teenager testing before me…and she passed!

So not only did I get my license…again…I now have a story about a crazy test examiner to go along with it!

Life Lesson Learned: Tan and brown car interiors are not for me

License in hand, the only other thing I had left to do was…get a (used) car! Unlike most of my peers, this was my first car at 28 years old, and I had no idea what I was doing. My only parameters in my decision making were the maximum I wanted to spend, and the ideal number of miles on the vehicle. Thankfully I work from home so I don’t have to deal with commuting, but I still wanted something that wasn’t at the end of its life.

One of the very first cars I got to see at the dealership was one I had found online: a Chevy Malibu. My mom has a Chevy Malibu and I love it! It’s also the car in which I’ve learned to do all of my driving. When I climbed into this Malibu, however, all I could focus on was the tan and brown interior. I mean, I couldn’t even enjoy my test drive around the parking lot because my eyes couldn’t stop focusing on the interior. Silly reason to pass on a car? Maybe. But if I could find something else I liked with a less…distracting…interior, I was certainly going to do so.

I ended up going with a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta. It wasn’t even on my radar when I arrived at the dealership, but I felt it was a great match right away. The interior? Black and gray. Perfecto! 

Life Lesson Learned: If you start a garden, they will come

I decided to try my hand at raised bed gardening this year after getting help from my parents (who also kindly bought me the necessities as birthday gifts). In preparation, I read countless gardening books to decide what I was going to plant, how to care for them, and what insects to watch for. The one thing I didn’t take into account? Furry pests. Despite regularly spotting wildlife around my house, it naively never crossed my mind that these animals could see my garden bed as a buffet to be devoured. 

I learned this the hard way not long after removing the greenhouse cover that had been protecting my seedlings outside. I woke up one morning, not long after, to discover that something had made a mess of the soil. Looking for bugs? Devouring carrot seedlings? Who knows. I didn’t want to take a chance again, so I ordered some netting to protect the plants from nosey critters. 

Luckily, it seemed to do the job. There were no sign of animal intruders having a snack. Well, until this past week. A couple of my plants appeared to be lacking in nitrogen, so I bought some fish emulsion fertiziler (yes, it smells as gross as it sounds) to give them a nutrient boost. That night, my mom joked that I’d likely have an army of racoons showing up to find what they thought was a seafood buffet.

Sadly she wasn’t far off. Even though I have netting surrounded the garden, some critter (I don’t even want to know what), snuck its way between a gap in the netting that night and went to town digging up some of my poor onions. The nerve! 

Now I know: using fish fertilizer, when you have a mini forest behind your fence, is a no go! 

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These are just a few of the highlights of the past year since returning to Ohio. But since there’s always something new to learn…we’re just getting started. Until next time! 

There and Back Again

Well…I’m back. 

It’s been nearly five years since I decided to stop updating this blog. If I’m being completely honest, I almost forgot about its existence entirely. At the time I had felt ready to step away and take a break, not knowing if I’d ever return for an update. It was only last week that I had a “creative itch” and could tell right away that none of my more artistic hobbies were going to scratch that itch. Then I remembered I had this blog and….here we are. 

After being back in my hometown for almost a year now, I feel like things are finally settling down. Yet, it seems like I’m still learning something new every day. Sure, some of it is common sense like “If you live near a lot of trees, you’re going to be finding leaves in your yard 12 months out of the year” but when you’re returning to the suburbs after living in a one-bedroom apartment in a city for seven years, you’re going to forget these things. 

That’s why I’m back: to share what I’m learning (or re-learning) as a first-time home-owner, novice gardener and bunny owner back in small-town Ohio….and reflect on what I learned living just outside of the most populated city in the US. 

We have a bit of catching up to do, so buckle up and let’s take a trip down memory lane to moving day! 

Moving Weekend 2021

Life Lesson: Don’t move in the summer

Okay, so no one really wants to be trudging through the snow to load up a moving truck. I get that. But be forewarned, if you move in a summer month, you run the risk of getting stuck in the middle of a heat wave. Lo and behold, the Heat Miser was hard at work in North Jersey, with temperatures in the 90’s if I remember correctly. To make matters worse, I was living in a fifth floor walk up (in a non-airconditioned building) so my heroic movers were really feeling the heat. My little window AC units could only do so much when heat rises.

(Below: Snape enjoying the AC in my empty bedroom)

Life Lesson: Don’t leave much packing for the night before

Sorry, Dad. Truly. 

Once the plans for my move were finalized, I was eager to begin the packing process. Probably too eager, because I was left with a tower of boxes six weeks in advance that were starting to overwhelm my apartment. 

Yet, somehow, I had way too many items that were left out with the mentality of “Oh I need that until the last minute.” Don’t be me. The Queen of England is not coming over any time soon. Buy paper plates, and pack your dishes as soon as you possibly can. My dad (who brought his van for the move) helped me finish up the packing the night before the move when we were both half asleep and happily stuffed with Chinese take-out. Bad idea.

Life Lesson:  Your apartment doesn’t have to be squeaky clean

Prior to move-out, I received a lengthy list from my landlord of charges I could potentially incur for cleaning and service fees to get my apartment ready for the next tenant. The fee for scrubbing a dirty stove top might as well have been the cost of a year of college. So once everything was packed up in the U-Haul trailer, my dad and I went to work wiping down surfaces, sweeping and mopping the place. Was it perfect? No. Was it more than sufficient given the age of the building? Yes. I figured if they were going to nickel and dime me to get it clean, there wasn’t anything I could do about it when we needed to get on the road.

Much to my surprise, I received my full security deposit a month later, so apparently they were satisfied with our cleaning job. But considering the apartment was listed a month or so later with a rent that was hundreds more than I had been paying, I probably could have left a family of racoons in there and they wouldn’t have cared. They were just thrilled to have a now vacant and spacious apartment for which they could overcharge. 

Life Lesson: Don’t let your cat sleep the whole trip

I’ll give Snape credit. He’s a trooper when it comes to traveling. He’s been on buses, planes, taxis and long car rides with only one incident. He’s so good about it, in fact, that he has no problem relaxing and sleeping while you’re on the road. 

This is great news, because no one wants to hear a cat howling for 8 hours straight. This is also bad news because your cat is going to wake up an hour before your destination, when it’s dark out and you’re ready for bed, and decide he wants to act like a nutcase.  

Life Lesson: A 10 hour car ride is Hell

I’ve done the 8-hour car ride to NJ a few times, and it never gets less annoying (And I’m not even the one driving, or doing it round-trip!) So as excited as I was to move back home, I was absolutely dreading the long car ride. I think I would have been okay had it not been for two factors: a late “check out” and the U-Haul. We didn’t get on the road until well after noon, which meant getting home late. Unavoidable, unfortunately, but hey…last time doing that! The U-Haul trailer–though a major cost saver–meant my dad’s van had to go slower than normal to accommodate for the extra weight. This also meant that we did not get home until almost 11:00 at night. 

Longest. Day. Ever. I was okay until the last 90 minutes or so, when I was starting to lose my mind. My temporary insanity meant I was on the verge of walking home (and arriving 4 days later) just so I could stretch my legs. 

Life Lesson: Fifth-floor walk up’s suck

I knew I’d be paying for movers to get everything out of my apartment, as it was just not feasible for my dad and I to do alone. So while I stayed in my apartment to guard things, I still felt horrible for them having to haul my items down (and walk back up) all of those stairs–and in 90 degree heat (see Life Lesson #1). 

While my dad and I were spared the actual moving, we still had to make multiple trips to and from my apartment before to grab last-minute items. Needless to say I was completely exhausted by the time we left. 

And now I live in a ranch. Take that, stairs! 

Moving Weekend 2015

Life Lesson: Fifth floor walk up’s suck

Sensing a pattern here? Yes, this was a lesson I had yet to learn when I moved into my apartment. “Oh but the view!” (Spoiler alert: that view will be gone the last year you live there)

I had hired movers for the move-in experience, as well, which meant I was spared the hard work. Plus, I think I was still too in awe of the view of Manhattan across the river to care about the irreversible damage the stairs were likely going to do to my knees. So while I was out of shape at the time, I wasn’t too bothered by the whole “no elevator” thing. Give it a month…

Life Lesson: There’s no such thing as a Wifi Fairy

I had gladly spent all 3 ½ years of college living on campus in a residence hall. The off campus housing was sketchy at best and I just didn’t want to deal with all of it. So when I moved into my very first apartment I was…naive to say the least. The apartment listing had made a mention of being Cable/Internet Ready (or something of that nature) so when I moved in, I was surprised to find that I didn’t magically have Wifi…despite there being no router or modem present. A luxury apartment in NYC? Maybe. A 1920’s brick building with no elevator? Fat chance. I remember calling the unreachable landlord and leaving a voicemail about the lack of Internet. Looking back I can only laugh…they must have thought I was a complete fool. So yes, you are likely going to have to call your cable company to set something up, because the Wifi Fairy will not surprise you when you’re sleeping.

Life Lesson: Passcode entries are terrible

As part of the move-in process, I was given the entry code to get into the lobby of building. In theory, this seems high tech and handy. In reality, this is an unsecure box (the passcode is the building address? I mean, really?), that’s going to stop working more often than not. Ask your landlord for the actual key to unlock the front door, so you don’t find yourself desperately waiting for someone to come downstairs for their dinner delivery when you are stuck waiting by the door with a cart full of cold groceries. Whoops. 

Life Lesson: Don’t wait to ask for a new stove

My dad and I didn’t want to get fast food every night he was in NJ with me that first weekend, so I opted to make hot dogs in the broiler for an easy dinner. It was at this point that we discovered that the appliance’s pilot light went out easily. Dirty? Dysfunctional? Who knows. After re-lighting it, there were no issues so I didn’t think much of it. Big mistake. 

For the seven years I was there, that stove (which was probably already 30 years old when I was stuck with it) gave me so much grief. It was inconsistent in heating, cooking and everything else. It got to the point where I relied on my air fryer for almost everything that couldn’t be cooked on the stovetop (Yes, you can cook hard taco shells in an air fryer). I know…I probably could have–and should have–let my landlord know so they could look into getting a replacement stove. But by the time I decided to move out, I figured it was pointless. Procrastination at its finest! 

Next on That’s What Shay Said: What I learned in the past year!

A Family Reunion

Six months.

I remember how long the three-month gap between visits home felt while I was in college, but six months can feel like a century.

When I traveled home for a week during Christmas, I was a nervous wreck. It was my first time flying alone (last time I had been 8 years old), so I was quite worked up about the whole ordeal. This time, however, I didn’t give it much thought until 8:30 the night before when I tossed some clothes in my suitcase.

I was still worried about long security lines due to the recent horror stories I had heard about the airports in Chicago, so I opted to get to Newark about 3 hours ahead of take-off. Big mistake. I breezed through security even faster than I had a week before Christmas, and had to spend 3 hours in the very crowded Terminal A killing time. The highlight of my wait was the random pigeon casually walking under everyone’s chairs.

My flight (on one of the smallest planes I’ve ever seen), thankfully arrived in Cleveland without a hitch. Even though it’s been so long since I’ve seen both of my parents in person, it always feels like not a day has gone by when we reunite. It immediately feels like home with them.

I can’t say the same about the two newest furry additions to the family. I had mentioned back in December that both of the cats my parents had brought into the house since I moved out decided to avoid me like the plague during most of my visit. It wasn’t until my last day that we had a bit of a breakthrough.

Things were just as complicated this time around. Dobby actually felt comfortable enough to spend much of his time around me in the evenings, and even let me play with him. Physical contact was off limits, of course. Winky hid under the bed all day, yet let me pet her in the evenings. Are we making progress? Maybe by 2018 I’ll be able to pet both of them in the daylight…

June 24

Living in an apartment by myself means I never have anyone with whom to play board games, so I was ecstatic that the three of us could enjoy it on my first night home. Unfortunately, I was so delirious and tired that I felt like I was playing a game written in Japanese. It was still a fun time though, and how could it not be with a game called Flea Marketeers?

June 25

A trip to the Cleveland Zoo is usually an annual tradition for us, but we missed out last year when I moved to NJ in May. It’s usually the same old stuff, but this year the zoo opened a brand new tiger exhibit. It was much improved from the old one, and I couldn’t have cared less that the tigers were sleeping (as all cats do). One was nearly laying next to the glass!

The weather was nearly perfect. There’s nothing worse than trying to enjoy the day when humidity and the temperature are weighing you down, but we were blessed. In fact, we got through the entire zoo in probably record time thanks to the comfortable temps. Some of the animals were even more active than we expected, which was a nice surprise.

June 26

Meteorologists had said it was supposed to be in the mid-90’s that day and rain the next, so we decided to brave the heat for a walk and cook-out at a park. Two summers ago we spent almost ever summer exploring a new metropark in the Northeast Ohio region, so I figured we had seen everything in the vicinity. Yet we had previously never set foot at the one I chose for our visit that day (despite being only 30 minutes or so away). It was right along the Chagrin River, which made for some gorgeous views!

By the end of our hike (both in a scorching field and the humid woods), we were all quite sweaty and tired. As luck would have it, all of the picnic tables in the area were occupied, so we were forced to drive to another park entrance to eat. It all worked out for the best though; we were surprised by a shy doe passing right by our table.

June 27

We ended the long weekend with a relaxing day at the movies to see Finding Dory. Even though it was a Monday afternoon, I was still expecting the theater to be full of rowdy kids. I was pleasantly surprised that nearly everyone who came to see the movie was respectful. Bonus: The theater upgraded to the “fancy” plush chairs since my last visit!

And what better way to end the day with another evening of board games? (Okay, I guess winning one of the games would have been nice…)

June 28

I was a bit nervous about my returning flight when I read the night before that there was a chance of thunderstorms in the NJ/NY area. In fact, the flight to Newark right before mine was delayed about 20 minutes or so. When my flight was cleared to board on schedule, I figured everything would be fine. However, we ended up sitting in the plane for about 20 minutes before take-off and had to circle for a while when it was reported that Newark had temporarily closed to all arrivals. Talk about a lot of stress for an hour-long flight! Luckily we landed safely, and that’s all that matters.

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Needless to say, the “long” weekend was over in the blink of an eye. It was so nice to not only see my parents in person again, but enjoy some of our favorite summer activities together. If I had the time and money, I’d certainly make more frequent visits.

Even better: When will apparition become possible?

*I’ve decided to make this my final blog. As someone who kept a private journal for nearly 10 years, I didn’t want to completely give up the process of  writing about my personal experiences, even if it was for an audience. Although this was a great way to recap a year with so many changes, I feel I’m ready to simply capture and share my memories with photos.

Thank you for reading!