Ice Queen?

My new icon (thanks, hermionesviolin!) is in honor of the fact that I finally broke out the ice skates that I received last Christmas and introduced them to actual ice. Bryant Park has a skating rink from now until January, and there are very few things you have to pay for. Admission is free. Lockers are free. Skate rental is not free, and locks to use in the lockers are not free. However, if you are clever like me and bring your own skates and lock, the whole thing is very inexpensive. In addition to being extremely fun, and a great stress reliever.

I'd had a long, frustrating day at work. When I left at 5, I was big bundle of stress. I arrived at the rink, got my wristband, selected a locker and started lacing up my skates. An elderly, Scandanavian man sat down next to me, and asked me if my skates were new. He said he's usually in New York when the Bryant Park rink is open, and the first year they did it, he came every day and wound up losing eight pounds! He was very nice, and also suggested that to break in my new skates (which he noticed as being new), he suggested I walk around a bit before I got on the ice to help break the boots in. I have to keep doing that, the boots need a bit of breaking in.

At first I wasn't very happy on the ice - I kept losing my balance, and couldn't figure out why, and I even fell. This is how I discovered that there are "rink guards" present who skate over to you at surprising speeds to help you up when you fall. After I fell, I checked my skates and noticed that I'd left one of the plastic blade covers on! (I have fabric ones. I thought I'd taken the plastic ones off and left them in the box at home, but I appear to have been half mistaken.) Once I got rid of that, it was smooth skating. I couldn't believe the difference between having your own skates versus the ones you rent from the rink, but I had much better control and speed in my own skates. Plus, they were much more comfortable. I skated for almost an hour without realizing how the time was flying by. I was contemplating calling it a night when they cleared the rink at 6 to clean it, but I decided that the prospect of skating on fresh ice was too tempting to pass up, and wound up skating for almost another hour. It started to get massively crowded around 7:30, so I decided to call it an evening. I felt completely exhilarated. I can't wait to go back, and to try out the other rinks this city has to offer (specifically Rockefeller Center, who offers a $5 lunchtime skate, and both the Central and Prospect Park branches of the Wollman rink.) I believe the guy who lost 8 pounds, though - I'm still kinda sore two days later, although I think the place I fell is what's really hurting me (guess my thighs aren't as fat as I'd thought they were!).

Yesterday I hung out with Carly, which is always fun. We went to this Spa expo in Grand Central, and I had my makeup done at one of the booths. They were only supposed to be 15-minute makeovers, but the artist who did mine was having such a good time, he waved away anyone trying to tell him he was taking too long! Apparently, I am the first person in 3 days he found worthy of a lipliner (which I overheard him tell one of the other artists). I looked pretty good at the end of it, but sadly, I'm not sure I can afford some of these products. ($46 for foundation?! I don't care that it's all natural and made from pureed unicorn horn. GTFO!) We also ended up at the Gap, and I wound up buying this dress, because it looks amazing on me. I'm also seriously considering this coat, because I kind of need a new coat for when it's cold, but not heart-stoppingly cold outside. I've been cleaning out my wardrobe in pieces over the last month or so, and I've gotten rid of a LOT. It's nice. I was holding on to a lot of things for no reason whatsoever, and getting rid of them is very freeing. I still have to hit the other 3/4 of my closet (I already attacked the pants) and some of the drawers in my bureau.

I just had a lovely brunch with my friend Susan, and I'm trying to figure out the rest of my day. Do I take my laptop somewhere and write? Do I write in my house while listening to some of my newly acquired records? Do I take a walk in this gorgeous fall weather? Do I combine some of my options? What to do? I had a long conversation with redesigner last night (probably longer for him, sorry sweetie) about how I need to start doing things that are outside of my regular routine in order to meet someone worth dating, so I'm trying to do that. And I *do* own a laptop, after all. I'm not really doing NaNoWriMo (blergeatkitty covered every reason why not so eloquently in a fantastic piece in her Bitty Soda blog last year), but I still want to get writing again. I miss it.

Anyone interested in going to try and see Stephen Colbert at the Time Warner Borders tomorrow night? I'm on the fence. It's Colbert, he usually makes me laugh like crazy, but it doesn't start until 8. Hm. I think I'm going to check and make sure it's a reading and signing, and not just a signing. If it's just a signing, I'll be home watching How I Met Your Mother.

Ice Queen?

My new icon (thanks, hermionesviolin!) is in honor of the fact that I finally broke out the ice skates that I received last Christmas and introduced them to actual ice. Bryant Park has a skating rink from now until January, and there are very few things you have to pay for. Admission is free. Lockers are free. Skate rental is not free, and locks to use in the lockers are not free. However, if you are clever like me and bring your own skates and lock, the whole thing is very inexpensive. In addition to being extremely fun, and a great stress reliever.

I'd had a long, frustrating day at work. When I left at 5, I was big bundle of stress. I arrived at the rink, got my wristband, selected a locker and started lacing up my skates. An elderly, Scandanavian man sat down next to me, and asked me if my skates were new. He said he's usually in New York when the Bryant Park rink is open, and the first year they did it, he came every day and wound up losing eight pounds! He was very nice, and also suggested that to break in my new skates (which he noticed as being new), he suggested I walk around a bit before I got on the ice to help break the boots in. I have to keep doing that, the boots need a bit of breaking in.

At first I wasn't very happy on the ice - I kept losing my balance, and couldn't figure out why, and I even fell. This is how I discovered that there are "rink guards" present who skate over to you at surprising speeds to help you up when you fall. After I fell, I checked my skates and noticed that I'd left one of the plastic blade covers on! (I have fabric ones. I thought I'd taken the plastic ones off and left them in the box at home, but I appear to have been half mistaken.) Once I got rid of that, it was smooth skating. I couldn't believe the difference between having your own skates versus the ones you rent from the rink, but I had much better control and speed in my own skates. Plus, they were much more comfortable. I skated for almost an hour without realizing how the time was flying by. I was contemplating calling it a night when they cleared the rink at 6 to clean it, but I decided that the prospect of skating on fresh ice was too tempting to pass up, and wound up skating for almost another hour. It started to get massively crowded around 7:30, so I decided to call it an evening. I felt completely exhilarated. I can't wait to go back, and to try out the other rinks this city has to offer (specifically Rockefeller Center, who offers a $5 lunchtime skate, and both the Central and Prospect Park branches of the Wollman rink.) I believe the guy who lost 8 pounds, though - I'm still kinda sore two days later, although I think the place I fell is what's really hurting me (guess my thighs aren't as fat as I'd thought they were!).

Yesterday I hung out with Carly, which is always fun. We went to this Spa expo in Grand Central, and I had my makeup done at one of the booths. They were only supposed to be 15-minute makeovers, but the artist who did mine was having such a good time, he waved away anyone trying to tell him he was taking too long! Apparently, I am the first person in 3 days he found worthy of a lipliner (which I overheard him tell one of the other artists). I looked pretty good at the end of it, but sadly, I'm not sure I can afford some of these products. ($46 for foundation?! I don't care that it's all natural and made from pureed unicorn horn. GTFO!) We also ended up at the Gap, and I wound up buying this dress, because it looks amazing on me. I'm also seriously considering this coat, because I kind of need a new coat for when it's cold, but not heart-stoppingly cold outside. I've been cleaning out my wardrobe in pieces over the last month or so, and I've gotten rid of a LOT. It's nice. I was holding on to a lot of things for no reason whatsoever, and getting rid of them is very freeing. I still have to hit the other 3/4 of my closet (I already attacked the pants) and some of the drawers in my bureau.

I just had a lovely brunch with my friend Susan, and I'm trying to figure out the rest of my day. Do I take my laptop somewhere and write? Do I write in my house while listening to some of my newly acquired records? Do I take a walk in this gorgeous fall weather? Do I combine some of my options? What to do? I had a long conversation with redesigner last night (probably longer for him, sorry sweetie) about how I need to start doing things that are outside of my regular routine in order to meet someone worth dating, so I'm trying to do that. And I *do* own a laptop, after all. I'm not really doing NaNoWriMo (blergeatkitty covered every reason why not so eloquently in a fantastic piece in her Bitty Soda blog last year), but I still want to get writing again. I miss it.

Anyone interested in going to try and see Stephen Colbert at the Time Warner Borders tomorrow night? I'm on the fence. It's Colbert, he usually makes me laugh like crazy, but it doesn't start until 8. Hm. I think I'm going to check and make sure it's a reading and signing, and not just a signing. If it's just a signing, I'll be home watching How I Met Your Mother.