When We Collide

A cheesy X factor reference that I might remember to explain later. 

My trip to the UK was amazing. Words cant describe the time that I spent there. But, I'll do my best. I'll also have to break it up. I like to make it look like I am too busy to write this blog all at once. Plus, I dont want to scare you off with a really long post. So we will take it a day or two at a time. 

November 29, 2010
This was the day! The first day in a while that I woke up excited to face. I would be leaving for the UK in a matter of hours now. It was the end of a 3 month long count down that seemed more like 7 years. My first time to visit Europe. I must be honest...I wasn't in the company that I thought that I would be in for this first journey. I was alone. But, being alone was what I wanted for this trip. I was going to try a catch the life I had been living over the summer with the hope that things would still be the same. I couldn't wait to be there.

This 7 hour flight better go by quickly...

My flight was long. That is all that I can say about that. The aim was to sleep--but that didn't come easily. I was too excited. Instead, I watched 2 movies and listened to music that made me think of Joe. My mind was racing. The flight attendants couldn't serve the free alcohol fast enough to keep up with the thoughts running through my head.

What am I doing? Am I chasing something that should have ended in September? IS THIS REAL LIFE?

It is almost scary to me just how much a part of my life Joe has become. It has changed so much in the past 6 months. When I think about life before moving to New York I feel like I am looking at a stranger's story. Even this summer seems like a distant memory of a person I used to know but no longer identify with. All of the memories of the summer still linger every where that I go everyday...but its only memories. Nothing of it is reality anymore.

In other words, this trip was a God send to my sanity.

Touch down in London Town. I wish that I could tell you what day it was. But for someone who had just jumped 5 hours ahead in time, I forgive myself. Heathrow Airport is a maze that I dont feel like writing about. But, I eventually made my way through customs and found the correct terminal for my next flight to Glasgow.

t minus 3 hours to big head. snow interruption. 

I landed in Glasgow and practically ran off the plane. I was so excited to finally be there and I just knew Joe would be standing there at baggage claim waiting for me. But, as I gathered my bags and watched the other people from my flight hug their loved ones who were there waiting for them, I realized that no one was there waiting for me.

That's alright. I'll just give him a quick text.

NO SERVICE. 

PANIC!!!

Joe had warned me that my phone probably wouldn't work. In that event, he told me to find a pay phone. Easy. Pay phones are everywhere in air ports. I bought a Vitamin Water so that I could get change for my call and deposited my 2 pound coin into the coin dispenser. Not easy. Dialing a UK number when you dont know when the long distance code ends and the number begins.

FIGHT OR FLIGHT. 

I was getting really worried so I pathetically walked up to the desk of the airline I just flew in on and told the woman at the desk that I was lost. She was nice enough to dial his number for me so that I could talk to him. Turns out that his train has been delayed and that he had been through a snowy hell to get to the airport to get me. He sounded panicked and worried that I would be mad. I wasnt mad...just lost.

Dont worry about it. Just meet me in the Starbucks when you get here. 

About half an hour later I finally saw him through the crowd of people. I wanted to run and tackle him with a hug but I was stuck between my bag, chairs and British people. Waiting till he got to me would have to do.

He is even taller than I remember. And he is nervous. I can see right through you. 

 

 

 

Manion Mansion Christmas

It is Christmas morning year 2010 and it is the first time that I am not with my family to celebrate. Let me tell you what that means:
It means that yesterday, being Christmas Eve was the first time that I wasn't elbow deep in a mixture of egg, bread and celery with my mom making dressing. Yesterday we would have also begun to feel guilty that we didn't put up any outside decorations. So, at the demand of my sister, my dad would have climbed up to get one or two strands of Christmas lights (hoping they still work) from the top of the garage and would have strung them around a few bushes in the front yard. Normally a pathetic sight...but with great intent. The evening of Christmas Eve, my mom would insist that we all open one gift and my dad would read us "The Night Before Christmas". Even at age 22, hearing him read that story still makes me feel like a little kid getting ready to go to bed to dream of sugar plums while Santa climbs down the chimney.
Today Im also missing my older sister waking me up around 6:45 am. I think one of my favorite parts though is the hot chocolate and cozying up next to the fireplace while we open gifts and I blare Billy Gilman Classic Christmas (normally for the 67th time in a week). After gifts we all are slow to get started showering and prepping for our drive over to my uncle's house carrying all of the food and about 16 pies. My dad will always make a big breakfast..and last year my mom and I added the tradition of drinking early in the morning but making it look classy by at least drinking mimosas. We save the egg nog for later :) All the while we laugh at the pets who think it is the best day in the world because they get to trump through mounds of wrapping paper, tape and ribbon.

Of course that is not all of the Minatrea Family Christmas but that is what I got to finish before Nikki called me this morning. I guess the good thing about being so far away is that I am an hour ahead so by the time she wakes me up Ive gotten an extra hour of sleep!

What I've realized though, is that there is no place quite like home for the holidays. Even if home seems like its the same thing every year. Its the little things that you miss once you dont have them around. For example, I am positive that if my dad were able to make me my hot chocolate this morning I know without asking he would have made the perfect mixture of chocolate and hot water knowing that I like it really chocolatey.

Today, my plan is to venture into the city and see what the rest of the world does on Christmas day.

Merry Christmas everyone :)

Cause I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane

The last week that I was in Denton was like a whirlwind of tying up loose ends. Trying to pack and move out, see friends and visit places for a last time proved to create a busy schedule. My last night in Denton finally came around. Britt and I had planned to go out to wine and dine ourselves like we do best. We got a small carafe of champagne and what we called our 'friendship wine' of Fat Bastard Chardonnay. Being 2 small girls that was more than plenty for us to begin spilling emotions, stories and memories of the past ten years. After dinner we went for a visit to the Kappa Delta house for the last time then headed back home. I walked into a completely "lived in" house...meaning I hadn't done a thing to move out. I stayed up the whole night packing which was not enough time for me to pack and clean everything. That task was unfortunately left to a handy team consisting of my big cousin J, Britt, my sister and my mother. Oooopss....thanks guys!

The next morning we got ourselves up to go eat at the Old West Cafe. Britt and Matt brought me gifts that made me want to cry. Saying goodbye to people in Denton was probably the most difficult thing I had had to do. I hate goodbyes. I would just rather ignore them and pretend like it is a task that can be taken care of another day by somebody else. We gathered at my house to finish packing up my things and to have one last improteu dance party to Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror". I passed out my hugs and tried to avoid making eye contact for fear of falling to pieces. After my 20 min hug/snot fest with Britt I forced myself into the car and geared rhapsody into reverse. Driving downs Millers Creek, I couldn't help but roll down the window and spread "the movement" one last time by throwing my peace sign to everyone standing in the driveway. I swung by my Aunt and Uncle's house to say goodbye. They had really taken care of me while I was in school and I couldn't leave without a goodbye. My Aunt Susan was the only one home so we chatted for a bit, I gave her my gift of left over tequila and margarita mix, and wished them well. I was now on the road. I'd be lying if I said that I didn't cry myself all the way to Austin. I wanted to turn the car around so many times. I looked in the rear view mirror and could see wide open space for miles (a view that I certainly miss).

Home was just the way it had always been. And, of course, I couldn't leave without one more ticket to my name. I was pulled over while on my way to visit my mom at work. That's alright, I thought...I'm fleeing the state anyways!

5 am the next morning came faster than expected. I had spent the night before with my things strung out all over my living room floor. Pondering thoughts that included, "...so how many t-shirts is really too many t-shirts?" The morning was humid and full of anticipation. I had my Josh Abbott album playing on repeat in my head as I boarded my train. I had no idea what I was getting myself into. My dad and I eventually made it safely to New Orleans after 9 hours on the train. I was excited to explore Bourbon St again and was definitely ready for a large margarita or Bahama mama...which came shortly after running through the monsoon to get to bubba gump shrimp! The next morning we boarded the train to New York. Each time we ventured into the dining car I had to explain to other passengers where I was going and why. It made me feel adventurous to tell them. Dad and I filled our days with card games that we had to play until he would finally beat me and running around pretending like we were spies maneuvering though each car looking for criminals.

Fast Forward to Penn Station.

Within the first hour of being in New York I learned a few valuable lessons:

• Jeans, T-shirts and sandals are not appropriate attire. You must be fashionable.
• Be aggressive, B-E aggressive!
• Running red lights is okay.
• Pedestrians are king.
• You must know the actual address of a destination before getting into a cab.
• There are cute fruit stands on the sidewalks and I was craving a banana.
• The traffic was bad...but I think Houston has seen worse.

After a two hour car journey we made it to Piping Rock. We took a tour of the club, got my room and went to find food. We spotted a place that advertised itself as a "southwest grill". No thanks, New York...stick to pizza and delis!

The next few days that followed were filled with tourist agendas, a lot or confusion and big oooos and ahhhhs as we passed famous landmarks and saw the sights of the center of the world.

...Now someone find be some spicy salsa!!!

Making the Move

I have been wanting to create a blog since making the move from Texas to New York in May. I just haven't sat down and actually created it until now. You could call me the Queen of procrastination but that would be giving me too much credit. I did, however, keep somewhat of a personal journal while I was getting ready to move and throughout my summer here in NY. I could catch you up on those events using excerpts from my journal and then continue with life as it happens everyday.

I should warn you from the beginning that I am not that great of a writer and I write about what I find interesting/funny...usually it doesn't spark the interest of others...but in the end, who is forcing you to keep reading?

The reason for me wanting to create a journal/blog was so that in the future I would be able to look back on my thoughts and ambitions and see my progress or see just how much I had changed. I knew that going into this summer I would be getting to learn a lot about myself. And, oh boy...I sure did! But that explanation will come later.
At the young ripe age of 21 I was about to move to New York and begin my internship at a private club. I was scheduled to be graduating in August and only had the internship and 2 other classes to complete before I would receive my degree. My worry was this was going to be the first time that I would be leaving God's Country, Texas, to live some where else. I didn't know myself without Texas. I didn't know myself without my bbff Britt or without my family. Life as I knew it was about to be completely changed...I was so scared. Trying to hide that fear was difficult. I decided to cover it up with my excitement. Which the excitement was valid. I was at a 50/50 on wanting to go and wanting to stay. I ccouldn't wait to get to New York but I definitely was not ready to leave Texas. The week before I left you would have had to rip my cowboy boots off of my feet! I began to savor every little thing about Texas and every moment that I had left in that great state. No matter how ridiculous it was...I made a point to mark it down in my memory (stopping at red lights and seeing pick-up trucks stopped next to you, for example).

I was worried about my friendship with Britt. I knew that our friendship could withstand any kind of turbulence but this move was forcing us to enter into the unknown. Since meeting in the 6th grade we had been attached at the hip. I was praying that she and I would both be able to blossom and grow into amazing individuals who would still hold their friendship as high as it had been for the past ten years. I didn't know who Andi was without Britt by my side. But I was excited to open the new chapter of our lives and see where life took us.(You will notice that Britt and I treat our friendship like a marriage...sometimes the way we talk sounds a little too 'involved' haha)

I was worried about my family. My parents weren't too excited about my decision to move but they understood my reasons for needing to go. I appreciate them allowing me to do what I thought was best with my life. I didn't know what I was going to do without them as easily accessible to me as they had been throughout college. I quickly learned that they are always just a phone call away. I thought about Nikki. Would she become the doctor that she wanted to become? She is one of the smartest and most passionate people about her profession. What I like about her is that you can tell that she really loves what she is doing with her life. Its inspiration to find something that I enjoy that much.

I was ready to enjoy the freedom of a new start. I was ready to challenge myself with the unknown and learn things that I didn't know. This move was for more than just a job. I was about to change my life.