Travel planning stress

I spent most of the past week stressing out about planning my fall travel. Even without the numerous errors I've now found on the college fair schedule I was given, it's a big task. But it's been complicated by several problems I luckily discovered on Friday, such as me supposedly having to be in two different parts of the state at the same time. Hmm. My first fair is September 12th but I hit the road the Sunday after by heading to Pittsburgh. I also hit southern Jersey and Philadelphia at the beginning, then spend the next few weeks in northen Jersey, and then back to Philadelphia and Atlantic City in November. I'm lucky in that most of my stuff is in a pretty concentrated area, I guess.

Besides that, not a lot going on. I finally caved and bought myself a new iPod, and I need to get a suit for travel season. So yay for spending money. Picked up John at the airport yesterday, so it was kind of nice to see a familiar face in the city and get out of my apartment a bit. It's been kind of a lazy weekend because it's been raining. So I'm just kind of stuck in my apartment because I don't want to go outside. My evening will pretty much be here, and then back to work tomorrow to continue the stress of planning fall travel. Wonderful.

Another year older, another year wiser?

And I'm 22. I must admit that I wasn't looking forward to my birthday that much this year, at least not after moving. Not knowing a lot of people in the city, I wasn't sure if I would even be doing anything on my birthday aside than my usual TV watching from my apartment. Thankfully, the lovely and talented Mr. and Mrs. Chris and Johanna Buckels were willing to go out with me that night, and good times commenced. We went to a pub in the village that's basically an NYU student hangout and then up to a bar in midtown. So that was a lot of fun. The only sucky part of it was that it took me almost 2 hours to get home because the subway station I was at basically shut down. But I also got to talk with Mary - thankfully she gets cell phone reception where she's at - and my parents, so in the end it was a good day.

It was also my last Friday off of work. Tomorrow real work starts as I have to put together my travel schedule, which is just such a daunting task. I have a list of all the college fairs I'm attending (NACAC fair in Atlantic City: here I come...?) and all the high schools I'm responsible for, and I somehow have to make sense of all of it. It doesn't help that I just plain don't know the geography or anything. I just don't really know where to start. But I also know that I'm one of the most organized people that I know, so I'm sure eventually I'll get the hang of it.

Finally, I (finally) got a desk today (see below for Office Depot fiasco). It was pretty much the last thing I needed to get to make my apartment what I wanted it to be (save for some stuff to fill the walls) so it's good to finally have a complete space.

Anyways, I promise more prolific thoughts eventually, rather than just a recap of my day. Seriously.

Rochester tomorrow

So no going back to work this week until Thursday. Well, technically not going back to work. Tomorrow I head up to Rochester, NY for a four day, new admissions officer conference. It's about a six hour drive, so that will be fun. The other new MC admissions counselor had a family emergency so I will be going alone. I don't really know much about what I'll be doing up there except I have to at some point give a short presentation on MC.

Besides that, I've just been adjusting to living in the city. Living as far uptown as I do I don't always feel like I live in New York City, or rather, the New York City that I've always known - and most people know - through movies, pictures, and trips. I've spent both weekends here taking the subway downtown and just walking around, usually reading in Central Park. Maybe its just to remind myself that I do live in New York City. Most likely though it's because it's just really enjoyable to walk around the city or the park. I haven't really met anyone in the city yet so I'm hoping that comes next. As much as my apartment is nice it's geting old hanging out here (which is why I try to get out when I can).

My main gripe for the week is the fact that Office Depot screwed me. Last Sunday I went downtown and found a good, inexpensive desk that I liked and ordered it to be delivered on Friday. Since the package is too big to be left with anyone, I stay in my apartment all day long so that I'll be here to receive the package (I didn't work on Friday). Throughout the day I speak to three Office Depot representatives. Only when I speak to the third one, an hour after the desk was supposed to be here, am I told that the item is out of stock and they won't be selling it anymore. Therefore, I'm not getting my desk. I just can't believe they would not tell someone that. I'm just pissed because now I have to get another desk somewhere else. Such horrible business practices...

I most likely won't have access to a computer in Rochester so I'll try to post again when I get back. Have a good week everyone.

I've never been to Philly...

Work definately picked up this week. Had my first two admissions interviews yesterday, and another today. I think they went pretty well. Yesterday my business cards arrived so now I feel "official."

Today I found out where my travel territory will be: mostly Southern Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. Which will be kind of cool because I'll get to go to Philadelphia, and I've never been before.

I'll post again before Sunday, when I leave for Rochester for a first-year college admissions counselor seminar.

First post and pictures

It's been a week and I'm getting all settled in. I'll share some of my more profound thoughts later on, but first I just thought I'd throw up some pictures. Hopefully people will enjoy them. Any comments or messages in the form of comments are welcome. Love to hear from people.

The first few are my apartment. It's still a bit messy as I'm still getting settled in.






This is the view out of one window, up 181st street:



Here's the other window, not as thrilling. Onramps to the George Washington Bridge:



All I have to do is walk one block for an amazing view of the Hudson, Pallisades, and the GW Bridge:



And only a fifteen minute walk to this view:




Here's a cool pic of downtown and a pic of midtown taken from the Brooklyn Bridge:




And a pic of the World Trade Center site:



Finally, some work-related pictures:

Here's the inside of the Manhattan College chapel:



Here's the outside of the chapel, which is actually on the second floor. On the first floor is the auditorium.



This is the quad, which is the primary gathering place for students (during warm weather). The building is Memorial Hall, where most of the administrative offices are. Unseen are the other buildings on the quad: classroom buildings De La Salle Hall and Miguel Hall, and the chapel.



This is the O'Malley Library, where I work. The Admissions Office is on the top floor.



Finally, here is my brand-spankin' new Dodge Caliber, which I wish I could drive more. Sadly, since there is not a lot of parking near my apartment, I won't be driving it to work. Travel season should be more exciting now though.



And last but not least, here is where I'm living, courtesy of Google Earth, so you can see where my place is relative to the rest of Manhattan. I'm waaaaay uptown.



Anyways, I'll post more soon...