top 10: music

for me, 2008 was hit and miss. it was hit in the fact that my top 4 favorites have inched into my top 20 of all time. but miss in that i had a hard time coming up with a top 10 list. to top it off, some of these albums came to in 2007, but i only started listening to them in 2008. so a weak year for music, but of the ones that i did like, they made a big impression on me.

10. katy perry: one of the boys-- i enjoy her. i really like her style. and you can't deny that you sang 'i kissed a girl' all summer long
9. rihanna: good girl gone bad-- ok, i realize this was totally 2007. i listened to her in 07. but then she had some amazing singles and re-released the album. lovessss it. she makes me want to get up and dance.
8. duffy: rockferry-- while i don't like the entire album, i do enjoy a bunch of her songs. plus she sounds good live, so she gets points for that.
7. leona lewis: spirit-- my dad bought this in the uk for me back in january. so i had this for a couple months before it came out here. but i have to say my favorite song is her new cover of snow patrol's 'run'. so so good
6. once: once movie soundtrack-- another 2007, but i didn't hear about it until march. the movie was ok, but this soundtrack was totally unexpected. so beautiful. i would love to hear more from these guys.
5. high school musical 3: movie soundtrack-- ummmmmmmmm, shut up.... i don't care what you all say: i love hsm and i don't deny it (even though i would probably be fired from work for saying so).
4. p!nk: funhouse-- i have always loved pink... but i think this might be her best (although, i must say that it is reeeeally close tie with 'try this').
3. sia: some people have real problems-- another 2007, but i downloaded it in january. i can't stress enough how much i love sia. and i am a little late on the fanclub bandwagon, but this cd honestly made her one of my favorite artists of all time. not only is she incredible live, but she still hasn't hit mainstream (note to the hills... STOP PLAYING HER MUSIC).
2. adele- 19-- ooooh adele, how much do i love you? hometown glory is in my top 5 favorite songs of all time. a friend of mine once said that adele reminds them of me: her fashion, her voice, her build. it's totally true... and maybe it's why i love her so. did i mention she made this cd when she was 19??? brilliance.
1. coldplay: viva la vida-- how could coldplay not be number 1? while this is probably my second favorite ('a rush of blood to the head' i don't think will ever be topped), lost (both ? and !) have quickly become absolute favorites of all time. this concert was pure sex.

there you have it. stayed tuned for the top 10 movies.

~annalisa

top ten: tv

i am home for 2 weeks. actually, almost 2.5 weeks. i have essentially spent the last 3 days unable to leave the house... because of snow. ughhhh. no matter how much you want to escape it, you never can.

anyways, recently i have been reminiscing this past year. big year for me, indeed. but i decided that i need to have a really really fun new years. because i am one of those superstitious people who believe that the way you spend new years is the way you will spend your year. and this past new years, i was 100% alone. i had my reasons, and i'm not like boo hoo, i was alone. i had plans, i just didn't go... and i think i had a lot of alone time this year. so this new years i'm having a party. i don't care if 10 people show up or 1... it will be better than last year's. so yeh.

in other news, i think i will list my top 10's on this blogs (seeing as i am snowed in and have nothing else to do... meaders, i am sure you are delighted). i will probably do top 10 movies, tv, music, theater, books... and... maybe something else that i come up with? i don't know, i'm open for suggestions... ooooh, maybe top ten meals? hahahaha. so i think i will start with tv today because there will be no change in tv till the end of the year.

10. the hills-- pure trash... but they are paying my bills. also, can't wait for the city hahaha
9. the office-- for some reason, not as funny this season... but makes the list
8. project runway-- still think korto should have won... and so glad christian won... fierce
7. ugly betty-- the similarities btw betty's and my life are sometimes scary
6. greek-- abc family is kind of my fav... hahaha
5. chuck-- love love love. please don't cancel this
4. desperate housewives-- great comeback!
3. skins-- more people need to get into this show. i love it so much.
2. gossip girl-- blair and chuck? need i say more?
1. pushing daisies-- rip :( the last episode was SO good... but left on a cliffhanger. GAH
honorable mention: kath & kim (actully think it's funny!), 30 rock (just started getting into this... oprah episode was pure gold)

-annalisa

grateful but stressful

this week has been a nightmare. i thought it would never end. i am so incredibly busy with work that i failed to notice that this blog died until one faithful follower mentioned that it is missed (and meaders, i think you are the only person who reads this, so this one is for you). i shouldn't complain about being busy with work. 850 people were laid off from my company this week. it was so fucking terrifying on thursday-- everytime i was pulled into a meeting i thought that this was going to be it. i am so so sooooo incredibly thankful that i didn't lose my job... but there are talks of another round of layoffs, and i can't say that i'm still terrified. now with that being said, work has taken over my life. once upon a time, i worked from 9:30- 5:30, went home, relaxed or went out with friends. this has all be replaced with 10-12 hour work days, eating dinner at 9:30 at night, and not being able to sleep because i ate too late. once again... i'm absolutely positely not complaining. i have a job. i am actually doing things at my job. sure, i wasn't promoted, there will be no bonus, and my pay increase will probably amount to an extra yougurtland a week, but i am so greatful i have a job. i'm just trying to keep things in context... keep working hard and i will eventually move up. just keep swimming, just keep swimming. can i still say that if they are the enemy?

the point is this blog is basically dead because i have no life except for work. work keeps me up at night (why oh WHY did i wake up at 5 this morning, and couldn't fall back asleep for an hour because of a phone call i had at work yesterday??) when i should be worrying about things like my father's surgery or the fact that i only have 300 dollars in my bank account and i don't get paid for another week and a half. i think i really need a vacation...

-annalisa

a desperately needed time out

i think this blog is defunct for awhile. i'm super stressed with work, life, everything... i just need time to... be.

-annalisa

times are rough

times are scary... we just received an email from our cfo saying that the company will be selling off 400 million dollars of shares to basically stay afloat... and everyone knows what comes after that. a wee bit scary... today is my 8 month anniversary at work. time flies. i hope i make it to 9...

i have really fallen off my diet wagon. i was doing SO well. i was down 17 since april. and now i have been fluctuating between 12-15. ugh. my dream is that i can motivate myself to wake up an hour earlier everyday and go to the gym... i laugh every time i say this, because i know i will continue sleeping. ugh... must get motivated......

so i am going home for halloween weekend. and then i will be home for thankgiving. and then christmas. so maybe i was a little exsesive. but it was killing me to not go home in the fall. and it will be birthday celebrations part 2. i am a little bummed it is a weekend when both my parents won't be home (most children would rejoice this fact) but it honestly was the only time i could do it. so... party? i don't know why i decided to spend more money on a plane ticket and halloween costume when i am already low on funds. whatever, i can still pay my rent...

i'm hungry. i think i am going to go find something to eat. happy fall.

-annalisa

ps. please enjoy the picture of my mother feeding the ducks and pigeons of central park... right next to a 'don't feed the wildlife' sign...

sigh

i fell asleep at 10 last night. how am i supposed to find anything interesting to write about when i fall asleep at the same time as 8 year old children?

-annalisa

photo update

because i was too busy to blog, a snippet of what i have been doing since august:
in conclusion, i eat entirely too many bad things...

-annalisa

ok

i'm not dead.

happy labor day.

-annalisa

a week in review

a few things that have occurred as of recently:

-i ate a personal pizza and 6 breadsticks from dominos this evening. and now i feel like death. ughhh

-certain... job things have happened to me in the past 48 hours. i am so beyond confused with what to do. i am just taking it one step at a time. but the first step is coming really soon...

-one of my only weekends off, and i am making it busy anyway. at least i didn't leave my apartment today...

-did i mention the nausea from the breadsticks?????? ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

-summer is almost over. and this makes me so incredibly sad. only three more weekends left after this one, and i go back to 5 day work weeks. doesn't that break your heart?

-i love ugly dolls (can't you tell?)

-i was down 15 pounds as of yesterday. i think that changed with the breadsticks. ughhhhhh

in conclusion, i never eating again.

okay, so that is a lie. i am not eating tomorrow.


okay, so that isn't happening either. i will eat better this weekend? yeh, i don't forsee that happening either. ughhhhhhh. goodbye 15 pound weight loss...

-annalisa

time after time

one of my closest friends from high school is moving to north carolina this week, leaving only one of my friends at home (well technically 2, but one commutes three hours to work a day, so she basically lives there). so this is it. this is the part when you realize everyone really is growing up. it is absolutely amazing to see how we all have scattered across the country. we have representation in canada, buffalo, rochester, philadelphia, new york, charolette, and los angeles. really really growing up. the minute someone gets married or pops a child, i may have a nervous breakdown. because then we are truly grown. sigh...
what i am thankful for, as horrible as it seemed at the time, is that we had one last summer together last year. i was incredibly stressed with finishing school, having no job, and numerous other things that i don't even want to think about anymore. but we had each other, all of us in the same place one last time. wow wow wow. it will never be the same.

~annalisa

but i still love you, new york

when it comes to new york city, there are three kinds of people:
1. people who hate new york and would rather die than even visit
2. people who like to visit new york, but are happy to go home after a visit and could never see themselves staying there
3. people who can't get enough of the city.

i fall into category 3. i am approaching my 6 month mark of me living in the city, and i am absolutely positively not sick of it. i was in la this past weekend, and while it was one of the best vacations i have ever had, i was so incredibly excited to come back to new york. i really really don't think i could live in la. i think all that traffic and driving would drive me to insanity. i can get to the bottom of manhattan all the way to the top in 45 minutes. 45 minutes can take you down the street in a car in la. so while the weather was lovely and the beaches were delightful and i couldn't get enough of the celebrity shenanigans, i definitely fall into category 3 of new yorkers.

in other news, my family is coming to visit this weekend. my cousins are basically my siblings, so i am so incredibly excited from them to get here. each are bringing their spouse/boyfriend, both of whom i love dearly, so i am prepared to have a delightful weekend.

lateedah.

~annalisa

time goes by...

i missed the one year mark of this blog. i have been too busy to notice. and i am too busy right now to update...

off to work, and then a short visit in la. see you later kids...

~annalisa

dddora the explorerrrr

i can't begin to tell you how busy i am. i tried scheduling dinner plans with an old childhood friend, and i felt like such an asshole because bascially i was like i'm only available next weds... and then i had to cancel other plans that weds so i could go to dinner with her... um WHAT? when did i get this busy??? can we flashback a few months ago when i did nothing? yup.

i went to visit meaders this weekend. it was one of the best philadelphia trips i have ever had. and we didn't even do that much. miss meaders, i had my 100 grand at work today. and it was glorious. i love you times a 100 grand...

today i kind of had this breakthrough at work. for the first time in the 5 months that i had been there, i finally felt like i am settled in. i was sitting in a meeting this afternoon, and thought about how lost i was 5 months ago. and it finally clicked that i finally get it, and i am a part of this. i think i made a really good career move, and today supported that.

so there is this teeny tiny shoe repair store across from my favorite restaurant in my neighborhood (see the picture). it sits between two rather large buildings, and looks so little and scared compared to the bigger buildings next to it. everytime i eat outside at my fav restaurant (which is often as the hostess now remembers me), i love to stare at the little shoe repair and think how it reminds me of me... a little person stuck in a huge huge city. but like the little shoe repair, i manage to survive. and it gets better with each passing day... remind me to show you the shoe repair when you come to visit me...

~annalisa

bery vusy

i'm still here, i swear. i am just kinda busy.

does someone want to give me 100 grand? that would be great, thanks.

~annalisa

trip down memory lane

i know i know, im getting really bad at updating this thing. who knew that i, miss annalisa, would be so busy this summer? i'm liking it. i miss certain people. but i get to see so many more. not to mention that july is filled with trip trip trips. cooliossss.

today was a day of reminising... i found some REALLY old pictures from sophomore year of college, and then i ended up going through a lot of my old livejournal entries from that year. i really really miss college. no, not theology, sociology, and the all the drama. but i miss living with my friends, seeing them everyday. i miss being friends with certain people. and i am sad i burned bridges with some. i tried to reconcile one that i really missed. but this person i guess wouldn't have it. too bad...

so a picture is in homage to me circa sophomore year (2003). some vintage annalisa. i was still only 18 going on 19 in this pic. wooooow. i look so different...
those were the days...

~annalisa

makeover please?

dear god, i need a major makeover... i look DREADFUL
i need a haircut
i need a pedicure
i need a manicure
i need an eyebrow wax
i need to buy some makeup
i desperately need to go to the gym
i seriously just need a day at the spa...


but most of all... i need to feel better. because this sickness is getting ridiculous. i love how that rhymed...

ummmmmm do you know my next weekend where i have no plans is august 22nd? how did that happen??? (well, there is possibly of one open weekend where i think i want to go to philadelphia... so... yeh...)

~annalisa

the morning after

yup, i fully regret it...

~annalisa

shit

i dont drink alot. so of course i drink when i am on antibiotics and have guest coming in the next say early.

ooooooh i am going to regret this in the morning......

~annalisa

sicky

ughhhhh i am totally getting sick. i work up with a sore throat, which is code for, you are fucked and have a sinus infection. so yeh that sucks. i have people coming into town this weekend, so hopefully i am feeling better by then. whyyyyyy do i always get sinus infectionsssss??

in other news, will someone please come to new york and get nachos and guacamole with me please? that would be greatly appreciated, thanks...

~annalisa

crazy week

sorry that i have been mia, boys and girls. this week has been crazy. what have i done this week?

-i was at work before 8 am everyday (except tuesday when i was in at 6:45)
-i successfully organized a huge presentation/party at work
-I MET ADELE (AHHHHHHHHH)
-i got air conditioning
-i saw m night shyamalan speak... and have a whole new respect for him
-i saw miranda cosgrove twice this week (50 gold stars summer!!)
-i worked the nick booth at licensing show (snooze)
-i played rock band for 2 hours at licensing show
-i got an asthma attack (small... but painful)
-I REFUSED CRUMBS CUPCAKES (still astonished how i did this)
-i lost another 2 pounds (down 14)
-i cleaned my apartment (seriously, who am i??)

i also received a compliment at licensing show today, which i think for anyone else would be insulting. a group of really funky licensor's complimented my glasses, hair, and sparkly pink headband (i know you are all jealous) and i joked "thank you, i try". and one of the ladies with spiky pink hair said to me "no, you don't. and that's why it works". that kinda made me smile.

daddy-o is visiting for the weekend, and i have friday off. HOORAY. let's just hope i don't get sick... i feel it sorta coming... and i'm trying to fight it.

~annalisa

pointless entry

i'm tired, tipsy, and my eyes hurt. any questions?

goodnight.

~annalisa

and i am telling you...

is it bad that i like that new usher song? did i mention that i saw him on friday in the lobby at work? so weird...

so i have been kinda troubled. i'm not going to go into it, but an event occurred that caused me to be pretty sad.

but enough about that.... i can't even begin to tell you how excited i am about the coldplay cd coming out. the anticipation is killing me. i also can't wait to see the sex and the city movie again...


ummmmmm this is a boring entry... i'm going to go now

~annalisa

l-o-v-e

there's a couple things i love at the moment:

1. the sex and the city movie, it's predictability and all

2. rihanna's new song 'disturbia'

3. my good friend eva

4. the weather outside

5. new york city in general

carry on...

~annalisa

beautiful day

yes yes, i haven't written in awhile... why? i have been so god damned busy... i went home and basically had a whirlwind of a weekend. i hardly felt like i was home. there was one point where i was home with all of my friends and i seriously had a moment when i was like "why the fuck did i move away?" and then i stepped back into new york, and i remembered why i am here. and i stopped being sad. this is where i really truly belong. takes a long time to figure out, but it's worth it in the end...

in other news, IT'S FUCKING BEAUTIFUL OUTSIDE. it's like 75 and NO humidity. it is absolutely amazing. i walked to get subway and pinkberry and was loving every moment outside. i haven't really been outside for awhile because buffalo was COOOOOLD and i have been working super late, but i enjoyed my time outside today. please stay like this for foreverrrrrrrr.

ok, so i got the wii fit. and jesus, mary, and joseph does that thing kick me in the ass. i woke up in the middle of the night last night because my abs were sore. seriously... a video game...

ummmmmm i am now going to wii fit... and watch some tv. sex and the city movie tomorrow. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY.

~annalisa

BANG BANG BANGS

i finally did something i have been talking about for months.... i think i have a blog that dates back to september or october talking about how i want to do this... so after careful consideration and many chickened out attempts, i finally did it...



i fucking got bangs...

initially when the hairdresser told me to look, i was like "OMG i look like ugly betty!" but then i styled it a little more to how i would do it, and it looked better.... less bettyish... so anyway, yes, i do have bangs... and i can also part them to the side which im excited about!

enough about hair... i have to mention this without going into to too much detail. i have mentioned in other posts that i have been dieting... and this diet has been hard to say the least. so i have altered it... andddd now i am down 11 pounds. wahoo! this may all change when i go home this weekend. shit shit shit. gotta be good gotta be good.

that's enough out of me. i may blog once when im home. if not, happy memorial day to all.

~annalisa

"why aren't we going to the bar with popcorn?!?"

a couple of things i will cover:

honestly, why can't it be nice out. i don't even need sunny as long as it isn't RAINING. let me go through a series of events that occurred today... i went to work, it was drizzling, but i was kinda damp. i had to go to the bank on my lunch hour, and while it was fine when i left, it was pouring on my way back. then, on my way to brooklyn to visit meaders, a fucking shit fucker man RAN OVER MY TOES WITH HIS SUITCASE, and proceeded to ruin my favorite shoes without saying a word. i just screamed in the middle of the subway station, and people were looking at me like i was crazy. then i had dinner with meaders, sister meader, and sister meader friends. while walking to the next bar IT WAS SO FUCKING COLD AND RAINY that i became instantly miserable. i was soaked. however, i had a great time with meaders and co. just wish it wasn't so effing miserable outside.

next order of business... now, i kinda have an idea of who checks my blog. i feel safe writing about things when i know who is reading this. however, i recently have had a frequent visitor from upstate new york who i have no idea who they are. so YOU, yes YOU from upstate.... reveal yourself. or there may be consequences. aka, this blog might go bye bye... so there you have it...

i am fucking exhausted. i am going to bed SO early. 23 going on old lady. yehhhhh

-annalisa

a few of my favorite things...

i didn't really have the greatest day ever... sooooo i am going to talk about things that make me happy...

1. gossip girl. dear god, this show is so bad that its AMAZING. and it just keeps getting better and better. i only hope that it doesn't have the oc curse and start sucking next season. but... how can it?? it's so good!!

2. the sex and the city movie. yes, i know it's going to be terrible. yes, i know 15 years think this is the coolest show ever (calling miley cyrus). yes, the previews have basically given away the movie. but i am so FREAKING excited. i want to go once upon a time when no one knew about this show. and there was me waiting every sunday night to watch it. and people would giggle every time i mentioned a show with the word 'sex' in the title. and now look at what it has become. and fuck everyone, because i'm psyched for this movie.

3. going home in a week and a half. i can't explain how excited i am. i am not excited, however, about the temptations in food i will have. ugh, i don't even want to think about it... BUT i am going to be seeing sooooo many people, and for that i'm excited. i'm also going to the movies like a bajillion times. because i choke every time i think about the $12 ticket.

4. summer is coming!!! and with the coming of summer is the arrival of summer fridays! i get every other friday off in the summer and who KNOWS what i am going to do. visit people? explore the city? sleep? ahhhh can't wait. my first summer friday is memorial day weekend in which i will be home. wahoooooooooo

yeh... so that's it for now. my teeth hurt, and i didn't sleep well last night, so i am going to try to go to bed. ugh, let's hope tomorrow doesn't suck as much.

~annalisa

viva la vida

this week has been quite... strange to say the least. i'm just glad it is over. i sorta had the day off in that i didn't have to go to work, but met up with my team at MoMA (home of one of my favorite paintings in the world). it was nice (despite the HURRICANE that made my commute there ever so... wet...) and i enjoyed having most of the day off.

my mom's here for mother's day weekend. we are just taking it easy. sunday we are going to see one of the loves of her life, morgan freedman, in 'the country girl' on broadway. she is quite quite excited. hopefully he stage door's and we can get a photo. it will probably be framed and put all over the house at home. rod stewart and morgan freedman... my mother's choice in men...

so, remember earlier this week when i said coldplay is giving away tickets to a concert in nyc? well, now is your chance to enter.... and... take me?? please? here, i will even make it easy for you to enter... just click here. see how easy that was? omg, please make me the happiest girl alive and get me tickets to this concert. also... they are going to be in jersey on my birthday. hmmmmmmmm... anyone want to go???

and i will end with this: everything happens for a reason. if things are meant to be, then they are meant to be. when the time is right, i'm sure it will be right. and i have total faith that it will be. but for now, i will take the long way around...

~annalisa

tweet tweet

sssssooooooo i am on twitter now... for "research" only. hahaha
for your stalking pleasure... enjoy

~annalisa

gawker girl

spotted: elisabeth hasselbeck with her husband and children at vynl on the uws. our waitress must have been too busy staring at her that she didn't come to our table for 20 minutes. then didn't bring our drinks for another 10. food came shortly after, but i didn't get utensils for another 15 minutes. heLLLLLOOOOOOOOO?!?! needless to say, the food was delicious, i used the 'elton john' bathroom, and had a delightful time. elisabitch and all.

~annalia

spring and summer every other day

i think i am going to try to make a conscious effort to write more in here. it's become like a post a week (sometimes 2). problem is i don't really have much to post about. everyone keeps asking how is my 'fabulous' life in nyc.... annnd i don't have much to tell. i wake up, walk to the subway, go to work, walk or subway home, and collapse. exciting? i think not. sometimes theres a little variation from the norm (dinner with friends, a show, celeb sighting, etc) but some of those things are not really that exciting for other people to read. so i will try to write more. but this blog might start to get really really boringgggg.

this week went by SO fast! i couldn't believe that it was already friday yesterday. and... IT'S MAY!!! MAY??? MAY!!! i can't believe it, it's absolutely crazy. it sure doesn't feel like may (weather, why are you so cold and rainy?) but it really truly is. as of tomorrow, i have been in my apartment for 3 months. 1/4 of my lease is up. crazy, right? there are days where i feel like i have lived in the city for a week and there are days where i feel like i have been here for forever. i'm really starting to adjust to city living. i do miss little things about suburbia like having a car available at all times, grocery stores with endless amount of selection and lower prices, and the lack of tourists. but for the lack of these things, you get more in return. seeing PEOPLE at all hours of the day, one good restaurant after another, forcing yourself to walk, $9 manicures, the ability to see a broadway show any day of the week, seeing something new everyday. it's a nice change, and something i am learning to take advantage of.

so what's up for may? every weekend is booked with something with the exception of the last weekend. it's going to be a pretty busy month. and starting memorial day weekend, we get 'summer fridays' at work where we get every other friday off. ummmm, i'm pretty excited about that. especially with getting some guests to visit on those long weekends. and going to visit some friends (LA, here i come!). plus i will be home in may, july, and september. summer is going to fly by, isn't it?

~annalisa

COLDPLAY COLDPLAY COLDPLAY

i realize i updated less than 16 hours ago, but in the time that i did so, two events happened...

1. on my way to the subway this morning, i passed a disoriented looking conan o'brien. it was pouring, he was without umbrella, and looked totally disheveled. i stared at him, and went about my business. again, i realize i live in a ridiculous place...

2. OMGOMGOMGOMG coldplay news!!! first of all, they are giving away their single for free starting tomorrow on the website. secondly THEY ARE GIVING AWAY TICKETS FOR A FREE CONCERT IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. so if you are my friend, and you love me dearly, you will go onto the coldplay website tomorrow and sign up do whatever you can to get me ticketsss. omg, i would pass out. I MUST GO! third, they announced their new cd is going to be out in june. AHHHHHHHHH SO EFFING EXCITED.

that has been your daily conan o'brien and coldplay news. and now back to work...

-annalisa

if i had a million dollars...

want to know where i would spend all my money if i didn't have to worry about rent/bills/student loans?

anthropologie

these clothes are EXACTLY my style. to a t. i am beyond obsessed. but as you can see from the prices, they are not exactly affordable... like, i could save up to buy one dress when i could probably buy three for that price at banana republic. sigh...

in other news, my weekend was totally totally uneventful. but i needed it because i have had quite a busy past couple of weeks. and it got SO cold out that it was just nice to kind of stay in and relax. i only ordered in once. and that was because i am sick of the diet i currently am on (why i thought frozen meals everyday was a good idea?!?) that i needed REAL food. as much as this diet isn't that glamorous, i do think i have noticed a change in a week. so maybe i'll stick with it... maybe...

so i spent a majority of the day watching movies and creating playlists for my daily walks. i don't know how, but when i play certain cds like coldplay's 'a rush of blood to the head' or keane's 'hopes and fears' or kt tunstall's 'eye of the telescope', i immediately got these chills and started remembering how these songs were such a big part of my life. i listen to them, and remember exactly where i was and what i was doing and when in time it all took place. it's amazing that music can do that to you. and it's amazing how you wish for those moments, as small and insignificant as they were in the past, to be back in your life. and they never can be.

~annalisa

the present is an empty space between the good and bad...

do you know what would make happier than anything in the world at this moment??

to rewind to 2004 and be sitting in a performance of aida. god, how i miss you so...

~annalisa

philadelphia freedom

my visits to philadelphia are always bittersweet for me. i always am incredibly excited to go, see my friends, and have an incredible time. but coming home is difficult. i had a good 3 hours on the train back to nyc to think about how life moves on, and how different mine would be if i did stay in philadelphia. i feel like i have written countless blogs about this, but it is something i think about a lot. and especially now that i am basically restarting my life, it is difficult to go back to philadelphia where i had lots of incredible relationships back to ny where i am just starting to create new ones. and going back to see the shows at sju (as good or bad as they are) make me miss performing more than ever. as much as i don't miss the work that came with it, i do miss being in college. who knew i would ever say that.
regardless of how difficult it is for me to come back, i had a wonderful time full of cupcakes, sams, wawa, the pub, and grilled deliciousness. i also learned that i basically burn bridges with a lot of people. wow, go me. something i can work on for the future? i think yes. but i basically can't change who i am. so that's that.
i don't have anything special in store for this week. i'm hoping the weather stays nice (although it is a bit cold right now) so i can walk home from work. because after the weekend, i am completely disgusted with my health. i need to change that stat. no more cupcakes. bring on the pinkberry.

~annalisa

ps. picture of my haircut per kari's request

see i'm a new soul in this very strange world...

there is nothing fun to write about... this past week has just been so crazy busy. the only day i was home before 7 from work was thursday. plus i was in work today (sunday) from 2-7. ahhhhhh crazy!

oh, and i got a haircut. it was time for another change. the hairstylist cut a little more than i was expecting, but i am growing to like it. now here is to seeing if i can really take care of it. i just straightened it after washing it, and it looks like an afro. blahhh

SUPER busy week again this week. basically i am only working one full day. and friday i am off to philadelphia for a visit. being busy is good good good.

~annalisa

OMG STEPHEN SONDHEIM

tonight was another one of nights where i realize why i moved to ny. i went to the 'ladies who sing sondheim' concert with angela lansbury. i never in my life thought i would see her perform live. or see stephen sondheim (albeit from afar). and although patti lupone pulled out last minute due to illness (tear!) raul esparza stepped in and sang 'being alive'. and i had chills and wept with complete strangers. it's for moments like these that i live...


Someone to hold you too close,
Someone to hurt you too deep,
Someone to sit in your chair,
To ruin your sleep.

Someone to need you too much,
Someone to know you too well,
Someone to pull you up short
And put you through hell.

Someone you have to let in,
Someone whose feelings you spare,
Someone who, like it or not,
Will want you to share
A little, a lot.

Someone to crowd you with love,
Someone to force you to care,
Someone to make you come through,
Who'll always be there,
As frightened as you
Of being alive

Somebody, hold me too close,
Somebody, hurt me too deep,
Somebody, sit in my chair
And ruin my sleep
And make me aware
Of being alive,
Being alive.

Somebody, need me too much,
Somebody, know me too well,
Somebody, pull me up short
And put me through hell
And give me support
For being alive,
Make me alive.
Make me confused,
Mock me with praise,
Let me be used,
Vary my days.
But alone is alone, not alive.

Somebody, crowd me with love,
Somebody, force me to care,
Somebody, make me come through, I'll always be there,
As frightened as you,
To help us survive
Being alive

~annalisa

ps. in this photo, mr sondheim is hugging ms lansbury on the right. the end.

homeward bound

going home this weekend really fucked with my head for a million reasons. if i had three wishes in my life, one would be to combine all of my worlds into one. sigh. we can't have it all. but i can still wish...

~annalisa

spring awakening

i wrote this blog on weds, but for some reason it didnt post, and i didn't notice until sunday
there are moments in life where it feels like the world just makes sense. everything in your life makes sense. every decision you ever doubted make sense.

today was one of those days. it was finally a beautiful day, and i went for a walk in the park. and everything was so beautiful. and for about an hour, i forgot about everything that is going on in my life. i walked and watched people pass by, and thought to myself that i truly belong like the rest of them. i belong in this city, i AM a new yorker. and for the first time, i let go and was really happy.

i need to go for more walks in the park

~annalisa

april showers bring sick annalisas

welcome april. i am finding it so hard to believe i have been here for almost 3 months already. how time is flying!

so i am home sick right now. i am incredibly light headed and nauseous. i was clammy earlier, but thankfully that went away. i was at work and i couldn't even look at the screen anymore, so my boss sent me home. i feel terrible because i will be off on friday, but its best that i am not at work today. i am going to make sure i get better so i can be energized for the rest of the week.

i had my first bug in my apartment on friday. i was half clothed from getting out of the shower and putting my makeup on when it crawled into my bedroom. i screamed and ran to the bathroom to get the spray and screamed again when i flushed it down the toilet. it was the biggest thing EVER. omg, i have chills thinking about it now. and then i screamed a third time when i thought i saw another one, but it was just a shadow of my headphones. wooow paranoia. thankfully my landlord was in my apartment today closing up the chimney where we think all the problems may have started. *shudder*

i think i am just becoming a paranoid person in general. lets see how this progresses...

~annalisa

taking the long way around

i haven't blogged in awhile. i have a lot on my mind. 2 minor set backs today really caused a lot of emotions on my part. and we are talking minor. but it was enough to make me very frustrated and sad. but i am not going to think about it for now, and concentrate on work. just keep swimming.

in other news, my parents were here for easter weekend. we had a lovely time building ikea furniture (except... not), and i ate so much that i was ill. nice job, go me. since then, i haven't had much of an appetite (which also could be partially due to a multitude of different things going on in my life). oh well, could be a good thing, right? haha

there is a movie filming one block over. i walk by, but i can't see much of what is going on because they block half the street. guess i will just have to see it in the movies. i did, however, see the trailers for the stars. tried to peek in the windows, but didn't have much success.

um, i wish i had more to say. but i dont. i think it's bedtime for me now.

~annalisa

eating... and eating...

i had written another blog this weekend, and i deleted it because i thought it was ridiculous. so here is another blog instead.

this weekend i ate. and ate. and ate. like to the point of sickness. it was quite repulsive. but so worth it. the photo on here is mac and cheese i had at s'mac today. um, i ate like 1/4 of it because i thought i was going to die. then i had a peanut butter cupcake at crumbs. and for dinner i had 3/4 of a dominos pizza. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW. this is the time that someone would plan an intervention. hot damn. have no fear, i have things under control... starting next week.

so... adele concert tomorrow? and i'm going by myself? typical. but i am not going to miss it because i feel sorry for myself. just typical of my life. but i promised myself that i was going to have a good time. and st patrick's day? i will have a beer at the concert and call it a day.

my parents arrive on thursday for easter. we have SO much to doooooo when they are here. i go back to the b-lo for my dad's birthday the weekend of the 4th and philadelphia the weekend of the 18th. which will bring me almost to may and that is just INSANE. time is flying so fast. and i need to get my ass in gear. mmmmmmmhmm.

~annalisa

welcome to goodburger home of the goodburger can i take your order?

today was just another day in nyc.

when i got off the subway this morning, i was greeted by the oscar meyer wienermobile and the mini weeniemobile. i was rather excited about that. then i had back to back to back meetings, one of which involved a meet and greet with miranda cosgrove from iCarly (also known as summer from 'school of rock'. 50 GOLD STARS). she was cute. really tall and super skinny. typical. but she was really sweet. after work i went for happy hour with a bunch of coworkers and even more friends of coworkers at the w hotel in midtown east. so i am enjoying my cocktail, and i see snoop dogg and his posse checking into the hotel. we all watched, and went about our business. i left early, and walked to goodburger (home of the goodburger) for take out, and ventured home in time to watch top chef. did i mention my boss' friend is on this season?

did i also mention that i saw jack osbourne get off the elevator at work last week? yup, welcome to living in nyc. if only i could combine my three worlds together, my life would be quite ideal. sigh, i guess you can't have everything...

~annalisa

seriously, 12 cupcakes??

lets recap this week, shall we?

firstly... i wake up on thursday morning to find out there was a BOMB in times square... literally in front of my office. so i walked by bajillions of news cameras on my way to work. of course. why not?

on friday i ventured to westchester with work to do store checks. had a great time, built a robot, you know... the usual. then after driving TWO HOURS from the les to the uws, i went to pick up mel from penn station. it was POURING so we stayed in (delivery is a grace from god) and i totally passed out from being up so early.

saturday, mel and i got h&h bagels and were going to walk around but it was POURING again. so... we went to crumbs, bought a 12 pack of mini cupcakes... and ate them... all.. in like 30 mins. we ordered delivery again (HALLELUJAH!) and left to go to the sia concert. she was FUCKING amazing. seriously, one of the best performers i have ever seen. we had such a great time. and we ended the night with pinkberry. how appropriate.

today, we went to sarabeth's for brunch where i ate like a porker (ummmm, diet and gym resumes tomorrow?). mel had to go back home, and i returned home to clean my apartment for the arrival of my godmother tomorrow. i ordered delivery (this is getting sick), watched dvds, and cleaned. which brings me to now... i plan on watching a little hannah montana, cleaning my room, and going to bed. oh what a life i lead.

~annalisa