The problem with umbrellas in New York City...

When it rains anywhere else, umbrellas are very useful. Here in NYC it seems that most rainstorms are accompanied by wind which makes your umbrella useless.

Saturday, I went with Abbie to go up to 207th street to teach the YW in the ward to make hair clips. We were meeting up with a few other people to head up there. When we went outside it was crazy! It was so windy that we felt like we were being pushed along the way. It was also rainy so I had to make a decision: was I going to get wet? or sacrifice my favorite umbrella? I decided to get wet. I had straightened my hair for the day which was pointless because my hair got wet, and I had mascara on that was not waterproof which smudged up my eyes a little bit. We finally made it to the apartment we were meeting at while seeing sacrificed umbrellas along the way. On the way home it was the same story except it was raining harder. Again, I didn't want to sacrifice my umbrella so by the time I got home I was soaking wet. I looked like a wet dog coming inside the apartment. Needless to say I never left the apartment again on Saturday.

Here's the umbrella I didn't want to ruin:

There was a surprise waiting for me in our apartment when I did get home though... Scott did all the laundry when I was gone, so it was all done! I was very happy after that! Made up for the bad weather. Thanks again Scott!

P.S. Maybe I should get one of these... ha ha


P.S. I wish that I had taken these pictures, but I never have my camera with me. These are just similar that I found online.

American Idol Results Last Week

I was shocked to find out the results from last week! I'm going to make this short and to the point.

Katelyn was the right choice to go home as well as Todrick. Lilly and Alex should not have been sent home. I sure hope they do a wildcard pick or something and bring at least one of them back. If not, the show will not be as good as it could have been. I'm going to start voting which I never do this early on. I don't usually vote until like the finale, but now I'm scared that my favorites will get kicked off...

Real Life Verizon Advertisement

An attorney that I work for was on vacation in Aruba the other week and he told me that he wasn't receiving e-mails on his BlackBerry, not getting service. I called our tech department and told them the problem. I received an e-mail today saying that the issue was resolved and this is what it said:

Ticket Information:

Call Type: Hardware
Description: User is not receiving e-mails on his BlackBerry. User is traveling abroad. User has T-Mobile.
Resolution: User switched to Verizon

Resolved: 2010-03-11

American Idol Guy's Night Review

I reviewed the girl's night of American Idol, now is time for the guys.

Lee Dewyze (23 year old from Illinois)
He sang "Fireflies" by Owl City. I really loved this song! There were a few not so good notes, but I don't think it matters with him. He's probably one of my favorites because he reminds me of David Cook. I like the rocker kind of voice he has. I think he will go very far in the competition.

Alex Lambert (19 year old from Texas)
He sang "Trouble" by Ray LaMontagne. Even though he still seems scared to be on stage, I think he is really good! He has such an amazing voice, very different. He just needs confidence and that will come with time. I think he'll stay in for a while.

Tim Urban (20 year old from Texas)
He sang "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley. I am not a huge Tim Urban fan, but this week I liked him more. He was a lot better than in previous weeks. I kept comparing him singing to Jason Castro when he sang that song a few seasons ago on idol, and they don't compare. I enjoyed Jason Castro's version a lot better.

Andrew Garcia (24 year old from California)
He sang "Genie in a Bottle" by Christina Aguilera. I don't think this was the best song choice for him. The lyrics were a little awkward with him singing them, but then again I didn't like it when Christina Aguilera sang it either. I really like his voice though and I think he has a lot of talent.

Casey James (27 year old from Texas)
He sang "You'll Think of Me" by Keith Urban. He was all right. My favorite song that he sang was "Heaven." Nothing else has really compared. He needs to pick better songs.

Aaron Kelly (16 year old from Pennsylvania)
He sang "I'm Already There" by Westlife. I don't like Aaron Kelly at all... I just don't think he is anything different. He sings songs that are obviously too old for him, and don't even relate to him. This song he sang was about a dad and his kids. I think he could go home this week.

Todrick Hall (24 year old from Texas)
He sang "Somebody to Love" by Queen. I have never liked Todrick but last night I did. He was one of the only ones that actually moved to the music, and got into it. Everyone else was pretty stiff. I love Queen though so maybe that's why I liked it.

Michael Lynche (26 year old from Florida)
He sang "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell. He was really good last night. I'm not a huge fan of Michael but I do like his personality. Last night he was one of the best though. I think he's getting better and better. He doesn't really sing my style of music, but I'm growing to like him.

Wow, 50% of the boys are from Texas! Usually it's more spread out than that. Last night was a bit of a disappointment for me. I was expecting more from the guys, but parts were a little boring. I would say my favorites are still Lee Dewyze and Alex Lambert.

Tonight, they will announce the Top 12. I'm excited for next week when the Top 12 will perform and that's when the competition I feel really begins!

I'm going to a Broadway Show with my hubby tonight, so I'll have to look online to see the results of tonight. We are going to see Next to Normal which I am so excited about! That's one thing I love about New York---Broadway!

Homesick

There are some days that I get homesick. Sometimes for no reason at all. I'm pretty good most of the time at being okay away from home but sometimes it just hits me.

I read on my sister Amber's blog today that my nephew Keller, is talking now. He says a bunch of words, when I left he wasn't talking at all. I am missing him learning to talk, I also missed him learning to walk. These are big milestones in his life that I missed out on. By the time I see him he'll be like a year and a half.

Sometimes I forget that people's lives back home are still happening. I guess I just think that their lives are on pause because I'm not there. I realize that is not the case. I know I'm going to miss out on a lot while we are living away from home. It's just hard sometimes.

We're taking a trip out in June when my little bro Cameron returns from his mission. I am super excited about this trip! It's the only thing that is getting me through this long stretch away from my family. I'm trying to figure out the maximum days that I can take off work to go. I guess for at least a week, I won't be missing out on so much.

American Idol Girl's Night Review

It was fun watching American Idol last night for girl's night. It was fun to hear the comments everyone had about the performances. There were some really amazing performances and some not so good performances. Here's my recap:

Katie Stevens: (17 year old from Connecticut)

She sang "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson. They always say on American Idol not to choose songs where people will compare you to the original singer. She definitely was compared to Kelly Clarkson and it definitely wasn't as good. They said that she lacks experience and I agree. I think she will go home on Thursday.

Sibhan Magnus: (19 year old from Massachusetts)

She sang "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals. This girl is a crazy thing! She's very quirky but has an AMAZING voice. I don't really love her personality, but she is very talented, I have to admit. I watch her sing and can't believe what's coming out of her mouth. She did really well! She's staying for sure.

Lacey Brown: (24 year old from Texas)

She sang "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. In previous weeks she hasn't been that great, but this week she was really good! She has a unique voice, and has a lot of talent. I'm not sure that she'll go really far into the competition though.

Katelyn Epperly: (19 year old from Iowa)

She sang "I Feel the Earth Move Under My Feet" by Carole King. She played the keyboard while she sang but never got into it. It was kind of boring she just stood in the middle of the stage. Her vocals were not too exciting either. She has sung different kinds of songs every week, so I'm not really sure what kind of music she really sings. I think she could go home on Thursday.

Didi Benami: (23 year old from Tennessee)

She sang "Rhiannon" by Fleetwood Mac. I thought she was amazing last night! I loved the song, and her voice sounded really good! She played the guitar and had minimal other background music so it was just mostly her. She picked a good song. I haven't liked her before last night.

Paige Miles: (24 year old from Florida)

She sang "Smile" by Nat King Cole/Michael Jackson. This performance was anything but happy. It was very depressing to watch. Her voice was cracking the entire time and she looked like she was going to cry never smiling once. She explained it was because she loved Michael Jackson and so it made her emotional. Why would you pick a song that is going to make it too emotional for you to sing? I don't get it. She deserves to go home on Thursday.

Crystal Bowersox: (24 year old from Ohio)

She sang "Give Me On Reason" by Tracy Chapman. I really like Crystal and she did a really good job! It was a great song for her and she really got into it. You could tell she feeling it. I like that she plays the guitar and is very confident, being true to herself. I think it shows in her performances. She is one of my favorites and I'm sure she'll go far.

Lilly Scott: (20 year old from Colorado)

She sang "I Fall to Pieces" by Patsy Cline. I really like Lilly, but I didn't like the song she chose this week. I thought it was boring and seemed kind of old. She didn't seem like she was enjoying herself as she has in past weeks. I still think she'll go far in the competition, just needs a better song next week.

I think Katie, Katelyn, and Paige have a chance of going home on Thursday. I'm excited to see the guys tonight! I'll write my review for the guys tomorrow. I know that a lot of you probably don't watch American Idol but if you do let me know if you agree or disagree. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The weather man said 58 degrees today!

Today is going to be a good day! Too bad I'm couped up in the office... I have missed the sun. Going to church yesterday reminded me what I've been missing, feeling the sun on my face. I'm so excited for Spring!

American Idol Top 20

I can't believe I haven't posted about American Idol yet this season. For those of you who don't know but I'm sure you all do, I am a huge American Idol Fan! It is what gets me through the winter. Scott is not so much a fan---he says that he doesn't have a wife when A.I. is on...which is partially true.

Anyways, being an American Idol fan is a big commitment. Right now it is a 5 hour a week commitment which is a lot. If I had DVR, it would be a little less without the commercials, but we don't have DVR. I try to be productive by doing things during commercials, or sometimes things during the show. This is why I do not watch many other shows because it takes up a lot of time.

Recap of this week: We are now down to 8 girls and 8 guys. I was happy about the people that got sent home.

My favorite girl's are:

Crystal Bowersox
Lilly Scott

My favorite guys are:

Lee Dewyze

Alex Lambert (Not to be confused with Adam Lambert)

Citigroup Building: The Building I Work In

It's the silver one with the slanted roof. I work on the 37th floor.

There are a total of 59 floors.

Does anyone write in cursive anymore?

When asked to sign a document for my attorney I realized that I never write in cursive. I'm pretty good at signing my name but when it comes to writing something else I am terrible. It just got me thinking why we spent so much time learning it in elementary school and no one just writes in cursive anymore. I decided today to try to only write cursive to practice but my handwriting is so bad that way. Maybe I should relearn this lost art:)

P.S. I was told that I should learn to do shorthand (by one of my attorneys that's old school and in his 60's). I had no idea what shorthand was so I googled it. It looked crazy and I don't even know how that can save time! To solve this dilemma I asked for a voice recorder so now I can just record when he talks and type it up from there. Do you know anyone that uses shorthand in this day and age? I am more of a technology girl. When I asked for a voice recorder I assumed that I would be given a digital recorder. This recorder that they gave me at work is the old kind with a tape. Do you know how long it's been since i've seen a cassette tape? I couldn't even remember how to put it in right, it took me a while. Now I have to remember how to use a tape recorder...

I think I'm still in the Utah state of mind when it comes to weather...

To me when I hear it's going to snow a lot I just think, "better bundle up to get to work." I don't even think in my mind that work may be cancelled because of the snow. On Friday, I trudged to work and it took me maybe 15 minutes longer than it usually takes me. I got to work and there was a voicemail left on my desk phone. I listened to it and was surprised to find out that the office was closed. I instant messaged my manager because I could see that she logged on. (yes, we use instant messenger within the firm, easy way to communicate). I said, "the office is closed?" she said, "yes, but if you stay you get overtime and money for lunch." So I said, "okay I'll stay." I thought I might as well since I trudged through all the snow to get there. I stayed for a few hours with nothing to do, and they sent me home. It took me about an hour to get home. I commuted for about 2 hours total and worked for 3. At least I worked a little longer than riding the subway. Next time it snows I'm going to call the office before I even leave:) I've lived in New York and have already had 2 snow days. In Utah, I cannot even remember having snow days.

Attempt to Win the Lottery...

No, not the real lottery... the lottery to win front row tickets for In The Heights (a show on Broadway).

Here's the story:
Scott and I were thinking about what we wanted to do during his school break. Since I had to work each day we decided to try to win lottery tickets for a show.

For those of you not familiar, for certain shows on broadway they reserve the front row of the theater for people to have the chance to win them for around 25 dollars a piece. You go to the theater like 2 1/2 hours before the show to enter your name in a drawing. About a half an hour later they draw a certain number of people to win tickets. If your name gets drawn you can buy up to 2 tickets for about 25 dollars but prices vary depending on the show. If you have ever purchased tickets to a broadway show you know that these tickets are usually over 100 dollars a piece.

Back to the story... We decided to meet at the theater right after I got off work on Thursday. On Thursday it was a gross snowy, slushy day. We figured that we'd have a good chance to win because of the weather. We entered our names and waited... and we won! Well my name got drawn. We have found that I am more lucky than Scott when it comes to winning tickets because I have won 2 times so far. We were so excited to see the show!

The Show:
Here's the storyline from the website--In the Heights tells the universal story of a vibrant community in Manhattan's Washington Heights – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It's a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind.

If you want to hear the music go to this link and you can listen to each song: This is the original soundtrack not the one with Corbin Bleu.

Corbin Bleu from High School musical is the lead right now for In The Heights, so I told Scott that he was going to remember me from High School Musical (my claim to fame). He just laughed, but as he was singing a song in the show he looked at me and pointed to me. I started laughing because of what I said earlier. I know he didn't really remember me, it was just funny what I said and then what happened. Anyways, the show was amazing! Super funny, especially if you live in Washington Heights you get a few more of the jokes.

Work Update and Other Ashley Ramblings

I have almost been working at my job for 1 month--can you believe it? I went through 2 weeks of training and am almost done with my 2nd week of after training life. I should be a pro now right? Wrong, I think I will feel very comfortable with my job after I have been here for a few months. New things come my way every day which I really like. The job is not usually boring.

I realized that I didn't go into detail of what my job really is here at Kirkland & Ellis. My job title is a practice assistant which is basically equivalent to a legal secretary anywhere else. I assist 3 attorneys. One is a share partner in the company and the other two are associates. Their title is like their ranking I guess in the law firm. So my job is to assist them by answering their phone, managing calendar, printing things, making copies, proofreading, editing documents, arranging travel, managing expenses, etc. The list goes on and on. There are a lot of different things that they have us do every day. I assist them in whatever they need assisting.

To some, this may seem like a boring job... but I love it! I love working in an office and doing secretarial stuff. I don't know why but I get excited doing document work in word or making a spreadsheet in excel. I have always had a love for office supplies, when I was younger I would love going to Office Max and being able to buy some new pens or something. There's my little secret. (Ask my family, they know what I’m talking about).

I feel accomplished with what I do. When I do something hard in the day that I figure out how to do it right I feel like I can do anything. There is a rush when trying to help an attorney reach a deadline. I like to help people and I get to do that everyday. People are very friendly at our law firm. I feel like I enter a different world that is separate from New York City. The office is very clean, and people don't try to intimidate. It's a good feeling coming to work in a nice building everyday.

This job has been a blessing for me and Scott. I am much happier and so is Scott knowing we have a steady paycheck and that I enjoy my job. There have been so many pieces to the puzzle of living in New York. My employment seems to be one of the last pieces of the puzzle to put in place. The are still a few tiny pieces to add, but the main picture is in place. We are being well taken care of in this city. I never would have seen our life like this last summer. Moving to New York seemed like the death of me, but now everyday I have to remind myself that this is where we really live and that we are doing it successfully.

Happy Birthday Scott!

Happy Birthday To You! Happy Birthday To You! Happy Birthday Dear Scotty....Happy Birthday To You!

Scott is the big 24 today! Leave your birthday wishes for him!

Running Music Recommendations?

I've noticed when I have good, upbeat music it's easier to keep running. What are your favorite songs to run to? Please send me some recommendations because I need to update my playlist! Thanks in advance:)