Who has time?

Not me.

But I wanted to give you an update. I miss giving you updates. Unsolicited Sharing!

I had my dental implant surgery last Friday. I was asleep for more than an hour, groggy for about a day, and just today am able to eat pasta. Good thing too- That's one of my main food groups.

I was selected to be Manager of 12 of my peers in our Workshop this semester. This is the capstone project of this program, and each team performs actual policy analysis work for an actual client. Hello opportunity, I'm Maria!! Our client is an organization called Patagonia Sur, and they want us to conduct a feasibility study to determine whether they should begin a REDD (a UN program, stands for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation of Land) project in their lands in Patagonia, Chile. Here's a picture of Patagonia.

So I'm in charge of coordinating...everything. And it's so exciting and challenging. Surprisingly, especially based on last semester, I've been sleeping anyways!

Otherwise this semester hasn't really picked up yet. Still doing the internship...not doing enough job searching...ha! Job searching. Who has time for that? Not me!

Focus on the time you are in right now and don't try to be anywhere else. You will never be in the exact same place again, so learn as much as you can. If you have problems being strategic sometimes, like me, think about things you've done in the past that you don't want to repeat. And just make very small steps towards an idea, no matter how hazy, that will get you somewhere else. That is what I did to get here. I didn't ever say out loud, I can't do this. That part matters too.

I am rusty, as you can see. Too little razzmatazz in this post, and the insights are lite too. My creative energies are going elsewhere, such as to creating a Project Control Plan with 12 separate responsibilities and a calendar and ....a project that could help make the world a little bit better.

This is me today on the way to the post-op appointment. It's snowy and I can't smile because my lip got so swollen...it doesn't look swollen, but it's the gums, or something. They opened everything up!! Ick. Anyway I look more angsty than I am.

<3

So awesome

I'm researching energy policy. For one course, it's a series of papers in memo form and my topic is the efficiency standard for vehicles in the US. Did you know that until 2007, the standards hadn't increased since the 1980s, due to the fact that Congress placed annual fiscal restrictions on the Highway Traffic Safety Administration, preventing it from addressing the issue? Did you care? Well, efficiency is a good thing, and it decreases our dependence on foreign oil and makes American cars more competitive in a global market.

I'm also working on an analysis of solar photovoltaics- New York is trying to fill in where the market has failed to build demand for solar energy.

Anyway, there is just something so much better about working seven days a week when you feel like you might actually use all these skills and topic knowledge in the future. I haven't been grocery shopping in 10 days, but at least it's for a good reason.

I'm going to dress up and take myself on a date tonight. I am going to the symphony at Lincoln Center. It's Bruckner's Symphony no. 8, and I got prime level seating ticket on Groupon.

hello again

So keeping a blog is something i would like to do. I got myself this URL/blog name (which i like for weird/confusing reasons...it's a pun on an old Vanity Fair article about Kimora Lee Simmons, who i dont really like, as well as ironic because i do, in fact, always try to 'bare' my fabulosity) ...here we go.

This is me.

I really love that scarf. I paid something like 40 dollars for it at urban outfitters. That was at least three or four years ago and i still love it and wear it all the time.

Good for me.

Goal for future: post every picture i can find of me wearing that scarf. Won't you loooove that.

I love being in new places. Unanticipated and previously-never-thought-of places. This is what traveling is, but you can discover this in places that are very close to where you go every day- you just have to try, and not ever underestimate Earth. In this photo I am at Lake Isabella, northeast of Bakersfield (Armpitsville) CA. It was a beautiful day.

You know what has two thumbs and is also beautiful?

This guy.

He's pretty much the cutest, smartest, sweetest, funniest, patient-est, best guy for me ever.

I'm allowed to say that because we have been together a year and a half (not two minutes) and i still think that.

He likes to run around and go climbing, and i like that. He likes to listen, and i like to talk.

When he talks to people in his native language (Farsi aka Persian, he is from Iran) i like to listen. I used to feel like it was a little weird that my boyfriend's first language...the language that was in his head originally...was a different language than English, but now i think it's cool.

And i know how to say, Hi, How are you, I'm good, and Bye, in Farsi. (How inventive are anyone's conversations with their mom?)

This is my view every day from my office:

(well, in the fall, at least.)

My job has advantages and disadvantages, but most importantly, it has provided incredible opportunities to me. Because i work here, I can manage an office, plan and pull off big policy events, give 25 minute presentations, use a scanner, and i understand a good deal about how policies

are made. That's really good. I won't have to learn those things later, and I wont ever think those things are 'easy.'

When I stay late, this is my view:

My two bestest girl friends:

Alison and Xandi.

I have wondered before what i would be like - how different i would be- if i hadn't ALWAYS had some one to talk to. I definitely am the person i am because of that.

Okay, what else can i tell you that doesn't require me to upload and drag around any more photos?

I am moving to New York City in approximately two months to begin a Master's program at Columbia University. My sister Sarah gets married a week after the program starts!...that will be a crazy time.

Two (Not-So?) Secrets: I am always afraid i will mess up the whole getting-on getting-off the escalator thing. And i don't ever want to give up my ideals or settle.