Archive for October, 2008

That’s Nice

Thursday, October 30th, 2008

man in Litchfield, Connecticut

While going from town to town in Western Connecticut, we were pleasantly surprised by the people we met. They had a Midwestern-type of friendliness to them. Seriously, they were just crazy nice. People young and old would strike up conversations about our B&B, wine preferences, or where we were from.

We were also surprised by the massive show of American pride. It must be the “Yankee” pride we’d heard about growing up…we were in The Constitution State, after all. And nearly every home had an American flag out in front of their yard or mail box. Many also had yard signs showing support for Obama/Biden or McCain/Palin. (Although the home with an Obama/Biden sign out front, an American flag by the driveway, and a Confederate flag in the backyard was a little curious…)

So, when we spotted this dude in his Old Glory jumpsuit, I had to stop him for a pic. I was half expecting a crazy man, but once I stopped him, I realized he was hardly crazy. He was from Eastern Europe and had come to the U.S. years ago before joining the Marines and fighting for our country. He was simply in love with his “new” country. It was fabulous to hear his story. But to make the picture “better” he ran across the street to his pick-up truck and plucked one of three flags for us to hold behind us. I have to say, I think it turned into a pretty nice pic…

Gratuitous-Jayna-Was-Here Photo(s) #24

Tuesday, October 28th, 2008

Just in case you wondered if I’d actually gone to Connecticut or just stole photos off of someone else’s ‘net pages…

Jayna Rust and Nina at Mohawk State Park

Jayna Rust with a leaf the size of her head

Fall for You

Monday, October 27th, 2008

Trees outside the White Silo Winery

Had a great weekend this one past. My college pal and I took a trip North/East to see the fall foliage Connecticut’s Litchfield Hills are famous for.

Gorgeous! Seriously. I mean, I grew up in a hilly part of the Midwest and thought we had pretty autumns. But Missouri’s leaves have nothing on the vibrant colors up there in New England. I honestly have never seen such a variety of yellows, oranges, reds, and purples. Amazing. Really.

If you ever get a chance to head up there in October, definitely don’t pass it up. And although Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire are supposed to be pretty fab during the fall, Connecticut does have the Wine Trail…

view of lake from Hopkins Winery

view from Hopkins Winery

ARGH!

Sunday, October 26th, 2008

I just let a $144 round-trip flight from NYC to Belize slip through my fingers. What was I thinking? Ack!

If anyone feels like making a trip down there and sees another fab flight, lemme know.

Weathering the Seasons

Thursday, October 23rd, 2008

Jayna Rust

After living in SoCal for four years, I thought I’d let my love of mild weather make the last of my living decisions.

And although I was preparing myself for a NY winter, I wasn’t expecting THIS. Seriously. Sept. 21 came around, and every New Yorker suddenly had put their flip-flops and shorts in storage and had pulled out their scarves and pea coats.

With all my fall/winter gear at my sister’s place in Georgia, I had decided to tough it out until my trip down there at the end of October. Although I knew that decision was slightly influenced by my stubbornness and belief that I could tough it out, I didn’t realize how freaky I’d be (seriously, this is New York). Yeah, I’ve become kind of that girl. The one that everyone asks, “so why don’t you have a coat?” EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Yes, while everyone is bundled up in their woolen outerwear and knit scarves and caps, I’m traipsing around the city in a 3/4-length shirt and my red Asian-inspired blazer. And while all the other runners in Central Park run on the bridle path wearing tights and hoodies, I’ve stuck to my shorts and a t-shirt (which I just moved up to two weeks ago from tank tops). The worst part about the running stuff is that I recently purchased winter running gear. I’m just afraid to start wearing it now…because how the heck will this girl stand running come January if I start wearing my warmest stuff now???

Holy cow…I never realized just how stubborn I can be. Nor how much I could handle the cold. Seriously, though…six days until I have a coat in my possession. Woohoo!

A Bucket List

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Jayna Rust in China

When I came back, many of my friends in New York all of a sudden had these “Bucket Lists.” They were spurred by the Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson film that features two men dying of cancer who create a list of items they want to do before they kick the bucket.

Earlier this week, I took advantage of my fabulous NYPL card and finally borrowed the film (free rentals? recession be damned!). In the movie the characters spend a couple of months traveling around the world. It was pretty surreal watching it and seeing some very familiar places and realizing that the trip I just finished is actually a collection of “trips of a lifetime” for many. It made me think back to my 50 Life Goals list that I’ve had ever since I was 15. Granted, the list has had many incarnations in the past 12 years and has never even had 50 goals at any given time…but still…

I mean, I’ve always liked having things to work toward. I love looking at it a couple of times every year and marking things off. I love looking at it and thinking…”what the hell was I thinking?” And I love the fact that I can buy an indulgence during a so-called economic downturn and not feel guilty because I know I’ve wanted that for years.

But while watching the movie, I have to say, I think my “bucket list” is far different from my already created life goals list. I mean, the goals I have are all very forward-thinking. They’re things I want to accomplish, or things I want to have, or people I want to know because I think they’ll make me happier in the long run. A bucket list, on the other hand, seems to have things that are just experiences to have because they’re great experiences.

But what was even crazier was realizing that I’ve got plenty of travel goals on my list o’ life goals (which includes visiting Europe, making a trip to the Final Four, and visiting all 50 states, among others). But if I were to know when my life were to end or to create a bucket list, I don’t think travel would be anywhere on there. Travel, like my goal of learning to play the guitar, or my dream of owning a house with a gazebo, would seem pretty fruitless if life were ending in six months.

I guess I’m just saying it made me realize that I don’t really travel because I like traveling. I do it because I like the person that I think it makes me.*

(*not that I think learning to play the guitar or owning a house with a gazebo would make a better person, though…)

UN-Happy Birthday

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

Jayna Rust in a mustache

Friday night my friends and I were celebrating a birthday and got to witness one of the UN’s best ideas of the year. Some of its employees were out having a “Mustache Karaoke” night.

Seriously…good times.

Mustache Karaoke

Missing Missouri

Thursday, October 9th, 2008

So, I have to say the last few weeks in NYC have definitely made me miss Missouri. First last week’s VP debate in St. Louis meant many views of the Arch. And then the football game. Seriously? I cannot wait until the MU/kU game next month!

I tried to curb my homesickness the other day, too…I noticed that the restaurant right next to my apartment building had “St. Louis-style” toasted ravioli. Um, yeah, not so St. Louis style. I swear, no place else in this country knows what t-rav really is.

Toasted Ravioli

Gratuitous-Jayna-Was-Here Photo #23

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Jayna Rust on the Brooklyn Bridge

When the old college roomie came into town, we schlepped across the Brooklyn Bridge…Yes, after all the times I’ve lived (and visited) NYC, I never got up onto the bridge until last month. Sad. I know. But we finally did it!