Windoor

I created a new word, windoor. It was hour 5, glass two into my Satur-surprise-day, October 9, 2010.

Flashback: In 1929 the city of New York spent $150 million dollars to build an above ground train track cutting through the streets of New York City. In 1980 it closed. Over the next 30 years grass, shrubs and trees sprung up all along the tracks creating life from steel. In 2004, construction began to turn the elevated tracks into a public park. The High Line opened June 8, 2009.

Until yesterday, I had never walked the High Line. Like many other things in life, in every life everyday, it was something I'd eventually do, someday, when I had more time. Kat and I had planned to attend some free wine events, this was an off the cuff walk pre-wine since it was almost 75 degrees! Record temp? I think so? The "park" itself is pretty narrow since it is, after all, old train tracks. The landscape architects did a wonderful job curating greenery indigenous to the wild life that has previously grown. Art was installed, vendors set up and the tracks came alive after 30 years. It's wonderful to see New York from a bird's eye view.

Afterward, we attended a wine and cheese open house where the owners of Room and Board power-pointed their way through its conception. Something about a lady named Eva from Bangladesh and silhouettes. I have a wonderful Christmas crafty idea for you :)

Room and Board is a furniture design studio focusing mostly on modern masculine designs against a neutral pallate. Polished wood mixed with shiny silver finishes, luxurious leathers and very very subtle color splashes set the tone in this mostly matchy-matchy furniture store. Its expensive functionality at its best. I, however, lean more towards old-rustic-invites-modern-over-for-dessert: railroad tie table finished off with clear chairs and silver dessert forks. As we sat and chatted about marriage, racism and football, I kept reminding myself that we were in a showroom and not our friend's dining room. We decided for the next topic of conversation, we take it to another room. Why not?

Very occasionally I walk through SoHo on a weekend around dinner time and always wonder who the seemingly cool folks are eating at the swanky new yet vintage-y restaurants that line the old streets. I have my go to spot in SOHO, one that will fit my pocketbook, but tonight I want to be one of those folks sipping wine from those store front restaurants. Ya know, the cats who sit in the windoors that all open into the streets and make the restaurants seem outdoors and indoors? We order wine, crab cakes and muscles with frites and discuss things we wish we knew more about, our sleeping dreams and again, marriage. Soon the temperature drops, my scarf suddenly isn't warm enough, the reality of my cab fare is setting in. The night is over at 11:00pm. I'm in my 30's. In my 20's, I went out at 11:00pm and had spaghetti for dinner.

Until my next fortuitous I'll-do-it-regardless idea...

The short of it...

Without further ado...

On July 2, 2010 while vacationing in Jamaica with my family, all 25 of us, we took an gondola through the rain forest (I'm not sure I'm legally allowed to say where and even if I can, no one should visit there regardless once you hear the rest of my story). Before I go on I should explain that this could be amazingly descriptive because in reality, once you're past the shanties and over the brick wall that divides the resorts from reality, its a beautiful place, but that's not the purpose of this blog. Just imagine a gorgeous place full of foliage, perfect weather and your greatest loves near by. Onward. Once we finished that glory ride, we had lunch at another fill-in-the-blank locale and stood in line for the "bobsled" roller coaster ride. Bobsled in the Caribbean, funny right? Countries and people will forever hold on to the one thing that gave them claim. Although if I was Jamaica, I'd build a Bob Marley ride because from what I've learned since, more people know him then those who saw the movie Cool Runnings. This was the "bob sled" ride!

Due to shady restraint regulations, the seat belt was unable to hold me firmly in the metal seat. Once we went over the biggest hill, two small moguls followed and this is where all my hell broke loose. I came off the seat maybe 6 inches and when I landed back, my L1 vertebrae sustained a burst fracture. For those of you who are like me and ask "wth is a burst fracture" I'll break it down. My spine went from a free elongate position, to crashing down upon itself with such force and speed that the weakest link was unable to hold it together and split into three pieces. My lower back took the beating trying to hold my back upright therefore causing all my muscles to spasm and pull. I instantly knew something was terrible wrong which was apparent by the howling animal like noises coming from my gut. Luckily I was .0000009 mm away from snapping my spinal cord and I say lucky because I am walking and for that I am eternally grateful.

After three clinics, one hospital, twenty-four hours and 12473 miles of red tape I was flown air ambulance to Miami, FL for emergency surgery. Side note: for those of you who've ever spent time in nearly a third world hospital, you know the awful conditions and know how lucky I was to arrive in Miami and watch the nurse pull the needle from a sterile package, finally, but how truly sad it really is for the Jamaicans who can either afford better health care or don't have access to it. Six screws and two rods later, I spent a week in the hospital, two weeks in the Marriott in Miami, six weeks in Dallas (with my parents) & two weeks with my boyfriend recovering, but mostly walking... slowly.

So here I am today, finally back home in New York City trying to figure it all out again. What am I going to do with those two hours a day I used to work out or do acting? or those eight hours a day I used to simply work? My life has taken a 180 degree turn... probably, I'm gonna say it, for the better. Yes, I try to look on the bright side, screw you ;)

And now the question remains, why do I want to write a blog? Well... it'll give my mom something to do when she retires and it'll hold me accountable to do all those things I never did before I broke my back. No, this is NOT a bucket list because as far I know, I'm not dying... yet. Its simply a way for me to actually do all those things I was either too lazy, too broke or too serious to do previously. Some of them will be vain, I'll admit, some silly, some sad, hopefully some hilarious and some perceptive as well. Once a week I will post an adventure (I use this term loosely) that either scares me, challenges me, changes me or just feels good. Side note: none of this will be death defying or physically challenging. I am still in a back brace, it's still broken and I will not do anything to hinder or interfere with my healing process.

With all that said, let the games begin!!

Shine on~