"learn two languages... ARE YOU MAD?!?"

alright, kids, time for an update. because i am in New York and i know you're all clamoring to hear all about what's going on.

I have heard the phrase "How the hell are you doing?" at least ten times a day since I've been here. I am now convinced that I am in the most antagonistic and generally hostile city known to man. Or at least to me. Or... there was that one time I was in Paris and I was having a really bad day and I tried to speak French, but it just wasn't working, and this guy laughed at me! he was like, "unh huh huh (the french laugh thing)... eet ees a gooood sing I speek-a eenglish? non?" grrrr mean man! ok ok, i'm over it... i. have. moved. past. the. mean. frenchman. *breathe* moving on...

It's cold. It's like 50 degrees today and I am kissing the non-icy ground I walk on. When I arrived at jfk- it was 10 degrees!!! holy crap!!! Ot stayed about 12 degreed all day, and I simply didn't talk. no, seriously. the thought running through my head was, "i actually did not know it could get this cold" my mom would ask me questions or point something out and I would give her this blank stare. That might also, however, have been because I couldn't sleep on the plane. This means I went straight from 7:25 am on Sunday morning to 8 pm Monday night, when I finally got into my hotel room and fell on my bed. I didn't think I could do that, either! Well, I'm an amazing kid, what can I say.

Last thing: we went to ellis island. And our ranger guide guy was creeeeeepy. no. seriously. He never smiled, he spoke in this monotone voice that was like dry humor taken to an unhealthy extreme. monologue snippet: "you know... forty percent of americans trace their roots back to.... this... island. Yes, yes, and I am one of those americans... Proud of it. Is there anyone else... in this room... can trace their heritage back here... back to this very island, back to this. very. room. Anybody... yes, you. yes... yes... and you... Welcome cousins... welcome." ahhhhh!!!! never again will I sit in the front row! his name was douglas, I should've known.

Alright, well now is the the time for me to riiiise and bring myself forth- to- the bagel shop! Where I can get the bagel and lox and the creamy and the lox and the creamy creamy lox lox. yay new york!