New York, New York

So, as most of you know, I went to NY!  I went to NY to learn Google Analytics, which for the record, was HARD.  If those people over at Google ever team up with that dude over at Facebook, that creepy movie with Bruce Willis just might become our reality.  I am just sayin' they are stinkin' smart.  They are measuring stuff that never even occurred to me.  Amazing!

In typical Ouida fashion, a weather event delayed my trip by a day, but not in the neat tidy, your flight has been cancelled hang out in the city another day and watch the beautiful snow kind of way.  Nope, more like race to the airport in a cab with a grumpy cabbie who wants you to kneel down and thank him driving you to the airport, which be definition, is exactly what you are paying him to do (for realz?) only to get your hopes up, move your gate, then your terminal, only to tell you that your flight has been cancelled, but you are rebooked for the first flight out, just kidding we cancelled that one too, and all of the hotel rooms have now been booked kind of way. You  know that way right???

Other than the whole airport fiasco, the trip was great.  The class was great, the city was great, the food was great, the company was great, the sites were GREAT!

I got to see my cousin Ryan who I have not seen in years.  Probably 10 to be exact.  He's a male model.   Really.  How many people get to say that?  I am super proud of him.  He really is living the dream.  He lives in a tiny little apartment in Astoria, just a really quick cab ride from LaGuardia and he makes a living smiling, pouting, looking pensive, playful, whatever the shoot calls for.  He hangs out with celebrities and skateboards through NYC.  Quite the gig if you can get it.  He went with me to check in to the hotel and I am pretty sure the lady checking me in thought I was living a reverse Pretty Woman scenario.  I mentioned this to Ryan and he didn't get it.  Twenty two year old men aren't familiar with Pretty Woman.  Who knew?  Anyhow, we hung out in the city for a while, then he ditched me to go smile for the camera.  It was fun while it lasted.  Then I was lost.  Hopelessly, but I stumbled upon the Apple store, and from my research realized that I had also found FAO Schwarz.  All was right with the world.  Well, mostly.  I was still lost, but I found a really cool toy store, so it didn't seem as hopeless.

  The city is like an assault on your senses, especially if everything you see is a postcard in your head.  I left my nice camera behind.  I had to have my laptop count as my other carry on, and there is no way I would check it, so I had to count of my phone and my little Canon point and shoot.  Less that ideal, but what I had.  There were a million scenes I wanted to snap, but I also forgot my battery charger, so I was always afraid I would miss the next best thing.  I especially loved this bike.  Pretty right??

And this gate.  This was at the Met.  I didn't get to go in, but I could have stared for days.  There was so much detail, and it was just amazing.  I could have stayed for weeks.  As cheesy as it sounds the city really does make you feel alive.  It is so darn exciting!

The whole story of the trip, the airport, the snow, the hurricane.........it is a doozie.  For now, I will leave you with this teaser!