Thanksgiving, Crazy People and Sick Days

This holiday season being away from our family and friends we decided to branch out and make new memories with new people instead of sitting at home. For Thanksgvivng we were actually invited to a co-worker of mines home with her family and friends. Her name is Farrah and she is a Persian woman I work with at Macys. At first I was understandably hesitant to accept. I felt that I hardly knew her and I was afraid that Kamron and I would be the outsiders and would feel isolated since we would know no one except for her and one other co-coworker. But I figured it could also be our chance to find surrogate friends to share the holidays with, Farrah is sweet and I wouldnt have to cook. So I accepted..... I was so thankful I did too. Not only did we have a great time sharing food with about 15 other strangers we also shared stories about our various experiences and backgrounds and made memories and friends that will stay with us hopefully throughout our stay here in the East. Farrah even suprised me with a birthday cake and birthday song (my bday was the next day). I was so touched that this woman I hardly knew remembered that my birthday was the next day and went so far as to organize a celebration. I believe that things and experiences like this are exactly what Thanksgiving are all about. Making new friends (even if you dont speak the same language), sharing stories and good food. It was the best Thanksgiving we have had since Kamron started his med-school journey......

Unfortunately the next day, Black Friday, also my 25th birthday, I had to work at 4 am. Waking up at 2:30 am to go to work is not only one of the hardest things I have ever done but very unnatural. I of course tried to go to bed early but with no luck..... It is now my belief that no one should ever have to wake up in the middle of the night to get ready for work. There were crazzzzzzyyyy a@# people waiting in a line at the mall to get in when I got there. And when Macys opened at 5am there was a mad rush......... That is the moment I realized that whoever wakes up voluntarily at this unholy hour to go shopping must be very crazy and irrational. If you happen to be one of those who fall into this category I am sorry. I am sorry that you woke up that early to really only save 20$, I am sorry that you are able to wake up that early, and finally because I believe you are crazy.

All of this waking up sooooo early and working long hours finally took a toll on me.... The next day I was exhausted and sick. I had been battling a cold for the past week and so I think that day my body finally said N-O!!!! I woke up for another early shift and my head felt like it was going to explode, I felt nauseous and my nose was running like a faucet. I tried to function at work but within the hour my boss took mercy on me and sent me home. I spent the next 7 hrs sleeping and laying around. The next day I felt so much better and I was able to move on with life. The holidays are a crazy time that can be stressful and exciting all at once. It is important to take care of yourself and others during these next few months!

Interesting People and Places

So being from California and living here on the East Coast, I find myself constantly analyzing and comparing the differences between the two. Today, I really had an interesting insight into the differences in attitudes and personalities of people who live here. I went to go get my nails done today for the first time since I got married. I missed having them done and now that Im working, I figured why not treat myself. So naturally I didnt know where to go since Im not from here, so I ended up going to the closest one that I could find from my house. Of course, it looks like so many other nail salons all over the country. It reminded me of several places I have gone to before in Fresno.

Although I was shocked at the price (55$) to start, I decided to go ahead anyways. Other customers arrived and started chatting with each other (even though they were complete strangers), and one girl with severe psychological issues sat there and talked on and on the whole time with some other girl/customer the whole time. I know her whole life now, what psychological problems she suffers from without even knowing her. Now In Fresno, in any nail salon, you would never see something like this. Getting your nails done in Fresno in comparison to other strangers is like sitting on a train, bus or subway. No one looks or talks to eachother, let alone discloses their whole life to a complete stranger. Here, this seems to not be the case at all, actually the polar opposite.

In addition, working at macys I have met many interesting friendly people. A couple of the women I work with are persian so I get along with them really well since Kamron is persian too. Lo and behold we have been invited to one of the ladies house for a Thanksgiving dinner! I dont know her that well, so I was initially a little nervous about accepting. But I know that the awkwardness of going there and meeting people I have never met would pass in a matter of minutes. It is a chance for Kamron and I to spend Thanksgiving with other people than ourselves (like we have been doing for the past three years) and a chance to meet new people. We have done much more extreme and adventurous things (ie, moving to Grenada) so this should be a piece of cake! Trying new things and taking a risk is what makes life memorable and exciting!