This is a Story of an Independent Female

I moved around after college and inevitably found myself back living with my dad in the attic that had seen me get ready for prom and go off to college. It was a smart move in that I enrolled in graduate school and became a teacher. I also got myself out of all the debt moving around had caused...New York was not a cheap adventure.I do think that everyone needs to live in New York at least once, most likely in their early to mid-20's, but then you need to leave it and move on. New York is tiring and really overrated. There's other adventures to be had.

It also made me fixated on the idea that when I moved again, it would be to a place wholly my own. I did not want anymore crazy room mates and I didn't want to move in with my boyfriend. I wanted the experience of having someplace that was completely mine that my parents had no claim on. I wanted ultimate privacy.

I rented a one bedroom apartment on the second floor of a building a town away from where I work. I filled it with art, and vintage plates, cute pillows and little knick-knacks that I would find at the local thrift store. I moved over the summer so when fall began to give way to winter, I learned pretty quickly that apartments and heat do no coincide. I treated myself to a gel fireplace.

I searched all over for one, finally finding the perfect one that would match the slate on my coffee table. It arrived the night of a school function where I came home around 8pm and found it sitting on my doorstep...several huge boxes that the UPS person stacked and left.

I set to work immediately, I propped open the doors and began lifting one box up and in. I was successful with the first, but then the unthinkable happened. I kicked the doorstop to the outside door out and when I turned to grab the door, it had already slammed shut. Worse yet, my keys were dangling from the door of my apartment...on the inside.

After cursing and literally stomping my feet. Hey, I was very sweaty and still in work clothes, I decided my only option was to ring my downstairs neighbor's bell because of course, my phone was in my bag that I could see on the other side of the now locked door.

I rang the bell and held my breath. I hadn't even met my downstairs neighbor yet.All I knew about her was that she was a teacher like me. I felt all sorts of terrible when she came to the door, in her pajamas.

"Uh, I'm sorry to bother you, but well you can see," I stopped, feeling awkward and unsure.

She laughed. "I saw that! I can't believe they just left you with those boxes. I'm Gail," she said, still sleepy, but friendly.

I relax. "I'm Katherine."

We shake hands and she offers to help me. I decline, thinking that as long as I didn't lock myself out again that I should be good to go. I lug the boxes up the stairs, panting and grunting the whole time. Though the fireplace is in pieces, it's all wood and planks of wood stacked into boxes is ridiculously heavy. I get everything upstairs and begin to take everything out of the boxes.

I sigh when I realize that I now have to lug all of the Styrofoam and cardboard back down the stairs and out to the dumpsters.

I am exhausted by the time I get back upstairs and sit down on the floor of my living room. I begin to put the pieces of my fireplace together. At this point, I am sticky and gross, but I want that fire place put together because I know that in a week or so, I'm going to need it.It's almost 10pm at this point and I am trying very hard not to make a lot of noise while I balance pieces on top of each other. My hand starts cramping from having to screw everything together and just as I get the front mantle done, I realize the worst is yet to come.

Overstock never pre-drilled the holes and no matter how hard I push, the screw is going nowhere.

I burst into tears. Milo is sitting next to me at this point, watching the entire episode with faint curiosity. I throw the screw driver down and walk away. He scurries off at the sound, it will take him a good hour to come out of the bedroom.

Life and sanity return after I down a glass of iced tea. I begin to scour every other piece, making sure the holes are there. I decided that as long as I could get everything else together, it would most liely stay together until I could get a power drill.

And so I did and so it has also sat in my living room, warming me all winter.

I never did get that power drill though and when I move in two weeks, it's going to be fun getting it out of my apartment.

I really think it's time to buy that drill now.

Miss Burton's Class Survives!

In case you missed it, Miss Burton's Class made two appearances in media this week.

The first was a write-up in The Daily Dead's Indie Spotlight.

AND THEN, there was the write-up in The Sentinel that went live today.

Please check it out and as always, support indie writers and BUY. THE. BOOK.

Peace, love and zombies,
Katherine

Adventures on the East Coast: July Birthdays

July is all but over.  My little brother somehow turned 23 last week. I am almost done with my summer classes. I am totally looking forward to never having to take linguistics again. Camp is almost over and before I know it, it will be August and I will be the one turning 27.

This weekend it was my friend Laura's turn! Her birthday was golden because she turned 27 on the 27th. And we had a lot of fun. I can't believe how tan and blonde I am in all of these pictures that I jacked from her blog.

End of the night masquerade. 

Let's talk zombie novels. 

Don't know what I was talking about but I seem into it.

Sometimes you have to be THAT friend.

Sometimes, you find yourself back at the beginning

And sometimes you start laughing while someone is taking your photo.

I can't lie and say that the last year of my life was all that wonderful. It had it's good points, but it had a lot of ups and downs. As the summer started I felt like I was in such a depression over everything, but as the summer has gone on I feel as though I came back to myself. And that, I am now surrounded by people who are good, positive and loving. And most importantly, people that love me and care about me.

I couldn't say that a year ago. I was not happy with who I was or who I had around me, but now I feel like I am in an entirely new chapter of my life and I am excited to see what it brings.

Here's to my LATE twenties (when did that happen???). 

Adventures on the East Coast: The Roebling Museum

John A. Roebling is responsible for creating wire rope which is the very thing used to hold up most suspension bridges. He formed his company and had two locations: Trenton and Roebling. Both located in New Jersey, the Roebling factory was the source of everything for the town. Roebling built the factory and then built the town up around it, creating houses for his workers, managers and foremen.

The town was a private town up until the 1950's when Roebling sold the factory to Colorado Fuel and Iron who then kept it running until it closed in the 1970's. Today, much of the factory is gone, but the main gate building is still there and within it is the Roebling Museum.

It was pretty interesting to learn about all of the bridges that the company built, the Slovak influences within the town and of course, (you all know me) the love story between John's son Washington and his wife Emily.

They pretty much met and Washington just knew. They wrote letters to each other everyday and married quickly. They went on to form an amazing partnership with Emily being a real, strong woman of her time. Washington got the bends while constructing the Brooklyn Bridge and thought he was going to die. Emily picked up the slack and was responsible for getting the job done.

Carving Set made from Roebling wire rope.

Building of the Brooklyn Bridge

Emily Warren Roebling

Locker.

Traditional Slovak dress. 

Adventures on the East Coast: The Rockefeller Estate and Union Church of Pocantico Hills

The Rockefeller family built much of New York City and the surrounding areas. If you have a free Saturday then you really need to head to two place: their estate, Kykuit and the Union Church of Pocantico Hills.

What is so neat about the Union Church of Pocantico Hills is that it is this super tiny, neighborhood church that you probably could pass anywhere in a small town and think nothing of it. However, inside there are some amazing stained glass windows that were commissioned by the Rockefeller family. They commissioned artists Chagall and Matisse in the 1960's to create these amazing windows that depict biblical verses and are dedicated to various members of the family.

You can't take pictures in the church, but you can view them on their website which I am giving to you HERE.

Now, Kykuit, the Rockefeller's fall and spring estate is also nearby and pretty amazing. Where else can you view this beautiful home and then get to go to the basement and view Picassos and Calders? Nowhere! All of my photos are below: