Monthly Archives: October 2012

Small Town Girl in a Big City

My name is Kelsey but everybody calls me either Kels or Kelpy, so take your pick. I’m 18 years old and I moved to New York City two months ago from St. Louis, Missouri. If you’ve ever talked to me, you’ll realize that I say ya’ll in about every other sentence; it’s a Missouri thing. I just don’t understand why people would say two words (you all) when you could save your breath and combine the words into one (ya’ll). Everybody asks me how I ended up at Baruch since I grew up in the Midwest. Well…I chose New York City. After I chose to go to school in New York City then I started researching colleges and Baruch seemed to match what I thought would be my major.

I love sweatpants. I think it might be a Missouri thing because I’ve noticed everybody always looks so nice in New York City. I’m not much of a follower so that doesn’t stop me from being comfortable. However, just walking the streets of New York City has given me a lot of fashion advice.

I grew up on a lake, as an only child, and my friends became my family. I always grew up with dogs, Standard Poodles to be exact, and they were like my siblings too. It sounds silly but in my household I wasn’t allowed to say the word “dogs”. Our “dogs” either had to be referred to as Poodles or Four Legged Family Members.

I value trust more than you can imagine. No trust, no friendship. I’m extremely sarcastic and probably one of the weirdest people you will every meet. I am a firm believer that everything eaten with a fork tastes better. I don’t like nice restaurants; I tried getting my friends to go to Taco Bell for dinner before Prom. I’m a horrible driver. I am an awful singer, but that doesn’t stop me. I’m deathly afraid of ghosts and refuse to watch ghosts movies. Paranormal Activity sent me into insomnia. I think I’m the funniest person on the planet and I laugh at my own jokes, even if nobody else does. I love scary movies. Megan off of Bridesmaids is my role model. I’m addicted to diet soda and Red Bull. I wish whipped cream were its own food group. Very few people have every seen me cry or show emotion. Nevertheless, I love my life and everybody in it.

Moving to New York City has been both a blessing and a curse. I love the city, all the fun activities there are and the people in it. However, where I grew up country music is a religion, boating is a way of life, riding horses western style is a past time activity and sitting around a bonfire in the fall makes you feel like there is no better place on Earth. I know New York City will provide all of the opportunities I could ever imagine in my life but there are too many precious in Missouri things I left behind. New York City might be for me and it might not but my time here and my time with the people at Baruch will always be great memories.

This is my first blog. Ever. I love feedback. So, feed me!
My name is Zoe Arianna Nolan; I was born and raised in Soho, New York City. I’m currently attempting to summarize what defines me; in a modest 500-word blog post. I hope this satisfies any cravings for an accurate depiction of my personality, lifestyle, and any other exciting juicy details.
Similar to the foundation for for tackling the SAT’s, I’m going to shoot the first things that come to mind, (projectile-verbal-vomiting); Hence, I will not question my initial logic or reasoning, and just speak from the _____. (Insert appropriate noun)
I grew up in the heart of Soho, which is just a cooler way to say “South of Houston St”. My parents owned an art gallery less than a block away, next to Dean & Deluca on Broadway & Prince. The Prada store seen from my bedroom window was the closest thing to a safe neighborhood playground. Thompson Square Park was currently occupied, not by Wall Street, but by drug addicts, the drugs themselves, and friendly prostitutes with drugs for expediency.
My brother Connor is 3.5 years my junior, and probably the epitome of a “great kid”. He’s dope. We’ve pretty much always had an amazing, healthy relationship, and it’s safe to say he’s going to remain my favorite person, in this lifetime.
Unconscious to my juvenile state, my childhood was immersed within a thriving Art World, and the majority of my Sunday afternoons where spent wandering around the Guggenheim, Moma, and if we were lucky, FAO Schwartz with my father. Before hitting puberty, I knew more about Jackson Pollack then I did the McDonald’s dollar menu.
I’m a self-proclaimed coffee/caffeine addict. Starbucks is my true love, and sole mate. (Think extreme, ex. Romeo & Juliet)
I practically have enough pairs of shoes to allow me to wear a different selection every day for a year. I always need more. I’m obsessed. But…..
I pay my bills first- ALWAYS.
I save MORE then I spend- ALWAYS.
Never tell a woman she has too many shoes. Bad move.
I LOVE (Again, think obsessed), learning everything there is to absorb about Fashion; seriously, ever single nook & cranny, large or small, criticized or world renowned. I seek insight on the evolution of Fashion, its palpable effect on the world, and how I personally connect with it.
My favorite memories are those spent doing something that was ridiculously unorganized, with my closest friends.
I was born on the first day of summer( June 21st), so there’s no surprise in the fact that I’m obsessed with beaches, warm weather, and outdoor activities.
Traveling keeps me sane, and without the ability to experience other cultures, lifestyles, and places, I think I would be rather bland.
Realistically, I must admit that I would do better surviving a week without food then a 7 day stretch without my cellphone. I’m hopelessly addicted.. but I admit the addition…therefore I must be on the road to recovery? Lets hope?
I believe in keeping an active and healthy lifestyle. Aesthetics are relatively important to everyone, but it’s more than what you look like on the outside. I am very conscious what I put in my body. I seldom drink alcohol, aside from a glass of pinot noir, or a crisp refreshing prosecco here and there on a special occasion. I don’t eat red meat, pork, or any overly processed foods. I pretty much do my best to only eat natural and organic foods. Whole Foods is just another way of saying- your WHOLE wallet.
Karma can be your best friend, or your arch nemesis, but it’s always going to play a character in your life. Good news is you have some control.

Play life smart and fair.
Do onto others, as you would want them to do to you.
You’re always the cool kid when you stay true to yourself.
Don’t change who you are to please someone else.
Don’t be jelly, when you can have peanut butter.
Most importantly, be happy.

Due Date: 11:59 PM October 29th 

The Monologue (2 Parts)

(1) Use your reflective free writes to create a comprehensive monologue that showcases your own interpretation of identity development, self expression, and who you are. Draw ideas from what you’ve written in your free writes and your experiences so far.

And…. 

(2) Embed/Attach a self-portrait which can be a photograph, an image, a cartoon, a drawing, or some other depiction of how you see yourself.

Remember, these monologues will be presented to the class on October 30th. However, they must be posted to the blog on October 29th.

1. Hotel California by The Eagles – In my opinion this is one of the greatest songs ever written. It is classic rock and it symbolizes a person’s struggle with drug addiction. This song took on greater meaning for me a couple of months ago when my uncle passed away because this seemed to always come on the radio while I was on my way to see him in his last few weeks.

2. Til I collapse by Eminem- This song always gets me hyped up before I workout or as I get ready for a game. Its lyrics push me to not give up even when it seems like the only option and they are delivered with such emotion that it is impossible for me to ignore their message.

3. Hells Bells by ACDC- This song reminds me of the bond I made with my high school lacrosse teammates and the greatest season my school had ever seen. We ran out to this song before every game and when we heard it we knew it was time to go.

4.Free Falling by Tom Petty- This song always puts me in a good mood. Its lyrics are upbeat and can instantly turn my day around if I hear it when Im feeling down.

5.Piano Man by Billy Joel- This is one of those songs that almost everyone knows the words too. Billy Joel is able to paint a picture of the bar he is playing in and gives the listener a glimpse into the patrons’ lives.

6.No Woman No Cry by Bob Marley- This is one of my favorite songs of all time by one of my favorite artists ever. This song gives me the sense that whatever difficulties are in my life will be overcome and that I should remain positive.

7.Danza Kuduro by Don Omar and Lucenzo- This song reminds me of the summer because it became popular when I was at my cousins beach house and always seemed to be on when we were having fun.

8.Let It Be by The Beatles- This is a very peaceful song written by one of the greatest bands of all time. For me, as a Catholic, it brings hope especially because it refers to Mother Mary being with you. This lets me know that I am not alone in whatever struggles I face.

9. Protect Ya Neck by the Wu Tang Clan- This song can always be heard blasting from my car when I am driving around especially in my hometown, Shaolin (Staten Island). The Wu Tang Clan is from Staten Island and everyone my age from Staten Island loves it.

10.No Sleep by Wiz Khalifa- I always listen to this song at the beginning of my weekends or vacations. It sets the tone for that time off. It motivates me to live it up and have fun when the opportunity presents itself.

This seems like an almost impossible task to accomplish: building a playlist of ten songs that you think personify you. As a result, I have just been rifling through my iTunes library and the Internet for the past couple of hours now—and my currently poor connection didn’t facilitate the whole process. Nevertheless, I think I’ve finally managed to find just what I need. However imperfect it may be. But I will try my best.

1. Clocks (acoustic) (Coldplay) – I am a big fan of Coldplay, so when I discovered the acoustic version of this track, I felt compelled to list it here. This is a very calming song with a melancholy tune to it. Therefore, it characterizes my mood when I’m down.
2. Headlines (Drake) – I have had to of heard this song a million times (whether I wanted to or not). Often times, when I hear it, it reminds me of the good times I’ve had with my friends traveling and going to college fairs when I was a senior in high school.
3. Real Folk Blues – I am not sure how to describe this song, but it has grown on me. I’m not really a fan of anime or cartoons, but this song comes from one of my favorite anime shows that I watched growing up, with my brother, whom I share a close relationship with.
4. Wake Up Everybody (John Legend & The Roots) – This song by John Legend (and others) has a very optimistic tune to it. As a result, it has a way of placing me in a better mood.
5. Black Balloon (The Kills) – I accidentally stumbled upon this song when I was randomly browsing deviantArt one day. It’s a bit odd at first, but I’ve remembered it ever since.
6. Feel Good Inc. (Gorrilaz) – This is another song that reminds me of the good times I have shared with my siblings during my childhood (particularly my brother).
7. The Pretender (Foo Fighters) – I remember hearing this song a few years ago and agonizing over the fact that I couldn’t remember what the name of it was until several months ago. It’s another song that’s just stuck with me.
8. Roomful of Mirrors (Hiroshima) – This song is one that I frequently heard my Dad play in his car when I was younger. He was a big fan of jazz, R&B, and oldies. Not sure how he came across this band though.
9. Satellite Station (Free the Robots) – This is another song relatively calm song, but with a rather peculiar tune to it.
10. Storm Coming (Gnarls Barkley) – Hmm. Don’t think I have much to write about this one, other than that It’s a song I listened to numerous times over the years.

I had dozens of other songs that I was considering for this post, but of course, I had to shorten it to a list of ten. Here’s three other songs I was going to list here, but did not make it: Hollow Mountain (Efterklang), Snow (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and lastly, Radioactive (Kings of Leon).

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/RKP314+s+Blog+Post+number+1/78031001

(^Note: This playlist is not in the same order as listed above & one song is missing: Satellite Station)