Best. New Year. Ever.

So the Peace Corps gods have been good to me! I've been officially nominated!! Checked my e-mail this morning to the wonderful news that my application has been updated and immediately rushed to find out how. After doing some fist pumps (I promise you these were the complete opposite of those stupid fist pumps the Jersey Shore people do) and doing a happy dance I went to work.

I was not planning on reporting any of this until I learned where I am going (which should be early next week), but well I couldn't contain myself. I especially did not plan on writing this while I have company over celebrating NYE. But they are engrossed in the movie.

So now a whole new set of emotions have over taken me. Before it was anxiety and RAS about whether I would be invited (no matter how many people told me not to worry that I was very qualified, I always thought the worst). Now it is fear and complete scared shitless feeling. What have I gotten myself into? Can I really do this? Am I really qualified? What if I fail? Now the rational part of me says "This is what you have been wanting for awhile now. Cory, you have plenty of experience, much of which will help you greatly no matter what you do. You will not fail because then your sister will win (to those who do not know my sister was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali) and you will be inferior to her. Plus you are stubborn as hell and always find ways to survive." It's just the fear of the unknown which causes the irrational part of me to mentally scream.

So while I have these scared shitless feelings, I am elated beyond belief. I'm going to get to live in a new country, a new culture and learn tons of new things and hopefully teach a ton of new things. I'm anxious to find others that are serving in my country. I'm anxious to try new things, to travel, to eat different things. In other words, I am not focusing on the present anymore (this will no doubt make my boss really happy. I'll just have to work on focusing on work). I don't think my brain has fully wrapped around the idea yet.

So next update will be my new country!

Also, I know I promised a "Best of" blog. I later realized, I've only seen 3 movies this year (127 hours, Harry Potter and True Grit) so I guess those are my top 3 movies of the year. (oh, I did see a great documentary on Netflix called Up Syndrome which is very, very awesome). I bought one new album this year, Kings of Leon Come Around Sundown, so that wins best album of the year (now if only we could get The Strokes to release an album).

Side note: I have found an awesome use of the radiator in my bathroom. The radiator is a long pole extending from floor to ceiling. I have found when it is hot it makes a really great massage beam. By rubbing my back and shoulders on it I am able to relax more. So far no real uses for the radiators in other parts of my apartment, other than making my apartment really hot.

Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year, may it bring peace, prosperity and happiness! Take care all. (my guests are getting suspicious so I must return to hosting duties)

A good Christmas

So went home for the holidays. Nothing really special to report. Had some good times with the family, ate alot and bummed around. But I got the a really good present, not a tangible one, but a good one nonetheless (please note: all the presents I got were awesome). As my mom was driving me to the airport I checked my e-mail on her phone. A change in my application status!! So I went and checked and I do not have any placement holds on my account. I can only assume I am really close to invitation! Whoop!

So you know what would be a great gift for New Years? An invitation.

Back to New York news. In case you have been hiding under a rock, it snowed here. A LOT. Which was a bit of a pain in my travel plans, but nothing I can really complain about. The one thing I want to complain about is the grocery store during snow storms. I will never understand it. Everyone rushes to stock up on food and such. Like they don't live 2 blocks away. I just wanted to buy some tortilla chips, but they are all sold out. Also, Chuck Taylors are not the best snow shoes.

Stay tuned, Cory will unveil her best of next blog (and will hopefully have a Peace Corps update. Yes, I am anxious)

Just one more step before I am out!

So my boss calls me to tell me she texted me. Now some might ask "doesn't your boss know how texting works?" or "Isn't that counterproductive?" Well I would say yes to both questions, but only if you don't know my aversion to cell phones. I don't like them. I didn't get one until I moved up here and my mother wanted some way to get in touch with me. I don't like my phone and it has proven it does not like me. Case in point, not only have some keys fallen off of it, the screen guard popped off, parts of it have chipped away and the back falls off all the time but it now randomly turns off on its own. We have a deal, I won't replace it if it continues to make and receive calls.

But due to my dislike/apathy/not wanting people to be able to get in touch with me at all times, I tend to keep it on vibrate and try not to keep it on me (MOM note: I have it on me whenever I leave the apartment. Just if I'm stationary do I ignore and forget it).

So back to my original story. So I go to check the on call cell phone (where my boss had texted me) and decide to pull out my cell phone too. Less the 3 minutes later I get a call on my phone. It is a 202 number. Now last week I had spoken with Beth, my lovely OMS contact, who had requested some follow-up information regarding a surgery I had 8 years ago and requesting I get a new pap smear (the one I entered with the med review was nearly a year old). So I was not sure why I was getting another call, I had already made an appointment with my dr and had requested my surgery records.

I answer "Hello?"
"Is this Cory?"
"Yes."
"This is Beth from PC OMS. We talked last week. I just wanted you to know that I am going to medically clear you today."
"YAY!:
Cory does happy dance, well I just ran around in a circle in my office which is not very big.
"Are you still there?"
"Oh, um, sorry. My office got a little hectic and I had to get out to hear you." (I was the one being hectic)
"So I'm still going to request that you get a new pap smear, though they might be changing those rules in the future."
"Okay, doing that next week. Thank you so much."
"Thank you have a great day."

I run back to the office high five everyone in sight, which was one person.

I'm MEDICALLY CLEARED!!!! Now just waiting. Well more waiting.

Well I finally reached medical.

This is my second attempt at writing this. Hey, I gave up coffee awhile ago and it was a long night for me.

So after receiving a message from my (most likely) nurse assistant (apologizes if it is the nurse) last week stating she would start my medical packet this week, I gave her a call yesterday.

It was exactly what I thought would happen, while not major and not really time consuming still a pain. I have to get an updated pap smear (the last one was barely under a year when I sent it in), I have to attempt to locate records of a surgery I had on my finger 8 years ago and MH has to look at my seeing a therapist that one time to determine if further steps are necessary. So while I'm running around trying to get a hold of people, it's not due to any medical issues with me. Just getting verification from different doctors.

So my cousin Anna and friend Heidi are in town, which means I will spend the rest of the week eating. I can't wait!

Totally invested

First some Peace Corps news, or rather no news. RAS made me do it. I e-mailed the nurse. She has apparently not gotten to my medical packet yet, due to other applicants. I just wanted to make sure they didn't forget about me.

Went and saw "127 Hours" this weekend (as well as Harry Potter. Which was awesome). I left that movie with a mix of emotions. First off, I LOVED it. The story, the cinematography and the acting was so great that you really feel like you are in the crevasse with Aron Ralston. I would recommend this for everyone to see, really go see it. The end is a bit unnerving to say the least (if you are not aware of Aron Ralston's story look it up), but also cathartic. Really, really good movie.

This has been an odd weekend. I have managed to run into not one, not two, but three exes (luckily all were in good terms)(how odd is this? I live in a city of 8 million people). I was stuck on a train with a guy that hit on me, and when he hit on me I lied to him about where I lived (he lives in my neighborhood, I,falsely, said I lived in Park Slope), this was awkward. We both recognized each other. Then while watching 127 Hours I recognized the producer as someone I have dated. This weekend has been a "This is Your life" marathon of most of the people I have dated here in NYC. I'm a little scared to exit my apartment at this moment to see what else God can throw at me. My luck the stalker I had in Arkansas will show up. I"m not taking any chances. My couch is way to comfortable and forgiving of my behaviors.

What a day

So get up, shower, watch the daily show and head across the street to pick up the other half of my breakfast: an orange (in case you were wondering the first half were some Cheerios). I peel it and put the peel in the trash outside the store. First couple of triangles go down fine. The 4th one ruined my day. No, it tasted fine, it wasn't overly mushy, it looked safe. Little did I know it was harboring a secret. A nasty, evil secret. Some would call them seeds. Now normally seeds and I have a "you go your way I will go mine" type relationship. Well seeds have started a war they do not want to start. This particular seed sent a message, that can only rival the message that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand sent. Namely, we are about to unleash a dental hell that you have not experienced yet. In non-dramatic fashion, my filling fell out. I screamed. An old lady next to me screamed. Whether or not I overreacted is up to interpretation. I calmed down a bit and went over my situation. Examined the possibilities. 1) "man up" and go to work where I would have to spend at least 2 hours with a client at the welfare office. In pain. 2) go back to my apartment and moan and cry. In pain. 3) go to the dentist. In pain. I chose 3. I called work, and at this point felt a little bit like I was in shock (mind you, after 4 years of braces and braces-like things I am not a fan of the dentist. Plus there is the fact that I have had 2 cavities in my lifetime and both dentists determined they didn't need to numb anything, which was painful. So yeah, I have trouble with the dentist now). I called work and told my boss I wouldn't be coming in as I had, and I quote, "some errands I have to run that coincide with work." I hang up and realize that made no sense whatsoever. I called my co-worker and asked her to remind some of my clients of some things and then hopped on the subway.

Chinatown-dentist. Filling re-filled.

Home

I spend the next 6 hours laying on my couch watching random shows. I watched all of Walking Dead which is so completely awesome words can not express. My extreme love of all things zombie is loving this new show.

I finished up the marathon of Harry Potter that had started over the weekend with my knitting club. Made plans on going to see the movie. I am so hyped for this movie, though upset part 2 will not come out until summer when (hopefully) I will be in Peace Corps. So all NYC peeps, I am leaving it up to you to send me a bootleg copy. On a side note, I am overly hyped for this movie, though maybe not acting on it like I did last year. For those who do not know last year I attended the midnight screening, where I joined friends in line at 8 PM. Yes, I waited in line for 4 hours. To top that, I was literally flying home 3 hours after the movie ended. I went straight from the theater to the airport. I am a geek.

Now I am watching some Law and Order SVU. (I can almost imagine people going "And, why do you think we need to know this?" Well you don't, and I don't really care. I was bored today and felt I should pass the boredom on)

Also knitting like a mad woman, I've finished a pair of mittens, 2 pairs of fingerless gloves and a pair of socks in the past month. Guess what people are getting for Christmas!

No news from Peace Corps

Don't think they know me

Woke up this morning, looked out the window. It is sleeting. I don't know how anyone else reacted to this, but my first thought was "WTF (in reality I actually said the whole thing), it's sleeting!" This was followed by the thought "It's not even Thanksgiving, my God by the time it is really winter NYC is going to be covered in a blizzard." The next thought was "I'm hungry." So I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

I volunteer on Monday's at GMHC (Gay Mens Health Crisis, a wonderful agency that serves the HIV/AIDs population. It is filled with wonderful and caring people; clients, staff and volunteers alike. It is also one of the first and biggest of its kind. So if you have come into some money and want to donate to a great cause, check them out). I help out in the kitchen, mainly serving food and talking with the guys. I really love volunteering there, even though I don't think anyone really knows my name. Everyone just calls me sweetie. This causes some anxiety in that if someone calls verifying my volunteer experience, if they don't specifically ask for the curly haired female who works on Mondays no one will know it is me. This is why I talk in the third person and introduce myself to everyone every chance I get. I'm growing on them, even if they think I am weird.

Taking some French lessons in hopes it will help me be a better candidate for Peace Corps. So far I can say hello, goodbye, good evening, good-night, good morning, thank you, please, go to hell and can count to 100. oh, and chocolate. But that I learned from working in the hostel. The french guests wanted everything chocolate so I picked up on that word quickly.