Puffy, Tigger, Tuck, and Amy

Those are my adorable pets! Puffy and Tigger are two seven year old purebred Persian brothers and Tuck and Amy are two "Love" Birds.
My family and I got Puffy and Tigger in October of 2001, even though it seems like just yesterday. Puffy and Tigger both have a sister and what is really interesting is that my aunt and uncle have Puffy and Tigger's half-brother named Hayward. Even though Puffy and Tigger are brothers, they are both so different. Whether I am petting either of them in the pitch-darkness or if I hear either of them meow from another room, I can tell them apart! Puffy is so funny because he only likes to be groomed in the bathroom, and only the bathroom! When my family and I brush him, he will only allow us to do so if he is on the bathroom counter or in the tub. Tigger is funny because he only likes to be groomed at night. He will tell us when he is ready when he rolls over on his back and stretches out his arms and legs. Tigger also crosses his paws over each other and literally smiles at you when you sit next to him. Tigger also fetches and likes to "chirp" at the birds outside. Puffy loves cream cheese and whip cream and he loves to sit on fluffy blankets or pillows, whereas Tigger likes to sit on paper! :]
Tuck and Amy are such fascinating little birds. They are both four years old and always sit next to year other. When they fight, they each puff up like little balls and chirp at each other. When my family and I play light music for them to listen to they will sway back and forth to the rhythm of the music! Almost every morning I chirp (or whistle) to them and they will chirp back. All four of our pets get along with each other very nicely! It was especially cute when we brought Tuck and Amy home because both Puffy and Tigger gently arched up to see the cage set on a small table and began sniffing the cage. Tuck and Amy were not afraid! :]

Studying for English Finals

It is impossible to compare studying for a Biology exam or a French exam to studying for a British or American Literature exam. I will hear individuals who tell me that they are "cramming" for their Chemistry final just a few days before the test. Some of them have unfortunately waited until the last minute to study for the final and have to, for example, memorize twenty formulas and more than fifty terms. I certainly cannot do that, can you? This sort of studying habit is almost impossible to manage while studying for an American or British literature exam.

When studying for an English exam, it is best to start reviewing after the first class, or as soon as you are aware of what texts will be covered or read. Otherwise, cramming will not help you and will only make you stressed out. Also, do not rely on "cheats" such as cliffnotes or sparknotes, those are only acceptable when you have read and understand the text and just want a quick reminder. There is nothing that can effectively replace reading the text.
A good friend of mine was studying for an English literature final, and this person believed that if they are able to go over and skim through five short stories, they would be all set. This however was not the case.
I, for example, had read all of the texts except two and I was still a bit hesitant on some of the identification and fill in the blanks in regards to quotations and characters from the texts. Later after the exam, this person felt awful because they were so unprepared.
Remember, the only way to learn anything effectively, especially understanding a text, start off slow and work on it gradually in order to take as much in as you can. Also, don't forget to take notes! The more you focus, the more you retain!

Christian The Lion: An Extraordinary Tale of Family Love

About a couple of weeks ago during the evening, I was watching this fascinating story on the news about a lion named Christian and his masters. I was immediately hooked on the story because it involved animals as well as the love and attachment between a naturally wild animal and humans.
You may have heard of the show called Kimba The White Lion. When it was first aired in America, it was praised for its storyline of love, life and compassion. The story was also praised because of the positive connection the lion had with humans. The original show aired in 1966 and was remade in 1993. It is quite extraordinary that filling the gap between humans and animals is not just a fictional tale, for it can and already has happened in real life.
Christian was separated from his parents at a young age and put up for sale is Harrods, a London department store in 1969. Christian's parents lived in a zoo, the father came from the Rotterdam zoo and the mother from Jerusalem, and they lived at the Ilfracombe Zoo.
Two men named Anthony Bourke and John Rendall adopted him from Harrods after immediately falling in love with him. They bought him when he was only a few weeks old and soon after named him Christian. The two men immediately bonded with Christian and gave him the best life that they could. "Christian was a very intelligent and remarkable lion," the men raved. "And gentle to everyone!"
As Christian grew, he needed to have a larger area to roam and live, much larger than the type of facility that Tony and John could provide. They made the decision to release him safely into the wilds of Africa. He was ultimately reintroduced to the wild by conservationist George Adamson.
One year later in 1972, his former owners decided to go find Christian in the wild and were wondering if Christian would still remember them. Amazingly enough, he did, and he ran up to them and gently arched up and wrapped his shoulders around their arms. The other lions in the pride were also gentle and friendly. In 1974, Christian had cubs of his own! :]
This story brings me tears of joy everytime I go back on the internet and read the story. I highly reccomend it and viewing the video of the reunion filmed in the 1970's:
*Also, be sure to check out the film: "Christian the Lion" AND the book "A Lion Called Christian." Your hearts will be surely touched as did mine!

Review of the Palm Restaurant

Not too long ago, my boyfriend took me on a date to a very exquisite restaurant called the Palm. It was highly recommended to us by a family friend, so we decided to try it. It was imperative that we make a reservation early that day and event then when we called up there was only two time slots available: 5:00PM and 9:30PM. Neither of us like to eat late so of course we chose 5:00. The place was quite crowded, and thankfully we did not have to wait for our table long! The host was very prompt and formal with serving us; he sat us in a fairly large both on the opposite side of the restaurant near the courtyard.
The waiter offered some of the best service I have ever had. He was very cordial and always asked in a timely matter how the food was and served our drinks and food just at the right time. The food was amazing! My salmon was done just right and my boyfriend Kris ordered a steak with a baked potato on the side. He was also very satisfied with his food. We just had to order dessert at this point! Even though the portions were very large and satisfying, we decided to take what we could not finish home and save room for the dessert. We both had tea and split what's called a Molten Chocolate Cake. Absolutely by far the best!
I suggest you check out the Palm at some point! I especially recommend it for a special occasion, such as a birthday or an anniversary. The Palm is located throughout the U.S. in major cities and internationally. Some cities include: two locations in NYC, Long Island, San Juan, Mexico City, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Las Vegas and Philadelphia.
The restaurant was founded in 1926 and is a popular hot spot for celebrities! I recommend joining the 837 club, where you can earn points for free food and prizes every time you dine there!

Hidden Treasures of New York City

As a Manhattanville student, I would assume that you have visited New York City at least once and are pretty familiar with its most popular destinations: The Empire State Building, Time Square, Broadway, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty, etc. Here are some "hidden treasures" of NYC that I love to recommend:

1. Pellegrino's Restaurant in Little Italy has some of the best Italian food I have ever tried. Even though it is a bit pricey, you are getting ever value for your dollar.

2. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is a spectacular place to visit all year round. I would highly recommend the Cherry Trees (especially in mid-April), the bonsai trees, and Rose Garden. It is a very tranquil place to walk around or take a loved one for a quaint romantic time together. Also, before noon on Saturday is free!

3. The United Nations is an amazing place to visit because there is always something going on, whether it be an exhibit as you walk in or a special visitor, you are guaranteed to be in awe! Be sure to take a tour and visit the Delegate's Dining room. Be sure to make your reservations in advance to enjoy a wonderfully prepared prix-fixe buffet. Also, the United Nations is just a short walk from Grand Central Station! It is located on 45th Street and 1st Ave.

4. Zabar's is one of the best grocery stores I have been to. I find myself in their for hours shopping for delicious food! They sometimes hold cooking seminars! Zabar's originated in the 1930's and is currently located on the Upper West Side.

5. The Earth Room is located in SoHo and is certainly one of NYC's most unusual attractions. it is a massive interior sculpture that was introduced to the public in the late 1970's. It is 250 cubic yards and weighs 280,000 lbs.!

6. The Neue Galerie contains the Ronald S. Lauder and Serge Sabarsky collection of Austrian and German fine decorative arts as well the gift shop. Also, check out Café Sabarsky!

Future Career Plans

Lately, I have been contemplated my ideas for future career plans. People tell me that I should not have to think so hard about what I want to do as far as a career, however I feel it is important to start looking sooner than later and have a good idea of what you want to do. Otherwise, you may not be well prepared for the job market and get lost in the shuffle of recent graduates and employment seeker.

Ever since I started representing Manhattanville College as a non-governmental organization to the United Nations, I have become fascinated with how the United Nations works as far as aiding with peaceful relations between countries as well as the building's internal diversity among it workers and the interesting meetings I have attended. I have attended secure meetings that cover tops such as UNICEF's World Aid and Immunization Report, Arms Trade, the Economic Crisis, The Slave Trade, and Women's Rights. I would like to work as a journalist or professional writer for the United Nations reporting on events and writing the programs for the meetings. Also, because I am interested in traveling, I have a strong interest doing freelance writing while traveling around the world and submitting my articles to magazines and newspapers.

I also have a strong interest to go into the professional writing field as an editor or as a professional writer for marketing labels and companies for advertising purposes.

Finally, I would also like to be able to teach American Literature and Creative Writing at the university level as a part time professor. I am interested in obtaining my master's degree in English and possible furthering my education farther to the doctorate level.

I understand that this is a lot to juggle, but this is what interests me. I enjoy being very busy and working with strict due dates while also having the opportunity to write as a leisure. As you can tell, writing is a large part of my life and look forward to making it my career!

My Summer Plans

I am so relieved that classes are almost over and that vacation is just around the corner. Even though this has been my most challenging semester thus far, the time has sped by. As far as my summer plans, I am the type of person that enjoys planning ahead, sometimes even months and months in advance, although a few happy surprises along the way couldn't hurt. For the month of May, I plan to spend some time at home in CT and Long Island with my family and friends. I love going back to Connecticut and visiting because it is so relaxing and even though I have not seen most of my friends there for many months, when we see each other it is as if no time has past. Of course I will miss my friends here at college. It is tentative or not that I will be visiting my grandparents in Florida during the third week of May. I love visiting them and their two kitties, Simba and Panther. I have known Simba since I was little and have known Panther for almost two years (he's the baby and just so playful). However, my grandparents will be coming up to Long Island and Connecticut to visit the family a week from today! I am so excited!

For the lat week of May and the first week of June, I will be spending time out in the Hamptons with my boyfriend Kris. We plan on visiting his family and friends, sailing, BBQs, flying, swimming, hanging out at the beach and much more! If I land an internship at a television station, I will be living with Kris for a month or so in PA. After that, I would love to travel to NYC to visit a friend that will be leaving for Japan, Albany, Vermont, and maybe Maine.

Another important event I plan to attend is the Artists and Writer's Softball Game held annually every August in East Hampton, NY. I hope that for this year I will be able to play on the writer's side.

I also wish a pleasant and awesome summer to everyone else! Also, Happy Graduation (for those who are graduating). :]