http://www.noisiestpassenger.com I'm Amanda. I've got wide eyes, a smart mouth, and a MetroCard. And I'm not afraid to use them. Sat, 13 Mar 2010 05:28:50 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Some of the most interesting comments I receive are about teaching in NYC. Longtime readers (or people who've read the About page) know that I started blogging to chronicle my first two years as a middle school teacher in Harlem. Those first two years turned out to be my last two ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/methinks-adam-needs-some-red-wine/ I remember the first time I shopped at H&M on a trip to NYC. The chain doesn't exist in Texas, so when I wore my new, affordable duds, everyone asked where I got them. And you know what I said? I said they were from Sweden. Because that sounds way cooler than saying ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/project-mamm-day-5-tabouleh-by-yours-truly/ Project MAMM marches on, though the last few weeks have been difficult for Mike and me to coordinate due to scheduling and laziness and the love child of them both - procrastination. And you know who's been the bigger advocate of the program? I don't want to say I'm the more ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/project-mamm-day-4-tuna-for-two/ A piece I wrote called "The Accidental Chubby Chaser" is in this week's NY Press. Here's an excerpt: A few dates into what would become our relationship, I determined that the look John gave me was a sort of hungry admiration. Not that he ever let himself get too hungry. The guy ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/i-was-an-accidental-chubby-chaser/ You know how people sometimes like to sleep where George Washington slept? Or eat where Al Capone liked to eat? Or see a movie where Pee-wee Herman busted a nut? Well, I don't have access to those famous spots, but uh, I have a catsitting gig for a few weeks. I'm subletting my ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/come-stay-at-my-place-nyc-apartment-suble/ Last time I blogged about the universe farting in my face, commenter extraordinaire Sherri mentioned that I was begging for more. I mean, she's read The Secret. I just read some blog posts by people who read it and then made fun of them, you know? I'm not the informed person ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/03/the-year-of-the-ass-part-2/ The Northeast has been pounded by snow in the last few days. NYC is no exception, though it hasn't endured power outages or NBA-sized snowdrifts or anything. Not like New Hampshire or Vermont or those other places that currently look like white blobs from space. Now those are hairy-chested states that ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/02/no-business-like-snow-business-nyc-snowstorm/ Recently, I tried to recall the last time I didn't have trouble sleeping. I've always needed less sleep than other people, yes. But I mean, when was the last time I was able to get in bed and turn my brain off enough to sleep soundly? It was June. Now it's February. There's this ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/02/on-losing-my-voice-and-trying-to-find-it-agai/ 1) Woke up at 7:30 to neighbors having loud, unsexy relations. The bed bouncing; the woman shrieking. The man makes no noise, though I assume he's partly responsible for the skidding of the mattress into the wall, the bedside table or something else crashing and grinding into the floor. As oxymoronic ... http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/02/take-six-what-i-did-today/ Saturday was Annie's first birthday. My mom served her a ribeye steak to celebrate. A few days earlier, Annie endured another rite of passage. No puppies for this dogger. I think she should rock the shaved, cow-spotted belly look more often. Don't worry. She's back on her skateboard already. http://www.noisiestpassenger.com/2010/02/a-big-week-for-annie/