ATTENTION

after much debate, i decided that it was time for me to start up a new blog. the one you are currently reading will not be deleted, in order to save the number of photos and experiences i have documented here; however, from now on, i will continue my writing on:

http://ashleymanderson.wordpress.com

take note! i appreciate you reading and caring about what i'm doing with my life :)

xoxox

ash

holidays.

i fly back to new york tomorrow, and my feelings about that are a bit uncertain. i finally feel like a typical college student, i suppose! it's as if new york is just where i go to school, not necessarily where i live. i'm even considering spending the entire summer back home! i haven't done that since i graduated high school.. how strange.

i've so enjoyed being in california, traveling up to humboldt county to visit my lovely grandma, driving down to san luis obispo to surprise my incredible sister, and just relaxing and soaking in my amazing little hometown.

more josh.

i'm beyond stoked that i've loved this guy for so many years and he's finally starting to get national recognition.

checklist.

i love being home :) since i've been here, i've:
-gone back to being a blonde
-had (very minor) surgery
-eaten delicious, authentic mexican food
-gotten a new glasses prescription (sad.)
-seen some of my favorite people in the world
-slept

tonight i am going to finally conquer my big goal of running from my mom's house to my dad's house, which is roughly four miles. eek! it'll be great. i'm just absolutely loving being home, enjoying every last bit of it :)

merry christmas to you all! xoxox

busy body

TODAY IS MY MOMMA'S BIRTHDAY! i love you so much, and I can't wait to give you a giant birthday/i've missed you/love-filled bear hug :)

it's been much too long since i've written anything, and to tell you the truth, i don't even have time to be writing this. instead, i'm going to give you a little snippet of something i've done recently :)

finals are this week, and i'm flying home on thursday, and after that i'll be able to breathe again. i apologize for my lack of writing... a girl can only do so much!

this is one of three songs i sang for a benefit this past weekend that one of my friends in boston coordinated. enjoy!

I Heart The Ciulla's

I had the most wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I ended up catching a 1 o'clock train to Boston on Wednesday afternoon, which I am so glad I did because the traffic on I-95 was absolutely disgusting. Too bad the train is so expensive, or else I'd take it all of the time. Anyway, I cannot even begin to explain how great it was to see Jennelle again. I didn't realize just how much I missed my best friend until I saw her again. Nothin' like a little girl time! I've been around boys so much lately that I forgot how nice it was to just be able to chat about girl things.

We spent Wednesday evening and all of Thursday at her parent's house in Wilmington, hanging out with her family and setting up the big feast. Apparently Thanksgiving with the Ciulla family is usually spent at Jennelle's aunt's house, but this year it was at her parent's house instead. Now, as far as holiday dinners are concerned, I'm used to small get-togethers with my parents and sisters, maybe an uncle or two and their families, sometimes my Grandma, and occasionally a family friend and their family (if applicable); however, Jennelle's family consists of numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and an adorable little Grandmother (Nana!). It was so fun to chat with everyone, listen to their conversations, and observe their big family dynamics. I can't wait until my sisters and I all have kids so our holidays can be big and crazy like that. It was so nice to be around a family again. I must admit, though, that it made me even more excited to go back to my own family (three weeks you guys! yay!)

I don't really eat much in New York, so my stomach capacity has shrunken quite a bit. Rob Ciulla is not one to let anyone who walks into his house leave hungry.. I was so full by the end of Thursday night, I couldn't even sit down without feeling sick. Jennelle's cousin and I were pacing the house, hoping with every hope in our bodies, that our delicious dinners would just digest. It was such an amazing meal though! I've missed homecooked, scrumptious meals.

Jennelle had to work on Friday afternoon, so her and I went back to Boston after dinner on Thursday, and her and I both went into MJ's the next morning. I was hoping that more people would be working, but I should have known that they wouldn't schedule a lot of people on the Friday morning after Thanksgiving on a low-capacity day. Pfsh. It was really nice to get to see some of the people there again though. I miss MJ's! Friday night, Jennelle, her mom, her aunt, her sister, and I all went to see "New Moon" and then went out to dinner. "New Moon" was so good! I can't say that I was blown away, because movies very rarely live up to the glory of the book, but it was a really good adaptation. "Eclipse" is going to be amazing (I hope)!

I got to see a couple more of my old friends that night, and I played Wii for the first time! I know now what everyone has been saying about Wii Tennis.. My arm is still killing me. Jennelle's boyfriend Joe and I were playing Wii Baseball, and I swung the bat so hard at one point that my soft socks combined with the wood floor threw me down like a sack of potatoes. It was hilarious! A cute little bruise appeared on my shin this morning from it.. Too funny. We all woke up early the next morning, so I could catch the 12 o'clock bus back to New York, and here I am!

I'll be back in Boston in a week and a half to sing at a show that my friend Nayana is coordinating, and then I'll be back in California a week after that! There are Christmas lights and holiday decorations all over the city now, and it is absolutely adorable. The Macy's in Herald Square is all decked out too! I can't believe that it's nearly December, and it still hasn't snowed yet, nor is it even cold enough to snow. I must say, I think winter in New York is going to be a little bit more beautiful than autumn in New York :)

thanks be with you, and also with you.

Tomorrow evening, I'm catching the train to spend the weekend in Boston for Thanksgiving! I really cannot stress enough how glad I am that this holiday has finally arrived. I miss Jennelley, Tessie, Lucas, AJ, Kate, Dan, the entire Ciulla family, everyone at MJ's... Ahh, to see everyone again is going to be so lovely!

Erika and her best friend Eva held a clothing drive this past weekend, and they ended up collecting nearly 3,000 articles of winter clothing! I am so proud of them, and I find their kind hearts and love for their community to be beyond admirable. There were numerous articles about their cause, cleverly named "Warm A Cold Shoulder", in the newspapers (they were even featured on the local news!) One thing that the girls mentioned really stood out for me though.. Pardon my paraphrasing.. Around the holidays, one thing that people in fortunate circumstances often overlook is the fact that they are WARM. Regardless of shelter, central heating systems, whathaveyou, every person deserves to feel warm during these chilly winter months.

I see homeless people so often around this city that I've gotten used to seeing them, or NOT seeing them, rather. How arrogant is that? Erika and Eva's efforts have really gotten me thinking about my life, the priviledges that I have, and what I am truly thankful for. Thank you, to both of you, for reaching out and giving everything that you could back to your community. The gesture, the warmth, the love, the dedication, and the inspiration that you both exude means more than any amount of money could buy or words could properly express.

I am thankful that I have a loving family that continuously supports my crazy aspirations and decisions. I am thankful that I have a comfortable bed to sleep in every night. I am thankful that I am living in one of the most amazing cities in the world. I am thankful that I am being educated at one of the most incredible universities in the country. I am thankful for the incredible people that I've met throughout my life, and that those people are constantly more than happy and willing to take me under their wing at any moment.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone :)

Xoxoxo

JOURNEY

Last Tuesday, I was walking to class and I noticed a big press conference going on in the middle of Washington Place. I was early for class, so I decided to stick around for a little while and see what all of the commotion was about. I saw Mayor Bloomburg, Emma Thompson, and two other people standing on a stage situated in front of a long row of those large storage portables.

I had seen these portables being delivered throughout the week prior, but I had no idea what they were for. It turns out that this was an art exhibit dedicated to the awareness of sex trafficking in Europe and throughout the world.

This morning, I finally went to go see it, and I am so beyond thankful that I did. Prior to seeing this exhibit, I'd be aware of sex trafficking, but until this afternoon, I realize now that I hardly knew anything. This display is set up as seven different portables all connecting to one another through open passageways.

Each portable focuses on a different step of one particular girl's journey into this awful, unspoken world. It forces the viewer to put themselves into the mind of this young woman, using sounds, smells, and mirrors to further engage the viewer. The one portable that is still making my stomach turn was a bedroom set-up.

I could smell the room before I even stepped through the door, and it was horrendous - Absolutely gut-wrenching. The stench from the dirty carpet, the condoms covering the floor, and the overflowing trash can is still lingering in my nose; at one point, after about thirty seconds in the room, I had to bring my scarf to my face and breath through it because I couldn't stand the smell any longer. There was a motor inside the bed making it move up and down in an obvious sexual rhythm, with a very disturbing soundtrack coming from hidden speakers.

By the time I reached the last portable, I couldn't quite pin-point my emotions. I felt sad, disgusted, dirty, and ashamed, yet also thankfully enlightened. How despicable it is that we live in a world where things like this happen, completely under the radar. Thank God for people like Emma Thompson and the Helen Bamer Foundation for bringing realities like this to the world's attention.

This exhibit is making its way around the country, but it only shows for about a week, and then it moves on. If it happens to come to a city near you, or if you get a opportunity to experience it, I highly recommend you do so. Words cannot describe this experience and the power it conveys.

unbelievably beautiful.

star struck.

UPDATED: 11.11.09

I figure I should probably start a running list of the different celebrities I see in the city. I mean, I spend most of my time in a chic part of Manhattan, so it's bound to happen. Let's see how many I have seen by the end of the year...

(Most recent sighting is listed first, least recent is listed last, etc...)

-James Franco, actor
-JOSH RITTER, musician (my all-time favorite musician, mind you...)
-Emma Thompson, actress
-Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City
-Lance Armstrong, athlete
-Jude Law, actor
-James Cromwell, actor
-Spencer Breslin, actor
-Hilary Duff, actress/singer
-Chris Noth, actor
-Christian Siriano, winner of Project Runway (Season Four)
-Liev Schrieber, actor
-Dara Torres, olympic swimmer