Finding Gaby

yotobari288:

It’s because of the fact that I keep on seeing Stana doing it, and I just caught on.

waitimtotallyobsessed:

or waiting for castle to break Josh’s jaw..

But I won’t. I’ll be a good girl and wait for it on itunes. Yeah right

I’m currently sitting in the Toronto Airport munching on wine-gums. Hilariously, despite everything that has happened today, this is exactly how I pictured myself now.

I’ve learned the hard way today that I don’t do well with sudden changes or having to make the impossible possible.

I guess I might as well start from the beginning.

Woke up this morning in Queens with enough time to shower, get breakfast, check the internet and get another 30 minutes of sleep before having to call the social worker to figure out where to pick up my grandmother.

Called a taxi, made my way over to the hospital and everything went very smoothly, as things usually do before all hell breaks lose.

 The social worker and the hospital staff in Queens were all very nice and very helpful. And were generally concerned for my grandmother’s well being. I don’t know if I should a thank you note once we reach Margarita.

 It wasn’t until we got to the airport where things just fell apart (and it was bound to, that’s how the universe works). Turns out to go to Canada, even if you’re just going to be hanging out at the airport for 5 hours you need to have a visa. Well not Americans, but people from other countries.

 My aunt’s passport is from Venezuela, and to enter Canada, she needed a visa. Now to get a visa in a few hours is not something that is done, or can be done from what the recording from the Canadian Consulate informed me. So in having my aunt come with us to Canada to then take the connecting flight to Venezuela was out of the question, and that’s where things just went bad.

 I ran around Laguardia, trying to figure out how to get my aunt on a flight that would beat our flight or at least one around the same time. Not an easy thing to do and very very stressful, seeing how I’ve never even bought my own ticket before let alone keeping my ticket, passport and various other important information at hand all while trying to coordinate flights. I do not recommend this to anyone.

 Well after some real close calls of me nearly losing my head, we finally figured something out. My and my grandmother’s flight would go on as planned (actually pushed up a few hours to not be delayed out of New York) and my aunt would go to Delta to get another flight out.

 The problem in this is, my aunt has no cellphone, so for her to contact ANYONE…well she’d have to use a pay phone, which I’ve learned still exist! And I would just have to go off to Canada on my own, scared and stressed out of my wits.

 Now its not the trip to Canada that had me worried, it was the trip FROM Canada that had me wishing I was back home, bored out of my mind. What in the world was I going to do when we got to Venezuela. Where would we go, who would I talk to about what to do!??!? In our trip plans, that’s where my aunt would take over everything and be in charge. So I was really in a pickle!

 So we split. Me and my grandmother off to the Air Canada gate and my aunt to deal with her ticket. And I was nervous, scared, stressed, frustrated… a whole mess of emotions that I’m surprised I didn’t just have an aneurysm right there because man was my head killing me. It hurt to the point that I could not see out of my right eye. Thank god I wasn’t the one flying the plane!!!

 Once on the plane I calmed down a little. Maybe it was the nice Canadians on the flight, or the fancy seats with tvs and instant movies, or that everyone was speaking in French and I just found that amazing. Either way, my heart rate was down and my head was hurting a little less and I was able to relax.

 The flight had this really cool thing that I wish American Airlines had. It was a little touch screen tv on the back of the headrest of the seat in front of you. It had this fancy menu that would down you maps, weather, news and also gave you the choice of movies or music. Of course I clicked the movies, and it was a pretty good collection of modern, independent, kids, and classics, as well as tv shows and HBO (no True Blood though, but I don’t think its appropriate for a plane ride). So I decided to watch a movie and selected Alfred Hitchcock’s “Suspicion” which my mom loves and I’ve been wanting to see for a while. Sadly I must have been very tired, or the stress finally caught up to me and I fell dead asleep for the 90 min plane ride. Oh well, I guess the nap was much needed.

 Side note- These wine-gum candy things are terrible, they taste like soap and feel like stale gummy bears, yet I can’t stop eating them!

 So once our plane landed we had to go through customs. I probably should not have had as much fun as I did. Filling out forms and having some guy check (who was cute and had that funny Canadian Accent) and double check my passport…yeah enjoyed that too much. Its probably the same reason I enjoy jury duty, voting and renewing my driver’s license.

 We now had 5 hours to kill time. So my grandmother and I just walked around our little area, checked out the stores and had some food. Bought yet another pin, a spoon for my mom and a key chain of a moose wearing a Canadian Mounty outfit which will serve as a Christmas ornament and two packets of Wine-Gums

 Now here’s the story of the wine-gums. Remember that little comment I made about the NYPD shirt and why I got it? Castle right? Yeah, exact same reason, cept that instead of having to do directly with the show, this just has to do with the actors. Both Stana Katic and Nathan Fillion are Canadian. Turns our that Fillion goes home a lot more often than Katic does and is nice enough to bring back a huge back of these candies and she just loves it. Turns out that they’re all over the set and everyone enjoys these little Canadian gummy things. So of course, I’m in Canada, why wouldn’t I seek these out and try them myself.

 Let me tell you these are possibly the second weirdest snack food I’ve ever had (first being these candied crabs from the Japan pavilion in Epcot that my ex bought and hated, I had maybe 4 of them. They weren’t bad, but not something I could finish an entire packett of). I don’t know how to exactly describe it. But all I can think of is a quote from Castle in regards to some Russian candy “It tastes like soap. I like it” because that’s exactly what its like. It does take like soap, it has the consistency of a very stiff and rubbery gummy bear yet I can’t stop myself from grabbing another piece from the roll. I bought two rolls. One to have now and another to save for when I get back to Miami…in a month! Or maybe just to get pictures of with my shirt? Oh boy, I’m such a fan girl.

 So that’s where I find myself now. Sitting in the very very beautiful Toronto airport, waiting for time to pass so that we can board our flight and be on our way and maybe put an end to this chapter of my crazy trip. Ooo I’ll call it the North American chapter!

The good news is that my mom texted me to tell me that my aunt did get a flight out of New York and would be getting to Caracas before us and she would be meeting us there so we can continue on to the island of Margarita. And this nightmare of running around airports can be put off for a few more hours (we have to take a plane to the island). And that’s where my story will end to only be continued with the rest of my adventure.

 Who knows when and if i’ll have internet again. Just want to quickly say I miss my parents and my brothers, my dog and my car (though after seeing the drivers in New York… I’ll never complain about Miami drivers again!) but I’m trying to enjoy myself and things will go back to looking up again.

 I just managed to get a hold of an internet signal so I’ll end this here :)

Because nothing says “I love you” like a shot in the chest…oh wait

Ok first just want to say that my title for this piece completely sucks, but I am way too tired to come up with something snappy and eye catching, so this will just have to do. Plus it sounds so much better than “What I did on my Summer Vacation” or “My day in NYC”

I guess I’ll start off with what I actually did and then move into my “reflections” on everything and just how amazed I am with this city.

I left Miami this morning from MIA at about 8AM. Having had a pretty bad night, and only having a few hours of sleep, I found myself in a very uncomfortable position of sitting between two strangers in a tiny little space, cold, and falling asleep.

Either way, in the few short hours of the flight, I was able to squeeze in a power nap that fueled me in for the rest of my day.

Best Part- Right before take off, 3 drunk guys were kicked off the flight. Wish I had more detail, but that’s all I saw happen.

 The plane arrived at Laguardia a little early (10:30), so my aunt and I made our way to pick up our luggage and I made sure we had seats on our flight to Toronto (which really is just the layover to Venezuela). Once all that was taken care of, we took the shuttle to the hotel, which hilariously is practically right across the street.

 The interesting part of this story is, while I never had to EVER deal with transportation to and from the airport, I was kinda clueless of what to do and was relying on the expertise of my parents to guide me (magically?). They had provided me with some phone numbers to call in order to get the shuttle to take us to the hotel, cept the numbers was just to the reservation customer service line. I then called my parents and told me that, and my dad gave me a new number.

This number turned out to be for a completely different hotel.

 A comedy of errors I tell you! Luckily my fast thinking got my the right number ( I ended just calling my mom back and asking for the right one lol) and I got us to the hotel.

 Check in wasn’t for a few more hours so my aunt decided to treat me to one of those touristy tours of Manhattan, and who was I to say no! (It’s not like I’ve ever been here before!)

So we took our taxi/town car service thing through some tunnel and wah-lah! were in Manhattan. I could not stop starring out the window.

 The city was exactly how I had imagined it would be, which is really just a large compilation of everything I’ve ever seen in movies and on TV. I was very very excited to be here.

 Once at the tour place, we purchased our tickets and hauled ass to the Hudson River to catch our tour boat (YES I WAS ON A BOAT!!! More specifically, it wasn’t a Disney Boat, which pretty much covers my lifetime of boating experiences) which took us down(up?) the Hudson, past the Statue of Liberty, past the Financial district, past the fancy bridges, all the way to the Lower East Side to where it then turned around and took us back, this time REALLY close to Lady Liberty where I was able to get some great pictures.

Best part, I was at the bow of the ship, with no one in front of me (just all behind me trying to push through) so I had a very nice unobstructed view for the entire 90 minute boat ride!!!

 Now how do I got about putting into words what I felt seeing the Statue of Liberty…I did get a little choked up. I don’t know why really. Maybe its the feeling I get when I think of this country and I could go on and on about how it feels to be an American and yada yada yada, things no one really cares to hear and usually feels uncomfortable to express. But maybe it was thinking about all the people who passed under her watchful gaze before me, or the thousands of people who pitched in what little money the had to build it when times were worse off than they are now… just the general history of its creation, which sadly isn’t taught in schools anymore, a history I had to go learn on my own…

 Looking up from the boat, seeing her serious face and thinking of those lines from that poem “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” all I could think about was the thousands upon thousand of people who looked to the Statue of Liberty for what it is, and incredible and seriously moving symbol of liberty in this new world, instead of what people see it as now, just another tourist attraction in the grand scheme of things in NY. But to me, it was all that and more. I looked at the statue, I thought of the people before me, and I reflected (i hate to use that word) on what freedom and Liberty means to me, now living in the 21 century where some people would rather try and hurt and destroy that powerful feeling and dare I say it? Yeah…I may have cried just a little, though if you ask me about it now, I’ll just tell you it was because of the strong winds stinging my eyes.

Either way its a very powerful and moving thing to experience.

 Once back on land we took one of the tour buses to Chelsea where we realized that we were never gonna make it to the Financial District to see Ground Zero up close, all due to the Pride Parade.

 From what I’ve been able to discern from overheard conversations. The Pride Parade began as an anniversary party thing in remembrance of the beginning of the equality fight for Gays and Transgendered in New York in the 1960s, where they fought to overturn the law which made it illegal for men to wear women’s clothing and women to wear men’s clothing. I could be completely wrong on this, but its what I heard.

SOOO they have this parade every year. And it just so happens that this year it corresponded with New York FINALLY making it legal for Gay to marry (which in my opinion should have never been up for debate. There should be no limit or law stopping someone from legally spending the rest of their life with the person they love, be it man or woman. I draw the line at animals though….)

 Anyways, back to my story. BIG ASS PARADE!! It started at 10AM and by the time we reached 5th ave, it was prob 4PM and it was still going on strong.

There was no way we were going to be able to catch our bus to continue on our tour seeing how practically ALL the streets were closed due to the massive amount of people just having an amazing time. I’ve never seen so many happy and excited people in my life, and I worked at Disney remember? The feeling in the air was electric and you realized that not only was this a party to celebrate life and love and what have you, but also to celebrate a very historically significant moment in all our lives, in which people finally pulled their heads out of their butts to realize that there should be NO law prohibiting people from being happy.

In a way, I was very very lucky to be in New York for this. It certainly was a random beneficially good happenstance.

 Well once we made our way through the parade line, we found ourselves at the Empire State Building. In my head I was playing those iconic scenes from the movies. King Kong, An Affair to Remember (which I never actually finished) and Sleepless in Seattle, and I was beyond excited go into something so historically and culturally incredible that I could hardly contain my grin. The most amazing part? THERE WAS NO LINE!!!!!!! Which I hear is a very very strange thing to behold.

Well we made our way up to the observation deck (the 86th floor) and I realized then that THAT was the highest I’ve ever been in in a building. Before that the record either went to the Capitol Building in Tallahassee or the Washington Monument, at the moment I don’t know which is taller. And the view from the ESB was INCREDIBLE!! I could see everything. And for someone who has never even been north of DC, I knew my iconic landmarks pretty well.

 Best part- seeing the Dakota from the ESB. Though it was pretty small and kinda hidden from some of the other buildings, the fact that it was there just…gah I don’t know, I don’t have a word for how it made me feel. It kinda felt like that moment right before I got a chance to go down into the utilidor and costuming area in Disney. Crazy anticipation but excitement as well.

I’ve dreamed about visiting the Dakota ever since I read about it in “Time and Again” and though I didn’t actually get a chance to see it up close, its something I now have to look forward to when I return.

 In the ESB gift shop I got myself 2 pins for my collection, a spoon for my mom’s collection, and an ornament for my dad’s…um…collection? All very cool stuff.

 Once we left, we made our way down 34th St where I ducked into a small touristy shop and picked up an NYPD tee-shirt.

Now I could try and come up with all these nice and meaningful reasons as to why I got this shirt, but that would just be wrong and mean. The real reason I wanted this shirt so badly is because I’m a fangirl and that’s about it.

Much like when I went to DC in middle school I got myself an FBI shirt for the X-files, same reason applies here. I got myself the NYPD shirt all because of Castle. Lucky me the show is set here and not say LA.

 We were lucky that as soon as we left the shop our tour bus pulled right in front to pick us up. It then took us through

• Chelsea
• The West Village
• Tribeca
• Soho
• The Financial District
• China Town
• The Lower East Side
• The East Village
• Murray Hill
• Midtown East
• The Theater District

Where we then got off the bus and decided to take a taxi back to Queens, back to the hotel for dinner to then pass out.

Somehow in all our wanderings of Manhattan, we completely forgot to eat and drink lol. So we were just running on our morning coffee and pure adrenalin. And you know what? I could keep going if I could.

 Tomorrow we leave for Venezuela, but I don’t want to leave New York.

 I understand now, at least to some extent why people love this city so much. Why poets and writers and painters and just artists in general try to do their very best by it. Why its residents work their asses off to preserve its histories and help move the city into the future.

Its residents are very very protective of the city they love and its people who live here, but they are very warm and kind when they see that you, as a visitor are here to experience what they call home, to try and capture that feeling of a sense of belonging to something bigger than yourself. Can you believe that I did not encounter a single mean person? Maybe they’re all in Jersey? lol

 That is a feeling I could never get in Miami, or even Florida. And while I can’t fully compare the two cities because they are just so different, I know which one I would choose as my favorite, and this is coming from just spending a few hours running around like a nut. (just want to say, i’ve going to avoid all talking of Miami-bashing, for while there are a few things I don’t like about…ok more than a few, it is my home, and I have to treat it as such)

 Its obvious that life in Manhattan is not an easy one. Its crowded, noisy, gray, a little tough and very stressful. But this kinda life breeds a certain type of people who are perfect for this environment. Because while they are tough and noisy and stressed they all appreciate what life has to offer and make an effort to enjoy the little things. I could tell this by just watching the people as they made their way on a typically sunday. Going to the market, buying fruit, walking to the subway, attending some community event, going to the garden, walking their dog, etc etc. Its the little things like this that make you want to move to NY and just try and find your little corner in it all and try to belong to something bigger than yourself. Its really an amazing thing to see and experience.

 Now throw in a giant city wide party and well, its not surprise that a bunch of happy gays could make anyone feel like they want to belong!!

 I’ve only spent a few hours exploring the city getting a very very small taste of everything it has to offer (never made to any of the stores or central park or even the museums) but already you can call me a fan, only who is slowly falling in love with the idea that is New York.

Now imagine how I’d be if I had spent the whole weekend or week….

just-ask-why:

iilovecastle:

That fandom must be pretty cool ;]

I still haven’t made mine! Gotta get down to it, FAST!

Went and saw Cars 2 with my brothers. (also had Johnny Rocket’s for dinner..)

Was supposed to see that movie with the ex (who is a HUGE car guy). So it was a little hard at first (broken heart and all), but that’s what I love about my brothers. They will do ANYTHING to make me laugh, and they had me in stitches!!!

The movie was way better than I had anticipated, and yes I cried.

Not Toy Story 3-I-need-to-see-a-therapist-my-heart-is-breaking-this-movie-is-beyond-amazing crying, but Aw-my-heart-strings-have-been-tugged crying.

And it looked beyond beautiful. Def recommend everyone see it in 3D.

Now I have to start finish packing so I can hit the hay and be ready for my crazy early flight to NYC in the morning.

I’m told I will have internet access at the hotel, but once monday rolls around its all ????? from there.

Here’s hoping thins turn out for the best.

This is FindingGaby, AgentGabs, or just plain Gaby signing off!!

MISS YOU ALL!

So i’ve been getting a few messages over the Stana Bracelet (which would have just been the Beckett Bracelet if she hadn’t worn it on Jimmy Kimmel) in regards to how “creepy” (as someone put it) it was to want to make it and wear in seeing how we know NOTHING about it other than the fact she’s wearing it for the majority of season 3.

Um…I’m sorry? Creepy? 

Making and wearing a bracelet that could mean anything to anyone who sees it is suddenly “creepy”?? 

Yeah because the thousand and 1 pictures and gifs on your tumblr isn’t enough to label you a “creepy” fan…

I really am not liking this side of the fandom…

Here’s the thing people. Its just a bracelet. Something someone thought up to do as a fandom, something to bring us all a little closer in our support for this great show. NO ONE SAID it had to be the colors of Stana’s bracelet. NO ONE SAID it had to be the Castle colors. NO ONE SAID YOU EVEN HAD TO MAKE ONE!

I choose to do the Stana bracelet because I thought it was an interesting thing to do. I spent that time looking up the videos because I wanted to. And after seeing the bracelet in a clearer light and noting the details, I decided to use the same colors because they are a nice selection of colors and usually when make bracelets (which i haven’t done in 10+ years) they always end up looking kinda tacky

What I don’t understand is how by doing this makes me “creepy”. I’m not running around Miami proclaiming that the only reason I’m wearing my bracelet is because of some actress and a tv show. As far as anyone knows or cares its just something on my wrist. 

And as far as tumblr is concerned, i just put up those pictures and my little guide as a service to other fans who maybe want to do the same.

Its the same thing as if a fan wanted to wear those damn boat neck shirts she wears. Or getting a mug or note pad, or hell even wearing the Castle-themed t-shirts that ABC wears. Its just a way for fans to feel a little closer to the things they love. A way to show support, a thank you if you will. But all in all its nothing in the grand scheme of things.

So you meany people out there, before you start judging me for making and wearing this bracelet, take a look at yourself and your tumblr and see whether or not you fit in the same category or worse and just lay the f off.

not cool people, not cool at all.

Guh, I finally get enough followers to fill a very large bus.

I make a crazy amount of new fandom friends

and what happens? Family emergency that has me running around the Northern part of the US to then end up spending the better part of my summer in Venezuela. (just a little out of my normal comfort zone)

Not cool universe…not cool at all.

Here’s hoping where ever I end up has a decent internet connection so that I may continue this craziness that is the Castle Fandom!!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU GUYS AND WILL MISS EVERYTHING!!!!

Mini-update on packing and such.

Have all 4 seasons of chuck now, should last me the month or so i’m gone (along with my other shows). Here’s hoping I like it. All you wonderful Castle fans who suggested the show, I’ll blame all of you if I don’t like it. 

…and I’ll still blame all of you if I suddenly become a fan lol.

Am thinking of picking out a few more ebooks in case the ones I do have with me (and the real books i’m taking with me) don’t hold my attention/are enough. Any suggestions???

Tomorrow i’m going shopping for some last minute items (clothes, shoes, extra set of headphones…) 

Damn I really hope I’m not gonna forget anything, though I won’t know till i actually PACK! LOL YAY for leaving EVERYTHING at last minute, though this trip is last minute so…yeah

So I also learned my trip is gonna have a bunch of unexpected stops.

Will be in NY for about..oh a day! so I gotta see what I’m gonna do. Will be in Queens so…yeah. No clue. (you know for a FACT I’m gonna get me something NYPD-like…be all beckett like!)

Will be in Toronto for a few hours, but I don’t think long enough to leave the airport! (you know for a FACT I’m gonna get me something Canada-like… be all stana like!)

When I make my way back to Miami in a month or so, my flight will be stopping in Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. Will be there for a few hours as well.

CRAZY!! gonna have more stamps in my passport!!! which I think is empty at the moment!!!

I think that’s it?