Lifeskills: what I failed to learn at Princeton: Do Not Underestimate the Power of Groupon and LivingSocial

There are more things to do in New York City than there is time in the day, and, in most cases, more money that is in my wallet. Unfortunately, I've realized that when you live and work in New York City, you gradually neglect to see, or become oblivious to, the "magic" that countless tourists flock to see from all corners of the world. My indifference became apparent when I saw an advertisement to see Paula Dean speak at a Times Talks event. I was actually excited to get out and see something. The ironic part is that I had this sensation as I was dodging traffic while crossing the street looking down at all of the blinding lights from Times Square (my office is located only a couple of blocks away).

Although the talk itself was somewhat different than what I had expected (it focused more on her personal life and struggles rather than a talk about her cooking), the book signing after the talk redeemed my $50 ticket. As it turns out her body guard (I am assuming that is his responsibility) is named Hollis. Until that point in time I had never met a male Hollis before (it is, after all, traditionally a boy's name - the masculine version of Holly). So during the wait in line to have Paula sign my cookbook, decided to introduce myself to Hollis. It was truly a bizarre experience trying to introduce myself to...myself. Paula overheard the conversation between the two Hollises, and was curious how I came about my name, and her husband Michael told me that I was the prettiest Hollis they had ever seen (which is not that great of an accomplishment when you consider that I was being compared to a very large and muscular man).

As a result of this experience, I resolved to be a active tourist in the city on a regular basis. There really is no excuse. Take home lesson: one of the best places for super deals to get out and about in your own city is Groupon and/or LivingSocial. I have used both several times and have always been satisfied with my deals (see also Blue Smoke BBQ for evidence as to how much fun you can have through these discount websites).