Bring May Flowers

Erica Monthly- May Issue.pdf

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My favorite month just came and went! A little digital hug from me to you. May has been packed with big moments, beautiful memories, and some serious miles (both emotional and literal). Before we dive in, let’s address the delay in getting this letter out. Life, as usual, had other plans. First, poor Hunter (my dog or firstborn child) got scratched in the eyeball by the cat, yes, you read that right, so I had to take him to the vet and keep a close eye on him for a few days while he healed. Then I got sick, and what should have been a typical cold ended up triggering a flare in my asthma. It got bad enough that I ended up in the emergency room just to breathe properly. It wasn’t fun, and as a result, I’ve had to take a short break from running to give my lungs some rest. The timing wasn’t ideal, but we’re bouncing back. Now, onto the good stuff: I made the trip up to Syracuse to celebrate some of my favorite people graduating, I rang in another trip around the sun with some birthday joy. Honored my mom for Mother’s Day, enjoyed a couple of great concerts, and crossed the finish line at yet another half marathon. There’s a lot to unpack. Let’s dive into the highs and everything in between.

Concerts & Not

One of the biggest highlights this month was seeing Rauw Alejandro live, and let me just say, this man never disappoints. The energy, the dancing, the production, the vibe… everything about the show was top-tier. Truly a show you didn’t wanna miss. On the flip side, Brooklyn Mirage has been a bit of a headache. After announcing they'd reopen on May 1st following renovations, the venue is still closed (Today is June 1st). I’ve already had two shows either rescheduled or canceled because of it, and the lack of communication has been frustrating, to say the least. Hopefully, they get things back on track soon, but for now, it’s been a real letdown.

Celebrations

If I’m being honest, my birthday weekend has quietly taken a backseat ever since college started, always landing right in the middle of graduation season or finals. This year was no different, except now it also had to compete with Mother’s Day. Let’s just say… the spotlight was a little crowded. Nevertheless, Congratulations to all the graduates of the Class of 2025. To kick things off, I had to head up to Syracuse to move out of the house I was supposed to be living in this year. That took up all of Thursday and Friday (why do I own so much stuff?). The original plan was to attend Black Grad on Friday, since most of my friends were walking that day, and just attend one Saturday 8 am ceremony before heading home. Of course, plans changed. I ended up pushing my bus to late Saturday night/early Sunday morning. Not my brightest move, considering I dinner plans that night for my birthday in NYC, Saturday night. Spoiler: I didn’t make it. But in the midst of all the chaos and rearranged schedules, a few of my friends made time to cut me a birthday cake, and I’m so grateful we were able to squeeze that moment in. It meant a lot. I did make it home in time for Mother’s Day, and my family and I celebrated both my birthday and my mom at brunch. At that point, I was running on fumes, but we made the most of it. Not the most restful birthday, but it was full of love, and that counts for something.

Race Day Again

I know, you’re probably tired of hearing about race day. Don’t worry, I’ve got maybe one, two big races left this year. That said, this one was something else. I ran the Brooklyn Half Marathon with New York Road Runners (NYRR), and let me tell you, this race took me out. I finished in 2 hours and 33 minutes, and while the course itself wasn’t too bad (a few hills through Prospect Park in the first six miles, then a long stretch down Ocean Parkway, the humidity and heat were on another level. It was hard to breathe, my knee flared up, and I even had some chest pain during the run. It was easily the toughest race I’ve done so far, and I was absolutely dragging by the end. We finished at Coney Island, and the atmosphere there was incredible music, cheering, and people celebrating. I wish I could have soaked it in more, but I was just trying to keep myself upright at that point. This race also had a somber note. I was telling my mom afterward, I’ve never seen so many runners need serious medical attention. People were passing out, being carried to the finish line, or rushed to medics. Tragically, one runner, Charles Rogers, 31, passed away during the race near mile 8. I didn’t know him, but I wanted to take a moment to honor him. Rest in peace, Charles.

Everyday Stuff

Beyond the major events, May was also full of smaller moments that made the month feel whole, the kind of details that don’t always make headlines but still matter. I finally got my nose re-pierced, and I am officially discharged from physical therapy, no more weekly appointments, no more bands and balance drills. There were plenty of Trader Joe’s runs, even more Juice Generation stops(iykyk). I’m not huge on sports, but there was a lot of learning new basketball terms and cheering for the Knicks. Work has been… chaotic. People are quitting left and right, and that’s all I have to say about that. I hung out with the girls and watched Sinners; it was so good, 10/10 recommend.

Trails & Tribulations

When I imagined being a car owner, I thought it would feel like freedom. Independence. Maybe even a little glamorous. One month in, and let’s just say… I’ve been humbled. So far, I’ve gotten the car towed, picked up a parking ticket, completely embarrassed myself trying to park, and learned (the hard way) that you can’t drive into the city without an E-ZPass. It’s been a journey. The worst moment? That would be when I went to pick up my brother’s birthday cake. I parked in the lot of a supermarket, and instead of going inside, I popped into the dollar store right next to it to grab balloons. I was gone for maybe five minutes. I walked out, and the car was gone. Like, gone. Panic set in fast. A few people in the lot told me it had been towed, and then some random man (who clearly took joy in delivering bad news) explained that because I hadn’t actually bought anything from the supermarket, they towed me. "Parking is for customers only." Cue the tears. I tried the whole “I’m just a girl” bit, hoping maybe it’d help, but it didn’t. I still had to pay. I did, however, manage to talk him down from $150 to $125. Still brutal, but I took it. Owning a car is not for the weak.

Coming Up & Closing

Happy Pride Month! June is already shaping up to be full of excitement. First up, I’m seeing El Alfa (not at Brooklyn Mirage), I already know his set is going to be amazing. Then, in one of the biggest highlights of the month, I’ll be heading to Mexico City to run the Nike After Dark Half Marathon. But even more than the race, I can’t wait to explore CDMX, the food, the culture, the city itself. Love Island season 7 is also airing next week. I know it’s not gonna be as good as season 6, but I still have hope. I’ll also be starting my new job this month, which feels like another big step forward, and I’m looking forward to diving into some new projects this month. So much to look forward to. As always, thank you for reading and being part of this little monthly check-in. Here’s to a joyful, intentional, and adventure-filled June. Talk to you soon.

Let's Talk About 30

Even though I’ve still got a few years before I hit 30, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the kind of life I want to build, the experiences I want to have, the people I want to grow with, and the things I don’t want to keep putting off. So I decided to start a “30 Before 30” list, which, if you haven’t heard of it, is exactly what it sounds like: a list of 30 things I want to do before I turn 30. I already have a handful of ideas written down, but I’m keeping the full list to myself for now until it feels complete. I don’t know if I’ll check every single thing off; it’s more about intention than perfection. But it feels good to start thinking about what kind of memories I want to make as this next chapter slowly starts to come into view.

Song Of The Month

Ribs by Lorde is the song of the month. A song that somehow captures everything I’ve been feeling lately. Even though it came out back in 2013, it just recently made its way onto my playlist. There’s something about the way it sounds soft, distant, a little hazy that makes me feel like I’m floating through a vacation day with nowhere to be. But lyrically, it hit especially hard this month. The line “it feels so scary, getting old” stuck with me because turning 24 is scary. The song just perfectly captures that feeling of time moving too fast, of growing up, and feeling it in real time.