the last document finally arrived in the mail today to complete my set of tax materials to send to my accountant. i found it in the mail box at around 3p. so i immediately printed out my other finalized documents and organized what i needed to make copies of. i ran to kinko's down the block. then, i ran down a few more blocks to the post office.
when i arrived, there were two long lines of people, each at least ten deep. i quickly stuffed, labeled, and sealed a priority mail envelope and hopped in one of the lines. i picked the one being served by three open windows than the line for only two open windows. while i waited, i noticed that an elderly gentleman a couple of people ahead of me was extremely chatty. he was mostly commenting on the number of people in the post office today. it was around 4p on a friday so the lines were not a surprise. then, i realized he was talking to the guy with facial piercings in front of him specifically.
it turned out that guy with the piercings had to catch a flight and was getting antsy about the wait. the elderly man, in his eastern european accent, began to ask every person ahead of them in line if they would allow the guy with the piercings to cut in front of them. someone started chuckling as the elderly man was making the small scene. i thought it was very brave and thoughtful of elderly man to make the effort to help a stranger. everyone yielded.
the guy with the piercings received instructions from the postal worker at the window to package item appropriately and set off to do so. the elderly man kept watching over him and pointing out how he needed to put more tape on the box. it was as if he had taken on this stranger on as his own son. the guy with the piercings finally finished sending out his package and thanked the elderly man on his way out. the elderly man, then, took his turn at the window and started to chat up the postal worker at the window.
the guy ahead of me in line noticed that the elderly man was just chatting too. he waited until the elderly man had finished his transaction and impatiently walked up to the window to nudge him out of the way. the elderly man didn't take offense at all; he actually apologized for talking too much as he left.
as i waited my turn and witnessed this commotion, i realized that this post office is one of the few in the city that does not have the bullet-proof glass windows. you can hand the postal worker your package directly, not through a cage. the postal worker who helped me was a little annoyed at first when i did not know the amount of stamps i had place on the envelope. there was a set of first class stamps the post office sold that did not indicate their value so i could not tabulate the stamps. it turned out that i still owed a little bit more. as we tried to figure out how to make up for the difference, whether to add more stamps that i had with me or just pay, i made a comment that i will do which ever was the fastest because the people behind me in line were getting agitated. then, the postal worker actually laughed and said that you can never please those people. it was as if she melted from an icy postal worker into a warm human being. we exchanged a pleasant good bye, and as i left the window, i heard grumblings about the long lines. i want to say to these people, "this is new york on a friday afternoon. of course there will be long lines. everyone is doing their best, and there's nothing you can do. you might as well just make the best of it." but i didn't. i would just sound naive and annoyingly cheerful. so i exited the building and hurried back to my apartment.
Showing posts with label strange encounters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label strange encounters. Show all posts
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Friday, September 12, 2008
rainy days and cigarette butts
i had dinner plans with my father this evening. we were to meet at the canal/centre subway station in chinatown. chinatown is always a little gross with the wafts of day(s)-old-seafood odor hanging in the air and mysterious murky puddles that if one were to see some mutated creature emerging from their surface, he/she should not be surprised. but rain elevates this grossness to another level, and it was raining.
i arrived there early, and while waiting for him, a homeless man caught my attention. he started to yell about something. i was on the phone with l and so didn't really listen to what he was saying. but the bits of "you chinese" that i caught makes me think that it was somewhat racist. he's homeless probably because he has a mental illness though, and i would rather not antagonize someone who doesn't bathe and clean on a regular basis to avoid making any level of physical contact with them.
while scanning the crowd, looking for my father, i noticed a lit half-smoked cigarette had fallen to the ground. then, i saw the homeless man reaching for it. i had to hold up the magazine in my hand to avoid seeing what was going to happen but then had to look to confirm my suspicions. yes, he dropped it on the wet, nasty ground, picked it up, put it on his lips, and continued to smoke it. after a couple of puffs and more ranting, he dropped it again. the gesture seemed almost deliberate. i couldn't help but wonder if he found the cigarette tastier when dipped in street juice.
what is it with rain and cigarettes and crazy people?
i arrived there early, and while waiting for him, a homeless man caught my attention. he started to yell about something. i was on the phone with l and so didn't really listen to what he was saying. but the bits of "you chinese" that i caught makes me think that it was somewhat racist. he's homeless probably because he has a mental illness though, and i would rather not antagonize someone who doesn't bathe and clean on a regular basis to avoid making any level of physical contact with them.
while scanning the crowd, looking for my father, i noticed a lit half-smoked cigarette had fallen to the ground. then, i saw the homeless man reaching for it. i had to hold up the magazine in my hand to avoid seeing what was going to happen but then had to look to confirm my suspicions. yes, he dropped it on the wet, nasty ground, picked it up, put it on his lips, and continued to smoke it. after a couple of puffs and more ranting, he dropped it again. the gesture seemed almost deliberate. i couldn't help but wonder if he found the cigarette tastier when dipped in street juice.
what is it with rain and cigarettes and crazy people?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
stranger at the hotel
we went to the gramercy park hotel yesterday in search of a rooftop bar. the weather was kind of dreary, and because of the rain earlier in the day, the hotel decided to cover up the bar which defeated the point of our mission.
instead, we went to downstairs, to the lobby level, to check out the art work. the hotel had the good taste of hiring someone to purchase art by keith haring, andy warhol, basquiat, and the likes. i was especially taken by one piece, a mosiac consisting of painted butterflies. the effect was quite astonishing. i was looking at it to observe the pattern and imagining the work, the planning and the discipline that this piece must've required, and was searching for the artist's signature. all of a sudden, a man in his fifties walked up and asked me what i was looking at. i was completely taken by surprise; the room had been empty except for r, j, and me.
r immediately walked up next to me. the man kept talking, a little tipsy having ben drinking in the other room where the bar extended. i grabbed r's hand, out of a bit of fear, unsure what the man was up to. i thought it's not a bad idea to let him know that i have a boyfriend, especially one who's bigger than him.
the man then asked if we would like for him to recite an oscar wilde poem. out of fear of his reaction if i had rejected his offer, i said yes. i just figured it was probaby safer to go along with whatever he said. by now, we had caught j's attention. so the three of us listened and watched this man recite the poem. his performance was actually excellent.
a couple had strolled in during this recital. after he had finished, he shook our hands and went over to the other couple. then, he offered to recite another poem, which i can't recall. my guess is that he's an actor, but i was a little creeped out by how much he was looking, almost staring, at me, looking over at the others every once in a while as if remembering there were others watching him. finally, he went back to the other room where he claimed his girlfriend had been waiting.
it's not something atypical to happen in new york, but i was not expecting the unsolicited attention in a place as nice as the gramercy park hotel. i guess i shouldn't be surprised, but i don't think i will ever get used to being approached by strangers, whatever the reason.
instead, we went to downstairs, to the lobby level, to check out the art work. the hotel had the good taste of hiring someone to purchase art by keith haring, andy warhol, basquiat, and the likes. i was especially taken by one piece, a mosiac consisting of painted butterflies. the effect was quite astonishing. i was looking at it to observe the pattern and imagining the work, the planning and the discipline that this piece must've required, and was searching for the artist's signature. all of a sudden, a man in his fifties walked up and asked me what i was looking at. i was completely taken by surprise; the room had been empty except for r, j, and me.
r immediately walked up next to me. the man kept talking, a little tipsy having ben drinking in the other room where the bar extended. i grabbed r's hand, out of a bit of fear, unsure what the man was up to. i thought it's not a bad idea to let him know that i have a boyfriend, especially one who's bigger than him.
the man then asked if we would like for him to recite an oscar wilde poem. out of fear of his reaction if i had rejected his offer, i said yes. i just figured it was probaby safer to go along with whatever he said. by now, we had caught j's attention. so the three of us listened and watched this man recite the poem. his performance was actually excellent.
a couple had strolled in during this recital. after he had finished, he shook our hands and went over to the other couple. then, he offered to recite another poem, which i can't recall. my guess is that he's an actor, but i was a little creeped out by how much he was looking, almost staring, at me, looking over at the others every once in a while as if remembering there were others watching him. finally, he went back to the other room where he claimed his girlfriend had been waiting.
it's not something atypical to happen in new york, but i was not expecting the unsolicited attention in a place as nice as the gramercy park hotel. i guess i shouldn't be surprised, but i don't think i will ever get used to being approached by strangers, whatever the reason.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
indoor rain
i'm terribly behind on blogging, but here are the reasons: r's apartment flooded 2 weekends ago, and i'm moving there this sunday. yeah, i'm actually moving to a fema-like apartment. it's actually not that bad. at least the dry walls are not molding...yet.
r lives on the 1st floor of his apartment building. the unit on the 3rd floor, directly above his, encountered a water pipe busting. it was the sprinkler pipe, to be exact. it's a really old building, a converted knitting factory, and my guess is that the sprinkler system is the same one that was put in place when buildings were finally required to install certain safety features.
water just poured, POURED, from the pipe, raining through the floors, through r's and eventually to the basement unit where it all collected. we were sleeping in and woke up to what we thought was a rain storm. but then, we were puzzled that the rain sounded like it was coming from the wall behind us, where the bathroom was. so r, being the man, got out of bed and climbed down the loft to investigate. i followed him. when he swung open the bathroom door, we saw rain. it literally was raining IN the bathroom. and then the rain moved to the kitchen, then to the hallway just outside his unit. it was rain beyond pots, pans, or buckets.
the fire department showed up and somehow found a way to stop the water. when r went up stairs to check out the 3rd floor, the girl who lives there was in tears. you are totally helpless when water is just pouring from a pipe or the ceiling. the guy on the 2nd floor was out of town. being the holiday weekend, the super was away, and no one could even go into his apartment to try to help him save his belongings.
luckily, we were able to move things out of the way, mostly furniture, to avoid any damages. the management company has started the process of getting the insurance company doing their thing so construction to repair the building can start soon.
i'm still moving all my stuff there on sunday. lightning doesn't hit the same spot twice, right?
r lives on the 1st floor of his apartment building. the unit on the 3rd floor, directly above his, encountered a water pipe busting. it was the sprinkler pipe, to be exact. it's a really old building, a converted knitting factory, and my guess is that the sprinkler system is the same one that was put in place when buildings were finally required to install certain safety features.
water just poured, POURED, from the pipe, raining through the floors, through r's and eventually to the basement unit where it all collected. we were sleeping in and woke up to what we thought was a rain storm. but then, we were puzzled that the rain sounded like it was coming from the wall behind us, where the bathroom was. so r, being the man, got out of bed and climbed down the loft to investigate. i followed him. when he swung open the bathroom door, we saw rain. it literally was raining IN the bathroom. and then the rain moved to the kitchen, then to the hallway just outside his unit. it was rain beyond pots, pans, or buckets.
the fire department showed up and somehow found a way to stop the water. when r went up stairs to check out the 3rd floor, the girl who lives there was in tears. you are totally helpless when water is just pouring from a pipe or the ceiling. the guy on the 2nd floor was out of town. being the holiday weekend, the super was away, and no one could even go into his apartment to try to help him save his belongings.
luckily, we were able to move things out of the way, mostly furniture, to avoid any damages. the management company has started the process of getting the insurance company doing their thing so construction to repair the building can start soon.
i'm still moving all my stuff there on sunday. lightning doesn't hit the same spot twice, right?
Saturday, May 24, 2008
byog
on our walk from the train station to r's apt last night, we walked past two girls and overheard the words, "bring your own gun." i didn't catch anything else they said so this might be totally taken out of context. still, i can't think of anything it could mean other than a new party theme i haven't heard of until now. it's not the type of party i should attend anyway. i'm pretty clumsy.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
gotta have that smoke
last friday night, i was waiting under the virgin music building in union square to meet r for dinner. being a popular meeting place, there were quite a few people that came in and out of that area. it was also raining so the number of meeting places that provided shelter became more limited.
the people who stopped by were in their late teens, 20s, early 30s. then, a guy showed up, a bit older than the normal crowd. he set his bag on the ground and picked up a cigarette butt. to my horror, he proceeded to put it to his lips and attempted to pull a drag from it. he appeared unsuccessful on the first try so he looked for other butts.
he didn't have a light on him or asked anyone for it, pretty much keeping to himself. he seemed as if he was trying to suck just something, anything, out of them. i'd say a rainy night would prove to be a disadvantage to his feat. but maybe i had mistaken what he was looking for, maybe not a smoke but just something to do while waiting for the rain to subside.
the people who stopped by were in their late teens, 20s, early 30s. then, a guy showed up, a bit older than the normal crowd. he set his bag on the ground and picked up a cigarette butt. to my horror, he proceeded to put it to his lips and attempted to pull a drag from it. he appeared unsuccessful on the first try so he looked for other butts.
he didn't have a light on him or asked anyone for it, pretty much keeping to himself. he seemed as if he was trying to suck just something, anything, out of them. i'd say a rainy night would prove to be a disadvantage to his feat. but maybe i had mistaken what he was looking for, maybe not a smoke but just something to do while waiting for the rain to subside.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
fat ass and little pricks
on my way home last night, i took a seat on a bench for two on the subway. since it was fairly empty when i got on, i sat with my bag taking up the seat next to me and put my nose to a magazine. more people boarded during the next couple of stops, and one woman sat down next to me. her friend blocked me in by taking the seat in front of me.
i moved my bag, just standing it upright between the woman and myself. she started to shove herself against my bag to the point that i became concerned that she cracked my laptop in the bag. after a minute, she said, "sweetheart, can you move your bag, like put it on the floor? it's bothering me." immediately, i noticed the stench of her cheap perfume. (i HATE perfume. you only need to wear perfume if you have major BO issues.) also, my petite stature does not give anyone the license to call me sweetheart in that tone.
to keep her from further annoying me, i just moved the bag onto my lap. it was annoying because there were other empty seats on the train that she could've taken. if she was uncomfortable, she could take another seat. with my irritation growing as her fat ass pushed me up against the wall, i finally just stood up to climb over her and her friend to take another seat, even while the train was still moving.
then, she had the audacity to tell me to have a nice day. really? can't people just keep their mouth shut? also, it's the end of the day already. the sun had set. my day had been nice, but her fat ass and loud mouth just squashed my evening.
even after i switched trains, i couldn't focus on my magazine. my mind kept coming up with things i should've said and/or done to her: call her "fat ass," reply with "i had a nice day until you showed up," moo her, stand next to her for the rest of my ride on that train and hover. i was so deep in thought that i missed my stop. at least i realized just one stop later.
i got off the train and proceeded my trek back to my apartment. along the way, i passed a group of high school boys, hanging outside a building. they saw me, a little asian girl, and started harassing me. it's the same game: they start off saying, "hi," just to get your attention. if you don't respond, they'll start calling you names. i got "ugly" and "no ass." (asian girls generally don't have wide hips.)
i passed them in silence, being totally outnumbered, but was, once again, thinking of things i should've said and/or done to them: wave my little finger, make a sympathetic face and say "aww, i remember how it was, boys your age, with your undeveloped little pricks, longing for your first taste of pussy," yelled back "at least i'm running home to get laid."
i made it home fine the rest of the way. i'm just glad tonight's trip home was uneventful, which is exactly how i like it.
i moved my bag, just standing it upright between the woman and myself. she started to shove herself against my bag to the point that i became concerned that she cracked my laptop in the bag. after a minute, she said, "sweetheart, can you move your bag, like put it on the floor? it's bothering me." immediately, i noticed the stench of her cheap perfume. (i HATE perfume. you only need to wear perfume if you have major BO issues.) also, my petite stature does not give anyone the license to call me sweetheart in that tone.
to keep her from further annoying me, i just moved the bag onto my lap. it was annoying because there were other empty seats on the train that she could've taken. if she was uncomfortable, she could take another seat. with my irritation growing as her fat ass pushed me up against the wall, i finally just stood up to climb over her and her friend to take another seat, even while the train was still moving.
then, she had the audacity to tell me to have a nice day. really? can't people just keep their mouth shut? also, it's the end of the day already. the sun had set. my day had been nice, but her fat ass and loud mouth just squashed my evening.
even after i switched trains, i couldn't focus on my magazine. my mind kept coming up with things i should've said and/or done to her: call her "fat ass," reply with "i had a nice day until you showed up," moo her, stand next to her for the rest of my ride on that train and hover. i was so deep in thought that i missed my stop. at least i realized just one stop later.
i got off the train and proceeded my trek back to my apartment. along the way, i passed a group of high school boys, hanging outside a building. they saw me, a little asian girl, and started harassing me. it's the same game: they start off saying, "hi," just to get your attention. if you don't respond, they'll start calling you names. i got "ugly" and "no ass." (asian girls generally don't have wide hips.)
i passed them in silence, being totally outnumbered, but was, once again, thinking of things i should've said and/or done to them: wave my little finger, make a sympathetic face and say "aww, i remember how it was, boys your age, with your undeveloped little pricks, longing for your first taste of pussy," yelled back "at least i'm running home to get laid."
i made it home fine the rest of the way. i'm just glad tonight's trip home was uneventful, which is exactly how i like it.
Monday, May 12, 2008
a miraculous restroom visit
last night, we went to dinner at ippudo, a fairly new japanese noodle place that's the rave-of-the-moment. i admit, it was delicious. the broth was heavy in flavor, and the ramen was of a good texture. we didn't get the umph or blow to the face we felt the first time we tried ramen setagaya, however, which has become one of our favorite spots. (we're actually going there tonight, for their monday special of ramen and gyoza for $12. it's pretty affordable by ny standards.)
the most impressive thing about the place though really had nothing to do with the restaurant itself, i guess. maybe it had more to do with the situation? i don't know. on our way out, we stopped by the restroom. as i landed on the basement level where we were directed, i saw a line for the men's room. r was the last in line with 2 guys ahead of him. instinctively, i looked for a line for the women's room and was confused when i didn't see one. i thought, maybe this is a unisex restroom with a single stall. but then, i noticed the picture on the door where the guys were waiting. it depicted the head of a man. so i walked past the guys to find another door with a picture depicting a woman's head. i gasped: there was a separate women's restroom! and there was a line to the men's room but not one for the women's room! how often does that happen at a typical public place?
i turned the knob, expecting it to be locked. to my surprise, though, it opened with ease. i was simply in disbelief and couldn't help but feel giddy as i stepped in, flashing the guys, still in line, a grin before i shut the door.
the most impressive thing about the place though really had nothing to do with the restaurant itself, i guess. maybe it had more to do with the situation? i don't know. on our way out, we stopped by the restroom. as i landed on the basement level where we were directed, i saw a line for the men's room. r was the last in line with 2 guys ahead of him. instinctively, i looked for a line for the women's room and was confused when i didn't see one. i thought, maybe this is a unisex restroom with a single stall. but then, i noticed the picture on the door where the guys were waiting. it depicted the head of a man. so i walked past the guys to find another door with a picture depicting a woman's head. i gasped: there was a separate women's restroom! and there was a line to the men's room but not one for the women's room! how often does that happen at a typical public place?
i turned the knob, expecting it to be locked. to my surprise, though, it opened with ease. i was simply in disbelief and couldn't help but feel giddy as i stepped in, flashing the guys, still in line, a grin before i shut the door.
Friday, May 09, 2008
boston
r and i visited boston last weekend. it was sort of a weird visit because we stayed with his friend who lives about an hour outside of the city so we weren't actually in boston. but we actually hit boston itself first on friday, to kill time waiting for his friend to arrive at his home. we went straight to the institute of contemporary art. they were in between major exhibitions so we ended up paying full admission to see just half of the museum. what they had was cool, but we felt a little gypped.
afterwards, we headed to the barking crab restaurant for a late lunch. it was within walking distance from the museum, and boston is a seafood city. we were totally disappointed, however. again, we felt gypped having ordered the crab cake appetizer. it was $12 for 3 tiny little medallions of mostly breading. we had excellent crabcakes not long ago at jacques imo's in new orleans where we could see large chunks of crab meat. then, our entrees came. i don't mind the paper plates and the whole picnic feel to the restaurant even though they were certainly not charging picnic prices for their food. the food was not that impressive though, especially for what we were paying for. overall, i would recommend avoiding this place.
we headed to r's friend's house that evening. we just took it easy, after a long drive for r, and had dinner and saw iron man. the movie was good. nothing mind blowing, but it was fun.
the oddest thing i encountered was actually the pets. i know someone who has 4 cats which, to me, is quite a handful, having grown up pretty much without pets. but r's friend has a dozen animals: 6 dogs and 6-7 cats. it was a little overwhelming for me, but i love seeing r around dogs. he has a great fondness for them and loses all inhibitions to doggy-talk to them.
since r has never been to boston before, he wanted to some of the more touristy things. he's very interested in history and wanted to do the freedom trail. unfortunately, saturday was a dismal day, and his friend suggested that we visit the museum of fine arts instead, an indoors activity. we were totally fine since we love art. we hit this museum at a good time. i LOVED the british printmaking exhibition: rhythms of modern life, british prints 1914-1939. using simple lines and forms and no more than 3 colors at a time, the artists were able to convey so much. the pieces held so much energy.
r was absolutely inspired by the antonio lopez garcia exhibit. his work is so meticulous that, upon first seeing them, i thought they were photographs, when in fact, they were paintings. r is fascinated with space, being a set designer, and loved the way lopez garcia captured an empty apartment in his paintings. i could tell he was itching to start a painting of his own.
afterwards, r's friend took us to a bar, then dinner, and another bar where one of his friends is playing in a band. when we first arrived at the bar, we had walked into "nerd night." it was nerdy people giving power points to share their extensive knowledge. r's friend's friend started heckling the presenters. immediately, i thought to myself, r's friends were the people i and my friends were escaping when we chose to apply for ncssm. i couldn't take sides. luckily, the band finally started to perform.
the next day, r and i headed into boston on our own. i wanted to visit my friends, p & d, and meet their baby girl. n is so precious. they let me hold her for a little while. apparently, d was taking pictures of everyone and anyone who holds the baby. we caught for a bit and then they walked us to a shopping center where r and i grabbed some korean food for lunch. p & d took the baby back to the their house, and r and i decided to roam the city. we were finally on our own.
we left r's truck at p & d's house and walked to the T station nearby. r wanted to compare the T to NY's metro. we got off near charles street and walked to boston commons. luckily, the weather finally cleared up. it was cloudy but not wet. so we embarked on the freedom trail, going all the way into the italian district in the north end. r really wanted to see paul revere's house, which we did. unfortunately, it was already closed by the time we made it there. but we got some italian pastry before we headed back to get the truck. that afternoon was my favorite part of the trip.
r noticed that boston is so much cleaner than new york. i couldn't agree more. maybe we were just in the nicer parts of town, but i never thought to look for feces on the sidewalk as i ALWAYS do in new york. we definitely want to go back again, but we might do it a little differently this time, like staying IN boston and putting up with ONE baby instead of a DOZEN animals.
baltimore is next on my list of places to visit with r. it will probably have to wait until june. stay tuned.
afterwards, we headed to the barking crab restaurant for a late lunch. it was within walking distance from the museum, and boston is a seafood city. we were totally disappointed, however. again, we felt gypped having ordered the crab cake appetizer. it was $12 for 3 tiny little medallions of mostly breading. we had excellent crabcakes not long ago at jacques imo's in new orleans where we could see large chunks of crab meat. then, our entrees came. i don't mind the paper plates and the whole picnic feel to the restaurant even though they were certainly not charging picnic prices for their food. the food was not that impressive though, especially for what we were paying for. overall, i would recommend avoiding this place.
we headed to r's friend's house that evening. we just took it easy, after a long drive for r, and had dinner and saw iron man. the movie was good. nothing mind blowing, but it was fun.
the oddest thing i encountered was actually the pets. i know someone who has 4 cats which, to me, is quite a handful, having grown up pretty much without pets. but r's friend has a dozen animals: 6 dogs and 6-7 cats. it was a little overwhelming for me, but i love seeing r around dogs. he has a great fondness for them and loses all inhibitions to doggy-talk to them.
since r has never been to boston before, he wanted to some of the more touristy things. he's very interested in history and wanted to do the freedom trail. unfortunately, saturday was a dismal day, and his friend suggested that we visit the museum of fine arts instead, an indoors activity. we were totally fine since we love art. we hit this museum at a good time. i LOVED the british printmaking exhibition: rhythms of modern life, british prints 1914-1939. using simple lines and forms and no more than 3 colors at a time, the artists were able to convey so much. the pieces held so much energy.
r was absolutely inspired by the antonio lopez garcia exhibit. his work is so meticulous that, upon first seeing them, i thought they were photographs, when in fact, they were paintings. r is fascinated with space, being a set designer, and loved the way lopez garcia captured an empty apartment in his paintings. i could tell he was itching to start a painting of his own.
afterwards, r's friend took us to a bar, then dinner, and another bar where one of his friends is playing in a band. when we first arrived at the bar, we had walked into "nerd night." it was nerdy people giving power points to share their extensive knowledge. r's friend's friend started heckling the presenters. immediately, i thought to myself, r's friends were the people i and my friends were escaping when we chose to apply for ncssm. i couldn't take sides. luckily, the band finally started to perform.
the next day, r and i headed into boston on our own. i wanted to visit my friends, p & d, and meet their baby girl. n is so precious. they let me hold her for a little while. apparently, d was taking pictures of everyone and anyone who holds the baby. we caught for a bit and then they walked us to a shopping center where r and i grabbed some korean food for lunch. p & d took the baby back to the their house, and r and i decided to roam the city. we were finally on our own.
we left r's truck at p & d's house and walked to the T station nearby. r wanted to compare the T to NY's metro. we got off near charles street and walked to boston commons. luckily, the weather finally cleared up. it was cloudy but not wet. so we embarked on the freedom trail, going all the way into the italian district in the north end. r really wanted to see paul revere's house, which we did. unfortunately, it was already closed by the time we made it there. but we got some italian pastry before we headed back to get the truck. that afternoon was my favorite part of the trip.
r noticed that boston is so much cleaner than new york. i couldn't agree more. maybe we were just in the nicer parts of town, but i never thought to look for feces on the sidewalk as i ALWAYS do in new york. we definitely want to go back again, but we might do it a little differently this time, like staying IN boston and putting up with ONE baby instead of a DOZEN animals.
baltimore is next on my list of places to visit with r. it will probably have to wait until june. stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
lost underground
a woman approached me at the dekalb station in brooklyn yesterday. i'd probably put her in her 50s, just a little younger than my mother. she must've been banking on the fact that i could speak cantonese. she lucked out. she asked me if this was where she would catch the N train. i told her the N train actually doesn't stop at this station. she would need to take the R train to the next station to connect to the N train. she said that she had seen several R trains go by, that she had been waiting at this station for over an hour, basically waiting for something that would never arrive.
immediately, i thought, this is a situation i could totally see my mother getting into if she were left to travel in the city by herself. i told her that i was waiting for the R train anyway, going in the same direction as she needed to go. she said she'd stick with me. i nodded okay.
she noticed that i was reading something and asked if i was studying. i told her i was just reading a magazine. just to make sure i wasn't pointing her in the wrong direction, i asked if she was heading into brooklyn or manhattan. she said brooklyn and then what i heard as "b-broadway." afterwards, i realized she was saying "bay parkway" which was in brooklyn, actually near the end of the N line. but at the time, i just assumed that there must be some other broadway in brooklyn, which is often the case that boroughs shared street names.
after a longer wait than normal, the R train finally arrived. she boarded with me and took a seat by the door. with the only other seat available blocked by shopping bags, i stood, holding onto a pole. i asked her if she was on her way to visit someone. she said she was actually on her way to have her portrait taken. only then did i realize she was dressed in relatively bright colors, including lots of red, typical of the chinese.
soon, we arrived at the station where she needed to transfer to the N train. i told her it would be really easy to transfer, just to wait on the other side of the platform. she had shown no sense of fear, to my surprise, even though she was basically lost in a giant labyrinth beneath a thundering metropolis. still, i emphasized that the transfer and the rest of her journey should be easy, to give her confidence. before she got off the train, she thanked me, patted my cheek, and squeezed my hand. i wanted to tell her to take care but couldn't even mutter it. i almost wanted to accompany her the rest of her way.
even after i arrived home, i couldn't help but wonder if that woman made it to her destination okay. how much english can she read? would she be able to tell which station she needs to get off? obviously, she knew her alphabet, but i imagine that her english level isn't far from my mother's. i thought it brave of her to travel alone, but at the same time, i felt slightly frustrated that no one accompanied her. i just can't imagine myself letting my mother go on the ny metro alone. but at some point, i guess we all must let go a bit, as parent or child, of each other because, at the end, we all will turn out okay, in one way or another.
immediately, i thought, this is a situation i could totally see my mother getting into if she were left to travel in the city by herself. i told her that i was waiting for the R train anyway, going in the same direction as she needed to go. she said she'd stick with me. i nodded okay.
she noticed that i was reading something and asked if i was studying. i told her i was just reading a magazine. just to make sure i wasn't pointing her in the wrong direction, i asked if she was heading into brooklyn or manhattan. she said brooklyn and then what i heard as "b-broadway." afterwards, i realized she was saying "bay parkway" which was in brooklyn, actually near the end of the N line. but at the time, i just assumed that there must be some other broadway in brooklyn, which is often the case that boroughs shared street names.
after a longer wait than normal, the R train finally arrived. she boarded with me and took a seat by the door. with the only other seat available blocked by shopping bags, i stood, holding onto a pole. i asked her if she was on her way to visit someone. she said she was actually on her way to have her portrait taken. only then did i realize she was dressed in relatively bright colors, including lots of red, typical of the chinese.
soon, we arrived at the station where she needed to transfer to the N train. i told her it would be really easy to transfer, just to wait on the other side of the platform. she had shown no sense of fear, to my surprise, even though she was basically lost in a giant labyrinth beneath a thundering metropolis. still, i emphasized that the transfer and the rest of her journey should be easy, to give her confidence. before she got off the train, she thanked me, patted my cheek, and squeezed my hand. i wanted to tell her to take care but couldn't even mutter it. i almost wanted to accompany her the rest of her way.
even after i arrived home, i couldn't help but wonder if that woman made it to her destination okay. how much english can she read? would she be able to tell which station she needs to get off? obviously, she knew her alphabet, but i imagine that her english level isn't far from my mother's. i thought it brave of her to travel alone, but at the same time, i felt slightly frustrated that no one accompanied her. i just can't imagine myself letting my mother go on the ny metro alone. but at some point, i guess we all must let go a bit, as parent or child, of each other because, at the end, we all will turn out okay, in one way or another.
Friday, April 11, 2008
ice-cream truck at work
there's an ice-cream truck that's been pulling up to our office recently. i guess it's out and about with the weather warming up in new orleans.
the music drives me NUTS! it's like a repeating 15-second long piece of carnival music, and it begins with "hello" at every rotation. it's not as if we're at a location surrounded by residences. we're in a business district, mostly warehouses. there are no children around. they're probably enticing the working adults which is fine, but HELLO! TURN OFF THAT MUSIC!
the music drives me NUTS! it's like a repeating 15-second long piece of carnival music, and it begins with "hello" at every rotation. it's not as if we're at a location surrounded by residences. we're in a business district, mostly warehouses. there are no children around. they're probably enticing the working adults which is fine, but HELLO! TURN OFF THAT MUSIC!
Friday, April 04, 2008
couldn't hold it any longer
i stopped by walgreens the other night. it was around 7p. on my way out, i walked past this guy by the wall just a few feet from the front door of the pharmacy. i noticed, out of the corner of my eye, a stream of liquid shooting from his hip area. it took me another second to realize that he was urinating on the wall of the building. just feet away from the front door. in front of a row of cars.
i picked up my pace to the car, and told r about what i had just witnessed. he, then, made a valid point: even in nyc, people have the decency to avoid urinating in public (that's not a restroom) where other people are around. they, at least, make the effort to be discreet about it.
maybe this guy just HAD to go. when i was little, my parents would pull over on the side of a highway to let us relieve ourselves in cases of emergency. so i admit to having urinated in public. but my mom would stand close by and shield me. also, i was a child. this was a grown man. what is this world coming to?
i picked up my pace to the car, and told r about what i had just witnessed. he, then, made a valid point: even in nyc, people have the decency to avoid urinating in public (that's not a restroom) where other people are around. they, at least, make the effort to be discreet about it.
maybe this guy just HAD to go. when i was little, my parents would pull over on the side of a highway to let us relieve ourselves in cases of emergency. so i admit to having urinated in public. but my mom would stand close by and shield me. also, i was a child. this was a grown man. what is this world coming to?
Monday, March 17, 2008
country or no country
we were walking back to our apartment after spending the afternoon on magazine street, avoiding getting lobbed in the head with cabbages, carrots, onions, potatoes, and more beads from the st patrick's day parade. when we were passing through this new development that resembled the scary suburbs with the same 5 floor plans and 5 paint colors for houses, i overheard this young girl, in her late teens, telling one of her elders that she "ain't country." realizing the irony, they broke into stomach-aching laughter as soon as her sentence ended.
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
dreadful walmart
i know it sounds elitist to say that i hate walmart. i think they're a horrible company and have warped the way business is conducted. i went there today, out of convenience, and this experience is why i avoid it whenever possible.
where we're staying in new orleans, there's a walmart just down the street, probably within walking distance. i have a sinus infection, and after filling my prescription elsewhere, i figured i'd stop at this walmart, which is on my way back to the apt, to pick up some lemons and honey. i also grabbed some chayote squash, and sure enough, they rang up too expensive than what was posted. it took FOREVER for them to send someone to do a price check, and it wasn't even a busy time of the day. the cashier bagged my stuff using 3 bags when she only needed one. they don't hire or encourage their employees to think. it's so sad because human resource is valuable. people are capable so treat them like they are!
where we're staying in new orleans, there's a walmart just down the street, probably within walking distance. i have a sinus infection, and after filling my prescription elsewhere, i figured i'd stop at this walmart, which is on my way back to the apt, to pick up some lemons and honey. i also grabbed some chayote squash, and sure enough, they rang up too expensive than what was posted. it took FOREVER for them to send someone to do a price check, and it wasn't even a busy time of the day. the cashier bagged my stuff using 3 bags when she only needed one. they don't hire or encourage their employees to think. it's so sad because human resource is valuable. people are capable so treat them like they are!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
french quarters
today, i went on a stroll through the french quarters. i didn't want to be stuck in the hotel all day, breathing stale air. i got the sunshine and fresh air but also encountered some weird circus-like music. it blared all over the quarters and was off-key or something, like the machine that's blasting it was drunk. it is new orleans, i guess.
as i headed back to the hotel, the source of the music seemed to start following me. i almost started running. i kept looking back, expecting to see something like an ice-cream or coffee truck but maybe an alcohol truck instead. there was nothing, however. i don't do drugs and can't drink so i know i was sober. really. i think i'm just going to avoid the quarters for a while.
as i headed back to the hotel, the source of the music seemed to start following me. i almost started running. i kept looking back, expecting to see something like an ice-cream or coffee truck but maybe an alcohol truck instead. there was nothing, however. i don't do drugs and can't drink so i know i was sober. really. i think i'm just going to avoid the quarters for a while.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
cars and maybe a blowhorn
on our drive home yesterday, we passed by a car that ran into a ditch. there was an abc liquor store across the street. classic scene in rural north carolina.
according to the list of sample questions and answers provided by the INS, the constitution is “the supreme law of the land.” i didn’t know land had laws. i thought it mainly consisted of dirt. nations/societies have laws. maybe i’m mistaken with my american public educated mind and all. “the supreme law of the land” – it’s a phrase that simply cannot be said. it’s one that needs to be declare loudly, like with a blow horn. maybe i should bring one with me when i finally get to take the test. i’m sure it’s something that will pass security check.
according to the list of sample questions and answers provided by the INS, the constitution is “the supreme law of the land.” i didn’t know land had laws. i thought it mainly consisted of dirt. nations/societies have laws. maybe i’m mistaken with my american public educated mind and all. “the supreme law of the land” – it’s a phrase that simply cannot be said. it’s one that needs to be declare loudly, like with a blow horn. maybe i should bring one with me when i finally get to take the test. i’m sure it’s something that will pass security check.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
holiday travel
i’m in north carolina for the next week or so and had the craziest time traveling here. first, i thought i booked my ticket for wednesday 12/19. good thing i was looking up my itinerary on monday 12/17 and discovered that i was to fly out the next day, tuesday 12/18. so monday was sort of a day of madness, trying to get everything done i thought i had two days to do. but most things were accomplished, and i was ready for the flight.
i headed for the subway station with r on tuesday morning as he was heading off to work and i was heading for the airport. we bid our gooey lover good-bye (yes, i’ve become one of those people), and i continued on the train to my stop. the plan was to take the train to astoria, queens and catch a bus from there to the airport.
a guy with luggage sat near me on the train so i guessed he was headed for the same destination. according to the schedule posted at the stop, the bus was supposed to come by every 10 minutes during that time of the day. we waited for about 40 minutes, and still no sign of the bus. people had already started hailing the rare cabs that happened to come by the area, strangers who paired up to split the fare. finally, the guy who was on the train with me, walked off to get a cab too. at that point, i was getting anxious about my flight as well. of course, as soon as we hopped in the cab, the bus showed up. at least we made it to the airport in good time.
but as things always seem to happen in my life, my flight got delayed by 40 minutes, something about heavy incoming air traffic. so i didn’t really need to take that cab. what’s done was done though so i had to get over it. the delay made me anxious about my connecting flight, however. the flight was supposed to take two hours, and with the delay, i had only five minutes to get to my other flight. i had a hunch that would entail running from one end of the airport to the absolute opposite end. thankfully, the flight was about 30 minutes shorter than expected so i ended up just walking briskly, not having to outright run, to the other end.
when i arrived at the other concourse, a cluster of people was standing at the entry. the concourse had been shut off. the lady next to me didn’t know what was happening. charlotte police officers whizzed past me as i waited along with the other anxious travelers. finally, we were allowed to pass through. i reached the gate just minutes before the flight was supposed to take off. i hopped on the plane and planted myself in my seat.
the plane was small, one of those with just two seats on each side of the aisle. because i got on the plane so late, i didn’t even bother to try to fit my carry-on in the overhead bin. i put it underneath the seat in front of me along with my purse. there was no one sitting next to me anyway. the flight attendant came by and told me that my bags were not under the seats enough. i tried to push them a little farther, and he walked away. i figured it was fine. but then, he came back and told me that he couldn’t close the door until i put my bags UNDERNEATH the seat in front of me. i was livid. why didn’t he had me do it “the right way” the first time around? he suggested putting my carry-on in the overhead bin, and i refused, out of spite, claiming that the compartment was too small for my bag. after some fidgeting, he was satisfied and said, “you are too kind,” for making the effort. i SO wanted to smack him.
when it came time to serve beverages, he ignored me. i did have my headphones on and didn’t exactly tried to get his attention, but he never made the effort to offer me anything. only as we were about to land did the little prick stopped by my seat to get my attention. i had already turned off my ipod, as the captain requested, but left my headphones in just to see if he would say anything. of course, in his power-tripping mode, he told me, “i need you to turn off your headphones.” okay, you don’t turn off “the headphones.” you turn off the mp3 player or whatever is playing the music. i told him it’s off, and he said, “okay,” in a tone that suggested that he didn’t believe me but didn’t want to start another altercation with me. come on! he’s attending a flight that doesn’t even leave the state. either he’s a rookie or really bad. some attendants are super laid back and easy on these smaller planes. really, dude, just ease off. i couldn’t even look at the condescending little jerk as i got off the plane although i nodded a good-bye to the captain. i’m totally writing u.s. airways about this experience. with customer service like this, no wonder american airlines are tanking.
what also made me irritated were the two women sitting behind me on that flight. they must’ve been in their 50s. when i sat down, one of them was talking about how her daughter just moved from brooklyn to manhattan. but she’s in harlem. (gasp!) and it’s the part of harlem where clinton has his office, and she likes all sorts of people and really enjoys the multi-cultural aspects of the city. wow. the effort to not come across as racist/elitist just oozed out of her mouth. then, when the flight attendant was giving me trouble about my bag, one of them said, “i don’t understand why people bring so much stuff with them. i’m just worried about my safety.” really, if you really were concerned about your safety, mind your own business! i just kept telling myself that she was totally itching to get back to her country club to knock down those martinis to keep from spitting at her. and to top it off, you know how you normally give the people who were sitting in front of you the courtesy to let them go ahead of you? the wench just jumped in front of me. i cut in front of her on our way to the airport building, only sorry that my backpack didn’t “accidentally” knock her over. as we waited by the luggage carousel, she had the nerve to glare at me. yeah, the holidays certainly bring the best out of people. and to think, i have to fly back to new york next friday... happy holidays, everyone!
i headed for the subway station with r on tuesday morning as he was heading off to work and i was heading for the airport. we bid our gooey lover good-bye (yes, i’ve become one of those people), and i continued on the train to my stop. the plan was to take the train to astoria, queens and catch a bus from there to the airport.
a guy with luggage sat near me on the train so i guessed he was headed for the same destination. according to the schedule posted at the stop, the bus was supposed to come by every 10 minutes during that time of the day. we waited for about 40 minutes, and still no sign of the bus. people had already started hailing the rare cabs that happened to come by the area, strangers who paired up to split the fare. finally, the guy who was on the train with me, walked off to get a cab too. at that point, i was getting anxious about my flight as well. of course, as soon as we hopped in the cab, the bus showed up. at least we made it to the airport in good time.
but as things always seem to happen in my life, my flight got delayed by 40 minutes, something about heavy incoming air traffic. so i didn’t really need to take that cab. what’s done was done though so i had to get over it. the delay made me anxious about my connecting flight, however. the flight was supposed to take two hours, and with the delay, i had only five minutes to get to my other flight. i had a hunch that would entail running from one end of the airport to the absolute opposite end. thankfully, the flight was about 30 minutes shorter than expected so i ended up just walking briskly, not having to outright run, to the other end.
when i arrived at the other concourse, a cluster of people was standing at the entry. the concourse had been shut off. the lady next to me didn’t know what was happening. charlotte police officers whizzed past me as i waited along with the other anxious travelers. finally, we were allowed to pass through. i reached the gate just minutes before the flight was supposed to take off. i hopped on the plane and planted myself in my seat.
the plane was small, one of those with just two seats on each side of the aisle. because i got on the plane so late, i didn’t even bother to try to fit my carry-on in the overhead bin. i put it underneath the seat in front of me along with my purse. there was no one sitting next to me anyway. the flight attendant came by and told me that my bags were not under the seats enough. i tried to push them a little farther, and he walked away. i figured it was fine. but then, he came back and told me that he couldn’t close the door until i put my bags UNDERNEATH the seat in front of me. i was livid. why didn’t he had me do it “the right way” the first time around? he suggested putting my carry-on in the overhead bin, and i refused, out of spite, claiming that the compartment was too small for my bag. after some fidgeting, he was satisfied and said, “you are too kind,” for making the effort. i SO wanted to smack him.
when it came time to serve beverages, he ignored me. i did have my headphones on and didn’t exactly tried to get his attention, but he never made the effort to offer me anything. only as we were about to land did the little prick stopped by my seat to get my attention. i had already turned off my ipod, as the captain requested, but left my headphones in just to see if he would say anything. of course, in his power-tripping mode, he told me, “i need you to turn off your headphones.” okay, you don’t turn off “the headphones.” you turn off the mp3 player or whatever is playing the music. i told him it’s off, and he said, “okay,” in a tone that suggested that he didn’t believe me but didn’t want to start another altercation with me. come on! he’s attending a flight that doesn’t even leave the state. either he’s a rookie or really bad. some attendants are super laid back and easy on these smaller planes. really, dude, just ease off. i couldn’t even look at the condescending little jerk as i got off the plane although i nodded a good-bye to the captain. i’m totally writing u.s. airways about this experience. with customer service like this, no wonder american airlines are tanking.
what also made me irritated were the two women sitting behind me on that flight. they must’ve been in their 50s. when i sat down, one of them was talking about how her daughter just moved from brooklyn to manhattan. but she’s in harlem. (gasp!) and it’s the part of harlem where clinton has his office, and she likes all sorts of people and really enjoys the multi-cultural aspects of the city. wow. the effort to not come across as racist/elitist just oozed out of her mouth. then, when the flight attendant was giving me trouble about my bag, one of them said, “i don’t understand why people bring so much stuff with them. i’m just worried about my safety.” really, if you really were concerned about your safety, mind your own business! i just kept telling myself that she was totally itching to get back to her country club to knock down those martinis to keep from spitting at her. and to top it off, you know how you normally give the people who were sitting in front of you the courtesy to let them go ahead of you? the wench just jumped in front of me. i cut in front of her on our way to the airport building, only sorry that my backpack didn’t “accidentally” knock her over. as we waited by the luggage carousel, she had the nerve to glare at me. yeah, the holidays certainly bring the best out of people. and to think, i have to fly back to new york next friday... happy holidays, everyone!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
money on a subway
today, i saw a woman who gave two street/subway musicians, one guy playing guitar and the other playing a small accordion, a $10 bill on the subway. i've never seen anyone give that much money to street musicians. i was totally impressed. the only time i've ever seen anyone who gave that much to street musicians was in new orleans.
my friend wanted to give a guy playing the trumpet a dollar. she only had a ten on her so i gave her one of my ones. as we walked past the trumpet player, she nonchalantly pulled out a bill and dropped it in the trumpet case. about five steps past the guy, she got a hunch that she might've dropped the ten dollar bill instead of the one. she checked her pocket, and sure enough, she still had the one but not the ten. she appreciated the music, however, and decided to leave it. also, she felt too embarrassed about retrieving it.
that was only an accident of generosity. this woman on the R-train intentionally gave the ten to the guy. she asked that he split it with his accordion playing partner. i don't think i'd ever give that much to any street artist, but i'm glad someone, like this woman, does.
my friend wanted to give a guy playing the trumpet a dollar. she only had a ten on her so i gave her one of my ones. as we walked past the trumpet player, she nonchalantly pulled out a bill and dropped it in the trumpet case. about five steps past the guy, she got a hunch that she might've dropped the ten dollar bill instead of the one. she checked her pocket, and sure enough, she still had the one but not the ten. she appreciated the music, however, and decided to leave it. also, she felt too embarrassed about retrieving it.
that was only an accident of generosity. this woman on the R-train intentionally gave the ten to the guy. she asked that he split it with his accordion playing partner. i don't think i'd ever give that much to any street artist, but i'm glad someone, like this woman, does.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
creepy guys again
as i was on the escalator, exiting a grocery store today, the guy standing behind me tried to give me his business card. he said that he noticed me while waiting in line and thought i was really beautiful. he kept STARING at me while he talked. i shook my head at his offer. he asked me if i was married. i told him no, i'm not interested, and refused his card. thankfully, there were lots of people around. i got a little apprehensive that he would start following me. he just gave off that creepy vibe.
what am i doing that's attracting these crazies? and then the ones i want to attract don't respond. argh.
what am i doing that's attracting these crazies? and then the ones i want to attract don't respond. argh.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
reading in public
i sat next to a woman on the subway today who was reading a book titled, "how to control your man." i caught the first 2 sentences of the introduction entitled, "how i qualify to write this book": "i am a man, and it takes a man to know how to control one." (i'm only paraphrasing.) not that i would ever read a book like that. okay, maybe for amusement. even so, i wouldn't be reading it in public. i guess this is just going to show how judgemental i am, but why would someone be interested in wanting to control their man? the reader must have just gone over the brink of 40 and was wearing a mask of make-up. i couldn't see if she had a wedding ring.
maybe i'm naive, but i don't want a man that i would want to or have to control. i actually can't stand couples where you know the guy is completely whipped. maybe some guys prefer to be whipped? it just comes across as an unbalanced relationship. if i was with a guy who would appease to my every whim, i know i would clobber him. certain people bring out a sadistic tendency in me to push them to their limits. it's probably a mere reflection of my own insecurities, but i can't help myself.
maybe i'm naive, but i don't want a man that i would want to or have to control. i actually can't stand couples where you know the guy is completely whipped. maybe some guys prefer to be whipped? it just comes across as an unbalanced relationship. if i was with a guy who would appease to my every whim, i know i would clobber him. certain people bring out a sadistic tendency in me to push them to their limits. it's probably a mere reflection of my own insecurities, but i can't help myself.
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