i had a dream last night of having brunch with my mom and sister in italy. we decided on eggs and ham. then, i noticed the restaurant also served blueberry pancakes. my sister agreed to share a short stack of them with me. i know it makes no sense since it's really american breakfast fare, and i would NEVER eat american food abroad, especially in italy, just because i think that ruins the experience of going abroad. globalization really means americanization, and what's the point of traveling abroad only to eat american food? anyway, in the dream, it made sense, in the dream-sense.
later this morning, r and i went out for breakfast. i saw blueberry pancakes on the menu and had to go for it. i got eggs as well but bacon instead of ham. i know i would've chosen bacon had it been on the dream menu. mmm...bacon... maybe i think about it enough in real life that it avoids my dreams.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
day 3
this is day 3 of 2008, and i'm not sure which way things are headed this year. 2007 turned out to be a surprising year, i guess, full of extremes. love finally came. work was the worst it had ever been. i finally made holiday cards and was reminded how wonderful it feels to create.
2008 feels uncertain. it's really just work that makes me feel so uncertain. but we do live in a capitalistic society where money rules. i have to get a job. i don't know what i want to do anymore or what i'm capable of doing anymore, but i'm tired of not working. i don't want to feel like a bum this year. i normally don't make resolutions, but maybe that's it. or maybe i'm being too melodramatic. after all, it's only day 3. there are 363 days to turn things around.
yay to all the february 29 babies & merry 2008 to everyone!
2008 feels uncertain. it's really just work that makes me feel so uncertain. but we do live in a capitalistic society where money rules. i have to get a job. i don't know what i want to do anymore or what i'm capable of doing anymore, but i'm tired of not working. i don't want to feel like a bum this year. i normally don't make resolutions, but maybe that's it. or maybe i'm being too melodramatic. after all, it's only day 3. there are 363 days to turn things around.
yay to all the february 29 babies & merry 2008 to everyone!
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.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
jax movie selection
my sister arrived in jacksonville yesterday afternoon. we called the one and only theatre in town to see what was playing. think about that worst movies that got released this season. that’s what’s playing here. at least the golden compass and sweeney todd are playing. i was hoping for juno, but i was asking for too much there. disappointment is what i get for being optimistic. 2 good movies aren’t bad, however. and i do have netflix, for which i am incredibly thankful.
Friday, December 21, 2007
pigs vs. people
the other day, i heard on npr that, according to a recent census, there are more pigs and hogs in north carolina than people. yup, that’s my state.
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!
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
runny nose and parched throat
it's that time of the year again. the annual cold. i always get really sick once a year, around the holidays. i felt i was starting to get sick about a few weeks ago and took some stuff that was able to circumvent it from festering. this time, however, it won. i've been bending over the bathroom sink, blowing out what seems to be an endless stream of snot. (i do this at home, ONLY at home, instead of blowing into a tissue, because i can wash my hands immediately afterwards without having to touch anything in between like a doorknob, and i don't want to go through ten boxes of tissues...because i have THAT MUCH snot.) my coughs make my lungs feel immensely huge and hollow while my throat feels full of goo. i've been sucking on zinc lozenges and drinking a glass of psuedo-emergen-c daily. i think i'm getting better though. in my experience, it helps to sweat so i sleep in a lot of warmth - under a heavy down comforter and wearing snuggly pj's - and i've been wearing a sweatshirt over whatever else i'm wearing around the apartment. i'm actually taking dayquil today so hopefully this won't last much longer.
Friday, December 07, 2007
security deposit
why can't landlords/ladies give tenants back their security deposits back in a reasonable amount of time? the building manager from my pasadena apartment, being a crackhead, stopped returning my calls about getting my deposit back. i had to email the city of pasadena to find out who the building owner was, google her, found another business that she owned, and then email her through through her other business's website. she was furious that i contacted her (go figure) and thought i was being inappropriate in contacting her...although it took her about 3 months to mail out the deposit to me. per pasadena's law, the landowner has 30 days to give the tenant his/her deposit.
the issue i currently have concerns our old apartment in manhattan. we moved out at the end of august. i've been calling the company for the past 2 months regarding our deposit. they kept telling us that they were sending it out. it never happened. i'm getting ready to send them a letter to state that i will be filing a formal complaint with the city attorney general. under new york laws, the landowner has to give the tenant his/her deposit back with a "reasonable amount of time". why must i resort to this? why can't they just do what's fair? is that too much to ask? i hate people who can't just buckle down and do their job. argh. if anyone has any tips, please share.
the issue i currently have concerns our old apartment in manhattan. we moved out at the end of august. i've been calling the company for the past 2 months regarding our deposit. they kept telling us that they were sending it out. it never happened. i'm getting ready to send them a letter to state that i will be filing a formal complaint with the city attorney general. under new york laws, the landowner has to give the tenant his/her deposit back with a "reasonable amount of time". why must i resort to this? why can't they just do what's fair? is that too much to ask? i hate people who can't just buckle down and do their job. argh. if anyone has any tips, please share.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
new york public library
after sitting around, wondering how we were going to spend the day yesterday, r and i finally mustered up the energy and made our way to the giant library in mid-town, the humanities and social sciences library, upon r's suggestion. the building is something both of us have talked about exploring. we figured it's a historical building and would be kind of awesome to see the old architecture. little did we realize the grandeur extends beyond the opulent entrance lobby.
we saw a little exhibit on graphic modernism, a style that r is really into. i loved the stripped down form of the genre. we, then, stumbled upon what i'm guessing is their A/V section that must've been the newest part of the building, glass being the mostly used construction material. we proceeded to wander into a room where they've photocopied all the cards from the catalog. there were enough of these books to line the four walls of a huge room. the volume was mindboggling. the ceilings of all the rooms we saw were decorous, with paintings and beautiful moldings. even the railing along the staircase was sculpted with intricate designs. there is such attention to detail in the construction of the building that we were completely impressed and wished we would still build edifices like this. the other wonderful aspect of the place was that it was quiet, ultimately being a library, an escape from the city in the heart of the city.
having to hurry back to catch the ups driver, we have definitely put the library on the list to revisit. it was a breathtaking experience.
we saw a little exhibit on graphic modernism, a style that r is really into. i loved the stripped down form of the genre. we, then, stumbled upon what i'm guessing is their A/V section that must've been the newest part of the building, glass being the mostly used construction material. we proceeded to wander into a room where they've photocopied all the cards from the catalog. there were enough of these books to line the four walls of a huge room. the volume was mindboggling. the ceilings of all the rooms we saw were decorous, with paintings and beautiful moldings. even the railing along the staircase was sculpted with intricate designs. there is such attention to detail in the construction of the building that we were completely impressed and wished we would still build edifices like this. the other wonderful aspect of the place was that it was quiet, ultimately being a library, an escape from the city in the heart of the city.
having to hurry back to catch the ups driver, we have definitely put the library on the list to revisit. it was a breathtaking experience.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
thanksgiving philly style
i spent thanksgiving in philadelphia with b&d this year. i took the bus up on wednesday and came back to nyc just yesterday. we went over to d's friends' house. the center piece was the turducken, which turned out to be phenomenal. the fact that the birds were all pretty much deboned made it easy to serve. carving was not necessary. we just cut it into slices. the 10-pound turducken was accompanied by decadent gravy, tasty cranberry sauce, infallible apple-sausage-cranberry stuffing, scrumptious mac and cheese (i didn't try this since i don't like dairy, but i would totally have scarfed it otherwise), sweet butternut squash, savory mashed potatoes, and garlicky collards.
after only one plateful, i had to take a break. while vegging in front of the television, i managed to make two more trips back to the delicious smorgasborg. after we watched the dallas cowboys slaughter the new york jets, we played apples to apples. it's sort of a word game where you match nouns to adjectives. like "hopeless" to "republican" or "ludicrous" to "tom cruise". during the game, we dug into an awesome pumpkin pie and a sugary cherry pie.
i have to admit, as much labor that goes into cooking such a grand meal, the result is definitely worth the hard work. i miss leftovers, not wanting to travel with tubs of food on the bus. luckily, there's still pumpkin pie in my fridge, from our trial run of the pie...not that it'll last much longer in there!
after only one plateful, i had to take a break. while vegging in front of the television, i managed to make two more trips back to the delicious smorgasborg. after we watched the dallas cowboys slaughter the new york jets, we played apples to apples. it's sort of a word game where you match nouns to adjectives. like "hopeless" to "republican" or "ludicrous" to "tom cruise". during the game, we dug into an awesome pumpkin pie and a sugary cherry pie.
i have to admit, as much labor that goes into cooking such a grand meal, the result is definitely worth the hard work. i miss leftovers, not wanting to travel with tubs of food on the bus. luckily, there's still pumpkin pie in my fridge, from our trial run of the pie...not that it'll last much longer in there!
Monday, November 19, 2007
love in old age
today, i read this article on nytimes.com about love in old age. it referred to former justice sandra day o'connor, that she is happy for her husband, who has alzheimer's, having a new lover. it goes on to say that as we age, our definition of love changes. when we're young, it's all about ME being happy, and we tend to respond to negatives, like our partner having a new lover is hurtful to ME. as we age, however, the focus of love changes to the other person being happy, and our responses begin to shift to the positives, like our partner having a new loves makes he/she happy.
it reminds me of losing a sense of myself when i'm deeply engrossed in a project, particularly writing when i used to write. there were moments when it's all about the story, the writing, as if it has consumed so much of my mind that there was no room for even me. being so deeply in love seems to be similar to this, that our heart and mind are so consumed by this other person and his/her well-being that we don't think of ourselves. my heart is still vulnerable enough to be broken, if not shattered. but if it does happen, i feel i can move on past the pain and try to focus on the new opportunities that might be open once life moves me in a different direction. hopefully, i will not have to reach that point, and right now, i have a feeling that it won't reach that point. otherwise, if i do, indeed, have doubts, i should move on now.
it reminds me of losing a sense of myself when i'm deeply engrossed in a project, particularly writing when i used to write. there were moments when it's all about the story, the writing, as if it has consumed so much of my mind that there was no room for even me. being so deeply in love seems to be similar to this, that our heart and mind are so consumed by this other person and his/her well-being that we don't think of ourselves. my heart is still vulnerable enough to be broken, if not shattered. but if it does happen, i feel i can move on past the pain and try to focus on the new opportunities that might be open once life moves me in a different direction. hopefully, i will not have to reach that point, and right now, i have a feeling that it won't reach that point. otherwise, if i do, indeed, have doubts, i should move on now.
Friday, November 16, 2007
screenwriters
last night was the last new episode of the office that will air until the screenwriter's strike ends. not that i've been watching the show religiously, but when i have time on thursday evenings, i look forward to it. it's one of the few shows on television that i make the effort to see. if i had tivo, it would be programmed, along with the daily show with jon stewart, the stephen colbert report, and project runway. now that i've listed the shows i watched, i just realized that 3 out of 4 of them rely on writers. i'm a supporter of the writers since i have friends who write, and i wrote in college. i feel doomed, with only one show to remind me what day of the week it is. dear studios, please concede to the small, justifiable request the writers are making and give them the additional booger-size piece of the profit that you're making on their work.
p.s. i'm not sure who to root for yet on project runway this season. i really liked rami's and victorya's pieces though. christian is going to be the pest of the show, like marcel to top chef, being the youngest but also the most stuck up. i don't doubt his talent but don't like the lack of humility and respect for his fellow contestants. definitely the bitch-queen of the season.
p.s. i'm not sure who to root for yet on project runway this season. i really liked rami's and victorya's pieces though. christian is going to be the pest of the show, like marcel to top chef, being the youngest but also the most stuck up. i don't doubt his talent but don't like the lack of humility and respect for his fellow contestants. definitely the bitch-queen of the season.
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.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
time warner SUCKS
i'm pretty much over my fury from this morning, but i feel it's my civic duty to inform whoever is interested that time warner SUCKS. i try to give big companies the benefit of a doubt because they sometimes do employ real individuals who are probably decent people just working to make a living.
so when we moved into our current apartment in brooklyn at the end of august, we had so many problems getting service. first, the person helping us screwed up on the paperwork, and our account was never set up. we're jaded enough to not be surprised so my sister went in and got it straightened out. they even gave us 1/2 off on our first two months of service. yay. but then, the technician who was supposed to install the service was provided with the wrong apartment number. no one called to verify the information once they realized it was wrong. my poor sister waited all day (they always give you a 4 hour window which really translates to a 12-hour windown) in vain. so to make up for this mistake, they told us, over the phone, that we would get the third month free. finally, our service was set up about 3 weeks after our initial attempt.
so think about it. we're asking them to help us give them business, to give them money, to help them increase their stock value. we could've gotten the same type of service elsewhere, like through verizon with their direct tv service and dsl. but we stuck with time warner.
we did receive the 1/2 off for our first two months - september and october. but we've recently received our november bill, and we're charged for the full price. so i called time warner about 3-4 times between last week and today. they refuse to honor the deal they offered us for a third month free. they only offered because they screwed up. not only will they not honor it but the jerk i was given to deal with today kept talking over me, infuriating me to the point of accidently dropping the f-bomb once. the jerk then got defensive about my use of language, and i had to just hang up on him. the lady i talked to last week was at least patient and nice, listening to the issues regarding our account.
so when we move again, which i know we will at the end of our lease, i will find any necessary means to avoid using time warner again. with netflix, i don't need cable tv.
so when we moved into our current apartment in brooklyn at the end of august, we had so many problems getting service. first, the person helping us screwed up on the paperwork, and our account was never set up. we're jaded enough to not be surprised so my sister went in and got it straightened out. they even gave us 1/2 off on our first two months of service. yay. but then, the technician who was supposed to install the service was provided with the wrong apartment number. no one called to verify the information once they realized it was wrong. my poor sister waited all day (they always give you a 4 hour window which really translates to a 12-hour windown) in vain. so to make up for this mistake, they told us, over the phone, that we would get the third month free. finally, our service was set up about 3 weeks after our initial attempt.
so think about it. we're asking them to help us give them business, to give them money, to help them increase their stock value. we could've gotten the same type of service elsewhere, like through verizon with their direct tv service and dsl. but we stuck with time warner.
we did receive the 1/2 off for our first two months - september and october. but we've recently received our november bill, and we're charged for the full price. so i called time warner about 3-4 times between last week and today. they refuse to honor the deal they offered us for a third month free. they only offered because they screwed up. not only will they not honor it but the jerk i was given to deal with today kept talking over me, infuriating me to the point of accidently dropping the f-bomb once. the jerk then got defensive about my use of language, and i had to just hang up on him. the lady i talked to last week was at least patient and nice, listening to the issues regarding our account.
so when we move again, which i know we will at the end of our lease, i will find any necessary means to avoid using time warner again. with netflix, i don't need cable tv.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
baltimore
last weekend, i visited friends in baltimore. it was a really nice getaway from new york, more so than boston. i like boston, but there's something about baltimore that i really admire. maybe it's still a relatively blue-collar, middle-class city. my new favorite museum is the american visionary art museum. i even flirted with the idea of moving to baltimore to justify purchasing a membership.
their main exhibit was "all faiths beautiful." along the staircases between each floor, postcards from frank warren's postsecrets were framed and posted on the walls. these postcards specifically involved people's secrets about faith. some of them were pretty general (i found god, now i'm saved. i lost my faith and am hiding it from my family and friends.); some were pretty profound. there was one memorable card regarding a military personnel (navy?) who is a liberal atheist who felt compelled to lie about his political and religious stance to gain respect among his peers and to appear as a candidate for promotions among his superiors.
there was a room devoted to the female as the origin of life that permeates in many religious beliefs as well. i admit that i've gotten to a point in my life where i don't feel the angst i once did in my younger years towards the societal oppression of women. i think it was just a matter of realizing being angry doesn't change anything. really, i need to work hard to prove my capabilities, even if it means i have to work extra hard to do so. some things in life aren't fair, but it must go on. so it was actually refreshing to see artwork that promoted feminism so vocally.
i also really liked and appreciated an exhibit that focused on artworks created by people with mental disabilities. art, being a medium with so little constraint and so open to new ideas and ways of communication, offered a voice to some of these people who aren't able to express themselves in conventional ways. also, it's a way for them to create something beautiful that other people can admire, giving them a sense of gratification that they might not feel often in their lives.
within all the exhibits, the museum promoted a sense of community among baltimore artists by selecting many of the artworks from local artists. baltimore, being sort of the underdog among east coast cities, is trying to rebuild itself to come out of that status, and art is an important element to any community trying to elevate itself, allowing expressions of progression and vision. besides the obvious attraction of my dear friends and their loving cats, i hope to visit baltimore again very soon.
their main exhibit was "all faiths beautiful." along the staircases between each floor, postcards from frank warren's postsecrets were framed and posted on the walls. these postcards specifically involved people's secrets about faith. some of them were pretty general (i found god, now i'm saved. i lost my faith and am hiding it from my family and friends.); some were pretty profound. there was one memorable card regarding a military personnel (navy?) who is a liberal atheist who felt compelled to lie about his political and religious stance to gain respect among his peers and to appear as a candidate for promotions among his superiors.
there was a room devoted to the female as the origin of life that permeates in many religious beliefs as well. i admit that i've gotten to a point in my life where i don't feel the angst i once did in my younger years towards the societal oppression of women. i think it was just a matter of realizing being angry doesn't change anything. really, i need to work hard to prove my capabilities, even if it means i have to work extra hard to do so. some things in life aren't fair, but it must go on. so it was actually refreshing to see artwork that promoted feminism so vocally.
i also really liked and appreciated an exhibit that focused on artworks created by people with mental disabilities. art, being a medium with so little constraint and so open to new ideas and ways of communication, offered a voice to some of these people who aren't able to express themselves in conventional ways. also, it's a way for them to create something beautiful that other people can admire, giving them a sense of gratification that they might not feel often in their lives.
within all the exhibits, the museum promoted a sense of community among baltimore artists by selecting many of the artworks from local artists. baltimore, being sort of the underdog among east coast cities, is trying to rebuild itself to come out of that status, and art is an important element to any community trying to elevate itself, allowing expressions of progression and vision. besides the obvious attraction of my dear friends and their loving cats, i hope to visit baltimore again very soon.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
juveniles
i just read this article today on nytimes.com and am once again astounded to learn exactly how cruel the u.s. justice system. i can't believe that we have a president who claims "compassion" endlessly for everything he does, and yet, we are the only country in the u.n. who voted to uphold life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for juveniles. what kind of compassion doesn't give KIDS a second chance?
for a child to commit a heinous crime, there must've been some sort of psychological damage to him/her to begin with. doesn't that justify a chance for redemption? what about rehabilitation and therapy instead of locking them up behind cement walls? what good does that do? it's like tossing out a pair of socks that got messed up in the wash. but these are kids. if they have the proper care and education, i'm sure most of them would grow up to be fine, law-abiding adults. it's a sad world we live in that the most powerful country in the world would deny children who've made mistakes a second chance. isn't making mistakes a part of learning, part of growing up?
for a child to commit a heinous crime, there must've been some sort of psychological damage to him/her to begin with. doesn't that justify a chance for redemption? what about rehabilitation and therapy instead of locking them up behind cement walls? what good does that do? it's like tossing out a pair of socks that got messed up in the wash. but these are kids. if they have the proper care and education, i'm sure most of them would grow up to be fine, law-abiding adults. it's a sad world we live in that the most powerful country in the world would deny children who've made mistakes a second chance. isn't making mistakes a part of learning, part of growing up?
Sunday, October 14, 2007
boston
i'm visiting high school friends in boston for a few days. one of them lives in pittsburg and is in boston for the weekend, and i haven't seen her in years. it's odd to be able to say that, to think of spans of time in years, that i've lived long enough to think of time in greater increments than just seasons, a sign that i'm definitely growing older. the other two friends, a married couple about to expect their first child, live in boston, and i had visited them not too long ago.
the two girls lived on my hall during my senior year of high school. the one i've kept in frequent touch with has changed quite a bit since her high school days of jeans and sweatshirts; she's now an attorney at a major law firm in boston. she dresses the part of a grown up. she's still old self in many ways, however. the friend who's visiting from pittsburg hasn't changed much. different hair style but pretty much everything about her is the same: demeanor, attire, way she carries herself. i'm sure there are other changes that i've missed or didn't get to see since we did only spend a mere 48 hours together. i guess it's odd how people remain the same and change over the course of time. some things stay the same, other things evolve. it's also interesting to see how life has taken us on very different paths since our point of juncture in high school, both in our professional and personal lives. i guess seeing how friends evolve is a part of growing up and a part of friendships.
the two girls lived on my hall during my senior year of high school. the one i've kept in frequent touch with has changed quite a bit since her high school days of jeans and sweatshirts; she's now an attorney at a major law firm in boston. she dresses the part of a grown up. she's still old self in many ways, however. the friend who's visiting from pittsburg hasn't changed much. different hair style but pretty much everything about her is the same: demeanor, attire, way she carries herself. i'm sure there are other changes that i've missed or didn't get to see since we did only spend a mere 48 hours together. i guess it's odd how people remain the same and change over the course of time. some things stay the same, other things evolve. it's also interesting to see how life has taken us on very different paths since our point of juncture in high school, both in our professional and personal lives. i guess seeing how friends evolve is a part of growing up and a part of friendships.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
catharsis
i started on a nightmare project about 6 weeks ago and was recently dismissed from it. i believe it was a wrongful termination, an opinion being supported by many of my former co-workers, and have informed my union regarding this matter. i just want to work with people i can learn from again, like the people i worked with in los angeles. i'm tired of learning from counter-examples. i can't believe that my bosses are getting worse and worse, in terms of competency and decency. after my last boss, i didn't think anyone could be worse. i was wrong.
i thought it would be awkward to go into the office this past monday to clean out my desk. but it actually felt cathartic, to toss out all my paperwork and packing up MY belongings. going around to say bye to people i liked on the show was sad but also nice - to feel sad confirmed that real friendships had formed, which is always a wonderful thing. everyone was so supportive of me, undoubtedly believing that i shouldn't have been fired. some even expressed jealousy that i was getting to leave this hellish project. i mustered the courage to say bye even to my boss who fired me. i kept it short but courteous, "i'm taking off. good luck with the rest of the show." that person briskly replied, "all right, bye." she didn't even look up from her computer to make eye contact. at that point, i knew it was their loss to have me go, not mine.
it's nice to be back in new york though. my first day back, being on the subway slightly felt like home, like i'm returning to reality. and the best things about that project, the people who kept me going, they are still in my life. what's ironic is that a disaster occurred on the project just this morning. there is bad karma that surrounds this thing, and i'm relieved to no longer be a part of it. had i been dismissed because i was solely at fault, i would accept it and let it go. since that was not the case, i'm sitting back and watching it fall apart, while wagging a finger at them to say, what goes around, comes around. thank goodness for unions.
i thought it would be awkward to go into the office this past monday to clean out my desk. but it actually felt cathartic, to toss out all my paperwork and packing up MY belongings. going around to say bye to people i liked on the show was sad but also nice - to feel sad confirmed that real friendships had formed, which is always a wonderful thing. everyone was so supportive of me, undoubtedly believing that i shouldn't have been fired. some even expressed jealousy that i was getting to leave this hellish project. i mustered the courage to say bye even to my boss who fired me. i kept it short but courteous, "i'm taking off. good luck with the rest of the show." that person briskly replied, "all right, bye." she didn't even look up from her computer to make eye contact. at that point, i knew it was their loss to have me go, not mine.
it's nice to be back in new york though. my first day back, being on the subway slightly felt like home, like i'm returning to reality. and the best things about that project, the people who kept me going, they are still in my life. what's ironic is that a disaster occurred on the project just this morning. there is bad karma that surrounds this thing, and i'm relieved to no longer be a part of it. had i been dismissed because i was solely at fault, i would accept it and let it go. since that was not the case, i'm sitting back and watching it fall apart, while wagging a finger at them to say, what goes around, comes around. thank goodness for unions.
Monday, August 27, 2007
life sucks when weekends suck
this past weekend has been one of the more awful ones by far. late friday, i learned that i had to stay in stratford, ct on saturday because my boss wanted us to be "around," in case something happened. technically, my deal includes me working a 6th day even though i was told that i wouldn't really be working that many saturdays when i signed onto this project. whatever, i'm a team player. so after a miserable friday, when i felt i wasn't able to help people as i ought to, partly because the person handling a lot of the issues left town early, saturday was doomed. i ended up working 11 hours on saturday. but i thought i could look forward to sunday.
i returned to new york saturday evening. the plan for sunday was to clean out the old apartment and hand back the keys and be forever done with the place. then, i was going to have dinner with someone who's begun to remind me what it's like to be happy, before having to head back to connecticut the following morning. but the person i was supposed to meet for dinner...well, kind of disappeared. no replies to messages i left and never called me as sunday night drew later and later. i was frustrated at first but then started to worry that something bad might have happened. it's atypical for this person to not return my calls or to not pick up when i call. i had already spent the previous 2 days worked to the max and being yelled at simply because i was the messenger, and then i got stood up. and then i worried so much that i could barely sleep last night. what a way to start the week.
i'm just really grateful that my sister and her fiance were wonderful with the move and also taking me to a white castle that they've discovered merely 3 blocks away from our new brooklyn home. sharing white castle with two of the most awesome people was the highlight of the weekend. it's the reason i've made it through the weekend and found the courage to face today, being monday. one day down, four more to go...i hope only four...
i returned to new york saturday evening. the plan for sunday was to clean out the old apartment and hand back the keys and be forever done with the place. then, i was going to have dinner with someone who's begun to remind me what it's like to be happy, before having to head back to connecticut the following morning. but the person i was supposed to meet for dinner...well, kind of disappeared. no replies to messages i left and never called me as sunday night drew later and later. i was frustrated at first but then started to worry that something bad might have happened. it's atypical for this person to not return my calls or to not pick up when i call. i had already spent the previous 2 days worked to the max and being yelled at simply because i was the messenger, and then i got stood up. and then i worried so much that i could barely sleep last night. what a way to start the week.
i'm just really grateful that my sister and her fiance were wonderful with the move and also taking me to a white castle that they've discovered merely 3 blocks away from our new brooklyn home. sharing white castle with two of the most awesome people was the highlight of the weekend. it's the reason i've made it through the weekend and found the courage to face today, being monday. one day down, four more to go...i hope only four...
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
moving
we're getting ready to move to brooklyn in about two weeks, and i'm not motivated to pack at all. i was so good about it for my last move from los angeles to new york though. i don't understand what the hold up is. maybe the summer heat? maybe there's no solid date as to when we're moving? because it's a much shorter move? i have to get crackin'.
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