I was going to write about a visit I made yesterday to a friend of mine from my kendo dojo who had cancer. We made the 2 hour drive down to Pennsylvania and though he was not looking too well, I and two other members did our best to cheer him up. Other members were planning on visiting him in the coming weeks as well. And we hoped to see him again in a couple of weeks.
This afternoon I found out he suddenly passed away.
I couldn't believe it. We were there yesterday. I was patting him on the back and helping him up so he could sit up. He was watching a video on a camcorder from a Sensei seminar. He drank some water. He was on the cellphone with his son, legs crossed like some big shot movie producer. I saw him crack a grin before we left.
But it was also the first time he said the words "Guys, this is bad. I'm dying." I remember how silent all three of us were when he said that. We stood up by his bed just staring. I'm sure all of us were feeling intense things at that moment. There was an intense silence. Words and actions failed. For me it was a helpless moment. It was a helplessness that could not be met in any other way except with silence.
I am glad one of the members went with us to see Okano yesterday. I think Okano has a very special place in his heart for her. I think her visits especially brightened up his day. I can't really say anything more concrete than that but, I could really see how comforting it was to have her in his presence.
If there was ever an inspirational human being, it was Okano. I mean, how could this old guy with half a lung beat the shit out of me every practice?
Okano was the first person who taught me what timing was all about. I learned it doing ai-kote men.
I strike
"Nope. Try again."
I strike again.
"You're not watching me. You have to watch me."
I look for his arms to move and then I attack.
"That's better. You were watching me this time around."
He taught me to not look for the opponent's hit but rather the opponent's intention of hitting.
I will always remember Okano for his fighting spirit and "never say die" attitude. Even during his moments of struggle, I know Okano was mentally just as tough as he was whenever I played him during practice.
And I think he was right when he said he will live longer than any of us. He is such a strong character that you can't help but keep him in your heart for as long as you lived.
Rest in Peace John. I'll make sure someone worthy gets the monkey pillow.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The Green Expo, An Inconvenient Truth
This weekend, instead of going to GMAT classes like I was supposed to, I hung out with a good friend of mine who I hadn't seen in a while. She was working a booth at NYC's first Green Expo convention at the Hilton in Midtown.
I'm pretty sure I'm not the "light green" person I said I was when I registered and bought my ticket. I should have said I was not green at all but I gave myself some slack by saying that I at least cared to attend the convention (OK so it was to see my friend but still).
There were a lot of people that showed up at the convention! I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people checking out the event. And there were all sorts of exhibitors. Some were utility companies demonstrating environmentally safe ways of generating energy (solar, wind, water). Many others were selling environmentally friendly products from food, to clothes, to face creams.
Here are the top booths that I thought were really interesting:
1) Cardboardesign (http://www.cardboardesign.com/): I was getting a little bored about 30 minutes into the expo when I saw this booth in the corner selling furniture and decorations all made out of recycled cardboard! Some of these were fun to play with, like the vases and pencil holders which kind of morphed into a shape based on the item it was holding (vase, pencils, plants). Others were just really cool like the tables and chairs which were as sturdy the aluminum chairs and wooden tables in my house. They also were made out of recycled cardboard. As tough as sturdy as the tables and chairs were, it would probably not be a good thing if I spilled a liquid onto the surface. Even so, a really cool concept.
2) Revolve (http://www.revolvebrand.net/): While sipping on my second box of organic chocolate milk (REALLY GOOD BTW), I saw this booth which was selling some shirts with some awesome designs. Also I saw a nice hoody that was kind of furry but was made from recycled plastic bottles. Don't ask me how the same plastic bottles I drink soda from turn into a nice feeling hoody jacket but I thought that was pretty cool too.
3) HSBC: Okay sorry, this is a shameless plug for a my friend's booth. But I learned a little about what "carbon foot printing" is and also about how HSBC is covering its own carbon footprints. Hopefully I'm explaining this correctly, but one of the causes of global warming is from the release of carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere which makes the atmosphere thicker and thereby traps heat caused by the sun. Anything that creates carbon is also creating a carbon footprint. And there are a variety of ways which carbon footprints are made. For instance, from HSBC trucks (why they would have them I'm not sure but this makes it an easy example). Let's say an HSBC truck creates a ton of carbon a year from operation. HSBC will offset that ton of carbon produced by the truck by planting a trees which will help absorb some of that carbon. But it just goes to show you that even big corporations are taking environmentalism seriously.
I learned a lot and while I'm not a "heavy green" yet, I'll hopefully edge towards a "medium green" having been to this convention.
Afterwards, I watched an "Inconvenient Truth", the documentary by Al Gore on Global Warming. I have to say for a guy who I labeled as a monotone talker and sleepy politician, he was an excellent speaker and presenter on Global Warming. I learned a lot from the film and found everything interesting. I especially found the consequences quite alarming too. There were two examples that stuck out for me.
The first one involved the melting of the polar ice caps. And in the video they showed a polar bear swimming looking for a place to land. Well if there are no ice caps, then, the polar bear has no where to go, and well if you have no wear to go, you'll eventually drown. Can you imagine having the land around you all of a sudden disappear into the water and having no place to go to for land? That is scary.
The second example showed maps of what the world would look like if Greenland melted away, causing the world's water levels to rise. Florida would have a large chunk submerged. The World Trade Center memorial would be submerged. Parts of Europe would be inhabitable. We'd have to redraw the maps of the entire world. Shocking.
It's definitely a must-see movie.
I'm pretty sure I'm not the "light green" person I said I was when I registered and bought my ticket. I should have said I was not green at all but I gave myself some slack by saying that I at least cared to attend the convention (OK so it was to see my friend but still).
There were a lot of people that showed up at the convention! I was pleasantly surprised to see so many people checking out the event. And there were all sorts of exhibitors. Some were utility companies demonstrating environmentally safe ways of generating energy (solar, wind, water). Many others were selling environmentally friendly products from food, to clothes, to face creams.
Here are the top booths that I thought were really interesting:
1) Cardboardesign (http://www.cardboardesign.com/): I was getting a little bored about 30 minutes into the expo when I saw this booth in the corner selling furniture and decorations all made out of recycled cardboard! Some of these were fun to play with, like the vases and pencil holders which kind of morphed into a shape based on the item it was holding (vase, pencils, plants). Others were just really cool like the tables and chairs which were as sturdy the aluminum chairs and wooden tables in my house. They also were made out of recycled cardboard. As tough as sturdy as the tables and chairs were, it would probably not be a good thing if I spilled a liquid onto the surface. Even so, a really cool concept.
2) Revolve (http://www.revolvebrand.net/): While sipping on my second box of organic chocolate milk (REALLY GOOD BTW), I saw this booth which was selling some shirts with some awesome designs. Also I saw a nice hoody that was kind of furry but was made from recycled plastic bottles. Don't ask me how the same plastic bottles I drink soda from turn into a nice feeling hoody jacket but I thought that was pretty cool too.
3) HSBC: Okay sorry, this is a shameless plug for a my friend's booth. But I learned a little about what "carbon foot printing" is and also about how HSBC is covering its own carbon footprints. Hopefully I'm explaining this correctly, but one of the causes of global warming is from the release of carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere which makes the atmosphere thicker and thereby traps heat caused by the sun. Anything that creates carbon is also creating a carbon footprint. And there are a variety of ways which carbon footprints are made. For instance, from HSBC trucks (why they would have them I'm not sure but this makes it an easy example). Let's say an HSBC truck creates a ton of carbon a year from operation. HSBC will offset that ton of carbon produced by the truck by planting a trees which will help absorb some of that carbon. But it just goes to show you that even big corporations are taking environmentalism seriously.
I learned a lot and while I'm not a "heavy green" yet, I'll hopefully edge towards a "medium green" having been to this convention.
Afterwards, I watched an "Inconvenient Truth", the documentary by Al Gore on Global Warming. I have to say for a guy who I labeled as a monotone talker and sleepy politician, he was an excellent speaker and presenter on Global Warming. I learned a lot from the film and found everything interesting. I especially found the consequences quite alarming too. There were two examples that stuck out for me.
The first one involved the melting of the polar ice caps. And in the video they showed a polar bear swimming looking for a place to land. Well if there are no ice caps, then, the polar bear has no where to go, and well if you have no wear to go, you'll eventually drown. Can you imagine having the land around you all of a sudden disappear into the water and having no place to go to for land? That is scary.
The second example showed maps of what the world would look like if Greenland melted away, causing the world's water levels to rise. Florida would have a large chunk submerged. The World Trade Center memorial would be submerged. Parts of Europe would be inhabitable. We'd have to redraw the maps of the entire world. Shocking.
It's definitely a must-see movie.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Quickest Trip to Canada...Ever
I am tired. Really tired. So tired that I'm writing this without my glasses.
I just got back from what probably is and hopefully will always be the quickest trip to Canada ever. This past weekend I went to a wedding banquet for one of my cousin's from Georgia.
(Alan & Tran, if you are reading this I wish you both the very best and congratulations. I had an awesome time.)
This was quick because we got to Toronto on Saturday at noon and then came back Sunday. We drove for 16 hours and stayed there (I count this as time spent awake) for 12-14 hours. That's pretty quick.
I like these family trips though. It puts some money in the "Time Spent with Family" piggy bank and in general they're just fun; but in a dysfunctional sort of way. Every family trip together starts out like this:
1) We NEVER leave on time. And guess what? This was no different. A week before we were supposed to leave, our parents hammered into our heads that we had to leave no later than 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon. And of course on the day of, at 3:30 PM we're still packing, locking down doors, screaming at each other for stupid things. It was just great.
2) We Scream at Each Other for Stupid Reasons. Somehow everyone starts screaming at each other once we're in the car every 15 minutes to half-hour. And it's a chain reaction. My mom screams at me for coming too close to a car (when in fact I am NOT), my dad tells my mom to calm down, my sister laughs and makes fun of me, my mom yells at my sister for something else, and to infinity and beyond. And these mini-fights happen out of no where.
A nice silence can last for 10 minutes until all of a sudden my dad will (idiotically) bring up some trivial topic that causes my mom to get defensive and the screaming begins again.
3) Catch up on News. Which kind of means gossip. But this could mean friends, family, or the person that served us lunch that day. Anyone. So don't do anything bad to me or else you'll end up in "the news". (I am sure you are quaking in your boots right now).
4) We get lost. I don't know how but we always manage to veer off the correct path. We did better this time around but we still ended up having our "getting lost argument" (everyone screams at each other instead of figuring out where to go next).
Speaking of getting lost, this time around instead of using paper and pencil, we used the GPS I purchased last year to navigate us to Toronto. Of course no matter how accurate the GPS was, my parents wouldn't trust it. And thus a showdown ensued...
I just got back from what probably is and hopefully will always be the quickest trip to Canada ever. This past weekend I went to a wedding banquet for one of my cousin's from Georgia.
(Alan & Tran, if you are reading this I wish you both the very best and congratulations. I had an awesome time.)
This was quick because we got to Toronto on Saturday at noon and then came back Sunday. We drove for 16 hours and stayed there (I count this as time spent awake) for 12-14 hours. That's pretty quick.
I like these family trips though. It puts some money in the "Time Spent with Family" piggy bank and in general they're just fun; but in a dysfunctional sort of way. Every family trip together starts out like this:
1) We NEVER leave on time. And guess what? This was no different. A week before we were supposed to leave, our parents hammered into our heads that we had to leave no later than 3:30-4:00 in the afternoon. And of course on the day of, at 3:30 PM we're still packing, locking down doors, screaming at each other for stupid things. It was just great.
2) We Scream at Each Other for Stupid Reasons. Somehow everyone starts screaming at each other once we're in the car every 15 minutes to half-hour. And it's a chain reaction. My mom screams at me for coming too close to a car (when in fact I am NOT), my dad tells my mom to calm down, my sister laughs and makes fun of me, my mom yells at my sister for something else, and to infinity and beyond. And these mini-fights happen out of no where.
A nice silence can last for 10 minutes until all of a sudden my dad will (idiotically) bring up some trivial topic that causes my mom to get defensive and the screaming begins again.
3) Catch up on News. Which kind of means gossip. But this could mean friends, family, or the person that served us lunch that day. Anyone. So don't do anything bad to me or else you'll end up in "the news". (I am sure you are quaking in your boots right now).
4) We get lost. I don't know how but we always manage to veer off the correct path. We did better this time around but we still ended up having our "getting lost argument" (everyone screams at each other instead of figuring out where to go next).
Speaking of getting lost, this time around instead of using paper and pencil, we used the GPS I purchased last year to navigate us to Toronto. Of course no matter how accurate the GPS was, my parents wouldn't trust it. And thus a showdown ensued...
Garmin 330c GPS
VERSUS
My Dad's Illegible Crusty Written Directions (Crusty = Old)
VERSUS
My Dad's Illegible Crusty Written Directions (Crusty = Old)
Don't get me wrong. My Dad's directions have gotten us to Canada for however long we've been going to Canada. Of course we get lost every time (the worst was when we ended up crossing at the Detroit Michigan/Canadian border instead of the Niagara Falls border).
But it was an intense battle. The GPS was challenged at every turn and command by my dad who ruffled through his papers only to find that a) it matched with what he wrote or b) my dad's directions were wrong. For the most part, a) happened but b) happened too many times as well.
On the way back home, my dad gave up challenging the GPS and he let the Garmin GPS win. It was kind of sad. In some way, those papers were his pride and hard work. And now this boxed electronic the size of his fist can do the same thing faster and more accurately.
This trip is also momentous because I drove all the way there and drove all the way back. Which I think is a first. Usually I get help from my sister or my dad but this time it was all me. And I wanted it that way. There are few opportunities where I get to prove my manliness in front of my parents and given that I've all but dropped the ball on most of them this is one I could surely accomplish.
Random things about driving all the way:
1) Roadkill is every where. I wonder what it's like to have an animal hit your car? (Okay before you start dialing PETA I just want to say I hope it never happens to me).
2) I saw a turtle walk in the middle of the road. I hope it didn't get run over. I initially thought it was half a roadkill which was still alive and walking--like a zombie (scary).
3) Your neck gets stiff from staring at the road. Though this may be obvious, it wasn't to me until I got out of the car for a stretch.
4) There are some REALLY DUMB drivers out there. Which is scary because you and everyone else is driving so fast on the highway. I won't go into specifics but let's just say that I let it be known in my car whenever there was an idiot on the road.
Man, I am tired. This post ends here.
But it was an intense battle. The GPS was challenged at every turn and command by my dad who ruffled through his papers only to find that a) it matched with what he wrote or b) my dad's directions were wrong. For the most part, a) happened but b) happened too many times as well.
On the way back home, my dad gave up challenging the GPS and he let the Garmin GPS win. It was kind of sad. In some way, those papers were his pride and hard work. And now this boxed electronic the size of his fist can do the same thing faster and more accurately.
This trip is also momentous because I drove all the way there and drove all the way back. Which I think is a first. Usually I get help from my sister or my dad but this time it was all me. And I wanted it that way. There are few opportunities where I get to prove my manliness in front of my parents and given that I've all but dropped the ball on most of them this is one I could surely accomplish.
Random things about driving all the way:
1) Roadkill is every where. I wonder what it's like to have an animal hit your car? (Okay before you start dialing PETA I just want to say I hope it never happens to me).
2) I saw a turtle walk in the middle of the road. I hope it didn't get run over. I initially thought it was half a roadkill which was still alive and walking--like a zombie (scary).
3) Your neck gets stiff from staring at the road. Though this may be obvious, it wasn't to me until I got out of the car for a stretch.
4) There are some REALLY DUMB drivers out there. Which is scary because you and everyone else is driving so fast on the highway. I won't go into specifics but let's just say that I let it be known in my car whenever there was an idiot on the road.
Man, I am tired. This post ends here.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Using iTunes, Good Deed of the Day, Taking Care of Kid
I went to sleep at 2AM this morning. I should have been studying up until then but I decided to take a break and listen to some tunes on my computer.
I then remembered that my sister gave me an iTunes gift card for my birthday and I figured it'd be a good time to check out iTunes.
Now although I own an iPod-mini (2nd Generation - no colors) I never shop at the iTunes store. That's mainly because I'm too lazy to get new music. Which is bad if I ever want to become a world class DJ (don't worry I'm pretty far from it). But I'm slowly changing that.
I also never considered shopping on iTunes before because though some of their stuff is DRM free, a majority of it isn't. Which isn't a problem because I have an iPod but that means I can't spin it as a DJ (won't work on my Serato gear).
In addition, there's something called sampling bit rate which tells you the quality of the track. On iTunes, most tracks are at 128kbs. Which is fine for casual listening on your iPod and for the regular listener. However, I like to hear quality in my music. And (not that it's something to brag about) I can tell a difference between 128kbs and 256kbs. I think most people can if they listen hard enough.
128kbs is probably not desirable when you're in a club because the song doesn't translate that well coming out full blasting club speakers. The songs sound weak. And when you mix in other songs you've ripped at higher bit rates, you can REALLY hear the difference.
But I digress. Long story short. I don't like having 128 kbs songs.
So I wind up buying CDs so I can have the luxury of ownership (well within legal boundaries of course), and the luxury of ripping at whatever sample rate I wanted.
But I had to redeem my gift card and use it one day...so why not last night? I decided that I would not purchase any English songs because I could get them here in the States. Instead I figured that I'll beef up my Japanese song repertoire. I mean it's hard for me to find JPOP CDs here in NY and I'll be paying import prices so they'll be crazy expensive. And plus I need some new tracks to listen to.
Given I was in the US, the JPOP selection within iTunes was pretty limited. Even so, there was more in their inventory than what I had in my song bank.
I was in the store for quite some time and noticed a couple of things:
On to my good deed. I was on the F train this morning during rush hour and happened to be fortuitously positioned near a seat where a passenger was getting off early. I sat in and about two stops later I saw this cute Asian girl and her mom (she was 4 or 5) and I let the little girl sit in my seat.
EDIT...like most of my posts. I was not able to finish this one. I'll leave the "Taking Care of Kids" topic for another time. I'm sure it'll pop up once again.
I then remembered that my sister gave me an iTunes gift card for my birthday and I figured it'd be a good time to check out iTunes.
Now although I own an iPod-mini (2nd Generation - no colors) I never shop at the iTunes store. That's mainly because I'm too lazy to get new music. Which is bad if I ever want to become a world class DJ (don't worry I'm pretty far from it). But I'm slowly changing that.
I also never considered shopping on iTunes before because though some of their stuff is DRM free, a majority of it isn't. Which isn't a problem because I have an iPod but that means I can't spin it as a DJ (won't work on my Serato gear).
In addition, there's something called sampling bit rate which tells you the quality of the track. On iTunes, most tracks are at 128kbs. Which is fine for casual listening on your iPod and for the regular listener. However, I like to hear quality in my music. And (not that it's something to brag about) I can tell a difference between 128kbs and 256kbs. I think most people can if they listen hard enough.
128kbs is probably not desirable when you're in a club because the song doesn't translate that well coming out full blasting club speakers. The songs sound weak. And when you mix in other songs you've ripped at higher bit rates, you can REALLY hear the difference.
But I digress. Long story short. I don't like having 128 kbs songs.
So I wind up buying CDs so I can have the luxury of ownership (well within legal boundaries of course), and the luxury of ripping at whatever sample rate I wanted.
But I had to redeem my gift card and use it one day...so why not last night? I decided that I would not purchase any English songs because I could get them here in the States. Instead I figured that I'll beef up my Japanese song repertoire. I mean it's hard for me to find JPOP CDs here in NY and I'll be paying import prices so they'll be crazy expensive. And plus I need some new tracks to listen to.
Given I was in the US, the JPOP selection within iTunes was pretty limited. Even so, there was more in their inventory than what I had in my song bank.
I was in the store for quite some time and noticed a couple of things:
- The Money Counter. When you redeem your gift card, a counter shows up in the upper right of your iTunes application indicating the amount you have left to spend. Which is really cool. It reminds me of a slot machine in Atlantic City. Only it doesn't go up (unless you put more in...which is how it works in AC as well).
- I started buying and I couldn't stop. iTunes makes buying and sampling so easy and simple. You click on 10 things to buy and you've spent $11 dollars in 5 minutes. I told myself after each purchase, "OK...this is the last one for real...BUT I REALLY WANT THIS OTHER ONE TOO!!! *click*". It's like a kid in a candy store.
- They come with the digital album cover for free. I knew this but I never had much use for it considering my iPod mini isn't capable of displaying it. But now seeing it on my computer screen, makes me a bit more appreciative on it. It is art after all. Apple please come out with that 3G phone soon.
- 128kbs is not bad but it's not great. 128kbs isn't that bad. But I still wouldn't play the tracks in a club. I found one track that was DRM free by Utada Hikaru and I bought that for 99 cents. It came with a 256bps which I more than appreciated. I really hope other tracks come at that rate as well in the future because 128 really sucks.
- Instantaneous Gratification. I only realized this just now but when you buy something and download it right then and there and own it--that is instant gratification! You can listen to it immediately. There is no CD to open. There is no ripping songs involved. You buy it, you got it, you play with it.
On to my good deed. I was on the F train this morning during rush hour and happened to be fortuitously positioned near a seat where a passenger was getting off early. I sat in and about two stops later I saw this cute Asian girl and her mom (she was 4 or 5) and I let the little girl sit in my seat.
EDIT...like most of my posts. I was not able to finish this one. I'll leave the "Taking Care of Kids" topic for another time. I'm sure it'll pop up once again.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
LIRR Vigilante
I read this in the news today about a LIRR rider who got fed up with the noise of people chatting across the train car and on cellphones. He wound up cursing a man and then slapping the hand of woman who was chatting with another person across the aisle.
Details of the story are here:
http://gothamist.com/2008/04/09/lirr_etiquette_1.php
Yesterday was the trial and in the end he was acquitted of all charges.
I didn't quite know how to feel about this at first and I ran through some comments from other people in the gothamist article. Some people thought that it was great that he stood up for his personal space. Others bashed him for being stupid to think that on a crowded train he should be entitled to such peace and quiet.
There are times when I think people can get quite annoying with their chatter and their cellphones. Sometimes it's really an invasion of space. But I think I have to side with the comments that say he's a turd.
This guy has to realize that:
a) You're on a public train. You bought a ticket to ride the train from point A to point B.
b) Furthermore, your ticket is just a LIRR ticket. Not a first class LIRR ticket (which doesn't exist at all). The only privilege you have is the privilege to ride on the train. Not to noiseless cars, to quiet rooms, or even to a guaranteed seat!
c) You are riding during rush hour. Which means LOTS OF PEOPLE. Even if you are talking at a normal polite level, people will hear your conversation because everyone is so close to each other.
d) You could've done other things to isolate yourself from the noise. Um, noise isolation earphones anyone? Oh but you don't feel like you should be the one who has to change huh? Well perhaps you can say that the day you buy your own personal LIRR train car. Because you know what? You are still only one person out of many that rides the LIRR.
e) And who the hell carries a noise reader around measuring the decibels a train makes? That's like someone whipping out a chlorine monitor whenever they have to drink tap water at a restaurant.
f) And no one made you the LIRR noise police so stop acting like you are.
g) OK, people invaded your personal audio space but that gives you no right to touch someone else, let alone slap a part of their body.
I guess I did have an opinion on this after all.
Details of the story are here:
http://gothamist.com/2008/04/09/lirr_etiquette_1.php
Yesterday was the trial and in the end he was acquitted of all charges.
I didn't quite know how to feel about this at first and I ran through some comments from other people in the gothamist article. Some people thought that it was great that he stood up for his personal space. Others bashed him for being stupid to think that on a crowded train he should be entitled to such peace and quiet.
There are times when I think people can get quite annoying with their chatter and their cellphones. Sometimes it's really an invasion of space. But I think I have to side with the comments that say he's a turd.
This guy has to realize that:
a) You're on a public train. You bought a ticket to ride the train from point A to point B.
b) Furthermore, your ticket is just a LIRR ticket. Not a first class LIRR ticket (which doesn't exist at all). The only privilege you have is the privilege to ride on the train. Not to noiseless cars, to quiet rooms, or even to a guaranteed seat!
c) You are riding during rush hour. Which means LOTS OF PEOPLE. Even if you are talking at a normal polite level, people will hear your conversation because everyone is so close to each other.
d) You could've done other things to isolate yourself from the noise. Um, noise isolation earphones anyone? Oh but you don't feel like you should be the one who has to change huh? Well perhaps you can say that the day you buy your own personal LIRR train car. Because you know what? You are still only one person out of many that rides the LIRR.
e) And who the hell carries a noise reader around measuring the decibels a train makes? That's like someone whipping out a chlorine monitor whenever they have to drink tap water at a restaurant.
f) And no one made you the LIRR noise police so stop acting like you are.
g) OK, people invaded your personal audio space but that gives you no right to touch someone else, let alone slap a part of their body.
I guess I did have an opinion on this after all.
Friday, April 4, 2008
9:55 and Still Safe; The best $15 I've ever spent; China Made Goods
I've recently started driving to work on Tuesdays and Fridays because my kendo class ends rather late...which means I get home later. My system works OK. I drive to a car garage near the NYU area and I dump it there until 6:30 or 7:00PM and park it again near the dojo. The garage has this special where you come in between 5AM-10AM and you can stay there till 12 midnight for $16 bucks. Of course if you miss the 10AM you pay the max which is like $30.
Today I almost didn't make the 10AM cut off because 1) I was lazy getting out the door and 2) Traffic Traffic Traffic. I don't know how people drive to work everyday. It's just so slow. I mean it's nice to be comfy in your car, to listen to some morning shows, and to drink your coffee (I don't), but when all you do is go, STOP, go, STOP, go, GO, stop, stop, STOP!...it gets really annoying.
Today, was more exciting than usual as I kept looking at the clock to make sure I made the 10AM cut-off. I rolled in at 9:55 but not without some last minute drama as I couldn't find the parking lot attendant who prints and gives me my ticket.
In those 10 seconds I was thinking "if I do not make the 10AM cut off because this schmuck of attendant is not here, I will open up a can of whoop ass on the attendant so big, that it will send him back in time to the beginning of this week." Fortunately for the attendant, 1) he arrived back in time and 2) my can of whoop ass is more like a thimble of whoop ass.
In other news, the last button on my Express winter coat fell off steps away from my EMI building. And when I say last button, I mean there is now officially no way for me to close up my coat(unless I use my arms to hug myself or stick my hands in my pockets in such a way that it brings the flaps of my coat together).
But with the poppin' of that button, it looks like this may be the final winter season for my coat. I bought the coat for $15 at an Express........5 years ago.
It was on sale on some rack during the start of spring. It looked like a girl's coat but it was a size small and it fit me just fine. Somehow my female friends managed to assuage my fears that it was a girl's coat (it has that little strap thing on the back!) and I just bought it.
If it wasn't a girl's coat, it was really an effeminate man's coat. The design was kind of unique. Like one of those "foo-foo" runway show kind of designs. I mean nowadays I think a lot of guys' coats have this kind of cut, but this was like 5 years ago. I tell you I was playing with "fashion fire"--which was dangerous considering I have little fashion sense anyway.
In any case, the buttons that've popped off my coat are still on my coat...they're just jangling around in my coat pocket. One day in the future I might sew them back on, but to be honest, I think this is the end. It was a good solid coat, but I think I have to retire it. 5 years--that is almost (*open up MS Calculator*)--1,825 days worth of rain, snow, sun, subway cars, coat racks, girls' shoulders (okay only like one or two), swings, grass, chairs, cigarette smoke, sweat, dirt, spit, vomit (not mine), drool (yes, mine), and every restaurant smell imaginable. Yes good times...good times.
So yeah, I'll be on the look out for a new winter coat. Because every store is selling them now that it's Spring. Great.
Speaking of shopping, I took some time during lunch to do some window shopping around my area. I'm a pretty straightforward shopper. I go to the sale racks. Do some digging and if I can't find anything in 30 minutes (max) I just up and leave.
Even if I don't have anything to buy, I like walking in and out of stores just to see what the manequinns are wearing and get a sense of what's "in".
I am no fashionista or metrosexual but I have to say I was quite disappointed with GAP. They used to have some decent stuff. Now they're just kind of all of over the place with the identity of their inventory. Not as trendy as other places and in a way a little cheaper. They think by having a marketing campaign where actors and stars wear their stuff that, that will make me want to wear GAP stuff? I don't know. Perhaps I am getting to be a fashion snot (a weak one nonetheless).
And I've been a little bothered by this "Made in China" clothing tag that I'm seeing in GAP, Express, BR, etc. I think during the last 10 years, I've been programmed to think (with regards to clothing especially) "Made in China = Cheap Quality" and "Made in Anywhere Else = Good Quality". Nowadays, I see something I like and I'm like "COOL" but when I flip the tag and I see "Made in China" I then stop a little and put it back.
Which is mean. I know. I mean why should that "Made In..." tag be the major deciding factor in my purchase? Perhaps it's this instintctive economic concious in me that says..."Dude, this shirt costs $30 dollars and it was Made in China. It probably only costs them a fraction of $30 to produce that shirt. <> is making a killing on you. And you can get them back by not buying this shirt."
And that's somewhat silly reasoning. But I think what I'm feeling is that it just sucks that the cost savings isn't being passed on to me, the customer.
I think I just have to train myself to rely 90% on my senses of look and feel when purchasing something instead of checking the "Made In..." tag.
Today I almost didn't make the 10AM cut off because 1) I was lazy getting out the door and 2) Traffic Traffic Traffic. I don't know how people drive to work everyday. It's just so slow. I mean it's nice to be comfy in your car, to listen to some morning shows, and to drink your coffee (I don't), but when all you do is go, STOP, go, STOP, go, GO, stop, stop, STOP!...it gets really annoying.
Today, was more exciting than usual as I kept looking at the clock to make sure I made the 10AM cut-off. I rolled in at 9:55 but not without some last minute drama as I couldn't find the parking lot attendant who prints and gives me my ticket.
In those 10 seconds I was thinking "if I do not make the 10AM cut off because this schmuck of attendant is not here, I will open up a can of whoop ass on the attendant so big, that it will send him back in time to the beginning of this week." Fortunately for the attendant, 1) he arrived back in time and 2) my can of whoop ass is more like a thimble of whoop ass.
In other news, the last button on my Express winter coat fell off steps away from my EMI building. And when I say last button, I mean there is now officially no way for me to close up my coat(unless I use my arms to hug myself or stick my hands in my pockets in such a way that it brings the flaps of my coat together).
But with the poppin' of that button, it looks like this may be the final winter season for my coat. I bought the coat for $15 at an Express........5 years ago.
It was on sale on some rack during the start of spring. It looked like a girl's coat but it was a size small and it fit me just fine. Somehow my female friends managed to assuage my fears that it was a girl's coat (it has that little strap thing on the back!) and I just bought it.
If it wasn't a girl's coat, it was really an effeminate man's coat. The design was kind of unique. Like one of those "foo-foo" runway show kind of designs. I mean nowadays I think a lot of guys' coats have this kind of cut, but this was like 5 years ago. I tell you I was playing with "fashion fire"--which was dangerous considering I have little fashion sense anyway.
In any case, the buttons that've popped off my coat are still on my coat...they're just jangling around in my coat pocket. One day in the future I might sew them back on, but to be honest, I think this is the end. It was a good solid coat, but I think I have to retire it. 5 years--that is almost (*open up MS Calculator*)--1,825 days worth of rain, snow, sun, subway cars, coat racks, girls' shoulders (okay only like one or two), swings, grass, chairs, cigarette smoke, sweat, dirt, spit, vomit (not mine), drool (yes, mine), and every restaurant smell imaginable. Yes good times...good times.
So yeah, I'll be on the look out for a new winter coat. Because every store is selling them now that it's Spring. Great.
Speaking of shopping, I took some time during lunch to do some window shopping around my area. I'm a pretty straightforward shopper. I go to the sale racks. Do some digging and if I can't find anything in 30 minutes (max) I just up and leave.
Even if I don't have anything to buy, I like walking in and out of stores just to see what the manequinns are wearing and get a sense of what's "in".
I am no fashionista or metrosexual but I have to say I was quite disappointed with GAP. They used to have some decent stuff. Now they're just kind of all of over the place with the identity of their inventory. Not as trendy as other places and in a way a little cheaper. They think by having a marketing campaign where actors and stars wear their stuff that, that will make me want to wear GAP stuff? I don't know. Perhaps I am getting to be a fashion snot (a weak one nonetheless).
And I've been a little bothered by this "Made in China" clothing tag that I'm seeing in GAP, Express, BR, etc. I think during the last 10 years, I've been programmed to think (with regards to clothing especially) "Made in China = Cheap Quality" and "Made in Anywhere Else = Good Quality". Nowadays, I see something I like and I'm like "COOL" but when I flip the tag and I see "Made in China" I then stop a little and put it back.
Which is mean. I know. I mean why should that "Made In..." tag be the major deciding factor in my purchase? Perhaps it's this instintctive economic concious in me that says..."Dude, this shirt costs $30 dollars and it was Made in China. It probably only costs them a fraction of $30 to produce that shirt. <
And that's somewhat silly reasoning. But I think what I'm feeling is that it just sucks that the cost savings isn't being passed on to me, the customer.
I think I just have to train myself to rely 90% on my senses of look and feel when purchasing something instead of checking the "Made In..." tag.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
On Being Lefty
I have always been proud to be lefty. For some strange reason, I feel that being born a lefty contributed to the person I am today...which sounds totally ridiculous I know. But I think there is some weird connection between which hand you use to eat and who you are.
And I say born a lefty because, despite many attempts by my parents to reprogram me to become righty, it never happened.
As a kid, my parents would stick my kid-sized chopsticks in my right hand and without fail I would switch after two unsuccessful bites back to using my left hand. (They gave up after much frustration fearing that any harder methods of reprogramming would completely screw up my brain and render me more confused than I am today.)
Same with writing. Actually there were two points in my life when an attempt was made to reprogram my writing hand. Once as a kid during 1st grade and then once during high-school. Of course at the age of 16, my parents and I should have known that I had already reached the point of now return of writing lefty. I think I wanted to give hand conformity one more try. But conformity takes a back seat when your penmanship looks more like bad graffiti rather than legible handwriting.
So I think I can solidly say...I was born a lefty.
But back to on being lefty.
I do believe lefties think differently than righties. I mean you've probably seen this test before...
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html
And though I think we all have the capability to be either left brained or right brained, I'm sure that there are some people who are more one side than the other naturally.
Perhaps it's the lefty connection but I've always felt a sense of excitement when I meet another lefty. It's like I wonder what story they are hiding or what talents they have. I think lefties in general are odd but interesting people.
Take for instance the GMAT instructor I currently have at manhattan GMAT. You would think your typical instructor is someone who's gone through the motions of B-School or worked in the financial services industry but nope. My instructor is a film producer. Never went to B-school. And is very outspoken about not knowing or understanding why people work in the finance industry. He is also a lefty.
I've seen quite a few studies about lefties being Type A personality and righties being Type B personality. And that lefties are better in careers that involve "doing this" and righties are better in careers "doing that". Well here is my version on lefties.
I'm thinking about 5 lefties that I know (that's quite a lot I think). And here are 10 things that come to mind when I think about them:
I just read through my post and I don't think I really addressed how being a lefty contributed to me being me. Oh well. Perhaps this is a deeper discussion than I initially thought. For the next post I suppose.
And I say born a lefty because, despite many attempts by my parents to reprogram me to become righty, it never happened.
As a kid, my parents would stick my kid-sized chopsticks in my right hand and without fail I would switch after two unsuccessful bites back to using my left hand. (They gave up after much frustration fearing that any harder methods of reprogramming would completely screw up my brain and render me more confused than I am today.)
Same with writing. Actually there were two points in my life when an attempt was made to reprogram my writing hand. Once as a kid during 1st grade and then once during high-school. Of course at the age of 16, my parents and I should have known that I had already reached the point of now return of writing lefty. I think I wanted to give hand conformity one more try. But conformity takes a back seat when your penmanship looks more like bad graffiti rather than legible handwriting.
So I think I can solidly say...I was born a lefty.
But back to on being lefty.
I do believe lefties think differently than righties. I mean you've probably seen this test before...
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22556281-661,00.html
And though I think we all have the capability to be either left brained or right brained, I'm sure that there are some people who are more one side than the other naturally.
Perhaps it's the lefty connection but I've always felt a sense of excitement when I meet another lefty. It's like I wonder what story they are hiding or what talents they have. I think lefties in general are odd but interesting people.
Take for instance the GMAT instructor I currently have at manhattan GMAT. You would think your typical instructor is someone who's gone through the motions of B-School or worked in the financial services industry but nope. My instructor is a film producer. Never went to B-school. And is very outspoken about not knowing or understanding why people work in the finance industry. He is also a lefty.
I've seen quite a few studies about lefties being Type A personality and righties being Type B personality. And that lefties are better in careers that involve "doing this" and righties are better in careers "doing that". Well here is my version on lefties.
I'm thinking about 5 lefties that I know (that's quite a lot I think). And here are 10 things that come to mind when I think about them:
- They are mentally strong.
- Open minded.
- Creative thinkers.
- I think they would make bad
accountants. I think they would hate being accountants. Genuine. Are careful about relationships. - Can be weird but fun.
- Don't always look at the facts to make decisions.
- Intense.
I just read through my post and I don't think I really addressed how being a lefty contributed to me being me. Oh well. Perhaps this is a deeper discussion than I initially thought. For the next post I suppose.
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