Monday, October 29, 2007

Crap!

There was a spanking new Expedit bookshelf unit sitting downstairs in the garbage/recycling room but I was alone and could not lift the unit up myself! DAMMIT! So 30mins later, when I went to put my laundry into the dryer - it was gone. And 10 mins later, one of my room-mates came home from school. $#^%&^*@.

Saturday, October 27, 2007

NYC - NJ - LI Adventures

Weekend highlights
Damien Hirst's Shark
NYC Rain
Rice Pudding for dessert
NJ IKEA stress

The LIRR
DS Lite Entertainment
I learned Sudoku
The sucky NY Islander Game
Yakitori supper
Another awesome weekend with my boy!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

He's here again!

Lexington and 57th 3:40pm - Window shopping
here's something incredibly romantic walking around NYC in the sprinkly rain.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Things I see/feel/hear/smell while commuting around NYC

  • ALWAYS an ambulance, fire engine or police car with their sirens on (it doesn't help that I live near both a fire hall and a hospital)
  • Buskers - some showing their wares of creativity, others simply just showing off their wares, and ones who shameless just ask for spare change (aka beggars but I'm trying to be PC here)
  • The glorious smell of puke (like I did this morning while walking to school) somewhere on the sidewalk, where you constantly look around while waiting to cross the road, to see where the disgusting smell is emanating.
  • The dripperty drip of an air conditioner - note: this is a regular experience, you've never truly experienced New York until you experience a semi-cold drip of some liquid
  • and you're not quite sure if it was air-con condensation or someone's spit or bird crap.
  • The bumps and sidewalk stepping while trying to get anywhere. I'm not quite sure why but everyone here seems to walk faster which in turn makes you walk faster, when really you don't have any reason to. I feel compelled to rush everywhere I go, on the bus, the street and in the subway.
  • Dogs - lots of dogs. And dog poo too. It seems in the big city of New York, people are so hurried and busy that they barely have time to social relationships of any genuine kind. The result? Fuzzy, loyal, four-legged companions, by the dozens, all over every single park, tree and green space you can imagine. I miss Digby...
  • Men in suits after 5pm, walking around with their pressed, crisp shirts in clear laundry bags.
  • Women in suits before 9am, walking around in flip flops with their heels in their work bags.
  • High school kids at 3pm, swarming all over the bus stops, subways - screaming, yelling, simply being a nuisance.
  • Coffee/tea/pastry vendors all over the city in the morning - I know one I always go to outside my school who cheerfully wishes me "Good morning", calls me "Gorgeous" and serves me my tea or coffee and my jelly doughnut every Tuesday morning. Nothing makes your morning, when someone calls you "Gorgeous" even when you're wearing yesterday's stinky tee and no makeup. Hee!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Out of place?

Being Asian, I realise I'm a minority in North America. Growing up in Singapore, I'm not a stranger to multiculturalism or racial diversity and moving to Vancouver, I embraced the multiculturalism prevalent in my new home. Now, moving to New York, I am once again surrounded by people from different cultures and countries but never once, did I ever feel out of place at any point in time, until today...

Scenario 1:
I was invited to a Korean church service by a classmate of mine. I consider myself to be an easy-going and an open minded individual so I cheerfully went, knowing that the service would be entirely in Korean! I was told though, that there would be a translation of sorts via headset but unfortunately, it didn't work! So I went through the entire service in Korean! Being Singaporean, I always thought I had the upperhand being able to speak English while living in North America - while many Asian immigrants struggle in this area. But today while at service, I truly felt out of place. Not understanding the sermon or what people were saying or sharing really felt awkward, jarringly awkward. However, the congregation was extremely friendly and nice and made me feel comfortable, especially when everyone of them spoke English!


Scenario 2:
I was at the Apple Store in SoHo and while I was waiting, I did what I usually do when I'm bored - I people-watch. After about 10 minutes of observing, I came to realise that I was surrounded by gay couples. There was a lesbian couple sitting next to me, a gay couple infront of me and behind me. There was a gay guy with his friend in the skinniest jeans and beautifully tweezed eyebrows walking around the area I was waiting in. His gay companion, carrying the latest YSL bag, a pashmina wrapped around his neck and True Religion jeans. Boy, did I feel out of place. Here I was, straight and happily straight, I felt awkward being the only straight person in the small square feet of space around me. Awkward...

Friday, October 5, 2007

I'm in Boston

once again, for Canadian Thanksgiving with two fifths of the Lee clan - its Turkey hunting and debauchery in the kitchen! Hahahaha!