2011: The Year of... Lots =)

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Hi readers!

Now that it's 2011, I've decided I will be using golf as the reason behind writing more often. The main focus will be golf-related stuff... but there will be some other goodies mixed in. =)

I played my first round of golf of the year yesterday. It was Jackson Park - a challenging muni in Seattle. I joined up with 3 friends who were surprisingly impervious to the weather - a less than friendly 40s and raining steadily. Lightly, but steadily.

Nonetheless, the ground was beyond saturated with the rain - pretty much 100% lateral water hazard. For the non-golfers reading, that means if you take a step, water squishes out of the ground. It was like playing golf on a sponge. =)

The golf was made all the harder by the fact that I worked out a.) for the first time in about a month, and b.) my legs in particular for the first time in many, many months. I've spent this weekend both sore and pretty unable to get around! As a result, trying to stay balanced during a golf swing was pretty challenging. So between the slippery, sloshy ground... and a rather useless pair of legs... and the cold, wind and rain... it was very difficult playing. Hooks all over.

So... I hope next time is better on all accounts!

In other news:

The Localite gang and I are planning on reviewing draft #1 of some wire frames this weekend. It won't be long now until the site is under development and we can start counting down the days until launch and changing the world. =)

Karaoke World Championships, National Finals - Houston, TX

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Saturday, 9:30 AM :: After flying in last night and spending the night at Dad & Sherry's, Dad and I are on our way to Hush in Houston for the contest. Last night we hit up Mens Wearhouse and I got a suit for my Frank Sinatra song. Will update when we get to Hush.

Saturday, 12:15 PM :: HA! 45 contestants, and I am #44. This climb just got a little more uphill. I'll be up in about 3 hours for those who want to watch the stream!

Saturday, 2:30 PM :: About 25 singers to go in Round 1 and so far I'm not totally out of it. :) I'm #7 during round 2.

Saturday, 3:00 PM :: #30 coming up after the break... Means about 1 hour til showtime!!

Saturday, 3:30 PM :: #35 coming up (Chase - my WA homie) - tune in for me around 4:15.

Saturday, 4:00 :: #40 up now! Tune in at 4:15!

Saturday, 6:00 :: I didn't leave anything on the table. Best I've ever sang either song. Looks like they're taking the top 10 males and females into Round 3, so we'll see how it goes!!

Saturday, 11:40 PM :: End of Day 1. They had to stop in the middle of round 2 when we ran out of time. About 30 singers remaining before the Top 10 guys and girls advance to round 3. Regardless of what happens, I did my very best and had all kinds of fun. Josh's parents had the west coasters over for swimming and BBQ; lots of fun relaxing with my 'roke family.

World Karaoke Championships: West Region Finals

Thursday, August 05, 2010

Hey everybody. =) As you may know, I have a penchant for karaoke. Since moving to Seattle, I've found a great karaoke spot: Thursdays at Blue C Sushi, in Bellevue, WA. The guy who hosts it, Pete, keeps the vibe fun and playful; and the song selection is mind-boggling. There's a regular cadre of peeps who are there most Thursdays, and they are amazing to be around - supportive and accepting, just the way karaoke is meant to be.

A couple of weeks ago, one of them shot me a txt Thursday morning letting me know that that evening was a local qualifier for the World Karaoke Championships' Washington State Finals. I went, sang Ordinary People by John Legend, and qualified. A few days later, at the WA State Finals, I sang Somewhere Over the Raindbow / What a Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole and wasn't selected to advance any farther.

Well wouldn't you know, some of those who were selected must've declined, because I got called back! So this weekend I am journeying down to Albuquerque, NM to participate in the West Region Finals. The Top 5 males and females from a pool of contestants that is comprised of 14 states (Alaska, Arizona, No. Cal, So. Cal, Colorado, Hawai'i, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington) will advance to the National Finals in Houston, TX.

The biggest lesson I took away from the State Finals is that uptempo songs or songs people want to sing along with or dance to are the best sellers. So for the competition, I've chosen Faith by George Michael and then Mr. Brightside by The Killers.

I'll be live blogging from the event Saturday and Sunday, so check back here for updates if you're interested! Wish me luck. =)

Friday, 7:00 AM :: A few minutes until I board the plane to Albuquerque! After last night's 'roke at Blue C I'm feelin relaxed. I'd like to try to get Ordinary People switched with Mr Brightside as my #2 song. I'll try visualizing good things and hope the universe agrees.

Friday, 4:30 PM :: What trip to NM would be complete without some amazing Mexican food? It turns out a bunch of the WA singers were on the same flight, and we're bonding. :) In a few hours we'll head over to the venue for meet and greet!

Friday, 11:00 PM :: A summary of the Meet & Greet.... let's see, what's important? #1: There will be roughly 37 contests competing in total (not sure about the split between male & female). With the top 5 males and top 5 females advancing, I'd be lying if I said my hopes didn't just go up a little bit. #2: The venue is perfect for my songs! There's a stage and lots of amply lit floor space in front of it for moving around in. I'm now really excited for Faith tomorrow, because I will be using that floor space, believe you me. =) We're expected to be at the venue (Exhale Bar & Nightclub) tomorrow morning at 11:30 AM. So tonight I will be resting up and drinking lots of water. #3: One of those seemingly impossible coincidences... one of my fellow WA singers not only moved here from NYC, but actually used to work in the exact same building I did by Madison Square Park... CRAZY. See you in the AM!

Saturday, 12:30 PM :: Seems there are just over 30 singers here... I'm #11. Butterflies a'growim. George Michael, don't let me down... The venue is a gay bar after all. :)

Saturday, 12:40 PM :: Judges just announced that top 10 males and females advance...!! Odds are getting better. Gotta have faith. ;)

Saturday, 2:00 PM :: Well... That went okay. Definitely struggled with the lyrics a bit... And flat out ran out of breath at one point! But the judges said they couldn't take their eyes off of me, and they're looking forward to hearing my other side tomorrow. It's awesome to hear all the talent in the room.

Saturday, 5:15 PM :: Day 1 has finished up, and my 'Roke Roomie and I celebrated with some Sonic Burger on the way home. (For the record, he's probably going to win this thing.) Now, those of you who've ever watched any kind of competition with me might know that I tend to call things once I feel pretty confident in how I think something's going to end up. Well, after seeing everyone, I feel like I've still got a chance to crack the Top 10. There were numerous male singers who were way above and beyond me... in a different stratosphere really, but at the same time, of all the guys who went today, I feel like I might've been #1 for stage presence - meaning I interacted with with the audience, and more importantly, they had fun - which is the main reason I chose "Faith" in the first place. So tomorrow I've gotta show a different side with John Legend and hope the combination of the two songs does the trick.

Saturday, 6:30 PM :: Video from today. =) Now you can see for yourself: Had a ton of fun, but flubbed it a bit. Luckily the energy made up for a couple blunders.

Sunday, 10:00 AM :: Team Washington had some fun last night. Maybe a little too much fun. =) My roomie and I are both a little groggier for it this morning, but still ready to go and give our all in today's final round. We're gonna hit Starbucks on the way over to get some tea down our throats and into our stomachs, and hopefully by the time either of us has to take the stage we'll be back to 100%. I'll check in when I hear what spot I'm singing in today!

Sunday, 1:00 PM :: The singing is underway! I am #22 of 29 or so. Will be recording again so I can post online later. The Ordinary People in this room have so much talent...! Case in point, the first two males both have a musical theatre background.

Sunday, 2:00 PM :: 10 singers down, 20 or so to go. Really hard to say who's going to Houston at this point. Fingers crossed...!

Sunday, 3:15 PM :: 20 down, 10 to go. Really hopin I can crack the top 10. I'm so proud of my new friends; what a great weekend, and I am so thankful to know them now.

Sunday, 4:00 PM :: I can't do much better than that - 100% positive feedback from the judges. If I don't go to Houston then I can't be disappointed. Will update when the results are in.

Sunday, 7:15 PM :: No luck for me... Near perfect scores today, but my flubs during Faith did me in. Judges said it was a hard decision and I should be in Houston, but it is what it is. Amazing weekend, amazing people. Will post the video later!

Sunday, 9:30 pm :: I finished in 11th place. Ouch. =) Although if any of the Top 10 can't make it to Houston, I'll get a call saying I get to go. (That's how I got to Albuquerque after the Washington state finals after all, so why change things?) Either way, I leave here with new friendships that wouldn't have otherwise come into being, with some people that I admire and enjoy being around. I know that we will all be seeing each other again back up in Seattle now that our weekend has come to an end. And now, for those interested, video from today!

Aloha

Saturday, June 05, 2010

Hello! I hope this entry finds you well. I got back to the mainland early Wednesday morning after 5 days in Oahu, HI visiting AJ & Josh. They were easily 5 of the best days I've ever had, and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you.

As a point of reference, the film "50 First Dates" and the TV show "Lost" were filmed almost entirely on Oahu; and what you see in those productions is what you get. (Speaking of "50 First Dates," the Hukilau Cafe that you see in the film doesn't exist. A cafe by that name does exist, but the exact one in the film was built for filming in and torn down afterward. It was on my wishlist of things to see until I found this out!)

Flying out to HI at night was an interesting experience. The sky was almost entirely clear and the moon illuminated the ocean fairly widely, allowing me to take in exactly how far out in the world I was. I couldn't help but think of the ancient mariners of the sea, traveling without knowing what they would find, if anything.

Once I arrived, we spent virtually every waking moment outdoors, rain or shine. We walked a nature trail that led to Waimea Falls and the natural pool it feeds into and took a dip. We spent a lot of time on numerous beaches. Hale'iwa was my favorite; it's small and tucked away, never got crowded (even on Memorial Day) and offered a fantastic view of the sunset. Although jumping from a 30' rock into the ocean at Waimea was also pretty sweet!

I tried stand-up paddling and was quickly hooked on it. I am going to keep an eye open for a used SUP of my own. The experience was made all the better by the fact that the river we paddled up is home to at least a dozen giant turtles who just swim around without a care in the world. More than once as one passed directly below me I thought it would bump the bottom of my board. And I helped one out of a dangerous situation when I saw that it had gotten caught up in the rope attached to someone's crab trap. From a few feet away, on my board, I was able to tug on the rope and get the turtle freed up. That felt pretty sweet. As did paddling up the rest of the river, having a couple beers in a spot that felt like the last undiscovered patch of wild on earth, and then laying down on the board the whole way back down and staring at the sky, guided by the river. (If you ever find yourself wanting to rent a SUP in Oahu, I recommend Surf N Sea on Hale'iwa Beach. They were pretty awesome.)

I also tried snorkeling for the first time. (This trip comprised my first times ever being in the ocean. Crazy, huh?) I found it hard to get used to, and felt claustrophobic. It was cool to swim out amongst some rocks and plant life and see some fishies; but at the same time I couldn't get used to the breathing, and swallowed more sea water than I would've liked. :)

We visited a large flea market, where I got to take in some of the locally produced wares of Oahu. Like most flea markets, about 70% of the vendors were selling the same or very similar things while the other 30% offered some pretty cool and unique items. I also picked up some local artwork at the shop at the Deep Ecology Dive Center.

It was a relaxing and refreshing trip, and thankfully, it also reminded me that there is too much to see and experience in the world to get wrapped up in the singular view of the day to day. My job is a pretty time-intensive one, and it's easy to get settled into the routine and forget about the bigger picture. So I've come back inspired to continue to work hard, but with a stronger focus on the end goal - giving myself a chance to see more, learn more and live more. Not unlike my new favorite tree, the banyon, which I saw for the first time in Hawai'i - I want to have roots all over the place. :)

Some pics from the trip:

Why I'm Leaving Facebook... Well, Sort Of

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Hello peeps,

First off, let me start by saying that it's been a while and I hope you are doing well. Things in Seattle have been good. I'm getting out there and learning this city bit by bit, and it's starting to feel like home to me. I'd be lying if I told you I haven't missed NYC more than I thought I would, but then again, the grass is always greener...... and on that note - if you are in NYC and reading this and would like to meet up over July 4th weekend, I will be around. :)

Now, on to the show: I'm leaving Facebook.

It really started a while back - at least a year ago. I started to become disenchanted with the whole concept of being "friends" with people via some website and nothing more... few or zero phone calls, visits or cups of coffee... It's hard to describe exactly, but words like detached and artificial come to mind. And maybe that's as much a character analysis of who I've been recently as it is of Facebook... but either way I started to think the whole charade was a bit silly.

I started trimming down the "friends" list. First I stopped accepting invitations to connect with people I'd never actually spoken with, even if we went to the same school once upon a time... then went the people I'd met on random encounters but never contacted again... then went people from years ago I'd lost touch with only to "re-connect" with on FB and then never actually speak with again. I got it down to a point where I was connected to close peeps I already speak with on a regular basis and then a number of folks I simply might want to be able to contact someday.

Well, now FB is doing all this stuff I can't figure out how to undo... I am getting updates from anything and everything in my profile that has a FB page, and I have to take extra steps just to check in on the people I really care about. This is pretty much on par with picking up the phone or writing an email at this point... so why not just pick up the phone or write an email?

In a nutshell, I'm done using FB as a means of communication as of June 30. I figure this leaves enough time for peeps to get used to contacting me via other means of communication before I stop checking the page. I don't know when I will actually deactivate the account, because I do think there is some benefit to keeping it active in the off-chance that someone needs my email address or phone number.

Suffice it to say that if you and I have known each other for years and are still in touch, that's probably not going to change any time soon. But if I meet you tomorrow, I'm all about substance at this point. So let's get back to reality. :)

Why I Love Californication

Sunday, March 07, 2010

I've decided to express my appreciation for the TV show "Californication" by pontificating on my favorite Hank Moody quotes from Season 1. (As my good friend Fredie will attest to, Season 1 is the best. I may or may not follow up with quotes from Seasons 2 and 3.) Here are my favorite Moodyisms in no particular order:

"I'm disgusted with my life and myself, but I'm not unhappy about that." In my opinion, this one's about finding a positive within a negative. We all have things about ourselves we aren't proud of, and the right to handle them however we need to. Hank embraces his disgust because it's a sign that he wants something better and hasn't lost himself completely.

"It was the best of times... if only someone had told me. Mistakes were made. Hearts were broken; harsh lessons learned... I don't know how I got here, but here I am." The person I am at this moment is the cumulative result of everything that has happened leading up to it. The import of a moment often can't be recognized until after the fact. Highs and lows become clearer when there's more to compare them with. I don't know if I would go back and do anything differently, but I do wish I could've experienced the highs with the knowledge of just how special they were. Instead, all I can do is hope to reach them again with the knowledge in hand.

"Just because something is bleak doesn't necessarily make it true... Who says we have to be realistic?... No. We don't have to be. Realistic, that is. Not when it comes to love." More than once, I've found myself perplexed by what love can do to the way I think and act. Most of the decisions I make are carefully thought out. I try to be as pragmatic as I can be. And yet love, that untameable force, can blow over the carefully constructed view of reality I build for myself like it's made of straw. Love isn't born of pragmatism and is immune to rationality. For better or for worse, it simply is.

"I think we made the mistake of getting it right the first time... and that put an insane amount of pressure on us to keep it going. And we buckled."

1/13/10

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Flying is painful. Even at its finest, it’s a dreadful experience. You can take every step humanly possible to make it better – print out your boarding pass at home, check zero bags and have all of your fluids packed up in a Ziploc bag – and it’s STILL painful. This is partly due to the airlines, but is also largely due to the ignorance and malfeasance of travelers. As a rule, I expect common courtesy to take a hit any time a large number of people get packed into tight spaces – especially people in a rush. Nonetheless, an article on CNN.com about flying etiquette struck a chord with me and I thought I’d pay it forward. (http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/01/12/carry.on.tips/index.html)

I started noticing problems about a year ago when the whole “pay to check bags” practice became more or less standard across the industry. The airlines assumed that people would just pay to check bags. In reality, people just avoided it at all costs and brought more with them onto flights. All of I sudden, I had to worry about finding any overhead space if I wasn’t in the first half of travelers to board a plane. Anyone who has been among the last 20 travelers to board a plane in the last year knows this pain.

So, here are a few suggestions from the CNN article that I agreed with most:

1. Don’t put bags into overhead storage lengthwise. More bags will fit if they are all positioned perpendicular to the aisle; if your bag is too large to fit that way, it should be checked.

2. Put your larger item up top, your smaller item at your feet.

3. Wait until everyone’s bags are stowed, then lay your coat on top. Bags take priority.

These rules should always be in effect, but particularly so now that there’s even more baggage coming into the main cabin with passengers. (I personally think that if the airlines simply charged less for checking bags, like $10, a lot more people would do it and it would help alleviate some of this mess.)

1/6/2010

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

In line with my New Year’s Resolution to Improve, I’ve been doing some thinking about just how pivotal the role of reading was in the improvements I saw in my life last year. The old saying “Knowledge is power” proved to be very true for me in 2009. The more I read and learned about the pillars of (what I believe to be) a balanced, healthy life, the better I felt. And, among all of the hectic disorganization in my life at the end of 2009, there was a serious lack of reading going on. So as part of my Resolution, I am going to catch the reading bug and dig into knowledge and information with a vengeance. Additionally, I am going to share what I’m learning and thinking about with you as it comes.

Today I came across an article from Men’s Health highlighting 100 Fitness Tips. (You can find the full list here: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/100-best-fitness-tips/) I’ve picked my 10 favorites and included them here in no particular order, along with some reasons why they are favorites. NOTE: I’ve never received professional fitness training. I am just enthusiastic about it and try to learn as much as I can. So take what I say with a grain of salt and know that better info is likely available out there.

1. Don’t work your ab muscles every day. Your abs are like any other muscle. Train them only 2-3 days per week. I’ve read in multiple sources that exercise is essentially damaging muscles with the intent of getting them to re-build and/or grow. For that reason, a day of rest is important for giving muscles the opportunity to repair. In addition, I’ve read that exercising 3 days a week is enough to keep your resting metabolism in a state of near-permanent elevation – meaning more burn, 24/7.

2. Drink a pint, get ripped. In a new study, beginners who trained to failure then drank a supplement immediately afterward gained 5+ pounds of muscle in 8 weeks. In 2008 I focused on more exercise, but not on integrating nutrition into it. Big mistake. Muscles need materials to re-build with – protein, carbs and fat alike. In 2009 I got into the habit of downing a protein shake and a meal after working out and it improved my results noticeably; downing a protein shake before working out helped even more. Now I’ve reached a point where if I don’t have something available to eat before working out, I don’t work out.

3. Lose your weak spot. If you don’t like an exercise, start doing it. You’re probably avoiding it because you’re weak at it. Case in point for me: Pull-ups/chin-ups. I work out at home, primarily with dumbbells. This makes really challenging my back muscles difficult. Several months back I picked up one of those pull-up bars that affixes to a door frame, and if there’s one exercise that makes me feel like a weakling, it’s pull-ups. If I can successfully do 10 of those things by year’s end, I’ll consider it success.

4. Keep your stats, see amazing results. Every 4 weeks, measure a variable – waist size, body fat, bench press – that equates to your end goal. In the spring of 2008, I realized my weight had dropped from 200 lbs to 175 lbs in a matter of roughly two years. I wasn’t happy, and made gaining weight my measure of success. I ate more, then focused on eating more protein, and began lifting weights regularly. Now my weight is back up to 200 lbs and I want to shift my focus to body fat. If I can arrive at a combined 200 lb weight with 10% body fat by year’s end… well I may just stop wearing clothes around the apartment because of how good I will feel.

5. Pick up your pace. Increase the speed of your strides – not their length – to get faster. Your foot should always land under your body, rather than out in front of it. I first got a sense of this running a treadmill sometime a few months back. I thought, “Here is this fixed, small area for running, yet I can increase or decrease speeds.” The next time I ran on the street I imagined having only a few feet to work with, and it made it much easier to build up speed without getting winded. If only I’d known this as a kid playing little-league baseball.

6. Eat meat and grow. Eat meat – 4 to 8 oz. every day – to grow more muscle. See #2 or #4. Eating is a big part of being fit. One caveat here: it doesn’t necessarily have to be meat because there are other good sources of protein, but it’s hard to pack the protein punch that meat does per serving size. If red meat isn’t your think, there’s also chicken, turkey, fish and pork. Mix it up and enjoy.

7. Manage your middle. Do your ab exercises first. Your abs and core get worked during other exercises focused on the legs and arms by helping to keep you balanced and stable. If you wait until afterward to do abs-focused exercises, they may already be tired and make the exercises less effective. I’d rather target them first and maximize the workload and then move on to exercises where they are playing more of a supportive and less-stressful role.

8. Exercise one arm at a time. Do a set of shoulder presses with your left arm, then do a set with your right. “You’ll get higher quality sets than if you work both arms at the same time.” ‘Plateau’ is a word I’ve heard a lot relative to fitness in the last year. Namely – your muscles want to become efficient and streamlined, and do less work. So if you do the same exercises in the same order day in and day out, they will lose their effectiveness with time. Better to keep your muscles surprised by changing things up every few weeks – mix up the amount of weight you use; the number of reps you do; the angles at which you hold the weights; the grips you use; or whether you use one arm, both arms, or alternate.

9. Squat for a six-pack. Do squats and deadlifts… to build your abs. These two main exercises force your abs to do a significant amount of work to maintain your posture. I read somewhere that in order to have a six-pack, an average male needs less than 12% body fat. And in order to burn fat, it’s really helpful to focus on the large muscle groups – legs and back – that require the most energy to work. It takes 250,000 crunches to burn 1 pound of fat, so it’s probably best to perform a mixture of ab exercises and others like squats, lunges and pull-ups (ugh…).

10. Build real strength. Don’t use machine weights exclusively… My friend Tony is one of the fittest guys I’ve ever known and he would probably take this a bit further and recommend not using machine weights at all. Machines teach your body to be strong for very constrained movements – front, back, left, right. By using weights like dumbbells, kettlebells, medicine balls or even simply your own body weight, you can challenge your muscles with movements that actually reflect the movements you make in daily life – whether it’s playing sports, sprinting to catch a bus or loading groceries.

Happy 2010!

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Good morning, Interweb. I hope 2010 is off to a great start for you! I had a few minutes before boarding my 7th flight in the last month and so decided to write a quick entry.

As with every New Year, 2010 offers a figurative "new start" for all of us. The realist notes that the only real change a new year brings is a different way of writing the date. The optimist sees that simple change as a symbol for fresh opportunities to grow; a catalyst that drives us to act upon the areas for improvement we spend the rest of the year thinking about. The word "resolution" comes from the word "resolute," which means "firm or determined; unwavering." So if you make a resolution or two this year, be unwavering in your dedication to accomplishing what it is you set out to do. My resolution this year is simply to Improve; to finish the year a better, healthier, happier person than when I started it. The end of 2009 brought an onslought of exciting changes to my life, but with those changes came unpredictability and less stability than I'd grown accustomed to. Much of what I've learned about exercise, nutrition, finance and music has lain dormant these last few weeks, and as part of my goal to Improve I am re-dedicating myself toward living an organized and well-balanced life. Now more than ever before, I see the future I want to arrive at sooner rather than later, and I am energized and motivated to take the steps needed to make it happen.

That's it for now. Time to get going! Be well. And if you're in LA these next couple of days, give me a shout!

Same Blog, New Time Zone!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Hello all! This is my first post from my new home in Seattle, Washington. I have been in my new apartment and job for two weeks now, and I thought it might be time for an update.

Unfortunately, the #1 thing to report is that I've come down with a pretty nasty bug that's got me laid up. Just so you know, if you wake up one day with a really sore throat, it's probably best not to begin an 8-day, 5,000-mile road trip with several of those days involving 12+ hours of being in a car, immediately followed by two cross-country flights within the next 5 days, immediately followed by a day full of moving your things into an apartment and consuming a fair amount of alcoholic beverages, immediately followed by the stress of a first week on a new job. (Now that I read what I just wrote, I'm not so surprised my body is protesting.) I'm doing my best to take it easy and get lots of sleep, but it's tough to stay consistent when I'm trying to get situated and what not. Plus I now have to fly to LA and back for work this week, immediately followed by flying to Phoenix for Christmas... yeah. Trying to get better. Maybe by the Spring?

The #2 thing to report is that I am enjoying my new job. It's keeping me very engaged and busy, with lots of days where I come home with a tired brain. I don't want to go into too much detail, but suffice it to say that I hit the ground running and things have gone well so far.

The #3 thing to report is that after two weeks in my apartment, it's still largely empty! I am waiting on a dining set that will probably arrive on Tuesday while I am in LA. Sometime in January I will be on the hunt for an olive green couch (a very fitting color here in the Pacific Northwest!) And lastly I shall someday find a stand for my TV. Once all of this is done, I will feel like I'm more or less done and can start taking some pictures or video of the place to post!

So, in summary, I am more less happy after my first two weeks here. I am looking forward to being done with moving in and getting settled so that I can begin to explore this new city and learn about the local places that will eventually make it feel like home to me. (Note: If you have any suggestions for spots for live music or other arts, let me know!)

That's all for now. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season. See you in '10!

Live from New York... it's Thursday Night!

Thursday, November 05, 2009

Hey peeps. It's 11:30 PM here in NYC, and as has been the case the last couple of weeks, falling asleep is difficult. It's not unusual in the sense that I've got a lot going on and a lot of thoughts fighting for attention in my mind... but compared with an average night, it is unusual. And so I've brewed some tea and decided to write a bit.

First, an update on all the official stuff... I've got movers booked. They'll be carting away my things on the 19th and arriving at my as-of-yet-unidentified apartment on December 5th. I'm heading out to Seattle next weekend (14th-16th) to apartment shop in the Capitol Hill neighborhood downtown, and have made several appointments with buildings I'd like to check out. (I'm rooting for the brand spanking new one with a rooftop lounge complete with pool table.) I get back to NYC on the 17th, and have the 18th to finish up packing things for the movers on the 19th... and then it's time to start bidding a fond farewell to the people and places that have made this city into one I'm glad to have lived in. I'll head up to CT to meet up with my friend Justin the night of the 22nd, and on the 23rd we begin our big adventure westward. Our first stop will be picking up the few items left in my apartment in Brooklyn, and then we're off to Tucson for Thanksgiving. Then it's up the west coast until we arrive in Seattle on the 30th. The next day, December 1, I begin the new job...!

Now, on to the less official thoughts that have been developing in my head over the last couple weeks... More than anything else, I've been pondering over how my perceptions of NYC have changed with time - namely that even a city as big as this one can begin to feel small after a while. I remember the first time I visited here in 2005 - how nervous I was about getting to Astoria. I practically clung to another passenger on the train in from Connecticut, frantically asking questions about where to go and how to transfer between subway lines. I remember riding the subway, wondering if people could tell just by looking at me that I wasn't from here... I also remember my first time coming to Brooklyn. It felt so far; like I was on the subway for hours. Nowadays that first part of Brooklyn I experienced, so far away, is only the halfway point between my office and apartment. Perhaps familiarity makes a place feel smaller - like there are fewer surprises left up its sleeves and fewer reasons to keep my eyes open. Perhaps I only saw the tip of the iceberg before making the decision to leave. Who knows?

Now is probably a good time to admit that I'm secretly and guiltily excited about getting a car sometime in the near future... being able to get around without one is awesome and what not, but only as long as one doesn't want to go anywhere that isn't the city. This is no good for me, because getting out of here every now and then has been a crucial part of maintaining my questionable sanity.

I believe that NYC is an example of how certain manners and polite behaviors are forgotten when you simply have too many people in not enough space. It encompasses most of the senses - sights, sounds, smells, touches... normal rules just don't apply here, and I've never bought into that. Maybe a couple of years of enforcing Quiet Hours in a dorm left an imprint on me, but I still cannot fathom how easily people invade one another's space with loud music... dogs barking... people screaming... The term 'personal space' need not apply here. I guess if you have no choice but to stick your nose into someone else's back, hair or armpit enough times on the subway, eventually you say, "To hell with it," and stop trying to be nice. People come and go as they please, and it is your responsibility to work around them - no matter how egregious their actions. Defensive driving... defensive walking. This, I shall not miss.

I've learned enough about this city that I will look forward to visiting, seeing the people I want to see, and then leaving for a home where I don't feel so hardened and bombarded.

And on that note, I think I'm getting tired enough to try zonking out...

When I Was 25... It Was a Very Good Year

Sunday, October 25, 2009

10/25/2009

Well folks, it's official: My days as a New Yorker are numbered. In roughly four weeks, I will be starting a new adventure in the Pacific Northwest - Seattle, to be specific. I've been offered a job there with an up-and-coming market research firm, and am excited to say that I am accepting the offer.

Knowing now that the current chapter of my life is coming to a close, I can't help but reflect on everything that has happened here since arriving in May 2006. In many ways, I barely recognize the young man who landed here with two large boxes of belongings, a set of golf clubs and romanticized expectations. At one point, I almost lost all touch with that person. However, thanks to a few very special people, I leave here not a different person altogether, but simply a changed one. And changed, I hope, for the better.

I will remember New York has a harshly paternalistic city: One that threw me into the deep end and forced me to swim, or drown. We've butted heads a few times, but after all is said and done I will always be thankful for the experiences I have had here. They will undoubtedly have an impact on how I perceive my surroundings for the rest of my life. After all, there's no other basis for comparison quite like New York City... or is it simply incomparable?

This will be the city that taught me the importance of financial planning (which is a bit ironic, considering the almighty Wall Street's recent failures)... of making nutritious eating and exercise an irremovable priority... of making time to try new things and participate in the old ones I should never allow to fade out of my life. And when it comes to love - and those of you who know much about me know that my heart tends to make its position on matters heard loud and clearly - New York will be the setting I remember behind both the great heights and low depths love can embody. In more than a few ways, I will likely not encounter such an onslaught of life lessons as I have had to face these last few formative years. And so New York, despite your faults, I can only thank you and leave with a smile on my face.

I have purchased a new moleskine to carry around with me during these next few weeks, as I expect a rush of sentiments, memories and thoughts to fill my head as I prepare for my departure. Sooner rather than later, I hope to share some of them here. Until then, be well.

8/14/2009

Friday, August 14, 2009

Happy Friday everyone! Here's hoping that you do something fun or relaxing this weekend. I will be spending mine having a catch, playing Tiger Woods at Fredie and Mel's, kayaking, golfing and playing the bass. B-e-a-utiful. =)

While browsing NYtimes.com today, I came across an article titled "The Expense of Eating with Celiac Disease" and have some thoughts on it that I want to share. (Interested readers can find the article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/15/health/15patient.html?ref=health)

First, allow me to clarify that I do not have Celiac, and am fully gluten tolerant. I just have an above-average awareness and understanding of gluten-free (GF) and empathize with people who do have Celiac or are gluten intolerant. So when I see something in the news, I read it.

The premise of the article is that when people go GF, their grocery bills increase significantly as a result stocking up on "gluten-free versions of breads, crackers and pizza made from grains other than wheat" that "can be expensive and might not even be that healthy, since most GF products are not fortified with vitamins."

Now, some GF products out there are more expensive than their non-GF counterparts. When you're talking about a $1.29-cent loaf of "bread," everything is going to be more expensive. But hey - now if you're on the price is right and they ask you how much the loaf of bread costs, you know the answer.

I'd like to argue that for most people, the grocery bill increases aren't a result of going GF or even supply-side market conditions. Consider this: The only part of the food pyramid that deals with gluten is "Grains." Meat, nuts, beans, dairy, fruits, vegetables... all GF. Not to mention there are also grains that are GF (any kind of rice, quinoa, oats). Personal note: If you actually eat the proper amounts of meat, nuts, beans, dairy, fruits and vegatables each day, 6-11 servings of grains seems a bit much! (And don't tell me you won't be getting enough fiber - that's what the beans and fruits and veggies are for.)

So, let's say someone has to go GF, and they've already been shopping according to the Food Pyramid. Why should there bills increase much, if at all? The fact is, they probably won't. So that means going GF isn't the real reason people see increases. I propose that true reason for the increases is that people were not buying the natural foods recommended in the food pyramid. I know when I went from eating processed this and frozen that to eating 3 balanced meals comprised of actual food each day, my bills increased.

The NY Times article is awesome for bring attention to the cause of GF - particularly its mention of how Celiac is ignored by the drug industry because there's no way to treat it with a drug (and therefore, no profits to be made). But in my opinion, the article might as well have been called, "The Expense of Eating Real Food - Gluten Free or Not."

That is all. =)

8-2-2009

Sunday, August 02, 2009

[a la Bill Lumbergh of Office Space] "Whaaat's happening? Yeah.... if you could just... write in this blog more than once every 4 months, that would be greeeeeeat. Mmkay? Thaaanks."

It's been a long time coming, but here is a new entry! I could say that part of the reason why I haven't written is that life has been pretty routine, or consistent, during the last few months. However, that's not entirely true. Another part of the reason is that once I fell behind, it felt like the next entry would have to make up for lost time and be even longer... and then more time passed... and the cycle perpetuated itself. Anyway... highlights of the last 4 months:

• May: The things that I remember most about May were the events behind two trips I made to Arizona. The first was my sister's graduation from NAU; and the second was my best friend's wedding.
• June: Did anything happen in June? For some reason I'm drawing a blank on this one, so I will say the highlight of the month was a trip out to CT to play golf with Justin and Kim.
• July: July was a great month. I visited friends in DC for Independence Day, and was lucky enough to attend the concert at the Capitol featuring Aretha Franklin. I turned 25, celebrating three times with friends in Arizona, New York, and Connecticut. And I reconnected with one of my favorite people in the world.

So now it's August, and I have just started reading a book called Predictably Irrational (Dan Ariely) that delves into the "Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions," or behavioral economics. The first chapter of the book was enjoyable and thought provoking, and largely inspired me to write this new post.

Consider the following statement (the last sentence of Chapter 1: The Truth About Relativity). The more we have, the more we want. And the only cure is to break the cycle of relativity. The premise is basically that in a perfect world, we would be able to make decisions based solely on who we are and what we need - like living in a vacuum. However, in the real world, we are constantly comparing with other people, products or services - consciously or not - and this skews our goals and desires.

It's such a strong impulse that marketers can use it to their advantage by introducing options of different prices and feature sets designed to steer you toward the one they want to sell. How often do you go to the store for something basic only to walk out with an upgraded (and slightly more expensive) version?

For a while now, I've been pretty aware of the possibility for people to become the possessions of their possessions. It really started when I heard someone talk about not wanting to amass lots of material things because they would ultimately become something of an anchor. As I furnished my apartment in June of last year, with each major purchase (i.e. bed, TV) lurked a thought in the back of mind: If you ever move somewhere, these things are now your responsibility.

Anyway, from now on I will be attempt to be more aware of when I'm comparing or skewing my decision-making process away from what it would be in a vacuum. I consider myself to be a pragmatic person, but it really seems like this is a pervasive element in daily life that can always be improved upon.

That's all for now! Hope you are well.

March 8, 2009

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Hello! I hope this entry finds you happy and healthy this weekend, and that you are taking good care of yourself. Here's what been on my mind these last couple weeks!

Sometimes we do patently foolish things even though we know they are patently foolish. Case in point: I threw away the combination to my new lock thinking I had it memorized. After not using it for two weeks, it turns out I don't. Doh!

We had pizza in the office a few days back, and there was an advertisement for this product called the Ab Rocket printed on the top and sides of the pizza box. I can see what they're trying to do: reach people who feel guilty about eating pizza and get them to buy something that will help them lose the gut they may be getting from eating that pizza. I'm not sure it's a great approach.

I really enjoy NPR podcasts. At 20-30 minutes each, they are perfect for listening to at work and provide me with continuous updates on what's going on in areas I'm interested in such as the environment, economy and music. The All Songs Considered podcast introduces artists you've likely never heard of. Some of them I fast forward through; several others I listen to with a neutral ear; and a handful I really enjoy. Check out www.jbm-music.com to hear one artist I particularly liked, and visit www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php to see if there are any NPR podcasts that you might like!

There was an article in the Times recently about an expected falloff in funding/enrolling in humanities programs in colleges as a result of our economy's difficulties. I think that's pretty sad, because it's the humanities people who remind us that we're all in this together somehow and perpetuate the moral and ethical fibers that hold society together.

Apparently a few buildings in NYC have been equipped with these cogenerators that produce electricity and reuse the steam that gets created in the process to heat the building. Why aren't all medium- to large-buildings being equipped with this? And there's also an electric truck at the port of Los Angeles that can handle several tons... meaning every 'This vehicle makes frequent stops' kind of vehicle (i.e. garbage trucks, school buses) should be electric a.s.a.p. These are great opportunities to improve.

I did some reading about how President Obama is trying to establish a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions by corporations. It got me thinking about how long people go along with harmful behaviors simply because they don't feel the harm until it has accumulated over time and everything derails. We even do it as individuals with diet and lifestyle choices. Anyhow, the power companies will complain that reducing their pollution levels or paying for carbon emissions credits will drive up the price of energy for consumers.... but that's kind of the point of the free-market. This is way overdue. What happened when gas was $4 a gallon? Everyone was talking about hybrid and electric vehicles and eliminating our dependence on gasoline. If home and office energy costs increase as a result of companies finally having to clean up after themselves, it will spur innovation toward a better type of energy. People will also finally start making a better effort to turn off the lights.

I'm glad to see that Tiger Woods made his return to professional golf. However, I was annoyed by all of the hype surrounding it.... people were calling it the 'most anticipated return in the history of the PGA Tour.' Tiger got a surgery on his knee and worked very hard to build his strength back up.... but that's cake compared to being in a head-on collision with a Greyhound bus on a foggy highway, resulting in a double-fracture of the pelvis, a fractured collar bone, a left ankle fracture, a chipped rib and near-fatal blood clots; receiving a prognosis that you might never walk again; and coming back to win the U.S. Open when it had a 36-hole Sunday. You want an amazing comeback? Learn about Ben Hogan.

I was lucky enough to be invited to a course on integrative nutrition by my friend Sandra. I learned about an eastern practice called ayurveda, a.k.a. the science of life. The speaker talked about how the earth starts fresh with each spring and how we can use the foods that grow in the various seasons to start fresh ourselves. It's all about using diet in the spring to promote the processing of fat cells that contain harmful toxins and improve the health of the lymphatic system (i.e. immunity). I think I'm going to give it a try - beginning with a 4-day detox diet and following up by trying to shop seasonally. It's interesting stuff, and you can learn more at lifespa.com.

Until next time... be well!

2/22/2009

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Greetings! I hope this entry finds you well, and enjoying the weekend.

I've been carrying around my moleskin notebook with me jotting down my ideas when they come. However, doing so has made me realize that my New Year's resolution (to write once a week) may have been unrealistic. It's not because I don't have time, but simply because some weeks I just don't have as many ideas as I would've liked. So I'm amending my resolution, limiting it to simply doing a better job of keeping track of my ideas (Which I am doing!) and posting them when it feels right.

February is a very celebratory month regarding history. We've got a couple presidents' birthdays, the other President's Day and Black History Month, to name a few. My friend Jess K. had a pretty cool idea for celebrating Abe Lincoln's birthday: Creating your own personal Emancipation Proclamation. I think it would kind of work like Lent does for Catholics - pick something in your life you want to abolish (except there's no real timeline associated it). I decided to emancipate all of the food in my fridge that had gone bad. I'm also thinking about abolishing the ties I have with old socks and underwear that are stretched/holy and ready to go. Anyway, what might you abolish? Any habits worth changing?

And by the way, I sort of wish I knew someone whose last name was Birthday. Because then I could go up to them and sing (a la Marilyn Monroe), "Happy President's Day, Mr. Birthday!" I think that would be funny.

Something ironically humorous happened recently. My friend Tony teaches a fitness class at a local college and invites his friends to come and participate. However, the administrative folks frown on it because of liability and insurance reasons, what with non-students risking injury on their property. I'd gone to the class a couple of times before we had any real trouble. A lot of the other non-students who attend the class are either former students who have old IDs or others who have created fake ones. That's where I think it's ironic... all those college students jumping through hoops to get fake IDs so they can reap the benefits of being older... all the graduates jumping through hoops to get fake IDs so they can reap the benefits of being younger.

A few days ago as I walked down the stairs of my building on my way to work I stumbled into a $20 bill just sitting there. Knowing it could only belong to one of the other three people who live on the higher floors of my building, I didn't feel right picking it up. It's hard to pass up a free $20. I hope the other two people whose $20 it was not also took the same course of action and it made its way back to its rightful owner. I also hope that karma hits me back for following the Golden Rule.

Maybe I'm crazy.... but I'm just thinking about this whole digital switch for TV and how it just got delayed another 4 months, and I smell conspiracy. Think about it... struggling economy.... nice, new flat-screen TVs collecting dust on store-shelves... why not just delay the switch another few months to get people to pony up for new TVs and get some money into the economy?

One day last week, I was making my way to the john at work to do my 'duties as an American,' as I like to say, and as I entered my usual stall - SURPRISE - out walks my boss. It was kind of like walking in my boss sleeping with my proverbial wife (just think Peter's nightmare in the movie 'Office Space.') I just couldn't take the idea of using the same facilities my boss had so freshly vacated... so I had to go to a different, less preferred stall. Oh the absurdity of it all.

And lastly for this post, a semi-philosophical rant. I frequently get lost tracing courses of events in my life backwards, marveling at how each couldn't have come to be without the previous one. I go back farther and farther and realize how long it takes a series of coincidences to line up in order for something to happen. People you meet, places you go.... all brought about by seemingly minute events years ago. It all adds together in some weird, connected way to produce what we call the present. It's kind of like the whole butterfly flapping its wings 1000 miles away and starting a tsunami, or something like that. It's mind-boggling.

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Yeah.... it's been two weeks since my last post (i.e. missed one).

However, I've got a good excuse! I was gone last weekend on a snowboarding trip to Mt. Okemo in Vermont. I've included a pic here with my good friends Fredie and Mel. (A few minutes later when we reached the top of the mountain and actually had to get back down it, things got interesting... but we all made it back to the cabin safe and sound.)

So on to the Matters for the last couple weeks.

Now, I'm sure each of us would be happy if Stevie Wonder could see. But this evening, as I watched him perform with the Jonas Brothers at the Grammies, I had to think to myself, 'If there was ever a good time to be blind...'

When I watch movies, I tend to simultaneously pay attention and get lost in the details of the background. Case in point: tonight I watched a film called '21 Grams' and couldn't help but notice that the hotel in the scene looked really similar to the motel in the TV show 'My Name is Earl.' I looked it up and they're not one and the same. Lesson learned: Motels generally look the same. Now pay attention to the movie.

Speaking of movies, there was a preview for 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' before '21 Grams.' It's one of my favorite films, but I don't think I've ever seen the preview before. It's presented as an ad for the fictional memory erasure office in the movie, and as I watched it I realized why I like that movie so much. I tend to subscribe to the idea that if I could ever go back and change something about my past, I wouldn't because even mistakes are something to learn from. Even still, it's tempting to think that it might be easier just to erase the painful memories rather than take the time to see the lesson in them.

Did you know that philophobia is a persistent, abnormal and irrational fear of love and intimacy? I didn't either until earlier this week when I looked it up. I don't know if I'm afraid of love and intimacy, but I know I'm afraid of homeless people and there's little difference in the feelings I get when I'm approached by a homeless person or a beautiful girl. So maybe I've got a small case. I do believe that when love hits you, there's no hiding from it. No matter how hard you try.

I'm not a fan of having to go outside in the rain. But there is one thing about it that I enjoy: letting my umbrella form a puddle on the floor of the subway and trying to see a picture or image in it. It's like a mix of cloud watching and the ink blot test psychologists use. Recently I saw an elk standing on the end of a cliff.

While I was in Vermont I saw a commercial for the National Automobile Dealers' Association. I had to smile at the irony of their acronym. Just ask yourself: How much money are they making these days selling cars they try to applaud for getting 20 miles per gallon in the city? (Hint: NADA). How much money should they get from the government for failing to adapt to a changing world these last 30 years? (Hint: NADA).

And now some really fast random thoughts:

• Every time I watch Letterman and see his bandleader, I'm perplexed by how weird that guy looks.
• Something about melted cheese always makes me want to drink some milk.
• After all this ado I can't believe they're delaying the switch to digital TV. I mean, seriously.

1-25-2009

Sunday, January 25, 2009

Greetings! It may have taken until 9:30 PM Sunday night, but I am sticking with my resolution to write here once a week. This week's 'Matters' seem a bit more serious in nature than last week's, or at least less random or trivial. Here we go.

With the back-to-back events of MLK Day on Monday and the inauguration of our first biracial President on Tuesday, my thoughts turned to the changes regarding race that have occurred in the U.S. since the Civil Rights movement. It's hard to hear President Obama speak of being a man whose father may not have been served at a restaurant 60 years ago without feeling like we've made some progress. At the same, however, those 60 years are only one-quarter of the 221 years that have passed since our Constitution was adopted; and while we should celebrate progress, we must also continue striving to further that progress. In the 2001 film Ghost World, the character Seymour takes an ironic and misguided, if not well-intentioned, look at race, stating, "I suppose things are better now, but I don't know. People still hate each other, they just know how to hide it better." I hope that his view is overdoing things: that race-based hatred in the US is becoming extinct, rather than simply better hidden. However, I do take the statement to mean that we cannot accept things as completed yet. As Americans, we each have a responsibility to work toward that self-evident truth our founders spoke of: that all are created equal in their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

On an equally serious note, I was struck this week by the phrase 'only technically alive.' I was reading an article that used the expressing in referring to life-supporting mechanisms that keep individuals who are brain-dead alive in hospitals. Now, I am quite thankful to be growing up in a time where life spans are longer than ever and research on resveratrol is showing potential for making more of those years active and vivid ones. (Google resveratrol. It's interesting stuff!) However, I have got to say that I have no interest in ever being only 'technically alive.' It sounds terrible - just the phrase makes me uncomfortable.

For a few years now, I've had a series of reactions to certain raw foods pop up. It started with unpeeled apples, then carrots and parsley, and occasionally almonds. When I eat these foods, breathing becomes painful and I have an uncomfortable pressure in my sternum; this is usually followed up by 15 minutes of heavy hiccuping. The key word here is raw foods. When the carrots are cooked in some way, I get no problems. And the same goes for peeled apples. This week I came across the term oral allergy syndrome. Apparently, it is commonly seen in adult hay fever sufferers (like me) who see reactions from certain foods based on the pollens that they are allergic to. And sure enough, almonds, apples, parsley and carrots are all prime candidates.

On a lighter note, there was great cause for personal celebration this week when I saw that the D-Backs have fired the guy who plays D. Baxter, their mascot, for drunk driving. Anyone who has ever been with me during a live game or televised shot of D. Baxter knows that I hate that guy. He's gotta be the worst mascot I've ever seen. So while his drunk driving is not to be celebrated, his resulting removal is.

See you next week!

1-17-2009

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Good afternoon! It's been a week since my last post, and I'm still in good standing with my New Year's resolution. I got myself a little notebook and have been jotting down my thoughts throughout the week. I've even decided that I will call these little random thoughts 'Matters.' (Get it? I heart wordplay.) So without further ado, here we go!

I watched one of my favorite films, Garden State, this week and decided that my favorite quote from the film is, "I'm okay with being unimpressive. I sleep better." I feel like it speaks to the running debate I have with myself about what I'm supposed to be doing with life. Sometimes I feel like I lead too simplistic and sheltered of a life - I hear about exotic travel or getting involved in other areas of passion in their lives, and I think to myself, "I don't really have anything like that." Other times I look at my life and am proud of what I've gone through in the last year or so - I've got my first real apartment and have outfitted it, am cooking more and eating better than I used to, am exercising more, have no student loans and have developed good friendships. I feel like there's a planning battle between immediate gratitude and future needs (and saving for them). Anyhow, I've got my whole life ahead of me to experience anything that comes along. So yeah, I'm okay with being unimpressive. And I do sleep better!

On another Garden State note, I tend to notice new things about movies each time I watch them, and this time my ears picked up a song playing in the background of one scene that isn't on the film's phenomenal soundtrack. I listened hard and managed to pick up one line of lyrics; I looked it up online and it turned out to be a song by an artist named Alexi Murdoch. Apparently the track wasn't on the soundtrack because it was already owned by the TV show OC soundtrack. But for those of you who enjoy the Garden State soundtrack - look him up, because he definitely fits the vibe well.

I also heard an awesome classical rendition of David Bowie's Man Who Sold the World by a group called The Section Quartet. They do classical versions of a lot of popular music, including Such Great Heights by Postal Service. If you're looking up Alexi Murdoch on iTunes, you might as well look up these guys too.

Now, on to a random event from the week. I got a call from a number I didn't recognize on my phone and a subsequent voicemail. It was a woman from CT who left a message for someone else asking about insurance policies. My first thought was, 'Should I call this woman back and let her know she got it wrong? What if it's serious?' Then I thought, 'It takes ignorance to listen to someone's outgoing message, not realize you've dialed the wrong number and proceed to leave a message.' So despite feeling a little guilty about it, I did not call back. Considering I didn't get another call, she must've realized her mistake.

After picking up my little Matters notebook, I ran smack dab into a Trader Joe's in Brooklyn!! (Yes, two exclamation points because it is THAT exciting.) I told myself I would just look around to see what it was like and promptly left with $25 in groceries. It's a beautiful thing - much quieter than the stressful experience of visiting the TJ's in Union Square. Among other things, I picked up some pre-marinated carne asada steak to make in the new Foreman grill; I highly, highly recommend it. It made for two delicious meals this week when paired with some mixed veggies, rice and dinner rolls.

I hate it when two subway trains pass in the opposite direction before a single one arrives in the direction I want to go. That feeling is the opposite of the glee of ripping off a paper towel one-handed.

There's a show on NBC Mondays called Superstars of Dance that features the best dancers of 8 countries squaring off and it's very entertaining and educational to watch. It introduced me to a street dancing group from LA called the Groovaloos who are exhilarating to watch - I suggest you tune in on Monday to see them compete head to head with the Shaolin Monks of China.

Pat Sajak must secretly want to do physical harm to these contestants screaming out letters on Wheel of Fortune. I mean, come on people, he's 5 feet away and you're wearing a microphone.

Verizon Fios is ripping off of Mac's advertising style. You know the Mac Guy vs. PC Guy commercials? Well now Fios has the Verizon vs. Other Cable guy commercials. Although still mildly entertaining, they lose points for unoriginality.

Watching Bush's farewell speech this week, I had mixed feelings. Here's a guy I voted for leaving office with an approval rate under 30%. On the one hand, I'm very happy we haven't had another attack since 9/11. When that plane landed in the Hudson this week, for a few seconds I had a pit of fear in my stomach. Keeping the US safe has got to be a monumental task, but at the same, it has come at such a hefty cost to the health of our nation.

And last but not least, it my dream home, I shall have a.) a planetarium and b.) a chamber orchestra.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta work out and head to Trader Joe's!

First Post of 2009

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Happy new year everyone! After traveling westward to spend Christmas and New Year's in Arizona, I'm back in New York having spent the last few days trying to cure the common cold. Well, my common cold at least. I had a great trip and really enjoyed spending quality time with my family and friends. I hope everyone had a great end to 2008 and wish you a great 2009 as we round off the decade.

I've never really been one for New Year's resolutions. If I see something in my life that I want to change or start, I tend to do it right away. Although, for a time I did support the idea of 'monthly' resolutions. It seems less formidable when you refresh every month, and most habits are set for a long time if you can make it through the first few weeks. This time, however, I will use the start of the year as a good reason for resolving to write in this blog once a week. Here's the plan. I went and picked up a little moleskin notebook that I will carry with me at all times, ready for jotting down the random ideas I have throughout the week. Then, on weekends, I'll compile what I've written into a blog entry. Sounds good, no?

As for resolution-like things I've had in the works for a while, I am excited to get some good momentum going in the health & fitness department this year. I'm going to try to drink less beer and more wine instead, and continue eating well. I'll be getting a lot of use out of the new Foreman grill my mom gave me for Christmas, and have a new set of Bowflex 552 adjustable dumbbells arriving Monday. So the plan is to really start challenging myself during workouts and simultaneously feed my body with healthy foods and lots of protein to build with.

So, let the resolving begin. And feel free to comment/share your resolutions or goings on!