Accidently Kelly Street

A New Year, A New Decade

2009-12-31T15:23:00.003-05:00

Remember Y2K?

Ten years ago, everybody was going crazy about the year 2000 -- worrying about technological glitches, global chaos, impending apocalypse, etc. But none of that came about; it was just another new year, another new decade.

Now, we leave the Ohs/Aughts/Naughts/Zeroes behind and it seems like most people are happy to see them go. I know I am. It was a decade of tremendous change -- none of which I regret whatsoever -- but I'm excited to see what the Teens have in store for me. (And I'm happy to ring in the new year with good friends and good drinks. Oh, and someone to kiss at midnight. )

My favorite NYE scene of all-time:

Very Good. Happy Christmas.

2009-12-26T00:17:00.004-05:00

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

This is the first Christmas I've spent away from Raleigh in nearly 18 years, and it was both easier and harder than I thought it'd be.

My parents moved away more than three years ago, and I never stayed with my brother in the meantime (before he moved to Austin this year), so I didn't think that, since the holiday wasn't about my family anyway, the where wouldn't matter.

But it did matter. A lot. More than a lot. And the who mattered too, to my great surprise. But "family" is a funny thing; so is the concept of "home." It's not logical, for sure.

Still, I had a very nice holiday, with very lovely people. I felt cared for, and cared about. And isn't that the true meaning of Christmas?

Previously, On ...

2009-12-13T16:14:00.005-05:00

My Top 10 movies list will have to wait until the very last minute, since I haven't seen probable contenders like 'Up in the Air.' So stay tuned on that one. In the meantime, I'll look back at the year in television, starting first with my Top 10 shows:

1. 'Battlestar Galactica'
The finale was flawed, yes, but ambitious and rich and tragic and beautiful at the same time. And it broke my heart. When I go back and watch the whole thing again, I have no doubt it will captivate me as much as the first time around.

2. 'Mad Men'
Third seasons are often where television series falter, when the initial ideas have run out of steam. But Matthew Weiner broke apart his toy and put it back together again to make a different and exciting new puzzle.

3. 'Lost'
At the end of last May's finale, when the screen flashed white and then "LOST Final Season 2010" came up, the rest of 2009 felt pointless. I equally dread and can't wait to see how it all ends.

4. 'Friday Night Lights'
Since I watched season 3 during its first-air run last fall, this is for season 4, which has "rebooted" the series in a graceful, compelling way. But really, I'm just grateful to have Coach and Mrs. Coach around for as long as NBC and/or DirecTV will allow it.

5. 'Skins'
Like 'FNL,' this show about high schoolers rebooted with a new cast of characters. And though it took me a couple of episodes to warm up to them, by the end of the season, I loved them dearly. If you've never heard of this British teen soap -- get thee to Bittorrent!

6. 'Modern Family'
Best new show of the year and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Also, produced one of the best lines all year: "WTF - Why the Face?" Just genius.

7. 'True Blood'
Hot Naked Eric. 'Nuff said.

8. 'Top Chef: Las Vegas'
The final four was set in stone from Day 1, and I was still riveted week to week. Hey, reality TV producers -- talent sells.

9. 'Big Love'
Even though this series features some of the best acting and writing on TV, I had to fight to get this on the "Best of the '00s" list at work. I guess, vampires are OK; polygamists not so much.

10. 'The Office'
Last spring's Michael Scott Paper Company arc was inspired; I only wish it had lasted a little longer.

Songs of Innocence, Songs of Experience

2009-12-08T22:42:00.006-05:00

It's that time of year -- for Top 10 lists! Hurrah! I really do love Top 10 lists; they're so neat and orderly.

Now, I'm not as much of a music expert as I am with TV and movies, but I've always thought the music a person listens to says the most about them. So, I wanted to post my Top 10 list of songs -- but with some caveats. Since I'm not always on the cutting edge of the music scene, these aren't necessarily songs released this year. Rather, these are the songs that made up the soundtrack of my life in 2009. (And they aren't ranked.)

1. 'Fuck and Run' by Liz Phair
P. recommended this song last spring during a rather bleak time, and even now, it's almost always among the last 25 songs played on my iPod.

2. 'Lasso' by Phoenix
I always waver on which of the songs from the album, 'Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,' I like the best. But at their two live shows (Summerstage and Hammerstein), without a doubt -- it was 'Lasso.'

3. 'Let Your Love Grow Tall' by Passion Pit
Again, this is my favorite live song (same shows as Phoenix), even though I'd probably choose 'Sleepyhead' from the album.

4. 'Parallel Lines' by the Junior Boys
God, this is a really difficult one. I love all their songs. The lyrics to this one really get to me, though.

5. 'Hurt Feelings' by Flight of the Conchords
A lot of people were down on this season, but I think it produced some excellent work, including this number (best line: "The day after my birthday is not my birthday, mum").

6. 'Battlefield' by Jordin Sparks
Yes, I confess: I like pop music, OK?! Get over it. I first heard this on 'So You Think You Can Dance,' for a routine performed by Brandon and Jeanine, and it just stayed with me.

7. 'The Walls Are Coming Down' by Fanfarlo
Another band I had the pleasure of seeing live -- and will again in a week or so. Amazing.

8. 'When Will You Come Back Home' by Ryan Adams
Isn't it just the best when you rediscover a song that you first heard a long time ago, is in your music library and had been gathering dust?

9. 'Wake Up' by Arcade Fire
Soundtrack behind one of the best movie trailers, ever.

10. 'Something True' by Band of Annuals
If this were a list of one, this song would be the one. And I love a good harmonica solo.

And of course, honorable mentions:
- 'Billie Jean' by Michael Jackson: RIP MJ
- 'Poker Face' by Lady Gaga: This is what world domination looks like, huh?
- 'I Fall to Pieces' by Patsy Cline: Because Patsy never goes out of style

Luck Me

2009-11-30T21:41:00.004-05:00

Well ... I lost my wallet again.

As I wrote before, I was robbed in Granada. And this weekend, just as I was about to go to the airport to return to NYC, I left my wallet at the gas station where I'd refueled my rental car. When my parents, who were nearby, went to look for it -- it was gone (and later, I found out someone tried to charge something to my credit card). And getting through airport security, while not impossible, isn't pleasant when you have no identification whatsoever.

So, yeah, it's been that kind of year. But if this whole karma thing works, that must mean 2010 will be fucking amazing, right?

Right?

But while 2009 has been quite the roller coaster ride, it's been fun. Sure, I've experienced mishaps, nursed a wounded heart on a few occasions, endured professional setbacks, and I didn't do nearly all the things I wanted to do. And I often felt a little lost, and that I was moving in the opposite direction as my peers and friends. But I lived, I learned. And I am thankful for that.

I've been to eight of the 38 restaurants on Eater's Must Eat List, and my first 2010 resolution is to eat at eight more.
OK, winter is my least favorite season and I pretty much dread the whole thing, but I am sort of looking forward to the first snow. A little.
I'm also looking forward to getting a real Christmas tree, one that isn't two feet tall and potted. I love love love that pine-y smell. Can't be beat.

Homeless for the Holidays

2009-11-17T23:47:00.007-05:00

My parents are asleep in the next room, while I "sneak" a glass of wine. They arrived yesterday and leave tomorrow for Raleigh, where I'll meet up with them and my brother next week for Thanksgiving.

It feels a bit strange to spend the holiday in Raleigh now that none of us live there. The only reason we're going there is because my brother is attending a wedding in the area, and my parents are visiting because it's my dad's 60th birthday. Otherwise, I don't know if I'll be in North Carolina for future Thanksgivings -- or Christmases, for that matter.

(I may not be there this Christmas, so L., if you're reading this, I'm sorry if I don't get to meet H.)

So if Raleigh isn't home anymore, I guess that means ... I'm a full-fledged New Yorker now?

I'm a ... Yankee?

Family Ties

2009-11-10T00:21:00.008-05:00

Last night was the third season finale of 'Mad Men' and I've been either watching it, thinking about it, talking about it or writing about it ever since. I've probably watched the episode in its entirety three times already, and certain scenes more than that.

It was an exceptional hour of television, to cap off a standout season. Year 3 or thereabouts is danger time for most series, when viewers' infatuation wears off and the cold, hard reality of episodic television sets in. Think about 'Lost'; in season 3, we got episodes like 'Stranger in a Strange Land' (Jack gets tattoos!), 'Par Avion' (Claire goes to the birds!) and the much reviled 'Expose' (Nikki/Paulo exist! Which I actually found hilarious). 'Lost' luckily rebounded, once the showrunners declared an end date.

'Mad Men' hasn't set an end date, but last night's finale felt like the closing of a chapter. The unraveling of characters and relationships throughout the season -- Roger checking out mentally, Joan's departure, Sal getting fired, Pete about to jump ship after missing a promotion, Peggy being wooed by Duck -- came to a highly satisfying conclusion.

And it was fun. The episode had all the makings of a caper or heist film, where different pieces come together to form a cohesive team with a single goal. I can't tell you the glee I felt when Roger left to make that phone call, because I knew it could only mean: Joan! (My colleague wrote that she's never had a bigger crush on anyone real or fictional than Joan Holloway Harris. I quite agree.)

In the scene depicted above, when the triumphant team of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce (totally naming my band that!) gathers at the Pierre in their makeshift office, you realize: This is a family.

So it's no wonder that just at that moment, Don goes to call Betty to let her go to Reno for a divorce. He's able to do that because he's found another family to replace the one that he's losing. And while this is not the picture-perfect family he always dreamed of ... it's the one that's right.

For me, the key scene of the entire episode, and of the three seasons so far, was the one between Don and Peggy. I was struck by how humbled Don was. Someone recently told me that love humbles you. And so here Don is, hat in hand, telling Peggy that if she turns the job down, he will "spend the rest of my life trying to hire you." Isn't that love? Not in a romantic way, but not in a strictly professional or platonic or mentor-y way, either. Don and Peggy have always had a connection, an affinity, a common view of the world. And it's indefinable and inexplicable and mysterious. Like attracts like; they belong together.

I won't even attempt to talk about what might happen next season; my 'Mad Men' predictions have been woefully wrong.

In other news:
9. Attend at least two: ~~Knicks~~, ~~Rangers~~, Mets and Yankees games

Oughts and Ought Nots

2009-10-29T23:20:00.004-04:00

I recently bought tickets to a Passion Pit concert ... in 2010. It freaked me out a little, because the idea of the year 2010 seems so space age-y. Shouldn't we be commuting on hovercrafts, alongside intelligent androids, while downloading information straight into our brains?

But, here we are, just a couple months away from 2010. The Oughts (the Ohs, the 00s, the 2000s, whatever) are almost over. God, time flies. Doesn't it feel like the Millennium was yesterday?

Well, 2009 (aka Year 30) sure passed by in the blink of an eye. The list probably won't get completed, but ... hey, if people can roll over their vacations days and cell phone minutes, I can roll over list items. Year 31, here I come!

To add:
28. Get plants, keep them alive
29. Kiss someone under mistletoe
30. Learn to drive a stick shift

To cross off:
21. ~~Finish reading 'The Grapes of Wrath'~~
Finally! And it didn't appeal to me any more than when I was 16. I don't think I'll be cracking open 'The Scarlet Letter' or 'The Crucible' anytime soon.

Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed

2009-10-23T00:47:00.007-04:00

I was hanging out with a friend tonight, one who's much younger than me at the age of 23. He's sort of the younger brother I never had. We were discussing our romantic travails --well, mostly, his romantic travails as I have none -- and it struck me, forcefully, how very differently we look at life.

For him, every door is open; everything is possible. Every girl he meets is a potential future waiting to unfold. For me, the paths are narrowing, the options growing fewer and every guy I meet is a confirmation that the pool is ever shallower. I mean, I've always been a pretty cynical SOB (some of my readers have known this for years), and I don't regret any of these past 7 years of my life -- high points and heartbreaks alike. But as my friend and I zipped down Manhattan in a taxi, and I looked out at the lit and unlit windows, and all the untold stories within, I envied that wide-open feeling, that sense that anything could happen.

Is that what growing up is -- confinement and shuttered doors and practicality? What is, instead of what if?

Last year, around this time, I had dinner with a a friend of mine, his new girlfriend and another mutual friend (my gay "date"). It was just before the election. My friends and I were all 30 or on the verge; she was 24 or 25, new to New York. I remember thinking she was just so young and naive and silly; she didn't even plan to vote, in what I considered one of the most important elections we might face in our lifetimes. She was very passionate about her work at a gallery, but she really felt destined for something "important" -- like, marketing for a foundation or designing a charitable T-shirt line. My equally-sardonic "date" and I looked at each other in horror. Who was this newborn creature and why was our friend dating her?

Later, her boyfriend asked for my opinion (though, of course, he wasn't really asking me; he would've still dated her, regardless of what we said). And I replied, tactfully, "She seems nice. Very bright eyed and bushy tailed."

Now, though, it sounds less like the veiled insult I meant it to be. Now, that very optimism and openness sounds appealing .... I could use a little less cynicism, a little more bright-eyed, bushy-tailedness. Couldn't we all?

Boo

2009-10-19T00:24:00.004-04:00

Halloween's coming up and people invariably ask what costume I'm planning to wear. To which, I respond: Sigh.

I don't do Halloween. I place it in the same category as New Year's Eve, Valentine's Day and my birthday -- pseudo holidays I don't care about. But people always expect you to "do something" and express profound disappointment when you don't.

Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, which means more parties and such than usual. And I'd like to attend -- except I'll look like a sourpuss if I don't dress up. Sigh. I just want to go to see a concert and have fun my way. Is that such a great offense?

Apparently it is.

(Aside: I think Halloween falls just behind NYE as the most pressure-filled "You Must Do Something Or Else You're Lame" holiday of the year. Most people are sympathetic to the single person's plight on Valentine's Day, and you can usually find a friend or two in the same situation. And birthdays of non-numerical significance generally get a pass. Luckily, I've done the big 30 thing, so I'm probably safe for another decade.)

So, I'm wracking my brain for a costume that a) isn't unbearably stupid or slutty, b) fun enough to pass muster at a party (so no "going as myself" or "I'm an undercover spy"), and c) won't look ridiculous at a concert later. Wish me luck. Sigh.

My first attempt at homemade pie crust today did not go well at all. I didn't even bother with filling and baking it, I just trashed the whole thing. I don't think the butter was chilled enough and the dough sort of fell apart. On to the round 2 ...
This is the worst sports time of year for me because I don't follow baseball or football, tennis is pretty much over and college basketball hasn't really gotten underway. I think I've settled on adding hockey, but it's incredibly difficult to get into any sport just like that. In any case, this doesn't solve my problem of feeling left out of the collective sports conversation because nobody follows hockey.
I've seen the end of 'The Office' wedding episode way too many times to be healthy. If you didn't happen to catch, go watch it now. It's cued up; make sure to wait around to see Jim's last expression, around minute 17:50.

Mishap City

2009-10-13T10:28:00.003-04:00

I'm writing this from home at 10:30AM, instead of busily working at the office, because I woke up to no hot water this morning.

This has happened to me before, of course (I live in New York), and actually happened with some frequency at my West Village apartment. This is the first time it's happened here in Carroll Gardens, though.

What's noteworthy, really, is that it happened right now. It's been a week of mishaps for me. I've become a klutz -- slipped down the stairs last Wednesday, ate it on the sidewalk Saturday, fell off a bar stool last night. I apparently can't even cross the street, since I've almost gotten run over by bikes twice recently. I messed up a friend's vacation dates -- also the second time I did that lately.

My co-worker thinks this is her year of technical difficulties (seemingly every electronic device she owns has broken). This and my string of calamities makes me wonder whether bad luck reproduces. I was joking to her that, since she's had to get so many new gadgets, she won't have to worry about them for years. So maybe I'm just getting all the mishaps out of my system. At the very least, I know I'm prone to them right now and can watch out. I should feel lucky that I still haven't ever broken a bone or gotten stitches.

Knock on wood.

Money Matters

2009-10-05T22:36:00.003-04:00

So, I'm poor. I mean, broke-ass poor. I haven't been in such a bad financial state in five or six years. Guess if you live like your in your early 20s, you also have to deal with the consequences (aside from the wicked hangovers).

I actually brought my lunch to work almost every day last week. I've cooked dinner, or had leftovers, nearly every night. I probably indulged in a few too many drinks on Friday, but hey, can't be perfect. I'm even staying with my parents and brother over Thanksgiving -- in the same place, under the same roof -- to save on a hotel. Seriously, I'm at Defcon 1 here.

As much as it sucks not to have any money, it's interesting to see what really matters to me and what doesn't. Haircut? Nope. Clothes? Eh ... can make do with current wardrobe. Home furnishings? Certainly not. An HDTV, sound system, PS3, iPhone? Ha, please.

What won't I skimp on? Good food. Good friends (which usually involves drinks, of course). Good music. And I'm trying to build up my savings again, as well as a travel fund. Not sure if I'll be able to jet anywhere before the end of the year, but it's better to have a goal than not, right?

Bits and bytes:

Man, I love the fall. Honeycrisp apples FTW!
Braised beef short ribs this weekend, had leftovers tonight. Pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I'm going to make chili this weekend (for real), and may even tackle pie crust. Wish me luck.
T-minus 11 days until the Duke basketball season officially begins.

Cook Cook Cook

2009-10-01T00:36:00.004-04:00

Cook is kind of a weird word, isn't it? I mean, look at it for a few minutes; say it aloud or in your head a dozen times.

Cook cook cook cook cook cook cook ... weird.

Aaaaaaanyway ....

I've been a homebody of late and cooking dinner (this also helps me save money, which I have none of anymore). I could only bestir myself to heat up soup this weekend, but I made an excellent tuna/white bean salad yesterday and ate the leftovers for lunch today (more frugality, yay!).

And tonight, I tackled the simple yet dreaded staple of dinners across America: marinara sauce. I figured, what could be so hard? A little mirepoix, a can of tomatoes, some herbs, good olive oil. Tonight, add a bit of meat to make Bolognese. Stash the leftover sauce for lunch.

Easy, right?

It was, sort of. I realized how quickly you fall out of the habit of cooking. The little things -- like dicing carrots -- don't come to hand so easily anymore. Every task takes longer. You can no longer season by instinct; you have to taste assiduously and adjust often. In the case of my marinara, I probably ought to have minced more garlic and added less basil.

Still, it feels really good to cook. Sure, I get a bit frantic while trying to chop, stir, rinse and peel simultaneously, but there's a sort of peaceful mindlessness to it. After a day -- a life -- filled with endless choices and directions and possible routes, it's nice to come home and only have to ask myself: does this taste good?

And if not, well ... just add a little salt. It almost always does a dish good.

Rinse, Repeat

2009-09-21T22:53:00.008-04:00

Sitting here, watching 'The Lake House' again -- despite having 12 or so unwatched shows stacked up on my DVR. I don't know what it is about some movies that, no matter how many times you've seen them, make you stop on that channel.

'Overboard' does it every time. So does 'When Harry Met Sally,' the last bit of which I caught the other night. Of course, I had to rewind the last scene a few times (you know, the part when Harry says, "I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out ...").

I've probably seen every episode of 'Sex and the City,' oh, seven or eight times. I've watched the complete series of 'Deadwood' three times. I plan to watch all of 'Battlestar Galactica' again this winter (and this is a series that I'd re-watch before every new season).

And, I even re-read books, too. Some people find this revisiting incomprehensible -- what's the point, they ask, if I know how it all ends. I guess it's a sort of comfort food ... comfort culture?

I'll never get enough of 'Pride and Prejudice' (book or miniseries) ever.

Some random thoughts:

Won the Emmys pool, to the consternation of my co-workers. I really didn't even pick who I thought was going to win, but my bets paid off. Next year's Oscars are changing things up, though, so maybe I won't win again. Maybe.
One of the unforeseen advantages of a lengthier commute is the chance to read The New Yorker. If you haven't been reading it lately -- go the newsstand immediately. The last handful of issues have been amazing. The story on the financial crisis almost made me understand what happened.
I wrote a bit in Spain, and went back to re-read it. My handwriting is terrible, awful! I could barely make anything out. Then again, I never had that beautiful, loopy, girlish handwriting, even in high school. I'm now entirely dependent on typing.

Partying Like It's 1999 ...

2009-09-14T22:46:00.002-04:00

... Except it's not. It's 2009.

This past week, I've come home at 5am and 6am. I slept in my clothes again. I didn't get anything done this past weekend (laundry, cleaning my apartment, writing, grocery shopping among other things). In short, I've been acting like I'm 20. But I'm not.

I was describing this to a couple friends recently, and one said, "Well, you're making up for lost time" and another said, "You need to get it out of your system." And I suppose, in some ways, I kind of rebooted my life three years ago and picked up where I was B.L.T.R. (Before Long Term Relationship).

But, you know ... it's not like 1999 - 2006 never happened, though those years do seem like a completely different life. I wasn't frozen in carbonite. Sure, I didn't party hard, drink too much, sleep with the wrong people and generally make bad decisions when most people my age were doing just that. But do I really want to be doing that now?

Time for a little less boozing -- a little more Listing. It's mid-September, and I haven't made much of a dent on the 30 List. Sadly, I'm very, very, very poor, so some things might prove difficult (like, going to South America or taking guitar lessons). Maybe I'll head out to Montauk or the OBX before winter sets in and take care of a few of the easier items (flying a kite? seeing the sun rise?). Also, get back to quiet activities I used to enjoy, that don't involve getting wasted and passing out, like -- reading books, cooking and baking, eating at new restaurants, going to movies, attending concerts.

It's fall, my favorite season. There's always that bit of struggle when summer's coming to an end, when I can't let go of it. But I do love the decaying leaves, and apple cider, and woolen scarves and mittens, and brilliant sunsets, and burnished gold mountainsides, and playing spades by a fireplace.

Some list updates:
17. Cook or bake something new/untried at least twice a month
Made a triple berry pie, which was sort of new. Cheated, though, and used a pre-made pie shell. Next up: a tuna/white bean panzanella salad this weekend.

New:
25. Visit the Cloisters
26. Make pie crust, from scratch
27. Ski or snowboard

Barcelona, Again: Hasta Luego

2009-09-04T15:54:00.006-04:00

Just a quick note, as I only have a few minutes left on this computer. It was a long day of mega-sightseeing (Montjuic, Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell). Now we eat our final meal, fittingly enough at Cerveceria Catalana ... where it all started 10 days ago.

It´s hard to believe it´s been 10 days; they´ve flown by so quickly. And while I´m sad to leave, I know I´ll return to Spain some day. I want to see Madrid and the north, and I still want to do a driving tour.

I thought such a long vacation would make me sick of traveling, but instead, I just want to keep going.

Buenos Aires, New Year´s Eve anyone?

Sevilla: What a Feeling

2009-09-03T08:50:00.003-04:00

Take your passion, and make it happen

Picture´s come alive, you can dance right through your life

Now I hear the music, close my eyes, I am rhythm

In a flash, it takes hold of my heart

Last night, we saw a stunning flamenco show, and the images and music and beats still inhabit the corners of my mind.

What emotion! I understood almost none of the lyrics, yet I had no trouble feeling the dancers´pain and anger, longing and desire. Strangely, it reminded me of hip-hop from the streets -- letting the music move you. It´s spontaneous, unrehearsed, without rules. The passion and utter dedication was unmistakable, and it flowed forth from their staccato stomping and clapping like a tidal wave. You couldn´t help but be swept away.

It also the first time during this trip I truly felt: I belong here. I could open a little cervercia/flamenco bar, eat jamon and gambas every day and live simply but with mucho gusto and pasion.

I was born in Korea, raised in North Carolina and live in New York ... but perhaps I am an Andalucian at heart.

¡Sevilla! ¡Le amo!

Off to Barcelona, then back to New York. Back to reality, too, but perhaps a changed one.

Dear Citibank ...

2009-09-02T11:15:00.003-04:00

... You suck. A lot.

So, after I got robbed and had to cancel my ATM card, my financial situation has been sort of a nightmare.

There are Citibanks (where I have a checking account) in Spain, but accessing my own money proved to be nearly impossible. I had to ask for "emergency cash," which involved talking to two separate people on the phone last night, then talking to five different people over two hours at a branch here in Sevilla this morning.

Again: This is my own money in my own account at this very bank.

Seriously, how did we all live and travel before ATMs? Did they just carry around wads of cash ... or is that what "travelers´checks" were for? In any case, I now can buy my own zumos de naranja and cafes con leche without begging Jen to loan me a few euros.

Tonight, hopefully, flamenco and celebrating JW´s birthday. If I don´t post tomorrow, I´ll post again once more from Barcelona.

Hasta ...

Ronda, Malaga: Man > Nature

2009-09-01T19:31:00.004-04:00

Didn´t quite have enough time to post from Ronda, so I´ll have to make it up later with photos (they say a picture´s worth a thousand words, right?). We hiked down the gorge in the morning and marveled at the Punta Nueva, an incredible feat of human work. As awesome as the gorge was, as insignificant as it made you feel in time and space, it was still tamed by man. Some people centuries ago decided they wanted to live on top of this cliff, despite the odds -- and they made it happen.

Later, in the afternoon, we took the bus down to Malaga (a last-minute change of itinerary; Cordoba will have to wait for another time) and strolled down a beautiful, marble-lined paseo which Jen and I agreed reminded us of Las Vegas, another wonder of brute human creation. A bunch of people decided they wanted to live in the desert, despite the odds -- and they made it happen.

And in both cases, I´m not sure if man´s triumph over nature is admirable. On the one hand, it´s allowed me to live, and live well. On the other, well, there´s Las Vegas as it is today ... excess and vanity and above all, capitalism.

The next two days: Sevilla. More on that, and perhaps my financial travails -- luego.

Ronda: Rejuvenation

2009-08-30T17:47:00.004-04:00

Just a quick post for now -- I´m sure I´ll have more to say later -- but I left Granada this afternoon feeling dispirited. I´d been robbed, I was tired, I´d gone on a fruitless cave people search in the morning. Mostly, I really just wanted to go home.

Then, we boarded the train for Ronda, and I thought for sure I´d sleep the entire way. Instead, I gazed at the countryside and this strange feeling descended on me. It was a feeling of peace and certainty. Suddenly, I felt like myself -- more myself than I´d felt in a long time.

Lately, I´ve been trying to live this philosophy of ¨why¨(instead of ¨why not¨), mostly because ¨why not¨has gotten me nowhere ... in fact, led me to Hurt Feelings-ville. But as our train sped through the mountains and olive fields, I couldn´t help but think of a line from one of my favorite movies of all time:

Vivir con miedo es como vivir a medias

See if you can guess where that´s from!

For now, adios ....

P.S. Pictures to come. Have no way of uploading them now.

Granada: The Best of Times, the Worst of Times

2009-08-29T11:10:00.005-04:00

Let´s start with the bad: I was robbed.

In eight years of living in New York City, I´ve never been mugged or even close to it (knock on wood). Three days into our trip to Spain -- purse stolen.

It happened in a dark, empty street. We were stupid, naive, overly confident, dressed in short skirts. I was carrying a tiny purse in my right hand. It was a situation perfect for two teenage punks to attack us. Luckily, Jen managed to fight off her thief, but I´m out over a hundred euros, my driver´s license and my pride.

Lesson learned: This isn´t New York; we´re tourists and need to be extra careful. And even at home, I probably let my guard down too much. Vigilance.

But now, the good ... no, the great. This morning, we headed out to the Alhambra, where we spent several wonderful hours exploring the Moorish fort, palaces and gardens. I´ve been dreaming about this place for over half my life, and it was as close to heaven that you could possibly get to on Earth. The air in the neverending lush gardens was heavy with the perfume of lilacs and roses. It´s an intoxicating place. I could ramble through the Generalife all my life. And I hope to return there some day.

Tambien:
- We visited the cathedral this afternoon and wow ... what excess. The giant organs, the gold leaf statues, the immense domes, the vivid paintings all reminded me that this (religion) is what people kill each other over. The church didn´t produce awe or wonder, just disgust.
- I´m starting to think first in Spanish, but my vocabulary (spoken) still sucks. But I could read back my police report, no problem.
- Tomorrow evening ... off to Ronda.

Barcelona: Eat, Sleep, Eat Some More

2009-08-28T07:26:00.003-04:00

You know that phrase "work hard, play hard"?

Well, in Barcelona, it's "play hard, play harder."

I knew the lifestyle and culture in Spain would be quite different, but it's amazing how anything gets done in this country. A typical day's schedule seems to be: work in the morning; eat lunch at 2PM and then take a siesta; go back to work until 8PM; dinner at 10; bars and clubs from midnight until you pass out around 5AM.

And the eating ... ! My mom would be happy that Spain might fatten me up. We're eating more meals, though just little bites at each one. And the pace is much slower; everyone takes their time, enjoying their tapas and pinxtos and vasos de vino. There's no rush to be anywhere or do anything.

Yesterday, Jen and I took the train down to the beach at Sitges and it felt wonderful to relax, close my eyes, float in the Mediterranean's clear water. And there, I did think: could I live here?

It's certainly tempting, but I know that this is just vacation. Here and now, I have no work, responsibilities, no bills to pay. This isn't real life. But perhaps I can take a little bit of Barcelona philosophy back with me to New York, and slow down just a little bit.

Vicky and Cristina Are Going to Barcelona

2009-08-25T11:15:00.004-04:00

I'm heading to Spain in about seven hours, and even now, the idea of it hasn't sunk in.

As (many) people have pointed out, my traveling companion, Jen, and I bear a resemblance to the ladies in Woody Allen's movie 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona.' Me = Vicky. Jen = Cristina. And at this time tomorrow, we'll be strolling down Las Ramblas in Barcelona. Unreal. And if we meet Javier Bardem? He's mine!

I'll try to post a few missives over the 10-day trip, so ... hasta luego.

Come On Over

2009-08-17T00:26:00.006-04:00

[photo via Patricia]

I threw my very first party in my own apartment, ever. And people actually showed up! Success!

Adding "host a party" to the 30 list was a bit of a cheat since I knew it was going to happen. But this was a somewhat major feat, as I've never lived anywhere big enough to hold more than, oh, four people (maybe). Anyway, it seemed like people had a good time, so I'm feeling pretty proud of myself.

~~22. Host a party~~

Indecisions, Indecisions

2009-08-12T00:45:00.008-04:00

I told you I'd try to write more frequently. Hah! And you didn't believe me (though, with good reason).

Here I am, sitting on the patio, composing this missive, drinking a glass of white wine, listening to Patsy Cline and Liz Phair, watching the cloudy night sky for a glimpse of a shooting star. Simply sublime.

I was IMing with a friend of mine today, and it was particularly memorable because he doesn't IM. Seriously, he isn't on Facebook, he doesn't Twitter, he would never blog like this. Hell, we all feel special when he e-mails us back.

So, color me surprised when he pings me today, partly in response to a very long, detailed, angsty e-mail I'd written him. And the contents of the conversation were quite disturbing. It was ... uh ... eye-opening, to say the least. Here's the gist:

Friend: And how do you feel about that?
Me: I don't know.
Friend: You seem to say that a lot lately.
Me: Hmm.

Later ...

Friend: Why don't you do something about it?
Me: I guess ... that's just not the kind of thing I do. That's not who I am.
Friend: Why not?
Me: I don't know.
Friend: Is that your answer for everything?
Me: Um ... I guess so

And even later ...

Friend: So, do you really not know, like you have no clue whatsoever? Or, do you really not want to find out?
Me: I liked it better when you didn't use the interwebs.

I have been saying "I don't know" too often of late. And I wish it were because I genuinely didn't have a clue; I'd rather be stupid than scared.

But this reminds me of a quote from 'Deadwood' (of course), when Alma Garrett is about to marry a man she doesn't love: "I am afraid. I am so afraid that my life is living me and that it will soon be over and that not a moment of it will be my own."

Oh, David Milch, I can't say it any better than that: My life is living me.

I just need to remember my motto for the year: Man up. Or as Al Swearengen would say, "Stand it like a man -- and give some back."

Amen.

30.5

2009-08-09T22:13:00.004-04:00

Long time no write.

It's been over six months since I started this blog, and I haven't kept up with it nearly as much as originally planned. And with Year 30 half over, I haven't even filled out The List, much less made much headway on it.

I will try to do better, dear readers (all five of you).

Since last I wrote, I moved to a spacious apartment in lovely Carroll Gardens. I bought a bike. I've consumed excellent Italian food. I've used my power drill. I'm hosting my first cookout this weekend.

And the change in scenery is wonderful and exciting ... Still, I find myself yearning for even greater change. Of course, the 30 List was a way to try new things and I haven't been able to accomplish that either, so maybe I shouldn't bite off more than I can chew. But I'm feeling restless and a bit aimless, and I'm not sure what to do with myself next.

As I ruminate on that great mystery, some updates on that 30 List:
~~19. Ride the Coney Island Cyclone~~

adding
22. Host a party
23. Go sailing/canoeing/kayaking/rafting
24. Watch five unseen movies from IMDB's Top 250

Crossing Over

2009-07-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

So, yeah, the rumors are true -- I'm moving to Brooklyn. And in case you hadn't heard, I have a patio. Barbecues are on.

I will be in living in Carroll Gardens again ... though, technically, last time, it was my ex's apartment and I just stayed there. After living in Manhattan for five or so years now, it's a big change. But now that I'm 30 (may have mentioned that once or twice before), I want a grown-up apartment. You know, with a real bedroom that can fit more than my bed. And a full bathroom that isn't split up into two parts. And more than one closet.

Oh, and I'm getting a bike. You're thinking, "Seriously, who are you?" Yes, times are a-changing, people. And I'm a-changing with them.

Actually, I've been spending a lot of time in various parts of Brooklyn. I watched the Fourth of July fireworks from Greenpoint. Of course, that would've been a lot cooler had they been over the East River as usual. Instead, they were over the Hudson to celebrate that river's anniversary. But it was still pretty neat to see the fireworks exploding around the Empire State building.

Say "Whole Hog"

2009-06-17T23:27:00.010-04:00

I got a shiny new toy last week -- a Nikon D40 -- and wow, do I NOT know how to use a DSLR. So, as I wander around the city, I'm learning.

The above photo is a chopped pork sandwich at the Big Apple BBQ Festival, courtesy of Ed Mitchell of The Pit restaurant in Raleigh, N.C. Pit masters from around the country descend on New York every June to show NYers that the stuff they call "barbecue" is no such thing.

Anyway, this was one of the few decent photos I got from an entire weekend of chowing down and seeing bands at the Northside Festival in Williamsburg. Taking dimly lit concert photos is not in my bag of tricks ... yet.

One update on the 30 list:
11. Brush up on Spanish

And adding:
20. Make and display a work of art for the apartment
21. Finish reading 'The Grapes of Wrath'

Making Plans

2009-05-29T18:32:00.000-04:00

Yes, kiddies: I'm back. My friend and former roommate Louise gave me a gentle nudge to update this blog (apparently, a few of you do read it). Apologies for being MIA, but as many of you know, May is the busiest time of year for me at work. But now, 'American Idol' and 'Lost' and most TV shows are over, and I'm on cruise control for the summer.

However, I hope that my personal life becomes busier over the summer. I'd like to see more of the city, have dinner or see concerts on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and, most of all, travel. It's sort of criminal how little I've traveled (confined pretty much to North America, one trip to Korea when I was 15 and a brief trek to London/Paris five plus years ago).

So, I'm excited to report that I just bought a ticket to Spain for a multi-city, 10-day tour with my friend Jen (and possibly, hopefully, Patricia). We'll start out in Barcelona, hit Granada (I've wanted to see the Alhambra, depicted above, since I was 15), Sevilla, maybe Cordoba and more!

Long, long ago, when I was a senior in high school, I planned on double majoring in English and Spanish at Duke, and spending a year abroad in Spain. A couple things prevented that: 1) The vortex that was The Chronicle and 2) a thoroughly uninspiring Spanish department. But Spanish is my second language -- sadly, my Korean is only conversational, at best -- and I have loved the language, literature, culture and history for over 15 years.

But what finally got me to Spain, I have to admit, is a TV show. What can I say -- I watch TV for a living. Earlier this year, PBS aired a series called 'Spain On the Road Again,' in which chef Mario Batali, actress Gwyneth Paltrow, New York Times food writer Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols drove from Andalucia to Catalunya, ate incredible food and saw the sights in city and country. As each episode aired, the envy built up and I finally decided to take my own Iberian adventure. So, watch for an update this September from La España ... No puedo esperar!

One thing that's become clear to me is that I need to exercise my organizational muscles more often. In my youth, I was very Type A, and needed to have everything planned out to the millisecond. Then, a few years ago, I swung completely the opposite direction and now it's like pulling (my own) teeth to make plans in advance. In fact, right at this moment, I'm on "staycation" -- mostly because I couldn't get it together enough to book a real vacation. But since I was the instigator of this Spain trip, most of the planning falls on me. I'm intrigued to see if this organizing fit carries over into my daily life.

And, because it's been so long since I last blogged, a few bullets:

I'm moving! Again! Just told my landlord this week I'm not renewing my lease. Whereas the criteria for a place last time I moved was location, location, location -- this time, it's space, space, space. And if I can find a place with a backyard or patio, I'll seriously consider moving to the boonies (aka Brooklyn). I know ... shocking!
Next week, I'm not only attending a fake bachelor party (with a co-worker, no strip clubbing), I'm going to Boston for a real bachelor party (an old friend, strip clubbing on the docket). I've decided if I ever get married, my non-existent future husband and I should have a joint bachelor/bachelorette party in Costa Rica, where we will surf, play poker, smoke cigars, drink lots of tequila and have a good time. Men and women together. Isn't that a novel idea?
Speaking of men and women -- I've decided they actually can't be friends. At least, unless you've known them for 5+ years and you're both so over each other. Yup.
Yes, my company is getting spun off. No, I haven't been fired/laid off. Yet.
My brother Joe is moving to Austin. Actually, technically, he already moved. So, the Woo family is outta Raleigh, for good. On the one hand, great for him -- he got a promotion, he's moving on with his life. On the other hand ... where am I going to go for Christmas?

Wishing and Washing

2009-04-22T23:21:00.002-04:00

I realized something recently: I'm incapable of committing to an event more than a month advance (hell, more than a week in advance and I get antsy). This especially becomes a problem when it comes to planning vacations, buying concert tickets, etc. etc.

I'm wishy-washy. Maybe even ... commitmentphobic?

Anyway, long time no write. It's been a very busy time. A very complicated time. And I'm still busy, but less complicated. Opaque enough for you?

Some dribs and drabs:

I hate hate hate seeing myself on video or hearing myself on tape. It actually makes me want to vomit, yet for work, I now have to do a podcast ... that is recorded on video! And it'll all be available on iTunes. Yikes.
I'm in love with Jemaine from Flight of the Conchords. I saw the duo at Radio City Music Hall last week and ... heart!
So I've been Twittering but I'm still not really sure about its usefulness. And the whole Ashton Kutcher vs. CNN race for a million followers just made me think, "This is breaking news?"
New shows I'm liking: 'Southland,' 'The Unusuals.' New show I will give a few more episodes: 'Parks and Recreation.' And if you're not watching 'My Boys,' that's just criminal.

And an update on the 30 list ...
9. Attend at least two: ~~Knicks,~~ Rangers, Mets and Yankees games

Here Comes the Sun

2009-04-06T23:31:00.005-04:00

I love spring.

It's not my favorite season in New York (that would be autumn). But is there any better feeling than being able to shed your coat, turn your face toward the sun, hear the birds chirp and see the trees bud?

One more for the list:

#19. Ride the Coney Island Cyclone

Something True

2009-03-22T22:43:00.012-04:00

So give me something that is true.

Yes, give me something that is true.

Lord, give me something, 'cause this will not do.

-- The Band of Annuals

The show 'Battlestar Galactica' aired its finale last Friday, and ever since, people have been asking me what I thought about it.

And, though I am a writer and make my living by analyzing TV shows, I am finding it difficult to put my feelings into words. Or, at least, coherently. But here is an attempt, as poor as it is.

While it's sad to see a beloved and well-told story end, that is what all stories must do. And it's impossible to separate how a story ends, from how it began and what happened in between. I firmly believe 'BSG' must be evaluated not just by its finale, but in its totality. And from the first to the last, it was a tale that enthralled, challenged, provoked and moved me. It was a story that won't be forgotten.

One of the questions -- perhaps the question -- of the show was whether or not there is higher power ("god" or "gods") governing the universe. And while some fans and critics decried the finale as deux ex machina, I found it more ambiguous than that. What exactly is Kara Thrace or the "head" characters? Are they "angels" as we think of that word? Is there really a god(s)? And what is his/her role in relation to humanity?

What annoys me most about fans of certain shows is that they get caught up in needing answers. And if the answers don't all make sense and fit together perfectly, then the show is deemed stupid and made-up on the fly, thus rendering it worthless. But what I personally loved about 'BSG' is that it didn't give us all the answers. I'll never know what/who Starbuck was -- and that's more than fine by me. Perhaps, everything isn't knowable. Maybe all the questions shouldn't be answered. Life isn't a plot; it can't be tied up in a neat bow. And there's something beautiful and glorious and true about that.

Also this week, I had a chance to eat at a restaurant called Momofuku Ko. While finishing one of the very last dishes, I told my friend that it was as near to a religious experience as I could possibly have. (Read an account of the dinner on her blog.) And, just like with the end of 'BSG,' it's really hard to describe. Just like that moment you're standing on a cliff overlooking the sea, or fighting the wind on a mountain ridge, or walking through the glittering lights of a magnificent city, or hearing a song that resonates deep inside you.

Sometimes, intellect and reason and words are completely inadequate.

So, is there something greater? When you hit a trough in life, then good things happen afterward, is the universe or "god" or whatever making it up to you? Is it trying to give you a message? I don't know, maybe. Some people fall onto religion or faith, and I almost, sort of, kind of get that now. When you come across those moments that are so sublime, so beyond comprehension -- what do they mean? And how do you experience them again?

There's no answer, of course. And that is the truth.

6. ~~Eat at Momofuku Ko~~

The End ... or The Beginning?

2009-03-15T20:46:00.010-04:00

~~15. Take the train to Montauk~~

Letters and Sodas

2009-03-13T19:34:00.010-04:00

So, a friend of mine recently blogged about feeling sorry for Jennifer Aniston. We IMed about Miss A recently, and I posited the theory that she only ever got back together with John Mayer so that she had a man on her arm at the Oscars (you know, to "stick it" to Brangelina ... as much as that's possible when you're with John Mayer). And wouldn't you know? A decent amount of time after the ceremony and ... poof -- they're dunzo.

Her point was that, just a few short years ago, Jen was quoted as being deliriously, impossibly optimistic about her romantic future ("There's an amazing man that's wandering the streets right now who's the father of my children."). And now she's cynical and jaded ("Whoever said that every relationship has to last for ever? That’s hoping for too much.")

Anyway, we were discussing this mainly because I was in a bit of a funk (she also recommended many, many amazing songs for such situations). And it got me thinking about my romantic hopes and wishes. Many little girls dream about princes in shining armor riding in to save the day on their white horses. Then they grow up; they realize that's just a fantasy.

Still, what's the line between fantasy and knowing what you want? Sure, the prince thing isn't happening. But if I want something from my partner ... shouldn't I get it? Don't I deserve it? Was it really that stupid and naive for Jen to think there was a guy out there who'd love her, respect her, find her fascinating and want to make babies with her? Is the Jen who's given up on what she wanted any happier or better off?

The other week, I was having margaritas with my friend Jason. We were talking about whether we'd ever find anyone, if there was anyone "out there" for us. Maybe we were too picky, too idealistic. Maybe we need to accept that we'll never get we want. Maybe we should just settle. But ... I don't want to settle. I'd actually rather be alone than be with a John Mayer type to "show 'em."

Frankly, though, I don't think I'm asking for much: I want to be with someone who wants to be with me. Period. It's as simple and impossible as that.

As cynical and jaded as I may seem on the outside, I'm a romantic at heart. I'm still at that place where Jen #1 was. Who knows ... maybe in a few or dozen years, I'll turn into Jen #2. But even if I never find anyone, I hope that I'll always feel like I should get what I want -- and keep looking for it.

Spring Forward

2009-03-07T16:40:00.004-05:00

Spring is here! Spring is here! Spring is here!

OK, maybe that's a little premature. But it was so nice out today; took a walk through Prospect Park. But tomorrow does bring Daylight Savings Time, which always felt like the start of spring to me.

So, one more item for the 30 List:
18. Fly a kite

Snow Daze

2009-03-03T01:01:00.009-05:00

Woke up this morning to a blanket of snow and missed those days in North Carolina when just a couple inches would shut everything down for the entire week. It would've been nice to snuggle up on the couch with a mug of hot cocoa. Even nicer to snuggle with somebody.

Anyway, some random thoughts on this snowy day:

Recently, I started updating my Twitter (or "tweeting") more regularly, and I'm trying to figure out a balance between it, this blog, Facebook and other forms of virtual communication. What to say here, or there, or anywhere.
Just watched the three-hour 'Bachelor' finale and I feel gross.
Most ridiculous thing I read all week: The NY Times' piece about Michelle Obama wearing sleeveless dresses. And this coming from someone who reads various gossip blogs near-daily.
Got to interview Helo from 'Battlestar Galactica'! And he was super nice (even if he called 45 minutes late.)
Being a former newspaperwoman myself, I'm saddened by the death of newspapers left and right (the Daily News might fold into the Inquirer? For shame)
Speaking of the newspaper world, 'The Wire' creator David Simon is awesome for demanding access to a public police document

And two additions to my 30 List:

16. Go crabbing
17. Cook or bake something new/untried at least twice a month

Driving: A Love/Hate Relationship

2009-02-25T00:52:00.005-05:00

OK, I used to love driving. Love. It. In high school, I'd race without a care in the world to Carol's house in Apex, 20 mph over the speed limit, one hand on the wheel, playing the radio at top volume. In college, I used to hop into my Corolla and drive up a moonlit Cole Mill Road at night and look for deer on the side of the road. Or I'd just drive without direction, stop, sit on my trunk and just stare at the stars.

Can't really do that in NYC, sadly. Sometimes, as I walk along the streets, I look up and am always disappointed to see that dark nothingness.

And nowadays when I drive, I'm more nervous -- of denting my rental or getting into a more serious accident. I'm not used to driving, or maybe I don't have as much nerve. I'm not sure.

But sometimes, when it's late, and I'm sitting in this little shoebox, I just really, really miss driving. And the stars, too.

And the Oscar (Pool) Goes to ... Me. Again.

2009-02-23T21:09:00.004-05:00

Kate Winslet finally wins gold! And I win the office Office pool again, much to the chagrin of my movie-covering colleagues.

If I win for a third year in a row, I'll retire like Oprah from the Daytime Emmys. It just won't be fair anymore, hahaha.

Never quite got around to seeing 'The Reader,' but honestly -- Kate deserves the trophy this year simply as a "catch up" award (she ought to have won for 'Eternal Sunshine').

Still, I wish I'd gotten around to seeing more of the nominees, particularly: 'The Wrestler,' 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona,' 'Doubt,' 'The Visitor,' 'The Class' and 'Man on Wire.'

Thank goodness for Netflix, huh?

30 Things

2009-02-20T00:14:00.008-05:00

At the end of 2008, I began to think about new year's resolutions and decided I'd make a "30 Things To Do While I'm 30" list. Being a master procrastinator, I didn't really finish. But I decided I should post what I have so far, keep adding to it and update this blog with my progress.

As to the contents of the list, the items are things that 1) I really, actually, truly want to do, and 2) Are a mix of the ambitious and realistic. I didn't want to make some hare-brained joke of a list that never got done.

So... here it is. Crossed-out means completed. Items in green are underway.

1. ~~Start a blog~~
2. Watch the sun rise over the Atlantic and sun set over the Pacific (separately)
3. Ride the Circle Line around Manhattan
4. See more live music (at least twice a month)
5. Visit the southern hemisphere
6. Eat at Momofuku Ko
7. Learn the guitar
8. Ice skate at Wollman Rink
9. Attend at least two: Knicks, Rangers, Mets and Yankees games
10. Engage in a physically terrifying activity (ie, bungee jump, sky dive, etc)
11. Brush up on Spanish
12. Travel to a previously unvisited state
13. Go camping
14. Write a complete piece of fiction
15. Take the train to Montauk
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

Pork. It Does a Body Good.

2009-02-15T02:00:00.000-05:00

Here, I ought to include a photo of the incredible pork bun I ate at Momofuku Ssam. But this is me we are talking about, and though I actually remembered to bring my camera to dinner, I forgot to take a photo of it. Genius.

So, instead, I guess I'll have to, you know, write something. At Ssam, my friend and I were sitting next to a really great couple at dinner -- the kind who have been together for 15+ years, still go on dates to great restaurants and don't mind two single chicks pestering them for the "secret" to happy relationships.

But the husband's "advice" basically boiled down to: guys don't know WTF they're doing, so women have to figure it out and clue them in. It was all said in good humor. Joke, joke, ha ha. Fun was had by all.

Being as it was Valentine's Day, though -- and generally, I couldn't care less about Valentine's Day -- it made me think about guys, girls and how we interact (romantically and not). The other day, at happy hour after work, we were all discussing whether women friends should be invited to bachelor parties. I count heterosexual guys among some of my closest friends, and think it's kind of unfair that I won't be invited to their bachelor parties. Sure, I don't particularly want to go to a strip club ... but I'm pretty sure most of them don't want to either. Yet, the phrase "bachelor party" invokes these sacred rites of male-only bonding that cannot be messed with.

I guess, it's just interesting that, even in this day and age, we still hold fast to traditional roles and rituals. And I can't even crusade against it too much, without being hypocritical, since it's been noted that the perfect storm combination of being raised in a religious, Korean home in the South makes me act (unconsciously) in ways that my modern, intellectual, feminist side frowns upon. Or maybe upbringing doesn't matter at all ... maybe this behavior is just hard-wired into our genetic code and there's nothing we can do about it.

Is it just written?

This Train of Thought Has Derailed

2009-02-09T21:36:00.007-05:00

It's been an exhausting couple of weeks, capped off by Fake Birthday (tm) this past weekend. Lots of fun, but I'm completely sapped. Also, really need to take a break from the excessive eating and drinking. Especially the drinking.

A few random thoughts:

There needs to be a TV channel solely dedicated to playing music videos from the '80s. Stat.
Best antidote to speed reading: graphic novels
Best antidote to having a song stuck in your head: Listen to it 10 times in a row (strange, but I swear it works)
The difference between Barack Obama and George W. Bush while conducting press conferences is so stark. It hardly mattered what our new president was even saying ... he exudes such intelligence, compassion and confidence, I instantly felt better just looking at him.
Steve-O is on 'Dancing With the Stars'? As Seth Meyers might ask ... really?
After seeing a commercial for 'A Charlie Brown Valentine,' I must confess: I have never liked Charlie Brown or the Peanuts cartoons.
My "motto"/philosophy/guiding principle so far this year has been "Man up." So, I thought this article about 'BSG' and 'Friday Night Lights' was very apropos. No wonder I heart Adama and Coach Taylor so much.

Brought to You By the Letter "K"

2009-02-05T01:04:00.005-05:00

I have a weakness for initial jewelry, and I'm psyched I finally made this stolen Scrabble tile (which I've had for two months now) into a necklace. No doubt I look like a total dork but I don't care!

Please, MTA, Don't Make Me Move Again

2009-02-04T00:41:00.005-05:00

Due to the terrible economy (a handy excuse/escape clause of late), the MTA has proposed cutting the M8 bus in its "doomsday budget." That just happens to be the bus I take to/from work in the winter.

The walk between my West Village apartment and my employer's East Village office is lovely when it's nice out, but when it's freezing or rainy, that five-avenue trek is unbearable (y'all know I don't do well in the cold).

At first, I wasn't too agitated about the whole thing because I had already been contemplating a move. Since arriving in the city over seven years ago, I've lived in or lived with someone in probably seven or eight apartments. It used to be that everything I owned fit in a four-door car. Then a small van. But this last time, I had to hire movers and it was mind-bogglingly expensive. So, believe me when I say that only the direst of circumstances would lead me to do it all again.

Sure, the West Village can't be beat, but I live in a teeny-tiny apartment on the sixth floor of a walk-up. That was acceptable a year and a half ago when I was desperate and had about four days to find a place. But now it's bursting at the seams. My closet is overflowing. I keep shoes in the cupboards. I don't own real furniture and don't want to schlep any (or pay to have it schlepped) up all those stairs. My bathroom is divided in two! I need more more space, period. I was even fully prepared to move back to (gasp) Brooklyn.

But everything changed when my super came up this morning to take a look at my radiator and let me know that a bigger apartment on the second floor was opening up in a month or so -- and was I interested? Hell, yes, I'm interested. I love this street, I like my building, my super is super, I'm quite attached to my take-out places, the river is a short walk away, there are actual trees around and it's conveniently located. And a move within the building would be much less expensive and stressful.

So basically, the only problem would be ... the indeterminate fate of the M8. Now you can count me among the petition-signing activists. Solidarity!

Tired, But Not Sleepy

2009-01-31T01:08:00.004-05:00

Today was just one of those days. Woke up randomly around 4:30AM and never really fell back asleep. I couldn't concentrate at work, procrastinated, didn't get as much done as I should've and will have to make it up this weekend. At one point, I thought about getting up, leaving and jumping on a train to Montauk. I was in that kind of mood.

So, right now, I'm tired ... but not sleepy. If that makes sense. Anyway, some random thoughts ...

My life is like that Katy Perry song. I'm hot, then I'm cold ... literally. It's unbearably warm in my apartment, while I shiver at my desk at the office. Can't there be some happy medium (temperature)?
There are no crueler words than "to be continued ..." -- especially on 'Battlestar Galactica'
If I could magically own one fabulous, insanely priced couture gown, it would be Dior.
There's going to be another round of layoffs at my company, but I'm at peace with whatever happens. I have no control over the situation, so what's the point of getting worked up about it?
I'd really, really like to go to Coachella. But that seems highly unlikely.
My apartment is a mess, mostly because I have nowhere to put everything. So it ends up in a (tidy) pile.
Forget the Super Bowl. The Sunday sports events I do care about: Australian Open final and Duke vs. Virginia.
I am reinstating my original new year's resolution to drink less.

Man Up ... Seriously

2009-01-27T00:27:00.014-05:00

So, I'd just finished watching 'The City' last night (yes, I'm obsessed; yes, I have a sickness), in which a vile, two-timing male model named Adam convinced his naive model girlfriend Allie that he did not kiss that random girl (uh huh), and was reaching for my phone to text Patricia, when she texted me.

Patricia: i hate model adam from the city. he represents everything that is evil about men. that is all.
Me: I know! ... MEN!!
Me, follow-up: Wait, not men -- BOYS

Add this to more quotes from the 12th Grade Statistics Notebook of Romantic Anguish, as requested by Christy. Here are five that seemed very apropos:

5. I couldn't go to sleep b/c I kept wondering if he'd call. Or why he hadn't called. Or where he could be.
4. What if I wait ... and wait ... and wait ... for NOTHING!
3. I just don't understand. I keep trying to think of reasons why it fell apart -- if I did something wrong.
2. There are so many guys I could marry, but never date.
1. BOYS ARE DUMB

It's a bit disturbing that, basically, nothing's changed, at least when it comes to my love life.

So, whenever I start neurotically dissecting if some boy will call, or why the last one faded out, or whether Guy X really likes me or just kinda likes me -- I should think about what "social" Olivia said on the show: this isn't high school. Twelve years have passed by since penning the thoughts above. I really ought to have learned better by now. Time to forget dumb boys; bring on the Men.

Ghosts of Birthdays Past

2009-01-25T15:34:00.015-05:00

I don't remember my 21st birthday.

In fact, I clearly remember only two birthdays:

16, when my girlfriends and I had a pool/slumber party at the Holiday Inn
29, last year; I was on 'American Idol' duty

I have a terrible memory, and never been much into my birthday, but still -- that's just pathetic. Remembering names, faces, dates and events of the past is definitely my greatest weakness. The kind and generous might say I only retain when I need to know now. The cynical and unforgiving (such as myself) would say I'm just self-absorbed.

Though, if I were really that self-absorbed, you'd think I'd at least recall things that happened to me -- such as birthdays. But over Christmas, my friend Christy gave me this notebook from 12th grade containing long, angsty notes about boys and ... well, boys. And I was shocked to discover a long, two-page note about a Beck concert I'd attended with my crush. Because I have absolutely no recollection of it. If you'd asked me before Christmas whether I'd ever seen Beck (whom I love) live, I would've said no. And the Cardigans (whom I also loved) were the opening act! Even after reading this detailed account -- nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. It might as well have never happened.

That made me sad (as did the non-recollection of birthdays past), which is partially why I started this blog. I had such a good time reading the 12th grade notebook (sample quote: "I don't mean to treat boys like stuffed animals." Hi-larious), and I don't want 10 years to pass by, and not recall my 30th birthday. I'd like to be able to read an account of what happened to me -- and not just special events, but the mundane, random day-to-day stuff, too.

So, 30 has been the Energizer Bunny of birthdays -- it keeps going and going. Because the majority of my friendships are one-on-one, I have various dinners and brunches and other food-related events scheduled for the next two weeks, culminating in "Fake Birthday" (Feb. 6). I tried valiantly to put together one big shindig, but with people out of town, people not able to make into town, people with infants, etc., it just wasn't going to happen.

At least, this way, I get to eat good food: Korean BBQ Thursday; fried chicken Friday; crab boil last night (my friend Amanda's apartment is going to stink for, like, three days ... thanks though!); Max Brenner's today for brunch; Babbo tonight; and later -- Fleur de Sel, the Modern, Gramercy Tavern and more!

It's safe to say, this just may pass the birthday in the post below, gastronomically.

me eating fried chicken out of a
drink cup (ingenius); crab feast pics to come

Now THAT'S a Birthday Party

2009-01-23T00:11:00.005-05:00

So, things really don't ever change ... apparently, I've always ordered way more food than I could possibly eat.

Hope my 30th birthday is as delicious as this one.