.Lounging around.
Skyped with cartoon... it was a funny hour of exchanging crazy stories :)
Shopping... nothing much to buy here. you'd be amazed at the number of quaint little shops that display the 'closing down sale' sign. darned economy.
Stupid toilet. always clogged up. i'm so glad i won't be here much longer. don't know how much more of this disgusting living situation i can stand. no one cleans up around here. the kitchen looks like a rotten banana just exploded or something. smells too.
.Get inspired.
This guy, Ted Archer (never heard of him), came to speak at our weekly seminar today. apparently he ran a marathon across the sahara desert. twice. is he crazy or what. i really don't know where people get the determination/perseverance to do marathons. i can't even run 5 miles without feeling like i'm gonna die.
anw he wrote a book about it, so i guess that makes him famous. he seemed pretty cool. younger than i expected. and by his book's title, 'carved by god, cursed by the devil,' i thought he might be a christian or something, but no mention of god.
.Pelham 123.
Ok, so i finally caved and watched 'the taking of pelham 123' today. even though it was a whopping 12.50bucks. i couldn't stand it. i love movies too much :)
it was pretty good, too. even though it only took place in a few locations, it still kept me on my toes, and it was attention-grabbing and suspenseful.
john travolta + denzel washington = awesome duo.
and what i loved most about it was that it was set in New York City!! the train that was hijacked, pelham bay, i take it to work every morning! and it was just fun recognizing all these places and going, 'i've been there!' haha.
although.. it was kinda freaky thinking about... what if someone gets the stupid idea to hijack the subway one day. whoever is on that subway would be sooooo... unlucky.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Week 4!
Time flies.
I got chastised twice today. at least by people who care about me.
More free stuff at work! brown and pink flip flops from this brand i've never heard of called flops. exactly in my size :)
they had this organic olive oil body scrub too, but it smelled funky, so i put it in the reject pile.
Wrote 2 features on this cool new parisian restaurant opening in a boutique mall in miami, and an organic hair salon in atlanta.
Then sat around and read the news and tried not to fall asleep. promptly left work at 5, got caught in the rain, which soaked my jeans thoroughly. ugh.
watched the bachelorette with some girls in their apartment.. they had a tv. how nice. anw it was ridiculously long. 2 hours! felt like five eternities.
Talked to andrew again - for the longest time. i don't know how we can talk so long. there's just so much stuff to talk about. plus he's open-minded, which is more than i can say for many people.
So on his recommendation, i shall read/watch more high culture stuff, instead of all the cheesy romance novels and lame movies i've been indulging in.
have you heard of the book entitled 'the heartbreaking work of a staggering genius' by dave eggers (the guy who co-wrote the new movie in theaters 'away we go')?
apparently it's an awesome book. so i'm gonna try and get it cheap on amazon.
I got chastised twice today. at least by people who care about me.
More free stuff at work! brown and pink flip flops from this brand i've never heard of called flops. exactly in my size :)
they had this organic olive oil body scrub too, but it smelled funky, so i put it in the reject pile.
Wrote 2 features on this cool new parisian restaurant opening in a boutique mall in miami, and an organic hair salon in atlanta.
Then sat around and read the news and tried not to fall asleep. promptly left work at 5, got caught in the rain, which soaked my jeans thoroughly. ugh.
watched the bachelorette with some girls in their apartment.. they had a tv. how nice. anw it was ridiculously long. 2 hours! felt like five eternities.
Talked to andrew again - for the longest time. i don't know how we can talk so long. there's just so much stuff to talk about. plus he's open-minded, which is more than i can say for many people.
So on his recommendation, i shall read/watch more high culture stuff, instead of all the cheesy romance novels and lame movies i've been indulging in.
have you heard of the book entitled 'the heartbreaking work of a staggering genius' by dave eggers (the guy who co-wrote the new movie in theaters 'away we go')?
apparently it's an awesome book. so i'm gonna try and get it cheap on amazon.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Finally blogger lets me put pics up
Me, sarah, jack, mike, kristin.. Friday night at st. mark's.
our freaking huge texas sized drinks. i finished 2nd fastest :)
weird faces. anw isn't sarah so pretty? she's my first native american friend :)
The girls i met this weekend... rachel, katie, sarah and stella. they're pretty much awesome.
at the Bronx zoo with the hugest, cutest camel ever.
we randomly found this hello kitty fountain (with water spraying out of its eyes), and decided to do.... what else? an asian pose.
liz after she got her ears pierced :)
at Little Italy with gelato in hand. yummmm.
liz tried to make the 'O' in 'benito' an 'A', but failed miserably.
weird folded paper in the museum that anyone, even a baby, could've done. maybe it's all in the way you fold it.
some guy came up to me in the museum and asked me what the painting was about. i was clueless, and cheated by peeking at the explanation on the side.
it's actually a policeman screaming. he's on the right.
BEP in concert! they look tiny, but they were actually pretty close to us. it's just those darned people with their cameras held high, blocking my shot.
Me, ingrid (my roomie), and her friend ashley at whole foods market for lunch.
More free stuff happily taken from the office :)
Slow sunday
.We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
Today we went to the Bronx Zoo! the subway took like, 45mins, and then we were in the Bronx... where J.Lo grew up. haha.
it looked kinda sketchy, even in daylight. saw a tranny and various other shady people, but didn't dare to comment on them, in case they whip out a gun and start randomly shooting us. haha.
It was a fun random group of people i went with. the zoo was soooo huge.. we only got to see like half of it in the 4 hours we were there. saw the tiger feeding, gorillas hugging, disgusting bugs, creepy worms, huge camels, cute sea lions, monkeys, etc. it was cool... but now i'm so tired from going out everyday.
Now that i've met all these awesome people... i don't wanna go to work anymore. i just wanna go out everyday... haha. i'm glad i met them though. my roomies were getting a little boring. they just go out with their own friends/boyfriend a lot, and they don't really do any of the planned activities, which are pretty cool.
Stupid blogger isn't letting me load any photos. UGH.
So. i found some christians! heh. they're crazy party people too. i actually found that all out today/yesterday. i don't think they're planning on going to church while here though. except one of them... who's a disciplined bible-study goer, a flirt and an insane partier. huh.
Today we went to the Bronx Zoo! the subway took like, 45mins, and then we were in the Bronx... where J.Lo grew up. haha.
it looked kinda sketchy, even in daylight. saw a tranny and various other shady people, but didn't dare to comment on them, in case they whip out a gun and start randomly shooting us. haha.
It was a fun random group of people i went with. the zoo was soooo huge.. we only got to see like half of it in the 4 hours we were there. saw the tiger feeding, gorillas hugging, disgusting bugs, creepy worms, huge camels, cute sea lions, monkeys, etc. it was cool... but now i'm so tired from going out everyday.
Now that i've met all these awesome people... i don't wanna go to work anymore. i just wanna go out everyday... haha. i'm glad i met them though. my roomies were getting a little boring. they just go out with their own friends/boyfriend a lot, and they don't really do any of the planned activities, which are pretty cool.
Stupid blogger isn't letting me load any photos. UGH.
So. i found some christians! heh. they're crazy party people too. i actually found that all out today/yesterday. i don't think they're planning on going to church while here though. except one of them... who's a disciplined bible-study goer, a flirt and an insane partier. huh.
Crazy Saturday
.Consequences.
don't really remember much of what happened last night. kind of hungover today. bleh.
But somehow i made it out the dorm and met liz to go to Little Italy!! It was SUCH a quaint little area. we found it by the red, white and green decorations everywhere and italian signs down the street. tons of cute restaurants, souvenir shops, gelato places... that's about all. haha. the pizza was fabulous.. and the gelato reminded us of our greece and italy trip (which we both went on together). yum.
Then we just walked around spring street.. passed by tons of quaint, vintage shops that had SALES signs everywhere. but their stuff, even on sale, cost a few hundred. i hate it when shops mislead you like that. a few hundred bucks is NOT a sale.
but then we found street vendors, and this cute little flea market in some random building, so that was cool. tons of unique jewelry, hats, clothes, bags...
And i went with liz to get her ears pierced! can you believe she's never gotten her ears pierced!!! we've had a lot of 'firsts' together :)
so she was kinda nervous. but it totally didn't hurt. and now she's obsessed with her new earrings :)
Stopped by at Koreatown, which was just a street of korean restaurants and tiny shops, all in korean signs. her dad sent me home, and he was so nice, although he didn't speak english.
.Laugh it out.
Went to Caroline's comedy club in Times Square (where comedians like chris rock performed before) with my roomies and some guys. waited super long for dinner, which was awesome -- spicy buffalo chicken sandwich and way-too-rich chocolate cake.
Then came the openers of the night. 3 guys.. some of them from comedy central or whatever. they were RIDICULOUSLY hilarious. i was falling off laughing.
guy 3: so i love watching sports on tv, especially eating competitions. but i don't get how the skinny guys always win. like that japanese guy, who was way smaller than his fat competitor. and you'd think the fat guy will win, right? but no, the skinny guy always wins. it's like, fat people aren't even good at what they're supposed to be good at -- eating!
hahaha.
guy 2: so you know those homeless people in new york? i envy them sometimes. they go to bed at such a decent hour! it's like, 9, and they're fast asleep. they get a good, solid 8 hours! and they get a free wake up call in the morning, too. someone steps on them, they know it's time to get up. or they can 'snooze' for a while, let 8 more people step on them, then finally get up.
and other stuff. i don't really remember. but it was funny. although... it was extremely raunchy and inappropriate too. i cringed a lot. too many sexual jokes. i don't see how that's funny. the second guy was the cleanest, and i liked that.
Dave Attel, the feature comedian of the night, was alright. too dirty-minded for my liking. but he had some funny stuff.
don't really remember much of what happened last night. kind of hungover today. bleh.
But somehow i made it out the dorm and met liz to go to Little Italy!! It was SUCH a quaint little area. we found it by the red, white and green decorations everywhere and italian signs down the street. tons of cute restaurants, souvenir shops, gelato places... that's about all. haha. the pizza was fabulous.. and the gelato reminded us of our greece and italy trip (which we both went on together). yum.
Then we just walked around spring street.. passed by tons of quaint, vintage shops that had SALES signs everywhere. but their stuff, even on sale, cost a few hundred. i hate it when shops mislead you like that. a few hundred bucks is NOT a sale.
but then we found street vendors, and this cute little flea market in some random building, so that was cool. tons of unique jewelry, hats, clothes, bags...
And i went with liz to get her ears pierced! can you believe she's never gotten her ears pierced!!! we've had a lot of 'firsts' together :)
so she was kinda nervous. but it totally didn't hurt. and now she's obsessed with her new earrings :)
Stopped by at Koreatown, which was just a street of korean restaurants and tiny shops, all in korean signs. her dad sent me home, and he was so nice, although he didn't speak english.
.Laugh it out.
Went to Caroline's comedy club in Times Square (where comedians like chris rock performed before) with my roomies and some guys. waited super long for dinner, which was awesome -- spicy buffalo chicken sandwich and way-too-rich chocolate cake.
Then came the openers of the night. 3 guys.. some of them from comedy central or whatever. they were RIDICULOUSLY hilarious. i was falling off laughing.
guy 3: so i love watching sports on tv, especially eating competitions. but i don't get how the skinny guys always win. like that japanese guy, who was way smaller than his fat competitor. and you'd think the fat guy will win, right? but no, the skinny guy always wins. it's like, fat people aren't even good at what they're supposed to be good at -- eating!
hahaha.
guy 2: so you know those homeless people in new york? i envy them sometimes. they go to bed at such a decent hour! it's like, 9, and they're fast asleep. they get a good, solid 8 hours! and they get a free wake up call in the morning, too. someone steps on them, they know it's time to get up. or they can 'snooze' for a while, let 8 more people step on them, then finally get up.
and other stuff. i don't really remember. but it was funny. although... it was extremely raunchy and inappropriate too. i cringed a lot. too many sexual jokes. i don't see how that's funny. the second guy was the cleanest, and i liked that.
Dave Attel, the feature comedian of the night, was alright. too dirty-minded for my liking. but he had some funny stuff.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Fabulous friday
.The Today Show.
Waking up at 4am is a lot harder than it sounds. especially when it's raining outside and you only got 3 hours of sleep.
But after standing in line for 2 hours, getting a free bagel and free chips from random vendors, and waiting for 2 more hours in the drizzling rain, the Black Eyed Peas finally took the stage!!! it was craziness. i went with 10 other people, but we eventually got separated, and i stuck with sarah, this awesome girl i just met. and we pushed our way to the front! or as front as we could get, behind annoying people with their annoying fan passes. about 20 feet away from the band :)
BEP are awesome live. that's all i can say. don't know who the other guys are (except will.i.am), and don't really care. everyone was pretty much there to see fergie, who rocked her brunette locks and fab outfit. and she had crazy long silver nails like the mutant in Xmen 2 who fought wolverine. they also had weird dancers in the back, dressed from head to toe (literally) in blue and white striped skintight costumes.
The concert was over after 3 songs. seems a little much to wait hours just for 3 songs... but hey, it was free.
and i made friends with yet another ah ma (my third one and counting). i guess i must have some ah ma magnetism or something. this one was chatty as well, and she kept complaining about people holding signs in front of us (she was also shorter than me). haha. we stood on the railing to get a better view together with sarah.
so now my legs are sore.
.MoMa.
random: Virgin megastore 80% sales = $10 for 2 DVDs and CDs = a very happy me :)
Got to know Sarah's group of friends today, they were all awesome people. katie, stella, laura and ivanna. went to MoMa with them -- the museum of modern art.
it was the weirdest museum ever. most of the stuff i saw there, i was like, i can totally do this. or better. this is what i did in like kindergarten.
Waking up at 4am is a lot harder than it sounds. especially when it's raining outside and you only got 3 hours of sleep.
But after standing in line for 2 hours, getting a free bagel and free chips from random vendors, and waiting for 2 more hours in the drizzling rain, the Black Eyed Peas finally took the stage!!! it was craziness. i went with 10 other people, but we eventually got separated, and i stuck with sarah, this awesome girl i just met. and we pushed our way to the front! or as front as we could get, behind annoying people with their annoying fan passes. about 20 feet away from the band :)
BEP are awesome live. that's all i can say. don't know who the other guys are (except will.i.am), and don't really care. everyone was pretty much there to see fergie, who rocked her brunette locks and fab outfit. and she had crazy long silver nails like the mutant in Xmen 2 who fought wolverine. they also had weird dancers in the back, dressed from head to toe (literally) in blue and white striped skintight costumes.
The concert was over after 3 songs. seems a little much to wait hours just for 3 songs... but hey, it was free.
and i made friends with yet another ah ma (my third one and counting). i guess i must have some ah ma magnetism or something. this one was chatty as well, and she kept complaining about people holding signs in front of us (she was also shorter than me). haha. we stood on the railing to get a better view together with sarah.
so now my legs are sore.
.MoMa.
random: Virgin megastore 80% sales = $10 for 2 DVDs and CDs = a very happy me :)
Got to know Sarah's group of friends today, they were all awesome people. katie, stella, laura and ivanna. went to MoMa with them -- the museum of modern art.
it was the weirdest museum ever. most of the stuff i saw there, i was like, i can totally do this. or better. this is what i did in like kindergarten.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Let it be
Black eyed peas in concert tomorrow at the Today Show in Rockefeller Center!!!
at 4am.
well at least i don't have to work :)
.Slacking at work.
With each passing day, i leave later and later for work. But by some miracle, i still reach the office early. i have no idea what's going on. but hey, i like it.
My boss wasn't there today when i arrived... so i slacked for 3 hours :)
Today was a pretty slacker day anyway. Just did archives and organizing. I guess Mondays and Wednesdays are the more hectic, need-to-get-this-done-now days.
So... i read more news! About this crazy man who burst into the holocaust museum and killed a guard. And the best places to live in the US (most of which i've never heard of). And healthy foods to eat to boost your immunity. And this US family whose family portrait somehow ended up in a Czech ad. I even rated outfits in Us Weekly's 'Who wore it better?' and did random quizzes. and talked to a bunch of people on fb. and checked my e-mail. before i finally ran out of things to do.
And then i got off at 5. nice and early :)
I think my writing's improving to their liking. 'cause when i first started, they'd edit it a little, particularly the intro and the ending. but this week's features survived the editing and made it all the way through. yayy.
.Like mother, like daughter.
I realized my thinking is more like my mom's than i realize. While grocery shopping, i mostly buy stuff that's organic or all-natural, even if they're a teeny bit more expensive than normal stuff. healthier you = happier you (in the long run, at least. right now it just burns a hole through my pocket).
Random: go to coldplay.com and you can download their free CD! because they love their fans so much. isn't that awesome? free, virus-less music.
Also, i wish it'll STOP RAINING. it doesn't even feel like summer, because it just rains here every single day.
rain = cold = dreary = sad me
at 4am.
well at least i don't have to work :)
.Slacking at work.
With each passing day, i leave later and later for work. But by some miracle, i still reach the office early. i have no idea what's going on. but hey, i like it.
My boss wasn't there today when i arrived... so i slacked for 3 hours :)
Today was a pretty slacker day anyway. Just did archives and organizing. I guess Mondays and Wednesdays are the more hectic, need-to-get-this-done-now days.
So... i read more news! About this crazy man who burst into the holocaust museum and killed a guard. And the best places to live in the US (most of which i've never heard of). And healthy foods to eat to boost your immunity. And this US family whose family portrait somehow ended up in a Czech ad. I even rated outfits in Us Weekly's 'Who wore it better?' and did random quizzes. and talked to a bunch of people on fb. and checked my e-mail. before i finally ran out of things to do.
And then i got off at 5. nice and early :)
I think my writing's improving to their liking. 'cause when i first started, they'd edit it a little, particularly the intro and the ending. but this week's features survived the editing and made it all the way through. yayy.
.Like mother, like daughter.
I realized my thinking is more like my mom's than i realize. While grocery shopping, i mostly buy stuff that's organic or all-natural, even if they're a teeny bit more expensive than normal stuff. healthier you = happier you (in the long run, at least. right now it just burns a hole through my pocket).
Random: go to coldplay.com and you can download their free CD! because they love their fans so much. isn't that awesome? free, virus-less music.
Also, i wish it'll STOP RAINING. it doesn't even feel like summer, because it just rains here every single day.
rain = cold = dreary = sad me
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Drowning under piles of work
.Work is my new buddy.
I know, right? You'd think summer would be filled with blissful moments of relaxation and joy, but no, i have to do so much stuff!!
Today was more hectic than usual. I got assigned three stories! Well, they didn't tell me what to write. i had to go do all the research and run it past them and then write them one after another
Although... sometimes i don't even remember what i wrote about. haha.
they send me the test emails near the end of each day so i can fact check and proof read, and i'd come across a feature, and i'd be like, whoaaa this sounds strangely familiar! have i seen this before? am i psychic or something?? and then the light bulb goes off in my head, and i realize i just wrote it an hour ago. haha.
i'm glad to be getting some sort of experience writing about fashion, dining, design, travel, nightlife, etc... but at the same time, it feels weird to be writing about something i've never even heard of or been to. and having other people trust that i've done my research on the place when i myself am just as clueless as they are.
So anyway, back to the drowning under piles of work part, i just realized today that to get credit for the internship, i need to fill out surveys bi-weekly, go to 3 seminars at least, and either keep a blog (yet another one!) or do an informational interview! sigh.
.Bad News.
Today, the boss, juli b herself, called everyone in for a staff meeting.
then she uttered those 5 petrifying words: Who wants a pizza lunch?
I know, seems harmless, right? But you could tell by her tense voice and everyone's wary reactions that something was wrong. So i was like, ooooh, juicy news! Do spill! (obviously since i'm an unpaid intern, what happens to the company doesn't really affect me).
But then she sent me to go get her some sparkling water from the creepy grocery store! sigh. i guess she didn't want me hearing about private and confidential company news. but i still got the gist of it when i came back, and apparently everyone's getting a pay cut and fridays off (i would've rejoiced, but i already get fridays off).
so.... i guess the economy affects everyone. after that, the mood in the office just splattered and went plop.
oh well. at least they still get to keep their jobs, which is more than i can say for other people.
And then after the meeting, everyone was like, um... is the pizza offer still up? need to save money. next thing you know, we'll all be using food stamps. haha.
Anyway, before all that sad stuff, juli was telling us all about how she went home last night and found a homeless woman asleep on her STAIRS with her clothing all spread out and hung on the railing! weirdness. so she called 911 and the woman was gone by this morning.
Apparently, the old woman knocked on her window and asked her maid, "do you mind if i sleep here?"
And of course the maid said, 'NO. what do you think I am, running a homeless shelter? should i just invite you up and offer you a glass of champagne, and while i'm at it, draw a bath for you?'
at least that's what everyone in the office thinks she should have said. in reality, she simply said 'no.' hahahaha.
.More random observations.
I guess everyone who works gets off at 5pm, since when i got off at 7pm, NO ONE was in the bus. it was SO weird. it was just me and like 5 other people, and normally it's like completely packed.
So this cute little ah ma sat next to me and started chatting animatedly with me.
i guess i just naturally attract cute little ah mas. (she wasn't really little, she was big enough that i had to scoot over to the inside seat cuz she couldn't squeeze past me, but... you know what i mean)
Anyway, we became fast friends, and she kept telling me about all the cool, free events that was going on nearby, and encouraged me to go. i was like, wow! what an adorably endearing and hip ah ma! she was incredibly sweet, too, and i thought she was a Christian or something, but then she gave me her card with her Sanskrit name on it -- she was a yoga instructor.
It's kinda fun talking to random strangers. even though supposedly people in NYU aren't very friendly, i've talked to a couple of people in the elevator and here and there, and they're really nice. met one girl who goes to indiana university, and she was the first person here who actually heard of Taylor! yayyy. haha.
.News Guru.
Again, since there's nothing much to do at work sometimes, i read the news. A lot. Like, really, a lot. Until now i have nothing more to read.
Now i know about...
-the 2 Korean journalists who are being detained by North Korea for supposedly intruding into their territory to report on the situation there. North Korea is probably using them to hold the upper hand in diplomatic negotiations with the US.
-Chrysler going bankrupt and taken over/merging with Fiat.
-Swine flu possibly going to level 6 in WHO's pandemic measurement. but that's only measured by quantity and rapidness of spread, not severity.
-The murder of this doctor, George Tiller, who owned an abortion clinic in Kansas and performed all kinds of abortions, even at late stages in pregnancy. Some crazed anti-abortion guy burst into Tiller's church, where he was serving as an usher, and shot him. Now pro-life people wanna buy his clinic and turn it into a baby care center, to rid the world of the atrocities they think he committed.
-They're beginning to find the remains of the planes and the bodies in the Air France crash days ago.
-Some Israeli woman bought a new mattress and accidentally threw out her old one with a $1 million in it, and is now going through landfills to get her $$ back.
-Miss california was fired. but who really cares.
-News and pictures of the Twilight cast are EVERYWHERE. it's getting a little annoying.
-In Texas, a police officer told this 72-year-old grandma to get out of the car. she did, and cursed at him. he threatened to taser her, she said, 'you're gonna taser a 72-year-old woman??!' repeatedly.
And he did. hahahaha. i'm sorry, it was just so funny. she was a feisty little old lady, but she sure did not deserve it! i mean, what did the officer think she was gonna do? beat him with her walking cane? run away? (and by 'run' i mean 'hobble')
Watch the video here:
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/national_world&id=6857531
And much more. i can't believe i read so much. i've never been so knowledgable about the news in my entire life. i guess this is a good thing. now i can carry intellectual conversations with other people :)
I know, right? You'd think summer would be filled with blissful moments of relaxation and joy, but no, i have to do so much stuff!!
Today was more hectic than usual. I got assigned three stories! Well, they didn't tell me what to write. i had to go do all the research and run it past them and then write them one after another
Although... sometimes i don't even remember what i wrote about. haha.
they send me the test emails near the end of each day so i can fact check and proof read, and i'd come across a feature, and i'd be like, whoaaa this sounds strangely familiar! have i seen this before? am i psychic or something?? and then the light bulb goes off in my head, and i realize i just wrote it an hour ago. haha.
i'm glad to be getting some sort of experience writing about fashion, dining, design, travel, nightlife, etc... but at the same time, it feels weird to be writing about something i've never even heard of or been to. and having other people trust that i've done my research on the place when i myself am just as clueless as they are.
So anyway, back to the drowning under piles of work part, i just realized today that to get credit for the internship, i need to fill out surveys bi-weekly, go to 3 seminars at least, and either keep a blog (yet another one!) or do an informational interview! sigh.
.Bad News.
Today, the boss, juli b herself, called everyone in for a staff meeting.
then she uttered those 5 petrifying words: Who wants a pizza lunch?
I know, seems harmless, right? But you could tell by her tense voice and everyone's wary reactions that something was wrong. So i was like, ooooh, juicy news! Do spill! (obviously since i'm an unpaid intern, what happens to the company doesn't really affect me).
But then she sent me to go get her some sparkling water from the creepy grocery store! sigh. i guess she didn't want me hearing about private and confidential company news. but i still got the gist of it when i came back, and apparently everyone's getting a pay cut and fridays off (i would've rejoiced, but i already get fridays off).
so.... i guess the economy affects everyone. after that, the mood in the office just splattered and went plop.
oh well. at least they still get to keep their jobs, which is more than i can say for other people.
And then after the meeting, everyone was like, um... is the pizza offer still up? need to save money. next thing you know, we'll all be using food stamps. haha.
Anyway, before all that sad stuff, juli was telling us all about how she went home last night and found a homeless woman asleep on her STAIRS with her clothing all spread out and hung on the railing! weirdness. so she called 911 and the woman was gone by this morning.
Apparently, the old woman knocked on her window and asked her maid, "do you mind if i sleep here?"
And of course the maid said, 'NO. what do you think I am, running a homeless shelter? should i just invite you up and offer you a glass of champagne, and while i'm at it, draw a bath for you?'
at least that's what everyone in the office thinks she should have said. in reality, she simply said 'no.' hahahaha.
.More random observations.
I guess everyone who works gets off at 5pm, since when i got off at 7pm, NO ONE was in the bus. it was SO weird. it was just me and like 5 other people, and normally it's like completely packed.
So this cute little ah ma sat next to me and started chatting animatedly with me.
i guess i just naturally attract cute little ah mas. (she wasn't really little, she was big enough that i had to scoot over to the inside seat cuz she couldn't squeeze past me, but... you know what i mean)
Anyway, we became fast friends, and she kept telling me about all the cool, free events that was going on nearby, and encouraged me to go. i was like, wow! what an adorably endearing and hip ah ma! she was incredibly sweet, too, and i thought she was a Christian or something, but then she gave me her card with her Sanskrit name on it -- she was a yoga instructor.
It's kinda fun talking to random strangers. even though supposedly people in NYU aren't very friendly, i've talked to a couple of people in the elevator and here and there, and they're really nice. met one girl who goes to indiana university, and she was the first person here who actually heard of Taylor! yayyy. haha.
.News Guru.
Again, since there's nothing much to do at work sometimes, i read the news. A lot. Like, really, a lot. Until now i have nothing more to read.
Now i know about...
-the 2 Korean journalists who are being detained by North Korea for supposedly intruding into their territory to report on the situation there. North Korea is probably using them to hold the upper hand in diplomatic negotiations with the US.
-Chrysler going bankrupt and taken over/merging with Fiat.
-Swine flu possibly going to level 6 in WHO's pandemic measurement. but that's only measured by quantity and rapidness of spread, not severity.
-The murder of this doctor, George Tiller, who owned an abortion clinic in Kansas and performed all kinds of abortions, even at late stages in pregnancy. Some crazed anti-abortion guy burst into Tiller's church, where he was serving as an usher, and shot him. Now pro-life people wanna buy his clinic and turn it into a baby care center, to rid the world of the atrocities they think he committed.
-They're beginning to find the remains of the planes and the bodies in the Air France crash days ago.
-Some Israeli woman bought a new mattress and accidentally threw out her old one with a $1 million in it, and is now going through landfills to get her $$ back.
-Miss california was fired. but who really cares.
-News and pictures of the Twilight cast are EVERYWHERE. it's getting a little annoying.
-In Texas, a police officer told this 72-year-old grandma to get out of the car. she did, and cursed at him. he threatened to taser her, she said, 'you're gonna taser a 72-year-old woman??!' repeatedly.
And he did. hahahaha. i'm sorry, it was just so funny. she was a feisty little old lady, but she sure did not deserve it! i mean, what did the officer think she was gonna do? beat him with her walking cane? run away? (and by 'run' i mean 'hobble')
Watch the video here:
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/national_world&id=6857531
And much more. i can't believe i read so much. i've never been so knowledgable about the news in my entire life. i guess this is a good thing. now i can carry intellectual conversations with other people :)
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Lazing around
.Day of Documentaries.
So i've been watching documentaries by National Geographic on Hulu... it's been really fascinating! since i can't be bothered to read, i guess i'll gain knowledge and expand my worldwide by watching (more) TV! :)
I watched this interesting documentary called 'Inside Mecca,' which chronicles Muslims' pilgrimage to Mecca. And i was completely riveted for an hour. Just listening to all these devout Muslims speak highly of their faith and their 'god,' and seeing how thousands of them came together to worship their 'one god'... just made me feel so in awe. and also rather disheartened that so many people are being deceived.
it made me wonder... do we as Christians even have such strong faith as they do? they hold on to their faith like it's the air they breathe, and sometimes i look around me and see Christians who claim to love God, but don't really live out their faith in their actions and words.
And there was this scene where the people all gathered in tents the day before the big day, and there were tents for people all over the world! (even one for singapore, which... i was totally shocked. didn't think Muslims in singapore were that devout)
I also watched 'Cracking the Da Vinci Code,' but got bored after half an hour. I don't see what the point is. Why bother to get into such heated debates over works by artists like Leonardo da vinci? Was he there when Jesus walked the earth? No. Was he there when Jesus died? No. Was he even a Christian? I don't think so.
So why are we analyzing his works and using them to find out about history??? I DON'T KNOW. makes no sense. just read the Bible, people. or maybe, just have faith.
And then i watched 'Haze' --- it was about this poor freshman guy who died in 2004 of college fraternity hazing activities. omg. what made it so sad was that it was totally preventable. so the freshmen were made to drink tons till they got ridiculously drunk. but his stupid frat 'brothers' just left him on the floor for hours, thinking he'd be ok the next morning. wrong move. but i guess they lived to regret it.
Also spent goodness knows how long trying to edit mom and dad's new online matchmaking stuff... and watched 'Anastasia'!!! my second fav cartoon movie after beauty and the beast. i got curious and wikipedia-ed it, and found out it's based on a true story! on the last royal family of imperial Russia, before the Bolshevik secret police came and murdered them all in 1918. And there was tons of speculation whether the grand duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna survived or not. There was even an impostor, Anna Anderson, who claimed to be the duchess until she died and a DNA test confirmed she wasn't. now why didn't they think of that earlier? I just thought that was really interesting. haha.
then hurried over to Times Square to get a passport photo and find the notary service to certify my passport. so i guess we really are applying for Australian PR after all. it's kinda exciting. i wouldn't mind living in Aust :)
But yeah. i'm feeling better now. thanks for your prayers/concern!
So i've been watching documentaries by National Geographic on Hulu... it's been really fascinating! since i can't be bothered to read, i guess i'll gain knowledge and expand my worldwide by watching (more) TV! :)
I watched this interesting documentary called 'Inside Mecca,' which chronicles Muslims' pilgrimage to Mecca. And i was completely riveted for an hour. Just listening to all these devout Muslims speak highly of their faith and their 'god,' and seeing how thousands of them came together to worship their 'one god'... just made me feel so in awe. and also rather disheartened that so many people are being deceived.
it made me wonder... do we as Christians even have such strong faith as they do? they hold on to their faith like it's the air they breathe, and sometimes i look around me and see Christians who claim to love God, but don't really live out their faith in their actions and words.
And there was this scene where the people all gathered in tents the day before the big day, and there were tents for people all over the world! (even one for singapore, which... i was totally shocked. didn't think Muslims in singapore were that devout)
I also watched 'Cracking the Da Vinci Code,' but got bored after half an hour. I don't see what the point is. Why bother to get into such heated debates over works by artists like Leonardo da vinci? Was he there when Jesus walked the earth? No. Was he there when Jesus died? No. Was he even a Christian? I don't think so.
So why are we analyzing his works and using them to find out about history??? I DON'T KNOW. makes no sense. just read the Bible, people. or maybe, just have faith.
And then i watched 'Haze' --- it was about this poor freshman guy who died in 2004 of college fraternity hazing activities. omg. what made it so sad was that it was totally preventable. so the freshmen were made to drink tons till they got ridiculously drunk. but his stupid frat 'brothers' just left him on the floor for hours, thinking he'd be ok the next morning. wrong move. but i guess they lived to regret it.
Also spent goodness knows how long trying to edit mom and dad's new online matchmaking stuff... and watched 'Anastasia'!!! my second fav cartoon movie after beauty and the beast. i got curious and wikipedia-ed it, and found out it's based on a true story! on the last royal family of imperial Russia, before the Bolshevik secret police came and murdered them all in 1918. And there was tons of speculation whether the grand duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna survived or not. There was even an impostor, Anna Anderson, who claimed to be the duchess until she died and a DNA test confirmed she wasn't. now why didn't they think of that earlier? I just thought that was really interesting. haha.
then hurried over to Times Square to get a passport photo and find the notary service to certify my passport. so i guess we really are applying for Australian PR after all. it's kinda exciting. i wouldn't mind living in Aust :)
But yeah. i'm feeling better now. thanks for your prayers/concern!
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
A little under the weather
Feeling a bit sick-ish. Headaches the past few days, a little feverish yesterday, and nauseated the past few days.
So if you have a sec, keep me in your prayers. what with the swine flu rampage and all... i need to buy more hand sanitizer.
Other than that, i got to write another feature today! on a new restaurant opening up in the Hamptons. The Hamptons just sounds so cool.. where all the rich and famous hang out. It's just a few hours away from Manhattan i think. so near, yet so far.
And it was my boss' birthday... cupcakes and pink champagne to celebrate! We also got another box full of wondrous free samples from generous PR companies. So i grabbed some lip gloss, lipstick, hand moisturizer and makeup bag :)
Some of that stuff was weird. a facial cleanser made out of carrot juice and other natural stuff?? uhhh... sounds more like something to eat than put on your face.
So if you have a sec, keep me in your prayers. what with the swine flu rampage and all... i need to buy more hand sanitizer.
Other than that, i got to write another feature today! on a new restaurant opening up in the Hamptons. The Hamptons just sounds so cool.. where all the rich and famous hang out. It's just a few hours away from Manhattan i think. so near, yet so far.
And it was my boss' birthday... cupcakes and pink champagne to celebrate! We also got another box full of wondrous free samples from generous PR companies. So i grabbed some lip gloss, lipstick, hand moisturizer and makeup bag :)
Some of that stuff was weird. a facial cleanser made out of carrot juice and other natural stuff?? uhhh... sounds more like something to eat than put on your face.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Lazy Sundays
.Sleeping In.
My favorite activity in the world :)
Sooooo... annoying guy has been texting and calling me... and i've been saying maybe, maybe, maybe. and then i said yes, and then i changed my mind cuz my roomie convinced me he'd get more persistent if i give him a chance...
so i shut him down. and then... he tells me he went and rented me a guitar 'cause i told him once before i missed playing my guitar! i was like, ughhhhhhhh... now u make me feel bad for turning you down. but oh well. don't like means don't like.
.Times Square Church.
Made my way to Times Square, entered into the church about 10 mins late. Not my fault, the subway took a lifetime to arrive! So the church was packed full with people, both in the auditorium downstairs and upstairs.
And WOW, the interior was beautifuuulll. It was decorated in deep rich red curtains on the sides, with gold threads separating them. The ceiling was painted beautifully, with angels and clouds that reminded me a little of the Sistine Chapel. And there were gothic-like structures and statues that kinda felt more like a museum than a church.
But as i was led to a seat in the middle of the auditorium, and as the worship band sang their song, it felt like home. The stage was huge, with a full-sized gospel choir and everything. Worship was pretty much awesome and contemporary, african-american gospel style. Although... most of the congregation consisted of people with greying hair. But they were nice. The lady beside me shared her Bible with me (can't believe i even forgot to bring my Bible to church).
And i really liked what the pastor said about God letting all our bad stuff come out in the early stages so they don't destroy us at critical moments in our lives. And that kinda goes along with everything else i've been hearing lately... maybe that's what happening to me now... God is raking away all the weeds in me now. Better to let the rebellious streak out now than next time when life gets tougher.
.Watching TV.
Been watching 'The Bachelorette.' I know, I know, not the best show in the world. But I was desperate. nothing else to watch.
anw..... how lucky is jillian to have 30 hot, charming guys after her?!?!??! totally jealous. haha.
ok that's all.
My favorite activity in the world :)
Sooooo... annoying guy has been texting and calling me... and i've been saying maybe, maybe, maybe. and then i said yes, and then i changed my mind cuz my roomie convinced me he'd get more persistent if i give him a chance...
so i shut him down. and then... he tells me he went and rented me a guitar 'cause i told him once before i missed playing my guitar! i was like, ughhhhhhhh... now u make me feel bad for turning you down. but oh well. don't like means don't like.
.Times Square Church.
Made my way to Times Square, entered into the church about 10 mins late. Not my fault, the subway took a lifetime to arrive! So the church was packed full with people, both in the auditorium downstairs and upstairs.
And WOW, the interior was beautifuuulll. It was decorated in deep rich red curtains on the sides, with gold threads separating them. The ceiling was painted beautifully, with angels and clouds that reminded me a little of the Sistine Chapel. And there were gothic-like structures and statues that kinda felt more like a museum than a church.
But as i was led to a seat in the middle of the auditorium, and as the worship band sang their song, it felt like home. The stage was huge, with a full-sized gospel choir and everything. Worship was pretty much awesome and contemporary, african-american gospel style. Although... most of the congregation consisted of people with greying hair. But they were nice. The lady beside me shared her Bible with me (can't believe i even forgot to bring my Bible to church).
And i really liked what the pastor said about God letting all our bad stuff come out in the early stages so they don't destroy us at critical moments in our lives. And that kinda goes along with everything else i've been hearing lately... maybe that's what happening to me now... God is raking away all the weeds in me now. Better to let the rebellious streak out now than next time when life gets tougher.
.Watching TV.
Been watching 'The Bachelorette.' I know, I know, not the best show in the world. But I was desperate. nothing else to watch.
anw..... how lucky is jillian to have 30 hot, charming guys after her?!?!??! totally jealous. haha.
ok that's all.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
A collection of random thoughts
.Interesting Conversations.
Shopping again in Soho. I think the shopkeepers recognize us by now. Listened in on an interesting conversation between my roomie and her friend -- about their experience losing their virginity. awkwardness. actually, most conversations my roomie has are pretty fascinating. in a weird way. talks alot about boys and wearing skin tight clothes and enticing them and hooking up for one-night stands.
Hello, welcome to the real world.
.Rich and Famous.
I just realized my boss is super duper rich. has an architect tycoon husband and a house in the glamorous Hamptons. kinda jealous. just a little. (she's gorgeous too)
Why do some people have it all and others have nothing at all?
.The Not-so-Big Apple.
Have you ever felt all alone in a crowd?
Today, i was walking to Barnes and Nobles to check it out, and suddenly i felt a teeny bit lonely. Everyone from my internship program has friends here from school or home or something, and all i have is... no one.
I guess i do know 2 friends here from Taylor, but it's not the same. I can't help wishing i had friends and family here to experience this with me. I'm going through this crazy rollercoaster journey doing my first internship in NYC, and.... as much as i describe it, i can't really share it with anyone.
But you know what? I'm not being arrogant or anything, but I kinda am really proud of myself for making it this far. Looking back, i really CANNOT believe i actually left home at the tender age of 19 to live on my own in some foreign land. (What were my parents thinking?!?! Probably that this would be an experience of a lifetime. And they were right. As usual.)
So i'm kinda amazed i survived. and i'm actually independent. and learning not to take things for granted, since i have to buy my own groceries, do my own laundry, clean my own room/bathroom, take care of my own health, pay my own credit card bills, etc.
I know it's small stuff, but still... i'm actually living on my own in a big city. Not sure if i like it that much. The hustle and bustle... the people going about their day, not giving a second glance to anyone... It really is the city that never sleeps. (Hearing ambulance/police sirens every 10 mins isn't very encouraging.)
If I do work here after I graduate, I think i'll start small, in a smaller city/suburb and work my way up. New York is really everything people say it is, and more, but I feel like it's a better vacation destination than a place to call home.
Gonna check out Times Square Church tomorrow.
Shopping again in Soho. I think the shopkeepers recognize us by now. Listened in on an interesting conversation between my roomie and her friend -- about their experience losing their virginity. awkwardness. actually, most conversations my roomie has are pretty fascinating. in a weird way. talks alot about boys and wearing skin tight clothes and enticing them and hooking up for one-night stands.
Hello, welcome to the real world.
.Rich and Famous.
I just realized my boss is super duper rich. has an architect tycoon husband and a house in the glamorous Hamptons. kinda jealous. just a little. (she's gorgeous too)
Why do some people have it all and others have nothing at all?
.The Not-so-Big Apple.
Have you ever felt all alone in a crowd?
Today, i was walking to Barnes and Nobles to check it out, and suddenly i felt a teeny bit lonely. Everyone from my internship program has friends here from school or home or something, and all i have is... no one.
I guess i do know 2 friends here from Taylor, but it's not the same. I can't help wishing i had friends and family here to experience this with me. I'm going through this crazy rollercoaster journey doing my first internship in NYC, and.... as much as i describe it, i can't really share it with anyone.
But you know what? I'm not being arrogant or anything, but I kinda am really proud of myself for making it this far. Looking back, i really CANNOT believe i actually left home at the tender age of 19 to live on my own in some foreign land. (What were my parents thinking?!?! Probably that this would be an experience of a lifetime. And they were right. As usual.)
So i'm kinda amazed i survived. and i'm actually independent. and learning not to take things for granted, since i have to buy my own groceries, do my own laundry, clean my own room/bathroom, take care of my own health, pay my own credit card bills, etc.
I know it's small stuff, but still... i'm actually living on my own in a big city. Not sure if i like it that much. The hustle and bustle... the people going about their day, not giving a second glance to anyone... It really is the city that never sleeps. (Hearing ambulance/police sirens every 10 mins isn't very encouraging.)
If I do work here after I graduate, I think i'll start small, in a smaller city/suburb and work my way up. New York is really everything people say it is, and more, but I feel like it's a better vacation destination than a place to call home.
Gonna check out Times Square Church tomorrow.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Across the earth: Hillsong united in concert
.Prelude.
It was time. Fighting against the relentless torrent of rain and wind threatening to soak us, we splashed across puddles and headed toward Rosemont Ballroom, the scene of an emotional experience to come. We walked and walked... for what seemed like 15 minutes, and finally reached the end of the line, behind hundreds of people. Nervousness welled in the pit of my stomach, and i wondered if we'd be able to even catch a glimpse of the band, being so far behind the crowd.
The clock slowly ticked on. An hour passed; it was 8 and we were still waiting in line. Impatience and restlessness surged through my veins. Finally the line moved. We made it through security and went up to the balcony, where we snagged places at the railing, ensuring ourselves a completely unobstructed view of the concert. I marveled at the throngs of people below us, realizing this was the first time I was attending a Christian concert. Being used to rowdy, boisterous crowds at rock pop concerts, these people seemed relatively tame and.... actually friendly in comparison. No 'F' words were uttered, no uncontrollable mosh pits, just people patiently waiting around. Shocking.
.A Whirlwind of Mixed Emotions.
The lights dimmed, and the crowd gave out a roar of excitement. A tingle went down my spine as I waited in anticipation for the band to appear and kick off the concert. At the same time, a sliver of apprehension abruptly seized me.
What on earth was I doing at a Christian concert when I wasn't doing so well in my walk with God? I guess 'not doing well' is an understatement. More like where was my non-existent relationship with Jesus.
I had pushed Jesus to the back of my mind, right between algebra and the periodic table, where dust and cobwebs had set up shop. So it made no sense that i'd want to attend this concert/huge worship session with other Christians. But everything happens for a reason. Before I could probe further into it, the band bounced on stage, and everything else after that was a blur.
As the first note struck the air, I suddenly felt a tinge of discomfort, like I didn't deserve to be there, praising the same God as all these other Jesus-loving, righteous people. But I brushed the feeling away, determined not to waste my 47bucks.
.#1 Fan.
I had always loved the songs Hillsong United produced, not only for their catchy tunes, but mostly for their meaningful lyrics, most of which have been tremendously encouraging during low points of my spiritual walk. And they definitely did not disappoint.
I was particularly enamored with Brooke Fraser, singer of songs like 'Hosanna,' 'Lord of Lords,' 'None but Jesus' and 'Desert Song,' all my absolute favorites. Countless times I listened to those songs and found myself tearing up as I remembered God's faithfulness and love in my life.
.The Word came to Life.
After several songs, a guy took over the stage and delivered a short sermon. At first I was like, I didn't sign up to be preached at. What is this guy doing on stage? But then every word he spoke was like a dagger piercing deep into my heart.
"There are some of you in the crowd today.. you don't know why you're here. Maybe you've been a Christian your entire life, but now you're just so far away from God, and you're hardened to Him. You might be here in New York, running away from something... You might think God doesn't, couldn't love you, for all the things you've done..."
Warm tears swelled up in my eyes. I rapidly blinked them away, hoping no one noticed. But after a quick glance around, I realized no one was paying attention to anyone else. They were all caught up in their own conversation with God. I decided to do the same.
Oh Lord... I don't know what to say to you. How can You want me back when I've fallen so far? How could you still love me after all the things I've done? I knew it was wrong, and yet I still did it. I put the things of the world above You. And now I'm in NYC, running away from You and hiding from everyone at home because I didn't want to be held accountable for anything. I just wanted to live my life the way I wanted to. I didn't even think I deserved Your grace... How could You love someone like me?
And then the opening lines of 'All i need is You' resounded in the concert hall.
... Got every reason to be here again, Father's love that draws me in, all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You...
I realized there was a reason I 'randomly' chanced upon the Hillsong concert in New York, and there was a reason I got tickets right before it got sold out. Jesus was behind it all. and He wanted me back.
.Jesus has *poked* you.
Brook Fraser gave an analogy about the silversmith, who heats up metal and then removes the impurities that rise to the surface. In the same way, God lets us go through trials and struggles and low points in life, so that all our negative elements come to the surface, and He can skim it off until He finally sees His reflection in our faces. Then she sang 'Desert Song,' and it totally melted my heart.
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me, Lord, through the flames
All of my life, in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
Tears again. I totally feel like I'm in the desert. But you know what? My God is a God who provides. And my faith is definitely worth more than any clubbing experience in the world. And in every season, in every struggle and weakness, He's still God. It was a simple but powerful revelation. I guess He still loves me... despite all my yuckiness. It felt like a mini-breakthrough. Not completely out of the desert yet, but one step closer.
The worship leader (have no idea who any of them are. i loved how they put the total emphasis on God and not themselves. they never even introduced their names, the lights on stage were always from behind, so all we could see was their figures and not their faces. so we weren't worshipping them but God.) talked about how NYC would be nothing without its people. People are what make the character of the city.
and you know what? I would be nothing without my people. my family and spiritual family to be my support in times of need. and I would be nothing without my God.
So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I'll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours
.What a Night.
To end the night off, what more appropriate song than 'Your name high' (whoaaaa ohhh) and 'One Way?' It was immensely profound, watching everyone put aside their differences and worship one God. Seeing them jump and dance and clap and lift their hands in praise, I was struck by the fact that this was my first time feeling so comfortable and at peace worshipping God in the US.
Maybe it was the dim lights, maybe it was everyone doing their own thing and not looking at others, maybe it was the use of contemporary songs instead of hymns, or maybe it simply the fact that i was beginning to find my way back to the cross.
I was also struck by the fact that usually at secular concerts, everyone's having a good time idolizing the band and lapping up their songs and everything they say. But here, it was undoubtedly all about the Man upstairs.
So that was my experience. (I'm trying out a new thing called 'openness and honesty.')
Anyway, here's photo documentation.
The multitudes of people - young, old, white, asian, hispanic... all praising Jesus. What a glorious sight.
Me and Liz. She goes to Taylor too and lives in NYC (so lucky!)
Brooke Fraser, my new favorite gorgeous singer.
After the concert, we just about lost our voices and our hearing.
Walking around Times Sqaure on a Friday night was so fascinating. I LOVE IT. although this picture doesn't do it justice.
It was time. Fighting against the relentless torrent of rain and wind threatening to soak us, we splashed across puddles and headed toward Rosemont Ballroom, the scene of an emotional experience to come. We walked and walked... for what seemed like 15 minutes, and finally reached the end of the line, behind hundreds of people. Nervousness welled in the pit of my stomach, and i wondered if we'd be able to even catch a glimpse of the band, being so far behind the crowd.
The clock slowly ticked on. An hour passed; it was 8 and we were still waiting in line. Impatience and restlessness surged through my veins. Finally the line moved. We made it through security and went up to the balcony, where we snagged places at the railing, ensuring ourselves a completely unobstructed view of the concert. I marveled at the throngs of people below us, realizing this was the first time I was attending a Christian concert. Being used to rowdy, boisterous crowds at rock pop concerts, these people seemed relatively tame and.... actually friendly in comparison. No 'F' words were uttered, no uncontrollable mosh pits, just people patiently waiting around. Shocking.
.A Whirlwind of Mixed Emotions.
The lights dimmed, and the crowd gave out a roar of excitement. A tingle went down my spine as I waited in anticipation for the band to appear and kick off the concert. At the same time, a sliver of apprehension abruptly seized me.
What on earth was I doing at a Christian concert when I wasn't doing so well in my walk with God? I guess 'not doing well' is an understatement. More like where was my non-existent relationship with Jesus.
I had pushed Jesus to the back of my mind, right between algebra and the periodic table, where dust and cobwebs had set up shop. So it made no sense that i'd want to attend this concert/huge worship session with other Christians. But everything happens for a reason. Before I could probe further into it, the band bounced on stage, and everything else after that was a blur.
As the first note struck the air, I suddenly felt a tinge of discomfort, like I didn't deserve to be there, praising the same God as all these other Jesus-loving, righteous people. But I brushed the feeling away, determined not to waste my 47bucks.
.#1 Fan.
I had always loved the songs Hillsong United produced, not only for their catchy tunes, but mostly for their meaningful lyrics, most of which have been tremendously encouraging during low points of my spiritual walk. And they definitely did not disappoint.
I was particularly enamored with Brooke Fraser, singer of songs like 'Hosanna,' 'Lord of Lords,' 'None but Jesus' and 'Desert Song,' all my absolute favorites. Countless times I listened to those songs and found myself tearing up as I remembered God's faithfulness and love in my life.
.The Word came to Life.
After several songs, a guy took over the stage and delivered a short sermon. At first I was like, I didn't sign up to be preached at. What is this guy doing on stage? But then every word he spoke was like a dagger piercing deep into my heart.
"There are some of you in the crowd today.. you don't know why you're here. Maybe you've been a Christian your entire life, but now you're just so far away from God, and you're hardened to Him. You might be here in New York, running away from something... You might think God doesn't, couldn't love you, for all the things you've done..."
Warm tears swelled up in my eyes. I rapidly blinked them away, hoping no one noticed. But after a quick glance around, I realized no one was paying attention to anyone else. They were all caught up in their own conversation with God. I decided to do the same.
Oh Lord... I don't know what to say to you. How can You want me back when I've fallen so far? How could you still love me after all the things I've done? I knew it was wrong, and yet I still did it. I put the things of the world above You. And now I'm in NYC, running away from You and hiding from everyone at home because I didn't want to be held accountable for anything. I just wanted to live my life the way I wanted to. I didn't even think I deserved Your grace... How could You love someone like me?
And then the opening lines of 'All i need is You' resounded in the concert hall.
... Got every reason to be here again, Father's love that draws me in, all my eyes wanna see is a glimpse of You...
I realized there was a reason I 'randomly' chanced upon the Hillsong concert in New York, and there was a reason I got tickets right before it got sold out. Jesus was behind it all. and He wanted me back.
.Jesus has *poked* you.
Brook Fraser gave an analogy about the silversmith, who heats up metal and then removes the impurities that rise to the surface. In the same way, God lets us go through trials and struggles and low points in life, so that all our negative elements come to the surface, and He can skim it off until He finally sees His reflection in our faces. Then she sang 'Desert Song,' and it totally melted my heart.
This is my prayer in the desert
When all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved of more worth than gold
So refine me, Lord, through the flames
All of my life, in every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
Tears again. I totally feel like I'm in the desert. But you know what? My God is a God who provides. And my faith is definitely worth more than any clubbing experience in the world. And in every season, in every struggle and weakness, He's still God. It was a simple but powerful revelation. I guess He still loves me... despite all my yuckiness. It felt like a mini-breakthrough. Not completely out of the desert yet, but one step closer.
The worship leader (have no idea who any of them are. i loved how they put the total emphasis on God and not themselves. they never even introduced their names, the lights on stage were always from behind, so all we could see was their figures and not their faces. so we weren't worshipping them but God.) talked about how NYC would be nothing without its people. People are what make the character of the city.
and you know what? I would be nothing without my people. my family and spiritual family to be my support in times of need. and I would be nothing without my God.
So I'll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I'll stand, my soul Lord to You surrendered
All I am is Yours
.What a Night.
To end the night off, what more appropriate song than 'Your name high' (whoaaaa ohhh) and 'One Way?' It was immensely profound, watching everyone put aside their differences and worship one God. Seeing them jump and dance and clap and lift their hands in praise, I was struck by the fact that this was my first time feeling so comfortable and at peace worshipping God in the US.
Maybe it was the dim lights, maybe it was everyone doing their own thing and not looking at others, maybe it was the use of contemporary songs instead of hymns, or maybe it simply the fact that i was beginning to find my way back to the cross.
I was also struck by the fact that usually at secular concerts, everyone's having a good time idolizing the band and lapping up their songs and everything they say. But here, it was undoubtedly all about the Man upstairs.
So that was my experience. (I'm trying out a new thing called 'openness and honesty.')
Anyway, here's photo documentation.
The multitudes of people - young, old, white, asian, hispanic... all praising Jesus. What a glorious sight.
Me and Liz. She goes to Taylor too and lives in NYC (so lucky!)
Brooke Fraser, my new favorite gorgeous singer.
After the concert, we just about lost our voices and our hearing.
Walking around Times Sqaure on a Friday night was so fascinating. I LOVE IT. although this picture doesn't do it justice.
Friday, June 05, 2009
Broadwayyy
.Ridiculous photos that appear to be photoshopped but are actually completely genuine.
Meet Cathie Jung, the proud owner of a 15-inch (38cm) waist. Apparently, her liver has been squashed and is now as thick as maybe two cotton balls. Go check out her website if you wanna be freaked out. I mean, we all wanna be thin, but i think it's safe to say, not THIS skinny. that's what wearing corsets everyday will do to you!
"Hi, I'm tiny." What an understatement.
Meet Aditya Dev, the world's teeniest BODYBUILDER. he weighs like 20 pounds, which is less than 10kg! isn't that insane?? i wonder if he could take me down. probably. hahaha.
Now you must be thinking, "ok, you have GOT to be kidding me. this looks totally surreal. like a scene out of a cheesy movie. right?" Wrong. It was built in Dubai, the land of the filthy rich and senseless.
"Guys, we have so much money! What should we do with it?"
"Oh, I don't know, i'm tired of giving to the poor. I give them a dollar and they want ten. They're so greedy."
"Hmm.. we could always splurge on a pointless tennis court in the middle of nowhere!"
"Yeah! Let's do that! Oh wait, then we'd have to have like, buy a hundred tennis balls 'cause there's no net to keep them in!"
"Hellooooo. We're insanely rich, remember? Heck, we can even give them diamond-encrusted ones to show off our riches."
"I like the way you think. This is such a worthy cause."
This woman is SO POOR THING! and yes, it's true. she suffers from a really heartbreaking growth abnormality that causes huuugggeee legs. :( i feel so bad for her. and yet, i can't stop staring at her feet. it's morbidly fascinating.
No, that's not a recently-discovered photo of Jesus walking on water from 100 BC. It's actually an untouched pic from Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia! the largest salt flat in the world. so cool huh.
Supposedly tourists from all over the world flock there for vacation. But if you're a slug or a snail, it'd be the worst holiday ever.
I used to think weetle wabbits were cwute. but this is just way beyond creepy.
firstly, it's REAL. yes, they are THIS huge. your eyes are fine.
secondly, these mutant bunnies are bred in Germany. To eat.
siiicccckkkkkkkkk.
"What the heck are those weird-looking things on the tree?"
"Omg they're.... GOATS!"
It's either really cute and hilarious, or just plain weird. I can't decide. These goats learned to climb trees when food on the ground runs out.
Only in Morroco!
"Oooh you know what? We should build a cute, cuddly little duckie that floats on water so children won't be afraid of boats and swimming! I bet they'd love to ride on a huge duckie!"
"Yeah! It'll be educational and totally advantageous!"
*Kid runs away screaming in terror, traumatized for years to come by the creepy duck from their nightmares come to life*
This is the newly endangered Amazon bird.... what the HECK is that smiley face doing there??
It's actually a Bird of Paradise performing a mating ritual. weirdddddd.
*In chinese accent*
"Olympics tis year come to Chinah! Muz make Engrish so Amelican see!"
"But we no know how say 餐厅 in Engrish!"
"Neber mind! Use dis ting check!"
*Types in the word to some chinese-english translation device, but in his hurry, types in wrongly*
"Oh! 餐厅 is means 'twanslate serveh ehror' in Engrish! Now me know!"
*Grins happily at the thought of many American tourists visiting his restaurant because they understand the English sign*
(no offence. i just thought this photo was ridiculously funny.)
.Hilarity.
So i was bored (again) at work today. And i chanced across this website, cracked.com, and ohhh myyyyy. it was tremendously entertaining. i can't remember the number of times i had to bite down hard on my lip to keep from grinning like a Cheshire cat because their stuff was just SO hilarious! Just thought I'd share some of that with you, including my opinions (totally plagiarized from the site)
.West Side Story.
As we got off the subway, we were immediately greeted by stunning lights and a majestic theater, and there we were - at Broadway's West Side Story in all its glorious splendor. Granted, we had cheap balcony seats, but man... it was an amazing musical. the acting, singing and dancing was just magnificent. i was blown away. now i wanna go see every Broadway show available! I HAVE to go see Wicked, Chicago, The Lion King, Billy Elliott (my friend went to see Billy Elliott tonight, and HAYDEN PANETTIERE from Heroes WALKED PAST HER. omggggg.) and the list goes on....
Although... the ending was kinda sad. it's based on Romeo and Juliet, so you can guess what happens at the end. No Cinderella happy-ever-after for these two kiddos.
NO WORK TOMORROW!! + HILLSONGS CONCERT!!!
(have to go memorize their new cd now so i can sing along)
Meet Cathie Jung, the proud owner of a 15-inch (38cm) waist. Apparently, her liver has been squashed and is now as thick as maybe two cotton balls. Go check out her website if you wanna be freaked out. I mean, we all wanna be thin, but i think it's safe to say, not THIS skinny. that's what wearing corsets everyday will do to you!
"Hi, I'm tiny." What an understatement.
Meet Aditya Dev, the world's teeniest BODYBUILDER. he weighs like 20 pounds, which is less than 10kg! isn't that insane?? i wonder if he could take me down. probably. hahaha.
Now you must be thinking, "ok, you have GOT to be kidding me. this looks totally surreal. like a scene out of a cheesy movie. right?" Wrong. It was built in Dubai, the land of the filthy rich and senseless.
"Guys, we have so much money! What should we do with it?"
"Oh, I don't know, i'm tired of giving to the poor. I give them a dollar and they want ten. They're so greedy."
"Hmm.. we could always splurge on a pointless tennis court in the middle of nowhere!"
"Yeah! Let's do that! Oh wait, then we'd have to have like, buy a hundred tennis balls 'cause there's no net to keep them in!"
"Hellooooo. We're insanely rich, remember? Heck, we can even give them diamond-encrusted ones to show off our riches."
"I like the way you think. This is such a worthy cause."
This woman is SO POOR THING! and yes, it's true. she suffers from a really heartbreaking growth abnormality that causes huuugggeee legs. :( i feel so bad for her. and yet, i can't stop staring at her feet. it's morbidly fascinating.
No, that's not a recently-discovered photo of Jesus walking on water from 100 BC. It's actually an untouched pic from Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia! the largest salt flat in the world. so cool huh.
Supposedly tourists from all over the world flock there for vacation. But if you're a slug or a snail, it'd be the worst holiday ever.
I used to think weetle wabbits were cwute. but this is just way beyond creepy.
firstly, it's REAL. yes, they are THIS huge. your eyes are fine.
secondly, these mutant bunnies are bred in Germany. To eat.
siiicccckkkkkkkkk.
"What the heck are those weird-looking things on the tree?"
"Omg they're.... GOATS!"
It's either really cute and hilarious, or just plain weird. I can't decide. These goats learned to climb trees when food on the ground runs out.
Only in Morroco!
"Oooh you know what? We should build a cute, cuddly little duckie that floats on water so children won't be afraid of boats and swimming! I bet they'd love to ride on a huge duckie!"
"Yeah! It'll be educational and totally advantageous!"
*Kid runs away screaming in terror, traumatized for years to come by the creepy duck from their nightmares come to life*
This is the newly endangered Amazon bird.... what the HECK is that smiley face doing there??
It's actually a Bird of Paradise performing a mating ritual. weirdddddd.
*In chinese accent*
"Olympics tis year come to Chinah! Muz make Engrish so Amelican see!"
"But we no know how say 餐厅 in Engrish!"
"Neber mind! Use dis ting check!"
*Types in the word to some chinese-english translation device, but in his hurry, types in wrongly*
"Oh! 餐厅 is means 'twanslate serveh ehror' in Engrish! Now me know!"
*Grins happily at the thought of many American tourists visiting his restaurant because they understand the English sign*
(no offence. i just thought this photo was ridiculously funny.)
.Hilarity.
So i was bored (again) at work today. And i chanced across this website, cracked.com, and ohhh myyyyy. it was tremendously entertaining. i can't remember the number of times i had to bite down hard on my lip to keep from grinning like a Cheshire cat because their stuff was just SO hilarious! Just thought I'd share some of that with you, including my opinions (totally plagiarized from the site)
.West Side Story.
As we got off the subway, we were immediately greeted by stunning lights and a majestic theater, and there we were - at Broadway's West Side Story in all its glorious splendor. Granted, we had cheap balcony seats, but man... it was an amazing musical. the acting, singing and dancing was just magnificent. i was blown away. now i wanna go see every Broadway show available! I HAVE to go see Wicked, Chicago, The Lion King, Billy Elliott (my friend went to see Billy Elliott tonight, and HAYDEN PANETTIERE from Heroes WALKED PAST HER. omggggg.) and the list goes on....
Although... the ending was kinda sad. it's based on Romeo and Juliet, so you can guess what happens at the end. No Cinderella happy-ever-after for these two kiddos.
NO WORK TOMORROW!! + HILLSONGS CONCERT!!!
(have to go memorize their new cd now so i can sing along)
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Blogging everyday is tiring
but i'm determined to keep a record of my first summer away from home.. in NYC :)
.Work As Usual.
I stared at the blinking bright computer screen for an hour and a half, thinking i might either go blind or convulse into seizures, when finally my manager glanced at me, and upon realizing i was utterly bored and wasting my time, she gave me a task to do - more research on new and upcoming restaurants/bars/hotels/fashion designers, etc.
That about sums up my day. haha. and i forgot to bring lunch, so i only had two granola bars and was starving by 3pm. Then, at 4.30pm, my manager abruptly turned to me and delegated an assignment. i was to write a feature story about some new online furniture design store.
"Are you kidding?!?!?!" was my initial reaction. there i was, wasting the entire day away, and she gives me something major to do minutes before i'm supposed to punch out and leave for the day.
Nevertheless, determined to keep a positive attitude and let my star shine bright, i daydreamed for a while before starting on the story. and i still managed to leave at about 5.30pm, so that was alright.
PLUS i found out today that i got published!!! both my feature stories!! funny thing was, andrew found out before me. turns out he's been stalking the magazine website ever since i told him i wrote 2 stories for them. and he found my stories and gave me the link. haha.
So here they are:
The opening of Ahnvee restaurant --
http://www.julib.com/miami/toavee052809MI_email.html
The opening of Alila villas --
http://www.julib.com/travel/balioutplan053109TR_email.html
Yayyyyyy. it's kinda exciting. although i admit i don't even recognize my own writing. it just sounds so different from anything i've ever written. but i guess it's a good thing.. that i'm assimilating into their style of writing, which is what i'm supposed to do anyway.
.Dude.
The guy i previously wrote about texted me again. and called me. twice at work, so obviously i didn't pick up. but yeah.. man, is he persistent. he kept asking me out, i said maybe, he said 'so many maybes, how about a yes?'
i was like... ok... fine... i guess we can be friends. haha.
Can't wait for tomorrow -- we're gonna go see a Broadway show!! :)
.Work As Usual.
I stared at the blinking bright computer screen for an hour and a half, thinking i might either go blind or convulse into seizures, when finally my manager glanced at me, and upon realizing i was utterly bored and wasting my time, she gave me a task to do - more research on new and upcoming restaurants/bars/hotels/fashion designers, etc.
That about sums up my day. haha. and i forgot to bring lunch, so i only had two granola bars and was starving by 3pm. Then, at 4.30pm, my manager abruptly turned to me and delegated an assignment. i was to write a feature story about some new online furniture design store.
"Are you kidding?!?!?!" was my initial reaction. there i was, wasting the entire day away, and she gives me something major to do minutes before i'm supposed to punch out and leave for the day.
Nevertheless, determined to keep a positive attitude and let my star shine bright, i daydreamed for a while before starting on the story. and i still managed to leave at about 5.30pm, so that was alright.
PLUS i found out today that i got published!!! both my feature stories!! funny thing was, andrew found out before me. turns out he's been stalking the magazine website ever since i told him i wrote 2 stories for them. and he found my stories and gave me the link. haha.
So here they are:
The opening of Ahnvee restaurant --
http://www.julib.com/miami/toavee052809MI_email.html
The opening of Alila villas --
http://www.julib.com/travel/balioutplan053109TR_email.html
Yayyyyyy. it's kinda exciting. although i admit i don't even recognize my own writing. it just sounds so different from anything i've ever written. but i guess it's a good thing.. that i'm assimilating into their style of writing, which is what i'm supposed to do anyway.
.Dude.
The guy i previously wrote about texted me again. and called me. twice at work, so obviously i didn't pick up. but yeah.. man, is he persistent. he kept asking me out, i said maybe, he said 'so many maybes, how about a yes?'
i was like... ok... fine... i guess we can be friends. haha.
Can't wait for tomorrow -- we're gonna go see a Broadway show!! :)
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
First day off.
.Pics from the room.
unmade bed..messy shoes..
messy desk..
free samples from work yesterday!
(being the kiasu singaporean i am, i totally wanted to grab everything and bring it home with me, but i didn't want my manager and co-workers to think i was greedy. so i'll slowly but gradually take items every week.... even though i don't really want/need most of them. haha)
.Pics from the Today Show.
Haylee, me, michelle, haley (my apartment mate), and carla waiting for the Today show concert to begin.
Adam "i'm-so-mad-i-didn't-win-American-Idol-but-people-still-love-me-more-anyway" smiling at goodness knows who during his soundcheck.
Adam and Kris. yep, we were kinda far behind at first. until people started pushing and we moved up :)
(these pics were stolen from haylee's fb because i stupidly forgot to bring my cam)
.Freedom to live.
Didn't end up doing much today after all. Woke up at 11am, realized NYU does its fire alarm drill every tues at 1pm, so i got out of the dorm in a hurry, not wanting to be there for yet another stupid drill.
Visited the wondrous 3-storey Forever 21 down the street! and this store called Strawberry, which smelled musty and old, but i got black heels from there. Got tired after shopping for a while, so i headed back to the dorm after grabbing spicy california roll sushi. yum :) i need to start eating healthy.
Wasted the day away..... then grabbed dinner at the cafeteria with my roomie, and we headed to Starbucks, like 20 mins away, where we could use our 'dining dollars' to buy stuff. i had like 50+ dollars in my NYU card (cuz we get 30bucks each week, and they accumulate), so i bought 3 packets of organic apple juice, 2 packets of milk, 2 flasks to keep hot water, and 1 double chocolaty chip frap.
Guess how much all that cost.
50bucks.
Isn't that insane?? who, in their right mind, would normally go to Starbucks and buy such things?? i have never spent so much at Starbucks before. but i figured, i'm not gonna walk all the way there every morning just to get a drink and walk all the way back to take the subway! plus mom wanted a hot flask/tumbler thingy, so i got it for her.
And... i spent 4 bucks on stupid laundry. so ex. wasted $1 cuz the stupid dryer wouldn't work, so had to pay for another one. grrrrr.
Went to weekly seminar #2, which was pretty informative actually. it was a panel made up of working professionals, and they gave us plenty of helpful advice on how to make the best use of our internships.
#1 - i will not be discouraged by people who say my batch is entering into the workforce when the economy is in the worst possible state ever.
#2 - i will make the best out of my internship, even though at times it gets boring, i will think of productive things to do so my manager sees that i'm being useful.
#3 - i will be more outgoing and make lots of contacts, because, as they say, networking is truly EVERYTHING. you never know who can get you a job.
unmade bed..messy shoes..
messy desk..
free samples from work yesterday!
(being the kiasu singaporean i am, i totally wanted to grab everything and bring it home with me, but i didn't want my manager and co-workers to think i was greedy. so i'll slowly but gradually take items every week.... even though i don't really want/need most of them. haha)
.Pics from the Today Show.
Haylee, me, michelle, haley (my apartment mate), and carla waiting for the Today show concert to begin.
Adam "i'm-so-mad-i-didn't-win-American-Idol-but-people-still-love-me-more-anyway" smiling at goodness knows who during his soundcheck.
Adam and Kris. yep, we were kinda far behind at first. until people started pushing and we moved up :)
(these pics were stolen from haylee's fb because i stupidly forgot to bring my cam)
.Freedom to live.
Didn't end up doing much today after all. Woke up at 11am, realized NYU does its fire alarm drill every tues at 1pm, so i got out of the dorm in a hurry, not wanting to be there for yet another stupid drill.
Visited the wondrous 3-storey Forever 21 down the street! and this store called Strawberry, which smelled musty and old, but i got black heels from there. Got tired after shopping for a while, so i headed back to the dorm after grabbing spicy california roll sushi. yum :) i need to start eating healthy.
Wasted the day away..... then grabbed dinner at the cafeteria with my roomie, and we headed to Starbucks, like 20 mins away, where we could use our 'dining dollars' to buy stuff. i had like 50+ dollars in my NYU card (cuz we get 30bucks each week, and they accumulate), so i bought 3 packets of organic apple juice, 2 packets of milk, 2 flasks to keep hot water, and 1 double chocolaty chip frap.
Guess how much all that cost.
50bucks.
Isn't that insane?? who, in their right mind, would normally go to Starbucks and buy such things?? i have never spent so much at Starbucks before. but i figured, i'm not gonna walk all the way there every morning just to get a drink and walk all the way back to take the subway! plus mom wanted a hot flask/tumbler thingy, so i got it for her.
And... i spent 4 bucks on stupid laundry. so ex. wasted $1 cuz the stupid dryer wouldn't work, so had to pay for another one. grrrrr.
Went to weekly seminar #2, which was pretty informative actually. it was a panel made up of working professionals, and they gave us plenty of helpful advice on how to make the best use of our internships.
#1 - i will not be discouraged by people who say my batch is entering into the workforce when the economy is in the worst possible state ever.
#2 - i will make the best out of my internship, even though at times it gets boring, i will think of productive things to do so my manager sees that i'm being useful.
#3 - i will be more outgoing and make lots of contacts, because, as they say, networking is truly EVERYTHING. you never know who can get you a job.
Day.... whatever.
.Busy as a bee.
Spent the day researching events and restaurant/club/hotel openings in the 13 cities we're published in. i never knew it was so hard to find the ACTUAL date of an opening. it's so annoying how they all put "opening late june." why can't they just say "opening june 5" or something?? is it THAT hard to pick a date and stick with it??
So work wasn't that bad today.
AND GUESS WHAT?????
Today we got a TON of free samples from PR firms!!!! All kinds of cosmetics, creams, accessories... and my manager said i could take whatever i wanted!!
I was like, heck YEAH! free stuff?? why not!
So i took a pink and white striped Old Navy scarf, some organic facial scrub and eye cream, sunscreen, and shaving cream. haha. there were some weird stuff we got too... funky-smelling natural perfume, weird transparent belts, disgusting detox shower gel.... bleh. but anyway. i can't wait for next week! when we get more free things!!
I love working at a magazine. i've decided. this is my FUTURE! :)
Although... at 5pm when i was supposed to get off work, my manager suddenly dropped a pile of work on my lap, so i was fact-checking and editing stories till 7pm. oh well! at least i don't have to report to work tomorrow! YAY FOR DAYS OFF! not sure what i'm gonna do... probably wake up whenever, check out shops around here, and chill at Barnes and Nobles.
.One Door Closes, Another Opens.
The Virgin Megastore down the street is closing down and going out of business. that means... CRAZY SALES! 40%-50% OFF! yayyyy. so i got "The pursuit of happyness" and "Another cinderella story" DVDs (a lame movie. i love lame movies) for 8bucks each.
Now i'm so tired and i wanna go sleep even though it's only 10pm.
random: the New York public library! where they filmed SPIDERMAN!!! the scene where peter parker's uncle/grandpa got shot and died!!! coolness.
have no idea what those policemen are doing there though. maybe waiting for the president.
Spent the day researching events and restaurant/club/hotel openings in the 13 cities we're published in. i never knew it was so hard to find the ACTUAL date of an opening. it's so annoying how they all put "opening late june." why can't they just say "opening june 5" or something?? is it THAT hard to pick a date and stick with it??
So work wasn't that bad today.
AND GUESS WHAT?????
Today we got a TON of free samples from PR firms!!!! All kinds of cosmetics, creams, accessories... and my manager said i could take whatever i wanted!!
I was like, heck YEAH! free stuff?? why not!
So i took a pink and white striped Old Navy scarf, some organic facial scrub and eye cream, sunscreen, and shaving cream. haha. there were some weird stuff we got too... funky-smelling natural perfume, weird transparent belts, disgusting detox shower gel.... bleh. but anyway. i can't wait for next week! when we get more free things!!
I love working at a magazine. i've decided. this is my FUTURE! :)
Although... at 5pm when i was supposed to get off work, my manager suddenly dropped a pile of work on my lap, so i was fact-checking and editing stories till 7pm. oh well! at least i don't have to report to work tomorrow! YAY FOR DAYS OFF! not sure what i'm gonna do... probably wake up whenever, check out shops around here, and chill at Barnes and Nobles.
.One Door Closes, Another Opens.
The Virgin Megastore down the street is closing down and going out of business. that means... CRAZY SALES! 40%-50% OFF! yayyyy. so i got "The pursuit of happyness" and "Another cinderella story" DVDs (a lame movie. i love lame movies) for 8bucks each.
Now i'm so tired and i wanna go sleep even though it's only 10pm.
random: the New York public library! where they filmed SPIDERMAN!!! the scene where peter parker's uncle/grandpa got shot and died!!! coolness.
have no idea what those policemen are doing there though. maybe waiting for the president.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Sunday, Monday, Happy day
.Early Will I Rise and Worship You.
Ok, I guess 10am isn't THAT early, compared to 8am, the time I've been waking up everyday. Walked 2 minutes down 14 Street and got to the Fillmore Theater, where the Promise International Fellowship was having church service. I actually can't believe I had the courage to go check out a church all by myself in a foreign city. haha. but I mean.. Christians are some of the nicest people around. People there were extremely welcoming, they greeted me at the door, offered me coffee and donuts, gave me a free devotional book, asked me to join them at their regular church. Turns out this church is new, just started today and will only be once a month. so I get the freedom to check out other churches the next few weeks.
Worship was really great. Made me realize how much I missed worshipping in a community. Their worship was contemporary and consisted of songs from Hillsongs, which was AWESOME! (BTW, Hillsongs United is coming to NYC this FRIDAY and I'm gonna go see them in concert with my friend from Taylor!!! SO PSYCHED.)
And the pastor was this young, charismatic guy, and his message was really good. About how we all often appear normal and ok on the outside, but inside we're dealing with all kinds of junk in our lives. the message went straight to my heart. the pastor also said he believed we were all there for a reason, that we weren't there by coincidence, and i agree with that. it's funny how it took me going into the secular world to realize how much I depend on God.
So anyway, like I said, people were incredibly great. i talked to some of them (they were mostly asians, which made me feel kinda at home), and they were all surprised and thought it was cool i came because someone handed me the brochure about the church :)
Really glad I went. God really did want me there for a reason. (plus there was free food.)
.Shop Till You Drop.
Went back to Soho with my roomie in the afternoon for more shopping fun. (We realized there were RATS in the subway! DISGUSTING.)
Visited the very first, HUGE three-story Topshop in all its funky, sophisticated glory. the clothes were cool, like always, but the prices.... whoaaaa. can someone say 'daylight robbery?' I thought SGP Topshop prices were bad enough; NYC prices are twice as bad. literally.
So we spent the whole afternoon browsing through cheap-ish shops, standing in ridiculously long lines, waiting to try on clothes. it was fun, but really tiring. got swamped several times by various shopmongers, eager to rip us off with their sky high prices for fake stuff. but i didn't really spend much, although we took a cab home ('cause my roomie's kinda paranoid about psycho New Yorkers kidnapping us), it only cost like 4bucks each.
.Celebrity Sighting.
We saw CLAIRE DANES yesterday in SoHo!! Or rather, my friends saw her. I was talking to someone else, and we both missed her!!! So we saw the back of her head. and her dog. and some random guy who was with her. haha. oh well. NEXT TIME!
My co-workers said they partied with Estelle (who sings 'American Boy' with Kanye West) last week. coolness! I hope they take me clubbing with them sometime.... maybe...
random: policemen here are always on horses. it's weird.
random: a guitar at hard rock cafe that linkin park smashed!!! coolness. and yet, such a waste of $$
Ok, I guess 10am isn't THAT early, compared to 8am, the time I've been waking up everyday. Walked 2 minutes down 14 Street and got to the Fillmore Theater, where the Promise International Fellowship was having church service. I actually can't believe I had the courage to go check out a church all by myself in a foreign city. haha. but I mean.. Christians are some of the nicest people around. People there were extremely welcoming, they greeted me at the door, offered me coffee and donuts, gave me a free devotional book, asked me to join them at their regular church. Turns out this church is new, just started today and will only be once a month. so I get the freedom to check out other churches the next few weeks.
Worship was really great. Made me realize how much I missed worshipping in a community. Their worship was contemporary and consisted of songs from Hillsongs, which was AWESOME! (BTW, Hillsongs United is coming to NYC this FRIDAY and I'm gonna go see them in concert with my friend from Taylor!!! SO PSYCHED.)
And the pastor was this young, charismatic guy, and his message was really good. About how we all often appear normal and ok on the outside, but inside we're dealing with all kinds of junk in our lives. the message went straight to my heart. the pastor also said he believed we were all there for a reason, that we weren't there by coincidence, and i agree with that. it's funny how it took me going into the secular world to realize how much I depend on God.
So anyway, like I said, people were incredibly great. i talked to some of them (they were mostly asians, which made me feel kinda at home), and they were all surprised and thought it was cool i came because someone handed me the brochure about the church :)
Really glad I went. God really did want me there for a reason. (plus there was free food.)
.Shop Till You Drop.
Went back to Soho with my roomie in the afternoon for more shopping fun. (We realized there were RATS in the subway! DISGUSTING.)
Visited the very first, HUGE three-story Topshop in all its funky, sophisticated glory. the clothes were cool, like always, but the prices.... whoaaaa. can someone say 'daylight robbery?' I thought SGP Topshop prices were bad enough; NYC prices are twice as bad. literally.
So we spent the whole afternoon browsing through cheap-ish shops, standing in ridiculously long lines, waiting to try on clothes. it was fun, but really tiring. got swamped several times by various shopmongers, eager to rip us off with their sky high prices for fake stuff. but i didn't really spend much, although we took a cab home ('cause my roomie's kinda paranoid about psycho New Yorkers kidnapping us), it only cost like 4bucks each.
.Celebrity Sighting.
We saw CLAIRE DANES yesterday in SoHo!! Or rather, my friends saw her. I was talking to someone else, and we both missed her!!! So we saw the back of her head. and her dog. and some random guy who was with her. haha. oh well. NEXT TIME!
My co-workers said they partied with Estelle (who sings 'American Boy' with Kanye West) last week. coolness! I hope they take me clubbing with them sometime.... maybe...
random: policemen here are always on horses. it's weird.
random: a guitar at hard rock cafe that linkin park smashed!!! coolness. and yet, such a waste of $$
Sunday, May 31, 2009
First weekend in the Big Apple...
.Tour of the city.
You know those obnoxious red-hot tour buses in NYC that just scream "look at me, with my ridiculous camera, pouch and floppy hat, i'm a tourist!"? I've always detested those. I thought they were lame and annoying and only for middle-aged couples with toddlers in tow. But guess what. Today I was one of those contemptible people.
Yes, I was on the tour bus. but i was not alone. it was a sponsored (i.e. free) activity by the internship program, and so i went, with my apartment mates and like 100 other people. And it was so FUN!! Although i sat right up front, 'cause we were late, as usual. i thought only international people were late. turns out, my apartment mates are ALWAYS running late, and i'm always the first one ready. so we often announce our grand entrance about 10 mins after activities have begun. But the front seat turned out to be pretty good.. got a first-hand view of how horrendous and terrifying New York drivers are. Man, they're awful. i think our driver almost ran into pedestrians 1000 times! i was so scared for their lives. and we almost hit other buses so many times! kudos to the bus driver for preserving our lives. also, the traffic lights and tree branches were so low, our tour guide told us our heads would be cut off if we stood up.
Where I live... Union Square! Bustling with people.
So we got a tour around... to SoHo, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Times Square! and ended off at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, where we had lunch. you know something weird about NYC restaurants/diners? they always list how many calories are in their food. it's informative, but kinda scary. our burger for lunch today? freakin 1008 calories! more than half our daily intake! never eating a burger ever again. seriously. (this mentality will probably last until tomorrow. haha.)
even though i've been to Times Square a few times before, i can't help but be in AWE whenever i see all the glossy billboards and attention-grabbing posters and lights. and apparently the mayor of NYC just blocked off some roads in Times Sq, so there were TABLES and CHAIRS in the middle of the road and people sitting there just chillin'! it was the funniest thing EVER.
Here's a pic.
i'm kinda lazy to take pics with other people (or myself), so this was one out of the two pics with actual people in the foreground :)
.Shopping Madness.
I walked around the Times Sq area with my apartment mates and a bunch of other girls we made friends with. went to several high-end stores...not really my type. took the dirty subway to Canal Street (NYC-version of Bugis Street) and everyone got all excited about all those cheap little trinkets and fake versions of Tiffanys and Guccis and Pradas. and i was like... uh... i think stuff in Bugis Street is cheaper. not really into branded stuff anyway. real or fake. but i'm looking for a bag.. cuz the strap on mine broke. sigh. that's what i get for buying cheap bags. haha.
i didn't really spend much.. just got a skirt and a blouse at a cheap-ish store (where we waited for 30 mins for the fitting room and another 30 mins to pay! it was craziness) and then i found a BUBBLE TEA place!!!! needless to say, i gawked and RUSHED in, flapping my arms in excitement like a headless chicken, much to the surprise of my newfound friends, who have never seen me this hyped up about anything. haha. it was really good bubble tea too, i let them try some and they agreed. but guess how much it was?
freaking US$3.50. which is like 5bucks singh. i can buy almost 3 bubble teas at home! but it was totally worth it.
took the dirty subway home at 9pm. can't believe we were out for 10 hours straight. sooooo tired now. my feet are so sore and my eyes are fluttering shut.
and my apartment mates are still going out. i don't know where they find the energy to go out every night and get drunk. i kinda wanna go clubbing too, but... after hearing stories about their drunkenness and debauchery, i'm really hesitant. they make out with random guys and bring some of them home with them. plus i get tipsy really easily... my alcohol tolerance level is like 0.2% (0.1% higher than jo's. hahahaha). sooo.. not really comfortable with going out with them 'cause i don't trust them or myself to take care of me. hopefully.. i'll find people i can trust. heh.
.The Results Are In.
Joce reminded me to check my results.. and.. i kinda already expected to get all As, 'cause i worked hard this semester and some of my professors were really lenient. either that, or i did good work. haha. i think it's a combination of both.
so.. my GPA this semester is 3.86!
YAY it's one of my highest so far. (it's upon 4) so that brings my cumulative GPA up to 3.75. FINALLY. after that one semester where a couple of Bs pulled my GPA down, now it's up again! but it's still kinda low... needs to be higher! don't know if that's possible though. only have 2 semesters left.
.Church of the Holy Comforter.
I've decided. No more going to the "Church of the Holy Comforter" or being a "Bedside Baptist" (i.e. sleeping in and skipping church)... which is what i've been doing these past few months. i know, i know. it's bad. it was just a combination of various factors.
But anyway, like i said, that girl that gave me the random brochure thingy... i think i'm gonna go try it out and see. i think it's actually from a korean church. had my korean friend go check out the website and he said it's legit. it's a pentecostal church. i think tomorrow's thing is an event, not an actual church service? have no idea. the brochure wasn't very informative. soooo... i'm going tomorrow. 10.30am (sigh so early).
alone.
hopefully no one kidnaps me. if you don't hear from me tomorrow, know that i love u all (and call the police).
haha. i think i'll be fine. they're christians....
And i actually haven't told anyone here i'm a christian. i don't know. the topic never came up. and i don't know how to say it. i don't want them to look at me differently and think i'm judging them cuz i'm not. (although i do disagree with their lifestyle choices)
but... they can tell i'm different cuz i just act differently from them.
(Also, can I just say, GG ending was stupid. Chuck and Blair making out? kinda awkward + zero chemistry. Chuck doing all that sweet stuff for Blair? totally uncharacteristic and shows that the producers just wanted a happy ending to please viewers. And yes, Nate is totally a man-whore. he dated every single girl on the show!)
You know those obnoxious red-hot tour buses in NYC that just scream "look at me, with my ridiculous camera, pouch and floppy hat, i'm a tourist!"? I've always detested those. I thought they were lame and annoying and only for middle-aged couples with toddlers in tow. But guess what. Today I was one of those contemptible people.
Yes, I was on the tour bus. but i was not alone. it was a sponsored (i.e. free) activity by the internship program, and so i went, with my apartment mates and like 100 other people. And it was so FUN!! Although i sat right up front, 'cause we were late, as usual. i thought only international people were late. turns out, my apartment mates are ALWAYS running late, and i'm always the first one ready. so we often announce our grand entrance about 10 mins after activities have begun. But the front seat turned out to be pretty good.. got a first-hand view of how horrendous and terrifying New York drivers are. Man, they're awful. i think our driver almost ran into pedestrians 1000 times! i was so scared for their lives. and we almost hit other buses so many times! kudos to the bus driver for preserving our lives. also, the traffic lights and tree branches were so low, our tour guide told us our heads would be cut off if we stood up.
Where I live... Union Square! Bustling with people.
So we got a tour around... to SoHo, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Central Park, Times Square! and ended off at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square, where we had lunch. you know something weird about NYC restaurants/diners? they always list how many calories are in their food. it's informative, but kinda scary. our burger for lunch today? freakin 1008 calories! more than half our daily intake! never eating a burger ever again. seriously. (this mentality will probably last until tomorrow. haha.)
even though i've been to Times Square a few times before, i can't help but be in AWE whenever i see all the glossy billboards and attention-grabbing posters and lights. and apparently the mayor of NYC just blocked off some roads in Times Sq, so there were TABLES and CHAIRS in the middle of the road and people sitting there just chillin'! it was the funniest thing EVER.
Here's a pic.
i'm kinda lazy to take pics with other people (or myself), so this was one out of the two pics with actual people in the foreground :)
.Shopping Madness.
I walked around the Times Sq area with my apartment mates and a bunch of other girls we made friends with. went to several high-end stores...not really my type. took the dirty subway to Canal Street (NYC-version of Bugis Street) and everyone got all excited about all those cheap little trinkets and fake versions of Tiffanys and Guccis and Pradas. and i was like... uh... i think stuff in Bugis Street is cheaper. not really into branded stuff anyway. real or fake. but i'm looking for a bag.. cuz the strap on mine broke. sigh. that's what i get for buying cheap bags. haha.
i didn't really spend much.. just got a skirt and a blouse at a cheap-ish store (where we waited for 30 mins for the fitting room and another 30 mins to pay! it was craziness) and then i found a BUBBLE TEA place!!!! needless to say, i gawked and RUSHED in, flapping my arms in excitement like a headless chicken, much to the surprise of my newfound friends, who have never seen me this hyped up about anything. haha. it was really good bubble tea too, i let them try some and they agreed. but guess how much it was?
freaking US$3.50. which is like 5bucks singh. i can buy almost 3 bubble teas at home! but it was totally worth it.
took the dirty subway home at 9pm. can't believe we were out for 10 hours straight. sooooo tired now. my feet are so sore and my eyes are fluttering shut.
and my apartment mates are still going out. i don't know where they find the energy to go out every night and get drunk. i kinda wanna go clubbing too, but... after hearing stories about their drunkenness and debauchery, i'm really hesitant. they make out with random guys and bring some of them home with them. plus i get tipsy really easily... my alcohol tolerance level is like 0.2% (0.1% higher than jo's. hahahaha). sooo.. not really comfortable with going out with them 'cause i don't trust them or myself to take care of me. hopefully.. i'll find people i can trust. heh.
.The Results Are In.
Joce reminded me to check my results.. and.. i kinda already expected to get all As, 'cause i worked hard this semester and some of my professors were really lenient. either that, or i did good work. haha. i think it's a combination of both.
so.. my GPA this semester is 3.86!
YAY it's one of my highest so far. (it's upon 4) so that brings my cumulative GPA up to 3.75. FINALLY. after that one semester where a couple of Bs pulled my GPA down, now it's up again! but it's still kinda low... needs to be higher! don't know if that's possible though. only have 2 semesters left.
.Church of the Holy Comforter.
I've decided. No more going to the "Church of the Holy Comforter" or being a "Bedside Baptist" (i.e. sleeping in and skipping church)... which is what i've been doing these past few months. i know, i know. it's bad. it was just a combination of various factors.
But anyway, like i said, that girl that gave me the random brochure thingy... i think i'm gonna go try it out and see. i think it's actually from a korean church. had my korean friend go check out the website and he said it's legit. it's a pentecostal church. i think tomorrow's thing is an event, not an actual church service? have no idea. the brochure wasn't very informative. soooo... i'm going tomorrow. 10.30am (sigh so early).
alone.
hopefully no one kidnaps me. if you don't hear from me tomorrow, know that i love u all (and call the police).
haha. i think i'll be fine. they're christians....
And i actually haven't told anyone here i'm a christian. i don't know. the topic never came up. and i don't know how to say it. i don't want them to look at me differently and think i'm judging them cuz i'm not. (although i do disagree with their lifestyle choices)
but... they can tell i'm different cuz i just act differently from them.
(Also, can I just say, GG ending was stupid. Chuck and Blair making out? kinda awkward + zero chemistry. Chuck doing all that sweet stuff for Blair? totally uncharacteristic and shows that the producers just wanted a happy ending to please viewers. And yes, Nate is totally a man-whore. he dated every single girl on the show!)
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Day four and a half.
.Work Day.
HALF DAY today! happiness. i was nearly dying of cramps in the office. i'm sure they were wondering why i was so crabby, even though i was trying hard not to show it. almost decided to pop a pill, but then i realized i didn't bring my advil. dang it. but the cramps went away. and came back again almost instantly. so i spent the time cringing and biting my fingers and hoping time would go by quickly... and my manager kept giving me more and more work to do! finally i finished my work (researching new events in cities, finding new openings of restaurants and bars, etc.), came back, plopped down in my chair, and scarfed down leftover sushi and chocolate for lunch.
didn't go see Taylor Swift on the Today Show after all. too tired to wake up at an unearthly hour again.
.Catching Up.
On my 10 TV shows!
Grey's Anatomy: half-predictable ending. Izzie dying? totally saw it coming. knew her ego was getting too big for her to stay on the show. but George possibly dying? CRAZY! although they should end the show soon, cuz it's getting really draggy and slightly annoying.
Desperate Housewives: yes, i watch it. and people don't let me forget that. but omg. totally shocked that the psycho guy actually killed himself instead of getting revenge on susan by killing her son! at least he had some good left in him.
Lost: freaking craziness. that's all i can say. JACOB???!?!??!?!? next season needs to come out NOW.
Prison Break: totally LAME-O ending. how can the stupid producers let michael scofield die?? he's the MAIN CHARACTER. the reason i watch the show (which was getting draggy by season 3)!!! ugh. so stupid. i guess we can all be assured knowing there'll be no more prison break 1232837. but i'm glad they had a good ending. they deserved it. after running away for like 5 seasons.
Gossip Girl: catching up now!!
There's still One Tree Hill and Ugly Betty and Private Practice!
.Handing Out Random Stuff.
I was in the subway yesterday, when these two Amish-looking girls covered neck to toe handed me a Mennonite CD called 'Amazing Grace.' it looked really interesting, but i haven't listened to it.
and then today, on the way to work, this asian girl handed me a brochure/postcard thingy. i absent-mindedly took it, and saw that it was for a church!! i was so glad!! it's called Promise International Fellowship, and it's like 5 mins away from where i live. thinking about trying it out, since i haven't found any christians here.. nor have i found a church.
HALF DAY today! happiness. i was nearly dying of cramps in the office. i'm sure they were wondering why i was so crabby, even though i was trying hard not to show it. almost decided to pop a pill, but then i realized i didn't bring my advil. dang it. but the cramps went away. and came back again almost instantly. so i spent the time cringing and biting my fingers and hoping time would go by quickly... and my manager kept giving me more and more work to do! finally i finished my work (researching new events in cities, finding new openings of restaurants and bars, etc.), came back, plopped down in my chair, and scarfed down leftover sushi and chocolate for lunch.
didn't go see Taylor Swift on the Today Show after all. too tired to wake up at an unearthly hour again.
.Catching Up.
On my 10 TV shows!
Grey's Anatomy: half-predictable ending. Izzie dying? totally saw it coming. knew her ego was getting too big for her to stay on the show. but George possibly dying? CRAZY! although they should end the show soon, cuz it's getting really draggy and slightly annoying.
Desperate Housewives: yes, i watch it. and people don't let me forget that. but omg. totally shocked that the psycho guy actually killed himself instead of getting revenge on susan by killing her son! at least he had some good left in him.
Lost: freaking craziness. that's all i can say. JACOB???!?!??!?!? next season needs to come out NOW.
Prison Break: totally LAME-O ending. how can the stupid producers let michael scofield die?? he's the MAIN CHARACTER. the reason i watch the show (which was getting draggy by season 3)!!! ugh. so stupid. i guess we can all be assured knowing there'll be no more prison break 1232837. but i'm glad they had a good ending. they deserved it. after running away for like 5 seasons.
Gossip Girl: catching up now!!
There's still One Tree Hill and Ugly Betty and Private Practice!
.Handing Out Random Stuff.
I was in the subway yesterday, when these two Amish-looking girls covered neck to toe handed me a Mennonite CD called 'Amazing Grace.' it looked really interesting, but i haven't listened to it.
and then today, on the way to work, this asian girl handed me a brochure/postcard thingy. i absent-mindedly took it, and saw that it was for a church!! i was so glad!! it's called Promise International Fellowship, and it's like 5 mins away from where i live. thinking about trying it out, since i haven't found any christians here.. nor have i found a church.
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