Ahhhhh...summer! Each day that I walk out of my apartment I feel it in the air more and more. The mornings are growing warmer (but not yet too hot!) and the sun is setting just past 8pm.
Yesterday I had nothing to do after work so I decided to walk home.
I walked up through Soho and over to Washington Square Park where there were musicians playing guitars, drums, violins, an other instruments. I walked through the arch and up to Union Square where people were playing chess and the farmers market was just wrapping up for the day. I walked straight up Broadway and was confused by all the people taking pictures until I realized that they were all staring at the Flatiron building in amazement. There's a little market just north of it that has a bunch of food trucks and stands where you can buy beer and wine that people were enjoying. I walked west through Chelsea and laughed at the gay bars that I passed: "Rawhide," "Cubbyhole," and "Flaming Saddles Saloon." I walked through Hell's Kitchen and envied all of the people sitting drinking wine at outdoor tables. I looked down 49th street where I used to live. I can't believe it's already been a year since I battled roaches and bedbugs on a daily basis! I walked up past Columbus Circle and remembered how in awe I was of it when I first came to New York as an intern almost five years ago. I can't believe it's been that long!
Just as I was getting home the sun was low and pink over the Hudson River yet the air was still warm and humid. I love summer nights in New York. My sister and I are going to have a blast this summer. While there are times in the winter or during heavy rains that I question why I moved here, nights like that remind me what it is that I love about this city.
....And then when I got back to my apartment there were giant blisters on the bottom of my heels. Because I had just walked over four miles in flat sandals. And now today I can't walk. I hate New York.
Subway etiquette
Friday, May 11, 2012
I would like to detail for you a recent experience I had on the subway, and would like to lay down (but likely not enforce) my own rules for subway riding.
This post was spurred by a terrible experience I had recently with a terribly-smelling man during rush hour. Ah, rush hour in New York City. The air is pungent with end-of-day BO and damp with years of trapped-underground air. People are hot and pushy; everyone just wants to get home right now and will show no mercy to those unfortunate enough to get in their way. I've been elbowed, bumped into, shoved and stepped on. I've dropped my ipod, phone, purse, and umbrella due to these hooligans and having to compete for a 6 inch space in the center of a crowded subway car doesn't exactly put me in the best mood at rush hour either.
Fortunately for me, the B and D trains are not nearly as crowded at the 1,2,3,4 and 6 trains are at rush hour and I can sometimes even find a seat. A few weeks ago, I was lucky that the train was somewhat empty. I took a seat next to the door on a 3-seat bench happy to have the entire bench to myself, or so I thought. As I got out my Kindle and began to read Harry Potter (what, I'm reading them again, they're damn entertaining!), I was incredibly disappointed when a rather portly fellow took the seat next to me. Now, let me ask you a question: When you go to the movies, do you sit next to someone you don't know if the theater is rather empty? No. New Yorkers avoid eye contact, verbal communication, and certainly invading others' personal space in an uncrowded vicinity. You can imagine my shock at the complete invasion of space this stranger was putting me through. The seat to his right was open, why did he choose to sit next to me when he could have sat one more seat away? Suspicious. But it gets worse.
I've never understood why some men sit with their legs so far spread apart, especially on a crowded subway. I mean, seriously? Don't you see how rude you're being? You're so entitled that you need to take up half the space of the people to the right and left of you? I mean what is that??
...Rant aside, this guy started to creep his legs apart. Slowly, but surely, his left leg started breaking the personal bubble and heading into my "chair area." One inch...two...three...his leg kept touching mine! I decided that he was a pervert. I crossed my legs away from him and pretended to keep reading although my eyes were trained on his leg. He probably had three feet of space between his knees before I decided to move. I should have said something, and maybe next time I will. He was almost taking up half of my chair! Why is it that we (and by we I believe I mostly speak of women) are afraid to say something to those that make us uncomfortable? Because we are afraid of sounding rude? Mean? Irrational? Perhaps it's a combination of all these things. I stood up and crossed across the car to lean against the door. The man quickly adjusted his "leg position" and a few of the other riders glanced in my direction and then back at the man who had invaded my space. They knew something was up. So, with this in mind, these are some rules I would love for MTA passengers to follow:
1. As much as you can, try to respect each others' personal space. Yes, the subway is crowded, but we can all make it better by showing each other some respect.
2. On that note, try not to shove. Say "excuse me" and "sorry" rather than plowing by some old woman (or me!) and knocking her down.
3. Realize that subway rush hour is crowded and that chances are someone will accidentally bump into you. Please try not to start fights. I can't tell you how many fights I've witnessed because someone wasn't "respecting" someone else and was standing too close on a subway where people were packed in like sardines. If there are 50 people in a space meant for 25, you're gonna end up touching a stranger. Get over it.
4. For the love of god, WALK ON THE RIGHT!
5. Please don't spit in the tracks. Or on the ground in front of me.
6. Deodorant. Just buy some.
7. Take your backpack/guitar/trashbag off your back in a crowded train!
8. LET THE PEOPLE OFF BEFORE YOU GET ON!
9. Smile. Try to be a little friendly to those around you. You never know what's happening with someone's life.
10. Give up your seat for an elderly person. Or a pregnant woman. Or, and this is for those guys who are feeling extra chivalrous, for any woman in general. It goes a long way in a time when chivalry is perceived as dead.
If everyone would just follow these rules, the subway world would be a better place. Sadly, in today's world of iPhones, iPads, ipods, Kindles, books, computers, and any other device which takes people away from the environment around them, I doubt anyone will really follow these rules. In any case, happy Friday everyone.
This post was spurred by a terrible experience I had recently with a terribly-smelling man during rush hour. Ah, rush hour in New York City. The air is pungent with end-of-day BO and damp with years of trapped-underground air. People are hot and pushy; everyone just wants to get home right now and will show no mercy to those unfortunate enough to get in their way. I've been elbowed, bumped into, shoved and stepped on. I've dropped my ipod, phone, purse, and umbrella due to these hooligans and having to compete for a 6 inch space in the center of a crowded subway car doesn't exactly put me in the best mood at rush hour either.
Fortunately for me, the B and D trains are not nearly as crowded at the 1,2,3,4 and 6 trains are at rush hour and I can sometimes even find a seat. A few weeks ago, I was lucky that the train was somewhat empty. I took a seat next to the door on a 3-seat bench happy to have the entire bench to myself, or so I thought. As I got out my Kindle and began to read Harry Potter (what, I'm reading them again, they're damn entertaining!), I was incredibly disappointed when a rather portly fellow took the seat next to me. Now, let me ask you a question: When you go to the movies, do you sit next to someone you don't know if the theater is rather empty? No. New Yorkers avoid eye contact, verbal communication, and certainly invading others' personal space in an uncrowded vicinity. You can imagine my shock at the complete invasion of space this stranger was putting me through. The seat to his right was open, why did he choose to sit next to me when he could have sat one more seat away? Suspicious. But it gets worse.
I've never understood why some men sit with their legs so far spread apart, especially on a crowded subway. I mean, seriously? Don't you see how rude you're being? You're so entitled that you need to take up half the space of the people to the right and left of you? I mean what is that??
...Rant aside, this guy started to creep his legs apart. Slowly, but surely, his left leg started breaking the personal bubble and heading into my "chair area." One inch...two...three...his leg kept touching mine! I decided that he was a pervert. I crossed my legs away from him and pretended to keep reading although my eyes were trained on his leg. He probably had three feet of space between his knees before I decided to move. I should have said something, and maybe next time I will. He was almost taking up half of my chair! Why is it that we (and by we I believe I mostly speak of women) are afraid to say something to those that make us uncomfortable? Because we are afraid of sounding rude? Mean? Irrational? Perhaps it's a combination of all these things. I stood up and crossed across the car to lean against the door. The man quickly adjusted his "leg position" and a few of the other riders glanced in my direction and then back at the man who had invaded my space. They knew something was up. So, with this in mind, these are some rules I would love for MTA passengers to follow:
1. As much as you can, try to respect each others' personal space. Yes, the subway is crowded, but we can all make it better by showing each other some respect.
2. On that note, try not to shove. Say "excuse me" and "sorry" rather than plowing by some old woman (or me!) and knocking her down.
3. Realize that subway rush hour is crowded and that chances are someone will accidentally bump into you. Please try not to start fights. I can't tell you how many fights I've witnessed because someone wasn't "respecting" someone else and was standing too close on a subway where people were packed in like sardines. If there are 50 people in a space meant for 25, you're gonna end up touching a stranger. Get over it.
4. For the love of god, WALK ON THE RIGHT!
5. Please don't spit in the tracks. Or on the ground in front of me.
6. Deodorant. Just buy some.
7. Take your backpack/guitar/trashbag off your back in a crowded train!
8. LET THE PEOPLE OFF BEFORE YOU GET ON!
9. Smile. Try to be a little friendly to those around you. You never know what's happening with someone's life.
10. Give up your seat for an elderly person. Or a pregnant woman. Or, and this is for those guys who are feeling extra chivalrous, for any woman in general. It goes a long way in a time when chivalry is perceived as dead.
If everyone would just follow these rules, the subway world would be a better place. Sadly, in today's world of iPhones, iPads, ipods, Kindles, books, computers, and any other device which takes people away from the environment around them, I doubt anyone will really follow these rules. In any case, happy Friday everyone.
And also...
Thursday, May 10, 2012
I just got my first smartphone. An iPhone to be exact, and it has changed my life. It's so cool what you can do with this phone! Not only can I send and receive text messages and phone calls (the only thing I used my previous "dumb-phone" for) but I can send and receive picture mail, take videos, set reminders and alarms, find out what time the subway is coming, go on facebook, check email, check the weather...there are no limits! I'm completely amazed!! You can expect to see a TON more pictures on this blog and soon. Maybe I'll even be able to take a picture of some of these losers I've been going out with.
Yes, I realize that most normal human beings have had iPhones for upwards of four years, but I just happen to be a little behind the times, ok?
Yes, I realize that most normal human beings have had iPhones for upwards of four years, but I just happen to be a little behind the times, ok?
Transition!
Hi blog readers! It has been exactly one month since my last post. Why has it been so long? Well, as recently noted, I have not gone on any bad dates. I have not gone on any good dates. I have not done much of anything, actually. However, I do have a few things going on which I can detail, and I'm really excited about them!
Work. I have recently begun assisting a younger editor who is savvy in all things Final Cut, Avid, After Effects, Photoshop...and pretty much everything else. He really doesn't need any help, but it's amazing working with someone who can teach me things. I'm learning something new everyday and it's really going to improve my skills as an editor and it will make me a faster, better worker. The editor I had been working with for 8 months is currently working with a freelance assistant who knows Avid way better than I do so he's a much better fit for her. I have learned an incredible amount working with her, but unfortunately it's all been from google and trial and error. I can't say trying to solve huge problems with a gun to my head has been any fun for me or for her.
Roommate sitch. GREAT news! My sister is transferring to New York to go to film school! And that means she'll be taking over my roommate's lease in mid-June which is fantastic because now I can live with someone who is NOT passive-aggressive, defensive, dirty, or annoying. Yay! Both of my roommates will be leaving and my sister and I will get to pick our new roomie. We can make the apartment homey and maybe, just maybe!, spend time in the living room! I never do now because the mess drives me almost as crazy as my roommates do.
Two Saturdays ago my friend H and I went to California for a mini-vacation. She had never been to Cali before and I was very happy to be home and take her to Napa. My sisters just turned 21 and it was great being able to spend a little time with them as well as my parents. Below are some pictures from the trip.
Work. I have recently begun assisting a younger editor who is savvy in all things Final Cut, Avid, After Effects, Photoshop...and pretty much everything else. He really doesn't need any help, but it's amazing working with someone who can teach me things. I'm learning something new everyday and it's really going to improve my skills as an editor and it will make me a faster, better worker. The editor I had been working with for 8 months is currently working with a freelance assistant who knows Avid way better than I do so he's a much better fit for her. I have learned an incredible amount working with her, but unfortunately it's all been from google and trial and error. I can't say trying to solve huge problems with a gun to my head has been any fun for me or for her.
Roommate sitch. GREAT news! My sister is transferring to New York to go to film school! And that means she'll be taking over my roommate's lease in mid-June which is fantastic because now I can live with someone who is NOT passive-aggressive, defensive, dirty, or annoying. Yay! Both of my roommates will be leaving and my sister and I will get to pick our new roomie. We can make the apartment homey and maybe, just maybe!, spend time in the living room! I never do now because the mess drives me almost as crazy as my roommates do.
Two Saturdays ago my friend H and I went to California for a mini-vacation. She had never been to Cali before and I was very happy to be home and take her to Napa. My sisters just turned 21 and it was great being able to spend a little time with them as well as my parents. Below are some pictures from the trip.
 |
| Santa Cruz- Seagull chasing...yes, it's mature. |
 |
| The Chinese gardens at Chateau Montelena |
 | ||||
| That's me in the background, wine tasting at Duckhorn. Yum yum! |
Spring
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
I recently bought a groupon to a yoga place in my neighborhood that I'm becoming increasingly obsessed with. I did yoga pretty consistently in college but I've missed it since I moved to New York. I find it's difficult to find a teacher that I like; many teachers to a lot of chanting, meditation, or very slow movements. I want a yoga class that makes me sweat!
Enter YogaGil, the studio I'm now obsessed with. I found a teacher I really love (Lana is her name) and she is able to push me hard because the most people that I've ever had in a class are five! For New York, that's unheard of. I used to go to YogaWorks and you can't even stretch your arms out to the side. With the small classes I feel as though I'm getting private yoga instruction and I challenge myself because I'm more afraid of messing up! Anyway, as I sit at work every muscle in my body is aching and I'm loving every minute of it.
In other news, I'm waiting to hear from my sister if she's been accepted into Hunter College or not. If she does, there's a possibility of her moving in with me. I'm pretty sure my parents are against it, and perhaps I have selfish reasons for wanting her to move here, but it would be so great to get rid of my messy and sometimes stupid room mates (one left the oven on for the 3rd time last night!!) and live with my sister. It would just make my apartment feel more like home, and I wouldn't have to worry about having any awkward exchanges of any sort. My fingers are crossed that 1) she gets in and 2) she decides to come. We would have so much fun, especially since she's about to be 21!
It's only about 2 1/2 weeks now until H and I are going back home (to California) and I'm so excited about that. I'm looking forward to some time with my family and away from the city. Some warmer weather and sunshine couldn't hurt either. I can't wait to be strolling down this path:
Enter YogaGil, the studio I'm now obsessed with. I found a teacher I really love (Lana is her name) and she is able to push me hard because the most people that I've ever had in a class are five! For New York, that's unheard of. I used to go to YogaWorks and you can't even stretch your arms out to the side. With the small classes I feel as though I'm getting private yoga instruction and I challenge myself because I'm more afraid of messing up! Anyway, as I sit at work every muscle in my body is aching and I'm loving every minute of it.
In other news, I'm waiting to hear from my sister if she's been accepted into Hunter College or not. If she does, there's a possibility of her moving in with me. I'm pretty sure my parents are against it, and perhaps I have selfish reasons for wanting her to move here, but it would be so great to get rid of my messy and sometimes stupid room mates (one left the oven on for the 3rd time last night!!) and live with my sister. It would just make my apartment feel more like home, and I wouldn't have to worry about having any awkward exchanges of any sort. My fingers are crossed that 1) she gets in and 2) she decides to come. We would have so much fun, especially since she's about to be 21!
It's only about 2 1/2 weeks now until H and I are going back home (to California) and I'm so excited about that. I'm looking forward to some time with my family and away from the city. Some warmer weather and sunshine couldn't hurt either. I can't wait to be strolling down this path:
H and the Teeth
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
My friend H recently had two dates with a guy we came to call "Christian Bale Guy." If only this was true. I'm writing her story because it's just too funny not to put out into the universe. So here goes.
H met this guy on OKCupid. Go figure. When looking through his pictures, we decided that he was cute, and in one of them he even looked like Christian Bale! So, of course, she decided to go out with him. Below, I will recall the conversation to the best of my ability.
Me: "So how was the date?"
H: "Meh. We had fun and we laughed and everything. I dunno."
Me: "Did he pay?"
H: "Ya."
Me: "Was he cute?"
H: "I think so."
Me: "You think so?"
H: "Well it was really dark in the bar and...I dunno...I just need to see him again to decide."
Me: "Ok."
PAUSE
Me: "What are you not telling me?"
H: "Ok, don't tell anyone this....but.....I don't know, I think he may have had some sort of...tooth thing."
Me: "A tooth thing?" (At this point I'm holding back my laughter. H is very...particular.)
H: "Ya, like you know people that have fake teeth?"
I stare at her blankly.
H: "Well, I just need to see him again to be sure. I couldn't tell if maybe there was something going on there."
At this point I'm laughing hysterically. We both go through her pictures of him again, making sure to closely examine the teeth- all of which look normal.
Cut to the second date. She decides, against my brilliant advice, to meet him at 10:30pm on a Friday night at a bar that is "more divey" (his words!) than the first. I told her that this was a booty call. 10:30 for a second date? No way. But she went anyway.
He seemed ok when she got there. Conversation was flowing, as was the whiskey. Each of them had the same amount of drinks, but somewhere along the way H noticed that Christian Bale Guy was very heavily intoxicated, much more than her. And, even more horrifying than an obnoxious drunk, the guy COULDN'T REMEMBER HER NAME! She kept asking him if he knew it, even at one point screaming, "Bastian! Call my name!" (fellow nerds unite please) but yet he couldn't come up with it. One might ask why he didn't just go to the bathroom and look at her number in his phone, but either way it was pretty bad. On top of his memory lapse, he kept trying to make out with her in the middle of the bar! (Did I call that one or what?) She said she was pushing him off her and he was belligerent. Plastered, as my mom would call it. Towards the end of the night she got fed up (don't ask me why she didn't leave once she discovered he didn't know her name) and told him she was going home. He had the nerve to ask if he could come with her. If it was me I would have laughed in his face.
Once home, she continued to receive nonsensical texts from him. The next day, as she was explaining the story to me while we walked the loop in the park, he even texted her asking if she could get him Nick Jonas tickets. Hmmm....this lad is not very clever.
So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, another bad date in Manhattan. It seems these monsters are lurking around every corner, just waiting to drunkenly humiliate us or forget our names.
I wonder what they must think of us.....
Oh, and I hope we can all see that the lesson to take away from today's post is: never accept an invitation to a "booty call date." Or agree to go to a "more-divey" establishment. Really boys, please try to impress us at least on the first 5 dates.
H met this guy on OKCupid. Go figure. When looking through his pictures, we decided that he was cute, and in one of them he even looked like Christian Bale! So, of course, she decided to go out with him. Below, I will recall the conversation to the best of my ability.
Me: "So how was the date?"
H: "Meh. We had fun and we laughed and everything. I dunno."
Me: "Did he pay?"
H: "Ya."
Me: "Was he cute?"
H: "I think so."
Me: "You think so?"
H: "Well it was really dark in the bar and...I dunno...I just need to see him again to decide."
Me: "Ok."
PAUSE
Me: "What are you not telling me?"
H: "Ok, don't tell anyone this....but.....I don't know, I think he may have had some sort of...tooth thing."
Me: "A tooth thing?" (At this point I'm holding back my laughter. H is very...particular.)
H: "Ya, like you know people that have fake teeth?"
I stare at her blankly.
H: "Well, I just need to see him again to be sure. I couldn't tell if maybe there was something going on there."
At this point I'm laughing hysterically. We both go through her pictures of him again, making sure to closely examine the teeth- all of which look normal.
Cut to the second date. She decides, against my brilliant advice, to meet him at 10:30pm on a Friday night at a bar that is "more divey" (his words!) than the first. I told her that this was a booty call. 10:30 for a second date? No way. But she went anyway.
He seemed ok when she got there. Conversation was flowing, as was the whiskey. Each of them had the same amount of drinks, but somewhere along the way H noticed that Christian Bale Guy was very heavily intoxicated, much more than her. And, even more horrifying than an obnoxious drunk, the guy COULDN'T REMEMBER HER NAME! She kept asking him if he knew it, even at one point screaming, "Bastian! Call my name!" (fellow nerds unite please) but yet he couldn't come up with it. One might ask why he didn't just go to the bathroom and look at her number in his phone, but either way it was pretty bad. On top of his memory lapse, he kept trying to make out with her in the middle of the bar! (Did I call that one or what?) She said she was pushing him off her and he was belligerent. Plastered, as my mom would call it. Towards the end of the night she got fed up (don't ask me why she didn't leave once she discovered he didn't know her name) and told him she was going home. He had the nerve to ask if he could come with her. If it was me I would have laughed in his face.
Once home, she continued to receive nonsensical texts from him. The next day, as she was explaining the story to me while we walked the loop in the park, he even texted her asking if she could get him Nick Jonas tickets. Hmmm....this lad is not very clever.
So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen, another bad date in Manhattan. It seems these monsters are lurking around every corner, just waiting to drunkenly humiliate us or forget our names.
I wonder what they must think of us.....
Oh, and I hope we can all see that the lesson to take away from today's post is: never accept an invitation to a "booty call date." Or agree to go to a "more-divey" establishment. Really boys, please try to impress us at least on the first 5 dates.
I Messed Up. Big Time.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
So, taking a break from the dating world, I'm going to tell you about the colossal mistake I made at work this week. I would rather not humiliate myself, but I suppose these are the lessons we learn in life, and if I'm going to have an honest blog, I might as well be honest!
Obviously, it was an accident. I would never have purposefully deleted an entire freaking project!
That's right. Somehow, the drive I was archiving to was a drive belonging to another project, not the archive drive I had intended. Technicality aside, I single-handedly managed to completely delete and entire project. I freaked out. My hands were shaking, my mouth went dry, and I covered my face with my hands as I told my editor what I had done. I quickly spoke to the IT guy and had him try to recover the drive. I spoke to my boss and told her what I had done. Surprisingly, no one freaked out on me. I was able to get most of the footage back from the production company, but still I won't be able to recover it all (why the director of photography didn't keep a back up is beyond me). There may be some re-shooting involved, which would be terrible. But, there are many ways to look at this:
It could have been worse. It could have been for a major client who was coming in that day (it was a personal project my editor was working on). It could have been shot on the Red camera (in which case it would cost thousands to re-shoot). It could have been someone with a giant ego.
Thankfully, everyone at the office has been very supportive. Maybe it's because I admitted to my fault right away and was visibly upset. Maybe it's because I was honest and didnt try to cover anything up. Either way, the owner of the company came to me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "nice going." I could have just died.
So, mistakes happen. Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen again. In a few years, I'm sure I won't ever think of this terrible terrible time. But for now, I'll keep my head down and tail between my legs. Maybe this is just a reminder to me to not get too comfortable. Maybe it's a lesson on reconnecting media in Avid. Or maybe I'm just that stupid.
Obviously, it was an accident. I would never have purposefully deleted an entire freaking project!
That's right. Somehow, the drive I was archiving to was a drive belonging to another project, not the archive drive I had intended. Technicality aside, I single-handedly managed to completely delete and entire project. I freaked out. My hands were shaking, my mouth went dry, and I covered my face with my hands as I told my editor what I had done. I quickly spoke to the IT guy and had him try to recover the drive. I spoke to my boss and told her what I had done. Surprisingly, no one freaked out on me. I was able to get most of the footage back from the production company, but still I won't be able to recover it all (why the director of photography didn't keep a back up is beyond me). There may be some re-shooting involved, which would be terrible. But, there are many ways to look at this:
It could have been worse. It could have been for a major client who was coming in that day (it was a personal project my editor was working on). It could have been shot on the Red camera (in which case it would cost thousands to re-shoot). It could have been someone with a giant ego.
Thankfully, everyone at the office has been very supportive. Maybe it's because I admitted to my fault right away and was visibly upset. Maybe it's because I was honest and didnt try to cover anything up. Either way, the owner of the company came to me, put his hand on my shoulder and said, "nice going." I could have just died.
So, mistakes happen. Hopefully nothing like this will ever happen again. In a few years, I'm sure I won't ever think of this terrible terrible time. But for now, I'll keep my head down and tail between my legs. Maybe this is just a reminder to me to not get too comfortable. Maybe it's a lesson on reconnecting media in Avid. Or maybe I'm just that stupid.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)