Today I capped my work-week with a journey around Brooklyn. A benefit (or is it liability?) of my job is that I get to scour the streets of all five boroughs of NYC, auditing clinics located in glamorous places like the projects and low-income areas. I admit that, as a young man raised in safe, suburban California, there are stereotypes and prejudices that I harbor, and I'm not exactly proud of that, but it is reality. However, I embraked on my journey through Brooklyn on my own and, as I discovered with other parts of New York: I believed what I see in movies and what I hear in rap songs, but it's really not as bad as what my prejudices had me believing. It's really not that bad!
Hey, which one of you works for Phillip Morris (or a susidiary)? An unknown fanclub? An overworked, miserable consultant? Take off your mask and REVEAL YOURSELF! Enquiring minds (uhh...that would be me) want to know....
Graham and Brie arrive tomorrow....
Friday, October 15, 2004
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Oh, the irony of it all....
If Bush was running against Jesus in the campaign (JPEG Image, 375x499 pixels)
Isn't it ironic.....don't you think?
Isn't it ironic.....don't you think?
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
The Hit-Counter
Maybe some of you have noticed that I've added a nifty little counter to the blog, down at the bottom of the right-hand side, near the Firefox logo. Firefox is a browser that is much much much more secure than Internet Explorer and is very easy to use! You should download and install it, you will discover the true meaning of life with it. Maybe that's an exaggeration. But, I digress - back to the hit counter. With the addition of this counter, I can now track who comes to my site - and who doesn't :-o !! Christmas time is approaching, and just like Santa, J. Riley knows who's been naughty (and if you're one of them, you're not reading this right now) and who's been nice. The Haines household holds a significant lead in checking my blog the most frequently, and I'm sure they're disappointed at not seeing many updates lately. It's been quite a busy week, however. Some of us have actually been diligently working, which, much like many illegal drugs, has ill side effects on time dedicated to blogging.
I've also had a full social calendar after work this week. After shopping and cooking all day Sunday, I had Spanish classes Monday night, Yoga Tuesday night, Yoga + debates Wednesday night, meeting up with Jules (ex-former-coworker) from Chicago on Thursday night to catch up on life on the road, and meeting a friend-of-a-friend on Friday night (hopefully). Then, Graham and Brie arrive on Saturday night and stay for a week. Then, the German invasion continues with some of Alex's old friends coming to town for ten days.
Folks, I'm gonna be busy. But not busy enough to not watch the hit-counter!!!
J. Riley
I've also had a full social calendar after work this week. After shopping and cooking all day Sunday, I had Spanish classes Monday night, Yoga Tuesday night, Yoga + debates Wednesday night, meeting up with Jules (ex-former-coworker) from Chicago on Thursday night to catch up on life on the road, and meeting a friend-of-a-friend on Friday night (hopefully). Then, Graham and Brie arrive on Saturday night and stay for a week. Then, the German invasion continues with some of Alex's old friends coming to town for ten days.
Folks, I'm gonna be busy. But not busy enough to not watch the hit-counter!!!
J. Riley
Sunday, October 10, 2004
A Case of the Sundays
Well, the end of the weekend approaches. Okay, it's actually here.....
Friday night was pretty crazy. Dinner was excellent at Rain East, which is a Malaysian restaurant serving up delightful food. And white-wine sangria! Afterwards, we headed down Pioneer Bar on Bowery Avenue, which was a massive, pretty mellow place to sit with everyone and have a few cold ones. Per birthday boy's request, we then walked down the block to a local karaoke place. While waiting for our private room, I thought it would be fun to sit in the absent "security guard's" chair. It then occurred to me that it would be great to pretend like I actually had muscles and was taller than six feet. So, I started asking for ID's from the people walking through the front door. Some people were bummed about being carded, maybe because they were underage, but I "let them go this time" after glancing at their ID. I don't even know where birthdates are on NY drivers' licenses. And it was a BYOB joint, so it's not like people even had to be over...10. Good times, good times....
After returning home from the events, I got my four hours of sleep before I had to wake up and do my community duties with some kids from a Hell's Kitchen housing authority. I begrudgingly headed downtown and met some great citizens of the city, most of which were my age, while having fun with some kids. I got to learn the basics of capoeira (intriguing; could I fit that in my schedule???) and hung out at some parks down in the East Village. I'll definitely be back next month to meet up with some of the other volunteers and see the kids again...
After a few hours of napping afterwards, I saw The Motorcycle Diaries, a film about the revolutionary Che Guevara and the events that he witnessed while touring South America that caused him to want to change the world later in his life (he helped create the Cuban Revolution). It was a very moving film and I recommend seeing it. It's amazing how so little has changed in South America from the 1950's (when the movie took place) and now....
Taking the movie to heart, I spent Sunday shopping, starting at about 3:00 when everyone was ready to go. I began with spending last week's paycheck buying vegetables for dinner at the local gourmet grocery store. I mean, it's ridiculous. $15 for strawberries???? Okay, I won't go there again. I passed on the strawberries, but did buy some great stuff for tonight's Couscous and Winter Vegetables dinner. If anyone wants the easy recipe, email me.
Afterwards, it was on to the seven-floor Macy's in Herald's Square and all of the stores between the 33rd St. subway stop and there. I got me some new jeans (of questionable Euro-tightness) as well as a new shirt (dual purpose, as always, for work and/or social activities), a killer orange/grey wool/cashmere sweater, and a new comforter for the guests (I hope no one is allergic to down feathers!).
And then I made dinner for myself, and......I mean Paul, Cathy, and myself. It was fabulous, and the $1,357 in vegetables that I bought earlier in the day were delectable. So was the $1.59 couscous..... :)
J. Riley
Friday night was pretty crazy. Dinner was excellent at Rain East, which is a Malaysian restaurant serving up delightful food. And white-wine sangria! Afterwards, we headed down Pioneer Bar on Bowery Avenue, which was a massive, pretty mellow place to sit with everyone and have a few cold ones. Per birthday boy's request, we then walked down the block to a local karaoke place. While waiting for our private room, I thought it would be fun to sit in the absent "security guard's" chair. It then occurred to me that it would be great to pretend like I actually had muscles and was taller than six feet. So, I started asking for ID's from the people walking through the front door. Some people were bummed about being carded, maybe because they were underage, but I "let them go this time" after glancing at their ID. I don't even know where birthdates are on NY drivers' licenses. And it was a BYOB joint, so it's not like people even had to be over...10. Good times, good times....
After returning home from the events, I got my four hours of sleep before I had to wake up and do my community duties with some kids from a Hell's Kitchen housing authority. I begrudgingly headed downtown and met some great citizens of the city, most of which were my age, while having fun with some kids. I got to learn the basics of capoeira (intriguing; could I fit that in my schedule???) and hung out at some parks down in the East Village. I'll definitely be back next month to meet up with some of the other volunteers and see the kids again...
After a few hours of napping afterwards, I saw The Motorcycle Diaries, a film about the revolutionary Che Guevara and the events that he witnessed while touring South America that caused him to want to change the world later in his life (he helped create the Cuban Revolution). It was a very moving film and I recommend seeing it. It's amazing how so little has changed in South America from the 1950's (when the movie took place) and now....
Taking the movie to heart, I spent Sunday shopping, starting at about 3:00 when everyone was ready to go. I began with spending last week's paycheck buying vegetables for dinner at the local gourmet grocery store. I mean, it's ridiculous. $15 for strawberries???? Okay, I won't go there again. I passed on the strawberries, but did buy some great stuff for tonight's Couscous and Winter Vegetables dinner. If anyone wants the easy recipe, email me.
Afterwards, it was on to the seven-floor Macy's in Herald's Square and all of the stores between the 33rd St. subway stop and there. I got me some new jeans (of questionable Euro-tightness) as well as a new shirt (dual purpose, as always, for work and/or social activities), a killer orange/grey wool/cashmere sweater, and a new comforter for the guests (I hope no one is allergic to down feathers!).
And then I made dinner for myself, and......I mean Paul, Cathy, and myself. It was fabulous, and the $1,357 in vegetables that I bought earlier in the day were delectable. So was the $1.59 couscous..... :)
J. Riley
Friday, October 08, 2004
Webcam Action
I recently invested in a new geeky gadget - a webcam. It's pretty nifty, I can use any of the major chat programs to have a live video conference with my friends. I need to figure out how to get the audio to work, but I have faith that eventually other webcam geeks can look and talk to me over instant messengers. Remember those AT&T commercials about ten years ago, showing the workaholic fathers on the road travelling, but checking in with the happy wife and role-model children? Yea, it's like that....
On Monday, I'm embarking on a new adventure by starting up Spanish classes - introductory, of course. I have little doubt that within the ten weeks that I have class, I will be completely fluent. I guess it would've helped to have taken this class a few months ago - before I went to Spain. But, hey, at least I'll have it for the next trip I take, in about two years when I have more than 4 days of vacation left.
Leif came on Sunday, but he's gone already. Yea, that's what I said. He didn't stay a weekend here!! Man, I was disappointed. But, I took him to a happening place on Sunday night - Baraonda. It supposed to be a crazy party there on Sunday nights at around midnight, so I thought we would check it out. Unfortunately, Leif and his girlfriend aren't the loud, crowded restaurant types, and some of us had to work the next day, so we called it in early, at about 12:15. I gotta go back there on a three-day weekend, though. I've gotta!!
Tonight I'm heading down to Rain East in midtown for dinner with my ex-roommate Alan and his friends. Afterwards, we're heading down to the Lower East Side to check out Pioneer Bar. Should be a big night! Tomorrow, I'm going with some kids to capoeira (a Brazilian martial art / dance) lessons with a housing assistance group. Big weekend....
On Monday, I'm embarking on a new adventure by starting up Spanish classes - introductory, of course. I have little doubt that within the ten weeks that I have class, I will be completely fluent. I guess it would've helped to have taken this class a few months ago - before I went to Spain. But, hey, at least I'll have it for the next trip I take, in about two years when I have more than 4 days of vacation left.
Leif came on Sunday, but he's gone already. Yea, that's what I said. He didn't stay a weekend here!! Man, I was disappointed. But, I took him to a happening place on Sunday night - Baraonda. It supposed to be a crazy party there on Sunday nights at around midnight, so I thought we would check it out. Unfortunately, Leif and his girlfriend aren't the loud, crowded restaurant types, and some of us had to work the next day, so we called it in early, at about 12:15. I gotta go back there on a three-day weekend, though. I've gotta!!
Tonight I'm heading down to Rain East in midtown for dinner with my ex-roommate Alan and his friends. Afterwards, we're heading down to the Lower East Side to check out Pioneer Bar. Should be a big night! Tomorrow, I'm going with some kids to capoeira (a Brazilian martial art / dance) lessons with a housing assistance group. Big weekend....
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Mighty Mighty Boss Tunes
Wednesday night I get a call from Cathy at around 11:15pm. As many of you know, this is well past my bedtime. Well, more like 15 minutes past my bedtime. On a good night. In any case, she caught me on a good night because I was at a karaoke bar with Sean and Alan for some post-dinner festivities. Sean quit his job at my former employer this week, and Alan had Thursday and Friday off, so of course they wanted to go out. But, I digress....
So Cathy called me and asked if I wanted to go see Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., and John Fogerty in Philadelphia on Friday for a "Vote for Change" (aka Bush sucks) benefit concert. I said "Sure", even though I'm not like the world's biggest "Boss" fan. It's not that I don't like him, I'm just...indifferent.
We high-tailed it down to Philly on Friday after work on a few trains and, after checking into the airport Hilton (free, thanks to spending my last three years living in hotels such as these), we caught the concert. And I have a lot more respect for the Boss now that I've seen him jam in concert. He, Fogerty, R.E.M., and Bright Eyes (the opening garage band from NYC) put on an awesome show!!
Saturday consisted of travelling back to the city after spending the night in Philly and getting home just in time for the futon installers to arrive. The futon was installed just in time for Paul and Cathy to pull an Enron on my apartment (complete reorganization of my assets; please note that my financial well-being was not affected, however). Even with the addition of my futon, I feel like my apartment is bigger than it was before. Check it out for yourself, as soon as I post pictures!
So Cathy called me and asked if I wanted to go see Bruce Springsteen, R.E.M., and John Fogerty in Philadelphia on Friday for a "Vote for Change" (aka Bush sucks) benefit concert. I said "Sure", even though I'm not like the world's biggest "Boss" fan. It's not that I don't like him, I'm just...indifferent.
We high-tailed it down to Philly on Friday after work on a few trains and, after checking into the airport Hilton (free, thanks to spending my last three years living in hotels such as these), we caught the concert. And I have a lot more respect for the Boss now that I've seen him jam in concert. He, Fogerty, R.E.M., and Bright Eyes (the opening garage band from NYC) put on an awesome show!!
Saturday consisted of travelling back to the city after spending the night in Philly and getting home just in time for the futon installers to arrive. The futon was installed just in time for Paul and Cathy to pull an Enron on my apartment (complete reorganization of my assets; please note that my financial well-being was not affected, however). Even with the addition of my futon, I feel like my apartment is bigger than it was before. Check it out for yourself, as soon as I post pictures!
Tuesday, September 28, 2004
Futon Potato
I made a big step towards having a normal apartment lifestyle today by purchasing a full-size futon. I realized that I needed something QUICK last weekend when I was watching TV and sitting on my BED. It's hard to sit with good back-lengthening yoga posture on a bed. So, on Saturday, I will be able to sit more with good posture, and therefore watch more TV. Excellent!
Speaking of potatoes....I started rehabilitating the eye chalazion today. I found out, from my licensed practitioner, that putting a microwaved (30 seconds) potato in a wet wash cloth can help transition the chalazion back to the ugly nothingless that it come from. Since these pet chalazions seem to keep popping up (pun intended), I decided to go ahead and name it. I call it Nate.
Nate and the chalazion are very similar, yet unique in their own way. Nate was one of those guys that was harmless, annoying, but someone you just kept running into, no matter how hard you tried to avoid him, just like the chalazion. Just when I thought that I'd seem him the last time, he "popped up" and started working at the same place that I was working at in college. Sound familiar? Yea...
Nate and the chalazion come from different backgrounds, however. Nate from the private gated community streets of upper-class Los Angeles, and the chalazion from the streets of the New York slums....
J. Riley
Speaking of potatoes....I started rehabilitating the eye chalazion today. I found out, from my licensed practitioner, that putting a microwaved (30 seconds) potato in a wet wash cloth can help transition the chalazion back to the ugly nothingless that it come from. Since these pet chalazions seem to keep popping up (pun intended), I decided to go ahead and name it. I call it Nate.
Nate and the chalazion are very similar, yet unique in their own way. Nate was one of those guys that was harmless, annoying, but someone you just kept running into, no matter how hard you tried to avoid him, just like the chalazion. Just when I thought that I'd seem him the last time, he "popped up" and started working at the same place that I was working at in college. Sound familiar? Yea...
Nate and the chalazion come from different backgrounds, however. Nate from the private gated community streets of upper-class Los Angeles, and the chalazion from the streets of the New York slums....
J. Riley
Monday, September 27, 2004
Birthday Pictures
I've posted my birthday pictures. You would be wise to look at them. And not laugh at them. Euro pics are still being worked on! But, if you must have a sneak preview, take a look on sixpak.
My Monday night Yoga class is being elevated from an intro class to a "normal person" class. This means more Down-Dogs and Warrior-poses, thus increasing my breathing from deep, back-of-the-throat breaths to hyper-ventilating breaths. Regardless, I achieved a deep state at the end of class, during the part of class we are supposed to just breathe and relax with the lights turned off. It was like I was dreaming, I had peaceful images in my head. Or maybe I was just on the crux of falling asleep.... :-/ . Good session, regardless....
J. Riley
My Monday night Yoga class is being elevated from an intro class to a "normal person" class. This means more Down-Dogs and Warrior-poses, thus increasing my breathing from deep, back-of-the-throat breaths to hyper-ventilating breaths. Regardless, I achieved a deep state at the end of class, during the part of class we are supposed to just breathe and relax with the lights turned off. It was like I was dreaming, I had peaceful images in my head. Or maybe I was just on the crux of falling asleep.... :-/ . Good session, regardless....
J. Riley
Sunday, September 26, 2004
Mission Impossible III: The Microwave
This was a weekend of running errands. Still nursing my cold, I ran around town trying to finish my apartment, looking for things like glasses for my cabinet (thanks Dad!), Bath and Body Works "Wallflowers" scents, etc. After runnings some errands and eating a grilled cheese at Sean's favorite grill (I was nursing my cold, he a hangover), I relaxed at home for a while, preparing for the evening. Being my birthday, Paul organized a dinner with some friends, location unknown to me. We ended up going to a North African place called Le Souk down in the East Villiage. Paul has a talent for finding these places. The dinner and entertainment was great, as the pictures will show. I'm sure that I am beat-red when they made me put dollar bills in the female belly-dancer's...err...clothing. And when she made me get up and dance with her. Much to my friends' chagrin, I refused to put money into the male belly-dancer's clothing. I mean, do male belly dancers even really exist in their native land? Of course not....which is why I wouldn't tip him, despite the fact that he could shake it almost as well as the girl ;o) . On the way home, we found a few cool lounges, like Sala. Because of my cold, I made sure that I only drank healthy drinks that night like Sangria, which, being red-wine based, is high in antioxidants ;o) ....
Today, my sole goal was to find a microwave. I checked a local place, but couldn't find one under $60. Surely, a low-end microwave should be cheaper than that (I don't need a built-in toaster, and I don't need a silver-plated one). KMart should have some cheap microwaves, right? I strolled downtown and, come hell or high-water, they were sold out of the cheap ones. Again, only silver or gold-plated ones were left. Well, I needed to go to Bed Bath and Beyond anyway to find my garlic peeler (which I didn't find, BTW) and they didn't have a cheap (enough) microwave. Geez, I'd just spent five hours looking to save $10 on a microwave. I stopped in a futon store on the way back to the subway and bought a futon within minutes. Remember the yogurt story, this is not unusual.
Anyway, Paul found a microwave in his apartment's basement. Microwave installed, crisis averted, $64.99 saved :o)
Old roommate Ryan Hess is coming to visit this weekend possibly, and Leif from Germany (and his girlfriend) are coming next week. And the sisters still have no confirmed flights to come visit me....
J. Riley
Today, my sole goal was to find a microwave. I checked a local place, but couldn't find one under $60. Surely, a low-end microwave should be cheaper than that (I don't need a built-in toaster, and I don't need a silver-plated one). KMart should have some cheap microwaves, right? I strolled downtown and, come hell or high-water, they were sold out of the cheap ones. Again, only silver or gold-plated ones were left. Well, I needed to go to Bed Bath and Beyond anyway to find my garlic peeler (which I didn't find, BTW) and they didn't have a cheap (enough) microwave. Geez, I'd just spent five hours looking to save $10 on a microwave. I stopped in a futon store on the way back to the subway and bought a futon within minutes. Remember the yogurt story, this is not unusual.
Anyway, Paul found a microwave in his apartment's basement. Microwave installed, crisis averted, $64.99 saved :o)
Old roommate Ryan Hess is coming to visit this weekend possibly, and Leif from Germany (and his girlfriend) are coming next week. And the sisters still have no confirmed flights to come visit me....
J. Riley
Friday, September 24, 2004
Chicken Soup For The...Wallet
So, all the travelling in Euroland has caught up to me. In addition to my pet chalazion, I'm also nursing a nasty cold., which decided to hit me yesterday after lunch. Maybe it was the free-range Brooklyn beef I ate at the free lunch provided by the hospital yesterday, who knows.
Regardless, I'm nursing this puppy and hoping to be fit for the weekend's festivities. So, rather than going to a party at my former boss's newly renovated apartment (oh, woh-is-me - I can't hang out with a bunch of EY people :o| ), I decided to take it easy tonight and have some chicken soup.
Whenever I need a ready-to-eat meal, I like to go to the neighborhood gourmet grocery store, Zabar's Vinegar Factory. Much like Whole Foods (or, as Ewa calls it, "Whole Paycheck"), it has fantastic grocery items, produce, and home-made items like soup - though I admit that I've never actually purchased any of these items to date (fore-shadowing!). I was totally ready to fork over the money required to buy this chicken-vegetable soup, but then I found it and saw the price tag. $5!!! $5???? $5 for 16 ounces of soup? I mean, I knew it would be good, but $5 good? I can buy a can of Campbells for less than a $1. So my brain began to churn over the numbers and the utility gained by eating $5 chicken soup versus $0.79 chicken soup while my eyes perused the freshly-made soup shelf looking for a lower-cost alternative to make me feel better. I quickly realized that, even though I just got a massive raise and can live comfortably in NYC on my new salary, this gourmet shopping thing is going to be tough. Especially for things like....yogurt (inside joke: I have mentioned to my friends here that sometimes I will deliberate for up to 10 minutes in front of the dairy section on whether I should by the yogurt on sale for $0.59 or if I should buy the good yogurt for $0.64 - and this is after I just forked over $5.00 for some gourmet, organic potato chips.)
I bought it. I ate it. It was excellent. But $5 excellent?
I'm going to bed,
J. Riley
Regardless, I'm nursing this puppy and hoping to be fit for the weekend's festivities. So, rather than going to a party at my former boss's newly renovated apartment (oh, woh-is-me - I can't hang out with a bunch of EY people :o| ), I decided to take it easy tonight and have some chicken soup.
Whenever I need a ready-to-eat meal, I like to go to the neighborhood gourmet grocery store, Zabar's Vinegar Factory. Much like Whole Foods (or, as Ewa calls it, "Whole Paycheck"), it has fantastic grocery items, produce, and home-made items like soup - though I admit that I've never actually purchased any of these items to date (fore-shadowing!). I was totally ready to fork over the money required to buy this chicken-vegetable soup, but then I found it and saw the price tag. $5!!! $5???? $5 for 16 ounces of soup? I mean, I knew it would be good, but $5 good? I can buy a can of Campbells for less than a $1. So my brain began to churn over the numbers and the utility gained by eating $5 chicken soup versus $0.79 chicken soup while my eyes perused the freshly-made soup shelf looking for a lower-cost alternative to make me feel better. I quickly realized that, even though I just got a massive raise and can live comfortably in NYC on my new salary, this gourmet shopping thing is going to be tough. Especially for things like....yogurt (inside joke: I have mentioned to my friends here that sometimes I will deliberate for up to 10 minutes in front of the dairy section on whether I should by the yogurt on sale for $0.59 or if I should buy the good yogurt for $0.64 - and this is after I just forked over $5.00 for some gourmet, organic potato chips.)
I bought it. I ate it. It was excellent. But $5 excellent?
I'm going to bed,
J. Riley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)