29/365

29 of 365
"The torment of human frustration, whatever its immediate cause, is the knowledge that the self is in prison, its vital force and 'mangled mind' leaking away in lonely, wasteful self-conflict" - Elizabeth Drew

Sometimes doing stupid things out of frustration will only result in yourself being a mangled mess

28/365

28 of 365
"The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too" - Samuel Butler

For all those who know me, I'm a dog lover. Always have been, and always will be. Being here, and seeing (nearly) everyone having a dog, taking it shopping?? makes me miss mine more and more. Can't wait to see you again!!

27/365

27 of 365
"Life is a mosaic of pleasure and pain - grief is an interval between two moments of joy. Peace is the interlude between two wars. You have no rose without a thorn; the diligent picker will avoid the pricks and gather the flower. There is no bee without the sting; cleverness consists in gathering the honey nevertheless" - Sri Sathya Sai Baba

26/365

26 of 365
"A relationship isn't going to make me survive. It's the cherry on top" - Jennifer Aniston

What happens when you run out of cherries or you've taken too much... then you'd be all cherried out

25/365

25 of 365
"Weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless" - Bill Watterson

As much as I have previously looked forward to spending the weekends with someone, it's very different here. I really wish I could just sleep the week out and wake up for the weekend to do nothing... how relaxing would that be for the mind =)

24/365

24 of 365
"There's no secret to balance. You just have to feel the waves" - Frank Herbert

What is right, what is wrong... what I only know is to do what I feel...

Swedish Fish

Having been living off chocolate to survive the work, there was all this talk about "swedish fish" - and how great it is. With no idea whatsoever this is (along with half of the other things they have here in the states), my manager decided to buy a pack.

Swedish Fish... a school of fish goes perfect swimming next to the laptop. Though I'm not sure they'd last very long in this environment...

Essentially just a gummy lolly. And to the US colleagues, it is much more than "just" a gummy. Reminds me of the natural confectionery - snakes, dinosaurs... mmmm. What's also cool is to note the detail. "Swedish" is imprinted onto the fish =)

And there we have it, by day's end... half the school is gone... swimming inside a tummy. My highlight (and sugar high) for the day.

23/365

23 of 365
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather" - John Ruskin

Another wet snowy day as I struggle to and from the office in the slush... Different type of weather to enjoy wishing someone was here to experience it with you

22/365

22 of 365
"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all" - Oscar Wilde

There as as many nights as there are days. One is just as long as the other. Life is a journey, lessons of which need to be learnt and lived, to be understood. There is a purpose, but how do u find that purpose, and what does it mean. What is the meaning of life? Is it worth living?

21/365

21 of 365
"Somewhere over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true" - Lyman Frank Baum

Really did feel like dream coming across this... blue skies, felt like I was in the clouds up away from everything. Now if only I could maintain that feeling forever

Highline

Highline... over-browsing the world, just like on a tightrope seeing those below you as you continue your journey.

The highline here was originally constructed back in the 1930s to lift dangerous freight trains off the streets. With trucking taking over, the highline eventually stopped running its trains. To be demolished, an activist stood up to preserve the railway lines. Re-designed into a walkway and garden path... this now provides a view of the manhattan below you.

A nice relaxing walk on a cool-ish morning provided a great way to absorb the view and environment around you.

As you pass the streets, its amazing how easily it is to be absorbed in everything that's happening around you. Much like playing the sims, seeing everything move around you. Especially here, where the city never sleeps - its easy to see why.

Unfortunately, some things must come to an end. An abrupt end... Wasn't long before hitting the end of the road. Section 2 and onwards is still under construction and I have come to the end of my walk in the middle of Chelsea somewhere. How I wish this would keep going and going...

20/365

20 of 365
"Almost all words do have color and nothing is more pleasant than to utter a pink word and see someone's eyes light up and know it is a pink word" - Gladys Taber

pink... =)

FIT

Upon reading some of the to-go places, the fashion institute museum was mentioned. I did think about it, but of course it wasn't one of the things at the top of my list. On a nice afternoon stroll, somehow managed to find myself right outside the place. Guess it may have been fate to explore it...

The FIT is actually an college of arts, business, design and technology. One of the top places here. The museum section is pretty small, and like most places - photography is prohibited...

His & Hers

The current exhibition is His & Hers. Quite an nice exploratory and history explanation through the decades and times of what defined fashion and how it came about. It's also interesting to find out what type of fabrics and textiles were used and why.

There was a lot of familiar designer names, but I didn't know that they came up with designs started trends in that time period. From man skirts to contemporary art... I was intrigued by the various choices and thoughts.

Japan Fashion

The special exhibit on japanese fashion was the highlight. I guess I was lucky that this was extended for an extra period of time. I have always been fond of japenese fashion... now to see them in an exhibition... really do feel content. Although I will miss out on the actual talks and catwalks, seeing them on manikins is the next best thing.

The more conservative styles - are quite modern and something I'd definitely want to get. Nothing that stands out too drastically. The typical fashion however - highlights the sub-culture all over japan. From your day to day sailor-style girls school uniforms, to maid outfits, goth, punk, emo and lolita's, this is all part of life.

How I wish to go see that in person now... only brings me the pain from all the devastation that has recently occurred there. What I do know is that... I will be there sometime

19/365

19 of 365
"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you I had no control over" - Unknown

If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. Time will tell

18/365

18 of 365
"Faith means living with uncertainty - feeling your way through life, letting your heart guide you like a lantern in the dark" - Dan Millman

The journey of life... no one knows where it will lead you or where it will end, but you will find a way through.

Rover

In an interesting twist, decided to attend a classical theatre. Especially having never been to classical theatre before, wasn't sure what to expect. Maybe I should have read up more on the play before attending...

The Rover

This was run by the New York Classical Theatre, a group that presents free productions of classics in non-traditional public spaces throughout the city. In order for them to keep this up, surprisingly 45% of their revenue/income is from donations. This play was actually based in my office... using all different areas that I walk past daily.

Their style and mark is all about accessibility and staging - using a panoramic theatre. I follow the actors from place to place, as the plot changes from scene to scene.

The Rover

As with everything I find here, there are no photos allowed. It would have been great to capture some of the moments. Especially with the actors using "the moment" in their acts with office workers just walking past. Given that this was based in public spaces - nothing was actually blocked off.

The Rover - written by Aphra Behn is a restoration comedy with a few inside plots. With all the interaction and movement, perfect for those who get bored easily.

Maxim

And so my first free subscription arrived just before the weekend... yes, it's free =)
I'm surprised at how many different magazines you could subscribe to without having to pay for... and even the ones you do, it's stupidly cheap (compared to back home).

Maxim

Maxim... international mag known for pictorials of actresses, singers and models. Totally reminds me of Ralph =) Of course, along with the pictorials includes all the hilarious readers letters, and useless random gadgets.

This month's edition features Brittany Snow - known for her roles in American Dreams and Hairspray.

17/365

17 of 365
"Love is a chain of love as nature is a chain of life" - Truman Capote

The chain of life... interdependency. It all begins with yourself and ends with the other

MOMA

As one of the things to do while in ny, it was to visit a museum. With so many around, which and what to start with? An art museum it was... and modern art to be exact.

MOMA has an unparalleled view of modern/contemporary art - architecture, drawings, paintings, sculptures, photography, and even media. I must say some of these works do border on what is "acceptable" and what is "art". Disturbing to say the least...

Set comfortably out over 6 floors... plus an outside sculpture garden, there was plenty of work to go through. In the few hours I was there, I did manage to stroll throughout the whole place (although I didn't spend too much time at set areas like I should have).

Luckily during this time, there was a picasso guitar exhibition. A listing of most of pablo picasso's work with guitars/violins. His style of work is... distinct. After spending time in here, strolling through the remainder of the museum you could tell which other works were his even without looking at the tags/captions. Unfortunately no photos were allowed of his guitar exhibition...

A few famous selections of his works that I captured.

Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

Head of the Medical Student (Study for Les Demoiselles d'Avignon)

There's an option to become a member that allows for unlimited entries for the year... depending how I go with the remainder of the museums... I'm sure I could comfortably come back here to sit back and  admire all the different artworks. This was probably not something I saw myself doing or taking a liking to, but things are different here... very different.

Maybe it might be time to start collecting a few street vendor artworks and decorate my place =)

16/365

16 of 365
"Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained" - C.S. Lewis

15/365

15 of 365
"If I know what love is, it is because of you" - Herman Hesse

Some things are just hard to understand and explain... but whatever it is, it is because of you

14/365

14 of 365
"Love is bubble. Love is trouble. But I could be lovable. If you pay me double.
Love is a bubble. Love is trouble. I'll just be with you for two hours." - Bonnie Pink

There are many things in life that will catch your eye... but only a few will catch your heart.

13/365

13 of 365
"O bed! O bed! delicious bed!
That heaven upon earth to the weary head" - Thomas Hood, Miss Kilmansegg

Yes... bedtime... one of the most enjoyable times of the day. Especially when there's snacks =)

12/365

12 of 365
"I relax by taking my bicycle apart and putting it back together again" - Michelle Pfeiffer

If only some things could be put back together... exactly the same way it used to be. Some things will never change, but once apart - there is always something that feels... missing...

11/365

11 of 365
"Love is not a product of reasonings and statistics. It just comes - no one knows whence - and cannot explain itself" - Mark Twain (Eve's Diary)

10/365

10 of 365
"We need hours of aimless wandering or spates of time sitting on park benches, observing the mysterious world" - Maya Angelou

Sometimes it is nice to sit back, taking your time to reflect on life and all its mysteries...

USPS

It's been a whole month since I've been in nyc, and a couple of weeks since I lasted posted something back home - but that was from another city. With limited time before or after work to get around to finally posting this, decided to go out on a early sat morning.

Located the nearest the postal office, and it wasn't too far away. It was massively large - and i'm pretty sure it was built quite a while ago. I do love the architecture here of the federal buildings I must say. Supposedly photos aren't allowed inside federal buildings (which I only just found out), but did manage to take a few shots inside. Probably best I don't post them up...

I am surprised that the post office is open at 8:15am on a SATURDAY morning... Though I guess this doesn't apply to all of the stores, but at least I know where to go when I need to post more things =)

I did get a shot of the stamps I bought. Kinda annoying that after I bought the stamps, I had to affix and then take it to another place to get it sent off - why couldn't they all do that together at the counter?? =/

Anyways... hope you receive it soon and like this more! =)

LOLCODE

HAI
CAN HAS STDIO?
VISIBLE "So I was speaking to a colleague here... and she was saying wouldn't it be fun if we were to code in LOLCODE instead of SQL. Totally unexpected and totally made my day..."
KTHXBYE

For those unsure of what LOLCODE is...

MSG

msg - monosodium glutamate? sodium salt of the naturally occurring glutamic acid... no
msg - abbreviation for message? ... no
msg - marine strike group? uss rubicon star trek... no

msg - madison square garden... aka the garden

And so, this was my first experience into the famous msg. Opened in 1968, msg is the longest active sporting facility here in ny. Only behind MEN and O2 in london in terms of sales, this is one of the busiest arenas around.

What I must say is, it is disappointing that no slr cameras are allowed... then again a lot of venues here all have that same restriction =(

Having been to the american airlines stadium in dallas (one of the newer and larger arenas), it was a little disappointing. But given when this stadium was built - definitely impressive at its time.

SSN

And so I've finally received my SSN... essentially a unique identifier for me here in the states.

Originally designed to track individual accounts for tax, now used for identification purposes. Guess this is the start of no-return...

9/365

9 of 365
"Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven, blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

8/365

8 of 365
Serendipity... an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

Life is not merely a series of meaningless accidents or coincidences, but rather, it's a tapestry of events that culminate in an exquisite sublime plan

7/365

7 of 365
"In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone,
neath the halo of a street lamp,
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of
A neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence"
Paul Simon

6/365

6 of 365
"I'm not trying to do conceptual art" - Peter Sotos
People in love suffer extreme conceptual delusions

5/365

5 of 365
Red velvet... seduction from the first bite
A name with allure. Known as the devil's food, with no definitive information on where it came from... this provides all the mysteriousness you need

4/365

4 of 365
Waiting for love...
"Love is a four-letter word composed of two consonants, L and V; two vowels, O and E; and two fools, you and me" - Unknown

Magic of Macy's

Macy's is a chain of department stores that sells mid to high-end things. Originated in NY and located at the Herald Square, how could you say no to sales. After starting the day with a sugar hit, strolled a few blocks to Macys... many hours later the following makes it slow and tiring walk home with me...

The joys of shopping and retail therapy... makes the pain go away =)
It's always been an on-and-off relationship with Tommy and Nautica... and now it's back on!

Donna Hay

Received another package today... except this one is different in that it was a gift as opposed to something I bought LOL. I've managed to secure 7 packages and I'm still only in my third week here!!

Back to the package... I knew that something was coming, but I couldn't guess what it would be.

Surprise surprise... Donna Hay - The Instant Cook.
With it came a note "I think you know what to do with this..."
Definitely a light-hearted way to end the long working week here, and I've still yet to cook...

Thanks for the nice thought =)

3/365

3 of 365
Hope. Love.
"Soul is freedom. Love is power. Hope is love. Dreams are revolutions..." - Unknown
A fairly deep quote... and so true in life. Keep loving and keep hoping =)

2/365

2 of 365

Cupcakes... happiness in a bite

The lovely sugar-high providing short-lived happiness followed by long-lived woes until you take another sugar hit. How this so reflects life... if only you could have what you want when you want... all the time

1/365

1 of 365
Love padlocks... symbol of love. Most commonly affixed on railings of bridges, and this is no different... Brooklyn Bridge

365 Project

And so... with a new blog it might be the time to start a new project. I've heard about the 365 project for quite a while now, and it's definitely a great idea. Heard about many failed attempts too...

365 project... what is it? To share a photo every day for a year. It represents a visual diary to look back on over the year (with friends, family, and your special ones). Depending how I go here, we'll see how far I get to. Guess it'll be a good way to track how long I've spent away from home... This is technically my 3rd week here, so I guess I'm 2 weeks behind... I'm sure I can make up for 2 weeks worth of photos somewhere! =)

The first post

hello... and welcome to... my first official blog.

Although I had setup an account quite a while ago, I've never actually gotten into doing anything with blogging. Now that I'm in nyc on a new adventure, guess this is the best time and place to start. Here will lie... my feelings, my thoughts and things I want to share.