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11th September 2011
I Love My City
"I Love New York" or other versions of the same message are scribbled all over various sourvenirs one can pick up anywhere around the city. But I don't think anyone really understands it as much as New Yorkers who truly belong to and love the city.
It's the 10th anniversary, but it still feels like 9/11 happened not too long ago, though I'm thankful that it's far enough away in memory that I can actually think about it now. Usually on this day I light a candle. Not really for anything or to anyone, but just to light it, and remind myself of that day, when we all huddled around each other, sharing, in those hours of silent panic, an incredible sense of grief. It's one of those few moments in life when you know exactly what is running through the minds of the people next to you. It was almost tangible in the air around us.
I wrote about my personal experiences when this happened in a previous post so I'm not going to go into that again. The weeks after the attack we were all still shell-shocked and probably all suffered from some sort of PTSD. This was the record of a dream that I had a few weeks after the attacks. I guess it was partly due to survivor's guilt. I kept on thinking about what must have gone through the minds of people who were on the planes and who were around/in the towers.
"Around 9/25/01
This was from a long way back… also at the same time (nap) and of course I woke up extremely emotional, especially since it was about one or two weeks after 9/11. I died twice in this one. Or at least I could see death in two perspectives. I was on the plane the first time. I felt the entire plane tilt, everything flying everywhere and cargo running back and forth. I could see the cityscape approaching slowly, then the plane tilted into it and fell at accelerated speed and everyone was screaming and crying. Only thing I remembered feeling was “so this was how it was like…” and also a kind of emotional numbness… as if I was trying to put this outside of myself so I wouldn’t feel it.
The second time was in the subway. I was just, there, still with memories of the previous dream. All of a sudden everyone started screaming and running out of it. It was chaotic. I ran out with the people and raised my head and saw that there was a plane coming down quickly toward the part of town we were in. I just stared at it for a time, then thought a little. Despite it looked as if it was coming down fast it was taking a while to get here. Then I scattered with everyone else. I remembered contemplating about the plane and how people on the plane must had felt and the chaotic scene around me. Then buildings started coming down and everything started to fall into ruins."
In tragedy we bonded, in solidarity we prayed, in remembrance we remain. We all move on because we have to, but we will never forget that day. Even though I'm on the other coast right now, I'll always be a New Yorker, no matter where I end up. I was listening to the radio today and someone mentioned how New Yorkers are different from the rest of the country. While everyone else is using 9/11 as their reason/excuse for being patriotic/angry/fearful, etc, New Yorkers just shrug and say "whatever." It's not that we don't care, but it's that we don't want to use this incident, so sacred and so painful, so dear and so personal, as a means to achieve any goal. It just - IS. And fade as it will with the ages, it shall never be forgotten by those of us who shared it.
(photo courtesy of the Fong family)
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3rd October 2010
Chronicle of unfortunate pre-flight incidents II
I’ve gotten used to untimely events happening before I fly, especially when I fly out of New York. See my previous post about these incidents.
The latest are a pair of rather amusing events.
On my recent trip back to NYC, I decided to try out a particular ramen shop with my friend, who was driving me to the airport. Unfortunately, that happened to be a particularly popular spot and we ended up waiting until 9PM for a seat – my flight was at 11PM. As you can probably imagine, we stared at each other and wondered whether or not I would miss the flight. We told the waitress and she finally seated us and put in our order before a group of 6 that came before us. Once we got our food, we managed eat it, pay, and leave within about 10 minutes. Talk about time efficiency. Fortunately, I was able to catch the flight without any issues… except that it was delayed and I would have caught it anyway even if I were late.
The return trip was even more amusing. I woke up on the morning of my flight wondering what interesting thing will come between my flight and I. I wasn’t really nervous because I knew that something generally happens but usually I still manage to get my flight ok.
My friend, who was getting her bf to take me to the airport, asked about another friend who usually would take me to the airport. I told her that my other friend’s baby was about to be born (about 2 days late already) and with my luck, if he had decided to drive me, it would probably happen during the drive. She joked that then I would be going to the hospital to see his new baby instead of catching my flight. As it was, she called her boyfriend and found out that his car’s battery was drained due to that it was going off all night because of an ad card that was stuck in its window. At that moment I knew that this was going to be another adventure. We were looking for someone to help jump start his car… but interestingly enough I was the one who was the least nervous. We found someone after some time searching and I was on my way.
En route to the airport, I got a text that my friend’s daughter was born and again confirmed my usually pre-flight luck. Although we had to get through some traffic, the ride to the airport was fine. The final glitch came when I realized that although Virgin America allowed 70lb for the first checked bag, it turned out that my bag was about 78. So… I had to stand in front of the counter and rearrange everything. It was definitely a first but fortunately not as messy as some others’ experience. That was also a very nice (Chinese… well Asian) lady who was kind enough to ask if I were going to LA that she had room in her luggage still. Then also offered her bag in case I needed one. I didn’t, but thanked her. It’s good to know that there are still Asian people who would help each other in times of difficulty. (Later on after I got over this ordeal, I gave her a thumbs-up when I saw her at the terminal) I actually found all of it an amusing experience and not inconvenient at all. I guess that’s the thing with life – expect the unexpected… and enjoy them when you can.
I spoke to some of my friends about this and they were only half convinced of my strange luck. But I thought this was pretty convincing evidence that indeed… there seems to be something trying to stop me from leaving NYC…
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7th July 2010
Search for Destiny IV: Cheesecake and “Personal Legend”
The night before I left NYC, Jack (my computer guru) came to deliver a cheesecake to me. Cooking (mostly desserts or baking) has become his recent (ongoing) hobby. He had asked for a review of his cheesecake, but I’ll do slightly more than that.
His cheesecake was excellent, despite that it was a bit soggy from having been carried around for quite a few hours (NJ->Manhattan->Brooklyn). Of course, by this point you’re wondering what computer guru has to do with cheesecake. Well, all of us have hobbies. Some of us have hobbies that we really love but that we keep as “hobbies” instead of actually pursuing them as a career because we do not think it’s feasible. While I don't necessarily think Jack's cooking hobby is something he should pursue as a career, I think that he should not dismiss the idea. Anything is possible. And when we look back in life, it's the most wonderful thing to see that you have made the impossible possible.We are always looking for ways to realize our dreams... but there are obstacles that perhaps we don't even see. The other day I got a copy of The Alchemist entirely by accident (as my housemate called it: it's a gift from the Universe) so I'll use Paul Coelho’s intro to his book as a guide for this post.He mentions in the intro that there are four things between us and our Personal Legend, in this order:
1. Being conditioned since childhood into believing that what we want to do is not possible
2. We don’t want to hurt others by pursuing our dreams
3. Fear of defeats we shall most definitely encounter on the way
4. Fear of realizing our dreams (and consequently sabotaging our dreams so that they would never come true)Having personally walked through each of those steps, I had a knowing smile of understanding when I read the book, which is amazing, btw.Having been raised in a Chinese family, I was expected to: 1) get a stable job and stay with it; 2) get married by 25; 3) have children by 30; and 4) stay put and raise a family. Although I do not dismiss the importance of these things in life, I have done none of the above and am quite successful (@ least in my own terms) and happy. But having to convince myself that I did not have to walk that set path was not easy. I had never been a conventional person, but I grew up having these "points" drilled into my brain and it's been a constant struggle against them (b/c by nature I am not inclined to go this path). For those who are still struggling to get out of this stage, believe in your own strength and that even if you fail, there is a way back.Then, I came upon the stage of having to leave my protective shell, which my friends and family have built around me. At the same time that I lose their protection, they probably felt a sense of abandonment - I had left them. Knowing this, it was extremely difficult for me to leave NYC, which had everything I had known and loved. I did not want to hurt them or have them feel that I did not love them (it didn't help that my mother was doing tons of guilt-tripping). But at the same time that this is fear of hurting them, it is equally our fear of losing them and their protection. It's for their benefit and ours. There's nothing wrong with this struggle. And if you decide to give up because the fear of hurting them is so great, at least you know that you're well loved. However, if you want to take the risk, and you are in this stage, remember that those who truly love you will always love you, and even if you fail at your dream, when you return, they will still welcome you home with open arms.Fear of the difficulties is fully understandable, but also one of the easiest to overcome because it does not involve the decision of "choosing who you want to become." If you have the strength of mind to overcome the previous two, just think back to the incredible strength you displayed in having defied your entire upbringing and also stepping out of your comfort zone, and it is not too difficult get through this stage. As the Alchemist says, "the fear of suffering is much worse than the suffering itself."And finally, there is the incredible fact that we actually do have the urge/tendency to destroy our own dreams when we are just one step away from it. Why? Perhaps we're afraid of beyond our dreams. What if we can't achieve it? What if we no longer have a goal after we realize our dream? What if...Too much thinking, not enough doing. One thing I have been advocating is that, once you've thought enough about something and you still can't come to a conclusion, then perhaps you should just do it and then deal with the consequences. This is not to advocate stupid behavior. But I believe that most people who end up reading this (amazingly tedious) blog are mature enough to consider all possibilities (and ask everyone trustworthy around them) before they make a decision. If you have thought of everything, why not believe in your own good judgment and make a decision then stick with it and go with it?Life is linear, yet always circular. We never repeat time, but we often repeat history. The most important thing is to remember that everyone else's history does not have to be yours and you do not have to repeat your history like other people. In the end, you hold the key to your own destiny, whether it's in a cheesecake or in the corner office of a Manhattan high-rise... the choice is yours. -
28th November 2009
This Crazy November
Now that the end to this horrible month is drawing near, I can do a brief summary of the end result of the crazy events that took place earlier in the month. There were other insane events that happened this month, including close relatives of very good friends passing away, one of my best friends' father having gotten into an accident and she herself was rushed to the ER and found out she was loaded with bacteria and viruses... it's not been pleasant. But there's no point looking back or moping, we can only gather our thoughts around what we have to be thankful for, and love those that are important to us even more...[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Seeking serenity."][/caption]My dad's car has been examined by the other car owner's insurance company. Well, at least that's done for now. The rest of it is out of our hands. We no longer have a car, but I'd like to think that it's for a reason.My mom was finally released from the hospital the day before Thanksgiving after spending almost a month in there. I can't even imagine how much pain and suffering she went through. For these weeks, the only time the family was able to be together was if my dad and I happened to be at the hospital at the same time. We tried to stagger our visits so she can have company for more times during the day. Her hospital experience warrants another post, but I'll write that one if I have the energy.My low blood pressure issue is finally under control so I don't feel like I'm about to fall over anymore. However, a few times this month I totally lost the peace and calm that I felt earlier. I always that you couldn't lose it once you had it, like learning to ride a bicycle or swim... but I was wrong. The stress, lack of sleep, and overload of life just took over and I had a few flip outs. But it was a good lesson for me. I know I have much to learn... and to always be vigilant... because no, I am not immune to everything.Let's all look forward to a better end of the year and a new year with new blessings.
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21st November 2009
MTA Woes
To be honest, I am sick of the subways and buses in New York, but I have to admit that we pay a lot less than most other countries.The other day, I waited about 40 minutes for a bus that was supposed to come every 10 minutes. Needless to say, I was very frustrated. I also had an important errand to run that day, and the lateness really didn't help.Of course, I am not the only one who is always frustrated on the weekends when the trains suddenly go on a different schedule, with lines and schedules twisted in all crazy ways imaginable. Of the 24 lines, sometimes only 2 remain unchanged, and those 2 usually run on a very limited route.But I am not sure if everyone realizes that the amount we pay for our public transportation system, which is the only one that runs 24 hours and goes almost everywhere in Manhattan and Brooklyn, is really minimal. Someone once commented that if we had to pay the actual amount that we should pay for services/goods, we would realize how lucky we are now. I'm not giving the MTA any excuses, but sometimes it's good to reflect on how good things are, and not how bad things are. Otherwise, we'd all be very unhappy people all the time -
4th November 2009
Dinning Heaven
I find that I am unable resist good food. And I get spoiled when I've had TOO much good food. Ok, this is the sign of a real foodie (not that anyone would argue).My meal at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon is probably THE most decadent and delicious meal (and expensive of course) meal I EVER had. I was fortunate that my friend so kindly offered to treat me to a birthday dinner. Otherwise I would not have the money to walk in there for a few years.[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="320" caption="Foie Gras~ (*hand over heart*)"][/caption]This review really tells you what was included in the discovery menu and the author does a better job than I could ever hope to. My post is basically to rave about how much I enjoyed this experience. It's much like when I had REALLY good sushi/sashimi at Sasabune. Once you've been there... you can't quite go back. I don't regret it. At least that means I will work hard at improving my own cooking skills (which are lacking as of this moment)However, I really wish I had gone to L'Atelier earlier, because as I do more research on the restaurant, I think I have positively fallen in love with the previous Executive Chef, Mr. Yosuke Suga. The last thing I could find on him is that he's now currently the Executive Chef of the Taipei branch of L'Atelier. No matter, I will visit the Taipei branch one day and fawn over him then.Another thing that impressed me is that they gave me a special treat - an extra dessert plate - for my birthday! the service definitely has to do with how much you love a restaurant. And I think a lot of times people pay the money not only for good food but also for the service.[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="320" caption="Extra Special"]
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That said, there are still many more wonderful restaurants that I have yet to visit in New York. But I'm making my way there!
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2nd November 2009
Life of a Translator III
Thanks to the ATA conference being held in NYC this year, I had the most wonderful pleasure of meeting with the lovely gentleman Alejandro Moreno-Ramos, the author of the Mox comics, and his beautiful wife.
I've heard many people say that translators are often anti-social (or socially awkward) people because they are always home alone doing their work. There's very little outside contact. That is very true (the home alone part), but some of us like going out to meet new people and have varied interests too.We had come into contact when I linked his online comic on this website. He tracked the link back to me and then we made plans to meet and feast when he's in NYC for the ATA conference. I am truly thankful for all the wonderful people that I've met because of my profession.I took them to Minca for ramen (gave them a list of foods to choose from), then to (of course) Cha-an for desserts. They seemed to really like both places and agree with me that the black sesame creme brulee was probably one of the best desserts that they'd ever had. It was a true pleasure to see others enjoy food that I love! Alejandro was also kind enough to draw me a little mini-comic at Cha-An. WHOO! I can't express how excited I am! My own cameo in the famous Mox comics!!![caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="461" caption="Souvenir!"][/caption]Thought bubbles:
Alex:I want an amazing toilet too! (referring to the wonderful women's bathroom at Cha-An)
H (name hidden for privacy reasons): Finally, I met someone "foodier" than I am!
Aka: They're very nice but they're awful with chopsticks!So... this post is mainly to let people know that - YES! We translators have lives! And we like to be social too!And of course... that friendships can come very easily if you're willing to make yourself available to receive them. -
22nd September 2009
Pink Berry vs. Red Mango
This post was created per Jack's request. Being that he's the one hosting my site and is my personal all purpose tech support, I must abide by his wishes and do a thorough examination of my own feelings toward these two yogurt shops. Although I must apologize that I started this post BEFORE I left NYC in June and am just finishing it NOW...If you're not generally a fan of yogurt, you may still come to like these two frozen yogurt stores, Pinkberry (watch out for the obnoxious bgm, you can turn it off on the bottom right) and Red Mango. Their yogurts have a nice tangy taste and feel lite. My personal preference is for Pinkberry. Now hear me out. Basically most of the toppings are the same. On that note, remember that there is "mochi" available for your picking even though sometimes you may not see them among the other toppings. They are usually hidden away in the fridge somewhere. Toppings are probably a non issue since they're mostly fruits, sprinkles, oreos, and all that good stuff. I can't say I noticed much of a difference. I haven't tasted all of the different types of frozen Yogurt (Pinkberry has Original, Green Tea, Pomegranate, Passion Fruit, Coffee, and Coconut; Red Mango has Original, Green Tea, Pomegranate, and tangomonium). But from what I can tell, really, the original is good enough for me (for the other ones you have to add money).Anyway, I think for anyone who has tasted both stores, the general opinion is that Pinkberry is more "icy" and Red Mango is more "creamy." It's like the sorbet versus ice cream sort of thing. I'm just more of a sorbet girl (usually, if all the flavors are the same). I also think that Pinkberry is slightly more tangy than Red Mango. Interestingly enough, it seems a serving of Pinkberry will put you on the more decadent side (averaging ever so slightly higher on the sugar, calories and carbs scale). However, I think I can deal with 100 calories per serving (vs. 90 for Red Mango).Whichever one you like, I really think it's a taste thing. I know fans of both, and I know people who swear by one of them... my personal preference would probably be different from yours... the best way to find out is to have a taste yourself![caption id="" align="alignleft" width="215" caption="Pinkberry @ 32nd"][/caption][caption id="" align="alignright" width="215" caption="Red Mango @ 32nd"]
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VERSUS
Where you find one, you will very likely find the other right across the street or a few stores down. They are also rivals in their native Korea. I guess we all have different tastes, but consumers are usually the winners when there is competition.
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14th September 2009
A Time to be Thankful
A few things happened to me that have, again, led me to see how lucky I am. I am endless thankful to all the things that I have in my life and especially those granted by my lovely beloved friends and family.A few examples of unexpected acts of kindness:Starbucks lady – this lady whom I got a cup of Starbucks Chamomile tea from everyday gave me a box of the tea when she found out that I was leaving (NY).Whimsical Tarot cards – I had been obsessing over this deck of cards for a LONG time but unfortunately they were out of print. So my friend (somehow) ordered a deck and gave it to me as a farewell present.Dentist & Wife – when my dentist realized that I was leaving, he and his wife (separately) gave me little packets of toothpaste and toothbrushes and told me to call them out to dinner if I get back in the city.Caltrain pass – I was in line buying a train pass and someone walking by just handed me a pass (it was a monthly and that was the last day of the month, but still).Of course, there are the wonderful people who showed me immense generosity, family and friends. I’m still amazed that so many of my friends were able to join me on my travels in the past few months. I look forward to more random acts of kindness and also to learning how to be a kind person myself. -
20th August 2009
Always on the Run II
Many people are wondering... WHAT!?!?! If you think your head is spinning, have a little pity for my parents. They're probably wondering what they did to deserve such a strange daughter. :)Yes, I'm headed back to New York City for at least 3 months, September-December. I have yet to decide whether I want to spend Christmas and New Years in New York or in SF area (probably down to SoCal with friends if I come back to CA). But that's for another day.When I left my old company on a LoA (it'd have been more problematic if I told them straight out that I was leaving), I brought in a friend to take over my position. The plan was that when I inform my ex-bosses that I was not going return to the company, he would permanently take over. It's a win-win situation on all fronts.But recently, my friend found a good internship opportunity that will span 3 months (Sept-Dec). Problem is, the company cannot wait for him for 3 months so he would end up jobless when he comes out of the internship, which is rather undesirable in this abysmal economy.Being the one who always tries to find a solution where everyone benefits or at least suffers the least damage (yep, Libra), I came up with a strange plan... strange, but awesome if it worked: I would return to NYC and replace him at my old job for 3 months.[caption id="" align="alignright" width="240" caption="Look around you."][/caption]This way:
1) I can make some money before school (which could start in Oct or Jan, and this gives me more time to prepare for it) AND take WingTsun lessons from Sifu (YAY).
2) Sifu will get some front end help (if he needs it) because he's expecting to be shorthanded come Sept.
3) My friend would have a job to return to.
4) There's no disruption to work and my ex-bosses don't need to spend money, time, and effort finding someone who may or may not be trustworthy.There was the issue of my roomshare - I would have to leave it empty and pay rent for 3 months for a room I'm not using.Incidentally, I have been in contact with another girl who is trying to move from NYC to SF (like myself) and I thought, why not ask if she's interested in subletting my roomshare for the time that I'd be in NYC? It'd be good for her to have a friendly place to stay and really try out the city.5) Apparently it was a good turn of events for her too.So in the end, if everything works according to plan, 5 parties would benefit from this arrangement (not counting my parents and friends in NYC whom, I assume (lol), would be happy to see me before I implant myself semi-permanently in SF for school).It just happened that this time everything fell into place. Sometimes I feel like there are always options and the solution is there, but we just fail to grasp/grab it. But when you're ready, things will fall into place.[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="240" caption="WT RULES!"][/caption]There were a lot of lucky coincidences in this matter, but there were a lot of conditions, were they not mature, things would not have happened the same way. What if she wasn't ready to move or I didn't ask her? What if my boss wanted to hire someone entirely new? What if my school only opened admissions once a year? What if I had already committed myself to a job? What if...I think in the end you should always prepare yourself and be ready to accept/work with all the opportunities that come your way. They may not come for days, months, or even years. But if you're not ready for them, you will miss out on them when they do come along. The best thing is that the planning and personal development that you put into preparing are rewarding in themselves.On top of that, I'm visiting Alex&Di in Canada for a few days and decided I would drop by and train with Sifu Carson Lau's WT school in Richmond Hill for a day. Turned out that there will be a web channel interview on that day so I get to see a lot of cameras and WT demonstrations! WHOO HOO! (<-total geek when it comes to certain things...)Of course... before all of this, I am still going on my trip to Yosemite, Lake Mono and Bodie.So there... my latest... Run.
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Sze K. Aka Chan's Posterous
歸去，也無風雨也無晴。
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