This Year's Halloween - 10/31/10

This year I got into the Halloween spirit....how can one not, when one is surrounded by vampires, monsters, and Lady Gaga and Snooki wannabees.

So I dressed up as a witch, and entered the streets, just like the wonderful Lady Morgana does, when she makes her presence felt in Camelot.....uhhh, anyone remember her from the Celtic Tales of Merlin?

The air was crisp and cold, the leaves where rustling, having turned fall shades of red, gold, and brown, and the wind howled the day and night away.

The Halloween Parade in NYC was wonderful.....the spirit of magic and extra forces came alive, the bands playing on the drums...well, it was quite a show. Of course, yours truly watched only for a bit, then the journey back was a priority, as this witch didn't have a broomstick to hop on to fly over the people....no, she had to rely on human-used transportation, and so made an early get-away, as the crowds became larger and larger, and this little witch didn't want to get home too late. But this witch did take a few pics of costume goers who posed still for a few seconds.

Depeche Mode

Today I wish to pay tribute to Depeche Mode. Their music is inspiring and thought-provoking, especially those songs from the 1980s. I miss seeing those music videos on TV....why doesn't MTV or VH1 air music anymore? Their focus has shifted from music to reality......is this really what the majority of the viewers wants?

So, all I can say is thanks to warnerbrosrecords for posting those "remastered videos" on YouTube. Good for them for sharing such great music for free. I only have to endure a 15-30 second commercial before the start.

One of the songs, dripping with symbolism is Depeche Mode's "Everything Counts" - the theme is about society and greed and corruption. Camera is filming traveling on the roads (or the highway, perhaps) during the day and night, and corporate buildings. Two men climbing up a ladder and possibly trying to throw the other off is what business has come down to. There is a also a beach/outdoor cafe scene, with I'm assuming means people taking a break from the competition.

I wish more music videos would be released today that had a proper story behind it. They say that history repeats itself....here's hoping for 1980s music coming back in "vogue".....(a reference to Madonna's 1980s song ;)

Updates from May - July!!!!

Woahh, I can't believe it's been 2.5mts since I last posted on this blog.....quite embarassing, but I have good reason. It's been mighty hectic, and I just didn't have the energy to log in and type something. But today, Jul 18th is a good day to start once again.

So quick updates on what has happened in the world, where I took an interest or a somewhat remote interest:

i) "Eclipse" was released, and yes, I saw the movie. And yes, I was disappointed in the overall package. The acting was mediocre at best and the storyline did not flow well. The only good performances were by the actors playing Rosalie and Jasper....the rest....sigh. Let's hope "Breaking Dawn" lives up to the quality of the book.

ii) Independence Day - July 4th fell on a Sunday this year. I had the chance to check out the fireworks; view wasn't great, but I did see some sparkle in the sky :)

iii) World Cup was played by many countries, and ultimately won by Spain. Was I surprised that Spain won? No....their winning performance at the Euro Cup two years ago was a foreshadowing of what would happen in 2010. I just want to say that Paul, the German Citizen Oracle Octopus better not be hurt by the Germans. He is only a messenger (i.e., he correctly predicted 8 of 8 results involving the German team, one of which was a loss to Spain). So if the Germans plan on executing him (i.e., grilling & eating him), somebody with a compassionate heart and who has access to him, please send him to Spain for protection.

iv) "The Girl who kicked the Hornet's Nest" written by Stieg Larsson was released. This is the third book of "The Girl..." series, and quite possibly the last. A very thick book, and may look intimidating at first glance, or even at second glance, but hey, don't judge a book by its size. Anyway, I'm still in the process of reading this novel, and hopefully, will be done in the next week or so.

v) FYI - I have done much summer cleaning these last two months - thrown out/given away stuff that I no longer or rarely use, and it feels good to live a bit lighter. Hopefully, my former junk is now someone's treasure.

vi) Finally saw "Leap Year" on DVD...pls note, that was one of my New Year's Resolutions. I can officially put a checkmark next to it, saying DONE.

So that's it for now, until next time.

Poetry Month Finished Two Days Ago

Okay, April is over, meaning poetry month is done. I wrote a total of 24 poems last month (six short of 30)....which technically means 80% completed, which technically means, I still passed :)

Poem #24 - Another Cold Day

This is one cold April month,
We are on the summer hunt,
For a little bit of sun,
A little less of the rain run.

The End

Poem #23 - Plugged In Laptops

Some people like to keep,
Their laptops plugged in so long,
Thinking the laptop will never weep.

Overworked is the laptop with electricity,
When unplugged,
It sighs as if free.

Being plugged in twenty-four/seven,
Makes its life short,
And trust me,
This laptop's destination is not heaven.

So, take the suggestion to let it run on battery,
It will prolong its life,
You just see.

The End.

Poem #22 - Six Days Behind with Poems

Six days I am with poems behind,
Please do not be unkind,
I have been pre-occupied,
Just a bit,
But let me use my evening ounce of wit,
To play catch-up tonight,
Even if it leads up to next day's
Sunlight.

The End

Poem #21 - Hair Wash

How often should one wash one's hair,
To make it clean and fair?

Some people say once or twice a week is enough,
But I find it rather tough,
To leave it unwashed for the remaining days of the week,
So I go out more often and seek,
My bottle of shampoo,
To give my hairdo,
A little extra lather,
Cause I would rather,
Have that extra cleanly care,
For the roots of my hair.

The End

Poem #20 - What I'm Doing Right Now

What am I doing right now?
Well, it's nothing that warrants
A wow.

I'm sipping on green tea ginger ale,
While reading my email.

My iPod is playing "Monster" loud and clear,
My neighbors must be thrilled to be living so near,
To good tunes they are exposed this evening,
Perhaps they will get into the mood to sing.

The End

Poem #19 - The Overrated Salad Bar

People claim they are eating healthy food,
By stopping by the salad bar,
And ingesting all that is good.

However, are salad bars truly what they claim?
Giving themselves a healthy name?

The dressings for one,
Sure have calories,
A ton.

Then there are the cheeses,
With saturated fat,
Which won't help you fly gracefully,
As a bat.

Lowering the amounts of these two,
Will help you feel like brand new.
As a replacement,
Adding to the salad mix,
A little grilled food
Would provide a better
Balanced fix.

The End

Poem #18 - Peter Reckell / Bo Brady

"Days of Lives" is a favorite soap opera of mine,
Enjoyable to watch,
It is like well-aged wine.

Peter Reckell is on this show,
Which every housewife would certainly know,
Since the 1980s playing Bo Brady,
A character of much integrity,
And absolutely nothing shady.

A kind and decent cop,
His performance has always been one of the top.
As he grows older,
His look keeps getting better and bolder.

A difficult life he has had,
Making many viewers feel very sad,
But his inner strength has been inspiring,
Nothing one would ever find tiring.

Bo was paired for many years with Hope,
A disgustingly boring choice,
To which I say "Nope."

Now Carly is back,
No more does the chemistry lack,
For soulmates are Bo and Carly,
I promise you,
You will see,
It's not just me.

At 1pm on week days,
See how this couple brings the sun rays,
To the TV screen big or small,
This pair will certainly have a marvelous ball.

So I do keep my fingers crossed,
That this pair is lasting,
And that this love shall never be lost.

The End

Poem #17 - NYC

Yellow cabs filling the street,
People moving quickly,
Not missing a single beat.

Stores are open until midnight,
Unlike the rest of the cities,
Whose doors are closed tight.

This is New York City,
Where people are indeed very witty,
Where fast-paced life is the way,
Almost each and every day.

The End

Poem #16 - Hershey's Kisses

Today I ate seven Hershey's Kisses,
As I realized,
Not eating chocolate,
What one misses.
Each one was wrapped in aluminum fold,
A blue, a green, a pink, a gold,
In my mouth these little chocolates I popped,
Which gave me energy,
And if required I would have hopped.

I believe I have one remaining Hershey's Kiss in my bag,
Let me make my way there,
Otherwise my conscience will nag.

The End

Poem #15 - Black & Red Ink

I'm just lounging on my bed,
As I begin typing in red,
But then I think to myself,
It reminds me of teachers' corrections
Like those essays on my shelf.
And so the color is now in black again,
It's so much better,
As I don't need flashbacks of the school days
Back when I was ten.

The End.

Poem #14 - Past Midnight

1:07am is the time,
As I am sitting here,
"Yawn,"
And trying to rhyme.

Should I be asleep now?
Yes.
Should as Madonna once sang,
"Take a bow..?"
Yes.
But instead I am awake,
And no,
I am not reading
The English works by William Blake.

The End

Poem #13 - Is Spring Here?

According to the calendar,
Spring is here,
However, Spring appears far,
In reality,
Not near.

It is chilly outside,
More appropriate to take
A bus or train ride,
Than shiver,
While walking
Close to the river.

The End

Poem #12 - Sleeping Late

I enjoy sleeping late,
To have pleasant dreams,
That may give me a clue
About my future fate.

Sleep is best
When it is deep,
And when one is snuggled under the covers,
As a breeze through the window hovers,
Closely by my face and hair,
It's comforting like a cuddly little bear.

So long as nightmares stay away,
I consider sleep
One of the best parts of the day.

The End

Poem #11 - Iced Coffee

I buzzed into Starbucks
Like a little honey bee,
And ordered myself,
A tall iced coffee.

My order in an instant was prepared,
As if the barista really cared.
I grabbed it,
And took a sip of the iced coffee black,
"Mmh," I thought to myself,
"Some milk it needed for some extra knack."

Whole milk I poured a healthy dose,
A sip I took,
Aahh, I suddenly felt very verbose.

The End

Poem #10 - "Changes"

"Changes" is a book I read in my teenage years,
It moved me so,
As it dealt with the unknown and fears.

The author is Danielle Steel,
Yes, it's women's fiction,
But really,
It's no big deal.

The book deals with decision-making,
Of a single mother involved
In choices that are life-changing.

Changes in life take a certain amount of embracing,
The unknown that one will always be facing.
Dreams and desires will be chased,
Upon which one's upbringing is based.

The ending,
Of course has a happily ever after,
The conclusion leaves the characters
And the reader in sweet laughter.

The End

Poem #9 - Preventive Measures on Rain

Rain drops came down rapidly,
And would have soaked my pant legs up to my knee,
Except I managed to step out when it had diminished,
For why get wet,
And have your whole day be finished?

In case it would rain again,
A rain coat I smartly wore
So that I would not be
Drenched to the core.

The End

Poem #8 - A Cut on My Thumb

Yesterday's lunch was stored in an aluminum container,
Opening it up,
Was seriously a no-brainer.

However, I was a bit hasty,
Because the food looked really tasty,
And the container edge,
A cut it gave me,
And on my left thumb,
A bit of blood began to flow free.

Great, I said,
As I scratched my head,
While this was not my fault,
Now I must not let it touch
Any citrus fruit or salt,
For otherwise there will be stinging,
And trust me,
I won't be joyfully singing.

The End

Poem #7 - Jarlsberg Cheese

Today I purchased a Jarlsberg Cheese slab,
Which put a total of $5.08
On my tab.

This delightful cheese is mild, nutty and buttery from a cow,
Once you take a nibble,
All you can do is raise your palms up
And say is "wow."

Jarlsberg Cheese originates from Norway,
And usually aged one year to this day,
Before in supermarkets being sold,
It is a light yellow color,
Almost like gold.

I love eating it with crackers or fresh bread,
With butter,
My, my,
The taste does go to my head.

The End

Poem #6 - Top Ice Cream Flavor

What is my #1 flavor of ice cream,
Which one's tasted,
Feels like a wonderful dream?

Why it's coffee,
Nice and creamy,
You see,
but not too sweet,
Yeah,
The right balance
Is just neat.

I'm amazed how many calories,
in half a cup one sees,
And often wonder if it was accurately calculated,
Because sometimes the number seems way overrated.

Now for ice cream I'm in a mood,
But it's dark outside,
So I may just have to sit here and brood.

Oh, but I got my sweet fix with M&Ms a few minutes ago,
So to brooding I say no,
I shall wait for another day,
To go out of my way,
And enjoy ice cream of coffee taste,
Even if I must make haste.

The End

Poem #5 - One of my Neighbors

An elderly lady lives next door,
On the same floor.
She scares me sometimes,
And I'm not just saying this,
So this poem rhymes.

The elderly lady curses a lot,
I'm exaggerating this not,
She uses language fowl,
It often comes out as a howl.

To drown her voice,
I put on music real loud,
Because seriously,
I have no other choice.

The End

Poem #4 - Jeans

Blue jeans part of my wardrobe are,
Do you wonder why?
It really isn't so bizarre.
They are comfortable and well-maintained
Whether it snowed or it rained.

There are jeans of different types,
They go with all kinds of shirts,
Be it with dots or with stripes.

One of my dark blue pairs is in the washer currently,
I can't wait to have them sparkling fresh,
I'm thinking with glee.

The End

Poem #3 - The Easter Bunny

Easter is today,
On a bright and sunny Sunday,
Falling as usual,
One month earlier
Than May.

A chocolate Easter bunny I received this afternoon.
Oh, I said,
This is quite a boon.
I would begin to nibble it,
At full moon.

Of rice krisps it was made,
I inhaled the chocolate scent deeply,
And said,
This sure made the grade.

It looked very yummy,
And with much gratitude:
Thank you,
Said my tummy.

The End

Poem #2 - The Gym

The gym is a place to work out,
To lose the weight,
Of excess food that entered your mouth.

Enjoyable to work up a sweat it is not,
But if to keep in shape is sought,
then that is the only shot.

So I attempt to go weekly twice,
Even though,
I'd much rather be eating
Chicken Souvlaki with rice.

The End

Poem #1 - Poetry Month

Poetry Month is again here,
It indeed happens,
Consistently,
Once a year.

People, please don't have any fear,
As I attempt to get into high gear,
And write one poem a day,
Be it if there's rain
Or more than one sun ray.

My poems may not have much flow,
But I'm hoping,
At some point,
Improvement will show.

Poetry I will write,
Even if it takes all night.
Thirty in all,
Some will be small,
And some tall.

So, sit back and enjoy,
Or roll your eyes,
And say,
Oh boy.

The End

PS = An announcement - today is the one year anniversary of my blog. Time sure flies by!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

March 17th marks the day Irish and many non-Irish people celebrate St. Patrick's Day...a day, I believe should be officially declared a national holiday. I paid my tribute by wearing plenty of green (it's my favorite color...so it wasn't hard to find something from my wardrobe :)

The streets of NYC were flowing with people in green garments, and it was very pleasing to the eye. I made my way to the parade, which was taking place on 5th Avenue. Lots of cheering, bands playing, fireman and schools marching. It was a well organized event, and this year, the weather was actually perfect...

Below are some pictures. Please excuse the fact that they aren't that great. I just wasn't close enough to the front.

Separately, this evening, my toilet overflowed. Shucks. What a pain. Me being ever curious, I tried flushing the toilet again, hoping it would work, but OH NO, the water overflowed again. I spent the next 30 minutes cleaning up. So right now, I'm pretty grossed out. Tomorrow, I'll have to get someone to fix it. Anyway, I digress, do enjoy the pictures below.

• The Irish Flag
• 
  
  
• US Flags...just the right amount of wind.
  

• The Military
• 

• Band performing. While my intent was to focus my camera solely on the band, I became entranced and captivated by the two cute hats the people in front of me were wearing.
  
  
  
• A Marching Band
  

Back-to-Back Dreams & Being Snowed In

We are snowed in on the East Coast, which means a nice & cozy day indoors. I woke up at 11:45am...yes, I got 11+ hours of sleep, and it was awesome. I had two dreams, back-to-back...weird, huh? The first dream ended when my phone decided to wake me up in the early morning hours, which I promptly shut off rather than hitting the snooze button. The second dream, I believe happened the moment my eyes closed again.

What were the dreams about?

In the first one, I was heading to a subway station, when a guy looked like he was having a seizure or something. A crowd was gathering watching him. No one really appeared to help him, but I do think someone had dialed for an ambulance. I offered him my bottle of water, which he drank gratefully, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough. He later either died or went into a coma...not sure, as I had already left. I looked at my watch, and realized I was running late, so I went to get on a train. Unfortunately, everything had been closed off. So I was furious, I was going to be late.

The second dream, I was in a bookstore or library, and found audio tapes (yeah, the old fashioned ones) of my favorite childhood cartoon characters. The next scene I was on a highway (in the backseat), with two or three other people (I can't remember exactly), and we were talking about change happening in life, and that nothing lasts forever. I saw a lot of white BMWs or Mercedes Benz's passing us. I wondered if we were sitting in one of those fancy cars as well. Then I woke up.

I wouldn't call the above two dreams nightmares exactly, but they sure weren't "happy" dreams. If anyone could shed some light of what these dreams mean, that would be great.

Anyway, after getting up, I took a shower, had lunch, and then proceeded to put on my TV on Channel 4 so I could watch Days of Our Lives. But, I was disappointed to note that all that was showing was the news...the weather news. I'm amazed how a network can waste soooo much time covering the weather. I think by now, everybody knows it's snowing outside, and we should stay indoors if we can. Anyway, just found out that today's DOOL will be airing on Sunday at guess what time, people? 4:30am. Are you kidding me. I am so not a morning person. So I will probably watch it online.

Anyway, I love snow days, provided I don't have to step outside to run errands. Hope your snow day (if you're on the East Coast) was pleasant. If you had to go outside, I do hope you watched your step carefully.

Shutter Island...uhhhh!!!!

So the much-awaited Martin Scorsese film was released on Friday, and I headed to the theater this weekend to catch this psychological thriller flick. My main reason? Why, because Leonardo DiCaprio starred in it, of course.

My adoration for Leonardo DiCaprio goes back to the days when he was just a teen, and became a cast member on "Growing Pains."

Then came "Titanic," which brought him to the A list of actors...especially in the eyes of all teen girls, who couldn't get their hands on YM (a teen magazine) soon enough, because that adorable, dimple-smiled face graced the cover.

So, anyway, I digress. I went to see "Shutter Island," which was a really long movie (with trailers, I was in the theater for 2hrs 35 minutes). Leonardo DiCaprio did not disappoint. He put his heart and his soul into each scene, and his presence is worth watching the movie. While personally, this movie theme is not my cup of tea, the storyline was interesting (barring a couple of cringe-worthy scenes...like that one with all the rats...yikes...I couldn't look). The most shocking part for me was the ending...yes, there was a twist....if the word "thriller" and Scorsese are in the same sentence (e.g., "Departed"), then yes, expect a twist in the end.

134th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Today I went to Madison Square Garden to watch the 134th Westminster Kennel Dog Show. The place was packed. I had no idea there would be so many people. I had tickets for the general admission seating, but was allowed to go to the Dog Benching area and the main floor where the judging took place.

The Dog Benching area was where all the dogs hung out, while waiting their turn for the judging to begin. Owners took this opportunity to groom their dogs, and also allow any people to pet their dogs.

The highlight of my day was when I stopped by the Briards section, I saw one of my favorite authors - Jeffery Deaver. We shook hands, and I told him that I had read his books and really enjoyed them. He thanked me, and mentioned that his dogs had been in the show earlier today, but that they hadn't done so well. He was heading out, and so I told him to continue writing and doing such a great job :)

I watched a few of the judging sessions, which were quite interesting. At lunchtime, I headed out, and came back an hour later to stay another 2 hours or so.

Below are some pictures I took. Enjoy!

-> Waiting to be judged

-> The judging begins

-> A Pomeranian

-> Blue, a pug, whose b'day falls on Feb 25th

-> A Golden Retriever

-> Dog keeping cool in headwear

-> Dog getting brushed

-> Dog getting excited when owner shows him a treat

-> Don, a Briard - one of Jeffery Deaver's dogs

-> German Shepherd Dog - this one won Best of the Best

-> Dog relaxing with his owner in the Benching area

-> A Bulldog

-> Dog having its hair straightened

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today, the Roman God Cupid (Greek: Eros) makes his appearance around the world to spread some love. Cards, flowers, and chocolates are the common gifts presented to loved ones.

Valentine's Day has a sort of magical feel to it. So it's only appropriate that wizards and witches celebrate this day as well.

I decided to give Hallmark a run for its money, and created a Valentine's Day card that can be marketed to the magical community. See below - a snapshot of the front cover, as well as what's inside.

Enjoy :)

The Super Bowl

I attended a get-together today to watch one of the most anticipated sporting events in the US - the Super Bowl. The teams: the Colts vs. the Saints.

Opening Ceremony - Queen Latifah sang "America, the Beautiful", and Carrie Underwood sang the "Star Spangled Banner."

Most of the people in the room were rooting for the Saints. Me personally? I didn't really have a strong opinion one way or the other, but when someone mentioned that the Saints were the "underdog" and that they had never won a Super Bowl before, I began cheering for the Saints. What can I say? I have always been a bit of a sucker for the underdog.

So while muching on tortillas and salsa, and drinking lots of soda (not club soda, mind you), and taking in a lot of empty calories, I watched the game. I am not too familiar with how the scoring works, but someone was kind enough to explain the game to me....and I got most of it :)

Half-time - a musical group called "The Who" performed. Not familiar with them, but apparently, they were a real popular group from back in the day.

I enjoyed the commercials...my favorites were E Trade with the little babies acting like traders, the Doritos commercials (especially the one where a "living" guy rolls out of a coffin with tortilla chips falling with him), and the Snickers commercial, when Betty White (you know, the one who played Rose on the Golden Girls) was tackled by a football player.

The game ended at 9:45pm, with the Saints winning 31-17. It was a good game, and I think almost everyone around me was happy.

Good night.

A Walkthrough of Today's Grammy's

I'm lounging on my bed, watching the Grammy's. Here's a recap:

8pm started off with Lady Gaga performing "Poker Face," and then singing a duet with Elton John (both playing on pianos)...interesting match...and both had their faces painted up...hmmm. Would have preferred her performing "Bad Romance." Oh well.

So, best song was won by Beyonce Knowles...was I surprised? No. Did I think she deserved it for the "Single Ladies" song? Not really. I don't care for the tune.

Best country song went to Taylor Swift...no surprise there. Thank God, Kanye West was nowhere in sight. I'd be seriously irritated if he interrupted her Thank You speech again.

CBS asked viewers to vote on its website for one of three songs that Bon Jovi will perform later tonight. I headed to the site, which was super-slow to load, and picked an old classic "Living on a Prayer." The '80s rock, people. I love when this song plays on the radio, especially when waking up to it in the mornings. Bon Jovi is from NJ, a real family man, and gets hotter and hotter as time passes. He's like fine wine....oh, bad example, as I don't like wine...okay, how about like aged cheese ;)

Pink's outfit....no comment.

Black Eyed Peas was entertaining as usual with their "Imma Be..." song, and then moving on to "I gotta feeling." Not sure of what to make of the robotic outfits.

Really liked the performance by Lady Antebellum singing "Need You Now." It's a beautiful, emotional song. I looked it up on the Internet to find out more about it. Boy, was I surprised that it's a country song. I'll say this then - this is the first country song I have thoroughly enjoyed. It hardly even feels like country. More like a mix of easy listening & pop and just a trace of country. Great tune by this group...yes, Lady Antebellum is a group, not just a single lady performing. I found this out today, so don't feel bad if you hadn't heard about this group before.

I thought Grammy's were all about singing. The Best Comedy Album category doesn't appear to require any singing. Strange category. Well, Steven Colbert won.

Record of the Year won by Kings of Leone.

Next, Jamie Foxx performed a song. I muted it, so I could look up the "Need You Now" song on YouTube. Nice video.

Best Rock Album - Green Day.

Leon Russell performed. Again, I muted, so I could finish watching "Need You Now." I love the piano playing accompanying this song. And the lyrics are really so beautiful...'picture perfect memories scattered all around the floor, reaching for the phone 'cause, I can't fight it anymore. And I wonder if I ever cross your mind, for me it happens all the time. It's a quarter after one, and I'm all alone and I need you know...' Wow. Those are very moving and sad lyrics. This is an iPod worthy song.

Taylor Swift performed next on her guitar. Again, I muted it. My remote sure is getting a workout from constantly being muted and unmuted.

Next was Michael Jackson's tribute. A presentation was given in 3-D. Several top perfomers sang - Celine Dion, Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, and Smokey Robinson.

And then.....Bon Jovi. Started off with "We weren't born to follow," then "Who says you can't go home." And then the song that viewers voted on that got performed next was: "Living on a Prayer." YES!!!!!!!

Best Rap Song Collaboration - Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West.

For Haiti - Andrea Bocelli and Mary J Blige performed the song "Like a Bridge over Troubled Water."

Adam Sandler came on to present the Dave Matthews Band. He wore Usher's jacket, because he forgot to dress formal.

Best Female Pop Vocal - Beyonce

Okay; I think there are another 30 minutes or so of Grammy viewing. I'm muting it now, unless some really interesting category comes on. Have been watching for 2 and a half hours. It's time to call it a day.

NYC Restaurant Week Truck: Soup

Okay, I waited in a long line today in front of the NYC Restaurant Week Truck. It was freezing...mind you, it had snowed earlier today. My turn came about 30 minutes later, and I got myself a nice piping hot cup of soup; the flavor - butternut squash leek soup with cranberry beans and sage coupons. Yummy! The soup came with bread. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised when I found my paper bag containing not one, not two, but three rolls of bread ;) By the way, the name of the restaurant from where the soup came from is called Nice Matin.

For every soup purchase ($6), $1 was contributed to Haiti. I think it's a great idea, because those single dollars do add up, and will provide the country with much-needed assistance.

NYC Restaurant Week

Restaurant Week is a big deal in NYC, and it starts next week. If you're not familiar with it, it represents two weeks of so-called lower-priced meals by some of the top and most expensive restaurants in the city. These restaurants will offer a three-course meal for $24.07 (lunch) or $35 (dinner). Ordinarily, you'd probably be spending double. However, I still think it's a bit too pricy, because you've got to take into account a beverage + tax + tip.

So, if you don't want to shell out the above $$ amounts, but wish you could do some sampling, there is another option this time around, and that is the "NYC Restaurant Week Truck." This vehicle will carry a variety of soups from the top restaurants - each day a different selection. The parking space will be at different locations. If you are interested in the schedule + the menu, see the nycgo.com website and look up Restaurant Week. The cost of one of the exotic sounding soups is $6 and includes bread. Trying out the soup will give you a mini sampling of what high-end cuisine is all about, but won't hurt your budget so much. I will be going that route, if I can make the location. Happy Eating!

How to Entertain Yourself When you Have a Cold

For the past week, I have had a pretty nasty cold, which thanks to the weather aggravated it. My weekend was spent mostly at home trying to recuperate. But for me, there's nothing more boring than being stuck for an extended period of time in a room (unless of course, I'm sleeping) without anything to keep me entertained.

So, after loading up on Tylenol Cold, Vapor Rub, and a packet of cough drops, drinking plenty of orange juice and slurping on piping hot soup, I entertained myself by watching Season 1 & 2 of "Jon and Kate Plus Eight." I had read a lot about this TLC show back in the summer, when Jon made a bit of too much headline news.

I had never heard of this show before, but decided it could be quite useful to know how to raise eight kids at once.....especially from an organizational, logistical and financial point of view. Plus, those little sextuplets are so adorable. You don't require the use of too many brain cells to watch this show, which is good, because when you have a cold, your intellectual cells seem to be asleep ;)

Other things you can do: sleep, read a book (though I don't really do this when I'm sick, because my eyes usually feel too tired to read a book), listen to an audiobook/podcast or music, email family/friends, surf the Internet, and sleep...did I say this already?

PS = I am forced to do laundry today though, as I am running out of clean clothes. It's still an indoor activity, so can fall under the things to do.

Friday Dinner

On Friday, I had dinner with one of my closest friends from the good old college days....hadn't seen her in almost a year, even though we're both within reasonable commuting distance of the city. But with our schedules, it's hard to plan so that we're both free at the same time. But finally, Friday we decided, it must be done. Of course, we picked one of the coldest days of the year :)

It was a lot of fun catching up on the good old times, while eating shrimps in a delightful cilantro/lemony flavored sauce with vegetable rice at a Mexican restaurant. Thankfully, the place wasn't too crowded, otherwise we would have been forced to vacate the table in an hour (this is NY people, not Europe, where lingering for several hours at a table is highly encouraged).
Dessert was not necessary, but as you're sitting at the table yacking away, your eyes roam over what other people are devouring. Of course, seeing those bowls of scoops and scoops of ice cream, dripping in chocolate fudge, and all the other sinful, delightful toppings, it weakens your New Year's Resolution thoroughly...hmm, Friday was the 8th....so I kept my resolution for 8 days :)....will start fresh the following week...I promise, really, I do.

It's funny, but when the waiter dropped off the dessert menus in front of us the first time, we scanned it, deliberated like highly intellectual scientists, and then with great dignity, returned it to the waiter, saying "no thanks." Then 10 minutes passed, 20 minutes...and our resolves crumbled just like a cookie crumbles when one bites into it. So we asked for the dessert menus again.

We each ordered ice cream. I had mine with Mexican pastry puffs, while my friend had hers with a chocolate brownie. Both brought us over the recommended daily calorie count (which I believe is a max of 2,500 calories). Oh well. It was worth it, and who said that indulging once in a blue moon isn't allowed?

"Survivor" TV Show

I have been a fan of "Survivor" since the finale of Season 1. What's it been now? 19 Seasons? Well, on Feb 11 2010, Season 20 begins, and its theme is Heroes vs. Villains. That's exciting, because I would like to see some of the prior castmates come back and compete once more. Most exciting for me is the drama, backstabbing, alliances, and lies that occur, and of course my favorite, the surprising vote counts.

Today, CBS announced the names of the people coming back. I'm quite excited about many of them - some I won't be rooting for, but will thoroughly enjoy their plotting and manipulation, i.e., Rob Mariano, Russell Hantz; and others, I hope will go far in the game, i.e., Cirie Fields, Amanda Kimmel, and Parvati Shallow. But honestly, I won't know who I want in the final two, until I've seen these people back in action, see if their game play has changed, and how well they play the game. Only once the season starts (2 hrs on Feb 11th...yes), will I know who should be in the final two.

2010: New Year Resolutions

Today is 1/1/2010 - the first day of the first month of a new decade.....three "1's" in the date. I would like to wish you, dear reader, a very Happy New Year. I do hope it is a good year.

Like almost everyone else, I have made New Year's Resolutions. Below are some that I would like to share (some shall remain a secret...those who know me real well, know what other goals I would like to meet :)

1. Work out on a regular basis (at least 2-3 times per week) so that I stay in shape. I am by no means fat, but seriously, not working out, does make me feel quite lethargic...yawn. I will keep a journal to track down how many minutes I work out each time I do. The stats should be interesting and hopefully, steady :)

2. Eat healthier (instead of eating desserts daily, I will try to limit it to once to twice a week), and will focus on more veggies and fruits, and less junk food (sorry McDonald's...love yah, especially the filet o' fish, but will try to limit it).

Note: I will not stop drinking coffee, because it is not considered unhealthy...an article in late December 2009 in the WSJ confirmed that, thank you very much.

3. Go to more "cultural" events, e.g., try out different ethnic cuisines/attend fairs, learn more about history, listen to more intellectual podcasts rather than just the comedic ones, visit museums, try to see a play or two, etc.

4. Try out new recipes of different ethnicities.

5. Do some volunteering, ideally involving nature and/or kids.

6. Would love to travel to another country (Ireland, anyone :)....not sure if this is possible, but if it is, I would be absolutely thrilled). In the meantime, I will feel like I'm living that dream by watching a movie called "Leap Year"....I heard it takes place in Ireland. Can't wait. It releases on Jan 8, 2010.

7. Try to read at least one bestseller a month...that is, if the topic interests me...if not a bestseller, then at least one book a month :)

8. Study and prepare well for exams, so that I pass.

It's funny, but number 1 & 2 always appear on my New Year Resolutions list each and every year I made one.....hmm, I guess that's kind of a long-term goal.