For Grand-ma

Dear Grand-ma,

I am writing you a letter and posting it online, because I believe that you will be able to see it.  

I just want you to know that you meant so much to me.  I loved visiting you, and hearing the sound of your voice, when we spoke on the phone.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the kindness, love, and genuinely sweet gestures you have shown me since I was a baby.  I will never forget these memories, and will carry them in my heart forever.

Your home-cooked meals were the best, because you cooked with a lot of love.  I will never, ever forget the taste of the cauliflower (Indian style gobi) you cooked, especially for me.  It stands alone.

You were a very strong and brave person, and I admire and respect you so much.  I also love you very, very much.  May your soul rest in peace, and I hope you have been reunited with Grand-pa in heaven, and smiling down at me.

A few weeks ago, while visiting a park in London, I saw a beautiful layout of flowers.  I know you were fond of bright, vibrant colors and flowers, and snapped a picture of them for you.  See below.

Lots of love and kisses,
sonie

New Whitney Museum of American Art Event

The Whitney Museum of American Art recently opened at its new location at 99 Gansevoort Street (near the Highline), and offered free admission & a block party on May 2nd.  Great architecture both exterior and interior (including the elevators).  I won't lie; I didn't look at each painting too closely...some didn't make sense (e.g., a canvas painted completely white, another painted completely black)...hmmm...

But there was also artwork that was pretty amazing.  I'd never even heard of these painters before today, so I'm glad I got introduced to them.  And of course, who can forget the bulky TVs of previous decades?

Writing Class Update

My writing class is soon coming to an end; this week will be the final session.  I am nervous and excited to present my final work, and obtain feedback and comments from my classmates.

I'm also a bit sad that the class is wrapping up, because what I really loved was the structure and immediate feedback and interactiveness received.  My classmates each have such a unique voice, and some of their writing was out of this world.  I hope to one day see them published, because their writing just sucked me into their characters' lives.  It truly was a mind-altering journey.  Who would have thought?  I have so much respect for people who are good story-tellers, and see that it just makes you feel really good, once you have created something.  I finally get why some people choose to major in English Literature and/or Creative Writing.

Once the class is over, I am afraid that I won't find the time, motivation, and discipline to open up a word doc and continue to write.  I have some good starters for a story, and need to just get on it.  I guess, that will be my Resolution (yes, I know it's already 4/25, but I'm going to make an effort to create and further develop my story this year).

This has been by far the best class I have taken in a long, long time.  I had been encouraged to take such a class for many years now, but never had the motivation.  This year, though, something inside me just probed me to start writing.  And this class has truly opened up my heart and soul in a way I can't describe.  It was such a unique experience that I hope to carry with me long after this class is over.  And with that I will close my blog, as I plan to spend my weekend putting the final touches on my work before class time.

Writing Class

I wanted to do something more fun and creative this year, so I went ahead and enrolled in a fiction writing class.  I'm so glad I did.  The people in my class are so unique and in some cases quirky, I'm getting such a kick out of it. 

To give you an idea of the level of intellectualism in my class, when the instructor asked us what our favorite book was, most people said something like "Wuthering Heights" or "Ulysses."

Really?  Before my turn came, I was seriously debating whether to just say "Jane Eyre," but while the book represents great literature, it's by no means something I would have picked out on my own (it had been assigned to us in high school, and was one of the few books that I liked...not loved, but liked). 

Rather than being pretentious and/or a literary guru to match some of my fellow classmates, I picked something more recent that was an NYT Bestseller, and which had kept me up all night.  A true page-turner.  Felt good being true to myself.

The first in-class assignment was mentally stimulating, and I just completed my first homework writing assignment of 150 words.  It may not be the best, but I had just fun brainstorming, drafting it, and finally snipping it here and there and making it a concise 150 words.  Can't wait to share it in class, and hear what the others come up with.

The best part about this class is that this appears to be all about creative writing.

The instructor asked us to start observing people and places in every-day life, and jot them down.  I thought it appropriate to start-off with an entry below:

Today while waiting in line at Starbucks, a 30-something year old blond-pony-tailed mom was in front of me with her 5-year old high energetic son.  He took in the baked goods display, and selected a cake pop.  His mom asked him which he wanted - he said the chocolate with the white sprinkles.  However, when mom placed the order (and at this time the son was busy talking with another kid about something), she asked for the caramel one instead.  Then the mom noticed that if you buy two, you get them cheaper.  I held my breath, hoping she would get the chocolate-covered one for her son, but no, the cashier took the strawberry one.  Oh well.  I guess there will be a debate or a tantrum outside.

A Song that has driven me to forget.....

Sometimes you come across a song that just envelops you so intensely, so fiercely, that it sticks with you even when you are not listening to it, and as you go through the daily motions of life.

When you're working on a completely mindless task, this song helps you through.  It makes time pass more easily.  When commuting by bus or train and being stuck in slow-moving traffic, this song offers an escape.  And yes, I have this song's settings at REPEAT 1 on my iPod.  Over and over again.

Yup, this specific song, which now shows a count of 964 in my iTunes account as of this AM, is so AMAZING and DEEP, it's like getting a heavy dose of euphoria.  You forget your problems or at least you get transported into another imaginative world, so that your problems are pushed to the utmost back-end corner of your mind.

At this point you're probably rolling your eyes and wondering what is the the name of the song.....ha, ha....wouldn't you like to know?

When I close my eyes, I feel the song in my veins and my blood stream.  And then this sudden chill.  I start to shiver, even with the heater currently on and the room temperature at around 75 degrees. 

I don't believe in dragging the suspense any longer.  I will tell you the name of the song.  It's called "This is Not A Love Song," performed by Katie Cruel.  What an AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING song.

Good night.

Bonne Année 2015

I meant to write my first blog of 2015 on 1/1/15, but somehow time just flew, and it is now past midnight on 1/2/15.  I am not tired at all....I guess it has something to do with that tall latte I started drinking at around 4pm.

Anyway, as at every start of the New Year, I make myself a list of New Year Resolutions.  Yes, the usual losing a few pounds, eating healthier, exercising, and blah, blah, blah make my list EVERY year without fail, but this year, I am adding one additional item that I seriously want to improve on.....and that is learning to speak French.

Where do I begin with this language that is just not sticking to my brain?  I have studied it for the past 2 years or so (many long breaks during the hot summer months), and previously taken it in high school, but for some reason, I get tongue-tied each time I want to say more than a simple sentence.  If a native speaker tried to speak to me, I know EXACTLY what to say in a witty/sarcastic way in English, but for some reason, by the time my brain processes and translates what I want to say in French, the moment is gone and/or the person looks at me with a raised eyebrow or is already talking to me about another topic, but this time in English.  Hmm...

So this year, I have decided to step it up a notch:

#1 - I have invested in a Berlitz compact French-English dictionary (you may roll your eyes and state, duh, isn't that the first thing you get? Mind you, I've used Google Translate and/or Yahoo! Answers in the past).

#2 - I will read at least one modern fiction novel in French this year (not more than 200 pages), and force myself to look up each word that I don't recognize, so that my vocabulary increases and/or the ones that I had previously learned but failed to remember, will be reintroduced to me.

#3 - I will listen to more French music and try to understand the lyrics. 

#4 - When watching my favorite US TV shows on DVD, if there is an option to turn on the French subtitles, I will do so.

#5 - I will continue to watch French movies (but will leave the English subtitles on just in case).  Will stick to comedies, because I have dozed off one time too many for the ones dealing with hidden meanings.

#6 - I will listen to French podcasts.

#7 - I will attempt to speak more French with fellow learners and perhaps if I have the nerve, with native speakers.

And that's that.  I hope that my French will improve, and I can one day visit France (or Canada....the French-speaking part), and speak in français.  Bonsoir.