Updates:
Maroon 5 was sin September and it went extremely well, and overall extremely successful
NBA: not something easy to deal with, but again.. very successful events.
I have had all these thoughts in my head that I wanted to share but I just couldn't manage to find the time or have a good memory to jot it down in my head.
I've been very confused lately. Confused about what I want to pursues in life, what's important in my life, and what's the next step. I want to make a difference. If I think back to my beliefs before life as an adult with responsibilities, i just wanted to change the world. I wanted to create something memorable.
At first I wanted to do Law, then I wanted to get an MBA and now Im thinking about doing both. a Law degree would definitely be more useful... well.. hey.. why not try for both? Go big or go home
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
seriously.. grow up
I'm tired to trying to be nice, trying to make it work, and trying to make up for things that I thought I was wronged for. I'm sorry you're retarded, ugly, friendless, and just completely out of tune with reality. I'm done being nice, it's time to be fair. To best honest, I'm kind of flattered that I'm worth talking about, you must be really jealous huh? Go fuck yourself and enjoy living in the pathetic little closed mind of yours.
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Sunday, June 17, 2012
At age 5, you're the center of everyone's world. You're the sweetest, the cutest, the bravest, and most importantly, the smartest. Everyone wants to please you because when you smile, they melt.
At age 12, you're body is changing and you have no idea what's going on. You do stupid things to yourself just because everyone else is and you have absolutely no confidence.
At age 16, you fight your parents because at the moment, they are your worst enemy. You hate them for not understanding and for not noticing the signals you have send to them telling them that you actually really need help.
At age 19. Since you were the star-child of the family, everyone expects you to be the best, to be better than anyone else. But then you may have made a bad decision and you let them down. Then everyone is disappointed, not just your parents.. everyone. You feel like a failure.
But you get to college, and all these problems are on a temp hold. You find your niche and you finally feel like you've accomplish something.
At age 20, you feel invincible, the world is yours. You're on top of your game because every member of greek life knows your name. You drink until you're belligerent then you wind up in a bed only to wake up the next morning to tell yourself: I'm never drinking again. But then after a few sandwiches and fries, and 10pm comes along, you're once again invincible.
At age 22, you're feeling on top of the world. You're graduating, starting a life of your own with the confidence of an alpha-male.
At 24, after two years of realizing, you're just really not that amazing, but rather a part of a pool of alpha males battling out for the top. You learn to step back and give eachother room to grow, in order to survive in this society. When you realize you're not the top-shit anymore, you confidence drops, wondering where did it all go wrong. So you look deeper inside you, relating all the problems with childhood drama. From the self-inflicted pain since pre-teens to being moved from place to place, you get too wrapped up in your own difficulties resulted from parents who just didn't know how to deal with a child growing up in a different culture from they grew up in. You find that correlation and use that excuse and blame people around you for how you've become. You've become distracted, less-motivated, lost and mostly confused.
You begin looking for something or someone to make you feel like you're on top of the world again. You push people, you break them just to see if they can handle you. You will only feel safe if you've put them through hell and they are still there. Because you know then, unlike the people that came and went in your life previously, these people will always be there to hold your hand through the dark. However, the these people have a complicated history too. They might see you as a problem to their growth and hence let go.
Where are you now? Still with the pride, the self-inflicted risks, the confusion, the distraction, and the feeling of failure? Pushing people away because you're afraid of disappointing them, or because you're so involved with your own drama that you just dont have the time for others. You try to help them with their issues and are often thanked for your creative words and heart-warming hugs. But then you expect the same back, only to find that not everyone knows how to deal with problematic kids. And you're alone again, trying to change.
At age 12, you're body is changing and you have no idea what's going on. You do stupid things to yourself just because everyone else is and you have absolutely no confidence.
At age 16, you fight your parents because at the moment, they are your worst enemy. You hate them for not understanding and for not noticing the signals you have send to them telling them that you actually really need help.
At age 19. Since you were the star-child of the family, everyone expects you to be the best, to be better than anyone else. But then you may have made a bad decision and you let them down. Then everyone is disappointed, not just your parents.. everyone. You feel like a failure.
But you get to college, and all these problems are on a temp hold. You find your niche and you finally feel like you've accomplish something.
At age 20, you feel invincible, the world is yours. You're on top of your game because every member of greek life knows your name. You drink until you're belligerent then you wind up in a bed only to wake up the next morning to tell yourself: I'm never drinking again. But then after a few sandwiches and fries, and 10pm comes along, you're once again invincible.
At age 22, you're feeling on top of the world. You're graduating, starting a life of your own with the confidence of an alpha-male.
At 24, after two years of realizing, you're just really not that amazing, but rather a part of a pool of alpha males battling out for the top. You learn to step back and give eachother room to grow, in order to survive in this society. When you realize you're not the top-shit anymore, you confidence drops, wondering where did it all go wrong. So you look deeper inside you, relating all the problems with childhood drama. From the self-inflicted pain since pre-teens to being moved from place to place, you get too wrapped up in your own difficulties resulted from parents who just didn't know how to deal with a child growing up in a different culture from they grew up in. You find that correlation and use that excuse and blame people around you for how you've become. You've become distracted, less-motivated, lost and mostly confused.
You begin looking for something or someone to make you feel like you're on top of the world again. You push people, you break them just to see if they can handle you. You will only feel safe if you've put them through hell and they are still there. Because you know then, unlike the people that came and went in your life previously, these people will always be there to hold your hand through the dark. However, the these people have a complicated history too. They might see you as a problem to their growth and hence let go.
Where are you now? Still with the pride, the self-inflicted risks, the confusion, the distraction, and the feeling of failure? Pushing people away because you're afraid of disappointing them, or because you're so involved with your own drama that you just dont have the time for others. You try to help them with their issues and are often thanked for your creative words and heart-warming hugs. But then you expect the same back, only to find that not everyone knows how to deal with problematic kids. And you're alone again, trying to change.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Oh hey puppy
Last weekend AEG hosted a BBQ at Sheshan.... By AEG I meant me... I prepared edibles for 50 people and thanks to baby Wang who helped grill all the shit.
There were children and best of all.... Doggies!!!
Check out the coolest dog ever, he knows tricks, he's super obedient , and just a good dog...
Giulia, let's get one?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
There were children and best of all.... Doggies!!!
Check out the coolest dog ever, he knows tricks, he's super obedient , and just a good dog...
Giulia, let's get one?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Monday, May 14, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Take me BACK to NYC pleaseeee
Fact: New York City is the best city in the world I came upon this article from the Village Voice (okay maybe biased) of 50 reasons why... below are my favorites:
47. There is always someone crazier than you. ALWAYS.
43. Bored to Death. 30 Rock. SNL. And a million other things that film here and we love. RIP Law and Order.
38. Drinking is like breathing. Or slightly more acceptable.
36. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, there is someone who will bring it to you for a price, which may or may not be negotiable. (Or legal.)
29. Restaurants are as common as single men and women. And equally diverse. And you never have to see either of them again after the initial awkward encounter.
26. Smart people are the norm, not the exception. (Which doesn't mean they're sane, but at least no one's boring.)
24. When you fly back into the city after a vacation or business trip, no matter how long you've lived here, you get that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. (So true... i get butterflies thinking about it...)
23. Efficiency in a drugstore checkout line.
20. Yelling "fuck" is just a mild obscenity.
15. The splendor of the Union Square Greenmarket.
10. Subway rage. Bike-lane rage. Walking rage. Random rage. These are our therapy. Although we all go to therapy, too. No judgments! We bitch, therefore we are.
7. Subway "prewalking," in which you walk to the exact right spot on the platform to board the train car that will save you the most time upon exit, exists and has a name. Gotta respect.
1. If you can make it here, you really can make it anywhere. But why would you bother to go anywhere else?
WHAT AM I DOING IN SHANGHAI?!
My good friend this morning told me.. "seriously.. only New Yorkers can truly understand New Yorkers". We're fast, smart, patientless, analytical, efficient, etcetcetcetcetc. I suggest everyone to go live in the Big Apple for a couple of years, then the mystery of my personality might be solved for you. New YOrkers are actually proud of our teeny weeny georaphically-speaking home, and only other New Yorkers can understand that. Seriously... why wouldn't you be fucking proud?
" I'm So Glad I Live In New York City and Not in the United States" - RL Stine. AMEN
47. There is always someone crazier than you. ALWAYS.
43. Bored to Death. 30 Rock. SNL. And a million other things that film here and we love. RIP Law and Order.
38. Drinking is like breathing. Or slightly more acceptable.
36. Whatever you need, whenever you need it, there is someone who will bring it to you for a price, which may or may not be negotiable. (Or legal.)
29. Restaurants are as common as single men and women. And equally diverse. And you never have to see either of them again after the initial awkward encounter.
26. Smart people are the norm, not the exception. (Which doesn't mean they're sane, but at least no one's boring.)
24. When you fly back into the city after a vacation or business trip, no matter how long you've lived here, you get that butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. (So true... i get butterflies thinking about it...)
23. Efficiency in a drugstore checkout line.
20. Yelling "fuck" is just a mild obscenity.
15. The splendor of the Union Square Greenmarket.
10. Subway rage. Bike-lane rage. Walking rage. Random rage. These are our therapy. Although we all go to therapy, too. No judgments! We bitch, therefore we are.
7. Subway "prewalking," in which you walk to the exact right spot on the platform to board the train car that will save you the most time upon exit, exists and has a name. Gotta respect.
1. If you can make it here, you really can make it anywhere. But why would you bother to go anywhere else?
WHAT AM I DOING IN SHANGHAI?!
My good friend this morning told me.. "seriously.. only New Yorkers can truly understand New Yorkers". We're fast, smart, patientless, analytical, efficient, etcetcetcetcetc. I suggest everyone to go live in the Big Apple for a couple of years, then the mystery of my personality might be solved for you. New YOrkers are actually proud of our teeny weeny georaphically-speaking home, and only other New Yorkers can understand that. Seriously... why wouldn't you be fucking proud?
Monday, May 7, 2012
Why does time even matter? Is it not an illusion anyway, if so why does it often feel so real, and claim so many victims to its rigorous schedule? Heaven on earth is a composite of all memories someone carries, and people who have brought pure happiness and light to our lives; these times to remember evoke bittersweet and unbelievably potent emotion. But though painful, these emotions are what's to be cherished and appreciated most of all.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
HmpH
After hours of facebook stalking I noticed that we are fucked. We're all so lost in our minds...always searching for, but rarely finding...that ultimatum that we think we can be fully happy about
....But why is it soo hard to get to happiness?
Because We're scared..
- scared to loose comfortability to go chase for our dreams
- scared to take a chance at something that might fail
- scared to move out of the perfect womb our parents created for us
- scared to find out that what you fought for.. wasn't that perfect
Our fear is our biggest enemy.. it makes us run away, makes us lazy, makes us feel incompetent .... and honestly we're all victims
....But why is it soo hard to get to happiness?
Because We're scared..
- scared to loose comfortability to go chase for our dreams
- scared to take a chance at something that might fail
- scared to move out of the perfect womb our parents created for us
- scared to find out that what you fought for.. wasn't that perfect
Our fear is our biggest enemy.. it makes us run away, makes us lazy, makes us feel incompetent .... and honestly we're all victims
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
RIP
Just found out my high school teacher was beaten to death by her son today... seriously.. what the fuck is wrong with this world...
http://www.dnainfo.com/20120410/midtown/laguardia-hs-teacher-karyn-kay-beaten-death-son-questioned
http://www.dnainfo.com/20120410/midtown/laguardia-hs-teacher-karyn-kay-beaten-death-son-questioned
i should reallly get a dog
i set myself on the sofa, cuddling my big teddy bear and sat through 'Marley and me' the 2nd time in 3 years. I've forgotten how much this movie truly moves me. A dog's unconditional love for his family can never be severed. Sometimes you may forget that the dog is there or that he/she is incapable of being what people would call "a good dog". But he will always remember you, will always come to you, will always play with you, always sit there as you cry together and nevertheless always love you. Makes me miss having Rocky around. As bad as he was, he sat there with me when i've given up hope on this city.
I've never actually owned a puppy but maybe it's something to consider. He will never disappoint you, but will only try and try to make you love him as much as he loves you. Gentle, easy, Simple. Simplicity is hard to come by these days.
"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary? "
I've never actually owned a puppy but maybe it's something to consider. He will never disappoint you, but will only try and try to make you love him as much as he loves you. Gentle, easy, Simple. Simplicity is hard to come by these days.
"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water log stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if your rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary? "
Monday, April 9, 2012
:(
How can anyone be sure of anything if there is no security?
sometimes i wonder what's the point of even trying to get that sense of security when there's no feedback
how can you be so sure? how do i even know?
Such a day to listen to James Morrison on repeat
sometimes i wonder what's the point of even trying to get that sense of security when there's no feedback
how can you be so sure? how do i even know?
Such a day to listen to James Morrison on repeat
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Me
"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." ― Monroe
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
For the Roommate...
I don't know if she will ever see this but, over the last 6 months, I've become more and more amazed at my roommate...
See this is a girl from southern Italy from a little island called Sicily.. you're probably familiar with the mafia stories from this town in the 1900s. I, who did not see Scarface nor the Godfather, have heard about it. So of course my first instinct was.... is she from the family? About 5 month later, and many glasses of wine later, I finally asked the question.. and she told me a story. A story about how she's NOT related to the mafia and how she once pondered into their circle and was quickly frightened and left that behind. Good Shit Roommate!
So If i were to make a dating profile for my roommate it will be as follows:
Name: Mama LaPaglia
Sex: Hot Sexy Female with awesome curves (she disagrees)
Age: Young and ready to mingleee... seriously... carefree mingling
Qualities:
Makes the Best Lasagna EVER (different styles for different tastes!)
Big large kisses that will make your troubles go away
Big cute puppy eyes that will make your heart melt
Easy Going, Fun.. can party with you and can also just cuddle and watch a movie with you
Things she lack:
the ability to understand american humor (who can blame her) but she's trying.. even got the urban dictionary app! Today she even said "Fuck that Shit".. Maybe I'm being a bad influence, but her efforts make me giggle.
LATENESS, but that's the Italian way, and she will at least feel bad about it and deeply express her apologetic feelings when everyone else just don't care. For that I give her super kudos.
Things She like:
EVERYTHING... seriously this girl is up for anything as long as she's not tired
Things she dislike:
Mean People.. this little soul won't take pointless mean-ness
Things that she values:
friendships and relationships.... Very important.. maybe this is also because she's Italian, I dont know. BUt she will go to the ends of the earth for a good friend, and will protect you. She's the most loyal person I've ever met, even when I'm not mad anymore, or when I've forgiven, she will always be that bulldog next to me backing me up.. no matter what.
She will disagree with things she doesn't believe in, and fight to prove her point, but that's just some thing to admire.. people that speak the honest truth... people that makes you think about your actions and question whether you're being a good person or not even if you didn't ask for her opinion. We can confront each other and accept each others views, regardless if we disagree or not.
Never did I know that the little confused girl circling around the Xinjiang restaurant back in March 2011 would turn out to be one of my best friends for life
BEST Roommate EVER
Thank you for making my shanghai experience :-).. even though I secretly thinks she turned off the hot water this morning.. and forced me to take a cold shower.. but then again.. another accident...
See this is a girl from southern Italy from a little island called Sicily.. you're probably familiar with the mafia stories from this town in the 1900s. I, who did not see Scarface nor the Godfather, have heard about it. So of course my first instinct was.... is she from the family? About 5 month later, and many glasses of wine later, I finally asked the question.. and she told me a story. A story about how she's NOT related to the mafia and how she once pondered into their circle and was quickly frightened and left that behind. Good Shit Roommate!
So If i were to make a dating profile for my roommate it will be as follows:
Name: Mama LaPaglia
Sex: Hot Sexy Female with awesome curves (she disagrees)
Age: Young and ready to mingleee... seriously... carefree mingling
Qualities:
Makes the Best Lasagna EVER (different styles for different tastes!)
Big large kisses that will make your troubles go away
Big cute puppy eyes that will make your heart melt
Easy Going, Fun.. can party with you and can also just cuddle and watch a movie with you
Things she lack:
the ability to understand american humor (who can blame her) but she's trying.. even got the urban dictionary app! Today she even said "Fuck that Shit".. Maybe I'm being a bad influence, but her efforts make me giggle.
LATENESS, but that's the Italian way, and she will at least feel bad about it and deeply express her apologetic feelings when everyone else just don't care. For that I give her super kudos.
Things She like:
EVERYTHING... seriously this girl is up for anything as long as she's not tired
Things she dislike:
Mean People.. this little soul won't take pointless mean-ness
Things that she values:
friendships and relationships.... Very important.. maybe this is also because she's Italian, I dont know. BUt she will go to the ends of the earth for a good friend, and will protect you. She's the most loyal person I've ever met, even when I'm not mad anymore, or when I've forgiven, she will always be that bulldog next to me backing me up.. no matter what.
She will disagree with things she doesn't believe in, and fight to prove her point, but that's just some thing to admire.. people that speak the honest truth... people that makes you think about your actions and question whether you're being a good person or not even if you didn't ask for her opinion. We can confront each other and accept each others views, regardless if we disagree or not.
Never did I know that the little confused girl circling around the Xinjiang restaurant back in March 2011 would turn out to be one of my best friends for life
BEST Roommate EVER
Thank you for making my shanghai experience :-).. even though I secretly thinks she turned off the hot water this morning.. and forced me to take a cold shower.. but then again.. another accident...
Monday, February 20, 2012
Almost a 1/4 of a century old
Today I feel almost 90% refueled from this past weekend... which was my 24th birthday. Usually people celebrate this yearly event one day a year, but for somehow mine turned into almost a week.. (well this is a lie... senior year college it was like a week and a half)
Started off with Last Tuesday (Thom's countdown.. also known to some people as Valentine's Day)- We gathered a troop of 20 or so and dominated Pub Quiz.. but domination I mean we can in first if the order was reversed.. no big deal
WEdnesday was Bowling Day for Thom.. and welcoming back ASHER!!.. too bad he's leaving for good soon.. :'(
THursday... Rest day... decided to play dress up with my roommate.. but little did I know that at exactly 12am.. Ting, Luika and Amy came running in with 6 bottles of Champagne (thanks to MC and SW too) and a HUGE teddy bear <3.. it was my first real surprise and i secretly teared.. but i dont think they noticed :-P
Friday... no comment.. epic night.. THanks to my lovely minions aka bffs... All the time spend organizing this event was worth it. Although half of the night I dont remember, it was overall amazing....
- reuniting with old friends
- closure
- Happy moments
- <3
I can never say it enough, but I'm extremely blessed with all the amazing people in my life... I feel like I don't deserve all of this.
<3
Started off with Last Tuesday (Thom's countdown.. also known to some people as Valentine's Day)- We gathered a troop of 20 or so and dominated Pub Quiz.. but domination I mean we can in first if the order was reversed.. no big deal
WEdnesday was Bowling Day for Thom.. and welcoming back ASHER!!.. too bad he's leaving for good soon.. :'(
THursday... Rest day... decided to play dress up with my roommate.. but little did I know that at exactly 12am.. Ting, Luika and Amy came running in with 6 bottles of Champagne (thanks to MC and SW too) and a HUGE teddy bear <3.. it was my first real surprise and i secretly teared.. but i dont think they noticed :-P
Friday... no comment.. epic night.. THanks to my lovely minions aka bffs... All the time spend organizing this event was worth it. Although half of the night I dont remember, it was overall amazing....
- reuniting with old friends
- closure
- Happy moments
- <3
I can never say it enough, but I'm extremely blessed with all the amazing people in my life... I feel like I don't deserve all of this.
<3
Monday, February 13, 2012
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
extra stress
You know when you like a song a lot, and then it starts playing everywhere and everyone starts liking it. Then you dislike it because the mass started to like it. Why can't everyone like something at the same time? What's the point of being different in something that's not that significant
Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness. More important than being loved, therefore, is to love.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
CNY and more... before I forget anything
I figured I'll share this before I forget it...
Trip to India:
Day 1:
Luika and I arrived at the New Delhi international airport at 3:45am on Friday Jan 19th. We were greeted with these large hand structures and apparently "ugly carpeting - Gobind" at immigration. We walked out the exit and exchanged for some Cash, went outside and grabbed a taxi that took us to our hotel. Jan in Delhi brings daily heavy fogs, so how the hell did we manage to drive to our hotel beats me. We never even saw ourselves landing and could barely see the road. Good thing we had a good driver, who also tried to have a conversation with us. But because I was told to be skeptic about anyone I meet in India and his heavy accent, I spoke little while Luika was trying to hide her laughter because his accent... was oh sooo funny..
We took a nap and decided to be on our way to experience the city. After much heavy medication from the plane ride I felt like I was floating on mid-air.. and floating in Old Delhi was quite helpful. You don't care much about the sanitation issues everywhere. We decided to just wander around. We were greeted by glances from the locals and a few cows. I just learned.. literally from watching Outsourced that the cows roam freely in India. Obviously it's due to their holiness. Our goal was to reach the Red Fort, and when we finally did, we were met with disappointment. It wasn't as amazing as I imagined. The best part was when these group of young boys on their field trip got extremely excited to see us and tried to shake our hands. Oh and not to forget that our first meal in India was McDonalds, because we couldn't find an Indian restaurant in Old Delhi... it was all just street food... and we all know the warnings against that..
Then we went to meet with Danny and his girlfriend Blythe. Danny is Luika's good friend from Vegas, They took us to try some India dishes and then took us on a little tour of Connaught Place. After, we met up with a contact, Gobind. He went to USC as well and he showed us around his neighborhood which was polar opposite of the poor old delhi. We walked through Lodi Gardens which was filled with trees. There were school children playing cricket (big in India) around this old structure. Then we were invited to Gobind's house where we met his family and just ended up chilling in his room. Later on, we went to this club which resembled Scoreboard in Binghamton with Gobind and his friend.....uh... forgot name. One thing I remember about him is that his favorite song was Welcome to St. Topez and that he spoke at lightening speed.
Day 2:
I got sicker, I mean I was sick before I got to INdia (damn drinking too much). Danny and Blythe picked up us and we drove to Agra to see the Taj. When we got to Agra, we had our first official Indian Meal, I had, of course my favorte, spinach curry with paneer cheese. I thought to myself, this is Heaven, I can eat curry allllll day... well.... this was just day 2.
The Taj was amazing, Gobind set up us with a tour guide who really got deep into the history of the palace. The Taj was building by a king who used all the state's tax money to build a white marble with semi precious stones morgue dedicated to his favorite wife. On the side of the Taj were two smaller, identical looking red stoned houses. It creates a balance of structures.
Entering the Taj was insane. There were sooo many locals waiting on line and we lucked out with our tour guide who got us in without waiting. I had to check in anything inappropriate, such as matches. And we learned that diplomats or any politicans were not allowed in.
After the Taj, we drove back to New Delhi. The drive there and back took about 12 hours. And on the way back we stopped at McDonald's and later got into a small car accident. I was too dosed up with cough medicine that I barely noticed. It was just a bump, no one got hurt.
Day 3:
We went to Danny and Blythe's apartment and hung around their area they lived in. Then we met Gobind for lunch before departing to the airport. We arrived in GOA at around 8pm. Luika's friend Pranav and his friend Arjun picked us up at the airport. As soon as we got into the car, we had a feeling that the next couple of days was going to being... absolutely insane.
We stopped and picked up liquor, and they just started drinking while driving... no big deal... and Prav drives like a maniac.. which I enjoyed while everyone else feared for their lives. We got to Prav's uncle's bungalow. It was really nice, it had two sections: one main house and one guest loft. We stayed in the main house and every morning was greeted by the cutest housekeeper in the world, I call him Mario. The house was strictly vegetarian so we ate out most of the time.
Day 4:
The four of us drove north to Morjim Beach. We relaxed there for a couple of hours before deciding to rent motor bikes. I Gotta give props for Luika to being such an amazing driver, since it was her first time and no way in hell I was going to drive.. even though i secretly wanted it. We drove north to this area that was dominate by Hippies. Legit Hippies. Some of these people looked like they came here in the 70s, got fucked up, and forgot to leave. we wandered to this beach bar where everyone laid on these bed couches watching a middle eastern girl dance with fire. Of course we were not in our normal state of mind at this point, and by being surrounded by hippies and very colorful things, I can say this place is extremely seductive. It grabs you in and make you want to do things and think things you normally wouldn't. It almost lured me into a blackhole of thoughts that I thought I put behind me.
Day 5:
Prav's family is in the Ship Breaking business. The government hires them to break apart old, sunken ships and then they sell the scraps. Apparently it's a pretty large operation. In the morning we met with another guy, Dev who was also in the Ship Breaking business. We went by a fort to look at the area where the ship had sunk. I accidentally dropped something into the ocean, which I'm not going to say until I replace it... :-)
After, we went to this lounge on the beach and just laid in the Sun that Luika and I both craved for. On the beach, there were a few cows tanning as well, and a statue of Shiva's face.. I thought it would be cool to take a picture of me standing on top of it, only did I know that was extremely disrespectful. I was took to get down and pray. And then I got scolded by some hippie who called me a tourist.. Seriously.. you're a fucking tourist too...
For dinner, we went to this Greek Restaurant called Thelassa.. (sp?). We had grilled king fish, garlic butter prawns, steak, spare ribs, grilled snapper, and a few appetizers. All for about 150 dollars... It was definitely the best meal I had in INdia.. which is sad.. because it wasn't India.. At this point, my stomach was beginning to reject curry.
After dinner, we went to this beach party near where we laid out earlier... You think beach party, you think hip pop music with pina coladas... no.. this was nothing I've even experience. Inside the bar was just completely filled with blacklight. The music of choice... HEAVY TRANCE.. Non stop. We kept waiting for a break but that doesn't exist. People were tripping hard core and going nuts. We bumped into a few european weirdos there, one thought we were from Norway, one told me I was different, One tried to give me a present, etcetc.. Luika then just started rapping and we just danced to the music in our heads. Exiting the bar area to the beach, it was crowded with street vendors all selling cigerettes, gum, and scrambled eggs. FYI... one of the best scrambled egg sandwich I've ever had was eaten here. We sat in these chairs and just gazed up at the stars. I started imagining the world beyond and also how amazing it is to see the sky without the light pollution.
Day 6:
Arjun left to go to work in Bombay that morning. It was Prav, Luika, Dev and I Left. We went to this huge outdoor market, where they sold anything and everything. It was extremely overwhelming. Luika and I got henna tattoos.. I actually wish they were real now.. it looks super cool. Bought some things, and had an incident with our bikes. Prav's bike broke down so we ended up leaving the market early to sort things out. Luika and I wandered off to a frozne yogurt store, and when we got back we were ready to go to Dinner at Club 9 / 9 Club. It's another trance party, but they also had a restaurant.. Imagine eating with that music in the background. After dinner we went to Dev's friend bar that over looked the ocean on a cliff. Chilled there for a bit before heading to another "beach" party. By this time, Luika and I were 100% done with trance music. We sat outside and just gazed at the stars.
This day in India,Jan 26th was also republic day, So when we tried to find another place to go, everything was close.
Day 7:
Spend the morning at the beach having an omelette. We had to leave Mario and the bungalow with Prav to head to Bombay. Our flight was delayed for 2 hours, but good thing there was internet at the airport. I haven't been as connected as I normally was.. except for whatsapp.. the whole time in GOA. I checked all my emails and facebook, and all the news may have dropped my heart a little. but it's okay.
We arrived in Bombay in the evening. Prav got there earlier so he came to pick us up with his driver and took us to his house. It was such a pretty house, had about 4 stories and our room was modeled after a hotel room. We met Prav's mom, who was extremely nice and when we left, gave us a bunch of presents to remember India by.
That night, we went to Prav's best friend's place. We sat on the patio facing the Ocean. Here I saw the fattest Golden Retriever... ever... I still can't get over how fat it was. We sat outside the patio and ordered Thai food. Thai food there was a lot creamer but stil pretty good. We had a couple more people join us.
It's interesting, because these kids grew up with 5 to 10 servants on their side. Rosahn (Prav's friend whose place we went to) had this buzzer on the coffee table. Everytime he presses it, someone will come from the restaurant downstairs that he actually owned. It was nice to be treated like a princess but also it was really sad to see the huge gap between groups of people. Man labor there cost close to nothing... and these people are on call 24/7
Day 8:
Last day in India. Prav took us around Bombay. The city has heavy british influence. The architecture from that time period still stood, they were mostly occupied by the government now days. We did some last minute shopping and last minute sight seeing. I personally liked Bombay a lot better than Delhi. It was more like a European city with the cafes and shops.
We had dinner At Roshan's restaurant that night. The food was actually amazing. Then we went to a club where we met up with some of their friends. This is the first night I drank, haha.. Didnt feel like drinking the whole time I was there for some reason. We partied until 2:30 am when the club closed (mad early) and went back to Prav's house. I went to our room and snuck a couple hours of nap time before we had to leave for the airport.
We left for the airport at 5:45 am. And that was all.
This experience was more than satisfying. I was able to see a culture that I've never encountered before, and especially living at an Indian Household really helped me better understand their lives. Although, we were mixed with the comfortable class, you can still see the poverty on the streets. I sit there feeling terrible for them, hoping their lives can get better, but to be honest, that country lives off their cheap labor.
I've been back a couple of days now.. my stomach is turning like a Mofo, and i've been kind of dizzy and sick. Ugh, hate being weak, just makes me over emotional.. and unmotivated...
Such an amazing trip though.. GO TO INDIA!
Trip to India:
Day 1:
Luika and I arrived at the New Delhi international airport at 3:45am on Friday Jan 19th. We were greeted with these large hand structures and apparently "ugly carpeting - Gobind" at immigration. We walked out the exit and exchanged for some Cash, went outside and grabbed a taxi that took us to our hotel. Jan in Delhi brings daily heavy fogs, so how the hell did we manage to drive to our hotel beats me. We never even saw ourselves landing and could barely see the road. Good thing we had a good driver, who also tried to have a conversation with us. But because I was told to be skeptic about anyone I meet in India and his heavy accent, I spoke little while Luika was trying to hide her laughter because his accent... was oh sooo funny..
We took a nap and decided to be on our way to experience the city. After much heavy medication from the plane ride I felt like I was floating on mid-air.. and floating in Old Delhi was quite helpful. You don't care much about the sanitation issues everywhere. We decided to just wander around. We were greeted by glances from the locals and a few cows. I just learned.. literally from watching Outsourced that the cows roam freely in India. Obviously it's due to their holiness. Our goal was to reach the Red Fort, and when we finally did, we were met with disappointment. It wasn't as amazing as I imagined. The best part was when these group of young boys on their field trip got extremely excited to see us and tried to shake our hands. Oh and not to forget that our first meal in India was McDonalds, because we couldn't find an Indian restaurant in Old Delhi... it was all just street food... and we all know the warnings against that..
Then we went to meet with Danny and his girlfriend Blythe. Danny is Luika's good friend from Vegas, They took us to try some India dishes and then took us on a little tour of Connaught Place. After, we met up with a contact, Gobind. He went to USC as well and he showed us around his neighborhood which was polar opposite of the poor old delhi. We walked through Lodi Gardens which was filled with trees. There were school children playing cricket (big in India) around this old structure. Then we were invited to Gobind's house where we met his family and just ended up chilling in his room. Later on, we went to this club which resembled Scoreboard in Binghamton with Gobind and his friend.....uh... forgot name. One thing I remember about him is that his favorite song was Welcome to St. Topez and that he spoke at lightening speed.
Day 2:
I got sicker, I mean I was sick before I got to INdia (damn drinking too much). Danny and Blythe picked up us and we drove to Agra to see the Taj. When we got to Agra, we had our first official Indian Meal, I had, of course my favorte, spinach curry with paneer cheese. I thought to myself, this is Heaven, I can eat curry allllll day... well.... this was just day 2.
The Taj was amazing, Gobind set up us with a tour guide who really got deep into the history of the palace. The Taj was building by a king who used all the state's tax money to build a white marble with semi precious stones morgue dedicated to his favorite wife. On the side of the Taj were two smaller, identical looking red stoned houses. It creates a balance of structures.
Entering the Taj was insane. There were sooo many locals waiting on line and we lucked out with our tour guide who got us in without waiting. I had to check in anything inappropriate, such as matches. And we learned that diplomats or any politicans were not allowed in.
After the Taj, we drove back to New Delhi. The drive there and back took about 12 hours. And on the way back we stopped at McDonald's and later got into a small car accident. I was too dosed up with cough medicine that I barely noticed. It was just a bump, no one got hurt.
Day 3:
We went to Danny and Blythe's apartment and hung around their area they lived in. Then we met Gobind for lunch before departing to the airport. We arrived in GOA at around 8pm. Luika's friend Pranav and his friend Arjun picked us up at the airport. As soon as we got into the car, we had a feeling that the next couple of days was going to being... absolutely insane.
We stopped and picked up liquor, and they just started drinking while driving... no big deal... and Prav drives like a maniac.. which I enjoyed while everyone else feared for their lives. We got to Prav's uncle's bungalow. It was really nice, it had two sections: one main house and one guest loft. We stayed in the main house and every morning was greeted by the cutest housekeeper in the world, I call him Mario. The house was strictly vegetarian so we ate out most of the time.
Day 4:
The four of us drove north to Morjim Beach. We relaxed there for a couple of hours before deciding to rent motor bikes. I Gotta give props for Luika to being such an amazing driver, since it was her first time and no way in hell I was going to drive.. even though i secretly wanted it. We drove north to this area that was dominate by Hippies. Legit Hippies. Some of these people looked like they came here in the 70s, got fucked up, and forgot to leave. we wandered to this beach bar where everyone laid on these bed couches watching a middle eastern girl dance with fire. Of course we were not in our normal state of mind at this point, and by being surrounded by hippies and very colorful things, I can say this place is extremely seductive. It grabs you in and make you want to do things and think things you normally wouldn't. It almost lured me into a blackhole of thoughts that I thought I put behind me.
Day 5:
Prav's family is in the Ship Breaking business. The government hires them to break apart old, sunken ships and then they sell the scraps. Apparently it's a pretty large operation. In the morning we met with another guy, Dev who was also in the Ship Breaking business. We went by a fort to look at the area where the ship had sunk. I accidentally dropped something into the ocean, which I'm not going to say until I replace it... :-)
After, we went to this lounge on the beach and just laid in the Sun that Luika and I both craved for. On the beach, there were a few cows tanning as well, and a statue of Shiva's face.. I thought it would be cool to take a picture of me standing on top of it, only did I know that was extremely disrespectful. I was took to get down and pray. And then I got scolded by some hippie who called me a tourist.. Seriously.. you're a fucking tourist too...
For dinner, we went to this Greek Restaurant called Thelassa.. (sp?). We had grilled king fish, garlic butter prawns, steak, spare ribs, grilled snapper, and a few appetizers. All for about 150 dollars... It was definitely the best meal I had in INdia.. which is sad.. because it wasn't India.. At this point, my stomach was beginning to reject curry.
After dinner, we went to this beach party near where we laid out earlier... You think beach party, you think hip pop music with pina coladas... no.. this was nothing I've even experience. Inside the bar was just completely filled with blacklight. The music of choice... HEAVY TRANCE.. Non stop. We kept waiting for a break but that doesn't exist. People were tripping hard core and going nuts. We bumped into a few european weirdos there, one thought we were from Norway, one told me I was different, One tried to give me a present, etcetc.. Luika then just started rapping and we just danced to the music in our heads. Exiting the bar area to the beach, it was crowded with street vendors all selling cigerettes, gum, and scrambled eggs. FYI... one of the best scrambled egg sandwich I've ever had was eaten here. We sat in these chairs and just gazed up at the stars. I started imagining the world beyond and also how amazing it is to see the sky without the light pollution.
Day 6:
Arjun left to go to work in Bombay that morning. It was Prav, Luika, Dev and I Left. We went to this huge outdoor market, where they sold anything and everything. It was extremely overwhelming. Luika and I got henna tattoos.. I actually wish they were real now.. it looks super cool. Bought some things, and had an incident with our bikes. Prav's bike broke down so we ended up leaving the market early to sort things out. Luika and I wandered off to a frozne yogurt store, and when we got back we were ready to go to Dinner at Club 9 / 9 Club. It's another trance party, but they also had a restaurant.. Imagine eating with that music in the background. After dinner we went to Dev's friend bar that over looked the ocean on a cliff. Chilled there for a bit before heading to another "beach" party. By this time, Luika and I were 100% done with trance music. We sat outside and just gazed at the stars.
This day in India,Jan 26th was also republic day, So when we tried to find another place to go, everything was close.
Day 7:
Spend the morning at the beach having an omelette. We had to leave Mario and the bungalow with Prav to head to Bombay. Our flight was delayed for 2 hours, but good thing there was internet at the airport. I haven't been as connected as I normally was.. except for whatsapp.. the whole time in GOA. I checked all my emails and facebook, and all the news may have dropped my heart a little. but it's okay.
We arrived in Bombay in the evening. Prav got there earlier so he came to pick us up with his driver and took us to his house. It was such a pretty house, had about 4 stories and our room was modeled after a hotel room. We met Prav's mom, who was extremely nice and when we left, gave us a bunch of presents to remember India by.
That night, we went to Prav's best friend's place. We sat on the patio facing the Ocean. Here I saw the fattest Golden Retriever... ever... I still can't get over how fat it was. We sat outside the patio and ordered Thai food. Thai food there was a lot creamer but stil pretty good. We had a couple more people join us.
It's interesting, because these kids grew up with 5 to 10 servants on their side. Rosahn (Prav's friend whose place we went to) had this buzzer on the coffee table. Everytime he presses it, someone will come from the restaurant downstairs that he actually owned. It was nice to be treated like a princess but also it was really sad to see the huge gap between groups of people. Man labor there cost close to nothing... and these people are on call 24/7
Day 8:
Last day in India. Prav took us around Bombay. The city has heavy british influence. The architecture from that time period still stood, they were mostly occupied by the government now days. We did some last minute shopping and last minute sight seeing. I personally liked Bombay a lot better than Delhi. It was more like a European city with the cafes and shops.
We had dinner At Roshan's restaurant that night. The food was actually amazing. Then we went to a club where we met up with some of their friends. This is the first night I drank, haha.. Didnt feel like drinking the whole time I was there for some reason. We partied until 2:30 am when the club closed (mad early) and went back to Prav's house. I went to our room and snuck a couple hours of nap time before we had to leave for the airport.
We left for the airport at 5:45 am. And that was all.
This experience was more than satisfying. I was able to see a culture that I've never encountered before, and especially living at an Indian Household really helped me better understand their lives. Although, we were mixed with the comfortable class, you can still see the poverty on the streets. I sit there feeling terrible for them, hoping their lives can get better, but to be honest, that country lives off their cheap labor.
I've been back a couple of days now.. my stomach is turning like a Mofo, and i've been kind of dizzy and sick. Ugh, hate being weak, just makes me over emotional.. and unmotivated...
Such an amazing trip though.. GO TO INDIA!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Day 1
Hello!! I'm in India!
Luika and I arrived in new Delhi this morning at 3:38am and didn't get to our hotel until 5... The area where we are stayin is called.... Paharganj.. Also known as backpackers .. Something.
If you thought china was dirty... This place will.ow your mind. The hotel is okay, minus the lack of hot water... Bed is comfy and clean..
Anyways, just had curry for brEakfast! Off to sightsee :)
Luika and I arrived in new Delhi this morning at 3:38am and didn't get to our hotel until 5... The area where we are stayin is called.... Paharganj.. Also known as backpackers .. Something.
If you thought china was dirty... This place will.ow your mind. The hotel is okay, minus the lack of hot water... Bed is comfy and clean..
Anyways, just had curry for brEakfast! Off to sightsee :)
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Blessed
“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that that situation is over, you cannot move forward.”
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
17 Simple Things That Really Make Your Day
Someone telling me that they appreciate me or something I’ve done. Seriously, seems so small but causes such a warm feeling.
When you forget it’s Friday in the middle of your work day, then as you are about to leave you remember. It’s like a miniature brain orgasm.
Hearing a new song and knowing I’m gonna like it.
Sitting on the grass on a slightly windy, but aggressively sunny day, knowing that I have no obligations whatsoever for the entire day.
Waking up on a day where i don’t have to go anywhere, and finding out that its pouring rain.
If it’s not cloudy, then looking at the stars and feeling both infinitely small and and infinitely worthy.
Waking up in the morning and realizing that I still have more time to sleep and being able to go back to sleep.
Falling asleep to the sound of rain outside my window
Being in a situation where some psuedo-authority figure is yelling/mad at you. Then suddenly you realise as an adult you can just get up and leave with zero consequences.
Smiling at a girl and getting the smile returned.
Coming home from a long day and taking my pants off immediately.
When I was younger I use to love watching the rain drops race down the window. I still do, I guess.
Being at the grocery store and realising that I, as an adult, can buy nothing but ice cream for dinner and no-one can say shit about it.
Napping uninterrupted. Bonus if it’s dark and rainy outside.
The first twenty seconds of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. I don’t care after that.
A good dog by my side.
I enjoy when someone says to me, “You look good today.” It really is the small things.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
I'm going to be a better person... again.
Most people are good. They dont intentionally mean harm to others, but sometimes subconciously they do. It's too easy to lose yourself in this world of materialism and selfishness... So I googled 'How to be a better person" and this is what www.ehow.com says:
1
Look for the best qualities of others and yourself. Take advantage of situations where you can exercise your best qualities and highlight those of others. Record your thoughts daily and review them to visualize what affects us and how. Schedule a window for quiet time each day.
2
Give others the same dignity that you would expect to receive. Recognize that status or income levels do not make the man nor determine his value. Take time to actually hear what others have to say instead of interjecting your own personal thoughts or simply not paying attention.
3
Become involved in what others have to say by asking sincere questions and waiting for an answer. This will enhance your relationships, allowing you to make positive contributions to a healthy friendship.
4
Provide assistance to others when needed, going out of your way if necessary. Acts of kindness are often met with reciprocal acts of kindness. You are further demonstrating how to be a better person and reaping the rewards from your efforts while making others feel special.
5
Empathize with others' plights or circumstances. Listening to your heart and following it instead of being judgmental contributes to your being a better person. Being honest in your dealings with others also promotes positive relationships. Problems arise when the truth is not spoken or twisted to suit one's motives. Choose your words carefully and precisely. Express yourself kindly.
6
Develop a set of standards and live by them. Don't allow others' viewpoints to alter your code of ethics. Maintaining your personal values during difficult times will help you to be a better person.
I got too caught up in what I needed and forgot who I was affecting around me. I'm going to try and be better person again. I'm sorry I've hurt you... maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasnt.
1
Look for the best qualities of others and yourself. Take advantage of situations where you can exercise your best qualities and highlight those of others. Record your thoughts daily and review them to visualize what affects us and how. Schedule a window for quiet time each day.
2
Give others the same dignity that you would expect to receive. Recognize that status or income levels do not make the man nor determine his value. Take time to actually hear what others have to say instead of interjecting your own personal thoughts or simply not paying attention.
3
Become involved in what others have to say by asking sincere questions and waiting for an answer. This will enhance your relationships, allowing you to make positive contributions to a healthy friendship.
4
Provide assistance to others when needed, going out of your way if necessary. Acts of kindness are often met with reciprocal acts of kindness. You are further demonstrating how to be a better person and reaping the rewards from your efforts while making others feel special.
5
Empathize with others' plights or circumstances. Listening to your heart and following it instead of being judgmental contributes to your being a better person. Being honest in your dealings with others also promotes positive relationships. Problems arise when the truth is not spoken or twisted to suit one's motives. Choose your words carefully and precisely. Express yourself kindly.
6
Develop a set of standards and live by them. Don't allow others' viewpoints to alter your code of ethics. Maintaining your personal values during difficult times will help you to be a better person.
I got too caught up in what I needed and forgot who I was affecting around me. I'm going to try and be better person again. I'm sorry I've hurt you... maybe it was intentional, maybe it wasnt.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
New year resolution...
Expectations expectations expectations.... They can be dangerous, when you have high expectations anything that falls short will only disappoint.
But then again, who am I if I don't have expectations...
1) become notable in the entertainment industry
2) continue my way to dominate shanghai, when completed, move onto different city
3) see the rest of Asia
4) spend more time with the family in Asia
5) forgive
6) read the bible
7) accept and help thyself
8) take the LSAT
9) find a way back to NYC towards the end of the year
The reality is that I'll forget this list by feburary... But hey at least it makes me feel better right now :)
But then again, who am I if I don't have expectations...
1) become notable in the entertainment industry
2) continue my way to dominate shanghai, when completed, move onto different city
3) see the rest of Asia
4) spend more time with the family in Asia
5) forgive
6) read the bible
7) accept and help thyself
8) take the LSAT
9) find a way back to NYC towards the end of the year
The reality is that I'll forget this list by feburary... But hey at least it makes me feel better right now :)
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