Wind knocked out

I finally know what "Getting your wind knocked out" feels like.  While running along the West Side River today, I tripped when jumping across some benches.  My knee hit the pavement and my chest the park benches hard.  In fact, the impact was so hard that I could barely talk for the next couple of minutes.  I wasn't extremely hurt, but I could only nod and give a half smile when passerbyers asked if I were okay.  Even now, my chest still slightly aches.  I've never been in any fights, so this my version of understanding how having your wind knocked out feels.  

A second learning from that run is that New Yorkers -- three people stopped to ask if I were alright.  We're all busy individuals in our own personal worlds, and I was very grateful for these strangers' concern.   Thank you strangers who I do not know, just receiving your acknowledgement made me feel better.  Runners code.  We stick by each other.

Felicitations

Two good friends of mine just got engaged and I am so excited for them!  They are the first couplet of which I know both the guy and girl relatively well.  Though they won't be tying the knot until the summer of 2010 or 2011, it's still very happy news.

I've know the guy since elementary school and I still remember how how he was one of 5 guys in our class of 15 girls.  I remember how he was a math wizard and was in his own special match level -- how he was the short and funny kid -- and how one of my friends confided in me her crush on him.   

He and I parted ways in middle and high school, but got back in touch in college.  Though much has changed since our 5th grade year, he now studies history and has grown over two feet, he's still as friendly and fun as ever.

I am very happy for them.  M and D, congratulations!

Subways explored

While waiting for the subway today, I saw the strangest "Not in service" train.  It was two cabins flanking a two long dumpster trains filled with tied black garbage bags.  It reminded me of an article a friend shared with me about the untold stories of the NYC subway system.

Forinstance, NYC transit has a monstrous sized vacuum that it deploys to suck up all the dirt and trash accumulate on the tracks.  In the past, they found things from mattresses to shopping carts.  The quirks of the subway.  I can't imagine NYC without it--it would be a completely different place without it.

The lady next me just turned on her kid sized keyboard and began singing a Spanish ballad.  A pretty good voice might I add.  I love street performers, and try to support noteworthy ones whenever I can.  This lady was really cute, she sang "thank you" "thank you" when people donnate to her.

Oh it's a long wait for the F to the D to Brooklyn.  Why am I going all the way to the end of the D line again??

The subway article:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4136/is_200401/ai_n9353492?tag=content;col1

reality is beautiful

Should reality TV characters reflect everyday folks? 

Girls are some of the harshest judges of other girls, "How did that girl get on TV?"  "She's ugly." "What happened to her?"  In my opinion, those simple comments, many of of them from my girl friends, undermine the advances that women's rights activists have fought long and hard for.  Aren't people on reality TV suppose to represent "normal" people, our average Joes and Janes -- it's "reality" TV.  So we shouldn't judge them on the same standard on which we hold celebrities.  I think normal people deserve kudos for having the courage to go on TV, to put themselves out there before the world.

On another level, constant judging of TV personalities become habitual and we as a society will begin to carry that judgment into our everyday lives and on to the people with whom we interact. Thus the societal standards for normal people reach unreasonably high celebrity standards.

Society is superficial.  We are a judgmental society, whether it's judgment by physical appearance, educational schooling, or family background.  I won't pretend that I'm above it all by claiming that I'm unprejudiced, because I'm biased as well.  

Meaning of a post grad life

Every weekday, every weekend is the same variation on a theme, the same basic blocks of "work," "eat," "sleep," "drink," and "party" shuffled around over and over again.

[(work, eat, sleep) x 4 + (work, eat, drink, party) + (sleep, eat, eat, drink, party) + (sleep, eat, eat, sleep) ] x 52 weeks x ??? years = a young post-grad life

Though I don't ascribe by this straight equations as I don't have the tolerance for drinking nor the time to party, this is one of the quintessential leitmotifs of many yuppie lives.   

What more is there to do?

Volunteer -- For what cause?

Learn -- What?  there's so much to cover

Read -- Which books?  Blogs?  etc.?

Exercise -- Which sports?

I think I need a vacation.   But a vacation is only a temporary escape--and many times, you can't completely leave your current life as you remain constantly connected through email and phone.  Leave and come back within a 2 week vacation window.  When one returns from vacation,  everything is the same.  Same job (hopefully still there), same routines, same relationships, etc.

You must face the same troubles, the same fears.

I am grateful for my life -- that I have freedom and support.  But I also need something more.  This is human nature, to want to better oneself, to want to improve, and to want to do something more.

laughter is contagious

Do you ever find something more funny because someone else is also laughing?

A guy sitting across from me on the E train today was twitching to his music.  As it was a relatively empty train, a girl a bench to my right also noticed. Turning towards her, I caught her smiling.  Our eyes matched and we shared knowing smile-nods.  Glancing back at the guy in front of me, his shoulder was still moving to the beat, his lips half parted to reveal as set of yellow buck teeth.  A normal enough, probably nice enough, guy.  Looking back at the girl, she had broken out into and even larger smile-- which inspired me to do the same.  I could barely control my chuckles.  The situation wasn't even that comical, but sharing with my compatriot that moment, that subway train scene, was great.  I felt so inspired that I started typing this post on my bbery on the subway.

2/19/09

2m walk + dance