If you're on Long Island you should check out Roast in Patchogue for its GRAND OPENING weekend on Nov 13 and 14th. Take a sip and you'll instantly be transported to Seattle circa 1993 (minus the grunge music).
I bet you've never tasted coffee just roasted.
So do it.
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label musings. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Two Years, Two Months, One Day
Good to know I still know how to type considering I do it every day for work. Just wanted to check in with the whole interwebs since I've been telling people about my Russian Star drink recently. Perhaps I'll even do this again sometime soon!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
I try not to forget
I generally don't discuss my feelings towards September 11th with other people, not that they are all that different from others I'd think. Thankfully I wasn't personally affected by that day other than being a shocked new yorker and American. However, today probably in being that it was a Tuesday just like in 2001 has made me think about it more than in years past.
Feel free to continue reading if you want, but what follows is an account of my day and days afterwards. For lack of a better place I post this online so I will hopefully never forget.
I had an 11:20 class, but went in early because I didn't get homework done. I never found it easy to do at home. Therefore just by coincidence this day I hopped on the 8:35 bus. I remember hearing murmurs about something, but nothing that spoke to the magnitude of what happened. Maybe something about a plane, hitting a building? I was half asleep and no one seemed excited enough to warrant my attention.
I got to school about 9:15 near the union and walked inside to study in the lounge. I happened upon another kid in my class in the lounge and we looked over each others homework. Shortly thereafter Nick (I think) came in and told me what he had heard happened. It was still somewhat early so I think details were still sketchy. It's hard to believe but I don't think the phrase "terrorist attack" was even in my vocabulary at the time. We walked out of the union and ran in to a girl, Kirsten, that Nick and I worked at the sports authority with. Chatting outside the union about what happened a security guard came over to us. Someone had left a bag unattended near the steps to the union bridge. Honestly I don't know what came of this situation as we decided it was best to leave the area, but it seems strange such a thing would happen on that day. As I was walking over to class I called (or was called by) my house and started to hear the full details of what exactly happened. At that point I decided I had to go home.
I got home and like most people watched the news until I couldn't physically watch it anymore. It's unfathomable to me to think how many people's lives changed that day.
I'm sure the days that followed were a blur of emotions. Days passed and I went back to school. I think there was a vigil there for the USB alumni who had lost their lives that day, but I did not attend.
Only three things over that time period do I recall. None of particular importance either, but I'll probably forever associate with that day and the ones following. I had met a girl (Sherry) who was in the lecture hall in Javits that I had my class, but for the 9:50 period. I spoke to her a couple times and the Thursday before invited her to grab a bite to eat with me. Being the shy person I am I thought about actually asking her to hang out, but didn't. That day was the last time I saw her. I don't think anything drastic happened to her, but who knows about her family or her emotional state after the attack. It was the start of the semester and maybe even early enough to drop all your classes if one so wished. It's pretty lame, but I've thought about this situation whenever I question whether I should ask someone (a girl usually) something. I always at least try to now.
The second feeling I remember is that of not wanting to listen to a specific album I had bought recently. Physically being unable to listen to it even. The album was "Underground Network" by "Anti-Flag" and as you can imagine by the name, a bit of a politically minded one. I was so affected I couldn't even listen to music that I loved. What a sad time that was.
Finally the third item I recall was actually an event. I went to the first mets home game played after September 11th which was of course against the Braves. Myself, my mom, Andrew P. and his dad went. The place was sold out, security was tight. Although Andrew and I as we later noticed cut about 20k people in line and walked in to the stadium after only waiting about 10 minutes. Our parents waited around 45 minutes if I recall. In what was quite possibly the greatest HR I've ever witnessed in my lifetime; Mike Piazza hit a game-winning shot in the bottom of the 8th to put the Mets ahead 3-2 after the Braves themselves had just gone up 2-1 in the top of the 8th. It was quite the contrast to 10 days earlier and I like to think a few people in attendance that night were comforted in a way they didn't think could be done.
Feel free to continue reading if you want, but what follows is an account of my day and days afterwards. For lack of a better place I post this online so I will hopefully never forget.
I had an 11:20 class, but went in early because I didn't get homework done. I never found it easy to do at home. Therefore just by coincidence this day I hopped on the 8:35 bus. I remember hearing murmurs about something, but nothing that spoke to the magnitude of what happened. Maybe something about a plane, hitting a building? I was half asleep and no one seemed excited enough to warrant my attention.
I got to school about 9:15 near the union and walked inside to study in the lounge. I happened upon another kid in my class in the lounge and we looked over each others homework. Shortly thereafter Nick (I think) came in and told me what he had heard happened. It was still somewhat early so I think details were still sketchy. It's hard to believe but I don't think the phrase "terrorist attack" was even in my vocabulary at the time. We walked out of the union and ran in to a girl, Kirsten, that Nick and I worked at the sports authority with. Chatting outside the union about what happened a security guard came over to us. Someone had left a bag unattended near the steps to the union bridge. Honestly I don't know what came of this situation as we decided it was best to leave the area, but it seems strange such a thing would happen on that day. As I was walking over to class I called (or was called by) my house and started to hear the full details of what exactly happened. At that point I decided I had to go home.
I got home and like most people watched the news until I couldn't physically watch it anymore. It's unfathomable to me to think how many people's lives changed that day.
I'm sure the days that followed were a blur of emotions. Days passed and I went back to school. I think there was a vigil there for the USB alumni who had lost their lives that day, but I did not attend.
Only three things over that time period do I recall. None of particular importance either, but I'll probably forever associate with that day and the ones following. I had met a girl (Sherry) who was in the lecture hall in Javits that I had my class, but for the 9:50 period. I spoke to her a couple times and the Thursday before invited her to grab a bite to eat with me. Being the shy person I am I thought about actually asking her to hang out, but didn't. That day was the last time I saw her. I don't think anything drastic happened to her, but who knows about her family or her emotional state after the attack. It was the start of the semester and maybe even early enough to drop all your classes if one so wished. It's pretty lame, but I've thought about this situation whenever I question whether I should ask someone (a girl usually) something. I always at least try to now.
The second feeling I remember is that of not wanting to listen to a specific album I had bought recently. Physically being unable to listen to it even. The album was "Underground Network" by "Anti-Flag" and as you can imagine by the name, a bit of a politically minded one. I was so affected I couldn't even listen to music that I loved. What a sad time that was.
Finally the third item I recall was actually an event. I went to the first mets home game played after September 11th which was of course against the Braves. Myself, my mom, Andrew P. and his dad went. The place was sold out, security was tight. Although Andrew and I as we later noticed cut about 20k people in line and walked in to the stadium after only waiting about 10 minutes. Our parents waited around 45 minutes if I recall. In what was quite possibly the greatest HR I've ever witnessed in my lifetime; Mike Piazza hit a game-winning shot in the bottom of the 8th to put the Mets ahead 3-2 after the Braves themselves had just gone up 2-1 in the top of the 8th. It was quite the contrast to 10 days earlier and I like to think a few people in attendance that night were comforted in a way they didn't think could be done.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Five Steps to Dressing Trendy
Step 1) Shoes, Black: Probably want to wear some Aldo's or something along that line.
Step 2) Dark blue "designer" jeans. Make sure they cost at least $100.
Step 3) Hair should not be any longer than optimal spiking length. Make sure it is gelled too.
Step 4) Clean-shaven is a must; no facial hair allowed.
Step 5) White button-down shirt, generally lightly pin-striped in blue. Most importantly make sure it is not tucked in.
Step 6 (optional) Wear a navy blue sport coat/blazer to go with your dark blue jeans. This will really cap off your outfit.
There you have it! Follow these steps and you will be on your way to trendiness no matter if you're fat or skinny, likable or not. I'll see you there!
Step 2) Dark blue "designer" jeans. Make sure they cost at least $100.
Step 3) Hair should not be any longer than optimal spiking length. Make sure it is gelled too.
Step 4) Clean-shaven is a must; no facial hair allowed.
Step 5) White button-down shirt, generally lightly pin-striped in blue. Most importantly make sure it is not tucked in.
Step 6 (optional) Wear a navy blue sport coat/blazer to go with your dark blue jeans. This will really cap off your outfit.
There you have it! Follow these steps and you will be on your way to trendiness no matter if you're fat or skinny, likable or not. I'll see you there!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
The Captain' s Guide to Better Living
A couple months back, my uncle passed away. He often would hand out this little slip of paper with his tips for a happy and healthy life. It certainly meant something to me coming from a successful entrepreneur, inventor, engineer and long-living person.
With that in mind, I've decided to come up with my own list of things to help make you almost as kick-ass as me. Now it's nothing compared to this song, but maybe you'll take something from it. In fact I won't go so far as to guarantee anything with these; in fact I won't even say they "work". They're just several things I thought of that when analyzing my behavior I try to do that make me feel good. And if you're feeling as good as the Captain, you're in pretty great shape.
-Do something silly every day: That's right, every freakin day, do something that you can think of the next day and chuckle to yourself about. I tend to try to do this at work where any amount of silliness gets me more bang for my buck.
-Do something fun every week: I can hear it now. "Doing something fun costs money and I'm not a corporation seizing entrepreneur of the high seas such as yourself Captain!" To that I say "you're a whiny little bitch". Fun is hanging out with friends, playing a video game for 5 hours, splitting a bag of candy with a co-worker. Everyone has their own definition of fun, make time for it.
-Take someone out or make dinner for someone else every month: If you can't afford to take someone out, invite them over when you make dinner. You do eat right? Conversation over food is an age old tradition. Ask anyone who knows me, I spend more time talking than eating when I have food in front of me.
-Do something fabulous every year: Pretty self-explanatory I think. Once a year you should be able to do something that you really want to do and maybe haven't done before. I'm generally thinking of a trip, but maybe you go to a crazy party or take a week off of work and spend it at the beach. I can't do this all for you, you'll come up with something.
-Personalize when talking to people: I generally try to refer to people by name. You should do the same, especially when addressing me.
-Meet lots of people: (even if you don't like people) The more people you meet or know, the more knowledge you can absorb. And knowledge is power!
-Keep in touch with old friends: This is of course assuming you still like them. Nevertheless we live in a world now where you pretty much can stay in contact with anyone you want anywhere during any time. There is generally a reason you were friends with these people in the first place, why waste that effort?
-Try new things: "new" being anything you've never done before. I used to not, but I do now. I used to be poor, now I'm less poor, coincidence? I think not.
-Laugh at, and make fun of yourself a lot: It will suck less when others do it for you.
-Root for the New York Mets: This really goes without saying.
-Have a dream: There is no order to this list, but this may be the most important. Seriously how many people can honestly say they have some sort of dream still? I hope it's a lot, but I kinda doubt it. Around high school (or perhaps even before) I think most dreams are beaten out of us. This is lame and stupid. Anyway, I think it should be something somewhat based in reality, but just out there enough. I mean if it was something totally obtainable, who would dream about it?
With that in mind, I've decided to come up with my own list of things to help make you almost as kick-ass as me. Now it's nothing compared to this song, but maybe you'll take something from it. In fact I won't go so far as to guarantee anything with these; in fact I won't even say they "work". They're just several things I thought of that when analyzing my behavior I try to do that make me feel good. And if you're feeling as good as the Captain, you're in pretty great shape.
-Do something silly every day: That's right, every freakin day, do something that you can think of the next day and chuckle to yourself about. I tend to try to do this at work where any amount of silliness gets me more bang for my buck.
-Do something fun every week: I can hear it now. "Doing something fun costs money and I'm not a corporation seizing entrepreneur of the high seas such as yourself Captain!" To that I say "you're a whiny little bitch". Fun is hanging out with friends, playing a video game for 5 hours, splitting a bag of candy with a co-worker. Everyone has their own definition of fun, make time for it.
-Take someone out or make dinner for someone else every month: If you can't afford to take someone out, invite them over when you make dinner. You do eat right? Conversation over food is an age old tradition. Ask anyone who knows me, I spend more time talking than eating when I have food in front of me.
-Do something fabulous every year: Pretty self-explanatory I think. Once a year you should be able to do something that you really want to do and maybe haven't done before. I'm generally thinking of a trip, but maybe you go to a crazy party or take a week off of work and spend it at the beach. I can't do this all for you, you'll come up with something.
-Personalize when talking to people: I generally try to refer to people by name. You should do the same, especially when addressing me.
-Meet lots of people: (even if you don't like people) The more people you meet or know, the more knowledge you can absorb. And knowledge is power!
-Keep in touch with old friends: This is of course assuming you still like them. Nevertheless we live in a world now where you pretty much can stay in contact with anyone you want anywhere during any time. There is generally a reason you were friends with these people in the first place, why waste that effort?
-Try new things: "new" being anything you've never done before. I used to not, but I do now. I used to be poor, now I'm less poor, coincidence? I think not.
-Laugh at, and make fun of yourself a lot: It will suck less when others do it for you.
-Root for the New York Mets: This really goes without saying.
-Have a dream: There is no order to this list, but this may be the most important. Seriously how many people can honestly say they have some sort of dream still? I hope it's a lot, but I kinda doubt it. Around high school (or perhaps even before) I think most dreams are beaten out of us. This is lame and stupid. Anyway, I think it should be something somewhat based in reality, but just out there enough. I mean if it was something totally obtainable, who would dream about it?
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Conspiracy Theory
Everyone who is reading this should know the storyline behind the "Terminator" series. Man builds machine/computer, machine/computer becomes "aware", machine/computer attacks man. It's an age old science fiction story that goes at least as far back as Frankenstein if not farther. We are ever so quickly inching closer to that day.
Monday in the Wall Street Journal there were two articles that would seem unrelated except to a trained (and paranoid) eye. Below are the article titles along with a few excerpts.
Intel plans to unveil superchip
-"... they have developed the world's first programmable processor that can deliver so-called 'teraflop' performance. It uses less electricity than most home appliances."
-"The first teraflop computer was developed ... in 1996. ... supercomputer filling 104 cabinets, covering 2,500 square feet, using 10,000 processor chips and consuming 500,000 watts of power."
-" Intel expects it to be available in everyday computers by 2012."
Now the term "teraflop" doesn't mean much without any context, but suffice to say this is pretty freakin fast for a chip. It also makes a point how fast the speed of chips are still jumping ahead every ten years.
Nasa technology to help increase stem cell output
-"... the launch of technology to grow large numbers of stem cells ..."
-"It grows cartilage and muscle tissue very well."
Before the "machines" were able to make that x-files guy turn into liquid metal they had gotten pretty good at making "metal surrounded by living tissue", you know like say cartilage and muscles.
Now to top it all off "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was on AMC that night. Coincidence? I'll let you decide; I'm personally looking into adopting a German Shepard.
Monday in the Wall Street Journal there were two articles that would seem unrelated except to a trained (and paranoid) eye. Below are the article titles along with a few excerpts.
Intel plans to unveil superchip
-"... they have developed the world's first programmable processor that can deliver so-called 'teraflop' performance. It uses less electricity than most home appliances."
-"The first teraflop computer was developed ... in 1996. ... supercomputer filling 104 cabinets, covering 2,500 square feet, using 10,000 processor chips and consuming 500,000 watts of power."
-" Intel expects it to be available in everyday computers by 2012."
Now the term "teraflop" doesn't mean much without any context, but suffice to say this is pretty freakin fast for a chip. It also makes a point how fast the speed of chips are still jumping ahead every ten years.
Nasa technology to help increase stem cell output
-"... the launch of technology to grow large numbers of stem cells ..."
-"It grows cartilage and muscle tissue very well."
Before the "machines" were able to make that x-files guy turn into liquid metal they had gotten pretty good at making "metal surrounded by living tissue", you know like say cartilage and muscles.
Now to top it all off "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" was on AMC that night. Coincidence? I'll let you decide; I'm personally looking into adopting a German Shepard.
Friday, February 2, 2007
musings of a first time blogger
So I was just surfing the web and somehow the easy to remember link to my friends blog (which I only found out about recently) popped in to my head. Hence my blog is born! I find it a bit strange that I never got in to the whole "blog revolution" in that I work in the IT industry as well as previously sending out a monthly newsletter type email to a select group of friends. I stopped doing it though because I felt like I needed to have content to send out which I think is the same reason I never started a blog. Better late than never though.
So it didn't bother me that I had nothing particularly interesting to write in my first blog until about 10 minutes later while still surfing the web I came across this. Anyone who knows me personally and takes a few minutes to look at the comments will see what I found so interesting. Lots of strange initial thoughts racing through my head on that one. And all along I thought I was so unique...
So it didn't bother me that I had nothing particularly interesting to write in my first blog until about 10 minutes later while still surfing the web I came across this. Anyone who knows me personally and takes a few minutes to look at the comments will see what I found so interesting. Lots of strange initial thoughts racing through my head on that one. And all along I thought I was so unique...
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