EMuse888's Xanga

Do You Like BJ's ?

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 23:21:59 GMT

For yesterday's bank holiday (Columbus Day) I decided to go shopping, and became a member of an establishment named... BJ's. Now, before you go jumping to conclusions! It's like a CostCo, or the Price Club. Granted, that's one strange name for a store.

To make matters worse (humorous?), I hardly found anything worth buying, save for two cases of Nature Valley granola bars, called er... Sweet & Salty Nut. So today, when I met a work colleague on the bus we exchanged pleasantries and when asked how I spent my weekend, it just came out:

"Oh, I got Sweet & Salty Nuts from BJs."

The rest of the trip was made in silence.

Happy 2009 !!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 16:52:31 GMT

Here's to new beginnings, and remembering to date your checkbook correctly.

Heck, that shouldn't be a problem for me, I've been sooo ready to leave 2008 behind !!

Happy New Year all

Here's a link chronicling a year in the life of one spot on the planet. Sure is beautiful...

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=11327764

The Accidental Korean

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:11:11 GMT

I'm not white, fancy that?!

Hair

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:34:37 GMT

I caught a production of Hair in Central Park on Saturday, part of their Shakespeare in the Park series. For SIX hours, I had waited in line, but the day was absolutely gorgeous. I had brought a book, but the New Yorkers around me were far too entertaining, I barely read a word. We ordered from Andy's Deli, and amazingly enough the food arrived by bicycle carried by a Hispanic gentleman yelling "Francis!" because Liz was too embarrassed to provide her name after enquiring if they could make a "turcado." Finally, my first real New York experience...

Sun-Jae the Mum

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:30:28 GMT

Now and then, I think of the past and encourage myself back then to stay the course, that if patient enough things would work themselves out, that in the end everything would end happily. A photo of Sun-Jae as she held two infants close, and another with the caption "Mummy cutting a lock of Ellie's hair..." transported me back to Australia. After so many years there she was, smiling back at me, as if I were the only one in the world, as if she could see me.

Almost immediately, I regretted having found her. I had always consoled myself that today she could not possibly be the person that I had remembered her to be, that she could not be the one that I had met so many times in my dreams, visions real enough that I could still smell her upon awakening, until consciousness would cast me into that other dream state called reality. And now, there she was, or perhaps it was someone who only resembled her... and yet, it was definitely Sun-Jae, I could recognise her smile from a thousand others.

We had met at the Australian National University in the Uni bar. I heard her voice before I saw her face. Lyrical, yet defiant, a loud Aussie "BULLSHIT" boomed from a table behind me. I had to see from whose mouth those words had emanated. When I turned to look my stomach knotted-up and I had to catch my breath.

Where is God's place in all of this? Does he have a plan where I might meet someone who could impact me in the same way? If I could, then I would tell that boy years ago to stay the course, never to let go that which you cherish so dearly without a fight. That losing her could be the single-most defining experience in your life, and that her absence would spell the end of a part of yourself, as anything remaining would wither away little by little.

I suppose it's possible that I'm idealising some or a lot of what was or could be. Given the chance, would we really go through with it, after all that has happened? It's a fascinating question to ponder, isn't it? ^_^

The Starter Boyfriend

Sat, 09 Feb 2008 11:41:47 GMT

Well Helllooooo !!!

Wow, it's been what... TWO YEARS since my last confession?? Forgive me Xanga, for I have not BLOG'd.

Been real busy, you know, like quitting my job in DC and moving-up to NYC to start a new one, leave behind five years. Five years of friends, monuments, museums, restaurants, bars, clubs, churches and charities.

But moving from one center of the world to a slightly bigger one is not such a big deal. Everyone is friendly and helpful. People understand that it can be a huge transition, and that helps. After less than a year now, I know where to find the best sake in town, the juiciest hamburgers, the closest Trader Joe's, that a Farmer's Market sets-up across from my apartment building on Wednesdays (rain or shine), and that I have my choice of at least two Korean-American churches or my preferred multi-ethnic Redeemer Presbyterian near Central Park.

Venues: Watched Camera Obscura play a free concert at South Port Seaport's Pier 18 (WOWSERS!!), the "amazing" Mets lose in Shea Stadium, Yao Ming beat the Knicks in Madison Square Garden, and won tickets to a Master Works performance of Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall for the same day that I was to fly out of JFK back to Cali.

Math: Tutoring Grade 3-5 kids at an inner city school in Brooklyn on Saturdays. Pass the State exams please!!

Church: Still shopping, but Pastor Tim Keller at Redeemer is pretty good.

Vote 2008: GObama! Uh-huh, GObama! Alright, GObama!

M is for Magic

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 03:01:32 GMT

Some nights are magical, despite a steady downpour of cold rain and snarled downtown traffic, providence reigned, the Grace of God shone brightly upon us mortals...

Sia, armed with an amazing voice, distributing much huggery, 3D hearts emanating from funky paper eyeglasses, an intimate venue, gin&tonics and the best set since I can remember... what really, could ever top that experience!?!

God is Good!

Backstreet Boyz?!?

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 03:49:01 GMT

Sad as it may be, I'm actually listening to Backstreet Boys (I Want It That Way) and enjoying it, singing with eyes closed - such the dufus that I am!

M

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 17:05:30 GMT

M was found under a banyan tree near a calm stream. As a little girl, she was adored by her entire family, but especially so by her father. Some whispered that she was the daughter of Shiva, but her parents knew better. Indeed, she was a gift from the gods, and as an infant her parents often would place her under the shade of the leaves and outstretched branches of a large white oak next to the cool waters of the Potomac in offering for their good fortune. And to their relief, each time the gods would grant an extension of their lease on M.

One late Spring afternoon, she awoke not with a fright, but in complete awareness, and felt the love emanate from her parents and her older brothers and sisters, then from her into all of the world, and her radiance shone on everything that she might happen to gaze upon, the empathy of her understanding flooding into every crevice within reach.

M is the third daughter from a somewhat large family, by Western standards anyway. To her parents' credit, however, each child was recognised for their unique qualities, although I would say that she was indeed the most special of all. It was in her that her parents lodged their dreams and their secrets, for she was most wise beyond her years and would amaze and delight relatives with her precocious nature, graced with a maturity fitting more of a princess than a desi.

More to come, stay tuned... ^_^

WBC Madness

Mon, 20 Mar 2006 04:50:15 GMT

Corea could not turn the hat trick vs Japan and beat them three straight times in the World Baseball Classic. That's one STRANGE tournament where a team can beat another twice in a row only to face-off for a third time in the semi-finals!!! Can you imagine March Madness being played that way?

Corea's loss to Japan was almost fated, as has been the Corean peninsula for the last 5,000 years. Maybe that's why as a nation, and as a people, we are so emotional, so passionate, creative and enjoy life in the now, as I hope we always will be.

Dae-Han-Min-Gug!!!