Yes, I voted. Why not? Why sit back and observe? Why not be a part of it?
One of 46 million votes. One of the masses- and most likely one of the few non-teenage girl demographic.
Alice was the only one who went through the rabbit hole. She wasn't part of the crowd. But isn't it really about experiencing it fully? And for certain things, it's particularly important to experience things from the belly button of the crowd.
LOVE seeing their talent displayed for my viewing pleasure. Go Allison and Adam!
I'll try to keep American Idol blogs to a minimum...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
ennui
A little restless, a little bored of the routine. Grateful for it all. Yet my mind yearns for more, higher level, broader scale, to satisfy it, to quiet the mindless (meaningless) chatter. Looking forward to looking forward to, excitement, plans.
Currently frustratingly eager and optimistic.
Currently frustratingly eager and optimistic.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
jersey city excitement
Yesterday the fire alarm went off at work. Luckily we received the reassuring message- please stand by while we determine the nature of the fire. Hmm. Please stand by... I work on the 28th floor of a building with thousands of people and 2 stairwells. Hmmm. Usually the guy gets on with his super cool Carribean (Jamaican? see footnote) accent and says- this is a test of the system. But stand by while we assess the nature of the alarm? Not as reassuring. Coffee sounds good right about now.
So I headed down in the elevator- still running since there is as yet no determination made of a fire- and heard pieces of stories in the elevator- planes and fighter jets and circling. Before I made it to the coffeeshop I saw the masses standing outside and decided to check it out.
A plane was circling the building with fighter jets tailing it closely and it had gone twice around our buildings. People had come down even before the fire alarm. They were trying to call colleagues still inside to tell them to evacuate. One woman came up to me in a panic because she could not get through to whomever she was calling. Ambulances and fire trucks racing, sirens competing.
All of the tall buildings in Jersey City had crowds of people piling out, everyone calling or talking or silently questioning.
Long story short, announcements were made that it was a military exercise. Soon police cars were circling announcing on their loudspeakers that it was safe, merely a military exercise, time to get back to work, nothing to see here. It was at this point that I realized my emotions were high.
Here's an article from the NY Times. This building is across the street from mine- it's a beautiful art deco building, by the way.
A coffee and chocolate croissant later, having exchanged some words from the Arabs in the coffeeshop, and I went back to the routine of the day.
Idiots. Even if there was a legitimate reason why there was no prior announcement, they could at least have announced it 5 minutes before. Something. Lucky no one had a heart attack out of fear or something
(footnote: I find it amusing when announcers on the PA system have heavy accents- I mean this in the best of ways- eg the announcer at Union Station in DC has a very, very heavy French accent. It's funny because we all know it's nearly impossible to ever understand anything being said on the PA system. And on top of that it's like they are deliberately screwing with us by adding another layer of difficulty.)
So I headed down in the elevator- still running since there is as yet no determination made of a fire- and heard pieces of stories in the elevator- planes and fighter jets and circling. Before I made it to the coffeeshop I saw the masses standing outside and decided to check it out.
A plane was circling the building with fighter jets tailing it closely and it had gone twice around our buildings. People had come down even before the fire alarm. They were trying to call colleagues still inside to tell them to evacuate. One woman came up to me in a panic because she could not get through to whomever she was calling. Ambulances and fire trucks racing, sirens competing.
All of the tall buildings in Jersey City had crowds of people piling out, everyone calling or talking or silently questioning.
Long story short, announcements were made that it was a military exercise. Soon police cars were circling announcing on their loudspeakers that it was safe, merely a military exercise, time to get back to work, nothing to see here. It was at this point that I realized my emotions were high.
Here's an article from the NY Times. This building is across the street from mine- it's a beautiful art deco building, by the way.
A coffee and chocolate croissant later, having exchanged some words from the Arabs in the coffeeshop, and I went back to the routine of the day.
Idiots. Even if there was a legitimate reason why there was no prior announcement, they could at least have announced it 5 minutes before. Something. Lucky no one had a heart attack out of fear or something
(footnote: I find it amusing when announcers on the PA system have heavy accents- I mean this in the best of ways- eg the announcer at Union Station in DC has a very, very heavy French accent. It's funny because we all know it's nearly impossible to ever understand anything being said on the PA system. And on top of that it's like they are deliberately screwing with us by adding another layer of difficulty.)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
overthinking
Potential Adverse vents:
Living a life of the mind (may also be referred to as living in one's head)
Contraindications may include perseverance of thoughts, often trivial and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. If unable to exit the mind, the body may become overworked and eventually completely exhausted and poop out. Important thoughts may no longer be identifiable among the soft background din of thoughts flowing into each other to the extent that they lose their individual colors and become a soft, hazy gray.
While sleep may often serve to quiet mind (at wavelengths audible to the conscious mind), at times the background noise of constant thought may prove more powerful and intrude into sleep time, quite often in the middle hours of darkness or early hours of light.
Periods of meditation may be necessary in these situations to relieve the mind for short periods, its sole salvation in extreme measures.
A feeling of peace may replace active thought. The absence of usual feelings of joy or elation should not be confused with nothingness but must instead be appreciated as the bliss of meditation. The swaying last night in the lush seats of Carnegie Hall to a beautiful Mendelssohn piece, having forgotten to think for those moments, that was a peaceful quieting of the mind.
Living a life of the mind (may also be referred to as living in one's head)
Contraindications may include perseverance of thoughts, often trivial and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. If unable to exit the mind, the body may become overworked and eventually completely exhausted and poop out. Important thoughts may no longer be identifiable among the soft background din of thoughts flowing into each other to the extent that they lose their individual colors and become a soft, hazy gray.
While sleep may often serve to quiet mind (at wavelengths audible to the conscious mind), at times the background noise of constant thought may prove more powerful and intrude into sleep time, quite often in the middle hours of darkness or early hours of light.
Periods of meditation may be necessary in these situations to relieve the mind for short periods, its sole salvation in extreme measures.
A feeling of peace may replace active thought. The absence of usual feelings of joy or elation should not be confused with nothingness but must instead be appreciated as the bliss of meditation. The swaying last night in the lush seats of Carnegie Hall to a beautiful Mendelssohn piece, having forgotten to think for those moments, that was a peaceful quieting of the mind.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
coincidink
I ran into someone I know in New frickin' York. What are the chances of that? This wasn't running into someone somewhere that is associated with either of us. Just randomly at a concert.
Cool.
Cool.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Thursday, April 02, 2009
the english patient
Ah, Hana and Caravaggio, I have found you at last. You have allowed me to enter your world. And I am blissfully lost among the ruins in your company.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Lancet series
Poltics generally makes me angry, often makes me furious, and occasionally makes me cry.
The latest events in Gaza fell under all three categories. The announcement from The Lancet- one of, if not the, premier medical journals- made me cry. The admission from an objective, intelligent, and highly respected group (emphasis on objective) that the occupation is WRONG, the people suffering undeniable abuses, and the world needs to stop looking the other way.
The link.
Similar emotions today at the announcement that President Obama signed onto the UN Human Rights Council.
The pursuit of justice is the ultimate act of kindness, and I've already shared how deeply and violently acts of kindness move me.
If I could clap with all my body for The Lancet's admirable stance, I would be still worlds away from expressing my gratitude.
The latest events in Gaza fell under all three categories. The announcement from The Lancet- one of, if not the, premier medical journals- made me cry. The admission from an objective, intelligent, and highly respected group (emphasis on objective) that the occupation is WRONG, the people suffering undeniable abuses, and the world needs to stop looking the other way.
The link.
Similar emotions today at the announcement that President Obama signed onto the UN Human Rights Council.
The pursuit of justice is the ultimate act of kindness, and I've already shared how deeply and violently acts of kindness move me.
If I could clap with all my body for The Lancet's admirable stance, I would be still worlds away from expressing my gratitude.
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