I've found it difficult to blog or write these days. This is partly due to a lack of inspiration, but it is mainly because I have come to realize that most of my thoughts are not developed fully enough for a coherent composition. If I'm to attempt a blog post, my ideas will come out as a string of disjointed sentences, not doing justice to the various shapes and textures of the issues which I'm grappling with currently. However, I've motivated myself to try and get some thoughts on paper, on this brand new canvas which is the New Year.
New Place
Settling into my new place was not without its difficulties. Fortunately, I had many friends who were kind enough to lend a helping hand, and I received a tremendous amount of support from them: labour, morale, Christmas gifts, cards, house-warming presents, sleeping bag (for the week without an actual bed or mattress) and so on. My landlord, Pin, is also a very accommodating individual who is efficient and tolerant, much of the red tape was taken care of promptly, ensuring a smooth move in for me. Therefore, I can honestly say that my living situation in Brooklyn has proven very satisfactory and I could hardly wish for anything better. I've also had the chance to host some of my friends from far and wide, it was truly a pleasure to have them over, but slightly embarrassing when I've got not much in the way of furniture or hospitality to offer them. I hope they enjoyed their stay and time here in New York. I'm also looking forward to host two other friends, it's great to have company sometimes.
New City
Now that I've been here for almost half a year, I can say that in many respects, I am a local. When it comes to finding a bargain purchase, cheap groceries, affordable eats in a comfortable ambiance, quickest and most efficient means of transportation, I would say that I've got a firm grasp of frugal living here in New York City. The high cost of living here demands that I practice moderation and tight fiscal habits. My rent is quite high when compared to the rest of North America and there are certain luxuries that I simply can't afford (TV, cable, car). However, I've done my best to be disciplined in my expenditure, and I've learnt how to cook and prepare my own meals which have lessened the drain on my wallet since eating out can be quite costly here, especially when establishments expect you to tip generously.
The lightning quick pace of New York has dulled my sensitivities to certain areas of human interaction and heightened several undesirable parts. For instance, I'm no longer as courteous to fellow pedestrians or subway riders on the train or on the sidewalk. The hiddlegy-piddlegy state of urban life here tends to aggravate my good senses or tolerance for others, whether it is bumping into a person on the subway stairs or rubbing shoulders on congested thoroughfares. I often snarl under my breath when nudged accidentally or shoved and I don't even realize that I'm turning into this old, impatient and angry man.
Not surprisingly, wanting to go from one destination to the next in a hurried pace has taken its toll on me. For one, it has made me clumsier, and my friend brought this to my attention. When asked why do I need to be in a hurry all the time when it doesn't produce good results, I was left slightly puzzled and was wondering the same. This does not mean however, that I've become this lumbering buffoon, knocking into people and terrorizing people with my swaying gait. Despite all the clumsiness, I've become lot more 'agora-sensitive' and would try my best to weave through crowds or to be the least disruptive to people around me, only because I know that they will be equally unforgiving as I am if, God forbid, I were to accidentally hit or nudge them.
New Habits
I've been blessed with a new place in a new city and I'm surrounded by amazing new friends and acquaintances. With that, I've also cultivated several new habits which I hope will not be short lived and will be sustained throughout this year. I've kept a good exercise routine of intense exercise in at least 3 days a week. Naturally, I've continued to play basketball but have also added weights and conditioning to the mix. The result has been encouraging and I've learnt that self-discipline and good time management have allowed me to take good care of my body while still being on schedule with my other tasks. Along the same lines, I've also learnt to eat healthier. The liberal amounts of grease used in the middle to lower tier dining establishments have deterred me from eating out for the most part. Moreover, the enormous food portions designed to give customers the biggest bang for their buck has proven to be quite unappetizing for me, and I would often struggle to stay awake and not succumb to 'food comas' after meals. The number of affordable eateries are also few and far apart, so I've taken the prerogative to cook healthier meals for myself. I've tried to add greens to my diet but so far they have not yet taken center stage in my culinary repertoire. Yes, I may wax praises for my cooking, but indulge an amateur cook for trying to save money while preparing new recipes which he enjoys! I've also been maintaining stabler sleep cycles, and have been getting good rest over the weekends or when I don't have morning classes.
In the next entry, I'll write about New York and my observations about its culture. Being immersed in it has taught me many important lessons and offered plenty of insight into the value of hard work.
New Place
Settling into my new place was not without its difficulties. Fortunately, I had many friends who were kind enough to lend a helping hand, and I received a tremendous amount of support from them: labour, morale, Christmas gifts, cards, house-warming presents, sleeping bag (for the week without an actual bed or mattress) and so on. My landlord, Pin, is also a very accommodating individual who is efficient and tolerant, much of the red tape was taken care of promptly, ensuring a smooth move in for me. Therefore, I can honestly say that my living situation in Brooklyn has proven very satisfactory and I could hardly wish for anything better. I've also had the chance to host some of my friends from far and wide, it was truly a pleasure to have them over, but slightly embarrassing when I've got not much in the way of furniture or hospitality to offer them. I hope they enjoyed their stay and time here in New York. I'm also looking forward to host two other friends, it's great to have company sometimes.
New City
Now that I've been here for almost half a year, I can say that in many respects, I am a local. When it comes to finding a bargain purchase, cheap groceries, affordable eats in a comfortable ambiance, quickest and most efficient means of transportation, I would say that I've got a firm grasp of frugal living here in New York City. The high cost of living here demands that I practice moderation and tight fiscal habits. My rent is quite high when compared to the rest of North America and there are certain luxuries that I simply can't afford (TV, cable, car). However, I've done my best to be disciplined in my expenditure, and I've learnt how to cook and prepare my own meals which have lessened the drain on my wallet since eating out can be quite costly here, especially when establishments expect you to tip generously.
The lightning quick pace of New York has dulled my sensitivities to certain areas of human interaction and heightened several undesirable parts. For instance, I'm no longer as courteous to fellow pedestrians or subway riders on the train or on the sidewalk. The hiddlegy-piddlegy state of urban life here tends to aggravate my good senses or tolerance for others, whether it is bumping into a person on the subway stairs or rubbing shoulders on congested thoroughfares. I often snarl under my breath when nudged accidentally or shoved and I don't even realize that I'm turning into this old, impatient and angry man.
Not surprisingly, wanting to go from one destination to the next in a hurried pace has taken its toll on me. For one, it has made me clumsier, and my friend brought this to my attention. When asked why do I need to be in a hurry all the time when it doesn't produce good results, I was left slightly puzzled and was wondering the same. This does not mean however, that I've become this lumbering buffoon, knocking into people and terrorizing people with my swaying gait. Despite all the clumsiness, I've become lot more 'agora-sensitive' and would try my best to weave through crowds or to be the least disruptive to people around me, only because I know that they will be equally unforgiving as I am if, God forbid, I were to accidentally hit or nudge them.
New Habits
I've been blessed with a new place in a new city and I'm surrounded by amazing new friends and acquaintances. With that, I've also cultivated several new habits which I hope will not be short lived and will be sustained throughout this year. I've kept a good exercise routine of intense exercise in at least 3 days a week. Naturally, I've continued to play basketball but have also added weights and conditioning to the mix. The result has been encouraging and I've learnt that self-discipline and good time management have allowed me to take good care of my body while still being on schedule with my other tasks. Along the same lines, I've also learnt to eat healthier. The liberal amounts of grease used in the middle to lower tier dining establishments have deterred me from eating out for the most part. Moreover, the enormous food portions designed to give customers the biggest bang for their buck has proven to be quite unappetizing for me, and I would often struggle to stay awake and not succumb to 'food comas' after meals. The number of affordable eateries are also few and far apart, so I've taken the prerogative to cook healthier meals for myself. I've tried to add greens to my diet but so far they have not yet taken center stage in my culinary repertoire. Yes, I may wax praises for my cooking, but indulge an amateur cook for trying to save money while preparing new recipes which he enjoys! I've also been maintaining stabler sleep cycles, and have been getting good rest over the weekends or when I don't have morning classes.
In the next entry, I'll write about New York and my observations about its culture. Being immersed in it has taught me many important lessons and offered plenty of insight into the value of hard work.
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