Hello I'm still alive

Long overdue updates! I'm a bit too lazy to talk... so here are long overdue photos.

Mambo Night @ EarthNYC. We waited FOREVER before Mambo music came on... Christian's trying to push me shorter than him in this photo as usual. Realizing he's from Australia, I told him that we had to teach him how to dance Mambo, and omg, he copied everything I did...not everything I do is Mambo! (don't even know half of it)
Singapore Day, with Chris (who was up to celebrate her 21st!), Engsiang, Jac... felt like National Day. Unfortunately, we barely ate anything because the queues were so long, for puny portions. It felt exactly like National Day... and they somehow managed to import the Singapore heat into Central Park as well, it was the hottest day in New York City! So hot that we all gave up, and Es and I went shopping!

Estelle! Oh, she's holding Just Tea. I don't know if it's the heat, but Just Tea suddenly tasted so good. I don't even drink Just Tea in back home...

Central Park. I think I look fat in this photo- stupid shadow in my arm :S Anyway, Central Park looks much better now. Bluer skies, cherry blossoms... in fact, there're cherry blossoms everywhere now. I think it's Spring, for real.

Ultra overdue photo from ice-skating. Erwin claims I look like a professional skater here... haha, should see my wobbling around like a duck when I'm not posing.

I've been running around Washington Square Park, amongst all the green trees and cherry blossoms. I don't think I can ever run in the gym, ever again. On Wednesday, I was huffing on the threadmill, gave up after 15 minutes, and ran out.

Exams are coming :( I'll find someway to continue slacking.

Projects, Projects, Projects

Despite the stress (I think this is the first time I've ever mentioned the word 'stress' on this blog!), I'm feeling quite pleased right now. I planned on not sleeping until I finish my Consumer Behaviour Project, and I was under the impression that I would be up until at least 4am, but it's 2:15am, and I've finished!

Projects are a real MAD RUSH over here. All done at the very last minute, and I mean, REALLY last minute.

Today, my New Product Development group finished our project report 10 minutes after it was due.

I don't even know the names of some of my Movie Marketing project mates. Well, I know their names, but I can't match them to faces. We did everything through E-mail- 'you do this, I do that, we all send to her, she compiles, we present what we wrote.' Anyway, I'm pretty happy with my presentation today. I was freaking out because I had no time to even look at the updated slides, and worried that no one would understand me, but I somehow managed to talk my way through everything, and I'm pretty sure everyone understood me.

I wish I wore a skirt for my presentation today. (Only those who know why I always wear pants for presentations will get this.)

One project meeting tomorrow. Two more project presentations. One more project presentation to prepare. I'm going to finish all of them at all costs- need to go for Singapore Day and Mambo Night on Saturday!

Fire up @ 26th

Yes, there was a fire at my block today, can't believe it.

I was changing to go to school, Cat had just got out of bed... when the fire alarm started ringing. And we ignored it for about 3 minutes because (1) we were lazy (2) we thought it was probably a false alarm. And I was still searching for my shoebag, gloves, coat, packing my schoolbag... in short, I didn't panic.

Then it got annoying. So I looked out of the door to see if there were people dasing out. Quiet lobby, nothing, no footsteps. So I told Cat, 'Ah there's nobody. Probably a false alarm.'

The alarm stopped for three seconds, and I was convinced, 'Yea. False alarm.'

Moments later, it came on again, so Cat went to check this time. And there were sounds of people running down the steps. So I grabbed everything I needed for school (honestly, I still felt like it must be a false alarm) before leaving.

...and omg, we dashed down 23 storeys. Wait, the steps were so steep, couldn't have dashed even if we wanted to. We walked down 23 storeys. I thought I was going to fall with my coat, bag, gym clothes (haven't even packed it in), breakfast in hand.

And I was STILL expecting to hear people curse about a false alarm the moment I got down. To my horror, there were firefighters at the lift and a whole lot of people outside...

I later found out that the fire was on the 24th floor, just above me. I really can't believe that I almost stayed in my room.

I never thought I would actually be caught in a situation where I've to evacuate a building due to a real fire (too used to the faulty alarm in PGP!) I guess it's a lesson learnt.

Anyway, they sent out an e-mail. No one was hurt, thankfully.

Oh yea, Erwin didn't know it was a real fire until we called him from downstairs. He later told us that he saw the firefighters at his door when he came out, but instead of asking, 'why the hell are you still here?', they just looked at him and went along. Gosh.

Ice Skating at Rockefeller

Yesterday, wanting to escape from the horrendous amount of projects, Erwin and I went ice skating at Rockefeller with David (he's Spanish, so it's pronounced 'Darr-veed')... really expensive, but I'm so glad we went- today is the last day before the Rockefeller Rink closes for Spring, but it's pouring today, so I guess yesterday was effectively the last day.

And skating outdoors is really so nice... the rink's really small compared to Central Park, but I really enjoyed myself because I could skate better, and the weather was nice and relatively warm... met loads of strangers while skating, a South American guy who couldn't really skate too, so we kept laughing at each other, a professor who was stumbling next to me, when I told her that I was a newbie too, and she said, 'it makes me feel like holding your hand!', so we held hands and skated along, then Erwin came along and held her other hand, and I happily slipped and fell onto the ground. Yes, I fell three times... another time while racing with David, and a third when this guy skated right into me. There were 2 professional skaters in the rink too, one guy doing really graceful moves, and this South Korean guy moonwalking to Frank Sinatra, cool... I had so much fun, skating around with Christian, Erwin, David, looking at strangers, laughing and smiling at strangers seated in the restaurant around the rink who were laughing at my lack of confidence to go too fast...

And guess what? When the rinked closed at 8, they changed the music... and this guy proposed to his girlfriend on the rink... it was so sweet, got down onto his knees and all, before his friend brought a bouquet of lovely flowers. And the whole crowd watching along the sides cheered...


With David... I've nicer pictures, but they're in Christian's camera
It was David's first time ice-skating, so we had a bet to see who would learn how to skate properly first. Well, he was pretty good for his first time, and I lost to him in a race to the side...



Post Ice Skating was nothing but absolute indulgence in food. Gosh, I feel pretty sick thinking about it. We had dinner at an Italian place just off Times Square and the family sized pizza and pasta was HUGE. Thank goodness for the guys' hearty appetites. And I don't really like pizzas, so I was glad to let David have a third slice of it...




We wanted to have dessert at Juniors Cheesecake, but it was closed by the time we walked to Grand Central! We ended up at a diner called Big Daddy's... and there we were, with our waffles and strawberry cheesecake sundae icescream. I can't even begin to describe how big the ice-cream was... underneath huge amounts of whipped cream (according to Christian, it's common knowledge in Australia that whipped cream is made of pig's fat), there was strawberry, stawberry ice-craem and chunks of strawberry cheesecake all mixed... well, it was so yummy then, but on retrospect, I actually feel quite grossed out thinking about how much we managed to eat. Oh, and they had trivial pursuit cards, which we played while waiting for our food... I came up with this brilliant idea that whoever got a question right need not pay, and Christian actually managed to answer my question! I was frantically trying to find questions I could answer, but ... ahh, I'm stupid.


ahhh...look at the HUGE ice-cream. Just looking at it makes me feel fat.


Prata! And my very big bruise from all that falling.

Other than Ice Skating, I shall not talk about my absolutely horrible weekend.

There was a storm today... and the weather forecasts says that it's going to rain everyday this coming week. :( Someone save me from the weather.

And after wasting my weekend away, I just spent the entire night finishing two projects at a go. :S

Randomness on a rainy day in New York

I woke up to the gloomy sound of raindrops today. It's been ages since I've seen so much rain, but I certainly don't miss it. What a hassle, couldn't walk to school, searching for my umbrella, running for the school bus while holding my bag, file, shoebag and umbrella...and the wind was so strong I could barely hold the umbrella over my head!

I had yet another random thought while dashing from the gym back to Stern today. As always, because I always go to the gym during my lunch break. For those who don't know, I go then to avoid the crowd. And well, the shower there is way nicer than the bathroom in my apartment. Love standing under the big dryer to dry my hair, love putting makeup in front of a big mirror, with proper lighting. I digress.

So, I was running in the rain, and blaming my inability to run any faster on the traffic light at every single street, and my long coat getting in my way, when I realized-

I'm so used to seeing people in long coats! Everyone wears them in New York, thick ones for the winter, thin ones for the rainy spring... and then, I wondered to myself, 'If I wore a long coat along the streets in Singapore, is everyone going to stare?' I heard the weather back home is still as erratic as it was when I left...seriously, the next time it pours when I'm back, my first instinct would be to reach for my trench coat and put it on, and stop just as I'm stepping out of my room, and think, 'Oh shit. I'm not in New York! Go change.'

I thought I can't wait to pack my long coats into my suitcase (don't think that will happen ever, looking at the weather), but now I think of it, I can't imagine not wearing a trench coat, or not seeing anyone in a trench coat.

Another random realization- I never really noticed it, but the NYU Home webpage, which is the equivalent of NUS' IVLE Intranet, is so pretty! I think I might miss seeing it. When I finally log on to IVLE again, after so long, I'll probably think, 'Oh man, this is ugly.'


Log-on page...

... I can't believe I only JUST today that this page looks different every single time I visit...

ahh, so many versions. If you're bored, just go to http://www.home.nyu.edu and click refresh over and over again...



The 'IVLE' after you log in...

Change the colour settings, and the picture changes along with it...(about 7 different versions!)

I know it seems really trivial...but pretty websites does make school work a teeny bit less
dreary!

http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/printfriendly/0,4139,127042,00.html - Read this, the first ever Singapore Day for Singaporeans in New York City is next Saturday... the description of the food is making me drool. Good food, and mambo night!

Finance Test is Over! (and Tuesday mumblings)

I'm feeling unusually pleased right now... the title says it all. Yay, felt so happy putting my finance notes back into the stack in my drawer (yes, I still do not own any files.)

Bad news-

I just discovered that projects are due in about two weeks...

Today, my New Product Development chose our presentation date... and it's one day after Consumer Behaviour project presentation...

Projects are barely halfway done... (not even quarter-way actually)

I've a finance excel assignment to do *curses*...

I just realized exams are coming...

I've exams on 3 consective days...

...and there's no such thing as a study week over here!

But who cares, doesn't stop me from giving myself a short break now. I just want to enjoy what's left of New York.

And I was wearing my new Zara shirt today, what a nice shirt to feel happy in (Yea, I'm a photo whore.) Anyway, Ray says I look like I've grown older..well, when exams are over, I'll be turning 21 really soon... oh, we'll be attending Warren Buffett's AGM at Omaha (probably the most boring place on earth... made more so by the 5.5 hours question and answer session- didn't know investors have so much to ask about financial statements!)... so I requested to take one of my papers earlier (going to die) and will be flying over immediately after my last paper.

It's funny how we get accustomed to things. I tend to have sudden revelations about the things that I've grown used to over here in New York, and it always amazes me-

On Saturday, I walked past a SHOPPING CENTRE (I miss shopping centres!) and Takashimaya New York... two things I haven't seen in ages. And then, it dawned on me that I'm no longer amazed by huge stores. I'm so used to walking into a store, and expecting to be big, (usually) pretty... with a security guard by the door.

While I was at the female locker room of Cole Sports Centre this afternoon, it occurred to me(with some amusement) that I've grown used to seeing people change in front of me. haha.

I'm looking forward to home, and not looking forward to leaving New York City, all at the same time. Last night, I lay in bed wondering how it'll feel when I step into Changi Airport...

I simply can't imagine.

Oh well, considering I'm stopping over at Germany on the way back... it still seems pretty far.

For now, I shall munch on my sweet potato bun from Chinatown. Yummi-ly. Happily.

A Profound Question

I forgot to mention that my mind was occupied by a most profoud question while I was walking back from school on Thursday evening-

'What's the first thing I'm going to eat the moment I step into Changi Airport? (Well, assuming I don't get right into my car and sleep.)

It's a tough question!

Some other random pictures which as been sitting in my computer because I've been lazy...

From Engsiang's visit...rarely take pictures in my room. I got the form for booking a checkout appointment in my mailbox today... I really should take pictures of my room (even in its messy, un-pretty, dirty state)

Sujin's 22nd birthday party yesterday. She's my Korean neighbour and New Product Development groupmate... I got her earrings because she's always looking at mine (and says that she has never seen me wear the same pair twice, haha)

From Mel's visit... outside the Hersheys Store at Times Square.
I went nuts in New York! (not really, haven't been clubbing)

Saturday Slacking

Cat, Winnie, Erwin and I went to try for the lottery to get Hairspray tickets today... and Erwin got lucky! He got two front row orchestra seats, so we bought two more standing tickets and took turns to sit and stand. Winnie and I sat in the first half, and stood after the intermission...

which was absolutely PERFECT.

I hate to swoon, but Ashley Parker Angel (the guy from Making the Band) was starring in the show and... oh my goodness, he was just there, right in front of me on stage. Ahh, good show, great dancing, great singing, and greater eye candy (very very very cute :p). And during the half when I was standing at the back, there was an act when some of the cast members came out from the back of the audience... and he was standing next to me for 20 seconds. (I wouldn't have realized if Winnie didn't tell me!) I felt like I could die on the spot, haha.

Well, it's a lucky day, Erwin winning the lottery, cheap tickets, eye candy. =)

Oh, but I've decided that I prefer standing tickets to the front row orchestra seats. We were literally seated right in front, about 1 inch from the edge of the stage (at the corner too)... so we couldn't really see the entire stage properly. And I didn't know how tiring it was until I finally moved during the intermission, and boy, my neck was aching.

The Apple Store near central park's supposed to be a tourist icon by itself.. since we had loads of time after getting our tickets, we decided to check it out. It's really cool... (actually, stores in New York generally have cool concepts)... it's entirely glass, so you get a great view of the surrounding tall buildings. And when you step in, you take this glass elevator down to the glass store... I'm no Apple Fan, but walking into the Apple store really makes you feel like buying an Ipod. All the displays, Apple TV... and every single model/colour is put on display for you to try.

Now that I think of it, I don't think I've ever enjoyed shopping in toy shops until I got here... all the toy shops here really have a way on bringing out the most childish side of me, including the FOA Scwarz toyshop next to Apple. All the life sized stuffed animals, dogs, dolls... if I were a kid, I think I'd want to live in New York and visit toy shops everyday. I think the coolest think was the 'piano' on the floor... I actually got in line to try it out, but changed my mind since there were kids in front of me and they were closing. We were lucky to catch the last performance of the day though... it's pretty impressive, take a look at the video in the previous post!Sigh. It's Sunday tomorrow and if I don't finally do my work, I'm so dead. There's a finance test coming up on Tuesday, and I've been completely lost ever since lessons resumed after Spring Break. If it's possible to fail something here, this is definitely it.

Cool Pianos

Photobucket Album

Check this out... saw it in the FOA Schwarz toyshop today! 250000 USD to buy a piano like that!

Start-of-April/Spring thoughts

Cliche as it sounds, but time does fly, isn't it?

3 months have passed, 53 days before I leave New York City. Last Saturday, I took Engsiang to take a look at Stern from the outside, and I suddenly recalled this picture. I remember I was quite impressed with Stern's Tisch Hall and Kaufmann Management Centre when I first arrived... that picture was taken 3 days after I landed here, when the Stern building was still a novelty. Now, I'm so used to seeing it everyday, that I don't even look at it... in fact, I'm usually dashing towards it, trying to make it in time for classes. When I get back to NUS, I wonder whether I'll suddenly remember, and miss seeing such a nice building.

Today, I saw cherry blossoms while walking back from school... spring is here, or at least, it's coming really soon. I still remember the cold when I first got here, and the horrid cold in Febraury, when the temperatures dropped way below 0 degrees... freezing while waiting for the NYU bus, I hoped for spring each morning.

Now, it's never too cold to walk to school comfortably... and I walk so fast. I've always liked walking, and I used to think that I would walk a different route every day, to check out the different food and little shops in every street... but I've been walking the exact same route almost everyday. I'm so used to turning the corner at 23rd street, then walking down to Stern along 3rd Avenue, passing the same diners, same grocery shops... and more and more fruit stores have been popping up along the streets, and fruits have been cheaper... yet another sign, that spring is here.

I've since packed all my long sleeves tops and thermal wear into my luggage. The trench coats will go there too, as soon as possible.

I remember the first time I went to Times Square... I loved it so much that I said, 'I'm going to come here at least 5 times.' I think I've been there about 6-7 times... and I've stopped noticing the lights. Now, the shops seem boring too.

It's April, and it seems like I've gotten used to New York, learnt to live here... like I've come to know New York. Yet, there are so many things I thought I was so excited to do, but haven't. Visit Strand Bookstore, see the Metropolitan, spend hours walking around Central Park and looking at trees (I'll do this!), see Rockefeller, the statue of liberty, Brooklyn Bridge... I haven't even stepped out of Manhattan, except the brief encounter with Staten Island. (I thought I would shop all the streets of New York City... but really, I haven't been shopping that much. haha, spare me that skeptical grin.)

I'm so used to the 10-15 minute walk to the nearest subway station... navigating the subway map... frequently hopping onto the green line to grand central, then the shuttle to Times Square... but I've never taken the bus. Not that I intend to.

There was a time when I thought I've to visit somewhere new every single Friday, with the long weekends and all. Now, I can't seem to remember what I've done every single Friday.

When my friends came, it was such a novelty... We've had pizza at the restaurant below my apartment, desert at cafe mozart, random stuff from the Mc Donald's $1 menu, lunch at Kimmel (NYU's student life centre), bun and milk tea at Chinatown, shopped at Soho, stood outside the Met, tried to get tickets for a musical... the familiarity of all the old faces, smiles and comfort from our days in Hwa Chong... We could have been anywhere, in Singapore, eating, shopping at Orchard Road. The things we've always done... but how often are we here together in New York?

For me, not very often.