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Monday, 20 April 2009

Thursday, 06 September 2007

  • Currently Watching
    25th Hour
    By Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin
    see related

    Tennis

    Some pictures from the US Open.


    Some pics are a little blurry cuz... well... my camera's no good with the zoom zoom. 

    I need a new camera.

    But it was such a great experience to see Justine Henin play Serena Williams, albeit from the nosebleeds (hence no pics of their matches). The pics I took of their match were almost as bad as Serena's game. Never the less, I see why Justine Henin is #1 in the world. It should be illegal to make winning look so easy.

    Later that night (like midnight that night), snuck down courtside to watch Nadal (2) vs. Ferrer (15).





    It was so disappointing to watch Nadal's body break down on him. All 14 of us people in the stands who were left at 1:30 am could see he was too tired to keep fighting.




    Still, Ferrer played a good game. He deserved the victory.

    Next night, saw Venus play against Jankovic. This was a MUCH better match than the one Serena played. Went to a 3rd match tiebreaker which Venus won. Her post-match interview was fantastic. Go Venus!

    Then, the highlight match so far in the US Open: (Darth) Federer (1) vs. Andy (Skywalker) Roddick (5)




    After watching serves top out at 125 mph, it was truly impressive to see Andy's serve go up to 147 mph. I heard he tops out at 155 mph. But as thrilling as it was to watch his first serves, the rest of the match was so utterly anti-climatic. You know that scene from The Princess Bride where Wesley is trying to outwrestle Fezzik, but Fezzik just kinda stands there cuz he wants Wesley to feel like he's doing well?



    That was kinda like watching this match. Andy is Wesley and Federer is Fezzik, except that Andy doesn't miraculously put Federer into a sleeper choke hold and Federer doesn't pass out and dream of large women. In the real life of the US Open, Andy got stomped. In the end, to the Victor goes the groupies.


    Oh, and another Andre (Agassi) and some John MacEnroe guy said hi too.

Tuesday, 21 August 2007

  • Tension

    My shoulders are tense.

    My back is sore.

    For the first time in my life, I can feel the stresses in my life eroding minutes away from my life expectancy. The burgers I eat, the bacon from that BLT w/ mayo, those crunchy hot fries, all those foods I used to eat with complete disregard for my health, all that fat and grease I used to ingest with my invincible metabolism... these are all relics of yesteryear.

    Today, I nearly ran over an elderly lady as I rushed up the stairs from the subway platform on my way to work. I barely apologized.

    I ate out for all three meals today. It was also the first morning in quite a while where I hadn't had my cup of coffee. That aromatic black brew has become my personal sunrise.

    It has been exactly 729 days since my arrival in NY two years ago and the ride has been truly exhilarating.

    I remember once envying the success my immigrant parents had, to come to a foreign land and build a life out of nothing. Looking back at these past two years of my own life in NY, I feel as if I can relate to their accomplishments. I came with not much more than the baggage I carried, with no promise of career or even income and worked my way into corporate society. Someone once sang that if you can make it in NY, you can make it anywhere. I listen to those lyrics, look back at all the steps I've taken in the past 729 days and I am, for perhaps the first time in my life, proud. I came to perhaps one of the toughest cities in the world and did more than survive. I thrived and grew and learned about the world and myself.

    So even with all the tension I carry in those tight little knots around my neck, and the fatty plaques I feel forming in my blood vessels, and my graying hair and insatiable fatigue, I look at my New Yorker life right now and can't help but smile. Sure there are people out there more successful and capable and smarter than me, but I know that I can make it in NY... and I'm happy about that.

Sunday, 22 July 2007

Wednesday, 18 July 2007