There comes certain moments in life where I begin doubting my social survivability for living on this earth:
- My boss tried to high-five me today. He held up his palm and my immediate reaction was to start examining his life-line. After a few seconds staring at his hand and me thinking, what the hell is he doing? He finally said, "High-five!" Then I scrambled to respond. Talk about awkward.
- Went to a baby-shower recently and the invitation stated: "Wishing Well". I didn't bother to read the invitation so I didn't even notice, but on the drive over to the party another friend pointed out the phrase and asked about it. My interpretation was that the planner meant "Wishing You Well". Even got the third person in the car to agree. I guess we all have the excuse of being single. But alas, no, the Wishing Well meant that we were suppose to bring a small anonymous present to place within this well-like apparatus for the mother-to-be. Thank GOD it was anonymous.
- The other day my sister sent me a cheeky email accusing me of forgetting to get her a birthday present this year (her birthday was in September). Had a debate with my co-workers as well as my grandma on who should hold the burden of proof for forgotten presents. I mean, just because she doesn't remember doesn't mean I didn't get her anything! Finally I succumbed to public opinion and sent her an email alleging that I gave her XXX for her birthday present. It turned out I did give XXX to her, but it was last year. I guess it was a very vivid memory.
- Downloaded the audio-transcript of the Iraqi Study Report for free from Audible. I got all excited because now instead of reading the PDF I can just listen to it while doing chores or riding the Subway. Co-worker was like, "Wouldn't that put you to sleep right away?" Would it? I was kind of looking forward to hearing the whole thing.
Absolutely amazing, a demonstration of interaction with smart computers (teaching physics, in this particular case?), designed by MIT. Wow.
I feel like I have been buying baby gifts nonstop. A couple months ago a good friend of mine had a healthy baby boy. Then a few weeks ago my best friend from high school, Heathbar, had her second boy - Atticus, at 6lbs and 12oz. Congratulations Heathbar!! Then this month I have to attend TWO baby showers! Ugh, it's infectious. These babies are so damn cute! So soft and huggable!
Of course it's easy for me to say. All my friends are apparently dying from lack of sleep and cannot tell night from day.
I actually made several offers to babysit, since they are so adorable! But a friend of mine who was about to die from exhaustion was mindful enough to ask, "Do you have any experience with babies?" I was like.... ugh, good question... do I just let them sleep and hug them when they are awake? Needless to say, she never mentioned it again.
Then there is the neighborhood. Babies babies everywhere! Granted I live on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where the babyboom is happening, it's still kind of weird to see so many strollers and power-moms everywhere.
I think there is something about Manhattan babies, they can sleep through ANYTHING. Just like I no longer hear the nightly police sirens, honking, screaming, cursing, and ambulances from the hospital behind my apartment anymore. These babies can sleep through the rumbling of the automobiles and trains as well as the jerks of being hoisted up the stairs of a subway station. I once saw a nanny with one of those organic looking shoulder cradles sprint through an entire train station to catch a departing train. Maybe she's very skilled, but man that baby never even stirred.
There is SO MUCH data supporting the saying: "The poor gets poorer, rich gets richer" in America that there is no point in citing any references anymore. In NYC, the socio-economic disparity has gotten so bad that it's prompted Mayor Bloomberg to dub New York a "Specialty City". In line with more tax breaks for big businesses and the rich, Bloomberg's argument is that New York is so special that it shouldn't be subject to the criticisms of inequality and segregation, like rest of the country. The real sad thing is, when he says "New York", he really means "Manhattan", and maybe "Hipster Manhattan", i.e. west Brooklyn. Because the truth is, the rest of NYC really isn't so "special", or wealthy in his eyes.
In the past 15 years, NYC has become more segregated, with more and more rich whites in Manhattan, and the poorer populations, the people of color, as well as immigrants concentrating in the other boroughs. And that trend is segregated, too. The Asians, blacks, and Hispanics all are moving into separate neighborhoods.
Manhattan is like a separate world compared to the other four boroughs of New York City. Welcome to the real playground of the rich:
- In 1990, the richest 20% of manhattanites made 33 times the income of those in the bottom 20%.
- In 2000, the difference was 50 times.
- Has 9/11 changed anything? Nope, the trend continues. In 10 years, Harlem will be a predominantly white neighborhood
"Investment income" used to be called "unearned income" by most
population surveys. But I guess we don't want to hurt the feelings of
the rich by pitting them against the working class. These surveys also
hide the data on the very rich, meaning we really have NO IDEA how much
the top 5 percent of the wealthy really makes. The argument is made on
privacy issues. Okay, but how come nobody worries about privacy for the
poor, because we know EXACTLY how much the poorest of the population
makes. Statistically, the very rich is also less likely to respond to surveys than the very poor. Trust me, it's not that we don't need the info. It's that they don't want you to know!
The next biggest industry in demand in Manhattan is going to be the child-care sector and primary education for the children of the rich. We are seeing almost 100% increase in households with children younger than five AND with over 300,000 annual income in certain areas within Manhattan. Meanwhile, the supply of prestigious pre-k services hasn't risen much, if at all. Competition is fierce. Who's heard of a 3 year old with a talent portfolio? Well, in NYC, you better have one, or NO PRE-SCHOOL FOR YOU! What about paying a Chinese nanny 80K a year to raise your toddlers to be fluent in Mandarin? Man, I'm in the WRONG profession....
Universities know exactly what is going on. The number one goal of all major universities, esepcially the Ivy League, is to EXPAND, EXPAND, EXPAND. Even at a 5% increase in admission, the admission rate is still dropping like dead flies. You don't know what popularity means until you've met an admissions officer. Aiya... maybe I shouldn't have any children... I'll never be able to afford to send them to college. *sigh*
NB: If you are interested in population trends, social changes, and schooling competition, I think I will post more data and analyses on my other blog, as soon as I get to it...
I"m so envious of people who read fiction, like Chayenne, lemon, navelgazer, Lorelei, MainMor. Heck, pretty much everyone in my neighborhood. The last English fiction I read was Angels and Demons, and it was only because I needed something quick and dirty to read on a direct flight from Portland, Oregon, to New York City. The two leisure books I'm reading right now are A History of God by Karen Armstrong, and The Social Construction of What by Ian Hacking. I've barely made a dent in either so far. Not much leisure time I have.
Well, I do occasionally read Chinese online stories on MyFreshNet... does that count as fiction?
Anyways, meanwhile I have 300 some references I have to read through for my dissertation. Standing on the shoulders of many many giants is totally killing me. Some of the books I am reading:
I don't know why I'm doing this. I'm still kicking myself for not getting a job in the American manga industry after college. I honestly think the only thing I really enjoy reading are graphic novels, mangas. I'm a visual person. I like pictures in my books.
Show us one swingin' party.
Submitted by mariezilla.
Spent Thanksgiving at my sister and her hubby's place in Forest Hills. They had a party for about 25 people, a joint Thanksgiving feast with their next door neighbor. This is only HALF of the alcohol they served, just the aperitives. During dinner they had a separate wine list, then after dinner the digestives.
Even me, who almost never drinks, had a lychee martini before dinner, two glasses of wine during dinner, and then a coffee chocolate martini after dinner. *sigh* Doth corrupt thy soul, I tell ya. Those damn crazy alcoholics.
A couple of years ago when Target rented a cruise ship, named it the Target Boat, stocked it up with goods, and docked it at a Manhattan pier so they can cater to New York holiday shoppers, I thought I had seen it all. But no! This holiday season, the "Only in New York" Award goes to Charmin's Restroom Extravaganza at New York's Time Square. Yes, from November 20th to December 31st, 8am to 11pm daily, next to the Virgin Megastore on Broadway, you can access 20 themed Charmin Bathrooms complete with its own on-line Flush-o-Meter. Free of charge. There is even a waiting room with couches, flat-screen TVs, a fireplace, and a kid's play zone. According to the Associated Press, an estimated 10,800 rolls of (presumably Charmin brand) mega-tissues will be used for this endeavor.
Yeppy.
Ugh, partied till 4am for the past two days. Somebody tell me again why clubbing is fun? We were packed in like sardines, barely able to move, huge fire hazard with people illegally smoking cigaretts and pot, watching drunk scantily clad girls whoring themselves, alcohol spilled everywhere, with strange men stalking you and groping your body parts. I was one lychee martini away from punching people out for feeling me up. I wonder if my friends would have gotten my back if I did. I've never gotten into a drunken fight before but I swear I can shove his nosebone into his brain. I am also now deaf from the music, blind from the stoke lights, and with a sore throat from too much karaoke. I am too old for this shit. Man, the things I do for my friends....
OMG, I have more to say. So we were standing outside of Lotus and a friend of a friend started going off on how he doesn't want to go to a club that's too pretentious. We are in the middle of the Meatpacking DIstrict, its entirety built on the premise of seen and being seen, and you don't want pretentiousness? You are on the wrong part of the island!! Anyways, I tried to console him by adding that I'm not easily impressed, but I don't think he understood me. I am just glad we eventually found a club that everybody liked. I still thought it was pretentious... but isn't what what people go for anyways?
