The Lull

I find this time of the year to be one of the most interesting times of the year: the lull that inevitably ensues between Christmas and New Years. Most folks I know are off, or had some time off, around and after Christmas. The office is mostly dead, and it's actually quite nice here today.

Welcome to the lull.

Ours started last Wednesday, when I left work around lunchtime to do some last minute gift and seafood shopping (nice combo!). Most folks I knew were either leaving town that day or had already left. And thus it began! Christmas morning was very pleasant, almost quaint in that it was noticeably quieter than normal. Relaxing! Friday was a little bit busier with all the sales, but the lull was back by Saturday. Sunday showed us some nicer weather - got to even get out and run the nearly 3.5 mile loop at Prospect Park. But something about it, something in the air, suggested that yes, we are in the lull. So don't expect much to happen.

And I for one welcomed the lull. As busy as this city gets, and as great as it is to get away sometimes, the quietness of the city has been greatly appreciated. I assume that's all about to change come tomorrow, but hey, I can say I enjoyed it while it was here.

Christmas Eve Dinner

Ah, yes, Christmas has come and gone. This year was a nice relaxing time at our apartment, just the two of us. And since it was just us, the question on the table was what do we do for dinner?

My own family had the long tradition of having seafood on Christmas Eve. This was something I wanted to carry on as well - why not? So Wednesday afternoon, after our cat-sitting trip, we set out to Chinatown to pick up a fresh salmon fillet, and as well as some other fresh veggies: shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and lotus root (great recipes here!).

We prepped the salmon by marinading it in sake, lemon juice, salt and pepper. This was later placed in a large pan and cooked up with garlic, and garnished with pan-fried lotus root. Our mushroom medley side dish included both mushrooms and the lotus root as well, carrying over the variety of textures each ingredient offered. Reiko also whipped up a side of chicken flavored Rice-a-roni - most excellent! - and salads to beat.

Also making its prized appearance was a bottle of good ol' McSorley's black and tan. Highly recommended!

Super Carrots

Fat carrots have more flavor. At least, the ones they sell at our market!

Last night we made dinner at our place for the first time since last Wednesday. With constant visits from friends in and out of the house, home has turned more into a home base of sorts in between expeditions around town. Great for touring! Not so great for the vegetables. Those poor, poor ever-lonely vegetables. So we decided to cook 'em up.

Now I'm not the one to really complain about the flavor of carrots. I kinda like 'em! Reiko on the other hand, not so much. And I'm tellin' ya, these carrots were strong. The soup, a light cabbage and daikon soup suddenly became a carrot soup. The veggie stir fry became carrot's delight.

The believed culprit, though, was the size of carrot: a damn big ultraflavorenriched beta carotene bomb.

Massage Taxi

Been some crazy weather the past week here. Monday, we saw a record high 67 here, very nice. Tuesday, we got an inch of snow! Then things warmed up a little bit again, the snow melted, and then Friday - BAM! Another 2-inches plus of snow followed by sleet. Made for quite a slick Friday night to take our friends around town! The question was: could we actually catch a taxi?

Fortunately, we could indeed get a taxi. And not just a regular taxi: this one had a very relaxing vibe to it. The good mood music that could only be found in the massage taxi!

The cabbie had an interesting yet simple setup: a laptop with WiFi capabilities piped into the stereo. Here's the charm: the tunes of choice were audio clips of massage videos found on YouTube. Something like the the following: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8IxqhiyhsM (yes, it's perhaps a bit erotic!) The video was not shown on our screen or anything, but I could see it on the laptop.

What can I say other than most interesting, but I liked it.

Free NY Parties are Sweet

Last night, my coworker sent me an invite for the annual DUMBO Holiday Party. Free to join! It sounded like a good thing - the only thing they were asking for was a toy donation for a Christmas gift drive. Easy enough, seeing that we had some unwanted lying around the house that would work for this. So we packed our toys and made are way to the event.

And what a place! Located at St. Ann's Wearhouse right next to Manhattan Bridge, the event had a lot more in store than I originally envisioned. We first walked in to open area for dancing, complete with a 5-piece band known as The Lone Sharks in the back jammin' Texas-style rhythm 'n twang Christmas tunes. People were really getting down to it! In between sets, a DJ kept the mood going with some good "schoolhouse" type music. Well played!

A separate back area to the left held two gigantic tables lined with holiday foods, from exotic veggie dishes to chips and dips to fully-carved Turkeys. The back had the ultimate dessert offerings: two chocolate fountains (white and milk), and guests could select goodies like fruits and cookies to dip under the waterfall.

To the right of the stage was the bar: free beer and wine, and lots of it. All we had to do was walk up and take it, help youself, have fun! The bar came complete with large bowls of spicy almonds and festive matchbooks.

Not long after we arrived, the event organizers started calling out numbers for the raffle. Reiko and I each received tickets for our toy donations. There were quite a few items - maybe about 20 in all - and each was no small gift: $100 gift cards, custom lamps, VIP access to polo matches in Long Island, etc. We came damn close to winning a couple of times, but alas didn't win anything. Next time!

The best part, was that it was all free. Completely sponsored event! I guess I've never been to anything quite like this, where it was just show up, eat what you want, drink what you want, and - shit! - go nuts at someone-else-you'll-likely-never-know's expense. Finally, the higher price of living in New York had shown its face.

Need to start attending more of these kind of events!

Oh, and for the record: DUMBO stands for: Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. It's one of the highly-gentrified, high-society areas of Brooklyn that prides itself on its close proximity and impressive views of Manhattan.

Horrid Tar Smell

Truth be told, our apartment has some indescribably awful smell coming from the vents. When we first moved in, it was predominantly cat urine with a bit of dust. Pretty bad! We promptly sealed the two vents, and though it still had a lingering, it wasn't nearly bad as before.

Now its wintertime and its pretty much given that the heater's going to be on. And there's something new now: it's a like a thick tar smell. Very sticky, heavy, almost Vick's vapor rub. Woke me and the wife up last night it was so bad. Is there a crack or meth lab going on below me? Or is that the way furnaces smell around here? The investigation begins.

Our landlord is not the most together person, and would not surprise me in the least.

The Imbalance

Funny how sometimes good news and bad news seem to trickle out at the same time. Something bad comes out and yet something else comes along to offset it. Funny how that works. The sad part I think is that most of it is self-indulgence, replaced better items that apply to my family.

Over the weekend, I missed out on a really cool gallery that I had know idea of: the Giz Gallery. Gizmodo had a sweet setup going with all kinds of snappy new devices. The king to top it all off was 103-inch plasma that had gaming and movies alike. All weekend long! Bummer! Yet: this was offset by the much better news was that hopefully this week, my sister's twin were finally leaving the hospital to go home. Way better news! Obviously, much bigger and better news to replace the bumming.

Then another today: I read the melancholy post of Trent Reznor regarding the lack of a live DVD for the current tour. Really, really wanted to see this tour, as it was billed as this year's must-see show: everything was totally interactive, with huge displays, live video rendering, and more. Further to that, Trent went on to say this may the last NIN as it exists for a long time (ie this could be the unofficial hiatus announcement). Though I'm sure Trent will continue to write and perform, and that we'll see NIN in some form again, I do regret not being able to see them, at their peak prime right now. (Could have made the trip up to Cleveland back in August, but in an effort to save for the move here, held off. After that, we were in opposite cities of where the tour landed.)

The good news to today? Reiko got her permanent residency card! The real deal! It's even got a cool looking holographic picture of her on the back. So once again, the greater good of having her fully registered clearly outways my own wants to see a band live.

On Location: Ugly Betty Shoot

Friday night, and it was getting cold, damn cold outside. Reiko had already made it clear that she didn't want to head out, so what to do? Why not go out and buy that Xbox 360 I've been wanting for some time? So I did! Walked down to the neighborhood Gamestop and picked up a new Pro model (with Lego Indiana Jones / Kung-fu Panda) and a used copy of Burnout Revenge. Nothing too extraordinary, except that the surrounding blocks of Gamestop were lined with unmarked white semi trailers, and there was a huge flood light that lit the entire President St. block. Impossible to describe how bright this light was, other than it would have sucked to live on that street that night without some damn good shutters and blinds.

Of course I was curious, and went over to take a look. That's when I ran into a friend of a friend, who caught word it was an on-location filming for the show Ugly Betty. I guess they were just getting set up at that time, as there were crew hoarding all kinds of equipment and stands and who knows what around. Quite a few folks, too - I asked one of the light checkers (his job is to take light readings and relay them back to the camera folks) and his estimate was around 75 people, maybe 100 with all the actors.

Unfortunately I didn't get to see much action on the production side, though I'm pretty sure I could hear America Ferrara getting chatty at one point. Can't forget that voice, no sir.

But anyway, it made for an interesting New York experience none-the-less!

Christmas Chimes

So, it's finally Christmas season. Translation = BUY NOW! SANTA'S COMING! TIS THE SEASON! TREELIGHTING! Wow, it's pretty rad and all, but can be a bit overwhelming! So far though, the city version's not much different from anywhere else.

There are a few exceptions though. One is the local street musicians' styles adaptations. Not only the songs, but instruments have changed. Was greeted the other day by a fellow playing Let It Snow pretty damn well on a harmonica. Rhythm and lead at the same time, kind of a poly-beat approach that was pretty slick. Then there was a Jingle Bell Rocker of the steel drums last night in the subway, also decent. Hadn't seen these instruments so much until now, and found it interesting how they surfaced with the season.

Then today, I saw Santa! You know what? He was totally picking his nose and then advertising cell phones. That's what he's been reduced to at least in the world I live in. Kinda sad!

French Cuisine Quickie

Alrighty then, quick restaurant review time.

Met up with friends last night for a birthday dinner at Moto, a French-American old-world fusion place, of sorts! Definitely a great place for a dining experience. The things I liked about it:

1. Atmosphere. Very chill place with soft, red lighting. Old mechanical objects around, including a clock with a key, old cash register, and a scissor-arm mirror. The interior is tight - the building is located on a triangular road split and thus, the door side gets rather narrow. Makes for some interesting trips out of the table, which include standing on the back bench and apologizing to surrounding guests. Live music was gypsy guitar + vocals and a tenor sax. I'm not sure what genre this music was but it suited the place perfectly. The water closest was also very interesting, with an old-school upper tank.

Note about the location:
Located right underneath the JMZ line in the heart of Brooklyn. We walked about 4 blocks from the G-line and got to admire a nice mix of bodegas and old industrial buildings covered in graffiti. There's also no sign for the place; rather "Moto" is written on the outside wall in chalk. Very scenic!

2. Food. Until last night, I had never tried, let alone seen, seen a fully-bloomed artichoke before. It was surprisingly damn good! As was the meatloaf special (complete with a peppery red glaze) with super-soft mashed potatoes and fresh greens. Everything we tried was top notch, yet reasonably priced.

3. Drinks. Large Brooklyn Lager black and tans, Young's Double Chocolate stouts, and Stella Artois for the win.

Definitely a sweet place, and worth the wait for a table.

Sleeping in Loud Places

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the ability to completely fall asleep in a totally loud environment. I'm a fairly light sleeper too - doesn't take much to wake me up, and once awake for the day, that's it.

Got back yesterday from a trip to Ohio for Thanksgiving. Good to see everyone, filled myself up pretty well with a nice mix of food and alcohol, per usual I'd say. Went out Friday night for a bit but knowing that we had to fly back the next day, kept the party under control. There was a bit of concern we could make it back on our target flight - standby was full and we were the lowest priority (S4) - and still made it back. Got on the train back from JFK and that's when my body just started shutting down. The A-train we were on was not particularly overcrowded, but it was an older car and had plenty of clank-smash-boing going on. Despite that, after about the third stop, I closed my eyes and was out of it. I was kind of in and out of it until we had to change trains, and totally could have ended up in the Bronx if it hadn't been for Reiko telling me "Nesugi!" (you sleep too much!).

So what actually causes the body to sleep like this? It was the middle of the day and fairly loud, and yet none of that mattered. I was out! I chalked up this excuse to my body relaxing from the fact that we had made it back to Brooklyn and would be home soon. Flight was over, now I can rest. Interesting!

What's the most extreme conditions you've passed out in?

Heading Back

There's a big question on my mind right now: will we make it back to Ohio tonight??

Reiko and I are currently set to fly out on an ever-shrinking handful of standby flights tonight. Never flown standby before. I suppose Thanksgiving isn't the best time to try it out, but this was our last chance to make it back on the cheap.

The goal is to make it back to Ohioland to celebrate Thanksgiving and meet our friend the amazing Sumiko. I'm taking tomorrow off, which is our back up date for travel. Hoping to make it back tonight though! Had to schlep our luggage out here this morning, no easy task for a delayed train packed to the brim. Couple rain to the equation and you've got a happy camper in the office.

Will be checking the status of the flights all day. Keeping fingers crossed!

UPDATE:
There was no meeting with Sumiko. Couldn't work out the way to Athens. So! I think she's going to visit us here. Alright.

Outta Work

Just caught word that 3 of my former coworkers lost their jobs last Friday due to the not-so-immaculate state of our economy. That blows. This makes the first employees (not temps) I knew to lose their jobs to hard times, from a highly conservative Japanese company that typically doesn't even fire those who deserve it.

I'm sure they're not alone in this, and I wish them the best of luck.

How about your job, anybody losing their jobs?

Let the Music Take Me Away

This past week was a sweet week for music. In addition to getting behind the kit again for a couple of hours, I went to see a a group of band-specific cover bands, a Japanese Arts festival complete with a taiko performance, and some incredible sax jazz. What was really cool was how at times during each of the shows I found myself completely lost in the music, and was instantly warped to some alternate reality I had visited before.

Take for example the Tool cover band I saw. Huge fan of them growing up; could have been my favorite band at some point when I was 14 or 15. Despite the fact that the cover band was not the real deal, they did a helluva job covering the tunes note for note. Suddenly, during Opiate, I found myself belting out the lyrics, whisked away to friend Rob's bedroom, perhaps late at night, high, and on the down low from his mom. The feeling was indescribably real, and for a moment, I was not in New York any longer.

I likewise left again to visit Japan Saturday night. Not unlike my last trip, this time was more through the performances, especially the pop stars, geisha performances, and perhaps even the samurai drama. Though the place we were in - the Polish Slavic Center in Greenpoint - looked nothing like a Japanese building, the organizers did an incredible job recreating the atmosphere through art and red latterns.

Pretty sweet experience. Wondering where I'm headed next!

Awesome Animations on the Train

Closure for yet another item I've been searching for: animations that are seen from the subway. And the key is your word of the day: Zoetrope!

Actually, there's one just right outside my window on the train to work. It's on the B-Q line, right past De Kalb Ave. station. It actually comes as a two-parter: the first animation is roughly 10 seconds, followed by a second, longer one that's more like 15 seconds. Of course, depends on the train traffic! It's not an ad, rather just some crazy animations of circles and rectangles dancing around. In the second one, this blue dildo rocket launches! Kinda weird way to start the morning!

As for the animation, it seems to be on track with the slit method of animation: still walls are set up behind a viewing wall which contains the viewing slits, like a big Zoetrope. The idea is that each "slit" becomes a frame of animation as you're zooming by, so that as you see several in succession, you see the animation appear, as opposed to a giant blur.

The animation I'm seeing in particular is entitled Masstransiscope. Originally produced in 1980 and restored just this year, it's quite a piece to see in action. It'll be on your left as you look at the window - don't miss it!

The Thing About Room Service

Last week, I got room service for the first time in my life. I mean, I had stuff delivered before, but as far as meals go, this was a first. Never really felt like paying the difference before! My rationale has always been that if I can walk, I don't need it. I guess I could have received it on my old job, but with a "keep what's left" per diem, I always chose to keep the change. However, take away the savings option and it's a whole different ball game.

I suppose it's probably quite standard for some hotels: the card with the select-what-you-want menu card that you hang on the door before retiring. Which breakfast, what side options, when you want it delivered. Easy enough, right? Not when they show up early. And your only pair of underwear is still damp from swimming in the pool and hot tub from the night before. And by they I mean a lady and a guy, outside my door, half an hour before I had requested my breakfast delivered. (Admittedly, I could have ironed my boxers the night before but figured I'd wait until morning).

And so my door was knocked, and I had little choice but to put on my damp drawers and respond. Nothing like waking up early, letting people into your room and all you can think about is how cold your wet underwear is. Not recommending this one!

Always bring a swimsuit. That's my new motto for hotels!

To Another Baba's Kitchen!

It's been almost a year now since my last visit to Baba's kitchen. Last Thanksgiving, to be precise. And unfortunately, due to the craziness and high costs involved traveling there, it may not happen this year. Man. Ah, but there are alternatives: the most excellent Krolewskie Jadlo (King's Feast) up in Greenpoint. Went there this past Friday for a special treat.

Started the experience off with plums wrapped in bacon and salmon topped potato pancakes. Bread was also served with a bacon spread... yes, bacon spread instead of butter. And for $13.50, they have a dinner special which consists of a full entree with sides, a drink, and dessert. Went with the Beef Stragonov with beets, shredded cabbage salad, and mashed potatoes, and the cake-like apple pie for dessert. Needless to say, everything was most excellent, and more than enough food. Ironically, the kitchen staff was ripe with bunch of baba's working in the kitchen - didn't see a single male worker in the place. They know their stuff!

Yes, it was great. Would be happy to go back there, though, just like Baba's kitchen, I should probably take some time off before next time. You know, just to let my belly shrink back down a bit.

Bob Barker Has Good Taste

Just read an article in Delta's Sky Magazine about Bob Barker. In it, he mentioned that his main companion is a found Golden Retriever / Chow Chow mix... also known as a Charlie Dog! Guy's got good tastes...

Check out the original article here.

It's not Halloween, it's Christmas on Mars

Hate to admit it, but I'm terrible about seeing films in theaters. Not sure why, I guess I always hated paying the ticket price. And yet, there's always a bit of regret on some films, so its a bittersweet personal issue. So! Last night I decided to do something I had never done before: go catch an Indie film during a small screening. And what a better flick to see than the long-awaited Flaming Lips flick Christmas on Mars?

So I got the ticket online yesterday, made my way to the small theater on the lower East Side. Line was up to the door! No one was really sure what was going on either, as no one seemed to be present from the theater (though the KGB Bar upstairs was alive and kicking). Finally, the doors were opened, IDs checked, and a curator came out.

This was another first for me. I've read a lot about rock shows being curated - such as the recent ATP curated by My Bloody Valentine - but never experienced it. I didn't catch who the curator was, but he at least did his part in wearing a Santa costume and explaining some quick history on the film and the pre-movie segments we would watch.

And so the flick began with an interesting interview with Wayne talking about the backstory of the movie: why they made it, who its for, why it took so long (after all, it is their own Chinese Democracy). A sweet intro scene followed and then, finally, the movie began.

The movie is a bit different from what I expected. It's definitely out there, mostly black and white, and has a very surreal vibe to it. By nature I would describe it as a very brown story, with some very perverted imagery, almost frustrating at times. Other scenes are completely brilliant, shining in the race of space. The soundtrack, also scored mostly by Flaming Lips, adds a nice touch to it, though I was almost hoping for one good rock track in there to really bring it all home.

All in all, it was a decent movie, and worth the extra hassle of staying out late and the subsequent slow commute home.

Christmas on Mars Trailer (via youtube)

The Peeman

Started taking a new route home from work this week. Essentially, if I cut over from where I work to Times Square, I can get on an express Q train that takes me right by house. The key here is that I can get a seat. Seats are quite a commodity on crowded trains!

So Tuesday afternoon, I did just that: took my new route, waited for the train, and proceeded to grab my seat. Right next to... the Peeman. A bum with his nasty clothes sacks was sprawled out across a 3-seat bench, and completely reeked of piss. By the time I realized this little fact, it was too late - too many crowded around that even I stood up, I would have been stuck in the line of pee.

It was indescribably nasty. Other riders were covering their noses with shirts. The lady next to me was breathing through her umbrella - apparently dirty rain and nylon outweighed the stench. Fortunately, there were no big delays or anything, and I made it to my stop. I gagged as I walked out.

Though it was probably not as bad as vomit, man, did it smell!

The Meatman Commeth

And just like that, I've brought closure to one of the hottest topics on my ever-growing list of questions about living in the city: where to buy fresh slab bacon - at an affordable price. Though, its not in Brooklyn, its actually in East Village, which makes for a fun trip home on what became the meat train.

While it's true I have found some decent bacon at the local Saturday morning market near my house, there's no way I can afford to buy bacon that starts at $12 / pound. That's just ludicrous! I don't care what you fed that pig or how you raised it, I'm won't buy that. I've tasted some of the finest bacons for under $4 / pound.

Anyway, found the place by discovery last week while walking around with Reiko and her brother. You know its a good sign when there's various slabs of meat in the windows! I didn't even take notice to the store name MEAT MARKET and underneath it, "J. Baczynsky". Funny how awesome that Polish name sounds! Like a trip to Baba's kitchen all over.

In the end, I picked up a pound of fresh slab bacon (cut before my own eyes), 2.5 pounds of double smoked kielbasa, and a half a pound of some crazy ham. Filled up a huge bag, which of course, filled the subway with its sweet, garlicy-bacon aroma. The more I think about that ride home, the funnier it seems!

Also funny how much better the week is when you're stocked up on good pork!

Deerhoof Fix

A few days behind, but always worth a mention: ye olde Deerhoof show!

Saw 'em the other night at the Fillmore. It's hard to describe the show if you've never seen them, but simply put they're an act that never grows old. Always a good show, always something new to see.

Riding the high thrills of their new release, Deerhoof came out as the solid 4-piece arrangement they are. As almost expected, the tunes were a good mix of the new album and a wide range of songs spread across all past albums, busting out a good surprise classic here and there. Clearly, they've got the formula down.

And also becoming a tradition for myself is speaking with their drummer Greg Saunier after the show. Aside from his amazing and clearly unique approach to playing, Greg's a really great guy in that he makes himself available after the shows to anyone. You want to know how we recorded something in the studio? Or where he got that symbol? Just ask, he'll tell. Nothing to hide! I think he may very well be the most accessible musician I've ever had the fortune of meeting.

For the drummers reading this, I don't have the specifics, but Greg's kit boils down to nothing more than a thin bass drum, smaller snare, one thin ride, and a super hi-hat that seemed to be made from two 22" ride cymbals. Sweet!

Basketball Get Your Groove Back (via Youtube)

The Brother's Wave

Whew! It's been a non-stop week around here, doing the brother visit swap! My brother Andrew flew in and out last weekend, then Reiko's brother Kei flew in this past Monday. Been good getting around the city, traveling to some of the more touristy places, which is cool because I myself still feel like a bit of a tourist here.

Highlights amongst the past week included a Rock Band party, $2 pints in Brooklyn, dinner at a totally Americana pop culture place, seeing Deerhoof play, attending a Photoshop seminar hosted by the amazing Bert Monroy, and cooking some excellent salmon fillets! Downnotes involved calling an attorney regarding our landlord's yelling!

Highlights of the Deerhoof show coming soon!

Getting To Work Part 2: The 50m Dash

Here's another one that I love seeing during the morning rush: people who flip into lightening sprintmode as soon as they approach the stairwell to go down to a station. Though they usually approach with a bit of a faster walk, it's not until they are about to enter that they burst into a full-on sprint. Flying down the stairs! Knocking others over! Getting pissed at the others. Yelling, sometimes! Are these people just on like some kind of secret mission that no one told me about?

It's like, dude, chill. Just leave your house a bit earlier in the morning and it wouldn't be an issue. These trains come every two minutes, I doubt you're gonna miss anything. But yeah... people have their own ways!

And on a slightly different note, I got denied for insufficient fare today. My first 30-day unlimited ride pass was all up! And so to help stimulate the every waning economic gloom and doom cloud, as well as make it to work on time, I bought another.

Getting to Work, By the Numbers

Before moving to the city, I used to go out the front door (which was never locked), hop in my car, drive to work, then go through the employee's door, and that was it. The winter time required the extra steps of opening and closing the garage door.

Child's play! These days, I have a bit more to go through in the morning.

By the number's, here's what I pass through if I take the B-line to work, with transfer to the 7.

• Four house doors
• Two glass doors
• One office door
• One gate
• Two subway turnstiles
• Eight stairwells (house, entering station, down to tracks x 2, up from tracks x 2, down to lower section of station, up & out from station)
• Two revolving doors
• Two sliding train doors x 2 times (entering and leaving)
• One giant escalator
• One elevator with standard sliding doors
• Nine subway stations

Heck, there could be more I'm just not thinking of, but that's the gist of it... and this is normal nowadays! Huzzah!

As I was thinking about this after leaving Grand Central, Air's "How Does It Make You Feel" came playing through in all of its cheesy glory. And the answer? Quite adventurous! And all the more compelled to put this together.

What do you pass through to get to worky?

PSP Drinks Sake, Stops Working

Man man man man.

Last night, en route to meet some friends for dinner, I noticed my pants were suddenly dripping wet. Where was this coming from!? A bottle of sake I had brought, busted in bag - bottom fell out, filling the plastic grocery bag. Sharing the bag was my PSP in case. Nothing worse than fishing out electronics from a bag full of sticky alcohol. And man, despite my best efforts to wipe it off and air it out... electronics and liquids just don't mix.

My PSP, RIP 2006-2008.

Street Fighter IV Impressions

Yesterday, I made a pilgrimage of sorts, though not for any particular religious beliefs. No! This was truly out of curiosity and self-indulgence: to go play the new highly talked about Street Fighter IV over at the Chinatown Fair arcade.

Let's back up a bit. I used to spend countless hours in arcades growing up. I went through a phase in my early teens where Street Fighter II and Mortal Kombat II were not just games, they were part of my culture. Everyone was talking about it, playing it at home, working on their skills and swapping moves. I could probably tell you where I was the first time I saw and played these classics, but that's getting off the topic.

So yesterday I finally got to experience the newest of them all, which aims to return fighting games back its roots. My first play was very short lived, as I somehow confirmed one of the new fighters, who I had no idea how to control. My opponent had clearly spent some time on the game, no else would even play him. Forget that match! Second time in, I chose my ol' trusty sidekick Ryu for some bashing, and took the first round. Round 2 got me in some trouble, and it was over before too long. I got some good early hits in round 3, but eventually my opponent pulled out some of crazy ass special move, which pretty much did me in. I would have gone again, but at $1 a pop, I decided to back off. Damn overpriced cabinets!

The game itself was completely amazing. The graphics are very vibrant, and the cabinets are in vein with the traditional Japanese fighter style: each player gets their own gorgeous 37" LCD display. (Here, all four cabinets are lined up side-by-side) The visuals of the game are extremely fluid, and there's so much minor details going on in the background that its hard to take it all in, especially mid round. Though my experience was brief, I will definitely be returning to play this some more before the home console versions start showing up.

And yes, I feel like I'm 12 years old again!

Check out a trailer here.

Another Brownbun Hatches

For whatever reason, I felt the sudden urge to do something Fujiya & Miyagi style this morning on the way to work. Andrew was in town the past couple of days and we shot some video Tuesday night. Though, it was a bit limited, so it needed a catch. And for whatever brown reason, Triscuit Crackers came to mind. I decided to take the idea and run with it. Lyrics were dialed into my cell phone, en route to work, and I began sequencing some tracks at lunch. More tracks came after work, including the quiet vocals, recorded straight into the small mic at the top of my iMac. Also tried to refrain from using any special effects or filters on the video - just the red at the end, which is a tribute to end of my first sequence, The Chase (needs posting!).

The Shitty Beatles Present Brownbun 3: Triscuit Cracker (via Youtube).

Bacon or Grapes?

Hit up the local farmer's market this past weekend. Amongst other things, I was in search of some good bacon! And I'll be damned, I couldn't seem to find it, I did make an amazing discovery: the grape vendor. I had never been to a dedicated grape vendor before, but I'm proud to say it now - I'm a changed man. Concord style, that is! Because, you just can't be a gummy inside succulent juicy grape.

If you or any of your friends know anything about good, fresh, slab bacon in Brooklyn, do tell!

Better Bagel Business Bureau

Another thing that’s great about living in NY: bagels! Everywhere I go, there seems to be bagels abound! This is a good thing, since I’m a huge fan. And also a welcome change, as bagels were seemingly not held to be as sacred back in the Midwest.

Let’s go back a step: I actually started bagel day at my old job, in response to Thursday morning donuts. However, there were two things missing: one, we didn’t have a good toaster, crucial, since I prefer mine toasted, and two, butter. For whatever reason, the Midwest (perhaps only Ohio?) is completely retardedly fixed upon cream cheese, such that the two places I picked up the weekly stash only seemed to scratch their heads when asked. And certainly unwilling to do things for you! I even got attitude from the evil Tim Hortons when asking if they could cut the bagels in half. I mean, a lot of people only wanted the half!

Working in the Clouds

Living in the city, man, it's a bit different! The office itself is, well, an office! It's a nice environment, generally more casual than where I worked before, which of course is great and much appreciated. The view from the 24th floor, also quite different! Through the windows on our floor, I can see in basically all directions except west, since there's a building taller than ours next door, and I can't see through buildings... yet.

For a bit of difference yesterday, my coworker opened up the window, and for a few hours, it was as though we were just floating on a magic cloud, high above the streets of Midtown. The sound was a nice mixture of natural street sounds, the occasional siren, and just generally soothing. So different than the rumbling air ducts of old. Occasionally the whirring of the elevator filters through, which sounds kind of like futuristic blender.

What does your workplace sound like? Is it just an office, or do you get to enjoy a nice mix of sound?

Visiting Japan

Yesterday was pay day. And just any regular ol' pay day, it was the first one from my new job. And considering how much money we spent to get out here, it was a pretty damn good feeling to have something incoming. And what else could we do than go and spend a little bit of it?

So, it was Japan night. We met up with an old friend from OU and headed out... to Japan. First stop, a local izakaya called Hagi, which had a huge wait. Got our name on the list and headed back to the states for a round at Applebees (the VIP lounge made it feel very un-Applebeesish), and then made it to Ireland for another round. It was time to go back to Japan at that point, where we sat down at the counter, devouring some most delectible items such as daikon salad, raw bonito, and chicken gizzards. Then! We headed back in time to another locale called Kenka (fight!) located on St. Marks place. Totally 1930's pre-war Japan! Their huge selection of shochu worked nicely as we finished off some wasabi octopus and kimchi. Though, we decided to pass on their bull penises and other odd entries. The best part? When you leave, they give you grains for their cotton candy machine! Nothing like making it yourself at who-knows-how-late-it-is in the morning!

At that point, it was time to call it a night, and we came back to Brooklyn and headed for the barn. How many countries have you been before in a night?

On a Roll

And they just keep coming now. Ideas for Brownbun clips, that is! After a serious drought of not putting up any new videos, I've started going through the back catalog. Quite a lot in there actually! Would like to start scripting out an actual short film, but until then, gotta keep making these to keep the creative juices flowing. Like super thick, 100% from concentrate with pulp orange juice.

Sievil de Picardi Launches Brownbun 2 (via Youtube)

Where I Work

So! Quite a weekend that involved a bit of Chinatown, Williamsburg (always down for more Barcade), and Ikea. We quickly found out the problem with buying furniture in the city: delivery! I'm now concocting an genius plan to get it back to our place. Pushcarts and shuttles involved!

And, behold! The first of a few pictures of taken around the office. Note, that this is quite different from where I was before! If you live in a big city like this one, probably this will look quite banal. For those in the Midwest, different! 

Around the Office (via Facebook)

Back to Brown

I decided it was time to put together a new clip showcasing some of the recent footage I shot while moving out to the city. What a trip! With everything we've gone through to get here, the whole experience has been very surreal to say the least! Hence, a decisively brown video! Figured I could tap some unusual arrangements that way.

Without further ado, may I present to you the new mini-series, "Brownbun". It's out there!

Raddy Tutenheimer Presents Brownbun 1 (via youtube)

City Meltdown

This week has certainly been quite an interesting ride for me. Starting a new job in a big city and all that moving! So its nice to have settled in a bit now, having set up the apartment to a semi-functional state and started working. Thing is, the day I got here, the city blew up. Meltdown, that is!

I couldn't even follow it as it happened. I'm talking about the Lehman Brothers incident which has the city, the nation shook up right now. The day I start working in the city, passing through the Wall St. station, everything went corrupt! Though my business should be unaffected by this, it's certainly an ominous feeling to have! 

Now comes the fun part of seeing how impacted I am by this. Hopefully, little!

At Home, At Work

It's been a long time since I've had what I would consider a long-term home. Too long! Been living out of a suitcase since I moved out of my house in March. Finally, on our fourth day of searching, we found something we liked, forked over added broker fee, and signed the lease. Picked up the keys at 6pm on Friday. And thus came the challenge: head back to Cincinnati to get all of our belongings and get moved back to the city in time to start work on Monday morning.

It was crazy. We left the city at 6:30 pm on Friday night amidst a huge rain storm. Getting out of the city is right on par with getting out of any large city: endless rows of red lights, people honking, angry faces. We pushed through it all and made it out all right, and drove the long, long 11 and a half hour drive back. It was a most surreal experience, and when the thick fog hit us in Western Pennsylvania, I thought for sure we were descending into something most out of this world. But we made it back alright, and pulled into my parents' driveway at 6 am.

Awake again at 11, I left with my folks to pick up the truck. The rest of the day was spent dumping unwanted items in storage, packing the truck, sorting laundry, and trying not to think about doing it all over again. Completely exhausted by 10:30, we passed out for a bit before the alarm went off again at 5:30. Lunches were made and goodbyes were said, and we were out the door by 6:45.

We made good time on the way back, despite driving a huge moving truck. So much gas used though! Back in the city by 6:45, and started to unpack. We were assisted by a friend and got everything inside, how we did it I'm not sure. Really wasn't thinking clear by that point! After a few beers, we were beat. Found just enough space to throw down the futon and crash.

Awoken at 7 am the next day by my cell phone, I got my stuff together and went out to find the place to drop off the truck. Way further out than anticipated! I found the place eventually and got everything checked in, then made the realization I had no idea where the nearest train line to get me to work was! A kind lady told me of a bus to catch, so I found the nearest bus station and began my wait. First bus came... and kept on going! Second bus, no different! Finally, the third bus stopped and I got on.

Problem!

Can't pay for the bus with cash, only quarters or cards. Well! I got off, ran to store, got change, and of course, the bus was gone. It was getting kind of late at this point, so I began to run. Imagine me, the first day of work, running through Brooklyn trying to find a station. And finally, I snagged it: the last train on the 2-5 line. I ran downstairs and hopped the first train I could. It was quite a ride, not sure how many stops, but finally, FINALLY I made it to Grand Central Terminal. I made the short walk from there, rode the elevator up, and was greeted by my new boss, who had just walked in. No worries!

And just like that, I had made the move. My apartment still has a lot of work, and I'm sure it will take some time to get up to speed on what's going on here, but man, it sure feels good to get that monkey off my back.

Special cheers to everyone who helped us through this incredible life change!

Day 4, Accept the Broker Fee...

It's day 4 now of our search for a place. We saw some properties yesterday that we really liked, but: they're all with broker fees. Which is basically a LOT of money to fork over.

The concept of the broker fee is new to us. Essentially, the landlord turns over the property to a realty agent to have them show the place and take care of getting them the tenant. That cost associated with the listing then gets passed on to us! The places we looked at yesterday wanted 10% of the annual rent. Possibly negotiable!

Anyway, the search is getting old. We're running our numbers and thinking we might sign something today, and just accept the fee. Decisions, man!

Day 2 of Apartment Hunt: Still Nothing

Atlantic Avenue.
St. James Place.
Park Place.
I'm stuck inside a huge game of Monopoly.

Been out driving like mad the past two days trying to find a new home. Seen quite a few places, quite a few faces! Driving here is quite a bit different from driving anywhere else. It's packed streets at almost all times (9-10am isn't too bad, but certainly a worthy warm-up), more aggressive and high-paced than some professional sports. Try doing all this with no knowledge of the roads, either! My general approach has been to shoot for a direction and just pray I hit a cross street I recognize. Other than an incident in northern Brooklyn today that got me a bit tangled up, we've made it to our destinations with pretty solid results. Except for the apartment acceptance thing.

By the numbers, and this is just a best guess at this point, we've logged the following:
10 apartments we've entered and walked around,
3 neighborhoods we're seriously considering,
2 apartments that we've actually carefully considered,
1 apartment we had to turn down due to poor location from a station,
1 appointment we stood up due to bad timing (and hopefully this is not a bridge we burned, since the guy has quite a few in the area),
and 1 more night in the hotel.

It's crunch time, and we're starting to feel it. Here's to a good search tomorrow!

Ready! Set! Find Beer!

Trip preparations...check.
Logistics planning...check.
Knowledge of completely flawed Pennsylvania beer laws... wait, wtf?

Yesterday was a smooth sailing for us. We made it to good ol' Harrisburg, PA, which surprisingly, was quite a happening place! (Except for the smell of our lodging room... woof! We set out for dinner right after!) After enjoying $1 draft pints of Yuengling and half price summer foods, it was time to check out the state capitol building and head back to hotel room. Stopping for beer on the way, of course!

But! It's just not that simple as we came to find. We made it to the first gas station by our hotel - no luck! We tried the BP station next door... nothing there either! Third time's a charm, right? So we headed across the interstate to the only other possible, larger gas station. AND NO BEER THERE EITHER!

So I explained my situation to the lady behind the counter:

"Excuse me, I'm not from around here. But I've noticed you don't have beer for sale, nor do the other places around here. Do you happen to know of anywhere I can find some?".

"Well... turn around and go back across the interstate. There's a Pizza Hut or the Doc Holiday (another restaurant), they'll sell it to you at the bar.".

It turns out, as I came to find out via the ever-courteous barkeep at Doc Holiday, that the entire state is flawed such that the only place you can buy beer is either a beer store or from a bar. We chose the latter, paying $9 for a 6-pack. (Individuals were sold at full bar prices of $2.75 each). I gave him a $1 tip fo his sad recounting of truly flawed legal system.

Do you know of any flawed state beer laws?

Ready to go!

Just finished sorting through piles of stuff to move / pitch / place in attic. Setting off tomorrow to find a place in NY! We're stopping for the night in Harrisburg, then making it to Brooklyn on Tuesday. If you know of any great places, let me know! We'll be searchin'....

Hoping to find something great, and soon!

The Sendoff

Hooray for logistics planning! My poor brain is about filled with maps, strategies, and ideas for the upcoming conquest into new territory. At this point, I've got my next week mostly planned out, with some slight things left to address. So! Here's to hoping things go as planned, and that my plan B's are just as strong. Next week will involve a lot of windshield time, so I'm trying to psych myself up for that as well. Damn shame Reiko's license is expired!

My last band I was in had a song called The Sendoff... it's currently on an infinite loop in my head. Though, I can't recall if there's a decent recording of it! Will check, yeah?

In the meantime, tonight is the big sendoff from the company. One last bought to the local watering hole called Hinders. A feast of chicken wings, potato skins and plentiful beer is on the horizon.

What have you done in the past for going away parties?

Fall is here!

Reiko and I headed down to see the WEBN Fireworks at Riverfest last night for the first time in a few years. Quite a show! We didn't end up leaving my folks house until after 6, leaving us with little parking options and a bit of walk. Popped our heads in a local watering hole where we stopped for a drink, and then made our way down to the levee. We had really great seats just right outside the Purple People Eater bridge, giving us a really nice view of the show. Nice array of visuals with notable new pieces during the Johnny Cash "Ring of Fire" (the fire spinwheels!) and these cool zooming swarms used during Nine Inch Nails "Discipline". And on that note, good audio program all around, too!

And thus brought in the beginning of the new season for us! I've always thought of the Labor Day fireworks as the end of summer (as a kid, I was already back in school for a week or so). This year's a bit different for us, as I'm going into my last week of work with OTC. In a way, it was a "going out with a bang", and signified the beginning of the end for our time here in Ohio. We're both really excited about the move (though! not the moving), and look forward to getting on.

On with the fall!

Living in the Dark

I just found out this past weekend that I've been living in the dark! Though, my lights work just fine at home, I hadn't seen the light... of Ikea! Finally made the trip this past weekend, only to find quite a surprise: this place is as cool as shit! (how cool shit is!) Because seeing is believing, I realized that until I went I had no idea on what I was missing out on. The only I could have perhaps done without is the perplexing maze of enticement... well nonetheless, it worked.

Ever since stepping out of the surreal world of college housing a few years ago, I've tried to only purchase stuff that would translate well into a more permanent dwelling. I still managed to pick up crap a long the way, most namely a green couch that's a complete eye sore. Oddly enough, living in a rental house, working a job I knew I wanted out of also seemed to instill the same feeling of temporariness that's held me back from purchasing large pieces of furniture (and instead purchasing gobs of A/V equipment and trips to Japan).

This time, I've been moved to move. I'm more excited than ever to be moving into an apartment to turn into my own pad and go crazy with styling it to my fancy. Gotta find a place first, though! But once we get it, I know where I'm heading.

Leaving Hope

Though I announced my plans to move on here a couple of Fridays ago, I hesitated to submit my official two weeks notice until just last Friday. The response was not unlike what I thought: a bit of a surprise, a bit troubling, and a bit of bewilderment. I tried to keep the clear message that I can no longer work here due to personal reasons, mainly finding a place where both my wife and I can work. Hence, New York!

This was not without an interesting Japanese cultural lesson, either. I made my point very clear that I would like to continue to support the company on a side-business, contract basis, helping out with web-related and graphic design related tasks. I figured, well I already know the company and what they're looking to do; surely this shouldn't be a problem. My Japanese manager replied,
"Maybe we will have to get permission from your new boss?"
"No, this would be directly through me, my own side business."
"But your boss must know about it, right? We need his permission maybe."
"Uh, no. You can go send the bill directly to me, to my address."
"Hmmm...."

In Japan, it's considered unacceptable to hold any kind of side business when employed full-time by a large corporation. For example, if my manager was contracted on the side to program robots for a customer on the weekend, it would be completely rude to the company that he had gone behind their back to contract business. Unacceptable to the point of demotion (remember, Japanese companies hardly ever fire anyone). I get the point here, but have a very hard time relating that to my situation. And what a fine example of just one of the many differences between Japanese and American business ethics!

Visiting the Federal Building

Yesterday, Reiko and I went to the Federal Building in Cincinnati to get her Biometrics test for the Green Card and Temp Working Visa. No, it's not a test to see if she knew the metrics system (which I assume she would pass, having lived in metric Japan and all). Rather, it involved some light paperwork, fingerprinting, then a picture which perhaps will end up on the Green Card / Working Visa. Or at least we hope so! The last pic we used for the app had a funny yellow wall.

All in all, the process was pretty damn smooth. We were in and out in less than 20 minutes, and only saw one other individual leaving as we entered. Not a whole lot of activity on a Wednesday afternoon! Beats standing in line all day!

Oh, and the security to get in the building? Much nicer than an airport... I could bring in my water and leave my shoes on! Funny how that seems like a privilege nowadays...

The Segway

So! This past weekend, I got to fulfill a lifelong dream. And no, it wasn't to be a contestant on the Gong Show! No, I got to ride a Segway around. And, much to my expectations, it was way fucking cool.

Without getting too technical (because I really have no idea!), I must say that the unit itself is very responsive, but not in any way that seemed too much. I was told that if I could balance my weight on one leg, I'd be fine. And I did just that as I got on, then moved the other foot on. Lean feet forward to go forward. Lean 'em back to center to stop. Lean 'em backwards to go... backwards! Turn the stick left or right to pivot around. Combine for turning while moving. Simple, ain't it!

Before long, I was zooming around the neighborhood, taking it to the streets. I felt like king of the hood, and the rush was amazing. Just like a kid with a toy, a big expensive wheeled toy. All I needed the bluetooth headset piece to match!

Planning the Big One

Back in Cincinnati over the weekend, with the main goal of finding a place to hold our wedding reception. Not an easy task! We visited three separate locales which each had their own set of pros and cons. Quite a lot to consider! So the question quickly became, which do we value the highest?

Personally, I want to have a place where all my friends can gather for a good night of food, music, and good times, without having to worry about driving. (Yes, I have driven after a wedding, and no, I will NEVER do that again.) Location is key - I want somewhere accessible that of course looks nice and offers a nice view, and is likewise close to hotels.

We've got one more meeting this week with a certain hotel, then I think we'll make our final decision this week. Time to lock this one in!

Let the Cat Out of the Bag

So, as most folks near and dear to me I know are probably already aware, I've been searchin' for a new job for some time now. Quite some time! Since February, to be precise. My travels to find a job have taken me to SF Bay Area twice, over to Japan (to get away from my current job!), and most recently, New York City. And while most of this has been under wraps of my blog as to keep my current job afloat, the time has come for the big news: this September, I'm starting a new job, working as a web developer for Distance Education Company, who runs the New York Institute of Photography, located in Midtown, Manhattan. I'm outta here.

It's been difficult for me to not share the news here. Holding back, not being able to say what I wanted, seems almost counter-intuitive to a blog. So! Now that that's said, we can all move on.

The job itself sounds pretty sweet. Essentially, I'll be helping grow the various online ascpects of NYIP, as well as their sister college, Sheffield, which specializes in Interior Design, Feng Shui, and Wedding & Event planning. They've done very well for themselves so far, building themselves from intuition. All the folks I met at my recent interview were very talented and very cool. Also totally sweet: lack of corporate environment - goodbye cubicles!

To all my friends and family: thanks for helping me get to where I'm at and I hope you can visit us! We'll still stop through the old digs from time to time to say hello as well!