Live From New York: Part 2 of 3

So my first night in New York I took a cab to the interview dinner at Old Homestead’s. Cabs in New York have a TV in the back that always starts with a clip of Regis and Kelly talking about how fun cabs are to ride now that you can watch a TV that gives you the weather and news. Talk about acting, I don’t think Regis has taken a cab since before I was born. Anyways, dinner was superb. Everyone had Caesar salad, calamari, filet minion, chocolate cake, and overflowing glasses of wine. We spent 3.5 hours eating and drinking before we migrated to a bar in the meat packing district. In contrast to Miami, ladies were not a plenty. What I learned though, was that there are people everywhere and getting around is extremely convenient.
I got back to my hotel around 1am and decided that, although I had more than enough to eat at 7pm, that it was time to see if the city truly never sleeps. I got dressed again, went outside, and within a block of my hotel were a couple of girls that may have been out, or may have been working, wasn’t sure. But all the pizza and sandwich places I walked by earlier were closed. I made a call on my cell phone to an intermediate New York visitor who suggested I could possibly get mugged. I managed to find a deli next door to my hotel and got a bagel with lox, and cream cheese. So I guess that not every shop or street is bumping 24/7 in NYC, but, if you know where to go you can get almost anything. Still won’t ride the subway until part three. I have no idea what to say tomorrow when lifelong New Yorkers ask me how I like Kansas City. Thankfully, they don’t judge, I tell them it’s ok, but, they know they should only take my word for it. Never vacation in Missouri.
I woke up at 4am, completely dehydrated, the tap water here looks like watered down milk, so I do the unthinkable and grab a $7 bottle of water from the mini-bar, but it so was worth it. I haven't been disappointed or scared or accosted yet, but it is coming.

Live From New York: Part One

Ever have a couple of days that blur together in a good way. When I got on the Long Island Rail Road two days ago I was still 50 miles away from Manhattan but, I instantly experienced an information overload. First newbie mistake, purchased an off peak ticket during peak hours, paid with a crisp twenty, and the freaking machine gave me back ten quarters. A homeless man walks up and asks for a $1.25 to catch the bus, I reach in my pocket and hand him approximately eight quarters, or so I thought until, when I pulled out my ticket and realized that I had received gold dollar coins, not quarters from the machine. Sensing a Karma refund during this trip. Of course, by this point, I can see the train pulling up to the station and I have to frantically bags and all purchase a new ticket from the kiosk, but I make it.
The girls on the train were very Staten Island, at least, according to what I’ve seen MTV’s True Life: I’m From Staten Island. They were very tan, had obnoxious nasal accents, wore too much make up, were dressed to impress, and somehow it was all very alluring. For the first time in months, I listened to my iPod without skipping songs, I just let the soundtrack happen, I found some of it very fitting for the occasion.

Ben Folds – Learn to Live With What You Are
Wings – Maybe I’m Amazed
Sloan – Everything You Are
Spoon - Everything Hits at Once
Alice in Chains – I Am Inside
Notorious BIG – Juicy
Prince – When Doves Cry

I should back up, I have never been to NYC until now. Growing up in LA, I had the west coast attitude that NYC was just a more dangerous, cold, crowded, expensive version of Los Angeles without cars, and yes it is scary, cold, congested, hella expensive, and the majority of cars seem to be taxis. In LA though, I could never land at an airport 50 miles from downtown, and in 70 minutes be there for only ten bucks.
Climbing the stairs out of the subway, I felt dwarfed by the buildings, only when I looked straight up could I see the sky. I schlepped my bags from Penn Station to my hotel five blocks away and on the way walked by no fewer than 8 Sbarro’s, 2 H & M’s, 2 Footlockers, 15 ATMs, and 1 Empire State Building. It was 25 degrees outside, but I never felt cold, the adrenaline from jumping into the current of people hoping I was walking the right direction for 20 minutes kept me warm. I already know, that I going to need to come back. It’s overwhelming, I’ve only been in Manhattan five minutes, and I’m already running late 23 years.

Progress

Well, it has been almost three weeks since I started writing in the blog again. I set some goals for myself back then of things I wanted to achieve before I start work. I think the part that has made the most progress is on the making new friends. I had a great time in Miami with my potential future co-workers. The scene is very different than in Kansas City. In KC I am always distracted by the extreme douchebagery in this town. In Miami, a car drives up and six hot ladies get out. In Kansas City, any hot girl is always accompanied by her boyfriend who is wearing a baseball hat. Every bar has 5 guys for every girl. At the "hot spots" they let fat chicks dance on the tables. In Miami there is no shortage of girls. If you are hungry late at night in KC you go to McDonalds, if you are hungry late at night in South Beach you go where ever you want, Sushi, Gyro, Pizza, Sandwiches, anything, open till 6am. As for building a new wardrobe, I bought one new shirt, its nice, but I think I'm going to need a paycheck to really reach that goal. As for going to NYC, I have a plane ticket to New York tomorrow for my interview on Friday. I am only staying an extra day and coming back Saturday evening since I have another interview in Florida I have to go to on Sunday. At least now I can say I was there even if I don't get to see all that it has to offer. I hope I don't get mugged.
I met some residents and applicants who had been skydiving, I never thought I would consider it, but for some reason I feel like I am missing out. This is clearly a time for change. Interviews are almost over, it has been fun, but, I am so sick of airports. People are incredibly rude and when they are at the airport, it becomes magnified. Like the two women sitting next to me on the plane who began singing like they were playing rock band or something. Or the guy who waws having a conversation with his daughter, that was sitting seven rows in front of us. Or the guy who was having a conversation on his cell phone when the flight attendants already told him to put his phone in the off position. What about the guy who was yelling at people entering the security line because they were walking faster than him to the line entrance. How about the fat man I sat next to who refused to put down the arm rest in between us. And that douche in the pink shirt wearing sunglasses with a backpack that snapped at the flight attendant when she told him he would have to store his backpack in the overhead bin. Turn off your freaking phones people, shut your mouths, and take a nap.

Choices

I refuse to blog about the weather, but, the single digit temps in KC have activated my survival instinct. More than ever, I have become more aware of the implications of weather good or bad on my life. Yesterday the National Residency Matching Program opened up the website for medical students to rank the places they were interviewed at in order of preference. The first couple of programs on my list are in places that get cold, but not arctic cold. The middle of the list melts with the Florida (3 places), Los Angeles (2), and a little bit of Texas (1). Even places I truly enjoyed in the Summer and Fall (NY, MN), that offerred a great experience, plummeted to the bottom of the list. A friend told me, you cannot overestimate the positive effect 80 degree winters can have on your life. And I said, yes I know, I'm from California. More on this later, I'm getting on a plane for Miami.

The Best New Hobby

Everyone loves good piano rock. I have to put my foot down. But if you don't like good piano rock, the problem is with you. Every girl I know who sees a guy rock out the room's favorite song on the piano is impressed. Any one can appreciate a true pianist that can pound out piano concertos and Mozart, Beethoven, and Mozart. But if you can play crunchy tunes off the radio like Ben Folds, Elton John, Billy Joel, Journey, or John Legend you are a mac.
Now that we agree that chicks dig piano skills, dancing skills, and knunchuck skills it is therefore desirable to acquire them. Unfortunately, most of us are not like my friend Ben who can play almost any song you request off the by ear with hysterical fidelity. Although a few more people went through the trouble to actually learn piano, I know individuals that went through a decade of piano and could not play a single entertaining tune today. In January 2008 I went with my friends to the brand dueling piano bar, Ernie Biggs, in Westport. That night I went on YouTube and searched, "How to Play Don't Stop Believing Journey Piano," and watched this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF_QrJgJGaA. Obviously it can't be as hard as it looks, so the next day I went to Best Buy and bought my Yamaha YPT-210 Electronic Keyboard. Within an hour I was playing something that resesmbled Don't Stop Believing.
It's almost been a year since I started this hobby. I had to take a couple of months off when I went to out of town this summer to MN and OH. Really it's just mimicking. But it's fun and I've accomplished the ultimate goal of learning piano, to play cool songs, without actually learning piano.
These are the songs I've learned since 1/07

Don't Stop Beliving by Journey
The Scientist by Coldplay
Clocks by Coldplay
Let It Be by The Beatles
Layla by Derek and the Dominoes
Love Lockdown by Kayne West
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T's
Careless Whisper by Wham
Mad World by Gary Jules
Karma Police by Radiohead
Beautiful Life by Ace of Base

There are bits and pieces of other songs I learned or tried to learn. But otherwise, this was a rewarding experiment, well worth the 100 bucks I spent on the keyboard. There are so many more songs left me to learn from YouTube. The only problem now is that at one of my upcoming interviews, they make anyone who lists piano as an interest play in their office. Yeesh.

Falling Off the Wagon

So on the 9th day of my no meat challenge I was at an interview in Florida. I was going strong, I had fish the night before, which was allowed under the rules of my pescatarian diet. However, at the next days lunch, there was a tray of sandwiches, all of which had a ton of meat on them. Rather than look like a sissy, I ate the sandwiches. Amazingly, I became more enthusiastic with each bite, and by the afternoon I felt more healthy. This brings me to the conclusion that a little lean meat might be good for me. In my quest for longevity, perhaps if I just exercise more, drink less, and keep my body out of harms way, I'll be a winner. As aside, I was given the Office Season 4 on DVD for Christmas. This is excellent because I was unable to see most of the episodes that season with school etc. The Office is the kind of show that you either love or haven't seen yet. If you've seen the Office and still don't like it, I'm going to take a shot in the dark and say that you are just not funny. Sometimes I lay awake at night pondering the eternal question, Karen or Pam?

Fitness

So in an effort to gain muscle lose fat I purchased the Iron Gym approximately 1 month ago. I must say that I was skeptical at first, but, if done right, this product is definitely a success. First, I know it looks funny, but it really does hold up in a normal doorway without using any sort of screws or torque into the doorway. I started out barely being able to do 1 or 2 pull ups. Now, on a good day I can do 10 pull ups + 10 chin ups. I doubt that I will be able to replicate this 500-1000% gain next month, but I hope to keep improving. The best part is that, I can crank out a few pull ups during each commercial break. Before I was going to the gym to use the pull up bar which meant getting into my car, driving, parking, getting a towel, lock, then go home. If only working out the abs were as fun as the Iron Gym.

I'm a Pescatarian

It sounds like an astrological sign, but, I broke down and ordered salmon at the applicant dinner tonight. I suppose that ordering the fish instead of steak in an attempt to mitigate the sissy factor of a guy ordering a vegetarian entree when the food is free was futile. I was going to order the filet though, it was the most expensive thing on the menu. The waitress, was cute faced but very, very overweight. I asked her what her favorite was, and she said the salmon. In all honesty the salmon was delicious and I wanted to order it but was afraid it might smell too fishy. Anyways, this whole diet was to lose weight and live a longer life and I think that fish minus red meat is healthier than strict vegetarian [rationalizing]. But seriously, why is it not a compliment to say, "that girl has such a pretty face, she should be a plus size model!" Goes over like the Hindenburg. On a lighter note, I learned that the one of my other dinners is going to be at Geisha House.

Hello Texas

So today is day 6 of the 30 day no meat trial. It is going really well, I went out for Vietnamese food with Amy last night and ordered the Mi Xao Chay, I almost liked it more than the Bun Thit Nuong. Anyways, I am in Houston for my interview at Baylor tomorrow morning. The flight wasn't too bad, but the weather here isn't that great, it's 40 degrees and raining. I should be going meatless for another 25 days but, depending on the options and atmosphere at the interview dinners, I may have to order the steak because you don't win friends with salad. Houston from what I've seen so far, looks like Los Angeles if only the bad parts of Los Angeles were part of Texas. Hopefully it gets better.

No Meat: Day 4

Going strong, I even went out to a restaurant last night and stayed vegetarian. Amy is bringing Del Taco chicken soft tacos with her today from Vegas. This worries me since I've already gotten on a streak. For sure, being vegetarian has made me more interesting in some small way. Yesterday I went to get my hair cut at my roommate's hair girl. Four of my friends go to her because they have a crush on her and she also gives a decent haircut. My friends are telling me this is the best haircut I've had. Anyways, I can be a real serious silent creepy type. Especially when getting my hairs cut. But apparently, she is doing two weeks of being vegan. She looks very ALT, but, we had a great conversation about vegetarian, pescatarian, raw food, detox, binge drinking, New Year's Eve, feeling good. What really impressed me was that she knew what kale is. Even the produce guy at the Sunfresh had no idea what kale was. I'll have to go back to the store and get more kale to make some of those raw food green smoothies. My Aunt gave me this book for christmas, I'm not sure why, http://www.greenforlife.com/ They smell like grass, look like grass, but once you add bananas and oranges it tastes delicious. One pitcher of the stuff goes down fast and I felt less hungry and definitely took in fewer calories on the days that I drank them. Apparently kale, moreso than vegetables is rich in amino acids and vitamins.

No Meat: Day 3

So three days into my thirty day trial of being a lacto-ovo vegetarian, I feel sick. Woke up at 8am in a daze, I never wake up that early on the weekends unless I have to be at the hospital. The sickness though, it might have had something to do with the half a fifth of Ketel One I drank last night, or the glass of V8 I drank 10 minutes ago. Today at lunch I started feeling dizzy and queasy unlike any feeling I've had before. Hopefully I am not getting dehydrated. I'm trying hard to maintain this for at least a month. I've read that people who go vegetarian or dare I say, even on raw diets, feel much better and have a lot more energy. It's not for ideological or compassionate reasons that I am trying this as I have neither ideas or compassion. But, I am curious to see if I better, so far I don't but that might have more to do with the binging. Of note, last night I tried chewing tobacco, I know it is totally disgusting but it was a curious high for about two minutes that made the room spin. The nucleus accumbens inside my brain must have been firing on all cylinders. I never did the spit in a cup or anything though, I just took it out and brushed my teeth and rinsed my mouth for five minutes afterwards.

Goal for tonight: clean room
Status: fair to nill chance

27 days no animals

I only have six months to live.

I'm not dying that I know of, but, my life is sort of ending. Residency starts July 1st 2009. That means I have approximately six months to live and accomplish what I need to accomplish before I enter 7 years of slavery with 80-110 hr weeks, with never more than a week at a time for vacation and only 4 days off per month. So here is a preliminary list of things I hope to get done. I'll take suggestions as well.

Travel, hopefully New Zealand but anywhere outside the United States will suffice.
Bungee Jump
Talk to strangers, make friends
Give up drinking and meat for 30 days
Exercise, god bless my iron gym
Clean my room, purge my house of the useless
Go to NYC
Go snowboarding
Run 10 miles
Learn new songs for the piano
Learn some jokes clean and dirty
Build a new wardrobe
Re-establish a spiritual life



What else can I add? What would you do with six months to live?