I<3NY

...just got back from a wonderful 10 days of vacation in NYC - I spent most of that time eating Pinkberry, watching people at the Grand St. park, taking naps in the subways, and clubbing at night.  I love the hustle and bustle of the city.  Everyone is a stranger to each other, yet somehow, each functions interdepently, like clockworks.  There's a certain dynamic here that's too grand for words; something that can only be described by feelings.  I can go on and on about NYC - but let's skip that =).

YO! Pinkberry - this new yogurt craze has got NYC going what the L. acidophilus.  I love it not for the hype, but because it reminds me of my childhood days in Vietnam.  Yogurt in Vietnam taste and has the same solid consistency as that found in Pinkberry - every bite takes me back to those carefree days.

I love the park on Grand and Chrystie.  To this day, I still don't know its name, but I know I've spent over 8 years there just enjoying the atmostphere, and waching the handball games. 

SOoo I'm back at work - I hate Seattle.  Why does it rain all the frigging time!!!!  I love nature, but I feel so old here.  I think I'll to buy my next house in Brooklyn.

On Aging...

Aging's a nasty thing - first the fine lines, then the wrinkles...man, this scares the bzenuts out of me.  People say laughter is food for the soul - but they never mention that it's poison for the face.  I laugh so much that at a tender age of 24, fine lines blanketed my face like weed on lawn.  That, coupled with all my fun under the sun has clearly muddied my collagen pool.

Guys don't get the fancy makeup to cover things as girls do!!!

That said, I thought it behooved me to share some tips on staying young.

1) Exercise at least twice daily.  The free radicals underneath your skin can be washed away by a good wave of sweat.  Sweating also gets rid of a ton of poisons from your body.  Your skin is also known as the third kidney because of this.  If you don't have time to exercise, sit in the steam room for half an hour. 

2) Take afternoon naps.  Make sure you don't go over 24 minutes.  The 24 is scientifically proven fact!  Don't quote me on this, but I think it's one minute for every hour in the day.

3) Lotion your face morning and nights!  Don't skimp on good lotion - Shiseido, Estee Lauder, and stuff at this level is great - Clinique is OK, but their 3 step coolaide isn't as advanced.  This is not proven, but I believe lotion can help fight the radiation computer monitors sends out at your face too.

4) Lotion your lips and surround areas with rosebud salve nightly - or something better.

5) SUNSCREEN!

6) Exfoliate once a week - twice is optimal.

7) Wash your face with a decent cleanser.  Pore buildups will screw up your complexion and prevents your skin from breathing.

8) Make sure you take a dump at least daily.  It helps your skin, and everything else in your body!

9) Wash your pillowcase weekly.

10) SLEEP at least 8hrs a day.  Doing this trumps all other preventative measures.

There you go...do all this and you'll stay young for a while.

<><><><><><> The more you know <*>

Antioxidants and The Fountain of Youth

Looks like we've finally discovered the mountain of youth!  It's was never a fountain to begin with.  In actuality, The Fountain of Youth can be found bottled at your local supermarkets and in your mind.  The mind stuff I'll get to later...let's talk about the juices.  The best are the pure Acai (a-sa ee) juice from Bossa Nova, and Pomegranate from POM.  They've got more ORAC levels (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) than any other fruits in the world.  Acai are sold all over Chinatown in NYC - they look like fat black grapes with very thick skin. I'm sure you've seen them before.  If you haven't notice them, you will now, after this read.  =)

Acai is like a super-fruit.  Look it up for yourself - it has a million vitamins and minerals - and to top it off, they look mad cute - all round and delicate.  I've been eating vegetable for lunch for over 3 years now.  Some people say they don't like vegetable just because of the social perception that vegies taste bad.  In reality, vegies comes in all sorts of flavors, textures, and colors that gives life to food.  If you can sit down and really (I mean really) taste the 4 different tastes in spinach, or the sweetness of lettuce, then you'll realize vegies aren't so bad.  They light up my mouth like a summer fiesta and are just as refreshing as drinking a cold glass of spring water.

Too much antioxidants can become toxic though, but if you've read my posting about moderation, then you won't make the mistake of over consumption =).

Anyways - I've set aside $1,600 in my savings for these Bossa Nova drinks and other antioxidant goodness.  Bossa Novas cost $4 a pop, times 200 days.  OH and for every bottle I drink, I get to save a tree.  That's 200 trees per year...plus I stay the same age, both mental and physically! 

...I'm going antioxidant everything.  Just purchased the new Clinique Super-Antioxidant face lotion for daytime use.  At night, I use Origins' two steps White Tea antioxidant facial lotions.  After working out, I use Peter Thomas Roth's Cucumber antioxidant mask. 

Yes, I'm wayy too excited about this. 

Good health and spring...

Spring has been dragging it's heels here in the Seattle area, but the sun's seemingly life-giving rays with a bit of help from gusty friend, Wind,  has managed to overtake the tardy grays that blanketed the area.  For over 7 months now, my tanned skin been held prisoner by unremitting barrage of rain, wind, sleet, and snow.  I'm so white, it's as though all that snow had permanently meld with my skin...

...okay so it's not that bad.  But it sounded pretty cool in my head.  Only white people look good white (my stupid opinion, think nothing of it).  Oh boy, I love and miss NYC so much...and the feelings increase exponentially with each passing day.  Okay, I'll book a ticket right now...<done> Scheduled to fly out on May 22-26th. 

I had planned to abscond to Zihuantanejo, Mexico or Brisane, Australia for a few weeks but it seems like I'll have to delay my  long vacation plans yet again.  Work just never seem to cease...it's worst than the bad weather here in Seattle.

---------------

Oy, what a tangent - my original intention was to post about feeling good in the spring breeze.  As I stood there on the side walk with my decadent Turkey Breast on Ciabata, I felt like I could fly away at any moment.  I then come to the realization again (this happens everyday, but it feels novel everytime) was that what I felt was a level confidence that only comes with three things 1) a decent understanding of the details of world about me and 2) a well trained body that's as lean as an elk and 3) Having [alot of] money in my pockets.

I'm not a genius, but I instinctively know I'm capable of achieving what I set my mind to.  I'm not an Olympic contestant, but I can sprint 10 blocks straight to catch a bus without losing my breath.  That and I look damn good on the beach.  I'm not a millionaire, but I know I can buy another Ciabata if I desire it.

There's a lot more to say about this confidence thing and how to approach it, but I'll save that for the next post.

I just want to say for now that I'm content - and it's this exact sentiment fuels my confidence.  This makes me cocky...but hey, that's OK with me.  I'd rather be a cock than a chicken. (< arr. another bad joke).  As long as I don't become arrogant, I don't really mind. =)

Why did I post about this - to inspire you to go for the gold.  Hardwork and sacrifices always lead to happy endings.  LOL could be another bad joke right there, but I won't make the same mistake. shhhhhh

Change...

...several postings ago, I had noted the changes in my life that entailed moving to the west coast to work for MS after school, bought a house, a bimmer, and for a while became jaded by the corporate world, left yet again for the contracting/entrepreneurial/consultancy side of things. 

Here's an update:

Shortly thereafter, I went to work for a while in the insurance industry. After painfully discovering that people there moved at glacial pace, left once again for greener pastures and bluer skies.  No matter where I went, my innate and latent creative potentials were kept at bay, which in turned, poisoned the container it was in - my mind.  What was once colourful interplay of free motion creative thoughts turned stale and gray.  Smoke and mirrors everywhere.

I was poised to continue my professional development and thus ventured into the marketing world.  With that, I've finally discovered my niche at a local adverstising firm.  After 8 months of extremely hard work, I was promoted from senior Program Manager to Associate Creative Director. 

So here I am - taking off at the foundation of yet another hurdle.  It's different this time - it's not only 100% business where my passion lies, but it's also 100% creative, where my true love sleeps.

Remember my postings ages ago - in order to wield your biggest dreams, YOU have to be bigger than it in every possible way.  Therefore, I've pledged and resolved with all my strengths and capability, to bring out my potentials in my 5 senses come to pass.  Only then will I be able to accomplish what I've always dreamed - to give my time, money, and powers to those who do not or cannot possess it. 

I'm >this< much closer to becoming a philantropist and my journey has taken me two years into the future from where I stood as an undergraduate at RIT.  Not a bad start thus far...and as for life, it's still good.