Rather than ranting about what's wrong with this city and my life, I decided to focus on the amazing experiences that I promised to pass along at the onset of this blog.
First off, any of you who are not currently familiar with the band Death Cab for Cutie, you need to familiarize yourselves tout de suite. They're amazing and if you're new to them, I recommend starting off with "Transatlanticism", a great album, and then moving to "Plans", their newest release. Really great music. The title of today's post is one of their best songs.
Secondly, I had an amazing night last night. I went to the Yankee game with some people from work and just had a really nice time. The Yanks won, always a good thing, and we all had a nice night. It's rare, in my case, to go out to something with a bunch of people, and have the night end with everyone having a good time.
I guess I really have nothing to complain/rant about today. I'm glad it's Friday; I've got a pretty open weekend, which is nice. I'm sure something amazing/insane will happen and I can blog about it later. OH, I'm going to see Donsky's band, Big Dictator at Arlene's Grocery (not laundry).
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
F Train
This morning I had a unique experience on the F train. It was my first time on a crowded train with a gentleman who proceeded to talk to thin air, in a rather angry manner, and was reacting as if thin air was responding. The shocking thing about all of this was that he was clean, dressed in jeans and sweatshirt, and appeared as if he was coming from/going to a job. He was, in fact, ranting about his boss and how horrible of a person this boss is. He kept threatening that tomorrow is "Sit on my ass Friday" and how he won't do a thing.
Some people laughed at the man, some ignored him, other's gave dirty looks. I think I was somewhere between the last two, as there were small children on the train and he was really going at it with the "F this and F that". But then I started wondering what could have possibly driven this man to get to this point, where he needs to shout out in a crowded subway at nobody in particular. Could it really be that his job is that awful? I mean we all say at some point "Man, I hate this job." but we all say that either to someone else or in our heads, and not over and over again in front of strangers at an elevated tone. Regardless of what has driven this man to this point, I felt bad for him and hoped that at some point, someone would help him out. I suppose I should be thankful that he wasn't asking for money at the same time, as his method probably would have been rather ineffective (I used to shout at my mom for cash; never worked out well).
The misadventures of Noonan continue..... Stay tuned for more.
Some people laughed at the man, some ignored him, other's gave dirty looks. I think I was somewhere between the last two, as there were small children on the train and he was really going at it with the "F this and F that". But then I started wondering what could have possibly driven this man to get to this point, where he needs to shout out in a crowded subway at nobody in particular. Could it really be that his job is that awful? I mean we all say at some point "Man, I hate this job." but we all say that either to someone else or in our heads, and not over and over again in front of strangers at an elevated tone. Regardless of what has driven this man to this point, I felt bad for him and hoped that at some point, someone would help him out. I suppose I should be thankful that he wasn't asking for money at the same time, as his method probably would have been rather ineffective (I used to shout at my mom for cash; never worked out well).
The misadventures of Noonan continue..... Stay tuned for more.
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Prices at the Pump
These past few weeks have seen increases in gasoline prices to all-time highs. Recently, I heard on WCBS-AM that a station in Brooklyn was charging somewhere near $4.60 a gallon for regular unleaded gas!!! Soon after the report came out, the station lowered the price on a gallon of regular gas, to a more "manageable" $3.50 per gallon. Let's just say I'm glad I just live and WALK in Brooklyn and am not driving there.
There are many purported sources of the fuel price increases, ranging from Big Oil to individual station owners who "get greedy" at the sign of another fuel increase and tack some on for themselves. The true explanation, one that most Americans, myself included, don't want to admit is that we live in a free market, and are subject to the forces of such a market. A free market can be influenced by anything from the war in Iraq to Bush appointing a new press secretary. So the reality is that we really can be held accountable, as a nation, for the various actions our "leader" takes across the globe. I'm not saying increased gasoline prices are a direct result of the war in Iraq, but you must be seriously kidding (seriously kidding, is that possible?) yourself if you believe that the two are unrelated.
I often, OFTEN, tell this story about my senior year of high school, 1999. I used to drive to a gas station, mind you a recently-opened gas station, about 10 minutes from my house, that sold regular unleaded gas for $0.99 per gallon. That's right, less than a buck. 5 such bucks could get me anywhere my 17 year old heart desired for about a week. Perfection. Now I'm 24, have a job, somehow don't have a car (product of that whole "I MUST live and work in New York City" mentality) and find myself telling stories of "when I was your age...". That's not right. I should have about 60 more years of living before I start recounting such tales to anyone, let alone my peers. So what's really causing the gas price increase? I can't honestly say I know. But what I do know is that, just as every other aspect of life, things will never be the same. I don't know if $3.00 per gallon is here to stay, but I do know that $0.99 a gallon is a fond memory of my senior year of high school... one of many.
There are many purported sources of the fuel price increases, ranging from Big Oil to individual station owners who "get greedy" at the sign of another fuel increase and tack some on for themselves. The true explanation, one that most Americans, myself included, don't want to admit is that we live in a free market, and are subject to the forces of such a market. A free market can be influenced by anything from the war in Iraq to Bush appointing a new press secretary. So the reality is that we really can be held accountable, as a nation, for the various actions our "leader" takes across the globe. I'm not saying increased gasoline prices are a direct result of the war in Iraq, but you must be seriously kidding (seriously kidding, is that possible?) yourself if you believe that the two are unrelated.
I often, OFTEN, tell this story about my senior year of high school, 1999. I used to drive to a gas station, mind you a recently-opened gas station, about 10 minutes from my house, that sold regular unleaded gas for $0.99 per gallon. That's right, less than a buck. 5 such bucks could get me anywhere my 17 year old heart desired for about a week. Perfection. Now I'm 24, have a job, somehow don't have a car (product of that whole "I MUST live and work in New York City" mentality) and find myself telling stories of "when I was your age...". That's not right. I should have about 60 more years of living before I start recounting such tales to anyone, let alone my peers. So what's really causing the gas price increase? I can't honestly say I know. But what I do know is that, just as every other aspect of life, things will never be the same. I don't know if $3.00 per gallon is here to stay, but I do know that $0.99 a gallon is a fond memory of my senior year of high school... one of many.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Tennis anyone?
It's amazing how much lunch conversations fuel blog posts. We (the unnamed few) were sitting at lunch today discussing gym and what sports we played in school. Now, at the risk of revealing just how big of a nerd I was/am, I tried out for the tennis team at Cornwall Central High School, home to one of the most competitive tennis teams in New York. Long story short, I end up on "exhibition" meaning my games wouldn't "count" but would be more to "watch the kid that's not that good get his butt kicked."
But man, I had a great time playing tennis. I'd show up just for practice everyday just to hit around. I realized later on in college that the main reason I wasn't really that good in high school was the intimidation factor. When I play with friends I feel I really step it up a notch. Not saying I'm Pete Sampras, but I can get some velocity on the ball. I was kicked out of some park recently in Williamsburg for "playing without a permit". Yeah, one more bone to pick with the NYC Parks Department: YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY TENNIS.
That aside, we should play sometime. Bring your A game, Noonan doesn't mess around.
But man, I had a great time playing tennis. I'd show up just for practice everyday just to hit around. I realized later on in college that the main reason I wasn't really that good in high school was the intimidation factor. When I play with friends I feel I really step it up a notch. Not saying I'm Pete Sampras, but I can get some velocity on the ball. I was kicked out of some park recently in Williamsburg for "playing without a permit". Yeah, one more bone to pick with the NYC Parks Department: YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY TO PLAY TENNIS.
That aside, we should play sometime. Bring your A game, Noonan doesn't mess around.
The Value of Not Sucking at Life and the Knowledge to Avoid those that do
Subways tend to be a venue rife with stress for me lately. I'm not a rich man, for if I were, I'd be chauffeured to work each and every day, or hell, I wouldn't work. So in keeping with this "I sorta make money but not really" theme, I made my lunch this morning, just a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but nonetheless, a money saver down the road. I place the sandwich in a crazy holiday print Ziploc bag and put it in my work bag that I kicked off my bed in Puerto Rico (Bang Bang). Heading out the door, I'm feeling pretty good about my lunch, and rather protective, as it's not wrapped in thin sheet of bullet proof Kevlar, which would probably do the trick in keeping my sandwich in one piece.
I get on the lovely F (F for "You're going to get F'ed over on this train somehow") and stand, careful not to lean on anything as I don't want to crush my already vulnerable sandwich. Doing fine, up until Jay Street. Now 90% of the train usually empties out here to catch the A up the west side. Today, that wasn't the case. Nearly everyone stayed on and some jackass suit got on and proceeded to think he was too good to hold onto anything. So the train starts moving, and sure as sh*t, this moron falls RIGHT ONTO MY BAG. Now I'm furious, and proceed to give dirty looks, harsh sighs, and even a "jesus".
What's with people? I mean that guy sucks at life. He's all suited up, good for him. He's got the WSJ in his hand, again, I'm thrilled out my ass. But you're TOO GOOD to grab hold of something so you don't LAUNCH yourself into another human being? Seriously man. SERIOUSLY. "I am dressed in a suit and therefore am not subject to the same laws of gravity and other physics theorems that the rest of the world is. I won't fall as I'm made of money man and I'm perfect." Get a life and stop sucking at it.
Noonan OUT.
I get on the lovely F (F for "You're going to get F'ed over on this train somehow") and stand, careful not to lean on anything as I don't want to crush my already vulnerable sandwich. Doing fine, up until Jay Street. Now 90% of the train usually empties out here to catch the A up the west side. Today, that wasn't the case. Nearly everyone stayed on and some jackass suit got on and proceeded to think he was too good to hold onto anything. So the train starts moving, and sure as sh*t, this moron falls RIGHT ONTO MY BAG. Now I'm furious, and proceed to give dirty looks, harsh sighs, and even a "jesus".
What's with people? I mean that guy sucks at life. He's all suited up, good for him. He's got the WSJ in his hand, again, I'm thrilled out my ass. But you're TOO GOOD to grab hold of something so you don't LAUNCH yourself into another human being? Seriously man. SERIOUSLY. "I am dressed in a suit and therefore am not subject to the same laws of gravity and other physics theorems that the rest of the world is. I won't fall as I'm made of money man and I'm perfect." Get a life and stop sucking at it.
Noonan OUT.
Monday, April 24, 2006
Tipping
A topic brought up at lunch today got me thinking about tipping: when, where, how much, and why?
If you're at dinner, any restaurant where you're seated and someone is bringing food to you, I agree, tipping (20% in the city) is appropriate. However, I cannot stand the places where you wait at a counter, and then likely take the food with you, that have "tip jars" set up on the counter. What is this crap? You're not going out of your way to bring me the food. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for you to bring it to me, and I'm standing, and probably pissy. No tip for you.
What about at a hair salon/barber (whatever you prefer to call it)? Ladies, I can see how you should tip everyone and their uncle who comes in contact with your heads as you have a ton of hair. However, men, I say a tip is in line, but given that we don't usually have that much hair, anything more than a couple bucks is extravagant. Of course, I don't pay more than $25 for my haircut anyway, so adjust accordingly.
Finally, taxis. Now this pisses me off. Just the other day a friend and I were headed uptown from Union Square. My friend said 41st and 6th, and the driver starts up park ave. Out of NOWHERE, he makes a right, going east.... Now, why, if you're heading uptown from a point south and east, to get to a point north and west, would you go further east? He claims he heard "Washington Avenue" and not "6th"...... I know of no such Washington Avenue in New York City (if there is one, my apologies) but "6th" does not sound like "Washington" in anyone's book. So for this, the total was $5.40 and I gave the man $6 and went on with my night. NO, he does not deserve a tip for driving me clear across Manhattan in the wrong direction and charging me more money than it should have been. So I say, tip a taxi driver a good amount if they manage to get you somewhere quicker than you expected. If not, round up to the next whole dollar and call it a day. I'm not cheap, I'm grumpy.
If you're at dinner, any restaurant where you're seated and someone is bringing food to you, I agree, tipping (20% in the city) is appropriate. However, I cannot stand the places where you wait at a counter, and then likely take the food with you, that have "tip jars" set up on the counter. What is this crap? You're not going out of your way to bring me the food. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for you to bring it to me, and I'm standing, and probably pissy. No tip for you.
What about at a hair salon/barber (whatever you prefer to call it)? Ladies, I can see how you should tip everyone and their uncle who comes in contact with your heads as you have a ton of hair. However, men, I say a tip is in line, but given that we don't usually have that much hair, anything more than a couple bucks is extravagant. Of course, I don't pay more than $25 for my haircut anyway, so adjust accordingly.
Finally, taxis. Now this pisses me off. Just the other day a friend and I were headed uptown from Union Square. My friend said 41st and 6th, and the driver starts up park ave. Out of NOWHERE, he makes a right, going east.... Now, why, if you're heading uptown from a point south and east, to get to a point north and west, would you go further east? He claims he heard "Washington Avenue" and not "6th"...... I know of no such Washington Avenue in New York City (if there is one, my apologies) but "6th" does not sound like "Washington" in anyone's book. So for this, the total was $5.40 and I gave the man $6 and went on with my night. NO, he does not deserve a tip for driving me clear across Manhattan in the wrong direction and charging me more money than it should have been. So I say, tip a taxi driver a good amount if they manage to get you somewhere quicker than you expected. If not, round up to the next whole dollar and call it a day. I'm not cheap, I'm grumpy.
Friday, April 21, 2006
Hu Jintao
So China's premier comes to the US for a meeting with the head honcho.... During his "official state welcome", one enterprising Falun Gong member manages to gain access to the White House press platform and begins shouting something along the lines of "Don't let him stifle our human rights." At that very moment, she's removed from the platform and charged with something like "attempt to conspire". Cutting to the issue here, a dictator arrives in the US and we stifle people's right to free speech? I realize she snuck onto the "official" platform, but it just looks bad. Maybe I'm too liberal?
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Is it some sort of national holiday today that I'm not aware of?
Never in my life have I commuted with more ease than today. Started off leaving my apartment at 735 and walking to the F. Seemed like a normal day, nice out, people around, the usual.
Then I got on the F. Now normally at this hour in the morning, the F is standing room only. So imagine my surprise when I got on and found a seat, not just one seat stuck between two slobs, but a whole seat without someone sitting next to me. So I sat down and started to read my paper, half-expecting that the next two stops would completely fill the train.
Long blog short, I get to 42nd street, I've read a good 90% of the first section of the Wall Street Journal, I'm still sitting with no one next to me, and the train station is empty. I really think I'm missing out on a holiday. Let me know if I am so I can go home and celebrate whatever day this is supposed to be.
Then I got on the F. Now normally at this hour in the morning, the F is standing room only. So imagine my surprise when I got on and found a seat, not just one seat stuck between two slobs, but a whole seat without someone sitting next to me. So I sat down and started to read my paper, half-expecting that the next two stops would completely fill the train.
Long blog short, I get to 42nd street, I've read a good 90% of the first section of the Wall Street Journal, I'm still sitting with no one next to me, and the train station is empty. I really think I'm missing out on a holiday. Let me know if I am so I can go home and celebrate whatever day this is supposed to be.
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Why the bar on men's bikes?
Seriously, what's with the bar on men's bikes? I'm sure all guys can relate: you're riding along, you hit some bump, you lurch forward, and suddenly the likelihood of you producing heirs is significantly diminished. Why??? Because someone decided that men's bikes should have a bar, while women's bikes should do without.... Simple sexism? Perhaps this was a way for men to further dominate women: "HA! You're inferior, my bicycle has a bar where yours does not, I rule."?
This idea that men's bikes must have the bar is so ingrained in our culture that any self-respecting man would not ride a "women's bike", although we all should, for the sake of future generations...
This is why blogs should not be open to anyone with half a brain and something to say.... Because I'll say anything.
This idea that men's bikes must have the bar is so ingrained in our culture that any self-respecting man would not ride a "women's bike", although we all should, for the sake of future generations...
This is why blogs should not be open to anyone with half a brain and something to say.... Because I'll say anything.
Noonan up the Wing!
First blog post for Noonan. For those of you who don't know me, I'm 24, live in Park Slope, Brooklyn, work at Dow Jones Online (where I do Market Intelligence, also known as "Noonan research") and I generally am a good looking guy.... Scratch that last part.
Anyway, I decided to start a blog mostly to share the often mundane yet spectacular experiences that I have in my life. I'm not saying cool things happen everyday, but when they do, it's pretty blog-worthy (hell, anything is blog worthy).
I'm also very into politics, so this blog will have a somewhat political bend. I'm not part of any formal political party, but I bend to the left on most issues.
So welcome. Hope you enjoy Noonan's Blog.
-Noonan
Anyway, I decided to start a blog mostly to share the often mundane yet spectacular experiences that I have in my life. I'm not saying cool things happen everyday, but when they do, it's pretty blog-worthy (hell, anything is blog worthy).
I'm also very into politics, so this blog will have a somewhat political bend. I'm not part of any formal political party, but I bend to the left on most issues.
So welcome. Hope you enjoy Noonan's Blog.
-Noonan
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
