It’s another cold night in New York. What started a warm 40 degree day dipped down to the teens as sun hovered over the horizon and beyond. As much as I love winter, these are days where I wish it were spring, minus the allergies.
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Chocolate Strawberry Cupcake for Two
As the month of February and Valentine’s Day fast approaches, I started to think about what to do for a special dinner. Last year, I made chocolate fondue with strawberries for dessert. It was a small enough batch for two people without leftover ingredients so I needed something similar without making a huge batch that would require days of eating.
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“Ring”-ing the New Year
I had never doubted my feelings for him nor his towards me. But I would not go so far as to say our relationship is a dream with roses and happiness all the time. After all, a relationship is about growing and changing with someone and like many changes, it’s hard and often scary. But the highs are high and the lows are just average, never so drastic as to make me waver or question the relationship.
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2014 New Year’s Resolution
I finally got a chance to get around to making new years resolution. 2012 was a great year because I made only 3 resolution. I upped to 6 resolutions for 2013 and it didn’t turn out well. The only resolution I was able to keep was waking up at 7AM every day, including weekends. They say you should pick concrete and actionable resolutions but reading books and learning, well, I suppose you would need to take a class to keep up with that.
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9 Places I Tried in 2013
At the beginning of the year, I made a list of 13 restaurants I needed to try this year. I find making these lists really help me to explore different areas of New York. Unfortunately, I only made it through 9 places but they were all very good places, worth checking out.
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Baking As A Form of Therapy
My mother used to tell me that cooking isn’t a man or a woman’s job. It’s a person’s job. It is in everyone’s personal interest to learn to cook and feed oneself and not be dependent on going to the restaurant or fast food (in truth, my mother always had the fear that someone would spit on her food ordered at the restaurant).
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The Concept of a Cramped Heart
When I was in college, I took a philosophy class. Specifically, Philosophy of Happiness and it was taught by a nun, since I attended a “Catholic affiliated college”—the term used in order for the school to maintain its government grants, which I partook in some of those grants. It was a very broad topic, allowing me to read into the dying art of philosophy—dying because it has been converted to new age or self help. Through my readings, I stumbled upon forgiveness, which is a highly relevant for me because it is one of the core teachings of Buddhism as I was taught but never took to heart. Forgiveness is the hardest value to learn, moreso than patience, and its worth is often overshadowed but it is the means to a road for happiness and true fulfillment.
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Short Story: Always Perfect
Chapter 1
I hadn’t always loved him. In fact, I thought he was by far, the rudest, most snobbiest boy in school and always steered clear of his ways, including his entourage. In fact, I steered clear of most people’s way while at the music conservatory. It was a school for the rich and prestigious. The lots like me were lucky to even have a glimpse inside.
As I watched him from the third floor of the studio building, the tinted glass sealed me away from the throngs of young girls and boys, but mostly girls with moppy brown hair. He emerged out of a black town car, his dark hair, raven-like, glistened as bits of sunlight peeked through the mostly cloudy day. It was as if the sun herself was afraid to touch of him more than she should.
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Extended My Last Two Vacation Days in Nice
5 January 2014
I have worked with a lot of foreign companies and have many foreign friends. They are quick to agree that the US have the worst vacation and sick day policies in the world.
This concept of working harder and longer hours, which is exacerbated by the rise of start-ups, where one is so passionate about one’s job, one is willing to do it freely and happily but I am going to admit, I hate it. If people truly love their job because it is their vision and goal in life, I’m very happy for them. But for the most part, people work to get by paying bills and keeping oneself with modern accommodation and luxury.
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Rainy Ride to Nice
4 January 2013
Cloud and rain clung tightly to Liguria, unloading more rain, as if the Northern Apennines have caught some lifeless prisoners and kept them swirling around the foot of its range like lost souls moaning for a way home but have lost their directions.
We took a cab ride from Genoa mid-morning and made our way through torrential downpour, fog, and humidity. We stopped only once at an Autogrill, which is the highway shops selling food, coffee, and gifts. Its food is much better than ones you would find in America.
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