Fall in New York, my life and my work!
September is almost toward the end in New York. It's really the fall season now. Sunny and windy. The leaves turn orange soon. I started noticing sunlight is shrinking and feeling dark. I actually like the fall in New York. The weather is not too dry or humid. Everything looks perfect except winter is near by. :( This year is toward the end soon too. Yeah, I am getting older.
I hardly talk about my work. I work in a custom-made business for 2 and half years now. I learn new things everyday which are very exciting. I can't really show the pictures of the dresses that we had made because they are kind of confidential and they don't belong to me.
Work is so much fun. I actually execute some part of the clothing, mostly cutting and pattern making, sometimes sketches. I am learning draping right now. Oh, I didn't study fashion at all in school. Draping is probably the most creative part in making clothes. How the fabric falls would really change the look of the cloth.
It's kind of the landmark to me that I work for this company in such a long time. And, I still enjoy it although I have to struggle with my bills all the time. Unlike most of people who work in fashion, we make the clothes in house. It means no outsourcing and no overseas conversation. I can't daydream in a cubicle since we don't have one at all. :p
I am starting a new project with my friends right now. We want to achieve the goal that every mom who nurses her own baby still dress beautifully. My couture fashion experience might help. :) Stay tune!!!!
Crossroad
How many times firends actually came across in our life and left? I guessed it's a lot. Sometimes, they came back again. That is blessed. But, sometimes they don't. I guessed it meant something to all of us. ABC has a new show called "6 degrees". It was interesting that they show everyone would come across to each other without knowing they actually do it.
I recently read two blogs of friends of mine. One is in New York and the other one is in Europe. They enlightened my memory so vividly that I started to re-trace my past.
Summer 1997 was long time ago. It was before 2001 when the time we never thought about airplane would fall like a bird was shot by a gun. I just got out of Navy for 10 days and went on my first foreign trip. I was in Europe for a month. The sun was shine and the life was fun. Wish you all can see the pictures. :)
I met this wonderful girl from New York when I was in Greece. We had a great time to be travel companions. We had mutual love for people, food, and night lifes. Vacation was short. She went back to NY and then I wandered in Europe for aother while. We met in New York again after I moved here. She showed me around. Met people. Life got busy between each other. We lost contact again. Then, we would meet each other on the street in New York. Or, we would meet in the drawing studio. The link never last long. Then, She started her public blog a while ago so we linked again. I read her thoughts and think she is wonderful.
I met him around 1995 or 1996 when I was in Navy. Actually, I mailed him in letter. We didn't meet until we all got out of the military. We mailed each other back and forth to fill out our meaningless mandatory military life. Then, he went to France and I came to New York. We were on emails instead of real mails. Never saw each other in real life. And, then the mail became less and less. One day, it stopped. A few years ago, we emailed each other again. And, stopped again. Until this year, I found his email in my never-used email account. That was a surprise that he sent me the link of his blog. And, I started reading his blog how he wanted to reconnect to his old pen-pals. That was from 10 years ago.
I don't know how many chances I will have to reconnect to all the people I have come across in my life inclding all my exes. But, I find it's so lucky that we all have chances to meet each other again wherever they are. It might be the fate. We should all cherish the chances, right?
By the way, many articles in their blogs are in Chinese or French.
Here is Krispy's blog.
And, there are Maurice's french blog and his searching for the past - our common memory.
Transgender
I saw this movie back in June. It was fantastic. I always have trouble to understand this portion of human being although I really respect anyone who wants to be who they really want. I really like this movie. It exposed the dimension I never thought it before.
It's hard to come out. I guess it's even harder to come out as a transgender. It is all very mysterious to me either a man who traps in a woman's body or a woman who traps in a man's body. And, then after the sexual change, what gender they really like.
I never met a person who is a transgender to be friend with in my real life. And, it's even harder to imagine I would date someone who is a transgender. I guess I need to more time to understand them first.
I am very stubborn about whom I like. I think it's a good thing also it might be a bad thing. I felt like sometime I suffered a lot because of that. It's the life. Right? Don't you agree? We all look for nearly the perfect thing in our life. It's worth to wait whatever will happen.
(In a memory to an event that happened to me on Friday!!)
Fear
I am not really sure anyone would read the line on the side of my blog. I said "I hope one day we all can live in free of fear". I have some thoughts about this world. I know it's a big topic but who doesn't want to live without fear.
HIV started in 1981. It's been 25 years. We haven't found any cure yet. I went to college for public health in 1989. AIDS was the most important topic in my infectious disease class. There were no good drugs at the time. My final report for the class was dicussed how interferone could be next generation of AIDS drug that would help people. I remembered I read lots of medical journals for the topic because I really want to find out what is in the progress. What will it help people in the world conquer the disease? I also rememberd my professor said one thing is always in my mind. She said we have to repect virus. They are so smart to know to survive. If we couldn't find the resolution to destroy them as soon as possible, virus would live with us forever. That would be the nightmare. Now, the AIDS patients would be like DM patients.
This year is 2006. AIDS is still prevalent in this world. We still couldn't find the cure but because of the progress of the medicine. Now, people live longer ever. I have friends who live longer than 10 years. They just look like you and I if they don't tell they are HIV+. AIDS is not a mortal disease anymore.
Compared to cancer, the life of HIV patients can live is way longer. Why do we still have huge fear to be infected? It's the stigma and it's preventable. It's sexually transmitted. Everything comes to sex that would have some stereotypes. So we all have fear that people think we might be sexholic. It's stigmata. It's the guilt who grow inside of us. We are all afriad how we will be perceived. It sounds sad but it's true.
Why do I generate so many thoughts? I haven't read advanced AIDS medical journals since I left my college. I got the test two weeks ago. Before the result came out, I started thinking about all different scenarios in my life. What if this or that. I felt like I am still the same person and I am still conservative as hell. What changed is how people see me although my friends were all very supportive. They said whatever happened they all love me as the same who I was. Joyce even said she would take care of me to aging. I am grateful. Anyway, the result came back fine. I was relieved. Then, I started examining my life path. What I have done in my life! Why did I do those things? What makes me? If I have fear, why I still cross the border to make myself in a shit place.
In my life, I may not be able to escape the fear at all. But, I still want to keep it optmistic. Hope one day we all can live without this fear. Just be us. No judgement.
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Dog Sitting
I am dog sitting Patrick, a Maltese, in my friend's house right now. Patrick is a very special dog. He has a very kind face. And, he loves to play with people. The more people in the room, the happier he will be.
He is on special diet because he is allergied to chicken, beef. All sort of meats. I found it's very interesting. Most of dogs are food crazy. They wouldn't leave you unless they got some food from you. Patrick learned the hard lesson from his allergy. He doesn't like to touch any food at all. Everytime when I tried to feed him, it would take him for a while to finish his food. Amazing right?
He loves people playing with him. When I watch TV, he would just lay on my side like a stuff animal and looks very innocent. The only problem was when I walking him, he couldn't meet with other dogs. He would become very aggressive. I got bit from him one time because I tried to hold him not to attach another dogs. And, he didn't really know what was going on. He thought there was another dog who tried to attack him from the side. The other issue he has is with men who wear long pants. He likes to bite their pants. I don't know what's in his mind but he certainly has some kind of trauma for that.
I may have my own dog one day. before then, I enjoy to take care of Patrick once in a while.
Flip-flops Nation
I found there is a very interesting phenomena in summer in New York. Everyone in New York loves to wear flip-flops. It's like 80% of New Yorker wear flip-flops to go everywhere in Summer. When I was in San Francisco, I hardly see anyone who wear flip-flops. I was totally surprised. It's not my part of California image at all. I always feel California people are surfers so everyone wear flip-flops.
We dress more casual in New York now. But, still, I think people should know better about flip-flops. If you really want to wears your flip-flops with your suits, you should definitely get a nice pair of flip-flops. It just shows how lazy people can be.
I love summer. Wearing flip-flops is great but please groom your feet before you wear them. And find a perfect fit of flip-flops for you. Just like you would pick up your cloth carefully. Beauty is an universal language. We all want to have some beautiful things in our eyes.
Anglomania
I went to Metropolitan Museum yesterday. I can't believe the museum jack up their price. It's 20 dollars per person now. What an artsy world now. Obiviously, art couldn't resist capitalization either. Where poor people could enjoy arts. Life sucks!!!!!
Anglomania ran from May to September. Yesteday was the last day in Met. I just catched it in time. :)
I was kind of disappointed with the exhibition. It was kind of small. I thought I would see more clothes than I saw yesterday. Met usually have very good shows. It was very interesting to see how the collection was installed. They mixed the modern pieces with the traditional ones. The old pieces from 17 or 18 centuries were mostly from the book I read already. But, I was really happy to see Alexander McQueens. It was very exciting. One of my favorite was a white dress who was designed by John Galliano. It resemble Greek goddess's dress which I really love and fancy about. I like softness and drapery. It could be a beautiful wedding gown. I personally don't like John Galliano too much from those collections he did for Dior. It's kind of too much for much. I like simple and clean lines.
After that, I walked around the museum. I haven't been to Met for a long time. I found they installed a modern painting gallery. It looks like they tried to compete with MOMA. Yeah, in pricewise too. lol. I really like this new part of Met besides Roman and Greek Statues collection.
I should to go to Met more since they only ask for donation. :p
Step Up
Ok I am a movie junky. I liked the poster a lot when I saw it on the street a couple of weeks ago. I lookd for the website. The actor was an abercrombie model and then he was in the movie "She is the man". Haha... I almost went to see that movie because of him. When my friend called me to go to see the movie, I didn't remember any of my research. I was kind of tag along with him. I didn't remember him until the end credit showed.
i think the story was mediocre. It's too straight forward. Everytime they broke up to go their own way. The story wasn't very promising to see them come back together. But, I do like those teen romantic movies. Very cheezy. lol
There was a simliar movie, Saving the Last Dance, came out like 5 years ago. That was the first time I saw Julia Stiles. She was amazing in the movie. I admired her. The movie was discussed about racial conflict, dream to be a dancer. It was quite well done.
"Step Up" was about two kids who fall in love from two different social classes. The movie didn't discuss about it that much. The boy dances hip hop style and the girl was a modern ballet dancer. The first funny thing was how they became partners. When Nora's dancing partner injured, she had to find a new partner to practice. Tyler was doing the community service in the art school. She couldn't find anyone who can lift her in the school so she asked the principal to let Tyler to dance with her. How funny it is!!! She wasn't like 300 pounds. lol The other one was the end scene. When they broke up again( Each one broke up withthe other one time in the movie), she decided to prepare her own solo show. Last minutes, Tyler came back and persuaded her to let him join the show. I thought it was kind of ridiculous. But, it's a screen love. They made everything possible.
I like the dancing part a lot. The music in the move was awesome. It was pretty romantic and entertaining.
