A question came up tonight never cross my mind before. My guest asked me if she should consider dressing up to go the opening night at the opera. “What do you suggest she asked”?
May be the definition of dressing is different between male and female, it never cross my mind not getting dress up for an evening at the opera or symphony, may not be black tie, we have not done that your years. Never the less, business attire is the least we should consider for such an evening.
We Americans place too much emphasis on comfort, and too often forgot about romantic. Remember you prom night, if you do not have any other point of references. How exciting that was and how much emphasis that was putting on your dresses.
Some how we thought that since we invented and popularized blue jeans and sneakers, we might as well make the most out of it. Try to wear that from offices to worships to travels, even to the funerals. Stop short at federal courts, but definitely at the big house.
Out of respect for the performances, I think we all should consider a show and a Jacket, if that means dressing up. It is not about me. May be in some ways. For the most part, it is compliment to the arts. In any other foreign countries audiences do dress for the occasions.
I remember my aunt told me that she and my uncle went to the opening night performances at the opera house in Vienna; they were the only couple in the Grand Tier in business attire, while everyone else is in bejeweled evening gowns and black ties. Everyone knew they were Americans.
To answer my friends question on how she should dress for the evening. I have no advice but comfort and respectful. I remember opening nights are mandatory black ties. These days I saw young adults wore their signature blue jeans. Perhaps without their jean wore below their hip is the new dress up.
In that case, May be their parent should take a lesson or tow on “What not to wear”?
It is not about how much you pay for your seat. If you enjoy the performances, you should respect the arts. You do not have to agree with me. As far as I am concern, you can wear your baseball hat and your bathrobe to the opera, may be accessorize with a Studded black leather belt will not bother me at all.
I may be on the conservative side that has nothing to do with my opinion on dressing up, have you seen my collection of pocket squares and bowties?
Do you dress up for an evening of high arts?
Friday, April 16, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Noise And The Tourists
New Yorkers are no stranger to tourists and the industries that serve their needs, especially those double-decker buses with a bus full of tourists buzzing around the city everyday. They are part of the landscape, and never bother me ever.
But then we are in NY; everything had to be controlled and orderly. Therefore a few good men from our beloved city council for lack of better ways to get their name on the headline, mandated all the tour buses must equipped their passengers with headphones because they are making too much noise for some neighborhoods. Yeah, good idea isn’t it; let’s get on the bandwagon.
That is the most ridiculous I ever hear. Did you ever listen to the frustrated honking while cars were trapped in the traffic, the motorcycle racing down the city streets and the hot rode made extra loud noise speeding thru the city because their owner wanted to get noticed
What about those music blaring out form an open window of a car, will you proposal laws require them sound proof their cars. I really like that idea too. I am sure you will get an even bigger headline.
We live in the city noise is part of the character. Noise are often as sound effect of scenes filming the city, especially the police sirens and sirens of the emergency vehicles.
Those people who complain about the tour buses, I like to know why they choose to live in the heart of the city if they wanted peace and quite. There are plenty of open spaces across the river. I guarantee no tourists will ever want to go there. That will solve their noise problem or simple just close the window.
I remember my family told me that when they got back to their home port in the mountains, the first think they realize after a year in NY was the absence of noise. Is that an escape, or a longing for the return?
May be someday I will find out soon. Perhaps you have an answer for me?
Chance Encounter NYC
But then we are in NY; everything had to be controlled and orderly. Therefore a few good men from our beloved city council for lack of better ways to get their name on the headline, mandated all the tour buses must equipped their passengers with headphones because they are making too much noise for some neighborhoods. Yeah, good idea isn’t it; let’s get on the bandwagon.
That is the most ridiculous I ever hear. Did you ever listen to the frustrated honking while cars were trapped in the traffic, the motorcycle racing down the city streets and the hot rode made extra loud noise speeding thru the city because their owner wanted to get noticed
What about those music blaring out form an open window of a car, will you proposal laws require them sound proof their cars. I really like that idea too. I am sure you will get an even bigger headline.
We live in the city noise is part of the character. Noise are often as sound effect of scenes filming the city, especially the police sirens and sirens of the emergency vehicles.
Those people who complain about the tour buses, I like to know why they choose to live in the heart of the city if they wanted peace and quite. There are plenty of open spaces across the river. I guarantee no tourists will ever want to go there. That will solve their noise problem or simple just close the window.
I remember my family told me that when they got back to their home port in the mountains, the first think they realize after a year in NY was the absence of noise. Is that an escape, or a longing for the return?
May be someday I will find out soon. Perhaps you have an answer for me?
Chance Encounter NYC
Saturday, April 10, 2010
To Live A Perfect Life.
Every body wants to live a perfect life. Is there such a life existed?
Perfect life could be a place to call home to live in a mansion, a family with parents, grand parents, children and pets with good career to an owner of a multi million corporation, or simply lay on the beach and sip wine and watch the sun set. May be even climbing greatest mountains of the world. Be a celebrity, etc. When we were younger, getting a perfect pair of jeans, a cell phone or a great hair cut could satisfy the requirement of a perfect life. So, what is you version?
What ever it may be, our definition of perfection not just changes with age it also different from each other. Is there a formula for a perfect life, or a rulebook? I guess not. We are all human of different forms. That makes life interesting.
I recently over heard some one said that life is messy, that makes life interesting and worth living. How profound, someone just turn a negative attitude into a positive. Imagine if everything is perfect there will be no motivation to strive for excellence. There will be no progress, no improvement. We will all be in our own little perfect world, no need to socialize. The infiltration of negative influences may burst the perfect life model. Wouldn’t life be boring? Oh sorry, isn’t that the model for a Utopia society? I almost forgotten about all those liberal literatures I was force to read just to make a passing grade in college.
For simple example, is our life less perfect if cell phone was never invented? Are we than consider our parents, living most of their life before cell phone was made popular, is a little less than perfect?
What is perfect life anyway? Does it only involve our appearance; social standing; our career or the worth of our estate? Perhaps it is our family and friends? The list goes on. While some were made available by choice, others are not. Do we considering those living with less than our standard have a perfect life? I recently read an article about families in drought stricken region of the world, the female of the house whole track long distances, spend up to 8 hours day fetch water for the family, for them having a communal well in the village is a perfect life. Just that simple.
Did we often confuse acquiring materialistic things for a perfect life in civil society?
May be a perfect life is none of the above, rather it is just being healthy, and thankful on what we got? With that in mind, I am going to sign off and off running on the Hudson River Park on this glorious afternoon. That’s a perfect life to me; it is just that simple, at least for this afternoon.
What is your definition? Care to share?
Chance Encounter NYC
Perfect life could be a place to call home to live in a mansion, a family with parents, grand parents, children and pets with good career to an owner of a multi million corporation, or simply lay on the beach and sip wine and watch the sun set. May be even climbing greatest mountains of the world. Be a celebrity, etc. When we were younger, getting a perfect pair of jeans, a cell phone or a great hair cut could satisfy the requirement of a perfect life. So, what is you version?
What ever it may be, our definition of perfection not just changes with age it also different from each other. Is there a formula for a perfect life, or a rulebook? I guess not. We are all human of different forms. That makes life interesting.
I recently over heard some one said that life is messy, that makes life interesting and worth living. How profound, someone just turn a negative attitude into a positive. Imagine if everything is perfect there will be no motivation to strive for excellence. There will be no progress, no improvement. We will all be in our own little perfect world, no need to socialize. The infiltration of negative influences may burst the perfect life model. Wouldn’t life be boring? Oh sorry, isn’t that the model for a Utopia society? I almost forgotten about all those liberal literatures I was force to read just to make a passing grade in college.
For simple example, is our life less perfect if cell phone was never invented? Are we than consider our parents, living most of their life before cell phone was made popular, is a little less than perfect?
What is perfect life anyway? Does it only involve our appearance; social standing; our career or the worth of our estate? Perhaps it is our family and friends? The list goes on. While some were made available by choice, others are not. Do we considering those living with less than our standard have a perfect life? I recently read an article about families in drought stricken region of the world, the female of the house whole track long distances, spend up to 8 hours day fetch water for the family, for them having a communal well in the village is a perfect life. Just that simple.
Did we often confuse acquiring materialistic things for a perfect life in civil society?
May be a perfect life is none of the above, rather it is just being healthy, and thankful on what we got? With that in mind, I am going to sign off and off running on the Hudson River Park on this glorious afternoon. That’s a perfect life to me; it is just that simple, at least for this afternoon.
What is your definition? Care to share?
Chance Encounter NYC
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
The Airline Had A New Scheme
Taking an airline flight in my college years was real travel. The airlines treated you like a real passenger we are welcome to their flights. They give us food and drinks and more.
Then came 9/11, the airlines make every excuses to giving us less and charging us more. If it is not fuel cost. It is operation cost. The air miles are a scheme, and the delays and cancellations are far too common.
What is headlining the news now is this nameless little airline wanted to charge passengers for carry on luggage. I wish they got big time backlash by passengers. Stop booking their flights as protest. We will then wait and see what their CEOs come up to rescue their little airlines when sales plunged
We already pay for checking our luggage, because in part some travelers bring their entire closet on board, the plane is not a cruise ship, so the airline use the excuse to take advantage of us. I can’t argue with that.
Just when we get use to the fact that we should carry less to avoid the luggage charges. The airlines came up with another scheme to get cash out of the piggy bank. Is this highway robbery? It is equivalent to checking into a hotel, were ask to pay “extra” for using their towels and pillows. What is your reaction to that?
The carry on fee is not fair, because it is not an option to go on an overnight trip without change of cloth, or a business trip with out a suitcase or a laptop. We already pay for everything in-flight, what will they think of next? Please let me know.
However I do have a suggestion or two may spark their interests: How about make us pay more if we want a co-pilot on board. Do we need them any more? Let the computer do their work.
May be charge for flight attendances services. Nothing is being serve on flights under 3 hours air time anyway, and the computer already took over the ridicules safety routine they use to make us guilty for not paying attention to, what else is there for them to do? As for the landing service, the last passengers came on board can close the cabin door, and the first class passengers can open the door before they deplane. Just like getting in and out of a Taxi, why not on a flight. Yeah,
we can be self-sufficient. May be even flying the jet too. If we want all the services, airline can itemize each service and charge accordingly. Hurray.
The big boys are closely monitoring the out come. It may well be on its way to become a reality on every airline. Happy Travel.
Chance Encounter NYC
Then came 9/11, the airlines make every excuses to giving us less and charging us more. If it is not fuel cost. It is operation cost. The air miles are a scheme, and the delays and cancellations are far too common.
What is headlining the news now is this nameless little airline wanted to charge passengers for carry on luggage. I wish they got big time backlash by passengers. Stop booking their flights as protest. We will then wait and see what their CEOs come up to rescue their little airlines when sales plunged
We already pay for checking our luggage, because in part some travelers bring their entire closet on board, the plane is not a cruise ship, so the airline use the excuse to take advantage of us. I can’t argue with that.
Just when we get use to the fact that we should carry less to avoid the luggage charges. The airlines came up with another scheme to get cash out of the piggy bank. Is this highway robbery? It is equivalent to checking into a hotel, were ask to pay “extra” for using their towels and pillows. What is your reaction to that?
The carry on fee is not fair, because it is not an option to go on an overnight trip without change of cloth, or a business trip with out a suitcase or a laptop. We already pay for everything in-flight, what will they think of next? Please let me know.
However I do have a suggestion or two may spark their interests: How about make us pay more if we want a co-pilot on board. Do we need them any more? Let the computer do their work.
May be charge for flight attendances services. Nothing is being serve on flights under 3 hours air time anyway, and the computer already took over the ridicules safety routine they use to make us guilty for not paying attention to, what else is there for them to do? As for the landing service, the last passengers came on board can close the cabin door, and the first class passengers can open the door before they deplane. Just like getting in and out of a Taxi, why not on a flight. Yeah,
we can be self-sufficient. May be even flying the jet too. If we want all the services, airline can itemize each service and charge accordingly. Hurray.
The big boys are closely monitoring the out come. It may well be on its way to become a reality on every airline. Happy Travel.
Chance Encounter NYC
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The 70's is back
I am not talking about the bell bottom jeans and the bright graphic print shirts, and high collar. It is about the recent crime in the city.
The news media reported that there were noticeable increases in violence crimes in our subway and many Manhattan neighborhoods. The most recent one happened on Easter Sunday morning. With more than 50 arrested and numerous people injured.
Is it really violence crime on the rise, or is it because it happens in Manhattan makes it the more news worthy?
NYC is a big city, and all big cities have crimes. We cannot avoid it. What are we to do? Headlines made comparisons of the recent surge of crime to the bad old days of the 70’s.
I was not here in the 70’s therefore do not know first hand how bad it was. However I did remember Times Square was once not a very safe place to be on after dark. No one wander down to 9th Ave. Today it is a striving restaurant Ave, with business line both side of the streets, and the establishments are migrating to 10 Ave as well. Do you think it is really realistic to think that the Bad old days of the 70’s are back with some isolated accidents?
I suppose with so much unfortunate happenings in the recent weeks, safety certainly is in the core of everyone’s mind. We can place our blame of the subway incidents on the lack of subway manager, but when was the last time you saw anyone working in any subways stations pass late night? We do not have incident then, why now?
The flashback of gangs starts harassing passengers like the scene in the movies of the 70’s will not be recall if it is not because the news media screaming that crime is on the rise due to staff cut by the MTA, give me a break please. I believe their action alone influenced the copycat criminals doing just that.
As for the gang violence on Times Square on Monday Morning, according to many sources that is nothing new. It happened in the last couple of years on the same day in conjunction on the closing of the Auto show at Javits Center. Easter Sunday traditionally is also the Gang initiation day. The police should have warned the local business and beef up patrol, instead they drop the ball. So the blame game began again.
Therefore, is this an epidemic in the making? I live close to the area. I think the area is save, but I will not take any chance to walk alone on quite street at any night, anywhere in the world. Comparatively Manhattan is not dangerous at night. However ruining the reputation is just an easy flip.
Will more police presence, or more subway attendances help makes the city crime free? I simply do not know. But I do know that I have no interests in sensational journalism to sell paper or boost TV rating.
What is your thought on the subject?
Chance Encounter NYC
The news media reported that there were noticeable increases in violence crimes in our subway and many Manhattan neighborhoods. The most recent one happened on Easter Sunday morning. With more than 50 arrested and numerous people injured.
Is it really violence crime on the rise, or is it because it happens in Manhattan makes it the more news worthy?
NYC is a big city, and all big cities have crimes. We cannot avoid it. What are we to do? Headlines made comparisons of the recent surge of crime to the bad old days of the 70’s.
I was not here in the 70’s therefore do not know first hand how bad it was. However I did remember Times Square was once not a very safe place to be on after dark. No one wander down to 9th Ave. Today it is a striving restaurant Ave, with business line both side of the streets, and the establishments are migrating to 10 Ave as well. Do you think it is really realistic to think that the Bad old days of the 70’s are back with some isolated accidents?
I suppose with so much unfortunate happenings in the recent weeks, safety certainly is in the core of everyone’s mind. We can place our blame of the subway incidents on the lack of subway manager, but when was the last time you saw anyone working in any subways stations pass late night? We do not have incident then, why now?
The flashback of gangs starts harassing passengers like the scene in the movies of the 70’s will not be recall if it is not because the news media screaming that crime is on the rise due to staff cut by the MTA, give me a break please. I believe their action alone influenced the copycat criminals doing just that.
As for the gang violence on Times Square on Monday Morning, according to many sources that is nothing new. It happened in the last couple of years on the same day in conjunction on the closing of the Auto show at Javits Center. Easter Sunday traditionally is also the Gang initiation day. The police should have warned the local business and beef up patrol, instead they drop the ball. So the blame game began again.
Therefore, is this an epidemic in the making? I live close to the area. I think the area is save, but I will not take any chance to walk alone on quite street at any night, anywhere in the world. Comparatively Manhattan is not dangerous at night. However ruining the reputation is just an easy flip.
Will more police presence, or more subway attendances help makes the city crime free? I simply do not know. But I do know that I have no interests in sensational journalism to sell paper or boost TV rating.
What is your thought on the subject?
Chance Encounter NYC
Monday, April 5, 2010
You Think You are Covered
Most of us have Health insurance, dental insurance, flex spending, and some have vision insurance if your employers offer the option.
The blog today is vision insurance does it worth it?
I usually I go to optical retail stores to get my exams and frames, unless I feel that something is not right. In recent years, as I grew older with age, visits an optometrists not only give me a piece of mind, and sometimes it is a necessary preventative measures.
However these visits carry are hefty price tags. I though perhaps it was the cost of the designers frame. If you do not want to walk around with the glasses like ugly better wears on her show, I suppose it is worth it?
However, I came to discover that even without new frame, the cost is still in the hundreds. That is unacceptable. There are more you should know. After all the exams were paid for, time comes to pick up my glasses. The clarity of the lenses is worst then the old one I had on. The explanation is that my insurance is only pay for a lower grade of lenses. To get the premium lenses like the one that I had, I will have to pay even more.
I feel like being held hostage. I am going to loose either way. This is only my encounter, what about your? Care to share.
The bottom line is that if you can’t afford to pay premium prices. You are stuck with the lower grade lenses included in the cost of your insurance, and your vision may get worst over times? We are not buying cars here. It is our vision. Is it discriminatory? Or should I said God bless free enterprising America. Get them if you can, let them pay the price.
You be the judge.
Chance Encounter NYC
The blog today is vision insurance does it worth it?
I usually I go to optical retail stores to get my exams and frames, unless I feel that something is not right. In recent years, as I grew older with age, visits an optometrists not only give me a piece of mind, and sometimes it is a necessary preventative measures.
However these visits carry are hefty price tags. I though perhaps it was the cost of the designers frame. If you do not want to walk around with the glasses like ugly better wears on her show, I suppose it is worth it?
However, I came to discover that even without new frame, the cost is still in the hundreds. That is unacceptable. There are more you should know. After all the exams were paid for, time comes to pick up my glasses. The clarity of the lenses is worst then the old one I had on. The explanation is that my insurance is only pay for a lower grade of lenses. To get the premium lenses like the one that I had, I will have to pay even more.
I feel like being held hostage. I am going to loose either way. This is only my encounter, what about your? Care to share.
The bottom line is that if you can’t afford to pay premium prices. You are stuck with the lower grade lenses included in the cost of your insurance, and your vision may get worst over times? We are not buying cars here. It is our vision. Is it discriminatory? Or should I said God bless free enterprising America. Get them if you can, let them pay the price.
You be the judge.
Chance Encounter NYC
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Why Easter Bunny
“I think you should write a blog about EGGS! Easter Eggs.”
My friend from UK suggested to me. Come to think of it, not a bad idea. My friend also said:
“Why on earth do we celebrate Easter by buying eggs? And what’s with the Easter bunny? What’s his interest in Eggs? He doesn’t lay or eat Eggs. Why do kids hunt for eggs? Since when are Eggs made of chocolate? And what do eggs or bunnies have to do with Jesus and the resurrection? The more I think about it the more I want to lie down and close my eyes until the Eggs in my eyes go away.”
If the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the origin of Easter, where then does the Easter Bunny come from? That is interesting. I do not know either. The following is an Edited version from what I gathered:
Rabbit has long been a symbol of fertility in the ancient world. It is known for its reproductive prowess, that is where the term "multiplying like rabbits" originated.
In Europe prior to the introduction of Christianity the ancient pagans already had their own springtime festivals. It celebrates the replenishing and renewal, birth and rebirth, fertility, after the harness winter.
The Goddess of Fertility before the coming of the Christians was Eostre. It is in fact from her that our own word for Easter comes. The consort of Eostre was none other than a hare, that great animal symbol of fertility. According to some traditions, Eostre cast the hare into the Heavens, creating the constellation we know today as Lepus the Hare. Some stories also say that Eostre gave Lepus the ability to lay eggs once a year, eggs also being an ancient symbol of fertility.
As Christianity expanded it was common for Christians to attempt to incorporate pre-Christian ideas and rituals and place them within the context of Christian ideas and rituals, creating a mix of both Christian and Pagan. These traditions co-existed for some time. The first written mentions of the Easter Bunny come from Germany in the 15th Century, although we do not know for how long the Germans had used the symbol. It was also in Germany that the tradition of making chocolate bunnies to celebrate Easter began, sometime during the 1800's.
German settlers to the United States brought along their traditions with them to Pennsylvania, including the traditions of the Easter Bunny. They called him Osterhase, or Oschter Haws, who would lay brightly colored eggs to good children who would make special nests in their caps and bonnets the night before
Over time the tradition grew, and soon Osterhase (or the Easter Bunny as he is known today) began to bring more than just eggs, but chocolate and candies as well. Rather than making nests in caps and bonnets, the Easter Bunny would leave his treasures in a decorated Easter basket.
There you have it. Another American invention that spread across the world before the internet age.
Chance Encounter NYC
My friend from UK suggested to me. Come to think of it, not a bad idea. My friend also said:
“Why on earth do we celebrate Easter by buying eggs? And what’s with the Easter bunny? What’s his interest in Eggs? He doesn’t lay or eat Eggs. Why do kids hunt for eggs? Since when are Eggs made of chocolate? And what do eggs or bunnies have to do with Jesus and the resurrection? The more I think about it the more I want to lie down and close my eyes until the Eggs in my eyes go away.”
If the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the origin of Easter, where then does the Easter Bunny come from? That is interesting. I do not know either. The following is an Edited version from what I gathered:
Rabbit has long been a symbol of fertility in the ancient world. It is known for its reproductive prowess, that is where the term "multiplying like rabbits" originated.
In Europe prior to the introduction of Christianity the ancient pagans already had their own springtime festivals. It celebrates the replenishing and renewal, birth and rebirth, fertility, after the harness winter.
The Goddess of Fertility before the coming of the Christians was Eostre. It is in fact from her that our own word for Easter comes. The consort of Eostre was none other than a hare, that great animal symbol of fertility. According to some traditions, Eostre cast the hare into the Heavens, creating the constellation we know today as Lepus the Hare. Some stories also say that Eostre gave Lepus the ability to lay eggs once a year, eggs also being an ancient symbol of fertility.
As Christianity expanded it was common for Christians to attempt to incorporate pre-Christian ideas and rituals and place them within the context of Christian ideas and rituals, creating a mix of both Christian and Pagan. These traditions co-existed for some time. The first written mentions of the Easter Bunny come from Germany in the 15th Century, although we do not know for how long the Germans had used the symbol. It was also in Germany that the tradition of making chocolate bunnies to celebrate Easter began, sometime during the 1800's.
German settlers to the United States brought along their traditions with them to Pennsylvania, including the traditions of the Easter Bunny. They called him Osterhase, or Oschter Haws, who would lay brightly colored eggs to good children who would make special nests in their caps and bonnets the night before
Over time the tradition grew, and soon Osterhase (or the Easter Bunny as he is known today) began to bring more than just eggs, but chocolate and candies as well. Rather than making nests in caps and bonnets, the Easter Bunny would leave his treasures in a decorated Easter basket.
There you have it. Another American invention that spread across the world before the internet age.
Chance Encounter NYC
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