Archive for the ‘**New York’ Category

So It’s Been a While

Monday, September 14th, 2009

I had actually thought I’d let the ol’ blog fall to the wayside and forget about it. But I miss it. And I miss what it represents to me. So, I’m going to try to write more often these days. About what? Well, that remains to be seen…

I’ve been thinking for a while now about how different life is here versus on the road. Sure, there are the obvious ones…but last month I had a not-so-obvious difference pop up into my face. Waiting for my flight to STL from LGA, I got stranded for five hours past security. There was one 20-seater bar and that was it. So, I started to talking to my fellow travelers. I soon learned that there was another traveler my age that was heading back to STL via Milwaukee, too. And when we started talking about hotel rooms in Wisconsin, that’s when I realized how different my life is now. She had just booked a Milwaukee room for $80 or so, and I needed to get me one too. If it had been 2007-2008, I’d have just asked if she wanted to share. I mean, who wants to pay $80 for a place you’ll spend maybe eight hours?

But I let it go. And after making yet an actual friend (as opposed to just meeting the acquaintance as I did that chick) on that same journey, I even passed up another opportunity to offer a room-share arrangement (although that may have been a bit more shady-sounding considering he was married and his wife wasn’t there).

Granted, I didn’t spend the night alone in my hotel room. Thanks to my chattiness (and Facebook), I made a new friend and hung out with an old one…but I did go to sleep without a roommate. It’s still a bit odd when I think about it.

So, yeah…from sharing rooms in Laos, so we could each save $0.75, I’ve come a long distance.

Posted in **Missouri, **New York, **Wisconsin | No Comments »

Patron Saint of Engineers

Saturday, March 21st, 2009

For the third time in my life, I spent St. Patrick’s Day in New York City. For the first time I wasn’t a tourist and was actually too busy to watch the parade.

But, being a true (now) New Yorker, I of course made it out that night.

Here’s a little video of one Irish-ish man cutting a rug. And why he shouldn’t have.

Posted in **New York, holidays | No Comments »

Yummy Food

Tuesday, February 24th, 2009

fried okra

Here’s a picture I forgot to post a while back. It’s from when some friends and I went to see a one-man show (btw, Sleepwalk with Me is definitely a must see!). We wanted to have dinner together beforehand, so I googled for nearby places and discovered one down the street from the theater had fried okra. As we were from small-town kansas and Missouri and big-town Texas, I knew the others would dig it as well.

I also had the red beans and rice to go along with the okra, and I was reminded of college and how different food is across our country. One of my freshman year dormmates had never had or heard of fried okra. After about the third time I talked about, she asked where I got the whale. Yeah…thought I was talking about fried orca.

Posted in **New York, food/beverage | 1 Comment »

The Asian Cougar

Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009

When I was traveling in SE Asia, I took a trip that had two French people on it. They were amongst other Europeans and a couple of Canadians. Everyone on the trip pretty much ignored the older French man and his much younger companion, who I’d talked with a bit (in broken English and really broken French). The second day, though, I came to find out that everyone else on the trip thought they were a couple. Uh, no. It was a dad taking his daughter on a graduation trip. When I let them in on that fact, they responded with, “Well they are French…” insinuating that age is clearly not an issue for men with names like Pierre or ladies named Amelie.

Which brings me to last week. A few friends and I went to “French Tuesday,” which is basically a monthly mixer for Frenchies in New York and their friends. It was my first time to one of these, and another Asian-American gal in my group commented ahead of time that there would be lots of “older” Asian women there…the ones in their 40s (or 50s) going after the young French guys because of said un-taboo-ness. Sure enough…there were a few pacts of these snow leopards on the prowl…and the French blokes were being sussed out like fresh meat. It was like watching an Asian twist of American Pie’s milf scene.

French Tuesday

Posted in **New York, being Asian-American | 3 Comments »

Gotta Love Kids

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

They keep everything honest.

Walking with a couple of teen girls the other day, they started making fun of some guy’s running form who zipped past us. Being the adult, I immediately tried to explain why they shouldn’t make fun of how people run. I told them how I went running earlier that day and people were laughing at me.

After much probing, they found out why. “Um…I don’t know how to tell you this. But maybe they weren’t laughing at the way you were running but about what you were wearing.”

I don’t know. I think I looked pretty hot running in Central Park the other day…

Jayna in running clothes

Posted in **New York, clothing, sports | 1 Comment »

Things to Do While Waiting for a Bus in NYC

Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

1. Play games on your BlackBerry, making everyone else around you think you’re e-mailing constantly and are a very important person.

2. Avoid making eye contact with the other people at the bus stop because you don’t want them to think you’re like one of the psychos they see on Law & Order.

3. Pose with your friends by the new Miss America advertisements, making you look like you’re a pageant winner.

Jayna Rust as Miss America

Seriously, though…am pretty excited for the Jan. 24 airing of said pageant. I’ve done a little scouting (for the watch party I plan on hosting), and I’m thinking California looks pretty strong this year…

Posted in **New York, media, transportation | 1 Comment »

I Can’t Stop Eating Pickles

Wednesday, December 17th, 2008

pickle pickle pickle

I have eaten three pickles in the last hour and a half. I bought a quart of new pickles from a specialty pickle shop here on the Upper East Side on Sunday, and they are over 3/4 of the way gone. And I’ve been out of the city for two of those days.

Seriously. I think I might have a problem. I just love them so much because they remind me of one of the roadside snacks we’d get in NE India. Dirty-handed kids would sprinkle salt on quartered cucumbers, and it tasted so good. Just like these new pickles. (Except the guy who handed me these pulled on a latex glove beforehand.)

And as if munching on all these pickles weren’t already enough to push me into a sodium-induced heart attack, Sunday night the ladies I play basketball with were introduced to fried dill pickles. I don’t know how all the others had never had them before. But I shared the appetizer with them, and they all loved them. Even the French gal.

I think I may be able to talk them into getting them every Sunday night.

Oh yeah…and the jar of Claussen’s that I finished last week is still in my fridge because I keep drinking the leftover pickle juice.

I think I seriously have a problem.

Posted in **New York, food/beverage | 3 Comments »

Must…Leave…Country…Soon…

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

going away party

The last week I’ve kind of been freaking out. Although I just got to New York, apparently my arrival was not enough to make my friend Paddy stay in the Big Apple. Nope. A couple of days ago we all went to her going-away party and then she headed off to Asia for her own little see-the-world jaunt.

I cannot even begin to tell you how jealous I am. I am insanely and mind-numbingly jealous. It’s a kind of jealousy I haven’t experienced in a very long time…if ever. And it’s especially ridiculous because I just did the “let’s go explore Asia!” thing.

So that’s why I can’t understand how incredibly envious I am. But, understanding it or not. I am.

The most tortuous part is that I know I could be doing it. I know I could pack up and go. But for the first time in my life, something is holding me back. For the first time, I don’t have that feeling of “If I don’t go now, I’ll never be happy…”

I’m just torn. Torn between fleeing this city, this country…and going anywhere but here. Living some place else. Traveling some place else. Just putting my head down on a bed in another hemisphere. And torn between creating a life where I’ll someday be completely self-sustaining working from home and can live wherever I choose. Trying to meet someone without the “well I’m only here until…” escape hatch that has been present throughout my entire adult life. Or just actually living somewhere…instead of just looking for the next adventure.

So, when all is said and done. I’m doing OK here. I see why I’m here and where I’m headed. I actually have the feeling of “If I don’t stay here now, I’ll never be happy…”

But I still can’t shake this desire to be somewhere else.

Posted in **New York, back home | No Comments »

Soon…

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

Will write more soon…

Am just recovering from a rather long night of full-court basketball, which I hadn’t played in about six years.

I feel so old.

Posted in **New York, sports | No Comments »

I Voted

Tuesday, November 4th, 2008

Jayna Rust at the voting booth

Did you?

OK, so I have to admit, although I registered to vote at 18, I never actually voted in an election until I was 22. It was during the election that eventually gave California the Governator after recalling Gray Davis (D). But ever since then, I’ve voted in every single election. Big and small. Sure it helped that in California my polling place was literally half-block away. But here, too, it is. It’s my next-door neighbor, and I can actually see it from my room here in my apartment — from a window in my room!

But, alas, that’s not my only reason for voting. Here are a few others for this year:

1. I wanted a free cup of coffee.
2. I don’t want to ever have to tell my kids or grandkids that “I didn’t vote that year.”
3. I believe every vote counts.
4. The lines at the polls are sure to have a few hot guys.
5. Did I mention my 401(k) is only 2/3 of what it was at this time last year?
6. I’m no political expert (not that I really think these exist); I don’t know what my vote will bring for the next four years. I just believe in a few key points here and there.
7. All the cool kids are doing it. Well, at least 24.4 million others had before today.
8. I’m still a little annoyed I wasn’t able to register and vote in “bellwether” Missouri.
9. My parents always voted. They never would tell me who they voted for, but they always voted. They got up at 6 a.m. to do it again this year.
10. I may someday need help from an elected official.
11. I can.

Posted in **New York, government | No Comments »