I'm inside an invisible cage. I'm going to try to step outside right now... let's see what happens. If I get burned, I'm going to run back in.

"The only normal people are the ones that you don't know well."

- Oscar Wilde

Perpetually confronting and processing experiences, thoughts and dreams. Been typing up and getting rid of many sheets of notes.

On my trip I spent one night in a room with an elderly relative of mine. She snored quite loudly that night, and consequently I stayed in the living room the rest of the trip.

It's rather inconsiderate for people who snore not to tell you about it when they're sharing a room with you. I stayed at a hostel once where a considerate snorer bought earplugs for everyone in the room (there were six to a room).

I wonder if snoring provides an evolutionary advantage to the individual. Surely predators can find you more easily! On the other hand, snoring loudly may ensure that members of your group won't forget about you if they decide to move at night.

"I become the fire of life which is in all things that breathe."

- Mahabharata

A four year-old girl asked my mother if she could trade me for her one year-old brother. How touching.

Ice melts in its own water.

I don't go to stores that sell televisions often, but at one I overheard a woman asking her dog if it wanted a flat-screen TV.

I'm constantly amazed at what I see and hear in this city!

When your mother wants to clean your roommate's room is she taking things a bit too far?

Cocktail rather than mutt
Journey rather than commute
Spring cleaning rather than just cleaning

The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)
--------------------------------------------

Slow down, you move too fast.
You got to make the mornin' last.
Just kickin' down the cobblestones,
Lookin' for fun and feelin' groovy.
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy.

Hello, lamppost, whatcha knowin'?
I come to watch your flowers growin'.
Ain'tcha got no rhymes for me?
Doo it doo doo, feelin' groovy.
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy.

I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep.
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morningtime drop all it's petals on me
Life, I love you, all is groovy!
Ba da da da da da da ba bap a dee...

I'm being haunted by the desire for something I don't have, something I used to have. How can I actively reduce my desire? According to Oscar Wilde, "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." However, temptation and desire aren't quite the same thing. They aren't synonyms. I think desire is deeper and more internal than temptation. A temptation is always ascribed to an external object, whereas a desire may have no physical manifestation.

Should I really try to combat this desire? Looking at the issue from the other side, trying to quell this desire will rob me of the richness of my life experience. Without challenge or struggle, life is less interesting and less meaningful. I'm not, however, advocating total masochism. Some challenge, some gnawing inside keeps things meaningful.

Infatuation and obsessions with people aren't just for the young.

However, as we mature I think we lose some of the idealism around people and the permanence of feelings and circumstances. I could be wrong though, chances are I'm disillusioned right now.

An idea I had for users of public transport (which came to me while waiting for public transport):

Have GPS locators in busses, subway trains etc. and have that information on cell phones or PDAs. We can see if our bus/train is close by or if we just missed it. This way, people will know if they can walk leisurely to their bus stop or subway station, or if they need to haul ass.

This could radically shift pedestrian habits in New York City. People may slow down a little.

None, white, yellow, orange, green, red, brown...

Enter the black belt!

Limping for now.

Marginalization - being outside, not being accepted.
Mattering - being needed, bringing value.

Mattering is very important in this society. There are both internal and external indicators, but how do we really know that we matter? How do we know that we matter as much as we want to matter?

What's more important to you, being happy or being right/just/good? These are by no means mutually exclusive, but often there isn't an overlap.