Palm is coming out with a new phone called the Palm Pre, which CNN says may be the wildcard competitor to Apple’s new iPhone 3GS. Looks pretty cool.
I think no matter how much more technologically superior the Palm Pre is, or any other smartphone for that matter, people may prefer the Apple brand to other brands of phones.
****Disclaimer – this might be too much information that you don’t need to know about me, but I have no shame, apparently (probably comes from working in some capacity in the health care field, and interning with an OBGYN). If you’re ok with that, read on.
I’ve always been pretty good at suppressing expressions of pain or discomfort (I have a thing against going to doctors for some reason – probably because I’ve been to too many when I was younger, and also know how annoying and complicated and expensive the health care system can be anywhere), be it a collapsed lung, sunburned feet, cankersores (often multiple at a time), girly cramps (I used to get really bad ones, and have relatives who pass out occassionally from the pain – I think it’s partly genetic?), or attacks by my mace.
My lung didn’t just collapse that one time – it collapsed several times. It’s just I never bothered to do anything about it. Sure, it hurt, but it wasn’t as bad as the first time (except for maybe 2 or 3 times – especially that time at the Larry King Cardiac Foundation event when Jenn took over my duties and made me take a nap before the Gala that evening). I don’t tell my parents because it worries them. I just take it easy for a day or so and it gets better.
The only scar I have on my body is a scar I got from my mace – when I was first learning how to spin, and some high winds crashed my mace tip into the middle finger of my right hand – I think bone was exposed…I’m not sure. But we had a football game that night (where we play in-stand music and perform the field show), so I simply wrapped it up and went to the game. This is only one among many many injuries during my tenure as Drum Major at TO (I’ve lost countless brain cells, no doubt, though the many times I hit myself in the head. Bruises and blood were an every day occurrence – come to think of it, this may have been the time in my life when I simply stopped complaining about pain because I’ve learned how to deal with it – I once spent forever practicing a move that involved body-wrapping the mace around me, and kept dropping my mace on the same spot on my hip, which bruised so much it ended up oozing blood by the end of the weekend).
I’ve had Scout or Sabi or other dogs get so excited they’ve accidentally bitten me or scrapped me with their teeth or claws. They tend to go unnoticed (only my mom would make some horrified comment about how there are huge red scratches on my arms that look on the verge of bleeding).
So, what prompted this post in the first place? Well, there’s been this sort of muscular pain in my, erm, groin area for a month now. It feels like I just pulled a muscle there, and it started out rather painlessly – more or less just a subtle uncomfortableness – more accented when I stayed on my feet for extended periods of time. Unfortunately, in New York City, I’m on my feet all the time walking places.
I thought it would get better on it’s own, but Paris is, of course, a walking city. Between the walking tourism I’ve been doing (museums, gardens, Paris in general), walking places I need to be (classes, dinner, afternoon excursions with our professors), being tired, being on my feet all day, the pain in my groin got worse. It came to a head yesterday when we had a welcome dinner for the people in the new class. We sat in a sort of set-up where we had to move rather heavy tables for people to get to and from their seats during dinner. During one of these exertions (as I was moving a table out to let someone out), I felt that weak muscle give, and it HURT. I limped all the way home, and it’s the worse it’s been. I was worried enough to ask Grace to ask her sister what I should do. Her sister said it might be a hernia, but a second opinion from Dr. Emily seems to state that it’s probably just a pulled muscle.
Still, I’ve made a point to stay off it as much as I can (Grace and Sarah went out and got me lunch today as I sat around and waited for our next class to start), but I can’t avoid going to class or going on excursions and the other basic necessities of using my legs. So I went and found myself a cane today – it’s not that I need it all the time, but it’ll help with some extra support when I’ve been on my feet for a long time, which will no doubt happen during one of our museum trips later this week and next and the next one after that.
I hate having a cane though – I feel ridiculous and I feel like people will think I’m making too big a deal of something (yes, I realize people really don’t think much about me, but I don’t want people thinking I’m trying to garner sympathy). Back in college, Adam, Cris, Kevin, and I went to Catalina one summer to kayak, and my feet (and only my feet) got incredibly sunburned. It was REALLY bad. And hurt really bad. So much that I had trouble walking (we went to watch Fiddler on the Roof once shortly after – our seats were Mezzanine, and Xia had to literally carry me up the stairs) – Cris, among some other friends, apparently were talking smack behind my back (things like “What a faker, it can’t be THAT bad.”). A couple days later, we were at my place watching a movie or something, and my socks were off. This is how the conversation (in my very very muddled, perhaps somewhat re-constructed memory) went:
Cris: Uhh…Cynthia, why are you feet black?
Cynthia: It’s sunburned.
Cris: Ohh it really IS that bad…
Later, I realized it was a second-degree burn and probably needed to go see a doctor, but it eventually got better on it’s own, with the help of lots of aloe, and friends. Actually, when I sprained my ankle the week after I came back to school after taking a week off to heal up my collapsed lung, Adam, Cris, Xia, and whoever else was around were regularly giving me piggyback rides to my car since I couldn’t walk.
In any case, two points. Point 1: This muscle in my groin hurts – not bad enough for me to go to the doctor, (I’ve only been to the doctor once for pain – and that was the collapsed lung), but bad enough for me to speak up and do something about it – which is getting this visible evidence (argh) of my gimpy-ness to prevent potentially more serious damage. Point 2: I have awesome friends that may make fun of me for being a baby, but are there for me when things like this do get bad. (Muahahah – they’re being taken advantage of and don’t even know it. Shhh.)
The only fun thing about a cane is that I can spin it when I’m bored. Perhaps I’m destined to always carry a long, blunt object that I can spin close to my head.
(Juliana, I know you’re going to make some pointed comment about the paper cut at the LA zoo, but that’s an anomaly, right?)
There is really no greater joy that running through a huge flock of birds and watching them all scatter and fly away. I love it so much that I put it into a film of mine in college. Granted, it was completely unplanned and spontaneous, and they were seagulls, but it was one of the most beautiful shots in the film (that, and the shot that made it look like we were floating on water). And it’s not just with things that fly either. Chasing squirrels is perfectly fine too. As is fishing for them. But I digress. I meant this entry to be an update of my time in Paris.
I’d have to say, Paris is just like any other big global city, except everyone speaks French. So it’s harder to know when someone’s speaking badly about you. “Stupid Americans, they don’t even know how to ask for water correctly.” With my hoodie and my backpack, I have never more felt like a stupid American. Our apartment is AWESOME – it’s huge, and HAS NATURAL LIGHT (for those of you who don’t know, I love my apartment in NYC, but one thing that really bothers me is that it doesn’t get any natural light), and is big enough that I have to really motivate myself to go to the kitchen to get something to eat. There’s a boulangerie/patisserie downstairs that sadly doesn’t have Chausson aux pommes, but I’m sure I can find that at one of the other dozen patisseries on my way to the metro every morning.
Other than getting lost at the Louvre, other exciting moments include one of the most delicious dinners EVER (at Les Papilles in the Latin Quarter – when we walked in, there was a photographer from the New York Times taking pictures of the room and of our set table with meats and bread on it – for starters – there’s apparently going to be an article about the best 10 tables/rooms in Paris). We had the meat dishes for an appetizer (which included slices of sausages, including blood sausage and tuna pate, which was my favorite), then a summer soup-type thing (ok, I know all these have names, and while I may claim to be a foodie, I’m a foodie who doesn’t know proper names of foods):
This picture is pre-soup being added. You ladled this cold broth into the bowl and mix everything up.
The main course was penne pasta in a pesto sauce/soup/stew thing with chicken. Maybe better to say it was chicken in a pesto sauce thing with penne pasta:
Then a bleu cheese with prunes. I actually really don’t like bleu cheese, but this bleu cheese was really really good bleu cheese, whicn simply meant it didn’t induce vomit when I had half of it to be polite. It’s pretty though, isn’t it?
For dessert, strawberry something or other. I can’t remember what it’s called, but it’s deliciously creamy and very rich. This was actaully my favorite part of dinner.
Of course, this 5-hour dinner led to none of us doing the readings for the next day, so our professor, Ben (who was also at this epic dinner), decided to show us a documentary about the Gutenberg Bible, which took most of class.
Other than that, we’ve started our final project already, which is a “dossier” on the Prosperity Gospel, which is really just a wiki page. Wiki pages are rather annoying to build and edit. There’s no easy button that says “make new page”. Instead, you have to create a link to a nonexistent page, which then becomes “orphaned”, then follow the link, which will take you to the page so you can edit it. WTF?! In any case, if you’re interested, here’s the homepage. Just click on the link below that says “Prosperity Gospel”.
All this keeps me from chasing pigeons all day.
There is a flock of sleeping pigeons (they puff themselves up and just sit there, and there are a LOT of them) on a great big piece of lawn next to the Invalides that we pass every day on our way to class. One of these days…
These could go in a status update, but that’d just be silly. Why is it that now we have status updates that I think in short sentences?
I have a headache. Perhaps I should finish the Toblerone sitting on my coffee table.
Does anyone else feel like panicking after reading Marita’s syllabus for the summer?
My new glasses make me look like I’m perpetually sleep deprived. Though now I can see really really well. (Contacts don’t correct for my astigmatism. These new glasses do)
What the heck am I going to do without a guitar for 2 months? Write poetry?!
Really really enjoying Ender’s Game. But I’m trying to read it as slowly as possible to make it last. There are other Ender-related books, right?
Why does chocolate make cankersores HURT LIKE HELL?!
A Short History of Medicine
2000 BCE – Here, eat this root.
1000 AD – That root is heathen. Here, say this prayer.
1850 – That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion.
1920 – That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow tihs pill.
1945 – That pill is ineffective. Here, take penicillin.
1955 – Oops…bugs got resistant. Here, take this tetracycline.
1957 – 2007 – 42 more “oopses”…Here, take this more powerful antibiotic.
20?? – The bugs have won! Here, eat this root.
-Anonymous
I’ve been in the process of subletting my apartment for the summer, since I will be in Paris for a study abroad program, then in Hong Kong, then back to LA until school starts in the fall. Like everyone else in the city, I’ve been relying heavily on Craigslist to get the word out (while also lowering the rent a bit every week).
One person, named Rachel Watson, emailed back with this message:
Hello There
I came across your AD posted on http://www.Craigslist.org that you have a
sublet space available…I am Rachel Watson,25,female,from USA but
lived and work in Spain,I am a graduate of Buffalo University,NY where
i studied Economics,I worked as a sales Representative in a fast
growing Industry,Goliath Industry,Spain.so i will be coming to USA
later this month to advertise some of our products.I will want you to
confirm the availability of the space,what price does it goes for?and
how long you are willing to rent it out? N.B..pls endeavor to reply
back my mails via talk2me2244@yahoo.com.i will be waiting to read from
you asap……
Regards…
Rachel
Ok, pretty standard, but I was a bit annoyed at the fact that this person obviously didn’t read the ad, because she asked about the price, and how long the apartment was available for…and I think my annoyance shone through in my response email:
Hi Rachel,
As the ad states, the price per month is $1950, utilities and internet included, and is available for three months from May 30th till August 30th.
Please let me know if you are still interested. Thanks.
Cynthia
The next day, I get this email with the subject, “WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU” (just like that, all in caps):
Thanks for your prompt responses and am okay with the price and explanations,…I am very happy for your reply that shows the kind of person i am thinking of renting from and how kind you are..For the payment that is not a problem at all…Because my boss will be highly responsible for all the expenses of the payment all i have to do is to confirm the amount of the space including the utilities and then get it sent to him including the information’s in which the payment will be issued to..,So all i require of you is for you to send me your..
FULL NAME
FULL ADDRESS
PHONE
So that i can forward it to my boss because my boss will be paying you in advance because of my flight ,So you get back to my travel agent who is in United state with the rest of the money via western union…in order to get my ticket booked so that i can be in state asap… waiting to hear from you….
THANKS..
BAD grammer. I was getting a bit suspicious at this point, and really not sure I wanted to rent my apartment to someone who wrote emails like this (even though I’ve left COPE, I still subscribe to the Allen Miller School of Professional Conduct) so I wrote back:
Rachel,
I’ve lowered the rent down to $1950/month, but do want to know a little more about you, as you may potentially be spending three months in my home. What is it that you do (as a job), and what will you be in the city for? What is the name of your company, and what does that company do? What is your boss’s name? Could you also please provide me with a couple personal references? I’d appreciate it. Where are you currently located?
As for your inquiries, my full name is Cynthia Wang. The address of the apartment is (blah blah blah), and my phone number is (blah blah).
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. Thanks.
Cynthia
Didn’t give out any information that I wouldn’t give out any potential subletter, right? Next day, I get this, with the subject, “THE PAYMENT WILL BE SEND TO YOU SOON” (oooh boy, I can’t wait for the payment to be SEND to me!):
Hello,
I got the information and will forward it to my Boss so as to make the payment as soon as possible….so as soon as you have it,just get back to me so i can send you my travel agent’s info.where to send the excess money for my flight….thanks a lot and have a nice day…
Best Regards….
WTF?! So here’s my response:
Rachel,
You have not answered my questions nor provided personal references, and your emails reflect an aura of unprofessionalism, and a whole lot of ambiguity and opacity. I’m looking for someone I can trust to rent this apartment. I’m sorry, but I don’t feel comfortable with this transaction – I’m going to have to pass. Good luck with your apartment hunt.
Cynthia
Lots of suspicion at this point. Definitely thinking something fishy’s going on. So yesterday, I get this email, with the subject as “GET BACK TO ME ASAP”:
Hello there
How was your day,the payment has already be sent to you, and am very interested in having the room that was why my boss made the payment out to you , so whats next now and i will be waiting to get the from you……Thanks alot for all and pls dont forget to have the $100 deducted for yourself ok..take care and have a wonderful weekend
Regards
My response (I should mention that Al was here watching Buffy and jamming with me at this point – this was yesterday – when I got this email):
Hey Rachel,
I found someone else to sublet my apartment, so the apartment is no longer available. Thanks for your interest, and good luck in your search. If I receive any money in the mail, I will forward it back to your company.
Cynthia
And, just for good measure, and because Al suggested it would probably be a good idea, I sent a second email:
Just so we’re clear, I will NOT in any way be accepting any of your money (I don’t know what this $100 deducted is about – you’re not making any sense) and I will NOT be subletting my apartment to you. It is unavailable. Sorry, and good luck with finding another apartment.
Cynthia
In hindsight, I’m being incredibly gullible (would have probably found it in the dictionary had you told me to look), but maybe not thinking it’s exactly a scam just yet because I was not asked to offer anything to her (ie: to wire money somewhere – I was the seller, not the buyer). Late last night, I received this response with the subject, “PAYMENT COMING IN TODAY….HERE IS THE TRACKING NUMBER”:
Hello,
Hope all is pretty cool with you over there? am very happy to informed you that the payment for my rent is coming in today unfailingly.Here is the tracking number (j223958 6195) go to ups.com and have it track so that you can know the exact time it will deliver to you today.As soon as you receive the check you should have it cash, deduct the rent and any deposit needed for my move in…After that You will deduct extra $100 for yourself which will serve as compensation cus i guess am taking you thru stress for helping me…Then you will have the balance forwarded to my travel agent via WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER who will work on my paper and get my ticket booked so that i can be in the state as soon as possible.
So as soon as you have the cash and have deducted all neccessary charges ….You will go to western union outlet with CASH balance and my travel agent information then you will transfer the money to the travel agent using the information bellow
NAME……..Johannes Gilo,
Street……611 Mallory Drive,
City……..Panama
State……FL
Zip-code…32405
As soon as you have the money sent to him you will need to get back to me with the western union details such as..
1…MTCN (money transfer control number) Its always on the receipt that
will be given to you at western union..
2…Total amount sent after deducting western union charges
3…Senders name and address as it is written on the receipt given to you at western union..
Thanks alot for your understand and i will be waiting to hear from you again as soon as you read this message…Take care and have a blessed working day………
BEST REGARDS
After doing some research online, I realized that both buyers AND sellers can be scammed. My response:
This is a scam and I am reporting you to proper authorities.
…and copied abuse@craigslist.org on it. On the Craigslist scam site, I found a situation that fits my experience perfectly (it was #2 on their list of Examples of Scams):
2. distant person offers a genuine-looking (but fake) cashier’s check
And here’s an article that talks about it. If only I had read these earlier. My question is, what does the scammer get out of something like this? I mean, the worst thing I can do is deposit the check (if it comes – I’m sort of hoping it does so I can check it out) and be held responsible for it. The scammer seems to get nothing.
Thoughts, anyone?
At Richardś, watching Kiterunner (which is, so far, a really good movie) – we took a break to call Xiaoli, whoś in China.
Hmm… ok, so today I went to Jenś concert at Alice Tully Hall (the new thing at Lincoln Center/Juilliard). The concert was GREAT, but let me just rant a bit about what happened prior to the start of the concert.
I was going with Richard, who was running a bit late, so I decided to go in first, to make sure I didn’t miss Jen’s group (they were first – a string quartet). As I walked in, I had my phone in hand because I was going to text Richard where I was seated. The usher at the door, a grouchy old lady, was like, “Ma’am, you have to turn off your phone in the theatre.” “Ok,” I responded. Duh. I know concert etiquette. I sit down, and proceeded to text Richard exactly where I was. The woman comes back and tells me that I have to use my phone out in the lobby. Uhhh, I’m just texting my friend. You just have to use your phone out in the lobby, ma’am. Ok fine. Quick text. Took about 20 seconds. Sat back down. Kinda irritated.
The concert starts, and then, between groups, I hear someone’s cell phone go off. And go off. And then the people behind us start talking DURING THE NEXT GROUP!
Irony. If you’re going to prohibit me from TEXTING my friend BEFORE the concert starts, you’d better make sure that people aren’t using their PHONES DURING the concert or TALKING. Geeezus, lady. I was thoroughly irritated.
Tensions between different power forces. Right now, the two warring factions are sleep and food. I think food’s winning out.
The ironic thing is…my paper isn’t even due tomorrow. It’s due on Thursday. My circadian cycle is just so screwed up that I’m thinking maybe if I go to bed progressively later each night/morning, it’ll cycle back to a normal-person schedule.
Right now, I should be living in Asia.
I saw a guy who had two Chinese characters tattooed on his wrist. One was an actual Chinese character. The other was not.
1) It’s an AWESOME film with a crazily talented cast of people who do all their own singing, acting, and talking.
2) They also do their own instrument playing.
3) It was the film I watched all through senior year of college, especially during the shooting of The Ship Game. Every night after a day of shooting, I’d sit in my room and watch the last scene. It was my scotch on the rocks.
4) The cast.
5) The music.
6) The cast and the music.
7) Eugene Levy’s eyebrows.
8) Materialized color operating on the 49th dimension.
9) The catheter song.
10) There’s a transgender at the end. How could you not love that?
There are about 78 other reasons, but I really should finish this paper…
Cynthia Wang 