The instructor and I were in the car, a Toyota model a little more upgraded than the one I drove before. In this Toyota, the stick shift was right next to the steering wheel and there was one digital screen as the dashboard. The instructor facilitated the lesson in a mix of Japanese and English, very keen and aware of my flaws. At certain times he would ask me to pull-over and would draw a diagram of the road and intersection showing how, when and where to turn using a model car. At one point he and I switched seats and he demonstrated how to properly parallel park and execute a three-point turn. Very helpful and understanding and funny.

While parallel parking, the sun was hitting right on us and I was sweating bullets. A stream of sweat started to drip down along my temple.

"Hot?" he asked in Japanese.
"Very," I said, wiping it off with the back of my hand.

My road test is tomorrow. Nervous but I know that I am going to pass it on one go. Just do what I've always been doing and it shouldn't be so troubling.

B and I finally got the running shoes, Java. At lastttt.

めずらしく今日のポストは日本語で書きます。このブログには１年くらい日本語で書かなかったからね。日本人じゃない人、日本語をわからない人にはこのポストは意味がわからないと思うだろうが、グーグルで英訳するほどな事は書いてありません。そんなたいした事ではない。

彼女は自分のブログになんか中国語でいっぱい書いてあったから僕も日本語で書こうかなっと思って。そして彼女は今友達とカラオケに行き、僕はテレビの前のソファにちょっと昼寝をしてしまいました。

じゃ、まず最初はワールドカップサッカー。ブラジルvs。チリ。。。すごい試合だった。ペナルチーキックでブラジルが勝った。

もうすぐいよいよ運転テストなので、考えようとすればするほど、緊張な気持ちになる。でもかならず、この夏の間に、免許をとれますように。

Course Descriptions on Gifts

Tues:
Lap 1: 13:13:10

Lap 2: 14:01:05

Wed:
Lap 1: 15:16:31 (under rain) 

I've written this in my most recent novella, and it's the idea that timing is everything, from the tick of the clock to playing a Steinway and Sons. It's something that plays a big part in our lives. Miss a note and the song will sound off, arrive late and you'll get marked absent.

Gucci days with B strolling around town shopping for her shoes and all of those chill vibes. When will she ever get them.

Speaking of merchandise, it's real hard to give the right gift. Although the giver may find it to be a nice gift, the receiver might not. I guess it's just all a matter of luck. People have different tastes, so these situations are inevitable. There should just be a few classes on gift giving, maybe it could be placed under the psychology or sociology department. Or if it gets popular, its own Department of Gifts

The first introductory course begins with Professor Omiyage

GFT101: Gift Giving Theory (Introduction to the Gift)    M W F 10:15-11:30    Mr. Omiyage
This introductory course begins with the history of gift giving and how they began to arise in the world we live in today. We will then explore the nature of gifts, and study different gifts for different occasions such as birthdays, Christmas, and anniversaries, as well as what makes a gift worth remembering through general theories in presentation, style, surprises, and the time of offering. 

And then once they take that introductory course they continue on to the intermediate level with Professor Li Wu.

GFT201: Gifts and Culture     M  2:45-5:45    Mr. Li Wu
This course will progress from GFT101, continuing on to study gift giving in different countries focusing on societal/cultural values, theories on modesty, and the psychology of acceptance.  

Then once students complete these two courses, they take on advanced and contextual, hands-on courses.

GFT301: Aesthetics and Finesse   PREREQUISITE: GFT101&102)    T 1:30-4:30    Li Wu
In this advanced course, students will study the very presentation of gifts, including wrapping, color, ribbons, among other techniques to explore how a gift can be aesthetic and visually evokative with finesse. By the end of the semester, students will generate their own gift designs and will be graded based on its visual presentation. 

GFT322: Gift Failure  PREREQUISITE: a guy named Sean Kawakami  Th  2:30-As long as you want it to be     

This advanced course studies the reasoning behind failure in gifts. Students I will study the concept of acceptance, budget, cheesiness, luck, and probability. But at the end of the day, I will come to realize that it's better if the gift is returned and purchased again by a happy customer that will use it than it just lying there by the side not serving its purpose. So I totally understand, B. Heh. Let's go buy something together. (Cough) your shoes (cough). 

Personal note to self of jogging times:
Lap one: 13:10:88
Lap two: 14:04:16
Lap three: uncounted


Sports talk while I'm at it: USA vs. Portugal in the World Cup was riveting. Who would've thought Ronaldo would make a miraculous pass to tie the game 2-2. It stunned us all, and we still can't believe it.

Old Timers Day at the stadium, real fun to watch minus the Yankees losing with zero earned runs against the Orioles.

Congrats to Michelle Wie, for winning the U.S Open Championship.

Wimbledon starts in the morning.


Can't wait to see B ~~ gonna be another day of exploring with love.

B and I went to Brooklyn this time. The famous pizza place had superb pizza, especially their mozzarella cheese, but the waiter service was beyond terrible. Literally had to raise my hand to hail a waiter to take our order, another waiter kept bumping into the back of my chair, the Coke that I ordered never came (even after B reminded them), and they only refilled our glasses of water in the end when he brought the check.

Not trying to post a Yelp review here, but I would give it a two star out of five, just because of the service.

But B and I had a great time together after as we sat down outside in the scorching hot weather, gazing at the captivating views of Manhattan.

After stepping foot in this borough I remember the time a group of my classmates and I went to our friend's house, which was more of a mansion near the Navy yard. Coming home we crossed the Brooklyn Bridge when it was lightning, using newspapers as umbrellas.


We took the train back and she took me around her hood, showing me her workplace and all of that good stuff. Then we proceeded to see the mysterious piano. Then I sent her home. All in all it was a gucci day yeshh

A piano mysteriously washed up in the shore under the Brooklyn Bridge. It showed up in the news and that's when I first heard about it. People Instagrammed themselves posing by it, pretending that they were playing it. Nobody knew how it ended up there, just like the Stonehenge. It just appeared out of nowhere. 

B and I were talking about it and then she came up with a speculation:

"Must be a beautiful story," she said. "Imagine it's something dramatic like someone carried it to play for a girl but she didn't like it and then the guy just had to give it up and abandon it."

Then I came up with a story but it was so bad that it left both of us speechless. 

The piano is real strange, and it makes me feel a slight sense of sadness, says mom. It's as if the piano is left there to die. 

Before about a few months ago it was still in good condition, fairly, as it stood on the sand on all four legs. But now the legs collapsed, the roof snapped off, exposing the broken keys. The sand covered a third of the black and white keys. Pieces of paper with words were posted on the sides and graffiti was on the front of the piano. It lay there, tilted. 

I leaned against the fence, staring at it as if it was a hidden artifact from a different world. 

One of the many NYC mysteries. 

Girl im in love with you
This ain't the honeymoon
Past the infatuation phase
Right in the thick of love
At times we get sick of love
It seems like we argue everyday



I know i misbehaved
And you made your mistakes
And we both still got room left to grow
And though love sometimes hurts
I still put you first
And we'll make this thing work
But I think we should take it slow



We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow


This ain't a movie no
No fairy tale conclusion ya'll
It gets more confusing everyday
Sometimes it's heaven sent
Then we head back to hell again
We kiss then we make up on the way



I hang up you call
We rise and we fall
And we feel like just walking away
As our love advances
We take second chances
Though it's not a fantasy
I Still want you to stay



We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow


Take it slow
Maybe we'll live and learn
Maybe we'll crash and burn
Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave, 
maybe you'll return
Maybe another fight
Maybe we won't survive
But maybe we'll grow
We never know baby youuuu and I


We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Heyyy)
We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow

A whirlwind is happening in my mind. I don't know what happened today. It all seemed fine when we were watching the movie and eating the sandwich at the park. But it happened right after that, as if we were flicking a light switch from off to on. I stood there, for a good thirty minutes or so at her door since she left. Passersby looked at me with an air of suspicion, but I remained there, hoping her to return. But no luck. Upstairs, in her apartment that I have never been able to visit, she was thinking and reflecting about wise money spending, then eventually about us and how she was afraid and sad and hurt.

But all I could say is to think of the present, right now. Because you can never predict the outcome for these situations.

There was nothing else.

I'm just in confused state, I don't know where it's taking me. My heart is pounding. From money to parents to us, the very Eve and Jay. The conversations we had. Lots of things are jumbled together forming into a clumped tumor that's growing out of me. Deformed in shape.

I just gotta say that what we do together, B, is all worth my time. You are such an important figure in my life. I want to show you around to new places, places you've never been to before in your life and introduce you to things you've never done, seen, eaten, anything. You show me your world and I show you mine. Experience things together in a positive state of mind without much thoughts about the future or the past. Keep the bond and connection of love alive. We shouldn't dwell on certain issues because that just hinders our relationship. It reminds us of bad thoughts and bad possible outcomes. And bad predictions. The what-if's start to come, and linger around us like the moon orbiting around earth. I love you a lot. I just hope that we figure this out soon. And I hope we continue to be the Eve and Jay we pictured to be.

Happy 8 months B!

Went to go see the Fault in Our Stars with B. It was a pretty sad movie, just as I expected it to be. A bit of a teenage drama kind of story, a little too soft for me. But I enjoyed B by my side, as we looked and smiled and kissed at each other at certain times during the movie.

B got full from orange juice while I wolfed down the bento box for lunch.


That night I found out that I had jury duty on my birthday.. well then.

Now sports talk:
It was a great run for the NY Rangers, who fought hard till the end in double overtime. Brilliant saves by Lundqvist.

Is Carmelo Anthony actually going to the Miami Heat next season? The NBA is going to be a joke if that happens. It's like the All-Star team vs. the best of the rest.

And Japan in the FIFA world cup in Brasil is losing. With my jersey on I chant them on.


Re watching the ending for Toy Story 3. It is by far one of the greatest endings in animated cinema history. Because not only Andy grew up with these remarkable toys, but, we, as audiences, grew up with them too. And that adds beauty in words more beautiful than my own.

A month has passed since my break and I am still left without a job. Been getting ignored by employers. Nobody has replied.

It was my first driving lesson since the summer of last year but I still managed to maneuver the car decently. The instructor was able to park by my neighborhood because I was his last lesson of the day. The roads weren't crowded and it was nice. Managed to drive 30mph by the river. While driving I really really wanted a car.
"Got any pets?" the instructor asked.
I shook my head. "Nope."
"Just got a puppy," he said, smiling. "Just can't take how much he poops."
I laughed.


Then the hours ticked away and the next day came.

The sun was shining, the time of June to hit the beach and get a tan, play some frisbee and volleyball, and splash around the water. It was the season for peonies to bloom, students to graduate, the subway to reek of sweat.

School shootings were increasing across the nation. News that hits us in unbelievable shock.


I am urging B to buy herself a pair of sneakers. It's an essential item that she needs in her wardrobe. It's comfortable for you feet for everyday wear and good for running. You can't beat that.

But I gotta say those Adidas shoes looked mad nice on B.

"I think we're both trying to change each other's clothing style," she said.

And yeah, I guess that was so. She was trying to make me wear more street wear while I tried to make her wear more sporty outfits. Sooner or later I have to take her to a Modell's.

I originally thought that we'd have a date together but instead we ended up with her friends.

I huddled with the group in a random street in South Houston, as they were discussing about what to do tomorrow for their friend's birthday and how to sneak in alcohol and when to bring the cake to a karaoke place. It was the first time I met her guy friends, who both had on shades as if they were Men in Black. Another one glared at me with a disgusted look on his face. I thought all along that it's nice for B to have a network of close friends to hang out with. It's something that I didn't want to think about but just happened to. It's almost something I envy because they always seem to have so much fun. Because they grew up together they know the same ideas and share the same past times. It's a close-knit circle.

The following day we met up and had our time together. I got out my Xootr that I haven't rode for years and dusted it off. We cruised through the river, the same location where I had my driving lesson. A form of relaxation that you can't quite get anywhere else.

"This is what I wanted. Just to ride a bicycle or anything and feel the wind."

How we grow up greatly shapes the way we lead our lives, as well as where we grow up. Thus we all share different pasttimes and hobbies. I want to introduce B to activities that she has never done before in her life, to give her the best possible. Because I'm not just her friend, I'm her boyfriend.

Jay and Eve's Sunday

Jay and Eve's Sunday

Snacks at Queens, drenched in oil. 

Cheers, they clinked their plastic coco cups.

She had all the books all set and ready to go, left all of them behind. 

Crestfallen they aimlessly strutted in the crowded streets.

Jay treated her ice cream, her very first in a while at Ronald McDonald's. 

Enroute to Manhattan, just a train ride away, as Norah Jones put it. 

Nostalgic passing scenery.

Underground they went.

Came out in the main island, walked to high line. 

An ex-train track with with numerous perspective scenery, tourists, leaves, branches that partially obstructed walkways forcing Jay to limbo his way through. 

Snapshots here and there.

Shall we perform a song together? Sounds like a fantastic idea. 

Beatbox, check. Singer, check. 

While the leaves swiveled with the wind, they produced a melodic tune. 

2 hours ticked.

Down the path they went, completing the tour. 

My feet, she said.

They were running out of fuel, the gas station a good distance away.

He suggested one: hiyashi chuuka.

And so they went while the sun was sinking in slow steps. 

Slurped the noodles. Cooled off. 

A walk to send Eve home shortly thereafter. 

"Everyday is fun because I get to do things that I've never done and go places where I've never been before," she said.

Jay smiled, realizing how many activities they could do together. 

All was a happy night for the happy couple. 

ELMONT, N.Y. -- 36 years later, and the Triple Crown Trophy remains unclaimed. The 146th Belmont Stakes were held earlier today and California Chrome, the shining horse ready to make history, fell short, ending up fourth in the race and upsetting spectators who were expecting a big win. Tonalist placed first. The owner of California Chrome, Steve Colburn, infuriated, stated that he will never get to see a Triple Crown race in his life. Many fans were lo...

And yeah no need to go any further. I myself was looking forward to see the Triple Crown but California Chrome just seemed to not have it in today. 

Speaking of this, it's such a disappointing day for sports. The Rangers recently just lost game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals after double overtime, and the Yankees lost as well in Kansas City. 

But in sports you win or lose. Nothing in between. That's the beauty of it. 

20th

An amazing birthday extravaganza with B. First day had dinner with her suitemates and then the day after went to a rather mature restaurant. Frequently they'd converse in Chinese, leaving me to be left in a pretty confused state. I'd have to rely on B to translate for me and tell me what's going on. 

It was a scorching hot day. Wiping the sweat off my brow, I headed over to Bs with a bouquet of flowers clutched in my arms.

At Bs friend's home, B and I sat on the bed, the rattling noise of the train wheels hitting against the tracks outside echoing into the room as if thunder. I brought out the small, cupcake, stabbed two candles that represented me and her, and lit them. Making her wish with tears, she blew the candles, the smoke billowing in the air. It was our private celebration together, just the two of us, and it was such a meaningful moment that I will cherish in my life. 

A frog in a well does not know the great sea

Had a gucci time with B watching Godzilla, eating halal and finally getting private time together for the first time in two weeks. It was something we both really needed and we finally got it, at last.

Went to the Yankee game the next day with ma as they won the game. It was the first game for me of the season.

B's birthday is approachinggggg. I bet she cannot wait. Looking forward to celebrate with B. It's gonna be a fantastic rendezvous filled with a tremendous air of an energetic gaiety. It's going to be jam-packed, just based on the description. A 3-day extravaganza. Let's do this, B!!