Rainy day in Manhattan + Glutton

So I didn't post yesterday - this will cover yesterday and today.

Wednesday was a rainy day. That was sorta the mood too. And when I say rainy day - I mean it! I know we aren't nearly as bad as I've heard Austin has been lately (you guys canoeing to work yet?), but we had flooding. I don't know if that's normal here - in Arizona and Austin it is so I didn't think much of it. But there's a lot of people here, and that with flooding equals bad news. I didn't get it until I tried to go home (it started raining in the afternoon). By the way - I found out that rain comes very unexpectedly here - you really just need an umbrella (which I always forget) all the time. So it started raining in the afternoon (I was exhausted - coffee has been my friend this week). Watching the rain stream down a co-workers slanted (and coveted) window - I thought it was beautiful. But it made softball canceled sadly - I was looking forward to that. So I went to the rec-room and biked instead. Watched people play pool while biking :-). So, on the way home I noticed the havoc the rain had caused. Freeways were parking lots, it took close to 40 minutes to take the van to the train station when it usually takes 15. On the radio we heard that trains and subways had stopped for 50 minutes in the afternoon because the power went out in the city. You might imagine the craziness that causes in Manhattan. The radio asked people to "MTA asks people to please stagger when you commute home". We thought that was hilarious - yeah, I'll coordinate with everyone so we all go at different times! But actually I didn't have a huge problem getting home, besides taking a later train. And I found a pizza place close to my house with vegan and kosher and wheat pizzas! Crazy... Greg you can visit now :-). So I ran home and changed to go out to a birthday celebration at a restaurant/club.

So I met a girl at the BBQ Tuesday who was turning 27 Wednesday and invited a bunch of interns to celebrate with her at a bar/restaurant in the Upper West Side. I was excited to go and try a new place and make more friends. And it wasn't far - I walked of course. The bday girl actually turns out to live in my exact building, and said I was really lucky to find a sublet there and she loves it! So yay :-). She's a weath of info because she's lived there for a year (though she goes to Princeton in New Jersey - weird). But yeah - she thought I was way younger (you know that totally wins points when EVERYONE says it to me), and I'm older than her! Anyway - it was a pretty fun place. Kinda generic food - I got a shrimp quesadilla (I didn't eat pizza before - I just found the place). I mostly talked to a Bulgarian girl, an Austrian, and a Brazilian with German roots - we talked some about the EU. IBM really hires people from everywhere. Which makes it very interesting! I like a lot of the people I've met on the shuttles from the train this week - particularly others living in Manhattan. Yay friends! Although I'm a bit sick of doing the slightly exhausting "1st conversation" with new people everyday. If all you have is IBM in common, this conversation can be a bit boring, so you gotta go to something random pretty quick! I got a 7 & 7 in honor of Naveen. :-). And of course my semi-stalker showed up. She's not really my stalker, but I met her during orientation and she seems to follow me around at intern events when all I want to do is freely mingle and meet people. And I find her slightly annoying. She's from India - actually Madras. But I digress - we had some good conversation, and the bday girl had fun. We left about 11 and of course it was raining again and of course I was wearing a white shirt and hadn't remembered my umbrella. So I walked 14 blocks in the rain home :-). But the rain was actually nice. Although humidity!

So Thursday - today. Not too exciting - I guess the first several posts were the most exciting. Commuted to work again - and actually I really like the morning walk and Harlem - I think I'll miss it. And reading on the train. It's nice in the morning - everything feels calmer even though there are people everywhere. And I get handed a small local periodical (actually 2) when I go to the subway so I know the news in the morning. But yeah - work stuff. I went out to lunch with other interns today - mostly to mingle - I wasn't excited about going out. Went out with a Chinese girl, another Austrian, and an Iranian. I told you about the diversity. Someone at the BBQ said I'm the most normal (I used the word vanilla but he was talking about where I'm from), white American that they've met of all the interns. I enjoyed talking to the lunch folk about where they are from. Oddly enough several people have said Boston isn't very cool as a city - and one person even called it a small city! That seemed odd to me. Interesting people. They are in my group and apparently one of my main co-workers belongs to a sailing club and took them out sailing last weekend. I hope he does that again - I want to go! We all are going to a boss' boss party this Saturday in the burbs...

Anyway - there was a fair this afternoon where various groups presented their research. I guess it was nice for the interns to see what everyone is doing around the company (or building), but only 1 poster tangentially related to my research. And they had more free food/dessert. God the free food for interns! It's my downfall lately. I don't know why I gave up my ability to say no to food - lately I've been just wanting everything. I was so good at limiting myself in teh fall and spring, but when I'm in a new place and haven't done a lot of cooking at home I feel out of control and I give up slightly on the stringent food goal. I think the problem is really that I either limit myself entirely (especially limiting carbs, eating only wheat when I do, limiting quantity, not eating between meals, and eating almost no sugar), or feel like I'm "on vacation" and I sorta go wild because I'm not limiting anymore. Especially if it's free or new :-). I really need to find a balance, because the cookies made me feel slightly sick all afternoon. And I believe I can do it. I'm still doing the exercise thing everyday - but I know I've gained weight. It's not just the exercise - it's food intake, too. The food can make exercise easier or harder actually... And I don't know how to find a balance, but I need to. Can I ever eat something fried, or a pastry? What about carbs - how bad is bread (which I love)? Then desserts. I know it's not about denying oneself everything, it's just about control. But it is really hard to control when you go out to meals... But I can control extra intake - snacks, etc. Anyway..... I need to be more diligent and not feel bad all the time!

And speaking of feeling bad... Here's my current dilemma. It's very hard to focus on work. Ok, well I think getting into a new project takes time - I don't have momentum at the beginning of a project usually. So I'm not as worried about work during the day which should reach a rhythm (I'm still doing some settle-in tasks too). But I'm theoretically supposed to work on another project (besides the IBM one) for school for a paper deadline of Aug 7th. It's a continuation of what I've been working on at UT. And while I said I'd focus on research in New York, and I need to focus on my PhD now that I've met a lot of other goals in life (Kung Fu, scuba, triathlon), and I really need to make this paper deadline for my research - can I tell you how HARD it is to work on another project on the side!! While living in Manhattan?! I know I'm beating myself up a bit - I still haven't unpacked so I get some time to get used to being here... But if you know me you know my outside pursuits are really important to me - exercise, friends, experiencing this city. I've been going crazy with it (as you've read) - Naveen called me hyperactive. Which, as I've said, is exhausting. So again - a need for balance. I really didn't know I was such an unbalanced person!! :-). So basically I'm left with the constant of grad school: guilt. Sigh. Which is why I've done all the hinting about "is Computer Science really for me". There is constant pressure, and the people that I actually respect in the field work ALL THE TIME. The definition of researcher seems to include this proclivity towards workaholic-ness. And I just don't have it. I want to do good research and solve interesting problems - but why can't I enjoy life too? Why does that world seem dry so often? Have I just not met my ultimate problem that will lead me to want to work all the time?

Anyway, I got rambly. Sorry - it's my blog - so you get more than just adventures, but ponderings too :-).

Anyway - so always more questions, but I am happy. Naveen comes to Manhattan tomorrow - yay! And I ran again today when I got home - this time in the very narrow Riverside Park along the Hudson. Someone told me they liked it better than Central Park. It's definitely a nice park - and very good for running and biking. I ran down the park along some trails, but closer to the streets - it was pretty with lots of trees. Oh yeah, and it was sprinkling this whole time - another slightly rainy day! And me in a white t-shirt again :-). No wonder everyone stares at me. But when I got down to my destination (72nd), I figured out there's another trail that runs right along the water that is really cool! And I ran out onto a pier and everything. The water is pretty, as is the city scape. Again, happy. Came home - I'm trying to work and catch up and clean for Naveen tomorrow. Picked up some "soul food" in Harlem for dinner because I wanted to try it. It basically seems like southern food to me - collard greens, fried chicken, candied yams, baked macaroni and cheese, okra, corn, peach cobbler, ham, ribs - that stuff. But the guys in the shop were very nice to me. Harlem is warming on me - if you don't look at it as a place to put up heavy walls around yourself and look at everyone with scowl and skepticism - people are nice :-). But I think I'd rather do African food, but those places haven't appeared on my walk - although people in African garb have.

Ok I'm sure this is long - hope no one minds. I'm so happy tomorrow is Friday! Naveen comes, and I get to sleep in on the weekend! And be in the city more! I'm thinking of doing brunch - everyone here loves "brunch" which basically is from 10am to 3pm on weekends :-). Have a good weekend to you all!