Life In The Big Apple

Ryan "Cooper" T. Chong
19 years old
Singer
Artist
Starbucks barista

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Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Emotional Breakdown

10/30/2007 11:33:00 PM

The day started alright... Got up, washed up, had breakfast, went on Facebook for awhile (its fun!!! It makes Friendster looks so lame... which I suddenly realize, it is). Had a chat with Bi Lin for a while before leaving for work.

Decided to take the bus today... was too lazy to walk to work again. Luckily for me, the bus arrived at the same time I arrived at the bus stop and it was a Q44 Limited bus so it was quicker to arrive at the Flushing Library where I got off, crossed the street to Starbucks to buy a Iced Caramel Macchiato, then walked another 2 blocks to work.

At work, everything went fine until that point. I just finished getting some fries for an order, turned around towards my counter when I saw a girl (who was looking away so all I was was the back right quarter of her) who looked exactly like Yi Peng. For a split second I half expected it to be actually her. Then I came to my senses, realizing that that person can't be her. Which was true. But that showed how much she looked like her. Ok sure, her face didn't look like her at all.. But her hairstyle and the height and maybe even her clothes... Does look a lot like her... Well after that all the memories started pouring back... It was overwhelming! I tried my best to stop my tears from flowing. I left my counter, took a cup and went over to the drink station outside the counter and took a drink to try and calm myself down... I went back to the counter but after a few minutes I couldn't handle it anymore and went around the counter to the stairwell where the tears started flowing. My manager came over to offer me a slice of cake. It's her birthday tomorrow and the company's boss came over with a cake. She asked me what was wrong.. I tried to explain but I couldn't complete my sentences... after a while, I explained what happened. And she reassured me that my friendships with my friends in Malaysia won't be lost. Especially when they have a friend like me who's always willing to help others and stuff (from what she observed at work) and cry from the memories of my friends.

She also assured me that I'll make friends here. Like I've already done at work. Leidy came over to ask whats wrong and stuff... plus More got me a glass of water and offered a seat... So... yes... I really do miss you all in Malaysia... and I'm glad to have met the people I've met there and here as well (especially the ones at work). I probably won't be going back next summer for a holiday cause I will be busy with college transfers and stuff then. But hopefully during the summer of 2009 I'll be able to pay a visit...

Lastly I would like to give a few thanks: To Veruska, Leidy, More, Nicole and everyone else at Burger King, Main St. Flushing for being there for me today and for being my friends, to Stanley, Edward and Moi for naming a fictional student after me for their ICT Competition and to Pei Wern for sending me that wonderful letter which I will keep with me for as long as I can...

Saturday, October 27, 2007 Currently Reading

10/27/2007 12:01:00 AM

Star Wars : Allegiance
Timothy Zahn

The story is set after Star Wars—Episode IV: A New Hope. The book's subject is, according to Zahn, "...three different people and groups with allegiance issues."

Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn’s trademark, been more evident than in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion–fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a bold leader with a world to avenge–must face the harsh realities of the cataclysmic conflict into which they have so bravely plunged. From this point forward, legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered, in the long, hard fight to counter the fist of tyranny and restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness.

The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. The brutal extermination of Alderaan not only demonstrated the magnitude of their murderous power, but served as a chilling testament to their resolve to crush the Rebel uprising. Standing against them, Skywalker, Solo, and the Princess remain uncertain opponents. Luke is gifted and brave, but unschooled in the power he possesses. Han has doubts about waging a war that is not his–and his contentiousness is one more burden for Leia to bear as she struggles to keep the Rebellion alive. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector–agitating matters by forcing Han to deal not only with pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, Mara Jade–all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with Luke–is serving her evil master, Palpatine, in her role as the Emperor’s Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire while trying to stay out of Darth Vader’s way.

But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire’s concerns. Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, commits a sudden and violent act of defiance, and takes four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters’ wrath.

Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.

Shinkendo - Japanese Swordsmanship
Toshishiro Obata

Intended as a resource for current students as well as an introduction for non-students, Shinkendo — Japanese Swordsmanship is the first volume of several books scheduled to follow that detail various aspects of this art. A must for shinkendo students and anyone interested in Japanese swordsmanship, volume one touches on Japanese military history, shinkendo strategy, philosophy, and all five major areas of swordsmanship study. This is the first book on the dynamic art of shinkendo, written by its founder and headmaster, Toshishiro Obata.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Cookie!

10/24/2007 01:01:00 PM

You Are a Black and White Cookie

You're often conflicted in life, and you feel pulled in two opposite directions.
When you're good, you're sweet as sugar. And when you're bad, you're wicked!

What Kind of Cookie Are You?

Monday, October 22, 2007 I Miss My Friends!!

10/22/2007 10:02:00 AM

6 months and 15 days

Thats how long it has been since I left Malaysia.

I miss Berjaya Times Square

I miss my car

I miss some food

I miss bowling for like RM7 ($2+)

I miss driving around and not having to take the bus all the time

I miss being out at night and not having to look over my shoulder every minute

and most of all

I miss hanging out with my friends...

Sure I did make a few friends here. Like the ones at work. Bryan, Alex, Jairo, Ricardo, Peter, Danny, Alejandro, Veruska, Karina, Marlene, Saira, Alejandra, Jennifer and Jennifer, Jenny, Leidy and Leidy, Belen, Nicole, Celia, Jessenia and Marileni. But then... its still not the same with Vincent, Weng Kit, Ju Hung, Stanley, Edward, Kah Wai, Dinesh, Alaric, Khalidi, Merissa, Su Yeng, Yi Peng, Pei Wern, Kathryn, Philana, Adeline, Hui Wen, Bi Lin, Rachel and everyone else...

I want to go back and hang out with them again.... Its so lonely here... I don't hang out with anyone anymore that much... I hardly go out at night... Save for a few times with Edward... But... its just not the same...

You would think that after half a year I would have gotten lots of new friends... Yes... but I really miss my friends back in Malaysia. Everytime I go to the Malaysian restaurant I'll be staring at the big map of Malaysia painted on the wall.

In Malaysia I'm known as the person from USA. Here, I'm known as the person from Malaysia... They don't really see me as an American. Probably because of my mannerisms and accent and so on...

Recently I've even been having dreams of my friends back in Malaysia... And I'll wake up missing them even more...

"Let me go home
I'm just to far from where you are
I wanna go home..."

Monday, October 15, 2007 Scenes of New York

10/15/2007 11:03:00 AM

Tuesday, October 09, 2007 Flushing's Burger King

10/09/2007 11:48:00 PM

Hey, I found some pics online of the place where I work. The theme of the Burger King where I work is unique because it is based on the 1964 New York World's Fair. This is because Flushing Queens is the place where it was held. The Unisphere has
therefore become the symbol of Flushing.

You can find it here

Shinkendo!~

10/09/2007 01:29:00 AM

Ok watching this video really makes me want to join even more. Shinkendo may only be about 20 years old as a martial art which is pretty new. But its like so cool! I love swordsmanship esspecially the katanas. I've even gotten my own bokken now. It's black with a black cloth handle and a carving of 2 dragons on the "blade".

Here's the video I was talking about. All of their moves are from Shinkendo.

Pretty cool huh? Only one setback.. I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY T_T. And I really want to learn.... T_T

Oh, I'll be going back to work tomorrow!! Yippee!!

Friday, October 05, 2007 Friends and Music

10/05/2007 10:55:00 PM

Some of the songs that remind me of some of my friends.

Hui Wen
Vivo Per Lei - Andrea Bochelli and Sarah Brightman

Merissa Chan
You Are Loved -Josh Groban

Wong Su Yeng
No Promises - Shayne Ward

"Kenji" Ju Hung (the guy in white)
Brothers - Full Metal Alchemist

Li-Shia
If I Ain't Got You - Alicia Keys

Stanley Foong
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

Vincent Lui
Patience - Take That

Things I Want To Buy

10/05/2007 01:03:00 AM

Here is a list of things that I want to buy and their price (if available).

1. Ryumon Folded Dragon Practical Katana $225.00/RM766.30

2. Bokken $8.00/RM27.25

3. External Hard Drive

4. New handphone either:

a. Sony Ericsson W660i

b. Sony Ericsson K790a

Well actually... the sword can wait... so can the phone.. that is, as long as my current one can stay alive... But I do need to get a new external harddrive cause mine is on the fritz since it dropped a few days ago.

Thursday, October 04, 2007 Nuthing to talk about...

10/04/2007 12:51:00 AM

Its been 6 days since I accidentally cut a piece of my fingertip off... Still hasn't really healed... Each day removing the remaining absorbable hemostat and replacing it. There's still a small area that still isn't covered properly... I can see my flesh underneath it.. Well I'm going to spare the details... Haven't been to work for almost a week already... somehow I'm missing it. Nothing much for me to do at home actually. But I can't go to work with my finger like this. Ok sure, some of you might think, Its just a small injury, why not just work? Well cause 1. I can't get that area wet. 2. I'll be handling food. Would you want to eat something which has been touched by someone who has a hole in his finger who can't wash his hand because of it? Plus it hurts everytime it touches something. Sigh... And I'm not sure whether I'm getting payed... So yea... nuthing to talk about really...

Oh!! Yes!! I've finally sent Merie's present. The mailing fee was expensive T_T.... $31.10... Hope it reaches her. I didn't pay that much for it to NOT reach its destination *touchwood* Plus it has a backup destination in case they couldn't send it to her house.

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