I understand that New York City has become a relatively safe place. However, there are some things that people still should not do on the trains, some of which is common sense. Some are safety issues, others are just common courtesy.
1. Breaking out your laptop
Seriously, do we really need to see what presentation you are working on? Or what game you’re playing? People are not slow; that Mac you’re rocking costs at least $1600. Its just asking to be robbed.
2. Doing your makeup on the train
Listen, this was such a concern in Japan that Tokyo Metro put out an ad about it. Should we all be subjected to your daily ritual? No. Perhaps you should wait until you get to work and do that. The train is not the place to fix your ugly.
3. Listening to your music loud.. And I mean LOUD.
So you’re listening to Shakira, eh? Can you swing your hips like her? I guess you can. Dude, I shouldn’t be able to song along to your song with you and you’re halfway across the car.
4. Flying off the handle when the trains are crowded
Its rush got, so of course its crowded! If someone bumps into you by accident, its an accident! Don’t get all loud and brolic about it. It’s not only unnecessary, it’s just not a good look.
Those are my immediate ones from my train ride to work today. What are some of your pet peeves with public transportation? Sound off!
August 9th,2010
General | tags:
nyc,
Subway |
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I promised one of my friends that I would write a post about the casino action in Aruba. Here’s the thing: there aren’t really any large casinos in Aruba. Most are inside of the hotels in the High Rise and only a handful down in the Low Rise area of Oranjestad. Most of the casinos are small, and I mean SMALL. Spend 3 minutes in the place and you’ve seen just about everything. Some larger ones, like the Alhambra Casino, were comparatively larger and were their own freestanding establishment (not inside a hotel or resort). As is the case with many places these days, it’s all about the slots. There’s much more overhead involved with table games as a general rule, and Aruba is no exception.
For the table games, I’ll give a brief overview of what I’d seen in terms of general play and anything that deviates from the norm (and by norm, I mean things seen in Atlantic City or in Las Vegas).
Craps:
These tables really only heat up in the evenings, otherwise its pretty dead. They adhere to standard house rules with odds at 2x or 3x. There was one place that had 5x odds, but it is very much the exception to the rule. The one thing that stood out are the call/prop bets. Usually you can do a random amount like “$1 3-4 hopping”, but your call bet must be the minimum amount at the table in all the casinos I visited while I was there. Think about that one — that 7 for 1 bet to piss off the pass player can potentially be pricey!
BlackJack:
I am most knowledgeable about this game, so I have a lot to say on this. The minimums are pretty nice, as low as $3 in lots of places, but generally $5 (highest min I saw was $50). Payouts on blackjack vary by casino: there were some double-deck games with 6 to 5 payouts. I also saw some 3 to 2 payouts on blackjack with a standard shoe, and of course the 2 to 1 payout. Shuffling styles are important – beware the autoshuffler! I caught it in a couple of spots. I have to say though, it was refreshing to see REAL shuffling by a dealer (not done by a machine). It’d been a long time!
Backlining IS permitted with permission of the player (some casinos in the States don’t allow you to place a bet behind a player already seated at the table). Forget about surrender — that option is going straight out the window for most casinos; it’s not offered anywhere on the island. One weird thing is at one casino, they allowed players to use roulette chips to bet at the table. I did a double take when a dude with orange chips placed his “$15″ bet in the spot. Apparently it was allowed, but I have no idea how they keep track of that. Also, keep in mind they generally don’t have $2.50 pink chips, so what they do is give you a $1 and keep it on the line, holding it until the next hand. If you win, you get the $1; if not, the $1 goes back to the house.
And no surprise, players generally suck. A chick at one blackjack table I played at sat on a soft 16 (A-5) with a 5 showing. I gave her quite possibly the dirtiest look EVER.
Some games you will NOT see:
- Pai Gow (I didn’t come across it)
- The big wheel (even tourists know its a rip)
Other games you WILL see but I just don’t play:
- Caribbean Stud
- Three Card Poker
- Roulette
- Let it Ride (but its not THAT popular)
Poker:
There are some select casinos that have decent poker rooms going. They do have tournaments from time to time apparently, mostly no limit. The sit n go tables that I came across were low stakes or no limit as well. I’m not a big live poker player, so I won’t even presume to explain some of their setups.
Sports Book:
It’s rare, but they do have it.
Slots:
There’s TONS of penny slots (my mom just loved that one), many of which are multidenominational games. The high limit slots sections are VERY VERY small. Most games you’ll come across are the matching games or poker. I came across one place that still uses actual coins in their machines for their payout (not a ticket!). It was rather shocking.
One more thing:
Even though it’s Aruba, you don’t have to worry about using in Aruban Florins (the local currency) — casinos there run on US Dollars, so there are no worries for the Americans coming down to play! And if you’re looking for some action, a crowd perhaps, go after 6pm. Most casinos are open from 10am until 4am, with some minor exceptions.
GOOD LUCK!
My mother has been talking about retirement for years and from the time the idea came out of her mouth, I wondered, what do you plan to do in retirement? Her response: nothing. But I really don’t agree with that strategy. It’s like what a friend told me. You’ve been working for decades; once you stop, that’s when you really get old, so you need to keep doing something to keep you active and vibrant. In my mind, retirement can be the prime time to enjoy life. If you have planned well and saved adequately, you can enjoy a comfortable time without having to re-enter the workforce full-time. My mom is imminent retiring and she is still taking the stance of doing not a damn thing. I get there’s a euphoria of not having to wake up at godawful hours and dealing with people’s crap. Truly I do! But what happens when the buzz is gone?
http://www.destination360.com/central-america/costa-rica/images/s/costa-rica-retirement.jpg
I can only speak for myself in this, but I couldn’t just cold turkey stop working. I love to work, and particularly if I own the place where I work, I wouldn’t mind partially retiring but working part-time til the day I die. If you’re going to retire, you should do something. It could be a hobby or doing some travel, perhaps learning a new craft you’ve always been interested in… something! I would die of absolute boredom if I was just sitting around at home doing nothing just because I could. Hell, if movies are your thing, follow the film festival circuit – how cool would that be to go to Cannes or New York or the Caribbean to see the latest indie films? It’s different and could be fun!
As I said, I envision my retirement still working a couple of days a week or maybe being a community volunteer, writing in various locations around the world, keeping active (I better know how to swim by that time)… but there would never be a dull moment. I wouldn’t wake up in the morning and veg out on TV every single day. There’s a lot of stuff you can do, and I really hope my mom finds something, because I’m not a fan of the “leading the horse to water” strategy. I’m too old for it and she certainly is too.
The absolute worse is to start retiring only to be placed in a position financially where you have to work again. That is a combination of poor planning and just bad luck. There were lots of people that had fortunes pre-bust in the US and were ravaged by the shift in the markets. It is important to start saving early, because the pension system has gone the way of the dodo. I’d say my mom’s generation, maybe the one after hers, was the last to capitalize on that setup. I know someone that had a pension and the company converted it to a 401k. Our retirements will be shorter because we have to work longer and save more. My entire generation is solely dependent on financial vehicles like 401k’s to survive through retirement. I have my thoughts on 401k’s – they depend on your career path as to how useful they actually would be. I suggest to everyone they should start saving in a 401k once they are in the work force, at least up to the company match. It’s free money and last I checked, there aren’t a lot of free things around these days. 401k’s are pre-tax mechanisms, so if your career starts low and ends high (in terms of your compensation), it may not be your best option over time -there’s compensation limits on contributing to a 401k anyway. If you’re making loot like that (> $150,000 a year), get yourself a Certified Financial Planner.
http://www.econosseur.com/assets_c/2009/03/AdjustedRetirementDate-thumb-510x349.jpg
As for retirement itself, just manage your expenses well. Don’t go buckwild and buy a Ferrari. It’s easy to live a modest yet robust lifestyle without going overboard. And keep the casino visits to a minimum. When you visit a casino, the demographic looks something like this: 65% people over 60, 25% the newbies (21 to 28) and the other 10% is a smattering of age groups in between. Social security checks and pensions have been lost in those places – play with a set amount and if that goes, go hit a buffet. Finito.
Such are the perilous roads to and through retirement! But there’s so much potential for enjoyment – my only question is this: why does anyone wait for retirement to start living their life and having fun?! Do it now – and I mean NOW. Life being short and all that….
When 2010 started, I said to myself that this would be my “me” year, a chance to work on myself and learn a bit more about what I’ve become over the course of the last few years. I thought work would be a factor in this, determining where my career path would end up as well. Instead, it was truly all about me and what I’ve become, as well as what I want my future me to look like. The biggest conclusion is that what I want for my life isn’t tied into anyone else but me: not my friends, not my mother, not a man… no one else can create that. My friends will help me get there certainly, and God knows I’m eternally grateful for it. Trying to create a joint future with a significant other is, in my eyes, a fruitless effort. True joint would be having my goals and their goals coinciding and mingling, yet still be ultimately independent of each other.
I have to say I’m understandably more intolerant about romantic relationships, but thankfully that hasn’t been a factor for me. It’s been good to just focus on the really major stuff of my life instead of the fluff. Yep, just not feeling it at all, certainly not anything serious.
I wanted to start writing again and I have. I’m so happy! The process takes longer than it used to, but the words are slowly but surely coming to me after a 5 year hiatus. I’m also taking an active interest in my wardrobe and how I look. It’s not that I didn’t care before, I just didn’t feel the need to impress. Fact is, I simply don’t know who I will meet on a daily basis. It could be a celebrity, some influential person that can kick start my career, or my future ex-husband for that matter – first impressions and all that. With a lot of help and advice from fashionista friends, I find myself styling on the regular (thanks ladies!).
And then the travel… after years of delayed travel plans, I just jumped on it full force. If I can go to places around the world, why the heck not? With school and everything, it was difficult to plan those sort of things, but such are priorities. Now, I’m free to do it and I regret nothing.
So this is the halfway point of the year – what’s next for the 2nd half? As I write this from Aruba, I’m excited about my September trip to Japan (again). But this time, it’s not just for kicks. I’m doing some serious scouting and testing my language skills while I am there. There is also the JLPT test I plan to take in December. I’d actually like to do a couple of certifications over the next 6 to 10 months. I took the time to work on my physical, emotional and external areas; it’s time to figure out my life path. Keep on with my writing – it will improve with time and revisions. Get my financial house in order – nuff said. Keep on cooking – I’m not 100% sure of where I’m going with it, but I know I love it still. And study like crazy, because if I’m eventually making my way to Japan, it’s not gonna happen with mediocre Japanese.
I feel positive about this path. Best thing is, I’m doing it for me and no one else. That is a true motivator.
I expected Aruba to be an amazing place and it certainly hasn’t fallen short of that expectation. From the time the plane hovered over the blue-green shores and sandy white beaches, it was obvious the whole island was a true paradise. It’s one of those things that’s amazing to see because it’s like you’re on a movie set, quite literally. We’re staying at a nice resort called Paradise Beach Villas in the low rise area of Oranjestad. I figured out how it works: there’s two main areas of hotels and resorts. The High Rise areas have a ton of high end hotels and it’s where lots of the casinos, restaurants and clubs are. It’s a nice area and a nice stretch of space to walk around. We didn’t rent a car, so the best ways to get around are by bus and taxi. Of course, bus is definitely cheaper. As of now, the cost is US $1.30 per person, one way.
Oh, the big bonus: US Dollars is used in the majority (like 99% of places) as the predominate currency. What this does for their local Arubian Florins on the currency market, heaven only knows.
Anyway, our resort is right across the street from Eagle Beach, a nice quiet stretch of beach with wonderful sunset views. It is smack in the middle between Low and High Rise areas.
Aruba weather-wise is remarkable. The temps are always in the upper 80’s of 90 degrees and 20 mph winds. And the winds all go in the same direction! The trees all tilt with the wind for the most part, making it a distinctive feature of the country. Rain is not an issue, just as hurricaines are not an issue either. The sun, however, can be brutal during the day but after 5pm, it cools down to a balmy 80 degrees with the same wind, this time relaxing and cooling. All in all, it is damn near perfect.
Eating here can be cheap ad pricey, but there’s lots of discount coupons and incentive programs around that it’s easy to have a coupon or cheap deal for every meal you have.
Of course I have to talk about the casinos. I’m a blackjack player, so compared to the US, the rules aren’t that different. Generally, the dealer must hit in soft 17. Certain casinos have blackjack paying 6 to 5 (smaller shoe of course), the rest paying the standard. I went to one with an autoshuffler and another with a regular shuffler, so it is establishment dependent. Don’t expect people to play well. :-/ One chick sat on a soft 16 – I was heated! There’s only a handful of poker rooms, and in truth, the casinos themselves are pretty small, at least the ones based in some of the hotels. We’re going to try a few others over the remainder of the trip, so we’ll see.
So far, no complaints. I do wish my mom was a bit more adventurous, but hey, whatever she wants to do. I can always come back or hit another island for my adventurous spirit to get satiated. This is meant to be a nice relaxing trip, sit around, study some Japanese, sleep, enjoy the beach… that kinda thing.
Last but not least, I went into the ocean all by myself! Up to my neck! Listen, that’s a huge accomplishment! I am rather proud of myself that I’m not freaked out by the water like I was.
That’s all for now. 
Tomorrow we hit downtown Oranjestad and then back to watch the Holland v Uruguay World Cup match at 2:30p. 
This post is gonna be a mix of a whole bunch of stuff that’s been on my mind, so forgive the flip-flopping subject-wise. It’s going to be a busy day today, but I get the pleasure of eating great food and hanging with awesome friends, so in that sense I can’t really complain. In case you don’t know:
http://www.bigapplebbq.org/
It’s been a rough week for me, mostly because I’ve had trouble sleeping. I’m not sure what that’s about. The last few nights I’ve been going to bed around midnight-ish, but waking up 2-3 hours later for no particular reason. This really only happens when I have a lot on my mind OR if something is off in my body. Either way, last night was the first night in over a week I slept more than 3 consecutive hours without waking up. I’m so grateful for the restful sleep – I don’t feel like a zombie today.
I’ve been back writing, and I’m not afraid to crossover this particular venture as its common knowledge that I write romance and erotica. I’ve launched the solo site for Mika Matsumoto (my pseudonym for many many years) to showcase some of my older stuff and to post some new ones. It’s still super fresh, but at least it’s getting a move on, which is much much needed. I remember writing romance back when I was in high school (some of my old HS folks will remember how controversial it was at the time), and in truth, writing was and continues to be a tremendous source of release for me. The stories play in my mind as if I’m watching a movie and I’m transcribing what is going on. I can feel what each party feels and can transcribe that as well. It’s simply amazing and I’m happy that it has returned to me full-force. I’ve been recently inspired to write from several sources, so I feel great!!
In other news, I’m going back to Japan in September! YAY!! I’ve been trying to work those details out for some time now and I can finally go. I’ve got a lot of work to do while I’m there, as this will not be just any old vacation trip. But those details, I’ll have to keep on the DL for now.
There’s other stuff going on, but I have individual comments on THOSE in another post. For now, it’s BBQ time!
June 12th,2010
General |
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I’m here in Saint Lucia, traveling with my friends Jan and Mike. At this point, we have been here for 2 full days, so lemme do the cliff notes version of what’s happened so far:
My cousin Trevor came to pick us up and drove us from Hewanorra Airport up to Castries, the capital, which is about an hour windy drive up and down. These guys have some awesome driving skills – I wouldn’t mess with them! We got to my uncle’s apartments in Castries – a cute place called Sweet Shave, and we relaxed the first night after getting standard provisions and drinks from the local Super J supermarket. I got to speak with my cousins about the family and so on, but that’s for another post because I have a lot to say on that end. Danette, my other cousin, and I spoke about that very subject at length.
We stayed the night but two major things became evident: 1) the apartment was hot at night and the mosquitoes really liked us, and 2) Castries doesn’t have a lot going on really. It’s a port city, so you only really see a lot of action when the cruise boats are in, and one had left relatively recently. So I decided that we should move more to the north where the resorts and beaches were. So, that’s what we did. After walking around Castries yesterday and eating some nice local food, we headed back to pack and move out stuff to Coco Palm in Rodney Bay (we can thank Jackie, Trevor’s wife, for that!) Quick segway: so we had to take the “bus” to back to the apartments. It’s one of those minibuses, with people packing in tight. What a mess that was, but we finally figured out it was two different routes back, not just one.
Last night, we met up with the family again – got to see Margaret-Ann – and ate some wonderful seafood done on the grill. Grilled conch and flying fish, with this amazing onion topping…. good Lord, I nearly died, it was so good. Top it off with rum punch and calypso, and you have some good times.
Just so, you know I only sleep a certain number of hours, so I woke up around 8:30 this morning. I was so hungry! I got their breakfast special, the “St Lucian” breakfast. If I ate like this every day, I would be slim and nice!
Truth be told, I’m just happy to be here. It’s good to see family and relax. That’s the extent of my needs at this moment. So, now to the beach I guess!
