A List of Things I Consumed

Mon 8 Jan 200101:00 PM

This is a little late, but in December, the lists came out—‘best of’ lists, what’s in and what’s out lists, lists of New Year’s resolutions etc. So I figured, what the heck, I may as well make a list. I mean, that’s kind of what Internet content is all about— realizing the compulsion to express an opinion, regardless of intrinsic value — right?

When the Left Hand Found out What the Right Hand Was up To

Mon 8 Jan 200104:20 AM

At the CES show in Las Vegas this weekend, Sony finally introduced consumer hardware that plays MP3s &#151 honest to goodness MP3s, not that unnecessarily complicated ATRAC3 junk. I’m in line to buy this, if for nothing else than to help gum up the works between Sony Music and Sony Electronics. Hee hee.

Singapore

Sat 6 Jan 200101:54 AM

Okay, I guess I’m not ecstatic about being back in Singapore, but I’m not miserable about it either. There’s something here in this part of the world that makes a lot of sense to me. It’s the second day since I’ve been back, and at least the weather is milder than it was when I left at the end of August &#151 about 86° F/30° C, with periodic showers in the middle of the day. Just as humid as ever, too.

Don’t Look Back

Fri 5 Jan 200101:57 AM

“…It’s nearly always the fake mourners and the fake lovers who take that last look, who wait waving on platforms, instead of clearing quickly out, not looking back. Is it perhaps that they love themselves so much and want to keep themselves in the sight of others, even of the dead?”
– From “The Third Man” by Graham Greene

Amsterdam

Thu 4 Jan 200106:13 AM

After some delay, the circumstances around which I may explain to the general public one day but for now I’ll just conveniently skip over, I finally left New York last night (Wed 03 Jan). I’m in Amsterdam right now, one of the nicest airports I’ve ever traveled through. I should get back to Singapore by midnight on Thu evening.

The New Goog

Tue 2 Jan 200101:00 AM

Here’s a quick post written from the Guggenheim Museum in New York, where I’m having a look at the exhibit for the New Guggenheim Museum planned for the southern tip of Manhattan. It’s an amazing and ambitious project, a tremendous promise that seems too fantastic to be taken seriously, but you hold out hope all the same.

Wait, what the hell am I doing in New York?!

Melody Maker, RIP

Fri 22 Dec 200010:10 PM

After 74 years of publishing, England’s Melody Maker music paper published its last issue ever this past Monday, citing a steep recent decline in newsstand sales. I’ll miss it; in my teens, I gave up comic books and turned to the British music tabloids, reading every issue I could get my hands on of both the Maker and its rival, the NME.

Let’s Go to California

Fri 22 Dec 200001:46 AM

Flew west for the holidays yesterday. The weather here in California is a world away from New York. Most people give me a strange look when I say this, but I prefer the holiday season with holiday weather. Oh well. At least I get to listen to KCRW, probably the best radio station in the States. And thank goodness for the Web, which finally allows for some radio meta data.

New Registration

Thu 21 Dec 200009:14 AM

The world needs another Web site. So I registered greendestiny.org yesterday. “This is coming soon.” In the meantime, have a look at kubrick.org. I’m thinking of something along those lines.

It Don’t Cost Nothing

Wed 20 Dec 200012:05 PM

Tomorrow morning at 07a, Continental Flight 145 takes me to Los Angeles, and a week later I’m off to Singapore. So it’s my last day in New York City. I’ve put a Herculean effort into avoiding another overly sentimental goodbye, but in the end, I’m only human, you know?

As a parting gesture, here’s my semi-secret tip for making metropolitan life a little bit more bearable: With each and every encounter with sales help (deli cashiers, sales clerks, cart vendors, anyone and everyone), I made it a rule to smile when I said “Thank you.” Regardless of how miserable or inattentive or outright rude they might have been to me, I would always, always smile. I know this sounds absurdly Pollyannaish, but it makes a difference. Give it a try, it’s free. 🙂

About

Subtraction.com

Khoi Vinh’s Web site

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A List of Things I Consumed

When the Left Hand Found out What the Right Hand Was up To

Singapore

Don’t Look Back

Amsterdam

The New Goog

Melody Maker, RIP

Let’s Go to California

New Registration

It Don’t Cost Nothing

Khoi Vinh’s Web site