I don't know what I'm doing. I know - I'm stressing out a little. A lot. They say the hardest part of grad school is getting in. Now that I'm in, why do I feel like there are more 'hard parts'. I have to take a Quantitative Assessment Exam AFTER I just went through the whole GMAT ordeal. I don't know what is freaking me out more: failure of passing (1st try, 2nd try, 3rd try) or committing myself to deja vu (GMAT-type studying and commitment again!?!?)!
People like to hide their insecurities or just be in total denial. Not me, not anymore. My insecurities are out there for the world to read: Failure. Having to re-take the assessment exam. Re-living the GMAT experience through this assessment exam (oh wait, that's not an insecurity, that's a fear). If I'm freaking out about this tiny thing now, how can I possibly be built for grad school. Being some type of leader in my core group. Contributing ideas, good ideas. Presentations/public speaking! "Tell us something interesting about yourself"....
uhh... Jamlen is James + Helen combined? I can pop my hip out of place?
WOOW. I'm so boring! Boring and Uninteresting. Add that to my list of insecurities lol.
On a funny note: don't ever ask your significant other about what is interesting about yourself, or else the conversation will go like this:
Me: Babe, what's interesting about me?
Him: your ass [as he is playing a first-person shooting game].
Me: NO!! I can't say that to my classmates!
Him: your lips [still playing the game].
Me: not desirable to you! Interesting!
Him: oh. I dunno. Your quirky-ness.
Great. I can see it now: "Hi, my name is Jamlen. An interesting fact about me is that I'm quirky." End of statement. Silence. Confused looks. Great.
10.30.2010
10.16.2010
Vale
Hola, back from Spain, and here are the highlights:
- TAPAS!
- Wine
- Cortaditos (espresso w/ a little milk)
- Flamenco show
- My love affair with pork
- Gaudi's architecture
- Madrid (sigh...)
- Trying to live like locals in Madrid by going to the supermarket for some of our meals/cheese/water/etc.
- Apparently, when in Spain: drink wine or cervesita (small beer), have lots of cafe, eat small frequent meals, no sneakers, and smoke cigarettes (bc everyone seems to)
Pictures: click here
Day 1 - Madrid
Landed in Madrid and took Metro to our hotel, Husa Moncloa. Actually had Starbucks because it was our hotel's neighbor and we were tired from the overnight flight. Went to Parque de Retiro but took a detour to find Citibank for euro withdrawal. Stumbled upon Puerta Del Sol. Had churros dipped in hot chocolate at San Guines. Unexpectedly bought three pairs of shoes @ "Vas". Shoes made in Spain for cheap. Happy. Walked to Plaza de Santa Ana and had Iberico ham (now I understand why it's so expensive), chorizo iberico, fresh octopus (pulpo) salad, and tortilla patatas. Washed it down with Sangria. Expensive, but delicious. Pick pocketers tried their chance with Aggie's bag, but thankfully, no luck. She caught them. Needed a nap. When in Spain, might as well take a siesta. Refreshed after our nap. Cortes de Ingles department store and supermarket (similar to Macy's and Walmart combined) is right next to our hotel. Yes! Off to Plaza Mayor. Old Madrid is BEAUTIFUL. Sat down to people watch. Ate gelato while on our way to Palacio Real. It was closed by Aggie took a video of a marching band rehearsing inside the gates. Sat in Cafe Descha Santa Maria while the drizzle passed. Cheese tapas and cafe - why not. Decided to have dinner at a local neighborhood called La Latina at Cava Baja. Perfect for tapas hopping. Kinda like lower east side and all the different restaurants and bars. Wine and more cheese at Diaz y Larrouy, then off to Taberna Los Lucio for huevos clasicos (fries w/ "scrambled" eggs), anchovies and avocado salad, and wine. Oh. My. Goodness. Delicious.
During the day, stumbled upon other places: Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza de la Villa (oldest building in Madrid), and the bronze sculpture of a bear and a strawberry tree (symbol of Madrid).
Day 2 - Madrid
Bullfight in Plaza de Toros Las Ventas - what we did not get to see. They weren't offering shows that particular day. After taking pictures in front of the stadium, we hopped back on the train to visit the Prado museum. After that, time to $hop. Oh boy. Our 4th pair of shoes (each), and one blazer later, we set off to watch our first Flamenco show at Casa Patas in the birth place of the Flamenco dance.
Day 3 - Madrid
We were done with "tourist" stuff, so we decided to visit the legendary Cafe Gijon (opened in 1800s, familiar with famous writers, artists, actors, etc). Coffee turned into a leisure lunch of gambas with garlic oil and some wine, then some more cafe. When in Spain, smoke a cigarette...
Walked around Plaza de Espana (similar to Union Square). Discovered Cortes de Ingles supermarket is like our second home :)
Day 4 - Barcelona
Landed in Barcelona. Hungry. Went to Las Ramblas to go to St. Josep's Market for lunch but it was closed. Went to Cerveceria Catalana. Found out "Andalusian style" means fried. Left to take pics of Gaudi's Casa Batilla and Casa Mila. Stumbled onto Barri Gotic and Placa Reial. People-watched in the Placa Reial square with tapas and Claras (beer w/ lemon).
Day 5 - Barcelona
Strolled in Port Vell. Beautiful day and fun pics. Best paella ever at Can Manel by the beach. Surfers and palm trees by the coast. Polished off the paella with 1/2 a bottle of vino blanco. Walked to Parc Guell to see more of Gaudi's creations. Steepest hill climb I've done, but worth it. His architecture is amazing! Stopped at Cacao Sampaka (sweet shop owned by Albert Adria) for chocolate tasting and coffee before touring the inside of Casa Mila. Dinner at a local place by our hotel: mussels, clams, octopus, bacalau, yuummmm...
Day 6 - Barcelona
Leisure day with some window shopping and sidewalk cafe visits. Didn't get to see the Fuente Luminosa at Monjuic (aka Magic Fountain) because it was rainy and windy by nightfall. Oh well. It was Spain's national holiday so 90% of Spain was closed. Tapas 24 for lunch and dinner (chef is Carles Abellan, trained at El Bulli). Best tapas in Barcelona. Ready to go back to NYC. Adios Espana y gracias.
- TAPAS!
- Wine
- Cortaditos (espresso w/ a little milk)
- Flamenco show
- My love affair with pork
- Gaudi's architecture
- Madrid (sigh...)
- Trying to live like locals in Madrid by going to the supermarket for some of our meals/cheese/water/etc.
- Apparently, when in Spain: drink wine or cervesita (small beer), have lots of cafe, eat small frequent meals, no sneakers, and smoke cigarettes (bc everyone seems to)
Pictures: click here
Day 1 - Madrid
Landed in Madrid and took Metro to our hotel, Husa Moncloa. Actually had Starbucks because it was our hotel's neighbor and we were tired from the overnight flight. Went to Parque de Retiro but took a detour to find Citibank for euro withdrawal. Stumbled upon Puerta Del Sol. Had churros dipped in hot chocolate at San Guines. Unexpectedly bought three pairs of shoes @ "Vas". Shoes made in Spain for cheap. Happy. Walked to Plaza de Santa Ana and had Iberico ham (now I understand why it's so expensive), chorizo iberico, fresh octopus (pulpo) salad, and tortilla patatas. Washed it down with Sangria. Expensive, but delicious. Pick pocketers tried their chance with Aggie's bag, but thankfully, no luck. She caught them. Needed a nap. When in Spain, might as well take a siesta. Refreshed after our nap. Cortes de Ingles department store and supermarket (similar to Macy's and Walmart combined) is right next to our hotel. Yes! Off to Plaza Mayor. Old Madrid is BEAUTIFUL. Sat down to people watch. Ate gelato while on our way to Palacio Real. It was closed by Aggie took a video of a marching band rehearsing inside the gates. Sat in Cafe Descha Santa Maria while the drizzle passed. Cheese tapas and cafe - why not. Decided to have dinner at a local neighborhood called La Latina at Cava Baja. Perfect for tapas hopping. Kinda like lower east side and all the different restaurants and bars. Wine and more cheese at Diaz y Larrouy, then off to Taberna Los Lucio for huevos clasicos (fries w/ "scrambled" eggs), anchovies and avocado salad, and wine. Oh. My. Goodness. Delicious.
During the day, stumbled upon other places: Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza de la Villa (oldest building in Madrid), and the bronze sculpture of a bear and a strawberry tree (symbol of Madrid).
Day 2 - Madrid
Bullfight in Plaza de Toros Las Ventas - what we did not get to see. They weren't offering shows that particular day. After taking pictures in front of the stadium, we hopped back on the train to visit the Prado museum. After that, time to $hop. Oh boy. Our 4th pair of shoes (each), and one blazer later, we set off to watch our first Flamenco show at Casa Patas in the birth place of the Flamenco dance.
Day 3 - Madrid
We were done with "tourist" stuff, so we decided to visit the legendary Cafe Gijon (opened in 1800s, familiar with famous writers, artists, actors, etc). Coffee turned into a leisure lunch of gambas with garlic oil and some wine, then some more cafe. When in Spain, smoke a cigarette...
Walked around Plaza de Espana (similar to Union Square). Discovered Cortes de Ingles supermarket is like our second home :)
Day 4 - Barcelona
Landed in Barcelona. Hungry. Went to Las Ramblas to go to St. Josep's Market for lunch but it was closed. Went to Cerveceria Catalana. Found out "Andalusian style" means fried. Left to take pics of Gaudi's Casa Batilla and Casa Mila. Stumbled onto Barri Gotic and Placa Reial. People-watched in the Placa Reial square with tapas and Claras (beer w/ lemon).
Day 5 - Barcelona
Strolled in Port Vell. Beautiful day and fun pics. Best paella ever at Can Manel by the beach. Surfers and palm trees by the coast. Polished off the paella with 1/2 a bottle of vino blanco. Walked to Parc Guell to see more of Gaudi's creations. Steepest hill climb I've done, but worth it. His architecture is amazing! Stopped at Cacao Sampaka (sweet shop owned by Albert Adria) for chocolate tasting and coffee before touring the inside of Casa Mila. Dinner at a local place by our hotel: mussels, clams, octopus, bacalau, yuummmm...
Day 6 - Barcelona
Leisure day with some window shopping and sidewalk cafe visits. Didn't get to see the Fuente Luminosa at Monjuic (aka Magic Fountain) because it was rainy and windy by nightfall. Oh well. It was Spain's national holiday so 90% of Spain was closed. Tapas 24 for lunch and dinner (chef is Carles Abellan, trained at El Bulli). Best tapas in Barcelona. Ready to go back to NYC. Adios Espana y gracias.
10.06.2010
I Got In!!
I got in to NYU Stern School of Business for my Grad school, starting Spring 2011! :D
I never get into my reach schools. Until now. EEeeeeeeee!!
I never get into my reach schools. Until now. EEeeeeeeee!!
10.04.2010
Bye Bye
My parents left. Booo. I go through this every time they leave - I have a ritual: I come back to an empty, quiet apartment, and I have two (ok, maybe five) minutes of sad-time, then I'm done. Sigh.. the kitchen will be dark, the living room quieter, until next year again.
Anyway, wanted to share something I read:
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." — M.M.
Anyway, wanted to share something I read:
"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together." — M.M.