A Blog Between the Lines

I step on the train and hope today is not the day. I hope that it's all a hoax, an uproar, or a false alarm. I hope it's not what it seems to be, an asymptomatic virus capable of silent transmission, similar to an airborne HIV. We hope to find the root cause of it all, but there are too many news articles to decipher. But, it just keeps spreading, like a wildfire seeking to wipe out humanity. I try to avoid it altogether, but it reappears, whether it be through simple conversation or another news flash. Now you can find a mask anywhere, even at stores that normally don't supply these items. It is becoming serious, to a pandemic degree. This really further escalates anxiety, just one more burden to carry. The ever mounting worries that we carry continue to grow, continue to develop and unfold. Can we really continue and hold on any more? Regardless of the perceived threat of danger that revolves around us, we must continue forward. We must push against the wave of fear, th...

What is your definition of a beautiful day? You step onto the train and finally find a seat without having to push and shove for one? Or you simply made it, somehow you pulled through the day. I think both of these are great versions of inner beauty, an overall feeling of gratitude. The feeling of accomplishment that radiates from your aura, touching upon others in various ways, whether it be through a twinkle in your eye or a mutual smile with a stranger. All these forms of beauty can easily touch upon us, but as with everything in life, it may come with a price. Beauty is an all encompassing word, it can mean so many different things to so many different people. Each and every one of us has a unique story behind our version of beauty and where it came from. To some, beauty is an outward feature to manufacture by all means possible, whether it be plastic surgery or cosmetic products. And that is totally fine, as long as you can feel it in your soul, the effects of your constructed v...

A lot of people have probably come to ask themselves this mystical question. Should I just walk away from my main source of income? Well, you've come to the right person to ask. I have quit numerous jobs. Thankfully, for the record, I have not quit on the spot. I have certainly quit without a two weeks notice though. To make my point clear, it's never the right time to quit your job if you have no other job lined up. It definitely does not look stable to prospective employers when you have done so on a whim. They would certainly suspect that YOU are inevitably the problem. They will jump the gun and most likely not hire you based on this rash decision. Unless, you certainly have a "valid explanation". You can simply let them know that you wanted to focus your efforts on attending interviews, researching new career prospects, and focusing on your long-term goals. You can also mention that it would be impossible to arrange your interviews with your previous work schedul...

Sometimes I have no way. No way to let it escape, somehow. It just keeps on building, no way to pretend. No way to fake, no way to masquerade. No word, gesture, or action can amend it. It just keeps brewing, slowly and steadily. Until one day, it will rupture, it will flow. My essence will truly shine and be free. I can be who I want to be. I can open up, no remorse, shame or guilt. I can just be, whether I like it, or you like it. Insecurity will no longer lead. I can extend and reach out, a true form of flexibility. A yoga pose cannot describe it. That is okay, it's not supposed to. Sense will not be made, And I will not seek solace. I will just float, and gravity will save me.

For most of my working life, I've never quite grasped the secret of maintaining a job in the long-term. I have yet to master the soft skills required: small talk, politics, and personality. Perhaps, I am just not meant to live the corporate lifestyle? Or maybe I simply don't want to conform to pre-existing norms. Could it be that introverts have no place in the workforce other than a small corner in an office with minimal interaction with their coworkers? I've always been taciturn and uncertain about which step to make moving forward. But, I have never lost the will power to continue moving, whether it be two steps forward or one backwards, I continue moving. I try not to harp on these temporary jobs that seem hard to pin down. It is almost as if I have no desire to keep them anyways. Typical of a gypsy soul, right?  Are they really worth my time? Is it worth dealing with bosses and supervisors constantly dictating my every move? Maybe these malfunctions are there to serv...

After a long and grueling day at work, I was more than ready to unwind. More than anything, I had a lot on my mind, particularly on Valentine's Day. Of course, I was never good with gifts, but more than anything , I wanted to offer something memorable. I had always been a fan of hot chocolate, especially a decadent cup from Daily Provisions in Upper West Side Manhattan (78th and Amsterdam Ave). Whenever I sip on a carefully crafted cup of hot chocolate, regardless of any circumstances, they are all forgotten in that instance. The smooth and rich chocolate, the creamy texture of the whipped cream, and the dainty marshmallow all comfort and dissipate my stress. It is as if my mind were to be wiped clean in just one sip of this chocolatey goodness. The complex and rich combination of three kinds of chocolate and the fresh cream from Upstate New York will provide your palate with a heavenly retreat. Thankfully for me, this was more than just a simple cup of hot chocolate. The cheerf...

Everyday we are reminded of the routine, get up in the morning, produce, and repeat. There is usually never a moment of hesitation to think that this cycle will unendingly repeat itself. No one ever stops and asks themselves, "what if tonight is my last, and I never see the sun tomorrow morning?" We get wrapped up in a state of immortality when in reality, we are far from it. Everything from money, emotions, and health are all just momentary in their existence. Many of us hope to be eternal, but no one can really put their finger on that either. So we are left with a sense of doom, an internal battle on how to live. Do we really live for just today, or do we embrace for tomorrow and the many days to come after our presence has left this earth? It's a constant mental battle that influences our every action whether we know it or not. Our inward thoughts definitely manifest themselves in some way or another regardless of whether we are in tune with that reality or not. Unfor...

Have you ever wanted to just take a day off and get away? It's not unusual to feel this way, especially when you live and work in "The Big Apple". In response to my intuition, I decided to head to Jamaica, a neighborhood in Queens, New York. In search of a bit of foreign delight, I encountered an assortment of hardware stores, delis, and eateries. After transferring from one bus to another, I eventually made it to a Guatemalan restaurant and bakery known as "Guatelinda". The outside of the restaurant gave off an unassuming and modest vibe, which is exactly what I needed- a cozy atmosphere. As soon as I entered, I was definitely taken aback by the assortment of spices commonly used in Central American cuisine. Not to mention, the fellow Guatemalans in there also seemed pretty laid back and gave off an innocuous energy. It was perfect timing to enjoy a simple cup of "Horchata": a Mexican cinnamon-y drink that will caress your soul. Next came the mai...

We’ve all heard of it before. Maybe it struck a chord deep within. Maybe not. You can’t really tell anyways. You’re too numb to internalize anything, anyways. You register it all at once, or not at all. You let it build up and consume you. People around you notice, you remind yourself once more. Heightened senses make your logic unrecognizable. You can’t process what’s on your mind. Your energy becomes disorganized, An interrupted soul. Hope becomes a nonexistent entity, Far beyond your reach anyways. A source of divinity, you hope will make amends; Or just drown away, illicitly.

So much to say in such a short amount of time, an intro will not do justice to my forethoughts. I’ve always wanted to write; not so much as a form of therapy. Selfishness is not one of my outward attributes. Of course, it would be great if I could make a living out of this so called passion, but nothing is ever as straightforward as it seems, especially when it comes to lucrative matters. Please bear with me if my thought process becomes incoherent or it if it seems as if my thoughts originated from a cellar. I may not always conform to punctuation and grammatical standards. It’s not what you think it is. I can assure you it’s not just outright insanity. My words may at times become scrambled and fail to give a sense of understanding. If you get lost in trying to understand my thought process, just remember one simple rule-we aren’t supposed to make sense. No one is meant to perfectly articulate their every single thought regardless of their level of coherence. And again, onc...