Archive for the ‘Happy Experiences’ Category
Sunday, April 20th, 2008 |
In the past couple of years, new sensations have been sweeping the nation in the forms of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. In the unlikely case that you have never heard of or played either of these video games, they require you to play plastic model instruments in time with a song track hitting as many notes as possible on varying difficulties to suit your skill level (both have Easy, Medium, Hard, and Expert for the brave).
Guitar Hero Review
The Guitar Hero franchise has been growing in popularity in the past few years so that most everyone has played it at least once, and for good reason. The latest in the series, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, is one of the most played games today and chances are that anyone with either an Xbox 360 or a Playstation will have it. In my experience, it is so far the easiest to pick up and play. I say this because notes are easier to hit than any of the other Guitar Hero games because there is a larger area around each note for that note to be hit. The “grace period” is longer and you can hit a note, even after it’s past or before you’re supposed to, to a certain point.
The actual difficulty of the note charts of the songs, however, is much harder than Rock Band and any other Guitar Hero game and is meant more for the hardcore “rockers” rather than the casual players being the most difficult songs to play so far. So, notes easiest to hit, but also a lot more of them and faster. The song selection is excellent, as usual. There is a nice mix of classic rock, metal, punk and hard rock. Rather than list numerous examples, you can find the song list easily on Wikipedia or even guitarhero.com.
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Posted in Happy Experiences, Hobby Experiences, Music Experiences, Shopping Experiences, Technology Experiences, Winning Experiences | 2 Comments »
Saturday, March 29th, 2008 |
From my experience traveling to New York City is never complete without dining in one of the more unique restaurants within Manhattan, the 21 Club, 21 West 52nd Street, New York, New York 10019.
Once a glamorous speakeasy, today ‘21′ is one of the most celebrated restaurants in New York City. In addition to its two restaurants, the Bar Room and ‘Upstairs’, this four-story townhouse features ten private party rooms ideal for celebrations, meetings and banquets, including the legendary Prohibition-era Wine Cellar.
My wife and I dined Upstairs at 21 and had one of the finest dining experiences you can have. Our waiter, Christopher, was by far the best waiter, and I hesitate to call him that, I have ever seen. Although calling him simple a waiter is like calling the Mona Lisa a paint by numbers painting. He exceeded every expectation we had.
He seemed to read our minds because he was right there whenever we needed his services and provided the right wine with hardly a description from us of what we wanted. He escorted my wife down the steep stairs when she went to the restroom. He took our picture before dinner and took another after dinner, only after clearing the table and putting down a clean table cloth.
The food was excellent, I had the salmon and thought it was cooked to perfection. The upstairs area is small but not cramped. You get special service, as provided by Christopher, while in the upstairs area. The cost of each meal was $40 which include appetizer, main course and dessert.
There are many places to have a delicious meal in New York City but few give the level of service provided by the 21 Club. Thank you, Christopher. We hope to stop by on our next trip to New York this summer!
If you make your reservation online you get free champagne, which we did.
Oh, and we saw Spamalot after dinner and were entertained. Clay Aiken did a good job as Sir Robin.
Posted in Food Experiences, Happy Experiences, Travel Experiences | No Comments »
Friday, February 15th, 2008 |
It was in 1996 when I first experienced the excruciating pain. I was almot 5 months pregnant to my third baby (the second was a miscarriage). I was brought to the hospital, ultra sound performed, but they found nothing, they said, and maybe it was just some gas pain because I just ate 4 eggs (balot, Philippine delicacy from duck eggs). The pain subsided anyway and we teased that each egg was worth P200 when it was really P3. The price hike was due to the hospital bill our pockets were damaged with.
A month later I was back to the hospital with an even more painful stomach. It was soooo painful. I was throwing up my bile, green and bitter. I had another ultra sound. That time they saw 2 ovarian cycsts at my left. The doctor said it is possible that it can get smaller and that she can remove it at the time I deliver my baby. At times, others experienced having the cyst come out with the delivery. We were ready to check out.
While waiting for the last visit of the doctor in preparation for checking out, I had a more painful stomach. The interval between pains were getting short too…it was like I was in labor, getting ready to deliver…but I was just 5 1/2 months pregnant. The pain was soooooo terrible. more than the labor pain. The doctor said my baby was distressed.
I had to be operated on. We have been briefed. We have to choose. My life or the baby’s. Of course my life was the choice. We were ready. We have put everything in God’s will. There was nothing we can do.
I was given a general anesthesia. I still can imagine the prick of the needle at my back. Little by little I got sleepy and numb. Before I lost consciousness I even said a little prayer, “God bless you…” referring to the works of the doctor’s hands.
When I woke up I was in my room. I was greeted by my husband but said I still should not talk and that I have to rest. With weak body and arms, I felt my stomach and asked him, how’s the baby? He said, “it’s there.” That was the sweetest words I’ve heard that day. Tears welled my eyes as I mentally prayed for thanks.
Hours later when the doctor made her rounds and I was awake, she explained what happened. What they thought as 2 cysts was actually 1 big lump that twisted, which later ruptured. That night I was like in labor pains was the time the cyst ruptured. (While I was on the table and got all the cyst parts, it filled the small kidney basin which she brought out to show my husband.) She said, my case was rare. For most cases, the mother and baby died, or the baby died and mother survived. In my case, they were able to set aside the uterus with the fetus inside, remove the left ovary and the rest of the ruptured cyst, put back the ovary in place and stiched me back up. What’s more miraculous was, the ruptured cyst remained in one place when it could have scattered and poisoned my body. Since it stayed in one place, she was able to get everything out.
In February 18, 1997 I had a NORMAL delivery to a baby girl. Her name is Myrrh Raquel. We call her Raqy (rocky), a survivor, God’s reminder that miracles do happen. She had several major miracles in her life, all having something to do with her health but she always survived.
Lesson? Always trust God. Anything can happen but with Him, there’s always a chance that miracles can happen than without Him.
Cecile Cinco
Posted in Female Experiences, Happy Experiences, Medical Experiences, Parenting Experiences | No Comments »
Friday, February 1st, 2008 |
It began with a call from my boss who worked 3 floors above me in the Chase Manhattan building on Pine Street in the heart of New York’s financial district. Thinking myself the athletic sort, I took to the fire stairs taking them two at a time up to the 41st floor. Inserting my security card into the slot I was surprised when the indicator flashed red rather than the lime green I was accustomed to. Retreating to a different floor and a different card key reader produced the same result and it came to me that something was up.
I had heard stories about people getting locked in the stairways and having to descend to the sub-basement to find an open door. When they got there they were met by a phalanx of security guards who would question them intensively and then not release them until they could get someone to vouch for them. I sought an alternative.
Knocking on the door persistently finally got me readmitted to the offices of Davis, Polk, and Wardwell the 13th largest law firm in the United States. I’d been working there more or less happily for two years as a computer programmer. I was one of about a dozen propeller heads in a sea of suits and ties. I made my way upstairs (using the elevator this time) to face what I now figured couldn’t be good. As I proceeded to my meeting all of my security privileges were canceled and my computer accounts were locked. I was, of course, fired but my boss could not really explain why. Just three months before I had received a stellar performance review but management had soured on me in the interim. Oddly, I was not immediately escorted from the building by armed security personnel but given three months at full salary to arrange my affairs. It was the best thing to ever happen to me.
When my wife Lenore and I first began dating we would often discuss things that we would do if we had the time. Back in the early seventies she had taken a trip through Europe and Israel doing the obligatory time as a kibbutz volunteer. She extolled the virtues to my often skeptical ears. Here was a chance, though, to see what she was talking about. Lenore was working as a special education teacher in an upper east side school and had her summers off and, having conveniently gotten laid off in May, she convinced me to postpone my job search until the Fall. (more…)
Posted in Happy Experiences, Life Experiences, Office Experiences | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 |
Who knew that giving birth to twins could change a life so drastically. After being on bed rest for half my pregnancy and going into labor 6 weeks before my due date, life went from a turtles speed to a whirlwind. I had a beautiful boy and girl that are the light of my life.
All of a sudden all the fears of being responsible for another human being were multiplied by the 20 little fingers and toes in front of me. Fast forward a year and now there are two whirlwinds taking over my life heading in opposite directions. Walking and running are one in the same. Who knew those chunky little legs would carry those bodies at top speed. And the bumps and bruises that come with the speed. The tears and the giggles make my life complete.
I second guessed myself as I gave up my career, but look what I get in return. Two silly grins and lots of fun all day long; Much better than a dreary day in an office. No more suits, just the Mommy uniform of Yoga pants and a t-shirt make my life complete. I have responsibility not only for my own life, but for my family. Life changes with two, but now my life is complete.
Posted in Female Experiences, Happy Experiences, Parenting Experiences | No Comments »
Monday, October 29th, 2007 |
From my experience, getting birthday gifts as a Dad can be a great time, especially if you can help out by giving ideas on what you want ahead of time. And while you may think I’m being greedy or opportunistic I’m talking specifically about gifts from the heart that you as a Dad will always treasure. I have two teenagers and both asked me want I wanted for you my birthday this year. Well, I had just bought a HD DVD player so I thought about some DVDs I might want. I considered some books I had been wanting to read and so on. But then I began to think, what could they give me that would be a gift we both would appreciate?
So I decided on photos and stories. I asked my son to put together a collection of photos (he picked 9 photos from his “younger” years) that he thought I would like. He did a great job and now I have a pleasant reminder of our time together when he was a toddler crawling around, an 8 year old with a front tooth missing and a few others when he was beyond cute! He had a good time picking them out and I have a good time looking at them. A win, win you could say for both of us. Plus it only cost him the price of a frame.
I then asked my daughter to write down a memory of us (and put some thought to it). It is the perfect gift as well; it will always make me smile and it will last forever!
Both gifts were inexpensive and will lighten my heart any time I refer to them. I couldn’t have asked for a better gift for my birthday. Being a Dad has many great moments, making them easier to remember is priceless.
Posted in Happy Experiences, Life Experiences, Parenting Experiences, Relationship Experiences | No Comments »
