NO ONE will stand in my way... not even my destructive self...

Ramen for breakfast makes me think of my childhood.

"I'm going to make it by any means,
I got a pocket full of dreams,
Baby, I'm from New York."

From the song Empire State of Mind (Part II) by Alicia Keys. 

Visting Washington D.C. for this first time was really great!

Just walking around the city to soak it all in was awesome. The weather was brisk the entire time, so exploring America's capital by foot was nice. I had all day yesterday to just walk around by myself, so I was able to check out some landmarks.

Spending quality time with Junho was what I'll take away the most though. On our last night, we had a nice dinner at Dupont Circle before hitting up some bars and clubs. After all of that, we somehow ended up at McDonald's in our giddy and drunken state and had the time of our lives. 

Thanks again for the wonderful trip, Junho.

Hello Washington D.C.!

I'm currently in town visiting with my friend Junho, who has a medical conference here. I'm just tagging along with him for the next few days and it's actually my first time here in America's Capital, so I'm so very excited.

We arrived earlier today and have just been checking out some sites here and there. I''ll have the full day of tomorrow to myself though, so I'm stoked to walk down the National Mall and check out some museums.

Until then, I hope everyone has an awesome Friday.

Ultimately, things will always somehow be okay.

"'People sometimes ask them what they want to be when they grow up. Don't ask that! Ask what they want to be right now! I want to help them find that out---how they can have some direction and power, without it coming from a gun.'"

Said by Shaina Harrison in the September 30, 2013 issue of the New Yorker's Talk of The Town article, Red Hook Postcard: Community Guns, by Ian Frazier.

"Enjoy the silence."

From the song Enjoy The Silence by Depeche Mode.

Jing Fong in Chinatown.

Mmmm, Swiss cheese...

It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning. It'll taste better in the morning.

"'I'm doing Anna Sui's show and Michael Kors's show, and I think that's it. I'm not doing too many. I'm not 18 anymore. I'm 34, I've got two kids. I want to enjoy it.'"

From the September 8, 2013 New York Times article, Backstage Beauty Report: Q & A with Karen Elson at Diane Von Furstenberg, by Kari Molvar.

The best is yet to come.

Honesty.

The subway.

Laugh.

"A pizza shop at Ninth Avenue and 41st Street, about a block from the shelter, she said, is a popular target area. On West 41st Street, between the pizza shop and the shelter, there is a block of scaffolding that the Covenant House staff tells children to avoid, because it is another hot spot for pimps on the prowl for new recruits."

From the September 16, 2013 New York Times article, Stubborn Cycle of Runaways Becoming Prostitutes, by E. C. Gogolak.

Going grocery shopping at the Union Square Trader Joe's on a Sunday afternoon was the stupidest decision I've made all weekend.

"There's gotta be more to life,
Than chasing down every temporary high,
To satisfy me."

From the song There's Gotta Be (More to Life) by Stacie Orrico.

Modesty.

Keep your negativity and bad energy away from me.

It's such a brisk and beautiful morning here in NYC.

I'm currently house/dog-sitting for my friend Junho for a few days, and I just took Oscar to the dog park at Gramercy Park. It was nice to get some air and watch Oscar socialize with all the other dogs. It had been a while since I'd been to a dog park, and just watching all the pooches play and run around really was such a great way to start the day.

Happy Saturday, everyone. I hope you have a great weekend.

What I would give to take a motosai ride through the busy streets of Bangkok right about now to just clear my head for a moment...

"Don't look back in anger,
I heard you say."

From the song Don't Look Back in Anger by Oasis.

Community.

"I am on a lonely road,
and I'm traveling,
traveling, traveling, traveling,
looking for something.
What can it be?"

From the song All I Want by Joni Mitchell.

I'm a thirty year old man and my voice still cracks all the time... why oh why?

"Love is stronger than pride."

From the song Love Is Stronger Than Pride by Sade.

You get what you give.

Nobody ever said it would be easy.

Learn.

Evolve.

Grow.

Live.

"This book always had a great effect on him: he never read it without agitation, and the perusal of it invariably stirred his bile."

From The Captain's Daughter by Alexander Pushkin. Page 4.

I loved tonight.