July 3, 2008
How to survive the sweltering heat of NYC's summer without AC:
I open my eyes.
Everything is a blur.
I see gray whites and pearly whites.
The softened image of peeling paint waving back and forth, echoing my movement.
The sensation of the water's coolness on my eyeballs surprises me. Feels good.
I raise my head and shoulders out of the water and lean back from the edge of the tub. I take a deep breath. Must have been 30 to 40 seconds under that cold clear tubfull.
How am I going to survive the sweltering heat and jungle humidity of NYC's blazing summer without AC?
By dunking myself in a bath of cold water every hour or so...
How to Survive the Sweltering Heat of NYC's summer without AC:
1. Stay hydrated - keep drinking cold fluids.
2. Make cold food... NO BAKING!!!
3. Make good use of your fans. Remember, hot air rises. So blow air in your APT from as low as possible and out of your APT from as high as possible. This increases efficiency and doesn't fight physics, yay!
Box fans are actually the best for this method especially if they fit in your window. Forcing air out of your APT creates a vacuum in the space which will suck air in from any other openings, preferably cooler air (uhuh). This works best at night wne the outside air cools off and your APT is nice and toasty from a warm summer day.
REFRESH:
When I am home during the day and its too hot to move across the room without beading sweat, I have a couple of ways to refresh myself.
Trying to keept the APT cool is important. I have developed a simple cost efficient method of dropping the temperature several degrees in my APT. First I try to block as much direct sunlight from entering the APT as possible. I also close all the windows. I plug the tub and turn the shower on as cold as it can go. I place a box fan as close to the tub as I can get it blowing the freshly cooled bathroom air out into the APT. This is basically turning your bathroom into a giant air conditioner. When the bath fills, turn off the water, but keep the fan blowing across the top of the water. It may take a bit, but after 10, 20 minutes you should already notice a drop in the temperature of your APT.
Now, obviously, the key to staying cool is keeping your body temperature low. One of my favorite ways of doing this is by using the already filled tub of cold water. Shirtless (depending on your preference), I submerge my head and shoulders for about 30 to 40 seconds. This is extremely refreshing and will keep you cool for a good half hour even in a sauna of a living space. It makes me feel like I was just swimming in a cool mountain stream. Don't forget to plug your nose as you go upside down.
| By lukedavidh | 3:27 AM | TrackBack (0)
June 15, 2008
Japanese "Office"
"Hai, Hai hai!!!"
| By lukedavidh | 1:14 AM | TrackBack (0)
June 9, 2008
Ten years old, when I was a good dancer...
| By lukedavidh | 7:05 PM | TrackBack (0)
May 23, 2008
Der Erlkonig
Found this song on you tube today. Takes me back to high school. My aspiring opera singer roommate would practice this song in our room. "Mein Vater, Mein Vater!!" He was quite good then. Wonder what he sounds like now after intense school years.
Well, the story is quite sad but the song is beautiful.
Original German
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.
"Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?"
"Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?"
"Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif."
"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;
Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand,
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?"
"Sei ruhig, bleib ruhig, mein Kind;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind."
"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn,
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?"
"Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau."
"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"
Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Müh' und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.
English translation
Who rides so late through night and wind?
It is the father with his child.
He has the little one well in the arm
He holds him secure, he holds him warm.
"My son, why hide your face in fear?"
"See you not, Father, the Erlking?
The Erlking with crown and flowing cloak?"
"My son, it is a wisp of fog."
"You sweet child, come along with me!
Such wonderful games I'll play with you;
Many lovely flowers are at the shore,
My mother has many golden garments."
"My father, my father, and do you not hear,
What the Erlking quietly promises to me?"
"Be calm, stay calm, my child;
The wind is rustling the dry leaves."
"Won't you come along with me, my fine boy?
My daughters shall attend to you so nicely;
My daughters do their nightly dance,
And they will rock you and dance you and sing you to sleep."
"My father, my father, do you not see there,
Erlking's daughters in that dark place?"
"My son, my son, I see it definitely:
It is the willow trees looking so grey."
"I love you; I'm charmed by your beautiful shape;
And if you are not willing, then I will use force."
"My father, my father, now he has taken hold of me!
Erlking has hurt me!"
The father shudders, he rides swiftly,
He holds in arm the groaning child,
He reaches the farmhouse with effort and urgency;
In his arms, the child was dead.
[edit]
| By lukedavidh | 10:18 PM | TrackBack (0)
May 21, 2008
Windows in my head
Dead roses are stuck,
Fingers locked around fire escape's cold arm,
Million red bricks burn with envy.
They call broken occupants
To stop pissing in their eyes.
Dirty Sheet wrestles in the gutter
Waving at gulls to lend half a cigarette.
Window screams at roses, but they are dead.
Two empty curried chicken boxes look up from their filthy conversation
The one nudges lonely Air Jordan who can't remember.
why solemate left.
Smudged glass shakes with another scream
Despair whistles from dark hollow sending paper towel
To attack flowers!
Dead petals fall
Alive once more and free
Gathering strength, holding to gust
Tumbling, fluttering...
Wings on rats, burning eyes
He glides above thronging
Once used plastics and styrofoam cups leap to touch
cold dead skin.
Reminds of gentler days
When river edges beckoned boat
Three-eyed birds rode on bellies of floating fish
Window screams, radiator hisses,
Fridge cries from hunger and routine
Flowers wait irritably, dancing side
to side grasping fire escape like jealous girlfriend with weak fingers.
They are dead and burial eludes them.
| By lukedavidh | 5:20 PM | TrackBack (0)
April 20, 2008
life updates (pending applicatons)
keeping it simple:
Tried out for a PDL (player development league) soccer team called the Brooklyn Knights. Result - haven't heard back 3 weeks later so I'm assuming I won't hear back.
Applied for a residency with a print shop: Have not heard anything yet, though I know someone who was already declined. I'm pretty sure the residency was supposed to start in April, so I am assuming they didn't want to waste time emailing me a "no" (typical New York style). I just sent them an email asking them to tell me.
Applied to the Gotham Fellowship through redeemer: a group of serious young Christians who are trying to live out the gospel as they forage ahead in the professional world. Application was received and is currently in process.
A week ago today had a couple works up in a one day show/concert/dance party at the Galapagos theatre in Brooklyn during there April Fools Party. The art was enjoyable. Didn't stay for much more.
Was approved last week by World Harvest to go to Ireland in 2009 joining the MAP staff there. Yay!
Currently, I'm in Ireland for a quick visit of one week.
| By lukedavidh | 12:35 AM | TrackBack (0)
