yet another Christian publication

A writer likes to write regardless the size of the audience even when not paid (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/07/writing-commuting-writing-some-more.html). Maybe this is the excuse that drives a writer to work on his/her project and as many others as possible -- like my friends Renee (http://www.devotionaldiva.com/) and Alece (http://www.gritandglory.com/) as well as some of the guys in #Tworship (http://twitter.com/search?q=#worship) writing material for various publications (print, on-line, etc) all the time.

About a year ago, I tried to become a freelance writer for one of the bigger Christian magazines in the US. When I was given the outline, I preferred not to pursue it again. Needless to say (type), this experience might influenced my decision to stop reading the publication (unknowingly at the time).

Right now I'm trying to get a gig writing and/or taking pictures for a local Christian publication. It all started when I made a comment about a website to the person in charge (web master, administrator, etc). I pushed the idea once again and I'm having an "interview" with this person in a week and a half. Ironically enough, earlier this year, I tried to get a small gig as an editor at this same local publication, but somehow the project just fell apart.

If this new project comes about, it'd be something exciting to get my hands dirty with. The whole experience of writing for someone else will be different from all I've worked on before and most likely rewarding.

bloody subway

The thirty-day MetroCard (subway pass) is $89 right now, but tomorrow it'll be $103. That's a $14 hike that practically no one's taking lightly. Considering that the subway system's a mess right now with delays and lines not running due to the blizzard (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/12/lovely-snow-lovely-blizzard-pt-4-what.html), this is really messed up. At least, I bought a new thirty-day MetroCard two days ago. Hence I'll worry about the $14 hike in twenty-eight days and then bitch about it!

lovely snow, lovely blizzard... pt 4 (what a mess)

So the city's still a mess (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/12/lovely-snow-lovely-blizzard-pt-3-back.html) with frozen snow and barely any way to get around.

lovely snow, lovely blizzard... pt 3 (back to work)

This morning, in Queens county (borough), there were accumulations of semi-frozen snow all over (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/12/lovely-snow-lovely-blizzard-pt-2.html). It was hard to walk from one place to another (to subway station in my case). Trains were running local and backed up. I missed a train at about 6:26am and had to wait about twenty minutes. At 6:49am, a finally train arrived at the station, but it was too crowded to get on. Needless to say (type), most people (other strap-hangers) I saw weren't in the best of moods. A little after, at 6:53am, I was able to take a train to Manhattan. At 7:13am, the train finally arrived at its first stop in Manhattan. After arriving at my connecting station (7:17am), taking the second train to work (7:21am) and walking in the snow, I finally arrived at work at 7:38am (22 minutes to spare) with my boots and socks wet. I'm glad I'd brought a pair of sneakers (trainers) in my backpack. I was an interesting ride to work to say (type) the least.

free Bibles, but the Gospels only

In the Times Square subway station, I sometimes see people preaching the word of God or at least trying to get people to repent talking about the end of times. These same people hand out lots of reading material including free Bibles. The only problem I see in all this is that these Bibles are only the four Gospels (no Old Testament, no other books from the New Testament).

• This means that we only have the storied of Christ's life, three-year public ministry, crucifixion, death, resurrection and Word (Gospels only).
• Therefore the the prophets, the people of God (Old Testament), the coming of Christ and the letters of the early Church (New Testament) are missing.

Of course, the distribution of at least part of the Good News remains a good idea.

surfing the subways

I don't hold on to handrails or to anything when riding the subway (or any other of form of public transport including buses for that matter) unless in dire need. In any case, it's strange to see others doing the same. It's a good reminder that I'm not the only with OCD in this city. At the same time, it's great that little bottles of alcohol based gels -- like Purell -- are available everywhere.

outside society

As a human I think too much about everything around me. I constantly feel like an observer, an outsider. My mind shifts from society, its norms and its folklore to the individual's myths, beliefs and religion. At the end of the day, it's all a matter of learning and acquiring wisdom.

I'm just outside society and the "common" social or individualistic life. I observe others all the time especially when I've got nothing to do. I see groups of individuals (considering that humans love to group people and things to understand them).

1. Many are simply worried about their work, reading and/or answering emails, making sure their suits are perfect and perhaps forgetting how to live.

2. Some study to know more either for money or knowledge. This includes those "intellectuals" who read War and Peace on their time off (nothing wrong with reading great literature, of course, especially Tolstoy; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Tolstoy) to simply show off.

3. Some don't seem to care about anything at all, but themselves (pretty faces and/or bodies, expensive clothes, latest mobile phone, etc).

4. Some just seem to live in fear for whatever wicked reason. They dwell in silence and pain -- almost in a state of paranoia.

5. Some read religious material like devotionals and even the Bible itself.

These individuals seem to fit in one or more groups at one or another. Nonetheless our society seems to have five gods -- work/money, knowledge, self, fear and The Lord.

I don't know which of these (other than the third) is correct. I wish I could the say the fifth, but I'd be a hypocrite. I've been part of all these groups (except the third) at some point or another. Then again, out shame or obligation, I want it to be the fifth. Hence most of the material of this blog I've written while riding the subway or bus.

In this city, we're too careful (fear) and keep to ourselves (privacy). We all worry about holding on to jobs and/or have some type of monetary income to pay rent and have something to eat. Therefore religion at times plays little importance.

writing, commuting, writing some more

As most people in NYC, I use public transport to go places -- especially when going to and back from work. During my commute, I enjoy my time of solitude to listen to music (rock) and either read or write.

As of late, I've been writing lots of material on several topics (religion especially). As a matter of fact, lots of the material in this blog has been written during my commute using my assigned BlackBerry. Said the latter, I usually end up with 5 to 10 drafts at a time -- an average of two hours of work each. As a matter of fact, I wrote this entry last Friday while returning from the DMV and I still have several drafts in my phone that I'm working on. As I mentioned, I do enjoy my time alone as I examine my innermost beliefs.

* picture taken from Flickr
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2616382183_dd2eb8cab8.jpg

summer rain (thanks be to God)

It's raining this morning and fairly cool. The weather's much better (a cool 75°F, almost a 30° difference, very nice!) than what it was about a week ago (http://project05952381.blogspot.com/2010/07/hell-on-earth-102f-nyc.html). I wish all summer could be like this morning without the nasty humidity and the infernal heat. Of course, many people prefer the heat -- but definitely not me.

hell on earth, 102°F NYC

The common idea of hell is fire, brimstone, eternal suffering and the Devil as its master and host. This image of suffering and damnation goes back to the Kingdom of Hades in Roman/Greek mythology and even as far the Underworld in the time of the pharaohs. The image of fire and brimstone comes from multiple verses in the Bible.

Anyway NYC today was hell on earth with fire and brimstone (heat of 102°F and 100% humidity), suffering (dangerous conditions for people with asthma or other respiratory ailments, small children and the elderly), but no devil other than the heat and humidity.

Taking the subway -- other than taking the bus system -- was no easy task. It was like descending to the guts of hell. At least most subway cars -- and buses for that matter -- have a working air conditioning system. Of course, air conditioning doesn't mean anything when the subway car or bus is crowded due to the increased production of CO2 and body heat.

Summer time is this city can be brutally hot and humid. Yet the only thing worse than the heat and humidity is the smell of sweat on oneself and others.

the downtown 3 train this morning

A friend of mine (Princess) once posted the following on Facebook.

"It never ceases to amaze me when able bodied individuals on trains do not give up their seats for the disabled, the elderly or the pregnant."

It's something that I hardly think about as I'm usually standing on my commute to work. This morning was different. The downtown 3 train that I took was fairly empty and I got a seat. A few minutes later an old woman (perhaps a lady, not important though) got on the train and no one gave her a seat. Feeling awkward, I stood up and gave her my seat.

Did I do it as a gentleman? No, I couldn't care less for that label.

Did I do it 'cause it's the Christian thing to do? No, maybe (but most likely) it was guilt.

Anyway people in this city are getting worse by the minute.

fear vs paranoia

Taking the subway this evening, there were cops all around peeking several times into different train cars. I guess it'd be fine if one cop checked a single car. Another different thing is when various cops checked the same cars several times.

It just gave me a weird vive as if there was some secret piece of information that we -- civilians -- aren't supposed to know. It might just be the sort of the long-lasting fear that this city has had since 9/11. Is some other idiot (or group of) out there planing to hurt us?

When will humans and other humanoids learn to live in peace? There's one God, but we've given him hundreds (if not thousands) of names and decided to worship him in as many ways. God wants us to live in harmony, not at each other's throats. We -- humanoids -- may be too stupid to ever learn.

Morgan

Last year about this time, I met Morgan -- a California girl who had become homeless after arriving at NYC. She wasn't a junkie or anything like that. Sometimes things in life don't go as expected like been robbed everything including money and identification as in her case. We simply lost touch of one another. Last I heard, she was offered a job. I hope she's fine and not using the subway any more as shelter or a place to sleep at night.