Keeping Fit

Beginning Yoga

Christopher Schonberger — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 20:44:35 -0500

When a recent grad suddenly expresses interest in yoga, you know that they are either extremely hungover or have recently been thinking about “the future” and got depressed. Maybe they’re not exactly sure what’s wrong, but they know they need a lifestyle change to get back on track. Simply “working out” will not suffice. They feel the need to address the mind-body-and-soul trifecta in its totality…preferably all at once, for about an hour at a time.

Within the twentysomething psychology, yoga is often privileged as a “cure-all” for a life gone slightly off the rails. No “get right by life” plan is complete without a little downward-facing dog thrown into the mix. I know because I’ve walked down the path to…uh, the yoga studio…with little more than a vague sense of purpose. “If I don’t start stretching soon, I’m gonna be in a wheelchair by the time I’m 40,” I’d think to myself. “I need something to counteract the stress of being unemployed.”

Yoga fit the bill on all fronts, and even after watching a girl start crying in the “frog position,” I still recommend that people try it. That said, I made some beginner’s mistakes and got myself into some positions that I literally didn’t enjoy, so I thought I’d share some tips for entering the world of semi-meditative exercise. Don’t expect it to make you a better person (don’t tell the instructor I said that!), but do expect to have some fun and feel pretty good.

An Extremely Brief and Borderline Offensive History of Yoga

Well before Christ, people in India were living abstemiously and meditating all the time in hopes of achieving the Hindu holy grail of “enlightenment.” This sort of thing went on for thousands of years (and it still does in some places), but it really has nothing to do with the yoga-as-exercise craze that has swept the Western world. (Fun Fact: Yoga is a $4 billion a year industry in the U.S. alone.) Many of the practices you'll find today were "invented" in the '90s and are just as likely to feature wisdom from Michael Jordan's biography as the Hindu scriptures. Think self-empowerment and "good living" rather than spiritual enlightenment—Spice World!

Choosing the Right Yoga Class

The yoga spectrum stretches across many incarnations of the practice, though most classes that you’ll find skew more toward exercise than the meditation/spirituality, or they combine a little of both. It’s worth trying out a few types when you’re first getting started, though if you know your goals you can narrow down the field a bit. Here’s an imperfect but helpful breakdown of your options:

Meditative/Stretching-Oriented

Hatha. “Hatha yoga” pretty much just means yoga, but if you see a class described as such you can bet your booty shorts that it will be on the gentler side, focusing mostly on stretching and simple breathing techniques. There may also be some seated meditation thrown in. Hatha is a good starting point for getting a sense of what yoga’s all about.

Moderate

Anusara. This is a “change your whole life” type of practice, but in a lighthearted, non-cultish type of way. The exercises include a lot of movement and alignment work, but props are used that help make most poses accessible to people of different skill levels. Philosophically, there is an emphasis on positivity and opening your heart—the practice doesn’t end when you leave the yoga studio! Bring it to the world and let your light shine, player.
Vinyasa. Like Hatha, this is a broad term encompassing a range of classes, but the basic practice is a little more fast-paced in nature. Vinyasa is often called “Flow” because it involves transitioning between poses on the inhale or exhale in a smooth, fluid set of movements. Strengthening poses are often held for a long time and involve a lot more than just stretching. You’ll almost definitely sweat.
Jivamukti. Russell Simmons and a lot of Hollywood-types are into Jivamukti. It’s a relatively strenuous, vinyasa-style practice with a healthy dose of chanting and philosophizing.

Physical

Ashtanga. Ashtanga utilizes the concept of “flow,” but classes are generally longer and offered at a number of skill levels. This type of yoga encompasses a number of different “series,” each of which uses a progression of poses and thus appeal to OCD people.
Bikram (aka Hot Yoga). Invented by living yoga master Bikram Choudhury, “hot yoga” gets its name from the fact that it’s done in a hot-ass room (usually the temperature is somewhere between 95 and 100 degrees). I like to imagine that it approximates the actual conditions in India, but I don’t think that’s the official purpose. Instead, the heat is supposed to loosen you up and help you sweat out toxins (so if you go on a Sunday monring, be prepared to be overwhelmed by the stench of booze). The majority of classes involve a series of 26 poses, each performed twice in a 1.5 hour class. When you go the first time, you may feel like you are going to pass out within about half an hour of stepping in the room. Wear comfortable and light clothing and drinks loads of water before and after to avoid feeling horrible.
Power Yoga. Power yoga was first mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita in 1100 B.C., and it was considered by many ancient gurus to be the most spiritual of all yoga practices. Just kidding—it came about in the early 90s when yoga was gaining popularity but Americans wanted to feel like they were getting more of a workout. Again, it involves a vinyasa-style practice, and it focuses on a combination of strength and flexibility. Chanting and meditation is kept to a minimum—it may not even factor in.
Yogalates. This is like running in the pool, or playing BASEketball. You’re on your own—I’m not really sure how this spiritual hybrid sits with the gods, so I steer clear.

Where to Go

Yoga, as either exercise or a meditative activity, can be performed all over the place. Ever seen one of the old Asian women doing curious movements under a tree or next to a river? That ain’t yoga. But it very well could be—a true yogi could practice almost anywhere. That said, beginner classes are the best way to start for everyone, because yoga is not an intuitive activity—the postures are weird and the breathing is, apparently, an art form. Even once they’ve reached an advanced level, many yoga enthusiasts still attend classes to help structure their workouts and provide access to communal yelling. If you’re looking to get started, here are the best places to look for classes:

Gyms. Many gyms offer yoga classes that are free to members of the gym. Sometimes the quality of the instructors is not as good as at a yoga studio, but sometimes they are great (you can ask to see certification if you are really suspicious). At any rate, it’s worth giving a few classes a shot before you shell out any extra money. If you have a friend who does yoga at a gym, ask to go as a guest so that you can decide if it’s worth your while to join. Also, check out our survival guide to Joining a Gym, and use YogaFinder.com to track down classes in your area.

Yoga Studios. Some types of yoga—most notably Bikram—are generally only available at specialized studios. Once you’ve found a type of practice you like, you might consider going to a specialized studio if you think the level of instruction is better. Generally one-off visits seem like a waste of money if think about spending $10-20 for a workout, but they’re necessary to figure out if you like the classes. From there, most studios offer a variety of packages, including flat-fee bundles (e.g., 5 visits for $50) and one-month to one-year memberships. Bundles are good if you think your attendance will be inconsistent, but if you really get into it the memberships make more sense. Use Yoga.com or ask friends and coworkers to find studios in your area. Also, look out for donation-based studios like Yoga to the People in NYC and Berkeley—if you are feeling thrifty you can just mooch off the generosity of others!

Community Centers. Join the grandmas at your local community center and maybe you can find someone who is simultaneously on point enough to cook dinner and senile enough to think you’re her grandchild.

What You Need

The good news is you don’t need shoes for yoga, at least until Nike convinces everyone they need $110 “Air Yogis” or something. The only thing you really need is a mat. Most gyms have mats available, but since studios will often charge a few bucks to rent one, it may be worth buying your own (especially if you are grossed out by other people’s sweat). You can cop one at most sports stores for $20 and up, or check out Yoga.com’s mats.

In terms of apparel, people will rock all sorts of ridiculous yoga pants (sometimes sexy ones) and other weird gear, but really you just want to be comfortable. Lots of girls wear tights or shorts with a t-shirt/tank-top, while dudes generally wear shorts and tees. Don’t be surprised to see guys take their shirts off, especially at Bikram classes. The only real caveat is to remember you will be twisting around into some crazy positions, so you don’t want to have clothes that constrain you. Also, if you’re wearing short-shorts you better make sure they have built-in underwear! If the boys get out the barracks, it won’t be a laughing matter for the person stuck in “Revolving Half Moon” pose inches away from your scrotum.

Finally, drink lots of water before and after. As long as you aren’t the type of ornery bloke who gets mad at people for breathing loud or talking about "positive energy," yoga can be pretty calming. If you work it into a balanced exercise routine, I guarantee (though not in a legal sense) that it will do wonders for your post grad-health.

Joining a Gym

David Pekema — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 09:50:42 -0400

While attending Berkeley, my nickname was the Human Metamucil Pill for my abnormal discipline and regularity. Every morning at eight-thirty, I could be found in the gym sweating, pumping, and gyrating away. It brought a level of calm—not to mention health—to my life, and I couldn’t have been happier. But then graduation came, and like a child ripped from the womb I was left cold, scared, and without a free university gym at my disposal.

Barely a week after moving out of my dorm room, I found myself signing a one-year contract for access to the shabbiest 24 Hour Fitness I’ve ever seen. Fortunately, Smithsonian Hour Fitness made up for its lack of air conditioning and new equipment with an astonishing number of nude septuagenarians doing locker room calisthenics. I reneged before the ten-day trial period was up, and haven’t looked back since. While heading home that day through a community park, under the beautiful coastal sun, something struck me—there was no reason for me to belong to a gym. Everything I needed to stay in shape was right in front of me: the city provided pull-up, dip, and push-up bars for strength training; running and biking trails for cardio; and an adult women’s soccer practice for entertainment.

My decision was looking brilliant—right until the rain came, and then inexplicably refused to go away. My workouts started growing shorter—and more frigid—so I started shopping around again. Sound familiar? Check out the tips below.

The Gym

The benefits of pumping iron in a gym are numerous: air conditioning, variety, ice-cold drinking fountains, state of the art equipment, and sexy co-eds strutting around in spandex. Frequenting a gym at the same time every day leads to a sense of community. For many, the gym becomes what Ray Oldenburg would call a third place—somewhere to be social other than the home or office. But whether it’s high fees (up to a couple hundred dollars for the types of places that don’t even let me through the front door), overcrowding, or seeing the wrong person in spandex, sometimes all the gym’s "hidden costs" are more than we bargained for.

Finding a Good Deal

Gym memberships can range anywhere from $100 a year to over $200 a month, with initiation fees from $0 to $600+. We can't tell you how much is reasonable to spend on a gym, but here are some essential factors to consider:

Location. Would you rather have a gym near work or near your apartment? What if you want to work out on a weekend? If the gym has multiple locations, does it cost extra to have access to more than one (usually it does).
Workout Frequency. Go twice a month and $150 is crazy money to be spending on a locker and a treadmill. But if you're on a bona fide "get right by life" kick and can commit to 5 days a week, the cost per visit makes a lot more sense. Be realistic with your workout frequency, but also realize that for some people, a nice gym with great equipment and nice perks is just the motivation they need to utilize it more often.
Classes. If you like group yoga sessions and Jazzercise classes, makes sure your gym offers them as part of the package. You don't want to have to go elsewhere (and pay more membership fees) for your various workouts.
Special Needs. Love to swim? Can live without a weekly game of squash or pick-up hoops? Make sure your gym caters to your specific exercise preferences.

When shopping around for that perfect gym membership, it’s important to remember that gym managers are like used car salesmen—they’ll do anything to keep us from walking off the lot. It’s not too difficult to get them to drop the initiation fees, or slightly lower your monthly dues—you don't have to be super slick, but have a few lines ready to deploy along the lines of "I'm not looking to spend quite that much right now," "Gym X told me they would drop the monthly fee to $30," or "You must be 'avin a laugh charging those prices!"

Beyond good old-fashioned haggling, there are other ways to shave the dollars of membership fees. Bally Total Fitness gives a $50 discount to college grads less than six months out. Many companies offer in-house gyms or gym discounts to their employees, and some health care providers offer club rebates. Discounted contracts can even be found on eBay. January is an especially good month to go gym shopping, with gyms offering heavy discounts to new resolution holders. Indeed, special initiation packages crop up all the time ("Super Summer Special," "Thanksgiving Blowout Sale"), so if you find a gym you really want to join, it might be worth showing a little patience until the next one crops up.

Visit The Gym Has Its Benefits for more benefits of joining a gym and the Gym Locator for help finding one.

Cutting Ties

The problem with most gym memberships is that they lock you in for 1-2 years, which can become awkward when you want to jump ship. Life is unpredictable for recent grads, and when that banking job becomes an unpaid internship in publishing, that fancy gym might no longer fit in your budget. Generally the only way to break the contract is if you can prove that you're moving X number of miles away from any of your gym's locations. But what if you're not? Here's a little trick for those with flexible morals: Have your next paycheck or bank statement sent to your parents house, and then use that as proof of your change of address. If they ask for a letter from your employer, say you've already left the job and don't have the ability to get one any longer. Alternatively, you can give them a sob story about not being able to pay anymore and see what happens.

The Great Outdoors

Exercising outdoors isn’t for everybody. Some of us are shy; some don’t live or work near any nice parks; and some of us live in North Dakota, where exercising outdoors during certain parts of the year would do more harm than good. (Visit Cold Weather Exercise for tough guy/girl tips). Fortunately for us narcissistic exhibitionist types living in more temperate climes, the outdoors can be the best and cheapest option around. Push-ups and pull-ups may not have the same panache as lat pull-downs or supinated dumbbell curls, but they are very effective. Both exercises stabilize every one of the major muscle groups, and when supplemented with lunges, squats, and dips can contribute to an excellent full-body workout.

Even nicer than outdoor strength training is outdoor cardio. Why sit on a stationary bike watching the Discovery Channel when you could be outside seeing real nature? Running and biking provide the opportunity to get a workout, take in the scenery, and get a tan all at once. Best of all, with the $50-plus you save every month, you can buy skintight outfits to show off our stellar physiques.

Check these articles out for Summer Strength Training, and Outdoor Exercise Routines. As another option, try Outdoor Fitness Classes.

Top Ten Things to Do After Graduating

Gritz — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:51:29 -0400

The best way to postpone (if not avoid) the feeling of post-grad dread is to take a step back and give yourself some time to decompress. For all the tomfoolery that goes on, college is a tough gig, and you wouldn’t be the first person to feel burnt out on commencement day. Whether it’s a week or the whole summer, set yourself a realistic timeframe for how long you can relax before you start seriously job-hunting. Creating this buffer zone between college and the “real world” will pay off in the long run because it will put you in a better place mentally to decide what to do. Here are some ideas for making the most of your down time.

Go skydiving. Not my cup of tea, but if you want to act like the second coming of Dan Cortez, more power to you. I mean, that dude was pretty cool.
Apply to a reality TV show. Ever since they green-lit the return of American Gladiator, those “15 minutes of fame” are being handed out like hot cakes. What do you have to lose (except dignity and the support of your family)?
Read. College is all about books you have to read, whereas post-college is about reading what you want. Who knows, you might even make it past page 50 this time. (To get started, check out our survival guide on Filling up Your Bookshelves.
Travel. The post-gradation trip is a classic move for those who can afford it, and even grads on a tight budget have plenty of options close to home. All of the pieces are in place for a great trip—youth, health, and a celebratory subtext. So why not get cracking on that “50 Places to Visit Before You Die” list?
Learn to cook. Once you’re living alone sans a meal plan, the ability to whip up a fricassee will save big bucks and impress potential mates like the plumage of a peacock. Look into classes offered through the Culinary Institute of America and local organizations, or just start experimenting with Gradspot’s “Recipe of the Week.”
Spend time with your family. Take advantage of the time you can spend with your loved ones now, because tomorrow you might be busy. Or they might be dead. (Only joking.)
Be a kid again. Go home and rekindle all those old feelings you had as a child. Dust off your old Nintendo console. Hit a tennis ball against a wall and pretend it’s Monica Seles. Whatever it takes to get that spring back in your step.
Get in ridiculous shape. Hitting the gym hard is sort of a chach college maneuver favored by dudes who exclusively do upper body and can barely run a mile, but exercise is an easy way to feel better, look better, and motivate yourself to take the next step.
Volunteer. Before you become too “busy” making money for yourself, demonstrate a little of the philanthropic spirit for which you may or may not be famous. Find something that appeals to you personally and get involved. (For ideas, check out VolunteerMatch and Idealist.)
Write a book. Or if writing’s not your thing, pursue anything that you’re passionate about. Record songs, paint pictures, or write the screenplay you’ve been talking about for three years. Now is the time.
BONUS: Get a tattoo: My brother claims this is an awesome idea.

Want more tips, tricks, and top ten lists like this? Then check out The Gradspot.com Guide to Life After College, available as a FREE download at Gradspot.com/book.

What's the Sickest City?

Gritz — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:18:55 -0400

Living in a city has many perils, not the least of which is the hordes of sniffling, coughing, disgusting sick people walking around like plague-riddled zombies ready to infect you with their presence. But now, thanks to Sick City, you know when it's safe to venture out and when you risk being felled by the bleary-eyed masses. As the Weather.com "Pollen Count" function is to seasonal allergy sufferers, Sick City is to hypochondriacs.

Or so it would seem.

While Weather.com's reports are based (at least in theory) on science, Sick City's evidence comes from one of life's least scientifically rigorous sources of information: social media. In short, it just pulls any Twitter update that includes red-flag keywords—e.g., chicken pox, sore throat, feeling ill—and then extrapolates from that the number of people who are sick in the city.

Needless to say, this information is pretty much useless. Not everyone who is sick uses Twitter, and not everyone who is sick on Twitter chooses to announces their sickness with standard descriptions of what's ailing them.

Thus, instead of using this website to figure out which city has the sickest people, I'd suggest using it to find out who complains the most (New York!), or who listens to the most Lil Wayne songs. Some Weezy tweets that might create confusion would include:

Muthafu**a I’m ill, not sick / And I’m OK, but my watch sick...

Flow sick, so sick, need a doc, yes / A creature, monster, like the Loch Ness

Promethazine in two cups, I'm screwed up / And you ain't sh*t if you ain't never been screwed up / Flow so sick make you wanna throw your food up.

Rock on, they see the jewels is so sick, I like flu spit and flu cough / Take it off and you lost, the tough talk get tooled off

I'm so sick I go to the hospital / When I don't get fixed I get nicked by the brain surgeon

This is the year I must excel / Fans sending in cards saying you must get well.

And the list goes on...

Sick City [via Thrillist]

"It's Coming Home..."

thewize@gmail.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:07:43 -0400

"...It's coming home, it's coming - Football's coming home!"

Coming home? Me?! Oh no, I'm staying here for good (well, for better or worse in these days and times) but the beautiful game keeps it moving.

Back in 2007 I was sitting on a nice redundancy package (thanks Dad!) and wondering what I should do with my life. The short term answer was: sit in my garden reading and ride my bike through the countryside to my friend Tim's house, where Pro Evo and Match of the Day kept us occupied. In an effort to get Tim off of the sofa I bought us a football and we passed many a Saturday afternoon on the Training Ground.

A few weeks into my life as a gentleman I paid a visit to my friend Jonathan who was in France teaching English. At the time I had enough money to travel the world, I could have gone anywhere, but the allure of this idea had faded since it had first taken hold in my late teens. There was something about just visiting places and passing through that no longer appealed to me. I wanted to see the world but then what next? What was my purpose?!

Then I saw Jonny's life in Perigueux and I knew that I wanted that for myself. He had a job, friends, was part of the society and community of the town, and I spent a great afternoon watching him play for the local football team (we also watched AC Milan dominate Man United on the Wednesday night.)

One year later I was in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, on my way to the park...I thought it was going to be a kick around but when I got there my friend Victor handed me a full kit (that disgusting fluorescent Chelsea away uniform) and I joined the team, starting in centre midfield. The midday sun and the 6,000ft altitude nearly killed me but I netted a goal and we won 5-4 on my debut (and, after half an hour, I eventually got my breath back).

Since then football has been a fixture of my weekends just like it was from the ages of 10 to 15 back in the village. Back in those days I got fed up with the atmosphere surrounding the game and was ready to move in a new direction but the spirit here is a reflection of the relaxed and happy society. I love to go to the park, sometimes wearing my Leicester City shirt like a young Gary Lineker while I work on his '86 goal tally and his '09 tan. It is great to be a part of a team and it is another element of a well-rounded life here.

Nearly a year on from that first match and well into our 3rd season, I am still in love with the Beautiful Game (despite some uglier moments). I joined in mid-season and contributed a goal a game as the youngest team in the league went on an improbable cup run that ended in heart-breaking penalty shootout defeat in the final ('cos I'm bloody English!). Along the way we had some thrilling victories, a lot of goals, and a few red cards. I even got my name in El Sol de San Luis, the city paper (well, "Tom Wissaman" did).

Basically, as a product of '82 World Cup fever, I was born to play on this continent (even though my parents decided against naming me "Zico").

Since the fairytale start, things have leveled out and we are currently suffering from a plague of hopeless goalkeepers. But every Sunday I can be found - out of breath and slightly sunburned - running around Tangamanga Park with my teammates.

Tim Wiseman's blog, The Tao of Teaching, appears regularly on Gradspot.

Join a Gym While Prices Are Low

Gritz — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:45:21 -0500

It's the first Monday after New Year's, and every chaunce and his grandma has made a resolution to "get fit." The bad news is, you probably won't actually follow through on your plans to work out more (only joking). The good news is that for once, your motivations are actually aligned with the gym's. According to The LA Times, "Fitness centers are slashing fees for current and new members, and even former members, for 2009." Needless to say, this is going on nationwide as gyms fiend to recruit new members and keep people on board who might be wondering if gym membership is a dispensable monthly expenditure in the recession.

Before you seal a deal, however, make sure you shop around and read the fine print. Many gyms offer a reduced initiation fee, but the monthly payment might still not fit your budget. Make sure you know what you're getting (some offers only offer limited access to the gym's amenities), how you will billed, and whether or not you'll be locked in for a year's membership. Also, if you are already in a year-long contract but are out of work and struggling to keep up with payments, ask your gym to freeze your membership until you are employed.

Finally, be sure to check out our survival guide on Joining a Gym for more tips on vetting your options.

Gyms slash prices [via Consumerist]

Next-Gen Tissues

Gritz — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:05:36 -0500

The good people at Puffs were kind enough to send us over some of their new "Puffs Plus with a Scent of Vicks" tissues. Like shirts with built-in insect-repellent or those socks that claim to have aloe vera in them, these tissues are infused with moisturizing lotion and the scent of Vicks.

As someone with a constantly running nose, I've got to give these joints top marks for reasons twofold: 1) They don't dry out your nose like regular tissues, and 2) The minty, eucalyptus-y smell of Vicks really brings me back to my childhood and evokes images of a MILF gently massaging Vicks VapoRub onto a little boy's chest (I'm talking about the commercial now, not my own mother).

However, I'd be remiss not to point out the most obvious issue for recent grads: these are not the cheapest tissues out there, and you can always just nab those abrasive brown napkins from Starbucks in case of an emergency. My thinking is that you've got to make a decision about whether to buy nice toilet paper or nice tissues, because if you get both you have no motivation to work hard or aspire to a better life. And while quality TP really takes the cake most of the time, Puffs with Vicks could be a godsend during these winter months. If you agree, it might be worth scaling down to one-ply and keeping your nose happy.

Just my two cents...

Puffs Plus with a Scent of Vicks

Off to Mongolia

Gritz — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 11:39:22 -0400

I'm "mailing" this post in via BlackBerry because I've been hustling like a madman to get ready for my trip to...Mongolia!?! There was a time when I never would have predicted that I'd ever go to Mongolia, but life is funny like that—you find yourself a girlfriend, her father's a diplomat, and the next thing you know you're booking a flight to Ulaan Bataar. Now I'm finally at the airport and the reality is settling in. I'm off to the land of Ghengis Khan, yak-drawn carts, and people with names that sound like they were born in a fantasy fiction novel.

Taking the facts above as a given, I don't think I've ever been on a trip where I knew so little about the place I was going. I feel like Marco Polo! Though I'm sure Marco didn't get vaccinated for infectious diseases before hitting the road....probably why he's not still with us today.

[20 minutes later...]

I've made it through security. I'm Batman! The flight boards soon and I need to track down a terrible rap magazine, so I'll leave you with three things I learned getting ready for this trip.

1. Going to Mongolia is expensive. The financial reality of going on vacation takes on a new meaning after college when you start calculating costs as "x paychecks" or "y months of rent." In many ways, this trip is inappropriately expensive, but when else am I going to go to Mongolia? My best advice is to really make an effort to be frugal for the month or two before going away. Xbox is great and all, but I find that nothing motivates good budgeting habits better than the promise of an amazing vacay. Also, if you really have a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, it might be time to call in some "early birthday presents" or IOUs from family members. One of the overlooked benefits of having divorced parents is that you can ask both of them to help you out with a trip and they both think you don't feel comfortable asking the other. Cash back!

2. You can get vaccinations done last minute, but it's not recommended. I literally made an appointment at a travel clinic yesterday morning and got jabbed in the afternoon, but I'm sure I paid for the convenience. And fortunately I didn't need any of the shots that you need to get at least a week in advance. My problem is that I don't have my medical records (thanks mom!), so I was basically just doing guess work as to what vaccines I'd already had. Do yourself a favor: track down this info, and when you do get vaccinated keep the yellow sheet they give you recording the details. This way you won't end up paying for extraneous injections or getting typhoid because of a cavalier attitude. (Incidentally, my other problem is that when you put me in a room with some vaccines, I'm like a girl at an outlet mall. Diphtheria? That sounds bad, fire it up. Rabies? Yes please. That weird Japanese disease? Arrigato!)

3. Taking a vacation is more complicated when you're working. No longer does everyone get the same 3 months off to read one book. Now, two weeks is considered long and you have to make arrangements so that you don't throw your colleagues under the bus. Plan ahead so that you don't end up writing blog entries 5 minutes before take-off on your blackberry!

On that note, I gotta jet. I'll see you on the flipside, hopefully with a few tales to tell.

Only in New York...

Gritz — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:10:50 -0400

Summer is the season of “getting out of town” on the weekends, and when I do a lot of people from other places ask me what it’s like to live in Manhattan. “Do you see a lot of celebrities?” (No.) “Is the pizza amazing?” (Not really.) “If you can make it there, can you make it anywhere?” (Definitely not—it is literally the most convenient city in the world, and the proximity of 24-hour food and medical care makes survival extremely easy.)

As a natural born hater, I tend to dismiss the hype of the city, and most of the “only in New York” moments that I have are not exactly positive reflections of Manhattan. For example, “only in New York” would someone dressed like a genderless guerrilla insurgent from the year 2112 tell you that you can’t come into a bar because you’re wearing jeans. “Only in New York” would someone give you an approving nod for paying “merely $1,000” per month in rent. “Only in New York” could you sweat this much on an 80-degree day.

But in spite of my misanthropic self, I do find many occasions to count myself lucky to live in a place that is, for better or for worse, like no other. Case in point:

The other day I got home from work after an exceedingly typical day. I had woken up, thrown on some Js, stuffed myself into a crowded subway car, worked while drinking several coffees, stuffed myself into a slightly less crowded subway car, and returned home. I laced up my Sauconys, kicked myself for not charging my iPod, and went outside for a run. I don’t really mind running without an iPod—it just means I have 45 minutes to be alone with my insecurities and nameless fears about the future. Let’s roll!

Anyway, I was just about to reach my turnaround point at the East River Park Band Shell (as featured on Murray’s tour of band rotundas in Flight of the Concords), when suddenly I heard some serious bass pumping out up ahead. I figured someone had illegally parked a Hummer or souped up the sound system on a Parks & Recreations van. But as I rounded the corner, it started to sound live, and I began to make out some familiar words. Could it be!?

Yes. KRS-One, one of the most legendary MCs in the history of hip-hop music, was holding court in the band shell, with also-legendary DJ Kid Capri on the decks behind him. I jogged straight into the crowd, planted myself about 10 feet from the stage, and proceeded to watch the best half hour of live music I’ve seen all year. In between classics like “The Bridge Is Over” and “Criminal Minded,” Kris freestyled endlessly, speaking directly to the crowd that had gathered like a preacher talking to his parishioners. He even rhymed over classical music—one of the more inspired moments of hip-hop showmanship I’ve seen. The “art of MCing,” indeed.

Now, make no mistake about it—New York City is the capital of free entertainment. However, it is also the capital of scenesters and people who refuse to pay for anything because they drop 60% of their monthly income on rent. This means that most free events—most notably, Central Park’s SummerStage concert series—are complete swarmed to the point that you’d consider paying people to leave.

But this was different. There was something so organic about finding KRS-1 in my local park as a long summer day drew to a close, holding a few hundred random spectators in the palm of his hand. All the strollers, dogs, and sports equipment suggested that a lot of people had simply wandered into this MCing extravaganza like me. Between songs, KRS talked to us about how he used to sleep just feet away from the stage (his homelessness in his younger days has been well documented). And when he said he sat on a bench there with Marley Marl and 2Pac back in ’87, I had to believe him.

Standing there in my running clothes watching the show was sort of a surreal experience, and in a sudden moment of self-consciousness I realized how much more I was enjoying it than most of the shows I go see. The randomness definitely contributed, but it was also the lack of hype and expectations—no crowds to fight through, no people stepping on my shoes, and no concerns about getting to the bar or bathroom and back. No terrible decisions to take camera phone pictures to send my friends or worries that whomever I was with didn’t like it. No money to spend even if I could.

And—though I hate to admit it—no other place than New York that something like this could happen.

10 Things to Stop Worrying About

jason.richards@gradspot.com — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:15:06 -0400

There are enough issues to confront in recent grad life without being consumed by vague fears about getting cancer from your cell phone or becoming infertile because you drank so much Mountain Dew as a kid. Thankfully, The New York Times has done a little research and demystified 10 Things to Scratch from Your Worry List. To be fair, most of them have to do with recycling and saving energy—as if I was worried about the environment. Trust The New York Times to assume I believe in global warming!

I’m joking, of course. If I can eat hot dogs, swim with sharks, and blast the AC in my car without fear of dying or making the world worse, then I’m a happier grad at the end of the day.

10 Things to Scratch from Your Worry List [via NYT]