Do you remember that time when you showed your mom your accomplishment and she was so proud of you? So proud of all the hard work you put forth in making it happen?

Maybe it was your first “A” on your math test. Your passing of your driver’s test. Or perhaps it was the acceptance to your first choice of university. Whatever it may be, I’m sure you know that feeling.

Not too long ago, I had that feeling myself. Only it wasn’t my accomplishments that I was so proud of. Rather, it was that of NH. After coming home from work one sunny day, she approached me and showed me her graduation photos that were taken at her school. Complete with the gown, hat, and flowers, she was pictured in those photos as a proud (potential) graduate.

School isn’t over just yet, but we’re finally in the homestretch. After her finals end at the end of this month, she writes her RMT exam in July. But to do that, she has come a long way. These past two years have been nothing but an arduous ordeal for her. Constantly studying every chance she got, she was a model student proving only that if you try hard enough, good things will come of it.

I digress. Looking at those graduation photos took me aback. It reminded me of all the hard work that she had done and all the stress she had to overcome in order to get this far. Looking at those photos reminded me of all the hardships we went through, and all the hardships that we had overcome. It was at that very moment when I knew exactly how my parents felt when I gave them my first good news. I am so proud of NH that at that time, I could barely keep my excitement in. We looked at all the poses, and picked out which ones we wanted. It was truly a memorable moment for me, and I hope it was for her too.

So this is how it feels to be proud of your loved one’s accomplishments. It feels good.

And all I can say is, I can’t wait for more of these to come in our future.

Congratulations NH!

Coming back from a business trip to NYC, I realized something: as large a city it is, it is at the same time very tamable. It helped that I’ve been there before several times in the past. However, now that I was travelling about to different neighbourhoods with a purpose, it made for quite a different perception of the city.

As a tourist, the city can be daunting to some: towering buildings around every corner, people walking left, right, and center, and cars and taxis fill all lanes of the street. However, as soon as you become a worker in the city, all that seems to become second-nature to your senses.

Wanting to soak up the sites as I travelled about, I tried to walk to as many places as I could. At times carrying with me more than 11 lbs of photography equipment on my shoulders, I walked through the city streets just to soak up the environment.

Hopping on cabs was also interesting at times. All cabs now offer credit cards as a form of payment, which I found to be extremely convenient. No more hoping to have the right amount of cash in your wallet all the time. While most of the cabs that I took drive very aggressively, there was the occasional one or two that seriously made me rethink my choice of taking that cab. Accelerating so quickly like he was in a race, and stopping suddenly behind pedestrians and cars, I remember this one cab driver whom I thought went a little too far. Of course, I didn’t show my moment of weakness because after all, I was a working man in NYC, and chances are everybody is used to drivers like this one.

Despite all that went on, I rather enjoyed this trip to New York City, as I saw it from a different perspective. Did I mention how I love the selection of Japanese food here in this city?

Well, that’s another post altogether.

While my family is by no means similar to theirs, it’s probably my favourite TV show on right now. I don’t watch it every week, but on the occasion that I do, I thoroughly enjoy my time spent in front of the tube. It’s probably one of the only few—if not the only—TV show that I watch (at times) while not doing sitting and doing things in front of my computer.

It doesn’t matter if I’ve missed one, two, or three weeks worth of the show. The next time I watch it, I know I’ll get a good kick out of seeing the three very different family types cope with one another.

The producers of the show did a great job figuring out what three family types would bring out the best in a TV show. Even more so, the casting is fantastic. The grown up Al Bundy is actually pleasant to watch in his more mature and fatherly role.

The show is witty, fast-paced, and cleverly written, making the 30 minutes go by ever so quickly. And to criticize it for placing blatant product placements in, like the Apple iPad of last week’s Game Changer episode is ridiculous. Whatever is relevant to the show is fair play in my book.

Give it a go if you ever come across this show. I’m sure you’ll get at least one moment of laughter out of it.