Postcards from NYC

Cars stuck in Times Sqr

2010-02-26T10:49:00.002-05:00

To All The Sweet Singles Out There

2010-02-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Powerful goal-setting!

2010-01-06T23:39:00.002-05:00

On the Sunday after Thanksgiving I get together every year with a few people, to begin planning the year ahead for shared adult playdates. During that process we each share what or how we would like to have fun while spending time together. My favorite playdates are the ones that are about exploring parts of me, and or using my imagination and creativity. My favorite outing last year was visitng the Sony Wonder Science & Technology Lab. It was so much fun I've been back twice since then with my own son.

But before I work on my playdates, I begin planning All my personal, professional and family goals and planning by envisioning what kind of year I wish to have. This year I stretch my vision beyond 2010. Everything I plan, set up as a goal or do must support my overall vision or I don't do it or plan it because it's going to take me off course. I have so little time that I have to make sure that all areas of my life are supported, which means that I have very little time for spontaneously or spur of the moment events or outings.

Anywho, back to my vision...
During the quiet late nights after thanksgiving, as I was trimming my holiday tree, I began thinking about what kind of woman I wanted to evolve into; what kind of experiences I wanted to have; what kind of things I wanted to do and the kinds of things I wanted to experience in my life! The following is what evolved:

My Vision of myself is of a healthy, fit me that sees herself not only as well proportioned, but finds herself to be an incredibly beautiful woman with sexy curves, whose self-confidence is evident from the self-love that radiates brilliantly through her from her divine source within.

OUW! All the goals I contemplated thereafter, and that actually went into my goal list had to do with me becoming the best possible: woman, mother, friend, sister, mentor, employee, community person, supervisor, etc. that ever walked the planet. Here's a few goals I set for myself, in the present/actualized voice. I put them on pretty paper on my fridge and on my computer screens at work, home and blackberry, so that I stay focused. Following each of my goal statements, I have written the powerful reasons why I wish to accomplish them.

Last year I accomplished 80% of my goals. Midway through the year I realized I had too many and that some had to be put off till this year. Still, not bad for a busy, single parent and community member that always has time for friends and loved ones. Okay, so here's what I've written so far:

Main focus and over-arching theme: Experiencing A Year of Love & JOY!

Telling myself everyday "I LOVE YOU!" – everything begins and ends with me, and I love it when the Universe loves me! & I love it back by loving me first.

Telling my beloved son ”I Love YOU!” everyday – so he can experience the love of the divine through me! This may seem silly but when I really took inventory over a 2 week period I realized that even though I showed I loved him, I only told him that I loved him 70% of the time. Not good enough in my book. Children need to not only hear the sound of those words, they need to feel the emotion behind them so when they grow up, they instinctively know when someone is playing them and when someone truly loves them.

Ensuring I get 8 hours of restful beauty sleep - so I can smile and look fabulous even when I don't have clothes on!

Exercising 4x/week a minimum of 30 min each time doing all the exercises I love - so I can show my body how much its truly loved!!! & I can keep my body primed for all the adventures the Universe has for me – woohoo!

Giving my body nutritiously delicious foods that will energize, heal and make me feel vibrant! - because you are and definitely feel what you eat!

Engaging in spontaneous acts of love towards all my loved ones – so they can feel how greatly loved they are by me and the universe. Because an angel did this for me and it changed my life! & I am a radiating center of Divine love.

Finding the fun, sweet, kind, laughable and compassionate side of all situations - because that's a more joyful way to approach life!

Sharing my inner joy through kind acts and the sharing of fun and laughter – because when I make others smile or laugh it comes back to me exponentially, and I SO LOVE to laugh!

Sub-freezing Hibernation

2010-01-06T21:48:00.002-05:00

Its been too cold to go out and take photos... so here's A funny and joyful celebration of love that's just heartwarming enough to make you smile! Enjoy!

LIVE from NY, Its the Rockefeller Christmas Tree

2009-12-13T01:08:00.002-05:00

Too busy to post, soooooo

Click through to see Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in real time

An Easy & Stress-free Holiday Planning Checklist

2009-11-30T02:12:00.005-05:00

Keep stress at bay with this four-week plan which I have modified from Kimberly Fusaro's article posted on November 11, 2009 on WomansDay.com.

Your Holiday Planning Checklist

With all there is to do between now and New Year’s, the best way to avoid an end-of-year meltdown is to tackle your Christmas to-dos well in advance. For a head start—and a smooth holiday season — follow my step-by-step Christmas planner, which spreads tasks over four weeks, instead of two.

But first, you have to let go of the idea of a “perfect” holiday. Aby Garvey, the organizing and productivity expert at Simplify 101, suggests that we should strive not for a perfect holiday but one that that we enjoy and makes us happy. Ok, ready to kick off your happy holiday season? Then read on.

Week 1: Make Lists, Budgets, Organize and Schedule Time for the Tasks

1. Ask older, tech-savvy kids to set up online wish lists, which work like wedding registries. Amazon offers a universal wish list, meaning a person can “wish” for something from any website, and all of the wishes will appear in one place. [done]

2. Write your holiday card list, your email card list and update all your addresses. Divide it into three parts (those you will email, those you will hand-deliver and those you will mail) so you can spread out card-sending over a few weeks. Schedule to write those you need to mail so they will arrive in plenty of time. [done]

3. Buy holiday cards, stamps and gift-wrapping supplies. Have the kids stick the postage stamps on the cards for you. Make a contest, those that do all of them neatly gets a prize or more video gaming time! [done]

4. Carve out some non-negotiable “me” time on your calendar, for the remainder of the year, suggests Garvey, who signed up for a yoga class that runs through mid-January. “Yoga may not be your thing,” she says, “but stake a claim to a de-stressing chunk of time that’s just for you during the holidays.” [done]

5. Search your closet for extra items you bought but never gave as presents. Also seek any items you can re-gift to someone who could possibly use the item. For example, that lime green cashmere shawl you received from a co-worker gave would make a great gift for Aunt Tilly. [done]

6. Write your gift list and determine your budget. If you shop without either, you risk overbuying (say, getting way more for one child than another) and/or overspending. [done]

7. Carry with you a few blank holiday cards so you can write them out as you stand on line to pay at the supermarket, drugstore, etc. Set a date by which to mail all your holiday cards.

8. Sort through your holiday decorations. Replace burned-out light bulbs and save only the ornaments you cherish, suggests Krista Colvin, the owner of Organize in Style, a professional organizing company. The smaller your collection, the less you’ll have to pack and store at the end of the year. Donate extras to charity, and supplement what’s left with fresh greenery, which can be recycled. [I did this BEFORE I PACKED THEM LAST YEAR]

9. Shop for out-of-town friends and family members. “Not only are the stores less crowded earlier in the season,” says Garvey, “it’s nice to have this item checked off the to-do list before the season gets too crazy.” [done]

10. Hang your outside decorations. [done]

Week 2: Wrapping and Menu Planning

1. Set up a wrapping station, and wrap gifts as you buy them. [OR you can buy a whole bunch of gift bags and tissue paper which can be recycled year after year. One particular Christmas bag has been used and re-used for 10 years now.]

2. Try to tackle half of your gift list this week. Start off by doing some online shopping on Cyber-Monday. If you don't have any extra presents from last year and no re-gifting items, pick up a few just-in-case gifts when shopping. Make sure these are wrapped first and they are tagged with a post-it note indicating what they are, so they are ready to give. Items like luxurious scented candles, a beautiful picture frame or crystal vases are best purchased after Christmas. You should have extra bottles of wine you can give to a party hostess or a neighbor who drops by with an unexpected present.

3. Shop after work, when stores are less busy. While you’re out, pick up an unframed long mirrors and a series of pillar candles. Arrange the candles atop the mirror and adorn/fill in with greenery as a simple, elegant holiday table centerpiece or accent.

4. Write and mail a third of your holiday cards. Wrap a few presents and place them under the tree.

5. Plan your Christmas day and Christmas Eve menus. Avoid repeat trips to the supermarket by writing a master grocery list. Consolidate ingredients by using the leftover Chrismas eve ham for Christmas day brunch.

6. Take stock of your pantry and baking staples. Add flour, oil, spices and such to your grocery list as needed. Purchase all the non-perishables and store them separately (with a 2nd list) so you always have an idea of what still needs to get picked up before Christmas.

7. Order the ham or turkey from your supermarket’s meat counter or specialty shop.

8. Mail gifts to out-of-town friends and family members.

9. Buy and trim your tree this weekend.

10. Drop off party dresses or outfits at the cleaners.

Week 3: Finish Shopping and Decorating

1. Finish your gift shopping and packing those to be shipped. Schedule a post office or UPS run on your calendar.

2. Mail gifts to out-of-town friends and family members.

4. Write and send your remaining holiday cards.

5. Hang inside decorations.

6. Buy and trim your tree this weekend.

7. Clean the low-traffic areas in your home.

8. Schedule time or hire help or give kids extra allowance or video game time to help with straightening out and cleaning in high traffic or common areas. Things like using wipes to clean tv's, wipe windows and window sills, are easy enough for young children.

Week 4: Clean and Prepare

1. Finish wrapping all your remaining gifts.

2. Make sure your are well-stocked with a variety of beverages & snacks for impromptu guests of any age. Don’t forget mixers and garnishes. Keep these items in a safe area and out of hungry little hands instead of the pantry.

4. Clean your low-traffic areas.

5. Give gifts to babysitters (one night’s pay), newspaper carriers (up to $30) and other helpers in your life. Put the money in a personalized greeting card.

6. Take platters and serving dishes out of storage and clean them, as needed. Place a sticky note on each, to indicate which dish it will hold, so that any helpers will immediately know which platter you need.

7. Wash and iron table linens, then set the dining room table a few days in advance (with a plastic cover over it if you have children).

8. Make a list and shop for the perishables you'll need for holiday meals.

9. Finish cleaning your home, leaving heavily trafficked rooms for last.

10. Prepare all the make-ahead dishes as far in advance as possible.

11. Accept help! “Relinquish some control in the kitchen and you’ll have the time to enjoy your family and friends,” says Colvin, who keeps a “Why Yes, You Can Help Me” tin at the ready. On Christmas Eve and then Christmas, fill it with unfinished tasks written on strips of paper. When guests offer to lend a hand, point them in the direction of the tin.

Here's wishing you all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas!

Been Missing You & Blogging

2009-11-25T00:03:00.007-05:00

I used to sing this song whenever I was asked to sing at a party. I chose this song mostly because in singing accapella I could change up the tempo and then no one would be able to sing with me.

I heart U John Waite!

2009-11-15T17:06:00.000-05:00

Its been a couple of rainy days in NYC as Ida languishes on our coast. I love this kind of weather and was happy to be able to go to the local Science Museum and put together some interesting molecular structures representing the following: animal urea, testosterone and trimethylene. My son and his playmates found it both funny and interesting when I explained in laymen's terms what animal urea was.

Afterwards we went for a snack and I had some Sprite to drink. Unbeknowst to me, my son had swished the bottle a bit before I drank it. He wanted to test a theory that a classmate had shared with him: if you shake the soda slightly and you drink it afterwards you'll burp more. Well, he's happy to report that his mother burped the longest and loudest she's ever burped in her life.

The scene was so funny everyone at our table and the next laughed. I of course was red-faced and embarrassed, and apologies only made everyone laugh harder so I just stopped. All I keep thinking is wait till you're older and have your own children... I will help them pull up the best pranks without them getting caught like you!

Payback's a bitch! I said inwardly, as I shook my head and narrowed my eyes to show my displeasure at being an unwilling experimental victim. Yep, payback's a bitch.

Two Big News Items

2009-11-02T11:21:00.001-05:00

Two Big News Items to share w/you if you don't already know:

1) American Corporate Partners is a great organization/resource for military personnel who are ending their military tours and transitioning back into civilian workforce. I'm sharing this with you so you can share it with your battalion. I've just concluded a successful relationship with a woman who not only able to transition successfully back into the workforce, but she was able to leverage her military experience to get her dream job! For more info visit: http://www.acp-usa.org/

2) After intense behind-the-scenes diplomatic activity, Karzai's opponent withdraws from run-off election and Karzai is declared winner for another 5 yr term. Those on the left are crying foul, those on the right see it as an oppty to try & bring economic/political stability to a war torn unstable country. Those stuck in the middle (the Afghan citizens) are simply trying to create a decent existence for their families, out of the challenging conditions they have to deal with.

Fun, Crazy, Busy Weekend

2009-10-31T21:12:00.001-04:00

Almost getting to the point of Total exhaustion. But I won't complain because as busy as I am, its nearly not as busy as this incredible guy. It may seem to rival his schedule but not quite. The only difference between him and I, is that his children are older and THEY HAVE TO listen to him. Try reasoning with over a hundred little kids that are super excited and hyped up on sugar on sugar and you get mission Impossible just have them sit down to eat dinner!

The party I helped organize at the Y last night was a huge success. We fed over 100 kids (and their parents) a healthy early dinner consisting of Ghoul-ash, eyes of Newt (I have no idea what that was), green worms (spinach pasta), brains and baby bats salad (sea weed salad & carrots shaped as bats). Afterwards the kids helped us decorate the incredibly delicious deserts, that were made by the parents. There were some incredible pumpkin cupcakes and zucchini bread that the kids went crazy for and decorated with gummy worms, etc. There was more fun & games after they decorated their chosen desserts and ate them. we had a costume contest in 2 categories: one for the best solo child costume, and the best parent child combination costume. Last year, when someone else hosted the party, my son and I won the parent/child costume category. I was a very short Darth Vader and my son was one of my Imperial Guards. Very cool! We won a chess/checker set and a huge bag of candy that was the envy of all the kids. The candy lasted till August of this year. Between the 3 hr prep and the 3 hr. party I was exhausted, but my night was not done yet.

I then had my first meeting with a group of member that we have formed at the Y, The group's focus is to break through our current physical barriers that has kept at a certain plateau or threshold level and has not let us create the incredible hard bodies we want. The meeting was to formalize the group, set goals, create a working format and set ground rules before our first official workout. I've been needing this type of set up for almost 10 yrs now. For me, my set back has been the lack of support & accountability. My entire life I've been involved in team sports and have worked out in a team atmosphere. From volleyball, track & gymnastics in Jr. High & High School to skiing, softball & tennis in college. So when my circle of best friends, workout buddies & cheerleading squad died on 9/11 I was left with a world shattered and torn apart, and with no clue or ability of how to move forward.

Well, this morning was our first workout. It was over 2 hours long. I did the first 75 min with one group had a 30 min break (standing and running around) and 75 min with the 2nd group. We are talking, treadmill, elliptical, spinning, stairmaster, rowing, etc., etc. My knees are feeling it now!! But I FEEL GREAT!!! One of the members of our group is a former Ranger and former personal trainer, whose a bit out of shape for the past few years while raising small kids. He's made a committment to come back into the gym and get back in shape. He had to stop 3 times for about a min each time and slow down 2 other times on the stairmaster because he couldn't keep up with me... wooohooo! Same thing with the rowing. I said nothing because I still have to get to know him to figure out when and how to coax him to finish the exercises as we had planned them. I am just excited that I did everything on our exercise plan and that we did them so well. Woohoo!

Late this afternoon, after attending a noontime parade with some other parents, my son and I went home to rest up for the next event on our schedule, another parade. Parents and kids from our neighborhood participated in a small Halloween Parade sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. There was a nice group of between 80 & 90 kids and parents, all with very unique costumes. My son, who by then was Halloweened out - just wanted to dress up comfortably in jeans and a Yankees tshirt and cap - to help me with car/crowd safety. Unlike my son, I was in the mood to dress up, and I put together a gypsy outfit, much like the one you see below. The only exception was the sleeves, which were just barely off the shoulders. After all, I am a middle-aged mom. I carried a tambourine in my hand to get the kids, parents and driver's attention, when they were inching too close to us (we had to share the road).

We walked for 3 miles in the parade and then ended at the local community center (my feet were killing me by then). There they had a free party for members of the Kiwanis Club, one of the sponsored the parade. We got to go as guests of 2 members who are trying to recruit me as a member. A live band played and there was some great snacks & appetizers donated by local restaurant merchants. It was truly a really well organized and fun event. After the party we all retreated to the home of our party hosts to rest and relax before the next and last event of the day - trick o' treating.

We kept our trick o'treating simple and went only to homes and apartments where we knew the residents. Michael, who helped escort the kids up the steps was surprised to receive candy and money. On the way home he said he was happy with the unexpected loot he got and is looking forward to using the change to buy deeply discounted Halloween candy next weekend.

We just got home, having barely beat the rain, and with our feet perched and resting, we're sitting in front of the tv (a rare thing) eagerly awaiting for the Game 3 between the Yankees/Phillies to start.

I'm looking forward to reading your posts of your own Halloween events or adventures. Hope they were fun! .

WSJ: The Sex-Housework Link

2009-10-21T00:23:00.004-04:00

In The Wall Street Journal today there's an article entitled: The Sex-Housework Link. Provocative title isn't it?

The article is reporting about a study done by two sociological scientist in which they found that the more housework you do, the more often you are likely to have sex with your spouse. Funny, that's not been my experience.

An interesting read and the stats are even more so. I'd like to have a word with both, the scientits who conducted the study and the WSJ writer.

Net Neutrality & Elections

2009-10-19T15:33:00.002-04:00

This article from the Wall Street Journal (Facebook & Twitter Join Net-Neutrality War) brings to light the camps entering the Net Neutrality fray on the FCC's proposed rules and proposed legislation. Below is FCC Chairman Genachowski's big announcement along with info on where you can learn more and where you can eventually be able to give your 2cents worth for Congress and the FCC to consider.

Yes, I know, that's 2 min of your life you will never get back, and YES it lacks details and substance despite all the anticipated angst from rumors, and all the hyperbole from business and tech sites. However, its precisely because of that hyperbole and rumor-mongering that we, as free devoted netizens of the cybersphere, need to remain vigilant of what's going on, lest our beloved gov't lose sight of "OUR" interests and succumb to the demands of lobbyists protecting their large corporate clients.

How interesting that the average Joe, or Joe the plumber for that matter, was not in present in the jam packed press room at this announcement. Nope, only reporters,lobbyists and industry execs from telco's, isp's, internet business companies, etc., were present. Which means, we (the netizens of the world) have to ensure that our interests are considered and protected when it comes to any proposed rules.

TO learn more about 'Net Neutrality' you can begin by reading the legislation and tracking its progress as it goes through Congress. If you scroll down at the Tracking link you will be able to see the latest news on it, who publicly supports and opposes the bill. I encourage you to write your local Congressional Representative directly and freely by clicking through the previous link. Let them know how you feel after reading all the material. Our Congressional Representatives do read letters and on occassion use them in their speeches to persuade their peers.

Below you will find some news articles about this from one source. I will be pulling from a few others resources soon and will post them here as I go along. In the meantime, please read what the WSJ has to say about Net-Neutrality:
Net-Neutrality in the Spotlight
Net-Neutrality Speech Draws Strong Reactions

Gotham Crushing Small Business Dreams?

2009-10-19T12:58:00.000-04:00

Apparently this article at the City Journal seems to think so. Now I understand why 20 businesses in a square mile radius of where I live have gone out of business this past year, 10 are hanging on by a thread and 16 more have only 3 to 6 months operating capital left.
I have volunteered with my local Chamber of Commerce to consult one-on-one on how these businesses can create an online presence and also market themselves and their products in order to compete more effectively in their market place. Lets hope I can help!

ALCS @ Yankee Stadium

2009-10-18T00:01:00.002-04:00

(NY Daily News)

Its game 2 and the score has been tied.since the 7th. We are now in the middle of the 11th inning. My son insisted he wanted to stay up and watch his beloved Yanks but at 9:30pm I prevailed upon a sleepy boy to go to bed and he went without protests as long as I fulfill my obligation of a play by play recount of the games's highlights. .

My son is so looking forward to Monday when I will be leaving work early to pick him up at school and watch the entire game on TV.. I'm looking forward to it too as its an opportunity for us to bond and for him to make some memories.

=====================================================================

Update: After 5 hours and 10 min, and 7 tied innings, the Yankees were finally able to score in the 13th inning on an Angels error. I will take the win however I can get it. I am just grateful the weather in Cali is in the mid 60's. It will be a nice change for them. Okay, must get sleep as I have a full schedule tomorrow. I have the Jets and Giants games to watch. : )

Lord Vader to you!

2009-10-11T23:05:00.005-04:00

This is me last year, killing time at a cafe before a meeting. Sadly, this cafe no longer exists. Its yet another casualty of the severe economic downturn we are experiencing in NYC. Too bad its closed, it was my oasis in the storms during the day at work. My great escape... the place that lured me with the promise of quiet surroundings with soothing music and a great cappuccino, such as the yummy one below.

And how did I manage to drink with a mask on, you might ask? Well, through a straw that was placed through a small hole in my mask, which I covered with black duct tape. I wore that mask all day long and even to two departmental meetings without taking it off. It brought smiles to faces and light chuckles to busy hearts and minds. Me, I had a ball the entire day.

What will I do this halloween? I really don't know. Do you have any suggestions on what I might do? .

Sports in NYC

2009-10-11T11:15:00.002-04:00

Ironic, NY has more colleges than any other city in the US. The irony is that unlike the rest of the country, we don't really have a decent college football team to support. Hell, most colleges don't even have a football team so there is nothing to cheer about during football season. Mostly, because there isn't a decent team to be found anywhere within the city limits.

So our entire sports focus & hunger goes onto our professional teams. So when players say the NY fans are the most incredible fans in the world, they're right!

Yay for the Giants, the Yanks & the Rangers!!!

Pics of NYC week of 9/20

2009-09-25T18:37:00.006-04:00

An aerial picture of sun bathers in Central Park's Sheep Meadow at noon this past week when temps reached 86F.

The reason people in NYC are always outside: the size of apts. Here's a pic of a complete studio apt from the front door.

The reason I will search far and wide for a hidden oasis in NYC, such as this place....

the oppressive crowds are sometimes just too much to handle!On this particular night it took me 20 min to walk 3 blocks to my subway stop. Is it any wonder we're everyone's favorite target?

Pics of NYC week of 9/13

2009-09-18T18:50:00.005-04:00

As I lay in bed coughing my brains out I looked through my laptop for pics I took this past summer.

I entitled this Weeds grow in Brooklyn. They were on a rooftop of a building of someone I know. Manhattan seems far away doesn't it.

A 60 yr old sign in the industrial section of town a few miles away. See, NYC isn't always about skyscrapers.

Not only do NY developers create their own pools and beaches... they create their own palm trees too. And to make it more useful and decorative they go one further... a tree with electric palms!

Went back to my Dr. 'cause I felt like crap all weekend. My doctor's office was so packed I raised the window shade to get the illusion of space in his overcrowded office. This was the view he had. No wonder the shades were down. I amused myself for the next hour by trying to decipher the variuos images.

Skaters Gather to Pay Tribute to a Legend in NYC

2009-08-18T00:19:00.003-04:00

Generations of Skaters Gather to Pay Tribute to a Legend in NYC

August 17, 2009 By COLIN MOYNIHAN - New York Times

The noise of skateboard wheels thrumming on wooden ramps echoed near the Brooklyn waterfront in Greenpoint on Saturday night, where a semisecret skating spot called the Autumn Bowl is located inside an old brick warehouse.

Photographs of the New York City skateboarding pioneer Andy Kessler decorated the walls inside the warehouse, and bouquets of roses sat on a table next to handwritten messages addressed to Mr. Kessler, who died last week at age 48 after an allergic reaction to an insect sting.

In another sort of tribute, dozens of skaters took turns whizzing around a 2,500-square-foot, 7-foot-deep birch skateboarding bowl, as a boom box blared songs by the Beastie Boys and the Who.

Among the 200 or so people who showed up to remember Mr. Kessler was Tony Alva, a champion skater from Santa Monica, Calif., who many believe epitomizes West Coast skating and who said that Mr. Kessler embodied “the spirit of New York.”

“He carried that flag higher and bolder than anyone,” Mr. Alva said as he stood in a wide alleyway next to the warehouse. “He skates with me today.”

More than 30 years of skating the homemade ramps and rutted streets of New York City left plenty of marks on Mr. Kessler, including scrapes and scars from bone-shattering collisions. And in many ways, Mr. Kessler left an equally strong impression on the city.

They called him the Godfather, and as a teenager on the Upper West Side in the 1970s he skated at places with names like the Death Bowl, an abandoned pool in the Bronx, and Suicide Hill, a steep slope near the banks of the Hudson River. He also became a member of a group of graffiti writers and skaters who called themselves the Soul Artists of Zoo York and who helped define East Coast skating.

“Andy was like the president, the king,” said an artist called Zephyr, who was part of the group.

As a teenager Mr. Kessler skated on the fringes of the city, using planks pilfered from construction sites to create makeshift ramps. Later, after wrangling with the New York City parks department, he designed and helped build one of the city’s first sanctioned skate parks, at 108th Street and Riverside Drive. It opened in the mid-1990s at a spot where he had first skated 20 years before. Other skate parks followed.

The renegade roots of that time seemed distant on Saturday morning as a handful of young skaters there signed forms that exempted the city from liability, then — wearing helmets, elbow pads and kneepads — rolled briskly along. One young skater, wearing a red helmet, paused at the mention of Mr. Kessler’s name.

“Who doesn’t know him?” asked the skater, Anthony Rojas, 11, from Washington Heights, adding that he thought the park “needs some more ramps.”

There was more talk of Mr. Kessler that evening at the Autumn Bowl, where young skaters who wanted to acknowledge his legacy gathered with longtime friends who had rolled with him as teenagers through nighttime streets. Skating luminaries from California mingled next to Mr. Kessler’s mother and sister, who had recently arrived from Florida.

“He had a wonderful heart,” said Mr. Kessler’s mother, Ruth. “If anybody ever needed anything, Andy would help them.”

But underlying that generosity, friends said, was a blunt willingness to sometimes ruffle feathers.

“We loved him for his straight-up candor,” said J. J. Veronis, 46. “That boldness was like an avenue he would open up right in front of you to follow.”

For some time Mr. Kessler traveled a path of passionate abandon, friends agreed. But after giving up drinking and drugs more than 20 years ago, he declared his dedication to others seeking sobriety, answering the phone late at night to offer counsel, or taking struggling comrades on trips away from the narcotic temptations of the city.

Sometimes, during those journeys, he would cite skating as a simile for a healthy life. And some friends extended that thought on Saturday while analyzing Mr. Kessler’s skating style. Steve Olson, a well-known skater from Los Angeles, called him “a soul skater.” Mr. Veronis, who grew up with Mr. Kessler in the 1970s, called him “the artful dodger.”

Mr. Kessler never stopped skating, but it was more or less inevitable that would he slow down somewhat as he aged. Five years ago, while skating in SoHo, Mr. Kessler wiped out. In the resulting crash, he dislocated a femur, damaged his pelvis and broke a kneecap.

More recently, he had been surfing in Montauk, N.Y., partly in an effort to spare his body further battering, friends said. Mr. Kessler was on a surfing trip there last Monday, when he received a sting from a wasp that resulted in cardiac arrest.

The news staggered friends, and they began gathering at the KCDC Skateshop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where the shop owner, Amy Gunther, planned Saturday’s memorial along with Mr. Kessler’s far-flung friends.

Common experiences emerged. For everyone he had aided within the world of skating, it seemed, there was also somebody who credited Mr. Kessler with helping him or her steer clear of drugs or alcohol.

Harry Jumonji, 41, from the Lower East Side, said on Saturday night that Mr. Kessler took him to Montauk last week to get him away from the heroin he was in the midst of quitting.

“He saved my life,” Mr. Jumonji said. “I wish I could have saved his.”

Andy's Montauk Memorial

2009-08-16T23:14:00.001-04:00

Andy was a loving person who touched the lives of many, as a result he had many really good and devoted friends. Not the kind of friends that do lip service, but the kind that would jump in to do or help on any of Andy's projects if he so much as hinted he needed help. So its no surprise to me, who knew him for over half his lifetime, that all his friends would want to do something to honor his memory.

I was unable to go out to Montauk a week ago to honor my dear friend and to finally meet some of his wonderful surfer friends, whom he loved as much as us city folks. I'm grateful that one of his Montauk buddies pointed me to a picture of the memorial (above) at Mastastico, a site authored and photographed by Mr. Lentini, another friend of Andy's. If you click through that picture you will see that the surfers had done a very unique paddle service. In this one they have joined hands and said Andy's favorite prayer.

The NY Times posted a halfway decent obituary describing his life, that would have annoyed Andy. Of course had he complained to me I would have said to him, "What do you expect, no one gets everything right these days, especially the media!"

As for the photo... Andy would have been very touched. It's an incredibly beuatiful photo that shows how much Andy was loved out there.

Friend & Skate Hero Andy Kessler Dead @ 48

2009-08-12T02:04:00.001-04:00

(Andy w/Tony Alva)

(Andy christening his design at Owl Head skate park)

I received the sad news on Tuesday from a mutual friend that my dear old friend, Andy Kessler, had passed on. My immediate reaction on the phone was: "GTF outta here... & don't kid like that!" After a long pause that was followed by a deep quivering sigh, I said: "Stop it right now! IT"S NOT FUNNY!" You see, Andy and his friends were notorious kidders and jokers. He always had me smiling and laughing.

But the silence was too heavy to ignore. I said nothing hoping it was all a big mistake. After clearing the lump in his throat several times he was finally able to tell me about Andy's last day as told to him from another friend. Details are unimportant, the facts are that after a day of glorious surfing with friends, he got stung by a wasp which caused a severe allergic reaction and ultimately a cardiac arrest.

I was stunned and in disbelief. It was my son's birthday and Andy, who had successfully convinced me that 10 was the perfect age to start skateboarding, was supposed to go and help my son pick out a skate board. He was to begin teaching him how to skateboard later that week. I couldn't wrap my head around it. "But, he was supposed to be here for my son's birthday party?" I said stupidly. Andy was nothing but very reliable and loyal. When he said he was going to be somewhere he was, come what may. My thoughts then shifted to my young son. He idolized Andy and was so looking forward to learning how to skate from one of the greatest and nicest legends on the East Coast. I chose for Andy to teach him because my knees are shot from decades of crashes and accidents from skating conditions that were crude and primitive. Being the bolder of the 2, whenever Andy didn't want to skate something I went ahead and tried it sometimes with disastrous results.

After barely saying good bye I hung up the phone still in a state of shock. "Andy... gone?" I then became angry over the time I wasted in the last 8 months healing from my last injury instead of hanging with him. I then thought far back to the start of our long friendship as teenagers skating the lower east side.

Our friendship was forged on our love of skating, music, movies & mtgs. Our birthdays were only a few days apart and my most favorite memory was our joint celebration of our 25th birthday - we're both geminis. It the main reason we got along so well. We understood each other at the soul level. I have many pictures of us together, but the pictures of the 24hr celebration of our 25th birthday are what comes to mind immediately when I think of Andy and our past together.

He was the kind of person that when he smiled it was from his heart. His smile and sense of humor were so electric they would light up a room. And his hugs? I once told him that his hugs where therapeautic and healing. You could feel his appreciation for you when he greeted you, because he filled his embraces with love.

We discovered that we both had the need... "the need for speed!" Only I eventually turned to motorcycles and skiing to satisfy that need (because my body couldn't take any more injuries). He continued with his torrid love affair with skating and moved on to surfing to give his own body a break. Still, he was nothing but loyal and passionate to his main love - skateboarding.

Andy, I cherished you. I will miss your beautiful heartwarming smile, your warm caring spirit and your loving hugs. Thank you for enriching my life and that of so many others. The NY skate scene will never be the same, and neither will Central Park or Riverside.

BTW, God's not sending you back this time because your work here with us is done. So enjoy rippin it in heaven with no worries!

High Line Park

2009-06-27T22:33:00.006-04:00

New York City's newest park which is still under development - High Line Park. It used to be an elevated freight train rail system which has been abandoned now for over 40 years. For info about the park or events taking place there, please visit their website.

In the summer it will be a great place to hide away from the hot steamy streets below, as the elevation of the park walkway is several flights above street level and provide a natural breeze from the Hudson River.

Please stop by, visit and enjoy the incredible wild landscape. If you can imagine what it would look like, as you walk alongside abandoned railway tracks, its very similar with one big difference, the weeds and wildflowers are contained and planted with a specific horticultural framework, which volunteer residents helped develop.

Bella Luna

2009-06-08T23:10:00.000-04:00

Missing Summer Wishing it were here.

2009-06-01T23:04:00.000-04:00

I think if I lived in a rural area I wouldn't miss it as much because I would be amused by spring flowers. There has been a bit of too much cold damp weather and my knees don't like it, so they long for warmth.

Most excitement I've had in weeks!

2009-05-28T21:05:00.001-04:00

To Service Members & Their Families

2009-05-24T00:12:00.004-04:00

Having lots of project related things on my mind and unable to sleep. I turn to You Tube for some right brain creative input and some interesting music. You tube never disappoints. Tonight’s gem is perfect, as I have a couple of big projects coming up in support of Service Members and their families – in particular the little ones. Now I’m smiling, feeling better and finally sleepy. Enjoy the music!

Sleepless in NY

2009-05-20T19:58:00.002-04:00

Been working on many projects, some which are global, and I was so tired as I headed downtown to a meeting that I fell asleep on the train and wound up in Brooklyn. Now there's nothing for me to do there but go across the platform and come back. I almost started to fall asleep again, but when I noticed I decided to stand up instead. That way I was sure not to wind up in the Bronx.

Just 5 more weeks of this and all my projects are over. Yay! Then I can sleep till noon, if I want to.

Lighthouse Challenge

2009-05-15T23:49:00.003-04:00

Here's something I used to do years ago and wish I had time for now: The "Lighthouse Challenge." If you visit 10 Long Island lighthouses (pictured above is the Long Beach Bar Lighthouse at Peconic Bay) this Saturday at your own pace, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., you'll receive a commemorative souvenir at the end of the journey. Individual lighthouse fees apply. For info call 631-661-4876, or visit: http://lilighthousesociety.org

Tough day to be a New Yorker

2009-04-27T18:59:00.012-04:00

Um, lets see... the Private high school with 40+ reported cases of Swine Flu is less than 3 miles from my home. Its prime tourists season here in the city and we are overrun with Senior Class Trips that are just starting to make their impact on the sidewalk. I can only try dodging people left and right in order to get to meetings w/clients and colleagues on time, all the while trying to look cool and professional in 90F temps while wearing a wool blend suit and high heals.

As I'm dashing about in Lower Manhattan, trying to talk to my son's teacher on my cellphone, I suddenly hear the roars of jet engines above me and a silhoutte of an all to familiar shadow on the sidewalk. As I look overhead I freeze. I'm unable to utter a sound, while others manage to scream. My son's teacher, who is oblivious to what's happening,continues talking and has just informed me that a classmate's of my son has just returned from vacationing in Mexico. Her words trail off as I look up at the sky and see the jet approach a tall building a few blocks away. I hold my breath, unable to move, as others run amock around me. We are all wondering how can this be happening again.

As the plane starts to climb and move away from our skyline and heads towards New Jersey, I begin to breath and look around to see others frozen in place, many are crying. A pregnant woman has slumped down onto the sidewalk clutching her womb with both hands. Some are New Yorkers, but others... the tourists, who can't fathom the possibilities, ask to no one in particular, but loud enough hoping someone will know the answer and can reassure them: "Are they supposed to fly that low?", "Is this how planes fly into NYC?", "I thought they're not supposed to fly that close anymore?" Everyone else, the New Yorkers, those of us who remember remain either silent while others wail and cry, waiting to see if the plane will turn around and come back for another with a better aim.

My anger competes with the painful memory of that painful event 8 years ago. It was the same kind of warm day. It was the same beautiful clear blue sky, which you could see for miles. Suddenly, I'm back there again.... Years erased in single moment in which the sound of jet engines flying close overhead forces me to struggle and make sense of things in a split second. Fighting back tears, I focus on evaluating the situation... am I in imminent danger? Are others? What course of action should I take first. Flashes of that day of long ago crowd my mind and vision. The unmistakable smell of jet fuel is seared in my brain signaling danger. As I come back to reality I see the jet has not returned and instead is flying towards Newark. My safety does not bring relief for there are many people in NJ that I care about and whose loss would cut deep...yet again. My phone chirps letting me know that our building, who was just buzzed by the airliner, has been evacuated and we are told to stay away. I begin the slow walk up towards midtown rather than take the subway. I figured I have better chance of survival above ground than inside or under.

[Five hours later]
Memo to the White House Staff: You are just a bunch of F*#%ing Idiots!

I just want 5 friekin minutes alone in a room, with the A$$ that made the decision. That's it, just 5 minutes and no interruption.

Historic Staten Island

2009-04-18T21:41:00.003-04:00

I'm exhausted after a day of exploring a number of historic sites in Staten Island. In the morning we explored the Conference House, seen above, best known for the meeting which took place between Ben Franklin, John Adams and Edward Rutledge, representatives of the Independence Movement, and Lord Admiral Howe, representative of King George's Colonial Government. During their meeting which took place on September 11, 1776, both parties met to try and find a quick end to the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, any attempts to reach a peace agreement was rejected by both sides and the Revolutionary War continued for another 5 years. The vibes in that entire place and was awesome. One could almost feel the military presence and revolutionary spirit of the past come alive.

The remainder of the afternoon was spent at the Village of Historic Richmond Town. The village is a collection of 28 landmarked buildings dating between 1670 and 1907 which are still fully functional according to the time periods they were constructed in. Its funny because at one point during the tour I had to go to the bathroom and asked if there were facilities anywhere nearby and they explained that all the outhouse were not open yet as it was still too cold to have them running properly. I then was told that at the end of our tour I would be able to use the bathroom in the museum which was also the general store as they had modern facilities there, such as electricity and running water (how quaint!).

For the remainder of the week I'll be posting pictures of my visit to the Village of Historic Richmond. For today the above picture will have to do.

Moon and NYC

2009-04-12T00:21:00.003-04:00

Today was another busy day in the life of ME. However, I managed to slow down just enough to drop in at the Museum of Natural History to take my son and his 2 young buds to walk through a few exhibits in the biodiversity pavilion. We then headed to my favorite space in the place, the gem and mineral area, where they were able to roam and play secret agent. I gave them tasks such as find a rock that has crystals inside that are purple and thin and jut out from the rock like spears and tell me what the name on its plaque; or find a Tourmaline mineral and come back to me and describe what it looks like. Thus I spent 2 fun hours in my favorite place with 2 six year olds and a 9 yr old. It was a great way to spend an afternoon that was a true adventure for them.

Afterwards, we relaxed at Starbucks; me with my latte, the kids feeling very grown up with their kid's hot chocolate, while I people-watched and eaves-dropped on the conversation of 3 precocious boys recounting their adventures and the best part of their day. It was truly great fun!

Greek yogurt & Museum nudes

2009-04-06T13:41:00.008-04:00

This is my new addiction... this delicious yogurt that is. The pills? They're just my vitamins. You see I've been eating very badly (from the floor vending machine) on the go and my body & tummy have been suffering as a result; so today I decided I needed a little culture with my city life. See, you don't have to live in Nebraska to miss out on culture.

Still, yogurt is about the only place I've been getting my culture these past few weeks. But there's hope on the horizon. Instead of lunch meetings this week and next, I've convinced my clients meet me at museums next week. I've promised to then leaving them there to browse freely the rest of the afternoon while I head back to work. At least that way I get to walk through the collections on the way in and (if I choose a different exit) on the way out.

Tomorrow I've got an appt with a client I've only briefly met twice. We're meeting in front of the Morgan Museum at 2:30pm. He requested a personal tour of several galleries. Since my firm is a major contributor to this museum, rather than guiding him myself, I've arranged for a private guide to give us some gallery highlights of what he's most interested in seeing. I did a virtual tour earlier today in order to make sure we steer clear of the nudes as we talk, so the conversation will be focused and won't go anywhere other than business. I'm really looking forward to going to this museum as I've not been there in over a decade and many improvements have been made to the building and their collection.

Hopefully, if all goes according to plan, I'll be getting my culture elsewhere in the next 2 weeks. No worries though, because if all else fails, I'll be taking virtual tours after Easter of the Vatican Museums and the Louvre. That's where I've decided to spend my evenings, on a mini-virtual European vacation of sorts. Care to join me? I'll gladly discuss any painters, paintings and/or period or style afterwards.

Either way, may you find peace and joy this holiday!

Too busy to post

2009-04-02T16:18:00.003-04:00

See my desk, and the printouts of my busy calendar for the next 2 weeks? See one of the project description summaries which is 15 pages long. I highlight only the parts that involve me so I can figure out how much time I have to dedicate to this particular project. I stopped to take pics midway because I was going cross-eyed & batty)!

See the document w/the official seal? That's the Official 55 pg summary of the NYS Budget that was recently approved by legislators (which is actually several thousand pages long). There's that work, then there's those lovely standing teleconferences I have to participate in to discuss the impact of upcoming items to clients the world over... Oh joy!

When I'm done with all that, I then have to somehow find time to read, analyze & synthesize the longer version of the NYS Budget for my bosses; all while finding time to work on my current projects. How do I ever fit it all in?

In my parental role I have the following exciting deadlines I have to keep an eye on:

April 12 - Team Science Fair Experiment Conducted
April 18 - All Day visit to the Colonial Farm in Staten Island NY
April 19 - Final Meeting of Science Fair Team Re: Experiment Results
April 20 - Report on Life in Colonial Times (1700 - 1790) 5 typed pages
April 25 - National Science Scholars Test - for scholarship awards
April 30 - Standardized Science State Test
May 1st - Science Fair Project Due
May 7th - Science Fair Powerpoint presentation before Science Fair Judges (I kid you not! Yes, he is only 9; and yes he's in 4th grade!)

Then there's my personal daily/weekly goals of exercise, meditation, yoga, and my creative pursuits (writing), which are essential to me living a stress free and spiritual life. Yes, as of late its become a true balancing act of grace and courage to see what gets done, what's delayed and what becomes a wishful temporary fantasy for the moment. Sigh!

Still, I amaze myself by somehow managing to keep my 20 balls in the air, and rarely but deliberately, only dropping one or 2 at a time out of necessity in order to ensure that the others stay aloft.

My gratitude for the skills that I've been blessed with are boundless! So I hope you know, that though I don't visit you in your digital home, that it does NOT mean: "Outta Sight, Outta Mind!" It just means that I'm meeting with you on a super-conscious spiritual level where I pray for your happiness & well-being as I think of you and smile.

I pray you remain well! Peace, Love & Light!

2009-03-01T21:09:00.001-05:00

In preparation to attend a Middle-East conference I immersed myself in something other than geo-politics for the sake of being able to shift the focus to something more aesthetically pleasing and enjoyable. Something that will appeal to my right brain and will be a wonderful diversion if things become politically tense. I love Rumi's poems and so as an amateur poet I have begun to study them in-depth and decided to share the most scholarly (and passionate) ones here. Enjoy!

~ Looking For Your Face ~ by Rumi

From the beginning of my life
I have been looking for your face
but today I have seen it

Today I have seen
the charm, the beauty,
the unfathomable grace
of the face
that I was looking for

Today I have found you
and those who laughed
and scorned me yesterday
are sorry that they were not looking
as I did

I am bewildered by the magnificence
of your beauty
and wish to see you
with a hundred eyes

My heart has burned with passion
and has searched forever
for this wondrous beauty
that I now behold

I am ashamed
to call this love human
and afraid of God
to call it divine

Your fragrant breath
like the morning breeze
has come to the stillness of the garden
You have breathed new life into me
I have become your sunshine
and also your shadow

My soul is screaming in ecstacy
Every fiber of my being
is in love with you

Your efflugence
has lit a fire in my heart
for me
the earth and sky

My arrow of love
has arrived at the target
I am in the house of mercy
and my heart
is a place of prayer

~Poem by Rumi; Translation by Farsi scholar Fereydoun Kia

~ My Burning Heart's Bittersweetness ~

2009-02-15T14:26:00.005-05:00

A belated Valentine's Day gift for all those who are Lover's of Life!

Poems by Rumi; Translated by Deepak Chopra; Reading by Chopra & Madonna

~ My Burning Heart ~
My heart is burning with love
All can see this flame
My heart is pulsing with passion
like waves on an ocean

My friends have become strangers
and I’m surrounded by enemies
But I’m free as the wind
no longer hurt by those who reproach me

I’m at home wherever I am
And in the room of lovers
I can see with closed eyes
the beauty that dances

Behind the veils
intoxicated with love
I too dance the rhythm
of this moving world
I have lost my senses
in my world of lovers

~ Bittersweet ~
In my hallucination
I saw my beloved's flower garden
In my vertigo, in my dizziness
In my drunken haze
Whirling and dancing like a spinning wheel

I saw myself as the source of existence
I was there in the beginning
And I was the spirit of love
Now I am sober
There is only the hangover
And the memory of love
And only the sorrow

I yearn for happiness
I ask for help
I want mercy
And my love says:

Look at me and hear me
Because I am here
Just for that

I am your moon and your moonlight too
I am your flower garden and your water too
I have come all this way, eager for you
Without shoes or shawl

I want you to laugh
To kill all your worries
To love you
To nourish you

Oh sweet bitterness
I will soothe you and heal you
I will bring you roses
I, too, have been covered with thorns

~ Intoxicated by Love ~
Because of your love
I have lost my sobriety
I am intoxicated
by the madness of love

In this fog
I have become a stranger to myself
I'm so drunk
I've lost the way to my house

In the garden
I see only your face
From trees and blossoms
I inhale only your fragrance

Drunk with the ecstasy of love
I can no longer tell the difference
between drunkard and drink
Between lover and Beloved

A FREE New Year's Gift for You

2009-01-10T09:44:00.007-05:00

Happy NEW YEAR!!!! [blowing horns and rattling noise makers] and because its a brand new Year I decided to give you a little something something as a sort of gift to help you increase your wealth or at least help you position yourself in a better place financially for 2009. A place where you will be in control of your financial destiny (like me) and where whatever happens to the market doesn't matter much because you will or have discovered that not only are you in control of your financial fate but YOU HAVE OPTIONS... lots of options. And I'm not talking about a specific investment vehicle... I'm talking about choices that will free you not only financially but also emotionally and spiritually. So my gift to you is a resource to enable your Financial Freedom!!!

One of my favorite things is reading, and this past year there was a lively conversation on money and personal finance habits on my blog, so I thought, why not give those who visit some of the same freedom I have, or at the very least a way to move from fear to comfort and ultimately self-control and confidence. Well, to that end I decided to point those who want to receive to a wonderful resource book, which helped me become financially stable and debt free years ago.

Here you will find an excellent Personal Finance book that's being recommended by many top financial advisers as 2009's must read finance book... and the gift part is that you can download it for FREE! I don't mention the book's author by name because I don't want some ninny lawyer coming at me with all sorts of stipulations on copyright infringement, saying I must display this or that, so click through to find out more details and to skim through the book!

I skimmed the book after 2 top Financial Advisers recommended it to clients I know, and it looks to be an excellent resource for these times. I especially like her suggestions about continuing to invest in a down market (unlike fearful people who sell all their investments and wind up damaging their financial future).

People normally have a tendency to undervalue things that are free. Don't make that mistake with this book.

This year, I'm going to encourage everyone to take time out to seek out and treasure what's of value in their life by making strategic investments in that area. If its relationships how are you going to help it grow this year?

As for me, I didn't write much in December because early on I slipped on some ice and tore the meniscus in my right knee. As a result, I was laid up, first in hospital then in bed, for a number of weeks. I'm finally ambulatory, YAY!, but have been told I need surgery :( Problem is I'm too bloody busy right now to have surgery. My son is going on Middle School interviews, taking test for placements and scholarships, taking state and federal tests in different subject matters and dealing with lots and lots of homework as part of the mix. And as always, this single-mom has chosen to invest equal time in developing my son's spiritual life, amidst his academic demands, as I invest in my own spiritual development. The payoff? He's a happy, well-balanced, fun and very loving kid that makes me smile and laugh on a daily basis.

For the time being, I'm walking around on either crutches or a cane, depending on the weather and the pain. So I won't be writing as much in the near term, but my goal is to aim for at least once a month to keep you up to speed with life's developments. We'll see where this journey takes us. TTFN!

I'm late, I'm late

2008-12-01T12:40:00.004-05:00

for a very important date!
Its Santa's visit,
whose plans I must revisit
making sure orders are explicit
otherwise sadness will abound
from all the wee ones that surround.

No time to think,
no time to write,
no respite is in sight!

Must work & get busy
all without a tizzy,
making sweet dreams
come true.

I must make haste
No time to waste
to make sweet dreams
come true.

So now I bid
a quick Adieu!
Merry Christmas to all
And to all a goodnight!

okay, I just composed that on the fly this very minute. If I don't visit your blogs please know that I wish you all a wondrous, happy, peaceful holiday, and if possible may it be full of joy!

J-E-T-S ... Jets! Jets! Jets!

2008-11-13T23:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry, the pic is blurry because I was jumping up & down from joy! Cappy, this is for you. Heh, heh!

Astro Forecast/Warning

2008-11-07T11:09:00.004-05:00

I'm ornery today! I've encountered too many people who have been down right rude and offensive towards me. Yes, this is a total deviation from my usual very-happy-go-lucky self. It could also be the added stress from managing the office move for several depts. within our division, which has fallen on my shoulders since the firm's recent down-sizing. Ironically, after this morning's final "Move mtg." a co-worker sent me this:

This particular astrological period should come with a mandatory warning label to be worn by you until the effects have passed. What might that label read? For your own safety, avoid annoying me -- and if you do, hide scissors and knives before you run.

Oh so true for today! Don't poke me 'cause I'll definitely poke you back!

Early Birds in NYC... get their worm

2008-11-06T14:14:00.004-05:00

This is a line of voters at 7:00am at my old polling place in Greenwich Village where I used to live. It was taken by a former neighbor and he and I were both in disbelief at the line: half-way down the block and around the corner. That is unheard of.

I'm still in shock over the numbers and "tsunami" of blue not only in Congress, but across State Houses around the country. In NY State for the first time in over 100 years that we have Democrats in control of the NYC Council, State Assembly, State Senate and Governship. I shudder in fear of what this will mean. Already our Mayor has announced job cuts, budget cuts and and elimination of tax cuts and a 7% increase in both property and income tax. Gov. Paterson will convene a special session of the Assembly and Senate on Nov. 18th to do the same.

During the last legislative session they explored what the impact a 7 to 9% income tax increase would do to the state's budget. They put off voting on increasing taxes because of the impending election. Let's face it, who likes to be taxed?

T-7 days & counting

2008-10-28T15:26:00.002-04:00

We're Moving on Nov 7th.

MY BACK IS KILLING ME from packing, sorting and discarding!!! I'm moving offices yet again! I shouldn't complain, 'cause I'm not moving to far, within the same bldg. And I'm grateful... at least I still have a job.

Memo to the Undecided Voter

2008-10-27T12:30:00.004-04:00

Newsweek recently asked NYC Mayor, Mike Bloomberg, to share his thoughts on what the President-elect should focus on starting November 4th. What Bloomberg produced was a memorandum full of issues and ideas that Newsweek has published in their November 3rd issue.

In reading the memo I thought to myself "This is precisely the reason I'm really glad Bloomberg will be able to run for a 3rd term as Mayor. He has an understanding and a vision of where this city and our nation need to go. I'd like to see Speaker Christine Quinn's and Borough President Markowits vision for our city and nation. Which leads me to ask: Do they even have one?

In reading the memo I also thought it was a great guideline for undecided voters to use in figuring out who to vote for and who is best qualified to achieve the most items on that memo.

I hope you read it and ponder on its contents!

Day at the Museum

2008-10-23T09:50:00.001-04:00

The American Museum Of Natural History.

Teacher's political buttons are a NO-NO!

2008-10-21T15:20:00.004-04:00

The United Federation of Teachers spent lots of money on taking the Klein, the NYC Public Schools Chancellor, to court when he reminded teachers [like the one above], of the NYC Public School policy that no political propaganda like buttons are to be worn/displayed during school hours and activities.

Well, "U.S. District Judge, Lewis Kaplan, said the school policy of banning campaign buttons seemed to reflect a good faith judgment by the Board of Education about the impact of the buttons on students." |USAToday|

Of Course UFT President, Randi Weingarten, is not happy about this development and is planning to pursue litigation possibly all the way to the Supreme Court. She said she was glad, however, that the judge ruled the Union could at least use teacher's mailboxes and Union bulletin boards to distribute political material.

Wait... isn't this the same Union that fought in court 2 elections ago for the right not to have union dues money used for public political campaigning such as ads? Oh I see Randi, so long as the union money goes to your candidate you're ok with union money paying for political buttons and posters.

Christmas planning

2008-10-12T14:10:00.002-04:00

I'm planning to once again give a gift of life and hope... I'm going to give a someone a kid! I do it every year. Diane Lane recently did the same; watch and see what I mean.

Watch CBS Videos Online

My son's 3rd shot @dinner

2008-10-08T20:28:00.000-04:00

Warren Buffet on the State of our Economy

2008-10-02T13:14:00.001-04:00

Why Rescue is needed/Who's also to blame

2008-09-30T17:56:00.006-04:00

Please watch the first 3 minutes of the first video below so you'll understand the impact of this crisis on you. Then watch the info on who's also to blame for this mess. When you're done, contact you're congressional representative and let them know how you feel. Check out the list to see how your Representative voted, then tell them how you want them to vote. Currently representatives are receiving letters of 20 to 1 running against the bailout. I'm a fiscal conservative who absolutely hates the idea of a bailout, but the truth is, we've done nothing till now, and after last night's bailouts by European countries of large European banks, its obvious that doing nothing is no longer an option that works.

We need to stem the fiscal hemorrhaging before there's a global economic collapse. Sovereign weatlth funds (foreign goverments who invest their money in the US) have begun to pull their money out of the US stock market and out of American banks during the last week. If we don't bring confidence and faith back to our banking system, we can lose more than our retirements, we will eventually lose our jobs. The real truth is, our Government does not have enough money left to help you or me to bail us out. Think about that if you decide to do nothing.

If you want to make an informed decision before contacting your Congressional Representative, then check out the draft language of the bailout legislation.

In Need of a Break...

2008-09-27T17:27:00.003-04:00

Because I'm in desperate need of a break from the crisis of faith and trust that prevails in our society today, I will be heading North tomorrow to attend Fort Tryon's Medieval Festival. The woman featured above is one of the children's wenches. She entertains them with music, songs and stories.

I, on the other hand, will be searching for a deserving handsome Knight to feature in tomorrow's post. You all enjoy your weekend.

Transfer of Power

2008-09-23T18:39:00.001-04:00

The deed is done! The Lehman logo has been taken down and instead in a luminescent agua blue we see the words Barclays Capital sprawled the building. All of this leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

Victory is never satisfactory when you overpower a moribund opponent.

Like Vultures...

2008-09-15T14:31:00.003-04:00

circling a still standing moribund carcass, eagerly waiting for it to collapse, that's what the press is like outside Lehman's doors. Though I work for a competitor only a block or so away, my heart goes out to my colleagues' in this industry who are now facing finanical uncertainty with no prospect of a decent retirement, being that many investment banks require their employees to tie their 401K & other retirment accounts into company stock.

Tommorrow we will be holding a prayer vigil not only for those who are homeless in Texas from Hurricane Ike but for the 16,000 who just lost their jobs at Lehman and the 18,000 who lost their jobs at Bear Sterns and those who might lose their jobs at AIG. Won't you join me?

LOOK WHAT I FOUND

2008-09-14T10:54:00.003-04:00

LOOK WHAT I FOUND.

Time Does Not Heal All Wounds

2008-09-11T10:51:00.006-04:00

There Will Be No Peace
~ by W. H. Auden ~

Though mild clear weather
Smile again on the shire of your esteem
And its colours come back, the storm has changed you:
You will not forget, ever,
The darkness blotting out hope, the gale
Prophesying your downfall.

You must live with your knowledge.
Way back, beyond, outside of you are others,
In moonless absences you never heard of,
Who have certainly heard of you,
Beings of unknown number and gender:
And they do not like you.

What have you done to them?
Nothing? Nothing is not an answer:
You will come to believe - how can you help it? -
That you did, you did do something;
You will find yourself wishing you could make them laugh,
You will long for their friendship.

There will be no peace.
Fight back, then, with such courage as you have
And every unchivalrous dodge you know of,
Clear in your conscience on this:
Their cause, if they had one, is nothing to them now;
They hate for hate's sake.

It's been a long time

2008-09-04T22:34:00.011-04:00

Your result for Which DragonLance Character Are You?...

Coryn

You're Coryn, a White Robe who developed her considerably powerful magic at an extraordinarily young age. Ambitious and talented, you pursue your dreams relentlessly and never settle for second best. You're also a mage of Solinari! You put others before yourself and strive to make the world a better place for everyone. You use your magic to serve others, and to promote peace and understanding. Though you abhor violence, you're brave and unafraid to stand up for what you believe in. People might accuse you of being too idealistic, but you disagree with that sentiment and continue to devoutly believe that, with enough effort, you can change the world for the better.

Noteworthy White Robes in DragonLance include: Palin Majere, Par-Salian, Coryn Brinefolk, and Dunbar Mastermate.
Take Which DragonLance Character Are You? at HelloQuizzy

Wow, this is an amazing coincidence, Coryn was my nickname in my early years of college.

Its been a long time since I took and posted a quiz and since I played video games. I'm too busy engaging in Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh! battles. Thanks to my Dungeon and Dragons Wizard training I have been successful in doing battle agaist nefarious Pokemon creatures that pop up from no where to challenge me.

[HT: RSM - for inspiring me to take this quiz.]

~ Evanescence ~

2008-08-11T23:57:00.001-04:00

Been busy! Can you tell? Anywho, a bit of music, for those of you NOT watching the olympics and straying here. I'm watching as I sit my derriere on my comfy couch nursing a knee injury. I'll be okay, just no dancing for me for awhile. That is unless I want to dance on just one foot.

Oh, and many thanks for stopping by and commenting.

Going Under

2008-08-02T23:34:00.000-04:00

This is where I'll be this weekend

2008-07-01T14:05:00.006-04:00

I've not taken any time off in a very long time. In fact, I still have over 6 vacation days left from last year. That and my lack of entries should give you an idea on how busy I've been. I did go to a yankee game 2 weekends ago. My son was over the moon that day, since I finally ended my boycott against Steinbrenner, so he could visit the stadium before its torn down in October. It rained and we were one of the few crazy people who sat in a monsoon-like downpour for over 20 min in our rain ponchos waiting for the game to restart. As we sat there my son complained almost the entire time. I told him that he complained so much he had shown me he still was not ready for camping.

Thinking silently about what I said, he asked, "what will it take for me to be ready?" I quickly told him, "dealing with all kinds of challenges and weather without a word of complaint. Consider this entire weekend coming up a major test. If you can get through it without complaining, maybe we'll go camping with you by September." We'll see what happens.

I'm really looking forward to this long weekend. I have a friend coming into town, whom I've not seen in years and we're going to hang out and watch the fireworks somewhere along the water's edge. My son is so excited he's talked of nothing else. He's never seen them because he's fallen asleep early and I've gone home to put him to bed.

My son started camp on Monday and has been happier than a pig in a trough! He started looking forward and talking of nothing but camp and watching the fireworks since mid-June. As far as urban day camps go, the YMCA runs the best day camps in NYC - bar none! How I wish they had entire weekend away camps for families at their campgrounds in the Catskills.

Hmmmmm, I think I'm going to suggest it to the directors. Something for families to do in late September when campers no longer use the cabins. If not I can always visit the wilds and natives of Georgia. I understand that in some places the natives are not housebroken. But I must go now. I have no time to contemplate vacations or outings. So I leave you with this lovely picture. But where's the fleet?

George, R U down there screaming up at us?

2008-06-23T13:26:00.007-04:00

My mother often told stories of my first love. She told of me being a toddler and kissing the tv set whenever this man was performing on tv. As I grew older, I bought his albums and memorized some of his routines. It seems I have always loved him. I even declared my love for him on my old defunct blog and here. He was instrumental in my own post 9/11 recovery. I'm grateful we have youtube so that I'm able to visit with him whenever I want to.

You will be missed but never, ever forgotten. Instead, I hope you will always be "down there screaming up at us". I didn't always agree with you or your witty cynicism, but I have always thought you were humorously brilliant and wonderful.

I will miss you!
OXOXOXOXO

Advertising on subways reaches new heights

2008-06-02T11:54:00.003-04:00

They now have ads on the ceilings! Reminds me of a scene from Bladerunner. Sorry no pics of food today. I haven't had breakfast. Enjoy ur day.

Sunday dinner on Saturday

2008-05-31T19:38:00.003-04:00

Went to the farmer's market today and bought a ton of fresh everything, including all the items on this plate. As I was walking around and taking in the smells I began to think about all the wonderful meals I could create. Can you guess what dish this is?

From cutting and cleaning, to simmering and tossing it took me 3hrs. A testament to my culinary skills is that my son, who said after staring at the contents of this plate, "There's no way I'm going to eat that?" ¬After taking 2 bites, as is the house rule before rejecting any food, who said, "hey, this is good... this is really, really good!" And he didn't stop eating till there was a little bump on his stomach from cleaning everything off this 10" plate you see here.

Yes, it was yumm.

Beauty Amid Stress

2008-05-30T21:00:00.001-04:00

Its finally consistently 60F here which means a late start to spring. Of course, I've been working such long days the weather hasn't mattered. But finally, there's something pretty to luck at. Still waiting on muscle shirts though. Bare skin definitely always puts a smile on my face. Hey, why should guys have all the fun!

Hoping your weekend is grand!

Beautiful Central Park

2008-05-25T20:26:00.001-04:00

Was glorious today & teeming with people. My son & I went on a playdate with a friend of his & his mom & we all had a great time. We r now all beat.

We are looking foward to a great summer.

Brunch

2008-05-23T11:25:00.001-04:00

Very busy morning after a slew of busy days! This has been & will be the only time I get to eat today and the only food remaining at my desk is cereal. All my nuts, meal bars, fruit, and crackers are gone. So it was cereal or wait till 4:00pm to eat. Well, hunger & the cereal won out.

gotta go I have 4min to eat my cereal & get to my next mtg.

Spending the days

2008-05-18T22:05:00.002-04:00

coughing unproductively until my lungs and ribs hurt. Then I discovered this miracle product to help clear my lungs without hacking up half of one. This stuff really works!

Only one side effect, you excrete an interesting scent of chemicals through your pores after taking these tablets for a day or so. A homeopathic counselor, who's also a friend of mind suggested I eat lots of garlic. Its cheaper and does the same thing. Hmmm, the question now is, would I rather reek of garlic or chemicals at work?

I think I'll stick with what's working for now. I'll try garlic next time. It's definitely keep germy people away from me, so I won't get sick in the first place! Damn humans!

This time of year

2008-05-03T09:46:00.004-04:00

is not an easy time for me. In the past week its been a time of reflection and sadness. My wonderful Mother in Law (who was to be an ex-in-law in the coming months); and was more of a loving mother to me than any in-law would be, she past away 9 days ago. A few days before that it was the 1 yr anniversary of my father's passing, and a few days before that it was my long time best friend's birthday (he died on 9/11).

So, for the past 2 weeks I've been dealing with grief while being the stoic, keeping a brave face while handling memorial rituals. In tidying up yesterday I came across the mother's day gift I had bought for my mother in law and just began balling. It was the cathartic cry I needed to be on the road to healing.

So while I heal I'll give you pretty picture to look at of where I grew up. I'm so in need of hanging out at the beach. I pray the cold temps give way to a few days of hot warm sunshine 'cause when it does I'm taking off from work, grabbing my son and building enough sandcastles to last me a life time.

I'll be back when my spirits improve.

Woke up... got outta bed...

2008-04-14T21:11:00.000-04:00

And I swore it was Thursday. Thank goodness my son was clued in and told me it was only Tuesday, but me I was extremely disappointed. All the work I did the Sunday night through Monday made it seem as if I had worked almost an entire week. Now I've got 3 more days to go. As my son says, "Not Fair!"

I guess I'll live. When life slows down that is.

Stand Still

2008-04-06T21:11:00.003-04:00

Stand still. The trees ahead and bushes beside you
Are not lost. Wherever you are is called Here,
And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,
Must ask permission to know it and be known.
The forest breathes. Listen. It answers,
I have made this place around you.
If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.
No two trees are the same to Raven.
No two branches are the same to Wren.
If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,
You are surely lost. Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.

~ by David Wagoner

One of 2 Men I Love

2008-04-02T22:17:00.000-04:00

Mixing Business with Homework

2008-03-31T20:30:00.007-04:00

Every opportunity I get, especially when I have my son with me on business trips, I try to find time to teach him something new or interesting. Yesterday afternoon we began working on a persuasive essay he has to write for school, called “Why You Should Visit India.”

Well, he was struggling with it bigtime. The worst part was that he was expending so much energy on complaining, that it was getting a tad annoying. I shared with him that if complained less and thought more, he might come up with an idea or two. He finally gave in and asked me, "how do you write an interesting persuasive essay, when all you know about a country is from a page in a half in a book."

Grinning, somewhat evilly, I said to him, "Well Sherlock, it seems to me that you need some emergency cultural immersion." So I decided it would be a night out for dinner at Little India. We went early to the restaurant so he would have time to look around and ask questions of the staff. As soon as we walked in they had a medium scale replica of the goddess Saraswati.

As I explained to my son, she is the Hindu godess of learning, wisdom and the creative arts and explained her relationship to her believers. When my son asked how I knew so much, I explained, "‘cause she’s the one I talk to or blame when I have writer’s block."

When we walked inside, the rich colors of deep red and gold, which framed the murals of hindu gods and goddesses on the walls, captivated his attention. As we walked in I asked for a seat in the back (far away from the naked goddesses) so that this wouldn’t turn into a lesson on anatomy. When I explained to the waiter that it was my son’s first time eating Indian food, and we wanted to order only appetizers for dinner, he was kind enough to offer us an appetizer special. The food was brought out on a traditional thali dish. I chose the papadum bread because I knew my son would love the taste and texture. “Besides” I told him, "doesn’t it look like a giant tortilla chip?” Yep, by making fun of food I can usually get a kid to eat anything, even brussel sprouts.

Aside from these lovely items we had a few samosas and pakoras, which are my favorites. These lovely dishes were followed by more favorites which my son also loved: a mango Lhassi (which is really a homemade yogurt mango shake) and Gulab Jamun, which is a dessert made of reduced milk balls served in rose-flavored sugar syrup and sprinkled with a few cardamom seeds.

Afterwards we walked around Little India and went into a few shops: a jewelry store, a sari dress shop, a music/dvd store and an Indian market. At the jewelry store we got to see a beautiful young Indian woman trying on wedding jewelry like the one below. My son was mesmerized and I had to explain that he was just fascinated with how beautiful she looked with the jewelry. At the sari store we saw a woman being fitted for a sari (she was twirling about, as her lower body was being wrapped by the fabric). Earlier tonight we watched a few scenes of Bride and Predjudice, a british-bombay, bollywood-style movie that uses Jane Austen’s book, Pride and Prejudice as its story line. If you watch the 2 min clip below you’ll understand how much fun these types of movies can be. What can I say, some people read trashy novels, I watch trashy films like these.

Okay folks, that concludes today’s lesson on India. There's a quiz next Monday.

High Flying in Albany

2008-03-30T16:26:00.001-04:00

As you can see, not a human in sight. That's part of the reason I love it here. My son loves it because he can skip, run & jump to his heart's content without bumping into anyone. One of the interns lent him a scooter earlier in the day so he's been zipping about doing errands like delivering messages between cubicles on it.

Yesterday during the afternoon work session one of the interns showed my son how to make a kite (see the entry below). They used things that were lying around in the offices outside the conference room we were in. It's a sorta Charlie Brown looking thing, but to my son and I its the most beautiful kite ever. This morning we took that cute little kite for its maiden flight and I was really surprised that it could fly. It was in the low 20's around 8am and we were out there in the cold for about 45min. till the wind died down. Still, it didn't curb our enthusiasm. Tomorrow its supposed to snow and he still wants to go out there and fly the kite. A possible drawback, Monday everyone returns to Albany, so it will be populated and busy. Stay tuned for more adventures.

Homemade Kite

2008-03-29T19:28:00.000-04:00

This is what my son did today while I was in meetings. I had asked one of the interns if he wouldn't mind working on a project like this and emailed him the link & info of where to go for instructions.

This kite was made completely from items in the recycle bins. Well, with the exception of using magic markers to pretty it up. I had fun watching them make it through the glass panel window in the conference room. It made the day go by faster.

Busy @ State Capitol

2008-03-28T14:27:00.001-04:00

That's why you guys haven't read or heard from me lately. Lots of wrangling and maneuvering in meetings before the state budget is finalized. We (and by we I mean the average citizen and the greater business community) were shocked when late Thursday night we heard that all the parties involved (in this case the majority of Dems) abandoned Spitzer's and our new Governor's pledge of containing costs, not increasing spending and not imposing new taxes or fees. Well, the new Gov. kept his word for all of a week and a half.

Final tally (so far) a budget increase of 4.5%! YES, 4.5%!!! As it stands we have the largest budget in the country. Now with dwindling revenue and a large jump in the unemployment rate (as a result of the thousands of layoffs of workers in the financial, housing and mortgage industries) how on earth can a government consciously think they can increase services, pork projects and support raises for legislators and judges at this time. You have got to be joking!

Ah, wait, they're doing this the old fashioned way, and copying from the current congressional playbook... they're borrowing money and letting our kids worry about it tomorrow. This pisses me off!

Well, I'm glad I got that out of my system before my next round of meetings with staffers this afternoon. They're the only people who always stay to work here on weekends when everyone else goes home. The thing I like most about Albany on the weekends is its a ghost town. Its very quiet and you can get a great table at a good restaurant without waiting. You can also walk about town without meeting up with a single soul for hours. The picture above is from this morning just outside the Harriman Campus. The other nice thing is its a small city. You can easily get from one side of town to the other in about 35 min. All in all a very civilized place.

Okay, back to work for this little serf girl. More pictures soon.

CPK in Winter

2008-03-21T13:53:00.000-04:00

There have been a couple of mild days this March and I for one have been grateful. Still I can't complain because Central Park looks beautiful even in winter.

Eagle over NYC

2008-03-20T13:49:00.000-04:00

Here's a picture I took with a borrowed camera this past fall. Its amazing how time flies. I promised myself I would post it before the year was out, but time just escaped me.

Mad Science

2008-03-13T00:20:00.002-04:00

This is my son's science fair project which I'm working on right now. We finished everything 10 days early, plenty of time to measure, cut & paste everything.

Unfortunately, sudden events (Spitzer Scandal, Wall St issues and Mtg crisis) in NYC made a busy time @ work exceedingly crazy, preventing me from doing the pasting till now. Just finished the layout & now will proceed to pasting!

NY Gov Linked to Prostitution Ring

2008-03-10T15:07:00.006-04:00

NY Sun broke the news this AM. NY Times confirmed it and in view of his non-denial apology, he's simply waiting to find out more about the indictment before he maps out a strategy and sees what support he can muster before he takes a stand and responds to the public.

With a 30% approval rating, and very little support in Albany, I think his resignation will be in a matter of days. And its de facto he can kiss his re-election bid in 2010 good bye.

But what most constituents really want to know, before they profess any forgiveness, is where the money from Client #9 came from and if any taxpayer money was involved. There's rumors circling that yes, it came from State accounts, however that would really be the epitome of hubris and stupidity combined.

Times Square Army Recruiting Station Bombed

2008-03-06T09:34:00.005-05:00

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR DETAILS. (picture from NY Post)

Lipstick Building

2008-03-03T22:57:00.003-05:00

This beautiful building is located on the east side of Manhattan. For almost a year I worked in an office where the windows faced this unusual building. When it was constructed, my coworkers and I tried to find a suitable nickname for it. One day, as I put my lipstick tube on my desk and searched for a mirror, I looked up and realized it closely resembled a lipstick tube. I shared it with my office mate and she agreed. I've called it the Lipstick building since then. I went past it today and couldn't help but take it's picture.

The USS New York - A Fitting Tribute

2008-02-22T20:04:00.007-05:00

The USS New York was built with 24 tons of twisted scrap steel from the remains of the World Trade Center.

It is the fifth in a new class of warship - designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft.

The twisted steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite, LA to cast the ship's bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept. 9, 2003, 'those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,' recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. 'It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.'

Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the 'hair on my neck stood up.' 'It had a big meaning to it for all of us,' he said. 'They knocked us down. They can't keep us down. We're going to be back.'

The ship's motto?
'Never Forget'

The christening of the USS New York will take place on Saturday, March 1st, 2008 at 10:00am. You can watch the live webcast of the ship's christening from its Louisiana port where its berthed (and where it survived Katrina) from the the Northrop-Grumman's website.

Pleases visit The History Channel, to view a 6 min. video history of the origin and building of this incredible ship.

Its a comfort to know that my friends ashes serve a higher purpose at last. This is one ship I will definitely be visiting when it comes to NYC for Fleet week.

My Life Vision/ Dream/ Success Journal

2008-02-13T17:32:00.007-05:00

Happy Valentines Day! I hope you’re all having a good day. I’ve had a truly wonderful loved filled day so far. My son woke me up with a huge hug and kiss on the cheek. He was excited because he was having 2 parties today. I walked into work to find voicemail and email messages from every single one of my ex-boyfriends throughout my lifetime. That was so thoughtful and sweet of them. I received a cupcake from a single co-worker who was feeling rather depressed over the impending day so I bought her a card and some flowers yesterday. After lunch, one of my co-workers gave me a beautiful art postcard he got for free at an art exhibit he went to, its so pretty I posted it right away on my cube wall. He was grateful for the chocolate almond Hershey kisses I brought in to work for everyone to share. See, in sharing the gift of love, I received love back ten-fold.

Yes, its been a very good day. At this moment I’m very happy but exhausted! I've been working on something in bits and pieces in my spare time for awhile and it’s finally starting to come to fruition. Now that the first phase is finished I can share some of it with you all. It’s my life/dream/vision/success journal.

This all started when I took a class last summer that had me think about my bucket list [see post below and link to an earlier post]. During that class I was asked a question, which I’ve modified for myself: “What would you do /create/be, if you knew you couldn't fail?” Well, that question led me to aspire to amazing dreams and create some incredible visions for my life- such as moving to Virginia someday, meeting the kind of people I want to have in my life, and planning the kinds of things I want for my son and myself in the future, etc.. Well, so it could be even more powerful, and I could remain focused on my goals I put them all it in the form of a mini visionary collage, which you see in the first above:

The picture shows the inside cover of my Life Vision/Dream/Success Journal/binder. This is an unusual journal in that I'm going to check-in and track my progress and any challenges (including writing about how I overcame them) in this Success Journal in order to ensure that I achieve my dreams and goals.

At the center is me (in a hideous, ill-fitting bridesmaid dress) with my incredibly wonderful best friend whom I miss greatly. The reason this picture is there is because I want to invite more wonderful friendships like hers into my life. Just above my head is a fan of money, signifying all the money making ideas I will generate from my writing, to my photography, to other entrepreneurial efforts. Above the money is the business card which I designed for my consulting business which I know will take off soon.

Above the business card is my very first major dress design, for which I received a fashion award (which eventually became my wedding dress; actually, that’s me modeling the dress in 4” heels during the competition). I eventually sold that dress at a very hefty profit on ebay. To the right of the dress are deep red tea roses (I love flowers) which signifies nurturing and caring for nature (I want to have a fruit, vegetable and flower garden again some day). To the left of the dress are the words "I love you". This is to remind myself there are several types of love, of which the most important is self-love. In loving myself I am making myself whole and complete and enough, any outside love I receive is gravy. Yes, sometimes I forget in my various roles to take care of myself and this reminds me that in spite of my imperfections, God, the Universe, and everything in it, loves me and the woman I am trying to be.

Back to the center of the collage and to the right of me is a woman in a Pilates pose. Doing Pilates is a major challenge for me because my knees are still weak from my accident last year. It’s a weakness that I hope to overcome by the end of this year – hence its’s here as a goal! Rosie the Riveter is to the left with her encouraging message of "We Can Do It! Reminding me that I’m not alone in anything I do. If I have challenging moments I can reach out to others and get their love and support to continue on.

Below Rosie is a portion of my favorite Modigliani painting, one which I love very much and hope to own someday, even if its in replica. It’s meant to inspire my own creativity in either the visual arts or in writing . Below the Modigliani is the house I would like to live in some day in Virginia, I envision horses nearby. Pretty is it not? And to the right of that is the trip of the lifetime – destination Europe. In pencil, and not visible to you, are the words "writing my book series" as I hope to also do someday. There’s lots more incredible pictures, in the different tabbed sections of the journal, of my wonderful dreams which will keep me inspired and smiling for a very long time.

BTW, inside I created tab sections [see pic at end] with goals and action steps typed out and pasted onto the page, so that I could keep track of the actions I need to take and there I can write any additional steps I need to take or things I need to consider in circumventing obstacles or even ideas I get and how I'll handle them. For instance, in my financial section my financial mentor might throw out a nuget (an idea) which I'll need to capture and process, this is where it'll go. Before it was scattered in slips of paper I collected in a folder. Not a very effective reminder as I didn't carry the folder with me and I couldn't review it at progress check-in time. This journal will go with me everywhere!

Hmmmm, could this in and of itself be a book in the making? Imagine: me helping people create their own success journal. Wadda ya think? Is there potential here?

Let me know what you guys think!

Pondering... The Bucket List

2008-02-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

Over at Pondering Jean and some of her readers are commenting about "The Bucket List". I love Morgan Freeman's talent since he was on the Electric Company, so I'll be seeing it when it comes out on DVD. Unfortunately, I've been without a sitter since mid-fall and have been too busy to go through the process of finding a new one. No regrets though, as the time has been well spent enjoying my son's company. I do miss going to the gym though, taking me time, or just sitting in a cafe or walking about the city taking pictures (hence the infrequent postings).

However, I wrote about my own bucket lists here, and how this past summer, I was challenged to dream even bigger dreams. You know what happened as a result, I did great in the planning and a bit poor in the execution. What happened? Funny, that's what my instructor asked me in a follow-up email this past week. You see I accomplished all the little piddly things that I had on my list. But the big, monumental, pie in the sky dreams, that he dared me to dream.... well, I finally had to admit I'm afraid of going after them and achieving them. Not because I'm afraid of failing, but because I'm afraid of succeeding and the impact that change will do to my life. I think those big, monumental, pie in the sky dreams, that I dared too dream were things that were at the moment great visions of one type of life I wouldn't mind living.

The truth is, now that my schedule is back to normal and I'm off caffeine and meditating more... well, those dreams are not the pie in the sky dreams, I'd dream today. Lucky for me, my soul knew the truth all along, better than I did. Still I'm grateful, and peaceful and happy... for today!

Sooooo, what's on your Bucket List?

Remiss

2008-02-09T00:11:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've been remiss in posting a pretty NYC picture. Its been a couple of months. Shame on me! So here it is, a pretty picture that I took on a mild day in January while crossing by ferry!

Rats... Happy New Year!

2008-02-07T00:05:00.000-05:00

Almost forgot! Yes, its time to celebrate the start of 4706 otherwise known as the Year of the Rat. The Rat, in chinese astrology symbolizes prosperity even amidst adversity. And given the current market conditions we could all use prosperity.

So what do I wish for you all this year, aside from great prosperity? Well, a healty and happy life of course. And just in time for Valentines too!

For the Undecided - AKA Slackers!

2008-02-05T13:44:00.000-05:00

I CANNOT believe it. I've been talking to a number of people today, sending out email and txt messages, reminding my fellow conservatives and those democratic slackers I know, how important it is for all to vote. And they all say the same thing: "I don't know who to vote for since my candidate dropped out."

"WHAT????" I was speechless.

I believe that if we had supported our chosen candidates more (financially and legistically) they wouldn't have dropped out to begin with. But that's a rant for another day. In order to help those lazy bastards who don't know who to vote for, or even where to begin looking for info, here's some non-partisan links to help you start. And for Pete's sake, do vote, lest we wind up with an awful choice and you won't have anyone to blame but yourself!

Vote411 (sponsored by the League of Women Voters)
SmartVoter

This is

2008-02-03T22:11:00.001-05:00

What happens when you win the old fashioned way... By playing hard & not cheating!

Guess what I'm having for lunch

2008-01-31T13:56:00.001-05:00

I'll give you only one hint... Its all vegetarian.

Its a Soup Kinda Day

2008-01-25T12:35:00.000-05:00

Weather.com says it feels like 20, colder than it was when I left home this morning. Hmmm! I felt very cold when I left this morning so I guess I'm going to be even colder when I go out to the corner to get lunch from the Soup Nazi. :(

Too bad, 'cause last night watching PBS I got hungry for delicacies from Russ & Daughters. Its too cold to hop on the subway and go downthere. I guess I've gotta put on my coat, and settle for standing on the Soup Nazi's long line and see what he's got left.

Be Happy... Always!

2008-01-16T20:20:00.000-05:00

"Feel Happy Now" is a new book by one of my favorite authors and life gurus. I'm going to be picking up a copy this weekend and I encourage you to pick a copy as soon as possible, for any of your cranky loved ones. If not for your benefit then definitely for theirs!

As some of you know, last year was a tough one for me. Just as I was finishing up my last cycle of chemo treaments my dad died. Five months later my step-dad died. All these challenges left me adrift, anchorless and searching for meaning, direction and joy of life. It was during that time that I came across Michael Neill's website, geniuscatalyst.com.

As a result of my daily visits to his site and putting into practice his wonderful tips and exercises from his books, I was able to accomplish in the last 4 months the goals I've been struggling to achieve for the past 3 years. His simple, logical, uncomplicated approach to life and achieving our goals, made it easy for me to make some incredible changes in my life. How did he do this, by helping me become aware of what my challenges/obstacles were and showing me how I was putting them in my own way. This awareness helped me not only to identify what I do wrong, but also how I can remove these stumbling blocks, so I can achieve my goals and succeed at life. In looking back at the last quarter of '07 I'm amazed at all that I accomplished through his online guidance in just 4 months!

Michael is the best-selling author of "Effortless Success" and "You Can Have What You Want". You can listen to excerpts of "Effortless Success" here, and see for yourself what an incredible coach he is and how you can begin living fearlessly.

In his latest book "Feel Happy Now", Michael shares with us the steps for cultivating happiness in our daily lives. Through his shared experience and examples, he shows us that no matter what our present day circumstances we can create a life for ourselves that has meaning and is a profoundly happy one. In this book he shares with readers tips, exercises and examples on how to go about creating your own personal happiness. To read an excerpt visit here and see for yourselves what I mean.

So why am I pushing this book? Truthfully, because I'm sick of reading and hearing really insignifican complaints from people who have an abundance of things and wonderful relationships in their lives and yet all they manage to do is focus on and find the negative and complain about their challenges! I call these people Life-Whiners and while some of them produce interesting and sometimes funny posts, the truth is that level of negativity is toxic, because it teaches everyone around them (especially children) how to focus on the problems in their lives instead of focusing on what can make them happy... always.

So yes, I am encouraging all of you to buy this book for those negative people in your life, in the hopes of sharing a positive solution to what seems to me to be a national problem. A problem that if not addressed will only get worse by infecting our future generations with negative thoughts, by raising a nation of complainers.

If you know of someone who isn't living the happy life they deserve, then this is definitely the right book to give them!

Lunch Anyone?

2008-01-16T14:59:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's the price for an average decent lunch in NYC. Is it any wonder why NYC is the Pizza capitol of the world? At $2.00 a slice, Pizza is a decent lunch, that's good for you, and inexpensive. Oh and Graduate students live off it for bare minimum survival.

My 'To Read & Respond pile'

2008-01-15T17:10:00.001-05:00

Yes, that stack under the purple folder is to read & do pile, orr what affectionately call is my "do-do pile".

& I'm so busy I still don't know who's ahead in Michigan today. Though a quick call or trip to the bathroom with my cell would fix that. That's the only place where I'm not followed & I get to have "me" time for a few minutes.

I do get the strangest looks when I walk out of a stall after my phone has gone off during vibrate mode. At times I feel like saying "ahhh, that was good" with a smile. Gotta keeo the starched blouses guessing! :-D

My cool office 4the day

2008-01-14T10:45:00.000-05:00

My floor lost power & we all had to scurry to find alternate space to work from. I'm in this space till 11am. Next location Starbucks and after that possibly Olive Garden.

Why these unusual places? Free Wifi! I'll keep u posted.

In need of Green

2008-01-07T13:50:00.000-05:00

There's too much greyness about. From sidewalks, to tall skyscrapers, all the way to the heavens there's been nothing but grey these last few days. All of which has made me want greenery about all the more! So I finally pulled out my xmas pics and found one that brought me back to a balmy quiet moment at the NY Botanical Gardens near the orchid hot house, which brought back wonderful memories of this year's holiday.

I just love having lots of fun pics stored on my cell to fill up time during boring meetings. My cell really doesn't do the sculpure or the setting justice, but it's better than nothing. Its been my only green moment in the last 2 weeks and it will have to hold me till I return to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden's or D.C [for the spring blossom activity).

I just made the executive decision of not taking down my tree until next sunday because I want green plants and trees all around me still! I'm not ready to give in to winter just yet.

Busy?

2008-01-04T13:35:00.000-05:00

Cause I certainly am and will continue to be throught mid-February! Have a looksee at what's going to keep me busy:

Caucus/Primary Calendar
January 2008
5th Wyoming caucuses – R
8th New Hampshire primaries
15th Michigan primaries
19th Nevada & South Carolina - R caucuses
26th South Carolina - D
29th Florida primaries

February 2008
3rd Maine caucuses - R
5th SUPER TUESDAY – 24 causes or primaries in the following states:
Alabama primaries
Alaska caucuses
Arizona primaries
Arkansas primaries
California primaries
Colorado caucuses
Connecticut primaries
Delaware primaries
Georgia primaries
Idaho caucuses - D
Illinois primaries
Kansas caucuses - D
Massachusetts primaries
Minnesota caucuses
Missouri primaries
Montana caucuses - R
New Jersey primaries
New Mexico primary - D
New York primaries
North Dakota caucuses
Oklahoma primaries
Tennessee primaries
Utah primaries
West Virginia caucuses - R

Happy Interactive New Year!!!!

2007-12-31T05:45:00.000-05:00

For those wishing to share there New Year's wishes with the world here's your chance. The Times Square Alliance (TSA) will post your own wish on TSA's site which hosts a global digital wishing wall.

As for me, I have happy, healthy, prosperous, love-filled New Year's wishes to all who visit here! This is a picture of what celebrants can expect (of course those in these spots usually arrive between noon and 2pm) New Year's Eve. [I hope they have a big bladder 'cause there ain't no bathroom and if you leave to go you're not allowed to come back.} I on the other hand will be having fun elsewhere. Have not decided what interesting adventure I will embark on. I've been invited to a number of parties. But I'll let you all know what I did in a day or so. Right now I'm fried! Its almost 6:00am and I've pulled an all-nighter at work for an important presentation, so I wonder what state I'll be in tonight.

Well Happy New Year to you, and to all a good night/day!

A Wealthier You for 2008

2007-12-28T14:35:00.000-05:00

In planning my financial goals for the year ahead I had to review all my expenses for the past 12 months and all possible revenue streams for the same period.

I also included several financial surprises which I recently received. One of them was a notice that my maintenance charges for my apartment were going up by $60.00/mo starting Jan 1st.

Another envelope I opened told me the outstanding balance remaining, after the paltry medical insurance payment, for my son's surgery was deemed insufficient and I was responsible for the remainder of the balance of two thousand dollars. That, coupled with higher cost of living on food (up 7%), cleaners (up 5%), utilities (up 11%) and take out restaurants (up 15%), created a considerable increase in my living expenses for this last quarter in 2007. Unfortunately, the news of a wonderful raise (to begin in January), did not completely offset all of these increases. So what's a girl to do but to seriously scrutinize her budget, re-examine her financial goals and see what can be restructured so that I can live within or below my means, while replenishing my emergency fund and savings, and ensuring that I not take on any new debt! Ambitious goals I know, but if I managed to completely eliminate all my debt while managing a household, I can achieve my Personal Finance goals for this year. The question that remained was how to do it painlessly.

I seriously pondered this as I sipped my Decaf Grande Vanilla Latte from Starbucks. As I sat there sipping I realized that last year I had cut my coffee consumption in half and managed to save with just that one action $600/year. I realized that if I cut my Starbucks consumption completely (and instead consumed only the free coffee and tea at my office), that single act alone would cover in it's entirety the maintenance increase I had just recieved. As I lovingly stared at my cheery Starbucks cup, I asked myself if I was finally ready to go cold turkey and emancipate myself from my long held latte addiction? As if mocking my resolve, the delicioius contents of my cup wafted in my direction, taunting me. I wondered: Could I really let go of this beloved elixir, which infused such a vital chemical lifeforce within me daily?

Well, the answer had to be yes! And to support that decision I decided to begin making that change in early December. Lo and behold, here it is 3 weeks later and I've done it! I managed to kick the Starbucks habit and have only gone out for coffee when someone else has treated. I have now also acquired a taste for hot chocolate, premium and herbal teas, all which are provided gratis/free by my employer! I LOVE FREE!!!

The next high priced item in my budget was the cleaners and utilities. I cook a lot so that could not be changed. 2 years ago I began a campaign to cut electricity and in the first year I reduced it by goal of 12%. After seeing the 11% increase in my bill I decided to implement a few more drastic measures (which I'll report in another post in a month or so) which I'm hoping will offset that increase.

As for my dry cleaning bill, the culprits are my dress shirts, wool sweaters and suits, all which I wear to work. My weekly dry cleaning bill is on average $50/wk or $200/month. So I took to the net and discovered some ideas on how to save on dry cleaning expnses on everthing from wool sweaters, down coats and comforters to my suits! Yahoo! Yes, it involves me doing some hand wash and other things like washing woolens separately and then air drying the items in my apartment, but the annual savings for this is expected to be almost $800. So there goes another way I can offset the majority of the remaining cost of living increases easily.

My goals also had to follow my self-investment goal of increasing by small annual amounts my savings fund and my son's college savings fund. To help with that I plan on brown bagging my lunches to work 2x week (a savings of $20 per week and eating breakfast at home during the work week (or bringing it in with me) which saves me another $20/week for a total weekly savings of $40, half of which will go to the above goals and the other half is to go towards the family's vacation fund. We have picked the location and dates and know exactly what it involves financially.

So, to help you with any of your financial concerns, or if you're planning on setting financial goals or resolutions of your own, here's a place you can visit for a truck load of ideas and inspiration: The Carnival of Financial Resolutions

Update: If you're a parent concerned about your children's financial awareness or values, then readingthis post by Father sez is a must. And please don't miss his 8 year old - Ain's Personal Finance goals for 2008.

Here's to a more prosperous you in 2008!

Straight No Chaser - a MUSt see

2007-12-26T00:49:00.000-05:00

I wonder if this is what its like to have ADHD as an adult?

Hope it was merry for all of you!

Inside Santa's Workshop

2007-12-22T22:48:00.000-05:00

Once inside Santa's workshop we got to watch the elves in action by walking along the toy conveyor belt as you see here.

North Pole Arrival

2007-12-22T22:40:00.000-05:00

Our arrival at the North Pole was uneventful. It seems that the locals were prepared for us and were trying hard to make some extra cash by selling things in their spare time.

This enterprising young penguin sold fish-pops after his shift was over at the local toy assembly plant.

Journey 2 Santa

2007-12-21T21:03:00.000-05:00

We went through the enchanted forest in order to take an express train to see Santa at the North Pole.

Here we are at the start of our Journey. More pics later

A Lord & Taylor Holiday Window

2007-12-17T22:34:00.001-05:00

I took this picture on my way back from a meeting. I just love the\holidays! Don't you?