Adios Amigos!

I haven't posted since mid May, and very little in the past few months. Why? Well, I'll tell you why. At work most blogs have been blocked. Although I can still read Blogger posts, I cannot publish my own or comment on any one else's. During my time off work, I have been spending precious little time at my computer. Between running and having a reasonably active social life, there really hasn't been much time to post.

I'm also moving from Hoboken, NJ to Spanish Harlem (AKA East Harlem, AKA SpaHa, AKA El Barrio) in Manhattan. Top right picture is my building, just above Global Link Art Gallery (I live in the back of the building).

"Why," you might ask, "would he move to New York City when Hoboken is so clean?" The picture at the bottom right is one reason. The red X at near the top of the map is where I'll live. The red dot in Midtown is where I work. The red box in the East Village (Alphabet City) is where I drink. Everything is close to the 6 train. No more PATH! Woo-hoo!!

Yes, I never have to leave the island again, except when I visit friends in Brooklyn. But that's not so bad. Jersey, however, you can have. I'm done with it.

OK, back to the blogging thing.

New York is a wonderland of post-worthy anecdotes, but by the time I get to a computer in order to write about anything, the interest I had in the moment is lost. Possibly in the winter months it will be too cold to be outside, so I may pick it up again. Don't know yet. But for now, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish.

The Shrub in the Park Disrupts Exercise

Tuesday evening, my friend and running coach, Jon, accompanied me to Central Park so we could have a nice run around the Reservoir. There’s a 1.58 mile track along the bank of the Reservoir where runners become counter clockwise traffic around the water. Our plan was to walk to the park, have our run, then walk back before the sun set. When we got to the park, the 85th street transverse and the road to the east of the Reservoir was blocked by barriers and uniformed officers.

Dubya had been in Harlem at a charter school beating a dead horse, so my run was delayed by his motorcade. After waiting a good 15 minutes to half an hour for him to pass, I considered flipping off his limo, but the men looking out of the back of the black SUV’s and pointing automatic rifles at the crowd kind of changed my mind about that action.

When we finally ran, I kept a slow pace in order to make sure I could run an entire lap, but also to watch the pretty women pass me. While last week I ran an assumed mile to mile and a half, it wasn’t continuous running. I had to walk a couple of times during the run. My run last night, however, I was able to complete without stopping or walking. Although I realize that for a runner, a mere 1.58 miles isn’t much, but I’ve just started this and I’m very pleased with myself.

Hopefully within a couple of weeks I’ll be able to make it around twice.

Missed It By That Much!

Friday night, long after happy hour, I stumbled into the L station at 1St Ave/14th St, to overwhelming applause. The entire 8th Ave-bound side were facing the Brooklyn-bound platform cheering and clapping. So I knew this had nothing to do with my entrance. I looked across to the opposite side and saw that a full platform of spectators were standing on other side of a long-haired man who was bowing to the kudos of several dozen people. Without an instrument, or anything else I could see as his tool for entertaining, he bowed as many continued to crowd around him.

Within half a minute of my arrival in the middle of the 8th Ave platform, my train arrive and I boarded. I have no idea what the man had done, and I've been curious ever since. I've never seen "street" performers receive accolades as amazing as this, but I have no idea how to find out what I missed.

Coming Soon!

I'm getting excited!

On February 10th, an update in New York's American Museum of Natural History will open. As soon as it does, I'm going to try to see it, and I'll be sure to give my review on the displays.

What could possibly get me so excited? The exhibit is called the Anne and Bernard Spitzer Hall of Human Origins, and looks to be the most up to date public display of human evolution yet. With all of the new information available currently, as well as all of the recent schoolroom battles over the teaching of Creationism, I would encourage anyone who will be in New York to visit the museum if only to see this exhibit.

Of course, here I go assuming it's going to be great without even seeing it!

Marathon Memories

Here's a picture of me (top left in cool shades) and a bunch of the nut cases... er, amazing people I worked with at the marathon in the heart of NY's Central Park. The clear bags behind us (picture top right) were full of the belongings of marathoners who would arrive exhausted and confused, needing assistance reuniting with their belongings. It was fun, rewarding and maddening at the same time. I'd like to do it again next year.

This picture shows only a small portion of the tireless individuals who worked hard to make the marathon a success. These orange-clad people were part of the New York Road Runners Foundation and Team For Kids groups who work provide opportunities for kids in poorer public schools in NYC. I had a great time working with them, and I'll have to say goodbye this week. It has been a short time, but I'll miss them.

Thanks for the jacket!

New York City Marathon

I'm proud to say that I'll be a staff member of the ING New York City Marathon this year. I'm going to try to get my friend, Jon, to get a picture of my official badge and jacket for a little proof, but I'm really thrilled to be a part of it... even though it means being ready to work at 5 AM in the morning this Sunday... and missing a killer party with Columbia University students on Saturday. Oh well. The lovely ladies will just have to catch me the next time.

Lessons of the City

In August I learned my first lesson of living in (or nearly in) New York City. I got on the wrong bus. It was evening, around sundown, and I grabbed the M8 Crosstown bus off of the Christopher Street PATH stop. Unfortunately, I took East when I wanted West. After I got on I thought, "Well, it will come around the corner and head back East in a few minutes." Just as the thought bubble with elipses were read in my cartoon panel, the bus driver announced, "Last stop, you have to get off." So there on West St., stranded with a transfer ticket and a map of where the hell he was supposed to be going, was the classic newbie.

What a way I found to make my entrance into the population. The store fronts were all boarded up and grafittied, and I waited for what seemed like 20 minutes (but was probably 19) for my ride to arrive. I knew eyes were watching me with curiousity. One individual walked past, stopped, waited behind me, walked past and returned, so I put my hand firmly on my pepper spray just in case. He eventually moved on (dot org) and I relaxed. Soon the bus came and I landed at happy hour in Alphabet City only 10 minutes late. My lesson: Know Which Carriage You Want.

Tonight I learned another important lesson: Carry An Umbrella, Doofus!

I left home this morning for a successful interview (more on that later) under warm, sunny skies. After a trip to the AMNH, I returned home for a 15 minute nap and back to the pavement to go to my night job. I thought it was supposed to rain today, but I must have been mistaken because the weather was fantastic. It could be the last short-sleeve day, so I wasn't about to run half a block back home when I remembered I didn't have an umbrella.

Tonight when I left work, the smell of rain in the air covered the smell of garbage in the street. The sidewalk was damp of a recent sprinkle, and the overcast sky forbode something I did not want to believe. By the time I exited the PATH station in Hoboken, the downpour kept most riders under the cover of the stairway awning. I felt brave however, and walked into the wet.

After about 30 seconds my clothes were soaked to the skin and my skin was soaked to the bone. Another half minute and my bones were soaked to my ability to blame anyone but myself. I knew I was an idiot for leaving my bumpershoot at home.

It took only a three block walk to get to a CVS to buy an umbrella, but the $15 price was far higher than the Manhattan street price of $3. Nothing like being desperate. For a 20 minute walk in the rain, an hour's pay was worth keeping the rain off.

Now at home I have a collection of 4 umbrellas, which I plan to hook over every door in my apartment should I forget again. I just hope a lesson learned is not a lesson forgotten. Or at least that I'm in Manhattan near a street vendor if it rains instead of Hoboken.