Back In The Borough

Party in the Borough

2008-11-12T10:52:00.005-05:00

Hey there. Well here is a quick review of the Annual Ruby's End of Season Party. I will post some pics from it later. The problem is that I post 'em up to Facebook, then forget about it. The blogger photo upload sucks.
The end of season thing there is all the more special knowing that this may be the last real end of season party, as next year may be the closing forever party. I know we've been saying that for years, and with the current economic downturn and everything, it may be several years yet before that parcel of land is actually vacated and prepared for "renovation".
Michael says that they don't have a lease for next year, and won't know until December if they are going to get one (oh I'm pretty sure they will), but if it ends up they don't there could be a pretty huge pre-season party - before Diane (?) (one of Ruby's daughters, can't remember her name) takes everything offf the walls and transports it to her private residence on the jersey shore. I think we should get an injunction to prohibit her to do so, and use all of it as part of a Ruby's that stays under the new plan (I'm a dreamer). If you go to www.imagineconey.org you see they had a charette (holy shit who knew they still did that kind of thing!! awesome!!) and you can submit idears and stuff for Coney. I think I'm submitting a tribute to all things old and dingy - I think having a bar on the beach, where a kind of rag tag history of the area is plastered on the walls would be amazing.

It's funny there were people there that I know only online, and I wasn't sure (like Lola Staar) if it was them or not, so I just hung out (with a friend) and had the most lovely sunday afternoon , drinking beer - people watching- listening to the guys play guitar - having some free barbeque and generally just being chill. The thing I love most about Coney in the off season (meaning after Labor day) is that there are few people, the pace just seems to wind down - and since none of the rides are open - you got it....no children YEAH!!!!!! Though I did want to do my hairstyle pictures from that crazy photo booth at Deno's - but you know it's just much better when it's not all ages. 21 and over please!!!

I'm not going to complain about the 20 people who online said they would come, but didn't even bother to call or post me a note saying they couldn't make it. Oh, yeah that is complaining about it, well I'm back to this again. I know this is beating a dead horse, but why do people feel compelled to RSVP yes, and then not bother to show up? If I'm doubtful I say no. Unless I get sick, in which case I will email or do something to let people know that I'm not going to be there. Fucking people.

Back to the topic (I get so off topic) the beach season is officially over, sweaters and coats and hats are in. see you next year oh great ocean!!

As the weather has been turning cooler, I've spent a few Sundays in The Green Wood. I've found my Autumnal habitat, the place to go where there are no people - well only dead ones. I think I may go again if it snows this year. I just love photographing it, the angels and statues make fabulous models and the landscape is sublime with rolling hills and sculptures. I'm also on a mission to photograph places I've never been in The Borough- Like Ft. Hamilton - which has amazing views of the Verrazano and other places... and out of The Borough: The Unisphere...you know I've never been there during daylight. I was thinking also about how capturing street scenes in neioghborhoods also becomes a point in time reference - looking at pictures of my neighborhood in the 70's really shows you how much it has changed. fascinating.

It's been a bit hectic, which is why I haven't written ( I know you're sitting on the edge of your seat all the time waiting for me to spout and wax poetic about The Borough). I have been busy with my own personal issues (yes yes anger management is one of them..along with a host of others). The hectic nature of life in NYC and in The Borough - I'm not sure how I ever kept up with it before (is that just age speaking?). I've decided to give up not drinking. Things were less hectic and more fun when I was drinking alot, I think I'll try that again. I learned my lesson about alcohol - don't drink too much all the time - but don't stop completely or your tolerance is fucked.

I know I said I was going to write up stories and document things before my brain cells completely eradicate my past entirely. I started, and then moved onto a painting I'm working on, watched some movies, went for a walk, did some laundry and forgot all about it. It's on my to-do list, I just have no completion date set. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Leaky Faucet In The Borough

2008-10-17T11:35:00.002-04:00

No, there is no plumbing mystery to be solved, I get bored with trying to come up with catchy In The Borough titles. I guess I could stop and just call these posts something else, but I'm like a dog with a bone. Once I got it - it must be that way. I could say that I just feel like a drip..so there..there's your friggin freakin' frakkin' connection.

I was going on last time about the social networking thing. Now I'm at the point where I'm finding out that people I know know each other - through incredibly random ways. I think I've got 2 degrees of separation from the world. Or as my friend Heather said "There ARE only 2,000 people in the world and I've met them all".

It's fascinating to me how all in-person discussion are invariably turning to the phenomenon - especially for the newbees. Most of the time I gotta tell you, I find it quite uninteresting. Most people who know me well, know that telling me about your marital status and breeding status is of very little interest to me - I mean it's great, if you're happy and you like it - kudos to you. Just don't expect me to congratulate you on doing what monkeys have been doing for thousands of years (not the marriage part, the breeding part). I really wish people would tell me about what they are doing - how are you contributing to society at large (and no breeding doesn't count), what are your passions - hobbies - where have you been? what life lessons are helping you to evolve your view of the world. what do you dream about?... These are the questions that I find more interesting. But I guess you have to get through the trivial first before people are willing to expose their inner selves. Mnay people, I'm finding have no inner selves. They dion't even have jobs - they sit around and do fuck all.

So what has The Borough had goin on in the last month...welll I guess not a whole hell of a lot. Holidays, family get togethers...very sad my brother and his wife lost a cat this week. She was only 12 and died very suddenly. We've all been in mourning - We'll miss you Tabby, you were awesome. She died on Yom Kippur - which I guess means she was not written into the book of life...

Getting back to the online world, all this connecting with the past has made me thinnk about how I should document my memories of the past, while I still have them. I started writing down some stories - slighly fictionalized since my memory is not so great - of the life and times of me. Some stories I thinnk I made up in my head, and never happened - like when Liz and I told Amy Margolis that peanut butter would make her hair smooth - did we really say that? - did she really put a jar of peanut butter in her hair? did we really get in trouble for that? or was that some kind of wish fulfillment fantasy I worked up? I cna;'t tell the stories in my head from the real past anymore.

There are other stories, ones that I know are true and really happened - and writing them all down has been quite cathartic. I'm going to start putting some of the shorter ones up here - see how they look all in public and all.

I have a big update, which will go up as another post on coney island, dreamland and the Ruby's end of season party...I may wait until after the party to post it in its entirety. Smell you later.

Oh Oh Oh in The Borough

2008-09-12T08:55:00.003-04:00

I can always tell what kind of day it will be by how in focus everything is when I sit down at my desk, and let me tell you - today is blurry. I feel a migraine coming on. Or it could be rain. It's probably rain.

Things in the Borough are trucking along - We're already half way through September - and it's starting to feel like summer is over - it's getting cooler, and rainier and of course the sun is setting earlier and earlier..... I know I always say that wherever you live - if the climate and weather are not to your liking - then move! and otherwise you have to enjoy all the seasons (or weather variations) you have. I still hate winter. I dread the dark days and persistent cold. But for now I'm kinda stuck here. So you make the best of it - and buy warm clothes. I am going to miss the lazy hazy hot days and sweating while sitting still- I'm not sure why it makes me feel so good. I did get over my dose of Vitamin D this summer - but I know it fades fast - by Halloween I'll be as pale as the rest of y'all.

The socdial networking update. So after a year or two of basically the few people who have me in their email - facebook has exploded with blasts from the past. And when I realized that you could just think of names and type them in - woah - there is no escaping the past online. And the proliferation of social networking platforms just keeps expanding. I'm sticking to 2, and even though technically one is for business ocntacts (linkedIn) and one is for friends (Facebook), it seesm that there are alot of friends in my LI account and alot of people I know through business in my FB account. one big social networking glob. Some people I actaully have faint memories of, or I remember the name (and not much else). It's like an opportunity to get to know people all over again, without the inconvenience of actually having to interact with them.

I'm having a hard time sticking to my anger management lessons - (who could have predicted that!! ok everyone...) but I realized last week that the reason why the hordes of tourists stop in my office building is that ITS FREAKIN LISTED IN TOUR BOOKS. kill the writers of those books. I mean it IS the News Building, and it's a fabulous piece of architecture. And I'm sure the people who work in the cast iron building feel the same way (can you imagine working in Empire State Bldg - I'd go postal!). There were some tourists - arguing about whether to go inside to look at teh giant globe in the lobby - they looked at me and said "we go inside?" I said looked at them and said "Why?" they had no answer they just kind of shrugged and said something like we see it's interesting (meaning it's in our book, we better look at it). I rolled my eyes and said "It's an office building, Why?" They went inside took their pictures of themselves in front of the giant globe looked at their tour book - like Ok we went to this place thats listed in here and now we have a picture to prove it. SO very unintersting - I would hate to see their vacation photos -" here we are in front of an office building in NY, and here is another one, and here is the lobby and here is the sculpture in the lobby, and here is the elevator". I still think most tour books are useful, but not necessary and I certainly wouldn't sit and go through one and go to every building, object or place it reccomends - I mean I'm not that incompetent on the road. I still flip them off if they dare to get me in their damn vacation photios.

more later...must drink coffee.

Summer In The Borough

2008-09-02T08:48:00.003-04:00

Holy crap Batman, did you see that flash? it was summer flying by.

You'll have to exuse my prolonged absence - it seems that when the weather is nice I don't sit by a computer for very long, only long enough to upload pictures to facebook. If only I had patented that device that takes your thoughts (as you are thinking them) and transcribes it, spell checks it and posts it. If I was more technologically savvy - it probably already exists I just can't afford it.

So I'll have to go back and recount for you July and August 2008. So where did I leave off? I'm sure I already went on at length about Greenwood Cemetery..an amazing place just steps from my house. I don't think I wrote about Ali's wedding - which was not in The Borough (shame on her!), but was up in some bum-fuck place north of the city. It was a beautiful affair, and for someone who is never happy - Alexis was ear to ear grin. Everyone else was their usual crazy selves - and the day was not without drama - Mishy dropping glass minutes before everything is to start - Nicole's asshole husband who missed the entire ceremony because he was watching sports in his hotel room. I was really excited to see the other cousin Rachel , who I hadn't seen in 15 years or so - we joked about things that happened when we were 12 and remembered how much fun we had when she came to visit. Except for the gargantuan cramps and not so nice feeling that goes with it I had a blast.

Soon after that, Mom and I tried over and over again to see Shakespeare in the Park - either it stormed or it was one of those "special" nights where you couldn't actually get tickets. The whole process really annoys me - (what me annoyed?) you have to get on line at 1pm (luckily I can send my mother for that part) - I mean other people don't have mothers to go stand in line for an hour or two (and complain about it for the next week or two). In the end we both decided that Hamlet was not worth the trouble (Can they pick a play that has not been done to death?), we'd both have rathered seen MacBeth (which I thought it was). Actually, I'm a bigger fan of Richard III, and I'd like to see some of the histories or even some of the lesser known dramas performed somewhere. And no, I don't want to trek up to Harlem to see a Midsummers Night Dream, again. leave it for those who have never seen or read it.

There has been alot of beach time for me this summer, since my monthly metrocard not only takes me to work everyday but also takes me to one of my most favorite places on the planet - Ft. Tilden. I'll put the link on the sidebar - but suffice to say Gateway National Recreation area - is the largest national park in the country - covers huge swabs of beach and is home to many species of endangered and migratory birds and butterflies (wow orange and blue and monarchs so many everywhere). This past weekend was dragonfly weekend ( I forgot about this from last summer) the giant ones (as big as your hand) start buzzing around this time of year.

Mom and I did manage to go see Encounters at the End of the World (Herzog) an a amazing documentary that takes a quirky-herzog like view of Antarctica. I watched it purely for the ice diving scenes - which made me want to buy a dry suit.

The July4th weekend here was a washout - it stormed on the 4th - the fireworks went on anyways - but it was a soggy mess. I stayed home. On Saturday, I trekked out to NJ for a day of fun (no sun) at Keansburg - aka the poor mans coney island - on the nasty smelling NJ side of the harbor. The beach there was disgusting, smelly and not nice. the amusements were amusing and we had a fun day.

That Sunday I went to my beach (back to Tilden!) and enjoyed a pristine day on the beach. So many pristine days this summer - the sun glistening off the water and cool ocean breeze, sailboats off in the distance...gulls stalking you revery move (don't open that plastic bag - they know whats inside!)

The following weeks passed uneventfully, leading up to Coney Friday night - I managed to go to more than half of the Coney Friday Night happy hours - fireworks thangs. It was awesome each time - I met strange and unusual people- discussed strange and unusual topics and drank alot of MGD. I really will miss Ruby's whenit's gone, if only for the fact that I feel so at home there.

In July as well, the Philharmonic came to Brooklyn, that was a nice show - and I was not-so-secretly chuckling when the cops made the yuppies get rid of their wine bottle...open container laws are open container laws - and they apply equally to the rich (fuckers) as to the poor. when I heard them whining I just could not hold back (well I could have, but what fun is that!). I exlplained to them that they were not above the law and if they were stupid enough to bring a bottle and a cork and uncork it 10 feet from the cops - I mean c'mon. I have friends who understand that in these situations it's called a plastic soda bottle. uncork it at home, pour it in the flask or other container, then don't bring fancy wine glasses - think stealth - you are breaking the law after all.

There is a long list of things I did not attend this summer, or I should say things I did not show up at. MetalJohns last gig, (or two), Scott's b-day (sorry Scotty), some opening he invited me to in the far west village, readings at Unameable Boooks, game night and diorama night at Freddy's (why on a sunday - when I don't want to move after the beach). The thing I most regret missing was my friend Mike's party last week - I haven't seen him in 20 years and I was really looking forward to it. But a nasty cold and a late start time (if it was at 7, I may have gone by for an hour - but 9pm is just too late for this old lady!)

There were fun films at the bandshell (Enter the Dragon was awesome)..I missed Farenheit 451 and Philip Glass. I did make it to the Magic Garden daytime party in Coney but who goes to Coney in the DAY. It was Ok once (for Zoe), but you will never find me there during the day. Who would have thunnk 15 years ago I'd be saying that - it used to be when it got dark you got the hell out of dodge. Times have changed, and luckily so have my underwear. So the last summer(I say this every year now) of ghetto on the beach, fireworks and fried food has come to a close. well except for this coming Friday......

Back to July - many things I didn't attend and many more got rained out. We had a few weeks of almost nightly storms that didn't ease anything - steamy hot and full of insects. Let's not even talk about waterbugs (or american roach as they are actually). They were crawling out everywhere. huge (in some cases 3 inches long) fast and generally gross. yuck.

The first week of August Mom and I (I try to spend time with her y'know) went to Moztly Mozart and had the worst time ever. If you are buying tickets to any show there - BE WARNED - look at the entire program - call them if you have to - we thought we were seeing Mozart's 40th symphony - which turned out to be 25 minutes long - followed by over an hour of Mahler Opera (I HATE OPERA) - it was german torture. I like Mahler's symphonies - but this was painful and so not worth it.

The days and nights go from work to lounging at home, day after day - reading, doing chores and generally just chilling out- then I went for the 3rd (or 4th) year in a row to Hal Willner's project at the Prospect Park bandshell - this year it was Bill Withers, and it was a great show. A few family BBQ's later and a weekend in hiding with cramps (sucks to be me again). I dragged myself on an Eco Cruise run by National Park Service to Jamaica Bay. Next year I'm going on every one of these, it was excellent. I'd like to live in the middle of jamaica bay except for the airplanes - constant barrage of air traffic heading into JFK could make you go postal.

Oh, I'm welll into August now, I went to see a film at the elevated acre, Kubrick's "Killers Kiss" is one of his earliest films (go look on IMDB yourself) and even though as a film it was ok- I could see how he was developing his style. It was beautifully filmed and very interesting. If they show films up there again next year (which I'm sure they will) check it out - it's part of River to River, which makes finding the schedule difficult if not impossible.

I kept wanting to get out on the one day getaways to fire island - but it's just too expensive for the same ocean I get for my $2 (or free on my monthly card). I get sick to death of rich people talking about their summer homes - they make me sick. pretentious assholes who change their online status to show that they have summer homes. can I punch them all?

Amituofu. balance, acceptance, namaste.

Well that about wraps it up. I got a nasty bug last week and spent too much time dealing with the illness - but it's all gone now!! I hope your summer was as good as mine, or better. And that you get off your fat ass and do something.

With Fall around the corner, I'm looking into what volunteer prgrams I can get involved in (hard when you're working) and see what kinds of community service I can muster.

I'll be back soon.

A Weekend In The Borough

2008-06-30T09:43:00.003-04:00

I hope you had a nice weekend, full of relaxing and cavorting and not too much stress or worry. It was another one of those weekends in The Borough, where I managed to make it to some things, arrived horribly late for others, missed other entirely, and spent alot of time watching time go by.

Friday night in The Borough, I managed to get to Coney to meet a few friends for some beer and sundries. Of course I was late, hopelessly late - and to anyone who may have actually shown up at 7 - thinking I'd be sitting there with beer in hand - I must apologize. As usual there was a string of events that deterred me from my goal. I'll be back there on 7/11, ontime - ready to drink, smoke and cheer on the last summer of Coney. Though the guys at Ruby's are already saying that they think they'll be back for 2009. Yeah well....I 'll believe it when in July 2009 I'm sitting there saying "shit, I guess we have one more summer", but for now I'll be saying that this summer is the last. I tried to get the "virtual" friends to come out and enjoy, but as always the virtual world is not one where people keep their word or even reply. Why do I continue to invite people and let them know about amazing cool things - when I know they are already too self involved to make an effort? you got me, but I do keep trying. maybe one day people will surprise me.

Saturday I made it out to Riis (Tilden), just slightly out of The Borough, and met some amazing people - including Rob Jet and his wife Robin - who are the coolest beach couple I've met so far. He is an avid birder (check out I've posted the link to his blog) - this dude knows everyone (even the guy who calls me to do plum beach clean up for Audubon- I've added their link too). I'm always talking about how I want to be more involved in the things that I find worthy of my time and effort - and I take meeting him (and his lovely wife) as a sign that advocacy and environmentalism are within reach. You know my life has changed when I'm more interested in talking to someone at length about bird migration and habitat than going to a club or bar.

I felt like in a 20 minute conversation I had been given a chance to educate myself - trying desperately in the summer heat to remember all the names and websites that rolled out of his mouth. I wish I was one of those people that could remember things for more than say 20 or 30 seconds.

The beach was as lovely as always, and I don't think I'll even bother this year with going to the beaches in The Borough, not that I'm becoming a Queens convert or anything - I just like being on the ocean rather than the inlet. Besides there are no radios, fewer people and a feeling of peace and calm that I don't think is possible in Brighton anymore. I try not to have too much of an us vs. them mentality - it's somewhat racist and wrong - but I can't stand the Russian teenagers - they blast horrible crappy disco dance techno music - sit on top of you (c'mon minimum 10 feet when the beach is empty) and have no regard for peace and quiet (this is one place the pod people are welcome!). It could be that it's just teenagers I despise, and since the neighborhood over there has been overrun by the new wave of eastern european immigrants, it's just more likely that they are the ones going to that beach. It's fine, let them have the beach in The Borough, I'll skip over to the peace and quiet and enjoy my communing time with the ocean. Crowds and loud music are for the young - and I wouldn't give back my own youth in Brighton, probably pissing off a whole bunch of people. Such is the way. See anger management is helping.

I got caught in a thunderstorm on the way home (soaked to the bone) and even though I left the beach at 5:30, I didn't get home until after 7. I was to tired, without even showering (and I was very sandy) I fell asleep on the couch. So Saturday night's plans went down the tubes, which I feel kinda bad about - since it was yet another metaljohn gig - and he had specifically called me and told me not to be a weenie and show up. I woke up briefly around sunset and thought shit. I'm a weenie.

Sunday provided me with an early rise (that's when happens when you go to sleep at 7:30pm), and I did the laundry, cleaned the bathroom and did all of the tasks I never get to do...then a nice afternoon vegging in front of a movie put me right out again. I love weekends where I can just sleep and eat and lay in the sun. Oh yeah it would be nice to hang out with people, but frankly I find them overrated.

Now I got some time in the sun, some time on the couch and I even managed to clean things up a bit so I don't have to worry about that after a 10 hour workday. life is sweet in The Borough, enjoy!

A Finger in The Borough (aka the Saga of the finger)

2008-06-19T11:11:00.000-04:00

So I’ve been talking about how the last few months seem to be just incredibly busy. It’s like there was 4 months of nothing..Dead of winter. And then everything just woke up all at once. Suddenly there are events several times a week, the kids are actually showing up for the volunteer reading program I signed up for and everyone has a project they want help with or want me to work on. The only dark spot in all of this has been the finger. I think I may call it the finger of doom or the cuticle of catastrophe.

Right before my birthday, back In April, I had a hangnail. Now for most people a hangnail is a minor annoyance. I took a small scissor and cut off the offending straggler. Then the swelling started. It seemed like I had a blister or a wart. And I basically ignored it. Through birthday celebrations- cocktails, dinners and general festivities, it just got bigger and bigger.

I was having dinner with someone, the day after my birthday, that I don’t know that well, and we were using chopsticks - it got to a point where I could not hold the chopstick, so I just stopped eating - I just did not want to explain why I needed a fork, after my whole lecture about chopsticks several days before. The friction of trying to use the chopsticks had only inflamed the finger of doom - and it was throbbing. Having drinks the next night with some other hooligans - I noticed that it was blistering - great now it’s the finger of puss and doom. Just what I needed.

By the next day it was purple and my whole hand was swollen, just in time for houseguest #1 to arrive. I quickly ran to pick a new doctor on my new health plan - but to no avail since Friday night is not the night you go searching for a doctor. Luckily, I have a connection, someone who hordes prescription meds like penicillin and amoxicillin - just in case of an infection she keeps stocked on these things. I wrangled out a bottle of penicillin, and the meds helped bring down the swelling - but it continued to feel like I had tiny grains of sand in my cuticle.

I’ve never had so much pain and angst about a finger in my frakkin’ freakin’ life. It’s June now, and it still hasn’t healed completely. I’m sparing you the pictures, only because I never thought to take any, I mean who takes pictures of an infected cuticle? Ew.

A Cemetery In The Borough

2008-06-19T11:09:00.002-04:00

While houseguest #4 was in town, we took the first warm and sunny day to head over to Greenwood Cemetery. It’s twice the size of Prospect Park, and aside from groundskeepers (they were mulching and doing heavy machinery stuff in one section) and some obnoxious tourists who brought their screaming children to wake the dead - it was a lovely peaceful escape. We walked and walked and walked, for what seemed like hours - winding up and down hilly enclaves with 18th century (and 17th century) graves, newer ones mingled in. I kept using various stone angels as markers for what direction we were headed in, after circled around - then soon realized that their must be hundreds of the same angelic faces everywhere, covering the entire cemetery. We found ourselves at a pond, with a great view of the rolling hills of markers leading off into every direction. We had some fun with an egret (actually, it was something else lI have to ook it up)

And then after when we looked at the map we realized we had covered 1/10th of the grounds….making me remember their tag line..”Come for a visit, Stay for an eternity”. Shit if I can’t find my way out, I may just be doing that.

There are all kinds of famous people in the cemetery - and they do have some great tours - but mainly it is a beautiful respite from the city - maybe not as nice as wave hill or the Bronx botanical garden - but for in The Borough - it’s a place you should visit…but not stay an eternity -

Livin' In The Borough

2008-06-19T11:07:00.002-04:00

I know it’s been a while since I managed to sit down and create a new entry. I keep thinking that this was supposed to be a way for me to develop my writing skills, and express my views - and increasingly it sounds more stilted and just plain bad. So what’s a girl to do? I can’t abandon the idea, but I’d better come up with some more interesting verbiage and perhaps try to clarify my voice.

Speaking of my voice, my voice it seems likes to rant quite a bit, and is definitely intolerant of other lifestyles other than my own. Hey it’s my blog - not like I’m coming into your living room and condemning your lifestyle. So here is where I issue the disclaimer If you don’t like it..write your own damn blog and fuck off. There I’ve said it proceed at your own risk.

It has been an increasingly hectic time in The Borough - between illnesses, houseguests (both good and bad), parties, weddings and heat waves..not to mention work, laundry and changing cat litter (which I seem to be doing all the frakkin’ time now). I’m in need of a vacation. Don’t laugh, I know I’ve been working for 6 months and already I’m tired of it. The getting up early, the dressing in clean clothes and most of all the commuting.

Commuting is one of those topics that everyone has a gripe about. You will never meet anyone show says - oh yeah getting to work is a breeze, it takes 10 minutes and it never stresses me out. And if you do meet that person - smack them, smack them hard until your hands are red. And then I’ll start smacking them for you. It’s gotten so bad I actually went to an anger management seminar.

Oh you caught that whole anger management thing did ya..well I secretly took a seminar (meaning I did not tell my mother). Why you may ask, mostly because of reasons that I cant go into right now - suffice to say that aside from the commuting anger (rail rage), I started having neighbor rage (anyone who has been to my house knows all about the retards living next door) - so angry going to work, coming home and then wanting to punch a hole in the wall and strangle them - is not conducive to a relaxed laid back lifestyle. I leave NY and within hours I’m a totally different person. So I decided I needed some skills to help manage this, no way to diffuse it entirely (I’m not moving anytime soon), but I needed to develop some coping mechanisms that would alleviate some of the stress and maybe even develop tolerance.

So that’s it, I’ll put up each of the other entries as time goes by - tell you a bit more about other things happening in and about The Borough….by the time you read this they will probably already be posted so maybe I can get back into the grooooove again.

Truth In The Borough

2008-05-18T13:15:00.001-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/18/fashion/18slope.html?ref=style

Groovy Times in The Borough

2008-05-02T14:06:00.002-04:00

Badges, we don’t need no stinking badges.

That’s the word of the day, groovy. Groovy times are here again, that’s really groovy. In the Groove. It’s only one of a number of outdated sayings I enjoy. Some of the others being “righteous”, “Big L”, and “sweet”.outdated and overused catechisms are an obvious way of being “dated” and I do find I’m not as up on the new sayings as I used to be. I mean I have found myself on occasion saying “where’s the beef” (and not referring to a flimsy burger).

Speaking of being dated, I had one of those experiences the other night that just made me want to jump up and down screaming “NO, NO, NO, NO”. Getting on the Lex heading back to The Borough, I catapulted myself to a seat (thereby pissing off a whole stream of people itching to sit down), and at the next stop the gi-normous woman sitting next to me got up effectively leaving two seats behind (and she had a neon pink raincoat on..not trying to blend in at all). A guy and his two friends (both female) eyed the seat - and without knowing that I COULD HEAR THEM they said:

Guy: “ hey there’s a seat there”
Girl #1“where?”
Girl #2 “next to that older woman”

OLDER WOMAN. WTF. I mean I still get carded at bars, and when I tell people I’m 30, without blinking, they don’t even question it! So I’m looking old this week. Maybe it’s the antibiotics or the lack of sleep, or both. Fuck. At least they didn’t say next to the “fat lady”, or the “ugly fat lady” or even worse the “pregnant woman”. Maybe it’s time to start dying my hair - I was so looking forward to just gradually going blonde (or white).

My new goal is to be the hot youngish woman on the train. To that effect, I will no longer be eating, since that’s about the only way the rolls of fat ever come off me (that and tropical sun and diving, which ain’t happening here for a while).

Groovy times are indeed here though - flowers blooming, tress dropping shitloads of pollen everywhere - spring is in the air ! The unseasonably cold and wet weather has put a slight delay on my continued exploration of the borough - but you can look forward to me telling you about greenwood cemetery, the return of Friday night fireworks at Coney, and a few other events in The Borough.

Meanwhile I’ll be sucking it in and hoping to meet a guy that is into “older” women.

Spring has Sprung In The Borough

2008-04-19T11:05:00.005-04:00

Broken Gaydar in The Borough

2008-04-14T11:33:00.001-04:00

Well, the glow of my 15 minutes of fame in and about The Borough have passed, and its back to the drudgery of the work week. I have no rant this week, which is especially good, since I keep saying I’m not going to turn this into a forum for my own negative feelings. Yeah me!

I have noticed something quite unusual. You may know I often title myself as a visionary of outsider art and the biggest fag-hag on the planet. I go to art events, group dinners and somehow I always end up picking up the gay guys. It is a strange phenomenon - always being the one who connects with the fabulous boys in swanky clothes, and as soon as I think I’ve figured it all out - my gaydar is on the fritz. 3 out of the 4 in the last month or two - I was totally wrong. Normally something like this would not really irk me, I mean so what, it’s not like they’re handing out awards for identifying sexual preference. However, all of my recent work on diversity - diversity best practices and being more tolerant and aware of the research and data on the subject - you would think I would be more finely tuned to these things.

In The Borough, for the most part it has always been easy to tell the hetero from homo crowd - though some of the younger guys most definitely have thrown a monkey wrench into that, being fashionistas and metro sexual. Your average metro sexual is causing havoc and throwing off the gaydar signals. The lines have blurred. And it not just cause they’re filled with smoke.

Aside from that - I’m hoping for a quiet week in The Borough, and a fast work week.

Native in The Borough

2008-04-10T12:10:00.001-04:00

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04102008/entertainment/how_to_pass_for_a_native_new_yorker_105910.htm

I'm famous, for today. Just hoping this isn't my 15 minutes....

More Ranting from The Borough

2008-04-09T13:25:00.001-04:00

Another week, another set of topics floats around in my head. I am having one of those weeks where I wish someone would follow me around tape recording all the good ideas I have and all the incredibly clever remarks I make– since by the time I sit down at the machine (or la machina), they have all dispersed to the fours winds. Al I’m left with is a rant or five, and maybe some info on something in The Borough.

I guess my rant last week was a bit harsh, considering that I have been known to watch 12-hour Stargate marathons (just a step above American Dimwit, I mean Idol) – and even though I spend endless hours reading, and doing other things – I still like my cartoons, preferably with an adult twist on them. Simpsons, Family Guy, Futurama (Bender is still my hero!), Aqua Teens (Shake rules!), Harvey Birdman, and Drawn Together – probably the sickest of the bunch. So I can’t fault you for watching the same thing as a 12-year old girl, when I watch the same thing as a 19-year old boy.

A rant? A rant you say? Plenty to rant about in The Borough these days aside from TV, mostly having to do with the fact that now that spring is in the air, the yuppies are on the streets. I call them yuppie scum, but you can call them buppies (baby-infested urban professionals) Yup they have emerged from their breeding cocoons to fill up a sidewalk near you (or rather me in this case). How to identify the buppies – they undoubtedly are pushing a stroller larger than a small car, and talking on a cell phone at the same time, carrying numerous bags and they think they are on a private street and have no regard for other people.(hey lady you just wheeled your kid into oncoming traffic, mind getting off the phone?). They are almost as bad as tourists, at least the tourists don’t give you attitude.

Speaking of tourists, the tourist situation here is a bit out of control, low US dollar and insanely cheap airfare for Europeans is literally driving them to the streets of NYC. Now everyday I battle the regular crowds at GCT, and it’s a draining experience – add in a few hundred tourists LOOKING UP at the Chrysler building while they walk and you have enough rant material to last a lifetime. At least they’re not pushing strollers…

Now for things in The Borough, there has been a lot going on with Develop Don’t Destroy - the 5 year battle to stop the mega stadium development may actually work, if only because of other financial issues that Forest City Ratner has been going through, and the supposed recession. Still the legal battles rage on, mostly to do with eminent domain abuse – which is something that every American should be aware of, since by this precedent – any real estate developer can come and take your home saying that it’s for the public good – not public use – give you $$ and you have to leave. If you fight them, you could end up with nothing and they still take your house. Since I don’t own anything, I get more caught up in the battles that have to do with urban poor, and the rich people taking advantage of people who cannot afford to go anywhere. Gotta stick up for the little people, fuck the rich.

A random thought, someone balked the other day when I told them that I donate 3-5% of my annual income to charities, that’s gross not net – and If I made more, I would donate more. If you make more than 100k a year – you should be donating up to 8% of your annual salary. Americans are such greedy pigs – instead of investing for yourself – why don’t you invest in society? And yes, it’s a tax write off, if you itemize.

So aside from that there is also news about the IKEA nightmare in Red Hook. I’ve heard (though not confirmed) that due to EPA or environmental impact – that the store is basically being scrapped after they demolished 10 civil war era buildings. This city is going down the crapper faster than you can say “spitzer”. I’m trying to confirm facts, and get the latest – but everything I keep finding is from 2005….I’ll keep y’all in the loop.

Hopefully the next time I have something really witty, I can remember it long enough to relay it to you – until then

Ratner is the Scumbag In the Borough

2008-04-03T13:59:00.001-04:00

please go and visit this site, read and endorse the letter.

http://www.dddb.net/php/reading/MuseumLetter.php

Borough Trippin'

2008-04-02T14:36:00.004-04:00

I know I keep saying I am not going to rant and I am not going to name names. While I consistently strive to keep both to a minimum, sometimes it just cannot be avoided. My rants are nowhere on the humorous level of some other blogeroni’s out there (or is it bloggarazzi) , such as like Decaf is a Sin, which I religiously read and laugh hysterically. If you have the ability to rant, seriously offend, but leave just 1% of the people out there laughing and hoping for more – you’re OK in my book.

So what has been pissing me off lately? Aside from the neighbors, who I hope are struck down by the wrath of someone’s god, there isn’t much to complain about. I could rant about the media and it’s endless hounding of things to make news about – but really if it bothers me that much I should just turn the page or turn off the TV – getting out of the target range of mainstream media may be hard, but it’s not impossible. I’ve managed to completely divest myself from common pop culture – much to the chagrin of anyone who has ever asked me questions like “Did you see the big give?” Unless someone is giving it to me, I really could give a shit, - go read a book, take a class, make some art, do a good deed for an elderly neighbor, do some volunteering of your own and for heaven’s sake get the fuck off the couch.

Now onto the name-dropping part, I try to keep my entries really just about me, and maintain the anonymity of my fellow conspirators – but also give you, the intrepid reader, some insight into life in The Borough, and in those other borough’s as well.

I’ve mentioned before the monthly gathering of native new Yorkers, where usually a few regulars and I enjoy a Monday evening. I think the last time I wrote about it, it was supposed to be a big turnout, but only a handful of non-regulars showed up and it was good.

This time at a new venue on a new night, at a bar in Chelsea called Dusk (see the picture above) , with cool glass mosaic walls, a pool table and a pretty retro jukebox (or was that the magic garden cd?) . The owners are identical twins, both now bald with goatee’s, that went to Stuy and Science – and they even showed a picture of themselves in high school with pompadours and rockabilly clothes. Ah sweet memories. I really like this place, not just becuase its more convenient than other places and is roomy - but it's got a great vibe, without being pretentious. But that could be the $4 Bud's talkin'.

I even enjoyed walking across town, something usually I'm not such a big fan of. It was like 70 degrees with 100% humidity, my hair was frizzin' like you would not believe.

I think it was the best turnout in a long time and I had a fab time. This finishes a week or so for me where every night has had some event attached to it – making me so completely exhausted that I was tempted to call in stupid today. The best part of the evening was that I managed to connect with not 1 but 2 people I hadn’t seen in years – and didn’t recognize – one from elementary school, who I had not seen in almost 30 years – whose father still lives around the corner from me – and one from high school – who happens to be staying with his mom, who also lives around the corner from me. (see how anonymous that is!),. There were of course some regulars, and a few of old friends that I am not close to, but no archenemies or anything like that. Certainly no one threw a drink at me or spoke my name in anger. So it was a successful night all around.

On the train ride home I ran onto another neighbor, well son of neighbor - who I used ot babysit for - who is now getting hitched. I was all chatty and when I got off thew train and up the stairs in The Borough, it was pissing down rain so hard that every layer of my clothing was soaked. It was such a relief after all that sticky sweaty nasty air - I actually screamed "fuck yeah"as I strode around the corner home.

I’m done with events for the week, not that bridal showers, art openings, volunteering meetings, dinners out and sitting shiva isn’t a fun way to spend 5 days.….I’ve finished my taxes and all I need to do now is get someone to do my laundry for me and mop the kitchen floor (and while you’re at it will you clean the oven?).

I think I need a people break. I keep getting emails from people saying they are coming down (or up or over) for a visit sometime in the next month or so – and I have to mentally get ready for hostessing duties – it’ll give me a chance to get out and about in The Borough, and then I can start reviewing places and things again in more detail.

There are some big things happening with the nightmare arena project, and I hear now that a future whole foods in gowanus (go anus!) is possibly not happening due to environmental problems - I'll try to find out more about what's goiung on - and let you know.

See you then!

Borough-ific

2008-03-19T21:53:00.001-04:00

Welcome to the deluge. It's been pissing down for 12 hours now. I managed to prove today, that NO, I cannot walk and chew gum at the same time. Unwrapping the gum, I put the minty stick in my mouth, and WHAM! I slide on some new sidewalk and go down. It's better than my old trick of walking into poles and walls. But it brings me to my rant (better get this out of the way) - people who don't bother to lift their umbrella's when they walk. that's it. not as bad as the gum chompers, but still an umbrella in the eye is never a welcome event - and I really wish people would not act so discourteously.

That is certainly enough ranting.

It's been a busy and eventful March. Fabulous things going on in The Borough included - First Saturday event at BMA. Which I attended. and no I didn't invite anyone - haven't you been following? I'm resigned again to just go and do the things that I want, things that I find interesting and fun and enjoy living here. I danced, in public. then denied it all.

I didn't make it to most of the events in The Borough, that I had hoped to earlier in the month. I'd been working too much and definitely getting really sick of winter. Some of the swanky events I didn't get to included a rally (or 3), several community meetings, 2 art events, and a benefit for coney - that was within spitting distance from my house - shit.

I did manage to get to a show at Irving Plaza (or the Fillmore East, whatever), Louis XIV, I have friends that are ga-ga for them - so a night out came about. I liked the vibe at the show - and lot's of hot 30-something boys (or 20something) all sporting the trendy new "I wear a yarn cap inside" style. I felt so fashion deprived. So out of touch with the modern metrosexual - millennial.

The music was forgettable, I liked a few of the early songs - they had a dark heavy sound..which I have been known to enjoy on occasion. later on i was not so in it. If it was up to yarn cap guy #3 I really should have gotten there in time to hear What Milwaukee is Famous For. I really didn't care , since I was too busy having flashbacks to 1987, and some guy telling me about some band that I really had to hear. fashion changes, pretentious urbanite white guys in clubs don't.

It was good to be back in a diner having breakfast after midnight, and stumble around The Borough and The Other Borough. Though it went from 60 degrees at 7pn to 34 by the time the show ended at midnight, so there wasn't alot of stumbling - not like the usual amount. Spring will be here soon, there will be plenty of time for stumbling then! and a few slip and falls.

I'll keep you posted.

Ranting in The Borough

2008-02-19T14:14:00.004-05:00

So no, I haven't finished putting together the revised rant list. But a few of the more obvious ones have really been circling around my little brain. Now since I seem to be only one reading this, I'm going to break my own rules and rant a bit. just because.

The first is how can I get rid of chewing gum once and for all? Absolutely the most disgusting habit I have ever had the displeasure of being forced to endure. I mean if you must chew like a cow in public, at least keep your dang mouth shut. I'm not just channeling Harv here, it is truly repulsive.

Ok, I'll stop with the negative, well the blatantly negative and move onto the other subject which is - like LCD soundsystem, says - "New York I love you - but you're bringing me down". I'd like to stop focusing on all of the horrors and atrocities ( ok maybe that's too strong) and try to see where some good is happening in this city that I barely reecognize day by day. If you have any thoughts please pass them on.

I've been going to openings at BAG (Brooklyn Artists Gym) and I have to say that they have a great space, some amazing people but I was quite underwheled by both events I've attended. I am just not sure of the artists themselves - mostly becuase they are not from here and in one instance I don't think the guy (aka artist) had even ever been here. So it's not as much of a "local artists - way for us to get some exposure in The Borough"- it becomes another yuppie (hmm what are these kids anyways - nuppies???) venue that has no real connection to the community in which it is located. They should have rented space in Williamsburg, they'd be more at home there. I'm going to give it one more shot though, since I hate to judge - I could have just gone to 2 openings that were not reflective of their overall thang. So far I'd say a mixed review, but I haven't given up on it entirely.

I also went to the Lunar New Year parade in Chinatown (Gung Hay Fat Choy!), forgot my camera (which is good since there was no sunlight and I didn't have a great viewing point). I shout out a big poo-poo-on-you to all of the people who said they were coming and didn't. I've officially now stopped inviting anyone to do anything. The parade and the whole vibe was, as always, amazing and exciting..cold..but hey that's what green tea and sweet buns are for!! I had a lovely shrimp in black bean sauce at Wo Hop and I was still home in time to cause havoc and destruction in my apartment (don't ask!!).

more soon.

Update from The Borough

2008-02-04T16:44:00.000-05:00

So it seems that when you work full time, have many projects and feel the need to give back to the community - it gets pretty hard to write a blog.

I've been meaning to sit down and talk about things in The Borough for some time now, to extend personal thanks to everyone who was so kind and helpful while I was getting back into the groove of working life in NYC, and especially those who helped me directly get there.

I'm not going to go into the details of work, I mean - who really cares - I'm sure you don't want me boring you with the details of my job, anymore than I really want you to bore me with the details of yours. Unless you're a pirate or something.

I'm well into routineland now. Spending most of my waking hours either going to work, and sitting in my office - busy as a bee..many hours...the marathon of people dodging that goes on every time i travel back and forth from that other borough. It's probably the main reason I never end up going into the city on the weekends (aside from the fact that I just love being in The Borough).

Still not buying in to corporate, consumerism non-secular society - and the social conventions it imposes - but I am working, volunteering, painting and exploring The Borough.

Now as most of you probably know, I am a repository for all outmoded and outdated technology. Being that I won't participate in the capitalist-buy-it-all phenomenon, but it doesn't mean I dont enjoy my playstation (I), my 10-year old G4 or my hand-me-down 6 year old ipod mini..in fact the acquirement of fun, always appealing has me thinking that I could do with an upgrade on gaming, say to perhaps in this century. Anyone got a PS2? old mac games?you know where to bring them.

I've been working on fun art projects as well. Enjoying my status as visionary of outsider art. or crap that i like to make and hang on my walls. It keeps me busy.

And I'm trying to get back to the volunteering I did last year- though I'm thinking about doing something different this time - maybe work on the community garden. Last year I did a few Audubon clean up events, as well as a few sessions of clean-up in prospect park. I always prefer to give back to the community by helping the environment, rather than people. But I would like to find a place that I can volunteer more regularly, instead of just a few events for the seasons. I think it's really important as a citizen of the world to alwsays be spending time helping others and developing community. If you don't do this you exemplify what is wrong with american culture. 'nuff said.

Look out for my top 10 reasons why Valentine's day is a sham and just sucks outright, and My Rant list - which due to popular (ok 1 person) demand I will re-publish in a few weeks. I just normally hate putting the negative out there for the world to see, so I have to re-work it so I won't get angry hate mail from every person thats ever sent me a picture of their mewling infant.

Goodbye Dollar Dream in the Borough

2008-01-14T21:35:00.000-05:00

Well I should start off by saying happy new year. woo-hoo 2008! Isn't that great.

not all the news is good.

Dollar Dream is gone.

It started off like any other Saturday, a nice walk, a tasty bagel and then the horror of it all! My soul dropped as I rounded the corner..my haven of dollar items ..gone!

It's the sign of the times...the rising of condo towers means the demise of all that is cheap and somewhat good (if you read the labels). I will miss my never ending supply of tacky picture frames, washcloths and plastic containers. The reggae blares throughout the warehouse sized store. the echoes of french and patois fill the aisles. sure something s were $1.19, but overall a most amazing place for crap, and stuff n'junk. all within walking distance of my house.

say goodbye to dollar dream. we'll miss them. those crazy patois.

Happy Holidays From The Borough

2007-12-15T10:20:00.000-05:00

I know you were expecting my usual politically correct - non-specific winter e-mail greeting. It's the non-tree using way I've been saying "Happy Holidays" for the last few years.

This year however, I'm feeling the Yule vibe. And in just a few hours comes the Solstice (1:08 AM Saturday, for those who care). So enjoy the time with family and friends. Eat too much chocolate. Spread the magic and joy. Give away an old coat. Revel in the fact that the days only get longer from this point on.

Sending warm wishes and butter cookies.

First Snow In The Borough

2007-12-02T19:24:00.000-05:00

Now playing: The Beatles - I'm Only Sleeping
via FoxyTunes

And a lovely Sunday morning it was, with crisp white snow everywhere In The Borough.

I wasn't adventurous enough to go up to the park and see if the snow was folded around the trees that only a few days earlier had been bright red and full of leaves, but I'm sure they were.

I'm looking forward to some BIG snows this season...

Pie Time In The Borough

2007-11-23T09:43:00.001-05:00

----------------
Now playing: The Beatles - I Should Have Known Better
via FoxyTunes Pie. Yummmy Pie. Have you had enough pie? Would you like a slice of pie? Pie Time is when the pies come out. Have some pie.

Save room for the Pie!

A Park In The Borough Redux

2007-11-20T19:11:00.001-05:00

Now playing: Nick Drake - Northern Sky
via FoxyTunes
I know it's been a while. While I'm spending my days feeling like Goldilocks in a suit "no this one is too big, and this one is too small!" I haven't been keeping up my touring duties in The Borough. I was able to spend a whole day back in Prospect Park - basking in the sun and continually amazed by vistas and hues. The walk that we took, is my favorite up and down route through the park - starting at the Vale of Cashmere- taking the back route over to the pond and up and down and around the hiking trails (Lullwater is one of my favorites)- eventually ending up at the boat house. Then the most lovely part are the new hiking trails (complete with markers) that take you down to the carousel. I love that Audubon has taken over the boat house as some kind of real facility - but I still wish there was a restaurant there, or at least a 24-hour bathroom of some kind. Check out the hiking trail infoby downloading the pdf park map from their website - the trails are all in ocher dots - in reality there are a few of them and my guess is eventually Audubon will produce a better quality - more detailed trail map - that would be cool, right?

I say, even though there is big damp out there - every day the leaves are still bright and blazing - and maybe a bit mushy - but dying to be made in paper mache or centerpieces or simply arranged in a funny way. It's not just the tress and leaves that make me so ga-ga. It's all the freakin' animals.

During part of my hike I had some close encounters with mallards and other duck like creatures, and then I managed to creep up on a giant blue heron near the carousel, standing in the reeds. sweet.

Gobble. Gobble.

That Other Borough

2007-10-09T11:29:00.000-04:00

Now playing: Slayer - Human Disease
via FoxyTunes So it was a busy weekend in that other borough (aka Manhattan). It is a well known fact that life in The Borough is deeply and directly connected to life in that other borough. I don't usually drop names, in fact I usually prefer to keep it all pretty anonymous - but I don't think MetalJohn would disapprove of being featured for the wild and wacky in the city posting.

It was a very metal birthday for John. Since it was across from Stuy town - I did manage to invite some of my local yokels to come by for a drink (or 5) and it was good. The bar is what used to b a neighborhood pharmacy, then turned into a bar (aptly names Barmacy) now converted into a tiki hut in Alphabet City called Otto's Shrunken Head. Other than some Hawaiian and Hawaiina decor and some rather festive drinks on the menu - its pretty much still basically a bar with a back room (really tiny) for bands and some games. It has a comfortable feel and still retains some of the downtown vibe.

John enjoyed my gift of old Iron Maiden LP's from the back of my closet and I played some pinball which I have been yearning to do for some while now. The flash of the lights, the sharp skills commingled with cunning reflexes. That's what I miss most about hanging out in bars, aside from the loose men and free drinks.

Now as if one big party night in the city wasn't enough, last night was the monthly meeting (read: drinking) of native new yorkers that I always enjoy. This month my cohort was going to be in full effect - it wasn't as huge a turnout as I had thought might happen (based solely on emails and the sheer number of people forwarded the info) but it was a solid group of people that I was really psyched to see.

I still find it amazing that people who maybe I haven't seen in many, many a moon, after a few minutes -the time seems to melt away - and for bad or good - I am stripped of everything except me. I am 14 again. I smile and hug everyone as much as possible. Of course it was like 85 degrees and 100% humidity at 11pm and with all the alcohol consumption after hugging so many people my shirt smelled like a gym towel by the time I got home. That 3 am shower felt good too.

Limited by the amount of time an evening can hold, by the time you've finished having a long conversation with one person - someone else has left and you can only hope they'll show up next month so you can catch up with them.

Life Goes On In The Borough

2007-10-03T08:28:00.001-04:00

Ah yes, I've been thinking alot lately about so many different things - aside from the actual tasks that need to get done: finding a job and growing up. I'm constantly amazed at how much time it takes me to do anything. The curtains are finally up in my bedroom - it only took a little over 4 months to go from concept to done. So with that time frame in mind, something more serious, like finding a new job and changing the direction of my life - well I don't think I've exceeded my boundaries of allowable time yet.

Here in The Borough, and in the rest of the city as well - it seems noone ever has time for anything that isn't directly related to what they need to do in a day, as much as they may say otherwise. I'm talking about not returning phone calls, not answering emails, canceling lunch or dinner or drink plans "I just don't have time". How often have you said "I wish I had time to do that" or "If only there were 2 of me, then I'd have time for fun things" Well I'm here as your wake-up call. You have time, all day everyday, it's how you choose to use it, what is really important to you and a bit of how you manage your time.

Please don't get me wrong - identifying a modern social condition and placing a value judgment on that condition are two completely different things. I'm not trying to send out a secret message to anyone about their ability or inability to respond to modern communication. It's purely an observation.

I've decided that today we should all ponder the passing of time and take stock in what we can and do accomplish everyday, even if you've left a trail of unanswered communication or unfinished projects. So take some time and reflect on these words of wisdom, some coincide with my view, others are reminders that it is most difficult to exist within a time frame:

"They say that time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself." - Andy Warhol

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." - Annie Dillard

"To live is so startling it leaves little time for anything else." - Emily Dickinson

"By labor we can find food and water, but all of our labor will not find for us another hour." - Kenneth Patton

"Half our life is spent trying to find something to do with the time we have rushed through life trying to save." - Will Rogers

"To think too long about doing a thing often becomes its undoing." - Eva Young

"Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely"- Auguste Rodin

"Time is the most valuable thing one can spend." - Theophrastus

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx

The Last Days of Summer

2007-09-29T14:21:00.000-04:00

Now playing: The Police - Bring On The Night
via FoxyTunes

Justice In The Borough

2007-09-25T11:14:00.000-04:00

Now playing: T Bone Burnett - Humans From Earth
via FoxyTunes I was going to do a whole expose on the justice system here in The Borough, having served my jury duty for the next decade this week. But after alot of whining about being stuck on jury duty, for a whole 8 hours, - I talked to a friend who is very serious minded about these things. In his mind - it is not only a civic duty to show up - but you should do everything possible to sit on a jury. After hearing him go on and on about how the educated citizens of our country need to take a bigger role in the dissemination of justice- I was almost sad that I didn't get picked - "I feel gypped".

Being called for jury duty is not what it used to be. In the old days once you reported in, you were stuck in the room until they decided it was time for a break, you can leave the building now, of course you have to go through security screening each time - which is not all that fun especially for the guys wearing belts who had to take them off each time. But you can leave!!!

The room where you wait to be called, is large, with fairly comfortable chairs (no more wooden seats!), many tv's showing CNN and there is even a free internet room (ok so your time is limited to 10 minutes and when that is over the browser window resets itself and most sites are restricted - including things like social networking sites) but to be able to check email while you are waiting is a glorious modern convenience.

I still found the whole system, even with its modern conveniences, to have many faults - including making us rush to form a line - then calling our names in alphabetical order - and the whole idea that there was ONE case on the docket for the afternoon - seems like the court is under scheduled. And the number of people that got up when the the exclusions were called because they had children at home (hello its called a babysitter). I hate it when breeders get preferential treatment.

Now that's its over I realize that it was not a huge imposition of my time or even that much of an inconvenience. I suppose if I had a job and my boss was annoyed that I was going to be out of the office - I might have been a bit stressed out. As it as, it was more about keeping my brain occupied for the endless hours of waiting and finding something I could afford for lunch.

Ramblings in The Borough

2007-09-21T12:19:00.000-04:00

So I realize that I have not updated anything ina little while here, it's been pretty quiet in The Borough. With summer ending and most of the summertime festivities done and over for the season - there really hasn't been much to report.

Gives me an opportunity to do some ramblings about job hunting and taking naps in The Borough. But how boring is that? Yes, I continue to search for a job and clean my house.

There have been a few things I've taken part in - I continue to volunteer when and where I can for environmental causes, but my main focus has been writing those sharp cover letters and scouring job boards for suitable opportunities. Not the most exciting thing to write about.

For those who care, I'm still somewhat torn between selling my soul to corporate america for lost of cash and a job I can probably do with my eyes closed - and making a big change and getting into something a bit more socially meaningful and a much lower rate. It's a hard sell to change fields at this point - which is why I keep going back to what I know and do best. Meanwhile I'm painting - making new art all the time and having immense fun with the digital cameras (have I shown you my 700 underwater photos yet?).

I had dinner with some friends for Rosh Hashannah, and we ended up taking a walk through the Slope playing one of my favorite games "Remember when" trying to remember what storefronts had been there and me pointing out spots where I had spent time as a teenager. We perused the used book shop and strolled the avenue. It did give me warm and fizzy recollections of life here, even in the 90's when there was a large extended group of friends and we spent alot of time hanging out in various bars and locales in and around the slope.

Those nights at "The Toy Bar" with clanging noise makers and over-priced Yuenlings is over - the building looks like its been condemned and I wonder where the family has gone to. A number of the daughters were about my age and I remember running into one of them somewhere else and she smiled and came over, even though we had never really known each other - she took the time to come say hello. There was this camaraderie that made you feel like you were part of something special - and everyone knew you and your family.

The Slope is not like that anymore - well not for me anyways - most of the young urban hipsters live in that other borough called Williamsburg (but don't tell them they really live in Bushwick) and the Slope is filled with out-of-towners (we call them foreigners) that say "yes I live in Brooklyn now, we left Man-hattan for Park Slope, it's so lovely". If only I could beat people up for being pretentious.

Now I know I said I was not going to rant at all - the whole point of writing about life in The Borough was to go and see and do things and talk about them - shine a light on the positive but when your home (aka: The Slope) has turned into a baby-stroller nightmare. I miss the way it used to be and that's probably why I do all of my grocery shopping in Prospect Heights.

So I guess the point is that it's better to say nothing when you have nothing good to say.

Life Outside The Borough

2007-09-04T23:15:00.000-04:00

Sometimes you just have to leave The Borough, y'know? It becomes imperative to commune with nature and visit with friends who live outside of the city limits, and you just gotta go! Those who know me, know that I love to travel. More often I travel to far flung places, but also to more local habitats.

This particular visit was to the other tri-state area near my tri-state area - Falls Village (Canaan) CT. Twenty minutes in one direction you're in NY, 20 (or more) the other way you're in MA.

Aside from clean country air and delicious food - I was lucky enough to get an agricultural primer - going to the Goshen, CT State Fair. This was such a great experience - art displays, period crafts, wood splitting contest, a smithy and barns housing all kinds of animals including rabbits, cows(heifers) and pigs, chickens and horses. There was even a tractor pull - with all kinds of vintage tractors. - Plus as a bonus seeing the largest pumpkin I have ever seen - 461 lbs. Having never been that close to farm animals in my life and having no idea what an FFA was it was quite educational- even with all the smells.

Now on the down side, the food was overpriced (a sausage sandwich which is like $4 here was $6.50 there), and though most of the people really looked like they needed a salad and a good run on a treadmill - on the upside there were some amazing choices - fresh pulled pork sandwich, onion rings, mexican, cinnamon buns, kettle corn and any number of hamburger, hot dog and french fry stands. The smells wafting over the crowd of people with double and triple strollers.

Considering that for a two hour train ride out of NYC, you can be in rural America is amazing, but having spent many summers up that way, I see how the suburbs have encroached in the farmlands - civilization is much closer these days. Luckily Falls Village is removed from all that.

Falls village doesn't have much - its a town that seems to have had a heyday sometime in the past - in fact if you were speeding along from Cornwall to Canaan, you might pass through Falls Village and not even realize it. There is a post office and a sandwich shop, some beautiful Victorian architecture and some fabulous estates. The amazing thing is that a lovely stroll takes you to this amazing waterfall..thus the name Falls Village. A sleepy little town, where most people have to drive 20 minutes just to get milk.

It felt good to see the sky full of stars, one thing that you can't get in The Borough (or anywhere near), due to the city lights. So get out of town - see the stars, breathe in the air and take it all down 5 or 6 notches - you'll be so glad you did.

An Anti-War Protest in The Borough

2007-08-30T19:03:00.000-04:00

Its taken me a few days to sit down and get my thoughts around the status of protesting in The Borough. It's kind of a sad state of affairs - in all fairness, I should tell you about the whole event so you can understand the dilemma more completely.

Generally being on an organizations email list means you get lots of stuff, sometimes it calls for an action, like a petition or letters to representatives - click through and it's pretty simple. It allows you to accomplish something without even typing anything in, and I think is the best alternative if you want your voice to be heard (or read).

Then there are the in-person requests. Move On (Moveon.org) and UFPJ (United for Peace and Justice) do an excellent job of creating events - but we may be at a point of saturation.

The September vigil was an event that was happening nationwide on Tuesday evening, as a protest against the war in Iraq. The Borough did not have such a great turnout - about 40 or 50 die-hard protesters were there on the steps of Borough Hall - and the crowd being so raucous, there were 2 cops hanging out int he back.

So there was an opening speech, then some words by a woman from Brooklyn Parents for Peace (which is now just Brooklyn for Peace), then they broke out into groups and they read the war calendar. Now for those of us who are not up on our lingo jingo - this is an accounting, rather matter of factly of the date (going day by day), the number of US soldiers killed and where they were from. (with an intermittent chorus of "and how many Iraqi civilians").

As powerful and emotional the whole process was (an hour of Feb 3, 3 US soldiers were killed, they were from Plano, Texas, Culver City, Clifornia and Miami, Florida...and how many Iraqi civilians...feb 4 130 us soldiers were injured..etc. etc.).

The point is that as profound as the listening of the list was, I already know how horrible the war is, umm we're against it thats why we were there. preaching to the converted.

Maybe we are just too saturated with trying to stop the war, maybe it has gone on so long that people are apathetic and preoccupied by their sky rocketing sub-prime mortgages - but we didn't even try to engage the public or make a statement to someone maybe who would change their mind...so what was the point? shameless self promotion is what it felt like.

A Bar in The Borough

2007-08-26T11:42:00.000-04:00

Now playing: The Ramones - Howling At The Moon (Sha-La-La)
via FoxyTunes

Good-bye to Coney? Good-bye to Ruby's? The verdict isn't in yet (well the verdict may be in but the sentencing I guess is what still awaits us) - But I would be remiss if I didn't have at least one entry here that talks about the place I spend more time in the summer than anywhere else. It will take several more entries to fully say "fare thee well" to my favorite watering hole and my favorite Friday night activity 0f Fireworks on the beach in The Borough,

Ok so I'm experimenting here with my own photo (yes I finally remembered to change the batteries) and now they are letting me put up a bit of video - so here it goes - the formatting may be off - but y'all are smart you can figure it out.

I must tell you first off, that I've been going to Coney Island since I was in diapers. In those days (early 70's) you didn't go at night, not unless you wanted to get mugged or raped. My father loved taking my brother and I there, and I remember being firmly (but lovingly) told that if I got wet on the flume, I'd have to spend the rest of the day wet, so it would "behoove me" to stay dry. It was the one place where dad would let us scream and run around like looney tunes, but he always made sure we knew it was confined to us being there. And I do remember being wet and itchy on that ride home - dad giving me that "I told you so" look.

As a young teenager (I want to say I was 12 or 13) the Coney Island Museum was still just a small sideshow on the boardwalk - and I was witness, by accident, to one of the first Mermaid Parades. Now don't ask me what street they were on (was it in the parking lot across from the Thunderbolt?) It's all kinda hazy now - I don't remember it well - only a vague remnant of people having fun dressing up. I thought they were wacky. In those days it wasn't on a set day, or as far as I can remember those first few years it didn't happen every year (I'll look for a link on the history, I'm sure Dick has one)

Okay I know, what does all of this have to do with the Bar - Ruby's.... I'm getting there - hold your horses...

When I came home from college I making my first run to the Cyclone for the year (I used to ride probably 40 times a summer, but less since they keep raising the cost)- I made my usual pilgrimage to the waters edge - then I stopped at what we called "the old mans bar" on the boardwalk. That was the beginning of the end for me - meeting Ruby for the first time that summer ('91), I was legal (something that had never been true before having hung out in bars since I was 14) and it quickly became a regular stop after riding the rides - I was even babysitting an unnamed individual, I was 23, she was 13 and I dragged her to the bar after we had both nearly been suffocated on the music express (or one of the rides that worked the same way- its starts going around and you are slammed to the outside holding on for dear life).

So it has been until the new millenium, I don't remember exactly when Ruby died, but I expressed my grieving with various patrons that year I think it was 2001. (more fact checking jeeesh), probably every time I was there for the season - it had become a favorite hangout for me and the sadness that surrounded everyone helped me. Being a part of something like that, having smiles and familiar faces - people who knew you for a split second and really knew you. A alot of bad things happened that year, and I wasn't having the best time I can honestly say that Ruby's saved my life.

The last 6 or 7 years they have been shooting off fireworks on Friday nights, and it has been a regular happy hour excursion - with any number of friends joining me for a drink (or 5) some greasy coney food and a walk on the beach - awaiting the sky to light up like the 4th of July!, (only better, since you can sit under them almost!).

I have a multitude of stories about the people I've met while sitting and having a beer and some clam strips - the fisherman who is being harassed by homeland security, the guys who travel down from the Bronx and consider gong to Coney "getting away" for the weekend, the tourists who try to eat food bought at Nathans at a Ruby's table, and somewhat yokel locals who have family reunion (including a guy in a wheelchair) every Friday night - it's a real patchwork of young people, old-timers looking like they just rolled out of the 80's and 90's east village, complete with tattoos and attitude, our Hispanic friends who chose Ruby's over cha-cha's (crap hole next door, next to shoot the freak) - but we all have one thing in common - a love for cheap beer and endless summers. Beer the great equalizer.....

I know big changes are happening (see my link for the development in The Borough) and part of me wants it to stay as the same decrepit and shabby place its been in my lifetime - but I know change is inevitable - I just hope something remains.

Now most of you would think that for me, the changes would be a definite vote in favor of "getting the hell out of dodge" - and its a biggie - but I'm holding out to see what happens - I still have faith in the locals to do what is best for them and the community - but beware - I have a feeling there will be no place left in the world to "Shoot The Freak" and get away with it.

For more on the hot-bed issues, check my link (on the side) for development in The Borough, and http://www.myspace.com/saveconeyisland which, if you get to the right side of the screen, has actions you can do.

*My* bartender Frankie was interviewed recently for NyMag online - here is the link! http://nymag.com/daily/food/2007/07/frank_gluska_of_rubys_wont_be_1.html

Cicada in The Borough

2007-08-14T11:19:00.001-04:00

"Cicadas are the loudest and most efficient sound-producing insects in the world"-wikipedia. Here in The Borough it's that time of year. The cicada have awoken, heralding in the end of summer. For some strange reason I love this sound - I know bugs freak me out - not especially fond of them crawling anywhere near where I am - but the sound of the cicada (I looked for a good link, I may try and record something myself later on), totally relaxes me.

I think we all associate good things with the sounds of summer - and when they start singing here, in The Borough, it washes away the sounds of an overheated city - air conditioners, sirens and even gun shots - suddenly I'm in the forest.

I know if I had to clear my basement of them, or step over them as I walked to the mailbox, I might not have such an amiable view of these natural sound machines -and If they were prone to flying around and got inside..I might not feel so centered and relaxed at hearing their song.

Isn't it amazing how much nature exists here, even in one of the dirtiest, most congested cities on the planet. The fact that all manner of creature can survive here is kind of comforting, to me anyway. All year long The Borough is a stop over point for many kinds of migrating birds - (we'll talk about that in September) and there are always sightings of wildlife that are not expected to be here. I'm not sure the birds and squirrels like them, but if they do they are having a tasty treat.

This is a good link, still trying to find one for NY Cicada, http://insects.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/fauna/michigan_cicadas/Periodical/Index.html
http://www.mechaworx.com/Cicada/cicadavideos.asp

Oh and most of the documentation out ther says something about them coming out in springtime, well they are dead wrong in NYC it's august..so maybe we have our own special brood.

B-52's In The Borough

2007-08-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

So I forgot to bring my camera to last night's performance by the B-52's in The Borough, thus we have a canned picture. Since we were "holding up the back" as I so often like to do - out of the crowds, it would have been hard to get a decent picture anyway.

The evening started with myself and two friends having a quick beer down in Coney at Ruby's (more on Ruby's and the demise of Coney in a future post) - heading out to sit by ocean and take in the fresh ocean breeze :-) and parking ourselves behind the crowds - hoping the rain would hold off.

The rumor that I kept hearing is that every year for the last few years it has become a torrential rain right before they go on, or during their show - well hallelujah they managed to break the curse!

Luckily not only did the rain hold off, but instead of Patty Smythe opening - the B-52's opened!!! No disrespect to Patty Smythe and Scandal, but our first reaction was "excellent, now we don't have to hear Patty Smythe".

The B-52's came on and lived up to their marketing slogan as the world's best party band - the energy was amazing - the sound was like the last 25 years hadn't happened (does Fred age?) - we danced in the sand (umm.. we were across the street in the back) and sang along - they did all of their party favorites "Mesopotamia", "Private Idaho", a personal favorite of mine "Give me back my man", along with a few new songs - "Ultraviolet" and another song about Shopping Malls..which had the same vibe and sound that defines their music - and it still sounds fresh and new. The encores were "Planet Claire" and "Rock Lobster". We were only slightly annoyed that they kept saying "great to be in NY" hello, you're in Brooklyn...just made them sound kinda uneducated about where they were.

During Rock Lobster, it started drizzling a bit, but stopped soon after....We left dry and smiling - even with the oppressive police presence.

Now I went on last time about Marty Markowitz and the self-serving marketing that went on before the last show - he managed to repeat his whole diatribe verbatim (he must stand on front of a mirror saying "Don't smoke, even if you don't care about yourself, care about the people around you" fuck head. sorry i shouldn't use profanity but in the years before he showed up - the music started on time and we ere not subjected to 45 minutes of his moralistic ramblings.

Someone needs to tell him that we'd rather hear some music before the show starts or even an explanation of why its starting late - with an apology. Marty look in the mirror and practice this " Sorry for the delay folks, we're a bit incompetent here". And once again there were 5 times as many cops as people - and more per capita than at the Puerto Rican Day parade.

My friend who was wearing a tie-dye shirt actually got trailed and harassed by the cops -I mean he's coming back from the bathroom and cops follow him across the street and ask him what's he's smoking (funny since he had his hands on his WATER bottle) - they seriously need to focus on actual crimes happening instead of harassing tax paying citizens at a concert.

I did love the show, but I repeat what I said last time - stick to Prospect Park or Summerstage.

Monday in The Borough

2007-08-06T11:33:00.000-04:00

Monday, Monday. I realized that for the short time I've been writing this blog, even though I've focused on things and places in The Borough - that I seem to be very fixated on the weather. This comes as no surprise to anyone who knows me and my obsession with the radar.

The weather can determine and define so much about how we live our lives - it is more than just an integral part of our lives - it is the force that defines what we do, how we do it and most importantly what we wear.

Over the weekend - storms rocked us up here in The Borough. I did manage to catch a shot of lightning (see picture). I've noticed over the last few months that the weather patterns and geography of The Borough, 9 times out of 10 - storms that come from the west don't make it here - on the night in question lightning and storms - part of a larger front that tore off the roofs of houses in Maine, missed Brooklyn altogether. It seems more obvious that its possible when you look at how Brooklyn juts out into New York Harbor that it sits on water - on 2 sides at least......when this happens it just gets gross and sticky here amd I can see the storms off in the distance. Some may call that lucky - especially if you've been through a bad storm and have flooding or wind damage - but I yearn for the break in the heat and I like storms. I get excited by thunder and lightning.

I'm not fooled by a short term weather pattern, it's not global warming or a drastic change in weather, it is just the first time I've noticed this pattern. We get plenty of rain and storms, certainly no drought in The Borough - but the cycle this summer has been one where the storms are coming from a front moving east, that they break up over New Jersey or divide - with storms moving over land (and over Westchester and Connecticut - parts of Connecticut have really had a rough summer) and the rest hitting the northern Jersey shore line. Even storms that come from the NW seem to miss us as well. New York City covers such a large area that it is not unheard of for it to be raining on the upper east side and sunny in The Borough.

Ah well - I can always look forward to a nice Nor'easter coming through.

Hazy Days In The Borough

2007-07-28T10:50:00.001-04:00

Well I haven't written here all week, it's just been one of those hazy, hot and lazy weeks where the words melt before they even form in my head. I did spend the first few days of the week out of The Borough, in Queens at Riis Beach. Outside of my usual romps in The Borough, Jacob Riis Park/Fort Tilden is one of my most favorite places on earth and I've been frequenting it much more often than any other beach in the area. It is part of the National Park Service - Gateway National Recreation Area - truly amazing to have this within NY City limits.

It's true that it gets really hot out there...but the ocean is amazing - worth every minute of sweating as you lug your supplies across the burning hot beach. Probably the widest beach I have ever seen in my life. The surf is high enough that you don't feel like you're in a stagnant bay - but not so high that you can't swim out (like the rest of LI) - as soon as you get out past the breakers - only 2-3 feet (1m or less) - you can float in chest high clear green Atlantic ocean - which is running at about 75 degrees now...truly awesome.

On cooler days its great to go out there, climb up to the top of the fort and watch the sunset - but I've gone several times this year to watch the sunrise - also very special moments..shared only with the gulls.

It's hard to believe that there is a city beach that is fairly easy to get to (from my house it's like 45 min on train/bus combo - 35 driving), is fairly clean (plastic washes in with the tide...ban plastic water bottles!) and is never insanely crowded - though it can get pretty packed on the weekends - this one coming up with temps over 90 again - it'll be crowded.

Once I'm there I never want to leave.

Hippies In The Borough

2007-07-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

So yesterday was a beach day. I really thought I could do a full day at the beach and stay for the free concert called "Hippiefest"- I'm sure that's the name Marty Markowitz gave to the show - (Thank the Universe for Term Limits!).

Now after a few (too many) hours in the sun, I made my way over to the bandshell, which is right next to the boardwalk - at Ocean Parkway straddling the border between Coney Island and Brighton Beach. The great thing about this venue is well it's at the beach- and on a day like yesterday the cool breezes coming off the ocean actually make it comfortable if not a bit chilly. I know I was cold, a welcome change for summer in The Borough.

The show, which had such notable acts as the Turtles (well Flo and Eddie), the guy who used to play with Moody Blues, Country Joe and Wings, Zombies, and Rascals. Not exactly what come to mind first when you think about the 60's Hippie Bands, but close enough.

All I had really wanted was to do, was to see Country Joe - minus the Fish. But after the first two acts and incessant chatter from those who purported to be former Hippies (read middle aged people in khaki's with horrid accents and nothing interesting to say) – my stomach growling and my face burnt I was really to say that I could miss Country Joe and not feel too bad about it After all I had sat through Melanie and I had heard the Zombies do “She’s not there" in rehearsal.

Oh did I mention that I was early- it got too cold, around 5:00, to stay on the beach – ocean breeze kicking in with force– so I moved over to the bandshell – what I didn’t know was that they had changed the time of the show from 7pm to WHENEVER MARKOWITZ stops talking. He went on for half an hour, mostly about money, the man has no tact. I don’t need to be reminded that when it’s free that the artists are not donating their time– oh and a supposedly free concert that is only free IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SIT DOWN. Charging $5 (and on some shows its going to be $10) to have a seat. Then they had the nerve to go around to collect money.

Then the half hour of the DJ Cousin Bruce (?) talking about his career and whatever. Dude, who cares, bring on the music. So the show didn’t start until after 8 – by that point the place was so crowded, my stomache ached from hunger and I was barely keeping my head up – when the a-hole behind me kicked the back of my chair and my head for the 5th time I couldn’t take it anymore.

So there were really no hippies (well none that had stayed Hippies, or even vaguely resembled them) many more were your run of the mill derelicts and strange locals from The Borough and children. I’ll stick to Celebrate Brooklyn and Prospect Park Bandshell.

A Canal In The Borough

2007-07-25T08:11:00.000-04:00

When I tell people that there is an inland waterway in Brooklyn aka The Borough, they usually look at me with either complete disbelief that such a place exists or complete disgust that I would actually want to visit it.

As the neighborhoods below the canal (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill) have become hot spots with restaurants and shopping it has become a regular occurence to walk down (or up) Union Street - over the canal. A mostly industrial area - which is now being revamped..complete with old warehouses with faded writing on the exterior and former commercial business sites - they are now being renovated and sold as condo's. The Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation (GCCDC) being the main proponent of this change (there is always a group rallying for change- and controlling development).

The water is still not clear (ok not even vaguely) but on good days you can see fish in the canal (really) and over the years a number of strange visitors - including a seal, have been sighted in the canal system. Oh you don't believe me eh? Well in 2003 a 1-year old harp seal - lost and injured made the canal his home. The fate of said seal is not known - I've searched the web but to no avail - plenty of articles that talk about how filthy and polluted the canal system was, how much it will cost to completely revitalize it and the importance - even in recent times of the canal as a part of the transportation network.

My own experiences with the canal range from walking by and humming "ooh that smell" to stopping to enjoy a sunset. And yes in the summer there is an odor that comes up - not so nice. Even with that there is something about this small stretch of water that brings on instant nostalgia for times past. In the winter the canal frozen over looks trapped in time - I know it won't always be this way - eventually it will be fully capitalized as "waterfront real estate" and YRWP (Young Rich White People) will move in - in droves I don't look forward to that - but I can't wait till someone says "Yeah I live in Brooklyn..where? in Gowanus"- Insert your own "Go-Anus " joke here.

The charm of the bridges and overpasses - of the run down industrial infrastructure that was The Borough always make me pause and smile. The Union Street drawbridge has been a place where I have reflected on life, pondered the meaning of existence and stopped to smell the roses (or dead rotting roses) for as long as I can remember - I hope it retains some of that 'abandoned charm' - but in this new world I'm sure it will become a part of forgotten new york.

The history and details of the Gowanus Canal are definitely worth a read if you're into history. And of course I'd start with wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gowanus_Canal

A Park In The Borough

2007-07-23T14:49:00.000-04:00

Probably the best thing about living in The Borough is being so close to Prospect Park. I know the Manhattanites have a thing about Central Park, and it is also worthy of great admiration and respect..but Prospect Park is my own salvation - the green rolling hills that separate people not by class, race or economic standing but only geography.

One of my earliest memories of the park is when my third grade class went for some kind of outing in the park - we decided that in the ravine - down many steps leading off into the woods that there was a creature that lived down there - it dwelled in the darkness waiting for unsuspecting children to wander down so it could eat them all alive!!! . These days I know the only thing going on the side paths and in the ravines is probably too x-rated for most audiences - but by the number of used condoms you can still find, I'd say cruising is alive and well. no monsters here, unless you're some kind of religious right looney tune.

The park itself may not seem as spectacular to those who have climbed Mt. Hood or stood at the top of any state or national park and been overwhelmed by enchanting views and marveled at scenery that goes on to the horizon. Nor, it could be argued, is it as inspiring as the modern marvels of architecture that line city streets. I think that is goes beyond all of these - since within an incredibly confined space they were able to create a place that relates and connects to the buildings and people outside on its periphery, but also welcomes you in and protects you from outside interference - creating vistas and enchanting experiences all within walking distance of a good bathroom (picnic house).

Even with throngs of picnickers, children screaming and playing sports on the open fields and the occasional drumming circle, It still holds its own personal charm, as a respite from the city in a quite civilized way. You can check it all out onine for yourself, including a map and all the good stuff that goes on in the park. http://www.prospectpark.org/

If you;re really interested in the history of the park, here is a good place to start:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prospect_Park_%28Brooklyn%29

Rain in The Borough

2007-07-23T10:42:00.000-04:00

Ah a Rainy Monday in The Borough. Rainy Days and Mondays. I woke up this morning to torrential rain pouring in my open windows.

It is not so long ago that I was afraid of rain, and not because of any irrational fear of water, it would make my walls cry - ask anyone who has ever witnessed the water damage in my bedroom.

That's one of the things about living in a pre-war building, the brick and plaster really don't hold up well under the elements. My building was built in 1939, a fact I only know because my mother was also built in 1939. The brownstones that make up most of my neighborhood and the surrounding ones, built almost 60 years earlier - hold up much better under the weather (so I've heard).

Summer rain is often a welcomed relief to the excessive heat and humidity of summertime in The Borough. But it has been cooler the last few days and today is downright chilly in my book - ok so its like 65 - but after the sweltering weather we've had here it really feels colder.

These days the water seems to stay outside, but as a reminder that lingers on - I dread excessive rain (please don't even whisper nor-easter!) - always fearing that I'll be dealing with another crying wall or worse chunks of plaster falling in (yes it's happened).

Well at least i don't have a basement.

A Garden in the Borough

2007-07-21T11:27:00.000-04:00

A lovely June afternoon I took my mother to the Botanical Gardens in Brooklyn for an afternoon of strolling - we had the best tour guide (she knew her shit!) and we got to experience the gardens in a way neither of us had ever done before, all basically in my back yard.

Usually on a Saturday afternoon the gardens are filled with the creatures that make this city unbearable at times (you stroller people know who you are!) - but this day it was serene, not so crowded. The gardens are so well maintained, the staff friendly and knowledgeable - and best of all they have free times!!. But buyer beware - they are pretty jerky when it comes to eating and drinking in the gardens - so if you're after a picnic go to the park first or after...or eat at home...It used to be that I would bring lunch and sit and sketch all day in the gardens but as you well know a few people can change the way things are done in this city. It's not a huge deal, since I don't want litter or to jeopardize the plants and trees in the park it makes more sense than alot of crazy rules.

Every time I went to snap a picture my mom leaned in to see what I was doing - so I have many funny shots of flowers with mom's head poking out.

http://www.bbg.org/

Welcome Back

2007-07-20T20:24:00.000-04:00

Ah, the air always smells sweeter at home. Good to be back in the Borough..not that I ever really left. This will be a forum for me to express my personal views about Brooklyn aka. The Borough and document a way of life that is loosing ground.

The biggest thing for me has been admitting that not only is NYC not the place where I grew up anymore: Brooklyn is fast becoming a place I don't recognize. Aside from ranting about bad and shady development (we hate Ratner!) and the obvious ploys of Mayor Moneyburg ( I mean Bloomburg) - it goes beyond gentrification, and rich white people moving in - I feel more and more that Brooklyn is lost to me - and is it something I need to find or do, something I need to rediscover, reevaluate and try to rise above. or is it just friggin time to "Get out of Dodge".