Remembrance

On this Veteran's Day - I'm thinking about all the Veterans I know. Some are friends, some are family, some are here and some are not. One thing they all have in common is that they've represented our country (and other countries) in times of war, when others couldn't (or wouldn't) do so.

A few months ago I took a trip to the Long Island National Cemetery where both of my grandfathers are buried, and took some photos.

the bridge from below

Here's a shot of the bridge over to Robert Moses from below. Summer isn't the only time to visit the beach, you know. I guess I feel so connected to the beach and the ocean and all things water related because I grew up on Long Island, though it's hard to pinpoint exactly why.

This week I bought a new (used) car, and I'm having some minor repairs done to it. The one thing I said this week in my frustration was that "my car hasn't even met the beach yet." I don't know if that's a quirk I alone have, but there's something about "introducing" a new piece of my life, to other parts that I feel are so important to me, that I love.

For example - with a new car, I must drive to the beach. I must also drive past places I once haunted - The North Babylon Annex (site of various musicals), my old house on Herman Avenue, the beach, and a ceremonial drive on DPA (not to race, just to visit), past a few friends houses. Some of our parents have sold our homes, and we all live in different places now, but it's nice to know that this new car and piece of my life has seen the way to the old pieces.

a day in the life.

My day starts at 6:45am. Ok, it starts at 7am. Ok, most days it starts at 7:10am.

I climb out of bed, turn on the Today Show and listen as Matt Lauer and Meredith Viera tell me the tales of woe/wow (depending on the story).

I typically leave for work at 8:05am.

"Leaving for work" consists of throwing everything from my life into my bag, checking for my keys at least three times, putting on my coat only to take it off and put it back on again, realize that I didn't make lunch and figuring out if I have cash on hand for food, and making sure I don't leave the house without my metro card (you'd be shocked at how many times I leave without it).

I drive right to the train station, sit around for it to arrive and then board. The next 50 minutes look a little bit like the above photo.

Airport Obsession

I think I may have mentioned once or twice that I live right by an airport. It's small, but functional. And it's sort of a thrill to drive to the supermarket and have an aircraft directly above you. Sometimes I sit, waiting and watching helicopters, planes or derigibles (zeppelins) take off or land. It's fun. Surprisingly enough, for someone who hates to fly...I love airports. I love watching people work down on the runway, love the whoosh of incoming or departing flights, and generally love people watching. This is in direct conflict with my anxiety ridden-time obsessed half, who hates waiting, delays, large groups of people, large groups of people traveling together, crying children in public places and dead ipod batteries.

I also love sunsets.

Please click to enlarge. It's just not as nice in a small thumbnail.

Better that I break the window, Than forget what I had to say

I find myself to be a fan of windows. Sure a breeze can float through one and you can let all the smoke out of a cooking accident out of one (not that that has ever happened to me) and if you're claustrophobic, opening a window could ease the tension. But what I really like to do is look into windows. Mostly for shopping purposes, not for creepy stalker purposes. But I do have to admit to looking into the window of a house I'm passing. Especially if it's dark out and the interior is illuminated, and the curtains pushed aside. For some reason I think this mostly happens in the fall/winter time. People have elaborate interior decorations and are just looking to share them with the passers by.

I also love the windows themselves. Stained glass, leaded glass, six over six, bay windows, window seats, window boxes, shutters...the whole package. Maybe because they let a little bit of the outside in, so that if we choose to spend an entire day in our pajamas (not, again that I've ever done that) it can still feel like we were a part of the outside world.

Funny but my least favorite thing to shop for is window treatments. Just ask my mom. I've pushed her through displays faster than you can say "valance."

Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

What a delinquent blogger I am! Time flies, as is always the excuse. And of course, I forgot that my two weeks were up and I was due another post. Alas, the wheels keep turning and here it is.

I thought this picture would be appropriate given that George Clooney was in a motorcycle accident this week. Don't worry folks, he is completely fine...and that money-maker of a face is totally intact. His girlfriend however, broke her foot. That's the karmic payback for dating MY man, thank you very much.

Actually, I've always enjoyed motorcycles, but have never been on one. I've never really had the opportunity, and I think if given the opportunity, I would take a ride. But only after a SERIOUS conversation with the driver about just how fast (way below the speed limit) he/she could go. Also, I'd like to be padded. Completely padded. And wearing, if possible, multiple helmets. Because you never know.

Sometimes while I'm riding with the top down on my convertible, I think about how I'd like to wear a helmet. Then I think about helmet hair, and that ends that.

i'm into betting

Summertime is finally upon us! Ok, so the first day of summer isn't for a couple of weeks, but still, the temperature is rising, the humidity is taking hold, and we're in the home stretch of Spring.

I took this picture back in January, at Chuck E Cheese. And before you ask, no I wasn't skulking around, trying to lure little children away from their parents. I was actually there to participate in some good old fashioned fun, with my cousins Megan and Samantha. They're 17 by the way. But they love that indoor jungle gym. As I was walking around (24 really is too old for the indoor jungle gym) I took notice of all the different games Mr. Cheese has to offer. Everything from a kid version of "Dance Dance Revolution" to "Whack a Mole" and even...this perculiar and totally fun game...lacking a name, I'm going to call it: "the coin game that totally sucks all the money out of your wallet."

The rules of the game are easy:

1. Insert coin into one of the slots

2. Try to position the falling coin so that it pushes other coins off the ledge, thereby netting you a lot more coins.

This game almost always results in losses. But it is SO much fun to play. In the adult version, instead of Chuck E. Cheese coins, there is usually a 10 or 20 dolalr bill weighed down by some coins just a hair away from the edge of the ledge. Obviously I will lay down 12 dollars in quarters for this prize.

This game is at almost every street fair and carnival for the entire summer. So play while the playing is good.

rough seas ahead

I spent the past weekend in Nashville, Tennessee, visiting my friend Lisa. And I had a lovely time. When talking about our futures (Lisa is recently engaged) and plans for where we were going to eventually settle our respective broods (hers in the near future, mine in the still-dont-have-a-boyfriend-so-im-not-really-worrying-about-that-yet future) I came to a conclusion that I had long thought about, but took four days in a land locked state to definitively decide: I never want to live in a land-locked state.

Tennessee is beautiful, and there's some water around. But nothing like the Ocean. Or Orient Harbor, where this photo was taken.

quarters only

Long Island as a teenager can sometimes feel like the land of diners, bowling alleys and movie theaters. That never really bothered me, because I loved to sit around for hours with my friends ordering burned coffee and talking about what our lives would be like once we left.

In my opinion, every good diner should have individual booth jukeboxes.


I hope everyone enjoys the superbowl (Go Bears!)!!!

the only bug i like

living on long island really affords you a luxury some don't have...the ability to head out in a boat, and enjoy the open water. i never even knew i was a boat person until three years ago, when a friend of mine took us out on her dad's boat while we were visiting her parents in North Carolina. it was great. and i got to steer. just call me Captain Ahab.

I took this picture in October of 2006. On our annual celebration of my dear friend Chrissy's birthday out at her parent's summer house in Orient Point. Her dad took us out on her boat for a wild ride. At one of the not so wild points, we came upon the "Bug Lighthouse."

According to OffbeatTravel.com,

"Imagine a Victorian house with a tower and you've envisioned the "Bug" lighthouse, named because at high tide the original lighthouse looked like a giant water bug. Sadly, the original structure was destroyed by arsonists in 1963 but the reconstructed lighthouse has been designated as a Federal Aid to Navigation. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the lighthouse was that it was completed in only 60 days. The 250 millimeter, solar powered light, 63 feet above the water, was rededicated in 1990. If you're wondering about the speed with which it was rebuilt -- it was constructed in 3 pieces, hauled to the site. and assembled in less than a day. Astounding at least one boat captain who left in the morning with no lighthouse, and returned to find one standing serenely in the water on the return trip."