Queens-bound traffic jam
more like a traffic noodle,
one long thin line
on the shelf of the outbound bridge.
The only thing moving is the litter
tumbling blithely in the hot breeze.
Move forward in jerky spurts
then stare at the pairs of red eyes
that glare back from the cars ahead,
resigned to our common fate in the chute.
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NYC. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
$2 Spongebob
We were in midtown Manhattan last weekend to do some corporate-job-clothes-shopping for Husband, and we encountered a street fair with benefits, aka characters with tip jars.
DuckyBoy wanted his picture with Spongebob. Having just returned from the artificially priced worlds of Disney and Atlantis, how could we say no to the paltry sum of $2? (The green thing in Spongebob's hand is his tip jar. It's clearly marked.)
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Haiku Friday: For the Birds
Birds by the highway
splash and wash in a puddle,
no fear of danger
Two of them, so small,
found their city oasis
next to an off-ramp
splash and wash in a puddle,
no fear of danger
Two of them, so small,
found their city oasis
next to an off-ramp
I wish I could have snapped a photo of the 2 little birds I saw this afternoon-- starlings, maybe?? -- fluttering about in a puddle RIGHT next to the Queens Boulevard off-ramp of the Grand Central Parkway. (It just sounds big, right?) I was amazed at how such tiny creatures adapt to city life to the point that multi-ton vehicles zoom right past them and they just continued to splash around.
Want to play along on Haiku Friday? It's easy!
Just write a haiku (5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables) on your blog, any theme.
Put the post url into Mister Linky here, then please leave a comment after linking.
Not a blogger? Feel free to write your haiku in the comment field.
And have a great weekend!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
How to Care for Your Bossy
Having had the delightful chance to be part of the first stop on Bossy's (No) Book Tour 2010, and being the helpful type who does things like take pictures with Bossy's camera of the cameraman taking pictures of Bossy, and make the cameraman feel welcome by chatting amiably with him -- we talked about his wife! honestly! ok, and his brilliant movie idea! -- I thought I would compose a few hints for those of you who are anxiously, I mean eagerly, awaiting Bossy's arrival in your town.
Here are a few items you should be sure to think of ahead of time, by which I mean at least a few minutes before Bossy arrives, to help make your Bossy comfortable in her new surroundings:
1. Do you have your Bossy's drink of choice?
Bossy likes cocktails. Does the place where you are meeting Bossy have good cocktails? Bonus points for cool cocktail glasses.
Remember, too, that your Bossy is driving, so make sure she can safely get to her bed for the night. (Though I hear she is planning to test out the comfortability of the backseat of her Ford Fusion, I don't think "I slept in the car because I was too drunk to drive" is what Ford had in mind when they gave Bossy the car for her tour.)
2. Do you have toys for your Bossy?
By toys I mean, of course, persons with a Y chromosome.
There is a wide range of acceptable male attendees. Charming, handsome and at-or-close-to legal age seem to be preferable qualities. Use your own good judgment based on who you'd want to greet you at an event in a strange city.
(You don't really have to worry to much about this one, as my few encounters with Bossy have indicated she has an unusual ability to attract this type of amusement on her own. I hope she'll post her secrets some day.)
3. Don't forget to feed your Bossy!
This should be obvious, but it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget things. Especially if you are in a back room with no waitress service. So do what you must to flag down that inattentive bartender and get some food!
4. Make sure you take pictures of your Bossy.
You have a beautiful Bossy in your midst; don't forget your camera, or charge your phone, or whatever you need to do.
You might want to grab a friend and practice the arms-length-photo-of-yourself-and-Bossy beforehand. Or, you can forget to do that and end up with pictures of everyone else and just hope you show up in someone else's photos as proof you were there. (Whew, I made it into one.)
Bossy Bonii:
(the word "bonuses" just isn't unique and special enough for Bossy)
5. Can you meet somewhere that will enable Bossy to see some Local Sights as well as enjoy everyone's company? Bossy has scheduled herself solid with driving, sleeping, and eating at Burger King, and as anyone who's driven on the US highways knows, that's no way to see the country. (If not, see #2 above.)
6. This is going to expose me as the 100% dweeb that I am, but I gotta be me, so here goes: If you're at all inclined this way, toss some pens into your bag or pocket. Specifically, your Bossy needs a coupla Sharpies (for nametags) and a coupla regular, blue or black ink pens (for photo/video disclaimers and signing Bossy's guestbook). You may even get them back!
Edited to add:
You may wish to schedule a recovery day for yourself following your Bossy Visit. I mean, Bossy was here Tuesday and no way could I sit at my computer long enough yesterday to write this.
Edited again to add the link to my Flickr photos.
Here are a few items you should be sure to think of ahead of time, by which I mean at least a few minutes before Bossy arrives, to help make your Bossy comfortable in her new surroundings:
1. Do you have your Bossy's drink of choice?
Bossy likes cocktails. Does the place where you are meeting Bossy have good cocktails? Bonus points for cool cocktail glasses.
Remember, too, that your Bossy is driving, so make sure she can safely get to her bed for the night. (Though I hear she is planning to test out the comfortability of the backseat of her Ford Fusion, I don't think "I slept in the car because I was too drunk to drive" is what Ford had in mind when they gave Bossy the car for her tour.)
2. Do you have toys for your Bossy?
By toys I mean, of course, persons with a Y chromosome.
There is a wide range of acceptable male attendees. Charming, handsome and at-or-close-to legal age seem to be preferable qualities. Use your own good judgment based on who you'd want to greet you at an event in a strange city.
(You don't really have to worry to much about this one, as my few encounters with Bossy have indicated she has an unusual ability to attract this type of amusement on her own. I hope she'll post her secrets some day.)
3. Don't forget to feed your Bossy!
This should be obvious, but it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget things. Especially if you are in a back room with no waitress service. So do what you must to flag down that inattentive bartender and get some food!
4. Make sure you take pictures of your Bossy.
You have a beautiful Bossy in your midst; don't forget your camera, or charge your phone, or whatever you need to do.
You might want to grab a friend and practice the arms-length-photo-of-yourself-and-Bossy beforehand. Or, you can forget to do that and end up with pictures of everyone else and just hope you show up in someone else's photos as proof you were there. (Whew, I made it into one.)
Bossy Bonii:
(the word "bonuses" just isn't unique and special enough for Bossy)
5. Can you meet somewhere that will enable Bossy to see some Local Sights as well as enjoy everyone's company? Bossy has scheduled herself solid with driving, sleeping, and eating at Burger King, and as anyone who's driven on the US highways knows, that's no way to see the country. (If not, see #2 above.)
6. This is going to expose me as the 100% dweeb that I am, but I gotta be me, so here goes: If you're at all inclined this way, toss some pens into your bag or pocket. Specifically, your Bossy needs a coupla Sharpies (for nametags) and a coupla regular, blue or black ink pens (for photo/video disclaimers and signing Bossy's guestbook). You may even get them back!
Edited to add:
You may wish to schedule a recovery day for yourself following your Bossy Visit. I mean, Bossy was here Tuesday and no way could I sit at my computer long enough yesterday to write this.
Edited again to add the link to my Flickr photos.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Energy Rush
I was suddenly nervous, wondering what I had done.
DuckyBoy and I were at a focus group session, where he was to play a new computer game and give his feedback. We arrived on time, weathered his desire for popcorn (from the empty popcorn machine the PR firm had in its waiting area/kitchen; he wanted me to ask them to make some), and even found an activity book he enjoyed leafing through (rare!).
Suddenly, a woman appeared and said she was ready for him. Even though a show he liked had just started, he hesitated only a moment, then stood and followed her.
I half stood, then asked, "Do I stay or go?"
"You stay," she said.
Oh!
I spent the next half hour wondering, then realized if he was going to wig out he'd have done so long ago.
He returned, happy as a lark, wanting to know how long he was there. Upon being told, he remarked, "It felt like only 10 minutes!"
Loved having a secret I didn't know, said he wasn't going to tell me about the game. He let a little bit of info slip later on, but not a lot.
Wanted to stay, in fact, and watch SpongeBob that was on the monitors.
Wanted another Oreo.
Said "30 for me, 20 for you!" when I showed him the $50 bill we earned for his time, and told him we'd split it evenly.
After we left the building, resumed our game of "Angry? Grab a Snickers!" -- where we'd take turns trying to grab a pretend Snickers bar from the other. He had a real Snickers on the way into the building, bought in the subway. ("You pick up the item, give him the money and that's it, it's yours?" he'd asked. "Then why is there a bar code?")
Reminded me I said we'd check out a cool playground afterward. Didn't say a word about having to backtrack 2 blocks the other direction to get to Union Square.
He liked the playground, the statues, the dog run, the bronze map of the park, the sand art on the sidewalk. (What's not to like?)
Wanted to see more Manhattan sights. Suggested a cab to the Empire State Building, and immediately started trying to hail one.
Loved the TV monitor map in the cab that showed us where we were.
A little claustrophobic in the innards of the ESB, but interested enough to continue.
Afraid of the elevator from 2 to 80, it took a whole minute.
A little afraid of that extreme height on the 86th floor --who can blame him?! At 7, who'd have the words to express that feeling of, "I don't think I should be this high!"
On the way down, he's so DONE with it, ready to be outside again. Wants me to make him a T-shirt that says, "I survived the elevator ride at the Empire State Building."
McDonald's across the street, that's exactly what he already requested for dinner!
Still not ready to go home after that, so we walk to Macy's to get the subway. He loves the "World's biggest store" sign (is it really?, we wonder), and marvels at the lighted trees in the vest-pocket park that divides 7th and Broadway just above 34th, and the street filled with cafe tables, the painted bike lane, the sheer energy of it all.
"How long were we in Manhattan?" he asks on the ride home. "Three and a half hours," I calculate.
"Wow," is all he says.
DuckyBoy and I were at a focus group session, where he was to play a new computer game and give his feedback. We arrived on time, weathered his desire for popcorn (from the empty popcorn machine the PR firm had in its waiting area/kitchen; he wanted me to ask them to make some), and even found an activity book he enjoyed leafing through (rare!).
Suddenly, a woman appeared and said she was ready for him. Even though a show he liked had just started, he hesitated only a moment, then stood and followed her.
I half stood, then asked, "Do I stay or go?"
"You stay," she said.
Oh!
I spent the next half hour wondering, then realized if he was going to wig out he'd have done so long ago.
He returned, happy as a lark, wanting to know how long he was there. Upon being told, he remarked, "It felt like only 10 minutes!"
Loved having a secret I didn't know, said he wasn't going to tell me about the game. He let a little bit of info slip later on, but not a lot.
Wanted to stay, in fact, and watch SpongeBob that was on the monitors.
Wanted another Oreo.
Said "30 for me, 20 for you!" when I showed him the $50 bill we earned for his time, and told him we'd split it evenly.
After we left the building, resumed our game of "Angry? Grab a Snickers!" -- where we'd take turns trying to grab a pretend Snickers bar from the other. He had a real Snickers on the way into the building, bought in the subway. ("You pick up the item, give him the money and that's it, it's yours?" he'd asked. "Then why is there a bar code?")
Reminded me I said we'd check out a cool playground afterward. Didn't say a word about having to backtrack 2 blocks the other direction to get to Union Square.
He liked the playground, the statues, the dog run, the bronze map of the park, the sand art on the sidewalk. (What's not to like?)
Wanted to see more Manhattan sights. Suggested a cab to the Empire State Building, and immediately started trying to hail one.
Loved the TV monitor map in the cab that showed us where we were.
A little claustrophobic in the innards of the ESB, but interested enough to continue.
Afraid of the elevator from 2 to 80, it took a whole minute.
A little afraid of that extreme height on the 86th floor --who can blame him?! At 7, who'd have the words to express that feeling of, "I don't think I should be this high!"
On the way down, he's so DONE with it, ready to be outside again. Wants me to make him a T-shirt that says, "I survived the elevator ride at the Empire State Building."
McDonald's across the street, that's exactly what he already requested for dinner!
Still not ready to go home after that, so we walk to Macy's to get the subway. He loves the "World's biggest store" sign (is it really?, we wonder), and marvels at the lighted trees in the vest-pocket park that divides 7th and Broadway just above 34th, and the street filled with cafe tables, the painted bike lane, the sheer energy of it all.
"How long were we in Manhattan?" he asks on the ride home. "Three and a half hours," I calculate.
"Wow," is all he says.
