Bye, 2008

Just like old times - looking at holiday windows with Heidi

Though I am not sad to enter into 2009, I am Thankful and Grateful for all the abundant blessings I received in 2008. As yesterday's video shows, (I really recommend you see it - just scroll down a bit!) there were some great laughs. My friends kept me afloat - thank you all. N. gave me unvarnished truth that I needed to hear ("yes you can, just go do it"). H and N (different N) taught me the meaning of grace. f.o.r.e.v.e.r grateful for that. Laurie, always my girl, always on my side. Tanya...partner in dance. My work peeps, especially R, helped me breathe when I thought there was no oxygen left. They put up with me with seemingly unrelenting acceptance and for that I am so thankful.

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted"

That is so true. So thanks to all of you who offered small acts of kindness because it helped me get through the day. Danielle. Odinie. Ari. My new-found (re-discovered?) friends from HS. All of you. My heart is full.

 

Playing Lion Tamer back when my hair was long!

My Senseis, my training partners, especially Lori. No broken bones in six months! Let's keep that winning streak going!

And of course, one more year missing Robbie. Five years December 11 - can you believe it?

So healthy, happy 2009, y'all! Keep counting your blessings and making the world just a little better than the way you found it!

Peace out!

Sober at Work

Meet Kristina. She is, apparently, too sexy for her clothes. But not too sexy for someone else's clothes...

Notario

Do you know who this is? C'mon, she's f.a.m.o.u.s. She is Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, New York's Secretary of State. I'm expecting a call from her any minute to discuss my new role as a Notary Public. Now it's true that she also must personally attend to those passing the rigorous exams for those interested in operating pet cemeteries; acting as a manufacturer, repairer-renovator, or rebuilding of bedding; performing nail specialty, natural hair styling, and waxing; or being a hearing aid dispenser (like pez?).

But still, I passed the exam (I had to get 28 of 40 correct - that's 70%!) and that is certainly worthy of a phone call, Lorraine....

Anyway, be warned. R. and I are beginning our sting operation to catch all you Notaries who are overcharging the $2 fee or taking depositions on Sundays.

For Sensei Noah...and You

Notice the "whole grain", as if that mitigates the pound of sugar in each bite. They are so, so happy...at least until the sugar crash.

Jack Johnson

The singer, not the boxer. My Mp3 player looooves Jack Johnson. During shuffle it inserts him almost every other song. What's that about? There is so much to choose from, why him? Ideas anyone?

Free, Gorgeous Art!

There is a free Pol Turgeon (above) exhibit at the Society of Illustrators which was really well curated and just beautiful - really provocative and thoughtful. I encourage you to go!

Someone Else's Joy

Sometimes your greatest joy is being witness to someone else's joy. And so it was that I went to Harbor Yard Arena so see WWE Extreme Championship Wrestling and Smackdown. Because what kind of birthday present do you get for the guy who doesn't really want much? The one and only thing he really, really wants but wouldn't even hint at.

His joy and excitement was palpable. He was so damn happy.

A warning, though:

If you would like to keep your hearing, if you you have post traumatic stress disorder, if you feel even vaguely uncomfortable with racist stereotypes, if you have an aversion to seeing grown men wearing man panties, you might wanna skip a visit to WWE Live.

For the uninitiated, above is Jeff Hardy and Triple H executing a suplex.

WWE is like religious circus. There are rituals, calls and responses, hand gestures, music, special names for each of the characters, and a very definite codified system of beliefs and behaviors. There are founding fathers and mothers, to whom tribute is paid. There is smiting, banishment, betrayal, transcendance, and redemption. There are glow sticks. Also, there are incredible acrobatics, gymnastics, cages and costumes. (And like I said, lots of man panties).

Hey - wonder if Krishna Das and Sharon Salzberg wanna tag team against, say, The Undertaker and R-Truth? That I would go see.

Big Delicious Dosa

I went to Jackson Heights with N and P on Sunday. I've known N for years and she is a great girl (post on her Yoga teaching practice coming soon). I don't get to spend much time with P, so it was nice to see her. We were walking down 74th Street in a freezing wind when we heard some awesome Indian dance music. P ducked into the store, chatted with the guys behind the counter, and got 2 CDs. I am so impressed by her ease and ability to to operate like that. I can be intimidated and tend to shy away from those experiences, but thanks, P, for showing me how easy it is!

Scary Monkey

Sorry about the quality of this pic. It is a...uh...sculpture? A nick-nack? A rendering of de-evolution? It is about the size of a small toaster and had a gold-colored title plate on it: "The Mirella Collection." Clearly, the being on the left is a furious monkey. The being on the right is also a monkey (according to Heidi), a girl monkey to be specific - you can see her voluptuous breasts. There were no parallel indications on the other one. Lefty is fishing - I couldn't capture the fish at the end of the line without compromising the view of her/his face.

So here's my question: who walks into this store (in Woodside) and says, in all sincerity, "I want that!" Oh...the same people who buy this. Ok, that makes sense.

By the way, in the display case directly underneath this object d' arte was a box of condoms. Party size.

Lying Liars Who Lie

Seriously, why bother? Unless it's like, "tell us where your children are so we can kill them", what's the point? And that's all I have to say about that topic.

Shrine at 138th and Alexander

St. Jerome School in the Bronx has this amazing shrine to Nuestra Señora de Guadelupe. It's just a beautiful little grotto in the middle of Mott Haven.