Salaam Bombay!

Last night I was up in the middle of the night...still on a "no sleep run". I happened to catch a great film on PBS called:

Salaam_Bombay! if you have chance, rent it. It is filmed entirely on the streets of Bombay, regarding the lives of street children. Hindi, with English subtitles. Very intense and engaging.

I pretty much hate television and all that its about, I never watch...except for PBS.
Tonight I watched Frontline
The_Way_the_Music_Died
An interesting contrast and compare of the decline of art or the lack there of, the thing we call, "Pop Music".

A truly compelling point was made regarding the effect of music downloads (ie Napster, etc.) by one of the manager of OUTKAST...Michael Williams tells FRONTLINE, "I think that if the labels adjusted the game again, started putting out good records, quality records, the public will buy."

True. I used to buy tons of music, but honestly there has not been one interesting thing to buy since Mike Errico (exclusive to me) and hes not famous.

Other events of today:
I settled an ongoing court battle today. I could have continued to litigate, but I am not motivated by greed much to the shagrin of my attorney. I think he actually started to cry with anger. I don't have the stomach for litigation anymore. I received the number in my head from the start and as much as the case may be worth more, I simply do not care to persue with unnecessary court battles.

The oddest thing afterwards happened. The defendants attorney boarded the same train car as me on the Path. He told me how impressed he was with my attorney, how bright and what a good lawyer he is. And he is...in fact he (the defendants councel) was definately out-lawyered. Kevin was drooling to take this to trial. But I just dont have it in me. I just dont.

New York, New York
Why do you spoil us so?

One more thing the do better in the big city. Manicures. Yup. They are cheaper and better at Bloomies. I even got a shoulder massage (included) for the low low rock bottom price of $10.40. Go figure.

And coffee. You can go into any crappy deli and get awesome coffee. Well, maybe not EVERY crappy deli. I have my fav...one dollar for 20 oz. of awesome brown aromatic goodness.

Toos Day

So, today...Raj and I decided to just wander around. I don't know if he had a destination in mind other than "outside" but we started off at Madison Square Park and I was intrigued by a marble building, then an upscale indo-pak outdoor restaurant called, Tabla. We kept walking up 25th, I dragged him to find out what this oddly shaped building was..it was, the 165th Regimne Armory (a historical landmark) then Raj kicked into gear and decided we needed to have excellent Indian Tea..so, we travelled up Lexington Ave to 29th and stopped in to
Kalustyans the best middle eastern food store I have ever seen! I could spend days and hundreds of dollars there. Then we went on to enjoy a tea at Shaheen's. A really fun walking afternoon break to be sure. I bought Naan, Dal, Moog Bean and Saffron Rice. I can't wait to cook it up this weekend.

Today I walked to the Empire State Building to do some banking. On the way back to the office I spied a middle-aged woman toting the LARGEST pink Conway bag, stuffed to the brim and tied, balanced on her head. She was majestic walking up Broadway with the greatest of ease.

Weekend Update

Friday: Prom was fun.... to get dressed up. The bottoms of my feet hurt from my sequined pumps. Weird, the ARCHES of my feet hurt. Bernie and I went to a pretty interesting club in West End after, called: Mixx.

Saturday: Drove the kids around ALL DAY. I was exhausted from the night before, but what can ya do? Bernie did a fantastic job on the yard, then we took the kids to see SHREK II.

Sunday: Feeling REALLY hormonal today. Did lots of housework. Threw away 3 bags of crap..which I do every weekend. I don't know HOW I manage to accumulate 3 large green garbage bags full of crap to throw out each weekend, but I do. Then we went to Bernies for grilled filet mignon, poolside.

When I came home I broke into a horrible case of HIVES. This happens to me occassionally. I dont know if its the consumption of Beef that does it, because it has happened to me after consuming Beef before...or nerves. I had a few weird things happen today. Very upsetting. Nerve-wracking (sp) I'm still feeling pretty creepy...all swollen and blotchy and itchy. I think I caught it in time though, took some tylenol PM which has the same ingrediets of Benedryl. Its HOTT inside my house. Good night.

This is where I work:

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Promenade

Tonight I am going to the PROM with Mr. Groninger. Yes...I get to go to the High Technology High School Prom as a chaperon or at least a chaperon's date. Its a good excuse to wear my ball gown. I'm really excited! Its going to be fun. All I need to do now is get some sleep. Goodnight. I love my life.

CAMERA
I rode my bike to town today
Wobbling down the path
I knew the kids would see me
I love it when they laugh

And I wish I were a camera
And I could slice time like a knife
Seeing stories in the faces
And crystallizing life

Wish I were a camera
I wish it all the time
It gives my eyes a reason
It gives my life a rhyme

I'd be a lens that could see souls
A shutter that never shuts
I'd have film that lasts forever
And I would live in huts

In the jungles of South America
Like my father before the war
I'd find out where we came from
And what this life is for

And I wish I were a camera
I wish it all the time
It gives my eyes a reason
It gives my life a rhyme

And I wish I were a camera
I wish it all the time
It gives my eyes a reason
It gives my life a rhyme

I would climb right off this planet
On the clearest night of all
And photograph the future
When it finally comes to call

I would save up all these images
These instants in a box
And when I am old and lonely
They could cover up the clocks

And I wish I were a camera
I wish it all the time
It gives my eyes a reason
It gives my life a rhyme

I wish that I could shoot at night
And leave without a trace
And catch my lover's sleeping smile
By the starlight on her face

But I think mostly that l'd see children
'Cause they haven't learned to hide
And they watch me on my bicycle
And laugh with me as I ride

~ David Crosby

oh this is crazy. you know how much sleep I am missing? IMPOSSIBLE. I've only slept a few hours in the past few days. Ive been going to bed around 2 am and waking up at 5:30 like nothing. I feel tired, but I cannot sleep. Tonight I took 2 tylenol PM at 10pm...its 11:30 and nothing. Not even a yawn. What the heck! I've even cut way down on the caffeine intake. Its insane. Well. Tonight I changed my sheets and made my bed all comfy..because...I'M GONNA SLEEP..you hear me? Im GONNA SLEEP tonight. Goodnight.

Wow! Whats up with Blogger! Looking good!

So, here I am at the apex of my life. Could life be any better than the journey so far? I am in love, completely unbashedly in love with a wonderful perfect man. I have a great, interesting position of employment with a company that has a capacity to affect real change in the world. I am thriving personally and professionally. This is really all so new to me. What's different...I will tell you. The absence of FEAR, the great killer of all dreams. My children are healthy and doing well in their lives. Its SPRING! Its exciting. I am so happy!

What's up with me now?

Have not made an entry in a while.
~Fotolog Meetup, talked too much and stayed out way past my bedtime.
~Meet the cop who gives out tickets in Little Silver and asked him why.
~Met an old man on the street who sold me chandelier earrings and told me mauve stories.
~Walked the beach barefoot at midnight with Bernie. Low tide..very very low. kissed under the stars and walked through the sleeping seaside town. It seemed like a dream. No moon; only lapping white waves of a black blanket sea.

I could never live in the "city" when I know the sea is here.

~Saturday and Sunday were dedicated to family activities. Swimming, grilling, boardwalk and movies.

Saw "Troy" tonight. It was pretty good. Brad Pitt was just too pretty, but not as pretty as Orlando Bloom!

It's a bittersweet symphony this life...
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to the money then you die.
I'll take you down the only road I've ever been down...
You know the one that takes you to the places where all the veins meet.
No change, I can't change.
but I'm here in my mold , I am here in my mold.
I'm a million different people from one day to the next.
I can't change my mold.

Well, I never pray,
But tonight I'm on my knees.
I need to hear some sounds that recognize the pain in me.
I let the melody shine, let it cleanse my mind , I feel free now.
But the airwaves are clean and there's nobody singing to me now.

~Richard Ashcroft

That's all there is
Nothing more than you can feel now
That's all there is

Let me put you on a ship
On a long, long trip
Your lips close to my lips

All the islands in the ocean
All the heaven's in motion
Let me show you the world in my eyes

That's all there is
Nothing more than you can touch now
That's all there is

Let me show you the world in my eyes

Today was Eventful

Filming of the remake of The Pink Panther between 28 & 27th sts.between 6 & 7 aves.
My train arrived on the opposite track.
The bank manager came out and scolded me for squatting. (I park my car in the bank lot next to the L.S. Train station...so I don't get parking tickets.)
NYU graduated at MSG...the place was swarming with purple people.
I bought a cup of coffee at Whole Foods and found out they will ring up your groceries back there if you buy coffee. (the checkout que is always SO LONG in that place)
oh...I got a raise and a promotion at work today, too.

Creepiest Movie
EVER

Man, does anyone remember Creature Feature on Channel 11 on Saturday nights or was Chiller Theater on Channel 11 and Creature Feature on channel 5?? I saw the scariest movie ever one summery Saturday evening. My Uncle Geo and Aunt Peg would babysit us on Saturday nights sometimes and always let us watch the Creature Features. The Beast had Five Fingers was clearly the most horrifying movie. I don't go for scary flicks...never saw the Exorcist or Damian or any other 70's favs. I did see Silence of the Lambs which totally creeped me out for days and swore me off scary since.

Bernie's Mom reminded me of the Beast had Five Fingers, I always thought of that movie as "The Hand" I guess because it features a hand (the beast with five fingers...get it?) that will stop at nothing to avenge a death or something.

Now this is no ordinary bodiless hand, mind you. This is no "THING" (thank you, Thing) This is a hand hell bent on destruction and will stop at no cost to attain its twisted goal.

ugh...I'll never forget how SCARED I was after seeing that one.

I'm trying to get my hands on a copy. If you happen to finger one, be sure to palm it off on me.

The unfortunate situation in Iraq. Gung ho beat em up....guess it backfired, georgie boy. War actually is HELL. I hope the American voting public is finally waking up to the realization of exactly how clueless he is...pretends to be?

Point to ponder:
Who decided woman should shave their legs and armpits? I am truly interested in finding out the origin of this practice. Are all woman supposed to resemble children? Why is hair ugly? Who decided this?

Don't get me wrong. I shave all appropriate parts of my body, according to the rules of fashion. I really wonder why, though. I can't stop now, its too late.

Fashionitzas:
WW DAILY reports that Green was the color this spring (along with stripes). I think its hot pink. Maybe more people look good in Pink than Green.
Green is tricky. Electric blue is making a big come-back on the street.

Fashionitza quote
"I'm in woman's slippers" said fashionitza on the NJ Transit, trying to impress FIT Hottie.

I have not had the time to write lately. I've been disgusted by George W. Bush. I mean, why isn't our country completely OUTRAGED that our President and Vice President testified in front of the 9/11 commission without benefit of OATH nor will we the American public ever know what really happened, how much was known. I've always felt fishy about the entire situation. I know there is a nefarious plot hatching somewhere involving GWB et al. Plus, I've been swamped with work, training new people...etc. Funny things that have happened lately:

Conductor aka: potty police.

The other morning I needed to utilize the rest room on board the NJ Transit North Jersey Coast train. I walk up, find the ONE car that hosts the toilet. Occupied, reads the red warning near the door handle. I knock. I hear nothing. I ask the gentleman sitting next to the door (why ANYONE would sit there is beyond me, unless you absolutely have to) He said no one was in there. The conductor goes by...a middle-aged heavy set Afro-American woman...which a voice like butta. She says, Sugar, where's your ticket.....I show her my reciept. She asks..Is someone in there...the bathroom. I answer that I am waiting....She loudly knocks on the door.....ARE YOU ALRIGHT IN THERE! a quiet male voice response, "I'm fine"

Another long stretch of time ticks on. Eventually, an impectibly dressed Red Skeleton look alike emerges. The conductor rushes him asking for his ticket....He said, LOOK. I just walked all the way up here from the LAST CAR (we are in the second car) WHY DONT YOU PEOPLE HAVE MORE TOILETS ON THIS TRAIN! Sir, says the conductor, if it where up to me, there would be a bathroom in EVERY CAR. But, its not up to me. (bythis time, me and the guy sitting next to the bathroom are beet red holding in our laughter...tears streaming down our eyes) The conductress move to the P. A. system and annouces. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, If you leave your seat to USE THE BATHROOM....please keep your ticket stub WITH YOU in PLAIN VIEW. Okay...I go into the rest room in and out...when I come out, the conductress asks me, "is everything alright" I say, Everything is Cool. She says EVERTHING WILL BE COOL...(i have no idea what that means) I tell her I enjoy the tone of her voice and it is very soothing in the morning....

She came, she came to meet a man, she found an angel.

He very wise in the herbal lore 's got young cure now.
She came, she came to free the pain with his wild flower.

Fine fine, fine fine Acelandine be prepared for her.
Tea tea, tea tea to make her free while incense burned.

In love pool eyes float feathers after the struggle.
The hopes burst and shot joy all through the mind
Sorrow more distant than a star.
Multi colour run down over your body,
Then the liquid passing all into all
Love is hot truth is molten.

True true, true true the song he sang her while the leaves cooked
Ting ting, ting little bell he rang her, sleepily she looked.
He filled, he filled a leather cup, holding her gaze
She took, she took a little sip

~Donovon P. Leitch