Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Brrrr II ...
It was COLD yesterday. The temperature in New York's Central Park hit a low of 18 degrees F (-8 degrees C) and it gets colder where we are. The low but constant wind made it even nicer.
Diane and I abandoned our usual morning walk and took the subway to work.
As far as I'm concerned this was the first REAL bitter New York bitter winter day we've experienced, the kind I'd been dreading after five years of mild London winters and balmy Indian ones.
I'm very glad I paid attention to the weather forecast on Sunday night. I swapped the light London parka for the long New York coat.
It's warmer today -- the forecast low is 23 degress F (-5 degrees C) AND we got a cosmetic dusting of snow overnight. I did the walk this morning.
Diane and I abandoned our usual morning walk and took the subway to work.
As far as I'm concerned this was the first REAL bitter New York bitter winter day we've experienced, the kind I'd been dreading after five years of mild London winters and balmy Indian ones.
I'm very glad I paid attention to the weather forecast on Sunday night. I swapped the light London parka for the long New York coat.
It's warmer today -- the forecast low is 23 degress F (-5 degrees C) AND we got a cosmetic dusting of snow overnight. I did the walk this morning.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Sylvan Heaven
The weekend before this one, I went for a walk in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge first thing in the morning. I was the only one in the refuge, and it was very peaceful. I walked through the forest swamp on a boardwalk path -- which still had some ice on it, so I had to walk carefully.
The 0.4-mile path leads to a bird blind, where I enjoyed watching lots of English, or house, sparrows, three blue jays, and a northern cardinal, among others, jockey for birdseed at a feeder. It was cold but not uncomfortable. When I had seen enough of the bird show, I turned back.
Then came the surprise -- though, looking back, I should not have been surprised. Two white tail deer that I'd spooked with my noisy hiking boots suddenly bounded into view and away. I only know they were white tails because that's about all I caught sight of as they fled. Wonderful.
Postscript: Today, Jay and I were driving back from a shopping trip (a mall, where else?) when we came upon a group of five white tails, including what looked like a younger deer. I stopped the car to allow them to cross the road. Four ran across. A fifth hesitated for a second, then realizing we were staying put, caught up with the rest.
OK, it IS the suburbs. But these suburbs are a little wilder than I'd expected. And I'm very happy about that.
The 0.4-mile path leads to a bird blind, where I enjoyed watching lots of English, or house, sparrows, three blue jays, and a northern cardinal, among others, jockey for birdseed at a feeder. It was cold but not uncomfortable. When I had seen enough of the bird show, I turned back.
Then came the surprise -- though, looking back, I should not have been surprised. Two white tail deer that I'd spooked with my noisy hiking boots suddenly bounded into view and away. I only know they were white tails because that's about all I caught sight of as they fled. Wonderful.
Postscript: Today, Jay and I were driving back from a shopping trip (a mall, where else?) when we came upon a group of five white tails, including what looked like a younger deer. I stopped the car to allow them to cross the road. Four ran across. A fifth hesitated for a second, then realizing we were staying put, caught up with the rest.
OK, it IS the suburbs. But these suburbs are a little wilder than I'd expected. And I'm very happy about that.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Commuter Hell
Last week, I finally hit a baaad commute.
-- Missed my regular 7:09 train (Note to self: Do NOT eat high-fiber cereal the morning after having vegetarian chili for dinner).
-- Took the 7:33 train. Which does not sound so bad, except that it's a short train (three cars) and is so crowded you have to stand for two stops -- or more (Quickly learned the trick to getting a seat: stand near one of the seats holding groups of teen-age girls. They get off at Summit two stops from Murray Hill, presumably where their school is located. You then zip into the seats they vacated).
-- The 7:33 goes to Hoboken, New Jersey, rather than Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. So, you still have to get to Midtown. Options: The PATH subway or a ferry. It was a nice day and I was making good time, so I thought I'd take the boat. After being directed to one of two piers, I find that I have jumped onto
-- The wrong boat, heading for the World Financial Center waaayyyy downtown. As soon as the ferry puts ashore, I debark and
-- Run/walk quickly to the subway stop in the bowels of what's left of the World Trade Center. Take subway to 42nd Street.
-- Arrive at work breathing hard but just five minutes late.
Next time, I will make SURE I'm getting on the right ferry.
-- Missed my regular 7:09 train (Note to self: Do NOT eat high-fiber cereal the morning after having vegetarian chili for dinner).
-- Took the 7:33 train. Which does not sound so bad, except that it's a short train (three cars) and is so crowded you have to stand for two stops -- or more (Quickly learned the trick to getting a seat: stand near one of the seats holding groups of teen-age girls. They get off at Summit two stops from Murray Hill, presumably where their school is located. You then zip into the seats they vacated).
-- The 7:33 goes to Hoboken, New Jersey, rather than Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan. So, you still have to get to Midtown. Options: The PATH subway or a ferry. It was a nice day and I was making good time, so I thought I'd take the boat. After being directed to one of two piers, I find that I have jumped onto
-- The wrong boat, heading for the World Financial Center waaayyyy downtown. As soon as the ferry puts ashore, I debark and
-- Run/walk quickly to the subway stop in the bowels of what's left of the World Trade Center. Take subway to 42nd Street.
-- Arrive at work breathing hard but just five minutes late.
Next time, I will make SURE I'm getting on the right ferry.
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Things change ...
When you're away from your home country for nearly five years, you find yourself in what I think of as a Rip Van Winkle situation every now and again.
For the most part, my Rip Van Winkles have involved inflation; e.g., a lunch that cost $5 now costs $7 (or more!). I'm STILL getting used to that.
But, a couple of days ago I had a bit of cognitive dissonance. When I left my building for a lunch break, I could not help but notice the three SWAT-type police officers standing just outside. They were wearing helmets and carrying automatic rifles. As I walked through Times Square, I noticed more cops than I'm used to seeing normally.
Before I left New York, this usually meant something was up, like a major protest demonstration or a specific threat -- and the cops were there to handle it.
In separate conversations, I asked some of the cops and one of our building security guys what was going on.
It turned out that nothing was up. I was told that, these days, the city puts 100 or so cops into given areas every couple of days or so, so they can rapidly respond.
It's a measure that went into effect after 9/11. How smart and how sad.
For the most part, my Rip Van Winkles have involved inflation; e.g., a lunch that cost $5 now costs $7 (or more!). I'm STILL getting used to that.
But, a couple of days ago I had a bit of cognitive dissonance. When I left my building for a lunch break, I could not help but notice the three SWAT-type police officers standing just outside. They were wearing helmets and carrying automatic rifles. As I walked through Times Square, I noticed more cops than I'm used to seeing normally.
Before I left New York, this usually meant something was up, like a major protest demonstration or a specific threat -- and the cops were there to handle it.
In separate conversations, I asked some of the cops and one of our building security guys what was going on.
It turned out that nothing was up. I was told that, these days, the city puts 100 or so cops into given areas every couple of days or so, so they can rapidly respond.
It's a measure that went into effect after 9/11. How smart and how sad.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Our house in the snow
Our house in the snow -- check out how much snow is on the little roof over the entranceway.
Snow ...
We got hit with a blizzard of record proportions this weekend. According to Weather.com, the storm left 26.9 inches of the white stuff in New York City's Central Park, beating the record set back in 1947.
Out in New Providence, we got over a foot. I trudged through it to the supermarket to get a few things.
It's quite beautiful around here. The Octagon House -- the eight-sided house that is a distinctive feature of our odd little development -- has a flat roof that was piled high with snow.
The trains are running, so getting to work tomorrow should not be a problem.
Out in New Providence, we got over a foot. I trudged through it to the supermarket to get a few things.
It's quite beautiful around here. The Octagon House -- the eight-sided house that is a distinctive feature of our odd little development -- has a flat roof that was piled high with snow.
The trains are running, so getting to work tomorrow should not be a problem.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Goin' Mobile
A first for me. I'm blogging on my Palm Lifedrive from the Juan Valdez Cafe on 41st and Broadway. The cafe has great coffee, leather armchairs AND free wi-fi. Heaven.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Superb Owl
After a hiatus of at least five years, I got to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. It was a lot of fun, and I made sure Jay got a look at this American ritual.
I am not a sports fan and rarely watch any kind of game on TV. But, in this age of 500 cable TV channels, the Internet, etc., there are very few events that bring all (or nearly all) Americans together. This is one of them. Watching is almost mandatory.
As I watched the pregame show (Stevie Wonder!), the game and the half-time show (the Rolling Stones!), I found myself remembering how good we are at putting on a spectacle. And let's not forget the commercials, some of them very, very good.
All in all, a lot of fun.
As for the title of this post: a friend of mine who is a native of Scotland says that when he first arrived in the States he saw a billboard for the "Superbowl" and innocently asked American colleagues what was all the fuss about the "superb owl."
I am not a sports fan and rarely watch any kind of game on TV. But, in this age of 500 cable TV channels, the Internet, etc., there are very few events that bring all (or nearly all) Americans together. This is one of them. Watching is almost mandatory.
As I watched the pregame show (Stevie Wonder!), the game and the half-time show (the Rolling Stones!), I found myself remembering how good we are at putting on a spectacle. And let's not forget the commercials, some of them very, very good.
All in all, a lot of fun.
As for the title of this post: a friend of mine who is a native of Scotland says that when he first arrived in the States he saw a billboard for the "Superbowl" and innocently asked American colleagues what was all the fuss about the "superb owl."
