The Day After

As I was walked Tuxie around the West Village, the air was crisp and the sun peeked it's yellow head from behind a cloud as to say "Is it safe to come out yet." Brownstones just hours ago warranted Adam's Family status now look dusty and old with rotting pumpkins, skeletons, spiders and rats wondering if it's time to go back in already. The R.I.P gravestones and signs of "Boo" and "Enter at your own Risk" are now less then intimidating. Faint sounds of children yelling "Trick O' Treat" echoing through the air.

Halloween Costume stores that popped up a month ago are now "closing." Garbage and broken glass litters the side streets and of course 6th Avenue where one the most anticipated parades of the year commences, yes, I speak of the Village Halloween Parade

 

A quick note: The parade was started up by a Greenwich-based puppeteer and mask maker in 1973, beginning as a walk from “house to house in his neighborhood for his children and their friends,” the organizers said about the parade’s history.

It is said that attending this particular parade is a must in one's lifetime. I have been to it twice and I can assure you it's as crazy and wild as they say. You will see costumes and "acts" that you will rarely see again. If there was ever a line to cross, 6th Avenue in Greenwich Village was the place to be last night, just be prepared to be surrounded by thousands upon thousands of people in scary yet amusing costumes. Although the parade is broadcasted on T.V., it doesn't cover half of what this ghoulish event has to offer. It's an euphoric feeling that transcends you to another time on some other planet, but like every year you wake up the next day and realize you are still on earth, or are you? (Dr. Evil laugh)

Children wake up with a smile in anticipation of seeing pictures their parents took, Parents are posting pictures like hotcakes on Facebook boasting "How cute." Costumes are put back in the closet to sleep and Dentists await the mass phone calls in the coming weeks. :)

What I love about this holiday is the anticipation by both children and adults. At times I think adults are more into it and love to dress up especially when you are a couple though being single during Halloween is a blast too, depending on what you are wearing. We can't forget about the our poor unsuspecting dogs who have no choice to dress up and no say in what they wear. I always wonder what is going through their heads.

In 364 days we do it all again and I must say it never gets old.

Oh and one more thing 'Occupy Wall Street' give it a rest! and how dare you push politics into this most anticipated politically incorrect parade of the year.

All the being said, Enjoy the yummy pumpkin pie and pumpkin seeds, brush your teeth well today and SHINE ON!

TAKE HIM TO DETROIT!

I guess all the laughing at the RedSox has come back to haunt us.

This 5 game series against the Detroit Tigers should have been a sure path to the grand prize, what we strive for every year as NY Yankee fans and if we don't obtain that goal the season is deemed a complete failure, like the 2011 season.

Yes we won the AL East, had the best record in the American League with home field advantage throughout the playoffs but while Detroit is no easy win we had them in our house only down 1 run with runners in scoring positions almost every inning with our "go to guys" up at the plate.

It was like being tortured by Jack Bauer is the only way to describe each nail biting inning.

How can I not address the A-ROD situation.  These moments are why you are paid the ludicrous money.   Granted he has been off due to nagging injuries throughout the year but that is no excuse for not being able to hit a fly ball to get a run in with the bases loaded or a single, yes we all expect the long ball from him, any kind of hit would have won the game.  This goes for Nick Swisher too!

We lost because we could not get that hit and out of all the pitchers to shut us down it was Benoit, I mean c'mon really?

Another year of listening to Yankee haters say "You see you can't buy a championship" and while that is true to a point I am sure we will be opening up the check book in the off season to "fix" the problem.  27 World Series will have to do for now.

One of my favorite quotes from the cult classic Kentucky Fried Movie.."Take Him to Detroit!"

Shine On!

First we Lose Thousands of Jobs and now we lose Steve Jobs who created Thousands of jobs

In our lifetime we see many people come and go by that I mean pass away.  Our family, friends, athletes, entertainers and your every day Dick and Jane. 


Unless you were in a coma for the last 16 hours, you are aware the world lost a true pioneer that changed the way we view information, work and listen to music.  Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple died at the young age of 56 years old from a long battle with cancer.  Now that he has left this earth hmmm has he? Everyone has bought a piece of him in some form. It's interesting to take a look at the history of Jobs as most people will google his bio http://www.biography.com/people/steve-jobs-9354805.


I own an iPod which I love and enabled me to get rid of all those scratched Cd's that drove me and my friends crazy.  A MacBook, which I feel luke warm about but that's just me otherwise I don't see myself getting too many more Apple products. Also for some reason the word app (application) annoys me now.


I guess my point, as a friend of mine said, although tragic and sad people are pouring out there thoughts and prayers via Facebook and Twitter like he was a personal friend to them.  I understand the mark he has left on technology, industry and popular culture but do all of these people on the Social Network sites really care that much or just doing it because it's the big news of the day.  


I am not being insensitive about his loss or doubting it has truly affected a lot of people on a personal level, I just wonder.


Does everyone know where the "i" in iPod and like products came from?  


On that note, I say to you Shine On!

October-As I look out my window....

October
And the trees are stripped bare
of all they wear
what do I care
October
And kingdoms rise
And kingdoms fall
But you go on..........(U2)

No doubt fall is here.  Football is in full force, Yankee in the playoffs, (not sure we will see the October classic this year), we sport our heavier clothes which always looks better than summer wear and not to mention we see people in jackets.  Elections are around the corner, the scary stock markets volatility peaks its ugly face, Employers set budgets for the upcoming year, Pumpkin farms are in business, we see Halloween costume stores popping up if only for a few weeks, well except for Ricky's of course and new episodes of our favorite TV shows start along with the overplay of horror classics as we approach the 31st.

That cool crisp October air that bids the warm weather good night and allows us to shut down our air conditioners, which is a relief if only minor to our good old ConEd bill.

We look back every year and wonder where did the summer go?  As we get older life is moving at the speed of light, dizzy with possibilities.  But you go on!

Push On Till The Day

After a walk over to Bed Bath & Beyond with wifey Shine and Tuxie, which by the way now the dogs must be in a shopping cart.  She was confused and only jumped out once.  When we checked out I was curious to see how much Tuxie would sell for but they said there was no bar code...  I said can you look her up in the system.. ok I was trying to be cute..

We arrived home a bit later and now that our day has changed due the unusual Yankee playoff game rain delay, I decided to embark on a much needed bike ride burn... Destiny Unbound!  I have now been back to the city for 2 weeks and I have to boast we live in the best neighborhood with the westside bike route access just down the block, my choices are endless.  Today, I had the GW bridge in my mind. salivating about the tremendous uphill climb to Washington Heights.

What really amazed me about this ride was all the activities that was going on simultaneously, so let me begin in bullet point mode :)

• food and wine festival;
• 3 massive cruise ships ready to head out to sea;
• kids kayaking in the nasty Hudson River...I just don't get it;
• A rally against nuclear power;
• A rally for the Chinese freeing Tibetans;
• Wall Street Protestors;
• Kids playing baseball, girls playing softball and soccer;
• fellow bike riders "cyclists" like myself;
• rollerbladers;
• joggers;
• Tennis;
• And we can't forget the tourist who walk up and down the bike lane and get in my way.. Hello read the ground yoyo's!

I finally made it to the climb up to Washington Heights.  A major burn to say the least but man did I feel amazing... the key.. never get off your seat and use your gears properly and keep on keeping on.  I stopped to catch my breath at the top and began my descent back to the meatpacking.   I pulled over a few times sat on a rock looked out on the Hudson by the GW Bridge and just pondered the yonder.  I saw many others doing the same.  I noticed at that point that New Yorkers a rare breed living in a crazy city but if you let yourself enjoy the calm of this crazy city it's a beautiful thing.. You just have to find "that place"  I have many and one day I will take you to them.

I arrived home just beating the rain to my Tuxie acting like she has not seen me in years and my wife telling me you need to vacuum we have friends coming over soon...  ahh  good to be home :)  

Tonight we will be kicking back watching the Yankee game but will be at the Stadium tomorrow.

All that being said.. Push on Till The Day and off course Shine On!

Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world

This famous quote meant so many things throughout the years but at this instance I believe it rings true for everyone.

We are all living through a tough political/economic time, might rival the the 30's and early 70's.   Some feel it more than others but the fact is it's here and is not going to get better anytime soon.  A lot of us have lost our jobs, or had to take jobs we normally wouldn't consider, or are lost and have no idea where to go from here (I personally know someone like that).  It can be depressing and debilitating and a huge shock to ones self esteem.

Those who know me, I always look to music when there are Good Times Bad Times you know I've had my share.  I was riding in my car with top down enjoying the moment when Jerry Garcia just sang almost speaking to me "Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world."  It hit me in a way I never felt before not just in a micro way but more macro in scope.  Yeah times are really bad now but every morning we will individually wake and in some way find out and get it...that we are the eyes of the world.  We make the world what it is today good or bad but it's up to us to do something about it, make something happen, consider what else we can do.

I guess besides just talking about myself everyone pick your heads up, stop moping around and being scared of the world.. it's what we have to deal with it now so lets deal and turn it around both collectively and individually.

And remember Shine On!