Revlon Run/Walk

On Saturday, April 30, I will be walking in the NYC Revlon Run/Walk to fight women's cancers. I will be walking with my sister Sandy and my mom, who is a cancer survivor. If cancer had won, my mom may not have had a family - or conversely, we would not have had a mom. But our family was lucky, and I want to raise money so that research and treatment can ensure that all families facing cancer can be as "lucky" as we were. Below is a link to my fundraising webpage. It's secure and easy to pledge or contribute online. Please donate - even just $5 is another step towards a cure.https://www.revlonrunwalk.com/ny/secure/mywebpage.cfm?pID=215159

SO freaked out!

If you are a wuss like me, NEVER, ever read scary stories on your lunch break.

Some things I love about NYC

- That city employees get Election day off- The Greenmarket farmers' market- Commodities natural market- Duane Reade (everything you need!)- Sympathy for the Kettle- The burger at Flea Market comes with salad AND fries- Sympathy for the Kettle (it's really great)- Crif Dogs (DK, this is where you got that bacon wrapped scallion and pineapple dog)- Voting across the street- Having the NY Times write about your neighborhood- The Greenwich Village Halloween Parade- Tompkins Square Park- Silver Spurs' jalapeno poppers- St. Marks Place (and not living on it)- Having more restaurants and fun places to check out than time to ever do it all :)

On my walk to...

On my walk to the subway this morning, it occurred to me that New York City (among the multitude of things you can say about it) is sorta like an onion. The City is like an onion in the way that research questions are like onions - you peel back a layer of questions, observations, issues, whatever's on the surface, and there's another new layer beneath it, so on and so on. Each morning I walk almost the exact same route, and on the days I really watch, another layer of the street peels back to reveal something new.On rainy days, however, New York is not just any onion. It's a smelly wet onion. Yuck!

back in the garden state

I'm spending the night at home in Westwood - came back on Friday to hang out with Willie (and Emily, Sandy, Liz, Devin, Sascha and Steve too). We had a fun night at Dave and Busters - Sandy and I finally collected enough prize tickets to get the big D&B soup mug!! I know that's small change for some of y'all, but I'm pumped. :) Then at around 2:30am, I drove to Princeton to see Jim. The drive wasn't as bad as it sounds. At Princeton, Jim and I fixed up his room a little and spent a nice quiet weekend together. We also went to see Garden State, the movie with Zach Braff and Natalie Portman. It was awesome, really really awesome, and particularly resonant for me lately for a lot of reasons. I've got two questions about the movie though:1) Where is it set? From my google search I learned that Zach Braff grew up in South Orange and wrote this while there as well... maybe that's it? It would explain the closeness to Newark, but I couldn't tell much from the scenery.2) How old is Sam supposed to be? I just can't believe she's as old as Large, but I don't think much is said either way.Oh well. Go see the movie!

does this seem empty to you?

If you're not seeing most of my posts, it's not because I don't write. The majority of my posts are friends-only. If you are my friend, and you want to read my journal, add me to your friends list or tell me your lj name so I know you exist and can add you to my list.

I have gmail invites too

Oh yeah, forgot, I got more gmail invites too, like everybody I know. So write if you want one. Has Al Frente gotten one yet?

The RNC post (and other stuff)

I've been thinking a lot about the RNC - if anyone is going to protest, tell me so I can make sure you know your rights. :) We are moving the 22nd, so I should be living in NYC during the convention instead of dealing with NJ Transit. I was thinking about this editorial from today's Times, by Dahlia Lithwick: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/12/opinion/12lith.html?hpIt talks about how protests are being limited (by things like searches, protest zones and barriers) and why this is happening now. She writes: "It's tempting to say the difference this time lies in the perils of the post-9/11 world, but that argument assumes some meaningful link between domestic political protest and terrorism," and then writes about how the link doesn't exist, except in the eyes of the Bush administration (who made it up to squelch dissenters), along with some particularly egregious examples.While I believe that the Bush admin would/does go to ridiculous lengths to insulate their regime from dissent, there are other reasons that protests might need to be limited. Like all people, not all protestors are nice or law-abiding. A small number of violent individuals will be there specifically to cause chaos and harm to anyone - cops, yes, but also protestors and passers-by. And when you have terrorists craving mass death, any big event is a security situation. The protests are not a risk; instead, the protests might be at risk. Furthermore, any NYC situation with a huge crowd is usually staffed with metal barriers and plenty of police. Think of parades, or New Years Eve at Times Square - it's definitely annoying, but without order control, a gigantic crowd (especially with someone sinister in it) is a potential disaster. So maybe some of these restrictions are there to *help*. Just another point to consider.There's a fine line between protection and suppression, and to tell you the truth I don't really know if it's been crossed this year. (I'm not going to comment on the moving of the United for Peace and Justice protest, the largest of the RNC) I know that enforcement aims to be neutral - nobody, Democrat or Republican, wants a riot or loss of life (and don't assume that all those in blue are pro-Bush). Please comment on this if you like. They're just my thoughts. I miss discussions. :)I am also looking for a nice bar cart for the apartment. But the only decent ones are too expensive - any ideas of where we can get good cheap furniture besides the usual places? Sandy and I are going to build a kitchen nook bench, that should be interesting. Woodworkers, volunteer now. :P I really miss the hours of 8-9am and 5-6pm, which I always spend in transit. I used to cook breakfast and dinner. On a good note, my coworker told me that the 5th Harry Potter is being sold in the Rite-Aid downstairs, in paperback, so I know what I'll be doing with my lunch break (and ride home) today... :D

Starting off

Yes, I finally got a LJ account. No, I really don't have anything to say. Anyone who knows me and is reading this is probably aware of my current events (the commuter life, the job, decorating and moving into the new place, learning about life and aging, and all of that). Wow, I need to get out and go to the beach. I also need to have a fancy dinner party, and to learn the art of making a real good pulled pork or brisket before the summer ends (not on the same night). I also need to read the fifth Harry Potter book, it is way too good. Lately, though, I am just taking it all one day at a time.Any advice on which LJ client to download? I'll post again at some point later.