Row’n time

Karen,
By no means am I an expert at the row machine.  In fact, once while I was working out at my gym on the upper west side (westside!) an orientation tour came in to talk about the different machines.  I  tried to show off how well I listened during my own tour and how obnoxiously [...]

begging, or something like it

I was riding the L home and a guy got on the train.  He began making an announcement to the packed car as soon as the doors closed.  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen.”  You know any speech that starts like that is a ploy for money.  Everyone continues what they are doing, pretending to ignore [...]

NY sleeps alone tonight

I’ve been thinking about New York lately.  Wondering if she misses me and feels a bit replaced.
Chicago is a great city.  A fabulous city.  But it is not New York.  I miss the corner grocers with endless fruit and flowers that made my face light up, no matter how hard the day had been.  I [...]

“She once told Ives, while they walked along the boardwalk of Coney Island, that, in her opinion the troubles in life were started by people who never looked into their own souls.  He walked along holding her hand and nodding.  He was astounded, a woman nearly as introspective as himself, who loved him.”
Mr. Ives’ Christmas, [...]

Top Five Concerts of All Time, no. 5

I lived in New York. Ben Folds was coming to Brooklyn. None of my friends wanted to shell out the money for the ticket, but I would not let solitude keep me from seeing the Ben-Rufus show.
I went by myself. And it was one of the greatest decisions I have ever made. [...]

your call

I was busy watching the lone episode of American Idol I have ever seen in an attempt to be social and make the most of my visit.  It was not until I excused myself and lay upon the lonely bottom bunk of a bed somewhere in Brooklyn that I realized I’d missed your call.  “Hi.  [...]

the Half-Blood Prince

I had been waiting for a transfer at the 59th Street Circle for what seemed like hours.  Check watch.  Another five minutes has gone by.  Check tunnel.  Still no train.  There was something about this particular stop in the middle of the night that took forever.
When a train finally arrived, bringing a gushing wind and [...]

I love you, Love New York

I try not to watch TV much, but after my long run this morning I convinced myself that some non-book veg time might be of benefit. I made my eggs and turned on the television to find it tuned into HBO showing my all-time favorite movie, You’ve Got Mail.
And the world was right again.
A [...]

move’n on up, to the (west)side

Sandy and I decided to put a security deposit on a place we looked at.  We’d been excited about it after the showing, but tried to play it cool.  “We’ll think about it and pray about it.  If it’s supposed to be ours it will be there when we’re ready.  I don’t think we should [...]