Apparently…

I am in denial about the crappy state of affairs of our weather. I watched the morning news today so I knew it was going to suck. And yet I still:

1) Straightened my hair this morning. So glad I spent the extra time doing THAT.

2) Left the house wearing metallic gold wedge sandals. A sandal scandal! In a monsoon!

I’m disappointed with myself. I’ve certainly done better in the past.

I was wrestling with my umbrella on my way to work and as a result spilled the contents of my coffee down the front of my dress, which of course, is light-colored. Umbrellas are not entirely user-friendly sometimes. Luckily I have a drawer full of stain removers in my office so there is no trace of my mishap.

I’m co-hosting a baby shower Sunday. My fingers are crossed for good weather.

I’m really not impressed at all by this rain.

In other news I’m not the only one in denial. MC Aaron rode his motorcycle to work today. Hey everybody, look at the dumb guy! I mean, er… nevermind.

Yeah, rain sucks.

Totally trashed.

We have a garbage sitch at my place and it’s gotten completely out of control. I blame it on three things:

1. The gate enclosing the front area of our “yard”. It acts as a magnet for garbage. Once a deli bag or candy wrapper gets stuck in there it doesn’t leave. It just blows around in this odd little wind tunnel. If I wasn’t so annoyed by the end result I’d probably find some sort of artistic expression in it. But I don’t. It’s gross and an eyesore.

2. There are alot of people in Bed-Stuy who litter. It’s really a shame. Who walks down the street eating from a styrofoam container and just tosses the remnants and container on the ground when they are done? Sadly, alot of people do.

3. Those fucking advertising circulars. I hate those things. I hate even more picking up the 12 or so every couple of days that have broken apart and are littering my sidewalk.

My next door neighbor is freaking out and has threatened to put a boot up the ass of the next person he sees littering on our street. He has also issued the same threat to the advertising circular-leavers. I personally would like to build a force field around my front area so that anybody who tosses their potato chip bags, soda cans, food containers, liquor bottles, or crappy advertising circulars gets it redirected to their front steps.

We clean up our front area daily. It looks good for about an hour before the trash returns. I am officially at a loss as to what to do. It’s not a good feeling to come home to your house and see trash strewn all over the place. Your home should be a place that comforts and welcomes and that you have pride in. I’d actually broaden that entire statement to include “your neighborhood”. I wish others saw it the same way.

Saturday afternoon whilst sweeping V removed a whole chicken claw from the ground in front of my entrance.

The Portland Report: Clouds

Two things I’ve learned about Portland: it’s cheap because nobody works and it does rain that much.
I was complaining about the latter to my new friend Adam Arnold. We were riding our bikes along the river, on this path that runs through a green valley. It’s in the middle of the city but you wouldn’t know it.
I had my camera with me and Adam told me to take some pictures and look at them later. He promised that it would give me a new perspective on the ever-present clouds and the special light they create.
Take a look. The colors are so saturated they hurt your eyes. The green is almost neon. It’s strange and beautiful in it’s own way.
I’m acclimating to this climate, as alien as it is.
Summer will be here soon. Five months of sunshine and 80 degree weather, zero percent humidity. But I’m okay for now.

The Portland Report has been brought to you by Brett Glass.

Train to nowhere

The trains sucked this morning. The A and the F combined for a double whammy that resulted in my being 45 minutes late to work. Ah well, it was due. I have been having way too much luck with the A lately! But that’s not the point of my blog. Or is it? No, it’s not. My point is that I was sitting on the A and somewhere around the Broadway/Nassau stop I drifted off to thinking about my commute and what lies at either end of it. Ever have those mornings when you could just stay on the train, get off at the last stop, and have yourself a field trip? I never have that inclination when I can actually do it, of course. Perhaps that is the allure. I could easily have spent a chilly, gray morning sipping a cafe con leche and wandering around a different neighborhood.

I’ve never been to Ozone Park. I have a friend who grew up there and I have always wanted to explore. Maybe one Saturday this summer she will feel like going back to her old neighborhood and showing us around? Yes, I am looking at you, MZ.

Then there’s the opposite direction. Cloisters. Inwood. Washington Heights. I am due for a visit to Cloisters this summer as it’s been a few years. It’s one of my very favorite places in NYC and a truly transporting experience. You can look out to the Hudson River and not even feel like you’re in the city anymore. The War song “City country city” is in my head now.

Country:

City:

I don’t want to be at work today.

Fugly Fugly Fugly

Unless one is on their way to work in Mario Batali’s kitchen there is no need to see these on the streets of NYC. They make legs looks squat and make feet look gargantuan. Plus, they are plastic clogs.