HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
It's tough enough balancing work and life.
Let alone coming up with a cunning costume
and making sure one has enough candy.
Be careful... it's enough to drive you batty!
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Far above the maddening crowd
Some things never change.
Saturday night we dined at 21.
I saw little difference from my
childhood memories including
most of the staff. Our guest
was "L" who was in town for
a conference. While we hadn't
seen each other for a year, it
seemed as if we'd never been
apart. The night flew by as we
shared drinks, memories and
laughter. God gives us gifts
and "L" is one of them.
New York is just as comfortable
however it's constantly changing.
Surrounded by water, available
space is limited. Hence the need
to build higher and higher. The
city of my youth is but a memory.
While many cherished landmarks
remain, others are now replaced
by monolithic modernity. These
new towers soar far above. While
the views from within may amaze,
these structures completely change
the city's scale at ground level.
This is not a new phenomena.
New Yorkers have always thrived
on erecting and then demolishing
structures, often within a brief span.
Senator W.A.Clark the Montana
copper king built this mansion on
Fifth at 77th in 1907. At a cost of
over $165 million in today's dollars,
the house was quickly deemed a
lemon. Built to last, the limestone
mound was demolished 20 years
later after his death. His heirs then
moved into a high rise apartment.
Manhattanites are used to living in
construction zones. A city ordinance
requires an inspection of all building
facades every five years. If repairs
are required, it can cost millions and
take years depending on the height
of the structure. Hence almost every
sidewalk is periodically covered by
scaffolding. While rather unattractive,
these temporary structures provide
shelter from the elements. Plus they
insure that nobody is hit by a slab
of cornice falling eighty stories.
As the city gets more congested,
public transport becomes even
more important. So, even afterall these years the city continues
to build subways. By the end of
2016 the new Second Avenue
line should be completed. Our
street is a construction zone due
to a connector tunnel being dug
several stories beneath it. Living
twenty eight stories above it all,
one can forget that an army of
men are working far below!
One thing is certain, New Yorkers are
never happy. Recently pundits have
started to "dis" the almost complete
One World Trade Center. As it has
risen above the skyline, it's become a
symbol of how resilient this city truly
is. I don't yet have an opinion about
it's aesthetics. I've only seen it from
afar and have yet to journey down to
Ground Zero. All that I know is that
I'm thrilled that a gaping hole in our
city's heart is once again filled with
something to be proud of.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Hair today... gone tomorrow...
Sometimes it's great to be a male.
Especially when it comes to HAIR.
Men have it pretty easy. Every few
weeks we simply hit the barber and
quickly get clipped. Some of us sport
shiny pates that are now considered
quite fashionable. With icons like
Cary Grant and George Clooney,
silver foxes have become de rigeur.
Now don't get snippy but I think that
hair is the reason we're considered
the better sex. That's because, when
it comes to hair, we've got it better!
Ladies on the other hand spend most
of their lives in search of the perfect
coif. Rather than be happy with what
nature wrought, most women will do
anything possible to change what
they naturally have into something
they unnaturally don't. In the end
spending a major chunk of cash and
a lifetime teasing, torturing, taming,
tinting, and trimming their folicles.
All in the hope that somehow, some
way their hair will ultimately do what
they want it to do. It's a girl thing...
What God gave some is never
enough. My friend "E" is an LA
girl who also happens to be of
Korean descent. During a visit
home, her parents discussed their
concerns about her inability to
get hitched. Their solution was
to set up an appointment for a
"perma" in Korea Town the next
day. "E" thanked them before
forcefully rejecting their idea
of her becoming a curly topped
Korean version of Shirley Temple.
My darling friend "R" has a fabulous
halo of curls. However like most gals
she loathes what she has and craves
straight hair. Through the years she's
relaxed, coaxed, ironed, beaten, and
pounded her hair. In the end it looks
great as she exits the salon only to
immediately return back to it's native
form. All that work simply leaves
"R" poorer and flat out frustrated!
Ethel was a faux blonde most of her life.
All up in a french twist, her nickname
was "Princess Grace". Oddly mother did
not frequent Kenneth's on a regular basis.
She preferred to dye at home alone. At
times with perilous results such as the day
she burned off at least six inches from the
back of her head. Quickly Ethel found a
matching mass to simply pin on until her
hair grew back. NOBODY ever knew.
In my youth most ladies visited the
beauty salon weekly to craft coifs.
Now a vestige of the past, many
still visit at least monthly for a cut
and color. This "process" consumes
several hours and lots of cash. All
proof that women are still willing
to invest time and money to look
good. Whereas gents maintain the
status quo. Beauty and the beast!
Monday, October 28, 2013
BOO WHO?
As Halloween quickly approaches,
I'm fascinated by all of the time and
effort many put into preparing their
costumes. We're not talking children
here, but adults! In reality, I shouldn't
find this phenomena odd at all given
many hide behind false facades on a
daily basis. While their disguises may
not be as obvious, they mask hidden
agendas throughout the year. All of
which are intended to shield their true
intentions. When finally unmasked
the underlying truth is quite SCARY!
Who hasn't referred to someone
they know as "Teflon". These
players somehow never seem
to get tarred by any brush. All
they do is smile sweetly and
do whatever they want behind
the scenes. Like cockroaches
in a nuclear holocaust, they
somehow survive and last as
long as the pyramids. Oddly
their longevity is seductive.
However if survival requires
living that way, who wants to?
There is nothing I loathe
more than posers. Their
primary goal is to impress.
Not only is that shallow,
it's frankly rather boring.
The truly chic are willing
to take calculated risks.
Those consumed with a
desire to stand out will
ultimately only blend in.
That's because they're a
facsimile of another's elan.
Who likes a copy cat?
Do you know a "know-it-all"?
These arrogant egoists thrive on
misinformation. Rambling off a
plethora of random data that in
most cases is not applicable when
fully traced. For whatever reason
many companies have tenured
players whose only purpose is
to increase confusion rather than
enhance clarity. Knowledge is
power and these people know it.
That's why they opt to never truly
share, just appear to do so.
How many times have you suddenly
discovered that a friend was actually
an enemy? There's no easier way to
hit somebody where it really hurts
than to first snuggle up next to them
and find their vulnerable spot. The
reality is that many friends are in
truth mercurial malcontents. They
have only one goal and that is to
rise up as they drag you down.
It's nice to be liked, but make sure
that their good intentions are truly
sincere rather than secretly strategic.
Of course there are some truly evil
people. And in my experience
they rarely hide behind masks.
Instead their agendas, tactics, and
actions are blatantly obvious to
all involved. However they are
empowered, they move forward
with lethal force. Annihilating
anything and everything in the
way. Few survive their assault.
However ultimately evil begets
evil and what goes around truly
does come around. BOO HOO!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
7th Day Surprise - PINKY
THINK PINK
As we end the month of October,
One more recognition of the importance
of our collective battle against Breast Cancer.
Given it threatens us all every day,
we must continuously support
all efforts to eradicate this dread disease.
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