A blog about New York City, my books, and my cats. Mostly.
I’ve been dying for red sneakers. Which ones do you like? The ones on the left are kinda flimsy. They’re almost like slippers. But the shade of red is better, and because they are less bulky, they might look better with skirts. The ones on the right are more sneaker-like. Better for walking.
Here’s another shot, even though it’s not a good one.
And here is a gratuitous shot of Finney’s belly. BELLY! Worship the belly!
I want him to find peace and happiness in this hammock. Why oh why can’t animals speak?? We could show him how it’s done. (Cats love a hammock, too.)
[Video removed because the link no longer works.]
Last night as I was falling asleep there was a commercial for Budweiser Select, with a GREAT song playing in the background, rap and Indian guitar (or some sort of string instrument). I grabbed a pen, wrote “Budweiser” and the few of the words that I could make out and found it this morning. The universe is trying to tell me something.
The song is by the Chemical Brothers and it’s called Galvanize. Over and over they say, “Don’t hold back.” (If I could figure out how to embed MP3’s I’d put it up for everyone, but I can’t. It’s worth getting!)
Galvanize
(Don’t hold back)
cuz you woke up in the morning with initiative to move,
so why make it harder
(Don’t hold back)
If you think about it so many people do, be cool man, look smarter,
(Don’t hold back)
and you shouldn’t even care, about the losers in the air,
and their crooked stares,
(Don’t hold back)
cuz there’s a party over here, so you might aswell be here,
where the people care,
The world is holding back
the time has come to…
The world is holding back
the time has come to…
The world is holding back
the time has come to…
Galvanize,
(Don’t hold back)
If you think about it too much you may stumble,
trip up fall on your face,
(Don’t hold back)
You think it is time you get up fresh style
like a sit-up come on keep pace
(Don’t hold back)
Put apprehension on the back burner,
let it sit, don’t even get it lit,
(Don’t hold back)
Get involved with the jam,
don’t be a prick, hot chick
(Don’t hold back)
The World
The World
The time has come to –
Push the button
The World
The time has come to –
Push the button
The World
The time has come to –
Push the button
The World
My finger is on the button
My finger is on the button
My finger is on the button
Push the button
The time has come to…
Galvanize
Deb brought up a Nelson Mandela quote, that I vaguely remembered. So I looked for it. Turns out he didn’t say it, it’s actually Marianne Williamson. But thank you for reminding me of it, it’s great.
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” – Marianne Williamson
With that quote in mind I’m going to put together a list for my 50’s. Lists are so comforting. They’re also very practical, because I tend to follow them and actually do things. Not that I accomplish everything, it’s not all within my control of course, but I try, which staves off the loser feeling!
I belong to a city gym that has been closed for a few weeks while they renovate. It used to be called the Carmine Street gym, but they renamed it the Tony Dapolito Recreation Center, presumably after somebody really great named Tony Dapolito. (This is also the gym where the pool scene in Raging Bull was shot, I think.) I found this great photograph of the outdoor pool. I will go by and take a picture of what it looks like today.
When I stopped by and asked when they’re re-opening I was told maybe Friday, but Summer hours will be in effect.
Here’s what that means. Single adults (like, for instance, ME) may not use the gym between 9:30AM and 5:30PM, EVERY DAY because those are the summer “Family Hours.”
They’ve always had something called family hours. I cannot be in the gym during family hours. I figured it’s so that for a couple of hours a day they don’t have to be on guard for possible predators. I don’t know. I’m guessing. Families don’t like to be around single people? It’s annoying because kids don’t use the parts of the gym I use. Can’t they just restrict me from the pool and the basketball courts and other kid favorites? Whatever. I can live with compromise.
But all day every day?? That’s just not fair. And really, why can’t I be in the gym when children are in the gym? What is the reasoning behind it? Weekends, single people are okay, except for “Youth Weekends,” and it doesn’t say how many of those there will be.
I registered a complaint with the city. The operator asked me to categorize the complaint. I didn’t know what to call it so I said, “discrimination against single adults.” That’s because I didn’t think she’d accept, “unfair, bizarro behavior on the part of the Parks Department.”
(Image c/o Global Graphica.)