Category: Uncategorized

I can’t believe I forgot to mention this. I heard back from my editor about my first draft. As far as I can tell she loves it, wants changes, and I love her changes. Aside from saying, “Stacy, the book is perfect, you are perfect,” this is as good as it gets. The changes are not huge, structural, re-do changes, which would have been a less happy thing to hear. But more along the lines of, “more of this, less of that” type changes, and a request for one more paranormal story, which means more research which I love. I figure I have two to three more months of work to do and then I will have a book! So, I’m happy. I have a meeting tomorrow with her and her assistant, and then it’s back to work. I’m considering today the last day of my vacation.

This picture is of a sign above a school playground. It reminded me of the playground at St. Philip Neri’s, where boys are girls were also segregated. I had a nice memory of the time I leaned over the painted white line which separated us and while the nuns weren’t looking snuck a kiss with a boy I liked.

It turns out the fire at the Deutsche Bank was sadder than I knew. Two firefighters died there yesterday. It seems horrible that two people died for an empty building that was going to be pulled down anyway. Although I guess the thinking was, the fire could spread to non-empty buildings that are not going to be pulled down. How awful though. How on earth could that happen? They ran out of oxygen. How does that happen?? Did they get lost? Seriously. It wasn’t an out of control raging inferno, and people were all around. How did it happen? Not a criticism of them, by the way.

The two men came from a firehouse that lost 11 guys on 9/11. (The photograph came from Gothamist.)

I entered my first kayak race, the Harrison Street Regatta, (sponsored by The Downtown Boathouse) and came in last. Dead last. That is the actual kayak I raced in to the left. I was ten minutes behind everyone else, maybe more, maybe a lot more, but at least I finished!! I’m quite proud to tell you the truth. In my defense: I went out on a kayak for the first time, what? Two weeks ago? Or was it last week? Plus, my oar was messed up (seriously). And the wind was against me. Okay, it was against everyone, but I’m a weakling to begin with, so, ah, yeah. I feel great. It was a beautiful day and a perfect thing to do. I’m going to pay tomorrow. But maybe all my gym work will save me and I won’t ache too badly.

One sad note, I was walking home and there was a big fire downtown, and it looked like it was in the exact same spot as the Trade Center. Of course it brought it all back to see the smoke, and I swear I could smell that smell. Sure enough, I just looked it up and it’s the Deustche Bank. That was one of the buildings surrounding the site. It was coming down anyway, but still.

Anyway, the race was a mile, and I practically collapsed at the end of if and then I learned we had to row BACK. I almost burst into tears. But they gave me a narrower and faster boat to row back with and an oar that wasn’t messed up and I was fine.

Volunteers rowed on the sidelines, making sure everyone was okay, and this poor guy got stuck with me, because I was so far behind everyone else. He was very nice about it.

Pretty kayaks.

And a bouquet of oars.

How could you not vote for this guy?? Please everyone, look at him for the love of God. I am always in the minority with my opinions. Always, always, always. Which means my candidates rarely win, etc. Sabra is a doll, and talented too, so who can be bitter, but, well, oh well. Last year I wanted Danny’s brother Travis to win. Sigh. It was great to see Sara and Hok again.

I wish they’d have dancers from previous seasons come back to dance instead of having other performers, like the Pussycat Doll girl, for instance. It would have been great to see, oh, I don’t know, TRAVIS dance.

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But I also called in a few votes for Lacey. She inspired me with that waltz. I called in four votes for Danny, and three for Lacey. By the way, I wish there was a way of restricting people’s votes to one vote per person. I feel required to vote more than once, knowing that some people are going nuts, voting repeatedly, but it’s annoying.

I’m so sad it’s all going to be over after tonight, though.

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