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!
Last night, on my way to Yankee Stadium, some very friendly visitors to New York asked me a question about the subway map.
“What’s the difference between the dots with the white circles and the dots with the black circles?”
“I don’t know. Where do you want to go?”
“86th street.”
“You’re fine.”
Then, for a while, I was tortured worrying about them. What if the train doesn’t stop at 86th Street?? Things are always changing around with the subway lines, and I usually walk everywhere. I’m not up on the current status of the subway. What if 86th Street is under construction??
Here’s my problem. I take questions tourists ask me very, very seriously. Whether they’re asking for directions, or suggestions about where to eat, shop, or walk around. I take it so seriously the minute they ask me I panic. Sometimes I just blank.
“Where did Carrie Bradshaw live?”
“Um … it’s … close …”
I live exactly one block away.
And they always ask me. Last night I was listening to my ipod on the subway platform. I must have looked like I was a million miles away, and still, of all the people on the platform, they asked me. They always do. I could be walking down the street a thousand miles per hour, with my sunglasses on, my ipod blaring, and still they will ignore everyone else and flag me down. I think it’s because I look the least likely to hurt them. And they are right to ask me. I take it like it is my life’s mission to help them. I must get them where they want to go. I must come up with the best restaurant.
Every once in a while when giving directions I realize a minute later that I got one part wrong. This is the worst. I’ve gone chasing after people to provide corrections, but I don’t always find them and then I am in anguish, thinking they’ll think that I got them lost on purpose, confirming all the bad things they’ve heard about New Yorkers.