The Spots in NYC

Grand Central Station is clean, totally spotless. The rest of the city has these weird spots on the sidewalk and in the subway stations. The subway stations could be much nicer if they were cleaned on a daily basis. They should not build new stations until the old ones are mold-free and spotlessly clean.

People say it's because the stations are so old. That's not true. They are renovating the 59th street Station and the new floor already has black spots. It could even be volunteer force - but what about the unions?? If I still lived in NYC I would start cleaning my local station of the black dots. I would probably get arrested, but it would make a good newspaper copy.

That can be my next transformation - politics. Need an issue in Nyack. MORE BUSES FROM THE TARRYTOWN STATION!!!

Priceless

I have a very smart, precocious almost 3 year old. Her lastest cuteness is "Be happy". Apparently, when I'm a little aggravated (we are late or I need to do some work and brush her aside) out come "Be happy".

On Tuesday we stopped by the library to pick up free tickets to the NY Museums. We caught the bus to the train to Grand Central Stations. We take the back exit. It's spotless with mosaic tiles art on the wall. She noted that she saw this last time. She's moving away from the past as "yesterday" and is beginning to have a better since of time. First we had to stop by my office and then off to the Guggenheim museum via the Madison Ave. Bus.

They have this light disco installation with music. She was dancing for 20 mins. The elevators were out so we had to walk up to the top. She liked the Richard Pousette-Dart http://www.guggenheim.org/exhibitions/pousette_dart/index.html and anything that had a TV monitor. I get the whole TV thing now.

We then took the Madison Ave. Bus to the 125th Street Station and caught the train to Tarrytown and then the bus. They need more buses to Nyack from the Train Station. It only adds 7 minutes to the Spring Valley commute. Every express train from GCS should have a connecting Nyack Bus. Not just every other.

I'd start a petition, but my commute will probably end in Sept. I'm waiting for them to tell me I'm laid off. I've been waiting all summer. I'm the only left in my group.

On The Bus to The Train

I've been taking the 9:11 bus to the White Plains train to get to the city. The bus the Tarrytown is at 8:09 and 10:04. SO the only way to get to the city by train is by going to White Plains.

All along the route people ask the bus driver if we goes to Tarrytown. All along the route he says "no". Finally, I run to the front of the bus and ask the passenger if they are trying to get to the city. "Yes" is the reply. Come in - you can take the White Plains Train. This happened 3 times and finally the bus driver started asking them if they wanted to go to the city.

The next time this happened, it was with a high school boy who I thought was in college doing an internship. I now understand the whole teacher-high school student thing. Yes, I enjoyed the company of this young man who spent the summer at Harvard for high school students - or something like that. His interest was Philo - American History and Poli Sci. It's been a while since I've had that collegesk converstation. And without alcohol or anything.

He said that Nyack High School was good but the middle school wasn't. I need to do more research.

I told him all I wanted for my daughter is a love of learning. My dad had it. I have it. My husband has it. Not so much my mom.

I think I meet these people for a reason.

Hollywood Nanny

So I just finished "You'll Never Nanny in this Town Again" and past it onto my nanny who's back at college. I actually liked the book. Light summer reading. I think she tried hard to have a relationship with cutie face. But cutie face wasn't buying it. She kept asking for the other person who sometimes watches her.

Now I'm reading "Nature Girl". I like that too.

Hilary Clinton - I'm Pissed

My last post has me singing the praises of Bill Clinton. He's smart and he gets it. He also uses my method of storytelling. He's obviously, better at it than I am. But at the end of the day it's the same.

So I'm running to the train and I see a Cosmo Girl magazine in the trash with a cover blurb about Hilary. I open to the article and read it. I don't believe a word of this article that she claims she wanted to be an astronaut, but NASA wasn't excepting women. Bullshit. She wanted to be an astronaut as much as I considered going to West Point (they were just accepting women). But I read about the hazing rituals and decided the military wasn't for me. Let's be real Hilary - you were never good in sports. You were the quiet bookish type. If you wanted to work in NASA at the time you could have become an astrophyicist. Like you would have past the classes!

Then she gives credit to a young women who whispered "Dare to Compete" in her ear after seeing a the Documentary by the same name.
It's pissing me off that Hilary is using this spin method. She never before used this. It's the spin that's going to help her win. Someone told her how to do it and now she's smart and doing it.
Only a few people like me will see through this folly. I can say it because I have nothing at stake. Everyone else has an agenda.

Note to world
Hilary will be the next president whether we like it or not. There are a lot of smart people working for her. These people claw onto who they think will win so they have access.

As the world turns.....

My Life

I justed started "My Life" by Bill Clinton. I'm on page 9. I REALLY like it. I'm sort of surprised. I didn't like him as a person. Sure, I new he was smart. But he's more than the typical smart - he gets it. And I'm only on page 9. I'm sort of pissed I may voted for Bob Dole in 1996. I don't remember who I voted for in 92. However, I'm sure I didn't vote for Daddy Bush and his really stupid running mate, Dan Quayle. I go for smart first and then personality. Clinton had too much personaliy and didn't like Hilary, who I may add, will probably be our next president. NOT A HILARY FAN.

But after reading the first 9 pages, I feel cheated that I didn't support him until Monica. The whole Monica issue made me like him for the first time. Who cared that he flirted with an intern. Anyway, I'm going to St. Lucia this winter. I'm putting this book aside so I can read it on vacation.

Did I mention that I really like "My Life" by Bill Clinton. It really is brilliant. I'm blown away. That happens maybe 3 times a year if I'm lucky.

Things I Want to Change

Things I Want to Change.
1. Our electoral system of selecting a president
2. The Alternative Minimum Tax
3. FDA approval on the HPV vaccine.

Let's start with the HPV vaccine Gardasil being sold by Merck. Since it's introduction over 1637 reports of adverse reactions have been reported. 90% of HPV infections cleared up on their own. And of the HPV invections detected only 3.4% were strains that Gardasil provides protection from. FDA approval of the vaccine of 9 year olds. They did not assess safety beyond 14 days and half the studies are unavailable to be read by the public or subject to peer review by the medical community. Throught the Freedom of Information Act, a group called Judicial Watch obtained information that 3 girls have died, others had seizures, miscarriages and Guillain-Barre syndrome which induces paralysis.

You have to be a morone to consider giving your daughter this vaccine.

The other 2 items will be covered in other columns.

Little Pink Slips

I'm waiting for the office to tell me that they no longer need my services. The CEO moved to London and took the 2 creative directors (both from Italy) with him. Everyone else was laid off months ago or quit. So I'm the only one left. There is no reason to quit because this is the easiest job I ever had. I'm waiting for my pink slip. This is funny because I'm reading a book called Little Pink Slips. Although she can't leave her job (she spends too much money on crap). I was once in that position. I was heavy into margin (borrowing money to buy stocks). I stayed until I had another job - only about 3 weeks. It's good being a well-paid peon (sp)

Usually I read non-fiction. But somehow this book said take me home (from the library.) Hey it's August - trashy fiction is perfect.


That reminds me - I have to renew the book - it's a 14 dayer.

Dance & Music

The Dance class I put together for cutie face and her camp friends was a success. Sort of. There were too many children. I need to limit to 15. We stay afterwards and took advantage of the $5 arts & crafts tables. We made tissue paper flower vases by reusing plastic drink bottles and filled them with pipe cleaner flowers. We painted and decorated birthday cakes. We even stayed for lunch.

Another cool thing we did this week is we stumbled on an outdoor concert in the park. We had a lovely evening listening to music. OK it wasn't the New York Synphony - But we didn't have to get there early (we got there late and had a great spot.) You could see the band from every point on the field. I hate crowds. One of the reasons I loved the James Taylor Concert at the Rainbow Room a few years ago was because it was so intimate. I need intimacy. Things in NYC are just not intimate. So happy to be living Nyack. I can't believe I really wanted to stay in the city. Life is so much nicer here.