Category Archive

the heat hits you like a hammer when you step outside the door.

How are all of you?

Like the title?

It’s actually a weekly event at Brother Jimmy’s BBQ here on the Upper West Side.

The menu includes fried chicken, rib tips, hush puppies and tuna noodle casserole.

Brother Jimmy’s is incredibly noisy, partly because it serves some amazingly high voltage drinks.

This includes group drinks served in goldfish bowls with mutiple extra-long straws.

Funny thing is even with all the action I can sit write in my journal quite happily.

I’ve been a good girl lately, so I think I’ll treat myself to a bit of Southern goodness.

Back at ya soon y’all

As I waited on the corner of 125th & Lenox for the light to change a homeless man waved his hands in my face, spit near my feet and then blew his cigarette smoke in my face.

I gave him my most disinterested look and stared him down.

Upset that I did not show fear he walked off mumbling to himself.

Twenty minutes later a charming woman asked to share my table at the restaurant where I was eating my dinner.

The restaurant’s air conditioner wasn’t working, and they had opened up the floor to ceiling show windows. The area I was sitting in had a great breeze thing going on.

So this woman and I chatted about this and that, and everyone who passed by the place smiled at us and some made comments.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“Yummy huh?”

“How’s the food?”

“Great I eat here all the time.”

“Evening ladies”

Right now I’m in Starbucks, tapping out this post on my Sidekick.

The place is buzzing with conversation, jazzy music pours from the speakers, and I am waiting to see what happens next.

A good part of my weekend was spent sorting through years of accumulated clutter. The Salvation Army got three bagloads, and the local theatre booksale got one. I’m going to spend at least a half hour every evening this week filing papers. The list of what’s going out next weekend grows by the hour. Our building super already knows it will all be ready to go to the basement by 2pm Sunday.

I also worked on the template for my next new blog.
My incredible blog buddy Lissa designed the logo.
Visit her at Just Design Blogs when you have a minute.

NaBloPoMo’s July theme is FOOD, and I’m very tempted. That would mean two posts a day for the next 31 days - one for NabloPoMo and one for blog365.
I guess it all depends on what level of crazy I’m at tomorrow morning.

Time for some paper journaling.
You all take care.

I’m walking down Broadway, and spotted this truck getting ready to pull away.

Too funny.

Dodged the 104 bus and a cab to get the pics.

Too bad the address isn’t clear. Bimbo lives on Casanova Street in the Bronx.

and write a letter.

This afternoon I felt like a little treat from the candy stand.

So I decided to have one of my favs - Sunkist Fruit Gems.

Somehow it seems less like candy because the word fruit is on the label.

I was all set for five scrumptious gems.

But that was not to be my dears, because the new package comes with only four.

The price however was the same.

(pout) no fair

Today I put up a short bit of fiction at my creative writing site. It’s called The Wasabi Incident, and it took me less than 15 minutes to write. If I start rewriting then it will never get posted. I guess that’s why I love mobile and micro blogging so much. Bang it’s up there.

Speaking of microblogging - think I’ll go Plurk & Twitter a bit.

My Plurk Page

My Twitter Handle is Coffeebarchick

Jeremiah Lanphier

This statue lives on Broadway near Lincoln Center.
It caught my eye while I was out walking.
Wonder how many times I’ve passed it?
How many things do we pass every day without noticing?

So I’m getting off the one train this morning & what do I find?



All these abandoned shoe shots inspired my blogbuddy Lissa to write a story.
Check out Hot Day
Thank you Lissa.
Thank you all for stopping in.

at Starbucks started my afternoon off nicely,
My morning was running a couple of loads of laundry, while half listening to something about the Tony Awards.
Everything seems to be a revival or based on some second rate movie.
Who would have thunk it? Xanadu is the big buzz.
Though I am sure I would like Cry Baby - I like everything John Waters does.
I’ve been following his films since the 70’s.
It’s slighty rainy this afternoon, but I am not sweating it. I’ll still have a marvy day.
Back at you later.
– Blogged from my Sidekick ID

I joined Plurk and I’m loving it.

Picked up this bag at K-mart.  It’s was only ten bucks!



I took a couple of days to myself, and hung out on some of my favorite benches. While at Washington Square Park this little fellow chose to lunch in the shade I created!



Swung by the mall at Columbus Circle where artwork worth a fortune sits out right where you can touch it.







The Beatles photo is my favorite.

Found out how to get thumbnails changed over at Technorati. Having an old thumbnail on a new blog just about drove me crazy.

Looking forward to hearing about your week.
Much bloglove to all

Oh and here’s Mee a lovely black cat that was kind enough not to cross my path.

A while back they used to run the Dharma & Greg series on late night.

Dharma and her mom would sit down every once in a while, put all their troubles in pink bubbles and let them blow away.

I don’t have a mom like Dharma available, so I wrote out some things that were bothering me in my paper journal, put them in a pink bubble and watched them blow away.

Believe me there was more than one person that I wanted to chew out. Lucky for you guys I pink bubbled it all.

Speaking of bubbles - think I’ll head home to a hot bath.

–blogged from my Sidekick ID

Nothing nicer than taking a day for yourself during the week.
I’m in Washington Square Park on a bench under a big tree. There’s only a few other people around. So much nicer than Sunday when everyone and their Aunt Tilly is underfoot.

I’m going to blog & write until I can’t anymore, then head over to Time Warner and pay my cable bill.

After that I am heading over to Burlington to hunt up a jazzy pair of capris.

Smooches!

the theme is BAD HAIR

Check It Out Here

It’s 94 degrees out.  The air conditoner is full blast.

Think I’ll work on a post for She Who Blogs

Back at you in a bit.
 

My cell phone wouldn’t allow me to send or receive MMS.  This means I could not moblog from my Blackjack.  It’s the service not the phone - I just have to wait it out. 

You can read about it here

I got my first post up at blogforth - The Return

Spent most of the day running around town, and talking to customer service.  In about 20 minutes I’m going to find a quiet corner somewhere and hide out with my notebook.

Meanwhile check out the pic I used for Wordless Wednesday.

Okay now give yourself a big hug.
Much bloglove to all.
 

I’ve been working on my various blogs a lot lately, and this week is blogforth’s turn.

A pre-made WordPress template called Regulus by Binary Moon felt right, so I went with it.

It has a full moon in the header - I love a full moon.

Just a few days ago I discovered m.wordpress.com which allows me to post via my mobile phone.  Creative writing is something I like to do in cafes.  Hey, it’s the reason my daughter named me coffeebarchick.  Transcribing from my notebooks is hard, because I can’t read my own writing anymore.  The laptop is too much too much to carry.  This summer it’s going to be my NEO & Sidekick.

The NEO is for working on the trio of short plays that I hope to finish by September.  The Sidekick for poetry and creative writing on the go.  It should be interesting to see what I produce without benefit of a half dozen rewrites.

And how are all of you?

It is said that our lives completely change every seven years.

Yesterday I awoke at 4:10am and lay quietly until sunrise.  Scenes from my past and the present swirled on my mind’s screen.

Later sitting with my notebook I found myself making all sorts of to-do lists.  A look back over recent entries revealed page after page of lists. Most of the lists have to do with creative projects - mostly blogs.

I read the following at this website:

42-49

In the next cycle from forty-two until forty-nine a major change usually takes place. It is as if one takes all of one’s life experience up till this age and begins to digest it, and extract from it new ideals and a new direction in life. There is often tremendous unrest in this period and that following it. The unlived aspects of life cry out to be recognised and allowed. The desire to make a mark in life if it has not already been achieved presses for action here.

 What unlived aspects are crying out?  Am I looking to make a mark?  What’s next?  A new career?  Should I  play it day to day and see what happens?

I’m not sure.

How are you and your cycle doing?

Hamilton Grange, the home of Alexander Hamilton from 1802 to 1804, was moved from its original site on W. 143rd Street to this location in 1889. Studies habe been done ti determine how the house looked in Hamilton’s time, and the National Park Service intends to reconstruct its original appearance. In order to fully restore the exterior and make it possible to view the entire Grange, the house will be moved to the Northwest corner of St. Nicholas Park in 2008. In its new location it will be possible to appreciate fully the beauty of the home Hamilton helped design and which he called his “sweet project.” For more information, visit www.nps.gov/hagr

This is the mobile post version - more detailed version to follow.

Oh and I did Friday Feast & Friday Fill-Ins at The Meme Section

Ciao for now.

I’ve moblogged about the anti-smoking campaigns that are going on here in New York.

http://www.onthegoblog.com/2008/05/anti-smoking-ca.html

Worked on some stuff for our Yahoo Groups 1st Anniversary on the 24th.

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/shewhoblogs/

Revisited places in my registrations file including:

http://www.shelfari.com/coffeebarchick/shelf

&

My 43 Things

http://www.43things.com/person/justexpressingmyself

Today I decided to tidy up my email folders.  One is just for registrations.  It’s amazing how many websites I’ve joined over the last 8 years.  Some I use frequently, others have been neglected for quite a while.

I’ve spent the last hour or so revisiting them.

One of them is Squidoo; you can find some amazing info over there on just about anything.

I remember joining because I wanted to work on a lense.  What’s a lense?  Well, let’s say you’re an expert on digital photography, you’d create a lense or webpage about the subject.  People who come aboard the site would find your page through the search option.

 Some folks are actually earning money with it.  I thought creating a page on a subject would help me learn more about it.  Bet it would work if I would just make the darned thing.

Here’s one about mindmapping - a subject I’m interested in - http://www.squidoo.com/Tony-Buzan-s-Mind-Mapping-Thle-Ultimate-Thinking-Tool

Back at you soon.

So I’m all set to post some of yesterday’s photos only to discover I didn’t upload them to my flickr account.

They’re on my computer at home, so that’s that till I get back to the city.  I’m hanging out in Jersey today.

Two more domain names were added to the list today.  The first one came to me while I was on the bus.  Go Daddy is available on .mobi, which means I can try name after name on my phone till I find one that’s available.  The second came to me while I was eating cheese. 

Yesterday I photostrolled from Manhattan’s South Street Seaport to 34th Street.  The mall at the Seaport had a As Seen On TV Store - I love those places.





So how are all of you?

Yesterday I strolled across the park to one fish two fish, a seafood restaurant I’ve been eating at for twenty years.
It looked like rain so I left my camera behind. Big mistake. It had rained the night before and everything was brilliant green and in full bloom.
After a lunch and a long writing session I headed back across the park. By time I got to West Side I was determined to come right back with my camera.
It ended up being overcast all day with no rain. Today is a different story - we have one of those steady all day rain things going on.







My brother and I enjoyed this playground as children, as did my own daughter. She’ll be 25 this Thursday. “Mom” she said, “I’m looking at a quarter of a century here.” I’ll be 47 in December. I’m heading towards a half century on a skateboard with greased wheels.

3. Who is your most recent friend?
That’s a good question. I haven’t a clue.

4. What was the most recent TV show you watched?
A George Lopez rerun - the man is too funny.

5. What was the most recent music that you purchased?
I rarely buy music. The last thing I downloaded from I-Tunes was Madonna’s Shanti/Ashtangi.

6. What were the most recent clothes that you purchased?
Avenue had a 70% percent off sale. I bought a pink cotton sweater, boot cut jeans, white button down shirt, black hoodie & a very simple blue dress. I’ve worn the sweater which fits perfectly. The black hoodie is comfortable, but it’s just not for me.

7. Who most recently did you say “I love you” to?
My one and only daughter.

8. Who did you most recently text?
My friend J.

9. Who did you most recently kiss?
Hubby before he went off to work.

It’s two weeks since the last rain here in New York. Weatherman says we’ll have some over the weekend. We need it to wash away all the pollen & ragweed. I am too tired of having the sneezles.

Can’t wait for Sunday going to go to a museum or movie or something. Maybe all three - why not?
I’ll be solo which means I can go see an indy film or chick flick. And I must buy myself a snazzy new pair of Crocs for summer. Yay warm weather.

How are all of you?

Perhaps it was just a matter of arriving too late this year - 9:45pm - Tax Day was just not happening.
The only folks who were there were the die hards who turn out every year to make political statements.
And of course the tiny little old lady with the huge crucifix round her neck handing out bible tracts.

The evening was saved by a new discovery. Hvae you been to Dave & Buster’s?

It’s a restaurant with a really cool arcade area.

It will make you a kid again.

Just finished preparing my taxes.

Can’t beat the rush of doing them at the last possible minute.

Tonight is my annual trek to the Main Post Office at 34th Street; there’s usually a lot of action there.

I’m packing my camera, so hopefully there will be some pics to post later tonight or tomorrow.

Speaking of pics here’s one I took in Pavonia New port, NJ last week.

The smaller building is actually a reflection.

As soon as hubby was off to church Operation Purge went in action.

In less than an hour I was hauling four filled bags out to the garbage room.

I threw in a load of wash, and ran back upstairs to work on the bathroom and kitchen areas.  In short time another bag was filled with miscellaneous microwaveware, and about a billion plastic containers.  Hubby likes to save takeout containers just in case.

Soon I had two more loads of laundry working, and had hauled out a narrow but tall metal shelf to the hallway.  A floor lamp followed it.

Can I tell you how productive I was feeling?

By time the laundry was done I had the bathroom sink and commode gleaming.  The only thing that remained was cleaning the tub, and then a long hot bath for me.

The bathtub was partilaly filled with water, because i had used it as giant sink to was some vases and things.  I pulled the plug, and went into the front room for a drink.  When I returned the water was still there.  Okay, so get the plunger and start going at it.  Nothing.  And of course, I had every cleaning item known to man on hand, but no drain opener.

I was pouring sweat and covered in dust, and no way was I going to the local hardware store looking like that.  I called downstairs and asked the maintenance man on duty if he had anything I could use.  He did, and came right up with a small bottle with about 99 warning on it.  It was an industrial type cleaner contasining sulphuric acid.  I donned my rubber gloves, bailed water like mad into the toilet, and then poured the stuff in.  There was a small poof and the smoke - I ran for my life.

After about fifteen minutes i peeked in, and the water level was the same.  I called down to maintenance, and he said he would be right up.  This apparently was quite a clog.

We leaned over the edge of my big old-fashioned tub together.  Yup nothing had changed.  Suddenly he reached under the faucet and pushed down the thingie.  Yes folks, the thingie I never bother to use and thus forgot about.  Out tub is about 60 years old no joke - it has claw feet - and I have a big old-fashioned stopper I use in lieu of the thingie.  I must have pushed it up while I was washing stuff.

Can I tell you how hard we laughed?

Can I tell you how dorkie I felt?

Thank goodness for maintenance men with good hearts and great senses of humor.

Have a wonderful day ‘k?

Some of you asked me what Whiskers does for her living.
She’s earns her carrots popping out of hats and things.
Her owner Harold is a magician.

A couple of weeks ago the owners of the building I live in announced a major renovation.

The renovation is going to include major work on our apartment.  This means I’ve got to get nearly 26 years of clutter sorted out.  Fortunately things were really begin till the end of the summer.  Time passes quickly though, so the process has already begun.

My husband is a major pack rat, and watching me throw out things is just too painful for him.

He works nights, so for the last week when he leaves I get busy.

My place looks like bag central.   They are everywhere, filled with books for the community center, clothes for the Salvation Army, and knick knacks for the church thrift shop.

Tomorrow hubby leaves for church at 8am; he shouldn’t be back until about 3pm.  I’ve already made a mental list of everything that’s going.

It’s an exhausting but strangely satisfying process.

Everyone have an amazing Saturday.

And if you’d like to visit my Saturday Photo Hunt - just go here - the theme was TWIST(ED).

My daughter will be 25 at the end of the month, so it’s been a while since I’ve been up for morning cartoons and kiddie shows.

As I remember our day would start with The Elephant Show on Nickelodeon. 

Then we would flip around to Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny & The Flintstones.

Like everyone else in the neighborhood we wondered Where in the World was Carmen San Diego?

And of course there were excursions to the video store for Winnie the Poof & Disney videos.

Wish I had a quarter for every time we sang about that endless blustery day.

For quite a while now I’ve seen little girls with all kinds of Dora the Explorer gear.

This morning I sat down to channel surf, while the laundry was doing it’s thing.

And guess what?  Yup, Dora was on.

I joined her and her sidekick, an adorable monkey in shades of blue and lavender, as they searched for a lost toy dinosaur.

I was delighted to find that Dora is Hispanic.  We counted estrellas (stars) together and everything.

Maybe I’ll get my daughter a Dora the Explorer doll for her 25th.  LOL whatever will she think?

Lovely brunch with one of my favorite Mom and daughter teams

Afternoon walkabout the city and dinner with my friend from across the river

Just finished reading all my email.

Off to work on today’s NaBloPoMo post.

Here’s a pic of a sign that I think is just too cute:

Cheers Chums!

Okay so yesterday I sent in my link for the April NaBloPoMo blogroll.  The theme is LETTERS, and there will one a day at my creative writing blog for the next 30 days.

Next I went to work on my profile for Script Frenzy.  The goal is to create a 100 page script(s) in 30 days.  I’ll be using Scripped; “the first free-flowing, web based script writing software you can use right in your browser.”

I’ve had three plays all worked out in my mind for at least two years now. Maybe the notes in my journals and images on my mind’s screen will be at least one script in 30 days. There is a forums section at the Script Frenzy site, and I’m hoping some folks in New York will want to meet up.

Sending my best bloggy wishes your way.

This is a smaller version of my Saturday Photo Hunt up. The theme was HIGH.

The round frame is part of a sculpture in front of the building.   I sort of shimmied underneath it and shot up. This photo is one of my personal all-time favorites.

NaBloPoMo March (lists) is almost over, and I have decided to do April.  The theme will be letters.  I’ll be posting at my creative writing blog because it needs a major jumpstart.  No posts since end of January - can you imagine? Well, I’m hoping to make a comeback.

Speaking of NaBloPoMo I have to go get a list together.

Cheers

well actually they are just slightly rust colored now.  The batch of henna I mixed up and aged on the bathroom windowsill overnight was just a bit stronger than the last.

My hair came out well.  It’s a high powered auburn which will lose it’s voltage gradually over the coming weeks.

My hands will be their normal color after my next shower tonight.

One of the DVDs I rented last night is My Kid Could Paint That.   It was about four year old girl, Marla Olmstead, who became a world famous abstract artist within a year.  That same year 60 minutes did some sort of expose, and her career nosedived.  Her parents and supporters retaliated with a DVD of her doing a painting from start to finish.  She’s 6 now, and her paintings sell for 25 grand.

It was fascinating to watch how her parents react to the media attention.  The father is very comfortable with it.  This probably  caused all the trouble, because he’s also a bit of a painter himself.  He was more or less accused of touching up his daughter’s work. 

The mom looks like she’d wished it all had never happened. 

Marla is charming.

This movie is less about her and her art, and more about grownups and what we do.

See this.  I would love to hear what you have to say about it.

Hope all is well - thanks for stopping in.

My Saturday Photo Hunt is up at The Meme Section.  The topic is metal.

This morning I noticed I haven’t posted in my creative writing blog in weeks.

Actually I’ve noticed it before, but haven’t done anything about it.

Sunday Scribblings has an excellent prompt today: “I just don’t get it…”

There’s a lot going on right now that I just don’t get at all.

Well, I’m off to see what I can make of this day.

Wishing a wonderous Easter holiday to all those celebrating this weekend.

To the rest have a wonderous weekend period.

It was just before dusk, and I had to dodge traffic like mad to get these pictures, but if you click on them you can get to larger versions.
It’s becoming very common here in Manhattan to see modern buildings like this in the oddest settings. You’d think a giant just came along, and dropped this glass monolith on this old-fashioned Lower East Side Street.

I just thought I’d pop in and say hey again.

As you can see from my previous post - it was kind of a busy morning.

It’s just after 3pm and I’ve been bloghopping and reading email for a while.

The remake of Village of the Damned is on for background.

It just can’t compare to the bone chilling orginal.

I’m heading out for a raspberry spritzer and some serious writing in my notebook.

Last night my pen filled page after page; hopefully the same will happen today.

How are all of you?

Okay, so the other day I bought a practically new Sidekick ID for practically nothing.

It’s a phone that mostly young people use, and I was going to give it to a friend as a gift.

I went to a T-Mobile location to buy a prepaid sim for it.  A teen-ager saw it and said, “You’ve got an ID?  You never see old people with those.”

Just ten minutes before I was telling a friend I was too old for it.  Hearing the kid say it inspired me to learn the phone inside out.  I just finished talking with  a T-Mobile Sidekick Team rep.  They answered all the questions I put together this evening while going through all the various menus and functions.

I’m going to be the coolest 46 year old on my block.

Waving at you all from New York

she got them at Target.

These little rascals usually scamper away when you pull out your camera. I say it’s not out of fear; they just want to make you a little crazy.

This little fella sat happily eating his nut, and even let me creep in closer and closer.

This year I will not do my taxes until April 14th.

If I owe then I’ll write a check that day.

If I don’t then I won’t.

Everything used to be done the day all the W-2s etc. were received.

This year mama is kicking back and not worrying about a thing.

Waving at you all from a very cold New York.

This morning while waiting for my hair to dry, I watched an episode of The Waltons.

It was about how Ike Godsey and Cora Beth Walton got married.

If you ever watched the series you’ll remember Ike as the jolly bow-tied owner of the general store.  Cora Beth was his well-meaning nose-in-the-air wife.

Somehow I had missed this episode, and I must say my return to Waltons Mountain was quite enjoyable.

Don’t you love childhood memories?

They smell like scooter pies and taste like Bosco.

Afterwards I went to Starbucks, where I managed to bag a table, and wrote for an hour or so.  A friend called and we chatted about the upcoming elections as I sipped a decaf.

My new camera is in my top dresser drawer.  Quiet mourning is still taking place for it’s predecessor.  When the moment is right I will use it.  It’s just the way I am about things.

Tonight I am going to meet an old friend from farway’s mother for dinner.  She’s a fellow Sagg so the conversation shall be lively.

Hope you are well.

And I will be back with some new pics soon.

For now I’ll use some from my albums.



this one makes me think of summer

Life is uncertain…eat dessert first

I’ve been off over the counter pain relievers for over three months now.

I just didn’t like the risks associated with many of them.

This week’s chilling cold is really putting me to test.

My right ankle and knee are one big owwww.

I’ve used three pounds of epsom salts in three days.

An 800 milligram tablet of Motrin or a couple of  Aleve would be so…nope can’t won’t.

I’ll sign myelf welcoming healing energy from all precints.

I began to browse among bookshelves.

Anybody got a dustcloth?

A  workbook I filled out in 1995 was hidden under a pile of magazines.

What an experience it was revisiting myself thirteen years ago.

I was the happy mother of a teen-ager.  Today I am the happy mother of a grown-up married lady.

There was several pages that required you to draw pictures of how you saw yourself.

 In one I gave myself spinning wheels instead of legs.

And not one section mentions the Internet! 

When required to draw what I looked like relaxing I am reading a book and drinking tea.

Interesting.

Bet some of you are wondering what Shelfari is right?

Go to my mine and see - it’s actually quite a lot of fun.

My Shelfari

It’s said that you can furnish an entire apartment in New York on Big Trash Days.
Those are the days citizens are allowed to put out items that don’t fit in ordinary trash barrels.
You might come upon a complete living room or bedroom suite right on the sidewalk.
And the bric-a-brac is piled higher as an alley cat’s eye.
Computer desks, futon frames and filing cabinets are usually easy scores.
It pays to stroll through higher end neighborhoods those days.
Don’t forget to carry a few extra bucks in case you have to cab home a major find.

I called. 

We talked and talked and talked.

We’re meeting up asap.

Kewl huh?

The New Reading Glasses

Picked up my new reading/computer spectacles, and things are looking quite clear around here.

The frames are a two tone dealio - mauve & a neon yellow.  Believe it or not they work with my hair and eyes.

Old Friends

Several old friends/acquaintances have been coming to mind lately. 

There’s one I especially want to call.

He actually called me about 4 and a half years ago.  My grandmother had died that same morning, and I had just left the funeral parlor, so it wasn’t a good time to talk.

We ran into each other near Times Square about three years ago, and had a nice long catch up chat.

Now I’m thinking it would be nice to have another.

He had some qualities that reminded of my brother.

It might look kinda weird just calling after so much time.

But then again how many great things do we miss out on by not calling?

Ciao for now.

It’s going to be hosted here at WordPress.

It’s going to be all about New York.

It’s going to be available for public consumption on February 2oth.

That’s the date of the Full Moon, because you know that’s how I like to do these things.

It’s so cute; I went with the orange one.

The case is grey, and the mini-tripod has multi-colored caps to decorate the leg tips.

I got it all on Amazon.

It should be making it’s first run this Sunday.

Find out about The Flip here

It’s always been a popular question and writing prompt.

Yesterday it was Ten On Tuesday’s topic: ‘10 Things You’d Buy If You Had a Million
Dollars’

My husband and I were actually talking about what we’d do with a million dollars just the other night. The lottery numbers were being posted on the news, and then they annouced that the Mega Million jackpot was 12 million.

We both want to buy our daughter and her husband a two-family house. This way they could rent out one of the floors, and always have a source of income.

The rest would go into the bank. We could have the interest to live on for the rest of our lives, and then leave it to our daughter.

We wouldn’t move, because the location of our shoebox sized apartment is perfect for us.
But we’d definitely take some trips to warmer places when the cold New York winter winds blow.

What can I tell you - I’m no mink coat and diamonds girl.

Though things could get crazy at the electronics/computer stores!

What’s on your million dollar shopping list?

It takes intelligence to build an atomic bomb, but knowing when to use it requires wisdom.

 Well maybe not ravishing, but definitely not bad.

It all started Saturday night when I dumped half a packet of Indian Henna into a small plastic bowl.  Finally a use for all those containers and chopsticks my husband saves from the take-out bags.  Enough water was added to make a dark shiny thick green paste.  The smell of the botanicals was pleasing; the box said coffee was added for even better results.  I left the bowl on the bathroom window sill overnight as advised by a friend.

Sunday morning I donned latex gloves and spread the paste evenly through my hair.

It needed to stay in for at least an hour and a half.  While waiting I watched an amazing movie called Arranged.  It’s about two young women who meet during their first year of teaching in a New York public school.  There’s nothing like an Independent film.  I’m not one for spoilers, so I’ll just say this - see it!

After the film I went to rinse out the now dry paste.  My hair was all amazing auburn highlights. The best part was no horrible smell or chemicals involved in the process.

Talk about economical.  I used half a packet which was far too much for my thin, fine locks.  A third a pack more than enough for my entire head.  There’s two packs to a $4 box of this stuff. 

It seemed like a good day for experimenting, so next I tried my new Glacial Marine Mud.  I always use facial treatments on my hands.  Hands give away your age faster than your face ever will.  

Once the mask was rinsed away, I smoothed a little Dermalogica on my eye area, and called it a wrap.

**Sigh…What happened to the days when I just splashed some water on my face and kept going?

Just woke a friend up with a bright cheery phone call. 

Hey, it was important - I want them to bring some Indian food for lunch.

And they were supposed to be up and at it quite a while ago anyway so…

Used a pic of my Dad for this week’s Photohunt.  The theme is IMPORTANT.

While browsing through Amazon for Flips I noticed they carry clothing - in my size.

This could be dangerous.

Here’s another version of my latest Photostroll photo.

Hopefully we’ll have clear weather tomorrow, so I can get some new shots.

Everyone enjoy your Saturday.

“Sorry we sold the last one yesterday.”

It was obvious he had been saying this all day long.

And of course, the display model was up with a sales sign on it.

“You can buy the display model - it’ll be an open box of course.”

Sure I’m dying to pay you a 150 bucks for something hundreds of people have been pounding and pressing on for a week.  Could you empty the waste paper basket into the bag as a little bonus too?

Other answers from salespeople all around town included:

“We haven’t received any yet.”

“Yo Eddie you know a Flip is? This lady here is lookin’ for one”

“A what?”

If I can’t find one by Monday I’ll have to order online.  I prefer to buy electronics in physical locations; it makes returning things easier.  You can also purchase extended warranties at the major stores which is also pretty cool.

So as I said the quest continues…

Poor piggy bank is still reeling from the shaking he got.

After a manicure and lunch I’m going shopping.

The top item on my list is a Flip.

This does not mean my still cameras are retiring.

Future photostrolls will have a new added dimension.

I created a profile page over at YouTube, so I can upload videos.

They will also be appearing here, and on my other sites.

I’m feeling very Cecil B. DeMille-like already.



Are you ready for your close-ups?

Spent the afternoon bloghopping and wondering what I’ll do tomorrow.

I find that I am checking in at Ning every day.

Inked-In is one of my favorite networks there; it’s for writers, artists and musicians.

This multi-talented woman’s video blog has inspired me to do some vlogging myself.

It may be a little while before I actually face the camera, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy seeing New York in motion.

Waving at you all wildly from the Empire State,

Frances

Well, actually that’s creative guns not the kind with bullets.

Hopefully I’ll leave behind a book, and a play and a song that I’ve written myself.

And about a bazillion blog posts and photos.

Not planning on exiting any time soon.

Just wanted to share how I feel with you.

Much Bloglove,

Frances

Since my maiden name was DeMartino, I just had to stop and take a few pics of this shop on 9th Avenue.
I went in and introduced myself to the manager.  He in turn introduced me to several generations of the family via wonderful old photographs on the walls.

Last night while sticking to my no ordering take out resolution, images began to flash on my mind’s screen.

Not  crunchy salmon rolls, sesame beef or curry noodle soup, but all my favorite comfort foods.

Those bits of American fare best eaten while watching classic movies & TV Land late at night.

A list began to form:

• English Muffin Pizzas
• Hot Dogs Baked In Crescent Roll Dough
• Cream Cheese & Jelly Baked In Crescent Roll Dough
• Beef-a-Roni
• Captain Crunch
• Rice Krispies w/ lots of bananas cut in
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese w/ a can of tuna & a small can of peas thrown in
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese w/ ground turkey sauteed in barbeque sauce thrown in
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese w/ nothing thrown in
• Hamburger Helper made with ground turkey
• Grilled Cheese w/ tomato
• Cocktail Franks & Beans
• Fried Spam sliced thin on Pepperidge Farm Big Slice White Bread

Of course, all of the cooked items must eaten eaten directly from the container they were cooked in.

Suggested beverage - A couple of big spoons of Nesquick or Bosco poured directly into a half full container of milk, shaken vigorously, glass optional.

Happy Posting.

Watching an episode of Murder She Wrote.  Adrienne Barbeau  & Eve Plumb are playing inmates in a women’s prison.  Yvonne DeCarlo is a the prison cook, and she’s skimming more than the soup.

Posted my Wordless Wednesday 

Occupied myself with laundry and catching up with best gal pal on the phone to keep my mind off food.

Mobile blog posts are here

Heading over to Ning to see what everyone is up to.

Much bloglove to you all,

Frances

I’m liking the critters more and more these days.

First it was Ratatouille - the movie not the dish.

And now this morning I read this:

It’s the Year of the Rat, meaning good health and prosperity for the Sagittarius.

This 12/12 girl is more than delighted.

Just added a new Thursday Thirteen to my meme blog.

This morning I posted to my mobile blog  about last night’s total blogger block.

And how are all of you?