Category Archives: Uncategorized

I was up, bathed and done with e-mail before noon.
It felt so good to sleep in a bit. Most days off I get up at my regular time or earlier.
I even managed to sort out yet another bag of clothes.
And I found three blouses that I lreally liked before they went AWOL.
It’s like running into a friend you haven’t seen in ages.

Last night I worked on my new meme blog here at WordPress.
Funny at first I was going for a completely different look, but nothing satisfied me.
In the end I used the same template and header as here.
When both blogs were at Blogger I used similar templates.

It’s one of those gray rainy days, but I’m still taking my camera with me.
Not the new one. I’m saving that for Sunday, and it better be good weather or else.
My friend should be arriving at Penn Station in a couple of hours.
There’s a really nice birthday meal out there, and we have to go find it.
Be back later with a full report and some pictures.

Waving at you all from a damp New York

telling me that he just can’t get enough of my love.
Barry I just can’t get enough of that sweet growl of yours.
I swear I know just about every song on Easy Listening.

Back at the store after 4 days, and retail is slow.

They say you learn something everyday, today I learned there’s an elevator at the bus station. After 15 months!
I breezed into the station as usual this morning, and walked to an escalator which was not there. Well, the handrail thingies were, but the rest was a gaping hole. A blue shirted guy holding a greasy rag gave me a cheery “good morning,” as I looked sadly up the endless staircase next to him and gaping hole.

Where’s Scotty when you need him? Somebody anybody beam me up.

Blue shirt noticed I was less than pleased.
“You could take the elevator.”
“There’s an elevator?”
“Right there,” and he pointed to my left. And there it was, a genuine working elevator.
“Has it been there all the time?”
Blue shirt laughed, and bent over to get a clean rag out of a big sack.
We’ll call it tunnel vision and leave it at that okay?

I got something together for Thursday Thirteen, and posted it before noon.
Checked out the group blogroll, and chose several blogs I had never visited before.
They all visited back within a short time, which was very cool.

I often wonder what my life would have been like if the Internet had been available to me as a teenager.

One of my dreams was to have my own magazine. A few years back I even went to work for an independently owned one. I wanted to see what went into it. It costs big bucks to put out a full color edition every month, the owner had long since turned the editorial over to someone else and concetrate on ad sales.

If the Net had been available to the public back in the late seventies I know I would have made it my living.
But everything works out for the best, because while it is not my living, it’s my safe haven.
And who knows maybe one day I’ll start an e-zine.

Here comes Tina Turner telling us that it she doesn’t want to fight anymore.
Right on girl – it doesn’t matter whose wrong or right.

Catch you on the rebound.

and I’ve just ordered myself a treat from the diner: grilled cheese with tomato & a vanilla egg cream.
Took the day off because I woke up feeling like I’d gone a few rounds with a boxing kangaroo.
I managed to take a bath and brush my teeth, but had to lay down afterwards.
So I called in. I’ll be taking tomorrow off too.
I went out for a bit of a walk in the afternoon, and picked up the Writer’s Digest Yearbook & my new camera.
It’s a Fuji Finepix F20.
I got the insurance, a 1 GB card and a really cute blue case.
A belated birthday/Christmas from me to me.
Believe it or not the camera is still in the box. I want to open it up when I feel a hundred percent.
I spent the evening sitting on my futon working on my new photoblog.
It’s called Photostroll. The first entry is entitled Keeping New York Clean.
I’m moving my meme blog here to WordPress, and hope to have it up in a week or less.
My name is Frances and I am Blogaholic.
I mean seriously is there any better way to bring your thoughts, photos, hobbies, loves, likes, dislikes, you name it to the universe.
And you meet so many like-minded people. Of course, the occasional not like-minded person surfaces, but hey we live it with it right?
While I was working on my blog the TV was on the Lifetime Channel, and I watched The Matthew Shephard Story.
The tears were pouring out of me by the last court room scene.
You can read about Matthew Shephard here.

As you may have read in previous posts I had planned to be home most of New Years Eve.
Ended up being out for most of the evening; I made it home just a bit after ten.
It was quite a nice time.
After my husband came home to rest after the the day session of church, I decided to run across town to check prices on that Canon Camera. On the way to the bus I stopped in at a local camera shop; it’s a bit pricier than the chain stores, but the sales staff is very knowledgable. The available salesman was nibbling on what looked like a late lunch, and I didn’t want to disturb him.
He told me not to worry; he was nibbling on his co-worker’s lunch. I instantly liked this young fellow – let’s call him Charles.

The price he gave me for the camera was 200 dollars more than the last store. It was also a different color. This is where I learned about the gray market – items that were not really meant to be sold in this country. They are much cheaper, but they do not carry US warranties. No way.

So then Charles asked me what my needs were, and I told him no camera I owned took a night pic that satisfied me.
He immediately pulled out a Fuji model that had everything I needed for around 200 dollars.
The store offers an excellent insurance policy. Usually I would have just bought it on the spot, but I wanted time to think just a bit.
I asked his schedule so I could return, and buy it from him.
There is nothing worse than answering a million questions, having the customer leave to think, and then return to purchase it in seconds from your co-worker.
After that I headed over to the East Side where I looked around a bit, and then stopped for a bite.
I was happily sipping a Sam Adams – hey it was New Years Eve – when the phone rang.
A friend I left a message for earlier took time out from a major busy event to wish me a Happy 2007.
Don’t you love a call like that?
I had made a few of my own on the crosstown bus.
So now I’m sitting there reading the paper – the restaurant keeps a few on hand for customers – and waiting for my nibbles.
A young man sat down at the table right next to me. He was noticably agitated. He ordered a drink, took a sip and then went outside to smoke a cigarette.
My food came, and he was back again.
He smiled at me, and made some comment about the chicken. I answered in a very general way, and then he was off for another smoke.
“What was this kid on anyway?”
Then he’s back again, and making some remark about my pasta.
I looked directly at him. He needed to talk.
“So how are you doing? Everything okay for the New Year?”
And that’s when it all came tumbling out.
A broken romance. The parents hate him. She dumped him, and yet is being vengeful. He was arrested for threatening her or something, and had to appear in court in two months.
The poor kid. He was so afraid he would be sent to jail. Fortunately I am familar with the union he belongs to, so I told him to contact the legal fund. Also his doctor had just placed him on medication, and recommended a therapist.
The court date was quite a few weeks away, and the worrying about it was hard on him.
We talked about how he might get a letter from the therapist. Maybe enter one of those anger management groups. I tried to make as many positive suggestions as possible.
He was so phenomenally grateful. He asked me my name, and told me his. When he shook my hand, the gratitude in his touch teared me up.
My meal and the mission I had been sent crosstown for by the universe completed, we parted company, and I headed back to the Upper West.
I returned a call while in the cab, and made plans to have tea and “book chat” with another friend.
I love “book chatting.”
And of course from books you go to movies and people and just everything!
Then I get a surprise call from one of my closest friends. We haven’t spoken in months – their work keeps them busy 24-7.
It was such a great phone call day!
After that I headed home, and called one of my new “best friends.”
She’s great. One of those instant pals.
We hung up at about 11:30, and I turned on Dick Clark.
He still looks good, though his speech is still a bit slow from the stroke.
Then the countdown, and yay a whole New Year.
2007 looks to be awesome!

My husband is a minister in his church, and participates in the watch. On New Years Eve the congregation gathers to meet the New Year in prayer and fellowship.
I’m not a member of his church, so I’ll be home. I’ve actually done the holiday alone quite a number of times; my husband is on the night shift, and one of the requirements of his job is to work holidays that fall on his regular work days.
During the evening I’ll order in something totally yummy, work on some photo projects, and then at about 11 or so slip into meditation until 12.
Folks in my neighborhood love to throw open their windows and holler at midnight, so I won’t miss it.
2006 was a good year, but it went by like a streak.
I worked mostly 6 days a week, but I won’t be for 2007.
Got a few projects on my mind that need to become realities.

Getting this blog up and running was a real holiday highlight.
I have another blog for the memes I participate in: Saturday Photo Hunt, Thirteen Thursday & Wordless Wednesday. It would be kind of nice if I could bring that blog here to WordPress.
Could be a nice project to start on January One. Why not? I’ll be off all day.

The set is on, and they keep running previews for that new movie Notes for a Scandal. Judy Dench and Cate Blanchett are the stars. Seems Judy is love with Cate who is married, and having it on with a teen-age boy on the side. Sounds sizzling doesn’t it?

Well, I am off to look over this site I discovered today – Creativity Portal. It came up when I did a search for blogging prompts.

Hugs all around.

Today while browsing through Thursday Thirteen blogs I found quite a few New Years Resolutions Lists.
One of mine is to cancel my Blockbuster Online account, because I’m spending way too much time in front of the tube. They have a Total Access program that allows you to swap the DVDs you get in the mail for new ones at the store. And there’s a store one door down from my building. I don’t even need to put on my coat to go, so you can imagine the turnover.
While I love films I need to put more time into my writing, photography and blogging. And now that my blog is here we can add learning more about WordPress to the list.
Speaking of my blog being here I have to let more of my blogging buddies know I’m here.
I did post a notice at my old spot, but it’s nice to do the personal visits thing.
Everyone have a fabulous evening.

Blogger simply wasn’t happening anymore. So I said, “New Year, New Blog.” The next thing you know I’m here at WordPress.
The web address I bought for this blog was directed to it in minutes. Impressive.
The question I asked in forums was answered in about an hour or so. Equally Impressive.
One feature that I am so loving is the ability to generate both posts and pages. As you can see there’s already a few pages listed in my side bar. My 100 Things only has 55 so far, but I’m working on it. And you might find some useful freeware and stuff on My Links page.
Speaking of pages let me browse round my laptop for more to add to them.
Waving at you all from New York,
Frances