Community, biking, scramble

I don't have much to say but kind of want to say something. LL is leaving me (+ NYC) soon... it's going to be weird and lonely without her. Have felt some reluctance to really push into community here, there's a strange balance between working for a church and being part of one that I haven't figured out. But without Lisa I am missing something. Time to become more vulnerable? This is difficult for me.





Also of note, I went for my first real bike ride on the streets of New York earlier this week -- to meet LL at Columbus Circle. I rode home up Amsterdam Ave (it took 15 minutes, which is way faster than the train) -- exhilarating. I felt daring, and FAST.

One effect New York busyness has had on me is that I now write much faster and with much less editing. There is an enormous stylistic difference between my Toronto emails (bored at work, nothing to do -- very long carefully written) and my NYC (how short can I make this??). Also affects blog posts (maybe longer due to less editing).

PS I just read that Yonge and Dundas is going to become a scramble intersection!

Recent things seen

Stray ironing board. BYO iron + cover.

Man walking down Broadway with his cat sitting on his head (why didn't I take a picture??).



These girls in the subway had the same haircut, the same glasses, the same tshirt, the same BAG. Also note the poster behind: "Be someone else, be KANYE!" (Related video; is this a Phenomenon that I am unaware of because I'm out of touch? Subway ads are often my only brush with reality. PS I highly recommend watching it.)

Also, last night I went on LL's work boat cruise around lower Manhattan. We got to see all the public-art waterfalls by Olafur Eliasson. And, it was the closest I've come to the Statue of Liberty (photo by crappy iPhone camera makes Lady Liberty look farther than she really is).

NEWS FLASH

They will be ready in about a week. !!!!! Also, LL and I saw this in the park near her house in Brooklyn. Apparently people travel far to play soccer baseball.

I forgot to title this

Last week was my first Independence Day as an American resident.



There were nice folks around, we ate potluck summer foods and then saw the Macy's fireworks display. It was cool because the same display of fireworks was going off at different places around the city -- so we could see the next display down from where we were, the same thing but smaller. Does that make any sense? I feel my descriptive abilities failing.

It was good to see some friendly faces from Toronto/Central America, too.





The kitchen ceiling is being redone starting today so the kitten is now living at my office (we came in a taxi this morning). It's kind of like when Ursula from Seinfeld makes an appearance on Friends, strange mixing of stories. LCdB has now stopped hiding under the sofa and has taken up position in the shelving unit; hopefully she'll eat and pee and be happy by the time the day is out.

PS New collabo-blog from Tom for all the cat lovers.

Window cat + Canada Day

Well everybody, I spent my first Canada Day as an American resident yesterday. No day off! But I wore a red & white shirt, ironically it was I heart NY. At work we listened to all Canadian music and sang the national anthem at staff meeting, then later LL and I had some beers at the pub. Unfortunately not Canadian beer, they sell basically none here in NY.





On the way to rice pudding we met a kitty in the window, she had the most enormous tail and followed us around from inside the store.