| The Musings of Weret-Hekau "Life Force in Action" |
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[03 Nov 2009|09:30am] |
Had a conversation with friends on Halloween and I was talking about being grateful for life's gifts and getting as much out of life as I can every day so that, when I die, I'm not saying to myself "Gee...I wish I had....." (as it is, if I get hit by a bus tomorrow I'm going to be thinking "damn...I gave up cigarettes for nothing! *grin*) Dying may be hard, but dying is still living. Death itself is easy, at least if you believe that it's not an ending but a beginning. (energy can neither be created nor destroyed and we are more than just energy, we are conscious, creative energy)
Just read a quote that resonated. "The fear of death is often a function of a life not fully lived." Live fully.
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[02 Nov 2009|11:37am] |
What a weekend! Syl and Bruce and Vicki and Allan came by Saturday afternoon and we split a couple of bottles of champagne and then all went to one friend's restaurant for dinner and then hopped over to another friend's restaurant later in the evening to continue celebrating. We even got lucky with the weather. People were telling me it poured where they were, but it was actually a pretty nice night here in the city. We didn't even wear coats because it was about 70 degrees out and though we brought umbrellas (just in case)we never needed them.
Then, yesterday was the Marathon and about 15 of Greg's relatives came in from CT for it and we all cheered the runners and then went out to eat at a family style Italian restaurant afterwards. I need to get back to work today just to get back on a normal eating regime.
I’m supposed to be Lady Luck but Greg thinks I look like a cocktail waitress. On the plus side, I did pick up a few tips.
Sylvia and Bruce in their Trekkie outfits and Allan and Vicki as a Victorian Vampire and Witch.
Me and my High Roller
With my friend Michael. Versatile Costume...Lady Luck, Cocktail Waitress, Saloon Girl...wherever your imagination takes you. Greg sure liked it.
Live long and prosper!
With our friend Chris, whose group did an Alice in Wonderland theme.
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[26 Oct 2009|10:36am] |
I've been running around so much that I didn't even want to go to Lorie and Andrew's party on Saturday because I was so tired. I'm glad I went. They sure know how to throw a party!
Andrew is a great cook and his famous sea bass was on the buffet along with his ziti,(I like shellfish but don't like anything that tastes like fish, so I'm very fussy. But a well made bass doesn't taste fishy and his was in a white wine and just melts in your mouth.) but he and Lorie also got trays of food from several really good restaurants in the area. There was fruit and about 20 kinds of cheeses and crackers. They had everything from Thai eggrolls and fried rice and adobo chicken and paella and empanadas and pulled pork and Italian and vegetarian dishes, etc., and all from some of the better restaurants in the area. There was cheesecake and mousse cake and fruit pies and biscotti for dessert. Even with about 40 people at the party there was so much left that they sent us all home with food.
They had ready made Cosmos and Margarita and Mojitos in self-pour containers and Lorie's nephew was tending bar if you wanted beer or wine or mixed drinks and it didn't take long before we'd all had enough to eat and drink and the women all started dancing. That got the men up, of course. Greg hit it off really well with a guy we'd never met before and we discovered that the woman I'd been hanging with was his wife! We'll be seeing them again since we all got along so well.
And a good time was had by all!
Sat at one of the local pubs yesterday while my hubby watched some games with a few regulars that we've gotten to know. Needless to say, the Series will be on in our home now that his Yankees are in it. I did warn him about this Saturday though...we've got friends coming from CT and NJ for the Halloween party at our other friend's restaurant and we're going out no matter who is playing on Saturday. *grin*
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[20 Oct 2009|11:46am] |
I'm way too busy. Had a week off and barely got to relax. Saw "Superior Donuts" and it was really good. (not as much depth as August: Osage County" but very funny and quite touching nonetheless and the theme of "the redemptive power of friendship" appeals to me. God knows I've always had such good friends that I feel very lucky at just how often they've "redeemed" me.
Speaking of friends, I did get to see a few friends on vacation that I hadn't seen in awhile. Alexandra threw a "Red Oktober" party where...you guessed it....everyone had to wear red. Greg, of course, did not. (neither did a couple of the other guys but the girls all complied) Got to see Lorie and Andrew too. They met working for AP and still travel all over the world a lot so I haven't seen them since June. We all went to a party together and then up to the Beekman Tower for drinks and the view and then Greg and I were leaving on vacation. By the time we came back their travels had started. She went to Hawaii to see her mom (Lorie's Polynesian) and then to Samoa to look for two of her brothers who were on an island hit by a tsunami (everybody's safe) and then off to Greece and eventually Rhode Island (RI sounds like a letdown after the rest but they raved about the seafood and, having grown up on the shore in CT, I totally "get it")
This weekend is Lorie's birthday party (and I can't wait because Andrew is SUCH a good cook) and then on Halloween several of our friends are coming to town for a party at a local restaurant. And THEN....I'm hoping for a QUIET, UNeventful weekend.
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[04 Oct 2009|12:22am] |
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“Doubledated” with Sylvia and Bruce. Dinner and a movie, a walk by the river (after a heavy rain earlier today it turned out to be a lovely and rather mild night with a very pretty moon) and an old Rodney Dangerfield Young Comedians tape from 25 years ago with people like Sam Kinison and Bob Saget on it.
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[28 Sep 2009|11:41am] |
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Had a great time with Vicki and Paula on Saturday. Honestly, I didn't appreciate CT when I was growing up, but going back there has given me a whole new appreciation for Southern CT. It's not just that I have such good friends there, the city where I grew up is very charming in so many ways and I've always loved the ocean.
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| Olivia's Christening |
[22 Sep 2009|02:52pm] |
If you were a "Sopranos" fan you may recognize the baby's Godfather (I was amused, but then I'm easily amused) since he was a cast member. (he's the dapper looking fellow in the red tie) We first met Arthur and his darling wife Vicky at Sam and Dorota's (Olivia's parents) home last Christmas. (We became friends with Sam and Dorota having frequented their wonderful restaurant for many years - as a matter of fact, it was where Greg threw my 50th birthday party) We were invited to the baby's Christening on Sunday and Sam threw a bash at the restaurant afterwards.
They had the most interesting baptismal font I've ever seen...it's really artistic. That pyramid shaped gold structure slides over that orb which contained the font.
The Godmother is Dorota's sister who came all the way from Poland.
Sam and Dorota and Olivia (Sam's Egyptian and Dorota's originally from Poland and it's obvious that Olivia got her father's genes...she was born with that full head of dark hair...no bald babies in this family. This girl is going to have the most gorgeous hair and exotic looks when she grows up)
 
 
(The woman in these photos isn't Vicky, it's my friend Raychel who I also met through Sam about 15 years ago when I first started going there. Interestingly, Raychel is originally from Ireland and was educated in London. That's one of the coolest things about NY...you can meet so many people from all over the world here.)
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[21 Sep 2009|04:53pm] |
Took last week off. Did some shopping, went to a fair with Paula and Vicki, ate out every night, saw a couple of plays, saw Harry Potter in 3D at the Imax, went to the park. Must be nice to be rich and be able to do this all the time. I just KNOW my REAL parents must be independently wealthy and they gave me to the wrong people at the hospital. Unfortunately, those rich parents apparently have no interest in finding me because I'm back at work.
Saturday we went to Joe's party at the Holiday Inn and yesterday we went to Olivia's Christening and the after party at East River Cafe. It's no wonder I'm getting chubby....people feed me too well. If we have a famine you can have my food because I think I can live off my own fat for a couple of months.
It was a good week...went FAST....and there's a lot of work waiting for me this week. Next weekend is the art show with Paula in CT and the weekend after that Syl and Bruce are coming to NY to hang out.
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| 9/11 |
[11 Sep 2009|08:44am] |
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My heart goes out to all the people who lost family and friends and all the responders who were there to help, especially those that are sick today because they were there to help others.
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[08 Sep 2009|11:04am] |
So nice to be able to enjoy good friends and good food and, especially considering the number of rainy days this summer, good weather over the holiday weekend. Spent one day with friends at the hotel pool. Joe's going to attempt to keep it open through the middle of October if the weather cooperates. It's just so relaxing up there with the view of the Hudson and all the regulars. Had a grilled chicken sandwich and a couple of beers and almost fell asleep after lunch because I was so relaxed. Lots of helicopters in the air....probably because of the holiday weekend. (They actually sent a notice to us at work today that there's a 21 gun salute planned on the river so no one would think we were getting attacked again, but I don't really think about it. I figure something is going to happen again sooner or later but I can't waste my life worrying.)
Spent another day with the goddaughter's family who invited us for a bbq. Mind you...their idea of a bbq was to throw Porterhouse steaks on the grill. (cooked to perfection with grilled and seasoned corn on the cob and lots of salads and desserts...yummy. Oh yeah...and they threw a few hot dogs on the grill in case anyone wanted one.) It was fun playing with the girls. My goddaughter is so tall all of a sudden...honestly, the girl is built like a supermodel and fair. And her sister is petite with dark curly hair and she's a math whiz. The day just flew by hanging with all of them; we didn't come home until late at night.
Spent another day at the pub watching the Yankees and then took in a showing of "Inglorious Basterds." I really enjoyed it, but then I usually do enjoy Tarantino films.
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[04 Sep 2009|09:50am] |
They threw us a bone and they're letting us out of work early today, for which I am very grateful because I have a busy holiday weekend planned.
Also plan on taking off some time later this month just to hang around NY and do the "NY thing" with museums and restaurants. Bought tickets to two shows. Later this month we're going to see The 39 Steps which I've been wanting to see for awhile. Check out the little montage you'll find if you click on the link. Trust me...you'll like it.
We're also going to see The Royal Family because I like the cast a lot. (although I can't look at John Glover anymore and not think "Lionel Luther." :)
Got half price tickets to both shows because I'm on a lot of the theater mailing lists and they always have offers.
Have a good Labor Day weekend!
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[31 Aug 2009|02:16pm] |
It's fantastic to have great friends. It's even better, however, when the husbands also like each other. Greg's a lot more discriminating about friends than I am, but he gets along famously with Bob and Allan. This excites me to no end because I love their wives so much and this means he doesn't have to tolerate anyone's company just for my sake which means that we get to hang out more often.
Greg and I got together on Saturday with Vicki and Paula and their husbands and we had such a great time. Clams Casino and stuffed shrimp, filet mignon and asparagus and stuffed potatoes, homemade bourbon pecan pie and cheesecake....as usual, I ate too much. Bob mixes a damn good vodka martini and even the weather cooperated so that we were able to spend some time around the firepit. The six of us did a lot of laughing.
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| A Woman After My Own Heart |
[26 Aug 2009|12:17pm] |
HOW TO BE A GRACIOUS BITCH
Jennifer's wedding day was fast approaching. Nothing could dampen her excitement -- not even her parent's nasty divorce. Her mother had found the PERFECT dress to wear and would be the best-dressed mother-of-the-bride ever!
A week later, Jennifer was horrified to learn that her father's new young wife had bought the exact same dress as her mother! Jennifer asked her father's new young wife to exchange it, but she refused.
"Absolutely not, I look like a million bucks in this dress, and I'm wearing it," she replied.
Jennifer told her mother who graciously said, "Never mind sweetheart, I'll get another dress. After all, it's your special day."
A few days later, they went shopping and did find another gorgeous dress.
When they stopped for lunch, Jennifer asked her mother, "Aren't you going to return the other dress? You really don't have another occasion where you could wear it."
Her mother just smiled and replied, "Of course I do, dear. I'm wearing it to the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding."
NOW I ASK YOU - IS THERE A WOMAN OUT THERE, ANYWHERE, WHO WOULDN'T ENJOY THIS STORY?
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[19 Aug 2009|11:50am] |
After the Rain…
We have had quite a bit of rain at Hold Your Horses Farm lately. When it rains, we horses huddle together inside the run-in shed at the top of the hill. It gives us shelter, and we like being together when it is really windy and scary. Sometimes there is lightning and thunder. We don't like that very much. We try to stay away from the trees, and move off the hill when we need to.
Sometimes it rains for a few minutes; sometimes for most of the day. Horses don't really care about time, so we don't mind. We know that eventually the rain will stop and we will once again romp through the fields, and be able to graze in the sweet grass.
After the rain, we often gather where the water has flowed through the drainage ditch. We know that the grass there is especially lush. It tastes good and we know it is good for us. We graze for hours after the rain in that one area.
In the places where the grass is sparse and dirt shows through, the rain has left behind mud. We love to roll there. We can get especially muddy and sloppy. I like it best when I have big muddy clods of dirt hanging off my mane. Being a mare with a mature figure, I sometimes can't roll all the way over; then I get muddy only on one side.
The boys play in the mud, chasing each other and slipping and sliding a bit on the muddy hill. I'm too mature for that, but I secretly love watching it.
Even though the rain can be scary or can mess up our grazing plans for the day, we know it will pass eventually. We know that we can enjoy what happens after the rain.
I'm not sure if humans know that. Humans have rain in their lives as well, but it isn't the kind that gets them wet. They have things happen that spoils their plans, messes up their lives, and makes it difficult for them to keep their footing. What they seem to have trouble remembering is that the rain will eventually go away. I think sometimes they get stuck in believing that it will ALWAYS rain in their lives. They forget that good things come from "rainy times." After all, you can't play in the mud unless it has been raining.
You don't need to be upset when it rains. Things happen. It is part of the cycle of nature. You can learn about yourself and your herd from those rainy times. You can learn to avoid those areas that are likely to flood you with struggle, just like we avoid the low areas of our pasture when it rains.
I think humans need to remember to play after the rain and to take advantage of the opportunities when the sun comes out. When you do, you won't be as upset by those "rainy times." You'll hunker down, do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and wait till it passes. Because it will pass. I know. I'm a mare who has survived many rainstorms.
Neighs and Whinnies,
Ginger
(through my owner Linda Pucci)
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[18 Aug 2009|01:13pm] |
Many thanks to all of you for your support. I usually try to answer each comment individually but please forgive me if I don't this time.
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[16 Aug 2009|05:50pm] |
My mom died.
Since her stroke 4 1/2 years ago she's been in and out of hospitals. She had a lot of miraculous recoveries. Last Monday they called again. She'd had a heart attack, not her first but this was to be her last, and she was in respiratory distress. There was to be no miraculous recovery this time. I talked to three different doctors and finally asked one "If this was your mother...." and he told me outright that there was nothing they could do to help and anything they could do would only prolong the agony. Tuesday I signed the papers for a wonderful organization called Vitas to take over because I had been told there was nothing else the hospital could do. Luckily, the hospital had a hospice ward so she didn't have to be moved far. She still knew I was there Tuesday because she could squeeze my hand even though she couldn't talk. Everyone at the hospital and especially the people from Vitas were incredible in offering all kinds of support. By Wednesday I really don't think she knew we were there anymore. Several times it looked like she stopped breathing but then she would start again. I don't think I've ever had to watch anything that was so hard before. She passed on to better things on Wednesday night. It was merciful that she didn't have to suffer longer.
Many people I hadn't seen in years came to the wake because they read the obit. (I never read obits...I suppose I should start) And I have my stepbrother and his wife back in my life now. We never knew each other as kids but got closer when my stepfather died. Then we just lost touch again, which was entirely my fault because they tried to keep in touch. But he read the obit and showed up to support me and I will make sure this time that I don't just drift away. My goddaughter's family drove two hours to come and offer support. My friend Paula actually helped me clean out my mom's room and offered to cook for us while we were there. Vicki was in North Carolina so I didn't even tell her but Paula did and she called me. She already lost both her parents and she would come to see my mom with me all the time. I could tell she was genuinely broken up. People were so loving and supportive.
I gave some things like her cd player and tv to other people in the nursing home and donated her clothes to people in the home without families because they have a lot of people who could use them. I gave costume jewelry and little figurines and things that I had bought her over the years to the recreation department to use as prizes in the Pokeno and Bingo games. (they take their Pokeno very seriously there....old people get to turn into little kids again if you let them enjoy it) I gave the social worker about a dozen pairs of really nice eyeglass frames (some were Designer...I know because I paid for them....and my mother apparently never threw them out when she got new ones) to donate to the Lion's Club because I know they recycle them for the poor. I took just a few small things to remember her.
It was a rough week. It's not completely over because my mom wanted to be cremated so I can't inter her ashes until next Saturday. My stepbrother and friends are all insisting on coming along with my family and they're taking me out afterwards. It's a good thing because it's easy to be strong with friends around.
Today Greg took me to see District 9 just to have a couple of hours of distraction. It was very entertaining. Life goes on. At least she's not in pain anymore.
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[04 Aug 2009|12:19pm] |
Busy weekend. (so what else is new?) Hung out with friends at the hotel pool and out to dinner. Saw “Public Enemies.” (it was alright but not exciting…I love Depp but this was a bit slower than I expected, they could have edited it more) Took a train up to see Alison’s baby Zoe Christened and then to a party at Tony and Debbie’s to celebrate afterwards. Zoe is the cutest baby. What a personality!!!! She’s a happy baby and I’m thrilled that she’s taken such a liking to me. She kept reaching out to have me hold her.
Debbie and Tony’s new hot tub…this is a thing of beauty as far as I’m concerned!
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[27 Jul 2009|09:11am] |
From an email this morning -
“Before this odyssey ever began, Tina, there was you, your best friends, and wide-eyed curiosity among you about who would be the first to leap, the first to forget, the first to kiss, the first to tell, the first to fall, the first to get back up, and the first to remember that it all began with a dare: to love in spite of it all.”
It struck a chord because I just saw two friends again this weekend that I’ve known since I was 14 and we went through things like this together. Paula found some old pictures and we were all laughing our asses off at photos of us in high school shows and in the newspaper and on occasions like Senior Skip Day at Sherwood Island State Park. (and was I really ever that thin????)
Paula was all kind enough to make copies of the photo below (taken at the street fair when they were here in NY on the 11th) and she put mine in a gorgeous pewter frame that said “Friends” which she gave to me when I saw her and Vicki this past Saturday. She even gave one to my mother so she would have a photo of her daughter and her two “adopted” daughters. I can't believe how so many years could pass and yet we're still as close as we were when we were young. We all went through so much and traveled such different paths and yet our paths still converged again. Someone visiting one of their relatives at the nursing home asked if we were all sisters when we went to visit my mom. It's just that obvious to everyone that we're that close.
We'll have to create some new firsts now. The future still holds so much promise...and it's even better now that so many promises came true.
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[13 Jul 2009|03:49pm] |
As long as I found the time to post a few pics today I might as well post a few more. My weekends have been so busy. We're already booked through Labor Day. I'm having a lot of fun but it does make the year go by awfully quickly.
At the private party at the Hotel on the 4th of July
( Read more... )
Me, Paula and Vicki, after a day of running around New York, at the Cloister Café in the East Village finally sitting down to relax and have a drink and a bite to eat. We’ve been trying to get together at least one weekend a month either in CT or here in NY.
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| The Cruise in June |
[13 Jul 2009|03:14pm] |
I took over 200 photos on our vacation so I've just picked out a handful here just to give you a taste of the trip so you can decide if it's the sort of thing you might enjoy.
Sailing away from New York. This was taken from the balcony of someone I met on Cruise Critic who invited us to his suite for sailaway.
Entrance to our suite. It leads to a living area with a pull out sofa and table and chair and a tv. Off that is a short hall to the bedroom, also with a tv and chair and very large closet, and a dressing area leading to both the bedroom and the bathroom. All these areas have doors which can be pushed out of the way to add light and air or closed to allow privacy. The bathroom has a Jacuzzi tub and glass shower and double sinks. (I mention this because if you have children or a third person you can easily have them in a suite with you and still maintain some privacy.) This particular suite that we had also included a balcony which wraparound the back and side of the suite. (220 sq feet)
( Read more... )
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[07 Jul 2009|09:48am] |
Results from a little app on Facebook just for fun. I didn't need cards to tell me this.
Ace of Swords: Your mind will become sharp and clear. It will be ready to accept new challenges and you will be ready to discuss these new opportunites with others to make the best out of what presents itself. ...
Focus - World 21: World brings Sol to a global level. Peace and happiness are here! This can symbolize some major project coming to an end and it is time you relax and enjoy your great accomplishment! ...
Outcome - Strength 8:Strength represents the quiet, patient, and confident strength, willpower and determination inherent in us all. It is not as forceful as the Chariot. There is a message being delivered from a higher power but you must have strong character to hear its message. ...
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[06 Jul 2009|02:59pm] |
What marvelous timing. This actually made me laugh because of the timing. I get these emails from Notes from the Universe because I'm a big sap and I like little pleasant thoughts in my mailbox. This just came in today and I ask you...could it have been timed any better?
But Tina, what if you did have the power, the reach, and the glory?
What if you were given dominion over all things?
And what if eternity lay before you, brimming with love, friends, and laughter?
Yet still, one day, in all your radiance, bubbling over with giddy excitement, you tripped, fell, and got hurt - really hurt.
Would you give up on all of your dreams? Would you hate yourself? Would you forget life's magic and promise?
Or would you shrug it off, look ahead, and exclaim that it's "just a flesh wound"?
Touché,
The Universe
Amusing, yes?
________________________________________
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| take a look at the photo...I'm showing it off |
[05 Jul 2009|01:33pm] |
This is my fuck you to anything bad that happens in life. Greg and I weren’t born with silver spoons in our mouths. My parents were divorced when I was a baby and I was raised by a single mother (who had some problems that weren’t being treated) and Greg’s dad was a milkman (and some of you aren’t even old enough to remember milkmen). We’re just a couple of people who work for a living even now. But we’re a couple of people who take whatever life throws at us without feeling sorry for ourselves and we’ve been blessed. This photo was taken on the cruise we just took this June. It was our 19th wedding anniversary but the 25th anniversary of the year we began living together. We look pretty damn good for a couple of old farts in their 50’s who’ve been together for so long, don’t you think? Life is good. It can be even better. Don’t let the bastards get you down. Every time you have a good day you beat the bastards. I intend to have more good days. I’m feisty that way. Everyone should be.
Check it out. And then look to all the bad shit with me and say "Fuck you. I'm stronger."
( Read more... )
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| I was assaulted |
[05 Jul 2009|11:29am] |
Just so you know that I’m not just Pollyanna but truly believe what I say I’m going to tell you all what happened Thursday so you know that bad things sometimes happen to good people, but that doesn’t mean you have to live in fear or despair and you never should. I truly believe that if there is a God, and I believe there is even if we don’t understand exactly what God is yet, that life is a gift and we simply can’t give in to the bad stuff. I don’t talk the way I do because my life’s been sheltered or nothing bad has ever happened. I talk from a place of having lived through all sorts of bad things. That’s what makes me credible. Life hasn’t always been a piece of cake. I’ve known violence in several forms since I was a child. And I still say life is good. (And it really is good for me….I don’t need anyone’s pity for anything that has ever happened. I’m really in quite a good place in spite of everything. I’m not some rich kid who’s been protected and insulated. I’m a been there-done that sort of person. I’m what they call a witness to the sins of others and my own sins. And I will testify to the glory of something greater than all of it, even if I don’t completely understand all of that greater thing)
The good news is that I'm okay. As a matter of fact, I seem to be healing almost abnormally fast.
( Read more... )
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[30 Jun 2009|12:03pm] |
cross-posted
Not long ago they filmed a scene of "Law & Order" in the firm where I work. I just found out that next week Disney films will be using an office here in their new movie "Step Up 3D." (hey, the offices are nice and the views are great)
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[30 Jun 2009|09:03am] |
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The weekend before we actually left on the cruise we made a couple of new friends at Sam and Dorota's party. Dorota is pregnant and Sam threw her a "Jack and Jill" shower at the restaurant. (I like these newfangled coed showers...they're a lot more fun.) We already knew of lot of the people that were there but Greg and I really hit it off with some folks we had never met before named Laurie and Andrew who, we have discovered, live just a few blocks from us. She's Polynesian, originally from Oahu, and makes quite a contrast to his VERY fair coloring so they are a particularly striking couple. They met working for the Associated Press so they're also intelligent and articulate. We all got along so well that we went out to the Beekman Towers afterwards for drinks and sat up at the rooftop restaurant balcony overlooking the city and the East River. (WHAT a view) They had us over their place to eat and I discovered that Andrew is a fantastic cook. Since he loves to cook, I'll be happy to oblige him by eating his cooking!
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[29 Jun 2009|05:30pm] |
WHAT A FANTASTIC TRIP. (And a fantastic month and a fantastic year actually....our social calendar has been full all year.) I'll post some photos if I ever get the chance. One of my faves is 3 dolphins playing in the surf that I took from the balcony of our suite on the ship one day.
I also hear that the weather sucked here in NY while we were gone but we got really lucky and it was blue skies and smooth sailing for 8 days. I don't know if we stayed ahead of the rain or behind it, I just know the weather was beautiful down to the Caribbean and back. (I was really worried because the Atlantic can be rough in bad weather.) As usual, I ate and drank too much. So what else is new? :)
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| Weekends are so much fun |
[24 May 2009|11:14am] |
Since my mom was first paralyzed with her stroke there’s been a lot of ups and downs. At least 3 times a year we’re called to rush to the hospital because they don’t think she’s going to make it and, last time, she was unresponsive for so many hours that we were sure “this was it.” (She’s been close to death so often that I’m usually pretty positive that she’ll pull through again but last time she had the hospital staff convinced she didn’t have long.) I am very happy to say that yesterday my oldest friends Paula and Vicki went with me to the nursing home, cake and presents in hand, to help celebrate my mom’s 79th birthday. She has good days and not so good days and yesterday was a good day. She was able to walk (with help) and was pretty chipper and ready for her little party. And she made out like a bandit too! Everybody brought presents. They spoil my mom as much as I do. Paula and Vicki knew my mom back when we all first started hanging out in high school. Paula has an older sister that’s institutionalized so she’s just marvelous with everyone in the home because she’s used to homes like this and Vicki was super close with her mom and dad but they’re both gone now, so both of them have sort of adopted my mom and my mother was just in her glory with her three daughters hosting a little party for her.
After we left my mom we all went out for lobsters and softshell crabs and just sat and laughed for hours. We all bring out the best in each other and it inevitably turns into a laugh fest with us getting silly and turning into schoolgirls again. Later we went to Vicki’s to check out her new firepit. It’s the nicest I’ve seen and we made some plans for a bbq with them after Greg and I get back from vacation. Vicki has this gorgeous old house with beautiful beams and arches and even some of the original cabinetry and she and Allen do a wonderful job with it and with the landscaping. The weather was so strange and cool so much of spring that I really couldn’t see what they had planted until yesterday when I realized just how artistic they are with the flowers and borders. It was just SO pretty. They have a real “white picket fence” kind of place and the most perfect grass (don’t laugh….a nice lawn can be a beautiful thing especially if you like to run around barefoot, and I do) I’ve ever seen since my grandfather used to take care of his. And it’s easy to get home from there, she’s not far from the train so we don’t have to rent a car and drive because they’re always willing to pick us up.
We spent Friday night at the Cafe celebrating Aaron's birthday and yesterday in CT and G and I have plans for tomorrow but none for today so I’m hoping to see “Angels and Demons” which I read first and considered a better story than “The Da Vinci Code.” And maybe the pub and some music tonight.
"REAL NEW YORK" note: Stickball tournament in The Bronx (where Greg grew up) today. Teams come from all over...even other countries….to play this “poor man’s game” that any kid can play with a ball and one of his mother’s broken brooms. For anyone not familiar with stickball, it’s somewhat like baseball but there are no gloves, no pitcher. You bounce the ball on the street and you get ONE shot only at hitting it or you’re out.
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[18 May 2009|04:29pm] |
My husband spoils me rotten and so do my friends.
I must've done something right in a previous life. :)
Btw...while I'm here....Star Trek was fun. I've always been a fan but when I heard they were making yet another movie I was afraid they were beating a dead horse. I am happy to say that it lives up to the hype.
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[16 May 2009|11:01am] |
Simon and Andrea took us to DON'T TELL MAMA last night. If you are ever in NY and around the theater district you should check it out. It's lots of fun.
http://www.donttellmamanyc.com
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[03 May 2009|01:21pm] |
What an interesting weekend. The weather turned out to be much nicer than the originally dire predictions. It rained Friday but the rain stopped at night allowing us all to be hopping around enjoying the night and yesterday was just gorgeous. Friday night we met up with our friends Andrea and Simon at our friend Sam’s restaurant. It’s a classy place where another friend of ours plays piano and is always hosting a lot of regulars so it’s impossible to walk in without getting greeted by a lot of people. Picture “Cheers” in an Upper East Side piano bar kind of way.
Andrea (that’s pronounced Ahn-DRAY-ah, not Ann-dree-ah -- and she has this deep sexy voice to go along with that name so it sounds great when she says it) is a veritable Nordic goddess so it’s a good thing I like her so much or I wouldn’t sit next to her since I feel frumpy beside her. She’s originally from Finland and is tall and blond and gorgeous and young enough to be my daughter. She’s married to Simon who is a charming Englishman in his forties and who treated us to dinner Friday. He’s got his own business, she works for a well known designer in London so she’s often back and forth between NY and London and just happens to be in town now. So...in addition to being gorgeous she’s quite fashionable and just looks stunning all the time and I don't want to be in photos next to her. *grin* She’s a LOT of fun though. We went dancing for a bit afterwards at another place and then she took me to the St. Regis and introduced me to an APPLE MANHATTAN. My god these things are good but they’ll put you under the table if you’re not careful.
Yesterday morning I nursed a teeny bit of a hangover (can't remember the last time I had a hangover and I blame the apple manhattans) but was ready to go again later in the day when Patsy and Kenny came down for a visit. Kenny’s been working with Greg for at least 30 years now and I first met Patsy in 1992 when Kenny helped us move. Now that her kids are grown she likes going out and partying as much as I do so it’s a match made in heaven. (we also have birthdays a few days apart and seem to like a lot of the same things) It’s SO nice when both couples like each other’s spouses and it’s not a matter of one putting up with another for the sake of the partner’s old friendships. We hung out here for awhile drinking wine then walked to dinner, and later went to the pub where the band was lively and had me and several others up and dancing. The front woman for this band had the most incredible voice and the rest of the band just filled the place with energy. I did a lot of dancing the last couple of days and spent the weekend in celebration of life in general.
Today it’s raining again and we’re going for a quiet brunch, just the two of us. The blossoms on the trees have all turned to leaves, but they’re the light green color of spring so even the rain seems pleasant today. I’m trying to juggle invitations. One of Greg’s basketball buddies invited us out to the Hamptons but I honestly don’t know if we can fit it in. I’m very grateful for the friends and acquaintances we have. Our life just gets full so fast. Maybe that’s why I looked up the other day and realized that it’s MAY already.
Does that freak out anyone besides me????? The first four months of 2009 are gone already.
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[24 Apr 2009|12:11pm] |
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SO excited that the weather is going to be so wonderful this weekend. We're getting together with friends in CT on the shore and going to a lobsterfest! Our first little taste of summer. (It's going to be in the 80's...the sound will still be too cold for swimming but the area is gorgeous. God, I love the ocean!!!)
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| Chocolate, Michelle, Calvin Klein and other thoughts |
[18 Apr 2009|11:58am] |
cross posted
I just got home and realized that I had a message from a friend waiting for me since LAST NIGHT. I’m SO sorry that I'm terribly ill mannered in this respect but I often do not have my phone with me. It really pisses off most of my friends. My friend Dave says “It sort of defeats the whole purpose of having a cell if you don’t take it with you Tina” but I’m a bit of a Neo-Luddite in many ways in spite of making my living with technology. (perhaps that’s why I’m like that...I LOVE modern technology but in so many ways it’s made life so much more “harried” that I just rebel while, at the same time, also selling out to it)
At any rate...I love my little Chocolate phone since I can rip my own cds and sync the music to it and I find that long Metro North rides are much more pleasant with with the ability to hear music on my phone, but I often don’t have it with me in spite of all that, and may not check messages. One of my flaws....get used to it or don't but it's probably not going to change. I feel guilty, but not enough to change apparently.
Part two:
I was thinking about the cruise and though they are getting much more casual these days I refuse to dress down for “elegant” nights (they use to call them formal but changed them to be more relaxed) The fact is...I really like an excuse to get dressed up. I’m a girly girl and I like silks and satins, etc. It’s also a chance to get Greg (who’s very handsome even in jeans and sneakers) to dress. (and he looks SO handsome dressed...we dress for them, they can dress for us sometimes. I married a jeans and sneakers kind of guy and I love him just like that...but it's nice to see him dressed sometimes.)
So I went shopping today because I’ve gotten a bit plumper since the last time I needed a gown (which was in 2003 or so) I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO GET SICK shopping for these. I am NOT paying $1150.00 for something that looks like crap. (seriously...Jesus H...no wonder everybody’s broke if people buy this stuff. I KNOW you can all think of better ways to spend a thousand (plus) dollars and so can I. It wasn't just a matter of price, though I wouldn't spend that on a dress....they were UGLY) I hated everything. Everything seemed to fall into 3 categories...tacky, in spite of the price tag, HOOCHIE (hey, when I was younger I might have had fun with looking like a hooch but I’m too old for HOOCHIE now) or something that looked like my grandmother might wear to a wedding. (haven’t they heard???? 50 is the new 30…fuck it….Michelle, where are you when I need you?????…tell these women that it’s ridiculous to pay that money for something that someone is going to spill a drink on in the salt air on a cruise but tell the designers that women my age need something classy and pretty....we're not 25 but neither are we DEAD YET. This is 2009, not 1959....is ANYONE designing for ME??????)
I was SO disgusted that I saw the UGLIEST expensive dresses today but finally I settled on a reasonably priced Calvin Klein (more than reasonable because it was on sale) just because it was simple which I found to have a certain elegance. (if I wear it once I’ll be happy) It’s black and it’s got TINY little non-flashy sequins (not the big cheap looking ones) just under a gathered bust (which flattered the cleavage…let’s hear it for nice cleavage…does anyone have anything against cleavage???) and a cross back. It’s very simple and I thought it had a certain elegance that I found lacking in so much else I saw (bring Halston back from the dead darling…I like being a girl…flatter me, drape me, make love to me in all sorts of creative ways....give me a reason, an excuse, ANYTHING. to buy a dress but, for god sakes, DESIGN for ME)
Okay…I’m rambling. We were out having fun tonight and I’m flying a bit high. :) And it’s not the clothes you know…it’s the person that wears them. So consider that I may have many flaws but I do know who I am and what I like at this point and so do all my friends. Let's hear it for the modern woman.
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[06 Apr 2009|09:08am] |
A lot of people think of NY as a "concrete jungle" but the neighborhood where I live not only has a lot of trees but the highrises often have beautifully tended and landscaped gardens. Yesterday was such a lovely day that we were out and about and the first thing I noticed was that everything is in bloom. So many of the trees are covered in white or pink blossoms and the gardens all look perfect already. Today, on the other hand, is rainy and gray again and a good portion of the rest of the week promises the same.
A couple of photos of dinner out with some of Greg's friends.
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[04 Apr 2009|10:31am] |
After a horribly gray rainy day yesterday last night turned out to be a beautiful spring night here in the city. We walked about half a mile to a nearby restaurant commenting on the lovely feel in the air and then hung with some friends and had dinner. I just booked my last free weekend in June. How the hell does that happen? It’s only the beginning of April and my schedule is full for months. This might explain why life seems to fly by so quickly. I really love these people and I realized last night that we’ve known them over 15 years already. This seems to be a theme lately - realizing how many years have passed and how long some friends have been around. I guess that means we're all getting older although it really doesn't feel as if so much time has passed. I became conscious of it again yesterday because two people I know turned 50 (she freaked out a little) and 70 (she soaked up the attention and made the most of it) respectively. At any rate, this particular couple has a lovely home in a town right by the Hudson and I love to go up there. (they’re the ones that have a brook and even tennis courts that I told you guys about once before...I could happily live in just their family room it’s so big)
It looks like spring is finally in the air. And before we know it...it’ll be summer. I'm looking forward to both.
We're off to a party tonight with some of Greg's buddies.
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| Good friends...OLD friends |
[30 Mar 2009|08:21am] |
I've known these four women THIRTY EIGHT years now. How'd that happen? I still feel like 18.
But it's absolutely amazing to me that we're still the same old pals and still love each other after all this time. (even though I chose a completely different sort of lifestyle and took off for other places)
One of my other friends recently commented that he hasn't seen me on LJ in awhile so I decided to hop back here and catch up on what all of you are doing or thinking and show you some of what I've been doing.
The brunette next to me is my friend Vicki. I got my driver’s license and then taught her how to drive in my car. She, of all of them, was my “partner in crime” most of the time. If you can spend an hour in her company and not smile I will pay you a hundred dollars because it’s IMPOSSIBLE not to smile and laugh around her. She’s lively and charming and full of positive vibes and we have been laughing in each other’s company since we were 14 and we still laugh like a couple of kids when we're together. If anyone is up for trying things with you it’s Vicki and I have always have fun with her and I'm sure she'll still be fun to be around even if we're only getting around with walkers someday.
The blond with the pageboy haircut next to Vicki is my friend Paula. She’s more like a sister to me. You can’t find a better friend. Not only will she do anything for you (She hemmed my mother’s pants last time we saw her in spite of my insisting I could do it – she just wouldn’t have it and said “No, no, I’ll do it. You sit and relax, I want to do this for you.” She’s a better woman than I because I let her hem them and I really shouldn't have. I should have done it myself.) but this incredibly sweet woman will turn into a mother lioness if anyone says a bad word about her friends. She is loyal to a fault. (although I, personally, don't think loyalty could ever be a fault) Seriously…you can’t find a better friend. She'll stand by you and I'd trust her to fight back-to-back with me anytime and have my back. She was also a talented musical comedy actress and we did a lot of shows together.
The one on the far right is Jeannie. She was already an accomplished musician in high school and plays several instruments. She often played for shows Paula and I were in together and now she teaches music and even teaches choir in the same high school we all attended together. She’s a softspoken, patient woman who’s kind of like a mother in the group. She puts up with all our nonsense with a kind of tolerant amusement. She also got us involved in the folk group back in high school. Back in the 70’s folk masses were the "in" thing in church (most of us were Catholics) and we used to do the folk masses. Jeannie is still very spiritual and a good person to be around when you need hope and faith in life because she's got plenty of that to share.
The woman on my left is Susan. Whereas we were all from Catholic immigrant European families, Sue would have been the monied WASP in the group. (her father worked as hard as any of our parents but he had more money with which to spoil not just her but all of us) I, by no means, mean that "WASP" title to be insulting in any way. She’s very sweet and has dealt with a great deal of hardship and personal tragedy and she’s still standing. She’s tougher than she looks. But when we weren’t spending our summers on the beach we were in Sue’s yard. Her dad used to spoil us all rotten and he put in an inground L-shaped pool and bought us all floating chaises with one place for ashtrays (we smoked in those days) and one for our drinks. He used to mix us drinks and one of my fond memories is her mother saying “Harvey...don’t you give those girls alcohol.” (But he did....and it’s not as bad as it sounds because the drinking age was 18 back then and we were 17 and he would make sure nobody drove.) I once asked him why he treated us all so good and he quite frankly said “I love my daughter so much I will spoil her and all her friends rotten if it makes her happy.” And it did...and he did....and we loved hanging out there and tasting the good life. I blame him for some of my more Country Club sort of tastes now. *grin*
And when we get together we all say the same thing – “I still feel like 18...where did all the years go?” Eh....they were good years and we’re all still in love with each other.
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[27 Feb 2009|12:33pm] |
It is SO much fun being back in touch with old friends. Just heard from Chris, who still plays in Denis Leary's backup band, that he and Adam will be playing Radio City for a fundraiser that Denis is doing to open the next season of "Rescue Me." We've been hysterical reminiscing about some old films they made in college and developed in my bathroom. The only depressing thing is that we were all so young and skinny and seeing the actual photos reminds us all that we're not so young anymore. (and definitely not as skinny...we all eat too well!) Eh....it's been a fun ride and apparently it's not over yet.
Anyway, been so busy both at work and with my social life that I just haven't had time to check into LJ. Since I was reminiscing today though I thought about the friends I made here and just wanted to let you all know I do remember you.
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[20 Jan 2009|02:36pm] |
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My bosses bought the whole firm lunch today and set up the big conference room so we could all stop and watch the inauguration. That's pretty cool of them if you ask me. (especially since I know many of them voted for McCain)
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[01 Jan 2009|03:24pm] |
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!
I had a FANTASTIC time with friends last night. I'll post a couple of the more interesting pics (my friends all know how to have a good time and they’re not afraid of the camera...especially not after a couple of bottles of champagne and various other assorted drinks *smirk*) when I get the chance but right now I'm headed back out. Just wanted to wish you all a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
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| What a very merry Christmas |
[29 Dec 2008|09:41am] |
How the hell does 4 1/2 days pass so quickly????? Passed on hauling ourselves out to either family in CT for Christmas Eve (Christmas Eve is the big thing in Italian families) because Greg didn't get home until 5 and it's two plus hours away and we just didn't feel like doing all the traveling. I saw my mom just before Christmas and we had a nice time. So we begged off and met up with friends at another friends restaurant and had lobsters there and hung out by the piano with people afterwards and that was a lot of fun and much more relaxing than sitting on trains.
Christmas Day was spent with the goddaughter's family and they're only a half hour outside the city by train up in Bronxville. Her brother hosted it this year and had about 25 people for dinner (friends and family which included a 98 year old grandmother who's still pretty sharp right down to the newest member of their family who was adopted last year) and a few more who popped in briefly. And they weren't just passing around potato chips. What a spread he put out!!!! Piles of jumbo cocktail shrimp on platters and things like baby lamb chops with JT's (friend of the family who's now considered family the way Greg and I are) special gorgonzola dipping sauce as well as the more expected hors d'oeuvres (honestly, by the time dinner came I was stuffed already) and later a sitdown dinner with filet mignon. And if I tell you there were 10 different desserts I'm not lying because I actually counted them. I managed to stuff in a Christmas cookie and a piece of freshmade chocolate cream pie (it was the right choice since it was fresh and very light)but had to pass on all the different pies and cakes. I actually stopped to say a word of thanks when I realized how many people in the world didn't eat that day and here we were looking like a bad scene out of movie on aristocrats stuffing themselves in a castle. I feel I have been very lucky in life and I am very grateful for it.
The rest of the weekend was spent going to movies and dining out with friends and I do not even want to think about the amount of calories I consumed but I did make it a point to get on the Nordictrack. It was just so festive all weekend.
This week we've got friends coming for New Year's and we've already got some plans for January even though I swore I'd slow down some after the holidays. (couldn't help it....Stacy and Joe are treating us to dinner for Greg's birthday)
This is my tree. (not really...it's the tree in the lobby of my building and it's at least 18 feet tall)
Part of the Grand Central light show (look closely at the walls)
a couple more behind the cut
( Read more... )
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[23 Dec 2008|12:13pm] |
My bosses are being very UN-Scroogelike. Half day tomorrow and then Thursday and Friday off and a repeat next week.
If I'm not back here....Merry Christmas everyone! (even to those of you who don't celebrate Christmas....I've decided that people making this all so PC by trying to stop any reference to Christmas just annoy me)
I sent a donation to the lady from whom I adopted Lexi (she fosters them until they can be placed as well as doing other animal rescue work). She's a Wiccan so I sent it in time for Yule with a letter *from* Lex and a couple of photos and started it "Joyous Yule" with various appropriate symbols and a picture of a cat dancing around with a wreath. And I sent out Hanukkah wishes to my Jewish friends. But I refuse to stop saying "Merry Christmas" because I think people should get over it already and stop picking on the people who do celebrate Christmas. Try to get into the spirit.
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[16 Dec 2008|08:57am] |
It may not officially be winter yet but today and tomorrow will be giving us a taste of it. The weather over the weekend was very nice however and it was downright warm yesterday.
We had such a good time at the party. Met people we had previously seen on and off at the restaurant but this was the first time we got a chance to really get to know them. Greg was always pointing out Arthur Nascarella at the restaurant but we were never formally introduced before. The name may not mean anything to you but if you were a "Sopranos" fan (I was a HUGE fan) or liked things like "The Bronx is Burning" where he played Tommy LaSorda or Law & Order or a million other things like that you'd know him if you saw him -- he's been around a long time as a character actor and he's really good so you'd remember his face. (I think that's the mark of a good character actor....you may not be sure who he is, but you just KNOW you've seen him. They tend to blend into their characters but he's got a distinctive face.) He was there with his wife whom I liked very much. Sweet and lowkey....I guess that tends to work out best when you're married to an actor since they always tend to be a bit larger than life. They were both very charming people and seemed to complement each other.
I'll give him a little free advertising as long as I'm talking about him -- *grin*
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0621597/
Also met some new friends with whom I traded numbers so we could keep in touch whenever they're in New York. (they tend to do the New York - London thing a lot) She's a Nordic goddess (close enough....if you saw her you'd agree) from Finland originally and he's British. I'm always amused by Brits it seems. They travel a lot, especially since she's in fashion, (I felt very short and plump and dark next to her) but they're based out of New York at this point and we've got plans to go get some Guinness in February when she's back from London and Finland.
The food, of course, was fantastic. There are definite benefits to being friends with a restaurant owner.
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[12 Dec 2008|04:15pm] |
Heading up to Croton-on-Hudson this weekend for our friends big holiday party. I'm even taking Monday off from work to make it a long weekend.
Their house is SO incredible. It's a hundred year old stone and wood structure with HUGE rooms and fireplaces and a stone deck that comes off the family room on the second floor. it was originally part of an even larger estate. The property itself is beautiful too. It's got a stream in the back and TENNIS COURTS. Do you believe that? Tennis courts. These are the first people I've ever known who actually had their own tennis courts. Money buys honey as they say. They're so down to earth and unpretentious though. I met a lot of their other friends at the last party and they were all very nice so I'm really looking forward to this. The holiday partying seems to have begun at the beginning of December and will continue non-stop, so I'm seriously afraid of what I'm going to weigh come January, but it won't stop me from eating anyway. :)
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[06 Dec 2008|11:14pm] |
I've known my friend Paula for 37 years now and no matter how much time passes between visits it's as if we just saw each other yesterday. Recently we've become VERY close again. Today we hung out all day and I was reminded why I love her so much. I had THE...BEST....TIME. And she said to me "I have a blood sister, but you're more of a sister to me than my real sister ever was." Paula is the SWEETEST woman you will ever meet. I never could see what she saw in me. Don't get me wrong, I'm nice enough but....compared to her... I'm a spoiled brat. She doesn't seem to notice. She said to me "You think I'm nice, and I look nice, but I don't really let a lot of people get too close. You were always the exception." Eh....everybody tells me their deepest secrets for some reason. I'm like the great absolver or something.
I forgot what Milford CT was like, but it's even nicer now than when I lived there. They've built up the "charming" aspect without overbuilding the town center. (parts of it are definitely overbuilt but the center itself is just beautiful, all little shops and a waterfall and New England sort of charm) I couldn't wait to get out of there when I was younger....but now I can appreciate it more than when I was growing up there. I treated her to lobster rolls and coconut shrimp and crab cakes and calimari. (Milford's on the shore and it's the one thing I always liked best about it since I love the ocean so much and I haven't had a good lobster roll in ages) And her husband makes THE BEST martinis. We checked out the handmade crafts and she bought me a Cloisonné cat.
We just hung out all day and enjoyed the crisp but sunny weather. And now there's a light and pretty snow falling and I am reminded that winter is just around the corner and 2008 is almost over.
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| WHIRLWIND WEEKEND! |
[03 Nov 2008|10:35am] |
What a weekend! We didn't stop moving all weekend and saw a lot of friends and even the weather was spectacular allowing us to enjoy the autumn season.
Friday was the party at East River and I actually got Greg to wear a costume for the first time ever! My friend Olga and her sisters used to rent out a restaurant every year for Halloween, and I would get all creative with my costumes in those days, but I couldn’t even get Greg to wear a t-shirt that said “THIS is my costume.” But for Sam and Dorota he actually put on a mask and a cape and looked pretty good. I didn’t get too elaborate because we only knew about the party this past week and we were both working too hard to put much effort into it. I wasn’t sure if he would actually cooperate, so I didn’t want to invest too much money. His outfit cost me ten bucks and mine only $$14.99 because I had everything from another year except my wings which Alison left at the Lion’s Den one year. I replaced the wings with a really cheap set since they only had to last me a few hours. (and the first time I wore this costume my base outfit was a lot sexier because I was younger and slimmer, this time I just threw on a black skirt and top....oh how the years have gone by!) Greg only wore his costume about an hour but it proved to be a big hit because it made the rounds after he took it off. One of our favorite waiters and another friend who had to come straight from work wore it for photos when he was done and that just increased its value to me because we had such fun with it. Lots of people at the party want photos, so I'll have to take a few more minutes this morning and send out invites to the online album.
Saturday Syl and Bruce came to town to enjoy the weather and later that evening we went to see “Body of Lies.” The critics seemed to hate it but Rolling Stone and The New Yorker liked it and I found it interesting. Afterwards we all went to a pub for burgers and drinks and then came back to the apartment and hung out. While we were having after dinner drinks and watching “Murder by Death” (At that point we were drunk enough that everything was hysterical.) Bruce and I got into a conversation about favorite old movies like old Bogey and Marx Brothers flicks, and those movies that you can’t stop watching no matter how many times you’ve seen them like “Godfather” and “Goodfellas” and “Jaws” and we decided we should plan regular “Movie Get-togethers” at either their place or ours. He also reminded me that I have to remember to get the You Tube links for Kenny's movies. I avoided You Tube like the plague for the longest time but now that I'm in touch with so much professional artists and musicians again I've been checking it out a lot more.
Sunday was the Marathon and the weather was perfect. The cats really didn’t like the band under our window at first but they got used to it so we went out to check out the runners and have some food and drinks with some local acquaintances.
Anyhoo....some more pics behind the cut if you're interested in Halloween antics.
There's a new sheriff in town -
( Read more... )
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[31 Oct 2008|09:14am] |
Well....we've been talked into attending a costume party with some friends at one of the local venues. I'm too lazy to come up with an original costume at this time so I think I'll throw together something from what I have around already, maybe reprise my dark angel since that's easy.
Speaking of angels, I'm loving the turn "Supernatural" has taken, particularly the fact that they're not playing the angels as all "fluffy." Yes, they take many liberties with the common lore (it's FICTION, it doesn't haven't to be accurate) but that whole "good vs. evil and we're not quite sure where one lets off and the other begins" theme always makes for a good story.
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[29 Oct 2008|10:55am] |
I know I haven't been around much, life's been very busy in many good ways. Thanks to those of you who still write to me even though I haven't been very attentive to this page. I do still pop in whenever I can to try and catch up on your posts.
I'm VERY busy at work but the mood has been great around here because we got back some clients we lost when a couple of younger partners left, so the firm is doing better than ever and the downturn in the economy has not affected either Greg's job or mine. And our investments were all in safe places so, quite luckily, they were also not adversely affected even though we expected them to be. I feel very fortunate in these times that are so hard for so many. Always said I had an angel sitting on my shoulder. Now I think I may have two or three.
(And while I'm thinking of it and I'm here -- Good luck to Adrienne Brennan on her new book and Dave on the new studio and Becke on her show! And....CONGRATULATIONS TO ALISON AND BRENT ON THE NEW BABY!!!! She's just gorgeous!)
Weekends have also been booked ages in advance. Right now I'd actually like to be able to curl up with the cats and a couple of good books but it doesn't look like that will be happening anytime soon. Looking forward to the party this weekend. (oh well...I'll sleep when I'm dead as they say) I hope everything is well with all of you. A couple of photos just so you know I am still alive --
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| We Get Stronger Together |
[21 Aug 2008|10:45am] |
I have a lot of flaws and I recognize them. But I've also realized my best quality is genuine empathy and I have an energy that helps people be stronger, especially at the worst times of their lives. It's only in hindsight that I've recognized it. Time and time again over my life people have told me the same thing, that I helped them when they needed it most, that I got them through the worst. Mind you...I take no credit for this because it's not a result of my making choices or taking action so much as just being what I am and doing what I do best. It's a gift....like a talent for playing piano or painting, just not as obvious. Some people forget the times I was there when no one else was, people take each other for granted all the time. But so many times in my life I've heard from people and every time somebody says something to me or thanks me after the fact it makes me cry. And I can't tell you how many times in my life someone has said something to me even YEARS later. It really shouldn't even surprise me anymore and yet it always does. I don't think we realize how much we touch people sometimes. It's the one thing that makes me feel like my life served a purpose. Sometimes it feels to me that all of us are expendable and there's really no meaning to life except to live it as best we can, but other times it feels like it really is one big picture made up of puzzle pieces and we're the pieces.
Just got another letter where someone I've known for a long, LONG time was telling me what a difference I made. She said to me, and this is a direct quote " You were corner stone. No lie." (and I cried)
I have a lot of flaws, and I have a lot of good qualities....but this is the best thing about me I think. I'm good at picking people back up when they're down. I don't really do any of the rest for them, they have to do it themselves. But I don't let their strength wane, that's my magic, just when they need it most. It's like I was there at the right time to do what I do best. And that's my gift.
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[15 Aug 2008|10:06am] |
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I find it very interesting that three of my closest friends, including one I've known since I was 14 and have totally reconnected with at this point, (we were in touch on and off over the years but went in different directions but lately we're BFFs again) all have the same birthday -- July 18. Must be a lucky day for me. :)
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[28 Jul 2008|10:03am] |
Here I am at work. Didn't I JUST leave this place? Fun weekend but, as usual, gone much too fast. Syl and Bruce came into town. (DAVE...I am SO sorry I missed you this weekend but it was such short notice and we already had plans...thanks for trying though. I'll have to get up there to visit you guys.) Saturday was the perfect afternoon to get out and we went down to the Seaport where the breezes were perfect. Watched a yogi performing (he says he played the bartender who gets tied up into a pretzel in the Zohan movie, but I haven't seen that movie yet) and I have to admit that he put on quite a show. Then we decided to take a ride on the Zephyr to check out the Olafur Eliasson waterfalls. You can actually see all four of them from the deck on Pier 17 but it was a great afternoon for a boatride so we took the longer tour that includes things like Ellis and Governors Islands and the Statue of Liberty, too.
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weret_hekau's journal