This morning I went through my normal morning routine of walking to the library after dropping Jenn off at school. After stopping at Subway to get a breakfast flatbread sandwich, I arrived at the Mid-Manhattan library ready to work. I sat down across from a man who didn’t look very happy. There was a wooden divider in between us so I merely smiled, sat down and went on about my business of getting my computer ready. As I was adjusting my feet under the desk I moved one of them forward in order to cross my feet and bumped something. I looked under the table and the man’s foot was stretched out far beyond the halfway point of the table. I decided to let it go thinking he might move them but he did not.
After this I knew I needed to be careful, so I did my best to keep my feet under my chair. Before I finished ten minutes of work, the troubled man got up and started complaining, “I can’t stand you people. Make me sick to my stomach!” I looked up at him, confused and he repeated what he said, but louder and was aiming his comment at me. I just stared blank faced at him as he walked away repeating the same thing to himself, and emphasizing the word “sick.”
I was trying to understand what he meant by “you people” so I raised out of my chair to see, and there was no one behind or next to where he was sitting. I really couldn’t think of anything I had done wrong, unless perhaps he thought I was rude. I did smile at him before I sat down, but I have never had someone get angry over that. The only other thing I could come up with was that it was racial. I was trying to forget about it, but my past experience with angry young men in the library was not great so I decided it would be best if I just leave and not even check to see if the man was still there.
I packed up my things and went over to the Schwarzman building off 42nd to finish the work I had set out to do. Upon arrival, there was plenty of room and I sat down to work. I found myself in a zone and realized that I could finish before lunch what I first thought was going to take all day. Once I finished the work, I found myself in a dilemma. I needed to eat my sandwich and I would have to leave my spot to do it. The library had become crowded and I assumed that I would not have a decent spot to work after lunch. I packed up my things again and went outside to eat my sandwich and do some reading.
At this point, it was about 1:00, which gave me over three hours to work before Jenn got out of class. Since the Schwarzman was crowded and getting thicker with tourists, I needed a place to work for the afternoon. One bad experience at Mid-Manhattan was enough for the day, so I decided I would take a bus back down to 20th street and work at the library there. The library is located between 5th and 6th Avenues and is a block from Jenn’s school. It is a small library that caters to deaf and blind people and is always calmer than the larger ones.
There are five different buses that I could take that would take me down Fifth Avenue and I boarded the first one that arrived in front of the Schwarzman building. The bus made a turn on 34th Street and I knew I was misinformed. Looking at the sign, I realized that I was on the M4 bus and it was the one bus that did not travel down 5th Avenue as far as I needed to go. Instead of hopping off the bus, I rode it out to Penn Station where it parked on 31st Street off 7th Avenue. Frequently when things like this happen, I go with the flow and find there is a reason.
I walked down 7th Avenue toward 20th Street. I hadn’t been all the way down Fashion Ave as it is called, and if nothing else, I would get to see some new scenery. 20th Avenue arrived and nothing had proved my suspicions correct. I turned left on 20th and became lost in thought. About halfway down the block, I heard a man yell, “Luke!” I looked across the street and saw a taller man in his forties carrying a toddler. Again he screamed, this time in a booming voice, “LUKE!!” I began to wonder if he was calling for a dog or a child. A nearby construction crew stopped and noticed the man yelling as they were working inside the street. Luke’s owner began walking back toward Seventh Avenue, calling his name several more times. I turned around to see if he had found what eluded him, but my view was obstructed.
I returned to my thoughts as I approached the intersection of 20th Street and 6th Avenue. At the intersection I saw a little boy on a scooter begin to cry as a lady was visibly trying to see what was wrong. “I can’t find my dad.” The confusion in the lady’s face told me she had not heard Luke’s father’s frantic cry for his son. I confirmed that the boy was indeed Luke and pointed toward the way his father had gone. It seemed Luke had wandered ahead of his father; yet, his father chose to go backwards to find him.
While waiting for a chance to cross the street, I looked and listened down 20th street for Luke's father. I couldn't see or hear anything and I escorted Luke across the street and pointed in the general direction of where his father had walked minutes prior. I followed close behind Luke as he scooted down the sidewalk while the lady followed. I wanted to make sure they were reunited, but his father was nowhere to be seen. Luke stopped and looked back at me, and I told him I had seen him go down that way. Just as I was about to ask where they were staying, Luke’s father came rushing out of the building in front of him and began heading toward 7th Avenue. I pointed and Luke alerted his father that he was behind him. Still frantic, Luke's dad turned around and began questioning where he had been. I simply turned around calmly, smiled at the lady, and walked away thankful I had taken the wrong bus.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
A Vermont Getaway
With Halloween in the air, and my beloved Crimson Tide on a bye, it was a good time to plan a getaway. We wanted to take a mini-rest from the city so we decided to go to Vermont. Originally, we were going to go to D.C., but changed our minds so we could venture North before the foliage turns into sticks. Ironically, there was a gathering called "The Rally to Restore Sanity" being held in D.C. While we would have appreciated the cause Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were promoting, we were looking to restore our sanity in a different way.
After we left the city, we decided to take historic Highway Seven which took us through Connecticut and Massachusetts before arriving in Vermont. Here is a nice view of a turn from the journey in Connecticut.
On the way, we found a state park and decided to check it out. We were rewarded with some beautiful scenery.
This was a colorful beauty that Jenn snapped while the car was in motion.
This covered bridge is one of many that are landmarks in the Northeast.
Roadside trees show off their foliage.
It's good to have land.
More fall colors.
Entering Green Mountain National Forest.
Here is the establishment Jenn found online. It was a cozy little place that felt more like a home than a motel. The lady at the front desk was as nice as can possibly be imagined. She handed us our key (It was an actual key and not a card) and let us know about the Halloween bash at the Fat Spy Tavern later in the evening. The whole place is a combination of lodging, a restaurant and a tavern. Describing this place does it absolutely no justice and it deserves it. Check out their website here
This is a view across from the Lodge.
An outside view of the lodge. This round room is located directly outside of the restaurant.
The creek across the street from the Lodge.
I mentioned the Halloween party. We entered the restaurant shortly after 7:00 and sat at the bar to watch football and eat dinner before the Halloween party started. We found that the restaurant featured locally grown gourmet cuisine. I had a grass fed burger that was absolutely delicious. It was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. Jenn went with the portabello mushroom sandwich. It was flavorful and well worth the money. After thoroughly enjoying our meal, we decided to don our impromptu costume purchases.
We stayed around the party for quite a while mingling with the employees and some of the local residents. To say that everyone was nice and accommodating would be an understatement. The hospitality of the establishment is one thing, but combine that with our experience with some of the locals and the trip was well worth it. We wished we could have stayed longer. This place would be great to go to in the winter for ski season or in the summer to do some hiking. If by chance anyone who reads this goes to Vermont and wants to ski, STAY HERE. You won't be disappointed.
Unfortunately, we were only here for a night and had to come back. This is the scene entering the George Washington bridge.
A view form the GW bridge down the Hudson River. The Manhattan skyline is in the background.
And last, we go through Battery Tunnel that connects Manhattan to Brooklyn. I love driving in tunnels like this. It is a test in concentration.
We set out the weekend to get away and recharge. We had no idea we would find such a nice place and again, words can't describe how cool this place was. Again, if you go to Vermont, check out the Stone's Lodge. You will have no regrets.
After we left the city, we decided to take historic Highway Seven which took us through Connecticut and Massachusetts before arriving in Vermont. Here is a nice view of a turn from the journey in Connecticut.
On the way, we found a state park and decided to check it out. We were rewarded with some beautiful scenery.
This was a colorful beauty that Jenn snapped while the car was in motion.
This covered bridge is one of many that are landmarks in the Northeast.
Roadside trees show off their foliage.
It's good to have land.
More fall colors.
Entering Green Mountain National Forest.
Here is the establishment Jenn found online. It was a cozy little place that felt more like a home than a motel. The lady at the front desk was as nice as can possibly be imagined. She handed us our key (It was an actual key and not a card) and let us know about the Halloween bash at the Fat Spy Tavern later in the evening. The whole place is a combination of lodging, a restaurant and a tavern. Describing this place does it absolutely no justice and it deserves it. Check out their website here
This is a view across from the Lodge.
An outside view of the lodge. This round room is located directly outside of the restaurant.
The creek across the street from the Lodge.
I mentioned the Halloween party. We entered the restaurant shortly after 7:00 and sat at the bar to watch football and eat dinner before the Halloween party started. We found that the restaurant featured locally grown gourmet cuisine. I had a grass fed burger that was absolutely delicious. It was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. Jenn went with the portabello mushroom sandwich. It was flavorful and well worth the money. After thoroughly enjoying our meal, we decided to don our impromptu costume purchases.
We stayed around the party for quite a while mingling with the employees and some of the local residents. To say that everyone was nice and accommodating would be an understatement. The hospitality of the establishment is one thing, but combine that with our experience with some of the locals and the trip was well worth it. We wished we could have stayed longer. This place would be great to go to in the winter for ski season or in the summer to do some hiking. If by chance anyone who reads this goes to Vermont and wants to ski, STAY HERE. You won't be disappointed.
Unfortunately, we were only here for a night and had to come back. This is the scene entering the George Washington bridge.
A view form the GW bridge down the Hudson River. The Manhattan skyline is in the background.
And last, we go through Battery Tunnel that connects Manhattan to Brooklyn. I love driving in tunnels like this. It is a test in concentration.
We set out the weekend to get away and recharge. We had no idea we would find such a nice place and again, words can't describe how cool this place was. Again, if you go to Vermont, check out the Stone's Lodge. You will have no regrets.
Yankee Stadium in October
When I think of baseball in October, I think of the Yankees. Last year they won their 27th World Series, by far the most of any Major League Baseball team. One of the things we vowed to do while we were here in New York was to visit Yankee Stadium in October so we could feel the playoff atmosphere. And with the Rangers taking a commanding three games to one lead in their best of seven series, we had to go for game five before the opportunity was gone.
Our goal was to walk around the stadium and at least take a few pictures for our friends and family that are Yankee fans. We then were going to go to a sports bar and watch the rest of the game while listening to the Yankee fans talk about their team. The outlook has been grim around here since the only fans I have heard speaking out are the Negative Nancies proclaiming that they are bums and the season is over. Some of these New Yorkers are hard to please. But always the opportunist, I knew this could work in our favor.
We stepped off the train and immediately a scalper asked if we needed tickets. Having been to many professional and college games, I knew this would happen. I also know how much face value of tickets to Yankees games are so I needed to assess the situation first. I told him no thanks and kept walking. The game had already begun but I wanted to know what it was looking like before we made our move.
So we walked in front of the stadium looking to hear the score and the inning.
Alongside the building we could hear the crowd cheer and we heard the loud speaker announce that it was a home run. Along side of the stadium, there are pictures of many of the current Yankees. We took pictures of many, and here is one of the Captain.
Further around the stadium I was able to peek in to a bar that had a TV within my visibility. The score was 5-0 and it was the 3rd inning. It was time to make a move. We found one guy who had seats next to him, but his price was too high. So we continued around and found a picture of arguably the greatest player ever, The Babe.
We wandered back to where we got off the train. Immediately we were approached about tickets. The price was a little higher than we wanted to pay but not by much. It was still a steal, but the situation looked shady since the tickets were printed from an online source. We paid the guy and walked up to the stadium gates with hesitation. When they scanned and we were in, we let all of our concerns go and smiled because we had just gotten in to a Yankees playoff game for $30 each! At this point I was loving New Yorkers for giving up their tickets so easily. Here there are murals of some of the greats from Maris to Mantle.
Yankee fans worldwide would kill to be in our shoes so we decided to find our seats. They of course were at the highest point in the stadium, but who cares! Here is our first view of the field from our seats.
The scoreboard with the Bronx in the distance.
Here are a few of the 27 Championship banners that line the stadium.
Here is a better view of the field with the Yankees up to bat.
The dugout with a better view of the ALCS symbol.
Nighttime falls and the Yanks just pulled out of a bases loaded jam to the delight of the fans.
After the sixth inning was over we decided to go find the concession stand. We have a habit of wandering the stadium when we do this as it makes for a more complete experience. Here is a close-up of action at the field level.
A picture of Jenn and Jeter for Grandpa.
Jeremy and his souvenir soda cup acting silly next to the bobblehead.
Further around the stadium we walked through the rowdy neck of the woods, the bleachers. A view from there.
Ninth inning, time for Mariano Rivera.
This was really as close as we could get to the monument as they close it 45 minutes prior to game time.
The game is over, and the Yankees have extended their season.
The bleachers have dispersed and I want to show my true loyalty. Jenn said I was going to get us killed. I said, nah we gave 'em Kerry Wood! (through Cleveland)
Can't leave Jenn out of the Yankee Hall of Fame.
The TBS boys share a chuckle during their taping after the game. From left are Dennis Eckersley, Matt Winer, Former Yankee David Wells, and Cal Ripken, Jr. This is where some fans ruin it for everyone. There were some idiots yelling obscenities at the announcers while the stadium was clearing out. One pair of fans were calling out Wells for only pitching one inning ten years ago vs. Florida while the rest of them were chanting "Boomer, Boomer." Another idiot yelled at Cal and told him his brother Billy was better. And to top off the stupidity, another guy chanted "Kirk Gibson" to Eckersley. I guess you have to give them credit for knowing their baseball, but some people don't know how to do anything but criticize. Gotta love New York!
As the stadium was cleared and the last fans were leaving the stadium, the field lie quiet wondering if it will see a World Series game this year.
Our goal was to walk around the stadium and at least take a few pictures for our friends and family that are Yankee fans. We then were going to go to a sports bar and watch the rest of the game while listening to the Yankee fans talk about their team. The outlook has been grim around here since the only fans I have heard speaking out are the Negative Nancies proclaiming that they are bums and the season is over. Some of these New Yorkers are hard to please. But always the opportunist, I knew this could work in our favor.
We stepped off the train and immediately a scalper asked if we needed tickets. Having been to many professional and college games, I knew this would happen. I also know how much face value of tickets to Yankees games are so I needed to assess the situation first. I told him no thanks and kept walking. The game had already begun but I wanted to know what it was looking like before we made our move.
So we walked in front of the stadium looking to hear the score and the inning.
Alongside the building we could hear the crowd cheer and we heard the loud speaker announce that it was a home run. Along side of the stadium, there are pictures of many of the current Yankees. We took pictures of many, and here is one of the Captain.
Further around the stadium I was able to peek in to a bar that had a TV within my visibility. The score was 5-0 and it was the 3rd inning. It was time to make a move. We found one guy who had seats next to him, but his price was too high. So we continued around and found a picture of arguably the greatest player ever, The Babe.
We wandered back to where we got off the train. Immediately we were approached about tickets. The price was a little higher than we wanted to pay but not by much. It was still a steal, but the situation looked shady since the tickets were printed from an online source. We paid the guy and walked up to the stadium gates with hesitation. When they scanned and we were in, we let all of our concerns go and smiled because we had just gotten in to a Yankees playoff game for $30 each! At this point I was loving New Yorkers for giving up their tickets so easily. Here there are murals of some of the greats from Maris to Mantle.
Yankee fans worldwide would kill to be in our shoes so we decided to find our seats. They of course were at the highest point in the stadium, but who cares! Here is our first view of the field from our seats.
The scoreboard with the Bronx in the distance.
Here are a few of the 27 Championship banners that line the stadium.
Here is a better view of the field with the Yankees up to bat.
The dugout with a better view of the ALCS symbol.
Nighttime falls and the Yanks just pulled out of a bases loaded jam to the delight of the fans.
After the sixth inning was over we decided to go find the concession stand. We have a habit of wandering the stadium when we do this as it makes for a more complete experience. Here is a close-up of action at the field level.
A picture of Jenn and Jeter for Grandpa.
Jeremy and his souvenir soda cup acting silly next to the bobblehead.
Further around the stadium we walked through the rowdy neck of the woods, the bleachers. A view from there.
Ninth inning, time for Mariano Rivera.
This was really as close as we could get to the monument as they close it 45 minutes prior to game time.
The game is over, and the Yankees have extended their season.
The bleachers have dispersed and I want to show my true loyalty. Jenn said I was going to get us killed. I said, nah we gave 'em Kerry Wood! (through Cleveland)
Can't leave Jenn out of the Yankee Hall of Fame.
The TBS boys share a chuckle during their taping after the game. From left are Dennis Eckersley, Matt Winer, Former Yankee David Wells, and Cal Ripken, Jr. This is where some fans ruin it for everyone. There were some idiots yelling obscenities at the announcers while the stadium was clearing out. One pair of fans were calling out Wells for only pitching one inning ten years ago vs. Florida while the rest of them were chanting "Boomer, Boomer." Another idiot yelled at Cal and told him his brother Billy was better. And to top off the stupidity, another guy chanted "Kirk Gibson" to Eckersley. I guess you have to give them credit for knowing their baseball, but some people don't know how to do anything but criticize. Gotta love New York!
As the stadium was cleared and the last fans were leaving the stadium, the field lie quiet wondering if it will see a World Series game this year.
New York Public Library
As I have written in the past, I now spend a great deal of time at the library here in New York City. This is quite a change for me as I never once visited the library in Manhattan, KS. That will change upon return, but somehow I managed to steer clear of it for ten years.
The Mid-Manhattan library is where I began to go during the day to read and write. I also figured out that I can order any book I want online and have it delivered there for pick-up. I just walk into the holds room, find my book and check it out. Man I love what technology can do. But, just as I started to think I was in a literary paradise, bad apples ruined it for me. I began to notice that the library is a place for some homeless to clean up, making the bathrooms quite foul from time to time. I have also witnessed a few others lose their cool. Sudden outbursts toward library security and other patrons are not uncommon, usually brought on by asking them to be quiet.
When I first heard these outbursts, I usually observed the situation and then buried my head back in my own computer in order to avoid confrontation. I suppose it wouldn't be any fun if I didn't have my own story though, so here goes...
The fifth floor is generally one of the quieter floors. It houses the History and Social Sciences collections which includes Philosophy, Religion and Biography. When I am not in need of using the Internet (available on fourth floor), I usually go up there to read or write in a more peaceful environment. On each side of the room there are five long tables that can seat about twelve people per table. On this day I was brainstorming and I tend to sit and search my mind for answers when I get stuck. When this happens my eyes wander around the room as if I will find the answer hidden on the walls or perhaps in the faces of the other patrons. I quickly realized this was not a wise thing to do. As I glanced over one gentleman seated five tables away, he glanced at me too. Immediately his arms rose in the air and said, "What's up?" I just shook my head to signal nothing and went back to work. I heard him make another comment or two that I couldn't make out, but I did my best to ignore him.
After ten minutes of ignoring everyone in the room, I got up to find a dictionary. It just so happened that the man was walking around at the same time, and as he walked by me he said, "I'll f*ck you up." I chuckled at my predicament for glancing at someone. At this point, I wasn't really sure what to do, so I ignored him further. Well this wasn't good enough for him because he kept talking to me from across the tables. He yelled out indecipherable jumble, but I was able to figure out that he was calling me a "Cracker" and a "Genius" for whatever reason. Another man chided him, and the wrath changed directions. All of the sudden, this guy was the "Cracker" and would get his "a$$ kicked all over this library." As amusing as I found this to be, I was guessing that reason was not going to work with this guy. I am not one to fear the worst, but you never know who has guns and he was acting like we were still in high school. I decided it was best to just leave the building.
I exited the library with mixed emotions. Part of me wanted to throw the guy out the window, and the other part was happy to be away from trouble. As I collected my thoughts, I decided I would go to the Schwarzman building which is adjacent to the Mid-Manhattan library. I did not know what a treat I was in for.
I walked into the library and immediately noticed the beautiful architecture.
Here is a picture of one set of stairs from the first floor.
This is a major tourist attraction, so there is quite a bit of traffic in this building as evidenced by this picture of the front door, taken from the second floor.
There are phone booths at the end of the hallways that are truly vintage. Check these out:
Little lions are also located throughout the library. I am not sure what they are for, but they appear to be miniature fountains.
The third floor is where I spend most of my time. My main purpose is to come and have a place to write, but there are some attractions that are magnificent. On a subsequent visit I snapped a picture of Jenn next to this statue. It reminds me of her and her journey, as the little girl is walking a tight rope of sorts.
Here are paintings that grace the hallway. The first is one of the few on the wall and the second is on the ceiling.
I walked toward the area where laptops are allowed, and the sign on the wall portrays a little wisdom:
This is the room where I now spend most of my time. It is far from quiet, with tourists coming through constantly and people coming and going all the time, but the scenery is breathtaking. Just take a look at the ceiling above.
Here is a view of the whole room. I feel like an ancient scholar in here:
Some day I will look back on this library and remember what I created in here. But for now it is just as well to enjoy it like a tourist everyday while I do my best to create. This last picture is in front of the library. It speaks for itself.
The Mid-Manhattan library is where I began to go during the day to read and write. I also figured out that I can order any book I want online and have it delivered there for pick-up. I just walk into the holds room, find my book and check it out. Man I love what technology can do. But, just as I started to think I was in a literary paradise, bad apples ruined it for me. I began to notice that the library is a place for some homeless to clean up, making the bathrooms quite foul from time to time. I have also witnessed a few others lose their cool. Sudden outbursts toward library security and other patrons are not uncommon, usually brought on by asking them to be quiet.
When I first heard these outbursts, I usually observed the situation and then buried my head back in my own computer in order to avoid confrontation. I suppose it wouldn't be any fun if I didn't have my own story though, so here goes...
The fifth floor is generally one of the quieter floors. It houses the History and Social Sciences collections which includes Philosophy, Religion and Biography. When I am not in need of using the Internet (available on fourth floor), I usually go up there to read or write in a more peaceful environment. On each side of the room there are five long tables that can seat about twelve people per table. On this day I was brainstorming and I tend to sit and search my mind for answers when I get stuck. When this happens my eyes wander around the room as if I will find the answer hidden on the walls or perhaps in the faces of the other patrons. I quickly realized this was not a wise thing to do. As I glanced over one gentleman seated five tables away, he glanced at me too. Immediately his arms rose in the air and said, "What's up?" I just shook my head to signal nothing and went back to work. I heard him make another comment or two that I couldn't make out, but I did my best to ignore him.
After ten minutes of ignoring everyone in the room, I got up to find a dictionary. It just so happened that the man was walking around at the same time, and as he walked by me he said, "I'll f*ck you up." I chuckled at my predicament for glancing at someone. At this point, I wasn't really sure what to do, so I ignored him further. Well this wasn't good enough for him because he kept talking to me from across the tables. He yelled out indecipherable jumble, but I was able to figure out that he was calling me a "Cracker" and a "Genius" for whatever reason. Another man chided him, and the wrath changed directions. All of the sudden, this guy was the "Cracker" and would get his "a$$ kicked all over this library." As amusing as I found this to be, I was guessing that reason was not going to work with this guy. I am not one to fear the worst, but you never know who has guns and he was acting like we were still in high school. I decided it was best to just leave the building.
I exited the library with mixed emotions. Part of me wanted to throw the guy out the window, and the other part was happy to be away from trouble. As I collected my thoughts, I decided I would go to the Schwarzman building which is adjacent to the Mid-Manhattan library. I did not know what a treat I was in for.
I walked into the library and immediately noticed the beautiful architecture.
Here is a picture of one set of stairs from the first floor.
This is a major tourist attraction, so there is quite a bit of traffic in this building as evidenced by this picture of the front door, taken from the second floor.
There are phone booths at the end of the hallways that are truly vintage. Check these out:
Little lions are also located throughout the library. I am not sure what they are for, but they appear to be miniature fountains.
The third floor is where I spend most of my time. My main purpose is to come and have a place to write, but there are some attractions that are magnificent. On a subsequent visit I snapped a picture of Jenn next to this statue. It reminds me of her and her journey, as the little girl is walking a tight rope of sorts.
Here are paintings that grace the hallway. The first is one of the few on the wall and the second is on the ceiling.
I walked toward the area where laptops are allowed, and the sign on the wall portrays a little wisdom:
This is the room where I now spend most of my time. It is far from quiet, with tourists coming through constantly and people coming and going all the time, but the scenery is breathtaking. Just take a look at the ceiling above.
Here is a view of the whole room. I feel like an ancient scholar in here:
Some day I will look back on this library and remember what I created in here. But for now it is just as well to enjoy it like a tourist everyday while I do my best to create. This last picture is in front of the library. It speaks for itself.
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