Glory Days

I tried. I really did. But I just couldn't capture the glory of this weekend. Here's the outline: a spectacular hike in Cold Spring, NY; a summery dinner on a restaurant patio overlooking the Hudson; a host of phone calls, cards and well-wishes from family and friends for my birthday on Sunday; and LOVE from my NYC family (and the unlimited champagne lunch we enjoyed together). Michael has a beautiful recap of our Cold Spring outing here.

The common thread that made the weekend possible: my husband.

And now the weekend in photos:

















PS Welcome my new reader, Sammy Spinney!

Another placeholder

Tonight I will blog about the most amazing weekend EVER. Today, I recommend this section of WNYC (our NPR station). WNYC is doing a series on the new New York Cityscape, and I've really enjoyed it!

More soon...

But here's a start to show you what an amazing birthday I had!

Wake Up

My aunt posted a couple of photos on her blog recently that I really enjoyed (here and here) because they gave a good sense of her daily routines. So here's my version of "Starting the Day" - the items I have with me most weekday mornings:

The first thing I go for is my tea and water. Then oatmeal with raisins for breakfast and the paper of course. This morning I made it to the gym, so my shuffle is also a part of the mix. (Thrilling, isn't it?!)

And I know I'm putting too many of these pictures up, but here's another one from the West Side Highway yesterday:

Thrill!

Michael and I are sneaking away for a brief getaway this weekend! Hooray!

The Perfect Summer Day - a little early

Yesterday, Michael, Ashesh, Mona and I enjoyed the perfect summer day. In April.

The day began with a quick trip to the farmers market. Two minutes after walking out the door, I realized that my clothes were utterly inappropriate - overnight the seasons changed, and it was time for flip-flops and skirts. The farmers market was packed by 10:30 with people out and about, enjoying the unbelievable weather.

After I got home, Michael and I met Ashesh & Mona for a game at the new Mets stadium! A perk of Michael's firm, he snagged four free tickets, nine rows from the field. The joy of baseball games for me is the food - all of it delicious, all of it generally off limits. Between the four of us, we consumed pizza, french fries, onion rings, cracker jacks, hot dogs, SODA, and ribs. YUM! The park itself was beautiful, and sitting outside in the sunshine, watching baseball and eating was just heavenly.

When we returned to Manhattan, the gorgeous weather demanded we stay outside. So the four of us ended up sitting around a table outside, some of us drinking margaritas and all of us eating guacamole for another 2 hours.

Overall, yesterday was the perfect day! Here are some pictures to demonstrate:

We were SO close to first base!

Mona & Ashesh

Michael & Me

Just Kidding!

Okay, so I know I said I was working on loving winter this year. And I did good! I really did! Generally I tried not to complain about the wind and the cold and instead I savored the ease of cooking.

BUT! Now it's spring, and I give up! Today was utterly amazing --- 70 degrees, sunny, bright blue sky, flowers absolutely everywhere. More pictures of the beauty:

My favorite spot around our office - in this picture, there are four different types of flowers. When you walk by, the smell is just stunning - you can't help but smile!

Yes indeed!

Fun Parts

Two exciting items from the paper this week:

1. Art Project Scatters a Brooklyn Neighborhood with Wildflower Seeds
2. Philippe Petit Plans Wire Walk in Midtown this Fall
   

Scenes from the Stolen Night

Should vs. Will

Right now, I should be changing clothes and gearing up for an intense aerobic activity. I should be preparing for a good sweat, deciding if I am going to workout on the elliptical or the bike, and charging up my shuffle.

Instead, I think I'm going to put my winter coat back on and head out for a long walk along the water. I need the fresh air, and watching the sun set over New Jersey is a sight worth seeing! I feel bad about the calories I won't be burning and the heart rate I won't be getting to, but... sometimes plans change.

Right???

Lent

This year, the first in many, I didn't do anything to mark Lent. I didn't give up; I didn't take on. The season, somehow, just passed me by.

And as Easter arrives, I realize how sad I am that I let this happen. In years passed, I've given up computers after 8 PM, sweets, drinks. I've taken on more regular church attendance and more thoughtful prayer. This year, I let the craziness of life - an expression that I both detest and feel - sweep me up and get me through. Lent is a period of the year that I love, a season I look forward to in the depths of winter. And I'm sorry to have missed out on its thought-provoking, sacrificial experience.

The Times had two very engaging pieces on Lent, one here by Judith Warner and one here by James Carroll. Also, Brian Lehrer had a call-in on NPR asking Jews to answer, "What's the fifth Passover question for 2009?" and Christians, "What did you give up for Lent?" An interesting assortment of answers are listed here.

Peeps

Which is your favorite?

Meet with Me

This is a shot of my office calendar for this week. Each of those blue things represents a meeting. The grand total for my 4 days in the office: 20!

Mornings

Sunshine at 6:25 this morning! SUMMER IS COMING!

Scenes from my Walk Home

Today, after a rough couple of days at work, I took the long way home, walking along the water. It was beautiful, and really encouraged a sigh of relief. Here are some shots:

The NYC Boardwalk

My Mom is Awesome

Friday & Saturday

Here are a couple of pictures from Friday and Saturday.

Melissa's beautiful baby boy, due to join us in late May.

From my walk home on Friday. This couple was older, in their late sixties perhaps. They got out of a car, the driver holding the door open for them as they shimmied out onto the street. I found them captivating. They were both dressed to the nine, she in a flowing navy blue dress, he in a tux. Her hair was perfectly done - a crown of small circles. I loved walking behind these two.

On Friday, on my walk home, I found a little garden full of hyacinths. The fragrance was overpowering and instantly put a smile on my face.

One of the best times of the day - watching the sun rise from our couch while drinking my morning cup of tea.

On my way...

Today I am off to Phily to visit Melissa and attend her baby shower! I am so excited to see her in all her pregnant glory! Although this sick lady behind me on the bus could stop coughing...

Work lately has been both a blessing and a curse. I worked an 11-hour day yesterday and think that could become a common event in the next couple of weeks. Our team has lost one person in February and another will leave in three weeks. We are in the process of rethinking our entire approach to addressing childhood inactivity and obesity. I already know of 2 Saturdays that I will have to work. And major evaluation efforts are underway.

I am really excited about our new strategy, and incredibly sad about losing my colleague. I know the next six months will be rewarding and intense. I just hope I have the energy to do it - and the willpower to keep up at the gym in the meantime!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Hmm...

Here's a shot of the new NYC bike racks, designed to minimize the extra sidewalk space. I'm not sure how good looking they are, but very New York:

Before 9

Woke with the sun, with birds chirping and spring excitement in the air. Walked through a quiet neighborhood to the gym. Lifted heavy weights, picked up the heart rate and made ourselves like jello. Returned home, exhausted and pleased, to enjoy some breakfast, read the paper and hit the road.

I love Thursdays!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Distance

Last weekend, I went to the gym with my brother. We worked out side-by-side, occasionally chatting and encouraging one another to sprint, run and just generally keep up. The whole outing was really fun – a nice way to spend a Saturday morning with my brother.

These are the kinds of daily events that Michael and I would like to share regularly with our siblings. We’d love to be able to invite them over for dinner once a week, go grocery shopping together on occasion, run in some sort of park together or maybe compete in some races. We’d love to be able to enjoy them in our daily lives.

Unfortunately, Kelsey is in South Carolina, Henry is in Arlington, and we are in New York. When I think too long about this – about the distance that separates us from our families – I start to question why we live where we do. Michael and I are city dwellers; we love living in New York. But we are not happy about having our lives so separate from our families.

Hmmm… Food for thought, I suppose.

Lunch

This isn't exactly my motivation for bringing lunch, but it is sometimes how I feel at the office. From my book, "Then We Came to the End":

"Some of us went out for lunch to a new place every day and made lunch an event. Others, like Old Brizz, stayed in and had the same thing, day after day. Sometimes it was to save money. Other times it was to avoid the company of people who, from nine to noon and one to six, we had to give ourselves over to unconditionally. For an hour in between, time reverted back to us, and sometimes we took advantage of that hour by closing our doors and eating alone."

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Every Day I Wonder

Every morning on my walk to work I pass by this dinner. It's usually flooded - men in suits, women pushing strollers, older individuals in smart, business casual clothing. I see these people at 9 AM on a weekday, enjoying a leisurely breakfast, and I wonder... What on earth they do to maintain a lifestyle that allows these mornings?

From One Chore to Another

The light was perfect tonight. Views from the grocery store to the gym:

Visitors

Today a couple of my colleagues are coming over to do some strategic planning for FY10. I'm excited to have these women over because (1) it's always nice to get out of the office and (2) they are friends as well as colleagues, so it's fun to share our apartment with them.

Growing up, at least once a year, my mom would host her office at our house for a strategic planning session or a full day training of one sort or another. She would spend the day before cleaning up, cooking and baking, organizing, pulling markers and flip charts and ideas together. The day of our basement would fill with people and throughout the day the house would be alive with all their energy. Occasionally we'd hear laughter, or our mom's voice talking through some ideas, or people mixing and mingling. Everyone (including my mom) seemed to be in a very chipper mood, happy it seemed to be breaking the daily routine. At the time, I didn't realize at the time what a unique and personal approach this was. Mom opened up our house to her colleagues, inviting everyone into a welcoming, creative environment.

Leaving the office to think long-term about what your office hopes to achieve seems a necessary step to thinking outside the box. I'm looking forward to it.

And another thing...

My husband got sworn into the New York Bar on Monday!

Active Recovery

Will 2009 be the fastest year on record? I hope so, because so far time has flown so quickly it's hard to remember that I want to enjoy this. I can't believe we're already at the tail end of March (!!!)...

About a minute after describing the pleasures I take in long-distance runs, my knee decided it might not be interested in running a half-marathon after all. Last weekend I had to stop 3.5-miles in, cutting my run in half, because the pain in my left knee was just too much.

So this past week has been about an active recovery. I have taken a week off of the gym, in an effort to give my IT band some time to heal and relax. And instead of logging hours at the gym, I spent time with family and friends. My cousin-in-law came to town for a delicious Thai dinner; my colleagues from Mt. Sinai filled me with good news (one is pregnant) and an odd pineapple & tequila concoction; and some friends from Brooklyn spent an evening with Michael and I in a basement bar in the West Village. The steady stream of company didn't allow for much rest, but it felt emotionally restorative somehow.

This afternoon I went for a lovely, leisurely walk down by the water:




The active recovery continues...

Instant Gratification

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"But mostly, though, he knew that if you longed for what you did not have, then you would be one of those unhappy people you could find anywhere in any setting, the ones who couldn't appreciate what they had as long as they saw something they did not have."

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Where does it all go?

This week, I have spent the following hours with my husband:

• Monday: 9 – 11 PM (2 hours)
• Tuesday: 8 – 11 PM (3 hours)
• Wednesday: 9 – 11 PM (2 hours)

In three days, I have spent 7 hours with my husband – less time, in fact, than I spend with my colleagues in ONE work day. I don’t understand how we are all supposed to be okay with this. What makes this alright?

Perspective

This morning, I woke up to a city blanketed in snow. For the first time in five years, city schools were closed for a snow day! It was stunning - and incredibly hard to leave the apartment to go to work. As I packed up my bag, put on my winter wears and said goodbye to Michael, I was fighting a bad mood.

On my walk in, though, everything changed. The walk was just beautiful - cold, sure, but brisk and exciting. Snow brings such a unique and rare silence to the city, and it was great to bask in that for a bit. But what really did it was this week's essay for "This I Believe." About halfway through my walk in, I turned on NPR to hear Russel Honore read his essay titled "Work is a Blessing." It was the perfect challenge for a Monday morning. Here it is:

I grew up in Lakeland, La., one of 12 children. We all lived on my parents' subsistence farm. We grew cotton, sugar cane, corn, hogs, chickens and had a large garden, but it didn't bring in much cash. So when I was 12, I got a part-time job on a dairy farm down the road, helping to milk cows. We milked 65 cows at 5 in the morning and again at 2 in afternoon, seven days a week.

In the kitchen one Saturday before daylight, I remember complaining to my father and grandfather about having to go milk those cows. My father said, "Ya know, boy, to work is a blessing."

I looked at those two men who'd worked harder than I ever had — my father eking out a living on that farm and my grandfather farming and working as a carpenter during the Depression. I had a feeling I had been told something really important, but it took many years before it sank in.

Going to college was a rare privilege for a kid from Lakeland. My father told me if I picked something to study that I liked doing, I'd always look forward to my work. But he also added, "Even having a job you hate is better than not having a job at all." I wanted to be a farmer, but I joined the ROTC program to help pay for college. And what started out as an obligation to the Army became a way of life that I stayed committed to for 37 years, three months and three days.

In the late 1980s, during a visit to Bangladesh, I saw a woman with a baby on her back, breaking bricks with a hammer. I asked a Bangladesh military escort why they weren't using a machine, which would have been a lot easier. He told me a machine would put that lady out of work. Breaking those bricks meant she'd earn enough money to feed herself and her baby that day. And as bad as that woman's job was, it was enough to keep a small family alive. It reminded me of my father's words: To work is a blessing.

Serving in the U.S. Army overseas, I saw a lot of people like that woman in Bangladesh. And I have come to believe that people without jobs are not free. They are victims of crime, the ideology of terrorism, poor health, depression and social unrest. These victims become the illegal immigrants, the slaves of human trafficking, the drug dealers, the street gang members. I've seen it over and over again on the U.S. border, in Somalia, the Congo, Afghanistan and in New Orleans. People who have jobs can have a home, send their kids to school, develop a sense of pride, contribute to the good of the community, and even help others. When we can work, we're free. We're blessed.

I don't think I'll ever quit working. I'm retired from the Army, but I'm still working to help people be prepared for disaster. And I may get to do a little farming someday, too. I'm not going to stop. I believe in my father's words. I believe in the blessing of work.

The Long Haul

I'm planning on running a half marathon for my 29th birthday! In preparation, I'll be spending the next few Saturday afternoons running progressively longer distances in Central Park. This week was 6 miles, next week 7, and up and up until I run the 13.1 miles of the half on my birthday.

I've been surprised over the past couple of weeks at how genuinely enjoyable these long runs have been. Unlike most of my other workouts, this one seems more relaxed. Without an instructor yelling at me, or my husband nearby to impress, I'm able to be a little less aggressive. As I run, I am calm, relaxed, and just enjoying the time outdoors in Central Park. It's been a wonderful addition to the weekend. Of course, we'll see what I say when I'm up to 11 and 12 miles...

Several years ago, on the eve of my very first running race, I spoke with a good friend who is an avid runner. She encouraged me to think of exercise as a way of praising God for giving us lungs that work, legs that move, muscles that power our bodies. It's hard to remember that in the midst of a challenging gym class. But it seems a natural observation while circling Central Park.

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Everywhere

My mom lives overseas, so in our recent discussions she has been asking what signs we see of the global economic crisis. Of course, we've seen fewer people out shopping and lots of empty storefronts. Rent prices are almost reasonable and there are more empty apartments for sale.

But the most powerful economic indicator for me is the new nightly ritual that dominates our apartment every weeknight: for the first 30 minutes after arriving home, Michael and I discuss all of the ways in which we were almost laid off that day. We both talk about the scares of the day, the conversations about funding or billable hours, the terrifying emails and closed-door discussions that send shivers through our offices. Although we both believe we should be safe, these are terrifying and unpredictable times. We're scared.

This was not what I expected. Between us, Michael and I have 6 YEARS of graduate school education. We're both employed and enjoying the benefits of a dual income household. We're relatively young, cheap labor. All the doors should be open for us. The future should look bright.

But here we are, each and every night, talking through how we would survive unemployment - where we would live, how we would pay bills, what plans we would re-evaluate.

I suppose there are lessons to be learned from this uncertainty, but honestly, after living on next to nothing for the last few years, I don't care. I would be terribly grateful to be able to come home and swap stories of professional futures filled with promotion and wealth.

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The Wonderful World of Dairy!

Today, at the farmers market, I took the plunge. I purchased milk and yogurt for the first time! It just looked so good, I couldn't hold back. So for the first time since leaving the farm in Greece, I will be drinking milk out of a glass bottle!

I also purchased carrots, onions, and some crocuses that are just about to come up! Very wonderful!

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Signs

I woke up for the gym at 6:15 this morning. The sky was already a royal blue, as the sun was on its way up. The signs of life were a little bit louder than usual. And I was able to walk back home with my jacket unzipped.

Spring will be here soon...

I am my mother's daughter...

Yesterday I seriously debated buying a bunch of new glasses for the kitchen.

Why?

Not because we need new glasses, mind you. Because we have six different KINDS of glasses - some from the fabulous Martha Stewart collection, some plastic ones from college races, some plastic ones from my college apartment and then some other random ones from who knows where.

And every time I take out a glass, it drives me CRAZY that all of ours don't look the same or come from the same glassware collection.

Never Enough

After a glorious five days in Florida, Michael and I are back in New York, a little heavier, a little redder, a little less patient for summer to arrive. We had a wonderful weekend with Michael's grandparents, eating every two hours, spending time in 80 degree weather, and enjoying the Florida wildlife.

Traveling down to Ft. Myers has become somewhat of a tradition. This was our third Presidents day weekend, and each time it gets harder to leave. Michael's grandparents dote on us constantly, and it feels lovely.

I spent a lot of time this weekend sitting right here, out on the lanai, watching birds and marine life and chatting:


Michael's grandparents:


My lovely husband, soaking up the sun at Marco's Island:


And Michael with his grandparents at Port of the Islands Marina, after taking a boat cruise to see the manatees:


In addition to the physical pleasure that comes from a vacation in Florida - the sunshine, the sleep (oh, the glorious amount of sleep!), the food, the comfort - we both felt such gratitude for the quality time we had with family. There is something so unique about the relationship between grandchild and grandparent, and I'm grateful that I've had the opportunity to know Michael's.

In Typical Fashion

After two hectic weeks and with the prospect of a beach vacation on the horizon, I'm sick. I stayed at home from work today in the hopes of keeping the illness in New York while Michael and I are in Florida. I hope it works!

In the meantime, since I'm ill, I've purchased - and devoured - two delicious bags of Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips. Heavenly!

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Break

The sunshine felt *so good* during my brief outing today. It was the perfect break from the crazed work day!

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Already Sunday?

Well, another weekend has come and gone faster than I wanted! After another exhausting (and somewhat traumatic) work week, the weekend was too brief to fully recharge. Despite this, we had a great time sleeping until 1 on Saturday, playing poker with John & Anna & Ashesh, joining John & Anna's neighbors for a "stranger party," and had a super hard workout with Arnold. I've been fighting a cold this weekend, so spent quite a bit of time sleeping too!

AND, today, Michael and I went to two open houses! There were two one-bedrooms open in the building right next door to us, both of which had already reduced their prices. Of course, they were $675K and $450K. One of the apartments had been remodeled, the other was in a pretty sad state. It was fun to check out new places, but surprisingly depressing to see what a lot of money will buy in NYC - not much at all!

The Great Debate

Here it is, Friday evening. I'm sitting on the couch in our apartment, debating next steps. I know I should go to the gym and then to the grocery store. I can already feel the relief of having knocked these two chores off of my to do list.

But after another long, exhausting week, all I want to do is pour myself a glass of red wine, curl up on the couch and read my book. I want to change into my winter pants and be slovenly.

Which side will win? It's any body's guess!

TGIF

A title from my mom's email that totally applies. It will be be easier tomorrow... And Florida is only a week away!

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Where have you been?

What a week! Michael and I both put in a 6-day week (although mine was significantly less stressful). I helped lead a full-day training, presented 4 times, went to the Bronx three times, interviewed a bunch of folks... it was an exhausting work week and I'm glad it is over!

All that said, it was so rewarding. And it is always more fun to be busy at work than slow! I am so grateful for my work environment right now - I've worked with so many wackos in the past. I feel incredibly blessed to have the colleagues I do now.

The insanity left me with less time to catch up with friends and family than usual. But I did manage to keep going to the gym, which is quite a change. Usually when work picks up, it's the first thing to go. But this time I kept saying to myself that if Barack finds the time to work out, if the leader of the free world can do it, I can too! And it worked! I love having a president I look up to...

Not much else to report. We had a great night out with Ashesh & Mona last night. We consumed a great deal of Indian food and danced at Mixx. It was so nice to just be out and about with friends we don't see enough of. It made us happy.