My hubby & I have now returned to the East Coast from snowy Colorado. The snow was beautiful, but it's a pain in the butt when it causes delays/cancellations of flights back home. My hubby's itinerary was changed 3 times in one day by the airlines due to cancellations related to an anticipated storm (i.e. the storm had not even started). Luckily, he did make it on a flight, albeit much later than he had hoped, and made it home safely.
I spent one extra day with my family and flew out the day after the big storm, so no major problems for my air travel (excepting the 1 hour delay due to ?who knows what?). My hubby was a total sweetie and picked me up at the airport at 1:30 am. What made it even sweeter was that he had arrived just the night before at around the same time, had to get up about 6 hours later to go to work, then stay up and wait for me.
After a night of rest and sleeping in, we continued our holiday travels. We braved the NJ & NY roads and have come up to Connecticut to see my in-laws and celebrate a very nice 2nd Christmas. Tonight was "Christmas Eve" when we exchanged gifts. Tomorrow will be "Christmas Day" when we will have our traditional Christmas dinner followed by church.
Oh how great are the Holidays...especially when they never seem to end!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Rough Trip to the Rockies
December 23rd began my annual trek out to Colorado to have Christmas with my family. Even more exciting this year is that my "new" hubby (we've been together for almost 6 years, but we just got married this summer and this is the first year he is joining my family for the Holidays) is accompanying me on the trek. We booked our flights for Sunday evening thinking we would have the weekend to pack/relax, then make it to my family's home in time for all the Christmas festivities.
The (not so) friendly skies had a different plan for us.
We planned our travel day well...gave ourselves plenty of time to make it to the off-site parking lot, thus giving us plenty of time to make it to the airport to check our bags, thus giving us plenty of time to make our 5 pm flight.
Being a neurotic planner, I of course checked the status of our flight before leaving home. The United website told me that our flight was delayed until 7 pm. Trying to be optimistic, I figured we ought to get to the airport in time for a possible 5 pm departure anyway.
We arrived at the parking lot at 2:45 pm. I had located & printed out an online coupon to save us $5 per day of parking. Unfortunately, I forgot that during the Holidays, lots of people fly to see family, thus parking their cars. The lot had room for us, but would not let us use our discount coupon. We had to weigh the pros & cons...ultimately, we didn't have enough time to find another parking lot that may or may not have been cheaper, so we agreed to pay the full price. Good decision, given that the airport was likely going to be crowded and we wanted plenty of time to check bags/pass through security/get to our gate with time to spare.
We arrived at check-in at 3 pm. Given that the Newark airport does not have many United Airlines flights, our check in line was about 1 person long. We got through in 5 mins. With so much time to spare, we figured we could hang out in the airport food court for a bit before going through security and limiting our options for food & entertainment. By 3:30 pm, we headed to security, just in case the line was super long. The line was actually super short. We got through in 5 minutes. That was with shoes, coats, backpacks, and a bag full of wrapped gifts (I had nightmares about the TSA agents demanding to open all of the gifts, including the ones to my hubby, who would have been standing next to me at the time).
As we approached our gate, we decided to check the status of our flight yet again. So much for my optimism...our flight was now delayed until 9 pm. Ugh. That meant 5-1/2 hours of waiting at the gate. Good thing I brought a few books! We were pleased to see a mini-TGI Friday's near our gate, and planned on having dinner there a bit later. We parked ourselves near an electical outlet so my hubby could play games on his laptop, and we settled in for our long wait.
Every now & then, I would get up and check out the flight status monitors...optimistically thinking that our flight would suddenly say "boarding". No such luck. Our flight was unfortunately not the only one delayed. In the area surrounding our gate, there were hundreds of people waiting to be told when their aircraft would arrive so that their flight could take off. Even worse, a couple of flights were cancelled. No sensible reason was given, just that "air traffic control" was not allowing flights to come into Newark. My best guess was high winds & rain, but that was never confirmed.
Right before we packed up our stuff to head to TGIF's, we checked the monitor again. AGH!! Our flight had been delayed again...we were now scheduled to leave at 10:40 pm. What bothered me most was not that we would have to wait another couple of hours (though I was certainly not HAPPY about this), but that at some point the airline reps would come on the loud speaker and say, "Sorry folks...we know you've been waiting for your flight for 6 hours, but it's now been cancelled and the next open flight is Christmas Day." I crossed my fingers and headed to dinner.
We had our mediocre dinner, sharing our 4 person table with a very nice couple who was waiting for their flight to San Francisco to leave, and headed back to find some seats to wait for another couple hours. Time was now about 7 pm. I was getting extremely bored with my book at this point, and didn't want to take out my i-pod (fearing that I would run the battery down with our long wait). I entertained myself for a bit watching my hubby play his computer game, watching a couple of kids run around like little maniacs, and walking around to look at the flight status monitors.
A miracle happened at about 9:50 pm. Our aircraft had arrived at the gate!!! Having seen a brand new pair of pilots walks behind the podium, I knew we were safe from the "timing out" issues other flights were having. Within 20 minutes, we were boarding and the end was in sight.
Four hours later, we touched down in Denver. It may have been 1 am Mountain time (3 am Eastern time), but I was awake & excited! We were finally in Colorado!
After a good night's sleep, our terrible travel day was a long lost memory. Who cares how long it took to get home?? We were just happy to be home!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
The (not so) friendly skies had a different plan for us.
We planned our travel day well...gave ourselves plenty of time to make it to the off-site parking lot, thus giving us plenty of time to make it to the airport to check our bags, thus giving us plenty of time to make our 5 pm flight.
Being a neurotic planner, I of course checked the status of our flight before leaving home. The United website told me that our flight was delayed until 7 pm. Trying to be optimistic, I figured we ought to get to the airport in time for a possible 5 pm departure anyway.
We arrived at the parking lot at 2:45 pm. I had located & printed out an online coupon to save us $5 per day of parking. Unfortunately, I forgot that during the Holidays, lots of people fly to see family, thus parking their cars. The lot had room for us, but would not let us use our discount coupon. We had to weigh the pros & cons...ultimately, we didn't have enough time to find another parking lot that may or may not have been cheaper, so we agreed to pay the full price. Good decision, given that the airport was likely going to be crowded and we wanted plenty of time to check bags/pass through security/get to our gate with time to spare.
We arrived at check-in at 3 pm. Given that the Newark airport does not have many United Airlines flights, our check in line was about 1 person long. We got through in 5 mins. With so much time to spare, we figured we could hang out in the airport food court for a bit before going through security and limiting our options for food & entertainment. By 3:30 pm, we headed to security, just in case the line was super long. The line was actually super short. We got through in 5 minutes. That was with shoes, coats, backpacks, and a bag full of wrapped gifts (I had nightmares about the TSA agents demanding to open all of the gifts, including the ones to my hubby, who would have been standing next to me at the time).
As we approached our gate, we decided to check the status of our flight yet again. So much for my optimism...our flight was now delayed until 9 pm. Ugh. That meant 5-1/2 hours of waiting at the gate. Good thing I brought a few books! We were pleased to see a mini-TGI Friday's near our gate, and planned on having dinner there a bit later. We parked ourselves near an electical outlet so my hubby could play games on his laptop, and we settled in for our long wait.
Every now & then, I would get up and check out the flight status monitors...optimistically thinking that our flight would suddenly say "boarding". No such luck. Our flight was unfortunately not the only one delayed. In the area surrounding our gate, there were hundreds of people waiting to be told when their aircraft would arrive so that their flight could take off. Even worse, a couple of flights were cancelled. No sensible reason was given, just that "air traffic control" was not allowing flights to come into Newark. My best guess was high winds & rain, but that was never confirmed.
Right before we packed up our stuff to head to TGIF's, we checked the monitor again. AGH!! Our flight had been delayed again...we were now scheduled to leave at 10:40 pm. What bothered me most was not that we would have to wait another couple of hours (though I was certainly not HAPPY about this), but that at some point the airline reps would come on the loud speaker and say, "Sorry folks...we know you've been waiting for your flight for 6 hours, but it's now been cancelled and the next open flight is Christmas Day." I crossed my fingers and headed to dinner.
We had our mediocre dinner, sharing our 4 person table with a very nice couple who was waiting for their flight to San Francisco to leave, and headed back to find some seats to wait for another couple hours. Time was now about 7 pm. I was getting extremely bored with my book at this point, and didn't want to take out my i-pod (fearing that I would run the battery down with our long wait). I entertained myself for a bit watching my hubby play his computer game, watching a couple of kids run around like little maniacs, and walking around to look at the flight status monitors.
A miracle happened at about 9:50 pm. Our aircraft had arrived at the gate!!! Having seen a brand new pair of pilots walks behind the podium, I knew we were safe from the "timing out" issues other flights were having. Within 20 minutes, we were boarding and the end was in sight.
Four hours later, we touched down in Denver. It may have been 1 am Mountain time (3 am Eastern time), but I was awake & excited! We were finally in Colorado!
After a good night's sleep, our terrible travel day was a long lost memory. Who cares how long it took to get home?? We were just happy to be home!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
The Office Holiday Party
When it comes to the "office holiday party", there is about as much variance in how to put on one of these shindigs as there are towns in NJ that I have never heard of (i.e. a lot). Having never had a "real" job--meaning that even though I've been out of school for 5 years, as a physician-in-training, most people (family included) ask me "how is school?"--I can't say that I've attended any great holiday parties...that is until just recently!
When I was growing up, I remember going shopping with my mother for sparkly evening gowns or the like that she would wear to my Pop's company holiday party. The event was always held in the ballroom in a posh hotel in downtown Denver. There were, I imagined, amazing hors d'oevres, plenty of wine & spirits, dancing, and prom-like photographs for all the employees and their spouses/partners/significant others.
Suffice it to say that I was very disappointed when I went to my first "office" holiday party ("office" being in quotations because it's a stretch to call the department of psychiatry an "office"). To name just a few reasons why it was a disappointment: It was on a weekday, during the work day, and the attire was "come as your are" (i.e. in your white coat with your patient notes hanging out of your pockets), the food was mediocre, there was no alcohol (for obvious reasons, but still...), and there was no dancing.
Coming to my new job, now in a child & adolescent psychiatry department, I didn't expect much of a difference. I have been pleasantly surprised. Not only are there multiple parties to attend (one of the perks of working at multiple hospital sites), but all the parties have taken place after work hours, had GREAT food, plenty of wine & spirits, and great company. Still no dancing, but beggers can't be choosers. Here are some photos of the 1st party of the season:
Left: A group of happy kiddie shrinks plus 2 hubbies (mine is on the far left).
Right: A co-worker & his adorable son.
My family-friendly office holiday party was followed, the next evening, by my hubby's ultra swanky office holiday party. This event, thrown in not just 1 but 2 ballrooms in a posh hotel in the NJ suburbs, was exactly what I have imagined when the topic of the office holiday party has come up. The food was amazing (at least 5 types of food stations with different national cuisines), there was free-flowing wine, beer, & spirits, and more kinds of desserts than I have ever imagined (the cannolis were amazing, as was the white chocolate fondue fountain). To satisfy anyone's musical preference, they had a live jazz quartet in one ballroom and a DJ spinning dance tunes in the other ballroom. Everyone was dressed to the nines, including 2 men wearing kilts. Check out some of the photos below:
Left: From left, a kilt-wearing guest, a co-worker, my hubby, & I.
When I was growing up, I remember going shopping with my mother for sparkly evening gowns or the like that she would wear to my Pop's company holiday party. The event was always held in the ballroom in a posh hotel in downtown Denver. There were, I imagined, amazing hors d'oevres, plenty of wine & spirits, dancing, and prom-like photographs for all the employees and their spouses/partners/significant others.
Suffice it to say that I was very disappointed when I went to my first "office" holiday party ("office" being in quotations because it's a stretch to call the department of psychiatry an "office"). To name just a few reasons why it was a disappointment: It was on a weekday, during the work day, and the attire was "come as your are" (i.e. in your white coat with your patient notes hanging out of your pockets), the food was mediocre, there was no alcohol (for obvious reasons, but still...), and there was no dancing.
Coming to my new job, now in a child & adolescent psychiatry department, I didn't expect much of a difference. I have been pleasantly surprised. Not only are there multiple parties to attend (one of the perks of working at multiple hospital sites), but all the parties have taken place after work hours, had GREAT food, plenty of wine & spirits, and great company. Still no dancing, but beggers can't be choosers. Here are some photos of the 1st party of the season:
Left: A group of happy kiddie shrinks plus 2 hubbies (mine is on the far left).
Right: A co-worker & his adorable son.
My family-friendly office holiday party was followed, the next evening, by my hubby's ultra swanky office holiday party. This event, thrown in not just 1 but 2 ballrooms in a posh hotel in the NJ suburbs, was exactly what I have imagined when the topic of the office holiday party has come up. The food was amazing (at least 5 types of food stations with different national cuisines), there was free-flowing wine, beer, & spirits, and more kinds of desserts than I have ever imagined (the cannolis were amazing, as was the white chocolate fondue fountain). To satisfy anyone's musical preference, they had a live jazz quartet in one ballroom and a DJ spinning dance tunes in the other ballroom. Everyone was dressed to the nines, including 2 men wearing kilts. Check out some of the photos below:
Left: From left, a kilt-wearing guest, a co-worker, my hubby, & I.
Right: A co-worker, after several drinks, doing a dare. (This photo has been removed at the request of my hubby, but imagine a well-dressed man licking an ice sculpture)
It's not even Christmas, and I've already had this much fun! Can't wait for the next party!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
End of the Season
The Fantasy Football season is officially over for my team, the New Jersey Commuters. It's a bittersweet moment for me. While I no longer have to worry about how much my players are sucking week-by-week, I will miss the competition that was all in good fun.
If you have read my blog previously, you'll know that I had accepted the fact that I had a sucky team, but had made one (and only one) goal for my team this season: TO NOT FINISH LAST PLACE. I am extremely happy to report that while this is a really lame goal, I did achieve it.
Yes, folks, the New Jersey Commuters came in 11th place out of 12 teams in the Vagina Mono-League.
Furthermore, the New Jersey Commuters, while having terrible luck with match-ups and thus having a 4-9 record (that is wins-losses), still scored MORE points than some un-named team who is now in the Fantasy Football Playoffs. (Sorry, la Commish, that was a pretty low blow, but being at the bottom of the Fantasy Football barrell, I have to find something, anything to brag about, as petty as it may be. )
So, here's to next year with (hopefully) better players, better match-ups, and coming in 10th place!
If you have read my blog previously, you'll know that I had accepted the fact that I had a sucky team, but had made one (and only one) goal for my team this season: TO NOT FINISH LAST PLACE. I am extremely happy to report that while this is a really lame goal, I did achieve it.
Yes, folks, the New Jersey Commuters came in 11th place out of 12 teams in the Vagina Mono-League.
Furthermore, the New Jersey Commuters, while having terrible luck with match-ups and thus having a 4-9 record (that is wins-losses), still scored MORE points than some un-named team who is now in the Fantasy Football Playoffs. (Sorry, la Commish, that was a pretty low blow, but being at the bottom of the Fantasy Football barrell, I have to find something, anything to brag about, as petty as it may be. )
So, here's to next year with (hopefully) better players, better match-ups, and coming in 10th place!
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Urban Dog Fasion
Half of my work week is spent on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. For those not familiar with the different areas of Manhattan and what they are known for, allow me to orient you to the famed UES. Just as 90210 is the most desireable zip code in Southern California, 10021 (i.e. the UES) is the most desireable zip code in New York City. Similarities between 90210 and 10021 include (1) every designer store you've ever heard of/read about in any fashion magazine, (2) lots of very wealthy people who wearing only the finest clothes, carry only the trendiest handbags, live in only the most glamorous homes, have drivers....(you get the picture), and last, but definitely not least, (3) lots and lots and lots of "little dogs" on designer leashes trotting around with their fashionable owners.
Where I grew up, dogs were not a rare commodity, but "little dogs" were. Except for my Uncle's mini dachsund, I really had no exposure to "little dogs" until I came to Manhattan. Sure, I saw them all over the trashy entertainment gossip magazines that I subscribe to, but I figured only the movie stars were vain enough to carry these hairy little creatures around as if they were THE must-have accessory.
Don't get me wrong. It is fun to dress pets up like people. But to subject them to public embarrassment like this? My cat, Bennie, for example, tolerates me putting little articles of clothing on him and taking photos (see photo on the right). But, would I ever take him outside and parade him around like this? (posting his photo on the web is an entirely different thing, so no comments from the peanut gallery!).
Where I grew up, dogs were not a rare commodity, but "little dogs" were. Except for my Uncle's mini dachsund, I really had no exposure to "little dogs" until I came to Manhattan. Sure, I saw them all over the trashy entertainment gossip magazines that I subscribe to, but I figured only the movie stars were vain enough to carry these hairy little creatures around as if they were THE must-have accessory.
Not only do the UES-ers have more of these little creatures per capita than I could ever imagine, they treat them just as they would their children: designer clothes, fancy beds, gourmet food, and only the finest SHOES (refer to photo, courtesy of http://www.glamourdog.com/, on the left) for these little beasts. When I saw it for the first time in person, I thought I was just hallucinating. "No way did that dog have SHOES on!" I said to myself. I'd seen plenty of dogs wearing little coats, sweaters, etc, but I can almost understand the logic behind those. After all, those little dogs weren't made for the cold, harsh, East Coast winter. Without some added insulation, they might freeze while taking their daily walks/poops/pees. But shoes?! I always assumed that the tough bits of skin on the underside of their paws were sufficient to keep them comfortable, even on cold sidewalks. But what do I know?
Don't get me wrong. It is fun to dress pets up like people. But to subject them to public embarrassment like this? My cat, Bennie, for example, tolerates me putting little articles of clothing on him and taking photos (see photo on the right). But, would I ever take him outside and parade him around like this? (posting his photo on the web is an entirely different thing, so no comments from the peanut gallery!). Maybe a little more time in the NY area will change my mind about this matter, but for now, I'm anti-doggie-shoe, and I'm sticking to it!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Football...to like or not to like?
Last year, I made the mistake of passing up the opportunity to join a fantasy football league. An all-girls, very hip & trendy league started by a great friend that she proudly named the Vagina Mono-League. I had various reasons for not joining, a few of which are:
1. I don't watch football.
2. Even if forced, I don't really enjoy watching football.
3. Only if adequately intoxicated at a pre-game tailgate party will I go to a football game, and even then, I can only take about 30 minutes.
As a psychiatrist, I always have to wonder why I like or dislike things so vehemently. After intense psychoanalytic investigation, here are a few reasons why I think I may not like football:
1. Growing up in Denver, Colorado, I was thoroughly disappointed when the Broncos made it to, count them, THREE Super Bowls in a span of 4 years (1987, 1988, 1990) and were absolutely CREAMED. So embarrassing! (You might want to remind me that they redeemed themselves in 1998 & 1999 when they won the Super Bowl both years, but I say, "Too little, too late!")
2. Though I always enjoyed going to the annual Harvard-Yale "Game" (the yearly battle between the schools' mediocre football teams), albeit for the tailgates (see #3 above), I never really had the chance to cheer for my school team since, well, they SUCKED!
So, you can probably understand why I declined my great friend's invitation to join the league. But, as time went by, I realized I was missing out on a great opportunity to learn more about the game, understand what she was talking about on her blog (http://www.leagueofourown.blogspot.com/), and well, she kind of guilt-tripped me into it this year.
So far, I have no regrets! I even got into football for a millisecond at the beginning of the season. I watched a few minutes of a couple of games on TV, tried to keep up with how my players were doing (when I remembered who my players were...doh!), and thought I may have a chance at doing well at this new hobby of mine.
Oh, how wrong I was about doing well, though! Sure, I now understand that when a player is listed as "Bye" on my roster, that I won't be racking up any points on them cuz they won't be playing that week (thank you to la Commish & her sis for pointing that out!). And I don't feel guilty anymore for dropping a player after only one sucky week (at first, I'd have given him a 2nd, maybe 3rd, chance). But, frankly, despite my climbing the football learning curve pretty quickly, my team has consistently ranked in the bottom 3 out of 12. I keep asking myself, "what am I doing wrong? what more can I do?" I'm stumped.
Suffice it to say, I am a sore loser. Always have been, always will be. Yes, it's just a silly little competition. Yes, it's all just fun & games with friends. But WHY, WHY, WHY can't I at least be in the top half??? Well, I think the chances of that are slim at this point (only 6 more weeks to go, and my team is 3-7-0). So, my new goal, you ask?
I JUST DON'T WANNA BE IN LAST PLACE!
I'll keep you posted.
1. I don't watch football.
2. Even if forced, I don't really enjoy watching football.
3. Only if adequately intoxicated at a pre-game tailgate party will I go to a football game, and even then, I can only take about 30 minutes.
As a psychiatrist, I always have to wonder why I like or dislike things so vehemently. After intense psychoanalytic investigation, here are a few reasons why I think I may not like football:
1. Growing up in Denver, Colorado, I was thoroughly disappointed when the Broncos made it to, count them, THREE Super Bowls in a span of 4 years (1987, 1988, 1990) and were absolutely CREAMED. So embarrassing! (You might want to remind me that they redeemed themselves in 1998 & 1999 when they won the Super Bowl both years, but I say, "Too little, too late!")
2. Though I always enjoyed going to the annual Harvard-Yale "Game" (the yearly battle between the schools' mediocre football teams), albeit for the tailgates (see #3 above), I never really had the chance to cheer for my school team since, well, they SUCKED!
So, you can probably understand why I declined my great friend's invitation to join the league. But, as time went by, I realized I was missing out on a great opportunity to learn more about the game, understand what she was talking about on her blog (http://www.leagueofourown.blogspot.com/), and well, she kind of guilt-tripped me into it this year.
So far, I have no regrets! I even got into football for a millisecond at the beginning of the season. I watched a few minutes of a couple of games on TV, tried to keep up with how my players were doing (when I remembered who my players were...doh!), and thought I may have a chance at doing well at this new hobby of mine.
Oh, how wrong I was about doing well, though! Sure, I now understand that when a player is listed as "Bye" on my roster, that I won't be racking up any points on them cuz they won't be playing that week (thank you to la Commish & her sis for pointing that out!). And I don't feel guilty anymore for dropping a player after only one sucky week (at first, I'd have given him a 2nd, maybe 3rd, chance). But, frankly, despite my climbing the football learning curve pretty quickly, my team has consistently ranked in the bottom 3 out of 12. I keep asking myself, "what am I doing wrong? what more can I do?" I'm stumped.
Suffice it to say, I am a sore loser. Always have been, always will be. Yes, it's just a silly little competition. Yes, it's all just fun & games with friends. But WHY, WHY, WHY can't I at least be in the top half??? Well, I think the chances of that are slim at this point (only 6 more weeks to go, and my team is 3-7-0). So, my new goal, you ask?
I JUST DON'T WANNA BE IN LAST PLACE!
I'll keep you posted.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Not So Down or Out in Jersey
I rarely get my husband to come into Manhattan to have some fun in the big city. Unlike me, he prefers the quiet, laid back atmosphere of North Jersey. So, it was to my amazement that I convinced him to NOT ONLY come with me to Manhattan today, but to come to a 6 year-old's bowling birthday party at Chelsea Piers. It's not that bowling isn't fun (though we didn't actually bowl because the kids were having too much fun), nor that birthday parties aren't fun. But when you're 5 times the age of the majority of the guests, the fun is of a different sort. Nevertheless, he agreed (and, I must add, happily) to join me.
Given these incredibly lucky circumstances, it was predictable that something would have to interfere. Enter the unfortunate onset of cold symptoms that seriously sidelined me from the fun. Despite my best efforts to medicate my symptoms, I was sniffling, blowing my nose, and trying my hardest to keep my eyes open (sinus congestion makes it nearly impossible!) all day long. 10 mg of Sudafed (it would have been more had I not run out), 50 mg of Benadryl, and I was still a miserable sick mess.
In the end, I made it through the party, followed by a visit to the giant used bookstore, "The Strand", and dinner with friends. Now I'm back at home, laying under lots of warm blankets, and having a laid back night at home. With 20 mg more of Sudafed and 50 mg more of Benadryl, I am ready to curl up and fall asleep. As much as I would have liked to stay in Manhattan and have some more fun, I'm truly appreciating my quiet, laid back night in NJ. It only took a virus to make me see the merits of my new home town.
Given these incredibly lucky circumstances, it was predictable that something would have to interfere. Enter the unfortunate onset of cold symptoms that seriously sidelined me from the fun. Despite my best efforts to medicate my symptoms, I was sniffling, blowing my nose, and trying my hardest to keep my eyes open (sinus congestion makes it nearly impossible!) all day long. 10 mg of Sudafed (it would have been more had I not run out), 50 mg of Benadryl, and I was still a miserable sick mess.
In the end, I made it through the party, followed by a visit to the giant used bookstore, "The Strand", and dinner with friends. Now I'm back at home, laying under lots of warm blankets, and having a laid back night at home. With 20 mg more of Sudafed and 50 mg more of Benadryl, I am ready to curl up and fall asleep. As much as I would have liked to stay in Manhattan and have some more fun, I'm truly appreciating my quiet, laid back night in NJ. It only took a virus to make me see the merits of my new home town.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Help Us Save Our Feline Friends!!
On my way to work every day, I pick up the Metro, a free paper that is targeted for commuters who need something quick & easy to read during their trip on the NYC subways. Yesterday, in the Metro's "Voices" section, I came upon a letter from a reader that infuriated the cat lover in me. To quote this reader, Nicki Rivers:
"I sympathize with the plight of the feral cats at JFK [airport] being rounded up and turned over to Animal Control to be possibly euthanized...[airport] officials have determined that the cat food is attracting birds that are dangerous to the airplanes...it isn't worth sacrificing human life on a jet plane because some people want to keep these cats running loose at the airport...it's a sad but harsh reality".
Before I could do more research on this topic (because there was NO question that I was going to blog about this topic), I read another letter in today's Metro, this time, a more conscientious, cat-friendly letter by Susan Davis:
"Nicki Rivers, along with others, has been duped by the Port Authority into thinking that the cats draw birds. On the contrary, approximately 10 percent of those birds will find themselves as lunch meal for the cats. In fact, it is the airports proximity to the ocean, where birds will always flock, and human garbage strewn about that pose the danger. JFK officials are taking the easy way out (for them, not for the cats) after years of lapses in security that allowed people to abandon cats there in the first place."
With the work day over, I had time to conduct my own research on this topic. This time around, I found a more credible source of information (sorry, Metro!): the NY Times. Check out this article for more information on this horrendous kitty holocaust at JFK!
Another NY Times article (10/30/07) provided me with the following atrocity of a memo from Susan Baer, the new General Manager at JFK to all of its employees:
The Port Authority strives to maintain a safe environment for the thousands of people and aircraft who pass through the airport each day. Feeding animals not only attracts animals that are currently on the airport, but also serves as an attractant to draw animals to the airport from other areas. These animals pose many dangers to both people and aircraft. While it may seem harmless to feed an animal outside of a building, that same animal may find its way out to the airport’s runway and strike an aircraft that is on takeoff or landing. Birds and other wildlife that strike aircraft cost U.S. civil aviation over $600 million per year and may result in the loss of an aircraft or human fatalities. These are serious consequences for a seemingly insignificant act that could be easily prevented.
Feeding animals also creates rodent and other pest problems. Leaving food out for animals such as cats in order to control mice and rats also means that there is plenty of food available to the very pests you are attempting to deter. It is much more efficient to keep the premises sanitary and use traditional pest control practices to control rodents and other pests.
Feeding animals also serves to spread disease to other animals more rapidly since animals are more concentrated at feeding stations and may come into close contact. This puts not only the animals, but also people who work or pass through those areas, at a greater risk of contracting a disease.
Finally, artificial feeding by humans hurts wildlife since they become dependent on handouts and less able to fend for themselves. The food given to them may also upset their digestive systems and doesn’t provide the right amounts of vitamins and minerals they need to survive. Some animals may become so dependent on human food handouts that they beg people for food and may mistakenly bite people in attempts to get food.
Feeding animals also creates rodent and other pest problems. Leaving food out for animals such as cats in order to control mice and rats also means that there is plenty of food available to the very pests you are attempting to deter. It is much more efficient to keep the premises sanitary and use traditional pest control practices to control rodents and other pests.
Feeding animals also serves to spread disease to other animals more rapidly since animals are more concentrated at feeding stations and may come into close contact. This puts not only the animals, but also people who work or pass through those areas, at a greater risk of contracting a disease.
Finally, artificial feeding by humans hurts wildlife since they become dependent on handouts and less able to fend for themselves. The food given to them may also upset their digestive systems and doesn’t provide the right amounts of vitamins and minerals they need to survive. Some animals may become so dependent on human food handouts that they beg people for food and may mistakenly bite people in attempts to get food.
The last paragraph is particularly offensive to my intelligence...does she SERIOUSLY believe that JFK airport is some kind of wildlife preserve and that "feeding the animals" will disrupt the fragile ecosystem???? Give me a break, Susan. Oh, and don't feed me any more of that BS!
Call me a sappy animal lover, but it truly breaks my heart that after 3+ years of these kitties being kindly cared for in what is probably the most natural environment any NYC kitty could wish for AND not causing any significant problems (I challenge anyone to tell me the last time that an airplane at JFK was put in jeopardy by a rat, bird, cat, etc), that they are being trapped, taken from the only home they've ever know, and likely euthanized (because there are only so many cat lovers who will rescue them from Animal Control). Having flown out of JFK, I can tell you that they have MUCH BIGGER problems than a "happy cat camp" in an abandoned area. Here's my suggestion: Try focusing on your horrendously long security lines, your dilapidated buildings, your slow as hell baggage claim, etc. Leave the cats be!
Monday, October 29, 2007
There's no place like home...I still love you, Rockies!
While the entirety of Boston is celebrating tonight after the Red Sox's sweeping victory over the Colorado Rockies, RJG feels bittersweet about the whole thing. Being a devoted Rockies fan, through the good and the bad (up until this past year, it's been primarily the latter), it's sad to watch the Rockies get all the way to their first ever World Series and let the BoSox trounce them like they did. On the other hand, the Rockies making it to the World Series is an accomplishment to celebrate, regardless of the outcome of any of the last 4 depressing games.
RJG has stayed up MUCH too late watching the game this evening, only to go to bed feeling very somber. Despite wearing BOTH Rockies baseball hats (mine & my hubby's), RJG was not able to bring enough luck-from-afar to assist the Rockies in making the 2 more runs that they needed to bring about a 5th game (i.e. another chance) to prove themselves to all the East Coast snobs who seem to think that only 2 teams really matter (you know which ones I'm talking about).
RJG wishes to send out a message to her beloved Rockies:
YOU'LL ALWAYS BE WINNERS TO ME!!!!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
First Day on the Job
This blog is a long time in the making. I've always enjoyed blogs, especially during those down times during the work day when I've already checked my email about 5 times and I don't even have new junk mail to delete, then checked for new Britney Spears gossip only to discover that there isn't any, then finally, out of desperation, tried to do an online crossword puzzle but got so frustrated about having to ask for help with every letter that I ultimately gave up.
To be quite honest, I never thought I had anything interesting enough to post on the web for other people to spend their down-time reading. Granted, some might argue that working in the mental health field would yield some pretty interesting stories. But who really wants to hear about all the nutty people I encounter day in and day out. Anyone who takes the subway in Manhattan could easily have as many stories to tell.
But, truth be told, if I can make even one person laugh with my (hopefully) darkly, sarcastically humorous blog entries, then I will have done what I set out to do. But be forewarened, there will be a lot of discussion about nutty folks, cats (because I have 2 of the most adorable ones in the world), the entertainment world (Britney gossip isn't the only gossip I keep up with), and who knows what else. There's not much going on in New Jersey, so I have PLENTY of time to write...until next time...
To be quite honest, I never thought I had anything interesting enough to post on the web for other people to spend their down-time reading. Granted, some might argue that working in the mental health field would yield some pretty interesting stories. But who really wants to hear about all the nutty people I encounter day in and day out. Anyone who takes the subway in Manhattan could easily have as many stories to tell.
But, truth be told, if I can make even one person laugh with my (hopefully) darkly, sarcastically humorous blog entries, then I will have done what I set out to do. But be forewarened, there will be a lot of discussion about nutty folks, cats (because I have 2 of the most adorable ones in the world), the entertainment world (Britney gossip isn't the only gossip I keep up with), and who knows what else. There's not much going on in New Jersey, so I have PLENTY of time to write...until next time...
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