Engagement

Here is the story of our engagement. Please excuse the many typos, as I wrote it late at night, after a shot of tequila, a few hours before having to wake up for a flight.

Wed august 18th, 2010

I had spent the whole day packing, as I was moving in with Eric at the end of the month, and leaving for AZ the next morning to have Eric meet my parents.

I was stressed trying to get everything into boxes, but wanted to do that before the trip so I wouldn't be worried about it.

The night before, Eric had offered to bring me groceries because I wasn't feeling well -- it was perfect because he'd been so busy I didn't want to bother him, but I also didn't feel well enough to walk to the grocery store. I asked him to get me some fruit and yogurts and soup, etc. He took his scooter there and brought me a bag of things, which was super nice of him, and carried out a few bags of trash from packing on the way out.

The next evening, i was busy packing -- I'd gotten my hair cut that morning, and had it blow dried, and hoped to keep it straight for AZ the next morning. I was super focused on packing. So when Eric texted "want to do dinner?" around 3pm, I was rather surprised. It seemed out of character for him, since we were going to see eachother the next morning for the flight, and I'd just seen him the night before. I wondered if maybe this was the engagment, but figured, nah, he's probably just going the be in the neighborhood or something.

Just in case, I polished my nails and wore a cute outfit, and I was happy my hair was perfectly straight from the salon. After packing for a few hours, the polish chipped, and I actually unpacked my nailpolish a second time, just to make sure it was perfect.

I finished packing just before he arrived at 7:30. He again carried many bags of trash downstairs for me.

I casually said "so where do you want to eat?" Assuming we'd go to the thai place across the street, or maybe the byob thai place a few blocks away. He said "I actually got a reservation at battery park."

That sort of shocked me, as Eric is not a foodie, and we'd never gone to battery park before for dinner. I wondered "is this going to be the engagment?!!" I felt excited, but decided "wait, I really don't know why we're going" so I decided to hold out on making a conclusion until I saw what happened.

So then we walked outside, me carrying Eric's helmet, as he was carrying the trash. And we walked down to his vespa on the end of the block. As we were putting on our helmets, the sunset to the west behind eric and the sky was hot pink. I mentioned it, as I had never before seen a sunset in NYC in 3 years! And it was hot pink. It matched Eric's pink polo shirt.

So after i was on the scooter, I started to get really excited and smiley (inside my helmet). was this the time? Were we going to get engaged?

But then I started thinking. He'd need to have gotten a ring already, and it'd only been a couple days since he'd started seriously looking (though he'd learned all the info prior to this). I figured it'd take at least 2-3 weeks to seriously shop , order something, have it come in, etc. Which would leave about a week before we eloped, which was fine.

I'd told my mom in Arizona that i was sad she wouldn't get it see it, but that I could send pictures -- we were going to Arizona the next morning.

I was also thinking, despite it being odd that Eric would randomly take me to a 5 star restauraunt in Battery Park on a Wendsday night before an early flight -- so maybe it was the engagement? But then again, where would the ring be? He had nothing on him. He didn't bring his usual duffle bag. There was no way it could fit in his pocket, unless he'd taken it out and put it in a ziplock bag, and I'd doubt he'd have done that. Or maybe the ring was in the storage compartment under the scooter's seat? If so, how would he get it out without me seeing? Nah, it wasn't likely that the engagement would happen tonight.

Though I did have a feeling.

We parked the vespa, and were asked to move it one space over, as there was a security detail -- and there were two black mercedes in a row, so we moved it. Important people at this restaurant clearly! I joked that the detail was for us!!

We found the restaurant, which was gorgeous. The middle portion of the building was cut out, so it was an "L"shape to reveal the view of the statute of liberty.

We walked in, and they took us to a great table. It was a crowded, happening place, with outdoor seating. The weather, in the summer -- one of the hottest summers ever -- was surprisngly perfect. Like 70 degrees, not humid. Bizarrely perfect in fact. I'm not sure the weather had ever been so nice.

We got the best table, closest to the water, and quieter since we only had busy customers behind us, and a view of the statue of liberty in front of us, with the water, and a view of all the buildings.

We were both a bit quiet, I think because I wasn't sure what was going on. But then I talked normally. Eric said he was celebrating me finishing a month-long of packing every day with a nice meal before our AZ trip. Then I felt relaxed and was surpised he was celebrating that, and figured "ok, well this isn't the engagment, but wow, this is a nice meal -- this is no nice of him! Is Eric becoming a foodie? This is so out of character for him, but maybe he's really wanting to go to nicer restaurants all of a sudden? hmm..."

I ordered a rose wine and the farfale, a bowtie pasta with a red sauce, chicken and broccoli, and Eric had a bologna sauce with noodles and meat with a chianti.

We enjoyed our food. And then at some out of the blue moment, I said somethinga bout how this was a nice surprise. Eric said "ready for another surprise?"

And he took a little velvety black box out of his pocket and put in on the table in front of me.

"Open it," he said......
















Shocked, I opened it, and revealed a gorgeous, gleaming giant solitare ring. It hadn't quite sunk in yet. On the scooter, I said to myself "Wow if he prosposes, I think I'm going to scream!!" But in real life, I was sort of stunned.

I sat there for a moment looking at the gorgeous ring and then looked at him and said "Is there something you want to ask me?"

And he said my name, and "Will you marry me?" And I said "Of course!!" and hugged him.

The tables behind us gasped and I heard people say "oh my god!" I mean really, who witnesses something like that?



I was then in a blur of bliss and basically starred at the ring and Eric alternately with a gigantic smile on my face. I couldn't figure out how he'd gotten a ring so quickly, that was so perfect and so much more goregeous than the one I'd seen at Tiffany's that I'd wanted to take home! And that one was yellow.

"This is colorless," he said.

A waiter was about to refill the water glass, and then saw the ring and black box and my smile and then said some shocked expression and jumped backwards, and then slowly backed away, not sure what to do.

The waiter came back with two glasses of champagne for us. We ordered a lava cake for dessert. We had decided on the chocoloate covered strawberries, but when Eric was in the bathroom, I was so overwhelmed that I actually said the wrong thing when the waiter came back. But it was delicious!

I showed the waiter the ring and he said it was gorgeous. He asked if it was a surprise and I said it was, and that we were eloping in a month, but that I assumed it would take longer to get the ring and was shocked he got it so soon. I was surprised how much info I told to this total stranger! I was excited.

I then realized I could show the ring to my mom, which I'd really wanted to do, and Eric had worked really hard all week rushing around to get the ring just in time for our AZ flight. He'd just picked it up hours before, and he had a job interview after work, and had to rush home and change into a suit, go to the interview, change again, pick me up on the scooter!

It was such a gorgeous ring I couldn't believe it! I was so excited to have such a great relationship with Eric, and also have a great ring -- having both seems impossible, and I said I was having my cake and eating it too.

So then we had champage, this gorgeous ring, the view of the statue of libery, and waitstaff who were now mostly afraid of us and not sure if they should re-fill our water glasses, which really made me laugh.

I made Eric take a bunch of pictures on his iphone and I took some on my blackberry. I really wanted to tell everyone, but I also wanted the ring to be a surprise the next morning when my parents saw it at the airport! And I didn't want to be overwhelmed by responses form friends and family just yet.

Then the waiter brought us each a glass of champagne!

By now most of the crowd had left as it was around 10:30, and it was perfect because I could just sink into the moment and not feel rushed at all, as they let us linger. Then we walked down by the water.

Eric picked the ideal engagment. I'd never pictured exactly what I wanted, but I knew I didn't want a huge embarassing thing with a banner and strangers or scuba diving or antyhing like that! And this was just so amazingly classy, with the 5 star restaurant and the water, and statue of liberty, and NYC. I was really happy to get engaged with those NYC lights in the background (okay so they are NJ lights from the NYC side, but same thing :)

It was so perfect and I realized Eric knew my tastes even better than I knew my own.

So then we left as we had to get up at 3:30am to catch our flight! We hopped back on the vespa, and as we were leaving someone yelled "yo baby, your bride is.." and then the sound blurred as we drove away.

At the stoplight Eric opened his helmet's mask and asked if I'd heard that. I'm guessing he said "is hot" or something to that effect hopefully? :) It was probably our waiter or maybe someone in the crowd who'd witnessed it and/or had a lot to drink. But it made it festive.

And strangely enough, I'd worn a white shirt that night! and had randomly had my hair done, which only happens rarely.

Then he took me back to my apmt. I asked him to come in with me into Salt Bar real quick so I could get a shot, as there was no way I could sleep being this excited! I had a tequila shot, and him nothing as he was driving the scooter home.

He then texted that he'd run out of gas, but I could see that with the crazy week he'd had! Luckily he was able to walk to a gas station not overly far away and get home okay with a few hours sleep.

I then went home and couldn't stop looking at the beautiful ring! And feeling so completely excited.



I had been somewhat scared to get married, as it is such a huge commitment, but it just felt so right with eric. What a wonderful engagement!

Going to Arizona (shhh! I have a secret). :D

I'm going to save this post and publish it after my bf (or I guess I should say fiance), elope. That picture up there is my dress, just some photo I found online. It's been basically a secret and so I haven't really blogged or talked about it, as the point of eloping is not to tell everyone and have four engagement parties before hand.

So I'm writing this about two weeks before we leave for Vegas!

So, E got me a gorgeous engagement ring, and fast, because I mentioned it'd be nice to have in AZ so my mom could see it -- but I didn't think he'd be able to get it in time. It was just wishful thinking. Wishful thinking that came true after he rushed around to get the ring the evening before we left for AZ.


My family loved it. I didn't tell them, and instead at the airport, when my parents greeted us with flowers, a cowboy hat for E, and cold water, I stuck my hand out (as I couldn't seem to wait until we got to the lunch place). They were shocked I think but we all loved the ring. A platinum round solitaire! Beautiful.

My parents were very welcoming of E, and got to know him well in the days we were there. We ate mexican food, went hiking, played wii games, walked the dog, my dad did some judo with E, which they both seemed to enjoy as they are both sports people. Prior to going down to Tucson, we stayed in Scottsdale for a couple nights to show E the sort of nightlife I'd been used to before NYC. We stayed at a nice hotel and went to The Theodore one night for dinner, which used to be The Mondrian, and before that, The James Hotel. It was still gorgeous, but empty.

I joked that it looked like he'd rented the place out. We had some gin martinis and talk about our future plans, which was so amazing.

I love the Arizona sky. It's always blue. And the space and freedom to walk or drive however strangely you feel like it is nice for a short time. To be able to not have to think about sidewalk space or storage space and instead just spread out however you feel like.

My dad made a very nice family meal and we had my aunt and uncle over. It was nice to have them get to know E also and to show them the ring. He made a spinach pie and wrote our names on it in pie dough, and he also put two roses in a vase.


E asked for my parents blessing our last night there. He said some very nice things and apparently did a great job.



So now we're going to be eloping in vegas, in a gondola in the Venetian. We have this amazing suite and the gondola does a ceremony just for us and then they sing to us on the way back. I can't wait! I got a short white dress, some David's Bridal jewelry, and I need to buy some shoes and maybe a little purse. I'm also going to wear a "cage veil" which is made of this russian "lace" stuff. At first I though it was ugly, but now I like it. It's small and so appropriate for a Vegas wedding. It's weird to not tell anyone, but once we tell some, we really have to formally announce it, and we're eloping as neither of us like to be too formal about things.



My dress is pretty casual, but I like it. My mom bought it for me in Tucson. We went shopping after she saw my ring and insisted on buying it, which was very nice of her.

Today E and I went to the diamond district to look at wedding bands. He got a nice milgrain style, very classy. And I got a very thin diamond band. I really like them both. This guy at the store kept talking to E in chinese and ignoring me completely, as if we were in some sort of 1800s world where women are there to be ignored. It was bizarre and pissed me off. I guess I've been lucky to live in a country where women are treated like people. It isn't that way everywhere, but it should be. Women, men, and all races should be treated equally -- as HUMANS. None should be treated better than the other based on outward appearance alone. There is something about just respecting people as humans, and that should come first, and it should remain that way until someone proves to you they are not a good person, or are a jackass. It made me furious not just for me, but for the women who have been raised to think they don't deserve better. I hope I'm eventually in a position to do something about this.

But back to the rings. Yes they're great, and I'll be excited to put them onto our hangs on the gondola. It'll be nice to announce everything, perhaps on facebook? We will see. I just hope people know that we haven't told anyone except for parents and immediate family, so I hope no one is offended we didn't tell, because we really didn't tell anyone.

It'll be nice to be married. And now to try to find white flower hair clips that attach to this cage veil thing that I got so it looks nice :). And shoes, and a purse..........and I can't wait to wear the wedding ring also!!

<3 <3 <3

(update on 9/7/10)

So we leave in 4 days! We're actually flying out of NYC on September 11th, lucky day right? But hopefully the crowds won't be as crazy :). We actually met on September 11th one year ago -- completely random. But we went to a bar during happy hour and it was full of NYC firefighters, so was a memorable day.

We'll also be getting married on Sept. 13th, which is also an unlucky number. Just worked out that way and is kinda funny.

My fiance (I feel really pretentious saying that by the way, but I only have a few days left to get used to and then stop using that term), has been personal training me in the gym at our apmt. It works out great because I of course would like to lose a couple pounds before our wedding.

I think I see results already, mostly from the weights. It really is amazing how quickly you can feel and see the results, and it really is helpful to have someone who can show you exactly what to do so you don't hurt yourself.

Of course, what better motivation that to have some photos taken in a few days of our elopement!! :) I mean, talk about motivation.

It should be a very nice trip, and I'm looking forward to it!

Lower East Side

So I'm moving in with my boyfriend in a couple of days. It's exciting! We have a great room now full of incredibly cute, classy Ikea furniture that matches with cute fuzzy rugs. And scary. I've lived alone since December of 2002, minus a few months with horrible roommates from craigslist. That's almost 8 years of living alone.

It's strange to think my bf won't be calling me on the phone to talk about our days. We probably won't talk on the phone very much now. I was single for so many years that sometimes it's even weird to think I even have a bf. I used to feel almost jealous of people who had things easier, with someone who cared, or could help them out. It's true. It is so much nicer to have someone you're a good match with.

Living together will also mean I won't have to kill bugs! Thank god.

It's taken most of the last few weeks to just get rid of things -- over 14 garbage bags of trash (or was it 16?) and giveaways. And of course to organize, which is something I hate to do. After streamlining my possessions, I'm still wondering if I should get rid of more. The old thing of "If I buy one new thing I have to throw out another," isn't entirely true, but there is some truth to it.

It'll be strange to be in a new neighborhood, because I've been in the same little area for the last 3 years -- from 8th street and Ave. B, to Houston and Ave. B. Now I'm going about 4 subway stops south to the Financial District. Not far at all, but a world away in terms of most things.

It's funny how a lot of NYers get stuck in one little area and don't want to move. It's pretty common to hear of people who have moved several times, often across the street, or two blocks away, or into a slightly cheaper apmt. across the hall. I guess we're all creatures of habit.

There are of course pros and cons to every neighborhood. I love the Lower East Side because it's artsy, young, energetic, slightly grungy (but in the same way the Urban Outfitters is -- in that it isn't really grungy at all, but just tries to look that way -- actually, maybe I don't like that aspect of it). You've got a fair number of artists (or want-to-be ones), and rockstars (or want-to-be-ones), or models (or, well, you get the point).

For the most part, everything is pretty, as much as the people try to look hipster or grow beards, etc. It has little shops and cafes and bars. Tons and tons of bars on every block. I'm not even sure how many places serve alcohol on my block but it's at least 3 or 4. There is something to be said for being able to walk to several fun, cute little bars.

A big advantage is you can actually wear heels, because there are enough places within a few blocks to not kill your feet. I almost never wear heels, so this is a selling point to me, because I hate to get a cab and spend $20 just because I have impractical shoes on.

Some of the people here are pretentious. They wear their Urban Outfitters skinny jeans and plaid shirts and flat short boots with pride as they walk their expensive dog. They stand in the middle of the sidewalk, not because they aren't aware of how to be polite, but because smoking their cigarette and carrying their guitar are more important than you having a place to walk. That sort of shallow fake artist thing gets annoying.

But the bars are fun. Lots and lots of them with happy hour specials, and that stay open late, and new bars and old ones, and expensive ones and cheap. 10 cent wings, coffee shops full of mac silver laptops, fashionable people, models. Ambiance, or not. Bring your own beer, or be served overpriced tiny drinks in teacups. All within a few blocks.

It's a young and energetic place where no one will look at you like you're suppose to be 40 and overweight in order to get respect. One thing I love about NYC is the young are treated as well as anyone, because it's a city completely full of young people, unlike slower towns where if your hair isn't graying forget about your opinion. Where until you look like you're 49, you might as well keep your mouth shut and forget about a promotion.

There is potential here. And freedom.

My actual apartment is small, though not the tiniest. I say that from the perspective of someone who lives in the LES, not someone who doesn't. Yes, it's one room. About the size of a bedroom, with a tiny easy-bake-oven sized place to pretend to "cook," a small but definitely just fine bathroom, a tiny counter, and a "table" I made from three pieces of shelf wood nailed together. I loved the shiny wood floor and the big windows and the potential of making my dreams grow just a big bigger from the ideas I'd think of at the desk looking out the window.

It's been hard to deal with moving, because finding this apartment was the only calm in a long list of storms, and the wooden floor seemed to be the only steady ground for quite a while. But now I have to trust that the ground will stay steady. No matter what the floor is made of. It's interesting no matter how nice the future gleams it doesn't make it any easier to let go of the old.

I remember in Arizona, right before I left, touching the fuzzy side of my car's door as I stopped at a stop light. The sun coming in the windows and the feeling that I wouldn't be touching that fuzzy door again for a long time, if ever.

The financial district has better customer service, usually, because it's mostly Starbucks and not little indy coffee places that could care less. There are more stores you need that sell things like pots and pans and less stores you don't need that sell liquor. It's a nice area also because the subways meet together downtown, meaning you can easily get to the east or west sides.

As I've put things in boxes, taken my paintings off the walls, my apartment has started to look like a boring little box. With yellowed paint and cracks in the walls and dirty windows that I'm not sure I'd ever figure out how to clean.

I guess most of life is blank little boxes that you have to bring your own meaning to. And you can't get too tied up in what one thing means to you, or you won't be able to experiences the next thing, and the thing after that. Though it's hard when we tie ourselves to things, and then have to untie them and let them go.

So I'm in this same little coffee shop, the one I like with great coffee and good service. And I guess I might miss it, but I probably won't. Sort of like how when you get rid of a shirt you thought you couldn't live without and in a few days you can't even remember what you gave away.

But after the sad part is done, I know it'll be just like moving to NYC was, in that all the new things that rush in will be better than hanging onto the fuzzy fabric on the side of the door of an old car, or the shiny wood floor that gave me a solid place to stand. Silly to hold on too tight to the things you need to let go of.

And now I'm looking forward to good things to come.

I still hate Time Warner, 3 years later

So, three years later, Time Warner is still horrible in NYC.

I had to wait on the phone for 25 minutes just to get through to someone. That is WAY too long. Their online system doesn't let you cancel your account -- they let you schedule most other things, but I guess they hope to convince you to stay by making you call.

Trust me, after that many minutes listening to horrible "classical" musac, if you were at all on the border line between choosing to cancel or not, you'd definitely cancel for sure.

I told them I wanted to cancel my service on the 31st of August. However, the soonest they could have someone pick up my modem was in mid September. Did they care that I'll no longer be at this address to pick it up? No. Did they allow me to have it picked up from my new address? No. So I have to go to midtown and wait in a line -- a line that last time I was there took about, I dunno, two hours.

Thanks a lot Time Warner.

But I got an ad for a new alternative to the TW monopoly here, and I hope they do a great job and completely put TW out of business.

Duane Reade and Time Warner are two of NYC's worst companies EVER.

The journal I had my first month in NYC

So it's coming up on my 3-year NYC anniversary. About 3 months away.

I was organizing stuff -- amazing to think I moved here with only 1 carry-on, a laptop bag/purse, and one pair of shoes!

Now I've gathered seven bags of trash -- mostly broken or old or otherwise expired things...amazing how it accumulates. I'm also creating a mountain of give-aways. Things I haven't used in who knows how long, but of course how terrible it would be to give away that shirt I never wear, just in case things should change, and maybe that would become my favorite shirt!?

Anyway, while going through piles and piles of stuff -- and I've yet to even discover what is under my bed, but I know it's enough to stuff to fill the entire space under the full sized bed -- I found a little journal.

I remember buying it when I first moved here and had three horrid weeks to waste in a hostel, while waiting for my apartment. I didn't know anyone, except for a girl I didn't want to be friends w/ anymore, and an uncle I'd met a handful of times. So I was pretty much on my own, and I had a horrible cold with a hacking cough and I'd pulled a ligament in my knee, so it hurt to walk (especially stairs). And I was living in a hostel with up to 10 people per room, often mostly college-aged guys from various countries who didn't speak English and took off their pants and walked around in their underwear most of the time.

Anyway, so I remember wasting time in Central Park, despite it being November, because you could usually find a bench to sit on in there, unlike most of the Starbucks where it was impossible to find a place to sit. It was cold though.

And then I found this gigantic bookstore on the Upper West Side, by Julliard. I think it was a B&N, but I forget. And so I got these little journals so I could sit in there and waste warm hours (as many as I could), before having to return to the horrible little hostel at night, when it got late enough didn't feel safe wondering the streets.

I was still in culture shock, but overwhelmed in a very good way. I thought I'd write out a few of the little things I wrote in it.

"And suddenly the edges of the world came together, like a mother folding a laundry sheet from edge to edge, with sunlight on her hands and the fabric. China, America, France, Europe, South Africa -- all sitting in one room."

(I was pretty shocked to see just what seemed to be representatives from just about the whole world sitting in that book store cafe).

"Like potential invading the horizon, eyes see me faster, I walk slower. Never going home again, and I'm glad to float in this in-between space between words, pause between breaths -- I'll live here in this space. Never going home because here, where I am, is where it is. It found me, whatever this is. And "before" is dead. And now, ripe like an orange, I bite."

"The dogs all wear jackets here, because they have to. It's cold here."

"I didn't mean to look that blond girl in the eye but her coat was so very purple, like eggplant. I haven't had eggplant in a while. I've seen several people cry here because there is no where to cry in private. With no highways, no cars, no monotony of a dotted white line to bring out the sadness and let it flow all the way home. Usually, I'm not sure where to go. So I just guess. There goes the dog again, with the magenta hoodie. Everyone here speaks other languages. I can't tell them apart yet. They all sound like gibberish. I've never been good with languages. I'm excited for what I'm about to experience soon, except for the hostel. I don't really want that."

"I'm quite content squished in among other humans all with arms and legs and hopes and nothing much more."

"I don't want to leave this Starbucks. I don't want the sun to fall so soon because then I'll be wandering the streets again hiding in book stores and coffee shops walking fast and pretending to have somewhere to go."

"But this, in my most fearful time, is me at my best. The closest to who I actually am."

"I will risk everything for this -- my happiness and the happiness of others is the only thing in the world that matters to me."

"I don't want to be a cog in a wheel, like the cold, cold people here. They seem bored and cut off from everything that matters and that is not what I want. Somehow in the biggest city in the world they are so small with their narrow eyes focused on the few inches of cement on which they walk, and the sky and buildings and architecture and kindess ellude them."

"I lost the headband mom gave me. The maroon one I loved. It fell right off my head when I was walking in the cold with rain drizzling. I noticed in a store reflection that it had fallen off and was probably on the wet pavement blocks behind me, but I wouldn't let myself look back. It was gone like Arizona, and I had to keep walking."

"It's nice here because no one looks over. No one notices -- or at least, they pretend not to and they do a very good job of that."

"My purse smells like garlic because, silly me, carried garlic bread in there."

"I fear I may have picked something up in the hostel. Seven days of non-stop accents of every kind. Sometimes after talking to the British people I noticed the thoughts in my head sounded British, but the English accent wasn't very good, kind of like Bridget Jones."

"I miss that headband that fell on the street.I miss my mom. I miss my dad and the biscotti that he used to make. It's strange to feel that this is so right , but at the same time have no clue why I'm here. I miss my friends and I've only been here for two weeks. They say you can't be happy looking back or looking forward, and I think that is true."

"My goal is not to look terrified, and also to not "be" terrified. Both are important."

"The waiter asks if I'm alone, and I say yes. He asks 'is everything okay' and he means the food, I think. I wonder where everyone is buying their skinny jeans because they're all boot cut in the stores."

"I woke up and the Swedish girl said 'Jew-lay, I don't think I can go to the parade. I'm too tired,' followed by the British boy on the top bunk saying 'Jew-lay, have fun at the parade.' It was so strange to wake up and have five strangers in the room, all talking to me in the darkness in heavy accents."

Cute

There was this cute little girl in the coffee place with her nanny, but the girl seemed unusually unpretentious. You know, normally you see little toddlers in their strollers demanding desserts as the nannies anxiously call parents to make sure it's ok that she has four cupcakes, as she then demands she wants a dog, and so on...

Anyway, it was cute because the little girl knew the names of the guys who work here and on the way out said bye to them all, and I had Sesame Street flashbacks, because on that show the little kids knew all the people in the neighborhood and they were all friendly. I suddenly felt like a muppet for a second, which is a much better feeling than shootings on this street.

Why does cleaning take so long? I'll never understand it. And the minute you dust something, it is dusty again. Just seems like such a waste of time.