Sleeping Beauty and the Snow Queen

Last week Cutie performed at Riverspace as Sleeping Beauty. She's learning early that if you demand something you will get it. I'm her mom and she really doesn't have the it factor. She is so my daughter.

Today was our first snow at the new house. Our driveway is long and we live on a private road. Paulo came home from work and had to park at the bottom of the mountain because the snow plow was stuck. He finally hiked to the house (about .4 miles.)There are 5 houses on the mountain and we each chip in and pay for a snow plow to our driveway. Rather than paying $100 for the snow plow to plow our driveway, Paulo and I did it. Our driveway is about 2 city blocks. The economy is pretty bad right now. If you lost your job there's not one to be had. If you still have a job, there are no bonuses, raises and in some cases your salary was cut.

The only ones making out like bandits are people who work for the government. They are not effected. The bad news is the 1 of 6 people in Rockland county work for the government. This is a problem and we must leave New York as soon as we can. Why should I pay high salaries to people who aren't needed and can't be fired. I'm starting to have a real problem with this.

Mean Girls and Working Together

Cutie just turned 4. She has a best friend in school and apparently they spend all their time playing princess mermaid .... together. They are in different classes and only see each other at playtime 3 days a week. Apparently playing together is upseting the balance of the class. Cutie and I talked about this and we agreed that she will include other children into her princess play. Today she said she did (her best friend doesn't come to school on Thur.) She played princess and the tiger. We'll see about tomorrow.

"The people at Noggin change the movies on TV and the games on the computer. So do the people at Nick Jr. And the people at Noggin and Nick Jr. sometimes work together." Cutie got this whole media business figured out. High five fingers.

End of an Era

Bombing of Bombay (Mumbai) is making me sad. I was there in the early 90's when it was Bombay. I was at the Oberion and Tal Mahal Hotels. Usually for drinks with fellow travellers. Ever since I did a report on India in middle school I wanted to go. So when I finally did it was a dream come true. I loved travelling around India. The people I met were interesting on many levels. Whether it was the train (travelling second class) and was asked if I was a Christian ("no I'm Jewish") or meeting a student from South Africa who was making a pilgrimage to the country of his parents, I was never bored and had to live by my wits.
Hoping for Peace in India.

And the Bulldog coffee shop in Amsterdam is closing. OK that's not on the same level as Mumbai, but it made me think about the closing of Piccolino's resturant on Amsterdam Ave on the UWS. They made the best pasta ever. My mom, mom's friend Barbara, brother and I went one snowy evening for dinner. We each ordered a pasta and every few minutes we moved our dish to the left. That way we all shared a cornucopia of delight.

Thanksgiving and Stuff

We are in Washington, DC visiting Paulo's family.

Your weakness is your strength

Love the 11/17/08 issue of the New Yorker about the campaign.
Did some work for Stokke - buying and reselling Tripp Trapps.
Doing Facebook.
Looking for a job. May have the perfect job soon.
Found someone to pick Cutie up from school. Single mom with 7yo - perfect.

I have learned that nothing is quite so permanent as change. It is simply a part of living and should not be feared

Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) announced today that he would voluntarily give up the chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Committee after 20 years as the panel's top Democrat. Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) will take over the gavel.

Historic Election

There's nothing more to be said and a lot to be learned from the Obama/Biden victory. It's the first time I voted for a president that actually won.

Palin reminded me of Ferraro. They were both pitbulls that showed a side of them that's ugly. We all have an ugly side, but how to contain it is a gift. Obama always seemed to take the high road. We learn that we should take the high road in Jewish thought. But it's how you take the high road that matters. Is that something you can teach? I'll keep this thought in mind.

Thenayspacewhateverrevetahwecaps

Artwork from last week

Yesterday we went to the Guggenheim.

A coincidence?

We took the train from Tarrytown. Cutie told me they read a story about Helen Keller. She said she had determination. That means that you try and do it and do it and do it.

a cutie!

People, Parties, and Pumpkins

It's been a busy weekend. On Friday we had C's birthday party and then the group birthday party at Shul. Yesterday, Paulo went to close the house on FI. Cutie and I went to drama, the fair at the Waldorf school and the annual pumpkin party at Julie's house.

I met some great people at all the parties. I meet more people who are smart. I met people who commute into the city. I met people looking to change our local government so we can lower our taxes.

This may be the start of something. We may have been inspired by the idiot Palin - but we are all voting Obama (wishing it was Clinton instead, but like the eloquent choice of Biden)
Perhaps a website is in order to track stupidity in our local government.

Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean King and Me

Yesterday I watched Oprah. Gloria Steinem, Billie Jean and Maria Shriver were guests. Gloria and Billie are responsible for who I am today. I remember watching the Billie Jean and Bobbie Riggs tennis match on TV as a pre-teen. Gloria somehow came into my field of influence around the same time.

We lived in Brooklyn until I was six. I had a friend Pierre who gave me a penny to enter a carnival set up by neighbors. It was just homemade games and after we went in it was not worth the penny. So we left and Pierre, having to pee, went on a tree. I thought it wasn't fair that girls couldn't do that. Call it early penis envy. I also went to a school that separated girls from boys. I thought that wasn't fair either. I don't know why I felt this way - but I did. It was 1969.

We moved to the burbs. My new Hebrew Day School had boys and girls in the same class. And then there was the Billie Jean King- Bobbie Riggs tennis game. Billie Jean won and I felt great. It was then I decided I wanted to be better than the boys in sports. I was upset that little league didn't include girls and they let me play. I wasn't as good as all the boys at school or camp, but I could hold me own and was picked for a team before many of the boys. I did, however, beat them all at swimming.

I learned about Gloria from my dad. Ms. Magazine was starting and his cosmetics company "Monica Simone Cosmetics" had a logo using the initials "MS". They wanted permission to name the magazine Ms. (My early experience with trademark law). My dad said OK. His rational is that it could only help his company. I guess my dad was a feminist without even knowing it.

I was not a follower of Gloria. I did go to Washington, DC to change the world and work on the extension of the Equal Rights Amendment and in Geraldine Ferraro's office when she was a member of Congress.
I didn't hang on to every word of Gloria's. I sort of remember hearing the she got married. She was always a subtle breeze for me. Without realizing it I was tuned in to her. It was around that time I was thinking it may be time for me to consider getting serious about finding a partner. I even lightened my hair. I meet Paulo in 2001. He was the first guy I ever was serious with that didn't care if we got married or not. You should always marry the person you don't have to marry.

So here's to you Gloria and Billie Jean. As for Maria - well your girls are at an all girls school. It's sort of against everything I believe in. And I'm sure it's a great school. However your comment about being the leader you want to see - resonates with me. Our goal now is to make women around the world equal. But how can I get Cutie to see there's better things in life than Princesses.

Meta Cognitive

I use TV as a babysitter. I turn on Noggin and there's an announcement. Blue's clues enhances preschoolers yadda yadda and meta coginitive skills. Is that supposed to make me feel less guilty?

You can never have too many toys

Yesterday I had to go to the beach house to ready it for winter. It's Sukkot and Cutie didn't have school. I dropped her off at my brother's house and she spent the day playing with her 4 cousins. She had a fab time and left with the traditional parting gifts of old toys. Apparently her girl cousins (ages 6. 8. 10) are into sports and not princesses. We really didn't need a drum liner bag filled with polly pockets and more. Cutie said "you can never have too many toys".

I think the recession may be good for us. Children are given too much stuff. Guilty as charged.

Is it time to move to New Zealand?

Both Obama and McCain don't get it

Obama's missed opportunity. Joe the Plumber.
First Joe the Plumber can set up his business. His taxes won't increase under Obama's plan unless he pays himself $250,000 per year. He can still hire people in his business. Profits go back into the business. They both don't get small business. McCain's message is easy. Under Obama's plan Joe will pay higher taxes because a plumber makes $250,000.

Smart small business people work the system. However, they get screwed with health insurance. Another missed opportunity.

Birthday Sunshine

We woke up to pouring rain and moved the 1pm party inside the house. At 1:30 the sun was shining. The children didn't seem to mind. Gotta love them.

Rosh Song and I'm running

How cute is she eating radishes?

I'm running
http://www.tsgnet.com/pres.php?id=370743&altf=Npojdb&altl=Gfggfs

Envy

Cutie is taking drama class. They are doing Sleeping Beauty this season. Today one of the girls came to class with a dress that resembled one that Sleeping Beauty would wear. Cutie looked at her with envy.

I remember when I was in 1st grade the teacher made a comment about a dress the one of my classmates was wearing. I demanded to wear my red velvet dress the next day. I did not get any positive reinforcement from the teacher (who I remember hating).

It was at that moment I think I decided that I didn't care what people think. I hope she has a similiar experience.

More On Palin

http://news.spreadit.org/ann-kilkennykilkenny-palin-email/

Protest Rally

At the last minute, after dropping Cutie off at school, my friend an I ventured into the city to protest Iran's plan to destroy the State of Israel. President Ahmandinejad of Iran was scheduled to address the UN.

At first both Hilary Clinton and Sarah Palin were to address the group. Hilary pulled. The Jewish Organizations then cancelled Palin.

After dropping Cutie at school, my rally friend gave me an article to read. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017359617&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

This morning I read http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fg-iran23-2008sep23,0,1812871.story?track=ntothtml

I'm very worried.

What Hilary did was wrong. She shouldn't have pulled out because of Palin. What the UJA and Jewish council did was wrong. They shouldn't have disinvited Palin.

The women of the west should continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with with Planned Parenthood and teach the women of the world how babies are made AND how to stop them from getting or being pregnant.

The missed opportunity is what I've been saying - We should turn the tables on every country that treats women as slaves and deprives them with of control of their wombs and their faces, hair, arms. legs, minds and hearts. Any person that tells a women what she can't seek to end an unwanted pregnancy, especially in cases of violent acts such as rape and incest or against the advice of her doctor, is a form of slavery.

If the US stands alone in supporting Israel, the Jews are in trouble. The US needs to convince the world that the world will not tolerate countries that treat women as second class citizens. Jewish organizations must convince the world that as Jews we will not tolerate women as second class citizens (I'm sorry to say that we need to first convince some of our own first.) All western countries will agree with that statement. And if the christian, jewish, islamic and other "cultures" world comes around to this way of thinking - Israel may have a fighting chance.

As I see it the right for a women to do want she wants is not that far from the support of Israel in the face of Islamic extremeism. It's not about abortion - it's about the rights of women.

Let's get the world focused on the rights of women to diffuse the focus on Israel. It's a much easier sell. Now is the time with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni being a women.

What's happening in our old apartment on the UWS

We are still on the building email list. I just received this one today. So glad to be in the burbs!

Hi All,
We have new washers/dryers, Yeah!
However, there have already been problems with the cards being read correctly and the machine that refills the cards.
Unfortunately, computer error is notorious with these machines. Maybe we can nip these potential problems in the bud before a lot of aggravation.
How about owning our own washers and dryers outright with a good service contract. It would probably be a great deal cheaper when we consider the collective cost of what we spend on either cards/quarters over the course of a year. Not to mention all the potential aggravation of machines that don't read the cards consistently.
Warm Regards,
D&M #C

Cuties First Experience with Party Crashing

Cutie went to a Birthday Party at Chuck E Cheese. This was my first experience at the place. The only game I liked was skee ball and Cutie is pretty bad at it.

After we had cake Cutie joined another group that was running around with the Chuck E Cheese mouse. She joined them for birthday cake.

The best parties are the ones you crash. It's probably because you anticipate a party and it's usually a dud. But when you stumble upon one and go in - magical things happen.

Cutie didn't realize she was crashing a party. She thought everyone at the place was there for her birthday friend.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni

A women Israelli Prime Minister. I wish Hillary was running.

The Tanking Dow

Who's short? Who's making money from this? Who will be buying stocks in the next few months? I bet friends of Bush are making out like bandits. If Hal was on the verge of bankruptcy, the US would be bailing them out.

Mad Men, Bill Gates and Seinfeld

I DVR the AMC series Mad Men. I love that show. I grew up with advertising in the 1980's. I was born in the 60's and if not for those women in Mad Men I would not have had the opportunities that I did.

With the DVR you fast forward through the commericals. But I stoped when I saw Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld in an ad. I watched the ad for Microsoft and marvel at the creative brilliance. You have no idea what they are selling until the end. Gates and Seinfeld are cultural icons on different sides of the spectrum.
Here's the commerical - it's brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afR5J7eskno

http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-us&vid=df102345-4270-41be-8a0d-c6b284aeced7&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:d6ed1c4d-10e0-4774-885a-e19c5fba2e73%2Cf56728a6-b6c5-4620-a894-f546ab372298%2C763f96bd-cd71-47c6-8a8a-b8a6919763bd&from=msnweather&tab=m137&GT1=42003

I miss working.

Movies I want Paul

New Jeans and Lord & Taylor

I'm picking Cutie up at school and I notice that I have a huge rip in my jeans exposing my butt. Yes, I think it's time for new jeans. But those were perfect summer jeans (so thin you could see through them) and only 10 years old. Then I realized. I haven't bought jeans in a very long time. My youngest pair is eight.

Off the the Mall. First to H&M. Hate shopping for jeans there. It's a pain. Nothing is organized. All the styles and sizes are mushed together. Then to Lord & Taylor. I love L&T. Everytime I go to L&T I find something. Earlier this summer is was three pairs of sandals. Now two pairs of jeans. I told a friend I bought new jeans and she asked me what kind. I really didn't know so I answered the kind that fit.

I have to remember to tell her they are Lucky Brand (wide leg - size 25/0) and BCBG (size 27). I'm not sure that's good or not. I don't trust the size thing anymore. So I went to look at my other jeans. My youngest is Seven (8yo - size 28) and my 10yo twins (2 pair the same - size 4) are Deisel. I have a Gap in there - but the're not that comfortable.

Regarding the sizes - they are a big lie. I'm a size 40 European and that translates into an 8. They like to make fat Americans feel better by making smaller size larger than they should be. Gotta love marketing.

Three Kinds of Right

We're in the car and I like telling Cutie what we are doing.
"At the corner we will be making a right".
She said "mommy, there are two kinds of 'right' - the kind when you write and when you make a right."
"You're right!"
"Mommy there's three kinds of right.
Clever girl.
now, if I can only get her off mermaids.....

You Tube and Mermaids

Cutie discovered YouTube and we added Disney Little Mermaid Hebrew to our web page. She then watched Mermaid in Swedish, Chinese, and languages I really never thought of. There was even a Mermaid with compilation of different languages. How's that for world peace. Eventually she came upon a "How to Make a Mermaid Tail" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtwnOQg_KH8

For days now she's been begin me to make a Mermaid Tail for her. We are renovating our house and learning from mistakes. My personality is such that I want something and people are sometimes afraid to say no. Hence, I told the contractor I wanted the bathroom to be close as possible - almost touching to give it a smooth sleek look. In the tile store they are touching. He did this. The problem was that it looks like it's touching but there's really a small grout line - 1/16-inch. We have to do the floor tile again and when I reordered the tile Laura from Fuda Tile in Ramsey (gotta go to NJ for the good stuff) gave me her guy. We have to do the tiles again.

On the way home I stop at JoAnns and bought mermaid fabric. Yes, just ask the salesperson for mermaid fabric and she pointed me in the right direction. Paulo made the costume since he didn't go to work because of his knee (first his Achilles in May, then the knee issue in July - I married him to have a sports partner - so not happening). OK - he made the costume because I can't. I knit the sea blanket!

Pinkalicious and a Trip to Fire Island

Last Sunday Cutie and I went with A to see Pinkalicious the Musical. She was mesmorized the entire time. After the show there's an opportunity for autographs and photos.

Then we went to Fire Island. We invited friends for the day and I was concerned that parking would be a problem and their mood would be crappy. This was not the case. They were great guests. Love FI as much as we do.

Palin Did A Great Job Delivering a Message. But She Needs Talmud

Talmud. The great teacher of logic. You don't spend money on something that will cost you more money. You don't not spend money if you will get a bigger reward if you do. That's the secret of the rich.
The hungry in Africa who have lots of children cost me money. I want birth control education for all. It will lift people up in one generation.

So here's an article by Gloria Steinem that sums it up.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-steinem4-2008sep04,0,7915118.story

Palin's an idiot

A 17-year old pregnant daughter!!! Ms Palin - you can't even manage your family and you want to manage the world. Are you insane? If your 17-year old daughter or son is having a child you haven't brought them up well. You didn't do a good job managing the governorship and being a parent. Even your husband is a moron for not helping you. Therefore you are a double moron for picking a partner who is useless and being usless yourself. And the moronic republicans are saying Where are the feminists? Voting against this stupid mother who married a useless man and both useless people managed to forget to educate their children.
It's how I see it.

Last Two weeks of August 2008

Cutie and I did a few things this summer
We went to the waterfalls. Before my grandma Ida died she lived in the apartment building right next to the Brooklyn Bridge. She would have had a gorgous view of the waterfalls. Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Bridge waterfall was not working when we took the boat.
Even thought last year I finally got installation art and I was inspired by Olafur Eliasson at MOMA this past June. I'm sorry to say nexay on waterfall thing.

The other video was taken at Masthope, PA. We went for the weekend. I'm happy to say Yesay on the Masthope Day.

McCain is An Idiot

I don't think he wants to be pres. His pick for VP kills any chance he may have had. Now Bloomberg or Pataki - he had a shot.

Perhaps he's thinking long term. Yes, she's now on the national stage and a Republican Women as a choice for next election. But why? If she was that good she could have done it on her own - when she was ready. But I guess he's hoping for a cabinet position in the future. NOT.

The Democratic Convention

I was an intern at the DNC midterm convention in 1982. My issues back then as they are now are simple. Equal Rights for all and the right for a women to choose. Back then both political parties agreed with those things although the shift in the Republican party away from those values was in the toddler stage.

I like the profound shift from "The American Dream" to The American Story" is forefront and center. The problem I have with the Democrats are the stories. So Hilary talks about a women who adopts two autistic children and doesn't have health insurance when she finds out she has cancer. Am I the only person who sees a problem with this story? The story should be about the high occurrences of autism in this country. Not about a stupid decision to want to help children when they haven't planned for themselves.

And what's all this crap catering to "families". What about those who don't have or want families? Do they not vote?

All the Republicans are in a mess. They will feel the backlash of the evil social conservatives.

The Democrats are going to win this election. The Democrats will mess up and it's now time for some young and socially progressive Republicans who grew up poor, worked very hard to get their piece of the American Dream to begin their ascent.

There is a reality about why most people are poor. They make stupid choices when they are young. They give up on education. Look at all the people in the Democratic party. They grew up poor and made it. They think that making it easy for the poor will help. It will help get the Democrats elected. The end product is we will have a country of people who don't want to work too hard. I see this with high school students. They want life to be easy.

And did you see that STUPID guy on PBS from Brandeis University. I was truly embarrassed for Brandeis and I lost respect for them. I hope they fire the idiot. Oh they can't - he's a minority.

The Problem of Public Education

So I'm looking for a babysitter and thought it might be a good idea to contact the Nyack High School guidance counselor. I'm on the website and start visiting pages. I came across this doosey about attendance.
http://hs.nyackschools.org/www/nyack_hs/site/hosting/ATTENDANCE.pdf

They use terms like legal and illegal to be absent from school. What crap is that. I feel bad for the next generation. No tolerace for learning, growing and gaining wisdom from errors. We will have the most boring generation ever.

Fair Oaks Bungalow Colony Reunion

On Sunday, Cutie and I went to my Fair Oaks Bungalow Colony reunion. It was great to see everyone. People looks the same just 35 years later. It was so nice to see everyone. I was at the bungalow colony for 2 years with my family in the mid seventies. Everyone at the reunion reminisced about the great times we had and how our children would never have the opportunity to know such summer freedom of running around unsupervised at such young ages. (I was 12-13). People remarked on how they watched my younger brother (and me) on "Queer Eye" and were upset he wasn't there. He didn't want to go because he said he didn't remember anyone or anything. They remembered him.
The reunion idea started with a visit in 1975 to the now run-down place. Renee rock still existed with LEE spray painted on the top. You could see it from the highway. I remember Renee rock as the make out place.
I had my first boyfriend that summer. He wasn't at the reunion, but his brother was. I inquired about him. Did he become a Brain Surgeon? No, an Oncologist - but now he plays Texas Hold-em. It's funny. 27 years later I married Paulo. Paulo is very similar to the first boyfriend I had. Paulo has a PhD in Astrophysics and in now into telescopes. I liked to compete in sports with the first and I can't wait for Paulo to recover from is seemingly never end of sports injuries so we can compete once again.
Cutie was so patient as I played Volleyball that day. She is ready to watch Paulo and I do sports. With the Olympics on TV this week, we are teaching her the value of sports. And it's working.

Color War song sung to Scarbourough Fair.
The summer is over the war is all done
Green and Red teams united as one.
The mountains are round and the waters so clear
Fair Oaks Camp we'll see you next year.

Listen to laughter of children at play
They enjoy their last summers day
Good times had we tranquility
Fair Oaks Camp how far can you be.

The Reality of the Olympics

Reality shows are popular. I'm afraid to admit I really like "You think you can dance". The Olympics is a global reality show. Why won't it be popular?

Tired of Making Dinner

When Paulo and I were hanging together I pretty much made dinner every night. At some point I stopped. I just ran out of things to make. Last week in the dentist chair I came across a recipe for Caramelized Black Perpper Chicken '98 from Food & Wine Mag and made it for dinner.
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3TB fish sauce
1/4 water
3 TB rice vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic
fresh ginger
1 ts ground pepper
2 Thai chilies
1 TB canola oil
1 shallot thinly sliced
1 lb chicken breast
cilantro

I had most of the ingredients and Paulo has this aversion to cilantro. It was actually quite good. But I'm off the whole cooking thing. We eat a lot of pasta and salad.

Cutie swimming at camp

Mommy you need that.

Last week I desparately needed to get my hair colored. Yes, I'm going gray. My color was awful and I don't really like the way my hair feels when I do it myself. I made an appointment at the salon and Cutie came with me. They gave her a haircut and I got a haircut and color. She was thinking about coloring her hair pink and I just wanted to cover the gray. She was fabulous for the 2 hours at the salon. Of course I did bribed her with a piece of chocolate cake from the French bakery.

This morning Cutie was watching TV while I'm doing her hair. A commercial comes on for a hair product that helps you get rid of your gray.
"Mommy you need that."
"Why?"
"To get rid of your gray".
"Thank you for letting me know".

Super Yummy

Cutie has a new expression. Super. So not only do I make the best salad ever, it's super yummy.

These are the little things that make my life happy. This summer we decided to renovate a few bits of the house. I'm in construction and picking out colors hell. I'm thinking of contacting a decorating show.

Mommy, you make the best salad ever.

The exuberance cutie has when she like something is amazing. I mean it was only salad with her favorite vegies and some Tuscan Italian dressing from Trader Joes.
She says things like that when she gets a present she likes. But when she doesn't love something - she's silent.
We went to the library to list the books we read this summer. When you hit a certain number of books you get a prize. She didn't like the plastic backscatcher. Silence. The other librarian came over and offered her a butterfly container. That she took.
How do I keep up her joy of life without having her fake it for every little thing? Or will she be like me. Get totally excited and passionate when things are really interesting and bored when things are ho hum.
It's in the genre of "if I have one good thought each week, I'm doing well." One exuberance a week - I'm doing something right.

Yes to the GPS

My partner (aka husband) says that I'm negative. My mother says that I'm negative. I'm not really negative, just things don't always meet my expectations so I complain. So here's something I love.
The GPS.

A Mermaid named Cutie - Swimming in the pool

Gotta love camp! She's not only putting her head underwater - she's swimming!

See How My Garden Grows

Second tomato

basil

corn

Cutie was born several weeks early. She came the week we were planning to close our beach house. Since we were living in NYC at the time, we tried to grow tomatoes at the beach. Paulo went to the house alone and brought back our first tiny tomato. It didn't taste that good.

Almost 4 years later I'm growing tomatoes in my backyard. I didn't think anything would happen - but Voila. My first beefstake tomato. We are also growing corn, basil, watermelon (I kept some seeds from last year), some sort of bean that needs a trellis, and spagetti squash. Only the tomatoes, basil and corn seem to be producing fruit. We hope to pick our first (second tomato very soon.)

The weird thing is that there are tomato plants growing near our old sink drainage pipe. Before we fix our septic tank, our kitchen sink water used to just go directly into the ground. Is it possible that these plants are from disgarded seeds? How cool is that?

Shelly is Leaving

I worked at Ogilvy & Mather on and off for about 4 years and loved it. If I were a corporate company and needed an ad agency and had lots to spend I would call Shelly Lazarus. She is stepping down after 37 years. She worked her way up and made women proud. We wish her well.

Everything in NJ

When we decided to move to the burbs - I said anywhere but NJ. When you live in NY you have the opinion of NJ that you could never live there. It's an industrial state that smells when you drive on the turnpike. There's always traffic when you drive through the state - there's just something annoying about NJ.

Now that I live in the NY Rockland County burbs. I'm forever going to NJ for things. And you know what - It's not bad. In fact, it's quite nice. I love my house - but if I found my house in NJ I would move there in a flash. What's so great about NJ? Let's start with the gas. First it has the cheapest prices and they pump for you. - Gotta love that. Every home decorating place is there - my tile place, I bought my bathroom vanity on the internet from there, clothing - I still get my hair done in NY - I'm still afraid of Jersey hair, but for things NJ the place to be.

This Years Garden

This year I'm trying to grow tomatoes, basil, corn, green beans, watermelon, spagetti squash, and a few more things. Since I just throw seeds around and hope for the best, I sometimes forget what I'm trying to plant.

Tomatoes are growing all over the place. Even where the sink water used to drain. This is funny because I didn't plant those tomatoes - but they are growing nicely. I need to get some stakes. They are tipping over with heavy green tomatoes.

The basil is growing nicely as is the corn. I'm not sure the the green beans are doing. Maybe you can help.

Yahoo - What to do?

My first real moneymaking stock was Netscape on a boyfriend tip. Got rid of the boyfriend and tripled my initial investment in 3 months. A year later I bumped into the ex and thanked him for the Netscape tip. He said buy $10,000 worth of Yahoo. It was the very late 90's. I did and did a double in a month. I was greedy so later that year I called for a tip and I was told to short Qualcomm. Big mistake - lost everything I gained. - Pigs get slaughtered. If I'd only have held out for one year I would have been fine. But I was working to pay my margin call - not to mention the rent. I even stopped eating lunch.
Back to Yahoo. So after 9/11 and the tanking market the year that followed, I was picking up Yahoo on the way down. I sold half at the Mister Softy announcement and kept the other because I met/worked with Roy Bostock at one of his ad agencies. He was clueless about the internet then and probably still is. I like to be in the game so I left on the table. I got the Carl Icahn proxy and a phone call to support his team. I was all set to do that except - There is not one women on his board. So now I'm looking to Jerry Yang and want to know his vision.
Will I Yahoo again?

Cutie Speak

Cutie Speak.
For over a year cutie comes up with her own words and definitions.
Chalisy Chalisy means I want to dance.
Ten means you have the last house.

Speaking of dancing - Zumba is the exercise class I took today at the JCC. Yes, even though I think the JCC tagline "you belong here" is pathetic and didn't join earlier because of it. (I want to be part of something that is cool - not where everyone goes. And, of course, the Woody Allen quote rings true for me - I never want to belong to any club that would have someone like me for a member.) But with the contractors coming everyday to work on our house - I need a place to go while they are working. Anyway.

Zumba is wrong for me - I don't do well with aerobic classes. I'm too tall and thin. I need to stick to yoga, pilates, and things that guys do.
Oh well.

Spain Design Gets It

I'm coming back from Fuda tile and see a sign "kitchen and bath" Porcelanosa. Never heard of them. Stop by anyway. WOW - It's me. I felt like Cutie in a toy store of fairy mermaids (she's into that these days - more on that later).
OMG - Porcelanosa gave me chills. Finally someplace that has what I like. And it's not that expensive. It's more than Fuda Tile but less than the slate tile I bought at Home Depot.
The amazing thing is that Laura at Fuda Tile (The New Yorker should do a story on her) can read people and direct them to the tile that you didn't even know they were looking for. You come in clueless, she asks you a few questions, picks out a few things, you take it home and OMG - it's it.
Porcelanosa style looks like a Prada showroom. They manufacture everything from tile to fixtures to cabinets.
The thing is that tile I pick out and had in my car trunk was similar to Porcelanosa. The bath vanity from Sonia was similar. Both my Sonia and Porcelansosa are Spainish companies.
Italy - you are losing me to Spain.

I could have told you that.

using history as a yardstick, life actually is better and richer and fuller, with more opportunities than ever before.
"Objectively things are going real well," says author Gregg Easterbrook, who discusses the disconnect in his book "The Progress Paradox: How Life Gets Better While People Feel Worse."
We are very spoiled.

Renovations On The House

We started fixing things. First it was the water, septic, and roof. Now it's the broken bathrooms, electrical and general things that don't work or are dangerous. Rockland County isn't known for good clean design. It's so hard to find modern anything. Most people here think expensive in terms of square feet and they have middle class tastes of what looks good.
I wanted a Duravit bathroom. I was told I had to wait 8 months for a toliet. So I'm doing toto. The bathtub and vanity will be purchased online.
Here's a list of people and places we recommend:
Contractor - Joseph Franco
Septic system - (to come
Well water - to come
Tucek - roof
Fuda tile in Ramsey NJ - thanks to my friend who recommended them.


Here's a list of people who could be more helpful.
Home Depot and Home Expo - useless. You can't even find someone to order something.
AF plumbing Congers. you got to know what you want- They make you pick stuff up and check. No returns
Rockland Tile -Valley Cottage - The jury is out. At least they are always there.

Latest Cutie Photos

Here's some photos from a wedding a few weeks ago.

Too Sad to Say Please

Cutie is whining. She want's OJ and can't say please because she is too sad. Whay? Daddy's not home.

We just got something from Cutie's school that is leading me to believe I made a "not so smart" decision. First the mailing should have been paperless. Second how they phrased things in the mailing was really stupid.
1. What's this crap about choice between Spanish and Talmud. They should have both
2. Why are there two math classes. At level and Above level. There is no reason why everyone shouldn't be above level. That's what happened when I was in 7th and 8th grade. If they put me in a lower math class, I wouldn't have felt that I could do it. Stupid Stupid Stupid.
3. What so many binders. One binder with sections.

Wizard of Oz

Cutie watched the Wizard of Oz tonight. I can't wait to tell her the meaning of the story. It was written because of modernization. The US was going off the gold standard (OZ) and to an economic system based on the wizard behind the curtain. Farmers were now at the mercy of the financial markets.

Ugly People and Those Who Don't Get It.

So I'm at dinner with one of Cutie's friend's mom. I just finished telling her how looking back at my education the thing I didn't appreciate enough while learning it was The Talmud. it looks like I have to choose between Talmud and Spanish at Cutie's school. This is not a choice I wish to make. I'll deal with that later.
Anyway.
Cutie's friend's mom told a story about how her husband put in a larger and more expensive window on a house than the contract called for. The owners did not want to pay. They wanted it fixed to what it said in the contract. (I don't know the details - but I'm guessing that the window overwhelmed the room and the builder got a deal on that window. A good builder would have checked with the client.)
Anyway, Her food arrived and she ate half her food and then wanted to send it back or not pay for it because the veg ables in her vegetable plate were made with butter and she doesn't like butter. (After she ate half). Her rational was that the menu should have said it was made with butter.
I told her that it was like the story with her husband who installed a bigger window without telling the clients. She couldn't see the parallel logic. She needs Talmud.
The scary part is that people like her cast a bad light on people like me. I fear for our future. We need to be better than everyone else in the world. We need to be an example. We are not like everyone else.

Two Flowers And A Chair

I just want to document Cutie's artistic flair. Both these pictures have stories. The bottom one is Chair. She had a dream on how to draw a chair.

MOMA - I Love All These Pictures

Last week Cutie and I went to MOMA. There was an installation artist that worked with color and light. Olafur Eliasson. It wasn't as good as the psycodelic 60's at the Whitney last summer or the mirror floor, but it may help me pick colors for the house. She also liked http://moma.org/exhibitions/exhibitions.php?id=7821. Cutie wouldn't leave until she saw the entire watermelon video by Israeli artist Sigalit Landau. She also seemed to like Jackson Pollack "White Light". She calls the painting "Falling Rainbow". http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A4675&page_number=30&template_id=1&sort_order=1

Mermaids and Fairies

We also started reading Rainbow Magic book series (rainbow fairies). She really wants a mermaid book. Here's her vision of underwater life with mermaids. I think she was influenced by the work at MOMA (We went last week). She's using the entire surface area.

I Can't Register to Vote!!!

This is absurd. I can't get a document proving I live at my address. The Post office has a defect in the system and all my bills go to my neighbors house because we aren't in the system. I tell the utilities, banks and credit card companies - but the system automatically goes to our neighbors. We get our mail because the postal carrier knows our name and correct address - But guess what? It doesn't matter how much you pay in taxes, It's not possible for me to register to vote.

I have to find out who our MOC is. I hope they are on the postal committee.

Sex, Shoes and Finance

I finally saw the Sex and the City movie. I went alone one morning while Cutie was at school. It's $6 for a movie ticket before 12n. Who knew? There were only a few people in the theater as I drank my smuggled in a Starbucks. There are all these chick flicks coming up this summer and I may need a place to hide out for a few hours while Cutie is at camp. Can't wait.

I think that's why it worked because were are all a composite of the group. The only difference is that I would have left Big years ago. They never come around. That was the flaw with the series ending. Also, I bought stocks not fashion. That was my 90's obsession. I married a combination of Aiden and Harry. How does Miranda stay with Steve? Yuk! I would have gone crazy.

Anyway, in about 20 years there will be another Sex and the City. When they are seniors. It will be sort of a Golden Girls for Gen X and Baby Boomer overlap. Who will still be alive? What have they done? The best part is that there's an opportunity to do a few versions in the silver and golden years. I hope they are still into it.

BTW
Today I bought 3 pairs of shoes at Lord & Taylor. I always find shoes there. Why I try and find them at the discount places I don't know. It's always a home run at L&T.
I picked up Calvin dresses in at their sale in January. Now I have shoes to go with them. With a wedding, engagement party and other things to go to this month, I sort of needed a refresh. I can finally throw out those espadrilles that are falling apart.

What's So Funny?

Cutie was watching TV this morning and started laughing. What's so funny I asked? I'm watching TV and the cartoon is watching TV.

I think I was 11 before I thought taking a picture of someone taking a picture was kinda cool.

They do grow up fast.

Fun in the Sun

We had a great long weekend on Fire Island. Cutie has been arguing with this boy in class over the fact that she is a princess. He said she is not a princess and she's very upset. You tell her that only what she thinks is important. Even at 3-1/2 there is peer pressure. So I invited the boys family to the beach.

At school today they were best friends.

The Aura Of The City - So Over It.

Not looking forward to Thursday. First I drop Paulo off at work in NJ then head to Great Neck.


My sis in law is being honored in Great Neck. For what, I don't know. I think it's for being very nice and helping others. Also she has more friends than ants at a picnic. The more friends who go to the luncheon, the more money the charity collects. Can you tell, I'm not a fan of these things. But I'm happy for her.




Cutie doesn't have school on Thursdays so she's with me for the luncheon. Then it's off to the other sis in laws for some cousin play. She was bamboozled into going even though she has a full-time job in the city. So she's home with her daughter.


I then drop Cutie off with Paulo in NJ. He takes the car and I take public transport the rest of the day. First to nyc on the Spanish buses - love them -- get off at the GW terminal, pick up the subway to meet an old work friend who's visiting from Texas. She's an empty nester and just moved to downtown Houston. I remember the aura of the city. Ha. I'm so over it. Life is so much easier in the burbs. Going home is lovely. Metro North's Hudson line is movie like. You go up the Hudson with scenic views.



Almost all my city friends and their friends left. My gf finally agreed to give up her 4th floor tiny walkup apartment for 2K/month (and this was a good deal) and move back home for the birth of her baby. That she was even considering staying in the city without a high income and full-time nanny is beyond my comprehension now. Babies in the burbs are so much easier.

My other gf just got an unsolicited offer for her uws 1BR apartment - $780K no broker fee or lawyer fees to pay. She's taking it and not looking back. She was the last hold out of her friends.



The city is a big party will lots of friends and things to do. After 20 years it's time to leave the party. We overstay our welcome and get kicked out because of costs, crowds and craziness when we just want peace and quiet. It's important to make changes in your life when things are not fabulous. It keeps you young.



Many years ago someone told me I lived life like a movie. It wasn't given as a compliment. I remember smiling and thinking - Yeah, I'll be interesting. Yeah, I'm still interesting even though I now live in the burbs.



I still love "Sex And The City" and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. I was disappointed at the TV series ending. It gave hope to every women pineing for their old bf when the right one was just around the corner.



My only ? Do I see it with my new gfs or see it alone in an empty theater. Maybe I'll do both.

Tell Tell Tales

At school, they had a butterfly farm and let the butterflies free this week. The egg, the caterpillar the chrysalis and the butterfly. When they let the butterflies out Cutie's words of advice was "Be careful of the cars.

That brings me to Snow White. I understand where the story comes from. It's not that the mother is so vain she wants to be the fairest in the land. It's just that she would like to stop entertaining Snow White every moment of the day. (they didn't have computers back then) She never had time to take a shower or blow dry her hair. You'd think if she was the Queen, they would have had nannies.

Cutie's Brilliance

Cutie was playing a makeup and dressup computer game. First she had to select her model. She said "mommy why aren't their any children in school with brown skin?". I let that one slide. She picked the brown skin model.

I hope there are brown skin children in summer camp.

Happy Mothers Day - Whatever

As you fair readers know I'm not a fan of holidays. Today is no different. Who cares?

My mom watched cutie last night. I showed up at 10pm to sleep over as well.

In the morning my mom and I had an annoyance moment. You know - when you want to do something your way and the other person wants to do it theirs. Among friends it's easy to adjust. With moms - it's like you are talking a different language. Cutie said "grandma why don't you listen to mommy?". Now that was a precious moment.

Cutie had a nice day with grandma. They had their nails done. Cutie was a pro. She pick out her pink nail polish and when they went to put clear on her fingers first - she wiped it off - "I want the pink color that I picked". She was so good they painted flowers on her thumbs. They were supposed to go to a movie but Cutie was hungry so they went out to eat. They picked out two videos from Blockbusters. Water Horse and Barbie. She told me the story of Water Horse in the car. Unfortunately I don't remember it. It's funny my mom said she really wasn't interested in that movie. Then it was on to dinner and a bath followed by bed.

When I asked My mom if she would watch Cutie next week. There was an I'm too busy on her face.

When I was younger we had an apple tree in the backyard. It died a few years after I left home. They removed it and my dad planted a flower where the tree used to be. The flower never bloomed. He died about a year later. While we were sitting shiva my brother pointed to the newly bloomed flower and told us the flower story. The tree and flower spot have been filled in with grass.

But I will always remember.

Israel At 60

Things are not looking well for the Jews in the world. I somehow believe this is the beginning of the end. Israel has become a nation without a vision. Polls in Israel suggest that there's too much income inequality, inept and corrupt leadership, inter-communal strife and intolerance between secular and religious Jews.

It's the intolerance between secular and religious that is the biggest indicator of the beginning of the end. I don't know how to change this. It's too big for me to handle. I just need to prepare.

Hilary or John would be the US candidates if we as Jews were acting like we have peace in the family. But we don't. And Obama will be elected and will do nothing to stop Iran from attacting Israel. Once Israel falls, life as Americans know it will change. Taxes will go up. The Jews will be blamed. Americans will embrass the Arab world. It's a classic history story against the Jews. Yes we will survive, but at what cost.

What to do - What to do.

Gen Z

I've written about the Generation trends. Cutie, I'm guessing, is going to be a Gen Z. What is Gen Z going to be.
The most influential item I can guess is that they will learn how to take the test. Yes. I'm not a fan of government testing in the schools. Teachers are forced to teach the test and not much else.
I heard that the way they teach math today is absurd. They have cute names for functions. And roundabout ways for figuring things out. What was wrong with the old way? I managed quite well. Wait - I had great math teachers and 18 children in a classroom. Let's pay the adminstrators to come up with stupid ideas that help public school children learn to pass the test.

I'm guessing that children who are in private schools will be so far ahead of public school children. It's the private schools that will lead the way in the future. Public Schools are dead. I feel bad for the teachers. A lot of them are quite good.

More on Gen Z as I think about it. Dizney will play a role.

Saint Joan

Several years ago we had friends over to our apartment. We watched a taped the PBS movie Saint Joan by Arther Miller. The tape ended abruptly about 2 crucial minutes before the movie had ended. Does she lie and say she practiced witchcraft to save her life or does she tell the truth and say she didn't.

I remember reading this book in 10th grade. Going to a liberal Jewish School they of course left the decision up to us. It was at that point my comprehension of the world was established. You must learn the ins and outs of telling the truth in order to survive.

Why this post now. Here's the headline

Teacher fired for refusing to sign loyalty oath
By Richard C. Paddock
Another Cal State instructor who objects on religious grounds to a pledge adopted by California in 1952 to root out communists.

Saturn In The Night Sky

Paulo's hobby is looking at the sky with telescopes. He buys them, fixes them and we roll them onto our patio and look at the sky. We also invite friends to come over on clear nights to share the joy. Here's a photo taken April 17, 2008 from our telescope. You can really see it this clear - except it's white. Cutie get so excited looking at the moon and planets. Isn't that what it's all about.

Gotta Love It

The Obama campaign is selling limited edition $15 Vote for Change car magnets. His campaign is brilliant. But do you vote for the campaign or the person. I stopped liking him a few months ago when I realized he wanted to tax middle class people who worked their way through school, work more than they play, and saved all their lives only to give it to lower income folks who like to have children they can't afford, buy expensive things that make them fat, sick and don't believe in constant learning.

Don't get me started.

Not A Fan of Holidays

I always seem to get sick around holiday time. I've had this cold for several weeks and Paulo tore his achilles. Cutie fell on her chin, but not enough for stitches.

I'm very happy that Passover is over. It's basically a holiday about religious freedom. "Let my people go" so they can walk into the forest and celebrate their holiday for a week. We're happy to come back - but right now we need a break. After 10 plaques - Pharoh said "go already" - the squeaky wheel gets what they want.

But wait - life in the desert is no picnic. That's in a few holidays from now.

All these holidays can make someone who likes life boring - stressed.

Thought This Was Interesting But change my mind After Reading It Again

Without a clear identity, many Americans suffer from an inability to ever completely assimilate. To make matters worse, we are torn between competing impulses to fit in and stand out. To deal with this tension, psychological research suggests that we seek out social sub-groups within larger communities as a way to achieve "optimal distinctiveness." In other words, we try to blend into the larger community around us by the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, and other symbols of assimilation, but maintain our individuality by finding smaller social groups defined by a particular characteristic.*

This is crapola. Or maybe it's for Gen Y. I haven't yet told you how scared I am with what Gen Z will be.


Brewer, Marilynn. "The Social Self: On Being the Same and Different at the Same Time." Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Vol. 17 No. 5, October 1991, 475-482.

Our Magnificent Forest

The trees are a blooming. We have Star Magnolias that shed all over the patio and the dogwoods are coming in. On the lawn there's a regular Magnolia. There's a Japanese Maple at our front door. We have many daffodils and wildflowers. Forthesia sp? and some pink flower trees. The kitchen window view is amazing.
We are very fortunate. We just found out that one of the early owners to the house was an orchid farmer and owned llama. The property is landscaped to perfection.
I love this house.

More Medicine?

I'm sick. I've been sick for 2 weeks. It's not allergies. It's a big cold. By the end of the day I'm wiped. While I was lying in bed, Cutie said take some of this and brought me my medicine.

This picture cheered me up.

Life Is Lovely

A few minutes ago I said something like "Life is not always fair" she countered with "Life is Lovely". OK it is for her. We are on Spring break and I'm starting to go batty. First I got sick last Wed. She doesn't have school on Thursday. Friday break began. Her cousins slept over on Friday night. Her grandfather came on Sat. We had Passover Sedar and cutie sang most of the 4 questions and told the story of Passover starting with baby Moses. She also sang all the songs and some new ones like Bang Bang Bang goes the hammer... Webkinz frogs where on the agenda as afikomon bribes.
Monday was visit a friend day. Tuesday was bike riding day and grandpa leaving day. Paulo watched Idol at his sisters house and cutie had no intention of going to sleep. Wednesday was visit from the other cousins (picture shown here) and a trip to the Nyack twins. One of the Nyack twins is going to be an artist. Her work is fabulous.

World Food Program

When will someone start handing out food and education on how and why not to have children. The world food crisis can be stopped if poor people only have 1 or 2 children.
Oh right - THAT'S not PC.

POM Wonderful in Pink

While I was shopping I bought some POM Light Green Tea. When I needed a treat I used to buy POM tea when I was working on Madison Ave. I love the bottle it comes in. It's really a drinking glass. The shape makes everything you put in it taste great. It's like an old fashion jelly glass that turns into a drinking glass - Just sexier.

Like I did in my working in the city days, I recycled the POM Tea glass by using it many times over. I put on own decaf green tea and juice in it cover it with the pink top and store it for easy access in the fridge. Cutie saw it and wanted to know what it was. I told her and she said it must have been made by a girl. Why? Because it has a pink cover.

Of course she was right. I read an article in the New Yorker last month about Lynda Resnick who is responsible for POM Tea. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/03/31/080331fa_fact_fortini

It's a must read article.

The other thing that was interesting was the use of the ingredient erythritol. Erythritol came into my field of vision while at the Madison Ave. shop. We were working on Sweet Simplicity Sweetener and it was made with the stuff. It's really a sugar alcohol with less calories than sugar and diabetics can use it. Stoneyfield farms is using it in their yogurt.

Pharohs in Egypt

Cutie and I were watching the Wizard of Oz. There's a line that mentions the Pharohs in Egypt. Cutie got very excited and said "He said Pharohs in Egypt he must know the Passover story"

I remember once while watching Jeopardy I new many answers in a category. For that day forward I understood the purpose of school and started liking Social Studies.

3 Cavities, No No No and The Pledge

Cutie is doing some lovely coloring these days. Good sense of color. And she keeps asking for markers in skin colors. Since flesh in no longer a color and we only have brown, she's choosing brown. People and fairies are brown in her mind. The funny thing is that she doesn't color in everything. There's always something missing. When asked she says it's finished. I'm reminded of Jackson Pollock when asked whether a child could do his drip paintings he said "I know when it's done." So does a 3-1/2 year old.

(I like abstract paintings BTW)

Today, I managed to get all my passover shopping done. All it took was one day. Back in the city I had to plan for weeks.

9:30 - Drop Cutie at school

10:00 - at Wesley Kosher. (They even have vegetarian stuffed cabbage for pesach - I have a vegetarian coming for sedar)
Chatted with a lady who said if I had any questions I could call her. - I'm guessing she hopes to make me more religious. If anything - I'll make her less. I asked her if she knew of an upholstery fabric store. She told me Tillim in West Nyack.

11:00 - 2 cases of wine at Grapevine
chatted with salesperson for a while. He has a son who just got married and a daughter who's getting married.

12:00 at Sears to buy a canopy top - had to order online with free shipping, new passover pots & pans (I now have storage for real passover stuff) and a few casserole dishes. Passover will be very easy this year. Too bad I'm not a fan of holidays.

12:45 at Tillim for fabric. Can't believe I found such an out-of-the-way place. It's just like the place in the city on Amsterdam and 91st that I think went out of business. Bought fabric.

1:30 at school to pick up cutie. After Pesach it's back to 2:30 on Fridays

1:45 get gas

2:00 at Dentist. 3 cavities filled. Cutie was a pro. The dentist actually checked her age. Yes she's very mature for her age. Is it me or the school. Well, I choose the school.

Songs she sings in the car. "No No No I will no let them go."
Songs in the bathtub. "One morning Pharoh woke up with frogs on his head, frogs on his bed, Frogs on his nose. Frogs on his toes. Frogs here, frogs there, frogs are jumping everywhere." I didn't know the words till now. I'm going to let them shine. Something about Shabbot. All around the neighborhood. I'm going to let them shine. All the time I'm going to let them shine.
Song while coloring - "Ma nishtana". All the words and I can make out the verses (help!)
And they just started the Pledge of Allegiance. I couldn't make out if they say it with One nation under God or not. Under God was added in 1954. Whatever. I can always remove it from the curriculum.

7pm - Call from Visa - There's unusual activity on my card. It was all me.

Oops I Did It Again

I'm happy to say I got another bowling turkey. My final score was 149. I should be happy with that - but noooo. My friend bowled a 150 and my other friend bowled a 181. You could say I'm a little competitive.

That brings me to my dad's boxes. I found a book in one of the three boxes my mom brought over last week. It was a library book that was supposed to be returned in 1963. The book is Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution" by Peter Kropotkin. It's sort of a treatise on finding groups of people to help you progress. The unsociable are doomed. The school of Cooperative Individualism was born. I’m buying it. It came out around the same time as Darwin’s “Survival of the Fittest” and T.H. Huxley’s “Struggle for Existence

I think I found my group and I can still be competitive in sports. I think that will keep me young. I already noticed some suburban sprawl around my middle section. Walking in the city keeps people healthy. Not much reason to walk on our mountain.

I love it when streams of consciousness collide.

Cup of Tea Economic Theory with Honey

At first I thought that Cutie was a genius. She was writing her name at 3. At 3-1/2 she can write all the letters. It turns out that most, maybe all can write their names. But there's a difference with the children in her class and children going to other schools. I'm finding out that most schools don't teach writing in a 3s program. I remember learning that on the 3yo birthday you are required to teach the letters and give your child a taste of honey -so they will know that learning is sweet. Some schools missed the memo.

I remember in India I was travelling alone in second class on the train. I was sitting next to about 9 men. We were scoping out each other and my heart was beating fast. Finally one of them broke the ice.
"Are you Christian?"
"No, I'm Jewish (I thought if I'm going down - let it be as a Jew.)"
Every question and response was followed by a translation to the rest of the guys in the local language.
"Where are you from?"
"USA - New York City"
"The Jews are very rich"
"If I was rich would I be travelling second class on the train"
Translation - Laughter.
The Jews in India are rich.
"Only some Jews are rich and some Indians are rich
"It may appear that Jews are rich because they know how to read and write. If you can read and write you will have a good job. When a Jewish child is 3 they are given a book and a taste of honey and are told learning is sweet. All Jews are not rich - they just know how to read and write."
"How much do you make?"
"What I make may seem like a lot to you once you convert into rupees. But the average salary in America is $12/hr (it was in the early 90's and that was what I was making after taxes). It costs $1 to buy a cup of coffee. It takes 5mins to make $1. In India a good job you make 60 rupees. It costs 5 rupees for a cup of chai. It's the same. "
Translation and an epiphany sigh from the group.

From that moment on, I felt safe on the train. This is now known as my "cup of coffee/tea" economic theory. When I travel Ijust translate everything into the number of cups of coffees it would cost back home and figure out how many cups it should cost in the country I'm visiting. The euro is killing us.

You Can't Go Up

Cutie and I were in the car today and she saw a sign with an arrow pointing up. In her cute "that's funny" voice she said "that sign is silly - you can drive your car up".

We also went to the dentist today. She has 3 cavities. No more juice at bedtime.

The Castle I Never Saw

You Just Know How To Make Me Smile

The Supermarket, Judaica store, Toys R Us, and Two Turkeys

I had a busy day. First, we dropped off Cutie at School. Then I did errands before managing to get to bowling on time. Yes, I'm going to be sanctioned by the bowling league. I really enjoy bowling. Today was a special bowling day. My average is 105/game. Today I bowled a 152 and 154. Both games I got a turkey. (3 strikes in a row). I'm posting my scores for posterity. I think it's time to buy more stuff - like a bowling ball and some shoes.

The Green Balloon

Weird things are happening at our house. People are accidently driving up our long driveway thinking it's a road. I found a few cigarette butts - Newports smoked down to the filter and a popped green balloon that probably escaped from a child's hand, flew up to the sky, broke and landed on our tree.

On Sunday a man by the name of Pedro stopped by. He just got back from Georgia. He was looking for the previous owner. Apparently he used to do work for them. He was driving a Laredo SUV. I'm always a little uncomfortable with people who want to do work for me and drive a better car than I do.

Paulo is busy fixing up the house. I was wondering why everything was coming out warm when moving my clothes from the washer to the dryer. The washing machine had the hot and cold water mixed up. The electrical is all wacky. The water pipes first go to China before coming into our house. And the list goes on. But I love this house.

Cosmetics, My Dad and Me

My mom came to visit me and brought with her 3 boxes from my dad's old company. There are three things you should know. My Dad was founder and CEO of the cosmetic company, the company traded on Nasdaq and the company was named after me. Which is why mom gave me the stuff. There's so much to say. Let's start with the annual reports. The 1970 and 72 ARs I found have the pink and orange company colors. Since they already established their brand they could move away from the Monica Simone colors and do something cutting edge. And I wonder how I came to work in branding and advertising.

Rich People Need Poor People to Stay Rich

The thing about blogging is that you can be brutally honest. The rich people tell poor people that they too can be rich with the mobility of the American Dream.

More on this later.

No Longer Trust Obama

At first I didn't care - Obama or Clinton. I was going Dem. But now I'm starting to have trouble with Obama. The article about his wife in "The New Yorker" did not make me like her or him. I was impressed with him before I read it. And I'm still impressed with him. But it's a matter of trust. I no longer trust Obama to protect things I have or care about.

I once read an article about why working class Americans voted for Bush even though he would make their lives worse. Things like the Estate Tax bothered them and Bush was going to get rid of it. Abortion bothered them and he was going to only let rich people get them and allow them to ruin their daughters chances of upward mobility. HELLO - the chances of them being touched by an estate tax was tiny. Outsourcing and health care was not on their minds even though those things had a great chance of touching them.

What the article insinuated was that Americans vote for what they think is good for the country rather than what is good for them. I now have the wisdom. It's time to vote for someone who can protect the things I have or care about - not necessarily in that order.

XY and BB

I've been thinking about trends lately. What commonalities will we find with those categorized as Gen X, Gen Y and the good old Baby Boomers. And where do I net out. In a nut shell:
Gen X (30-45) are seeking spirituality. Gen Y (14-30) like Authenticity. Baby Boomers (45-65) wear their beliefs on their sleeves.

I'm a Y and BB. It's funny. If you think about it, they are sort of the same thing. They say things skip a generation. It's starting to make sense to me. Is true wisdom close by?

Are They On Drugs?

Paulo and I went to the school dinner and dance. Ballroom dancing I thought. Ha! Was I wrong. It was Israeli dancing with unbridled passion. After a few horas with "real steps" as he refered to it, he asked me if everyone here was on drugs.

Most schools make the dinner mandatory whether you go or not - you still have to pay for it. They offered first year students a free pass for the dinner. Not everyone took them up on it.

Purim was interesting this year. As my dear readers know, I'm not a fan of holidays or vacations. I sort of have to play along for Cutie. She's on this Star Wars kick with her friend N who was the only one who guessed her costume correctly as Princess Leah. OK it was a white flower girl dress with a white turtleneck, necklace and silver belt. The giveaway was her hair in loops around her ears. It was the best I could do. The battery in the camera wasn't charged.

I So Fucking Love This House

So the Supreme court has agreed to rule on broadcast indecency.

Singer Bono of U2 exulted upon winning a Golden Globe for an original song, calling it "really, really f . . . brilliant."

The use of the word in that context was not "obscene". It was appropriate for language use today. We make words mean what we want them to mean. If someone thinks that context was obscene, they are probably Clients 1-8. (Spitzer was Client 9.)

About the House.
Today we had the file cabinet delivered. It was a Yellow truck. I worked on the merger of Yellow Trucking and Roadway Trucking to make Yellow Roadway (YRC). YRC is just the holding company. I was't impressed with them 4 years ago (I left Interbrand when I was 3 months pregnant with Cutie). However, I really liked the service and driver who dropped off the package. Just goes to show you that CEOs come and go and steal all the money, but your business is really your employees. I was glad to hear that his daughter was in law school and was hoping to buy an apartment in NYC. I won't be buying their stock - it's tanked in the last few years do to higher fuel prices. But I do hope they deliver stuff to me again. I wonder if IKEA uses them. We need to build some closets.

We've been having contractors stop by to look at the house supports, bathrooms (we don't have a real shower, and roof. My favorite thing is when they like using email for communication. I'm waiting for the bids. Then I have to design and pick stuff out at the stores. Yuck.

Can You Spell...

I stop by the Kindergarten class at Cutie's school to pick up some "work" for a friend's daughter who was sick. As I'm waiting there, three children were coloring at a table. A child asked his friends "can you spell ____". Then the child said "Can you spell Shabbot?". His friend challenged him "In Hebrew or English"? The child who asked "in Hebrew or English replied, "In Hebrew it's "shin, bet, taf".

Gotta love this school.

Crochet Coral Reef

These are really beautiful.
About the Crochet Coral Reef

The Institute For Figuring is crocheting a coral reef: a woolly celebration of the intersection of higher geometry and feminine handicraft, and a testimony to the disappearing wonders of the marine world.
http://www.theiff.org/reef/index.html

What Was He Thinking?

Elliot Spitzer and prostitution! In this day and age did he think he wouldn't get caught? There are cameras everywhere.

On a good note David Paterson, I'm told is a fine man. He spoke at the Hadassah convention this year. I was told he was warm, funny, legally blind and a good man. I was happy of what transpired with Spitzer. I've been out of politics so long it wasn't until today that I read that he was African-American. I dream of a day when we won't even have to write that someone is African-American. Who cares.

Good Old Gerry

I was one of the congressional interns to Geraldine Ferraro in the early 1980's. We had a falling out over Passover. I couldn't do something because it was Passover and she ended up saying that she never wanted to see me in her office again. Our paths crossed a few times after that and I wrote an article in Newsday about the experience.

She's not a racist. But she does need some sensitivity training. Her assertion that Obama was benefiting from his status as the first African American perceived as having the chance to win the presidency is exactly the same as saying that Hilary is benefiting from her husband's presidency. What was she thinking. She shouldn't have gone there.

We Finally Moved.

Bought the new house on Monday afternoon.
Sold the old house on Friday morning.
We moved ourselves.

It turns out that the people buying our house had wanted that house for many years. They are artists and the art studio was perfect for them. They are friends with the neighbors across the shared driveway -- The barking dog neighbors. I liked the people who bought our house and would like to see what they end up doing to it.

Our new house is magnificent. OK there are no closets, missing doorknobs and is riddled with projects in progress. But the views can't be beat.

I locked myself out of the house today. I was frantic because I had to pick Cutie up from school. Our new neighbors live a distance away and no one was home. I was running down the hill to the main road when one of our distant neighbors was leaving. She lent me her phone to call Paulo and drove me back up the hill. We exchanged numbers and hope to be having lunch soon.

Looks like we are going to close.

Looks like we are going to close.

Moving Again

Today is supposed to be our closing date for our new house. We are moving 2 miles away to a slightly larger house with a greenhouse in lieu of a garage. Part of the contract was for the owners to remove the oil tank. They did. However, it leaked a little and now New York State Environmental is involved. This is a problem because according to our lawyer he had a case that cost his client $100,000 in cleanup fees.
We are hoping the owners will put some money in eschew to cover unanticipated costs so we can close today.

I WANT STOCK in Webkinz World

Unfortunately, Ganz, the owner of Webkinz is privately owned. I see the future. Webkinz the movie, theme park, tv series, have I forgot anything?

Star Wars at Three

Cutie comes home from school and tells us she wants to watch Star Wars. I run to the library and take out 3 Star Wars dvds. I have no clude. I'm hoping that Princess Leah is in one of them.

I Want It Goodly

One of Cutie's most annoying expressions is "I want it". This, I'm told is standard fare for children who CAN have everything. I responded "How badly do you want it?" She said "not badly, I want it GOODLY."

Webkinz World - Wow

You got to love Webkinz. It's the perfect gift for a 4yo-9yo. There's so much to do. Cutie keeps exploring and finding new things. Someone told me about Webkinz bowling. It's pretty cool. I can practice at home before heading out to my bowling league. There's also a trivia section that I read to cutie and she answers. It's how to get the most points so you can buy more stuff you don't need.

There's also a game room. She's learning checkers, connect four and battleship - without the mess.

In 1999 when I discovered Flash and started figuring out how to do simple children's games online - I never thought it could be like this.

Can't wait for the WII.

Headband So So

Headband So So is so exciting. She's a sans and so cute. Sans means you dance. She's wonderful and stylish and is a princess. She's the princess of Wonderland. In Wonderland there's lots of fruit plants like grapes and strawberries. And grapes and strawberries are so healthy.

Headband So So has a headband that's orange. She get's very angry when someone pokes her in the eye. She was once poked in the eye by her friend Lissa. Headband So So was angry because it wasn't an accident. So she wasn't her friend anymore and she didn't invite her to her birthday party.

Headband So So doesn't have any mommy or daddy because they died. She lives with her grandpa. She plays with grandpa all the time.

Rembo Poe Poe

Rembo Poe Poe is a smart monster. He reads a lot of books. He learns words, video activities, and things that are stylish (sylishes). He likes to run around and drops one thing a candle and burns his floor and then he is sad. It was just an accident. He learned from his mistake. His mom said - never run around with a candle - it's dangerous and someone might get hurt. And if you do it again you will get a timeout.

Going to Mermaid Land

Where is Mermaid land? It's near an island called LeLa near funky bear house. There's a mermaid named LynLyn with a pink tail and orange top and gold crown with a pink heart. She also has a headband to keep her hair off her face. It's a color. The color of light blue. She likes to swim around using her pink color tail. She goes to her mermaid friend Linsa. She plays checkers, red light green light and polly pockets fish. I forgot their mommy's name and daddy's name.

There's also flowers and kites. The flowers are bell ringing flowers. The flowers are green. The kites are light pink and you can make them fly by running and holding them up in the air and then you let go.

Lynlyn has black hair and blue eyes and little ears with green emerald earrings. She lives in the sky when she's in Mermaid Land. She writes sometimes on her mermaid computer and sells it on her computer. Her game friends buy it.

On Merry Go Rounds.

It turns out the merry-go-round is alive in Eugene Levy Park. Apparently this park has a lot of older equipment. With that said - it must be the new playgrounds that don't have it. I get it - when parks are funded, people would probably cut the merry-go-round based on fears of lawsuits and bad memories.

Two Types of People

I always put people into one of two catagories. Those who get it and those that don't. Youtube is brilliant and more important than people realize. If you believe that - you get it.

Today, I decided to brush up on my election IQ. I turned to youtube. OK, I did watch Obama Girl last year. But that doesn't count. So I'm watching a few debate between Hillary and Obama. Hillary would be great for Cutie (the girl thing). However, I never liked her. In fact, I never respected her. She's the classic annoying person that has a personal agenda and wouldn't get the house we are buying. But wow, Obama, he gets it. Hillary does not.

Watch a heated exchange here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgQnTA2jE98

Watch Obama Girl here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKsoXHYICqU

What Ever Happened to the Vomit Wheel?

I haven't seen a merry-go-round or see saw in a playground lately. I never really liked the vomit wheel. Just thinking about it brings nausa to my nose. Cutie does love things that go round-and-round or up and down.

We went to a birthday party at a children's gym. They had a version of a seesaw that was used to practice balance. Maybe Paulo can build one at our new house. Of course after we fix the 3 bathrooms (1 has no shower, 1 has no wall, 1 - no toliet, the septic system, the water system, and whatever is need to keep the house from collapsing.

We move in a few weeks.

My Favorite TV Shows

Yes, I'm baring my soul for posterity.

American Idol. It’s the American Dream
Desparate Housewifes - still going strong
Antiques Roadshow - who can resist treasures
House and Monk - I like it.
Mad Money - Love Cramer
Mad Men - My life

Shows that may grow on me.
Lipstick Jungle

Parking in Nyack

Lately, I haven't been doing any shopping in Nyack. They changed the parking system. You used to be able to park in a town lot for free or at a meter at $.25 an hour for a maximum of 2 hours. The system worked for me. It gave it a small town atmosphere. It felt good to put quarters into the meters. The two hour limit annoyed me, but as a whole it was fine.

They got rid of the $.25/hr. meters and now have parking machines. Since I will only go into town on Sundays so I don't have to use the machines, I have no idea the cost.

I feel bad for the small businesses in Nyack. We live a mile away and I used to shop for something once a week. Now it's more like once a month. I hate to say this - it's so much easier to go to the mall.

Now I don't feel so bad about moving.

The Kitchen Sink

Two adults and a three year old and we can't seem to keep the kitchen sink void of dishes. I probably make dinner 3 times a week. The rest of the time it's "shakespeare - "As You Like It -- a combination of leftovers or do it yourself. The sink is clean once a day for about five minutes usually before everyone eats dinner or in the morning. You could blame it on the lack of a dishwasher in our soon-to-be-old new house. But that's not it.

Yes, we are finally moving into our WOW house - soon to be "what were we thinking" house. It's on four acres at the top of a mountain. It will probably be fine if it the temp. doesn't dip below 32-degrees. But it was the kind of property that one would look back and say we shoulda bought it when we had the opportunity. And if we ever do sell it the kind of house we buy won't matter because we can say "remember the mountain house in Valley Cottage only 20 miles from NYC.

Don't Get A Manicure the Day Before Bowling

I went bowling today with a Ladies Bowling League in New City. I really had a good time. After my first bowl, I had this strange rush of excitement. It's a much better way to spend time with friends than lunch. And it has the added bonus of being a charity league. That's the burbs for you.

The funny thing is that the team I played with are moms with young children. The team we played are grandmas. One of the grandmas bowled 197 - two turkeys in one game. Yes, this is the first I've heard of a bowling turkey, 3 strikes in a row. The knowledge I'm gaining! I actually did pretty well for a first time in 30 years bowler. 95,94 and 120. At least I broke 100.

"Actually" is actually a new word Cutie's vocabulary. She insists on using it as teens use "like". Actually it's not that bad. I makes her sound sophisticated for a 3year old. I was told by a mom in her class that her son uses "actually" in his language. I think I may have given it to Cutie. Actually, I do use "actually" often.
I better hold off on the four-letter words.

Latest Cutie Drawings

Cutie must draw every morning before going to school.
Here's her latest fairy with "decorations".

Purple is her new favorite color. As are "All the colors of the rainbow".