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.