CELEBRATING
BILBO & FRODO'S
RESPECTIVE BIRTHDAYS
AT
TIMDALF'S ANNUAL PICNIC
ON
SEPTEMBER 16TH
Sunday, September 30, 2012
PERSONAL NEWS #212
Sept 1st to 4th, I visited with the
parents, brother and sister-in-law in upstate NY. Weather the whole time was great :-D
On Sept 5th, I attended the evening Hatha yoga
class in my hood.
On Sept 6th, I had my first “fitting” for the
Hufflepuff Gibson Girl style ensemble that my friend Wendy is creating.
On Sept 7th, I had final fitting of the
Hufflepuff Gibson Girl style ensemble and Wendy stated it was done, so I could
take it home. Hurray! Need to do alot ironing, especially the skirt
part of it.
Sept 8th, I was supposed to attend TGTSNBN
cosplay in northern Central Park, but at last minute I declined due to very
inclement weather. I wore my costume
anyway for 1 ½ hours to get a better feel of it, and took pix. My friend Gail came over to see the ensemble
and helped out with the photos.
Sept 9th, I visited Dr Tan for acupuncture
treatment on my right foot, which has developed Morton’s Neuroma. Damn!
Dr Tan says the treatment will help out, so I don’t have to get
surgery. I sure hope so! Afterwards I joined Debbie, Margaret and Mari
to see “Raiders of the Lost Ark” in IMAX and we all really enjoyed it. Then it was off to a diner on 9th
Avenue for abit of dinner and chatter.
Sept 11th, I had another appt with Dr Tan and
acupuncture treatment for my right foot.
Sept 12th, I assisted with other BSC EA’s at
an offsite EY event for the whole day [ie: 7am to 6pm and a tasty lunch were
included.]
Sept 13th, I assisted with an EY event at the
office that ran from 5pm to 9pm. More
OT!
Sept 14th, I had to come in early [7:30am] to
the office to assist with an EY event, and then left at 5pm for acupuncture
appt.
Sept 15th, I visited my friend Sheila in NJ
for the day. During the afternoon we
drove into Princeton for a wee walkabout, plus some shopping. The weather was so lovely. Afterwards, we had a nice dinner at a Chinese
restaurant near her home.
Sept 16th, I joined other NYC Tolkien
fan/friends in heading up to Valley Cottage [ie: bus] for Timdalf’s annual
picnic. This picnic is in celebration of
Bilbo and Frodo’s respective birthdays in the Shire.
Sept 18th, earlier in the day I went to see my
foot doctor and found out I don’t have Morton’s Neuroma, but a “transverse
stress fracture on the 3rd metatarsal of my right foot”. Good news is I don’t need surgery. The foot is now wrapped up and in a bootie
for at least 2 weeks. I am also off work
the 19th through 23rd and back to office on the 24th. Have to keep foot elevated. I brought laptop and paperwork home to take
care of over next few days. Later on I
joined in, via conference call, with the monthly BFP PF committee meeting.
On Sept 19th, Debbie and Jenna helped me out
with doing laundry, grocery shopping and hanging out while watching David
Tennant as Doctor Who. Jenna made the
most delicious chocolate chip and spice muffins for me. Yummers!
On Sept 22nd, my friend Gail stopped by to
assist me with grocery shopping and getting stamps. That evening I chatted with my friend
Michelle on the phone and then on Sunday evening I chatted with Josee on the
phone.
Sept 25th, I had a follow up appt with my foot
doctor. He checked it over, got some
therapy for it, wrapped up again and wearing the bootie for another week.
Sept 26th, "Yeah, diss here be Times
Square", so said the #7 subway conductor as our train entered the station during
commute this morning. Obviously
“grammar” is not a strong point with many of the MTA conductors.
Evening of Sept 27th, I left work around 7pm
and took a taxi down to the B&N in Union Square to pick up JK Rowling’s new
book [The Casual Vacancy]. From there I
took a taxi home, so as to give my foot a rest and not deal with the subways.
On Sept 28th, I joined in on the first of a
bi-weekly photography course at work called “The FSO Photography Initiative”. Course is being taught by Alec Sergeyev, a professional photographer & EY Senior
Manager.
On Sept 29th, my cleaning
lady, Dana, came over to take care of my apartment and she told me about her
recent trip to Poland. Later in the
afternoon I had a much needed manicure.
IN THE NEWS AND IT’S
NOT ALL PRETTY
9 Frightening
Things About America’s Biggest Police Force
Tana Ganeva and
Laura Gottesdiener
The NYPD has
expanded into a massive global anti-terror operation with surveillance and
military capabilities unparalled in the history of local US law enforcement.
Student Debt Hits
Record 1 in 5 US Households
Common Dreams
Staff
Nearly one in five
American households are now strapped with student debt, a new record for the US
public, according to a new report by the Pew Research Center. The report cites soaring tuition costs as
well as a marked increase in college enrollment, due to a lack of jobs in the
economic recession, as the major causes of the heavy increase in student debt. Adding
to the weight of the debt is the continued faltering of the economy, which
supplies fewer college grads with jobs after graduation, making it difficult to
begin payments on the high interest loans.
Forbes 400 List
Reveals Why the Greedy Rich Fully Deserve Your Contempt and Jesus’s
Lynn Parramore
The bulk of
America’s superwealthy refuse to pull their weight and kill opportunity for the
rest. And they want your thanks!
Oil Spill in
Paerdegat Basin, Authorities Say Stay Away
Ned Berke,
Sheepshead Bites
How Do You Take
Your Poison?
Chris Hedges’
Column
We will all
swallow our cup of corporate poison. We can take it from nurse Romney, who will
tell us not to whine and play the victim, or we can take it from nurse Obama,
who will assure us that this hurts him even more than it hurts us, but one way
or another the corporate hemlock will be shoved down our throats. The choice
before us is how it will be administered. Corporate power, no matter who is
running the ward after January 2013, is poised to carry out U.S. history’s most
savage assault against the poor and the working class, not to mention the
Earth’s ecosystem. And no one in power, no matter what the bedside manner, has
any intention or ability to stop it.
Coalition Against
the Rockaway Pipeline
No One at Home –
How to Deal with Foreclosures in Your Community
AnnBrown, Madame
Noire
5 Biggest LIES
About America’s Public Schools – Debunked
Kristin Rawls,
AlterNet
Here’s the truth
behind 5 of the most destructive myths about public education.
Israel PM Draws
Red Line (Literally) on Mythical Iranian Bomb
Common Dreams
Staff
The only problem,
however, is that Netanyahu's claims are betrayed by the facts and, as is always
the case, were offered amidst the lingering reality that Israel refuses to
acknowledge the existence of its own nuclear arsenal. ---- Netanyahu's claims
at the UN, like that of most western media, "are awash
in misleading narratives, incomplete histories, and outright fiction about Iran
and its nuclear program."
"Protect Our
Park! Keep the gas industry out of Gateway National Recreation Area" --Take a moment and
please, sign on here: http://carpny.org/sign-the-petition/
Julian Assange:
The Audacity of US Policies
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-1
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-1
Amy Goodman:
Romney Has a Jobs Plan ... for China
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-2
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-2
Dana Goldstein:
Bad Lessons From 'Won't Back Down'
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-9
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27-9
Jeff Nygaard: Social Security: Solidarity, Not Investment
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/27
Ralph Nader:
Barack to Mitt: Corporations Run the Economy
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/28
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/28
Pakistan Foreign
Minister: Drones Are Top Cause Of Anti-Americanism
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-2
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-2
France's
'Toughest' Budget: Super Tax on the Super Rich
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-0
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-0
Voyage Reveals
'Planetary Scale' of Plastic in Oceans
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-4
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-4
Big Pharma
Medicaid Fraud Penalties at Record High
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-1
http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/09/28-1
Thursday, September 20, 2012
ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY – OCCUPY MOVEMENT STILL STRONG
OccupyWallStreet NYC General Assembly Editorial
Thousands of occupiers from around the country converged on
lower Manhattan for OWS's first birthday. Indeed, our S17 anniversary weekend
was a great victory, and has provided an exhilarating shot of energy to our
community for the fight ahead.
And no, this wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. As Alternet.org reporter Sarah Jaffe put it: "Occupy's anniversary feels less like a celebration of what was and more a demonstration of what's becoming."
Over the weekend we were able to display what we’re trying to build. From the cultural events at the Occupy Town Squares and Occupy Rosh Hashanah to the massive Affinity Group Spokescouncils planning disciplined direct actions, we showed the best we have to offer. And we spent time getting to know each other, deepening the bonds of love and trust that will sustain us in the future.
On September 17th, our joyous carnival of Liberation- the Puppet Parade, the polar bear bike brigade, red square confetti blitzes of bank lobbies- brought something beautiful to the Financial District. The development of our non-violent civil disobedience was also that much more clear, especially for how our ‘swirl of roving intersection occupations’ proved to be both a successful tactic and an innovative strategy.
All of this came despite the best attempts from Mayor Bloomberg’s ‘private army’ to extra-legally stifle us from making our voices heard. But we have persevered and evolved, fighting for our right to peaceably assemble in protest of Wall Street alongside protesting Wall Street itself.
Occupy Wall Street continues to survive and thrive against enormous obstacles, and we have emerged from our one year anniversary stronger than we were before. Now, we enter year two that much more ready to take the struggle to the streets, the workplaces, and the neighborhoods where the 99% confront the 1% every day. Get ready.
And no, this wasn’t nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. As Alternet.org reporter Sarah Jaffe put it: "Occupy's anniversary feels less like a celebration of what was and more a demonstration of what's becoming."
Over the weekend we were able to display what we’re trying to build. From the cultural events at the Occupy Town Squares and Occupy Rosh Hashanah to the massive Affinity Group Spokescouncils planning disciplined direct actions, we showed the best we have to offer. And we spent time getting to know each other, deepening the bonds of love and trust that will sustain us in the future.
On September 17th, our joyous carnival of Liberation- the Puppet Parade, the polar bear bike brigade, red square confetti blitzes of bank lobbies- brought something beautiful to the Financial District. The development of our non-violent civil disobedience was also that much more clear, especially for how our ‘swirl of roving intersection occupations’ proved to be both a successful tactic and an innovative strategy.
All of this came despite the best attempts from Mayor Bloomberg’s ‘private army’ to extra-legally stifle us from making our voices heard. But we have persevered and evolved, fighting for our right to peaceably assemble in protest of Wall Street alongside protesting Wall Street itself.
Occupy Wall Street continues to survive and thrive against enormous obstacles, and we have emerged from our one year anniversary stronger than we were before. Now, we enter year two that much more ready to take the struggle to the streets, the workplaces, and the neighborhoods where the 99% confront the 1% every day. Get ready.
All Roads Lead to Wall Street. Join us on the journey to a
better world.
Saturday, September 08, 2012
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
PERSONAL NEWS #211
Thursday, August 2nd, I had an appt with Dr
Tan in Chinatown.
Saturday, August 4th, I visited with my good
friend Katherine in northwestern CT and after a tasty lunch at a Chinese
buffet, we attended the Goshen 4H Fair.
Sunday, August 5th, I attended the Hatha yoga
class in my hood, and in the afternoon I hung out with Sam in Manhattan to
check out MMoA / dinner. Despite the
warm and humid weather it was a good day.
Tuesday evening, August 8th, I attended and
participated in the monthly BFP PF committee meeting. It was productive and diverse.
Friday, August 10th, I did volunteer work with
City Harvest down at Union Square farmers market.
Saturday afternoon, August 11th, after Dana
cleaned my apt, I took mass transit out to Bayside [Queens] to visit Debbie and
Linda. We noshed on tasty food, drank
wine, watched the Olympics and caught up on news/gossip. Debbie’s condo is really nice and situated in
a charming gated community.
Sunday, August 12th, I attended the Hatha yoga
class in my hood, and later in the day I headed into Manhattan to stroll along
the High Line.
Monday evening, August 13th, I did volunteer
work at the WCW national office.
Thursday evening, August 16th, my friend
Rebecca Irvin stopped by to provide “massage therapy”, catch up on news and
nosh on vegan hazelnut/chocolate cake.
Rebecca is about 4-5 months shy of obtaining her official degree /
license. She needs the practice and I am
a willing guinea pig. She brought her
own table and all the necessary accoutrements, plus was mindful of my health
issues.
Saturday afternoon, August 18th, I headed up
to New Canaan and Pound Ridge to meet up with Melanie Climis and her friend
Lisa. We strolled around abit of New
Canaan, had a delicious lunch at CAVA on Forest Street, purchased Belgian
chocolates, and visited Melanie’s family in Pound Ridge. Afterwards I caught a ride with Lisa, as she
had to drive into Manhattan to meet with friends on the upper Westside.
Sunday afternoon, August 19th, I attended a
NYC Tolkien event at Simple Studios regarding the epic poem BEOWULF and its
influence on Tolkien.
Monday morning, August 20th, while at work
around 11am, I started to cough up some blood due to my chronic lung
condition. It wasn’t abating much, so I
called my lung specialist. When he
called me back, he advised that I go to emergency room at NY Methodist in
Brooklyn. Talked with my Administrative
Mgrs and EA co-workers on my floor, and apprised them of the situation. Car service was provided for me to take it
home, so I could pack a small overnight bag, call my parents and leave messages
on FB etc. Ambulance came at 1:40pm to
take me to the hospital and was released after tests et al at 6pm to come home.
On Tuesday, August 21st, I took a sick day
from work to rest up and also visit with my lung specialist for follow-up to
hospital visit. In the evening, as
co-chair, I participated in a productive BFP AandC committee conference call.
Friday, August 24th, I did volunteer work with
City Harvest down at Union Square farmers market.
On Saturday afternoon, August 25th, I visited
Greenwood Cemetery here in ole Brooklyn.
I haven’t visited, nor toured this beautiful cemetery in 10 years and
been meaning to for quite some time.
Sunday, August 26th, I attended the Hatha yoga
class in my hood and after changing/ freshening up I headed into the city for
an acupuncture appt with Dr Tan.
Afterwards had lunch, fun shopping and then an enjoyable ride home on
the East River ferry from the Wall Street pier.
That makes 4 times this summer that I’ve ridden the ferry.
Monday, August 27th, after work, I
participated in a protest at West 49th Street outside NBC studios
regarding their horrible reality shows.
Wednesday, August 29th, I attended the Hatha
yoga class in my hood.
Friday, August 31st, I had appts with my
chiropractor and acupuncturist.