Sunset #13,879

Deo gratias....

TECHNORATI TAGS: a brooklyn sunset

World Peace is Imminent!

before new years eve 2010, I visited the wishing wall in Times Square and made the following wishes:

at the time, I really had no faith that any of them would come true.... but by the grace of the cosmic forces of the Universe, I am #1) living in New York, and #2) have bought the Candy shop.... #3 on the other hand is going to need some extra prompting, so this year my only wish is for:

a very Happy New Year to everyone.... all the best in 2011....

TECHNORATI TAGS: new years eve 2011 times square new york city

Biting the Apple in the Big Apple

In response to Mel's call to revive the blogosphere, here are some everyday minutiae from my life....

I know it doesn't sound cool, but I've always been, and probably will always be a PC.... I never really understood the appeal of a Mac, and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to date myself when I say this, but I still remember them actually being called Apple Macintoshes.... back in the olden days of Commodore 64's?.... now that's a name I bet you've not heard in a long time... a long time.... does anybody else remember Apple disappearing for a while before coming back full force?.... now Apple's everywhere with all these awesome gadgets....

which brings me to my point.... I have been putting it off for a while now, but finally, I bit the Apple and got myself an iPhone... the iPhone4 to be exact... what the heck was I thinking putting it off for so long! this thing is awesome.... they're not lying when they say that there's an app for everything.... coz I think there literally is an app for everything.... there's all the useful medical references and applications that I never really use.... then there's an app where you can actually deposit checks into your bank account with your iPhone4, kinda scary.... there's an app where you can scan UPC codes and the thing will tell you what the product is and where you can get it and for how much, depending on your present location.... my iPhone4 even tells me where I should eat.... okay, no it doesn't tell me where to eat, it but it suggests restaurants in the vicinity of my present location (it's an app for Urbanspoon).... the camera on this this thing is pretty good too, I've retired my trusty Sony Cybershot... or at least I'm giving it a rest.... as you can see the iPhone takes pretty good shots.... then of course there's Shazam.... QR codes.... and have you heard about bumping?.... Oh and yeah, you can also use your iPhone to make fon calls.... awesome....

okay I gotta stop being an ad for the Apple iPhone4 now... the buying experience was pretty cool too though, coz I got it at the Apple Store on 5th Ave.... pretty cool building eh?.... it's all underground as you can see...

So anyways, I'm gonna go waste some more time playing with my iPhone4 now.... if you haven't gotten one yet, I heard there's a new one coming out soon.... I hear the new generation of iPhone will actually control the weather and cure cancer too, so maybe y'all should just wait for that one to come out.... Cheers from the Apple Store on 5th Ave!

TECHNORATI TAGS: apple store on 5th Ave

Put Your Lighters in the Air.... Let's Hear it for New York...

wassup yo!.... it's been way too long since I've updated this blog.... let's just say that I was preoccupied with the shit that's been going down....

I'm happy to report, however, that the dust around me has finally settled.... and my psyche is starting to breath a sigh of relief.... so let me update y'all....

for the past few months now, I have been officially living and working in the awesomeness that is New York City!

in June of last year, I came to live here temporarily.... my short and intermittent stays cemented my desire to be part of this concrete jungle.... after all, it's where dreams are made of.... for a time, I didn't think it was going to happen anymore, but as of June of this year, I am a temporary visitor no longer.... I crossed the border to officially live here.... for the next few years anyway... and I don't think I ever want to leave....

sometimes I have to punch myself in the jaw to see if I'm really actually here.... I walked out of the local Old Navy the other day to see the Manhattan skyline in the distance.... when I went to Ikea to furnish my apartment, I had to walk through Wall Street, hop a ferry that took me past the Brooklyn Bridge, and the Statue of Liberty, then came back to be welcomed by the skyline of lower Manhattan.... it's all too surreal sometimes....

so in honour of my new home, here are just a few of the New York City scenes I've captured over the past year that I have been in and out of this Big Ass Apple...

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving Folks, from a very thankful Canadian in New York City....

TECHNORATI TAGS: new york city

Sunset #13,514

Deo gratias....

TECHNORATI TAGS: a manhattan sunset

I AM!

I've been representin' in NYC! Couldn't be home in Canada for that epic hockey show down last night, so to celebrate Team Canada's awesome defeat of Team USA in OT, I have been wearing my red mittens, raising them in the air, and waving them like I just don't care, all over Manhattan.... did I mention it's too hot to be wearing mittens?.... but like I said... I just don't care....

aside from waving them all over Times Square, here they are at Bryant Park.... Hi Empire State Building!....

here they are at Rockefeller Center.... sup Prometheus....

here they are with Atlas, and the traffic on 5th Ave.... hey Atlas, need a hand....

not only did Canada finally win a gold medal on Canadian soil, but our athletes won 14 gold medals on Canadian soil.... that was more gold medals than any other nation, and the most gold medals won by any nation in the history of Winter Olympics.... Canada also ranked 3rd in the overall medal count.... what?!.... Great job Team Canada!

with glowing hearts an entire nation is proud of y'all, and proud to be Canadian....

TECHNORATI TAGS: red mittens in manhattan

Back On Track

Okay folks, let me get back to regular programing here.... what the heck have I been doing with my sorry existence aside from torturing myself with secret cathartic love letters you ask?.... I've been running a lot for one thing.... living several blocks from Central Park is awesome.... it gives me the motivation to finally stick with the on-again, off-again relationship I've had for years, with my running shoes.... it's just so much more interesting to run in Central Park than it is to run on a treadmill.... so, let me share with you some of the scenes from my frequent runs since I came to New York....

As you can see from the map (well, if you click it that is, it's kinda small), there are plenty of paths dedicated to runners in Central Park....I have a thing for running around in circles, so I usually stick to running around the Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis Reservoir (the big blue blob in the middle).... BTW, I hear that she's very beautiful, but that she rarely comes out of the water....

the map says that it covers a distance of 1.58 miles.... I try to do at least 3 laps when I'm out there, so that's about 5 miles... okay fine, 4.74 miles.... but that doesn't include the mile I walk to get to the reservoir and the mile I walk back home from the reservoir.... hey, it's a start.... unfortunately, my flat feet really do a number on my medial collaterals.... man it sucks to get old.... anyways, the Reservoir path takes you past the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among other sights and sounds....

I actually run for several reasons.... I've been trying to get rid of that pesky lower abdominal fat that started to accumulate after a certain age, which I decline to specify so I don't date myself.... but more importantly I'm trying to improve my insulin resistance.... I have a strong family history of DM type 2 so I'm trying to implement some lifestyle modifications to stave off the inevitable.... maybe it won't have to be inevitable?.... and of course there are the cardiovascular health benefits as well.... also, I was inspired by the runners in the New York City Marathon back in early November.... if a little 80-something year old blind lady can run it, then I can get off my lazy ass and condition myself to run it too.... you have to qualify to run in the NYC Marathon though, so I better get my ass in gear.... either that or take my chances with the lottery....

well, it's been raining and now snowing here in NYC, so it looks like the treadmill for me tonight.... I wish y'all plenty of healthy lifestyle modifications from the Reservoir in Central Park....

TECHNORATI TAGS: the reservoir, central park

Happy 2010!

TECHNORATI TAGS: new year's eve 2010, new year's eve 2010 countdown, new year's eve 2010 times square, new york city
WHERE'D I TAKE THESE FROM?: 7th Ave. and 56th St.

New Year Wishes

I headed to Times Square to visit the wishing wall on Monday.... on New Year's Eve these wishes will be incorporated into the confetti that will shower Times Square at midnight....

I made three wishes... #1) for more New York.... I wanna stay in this friken awesome city until I get sick of it... which would be like in.... never! #2) strong teeth to deal with all the candy I've been eating.... I'm more than willing to lose all my teeth already just so that I'll get over this unhealthy addiction.... and #3) World Peace.... ya right, like that'll ever happen.... dream on folks, that's what the new year (and NYC) is for.... add your new year wishes to the Times Square Wishing Wall here.... who knows, maybe I'll catch it as it descends into Times Square on New Year's eve?

the sweet young lady who was pinning up everybody's wishes on the wall made a comment to me that she was going to be in a whole bunch of people's holiday photos.... nevermind that I said, try blogs, flickr and a little thing called facebook?.... damn these internets, is that thing still around anyway?.... so here you go sweetheart, Happy New Year to you....

there was even a replica of the Times Square New Year ball....

unfortunately, my flight did not arrive in time for me to make it to the "Good Riddance Day" festivities....

on Monday, a dumpster, shredder and sledge hammer were available at Fr. Duffy Square for everyone to get rid of any old baggage, memories or what not before the new year arrives.... I found a regular old rubbish bin and threw out some old candy that I found in my pocket.... it had been there for too long and was starting to melt into the fabric of my pocket.... that can't be healthy.... I feel ready to welcome 2010.... look out for me on t.v.!

Happy New Year folks!

TECHNORATI TAGS: times square wishing wall

It's Christmas Time in the City

I'm back in New York City in time for Thanksgiving! AMERICAN Thanksgiving that is.... which works out because I missed the REAL Thanksgiving since I was not in Canada in October (just kidding American cousins).... anyways.... I usually say "humbug" whenever I see early signs of the Christmas commercialism which has hijacked the CHRISTmas season, but not this year.... I seem to have caught the CHRISTmas spirit early just from walking around Manhattan....

it's kinda hard not to get caught up in the festive air that has descended on this already vibrant and exciting city....

besides, I've got lots to be thankful for this year, as with every year.... earlier today, I caught the tail end of the Thanksgiving Day Parade.... literally, 'coz all I saw of it was Santa's tail end moving away.... but no worries 'coz as they cleaned up the parade route, I got to see his sleigh up close and personal, along with a more interesting bearded wonder....

so, whether you're American or Canadian or what not, I hope your Thanksgiving was great.... I hope y'all enjoy the coming holiday season... don't be a humbug....

TECHNORATI TAGS: thanksgiving, new york city, Christmas in new york city