...but its legend lives on.
12/28/2011
12/27/2011
An e-mail OOPS!
12/24/2011
My favorite outdoor photos I ever took (roughly in order by favorite)
Frozen lake in Hightstown, N.J. Next to Cranbury, my favorite old town.
Frozen lake in Hightstown, N.J. Next to Cranbury, my favorite old town.
Binghamton, N.Y.
Nantucket, Mass.
New York City.
Roof of my old apartment in Hoboken, just after a thunderstorm, when marvelous mamatas clouds made a rare appearance.
Pittsburgh, PA
Cranbury, N.J.
Hoboken, N.J.
Near Burlington, VT.
Fairview, N.J.
More from Cranbury. Love these signs.
Hoboken, N.J.
Lower East Side.
Just kinda funny.
Bathroom in an old artists' lofts building in Jersey City. The building was demolished a few years ago. (Okay, this isn't outdoors. Well, might as well keep it for now.)
Boston
I just realized I don't have any good fall leaf photos here. I guess there's no specific one that stands out. Also, no snow photos! What's up with that? I'll keep trying.
12/11/2011
11/30/2011
Blue ghost signs
I don't often see blue ghost signs. But I saw these on 32nd Street in NYC this week.
According to a website called Ephemeral New York, "Doehler Metal Furniture owned the building these ads appear on, on 32nd Street. ...They seem to have had a lot of contracts with the Army during World War II. Manning-Bowman had a showroom on the seventh floor. The Connecticut-based electronics firm made things like waffle irons and coffee makers."
11/26/2011
11/22/2011
11/20/2011
From the web:
A new study finds pregnant moms with gum disease have a better chance of delivering full-term babies if they use mouthwash while they're expecting, as preggo women with periodontal disease have more premature babies than moms with healthy gums.
Researchers found when women used an alcohol-free mouth rinse, the risk of early labor seemed to be decreased by three-quarters, according to the news service.
Reuters notes staff and funding from the study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, came from Procter and Gamble -- a company that makes mouthwash.
Researchers found when women used an alcohol-free mouth rinse, the risk of early labor seemed to be decreased by three-quarters, according to the news service.
Reuters notes staff and funding from the study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, came from Procter and Gamble -- a company that makes mouthwash.
Oh brother.
Hey, reading Carrie Pilby while you are pregnant has been shown to NOT INCREASE the risk of premature birth!!
11/19/2011
11/16/2011
11/05/2011
A few minutes...
When I was growing up, my parents always put "60 Minutes" on. Of course, my 10-year-old self found most of it boring, but I really looked forward to Andy Rooney's commentary at the end. My parents noticed this, so they gave me a paperback full of Andy's short essays among my Hannukah presents one year.
I always preferred small presents to large ones -- small ones were usually something creative, like clay or markers or books. Large boxes usually meant board games or clothes, which weren't my preference.
My birthday presents, early '80s, since I don't have a photo from Hanukkah,
but you get the idea - the presents were always by the fireplace in our living room.
I remember getting several great small presents that Hakkukah, in fact: The newest Mad Magazine, which is something I asked for on pretty much every holiday (why no one just sprang for a subscription is beyond me), a silver paint marker (those were just getting big), A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney, and probably some other stuff I can't remember.
We had a couch that curled around the fireplace. So after I got the Andy Rooney book, I lay on the couch in front of a roaring fire and started reading it. That's why I remember that Hannkuah so well, because I felt so cozy reading my Andy Rooney book inside by the fire.
About a year ago, I wrote him a fan letter in shameless hope of getting him to mention Carrie Pilby on the air, since he sometimes complains about his mail during his segment. I told him all about how I'd grown up enjoying his segments and how eventually I began writing observational essays myself.
Just to give him a little extra incentive to mention my missive, at the end I wrote,
P.S. You were great in all those Andy Hardy movies with Judy Garland.
I figured that might sufficiently annoy him so he'd complain about it on the air. ("This girl says she's a fan, but she thinks I'm the same person as Mickey Rooney.")
No such luck. But I kept enjoying his commentary. Then, not long ago, I watched him say a fitting goodbye in his last segment for "60 Minutes."
It seems like just days later he went into the hospital, and now he's gone. He must have seen it coming when he decided to retire.
I guess if you've been watching someone on TV for more than 30 years, they're bound to leave sooner than later. But it's too bad we didn't get to see one last segment on hospital food and doctor's bills. He was probably writing it in his mind while he lay in his hospital bed. J'ever wonder...?
10/27/2011
Teach the children
I was snooping on Google to find out what happened to an old friend. She's a teacher now, like she always wanted to be. Anyway, this is what one of her students wrote about her on Ratemyteacher.com:
you give tooooooooooooooooo much homework. You give at least 3 hiours a day. (no exaduration)
10/24/2011
10/22/2011
10/19/2011
10/07/2011
Reader mail II
James from college was apparently inspired by my photo and sent this thoughtful sestet:
Was that a dirigible you spied
in the e'ening sky
over your town as darkness drew near?
Where did it go,
amongst the queries you pose,
and how will you know when it gets there?
I have sometimes wondered, upon looking at a plane, who was inside, where they were going, and did they realize that for a moment, I was wondering about them? We all had a connection we might never have again. Just for one moment.
But in this case, the blimp was advertising the Conan show on TBS. And you can track it at teamcoco.com. So, not as mysterious, but still nice to see.
James from college was apparently inspired by my photo and sent this thoughtful sestet:
Was that a dirigible you spied
in the e'ening sky
over your town as darkness drew near?
Where did it go,
amongst the queries you pose,
and how will you know when it gets there?
I have sometimes wondered, upon looking at a plane, who was inside, where they were going, and did they realize that for a moment, I was wondering about them? We all had a connection we might never have again. Just for one moment.
But in this case, the blimp was advertising the Conan show on TBS. And you can track it at teamcoco.com. So, not as mysterious, but still nice to see.
10/06/2011
9/25/2011
9/06/2011
8/30/2011
Climb ev'ry mountain
Because I'm such a fan of the Sound of Music, I thought I'd post this update that was e-mailed out about the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe:
Greetings from our Green Mountains,
We have been touched to receive so many inquiries into the impact of Tropical Storm Irene. Both Stowe and the Trapp Family Lodge were very fortunate not to have sustained significant damage, in spite of over six inches of rain and heavy winds. Erosion and wind damage were the chief concern, but we sustained almost no impact to our buildings, roads, and trails. Our capable crew was well prepared for the event, and our guests were able to enjoy the day with a fire in the Lounge and service in the DeliBakery.
I spent much of the day outdoors, unplugging culverts and checking the status of buildings and trails- my Austrian loden hat is still drying out!
Unfortunately many towns near us were impacted significantly, as has been reported by the media. Our thoughts go out to those who suffered more damage than we did, and we look forward to doing our part to help neighboring communities...
Sincerely, Sam von Trapp Executive Vice President Trapp Family Lodge
Because I'm such a fan of the Sound of Music, I thought I'd post this update that was e-mailed out about the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe:
Greetings from our Green Mountains,
We have been touched to receive so many inquiries into the impact of Tropical Storm Irene. Both Stowe and the Trapp Family Lodge were very fortunate not to have sustained significant damage, in spite of over six inches of rain and heavy winds. Erosion and wind damage were the chief concern, but we sustained almost no impact to our buildings, roads, and trails. Our capable crew was well prepared for the event, and our guests were able to enjoy the day with a fire in the Lounge and service in the DeliBakery.
I spent much of the day outdoors, unplugging culverts and checking the status of buildings and trails- my Austrian loden hat is still drying out!
Unfortunately many towns near us were impacted significantly, as has been reported by the media. Our thoughts go out to those who suffered more damage than we did, and we look forward to doing our part to help neighboring communities...
Sincerely, Sam von Trapp Executive Vice President Trapp Family Lodge
8/29/2011
8/26/2011
Natural disasters
So, catching up...
I was excited to finally be in an earthquake at the ripe age of 40. I was actually in a small one in January of 1979 when I was in second grade in Matawan, NJ, but I didn't hear or feel it because I was in the noisy lunchroom. Our teachers told us about it when we got back into class, and used it as a teaching experience. Apparently there is a small fault line that runs through Cheesequake Park, although the park gets its name from Indian words and not from the fault line.
Anyway, since then, I've been disappointed that I haven't felt any quakes. So when I was sitting at my desk at work and felt a slight rumbling -- but didn't hear the usual sound of a truck passing -- I got up and said, "Did we just have an earthquake?" Two other people came out of their offices and said the same thing. Then someone said, "It's still going on." I thought of putting something up on our newspaper website, but I didn't want to do it if a truck hit our office; we'd look rather stupid. Then a co-worker said her husband in Central Jersey also felt it, so we knew it was real.
And that's the exciting story.
As for the hurricane, we'll see what happens. As always, I have a link at the right to the gov't hurricane maps.
So, catching up...
I was excited to finally be in an earthquake at the ripe age of 40. I was actually in a small one in January of 1979 when I was in second grade in Matawan, NJ, but I didn't hear or feel it because I was in the noisy lunchroom. Our teachers told us about it when we got back into class, and used it as a teaching experience. Apparently there is a small fault line that runs through Cheesequake Park, although the park gets its name from Indian words and not from the fault line.
Anyway, since then, I've been disappointed that I haven't felt any quakes. So when I was sitting at my desk at work and felt a slight rumbling -- but didn't hear the usual sound of a truck passing -- I got up and said, "Did we just have an earthquake?" Two other people came out of their offices and said the same thing. Then someone said, "It's still going on." I thought of putting something up on our newspaper website, but I didn't want to do it if a truck hit our office; we'd look rather stupid. Then a co-worker said her husband in Central Jersey also felt it, so we knew it was real.
And that's the exciting story.
As for the hurricane, we'll see what happens. As always, I have a link at the right to the gov't hurricane maps.
8/23/2011
List
I am so honored that Carrie Pilby made the top 10 list today of a teenage reader, Lauren, who says she lives in a boring town in the mountains of Pennsylvania and has a lot of books. Thanks, Lauren!
I am so honored that Carrie Pilby made the top 10 list today of a teenage reader, Lauren, who says she lives in a boring town in the mountains of Pennsylvania and has a lot of books. Thanks, Lauren!
8/18/2011
8/12/2011
Catching up
A few things:
1. To the lovely lass who commented that my coveted coconut patties can be found down South -- I know, but those all have chocolate on the outside, right? What I'd like to find are the ones with no chocolate. It seems as though only Criterion Candies in Asbury Park used to make them, and now they don't. Too bad - they were good! They came in vanilla and strawberry. Thanks as always, though!
2. Last week, someone on Amazon called the main character in my novel a "douche." On the heels of that, someone posted this comment on Goodreads. Ouch! Valid points, though. I know well that the novel isn't for everyone. Anyway, I responded.
3. I often make it seem like I posted these at a different time than I did. For instance, this one will say 12:06 a.m. even though I was sleeping at 12:06 a.m. I'm not so easy to pin down. Ha!
Have a good weekend!
A few things:
1. To the lovely lass who commented that my coveted coconut patties can be found down South -- I know, but those all have chocolate on the outside, right? What I'd like to find are the ones with no chocolate. It seems as though only Criterion Candies in Asbury Park used to make them, and now they don't. Too bad - they were good! They came in vanilla and strawberry. Thanks as always, though!
2. Last week, someone on Amazon called the main character in my novel a "douche." On the heels of that, someone posted this comment on Goodreads. Ouch! Valid points, though. I know well that the novel isn't for everyone. Anyway, I responded.
3. I often make it seem like I posted these at a different time than I did. For instance, this one will say 12:06 a.m. even though I was sleeping at 12:06 a.m. I'm not so easy to pin down. Ha!
Have a good weekend!
8/11/2011
Quote of the month
"Art can’t save the world, but it can make the world a lot easier to take." -- Kevin Smith
"Art can’t save the world, but it can make the world a lot easier to take." -- Kevin Smith
8/02/2011
What I should expect someday?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8aprCNnecU
Better start making some cookies now...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8aprCNnecU
Better start making some cookies now...
