songbird's crazy world

So I made it through the challenge.  I posted every day this month.  Yes, I am crazy. My chief problem?  Keeping up with reading and commenting on other blogs.  There are just so many hours in a day.  I stopped sharing my posts on Facebook because I simply could not reciprocate. Not sure if I'll do this again...

So.... Yes... It's true.... Starting August 27 I’ll be commuting to lower Manhattan again. Four years ago, when I first started working for my current employer, I was assigned to a client located in lower Manhattan.  For about a year or so I worked in the client's NYC office.  Later, I moved to my employer's office on Long Island, and accessed the client's server, software, etc., remotely.  Then last year, I was asked to work on a different account.  The new account has been challenging, but I love it. A few weeks ago my original client asked my employer if I could come back.  After some discussion, I agreed.  The client no longer has the capability for remote access, so I have to work out of the client's office.  I like being in the city.  I like working in the city. The commute, on the other hand... It's not permanent, the project will end in June.  And next summer I will be back on Long Island full time.  But for now... it's back to

Strictly speaking, “halal” is not a style of cooking.  “Halal food” can be almost anything, so long as it complies with Muslim dietary rules, e.g., no pork products are permitted. But it seems to me that every halal food cart in NYC serves the same amazing chicken over rice. Chicken over rice, a lunchtime staple when I worked in NYC.  I haven’t worked in the city in a few years. So I was pleased to see a halal takeout place open up on Long Island. And even better, they offer chicken over rice. Chunks of seasoned chicken atop a base of seasoned rice...I ordered mine with white sauce, hot sauce and green sauce.  Didn’t care for the green sauce, I won’t order it again.  And the chicken was flavorful, I really didn’t need as much hot sauce as was served.  I’ll remember that next time. I also tasted the lamb ...tender and flavorful chunks of lamb, also served over rice. The menu, as you can see, is very limited.  Portions are generous, though, and the food

Yesterday I posted a photo that included an airplane, and Alana remarked that she didn’t miss all those planes.  It sparked a memory. Long Island sees a lot of air traffic.  We’re on the flight path/ landing routes for JFK and La Guardia, both in Queens.  We also have our own commercial airport, Islip-MacArthur.  And we have Republic Airport in Farmingdale, a regional airport originally built to service the Republic Fairchild company and later Grumman.  I work just a short distance from Republic, and I  frequently see planes coming in for a landing.  So there’s nothing remarkable about seeing planes overhead.   But in the aftermath of 9/11, all non-military aircraft were grounded.  I remember noticing how quiet the skies were.  And how I didn’t need to look up to know the planes over my bead were military aircraft.   9/11 came up in conversation yesterday.  I went out for happy hour with some of my coworkers.  We discussed someone who recently interviewed for a job with my

#skywatchfriday

So the newspaper had a contest.  they were giving away tickets for an Off-Broadway musical, Desperate Measures . And by some stroke of good luck, Drew won a pair of tickets. Yes, great seats, four rows back from the stage.  The website tells you about the show: When the dangerously handsome Johnny Blood’s life is on the line, he must put his fate into the hands of a colorful cast of characters including a mysterious sheriff, an eccentric priest, an authoritarian governor, a saloon girl gone good, and a nun out of the habit. Before the sun sets, will they rise up and pull off the greatest caper yet, or will Johnny be left hanging? This witty and wild new musical comedy takes the Bard’s Measure for Measure and shakes things up. The play is set in the Old West, of course.  The audeince sees the set -- a saloon, a jail, etc....and then the show begins with one of the performers delivering a prologue in iambic pentameter.  Funny, funy play... And who are these two char

“Somebunny” has taken up residence under the tree on Drew’s front lawn.

I came here for lunch, and I was very impressed.  The restaurant is cavernous and very noisy at lunchtime.  If you're looking for quiet conversation, this is not the place. But the food.... I had a hard time deciding what to eat, everything sounded so good... I had Scialatielli  -- shrimp, tomatoes and basil pesto served ove linguini.  My dining companion ordered Penne Caprese -- tomatoes, garlic, mozarella and basil over penne.  Both pasta dishes were cooked to perfection, the sauces flavorful without being too spicy.   Lunch potions were just enough to make us happy, but without leftovers.  Artisan bread and olive oil accompanied the dishes. Service was friendly and efficient.  Our waiter even made sure our table didn't wobble. If you're near Grand Central, it's definitely worth the time to lunch here.

Every profession has its “war stories”, interesting or unique events, victories or defeats. Doctors talk about their patients, people who work in retail or the food industry talk about customers, cops talk about criminals,  and lawyers talk about cases they’ve handled. A few weeks ago, a friend posted on Facebook about an issue she was having with a process server, and it reminded me of one of my “war stories”. Background information:  a process server is a person who has been hired to serve legal papers on an individual or business that’s being sued. A court does not have jurisdiction to handle the lawsuit unless the legal papers have been given to the defendant in a manner that complies with the rules set down by the court. The ideal situation is for the process server to hand the documents directly to the person being sued.  But that isn’t always possible.   So the process server may leave the documents at the defendant’s house even if the defendant isn’t home.  But

Happiness is a lobster bib, a cracker, and a cup of melted butter. Located on the waterfront, with a view of the Long Beach Bridge, is a casual dining spot known as Jordan Lobster Farm. Order at the window and take your feast to a picnic table on the patio, or go inside for waiter service.  The menu is the same indoors or outside, with a full service bar on the patio, so the choice is yours.  There is also a retail store, offering fresh fish, prepared dishes, kitchen utensils, and some cute t-shirts. It’s a simple menu, featuring fish and shellfish, most notably (as the name suggests), lobster.  We started our meal with whole baked clams and garlic bread, generous portions of tasty appetizers.  We each ordered the lobster dinner (market price, we had to ask the cost), a perfectly cooked lobster accompanied by French fries, cole slaw, melted butter, and corn on the cob.  Everything was fresh and tasty.  Service was friendly and mostly efficient— our waitress made

If you follow the  Marvel Universe series of movies, you are no doubt familiar with Ant-Man.  The character was introduced to the Marvel movies in 2015's Ant-Man, and made an appearance in 2016's Captain America:Civil War, in which he fought on the side of the (traitorous) Captain America.  Ant-Man and the Wasp is set two years after Civil War and shortly before The Avengers:Infinity War.   Our hero Scott is under house arrest, forced to wear an ankle monitor, as atonement for his participation in the Civil War.  Dr. Pym and Hope are fugitives, on the run because they supplied Scott with the Ant-Man suit.  That is, until Scott receives a message from Pym's wife, Janet Van Dyne, who has been trapped in the Quantum Realm for 30 years.  What follows is a lighthearted action movie, lots of chase sequences and fight sequences and gentle humor:  Scott doing karaoke to the theme from The Partridge Family; a giant ant wearing Scott's ankle monitor and playing the drums; car

We recently visited friends who live in Poughkeepsie, NY.  and they told us about this wonderful state park called Walkway Over the Hudson. This was once a railroad bridge, but after a fire destroyed the tracks in the 1970's, the bridge remained unused and in a state of disrepair for many years.  Now it's a pedestrian walkway.  I'm told that from the parking lot on the Duchess County side to the parking lot in Ulster County is about a 2 mile walk; we stopped mid-span and turned around.  Looking south you get incredible views of the Mid-Hudson Bridge.   Look north towards Albany and you get a lovely view as well. The plaques tell the story. The bridge, the views, the walk -- it was a great afternoon. #skywatchfriday

Want something a little different for take-out?  Try Hawaiian.  Yes, Hawaiian. Hawaiian Kitchen is a storefront fast food place in the King Kullen shopping center.  There are a handful of tables, most of the business is take-out, and yes, they deliver.  Staff is very friendly and efficient. The menu includes beef, ribs, chicken, and seafood.  Entrees are grilled, barbecued or fried, and are served with rice, vegetable and macaroni salad. We ordered two appetizers.  "Crispy shrimp" were perfectly fried, not greasy, and were served with a mildly spicy dipping sauce.  Fried calamari was tender, and served with the same sauce. Our entrees included grilled beef and grilled shrimp.  The beef was tender and flavorful, but I thought the grilled shrimp was a bit bland.  I will probably try the barbecued shrimp next time. The macaroni salad was a bit of a disappointment, but that's because it was warm and runny, a result of being served in the same container as the e

  If it's Wednesday, it's time for Joyce  and the HodgePodge. 1. I feel most energized when I _______________________. It depends. But one of the things I know about myself ...I do my best writing when I am responding to something that has made me angry or upset.  In the early days of my career, my supervisor loved it when we'd get some  document from our adversaries that could only be referred to as bullsh...er, malarkey...and I'd have to write a response.  Some of my best legal briefs were written after I'd uttered the words: "I cannot believe he had the nerve to put this in writing!" 2. Where were you ten years ago? Hmmm....2008...Jen  graduated from high school and started her freshman year of college.  Becca finished her sophomore year of high school and was starting to come into her own.  Drew and I had ceased hostilities and agreed to be friends again, though I couldn't imagine at that time how things would evolve.    My fath

Tonight Major League Baseball will present the annual All Star Game. The most famous names in baseball will be there, including my current favorite, Jacob deGrom (Let's go Mets!). It will be an impressive display meant to entertain and inspire the fans. Last week Drew and I went to another All Star Game, one on a much smaller scale, but still a lot of fun. Our Long Island Ducks are part of an independent baseball league, the Atlantic League of Professionall Baseball.  The league is composed of 8 teams, divided into two divisions, Liberty and Freedom.  The Ducks play in the Liberty Division.  This year, the Ducks hosted the league's All Star Game.  It was a sold-out game, of course.  Capacity crowd, and lots of newcomers to our ballpark -- we actually had to get an usher because someone inadvertently took our seats instead of their own. The evening started with a Home Run Derby, won by a player named  Deibison Romero. There was professional entertainment, before th

Elvis is alive and being held prisoner in a Chinese fotune cookie factorry.   Seriously, I found this fortune in my cookie...

So last night we went to the movies.  And afterwards we decided to grab a bite at the diner. (Long Island is blessed with a plethora of diners.  New Jersey may be the diner capital of the world, but we place a close second.) So we got to the diner and we’re seated in a booth that had an actual juke box.  Nice selection of music, from Frank Sinatra to Billy Joel to Blackeyed Peas.  And the Yankee game was on the TV.    And the paper placemats had pictures of all the cocktails the bartender could make.   Drew ordered one of his favorites, eggs Benedict, and a cup of coffee.  I ordered a burger and fries.  And a Diet Coke, of course. And we ate, and chatted, and drank. And the waiter asked if I wanted a refill.   And I said yes.   And he brought my refill. And I said “thank you.” And he put the glass on the table. And I picked up the glass, to bring it closer so I wouldn’t spill it. And the glass slipped out of my hand ... An entire glass of Diet Coke spilled onto the table and the bench.

So, one of the perks of living in Drew’s neighborhood is the community pool.  Or, rather, pools.   I usually go to the pool nearest Drew’s house, but there are several locations I can use. Today I drove over to the pool for a swim.  When I got there, the pool was nearly deserted.  One o’clock on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the pool is nearly empty?  I couldn’t imagine what was up. Until I dipped a toe into the water. It was freezing. I mean, like “Rose, you stay on this bit of floating debris and wait for the lifeboat while I stay in the water and literally freeze to death” cold. Like putting my face into a bucket of ice cold. And then the lifeguard told me that “We have a leak in the system, and they have to add water every night.  A lot of people are going to the [other community pool] instead.” Guess where I’ll be headed next time ...

1970 AMC Ambassador — I believe it was American Motors’ top-of-the-line sedan.

So it occurred to me... Whenever I post about being at Citi Field, I always have to mention the airplanes. Well. the planes are very much a part of the Citi Field experience. If you look at the map, you can see why. That area of the map marked "East Elmhurst", that's La Guardia Airport.    the flight path often goes right over the ball park. So this is a common site: And once I actually caught this shot: I'm sure you've all seen  Men In Black .  The original film, not the sequels. My favorite scene takes place at Shea Stadium, Citi Field's predecessor.  (Keep in mind, Citi Field was built in the Shea parking lot, the current parking lot for Citi Field is on the site of the former Shea Stadium.)    The bug, having taken a flying saucer from the ruins of the New York State Pavilion , a remnant of the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair, and flies over Shea.  There's a ball game in progress, and an outfielder misses a play becaus

Liz at  Laws of Gravity  is a multi-talented lady, witty and charming and very entertaining.  She primarily blogs about the trials and tribulations of a substitute teacher, but she also has a happy talent for knitting and crochet. I couldn't help but fall in love with this little item, had to order one: Great job, Liz.  I am so happy with my new keychain.

This week's questions from  Joyce. 1. What's something in your house you'd like to get rid of but can't? The clutter.  It seems to breed, to multiply, to grow.... 2. When is the last time you experienced a sense of nostalgia? Elaborate. Interesting question.  I've had two moments recently. I graduated from high school in 1978.  Right now my classmates are planning a 40th reunion.  I can't go to the reunion, but I did join a Facebook group.  And my classmates are all posting pictures from our yearbook and from other high school events. And another, very different moment.  My younger daughter turned 26 on Sunday, and I kept thinking about the day she was born, and what life was like when she was a baby. 3. You're only allowed three apps on your smart phone or tablet...which three do you keep? Oh my, you are cruel!  OK then, my three apps are Facebook, Fitbit and Newsday. 4. July 11th is National Blueberry Muffin Day. Who knew? D

The tickets for our show came in an envelope with a $10 coupon for Planet Hollywood.  We hadn't been there in a very long time, so we decided to give it a try. This location is a relatively small restaurant.  If you're looking for the full memorabilia experience, you're better off going to Hard Rock Cafe, just down the street.  Still, we did get to see a few items: It was a Friday night, after the theater, and the restaurant was relatively deserted.  Service was a bit slow and less than efficient.  Still,, the food was delicious, if overpriced.  I ordered a cheeseburger -- a half pound of meat on a sesame seed bun.  It was served with shoestring fries, served in a miniature fry basket. He ordered the steak, which was well prepared, but he found the steak fries a bit disappointing -- he does not like fries where the potatoes were not peeled. Overall a decent experience, and yes, I'd go back.