Among my group of friends, the first New York Baby has arrived.
A big congratulations and warm welcome to the youngest New Yorker I know - Jax Keenan. He was born today at 7am in Manhattan.

The fresh New Yorker's proud parents are Jessica and Jason. They also happen to be one of my favorite couples, and hail from Texas. They have been living in Long Island City Queens, for about 2 years now. Jessica and I went to grade school together in Alaska, and my fondest memory of her would be us staging a "walk-out" in 8th grade in protest to Desert Storm.

I have been very excited about the addition of a New York baby and hopefully J&J will let me take lil' J on strolls in the city in his "I love New York" onesie. I also plan on spoiling my first little New Yorker as much as my rent-deprived wallet allows.
Get used to pics and updates.

A car like my car, only its not the same color.
I have been thinking about getting personalized plates. I thought it might be tongue-in-cheek to get: MY 1 BMR (my first beemer) but then tongue-in-cheek is so over, so I have decided maybe on just ANISE or ANYC. but ANYC has only been around for like 9 months. I was thinking things like ILIV4SPD or SELLKIDS would be amusing. Lee suggested I get $1BMR. Feel free to drop a suggestion.

Again people. I am going to the DMV on Monday. I need more input on the license plate ideas.
state rules:
1. it can be 2 to 8 characters.
2. you can use letters, A through Z, numbers, 0 through 9, spaces
3. you can also use @, and NY offers the state of NY image.

Doug's way of letting Robin know that she is a little hyper, and that she might want to calm down:

ROBIN?! You are acting like a DAMN FOOL.

Last night or rather this morning, all I wanted was a remote controlled window. Or maybe a window with a timer - so it will shut after like 2 hours, once I am fast asleep. If I were married to Wayne Szalinski he would definitely invent something like that for me.
The problem is that I like going to sleep with my window open because I like fresh air and my neighbor sings me too sleep. Good thing.
HOWEVER. I want to get a remote control for that sucker of a window because my OTHER NEIGHBOR (who is probably from Long Island,) has been using her LOUD air conditioner all summer. Even last night in 60 degree weather & I HATE getting out of bed once I am rested.
So yeah, my window needs a remote or a timer, or just Wayne Szalinski will do.

There is a part in "The Garden of Good and Evil" where John Cusack's character plays a tape of NYC street traffic to help him get to sleep. I think I had just moved to NY when that movie was released. I remember seeing that and thinking it was cool. I imagined that one day, I might need a city tape for myself.

Luckily, I am happy to report that falling asleep to the city noise is not something I need or am particularly going to miss. I might make a tape of the city noise for like 4 minutes - but its definitely not going to be my means of falling asleep. As we all know, I do love NY - but its noises and my sleep, definitely were not meant to be.

This past weekend I made my first video. (clip on left.)
I set out with the intention of creating my own version of the mediocre Garden State; so I taped some footage of us driving on the Garden State Parkway, while listening to depressing music. Aside from my giggling in the background - I would say I have a video clip that rivals the Garden State trailer & a Volkswagen commercial. I can't show the video on my blog. (unhappy face) But I can show the video at my desk - so I made Adam watch my video, and he said that it was better than the movie Elephant.

What does that mean? Well. I loved the movie Elephant. I thought it was incredible. Adam however, along with a SLEW of other people HATED the movie. So I took his comment as a compliment. He however, meant it as a put-down.

Thanks Adam. Anyway. I made my first video, and I had fun making it.

Imagine my surprise when I looked out the office window this morning and saw this!

I found this fun interactive map letting you know what the leaves will look like on what weekend in Vermont. I am planning a trip for the weekend of Oct. 2 & 3. I like yellow leaves - so that seems to be the prime time viewing for the yellers.

Its strange.

I have this job where I have to do the same task over and over again. I like my job - (I don't like the fact that its moving to NJ) but I do like my job. I get to do basically whatever I want, in silence at my computer for 8 hours. My point? I was just doing my "task" and found it to be rather... soothing?? I got some actual thinking done. It was like going for a jog in a way.

I have always wanted to patent a scrolling-message-board for cars.
The message board would be located right above both the front and rear bumpers. The board would allow drivers to talk to one another on the road. Like when someone is "riding your ass" (as they say) you would choose from one of the 20-programmed messages:
"Please stop driving so closely to my bumper. Thank you."
Then the message would appear on the screen, and wa-la you have just successfully let the person know behind you that they are inconveniently riding your ass.
I would like to keep the message board polite. I am sure I could think up a slew of funny, off-color messages that we can all type to other drivers, but I would like to envision a freeway where we are all devout Christians w/ that fish symbol bumper sticker, and of course, we all have green grass.

more programmed messages:
Would you please turn your brights off?
Something is about to fall out of your trunk.
You drove off with the gas pump
Why are you flashing me?
You are hot. Praise the Lord & call me: 555-1234

programmed responses:
Thank you
Thanks!
Oh my!
Word.
I am flashing you because you left your cell phone at the gas station.
You are hot too. Lets stop at the next rest area.

Cape May.

I love New York.
Just want you to know
I love-it soooo much.

I love all that it stands for
I love all that it dirties
I love the sidewalks
I love the transportation
I love the bagel carts
I love the planned parks.
I love the 'I love New York' t-shirts & buy them in bulk.

I. Love. New York.

And this is why I can't help thinking about what happened during this month, 3 years ago. It was a month that harbored the day where New York was silent, the air cold & sky clear.

So in reverence to the memorial on my street honoring a girl my age in tower 2, in reverence to the firehouse in my neighborhood riddled with plaques, in reverence to dust, paper, steel and blood, I would like to focus not on all those "I's" up there in the first 2 paragraphs, but on the times & feelings of that day that we can never forget.

Yesterday was Robin's first day of school. She attends the most progressive private school in the city.
They do yoga during math.
No kidding.
So this year she is in the 3rd grade. This year is supposed to be the year that she starts getting homework assignments. The school has been preparing everyone in her family for this since she enrolled. 3rd grade is the year to start hitting books.
So yesterday I unpacked Robin's back with high expectations. I pulled out her homework folder and it contained a blank piece of paper.
"What is your homework?"
"I have to get my dad sign that piece of paper."
"What? Seriously. That is your homework??"
"Yes. They said I could draw whatever I wanted on the paper - but my assignment is to get my dad to sign the paper."
"Oh my. Doug? You are never going to believe this one..."
So Doug gives a shrug and signs the paper, and Robin started doodling. After about 5 minutes she got bored and we went to the pet store.

This is the best thing ever. A girl found a memory card in a taxi cab, and now she is posting the pictures as if she were the owner. God its hilarious & genius. Enjoy the entertainment.