skyscraper city

the skyscraper museum is a great little place near the battery --- a lot of models of concepts not yet constructed --- the twin towers model was used in the original wind-tunnel tests

outside is the real skyscraper museum

the nyc skyline from the staten island ferry

midtown from the east river

midtown from the roof of the met

view of the hudson, downtown, and newark, with the statue of liberty, staten island, and verrazzano narrows barely visible in the distance

view of the city from the new jersey meadowlands

the crescent

it's a long ride, 18 hrs or so, but with a little sleeper unit, you just rock along --- it really felt more civilized than air travel these days

my crib for the week

the train pulled into penn station a little after 2 pm and for a hot minute i wondered if i was going to be able to get out of the station --- then the subway and out onto the sidewalk on 7th ave ---- boom! sensory overload --- jon's place was a wonderfully quiet oasis in the village, 3 blks from union sq and 6 from washington sq --- within that radius, multiple subway stops for dozens of lines going everywhere --- and, of course, miles of sidewalks

brooklyn!

so I forgot to post yesterday's excursion to the brooklyn botanic garden (est. 1910), where I think I entered through the back door as it were, and greeted by screaming school kids and heavy equipment tearing up the south end of the garden, but get past that, it was great, especially the Japanese garden --- then back on the subway, which is an attraction in itself, a stop at coney island, which was a sorta sad place, and up to greenwood cemetery (1838) which i had mostly and wonderfully to myself

love me some city

Another excellent day in New York took the a train to Fort Tryon Park and the cloisters which was truly worth the effort -- great view of the hudson and jersey palisades -- plus the hlilac and whatnot blooming -- and then a walk through the park to the met -- Egyptian and Pergamon and a fine view from the roof -- happy hour in the village and Christopher street pier and just wandering around -- fitbit sez I've walked over 25 miles the last two day

my favorite piece, today from the depths of antiquity

Egypt, 18th dynasty

cleaning the mental blackboard

a fabulous day in New York: a great breakfast in la village, the Museum of the American Indian, skyscraper museum, a little sleet and a whole lotto wind, the Staten Island ferry, the East River ferry, and a gay bar that has just been added to the National Register of Historic Places cuz of the mattachine society's "sip in," pre-stonewall -- fitbit sez 23,000+ steps and almost 11 miles, which was not the point, but still......

sweetness and light

we went down to the sweet auburn festival yesterday and were among very few white people there --- i still can't get over how segregated this city remains --- and in the first block or so of auburn, a nation of islam freek was pointing at us and calling us "unclean" --- well alrighty then ---

let's hear it for three!

a lotta tapping at the keyboard today, too, but took a break and went to college park to help broke-leg john --- clear-cutting overgrown shrubberies is immensely satisfying

morning or evening --- a great view from the thirteenth floors

two in a row

we'll be sweating soon enough, but not tonight when it's 50 degrees --- 

when i'm working on something, there's always a binge period, where i don't want to do anything but tap away at the keyboard --- i like those days

manifest destiny

i spent about 10 hours in front of the keyboard today --- wrote a lot of words, mostly revolving around this little bit from about 1820:

the prevailing idea in Georgia (especially among the lower class) . . .[is] that they are the rightful owners of the soil, and that the Indians are mere tenants at will; and indeed, Sir, there is only one point on which all parties both high and low in Georgia agree, and that is, that they all want the Indian lands.  

it was generally depressing

big-sky weather

 the rain came and, coincidentally, the dendrobium started opening --- it was my first orchid and refused to rebloom for years until it relented last year and started blooming again