11 Jan 07

4 Jan

Went to the ATM near my family's house - that would be very much in the southern United States, as we know - at about 7:15 in the morning, not exactly prime time for hopping to the bank, and found that the only other car around was using the ATM ahead of me. It had a plate from my favorite New England state and (this was quite weird) the initials "UK" in the letter part. Ha.

Passed a car, as we headed to the airport, with an alumni sticker from my current school - not that common in those parts. (Just to make it clear, I definitely appreciate the going-back-north "signs"....)

Spotted, outside my apartment and in a collection with some less notable dogs, Jake's absolute twin. Same rough coat, same white spot on the chest, same pointy little head. And I think he lives around here, because a few days later I saw him by himself, presumably with his owner. Hi, li'l Jake!

27 Dec 07

21 Nov

Phoned, as I waited for a train that would take me back in the direction of the city and a very early shuttle to the airport, my mom, who informed me that not only had she sold a deal but that one of her lovely colleagues had helped us out with the Thanksgiving bill. Thanks, David.

Laughed at the Metro-North conductor who thanked the passengers, as we pulled into Grand Central, for making that railroad the "number one choice for travel between New Haven and New York City..." because there are so many other options, dontcha know!

Spotted on the subway a teenager wearing one of the bright orange jackets of a Bryant Park skate guard.

22 Nov

Appreciated a brown road sign near the airport's perimeter: Long Island this way, as indicated by a highway-style depiction of a lighthouse; Manhattan this way, as indicated by a similar-looking picture of the skyline, complete with Twin Towers, and - in color - an American flag.

Smiled a year later at another JetBlue "Happy Turkey Day" sign.

Thought I recognized a person sitting near my gate as one of my high school classmates; upon hesitatingly interrupting this person and the guy she was with as we waited to board the plane, found that it was in fact Carrie, who recognized me right away.

27 Nov

Was told by Professor Number Four that one possible way to fund my adventures over the next year would be to go to work for "Habitat for Professor Alpha." Then, a more serious request for Professor Abercrombie - which may actually work out - was accompanied by the observation that "She's slow, and she's a pain in the ass, but she's reliable and she knows how to wield a machete." Ha!

28 Nov

Announced, loudly and down my hallway, to Professor Number Six that "I love SPSS!" Someone in one of the cubicle-offices along the hall stuck his head out and laughed, "Number Six! We need a quote board or something, and that's going on it!"

30 Nov

Got the Hallelujah chorus just as the subway I was on pulled into Grand Central - and we were on shuffle well into the stack of 1,570 songs.

Walked past Grace Church, which was playing the Ode to Joy on its bells.

Helped a very polite young teenager who asked, "Miss, do you know what stops come after Wall Street on this train?" He looked back and smiled at me as he hopped off a few minutes later.

Spotted a university social worker lady at Grand Central. She probably would not have known me even if she'd seen me, but what's the etiquette there if she had?

4 Dec

Spotted a Maybach. Yikes.

5 Dec

Fell asleep, as is my irritating custom, just as we were finishing up the hour-long ride back to the city; I snoozed all through the Grand Central tunnels and probably would have stayed there, except that one of those polite New Yorkers gently woke me up with a shake of my shoulder. I do love this place.

21 Nov 07

16 Nov

Spotted, as I waited for the S to Times Square with the lovely Kelly, three people in: wetsuits and goggles, carrying flippers. One of them had a long coat on, and I might not have noticed her rubbery-looking legs if it hadn't been for her compatriots, but the other two were pretty obvious. Where, do we suppose, those people were headed?

17 Nov

Presented our NCTE panel and did a pretty good job, I think; we had about 25 people come to see us even though we were "concurrent" (read: far, far away from the main thrust of the activities) and they seemed mostly to be paying attention.

Went, with the impressive crowd of Kevin, Professor Alpha, Professor Zulu, Anne, Marisa, Anna, Megan, Kelly, and Charlotte to... the Algonquin Bar. Holy crap. Alpha came up with the idea - partly, he admitted, because he and Zulu had parked across the street - but, really, could you think of a much better English teacher place? The drinks were good, the Christmas decorations were lovely, and the conversation, so far as I could tell, kept flowing. I'm not sure I could have imagined a better place to be sitting that afternoon than at the little cocktail table between Kevin and Zulu, talking and listening and drinking and so on. Pret-ty frick-in cool.

18 Nov

Walked all around town after hitting St. Patrick's; more specifically, up and down Fifth Avenue, which meant stopping to look at Lord and Taylor windows, a Jack Kerouac exhibition at the lion library, and the ice skating rink in Bryant Park.

14 Nov 07

31 Oct

Spotted a license plate - in Connecticut, no less, where it's a) not native and b) that much more a good omen - from New York which read WOLFIE4.

5 Nov

Got followed around by dogs - two in the Gap, one coming (walking, thank you - not being carried) off the subway, and two at my Italian deli, all with separate owners.

12 Nov

Got described by the fabulous Marisa, after I told her about the lunch ticket, as "Professor Alpha's backup date." HA, HA, and more HA - is that something that even came near to entering my head back in the days when I would contemplate these kinds of things on the treadmill? I don't think so, Tim.

13 Nov

Worked very hard at not laughing when one of my high schoolers mentioned in her timeline Powerpoint "going to fresh air camp and they sent me to a dog farm." Now, I know what she means. But the phrase "they sent me to a dog farm" just broke me up. A dog farm? They sent you? Come on, now!

18 Oct 07

13 Oct

Caught - finally, and not until Anna spotted me while on her run - a cab to 125th Street, and called Kevin to let him know which train I thought I'd be on, although I also mentioned that I really wasn't sure I'd make that one. I didn't say anything about it to the driver, but he very clearly made an effort to move quickly, so when we got up there, I thanked him for the quick ride (and tipped him extra). He laughed and informed me that he'd heard me talking, and he didn't want me to miss my train! Stick it in the file, under a special heading for People Non-New Yorkers REALLY Think Are Going to Be Rude - Cabbie Section....

10 Oct 07

Called Dr. P. with some questions about the "top ten programs," and was told that "I know it would be hard," but that she had let a State professor know her "cracker-jack student" was up-and-coming within the next couple of years - and she meant me. Holy crap.

8 Oct

Remembered, having seen some deer crossing signs and having been inspired to think about driving around Pennsylvania, when they used to put red dots on the deers' noses; was as delighted today as I was in 1984 or so to find that someone still does.

7 Oct 07

6 Oct

Got a pedicure, and sat next to a) a man who was b) wearing a Huskies shirt. Ha, ha, and more ha - is that a sign for Kevin??