What do people do in starbucks during the day?
There are many different species milling about.
They all exist together. They come and go. But, universally, doesn't matter what Starbucks in NYC you're in. The key players are all the same.

We have:
Crazy lady with ALL those bags
Unemployed guys being loud
People with laptops pretending to work
People with laptops actually working
Cell phone users annoying everyone like a virus
The employee who’s so clean, they keep moving your stuff to tidy
Kids demanding overpriced juices
The homeless guy looking for a warm seat
More unemployed guys being loud
Local actors reciting their lines hoping to be discovered
Voyeurs
Voyeurs watching other voyeurs
Self-important interviewers
Desperate interviewees

In the end, those that are the most patient win the glory of a few moments peace, the seat without schmutz, or the view out the window.
Those that are willing to wait, watch the crazies, the homeless, the loud, the annoying eventually walk out the door.
But, you have to be patient. And then you will claim your space back...simply by never leaving it.
The question is, do I have the patience to wait out all these characters?

TODAY'S RANT:

I hate people that bitch all day about all the work they have to do instead of just...here's an idea...DO THE WORK! And then bitch later. You maybe have less to bitch about.

I HATE people that hang out in a public bathroom stall at work at talk on their cell phone. REALLY???

I HATE people that schedule meetings that a. they are always late for. b. don't even show up. IN short...people that waste my time.

I LOVE Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookies more than anything...which thank god, cancels all the annoying people in the world.

My assessment exactly of the new pepsi logo. LOVE this.

Brilliant. Either Mel Gibson's publicist is amazing, or he's completely losing his mind. Either way, this may be his best performance yet.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPYChyfxWNs

Brilliance happens in a graph.

For a closer look:
http://adsoftheworld.com/media/print/finger_magazine_astley

New Thought 2009.
I return from my vacation.
Bangkok.
Most people pick up Thai hookers.
I picked up a Thai parasite that's riddling my stomach.
I would have much preferred the Thai hooker.
With a $250 visit to the ER for my stomach...she would have been cheaper.

I'll have many more new thoughts/reactions to travelling around the world tomorrow.

Bakeries wrecking cakes--Misspellings, confusions, atrocities and just plain bad judgement.
All in the name of cakes!
Monica...thanks for my latest past time or daily laugh.

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com

Brilliant. Is this change enough for us? Oh yes.
Credit where credit is way due:
http://www.patrickmoberg.com/blog

Elections. Candidates. Sometimes you want to yell and scream. Sometimes you want to be ready with high school debate style facts. Sometimes you want to shake someone and say, REALLY?
But, this is one of the best ways I have seen to persuade. Much like the Apple Switch campaign, it shows the converted.

http://conservativesforchange.com/

I was a nanny.  I loved every minute of it.  I feel like it was the most important thing I ever did.  The family, The Getz'...amazing family in Portland.  John and Karen taught me that marriage can be good and fun and healthy and exciting and all those things that I never knew marriage could be.  That the big things, the big decisions, should all just feel like the next natural thing to do.  They were and are still my inspiration.  And then they had Evan, well, because it just seemed like the next natural thing to do.  And then 6 months into his life, I became his first nanny.  

Evan just hung around on his back and gurgled and smiled and made funny noises.   I worked hard to read to him, entertain him, talk to him.  Karen came in the room one day and said, "Hey, he doesn't do much right now, so you can just chill."  It turns out that he liked me better when he got a little down time away...sounds like most men I know.

Karen ended up being an inspiration without even knowing it.  I loved her way of parenting.  I agreed with her discipline styles.  In the words of Teddy Roosevelt...she spoke softly, but carried a big stick.

So, Evan grew up, and we had even more fun.  We'd take one adventure everyday.  Go to the park and climb together...or for a while, he'd climb, while I'd wait to catch him.  We'd get on the local train and just ride it while he said train about 500 times.  My attempts to teach him spanish would always end up the same way...I'd pointed to a banana and say, "Platano, platano." Squeals, many squeals of laughter.  I probably confused the crap out of him.  And everyday when I arrived, when he finally learned to run, he'd take a running start when I'd come to the door, and jump into my arms.  I would melt.

And then one day a year or so later, I became too busy with freelance to nanny anymore.  The Getz' found a new wonderful nanny (I'm still the favorite, right?  I'd ask).  And they had another boy, Cameron.  Another BEAUTIFUL child, who had his own unique personality that charmed me too.

And then I got a call I'll never forget.  My entire stomach dropped to the floor.  I never knew what that meant.  I never understood why people said, "Are you stitting down?"  It was to carry the weight of the biggest pit in your stomach you could ever feel.

Evan had Leukemia.  Leukemia.  But, he's perfect.  But, he's amazing.  But, he's SO little.  But, he doesn't understand.  But, he's mine...I thought.  I was his first nanny.  This can't be happening.

But, Evan was smothered in love...and they got through it.  Evan was a champ.  Evan survived.  He did more than survive.  He lived, full.  Just like he always did.  And still does.

And here's where I tug on the strings a little more.   

Please help more Evans...because not everyone will be as lucky as Evan.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/nikesf08/kgetz

Awesome-ness. Oh, mcCain what happened to you, you MAVERICK you. This is a man who survived Vietnam TORTURE?

Slate predicts McCain's next 10 Hail Mary stunts.

Challenges Obama to suspend campaign so they both can go and personally drill for oil offshore.

http://www.slate.com/id/2200927/

Thanks Miguel. Garfield without Garfield. Is that crazy chubby cat staring back at us...
yoda? Buddha? A spirit who knows more than us? After seeing this site, I think maybe.
And if you've ever had a staring contest with a cat, all this makes sense.

http://garfieldminusgarfield.net/page/4

Oh, that Maureen. I was wondering what she'd say about Palin...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/opinion/31dowd.html?ei=5070

Burning man? What's that? Woodstock-like? An orgy? A bunch of drugs? What's that?

It's something that will be always in my memory.

And here's something I wish I knew about last year so I could send people here:

http://blog.burningman.com/

So good. Love this. Pass the passion.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcViWXvVjTc

Again. Weiden + Kennedy. So great. Awesome Jess. Love this.

http://www.girleffect.org/

BTW, this is pretty cool...

http://peaceoneday.org/

The radiohead haze is strong. The lyrics, the oozing melodies...still rolling around in my head like soft rocks.
All Points West Festival. A beautiful venue in Jersey on the water. NYC skyline as backdrop.
But, also a huge scam from so many angles. Had to drink beer under one tent, not allowed to take it out of tent. Lines long. So, it made for a pretty sober crowd...minus all the weed and whatnot. Water? 4 bucks. Food, even more. A money making machine. AND, you weren't allowed to sit waiting for the next act. BUT. The minute Radiohead comes on. The hardest working band out there. Yorke takes you to all the places in his head. And you live there for 2 hours. Everything else fades away...I keep listening to take me back there. Such genius is inspiring. To do what? Blog? Lame...there must be something else...

Next topic: Why do Brooklyn boutique owners think they're in Soho. The prices? Really? Hello, this ain't Prince Street

For more Colombia pics, go to my Facebook page and click on photos.

Parks plants street trees, free-of-charge, on sidewalks in front of homes, apartment buildings, and businesses in all five boroughs. To receive a free street tree, please fill out and submit the following request.

http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.a57f189830ce7553e333cd5701c789a0/index.jsp?subView=request_street_tree


Ah, Portland would be proud. Anyone who lives there knows all about the program called, Friends of Trees. They go into urban/run down areas and plant trees. Because trees help us breathe and they're just perty to look at. Looks like NYC has joined them.
Now, if we could just get Oregon to inspire this city to put a deposit on water bottles. I ask all New Yawkers...when was the last time you saw a can on the street? Can Collectors call themselves environmentalists--ain't that the truth.