finally!!!

You don't have to be watching the news to know.

Truckers.

Cabbies.

Cars.

Even busses.

They spontaneously erupt in loud honking and beeping.

Bells start clanging.

People shouting, and clapping in the streets.

It reminds me of the 7pm cheering that went on for months here.

Yes, finally. Our four-year nightmare is over. 

Biden and Harris have won.

I take a short three-block walk.

There is literally dancing in the streets.

Cheering at corners.

Drinking in celebration.

You can see the smiles underneath the masks.

I'm assuming that this guy is happy too.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

In the city.

In this great country.

The people have spoken. America, I love you.

 

the day after

 I sleep little and wake up tired. 

I turn on the TV and there's Savannah, looking fresh and sounding smart, as she has all night.  I'm exhausted and all I've been doing is watching.

Who would have ever thought the race would be so close. As of this afternoon, it's impossible to predict a winner.

And even IF there's a winner called within the next few days, there will be votes challenged, with lawyers and courts involved. 

But there is some good news.

First, the number of voters may be the highest in recent history.

There has been no intimidation at voting places. Men with guns did not show up.

And so far at least, the streets of America are quiet.

I go for a walk this morning and life looks relatively the same.

Yes, the Apple Store and many others along Madison Av. are still boarded up to prevent looters.

But the park is filled with people doing yoga.

A music class of young students.

Toddlers playing soccer.

And others just enjoying the view on this spectacular November day.

I remain optimistic and am hopeful for a Biden win.  

And like the rest of the country, all I can do now is patiently wait.

if this, then that

If you've been following the news lately (and who hasn't been), you've heard a lot of if this, then that.

IF Biden takes Florida, Georgia and NC, THEN Biden is likely the winner. And these states may even be called on election night.

IF Pennsylvania is leaning red, THEN that doesn't necessarily mean that Trump will take the state. Early voters tend to be Democrats, and Pennsylvania won't be finished counting early votes until well past election day.

IF Trump had been contrite after getting COVID, THEN his chances of winning would have improved (in my opinion). But the man just can't get out of his own way.

And IF more people looked like this, 

THEN maybe we wouldn't be seeing this.

And on a more personal note...

IF I hadn't taken a five-mile walk through Central Park this morning, 

THEN maybe I wouldn't have eaten this.

much to miss

Here we are, over 7 months in, and no real end in sight.

We've gotten used to bringing a mask everywhere we go. Of not being in big groups. Of keeping our distance. Of not entertaining. Of missing our friends and families.

It's been a long time now, and none of it feels natural.

I miss a lot of things, some big and some very small. 

For example, on the very small side, I miss not having my newspaper delivered to my door each morning. It's now dropped off in our building lobby.

I also miss:

• Not giving any thought to taking a subway or bus.

• Reading about off-broadway plays I want to see and then checking TDF to see about finding discounted tix.

• Eating in a restaurant.

• Going outside without a face mask.

• Screening season.

• Not being scared by people without masks and being scared by people wearing them.

• Having people over... for dinner, for watching movies, for anything.

• Playing weekly in-person canasta games.

• Having a calendar that has stuff listed on it.

• Getting to know three new family members as they grow from infants to real little people.

• Celebrating holidays, birthdays, and other events with friends and family.

• Not having to socially distance from everyone.

• Turning on the TV and not seeing bad, upsetting news, all of the time.

• Hearing stupid, offensive, untrue comments spewed by our president.

• Driving in a car with someone else and not worrying if I need to mask up.

• Angsting over the upcoming election.

• Socializing outside of zoom.

• Looking forward to wearing makeup and dressing up for something, anything.

• Seeing your son without requiring him to get tested first.

I'm sure there are many more. 

It's still hard to believe how much life has changed. Even making a short list seems silly, as all of the changes have become almost commonplace.

But there will be a time — we just don't know quite when — that friends come over for dinner, that we celebrate Thanksgiving with only excitement and no second thoughts, and that we get to hug anyone we want. 

Until then, at least we're all in it together. And there is a lot to be said for that.

good sights, bad sights, 9 days out

Having little to do, and with much rain predicted for the week, I decide to walk downtown. A nice 6 mile walk, as it turns out.

I am impressed by the multi-block line I see as I pass Wagner Middle School, one of many voting stations throughout the city.

Early, in-person voting opened here yesterday, with some people waiting over four hours. 

I am glad I voted by mail, and was happy to learn that ballots can be tracked.

Almost 60 million people have already voted.  Last election, a total of 138.8 million people voted. This will be a historic year, for yet another reason. Though this one is a good one.

I pass Madison Square Garden. There, too, the lines are long. Like the Upper East Side school I passed earlier, lines snake around several blocks. People care who leads our country, and they should — there is much at stake.

I walk down to 18th and 7th. Stop at my favorite store, Homenature. And then decide to take the subway home. Last time I did (in August, I think), it was spotless and empty. 

Well, things have changed.

Not only is the subway crowded, but people are sloppy about mask-wearing. Two people keep lowering theirs to either talk on their phone or drink their ice tea. And one man doesn't bother with a mask at all. 

I take out my phone, put on my glasses, keep my distance and uncharacteristically say nothing.

I stop off at Butterfield Market to pick up something for dinner, and can't find my glasses anywhere. I check both pockets of my coat, the two pockets in my shorts, and even feel the top of my shirt, thinking maybe I hung them there. Nope. They are nowhere.

I buy what I need. Check again. And still, no glasses. They must be somewhere. Wouldn't I have heard them fall?

On my half-mile walk home from Butterfield's, I hear loud honking and see blinking lights. It looks like some kind of parade. 

As I get closer I see this unlikely caravan around 76th and Third.

It's an unwelcome sight.  But so is the normal-looking, middle-aged woman walking next to me, who suddenly raises her two middle fingers and starts shouting over and over to the paraders, "F*ck you."

I get home, and go to wash my hands before removing my mask or touching anything in my apartment. 

This unflattering and utterly ridiculous image stares back at me.

the ramble

One of the many things that makes NY great is its endless offering of new discoveries.

And I'm not talking new stores, restaurants, Broadway shows or museum exhibits.

I'm referring to those things that have always been here.

It's a muggy, overcast fall morning.

Ronda, Zelia, Shari and I meet for a walk in Central Park. Shari suggests The Ramble, a part of Central Park that I've of course heard of, but where I've never been.

Tree-covered pathways wind throughout the 38 acres (that I later learn is its size).

Rustic structures that blend with the scenery pop up everywhere.

It feels like a faraway place but the big city lurking reminds us that it isn't. 

Bridges and archways, some hidden, some not, appear frequently.

There's even entertainment.

We come upon three separate weddings; here are two of them.

And in the end, we climb the equivalent of 19 flights of stairs.

It's a nice way to begin a Saturday.

ghost town

Dear Mr. President:

In last night's final debate against VP Biden, I listened once again to your mistruths, conflation of facts, and outright lies. At least this time you tempered your bullying rhetoric. But calling New York City a ghost town? C'mon. You don't even live here.

Sure, we've been hit harder than most by COVID-19. 

Businesses are hurting. Many have closed.

Vacancies are up.

Broadway and movie theaters are shuttered.

No one I know has yet eaten in an indoor restaurant.

Many New Yorkers are biding their time in their weekend homes.

And some have left for good.

Yes, Mr. President, New York City has suffered. 

But to call us a ghost town?

Today is a soupy, overcast Friday. Not particularly nice. 

Yet Central Park is filled with runners. 

People are out exercising.

Dogs and their owners are conversing.

And some are just enjoying the reservoir's haunting beauty.

And it's not just the park.

The streets are lined with traffic.

Madison Ave is not empty.

Outdoor diners are everywhere.

And restaurants continue to erect covered outdoor seating areas.

Those living here are cautious. We have reason to be.

It is, for sure, a quieter New York. 

But a ghost town? 

The NY Post is famous for its bold headlines. 

I hope we see this one soon.

                                                                YOU'RE FIRED!

When that happens, the ghosts living here will be deliriously happy ones.

Sincerely,

a ghost town citizen