Have you ever been to Governor's Island?

Neither had I, until last week. My dear old friend Vivien is a charter member of the Gotham Planning Society, who co-sponsored a maritime visit to the island. A Navy stronghold until 1966, it then changed hands to the US Coast Guard who used it until 1996 when it became mainly an under-utilized and under-appreciated part of this great city. I wandered through an empty house built in 1834 that used to be where the Navy captain and his family lived. It was last lived in during the early 1960's and it shows. Apparently the folks who care about Governors Island really want you and I to care about as well and come up with great things to do there. We walked underneath one of those waterfalls and it was September 10th, so the lights to commemorate the Twin Towers were on in lower Manhattan. Seeing as I grew up here, I still can't really fathom that all that really happened. It seems abstract.

Love is ageless

This past Saturday I shot a wedding, which I have only done once before, but this was a special case. The bride, Babs Kellogg turned 92 yesterday and the groom, Leonard Schwartz, a spry 88. They had a bus to bring all their friends from the retirement community in Princeton up to St.Mary's on 126th Street and then to the champagne toast at the Waldorf-Astoria. I felt honored to be part of their wedding. They seemed really happy and kept telling me not to leave that Toni Morrison was going to show up any minute.

This election is different and it matters what you think

It makes me crazy and sad at the same time to listen to friends and colleagues of mine who are supporters of Obama yet say that the election is going to be won by McCain/Palin. It might be. That's not the point. Why give up now when we have such a good shot and things are going the Democrats way? It often seems to me that people bring so much of their own pain upon themselves. Call me an "elitist" crazy liberal, which I guess I am, but if you imagine yourself a loser, that is what you shall be, but if you know that you will be alright, that is what will be as well. Obama knows this, and that is one of the reasons why he has been so successful, in life, and in this campaign. The modern Republican party appears to be primarily concerned with abortion, the death penalty and the NRA, but that's a bait and switch to hard working people who are just looking for the strongest leader. They have no faith in Americans who are seeing the economic life of this country slide across the oceans and think on election day it all comes down to which candidate goes to church more often. I think America is smarter than that. Don't you?

Everyday, imagine President Obama making a speech on the veranda of the Rose Garden at the White House, and read this

Song of the Week: Christopher Cross

"if you get lost between the moon and New York City, the best that you can do...is fall in love." This town gets on my nerves sometimes and many are the days I want to throw my keys in the river and drive North for a few years, and then I hear this song and I love it again. also, it falls in the genre "yacht rock" and that's just good for the soul.

Tunnel to Towers run 9/28

I am doing this run in September with a few friends. I am really looking forward to running the tunnel. If you are interested in joining us or donating money to a worthy cause, let me know.

Sugar Island

Last week I went to Sugar Island, MI with my friend Kara and her family for a week. I slept outside for 5 nights, which is actually pretty fun. Never thought I would say that. Bonfires, card games, painting rocks, running, s'mores, swimming, tankers, hawks, Bud light lime, dog fetching rocks, Canada within sight.

shock of shocks

I changed my website again. But with each incarnation, I feel it getting clearer; the unnecessary bits falling away. Such is life. If you have any comments, please share. Only just three months 'til the general election.

self-portrait Ambrotype

Black Rock Speedway, Dundee, NY at night