The wail of a saxophone through the low-ceilinged spaces of the subway hubs, the din of an enthusiastic young band, the soulful solo of a lone violinist, all collecting money as they play. A great practical practice idea for a musician; a ready made audience. Some passersby will pay attention and drop money into the case or cup, and the rest will just ignore you. I can’ imagine a more positive way of having to deal with the tedium of daily musical instrument practice. One has to practice the instrument anyway… why not pick up some loose change as motivation. And you don’t drive your roommates crazy with your efforts. A win-win all round!!
Clearly….
the windows needed washing! Mine flip in so an industrious person can wash both sides. If anyone is dying to follow this fine example, I can recommend the best green window cleaner ever!
Just makes your day, huh!
How Do They Stay Up?
Do not have the answer to this question. In case you are not clear on what this is: the light material just below the dark shirt is underwear and at mid-thigh is the waistband of his trousers. And I guess the word waistband is no longer valid. Tell me how this works! I had to exit the train before he did, so I never got to see him stand. If I had not had an audition, I would have ridden it out to watch him leave!
Hopeful
Today on the Upper West Side, I walked past a more than block long line of hopefuls. They stood in line of about 4 abreast on average. Young, old, male, female, suited up, dressed down, Sunday best, athletic track outfits; every ethnic group was represented. They were all there, waiting to get into the Job Fair being held at the Holiday Inn. It was 10:30 when I passed and the doors were not yet opened.
Pigeons
Watch them walk. The way their heads bob with each step, you’d think they’d have headaches or rattled brains or blurred vision or at least a sore neck. However after imitating their swagger, none of the above. Try it.
Bedroom Community
The NJ Transit train between Penn Station and points west is a perfect and clear example of the bedroom commute. I never really knew what it meant until I boarded the train and rode it for about an hour through these small towns, built with access to the New York bound train. By this I mean, the towns were designed with train accessibility as the main feature. The towns could be anywhere USA. Nice houses, grassy back yards; mini main streets with a restaurant or two, a flower shop, pizza joint, cleaners, workout gym and expensive cars parked at the curb. But the reason these houses and towns exist is for the family to live there while the breadwinner travels daily to the City to earn their keep. It is, in my opinion, a very divided way to live. Monday through Friday, the breadwinner [bw] catches at 6:30 am train and an hour later is in the office. The day in the town is just beginning as the bw sits at their desk with probably the 3rd cup of coffee. The family does not see the bw again until after 8 pm at the earliest. This continues for the week, until the weekend. Then, I believe, everyone is at a bit of a loss as to how to incorporate each other into their daily life pattern. Saturday afternoon the stay-at-home-kids board the train to head into the City for the nightlife, and the bw is at home with the other spouse. I watched the kids being dropped off at the quaintly designed station, to board these up-to-date-well kept trains. I wonder how they all make sense of it over their lifetimes.
More Flowers
The display in this particular flower shop is always color coordinated with same colors, various blooms. In this shot the buildings across the street are reflected. It’s spring in the City, in the air and in the abundance of flowers.
Taxicab
Is there any other word that we divide into two parts of which both parts mean the same thing? It can be a taxi. Or, we hail a cab.
Believe It
Or Not. Pants for sale in a very chic pricey shop that look like you spent the weekend upgrading the paint in your apartment. All pre-set. This should be an April 1st entry, not Friday the 13th.
Comic Relief
It might not be sufficiently clear in the photo, but on the building highlighted in the sun, do you see what looks like three filled-in arches of a garage? How funny would it be to have the back end of cars and truck sticking out, so many feet up in the air. Why that appeals is that so many people daily forget to look up. Imagine their surprise.