Walking on the sidewalk in Chinatown today, and passing a postman, I decided to satisfy my curiosity. The many times I have been in offices and seen packages and or mail delivered, it has been a Chinese appearing Postman. I wondered if you needed to speak Chinese to work in the Chinatown area, as many of the inhabitants do not speak English. One sure way to find out: Ask. So I retraced my steps and stopped in front of him, saying at the same time, “May I ask you a question?” He just looked at me. “Sorry to bother you,” I continued, “But I was wondering if you have to speak and read Chinese to be a postal worker here in Chinatown”. “No” he replied, “You do not.” “Oh,” I said “The others don’t need to know Chinese or Mandarin,” I stated. “Neither do I,” he said. “I’m Japanese.”
Everyone is Commenting
The City is quite empty. Went today from the Village to the UES. The crosstown bus was quick at arriving at Union Square as there was no traffic on the roads. Went down to the subway, and had to let three go by, I didn’t want to arrive early! I could have made the trip, door to door in 20 minutes. And the same on the return trip this evening. No vehicular traffic on the roads, means no delays, and the lack of riders on the subway, also means no delays. I was back home in 20 minutes. Well almost. The hitch on the return trip was the change of drivers at 14 street and my “new driver” decided to take his time, so I exited and walked. Walking down 9th Avenue means window shopping along the way and of course, that takes more time. However, the air was dry, the traffic light, the temperature was in the low 50’s; a wonderful environment for a stroll. But at the party, everyone was asking “Do you find the City less congested this year?” And the answer was a unanimous ‘Yes”.
Merry Christmas
Rather than make a visit to Santa at Macy’s decided to visit a few of the discount stores to see what it was like on the night prior to the Eve of Christmas. Haven’t ever done that before. The lines are out of sight of the cashiers, they are so long. And why do people wait until what is termed ‘last minute’? Some of them only got their paychecks and need to pay cash for their purchases. The weather was rainy so every entrance was wet and the umbrellas were drizzling little wet lines up and down the aisles. I didn’t notice a lot of cheer and good will among the shoppers, rather there seemed to be stress surrounding the question, ‘will they like it’ and ‘what do we get for – fill-in-the-blank’. The cashiers appeared to be holding themselves together with a lot of bosses on top of them, making certain no one was short or snappy, – not the dress kind, but the curt kind. I was impressed by their attitude of ‘we’ll get to the end of this’. I don’t think there was any money riding on it, just their normal pay.
Treasures in the Trash
This is a must watch.
“The second floor of a Department of Sanitation garage in East Harlem is home to thousands of objects New Yorkers have thrown away over the last three decades. The items were found in the trash, but look nothing like garbage. They have been carefully organized and kept by sanitation worker Nelson Molina.
The Treasure in the Trash Museum’, as he calls it, is an impressive collection of objects that Molina and some of his coworkers found during their daily job. ‘We are not allowed to take stuff home,’ Molina told the Guardian’s Ana Terra Athayde, ‘That’s why I like to display and everything”*
He has been doing it since he was nine years of age, so his eye is keen. The ‘museum’ is not open to the public, to view it, one must get authorization. I like that he says he will return anything someone says is ‘theirs’. That might bring up a lot of debate if it were open to the public. I see a lot of children cleaning out ‘parents’ stuff in the video.
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2014/dec/22/new-york-trash-museum-video
*taken directly from The Guardian
Ice Sculpting or Carving
This was taking place in a public space near Bryant Park – 43rd and Avenue of the Americas. He begins with making the pattern on the block of ice, then he carves a bit, and then he goes after the design with an electric chain saw.
Tipping the Doorman
http://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/money-and-power/news/a2535/the-truth-about-what-you-should-tip-your-doorman-this-holiday-season/
Should you have nothing better to do, and you are wondering what it’s like to be a wealthy City dweller, then this is the article for you over a cup-of-coffee.
Yet a Mystery
You can see the outfit: green body suit with a pair of outer-skivvies. Couldn’t get a closer picture because as the norm is pay to photograph, this was another !4th Street-Union Square performer I was not certain I wanted to encourage. What made his act ‘remarkable’ was there was no music, no accompanying sound from him either. He was just jumping around in the air with this sign. A few people stopped at various times to gaze at him. Perhaps it was as simple as it looks. His message was love
Good Riddance
12 noon on Sunday, 28 December, put all your grievances on cards and bring them to Times Square. There, en masse, shedders will be available for each and everyone to rid themselves of bad memories, thoughts, ideas, anything you can get on the page. I can see a few photographs being ‘no more’. Clear out the ‘system’ before the new year begins. Like the idea a lot. Great in-house party theme.
ps on Buddhist Temple
The actual posting was amended.
The Saw
At Union Square Subway station, there is a large common area where the N and 4 5 6 trains and the L are all accessible. In this area different forms of entertainment showcase. Many of them are worth watching and donating towards. But there is one- a middle-aged woman ‘saw’ player who is heard the minute one pushes through the turnstile, hundreds of feet away. At that point she is not in sight, but the high pitched wailing and timbre of the bending metal, her horsehair bow crossing the back of the flexing saw can be heard, oh so loudly. It makes my teeth want to gnash. I would give her money just to get her to stop. I don’t know how the space is booked, but she is there at least a couple of afternoons a week as I pass through. She sells CD’s though I have yet to see someone pay. I wonder if she is banished to the subway, because imagine what it would be like to live anywhere near her when she is practicing. There is no picture to show you, because taking a picture implies like and like implies a donation. I do not want to encourage her.