Post NYC Day

It is going to be a long day today...got home just in time to watch the Conan O'Brien show on TV, but decided that sleep was more important. I was glad to see that they kept the blooper in - they were showing Jessica Biel's movie clip and no sound. It was the best part of her interview. She was weak. I was glad to see Artie Lange - he was very funny. The band was The Cribs. Not exactly toe tappig for me, but they had a good "organization" - their "people" were in the lobby giving out single CD's and stickers. We had a last minute change in our group - sister #3 became one of my son's roommates to complete our party of 4. The timing of waiting for him put us in the back row of the theater, but my son still got the attention of the warm up guy and made his mother proud - in a very different way...

I got on the 8:50 a.m. train from New Haven, so I had some extra time in the city, but did not try to fit as many alking miles into the day as possible and sat in Rockefeller Center and enjoyed the very tourist Summer crowd. I took the 9:07 p.m. train home and almost decided to stay later when I walked by RC on the way to Grand Central and they had a raggae band playing on the ice skating rink (which becomes an outdoor restaurant in the non-skating months. It was a great setting - nice night, music, lots of people, but then I started "doing the math" as to when I would get home by taking the 9:07 and what time if I took a later train...But I did enjoy my ride from the restaurant - La Locanda at 9th between 49 and 50 - I walked 50th to Lexington and got to see the Waldorf Astoria which brought back memories. That is where my uncle used to have us stay and have dinner when we got to come into the city to watch a play for our birthday when we were little - My Fair Lady with Rex Harrison; Camelot with Robert Goulet as a young man - those are the two that are most vivid in my mind.

I did get distracted when I picked up the tab at dinner - did not see the gratuity was already on the bill because of our party of 7...so the wait staff probably called it a night after they saw what I left for a tip when 15% was already included - even on the gratuity amount...I will remember to read for detail next time. I did get off easy at lunch since my son and I ate on my favorite eating street corner - lunch for two $8.

The bar car was open on the train on the way home. I might get a job in NYC just so can be a part of that commuting routine. Have a few pops on the way home from a big job in the city. But it was a bit unsettling to see how many people were just heading home from work at 9:07 p.m. and THEN either drinking or working on their computers on the way home. That could take its toll on people in my mind. But I never had that mover and shaker mentality - even when I was working in a situation when it was appropriate. My current setting makes that approach pretty much not appropriate. My current boss' puts in so many hours - but to me looks a bit "work long, not smart". I am a bit suspect of most people who work into the night and spew out lots of paper but not lots of results. I love to see people on fire about their work, but good "fire work" creates an aura that attracts me like moths to a flame, but I am also just as impressed when someone can make their effective use of time = impactful (is that a word?) results.

I was hoping for a Lester Holt sighting yesterday, but I only saw a guy from CNN at dinner and a politician on the walk to the train station. I have to do some internet work to remind myself who he was.

My walking co-worker is on vacation this week so I will be walking alone and wondering if I am going to get it in before the rain...we will see. Also, town hall interview tonight - another reason I thought I needed to get a few hours of sleep last night.

Better try and get my walk in before the rain starts.