South Of Someplace: March 2019

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Turbulent March

What a turbulent relationship

We have

With the Month of March

The once first month

Who rumbles in

To signal cruel Winter’s retreat

But these visits

They’re not always pleasant

How many times

Has He broken our hearts

By plodding along

Lashing out

And failing to rise

To our warmest expectations?

The sooner he’s gone

The better

It seems

At least it does

In some years...

And yet

Quite soon

We’ll miss our old friend

We’ll spend cold months

Hoping

Longing

Begging

For Him to return

Dreaming the days

When His bluster and roughness

Signal a change

And renew the promise

Of a mild and life-giving Spring

Republicans and Socialism

Republicans should worry less about Socialism and more about why their President befriends Communists.

Quick Wit

Poets short of time

Can jot down three simple lines

Finding words that rhyme

Not In A Rush

I’m not in a hurry

Not in a rush

I might not accomplish

All that much

But I do what’s important

And that’s enough

I had to let go

Of the other stuff

Do As Much As You Can

Do as much as you can today

Don’t let another chance slip away

Friday, March 29, 2019

New York Minute 139 - Crosswalk

I worked late yesterday; I had a number of tasks to complete for this weekend’s software release. Shortly before five o’clock, I decided to run out for a coffee to help keep me sharp and energized through the evening.

As I crossed a busy two-way street, I noticed a small, frail woman making her way very slowly through the intersection. I was concerned that the might not be able to get across the street before the light changed. I paused momentarily to monitor her progress. Thankfully, the light gave her just enough time to make it safely to the other side. I walked a short block to the coffee shop and ordered a latte.

When I came back outside, I saw the lady again. She had made it to the corner by coffee shop, but she seemed hesitant to cross. This smaller intersection didn’t have a traffic signal. Car and delivery trucks sometimes dash past the stop sign aggressively. I was concerned that drivers might not see her, so I decided to walk accross the street beside her. I’m a much large person; I figured that drivers would see me before they saw her.

As I approached, I asked the lady if she was okay. She smiled and asked, “Can I cross with you?”

“Sure!” I said, as she reached for my arm. “I’ll take you as far as you need to go.”

“Thank you!” she said as she held onto me securely. “I’m going to the subway.”

“At the next corner?”

“Yes.”

We walked together very slowly as she held onto my arm. She told me that she had M.S. I asked her if some days were better than others. She said yes and explained that it’s particularly hard for her to walk when the wind is strong, as it was yesterday.

The lady told me where she worked and said that she comes into the office every day. I suggested that maybe she should look into working from home a couple of day a week. She said that she had thought about it. Her company would let her do it, but her pride motivated her to make the trip every day.

We parted ways at the subway station. The lady asked me for my name, and we introduced ourselves. I wished her a safe and pleasant evening.

I walked back to the office feeling grateful that I had thought to check on her. I didn’t imagine that she would ask for help. I just wanted to make sure that the cars saw her as she was crossing. I had no idea that she would want help getting to her train, but I was honored to be of service.

We take our good health for granted. We don’t think about our mobility until it’s restricted by disease or injury. Another thing that we take for granted is that the people we see around us can take care of themselves. Perhaps they can, but it doesn’t hurt to check on someone who appears to be struggling.

We’re all busy; it’s tempting to believe that we don’t have time to deviate from our demanding schedules. I worked for another four hours when I got back to the office. I could have convinced myself that I didn’t have time to stop, but helping others is as important as anything else that we do in our day. All of us will need help of some kind at one time or another. Imagine how tragic it will be if no one cares enough to come to our aid.

Cleaner Hands

I started working in a new office building at the beginning of the year. The floor where I’m sitting is rather empty; it’s due to be remodeled in a few months. It’s a comfortable, well-lit space, and the cubicles are spacious, but some of the fixtures are noticeably outdated.

The bathrooms, in particular, could use a major facelift. The sinks have separate spring-loaded spigots for hot and cold water, an awkward configuration that forces you to wash one hand at a time. It’s hard to blend the temperatures unless you hit both knobs at once; even if you succeed, you can expect a maximum of three seconds of warm water.

If I need to wash my hands but not use the toilet, as when I arrive in the morning after riding the subway, I prefer to use the sink in the pantry. It has a modern, one-handled spigot that allows easy control of the water flow and temperature. There’s no soap dispenser in the pantry, but there’s a little bottle of liquid soap there. It’s not one of the name brands, but I figure that a generic brand is good enough.

Eventually, the little bottle of soap ran low. I thought about making a tip to the drugstore around the corner to pick up a replacement, but I’ve been very busy, and I never made it to the store. Fortunately, a few days later, a new bottle appeared, and I continued to use that. I guess the staff must have replaced the soap. Curious as to what brand they used, I took a closer look at the bottle only to find that it was not soap at all. For the past few months, I’ve been washing my hands with coffee pot cleaner.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

All Sides Are Not Equal

When you argue that all sides are equally bad, you’re defending the side that’s demonstrably worse.

Move Forward

The brave move forward. The timid cling to a past that no longer needs them.

Begin Again

No matter how wonderfully or dreadfully one day goes, in the morning we begin again.

Monday, March 25, 2019

The Laziest Season

Spring, where are you?

Where are you, Spring?

You must be the laziest season!

Every year you run late

Past your Equinox date -

I hope that you have a good reason!

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Inspire By Example

You deserve to have a kind, loving, enthusiastic partner in your life, and so does your significant other. Be for them the kind of person that you want them to be for you, and they may be inspired to follow your example. If you are tense, unhappy, and combative when you are with them, don’t be surprised if that is the example that they decide to follow.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

New York Minute 138 - Liquor Stop

I was out walking with my camera last evening when a brightly lit liquor store caught my eye. There were no cars parked in front of the store and no garbage bags piled on the sidewalk, so it seemed like a good subject for a photo.

As I was setting up the shot, a taxi cab pulled up in front of the store. At first I thought that he might be picking someone up - taxis use apps now to compete with the ride sharing companies - but he sat there for a while. My next guess was that the guy was taking a break to catch up on personal communications, because taxi drivers never look at their phones while driving (sarcasm).

Given the delay, I recomposes to include the taxi in the photo and made some exposures. I figured that he would move along eventually, but I didn’t want to stand there doing nothing. I thought that it might be funny to juxtapose the cab with the liquor store. It turns out that it wasn’t funny at all.

Eventually, the driver got out of his cab and went into the liquor store, where he made a purchase. When he came back out to his car, he took a drink from a bottle. I cannot confirm that he was drinkin from the bottle that he purchased at the liquor store - perhaps he had a water bottle in the car - but it looked pretty bad.

Now, I’m in a quandary. Should I report the guy? It’s certainly not in the public’s best interest to have an alcoholic cab driver roaming the streets of New York. I’m not sure whom I should contact, but I have photos that show all of this unfolding.

National Introverts Week

I’m having a wonderful time celebrating National Introverts Week. I almost invited some people over. Then I thought, “Why ruin it?”

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

New York Minute 137 - Street Scene

One evening last week, I was taking pictures on a lively street near Washington Square Park. I set up my camera and composed a scene featuring a jazz club and a busy pizzeria. Just as I was about to make the exposure, a guy who looks like he lives on the streets walked slowly into the frame, stopped and stood there.

The guy was looking over at me; he saw the camera and probably stopped there just to get a kick out of messing up my shot. No worries. I’m patient.

To make things interesting, the guy didn’t just stand there. While smiling at me, he took off his belt, slowly and deliberately. Next, he unfastened his pants.

I didn’t care to see what he was going to do next - I figured that he might take a leak in the street, and I didn’t want to deal with that. But I wasn’t about to leave, either. I had spent time setting up this shot, and I wasn’t going to be dissuaded by an obnoxious, exhibitionist bum.

I turned forty-five degrees to my right so I was no longer facing the guy. Leaving the camera set up, I pulled my phone out and started to type an email to friends. I figured that he wanted attention; if I didn’t give it to him, he would get bored and move along.

A few minutes later, the email was sent and the bum was gone. My stalling tactic had worked. I didn’t see the guy anywhere on the street. He The guy must have ambled on and walked around the corner. Maybe he found someone else to annoy.

The street was clear, and the camera was focused and ready. The picture came out beautifully.

Let Go

To make progress, we have to let go of the things that hold us back. Let go of fear. Let go of doubt. Let go of old strategies that haven’t produced results.

Let go of conflicting thoughts. Let go of distractions and unimportant demands on your time. Let go of bad habits. Let go of the need to please others.

Let go of insecurity. Let go of the idea that you need access to resources or opportunities that are not yet available. Let go of anything that prevents you from moving forward, because only through consistent, productive action can we reach our goals and get to where we want to be.

Friday, March 15, 2019

New York Minute 136 - Pleasant and Approachable

When I stepped out of the office for a coffee break yesterday, people with clipboards and windbreakers were standing on the corner canvassing for donations to a well-known charity. A young lady spotted me and gestured in my direction.

“You! You look like a nice guy! You have a smile on your face.”

I guess this is why New Yorkers look grim and forbidding as they walk around the city. If you come across as pleasant and approachable, people take that as a green light to walk up to you and ask you for stuff.

New York Minute 135 - Look Both Ways

Manhattan’s streets are narrow, and the majority of them are set up for one way traffic. When pedestrians cross, whether legally or by jaywalking, they tend to check for traffic in the direction from which cars are expected. This is unwise, because hazards can come from any direction.

I became aware of this years ago when, while I was jaywalking across a busy Midtown street at lunch hour, a food delivery guy crashed into me with his bicycle. Surprise! I wasn’t hurt, but the guy lost his balance and fell, and the food he was carrying went all over the street. Oops! He was rather happy.

The delivery guy had been riding against traffic, which isn’t legal, but cyclists break the rules all the time. The seem to feel entitled to do whatever they can get away with. I didn’t check for traffic in his direction, so I didn’t realize that he was coming when I stepped out into the street. I have to take responsibility or that oversight.

I remembered that lesson, to look both ways even on one way streets, and I think of it whenever I am about to cross. My caution came in handy a couple of months ago. I was about to cross a street that appeared to be empty, when that little voice in my head whispered, “Look both ways!”

I’m glad that I did. A tow truck from the Police Deparrtment came down the street in the wrong direction pulling a minivan behind it. The tow truck’s lights were flashing, but there was no siren or audible warning. But I looked both ways, saw him coming, and stopped short. Getting hit by that rig would not have been as much fun as knocking a food delivery guy off of his bicycle.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Trump and Bernie Supporters

You can have a reasonable conversation with a Trump supporter. Just don’t expect them to agree with you.

You can agree with a Bernie supporter. Just don’t expect a reasonable conversation.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Brexit - Okay, I’m Confused

I have no clue what these recent Brexit votes mean. They’re leaving? Not leaving? Delaying the leave? Not delaying? Leaving without an agreement? Not leaving without an agreement? Up is down? On with the motley? Bob’s your uncle? Keep Britain tidy?

Single Payer Healthcare vs. Corporate Greed

It’s so frustrating when you try to discuss alternatives to the current healthcare mess, and people push back with comments like, “Oh, no! That’s ‘socialized medicine’. We don’t want that!” No. What we don’t want is the debt-inducing nightmare that we have to deal with now. Would a single payer system really be that horrible? I don’t see how it can be any worse than the current system where families go broke, insurance companies get rich, doctors are caught in a budget squeeze, and emergency rooms are backed up with patients who can’t afford healthcare premiums. The single payer system works very well in France, Germany, Japan, the UK, and lots of other advanced, productive countries, none of which are $22 trillion in debt like we are. We could have something like that here, too, but the insurance companies, the drug companies, and the hospital conglomerates hate the idea for one simple reason: they won’t be able to make unlimited profits anymore. So, they brainwash people into thinking that single payer healthcare is a threat to democracy. It’s not. It’s a threat to corporate oligarchy.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019

The For Profit Healthcare Debacle

Doctors won’t accept health insurance, because insurance companies refuse to pay doctors.

So, you have to pay to see your doctor despite the fact that you have already paid the insurance company.

You have two choices. Go broke or die. Meanwhile, insurance company CEOs bring home $100 million bonuses every year. They’re not going broke.

God bless America!

This has to stop! It’s insane! The system has to change.

Start by requiring all health insurance providers to operate as not-for-profit businesses. Blue Cross was non-profit for decades, and it worked fine until recently, when for-profit businesses like Anthem licensed the Blue Cross brand.

Ban ownership by hedge funds and private equity firms. No one should profit from refusing to provide medical treatment or medication to someone who needs it.

The system has to change.

Friday, March 8, 2019

New York Minute 134 - Keep Your Guard Up

It was a bitterly cold December day, but I felt the need to get out and walk and shoot some photos. I put on my layers, gathered my gear, and took the subway to 34th Street before walking west toward the new Hudson Yards development.

It’s an expansive project, a group of skyscrapers being built concurrently in an area that was once occupied by rail yards. It takes a bit of walking to get there. It’s blocks from the nearest subway, and once you reach the site, you’ll need to walk quite a bit more to make your way around the massive new towers.

When I arrive, I saw an opportunity to take a photo at the first building that I came to. Trouble was there to greet me. I wasn’t surprised; aside from the construction and a handful of small restaurants and bars, the area is still fairly deserted. I figured that I might run into some shady characters.

I set up my camera and started to compose the shot, when a guy walked over to me. “Hey, that’s a nice lens!”

He was a big guy, about six-foot three. He was in his forties, but he was athletic. He looked like he could have played tight end or defensive end in college. From his appearance, I gathered that he spent a lot of time on street corners looking for mischief. He definitely didn’t look employable.

I didn’t respond to his greeting. It was bitterly cold, and I as trying to focus on what I was doing while working the camera’s controls with my bare hands. I didn’t have time to chat. But the guy didn’t go away; I sensed him lurking behind me.

“Oh, yeah! That’s a good shot!” he remarked cheerfully, trying to get me to engage in a conversation.

“I hope so,” I said. I snapped a few exposures and picked up my gear. I didn’t like the fact that the guy kept hanging around. I wanted to cross the street to look for more photo opportunities. It would give me a reason to walk away from him.

“Hey! I’ve got some photo gear, if you’re interested,” the guy offered as I started to walk away.

A little voice in my head wondered, “What’s this guy doing with camera gear?” Beware of that voice. It’s the voice of stupidy. It will distract you when you need to be on your guard. It can fool you into questioning your instincts and thinking that a threat is benign.

“Thanks! I’ve got all the gear I need,” I said as I bolted across the street.

The guy followed me to the other side, not immediately, but when the light changed again. But thankfully, he left me alone. I had demonstrated that I wasn’t going to be an easy mark. I wasn’t going to follow him into an alley to check out his “photo gear.” If I had, he really would have had some photo gear - mine!

I had a similar experience recently when I was walking through Hell’s Kitchen one evening with my camera. To be fair, Hell’s Kitchen today is gentrified and fairly safe. It’s not the Hell’s Kitchen of the mid-20th Century, the neighborhood where the street fights of ‘West Side Story’ were set. I would not have walked through that neighborhood at night. Times have changed. The city is safer now.

Anyway, after spending some time on a particularly challenging photograph, I noticed a guy watching me as I packed up my gear up. He was another tall, athletic fellow. He didn’t look overly menacing, but he would have been a handful in a physical confrontation.

I didn’t pay much attention to the guy at first. Once I noticed that he was staring at me, I avoided eye contact. I didn’t want things to escalate. I made my way down a quiet street looking for another photo opportunity. About halfway down the block, I decided that there wasn’t anything that I wanted to shoot there. So, I turned around, and there was the guy standing there watching me from less than ten paces away. He had followed me down the block. I’m not sure when or where he thought that he might have an opportunity to take something from me, but I didn’t give it to him. I walked back to the avenue where there were more people and ventured off in a different direction.

It’s a crazy world out there. Be aware of your surroundings. If someone seems menacing, don’t ignore your suspicions. Don’t let yourself get into a situation where you’ll be left alone with them. If someone offers you something that sounds out of character or too good to be true, walk away. A criminal can make a thousand mistakes. You only have to make one. Never let your guard down.

Shake Things Up

If you’ve been doing the same thing for four years or longer, you need to shake things up and try something new.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Impermanence

A wise friend taught me that everything in life is ephemeral. Your home, your job, your good health, your best friend, the love of your life, any of these things can be taken from you without notice. If significant loss is destined to happen, you are powerless to stop it. We can never count on anyone or any thing. The best that we can do is to enjoy what we have today, in this moment, realizing that life will be different tomorrow, and to let people know that they are loved and appreciated, with the understanding that it may not make a difference.

The Life Of A Dream

Don’t blame your dreams for dying if you neglected them.

Monday, March 4, 2019

Time That We Don’t Have

The Republican Party has one overriding objective. They want to pack the courts with conservative judges who will block the enactment progressive legislation, and who will actively dismantle all existing safeguards for workers, the elderly, the poor, the environment, and civil rights. To that end, they have made a deal with the devil. As long as that devil keeps nominating conservative judges and justices, they will support him regardless of the lasting damage that their partisan coup of the legal system will do to the country, its citizens, our standing in the world, or the Constitution that every elected official took an oath to defend. Only overwhelming support for progressive candidates and the rule of law can reverse the damage, a process that will take generations. Given that our planet is facing a showdown with imminent disaster in about a decade, this is time that we don’t have to spare.

A Poem For Mondays

Lovers leave

Friendships fade

Careers end

Health degrades

Dreams delayed

Will drift away

But there’s always coffee

There’s always coffee

:-)

March Snow

It’s March, yes, I know

Yet we’ve dealt with messy snow

Five days in a row

Sunday, March 3, 2019

New York Minute 133 - Fulton’s Folly

Yes, I did see a man urinate on a parked police car today, just outside of the brand new Fulton Street Transportation Center. He’s probably one of the homeless men who loiter and sleep in there. $1.4 billion to build a fancy hangout for bums! Only in New York!

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Random Thoughts - 2 March 2019

Monthly bills should be prorated for February. I feel like I’m paying for three days that I didn’t use.

There are people living today who will be alive in the Twenty-Second Century. Some of those people will still be working in the Twenty-Second Century.

I am what’s known as middle-aged, which is strange, because I don’t feel that I’ve reached the middle.

I wish that the good things in my life had started earlier. I would have been too busy to do the stupid stuff.

I am perfectly happy with not being perfectly happy. It feels authentic.

I take a wait and see approach to life. We’ll have to wait and see if it was the right strategy.