Off The Leash

Goodbye suburbia, condos are cool

After reading this article in the NY Times, I can feel better about my idea that investing in an apartment/condo might make me more money than a detached home.  I guess it all depends on location.
Some of the comments I liked:
" 'You can't get younger, so what's the next closest thing?' Mr. Brush said. 'Getting cooler. How do you get cooler? You move to these urban communities. There's more activity, there's more entertainment and restaurants.' "
"Those of us who are 60 are thinking of cashing out, moving into the Ritz tower and getting our meals brought to us."
Why can't you be 25 and get your meals brought to you in your cool condo with a great view? 
Oh, right.  You are poor at 25 and eating ramen noodles instead of takeout. 
I'll just enjoy my view of the rats outside and the people waiting for the bus while I drink my Michigan beer and save for that condo.  Livin in the moment.

What's up these days

A brief update about what's up in our world:
-our DEBNA (Duke Ellington Boulevard Neighborhood Association) will be meeting tomorrow night with one single subject on their agenda: RATS!
Scott went to meet with DEBNA today because we thought they were their tonight.  Oops.
-Lure Coursing: imagine Honey chasing a plastic bag like it is a squirrel.  Saturday, she will.  I hope.
-Honey stares at the walls a lot now.  Since she is listening for RATS and there is a new dog living above us and much wrestling/bone chewing.
-Spring cleaning is coming soon.  I am ready to purge.  Seriously, I will do it this time!
-I have intentions to check out the Bodies Exhibit and the Whitney Biennale sometime this month
-Ithaca-we'll be there in April and I'll be talking about dog-friendly communities with some like-minded folks and some crazy dog people.
-In Ann Arbor, the dog park initiative (4 years strong, and still going) is moving toward a temporary solution for solving the need for off-leash recreation space.
-My pet blog has launched.  Find it at NYCityPets.com.  Finally.

What's up with you?

6 Months in...

Today we are getting our first online delivery of groceries from Fresh Direct.  We sat in front of the computer and shopped last night and it took about as long as a regular trip would take.  This weekend, Scott dropped off the laundry to be done for us at the laundromat.  I am looking for a dog walker to keep Honey from going crazy wackadoo.  We are always looking for a better apartment, despite living right next to Central Park.
Do we sound like New Yorkers?

AWFNJ

I am attending the Animal Welfare Federation of New Jersey conference this weekend in Iselin.  Scott has been great with dog duties and I will be back to regularly scheduled programming this evening.  Tomorrow I start at the Center for Animal Care & Control (CACC) as a Petfinder volunteer.  The pets in the shelter move in and out so quickly that only time will tell how helpful our efforts will be for increasing adoptions. 
I'll be checking to see if I can also post the pictures on Flickr because I think that is another way to get the stories out and increase adoptions.

Early Spring in Central Park

The recent warm spell has given me the motivation for several long walks in the park (and exploring new parts of the city too).  Mmm, flowers.                                                                                                                                                             

 

Smokin'

As I turned the corner toward 106th Street tonight (heading home from work), I noticed many flashing lights and a big crowd near my apartment building.  I was carrying two heavy bags of groceries up a hill, but that didn't stop me from walking a lot faster than normal toward home with Holy Crap repeating in my brain.
The building next door (brick exterior, separated from our building by a walkway) is on fire.  There are about 7 fire trucks and a huge crowd out front.  I am told not to enter my apartment, but I was able to get in and take Honey out of the smokiness.  She was in the apartment for about 30 minutes as smoke started up.  I will be watching her for any coughing for the next 36-48 hours.  My main concern is smoke damage to the apartment right now, but there is a chance sparks could start our (crappy, falling apart) building ablaze.  Signs point to probably not, however.
We are currently hanging out at Sat's house (thanks to you all for letting us visit) while the smoke clears.
Hopefully, we will return home to everything as normal.  If not, you'll surely hear about it soon enough.
Scott is in Austin.  I can't wait for him to come home.

Apple=Good

On March 10th, my little IPod decided to take its own life.  In the morning, it wouldn't connect to the computer.  In the afternoon, no sound could be heard from the left earphone.  By the evening, the music had died.  How odd that this happened on the very day I planned to take it into the Apple Store for service.  The warranty expired on March 10th, since I bought the IPod on March 11th, 2005.
I couldn't get an appointment via the web (guest sign-ins were not being permitted.  Store traffic too high)  so I went to SoHo around 2 pm and signed up for the earliest time slot (9:30 pm).
When my time came, I told the Apple genius to let me know whether the IPod was worth saving or not.  He did a little checking and just gave me a new one on the spot.  Thank you warranty, and thank you IPod for your perfect timing.

Crocuses and Bullets

Ah, the first day of Spring.  With temps in the 60s it feels great.  I saw my first flower of the season, a yellow crocus. Around the corner from the new blossom, I saw my first NYC bullet in a tree pit in front of the Post Office.  So there you have it.  Our neighborhood has it all!
(Our apartment is just above the lovely Barbershop and Handyman junkyard.  Seriously, you don't want to peek into his shop because it is the craziest garage you've ever encountered!)

In very exciting news, the wonderful cat known as Dot will be going to a new home next weekend.  I am really happy about it, but everyone at the office will miss her very much.  She is a thief ( dog biscuits), a nuisance (cries in exam room 3 until someone plays with her), an attention hog (when the cat dancer appears), and unsanitary (sleeps in a box of shoes), but I will miss all those things and her sweet gesture of head butting to say hello. 
Congratulations Dot and Sarah!

Honey and I took a nice long stroll down Broadway and back north in Central Park.  I walked around SoHo and did a little shopping at Century 21.  It is like a TJ Maxx with more designer stuff and a larger housewares department.  The crowd is annoying at best, so don't ever go there without a moderately full stomach, empty bladder, and a world of patience!  I found a sewing machine for $10.00.  Wish my fingers luck!