10th Month--The Trees Are On Fire

I can’t believe it is mid-October, feels like I just moved here. I apologize for not sending a report all summer but it was just too busy. Those of you who have visited understand why. Those who never venture, never will fully understand…

Since my last note, I have been to the Belmont Stakes (horse races—too bad Smarty Jones); been to CA to see my sister Irma (my “twin”) get married; saw a Mermaid Parade at Coney Island; attended a free Los Lobos Concert in Brooklyn (Yes, Brooklyn); watched Fire flies glide through the soupy summer nights in the park; watched an Opera and Chicago, the musical; took a gondola ride in Central Park; rode the Cyclone in Coney Island and got soaked in a rainstorm; visited Maine to eat Lobster; cruised Boston Harbor; entertained my brother Hector and two nephews till they were silly tired; ate like a pig and drank like a fish; and visited Montauk (beach resort on the furthest point of Long Island—where the ship Amistad landed and Teddy Roosevelt was quarantined after the Spanish American War).

There is so much more to tell, but now I want to concentrate on the coming fall. Two weeks ago I took a day trip to the Berkshires (Massachusetts) to experience the color change in the foliage and visit the Norman Rockwell Museum.

This is my first “eastern fall” in eight years and I had forgotten what an impact fall could have. The trees were radiant in hues of green, yellow, orange and red. At times, it seemed the hills were on fire. I was reminded that it is through color that nature communicates with us. And the trees, they were telling me that it was time to slow down, time to cast off old sins and old worries like brown leaves. It was the trees that reminded me that there is a cycle to everything.

And that brings me back to why I am here. I am here to reinvent myself--like nature. In LA, I had grown stagnant. I had outgrown my skin, my boundaries. It was time to take on new adventures. By testing my limits, I am coming full circle to where I started. I realize that sometimes we need to change in order to be ourselves. The trees may shed their leaves but they are still trees…

Here is another poem:

The Sadness of Days

I have been sad for days.
Not with the sadness of being born,
or the sadness of a torn romance.
But with the sadness of a poor man smiling.
Honestly I would like to feel compassion
for those without luck.
I would like to touch their suffering
and say that I understand.
These days in November are obscure,
almost silver, and given to the heavens.
Honestly, I want to find myself,
to sit under a tree with its dusty fruit
of salvation. I will take my place,
Listen up, and have faith in all things.

--Luis Omar Salinas

June—5th Month

Spring

“And rapidly backwards and forwards/The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:/They call is easing the Spring.” This is a line from Naming of Parts, a poem by Henry Reed. The poem has several themes but basically is juxtaposing Man vs. Nature. The title alludes not only to the military training that is happening, or the description of the garden, but to Genesis, when the world was new and Man had to name it to make it his own. This theme seems very fitting for my 5-month report because there is no better example of Man’s battle for balance than NYC. Spring is here with its rains, humidity, and blossoms, which are juxtaposed with the concrete and busy people weaving through the streets…

Last week my sister, Irma, and a friend named Monica came to visit. It was their first time in NY and they enjoyed themselves by sighting seeing, shopping and going out at night. Of course, I wasted no time exposing them to my NYC. First up, Irma and I spent a Saturday morning roaming the city. We started in Central park and weaved our way south to the Village—traveling through a street fair—weaving through people and buildings and time. In the evening it was VIP tickets to the Alejando Sanz concert, courtesy of Verizon Wireless. Not only were the seats in front of Mr. Sanz’s wife and child but they also provided an opportunity to meet him at the after-party. That same night we headed to a private party hosted by Hennessey titled Orchid, with live music and a lounge decor. Honestly, I don’t think they ever recovered from that fist night or the second or the third, etc…

For those of you wondering, the trip did involve a night at Zona Rosa and us celebrating Cinco de Mayo (my first time in over 10 years) at a restaurant/night club called Noche. The night included a five-course meal paired with different tequilas for each course. We ended the night at a salsa club called the Latin Quarter (LQ). We were guests of owner Ralf Mercado, owner of Zona Rosa and previously a record label owner--that included artists like Celia Cruz and Marc Anthony.

I give credit to Irma and Monica because they ended their trip with a non-traditional Helicopter ride. Remember, NYC is not about money, it is about time and they saved plenty of it by getting a birds-eye view of the city. Honestly, it was fun for me to play tour guide and it makes me glad that I can offer an excuse for my friends and family to visit NY. So, if you haven’t planned your trip here yet, there is still time…

My visit to LA in April was very beneficial. It was full of work, family, friends, fun and sun (thanks Sandi for the convertible). But it was also a time of resolutions. I love LA and it was great to spend time with my friends and family (I even got to the beach four times), but I realize that NYC is the place for me at this stage in my life. I learned that letting go doesn’t mean forgetting or losing; it is about change--change to keep growing. I had always been one to welcome change, even encouraged it, but some how I became afraid to take risks and that stifled my development. Now, I am back on track and welcome my new environment—I am making it my own. I can’t deny that there is a lingering sense of loss but it is eclipsed by a new sense of freedom and discovery.

This brings me back to NYC…and the weeks since my last report and before my LA visit. I continue to discover new parts of the city, new restaurants, galleries, shops and meet new people. I have kept reading and recently finished Angels and Demons by Dan Brown--I liked the Da Vinci Code more. I have begun reading the Celestine Prophecy so my next report should include what I learned from it. In a future report I might include my theory about fate but for now it is enough to say that the book reinforced my belief that everything happens for a reason. People you meet, places you go, things you discover are all interrelated to the paths we choose.

I apologize for the lateness of this (May) report but being home locked-up writing was not the way to welcome Spring. My next report should come this weekend and hopefully catch you all up.

PS: Here is the compete poem for your reading pleasure. Let me know if you want to discuss.

Naming of Parts

Today we have naming of parts. Yesterday,
We had daily cleaning. And tomorrow morning,
We shall have what to do after firing. But today,
Today we have naming of parts. Japonica
Glistens like coral in all the neighboring gardens,
And today we have naming of parts.

This is the lower sling swivel. And this
Is the upper sling swivel, whose use you will see,
When you are given your slings. And this is the piling swivel,
Which in your case you have not got. The branches
Hold in the gardens their silent, eloquent gestures,
Which in our case we have not got.

This is the safety-catch, which is always released
With an easy flick of the thumb. And please do not let me
See anyone using his finger. You can do it quite easy
If you have any strength in your thumb. The blossoms
Are fragile and motionless, never letting anyone see
Any of them using their finger.

And this you can see is the bolt. The purpose of this
Is to open the breech, as you see. We can slide it
Rapidly backwards and forwards: we call this
Easing the spring. And rapidly backwards and forwards
The early bees are assaulting and fumbling the flowers:
They call is easing the Spring.

They call is easing the Spring: it is perfectly easy
If you have any strength in your thumb: like the bolt,
And the breech, the cocking-piece, and the point of balance,
Which in our case we have not got; and the almond blossom
Silent in all of the gardens and the bees going backwards and forwards,
For today we have the naming of parts.

--Henry Reed

February--Second Month

Everything is great. Work is good and the people I work with are great. There are only four of us. The manager's name is Bill Collins; he was a good friend of Jim, my ex-boss. My co-worker is named Meera Kumar and she grew up in India. She handles the Financial News, which is the job I was supposed to take. However, a person left the Product News manager position and I took it in order to make the transition easier. Hopefully in a year I can start the Financial News Manager job. The last person in the office is the administrative assistant. She is Puerto Rican and about 25 years old. She is a nice but seems like she can be really mean if you cross her.

My apartment is in order. However, I still have to work on the bedroom to try and squeeze out more room. I will take pictures soon and place them on the yahoo website. I find that it is easier to post them there so everyone can see them. I hope you all visit it.

The weather is getting better. The last couple of days have been warmer but it rained all day Friday. The good thing about it was that it helped melt a lot of the “black” snow and wash away all the salt—used to melt the snow in the streets. “Black” snow is the term used for the dirty snow. With all the cars and all the people, the white snow gets dirty very fast.

With the warmer weather, I have also started exploring my surroundings more. Today I walked through Madison Ave. and Lexington Ave., which is where most of the expensive stores like Bloomingdale’s are located. It was good to be out. The fresh air and walking did me good.

I realize that I am still adjusting. In California, I had my life routines. Here I am still developing them. For instance, the other day I locked myself out of my apartment. It happened late one night when I went to throw out my trash. My door closes by itself so before I realized I had not “unlocked” the doorknob lock, the door closed and I was left out in the hall feeling like a loser—locked door, no keys. Unluckily, my neighbor let me use her phone to call the superintendent, who has a spare key. He came over but was not happy at all.

I am also adjusting to having more time on my hands. Without having to commute like in CA, I have at least an extra three hours per day. I have been using the time mostly to read and send emails to friends, but also to watch TV. Since I pay for cable, I just feel I should watch it.

January 2004--New Beginning

I am doing great. I have settled-in and adjusted like a chameleon, so it does not feel strange that I live in a new city and have a new place. New York is a place of contradictions, for example, although there are millions of people, you can feel very alone but can also find a ton of new friends. Or, even though it is a relatively small area, getting around can be hard because of the traffic but if you walk or use the subway, you can get around everwhere. You can also easily spend $100 on dinner or $2 slice of pizza. It offers some thing for everyone.

I have been spending all my time with work and setting up the apartment. I finally got a couch today so with the new TV, I am 90% set. In my next note I will send photos of the apartment. Space to store stuff is very limited so I have used every inch of closet and floor space.

It has been very cold, so cold I have not wanted to be outside. It has made shopping for food and apartment stuff hard. But I have found that every place delivers, including Xpressgrocer.com, so now even my food can be delivered.

One thing I have been wanted to do in 10 years was to see a Broadway play and I finally did so on Friday. I saw "Ana in the Tropics." Jimmy Smits is in it and it was a great play. It is a drama set in a cigar factory. In the days before radio, the factories hired someone to read books to the workers. It was a way to keep them from being bored and help educate them at the same time. Smits plays the Lector, the reader, and he reads a Victorian-era love story. To make a long story short, each of the characters lives is changed by the appearance of the Lector. It does not have a happy ending but it is very thought provoking.

Well, I have to go but I hope you will share this with your family. I have included three photos. The one is of the first morning and first sunrise I experienced. The other one is the first Sunset, with the moon rising. The last is of the first snow. You can compare how the park looks with and without snow.

Thank you for all you did to help me leave and all you are doing now to help me get settled.

Take care and I miss you all.