Walter Kamb you got me thinking about the downtown airport days. Let me test your memory with 10 of my key lessons learned from those […]
Year: 2015
The Shopping Cart Workout
56th St northeast corner of 3rd ave. Grubby-looking man, arms and legs splayed, sound asleep while standing, leaning at a 60-degree angle, against a shopping […]
Drunken Deli Man
Oh, Drunken Mitty at the deli last night, the things inside your head. I’m certain you saw yourself a man of mystery and charm. The […]
Intra-urban Whiplash
Refresher course for my return to West Village: Uniform Midtown: Suit, tie, clean-shaven. Maybe a pair of hilarious, but tasteful shoes West Village: Black shirt, […]
At Least He’s Creative
Grubby-looking man steps into the 1 train car on the subway at 18th street. Him: I’m homeless and I’m hungry, please give [shakes a paper […]
Hold This for Me, Please?
On the subway. Guy (over 6 feet tall) is sound asleep, wearing giant headphones, leaning precariously to the left, about a 70 degree angle above […]
Scary Driver, Good Donkey
Five minutes into my morning run down the side of the steep caldera, a dozen donkeys ran past me. I heard a man shouting commands. […]
One of Us is a Little Stubborn
Ticket agent: Do you have an injured leg? Me: Yes, just an ankle thing. Agent: Do you need wheelchair assistance? Me: Absolutely not. Agent: How […]
Some Places Should Remain Secret
There’s something about sitting for breakfast in an unpretentious diner, with reasonable prices while the owner, whose English is passable, but not great, leans on […]
The Mystery of the Citibikers
Me: Do you like all of these Citibike riders? They are everywhere now that the sun is out Driver: Yes I do. Me: Really? Are […]
Sometimes, Cheerful is Too Cheerful
Me: I don’t feel like undressing and emptying my pockets today, may we just do a pat down? Tsa woman: Yes (waves me through). Step […]
The Happy Cab
Driver: Welcome, welcome! How are you today? Me: Hi – I’m well, thank you. Greenwich and Christopher, please. How are you? Driver: Yes. Yes. And […]
Just Give it to Me Straight
June 12, 2014 Nike Watch My Left Wrist New York, NY 10001 Dear Nike Watch, May I begin by saying I appreciate your keeping track […]
Is There No Joy Extant?
The South Carolina town where I grew up has grown over the years, and these days there are many, many things to do. When I […]
Tonmoy Ghosh
I sometimes wonder what happened to Tonmoy Ghosh. Peter Wolff and I met him about 7 years ago when we were stuck over a weekend […]
The Convenience of the Luddites
Me: How do I order a coffee? Guy behind counter: Use the iPad in front of you. If you need help, ask one of them […]
The Birdman of Craigslist
I try to tell only my own stories here, but this week heard one worth repeating. To start, I do not doubt the veracity of […]
President Dan
Around here, famous landmarks make for great meeting points. For example, any cyclist who has joined up for a ride that goes across the George […]
Urban Whiplash
Yes, people who have asked, even for someone who has spent the past decade or so circling the world, 2 days a week in DC […]
The Indelible Things We Forget
Oh the torture of Summer, 2014! Day 1 Dear Diary, Today I got into a political argument, a religious argument, and a generalized disagreement on […]
It’s How Far?
Let me start by saying that I hate running. It’s boring. It hurts. It gets one nowhere fast. I do it anyway – Not to […]
I’ll Save You the Trouble …
I was just starting a post about those occasional reminders that one is getting old and grouchy, but then decided to just prove it, rather […]
Zetta — what?
Maybe I’ve heard, spoken, read and written too many words over the years, but I prefer to listen to a person who uses precise, simple […]
I’m a Slug. How Lovely!
At the office yesterday in DC, someone told me: “I’m a slugger” It was an odd comment in the context of the conversation, but I […]
We Interrupt this Race for Thoughts of … Flea Markets?
It was probably passing the local sheriff at the turn of the bike course. He stood there leaning way forward, clapping his hands and yelling […]
An Act of Manhattan Charity
Wednesday on the 2 train. 34th Street. Man with a canvas bag of sandwiches stands in the middle of a half-populated subway car, speaks forcefully: […]
To the Ratmobile!!
Earlier today, someone reminded me of the time a rat ran across my foot in a car while in New Delhi. Dug up the post […]
The Underworld
in the bizarro subway world: – it does not annoy me to get jostled, bumped or crushed – it is relaxing to watch rats play […]
The Blue Dinosaur and the Boom Box
August is a funny time. Look past the British, Italian, German and Brazilian tourists who seem to outnumber locals (and generally hang out in parts […]
Sonny Saslaw (with Cameos by Linus Torvalds and Bill Gates)
Yesterday, something reminded me of the late Sonny Saslaw, and got me to thinking about a particular dinner in Chicago 15 years ago. When I […]
Misery and a One-eyed Dog
I hadn’t yet decided if I was going to puke when the filthy, one-eyed dog poked its head under the bathroom door and started yapping […]
Trilby and the Wiseman
Fishing hat. Five-foot walking stick with rubber cap on the bottom. Short-sleeved sport shirt with a khaki vest over it. loose-fitting khaki pants and low-cut, […]
An Ostrich
The quietest place in New York is a commuter train in the morning. Only the sound of an occasional newspaper page turning, ventilation fan periodically […]
The Choices We Make
Maybe it’s the southerner in me, but I’m polite. Very polite. Most of the time. Let’s, as always, leave work aside for the moment. I’ll […]
Cabbies and High Finance
Me: We actually need to be at Terminal C. Cab driver: No. This is the right one. See, it says American Airlines. Me: Yes, but […]
Names Changed to Protect the Insect
Sometime during the first mile of my run this morning, a bug flew into my mouth. A real bug. I tried everything one does to […]
Truth and Science Fiction
May 8, 2006 Klingon? Today was the first day at the office for a new person I hired. That’s generally an unremarkable thing other than […]
The Only Fashion Advice I Have to Offer
“All guys should be wearing shorts and t-shirts, not suits. It’s hot today,” said the complete stranger who works for another company, on a different […]
Do Not Read This
That baby back ribs song. It popped into my head while i was running earlier this week. I discovered i could speed it up with […]
What Gift for a Guy Like Me?
20.8 mph – Calculating in my head as I look at my GPS, that average is on track to slaughter my previous personal record for […]
The Easy Way is Better
10 years, 34 countries, a bazillion stamps and visas, an awful lot of new friends. I can’t believe it’s time for a new one. Officially, […]
The Power of Fragments
If a War of the Worlds scenario were ever to take place (chances are probably pretty slim), rather than sending the common cold to defeat […]
One Question to Never Ask
When circumstances get messy, there is no question more pointless than “Why?” For example, yesterday’s experience isn’t the greatest story ever told, but is a […]
The Grumpy Dr. and the Good Dr.
In June, 2006, Monmohan Singh agreed to address the November, 2007 Fortune Global Forum in New Delhi. Sometime after that, he changed his mind. We […]
Flashback Parade
Earlier today, it was just as the tattooed, heavily muscled guys on giant golden tricycles rode by on Madison Avenue, that I realized mangy Chewbacca […]
No Stupid Questions … But maybe Weird Ones
Cab Driver: Where you going? Me: Penn Station Cab Driver: Where you going? Me: Penn Station [a little more clearly] Cab Driver: I know. Where […]
Zen and the Art of Argument
At the deli today I noticed a new 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of paper taped to the wall next to the order counter. On […]
Heroes and the Not-so-Heroic
I often ask for ridiculous and impossible things. I also know I ask for ridiculous and impossible things. That is why I ask for help. […]
Scratching a No-so-Prudent Itch
I’m not 100% sure the alarm went off. Usually, I wake up before hearing it and turn it off. This morning, however I woke from […]
A Cute Beginning to a Scary Holiday
Gray morning in the city. My Friday diner has only 24 seats. Sleepy, dreary, but comforting. Light jazz quietly playing, pane-windowed wall closed. Guy next […]
Every Day Should be Worth 500 Words
A rumination from Facebook: Every day should be worth at least 500 words. That isn’t why I write these rise-and-fall-of-the-Roman-Empire-length status messages, but as a […]
Unrecognizable Me
On the way back from a meeting, two colleagues and I caught the subway. Sitting across from us was an artist, working in charcoal. We […]
Wistful Wanderer
Walking down 28th Street between 8th and 7th Avenues at 2 am on a Saturday night/Sunday morning. Grizzly homeless man leaning on the lower cross […]
On the Job with Jobs
August 1993, Steve Jobs had founded NeXT during his years of exile from Apple. He agreed to speak at my “GroupWare ’93” conference and expo […]
Vinnie, the Magician and Me
Congratulations, Vinnie Polito on the IAEE Pinnacle Award. Those of you who have worked with Vinnie know not to underestimate how good he is at […]
Gratitude (and a Slap)
Dear Middle East and Asia-based Airlines, I’m sitting on the floor next to a trash can at the San Francisco International Airport thinking about how […]
Can’t We All Just Move Along?
I guess it’s a sense of mutually-assured destruction that governs bicyclists behavior in the City. Sometimes a car hits a cyclist, sometimes a cyclist hits […]
A Beautiful Confusion
I can’t remember who said it to me first. It was a long time ago, but it’s true — There are many places on earth […]
Subway Role Model (Complete with Tattoos)
Packed evening subway train. Black kid, maybe 20, reeks of cigarette smoke, tattoos peeking above the collar and below the sleeves of his sweatshirt which […]
Just Answer the Question, Julie
Me: Mornin’ Driver: Penn Station, right? Me: Yup. [puts head back, dials the phone] Amtrak Automated Phone System: Hi, I’m Julie, your Amtrak … [driver […]
The Smell of Home
As I sit here at dinner in LA, sniffing sea breeze and wood-fired meat, I’m thinking that in many ways, New York is defined by […]
Artful Perspective
“What a powerful piece of performance art,” I thought as I approached this scene next to the train station Quik Trak machines. “The unique poses […]
Arcade Serenade
This is my 12th Thanksgiving week in New York. Watching the sun try to rise over a slightly rainy, heavily overcast sky on a Monday […]
Crucial Questions
New Yorkers respond to world events in as many ways as there are New Yorkers. There is one pervasive response, however that I find most […]
A Moment Among Gentlemen
My Dear Stranger/Friend, It was a pleasure to offer you my chair in the club. You looked uncomfortable standing there. I did it to be […]
The Misfortunes of Misspellings
Walking past a just-opened Christmas fair earlier this week, it occurred to me the different meaning one could take from seeing a long haired, unshaven […]
Let’s Not Waste that Workout
Waiting in the elevator lobby. 8:13 am. Muscle guy: Ugh. This is taking forever and i have to pee Everyone else: (Silence) Guy: (to guard) […]
The Profits of Doom
I chuckled when I heard the familiar, unintelligible mumbling emanating from the TV news. Had to laugh when I looked up — there he was, […]
Love at First …
A LOVE STORY I never knew you existed in space or time. Until today. Your belly pressed against my back as I stood at the […]
Who’s Luck is it Anyway?
[I open the cab door and spot a quarter balanced on the bottom door frame ledge] (Handing it to the driver) Me: Oh look, a […]
Trashy Thoughts
Garbage day is good fun. I’m serious. For example, passing a building today, there was a pile of about 20 dark bags (garbage), maybe a […]
Yapping and Banking
Customer: (in a voice louder than inside voice, but softer than airport ramp voice) Can I get twenty five hundred dollars? Teller: (muffled behind the […]
Funny Money
At the bank … 10 minutes in line, then …. Me: I need to buy some Euro, some Thai Baht and some Vietnamese Dong. Teller: […]
Contemplating “that” Turn
“If I turn left up that dirt road,” I thought. “I could completely disappear. No one would ever find me.” I was 3 miles into […]
Jaime Florcruz
In summer 2004, Carrie Ross Welch arranged dinner at the Courtyard Restaurant, a place right in the shadow of the Forbidden City’s outer wall. The […]
Hamachi, Running and Private Thoughts
“Sit down, Hamachi” First words I heard spoken this morning. The cab driver was talking to the white(ish) poodle sticking its nose through the divider […]
Suspicious Sushi
Standing at the sushi fridge in a grocery store near the office, with a salmon sushi box in my hand: Worker (who is there every […]
The World is Going to End (Again)
During the years I’ve lived in New York, I’ve been through a few hurricanes, a snowpocalypse or two, several “biggest storm ever” and some “storms […]
The Uber Incident
Car with Uber sign pulls up: Him: Hey, you need a taxi? Me: Great (hops in). Going to 37th between 7th and 8th. Him: 25 […]
Forgetting the “Never Forgets”
Since we’re all friends here, I’m going to let you in on a secret. I can’t remember all of the individual horrific incidents in history […]
Generalized Annoyance
I’m annoyed today. Not for any particular reason, and not in a way that should cause alarm for anyone, but the fact is, in a […]
The Self Righteous Grocery
As I stared at the smilie face on the cashier’s counter and below it, the word “SMILE” hand-written on a purple sticker, I felt guilty, […]
Comfortable Weirdness
Felt an odd attack of deja vu bubbling up this morning, but then stopped to analyze the moment and realized there was a familiar song […]
Pretentious People
Here’s a fact: Pretentious people entertain me. “What?” you might say “But you post things about Opera and ballet and chamber music in art deco […]