The Demise of a Competitor

Today at the stroke of 3:33 (or so), my office started buzzing. The energy was palpable--it was as though the 20th floor had been struck by lightning, leaving us all surging with electricity. What caused the hubbub? The news that Teen People had folded. As it sometimes happens in the magazine industry, a title that's seemingly thriving one day will close up shop the next due to faltering ad sales, tumbling subscription rates, etc. In this case, it was shocking for my office in particular not only because it's one less competitor we have to worry about, but we also just lost one of our staffers to TP--and she just started there last week!

This turn of events made me realize how lucky I am to have a solid job in the magazine industry. My former co-worker just moved out of her parents house into her first NYC apartment and was banking on her inflated TP salary to keep her afloat in this pricey city. I can only imagine how hopeless she's feeling tonight; not to mention how angry she must be at herself for taking the job (she had an awesome position at CG! and I'm sure she'll find another great one in time). Even though I don't have a corner office or a fancy title (yet), it's still good to know that I have a desk to sit behind each day and a pay check to look forward to every couple of weeks.

Just my two cents for the evening.

One Weekend, Two Beaches

This weekend brought me to the coasts of Long Island and Brooklyn. Saturday night, Mark and I ventured out to Jones Beach to catch a Damien Rice/Fiona Apple show. Corinne initially bought the tickets, but couldn't make it up here, so Mark somewhat begrudginly took her place. Despite the chilly weather (and, at times, rain), we had a nice time listening to Damien et al. However, Fiona was just a bit too erratic and--as Randy Jackson would say--pitchy for our taste (I've never been much of a fan). So we slipped out about 1/3 of the way through the show, only to have to wait about an hour for the bus to show up. Oh well.

This morning I caught a ride with Bec and John out to Coney Island to watch Bec in a one-mile ocean swim. I couldn't sign up since I didn't have a USA Masters Swimming card, so I was a happy spectator instead. I've never been to Coney Island before, and it was well worth the early morning! Lots of people and things to look at--including a thriving Russian community, a bizarre African baptism, plenty of old men in speedos, and all of the crazies Brooklyn has to offer. I was well-entertained.

Pics below.

This says it all, doesn't it?

Sights around Coney Island

I was bummed there were no actual freaks to shoot. Guess they come out later on?

Bec and I in front of a ConeyIsland snack stand. We didn't plan to coordinate with the decor on the boardwalk!

The swimmers came in all shapes and sizes--tiny (Bec) and um, not-so-tiny. The guy to the right received a prize for being the final swimmer out of the water.

Bec and John being cute

The famous (now-defunct) parachute hovers in the background

Bec gets interviewed by a crazy Brooklyn "reporter" as well as channel 12's one-woman broadcast team.

Bec's all smiles after the race.

She came up just short of first, getting nabbed by a guy from Rahway, Jersey at the finish line. Still, she beat the next man by about three minutes, and the next woman by about five!

A little ways down the beach, Bec rounds the bend for the final stretch

I'm trying to figure out what religion/time-era these people were part of

The person being baptised was blind-folded

Other-worldly African baptism that was taking place amidst the regular sunbathers and racers...

John gives Bec some pre-race advice

Bec stands out among the Coney Island/Brighton Beach regulahs

Bec preps for her race in Coney Island

Damien Rice

Jones Beach Theatre

chop chop

Excuse this completely self-indulgent interruption, but I wanted to share with you a photo of my recently-shorn locks. After two-plus years of growing out my hair, I've given up the dream of having curls down to my butt (it just wasn't gonna happen). Today, I went back to a shorty 'do and got some color to boot. Whattya think?

Hung Up on Madonna

A giant disco ball casting shimmering techo-colored light around Madison Square Garden. A breakdancer who spun on his head for about 45 seconds straight. The fittest and most toned 49-year-old I've ever seen in my life strutting her stuff better than her decades-younger backup dancers. These were just some of the highlights of the spectacular show put on by the most amazing Madonna. She never missed a beat, her voice sounded phenomenal, and I have a new idol.

Thanks to Keren for getting the tickets!

Here's the set list

Future Lovers / I Feel Love (Medley)
Get Together
Like A Virgin (during which she performed various acrobatic feats on a pommel-horse like apparatus, while floating about 15 feet above the stage)
Jump
Live To Tell (she started this one bound to a gigantic disco-inspired crucifix)
Forbidden Love
Issac
Sorry
Like It Or Not
Sorry Remix (Video Interlude)
I Love New York (Rocked out on an electric guitar)
Let It Will Be
Ray Of Light
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Paradise (Not For Me)
Music / Disco Inferno (Medley)
La Isla Bonita (Simply AMAZING!!!)
Erotica/You Thrill Me
Lucky Star (Even more AMAZING!)
Hung Up (UNREAL!)

We did it!

After waking up at 4:45 a.m. to swim a mile in the Hudson, bike 24 miles up and down Manhattan's west side, and run 6.2 miles throughout the city streets and Central Park, we're through. Phew! It was a great day all around---finishing without any catastrophes was the goal, so crossing that line and collecting our medals was an amazing feeling. And it was especially exciting to see Bec, the "Pride of Manhattan," stand up on the podium for her phenomenal third place performance! Then, she and John turned around and served up a delicious BBQ for about ten fellow triathletes. We just got back and are now officially retiring for the evening--but not from triathlons. I'm already looking for the next one to sign up for (little does Mark know...).

Thanks to Leezie, the 'rents, Karl, and Patty for showing up to cheer! It was great to have your support out on the course.

Bec and John after eating up yummy turkey burgers, leg of lamb, and other summery treats fit for a proper BBQ.

Me, post-race outside of our apartment. I was very happy to be home after the long morning.

Mark, post-race

Mark in his cycling gear getting ready to head to the transition area on 78th to drop off our bikes on Saturday night. Doesn't he look fast?

perfect watermelon slices prepared by Speed, who also whipped up lasagne (great for carbo-loading!), roasted veggies, salad w/ grilled turkey, and his speciality blueberry slushie drinks on Saturday night. Definitely an excellent pre-race meal! Thanks, SPEED!

Leezie and muthe in the backyard, where we enjoyed dinner al fresco.

Karl posing by the delicious spread provided by Leezie and Speed

Nike has a lot of money

Gotta love Nike and Apple and their mission to Nanonize the world. A month or so ago, Bec "modeled" at the launch of the new Nike+iPod Sport kit, a running shoe-Nano combo that does basically everything but actually run for you. She got to keep the Moire running shoes (they hold a small sensor that triggers a wireless receiver, thus recording everything from time, distance, and speed) but not the Nano. I was intrigued by the product--naturally, I latch onto any gadget that'll make me forget that I'm slogging through miles in July heat--but was ultimately turned off by the eyepopping cost of the whole rigamarole ($100 for the shoes, $29 for the sensor, and oh yeah, a few hundred bucks for the nano).

But perhaps to further entice naysayers like me, Nike has not relented in their guerilla marketing of this product. Tonight, Niketown hosted a FREE five-mile group run, offering all participants, including Patty and I, access to brand-new Moire shoes, a Nano and an armband, plus a DriFit t-shirt. About 500 runners of all shapes and sizes laced up their shoes, popped in their earbuds, and took off in pace groups from the Apple store on 59th and 5th all the way to the final destination of the Apple store in SoHo. Packs of runners in matching shirts tore through midtown at rush hour and SoHo at happy hour as throngs of curious and dumbfounded New Yorkers looked on. Better advertising than a Super Bowl commercial.

I got to the run a little too late to sign up for the Nano/Shoes, but again, I became intrigued by the gadget. As we ran down the west side highway while the sun set over Jersey City, I watched the runners bop up and down to the Nike-provided tunes. When we reached Soho, we were greeted with cheering apple employees, a giftcard for free iTunes, a Nike towel, Jamba Juice smoothies, and Auntie Ann's pretzels. Oh, and plenty of iBooks to dock the Nano and check your stats before returning it--and the shoes--back to Nike. (But the shirt was for keeps!)

I can imagine a few people ran away with the shoes and iPod--they didn't seem to have any security on hand to make sure they didn't, and runners only had to sign a flimsy voucher to get them (you had to check your old shoes, but I would have given up my shoes for a Nano!). But after tonight's extravagant event, I can imagine Nike and Apple has enough funds lying around to cover those costs.

T-5

Oh boy. Five days to go until the New York City Triathlon. The race that we signed up for more than five months ago is now here--looming just around the corner! Am I ready? Not really. But then again, I'll probably never feel ready-ready. The first two triathlons weren't too bad--but they were half the distance. Now is the test: 1 mile swim, 24 mile bike, 6.2 mile run. If you are in the city on Sunday and want to come watch Mark, Bec, John, me, and about 4,995 other participants sweat it out in the Hudson River, on the West Side Highway, and throughout Central Park, come on out! I might not recognize you due to the fact that I'll be blacking out, but we all will appreciate the support nonetheless!

Weekend Recap

Had a great weekend, but have no pics to show from it as I forgot my camera! (I know, shame on me.) Mark and I made yet another one of our late-night trips to D.C., strolling in to University Towers at the ripe ol' hour of 2 a.m. #716 is looking rather spiffy with brand-new carpet and fresh paint on the walls. We slept in Grandpop's office-turned guest bedroom. It's still a bit surreal to think that just last year he was sitting at that desk "workin'", but the 'rents have done a brilliant makeover to the entire apartment! We also got to see Ella, Jeanie, and Uncle Phil---Ella is soooo cute and starting to talk a bit in sentences (the first thing she asked me was, "Where's Mark?"). I wish I could have played with her all day, but it was time for her nap and time for us to go up to the farm. Uncle Joe and Stella were there, so we had a lovely evening that included (for me) a nice long bike ride to Emmitsburg (# of miles: 20; # of groundhogs: 4; # of roadkill: 3; # of mullets: 2) and then a delcious summery dinner. We headed back to Silver Spring the next morning to meet back up with Mark, watch the World Cup(s) (soccer and Bec's Tri), and dinner from the Chicken Place! Despite getting back to the apartment after midnight on Sunday, it was a very, very, very nice weekend.

Pretty good for a "newcomer!"

I remember back in the day when it was SUCH a big deal to make it to nationals (in swim team or track). But never in our wildest dreams did we ever imagine that one of our own, Bec, would make it to a WORLD championship meet! And of all people, it's a "newcomer" who "must be a pretty strong swimmer," (at least that's what the oot-of-it Canadian commentators had to say about her during yesterday's web-cast! Maybe they'll pay more attention to her if she makes them one of her Canada Day cakes!)

Check out her blog for a brief recap of the race...coverage is also available at www.triathlon.org.

Tuesday: Happy Birthday, America!

We had hotdogs. We had baked beans. We had mac-n-cheese and lemonade. We may not have had a proper yard or sparklers or a parade down Watkins Mill Road, but we managed to make the best of Fourth of July in NYC. The fourth capped a long weekend filled with celebrations including Eileen's birthday, Chuck's triumphant return to the East Coast, Canada Day, and well, just four whole days off of work! Some pictures of the non-stop fun are below.

After a field trip to Chelsea Piers and an All-American (indoor) picnic, we crossed the Hudson to Hoboken, where Patty hosted a little get-together complete with fruity drinks and quesadillas! Then we found a great spot on a hill near Stevens Institute of Technology to watch NYC's fireworks show.

Patty (center), with her friend an cousin, waiting for the fireworks to start.

Ready for the fireworks to begin! We were able to see four sets--including the synchronized trio over the East River, Financial District, and Liberty Park. New this year: "floaters" (the kind that just hang out for a bit before fizzling out), and cube-shaped fireworks.

Monday night: Happy Birthday, Eileen!

For Eileen's big day, we did what I'll only do for those I truly care about: hit Times Square in the middle of a 90-degree-plus day on one of the busiest tourism days of the year. But the trip was worth it: We scored tickets for Avenue Q from TKTS for later on that night. Here we are after the show (and a few stops at some bars/clubs in the neighborhood) on Charles Street.

Despite the looks on their faces (well, Mark and Chuck's...), we had a lot of fun! The show was HILARIOUS.

Out and about with the birthday girl.

Celebrating Eileen's birthday with dinner at Havana Alma de Cuba...delish!

Saturday/Sunday: Happy Birthday, Canada!

Bec serving up her yummy Canada Day cake in New Paltz. We went up for Bec & John's BBQ and had an awesome time. Perfect weather, gorgeous scenery, two big bike rides (for me, at least), AND Scrabble...an absolutely ideal way to spend 24 hours! It was hard to leave, but we had to entertain our guests in the city...

Bec, Gabe, and Karl in the chair circle :)

Sitting for another one of Karl's photo shoots (check out the old school chairs--perfect for a chair circle!)

More pics from the farm

Mark and Chuck hanging out at the farm

Guys playing soccer in the afternoon light...

Friday/Saturday: The guests arrive!

Hanging out just like the good ol' days

We're hoping Chuck will be back often now that he's once again an East Coaster...

Out to dinner @ dragonfly on Friday night--Keren, apparently, is a fan of the beer!

Off to check out the rest of the city--and the gym.

Chuck looking fab in my sunglasses

They ate with me at the fancy shmancy "Cafe 57" in my new building

Mark and Chuck visit me at Hearst!