Only South of 14th Street

We just got back from a trip to NYC to celebrate my dad's 80th birthday. Big up to my family and friends - it was fantastic to see you all and I love you! Here are a few photos I took whilst doing the tourist thing (double-click on each one to getter better view).

uplifting words and hand me downs on Second Ave

shop in the Village with trainers for $1000

where am i, on the moon? no, somewhere in Soho

Feel like dancing on Lafayette Street

Quit Whinging America!

Lately, the international versions of US news publications have been all about the rising cost of gasoline, which has reached a whopping $4 a gallon! But wait a minute, let's do the math: the average cost of petrol (gas) in the UK is 1.17 pounds per litre. There are about 4.5 litres to the gallon; approximately 2 dollars to the pound. That works out to be around $10 per gallon, more than double what Americans pay! Not to mention a UK sales tax rate of 17% and an income tax that borders 50%. If America really wants to curb immigration, reduce homelessness and ensure everyone has access to decent health care, why not try a little taxes. If we can handle it here, you can too.

Green Commute

Yeah, I guess you could say my daily commute to work by public transportation is 'good' for the environment, but that's not what I mean by green. One of my favorite things to do on the train ride home from Manchester, about 10 minutes or so from reaching my station stop, is to put down whatever I'm reading, whether it's a book, this week's issue of Time or M.E.N., one of Manchester's daily rags. With conscious intention, I then look up at the window and let all the luscious landscape greenery fill up my eyes and touch my heart. From sheep grazing fields, to horse farms, to cricket pitches, the landscape of the area is rich and beautiful and provides the perfect ending to an otherwise ordinary workday.

Got Talent?

Last night on TV's Britain's Got Talent, there was a terrific performance by a urban teen dance troupe from Birmingham which really wowed the audience. But they absolutely went crazy when Simon Cowell paid the dancers the ultimate compliment. He said their choreography was "as good as anything coming out of America", and that America was the benchmark for hip-hop dance. No ignominy for us, for the moment.

I've touched upon this topic in an earlier post, and have seen it over and over again since moving here... the U.S. is, and can continue to be, the world's hub for creativity and experimentation. No need for world-wide military dominance; America's creative and intellectual output can be a well received positive influence, reaching everywhere.

Americans Abroad

While this isn't a political blog and I have no intention of musing daily about political issues, I did feel good about attending a Democrats Abroad gathering in Manchester the other week. Dems Abroad is the "official Democratic Party organization for some six million American citizens who live outside the United States". This gathering, which they call a "Speakeasy", is really just a chance for the handful of Americans living in the Manchester area to come together and talk politics or just wax nostalgic about home. I dragged Andrew and his son, who's currently studying poly-sci in college, along with me so this added a cool dual-national dimension. It makes for more interesting conversation plus I just love to mix it up! As for the election, I'm excited for the changes coming and look forward to voting in November by absentee ballot from the UK!

Rosie the Riveter

Hey Everybody, sorry I've been away so long, but I've been wrapping my head (and body) around the fact that I'm once again a working girl! Okay, it's only a temp job and pays a mere pittance, but I really enjoy getting up in the morning, riding the train into Manchester with all the other working stiffs, and then winding my way round to my desk for a productive 9 to 5. It feels good, right. It has however, put me a little off balance time-wise and I need to get a bit more efficient in my tasks and chores. No more daily trips to Tesco for the evening's tea, but we're coming along nicely. And now, once again, TGIF has some real meaning.

Boca Jackpot

Who knew that the way to bring people together is through some old fashioned wagering? Andrew, his daughter and I spent about a week in Florida visiting my family and, during one evening over dinner, my parents talked about this pastor who was trying to improve the attitudes and dispositions of his congregants by getting them to stop complaining. We all thought this a noble but doomed idea because complaining is pretty much a national pastime. In fact, my parents had given it a try after hearing about the pastor, but they lasted only a few minutes (come on, we were in kvetch country).

On the car ride home to our hotel, Andrew's daughter suggested that the three of us engage in a bet to see who could hold out the longest and refrain from complaining. We spent the next hour or so considering what constituted a complaint (criticism? yes; observations? maybe) and how much to wager (10 dollars each; winner takes all). I saw this moment as a spark in communications between us, but I'm sure she saw it as a surefire way to make a fast 20 bucks! Two days later, I was the first to cave when I began to compare the bright, open Florida sky to the dark and gloomy one back home in Wigan. Andrew caved next, while we were in New York, when he became a theatre critic after we saw A Chorus Line on Broadway. Like I said, an easy bet; next time I'm keeping my mouth shut.