Apple picking - Stuart's Apple Farm

White wedding - Camp Fowler

Speed limits...

On the way back from north Jersey, I decided to drive 50 mph (hovering just above 2000 rpm) as an effort to save gas.  It took me about two and a half hours, but I made it home.

I'm certainly guilty of seeing a speed limit sign and saying "65mph?  I can go 80 without getting pulled over!" Satisfied with the justified absence of guilt, I used to zoom about my business.  I suppose the entire Great Garden State is guilty of this phenomenon.  

However, tonight was different.  A speed limit must be renamed as a speed maximum.  No one should go faster than 65mph...ever, especially in the most densely-populated state in the world's third-most populous country.  I understand in Texas, people drive at least 80mph to different places.  It certainly aids them in traversing huge swaths of empty land in a reasonable amount of time.

In Jersey?  Well, as much as I love the state for its endless supply of candid charm, polite poise, and elegant glory...and sit on a rock if you think I'm being sarcastic...I do think our confidence in driving in perilous conditions can only....hmmm, I was going to say harm our reputations, but I instantly changed my mind.  

Driving in Jersey takes gumption, and you'd better know what you're doing and where you're going if you plan on hitting the roads.  It builds character to fluidly weave and merge without breaking the flow of traffic.  Jersey drivers are sure-footed and ever-vigilant for knuckleheads, which in turns makes us the best drivers in the country.  Defensive driving?  Well, any pee-wee football coach will tell you:  the best defense is a strong offense.  

Yes, if I decide to save gas, you can bet I'll drive 50 in the right lane WITH my hazards on if there's a heavy flow of traffic.  I'm certainly not getting in the way, and I'm for sure staying faaar away from the passing lane.

Drive on jabronis, drive on!

ABCs in NYC!

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to fulfill an artistic adventure!  I met up with Alison, one of my closest friends from my Barnes & Noble days, in Astoria, Queens. After a great lunch with Laura and Mike in tow, we bust out our cameras and went to town. We ventured on a photo scavenger hunt in Al's Astoria neighborhood.  The goal was to try and capture as many shapes of the alphabet letters
in natural objects without touching anything!  At first, it was a little tricky trying to capture an "A" in a brick wall, but throughout the day, letters bravely poked their heads out of their respective hiding places.

Al taught me a great concept of "negative space," which is the space between objects that creates a separate image.  Often, optical illusions employ negative space, for example, this goodie:

Can you spot the object that uses negative space?

Anyways, here are the winners from our photo shoot in alphabetical order.  I won't provide the letter that I was shooting for, but feel free to comment what you can see :D

Unexpected Day Off

I have a routine nowadays, which includes waking up at 6AM (it should be earlier), get meals/beverages ready, head to work by 7:25AM, work until 5:30-6:00PM, and return home by 7PM.  A huge perk is if I head to Philly or have Annie over and we effectively simmer down.

I did the do early this morning, and headed in to work asking the supervisor for a band-aid, which he couldn't find.  Then, he hits me with a shocker...I wasn't scheduled today, or in other words, I was off.  At first, I was mildly annoyed, but that was instantly replaced with the thought "GREAT!!" and I scooted on home.

After leaving the post office, I proceeded to have the most PRODUCTIVE day in a while.  Here's a breakdown of what I accomplished today before 12PM:

-Went to the doctor, found out I was in contact with poison ivy, not ailing from an eczema flare-up,

-Purchased and installed new wiper blades,

-Received an estimate for an item I'm selling,

-Dropped off my prescription for stronger meds and an anti-histamine,

-Rode my bike  and tested the MapMyRun app under the cycling feature...9 miles, (not bad!),

-Rectified an obstacle with TD Bank, the greatest bank in America, probably because it's Canadian...and was issued a new ATM card,

-Took a 3-hour nap, (bliss!),

-Posted two ads on Craigslist Philly and south Jersey; let's see what happens,

-Folded my clothes, (the struggle is real), 

-Cooked via slow cooker, ANNNNND

-Wrote another letter!

It's been a wonderful day!

A Raindrop and The Mailman

A lone raindrop,
with nowhere to go,
managed to find
a place to call home.

It took a brave leap
through the gray skies
to be with its brothers,
yet we met with surprise...

A landing so soft,
one surely can't deny,
how strange this home felt,
plenty wet and awry.

It fell in my eye!  
Oh geez, oh my!
How in the world
did it fall in my eye!

Of all the great luck
mixed with patterns of time,
the rhythms of life
and space had aligned

To bring this raindrop,
so close to my soul,
into the window
perched above my wet nose.

I stopped and I wondered,
'Is this friend or foe?
Of all the chances,
how did it know?

To miss leaves and branches,
and flee from birds' wings,
to swoop under my hoodie
and dodge wayward winds.'

It fell in my eye!  

I'm blind!  I'm blind!!

How in the world

did it fall in my eye!

Maybe it knew,
how to capture my light,
it steered its clear body
and blurred my poor sight.

I blinked and I shuddered,
laughing at the queer scene,
with heaven's streams aflutter
-- what could all this mean?

There I stayed standing,
orange postman below,
with no time to waste,
always on the go.

Blinking and tripping,
over rocks, twigs and parcels,
a little off-balanced
because of the satchel.

It fell in my eye!  

I'm OK now, I'm fine, 
but how in the world

did it fall in my eye?

With mail to deliver,
body as wet as can be,
I had to keep moving
in soggy harmony.

I took the soaked bundles
of bills and magazines
and shook my head free
of its glistening sheen.

I cradled the drenched baby
in the crook of my arm,
picked up the packages
and I found no harm.

The raindrop and I,
a funny pair we could be,
shared a laugh as we skipped,
back to life blissfully!

Wedding #2 - St. Clements Church in Portland, Connecticut

This weekend, Annie and I took a nice road trip up to Portland, Connecticut to attend a wedding of one of her college friends.  Before I continue, by 10PM tonight, I need to find out what CT is known for, besides rich people, of course.  Moving on, we left Maple Shade, NJ at around 12PM on Saturday, and contrary to this author's popular belief, mainly due to the multitude of emergency vehicles, accidents, and high volume of traffic, that zombies were finally taking over, we made it to our Quality Inn hotel at 4:30PM, cleaned up and headed out at 5:30PM, and arrived at St. Clements Church for the wedding.  Holy run-on sentence...let's clarify a bit...Skip the following paragraph to continue with the flow of the story.

We left Maple Shade, NJ at around 12PM on Saturday.  I was thoroughly convinced that zombies were finally attacking.  This is because we saw plenty of flashing lights, emergency vehicles, and knuckleheads trying to head down the shore...via the Garden State Parkway...on Saturday...in August...on a gorgeous, balmy 85 degree day...and unsurprisingly,  they get caught in traffic.  We got to our hotel, showered up, left the hotel, and arrived at the church in about an hour.

Annie and her core group of choir and singing group friends are sensational women.  They're all driven and passionate in their goals, and I'm lucky to get to know a different side of Annie via her college friends!  I tried my best to not schmuck it up, but maaaan when that music came on, I gave up and had a blast!  I feel like I made a decent impression on them, not that I was nervous about screwing up, but I'm glad the gathering went well for all involved!  

Congratulations to Rachel and Ryan, the bride and groom!! 

Here are some pictures: