Behind the 8 ball

A while ago mom was brain storming with Frank about her ability to think and write truthful reviews of restaurants. Mom wanted to get the truth out there and uncover the oddities of places and pay homage to certain people who worked there, or at least get their opinion. She wanted to tell the truth about things like using the bathroom there, or if she got bad vibes from the staff, or if it was totally awesome and fun.
So she started this blog with the idea for it to become a website if she could get the funding or the people to come in and design the site for her.
It was going to be called Laura's Real Reviews. You can check out her first stab at it.
She thought that there was nothing out there that allowed people to really write what they feel. Mom was also going to add fun twists and interviews from staff and all the bike routes along with the subway routes to get there.

Anyway, long story short, she never really followed through and got her act together, and found that drive to make it happen.
Just the other day while mom was taking a sec to browse through the blogoshpere she came upon a post on Kris's Ex-Boyfriends site about this new site called Yelp.com.


Once again mom is behind the game. How did she not know that this site was out there and doing what she was trying to do on a much larger scale. Not that she wanted profiles or anything, but she wanted a way for people to read the honest truth about places to eat. She did not want readers to feel as if they were not getting the truth because the reviewers had to get their review approved, before it could be published.

Yelp.com not only allows people to be honest but you get a variety of takes on the same place. It also gives you credit if you are the first one to review something. That is fantastic to me.


Yelp.com is a great way to "social network" while actually doing something. As "Vinnie" says "A social network for the sake of a social network doesn't offer much value."
Not that their bad (mom's a member of most, and is one google search away from being fired or discovered at her job), but it is nice to be a member of a site that gives you real information and lets you write your real opinion.

So farewell to Laura's real reviews and soon you will be able to read them on Yelp.com

Unless she can convince herself to start her site again . . .

Power up!

So this is such a great creation. There is a new Fusion messenger bag that has been created by Imagine Energy.
(Sorry no pic, the sight won't let me copy it)

This new bag melds a comfortable realistic messenger bag with solar power. It enables the messenger (or anyone who wears it) to re-charge their phone, cell, mp3 and other electronic creations while "On the go".


How great is this. This is such a perk for someone who is out and about all day. Messengers rely heavily on their phone and radio to guide them though their day.
This new bag makes it possible for them to re-charge while they charge through traffic.

It even has on optional battery pack for cloudy days!
It is a bit expensive but I am assuming that the ability to keep all ones devices charged at all time is "Priceless"

Lets just wait and see if it can surive a crash.

Slackin

So mom broke out in hives this week. Really gross. No joke. the good thing is that she got to test out her health insurance and see how cool it is to have it!
It is amazing how easy it is to make and apt, and fill a prescription when you have a health insurance card!

In other news.
Milo and his mom Kris came over this past weekend for a play date.

It was really fun to run around while Mom and Kris and Frank sat on the couch and left us alone.
We even tried to go for a walk but mom was itching too bad, and had to turn around right as we got to the park. They just went back home, and while Milo and I napped they watched Red Light Go

again!

The show that mom is directing has been under a bit of strain, but this will test the strength of the company.

You never really know a person, a place or a thing until you have seen the raw bare bones of the structure.

Small victory

Mom read her comments and it is fantastic to realize that not just the people she knows read this blog.
A while back on July 1 she wrote about the Goldsprints that the NYBMA held to kick off the start of the bike messenger world chapmionships this year. Well, it looks as if the person she wrote about acrually read what she wrote. Weird the way the internet works. I guess that mom will be paying more attention to grammar and making sure people get credit when credits due!
P.S mom now has a goal to try to see if she can hack it on the goldsprints this Halloween.

Bumps be gone!

It is a good day! Just in case you don't know, The god awful bumps (expansion joints) on the Williamsburg bridge are being removed and replaces with smaller flatter versions.

This is due to all the hard work Transportation Alternatives
has done. If you are not already involved with them or know about them check them out. I recommend being a volunteer. I have spent many many hours there done some events and really am a fan of what they stand for. If you are a biker, walker or something else other than a driver they are worth looking into. If not no worries no pressure I am just a fan and like to share my excitement!

Check the article:

For the love of PETA

Ok really the lengths people go to, to protect animal rights really got (torn off) today.
It was reported by many sources but for obvious reasons GAWKER'S link is my favorite. . .
J-Lo's security guards took Heather Mills

(Paul McCartney's wife's) leg off in a scuffle about the fur J-Lo's fasion line uses.

The story is so extreme that I can't help but picture a distraught Heather crouching in a stairway tears streaming down her face trying to get her prosthetic leg back on cursing J-Lo into eternity.

I just hope that if it was my fur in question Heather would do the same thing again.

J-Lo guess your not just nice sweet Jenny from the block any more. Once the company your with takes off a leg you get thrown in to uncharted territory with no cushy fur padding to fall on.

I smell law suite

Lo vs.

Mills.
Well, we already know whose music is better. . . .

I wonder who'll win this one . . .

He's alive

FEtus Spears lives!
His initials are PMS That's funny.
Go Britney! Way to pop one out!

Lets just hope that this behavior will not influence PMS.

In other news my PMRM lookes cute fixing mom's bike!

mom has some long days in store.

Yes it is that time, the time again when mom works during the day and goes to rehearsal by night.
Hmmm. Sometimes when mom gets up in the morning and thinks about the whole day ahead it is rather daunting. Even though she really likes what she does. It is hard for her not to think that being away from home for long periods of time, and what she might be missing. Not that she would be missing tons of things, and not that she would rather be shopping or getting her nails done. But it is hard not to think about wanting something you can't have.
Grass is always greener.

Does anyone else feel that way? Wanting something that they may not want when they get it? Feeling like the days are full of things but still stuck not being able to do what you want when you want?

They did it!

L. Ron Biker has taken hold of mom's life, or so says mom's friend Rick.

But mom and Frank actually did the Transportation alternatives Century ride on Sunday. And they mistakenly did most of it. They were going to just do the 55 at first, but then they decided to do the 75 mile course. Then somewhere around 85 miles mom realized that they had gotten themselves into trouble or missed a turn and almost ended up doing the whole course. At the end of the day door to door they did 102 miles. They biked from 6am to 5pm. For real no joke, mom can barley walk today and or type. Her wrists hurt from the friction of the road. There was a point when mom almost could not go on but they were too far away from the subway to stop.

They went all over NYC, Brooklyn and Queens. Mom had no GD idea that Queens and Brooklyn where that big. There are beaches and paths and trees and tons of forests all over. It was so fun to see everything. Next year she will definitely do it again, but she will wear padded spandex!

And Alicia's baby shower.

It waas all tame until mom's gift.


No just kidding she was just laughing at the fact mom HAD to get her something to clean the bottles with.


the weekend was so much fun, but ended with Frank's farmer tan looking trashed on the couch holding me watching TV.

You know?

Mom totally forgot about

The Century tour.

sponsored by Transportation Alternatives.
seriously. Totally forgot. Mom was just going about her marry business planning her weekend, when Frank gently reminded her late that the Century bike ride was on Sunday. Now this puts a damper on the Weekend to say the least. Alicia's baby shower is on Saturday and mom was planning on chilling all day Sunday with Alicia. Well now that can't happen. Mom was going to have rehearsal on Sunday and now that can't happen. But really Biking 100 miles will be way funnier. (well if her but does not start to hurt)

WEll see maybe she'll finish.

So now instead of parting all weekend mom will have to take it easy and conserve her energy because the start time of the Century is 7am!

I'll keep you posted as to how the baby shower and the bike ride goes for mom. It could be quite a scene.

I'm sorry I had to

This is my breed.


What! ARe you kidding!





I am way cuter. Or at least thinner.

Mom is directing another play

Mom's Theatre company
RedStar Productions is going to be putting on another play.
"The Water Engine" by David Mamet.
It will be the last two weekends of October at The Gene Frankel Theatre.

Mom is really excited about the great cast that they have and the fact that she is going to be putting a new spin on the show. WE can't divulge too much now but is will be wacky and weird. Don't worry. I'm not in it. . .this time!

We'll keep you posted!

Back to life back to reality

The weekend was long and I think long enough. Mom told Frank on Friday that she could sense that they were going to need to run everyday to make up for the tons of eating and drinking they were going to do!
And they did sort of. . .
Friday was spent at Shannon's house cat sitting Fiona, who did not like me at all.

Saturday morning was spent eating brunch at Rose's mom's house for Roses's surprise birthday party. Which was not a surprise (cause Rose figured it out) and was just tons of food drinks and fun!

Rose is all the way on the right.
The party went on to a bar in Williamsburg around 4pm ish and they kept drinking. . .

That night Frank and mom moved a bit of his stuff over to mom's house (Cause Frank moved in) and then they got so hungry they had to go and eat Pizza.
After Pizza they met up with Jim and Melissa who are super cool and they proceeded to get trashed.

and more trashed.


The next morning they decided to go in to the city to Bed Bath and Beyond and it was (Beyond) all their minds could take. They left as fast as they went in and proceeded to not speak to eachother because of the over stimulation.
But then they borrowed Melissa's car and swapped Frank's bed with mom's. His bed is way better.

Then John and Noreen came from Boston to visit!

They all went out to get drinks at Enids (the bar I can go to) and Frank and mom punked out at around 1am and had to go back and go to sleep!

Monday was brunch outside with me again at a place not to mention cause the service was so bad Mom had to scream at the waiter and anony John
with her impatience while asking for the check. (I was just happy that she let me eat egg from her spoon under the table!

But now, back to reality and September has hit!

End of summer

Did you know that mom's hebrew name is Devora Reckel?
Cool right. . .

So I guess this is the last weekend of summer? That blows. So many things are changing, like not being able to wear white any more. Does that mean that mom has to dye my hair?

Ok so this is not really me, but if my hair was really white it may look like this)

Mom's work now no longer will have the 1:30pm Summer Fridays, that we got spoiled with. And The weather will get cooler.
Which is not bad, because mom did not like comming to work after biking in totally sweaty.

I have a new crush on her.

Maybe mom will buy her.

Also Frank's cool table will be comming to the apt, and the new bike that he found and fixed up to be a track bike.

Change is good.

Sorry about that.

Sorry about that last post, but mom got a shit ass e-mail from someone and needed to rant and vent.

All better and back to fun.

Last night mom and Frank had their friend Emily

and her boyfriend Chris over for dinner. Mom made chicken and and salad and they had cheese and crackers and wine.

Today mom ate too much lunch. And is sitting down feeling full. As some of you know, when mom gets full she likes to lay on the floor. That is always my cue to jump on her stomach. To bad she is at work and can't have me do that!

This coming long weekend mom is going to be cat sitting for Shannon,

and I am hoping that she will bring me over to see the cat. We'll see.

And now for a plug.
you shoulg join google talk. It's cool, but you have to sign up for a g-mail account first! Which is free.

Rant

I have a hard time understanding the gravity of devastation unless it happens to me.

I feel like my upset feelings manifest themselves in everything other than what I should be upset at.

I feel awful about all the storms and flooding in the Louisiana area, it is not fair and scary to think about what those people must be going through. I am mildly relieved that it did not happen in New York. I also wonder if all the swamps, creatures and the alligators are all now mixing and roaming the seas together.

Sometimes I am afraid to get to excited because then I feel as if something bad will happen.

I am also afraid to feel emotions too deeply, so I won't get too attached and then hurt when something happens.

I wish that some people could not make it so hard to be friends with.

I can't understand why fathers don't understand the power that they have over the emotional state of their children, and the effect they have on one's idea of trust. Fathers should known that every wrong move they make just fucks up their children more.

Love is an action, not an assumption.

Biking in New Paltz

First of all to who ever sent my mom that creepy message from the Relay operator, I'm on to you.

Anyway . . This past weekend was fun for Mom, Frank and Me.

Mom and Frank went upstate on a fun biking expedition. They got on Metro North and went to Poughkeepsie. From Poughkeepsie they biked about 12 miles to New Paltz. Mom realized that fresh air and no traffic really brings out the fact that she is a city biker and out of shape for mountains.

Frank was loving it, and had no problem with the hills.


They got to their hotel and hung around, and then biked a mile or so into town. They passed a bunch of hippies and professor types and this crazy bar filled with college girls in short skirts and meat heads.

The next morning they set out to bike to a Winery in Marlborough. It was about 20 miles away.

By the time that they got there they got drunk off one sip of wine. It was so much fun to see pretty mountains and taste and learn about wine.

For lunch they went down this big hill toward the tiny town of Marlborough and ate at "The raccoon Saloon". On the way there mom barked it bad at an intersection when she could not get her food out of the toe clip. It was soo funny, mom went smashing to the ground sideways in slow motion. All mom could do was laugh!

They biked 20 miles back to the hotel after a great lunch of burgers and sweet potato fries, and took a nap.

They woke up, and went back in to the town of New Paltz and ate some good Turkish type food, and a place where the waitress was stressed out by the 5 full tables and could not handle the task of serving.

Frank was hungrey and not in the mood for slow service!

It made mom realize the the fast pace and the stress of living and working in the city has made her tolerance for juggling Multiple tasks great!

After dinner they went back to the room to watch the rest of the "Law and Order SVU" Saturday night marathon and passed out from wine, biking and a lot of food!


On Sunday they had these great notions of biking the 60 miles back to Manhattan, but it was rainy and cold and would have sucked. Too bad they power ate the night before for the trek!
They ended up getting a mile or so on the road back to the train on Poughkeepsie, when Frank got a flat in his rear tire and could not get the bolt off cause it was stripped.

That is when Mary and Garth the Christian savior's on their way back from Church in a jeep pulled over to the side of the road and offered them a ride to the train.
Mom and Frank took their ride and kindness and happily went in the car got on the train headed back to the city, biked home to Brooklyn said hi to me and layed down on the coutch!

As for me, I went over to my dog walkers house for the weekend and played with his dogs!
What a fun weekend!

Weekend

Frank and mom are going on a fun weekend away biking through upstate NY!

More later!

Becky and Rick are soo cool

These are mom's sudo relatives. They can hold claim to a lot of her rearing.
Becky has shaped a lot of mom's memories growing up and her son's JR and Michael might as well be mom's brothers!


Becky and Rick have decided to go on this super cool road trip across America and here are some pic's that they took along the way!


They brought their dog Ashley who hates me along with them!


Mom is super jealous of their trip, because they get to be free to go and do what ever they want. Mom hopes that one day after she works really hard she will be able to spend time going on a long trip just like them!

WORK ON TA IS DONE

It is a very exciting time, for the past 4 months or so Mom has been helping Frank build an office space for transportation alternatives.

The project was not anticipated to take as long as it did, but that's what happens when there are too many tasks and just Frank to complete them.
It all started romantic and glamorous, they were making these desks for this new office space, there was a lot of sawing and dust, they were heavy and the days were long but it was fun.

Then the other pieces came, the industrial shelving that came in tiny pieces you had to screw and level togther. The homosote sheets that clogged up the air conditioner vent when they had to be cut in the conference room. The hours of cutting poly carbonate sheets, and the sawing of emt piping. Then the polyurinathaning that would not end, and thankfully the end to the circus paints that were going to be on the cabinet doors.
And then you can never forget the endless hours of leveling/screwing/bolting/sawing/drilling and painting.

Mom will miss it and it was fun, (when they were not in a hypoglycemic haze) from pushing themselves too hard to get all the work done fast.

Mom will miss (or maybe not)the sweat, the problem solving / the dust and lastly spending every gd weekend there for what felt like eternity!

I guess when you love someone, and you also like volunteering and helping, any task can get done. And as Paul said "you better do something special for your sweet thing!" Which Frank has and continues to do!