How One Changes

If I stay in one city over a month, my perspective of time changes. I really have to work to adapt. The attitude in Cincinnati: Don't be rude by seeming to be in a hurry—in New York: "Get out of my way!"

When I returned to Cincinnati the last time, I was impatient with people to the point that I worked myself into a fit when a group of three older men were chatting with the attendant at the movie theatre ticket booth. Don't they know there are other people (me, in particular) behind them???!!!!

After two months in Cincinnati, when I returned to New York, my first thought as we endured the frantic taxi ride bolting and braking its way to our apartment was, "What in the world is this man's  hurry?"

The New York City Rockettes' Christmas Show

Hey! I'm back in New York after being in Cincinnati a couple of months. I have lots to write about, but the first thing must be the amazing Christmas Rockettes! Tickets were pricey, as you would imagine, but you need see this show only once in your lifetime. Just walking into the enormous Radio City Music Hall will knock your socks off.

I purchased our tickets the week of the show in person at the theatre on a Wednesday afternoon. There was no line, and I avoided service charges for over-the-phone or online ticketing. We sat in the back of the orchestra section where you could see all the action—tickets closer to the stage were actually cheaper because your view is limited.

Here's a video of the Toy Soldier March that will give you an idea of the talent on stage and the visual excitement of this show: Watch the Rockettes' March of the Toy Soldier.

Project Completed

I recently started and finished a day-long project at my midwestern home. It simply involved pulling weeds, mulching, planting mums, and generally sprucing up the lawn. It felt good to have accomplished the job.

There are many lovely things about living in New York, but I do miss having a lawn. Lawn work is the perfect activity for perking up your mood: you work hard, get dirty and see your results immediately. I haven't found an activity in New York that compares.

Quite a Bumper Sticker

I often wonder if bumper stickers serve any real purpose. Does it change my mind or alter my day to read that the driver in front of me is proud of her grand-son or is passionate about the Bengals football team? This person apparently believed he was spreading a clear message everywhere he went by hauling a trailer with a painted sign on the back and three flags waving in the wind. 

"Let's Get Together

When a New Yorker suggests getting together, it's usually over a drink. Back in Cincinnati, a good friend thought of a creative way for us to spend time together. We met at a horse farm where her grand-daughter keeps her horse, Secret. We had a wonderful time watching her (the grand-daughter) put Secret through its exercises for an hour or so. I like meeting friends for a drink, but this was original!

Cincinnati Skyline

I'm back in Cincinnati for the next few months. Here's the view of Cincinnati's skyline as I descend from the infamous "cut in the hill" on Highway 75 heading home from the airport. I'm glad to be able to use a car to travel instead of pounding the pavement everywhere I go. 

Back in Ohio: Cicadas and Crickets

Back in Ohio, I am surprised by the sounds of the Midwest that I usually ignore: crickets at night and cicadas in the daytime. Here are two videos I found on YouTube you might enjoy.  cicada and crickets.