Saturday, July 21, 2007

I FINISHED!

At exactly 2:02 p.m., I finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

How did I do this if I was supposed to pick up the book this morning? Timeturner!

No, I wish. Instead, last night when I got home around 11 p.m., I thought, I am exhausted and going to bed. Then at 11:05 I thought - I think there are copies of HP7 at Duane Reade. I could wait it out. Instead of futzing around the house as planned, I got a call from Fron who was the unfortunately lucky person to be a "bride's attendant" at a friend's wedding. (HI FRON!)

So, I went to the Duane Reade by me and they didn't have any books. But then I thought, "I am not soooo tired. I will go to the one of 58th and 8th." So I started walking there and then about a block from the store, I saw someone with a Duane Reade bag that looked like it had a giant book in it. So I started walking faster and by the time I got there, they still had a few boxes of books!

So, instead of reading it all day today as planned, I read all night until 6 AM when I passed out and started again at 11 a.m. As Frertischek says, I devour books and I have to say, this one is probably a record for me.

So, when you are finished reading your book, email me. Let me know what you thought of the story.

Friday, July 20, 2007

HARRY POTTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I am a HUGE fan geek when it comes to Harry Potter (HP). [FACT: I saw the movie twice this week] However, I had to draw the line today. I reserved my book at Borders and they are having a HP7 party tonight and selling the book at 12:01 AM. The only way you can obtain your book tonight is to go to Borders this morning and pick up a bracelet which assigns you a number. That is the number of your place in line.

Hmmph.

So, needless to say, I am going to go pickup my book tomorrow morning, bright and early. Anyone want to go have breakfast in the Time Warner Center at 9 AM? Let me know.

Also, FYI -- I will not be answering any emails or phone calls or text messages or pigeon carriers or stone tablets tomorrow. I am having a marathon read with HP7. You have been warned.

+========================+
So, for 4th of July, I went to Vermont. What a beauuuuuuuuutiful place Vermont is in the summer time. Make sure that you visit VT in the summertime: the grass is so green, the fireflies are plentious; the mountains are ... mmm ... mountainous. And at night you can see the Milky Way! Not many places left in the developed world where you can see the Milky Way at night.

me and the view2

That's me.

So, much thanks and love to Fren and her framily for the use of Bridgewater Hilton II, Frill and Frammy, Frannie and Frabney, Frashlee, Fron and Frill, Frilippe, Frissac, Fressie, and Frena. Goood times.

Here's a parting shot:

Yet another great sugarbush photo

+========================+
So as many of you know, there was a steam pipe explosion in New York City this week. My office building is four blocks away from the explosion site and many of my colleagues and I were still at work when it happened. We all heard the blast, but first thought it was thunder. Unfortunately the sound carried on for way longer than thunder would. I have a view and noticed LOTS of smoke coming from a few blocks south; then I went into a corner room and saw more smoke (which turned out to be superheated steam). Needless to say, it was a shock. Over the intercom system at work, they announced that we should go to the boardroom. Then quickly another announcement came and said, evacuate the building. So we did. Unfortunately, my office is on the 31st floor. Lots of steps down.

Today, we are all okay and know it was a steam pipe explosion. The only side effect from this event that I (and my colleagues) have is what I call "Post-Traumatic Explosion Legs." Quickly walking down 31 flights of stairs and consequently wherever our final destinations were made our upper leg muscles (to be exact, the quadriceps, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, biceps femoris) painful, tense and sore!!!! I am having problems getting out of chairs, walking and getting down stairs. The only other time I have seen something like this was when my friend Frori began running 1/2 the Boston Marathon and then decided to finish the entire race. She couldn't walk down the stairs. She had to go backwards because she had "Post-Traumatic Marathon Legs."

Knowing how science and the study of science works, someone is probably already received a grant to study this traumatic disorder. They will probably start with mouse studies -- make mice go down the equivalent of 31 flights of stairs. If you see the abstract in some journal, let me know.

+========================+
This week's horoscopes go out to:

Frisa - you know - [Fill in our company here] should pay me to write these horoscopes weekly. Think about it.

+========================+
Check out your weekly horoscopes at
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of July 19, 2007
By Rob Brezsny
© 1995-2004, Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Beaver Fever! In the morning, Beaver Fever all through the night! You give me beaver fever!


I was in Vermont this past weekend with the East-West-Mid-West crowd (HOLLA) and we went hiking (yes, I actually went hiking for the third time in my life - maybe fourth). While on Mt. Tom, we found a water fountain/well and, before Frannie could take a drink, Freondra said, "I wouldn't drink that - you might get beaver fever." BEAVER FEVER???!!!!! Well, that became the headline for the week, creating too many jokes and giggles to count. But Freondra is right, there is such thing as beaver fever and it is called Giardia, which is a parasite that infects the intestines of humans and animals. Go figure.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Drink more coffee!

Pounds Slide Off In a swap of Coffee for Diet Pop. By Maria Mooshil. Recent studies show people who drink diet pop are more likely to be obese.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

I have officially found my people

Frannie knows I search for food porn all the time. Food porn is enticing photos of food, dirty boy. Anyway, I have officially found my people. The Flickr group called "In & Outdoor Food & Drinks."

They have a wonderful discussion called Korean food. Check it out.

I DON'T WANNA WORK

I just want to sit around. Am I having a really delayed spring fever? Not sure.

Sorry for the delayed blogging. My mind is wandering around, finding other things to do. For example, finding fennel recipes for Frannie; searching for new names for a newsletter; staring at my toes; waiting on hold. You know, really stupid stuff.

I have read 6 books in the past week (4 paperbacks, 2 audiobooks); got rid of 1/2,300,000th of the paper piled in my apartment; made oxtail soup (but didn't do it right: should have let the meat soak in water for longer to get all of the blood out); did my laundry; got my legs waxed (tmi); went to a long-ass client meeting; wished my dad a happy birthday (got him a massage gift cert and he said it was "eh - you should have saved your $$." I told him he will never get another gift ever again.); fallen asleep in front of the TV twice; went to Central Park two days in a row to get a tan; and watched a lot of stupid tv.

So now you are up to date.

Friday, June 8, 2007

Shhhh! (6-8-07)

I am immobilized by the amount of work I have to do; therefore I will spend my time right now sending this email.

+=================+
First I got a lot of complaints last week from people who I mistakenly forgot to include in my email. OK, just one complaint, but it was a loud annoying one.

FROBI who lives in Panama was in Toronto while I was there; so of course we had to meet up. I finally met her adorable son Frado.
IMG_1308

How something that adorable came out of Frobi I will never know.

+=================+
My friend Frynn who was posted in a Middle Eastern country last year is now back somewhere in the Land of Sand and Palm Trees. This time however she is a BMO. What is a BMO? It means a Black Moving Object.

BMO Frynn


Aren't you jealous? I am. She will probably get a BMO tan -- tan face, pasty white body. Lucky, lucky Frynn.

+=================+
FUN with BLOGGING:

On my blog I post some random things for everyone's enjoyment. Check out my desk at work. And yes, it really looks like that.

This is the view out of my shared office window:

View from my office, if you lean against the window, to the right

View out of window - UN in background

Good stuff, huh? Well, my office is moving downtown, and soon I will have amazing views of the Holland Tunnel. I can't wait!!!

+=================+
In response to last week's email, Fratt of the Frave and Fratt Show sent in this:

1) Toronto-ites are horrible drivers
Matt: Not to sound equally offensive here, but you do realize that the Asian woman is telling everyone that the Toronto-ites are bad drivers???
My response: Look who's talking, stupid white man

+=================+
And many of you were either grossed out or concerned about my intestines. Well, they and I fight every day. Some days, they win by the sheer excess of bloat and other incredibly noisemaking horridness. Other days, I win. It's like reality TV down there and no on has immunity. NO ONE, I SAY!

+=================+
This week's horoscopes go out to:
Frike, my bro, happy belated birthday!
Fryvette, feel better!
Frichelle D, congrats on the engagement!
Frynn

+=================+
Check out your weekly horoscopes at:
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of June 7, 2007
By Rob Brezsny
© 1995-2004, Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

LORDY LORDY LOOK WHO'S 40!

It's my brother Frike's birthday! Unfortunately this is the only photo I can find of my bro. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

mike

Some musings about my brother:
- he babysat me once and he convinced me that there was an axe murderer loose in the neighborhood and the axe was missing from our garage
- we used to fight like cats and dogs
- we have the same, twisted sense of humor
- he is crazy about electronic gadgets and must have the small, medium and large versions of things (ipods, computers, etc.)
- he is a fantastic cook
- he used to read the Encyclopedia Britannica in his spare time and is now chock full of tiring knowledge
- i love him very much

In case you were wondering...

what my office looks like, here is a picture of my work space. If you go to the flickr page, you can see my notes.

My messy office desk

Monday, June 4, 2007

ok, ok, ok, ok (6-4-07)

yes, I am being delinquent again. Not calling people back (Hi Frandy and Frichelle Frertischek) and not emailing AND calling people back (Hi Frohn and Froug) and not sending my horoscope out for weeks on end. Sigh. So here it is, ridiculously late. I blame my gassy insides for the delay.

+=============+
I was in Toronto for my cousin's wedding over Memorial Day weekend. It was a great wedding and I wish Frane and Fren many best wishes.

While I was in Toronto, I observed several things:

1) Toronto-ites are horrible drivers
2) It is easier to drive East-West in Toronto than North-South.
3) There is one toll highway that no one uses.
4) The parks are beautiful.
5) People talk funny there.
6) It isn't that much cheaper than the States. And actually can be more expensive.

Toronto photos:
Here's a photo of my uncle and aunt (their daughter Frane got married that day):
Emobu and Emo

Here's a pix of Frane and Fren exchanging rings:
Vows & rings

Here's a pix of Frane and Fren (seated) and Frane's cousins behind her (guess which one is me):
Cousins!

Here's a pix of the blue jay in the tree outside my hotel room:
Blue Jay

Here's the vending machine in the ladies room of the Pearson Toronto International Airport:
Toronto bathroom vending machine

And a closeup: COLLECTABLE TATTOOS!

Toronto bathroom vending machine

+=============+
This week's horoscopes go out to:
Freven and Fralex
Frasha and Frasha
FrunAe and Frfrancois

+=============+
Check out your horoscopes at
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of May 31, 2007
By Rob Brezsny

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Frobi and Frado

I got to finally meet Frado, the son of my friend Frobi. so very cute. This is a group shot of us. Guess where I am!

IMG_1308

Friday, May 25, 2007

Friday, May 25th

I am at the airport with lots of time on my hands and no way to email this post to everyone. So instead I will just post via my crackberry until I get on the plane.

+-----------+
My Life With the Germs - Part 2,005,087

This woman asked me to move seats so that her elderly mother could sit in my more accessible seat. This was the problem. The problem was the she was eating frozen yogurt and when she asked me, spit came out of her mouth and it all landed on my face.

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Harumph (5-10-07)

Spring is here. You know how I know? I can smell everyone in the subway. And it's not a good smell.

+===================+
I have a friend who has a spacious 1 bedroom apt he wants to rent out for 1-2 years in Astoria, Queens. Clean, newly-renovation, and excellent location. Good price. Let me know if you know anyone who would be interested. Move in date asap.

+===================+
This week's horoscopes go out to:
> ERTISCHEK, MPH
> Fryvette - I still haven't set up my picture in the frames yet, have you?

+===================+
Check out your weekly horoscope at
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of May 10, 2007
By Rob Brezsny
© 1995-2004, Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

- QUOTATION OF THE DAY -

From the New York Times:

"She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child."
- PRESIDENT BUSH , on the reaction of Queen Elizabeth II after he nearly
said she had visited in 1776.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Well they're married now and nobody killed each other. (4-29-07)

Overhead in Vegas: "Well they're married now and nobody killed each other."

+===========================+
I was in Vegas last weekend for work and I totally avoided the Strip. Well, I drove through it once, but that was on my fast drive out of the city to the airport. I have to say that Vegas is a cesspit of iniquity. (I wonder if that is just repetitive.) Anyway, the real injustice of the weekend is that while I was in Vegas for a physician meeting the weather was mid-60s and overcast, but in NYC it was sunny and 80. What's up with that? That is so wrong. SO WRONG.

Also what is wrong with Vegas:
- $4 bottles of water
- Your boogers turn into little bricks in side your nose in seconds
- Everyone looks haggard from gambling and drinking all day and night
- BUFFETS of nothing to eat
- It costs $40 to do anything there (O wait, that is the same as NYC)

What is great about Vegas:
- My hair looked awesome. It responded well to the dry climate.
- Cacti
- Red Rocks

See the ridiculously dark hotel room I stayed in!
IMG_1169.JPG

See the construction view of my hotel room!
IMG_1170.JPG


See the photos I took WHILE driving!
IMG_1195.JPG

IMG_1196.JPG

+===========================+
HAIKUS from Frynn

no sudoku to
pass the time during meeting
I need a new job

Simplicity of
words not found in my meeting
shut up already

meetings suck without
haikus to write since I can
not draw or doodle

+=====================+
This week's horoscopes go out to:
Frandy - I sure hope you can eat something soon
Frynn - great haikus
Frichelle - graduation is right around the bend!

+=====================+
Check out your free horoscopes at:
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of April 26, 2007
By Rob Brezsny
© 1995-2004, Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Say you, say me (4-19-07)

Michelle Update:

+ Currently, quit smoking for 25 hours. started again after my nuclear meltdown at work. will quit again this weekend, post-Vegas (where I am working and not going to the casinos. I always lose $$$ there).
+ 5-story building across the way is being torn down. Fear the rats and mice might be infesting my water-logged, plaster mess of a building. On the plus side, I can see another building which I had no idea was there.
+ Saw Grindhouse and loved it.
+ Got a massage and suddenly I loved the world.
+ My book club doesn't read books and I think needs a new name.
+ Photos from my trip to Jacksonville, where I got to clean out the million junk drawers in my parents' old house:
======================
This week's horoscopes go out to:
Franisha, Fravani, Baby and Franish
Frate J.
Frichelle H.
Frasha W.
Frasha H.
Frohnna G.
Frob and Frussell

======================
Check out your weekly horoscope at:
Free Will Astrology
Horoscopes for week of April 19, 2007
By Rob Brezsny
© 1995-2004, Rob Brezsny. All rights reserved.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Cell Phones May Be To Blame For Disappearing Bees

Cell Phones May Be To Blame For Disappearing Bees

I can believe it and it makes me incredibly sad. Bees are instrumental to human life. We need them for cross pollination!!!