E. Michael Harrington

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I AM BACK IN NEW YORK! MY NEW YORK. I could barely stop smiling from the moment I saw northern NJ from the flight and then caught the first view of southern Manhattan. When flying to LaGuardia from BNA I always sit on the left side of the plane for the view and then the kick ass sharp left turn by Shea Stadium. I never stop loving being on planes.

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I love this place, and true to my usual fun arrival, this was the best. As soon as I got seated in the Dial 7 BA black Lincoln, the radio reported that things are not good in Yankees Stadium and that Wang just gave up a home run to the very weak hitting CHONE FIGGINS and that the NYY were down 1-0. YEA! By the time we crossed the Queensborough Bridge, the score was LA Angels 3 and the Evil Ones 1. YEA more YEA. And now it is 5 to 1. I should link to the Doors' song "Five To One."
And the Red Sox are leading 7 to 4.

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Update of that: Being a Red Sox fan, I know heartbreak and what the Yankees went through yesterday at the end of their pitiful afternoon would so qualify as heartbreak. They were down 5-1 when their best, Derek Jeter, in the bottom of the 9th inning, struck out. Next came their new pride and joy, Abreu, who also struck out. Then came A-Rod/Error- Rod. With two outs, he hit a home run. Then came the Steroid-ed Jason Giambi who also hit a home run. Then, the slumping (zero hits in his last 25 at bats) catcher Jorge Posada came up and struck out to end the game and dash the suddenly revised high hopes of the Yankee fans on 161st Street. Sad sad sad. A-Rod's big hit, after he had fielded poorly all game and hit into his usual double plays, was a futile efort at the wrong time. And my schizo Red Sox won.

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THE VERY IMPORTANT MORAL OF THE STORY - the exact moment I came to NY yesterday, bad things happened to the New York Yankees. When I came in 2004, I knew I would bring bad and to review the highlights of that year.....

THE RED SOX BEAT THE YANKEES FOUR GAMES IN A ROW, went to St. Louis and beat them four games in a row and won our first World Series in 86 years. Ah, yes. The power of POSITIVE THOUGHT and POSITIVE HATRED of the Evil Empire. LOL

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And it is Dominican Republic Day here and there are 2 million people watching and the parade is going up 6th Avenue.

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I then walk further east down my home town street, the small and quant 51st Street, and come to Madison Avenue where the weekend street fair is on. Sadly there are two places where those terrorist Scientologists are giving their free stress tests and pushing L. Rod/A-Rod Hubbard's Dianetics nonsense book and an opportunity to become a zombie that lives to fork out money to climb higher in the Scientology cult. Everything else about those stree fairs is really cool including the woman who was wearing this. There was the usual great and diverse food, knock off sunglasses, baseball caps, clothing, sheets, blankets, Greek, Cajun, Italian, Thai, etcetera food as well as Chimney Cakes from Transylvania.

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I revisited a few favorite spots, in order, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the 5:30 PM mass, Rudy's on 9th Avenue (the great news there is that Harpoon IPA is now served, and for only $3 but they were out yesterday - there are still free hot dogs and free popcorn and the most diverse mix of people of any Hell's Kitchen bar), and Brazil Grill where I re-met Alice and met Suzie Cincinnati, a visitor who wisely stumbled into Brazil Grill. This real life Suzie was not like the Susie of the Beach Boys song but had the right name and location.

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Jesus and Mary are still working at my local Starbucks 51st & Broadway). It was great to see them today. And all of the great doormen in my building were really happy to see me. I've see all of them except Jesus and Dave the Republican.

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Today's only sad news - I won't have cable TV or an ISP until August 24, between 10 AM and 2 PM, the earliest date when Time Warner can come to install them. So how is it that I am able to blog? Someone is sending me waves and vibrations and Interet Tubes magically and myseriously from the cosmos. Either that or I am accidentally stealing wi-fi from one of my many neighbors in the Executive Plaza or the Michelangelo Hotel or fro the Cadillac Winter Garden Theater (the Mamma Mia Show with the music of Abba must be transforming midtown!). Yes, how lucky can I be to look out on the Mamma Mia signs

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My new apartment is a great improvement as it is of much higher quality than my studio of the past two years. And # 816 is a one-bedroom. And being on the 8th floor in terms of how fast I can get to or from the lobby is really like being on the 3rd floor. In my building, we have floors 1 and 7-21. Floors 2-6 are not reachable (I think they belong to the Michelangelo). So, in the worst case scenario, the 8th floor is the second stop! YEA! And then I live down the closest hallway to the elevator. I can't hear the elevator but I can get to it very quickly. This is helping me get around Manhattan much faster and in a more dymaxion fashion.

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The next big events - steal a little more wi-fi, shower, call Verizon and get a phone (I see no phones or phone jacks in this place and am confused), go to Trader Joe's in Union Square (the best improvement in the last year in Manhattan), to the Apple Store on 5th, to The Boathouse, goof off, write stuff, laugh on the streets, meet new people, write haiku again (maybe I should...) and wear Red Sox stuff all over town.

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I love New York! It's so great to be back.

Yesterday was a heart warming anniversary - on August 13, 2003, the Kansas City Royals beat the NY Yankees 11-0. The final good thought for this blog. LOL

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