Gee, Think.

There is a massive cemetary just off the parkway near Newark. This
thing is absolutely filled to the brim with stones. I’ve never seen a
site as packed as this one is. The keepers will have to stack the
stones end on end soon enough.
It’s one of the many bits of evidence that this area is bustling with
population. It’s not only the neighborhoods that are getting crammed,
but even the cemetaries. I bet that crematiions are getting cheap and
burials are going through the roof.
Will this cemetary be the site of a quarry one day? Think about it.
These stones are hauled out of the earth, polished, carved, and set back
on the earth in a different location. What will it been like in a 1000
years? A cobblestone valley?

Do you know what I’m talking about when I say turducken? That’s a 3lb
chicken stuffed inside a 5 pound duck stuffed inside a 20 pound turkey!
That’s right! One, two, three birds in one! I know, I know, it
boggles the mind.
I first heard about this from my friends Nick and Jaymie in Syarcuse. I
didn’t know whether to believe them or not. It sounded too fantastical
to be true, but lo and behold, Emma’s of Cranford, New Jersey wil make
them “for any occasion!”

A man of wordly dress. This man has thirty bracelets on each arm. Each
bracelet had several dozen beads of mixed colors. He was looking
colorful. I love seeing people like him. Maybe it shows that I’m new
to the area, but I can’t help it. People looking like that are
intriguing. There’s something about a person that chooses to dress
dramatically different than the crowd.
Is it a conscious choice to stand out? Is it a reaction to the pressure
to conform? Ot is it just an outward expression of an individual mind?
I used to think that I couldn’t be original without defying conventional
style, but I was even more a slave to “judging a book by it’s cover.”
There was a time in my adolescence wheni wanted to dress differently
just to see what people would think. I even went so far as to dye my
hair a range of colors. It was deep blue for a while, which I rwally
liked. It attracted a lot of attention when it was blue, but the extra
attention grew old. There were times when I didn’t want to hear what
other people thought about my hair color. Of course I was looking for a
reaction when I first did it, but it got old.
I’ve now swung to the opposite extreme of embracing the “uniform” of the
financial district. I like the ability to slip into the crowd as just
another face. It’s not so bad to have a camoflage. It provides a
certain anonymity that allows for some precious “alone in the crowd”
time. Of course, the blue shirt is getting a bit old. I see at least
five other people wearing blue shirts when I do. It’s some kind of
unspoken dress code.
Independence, anonymity and self knowledge. It’s all on the inside.

Kitty and I took a drive with the top down last night. That was
awesome! There’s just no comparing a convertible to another car in
great weather. The rushing wind, fresh air, and great views are really
refreshing.
We drove a little south on 287 and the Parkway to get to Matawan. On
the way we could smell the mud from the salt marsh. That’s a comforting
smell for both of us. It reminds me of vacations and summer trips to
the coast of Maine. For Kitty I think its more about the positive
environmental effect of the salt marsh. She tells me that the salt
marsh is one of the most biodiverse habitats on the planet.
We saw this sunset as we were drivng across a bridge, just before 8
o’clock.

Rusted warehouse, where have your people gone?
Who has spray painted you? Will there be ever be more deliveries to
your door? Did you close for crime? Did you lose in a time of
hardship?
What is your story Rusted Warehouse?

Easter dinner is a special time for me. Its a time for family with good
food and conversation. Most of my experience with easter dinner’s and
activities was in Maine around our small town. We would usually head
over to Auntie’s house for a ham roast and brunch on the lawn. What
great memories.
It’s the big meal that creates a really warm environment. I’ve felt
this with my family but also with friends. I usually think about a meal
prepared in the oven during the eraly spring, fall, or winter, but
bbqing can have the same effect. You bring a bunch of people together
in expectation of a good meal. Knowing that food is on the way puts
just about anyone in a good mood.
The trick is that you get them all together when there’s nothing to do
except talk to each other while they wait for the meal. That applies
more to families than to friends. With friends you might not have to
bribe them to stick around. I would hope not anyway. With family
though, especially including independent teenagers, sometimes it takes a
little cunning to cultivate the right scenario. It’s all for the good
though.
So here’s to family gatherings. I hope you got to spend the day with
your loved ones as well.

Do you see that sign? That’s right! It really is “unlawful to pump
your own gas.” Why? I have no idea. Maybe the gas pumpers have a
great union that funds a better lobbyist in the state capital. The
reason doesn’t matter, it stil seems ridiculous. Citizens of every
other state in the union can pump their own gas, but just try that in
the garden state and you could get a ticket.
Imagine appearing in court for that one. “Yes your honor, it’s true. I
picked up the nozzle, flipped the lever, and chose regular! That’s when
officer O’Malley nabbed me. ” and the judge replies, “You are charged
with petroleum self pumpery in the third degree!! How do you plead?!”
Imagine the shame! The shock of your family and friends! “There’s the
dirty gas pumper!” They would yell. “His fingers smell like gas!”

The view from highpoint.

Another shot of the monument.

This was a reunion after about 6 months of separation. I used to see
Ian and Tiffany everday in Syracuse, but our lives have changed a lot
since then. They’re living in beautiful rural New York. It’s literally
farm country out there. Nothing but rolling hills and fields. Threy
have bear and deer in their backyard, and the view goes on for miles and
miles.
Ian is in the same daily situation as I am. 90 mintue commute and about
12 hour days from start to finish. Of course I’m programming servers
and he’s programming elevators, but hey, same difference.