Well I've certainly had a full-moon week! Bumping into things, being bumped into, all sorts of crashes intellectually and physically. I'll try to compose this newsletter without too many more calamities!One thing that's been highlighted for me is bicycling. I have embarked on becoming a bicyclist. This is my preferred form of commuting and general transportation in the city. And, unlike many messengers or other bicyclists, I actually obey the traffic laws. I stay in the bike lane (if there is one) or on the left-hand side of the street. I stop at red lights. But I am just getting' plain ol' tired of having pedestrians walking in the bike lane, and then calling me names when I holler "bike lane" to them (i.e. "the sidewalks are for people, the roads are for wheeled-modes of transportation). Most annoying was the middle-aged man who threw water on me and the other (fatter) middle aged man who actually hit me! And then there are the people who just don't look when they open car doors. I got "doored" for a second time this week by a man getting out of the back door of an SUV (2nd row of seating). In an unusual gesture, he gave me $20 (I asked for $25) to cover costs of replacing my tire.
So, if this little rant can get one person to look before nonchalantly stepping out into the street and save them and a bicyclist from an accident then I'll be happy. If that bicyclist is me, I'll be even happier!
Speaking of friends... I've been on a kick of trying to get back in touch with long lost friends. As in most things, some are trickier than others. And I found this interesting little site a little helpful: http://www.lostfriends.org/. So if you're looking for someone that google can't find (gasp!), try it and see what happens!
Now, a brief party report. Well, there are a-plenty but in a radical departure from years past, I actually didn't attend many (or for very long). I have been spending my time with various non-profits and turning my attentions towards perhaps transitioning into working more in the social (causes) sector as opposed to the social networking industry. Among the many parties were:
Wired's store in Soho having a fete (12/7),
the 400+ NY Tech Meetup (you go, Scott Heiferman!),
Howard Greenstein's Social Media Club (11/27),
Webgrrls' Holiday party (12/6) at Gaetana,
The March of Dimes Chairman's Club Dinner, honoring Working Mother Media CEO and Founder Carol Evans,
The NYC Podcasting Meetup 2006 Holiday Event (12/4),
NYC ContentNext Mixer of paidContent.org and Moconews.net (12/5) at T New York,
SAJA Annual Members Meeting and Holiday party (12/6) at Cafe Vivaldi,
And tonight the Kevin Heaphy studio is offering a special "Art Attack" stress into creativity event at their studio in Soho.
Happy Birthday this week to... Gennadiy Borisov (MTV); Matt Heindl (Heavy.com); Jen Nash (Mangoes, Inc.)
One party I did get to last week (and where I have volunteered in the past) was Inmotion's fundraiser. Last Thursday, November 30, I stopped by the swanky studio of Brooklyn Brothers (http://www.thebrooklynbrothers.com/) for their (http://www.inmotiononline.org/) benefit. InMotion motivated the guests' spirit of giving (beyond the #20 suggested donation) with tempting jewelry (reasonably priced) by Kimmeron (http://www.kimmeron.com/). Many women, lawyers and other supporters, came into the hip studio to chat and shop while munching on chocolate covered strawberries. There were a few gentlemen--guests of the women--but they stepped up to the plate (so to speak) too and bought a few sparklies too!You can see all 2 pictures I took!
Let's hope for a week of joy and happiness as we focus on the important people in our lives, amidst the December Frenzy. I will!
