So Frank and I went to my friend Frank's wedding this Saturday. The ceremony was at Our Lady Of Hope church in Queens, and the reception was over in Long Island at Jericho Terrace. Man, that place is swanky! Crazy impressive spread, seven choices for dinner and a wide open bar. Yay for open bar! Giovanni brought his 87-year-old cousin Anna Theresa, and she was exactly as awesome as a feisty old Italian woman should be. Fun! The only complaint I would have about the entire evening was that the DJ played the music so loud that you could feel the bass in your chest. There's more pictures on my flickr page if you're curious!
Monday, August 18, 2008
Monday, July 7, 2008
A Fantastic Fourth!
Well, if it's the Fourth of July, it must be time for the combined festivities of Gabi and GG's birthdays! These two lovely ladies' birthdays fall during the same week, so they get gypped out of their own parties and have to share! But sharing is good.
The weather didn't really cooperate, but there wasn't any rain on the actual day of the party, so it could've been worse, and a good time was had by all. I've got tons of pictures on my Flickr page (link off to the side, there) so you can see all the fun. In addition to the family photos, I took some scenic shots of the area, experimenting with shutter speed for some neat effects, and even got in some shots of the fireworks. (Excuse the power lines -- ruining a perfectly nice photograph. Sigh)
The weather didn't really cooperate, but there wasn't any rain on the actual day of the party, so it could've been worse, and a good time was had by all. I've got tons of pictures on my Flickr page (link off to the side, there) so you can see all the fun. In addition to the family photos, I took some scenic shots of the area, experimenting with shutter speed for some neat effects, and even got in some shots of the fireworks. (Excuse the power lines -- ruining a perfectly nice photograph. Sigh)
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mermaids On Parade
Hey! So I went down to Coney Island for the annual Mermaid Parade.
It was a really nice day, not too hot, and not humid. Nice breeze off the ocean, but the sun was brutal, and there was not a cloud in the sky. The parade is the same collection of classic cars, papier mache floats and half-naked people in bizarre costumes.
I took some photos, but then my camera batteries ran out (knew I should've brought spares!) and I figured I should beat a hasty retreat after two full hours in the sun. The parade was still going on when I left -- no idea how much longer it went. Maybe they should start it earlier than 2:00 in the afternoon if it's going to run that long...
It was a really nice day, not too hot, and not humid. Nice breeze off the ocean, but the sun was brutal, and there was not a cloud in the sky. The parade is the same collection of classic cars, papier mache floats and half-naked people in bizarre costumes.
I took some photos, but then my camera batteries ran out (knew I should've brought spares!) and I figured I should beat a hasty retreat after two full hours in the sun. The parade was still going on when I left -- no idea how much longer it went. Maybe they should start it earlier than 2:00 in the afternoon if it's going to run that long...
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Storm Clouds
We were having some weather when I got home from work tonight, so I went out on the fire escape and up on the roof to get some shots. This one's my favorite. But after all the scary, dark clouds looming and sweeping overhead, it turned out to be a wash. Sound and fury signifying nothing. Some wind and a little bit of rain. But I got some cool shots for my flickr page.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
DRAMA!!!
So today, I got up for work and left, normal as could be. I realized as I approached 175th St. that it was already almost 8:20, so I had missed the earlier bus to NJ and would have to wait for the 8:40. But it was at this point that I started feeling some twinges in my back, and I feared I was having a kidney stone attack.
I went up to wait for the bus, and the pain continued to increase in intensity, so I went back downstairs to sit down in the waiting area. As I sat, it got worse instead of better, so I pulled out my phone to call work and leave a message that I wasn't coming in after all. As I walked back down to the subway, I passed my co-worker Kambra, who wondered why I was going in the wrong direction. I explained that I was in a lot of pain and was heading home so that if I had to go to the doctor, I could go to my own.
Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out that way. The downtown A during rush hour is quite packed, and I squeezed myself into the very last empty seat I could find. I was in agony, and had to sit. There was no way I was going to be able to make the trip standing up. I basically sat there, doubled over, staring at the floor. Which was good, because I'm sure people were staring, wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I was shaking, dripping with sweat, and mostly likely white as a sheet.
As we approached 59th St, I came to the horrible realization that I wasn't going to make it home to Brooklyn. It seemed to take forever to get to 59th St, and as soon as we did, I bolted off the train before I succumbed to the nausea. First of all, I didn't want to vomit on this woman's nice shoes (or myself), and second, I know how much I hate when a sick passenger delays the train. So the best thing was to just get off.
I'd always thought there were emergency call buttons on the platforms, but I guess not, because I didn't see anything. I had to stagger up to the booth looking like I don't even know what in order to cut in line and ask the clerk to please call me an ambulance. She ushered me back into the station so I could sit on one of the benches, and called the police. A very lovely woman wearing her nurses scrubs happened by at this moment, and tried to calm me down, and very kindly stayed with me until the policeman arrived. I hope karma does something nice for her very soon.
The cop took my info (as did the token booth clerk), and I endured the pain as I waited for the EMTs. At least the nausea was gone. I was very glad I hadn't eaten breakfast, as I only dry heaved into the garbage can. This was the point at which I found I had a light signal on my cell, so I called Frank to let him know what was going on, and which hospital I would be heading to. I guess I picked a pretty good station to get sick in, because St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital was only a few blocks away.
I liked my EMT because if I closed my eyes, he sounded like Chris Rock. He also took my information, and they drove me to the hospital. No siren, thank goodness. But hey, my first ride in an ambulance! At the hospital, they managed to get my information and get me a bed in the emergency room surprisingly quickly, but as my pain re-intensified, I really needed some help. I ended up doubled over in agony, and had to pull the curtains open to get some attention. Luckily a doctor saw me first and ordered me up an IV and some pain meds ASAP.
The morphine didn't really do too much, and they had to give me another dose. They weren't very good with the checking in on a regular basis to see how I was doing, I have to admit. Frankie arrived around here, and I was glad to have him there. Oh, and I had to remove the blood pressure cuff, because while I didn't mind it going off on a regular basis, at one point, it just tightened and wouldn't release. So Frankie helped me pull it off because I was losing circulation in my arm!
Turns out they weren't going to do any tests. They just wanted to stabilize my pain and send me home so I can see my regular urologist. So when a couple of interns arrived with a sonogram machine and asked if I would mind letting them practice scanning my kidney, I was all for it. They didn't see anything, though. At least nothing conclusive. No, for that, I had to go home and see my doctor. I called, and the earliest appointment was for tomorrow, but by the time I actually got home, I'd decided to just head over there and see if I could squeeze myself in. Luckily, he had just gotten out of the OR, so my doctor was able to see me, and send me for a CT scan that actually verified what the sonogram had shown, which was a 4-5 mm kidney stone wedged in my ureter. Lovely.
Now we're just hoping that the kidney stone passes on its own so I don't have to go back into the hospital to have anything done. Although my doctor says he'd like me to have the sonic wave thing where they crush the stone with sound waves. I've never had it before, and always wondered about it. But no, I hope it passes on its own. I just had probably one of the most insane days of my life. I don't need another one!
I went up to wait for the bus, and the pain continued to increase in intensity, so I went back downstairs to sit down in the waiting area. As I sat, it got worse instead of better, so I pulled out my phone to call work and leave a message that I wasn't coming in after all. As I walked back down to the subway, I passed my co-worker Kambra, who wondered why I was going in the wrong direction. I explained that I was in a lot of pain and was heading home so that if I had to go to the doctor, I could go to my own.
Unfortunately, things didn't quite work out that way. The downtown A during rush hour is quite packed, and I squeezed myself into the very last empty seat I could find. I was in agony, and had to sit. There was no way I was going to be able to make the trip standing up. I basically sat there, doubled over, staring at the floor. Which was good, because I'm sure people were staring, wondering what the hell was wrong with me. I was shaking, dripping with sweat, and mostly likely white as a sheet.
As we approached 59th St, I came to the horrible realization that I wasn't going to make it home to Brooklyn. It seemed to take forever to get to 59th St, and as soon as we did, I bolted off the train before I succumbed to the nausea. First of all, I didn't want to vomit on this woman's nice shoes (or myself), and second, I know how much I hate when a sick passenger delays the train. So the best thing was to just get off.
I'd always thought there were emergency call buttons on the platforms, but I guess not, because I didn't see anything. I had to stagger up to the booth looking like I don't even know what in order to cut in line and ask the clerk to please call me an ambulance. She ushered me back into the station so I could sit on one of the benches, and called the police. A very lovely woman wearing her nurses scrubs happened by at this moment, and tried to calm me down, and very kindly stayed with me until the policeman arrived. I hope karma does something nice for her very soon.
The cop took my info (as did the token booth clerk), and I endured the pain as I waited for the EMTs. At least the nausea was gone. I was very glad I hadn't eaten breakfast, as I only dry heaved into the garbage can. This was the point at which I found I had a light signal on my cell, so I called Frank to let him know what was going on, and which hospital I would be heading to. I guess I picked a pretty good station to get sick in, because St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital was only a few blocks away.
I liked my EMT because if I closed my eyes, he sounded like Chris Rock. He also took my information, and they drove me to the hospital. No siren, thank goodness. But hey, my first ride in an ambulance! At the hospital, they managed to get my information and get me a bed in the emergency room surprisingly quickly, but as my pain re-intensified, I really needed some help. I ended up doubled over in agony, and had to pull the curtains open to get some attention. Luckily a doctor saw me first and ordered me up an IV and some pain meds ASAP.
The morphine didn't really do too much, and they had to give me another dose. They weren't very good with the checking in on a regular basis to see how I was doing, I have to admit. Frankie arrived around here, and I was glad to have him there. Oh, and I had to remove the blood pressure cuff, because while I didn't mind it going off on a regular basis, at one point, it just tightened and wouldn't release. So Frankie helped me pull it off because I was losing circulation in my arm!
Turns out they weren't going to do any tests. They just wanted to stabilize my pain and send me home so I can see my regular urologist. So when a couple of interns arrived with a sonogram machine and asked if I would mind letting them practice scanning my kidney, I was all for it. They didn't see anything, though. At least nothing conclusive. No, for that, I had to go home and see my doctor. I called, and the earliest appointment was for tomorrow, but by the time I actually got home, I'd decided to just head over there and see if I could squeeze myself in. Luckily, he had just gotten out of the OR, so my doctor was able to see me, and send me for a CT scan that actually verified what the sonogram had shown, which was a 4-5 mm kidney stone wedged in my ureter. Lovely.
Now we're just hoping that the kidney stone passes on its own so I don't have to go back into the hospital to have anything done. Although my doctor says he'd like me to have the sonic wave thing where they crush the stone with sound waves. I've never had it before, and always wondered about it. But no, I hope it passes on its own. I just had probably one of the most insane days of my life. I don't need another one!
Sunday, April 20, 2008
My Niece, The Disco Diva
So I spent the afternoon with my niece, Gabi, and as we were all coming back from the zoo, I she was singing along with the children's songs coming out of the car stereo. You know, stuff like "Do You Know The Muffin Man" and "The Itsy Bitsy Spider." But then, in between tracks, she busted out with a surprising rendition of a disco classic. So naturally, back at the house, I had to get her to do it again. Enjoy!
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Being Metropolitan
Frankie and I went to the Met today. That's the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, don't ya know. I haven't been in ages. Can't even remember the last time I've been. I really wanted to see the Roman exhibition, and after that, we wandered our way through the Egyptian rooms, then on to Chinese and Japanese art before checking out just a small portion of the European paintings. A little medieval art, then down to rest in front of the tomb, then a quick peek at the small American section and then it was back home again. Phew! And we barely saw half of what was available. Plus, a good chunk of the medieval art section was closed off, and that was the cool part with the armor and whatnot. You can take pictures of the permanent exhibits, but no flash allowed, so some of my shots didn't really come out that well. But you can see them over on my flickr page.
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