Global Weirding

Believe what you will about climate change, but nobody can deny that it has been a crazy few months in New York City. In late August we experienced both an earthquake and a hurricane in the same week. And yesterday, in October, it snowed close to three inches. Fortunately, we escaped the natural disasters with relatively minor damages. Here's some proof in pictures because I'm not sure I'll believe it myself as time goes by. I only wish that I had captured the lights swinging in our office building as the earthquake hit...not a feeling I'd like to experience again.

Tree down at Bartel Pritchard Circle

Lots of trees down in Prospect Park

Hey look! It's a new lake in Prospect Park...and the Park Slope pups love it!

Snow in October...

I'm way too lazy to go back and write reviews for all of the books I've read in the past few months, so here's a listing and quick ratings. Many of the books were book club books, so they weren't things I would normally choose to read myself. But that's generally the point of book clubs...you're exposed to things you wouldn't normally be, plus you get to discuss books with lovely people. I'm still terribly behind in my goal of 36 books for 2011, so hopefully there will be more book posts soon!


Just Kids by Patti Smith

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith

My rating: 4 of 5 stars







War Dances by Sherman Alexie

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars






The Secret Warning by Franklin W. Dixon

My rating: 2 of 5 stars






Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden

My rating: 3 of 5 stars







The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolaño

My rating: 2 of 5 stars






Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






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Four Months in Review

Once again, I've let months pass by between blog posts. Here's a review of (some) May-August 2011 in pictures. New goal...take more pictures.

Bidirectional service was restored to the F Train!!!

Adam got married in Savannah!!!

Tiffany visited and we ate Grimaldis...in Manhattan?

I watched the 4th of July Fireworks on the Hudson.

I went home to SC and fed my Dad's fish

Prospect Park concerts and events returned!

I went to St. Louis to visit Katie and Ashley!

Goodreads Review - Sidewalks in the Kingdom

Sidewalks in the Kingdom: New Urbanism and the Christian Faith by Eric O. Jacobsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book because it merged two major aspects of my life: christianity and urban planning. It really makes you think about how our cities shape our lives and how our faith should influence not only how we live but where we choose to live. It can be pretty convicting at times, noting how Americans have basically created false gods out of the notions of individualism and freedom as opposed to living among one another and loving each other as Christ loved us.

A little warning, the author is extremely anti-suburban and pretty preachy about it. His tone is sometimes distracting from the points that he's trying to make. So if you're not used to this point of view, it can be pretty shocking. You might want to start with Suburban Nation first. I definitely didn't agree with all of his arguments, but it does make you think. And, as somebody currently living in a city, it makes me think about how I should be seizing opportunities and really becoming part of the community.

On a side note, I love when books you read cite other books/authors you have recently read. On the same page, this book referenced Ray Oldenburg and Robert Putnam, and that just made me happy.

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Goodreads Review - The Choice

The Choice by Nicholas Sparks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It's what you would expect from a Nicholas Sparks book. The writing is cheesy and at times terrible and embarrassing. But it's a quick read with an addicting storyline that somehow ends up making you cry in the end. I would say it's a good beach book.



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Top of the Rock

A few weeks ago my mom came to NYC with two of her friends for a girls' weekend. They stayed in the middle of it all, right in the heart of Times Square. I enjoyed spending time with my mom and doing some of the touristy things that we honestly don't do enough of. The first night they were here we saw Mama Mia, which was really cute. And later that weekend Chris and I went to Top of the Rock with them. I can't believe we've been in NYC this long and never gone to Top of the Rock. I'd really recommend it to anybody, tourist or resident, it's an amazing view. Evidence below.

Strangers on a Train

I'm currently reading Sidewalks in the Kingdom, which discusses how faith plays a role in determining the kinds of places in which we live (mainly cities vs suburbs). The chapter I read this morning deals with markers of a city, one being that cities allow for random encounters with strangers. I thought a good bit about this, as I'm encounter hundreds if not thousands of strangers every day...what should this mean and how should I become more aware of my fellow neighbors.

The book examines several aspects of "strangers" in cities, but one is that there is an opportunity for collaboration between people from different backgrounds, with different ways of thinking and ideas and etc. Tonight on the subway I got to witness such an encounter.

As I was waiting for the F train at Jay Street Metrotech, two men were playing classical music - one on a cello and one on a violin. It was beautiful, and a small crowd had gathered round. When the train came, people dispersed and one guy, let's call him Bob, tore off the duet's contact info. Once on the train, another guy, Mark, said he really enjoyed the music and asked Bob if he could take down the information. He whipped out his iPhone and that started a conversation about how they both have the same problem with this app and that app. Pretty soon they were talking about graphic design and exchanging business cards. All because the F train is so slow :)

There's really no point to this, except that I love:
1) when what i'm reading aligns with real life; and
2) random moments with strangers on a train.