Words to live by

“The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”
Margaret Nadauld former General Young Women’s President

NYC DOE in full effect...

I will tell anyone how much I absolutely LOVE London's Middle School. She is thriving. She loves her teachers and administrators, and even though there is the regular MS drama, she is happy and supported. She participated in the talent show and while everyone else was dancing hip hop and singing pop songs, Chick went up there and played Albert Ellmenreich's The Spinning Song (written in 1850s) and had a blast. All the students were clapping and whooping along and again I was blown away by the support the students and student body have for each other.

My Sweet Kid

 Ahh, McAllister...my passionate, complex, affectionate boy who loves his school and all the sports he can play through it: Basketball, Flag Football, and TRACK! They had a track meet a few weeks ago and I guilted myself into decided to chaperone. It was awesome: my old neighbor and bestie Julie was there and we caught up to our hearts' content, Tass ran his heart out, and I enjoyed the view between the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges- my favorite. I am convinced it will be the Brooklyn Bridge that you cross to get into Heaven. Overall, a great day!

What day wouldn't be complete without a solid MiniStorage ad?

Manhattan Mini Storage ads are the best. Hilarious. I will post a ton because they can be so truthful in their observations of City Life. The pressure to dress well is solid because it is the one and only method of self expression! You can't express yourself in your car (you're in the subway) or your home (most likely a shoebox version of what you could have elsewhere, fraught with jigsaw-puzzle storage solutions and odd furniture arrangements), so how you look is it. Jason and I noticed it right away, and I'm sorry but I love it. I love seeing my friends and strangers on the street convey qualities about their personalities in their coat choice, shoe choice or whatever. It's what makes fashion really, really fun and insightful.

What's awesome is my kids' adherence to this. They love their clothes, and I promise it's in a non-creepy JonBenet kind of way! London is blossoming in her creativity mixed with practicality. McAllister and Daisy too. By seeing what they wear and why I learn so much about them.

Brooklyn...

They have so much wisdom in the BK they have to give it away for free!

On a wall, walking around in DUMBO

Spiritual Matters...

So anyone who gives me a chance to speak on it will hear me say how much I love the Brooklyn Bridge. I would go into the story of the Father and Son, the tragedies, and the heroine of the story, Emily Warren Roebling. I'm afraid you'll have to Wikipedia it, but it's inspiring. Everyone who visits our apartment from out of town is required to cross the Brooklyn Bridge. I tell them, "Go at least to the Manhattan Tower (there are 2, the other is the Brooklyn Tower), then when you get back to DC/Florida/California, Google it and you'll thank me later!"
We own the Burns documentary and I make my kids listen over and over to me tell the story of hardship and fortitude in getting it built, the revolutionary idea and conflict it took for the idea to gain respect. The building of the Brooklyn Bridge is its own New York Survival Story.
This quote is going on my board- even though to buy it would cost an arm and a leg, you would do it because you know it would be worth it. To sell it and walk away would be ignoring the potential. Good courage given for all of us trying to make it here.