Caught up on catching up...

Here it is Friday and I am writing this blog on the same day as I'm living it... I have caught up on my catching up with y'all. The hotel here on 57th street is much more roomy than the one I had earlier in the week, so I spent the morning doing what I do best...talking with my fingers (blogging). I can't believe that this is my last weekend back East, but to tell the truth, I am looking forward to going home... It has been a blast visiting all my friends back here and I am blessed to be able to come back and stay like this so I could visit most of you... I still have round of golf or two up my sleeve and then Monday I will visit my old work again... (they are going to UPS some things back to AZ for me so I have less to deal with on the plane). Today, however is for me. I slept in and then took a nap between blogs... I sent my flight info to Mary Ellen, who has graciously agreed to pick me up at the airport in Phoenix Monday night. I will go and wander the city again, maybe, and grab some food and people watch.

But before I do that, I have some things I need to get off my chest... What the hell is going on with this weather?? This is the worst stretch of bad (unless you're a duck or a flower) weather I can remember here and I lived in the East all of my life... and people are saying the whole summer could be like this! I realize I now live in the desert and sunshine is the norm, but give me a break...I have been here since June 10 and except for one day in Virginia it has rained or been overcast or both every single day. If you expect me to come back east again, y'all better do something about this. I realize I have been spoiled with good weather in Arizona, but a nice day once in awhile is not much to ask for... Crikey!!!

Golf prices...I have played golf in the Northeast all my life and have justified overpaying for golf because the courses I played were (I thought) beautiful and worth it... and they are. But now that I play courses that are just as nice or much nicer in Arizona, I can't keep quiet anymore... And the weather being crap doesn't change anything... They still bone you full price and weather be damned. I paid 85 bucks to play a course that wouldn't make the top ten for nicest course in Arizona and I haven't even played a third of the courses available out there... The courses in Arizona compete for your business, they give you extra for your business, they APPRECIATE your business, they reduce prices so that you WANT to play... I can play championship courses, even in the winter which is the peak season, for under what I pay here...(and I understand that the courses are closed from Oct-April but the maintenance costs and employee overhead are non-existent too). I don't have the answer, but I'm glad I live in a place where I can afford to play golf and play often (and I do!).

The East Coast Attitude...When I lived here I had it...(and don't get me wrong, I still have it. Just go ahead and f*&% with me and you'll see it in all its glory). Arizona is filled with nice people and its laid back and I love it... but these last few weeks gave me a whole new perspective on the east coast attitude. The pace of life here is supersonic...just a few days in New York City will show you that. You can't afford to be laid back and the crushing pace takes its toll on people. People are harsher (some say ruder) but it's the way of the world here. There are so many people here competing for the same jobs, the same amenities, the same living spaces, the same creature comforts, that you have to hustle and be smart and savvy and not take any s%$# from anybody. Some people consider that rude. I don't. It's adapting to the situation and doing what needs to be done in the environment provided. Tell me that living on an island with 9 or 10 million neighbors (give or take a million), all trying to get somewhere at the same time doesn't perhaps imbue you with a bit of attitude. It's a way of life and I embrace it and will defend my "east coastness" to anyone... (even though I am trying to adapt to my life in Arizona, I don't want to lose my "edge").

Traffic...If I ever complain to anyone about traffic in Arizona again, I want someone to come up to me and slap me silly... What I deal with in Arizona isn't traffic...it's a small inconvenience. You want to experience traffic? Any road in NYC from 6am til 10 pm will give you a whopping dose of traffic...After trying to go from Long Island to Newburgh, NY (approx. 132 miles) which took me 3 1/2 hours on a Saturday... (I can't imagine how bad it would be during rush hour--what an oxymoron rush hour is--standing still for hours and hours is "rush" hour). Coming into the city via the Lincoln Tunnel... (10am-20 mins. 1pm-30 mins. 4pm-90 mins. 7pm-forgetaboudit 10pm-90 mins.). But you know what? I love it. There is no bigger rush than playing "taxi war" in Midtown Manhattan. Vying for lanes and space and time with yellow cabs is more thrilling than any Nascar race. Scouring the area for parking space is like the biggest game of hide and seek ever. The rush of a good spot (I don't have to move my car all weekend--yes!!) is incredible.

Wow, that was great... I needed that. Boy, do I feel better. With that I will close this chapter on my continuing saga. I appreciate those who put up with my little rants every now and then, but I believe it is a necessary thing to cleanse the mind to allow the creative thought processes to flow...(what a crock of s@#$ that line was!). Everyone needs to let off some steam now and then. I find that the written word is just as effective as a kick in the groin (to somone else) but not as satisfying...