Me, alone on the 2 train at 6 AM

Coney Island Parachute Jump

This morning was the Brooklyn Half Marathon. It was a lonely ride into the BK, without my running partner. I had a bunch of friends that were all going down together, but I had to go early, to pick up my bib, etc.. It was a bit on the warm side. But, overall, an awesome race. Reagan couldn’t make it, this morning, because she is still getting over a cold. Such a bummer. I did end up running into our friends, after the race though. Unfortunately I was really able to hang out with them, since I had to come into work after the race. Oh well. At least I was able to get a small taste of the beautiful weather this weekend. There are more photos from the race in this folder. Also, check out my write up in the Examiner. My time wasn’t the best. It was about 5 minutes slower than the last 1/2 marathon, I ran. I was able to keep my pace barely under 8 minutes, finishing at 1:42:40.

Here is a photo that Becca took of me, after the race, when I was trying to poke out my gut (check) and look flamboyant (check).

Ok, yes, this picture is exactly what it looks like: A ton of blurry little baby fish swimming around one of their proud new parents. It is getting a little out of control. I mean, I know it is spring and everything, but for these guys to spawn twice in  2 months seems to be a little excessive. Does anyone want some convict babies? We have about 300 more than we can take care of, at the moment.

I would be moving these little guys in with their older siblings, over the weekend, but it turns out that I will be working the whole time. I was barely able to talk my way into coming in late tomorrow, so that I could run the Brooklyn Half Marathon. Sorry to be complaining, but this situation is stressing me out.

This month, I came across a kind of cool article in Details. It was published in the “Know and Tell” section, and titled “Prescription-free Antidepressants.” According to the piece, consuming nuts (one of my favorite foods) and fish supposedly help fight stress, etc.. So what better way to fight depression that doubling up a peanut-avocado roll for dinner? Hahahahah. This place on Maiden Lane, Sushi Ala Kawa, is the only sushi joint I have ordered from that makes these rolls. It has become, probably, one of my top 10 favorite foods (but still pretty far behind NY pizza and pub burgers). The fact that it also keeps me antidepressed is just a bonus.

Man, oh man. I finished this book on the train this morning. I have kind of been putting of finishing it, and wanting to have it over with, all at the same time. It was a little bit more difficult of a read than 1776 (from an A.D.D. perspective), but well worth it. I have heard from a few different people that the HBO mini-series based on this book, is pretty good, also. I suppose that I will have to check it out. I marked a few parts in John Adams, to write about. So, hopefully I will get around to it at some point. From what I understand, McCullough also wrote a book about Truman. I am definitely going to add that to my list. I really enjoy the way that he writes, not to mention that the subject matter is super fascinating to me. I think that I may hold off until the fall to start that book though. I need chase this book with something that doesn’t require any thought. Anyway, if it isn’t already totally apparent, I strongly recommend David McCullough’s John Adams.

[sunset over the Hudson R., shot with the Blackberry cam]

This seizure inducing little ditty, consists of four frames of bumble bee shots that I took, the other day at the Bronx Botanical Garden.

Dear Jake,

Today I read in my weekly tabloid that everyone can defeat the Devil if we use the same methods as Captain Kirk used to defeat bad guys in Star Trek. Is this true?!? Do you think that we could defeat the “Prince of Darkness” with space age style of tactics?

Sincerely, Tlohnierb Imim

Answer–

Wow! I never realized what a cool name Tlohnierb is! T– your tabloid is partially correct when they say that Star Trek methods could be used to beat El Diablo in a fight. The mistake comes in, when they claim that James T. Kirk is the one who has the skills to do it. Kirk against ‘ol scratch wouldn’t even be a contest. It would be like the time that Kirk tried to paddle across the living room with a wooden fork, he wouldn’t even make it half way before some kitchen of the sea fell out of his pants. Dr. Spock on the other hand, has all of the skills necessary to emerge from such an encounter victoriously. Being that Spock is a Vulcan, he is nearly immortal and is able to use the Vulcan death grip. This is a maneuver that the Beastie Boys so keenly observed is “like a pinch in the neck.” One swift pinch in the neck from Dr. Spock and the fight would be over. So, to answer your question, yes it is true that the Prince of Darkness can be beaten by using space age tactic, unfortunately us humans do not possess the ability to deploy these tactics. Those freakin’ tabloids love to stretch the truth.

Live Long and Prosper, Jake T.

is lining the bottom of the cage this week.

Happy Memorial Day! This post is kind of a cop out. This was the second song that came on when I put the headphones on, this morning. It is Fatboy Slim, from the “Norman Cook Collection.” The Norman Cook Collection, if you haven’t heard it, consists of a bunch of pretty cool tracks that Cook (who is Fatboy Slim) likes, remixed by Cook. This track is titled: “Payback (The Final Mixdown),” Performed by James Brown, mixed by FBS. Enjoy.

I saw the walls of our neighboring building glowing pink, this evening. So I decided to go on the roof to investigate. I didn’t edit this  shot at all (but for scaling it for downloadability). There was some serious fuschia going on up there.