The Dashing Commuter

Bat, man

2008-08-20T15:28:00.002-04:00

Today's commute was a little more interesting than usual. Just before we pulled into Penn Station, a small, terrified bat appeared in our car, flitting back and forth.

The bat repeatedly flew up and down the length of the car, causing startled commuters to duck. The bat -- which appeared to be more freaked out than the commuters -- vanished just before the train pulled up to the platform.

The Empire State Building on a gorgeous spring day

2008-05-22T20:21:00.001-04:00

Sometimes the light and the subject are so beautiful, you can't resist taking a picture. This was one of those days.

Is that it?

2008-04-27T12:23:00.000-04:00

Spotted this while walking around far western Soho in Manhattan yesterday. It makes you think. And think again. Artists ...

Iron Man

2008-04-26T12:38:00.003-04:00

An advertisement for the "Iron Man" movie hitting U.S. screens next month, stretched over Madison Square Garden.

First vblog

2008-04-24T22:00:00.002-04:00

This is a bit of video I shot in the subway station near my office. It's my first video posting using Blogger. Hope it's not TOO awful.

Rats ...

2008-04-24T21:54:00.002-04:00

On my train, I often see egrets, ducks or Canadian geese in the waters of the Meadowlands between Newark and Weehawken, N.J.

This evening, I saw what I'm pretty sure was a rat swimming in a (probably) polluted bit of water near the tracks.

I was initially surprised, then realized it was more surprising that I had not spotted a rat in the 2 years and three months I've been riding the rails from New Providence, NJ, to New York.

Say what?

2008-04-20T18:05:00.003-04:00

"The Battle for Eternity is the Fantasy of a Lifetime"

- Tagline in U.S. ads for the film "The Forbidden Kingdom," starring Jackie Chan and Jet Li

Great bumper sticker

2008-04-14T22:04:00.001-04:00

Indiana Jones and the Huge Times Square Billboard

2008-04-13T20:50:00.003-04:00

Took this in Times Square on the way to work the other day. Great billboard!

2008-03-27T21:52:00.002-04:00

This truck rolled past my office in Times Square. What is "Athenian Ice Cream"? Do you eat it in a toga and sandals? (I know, I know, the founder/owner is/was probably Greek. But still)

But I wanted "Shaft" ...

2008-03-08T15:28:00.003-05:00

The other day, I took the No. 2 subway up to Columbia University when a man with an electric guitar and a portable amp stepped into my car. Without a moment's hesitation, he called out that he would play songs for people he looked at.

After playing a tune for the "lady with the polka-dot bag," he called out that he would play one for the "white girl with the pony tail." He began playing his own version of "My Girl," including the lyric "I've got the white girl with the pony tail." You could almost see her blushing.

Standing next to him was a guy in a nice red leather jacket. The musician said he would play a song for the "guy in the red leather jacket," then launched into a spirited version of "Superfly."

Then he said he would play a song for the "white guy in glasses." That would be me. He was kind enough not to mention the gray pinstriped suit I was wearing (I was on my way to a memorial service).

And then, to my chagrin, he began singing "Raindrops keep fallin' on my head."

Graffiti ...

2008-02-13T10:51:00.004-05:00

This is a a hand dryer in a rest room in a Chelsea cafe.

I'm baccck

2008-02-13T10:48:00.001-05:00

After a long absence, this blog is back. I'll post things that catch my fancy (and, I hope, catch yours).

Snow train

2007-11-21T13:19:00.000-05:00

The morning train, coming into Murray Hill on Tuesday, after a brief, pre-Thanksgiving snowstorm. Beautiful.

The Knife in the Bagel

2007-11-11T19:47:00.001-05:00

I was slicing a bagel for breakfast when the knife got trapped in the bagel just so. Behold the picture below.

I was reminded of "The Sword in the Stone." You know, he who can remove the sword from this bagel is the true King of New York. Or something.

Bagel Excalibur

2007-11-11T19:45:00.000-05:00

Spotted ....

2007-10-15T10:25:00.001-04:00

Saw this church sign in historic Lambertville, NJ. Wonderful.

Cold as ice ...

2007-09-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

Spotted on a hot dog pushcart's sign: "chilly dogs."

I've been away ...

2007-09-27T07:59:00.000-04:00

I've been spending a lot of time on Facebook these days. But, not to worry. If I see or hear something amusing, I'll post (See above).

End of civilization

2007-09-09T15:42:00.001-04:00

End of civilization, originally uploaded by barthjg.

This is from my friend John Barth's flickr site. I gotta agree wholeheartedly with his headline ...

Things to like in New York in the summer ...

2007-08-29T13:03:00.000-04:00

Iced coffee. Ahhhh.

Things to hate in New York in the summer ...

2007-08-29T12:59:00.000-04:00

The bad smells. For some reason, the heat and humidity in New York in the summer exacerbate any and all nasty odors.

Times Square serendipity ...

2007-07-30T08:43:00.000-04:00

Recently, on the way to work in my office in Times Square, I spotted a man dressed like a lot of men, including myself, in what's come to be called "smart casual" (cotton slacks, button-down shirt, no tie). And, like a lot of folks, he had a laptop bag hanging off his shoulder.

But what distinguished this man was the flute he held to his lips and played as he crossed Broadway and headed east on 42nd Street (The Pied Piper of Times Square?).

In an increasingly time-constrained world, perhaps he was squeezing in some practice.

Turn of phrase ...

2007-07-06T13:36:00.000-04:00

As I was walking north up Seventh Avenue this morning, I saw a group of four female medical workers, dressed in blue scrubs and apparently headed for work.

What do you call a group of nurses, I wondered. It's a "flock of birds," a "pod of whales" or "a murder of crows."

Suddenly, it hit me: a ward of nurses.

Facebooked

2007-06-22T08:45:00.000-04:00

I've taken the plunge into social networking and have gotten a Facebook account. It's addictive and fun.

2007-06-03T19:06:00.000-04:00

Saw this while visiting Annapolis

Another blogger in the family ...

2007-06-01T14:55:00.001-04:00

My wife, Diane, has just become a pro blogger. She's writing a weekly blog for the magazine where she's a copy editor, Woman's Day, about life as a woman over 40.

Her first post is here.

She's enjoying it a lot. And I'm very happy and proud for her.

Apologies for the long absence. It's been a combination of not much to say and not a lot of time in which to say it.

The Tailor

2007-04-08T22:46:00.000-04:00

This statue of a Jewish tailor in Midtown Manhattan's Fashion District recognizes the contribution that immigrants made -- and still make -- to New York's "rag trade." I pass it on the walk from Penn Station to work in Times Square.

May the Post be with you ...

2007-03-26T09:53:00.000-04:00

Saw this mailbox on 32nd Street and Seventh Avenue not long after reading about an effort to promote a new "Star Wars" 30th anniversary stamp by the U.S. Postal Service. Very cool.

D'oh!

2007-03-12T15:45:00.000-04:00

I have a beard trimmer that I occasionally use to whack back my mustache.

When I used it last weekend, I thought it was beginning to sound a little anemic. So, I thought I'd recharge it.

Which is when I realized that the plug on the recharger was British and that I'd bought the thing in the UK.

Looks like I'll need to buy a new one ... Amazing that it lasted this long (I left the UK in December '04 and India -- which runs on the same voltage as the UK -- in December '05).

Welcome

2007-03-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my fourth and latest blog -- The Dashing Commuter. I have borrowed the name from an advertising character used to promote the Long Island Rail Road. As I remember him, The Dashing Commuter wore glasses and a raincoat and was on the run, presumably for his train.

I will use this blog to report on amusing things that I see, with the occasional photo. My intent is to amuse and occasionally enlighten.

Please do not hesitate to post comments!