An Olympian Routine

Photos: S. Banos

New York is still a great place if you're twenty or a tourist, and making like the latter, I quickly settled into a routine once back- going out to whatever part of the city I wanted to reacquaint myself with that day, returning home in the evening to watch the Olympics with the folks. And as I write this (ensconced in a sweater in the middle of August), I must say I enjoyed being in that 90 degree heat the whole week through. I know some will curse me for saying that and I might well feel differently had I spent the whole of summer there- but I've come to realize that extremes of weather, hot or cold, add a heightened level of sensory awareness and experience lacking in this isolated dome of atmosphere called San Francisco (land of perpetual Spring and Fall). The one thing I almost didn't survive was the mind numbingly AWFUL Olympics' closing debacle! Atrocities like a Who tribute band, and Eric Idle looking every bit the senile escapee long lost and forgotten- talk about leaving a bad taste in one's mouth! In fact, just about every grand spectacle on parade was truly frightening...

Photo: S. Banos

The first photo above came about while exploring the hipsterized section of Williamsburg in Brooklyn. Watching that front screen door swing open and closed, I gradually became entranced in its slow summer rhythm. A couple of steps later, I came upon the second. Like many of you, I've taken countless walks, camera in hand... only to feel crushed coming home with nothing to show for the whole day's effort. Now I take it more in stride, realizing it's all part of a continuous, ongoing effort- tomorrow brings another day. Still, can't help but come home a little less tired when ya think ya got something in the till...