Friday Five Taking in the View

(Picture anticipating landing in Vieques Puerto Rico-another wonderful Place!)

Sally wrote "This week I took some time out to stop and walk and take in the view; my son Chris is studying in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, too often we simply drive up there, turn around and come home! This time Tim and I took time out to take in the view. It occurs to me that we need to do that more in life...."


With that in mind I offer you this weeks Friday Five:


1. How important is the "big picture" to you, do you need a glimpse of the possibilities or are you a details person?
Sometimes the "big picture" is more important to me than the details-which gets me in trouble (like at work-urgh.)


2. If the big picture is important to you how do you hold onto it in the nitty gritty details of life?
Practice, practice, practice and checklists and rechecking.


3. Name a book, poem, psalm, piece of music that transports to to another dimension ( one....what am I thinking....)
Any good book I read can transport me to another place, dimension or century. Did I miss my subway stop again?


3.Thinking of physical views, is there somewhere that inspires you, somewhere that you breathe more easily?
Always the beach at Herring Cove in Provincetown, Ma-Cape Cod. Or, of course Italy. Or Vieques, PR.


4. A picture opportunity... post one if you can ( or a link to one!)

My Day at the Office Yesterday was only a Slightly Worse Than This

The Big Big Boss publicly excoriated me at the senior meeting. After it ended I glanced around the room and all eyes were averted. I felt like this:

Meme from Views from the Road

Barb at Views from the Road tagged me for this:
1.) What first tells you that summer is here?
It's when my Tevas start to beg me: "Wear us to work! Wear us to work!"

2.) Name five of your favorite distinctively summer habits or customs.
* Wearing my Tevas to work (you knew that was coming)
* Vacations & long weekends away.
* Swimming in the pool at my health club (with the roof open) "Hey! Stop that honking!"
* My birthday, July 25th.
* Making salads with tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, extra virgin olive oil and basil, etc. from the greenmarket.

3.) What is your favorite smell of summer?
Any smell outside of NYC~~~~~~

4.) What is your favorite taste of summer?
There's a place called Shake Shack a little park not far away. Great charbroiled burgers and frozen custard!

5.) Favorite summer memory?
Playing in our huge backyard in Ohio. Not having to wear a shirt!

6.) Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
If I had to pick one, I'd rather be cold than hot. (Because you can dress for the cold...) I left this one, but I really prefer no extremes. And my office with bad ventilation-really no ventilation is 80-85o year round.

7.) What books do you plan to read for the season?
I have a stack of books at any one time. It's constantly being replenished. Right now I'm reading Parched by Heather King the book preceding Redeemed. I'm not caring for it, it seems too much like what alcoholics call a drunkalog, like a travelogue only about a drinking a drinking history.

8.) How does the summer affect your faith? Is it a hindrance or an ally?
Since I'm in the phase of actually going to church services, I'd say good. Since in the winter winter I tend to stay inside.

Our Little Wedding in Toronto

The short, but sweet, wedding was beautiful. Much better than we could have expected in NYC. We had an officiant who knew his stuff and had appropriate readings for a lesbian couple. (I think he may have been a priest or former priest and was certainly Irish and probably gay.) The room had flowers and some music. The couple after us was an Israeli couple of men who had to travel to Canada-the only country that Israel would accept as a legal same sex marriage-then they were going to Virginia to visit their surrogate mother-they want a large family! We were their witness and they were ours.

Toronto was celebratory of our 'blessed event' with many congratulations and a bottle of wine from the concierge of our hotel! We had a great time. And then on the very same day:

"

"word came that New York Gov. David Paterson instructed state agencies — including those governing insurance and health care — to immediately change policies and regulations to recognize gay marriages.
For years, gay rights advocates have sought recognition for same-sex marriages so couples could share family health care plans, receive tax breaks by filing jointly, enjoy stronger adoption rights and inherit property.
Many or all of those rights would now appear to be available to New Yorkers who legally wed same-sex partners in other states and countries, according to the memo sent earlier this month from the governor's counsel. Agencies have until June 30 to report back to the counsel on how, specifically, the directive will change existing state benefits and services for gay couples."
Coincidence? I think not!
And to add icing to the wedding cake, while in Toronto, we attended a benefit for a group that helps women in need called Sistering. The Mistress of Ceremonies was Elvira Kurt, one of my favorite comedians. I met her;-)