In Case you haven't heard, The Racist New York Post Cartoon

Friday Five Taking a Break

Songbird posted this FF:
Where we live, it's February School Vacation Week!

Yes, that's an odd thing, a vacation extending President's Day. But it's part of our lives here. Some people go South or go skiing, but we always stay home and find more humble amusements.

In that spirit, I offer this Taking a Break Friday Five. Tell us how you would spend:

1. a 15 minute break

Under our union contract we get 2 15 minute breaks per day, however I've never in memory taken them. When I have a minute I play a game of solitare on the computer...then someone appears at the door and I quickly have to minimize it!
2. an afternoon off

This is rare, but maybe a meeting will end early and I'll be done an hour or two early. If I'm in the city and near the Manhattan office  I may stop at Macys or Jacks (the Bloomingdales of 99c  stores!) Or I may go home and take a nap.
3. an unexpected free day

Hooray! This never happens, btw. Although I have every other Monday off, I have to work longer hours to get this, it's planned. I will probably go to the Strand, the best huge used bookstore and browse, and buy. Then I'll take myself to lunch at a favorite place like Doma-where you pick up your delicious Florentine Tomato Soup at the counter, then share a table with all the slackers with computers. I usually have the Times or a magazine or one of those books I just bought. Then maybe swimming?
4. a week's vacation

Now that you asked, we're about to leave for a week with the ladies of Olivia Travel. This is a lesbian travel company that specializes in cruises and we're going to the Caribbean. We've been once before, but this time we're going for a week. It will be on one of the Holland American ships and onboard will be Kate Clinton, Arianna Huffington,  Vickie Shaw and others that I haven't heard of.
5. a sabbatical-Wow, someone tell the NYSED that counselors need these, too! I'd live in Europe for a while. Maybe Italy or somewhere nice. I'd blog and tell you all about it!

Not So Cozy Soup and Burger

On my day off yesterday, one of my tasks was to get a hair cut at my favorite, Dominic at Astor Haircutters. I was running late so that when I missed my bus connection, I took a cab down Broadway. At about 9th street, Broadway was completely  blocked off with yellow police tape. It was about a two block walk so I got out and walked. The police let me through the empty streets. I thought,"Oh my God, Astor Place has burned down and I'll never find another Dominic!" But, no, Dom was there and there was business as usual. When I got in the chair I asked what had happened. It seems that the Cozy Soup and Burger-really excellent burgers-had a shooting at 5:00 am. No one dead, just critical, so far. It was an argument. I didn't go there for lunch as planned...

A Valentine from the Empire State Pride Agenda-Lovely

I think I'll buy this from the I Tunes, but the visual is so much a part of it!