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Two things have happened to me in the past month that have strenghtened my resolve to reconnect New Yorkers and make New York City the great place it is to live.
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The day before Mother's Day I had gone out to do a bit of shopping for myself. Mother's Day was one or two weeks after the launch of The Daily Gotham and I was just exhausted. Still am, but more so then than now. I am not just a blogger. I have two kids. Scratch that, I homeschool my two kids, work as a web publisher, contribute to my community as a political activist and write on four blogs. So, when I go out, I don't just go out. I am usually multi-tasking, trying to fit-in one or two household errands in between my political activism and writing.
That day, I was managing grocery shopping and the like and my bag of Mother's Day goodies disappeared. Just like that. I had no idea where I left it or if I left it somewhere or if it is was stolen from me. Needless to say, all stressed-out and cranky, I just cried my eyes out for a whole day.
That's where the lovely people of Windfall Farms [2] come in. I had gone to the Union Square Farmer's Market [3] to treat my family to some organic salad greens (they're expensive, so we don't do this on a regular basis). In my tired haze I left my shopping bag on top of one of the tables. The market people left it just as I had left it there, waiting to see if I'd come back to claim it.
[4]Unfortunately, by the time I reckoned I had lost the bag, they had packed up and gone. Later than week, when I reported the bag stolen to the Farmer's Market management, they suggested to go back to the stalls I had visited that day, just in case. Of course, I went to all of them and left the green stand for last. And what do you know! There, in their truck and quite prominently visible in the front seat (may I add), was my shopping bag. They had kept it, hoping that once I'd come back for more greens, I'd get it back.
Needless to say, now I am buying greens there every week for the rest of my life.
That was 3 weeks ago --and yes, I thought about writing about it but said, well, it's not politics. Well, now, I am going to write these because it gets better.
I took the kids to their last soccer meet this past Wednesday. We took the M8 over to Pier 40 [5], where most homeschoolers in New York City have their weekly "physical education class". Well, I lost my wallet with half of my money and all my credit cards. This time I did not go berserk, but I was worried. Well, on my way out to The Drum Major Institute event that night [6], what do you know? I get a phone call from "Jerry", one of the office managers at the bus depot over on 40th Street and 11th Avenue. He had found my wallet on his way to work. He reckoned by the address that he was a neighbor of mine, so he took the wallet to the depot and gave me a call home. "I found your wallet on the bus, just come and pick it up whenever you can."
Needless to say, I thanked him profusely and shook his hand so hard it almost came out of its socket. I have no idea what to send him --flowers would be a bit ... fey. Should I do a fruit basket?
And this is why I HEART New York. It's not that it is an amazing city. The people that live and work here make it the place it is. I have to say, I've been blessed by the city that never sleeps.
Do you have any I HEART NY stories? Write them up and set them to post on either Saturday or Sunday. Let's take the weekends to share our lust and love for all things New York.
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