....and I'm back!

hello out there - it has been a while since I posted something... that's my bad... things got busy, life got in the way, blah blah blah - isn't the story for everyone? I am making a REAL effort starting today (yes I realize I said this back in March, so here's another go) to post more often. So to recap since my last posting, here's what's been going on:

NJ Transit

Still driving me (and every other commuter) crazy- crappy service, delays allllll the time, more of the same and then some... wah wah -- I truly truly hope there is a resulotion to the terrible service that is NJT.... for now, I have my crochet and train friends to keep me occupied :)

Call for Artists

This has been stalled and there is no excuse for it. I need to get my focus back on it and get it off the ground. I know it is a good idea, just need to DO IT!! (that's a little self motivation, wouldn't you say?)

Shuttin' it Down in Germany

Mike and I took a much needed vacation! We flew to Germany to see some friends (I'm lookin' at you, Erin and CJ!) and had a freakin' blast!! We hit up four (4) countries in six (yes, 6) days: Germany, Luxembourg, France and Belgium. We saw some amazing sites, unbelievable architecture, ate the most incredible food and spent the week laughing - the best way to be!

The House

Since our house is old, its always a project- actually, I hear that sentiment is not unique to old-home owners- but I am very happy to say we finished our major demo project! We completely gutted a small room on the second floor and redid the whole thing - ripped outhe walls, ceiling, old insulation and put up new insulation, new walls, new paint - it is a totally different room! (pics to come - I'll do a "before & after" comparison. I would love to tackle the bathroom next but that will be a HUGE undertaking... may have to "settle" for the guest room- which needs mostly only cosmetic... I'm thinking amethyst!

So that about sums it up... up next is our annual Munch Bunch Brunch! My family (and extended "family" of friends!) particpate in the Race for Hope event in Philly for the National Brain Tumor Society. It is November 7. Check out my page here

until next time.. Stand By for Further Announcement :)

Hey NJ Transit Execs - how do you sleep at night?

Here is my open letter to NJ Transit Board members -- I also copied Senator Codey and 2 Assembly people from my district -- its TERRIBLE what they are doing (raising train fares 25%!!!!) and I just couldn't sit in silence:

As a commuter for the past seven (7) years on New Jersey Transit rail,
I have relied on this service as my daily method of commuting to and
from New York City. I also tend to favor public transportation when
traveling to the city for pleasure rather than adding to the
congestion that is already so present on our overcrowded highways. I
also like to think, in some small way, I'm doing my part to be
eco-friendly by using mass transit which is supposed to be a more cost
effective and efficient form of transportation.

I find it offensive, borderline abusive, the increase that you are
going to put into effect on May 1. It is, without question, the most
insulting measure you can mandate to the riders. I'm sure I don't
have to remind you that we are in a recession and everyone is feeling
"the pinch" - you have used that line to justify such an increase. I
also should not have to remind you that those of us lucky enough to
still have jobs are, in many cases, supporting a family on one salary.
Some family members have lost their jobs in these difficult times
forcing families to take measures they probably didn't have to take
two years ago. With the unemployment rate in New Jersey topping 10%
how can a 25% increase be justified? Now that you are enforcing these
increases, are you going to be hiring? Because I fear there will be
people who can't afford to keep their job due to increased commuting
cost and will be forced to look for work closer to home if work is
available.

As much as I would like to believe that you do take the "riders
concerns seriously", you have clearly failed to act on that notion.
If you did take the riders seriously, you would not ask us to find an
extra 25% to pay this increase. I understand that periodically fares
will have to be increased to keep up with the increase of gas, wages,
maintenance. But 25% is staggering!

It has been stated that executives are taking a pay decrease of five
(5%) percent- that's a pretty modest decrease when you are asking the
very people who ensure you have a job to dig deeper. I read the press
announcement dated January 28, 2010 that you, Mr. Weinstein, receive
your salary ($261,324) plus an annual incentive compensation of
$10,000, based on performance AND car. How about you forgo the car
and YOU take the train to work and see the performance of NJ Transit.
I ask you to take it daily for one (1) month, during normal rush hour
times paying the same price we do and tell us your experience. This
is not a reflection on the hard working men and women, especially the
conductors, who I see more than I see close friends. It pains me to
read you are eliminating 200 people. My heart goes out to them and
their families.

I voice my thoughts in hopes that it will at least give you pause as to what you are about to do. People will not allow this type of monopolized transportation system to take more and give back less. Continue to push riders away and you will see true detrimental results to your actions – you will have more than just a budget gap to fill.

I know I don't have a lot of followers on this blog, but to anyone out there who is reading, I would love to know your thoughts on the matter! Don't be quiet-- make your voice heard!!!

We've Got to Stop Gov Christie!!!!

For those of you who don't live in NJ or in any of the neighboring communities (NYC, Philly, CT, DE) our new Governor, Chris Christie (never trust a man with 2 first names, thank you CJ), has the grueling task of closing up the state's deficit of $11 Billion. One of his ideas is cutting $820 Million from education. Are. You. KIDDING ME? He wants to put a spending freeze on teacher's salaries for a year, suspend pension payments, and also let go 1,300 people. He wants to open more charter schools -- hmm, maybe because the current Commissioner of Education OWNS a charter school? and they are not publicly funded so therefore cutting public funding to education doesn't effect his buddy....http://www.goldendoorschool.org/principal-msg.html

Good schools mean more than just quality education (which should really be enough of a reason). Two years ago when Mike and I were looking for our first home, we looked in over 10 different towns.... you know what to know what one of the top three "must haves" was? Good school system! Why? because good schools mean you have a more desirable town, you have an active community and even if we move before we have kids, the next owners may have kids and need a good system and if its between my house in a crappy school system or one in a desirable system, i'm gonna loose -- and then that snowballs into crappy housing markets... it just goes downhill from there. My girlfriend as 19 month old -- she wants to move to an area that is being redeveloped for an arts enclave in Orange/West Orange borders. The apartment sits in the town limits of Orange... first thing I said to her was "you know, Orange doesn't have great schools... i'm just saying you should consider that" -- and everyone I know who has bought a house considers the school system.

Gov Christie is an evil, evil man who will just slash and cut and not think about the residents in this great state. I'm pretty sure you went to school, Mr. Christie, and you wouldn't have had the foundation you needed to get you to your current position (altho, having friends in high places probably didn't hurt either... man politics are nasty). without the help of your teachers teaching you to READ and WRITE.

I ask you, readers, to think of how many people you know personally who is a teacher -- I bet those numbers add up REAL quick. Now, do you want any of them to lose their job? OF COURSE NOT -- so get vocal, write some letters, make some calls and tell Christie to think again -- cutting education is not CUTTING IT WITH US!

next post will deal with allll the other "lovely" things Mr. Christie plans on slashing 'for the greater good'

Mailing address for Gov Christie

Office of the Governor

PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000

Back in the Saddle... and looking for artists...

OK, I am going to try and be a LOT better about blogging! I started off strong and then.... poof... nothing... I'm making a stand now to jump back in and get blogging!

I am trying to get a small business (but one day a BIG business!) off the ground. Its kinda like a gym for artists.... myself and Katie C (or Kate as she is now known, but she will always be Katie C to me!) are getting all our ideas streamlined and then we'll write a business plan and look for money (if you are out there with some extra dough laying around and want to help new art-centered project, let's chat) . Basically, the idea is this:

we'll have a space that will be multi-functional - a workspace, studio, gallery, event site, classroom, resource place, all-around-very-cool-place-to-be environment. We would offer different levels of membership which would provide certain perks. You wouldn't have to be a member, but it would be beneficial in the long run. It would be a place that different artists - fine arts, theatre and music -- can come and work on said craft. If you're a painter, we would have an area you can set up your easel, or drop or whatever you're working on , and provide storage area/bin/shelf/locker (still working that out). I know when I was an apartment dweller, there wasn't a lot of room for much more than my personal stuff, let alone any type of work space. Also, if you wanted to have an art-opening, we would provide our studio space to double as a gallery! Want to teach a class? We can be your classroom! Same could be said for staged readings, caberet nights, the possibilities are endless. So this is the call to arms:


ATTENTION ARTISTS!
If you're looking for a place to be around other artists, a place to perfect your craft, WE HAVE IT! (well, we will soon). It is in the West Orange/Orange bordering neighborhood and its going to be GREAT! It will be affordable (because hello, we're a-r-t-i-s-t-s, not investment bankers*) and will be a creative, inspiring, family-friendly place.

I'm serious. Very serious.

*we do not discourage investment bankers nor would we turn you away, just saying.. you are probably a bit more financially secure (perhaps you want to invest in our little company??) :)