The Value of Women's Colleges

In case anyone is interested in the topic, see the Newsweek article and my post on
The Group Women (a group blog with my college friends)

A Bridge Too Far??

The George Washington Bridge is turning 75 this month and the local paper had some wonderful articles about the influence of the bridge on the cultural development of the region. There are also some interesting articles built around archival information from when the Bridge was built.

Ever since I can remember, I have been using the GWB (as we locals call it) as a landmark to explain where I live, as in..."2.2 miles south of." All driving directions to my house include "Follow the signs for the GWB." Almost any major road in NJ has George Washington Bridge signs on it -- even from as far as 100 miles away.

It's almost a Pavlovian reaction to try to get a view of the Bridge. In fact, today I went to the end of my block and took a few pictures across the river. If I lean over the guardrail protecting me and others from a death plunge off the Palisades and twist my body just so, I can even see (and get a partial shot of) The Bridge. (Click on the picture to see it larger.)

It is, indeed, quite a beautiful structure. I especially like it from the middle of the river at night when crossing to or from mid-town Manhattan (about 5 miles downriver) on the commuter ferry.

I've driven over the GWB, been under it (there are some nice trails in the southern sections of Palisades Interstate Park) and looked at it from dozens of different vantage points, including the revolutionary era Fort Lee Historic Park, but never did walk across it. Maybe it's finally time?

Pink Flamingoes

It seems the original producer of the plastic Pink Flamingo may be going out of business. Yes, they are kind of tacky, but over the years, without my really noticing, they've grown on me. And now I have a nostalgic attachment to them...*sigh*. I suppose they represent the "earlier, simpler past" that never really existed. I guess that makes me a sentimental skeptic?

Note: these are real flamingoes, Honolulu Zoo, March 2005.

Welcome to my blog!

Aloha,

Now that I'm back in NJ, I find it hard to share my thoughts and ideas with all my dear friends, so here I am, blogging! I enjoy reading everyone else's stuff and I figured it's about time I take a pro-active role in communication.

It's been really hard getting used to NJ again. Mainly shoes. I am having an incredibly hard time with closed shoes. OK, so I rarely wore basic slippahs cause I need more support than that, but my toes loved being free!

The weather's been so-so. I love the crisp Fall days, but not the damp, windy, cold ones. Clothes are so much more work here. You need inside clothes and outside clothes and it's all so complicated! In Hawaii, you just needed a cover-up for the AC. I know I'm whining, but it's mainly because I'm trying to avoid the real issue, which is that I miss all my Hawaii friends and colleagues so much.

I'm hoping that in the future I'll have more interesting things to say, but for now I just wanted to set this up and get started (while I'm waiting for my photos to upload to flickr).