Lenin Lives!

Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Bolshevik Party, mastermind of the October Revolution, and most recently known for his permanent mummification in wax, is ALIVE. I know, seems wrong, doesn't it? But I trust my own eyes do not decieve me.

A while ago, while parading over the Bridge one morning, I noticed the appearance of what looked to be a deer blind on the roof of the 7th Precinct on Pitt Street (viewable from the South side of the bridge). I thought it was strange, since I had never seen ANY wild game, much less a deer, in lower Manhatttan. But whatever, I figured if our city's finest had found a new liesurely pastime it was not my place to pass judgment.

And then one morning - like a dream - He was there. It was a sunny morning and I was high-tailing to get to work. I had glanced over to see if there were any deer on the trafficway below and I did a double-take at what I saw. There was Lenin, standing there, in the deer blind. Now, granted, he's been encased in wax for a long time now so he was understandably a freakishly pale shade of white. He also had on a pair of cheap, gas station sunglasses. But the likeness was....unmistakeable.

Bear with me now. So, here's what Lenin looked like pre-waxing:

Handsome, I know. Now remember, he's been dead for about 84 years. Add in a pair of these:

And voila! Hence the apparition I saw on the roof of the 7th Precinct!

Now, I know it sounds crazy, I mean, this guy was a friggin revolutionary - what's he think he's doing hunting for deer on top of a police station in probably the most deer-devoid island in the world, when clearly it is nowhere near deer season. But then I realized - of course! Nobody expects Vladimir Ilyich Lenin to be hanging out in a deer blind on the Lower East Side. That would be CRAZY! And Lenin was known to be a very clear thinker. Therefore, its the perfect disguise!

I walked by the next day and noticed that he was now wearing a very unflattering policeman's cap. I guess maybe too many people were recognizing him. I didn't want him to think it wasn't working so I pretended not to notice him and kept walking. My precious little secret!

(Farm) Sharing is Caring

Had to DRAG ourselves out of bed this morning and down to McCarren park for our distrubution shift this morning.  See, earlier in the year, Meeks and I signed up for a farm share which included a mandatory work shift at the distribution site.  We didn't think anything of it since we're both generally early risers.  But after a looong week of commuting to Jersey and a late night last night (and an AMAZING dinner at Miranda), Saturday morning came much too soon.  

Labor-wise, the morning wasn't too bad.  Chris, the farmer pulled up with his truck and Mike and I helped unload (with 3 or 4 other people) and set up.  Then we were assigned posts.  I was lucky enough to get the flower distribution, and Mike got the eggs.  Basically, what this entailed was when somebody came up, you find their name on a list and mark 'em off.  Easy as pie.  

The hardest part was the unexpected smells.  See, there were three smells competing for our affections this morning:

1. The outhouse-like poo smell of the nearby compost project

2. The extreme sandalwood incense the compost project was burning to cover up the outhouse-like poo smell, and

3.  The food cart

The food cart was by far our biggest threat.  It was positioned directly in front of where Mike and I were stationed.  We hadn't had time for breakfast, and all morning the fellow was right in front of us frying bacon, sausage, burgers and eggs.  Sweet Baby Jesus, it was INTENSE.  Mike broke down after about 7 minutes and went over and got a bacon, egg, and cheese on a baguette while I watched his post.  I managed to hold off until we finished at noon, but man, it was a struggle.

All in all, it was a very good time.  Talked to a lot of great people and even found a couple of freakishly large chicken eggs and one teensy-tiny baby-sized one.  Once we closed up shop and cleaned up (and attacked the food cart) we hung out for a little while with another of the volunteers, then hiked over to Enid's to drop off the leftover flowers.  They were quite appreciative.  Then, on the way home we stopped at a parking-lot garage sale and got a copy of Evil Dead 2 on VHS for a buck! 

It was the perfect end to a perfect morning.

Mike, the food cart, and my flowers

Ran into the Playgirl van parked on the way home.  It smelled okay so I had Mike pose for a picture with it.  He was not amused.  (But I was!)

Things to see from a moving train.

I've been commuting to Princeton the past couple of days and have found that while riding the train I tend to neglect my reading materials.  This is not something new, as I often take the Amtrak up to Albany and spend the time gazing out the window at the picturesque hills of the Hudson Valley.  That's understandable.  

But...New Jersey Transit en route to Priceton...not as picturesque.  I couldn't figure out what kept drawing my eyes out that window, but at any rate, I decided to snap some pictures.  You know, because they last longer.

Also, on the same topic, was some fascinating graffiti that really was photo-worthy, but whizzed by to quickly to capture.  My favorite was one spraypainted on the back of a transformer and read:

"The rumors about my Denise

have been greatly exaggerated."

hee hee hee

Trees and other shrubberies

Wooden shanties

Other trains

Shadow puppets

New Brunswick

Watery graves

My own reflection in the smudgy glass

Bridging the East River

One of my daily duties (self-appointed, of course) as a Mexican-American Michigander and, more importantly, a Nouveau Brooklynite, is to monitor the goings-on of the Williamsburg Bridge.  It is the pride of the East River.  Well, my favorite bridge, anyways.   

Lately, I have noticed an increased police presence around the entryways onto the bridge.  Traffic entries.  A makeshift checkpoint set up on the north entrance of the bridge from the Williamsburg side (off the BQE), with no actual traffic stops.  Just a lot of milling around and looking very well put together in their navy ensembles.

Then a couple of nights ago, a rougue police car ventured onto the bridge.  And not just on the bridge, but on the pedestrian level of the bridge.  In their CAR.  I admit, I was mildly disturbed.  But then I saw what a lovely sense of festiveness the colored police lights added to its spraypainted mural backdrop and that welcoming shade of rosa mexicano.  I have to say, it really tied the bridge together.

¡Que belleza!