how to eat the last chips out of the bag

Cheetos
Fritos
Doritos
and coming this summer
brought to you by the newest justice of the US Supreme court Justice samuel
ALITOS

but really they can only be good if one can drink the last crumbs from the most remote corners of the bag. This is a better sensation than "slurping down" the last jagged crumbs from the Pringles can. That is too much likie drinking, and the chance of the ships rushing too quickly to take in an orderly and non-messy way is too greatly reduced.

Now the greasier the bag (like say regualr Lays potato chips any flavor) (sour cream and onion) the greater the tempation will be to cut or tear the bag to a much smaller length once a majority of the chips have been ingested. I am here to plead with you to fight that urge.

The best thing I have seen since...

... I started taking new York city transit regularly was the following:

Though it was only a month or so ago, the line in my memory that distinguishes January from February was blurred by the coldness, so I cannot be more specific as to the date. But, it was cold and oppressive conditions and I had been working outside all day, on my feet.

On the E train I continued to stand due to the train's capacity. As usual I walked quickly to the G across the 23rd/Ely/Court Sq. station in Queens. I snuck in just as the bell was sounding for the train to leave the station to an orange seat (in fact an entire empty 5-seat [2 x 3 'L' shape] section).

The section adjacent to me was full of people. There was a family of five: two adults and three children under the age of 7. On the 2-seat bench (closest to me [or base of the 'L']) was the mother and two of the children. Both boys, one was on her lap and the other nestled between her and the wall/window of the car. The three seat section held the father and a young girl. There was little space left since all five were wearing big poofy black jackets.

This was particularly true of the man and the girl; their two bodies (with jacketed poofiness) erased almost all the orange from sight. Even sitting down it was clear that neither the man or woman were over 5'4". This was a short and squaty crew to be certain.

I didn't really notice them until the first stop and the mother was wrapping up her successful attempt to quiet her boys. She seemed tired and slightly on edge, and I noticed the father noticing that as well, but his fatigue seemed to be mixed with a sense of satisfaction.

As he sat there beginning to find pride in his wife, just before she looked up to acknowledge him, the girl tugged harder, than her first two tries, on his puffed jacket such that he could feel it, and gain his attention. She got it, and he lowered his head and shoulders to hear what she had to say.

It was something I wouldn't repeat to you here even if I could have understood what she said. The next thing I knew she was burying her head in the cushion of his outer layer and closing her eyes with peace that passes understanding. He was obviously satisfied, and gently closed his eyes as well.

By this point I think my glare into this picture had become obvious to these engaged parents. The father opened his eyes and saw me staring. All I could give was a dopey, lip-grin, and eye-brows that said, "sorry for staring, but you guys are so dag gone cute I cannot stop looking on with some sense of envy, kudos..."

All-day long I had been trying to attract positive attention to myself, and now I was out of place and violating the most pulchritudinous thing I had witnessed in months.

The train stopped. The doors opened and I disappeared back into the cold night a few minutes later through a hall that echoed some way above average subway music, especially for the G line. Simple and soulful.

Free paper

In New York you can read so much for free. Yes, the best American paper has its home here and will set you back 14 quarters on Sunday, but there is so much more here for free.

Not just the local news like say the Fort Green News I can pick up at the laundromat, but Villiage Voice, The Onion, and local magazines eveyrwhere I step.

Surely I can get a job that pays writing in this town you know.

But thanks for reading this for free.

everything happens there

last night in a meadow on the western edge of Howard county, just off of rt. 97 two deer were necking like innocent teenagers.
it was very precious.

Aint that America

I was at Saturday's Game in Baltimore between the Yankees and Orioles.

I had an 8 dollar standing room only ticket with my cousin.

In the 3rd inning as we were walking from one place we couldn't sit to another place we coulnd't sit I saw something.

A young Chinese boy(2-3), dancing with a young African-American girl(8-10) to a U2 song. On both side of this sware` the families of each were smiling and snapping pictures of this simple and beautiul moment. Only in American can this happen I think. I am pretty critical of America most times, but dammit we do that right. You can't go to China and see that, nor can you go to Africa and see such diverse pictures of social enjoyment.

We got a whole lot to work on here, but man we are special and blessed to have that.

May the groundhog be hacked to bits

That first time each spring it catches you off guard. The sun is out and the degrees are up from where they have been. You indoors and for the first time in a while that doesn't seem like the best side of the door to place yourself.
And you go outside almost hypnotically by the day and its unforeseen beauty. In fact you do not just go outside and breath the air, you go outside and do something active. More than you meant to. You know as you step back inside this is the start of something big, and grand season of you becoming a better person in all of your mind, heart, and body.
Then it snows the next day.
And you are back in the same sorry mind frame.