faulker009

This just in. My six-year old daughter is running for President of the United States of America. In 2053. She made the stunning announcement last night while we were watching the Padres face the Dodgers. “Are they the New York Dodgers?,” she asked. My 11-year old son, shocked if not offended that a member of his family would ask such a question, said “no, they are the Los Angeles Dodgers.” “I thought they were from New York,” she replied. Instantly I realized that my six-year old was not only adorable, but she was paying attention. So I jumped in and said that they used to play in Brooklyn, which is in New York. “That’s the team that Jackie Robinson played for,” she added. Yes it is. So I asked if she knew what Jackie Robinson was famous for. “He wore the number that my brother wears.” True. Actually, HE wears the number that Jackie wore. My son did a report on Jackie in second grade and was so impressed by the story that he started wearing #42. A number he wears with pride to this day...

"Kevin Bacon saved my life." Those were the words of Ramone, the 60-year old Dominican who drove me to the airport for my trip home. Before meeting up with him, I had a little free time, so I wanted to visit Ground Zero. I wasn't sure what there was to see, but I knew I wanted to see it. So I got up early, grabbed the southbound W train, pumped Jay-Z's "Empire State of Mind" into my iPod and made my way to the site of one of our biggest tragedies. As I made it to the corner of Church and Vesey, where more than 3,000 lives ended and millions more were forever damaged, my personal soundtrack changed to a song called Empty Sky, from Bruce Springsteen's 9/11 tribute album, The Rising. The combination of what my ears were hearing, what my eyes were seeing and what my brain was thinking, I almost couldn't take it. There was nothing on the street or in the air that reminded me of what happened exactly there nearly nine years earlier, but you couldn...

I think I'm in love. I know I am married, but with my wife more than 1,500 miles away, I just met someone very special. Her name is New York, as in New York City. I've visited her many times before, actually MANY times before, but I've never seen her look so beautiful. Maybe it was the possibility of getting a job there. Maybe it was my hotel in the heart of the city. Maybe it was the two-plus days of less-than-miserable winter weather, but whatever it was, she was perfect. As Joan Jett once said, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." I love walking around Times Square at 10:00am AND 10:00pm. I love eating a slice of pizza at midnight. I love buying chestnuts, which were really roasted on an open fire, from a street vendor. I love riding the subway. I love the accents -- and nobody loves a New York accent, not even New Yorkers. I love the many options for your morning paper, and I bought them all. I love the 2-for-1 ticket booth for Broadway plays, w...