The temperatures dropped into the 50s last night and sleep was easy until my alarm woke me at 5:00 AM. I woke, ate an apple, and I drove my car to ArtToFrames.com where I parked it for the day. The office doesn't open until 8:00-ish so returned to 820 and during my walk home, I stopped to take photos at Sunset Park.
When I arrived at 820, I slept again in the cool air that was spilling through my window and finally, I roused myself and got ready for work.
At the end of the day, I learned that today is a Jewish holiday and that may explain why Aaron wasn't there. I worked on some volunteer tasks and then started to research and generate sales leads. The receptionist, Suzanna, invited her fiancee to the office and I spoke with him at length about his role in the military. He goes to Baghdad soon and I thanked him for his service.
In my opinion, we can and should freely exercise our free speech, but direct our vitriol and anger at the men in power, not the citizens like you and I who are serving us for our country. Because if the soldier's expressed such displeasure and insubordination in the heat of a battle, those behaviors may be interpreted as treason subject to the immediate penalty of death.
Write your senator. Protest peaceably. Call into a talk show to vent. But leave our honorable men and women in the military alone. Think. What happens if a theater of war enters our soil? Our neighbors, friends, and family in the military will lead us all into battle against an enemy. Don't tempt them into anger today and force them to forgive you later if the situation turns.
I shook hands with Suzanna's fiancee and thanked him again for his service.
Our street is closed again tomorrow so I parked on 41st just down from the church. I thought about taking the train into Manhattan tonight, but I relaxed with the video game on my cellphone and now I'm writing my journal entry.
It's good to rest. Tomorrow evening I meet Derek in Central Park to play soccer in Sheep's Meadow. Resting tonight fits nicely.
After I wrote, I had energy to burn so I walked with my camera to Sunset Park and took hundreds of photos. When I went to the NYC Social Flickr meetup, I learned that most people take photos of whomever they want to share on their Flickr site. I don't plan to sell any of my people photos so I am slowly breaking my reluctance to photograph people and I'm learning.
To do this, I dismiss thoughts of making money selling the photos and I do it simply as an exercise of love. Someone really has to document the thrilling social atmosphere at Sunset Park as nearly a half-dozen soccer games break out. Families laugh and play together. Kids run around. Everyone seems accepted as long as they relax and enjoy the moment.
On my walk back, I looked at my car on 41st Street and I talked to Angie for a few minutes. She asked me if I was on vacation, but I told her that I am simply going back and forth. She asked about John and I said that he's better, but he's too skinny and he'll have to eat a lot.
Despite the coolness of Sunset Park and the pleasant chit-chat with Angie, I feel homesick tonight. I miss New Hampshire.
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