Folded Thought of the Day:

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A Day in the City

It begins with the realization that you are faced with one 
of the most glorious happenings of the year.  You arise 
from a decent night's rest to the first truly warm day of 
the year.  And it's been a long time coming.  Yeah, you 
dug the cold days when the wind would cut right through 
your flesh and chill the marrow of your bones.  But it's 
time to thaw out.  

So you shelve all those projects you thought about doing, 
the dishes, the laundry, maybe even get a little ahead of 
the game at work.  Nah, not today.  Shower.  Feed the cats.  
Jeans and a t-shirt and the leather jacket you haven't 
been able to wear for months -- too thin to fight off 
any but the most friendly of winds.  

And you're out the door for coffee and a cheese danish 
at the neighborhood bakery -- more of an institution 
really, been around since 1864 or some such.  But not 
that danish, made fresh in the morning's secret hours, 
melting in your mouth and making a glorious palate partner 
to that steaming coffee.  Sit on a stoop and take it all 
in.  The whole day ahead of you.  So get to it buddy. 

First things first.  This danish ain't gonna hold 
a wanderlust like this.  So it's diner time.  Eggs and 
potatoes and toast and more coffee.  Won't bore you 
with the details.  We've covered that territory before.

Gotta sit down and get your bearings.  Make sure you 
plan this thing out right.  Head for the park.  Grab 
a bench recently vacated by one of the park's more 
permanent residents.  And it doesn't take long before 
everything comes into focus.  The joyous screams of 
children's laughter.  Running their you're-it patterns, 
smiling beyond belief, chasing the squirrels and commanding 
the attention of forgiving parents.  Bright-eyed dogs out 
on the town and getting a serious thrill from walking beside 
their best friend in the world on this best of all possible 
days.  Sniffing and panting and chasing a squirrel or two of 
their own.  Squirrels sure don't seem to mind -- zipping up 
them trees and retracing their steps when the dude with the 
bag full of peanuts starts spreading the wealth.  

Yeah, you know how this day is going to go down for you.  
By just letting it happen.  Head out and see where you go.  
A solid game plan.

So it's a casual East Village stroll.  Doing your best 
to keep to the sunny side of the street.  Catching the 
rays off buildings whose details have weathered the 
winter's shadows, blossoming now before your eyes.  Wow, 
I sure never noticed those faces up there.  Wonder who 
the architect or designer or whoever might have been 
thinking about.  Some set of mythological deities no 
doubt.  One would hope.  Possessing something to believe 
in.  Watching over us each day.  

Down to Little Italy, packing such a variety of wondrous 
details in a few-block stretch.  Restaurants and characters 
right out of a movie.  All calling out "action."  In their 
own way.  C'mon, we've got a table ready for you.  Maybe 
we'll catch you on the way back.  Yeah, if only there was 
a way back.  Nothing tragic.  Just a little pang, gotta 
keep moving on.  

And then it's Chinatown Jake.  Oops, wrong coast.  With 
all its mystery, back-alley herbalists prescribing secret 
remedies to the various ailments of the body and spirit.  
Not yet co-opted by western ways.  Don't want to mess with 
your Feng Shui.  Side stepping your way down to Wall Street.  

Well, you've seen it all before but it never stops kicking 
you in the stomach.  Those building reaching to the sky.  
In some testimony to our ambition and contempt for the limits 
of this world.  You stand there, looking up and getting dizzy.  
Is that building really there.  It seems so out of reach and 
you're only ten or so feet away.  But you know how far removed 
you are from whatever force put this collection of cement and 
glass and iron and hope together.  

Gotta reach the tip.  Of the island.  Look out at that 
Statue of Liberty and say nothing.  Just remember those 
words and that's about all it takes.  Could be the wind 
blowing in from water kicking up these tears.  

And by this time the legs are weary and the palate is a bit 
dry.  So you drop into a waterfront bar and take stock of 
the day and relax.  And you chat with some locals and some 
tourists.  And you make a few selections on the jukebox.  

And you go home.  And sleep sounder than you have in a 
long time.  And then it's Monday.  Sitting now if front 
of your computer.  Typing away.


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