In Which The Mayoress Narrowly Avoids a Stabbing

Oh, the irony.

Perp is seated next to guy in background;
guy in foreground is blocking my view of him.

After nearly six months of searching, I'd finally found an affordable, adorable apartment.  I had a few reservations, one of which was its subway stop and distance from the main street I really want to live off of, so last night Nicolle and I went on a "safety walk" to assess my comfort level (not comfortability, that is not a word) in the area after dark.

We were doing okay, all was good, entering the Q train at Church (Caton Ave entrance) we were chatting about how enriched our lives have been having lived in Brooklyn (you can see this coming, can't you?), and we go down to the platform and the train is stopped as if it's stalled, people standing in the doorways and whatnot.  And we duck into the first car, ask what's going on, and some guy says there's been a fight.  Then we notice a man in the car covered in blood.  Um, where are the cops?  What happened?

Four million people as of today

I hope you'll consider donating to help efforts in Pakistan. I'm only able to make a small donation, but I'm sure every bit counts, and if all of us pitched in even $10, that's significant food or shelter for some of the 4 million people - that's half the population of New York City, can you imagine?! - who are currently homeless.
It only took me one minute to fill out the form, and I set up a fundraising page here.  Spread the word...

The Mayoress on The Mosque

Build it.  That is all.

In Which The Mayoress Considers What Really Matters

I was so happy to stumble on this article in yesterday's Times, ironically, as I was having a stoop sale getting rid of my surplus stuff:

On the bright side, the practices that consumers have adopted in response to the economic crisis ultimately could — as a raft of new research suggests — make them happier. New studies of consumption and happiness show, for instance, that people are happier when they spend money on experiences instead of material objects, when they relish what they plan to buy long before they buy it, and when they stop trying to outdo the Joneses.


This has certainly been hitting me lately, during my year of figuring out what matters to me versus what everyone else is doing with their lives.  

"And Make Us All More Freer Than We Were Yesterday"

Have you met Basil Marceaux, candidate for Governor of Tennessee?  No?!  Well, let me introduce you!

If I Ruled the World...

Wyclef Jean for Haitian President?!  I can get on board with that.  Why shouldn't the arts be experience for politics?  Reagan... Schwarzenegger... Franken... The Mayoress... yes, performers translate to brilliant (or at least, very good looking) leaders!

Let's consider his resume:

WYCLEF JEAN
+1.917.555.4325
wj@wyclef.com

OBJECTIVE
Serve as president of Haiti

EXPERIENCE
2000s - Present  Independent Performing Artist; Producer; Community Activist
- Over 1,000 contacts in entertainment and politics
- Garnered global attention for insightful lyrics and progressive tunes
- Ability to work long and unusual hours, as well as travel extensively
- Comprehensive knowledge of social media
- Blogger for Huffington Post
- Produced mildly successful Fugees spinoff group City High

1990s - 2000s The Fugees   Band Leader/Artist
- Worked in collaborative environment
- Grossed millions of dollars in sales
- Toured extensively, gave crowd-moving performances (aka speeches)
- Global recognition for talent, innovation
- Bandmate Pras once went on date with future Mayoress of New York City; it didn't go that well but it's a good story.

SPECIAL SKILLZ
Brilliant oration, good fashion, rhythm, ability to seize unique opportunities.


See?  There you go.  Clef for Prez!!

God Bless Anthony Weiner

Mayoral election do-over!  How could we have not elected previous candidate, current Congressman Anthony Weiner?!  At least there's someone with some degree of sincere passion in the House.  Check out his editorial in today's Times.



Seriously.  I am so frustrated with the Republicans who are blocking every piece of legislation just to be difficult, under the paper-thin excuse of a given health care, energy, finance bill not being perfect/sufficient/etc.  I don't see any of them trying to do anything to solve the real problems the vast majority of Americans face, only securing their big-corporation campaign contributions, creating Fox News soundbites, and making sure the rich stay rich.  No, it really is that simple.  We have to start somewhere, and the GOP and their brilliant subsidiary tea party is the epitome of every reason things aren't getting better.  Or as Weiner puts it:

Instead of engaging in a real debate about how to address the challenges we face, Republicans have turned to obstruction, no matter the issue, and then cry foul after the fact. They claim to want an open legislative process with more consultation and debate, but the truth is they simply don’t want to pass anything.  Meanwhile, conservative television and talk radio programs are full of false anger, intended to scare Americans. I think some genuine frustration at this misleading tactic is overdue.

When I am Mayoress... Parenting

More parenting posts!  Don't worry, I'm not nine months out or anything so your dreams of a mini-Mayoress will just have to remain delicious fantasies.

Check out this comment on Jezebel's post about the Daily Mail article on nannies' opinions of their employers:

Invite a friend to comment

I am a nanny and have an agent that sends me on interviews when I'm not employed. I recently went to one for a woman who doesn't work, and already has both a full time nanny and maid. She was looking for a second nanny for her 3 kids. She told me I would be the "fun" nanny and she would expect me to entertain them constantly. She told me I'd have to stay every day until they were asleep because when the kids went to bed she took one child, the other nanny took one child, but then there was a third child with no one to help put her down (like the child's father).

My agent called her to ask her why I didn't get the job and she told him that I was lovely, but that she didn't feel comfortable ordering around an American girl and would prefer a Puerto Rican or South American. Yeah.

Now, you guys know I have strong feelings on parenthood, mainly rooted in my belief that procreating should be a decision, not a given.  But when I wield the limitless power of Mayoress, people deciding to become parents will have to at least pass a simple test first, like...