Monday, August 15, 2005

Walking with a bounce

If you take walking desires of daughter no.1, add them to walking desires of daughter no.2 and then multiply them by my own, you basically got yourself on heapin’ Sunday of walking.

My daughters are relentless, covering the west and east side of the isthmus in record time. We return home, then set out again in search of innovative food and drink. Late at night, I sit down to write, except I am so tired that I fall asleep at the computer.

To be happy. Where does this ephemeral state of contentment come from? Here’s one trick that always works: think back to the closest people in your life. Pick out the ones you can bounce words with in such a way that not only you, but all those sharing your space start to grin as well. The positive energy overwhelms the hour and suddenly the meal, the walk through a city, the pause over a cappuccino or a latte is filled with such joy that you completely forget about all the smoldering fires in the darker corners of your life.

My daughters belong to this select group of glorious word bouncers. When we set an hour into “play” mode, it is impossible not to succumb to joy. How could it be otherwise?


Madison Aug 05 199 New York has SoHo, NoHo and TriBeCa. Until this day, I did not know Madison had its own: SoJo (South of Johnson).

Madison Aug 05 202 Madison walk: it's all in the legs

Madison Aug 05 211 Madison walk: is he mad? not likely. only a painter in Mad City.

Madison Aug 05 215 Madison walk: competition for my own wild garden