A run

Went for a run in the park yesterday... At first I was a little put off by all of the people in the way - not that I expect to have Central Park to myself, but these people seem to have absolutely NO conscious thought that they are sharing the walkways with other people. Amazing meandering lack of awareness... BUT, instead of being annoyed, I turned my run into a Filter-fueled, stroller- and rambler-dodging mission: see your best path of approach many paces ahead but be alert to the unplanned trajectories of the mob before you; react with swiftness and agility. Past the teenagers awkwardly making out on their date to the park that they know is supposed to be romantic; through the sea of mostly-European boys that tirelessly try to coerce people into taking "beautiful bicycle tour of the park"; around the out-of-towners gingerly navigating tiny puddles in the broken pavement - whoa kid, stay with your mom; past the old sax player stationed by the tunnel (he is always there), his music jumping into my ears, momentarily disoriented when it finds itself in the company of the alt-rock-techno beats of Filter; through the tunnel and up around the sunbathers and then down East Dr, avoiding the horse-drawn carriages and bike buggies; back around the pond and up up up to Central Park South (E 59th) where there are waaaay to many people and art stands and vendors and photo ops and horses to dodge so before before I get stuck in Grand Army Plaza I cross the street and run in between the the street and the scaffolding, avoiding all of the people dragging their bags into the Ritz... It was so much fun my run seemed 10 minutes long (it was close to 30.) It's all in your head...

Mostly work...

So...
The jobs are still going well. Colin's situation is frustrating at times due to bullying and immaturity prevalent among the people in his position and below... Mark and his chefs de cuisine/managing chefs are all pretty cool and at least reasonable, but a lot of the less experienced people there feel a need to assert their "superiority" and do so by picking on Colin and, occasionally, each other. He is so good-natured and unshakeable so he is dealing with it really well, but in a way I think it makes them more inclined to pick on him because it annoys them that he doesn't sweat. What's nice is that his bosses like him, but more importantly they know that he's talented and capable.

My job is fine. It pays well (in tips, not the $4/hr I make on my New York tipped employee wage!) and it keeps me busy while I am there. The people are cool to work with, although the management is less than experienced. (We don't have champagne stoppers? The speed rail behind the bar changes every day depending on who is working? You have no idea where our meat comes from?!) Actually, the lack of ingredient knowledge is not specific to this restaurant - most places in New York do not really put emphasis on it. Even Del Posto! Us San Francisco slow food farmer's market kids were a little amazed...

We love our apartment. We are in the last stages of making the living room live up to it's name and then we can actually relax when we have time! I will post pictures when it is all done.
Wow, I actually have to run to work right now but I will update again soon!