Motivation

These antique motivational cards are hilarious and beautifully done. Many more at the link, but this is one of my favorites.

Man's best friend

Facebook find of the day. Anyone who has a dog, or who has ever had a dog, knows this look...

Want every one of these

Well, almost every one of these very cool posters. Seriously, if I have to pick only five say, it would be really hard to choose. Here's just one that I love.

And there's so many more.

Old friends

I see this hit the Yahoo news but in case you missed it, a group of guy friends take the same picture over 30 years.

They mostly aged well. Sorry the flash thing won't let you copy the photo in the large size. You have to click over to the entire gallery here.

Little City Story

Been a while since I've posted anything personal here. So a few days ago, a local cop follows me for 8 blocks while I wind my way around the side streets to avoid the lights. Pretty sure he was running my plate. But I'm not worried. I keep the car legal. Except I realized today, my plate expired last month. So I've been blithely driving around the little city for almost month on illegal plates. Only in a town this small would I have gotten away with it.

Legal now of course but I nearly had a panic attack driving the three blocks to the inspection and the three blocks back to the license plate bureau.

Life is funny

Facebook funny of the day. You all know that saying about how to live your life...

This would be just my luck. But you probably should still love like your heart can never be broken.

Sunday Funnies

This facebook find made me laugh today. Funny on a lot of levels.

When we were young

This is the social net find of the week. Famous old movie stars when they were young. Here's Christopher Walken.

Don't really remember him as a young actor. He was hot. Much more at the link including Gandalf as a young actor.

A tribute to Dr. Suess

Love these twig houses. I'm pretty sure this one was constructed at the Springfield Museum quadrangle in Springfield, MA where Dr. Seuss was born. Certainly looks like a place any of his characters would like to live.

Haven't posted a NYC photo for a while. I've become rather jaded about sunset photos but this is one of the best I've seen in a long time.

This from the gorgeous and talented Isarda Sorensen. Her blog at the link is a running photo gallery of Manhattan.

Manhattanhenge

One day a year, the sun sets directly at the end of 49th Street and 6th Avenue in New York City. They call it Manhattanhenge, you know, in honor of Stonehenge in England. Never remember to be there for it myself, but it always draws a crowd. Loved this series of photos capturing the moment.

[photo credits first, second and third.]

Golden puppies

Warning, this live stream of golden retriever puppies is addictive. Seems to be on 24/7. Can't stop watching it myself.

[photo via]

Tiptoe, through the tulips

Something about this photo that love.

Found on facebook.

It's only rock and roll but I like it

Boy does this make me feel old. The Rolling Stones celebrated their 50th anniversary as a band yesterday. I remember when they started that band. I remember when they looked like this in real time.

Many more photos here.

Lend a hand

I got these as an email ages ago. I saved it thinking I would post the photos one at a time. It's buried so deep in old mail I'll probably never find it again. But this collage is the next best thing. Astonishing how they figure out this painted hands.

Click on the photo to make it bigger.

Tale of a NYC cabbie

This is from Facebook. No idea if it's even true, but it's so beautifully written I was literally crying by the end. For a moment I thought I might sob out loud.

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be my last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked.. 'Just a minute', answered a frail, elderly voice. I could hear something being dragged across the floor.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her 90's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940's movie.

By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets.

There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

'Would you carry my bag out to the car?' she said. I took the suitcase to the cab, then returned to assist the woman.

She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb.

She kept thanking me for my kindness. 'It's nothing', I told her.. 'I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother to be treated.'

'Oh, you're such a good boy, she said. When we got in the cab, she gave me an address and then asked, 'Could you drive through downtown?'

'It's not the shortest way,' I answered quickly.

'Oh, I don't mind,' she said. 'I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice.

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening. 'I don't have any family left,' she continued in a soft voice.'The doctor says I don't have very long.' I quietly reached over and shut off the meter.

'What route would you like me to take?' I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator.

We drove through the neighborhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl.

Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, 'I'm tired.Let's go now'. We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico.

Two orderlies came out to the cab as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her.

I opened the trunk and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

'How much do I owe you?' She asked, reaching into her purse.

'Nothing,' I said

'You have to make a living,' she answered.

'There are other passengers,' I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug.She held onto me tightly.

'You gave an old woman a little moment of joy,' she said. 'Thank you.'

I squeezed her hand, and then walked into the dim morning light.. Behind me, a door shut.It was the sound of the closing of a life..

I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly lost in thought. For the rest of that day,I could hardly talk.What if that woman had gotten an angry driver,or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away?

On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments.But great moments often catch us unaware-beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one

Strange but true

Don't know why this works, but it's very weird and very cool. Try it for yourself.

[larger version here]

Three strikes

A while back I posted what was then the most impressive photo of lightning I'd ever seen. That was then. This photo has just taken over the number one spot. I believe it was taken during the big storms around DC last week.

Just wow. [original photo]

Legends in their own time

If you live in New York City you can see this show in real life. For those of us who live too far away, there are the internets. Here's one of 15 intimate portraits of old rock and roll legends when they were young.

Classic Joplin pose. The rest of them are here.

If I could turn back time

The conversation is kind of dumb but the concept is incredibly cool. Wondering if he just edited some old video he took as a kid or had the idea when he was 12, made the video and then remembered to follow through and finish it 20 years later. That would be really cool.

What's cuter than a baby panda on a slide

Four baby pandas on a slide...

Happy Independence Day

Fair warning PSA from Marilyn. Have a fun and safe holiday.

[Original photo]

The family of man

This doesn't really describe my childhood family outings. We weren't this cerebral. We were more about singing in the car and I don't recall Dad every being surly about unscheduled stops. But still it's a kind of universal meme and this cartoon did make me laugh.

Once in a lifetime

Apparently elephants are usually very private about giving birth. Too hard to embed the video here but Richard Branson posts footage of a live birth of a baby elephant from his game reserve in Africa.

Very cool.