Woohoo!! - First day of Spring
This morning, I noticed lots of smiles, giggling and people flirting all around me on the subway.
The weather report is calling for a high of 78 this afternoon!! That means today is the first day of Spring in NYC. On my way into work, a colleague insisted that the actual first day of Spring - the vernal equinox - was March 21, but who really follows the astronomical schedule?
Yesterday, I said goodbye to winter coats and moved to a sport jacket. Tomorrow, the bike is coming out. I’m excited.
Brooklyn Public Libraries partnering with Netflix?
The NY Post reported that the new head of the Brooklyn Public Library System, Dionne Mack-Harvin, has engaged Netflix in talks to provide a DVD delivery service to library customers. Wow!! Does this mean I could cancel my $12.99/month subscription and get similar service with my library membership for free? This is an example of the type of public-private partnership that provides a valuable service to it’s citizens and may drive significant growth for the enterprise involved. I imagine Netflix could lose a chunk of their Brooklyn customers, who would opt for the free option, but then again, the Brooklyn Public Library is the fifth largest system in the country and the increase in customers (who may be serviced at a slimmer margin) could certainly offset the loss. One thing this would accomplish is increased awareness and interest in the library system, which would be a great first notch on the new chief’s belt.
I’m a product manager….who is experiencing serious jetlag
So a few hours after landing back in NYC from Australia on Sunday, I was asked to shift focus somewhat from business development to product management, with a primary focus on development and integration of WikiAnswers. I’m excited. I’ve been indirectly invested in product development over the past few months anyway and for the moment, it’s where I feel I can add the most value.
I’m not one to normally experience much jetlag, but I’ve been dragging all week. The 16-hour time difference between NYC and East Australia is kicking my butt. I’m hoping I’ll get back to normal over the weekend. Someone told me jetlag gets much worse after 30. Damn, I’m getting old.
Healthy gene pools, exotic wildlife and delightful people….thoughts from a visit down under
Nearly two weeks have passed here in Australia, and its been a whirlwind trip….I may need a vacation to recover from this vacation. I started in Melbourne, where I arrived off an 18-hour flight from LA to friends who swiftly took me on a 4-hour bike tour of the city. The pace of these travels hasn’t slowed since. Three days in Melbourne was enough to see the spectacular Twelve Apostles by helicopter, drive the Great Ocean Road, hike through coastal rainforests, tour the harbour by yacht, swim in the bay, log some QT on the beach and taste a bit of the city’s nightlife. On to Sydney, friends and I found ourselves house-sitting a beautiful apartment in Darling Point overlooking the opera house and harbor bridge. We hiked the Spit to Manly and dipped in the water at stunning secluded beaches along the way. We kayaked from Rose Bay to a national park on Sydney Harbor, and walked barefoot on dirt trails through rich tropical vegetation. On the way home, as winds picked up, we found ourselves competing with 50 ft sailboats and playing chicken with jet powered racing boats. From Sydney, we flew north to Hervey Bay and traveled by ferry to Fraser Island, a mostly uninhabited island where the only method of transport is 4×4 over sandy roads and beaches. I finished the trip in Byron Bay, a town on the northeastern coast that is the Australian version of Berkley (on the ocean), though with far more attractive people, most of whom are blonde and bronzed.
While the vegetation and wildlife in Australia are totally unique and awesome (I watched a rosella land on our balcony in Sydney, saw kangaroos, koalas, echidnas and dingos roam wild and anticipated the nightly arrival of flying foxes to Sydney at sunset), the most amazing part of Australia is the people. There is a certain friendliness and cordiality that you experience unlike other places in the world that I’ve visited. Australians have a positive outlook that trumps every other culture I know. They are so encouraging, supportive and respectful towards each other, I began to feel intimidated towards the end of the trip and ashamed of my relatively cynical ways. It’s as though they see the world as one big happy family traveling on a voyage together, helping each other along the way. Australians are also extremely laid back, light and not at all dramatic. While the country certainly lacks the intensity of the USA and specifically, NYC, their unique outlook and perspective made me consider, on more than one occasion, what life there might be like. I couldn’t help but wonder if life in Australia might be a happier, less stressful existence overall. Upon arriving back home though on Sunday, I quickly remembered what I liked so much about Brooklyn and designs on life in Australia were postponed for another day.
Supermodels, fast cars and movie stars…now to Oz
LA is a trip. I’m here for two days en route to Melbourne tonight. In one day in LA, I’ve seen more Bentleys and Ferraris than probably exist on the entire East Coast. Last night, I went to dinner with my friend and colleague Andre Leb and his fiancé, Leanne. He brought us to Brentwood’s hottest sushi restaurant, Katsuya. A few feet from us were Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell (both of whom are so gorgeous, it’s hard not to stare), Quincy Jones and my favorite of the bunch, Cameron Diaz. By the way, Cam looked far better than she did at the Oscars…in case anyone was wondering. When Tyra walked out the front door, so many paparazzi flash bulbs went off, the restaurant lit up like Christmas. Cameron and Naomi slipped out the back door, while, as you might expect, Quincy was still comfortably reclining in his seat, sipping a cocktail, when we left around 11:30. Today, we saw Kevin Bacon. I’m not complaining, but NYC is not star-struck like LA. When I do see celebs in NYC (usually a view of their backside after a friend nudges me on the shoulder, myself still in oblivion), they are wearing jeans and a t-shirt and are pretty chill. What does all this mean? I guess it makes visiting LA novel and fun, but I still prefer NYC.
I’m off to Australia tonight for two weeks. Next up….”I blog from a land down under….”