Wednesday. Feels like Monday.

Only in NYC do the schools close for Election Day. At least they did not in the Midwest. Olivia got up early to go get line tickets to see the cast of GLEE at Borders. A line ticket to come back and get in line at 5 pm to have the cast sign the new CD. Mobs of young people showed up for this event. It's a great show if you haven't seen it. All about a group of musical theatre, Glee Club, kids vs. the Jocks of the school. Sort of like real life for us.

Today feels like a second Monday.

I'm sitting here anxiously awaiting a phone interview. I hate those things. It's a recruiter, with a good-sounding job at an ad agency here in town. Oh, if only... Also waiting for a potential call from another agency that needs freelance art directors. Yes, please, hire me!

So, yeah, killing time. Looking out the window at this gorgeous semi-sunny day. I fear the leaves are falling too quickly from the beautiful yellow trees in front of my building. Soon I will be left with only skeleton branches to view, and things will be a bit more stark than I would like. The changing colors of the Fall season allow us such beauty to view, but for only for a brief moment. Like all happy events in our lives, the time is fleeting. It all seems so symbolic to me at this time. Things are changing in the world, the country, my life. There's hope for new beginnings.

I've been finding the small joys in the city. Grocery stores, street vendors, the library. This week I found the most amazing shoe repair service in Midtown. A tiny hidden shop, with the most congenial black man who owns it and does the repairs. (Can I just say "black"? African American is so encumbering, and not really correct for most of the ethnic people we apply this label to.) I can't afford new boots right now, so I took in my favorite old worn out pair. They had a hole in the bottom, barely a heel left. This man put on new soles and heels, polished to perfection, for $30. They look amazing. Left another pair to get a new heel replacement—$3. While I was there, had the shoe-shine guy polish my old JCrew pair I was wearing. Man, they looked rough. For another $3, I came out of there with a shine that made them look brand new.

And our favorite bagel shop is just down the street from this shop. Everyone in NY likes H&H, but Olivia and I are big fans of Pick-A-Bagel. We will be taking some with us when we go visit Alexis in Texas this weekend! We are leaving here early Friday morning and staying til Monday. Thanks to my lovely friend Francie, we will be staying in an amazing condo in downtown Austin. Stories and photos to come!