Goings on Around Here

I have talked in other blogs about paperwork and visits to government offices; well, I had to do that here recently and it’s always an adventure! My driver’s license is due to expire in January. Registering to vote in New York was fairly simple – I think I did it on-line, and I received my voter registration card in the mail – though I forgot that in order to vote in the primary in this state you have to affiliate with a party, so I missed that opportunity. Getting a new driver’s license in New York is slightly more complicated, but in part that was because I made it into a monumental event – after all, I’ve had an Illinois driver’s license for decades. In New York, you need to show your social security card. Mine is in storage, so I had to go to the SSA and get a duplicate. I have started driving around town a bit more, and even a little bit further east, but somehow driving west made me anxious; again, I might have made this into a bigger deal than it was. Riverhead seems the slightest bit depressing, too – kind of run-down. At the SSA, things were surprisingly smooth – short wait, forms in order. But they don’t just give you a new card – you have to wait a couple of weeks for it to arrive in the mail.


So I had to go back to Riverhead again a couple of weeks later, this time to the DMV. Gotta love the Big Duck you see along the way! The last time I had a New York State license was before they put pictures on them – long ago, in other words. Again, things were surprisingly smooth – I barely waited, in two different queues, before my number was called. Some surprises, though – one, it costs $62 to transfer from another state (it would be even more had it been a regular renewal). I don’t remember how much it cost in Illinois, but I think it was less! Two, you don’t get your license right away – I have to wait for it to come in the mail in a couple of weeks. Back in Illinois, several times I had gone to the mobile driver’s license renewal trailer at Taste of Chicago and gotten it on the spot! Still, it went well, which made it less traumatic. I had thought I might go to the nearby Tanger outlets and/or Target for some needs, but I couldn’t quite steel myself up for that adventure. Someone suggested that I go to Bridgehampton Commons – much more low-key – and I’ve been there a couple of times recently, in and out with needs met.


I’ve had a couple of New York adventures lately, including seeing several friends for breakfast (Alison), lunch (Doris, and Mary and Mercedes – a Peace Corps Response reunion!), drinks (Gary) and cards (Howie). During one visit, I went down to the Village to see an exhibit of Moroccan rugs curated by Alia, who had visited while I was there. Many of the rugs were from Ain Leuh, and it was great to see them again! I love those rugs – I look forward to seeing the ones I bought, someday! I also went to the Park Avenue Armory for a spectacle – Peter Greenaway’s “The Last Supper.” I have never seen anything like it. First, a beautiful travelogue of Italy that makes me glad I went and makes me want to go back, but is also a taste that will tide me over for a while. Then, a dramatic portrayal of the da Vinci painting, with lighting and music. Finally, an add-on mini-lecture about a Veronese painting in Venice. Very interesting!





I also decided to go on a couple of East End hikes – and I decided just in time, because after going on a couple of short ones, the weather got much colder. Not that I won’t still go, but it was nice to go on a couple of nature walks while there were still some leaves on the trees. It’s so beautiful around here! Indoors, I went to the Parrish Art Museum for a simulcast of Opening Night at La Scala – Die Walkure. What a treat! It was nice to see conductor Daniel Barenboim, who I was privileged to see often in Chicago. I am still humming the music, and I would do something like that again! I thought about dressing up for it but didn’t. It was nice to go out for lunch and then for coffee during the intermissions – and nice to see opera during the afternoon! I also went holiday caroling around town with a group from the library. Both the library and the hospital’s wellness center have so many programs – I’m glad I’ve taken advantage of a few of them.

A recent highlight was the Polar Bear Plunge, on nearby Coopers Beach. I decided to observe this year and think about it for the future. Apparently this was a good year to do it – sunny, warm (that is, 37 F air, 42 F water) and with flat surf. But I still wanted to watch one first! It might have been the fastest event I have ever witnessed – glad I got there early to mill and mingle a bit. A cannon went off (by the same revolutionary-era-dressed men I saw on July 4th – I guess this is another chance for them to dress up!) and hundreds of people ran towards the ocean – and in an instant, everyone was running back towards their towels and clothes! Blink and you’d have missed it! Very fun. I hear the key is keeping your feet warm beforehand, that standing on the sand is like standing on ice. I will keep that in mind….you never know; I may do it next year!



And a final note – the last Congressional race in the country, NY1, was decided, in favor of incumbent D Tim Bishop, the person I for whom I had campaigned. Hooray!