I remember the very first time I visited H & M. It was in Boston in January of 2000. I walked in and it was like the birds were chirping and I could hear angels singing. I was blown away by the fun trendy clothes and cheap prices. I still wear the twead skirt I purchased on my very first visit. Since then, I've frequented the H & M's of NYC (in particular the flagship 5th AVE store and the one on LEX) and the H &M in Georgetown/Washington, D.C. At these various urban locales, I have left behind quite a bit of money but always walked out with a large shopping bag full and a smile.....Actually, as I type this, I'm wearing an amazing royal blue cotton blazer purchased in NY's Lex AVE store.....I love this jacket!
About this time last year, H & M announced it's plans to open a store in Atlanta. Hallelujah I thought to myself. Well much to my chagrin and with little fanfare....the first H & M in the South opened yesterday in the SUBURB of Alpharetta to be apparently followed shortly by it's "flagship store" in Atlantic Station and 2 other stores in the outer Atlanta suburbs of Buford (Mall of Georgia) and Kennesaw (Town Center at Cobb). I had no idea H & M was trying to turn into the GAP. when is the last time you bought something at the GAP?? I mean, Kennesaw and Buford??? come on people, what's urban and cool and trendy about those 2 places, nothing but teenie boppers and moms will be shopping there making it VERY unlikely that I will want to wear anything from there.
I know this makes me sound like a snob, but the cool thing about H & M was that it was more urban and NOT everywhere. Certainly not at the gigantic suburban mall.
I'm sad......can you tell? I am also apparently an ITP snob!
Bye bye, H & M. I'm sorry we have to break up, but you're not who I thought you were.....I wish you all the best and hope your new lovers----teens, tweens, suburban moms, & rural dwellers coming in from the really outer stretches of GA for a big day out of shopping---are as good to you as I have been for the past 8 years!!!
Friday, May 9, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Have you ever been hit by a car?
well one of my closest friends in New York has! Yesterday as a matter of fact, he's ok thank the Lord. And here's his story.
#######
I was about 12 miles into my planned 17 mile run -building up for my end of may marathon this afternoon-part of which includes a run to the base of the Verrazano bridge and then along the ocean to Coney Island. A flock of geese had just flown over, the breeze was crisp, I was thinking, OK, I can do this...
I went to cross a street to finish the last leg of my run - one of the few intersections I have to run through. There was a left turn arrow. I stood and waited at the intersection until the arrow changed, leaving just the green light and allowing drivers to take a left at their own risk. When the walk signal changed, I trotted through the intersection. About halfway across the intersection, in my peripheral vision and part spider-man sense, I know a car is coming. And turning. I turn and face it square on. Its a woman in a white Camry. She hits my left leg, just above the thigh. My hands are on her hood, trying to get leverage to hoist my body from going under her car. She drives 5-7 more feet before stopping, and dumping me on the street. It was piercing agony. Like a 2,000 lb Charlie horse. I didn't think anything was broken, but the pain was so severe, i lay on my back in the street yelling more concerned about the fact i was laying exposed in an intersection. Two guys nearby came and helped out, one calling 911. I pleaded with them to drag me out of the road, but rightly probably- they refused.
As I'm laying there yelling and writhing, I looked up at a 10 or 12 story apartment building to see just about everyone peering out curiously. One woman, in a pink bathrobe wearing a hair net - she stood out to me -and then oddly enough she was a foot away from me, slippers and all. She was, from her accent, i would say Iranian- and said to me in that loud American tourist voice "I am an M-D! Just lay still! You be O-K!" For some reason, i remembered that she was goose bumped from the chilly breeze. The woman who hit me came running over and made some statement of thinly-veiled accusation, incredulous that I'd walked in front of her bumper. At which point, i start to laugh-yell. I said, "seriously? you hit a pedestrian now you're saying it's my fault!?"
Of the dozens of times I've gone over it in my memory- I'm certain it was my right of way- because i was standing still, waiting for the signal. One of the guys with me yelled, "Get the F-back in your car and don't agitate him!"
I'd say within 10 minutes - police, fire department, and EMT were on the scene, my leg was in a splint, and i was in the ambulance. I never carry anything but keys and on longer runs, cash to get water or - if necessary, a subway ride home. So, I had no way to get in touch with anyone. Thankfully, I borrowed one of the EMT's cell phones to call my sister in NH just to inform someone where i was.
I didn't have much thought of where I'd go to the hospital, figuring I'd end up with the routine battery of X-rays and depending, splinted or casted and sent home.
If you've never been to coney island- its heavily Russian. And when i was wheeled into the hospital, the signs are featured in Russian, Spanish, and English. So, i laid on the gurney for an hour. The ER was not particularly busy. Then a man named "Alan" who all the staff knew by first name gets wheeled in. Even the policeman guarding the entrance laughed and commented to the EMT, "hey, i know that guy!"
No apparent pain. When asked why he was there this time, he replies, "I'm just... I'm just not well."
Where's the pain? they ask. "I've got a little discomfort in my stomach. And some diarrhea!"
He's telling everyone, "I don't have full-blown AIDS, just HIV. My T-cell count is 69. That's NOT full blown AIDS"
To which the EMT replied, "Actually, Alan, you DO have full blown AIDS"
He coughs, and is met with a chorus of "cover your mouth Alan!" from the staff.
The thought occurs to me that the chances of catching a communicable disease here could be higher than actually getting treatment.
Another voice yells out, "Can a N-- get some food!?"
Alan disappears down a hall somewhere.
3 overhead pages, each increasingly more urgent, pleading for a Russian translator to come to "O-R 2."
Another hour ticks by. No one makes eye contact with me, save for one guy, leaning on a counter talking to his co-worker. I ask, "Could i get some Advil?" He turns around to tell me i have to ask the nurse for that, then goes back to the conversation. I don't know who the -- or any -- nurse is.
I watch a pizza get delivered and one of the people walking around shuffles him away.
Mind you, I've been hit by a car, run 12 miles, on a stretcher for 2 hours, and given or offered nothing, save for a love poem from the 80 year old widower/hospital volunteer who let me know she published a whole book of them for another hospital.
The sweat of my run has long cooled from my wicking shirt, and now I'm shivering.
I'm getting increasingly agitated.
I untie the makeshift splint from the EMT. I flex my toes, rotate my knee, and bend it slightly, then almost full. I dismount the bed and tentatively start to put weight on it. And then I hobbled towards the door. The one protesting question from an admin/nurse/receptionist - asking where i was going- I just replied with, "I'll take my chances." and hobbled out.
Its off to the doctor's on Monday to see if i can continue on this marathon path
#######
I was about 12 miles into my planned 17 mile run -building up for my end of may marathon this afternoon-part of which includes a run to the base of the Verrazano bridge and then along the ocean to Coney Island. A flock of geese had just flown over, the breeze was crisp, I was thinking, OK, I can do this...
I went to cross a street to finish the last leg of my run - one of the few intersections I have to run through. There was a left turn arrow. I stood and waited at the intersection until the arrow changed, leaving just the green light and allowing drivers to take a left at their own risk. When the walk signal changed, I trotted through the intersection. About halfway across the intersection, in my peripheral vision and part spider-man sense, I know a car is coming. And turning. I turn and face it square on. Its a woman in a white Camry. She hits my left leg, just above the thigh. My hands are on her hood, trying to get leverage to hoist my body from going under her car. She drives 5-7 more feet before stopping, and dumping me on the street. It was piercing agony. Like a 2,000 lb Charlie horse. I didn't think anything was broken, but the pain was so severe, i lay on my back in the street yelling more concerned about the fact i was laying exposed in an intersection. Two guys nearby came and helped out, one calling 911. I pleaded with them to drag me out of the road, but rightly probably- they refused.
As I'm laying there yelling and writhing, I looked up at a 10 or 12 story apartment building to see just about everyone peering out curiously. One woman, in a pink bathrobe wearing a hair net - she stood out to me -and then oddly enough she was a foot away from me, slippers and all. She was, from her accent, i would say Iranian- and said to me in that loud American tourist voice "I am an M-D! Just lay still! You be O-K!" For some reason, i remembered that she was goose bumped from the chilly breeze. The woman who hit me came running over and made some statement of thinly-veiled accusation, incredulous that I'd walked in front of her bumper. At which point, i start to laugh-yell. I said, "seriously? you hit a pedestrian now you're saying it's my fault!?"
Of the dozens of times I've gone over it in my memory- I'm certain it was my right of way- because i was standing still, waiting for the signal. One of the guys with me yelled, "Get the F-back in your car and don't agitate him!"
I'd say within 10 minutes - police, fire department, and EMT were on the scene, my leg was in a splint, and i was in the ambulance. I never carry anything but keys and on longer runs, cash to get water or - if necessary, a subway ride home. So, I had no way to get in touch with anyone. Thankfully, I borrowed one of the EMT's cell phones to call my sister in NH just to inform someone where i was.
I didn't have much thought of where I'd go to the hospital, figuring I'd end up with the routine battery of X-rays and depending, splinted or casted and sent home.
If you've never been to coney island- its heavily Russian. And when i was wheeled into the hospital, the signs are featured in Russian, Spanish, and English. So, i laid on the gurney for an hour. The ER was not particularly busy. Then a man named "Alan" who all the staff knew by first name gets wheeled in. Even the policeman guarding the entrance laughed and commented to the EMT, "hey, i know that guy!"
No apparent pain. When asked why he was there this time, he replies, "I'm just... I'm just not well."
Where's the pain? they ask. "I've got a little discomfort in my stomach. And some diarrhea!"
He's telling everyone, "I don't have full-blown AIDS, just HIV. My T-cell count is 69. That's NOT full blown AIDS"
To which the EMT replied, "Actually, Alan, you DO have full blown AIDS"
He coughs, and is met with a chorus of "cover your mouth Alan!" from the staff.
The thought occurs to me that the chances of catching a communicable disease here could be higher than actually getting treatment.
Another voice yells out, "Can a N-- get some food!?"
Alan disappears down a hall somewhere.
3 overhead pages, each increasingly more urgent, pleading for a Russian translator to come to "O-R 2."
Another hour ticks by. No one makes eye contact with me, save for one guy, leaning on a counter talking to his co-worker. I ask, "Could i get some Advil?" He turns around to tell me i have to ask the nurse for that, then goes back to the conversation. I don't know who the -- or any -- nurse is.
I watch a pizza get delivered and one of the people walking around shuffles him away.
Mind you, I've been hit by a car, run 12 miles, on a stretcher for 2 hours, and given or offered nothing, save for a love poem from the 80 year old widower/hospital volunteer who let me know she published a whole book of them for another hospital.
The sweat of my run has long cooled from my wicking shirt, and now I'm shivering.
I'm getting increasingly agitated.
I untie the makeshift splint from the EMT. I flex my toes, rotate my knee, and bend it slightly, then almost full. I dismount the bed and tentatively start to put weight on it. And then I hobbled towards the door. The one protesting question from an admin/nurse/receptionist - asking where i was going- I just replied with, "I'll take my chances." and hobbled out.
Its off to the doctor's on Monday to see if i can continue on this marathon path
Monday, April 7, 2008
This is kind of awesome!
http://www.breitbart.tv/html/74853.html
Many folks around the world are in an uproar about the 2008 summer Olympics being held in communist China in August. As demonstrated in the video clip in the above link. Now I'm typically not into crazy rioting protests, but 3 guys climbing the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge to hang a huge banner calling for freedom of an oppressed people on the other side of the Pacific Ocean is pretty awesome! An excerpt: And in San Francisco, where the torch is due to arrive Wednesday, three protesters wearing harnesses and helmets climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet."
However, I can't condone the behaviour towards the torch and the ones carrying the torch through the streets of the world. The olympic torch and the Olympics represent the world coming together to compete in games! But I definitely support the idea of government leaders boycotting the games. Let the athletes compete, but government entities can sit home and take a stand. And futhermore, is China really ready to host the world?
oh but wait, China is the lifeblood of our country's economy! What a dilemma.......
Have you given it any thought?
Many folks around the world are in an uproar about the 2008 summer Olympics being held in communist China in August. As demonstrated in the video clip in the above link. Now I'm typically not into crazy rioting protests, but 3 guys climbing the cables of the Golden Gate Bridge to hang a huge banner calling for freedom of an oppressed people on the other side of the Pacific Ocean is pretty awesome! An excerpt: And in San Francisco, where the torch is due to arrive Wednesday, three protesters wearing harnesses and helmets climbed up the Golden Gate Bridge and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. The banners read "One World One Dream. Free Tibet" and "Free Tibet."
However, I can't condone the behaviour towards the torch and the ones carrying the torch through the streets of the world. The olympic torch and the Olympics represent the world coming together to compete in games! But I definitely support the idea of government leaders boycotting the games. Let the athletes compete, but government entities can sit home and take a stand. And futhermore, is China really ready to host the world?
oh but wait, China is the lifeblood of our country's economy! What a dilemma.......
Have you given it any thought?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Are you "typical"?
Today, in defending his earlier comments about his grandmother, Barack Obama defended his grandmother by saying she's a typical white person. He said that as a typical white person, when she's walking down the street and sees a black male, she might be afraid based on how she was raised etc. I wish I could find you a good link to the news story, but here's at least one: http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MDg1MTk0YjQ2YjI1ZDBhNDYzMTA4Y2NhMDA4ZWRlOWU=
I am assuming he is referencing a black male who may not look like he just walked out of an office building......so with that in mind......
what do you think about when you are walking alone down a street and you see someone like this pass? I am going to be brutally honest here. Let me preface by saying I have had the amazing opportunity to work at 2 inner city Atlanta ministries: SafeHouse Outreach which ministers to the homeless and City of Refuge particularly in the areas of their children's ministry in very low-income areas of west Atlanta.
It totally opened my eyes to a world I never knew and that I was admittedly a bit frightened of, but literally only out of ignorance, not out of the color of their skin. I now view an opportunity to speak to a homeless man downtown and wish him good morning as perhaps the only kind words he will hear that day. I view it as an opportunity not to be scared, but to minister. I shouldn't fear that homeless man, I have shown him the courtesy that I show any other person I would greet on the street. There's nothing to fear in saying hello especially when you do it out of the love of God. I have treated him with the respect of wishing him "good day"; after all Christ came so that this man could have life abundantly the same as for me. Now maybe sometimes, when I say good morning he might ask for a dollar and how you handle that is up to you.
When I worked with these men, and had the opportunity to serve them a hot meal, many of them (90%) would look me straight in the eye and say "thank you m'aam, God bless you" That humbled me in a way that I can't truly explain in words.
YOU....YOU know the difference between a man who is just on hard times and a man that might mean you harm. In 2008, at least those of us that live in urban areas, I believe we have the instinct to know the difference.
So to my "caucasian" friends, Ladies, Gentlemen, I ask you, are you "typical" like Barack Obama says that we are or will you view an opportunity when you walk past a black man just like you would anyone else?
I am assuming he is referencing a black male who may not look like he just walked out of an office building......so with that in mind......
what do you think about when you are walking alone down a street and you see someone like this pass? I am going to be brutally honest here. Let me preface by saying I have had the amazing opportunity to work at 2 inner city Atlanta ministries: SafeHouse Outreach which ministers to the homeless and City of Refuge particularly in the areas of their children's ministry in very low-income areas of west Atlanta.
It totally opened my eyes to a world I never knew and that I was admittedly a bit frightened of, but literally only out of ignorance, not out of the color of their skin. I now view an opportunity to speak to a homeless man downtown and wish him good morning as perhaps the only kind words he will hear that day. I view it as an opportunity not to be scared, but to minister. I shouldn't fear that homeless man, I have shown him the courtesy that I show any other person I would greet on the street. There's nothing to fear in saying hello especially when you do it out of the love of God. I have treated him with the respect of wishing him "good day"; after all Christ came so that this man could have life abundantly the same as for me. Now maybe sometimes, when I say good morning he might ask for a dollar and how you handle that is up to you.
When I worked with these men, and had the opportunity to serve them a hot meal, many of them (90%) would look me straight in the eye and say "thank you m'aam, God bless you" That humbled me in a way that I can't truly explain in words.
YOU....YOU know the difference between a man who is just on hard times and a man that might mean you harm. In 2008, at least those of us that live in urban areas, I believe we have the instinct to know the difference.
So to my "caucasian" friends, Ladies, Gentlemen, I ask you, are you "typical" like Barack Obama says that we are or will you view an opportunity when you walk past a black man just like you would anyone else?
I heart taking photos
One of my favorite hobbies is taking photographs. I got a new digital SLR--a Pentax --about 6 months ago and I adore it. As much as you can adore an object....
I'm considering taking a photography course at a local college to really learn all the incredible things I can do with my cam. I think I have a pretty good "eye" but I could do a heck of a lot more if I knew all the cool things I could do with exposure, aperture, shutter speeds, etc.
but regardless of my desire to improve my skills, you can check out my current skills at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10613660@N04/
I'm considering taking a photography course at a local college to really learn all the incredible things I can do with my cam. I think I have a pretty good "eye" but I could do a heck of a lot more if I knew all the cool things I could do with exposure, aperture, shutter speeds, etc.
but regardless of my desire to improve my skills, you can check out my current skills at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10613660@N04/
Monday, March 10, 2008
Stand by your man?
If you've been under a rock today, you can visit http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336493,00.html for the full story behind Governor Elliott Spitzer's fall from grace today. So anyway,
I believe wholeheartedly men deserve to have the full support of their wife through thick and thin. I am reading a book right now with my small group called For Women Only by Shaunti Felhan. (highly recommend it) This book among other topics addresses how important it is for the man in our lives to know how great we think he is and that no matter what, we support him, love him and are proud of him. We are called to be his #1 cheerleader. This is not only seemingly common sense for a healthy relationship and/or marriage, but what God has called us as women to do.
But today the First Lady of New York went above and beyond and did what I view completely unnecessary: stand by her man! Here he is a former prosecutor of crime and the Governor of one of the country's largest states but above all, a husband admitting infedility with a WHORE! I personally think this would have been one press conference she could have let him handle ALL BY HIMSELF. Shame on him for having her there.
My heart and prayers are with her as she experiences the loneliness of a broken heart and my prayers are especially with the 3 Spitzer daughters who have been completely let down by the man who should be the safest and probably is the most important man in their life. I can only imagine their devastation.
I believe wholeheartedly men deserve to have the full support of their wife through thick and thin. I am reading a book right now with my small group called For Women Only by Shaunti Felhan. (highly recommend it) This book among other topics addresses how important it is for the man in our lives to know how great we think he is and that no matter what, we support him, love him and are proud of him. We are called to be his #1 cheerleader. This is not only seemingly common sense for a healthy relationship and/or marriage, but what God has called us as women to do.
But today the First Lady of New York went above and beyond and did what I view completely unnecessary: stand by her man! Here he is a former prosecutor of crime and the Governor of one of the country's largest states but above all, a husband admitting infedility with a WHORE! I personally think this would have been one press conference she could have let him handle ALL BY HIMSELF. Shame on him for having her there.
My heart and prayers are with her as she experiences the loneliness of a broken heart and my prayers are especially with the 3 Spitzer daughters who have been completely let down by the man who should be the safest and probably is the most important man in their life. I can only imagine their devastation.
Monday, March 3, 2008
10 Random Things about me
Per Everyday Carrie's challenge to write 10 random things about myself here goes:
1. I have 3 ft tall bamboo in my condo that I've grown and nurtured since it was about 6 inches tall and it's been repotted twice. I love it!
2. I can not read music.
3. I've worn glasses since I was 8 and contacts since I was 12.
4. I've been known to cry during a really good hallmark commercial.
5. I can't recall the name of every guy I've kissed.
6. I REALLY want a motorcycle. A Harley Davidson, but the next best thing would be a man with a motorcycle to ride on.
7. I can not sleep well in a completely quiet room. I have to have a fan or some other type of noise maker.
8. I don't know how to iron....I view it as a completely useless task.
9. My favorite places to shop are TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
10. I sleep with a goose feather pillow which I have had since I was a tot and the pillow is way older than I am. We think at some point before I was born, it was my grandfather's, but we're not entirely sure. But! I do change the pillow casing on it often and I buy the expensive kind.
1. I have 3 ft tall bamboo in my condo that I've grown and nurtured since it was about 6 inches tall and it's been repotted twice. I love it!
2. I can not read music.
3. I've worn glasses since I was 8 and contacts since I was 12.
4. I've been known to cry during a really good hallmark commercial.
5. I can't recall the name of every guy I've kissed.
6. I REALLY want a motorcycle. A Harley Davidson, but the next best thing would be a man with a motorcycle to ride on.
7. I can not sleep well in a completely quiet room. I have to have a fan or some other type of noise maker.
8. I don't know how to iron....I view it as a completely useless task.
9. My favorite places to shop are TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
10. I sleep with a goose feather pillow which I have had since I was a tot and the pillow is way older than I am. We think at some point before I was born, it was my grandfather's, but we're not entirely sure. But! I do change the pillow casing on it often and I buy the expensive kind.
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