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Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Remembering Memorial Day

At the Canyon of Heroes
Photo by myself on lower Broadway, around Rector Street.

Along the 'Canyon of Heroes', where championship teams and events are awarded ticker tape parades, over 200 plaques with stainless steel lettering are set into the sidewalk. All along Broadway, you can see a record of each parade in history.

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As humans, we have the need to commemorate. Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, even ticker tape parades.

One of my coworkers just celebrated his 50th birthday. I asked him how he felt, since he wore a look of disbelief.

'I feel like I'm 22,' he said sadly. This made me wonder what was worse - feeling your age, or not feeling your age?

Memorial Day is this weekend. Every year, I'm immersed in work, and the holiday sneaks up on me. I usually stay in the city, which empties out.

I would find myself alone with the tourists, which isn't such a bad thing. I walk around and enjoy the city, which is remarkably less crowded. But the feeling is like being at a party when the cake arrives in the next room, and you find that you're suddenly alone.

This year, I'm happy to say, the holiday is not going to sneak up on me. No, I won't be a victim of the calendar.

Mark and I may attend a barbecue or throw a barbecue of our own. Or we might drive out to Long Island to see his mom, or we'll cook a few things, or walk around and enjoy the city that we're blessed to live in. Or we might do nothing at all.

It doesn't matter what we'll be doing. I'm just glad to look forward to the three-day weekend for once.

For more on the Canyon of Heroes, click here

Related posts: Past Times and Tourists for a Day.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Flickr says the photo that is supposed to be here is currently unavailable. This at 6:00 AM on Wednesday morning.

Olivier said...

comme l'ami abraham, pas de photo, blocage avec Flickr.

Kitty said...

Hi Guys
I reposted the photo.
Thanks!

Mr. Parson said...

I think that not feeling your age is both good and bad because when you do feel your age it is a huge shock and can be pretty depressing.

Mab said...

I agree with Adam,it can be good and bad. Sometimes I feel like 90 other days like 25 :) still I suppose actually being somewhere in the middle is ok, :))

Mom Knows Everything said...

The best long weekends are the ones where you can relax and do nothing at all. :o)

Kizz said...

I love being in the city on a holiday weekend. I purposely try to stay. As a matter of fact I'm trying to put together a group of people to go hang out at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens on Sat afternoon. Maybe I'll see you there!

Anonymous said...

Amen, sister! We're spending the holiday cooking something over a flame, with roasted marshmallow s'mores to end the festivities.

Can you tell I've got my priorities straight?

Kitty said...

Hi Adam
I agree. I wonder whether most people feel the same (that is, younger than their chronological age?)

Hi Mab
That's a large range. yipes!

Hi Tammy
I hope you have a nice long weekend. I can imagine you don't get to 'do nothing' too often!

Hi Kizz
I dunno what we're planning to do then, as you know. We'll see! It's supposed to be a nice weekend, they say (woohoo!)

Hi Spandrel
The weekend you have lined up sounds marvelous. There is nothing like roasting stuff. Not just the food itself, but the experience.

Dana said...

two great shots in a row! So love the color from yesterday and this is terrific how you were able to get the shot with the movement perfect in stride! another excellent job Kitty :)

Anonymous said...

I LOVE the photo. It is so neat.

I hope you guys have a great Memorial Day. Not sure what we'll do yet. One thing is for sure, I will sleep in. :)

Profile Not Available said...

You pose an excellent question. Great photo!

Kitty said...

Thanks Dana!
It was fun to take this shot. These plaques are located in a cool area.

Hi Tam
have a great long weekend. Sleeping in sounds fabulous!

Thanks Kelly!