Polar Bear Swim, Coney Island 2010 New Years Day

Happy New Year from Coney Island. Today is the famous Polar Bear Club swim. This is the day when everyone who wanted to take a dip in the freezing waters gets a chance. Now the theory is that the colder the day, the warmer the water feels. The weather leading up to today made this year very uncertain. December 21st was a snow day in NY with rain in the late afternoon. Snow was predicted for New Years Day. When I got up in the morning it was overcast and about 42 degrees. Around 9am I went to church. It was a simple service but very refreshing. Right after church, around 10.30 I headed to the boardwalk (2 blocks) and it was already becoming crowded. Generally there are a few thousand people who show up for the Polar Bear swim. It is all based on the weather. By 11.30am the weather was perfect, the temperature held at 45 degrees with the sun peaking out.

This was going to be a big day. I started working at the Grill House. Today my job was to fill all coffee orders. By the time I got behind the counter the crowds were increasing. The fire department had fortified the beaches with emergency equipment and had erected a heating shelter for people who froze themselves. We were so busy serving people up until 12.45 when the event starts. At that point people move to the beach area. I take a break and head out there to photograph the event. This year there were so many people it was hard to even reach the beach. The media was there with cameras and reporters gathering the latest information from the old timers who had 20 or more years of this under their belts. At precisely 1pm, the swimmers began their approach into the water. Hundreds upon Hundreds of them jumped into the water. The energy generated by the crowds cheering helped most to forget that they were jumping into a freezing body of water. People of all ages and ethnic groups enjoyed this event. As soon as most got half way in and felt the freezing water against their bare skin, they turned around and ran out. Screaming was heard across the beach. There were so many swimmers that they had to go into the water in waves. There is nothing like this event. For some of the swimmers this was a family event. There were a lot of dads with their sons and daughters. It was fun watching the fathers give their sons final instructions. I am sure these kids will never forget this meaningful event. As fast as the people were in the water they exited. By 3pm the beach and boardwalk were back to a normal quiet state with the sun beginning to set on a new year. At that point my work at the Gill House was over. I smelt like burnt sausage and greasy fries. My dear friend Steve who owns the Grill House gave me a hug goodbye and off I went.

I am not much of a football fan, so this little event really makes for a wonderful New Years Day. During the church service I was able to reflect on what I wanted to accomplish in this New Year. There is an enormous amount of encouragement that needs to be done this year. Lots of people are struggling and thirst for the Love of God that is given through His people. I am looking forward to the journey in this next year. God always has managed to surprise me with his creative management of my life.

May God bless your new year and give you many opportunities to serve His interests. Happy New Year from Brooklyn, USA

Out takes - Double Click on any picture to view in large scale...

Brooklyn's B16

The B16 is a bus that goes throughout a small area of Brooklyn. It starts at the Verrazano Bridge and winds its way through Bay Ridge then onto Sunset Park. It then goes through the middle of Boro Park and finally to Flatbush. The ride is about 1 hour from end to end. If you start from the beginning and go to the end you will be surrounded by some of New York’s most interesting characters. Generally people riding the bus in Bay Ridge are people who work there. Since the beginning of this line is in a very wealthy area most of the people living there do not take the bus. So you see a lot of home attendants, and general labor workers on this bus going to other neighborhoods that are more affordable to live. When the bus moves into the commercial district you begin to pick up people of all nationalities. There are many Asians who go to Sunset Park, Orthodox Jews who go to Boro Park and Island Black who end up in Flatbush.

It is very interesting to be on a bus with so many different kinds of people. Buses tend to be far more interactive than the subway. I think it is because they are smaller and have far less noise. People are often very helpful to people with children and packages, knowing that the arrival at their destination depends on the joint effort of everyone. The bus also provides for a captive audience. Street preachers often find this venue welcoming. People riding the bus will engage them as well. I think riders also like the excitement of having people entertaining them. Buses also have many homeless and mentally disabled people riding. This can be a challenge for riders as well as the bus driver who will have to eject them from the bus at the end of the line.

People in NYC depend on transportation to get to work. On average people travel one hour to and from work on the trains, buses and in cars. If one sat down with a calculator that would be about 3 months of 40 hour weeks each year spent traveling. If a person works from the time they are 18 until they are 65, they would spend nearly 11.75 years traveling to and from work. For many people that is lost time. Now a monthly pass is around 80 dollars. That would be almost $1000 dollars. If you drive and you have to cross a toll bridge or if you take the train from Long Island or New Jersey the cost for your commute is much higher. The funny thing about all of this is that no one ever thinks about what impact the “commute” has on us and our family.

As I walk along the water front under the Verrazano Bridge, I note that over 200,000 cars pass over the bridge each day. They fly by me on the belt parkway, hundreds of cars, as I walk. Many people are in a hurry, going to who knows where and for what purpose. We all have an agenda that seems so important to us. Yet in the end we only get one life. We have created a world where we spend so much time and energy and money doing stuff that we are left with little time to enjoy the people that are so important to us. Most of this revolves around getting more things that is to eventually make us happier, which we know never does.

Is there a way to live a simple life where we concentrate on the people we love. We concentrate on taking time for them, just being together. In a blink people can be taken from us. Our lives are so short and to give into the insanity that “The American Dream” equals a prosperous life is absurd. I know that most us just cannot stop and get off, but you can seriously re-evaluate your life and your aspirations, and put priorities back into order.

Have a blessed Christmas .... (Picture of Harlow)

Barre

Walk by Ocean in Coney Island

Today is Sunday, October 4th. It is a bright, sunny, beautiful day. After Church this morning I went to the boardwalk to exercise, which is to take a nice walk for about 3 miles. When I reached the end I decided to walk along the waters edge on the return trip. The ocean was gentle and had a salty smell. As I walked I could feel the cold water surrounding my feet and then recede. My feet were pleasantly surprised each time the water returned in a refreshing movement. The beautiful weather brought out many people.

As I walked the fog began to close in because of the temperature differences. As the fog gathered density I began to feel very alone as I walked.

Today is the day to recognized St Francis of Assisi. He was a man who saw the creation of God as an amazing blessing for which he could only give himself back to God in response. Here is his famous prayer.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

On the 25th of September at the back door of Queensboro Correctional Facility, my friend Keith was released after serving 14 years behind bars. As he got into the car he cried. Getting him settled has been a daunting task. First he needed a cell phone. He looked at mine and had no clue what to do with it. There were no buttons only a screen. I laughed at how much our world had changed. He had never seen Walmart, Costco, BJ’s or Target and it was a shock to see and deal with all the technology. He saved his pay for 3 years and came out with $1400 to start his life anew. We decided that my home was not a good place for him to stay since I already had Valentyn and Harlow. I began 3 months prior to his release looking for apartments. As the day neared I had a couple of good leads. During the first day, all of those leads fell through. So we went back to an Irish lady who I had come across who at first was very interested in housing Keith but later said no. When she saw him she welcomed him with open arms. She had a bed in her basement where he could park until he found better living space. This week after looking at several rooms, he found one that was close to his family and did not cost much. We moved him in yesterday. God gave us furniture. Valentyn’s mom moved and left a bedroom set and lots of other stuff for Valentyn. So I took her furniture from her room and gave it to Keith. While we were moving that, he spotted a brand new couch on the sidewalk with a sign on it saying “Free”. He has prospects for employment and will need to work soon to cover his rent. It is very hard to be released from prison.

Thursday while I was taking a walk as Keith was at the DMV to get an ID card, I went by the Grill House. As I got there one of the workers pulled me aside and told me that one of our good friends, Gary, had died. Gary was nearing 40. He had been laid off from a good job and for nearly 2 years had been unable to find work. He was discovered by his wife after he failed to pick up their nine year old for school. She frantically called one of his friends to ask him how she was going to tell her daughter. Steve the owner of the Grill House was really shaken up by this as they are the same age.

To his honor, Gary was a quiet and reserved man who appeared on the boardwalk each morning with a cup of coffee and several cans of cat food. Over the two years he began to take care of the Boardwalk Cats and kittens. They would wait at the same spot every day for Gary. Often Gary would bring his daughter with him to the boardwalk. Unlike other social gatherings like the office or on the train or other places where you are up against or with people, on the boardwalk there is a deep sense of community where people afford themselves lots of time to talk and integrate. Gary was deeply integrated into the lives of many people on the boardwalk. His daily presence will be deeply missed. Each year around this time people disappear for the winter months. In the late spring when people begin to convene again, there is always a sobering feeling that some never made it through the winter.

God reminds us early and often to enjoy those around us. Tomorrow things may change.

Be Blessed, Barre.

Brooklyn's Summer End

The summer is over… Wow was that fast. At the end of every summer for three weeks until Labor Day we have the 18th Avenue Feast. Unlike many street fairs where the vendors are on tour all summer, this fair has mostly local vendors, serving their finest dishes. Since this is the heart of the Italian neighborhood, the food is amazing. One of the first people I encountered was the man who hand dipped chocolate creations and candy apples right in front of you. Your mouth watered as he stirred the chocolate in a huge vat. When we arrived it was still day time but within minutes the sun set. As soon it became, dark crowds of people appeared. I really wanted a sausage and pepper sandwich. On every block there were vendors selling these. We finally found a local vendor who made the most amazing sandwich. Although it cost a fortune, it was so fresh and sweet. After that Little Eric decided he wanted to go down a huge slide. Only catch was he did not want to go alone. So he got his dad to climb the narrow stairs and sit on a patch of material and down the slide they went, three times. Then it was time to win a live fish. (without a bowl or food) After this I managed to find a Spanish guy who was cooking steak on this huge kettle fire. The steaks were huge and he flipped them like pancakes. Before we left some two hours later, I had to have some zeppoli. Now zeppoli have to be hot and fresh straight out of the pot. They were great.

In the midst of this fair was the Shrine that was the now hidden motive for this feast. For years the church was the center of the community and it was a joyous church celebration (and money maker) that was clearly the point of the feast. It has been rumored that the wise guys collected great sums of money from the store owners (about 10% of the gross yearly income) to give to the church. That practice has faded and now each vendor pays around $2000 for a slot in the fair. This neighborhood has changed and there is a large Asian population which was also felt at this fair. The Mexicans also showed up with their sweet corn pancakes.

Earlier this week I stopped by the gardener’s house that was mentioned some time ago. He is a year older and his garden is as beautiful as ever. However, this year he was very tired and found it difficult getting around except with the use of a cane.

Coney Island is now standing ready to reinvent itself. How long or how that will happen is unknown. All the rain and hurricanes made business slow this summer. The City closed the beaches for nearly a week while storms passed by. None the less, people still appeared on the boardwalk. One person caught my eye. He would frequent Coney Island during the summer months and loved to dress for the occasion. With his colorful dog and bird he sat enjoying the remaining hours of sunlight. Donna Summer was in concert here last week and she blew people away singing all the songs she had become famous for. So that is the news from Brooklyn.

Have a wonderful Labor Day.