不就是小學嗎！

Ever since labor day, Rice Ba and Rice Ma have embarked on a torturous journey of school search for Nana. So far, we have:

written essays
met with school exmission expert
edited our essays
attended a few open houses
discussed strategy
charted out a list of schools in tiers - very competitive, competitive, and safty
considered lying about our address to get in to a better public school
attended parent interviews
attended playdate interviews
registered for ERB
registered for hunger
the list goes on....

We visited a handful of very impressive independent schools in the city. Some are single sex, some are co-ed, some are traditional, and some are progressive. Many of them have long standing tradition, one of which even have history longer than this country. We also met many inspring educators with vision and genuine kindness. Education nowadays is very different than our own experience thirty years ago. It's individualized and experience driven. Division between subjects is no longer clear cut. Grades are no longer handed out for younger children. Kids in these schools are lucky to be surrounded by these top caliber educators. Not sure what's the outcome for us. In a way, it's torturous yet inspiring. We went for our first play date today at Avenues. A handful more events to come. Sigh... Parents.....

無常，好近

麥克，一個樂天派嗓門大的愛爾蘭男生，是工作上的夥伴，最近因為業務的需要，會常常打電話給麥克，前一陣子有一個工程要發包給他，結果種種原因，給了別家，這幾天又開始談另一個工程，在這個說大不大說小不小的圈子裡，我們有很多共同的朋友。

今天早上一到公司，太家喧喧嚷嚷的，就在這個週末，麥克突然心髒病發作。四十五歲，還留下兩個幼小的女兒。才說要回電的，看樣子現在不需要了。

無常，好近。

無常，又好遠。

Alvin Alley

那妮是個幸福的紐約寶寶，在大師級的地方學跳舞。

From Alvin Alley Tiny Steps

From Alvin Alley Tiny Steps

From Alvin Alley Tiny Steps

Nani's Second Birthday

Bermuda 10/5/8 ~ 10/12/8

第一次聽到百慕達這個地方是小學五六年級, 旁邊坐了個胖胖的小紳士, 家裡很有錢, 常常帶一些小牛頓, 科白尼類的兒童科學雜誌. 那時候小胖跟我講述了一個叫百慕達三角洲的地方, 神神祕秘的, 老是有人間蒸發的飛機, 輪船之類的事件. 好像那時我說, 將來千萬別去那裡. 若干年後, 居然帶著一家老小去了叫百慕達的小島. 出發前跟酷公公報告, 酷公公還要我們還要我們留遺囑, 說房子要留給他之類的話... 有夠哪個的.

米家五人老弱殘兵, 是在10/5 紐約港出發, 上了一艘叫Norwegian Dawn的 大船, 10/8到岸, 在島上海灘玩了三天, 10/12回到紐約. 出發前其實是一丁點的期望都沒有, 結果...... 還真不賴. 每天吃吃喝喝, 上健身房, 跟nana玩, 曬太陽, 跳跳舞, 看書. 值得一提的是百慕達的海灘好美. 連米爺爺奶奶在海灘都玩的很瘋. Liked: Horseshoe Bay, breakfast at Blue Lagoon, dinner at Le Bistro, Big Band night, Bernie Martini Piano Bar. Improvement: Should get a room with balcony.

建議有老有小的大家庭可以參考遊輪路線. 四肢健全的年輕人可免.

恐怖的事件

Nani, 馬麻帶你去餵鳥鳥好嗎?
好~~~~
馬麻餵鳥, 玩的不亦樂乎..... 忽然聽到.... "蹦"一聲
幾呎外, 有一個翻倒的娃娃車, 一個中年男子正在慌忙的安扶寶寶.
馬麻心想這麼會有爸媽哪麼不小心, 太不像話.
诶, 好巧, 那個娃娃車怎麼會跟我們家的一樣....
轉過頭來找Nani... 不在.
OMG, 那個哭的寶寶是..........納妮.....
馬麻驚慌的跑過去抱抱,
好險只是一點擦傷... 實在太大意了.....
下次不敢了.

Visiting Matawan

這個週末帶Nani去了趟大姑家, 筋疲力盡....

Hudson Valley 7/5/08

第二天同胖胖叔叔, 阿姨到Philipsburg Manor和Kykuit. Nani好喜歡大公雞和牛牛, 對有錢人的城堡就不太感興趣. 中午到一個叫Blue Hill的農場, 晚餐在Terrytown的河邊吃海鮮.

Hudson Valley 7/4/08

好久沒在這裡寫寫東西. 在上班和Nani之間, 似乎沒任何喘口氣的時間. 每天等Nani睡著了, 馬麻也差不多癱瘓了. Nani快十六個月了, 上個禮拜全家出去小玩了一下. 紐約其實美的地方還蠻多的. 大力推薦Storm King Art Center. http://www.stormking.org/. 就在Dia:Beacon的附近.

Grandpa's visit to nyc