I love New York City. Unfortunately, my trips to the Big Apple tend to be few and far between; certainly not for lack of attractions to visit, but for the simple fact that time tends to slip away with the daily grind. Before you know it, months have elapsed, and all those fun day trips you had discussed with family and friends remain unexplored. 

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always wanted a “furry” pet of some kind, be it a puppy, kitten, bunny, even a guinea pig. Of course, once I moved into my own apartment and realized that such fuzzy companions require far more attention than I, as a full-time member of the workforce, can provide, I settled for my beloved little Buddy the Betta - and, following his passing, my new baby Betta, Norton von Spudly. Not exactly furry, but still fairly entertaining and interactive as fish go. 

There’s something about this time of year, even being 17-plus years removed from school, that still resonates with a certain degree of excitement. First days, new supplies in hand, a fashionable outfit all picked out the night before… just seeing snapshots of my friends’ children brings back a flood of memories from when I was a child, excitedly comparing schedules with my own classmates, mapping out what routes to take to class, planning who to eat lunch with - the important things.

“An eclipse, a fox and a whale … what's next? A zebra?” These were the words overheard at Robert Moses Field 5 on the afternoon of Monday, August 21st, spoken by a little boy as he incredulously recounted the events of the day. Nearly 30 years his senior, I have to say I shared the sentiment.