This Is Michael NYC

beautifulartifactsofmodernliving.com

thisismichaelnyc at 1:01:10 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

thats right! I now have my own blog on my own website. Thanks AOL for getting me started- If you want to to check out my new blog , here is the address:

thisismichaelnyc.com

it still needs a bit of work but its getting there-  I am actually designing it myself!! Hope you stop by and take a look!!

- michael

thisismichaelnyc at 1:52:38 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

LONDON, England (CNN) -- Web designer Alfie Dennen had called in sick and was at home in London when the bombers struck across the city's transport network on Thursday morning.

As he watched the tragedy unfold, he received a picture sent by mobile phone of his friend Adam Stacey holding a sock to his mouth as he was evacuated from an Underground train at King's Cross, one of the stations worst affected.

The 29-year-old South African native posted the photo on his Web log as he began to hear reactions from other friends and colleagues.

"They were expressing great strength that they wouldn't let these things worry Londoners," Dennen told CNN.com. "I thought it would be great to have a place where people could share these feelings."

And within two hours http://www.werenotafraid.com/ was born, asking for images and messages from the worldwide online community to show that terrorists would not change the way people lived their lives.

The photos show people, pets or London landmarks, all with the added message that "We are not afraid."

By 10 a.m. Monday, four days after the blasts, about 3,500 images had been submitted and more than 1,000 posted on the site. Dennen said some 250,000 people had visited the site.

On Tuesday, he said the site had drawn 11 million hits since it was created, with 20 messages per minute flooding in.

What was first picked up by bloggers and then European news organizations became a worldwide phenomenon, but with one voice and one message.

"There's a lot of people from the States and from Madrid who feel a kinship and deeper understanding of what we have been going through," Dennen said, but many more are just people who may not even have visited London but want to express their support.

"It's given people an outlet to show that they can take action that doesn't help the terrorists," he said.

"We will not be cowed by it."

So I decided to submit my version of Michael not being afraid. I had forgotten all about checking back on the site to see if it had been posted or not until tonight- and sure enough in gallery 85 there I am! Nothing could make me happier right now than being part of this fight back. When I heard of the attack that morning and watching the TV and seeing all those people and the images it took me back to September 11th 2001. In this strange way I felt connected with these people somehow.So I guess me doing this is my way of sayingto the people of London  that "I know what is going on  in your head right now, just know that you are not alone.. "  I am not afraid. are you?

thisismichaelnyc at 12:53:30 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

ya learn something new everyday! - check this out:

"It may not be “American Idol,” but a big audition at Grand Central Station will still decide the fate of dozens of musicians.

Everyone from keyboard players to violinists turned out Monday to audition for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's “Music Under New York” program. Hopefuls say they want to perform underground because of the connection it provides with New Yorkers.

“We want to get this permit so that we can play freely in the subways and share our music with the people of New York," said performer Jeremiah McFarland.

"I think it's the energy, the New York energy, the rush, the people really stopping for a second and taking a breath to listen to some music," said fellow performer Nick Russo.

"It's a good way to make a living as a musician, where you don't have to audition or get a label deal,” adds Dave Cuomo, another musician. “You can just go down there and you can just play, and if you're good, they'll pay you."

Music Under New York currently has more than 100 individual performers and ensembles that participate in more than 150 weekly performances"

thisismichaelnyc at 12:42:14 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

So today I was doing some much needed spring cleaning. It's crazy all the stuff you find that you think you have lost! This year I found something that made me stop a second and in that second I was put back to a certain day not long ago. September 11, 2001. I thought I would show you what I saw with my own eyes that morning. This picture was taken by Me. It is what I saw with my own two eyes..

The 2nd picture is one I took in the following days. I was down on the westside highway cheering on the  rescue workers with thousands of other Americans and every now and then something like this would drive by...

thisismichaelnyc at 6:04:23 PM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

Take a look at this picture that a friend took of me last weekend down at the Pier along the Hudson River in the West Village. Isn't it amazing? That was the actual color of the sky. Nothing was changed. I love this picture. So I hope you enjoy it. There are more that I need to post of that day.. So check back...

]

ps. Thanks Greg!

thisismichaelnyc at 4:17:24 AM EDT Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own

Just yesterday I was wearing shorts walking around the city in 63 degrees weather! Today I am bundled up because we have a snow storm!!! ARGH!! Mother Nature make up your mind!

thisismichaelnyc at 2:59:32 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

In like a Lion ... It's March 1st already! Wow this year is moving along fast. It has been snowing outside all night and now its almost morning and it hasn't stopped. We have been seeing a lot of snow lately. It snowed late last week as well a few inches and this storm is supposed to dump about 8 inches of the white stuff. Argh! Give me warm weather! Then of course I will be complaning about wanting cold weather! *grin*

Let's see.. I am planning to go visit the Family back in Little Rock very very soon. I wasn't going to tell them and just show up but now if they read this then they will know! It has been a year and 3 months since Michael has graced the lovely state of Arkansas - and its way overdue. Don't fret Mom and Dad! I'm a comin!!

Went up to Central Park last week in the freezing cold. No, I am not crazy. I went to see The Gates  What an amazing experience!  A bit orange but still- The park was full of people just walking about taking it all in - in 30 degree weather in the middle of winter!!! I guess part of the true beauty of it all was not the Gates by themselves but also the different people the art attracted to the park and getting to experience that feeling altogether. Anyway, I snapped a few pictures of them and the Park. Hope you enjoy! Now I am off to get some sleep so I can brave the snow later on! argh!

thisismichaelnyc at 5:14:31 AM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

So I was browsing around other blogs out there in Blogland but not in AOL Blogland. I think the time has come for me to move on to another Blog hosting service than AOL. There are so many things that I want to write about that I feel like I can't because of the censorship of AOL. I am sure that this move will take me a bit of time to do. I have to find a hosting site and a good one with a layout that I like. If anyone has any ideas. Please let me know. In the meantine, I couldnt help but to post this picutre I found in this guys photoblog. The picture was taken in the Bronx. I think the picture speaks for itself.

thisismichaelnyc at 4:59:15 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 0 comments: Add your own

a few days after the big "blizzard" which actually only turned out to be about 12 inches of snow had come and gone- I found myself walking towards Times Square at 4am.  I know you want to know why I was walking around at 4am in New York City in the freezing cold and why I was headed towards Times Square. and Why am I telling you this...  But that will have to remain a secret. If I told you then the mystery would be no more.. As I was saying- it was VERY COLD outside, If I recall correctly it was around 7 degrees. I had decided to get off the subway at 33rd street and walk to my destination  on 47th street.  As I approached 40th street and the bright lights of Times Square started to blind me, I felt something hit my face. It was snow. Now at this point I am a bit over this snow concept. Yea, it's nice and pretty and all but when it stops and the next day comes it turns into this black slush that is not nice to your shoes and clothes when you have to walk about the city. Not to mention the leaps you have to take to at times to get over a huge pool of slush and God knows what else.So yeah, this southern boy is already over the snow thing.  as I approached 42nd street the snow started to come down heavy. I looked up and all of a sudden the snow was exciting to me again, all the thoughts about the slush and stuff went away. I stopped right there in the middle of times square. ( for those of you trying to get a better mental picture in your head of where exactly I was- I was right under where the Ball drops on New Years Eve) So there I was standing in the midst of all the flashing signs and marquees at 4am with snow falling and an erie lack of traffic on the street. I swear everything around me went silent and it was just me , my city and the snow. and a thought entered my head that hadn't been there in awhile. "Michael, you live in New York City. This is it." And at that moment I could have kicked myself. I could have kicked myself for all those times that I made a stupid choice about something knowing it wasn’t the best one and for all the times I have put my dreamwhich has now turned intothe life I’m living at risk. All of this could be taken away from me in a second. My city. My snow and even Me. All of it. And as I continued to stand there and my anger at myself increased- something occurred to me- “Michael, no regrets. Forget them or Life is yours to miss.” "I can't dwell on the past and my mistakes, I can only make sure I don't make the same ones again and move forward." The wind stinging my face snapped me out of my daze of madness.  I  took one last look around me to store this moment and my thoughts in my memory forever. And as I turned onto 47th street to my destination my face finally broke a smile. There I was- Me , My city and the snow….

thisismichaelnyc at 4:15:47 PM EST Permalink | Blog about this entry |  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this This entry has 1 comments: Show Recent | Add your own