Julio’s Musings Around Columbia County, New York

As if by surprise AOL Music released a new version of it’s profile page that now provides a listing of the audio tracks that one has listened from their iTunes library or from other sources such as someone’s profile.

Though the page is still somewhat sparse (save for the audio listen list), it provides the payoff one looks for when visiting a Music site which is music that can be listened to.

Here is the link to Julio Hernandez-Miyares’ Profile

[tags]Julio Hernandez-Miyares, AOL Music[/tags]

Wow! Almost one month since my last post! In that time I haven’t until yesterday even made a twitter. No Flickr photo uploads, Nothing! Comes a point when one is just to busy with other things to stay current with all of these Internet activities. It’s almost as though I am back in the dark ages of the ’90′s. Luckily work continues but at an accelerated pace though folks in the greater network fall victim to layoffs and such. Accelerated as people feel the need to justify themselves and somehow squeeze something of value (revenue is all that is valuable at the moment). On the other side, squeezing costs out is the mantra. Do more with less. This is legitimate and one of the benefits of a downturn or recession as the excesses of the good times force people and businesses to reflect and adjust to what is truly necessary. Nevertheless it makes for quite an austere existence when even a pizza pie is considered excess. There is more to life and work then just getting by.

In New York City the shells of new skyscrapers still rise slowly but the number of open lots for what were to be new skyscrapers pre November 2008 multiply like weeds. Thankfully we will have the site of the hallmark of the Ground Zero reconstruction to focus our attention over the next few years. Who knows about anything else in that pit.

[tags]Julio Hernandez-Miyares[/tags]

Took the kids and the old wife to see this show on Saturday night. Quite a head trip for all concerned. The video doesn’t do it justice, you need to be there but gives you an idea.

[tags]Fuerza Bruta[/tags]

Springtime in Central Park

Originally uploaded by julio.miyares

Ah, Spring time 2008 in New York City. My favorite time of year. This picture taken across the street from the American Museum of Natural History which is probably the only museum in the world I can tolerate.
On this balmy spring day, restaurants actually had outdoor seating with a willing clientele soaking up the warmth and the street scene which is always interesting in New York City.

New York City, Julio Hernandez-Miyares,Spring Time

Spring Cleaning

Originally uploaded by julio.miyares

Stacking the left-over firewood over at the Miyares Farm during the beginning of Spring 2008. With fuel oil well north of $3.00 a gallon, the winter heat has been provided mostly through the old fashioned burning of wood or through no heat at all and just going cold. I can afford the price tag but just can’t bring myself to letting all that money flow out so some ego-maniac in Dubai can build another skyscraper no one will inhabit.

The Blogging has taken last place with just about everything else lately with work consuming most of my waking hours. That won’t go on much longer , in fact I resolve that as soon as I am caught up at work….
Well that’s a trap, you can’t catch up, not in my place.

Time to put that aside and concentrate on building the chicken coup and make a living selling fresh eggs.
[tags]Julio Hernandez-Miyares,Columbia County[/tags]

6th Avenue Skyscrapers in snow

Originally uploaded by julio.miyares

I love when it snows in New York City. This is a view of a the canyon of skyscrapers on 6th Avenue looking south from Radio City Music Hall on a recent early evening. The buildings look even more majestic then they usually do their tops disappearing into the haze produced by the falling snow.

I also like it better when the snow is substantial; like a foot or more ; though this particular snowfall was no where near that amount. Unfortunately just a few inches that barely barely slowed the rush of rush hour traffic. Watching New York City grind to a halt in the wake of a major storm is one of my favorite sights. I could have used the break that normally comes from Mother Nature capriciousness. Meetings canceled, timelines for projects extended, quiet around the office and the implicit recognition that nothing much matters or changes if things end up being late by a day or two.

[tags]Julio Hernandez-Miyares, New York[/tags]

Subway barrelling in

Originally uploaded by julio.miyares

At a distance, barreling into the 71st Street Continental station, an F train headed West towards Manhattan during the wee hours of the morning one weekday during Christmas holidays.

Have been spending most of my time in New York City the past few months and of course that generally means making use of that unique institution which the New York City subway is. Standing room only at 5:00am, seats so narrow or people so obese they take 2 or more seats not to speak to those that use it as a private bed taking an entire half of the car
Watching the rats have a field day with the daily picking of trash on the track bed while waiting for the trains to arrive late at night.
Getting that choice spot at front of a train and being able to watch one of the most incredible engineering marvels on earth of endless tunnels coming and going , converging on multiple levels.

I think I am going to start a whole section to this blog (The Subway Series) and keep my camera handy. I will have to be discreet as you know, no eye contact on the Subway and that probably includes taking pictures of anything remotely human.

I think between the denizens and the panhandlers there should be more then enough to keep the shutter busy and they won’t know or mind.

[tags]Julio Hernandez-Miyares,Subways,New York City[/tags]

New Year 2008 storm

Originally uploaded by julio.miyares

Actually the storm occurred over nght from the 30th to the 31th though it was snowing again on the 1st with expected accumulations of about 3 additional inches.
It has been an active winter season here in the Columbia County, New York. Numerous snow storms though none yet of the 2 foot or more variety. Regardless, enough snow cover to keep the ski resorts happy and make it difficult for the non-skiers to travel up to this bucolic area well north of New York City.
[tags]Columbia County,Julio Hernandez-Miyares[/tags]