Same Sex Marriage Means Money for NY
At 11:55 pm, the NY senate voted 33 to 29 to legalize same-sex marriage. Many people have been waiting for this law to pass as they want to be legally married to their partners.
In 2009, they tried to pass a similar bill, but they weren’t able to do it. What’s changed? Our economy has changed and the senators realize more marriages will bring more money to the state.
More marriages equals more money for the state. More marriages also equals more divorces which again equals more money for the state (and attorneys too). More divorces equal more money spent on counseling sessions,. etc….it’s just a chain of spending and money exchanging.
In 29 days there is going to be a lot of weddings happening in the Big Apple!
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June 23, 2011RIP Igor Berezkin
Igor Berezkin was 51+years old. He lived on 95th Street for 15+ years. He died on June 9th through a terrible tragedy.
Igor’s friend Olga told the police that he was recently divorced from Oksana. Yet she also left a comment that he was not depressed or suicidal. Further, she stated that Igor was a talented musician.
Igor is listed as being an employee of Symphorock Records Inc.
RIP Igor Berezkin – Prayers for his daughter, Tanya and Igor’s friends.
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June 18, 2011Antique Farmhouse
Items change every week – some are so charming!
Antique Farmhouse Mirror – $34.00
Cool Frames
Boxwood Wreaths
Antique Bottle holder
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June 15, 2011Words to Remember
Lee and I joke around a lot. We are rarely serious. So this conversation started out as our usual silly chat and turned into something I want to remember.
On Monday night, Lee and I were talking about someone he knows who was obsessed with the rapture. He told me about different people’s views and how he couldn’t understand why people would want to be raptured.
I tried to explain that they wanted to be with God.
He asked me if I thought about why I didn’t think about being raptured. I thought he was trying to be funny so I jokingly responded that I was a bad and wouldn’t be choosen.
SO HERE’S THE PART I WANT TO REMEMBER: He said, “I wouldn’t want to leave here. I like my life. I really like my life…..with you.”
Lee and I have been together 16 years…….so grateful for God’s grace.
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June 13, 2011A Mother’s Grief
Her wake was last night and this morning. I went this morning. I knew I was going to cry so I went alone.
She didn’t look like the girl I knew. Her wake was very sad, but beautiful as she was surrounded by people and things she loved in life. Books and other items were placed at the back of her coffin as everyone knew Aileen was a voracious reader. To the left was a display of some of Aileen’s items (sneakers, handbag).
The worst part was seeing her mother. Her mother who raised her so well and did everything right. My heart hurt so terribly for her. No parent should have to go through this. Wakes are a ritual for the survivors so they can continue on with life. I can’t imagine how hard it will be for her to live without her beautiful daughter, Aileen. If you are the type of person who prayers. please remember her mother in your prayers.
I cried as I thought about all the unfinished parts of Aileen’s life – high school, prom, falling in love, acing the SAT exam, driving a car, going to college…..
Aileen’s friends sat quietly in black. They probably don’t realize how much support they were to the family. Several of them were former students. I was so proud to know such a poised group. They greeted me and showed me how to fold the joss paper. I tried to follow their instructions, but my eyes continued to fill with water. Seeing them made me cry more. I couldn’t help but think that it was too early in life for these young adults to feel such a loss and grieve for their friend.
The joss paper was supposed to be folded the pic below (mine didn’t really). The students took the folded paper and burned it in the fireplace so Aileen can have money in the afterlife.
Aileen.
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June 10, 2011Pillowcases Like Anthro
I love these pillowcases from Rosehip on Etsy
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June 9, 2011Jumper on 95th Street Brooklyn 11209
I rewrote parts of this entry as more information became known. It was Brooklyn Queens Days and I came home to chaos today around 3:40 pm. Police cars covered the street and a jump bag was placed in front of the apartment building. The police escorted us to our house and said that someone was attempting to jump from the four story apartment building 361 – 95th Street up the block from us We looked at the apartment building, but did not see anyone. We did see that there was a window open and the screen was up as well on the third floor of the building. (See below)
There were many emergency response vehicles and ambulances standing by on Fourth Avenue. Neighbors said that an ambulance came before noon. They speculated that a tall man named Igor Berezkin was trying to jump. The SWAT team got on the fire escape next to the left of the open window on the third floor. The jumper was yelling from the apartment. A group of police officers in suits entered the front door of the apartment building to start hostage negotiations. Around 5:10, we saw the man at the other window and stuck his head out. He waved to the officers. Then he went back in. The officers attempted to open the window that they had been standing outside of for more than 40 minutes.
Quick video here
Around 5:40 pm, the SWAT team held their stance on the fire escape while the negotiators and police were able to get to the man. EMS workers ran in with an orange stretcher and the jump bag was deflated. The man came out of the building on a stretcher and he was placed into the ambulance.
At 5:55 pm, police officers were still going into the building. The block is still closed. Those who live in the apartment building or in the homes around it on that side are still not able to go into their homes. At 7:00 pm, the block was still closed off and there was about 6-8 officers still in the building/outside it. It’s 8:50 pm and the block is finally open, but the apartment building still has officers outside. A neighbor said he saw them hosing down the inside vestibule.
Final update: 6/11 – Sadly, this morning, a neighbor told me that Igor, the almost jumper didn’t make it. He was pronounced dead at Lutheran Hospital Trauma Center. The news reported that Igor shot himself in the bathroom.
Igor Berezkin was 54+years old. He lived on 95th Street for 15+ years. His friend Olga told the police that he was recently divorced from Oksana. Yet she also left a comment that he was not depressed or suicidal. Further, she stated that Igor was a talented musician.
Igor is listed as being an employee of Symphorock Records Inc.
RIP Igor Berezkin – Prayers for Tanya and Igor’s friends.
Topics: Brooklyn | 3 Comments »
June 8, 2011Aileen Chen – Aileen’s Unfinished Story
She was ambitious and hard working ALL THE TIME. I was blessed to have known Aileen Chen as she was in my class for two years. Hearing the news of her death was shocking. The news slowly leaked out that a teen was hit by a car in Bensonhurst; I kept hoping it wasn’t “our Aileen.” She was just 16, at Stuy and she had a bright future ahead of her.
Aileen loved Science. While in 8th grade, Aileen became a Junior Fellow through the New York Academy of Medicine’s Junior Fellows Program. She took on this extra project because she wanted to learn more and was thinking of a career in medicine. Aileen’s chose to research MS and Vitamin D. It’s almost two years that she graduated from our school and we (her teachers) still remember her work.
Aileen was fantastic on the computer. She loved learning new things! Of course I wasn’t surprised when a friend of Aileen’s blogged that Aileen was unbelievably good at computer science.
I stopped by the shrine and saw the bicycle on 21st Avenue and 62nd Street. The area was peaceful and several friends of Aileen from Stuy were there.
Aileen liked to draw and appreciated other people’s art work. She liked manga. Aileen’s art was on the cover of the 2009 school yearbook.
Aileen loved to help other people. I was always glad to have her come in the lab and help me. Her 187 classmates will remember the site that she and Joyce made to share homework assignments. Aileen also made her own site to share test prep tips because she wanted everyone to do well.
Aileen loved music and joined the piano club at Stuy. We discussed music after I asked her about her e-mail address name, Aileen introduced me to the music by Broken Belles. She also shared Isisip’s video, “The Unfinished Story.” It’s as beautiful as Aileen.
And Aileen loved her friends. After her death, her friends put up a Facebook page in her honor and to provide information to other students. Someone said she wouldn’t have wanted that type of page put up. Later that page and Aileen’s own Facebook page were deleted. She spent time on Facebook because she loved sharing pictures and info with friends. She wouldn’t have wanted it to disappear.
There are two types of Internet users – those who blog and those who don’t. Aileen was very public online. She had several blogs published online and she created an account with her name or several known usernames. She blogged because she wanted to share her parts of her life with her friends. *Please don’t link to her blogs in the comments – I will delete them. High school life is tough, especially for a young woman who demanded a lot from herself and a blog is just bits and pieces of a person’s thoughts and not the total person.
I don’t for a minute believe that Aileen rode against the light. I haven’t read one eye witness that said they saw that. Aileen wasn’t reckless. Yes, I realize that she didn’t have a helmet on; years ago no one wore helmets and no one thought that was strange or reckless. I don’t care what is written in the newspapers, they don’t know Aileen – WE DO. (Ironically, the truth came out in the NY Post comments today….see below) It was a tragic accident and I am not going to write any further about it.
RIP redonigiri….you made the world a better place. Many prayers for Aileen’s parents, sister, family and friends.
Aileen’s friends made these beautiful videos. Here
A shrine was made:
The wake info:
FROM STUYVESANT:
Stuyvesant Student Aileen Chen was struck and killed on Saturday.
It is with deep sadness that we must share the news that Aileen Chen, a brilliant Stuyvesant sophomore, was riding her bicycle near her home in Brooklyn this past Saturday evening, when she was struck and killed by a motorist. She was sixteen years old.
Aileen loved physics and playing the violin, and dreamed of becoming a doctor. Her teachers describe her as “charming, buoyant and scholarly,” but such words cannot begin to capture her uniqueness, spark and potential, nor can they convey the loss that her death represents.
Our hearts go out to Aileen’s family, and to the friends, classmates and teachers who cared for her and who will miss seeing her in class and in the halls.
UPDATE:
Aileen’s friends and McAuliffe students painted this in her honor:
I know her sister may stop by again so I thought she would like to see this.
Although Aileen’s life was short, she influenced many people – students and teachers alike. Her memory still lives on in the school where she shared her talents.
Topics: Brooklyn | 20 Comments »
June 5, 2011Brad and Emily are Broken Up
If you watched The Bachelor, you saw the sweet romance of Brad and Emily. And as soon as Emily was the final rose winner, there were people waiting to bet on the couple’s relationship failing.Even the Bachelorette success story Trista’s Rehn’s husband, Ryan Sutter doubted that they would be able to stay together.The network probably doesn’t want Brad and Emily announcing their breakup as the new series with Ashley just began. So things have been hush hush. But there is evidence that things are over between Emily and Brad? Check Emily’s Twitter account. Although Brad’s no longer on twitter, his siblings are and Emily doesn’t follows any of them. (Wes Womack and primawomack).
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May 31, 2011Chase Bank – Beware of Identity Theft Program
Chase is sending out flyers for their Identity Protection Program using their ID Risk Assessment.The flyers have an id and pin to sign in, but on both mine and Lee’s they don’t work. We called two friends who we thought had received the same mailing. They did and their id and pin didn’t work either.If you call the Chase number on the mailing, you wait on hold for a long time. So we called the regular Chase number and the customer service representative realized we were getting a weird response as well as we waited on hold. Either the number doesn’t go through or it just leaves you on hold.Everyone received an Above Average in the Identity Risk Pattern. Here’s how you know the program is bogus…..both Lee and I have the Chase Identity Protection Program.
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May 30, 2011RIP Mike Sneddon
Many years ago I had the pleasure to get to know Michael Sneddon. He was energetic, full of life and well-liked. His death was very unfortunate.
Writing graffiti in the subway may seem unimportant to some people, but in Brooklyn it’s a form of art and a thing young people do for status. Many students admire the artistic work of others writing in the subway. Writing your tag in huge letters in a dark subway tunnel where no one else has simply amazes people. Now if you are reading this and don’t understand what’s so great about subway graffiti or don’t consider graffiti a form of art, then you are probably just a little bit too old to remember what it was like to be young and free.
His obituary (see here and here) read:
SNEDDON – Michael Howard. On May 16, 2011. Loving son of Helen (nee Mitchell) and the late Peter J. Sneddon. Dear brother of Peter Sneddon. Cherished grandson of Phyllis & the late Howard Sneddon, Marilyn and the late Edward Mitchell. Dear nephew of Richard Sneddon (Nancie), Edward Mitchell and the late Christopher Mitchell. Fond cousin of Alexandria and Brandon Sneddon. Friend to all whose life he entered.
Visiting Thursday and Friday 2-4 and 7-9 P.M. at the CLAVIN FUNERAL HOME, 7722 4th Ave., Brooklyn. Mass of Christian Burial Saturday, 10:30 A.M. at Our Lady of Angels R.C. Church.
RIP in peace Michael. Prayers for his mother and brother.
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May 26, 2011Oprah’s Last Words
I watched Oprah for 25 years. I remember coming home from school and watching it with my mother sometimes. Back then, the only talk show hosts were men like Phil Donahue. Afternoon television was filled with soap operas and cartoons. In the beginning, Oprah provided information and humor in a one hour show. A week ago, I heard Oprah’s friend, Gayle King say that Oprah liked the way the Mary Tyler Moore Show ended and implied that Oprah might make a similar exit. I realized then that Oprah’s last words would be important.I didn’t tape today’s show. I sat down and watched it. I waited to hear how the media tycoon would end her historic show. As she spoke her last words, I realized how important they were. And in traditional Oprah style, she taught the world another lesson with her final words: “To God be the glory.”
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