Looking toward NYC

Thursday was technically my last day of teaching high school. I worked until 7 PM grading papers and doing grades, then came in the next day and spent the next two hours grading papers. By 11 AM I had finished grades and set up moving out of my room (actually two rooms). By six in the evening I was exhausted, with piles of recycling in the halls. I still had some work to do in my English room and had not touched my computer room. Nevertheless I joined some colleagues at local HopMonk Tavern for a beer. Today I spent four hours cleaning my computer room, maybe 100 pounds of curriculum went to recycling.

Tuesday night I fly to New York. I was faced with the chore of finding a reasonably priced hotel in New York City. I could have gone straight to Newark, but I love New York. I knew that I held on to a card from several years ago when I used to go to New York City on a regular basis. A friend there told me about a place that was a little old fashion, but clean and inexpensive. I stayed there one night and liked it very much (maybe $100 per night at time- that's with the old fashion shared bathroom). But I couldn't find that card. Suddenly the name flashed into my head: The Pickwick Hotel. I looked it up on the Internet and sure enough it was still there.

I compared prices from several agencies and snagged a reservation for $135. It is now called the Pod Hotel- I suppose for a modern touch. It was done over and you can charge an ipod and the rooms are also pod sized. It is a friendly and safe place and perfect for me. I will arrive in the city in the morning and should have a couple of hours for a good walk and one or two museums and dinner. I plan to go to the Museum of Modern Art. I have not been there since they now have a new location. Also the Frick has the most wonderful collection of landscapes by Corot.

The only catch is that I have an 8 AM flight to Portugal in Newark. I will have to get up at about five in the morning. I think that I can handle that.