for the birds

For the Birds Has Flown the Coop.

But you can find us here: http://forthebirdsblog.com

Cheers!

Did Somebody Turn out the LIGHTS?

A few weeks ago For the Birds celebrated it's one year mark -- picture me sitting at the keyboard with a party hat on....vodka bottle rolling on the floor...  silly string still stuck to the monitor.. I mentioned in my post that FTB has built a following with over 20,000 site visitors. This is a rough estimate, because  -- come on, really. You don't think that I actually believe that 20,000+ of you are out there reading these almost daily observations... And thanks to all of the lovely comments that I received pointing this out. Side note, I am not that BOARING Ms. Kelly from Kentucky -- and although you don't know how to spell, I might have better things to do with my time but I choose to do this -- and if it's just not that interesting to you -- then STOP visiting. But, keep checking in if you must, I am into all things that depreciate. 

So, getting to the point, I do know -- thanks to those smart heads over at Feed Burner, that we do have a factual regular readership of 25 concrete, real-live people. That's right - a lovely and lucky 25. And to you I am calling out. In the next few days the following will be happening:

1. For the Birds will turn out the lights for a much needed beauty rest.
2. For the Birds will return, refreshed and better than ever—but only viewable at the new (still shiny) URL - http://forthebirdsblog.com
3. The old ugly domain http://designsigh.typepad.com/forthebirds will GO AWAY, so DON'T GO THERE
4. Those of you that have the old domain/URL in your readers, you will need to change to the new domain.
5. For the Birds will only be accessible from http://forthebirdsblog.com
6. This has very little to do with the evil birders over at forthebirds.com 

Unfortunately, I don't have specific timing on this event—otherwise I would fill you in. But the wheels are in motion. We've checked the logs, Batman, and will make a swift return... So, if you happen to be settling in for the evening, and pull up to FTB for some mild entertainment, please don't be alarmed if you receive some sort of error message or blank screen—We are still here... we are coming back—this has very little to do with the evil birders at forthebirds.com AND, the best is yet to come... More shameless self-promotion of multiple personality abundance -  I want you to know but I don't anxiety disorder...  have I mentioned most of us here are geminis? Any questions? Email me - rmsatbwdstudiodotcom.

365 days later...

Year one has passed!

I began publishing For the Birds on this date circa 2008—wow oh wow have things changed since. Initially, For the Birds was to be a marketing tool for Breakwater Design Studio, and although it does serve that purpose, FTB has also opened up whole new worlds for me... Writing and Internet Social Media. Once shunned—Facebook and Twitter are now common tools that promote, engage... Once feared, writing a very public diary of almost daily observations has given me a personal boost that I never could have imagined... Sharing accounts with readers who then become friends with common interests and concerns... And then my favorite -- sharing our lives with existing friends and family scattered all over the world. In short, connections have become a way of life and For the Birds has allowed my family and I to have a mini piece of the pie—actively participating on an almost daily basis.

So, I guess that I need to thank me for jumping into a way of life that I never knew possible... but -- as I take my place at the podium to accept the award for 2009 Ego of the Year—I really thank all the readers... to date a shocking 23,247—even those that hit the website and went "what the f is this" and x'd the browser out... I have kept my word and emailed everyone back that has commented—and I have kept most comments private... knowing that privacy is still a major player in the evolution of For the Birds.

On another note, I really want to acknowledge a few other blogs out there that have given me the courage to share in this open forum... In no particular order:

Dooce
Mighty Girl
Suburban Bliss
Gotham Gal
Designing Moms

I don't think that any of these authors are aware of me or how much they have influenced... If they were aware—I'm sure that restraining orders would be issued. At any rate, I read their posts with the hope that someday FTB will boast it's own URL (damn you—you evil birders at forthebirds.com) and claim a regular readership. Until that day—keep stopping by—I promise generous helpings of almost daily observations... blood, sweat, tears all mixed with a fine selection of mundane tribulations.

PS. If you want to hear me talk more (The floodgates! Typepad you're killing me!)—visit me at Twitter.

I thought I had lost these images and that they were gone—gone forever. Montreal 2006 for our anniversary... I highly recommend—even in the cold.

Hint hint... Wink wink.. SLAP.

A few months back we posted a note about the lovely speed limit signage that garnish our Hamptons gateways... We even had a little fun with it online... This being said... Wednesday night's vandals (who we predict, will be caught—unfortunately) made us laugh all the way to Manorville... Then again during drinks on Thanksgiving in CT... Then again during leftovers in Massachusetts... Then again upon our East End return last night.

I find it hard to believe that the SHPD allowed such embarrassment to hang over a holiday weekend - but perhaps they found it endearing that people still cared enough to plan such a feat.

Kudos to the brave that risked their tails in the name of a little dark humor. We look forward to the onslaught...

West Facing

 
East Facing


Breakwater's Take...

Oh road work how I loathe thee....

Another busy busy week. Many posts to post and catch up on... Here's an observation authored by our very own Patrick...

Roadwork. The monster lurking in the shadows of the daily commute, ready stop the unsuspecting driver (rocking out to his favorite morning radio show) dead in his tracks. It seems that whomever is in charge delegating these horrible acts of humanity can see inside your mind—knows the route that you intend to travel ...and then—just like that there is a sudden highway emergency that needs to be taken care of...IMMEDIATELY!

Working out in Bridgehampton,  I've witnessed firsthand an array of things that slow me down and occasionally delay my arrival at Breakwater Design. My personal favorite was when the brilliant town officials (whom we love) decided to make CR-39 a 4 lane road and at the same time have LIPA bury lines on the "back roads" so that we, commuters to the East End, had no where to go — Great idea!

But its not just here on our little piece of the Empire state, its everywhere! Just this past weekend I was traveling to my own get-a-way in the mountains of upstate New York, and on RT-17,  which is a huge part of my trip (roughly 63.4 miles) there was road work in 5 different locations—is that really necessary?

What can one do? Get mad? Blog about it? Yell at people? It isn't the worker's fault. That one worker holding the infamous "SLOW" sign completely aware of the infuriated commuters as they pass him one by one. He knows that every single one of them despises him and everything he stands for? How do you think that makes him feel about himself? I bet he goes home a cries every night, how fair is that?

Then again, maybe he really doesn't care.

I guess all I'm really trying accomplish here...is, HEY, folks over at Road Work Enterprises—give me a break, stop poking around in my head to see where I'm going. There are plenty of people going nowhere fast that wouldn't mind another detour. I'm busy. Let me keep my foot on the gas.

Patrick and Amy are going to Jamaica!

A few links for the well deserved vacation

• Your basic information... [Wikipedia]
• The usual tourist jarg... [Visit Jamaica]
• Just the facts, man..... [CIA]
• For the people, by the people... [Jamaicans.com]
• Laura is not a threat! [Go-Jamaica]
• All kinds of fun... [Bonita Jamaica]
• Prince Charles Rocked out at Bob Marley's, maybe your can too! [Gridskipper]
• Jamaicans are naturally speedy... [Gene Expression]

(PS. Please come back!)

More Powerful Than a Locomotive.....

Dubai Resort Defies Hard Economic Times...

"...The hotel boasts an indoor ski-slope and a giant open-air tank holding dolphins which have been flown in from the Solomon Islands...... Donald Trump is one of several international names who have already staked out their plot within the sprawling resort. He plans to open a hotel in the centre of the palm...."

Read more here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/3072525/800m-luxury-Dubai-resort-defies-hard-economic-times.html

And now... Alaska.

Alaska is in it's limelight. For real— when was the last time that Alaska was mentioned so many times in a given day let alone a half hour. We [try to] refrain from political stance on this bloggedy-blog, but given unavoidable current events and the Newbie-Infamous Running Mate,  think.... how many times a day did you wonder/read about/hear/smell/take an interest in Alaska before 2 weeks ago?

I thought about Alaska a few times in years past - that it might be nice to investigate... to see what it's all about. But it's very cold and far away. I really liked the movie Mystery Alaska - and heard that it was a true story, but not so sure....can you tell that I'm trying to avoid stereotyping?

Asking our Senior Graphic Designer, Patrick... Alaska = salmon, king crab, hunting, cruise lines, darkness, kodiak bears, awesome ......palin (fair enough).

The pictures being flashed across screens show a typically normal American setting... just in a contsant state of melt.... Alaska calls itself "The Last Frontier". Last, meaning final? How starwarsesque... we'll try not to over analyze.

In other news...

"In a year or so, it may not be necessary to move all the way to Dubai to own a piece of the emirate’s ostentatious man-made, palm-shaped islands....." read more here-- http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/04/dubai-developers-next-big-project-an-ipo