Bay Ridge Brooklyn Bob…Again!

Bay Ridge is my new home thanks to Bay Ridge neighbor and new friend David Todd of Virtual Real Estate, I moved in to an apartment today on Ridge Boulevard, Bay Ridge. Thanks Heather for steering me to Virtual. How mystical it turned out to be!

We lived here on Bay Ridge Parkway (the street where David lives) a long time ago at age four before we moved to Lakeview, L.I. (Malverne school district).

I’m writing this from a Starbucks near to where I now live. I’m enjoying watching the mixture of people who have been walking in. There’s lots more to write about but I’m just plain tired. I’ve spent most of the week in bed with a UTI. Just what I needed eh what?

I wasn’t able to get to a doctor for an antibiotic, but I think the cranberry juice prescribed by Doc Todd did the trick. I drank a couple of large bottles and this is the best I’ve felt in a good while. I’m sure there’s also some psychosomatic benefit from moving from the HOJO to my own apartment.

There’s been enough material from this odyssey for a Woody Allen movie. If I were younger, I’d try to film it myself. Who know what will come out of all this.

Thanks for all the good thoughts. More later…

Bay Ridge Brooklyn Bob

News From Brooklyn

No, I have not found a place to live and that is a problem. I underestimated the degree of difficulty in relocating here by myself without feet on the ground to help. One price of all learning is time. I’m learning about the ‘territory’ but it takes time and the cost is high in terms of hotel living.

While I may appreciate worry and concern, please don’t send me ‘what’s up’ messages. I don’t have time to respond to them and they are of no value to me. Any constructive suggestions, however, are very much appreciated.

Many of the apartments in my price range are in predominantly black neighborhoods. Some of you can figure out that I’ve been living in an essentially all black neighborhood. That’s not a problem. It’s just not what I’d like for the long term. I don’t like living in a homogeneous society of any kind whether it be old, young, white, or materialistic. A couple of neighborhoods of interest at this point are Bay Ridge and Prospect Heights near BBG, the museum and the park.

I can’t compete with the earning power of young people, so I’m tying to use my financial resources by offering some amount of rent prepayment. Hell, if the situation were right I’d prepay the whole annual lease. One way or another a lease is a financial commitment.

Heather made a good suggestion about relocating to a cheaper hotel close to the PATH in NJ. I’m thinking about moving over to the HOJO at Newark Airport and see how long it takes to get to and from Brooklyn. I’ll probably do it in the next day or so.

The other unplanned factor is my knees. The pain is not relievable at the end of the day after I’ve been out apartment hunting even with my Darvon prescription. I’ve stopped carrying my laptop and will buy a backpack. Hopefully that will help to some degree.

I have no regret about being here but I’ll surely be glad to look back at this time when it’s a dim memory. There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s NYC DNA in my soul. I believe it was implanted at a very early age (before 5) when we lived in Brooklyn. I always liked working in NYC even when the commute time was outrageous from Farmingdale, LI and then from Princeton/East Windsor NJ.

Incidentally, I do not know the status of the plants at this time. I’m attempting to arrange an appointment or phone conversation with Principal Margie Baker.

Thank you to those of you who have been contributing supportive and constructive suggestions. They are very much appreciated.

BFN, Almost Brooklyn Bob