Don Osmond: In my opinion…

This last year has been a dream come true…

I’ve always wanted to live in New York, and for the past year I have. Living amidst the hustle and bustle has been on my list of things to accomplish for the past 4 years – and I finally did it!

Now leaving this city is a bittersweet moment for me. I’m leaving friends who have been there for me, whom I’ve had good time getting to know; but I’m returning home to be nearer to family and to continue my education.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to thank everyone individually on this blog (not to mention since this is online, some of you may be uncomfortable with you name being sent all over the WWW)so, may I just say “thank you” to my Downtown friends for being so welcoming to the ward… To those on the East Side for throwing great parties… A holla back to the West Side for keeping it real… And, to Uptown for helping me make it here in New York.

I think the song “Give My Regards to Broadway” is quite fitting for the post.

Did you ever see two Yankees part upon a foreign shore
When the good ship is just about to start for Old New York once more?
With tear-dimmed eye they say goodbye, they’re friends without a doubt;
When the man on the pier shouts loud and clear, as the ship strikes out…

Give my regards to Broadway, remember me to Herald Square,
Tell all the gang at Forty-Second Street, that I will soon be there;
Whisper of how I’m yearning to mingle with the old time throng;
Give my regards to old Broadway and say that I’ll be there ere long.

I love you all!

Living in New York, I’ve been on some fun East Coast road trips. Last weekend was definitely a highlight.

…and it all began on the corner of Broadway and Wall Street.

Early Saturday morning, Scott, Courtnie, Juleen, Sara and I made our way to New Jersey Penn Station via Path from WTC. It was blind leading the blind, since none of us have ventured far from Manhattan unaccompanied. But, we were adventure-bound.

At Penn Station we rented a 2007 Mother-of-Pearl Azera Hyundai and we were on our way. But to where…

Scranton, PA, of course! The land of The Office!

Upon arrival, and to our utter amazement, none of the locals could tell us where to find the Dunder-Mifflin offices. However, we did find Mifflin Ave.

After a brief encounter with Steve Carell… ok, not really… we were “on the road again.” To pass the time away, we played the License Plate Game. And, here’s our trophy list:

Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Okalahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah , Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Not bad for a road trip through NY, NJ, PA and Canada, eh? We only missed 13 states!

Six hours later, we arrived in Palmyra, NY.

We visited the Sacred Grove and the Palmyra Temple; both of which allowed for personal reflection and contemplation.

Being Courtnie’s first visit to upstate New York, we commemorated the trip by having dinner at Buffalo Bill’s Bar/Restaurant.
While at dinner, Scott and I both attempted to show-off our pro golf skills on the restaurant’s mini putt-putt. And, after many failed attempts, Sara graced us with her hole-in-one!

We men were truly humbled.

That evening we attend the Hill Cumorah Pageant. And, despite the anti-Mormon megaphone sermons, it was a very pleasant evening. We even met up with fellow Manhattan(ites) – Maren, Jen, Ann-Marie, Kyle, Ashley, and company.

The next morning, we were off to Niagara Falls! But, not without breakfast…

We stopped off at Settler’s Family Diner for a cheap meal – no lie. It was literally pennies on the dollar. Our friendly local waitress even told us that she tried her best to make the meal as inexpensive for us as possible. (How do you beat that? We live in Manhattan! Everything is cheap outside the city.)

Niagara Falls! (Words don’t do it justice)

Following our Maid in the Mist voyage, we ventured over to Canada (without passports). Walking across Rainbow Bridge, we got to the Canadian port of entry. Little did we know what was behind those doors – one short, but surly little lady.

Court, the novice traveler, came prepared with birth certificate; while the rest of us got grilled up and down for being ill-prepared. I may have received the brunt of Canadian-wrath. To think, a measly traffic violation could keep you from getting into Canada. Or for Juleen, being penniless!

We were finally able to “pass Go” and enjoy the Canadian side of Niagara. But, it was short lived – we had to get back to life, back to reality, and we had a long drive ahead of us.

There weren’t many stops this time back. But, we did make time to watch the sunset.

As if one brush with danger isn’t enough, I needed another.

Yesterday, just about ready to leave work around 6 PM, I was stalled because I needed to send the infamous “one more e-mail”.

So, I sent the e-mail, packed my murse and left the office. I wasn’t outside more than a minute when I noticed something strange about the air; it wasn’t the typical NY smell – taxi exhaust mixed with hot dog stands. But, didn’t think much of it until I got to the corner of Lexington and 50th Street…

From the south, a throng of people were migrating dumbfound, and bleeding from the sidewalks onto the street. From the north, Emergency vehicles were “swimming upstream” to Grand Central Station. And as I watched the red light flashing, I noticed a dark brown cloud of smoke billowing out of the ground.

At that moment, I was beside myself in disbelief. What is going on?

“Something just blew up in Grand Central,” one onlooker mentioned in passing.

Then it hit me. “Thank heaven for ‘one more e-mail.’” I would have been in the building if I left the office when planned.

I love this city.

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The thrill of being caught in the middle of bomb scare doesn’t really hit you until the moment has passed.

While attending the Dell Vostro launch at the Reuters building in Times Square, an announcement was made throughout the building that the main entrance would be closed due to a police investigation of a suspicious package outside.

From the 30th floor I could see the police redirecting traffic and causing quite the back up of traffic. It was actually kinda cool to be stuck in the middle of everything that was going on, and a part of me want to find out that the scare was for real.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately) it was someone’s forgotten luggage. Just a brush with danger… Kinda

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Here are a few pictures to view until I get my brother’s photos.