Peggy

is from North-Central Minnesota and came to New York with her husband, who is here for work. He is a videographer and works for a court reporter. Peggy's husband has been in NY before but this is Peggy's first trip to the Big Apple. Yesterday, Peggy was in downtown visiting landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and ground zero. While in NY, Peggy is also getting a taste of this long overdue warm and snow-free weather. Peggy lives by the lake and can not wait for the warmer and longer days of spring when she can venture in the outdoors.

In NY, I can tell spring is around the corner when women dressed in formal/office attire sport their flip flops - I spotted one yesterday - and when Irish pubs gear up for St. Patrick's Day. For Peggy, St. Patrick's Day is an occasion for celebration too, not so much in commemoration of Ireland's patron saint but because the holiday coincides with her mother in law's birthday. Peggy's mother in law will be turning 77 next week.

Peggy got married 39 years ago when she was 17 and her husband was 18. Peggy and her husband have been happily married for almost four decades but they, nevertheless, dissuaded their three children from marrying as early as they did. The kids followed their parents' advice and they are now happily married as well.

In their 39 years together, Peggy and her husband have tackled numerous projects. Their latest one: opening an antiques store. They are learning the business as they go. Peggy's biggest fear about the business is seeing an item which has been sold at their store for $10 being appraised for thousands of dollars on the Antiques Roadshow or Pawn Stars! I think we all experience some degree of that fear when we get ready to toss an old piece of furniture or artifact that has been collecting dust in the garage. How to tell whether something must go or stay? The ability to make the right call may be the difference between a hoarder and a collector of antiques.

Jay

has lived in NY his whole life. His favorite part of the city is the Bronx. It was obvious by the hat he was wearing that Jay loves the Yankees. He's also a fan of the NY Jets and the ESPN network. Sports seems to be one of Jay's favorite pastimes. Even though he wasn't following much of the Olympics during the past two weeks, he did tune in to the hockey match between the US and Canada. With all the Olympic coverage, I almost forgot that it is already time for the Oscars.

Jay is not planning to watch the Oscars ceremony but he will be cheering for Precious, a critically acclaimed movie he's seen and which has been nominated for 6 Oscars. I am looking forward to watching Precious and the other nominated films in the near future when they become available on demand. I know that watching Avatar from the comfort of my living room couch will take away from its 3-D magic but I would still like to see whether it lives up to all the buzz and fuss ... as of now, I am just waiting for someone to repair our TV which broke for the second time in its young 5-year lifetime. Not a good thing, especially when being home-bound with three young kids as a result of the latest blizzard.

New York and the tri-state area have been hit with record breaking amounts of snow fall in the month of February. Fortunately, Jay wasn't affected by the snowstorms and didn't miss any time from work. Jay works the graveyard, third, "twilight" shift or however the 2 am to 9 am shift is called. He has been doing it for three years and thinks it is the best shift. The job pays well and after a few hours of sleep, he can spend the rest of the day doing whatever he wants, including visiting with friends. Not bad for a 22 year old young fellow.

Mark

is a loyal fan of the NY Giants but yesterday he was rooting for the New Orleans Saints. Mark was one of the 106 million viewers who made the Super Bowl the most watched program in TV history. One thing that Mark can't go without during Super Bowl Sunday? Buffalo wings. Lots of wings and lots of drinks with Vodka.

Surprisingly, even though over a billion chicken wings are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday, they are not the most popular food according to recent NPD Group survey which listed the following top 10 Super Bowl Sunday foods:

1. Vegetables 2. Potatoes 3. Carbonated Soft Drinks 4. Total Salty Snacks 5. Sandwiches 6. Salads 7. Chicken 8. Milk 9. Pizza 10. Tea

Like Mark, we had chicken at our modest SB party but Pollo Loco's instead of buffalo styled wings. Mark lives and works in NYC. McD's is his least favorite place in the city and tries to avoid this venue and its food. But today he had to stop by for "business."

It is Monday and the beginning of a new week can often be the most stressful time of the week, at least for me. When under stress Mark finds comfort in a drink or two of Vodka, specifically, Ketel One Vodka. What a fine product when consumed responsibly! During the prohibition era, doctors were able to prescribe alcohol as medication for a variety of ailments, including stress. Hey, it's what the doctor prescribed!

Dom

I and millions of viewers will be watching the season premiere of the much anticipated Lost. As I type this mcbreak, I can hear Ben's voice narrating the last season's recap in the background. Ben is my favorite character of the show. A combination of his ironic tone of voice and eccentric eyes make Michael Emerson one of the most captivating and under rated actors, in my modest opinion.

Dom may be watching Lost tonight but his favorite show is NBC's Heroes and Peter Petrelli is his favorite character. Thanks to Tivo Dom can watch both and many other shows at any time. But if there is one show or event that can not be recorded or missed and must be watched live is the Super Bowl. Dom is gearing up for the occasion and will be throwing a Super Bowl party at his home in Staten Island. Dom and approximately 25 of his family and friends will play pool and video games while enjoying hot dogs, burgers, spare ribs and other party delights as they warm up for the game. Dom will be cheering for the Saints.

With another six weeks of winter ahead of us, it is a good thing that some new shows or events like the ones mentioned above will make the long nights a little more entertaining. Recently, a study found that "the average young American now spends practically every waking minute — except for the time in school — using a smart phone, computer, television or other electronic device, according to a new study from the Kaiser Family Foundation." Many of us, even the not so young, like me or Dom, who's loved technology from the time of the Commodore 64, are guilty as charged.
It is restaurant week in NYC and Dom's favorite restaurant, Maloney and Porcelli, is one of the participating restaurants.

OB

was having a sandwich which was wrapped in foil paper and looked a little healthier than a value meal. He is not adverse to fast food like mcd's but he had intended to have a quick meal on the go since OB, his girlfriend and his girlfriend's aunt were headed to a matinée show of the West Side Story. He is from NJ and likes to visit the Big Apple from time to time to enjoy the shows and the city's diversity.

OB met his girlfriend while attending college and has been dating her for over three years. One of the things that keeps the sparkles and fun afire in this relationship is their mutual affection for the game of ping pong. According to OB, his girlfriend is really good at it. OB's athletic girlfriend also inherited her charming looks from her Singaporean mother and Pakistani father. I think OB knew that he is a very fortunate guy.

OB does not plan to tune in to tonight's State of the Union address. He is not interested in politics. He will, however, tune in to or DVR the season premiere of Lost next Tuesday. OB's girlfriend hates the show and I can understand that sentiment because I have often told my husband that I would stop watching the show but I am addicted. By now, I just want to see how it all ends.

Wouldn't it be nice if an island like Lost's or its inhabitants could disappear at the crank of a lever and at the sight of imminent danger? Something like that would have saved so many lives in another island like Haiti. But since Lost is all fiction and Haiti is actuality, we continue to witness the perils of a city in ruins and admire the courage of those who are struggling to stay alive and those who jumped to the rescue. Like OB said, we must pray for the people in Haiti. And now, back to President Obama's speech.

Isa and Lisa

are from Denmark and they met while attending a fellowship/exchange program on human rights at Humanity In Action in Washington, DC. Per Isa, DC can be an aesthetically predictable/homogeneous city in terms of the historical buildings and suburban homes. But when it comes to its residents, the city can become overwhelming to many like her, as a result of its competitive, serious and power driven residents. In contrast to DC, they welcomed the diversity of the Big Apple and were pleasantly surprised by the friendly New Yorkers, at least the ones they've encountered so far. Even if they have seen one side of NYC's many facets it is always nice to hear that outsiders find or change their opinion about New Yorkers after coming here. Whether nice or uptight, generous or cut throat, the city is so diverse that every one can probably find a connection or corner to fit in. Oh, one thing that Isa would promote in NYC if she were to live here is biking. Apparently, biking is one of the most popular modes of transportation in Denmark. Check out: http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/

While in NY, they've been enjoying the many landmarks, museums and restaurants. The Spotted Pig on Greenwich Street was their favorite eatery by far. They think it is a good place to hang out with friends while savoring a good variety of dishes from the fancier to the very casual burger, the latter one which they devoured with gusto. I can't wait to check out this Pig.

Lisa is currently pursuing her Master's degree and Isa is taking a break from her studies after obtaining her Bachelor's degree in Arabic Language. Among the many places visited by these well traveled ladies, the North of Spain and Kaikoura, New Zealand are Lisa's favorite. Isa's most memorable destination was Damascus, where she stayed at a local monastery where she volunteered and helped out in exchange for lodging . In addition, Isa cherishes memories of the less touristy Black Sea coast in Turkey.

On Friday, Isa and Lisa will head back to DC, where they will wrap up their stay in the US and return to Denmark. While they had a fun and productive time in the US, they are looking forward to returning home. Like Isa said, Americans have an inherent fear of big government but Isa is proud that such Danish government provides "free" education, health care and welfare to its citizens, who in turn are required to pay high taxes. Lisa pointed out that there are only 5 million people in Denmark. That is about one fourth of the NY state population. Denmark may be a small country but it is one of the strongest world economies. I am not a supporter of big government but I am all for free or at best, affordable higher education. It may, however, be something as unattainable as affordable healthcare ... If Lisa and Isa are anything like most Danes, then I can see how their smarts, attitude and height will lead them to success. At 172 and 173 cm (~5.6'), these ladies considered themselves to be of average height by Danish standards. But to me, they appeared very tall, even while sitting.

Ron

was one of the first to see the West Side Story when it made its debut in Philadelphia in the early 60's. Even though many members of the audience walked out of the show as a result of its violent content that didn't bother the then 13 year-old Ron. Ron inherited an interest in the performing arts from his parents who exposed him to the theater and Broadway shows early on and his interest only flourished over the years. Ron and his wife routinely make the trip to NY city to attend the Broadway shows and plays. They ride the bus from Philadelphia and get bargain rates offered by companies like Boat Bus and MegaBus.

Another good reason to visit the Big Apple is that their daughter works for a major financial company in the neighborhood. Ron spoke proudly of his daughter who graduated with an MBA degree from Columbia Univ. She had just started to work for Goldman Sachs in 2001 when NY City was attacked by the terrorists. Soon after 9/11 an opportunity allowed Ron's daughter to relocate and spend two years in GS's Tokyo office. Visiting their daughter in Japan made for a memorable trip but the one at the top of his list is his recent visit to South Africa's Table Mountain. Like Winston from a previous mcbreak, Ron also thinks it is simply one of the most astonishing and beautiful places in the world.

Ron used to be a high school AP psychology teacher. He may have retired a few years ago but keeps himself busy by traveling, attending seminars and workshops and indulging other hobbies.

The current topic of most interest to Ron is the health care debacle. He will be disappointed if the reform efforts are defeated following the election of MA's senator-elect. Ron supports a public option because he believes that it would make H'care affordable to more people. In turn, more people would be able to seek care and not wait until they were struck with a major illness or condition which would end up costing more dollars to the government. If more people are covered and seek preventative care then it would ultimately save more money to the country. The debate continues and it looks like things may go back to square one unless the house is agreeable to the senate's version of the bill and there's no need for further action from the senate. For Ron, this health care reform hit home very recently when his wife, who is 60 years old and healthy, was told that her monthly premium will be $850.

Like Ron said, nowdays it is all about politics and the meaning of "compromise" is lost because in politics "compromise" is viewed as weakness. Does bipartisanship even exist in today's politics or do politicians only care about the next election as soon as they take office?

We shall find out in the next couple of weeks, at least on the H'care issue. Like David Leonhardt states in his article in the NY Times, Centrist, and Yet Not Unified, "The decision is whether to expand insurance and try to control costs, despite the political risks, or whether that project will once again be put off until another day."

My question is, if homeowners and auto owners are required to and can manage to get coverage through the private sector, why are those options not available at a relatively reasonable cost for health coverage? Wouldn't it be striking if some day we could tell our friends "hey, I just saved a ton of money by switching to Geico" about our health policy? I look forward to that day. It was only recently that I was able to proudly say the same thing about my auto policy.

Philadelphia may be home of the famous cheese steaks but Ron is not crazy about them. If around town, however, he recommends stopping by the Reading Terminal Market which boasts some of the best restaurants in the city and freshest local products.

As we were closing our conversation, I had the pleasure to meet Ron's friendly wife, who was coming to meet Ron. It sounded like they were planning to grab lunch and head to a matinee show.