For the past several days, I've been trying to figure out a way back into this weblog.
You'll remember that a little over two months ago, I put Flaming Pablum more or less on ice. This wasn't the first time I've ever done this, but it was certainly the longest time I've ever had to step away.
Generally speaking, I'm usually not especially cryptic about things -- quite to the contrary, actually. If anything, I'm a chronically chatty over-sharer. But as I've been alluding since the close of last year, we've had some issues here at home on the personal front. This was suddenly compounded by some equally pressing issues in a professional capacity. As such, I had to batten down the proverbial hatches and focus fully on the matters at hand for a while.
So, that's what I did.
As fate's had it, things have worked themselves out in a way that wasn't quite what I'd anticipated or was endeavoring towards. I believe it was old John Lennon who's said that life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans. Great. Look what happened to him.
Anyway, be that as it may, I've decided to come back and start posting again. There's no real reason not to at this stage. I'm in something of a different headspace these days, but I'm trying to move forward and re-align myself.
In the past two months, I had been setting little news items aside for the purposes of addressing here on Flaming Pablum, but after a while it seemed so futile. In the weeks I've been away, my native Manhattan has been further beset by radical and unfortunate changes to locales I've held dear -- from Kid Robot in SoHo to St. Mark's Bookshop on Third Avenue to Kim's in the East Village to Japonica on University Place. Hell, as recently as yesterday, I took my kids for a final couple of frames over at Bowlmor on University Place, as today it closes for good. The space that Bowlmor's occupied has been a bowling alley in one capacity or another since 1938. Now, the building is being razed to accommodate yet another luxury condo.
I've been following the events via my colleagues over at Vanishing New York, EV Grieve, Bowery Boogie and a few others. I'm way behind at this stage, but I hope to bring proceedings up to speed soon. It may take me a while to re-find my voice (and re-build my readership -- is anyone actually still out there?), but I'll get there.
I would also like sincerely thank those of you who wrote in and left such encouraging comments along the way. I've been humbled by your interest and compassion.
Stay tuned for more.
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