Transit Strike Over

Thank God. Today wasn't terrible though. I got to my express bus stop at 7:15 and hopped on the first bus and was in the city at 8:30....half an hour faster than before. Coming home it was tougher about 1:45 because of traffic. Marion and I thought we were going to pass out because they had the heat on full blast on a balmy winter's night in the big apple.

I think Gov. Pataki should get a lot of credit for saying that no negotiations would start up until the union agreed to put people back to work. The mediator also seems to have done a good job. Both Mayor Bloomberg and Mr. Toussant, the transit union head were moronic mudslingers. I hope the union gets some help with health care and the concede some items on their pension. That seems to be the easy solution.

Spent most of the day at Paulist Press today with Fr. Kevin Lynch, CSP - a legend at Paulist Press for the last 48 years and Fr. Michael Kerrigan, CSP who will be editing Googling God...the book! Fr. Mike is very insightful and has already contributed some great ideas towards the final revisions.

Fr. Dave and Bill McGarvey and I at BustedHalo.com exchanged our Christmas gifts today.

Dave and I received a gift card to Barnes and Noble from Bill which will certainly go to good use!
I gave Dave a DVD of the 2nd season of Da Ali G show--I can already hear him laughing.
Dave gave me a itunes gift card (cool!) and a small jewelry box from Russia which he bought on a recent cruise.

Here's the kicker: Dave bought Bill a Tom Petty album and I gave him a Bruce Springsteen DVD series album thingie. Music lover that he is Bill already owned both of them! Glad I got the gift receipt!

By the way speaking of Bill and music--check out his album on itunes or some samples at Billmcgarvey.com. He's really talented and put on a great show recently at Frank Sinatra Park in Hoboken.