Meri's Musings

I know the Empire State Building is taller. I know the observation deck of the Empire State Building was romanticized in An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle , but in my book it doesn't hold a candle to the Chrysler Building. It was designed by architect William Van Alen for a project financed by Walter Chrysler, chairman of the Chrysler Corporation. Ground was broken in 1928, not long before the crash of Wall Street. At the time, there was intense competition to build the world's tallest skyscraper and with a few tricks up their sleeves, Van Alen and Chrysler managed to do just that but only for a brief interlude. It was the first habitable structure standing taller than 1000 feet. But less than a year after it was opened in 1931, its height was surpassed by the Empire State Building. The Chrysler Building still can boast about being the tallest steel-supported brick building in the world. The building is a National Historic Landmark and is considered a masterpiece ...

I know they're considered pests. I know my darling ex called them "Flying Rats." Or was that seagulls? No matter. I know pigeons leave messes on statues and park benches and sometimes even on people. But don't you think these guys are pretty? They've got colorful eyes and a vast range of feather designs. They're very entertaining and useful too. They make soft little noises and keep Times Square free of crumbs. That's kind of a miracle, when you think of it. And lest you get all hrr-umphity on me, consider this quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the ordinary. There. Don't you feel better about pigeons?