I think I have started the year of 2006 with a fracture in my left leg!

So first and foremost I'd like to thank the New York Transit Workers Union's recent strike for this!

I'm laying the blame fair and square on their shoulders as the strike that they voted to impose on the city
forced me to walk 10 miles a day to reach my place of employ!

Our apartment is on 183rd St. (Washington Heights) and my place of work (Gothic Cabinet Craft) is located on the corner of 83rd St. and 2nd Avenue! So each commute was a 100 blocks each way plus walking from the West to the East Side of Manhattan Island!

The first day was ok. I saw sights of the city that if it wasn't for the strike I doubt I would ever see! These include both Harlem and Spanish Harlem, both at ungodly hours of the night and more appealingly "Coogans" Irish bar on 169th St. and Broadway!

I split each days walk into pit-stops!

Coming back home the first mental pit-stop was from 83rd St. to Central Park (this took about 45 minutes) next was the 125th St. non-operational subway station (another 35 minutes), this was followed by 145th St. subway station (40 minutes) until I finally fell into "Coogan's" which was just a mere 14 blocks away from our apartment!

After imbibing several adult alcoholic beverages and resting my 'knackered' legs I made the final trudge home!

I'm off to get the leg amputated tomorrow!

It's been over a week since the strike ended and I still have severe swelling and sharp shooting pains from my ankle to midway up my calf if I walk further that 20 feet!

Nevermind!

I know that there were a lot of other people in worse situations than mine and I salute all of you who took to the streets of this fair city to earn a fair day's wage!

More photography and movie news to follow!