Skip to main content

True Tales From Parks and Recreation - Is This Thing On?


Note: I used to work for a park slowly in continued development in Manhattan that is five miles along the waterfront of the Hudson River. As a Public Programs Coordinator, yours truly handled anything public related in regards to permitting (athletic facilities, film shoots, photo shoots, weddings, and other small gatherings), and of course, dealing with any questions or inquiries from the public. The following series will present stories, e-mails, phone calls, conversations, interactions, and sights I've seen from the people of New York City in regards to a public park. And yes, these are all real! And are all true!

Welcome to another little snippet of Parks and Recreation.

Similar to most public places, the park expanded and upgraded it's technology in the park to provide wi-fii service. The service is free, and pretty much standard as you simply connect, accept the conditions, and browse away. However, with any outdoor wi-fii service, there are hot spots designated for use. Of course, these spots are made known by signage.

The following Tale is an e-mail sent in by park patron who "apparently" had issues with the service. 


"Are you aware that no one can access your alleged wireless internet? I and many others have tried from many locations including right next to Pier --, and there is no signal. Is there some unknown procedure for connecting that I don't know about? My computer connects just fine anywhere else, so the problem is not there.
- Sent from a park lover using your wif fii service in the wi-fii area"

Yes, if you had to read that twice, don't worry, you read it correctly the first time. This person just used the wireless service to send an e-mail from their laptop complaining that they could not log on to the wireless service. 

Not sure what they wanted us to do, but that pretty much wraps up the general public in a nutshell. 

Recently Read

Would You Rather: Questions 121-130

This edition of "Would You Rather" is credited to the NBA Would You Rather NBA Account on Instagram ( See Here ). Adding to the fun, this edition (and possibly future ones) are all NBA basketball questions.  121. Who would you rather have on your favorite NBA team - Giannis Antetokounpo or James Harden?  Seeing how I'm a lifelong suffering Knicks fan, the thought of any of these guys in blue and orange is hard to believe. With that said, I'm taking the Greek Freak for this reason - I enjoy watching him play a bit more. Nothing against Harden who is amazing as well, but at times, the ball sticks and that isn't always fun. Plus, I feel like we haven't yet seen a finished Giannis. 122. Would you rather have Giannis Antetokounpo with no driving ability or James Harden with no Three-Point shooting ability?  This is definitely a weird and unique one, but I'll take Harden. Giannis without his strength doesn't offer much. However, if Harden's d...

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Good Posture (2019)

What is it about?  A young woman, stumped by laziness, unaccountability, and a lack of guidance, comes of age through an encounter with a closed-off writer.  Who is in it? Grace Van Patten - Lillian Emily Mortimer - Julia Price Favorite Scene: Julia runs into Nate and his new girlfriend.  Favorite Quote: "Lillian, desperate for affirmation, how deep does it go? Review: Good Posture was an impulse add to my "Watch List" on Amazon Prime, and I finally got around to watching.  The film is a mixed bag, ripe for a deep connection through so many opportunities, yet shallow in other areas of character development and plot. Don't get me wrong, Good Posture is a decent film; for the nerds, you'll get "Finding Forrester" vibes but not quite the same impact. Good Posture leaves it up to the imagination regarding the characters, and in some aspects, how they truly connect. There are a lot of subtleties that are unexplained (intentional or not) that do make you wond...

Dome Pondering Movie Review: Without Remorse (2021)

What is it about? A Navy SEAL set out to avenge his wife's murder, only to find himself amidst a much larger international conspiracy.  Who is in it? Michael B. Jordan - John Kelly Jodie Turner-Smith - Karen Greer Jamie Bell - Robert Ritter Favorite Scene:  [spoiler alert] After finally confronting Rykov, the team engages in an all-out confrontation with snipers and local police in an attempt to escape alive.  Favorite Quote: "I'll show them what a pawn can do to a king." Review: I finally watched Without Remorse. Because it's an Amazon original film, I may have taken its availability for granted. During a week I had some time off from the World, I finally watched it, and I wasn't disappointed.  For starters, I'm not a huge Tom Clancy aficionado, so my review is coming from a casual. But I do love a good thriller, especially from that of a rogue government official turned independent spy. Long live Jason Bourne.  Without Remorse, should there be a sequel, ...