That is a blessing.

I am so glad, Tal. I know this is something you live with in a way that is completely alien to a lot of us, and that we can never truly understand. I am sorry our world is so violent. I think about my children, and just want to put them (and everyone else's children, too) in a well padded box, sometimes.

Thanks for the information Tal. I'm glad to hear your family is safe; I hope Nilly's is as well.

Actually, I can see the Bernhardt (Sandra, not Jon) resemblance

Sandra is a Bernhard. No "t".

FAQ girl looks happier than Mel usually does.

You need to factor in the Jon-datage.

You're a sweetie, ita. And thanks, all, for not using her name in posts. She appreciates it.

I've been behind in this thread since leaving for NYC. Time to fill-in the NillyGaps.

Last Wednesday, I picked up Nilly from Tom & Nora's at 9:30am. We rode back to my house where I told her I had a surprise for her: A theremin concert! She was thrilled and said she had hoped I would play for her. I played Eleanor Rigby, the Buffy/Angel themes medley (both heard at various F2F's) and, as mentioned upthread, the Israeli National Anthem. Nilly was sitting on a stoll while I was playing. She told me after that she wanted to stand for her Anthem, but was afraid she'd distract me.

Five minutes later, FAQ Girl arrived and we began the drive to NYC. It was mostly uneventful. We hit a few spots of heavy traffic, but it was mostly smooth. I played a bunch of CDs. Nilly especially liked the new Polyphonic Spree, but emphasized that music "wasn't her language". She kept commenting on how green everything was, and how many different types of trees and bushes there were on the sides of the road. She also, despite her best efforts, kept nodding off. After the first hour or so, we didn't talk much, but she I could tell that she didn't want to sleep through a moment of the trip -- she might miss a particularly beautiful landscape!

As we closed in on Manhattan, Nilly called both Trudy and Jesse, but neither picked up. It was around 3pm and we knew that Trudy wouldn't be home until 6, so we had some time to kill. FAQ Girl & I had decided to go see the Polyphonic Spree that evening at Irving Plaza, so we drove down there with Nilly to get tickets. On the way, we passed the building in which I grew up. I pointed it out to FAQ Girl and Nilly who were suitably awed. Tickets in hand, we drove up to W 49th where FG and I would be staying. Nilly volunteered to wait in the car while FG and I brought our bags up. When we got back down, Nilly reported that she'd gotten through to Jesse who was on her way over. Huzzah!

Jesse brought us to a lovely park along the Hudson near Columbia via a secret passage. She was very excited about the park, having just discovered it, and I could see why. It was lovely. I don't think it even existed when I was growing up there, but I could be wrong. We walked around for a bit, but soon it was 6:00 and time to drop Nilly off at Trudy's. Trudy isn't kidding when she says her apartment is tiny, but having seen many Manhattan apts., I was used to it. Plus, it is adorable with lots of things to look at (including a glam shot of Aimée!). I would have liked to have gone to the Empire State Building, but FAQ Girl and I needed to eat dinner and get to Irving Plaza by 9pm, so we bowed out.

The next morning, I called Trudy, and we agreed to met at the Museum of Natural History at 10:30. I hadn't been to that museum since I was a kid so I looked forward to reliving childhood memories. FAQ Girl had an appointment at 10am near Central Park South, so I walked with her. At the Plaza Hotel, on Central Park South and 6th, we stumbled upon a direct action protest! Our timing was perfect; police were up there within 15 minutes taking the sign down. After dropping off FAQ Girl, I took a leisurely walk through Central Park to the Museum where I met up with Nilly & Trudy. We scooted through the Planetarium to the main attraction -- The lifesized model of the Blue Whale! Every kid who's been to the museum remembers it. I was sure it would be smaller than I remembered, but it wasn't! It was just as awe-inspiring as it was 30 years ago. Of course, Nilly was equally awed. We saw diaramas of all sorts of animals including Giant Squid and Walruses and a Humongous Jellyfish. Trudy then brought us to something I didn't remember -- Dinosaur skeletons near one of the entrances. Amazing how big they were, and yet how small their skulls were. By now, it was 12:15 and I had promised to meet FAQ Girl across the park at the Met at 12:30, so I parted ways with Nilly and Trudy. But not before Nilly took a couple of pictures of us in front of the dinosaurs. Also, I wasn't sure if I'd be rejoining them later, so we said our good-byes and gave each other big hugs.

As it turned out, I didn't get to rejoin them. Like everyone, I wish I could have spent more time with Nilly, but I'm glad I got the time I had. She truly is the Nilliest.

I finally got around to reading the posts on that fateful night. Ridiculously amazing. And I think Kristin wins the Best First Night on Buffistas Award.

Nice story, Jon. And how much do I love the moniker "FAQ Girl"?

Nice story, Jon. And how much do I love the moniker "FAQ Girl"?

Me, too. But as I found out at Nillyfest, it sounds a leetle too close to fat girl.

I must admit I'm quite relieved that Nilly got her phone back! I felt like a total ass for forgetting that I had it in my purse when I left. oops.

Absconder!

Tal, I'm so relieved your loved ones are ok.

But as I found out at Nillyfest, it sounds a leetle too close to fat girl.

Well, eff-ai-cue girl really doesn't have the same ring to it.

See, I'd never been exposed to the term being verbalized as "fack" before Somerville. I always assumed that if the term were spoken aloud, it would be as "eff-ai-cue" after the manner that the individual letters in URL are sounded out.

I'm with Matt.

(I wish!!!)

(Hi Matt!)