Jordy bottom right gets some TV airtime	Another good look	wide shot (arrow points to Jordy)

Balloon Handlers Blog....By Cousin Jordy Siev

A number of you have asked to hear "every last detail," and a number of you have asked for photos.  For the rest of you, feel free to hit delete...but if you care, here are some photos as well as my very own Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Handler "Blog."


5 am -- 55 degrees and no wind. Ditch the layers and layers of clothing I took out last night.  A good start. 

5:45 -- at the New York Hotel on 34th & 8th.  Clowns lined up down 34th St, balloon handlers down 35th St.  I can't believe how many people are up at this hour!

6 am --  through the i.d. check and up to changing room.  The Kermit and Scooby Doo handlers have some sweet outfits.  Stars and Stripes has a light blue jumpsuit that looks suspiciously like the color of my bar mitzvah tux.

6:30 -- in costume.  Myrna, our balloon captain, said I'll be in front because I'm tall. Sweet.

7:00 -- hurry up and wait...I wander to check out the scene.  The Shrek handlers have little Shrek ears. They are the envy of all the other balloon handlers.

7:15 -- on the bus uptown. Sitting next to a "Hello Kitty" balloon handler. They think they are better than us, probably because our outfits look like prison jumpsuits. They got to go to balloon training at the Meadowlands. Not us. A clown just gave me a bag of confetti. Life is good.

8 -- up on CPW. Ground level view of balloons without the crowds. Awesome. Waiting on the bathroom line with the NYPD. At least I'm in good company. Al Roker and stars of High School Musical (or so I'm told) live on TV right in front of me (on the street, not in the bathroom).

8:15 -- No food here. What's up with that?  It is against parade rules to eat in costume. Off to the deli for a bagel nonetheless. I'm on line behind dozens of balloon handlers.  Glad I'm not the only scofflaw.

8:30 -- calisthenics and balloon handling instructions. Really. They keep telling us to "have a good time."  Oh, I will, don't you worry.

9 - in formation and ready to launch!  Our "balloon pilot" (not to be confused with Myrna, our balloon captain) is a lawyer at Stroock.  That sounds like a bad combination to me.  A good premonition.  This is her first time as a pilot, and she is somewhat tense.  Our balloon (like most) is "over-subscribed" with handlers (they do this in case of no-shows) so it will be two of us to a "handling bone" (the technical term for the thing with which you hold the rope).  The coordination and logistics are amazing as they alternate balloons, bands, floats, etc. to the starting line.  Finally, we are off around 9:15 a.m. at 77th & CPW.

Somewhere around 75th St. - our ropes are tangled.  For the record, I was NOT holding "the bone" at this time.  The look of horror on our friend from Stroock's face was priceless.  I wish I had a photo of that.  She had no idea how to get us out of that one and absolutely froze with panic.  Not a good trait for a lawyer (or a balloon pilot).  We figure out how to untangle it and we're back in business.

68th St. -- saw our friend Kerry and her kids on their corner.  Winds are light and we are walking fast, taking in the massive crowds, and loving it.

63rd St. -- I'm in trouble.  We have our first "hold" for about 3 full minutes right in front of Ethical Culture where our friends the Mays, the Polskys, the Resnicks and others are watching from a classroom on the second floor.  I of course break ranks and waive frantically (see Nicks' photos attached).  This does not go over well with my fellow lawyer friend.

Columbus Circle -- I am holding the bone and it is very windy coming around the circle but fun to navigate.  I can't see Eileen and the kids and the Wilners at Michele's office at Comedy Central, but I waive nonetheless during our short hold at 58th and Broadway.  At the same time, a reporter asks me if she can walk with us and ask some questions.  Who am I to say no?  Knowing that I was already causing trouble from up at the school, Eileen assumes this is some parade muckety-muck chewing me out.  Not an unreasonable assumption.

West 50s -- a huge tent is set up on the East side of Broadway which says "The Fitzgerald Family's 48th Thanksgiving Day Parade."  Impressive, but I wonder where they were for the other 33 years.  They are boisterous and yell "let it go" (as in, "let the balloon go").  Tempting, but we resist. 

Times Square -- If possible, the crowds get even bigger as we move south.  I see the Coopers at the ESPN Zone.  I break ranks again to give Theo a high five (hey, in for a penny...).  Ms. Stroock doesn't seem to care any more. 

Herald Square -- fancy bleachers set up in front of Macy's.  I spot James Gandolfini front and center with a video camera.  I wanted to break ranks and give him a high five but thought better of it.  We turn onto 34th Street, head up 8th Avenue, and go to the "deflation zone" on 38th Street.  Very well organized and very cool helium "vacuum" which helps speed up deflation.

11 a.m. - back to the hotel and finally some refreshments. Water and coffee. Ahhh. 

All in all, it was quite a day and an awesome New York experience.  65 degrees and sunny doesn't happen too often in New York on Thanksgiving Day.  It went by very quickly.  Not sure if I'll be invited back, but I sure took in the full experience!  Happy Thanksgiving to all, and to all a good night!