I'm not in NYC, so I can't help, but I did want to say (1) welcome! and (2) "I'm going to be a cinnamon roll in a parade; can someone take my picture?" on MeTa made my day.

1) Thanks! and 2) Glad I could help!

I'm not really looking for someone to specifically take my picture. I am more hoping that if someone was going to be there, and taking pictures, that they could just make them available for me to see. Like, if you were going to be taking them anyway, send me the URL. I promise I won't make a FPP about the pics. :)

My daughter's going to be there - I'll give her some dough (I kill myself) for an extra roll of film and tell her to try to get some shots of your yeasty countenances. I can't promise anything though; I'm not positive that she'll rise to the occasion.

LOL iconomy! :)

Iconomy's offer is dollars to doughnuts the best way to go.

I want to see a Baked MeFite!!! I usually just microwave mine.

Just those words get me excited for Thanksgiving. The parade! One of my favorite things in the world. Occasionally I'll drag a friend or relative up to see it. It's a blast. Last year we actually perfected our technique -- found a Secret Patented Viewing Location and Transportation Combination that totally avoided the press of the crowd, and afforded an ideal view of rather fresh and happy marchers (as opposed to the bedraggled, thank-God-it's-over look they have down at Herald Square).

Also, it's wonderful to see it tagged "The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," which is, of course, its name. It irks me deeply when people call it "The Macy's Day Parade." Macy's doesn't have a Day. We are not gathering together with heads bowed in thanks for Macy's.

I, for one, would like to see these pictures so we can make fun of you for the rest of your days, bDiddy.

Thanks.

The last time I went, it was a partly sunny day, and gusty winds, occasionally fairly strong. I think there was talk of not flying some of the bigger balloons, but around time for the start of the parade, the sun broke out, the winds died down a bit, and things looked great.

I was standing near the corner of 72nd and Central Park West, near the start of the parade, and as the first units past, and some of the balloons got out on Central Park West, the winds picked up again, with a few strong gusts. Suddenly, there was a commotion off to my left, and I craned my neck to see Bullwinkle bobbing at a precarious angle, having lifted a couple of his handlers clean off the ground. Why they hung on, instead of letting go their ropes, I don't know, and maybe they could have slithered down their ropes anyway, if they thought the situation sufficiently grave, but I could screams from that direction, and some seemed to be coming from above the street, and it seemed to me in the moment that the men carried aloft were screaming.

Several of New York's Finest charged by us, heading up town towards the balloon, and yelling for people to back up on the sidewalk. I kept rubbernecking however, and was treated to the sight of about 10 uniformed cops drawing their pistols on Bullwinkle.

I don't know to this day whether they thought shooting the balloon would actually bring it down, or if they were going to shoot the hapless handlers, some 20 feet or more in the air, to save them an agonizing death from a higher fall, or maybe if it was just instinct to draw their weapons in a moment of uncertainty. But the gust passed, the balloon was brought under control again, and the parade went on as if nothing had happened.

Here's hoping for still air and clear skies for your parade day.

I want to see a Baked MeFite!!!

Just hang out with me and Hugh Janus on a Friday sometime...

paulsc, your story made my morning (6 a.m. here). I laughed. Out loud.

I am kind of excited and kind of dreading the day. The weather should be nice, but now I think it is also going to be mighty cold. How warm is a pie costume? I have no idea. Also, I need to catch the bus that is going to bring us in by 4:30 am, which is not a happy time for me unless it's sleepytime.

If someone mails me a picture or a link to a picture I'll post it here for all to see. That is my promise to you, MetaChat-ians.

Please do, bDiddy.

4:30 is early, but you'll have that odd excited feeling of doing something really unusual. I'm very envious. My mom got to hold a balloon once, but I have never had the thrill.

Plus, maybe they'll have coffee and donuts on your bus!

Yeah. Maybe dread is too strong. I'm sure it will be fun. But man do I hate having to wake up so early. At least I'll have an excuse for being passed out on the couch at 2pm instead of the usual "gorged myself on turkey and stuffing and drank too many beers". Not that I won't gorge myself on turkey and stuffing and drink too many beers, but I will also have been awake since 3am!