You're daughter is a total fox, Bill.

Im's sure she's careful and smart like her father -plenty of pretenders will want to marry into your family. Remember, marrying the right person is the most precious merger & acquisition of all!!!

Proud father of 2 daughters, here.

Be well!!

What a beautiful young woman.

Wow... she must have gotten the looks from her mother...

Just kidding Bill...

I was in New York for new years last year. It was amazing... I love that city and if I was younger than I am now (28) I would move there. However I have plans of owning my own home soon and it's just not feasible to buy property there.

Something doesn't click with a father of 2 daughters calling another fathers daughter a 'total fox'.lol

OMG, Bill. I know it's your blog, and free, and I appreciate your countless words of wisdom. But please, this posting is absolutely chauvinistic! I am a mother of two daughters, both young single adults. I am certain that most of your female readers will agree with me. To look at it another way, if you were female would you post these same sort of pics of a son? Perhaps you have had too much Little Penguin tonight? All I can say is, typical male.

Wow! I didn't see that last post coming. I also have 2 daughters in their twenties. If one of them had been in the same position to watch the ball drop, I would have been damn proud to post their picture. I don't care whether they would be viewed as a fox or a dog. The point (I believe) was showing pride as a parent in what a child is doing. Male chauvinist my ass!

Oh dear, ccn, I don't agree with you at all! And, yes, I'm female.

I think Bill's daughter is absolutely lovely -- and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her picture. If Bill had a son's photo to post, I'd enjoy that too.

btw, I live only a few blocks from Times Square. I've never yet attended -- and never intend to attend -- New Year's Eve in the Square. I've had to navigate around the area as we went to a show before going out for New Year's Eve dinner. I absolutely hate being caught in crowds. That said, I love looking at the pictures of all the fun everyone else was having. I guess I'll take my pleasure vicariously, thank you very much.

A friend attended the 2000 Times Square celebration. She reports that it was an absolute blast. I can't imagine standing around for hours in the cold and in the crowds. But I would have loved to have had a picture of Karima screaming and cheering in new millenium. And yes, she, too, is really attractive.

to: bobj

Bob,
Just wondering because I think it makes a difference, and you didn't say...
Are you a father or a mother?
BTW, father or mother, son or daughter,... what is the big deal? Many others can and do experience the same view at similar events all over the world. It just takes $bucks.
I hope that my daughters do not achieve it the old fashion way. I want them to earn it.
FYI, Bill did not tell us how his daughter ended up on that balcony.

As a young person(24) I can only imagine how much fun she had.

CCN, stop while you are ahead. Your implications in the last post were ridiculous, and you know what I mean.

ccn, while you probably in your own funny way had good intentions (maybe protecting your gender and their daughters from male exploitation), it's just sooo depressing to me that there is always somebody who can't help themself from raining on somebody else's parade. can't we just all be friends.
i btw live in the city, and most years feel sorry for everyone freezing their behinds off around that special time- maybe we can thank global warming for such wonderful conditions this year?
beautiful daughter bill, congratulations!
father of two...

to: GemmaStar

OK. You are leaving out one key detail. She was not in the crowds below, but with the elite above. I have been in the crowds below when the ball dropped, and it was a blast. I have also been among the elite above. I guess my point is, what is Bill's point here? And my question remains: did she earn it?

Dear ccn,

Read your first comment and then your second comment. In the first you accuse him of being a chauvinist and in the second an elitist.

What is your point here actually? I do recall an expression about glass houses and stones.

All I saw was a picture of a family member having a good time on New Year's. Something any person would publish on their blog. I guess some people just see what they want to.

Dear Bill,

I was up in NYC for New Year's and had a blast. Once in New York was enough for me! My best to your family and thanks for your insight and help.

Wow....another beautiful canucky!

ALOHA !!

Be proud Bill ...

Yes, I also have been in NYC on many a freezing Winter night but never with the crowds at Times Square at New Years. I spent a couple months in the dead of Winter refurbishing a 82 foot sloop at City Island, Bronx area ... Driving on ice is no fun!!!

Crowds ... when I lived in New Orleans(pre-Katrina)Mardi Gras was more my cup of tea, but it just kept getting worse with the pickpockets, muggings, fights and raunch so I quit going!

I had my fill of crowds and big cities ...

CCN-- I see nothing chauvinistic nor elitist about Bill's posting that picture. I am a woman with two children (19 yo daughter and 15 yo son). However, one's parental status or gender provide no specific qualification for opining with any merit about Bill's motives for that post, nor does it provide any merit for my responding to your post. (And as a public service announcement, I'll remind that speculating on people's motivations is poor form and is the ultimate show of arrogance.) However, I have a special gift of sniffing out hypocrisy, and I'd like to ply it here if others will indulge me briefly. Plus, it does not require me to speculate on motives, but rather deal with simple facts.

First—regarding anything picture that Bill posts here. This is Bill's blog, and he occasionally offers us very personal glimpses into his life--one such glimpse was when he had returned from his first bout of melanoma excisions--his face sporting multiple bandages. I don't think that there was any message to decipher in Bill's post there, but I do note that the room was nicely appointed. He did offer us a stunning photo from his home, which suggests nothing untoward other than he enjoys a spectacular lake view. (Though I'll concede the point that he probably did so from a perch that many could not afford, but if you are bearing any grudge about that, take a look at Bill's bio and you'll see that he earned every nickel he's ever made).

Second—I'm going to do a little detective work and tell you what your post suggests to me about you (and why you are in no position to cast stones). That you are able to READ this blog and POST (meaning you can write, (but we'll have to work on your choice of content and delivery), enjoy an internet connection, have a computer, electricity, etc,) to this blog means that you have another wonderful luxury in addition to the obvious ones that I note: free time. Each of those things adds up to LUXURIES that 2/3 of the population of this earth (pick any conflicted country where clean water, food, shelter and safety are in constant jeopardy and are considered luxuries when they ought to be basic elements of daily life) may never enjoy (someone can correct me on the %).

So, I would challenge you to explain whether or not you EARNED the luxury of an accidental birth into an environment that you could enjoy these things? Understand, though, that this is really a rhetorical challenge, for there is no answer that any amount of expository writing, no matter how brilliantly crafted and eloquently delivered, would allow you (and to be fair, any other) to answer the challenge with any merit. I will plainly say that I did not earn the blessings that the accident of my birth have allowed me to enjoy.

What are we left with? The sediment at the bottom of your glass that makes your water fit to drink (whether your glass is half empty or half full) is gratitude.

Can't a father be proud of his daughter?? Bill-she is beautiful! CCN is out of line here. To work in NYC is no easy thing as many of you probably know. Those of you who do, you must work hard to be successful. Having a good time on New Year's Eve is nothing to be ashamed of, and actually, should be mandatory in my book.

Bill-all the best to you and your family, and hope you are beating that terrible disease.

Ray

I guess I have to wade in here a second time, since I appear to be the only New Yorker.

For the record, it isn't necessary to be an "elite" to have a great view of the Times Square New Year's Eve celebration. It can take as little as knowing someone who works in one of the offices overlooking Broadway -- or being a person who works in one of the offices.

I was the officer of a professional organization with office windows overlooking the Square. I don't recall anyone ever asking for the key to use the office on New Year's Eve -- we would have said Yes: we're an organization of equals. Trust me: it never, ever occurred to me to go to the office -- any office -- to welcome in the New Year. Who wants to be in an office on New Year's Eve?? (Never mind: I guess some people do; I can also verify that hundreds of thousands want to be in the crowds, which is even more unimaginable to me.)

Also, there are several hotels along Broadway. If your room happens to overlook the scene you can invite friends and have a good time -- assuming you don't want to be in with the crowds. But I must emphasize: Many consider being in the crowds to be part of the fun (maybe most of the fun) and will abandon hotel room perches, parties with friends, etc., etc. to join in the "fun." My friend Karima went to Times Square -- early, no less -- to be there to welcome 2000. She stood around something like five -- 5! -- hours. Years later, she's still talking about the fun she had in the crowds and with the crowds. And it was cold that night! Arrrggghhhhh. Different strokes and all that....

Those of us who hate crowds would never consider being in one of them to be any fun at all, not even in a Times Square crowd on New Year's Eve. But on this point -- crowds! -- I'm a CC (Certified Curmudgeon.)

Final point: Some people, elites and non-elites alike, don't consider a Broadway-side hotel room overlooking Times Square to be an advantage on New Year's Eve -- or on any eve. I enjoy the view, myself. And if I were with friends partying on New Year's Eve, I would definitely enjoy myself and the view.

Again, I loved seeing Bill's daughter's happy, joyous New Year's Eve face. The fact that she was away from the crowds suggest to me that maybe, just maybe, she's a kindred spirit in at least one respect: crowds!

Ah, dear.

Bill, we'll buy her a Groucho mustache and glasses. That way you can post her photo and avoid all controversy.

Bet you didn't foresee this thread, did you?

Stay well.