! week ago we were plunged into crisis. Today I hope people can be patient as the new week begins. I know some are still unable to return to work, others have children at home unable to go back to school. Stories I have heard have made me feel so lucky and blessed. I returned last night to my building in full power, a not unexpected garbage odor and the smiles and hugs of neighbors who stayed throughout the power outage. Stories of pitch dark hallways and staiwells that meant many just stayed put and never left. I am heartened to hear of others who ventured down multiple steep flights to bunk in with neighbors on lower floors.

There is so much we can do. For me right now I'm going out to sing. Best way I know is to bring some joy back into an otherworldly, intense, scary week where many things will never be the same.

Transit update: Most subway lines are working but the B G Z lines are still without service, no PATH trains, ferries have returned, Holland tunnel open to only buses, and no longer HOV restrictions for car occupancy.

more info here.

My sister living in NJ has seen gas and battery rationing, power lines and poles still down and power out. It's hard to wrap our heads around the massive widespread devastation. Many areas will take a long time to clean up and get back on track.

For those in need here are important #'s:

FEMA 1-800-621-FEMA

Red Cross tri-state 1-877-733-2767

NJHelp -800-Jersey 7

please be safe my NY friends, as well as anyone else in Sandy's wake.

New York have courage, resilience and humor, Goodbye #Sandy. no singing in the Subway today, hope to be back as soon as possible singing to help sooth our wind, hurricane battered beings.

Get updates on MTA website

Public Schools, Broadway, Stock Exchange To Be Closed Tuesday

By: NY1 News

Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Monday morning that city public and charter schools will be closed a second day on Tuesday.

The city schools were already closed for Monday in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy.

All schools run by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York will also be closed on Tuesday.

This comes as the Port Authority shut down LaGuardia Airport at 7:15 p.m. Monday due to nearby flooding. The other airports are open but no flights are entering or leaving.

The Port Authority has shut down all PATH train service, suspended bus service out of Port Authority Terminal in Midtown and closed the Port of New York and New Jersey.

The city Department of Transportation, Port Authority and Metropolitan Transportation Authority closed most of the city's major bridges and some major roadways.

First, the Hugh Carey (Brooklyn Battery) and Holland Tunnels closed at 2 p.m. Monday.

Shortly before 6 p.m., the Bayonne Bridge, Outerbridge Crossing and Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge were closed.

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Drive between the Battery and 155th Street. closed at 6 p.m. Monday, and the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge in Queens also closed to traffic.

At 7 p.m. Monday, 11 city bridges closed to traffic:
• Brooklyn Bridge
• Manhattan Bridge
• Williamsburg Bridge
• Ed Koch Queensboro Bridges
• Throgs Neck Bridge
• Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
• Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
• Henry Hudson Bridge
• Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge
• George Washington Bridge

Officials plan to keep the Robert F. Kennedy/Triborough Bridge for as long as possible.

Emergency vehicles will still have access to these bridges and roadways.

DOT officials also suspended alternate-side parking through Tuesday.

Meanwhile, bus, subway and train service were suspended Sunday night and are expected to remain closed until 12 hours after the end of the storm, or likely Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Staten Island Railway shut down their systems in preparation for Sandy.

National Guard troops are being deployed across the state, with 200 in New York City.

New Jersey Transit has also shut down all bus, light rail and train service and New York Waterway Ferry and Bus service is also suspended.

All Amtrak Northeast Corridor service is suspended Monday and Tuesday.

New York Stock Exchange announced that it will also be shut down on Tuesday. The physical stock exchange is within New York City's Zone A, which underwent mandatory evacuations.

All Broadway theaters went dark for Monday, and they have also canceled their Tuesday night performances. Telecharge, Ticketmaster and theater box offices are offering refunds and exchanges.

The Food Bank For New York City is still making deliveries to 100 charity groups, but the organization's community kitchen closed at 2 p.m. Monday after serving over 1,500 meals and 150 emergency food packs.

All film permits for Sunday night, Monday and Tuesday were revoked by city officials.

The U.S. Postal Service is making deliveries and closing post offices on a case-by-case basis.

There will be no Monday trash pick-ups in Zone A areas and everywhere else will be on a case-by-case basis, according to OEM officials.