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Christmas 2013

Holiday parties to end 2013

Me: Wait, $1.2 million in one day in Baccarat?!

Last week, was fighting a cold and cancelled my fencing class for the first time. But felt better enough to make it to several holiday parties towards the end of the week. Think I gained about five pounds.

One party I went to was at the Williams Club – now called The William – where we got a tour before it fully finished. Ended up drinking with my boss and some clients at a private table in the Peacock Room.

No good rum, so I downed an Old Fashioned or two until 11PM or so.

Another was out in Queens at the same restaurant I had a wedding reception at. Ended up walking home with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black.

Again, not aged rum, but it’ll do.

At another party, in a club, met a German industrialist and his wife. He told me that they were visiting the US and we ended up talking about Las Vegas.

Him: We can’t go there. My wife just lost $1.2 million there the last time we went.
His Wife: (rolling eyes) He’s exaggerating. I started with $600,000, got up to $1.2, and then lost it. So it was only half that.
Me: Clearly I’m in the wrong profession.

As I do every year, if you read the same book I do, have yourself a Happy Christmas!

And if you don’t, have yourself a happy holiday!

See you back here on Monday.

Location: desk, last working day of the year
Mood: hopeful
Music: It’s been a long night in new york city
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Birthday party at Formerly Crows

And the difference between Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day

It’s Veteran’s Day. Wrote something for Memorial Day a few years back that I think is still apropos.

In case you ever wondered, the difference between the two – Veteran’s and Memorial Day – is that the former is for the ones that made it back home; the latter is for those that didn’t.

Thanks to both groups.

The guy I wrassle with the most turned 40 this past weekend so I went to his birthday party at an old speakeasy called Formerly Crows.

Him: Hey, you came!
Me: Thought I’d come and help raise the average age of the joint.

A number of people from my gym were there and it was interesting to see them in regular clothes, since we usually just see each other in sweats and the like.

Whereas mixed drinks are normally about $11-14 in the city, the place had some reasonably price fare or about $8 or so, although no good rum to speak of, again. The problem with non-aged rum is that it has to be mixed and I just don’t like all that sugar.

So I’ve been drinking more Vodka sodas lately.

Her: (introducing me to someone) This is Logan, he’s hilarious!
Me: Well, now you’ve gone and set the bar too high. Let’s discuss the new healthcare law.

Coincidentally, the bday boy’s brother was an old friend of mine as well and he showed up after a bit, so we caught up.

About five vodka sodas later, decided I’d had my fill and headed for the door.

Walking to the subway, saw a guy pull a fresh pizza pie out of the oven. Figured I need something besides vodka in my belly.

Made it home with a belly fulla vodka, soda, and pizza. Then spent the rest of the night trying to fall asleep.

So that was typical.

Location: my peaceful apartment
Mood: finished
Music: I’m a full grown man And I’m not afraid to
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The time I went to Bowlmor Lanes in Times Square Pt. 1

A weekday night out with old friends

RE Mike dropped me a line. Panasonic was having a party at Bowlmor Lanes in Times Square to launch their new Lumix DMC-GM1 camera and he and another buddy of ours were going.

We met up for a quick drink beforehand and were soon there. After settling in, lots of photographers showed up.

Me: Who are they? (pointing to the group above)
Him: The cast of American’s Next Top Model.
Me: Cool. Be right back.

As I said, I have a camera and little to no shame.

Me: This is like old times.
Him: It’s been a while.

Me: Hey, there’re cheerleaders over there.
Him: Those are the Jets Flight Crew.
Me: Cool. Be right back.

It wasn’t all fun and games, though.

Me: So how have you been?
Him: (pause) My father just passed away.
Me: Why didn’t you call me?
Him: I don’t know. I just...
Me: (later) Well, there’s not much for us to do but get seriously lit. Shall we?

It was an open bar with food as our old days so a lot of it was hazy.

He’s an old friend so when old friends want to drink to help overcome the blows, then we drink.

Because we have friends and readily available alcohol for just such an occasion.

Me: (raising glass) Here’s to your dad, man.

 

Location: home, getting ready for an important appointment at 3PM
Mood: concerned
Music: of course it’s gonna get better. Gonna get better
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Public Service Announcement

How to do well in college

 

Had quite the weekend involving PCD, WM, a pool in Jersey City and copious amounts of charred meat and meat products.

But enough about me, let’s chat about you. Realized that I’ve got a lot of younger readers – which isn’t too hard as I’m ancient. School’s about to start so, thought I’d let you know about how I did college. Graduated cum laude from an Ivy League; this is not to brag but to let you know that what I’m about to tell you worked for me and might for you:

  1. Took mostly lecture classes.
  2. Crammed all my classes into M-Th.
  3. Never missed a class and wrote down almost everything the teacher said. (1x)
  4. At night, transcribed all my notes into a computer, rearranged and sorted. (2x) Any questions I had, I cleared up with my TA and rearranged my notes again. (3x)
  5. Printed out all my notes Friday morning, and headed to NYC. Read notes on bus. (4x) Used time to write any reports that needed to be written.
  6. At Penn Station, put notes away and meet girlie. Work. Go to clubs. Limelight, Paladium, Red Zone, Mars, Nell’s. All gone now. So sad. I digress.
  7. Sunday, took bus back to school, read notes again on bus ride up (5x). Watched Simpsons.
  8. Last weekend of month, reread all notes from the month. (6x)
  9. Weeks before finals, read notes again. (7x-100x)
  10. Repeat for remaining semesters.

Man, I knew that stuff cold. It’s what happens when you re-live a lecture class 7-100 times. Still remember that the acceleration of a free falling object under the influence of gravity is 9.8 meters per second, per second.

Added bonuses

  • Always had a three-day weekend.
  • Always had those weekends free.
  • Didn’t read the books. Stopped buying textbooks when I realized that teachers just wanna hear their own words when they read essay exams (be careful with this one – I dunno what your teachers are gonna be like).
  • Didn’t do the homework. If it wasn’t graded, I didn’t do it. Just knew my notes, cold.
  • You actually learn what you’re supposed to learn.
  • Could sell my notes for $50 a pop.
  • Can have interactions 17 years later like this:

Me: Did you know that the acceleration of a free falling object under the influence of gravity is 9.8 meters per second, per second?
Her: I’m sorry what?
Me: Ah, nuthin, just geeking out. But enough about me, let’s chat about you….my name’s Logan. And you are?

Location: 15:00 yest, Port Liberte, NJ
Mood: accomplished
Music: Oh academia you can’t pick me up

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Logan the Suit

I meet someone new every night

 

Was in an office all day yesterday so there’s no excitement there. And I’m in court today.

I’ve become that which I always never wanted to be (again): a suit, running after a check.

———-

That’s a pic I took at like 4AM on the red line going downtown from this past weekend. A good bunch of females ‘n fellas.

I think I’ve said it before: I don’t have a problem meeting people, I have a problem connecting with people.

Her: (non·plussed) You meet people every weekend? I don’t believe that.
Me: (shrugging) It’s true.
Her: Who’d you meet this weekend?
Me: You.

Smooth right? Don’t be impressed; as an ex once said, I’m a talker (glattzüngig).

It only lasts for as long as it lasts.

Location: on a flower-print sofa, plotting
Mood: pensive
Music: I’m not perfect I wanted to be I have this big mouth It always contradicts me

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You idiot, you killed it

I’m many things these days, bored is not one of them

Scientists Find Oldest Living Animal, Then Kill It

Well, that sounds about right.

———-

Had to go onto the roof to fix a broken piece of glass (long story) on Sunday so I put on my winter jacket and made my way up.

Soon, I’m standing on my rooftop looking around the city. It’s early yet and cold so most of the city’s still inside. The wind’s blowing like mad and I’m slightly scared as there’s no railing. But as I start to work, I think about the weekend.

One minute, I’m in meetings with banks trying to hustle scratch for my business. Then I’m negotiating percentages in Chinese wearing my best tie (with a girlie secretly printed on the back of it) on a Saturday. Then I’m speaking German to a waitress in SoHo while explaining to a tall blond what an Alsterwasser/Radler is. Then I’m telling a girl in Ray’s Pizza @ St. Marks that I’m not 24. Then I’m watching a chick hang upside down in a train. Then, six hours later, I’m on a roof trying to fix a window and not get blown off.

Later that night, I’m in church (where I bumped Gshok again), and I run into a girl I met a while back but never mentioned and I came this close to asking for her number – couldn’t do it though.

Again, anywhere but church.

Anyway, I’m on this roof and I’m thinking, well, at least you’re not bored.

Yep. Boredom? That I ain’t got.

Location: 20:05, Times Square catching the uptown red
Mood: entertained
Music: Living life too close to the edge hoping that I know the ledge

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Hanging around NYC

Everything is in how you frame it

Me: (to guy) If she does that again, I’m taking a picture.
Him: (laughs)

NYC just gets stranger at around 4AM.

———-

Was telling a few people recently that my relationship with NYC’s like a long-term, slightly too routine, relationship between lovers. Basically, I can’t see myself anywhere else in the long run but I keep wondering what if…

I had planned to stay in all weekend for work but Paul convinced me to go at least go out Saturday night.

Nothing much happened besides the usual hellos and goodbyes but I did meet this sweet LI girl who bought us a drink; something that always leaves me with an impression. Because it was the first time I was out all week, I didn’t get to bed until about 5AM.

Speaking of impression, I like hanging out with Paul because he’s very laid back. We’re both out to just forget about our week. This is in contrast to another buddy who’s always the pessimist:

Him: Let’s get outta here.
Me: Why?
Him: There’re four or five guys to every girl here.
Me: Come on, we’re having a good time. (laughing) Besides, there’re four or five regular guys to every girl here. There’s only one set of you and me. These, my friend, are great odds.

Everything’s just how you frame it.

Location: 20:30 yest, in church asking her what’s my name
Mood: positive
Music: Oh how quiet, quiet the world can be

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Sophie / Whatcha gonna do?

You can meet a fella like me

Some people said they found new musicians like The Wreckers, Camera Obscura and KT Tunsall through this blog so, I’d like to also introduce you to Sophie Ellis Bextor.

She reminds me of my very first girlfriend in this vid – beautiful, well-dressed, pale skin, big eyes…mean*.

Yep, that’s her.

———-

Was discussing my problems with a buddy of mine:

Him: So, whatcha gonna do?
Me: I have a cunning plan.
Him: Really?
Me: Well…I have a plan at least…

———-

I met a girl a while back that shot me an email recently and another conversation that reminded me that I should keep trying to get the three parts of my life in sync.

Me: You’ll like being single.
Her: Why?
Me: (shrugging) Cause now you can meet a fella like me.


*I should note that my first girlfriend is the only one I ever say anything negative about – mainly because of the pic in this post.

Location: 19:00 yest, in an office wondering what I’ve done
Mood: exhausted
Music: know I know I know About your kind

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Marathon

Learning about the Mad Beast

The NY Marathon was this past Sunday. A marathon is 26.2 miles, which is about 26 more miles than I can run.

Bumped into someone from a while ago at a party on Saturday who’s a runner. I can’t relate to it because I find it painfully boring but she says she does it cause she loves it.

Then Sunday, I went to a celebratory thingy at 3PM at my local dive bar. Paul’s friend, Runaround Sue, ran the marathon in under four hours. That’s her in the pic above asking a DJ to play better music a few weeks back.

I’ve been so busy with the drama, I haven’t run myself. I keep thinking I’ll hit the road and never come back.

Just a dream.

———-

I saw GES this past weekend for another brunch. That may become our thing. Brunch on the weekend.

She runs too. I must be missing something.

———-

I’m meeting a lot of teachers these days.

Her: You never heard of the shiz? What about mad beast?
Me: You do realize I’m 34, right? (pause) Could you use it in a sentence?
Her: (thinking) Well, one student said, Yo Miss, you can’t give us all that mad beast homework. All the cool kids use it.
Me: Ah, there’s your problem right there; I’ve never been cool.
Her: Ever?
Me: Around 2004 I thought I might be cool but then I decided it was just something I ate.

Location: 6AM yest, in bed pretending it’s 7AM
Mood: puzzled
Music: I wanna be like you, just as strong as you are

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I’m in

I need a weekend for my weekend

 

Him: All expenses paid. Interested?
Me: What am I an idiot? I’m in.

If I get it (or I don’t) I’ll tell you soon. Friday at the latest.

———-

Was out a lot this weekend. Hazel, Bryson, Gio and I went out till 4AM on Thursday night (when I met this girl) and then my brother was in town for the weekend.

I need a weekend for my weekend.

The Grey-Eyed Girl invited a bunch of us out to a party the other day. It was for an ivy league grad thingy and I assumed everyone there was from NYC.

So I end up spending some time with these two really nice girls. Here’s our conversation after we swap info.

Me: So if you’re 24, I’ve gotta think your friend’s like 18.
Girl1: She’s 28.
Me: (shocked) You’re kidding me.
Girl2: It’s the Asian genes.
Me: (nodding) Nice.
Girl2: So what are you? 24?
Me: (laughing) 34.
Girl2: (shocked) You’re kidding me.
Me: It’s the Asian genes.
Girl2: (nodding) Nice.
Me: So are you here for the birthday party?
Girl1: Oh no, we’re just in town from Boston for the weekend.
Me: (laughing) Of course you are.

Never a dull moment.

Location: underneath a ceiling fan in Queens
Mood: tired but hopeful
Music: been happy lately thinking about the good things to come
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