Categories
business personal

Acres of Diamonds

A stoplight in NYC

Just started working with a new client so it’s busy once again. Suppose it’s not possible to just live a life of leisure while engaged or married and not filthy rich.

Was used to making just enough to pay the mortgage and have some spare scratch for the occasional electronic dohicky and rum-based beverage. But 2007 took mosta that life away.

In some way, maybe it was a good thing.

There’s this old story called Acres of Diamonds my dad told me once. It’s about this dude who sold everything he had to travel the world in search of diamonds. He died penniless, the story goes, but on the property he sold to fund his world trip, was found to be a diamond mine he never knew about cause he never looked.

Guess 37’s as good an age as any to grow up.

Location: midtown
Mood: uncomfortable
Music: flying like a bird but I can’t get higher, Nothing I can do
YASYCTAI: Poke around the backyard (10 mins/1 pt)
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business personal

Brian Regan, Thanksgiving part 1, Drama, and Cars on Demand

Tickets to Brian Regan in NYC

Me: Do you wanna fool around?
Her: No.
Me: (10 minutes later) Do you wanna fool around?
Her: How many times are you going to ask me that?
Me: Evidently twice.

Finished up 95% of that crazy batch of work. It’s a good feeling when you’ve finished up a large project.

On Friday, decided to buy my office some beers so I brought a half-case of small batch brews in. Turned out to be fortuitous cause our law clerk passed the bar and I got another major client. So the bosses picked up some Maker’s Mark and champagne and we pounded until it was time to go home. Sobered up with the girl in front of Iron Man 2.

Saturday, HG got us tix to catch Brian Regan at Lincoln Center. It was a perfect night and he was hilarious.

He’s onea the inspirations behind this blog. He doesn’t curse at all in his set but both HG and I were frequently in tears laughing. There’re 880,000 words in the English language, and it’s not the words you use but the manner in which you use them that makes you a good artist. It’s easy to toss around an expletive here and there and sometimes it’s funny.

Most times, it’s just lazy.

Sunday, went to see HG’s family for an early Thanksgiving – her bro’s in town and won’t be able to come for the actual date. We’re in the DriveMint program which’s like a NYC-centric ZipCar service; they had more garages near us so we picked them over Zip.

Anywho, the @#$@#$ who had our car before us left it BONE-DRY. Our car conked out in the middle of Broadway in front of Lincoln Center.

Me: Oh this can’t be good.

We managed to get it to the side of the road and called Mint. The guy we spoke to got told us to leave the car there, walk over to 59th and pick up the Mercedes sitting there, which we did. He went to go get gas and pick up the car to drive it back.

As for us, we hightailed it out to HG’s family place; we lost like an hour but gained a Mercedes. The stuffing was great – both the noun and the verb.

Afterward, we played some modified Trivial Pursuit 80s version. I did the best, which is understandable since I was the only one that could remember the 80s.

Me: I just wanted to call to say how much I appreciated how you handled the situation earlier. If it was done any differently, you would have lost a customer.
Him: Thanks for being so understanding.
Me: It wasn’t you that caused the problem but you took ownership of it and came up with a solution. I respect that. I’d like to send an email to your company to tell them that how you dealt with me and the situation professionally and quickly.
Him: (laughing) I’m actually a partner in the business. But thanks, I appreciate it.

Location: yest., driving down route nine
Mood: still full
Music: you too and stuff
YASYCTAI: Reward someone that does a good job. (10 mins/1 pt)
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Categories
personal

Election day 2010

Intercom system with graffiti in NYC

Her: You’re the first person that’s sent me flowers in…I don’t know how long.

Bought flowers for that client and colleague that sent me the five gigs I’m working on. It’s nice to get get something at home that’s not a bill or an ad.

Voted yesterday – at the same place I’ve been voting in the past decade or so. Thought about that while walking away from the polling station cause they’re using these new  digital ballots; things keep changing but staying the same.

Although, gotta say that I’m voting in ways I never thought I would. But that’s for another time.

Monday was interesting in that I got stuck on the train for like an hour. It was hot as hell with a huge dude who kept falling asleep on me. Finally gave up and took a different route home to see the rents. Had me some genuine home-cooking so it was worth the bother.

Went to my usual place to get a haircut before heading back. Did I ever tell you that I get my haircut in an illegal gambling den? It’s true; in the front’re two hair stylists while in the back’re guys yelling as they play mahjongg. I remember this one time I was using Fhats Casino – and literally the same situation occurred. Always slightly worried someone’s gonna whip out a pistol while I’m getting a trim but my guy knows how to cut my hair so y’risk getting shot for a good doo. Plus I like the old school gambler’s den vibe over the modern online slots for real money scene, any day.

Stopped by the law firm for a sec; forgot that I was in my street clothes – a red leather jacket, blue jeans, and keffiyeh. S’funny how we dress so differently for work and life, sometimes.

When I made it back home, HG just came back all tan from the Caribbean too along with some new aged rum. Had just stepped outta the shower when I opened the door for her.

Her: Hey.
Me: Hey. I’m glad you’re back.

Location: yest., throwing punches in the 70s
Mood: hungry
Music: the sun is in the east rising for the beasts
YASYCTAI: Send someone flowers. (10 mins/1 pt)
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Categories
business personal

Halloween 2010 NYC

Docks restaurant in midtown, NYC

(c) Someone else

Me: (to cook) Did you just dunk the bread into oil before frying it?
Him: (nodding)
Me: Niiiiiice…

Last Thursday night was not the best night I’ve had.

Submitted the five projects that night – still dunno if I’ll get paid. Anywho, turns out I missed one key piece of information. So I slept for four hours, woke up at the crack of dawn, redrafted and then resubmitted it while HG went to the Caribbean without me. As soon as the paperwork was in, dashed to the office to put in a full day at work on Friday.

Was supposed to meet up with Paul to catch the Jaymay concert downtown and was gonna bail but somehow found my second wind with four hours sleep. Had a grand-ole, rum-filled time. The opening act was way cool too and were dressed like the band in the Muppets with a twist! They wore a joker grill on their teeth so they were “evil Muppets”! Jaymay put on a great show as always.

Felt awake enough to over to his pad and pick up some street Halal food, just like I did last year. Next day, wrestled where the guy I used to school proceed to whup me every-which way.

That Saturday night, did what most geeks do when their fiancees’re away and the women in NYC are tarting it up for Halloween – stayed home with some pork rinds and assembled a quad-core, triple-digital input DVR with 3.5TB of harddrive space and dual 32″ extended desktop display.

Sunday worked again; on the train to meet a client, this four-year-old girl dressed up as Snow White got into an argument with her older brother dressed as Batman. She ended the argument by reaching down and firmly grasping his privates and violently yanking.

Every man watching did a collective sympathy groan.

Quite the dweeby weekend.

Docks restaurant in midtown, NYC

Location: in fronta screens
Mood: still insanely busy
Music: You see, there’s just too much I know already
YASYCTAI: Get out and have a life (after you’re done with work). (120mins/1 pt)
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Categories
business dating personal

Love is… or Why you should be dating online

Online dating versus offline or regular dating

Statue in Tribeca NYC

Went out the other night with my buddy to some local watering holes – the first time in a while. We’re having a mild disagreement about online dating.

The way I look at it, it’s like having a relative named, for example, Aunt eMatch that says, “I’ve got a girl I think you might like.” In fact, it’s better; it’s like Aunt eMatch saying, “I’ve got a girl I think you might like – and here’s her resume, a buncha pics, and a writing sample.”

My buddy says that interpersonal vetting’s the best way to meet someone; can’t disagree with that BUT he also feels that’s why online dating seems to fail – because of the lack of connection, meaning a common friend. But the connection isn’t a person, rather, the stuff you’ve got in common.

When you’re a kid, you think love’s looking at someone and going, You’re so awesome, and she looks back at you and says the same thing. Adults are different.

Adults don’t stand facing one another but side-by-side. It’s why I always say that you want someone on your side.

That, in turn, is from that French dude that wrote The Little Prince: Aimer, ce n’est pas se regarder l’un l’autre, c’est regarder ensemble dans la même direction, which translates to To love is not to look at one another: it is to look, together, in the same direction.

Love’s when you’re both looking at stuff y’love – like a Firefly episode you love, how you want to raise your kids, or your plant Harold -and you go, Do you see what I see? and she goes, Man, I *totally* see what you see.

That’s love. How you get it – online/offline – depends on how life puts it in front of you, but it’s always the same thing.

 

Location: going to New Rochelle
Mood: insanely busy
Music: look into their eyes, and you suddenly know
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Categories
business personal

The dangers of working for yourself

Docks restaurant in midtown, NYC

Me: Just signed up for automatic delivery of 18 bags of pork rinds every six months. The future has arrived. And it is delicious.
Her: What are you going to do during the five and a half months that you’re waiting for your next delivery?
Me: I’ve done the math. I get 18 bags for six months, or 24 weeks. This means if I pace myself @ 3/4 of a bag a week, or approximately 10% of a bag a day, I should make it. Barely.

First batch arrived on Sunday. Sunday delivery of pork rinds. Oh technology, is there nuthin you can’t do?

However, contrary to the above conversation and stereotypes, not all Asians are good at math – I’m assuredly not. Heartgirl, who’s not Asian, apparently is.

Me: You were the winner of the math award in your school?
Her: Yep.
Me: Wait, you beat the Asians in your school?
Her: Yep. (pause, laughing) Suck it, Asians!

———-

Been working non-stop on five projects when the client said he might kill the deal. Find out later on this week if the deal’s alive or dead. It’s one of the pitfalls of what I do. No much to do but wait.

Went out with my law firm on Friday for drinks at the local bar; it’s nice hanging out with co-workers again since I’ve been a lone wolf for a while. That’s another drawback of working for yourself.

Sunday, went to wrestle. A guy I introduced to the class and I used to school now ranks higher than me; one might think I’d have an issue with that but wrestling’s a pure meritocracy – either you’re good and you win or you’re not and you lose.

Got no problem with someone that does something better than me if it’s deserved. It is and he’s just better, that’s how it goes.

Suppose that’s why I like to wrestle and fence. They’re self-correcting types of activity; no one tells you if you’re good or not. Get choked or stabbed enough, y’gotta figure your game’s not what it could be.

My pursuit of scratch is pretty self-correcting too. Do a bad job, never hear from a client again. This latest drawback with the client’s because of the economic climate and that’s why it’s annoying – it’s something that’s got nuthin to do with my ability.

The waiting’s no fun either.

Location: a greenish couch
Mood: hopeful
Music: I awake all sweet and sound, without a care or woe
YASYCTAI: Get more clients. (always/2 pts)
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Uncategorized

Yoked together with unbelievers

Church downtown NYC

Having a conflict of religion.

There’s this line in the bible that goes, “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.”

Many read that to mean Christians should only marry other Christians. Here’s my issue with that – if that were the case, I’d not be here as one parent is a Christian and one is not.

But the line actually reads, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers” – don’t think my parents were ever unequals – and wasn’t referring to marriage.

The issue’s that the bible’s fulla things I agree and disagree with, consider that women are not permitted to speak in church, and this is from the same guy that wrote about the previous statement.

Am accused of cherry picking the verses in the bible to obey, but isn’t that what we all do? For example, the Koran specifically says Muslims should grant safe-passage to anyone that requests it. And yet the radicals ignore that line for one that suits their purposes.

Stand, once again, accused of being a bad Christian but, to paraphrase someone, an ant on a hilltop is no closer to the sun than an ant on the ground.

The lack of grace never ceases to surprise me.

HG does not read the same book as me. This is not a (huge) issue for me but some people feel it should be.

  • Republicans don’t want me cause I’m too liberal and think Palin and O’Donnell are idiots
  • Democrats don’t want me cause I’m too conservative and don’t think a nanny state is what we need.
  • Christians don’t want me cause evidently womanizing and rum shooting aren’t approved activities.
  • Atheists/agnostics don’t want me cause I’m one of those religious nuts.

We’re always looking for home, hoping someone says, “Cm’on in,” instead of shutting the door in our face.

Disappointed. No one ever sees the invisible man.

Location: the world
Mood: disappointed
Music: here I am but why do I feel like the invisible man?
YASYCTAI: Be gracious. (always/2 pts)
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Categories
business personal

Making decisions

Gated Apartment downtown NYC

Spent the weekend working like mad. My Sunday started out in the West Village and ended up in a church in the Upper West Side about nine hours later. The search for scratch knows no weekend. Did run into an old law school buddy downtown though with her kid and husband.

There’s no place like New York for the random meetings.

Speakinga law school, there’s this saying that goes something like, B students work for C students – the A students become judges.

The concept’s repeated in other quotes but the idea is this: The really smart people in life are paralyzed by their need to think everything through and end up doing nuthin.

My old boss in CNET once said something in all seriousness to me that I remember to this day, “You’re onea the smartest people I’ve ever met – hope you don’t let that hold you back.” For a long time, didn’t think it did.

Expected to be a millionaire by the time was 30. Ended up going in  the opposite direction. The fiancee (weird writing that) seems to think I mention all of the things that happened to me a lot. Maybe. It’s definitely defined me for a while and still does.

It’s affected me more than I previously thought – things are a lot more daunting for me. It’s also the age I suppose.
The people who are wildly successful, I find, aren’t necessarily the smartest or the bravest, but the people that see the world for what it is – with all the opportunities and glory and all the unfairness and crap – and then just make a choice and run with it.

Forcing myself to do that more again. It’s a bit like working out a muscle you’ve not used in a while. It takes a bit.

———-

Wrote a new entry for This Post-Modern Love – take a look.

Location: yest, all over Manhattan
Mood: rushed
Music: the things you’re thinking, are they false, are they true
YASYCTAI: Make the decisions and run with it. (1 min/1 pt)
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Categories
business

Getting Clients – Under promise and over deliver

West Village, downtown NYC

Few years back, got this assignment that involved about 20 separate deals. That was the high water mark for coin in a month for me. This month, thought I might beat that record and it’s close.

Been putting in about 15 hour days trying to get everything accomplished in time. After the dismal past two years where I was living just enough for the city, this’s a welcome relief.

Friend of mine recently asked me how I get my clients. Told her that I subscribed to Giuliani’s mantra of under-promising and over delivering. That is say, never took on something that I knew I couldn’t do and do well and never gave a price or a deadline that I knew I couldn’t make.

When y’do zero advertising and rely on word-of-mouth to pay the bill, your reputation for getting the job done’s paramount.

On a related point, always find that I’m more productive all of round when I’m firing on all cylinders. Something about working like crazy makes you keep working like crazy, don’tcha think?

Back to the grind.

Location: in fronta papers
Mood: sick
Music: father works some days for fourteen hours
YASYCTAI: Under promise, over deliver. (always/2 pts)
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Categories
business personal

Eat what you kill

Gated Apartment downtown NYC

Been all sortsa busy these days.

My biggest client that went away just came back with a staggering amount of work for me to do. The only issue’s that everything’s due in three weeks. But when your life is eat what you kill, y’gotta hustle when y’can.

It’s funny but the last time I wrote about taking every gig that comes in was almost exactly a year ago.  October-December’s usually my busiest time of year so the hustle begins again.

So early last Friday, was down in the West Village at places where handbags cost more than my mortgage. Came back that night and needed to unwind so I cooked up some Greek Kotopoulo Skorthato. It reminds me of my childhood cause I grew up with a lotta Greeks.

Usually my year begins in September but this year, Fall came late. Feels like the year – and everything else – is starting again.

Speakinga which, just found out that my 20 year high school reunion just happened. 20 years.

Didn’t know anyone there really, and I had all of that work, so never bothered going. Being a nobody in high school’s fine, I think. Being a nobody 20 years later’d be a lot worse.

There was this girl named Grace that made my life a living hell when I was a kid. Found out later, her family life was pretty bad. When I heard Plato’s saying, Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle, I thought of her.

Wonder if she ever found any peace or just continued to be hard and mean.

As for me, well, I got my pad. I got my people. I got my poison. Got everything I wanted.

Also got deadlines so catch you Wednesday?

Gated Apartment downtown NYC

Location: Brooklyn
Mood: busy
Music: You got your time to find your voice
YASYCTAI: Get it while the getting’s good. (time/1 pt)
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