Her: Do you wanna meet her? Me: Sure! What about Chinese food in Chinatown?
The Firecracker’s cousin was in town for a few days so we decided to meet up with her.
Ever since the cruise, I’ve been wanting nuthin but Asian food. Don’t get me wrong – unlimited gyros and shrimp will always be a winner for me, but I just can’t go that long without having some real Asian food.
Firecracker: Should Logan just order? Cousin: Sure, I’ll eat anything. Me: Sweeet! OK, where to begin…
Ended up ordering all the classics, including Beef with Broccoli, which is not at all an authentic Chinese dish but it’s still something that I love.
Afterward, we headed to Whiskey Tavern for a drink but it was packed and super loud.
Me: I know – there’s a new bar south of us that I’ve been dying to try out: The Wallace Lounge. Firecracker: Oh yeah! Let’s do that. Cousin: I’m down for anything.
Before we knew it, we were in the oak-walled bar when the singer walked by in a slinky red dress.
Me: I think I know her.
It turns out, it was my friend Isabel, whom I’ve seen all up and down the Upper West Side.
Her cousin seemed to really enjoy being out and about in a laid-back kinda joint. We ended up just chatting for the rest of the evening before calling it a night.
Her: Did you have a good time? Me: Sure! You cousin was nice and now we’re back at a reasonable hour. Her: You’re so old, Lo. Me: A nice night out with nice people, good food, great drinks, a live singer, and in bed and asleep before 11PM? That’s my idea of a perfect night.
My fridge’s been acting up again; this time, it gets waaaaaay too cold in the regular area.
Late the other night, the Firecracker and I heard this loud but muffled bang. Couldn’t figure it out until the next morning when I opened the fridge and found the below.
It froze two cans of soda both of which burst open but this one had the top blown clear off.
The Surgeon’s wife is actually a musician and she was part of a concert in Tompkins Square Park the other day.
Me: It’s in Alphabet City. Boy: What’s Alphabet City? Me: It was a place that was super dangerous when I was a kid but I guess we’re going to a concert there now.
It’s true. When I was a kid, there were places you went to get killed: Alphabet City and Long Island City were two of those places.
But the Surgeon’s kids were there and they just had a grand time.
Although, the boy and I ended up getting eaten alive by mosquitos.
Her: I’ve never had it happen when I wasn’t the one that was bitten the most. Me: Great. (thinking) Maybe they were just in the mood for Chinese. Her: (laughing) Maybe.
Afterward, we were all in the mood for Chinese, so I walked to Dumpling Man and ordered like $60 worth of dumplings.
It was a nice family run restaurant.
We also got a ton of beer.
Me: Shoot, we don’t have a bottle opener. Steel: (laughing) I’m wearing Reefs, so I always have a bottle opener. Firecracker: That’s wild!
Can’t tell you how nice it was to be in park on a sunny with friends, the kids, great food, and beer opened by a sandal.
You can’t put a price on things like that.
Afterward, we took the long walk back to Union Square.
Along the way, we walked past the first place Alison and I had dinner together, Horus Cafe.
Me: I went with your mommy. Son: Really? Me: It was a long time ago. Him: Where was I? Me: Not yet here. It was before you were born. Him: Oh. We can come back here someday. Me: I’d like that, kid.
Pak invited us out to a little thing he was having with his friends. His pad out in NJ has a pool so I brought the boy to go for a swim.
The boy and I were at my gym and I thought we had plenty of time to get out to NJ but there were alla these train delays so we RAN to catch the bus to NJ with just two minutes to spare.
While running to the right bus, the Firecracker met up with us.
Her: (laughing) I heard some weird slapping sound and I realized it was the two of you with your slippers, running. Me: (breathless) We try to make an appearance.
We got there a bit late so everyone else was winding down but it was fine as the boy wanted to go swimming anywho.
Him: There are so many bees. Me: Those are yellowjackets. Him: Is that better? Me: No.
I was so busy with the kid that I forgot to take pics. But trust me when I tell you that he had a grand time.
Told Pak and his girl about our cruise.
Me: There’s even a ship with a go-kart track. Pak: Get outta here. Me: Legit. Here. (show him a video)
Afterward, we went to Mitsuwa for – what else – more food…
Me: We come alla way here and you just want McDonalds? Boy: Yes! Me: (sighing) Fiiiine.
…before we went home.
It was a pretty nice day except we got devoured by mosquitos, which is exactly what happened the next day when we went on an impromptu trip to see the surgeon’s wife in concert.
After we finished our coffee, we drove by this once-small mall that I used to go to – it expanded quite a bit over the last few years.
Me: When I used to come here, there were only two stores. Now look at it. Her: Wow, it’s definitely not two stores anymore.
She wanted to get some decorations for her place for the coming holidays.
Her: I always wanted the space and money to have holiday decorations for all the holidays. Me: That’s tough to do anywhere, let alone Manhattan. Her: Oooh, look! Halloween decorations!
Afterward, we went to have dinner with my mom’s best friend, her daughter, Mary, and her daughter’s boyfriend.
I met Mary when she was like two years old, and she and my sister were great friends. Her dad, Nick, passed away a few years ago and I told you about him.
Actually, ran into her once years ago not too far from my pad and she got to meet my son, but he was maybe two years old himself at the time.
In any case, my mom’s best friend had been wanting to see my son for a while so we went to have dinner at her house.
We were supposed to order food in, but Mary’s mom had clearly spent all day cooking because there was so much killer food, including appetizers of meatballs that my kid devoured.
Me: Your mom was a major reason why I was fat. Mary: What?! You can’t blame my mom for that. Me: I loved everything she ever made, have zero self-control, and can’t take personal responsibility for my actions.
The kid actually ate so many of the meatballs that he didn’t want dinner, which I kinda figured.
The Firecracker and everyone got along just swimmingly, which I knew they would.
Mary said I helped her with her SATs, which I vaguely remember, but it seems like lifetimes ago.
Afterward, we all talked about how we met.
Me: I can’t stand the apps but it’s a part of modern life now. Mary’s Boyfriend: I didn’t mind the apps that much. Me: I do have to say that you meet people that you’d never meet otherwise.
I think it’s amazing that my mom and her best friend met and kept in touch all these years.
When my dad died, she was a constant source of comfort and the same was true when Nick died.
Find it pretty adorable that these two immigrant women who speak broken English found each other and have been in each other’s lives for all this time.
My mom and Mary’s mom found it in each other, and I think I’ll be forever grateful for that.
Me: Thanks so much for everything! Let’s do this again soon – 30 years is way too long. Mary’s mom: Yes! Me: I’ll schedule you in for 2033. Maybe August…
Because the kid and his cousins on my side have been getting sick constantly, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to see my mom and sis.
But it was my nephew’s birthday the other day so the Firecracker, the kid, and I all took a train ride out to their place the other day and had a kid’s birthday lunch with them.
The birthday boy wanted Burger King so that’s what we did.
Her: You ordered a Triple Whopper AND a chicken sandwich?! Me: (sheepishly) It’s a small chicken sandwich.
I like to see my family but the Firecracker – because she’s from the south – just likes to be where there’re trees. So, she’s always happy to come with.
After the lunch, the Firecracker and I borrowed my mom’s car to take a drive out to my usual Long Island Barnes and Noble where we just got two cups of coffee and some peace and quiet.
Don’t get me wrong, we both love our kids.
But if you don’t have kids of your own, you can’t fully appreciate the joy of just having a cuppa joe and some adult conversations.
Although, some adult conversations are better than others.
Me: I rode that bus right there for over an hour to go to a date one time. I saw a movie…I think “Scrooged?” Her: (shocked) Wow! You’re old! (laughs) Me: (laughing) That has to go in the blog. Her: I’m sorry! I normally don’t even think about the age difference, but you were on a date, and I was a toddler.
Afterward, we went to some other places and then met with some family friends I’ve known over four decades for dinner.
But this is getting long so I’ll tell you more about it tomorrow.
It was the ABFF’s birthday the other day so I invited her and the Firecracker to a local dive bar because I’m classy like that.
It started off normal enough, with just some burgers, chips, and guac…
…and some boardgames.
Things started to go sideways – at least for me – when I got the table some jello shots.
Her: Oh man, I can’t remember the last time I had one of these. Me: I think it was around the turn of the century for me.
Again, I’m nuthin if not classy.
And the waiter comped us some really gross fireball shots.
That’s when the carbs started happening.
Something about greasy carbs when I’m drinking makes me feel particularly gross and this was no exception.
I didn’t last too much longer after that.
While we did stay out for some four hours, the Firecracker was happy that we got home at a reasonable hour – although, based on our conversations, we probably shoulda ended earlier.
Firecracker: That’s one good thing about your being so old, we have early nights. Me: Who are you calling old?! Her: You, old man. (later) Look, if you want your anchor in my away, you’re gonna have to make sure my boat is floating. Me: What does that even mean?! Her: See, you’re old.
Location: home, surrounded by the kid and his friend, who kept tripping on stuff
Mood: still hungry after four tacos, two turkey sandwiches, three oranges, and a baga chips. I want more.
Music: joy up on my face. Oh, sunshine in an empty place (Spotify) Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
Last Thursday was hot and steamy in the city. If I had the option, I woulda stayed home all day.
But I didn’t have that option because my buddy Hen Z – who’s a Paxibellum student of both kali and BJJ – invited me to come to the premier of a short video about a group that he started, called the:
“Dragon Combat Club, a grassroots self-defense organization formed in the wake of brutal anti-Asian attacks. The film they made explores community solidarity, self-expression, and the fundamental right to be safe.”
So, at 7PM last week, made my way down to 87 Lafayette St, which actually turned out to be an abandoned Fire Station, number 31.
There, I ran into my buddies Katrina and Prin – both of whom take kali and BJJ at Paxibellum as well.
It was weird, I felt like a mini-celebrity because I met so many people that knew me from Scenic Fights.
Him: Hi! Are you…? Me: (holding out hand) Logan, nice to meet you. Him: I’ve seen all your videos!
Which makes sense because Scenic Fights and I were part of the germination of the concept of using weapons for self-defense.
I’d been watching Hen and his group grow from an idea to its current status as a community-based organization and I’m glad he’s doing it to try and be a positive influence for the Asian-American community.
The video itself was pretty cool, and relatively short – I’ve linked to it below and think it’s worth the 10 minutes that it runs.
For some reason, though, the organizers cut the fans for a solid 15 minutes or so in the beginning and the air conditioners weren’t doing much at all.
I was melting during that time and couldn’t really cool down much, even after they turned the fans back on.
Still, it was a good experience and one I’m glad to have been a part of, however ancillarily.
Speaking of Scenic Fights, this is a wild thing to wrap my head around, but it turns out that, just on YouTube, we’ve had over 101 million – 101 MILLION– views.
That’s full-on nuts.
Then again, I really do believe what I wrote below in my IG account:
Location: home, trying to hook up an eGPU via thunderbolt and a G29 steering wheel via that to a NUC for the boy
Mood: exhausted but fulla tacos
Music: woke up knowing where I am, if just a little bit (Spotify) Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
First mentioned RE Mike to you some 15 years ago, where he floated me and my buddy Sheridan into a private party with James Lipton, Richard Kind, David Zaikin, Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin.
This is from the really weird party we went to in 2019.
He even set up one of the wedding parties that Alison and I had, and the only one in Manhattan, at a joint he owned.
He and my friends around the way were some of the first people I saw after everything went down.
I shoulda had a donut from the donut wall that night.
I’m honestly not sure why he’s always so nice to me, but – heck – who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?
Everyone should have a RE Mike in their lives.
RE Mike: [Sent you an invite to the Britney Spears musical.] Me: Thanks! When are you going? Him: Went last week enjoy! It’s silly but fun. Me: Cooooooool, thanks!
The Firecracker and I were trying to figure out what to do last weekend when he got us two tickets to a new show with Britney Spears songs called Once Upon a One More Time.
Honestly, while I liked a few songs from her – like Work Bitch, which, before everything went down, coulda been my theme song – I wouldn’t really call myself a fan of hers.
Having said that, The Firecracker loves musicals so I figured I’d take one for the team and go with her.
But, I gotta admit, it was a lot more fun than I was expecting, and the story wasn’t bad at all.
I’d never been to the Marquis Theatre, which is in the New York Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square.
The layout was a bit odd as you walk downstairs and immediately are facing the concession/bar area. Weird/bad feng shui.
Her: Do you want a drink? Me: I’ll just have some of yours. Her: Why don’t I just get you one? Me: Because I’ll just keep running to the bathroom.
Outside, there were a buncha booths where people to take selfies with some of the songs as themes.
The Firecracker had a blast and it was fun doing something completely different for a change. If you get a chance to go, you should.
Afterward, we took a long walk-up Broadway, about two miles north to my pad.
I’ll tell you about that in my next post.
Until then, below is the encore from the show, which they were cool enough to let us record.
Location: the gym, for the first time in a while
Mood: missing the kid like crazy
Music: You want a Maserati? You better work (Spotify) Subscribe! Like this post? Tell someone about it by clicking a button below.
Me: The problem is that you’re homeless and a stranger in a strange land. You’re not valued by him and never will be. But your friends and family are here. Her: I can’t afford to live in NYC any more, Logan. I don’t have a job and I’m not 20 anymore. Me: Plenty of people – your parents and mine – came here with less and spoke even shittier English than you… Her: (laughs) Me: …they all survived. They all thrived. It’s time.
A dear friend of mine, who moved away to be with the man of her dreams suddenly found herself in a nightmare.
She gave up everything – her home, her friends, her family, and her job, to be with this fella.
That’s her story to tell so I’ll end that part here.
But I told her things that I never told anyone.
Never told you either.
Because I not only lost both my families in 2017, but I also lost my career.
Never told you, but when I lectured in Malaga, over a decade ago, my topic was the right of publicity versus the right of privacy.
With the rise of computational power, we’re rapidly coming to a point where we don’t need an actual actor or singer but merely their likeness to create art. And that will open up a whole new world of possibilities, both for good and bad. – Logan
Watched one lawyer talk about it, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t angry and jealous – because the focus of my entire practice was going to be about the intersection of the rights of publicity and privacy.
I knew a decade ago that this current AI crisis was coming and I wanted to be at the forefront of it all.
Her: Holy shit, you were ahead of the curve, Logan! Me: Yeah, by over a decade. I’m gonna be honest with you, I threw myself a pity party last week thinking that coulda been me.
That fucking cancer took almost everything from Alison and me.
12 years of work, poof. Gone.
I’m still a lawyer but I’m not…that lawyer anymore.
I secretly used pictures of Alison throughout my lecture.
After all, that’s what Alison did. Felt I had to respect her sacrifices and do the same.
I just said that the fucking cancer took almost everything.
Almost because I still had the boy.
Somehow, through all my chemicals and madness, I sobered up enough to remember him and how much he meant to Alison, and me.
Knew I had to make a home for him with me, however incomplete and inelegant that was.
That kid saved me and, together, we made this sad place – which was full of some seriously unspeakable and fucked-up things – a happy(ish) home for both of us.
And I told my friend all this just to let her know that it’s possible.
Me: I’m not making light of your situation. It’s gonna be shitty and hard. But I just want you to know that you can survive this. You can survive this blow. Because, somehow, I did. Her: (silence then laughing) I can’t believe I’m saying this but you’re making a lotta sense. Me: (laughing) I’m as surprised as you are. (pause) Listen, X, it’s done. That place isn’t your home, not anymore. But here, you matter to a lotta people. Me included. Her: (sighing) OK, Logan. Lemme think about it. Me: Do that. It’s time to come home.
Me: I’m not sure I should head to the gym. I’ve got so much to do. Her: Go. You missed so many days that it’ll be good to clear your head. Me: OK.
Because I had COVID, I lost a solid week of projects that I was planning to do while the kid was away.
As soon as I felt better, I threw myself into my unchanged list of tasks to do.
One major thing I’d not done in years was to clean out all the kid’s old toys, clothes, and papers from the past two years. After three days, his room still just looked like it vomited up everything.
Now, the Firecracker and I were supposed to head out to see Pac and his girl for dinner but I didn’t think I could make it.
Pretty much told him we weren’t going to come because once I got back from the gym, it would be a solid six more hours of work that I needed to do to make it in time to toss everything for that week’s trash and recycling.
But when I got back, the Firecracker intercepted me.
Her: Hey, I wanna show you something. Me: Do I have to? I’m so beat. Her: Yeah. I think you’ll like it.
It turns out that, while I was gone she spent two hours cleaning up the kid’s room and did in two hours what woulda taken me four hours. So, I had two hours to wrap it all up.
Me: Well, it looks like we’ll be there tonight. Pac: Great! Come by at 6PM.
So, after I did what I could with the kid’s room, off we went.
It was raining when we left but we arrived at Port Authority with just three minutes to spare for the next bus.
Her: If you navigate, I’ll buy tickets on my phone. Me: Sold!
So, while she was face down on her phone buying tickets, I got us to the right gate in two minutes and 30 seconds. We arrived just moments before the bus pulled out.
Now, we thought we took the wrong bus because we didn’t know it first went south before heading north (Pac lives in the north part of NJ) but we ended up being right on time.
Pac and his girl were just great. Turns out that she has a green thumb, something I aspire to.
Me: These plants are just amazing! I never thought of having a succulent garden. Him: She has them as a kinda meditative thing. Me: Oh man, my plants just give me agita.
We brought some alcohol while they ordered a ton of fried Korean chix, which we demolished.
Afterward, we played a game of Exploding Kittens, which I lost and came in last…
…then a game of Spot It, which I lost and came in last.
Me: This stinks! Firecracker: Oh, you’re just mad because you keep losing. Me: Well, yeah…
We ended up just chatting until late.
Afterward, we grabbed a Lyft home.
Her: Your friends are really nice. We should invite them over some day. Me: Sure. Pac’s by alla time but it’d be nice to have him and his girl over one day. Her: Would you ever live out here in the burbs, Logan Lo? Me: Maybe. If I had a good reason. Her: (nodding) Maybe you’ll have one, someday.
