Tag: good things

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personal

A birthday and a theme park

A Trip to Legoland, NY

This past weekend, I unlocked another level: I brought the kid to a theme park.

It was the first time I’d brought him to one; my in-laws had taken him to things like this in the past but this was a first for me.

The Firecracker is a huge theme park person. She used to live in Florida and would live close to Disneyland just so she could go on the regular.

We’ve lived very different lives, which is kinda what makes it all so interesting.

In any case, we got tickets to Legoland, which is just over an hour away.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the week was nice, the day we chose to go, it was supposed to be raining cats and dogs.

The night before, the kid and I went all over Harlem trying to find a poncho for him.

We ended up borrowing one of his friend’s jackets – which you can see below – just so he had something.

The next day, with my brother staying with me, the Firecracker and her son showed up bright and early in the rain for us to make the trek up.

The drive up was pretty uneventful but once we got up there, both kids were overjoyed. It was sweet to see.

They went straight for alla the rides. Because of the rain, we didn’t have to wait long for any of the rides.

And the rain came down pretty hard at times…

…but after only about ninety minutes, it cleared up.

By the afternoon, the sun was out and it was 70+. Both kids were hot.

And a lot more people showed up so we actually had to wait in lines for some of the rides.

The kids were only so interested in the displays, although they both loved the NYC stuff.


Me? I found things like the singing Mt. Rushmore stuff a hoot.

I really need to get out more.

The kid, shockingly, really wanted to get onto the biggest roller-coaster they had.

The Firecracker and her kid skipped that, so he and I went on it and, damn if that kid wasn’t having the time of his life on that thing.

He musta gotten that from his mom because roller-coasters were never my thing.

He wanted to go on it again but the ride actually broke down right after we got off of it and he was pretty bummed.

But he perked up when other rides became available as the park dried out.

He’s the kid in orange with his arms outstretched.


It was closing time before we knew it.

Me: What do you want to do for dinner? Do you wanna do something really suburby like Houlihans or TGIFridays?
Her: How about Red Robin?
Me: Oh, I’ve never been.
Her: (shocked) Well, we have to go then!

We punched in the addy for the nearest Red Robin and off we went.

Once we got there, I ordered the double burger, which I could hardly get my mouth around. It was glorious.

Plus, we just kept getting refills for drinks and sides. It was my kinda joint.

It actually the Firecracker’s birthday around then so I told one of the waitstaff and they came out singing Happy Birthday and gave her a sundae.

Her: Logan! Did you…?
Me: Happy birthday, Firecracker!

She was embarassed but I think liked the gesture.

Afterward, we made it home and it started raining again.

It was a really “family,” thing we did and I was happy for that. The kid had a great day, which made me happy.

Me: Did you have a good time?
Him: (sleepily) Yes, papa. Can do we do it again someday?
Me: Someday, sure, yeah. Goodnight, kid.
Him: Goodnight, papa.

Location: earlier today, the Emerald Inn with my brother, asking for a manly drink and fish and chips, minus the chips.
Mood: dreaming of double burgers
Music: we can’t run from the wind and the thunder (Spotify)
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Daydrinking around the hood

Handling things with aplomb

My brother’s in town for a spell so his best friend, KTO, came up to my hood for to grab lunch with us.

Me: Do you wanna meet my brother?
Firecracker: Sure! But I don’t wanna intrude.
Me: I’m pretty sure they wanna meet you.

We ended up going to a joint that I’d been to a few times before, but in different iterations. It was a bistro, then a fish restaurant, and now just an American joint.

The food was good and service was great – we kept throwing requests at the waiter, who took everything with aplomb…even though he messed up our orders here and there.

Me: We only ordered one diet coke.
Him: Oh, just keep that one then.

I typically order burgers but I try to get them without ketchup and just have them with mayo.

But whenever a place has poached eggs, I typically order that because that’s the one egg that I can’t make well.

I ordered mine with a salad but the waiter brought it with fries – here’s the thing, if left to my own devices, I would go to town on fries.

But then I’d feel awful about it – and myself – immediately afterward.

So, I swapped it out for a salad, even though I looked longingly at them as they left.

Me: Can I have some of your fries?
Her: You just sent yours back!
Me: I know, I know…

Afterward, another waiter came by and we chatted with him a bit.

He came back later and comped us some guac and chips.

Afterward, we came back to my pad and just chatted for a while before we all passed out from the daydrinking.

I remember once wanting so much outta life.

But days like that remind me that simple things are often the best.

Wouldn’t mind more simple and quiet days like that one.

Me: What did you think?
Her: They were nice! I liked them. (later) You know, you look like Jimmy Neutron with your hair like that.
Me: Who’s that?
Her: (laughing) You really are old.

Location: a French bistro, just off 80th and Amsterdam
Mood: hungry and dreaming of eggs Benedict
Music: couldn’t tell you what tomorrow will bring (Spotify)
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Our hearts are red balloons

I need to change that

The Firecracker got home a bit earlier today so, after I dropped the kid off at his afterschool – which is just two blocks from her pad – I stopped by.

She usually buzzes me into her building and unlocks the door so I can let myself in.

Me: Hey, where are you?
Her: (running towards me, hair and limbs akimbo) BANZAI!!!
Me: WHAT THE F-!

God, it’s nice when someone’s happy to see you.

Last week, when we saw the Surgeon, my buddy Steel wasn’t available.

This time, though, he was so the Firecracker, the kid, and I went down to Chinatown to grab some food and headed to the Surgeon’s pad for another get-together.

Steel cooked everything…

…while the Surgeon made some mixed drinks.

Him: Do you want rum or som-
Me: Rum!
Him: (laughing) No surprise there.

The Firecracker was a big hit with Steel’s wife.

Her: We love her!!! I am keeping her!

The Firecracker and I tried to limit our drinking and we did an ok job. It was hard because the surgeon does mix some killer drinks.

He and Steel own a few bars in the city.

Firecracker: Wait, I’ve been to that place. That’s yours?
Steel: Yup. Which one?
Her: There’s more than one? The uptown one?
Him: Oh, we have another one downtown.
Me: We’ll head out there onea these days.

We did, however, eat continuously since we arrived. Especially since there was a ton of sushi for the adults, alla Chinese food I brought, and pizza for the kids.

Me: I want a slice of pizza.
Him: What about the carbs?
Me: I already ate so much sushi that I figure that I’m in it.

Speaking of carbs, the Surgeon’s wife pulled out a whole stack of Klondike bars. I’d not had one since I was a kid so I took one.

The next day, I hosted one of the kid’s classmates and then brought the two of them to another class outing at a playground near me.

I’m looking forward to spending the summer hanging out with kid and maybe having the Firecracker for company.

My summers have been pretty sad lately.

I need to change that.

Location: the Barnes & Noble on the UWS, realizing they blocked all the windows so people wouldn’t sit on the sills anymore
Mood: hungry and dreaming of apple pie
Music: The skies are wide open (Spotify)
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A Story, on the West Side

Seeing the blue sky again

It’s been a super busy week with work and life.

This past weekend, the kid had his first “school party” without me.

Basically, the PTA threw a party where the parents dropped off their kids so the kids could spend three hours running around the school, playing games and dancing and such.

The kid was so thrilled, I was excited for him. But he’s growing up way too fast.

Him: You’ll really let me go?
Me: Of course.
Him: You’re the best dad, ever!
Me: You’re not wrong.

The Firecracker and I took the opportunity to grab a drink around the way at a local bar called Jake’s Dilemma.

Her: You got carded! The night’s already off to a good start. (later) Look at us, out at a bar without the kids.
Me: It definitely feels weird.

Because we were both actively dating when we met, she and I chat about dating in NYC in general and our recent history.

Me: …so, that was the end of that.
Her: Well, compared to my last date, you’re definitely an upgrade.
Me: (laughing) I would hope so.
Her: Oh yeah, it’s like moving up from a Pinto to a Ferrari.

If nuthin else, she’s good for my ego.

The next day, the kid went to a Holi festival at the Seaport and I grabbed him over at Lincoln Center before heading back downtown.

Me: See that brown building over there? This entire place used to be fulla buildings exactly like that. But you can actually see exactly what it used to look like before it became Lincoln Center.
Her: Where?
Me: The original West Side Story. It was shot when this was all residential walk-up housing. They literally bulldozed the entire neighborhood the day after shooting stopped.

The kid and I met up with the Firecracker and her kid to come with me to the Surgeon’s place for a little party after his Holi party.

Me: They live in a converted department store. The ceilings are like 15 feet tall.
Her: I can’t wait to see it!

She was impressed.

The surgeon made rum cocktails while I cooked up some Korean pork dishes that I got from H Mart near the gym.

Her kid was a huge hit with the Surgeon’s daughters. It was nice that everyone got along well.

His brother, Steel, had another engagement but everyone there was really cool. We met the most interesting fella who worked at Google…

His Wife: (proudly) He invented Chrome.
Me: Wait, for real?!
Him: (sheepishly) Yeah. I led the team that wrote Firefox and Google hired me to write Chrome for them.
Me: Oh man, I have so many questions. (later) BTW, lemme tell you about this hack that happened to me because of Chrome…

It was super late when we all left.

The next day, we all met up with the ABFF and her kids as well and everyone seemed to get along well there too.

Her: Shoot, I don’t have any alcohol.
Me: It’s like you don’t even know me.

I feel like my life’s been on hold for years now.

I either didn’t go out or went to things solo. It’s nice to have a companion that wants to do things with me.

You know, the scaffolding on my block came down and I can see the blue sky again.

The last time I saw the blue sky around my pad, Alison was still alive and we were waiting for the boy to come.

I’ve been in shadow ever since.

So, it’s nice to see the sun and sky again.

It’s been so long that I’d forgotten what it looked like.

Location: yesterday, looking at the sun from my son’s room
Mood: ruminating
Music: I can see the bright blue skies now (Spotify)
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The one with the singing

Still loading

Her: (finishes singing a song and turns to look at me) Do you think I’m weird?
Me: (nodding) Oh, yeah. Totally.
Her: Oh…
Me: (laughing) You’re adorkable!

This past weekend, I had a few things really stop me in my tracks. None were what you might call, “good,” but neither were they “terrible.”

They were, however, things that made me radically reassess my life and look at things very differently.

All three are gonna mean that my life is gonna change drastically and I’m not sure how it’ll all shake out.

The smallest of the three – and the only one I can really tell you about – is that the Firecracker and I got into our first real big fight but it was really about nuthin.

Honestly though, most fights are about nuthin, if you think about it in the grand scheme of things.

In any case, my takeaway, though, was her style of fighting. It worked well with my style of fighting such that the whole things – while arduous – was over and done by the evening. That’s a net positive.

I suppose, in life, you gotta take all the net positives you can.

The other two events I’m still sorting it all out in my head. But really big changes are ahead for the Lo family, lemme tell ya.

Ultimately, though, I’m trying to go back to my old mindset from a decade ago and accepting the world as it is, not as I wish it to be.

It’s funny, suppose I started upgrading my OS ages ago but it got interrupted with alla the tragedies.

It never stopped loading into my brain, though.

It’s still loading now, I think.

At least there was lots of music all weekend, between the Firecracker and my son singing.

This is his latest – Emily, another parent from his school, thinks he would rock the talent show. He says he’s too shy.

I dunno, I think he’d be pretty good.

Him: (sadly) Do I have to do it?
Me: Only if you want, kid.
Him: Oh. OK. I don’t want to. Too many people.
Me: Maybe someday.
Him: (nodding) Maybe.

Location: tonight, almost having a homemade apple pie in a bed that wasn’t mine
Mood: accepting
Music: You were only waiting for this moment to be free (Spotify)
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The one where Logan learns to throw a knife

Happy Pi Day!

It was a pretty packed weekend.

It started off relatively sedate – nuthin crazy but the kid, the Firecracker, and I all went out to grab some Chinese food around the way.

The kid’s so chill – the Firecracker suddenly appears in his life and he’s just like, “New friend!”

And that’s pretty much all he needs to know.

The last time we were there, the NFL player taught him how to play Hangman and he’s loved it ever since.

Boy: Do you want to play Hangman?
Her: OK! (draws something) It’s a country that borders us.
Him: (thinking) Mexico?
Her: Mexico doesn’t end in an “a.”
Him: Canada!

Afterward, we went back to my place to watch Harry Potter.

I’d actually never seen it before and the kid’s never really seen any movie end-to-end but the Firecracker’s so upbeat that she managed to keep the kid’s interest for the whole film.

Pretty impressive, I gotta say.

On Sunday, however, it was just a full day of shooting. Pez – god bless that gal – came over to watch the boy while I went to do my shoot.

Pak, Chad, and I rotate who does the heavy lifting for each shoot weekend. Both Pak and Chad did their heavy shoots, so now it was my turn.

One of my scenes involved some serious knife throwing so this fella they call the Great Throwdini came by as a guest for the show. He was super cool and actually taught me how to throw a knife.

Both my first and second throws were spot on.

Was pretty proud, I gotta say.

The Firecracker came by and met everyone for the first time, as well. The fellas were all really cool with her, which I really appreciated.

She couldn’t stay long but we were given 30 mins to get something to eat so we left, and I ordered a salad while she ran out and bought a $7 coffee.

Her: $7! Can you believe that?
Me: Did you get a massage with that or was it just the coffee?
Her: Just the coffee, Lo.

Unfortunately, she didn’t get a chance to enjoy the coffee and I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the salad because our producer couldn’t find the Scream mask we needed for the shoot.

But he knew I had one at home because he had ordered me one a while back.

Him: Can you go home and find it?
Me: I have no idea where it is.
Him: Can you try?

So, the Firecracker and I high tailed it back to my pad where I tore the place apart looking for it – all while Pez was amused at my frantic running about.

After some 15 minutes, I gave up and sat down to (finally) have my salad.

Me: I give up. It’s not here.
Firecracker: What about the third closet?
Me: (shaking head) It wouldn’t be in there, I just keep…
Her: Found it!
Me: Get outta here!

So, the Firecracker went home, Pez went back to taking care of the kid, and I went back down by my lonely to finish my shoot.

I actually finished alla my work ahead of schedule so I got to head home early to crash.

I was gonna end this entry differently, but the Firecracker hit me up late tonight as I was writing it.

Her: A delivery person is heading to your place now.
Me: What? Don’t spend the money!
Her: Too late.

She sent me a pie because it’s Pi Day – March 14th.

And it’s pecan to boot.

Man, a fella could fall for a girl like that…

Location: earlier today, trying to corral two kids that didn’t want to wear their jackets on a snowy day, down Amsterdam Ave
Mood: exhausted
Music: she loves to keep you in suspense (Spotify)
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Hurt you so badly

Better off now

After the night out with the Firecracker and her friend, neither of us could make it to the Frenchman’s karaoke thingy the next day.

Me: (next morning) I think I’m still drunk.
Her: I need a Tylenol.
Me: Why are we even awake?!

But we were scheduled to meet up with her sister and her sister’s fella, both of whom lived across the street from her.

We ended up meeting up at a bar for an afternoon drink, not too far from the tiki bar we were the night before.

The Firecracker and I each got a rum and diet coke – plus wings for me – while they got beers and a huge pretzel for their kid, which made me think of Germany.

Her sister and fella were super cool and grabbed the bill, which was super nice of them.

Afterward, I was hungry for more wings, so we spent a solid 45 minutes walking around the hood looking for more wings, which I ultimately found.

A young couple were arguing – well, the fella was being yelled at by his girl – and the girl asked me what I thought.

Her: (turning to me) What do you think?! Am I right or is he?
Me: I’m just trying to get some wings here, lady…
Her: No, no, no, is he right or am I?
Me: (shaking head) I can’t say. I can say that communication isn’t what you’re saying but what he’s hearing. And he – and everyone else here – is just hearing you yell at him, kid.

There’s a lot more to this story but I’ll end it here.

The next day, I went out to NJ to get the boy from my in-laws.

MIL: We’re having pasta, salad, and garlic bread.
Me: I’m not saying no to any of that.

He went out with his guitar to practice and bringing it back was a bit of a pain, but worth it because he had plenty of time to practice.

As you might imagine, the Firecracker and I chat quite a bit now.

I find it odd because the weird commonality of the women I met after Alison have all had very sad stories to tell.

Wonder if it’s something about me that either attracts people with sad stories or perhaps they feel safe because I have my own – obscenely – sad stories.

Perhaps it’s a bit of both.

Me: I’m sorry.
Her: Nothing to be sorry about. I’m better off now.
Me: (shaking head) I’m sorry the world hurt you so badly, Firecracker.
Her: (nodding) I’m sorry the world hurt you so badly, Lo.
Me: Yeah…

Location: this afternoon, Blue Bottle with the pastor, disagreeing about cruising
Mood: contemplative
Music: this should be a crime and I’m ready to do the time (Spotify)
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Seaport, Chinatown, Little Italy

Last three decades

Her: Totes
Me: Is that what the kids say these days?
Her; No, it’s what I say. (thinking) Although, technically I’m a kid. Especially compared to you. (pause) Because you’re so old, Lo.
Me: Thanks for clarifying that last part.
Her: (cheerily) Any time, Logan Lo!

The Firecracker had a day off the other day so I took a mental health day for myself and we headed down to the seaport to walk around.

Just being out and walking around was nice. I felt closer to normal than I’d felt in a long time.

It didn’t take long for us to make it down to the Seaport.

The last time I went was with RE Mike, not that long ago, so I gave her a mini-tour – she’d been there before but not all the spots.

They had an ice skating rink out that looked fun. Maybe I’ll bring the kid, now that he’s no longer a complete neophyte.

We pretty much had the observation area on top all to ourselves.

The weather was full-on gorgeous.

And because the weather was so nice, we decided to walk the 3/4 mile from there to Chinatown.

She actually had clients in the area so she spent as much time telling me about things there as I did her.

Me: Have you ever had Vietnamese food?
Her: Nope, but I’m down to try.

We walked over to my usual joint for Vietnamese grub but they were closed so I ended up bringing her to one of the Pho Bangs in the area, because those are pretty consistently good.

I ordered my usual faves, including a Vietnamese coffee, some pho, some bun, and a banh mi.

Her: That’s a lotta food.
Me: I eat a lot. You’ll have to get used to that.

Only managed to take one pic because I was so hungry.

After we devoured alla that food – we were both pretty famished – we strolled around the area.

I showed her Rain’s old pad…

Me: I cannot tell you how much of my 20s and 30s I spent here.
Her: That’s cool that you have these stories.

…as well as the old NYC Police Headquarters…

Her: That’s gorgeous!
Me: Yeah, they’re all apartments now.

…and Little Italy before finally heading back home.

Heading to our subway station, we ended up walking past Gio’s old pad and I remembered all those late nights I used to have.

All-in-all, it was nice way to spend a beautiful day.

For the most part…

Me: (thinking) 1993?
Her: (thinking) I was in Ms. Ingram’s third grade class when you graduated college.
Me: Well, I feel dirty.
Her: Yup.

Location: this morning, skyping with the kid at my desk and explaining why I had board games out
Mood: hungry, like always
Music: it’s fine by me if you never leave (Spotify)
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What you got till it’s gone

Last three decades

Meant to put up a video of the kid doing a takedown in BJJ in my last entry but I didn’t have the video edited for that so here it is now:

In any case, after the party, we hightailed it to New Jersey to see the in-laws – my MIL ended up making meatloaf and she and I ended up chatting about the time that Alison and she both made the ATK meatloaf.

Her: That one turned out really well.
Me: After all these years, I still remember it.

Sorry. I get lost in my head and my memories sometimes.

Left that night to get home and get some work done. On the way home, I heard someone call out my name.

It turned out to be the ABFF’s sister, who just happened to be heading back into the city on the exact same train as me.

Honestly dunno how I keep running into people that either know me IRL or via Scenic Fights.

NYC is really a small town sometimes.

One of the things I had to do here while the boy’s away is check out apartments.

Essentially, I never seriously thought about moving – at least not without Alison – in the past but with this massive real estate tax rise, I have to figure out my other options.

This is one of the reasons that the Firecracker and I went to that open house the other day.

Although, honestly, checking out other pads makes me realize how much I like my own pad.

It’s like that old Joni Mitchell song: Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone?

And I’m worried that I might have to leave the only home I’ve ever known for the past three decades.

Man, that blows my mind.

Location: this afternoon, my apartment, happy that I don’t have to go to Detroit tonight
Mood: concerned
Music: I don’t wanna give it, why you wanna give it? (Spotify)
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Getting up

Skating at Chelsea Piers

The boy’s away all week for his mid-winter break so that gives me time to work and work on things that I need to focus on.

Before I dropped him off, though, we had a lotta activities together.

One thing is that he’s been enjoying his BJJ classes more after I essentially forced him to spar. Initially, he didn’t wanna do it.

Him: I’m just gonna lose. They’re better than me.
Me: I, honestly, don’t care if you win or lose. I care if you try or not. It goes like this: (1) I need you to try, (2) If you fail, you have to try again, and (3) if you win, that’s great, but 1 and 2 are much more important.
Him: So, you don’t care if I lose?
Me: (shaking head) I care if you give up before you even start. Winning is great, but trying – that’s what’s important to papa.

So, after his very first roll – which he won – he’s been loving the sparring aspect to it. That’s been wonderful.

Afterward, the Firecracker and her son came by for a pizza playdate; she actually brought stuff for the kids to make pizza and they participated in some culinary arts.

Her: I dated a guy for nine months, and he never met my son.
Me: Why not?
Her: (shrugging) I guess I didn’t think he was my guy.
Me: Works for me.

Let’s be honest, the kids could work on their symmetry and pizza-making skills BUT, I suppose that’s not the point of the whole exercise.

They left late, and both kids wanted to hang out longer but it was waaay past everyone’s bedtimes, including my own.

Me: So, what did you think of them?
The boy: They’re nice. More than nice. I like them.
Me: Good, maybe we’ll do that again.

In hindsight, pizza was probably not the best idea, because the very next day, we went to a pizza party for one of the kid’s friends around the way.

Do you remember when I told you that the kid was playing with this one girl for a while and that girl told him that she didn’t want to play with him anymore so he just turned around and met another girl named Sandy?

Well, some two years later, Sandy and the kid are still friends and she just turned 8 the other day and invited us to Chelsea Piers to do some ice skating.

Here’s the thing: The kid’s never been ice skating before. So, Sandy and her family essentially invited us to experience the kid’s very first time ice skating.

For some reason, I found that both sweet and fascinating – it’s so interesting to me that I get to experience another human being experiencing something for the first time.

In any case, he was literally falling down for the entire hour. But, goddamn if that kid didn’t smile, struggle to his feet, and try again.

Honestly, I was so proud of this kid. He didn’t cry once.

I do admit I laughed a lot more than I should, but he was so unsinkable, I didn’t feel awful about myself.

Me: So, what did you think of ice skating?
Him: I liked it! (thinking) But I wasn’t very good at it.
Me: (shaking head) That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you tried, and you kept getting up even though you kept falling. Are you proud of yourself?
Him: Yes!
Me: I am too.

Afterward, I spoke to Sandy’s dad…

Me: you asked me to drink the wine so you wouldn’t have to take it home. I just wanna say, I did as you asked.
Him: (laughing) Did you really?
Me: I did. Because I’m a good friend, that’s why. I do as asked.

…as well as her mom…

Her: You know, I’m still reading your blog.
Me: That’s great!
Her: So…how’s the Firecracker?
Me: (laughs)

Location: earlier this evening, a tiki bar with a pretty girl, two chicken sandwiches, and a pina colada with an umbrella in it.
Mood: magical
Music: Got a ticket for a world where we belong (Spotify)
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