Tag: New York City

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personal

So great

It would be so great if I could just fall asleep

Today I spent most of the day in court. That’s bad enough but my mind’s also really cloudy cause the insomnia’s back. It made a bad situation worse.

Think I might post less because I’m worried I’m gonna start sounding insane. I’m writing constantly.

Couldn’t sleep at all the other night so I got up and made chili – here’s the recipe with pics if you’re interested.

Most nights, I’m just walking about town. The thing about my neighborhood is that there’s always something to see. There’s always something for the singular.

Maybe I’ll fall asleep and have nice dreams tonight. That would be great.

That would be so _______ great.

Location: 21:21 yest, trying to find parking in NYC
Mood: so freaking tired
Music: these words are my diary, screaming out loud

Categories
dating personal

Thanksgiving 2007

Went on a five hours date at the museum

After Thanksgiving dinner, I always meet up with my HS friend, the Professor, for coffee at his folks. It’s a nice tradition I look forward to each year.

After that, I meet up with Johnny; he’s a multimillionaire who owns 17 patents. Chances are pretty good you own something he made.

The interesting thing is that he’s also the guy that first truly taught me how to fight. A mugger once pulled a gun on him but he…well, Johnny did bad things to him. He and I have our own traditions:

Niece: Uncle Johnny and Logan are fighting again.
Someone: Don’t break anything!
Johnny: (to me) What rules do you want?
Me: No elbows, no knees – oh, and no closed fists to the face, I’ve got a date tomorrow morn…
Johnny: (punching me in gut) Don’t be such a baby.

Friday morning, I woke up, ate a ton of ibuprofen and met up with a pretty Italian attorney. Our date went from coffee around the way at 11:12, to pizza in Times Square at 14:00, to saying goodbye after the Butterfly Conservatory at 18:20. We laughed so much, I can’t even tell you.

But we’re both swamped with work and she’s off for business next weekend. I guess things’ll happen however they happen.

I stayed in Friday night and most of Saturday to work but did venture out for a bit on Saturday night. I met an almost pescatarian, blond, Jersey girl that spoke German to me and told me I looked 26 when I asked. I also met a cigarette-smoking, brunette, Brooklyn girl that spoke Chinese to me and told me she was single when I didn’t ask.

Sunday, more work.

And now (deep breath) it’s Monday.

Location: 16:00 yest, taking a walk with a friend around the hood
Mood: thoughtful
Music: the sirens sing so sweet and watched the sailors go down

Categories
personal

Oh mercy, mercy me

What if we’re on the wrong side?

Cain (a captain in the army): My favorite is: Do you want a little captain in you? (wiggles eyebrows)
Her: (thinking then laughing) Ewwwww.
Me: OK, back to me. Basically I think the only people I can date right now are lawyers and tourists.
Her: Ah, you want someone who has no time for you or is gone.
Me: (nodding) I can’t think of anything else right now. That’s why I’m the third wheel here tonight.

———-

Wish I had something cool to tell you but I spent the day in an office. So…no. I’ve got nothing to report.

OK, I did drink my night away with Cain and a new friend, who’s a litigator and my favorite waitress in the world. Was too hammered to tell them this joke but I’ve sobered up somewhat so here goes:

There’re these two Christians that’re thrown to the these starving lions. One guy says to the other, “Fear not, the good Lord will be merciful to us.”

To which the other dude goes, “How do you know the good Lord won’t be merciful to the lions?

That’s pretty much how I feel right now.

Location: 11:00 yest, on the phone asking for a favor
Mood: sotted
Music: where did all the blue sky go?

Categories
personal

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

Categories
personal

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

Categories
personal

My life on repeat

The time I rode a mechanical bull

Probably not the best thing when you still have whiplash.

Had a lot on my mind this weekend so my friends dragged me out. It was a hella weird weekend.

Paul and I went to a total of five parties, all of which were vastly different than expected. I really needed a distraction. So Paul paid $10 to have me go onto a mechanical bull. Quick but fun.

Did I ever tell you that Berlingirl was here studying dance?

Here’s the thing: In the last party of the night, for the grey-eyed girl, I met yet another German girl studying dance here in the big city except she was from Köln.

What’re the chances?

I spent the rest of the night chatting with her and the grey-eyed girl until 3AM or so. And then we were gone.

Can’t tell you how many times these days that I daydream of running away somewhere.

Then the 2 train comes and brings me someplace I don’t really want to be but gotta.

———-

I’m at my parents place and my dad is singing to himself. It’s midnight. How cute is that?

Location: 21:15 yest, leaving office
Mood: exhausted
Music: Digging deep for clues on higher ground

Categories
personal

Happy Halloween

And so and now Somena

Went to a Halloween party I went to with Cain last Wednesday. Had to carry him home. So he had a great time.

Don’t know about you, but when I like a song, I listen to it a million times. Then, whenever I hear that song again, I think about that period in my life.

I listened to The National singing, And so and now I’m sorry I missed you – I had a secret meeting in the basement of my brain all the time during the fall of last year. I remember I kept thinking of my ex. I almost never think of her any more. Weird how that works.

I met my very good friend Somena a year ago on Halloween. She was a librarian. Who says you can’t have meaningful relationships from people you meet in bars? She liked to listen to Secret Meeting and pretend she was a spy.

I’d never tell her but, late at night, on those long walks home, I do the same thing.

Like I said, Venn Diagrams…

Location: 15:30-20:24, locked outta my #$#$@#$! apartment
Mood: just plain irritated
Music: Didn’t anybody tell you how to gracefully disappear in a room?

Categories
personal

No Chance

 

I’m at my parents and my father’s playing a sad song on the harmonica. He’s never had a lesson in the piano or the harmonica in his life.

But he can sit down in front of either and just break your heart.

Went with Cain, Paul, and Paul’s roomie to a costume party on Saturday. I was gonna go as Kato but I couldn’t find a hat.

Him: Just wear what you wore last year.
Me: What if I run into someone from last year?
Him: (exasperated) Dude, it’s a totally different party, there’s no chance of you running into someone from last year.

I ran into two people from last year. How embarrassing.

Oh…like I really care.

 

Like last Sunday, I woke up just in time to meet the pretty green-eyed schoolteacher (GES) for brunch. We walked all over the UWS again, to the East Side, then back and finished up with some sodas in a Columbia cafe – five hours. We actually saw two weddings in Central park – one was of a Chinese couple and I said gong xi (congrats) to them. The bride smiled at me.

The weather was just as I like it: cold, clear and crisp.

Her: Man, we walked so much, I’m going to sleep so well tonight.
Me: Lucky you.
Her: (puzzled) You won’t?
Me: (shaking head) I never do.

Location: 20:15 yest, asking someone in church to pray for me
Mood: resigned
Music: Babe, I’ll walk the seven seas when I believe that

Categories
dating personal

Hug or Handshake?

On a first date, do you do the hug or handshake?

Me: Hi there. (pause) Ah, the awkward, Hug or handshake?
Her: (smiling) I’ll give you the hug.

Because of the craziness of various things in my personal/business life, I’ve not been dating at all. But, as I said yesterday, on Sunday I met up with a pretty green-eyed school teacher for a cup of coffee and we had the best time – the weather was killer and we just walked about the neighborhood. It was probably the most relaxed I’d been in while.

For a few hours at least, I forgot about my worries. I’m supposed to see her again this week.

It’s funny, even in my darkest hours, I can still find ways to distract myself with utter randomness. Case in point, I was queuing in the bank the other day:

Female Teller 1: (handing me receipt) Is there anything else?
Me: Yeah, (pointing to Female Teller 2) What’s her name?
Both: Lisa
Me: (turning to Female Teller 2) Hello, Lisa.

All three of us laughed and then I politely excused myself. The rest of the week sucked but I live for the weekend and these random bits of entertainment.

That and the blue sky, of course.

Location: 20:00 yest., on the 7 train, coming home
Mood: concerned
Music: rescue me lemme have a good time

Categories
personal

Monday

Walked with a woman I met on the train

 

Last Friday, Cain and I went to my friend Gshok’s housewarming. I was feeling a bit down and didn’t want to go but I’m glad I did. It was nice to not think about my worries. The Laura was supposed to come but she got into a car accident on the way there (she’s ok).

We played a rousing game of Taboo; we were tied when Gshok and I did a sudden-death round and my team won. My prize was what you see above.

Saturday, Paul and I made the Lower East Side drinking circuit. Crashed a birthday party, ate some cake (we didn’t wanna but the birthday girl insisted), and hit about five joints before calling it a night.

At 2AM, I bumped into a girl on the street and offered to keep her company on the long walk home, She smiled and said, OK so we walked and chatted for a bit. After we got where we needed to be, she said, Thanks for keeping me safe.

How did you know I’d keep you safe? I asked.

I could tell, she said and then she gave me a hug goodbye but not before I snapped the pic below. Another good deed.

Sunday, woke up just in time for a date with a pretty green-eyed school teacher (GES) I had been orbiting, but more on that later. Went to church and tried to make sense of everything.

It’s Monday. I don’t like Mondays.

 

Location: 20:30 yest., reintroducing myself on Broadway
Mood: thoughtful
Music: mother feels so shocked Father’s world is rocked