Tag: New York City

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personal

2008

Location: 19:00 yest, cleaning out the fridge
Mood: weird
Music: oh, you don’t do me in siren song; yeah, anyone would drown

Hazel, Paul and I went to three, very different, parties last night. The first was near me with the most amazing views and the nicest folk. The above pic was from the party. I met a museum curator with a nice laugh and got to know the hostess, a sweetheart from church, a bit better. The crowds were maddening.

The second was in a 14th Street loft that was pitch-black, loud and not my scene. There, I ran into a girl I met randomly once. It turns out I kissed her friend. Super small world. I met a girl from Connecticut who drew me a picture. At the strike of midnight, I realized I was by myself again.

The third was in the financial district with some old friends – the best kind, yeah? Clark, a buddy from law school was there. He’s a MUCH better cook than me and taught me how to make the best baked brie and love Tabasco on anything. I wish I was sober enough to remember more.

Called it a night at 4AM. On the train ride home, I had a sotted discussion with a nice young couple

Her: We’ve been together eight years.
Me: Eight years? Why don’t you two lock it down?
Her: Because marriage is just a concept. What does it do?
Me: It keeps you from meeting a guy a like me, maybe.
Him: (laughing) You seem a like a nice enough guy.
Me: And that’s where you’re both wrong. (to guy) Lock her down. ‘fore she meets a fella like me. Don’t let my drunken charm fool either of you.

It’s true.

2008. Here’s hoping it’s less interesting but more fun.

Come with? Y’know you wanna…

Categories
personal

Events

Holidays are hard, yeah?

———-

I did alotta living last Friday night after work.

Event 1
I went to another office party – I think maybe my fifth? It’s one of the perks of being a consultant. The usual: food, handshakes and drinks.

Event 2
Met up with Hazel for a drink on the UWS where I ran into a woman, Cia, I just met earlier on in the week. I also chatted up two British girlies but I was beat and hopped home at midnight.

Event 3
At 1AM, I was still up so Cain and I decided to grab a drink in our local bar. So out I went again. There I ran into Cia for the third time. My hood is tiny.

Event 4
As soon as I got home at 2AM, Gio rang me. He got his Xmas bonus and wanted to hit the town. “Dude, I’m beat, I just went to…,” I started when he interrupted, “I got a car, a wad of cash, and you never turn down an invitation.”

Dammit.

Soon, I’m hurtling down the West Side Highway and grab superstar parking outside an underground club. There I got shut down for the second time since I became single. The last time it happened the same way, “You’re a talker, go talk to her.” I swear, fastest way to get self-conscious. Twice in 18 months is not bad but still – Totally. Shut. Down.

Gio was amused. Me, not so much. Ah, who am I kidding? I know what I am. We called it a night at 4AM.

Event 5
But Gio’s hungry and I’m a pig. So we grabbed the whip and hit up Blue Ribbon for a late night seafood dinner. I accidentally ate all the lobster. I was amused. Gio, not so much. We sat next to this gorgeous twenty-something blond and her older French date. Gio and I chatted with her a lot, something French dude wasn’t happy about.

He kept trying to hold her hand and I wanted say, “Dude, dude, dude, please…have some pride. She’s a fetus.”

Just as we were getting up to go, she engaged us in conversation again so we sat down and chatted with her a bit more. I contemplated slipping her my card but I reconsidered. Gio told me I should have. Eh…

I woke up four hours later on his couch, stretched and went home. Stepping outside I thought, My friends rock so hard, before I slipped underground.

Location: 19:00 yest, coming home
Mood: exhausted
Music: Heartbreak, cigarettes and songs, with a winter’s chafe

Categories
personal

Only one end

Location: 2 hours ago, on Broadway, remembering
Mood: ok
Music: I will show you someone that you never thought you’d be

Helen Keller said that Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet.

She was on the money. Oh, speaking of Helen Keller, click here for a short video I made a while ago.

Anyway – I woke up mad early and hopped to court again. I got what I wanted but that’s a story for another time. I couldn’t celebrate because I had to run to the office and land a client. Then I got a shut-off notice from ConEd and the contractor for my new office wants another $6,000. It’s always something.

The thing is, you gotta keep bobbing ‘n weaving. My dad told me recently, there’s really only one end, everything else is an opportunity. I hope he’s right.

I ran out the door at five today to make a massive holiday party with some killer food. There I met a pretty blue-eyed dancer whom I feel now I should’ve asked for her number but instead, I gave her mine.

Afterwards, I had coffee with two recent college grads and a girl in college at a diner on 34th near where I met Blue Jean Eyes. Old ghosts. I told them to save 10% of everything they ever made, learn a foreign language, meet as many people as they could, and see the world.

I wish someone told me that last one when I was in college.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, I do (now).

Categories
personal

Yet here we are

Location: 20:30 yest, in my apartment wondering, what if
Mood: resigned
Music: Lord listen lover you’re all missing something I don’t got

What a day. But I made payroll.

I worked the weekend but met up with some friends and the two girls I met from Boston, Anna and W. I usually ask people to draw a picture of themselves if they give me their number – those’re their drawings from when we met. They were actually some of the last pics I ever got; I decided a while ago to stop asking for numbers and instead just give out mine. I figure if someone wants chat to with me, they will.

But I digress. It was nice to see them again.

W: I never thought we’d meet again.

Me: And yet here we are.

Speaking of random meetings, on Saturday, I went to my first 2007 holiday party in Harlem. At 3AM, a bunch of us decided to call it a night and we walked over to the subway. But it was closed. So we hoofed it a half-mile downtown to the next station. I didn’t know any of them when the night started but there we were dashing down 5th Avenue at an ungodly hour.

Something to remember when I’m an old man.

Me: I find it hard to believe that you don’t meet anyone in NYC. A pretty single girl here’s like chum in shark-infested waters.

Her: (laughing) I’m not a man-whore like you.

Me: I don’t see what the problem is. And you have such nice green eyes.

Her: (surprised) You noticed my eye color?

Me: Yeah, (nodding) it’s my thing.

I had a nice weekend. And yet here we are.

Categories
personal

Theme Song

If your life had a theme song, what would it be?


I gotta make payroll & rent Monday so I’ll post on Tuesday. Clearly, the most logical thing would be to rob a bank.

So I’ll be busy…plotting…

———-

If your life was a TV show, what would it be it’s theme song? I got a few. But if I had to chose just one, it would be Overkill.

Like I said, the insomnia’s back; I don’t actually mind being alone between the sheets. I do mind the lying there awake though.

So I get up and go for a walk. I’ve lived here my whole life and the last several women I’ve seen have been from around the way. I’ve run into a few of them over the past several months. I got memories on every corner.

In other words, on every corner, ghosts appear and fade away.

At least there’re pretty lights.

———-

I can’t get to sleep
I think about the implications
Of diving in too deep
And possibly the complications
Especially at night
I worry over situations
I know will be alright
Perhaps it’s just my imagination
Day after day it reappears
Night after night my heartbeat, shows the fear
Ghosts appear and fade away

Alone between the sheets
Only brings exasperation
Its time to walk the streets
Smell the desperation

At least there’s pretty lights
And though there’s little variation
It nullifies the night
From overkill

Location: 13:00 yest, Paterson, NJ City Hall
Mood: indescribable
Music: at night I worry over situations

Categories
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