As I mentioned earlier, Mouse and I saw each other over the blackout. We were originally going to get a bite to eat downtown and then hit up Solas again but the trains stopped at Times Square.
Me: Wanna walk to Koreatown? Mouse: Sure.
The next thing you know, we’re in a restaurant near the gym.
Her: This is so cool! Me: (nodding) Yeah, but I’m starving.
We ended up getting mostly full there and then heading to the same bar we went to once before with some other friends.
In hindsight, I shoulda taken the opportunity to speak to her about things but I assumed she didn’t want to talk.
Evidently, I’m not good at reading her cues. Working on it.
Fast forward to this past week when she messaged me.
Her: Where are you? Me: Just got back from the gym, why? Her: I’m out with coworkers and my boss wants to meet you. Wanna come by? Me: Right now? (thinking) Send me your location. Her: Yes. Fraunces Tavern. Downtown.
Less than four minutes later, I was on a downtown train to see her, her co-workers, and her boss.
It was pretty interesting but this is getting long so I’ll tell you about it in the next entry.
In the meantime, here’s a vid I made for her blog but she can’t post videos for some reason so I’m posting it here.
It’s from when we went axe-throwing. She’s pretty good.
Been catching up with lotsa people from various walks of life, including RE Mike.
Before I knew it, I’m on a subway heading downtown…
… and on some billionheiress’s private guest list (for serious).
Me: Hi, I’m Logan. I’m kind of a late addi… Greeter: Logan Lo? Me: Uh, yeah! Her: (laughing) I just added you. You don’t need to wait in line. 66th Floor. (puts a red ribbon around my wrist) Have fun.
Don’t like surprises. Mine are generally of the type no one wants.
I like knowing things, so surprises are anathema to everything that I’m about.
My birthday’s next week so the Gymgirl decided that the best way to surprise me for it was to take me out beforehand. Way beforehand.
She first told me that she was going to take the boy and me out to eat and that she had two places picked out or I could choose.
Since she and I are still on a diet – and I’m super lazy – I told her I wanted to stay local, so we went to The Flying Fisherman around the way.
I ordered fish and chips just because I felt like carbing it up; the boy was only interested in the fries and, even then, only as a vehicle for the tub of ketchup they gave us.
Me: You can’t just eat ketchup! Him: (eating just the ketchup) Why not? Me: Because it’s pure sugar. Him: But I like it. Me: (sigh)
It was a nice night and we went back to my place to get the boy ready for bed. But just as we were putting him down, the doorbell rang. I went to get it and was surprised to see my babysitter at the door.
Me: (to her) What are you doing here? The Gymgirl: (from behind) Surprise! Get dressed, quick! (the sitter laughs)
It turns out that she got us a table at The Aviary at the Mandarin Oriental. So off we went.
Me: You already did enough! This is too much. Her: I like doing stuff for you.
We ended up having several different types of drinks, including one that looked like a bomb and tasted amazing.
Me: You know, my cousin designed this hotel. Her: I’m not surprised. (laughs) The people you know…
She slipped the waiter her credit card when I wasn’t looking.
We were actually there over two hours and just talked. And then we walked home. It was my ideal type of evening.
Me: (arriving home) Oh, we forgot to use our headphones to listen to music on the way back. Her: It’s fine. I liked the conversation. Me: Thanks for everything tonight, it was perfect. Her: (beaming) Great! I’m glad. I had a good time too.
It took a bit longer than we expected to get back to our hotel – and it was probably twice the price of taking a regular Uber cab back, but worth it, in terms of fun.
We napped for a bit and then got dressed to meet up with some friends.
Her: What’s the dress code? (puts on a bracelet) Me: You look nice with your bling and all. Her: (laughs) Thanks. Where’s your bling? Me: You are my bling.
We then tried to figure out how to sneak in one more meal before we met up with everyone.
Me: Let’s go to Philippe’s – it’s right by where we need to be. Her: What’s “Philippe’s?” Me: They invented the French Dip Sandwich. Her: What’s a French Dip Sandwich?
So I told her the story while we went there and also pulled up this video for her.
Me: They have sawdust on the floor – that’s a sign of quality in my book.
On the ride there, I put on an audiobook I read before but she hadn’t – Blink by Malcom Gladwell.
Me: What do you think of it? Her: I like it!
We got to the restaurant and immediately inhaled a lamb sandwich.
We then put in an order for: A bowl of chili – of course – a bowl of cream of brocoli soup, some pickled eggs, a diet coke, and a mug of hot chocolate.
Server: Do you want whipped cream on that? Me: Do I! (server was confused) That means, yes. Yes, I would like some whipped cream on that.
We were still pretty stuffed from all the chix we had earlier but we don’t mess around when it comes to food.
We met him at a joint called General Lee in Chinatown.
Me: You can’t miss us – I’m wearing a red leather jacket and she’s wearing a yellow leather jacket. Paul: So I’ll look for Power Rangers. Me: That’s the look we’re going for.
He and the Gymgirl really hit it off, which I would have expected since they’re both just great people.
Him: (to Gymgirl) I’m glad to meet you. (thinking) I could tell that he was better after he met you. Her: Thank you, that’s really nice. Me: Yeah, I was pretty messed up.
We had a few more drinks before heading over to a party where our mutual LJ friend Lexxy-Pie was.
Me: Cm’here you handsome devil, I haven’t seen you in ages.
This is how I look with too many drinks
Paul – who’s in the liquor trade and just came out with his top shelf Nankai Shochu (which is really a rum in my book) – told me that the hottest bartender in LA was slinging drinks.
He got us a constantly rotating variety of rum drinks all night.
Met some really interesting people and had a lotta conversations but those stories are mostly other people’s so we’ll end this entry here.
Me: Did you have a good time? Her: Yes. Paul and your friends are really nice. Did you?
Gotta say that I felt a little guilty having such a nice time in LA with the Gymgirl and without Alison and without the boy.
It makes no logical sense, I know, and yet I felt it. But then I reminded myself that no one is promised tomorrow.
I went to my old haunt Solas again this past weekend. It was for a buddy’s 30th birthday party.
Funny thing was I that I remember turning 30 there also. I think. I don’t have any pics but that pic above is from another buddy’s birthday 19 years ago. Been going there a really long time.
Now, on the way there, my buddy asked to see me do some pickup.
Him: I’ll pay you $5 for each girl you pick up. Me: (shaking head) It doesn’t work like that.
This knife fighter named William Fairbairn once said that fighting is 80% intent and 20% skill.
Now, I’d go further than that: I submit that most things are 80% intent and 20% skill.
The Gymgirl beats me about 40% of the time in the the gym when we fight, despite my outweighing her by a solid 35 pounds.
The main difference between us is intent: She hates to lose while I don’t need to win – I just wanna get in a workout and go home with all my parts intact.
Getting back to the other night, the reason I can’t just turn on pickup is that the intent isn’t there; the intent would be to show off, not to meet someone.
Don’t think people really understand how important intent is in shaping our individual worlds and the world around us.
If you look up from your computer/phone right now and look around; everything you see that isn’t biological was built by intent. Someone dreamed up whatever you’re looking at and made it into the world. Shoes, computers, desks, everything.
That’s what intent does; it makes things happen and the greater the intent, the greater the result. The only reason I was any good at pickup at all was because of the level of my intent.
Sometimes these places have no rum but endless vodka and ill-thought out plans
Our reputations carry us places – hopefully places we want to go, which is not always the case. And you build a reputation just like you build anything else in your life.
When I was single, had a reputation of never saying no to an invite and that’s served me well; met my wife this way and lots of other interesting people.
After I got married, stopped having that reputation – mainly because it’s tiring and little beats being at home seeing what’s on Netflix with your favourite person.
But I still get the random call from time-to-time. Monday it was from my old buddy, Mas.
Him: There’s a black tie banquet at Cirpriani’s downtown tonight, you’re on the guest list. Me: Do I have to wear a tie? Him: It’s supposed to be tuxedo, so please wear tie Me: Fine, fine – but if I see someone without a tie there, it’s coming off! Him: Deal
An hour later, I’m having a Double-Cross vodka martini – hold everything but the vodka – and trying to chat with Maya Lin.
It’s vodka, BTW, because of their lack of any aged rums; told the bartender they should consider adding some.
After my buddy and his friends show up, it’s a blur of vodka (now giving up all pretensions and just having it on the rocks), appetizers, speeches, and handshakes.
In the middle of it, get a call from a client.
Her: …12 projects. All due this quarter. Me (what I wanted to say): All due this quarter?! That’s crazy. There’s only three weeks left and I’ve got eight projects already due by year’s end, which is really December 21st because of Xmas falling on a Tuesday this month. I’m flattered you thought of me, but I can’t possibly. Me: (what I actually said): Sure.
Finished up the night by thanking my friends for the invite and headed home to the aforementioned favourite person.
Her: How was it? Me: No good rum but otherwise, really nice. Let me tell you who I met…
Woke up the next day with 250MB of pdf files in my email. My email crashed because of the volume of scans.
Slept 3 hours last night. Off to start project nine of the month.
Was asked to be one of the photographers for my new church opening on the UWS. It’s flattering to be asked but maybe it’s more my Syd than me.
A photographer once told me that at least half of the difficultly of taking pictures of people’s the walking up to strangers and shoving a machine into their faces.
You “take” pictures – no one “gives” them to you. It’s aggressive by its very nature.
The thing’s that I’m not an aggressive guy. Most people’s responses to my taking pictures is a why-not kinda shrug.
Dunno if this’s a good thing or bad thing but I’m leaning toward the former.
Went out to see the family over the weekend and the wife came with. Spent most of it building a PVR for my pop.
Time Warner has two numbers for building these things and I called the local number (718.358.0900) versus the toll-free number (866.606.5889) as it seems to be a shorter wait.
The lady on the first one – after 15 minute wait – said, “Hold on, I’m going to send a signal to your box.” I told her I had a series of numbers that I was supposed to read to her and she told me she didn’t need it.
30 minutes later, I’m back at the Time Warner repair center returning a fried box.
This time, called the second number and – after a 90 minute wait – got a guy who chuckled and said, “She fried your box, huh? Dunno why they keep putting the local numbers there. Those guys don’t know what they’re doing.”
No. No they do not.
Moral of the story? The person with the answers’ worth the wait.
Afterward, met up with Gio. He was having a party at Whiskey Tavern downtown to celebrate his 40th birthday as well his recent engagement. He and I had many the random meetings in the big city together.
As usual with him, the poison was on his tab and all of our people were there. My liver wasn’t speaking to me afterward. Ran into a number of old faces and it was good catching up – even ran into three people that read me here (hola!).
Anywho, there’s this saying that every pot has it’s cover. Maybe that’s true.
Met the future Mrs. Gio that night and told her I wished the two of them all of the best.
The moral of that story is: don’t be a jerk and you might meet someone nice.
Anywho – Gio, WM and I of us grabbed some wings, mussels and beers down on the LES last week. Afterward WM and I hopped into his whip while Gio took his bike over to a karaoke joint at St. Marks. Gio beat us there by several minutes. They both belted out some tunes while I just listened. Not much of a singer, me.
The fellas are both dealing with breakups. Told them both that it’s time to clean their maps; one’s trying and the other’s not. Like with most things, y’get better when you’re not thinking about getting better.
Speakinga getting better I’m sick again. Aren’t summer colds the worst? So HG and I just stayed home and saw happythankyoumoreplease with music from Jaymay. More on that when I’m not feeling like hot death.
Him: (the next day) Good hanging out and thanks for the advice…By the way, I stopped by Whiskey Tavern afterward, met a cute girl and got her digits. Me: Of course you did.
So, Le Parker Meridien was pretty nice. They were giving away two tix to Paris and called out the name of the firm first – my firm. Told my boss that I hoped it was me and then he won.
Thought that was pretty funny. I ended up winning a candle holder. It’s better than spending a buck to win a buck, I suppose.
The next night, had dinner with the lawyer that represented the first Guantanamo Bay defendant. Was a pretty eye opening dinner. Not at liberty to give away much but the facts are that the government had five years to prep against this lawyer with really only two people helping him. The government brought up 260 charges and only one stuck.
Makes one wonder how strong the government case was to begin with.
———-
Below is an actual conversation, verbatim, on my previous post with a female friend – not HG.
If you’ve read me for a while, I’d like to know your thoughts on the conversation? Note, it was a public conversation so she expressly wanted this read. Specifically, how do I come across to you and how does she come across to you?
I’ll give you my thoughts next time.
Her: I’m one of those people who miss the old NYC. I moved here in ’93 and there was a real sense that anyone could move here and create whatever life they wanted. No way does that still exist. I think when people say NYC isn’t what it used to be, what they are trying to get at is the diversity back then meant NYC was open to anyone. It’s not about grit being cool. It’s about a city that had a place for everyone, regardless of class. That’s just not true anymore. Me: Heya! I think that, in that regard, NYC’s an even better place now that it was back then. We have a mayor that’s expressly pro art, with major art install oftions all over the city. Moreover, its safer and more tolerant here than ever. We still have places for everyone: artists, businessmen and – surprising even to me – families. I would never have considered raising a family in the UWS or Battery Park before and now it’s an option. Her: Ugh, Logan, ugh! Privileged sentiments bore me. Me: (I’m) perplexed. Are you saying I’m the privileged one?
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) Subscribe!
