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
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

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

Sophie / Whatcha gonna do?

You can meet a fella like me

Some people said they found new musicians like The Wreckers, Camera Obscura and KT Tunsall through this blog so, I’d like to also introduce you to Sophie Ellis Bextor.

She reminds me of my very first girlfriend in this vid – beautiful, well-dressed, pale skin, big eyes…mean*.

Yep, that’s her.

———-

Was discussing my problems with a buddy of mine:

Him: So, whatcha gonna do?
Me: I have a cunning plan.
Him: Really?
Me: Well…I have a plan at least…

———-

I met a girl a while back that shot me an email recently and another conversation that reminded me that I should keep trying to get the three parts of my life in sync.

Me: You’ll like being single.
Her: Why?
Me: (shrugging) Cause now you can meet a fella like me.


*I should note that my first girlfriend is the only one I ever say anything negative about – mainly because of the pic in this post.

Location: 19:00 yest, in an office wondering what I’ve done
Mood: exhausted
Music: know I know I know About your kind

Categories
business personal

I’m in

I’m all in

 

Just took out this huge loan (@8.75%) to try to get my life back. I’ve never had non-education/home related debt before. It’s disconcerting.

———-

With nods to Kastinkerbell, who is making me a Subversive Cross Stitch cause she’s cool like that, we all have things we say over and over again.

Recently, this girl on the idiot box kept ending her sentences with “Y’know what I mean?” After ten minutes, I wanted to yell, “NO! I…DON’T…KNOW.”

Then again, I say the same things constantly:

  • Well aware. / What am I an idiot? (pointing to my face and drawing a circle)
  • Oh…my…
  • Whoa, whoa, whoa!
  • I know, I know, I know.
  • Or you could not.
  • Why don’t we just tell people we did, and don’t?
  • You’ve GOT to be kidding me.
  • Sheyeah, you wish.
  • Are you always so potty-mouth, or are you just trying to impress me?
  • Well, more or less.
  • No, I’m wearing a girdle.
  • That’n two bucks’ll get you on the downtown bus.
  • I promise to dress trampy. Oh, who am I kidding – I always dress trampy.
  • I’m in.
sigh
Yeah…I’m all in.

 

Location: 19:00 yest, Home Depot, buying a faucet
Mood: busy
Music: une société qui désarme La victime, et pas le voleur

Categories
personal

Marathon

Learning about the Mad Beast

The NY Marathon was this past Sunday. A marathon is 26.2 miles, which is about 26 more miles than I can run.

Bumped into someone from a while ago at a party on Saturday who’s a runner. I can’t relate to it because I find it painfully boring but she says she does it cause she loves it.

Then Sunday, I went to a celebratory thingy at 3PM at my local dive bar. Paul’s friend, Runaround Sue, ran the marathon in under four hours. That’s her in the pic above asking a DJ to play better music a few weeks back.

I’ve been so busy with the drama, I haven’t run myself. I keep thinking I’ll hit the road and never come back.

Just a dream.

———-

I saw GES this past weekend for another brunch. That may become our thing. Brunch on the weekend.

She runs too. I must be missing something.

———-

I’m meeting a lot of teachers these days.

Her: You never heard of the shiz? What about mad beast?
Me: You do realize I’m 34, right? (pause) Could you use it in a sentence?
Her: (thinking) Well, one student said, Yo Miss, you can’t give us all that mad beast homework. All the cool kids use it.
Me: Ah, there’s your problem right there; I’ve never been cool.
Her: Ever?
Me: Around 2004 I thought I might be cool but then I decided it was just something I ate.

Location: 6AM yest, in bed pretending it’s 7AM
Mood: puzzled
Music: I wanna be like you, just as strong as you are

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

Venn Diagrams

People enter and leave our lives like Venn Diagrams

Was talking to GES this past Sunday about Venn Diagrams.

You see, people walk around the world like 3D Venn Diagrams: we’re all in our own little worlds. Strangers, friends, family, lovers, acquaintances – all, for better or for worse, enter into your little world, do their little bit, and then leave.

Some people stay, some go. Sometimes they do something nice. Sometimes they rob you blind and leave you wondering if there’s someplace you could sell a kidney and how much you could get for it.

And sometimes they write you tell you everything’s gonna be alright.

Thanks for that last one.

Now…does anyone know the going rate on a kidney?

———-

Here’s Fiest again (with members of the National, more on that tomorrow), playing a guitar and reminding me of those teenage hopes.

Location: 16:45 yest, the 66th St. Post Office, waiting
Mood: grateful
Music: Sleepless long nights That was what my youth was for