Saw another apartment. I was really excited about this place since it was all brand new. The only problem was I had to pay my heat and hot water. Now at first it didn’t sound so bad since it was brand new but I just remember getting raped at my old place during the winter. I decided to pass. I don’t think I will ever find a place.
Al instant messaged me today about a surprise he had for me. I love surprises.
We met me at the Cooper Door after work and he gave me a copy of Burnout Paradise for the 360. Al made my day!
I think he could have given me lint and I would have been happy. OK maybe not but the fact that he thought of me was really awesome. It was a really rough week and all the apartment hunting took a toll on me. Morale was low and this little surprise really helped.
As a side note, we met at the Cooper Door for another going away party. People are quitting left and right. Maybe I should polish off that resume and update my website.
Morning
I got into work early and finished up those wire frames. I’m excited to see Mihoko. We ended things on a bad note last time and I felt bad about it. I’m hoping we can patch things up over dinner at Sapa.
She is leaving to San Francisco tomorrow and I would hate it if she left thinking I was an asshole. I just think we had a misunderstanding.
Evening
I was running a bit late but M was cool. Dinner was good and she looked amazing. I apologized for my behavior and she felt bad as well. We hit Key Bar for drinks and met up with Al and Pab. Pab showed us his dance moves, which were hilarious.
I took M home to Hoboken for the last time. I didn’t get home till 4:30. I’m going to be fried at work tomorrow.
So it seems my bad luck from last night has followed me into a new day.
8:45 am
Woke up and realized I had a meeting with my boss at 10. Running late and feel bummed about the last nights apartment fiasco.
9:15 am
Waiting on train platform. I can still make this meeting
9:45 am
Train finally arrives. I am so fucked.
10:05 am
Begin to sweat excessively cause I’m only at 125th street and my meeting is starting.
10:25 am
Running to office even though I know the damage has already been done. Mentally prepare myself for the disciplinary action (sounds kinky).
10:28 am
The meeting was moved
10:30 am
No one even realized I was late but I’m all stressed and high-strung now.
12:30 pm
Busy, will get lunch later.
1:30 pm
Got nails done hoping it would calm me down. No such luck.
2:30 pm
Meeting
3:30 pm
Got shit on. I have to do some wire frames and they need to be done by tomorrow morning. This would be OK if people would provide me with info. Need to go to another meeting to try and sort out what they need from me
4:30 pm
Finally got to have lunch.
4:45 pm
Finally begin working
7:15 pm
Totally forgot about dinner plans. Will have to come back after dinner
7:30 pm
Meeting Theresa and Lisa for dinner at Giorgio’s of Gramercy. It’s restaurant week and Lisa has always wanted to go. The cheddar soup was excellent; the gnocchi with rabbit was delicious. The chocolate desert was simply amazing possibly the best deserts I’ve ever had. I am convinced it was laced with crack.
10:30 pm
Need to go back to work but I was so tired I decided to get in early and finish it tomorrow.
I guess my day wasn’t so bad.
Yesterday I wrote this blog about evil people being a necessary in helping us appreciate life more and boy oh boy does life have a sick sense of humor.
After writing the blog I went apartment hunting. I’ve been looking off and on for four months and to say it’s painful is putting it lightly. My realtor showed me two shit holes but the last one was as close to perfect as you are going to get in Sunnyside. Upon entering my eyes lit up and that was to be my undoing. As soon as she saw that glimmer in my eyes her fee of one month magically transformed to the bullshit standard of 15%. Needless to say I walked away apartment less and totally dejected.
Beaten, distraught and hungry I looked for comfort food to help me through this painful time. White Castle appeared magically and turned out to be a bad idea. I felt like a husband that takes his aggression out on his wife by beating her. Why did I ingest this “food” knowing full well that no good could come of it? I guess its true, you hurt the ones you love. Sorry tummy.
Restaurant week started today in NYC and I was lucky enough to get invited to dinner by a few friends. We went to Mercer Kitchen, another Jean George restaurant and had a really enjoyable meal. The food was good and the company even better. I especially enjoyed the butternut squash soup. I think it has a lot to do with it being one of the unhealthiest soups you can order.
After dinner we hit Bar 89 for drinks and a potty break. I know it sounds retarded but they have one of the coolest bathrooms in the city. As soon as you close the clear glass door and flip the latch it frosts over.
I wonder how many people have had “boom boom” in one of these stalls?
A Necessary Evil
Today I read a blog that surprised me with its pure unadulterated hate for all things living. After the read I went about my day but couldn’t help but think back on this blog. Then it hit me, people with so much hate are a necessary evil.
They are the cause of our low points in life and I argue, the high points as well. Sure they are the reason for so much stress and annoyance but without them to bring us down we wouldn’t appreciate the small simple things as much. People like this blogger add contrast and texture to our ordinary lives.
I would include a link to the blog mentioned above but I can’t recommend it.
- The Giants beat the Packers in over time.
- I played Rock Band and fell in love with the game. It was my first time singing in public and I sucked but who cares, it was fun. I played Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs on Easy and scored a 97% and realized that I need more practice on the drums. I am actually jonesing as we speak. Maybe I will go and pick up rock band next week.
- I was expecting a quite night and planned on not picking up anyone. I didn’t, I got picked up. I will call her tomorrow and see how it goes.
Every once in a while we get these opportunities to be a Jane Goodall of sorts. You meet a significant others family, close group of friends or you crash a party and you don’t know anyone. And since you don’t know anyone you don’t know their customs, mannerisms or behavior. At first, before you actually meet the group, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. But once you’re face to face with these strangers the awkwardness and self doubt ramps up. Is my hair OK? Am I slouching? Do I smell bad?
The funniest part is we’ve been living in our skin all our life and hopefully, come to grips with who we are. But I guess it’s the desire to be socially accepted that makes us so nervous.
Now I am sure their people that swear they don’t suffer from any of these anxieties. But I’m willing to bet that even the most confident of people suffers a little anxiety upon meeting new people.
So where am I going with all this? Saturday I had just such an experience. It started at the Sex Museum which in my opinion was truly over-rated. I could have started a better museum with the porn on my computer. Minus the skat.
The party later moved to the Turkish Kitchen for dinner. It was my first time eating Turkish food and I enjoyed it, especially the zucchini pancakes and desert. A little after dinner conversation and we bounced to Arlene’s Grocery for live music and heavy drinking.
Now all in all I had a great time. These group of “strangers” were welcoming and genuinely nice people. But that didn’t change the fact that I still felt a tad awkward. Sure, we had common interests like eating and drinking, who doesn’t? But we were different. The topics of conversation, the jokes and the body language were not what I’m use to.
Given by the end of the night I felt more relaxed than at the beginning . And I think it’s due to my willingness to make new friends and broaden my horizons.
Nothing new to report, it was your typical Friday. Work, drink, party and sleep.
I thought today was going to be the day I found my new apartment in Sunnyside, Queens but it was another failed attempt. I saw four apartments that were nice but all had major flaws. One of the apartments was great but when the elevated train came through I felt like I was in the station. Maybe this apartment was one of the bypass stations? It was an express train.
Could you imagine that, if your apartment was a stop on the train line. Sure it would taking get used to. Lots of sleepless nights but eventually you would get use to it and might even grow to enjoy the low rumble. It would be like background noise, like leaving the TV on in the background.
I could actually see the benefits. You get to meet new people all the time, set up a food stand and make a little extra cash on the side. Sure people would steal the magazines off the coffee table or you’d find them strewn across the house. The Entertainment Weekly under the couch and the Playboy next to the toilet.
I guess my greatest fear would be the homeless. Not that I fear the homeless. I think they can actually be entertaining. My apartment would become like a variety show. Today all the way from Coney Island/ Oaxaca Mexico we have Los Tres Magnificos. One has an accordion and the other two with guitars.
It wouldn’t all be senseless entertainment. We would have special guests that discuss meaningful topics. On today’s special show we have Gus, an ex Vietnam veteran spreading to god lords word and feeding anyone hungry on the train. Cause you don’t have to be homeless to be hungry.
What bothers me about the homeless portion of this fantasy is the smell. Anyone that has lived in New York City has had that feeling of elation upon seeing an empty train car during rush hour. You feel so “Calgon take me away.” The doors close and you’re transported to the 6th ring of hell. At first you think it will pass but then it gets stronger and you turn toward the in-between cabin doors. But of course they are locked. Your hands dart into your pockets for something, anything you can use to break the glass or pry the doors open but realize the MTA has created the perfect man trap. Bright sterile lights, grating intercom, large observation windows and bolted down furniture. At this point you just drop to your knees and just pray their no train delays.
Disclaimer
Homelessness is a serious problem as is mental illness.
The Blog
Today I decided to tell people about my blog and I’m not really sure how I feel about people reading my personal thoughts and feelings. Given, to date the entries have all been pretty boring but I have a sneaking suspicion that the more I write and get comfortable the more personal they will become.
The funny thing is I asked one of my friends, who’s an avid blogger, her thoughts on my blog. Her reply was, BORING!
This got me thinking; of course it’s boring. I’m a normal person living a normal life. What did you expect? Why then are blogs so fucking popular. Everyone is writing about his or her life and I assume most are just as boring as mine. Sure you have a few blogs from people that live extraordinary lives but for the most part we all live a mundane existence.
So I came to the conclusion that there are only two reasons to write a blog:
- Cheap therapy: A way to vent daily frustration or to express how truly happy we are at the moment.
This I believe is the most popular form of blog and the one that makes the most sense since it based on a degree of selfishness.
- Editorializing: These are the people that have a hobby/passion and need to let the world know or those who have always wanted to make a living writing about said hobby/passion and now have a viable medium to distribute on a large scale and make a little cash on the side.
The Date
I had a date tonight with the girl from Saturday. We met up at Essex with her best friend and this guy who I thought was her man. The food and conversation were good. Although I will admit I thought I was in for a bumpy ride when the first thing out of their mouths was the stock market and how much they lost today, 200K.
Luckily I was able to change the subject. Once we got past the work stuff they turned out to be genuinely nice people. Sure their were a few awkward moments when Steve grilled me about my ex-wife and where I was going with my life. I felt like I was meeting her dad for the first time.
So Dennis what are you intention with my daughter? Well sir I plan on fucking her till either one of us passes out from exhaustion or boredom. Whichever comes first 
I later found out he wasn’t dating her friend and that was the last piece of the puzzle. No wonder he was being nice, he was trying to get in good with both of them. My date disagrees but I know when a guy is fishing. He was hedging his bets all night.