Tag Archives: New York City

Hold Your Head Up

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Back from a lovely day spent with Juan in Manhattan. Specifically the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He was in town on a school thing, bus transportation arranged by his school.

I got a call from Juan as he was headed up north on the Turnpike. Most everyone on the bus were enthralled with the Lincoln Tunnel helix and the view but Juan grew up around here and for him it was nothing resembling awe inspiring.

He called and I decided to get it together and forgo my daily routine. Got my stuff ready and headed into the city via bus. Walked over to Grand Central, one step ahead of the rain, literally. Lucked out and hopped on a 5 express train to 86th Street.

Missed most of the rain while traveling underground and walked over to 5th Avenue and walked to the museum with Juan waiting in the lobby.

Paid $2.00 to get in. Not as snooty as has been in the past. The suggested donation is $20.00 but you can basically pay what you wish. With all the school trips and tourists I’m sure my $2.00 donation was offset somewhat by the full price paid by others.

The Met is a cool museum. For the longest time I didn’t much care for it, but I think it depended on who I went with. I’ve been there with Bill and with Pedro and both were good times, but Juan made for a perfect companion today. Also had a moment at the Met 30 years ago, but it’s quite tawdry and I won’t get into here.

We wandered around through Egyptian and Byzantine winds, past the Sub Continent and some of the deities worshiped therein.

Juan and I wound up in the Picasso exhibition which just opened a few weeks ago I think. It was crazy crowded and I remarked that if I were to come back to see this exhibit, it would likely be early when the museum just opened.

Went out for a break in Central Park which was breezy and sunny. Lot’s of catching up with Juan as a jazz cigarette wafted through the open air.

We walked back in had some lunch after that in the Met’s cafeteria. A bit pricey but had a nice salad and a Viennese Iced Coffee. More art to check out, religious figures and myths.

We decided to head out after that, Juan wanting to visit Urban Outfitters. He looked one up on his Blackberry and we opted to walk down to 60th Street and Third Avenue. He found a nice shirt and I found some nice things too.

Alas Juan is working and could afford things, I can only gaze. It’s not too bad as I do have enough clothes anyhow.

We walked down to the Path train after that, me stopping in a newsstand to see if the new Mojo or Uncut magazines were on the stands yet, Juan stopping into H&M.

I waited outside and chatted with Bill on the phone who had a surreal experience at work. Bill was helping out another attorney earlier in the day and the attorney mentioned that he knew another William Vila back in the day.

Bill asked how, and the attorney mentioned it was when he lived in Spanish Harlem in the 1950’s, where Bill’s father used to live. With a few more questions from Bill, it turned out that Bill’s father had done the attorney’s wedding invitations in the 1950’s.

Bill also asked what did William Vila look like and the attorney basically described his father. He also said that judging by the looks of Bill, his father did a fine job. I can’t help but agree with that.

Now, the sun is setting, Juan is here hanging out before he heads back to Union City to see his folks. That’s about it, I’m tried from all that walking.

I had a great time with Juan today. I miss him being around all the time, but then again, he has a life.

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The Smokers

The Smokers


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Wax and Wane

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I am so tired. I forgot how walking around midtown in work boots can weigh you down. Perhaps it as Harpy says, I am tired from the elation of getting a job. Last night wasn’t so bad. Bill was on the phone running lines with some guy who’s going to be in a play that Bill was working on.

I surprised Bill by having Lawn Hors d’œuvre Criminal Malcontent on when he came out of the bedroom. It was actually a really good one. Logan’s (Chris Noth) last episode or at least one of the last ones. It piqued my interest when they mentioned Lenny Briscoe in the beginning. That was the late Jerry Orbach’s role.

Bill was surprised to see it on and I was surprised to hear Bill know most of the lines. It turned out that Bill has the episode on his iPod and has seen it quite a few times since it’s one of his favorites. We started to watch another Lawn Hors d’œuvre Criminal Malcontent when my brother Brian texted me to tell me that Bruce Springsteen was on Spectacle with Elvis Costello.

Immediately we switched over to that, or rather I switched over since Bill decided to go to bed. I remember the first time I saw Elvis Costello and the Attractions at the Capitol Theater on the Armed Forces tour.

My brothers and I had fifth row seats on the left and at the end of the show walking a few feet away from us was Bruce heading backstage to meet Elvis and the boys. It was a good show on Spectacle and it was only part one. Bill was asleep by the end and I of course watched the news, Conan O’Brien and then Craig Ferguson before I turned in myself.

And yes, there were some weird dreams.

One involved me riding on the back of a motorcycle being driven by Fergie. We were heading to Fort Lee for the premiere of Nine. We rode across the George Washington Bridge and saw the traffic for the Harlem River Drive when she decided to turn around and head back to Fort Lee.

On the bridge I fell off the back of the motorcycle. We weren’t going fast and I merely went ‘plop’ and got back on. I wrote that down in the notebook that I’ve been keeping next to the bed to record these dreams.

I also wrote Rhane Stone/Coffee, Copier Love and Robin Guthrie. Robin was in the Cocteau Twins and married to fellow Cocteau Twin,Liz Fraser. Their relationship ended badly.

Today I went in to help out Greg Stevens again. It was an interesting time. I spoke with 2 of the subtenants who will need to vacate the offices at the end of February. They are scrambling to find new space as soon as possible.

Luckily for them I will be working for a company that leases offices for small companies. I called up Chaim who interviewed me and left a voice mail. Turns out, he is the president of the company. He called me back and I told him the scoop.

He told me to give them his direct number and was impressed with the fact that I produced 2 potential clients. A nice father in the cap and I haven’t even gotten the cap yet.

Also heard from Cindy See who returned my call. She recommended taking the job that was offered. She also felt that I was being underpaid for my services, but like I wrote yesterday, it’s the bird in hand.

And yes while it is a pay cut, it is better than the unemployment benefits on which I’ve been eking out a meager existence. She did tell me that I should keep looking and if anything comes up she would let me know.

The workplace drama begins anew.

I also had a realization. While I am happy to be working again, there is some trepidation. I realize that with each job that I’ve had, or anyone has, requires that you have to reinvent your personality, or adjust if you will.

My trepidation was about who will I have to be at this new job?

And what the fuck is up with the Supreme Court allowing corporations to donate as much money to campaigns as they might want?