1.30.2009

leaving on a jet plane

In a little over a week, I'll be on a plane to South Florida. "Is it spring break already," you ask? Spring break is like happy hour for me I suppose some of you (Isaac, IPJ) will say. But no, I'm heading down to the land of the hanging chad to spend a few days with my 'rents. Or, as I like to call it, the 3 hour plane ride to Dante's outer circle of hell (which is limbo if you're not versed in The Inferno).

I hope it will be a chill week. I'll come up with a few talking points that I'll put on index cards to keep conversations going between my parents and myself. I have to make sure the following subjects are not on the table during my trip...family planning (in all forms), marital relationships (specifically mine), and theatre. I put in the last one because I know that's what my dad uses as a subject when he's trying to relate to me or when he doesn't have anything else to say and he's avoiding silence. Thank goodness I have basic Trivial Pursuit-like range of knowledge to say a little something about almost everything. On a side note, that's what makes me a good date at parties.

I will also be taking a day off from them to see my two bffs. I could totally use an espresso milkshake (there's a great coffeehouse in downtown West Palm Beach that has amazing shakes) and a girly movie with them right now.

One friend bought a new house and the other is in the midst of an out-of-state adoption. I shake my head in disbelief because I can't recall when they surpassed me in mental and spiritual age (ironically, I'm the oldest of the three). I listen to them talk about amortized mortgages and family law and I just nod my head in agreement to show that I'm listening, but I'm on the phone with them when I do that so they can't see me nod my head, and it's beyond my experiences and I have to stop ranting and typing like I'm a lunatic.

No matter what happens, and despite the 50 degree difference, I'll be very happy to come back home. After all, what happens there will stay there. Until I rehash it and cry about on my blog.

1.29.2009

epidemic or another one bites the dust

There's something going around in my office right now. It's not a cold or the flu. Forget the Year of the Ox. This is the Year of the Fall.

First, Bbaker slid down stairs in her apartment building.

Then, Kansas twisted and shouted in front of the subway turnstile.

Next, my ass kissed the icy sidewalk.

Faith wiped out near the stage door.

And, now Isaac, inadvertently unleashed his inner sitcom leading lady.

To paraphrase Seinfeld... what's happening here!

Bbaker and I have been warning the others to take care and watch out for themselves, because they're next. And then we'll have an office full of sore selves.

And let this stand as a warning for the rest of you. Where ever there is black ice, your butt may be in for a meeting. Where ever there is a frozen snow patch, you may be doing the slip and slid on it. Be careful. It's out to get everyone.

1.19.2009

i'm going to hell

I just lied to a person from the Department of Health. They called to do a survey regarding... something related to health, I guess, and asked to speak to the adult female head of the house. Which I guess it me. Like I ever considered myself adult.

Which proves my point when it comes to my interaction with the poor guy doing the survey. I told him that "my mom" was out of town for a couple of weeks and I was sticking around to watch "her dog." "Oh, I think this survey is only good for this week. When did you say she was coming back?" "In two weeks. Sorry."

I panicked! Oops.

belated birthday wish

Did ya hear? I'm sooooo excited, because something I wished for when I was 16 is finally coming true. Bono and the rest of his band are giving me a birthday present this year! I'm getting U2's new album! Well, actually, I'm getting it the day after my birthday. Oh, alright! I'm getting it for myself.

But it is the thought that counts, after all.

stalking muppet

Have you ever had one of those moments that made you suspect that you were in the middle of a movie? Yesterday, I left the office in Times Square and made the decision that I worked hard enough to earn myself a latte. As I approach Broadway/7th Ave on 42nd Street I saw some guy in an Elmo costume on the corner. I've seen him before, standing on the corner, waving to innocent bystanders, enticing tourists to take pictures. What a skivvy bastard. I ignored his advances and headed straight to Starbucks.

After getting my grande non-fat latte, I turned right and headed north towards the Virgin Megastore. Within one block, standing in front of the Toys-R-Us, there he was... Elmo, with his ridiculous shit-eating grin. Little punk was fast. Whatever. I walked by.

The next block, in front of the Planet Hollywood, is always filled with crowds of people who ohh and aww over the bright lights of Times Square. I tend to march through that crown, willing to run over even children just to reach my destination. To my surprise, the crowd begins to part in front of me, as if it were the Red Sea. There, in the middle of the crowd of people, stood Elmo. WHAT THE FUCK! How did he run past me with out me noticing? How could he even run in the costume? Was I imagining this?

I turned around to look down the block I just walked up and noticed the other Elmo standing there, waving at passerbys, with his stupid shit-eating grin. Turns out that there were multiple Elmos roaming Times Square. At that moment, the stalker movie in my head instantly turned into a horror flick.

1.13.2009

who says trivia is usless?!

Funny thing just happened to me. Like, 5 minutes ago, an older gentleman came up to my window at work and asked me, "Do you know the show City of Angles?" I said that I never saw it but that I did know of it. Then he asked me if I knew who stared it in. "Yeah, James Naughton," I replied.

The guy looked like he was going to faint. I asked if that was the right answer, because I also knew of two other actors who were in the original cast and was ready to give him an alternative answer. Then he said, "Awww, Jimmy Naughton, Jimmy Naughton. Wait until I tell my wife. You don't know how many people I've asked that and they didn't know." How many random box offices up and down the Great White Way did he walk into just to ask that question? He looked so relieved to finally have the answer.

Then he asked when that show was on Broadway. I didn't exactly know that, but I did tell him it was defiantly over 10 years ago (before my great exodus out of Florida). I found out that he was a retired stagehand, who didn't work that show by the way, and just loved musicals I guess.

Point of the story. There is none. Except that I'm a Broadway nerd. And random trivia will always come in handy. Oh, and because that moment was a prime example of why I love New York. That experience would never happen to me anywhere else. Lastly, I love that show, too. And, why don't I own that cast album?

1.04.2009

that's so 1999

Call me a procrastinator, call me behind the trend, call me for dinner, but don't, and I mean don't, judge me for finally liking a hit tv show that I refused to keep up with when I was 20.

All of a sudden, I'm all about The West Wing.



And all of a sudden, I've got a huge actor crush on just about everyone on that cast. I've always liked Aaron Sorkin's writing. As an actor, how could I not? Witty, fast paced dialogue with a simple yet complex and highly intriguing story line.

Because I don't want to get a head of myself, I should be cautious and say that I've only completed the first season. Perhaps by season 4 I'll be yelling at the tv and foaming at the mouth for having sat through the same monotonous bull shit that entangled me the first time Rob Lowe gave a monologue about the importance of schools being palaces of learning and how they should be the responsibility of the federal government (OMG that part was so sexy by the way).

Maybe I'll be happy that I finally became a devoted follower of an amazingly crafted episodic series. I over-cautiously lean towards me experiencing an eventual disenchantment because I vividly remember how I threw a shoe at my tv half way through season 3 of 24 because I refused to believe that for the 3rd day Jack Bauer didn't have to go to the bathroom or pull up to a drive-through for burger or something. I know, suspension of disbelief, and yada, yada.

Check back in 4 years when I finally have time for The Sopranos, Weeds, Mad Men, Lost, The Wire, etc, etc, to see if I've finally become a belated fan or not. I'm too busy watching 30 Rock to have time for anything else.

1.03.2009

is 2008 over already?

Hey ya'll! I just realized that I haven't written in, like, forever. So, I want to start 2009 right by being a little more diligent on my writing (the blog, play, and anonymous letter-to-the editor sorts).

I guess I'll start by recapping last month.

As most of you knew, I went on a week long trip to Virginia with my other. I joked that I wanted everyone to wish me luck and pray that they don't see my picture on NBC's Nightly News, due to me potentially blowing my top and the top off of my other. Surprisingly, and I have to emphasize SURPRISINGLY, we got along great. Better than great in fact. It's as if we were... friends. Yeah, I know, it blows my mind too! It turned out to be a really relaxing and special trip for the both of us and we didn't ever want to leave.

And speaking of special... a few days after I came back home, I babysat a very sweet kitty-cat. Murphy!!! So cute, so sweet, and sometimes so needy. Murph's owners went away for the holiday and gave Murphy free-range of the house. Bbaker and I took turns stopping over to give Murphy love and attention and food. I was told that Murphy's regular m.o. was "play with me for a little while," then, "kiss my grits, I'm outtie!" Well... Murphy couldn't get enough of us. Play, play, play, that's all she wanted to do. Which was fine, I mean I can't blame her. I am irresistible after all. I can only hope that Murphy is back to her normal self for the sake of Kansas and Mookie.

New Year's Eve saw me, my other, my friend Jessica, a couple-set my other and I are good friends with, and their pooches. To make a long story short... weather was very cold, dinner was wonderful, wine was plentiful, dogs were entertaining, ball dropped, Jessica's only New Year's kiss option were two dogs she was allergic to (she opted out of a kiss this year), one of the dog's had a bit of an accident on my rug, owner embarrassed, mood subsided, guests left.


The next day, my other and i were invited to have dinner with a couple of friends of mine who live in a place in Queens I'm sure none of you have heard of; Glendale. I know Isaac complains about me going out to places in Queens that's not reachable by subway, but they are really nice people, the couple that invited us has a house to themselves, and we got there by a direct bus that went from LIC to 5 blocks away from their house. Did I mention that they owned a house, with a back yard (and you know how I feel about private outdoor space, right Josts)? I'm really happy that we went out there, and we had so much fun.

So, I think that's it. 2009 is going well. The best part is that I got to spend it, so far, with wonderful close friends and loved ones. That's what I'm truly thankful for. And I can only hope that I'll get to see the rest of you soon and you are in good spirits and health. Happy New Year!