6.16.2008

new (york) post

just got back from nyc. four of us drove down in a two-door toyota 
with shaggy fur seat covers. I sat in the back both ways, it was hard 
to walk when i first got out of the car. we listened to pretty droney 
music like the smiths and the decemberists, or sugar-high music 
like atom and his package, or vampire weekend on repeat. needless 
to say it's great to be listening to my own music right now. and 
speaking of music, there was a free concert at summerstage in 
central park this weekend, vampire weekend, born ruffians and 
kid sister. we showed up around 2:30 or 3 (it started at 4) and the 
line was about a mile long. usman, our in, had already gotten into 
the concert, so we missed our line-cutting shot. (on the way uptown 
we passed the farmers market at union square where i saw one of 
the guys i used to sell apples with)

while we waited, i saw two gals i went to high school with, one in 
a white shirt and one in a white dress (it poured during the concert). 
then john and i ditched. we walked a bunch and got up to the Met, 
which is where i wanted to be instead of waiting in the sun for two 
hours and the rain for three (when we saw barry connie and usman 
for dinner, they were comparing pruney fingers and toes.). there 
was a superhero costume exhibit, complete with the iron man outfit 
from the movie, which was neat.

on the train ride downtown we were talking about new york being 
dutch when two kids in the seat in front of us asked us if we were 
from mit and flashed their brass rats. turns out one of them is in 
phi sig, a block away from where john lives. it's really cool to be 
recognized by your ring. went to whole foods when we got down 
to union square where i saw another friend from high school who 
has an inexcusably weak handshake according to john.

we met the three wet concert-goers for dinner and as we decided 
where to go, it started pouring like nothing else. we decided go to 
s'mac, a mac and cheese restaurant 6 blocks away. we made a little 
fortress with three umbrellas and 5 people, which meant we were 
all exactly half wet when we got there. it was quite squishy. and 
i've never eaten so much mac and cheese in my life, it was huge! 
it was served up in a cast-iron pan, which was a lot bigger than it 
looked considering it's solid cheese. the only people to finish were 
connie and usman, because connie got a small and we all liked
usman's. gross

connie and i broke and went to see fuerzabruta, finally! we split a beer 
at the bar that didn't card me and went in to see the show which was 
in a large smoke-filled room where everyone stood in a circle. the 
show was a mix of treadmills, moving furniture, falling people, 
gunshots, sideways walking women hanging from the ceiling by 
their waists, flying walls, water, women sliding in water above 
our heads, boys kissing their girlfriends between acts, boys taking 
photos of women in water above them with their iphones and cat-
calling them, dancing, moving around in the dark, holding connie's 
hand, and confetti. it was great. maybe not $80 great, but great.

john and i went home that night and when we left in the morning to 
go to my dad's for breakfast we ran into one of my old-time friends 
and her dad and sister. it was great. turns put she's going to china to 
teach playwriting in english this summer. we only got to talk for one 
stop though, so i don't know what else she's been up to. it was a good 
way to end the circle of running into people i didn't know very well.

we ate breakfast at dad's where he told us he is at war with his caribbean 
housemate, and their way of getting to each other is by leaving the 
bathroom door open while the other one is in the kitchen and saying 
hilarious rude comments to the wall or the air and never directly to 
the other person. the woman left the bathroom door ajar while we 
were making eggs, it was great. dad spoke to the door as he went and 
closed it.

then we left and met barry and connie in queens to drive home, 
slept in the car listening to bad music, and got home and slept until 
noon. feels good. i wish i were still in new york. i move to mccormick 
today, start working tomorrow. a full day of ice breakers and scenarios 
to learn about, and lunch at fire and ice! should be great. i'm going to 
grab some coffee. will scan some drawings when i finish them. falling 
a little behind. happy monday!

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