Last night Stan and I went to the latest edition of "How To Kick People" www.howtokickpeople.com . The theme of the monologues was "best friends". Host Todd Levin did a piece about his group friends at age 13 and the attempt by one of them to get them all to urinate in an empty beer bottle. The beer bottle, through an elaborate plan, would then be given to a hated girl in the neighborhood.
The piece was hilarious and drew memories of my own youth. I started to think about the Silver Street Hawks. This was the street gang I was a member of around the age of 10 or 11. Membership was limited to my older brother Clay, next door neighbors Dave and Rob Reibel, and my best friend Todd Nieman. We were based out of a makeshift "treehouse" located in our backyard.
Like any streetgang, our focus was on creating t-shirts with a menacing SSH logo using only a black magic marker. Our rivals were a gang comprised of next door neighbors Jeff and Dave Finke and Todd and Shaun Carlisle. The name of their gang escapes but I know it was lame.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Karl
Just saw Karl Lagerfeld walking in front of the offices of one Helmut Lang on Greene Street. Please don't tell me she is going to hijack another label.
Friday, March 25, 2005
My Andy
Last night my friend Thomas connected us with seats at a reading for a new play called "My Andy". It was kind of biography of Andy Warhol told through the eyes of his mother. Kathleen Chalfant played Julia Warhola and she was absolutely amazing. Having never seen her before, she is one of those performers who I can say going forward I will want to see her in any production she is associated with.
The play itself was very very good. It was a new and humanizing perspective on a figure that I have been pretty burnt out on for years.
Village Voice columnist/ Disco historian Vince Aletti was in the audience and I was tempted to sucker-punch him and demand that he tell me legendary stories about the Gallery, the Loft, and Paradise Garage.
The play itself was very very good. It was a new and humanizing perspective on a figure that I have been pretty burnt out on for years.
Village Voice columnist/ Disco historian Vince Aletti was in the audience and I was tempted to sucker-punch him and demand that he tell me legendary stories about the Gallery, the Loft, and Paradise Garage.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
In The Mail
Just picked up my mail today. My friend Jesse sent me a copy of Blue Bell Knoll by Cocteau Twins. I have not heard this album in years and it is so totally refreshing. By coincidence I read earlier this morning that the Twins have cancelled the tour they had planned for this spring. In hindsight I am kind of glad to hear that they had cancelled the shows as I don't really think you should milk your creative past. Maybe it is because I have such warm affection/memories for the music and I kind of want it to remain in a clear-cut past. I want the nostalgia to be pure and unaffected by a "different" present.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
101 Things About Me...
I totally stole this idea from Miss Ana Gallo, so here goes... 101 things about me:
1. I am an aquarius
2. I have worn glasses since mid junior high, then got contacts my first year in college.
3. I can recite the lyrics to every song on Public Enemy's "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back"
4. I have never seen "Citizen Kane"
5. If pressed, I would say that my favorite book is "A Confederacy Of Dunces"
6. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people wear sunglasses indoors or at night.
7. I spend too much time memorizing dialogue from "Arrested Development" and "Strangers With Candy"
8. I have been in 33 of the 50 states in the country.
9. As a lad I had a shrine to Julius "Dr. J" Erving
10. I plan on living in New York City the rest of my life.
11. I have the mouth of a trucker...or a sailor...whichever "swears" more.
12. I was in the 7th grade the first time I ever got drunk... my friends were smoking pot in 6th grade...late bloomer.
13. I do not take photos while on vacation.
14. I subscribe to the phrase..."Good artists imitate, great artists steal"
15. I must have access to a Pilot Precise Extra Fine pen at all times...part of my OCD
16. I know nothing about wine.
17. I cannot stand John Travolta.
18. In high school I worked on Helen Boosalis's failed bid to become Nebraska's 1st female governor.
19. My official drag name is Chaka DaNeu
20. I use the word "awesome" way too frequently.
21. Regrettably, I let relationships suffer due to my lack of communication.
22. I only wear Comme des Garcons fragrances.
23. If I could be any TV character I would be James Garner as Jim Rockford in "The Rockford Files"
24. Therapists have said I have "safety issues"
25. Like the idea that something can be so unfunny that it is funny...I believe something can be so unsexy that it becomes sexy.
26. At age 18 I thought I wanted to be a lawyer.
27. As a child I mistakenly thought the word "ass" referred to penises...this might explain some of my sexual behavior.
28. I cannot wait until all of my hair turns gray...I pray it looks pure white like my dad's does.
29. I have a ridiculous sweet tooth...I must have at least one sugar rush per day.
30. In college my friend Lisa paid me $50 to write a term paper for her...it was on Yugoslavian leader Josip Tito (so I probably would have done it for free...)
31. I like to get my "work" done before I "play"...I hate having things or tasks hanging over my head.
32. I believe I am polite...others may not see this in my behavior
33. I have a one inch scar on my left foot from where a bicycle gear cut me as a youth.
34. In ninth grade I was named "Best Dressed Male"...this tells you something about my competition.
35. I would be perfectly happy if my last meal on this planet were a baguette with brie from Ceci-Cela.
36. When I sleep at night I can't allow my knees or ankles to touch...for some reason it freaks me out.
37. As a child I was repulsed by taking a pill in capsule form.
38. In ninth grade my parents drove me and friends Todd, Jim, and Bryan to Hastings Nebraska for a Thompson Twins concert
39. When I was a kid my favorite food was Swanson's Chicken Pot Pie.
40. I usually have one fiction and one non-fiction book that I read concurrently.
41. I have never been to an opera.
42. When I was 15 my brother Paul and I motorcycled from Nebraska to California on his Honda GoldWing
43. Although I hate weather extremes, I would rather be it be "too hot" than "too cold"
44. My first concert experience was Hall&Oates in 1981.
45. I have had a 5 minute conversation with Gwyneth Paltrow.
46. If forced to choose, I would say my favorite visual artist of all time is Ellsworth Kelly.
47. The only car I have owned was a red Honda Civic SI.
48. I always overtip.
49. I got my first pair of Vans in 8th grade...I have had at least 50 pairs since.
50. I have a pre-emptive cure for hangovers that involves eating a Big Mac made with Veggie burgers.
51. I want to be cremated...after I die.
52. From 1982 to 1993 I watched "As The World Turns" pretty much everyday...still see the "stars" on the streets of NYC.
53. My least favorite household chore is doing laundry.
54. 99% of the time I say "bless you" when someone sneezes.
55. In general I am an optimist.
56. In 5th grade I played saxophone, but had no discipline as far as practicing went so I gave it up.
57. I am going to live to be 93 years old.
58. I was raised in the Disciples of Christ church.
59. When stressed my "mantra" is "The Universe is challenging you AND taking care of you".
60. I am horribly addicted to caffeine.
61. I am learning that simple pleasures are the best.
62. I go back and forth between being an introvert and an extrovert.
63. Although I wouldn't say I was scared of them, I don't like touching snakes or lizards.
64. If I am in a "funk" a haircut always makes me feel better.
65. I would love to go skydiving.
66. I am often a "smart-ass"
67. I see one or two movies a year in the theater.
68. I cannot live without the New York Times and The New Yorker.
69. I never leave the house without my iPod.
70. I love making soup in the fall and winter.
71. I am in a perpetual battle with cynicism.
72. I have never been outside the United States.
73. I love fog.
74. I am registered as an independent...if I had to define my political beliefs it would be Libertarian.
75. I love when people tell me about dreams in which I make an appearance.
76. I have the most energy in the morning and late at night.
77. I have a pretty good sense of humor about myself.
78. I am sentimental about the past.
79. If I could have a pet, it would be a Shiba Inu.
80. I spend too much time concerned about my appearance.
81. I am afraid of mediocrity.
82. I always have some food immediately after I get out of bed in the morning.
83. I worry about having enough money for retirement.
84. My favorite number is 6.
85. I was overweight as a child.
86. The first broadway show I saw was "A Chorus Line" in 1987.
87. I took a career aptitude test in high school that revealed that I should train to become an elevator repairman.
88. I still miss Sundays at "Body&Soul"
89. My dream dinner party would have John Waters, Fran Lebowitz, and Amy Sedaris as guests of honor.
90. I have never had a broken bone.
91. I will cry if The Simpsons ever goes off the air.
92. I love watching fireworks from my rooftop.
93. I am trying to force myself to dress like an adult.
94. I give people "the benefit of the doubt" in most situations.
95. I am not superstitious...but I believe in "signs" or "omens"
96. I became more patriotic after 9/11 and less patriotic after 11/2/2004.
97. I am a closet exhibitionist.
98. I eat guacamole at least 4 times per week.
99. I hold grudges.
100. I always have to have an event or activity to look forward to.
101. One of my greatest strengths is my curiousity.
1. I am an aquarius
2. I have worn glasses since mid junior high, then got contacts my first year in college.
3. I can recite the lyrics to every song on Public Enemy's "It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back"
4. I have never seen "Citizen Kane"
5. If pressed, I would say that my favorite book is "A Confederacy Of Dunces"
6. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people wear sunglasses indoors or at night.
7. I spend too much time memorizing dialogue from "Arrested Development" and "Strangers With Candy"
8. I have been in 33 of the 50 states in the country.
9. As a lad I had a shrine to Julius "Dr. J" Erving
10. I plan on living in New York City the rest of my life.
11. I have the mouth of a trucker...or a sailor...whichever "swears" more.
12. I was in the 7th grade the first time I ever got drunk... my friends were smoking pot in 6th grade...late bloomer.
13. I do not take photos while on vacation.
14. I subscribe to the phrase..."Good artists imitate, great artists steal"
15. I must have access to a Pilot Precise Extra Fine pen at all times...part of my OCD
16. I know nothing about wine.
17. I cannot stand John Travolta.
18. In high school I worked on Helen Boosalis's failed bid to become Nebraska's 1st female governor.
19. My official drag name is Chaka DaNeu
20. I use the word "awesome" way too frequently.
21. Regrettably, I let relationships suffer due to my lack of communication.
22. I only wear Comme des Garcons fragrances.
23. If I could be any TV character I would be James Garner as Jim Rockford in "The Rockford Files"
24. Therapists have said I have "safety issues"
25. Like the idea that something can be so unfunny that it is funny...I believe something can be so unsexy that it becomes sexy.
26. At age 18 I thought I wanted to be a lawyer.
27. As a child I mistakenly thought the word "ass" referred to penises...this might explain some of my sexual behavior.
28. I cannot wait until all of my hair turns gray...I pray it looks pure white like my dad's does.
29. I have a ridiculous sweet tooth...I must have at least one sugar rush per day.
30. In college my friend Lisa paid me $50 to write a term paper for her...it was on Yugoslavian leader Josip Tito (so I probably would have done it for free...)
31. I like to get my "work" done before I "play"...I hate having things or tasks hanging over my head.
32. I believe I am polite...others may not see this in my behavior
33. I have a one inch scar on my left foot from where a bicycle gear cut me as a youth.
34. In ninth grade I was named "Best Dressed Male"...this tells you something about my competition.
35. I would be perfectly happy if my last meal on this planet were a baguette with brie from Ceci-Cela.
36. When I sleep at night I can't allow my knees or ankles to touch...for some reason it freaks me out.
37. As a child I was repulsed by taking a pill in capsule form.
38. In ninth grade my parents drove me and friends Todd, Jim, and Bryan to Hastings Nebraska for a Thompson Twins concert
39. When I was a kid my favorite food was Swanson's Chicken Pot Pie.
40. I usually have one fiction and one non-fiction book that I read concurrently.
41. I have never been to an opera.
42. When I was 15 my brother Paul and I motorcycled from Nebraska to California on his Honda GoldWing
43. Although I hate weather extremes, I would rather be it be "too hot" than "too cold"
44. My first concert experience was Hall&Oates in 1981.
45. I have had a 5 minute conversation with Gwyneth Paltrow.
46. If forced to choose, I would say my favorite visual artist of all time is Ellsworth Kelly.
47. The only car I have owned was a red Honda Civic SI.
48. I always overtip.
49. I got my first pair of Vans in 8th grade...I have had at least 50 pairs since.
50. I have a pre-emptive cure for hangovers that involves eating a Big Mac made with Veggie burgers.
51. I want to be cremated...after I die.
52. From 1982 to 1993 I watched "As The World Turns" pretty much everyday...still see the "stars" on the streets of NYC.
53. My least favorite household chore is doing laundry.
54. 99% of the time I say "bless you" when someone sneezes.
55. In general I am an optimist.
56. In 5th grade I played saxophone, but had no discipline as far as practicing went so I gave it up.
57. I am going to live to be 93 years old.
58. I was raised in the Disciples of Christ church.
59. When stressed my "mantra" is "The Universe is challenging you AND taking care of you".
60. I am horribly addicted to caffeine.
61. I am learning that simple pleasures are the best.
62. I go back and forth between being an introvert and an extrovert.
63. Although I wouldn't say I was scared of them, I don't like touching snakes or lizards.
64. If I am in a "funk" a haircut always makes me feel better.
65. I would love to go skydiving.
66. I am often a "smart-ass"
67. I see one or two movies a year in the theater.
68. I cannot live without the New York Times and The New Yorker.
69. I never leave the house without my iPod.
70. I love making soup in the fall and winter.
71. I am in a perpetual battle with cynicism.
72. I have never been outside the United States.
73. I love fog.
74. I am registered as an independent...if I had to define my political beliefs it would be Libertarian.
75. I love when people tell me about dreams in which I make an appearance.
76. I have the most energy in the morning and late at night.
77. I have a pretty good sense of humor about myself.
78. I am sentimental about the past.
79. If I could have a pet, it would be a Shiba Inu.
80. I spend too much time concerned about my appearance.
81. I am afraid of mediocrity.
82. I always have some food immediately after I get out of bed in the morning.
83. I worry about having enough money for retirement.
84. My favorite number is 6.
85. I was overweight as a child.
86. The first broadway show I saw was "A Chorus Line" in 1987.
87. I took a career aptitude test in high school that revealed that I should train to become an elevator repairman.
88. I still miss Sundays at "Body&Soul"
89. My dream dinner party would have John Waters, Fran Lebowitz, and Amy Sedaris as guests of honor.
90. I have never had a broken bone.
91. I will cry if The Simpsons ever goes off the air.
92. I love watching fireworks from my rooftop.
93. I am trying to force myself to dress like an adult.
94. I give people "the benefit of the doubt" in most situations.
95. I am not superstitious...but I believe in "signs" or "omens"
96. I became more patriotic after 9/11 and less patriotic after 11/2/2004.
97. I am a closet exhibitionist.
98. I eat guacamole at least 4 times per week.
99. I hold grudges.
100. I always have to have an event or activity to look forward to.
101. One of my greatest strengths is my curiousity.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Robot Rock
...So I have been talking with everyone about the new song "Robot Rock" by Daft Punk. The song is so ridiculously simple, memorable, catchy it is, in short, amazing. From the moment I first played the song on my ipod I was hooked.
When I first moved to NYC I was enamoured with the anonymous nature of the city. It was a revelation to walk down the street with my headphones on, music blasting and not give a shit about what others thought about my rhythmic walking/gyrations...I was in my zone.
Slowly over the years I went more and more "in my head". Few could probably tell that I was listening to an amazing house track on my headphones...my movements became less obvious...my walking down the street (although still at a brisk pace) became more "normal". I was no longer dancing in the street.
That is the great thing about "Robot Rock"...it is impossible for me to be walking with my ipod and not break out some moves. People look. People stare. People mock. But it is so wonderful not to give a shit. I am back in my zone.
When I first moved to NYC I was enamoured with the anonymous nature of the city. It was a revelation to walk down the street with my headphones on, music blasting and not give a shit about what others thought about my rhythmic walking/gyrations...I was in my zone.
Slowly over the years I went more and more "in my head". Few could probably tell that I was listening to an amazing house track on my headphones...my movements became less obvious...my walking down the street (although still at a brisk pace) became more "normal". I was no longer dancing in the street.
That is the great thing about "Robot Rock"...it is impossible for me to be walking with my ipod and not break out some moves. People look. People stare. People mock. But it is so wonderful not to give a shit. I am back in my zone.
Thursday, March 17, 2005
In the afternoon...
Just got done re-connecting with my friend Jason in Seattle. We haven't had an in-depth conversation in about a year. It is so strange being close to someone, then because of a cross-country move, having no contact for so long...then re-connecting.
Jason and I are on the "same page" on so many topics...Our senses of humor are so totally in sync it is crazy. More accurately Jason taught me how to get in touch with my politically incorrect side...and I have never turned back...
Jason and I are on the "same page" on so many topics...Our senses of humor are so totally in sync it is crazy. More accurately Jason taught me how to get in touch with my politically incorrect side...and I have never turned back...
Back to Normal...
Watching news coverage of the president's press conference yesterday...I am literally feeling sick because of it. How is it that Elizabeth Bumiller of The Times can ask one provacative question and the rest of the press act like she just called his mother a whore...the shock and horror of an actual non-softball question.
It pushes my pessimistic buttons...it feels like the whole political game is OVER...the american public gets fed an amazing amount of bullshit and the MSM does absolutely nothing to question even the minor details they are fed....
It pushes my pessimistic buttons...it feels like the whole political game is OVER...the american public gets fed an amazing amount of bullshit and the MSM does absolutely nothing to question even the minor details they are fed....
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Out of the gate...
The world has waited with bated breath and now it has finally happened....I have begun blogging. Now armageddon can occurr and we will all die satiated...
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