Garden Party

Went around the corner to Jeremy's apartment last night to have a couple of drinks. Sat out on his private patio and chilled underneath the stars.

I am glad it was only a one-block walk home as, after only two drinks I could barely walk straight. When did I become such a light weight...truth be told it was probably also related to a week of sleeplessness and generalized mental exhaustion.

R.I.P.

Yesterday as part of my chillout process I walked down Carmine St. It was then I discovered that Vinylmania had closed.

I cannot tell you how many hours I spent in that store. When I first came to New York and was jobless, I would visit on pretty much daily basis. Coming from Nebraska I was thoroughly enamoured with the idea that there was an entire store devoted to House Music.

Every time I exited the store I had at least one or two songs ingrained in my head just from the exposure of whoever was manning the turntables at the time.

Frequently I would use the resourcefulness of the employees to learn the name of song that I had heard in a club. Picture me attempting to sing a song from a deep house diva...not pretty, but it often got the job done.

In his book, Mel Cheren talks about "the Children" leaving the Garage on Sunday morning and immediately walking over to Vinylmania to attempt to find some gem that Larry Levan had just turned them on with.

Relaxing After The Perfect Storm

Due to work commitments I have only had the opportunity to write on the weekends...unfortunately I had to take Saturday off from writing just to chill the F out.

This week was a Perfect Storm of stressors. Thanks to a situation too unnecessarily complex to explain to the uninterested layperson we have been crazy busy at work. I have struggled to keep my head above water...considering the challenges I faced I think I did a pretty good job. That being said I still had some people on the sidelines question my methods. I had to shed my nice-guy mask and totally "shut 'em down". I hate to be a bad-ass and put people in their place, but if pushed I will not hesitate.

Sometimes I feel guilty because, while they have earned my wrath, I totally come out swinging and will be relentless until I destroy them. I have often told my employees that if they treat me with respect I will take a bullet for them...but if they come at me wrong I will be merciless in crushing them. It may not be today or tomorrow but the day of reckoning will come.

Last week I sent out a company-wide e-mail praising a co-worker in a different department. This week that same co-worker attempted to "confront" me because I did not "sugar-coat" some words I had with an employee that reports to him...now I am required by my own twisted standard of conduct to destroy him...

Really?!?

I am so tired of this ridiculous weather. Forty degrees for a high on Easter...Are you kidding me?

Instead of wearing sweaters, I should be comfortably ensconced in Hot Pants by this time of year.

Pure Awesomeness

I swear to G-d that this image is not photo-shopped.

Discovered it while doing a bit of research on Glen E. Friedman.

How beautiful is it to see Chuck and Flav sporting Minor Threat threads back in the day. Imagine if Public Enemy had mashed it up with Ian Mackaye on stage...

By the way, if you have not seen Dogtown and Z-boys (in which Glen E. Friedman makes an appearance)... then your life has been pointless. It is truly awe-inspiring.

We Wear Masks

Started reading this book last night. Although it was published in the fifties it is still very timely.

It is a touch "scholarly" and I think a few of the concepts Goffman talks about are going over my head, but it is still pretty cool.

He makes the case that our every interaction is a "performance", that we play parts and wear masks with dealing with others.

Basically I think it boils down to that quote that Rupaul made famous..."we are born naked...the rest is all drag"

I think that is a pretty complete assesment of human behavior...

Good News...I'm More Blind-er!

Had to have an eye exam today. I wanted to just go in and pick up some new contacts, but I was informed that it had been more than a year and a half since my last vision test, so I had to be checked out before they could sell me some more lenses.

My prescription has not changed in at least six years so I was a little pissed that I was going to have to pay for and endure the wait for an exam.

As fate would have it my eyes have gotten 1.25 % worse since my last visit to the doctor so... a brand new prescription was in order.

Unfortunately they did not have this radical new prescription in stock, so I have to wait a week in order to see the world in all it's full gorgeousness.

Shout Out: Felix Gonzalez-Torres

Right now I am totally worshipping the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres. His works were just so subtle and simple and perfect. So simple that in some cases it was possible to not even notice them.

In a world of artistic bombast, this is an undervalued virtue. Quiet gestures always speak louder than grandstanding.

Stop The Retardedness

My girl Ana decided to ruin my week by sending me this link. Why do these children think it is cool to destroy an iconic image. Do you think that an image becomes iconic because it is new and fresh...how about focussing on that for a change.

I know it is kind of a joke-y cliche to say...but I seriously think that Ian Curtis would roll over in his grave if he knew an image associated with Joy Division was used to sell sneakers.

Shout Out: Neville Brody

Back in the day I used to literally worship The Face magazine. I was perpetually combing local bookstores hoping that at least a single issue had arrived from London.

Of course by the time an issue came into Nebraska it was several months out of date...but that was okay as the artists and fashions featured within would not arrive in the consciousnesses of my fellow Nebraskans for years...

I used to fawn of the designs and fonts that Neville Brody would come up with. He truly created a "style bible". Everything always looked so fresh and fantastic.

Paris/Brooklyn

Just discovered that Daft Punk will be playing Keyspan Stadium August 9th. Of course that is the weekend I plan to be in Los Angeles for Abe's wedding.

Damn this luck of mine...

Adults Only

Had dinner with Cain at Bianca last night.

The food was very simple and awesome. The bottle of wine we split was great and truly needed after another high intensity week at work.

Went next door to Von for a "nightcap".

Maybe it was because Cain looked handsome still clad in his necktie from his workday. Maybe it was because I had not sat down and actually ate a "real" meal in a while...but the evening had a very "Adult" feeling to it (or maybe I am revealing my prolonged adolesence).

It just seemed to me that this is what "Adults" do...work hard, treat yourself to food prepared by someone else, have a good conversation then enjoy a night of sleep...

Into The Way Back Machine

"Boogie Nights" was on IFC so I decided to watch it again.

Reminded me of when I saw it in the theater. It was definitely my first week in New York City. I was unemployed at the time so I decided to do something "decadent" and go to an afternoon showing at the Village East Cinemas.

In hindsight I should have been more neurotic about finding a job, but because I was new to the city and my bank account seemed full I was going to the movies in the afternoon.

Sometimes those carefree days of October 1997 seem like a million miles away...