Hello Amorous Congress-Stick

I’m annoyed with being evacuated from places…

New York is rather crazy today.  Low based hospitals are at critical staffing, and closed as of 8P tonight.  The entire NYC transit system is to be closed all weekend.  On top of this, I have a recommended evacuation of my apartment all day today, and a mandatory one by noon tomorrow. I remember back to when I first moved to Boston, and a hurricane hit two weeks after I moved in.  I lived a 15 minute walk from the beach…and there was not the madness in the city, as NYC is evoking.  People are just utterly ridiculous…

Paired with the evacuation (…and a walk down from the 28th floor!) from the earthquake on Tuesday…well…idk what I want to say here…but I’m annoyed with being evacuated from places…

The rugged and please-be-in-sight…

Forever ago, but since Emily is done with her 6 week leave of absence from NYC…I have been thinking about some of the places we had explored together over the past winter.

Lil’ Frankie’s was a labyrinth of a restaurant.  We were weaved to the back most room (at least I don’t think there could have been anything else beyond the five minute walk from the front door to where we were seated…).  It was tight, and there was a 20 something mix of people at a table to our back…a mix-o-gays table in front…and next to them…a family table including screaming kids under 8y/o  (LOL/FML).  Wine was ordered. The rugged and please-be-in-sight-at-all-times-as-I-daydream-about-marrying-you-in-VT wait staff oddly added to the decor/vibe (which I will describe as ‘conservative Italian tranny on the DL’).

^E.D. nurses on our way to dance off dinner

^ Emily picked bOb bar for dancing.  Turns out, it’s a pretty stellar Reggae Club in the LES…and worth repeating a night for future dancing fun!

^ Get another round/break from dancing moment

^Smiles of Alisia and Rebekah.

^ that 3:something AM photo you don’t ever want to see on facebook…

‘Champagne makes me drowsy’…

A few weeks ago I headed to Brooklyn proper to see ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’.  I had no idea what it was about…and when I inquired, I got an abridge summary leading me to think it was a one person narrative show…which are usually ‘hit or miss’ kinds of shows.

I bolted from the lab and got to the theatre, in this beat down dilapidated building…making me expect the worse.  However, inside was a remarkably well kept off Broadway venue space.

It turned out the show was a full ensemble cast, with a leading man who narrates the story.  

It has vaudeville skits, mild slap-stick comedy, an alcoholic, a gay man, a diva, a character you would want to punch in the face if they were real, and a black female pilot who charters her flights to Rio…what more could you ask for? 

There were no stand-out roles, except for the narrator.  I would see it again (it was that entertaining) but tickets sold out.  The thing I seem to still be walking around throwing around in down moments in conversation…’Champagne makes me drowsy’ (which was just a random line the show seemed to use for the same reason).

Great show!

I daydream to how classy it was…

On night a week, twice a month I have to utilize transit through Grand Central for a rehearsal.  Without fail every time I pass through the concourse, dressed up nicely, instrument in hand…I daydream to how classy it was back in the day when it was the standard norm to put yourself together for travel.  Presently there are people wearing f-ing sweats and stretch pants walking through here.

Yeah, I probably looked like a tourist when I took these two pictures.

…maybe that’s how I wanted to look.  Whatevs, hate on haters.

‘Pachrei! Pachrei?’

I was walking through the West Village today, when I heard, ‘Pachrei!  Pachrei?’ being called out.  I turned inquisitively to a voice I thought I’ve heard before.  Turns out- I had.

Back in February, when I was auditioning for a few wind groups and orchestras in the city, I randomly crossed paths with a violinist in Union Station as I was transferring from the L.  This French woman, from Nantes (which I only remember because it’s where my exfiance taught American for a spell), asked if I knew how to get to the exact address where I was going.  Turns out we were both auditioning for spots in the UESRO.  

I asked her to accompany me on the train ride up, and in her broken American- we shared travel and audition stories from our past.  There was comfort with living as a rookie in a new city, and finding someone new to it completely.  We both reported great auditions.  She needed directions to a friend’s house she was staying at.  I was able to provide them to her.

A week later we were included on the email listing for who was being called back.  I privately emailed her to let her know I was looking forward to seeing her again and asked if she was interested in joining me for a drink before/after the rehearsal.  Sadly she replied she was returning to France to try and recapture something from an unresolved romantic entanglement.  I wished her the best.

Today I crossed paths with her.  I was surprised she even remembered me by sight, to be honest, I am not sure if I would have remembered her walking down the street without her violin.  We made time for an impromptu drink, which I had offered months ago.  She told me how overwhelmed she was on the day we had met and grateful I took time to help her find her way, others were too busy to assist.  As time has unraveled for her, she (and her man) has moved to New York as of two weeks ago.  She is currently freelancing, but I am sure we will cross musical paths again.

It’s moments like these where I can’t help but to smile as I think of the simplicity of taking a moment from yourself and it meaning the world to another.

I’m not sure why…but the balance of white, blue, and purple light stands out as beautiful to me, on what could be an ordinarily ‘same ole’ block.

…but I am taking this great day and running with it!

I am in a great mood. It was tough getting out of bed at 5:00 (after my 1:00 bedtime, I had a great time with the Achordial Brio gang last night), but as I left for my walk to observation I could not help but to see the beauty in the morning.

It’s cloudy and potentially going to rain, but the wind, leaves, and nip in the air formulate a wonderful autumn morning.

Along my walk, I saw this elderly (note: not frail) woman lug down a giant wicker basket filled with apples, pears, and yams…and used the momentum to swing it onto a clearly aged basket hanging from the front of a bike which has seen better days. She then tried to mount the bike, but needed a hand. She was so grateful when I helped her to her bike. I was insisted to take a yam and two apples. I stood there with my produce bounty as I watched her ride down the street with her 30lbs of winter fruit and veggies. Something about our interaction just made my heart smile.

My barista got my morning coffee too me as we each shared fun stories from the weekend, and I was able to provide a few genuine laughs for her. I always enjoy the mornings when she opens.

Tonight, I have a lecture on oncoproteins (differing HPV strains influencing certain cancers) downtown tonight. I am super excited for it. Ya know, because I’m a nerd.

Everything in between now and tonight is a rather low key day. I have a big project to tackle but I intend to handle it with a ton of smiles.

I am not sure why this Monday feels so good…but I am taking this great day and running with it!

…Not. Fun.

The last two 72 hours have been a whirlwind (to say in the least).  However, I am still worked up about my last two hours.  I essentially started the weekend by getting my things from storage in Boston and intended to end with returning to New York.  Things were dealt with on a ‘as they happened’ basis…and I found myself driving a big box truck and empty hitched trailer (for towing a car) into Manhattan.  

After three days, with little more than 10 hours of sleep cumulative, I approached the Holland Tunnels, per my directions.  I paid my 8$ until they saw the trailer attached and a police officer cut me off right before entering the tunnel, he redirected me to the Lincoln Tunnel.  I asked what was the easiest way to get there, and was answered with rudeness followed by a closing statement of ‘you should have planned better’.  I then drove around with google maps on my iPhone…until I found Rt 1-9N towards the Lincoln Tunnel.  I then read all the signs I was headed towards with a ‘no trucks’.  I called a friend, to distract me from the mounting panic of ‘wtf am I to do?!’  She was trying to be supportive when my 20% battery sound *dinged* and I panicked and told her I would call back.  I spiraled down towards the Lincoln Tunnel entrance, and again was told ‘no trailers’…and the toll booth person told me to try the Holland Tunnel.  As an officer stopped traffic to send me up again, I asked about the George Washington Bridge, but again was shrugged off without an answer.  (sidenote: isn’t part of an officer’s job to protect and serve people within the community?!??)  

I came up the wrong lane, and could not exit before being forced to enter on the NJ Turnpike.  As I approached, I googled and called the NJ Road Operations line and just verbally spilled out and welcomed her into my panic.  She told me to enter on the left side and U-turn through to the other side and talk to a toll agent.  As I pulled through, keeping her on the phone, I was being yelled at by the agent…asked to pay 26.50$…and the operations rep was asking to speak to him…but he refused to take the phone from me.

He told me to pull over and speak to an officer…but the rep told me to drive through and continue on Rt3…so I listened to her.  As I pulled down a ramp, the phone cut out.  I called back and was put on hold.  Soooo I called my friend, William, who I consider an NYC guru go-to.  Voicemail.  

I then came up to a fork in the Route…and I pulled in the middle triangle area, because the shoulders where closed off, put my flashers on, and tried to pull up google maps…NOT WORKING.  Then two tractor trailers simultaneously passed either side of my truck and the rocking of the truck apparently was the trigger I needed to cry.  I’ve been feeling the need to cry for over two months now (I believe)…and I have been able to get close at times, but not actually released that build up of stress.  I know that crying will not solve anything…it will not correct the problems of my stress…it will not make me happier…but I think from how strong a front I’ve been trying to keep up for myself, this weekend took away the need for me to have it…and I just burst…(out in tears apparently).

I came back to the Lincoln Tunnel…I went to a different toll booth…an agent and a supervisor were in it…asked for 78$…I paid it to enter the stupid tunnel and go home.  I’m home, yet I am still jittery from the whole event of the last leg of the trip.  I don’t get upset by getting lost…I don’t get upset with changes in travel plans…I was upset about these things happening and feeling helpless as to how to fix a problem I knew nothing about.  :-(

Not. Fun.

…I turned to some Straighty McGee to be my gay mentor

As per my ‘one date a month’ plan…I have a date tonight…

Actually…I don’t know what it is.  It’s this meet up with a dermatologist who just got residency here in one of the hospitals in Manhattan.  He just came out two years ago to some of his friends, but is not out on a generalized level (work and family do not know).  He’s also one of those ‘guys that the girls look at, fall in love with, and then hate to know he would never date them kind of pretty’.  Though I am dense to a boy flirting with me…I am pretty sure he does this with me…and well…he did ask me out to ‘talk more together outside of white coats and sick people’.

I have a feeling tonight is going to lean away from the ‘date’ and more towards the talking about ‘living as a gay man’ thing.  I used to have these conversations a lot with people in their coming out process when I was in early undergrad with my (now) gay friends.  I don’t know why people find me so comfortable to talk to during this process (as I am not psychologist geared), but glad they have someone comforting to turn to.  Haha…because in my process after high school, I turned to some Straighty McGee to be my gay mentor.  

Since he is on on-call hours, no drinks will be had sadly…and thus the next social thing to turn to is some coffee variant.  (Thankfully he drinks coffee, because the third option would be inappropriate sex in an inappropriate place.  HAHA…no, but seriously…)

But regardless of this date/coming out convo/just getting to know a colleague better event…I am hopeful it’s fun.