never mind

OK, I can’t do a post a day. I’m sorry. Too busy. Too hard.

strange haircut

I’ve been seeing the same stylist for 8 years now, but she’s moved away. We tried the she-will-come-to-town-periodically-to-see-clients thing, but that didn’t work out. So now, I have to find a new one.

Last night I tried Velvet Roses, the Williamsburg salon of the spectacular Yelp reviews. It was very nice. I got a conditioning treatment, haircut, blowout/style, tips on making the layers stand out and my bangs behave and a lecture on why I should really stop washing my hair every single day, all for $70.

All in all, a five star experience. I will be returning. This morning, I didn’t wash my hair (Melissa, I hope you’re happy!) because the blowout still looked great after sleeping on it.

Though it isn’t the most convenient area for me now that I’ve moved, I managed to get home way faster than I expected.

Another successful strange experience.

too many changes

Tonight I’m going to get my haircut at a place I’ve never been by a stylist I’ve never seen. Despite great online reviews, I’m terribly nervous. Too many changes at once, I’m thinking.

strange wash

Today’s strange moment is using my dishwasher. I’ve never had one before. It’s gorgeous, but man, it takes forever.

strange – and I like it

2594714402_e43c3b7553Last night, we went to the diner across the street for the first time. It’s called Trellis. I had a Reuben. It was great. The pickle on the side was particularly spectacular. The fountain coke was in the top 10 fountain cokes I’ve had. (I’m really into fountain cokes). Everyone else there knew each other, which was a bit strange, but no one made us feel unwelcome. So, is Trellis really the greatest diner ever or am I just in love with being here? Who knows. Then, I went to the drugstore and walked home. Seriously, exciting times. I was thoroughly delighted through the whole thing.

Photo: Roosevelt Island 360’s Flickr Stream

Today, it hit 4-something PM and I thought, “Oh, I’ll get to go home in a couple of hours.” And I was REALLY excited when I realized which home. Yay!

But in reality, I’m not going home, I’m going to Black Horse Pub in Park Slope to have a drink and fun with great friends. Then back home. Let’s see how much I love that F train tonight.

PS It is this man’s birthday today. Sigh. Henrik Lundqvist, you are a dream and a delight.
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i am the stranger

I’m going to try NaBloPoMo’s March challenge. The theme is “strange[r],” and since I’ve made the brave choice of moving to a new neighborhood, it seems like the perfect opportunity to chronicle the strangeness of a new place.

After 12 years in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, I’ve recently relocated to Roosevelt Island, that little bit of land between Manhattan and Queens. Why Roosevelt Island? I loved everything about it on my first visit. I haven’t been cured yet.

As a new neighbor, I’m going with the “say hello to everyone” move, one I picked up here at my workplace, where everyone is delightfully friendly – and I realized being that way is a better fit with my personality than I would have guessed. I mean, honestly, it’s kind of weird to not acknowledge someone you are looking directly at, right? Yet that’s what I regularly did. So no more.

“Good morning” was what I went with today. First up, the lovely lady in the hall (she smiled and returned the greeting). The next stranger I shared time with was a lady in the elevator. Her response to my hello? A grunt/growl. OK. Well, not everyone is friendly. Fair enough. I noticed, as she pushed her way to the front of the elevator to be sure to get off first – and as she let both entrance doors close on me – that she was wearing flip flops outdoors though it was pretty cold outside that early, and a kind of strange coat/bathrobe thing. She was also talking to herself. So maybe I get to file her under “eccentric” and not under “proof you should stop talking to people.”

Well, that’s what I’m going with.

oh yoko

My new favorite Twitter friend is Yoko Ono. Not only is she a delight, it’s like she even knows I’m moving.

yokoono: Think of all that happened in your home & the many miles you walked inside: crying, shouting, smiling, dreaming.. One day, you may move on.

Yes, I’m moving. Early next year. We even told the landlord we won’t renew the lease, so it’s official. Let’s see where this takes us.

you said come over here boy – what could I do?

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Sloan shows be crazy.

They play again in the tri-state area this week – Friday night at the Bell House in Brooklyn. You should be there, for real.

Cornflake boy

We saw this Megadeth poster in the city today, and El Fano noted that whenever he sees it, he does a double take … because he always thinks it’s Tori Amos. I love El Fano.

tonight, and tonight only. whoo

I finally bought the Sloan EP Hit & Run but I haven’t listened yet. No idea why I’m putting it off, surely it’s very great, but I better get cracking. Sloan is playing on Monday at Maxwell’s in Hoboken, and there will I be.

Another time when I saw Sloan at Maxwell’s (uhh, 10 years ago), I shot this:

Sigh. I love Sloan.

Why am i still awake?

Yes, I am exhausted from all the cooking and eating and cleaning up. But if you don’t understand why I’m still up, you’ve never watched tv with my mom. I really should be taping this. I ache of laughter

Sleepydoodles

I can’t get my head off the ground

Tomorrow, there is a lot to do. Many thinks to cook and serve. Many things to eat and drink. But all I want to do is sleep.

magnifico

I love the Muppets. Love love love. And yet, this was about 50,000 times better than I was expecting. Seriously.

Crying for compassion – it don’t come for free

My team is up 7-3 in the 3rd, my bed is calling and my eyes are closing. I put in 11.5 hours of work and 1.5 hours on the subway. I completely – inadvertently – ignored Brian Leetch (yeah, that one). I’ve done enough damage today and I don’t have the energy to do any good, and so, I’m off to bed. At 9pm? Yep.

ouch

I’ve learned a very valuable lesson: Drinking too many mimoas because you don’t like the waiter doesn’t show him, it only shows you.

it looks like he’s carrying Kinnear into the burning building

Today, I cried with hysterical – and I mean hysterical – laughter while watching a recent episode of “Parks and Recreation.” I might be unstable.

Can you guess my favorite bit? No, right BEFORE the “Moonwalk” joke. Told you, unstable.

it’s hard to love

I can’t believe “Praying for Time” was a hit song. It’s such an incredible downer.

That said, there’s a time and a place for an incredible downer, and while I’m not on one, I did totally cry on the train tonight when “Praying for Time” came on my iPod.

For the first time in a long time, it didn’t remind me of the time that Carrie Underwood did a terrible job of it on the “American Idol” charity bonanza, only to be served most righteously by George himself on the “Idol” finale. No, instead I thought, “What a sad song,” and I cried.

So, yeah, maybe it’s the daily intake of stupendous awfulness in the news, maybe it’s because it’s almost December (the crying month!) or maybe it’s just a really sad song.

Whatever the reason, here’s Mr. Michael’s devastating song from more years ago than I care to count:

Praying for Time – George Michael

Greetings, Princess – It is I, Carlos the Dwarf

James Franco makes his “General Hospital” premiere tomorrow.

I’ve lost touch with “GH” over the years – once in a while I’ll check in to see what’s happening – or when there’s a big event, like the return of Laura, but my daily viewings fell off about 20 years ago.

Still, I will always love “General Hospital,” much like I will always love Mr. Franco. The love for him, that also started a while back on a little show called “Freaks and Geeks.” In tribute, I present a video from the final episode, which may well be his finest acting hour (the whole episode, I mean,  not this clip – really, you must see it all):

Looking for some action, fumbling with the keys

Ok, so I’ve already found a few dream apartments on Craigslist- great locations, reasonable amenities, good prices. Only I can’t move until February.

Should I stop looking / torturing myself?I think this is appropriate research, but it’s NYC- nothing I see now will be on the market in two months. Spinning my wheels unnecessarily? Perhaps. BUT, I need to give notice soon, and it seems foolish (cosmically or otherwise) to say I’m out without having stepped into one other place. But what broker/owner is going to want to help us two months early?

PS Two months?! Oh my land. I have 12 years of my life to pack. Who has boxes?