Idling

Last night Fox premiered the new season of American Idol to an audience of 54 million people. I was one of those millions. I just like the show. I know it's not especially nice to laugh at people when they are being so brave but I guess that's part of what makes me laugh. It's kind of like watching David Brent making all his awkward guffaws on The Office. It's painful to watch but somehow you can relate. Even through the discomfort of everyone involved, you can see the realness of these poor auditioners and there is something positive about that. It's important that people are told in an honest way that they are not capable of pursuing their unrealistic dreams. As sad as this is, these people are getting a reality check that sometimes comes to people too late in life.

Hopefully those candidates that were turned away by Simon's scowling criticism will realize what a gift it is he gave them. If you plan to pursue something as difficult as a POP SINGING career it's important to find out early on where your talents lie. If you can't sing, you can always do something else, but it takes years of training. The earlier you start learning those skills the better. And who knows, maybe you'll be able to make not only your dreams come true one day, but somebody else's.

Do You Wonder?

Maybe you're not from New York City. Maybe you're not familiar with our daily grinds, our day to day. Maybe you fantasize that one day you too will live and work here and imagine that it will be wonderful - to be able to earn your living and play in the comfortable shadows cast by the skyscrapers and moneymaking giants. You would learn soon enough that it is great. I never get tired of looking at the cityscape as my elevated train descends into the tunnel that connects Queens to isle of Manhattan under the East River. You would also learn that life here is fast and hard as well as fun and rewarding.

Here are some more pictures from a New Yorker's daily landscape.

Tuesday Comes After Monday

I'm sure we all have the same view in the morning as we start our work days. We all take that walk into the known unknown. We all have the same expectation - that anything and everything can happen even in the familiar face of routine convention. I started a new job and every morning I look down this hallway, ready to start the day - ready to explore a new opportunity. I'm glad to have a new opportunity and feel like I'm turning a professional corner.
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At the end of every day, I walk by this statue. . . .

I look up at this building


and then walk through Pershing Square to get to my train.

Duh of the Day

Richard Hatch, the first winner of Survivor, is under investigation for not reporting his $1 million Survivor winnings. You know, the $1 million that the whole world watched him win on television 5 years ago. If you saw it, you know this guy was a really doody head. One of his winning strategies was to gross everyone out with his pale, doughy and naked body. The other was to befriend the crotchety old military hero who became the most beloved member of that first season.

Sunday was baby's day in - 1 year old and loving life. Here is a picture of the baby playing. He was pretty much unaware that it was his first birthday or that everyone there was there for him. At one year old, I think he probably would have been happy alone with his parents. A little while after we got there, my nephew's 17 month old cousin from his mother's side showed up. They played nicely with each other for a few minutes and then went back to playing by themselves.

You'll have to believe me when I tell you that he is the cutest thing since the word cute was invented. He has a happy round apple dumpling face with the biggest blue eyes. We are not ready to reveal his image to the public yet . . . maybe when he's a little older.
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Jon and I walked to the Steinway Street station to get to my brother's for the party. We passed one of those boxes that sit on street corners but you never know what they're for. When I was a kid, I would stand near them and listen because it sounded like there was an animal trapped inside, trying to claw it's way out, in need of being rescued. Of course, as an adult, I knew better but remained insanely curious about what was making that noise. Yesterday we passed one of those boxes and it was open. We stopped and looked inside. I finally know the answer. Inside those boxes are timer controls for traffic lights. That's why they are always on street corners and why they are always attached to the pole that suspends the traffic light in the intersection. Have a look for yourself. You can see the timing mechanism in the top left corner and the wiring on the bottom right.

Isn't that like so flippin' cool?!?!?!
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It was nice to visit with the family. There were some people there I haven't seen in a while, like my cousin Sandra who is also one of my dearest friends. She was sweet enough to offer Jon and I a ride home, which we gladly accepted. Sandra came in for a while and had some tea, rounding out our day with a nice visit. I couldn't resist taking our picture at arm's length.

Actually, I took three but I like these two the best. She looks sweet and she is sweet. She is one of the nicest people I know and I am happy to have her in my life.

Saturday in the City

As promised, I went to Toys R Us in Times Square to shop for a gift for my nephew. Indeed the store is fantastic but I was not able to find a gift that pleased me or that I thought would please my nephew.

Toys R Us is the happiest place in the world. Candy Land is my favorite section. It is the most colorful, funnest place with the bestest decorations. Here Jon and I take turns posing with this enormous weird purple thing.



It took a lot of willpower not to purchase any candy at all. Look at this wonderful and happy lollipop display. It's almost irresistable.

I went shopping down in Chelsea for my nephew's gift and ultimately found some cute outfits at Children's Place and Old Navy. I wasn't ready to go home yet so I walked around taking pictures. I walked by a store that sells framed miniature jars and one that used a dogaquin in it's display.



I was home by 4pm. I took a lot of fun shots down at Union Square but my favorite is the one I shot right outside our apartment building. I took a chance and shot right into the sign. Amazingly, I did not go blind, although I did have trouble seeing past a big bright spot for 2 minutes or so.

Tracker Envy

I was just looking at Extreme Tracking for some other websites. If someone has a public tracker, you can do that. I shouldn't have because I just saw someone who has been getting over 1,000 hits a day. The most I've pulled in lately is 47.

I shouldn't have done that. Now I am pea green with envy. Why don't all those people visit my weblog? What about me? Doesn't anyone love me? What about my life? Does that mean everything I write about my life is invalid, that no one cares? Do I really have to take a position on something and then write about and defend it? I guess so.

The above is certainly an exaggeration but those thoughts do occur to me when I see how successful some people are with their blogs. But I also noticed that those people who risk writing about things they feel strongly seem to get the higher response.

This could be the beginning of something new here at Gen X Misanthrope. I might actually start talking about issues again.

Saturday In the City

Here I go. It's 11:40 am in the Big Apple and I'm getting ready to head into the city. Why? I want to get my nephew a birthday present at Toys R Us's new signature store in Time Square. Have you been there? It's an enormous playground.

I plan to get an age appropriate Leap Frog toy, hopefully one that he doesn't yet have. He'll be celebrating his 1st year of existence on the Big Blue Marble and we're helping him to bring it on in style tomorrow afternoon.

I also intend to take some touristy photos of those crap neon signs everyone seems to love so much.

What are you doing today?

What Were They Thinking

The Pentagon wanted to do what to who?

Prince Harry Oops

Prince Harry seems to have forgotten that his Great Uncle was an alleged Nazi Sympathizer and brought great shame to the family when he turned his reign over to his brother and married a commoner. Poor Prince Harry. He should know by now that anything he does is going to be scrutinized by the press and used against him as often as possible, especially because he is a royal. What was this boy thinking?

Today was Wednesday

Today was Wednesday, all day long.

I spent a fifth successful day at the place that will remain nameless and without description.

Today's outfit of triumph was a short pink Old Nave Skirt, a matching pink shirt, black stockings and my cool brown boots. I wore full facial makeup including base, blush, mascara, eyeliner, eyeshadow, blush, lipstick and powder to set my face for the day.

I am so cool. Are you?

Tuesday Night Trivia

After a fourth day at my new work place which will remain descriptionless for ever more, or until I've decided to leave, I joined Caren at the Baggot Inn for another fun filled night of hosting trivia.

I can't believe how many people showed up. Caren estimated 60 but I think there were at least 500.

Funniest team name - Tuesdays with Morons
Meanest team name - Sumatra Surfing Party (or something like that)
Winningest team with 42.5 points - something about Jennifer finding out that life is the Pitts (get it?)
Second Place team with 45 points - Dibs on Jennifer Aniston

Honestly, there were 18 teams and every other one had a name relating to the break up of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston. People are just fascinated by this couple.

My best joke was when Caren announced Hanson's Mmmmm Bop as one of the audio round answers, I said that Michael Jackson did a cover called Mmmmm Boys. It's fun when you tell a joke and people actually laugh at it. I tell a successful joke about as often as I win at Scrabble - about 1 in 10.

The coolest thing about trivia tonight was when we ended trivia and the bar completely cleared out. Of course, that wasn't cool for the musical act that followed but it was good for us.

Sunday Sundae

Sunday, I accompanied Sarah to an openhouse on Bleeker because she is shopping for an apartment. The building was nice and clean with a doorman that doubles as a security guard. And what a view she would have looking uptown. There were three rooms plus a bathroom. If it we had been looking for me, I would say that the bathroom was a bit small and needed a window. I don't like bathrooms without windows. There is something very confining about that. The kitchen was also a bit small for my taste. But that's just me.

Part of yesterday's plan involved eating brunch at NOHO Star - a very nice neighborhood eastside eating estasblishment north of Houston Street. We both ordered the Mexican style breakfast which we devoured as if we had just emerged from a 2 day fast in the desert but when it came to our dessert we savored every bite. Can you blame us? We ordered the butterscotch sundae. One scoop of maple ice cream, one scoop of vanilla plus hot butterscotch equal a dessert worthy of kings and queens. Perhaps, I am going on just a little bit too much but Saturday night's reading has mbe all inspired to be a writer and shit.
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After lunch, I spontaneously decided to join Sarah at the movies. We saw White Noise. It was very bad but should be remembered for future episodes of Mystery Science Theater if MST's producer's every try to revive the show. I was pretty tuckered out after all that, mostly because I wokeup abnormally early. So when I got home, I took a nap. Jon snapped this shot while I was trying to transition from asleep to awake in the living room. I did want to rest up because later that night we intended to visit with our friend for his birthday which we did and we took him to my new favorite restaurant GOWASABI in Astoria which I believe I have written about at length. During dinner, we were treated to live jazz guitar, a regularly scheduled Sunday dinner happening at the restaurant. It was fun to eat a Korean dish in a Japanese restaurant while listening to American jazz. Isn't New York great?

And of course, what evening would be complete in our household without a game of Scrabble? Jon won this one. 436 points to my 228. Ouch.

Scrabble Babble

Well rested . . . both of us . . . we were. . .upon awakening early this morning. So, of course, we played a game of SCRABBLE which I lost. Naturally we photographed the game. We liked this board because of how the words formed in the upper right hand corner. Highlights of the game include Jon's play of I-N-T-E-N-S-E giving him the first bingo and the my later play of L-I-B-E-L*-E-R-S off of I-N-T-E-N-S-E making it more intense. That was my bingo.

Later in the day, I installed Tomb Raider:Angel of Darkness. I enjoyed the previous versions of the game and have been looking forward to playing Lara Croft's latest greatest for well over a year. Wouldn't you know I'm already having trouble getting out of the first scenario. I can't make the leap from the balcony to the wall across the gap. Computer games would be so much more fun if they were just a little easier.

This evening, we were invited to a reading at KGB bar. We went to see Stephanie Klein, specifically. I didn't know that there would be other readers. Boy was it packed. Standing room only. When I arrived the first reader had already started so I had to wait outside with the others who arrived late. Inside the bar, people were crammed together. I took a picture of the crowd as reflected in the enormous mirror hanging near where I hunkered down before fighting my way into the room but it came out pretty dark and unless I post it as an 8 X 10, you'll never be able to decipher what's going on.

After the first reader finished, the moderator announced a five minute break and I was able to find my friends and miraculously there was a seat for me
at their table. I'm glad I made my way into the room.
The next reader was wonderful. Her name was Maura Mulligan and she read from her memoirs about her childhood in Ireland.

I wrote down some examples of her wonderful writing.

". . .winding, curling, grey, clouds . . ." used to describe the scene at her grandmother's funeral of grownups smoking their pipes "sending grandma up to heaven in a cloud of smoke".

"when the moon was high over Kilpatrick" . . . used to describe the scene where her Aunt tried to get her uncles to move her grandmother's body from one cemetary to another.

She was really charming. I was pleasantly surprised because normally, I find readings pretty boring.

Afterwards, some of the group went over to the Jaffa Cafe on First and St. Mark's Place. Excellent food. Three of us ate the Shrimp Scampi Linguine. It was most excellent.

From "It" to "Shit"

The "IT" coupling of Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt has come to an end. The couple, together for 7 years and married for 4, have issued a joint statement through their PR representatives that explains that this is a mutual decision and has nothing to do with speculative stories that have recently appeared in tabloids.

Caren writes that if a famous, goodlooking, rich Hollywood couple has problems making it work, then we should be a little easier on ourselves when things don't work out in a relationship.

I agree with this statement. It takes effort to make a relationship work. The most successful relationships emerge from respect, friendship and compatability. Maybe the friendship just wasn't there. Maybe Brad Pitt doesn't want to have children with Jennifer Aniston. If she's 35 years old then that is something, JA is most likely thinking about. If he doesn't want to have children, then they are right to split up while she has still has time to find someone who wants to raise children with her.

Of course, I could be completely wrong. It could be the other way around. Jennifer might be the one that is not ready to have children and Brad at 41, maybe the one who wants to settle down and start raising a family.

What I find completely amazing about all of this is how big a news story this is becoming. It certainly is easier to comprehend than the tsunami disaster but not worthy of front page news.

The Anonymous Blogger Yet Again

The Anonymous Blogger has yet again put his foot in his mouth with another glaringly wrong observation about New York women.

In his January 5th post, the Anonymous Blogger says that New York women have an unusual interest in independent films and have no interest in mainstream films. He sites the movie Sideways as an example of a movie NY women would want to see as opposed to a film like Elektra which he considers more mainstream and then acknowledges that this is an extreme example of what he means. You don't even have to link to it. Here is what he wrote!!

Just tell me this: what is it with New York women and independent movies? It seems to be some sort of requirement that if you're a single New York woman, you just LOOOVE independent film. Can't get enough of the stuff. Mainstream movies are the Kryptonite of these women (with rare exception). The prospect of going to the movie Dodgeball, for example, is utterly repugnant to them.I don't like this sort of arrogant, intellectual elitism. It's a typical dating double-standard, too. It's okay for her to say "Let's go see Sideways". But, I can't say "Let's go see Elektra" without being laughed at.There are those who would argue that I'm generalizing, you are correct. I have no doubt that there are single women out there in NYC who would love to see "Elektra". If you can point them out to me, please do.

Why on earth would a man take a woman on a date to a movie like Dodgeball or Elektra? Why would a man expect a smart woman to not want to see a smart film? What kind of man would want to take a woman on a date to a movie that is meant for the male 18 - 35 demographic and then gets upset if she laughs at the idea of it?

I would assume that a smart, almost intellectual man like The Anonymous Blogger would want to date smart, almost intellectual women with some taste and some appreciation for the finer movie choices out there. I'm not saying that a movie like Sideways is the ideal choice for a date but certainly a more datelike movie is expected in a situation such as a date. (having seen Sideways, by the way, I can suggest it as the perfect date movie for smarter couples)

It's not a good idea to bring a woman to see a movie starring a woman considered to be ideal by men. Clearly the ELEKTRA film was created for the sole purpose of exploiting Jennifer Garner's beauty. I could almost guarantee just from watching the commercials that the story is weak at best but has amazing special effects and camera work featuring her dressed in tight, shiny leather. There probably isn't too much to the film beyond a weak revenge/protect the innocent plot that a smart 12 year old could see through or get bored with or predict the ending of. That's just stupid and in bad taste.

Men. You can't have it both ways. You either have smart woman with smart taste or a dumb woman with bad taste. You can't have both a smart woman with bad taste or vise versa. They don't exist.

Friday Night

Friday night. Just got paid. I did a couple of days of temp work that made me feel great!!!

Wish me luck because it could lead to something grand and unexpected. I'm going back on Monday for more. I don't want to say what it is yet for all the superstitious reasons people don't reveal their hands.

Wish me well, that I don't come down with the flu. It's going on all around me and so far nothing but who knows how long my luck will hold. I'm in the throes of a headache right now that I'm attributing to eye strain but that could be denial talking.

Right now, I'm taking a rest. I'm watching the Simpsons, the episode where they get a pool, Bart breaks his leg and Lisa becomes the most popular girl in the world. There are many classic moments in this episode. . . like the tribute to those Esther Williams swimming sequences from films of old; a look at a b/w episode of Klassic Krusty where he interviews the head of the AFL-CIO; where Bart grows mad from his isolation in a tribute to Hitchcock's Rear Window, one of many Hitchcock tributes done by the creators of the Simpsons.

Tomorrow night, I'm hoping to go to a reading downtown. It'll be nice to get out. Haven't been out since Tuesday night.

Tuesday Night Trivia

Last night, I returned to the Baggot Inn to host trivia with the very elegant Barry. We decided to go with an overall internationl theme although we didn't stick to it very strictly. Barry's general knowlege round required the players to have a broad knowlege of world history. It was a good round with the usual distribution of easy, somewhat hard and very hard questions. I focused on current events which are usually pretty international anyway. Then I asked the crowd to list the last 10 monarchs of England including the present one for the top 10 list.

At the break, where we see who's doing what, we discovered that there weren't any tremendously funny answers nor were there any very funny team names. This was proven when we announced the ROUND 1 standings and nobody else laughed at anyone else's team name. It was up to me to break it to the group that there were no funny answers because that's when it's done. . . before the standings are read. I said that because everyone was so earnest and serious about answering correctly, no one really wrote anything jokey so there were no funny answers. I think I offended one team but I wasn't lying. People were pretty serious last night.

The audio and visual rounds went pretty well. Barry provided a challenging audio round of covers done of songs from the 50's, 60's and 70's. While I asked people to name the landmark shown on the clue sheet and then name the city it was in. I didn't make it too difficult because I wanted people to have some success after what I knew would be 4 somewhat challenging rounds.

It went pretty well. There was no heckling. People weren't screaming and carrying on and we didn't have to raise our voices while reading out our questions. The winning team scored 43 out 50 points. That was excellent. Of course, this team had 10 members on it which always gives an advantage.

If you're interested in attending trivia with me as a co-host, I'll be working with Caren, one of the founders of Tuesday Night trivia. This will be a special night, because Caren hasn't hosted in a while. It should be very exciting.

Ringing in the New Year with Scrabble

Late last night, about midnight, Jon and I played our first game of the year.

Then today, Sunday, our activity du jour was attending a weekly meeting of the Scrabble club There were a couple of Scrabble celebrities there including GI Joel, who by the way, is very, very nice. I won 2 out of 4 games played. My first two games were pretty strong. I beat two regular players, mostly by luck. . .I drew really good letters. Not bad for my first meeting but after four hours of competitive Scrabble with strangers, my head really started ache.
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I lost one game 555 points to 235. My opponent played such a beautiful game that I couldn't even get upset. Even if I had pulled great letter combinations, this guy still would have beat me. He was just that good.

But then Jon played him and won, defending my honor. He opened with Q-U-E-S-T-E-D and then moments later, made his second bingo O-U-T-*-L-I-N-E-S off of Q-U-E-S-T-E-D.

Happy New Year!!!!

2005 arrived quietly chez Jon & Valerie. I roasted a nice duck for dinner and was joined by three friends. The duck was yummy as was the stuffing and the accompanying salad. I made a special blackberry vinaigrette which I've never made before. It's amazing. You can take the same basic recipes and alter them into hundreds of different ones. I started out the evening strong and in pretty good shape. Jon and our guests ended up outlasting me - pajamas were on by 2:45 am; asleep minutes later. I'm recovering now, watching the Twilight Zone - nursing the duck soup I made last night from the carcass of our delicious repast.
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Photos from Last Night

Here is a picture I took of my freshly scrubbed self before the party,
after the food was ready, after manically cleaning the house.

Here we are at the beginning of the party, toasting to each other's health.

It was long after, that I started seeing double, no really.

Here is how I looked during the party.

Jon and Tony brought in the New Year with a kiss.

Here is evidence of our festivities.

At some point I started seeing ghosts and other people started fading fast.

This is evidence that we were indeed laughing and having fun.

Here is how I looked by the end of the evening.