May 28, 2004

• First, a request for help. I managed to come to New York without a copy (electronic or otherwise) of my “Xian Music is Dead” editorial for the Waltonian? Any chance that any of you, my loyal and generous readers, have a copy of that issue? Let me know. I want to send it to Charlie Peacock. I’ll give you a special acknowledgement in my book.

  
  

  Second, if you have a semi-fast Internet connection, the new American Express shorts with Jerry Seinfeld and Superman (and directed by Barry Levinson) are something worth checking out: www.americanexpress.com/jerry.

  
  

  I watched 28 Days Later with Amanda last night, and got a kick out of it. I took me long enough to see it, I know, but it was beautifully done in so many ways. The older I get, the more I like monster stories. Unless they’re told by M. Night Shyamalan. Then they’re lame. 28 Days Later was after a couple episodes of Law & Order, the only show capable of making me think I should go to law school.

  
  

  Tonight I’m going with Amanda to see The Day After Tomorrow, a.k.a The Earth vs. New York City. We all know who wins, but I plan to see it on opening night from the underdog’s bleachers. Isaac’s gonna visit tomorrow night, and we have plans to go see Coffee & Cigarettes, which might just be a lame movie (people talking over coffee) redeemed by good funk music and some quirky characters.

  
  

  Amanda’s bosses at the Olive Garden are turning out to be jerks, which isn’t cool. She’s gonna start looking for a different job. I really hope that works out for her, and that she finds something that makes her happier than these bums who don’t appreciate her hard work. Corporations can kiss my ass.

  
  

  If you see Eric Sutter, remind him he owes me an editorial very soon.

  
  

  I think one reason I’m not nearly as productive as I could be is because I’m such an intense dreamer. Some nights, I remember dreaming about literally every little thing I worried about the day before. The other day I thought to myself, “I have to talk to Tebben about getting a mailbox for Frodo’s Notebook.” That night, I dreamt the conversation went just fine. This might explain why people who don’t get enough sleep are so much more productive and motivated than I am. I’ve been having some great dreams, pretty tripping sometimes, but overall pretty normal. And just about all my family and friends have made their way in over the past week.

  
  

  Not sure just yet what I’m gonna do for Memorial Day. Suggestions welcome.

  
  

  Stitch and Bruce are getting along well with Meg the Cat. She’s pretty hip for a kitty, and takes it pretty well (only bites and scratches) when I tease her.

  
  

  Went out for drinks with Amanda and some of her Olive Garden cronies Wednesday night, which was a lot of fun. I really am both introvert and extrovert. I’m not in between–most of the time I’m fiercely one or ther other. There are times when hanging out with people is exactly what I need, and that was such a night. I paid for drinks and Amanda paid for the cab home. Perfect.

  
  

  If I haven’t told you, I got new glasses since I came to New York. I lost my old ones in April, who knows where. I needed new ones anyhow, so I ended up with a somewhat funky (but I think classy) pair with Gucci frames. It’s funny, because I had a Gucci case for my old glasses (definitely not Gucci), and I used to think, “Well, la dee dah, don’t I just look like a prick carrying around a Gucci glasses case.” And my new glasses came with the exact same case. I’m a shmuck. (As evidenced also by my cell phone.) But I take comfort in knowing that Isaac now owns a pair of pants from the Gap.

  
  

  I watched John Kerry give a speech on C-Span yesterday, and I have to admit I’m getting less and less enthused about him. I know many of you weren’t too big on Gore, but he was really smart, had a keen and accurate sense of the historical importance of certain moments, and appreciated the complexity of issues. All you bitches who complained about Gore being too wooden ruined him, because the only way he really ever lied was in acting so fake (alpha male, mr. enthusiastic, etc.). Kerry just seems not to care about manipulating his Vietnam record. I like big sections of his platform, but overall he seems to have bowed to people who advise him to pick the platform with the broadest appeal that can still be considered Democrat. That keeps his individuality and ingenuity out. He better pick Bob Graham as his running mate.

  
  

  I need to walk about 15 blocks and buy groceries one of these days, but damn it, I’m too lazy. I wish I wasn’t so lazy. I think fear would make me less lazy. Some chick in Troy says something about, “Men don’t like peace. It confuses them.” It’s not a big line, but there’s something in it. If I had to get up in the morning and go kick ass for my people, I’d be driven. But since war is so dehumanized today, fighting really isn’t even an option. You can be a soldier, but all you really are is a long-range trigger-puller, or else a peon in empire building. War is one activity that makes a shitty metaphor. Nothing is like war. Only war is like war. Which leaves some of us men confused. And lazy. Maybe I need to go shopping.

  • 4:31 pm
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