Phony JD

I was very happy to read that a judge ruled against the author/ripper off of  Catcher 1n the Ry3.  It seems to me the height of chutzpah to steal a living author’s character and write a book about him, against the author’s wishes.

I had to laugh at the author’s expressed concern that they are “banning” his book.  You’re a thief, that’s why.  I honestly have no attachment to Catcher and thought the recent article in the Times in which a teen thought that H0lden should “take his Prozac” was hilarious.  I do like to think that someone’s creation should remain theirs until they die. Silly me.

I’m not very fond a Han0i Roy

Today I went to see my friend M’s husband B sing with “his” band.  Today they were doing a Band and friends performance at an outdoor event supporting “our troops” and POWMIA’s.  The average age there was probably 70.

There were 3 bands on before the Band and friends.  There was an A Capella doo-wop group with great bass singer. They had just started to sing when I got there and I really enjoyed them.  They did a great rendition of “60 minute man,” which I do think has other meanings from a 70 year old, but I’m just a cynic.

Then came the Roy Orbison wannabe.  Who wants to be Roy?  I mean, the guy is dead.  If Roy weren’t dead, listening to this guy woulda killed him. It was truly painful to listen to–not as fun as most tribute shows and no singing talent.  None.  It seemed like his set went foreverforeverforever.  B said to M, “don’t ever let me do that to myself.”

Then another doo-wop group with some kind of backing track came out.  After Roy, they were the greatest singers in the universe and very good showmen.

Finally it was time for the Band and friends (average age 40-something)–the only band I saw with 2 guitars, a bass and a drummer (who missed the gay pride parade to be there), as well as a keyboard friend, the regualr lead singer and the other singing “friends.”  I’ve heard them before and normally they sing their own material, but this was a covers-only event.  The “and friends” were relatives of the bass-player who are professional singers and all I can say is that they did a fantastic set.  I was worried that Aretha, the Stones and especially Janis Joplin might be too cutting edge for the crowd, but fortunately they ate it up.  The lead singing was great and the sisters (plus boyfriend opera singer) did melodious harmonies and back-up singing.  The audience seemed psyched–the guy in front of me shook his maracas in time with the backup singers’ tambourines and someone else tried to choreograph some version of “the wave” along with one of the songs.   They ended with “J0y to the World”–I’m a sucker for that one.

Then some other band of 70-something Republicans came on and I had to flee the scene.  This kind of event gets very few people here in NY and that makes it hard for the musicians, but at least I didn’t feel surrounded by crazies. Or not more than usual.

Mission (almost) accomplished

Here are the best pictures I’m gonna get of the wrap I just finished with much help from my friend E.

I probably still need to close the button hole a bit, but overall I’m pleased with this project.

A good deed

E came over this afternoon and the wrap is drying off. Later or tomorrow I will sew on the buttons and take it from there.  She also helped me cast-on my new project.  That was fun.

And then there was the trip to my co-worker’s place to feed his cat while he and his GF are visiting her father.  I had a meet-and-greet with the cat last week while the co-worker was there and the cat was very sweet.  Today he growled at me, howled, hissed and grabbed my leg and scratched me through my pant leg.  So I watered him, put down food and got my ass out of dodge before any more fur flew.

Then I came home and cuddled with Frannie B, a very lovely beast.  I like Frannie, but I hope the other cat has a rough night.

Cranky Purl

I’ve been on hiatus from knitting for a while.  I was hoping to shop for a new pattern with a friend of mine, but we weren’t able to get coordinated.  So I went last night and bought the making for this pattern, except in different colors.

At some point over the weekend, my friend will show me how to block and finish the wrap that I started last fall, though I really didn’t start working on it steadily until February.  If I think of it, I will post of photo of the wrap when it’s completely done and ready to give to my mother.

I’m hoping the new pattern won’t take me so long to make.  It shouldn’t—the employees at the knitting store near work seemed amenable to giving drop-in help.  There were a couple of women who had come in for help on their projects in the hour I was there and they seemed pleased with the assistance they were getting. My friend E suggested that I get wool/silk or wool for my next project, but I believe that I got machine washable wool/cotton.  E doesn’t like working with cotton (something about cotton’s memory??), but at least I’ll have other resources for assistance.  It should be interesting.

I hate YOU

Last week, I was walking down the street and some crazy looking black dude called to me as I passed him, “I HATE white people.”

I try not to engage with the crazies, so I did not respond, but I was pretty psyched by the comment. Having once been called a “white bitch” [very true] by a co-worker, I wasn’t really fazed.  My thoughts were:

1)Well I hate everyone, so I win!

2)Sucks to be you!

3)This doesn’t count as a thought because I couldn’t stop giggling. Good thing I was alone, because if I had had company, that would have been the end. I would have been hysterical.

I can’t wait until the heat comes and I get to see some really good fights/entertainment on the subway.  My favorite fights are of the get-the-fuck-out of-my-way-rude-bitch variety.

It’s better, cheaper and faster than going to the movies.

Cultchuh

The Br00klyn Museum of Art is a 20 minute walk from my apartment, but somehow I very rarely go.  When I heard that the forecast for the weekend was rain, and more rain, I decided to hit the BMA.  I’m very glad that I did.

When I got there at a little before 12:30, the place was practically empty.  I looked around confused, but excited by the idea of NOT fighting any crowds to see the art.  There was a Caillebotte exhibit, which focused on urban paintings and paintings of water.  I love Impressionist paintings–I love the many brush strokes and the use of light and all the “naytchuh.”  I was entertained and astonished by the cell-phone tour, in which you dial a phone number and then hit the “#” key and the number of a specific painting on a placard and can hear something about the work.  I only did it once, because the art historian in the recording made me yawn with impatience.  But it’s a fantastic idea to have the option to hear more about what you’re seeing.

I also FINALLY got to see Judy Chicago’s The Dinner Party, which has been at the museum for a couple of years.  It’s an installation of a triangular equilateral triangular shaped dinner table with places set for 39  famous women.  Each place setting has a porcelain plate set on an embroidered runner. I found it impressive and fun to look at and think about.  The people in the exhibition with me were admiring all the embroidery on the runners under each place-setting.  There is a very good web-tour here if anyone is interested.  The installation really blew me away and several of the kids who came by seemed to enjoy themselves as well.

And now I go put my feet up and rest.

The last day

Yesterday at work, a co-worker approached me:

A: Today’s your last day.

Me (feeling the aderenaline begin to course through my system):  Today’s my last day? [thinking--how does SHE know?  What am I going to do?]

A: Yeah, today’s the last day for you to fill in the information online for the pedometer challenge.

Me:  Oh…[breathing again]–the PEDOMETER challenge.

So I wasn’t fired yesterday. I thought that was happening…but it didn’t.  I need to try to stop with the “waiting for the other shoe to drop.”  But it’s hard.

We’re sending a car

When I was taking the train back from upstate NY on Monday, a man came on wearing a tux and bowtie.  A woman was speaking with him, “Well, it was lovely to meet you.  I’ve got to go plan my class.  Good luck.”

Him:  Yes, thank you.  I hope so…you know, Lor1n Ma@zel will be there.  He asked that we send a car for him.

Her:  Oh yes, of course.

He didn’t seem to have an instrument with him…so I wondered what his role was…or whether he had his instrument (but not his tux?)  someplace else.  I think riding the commuter train for 2 hours while wearing a bowtie is really pretentious, but apparently I’m not the expert.

***

Fast forward to yesterday, when I saw a teenage black kid jump out onto his front steps to great his guests.  “Hello,” he said…and he began to “play” an accordion, which sounded like he had never played before. It looked like the beginning of an off-beat, but funny, comedy routine.  Unlike Tuxedo Man, I wished I could stay for a while listening to the kid’s schtick.  He was very funny.

who’s driving

My friend went to visit her elderly mother at the Nursing home. She found that her mother had made a friend Phyllis (who she calls Doris).

R :  It must be nice to have a friend here
Mother:  Well she isn’t very interesting

R:  What do you mean?

Mother: She just sits around all day–she doesn’t even read the newspaper!

R:  Mom…she’s blind!