Collusion - 40% Off

My publisher, JMS Books, is selling e-books for 40% off from Christmas Eve through New Year's Eve.  You'll find my book, Collusion (http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=993), and many other titles on sale at the site:

http://www.jms-books.com/

 

 

American Hustle

I saw American Hustle today for the ridiculously low price of $5.75. I can't believe I actually saw a movie, a first-run movie, for so cheap. I can't remember the last time I paid such a low price to see a movie. Thanks, Evanston! But I digress.

American Hustle was good. It was a little long for my taste, but I still enjoyed most of it. The opening slow-mo sequence with Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper walking into a room at the Plaza Hotel to do a deal while Steely Dan's "Dirty Work" played was excellent. That scene alone was almost worth the price of admission. There's a lot going on in American Hustle and poor little Camden, New Jersey gets dragged through the mud yet again. Hell, Jersey as a whole gets dragged through the mud. As someone who lived in Jersey and went to college there, it's annoying to see yet another depiction of mobsters and corruption because movies like this just feed into the stereotype that everyone running the state is mobbed up or corrupt. I'm surprised Chris Christie hasn't come out frothing at the mouth about the movie. But maybe there's nothing he can say since it is based on the whole Abscam thing and New Jersey politicians were arrested during that whole debacle.

But, back to the movie. The performances were great. Christian Bale put on a ton of weight and looked awful as a result. Bradley Cooper's curled hair was ridiculous and he seems to be getting less attractive with each movie he does, poor thing. Amy Adams probably should win an Oscar this time especially since she was passed over for Junebug, Doubt, and The Master. Jennifer Lawrence provided comedy relief in the film, but I don't think her performance was Oscar-worthy. (I didn't think her performance in Silver Linings Playbook was either.)

Films about the 70s are so freaky and and often wonderful to watch just to see the clothes and everything that goes along with that decade. And, as someone who was born during that time, I find it strangely fascinating.

Burnt Money

Over the weekend, I saw a great Argentinian film called Burnt Money based on the true story of a gay couple who robbed a bank in Argentina in 1965. Their robbery resulted in a manhunt that lead to Uruguay where the two men were finally surrounded and killed. The movie is based on a book called Money to Burn by Ricardo Piglia (that I plan to read once the copy is returned at my local library). What I liked about the movie was that the gay relationship between the men showed that these two really cared for each other. One of the men, Angel, was clearly mentally ill (hence the "voices" he claimed to hear throughout their time together), but Nene (the other man) loved him and didn't abandon him even as he watched mental illness consume him. Aside from the story and the great acting, both the actors in the movie were also very good looking and that's always a plus with me. The movie does go a little Scarface at the end with the shootout with the police and I wish there had been more scenes showing Angel and Nene's relationship (and less with Nene and some chick he picked up at a carnival), but I still thoroughly enjoyed the film and would recommend it.

A Well-Oiled Machine

I went to the Illinois DMV Saturday to get an Illinois driver's license (and give up my New York one) and, I must say, the office I went to in Des Plaines was like a well-oiled machine. I did get there when the doors opened at 7:30 and I was walking out with my new license around 8:15.  Even though I had to take a written test (which I think is ridiculous since I had a valid driver's license from New York), I was able to breeze through every step and the DMV employees were quite nice. The woman taking my picture even let me retake it because I hated the first shot.  The one thing I didn't like was that all of my personal information was just out there for everyone to hear (including the guy standing at the counter next to me handling his business).  The counters should have some privacy dividers or something. Having to reveal my weight to total strangers is awkward, but whatever. It's over and done with.

Seriously?

Since I have blogged about Duck Dynasty in the past and how I enjoyed the show (at least the first season--I admit I haven't watched lately), I felt I had to say something about Phil Robertson's comments in the January 2014 GQ interview. I find the media firestorm over this totally ridiculous. Is anyone really surprised he feels the way he does? I'm not! It doesn't take an Einstein to see what the Duck Dynasty patriarch is about if you watch the show. My surprise is that A&E is acting like they're shocked over Phil's comments. That network has pimped those hillbillies (and they pimped the network right back) for a lot of change and now they're surprised one of them has ignorant views on blacks and gays? Really? Come on! A&E knew exactly what they were dealing with. They chose to give America a whitewashed version of Phil and the rest of the DD family but once the cameras were off, the real Phil emerged. And, as for Phil, he needs to learn when you start making that kind of money for a network, they own your ass and if you don't tow the party line, you'll be out on your ass. This is about money, my friends, plain and simple.  If A&E thinks they can keep their sponsors and continue to make money on the Robertsons, I'm sure they'll welcome Phil back. If not, some other network will scoop them up and let the dynasty continue.

And, speaking of money, the Target credit and debit card breach is awful. I went to a Target but, thankfully, not during the time period in question. Whew! I just squeaked away from that hot mess. My question is why did someone else have to break news of the breach? Target should be have been out in front of this thing, yet they were lagging behind. I suspect their reluctance to jump on this had to do with...wait for it...money! They didn't want to lose business during this holiday season and they didn't want those customers to have their credit and debit cards shut down.

Another Shameless Plug

Here's another shameless plug for my new book Collusion, available now at JMS Books:
 http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29&products_id=993

Philadelphia community college English instructor Brian Daly seems to be on top of the world.  After weatherman Jay Tanner, his on-again/off-again lover of five years, finally divorces his wife and comes out of the closet, he and Brian move in together.  But there’s trouble in paradise.  Brian’s best friend Olivia Carter isn’t getting along with Jay.  The two bicker whenever they’re together and ignore Brian’s pleas for them to be friends.  In addition to trying to broker peace between Jay and Olivia, Brian is busy fending off Sean Gluski, a love-struck student who is infatuated with him.  When Brian spurns Sean’s advances, the student threatens to accuse him of sexual harassment if the two don’t sleep together.  And, just when things look like they can’t get any worse, Brian finds out Jay has been cheating on him with Olivia and that she’s pregnant with his partner’s child.  

Collusion is a story of love gone wrong and the efforts taken to try and make it right again.

 

Gee Whiz, It's Snowed...Again

Now that I live outside of Chicago (or the Chicagoland area as it's referred to here), I have to reacquaint myself with snow and all things snow-related. Not that it didn't snow in New York, but the snow we got there often wasn't much. Here in Evanston, the situation is totally different. I had to go out and buy some snow boots and a "Chicago" coat to deal with the weather. (Actually, the Chicago coat was more of an excuse for me to get a new coat, but whatever.) The boots, however, were a necessity. I came to Chicago ill-prepared for the snow but I am quickly adjusting. As a Detroiter, I dealt with snow all the time, but I haven't lived in Detroit for more than 10 years and I'm out of practice. Shoveling? Brushing off your car? Refilling the window washer fluid? Unplowed side streets? Huh? What? Oy! I've been here for about three weeks now and I've already had to deal with snow. Welcome to winter, Kim. Unfortunately, it's here to stay.

Discombobulated

Since my move from Brooklyn to Evanston and starting my old job in a new location, I've felt seriously discombobulated lately. This morning after I shoveled the car out to drive to work, I got about five minutes from home and realized I'd left my cell phone at home. So, I went back home and got it because I didn't want to be without my phone on a cold, snowy day like this. Then I got to work and realized I left my watch at home  Doh! I hope these minor mind farts don't continue. I have to chalk them up to my state of disarray since resulting from the move. I still don't feel totally in control of everything right now. My routine still feels wonky and everything feels slightly off kilter. I certainly hope I can get back on track soon.

$8.60 vs $10.50

Since my move from New York to Illinois, I've noticed a dramatic change in the price of restaurant food.  For example, I would often get a chicken bowl from Chipotle for lunch in New York and the bowl plus a regular drink would cost me $10.50.  When I purchased the same combo here in Illinois, it was $8.60.  That's a savings of $1.90, nearly $2!!  I couldn't believe it.  I must say that my new hometown of Evanston has some great restaurants and I hope to visit many of them. I like the Lucky Platter on Main Street and Chicago and their tacky artwork (such as the piece featured below) is an added bonus. Enjoy the tasty food and the creepy art!

Bye Bye, Brooklyn!

I moved from Brooklyn over the Thanksgiving holiday to Evanston, Illinois and I'm quite happy with the move.  This causes a little wrinkle in my blog URL titled Detroiter in Brooklyn, but that's something I'll have to worry about later.  I made the move for a number of reasons but mainly because I was able to keep my day job and just transfer offices and I have family in the Chicago area.  Also, it will be a lot cheaper living in Illinois rather than New York and saving money is always a good thing. I loved Brooklyn and I had a great apartment there (that will become a great apartment for someone else), but it was time to go. So now I'm ready for the next chapter of my life in the Chicago area.

Collusion - Available 11/24/13

My new novel, Collusion, will be available for sale tomorrow, November 24.  Please check it out at JMS Books: http://www.jms-books.com/

So Much Stuff

I'm moving soon and I didn't realize how much stuff I had until I started weeding through it. I'm not a hoarder or anything, but I found tons of paper, printed copies of manuscripts I'd edited by hand in various three-ring binders. Just when I thought I'd shredded my last piece of paper, I found more paper in need of shredding. When you live in an apartment (an older apartment that's not particularly spacious), you don't have the luxury of keeping a lot of things. When I lived in a house, I could keep many, many books. But now, I have to be frugal about which books to keep and which books to toss. I feel bad when I have to throw a book out, particularly a book I liked, but didn't necessarily love, but it must be done. I can't live under tons of stuff. Some people can, but I can't. I need to feel like the space I live in isn't claustrophobic. I need open spaces that aren't filled with clutter.

I have an aunt who lives alone in a three-bedroom, two-bath house and, I swear, she seems to fill ever corner of that house (and the basement) with stuff. Just when you think she can't fit more stuff into her house, she does! She's constantly on the prowl for another DVD, another kitchen gadget, another something. I don't know how she can stand it.

What Is Wrong with People???

When I heard about the shooting at the ice skating rink in Bryant Park over the weekend, I wondered, "Who would shoot up an ice skating rink?" Now ice skating rinks are places to be avoided??? Thugs are trolling ice skaters now?  It turns out the thug in custody was attempting to steal a coat from another guy. Are we back to the bad old days of coat and shoe stealing? I remember the string of coats people were robbed and shot for in Detroit back in the 80s: the Max Julian, the leather 8-Ball jackets, the Triple Fat. I don't know what would possess someone, a 16-year-old at that, to behave so violently. It's truly sad that one kid may be paralyzed as a result of this wannabe gang banger's actions. No one's life is worth the price of a coat or any other material object.

Stupidity on Parade

So, I'm moving at the end of the month and I put in a change of address request with the post office a week ago. My mail was not to start being forwarded until 11/18. Unfortunately, my mailman decided I'd already moved because I neglected to get the mail from my box one day. And when he saw the mail from the day before still sitting there, he assumed I'd moved and took it to be forwarded to the new address.  Idiot. Why even bother putting a start date on your mail request if the mailman is going to ignore it? So if I don't get the mail out of my box one day, it's automatically assumed that I'm gone? I could see if mail piled up for a week, but one day? I had to go to the always reliable (sarcasm) Kensington post office this morning and talk to the mailman and another postal employee. I was assured my mail would continue to be delivered now until the 18th, but no one was able to give me the mail that was taken from my box yesterday. I wish I had just grabbed it when I saw it, but I was on my way out to work and just figured I'd pull it when I got home.

The post office wonders why it loses money each year. Yes, people are mailing less due to e-mail and other forms of electronic correspondence, but the service at the post office is often awful. The employees are rarely helpful, the staffing is insufficient, and their methods are just outdated. For example, the post office opened this morning at 9:00. I got there about 9:10 and there were already about seven people in line ahead of me. There was one window open for service.  One!  Eventually, I guess around 9:30, another woman came out and opened up, but by then the line was almost to the door. This is not a good way to maintain customers. No wonder people go to Fed Ex or UPS to mail things.  Even if they cost more, I suspect you get better service there and that's worth the few extra dollars.

Post-Election Roundup

So the New York mayor's race is finally over and deBlasio won, as predicted. I must say Lhota ran a terrible campaign. Harping on how deBlasio is going to turn New York into some crime-riddled wasteland rather than talking about what he would do as mayor really didn't help. Also bringing Giuliani out to help your campaign isn't exactly the best strategy either. Who was advising this guy? The ads deBlasio ran really resonated with people, not just the ones featuring his family, but the ads that showed New Yorkers of all races. Those were very effective, at least for me.

And in Detroit's mayoral race, the Motor City has elected a white mayor, Mike Duggan, for the first time since 1974. I can't ever remember a non-black mayor of Detroit. Detroit did what it felt it needed to do and, even though Duggan's hands will be largely tied due to the bankruptcy situation, I do hope he's able to help get the city back on track.

As for Chris Christie's re-election as Governor of New Jersey, I just have to say if he thinks he's taking the Christie show on the road to a national run for President, he'd better understand that the whole Tony Soprano thing doesn't play outside of the Northeast. He'd better get an attitude adjustment real quick if he wants to run on a national level. Plus he'd better drop more poundage so that he doesn't look like a walking heart attack.

No One Made You Do This

The New York City Marathon was yesterday and the weather was great for it and I certainly hope the runners and spectators alike had a great time at the event.  There was blog post last week on Gothamist about streets that would be closed due to the marathon and the accompanying picture showed some runners passing a group of spectators and one person held a sign that said "No One Made You Do This." I, personally, found this funny.

In other things no one made you do, tomorrow is election day in New York and we'll be voting for a new mayor to take over after Bloomberg's illegal third term. I fully intend to get out and vote in the morning for DeBlasio. As for Lhota, no one made him run for mayor. He chose to do it and he'll have to live with the consequences. I think he's run an ineffective campaign. I don't think he's a terrible guy, but he just hasn't done a good job of getting his message out and he's got no one to blame but himself. Although the polls show DeBlasio with a sizable lead, you never know what might happen at the polls. DeBlasio folks could think his chances are so good that they can afford to stay home and not vote tomorrow and the Lhota folks could come right in and sweep this thing.

Toiletgate - Situation Resolved?

There have been some new developments in my on-going Toiletgate drama. I spoke with my landlord's son who assured me I would not be held responsible for the missing tiles in my bathroom and today I also received a letter from the landlord stating the same thing, so I feel better about the situation. I hope everything works out when I move. Fingers crossed!

Toiletgate - Day 2

So I'm still angry over my duct taped/cardboard covered bathroom wall and I fired off a certified letter to my landlord asking for written confirmation that I won't be penalized for the shoddy repair work done. I should have put a due date on that written confirmation, but if I don't get a response by next week, I'll be firing off yet another letter with a date attached. New York real estate is so shady. I just feel the need to cover my ass on all levels with these folks. Not that I've had any problems in the past with my landlord, but I'm not naïve enough to believe that money doesn't make their world go round. Shouldn't maintenance workers leave some kind of written receipt that states the work that was done in your apartment? I thought that was standard practice. Apparently it isn't in New York. When I lived in New Jersey, I always got a maintenance receipt whenever they did work in my apartment. It just makes sense so that everyone's on the same page. Once again, New York is different, I guess. The saga continues.

Duct Taped!

The apartment below mine has been leaking for a while and the super discovered that the cause was a leak in a pipe behind my toilet. So, maintenance was called to fix the problem today. Several wall tiles behind my toilet were removed to get to the leaking pipe. Unfortunately, those tiles were not replaced. Instead, a piece of cardboard was duct taped to the wall to cover the missing tiles. Because I'm moving next month, the landlord has decided to renovate my bathroom for the new tenant, so I'm forced to live with duct tape and cardboard until I move at the end of next month. Sad! I just want to make sure I'm not penalized for this shoddy repair job and I'm taking steps to try and make sure that doesn't happen. I just want everyone to be on the same page. Hey, I didn't knock tiles out and fail to replace them so I don't want to be responsible for the work (or lack thereof) that was done. I don't want my security deposit taken because of these repairs. Even though the super assured me I wouldn't be responsible, I want something in writing from the management company that states this.  I've got pictures and I'm documenting everything. I hate to be so paranoid, but I don't believe in being stupid either. Taking someone's word for something often won't stand up in court.

Collusion - Coming 11/17/13

I just got the cover for my forthcoming book Collusion that's scheduled to publish November 17.  I like it a lot and I'm hoping readers enjoy the book that picks up where my first novel Clean Hands leaves off.  Collusion can be purchased via the JMS website here: http://www.jms-books.com/

Gross

It amazes me how downright nasty some people can be. At work, some woman (or maybe it's more than one woman) simply refuses to flush the toilet behind her. You walk into an a stall, and there's a surprise waiting for you. Gross. None of the women I've seen in the office look nasty or like someone incapable of flushing the toilet behind them, yet this problem keeps happening. I don't get it but I really hope at my next place of employment, this whole lack of flushing thing isn't a problem. I sincerely believe the men's room is probably cleaner than the ladies' and that's saying something. I just wonder if the woman or women who refuse to flush do the same thing at their own homes. Probably not. It's probably some passive/aggressive move on the part of an unhappy employee. Must we all suffer because someone else has problems? Apparently.

This Seems Dangerous

Why does Channel 2 have reporters reporting on camera while driving? This seems dangerous. Not that you can't talk and drive at the same time, but the reporter can't exactly turn to speak into the camera for fear of taking his/her eyes off the road. What's the point of this? Do we really need to see reporters driving? Can't they just stand and report from some stationary location?

And, speaking of Channel 2, what's with the little talk by John Elliot about Superstorm Sandy "One Year Later"? He and every other weatherman in the area surely loved reporting during that time. Sandy was like a weatherman's wet dream. This doesn't mean the meteorologists weren't personally upset over the damage and loss of life that occurred as a result of the storm, but the storm was the kind of thing these folks live for.

One Hot Mess

So I finally bit the bullet and read Fifty Shades of Grey.  (I got it from the library, so at least I didn't spend any funds on it.  The NYPL has hundreds of e-copies available for checkout now, folks!) I doubt that I can say anything about the book that hasn't already been said. While it certainly wasn't the best book I've ever read, it wasn't the worst either. My main problem with the writing was the use of Britishisms throughout.  This book is supposed to be about Americans, but the words that came out of their mouths was often British. "Shall I show you?" "I haven't bothered with a suitcase, just a smart rucksack..." Who calls a backpack a rucksack?  British people, that's who!  Not Americans living in Seattle! And what's with Ana's constant use of "Holy cow!" or "Holy [insert word here]"? I'm not in my 20s, but I don't think most 20-year-olds use this expression or any expression that starts with the word holy.

The sad thing about Fifty is that I believe there is a story here (one that isn't told, unfortunately) and that story is about Christian Grey and the woman (referred to as Mrs. Robinson) who turned him into a sexual nutcase when he was a teenager. Now there's a story I would probably be interested in reading, not this hot mess about a college virgin with self-esteem issues who bites her lip and lets her beautiful, rich boyfriend tie her up, spank her ass, stalk her, and pull her tampons out (among other things).

Still, I say kudos to EL James because she clearly put out a product that people wanted.  As Stephen Colbert would say, "The market has spoken!"  Indeed. James has made a boatload of money on these Fifty Shades books and now a movie is in the works. She should squeeze every penny she can out of this franchise because fame is fleeting.

Fifty Shades of Nobody

Well, now that Charlie Hunnam has dropped out of Fifty Shades of Grey, the movie, who will step in to fill the shoes of Christian Grey? I think it's interesting that Hunnam cited a conflict with his television work schedule as his reason for dropping out. Clearly, he had to know what his work schedule for Sons of Anarchy would be like when he signed on for the movie. His excuse seems like a nice way to say "I changed my mind and I don't want to do this now."

Casting a movie version of popular book is proving to be more difficult these days because of the Internet. Legions of fans of books like the Twilight series and Harry Potter have such expectations when viewing their literary legends on screen that their opinions (expressed loudly and often online) are hard to ignore. There was such an uproar when Hunnam was cast as Grey that I fail to believe the outrage of the fans didn't influence his decision to drop out of the movie. I do think the Hollywood powers that be need to pay attention to the fan base for Fifty Shades because those are the people, I assume, they want to woo. If you want the same women who shelled out for the books to shell out for your movie, you'd better give them what they want or convince them to love what you're offering. I'm sure a lot of actors would run from Fifty Shades, thinking the material is beneath them, but I'm also sure there are a lot of hungry actors out there chomping at the bit for a chance to star in this movie. I doubt they'll have trouble snagging someone else to play Christian Grey.

A Little Dab Will Do Ya

During my subway ride home tonight, a woman reeking of really terrible smelling perfume sat next to me through many stops before finally getting off at Jay Street.  Oy!  Her perfume was so powerful and so awful. It smelled like baby powder and incense.  I hate the small of incense.  It makes me gag. The heavily-perfumed woman's smell continued even after she got off the train.  Unfortunately, it lingered. Some people just don't realize that a small amount of perfume or cologne goes a long way. As much as I largely enjoy public transportation because someone else does the driving while I can sit back and read, on days like today, I long for the days when I could drive to work solo in my own car with my own smells. 

Barry Gibb Talk Show

I was listening to the Bee Gees Greatest Hits on You Tube today at work and that prompted me to watch the SNL clip from a few years ago with Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon hosting the Barry Gibb Talk Show:
http://www.hulu.com/watch/274881
This skit made me laugh so hard I was crying. So funny. What really makes me laugh is watching Timberlake try to keep from laughing. He can't even look at Jimmy Fallon through most of the skit because he knows he'll laugh.

"Talkin' it up!  On the Barry Gibb Talk Show!"

What I didn't realize is that they're singing an actual Bee Gees song "Nights on Broadway" (albeit with the lyrics changed).

TGIF

After this week started on such a high note with the wonderful Michael Buble concert Sunday night, I'm glad to see it winding down after so much bad news. I blogged Wednesday about the series of incidents in New York with random people being attacked with scissors, bricks, and even a lead pipe by homeless guys and now a mentally ill woman was shot in a blaze of bullets in Washington. Mental illness is a serious problem and there are a lot of people out there who need help. Black people, in particular, need to recognize that mental illness isn't just something that happens to other (i.e. white) people. We have mental health issues also that need to be addressed. Too often blacks are encouraged to pray about any mental problems they're having or just buck up rather than being encouraged to seek professional help and that's a shame. Mental illness needs to be recognized and dealt with in all communities.

Full Moon?

What is wrong with people, particularly those in New York?  A gang of motorcyclists taunt and assault a guy in an SUV last weekend.  A crazy homeless dude stabbed a bunch of folks with scissors in Riverside Park. Another crazy dude hit a guy in the head with a pipe at a subway station and this same man supposedly hit another guy in the face with a brick a week or two ago. I don't know if it's a full moon out or if the wonderfully warm weather is encouraging this crazed behavior, but something needs to be done to clamp down on this madness. When the motorcycle gang rushed the SUV dude, I kept wondering where the cops were. This happened in the middle of the day on the West Side Highway.  Ray Kelly claims the police received over 200 calls about the motorcycle gang, yet no law enforcement was around to try and reign these folks in? I guess the NYPD was too busy stopping and frisking dudes in Brownsville and Harlem.

Bubbly at Barclays

I went to see Michael Buble last night at the Barclays Center. The show was great. Mikey was excellent and quite funny. If the music think hadn't worked out, he could have gone into comedy. (Watch his skits on SNL if you want to see his work, particularly his skit with Jon Hamm.) The woman sitting next to me cried when he sang his first song that, I think, was "Try a Little Tenderness." The crowd was diverse, all ages, all races, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Other than the chick who kept putting her foot in my back (and stopped when I told her I didn't pay $130 to have her foot in my back all night), the evening was good. I wish my iPhone pics had come out better. I should have brought my digital camera. Oh, well. Rock on, Bubbles!

So Bad It's Good

I was listening to former Spice Girl Emma Bunton's version of "Crickets Sing for Anna Maria" on You Tube last week and songs by Spice Girl Geri Halliwell popped up in the sidebar. I found myself listening to Geri's song "Look at Me" and thinking how great the song would be if Geri could actually sing. "Look at Me" is a good song and if it had a good singer, it'd be a great song. It's upbeat and catchy and the video is in a black and white La Dolce Vita mode. Too bad Ginger Spice can barely carry a tune. (The bridge is especially painful to listen to.) Still, "Look at Me" is so bad it's good. The same goes for "Nasty Girl" by Vanity 6. Vanity can't sing worth a damn, but "Nasty Girl" still rocks. The beat alone makes it worth it to sit through her heavy breathing that passes as singing. "Nasty Girl" is a classic now and maybe the same will be said for "Look at Me" in another ten or twenty years.

Yikes!

I just read about delays on the F train last night. People were stuck for hours. All I can say is I'm glad it wasn't me. I take the F daily to and from work but managed to avoid this disaster. You never know when there will be trouble on the rails, but I have to say, since I've been living in New York, I haven't really had a major problem on the subways. The worst situation I was in was when the trains were shut down due to Hurricane/Super Storm Sandy last year. When there was no train service between Brooklyn and Manhattan, my commute was difficult, but not terrible. I feel particularly bad for the folks trying to commute into Grand Central via Metro North. I read the current fleet of diesel trains can only accommodate about 30% of the normal daily commuters. What are the other 70% supposed to do? Everyone doesn't have the option of working from home. What a mess. I really am surprised that this kind of thing doesn't happen more often honestly. Sometimes it seems like the infrastructure around here is held together with duct tape and Popsicle sticks. Repairs only seem to get made when something goes wrong. But when you have a transit system that never stops, it's hard to do routine maintenance without taking the entire line out of service and inconveniencing the public. It's a vicious circle.

Change is Afoot!

With the welcome of fall, we close the door on another summer.  Change is afoot! Goodbye sandals, hello covered-toe shoes and boots...but not yet. The weather in New York has been really wonderful these past few days. Sunny and comfortable during the day, and nice and cool at night. Unfortunately, the days are getting shorter and I dread waking up and coming home in the dark, but I'm hoping for a quiet fall that doesn't have another Hurricane Sandy repeat in its forecast. It was last October (Halloween weekend, I believe) when the storm rolled into town. It's hard to believe that was almost a year ago. Time flies. But, in the meantime, I intend to enjoy the good weather we're having.

In other news, I read Jon Hamm has to have surgery to remove a polyp from his throat. Poor Hamm! I hope the surgery goes well. I love him with that wolfman beard, by the way. I know many folks don't care for it because he doesn't look like Don Draper, but I, for one, am a fan. That beard suits him. I wish they'd let Don Draper go full wolfman on "Mad Men" but I know they won't, not unless Don became a hobo or something and I don't see that happening.

Fare Beaters

I took Amtrak to Philadelphia today for my book club meeting and totally watched two fare beaters hop on the train at the Newark Airport station and hide in the bathrooms until New York.  A clever plan, if you think about it because it's such a short ride from the airport into New York, so the guys didn't have to hide out in the toilets for long. Still, Amtrak needs to clamp down on that kind of thing. You want to ride, pay for a ticket!

Tossed Out

I just read an article about a couple who was asked to leave an Applebee's restaurant because their kids were unruly.  The police were called, probably because the couple chose to argue with the restaurant staff and they (the staff) thought the situation might get out of control.  I think the call to police might have been excessive on the part of the restaurant, but I'm fully in agreement with tossing these folks and their kids out.  According to what I read, the kids (two little boys) were running around the restaurant harassing other customers.  If you can't control your kids, get a babysitter and leave them at home.  Really.  Your lack of parental skills shouldn't impact my dinner. 

And speaking of bad kids, some suburban teens trashed an ex-football player's house in New York and when he posted their antics online (after the kids had already posted this stuff themselves), some of the kids parents had the nerve to threaten the football player with a lawsuit for posting pictures of their kids.  Huh?  Your kids trashed and vandalized this man's house and you're mad because he put their bad behavior on display?  Mind you, the bad behavior that they'd already put on display themselves.  These parents ought to be ashamed of themselves.  Rather than threatening lawsuits, they need to be ponying up some cash to help this man repair is damaged home. 

Washcloths

I saw an story on Gawker today about the cultural differences between washcloth and non-washcloth users.  There is a cultural divide, people.  I've always used a washcloth.  I grew up in a household where my parents were washcloth users.  I assumed most people used them.  I was wrong.  Black Americans, like myself, seem to favor them, but white Americans do not.  I remember being in Brazil and having a hard time getting washcloths from the housekeeper.  Clearly, the Brazilians aren't fans either.  Go figure.  A lot of the debate on Gawker from the non-washcloth users centered around the cleanliness of the cloths.  If you use a washcloth, you then WASH the washcloth.  The key is to keep clean washcloths in circulation, folks!  And there's no sharing of washcloths.  There also is a washcloth for your face and a washcloth for your body.  You can buy a multipack at Target for under $5 and when they get grungy, just throw them out and buy some new ones. 

I always wondered why I'd see more washcloths than towels at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond and now I know it's because a lot of folks just buy towels and skip the washcloths.  Interesting.   To each his own, I guess. 

Freakout!

I read on Gothamist that a lot of folks were trapped on the subway yesterday due to some problem with the third rail.  Oy!  All I can say is thank God it wasn't me.  While I enjoy the efficiency of the New York subway system, I am seriously claustrophobic.  Every day I have to ride the subway (and that's pretty much every day), I am just one delay away from a total freakout.  When the train is moving, I'm fine.  When we're delayed and the train is stopped at a station (preferably with the doors open), I'm fine.  If we are forced to sit on the tracks outside in Brooklyn, I'm fine.  But to be trapped underground between stations or, God forbid, in the tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan, I get all panicky.  Even riding in a crowded elevator makes me a little skittish.  To be trapped in a confined space is like a death sentence for me.  It doesn't matter if the lights are on and the air is flowing.  All I can see is death ahead.  My heart rate increases and I feel jumpy.  Normally, I can mentally talk myself down from the ledge of insanity, but I've never been trapped on a subway or in an elevator car for any extended period of time.  The folks on the subway yesterday were there for an hour or more.  That might have pushed me over the edge.

The People Have Spoken

Since primary day has come and gone in New York, voters like myself should feel good about the choices we made as we pulled the Soviet-era voting machine levers yesterday to select the candidates for our local elections.  We should pat ourselves on the back for putting Quinn, Weiner, Spitzer, Hynes, Castimatidis, and others out of their misery.  Weiner's descent was particularly difficult to watch because he just self-destructed all over again.  It's a shame because I thought (and still think) he would have been good for the city if only he could control himself and, clearly, he can't.  As for Quinn, she learned a painful lesson that being Bloomberg's boot-licker can only get you so far.  He really didn't do her any favors either.  His support for her mayoral run was tepid at best. 

While I am rooting for DeBlasio to be the next mayor, I can live with Thompson holding that office also if there is a run-off.  Democracy in action, my friends.  Democracy in action.

Shut Up, Bloomberg!

Well, our cranky little mayor, Michael Bloomberg, has been shooting his mouth off again about the current mayoral race and other things and has shown, once again, how truly out of touch he is with people in general.  Aside from his insults against Bill DeBlasio and his family, according to Bloomberg, you're not poor if you have air conditioning or a car.  It doesn't matter if the air conditioner you have is a cheap window until that's ten years old or if your car is a junker you need to get you to your minimum-wage job at Wal-Mart, you're rich, son! I guess to be poor in Bloomie's world you have to be running barefoot through the streets and digging through garbage cans for your next meal.  Uh, I think most rational people understand that being poor in Somalia and being poor in New York are two entirely different things, but both places have people in poverty.  I long for the day when Bloomberg is out of power so the media will stop publishing his supposed words of wisdom.  Election day can't come too soon.  If DeBlasio does become the Democratic nominee for mayor, he'd better watch out because, I suspect, Bloomberg will throw a ton of money at the Republican candidate (likely Joe Lhota) to try and defeat him.  I can see the ads now showing New York as some crime-ridden, drug-infested city out of the 70s and 80s if DeBlasio is elected mayor.  Once the Bloomberg machine gets cranked up, it'll be hard to stop it. DeBlasio had better get ready for the wrath of Mike because he's not going to go gently into that good night.

Thighland

I was talking with a manager at work and he mentioned a book printer in Thailand but he pronounced the country's name as Thigh-land, not Tie-land.  Uh, isn't the "h" silent in Thailand?  Is "Thigh-land" the mythical land of thighs?  At first I thought the manager just mispronounced the word, but when he kept saying "Thigh-land" over and over, I knew it wasn't a one-off.  This guy claims to have graduated from Cornell, yet he can't properly pronounce Thailand?  (And he's not a recent graduate either.  This guy is in his late 40s/early 50s!)  I kept wanting to correct him, but I couldn't bring myself to actually do it.  I hated when I mispronounced the word "proselytizing" and one of my co-workers corrected me.  I hated it, not because I was wrong, but because the guy who corrected me was constantly doing that kind of thing.  He claimed he was just being helpful, but he was downright annoying.  Still, I should have been glad for the correction so I wouldn't make the same mistake in the future.  I probably should have told the manager that he was not pronouncing Thailand correctly, but I didn't.  If the opportunity arises again, I hope I can rise to the challenge and help the man from making the same mistake again.

Questionable Casting

So, finally, the lead actors (Dakota Johnson and Charlie Hunnam) have been cast for the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey.  OK.  I'm not familiar with the work of either actor and I never read the book (nor any of its sequels), but it was my understanding from what I've read online that neither character was blond yet both actors cast in the movie are blond.  Huh?  Did the dark-haired folks not make the cut or simply run from this train wreck in the making when approached?  Still, there's money to be had here, folks and there are a lot of hungry actors out there looking for a break to the big time.  It remains to be seen whether this film will turn a profit, but I fail to believe the people who bought and read the book won't turn out to see the movie.  If even a fraction of them shell out the cash for the movie version, money will be made.  As the casting shows, they're not shelling out big bucks for star talent here and, I suspect, the production costs will be minimal.  I don't think there are any huge action sequences to be filmed with explosions and car crashes.  Clearly, this won't be a Jerry Bruckheimer production.

In other questionable casting, why was Ben Affleck cast as Nick in Gone Girl?  (Now, this book I did read, so I can speak with a little more authority here.)  Nick was supposed to be a bro in his early/mid-30s, light-haired, and have looks that typically would be called "all-American" and they cast 40-something, dark-haired, not-all-American-looking Affleck?  I understand having a big name will sell the movie, but Affleck?  There is nothing about him that in any way resembles the character Nick.  Nothing.  He's not boy-next-door cute and charming.  He looks like the dude who should be scanning your bags at the airport, not talking you out of your panties.  Armie Hammer should have been cast (or someone who looks like him).  Hammer's a little young, but he has the right look for Nick and I'm sure he could use a hit after The Lone Ranger bombed.

Harbor

I went to the matinee performance of the play Harbor today at the 59E59 Theater.  The play is about a married gay couple, Ted and Kevin, whose seemingly perfect life in Sag Harbor is disrupted by an unexpected visit from Kevin's sister Donna.  Donna, a single parent who arrives at her brother's doorstep with her unhappy teenaged daughter Lottie in tow, is pregnant again and tries to convince her brother and his husband  to adopt her unborn child and raise it as their own.  But, while Kevin secretly wants children, Ted, his husband, does not.  I almost didn't see this play because the reviews for it weren't great and I thought the tickets were a little pricey for off-Broadway.  (I paid less for Pippin!)  Thankfully, Theater Mania offered discounted tickets, so I gave in and bought one...and I'm glad I did.  Harbor was great.  Critics be damned!  The dialogue was smart and funny and the actors did a good job.  I really enjoyed watching Ted (played by actor Paul Anthony Stewart) grapple with the discord in his home during Donna's visit.  His growing frustration with Kevin and Donna finally boils over when he tells Kevin that he doesn't want a child because he always has one...Kevin.  Ouch!  Kevin, the younger man in the marriage, the one who can't seem to finish the book he's been writing for years, the one who can't seem to hold a job, the one who is almost as irresponsible as his flighty sister, is like a child to his own husband.  Ted cares for Kevin, emotionally and financially, and the stress of it all finally surfaces.  Aside from the performances, it was good to see Randy Harrison (who played Kevin) performing.  I remember watching him as Justin on Showtime's Queer as Folk years ago.  Although he's 35 now, he still looks like a 25-year-old.  During the play, I kept thinking that he was too young to have been in a relationship with a guy for 10 years, but, truthfully, he isn't!! 

(As a side note, I really wish they'd have a Queer as Folk reunion just so I could see Randy Harrison (Justin) and Gale Harold (Brian) together again.  They really were the best things about that show and the main reason I tuned in for as many seasons as I did before it went off the rails and I gave up on it.)

Summer, I Hardly Knew Ya

I can't believe the summer is almost done and I've got nothing to show for it.  No vacations, no fun trips, nothing.  Just the city and the work.  Mentally, after Labor Day, it feels like fall has checked in and summer is gone until next year.  The days are already getting shorter.  Before long, it'll be time to retire the white pants and pull out the corduroys.  I'm not ready for fall yet.  I'm not ready the kids to go back to school (and for the morning subway commute to return to standing room only).  I need a few more weeks of warm weather, walks in the park, and frozen margaritas. 

Masseur vs. Masseuse

I had my yearly hot stone massage yesterday (that I wish I could have more often) and a friend and I were discussing whether to have a man or a woman give you a massage.  My friend said she couldn't imagine having a man give her a massage because it would be too weird to have a man she didn't know touching her like that.  I, on the other hand, don't feel the same way.  I've had massages from men and women (well, one man) and had no issues with either.  However, the masseur I had was so unappealing to me that his lack of attractiveness probably helped ease any issues I might have had.  If he had been smoking hot, I might have felt uncomfortable with the whole thing.  When I booked that particular appointment a few years ago, he was the only person available.  I don't think I could ever be a masseuse.  I don't have what it takes to touch strangers in such an intimate way.  I don't even like folks brushing up against me on the subway.  I can only imagine what masseuses encounter, particularly with male customers.  I'm sure some men wouldn't feel comfortable having another man give them a massage and prefer a woman.  And if, during the course of the massage, they become aroused, what then?  I'm sure it's a natural reaction that the masseuses just deal with professionally, but what if some guy expects more than the services offered?  How do you deal with that?  The next time I'm at the spa, I'll see if I can get up the nerve to actually ask the masseuse (or masseur) how these kinds of delicate situations are handled.  I'd really like to know. 

Tori Amos

I've been listening to a lot of Tori Amos lately. Why, I don't know.  Maybe I'm yearning for Kate Bush...as an American.  (Really, if you like Kate Bush you should like Tori Amos also, right?)  Tori just kind of fell off the radar like so many talented artists do.  She's still making music, but it's just not the kind of music that gets a lot of press these days.  Whenever I listen to Tori, I think about a speed dating event I went to years ago in Philadelphia.  One of my speed dating suitors confessed that he loved Tori Amos and this pinged my gaydar hard.  (He pinged my gaydar hard, too, but the Tori Amos thing kind of sealed the deal.  He was a real fanboy.)  He was sweet and I think he was surprised that I'd even heard of Tori Amos.  I have diverse musical tastes that I'm quite proud of!  I remember talking with one of my gay male co-workers about the Tori Amos guy I met and he agreed with my assessment that the guy was probably gay.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I think maybe he was wasting his time (and everyone else's) at a heterosexual speed dating event.  He did, however, have excellent taste in music.

Da Mayor's Race

So I watched last night's debate between the New York mayoral candidates (the democrats) and, I have to say, I was impressed with Weiner.  He did a good job articulating his views and answering the questions he was given.  I'm still not inclined to vote for him though.  He's too much of a loose cannon.  I think I'm sticking with DeBlasio unless he messes up in the final weeks before then I'll throw my vote to Thompson.  No way am I voting for Quinn (aka Bloomberg Lite).  That woman irks me.  Her voice makes me cringe.  I just don't like her and I don't think she'd be a good leader for the city.  Why are Liu, Albanese, and Salgado are even in the race.  Albanese was at my subway station about two weeks ago shaking hands and handing out flyers.  I didn't even know who he was.  Give it up, dudes!  It's not going to happen for you!

I'm ready for the primary to come and go so at least I'll know who I'm dealing with.  Still, I hate the thought of suffering through more months of political campaign ads.  Ugh.

RIP Elmore Leonard

We lost a great writer and a proud Detroiter with the passing of Elmore Leonard. Rest in peace, Elmore.

Danger, Will Robinson!

Some poor tourist had her leg (or foot, depending on which media account you read) severed while sitting on 6th Avenue and 49th Street today.  This woman was having a hot dog on a nice day and, bam, she's mutilated by a yellow cab that jumped the curb.  So sad.  This happened right across the street from my office.  The streets are angry, my friends.  You take your life in your hands when you leave the house each day. 

Switching gears, with all of the talk around New York about stop and frisk, I just want to say that most of the people I've heard praising stop and frisk aren't the ones who fit the demographic to actually BE stopped and frisked.  

Times Have Been Better

I watched a delightful little French movie called Times Have Been Better (Le Ciel sur la Tete--which doesn't translate to the English title, but whatever) on DVD this weekend.  The movie was about a 33-year-old guy who comes out to his parents, but rather than being a typical coming out movie where the person coming out is thrown into chaos, this movie focused on the gay person's parents being thrown into chaos.   His coming out exposed a lot of problems that had been simmering below the surface in his parents' marriage.  It's refreshing to see a movie about a gay couple whose relationship is stable while the straight couple's relationship is the one teetering on the brink of disaster.  Usually it's the other way around.  (Not that I'm wishing for anyone's relationship, gay or straight, to hit the skids, but you know what I mean.)  Of course it takes the French (or some other foreign country) to make a movie that deals with a man's homosexuality in a mature way.  The American film industry is far too conservative and restrictive when it comes to dealing with themes like these.  I wish they'd loosen the reigns a little and take a cue from their foreign neighbors.

Blocking the Shot

After work today, I stopped by my friendly neighborhood Trader Joe's on Court and Atlantic Streets because my refrigerator was beginning to look like it was on display.  A commercial for Emblem Health Care was being filmed on the corner of Court and Bergen Streets.  On my way back to the subway from Trader Joe's, some lowly production assistant (PA) asked me and others to go around their shoot.  Now, had I been in a better mood, I probably would have complied, but I had cramps, I had frozen foods, and I was on the side of the street I needed to be on to catch the train back home.  Why should I cross the street, go out of my way, and then cross back just to appease Emblem Health Care?  These are public streets!  I have a right to walk where I please!  So, I ignored the PA and kept walking.  I could hear him yelling behind me, "Miss, you're blocking our shot!"  Whatever.  They should have filmed on a sound stage if they didn't want folks walking down the street blocking their shots.  And who films a commercial at 5:30 in the afternoon on a weekday?  Film your stuff when everyone's at work or early in the morning, not at the height of rush hour on a busy corner.  I have no sympathy.

Where's the Money, Lebowski?

I enjoy spending a quiet Sunday afternoon reading the New York Times from cover to cover (the actual paper--not the online version).  I particularly enjoy reading "The Hunt" in the real estate section where folks search for housing in and around New York.  But a lot of the stories focus on people who have levels of wealth that I find hard to wrap my mind around.  Case in point:  this week's story focused on a 32-year-old guy currently renting in the West Village (all points lead to gay...not that there's anything wrong with that) looking to buy a place in the range of $700-$900K.  How does a 32-year-old have the money for a place at these prices?  The article said he was using his life savings, but at age 32, how much life have you really lived?  Yes, he had a job (working for some company I'd never heard of), but even if he was a frugal saver (and, honestly, how frugal can you be living in New York?  His rent in the Village was near $4K a month), how did he manage to amass the kind of loot needed for a down payment?  The article didn't say that he was living with anyone, so I assumed he was paying the bills by himself which begs the question, "Where's the money, Lebowski?"  Where did the money come from?  Did some family member provide him with a hefty inheritance?  Did Mom and Dad hook him up?  Did he have a really great money market account or something?  Is he a recent Mega Millions or Powerball winner?  I'm always amazed at how relatively young people can afford such expensive housing especially when they're not selling one property to buy another.  Clearly, I'm doing something wrong with my life because it would take lottery winnings for me to amass the kind of money needed for a near $1 million piece of property.  And, yes, I am a hater.

Finally!

Finally, I got fitted for my permanent crown after it was sent back to alterations the last time I went to the dentist.  I certainly hope my dental work is done for a while.

Also, finally the city or the MTA or someone put some spikes up beneath the underpass at the Ft. Hamilton Parkway subway station to keep those freaking pigeons from shitting on everyone below.  This has been a problem since I moved to Kensington that was not helped by the little dude who feeds the pigeons and chats with the guy selling newspapers in the morning.  You always had to run or walk really fast beneath that underpass to avoid the pigeon poop.  And there would be piles of pigeon crap stacked up beneath the underpass.  You could smell it before you saw it.  Now there are spikes all along the beams to keep the dirty birds out.  Yea! 

Unfortunately, I was not one of the three Powerball winners for yesterday's jackpot, so I was forced to return to my day job to earn my meager wages.  Sigh.

Powerball Players

Count me as one of the many players (and probably losers) who paid for Powerball tickets for Wednesday's drawing.  Still, you've got to be in it to win it, right?  So what if the odds are against me, there's a slim chance I could emerge victorious.  If I did happen to win even a portion of that $400+ million jackpot and if the state forced me to show up for a public press conference to claim my winnings, I'd be in disguise:  hat, wig, sunglasses, and possibly a vocoder to hide my voice.  No way would I be on that stage looking like I do every day.  I'd want to get my money and go back to living a life of anonymity. 

Gayby

I just want to go on record and say that the movie Gayby was not good.  I already slammed Royal Pains earlier and now I'm slamming Gayby.  The premise of the movie sounded good:  a straight woman and her gay male friend decide to have a baby together...the old fashioned way.  Great.  Fine.  Unfortunately, the actors were so physically unappealing and the movie was so dull that I found myself waiting for it to be over.  My mind wandered constantly throughout the movie and I wondered about other things like how a woman who's a yoga instructor can afford a Manhattan apartment with a rooftop balcony and how a dude working in a comic book store could afford to live in overpriced Brooklyn.  And what's with these gay men working in comic book stores?  Didn't we have that in Queer as Folk?  Maybe someone someday will make a good movie that explores the relationship between a straight woman and a gay man, but I'm still waiting for that film and Gayby ain't it.  Two thumbs down...way down.

Royal Pains...Is Painful to Watch!

I caught up on this week's episode of Royal Pains this morning and suffered through an hour of that show only to discover that Boris (aka the lovely, lovely Campbell Scott) wasn't even featured.  Boris is the only reason I watch this mess.  (According to the preview for next week's show, he will appear.)  Royal Pains has never been a great show, but it's downright awful now.  It's like one giant commercial.  When Evan's wife showed off the panel in her Toyota that allows you to charge your cell phone without plugging it in, I knew Toyota must be sponsoring the show.  (And, lo and behold, I saw an actual commercial during the show that featured the actors who play Evan and his wife Paige.)  Is this what it's come to now?  Shows centered around products?  White Collar did the same thing with the Ford Taurus, but I'm willing to cut them some slack because (A) I like White Collar and (B) my father is a Ford retiree.  (Yes, I'm a hypocrite.)  But back to Royal Pains.  Why does the new guy, Jeremiah, look almost exactly like Hank and Evan?  I can see Hank and Even resembling each other because they're brothers on the show, but to bring on another doctor who looks like their third brother (or at least a close cousin) is ridiculous.  Who is casting this show?  They couldn't find an actor out there who didn't look almost exactly like the two main stars? 

When is White Collar coming back?  Although that show is getting a little long in the tooth also.  I think maybe it's time to hang it up a la Burn Notice.  Maybe this season should be Neal Caffery's last.  I'm sure Matt Bomer would like to move on and do different things as would Tim DeKay.

Friday Finish

So, as this Friday night rolls to an end, I have a few observations.

1. Trader Joe's:  I stopped at Trader Joe's on Court Street (aka Hungry Hipster Hangout) after work and the line was ridiculous.  I realize it's the first of the month, but I started to wonder if food was being given away since it was so crowded.  (It wasn't.)  I saw a woman give her kid a Luna bar to eat in the store.  Isn't that stealing?  If you eat food you haven't paid for yet, isn't that theft?  (Now I firmly believe that woman was going to get in the long line and eventually pay for that Luna bar, but still, theft is theft.  Feed your kid at home, lady!)

2.  Lockout: When I got home from Trader Joe's, I found myself locked out of my apartment along with several other apartment residents.  The front door of my apartment building has had a broken lock for most of the week.  Well, someone came out and fixed it today, but now no one's key will work in it.  Plus, even if you buzz someone to buzz you into the building, that doesn't work either!  There were about ten people waiting to get into the building when one guy finally called his wife to come to the lobby and physically open the door.  I had been planning on going back out, but changed my mind because I feared if I went out, I wouldn't be able to get back in!  Of course, the super was MIA during this whole debacle.  Oy!  I hope that problem gets fixed ASAP.

3.  Jack White: The ex-wife of Jack White (formerly of the White Stripes) filed a restraining order against him.  I've said it before and I'll say it again:  There's a little crazy in every Detroiter.  And since Jack is a Detroiter, he's got the crazy in him, too.  (Fun fact: Jack and I went to the same high school, but not at the same time.  I'm a wee bit older than he is.)  If you're not a Detroiter but you're dealing with one, all you can do is hope he or she doesn't let the crazy out because it can be bad news for everyone involved.  The crazy can be suppressed, but it's always there.  As a Detroiter myself, I know this. 

A La Carte

I'm making a plea to the universe yet again for cable TV providers to supply a la carte channel selection.  My cable bill went up again due to some bogus excuse from Cablevision about the package I had being obsolete so they had to bump me up to a new package...that costs more money.  However, I was told, I do get a new block of Encore movie channels.  Unfortunately, these channels don't seem to be showing anything I'm interested in watching.  Over the weekend, Shogun was showing on two different Encore channels at the same time!!  And this is what I'm paying more money for??  Gee, thanks.  In a perfect world, I'd be able to pick the channels I wanted and not ones pre-selected for me by some cable honcho.  Why do I have so many Spanish language channels when I don't speak Spanish?  Can't I trade those in for the Chiller channel or something else? 

Fruitvale Station

I saw the movie Fruitvale Station today at BAM and thought it was very good.  The acting was great and what I really liked about it was that it showed a slice of life from a minority point of view (blacks and Latinos mainly).  Minorities so often get the short shrift in movies or are relegated to being the stereotype (the help, the sidekick, the sassy black friend, the hot Latina, the Asian martial arts expert, etc.), but here you actually saw black folks going to work, having dinner, taking their kids to day care, celebrating a birthday, basically doing the same things you see white folks doing in movies and on TV.

Fruitvale Station tells the story of Oscar Grant, a young black man killed by a transit cop in San Francisco.  After showing Oscar's last day alive, the movie ends with his death and it's a sad one.  People were crying at BAM when I saw it, but these kinds of stories need to be told and I'm glad someone is telling them.  We need more minority films like this rather than more Tyler Perry movies. 

Weinergate, Part Two, Day Two

So poll numbers are apparently down for Anthony Weiner (aka Carlos Danger).  Whether this slump in the polls has anything to do with his latest sexting issues is unclear, but Weiner's looking a little limp.  (Sorry, I couldn't resist.  The jokes write themselves!)  How pathetic is it to (A) lose your political career once and then (B) possibly lose the chance to reignite your political career over a sex scandal that has no sex?  At least Spitzer (aka Client #9) did have sex with women.  All Weiner seems to have done is text them and send them dick shots.  He hasn't had sex with any of these women, I don't think.  So his career is looking like it's going to crash and burn again because he can't step away from the computer and/or smart phone?  What did he do in the days before the Internet?  Take a Polaroid and send it with a dirty letter to some woman halfway across the country? 

This has nothing to do with Weiner, but someone posted this on Gothamist and I liked it:
The best puppet master makes you forget the strings.

How true.  How true.  Just like that line in The Usual Suspects:  The greatest trick the devil ever played was to convince the world he didn't exist.

There is no Keyser Soze!!!  Right.

Cooked Weiner

Well, Anthony Weiner has, once again, shown poor judgment in his life and it leads me to wonder if it's time to throw my vote to DeBlasio in the NY mayor's race. I said previously that I supported Weiner but with the caveat that I'd drop that support if he screwed up again. How do you go back to sexting and sending junk shots to women after you lost your job over these things? So stupid.

Meatless Hamburgers and Frozen Margaritas

I don't understand why someone who doesn't eat meat would eat a tofu burger (or whatever) that looks like a hamburger.  Why would you want a meatless dish that looks exactly like meat?  I detest pickles.  I hate the way they look, the way they smell, and the way they taste.  I don't want pickles or their juice anywhere near me.  So if a product was offered that looked like a pickle but wasn't a pickle, I still wouldn't want it.  If you don't like burgers, why eat fake burgers?  If you don't like hot dogs, why eat tofu dogs?  Why???

And, speaking of food, why aren't frozen margaritas readily available on the streets of New York?  Frozen margarita places (with convenient to-go cups) should be sold here.  I, for one, would like a frozen margarita after work on a hot summer day and I don't necessarily feel like sitting at a bar or in a restaurant to get one.  Why isn't there a slushy machine like at 7-11 so I can fill my own cup full of frozen tequila goodness?  Why???

Collusion...Coming Soon

So my new book, Collusion, is scheduled to come out in January 2014.  Publisher JMS Books offered me a contract and I'm quite happy about this.  Yea!  Collusion a sequel to Clean Hands (but you don't have to have read Clean Hands to get the gist of the story).  I'm excited about this and I certainly hope everything falls into place and that the book comes out on time and is well-received.  I love my characters (Brian, Jay, and Olivia) and I enjoy writing about them.  I'll continue to update my blog about the book as the pub date gets closer and as I get more information from the publisher.

I'm also hard at work on another book with a new cast of characters.  No title yet, but I'm kicking a few around.  I hope to have that one wrapped up soon. 

Detroit Bankruptcy

It's a sad day that my hometown of Detroit has filed for bankruptcy, but the situation there is dire and I'm sure there was no other choice.  The city can't pay its bills, the tax base has been dissolved, and there's very little business flowing into the city.  When the country catches a cold, Detroit catches the flu.  I sincerely hope the city will rebound one day, but I don't know what it would take for that to happen. 

News Flash: It's Hot!

Yeah, it's hot.  I'm ready for this latest heatwave to break.  At least I can sit in air conditioned comfort (that I don't have to pay for) while I'm at work, but when I get home, it's an entirely different story.  I have a portable air conditioner in my bedroom, but I have to sequester myself there at night and I can barely hear my television when I run that noisy thing.  I'm dreading my next Con Ed bill.  (First world problems, I know, but still!)  After a crappy day, I was annoyed further by some dude singing to himself on the subway during my ride home.  He had headphones on and he was singing along to the music from his iPhone.  I honestly felt like kicking him in the kneecaps (or maybe the throat so the singing would stop).  Is this week over yet????

Thanks, Rutgers!

If you've been reading my posts or checking out my Goodreads updates, you'll know that I've been reading a lot of stuff by and about John Horne Burns lately.  (I'm obsessed!)  Of the three books Burns published, I read two.  Well, finally, I was able to get my hands on the third, Lucifer with a Book (that was actually the second book he published).  My alma mater, Rutgers, had a copy and allowed me to check it out.  High five for alumni benefits!  I tried to get a copy of the book on Ebay and was outbid and the prices on Amazon were ridiculous.  (Really, $88 for a used book?  That's ridiculous!)  So now I can finish the Burns trilogy.  Yea!

John Horne Burns

I just finished reading Dreadful: The Short Life and Gay Times of John Horne Burns by David Margolick and I just can't stop thinking about it.  I wrote a review on Goodreads, but I have more to say.  Burns's story is such a sad one:  a promising writer who basically became an alcoholic and died right before his 37th birthday after the excessive drinking and an old head injury (that resulted from him being drunk) did him in.  After having success with his first novel, The Gallery, his next two published works, Lucifer with a Book and A Cry of Children, were critically panned.  Burns was never able to create another work as successful as his first and simply self-destructed.  On top of his alcoholism, he was an awful person to a lot of people and he struggled with being a homosexual in the 1940s and 50s.  I got the feeling from Margolick's biography that Burns simply hated himself and that hate manifested into a hatred for others.  At times he seemed to be aware of his own foul behavior, but he did little to curb it, insulting one person after another throughout his life.  He was always ready to criticize or belittle someone else and I got the feeling he enjoyed putting other people down.  But when the tables were turned and the criticism was heaped upon him, he felt like everyone was working against him.  Those critics just didn't understand what he was trying to say.  They were too stupid to understand his genius and intellect.  What a sad, delusional bastard.  What's even sadder is that he was a talented writer who basically ruined his own life.   

Eliot Spitzer and Sean Eldridge

I was talking with two of my coworkers today about Eliot Spitzer's return to politics this week and one of them asked if I would vote for him if he was able to get on the ballot for comptroller.  I told her I didn't think I would.  It's not that I don't think Spitzer would be a great person to handle the city's finances (since I assume that what a comptroller does), but I just don't feel that someone who broke the law should be in that position.  Although Spitzer's unlawful acts (frequenting prostitutes) didn't seem to interfere with his fiscal duties as governor, I'm just not comfortable having him in another government position like this.  Anthony Weiner, on the other hand, didn't break the law.  He lied to everyone, but I don't believe there were any laws broken by him (unless texting junk shots is against the law), so I'm fine with him running for mayor.  Granted, neither Spitzer nor Weiner are prizes by any stretch of the imagination.  I believe they're both power-hungry narcissists who crave the spotlight.  If Spitzer gathers enough signatures to get on the ballot, he may very well win.  He certainly has the money to fund a political campaign.

As for Sean Eldridge, his situation is similar to Spitzer's.  Who is Sean Eldridge, you may ask?  He's the husband of Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes and he's the subject of a story in today's New York Times.  Sean is, supposedly, considering a run for congress in New York state.  He and his husband Chris own multiple properties in the state and this 26-year-old native of Ohio apparently feels he has a shot against the current Republican incumbent even though he'd only lived in the area for a short time.  But he has a ton of money (via his hubby) and a lot of rich and powerful friends.  The problem I have with Eldridge is that he seems like a typical carpetbagger who moves to an area, sets up residence, and then runs for office.  (I'm looking at you, Hillary Clinton!)  What happened to living in an area for a while, becoming active in the community, and understanding the people who live there before deciding you want to run for office?  Eldridge, like Spitzer, seems like someone who figures he can buy his way onto the ballot.  And, given the current dysfunctional state of politics, maybe he can.

Camping

I was e-mailing with someone today and she told me that she and her family had gone camping over the July 4th weekend.  I told her she was a brave person because if I went camping, I'd be freaked out waiting for Sasquatch to come out of the woods and maul me.  This e-mail conversation led me to wonder why black people don't generally go camping.  I know why this black person doesn't go camping, but I also know I'm not alone in my anti-camping bias.  I have never had the desire to sleep outdoors.  Camping in a wooded area or a national park (via a tent or a camper) just doesn't seem like a lot of fun to me.  I'm all for enjoying nature, but going to sleep in the middle of it is a no-no for me.  Too many critters.  Too much of the unknown.  Too few ways to escape Sasquatch, the Mothman, or the Chupacabra if one (or more) should happen to come up on you in the night.  At least at the Hilton, Sheraton, or La Quinta I've got a fighting chance for survival (along with cable TV).  I'm just a city kid.  I enjoy sleeping in a bed and watching television and having snacks nearby and cool drinks in the fridge. 

Jackie Blue

I took a vacation from my day job to have some dental work done today.  Unfortunately, I needed a crown to replace a filling on top of a cracked tooth.  (This is what happens when you're old and your teeth start to fall apart!)  Anyway, my dentist is a fan of classic rock music and it's normally playing at the office when I go there.  It's a good thing I'm also a fan because I'm not exactly a fan of dental work and having someone drilling into my mouth for an hour.  Thankfully, the classic rock station was kicking out some good stuff this afternoon.  During my procedure, I heard "Sister Golden Hair" by America, "Dream On" by Aerosmith, and "Jackie Blue" by Ozark Mountain Daredevils.  (There were other songs also, but these three stuck with me.)  At one point during "Sister Golden Hair" the dentist, the technician, and I were all kind of bopping to the song while waiting for my teeth molding to dry.  But now, hours later, I can't get that freaking Jackie Blue song out of my head!  (Wooh ooh hoo Jackie Blue.  Lives her life from inside of a room...)  I didn't even realize a man was singing that song until I looked it up on Wikipedia.  I'd always thought it was a woman.  Go figure.  It's a great song, but do I want to be humming it for the rest of the day?  Not really.

Happy Birthday to Ringo and Me!

On this very hot July 7, Ringo Starr (the forgotten Beatle!) and I (and others) celebrate yet another birthday.  Yea!  I've only met two other people who had the same birthdate as I do and neither one was born the same year.  Someday I'll meet that elusive person with the same birthday and year as my own.  He or she is out there somewhere! 

In a totally unrelated topic, I watched the movie Night Shift on cable last Friday morning.  I hadn't seen it in years and it was still funny to me.  Henry Winkler was so un-Fonzie-like and Michael Keaton was hilarious.  If you've never seen it, I highly recommend you get it from Netflix or something.  I guess the whole prostitution business run out of a morgue wouldn't work today because everyone is a private contractor via the Internet (i.e., Craigslist).

I'm So Excited (Yeah, Not Really)

I saw Pedro Almodovar's latest film I'm So Excited today and I really thought it was terrible.  I believe I've seen many of his films and enjoyed them, but this one was the worst.  Ridiculous (and not in a good way), disjointed, boring.  The trailer made it look fun and interesting, but it wasn't.  Blow job gags, people being drugged, and sex jokes just don't make a movie (at least not for me).  Nothing worked for me in this movie.  (Correction, I did like the colorful sets and costumes.)  Almodovar always seems to bring something different to each of his movies.  Volver, The Skin I Live In, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown are examples of his work that really take moviegoers outside of the norm in a good way.  That's why I'm So Excited was such a disappointment to me, I guess.  My friend who saw the movie with me liked it and other people in the audience seemed to enjoy it, but I just found it tedious and unfunny.  At least the theater was air conditioned.

Out of Print

After reading an excerpt from a biography of the author John Horne Burns in the New York Times Sunday magazine a few weeks ago, I became determined to read the author's three published books.  Unfortunately, only one of them (The Gallery) is still in print.  The third book (A Cry of Children) is out of print, but I was able to snag a copy from the Brooklyn Public Library and I'm currently reading it.  The second book, Lucifer with a Book, is the problem child.  I can't seem to get my hands on a copy.  It's not available at the Brooklyn or New York public libraries, I can't seem to find copies available for sale on eBay or Amazon or at the Strand bookstore.  There are a few copies floating around at college libraries, but they're hard to get a hold of.  I sent a message to HarperCollins (whose Avon Books imprint originally published Lucifer back in the 1950s) to find out if they have any plans to republish this book, but so far, no response.  I understand books go out of print, but once there's renewed interest in a title or author, publishers who hold the copyright should really get on the stick and republish these works.  I guess publishers are too busy looking for the next Twilight series or Fifty Shades of Grey to worry about things like this.

A Pox on Your House

For some reason (maybe because it's Pride Weekend), I was thinking about a story I heard back in the 90s from one of my Wayne State University coworkers.  (I'll refer to her as S.)  S knew of a house for sale by a friend of hers in a popular area of Oakland County and she told another coworker, R, about it.  R, who was renting an apartment at the time, was interested in buying a home in this area and seemed quite interested in this home for sale by S's friend.  But everything changed when R found out that the seller of the home was gay and his partner, with whom he'd lived, died from AIDS while living at the house.  (I don't think he actually died IN the house, but he lived there throughout his final years.)  All of a sudden, R wasn't interested in the house anymore.  All of a sudden, R decided that maybe it wasn't the right time for her to buy a place.  I remember talking with S about R's sudden change of heart and S told me she firmly believed that R didn't want to buy a house that a man with AIDS had lived in.  I guess R figured she'd contract the disease from touching the door knobs or flipping the light switches of the home.  Yes, this was the early 90s and AIDS awareness has come a long way since then, but the ignorance of R astounded me then and still astounds me now more than twenty years later. 

Choir Boy

I saw the play Choir Boy at the Manhattan Theatre Club last night and it was excellent.  It's the story of a group of black teenage boys who all sing in the choir at an all-boys prep school.  The a cappella singing was great and the acting was amazing.  The play dealt with a lot of themes: jealousy, sexual identity, and religion, just to name a few.  I highly recommend it. 

Finally, Some Good News!

SCOTUS struck down a huge part of the Defense of Marriage Act today and I join others in celebrating this decision.  The world is changing and it's time the courts reflected these changes. 

In other good news, Anthony Weiner is leading in the latest polls for NY Mayor, beating Bloomberg Hack Christine Quinn.  Yea!  As someone commented on Gothamist: Quinn Goes Down as Weiner Rises.  The jokes write themselves!!! 

Bob Benson

So Mad Men's season came to an end last night and, much to my delight, the episode was chockfull of Bob Benson.  Bob has quickly turned into a fan favorite.  The actor who plays him is from Farmington Hills, MI, so I like him because he's a Michigander.  But I also like that the show is introducing this uncomfortable, weird, homoerotic thing with Bob and Pete Campbell.  Bob's presence just leaves me with so many questions.  Is Bob really crazy about Pete or is he trying to bring Pete down (and not in a sexual way)?  Does Pete secretly like Bob in a gay way?  Will Bob and Pete ever share the love that dare not speak its name?  What's the deal with Bob and Joan?  Is Manolo really Bob's boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend)?  Did Manolo really toss Pete's mother overboard?  Again, so many questions.  I just hope Bob comes back for the final season.  He's so much more entertaining than son-of-a-whore and marital cheater Don Draper right now.

Male Jeggings

I was walking down Fifth Avenue yesterday near the library and saw a guy wearing (sigh) jeggings.  Ugh.  He looked like a gay hipster (beard, button-down shirt, leather oxfords with no socks), but that's no excuse for this fashion faux pas.  I've complained in the past about man-pris (capri pants for men), but jeggings are even worse.  No man, gay or straight, hipster or bro, should be wearing jeggings.  It's not a good look.  I don't even like to see women wearing them.  I wish I had snapped a picture of the Fifth Avenue jeggings wearer, but I was too horrified and disgusted to even get my iPhone out.  I seriously wish I'd had the balls to ask the guy what possessed him to come out of the house like that.  But he looked confident as he walked down Fifth Avenue.  He didn't look like a man who was unhappy with his fashion choices or with life in general.  I guess it takes a lot of confidence to walk the streets of New York, or any city, wearing male jeggings.

Russell Brand

I wish people (Russell Brand included) would stop trying to make Russell Brand happen.  Really.  Here are a few reasons why this endeavor seems fruitless:

1. Russell Brand is not attractive enough to be a major star (at least not in the United States).  I'm sorry, but let's face it: Russell isn't handsome and he looks like he hasn't bathed in a while.  He needs a good scrub down a bath or shower, a change of clothes, a haircut, and a shave just to try and make himself look presentable.

2.  Russell Brand isn't funny.  Maybe his brand of humor passes for funny in the UK, but it's not really cutting the mustard over here.  Plus, his accent is often hard to understand.  He doesn't have a posh, soothing British accent like, say, Colin Firth so, unfortunately, points must be deducted.

Perhaps Russell should just stick to honing his craft in the UK where he's appreciated instead of trying to make it work over here. 

Jimmy Hoffa...Still Dead

Every few years it seems like the FBI gets a tip and a new search begins for Jimmy Hoffa's remains.  Well, it's that time again!  Based on a tip from some aging ex-con (who is, no surprise here, hawking a book), law enforcement agents are out in Oakland Township digging around for Jimmy yet again.  It's good to see our tax dollars at work digging for the remains of a mobster who disappeared in 1975 and was declared legally dead in 1982.  Why is this happening?  I understand the need for closure in the case and Hoffa's family, I'm sure, would like to know where his remains are, but even his daughter stated that she wasn't confident the latest search would turn up anything.  Hoffa's case is fascinating and I believe the Machus Red Fox restaurant where he was last seen on Telegraph near Maple Road is cursed.  (That place has changed hands so many times over the years.  Has anyone been able to make a successful go of it?  I don't know.  It just seems doomed to me.)  But does the FBI really need to keep this case going every time some old mobster comes up with a new theory? 

In a slightly unrelated note, how to mobsters get their nicknames?  Are they given to them by the mob boss?  Do the guys pick their own names?  Inquiring minds want to know.

Superman is American (or He Should Be)

The new Superman movie made over $100 million this weekend.  Great.  Whatever.  I still can't believe a British dude was hired for the role this time around.  A British Superman faking an American accent?  I don't like the sound of that!  The movie studio couldn't find a dark haired, blue eyed American to play the role?  I refuse to believe the British are doing the jobs Americans can't or won't do.  I saw a movie a while back called Stoker starring Matthew Goode, Nicole Kidman, and Mia Wasikowska.  All of these actors are foreign, yet they all played Americans in the movie.  Were there no Americans available at the time of filming?  I even saw an interview with Matthew Goode where he talked about his worries that he was taking a job from an American actor when he got the role.  Uh, yeah, Matthew.  You should be worried about that. (Side note, I do really like Matthew Goode, so my issues with him playing an American aren't personal and don't reflect on his acting ability.)  But back to Superman.  I know he comes from another planet, but he was reared here in Kansas (right?).  He's the embodiment of the American superhero, yet they put a British dude in the role.  That ain't right!  American superheroes should be American, dammit!

Daddies and Mommies

I read the following article on NY Magazine's site about some gay men's desire to have an older partner (a "daddy") and found it both funny and fascinating:

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/06/rise-of-the-daddies-a-new-and-sexy-gay-niche.html?test=true

Calling your man "daddy" regardless of gender just feels weird to me.  I feel the same way about calling your woman "momma."  Can't we leave our parents out of our social lives?  I know every call of "daddy" or "mommy" doesn't mean the person doing the calling (or the person accepting the call) has issues with his or her parents, but some do.  ("He loves me the way my real daddy never did!")  Okay, but that's a little creepy.  

On that note, Happy Father's Day, Daddies (and Happy Belated Mother's Day, Mommies).

Woosah

Today was the kind of day when I needed a relaxation technique to get me through the bulk of it, i.e. a nice, soft chant of "woosah" to calm the rough waters of my mind.  Sometimes I wonder how I can make it through the day when there's so much toxicity and stupidity on parade around me.  Why can't people just mind their own business?  Why are some people so inclined so insert themselves into the lives of others?  I'm so tired of dealing with drama at work that has nothing to do with the work itself and everything to do with other people working themselves into a lather over nothing.  This too shall pass, I know, but for now, woosah....

The Tony Awards and Mad Men

I watched the Tony Awards last night (most of them--until Mad Men came on) and thought the show was great.  The opening song with Neil Patrick Harris and various Broadway show actors was just wonderful.  I was so happy to see a good number of black actors win Tonys this year including Detroiter Courtney B. Vance.  The Pippin crew was great (except for the dude playing Pippin, as stated in my previous review of the play) and Patina Miller's Tony was well-deserved.  Cyndi Lauper was awesome.  She looks so good!  I remember the 80s when she was a huge pop star and it's good to see her make a comeback with Kinky Boots.  The final performance with Audra McDonald and Neil doing their rendition of the Alicia Keys/Jay Z song "Empire State of Mind" was the icing on the cake, especially when Audra dropped her mic before she walked off stage.  Ha! 

In other TV news, Mad Men was crazy last night.  Don's back with Sylvia, his affair is discovered by Sally, Peggy has rats, and Pete's being hit on by Bob Benson.  Oy!  The Bob thing made me shake my head.  I can't figure out if this guy is on the level or not, but if he is gay and wants to start something with Pete, of all people, he should turn that dream loose.  Pete is pitiful!  Why would any man or woman want to get with that guy?  What did Peter's mother say about him?  He was a sour little boy and now he's a sour little man.  Ouch!  (I actually felt sorry for him at that point, but I still would advise anyone against getting involved with him.)  Run, Bob!  Run!

Whole Foods

I saw that Whole Foods opened a brand spanking new store in downtown Detroit this week.  Good for them and good for the people of Detroit.  As any Detroiter (or former Detroiter) knows, finding a decent grocery store in the city is a challenge, especially after Farmer Jack closed up shop.  I remember as a child shopping for groceries at the local Fairway Foods on Six Mile and Schaefer.  A friend of mine who lived around Seven Mile and the Southfield Freeway was relegated to Savon Foods.  These stores served our communities, but they weren't exactly the best places to find fresh food. 

It's nice to see a top-shelf grocery store in the city and it's great to hear some good news about Detroit for a change.

David Sanborn & Bob James

I went to see David Sanborn and Bob James perform last night at the Town Hall theater on 43rd Street and the show was great.  I hadn't seen Sanborn in years and I'd never seen Bob James in concert, so watching them both together last night was a treat.  And I was in the first row right in front of the stage! I didn't even realize my ticket was for Row A.  Clearly, I need to pay more attention to my seating when I purchase a ticket.  I posted a blurry picture of Dave that I snapped just as the show was ending. 

Last Name Love

I've been obsessed this week with unique last names.  I feel that someone who has an uncommon last name should seek out those with the same name.  If I had an unusual last name, I'd be all over the Internet trying to track down others with the same last name.  I'd want to know these folks and try to find out if we were somehow related.  But when you have a common last name like I do, that's not even an option.  Alias Smith and Jones don't need to bother trying to track down folks with the same last name because there are too many of them out there. 

When I spoke with some of my coworkers who have uncommon last names about trying to reach out to others who share their names, none of them seemed interested.  They didn't really have a desire to reach out to someone who might be a distant relative.  I just don't get that, but I guess they had their reasons.