What Would You Do, If I Sang Out Of Tune
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Most likely.
Long time no update, huh. Well there has been just so much going on, and so little time to do anything about it. Being in a relationship definately gets your time card pretty full, but that is definately not a bad thing. So let's see, I told you about my birthday party, but I had not told you about my actual birthday week. It continued on tuesday by going out to dinner with Auri to a restaurant I found while showing Julie (from birthright) around Astoria in my coninuing effort to move as many people out there as possible. It is called Mezzo Cafe and what drew me to it was the decor of the place (with a name like Mezzo, I assumed it was a Mexican place), decorated in a style that is very northern californian or mediteranean (depending on your view-point). It turns out it is a Greek Restaurant, where the food is very good and reasonably priced (because it's in Astoria), and we will most likely go back there again, feel free to join us.
Wednesday night I decided I wanted to go out drinking with people from work, since it was the night before my birthday. In hind sight, Wednesday night was not neccessarily the best choice, but that just happened to be the night of the week before my birthday. Having your birthday on a Monday-Thursday (unless you and everyone you know work at jobs with "odd" schedules, ie part-time work and/or no job) gargles my balls, but you do with what you can. So the week before I sent an invite out to the people in my office I absolutely wanted to be there sharing drinks with me. Then the day before, as a reminder, I sent out an email to everyone in the office (also so as not to piss anyone off, but to hopefully ensure that people I didn't want coming had other plans). So Wednesday night I headed down to Valhalla on 54th and 9th, right after work in the hopes that I would shortly be joined by the 20 or so people who had enthusiastically responded to coming out drinking. I got to the bar around 5:30pm and saddled up to the bar and bought myself a beer, since no one else was around, what's wrong with paying for one beer at my birthday celebration. Soon that beer turned into two, and then three, and by 6:55 I was ready to go home, defeated and depressed. I wondered why the bar tender didn't even come up and ask me what was wrong. I mean, isn't that their job AND the way they pick up better tips? I caught my reflection in the brass backing of the beer-tap wall, and noticed that my sour-puss looks an awful lot like a blank, unemotional facade, which made a little more sense. Plus I figured it was wednesday night, so the bar was probably saving their "better" service for a more "hopping" night, and the girl was just trying to get though the evening without too much trouble. Just as I was approaching the half-way point on my third beer, one of the agents from my office showed up. I was happy to see someone actually show up, but one out of 25 respondees out of 250 agents is pretty sad. Eventually in the next hour, four other agents showed up, and by that point I was pretty drunk, but also thankfully not paying for any more drinks (nothing sucks more then having to spend money on your birthday, especially when you are tight budgeted). Of course I was still really hurt by the lack of people who did show up (which was probably also effected by the lack of people to show up to my birthday party just a few days before, because my mind see's what's missing because I am like that).
On my birthday, I started the day off being consumed by the overwhelming feeling of being extremely unpopular and not as liked by the world as I really want to be. The lack of people on Wednesday night made a little bit more sense once I was at work. Half the people who approached me to wish a happy birthday appologised because they had last minute showings/open houses/etc (which I was willing to half-heartedly believe). The other half of the people came up to me to wish me a happy birthday and tell me they were excited about going to the bar TONIGHT (meaning the night of my birthday). That I should have expected. If I have said it once, I've said it a thousand times, you don't have to be retarded to work in real estate, but it sure as hell seems like it. So I managed to make it through a miserable day at work, up until around 3:30 when I realised I hadn't heard from the loan company about the status of my loan, so I called them. That was when I heard the best news one can hear on their birthday (especially when in the mood I was in). My loan was CANCELLED!!! YAY!!! Oh wait...I mean WHAT THE FUCK!!! I feel like I have gone through more bullshit with this process than...well I can't even think of an example, it's been that fucked up. Apparently the information I had sent in (since February) was STILL not enough, but all because of beurocratic bullshit, which I should have avoided, but they changed the rules around May, while in the middle of dicking me around. So while dealing with all this and trying to get a hold of the school to get copies of the paperwork I needed faxed to me, my co-workers started to bug me to go down stairs to fix a colapsed shelf and various other stupid things that were absolutely not what I wanted to be doing. I told them that what I was doing on the phone was more important to me then anything else right now. They told me this was my job, and in my state of agitation and distain for my fellow office mates, I shouted out "I quit!" and continued my phone call. Eventually I gave in to the pestering and headed down stairs, only to find a surprise of cake and people singing happy birthday. I was not in a mood to be impressed and even put up a fight to blow out the candles. I then had a slice of cake forced upon me (one of my favorite cakes, Strawberry Short-Cake from Food Emporium) and ate it, but still all pissed off about the fact that I might have to drop classes if I don't get that money. Eventually one of my co-workers asked what was wrong, and as I went off my on whispered tirade (being surrounded by superiors isn't the best place to shout about these things) I started to break down and cry. Then I was all embarassed because I was crying at my birthday, but it was my party, so I could cry if I wanted to. Eventually Jeff pulled me into his office and we talked, which I guess is all I really needed to help me rationalize the situation because I know I will be getting the money, it's just a matter of when, because until I do get it, the more I will have to pay in interest on my credit card. Jeff even offered to give me the money, which I refused because I would have felt bad, but every now and then I think about taking him up on it before the pre-guilt of being in even more debt to an actual person takes over. My loan is currently in "re-processing".
Then after work Auri picked me up from work to go out to dinner. I instantly felt better as I was walking through the lobby of my building towards the doors, where she was outside waiting enjoying an iced grande soy light ice chai latte (her favorite Starbucks drink), and when she saw me did a little dance of genuine excitement. We embrased and got into her car and drove down to Mott street where her favorite sushi restaurant was located, Mottsu. It was really really REALLY good sushi, average sushi price, but a great meal. We didn't eat enough to feel stuffed, but definately enough to feel more than satisfied. Then for desert we got some gelato at Chao Bella which is literally right next door to Mottsu. She got Key Lime Crunch and I got Maple Ginger Snap, both excellent. We then walked around for a bit when we passed through a street fair. I had not been to a street fair in NYC with carnival booths before, and now I know never to return to one ever again. I got suckered into a dart game, not realizing I was raking up $50 in dart throws (the guy kept handing me darts and saying numbers, but also encouraging me to throw better). I was totally caught up in the whole thing and then the guy told me I had to pay, I handed him a $20 bill, still kinda lost, expecting to get $15 in change. He pocketed my $20 and told me I still owed him $30. I refused to pay, and to make this long story short-ish, We walked away with a $20 piece of crap bear holding a heart that says "I love you" on it. The bears name is Jackson in honor of the "stolen" $20 and he now lives in the back seat of Auri's car. Then we went home where I got my presents from Auri, a wind-up plastic sushi, a t-shirt with a monkey on it that says "I fling poo" and a really nice monogramed leather portfolio...and other things ;).
Then Friday I had a surprise half day of work (meaning that I was originally told it was a full day and then as I was getting back from my lunch break I was told I could go home). Later that night there was a "mini" reunion of SUBCA/Lodge 2000 at Mo Pitkins. It was a fun night and I got to see Demitri Martin, Arge Barker and a couple of other small name, really funny comedians hanging out at the bar for like 5 minutes. It was still exciting to see those guys, it would have been better to hang out with them, or even just see them perform stand-up.
Saturday I met up with Adam and his girlfriend Sharon for brunch in Astoria. it was Adam's first time out in Astoria since we moved out there, so it was pretty cool to actually hang with him. Then we went to the beer garden where Sharon's friend was celebrating her graduation from Law Scool (or something) and it was also aparently Children's Day. It was pretty funny to see a mix of young adults getting drunk on a nice June day, and then a bunch of parents trying to get drunk while their kids ran around getting their faces painted and other stuff. They had some trippy Check cartoons playing on the projection screne and at one point some lady was unintelligably reading some story which I am sure noone was really listening to, and if they were, I would be suprised if they understood what she was saying. Then the scariest clown I had ever seen in my life came out. He started off coming out dressed as a milk man or something, carrying a large number of pitures of various liquids, some of which he spilled on himself. He the walked over the stage and dumped some more of the pitures on the stage while placing others down. He then took two trashcans and dumped out their contents onto the stage, creating a large mess. The children, very excited to see this performer joined him on stage and proceeded to play in the garbage and liquids. While the children were playing in the garbage, the "clown" climbed into the two garbages cans (placing one over the top portion of his body as he stepped into the other one) and started to wiggle all over the place until he stepped out in a tattered green dress, a red wig and a scary monkey mask. At this point I would have gone crying into my mother BEGGING to go home, but the children seemed to really be happy to see it. He then grabbed a fishing rod which had a large silver shuttle cock attached by a string to the end of it and began to swing it around the kids who jumped and grabbed for it. He then switched the poles for another one which had a stuffed weazle in a slinky. Not a manufactured stuffed weazle, but rather a weazle that was once alive, and stuffed after death. And the thing looked like it had been through a few performances.The kids loved this even more than the shuttle cock. Eventually the "clown" put one of the garbage cans on his head and while holding the ferret on a stick, led the kids out of the beer garden. The kids quickly ran back in and eventually the "clown" came back in dressing in normal street clothes and signed autographs for the kids. Then I went home and waited for Auri to come over.
Auri came over and I made dinner. Then we went out to go see "Kocked Up" which was absolutely hysterical. Go see it. Then on sunday I spent to morning with Auri and went out for brunch at Ovelia where they make AMAZING whole wheat pankcakes. She eventually went to go home and visit her grandma, and I went to go welcome a new neighbor. Sharon Safran, formerly of New City (I was her senior prom date, because her boyfriend at the time already had a date before they started dating, so I was invited as a "safe guard" and friend, which was awesome). I haven't seen Sharon in about 5 years or so, mostly because of distance, but never really lost touch thanks to myspace and such. So I am very happy to call her a neighbor.
Yesterday I started classes. I had my first class called "This Class Will Not Only End With A Great Portfolio, But Also A Possible Job Offer." It is an advertising portfolio class being taught by two huge names in Advertising Art Direction. I am already so excited for the class. The possible job offer comes from the last day when they invite a number of people from various ad agencies to come and review everyone's portfolio. Four people in the class last year got job offers on that review day. My first assignment is to create funny advertisements for the company Garmin. My brain hasn't stopped working on it. I am so excited. Tomorrow night I start my graphic design class. However, with all of this, I realize I am not going to have time to work on Stinky Foot or C-M University, so as of now I am announcing a temporary summer hiatus. but keep checking back there to see if I decided to actually do something. It's always a possibility.
Can I get a Hell Yeah?
Most likely.
Long time no update, huh. Well there has been just so much going on, and so little time to do anything about it. Being in a relationship definately gets your time card pretty full, but that is definately not a bad thing. So let's see, I told you about my birthday party, but I had not told you about my actual birthday week. It continued on tuesday by going out to dinner with Auri to a restaurant I found while showing Julie (from birthright) around Astoria in my coninuing effort to move as many people out there as possible. It is called Mezzo Cafe and what drew me to it was the decor of the place (with a name like Mezzo, I assumed it was a Mexican place), decorated in a style that is very northern californian or mediteranean (depending on your view-point). It turns out it is a Greek Restaurant, where the food is very good and reasonably priced (because it's in Astoria), and we will most likely go back there again, feel free to join us.
Wednesday night I decided I wanted to go out drinking with people from work, since it was the night before my birthday. In hind sight, Wednesday night was not neccessarily the best choice, but that just happened to be the night of the week before my birthday. Having your birthday on a Monday-Thursday (unless you and everyone you know work at jobs with "odd" schedules, ie part-time work and/or no job) gargles my balls, but you do with what you can. So the week before I sent an invite out to the people in my office I absolutely wanted to be there sharing drinks with me. Then the day before, as a reminder, I sent out an email to everyone in the office (also so as not to piss anyone off, but to hopefully ensure that people I didn't want coming had other plans). So Wednesday night I headed down to Valhalla on 54th and 9th, right after work in the hopes that I would shortly be joined by the 20 or so people who had enthusiastically responded to coming out drinking. I got to the bar around 5:30pm and saddled up to the bar and bought myself a beer, since no one else was around, what's wrong with paying for one beer at my birthday celebration. Soon that beer turned into two, and then three, and by 6:55 I was ready to go home, defeated and depressed. I wondered why the bar tender didn't even come up and ask me what was wrong. I mean, isn't that their job AND the way they pick up better tips? I caught my reflection in the brass backing of the beer-tap wall, and noticed that my sour-puss looks an awful lot like a blank, unemotional facade, which made a little more sense. Plus I figured it was wednesday night, so the bar was probably saving their "better" service for a more "hopping" night, and the girl was just trying to get though the evening without too much trouble. Just as I was approaching the half-way point on my third beer, one of the agents from my office showed up. I was happy to see someone actually show up, but one out of 25 respondees out of 250 agents is pretty sad. Eventually in the next hour, four other agents showed up, and by that point I was pretty drunk, but also thankfully not paying for any more drinks (nothing sucks more then having to spend money on your birthday, especially when you are tight budgeted). Of course I was still really hurt by the lack of people who did show up (which was probably also effected by the lack of people to show up to my birthday party just a few days before, because my mind see's what's missing because I am like that).
On my birthday, I started the day off being consumed by the overwhelming feeling of being extremely unpopular and not as liked by the world as I really want to be. The lack of people on Wednesday night made a little bit more sense once I was at work. Half the people who approached me to wish a happy birthday appologised because they had last minute showings/open houses/etc (which I was willing to half-heartedly believe). The other half of the people came up to me to wish me a happy birthday and tell me they were excited about going to the bar TONIGHT (meaning the night of my birthday). That I should have expected. If I have said it once, I've said it a thousand times, you don't have to be retarded to work in real estate, but it sure as hell seems like it. So I managed to make it through a miserable day at work, up until around 3:30 when I realised I hadn't heard from the loan company about the status of my loan, so I called them. That was when I heard the best news one can hear on their birthday (especially when in the mood I was in). My loan was CANCELLED!!! YAY!!! Oh wait...I mean WHAT THE FUCK!!! I feel like I have gone through more bullshit with this process than...well I can't even think of an example, it's been that fucked up. Apparently the information I had sent in (since February) was STILL not enough, but all because of beurocratic bullshit, which I should have avoided, but they changed the rules around May, while in the middle of dicking me around. So while dealing with all this and trying to get a hold of the school to get copies of the paperwork I needed faxed to me, my co-workers started to bug me to go down stairs to fix a colapsed shelf and various other stupid things that were absolutely not what I wanted to be doing. I told them that what I was doing on the phone was more important to me then anything else right now. They told me this was my job, and in my state of agitation and distain for my fellow office mates, I shouted out "I quit!" and continued my phone call. Eventually I gave in to the pestering and headed down stairs, only to find a surprise of cake and people singing happy birthday. I was not in a mood to be impressed and even put up a fight to blow out the candles. I then had a slice of cake forced upon me (one of my favorite cakes, Strawberry Short-Cake from Food Emporium) and ate it, but still all pissed off about the fact that I might have to drop classes if I don't get that money. Eventually one of my co-workers asked what was wrong, and as I went off my on whispered tirade (being surrounded by superiors isn't the best place to shout about these things) I started to break down and cry. Then I was all embarassed because I was crying at my birthday, but it was my party, so I could cry if I wanted to. Eventually Jeff pulled me into his office and we talked, which I guess is all I really needed to help me rationalize the situation because I know I will be getting the money, it's just a matter of when, because until I do get it, the more I will have to pay in interest on my credit card. Jeff even offered to give me the money, which I refused because I would have felt bad, but every now and then I think about taking him up on it before the pre-guilt of being in even more debt to an actual person takes over. My loan is currently in "re-processing".
Then after work Auri picked me up from work to go out to dinner. I instantly felt better as I was walking through the lobby of my building towards the doors, where she was outside waiting enjoying an iced grande soy light ice chai latte (her favorite Starbucks drink), and when she saw me did a little dance of genuine excitement. We embrased and got into her car and drove down to Mott street where her favorite sushi restaurant was located, Mottsu. It was really really REALLY good sushi, average sushi price, but a great meal. We didn't eat enough to feel stuffed, but definately enough to feel more than satisfied. Then for desert we got some gelato at Chao Bella which is literally right next door to Mottsu. She got Key Lime Crunch and I got Maple Ginger Snap, both excellent. We then walked around for a bit when we passed through a street fair. I had not been to a street fair in NYC with carnival booths before, and now I know never to return to one ever again. I got suckered into a dart game, not realizing I was raking up $50 in dart throws (the guy kept handing me darts and saying numbers, but also encouraging me to throw better). I was totally caught up in the whole thing and then the guy told me I had to pay, I handed him a $20 bill, still kinda lost, expecting to get $15 in change. He pocketed my $20 and told me I still owed him $30. I refused to pay, and to make this long story short-ish, We walked away with a $20 piece of crap bear holding a heart that says "I love you" on it. The bears name is Jackson in honor of the "stolen" $20 and he now lives in the back seat of Auri's car. Then we went home where I got my presents from Auri, a wind-up plastic sushi, a t-shirt with a monkey on it that says "I fling poo" and a really nice monogramed leather portfolio...and other things ;).
Then Friday I had a surprise half day of work (meaning that I was originally told it was a full day and then as I was getting back from my lunch break I was told I could go home). Later that night there was a "mini" reunion of SUBCA/Lodge 2000 at Mo Pitkins. It was a fun night and I got to see Demitri Martin, Arge Barker and a couple of other small name, really funny comedians hanging out at the bar for like 5 minutes. It was still exciting to see those guys, it would have been better to hang out with them, or even just see them perform stand-up.
Saturday I met up with Adam and his girlfriend Sharon for brunch in Astoria. it was Adam's first time out in Astoria since we moved out there, so it was pretty cool to actually hang with him. Then we went to the beer garden where Sharon's friend was celebrating her graduation from Law Scool (or something) and it was also aparently Children's Day. It was pretty funny to see a mix of young adults getting drunk on a nice June day, and then a bunch of parents trying to get drunk while their kids ran around getting their faces painted and other stuff. They had some trippy Check cartoons playing on the projection screne and at one point some lady was unintelligably reading some story which I am sure noone was really listening to, and if they were, I would be suprised if they understood what she was saying. Then the scariest clown I had ever seen in my life came out. He started off coming out dressed as a milk man or something, carrying a large number of pitures of various liquids, some of which he spilled on himself. He the walked over the stage and dumped some more of the pitures on the stage while placing others down. He then took two trashcans and dumped out their contents onto the stage, creating a large mess. The children, very excited to see this performer joined him on stage and proceeded to play in the garbage and liquids. While the children were playing in the garbage, the "clown" climbed into the two garbages cans (placing one over the top portion of his body as he stepped into the other one) and started to wiggle all over the place until he stepped out in a tattered green dress, a red wig and a scary monkey mask. At this point I would have gone crying into my mother BEGGING to go home, but the children seemed to really be happy to see it. He then grabbed a fishing rod which had a large silver shuttle cock attached by a string to the end of it and began to swing it around the kids who jumped and grabbed for it. He then switched the poles for another one which had a stuffed weazle in a slinky. Not a manufactured stuffed weazle, but rather a weazle that was once alive, and stuffed after death. And the thing looked like it had been through a few performances.The kids loved this even more than the shuttle cock. Eventually the "clown" put one of the garbage cans on his head and while holding the ferret on a stick, led the kids out of the beer garden. The kids quickly ran back in and eventually the "clown" came back in dressing in normal street clothes and signed autographs for the kids. Then I went home and waited for Auri to come over.
Auri came over and I made dinner. Then we went out to go see "Kocked Up" which was absolutely hysterical. Go see it. Then on sunday I spent to morning with Auri and went out for brunch at Ovelia where they make AMAZING whole wheat pankcakes. She eventually went to go home and visit her grandma, and I went to go welcome a new neighbor. Sharon Safran, formerly of New City (I was her senior prom date, because her boyfriend at the time already had a date before they started dating, so I was invited as a "safe guard" and friend, which was awesome). I haven't seen Sharon in about 5 years or so, mostly because of distance, but never really lost touch thanks to myspace and such. So I am very happy to call her a neighbor.
Yesterday I started classes. I had my first class called "This Class Will Not Only End With A Great Portfolio, But Also A Possible Job Offer." It is an advertising portfolio class being taught by two huge names in Advertising Art Direction. I am already so excited for the class. The possible job offer comes from the last day when they invite a number of people from various ad agencies to come and review everyone's portfolio. Four people in the class last year got job offers on that review day. My first assignment is to create funny advertisements for the company Garmin. My brain hasn't stopped working on it. I am so excited. Tomorrow night I start my graphic design class. However, with all of this, I realize I am not going to have time to work on Stinky Foot or C-M University, so as of now I am announcing a temporary summer hiatus. but keep checking back there to see if I decided to actually do something. It's always a possibility.
Can I get a Hell Yeah?