01.03.09
Posted in Writing, Life, Stories at 22:03 pm by Josh
My New Year’s Eve plans were pleasantly and unexpectedly foiled. A friend from my small group who was stuck at work was debating a solo ski trip for the following day, but was having difficulty justifying her decision as she’d started the week in California and was planning to end it in DC. Of course I, being the best person to come to when you need to be convinced of doing something you’re not sure about, strongly encouraged her to throw concern to the wind, pick up her ski boots, and head to Hunter Mountain, even if it meant getting up at 4:30am on New Year’s. As it turned out, my encouragement won me an invitation. Despite not sleeping until 2:00am thanks to some new neighbors who like to wear shoes until the wee hours of the morn, I rose and rushed to a bus which we both almost missed. Two sleepy hours later, we were someplace entirely not New York City, racing down a very cold, but otherwise well-conditioned mountain. I think it was the nicest New Year’s I’ve had in a very long time.
The Q has left the country. My oldest friend will be among the beasts of the Costa Rican rain forests for the next three months. She’s crazy, so I’m fairly certain she’ll survive, but prayers are most welcome, just in case.
I have two writing projects in the works this year, one of which I hope to complete tomorrow, the other I hope will be done before the end of February. The first is a collaboration: a comic book based on a building that is alive, unbeknownst to those who occupy it. I’m taking my leads mostly from House of Leaves while the artist has a number of other inspirations, of which I’m familiar with none. Still, it promises to be much fun and now that the script is almost done, I’m very much looking forward to seeing the pictures to go with it. This will be nothing like the way I imagine it, and I think that’s the most exciting part of all.
The second is a project I’ve been working on since August. I’ve completed one draft of it by hand and am now completing the second on computer. The working title is The Human Condition of Imperfect Love. It is my first attempt at apologetics, and since I can’t do anything on a small scale, I’ve gone ahead and addressed the issue of human love as it relates to God Love, how the former was intended to be more like the latter and that because it is not, we face the majority of the problems we do today. It’s not coming out quite the way I’d hoped, but then again, I suppose these things never do. I had some volunteers for reading, but as best as I can tell, they haven’t done so or at least haven’t given me any feedback on the material I’ve sent. If you are interested in giving me honest, critical feedback, let me know and maybe I can send you a chapter or…who knows, seven?
I’ve been drinking too much espresso lately. And I still need to move to Brooklyn. And I’m talking to myself more than I used to. Maybe that’s why I’m back on the blog. We’ll see.
Permalink
12.29.08
Posted in Weather, Writing, Life at 20:11 pm by Josh
I’ve got something that makes only my throat sick. What annoys me is that I’d really like to have a glass of wine or maybe some of this fine Irish whiskey I collected over the holiday, but I feel like that will only make things worse. It’s not the burn I fear; indeed, that’s what I like. It’s the fact that I can almost guarantee one slug of the stuff and I’ll end up with a full-blown chest cold, and I just had one of those last week. I blame this on the fluctuating temperatures (not on global warming).
Having more time on the couch makes writing easier, but having only a Moleskine and a desktop computer does not. If you would like to donate a laptop which has Word, internet capabilities, and at least one USB slot, please let me know.
Okay, back to what I’m supposed to be writing…
Permalink
11.11.07
Posted in Books, Writing at 17:25 pm by Josh
The word count continues…
Permalink
11.10.07
Posted in Announcements, Writing at 20:57 pm by Josh
My laptop decided to take an unexpected vacation — and it took my NaNo novel with it.
The situation is dire, and if I don’t find someone who can extract a Word document from a dying laptop, I’m going to have to admit defeat this year. While that would be terribly tragic, I also can’t help but notice that year five is where Harry first met with defeat as well. So maybe this just means that I’m a writing wizard 
::sniffle::
Permalink
11.08.07
Posted in Writing at 22:18 pm by Josh
I’m all caught up! 13,704!
Permalink
11.07.07
Posted in Writing at 22:33 pm by Josh
Only two days behind now, kiddies. I’m gaining on it. Yeah, the story sucks, but hey: it’s NaNoWriMo 
.
Permalink
11.05.07
Posted in Music, Restaurants & Bars, Announcements, Writing, Food, Life, Work, Wine at 23:05 pm by Josh
Okay, let’s recap.
Friday, I saw The Police with Kara and it was freakin’ awesome. I am still impressed with the ability of three men — in their later middle-age, no less — to rock an arena the size of Madison Square Garden with minimal help (lighting and a couple of TV screens). The crowd was a little weak; mostly old-timers who were disgruntled at Kara’s and my need to dance to every single song. Whatever. It’s Sting. You have to dance.
Saturday was the move. I am now an official Astorian, thanks to the help of Katie, Tony, George, and Kim who were all so gracious as to give up their Saturday mornings and afternoons to truck my junk across the Triboro. There is no greater rush than attempting to maneuver a seventeen-foot box truck with more play in the wheel than a kindergarten sandbox across the West Side Highway and then the Triboro Bridge. That said, never rent from U-Haul. It’s not because they’re ghetto-tastic. It’s because they’re ghetto-tastic, unreliable, and inefficient. Oh, and did I mention apathetic. Yeah. Anyway, Katie stayed to help me put the place together, putting her mad interior design skills to good use. She earned her dinner — a fine Italian meal at a nearby place which was amazing (I can’t remember the name, but I’ll get it to you soon). She had veal-stuffed ravioli and I had some kind of broad pasta with a rabbit ragu. Absolutely to die for. And let me not forget the appetizer — arugula with goat cheese drizzled in the finest balsamic I’ve ever tasted. The wine was a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and had more than enough of a dry bite to counter all of the amazing sweetness of the meal. I think we didn’t talk for twenty minutes afterwards and I really wanted to have a cigarette to wash it down. We settled for a hookah instead (at home, of course).
Back to the decorating, Katie spent the night and was so lovely as to clean while I was in church. She even scoped out the local coffee joints to let me know where the best java is in my new neighborhood. I, in the meantime, was spoiled by one of the more pleasurable Sunday mornings of my life, followed by more cleaning, hanging of guitars, washing of dishes, and — you guessed it — drinking of wine. You can’t even tell that I just moved into this place. I’m already set for a housewarming (be warned).
And now I am NaNoing, trying desperately to catch up. I’ve made up one day so far, and if I ever finish this entry, I plan to make up another before bedtime. But I am seriously behind. And the new obstacle is that I just learned that the CEO of the company I work for sits in the cubicle next to me. (Don’t ask why I just figured this out.) Obviously, that means no writing while at work. No blogging either :-/. But my distance shall only make your heart grow fonder 
Stupidly, I’ve also volunteered to submit another brief manuscript in my writing class next week. I’m telling you all of this now because you may not hear from me for a while. But until then, adieu, be well, love each other, and eat good cheese. I’ll be back before you know it.
Permalink
11.01.07
Posted in Writing at 08:53 am by Josh
I can’t believe Tom Robbins just sent encouraging NaNo pep-talk! This year will be awesome
Permalink
10.22.07
Posted in Movies, Music, Church, Writing, Food, New York City, Life at 10:57 am by Josh
Happy Monday. Let’s run over the weekend, shall we?
Friday started as something of a nightmare as I tried to make it to Astoria in time to put the final monies down on the apartment. A manager at my job managed to royally f- something up and then pinned it on me to fix, even though he knew I had to get to my mailbox in Harlem and then the bank before it closed at six. So I did a hasty, rather careless job of fixing his mistake and then took off on a very slow 3 train for my uptown digs. I made it with fifteen minutes to spare, snatched the envelope and tore it open as I hauled @$$ to the bank across the street. Ten minutes to go. That’s when the teller told me she couldn’t release five-hundred of the dollars I needed. I protested. She repeated herself with that pristine, passive aggressive customer service apathy. I argued. She remained calm. That made me angry. I spoke to a manager, then a regional manager (who happened to be in the wrong bank on the wrong day). All to no avail. I was $500 short.
Outside, waiting for the M60 bus, I realized I was going to be late because no buses were coming. I had to call the broker and tell him that I would be late for our meeting with the landlord and I’d be short a chunk of money. Thank You, God, he was very accommodating. When the M60 finally showed up I had the most awesomest driver ever, steadfastly decreeing that, no matter the traffic (or the eventual accident on the Triboro Bridge), “Tonight, everyone gets to Queens”. I told him he was my favorite bus driver ever.
So I signed the lease and then went to Luke’s to unwind with a little Octoberfest and discussion about — you guessed it — God. (Does anyone ever talk to Luke about anything else?) His wife gave me half of her microwave pizza for dinner, which was very welcome after schlepping about in the rain and heat and all of that jive.
I got home at twelve-thirty or so and thought that I would go to bed because I was beat tired. That’s when my door burst open (I’m going to have to start locking that thing) and Ally came storming in, perky as always, wanting to watch a movie. Being weak, I acquiesced. I also fell asleep. So did she. We were awakened at three in the morning by another neighbor, Nick, who had apparently joined us at some point. I realize now what I missed in college.
Saturday I fought writer’s block all day and lost. Miserably. So I turned to music and proceeded to play guitar and sing for five straight hours. Matt joined for the last two hours. It’s a wonder I can talk even now.
Yesterday was church with a “baptism lab” (listen to the mp3; Sam should hit Christian stand-up or something), followed by brunch at a lousy pub across the street from what used to be the Hudson Corner Cafe (the original brunch destination). Such amazing conversation and good company called for an extended day, so we went to Rice to Riches for rice pudding. I had the french toast flavor which was delicious and my friend had chocolate chip which was equally enticing. We sat in Washington Square with our bowls, waiting for our movie to begin. At quarter-to-five, we went to the Angelica to watch Feast of Love which turned out to be an absolutely brilliant movie with Morgan Freeman and Greg Kinnear. (Note: I want Morgan Freeman to be my best friend and next-door neighbor.) Then, alas, the day had to end, and I went home to critique manuscripts and ended up answering some questions for a neighbor about God and Christianity.
This morning I went to Astoria again to pay the balance that the bank wouldn’t release on Friday, and now I’m at work. It feels like a blissful, surreal whirlwind recently swept me off my feet and is only now gently planting them not so firmly on the ground again. Oh, sweet rapture. Don’t wake me up just yet.
Permalink
10.15.07
Posted in Movies, Music, Today, Restaurants & Bars, Writing, Food, New York City, Wine at 09:09 am by Josh
Another weekend gone. I suppose you’d like to know what I did.
Friday I ended up at Katie’s where we shared a fine Spanish-style rice with chicken and green beans, washed down with a deep red Bordeaux (completely ignoring any regulations for pairing wine with food). We’d hoped to follow up with some ice cream, but alas, the pint we got from the grocery store was skunked. Nothing but ice. Eventually, Matt came over and we jammed something awful for a while. I wish we had that one on file.
Saturday The Rents showed up and we went to the Ulysses S. Grant tomb & memorial, which I never knew existed. I wasn’t too excited about it, but it turned out to be pretty interesting. It was epic, if nothing else. You walk into one of those old marble buildings that looks like a miniature version of the Capital and directly in front of you is a large ring where you can overlook the basement floor. As you peer over, the light reflects just perfectly to see the names “Ulysses S. Grant” and “Julia D. Grant” engraved on matching polished tombs. Kinda creepy, kinda cool.
We later ate at Cafe Figaro which I absolutely do not recommend to anyone who is looking for good Italian food with good service. This place, apparently, chooses to provide only one or the other, but never both in the same visit. Because the waiter screwed up, I had to eat linguini with seafood. The problem is, I don’t like most seafood. So I swallowed the linguini, ate the shrimp and the mussels and finished off with a bite or two of calamari. Forget the squid. That’s just gross.
Sunday was church, followed by coming home to write…anything. I felt a bit of the writing bug, so I went to town on it, but got distracted by making marinara sauce (I used port wine this time and it was an excellent idea ) and talking on the phone. Then Matt came over for a jam since we’ll be busy this week, and then my tres cool upstairs neighbor Ally came down and we watched The Nightmare Before Christmas.
And now I’m sitting at home, late for work, waiting for one of the lazy (expletive) who works in the building management office to get into work so I can drop off the check they told me four weeks ago I didn’t have to pay. Apparently, they forgot that agreement. I wish I could exercise selective memory for the sake of convenience.
Have a nice week.
Permalink
« Previous entries ·