Weekend Update (rather late, I know)

Friday night
1. I went to a free Saw Doctors concert outside at Lincoln Center. I wore a bright green t-shirt and jumped around a lot. Those middle-aged Irishmen make me so happy. The crazy extended family from Jersey that brought all 20 of their small children and sat about five rows apart and shouted back and forth over me during the opening acts did not make me as happy. The middle-age woman drinking mini bottles of wine and shaking her greasy hair in my face was a bit of a distraction. And during the last song some incredibly drunk boys standing behind me raised their beer in the air while they waved their arms in the air. I almost got soaked, but I wasn't too worried. Beer doesn't stain. But then one of them grabbed my ass and pretended not to know why I turned around. Congratulations, you're 12. But none of this could take away from how happy this music made me. Even if they only played an hour because there had be two bands before them and New York has stupid noise ordinances. And they'll be back in town September 25 and October 10! Unfortunately, tickets are $30, so I can only afford to go to one show.
2. I got two great phone calls. One from a high school friend I haven't seen in ages who just moved to New Haven. The other from someone at the Illinois State Fair.
3. I watched some Olympics. Mmm ... Michael Phelps.

Saturday
1. Went to the Village and helped pass out flyers for the March for Women's Lives here next weekend. I was a little intimidated by the whole thing, but it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Some people ignored me. (A man who collects cans for a living told me I had a tough job.) But other people were really excited and wanted to know more.
2. Ate some tasty Thai food to avoid going out in a downpour without an umbrella.
3. Went to a shinding in Brooklyn. Friends, food and fun (and good music, of course). It was worth the trek out there and the adventure getting a car service back.

Sunday
1. Went to Yankees game. Sat in nose bleed seats (really, second row from the top). Ate a hot dog and peanuts. Watched the Yankees suck it up (sigh). Met someone who actually reads my magazine. What are the odds?
2. Met friends for a drink at Trinity. Chatted with new Irish bartender*, who later offered to give me golf lessons.
3. Headed around the corner for cottage fries and lots of great girl talk.
4. Top it off with some ice cream at Cold Stone. (I resisted the upsell. I'm very proud of myself.)
5. Realize I've just had the best weekend in a very long time.

*Yet another reason I love Irish bartenders
"Hayes? Well, no wonder why things turned out that way. They're bad news. Trouble, every one of 'em."

5.7
It's been rather rainy in New York of late. Monday morning, I was walking to work, and, like the sensible girl I am, I was wearing flip flops and carrying my heels in my purse to change into at the office. I start to cross 85th Street. The walk light is flashing, but that shouldn't be a problem. It's a small one-way street; I have plenty of time. Then in the middle of the street, directly in front of a car, I hit a slippery patch. I step forward, and my back foot, instead of staying where it's supposed to, slips backward. But the 10-year-old me who used to take ice skating lessons would be proud. Instead of falling on my ass in front of what was about to become oncoming traffic, I performed a pretty nice lunge, umbrella in one hand, purse in the other.

New Rock City
Yesterday, one of my co-workers saw someone smoking crack cocaine outside a pizza parlor around the corner from my office. Crack cocaine! Right out on the sidewalk! And I work in a really nice part of the Village. And on my walk to the subway that morning, I passed a whole pot leaf sitting on the sidewalk. It was as if fall was coming on and the leaves were starting to turn on a near by pot tree, if those existed.

My porch in the sky
I love my fire escape, and apparently that makes me part of a dying New York tradition.

The green fairy
Last night, I went to a friend's apartment (It has a really balcony and the most amazing view of the city I have ever seen.) and ending up trying absinthe. I don't really recommend it. I didn't have any crazy visions, I just got really drunk, really fast. And it tasted really gross. In the future, I'll just stick to rum.

Delusions of grandeur
The other day while googling something for work, I discovered that Donald Trump's father's middle name is Christ. Not Christopher or Christian. Just Christ.

Ew
Walking from work to the subway yesterday I almost stepped on a dead, waterlogged baby rat. I was wearing flip flops. It took me a moment to realize what it was, and it took me quite a bit longer to recover.

The Search is over
My new roommate has signed on the dotted line. It's official. Hooray! Thanks to all of you who offered to help. (Even those I don't know.)

Even my drycleaner was trying to help me find a roommate. A week or so ago when I dropped off a pair of pants, he asked what I was doing over the weekend. I said I was showing the apartment. He got all sad because he thought I was moving. I told him it was OK; I'm just looking for a roommate. Then today, he started knocking on the window as I walked by and waving for me to come in. Um, I remembered to pick up my pants; I was wearing them. He wanted to ask if I was still looking for a roommate because a girl who had been in this weekend was looking for a place. Drycleaners: helping bring the neighborhood together.

A date with Shakespeare
Saturday I waited in line for tickets to see Shakespeare in the Park. Andrea and I were planning to get there at 6 am, so I just didn't go to sleep the night before. Not such a swell idea. It made the seven hour wait that much harder. There was plenty of entertainment in line, though. The people sleeping on airbeds. The group that brought a collapsable picnic table. The women who brought her dog, which got in a fight with every passing dog. The flute playing guy who has played every time I've waited for tickets since the summer of 2001. He used to wear roller blades; I liked him better then. But the show was great. Better than the past two years. I never knew Jimmy Smits could be so funny. Then I went home and slept a lot.

The song that has been stuck in my head for the past couple of days
"Take your parachute and jump, you can't stay here forever
When everyone else is gone, being all alone won't seem thatclever
Take your parachute and go, there's gonna have to be somedanger
Take your parachute and jump, you're gonna have to take flight

If the wind don't catch you, I will, I will
If the wind's not there, I'm here

Don't look out before you, you know it's a long way down
I'll make it safer for you, your parachute won't let you down
Take your parachute and go, and maybe come back tomorrow
Take your parachute, I am, stop you ever getting sorrow

Cause the winds might change, and the winds might blow over you
And the winds might cut you in two, unless perhaps you get araincoat

Take your parachute and go, and wave to me as you are falling
Take your parachute and jump, you'll hear a sound, it's just mecalling
It's a beautiful day for jumping, and nothing's here to keep youback
I'll make it safer for you, your parachute is on your back

Cause the winds might change, and the winds might change

Take a parachute, I am

And jump (the wind should come and catch you)
And jump (before you hit the ground)
And jump (the wind should come and catch you)
And jump (before you hit the ground)
Jump
Take your parachute"
-"Parachute" Something Happens

A Smathering
-Friday night I though I had found a roommate. We set a time to sign the paperwork the next day. There was much rejoicing. The next morning, I got an e-mail saying "Um, I have this awful feeling I forgot to mention my cat. Is that a problem?" Um, considering it's against my lease? Yes.
-Saturday I met an Irish boy who is just in New York City for the summer. He is sharing a three bedroom apartment in Bayridge, Brooklyn with 14 other Irish guys. What's $1250 divided by 15? Really, really cheap. Especially when you are working construction off the books. I guess that just means lots and lots of money for beer.
-Sometimes there are moments when you realize you have found your urban family.
-I am 95 percent sure I've really found a roommate now. No forgotten cats. No mysterious military job. Keep your fingers crossed, kids.
-For the second Wednesday in a row, I've found myself crying on public transportation. Wednesday, I think we're going to have to have a talk about this. I really don't plan to make a habit of this.