SeattleCasbah.Com

Dividend time!

Happy Happy Happy!
Joy Joy Joy!

Thus were my thoughts upon recieving my 2006 REI Dividend. $450! A second later though, a thought popped in my head. What am I going to spend it on living out here?

So let me ask you guys...what would you do with $450 to spend at REI?

Upperwest: At Least I Wasn't Giving Directions to Dinner

That's pretty much how it went down. Said to a girl I had seen a few times before in a bar I frequent for lunch. My friend Dave thought the whole thing was pretty self-deprecating and that girls like dorky ask-outs. Who am I to argue?

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In a New York state of mind

I've been in a NY state of mind recently. I've been reading NY authors (Sarah Vowell currently, in case you are wondering), watching Woody Allen movies, and listening to NY bands (The States, Pela, Rainer Maria). I guess its because I want to understand more the city I'm living in, the people I'm standing besides. You can only be a tourist for so long and the fact that I'm paying rent here should call to mind a more long term mind set. Not that I want to become a New Yorker or anything like that - I am always introduced as being "from Seattle", so I think that comes with it a sort of cultural cache.

"Oh, Seattle!" they must think, "he must be liberal minded, outdoorsy, and simple".

In any case, I find it always helpful to carry around a book (and to have a coat that has a pocket just big enough to fit in a trade-sized paperback). Its not that I want people to notice that I am well read or am into a certain author - far from it. I actually want Sarah Vowell to see me with her book. She's probably the type that would never say anything about it, but maybe it'll give her some inward joy to see someone with one of her earlier works. That's it, nothing else - although if on the off chance I do run into her, we chat, go out for coffee, then end up in a short-lived relationship, I don't think I'd be able to watch the Incredibles again without high-fiving myself.

Carrying around a book means that you are really never alone, you have your friend in your pocket (there's a joke here somewhere). Seriously, isn't that a requirement of being a New Yorker that you have a friend who is an author, dancer, singer, actor, etc? If you have seen Annie Hall, you would think that's all the population of NY is made out of. (speaking of which, its amazing how many of my friends haven't seen this movie. Go see it. If only for the greatest masturbation joke ever told, "There's nothing wrong with masturbation. Its just sex with someone I love.")

Prior to coming to NY, my idea of what it would be like to live here was parts Annie Hall, parts The Warriors, and parts "Coming to America". Believe me, I was surprised to see that of the three, its closest to "Coming to America", in that its not so much witty banter with actresses or subway fights with guys on roller skates, but more dick jokes and heavy accents. While I'm fine with not having the subway fights, I'm determined to meet people who aren't like me (aka witty actresses). I've made a couple friends already who are in publishing. I know a waitress who is a modern dancer. Another is a bartender who used to be a Ukranian cop. Come to think of it, I'm doing pretty well for myself I guess. I mean, doesn't everyone want a friend who is a tall dude from Seattle?

Reno 911!: Miami

Has anyone seen the TV spot for the Reno 911!: Miami movie?

All I'm going to say is, 1) the movie's gonna rock and 2) never try to push a beached whale off the beach.

The club was torn UP!

My buddy Adam was in town from Seattle for the weekend, so on Saturday night we went out to the Mercury Lounge to catch my new favorite band, Pela. Now only was the show awesome, but opening was a band called The High Strung out of Detroit. I caught 18 seconds of a base solo with my Lumix...it was absolutely sick. photos

My sister in the news

Most of my friends have met my sister, JinHee at one time or another. She's been living in Phoenix now for almost six years.

JinHee was an awesome college softball player and has transferred her ability into coaching for her high school team, which made a good run last season. I have her name saved as a "google alert", so time to time I'll get a news article sent to my inbox detailing her most recent adventures.

And adventures they are. My sister has been a part of many weird moments of my life, including a kidnapping attempt, lisping police officers, underground goths parties (!), voo-doo, and a lot of other things not suitable for a teacher to have said about her!

Anyway, here's the article that started this all. Jump

Central Park - Winter

It has been cold in NY the past few weeks, bone-cold. No snow though, something I'm pretty happy about. Just an hour north there's several feet of snow piled up. 9 feet in some places. Meanwhile here though, there is just a quiet coldness to the air. So far, winter in NY has been my favorite season. The crisp air, the wind that tears up your eyes. If people are walking in the park on the weekend, its because they want to enjoy the coolness, to take things down a notch and relish the sunlight on their freezing faces.

BJ seems to especially enjoy walking in the cold, sometimes cruelly I suspect. Anyway, just a few more photos today with the Lumix, walking through Central Park.
Central Park Gallery

Anna Nicole and Willie the Irishman

I was in the Dive Bar this afternoon, watching Marquette come within 1 point of the Hoyas before getting blown out by 20. Anyway, next to me is an old irish drinker, Willie. About 70 or so, Willie is well known by everyone in the bar.

"So Willie," says the man seated next to him, "are you the father of Anna Nicole's baby?"

Willie takes a drink from his scotch before responding, "I wouldn't fuck her with a q-tip."

its not a fight if the guy won't hit you

I was out tonight with my friend and her roommate. It was a good night, with plenty of drinks consumed. However, halfway through the night, the two girls were attracting some attention from the predominately male bar. I waited for a while, but decided to take my leave.

Granted, I may have made some snide remark on my way out, like, "OH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" after over hearing someone claim to the roomie that he was the Seahawks backup tight end as I left, but little did I expect the 6'6" guy to take offense to my comment. She and her friend found some fun, OK - I'm fine with that. But damned if I'm going to go quietly.

So big guy who says he's a SEATTLE SEAHAWK TIGHT END BACKING UP JERRAMY STEVENS asks me why I have to be a "cock blocker". I confess that I am in love with the girls and can't stand to see them with anyone else.

Lets back up...I know the seahawks. I love this team. I also know that if your name isn't Ben Joppru or Will Heller, you probably didn't back up Jerramy Stevens. I also know that if I'm out with two females, damned if I'm going to let you, um...block me. So there were two very good reasons not to be cooperative tonight.

So anyway, blah blah blah - I'm on my way out after making my rather loud pronouncement. Fake seahawk takes offense...and so I lower my voice and confess my love for her and her roommate. I also ask him to sign my fake practice jersey. He then said that I was a loser. I just reply, "well sir, you are my favorite fake seahawk".

For some reason, he didn't like that.

So I was the jerk tonight. Its not something I'm proud of, but seriously, when you call someone on their bullshit and they won't do anything about it, you can't help but feel a little empowered. The girls are probably pissed that I ruined their chances of a "connection", but c'mon; if you expected me to just dissapear into the night ignored, you have the wrong fool.

That's just how I roll....

Great Moments in Corporate Email

From: Rhoades, Jacob J.
Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2007 3:14 PM
To:
Subject: RE:

I think this is my favorite email of all time.

---

From:

Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 4:16 PM
To: Rhoades, Jacob J.
Subject:

What is your email address?