A New York First...

Today, I got on the "2" express train at 96th street. It saves me a lot of time and trouble than taking the local "1" train all the way down from 110th street to 34th street/Penn Station, where I get off to go to school. Anyway, at one of the stops - 72nd street - this "thing" got on the train. I'm still not sure if it was male or female. Anyway, it was eating a huge greasy slice of pizza - with anchovies. I like anchovies - on occasion - but I like to eat them, not inhale them. The nasty fumes were making the girl across from me gag and the woman next to her was pinching her nose shut to block out the smell. At first, before I saw the person with the food, I thought someone had stepped in dogshit or some baby had shit in its diaper - it was that bad. Lucky me, I got to sit right beside this grotesque creature. I kept looking around, hoping someone would say something, but no one did. Everyone I made eye contact with just looked at me, then looked at the thing, then shook their head in disgust. Finally, I reached the 34th street stop. I debated over whether or not to say anything and finally thought to myself that I had to make this person know how revolting they were being by bringing that crap on the train. I told them, "Hey, thanks for making my commute smell just like that piece of dogshit you were eating," which was met with an abrupt and high-pitched "Shuddup!" It sounded like a third grader recess ground defense. That was the end of that. I walked to school feeling better, knowing that I had finally bitten someone's head off in New York, after putting up with so much bullshit the last half a year.

Do You Remember...(Part II)

...the "Faces of Death" series of films? Kyle, this one's for you. I remember hearing about them somewhere between middle school 6th grade and junior high and daring one another to rent it and watch it. I actually saw one of the series' installments - it looked pretty fake. But there was a really, really funny/cheezy song that played during the closing credits - does anyone remember it? If you saw it, you'd remember it - it went like this: "Faces of death, faces of death, faces of death around you..." and then an electric guitar solo whales out on you. Really over the top. I'd be interested to know if anyone else saw these things, though. Pretty tasteless/tacky question, but oh well...

Do You Remember...(Part I)

...Matt Christopher books? If so, which was your favorite? ("The Dirt Bike Kid" here)

Best. Bathroom. Graffiti. Ever.

From the City University of New York's Graduate Center restroom (34th and 5th Avenue), men's bathroom in the lower level of the Mina Rees Library:

"Don't just sit there...Bear down. Don't just let it happen....Grip it and rip it."

Question: What's the best bathroom graffiti you've ever encountered?

The Sides...

Here's what the sides look like. Schmooth, eh?

New Haircut...

So, I got a call from my Dad yesterday. He just called to say "hello"...and to ask me if I'd gotten a haircut recently. I told him no, because I wasn't sure where I should go here to get a haircut - I still don't know where things are all that well yet. He urged me to get one, so, I set out on the town in search of a barbershop. I walked about four/five blocks from my apartment and suddenly came across a small barbershop "district" - the whole block was nothing but barbershops and small salons. I chose "Melvin and Pat's", because it had a good name and an enormous Dominican flag hanging from the front window. I went in and everything was cool except I was the only one waiting and everyone that came in after me kept getting their hair cut before me. It then became clear to me that there was only one guy in the barbershop that worked on white people's hair - and he was preoccupied with another guy. They kept telling me that he would get me next. Finally, he finished up with the guy before me and told me to sit down, which I did. He asked what we were doing for me, and I told him the regular deal: that I tend to get a little thin on the sides, so to just trim those up and leave the sideburns the length they are - the standard stuff you tell a barber. He got a little flustered at the amount of information I was giving him regarding my haircut, then he pointed to one of those huge posters with all the different kinds of haircuts you can get. Except this poster was nothing but young Latino men. He said, "you mean, like, this guy?" and pointed at a respectable-looking guy in the lower right-hand corner of the poster. "Yeah, like him," I said - "He looks real good." "OK," said the barber, "We can do this." And he went to town on me. It didn't come out a thing like I had imagined. He cut my hair in thirds: that is, a third with the clippers, a third with the scissors, and a third with a straight razor. All in all, it came out pretty good, I guess. He cut it real close, but now I look real tough. Like I could beat someone's ass. Here's how it turned out, let me know what you think:

Back on the Blogosphere...

Hey all -

Sorry for the brief hiatus...After much prodding from the likes of Andrew S. and B.J., and a problem with accessing my blog account, I'm now back on the Blogosphere...More to come - hope you're all well.

Best,

Wilbur