Jewel of the North

Sometimes I wonder why I still live here, and sometimes I wonder why I'd want to leave. Days like this it's both terrible and amazing. Rage and Solace. You can't cut your teeth on scenery like this in New York, but then again, you can't chew up the scenery here either - it is what it is, an inlet which provides an accessible route for trading, a yuppie paradise, a quickly decaying dreampark and grand mall of Kennedy-Era enthusiasm, retrofitted to a once-booming electronics industry, now emerging with a hangover and concern for the future. Ahhh, S-Town.

NY-DC Photo's

Ok, ok - I walled up in my studio last night and worked on getting my vacation pictures up on Ofoto, or else it would have taken me months to do... But here they are in all their glory...

Ahem....You can click on the following in the order of the trip itself...

• D.C.
  
• New York
  
• Upstate New York
  

Apologies that I didn't get more of them. Admittedly - there are quite a few pictures and people that I should ahve got more of, but alas - did not. There were times when I wished I had my camera (Guggenhiem), but really didn't want to look like the obnoxious video camera wielding tourist freak that i can be, especially in NY, so I opted not to carry it much. In retrospect, I needed to get one of those teeny apex camera's or better yet - rig my phone to take pictures (but the latter is dangerous territory if anyone is around alcohol)...
Speaking of which, my man Momus has an interesting essay on "Photoblogging", which I've noticed that any tiny colorful thumbnail image against a white background immediately captures my heart... Perhaps I'll invest in a digital camera attatchment for my phone and start mob-blogging images that strike me daily? Hmmmmm...

Awwww - eeety bitty image.... In 'at cute?

Wonderful Town

I wanna do a quick shout out and thanks to all my homies in the big apple, upstate and DC for showing me a great time! Thanks to: Paula, Charlie, Ginger, Ian, Michael, Miraleft, Laura, Joey, Matthew Barney, Gerard Richter, Joseph Gordon Levitt, David Waine, the entire cast of Avenue Q, the fabulous people in the Village, Williamsburg, Park Slope, the Prada store, mr Mickey, Carol Channing, Sandra B, Amy Sedaris, the staff at the Abbey, Boxers, New World (except lose the guy in the cargo shorts), Juniors, CBGB's puppet slut theater, and countless other bars that I tripped, stripped, stumbled and spilled beer into... Thank you for keeping it real.
Pictures to be posted on Ofoto soon!!
JD

Voice like Honey

The only woman who sends shivers down my spine with her rendition of "I Loves You Porgy" passed away today at 70.

We shall miss you Nina Simone.

In the meantime - it's time to play:

What's Worse

Being stuck in Cancun with the icky coeds of priveledge or having to pay money to watch them on the big screen. Yes, I think I am truly going to be sick - they are filming a reality movie about guys and girls on break south of the border. If this were documentary - there would be those telling moments where these plastic people would break down on camera or witness some lifetime defeate and wince, blush or make the filmmaker turn off the camera. None of that will happen. These are people impermeable to real life and irony; they know how to act on television and show the crocodile crying jag for the last 4 minutes. They are not your real friends. They will never be your real friends no matter how much you identify with them. No matter how much they try to identify themselves as regular people. They are not regular people. They are industry. If you ever see any of them in normal social contexts outside of show biz, you should start yelling at them violently. Piggy, watch out - Seattle has your back.

In the meantime - you should catch this bootleg of the major media manipulator herself - Madonna, who's said to start re-tooling her anti-war video, American Life. Here's the original video in all it's shameless provacative glory... Hmmm, I seriously don't know what all the fuss is about - it's more fashionista than sandinista...

The Big Aural O

Ever liked a song so much it hurt? It happens occassionally, someone will compose the right hook that will stir memories, lust, spirits and the impulse to buy the next album. I'm listening to the 23 person Polyphonic Spree live on KEXP and i'm contemplating going to see them tonight. They hit those choral notes that both chill and excite you, despite the silly hippy lyrics.
Speaking of Aural Stimulation - looks like these folks have tapped into that very idea with the Audi-oh!, a pleasure device much like the Orgasmatron in Barbarella, rigged on nothing but music, music, music. I can only wonder what Wagner must feel like...
If you'd rather drink than listen to your pleasure or pleasure your listening, you can rent Who's afraid of Virginia Woolfe and engage in a very pyschotic, Albee-inspired drinking game! Fun for everyone!! Yes, even you Martha (GET ME DRINK GEORGIE!!!)...

Poets Progress

They don't make romantics like this anymore:

However, the world needs more romantics and people making beautiful melancholia without it dipping into gothy escapism or misplaced exoticism. Antony and the Johnsons is this amazing band and vocalist that does just that. He makes these Bryan Ferry like soul songs that are operatic and heartbreaking, singing like a soprano on a mission, dripping honey and a strange androgynous, alien air about him like a Keates for the 21st century.
But alas - I will miss him in New York and also when I return. His Tour with Laurie Anderson is nothing short of amazing, but alas - I have conflicting tickets to see the Notorious C.H.O... So the question is - do I want to a) laugh my ass off or b) spend the night listening to sublime music? Well, all I can say is - I'm not sure yet, but if I were you and missed out on the Cho presale, I'd take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to listen to Antony.

Fragments of A Dream

Today was an official spring day. The weather was temperate, the pollen count high, the sun not setting just yet before I entered the bus tunnel to take this whimsical photo. If birds were contracted to start singing, they probably would have, but due to noise ordinances, they can only play in certain stadiums before the hours of dusk and shortly after 7pm.
I was checking out the Whitney and wanting to see it when I get to NY, along w/Matthew Barney at the Gugg, and a score of other museums that I must see. So much to do, so little time. I also have to do taxes this weekend. Ugh. I have scads of other activity this and next week. Seems like there is a rush and blur about April - which is good. I need rush and blur right now. I don't need time to deliberate and agonize. Typically, April is the cruelest month, so sayeth Eliot:
APRIL is the cruellest month, breeding  
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing  
Memory and desire, stirring  
Dull roots with spring rain.  
Winter kept us warm, covering          
Earth in forgetful snow, feeding  
A little life with dried tubers.
I guess winter does keep us in a drunken oblivion, but then again - which month doesn't? April seems to be the month where you're working your ass off in a general direction. Let's hope the direction is going somewhere... In the meantime - have you ever created a Date Tape?, can you guess which one is mine?