More Virgo Gone Bad tendencies...

(I just like that phrase :-)

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Why I:

Buy and read all the newspapers I can get in a particular area on my birthday.

It started in Chicago, living on my own and going to school - I would get and clip the birthday horoscopes from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times.

It really got nuts and became a birthday 'tradition' that has now become a determinedly mindless habit when I had LOTS o' free time in Jacksonville, Florida - where I would get The Jacksonville Times-Union, Gainesville Sun, Orlando Sentinel, Miami Herald and Atlanta... *scritch head*.. something or another Constitution...

I would actually READ all these papers, have a good meal, hang with a few friends on occasion.. but that established my 'tradition' of taking a day off and spending a quiet day by myself.

On occasion, Ive been thrown parties - and the unfortunate planners have been bitten by what seemed like my particularly ungrateful churlishness. Its not that I didnt or dont appreciate the thought or effort, but shit... I just want to chill, read my papers and not have to put my social face on.
(What social face is that? folk will ask...)

People get much props from me just for remembering that it is my birthday. I really dont need anything else.

So, it may seem strange to some that I went walkabout by myself the other day.

The truth was I was actually trying to find someone to hang out on the town with. But the Usual Suspects had made other plans or were unavailable.

Alone Again, Naturally. (Thats a song, by the way...)

So I said "Phucket".. and took off.

But I still made it a point to buy all the papers for that day.

Being the New York Area.. it was a rich haul.. The Times, Daily News, Post, Newsday, and then added, the Jersey Journal (Bayonne Edition), Newark Star-Ledger, North Jersey Record.
I coulda gotten more, but after awhile you just end up reading the same wire reports, comics and horoscopes, so that was it.

Im still wading through them.

By the way, Ive never found the yearly astrological forecasts in the newspapers to be even remotely accurate.

But I still clip 'em.

It's a tradition.
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I went walkabout, so the random pix theme for the day.. people walking about....


PATH Station, Journal Square, Jersey City


34th and Broadway



Times Square Area













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Oh yeah.. i had my Birthday Meal from a dominican place in Journal Square, Jersey City



Lessee.. yer lookin at yellow rice and beans, stewed chicken, spaghetti and chicken and sweet fried plaintain on the side there.

Very good, very filling..

The North Jersey area has garnered a growing reputation of having excellent ethnic restaurants, above and beyond yer standard high and low-end fare of NYC.

So far, so good. :-)

A photographer once told me he enjoyed taking pictures of sunsets, over the Hudson River - ie: Over the Jersey side.

Until then, I never really paid attention to the New York sunsets.

Then he showed me....

Sky on Fire.

Pictures rarely do it justice.

The edges of clouds look like theyre burning embers, and this golden glow changes clouds to ... fire.

Made the shine on the Jaguar ...

New Jersey probably has the highest per capita of Jaguars, I swear.

Umm, *this* Jaguar belongs to one of the young mafioso of the neighborhood.

He was very gracious when I asked to take pictures of the Jag, if a little suspicious.

Thank god for his girlfriend, who loved the pictures....

I feel good. I had a nice birthday.

The large slice of pizza from the local "Cluck-U" (the actual name) pizza and chicken joint and a beer late last night after I came in from the city hit the spot.

My head is clear, and I know what I want... even better, I know what I want on my terms.

Reminds of the day I turned 21, and I was home in the dark, fraught with crippling fears and doubt until my best friend called..

"Hey, Happy Birthday Boy. What are you doing?"

"Sitting in the dark and whimpering."

"What??? Man, look. Im coming over to take you out and get you drunk."

And so he did... cruising all manner of Chicago's finest entertainment establishments, where we were kindly offered Blow (for free!!) in every bathroom we went into, I shit you not.

I wonder how my life wouldve turned out if I had tried it then...

(My best friend was watching my back, and was far more savvy than I. Wouldnt have let me if my judgement had fled..)

That was the last time I got that drunk, and yes it got me past my fears.

As it turned out, my fears were NOT at all irrational. :-)

I think I was just afraid I couldnt handle what lay ahead.

But with the grace of the gods and the help of my friends, Ive gotten through so far.

And now....

Hm.

Whats the most succinct way of putting all this down? Ah, yes.

My fears have turned into opportunities and possibilities.

Yeah, Im feeling good.

7:00 PM
Dateline: EasyEverything Internet Cafe, Times Square

Gah. I shoulda been in Brooklyn by now, getting my haircut and shit.

Instead Im surfing in an INTERNET cafe. Gah.

Heh. Im a simple man, I dont need much to have fun.

Cant upload the plethora of pix I have yet.. but soon...

I need to get outta here.
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My Birthday Horrorscope

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (August 29). The message of your birthday chart is that everything happens for a reason, even things we think of as bad.
That's not to say bad things are coming your way, but life will be simpler and more enjoyable if you don't take setbacks so seriously.
Look at the big picture.

*Nod*.... thats what Princess Moshi said today too..

The gods dont give you everything at once, do they...

From another newspaper..

TODAY'S BIRTHDAY (August 29). It's a year when you make opportunities work for you! Yoe'll receive money in one huge lump sum in late September. Other financial ventures you start in the fall will bring long-term financial security.

Man, I hope that applies. Eerily congruent to what Poo told me recently too...

A new romance with an old flame spices up your life and makes you much more ambitious. Marriage is possible in August.

Uhh.. whut?
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Ive gotten some great wishes all during the day, from Powerpoint presentations to goofy astrological cards.. :-)

But maybe Im biased, this is my favorite of the day...

Date: Wed, 29 Aug 2001 12:16:53 -0700 (PDT)
From: Andrew Pennant
To: Joe Pennant
Subject: YO JOE

YO SON, I CANT STAY TOO LONG, BUT HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AND
MANY MORE.

LUV
ANDREW

Yeah, so Ive got a little family favoritism goin'... sue me. :-)

New Yorkers may always be rushing off somewhere else, but the feelings are usually genuine....
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And this from the incomparable Lissa.. aka Belle

Put the dictionary
definition on the back of the shirts, like this:

Itinerant: i·tin·er·ant
adj. Traveling from place to place
n. One who travels from place to place.

New York : Noo·Yawk
n. A state of mind
(bad pun I know heheheeheh)

Some people are far too talented for their own good.

Of COURSE, Im using this. Whaddya think I am, insane??? :-)

Dont answer that...
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Ok, Im outta here.

logoff

From an e-card sent to me today.. :-)

Virgo: Unlike some Signs, Virgo doesn't see their birthday as an excuse to overindulge or let their routine slide. No surprise parties for Virgo either, please. Since this practical Earth Sign dislikes a big fuss -- hates being the center of attention -- they prefer their birthday celebrations very low-key. Make sure you've got healthy food, useful gifts and prompt, conscientious guests.

I was gonna stay home and read.. Feh.

Im gonna go walkabout around NYC, see what I get. :-)

Its my day.

And thanks to my folk whove made it worthwhile already. :-)
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And cyn?

Its OUR day.. not Michael Jacksons..

Fergit that idjit. :-)

"37"

I hear it asked more nowadays I think, although it might be that Im more sensitive to the question now.

Ive been saying 37 all month instead of my technical age, which is still 36. It felt.. feels.. untruthful... to say otherwise, even if Im jumping the gun.

But 37 is different. From 24, 27, 29, 30, 32, 34, 36.

Those have been the significant numbers so far.

Age is not just a number, and yet it is.

I can no longer say "I dont FEEL like Im .." anymore, because, really, no one takes that crap seriously when youre WELL into "thirty-something". And 37 is now closer to 40 than it is to 30.

I cant say "Im prematurely-grey" with a straight face anymore.. :-)

I actually liked being 36. Its a great age, I highly recommend it. You get to still straddle the divide and be both 20-something and 30-something at the same time.

The 20-something where I could be all self-absorbed and worry about whoami-whatdoiwannabewhenigrowup, act silly when I want to, live in and for the moment, and yet secretly hold teenagers in disdain, even if I still feel like one.

The 30-something where Ive learned a few things in the school of hard knocks, worry about if Im ever gonna be able to live my dreams, am I ever gonnna grow up, sometimes act like Im grown up, look at teen-agers as beings from another planet, listen to all kinds of music, cause there is all kinds of music, treasure and appreciate the moments,.. and secretly wish to be 20-something again.

Now all that shit is over. Yeah, pretty much.

I am now 'almost 40', and thats a different club.

Right,B? Heheheh.

At least now, being held to a higher standard, I can answer one question Ive been asking in various forms all my life truthfully.

whoami-whatdoiwannabewhenigrowup-amievergonnagrowup

Translation..."Who am I?"

Answer.... I am who I am.
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One of the polish/sicilian ladies at the Bakery

Her: "How old are you now?"
Me: "37"
Her: "Ach, yer still a young a man..."

Heh. Good. :-)

The Cappy's mom (a witty Taurus - I like hanging wit earth signs.. ) regaling me with stories last night..

"I once worked for a guy, and he had a picture on his wall of a Ferrari, Rolls and a Lamborghini parked in a driveway... and in big letters it said 'POVERTY SUCKS'."

Much laughter, cuz we've been there and know not a damned thing is funny. :-)

Im trying hard to avoid certain stereotypes, but I am SO glad Im wrapping up this internet cafe 'job'.

Some folk seem DETERMINED to live up to stereotypes.

Which stereotype? Lessee... i'm getting paid for shit (I'd be ashamed to show the project list and invoice to my peers - as that is 2 days work pay Ive slaved over a MONTH for), he's angling/scheming to get work included that we didnt agree on, he is acting like Im stealing from him and people are actually taking bets that he'll try to find a way NOT to pay me.

Ok, that fits several cultural stereotypes. :-) But if youve lived and worked in New York for any extended period, youd prolly get it right the first time.

Essentially, except for a small portion extended to me (that promptly all went toward the utilities) - Ive been working for effing free.

Frick. Bad judgement there, although I did get fast internet access to work on some of my stuff (which now apparently is a sore point, oy). And I did get to see some of the artists life that I'll be expanding upon.

Wow. I feel like Ive wasted my summer.... but no.... No negative thinking.

Its simply time to walk away.

Knowing when to walk away is a skill.
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PS: He did pay me. I hadda bark at him a bit though.

Oy. New Yorkers.
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Munching on

"I must find a truth that
is true for me . . . the idea for which I can live or
die for."
- Kierkegaard

It's got a familiar taste...
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Ok.. the "Itinerant Store" is up.

Contrary to popular legend - NOTHING in New York is Five dollahs.

But, hey - nuthing here is as expensive as having lunch in midtown Manhattan. :-)

This schtuff is a deal, lemme tell ya.

So - we got.. messenger bags, t-shirts, mugs (the BIG ones.. screw the itty-bitty ones.. they do nothing for a proper caffiene addiction), sweatshirts, baby-t's and caps.

And I will wear 'em all proudly.

Cept maybe that tote-bag.. but i figger some folk will want that.

The messenger bags, by the way.. cool as they are - are only on sale through the end of September.

Hmm. Maybe by then.. I can get 'em made here.. hmmm...

Tell me what you think.

I think I can do more with this....

Im gonna set up a little booth in Times Square...
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A happy belated to the other Itinerant spirit of New York, where the flash of a skyscraper and a steaming mugga Venti Mocha counts as near nirvana...... :-)

Then again, we ARE virgos, so the peace doesnt last fer long before we start analyzing something else to death and fifty million ways to december... ;-) *duck*
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R.I.P