Saturday, November 27, 2004
Moniker, tag, label, signpost
misterB: ok, here's a dumb question...
misterB: how much longer are you going to keep the "Itinerant outta NY" title on the site?
JPennant: eh, havent thought about it
There is a reason Ive kept it.
Remember those signs where you can tell how far you are from any piont in the world? A point from where you can orient yourself.
Even tho was born in jamaica, grew into adulthood in Chicago, lived in Florida .. it is from new york where I orient myself.
New york is where my nascent dreams and passions turned into desire, stoking and crystallizing the direction of how i wanted to live my life.
New York is where this is coming out of.
Im not simply an Itinerant. I am Interant Outta New York. :)
Plus, i like the phrase.
---------
New York makes you driven.
It makes you want to achieve, to use yourself to the best of your capacity.
I dont think I really tapped into my ambitious side until I got there.
Julia Child once said being in Paris was an awakening for her. Many places have that effect on people. San Francisco is such a place. New York, to an extreme extent, is another.
I worked hard in New York. But eventually, I realized I wanted more. Much more.
And what i wanted, for now .. wasnt in New York.
Thats why I went outta New York.
misterB: ok, here's a dumb question...
misterB: how much longer are you going to keep the "Itinerant outta NY" title on the site?
JPennant: eh, havent thought about it
There is a reason Ive kept it.
Remember those signs where you can tell how far you are from any piont in the world? A point from where you can orient yourself.
Even tho was born in jamaica, grew into adulthood in Chicago, lived in Florida .. it is from new york where I orient myself.
New york is where my nascent dreams and passions turned into desire, stoking and crystallizing the direction of how i wanted to live my life.
New York is where this is coming out of.
Im not simply an Itinerant. I am Interant Outta New York. :)
Plus, i like the phrase.
---------
New York makes you driven.
It makes you want to achieve, to use yourself to the best of your capacity.
I dont think I really tapped into my ambitious side until I got there.
Julia Child once said being in Paris was an awakening for her. Many places have that effect on people. San Francisco is such a place. New York, to an extreme extent, is another.
I worked hard in New York. But eventually, I realized I wanted more. Much more.
And what i wanted, for now .. wasnt in New York.
Thats why I went outta New York.
Friday, November 26, 2004
Black Friday *
McClint signed on at 6:14:57 AM.
JPennant: why arent you at Best Buy buying 17 dollar DVD players???
McClint: hahahaha
JPennant: f'real!!!
JPennant: :-)
McClint: naaaa i'll pass
JPennant: 500 dollar new laptops, you know you want it
McClint: Fisher Price? :-)
JPennant: theyre showing it on tv here , people actually trampling each other to get to the deals
McClint: yeah that's why I'm not at the stores
JPennant: whoa, i should be at target picking up a 5 dollar rice cooker :-)
McClint: there you go!
JPennant: heheh
McClint: then get a 20 pound bag o'rice
JPennant: thats the plan :-)
JPennant: but
This is not a good day to take risks with money. You may think that because you have been rather frugal lately you can now go the other way and splash your cash on things you don't need. That's true, you can, but you will regret it later when you need that money for something more important. Keep your belt tightened a little bit longer.
JPennant: Aint that a bitch? :-)
JPennant: im not a shopper anyway
McClint: ditto
McClint: if i know of something I want, i go directly to where it is, grab it, and make a beeline to the checkout
JPennant: yup yup
McClint: being a tightwad ain't easy. it takes lots of practice
JPennant: it really does
------
1:30pm
Went out and about and ended up in SF's Union square, the tony hotel and shopping district.
It was great. The area was absolutely packed, almost 6 abreast on the sidewalks, natives and tourists alike doing their Black Friday shopping.
Macy's was done up all christmassy, the decorations were up, traffic was at a standstill, and the official christmas tree was up ready to be lit.
Damn, it was great. i was expertly moving through the crowd at a New York pace, slip-sliding, waiting and dawdling at will, the old skills coming back.
The majority of folk werent as surly and self-contained as they would be in NY tho. As crowded as it was, the excitement of the holiday season was palpable and people were genrally, mellow.; Nice.
(although to emphasize how San Francisco even that moment was, there was a Starbux promotional van giving out small mint mochas. and beside them were Scientologists giving out... stress tests. I took several mochas and avoided eye contact with the Dianetics peddlers.)
The energy of so many people in one place... ahhh.
Perked me up something nice.
Made me miss New York a little bit less.
McClint signed on at 6:14:57 AM.
JPennant: why arent you at Best Buy buying 17 dollar DVD players???
McClint: hahahaha
JPennant: f'real!!!
JPennant: :-)
McClint: naaaa i'll pass
JPennant: 500 dollar new laptops, you know you want it
McClint: Fisher Price? :-)
JPennant: theyre showing it on tv here , people actually trampling each other to get to the deals
McClint: yeah that's why I'm not at the stores
JPennant: whoa, i should be at target picking up a 5 dollar rice cooker :-)
McClint: there you go!
JPennant: heheh
McClint: then get a 20 pound bag o'rice
JPennant: thats the plan :-)
JPennant: but
This is not a good day to take risks with money. You may think that because you have been rather frugal lately you can now go the other way and splash your cash on things you don't need. That's true, you can, but you will regret it later when you need that money for something more important. Keep your belt tightened a little bit longer.
JPennant: Aint that a bitch? :-)
JPennant: im not a shopper anyway
McClint: ditto
McClint: if i know of something I want, i go directly to where it is, grab it, and make a beeline to the checkout
JPennant: yup yup
McClint: being a tightwad ain't easy. it takes lots of practice
JPennant: it really does
------
1:30pm
Went out and about and ended up in SF's Union square, the tony hotel and shopping district.
It was great. The area was absolutely packed, almost 6 abreast on the sidewalks, natives and tourists alike doing their Black Friday shopping.
Macy's was done up all christmassy, the decorations were up, traffic was at a standstill, and the official christmas tree was up ready to be lit.
Damn, it was great. i was expertly moving through the crowd at a New York pace, slip-sliding, waiting and dawdling at will, the old skills coming back.
The majority of folk werent as surly and self-contained as they would be in NY tho. As crowded as it was, the excitement of the holiday season was palpable and people were genrally, mellow.; Nice.
(although to emphasize how San Francisco even that moment was, there was a Starbux promotional van giving out small mint mochas. and beside them were Scientologists giving out... stress tests. I took several mochas and avoided eye contact with the Dianetics peddlers.)
The energy of so many people in one place... ahhh.
Perked me up something nice.
Made me miss New York a little bit less.
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Thanksgiving
My best thanksgiving times were always thanksgiving in New York.
when I lived in Chicago and Florida, i always flew, rode and drove to New York. Heat, dry, wet, cold, snow. Always great.
And right after, Ma would go shopping. :)
Hated it. The shopping, that is. For ma, it was her little yearly treat because she would go to the 34th street area and shopped everywhere.
Thats her idea of fun, shopping. And she loved to drag me around with her. Her way of showing love.
The shopping i wasnt fond of, but being out and about in the crisp of a New York fall with the energy of the hustle, bustle of shopping.
Thanks ma. ;)
----
In all my times in New York, I have never, ever been to the macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
On thanksgiving day, i preferred to be with my family and the eating. And standing out in the cold??
nah, i preferred to watch it on TV.
now, I wish i had gone to at least one.
I'll get to a parade.
-----
My ma took to the Thanksgiving holiday with a vengeance.
For her, this was the family's high holy day. The time to have her kids around her. If we werent in NY, were summoned.
She would put on a feed, spending all day to make the turkey.
The menu would have a jamaican flavor tho.
Mashed potatoes and gravy? Heck no. Jamaican rice and peas. Much better. :)
and even tho we had the Turkey, there would be a chicken too, for whats the best meat to go with Rice & Peas than chicken? And we had a little curried stew. Plantains, natch. Sweet potatoes, but the jamaican version.
Jamaican fruit punch, flavored with real fruit juices.
She would insist on having cranberry sauce.
Nobody, except her, would eat that.
-----------
Mamahell: Hey JOE
Happy holidays !
JPennant: hey hey :-)
Because Ive been living on my own all over, working and not working, holidays without ritual, most holidays dont register as all that special.
It's all the same to me.
Frankly, at the least - i dont even realize when the holidats come around and at the most, theyre annoying, becasue everything shuts down while Im trying to do things.
Pay attention, and you'll realize i dont go around saying things like 'Happy Holidays'.
i just dont. :)
-------
Hmm ... early thanksgiving eating.
Serotonin kicking in...
My best thanksgiving times were always thanksgiving in New York.
when I lived in Chicago and Florida, i always flew, rode and drove to New York. Heat, dry, wet, cold, snow. Always great.
And right after, Ma would go shopping. :)
Hated it. The shopping, that is. For ma, it was her little yearly treat because she would go to the 34th street area and shopped everywhere.
Thats her idea of fun, shopping. And she loved to drag me around with her. Her way of showing love.
The shopping i wasnt fond of, but being out and about in the crisp of a New York fall with the energy of the hustle, bustle of shopping.
Thanks ma. ;)
----
In all my times in New York, I have never, ever been to the macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.
On thanksgiving day, i preferred to be with my family and the eating. And standing out in the cold??
nah, i preferred to watch it on TV.
now, I wish i had gone to at least one.
I'll get to a parade.
-----
NYTimes: Turkey Is Basic, but Immigrants Add Their Homeland Touches
My ma took to the Thanksgiving holiday with a vengeance.
For her, this was the family's high holy day. The time to have her kids around her. If we werent in NY, were summoned.
She would put on a feed, spending all day to make the turkey.
The menu would have a jamaican flavor tho.
Mashed potatoes and gravy? Heck no. Jamaican rice and peas. Much better. :)
and even tho we had the Turkey, there would be a chicken too, for whats the best meat to go with Rice & Peas than chicken? And we had a little curried stew. Plantains, natch. Sweet potatoes, but the jamaican version.
Jamaican fruit punch, flavored with real fruit juices.
She would insist on having cranberry sauce.
Nobody, except her, would eat that.
-----------
Mamahell: Hey JOE
Happy holidays !
JPennant: hey hey :-)
Because Ive been living on my own all over, working and not working, holidays without ritual, most holidays dont register as all that special.
It's all the same to me.
Frankly, at the least - i dont even realize when the holidats come around and at the most, theyre annoying, becasue everything shuts down while Im trying to do things.
Pay attention, and you'll realize i dont go around saying things like 'Happy Holidays'.
i just dont. :)
-------
Hmm ... early thanksgiving eating.
Serotonin kicking in...
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Wow
Maybe, I need to grow up.
That's something I never thought Id be saying to myself at this age.
Frinstance, although this aint a hard and fast rule, I never really think its a good idea to get back with an ex you've broken up with on bad terms. There are usually good reasons you've broken up.
And it's hard to be friends afterward, once you've crossed that line.
E, its worked for me.
But now, I've been proffered an olive branch. And I'm actually at a loss what do in response.
You know, cuz I wasn't THAT mad when her parting words to me was that I needed to grow up.
---------
On rotation
Why dont you Do Right - Peggy Lee
I had an argument once with an ex about, I think, the ingenue singer Norah Jones. That she's pretty with a pretty voice, surely, but she doesn't move me.
Peggy Lee moves me.
Of her songs over the years, Id say her definitive rendition of 'Fever', and her well known 'He's a Tramp' are my favorites.
But, 'Why Dont You..' , yeah baby. Her measured voice with Alan Silvestri's nimble classical/roadhouse dive jazz piano .. doesnt get much better.
'get outta here
get me some money too..'
Maybe, I need to grow up.
That's something I never thought Id be saying to myself at this age.
Frinstance, although this aint a hard and fast rule, I never really think its a good idea to get back with an ex you've broken up with on bad terms. There are usually good reasons you've broken up.
And it's hard to be friends afterward, once you've crossed that line.
E, its worked for me.
But now, I've been proffered an olive branch. And I'm actually at a loss what do in response.
You know, cuz I wasn't THAT mad when her parting words to me was that I needed to grow up.
---------
On rotation
Why dont you Do Right - Peggy Lee
I had an argument once with an ex about, I think, the ingenue singer Norah Jones. That she's pretty with a pretty voice, surely, but she doesn't move me.
Peggy Lee moves me.
Of her songs over the years, Id say her definitive rendition of 'Fever', and her well known 'He's a Tramp' are my favorites.
But, 'Why Dont You..' , yeah baby. Her measured voice with Alan Silvestri's nimble classical/roadhouse dive jazz piano .. doesnt get much better.
'get outta here
get me some money too..'
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Frisco potato
JPennant: ive hardly left sf since july
JPennant: heh, thats so NY :-)
misterB: hehe
Sure havent, except for my meanders to the marin headlands, and thats only because a MUNI bus goes there on sundays.
Yeah. I think Ive been to Oakland and Berkeley but once or twice since i came to San Francisco.
Part of it is that its muy expensive to travel around the Bay Area. Unless youre travelling within local areas, cross county lines and BART will evaporate a 10 dollar ticket with a quickness.
Thats very unlike NY.
But sorta like NY, if you live in The City, you dont really NEED a car. And if you dont have a car, you'll be disinclined to leave the cosy confines.
In fact, Ive become so parochial, that when i search Craigslist, I confine my search for the city, rarely bothering to even check the east Bay or peninsula, places that are within easy reach.
Like NY, everything I need is within the city, but unlike NY, everything i need is not within my neighborhood. When I lived in Brooklyn, the barbershop, chinese takeout, supermarket, laundromat, dry cleaners and bakeries were all within 2 square blocks.
Here, its more like 4 - 6 square blocks.
The other difference between here and NY?
Only tourists take cabs here.
-------
A Fat Darrell
This is a sandwich served by Rutgers University at the R.U Hungry Grill and Pizza and grease trucks all over that area.
The ingredients on a long roll:
- chicken fingers
- mozzarella sticks
- marinara sauce
- a lot of french fries.
Mmmm hmm.
1400 calories and 65 grams of fat.
Or to put it in terms the lay person can understand:
Dang, I miss the east coast.:)
JPennant: ive hardly left sf since july
JPennant: heh, thats so NY :-)
misterB: hehe
Sure havent, except for my meanders to the marin headlands, and thats only because a MUNI bus goes there on sundays.
Yeah. I think Ive been to Oakland and Berkeley but once or twice since i came to San Francisco.
Part of it is that its muy expensive to travel around the Bay Area. Unless youre travelling within local areas, cross county lines and BART will evaporate a 10 dollar ticket with a quickness.
Thats very unlike NY.
But sorta like NY, if you live in The City, you dont really NEED a car. And if you dont have a car, you'll be disinclined to leave the cosy confines.
In fact, Ive become so parochial, that when i search Craigslist, I confine my search for the city, rarely bothering to even check the east Bay or peninsula, places that are within easy reach.
Like NY, everything I need is within the city, but unlike NY, everything i need is not within my neighborhood. When I lived in Brooklyn, the barbershop, chinese takeout, supermarket, laundromat, dry cleaners and bakeries were all within 2 square blocks.
Here, its more like 4 - 6 square blocks.
The other difference between here and NY?
Only tourists take cabs here.
-------
A Fat Darrell
This is a sandwich served by Rutgers University at the R.U Hungry Grill and Pizza and grease trucks all over that area.
The ingredients on a long roll:
- chicken fingers
- mozzarella sticks
- marinara sauce
- a lot of french fries.
Mmmm hmm.
1400 calories and 65 grams of fat.
Or to put it in terms the lay person can understand:
You would have to eat two Big Macs, one-and-a half Whoppers or three 6-inch Subway meatball sandwiches to come close to the 65 grams of total fat in the Fat Darrell.
Dang, I miss the east coast.:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
