Snowtastical

Today was brilliant.

People gathered at Prospect Park in droves. Young and old assembled in the winter wonderland, on boots and snowshoes, skis, sleds, and snowboards. I lost track of how many times we went up and down the hills, of how many hours we spent racing upon white fluff, adrenaline pumping, snow flakes falling, cries of joy in the air.

Best way to spend a snow day.

I can still feel the rush of speed in my body as we took the sled down the hill. Much like when I feel the waves still bobbing around me long after I've been in the ocean. Lovely feelings.

Coney Island: Really Fun. REALLY OPEN.

Wait a minute here. Wait just a gosh darn minute. Coney Island = OPEN? (omg omg omg!) And the Cyclone, too?? Hot damn!

And then: are you fucking shitting me? These concerts are FREE??! Pissed I missed Creedence Clearwater and Gladys Knight. But, there's Frankie Valli, Connie Francis, frackin' Blondie, Pat Benatar, and the Donnas! Holy shit man, holy shit.

Protect Coney Island!

Puke. This makes me sick. The idea of giant hotels built upon historic buildings is revolting. Revolting! Let's revolt! 

Thunderstorms!

I thoroughly enjoyed that sudden thunderstorm: two seconds tops between the thunder and lightning, sun still shining, trees a-whirling furiously. Not to mention the CONSTANT lightning. I'm pretty sure I was in the eye of it. The sky is gorgeous right now. All pink and pillowy. Wish I could get onto the roof somehow for a better photo.

It is a little bit much though, this incessant rain for the last two-three weeks, with about 10 thunderstorms in between. My neighbor commented that I must have taken Oregon with me. Only, we get maybe 5 thunderstorms a year out there (though they are fantastical, especially with the wide open skies), and never really a downpour. It's all baby rain out there.

Excessive Rain

Now, I know that I've been missing Oregon something fierce, but that did not mean that I wanted its weather to follow me to Brooklyn (why couldn't it have been the volcanos?). A little drizzle every now and then sure, gets me nostalgic, but this is just unending ridiculousness here! Maybe patches of sun every now and then, but for the last two weeks it's been nothing but thunderstorms here, torrents of rain there, and at least three of those thunderstorms happened in a row at 3 in the bloody morning. Not that I mind. I love thunderstorms. And I love rain. I just love the sunshine, too. 

Solo Bar

Going local can yield very good things, and excellent times to be had. The "new" bar on Cortelyou is, as I felt before, a pretty good venue. The pink brick building pulls you in with musical beats you can hear from a blocks away, luring you towards its happy sounds, and once inside you're greeted with a throng of people dancing - dancing on the floor and dancing in the seats. Goodness gracious, there's just something about "What'd I Say" that gets me goin', want to shake and shimmy down, twistin' the night away.  

Anywho, I say "new" because back in the day it used to be a sketchy sports bar that would be open all hours of the day, and whenever I'd walk by I'd just see these sad lonely middle-aged men with dirty shirts hangin' around (at least that's what my memory is of the place at age 14). Not the case now, and that's how I felt months ago when it first reopened too. I'm pretty sure the saxophonist played at the last gig I saw there, made me nostalgic to see him suckin' on a reed (where's my clarinet at?!). 

Ran into Jacob, who incidentally was the singer of the band ("Jake G and Friends", which last night sounded like "Jake G and the Solos"), Bree from Bushwick, Cameron from Philly, Matt (or Mark?), and fellow Portlandian, Joshua. I just wanted to jot those names down lest I forget, like I did my phone last night. 

Claustrophobia

I never realized how obstructed the sky is in Brooklyn until now. It's perfectly sunny outside, the sky is a clear blue, but now that all the trees have blossomed and popped out with greenery there's hardly any sunshine coming in the windows. Obviously leafy trees are not a problem, and maybe it was always this dark, but I did not notice until now after having spent the last few days in wide open spaces with unobstructed skies. I feel almost claustrophobic here now, and I LOVE cramped spaces, but now I yearn for wide open fields and miles of sky, which you just can't get here. Yearn! Pine! But shall not mope. This just means I need to spend more time in the middle of a field in Prospect Park is all. 

Outside

It's a funny thing, it's gorgeous outside - might get a little on the warm side, but bright and sunny, and everything's in bloom. Now what's funny is that I can't think of anything to do outside in New York city that doesn't involve spending money. Except just chilling in a park. But the gardens, the zoos, flea markets, and then the streets get excessively crowded...I miss Portland! Portland when it's nice it is marvelous, there's nothing you can't do, and you don't have to pay a dime. New York needs more parks. Needs more green, more trails, more free things to do. If New York City had mountains with hiking trails it would be absolutely perfect. But it doesn't, and I have no car, and so I am stuck with the man made parks with few hidden trails. It's glorious outside and I do not know what to do! I'll probably end up at the Botanic Garden, just cause it's close, and I need to be outdoors today. If I could, I'd go to the nursery and garden all bloody day, but a) I don't have a car and b) there's construction going on in the back of the house that sort of impedes any gardening.

***update***

Spent the day outside in Prospect Park with friends and guitars. Drinks in the evening. French fries, please! (How about some cheese!) 6 am bonding. 

A Pear Tree Grows in Brooklyn

I cannot wait to move back to Brooklyn. Cannot wait to get the hell outta here and kick the dust of Portland behind me, to leave behind all the pain and heartache. I want to start my life afresh. Relatively speaking. I mean, how fresh can it be moving into my childhood home? But totally different this time, so it is fresh. I can't fucking wait. These last several months have been forlorn and arduous, and I am ready to be out of limbo and enter the world that is adulthood. I have so much in New York to look forward to. So much. Family, friends, work, art, food, sights and sounds, the list only goes on and on.

It is not so very long until September.

Brooklyn II

Dionne Warwick is the shit. The shiznit. The bee's knees.

I can hardly contain my excitement, anxiety, and anticipation for Wednesday. I feel warm again.

quick list to do:
yakitori totto
bad horror movie
drinks with missie (tonight)

Saw "Shutter" with Alex. Had tremendous fun, despite the incredible predictability, horrible acting, and contrived screenplay. I'm just a sucker for horror movies you can laugh at.

Plans to meet Missie in the slope for dinner, v. excited and happy to see her. Will discuss house. Linda comes wednesday. Crossing my fingers. Thursday we're meeting with the Blacks (or the Bodkins, or whatever name my blood may have). I am incredibly nervous and excited about meeting my family. I hope to gain more insight into my heritage, considering my little to no knowledge in the area.

Brooklyn

I am in Brooklyn, and I did not get that jolt as I have before. Granted I came from Jersey this time, and was exhausted, and rightly peeved about the taxi fare, and the apple tree was gone, and baby it's cold outside. The weekend has been relatively low-key, but this week is about to get busy. Adam, Andreas, Alex, Missie, Steve, Wesley, Linda, the Henry Blacks, Charlie, Lucy, and so on; so many people to see!

quick list to do:
yakitori totto
bad horror movie
drinks with missie