3/21/08

it's my birthday, and so far, i'm spending it waiting in our new nearly empty apartment for a mattress delivery. there's not many places i'd rather be right now, spending my first real day in this place; i just wish i had a few more ameneties.

the place still feels spacious, and im happy to be borrowing wifi from my neighbors. i do have electricity, but no gas (for the stove) and wont till at least monday. the heat is ample and makes lots of noise. the fridge, like that in Mott's, ticks and the bathroom is entirely covered in soap scum. i see i have some scrubbing to do. there are lots of neighbor noises, but im guessing that'll subside when we've got some furniture in here.

Today also happens to be the vernal equinox, the full moon - apparently this is the Worm Moon or the Crown Moon - Good Friday, Persian New Years Day , the first day of Aries (& the astrological calendar), and Purim. all these seem to point to new beginnings, which seems to be my theme for the year, but really, lets just get going already.

March 21 is also the origin of the phrase 'Who Shot JR?' in the season finale of Dallas, the birthdays of salacious Russ Myer (FASTER PUSSYCAT...), creepy Gary Oldman, eponymous Rosie O'Donnell, illustrious Kevin Federline, at least two other Open High students, and at least six new yorkers including a mother-son pair, who i don't know but am sharing a party with tonight.

next on my agenda: where to go for dinner?

HC video alumni & the Whitney

Two former professors from the increasingly illustrious Hampshire College film/video department are showing in the Whitney Biennial now - amazing! The line-up looks great, and I'm intrigued by the inclusion of artists like The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black and Spike Lee.

Julia Meltzer, who was one of my video teachers, and one of the many that left the department just before my thesis year (one of the many things that spurred a semester off), and her partner David Thorne are showing videos shot in Syria, experimental, documentary? works.

Jennifer Montgomery, who was at HC when i was, but I never took her classes, is showing films shot on and about Kodachrome. The still here is from her "Notes on the Death of Kodachrome." Her performance, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, is Saturday at the Park Ave. Amory if you want to go!

more info on these folks when I can get to the exhibition!

and, we're in.

met the super last night who wanted to make sure that I was 'alright.' the lease is all but signed, hopefully it will be soon! here's the most boring photo of a room (our new living room), ever.

after seeing a haunted-feeling apartment - a rundown brownstone with dry thorny roses by the lion-guarded white metal fence, a private yard, 'garden entrance' and an okay price, dirty and badly maintained, with a rat problem and a cold wind blowing into the place up from the basement,...
i was convinced to put our money where my thoughts were and go for the warm, west-facing 5th floor two (large) room flat with a regular size kitchen and bathroom with a tub, fire escape and room for the bikes, the bar & the cat, a few blocks from the express trains and the park, with amenities like laundry in building, an elevator, and a thriving multicultural neighborhood. it's nearly twice what the falling apartment is, but for the location (significantly closer to work than falling apartment), and the style, i think im in. d is too, by default, and i hope he's as excited as me about seeing zira bark at obese pigeons on the fire escape where our tomatoes & herbs will grow, looking out onto mimosa trees and 'south prospect park' or 'lefferts gardens' or 'flatbush' or whatever you want to call it in the morning, putting the Love Mr Egg painting above the bed, filling the three closets with all our things, and putting the toys on the built-in shelf in the foyer.

after the unreasonably stressful application process i cleared my head with a scallion cream cheese+tomato+cucumber on an everything bagel, a few phone calls, and a very long walk from the realty office to my temporary home.

crooke ave

i may have found an apartment. it's between the Q train and the park. im excited but trying not to get too excited since i haven't put in an application - maybe tomorrow? this may be the bedroom. it may also be the bedroom for my future neighbors.

or not.

wish us luck.