Satire piece.

Yup, It's a sad day when the cowardly U.S. Senate caves in to the gun nuts once again. The gun nuts think twenty slaughtered children is a small p[rice to pay for their freedom to shoot paper to compensate for their lack of manhood. But what do you expect from our government, sane reasoning?

Dumb Memes Continues...

So I hear a lot for gun rights people since Newtown, the gun fanatics are getting desperate and paranoid. I don't blame them. People are starting to realize how dangerous many gun owners are. They're taking a serious look at gun violence and what is causing it. They see that the recent gun rampages have been committed by people who got guns LEGALLY and are appalled at this fact.

The gun fanatics are fighting back by buying more guns and putting out info, false and otherwise saying why an armed society is a safe society. They also have embraced people they think are heroes whom gun control advocates and the mainstream finding appalling.

They make heroes out of people who are good at using guns at what they do best....kill.

Here's a meme that is going around right now...

Why is it dumb? Well, first of all it makes a hero out of a person whose main achievement in life is his ability to kill people with a long range gun without them knowing it. A skill shared by the DC Sniper who was executed for having these same skills. In other words it's not a skill that is admired in civilian life.

Chris Kyle was a man who was in the Navy SEALS and was sent to Iraq to fight in Bush's war against Saddam Hussain. A war of course we had no reason to be in. He was skilled at shooting Iraqis including women who were protecting their country from invaders from a long distance. So skilled and effective he was, He signed up for three more tours of duty. Officially he killed 160 people but he says he killed at least 250. A lot of serial killers say the same thing. But I digress, This guy's a HERO.

The problem was that not enough people didn't know he was a hero. So he wrote a book talking about his exploits. Reality TV came a calling after that and he got on his own show. He became a celebrity among the war cheering gun fanatics around the country. Kyle in his civilian life never strayed from his military ways. He ran a company that provided training for military, law enforcement, and civilians, as well as private security and protection.

So how did he die? Well, He died on the gun range. He and his friend were shot by a man who he thought needed to at a shooting range in order to help him with his PTSD. Another senseless act of gun violence that continues at an alarming rate in this country. Now if only Kyle was armed.......oh wait.

So being armed at a place where everyone was armed didn't save him. And yet he was a skilled marksmen. Kyle probably felt safe in a gun range surrounded by armed people. Then again, He used a tactic many criminals do, Which is to shoot without giving them a chance to defend themselves. Never actually in defense. The meme says he was murdered in cold blood. He was armed. He had a chance. That's not cold blood.

Which brings me to another part of the meme. The part where it seems to be a problem that President Obama didn't mention his name at any time. Why should he? Did Bush mention all the soldiers that died in Iraq by name? Did he mention all those who committed suicide after they came back?

Kyle was a Navy SEAL whose exploits are not meant to be made public. That is military protocol. President Obama mentioning Kyle's exploits would violate that. Also, he died a senseless death by an armed gunman, A military hero if you would while Kyle was armed. Any mention of his death would be a rallying cry for more gun control, the uselessness of getting guns to protect ourselves and the shameful way we're treating our military personnel after they get back from war. The guy needed treatment not guns. I don't think that's what the maker of the meme wants. Kyle made a truly foolish decision that led to his death. Live by the gun, died by the gun.

And foolish decisions led to the death of Whitney Houston. She was a well known pop star who inspired many more Americans with the singing of one song in the 1991 Super Bowl than Kyle could ever hope to inspire in his lifetime. However, She had her demons. She was basically a junkie and died drowning in a tub because of her drug habits. A sad end to a tumultuous life of extreme highs and lows. Many people remember the highs, Including the Republican governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie. HE was the one who ordered the flag flown half staff in New Jersey, The state Whitney Houston was born in. It's a common practice to do so in states when a beloved individual dies. President Obama did NOT order flags flown at half staff. That's just a lie put out by the racists who put this meme out there.

Oh, did I offend anyone who is cheering this meme? Sorry, But it IS racist. President Obama gets accused of being a racist all the time, A lot of it based on lies they wish to be true. And this is one reason this meme is racist. Another reason it's racist is that it picks a black woman to contrast the exploits of a white man who they consider heroic. They only mention her death as her life time achievement and forget all the joy she gave to close to a billion people on this planet, The success she had as a performer, The patriotic fervor she inspired when she sang the "Star Spangled Banner" for Super Bowl XXV, and the movie roles that will live on forever. Whereas with Chris Kyle it was a lifetime of achievements which pointed his death as not being in his control to prevent. He helped set up his own death. The unflattering photo of her feeds into the stereotype of a black junkie and is not only racist but sexist too.

And look at the "flattering" picture of Chris Kyle. It's very disturbing to pretty much any rational person who would see it without knowing who it was. It's the "Lee Harvey Oswald" pose with a deadlier gun. A guy who looks like he'll shoot you dead if you let your dog loose and he walked on his property. His arms look like it had a little help from 'roids which may send him on a rage against his neighbors. Many shooters have a picture like this on hand after they do their deadly shooting spree. If Trayvon Martin's killer was portrayed in a picture like this it would be considered out of line. But this... This is the meme maker's idea of what a hero looks like. This is the pictures racists groups use to let people now they're not gonna take it anymore. I found this picture on many web sites when I was trying to locate the origin of this meme. Some of the top web sites in the google search were so racist, It freaked the hell out of me.


Anyway, to wrap up, It would not be in Chris Kyle's interest to have President Obama mention his name. It would only serve to further the call for limiting gun use in this country. Plus, Get your facts straight. President Obama did NOT order flags flown at half staff, It was Chris Christie, A white male Republican.

Ahhh, But these factually challenged memes will continue because right wingers don't let facts get in the way of how they feel except if you get little details wrong about particular guns.

Another Pipe Dreams cartoon!

This is a common complaint from me. It's not how I'm not rich but how I can have what would be a good salary and finding that basic needs are out of financial reach most of the time. The cost of housing always exceeds the cost of living, Especially in the NYC area. So this is just my own lament how a modest sized apartment could be so out of reach to some one who makes an average salary.

Hit and Run Numbskull

Look at this piece of drivel I got as a message through my facebook page:

• • So your telling me that another 4 years of obama is a good idea? That's like saying lets raise the titanic so it can hit the ice berg again. He had his 4 and spent to much time reafing about marx and being part of the socalist party and golfing to do any thing good for this country. 4 more years of this clown and were fucked. Incase u missed the memo this country is worse off in the last 4 years then all of bushes 8.
• 
  

  16 hours ago

  Jim Gorman

  • And if u think I'm wrong then u have spent to much time in doors watching msnbc.
    
    
    
    
    
    I have no clue who this uneducated moron is but he sure as hell went off and hid  away in a way that I couldn't reply to him.
    
    So let me take his questions one at a time. 
    
    
    
    So your telling me that another 4 years of obama is a good idea?
    
    Absolutely! BTW It's President Obama, Learn to capitalize last names when you address our president. When the race is between Mitt Romney and President Obama it's no contest. Mitt as governor of Massachusetts, He brought down its state rank to number 47, Out of FIFTY. That's Mississippi territory buddy. You want people to chant "We're Number 47!" "We're Number 47!" "We're Number 47!"?
    
    That's like saying lets raise the titanic so it can hit the ice berg again.
    
    You described going back to Bush economics to a "t". After all, Bush already smashed the economy in 2008 like the Titanic (capitalization) and President Obama raised it again and now you want a second iceberg (BTW, It's one word not two) named Mitt to sick the economy AGAIN?!
    
    He had his 4 and spent to much time reafing about marx and being part of the socalist party and golfing to do any thing good for this country.
    
    
    He had his 4 what? Meals a day? Spent too (not to) much time reafing? What the hell is reafing?  about Marx? (Capital letters on proper names please) Who, Groucho? Being part of a Southern California party? Huh? Dude, what have you been smoking? He may play golf almost as much as Bush but at least he got Bin Laden and saved the economy.
    
    4 more years of this clown and were fucked.
    
    You said it. We WERE fucked after four more years of that clown Bush. Or did you forget a punctuation somewhere? You shouldn't type angry. Although that's impossible for most conservatives.
    
    Incase u missed the memo this country is worse off in the last 4 years then all of bushes 8.
    
    In case is two words not one.  I don't do text speak, I'm an adult. No, I'm afraid we are in much better shape then we were in 2008. Stock market is way up from the day Bush left office. Gas prices have NOT hit the record highs it set under Bush. The unemployment rate and the deficit has been steady since 2009. Bush nearly TRIPLED the unemployment rate. Likewise Romney in Massachusetts. Wars are ending, Bin Laden is dead, An American auto maker is the top seller in the world again after falling behind under Bush AND Reagan. Things are pretty good despite the Republicans obstruction and Fox News propaganda that seems to have brainwashed you.
    
    And if u think I'm wrong then u have spent to much time in doors watching msnbc.
    
    I know one place you DIDN'T spend too much time in and that is classrooms.  Unless you you actually think I spend too much time inside of actual doors. That would make you really weird dude....and (yawn) on the msnbc reference, A channel I don't watch because I watch regular TV. But that's pretty much the sheep followers of Fox News would predictably say.
    
    OBAMA/BIDEN 2012! Let's keep this recovery going, No more Bushenomics!!!!
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

New Pipe Dreams Cartoon!!!!

Lottery Windfall!

Sorry for the lack of entries recently but the uploading of new posts is annoying at best. This cartoon is about my work place and how people like to pool together all their money together in hopes that it would increase their odds. Still every once in awhile a winner comes up. 3 dollars with 30 people pooled together. It happened in my work place with 20 people playing 5 bucks in. They "won" a 3 dollar.

Bad PSA

Ahhhh, Public Service Announcements. AKA PSAs. they are put there by the government and advocacy groups to "inform" you of dangers or threats you need to be aware. Sometimes they go over the top and other times their message gets lost in the wind.

My current favorite is a radio PSA about Hepatitis B. The scenario goes like this:

"Did you hear about Becky? She's got Hepatitis B"

"How did she get it?"

"From that one time she took drugs in college"

"But that was 20 years ago, And she only did drugs that ONE time!"

"Yes, But symptoms can take years before showing up..."


Okay stop right there, Let's assume that Becky didn't lie and only did illegal drugs that ONE time. It seems outlandishly absurd that the one time she took drugs it was through a needle, Most likely heroin. I mean, you're a good kid avoided drugs in high school. Then you go to college. You're away from home for the first time in your life. You are now in charge in making your own decisions.

And yes, We will make some foolish decisions. We'll date the wrong person, dress in stupid clothes, Listen to tacky music, think Ayn Rand is brilliant, and try some illegal drugs.

Most people who do will try pot, cocaine or maybe some thing a little stronger like LSD or mushrooms for one or two times and not do it again. Others become regular users of pot or cocaine and others will dive into harder drugs and become junkies. It usually gets to this point before anyone thinks of doing anything like heroin or other intravenous drugs. You have to let yourself go and not be squeamish about putting needles in your body min order to try something like heroin and beyond reason to share a needle.

So the idea that the one time you do drugs by using a shared needle is false to me. I can't see any scenario where that happens. If you somehow get to college without ever doing drugs, Peer pressure is unlikely to overwhelm one's nervousness of needles itself. The commitment to inject yourself is far greater than putting a smoking object in your mouth after seeing others do it or sniffing something up your nose. It takes skill to poke yourself in the right vein and huge amount of trust to have someone else do it to you outside of a medical environment.


Now let's say Becky isused to injecting herself because she's diabetic, The likelihood that she would be so willing to SHARE a needle is even more absurd. At the very least she would have a supply of her own needles on hand and wouldn't be so cheap to share a needle after being used by someone else.

So sorry PSA, It just rings false. At the very least I expect Becky's friends to be too naive to believe Becky's likely story.

1991

Sept 13, 1991

I spent over $100 on clothes at the GAP today. I filled out an application for them today. I really don't know...I went to a place that had a "Help Wanted" sign and asked about it (It was a Pink Pussycat type of place) and they said that they weren't hiring! WELL TAKE THE GOD DAMN SIGN DOWN THEN, FOOLS!

I got a toaster oven!! Wee Haw! (2011-My apartment didn't have a real kitchen, just a sink.) I spent too much time doing aimless wandering. Pfft! The guys called so that was cool!! I'm tempted to become an alcoholic!! I worked on more Pipe Dreams today and I'm now at a bar which is kinda cool and waiting til I can go to Kinko's and work on the computer and start writing a resume.

2011-I hung out at Kinko's a lot when I first moved to Seattle. I made friends with a guy named Mike who worked there. Kinko's was opened 24 hours and had a "happy hour" of half priced copies and half priced rentals of computers after midnight. Mike helped me out by giving me even better deals. Kinko's at the time wasn't as asinine about keep inventory. It certainly helped me out in the early days. I had the choice of renting out a PC or a Mac. Even in the nadir days of Apple and the approaching zenith of Microsoft, I chose a Mac.

1991- Twenty Years Ago, Ten Years Before...

Sept. 11, 1991

Man O man! Forget it!!! I've got more stuff for may apartment but man o man I don't know what to do with my time. I went down to the International District(2011-Actually SoDo) in hopes that I will find UPS but it was far away when I was in the "International District" I didn't know where it was but I had to be at least two miles from it. I gave up and walked to the Capital Hill District where I just walked around more. Boom! Yuck Ech! I fucken hate myself. Oh but I did purchase a lamp and proceeded forward with Pipe Dreams, which is a pipe dream as I'm dealing with it now (2011-Twenty years later there is still no irony in the title I chose) I might buy this diary of an 11 year old girl I found in a thrift store, hopefully it will inspire a new character or new ideas I can't come up with myself. I called the guys now that I finally have my own phone.

1991-When Will He Stop?

Sept. 10, 1991.

Even a worse day. It's getting to me, I hate not working but I hate more the jobs that seem to be available at this moment. It makes you feel inadequete, useless untalented and that's for the jobs that suck! Maybe it's a sign to get out there and show my artwork but my lack of professionalism (2011-Still a problem) might hinder my attempt at securing recurring assignments. I've lost contact with EVERYONE I met at the hostel and like a pathetic worm I keep coming here in hopes I fun into them. Fuck! It doesn't matter.

GET YOUR FUCKIN' ASS OFF THE CHAIR! SHIT! FUCK! DAMN!

huh.

The Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Now that doesn't really mean much to me. I'm not a hockey fan and I wouldn't root for the Bruins if I did follow hockey. However in winning the Stanley Cup, the Bruins complete The Boston championship circle in the four major team sports in the US. And they have done in a period of less than a decade. No other town can make that claim. Not even New York with its 7 teams (9 if you include the Devils and Nets) in the four sports can make that claim.

Think about it. At one time the Boston area was a hard luck city when it came to sports. Some sad history has hit the town for decades with the exception of basketball and starting with the death of Len Bias in 1986, The Celtics even went through a long period of hard times.




















Okay, Not many cities have all four sports in them. Right now, It's only New York, Chicago, Phoenix, San Francisco Bay, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Detroit, Minneapolis, Dallas, Miami, Denver, and until last week Atlanta.

Of all these cities only New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago and Miami have championships in all four sports. New York needed to have more than four teams to do it. Washington did it in baseball with a team that's in Minnesota now. But no has come close to having all four sports with a championship in such a short period of time as Boston.

Think about it. In 2001, Boston hadn't had a championship in ANY sport in well over a decade. But starting in 2002, The hard luck football Patriots won their first Super Bowl after many humiliating losses in the event. They would go on to win several more times. The baseball Red Sox had gone 86 years without a championship but finally broke through in 2004. The Celtics came back to their classic form with a championship in 2008. Now after 39 years the Bruins win. Talk about a town with bragging rights.



























Now, With the Bruins as champions, Which of the four Boston sport teams has gone the longest without a championship?


Believe it or not, It's the New England Patriots who haven't won since 2005.

Continuing to Reflect On My Week Off...

So After spending the previous two days hanging out with old friends and exploring new places, I enter into my actual days off from my job. I wanted to make the most of them but in actuality, not much happened.

Tuesday I woke up early thinking that my job didn't know I was on vacation or I got the days wrong when I was off. this happens all the time with me. We have an arduous procedure at my work in setting up vacation time. Anyway, The weather was getting a bit hot and was gonna get hotter. So I did an early and quick hike on South Mountain Reservation. My plan was to go back to Tuesday routine when it was my day off, That is to say, Meet up with my friend Brook, Draw in Hoboken then karaoke at O'Connells.

When I called Brook, He told me that he was gonna go to the city, Do a little open mike stand up at 6pm. This meant missing out my drawing session. Since I hadn't seen Brook in awhile and I like checking out open mike to see if I get the courage to try it out sometime. Anyway, The place was on the east side on 33rd street. It was a cool bar (style wise) but unbelievably stuffy and hot temperature wise, especially in the room where they were doing the stand up. This may account why no one really got a good response nor was the material strong. The funniest parts were from the audience who comprised of people going up there to do their act.

Anyway, It was good to see Brook but I wanted to get back to Jersey City to do karaoke and hopefully run into people I knew. When I got to O'Connell's I was shocked by three sights. One, It was crowded, Two, There was a different host, and Three, The usual bartender Sue wasn't there and I found out why. She got into an accident that totally knocked her out of work for awhile.

I had fun though. I ran into someone else I hadn't seen in while. Someone I was interested in but allowed myself to blow it with her. Still, We're friendly but man I hoping to try to start over again into something more substantial. Oh well. Some of the regulars showed, I sang twice, Both times quite good. It was fun. So I have something to look forward to when I get a new work schedule in October.

Wednesday I woke up early because in my no air conditioned apartment, I couldn't sleep. I knew it was gonna be brutally hot Wednesday and Thursday. My plan was to go down to the shore but I wanted it to be waaaayy down Wildwood way. That's three hours from Union! However, It's only about an hour and change from Manchester, The place where my parents live. So I took it upon my self to call my parents and weasel my way into an overnight stay in their air conditioned place. I also got a free meal, Courtesy of my Dad doing a little experimenting with his tools in making a damn decent dinner.

I woke up early to help my Mom get to an eye doctor appointment cuz my Dad was doing his weekday church thing. that meant I had a good head start to get down to Wildwood. Holy cripes it was frickin' hot! I worry for my car when I push it to the limit. I had the AC on of course, And since my ipod got swiped from my car I had to settle in trying to find a decent radio station to listen to, It was futile.

When I finally got to Wildwood, I was not impressed. I thought it would be a Googie paradise.

I know that many of the 50s era (Doo-Whop in Wildwood terms) motels and buildings have been torn down during the last housing bubble but there was enough left over to get a gist of the character of the town. I dunno I thought it would be more spectacular, Not something that Seaside Heights has in a similar amount. Yeah, There was its share of bland condos dominating the streetscapes but not so much. Still Wildwood should impose a Leavenworth, WA approach in new construction by imposing the "Doo-Whop" approach on every structure built, So that Wildwood can be a far flung destination that is unique from the rest of the non gambling shore towns in Jersey. The WaWa down there DID do this, so maybe there's hope. I was so disappointed I didn't take any pictures. Actually, I forgot to bring my camera and I still haven't figured out how to keep pictures on my phone.

Anyway, I walked the boardwalk in the 99 degree humid weather. I dared to go shirtless. My skin was gonna get it. I was pale from my neck to my stomach. I walked the two mile boardwalk from one side to the other, Taking in the scene, they had the little "sightseer" people movers I thought not to do in the heat. the heat got to me and I wanted to spend some time indoors. They had a "mall" that featured the usual shore suspects of games but in the back there was a section dedicated to old pinball machines, I mean OLD pinball machines that you pay 5 bucks to play for a half hour. Most of the machines were of the 50s and 60s variety with some very unique games. some were so unique I had to figure out how to play because the flippers were in weird places and the strategies were very different form the more notable "solid state" 70s variety. The ones that had a race horse theme were the coolest.

After I was done with pinball and after talking with the proprieter for awhile, I braved the outdoors again. I walked on the boardwalk again, Came across yet another arcade but this one had an old photo booth which I am a huge fan of as anyone who has seen my picture on facebook would know. so I paid my three bucks, waited for the four flashes that indicated my picture was being taken. I got out saw the sign that said it would take five minutes. I waited and wandered the place for about five minutes, no picture. I decided to play a little game on my phone as I timed out five more minutes, No picture, Played and wandered again for five minutes, No picture.

I decided, What the hell, I'll go on the beach and go in the water. the beach was too hot to walk in barefooted and yet when I got to the water, It was too cold to fully immerse myself in. I read a safety sign about the dangers of cold water, So I got paranoid. I went up to my waist. The waves wasn't big enough for me to truly enjoy the water anyway. Besides, Surely my photo booth picture was ready annnnnnd it wasn't.

Ahhhhh, whatever. I looked over to Morey Pier and thought if it was a nicer day, if I was staying longer and if it was even opened I would enjoy a skyride.

Alas I wasn't enthused to do much of anything. I got back in my car and drove around to see if I can spot some of the classic motels. I did, they were cool but there wasn't enough. I had lunch at a diner. Unfortunately It wasn't good. It was the first diner burger in I dunno how long I didn't like. I got some gas and drove the slow way up on rt. 9. It was a good drive, listening to a local politics station. The storm clouds were looming on the horizon as I approached Union county. A relief from the last few days.

Things That Annoy Me.

Okay, It's Sunday and on most Sundays I walk to a diner and have breakfast. If it's a real nice day, I'll walk as far as Millburn to eat and follow that with a walk on South Mountain Reservation. But most days the weather and /or my will only allows me to go a mile to either the Mark Train or the Huck Finn diner on Morris Avenue. I walked over to the Mark Twain and had myself a decent French toast meal. Afterward I walked back to my place.

Big deal, right? Anyhow, I like taking a circulus route home avoiding the main drags to instead take a less familiar street for scenic variance. So I'm walking on a sidewalk when a woman dressed to the nines comes out of a house and walks towards the church next door. She's walking at a slower pace than I am and even slows down a little down this narrow sidewalk. Since I wasn't in the mood and thought it rude to pass her and thought it would be intimidating to walk too close to her until she turned away, I walked around her via the church parking lot.

So what's the big deal? Well, after a few calls of "sir", "sir", "Sir" in my direction I turned around to find out what the heck she wanted.

Now, I'm a "mind my own business" kind of person. I don't like being interrupted when I AM minding my own business unless it's to be helped or to help someone. So, I'm like sighing when I turn to face her and say "yeah?"

"Did you park in that parking lot?"


"What, NO!" was my incredulous reply.

"Okay, Thank you, Have a Nice Day" was her sarcastic response.

Yeah, I was rude to her. I felt I was violated by being held in suspicion of doing something "wrong". And what evidence could she have? Did she see me come out of a car? Of course not. Did she see me put anything in a car or take anything out of a car? again, that would be a "no" because my car is in my OWN driveway ten blocks away. All I wanted to do was avoid interfering with her walking in what I thought was the most polite and least intrusive way, By walking AROUND her.

And what was this "crime" she accused me of in the first place? Having a vehicle occupy a space DESIGNED to occupy a vehicle? Ahhh, But there are rules and possible needs of payment who can park and where you can park. And again I ask "What is the crime?"

Think about it, I'm accused of parking my car in a parking lot of a church I don't belong to. Now, Even if I did do that and I walked away, flipping them the bird along the way, They can get my car towed at MY expense. Well within the rules of law but hardly a Christian thing to do. Think About it for a second, I don't think Jesus would be leading the charge to remove my vehicle if it wasn't interfering with anyone's safety or blocking anyone's progress. My fictional car did neither. Property and parking lot rights out of control in my estimation.

But it does point out my problem with many Christians. I grew up Christian and have kept many of the values I grew up learning from the church other than the belief in God and the belief that a man who lived 2000 years ago was the son of that God. Now a Christian is supposed to turn the other cheek, Supposed to embrace the Prodigal son.

In other words, Even if I were to go into the church, Grab a batch of holy water, Guzzle it down my throat, swish it in my mouth and spit it on the church floor. A Christian is supposed to observe this and say "God bless him!"

Otherwise you don't prove much in my eyes.

It's My Nature To Be A Skeptic.

I'm intrigued by John Fetterman. You might know who he is, He's the mayor of the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Braddock is distressed town located near Pittsburgh that like many rust belt towns, has seen better days and is dying a slow death and needing a revival.







John Fetterman thinks he has a way of improving Braddock's fortunes and is doing whatever he can to do so. He's part Robert Moses, Part Father Flannagan and Part Donald Trump. He's an impressive physical specimen, Standing 6 foot 8, He looks like the Hulked-Out version of Anton LaVey, The founder of the Church of Satan.











He uses his appearance to attract attention to the plight of his town, Trying to generate investment in a town where property can be bought really cheap, Arts Festivals are hyped, and beauty can be found if you know where to look.

He brings his gospel to the mass media with appearances on The Colbert Report, articles in the New York Times and an pretty moving Levis commercial which states "There's Work To Be Done", a mantra he's trying to adopt for the town of Braddock.

Fetterman is big on bringing green technology to the town. He's set up community gardens in vacant lots around town, He set up several youth centers in town using some of his family's foundation money.

So I'm rooting for the guy, Actually I'm rooting for what he stands for and hope he succeeds, But being a skeptic I don't allow myself to buy into what he is hook, line and sinker. There must be something about what he's doing that's not kosher, something that might might work as intended. I need something that tells both sides of the story.

Thankfully, The New York Times did a profile on John Fetterman that had some critics of his work. The problem is his critics are poor examples to counter his approach to solving the problems with the town of Braddock.

First up is the town's city council. They felt that he would take a back door approach in getting things done. He used his family's foundation to build youth centers. The council thought it would be nice if John would say he had some money and asked the council how to spend it. Well, Let's just say that both sides of the political aisle would like to tell the city council to stick it. Unless, Fetterman wants to do something harmful, It shouldn't matter what does with his money.

The second person profiled critical of Fetterman is a woman who moved to Braddock in 2008 after reading about Fetterman and his plans for the town of Braddock. She paid 125,000 dollars for a "colossal" bank building. she didn't know what she was going to do with it but she said it didn't matter. She figured the vibe of Braddock would move her. But the building sprang a leak that overwhelmed her. However, It seems trivial in light of the fact she dropped six figures buying a building she had no idea what she was going to do with and she did it on her own and was overwhelmed with the responsibility. Poor planning and impulse thinking isn't Fetterman's fault. She still got a sweet deal and she will be able to sell it on a profit if she waits a little time.

And there is this couple from Alaska who moved to Braddock after scouting it out beforehand. They thought they had a good deal when they bought a $5,000 dollar fixer upper. It had been declared uninhabitable so they had to spend nearly 60 grand before they fixed up a place to be livable. The house they live in is one of the more crime ridden streets of the town. Still, I don't feel bad for them. They understood through the friends they knew that it takes a lot of money and effort to fix up their cheap place and in my opinion got off easy with it being less than 60 grand. Even in a bad town, That's a great deal in this century.

Then there was this self described "straight-edge vegan punk rocker" and occasional model. He's 25 years old. And he pooled resources with six other people to create an inexpensive "live-work" space where they can play music, write and build bikes. It cost them only 6 thousand dollars. Sure it was run down but it was a perfect place to pursue your muse without worrying about high rent or messing up the place. Then this person states his goal is to build himself a life that meets his needs most effectively and somehow that involves him qualifying for food stamps. Not exactly building up on the opportunity giving back in return for cheap housing.

There was one person whose criticism of John Fetterman resonated with me. A man in his early 30s who had grown up in the town and saw it go from being a dying town into a dead town. He struggles to get enough employment to get by and he isn't benefiting from the improvements of the town. The Farmers Market in town was to expensive and the jobs created weren't in his skill level. He thinks John Fetternman is doing a good job particularly wit the kids but feels resigned in his own fate.

I'm hoping that Braddock'a success story is enduring and becomes a blueprint for other struggling Rust Belt cities large and small that have struggled after the captains of industry abandoned them after draining the towns of all its resources. It will do more to build up our strength than our current method of trying to appease the elitists (with tax cuts and bail outs) who have done nothing to build back America's strength.

I'm Starting To Come Out Of It....

The other day I was in court in Eatontown, New Jersey to straighten out some legal problems I was blindsided by when I got pulled over by the police on January 15th.

It all started because I was bored and a little depressed. It was Saturday night and I was in the mood for karaoke. There are no places close to me in Union that does it on Saturday. One of my favorite KJs does it Saturdays but I had to go down to Monmouth County at a place I hadn't been to yet. It was cold that night and still we were dealing with the poor cleanup of the recent snow storms of the previous weeks.

Still, I was committed, I needed to go out I wanted to sing some of the more obscure songs that my man Vince has on his playlist. I used to go to Vince's shows at the Mad Hatter's in Long Branch when I lived down by the shore AND when I had Tuesday nights off. Since I moved up to Union and found a good show in Jersey City I hadn't gone down there much. Besides, the last time I went down to Monmouth I got pulled over by the police for having a tail light out, Another time I had a flat tire when I paid a visit.

Vince hosts different places in the Monmouth county area. One I had not been to was the Sheraton in the town of Eatontown. I trudged through its parking lot to find myself in a rather nice hotel bar that had only one problem.

Kids.

Now I like kids, I can relate to them, But when I'm drinking beer, I want no kids to be near me, ESPECIALLY when I''m doing karaoke. Interestingly, There is a policy (The bar's I assume) against swearing when singing. That's not a problem with me because there is so few songs I sing with any swearing and I'm not one to embellish songs such as "Total Eclipse Of the Heart" with "witty" F words. I enjoyed myself with the set up there, Sang pretty good but when I finished my second beer I thought it would be a good idea to leave, I made my point in trying to make things happen but other than Vince, I didn't know anyone and the rest of the group wasn't my type. Plus, I wanted to make sure I was totally okay to drive.

Well.....It didn't matter, I was driving along on rt. 35 in Eatontown when sure enough I get pulled over. Why? Well, The policeman asked me if I knew.

Well, I wasn't speeding, Everyone else on the road was passing me, I wasn't drunk, legally or otherwise, As far as I knew I had no lights out so I had no clue, Besides let the officer TELL me why I were pulled over.

Oh, He told me, He said a traffic light set-up had taken a picture of my car and took note of my license plate which revealed that my car AND driver license had been suspended for not having my insurance paid up. Well, Since I was able to produce everything necessary to show an officer when you get pulled over, it was erroneous.

Still, He would not allow me to drive home. I was stuck, I had to call someone to pick me up. So here I was, A day after turning 44 calling my DAD to pick me up At one o'clock in the morning. Shades of high school, If I had been a troublemaker in high school.

Well, It was fun trying to explain to my Dad what went on without seeming like I was a lying piece of shit. Since it was really cold and I didn't want to burden my Dad into driving me to my place and head all the way back to his at this time of the morning, I opted to just go back to my parents place and crash for the night.

The next day My Dad (curiously enough) was able to drive MY car back to my place while I was a passenger with my Mom driving me to my place. Anyway, My parents didn't stick around. So, Now I wasn't able to drive until I got myself straightened out with the Motor Vehicle Bureau. That meant I had to take off from work to do so, since Monday was MLK Day and I had to wait until Tuesday to resolve my issues.


Oh, By the way, It turns out that the Motor Vehicle Bureau sent me a notice that yes indeed they had suspended my license. The problem is it was without cause. I have this bad habit of not opening my mail immediately and since my registrations wasn't due til February there was no desperate need to open it right away.

Okay, That Tuesday I called in sick, It was the day it was sleeting heavy on top of the foot and a half snow already on the ground... and I had to walk....to the Motor Vehicle Bureau of Springfield. It was a long walk, About two miles in slushy, wet snow compounded by the occasional splash back from passing cars and trucks.

It took an hour,and I was soaked from the waist down. But I finally arrived at the Springfield Motor Vehicle Bureau. Too bad they don't do re-instated licenses there.

Crap! Now what? Well, She gave me a list of places that did it. The closest was in Newark. That was quite far away and the weather was getting worse. I trudged through snow, slush and water through streets that got less cleared as I moved along. I had the address but no map so I had to do a little guessing in pursuing the best route. I lost one umbrella , Found another and lost the second one, I was now soaked from head to toe.

I made a few detours but after nearly three hours I finally got to the Newark Motor Vehicle Bureau. I had to take a number, They said it would take four hours before my turn would come up. Well, I was cold, wet and it would take two hours to get back home. I was staying, hoping she was high balling the amount of time it would take to have my turn. I did not want to take another day off from work or worse, Call a co-worker to drive me to work. I was going to see this through.

So, I stood around aimlessly for about a half hour, Got lucky and found a discarded New York Times to keep me occupied while I was slowly getting dry. It took 3 hours and 45 minutes but I finally had my number called and was able, in less than two minutes to get myself in "good standing" in regards to getting my licenses restored. No money necessary because I had my insurance proof.

Still, It was another two hours or so in the cold, thankfully the water ceased to fall from the sky but the air grew colder threatening to turn the water into ice as the sun went down. Oh, Did I mention that I really didn't know the best way to get home and I was in NEWARK?

I tried to walk in what I thought was the right direction but soon detoured myself out of fear and stupidity. I ended up tracing back most of the route I took to get to the DMV. It was arduous but I took a shortcut I knew and after a stop for the best coffee I had in years (Only because of how wiped out I was) I got home, Took off my wet clothes, put on my 'jamas and breathed a sigh of relief. I was able to legally drive, avoided having to pay lots of money to do so. I only had to contend with the tickets I received. My court date was for the 27th of January. I wasn't sure what would entail but Monmouth County is infamous for giving tickets for lesser offenses than they say they pulled you over for, So it looks like I was gonna be out some money regardless.

Hoo boy.

So I had to take the day off of work to appear in court. No problem. However,

On the 27th of January I woke up and saw that a foot of snow covered everything in sight. I woke up quite early, I am an insomniac these days. I went about the task of shoveling the snow, Even though it was still snowing. It only takes a half hour to do the essential shoveling,(By hand, I ain't no pussy) but my street had not been plowed and the snow was more than a foot deep for the whole length of the street.

My court appointment said I needed to be there by 9AM. It was 730 AM and I was panicking. There was no way I can drive through the snow (I have A Huydai Elantra) and I wasn't into the idea of driving an hour on the Parkweay to get to Eatontown.

So I looked at my ticket to see what number I needed to call and was horrified to read on the back of the ticket that I needed to call them at least 8 days in advance to let them know if I intend to plead "Not Guilty".

What is it in my psyche that makes me overlook vital information when I try to read official notices????!!!??? Anyway I tried to call thinking since it;'s local government that they weren't in the 21st century yet. No answer, No transfer of my call.

crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap crap!

I looked up the web address, Put in my ticket number and was relieved to find that it was postponed for two weeks. Whew! Well, That left me to shovel up the snow but now I had to take ANOTHER day off form work. And this was vacation time.

Anyway, This time I made sure to call and plead "Not Guilty" on the phone 10 days before my court room appearance. Another sleepless night preceded the day I had to appear in court. I drove down to Eatontown and entered a 70s era building within two blocks of where I got pulled over. I walked in having no clue where I need to go and what I need to do. This is the first time in my life I ever had to appear in court for ANYTHING.

With no receptionist I had to figure out for myself what I needed to do. I saw the courtroom assuming that was where I need to go. A few people were there and I figured I'd hang out with them. Was 9AM the actual time I would be called? (Give or Take a few minutes) Or was it just a start time for us to be there?

It turns out that I needed to go upstairs, Wait in line to see the prosecutor before I would meet up with the judge. I get to the Prosecutor, And he told me that I would only have to worry about the lesser charge, Oookay,But I was trying to get it all knocked off since I did nothing wrong. I got the proof from the DMV. So after more waiting and a second exchange with the prosecutor, It was straightened out but I still needed to talk to the judge downstairs in the court room.

Things were in full swing in the court room, I caught a glimpse of our justice system at work. The judge was amiable in his approach to the defendants. He gave everyone a chance to speak and when he gave his verdict, He gave a short speech about the judicial process, Explaining how things work in concise terms. It bugged two people behind me because they felt it took too much time out of the day. The funny thing is that both of them were in a heap of trouble and didn't have their situation resolved that day. One couldn't pay 60 dollars (Really?) and the guy needed a lawyer to continue.

Most of the situations involved traffic citations, a few involved victims. Some had lawyers present. Some had their parents there. It was amusing hearing about this girl who was told she wasn't allowed at Johnny Rockets because she created a scene of obscenity that got out of hand. Less funny was a guy who was told he had to stay away from the mother of his child unless he treated her with respect. He actually told the judge the didn't understand what it meant.

I was really getting into the scene, I kinda wanted it to continue but it was my turn to face the judge and it took all of five seconds to say that I was fully cleared. I was stunned because I thought at least I needed to show more documentation. Did I need to pay court fees? Are you sure I don't have to pay fines? Any points on my license? Increased insurance rates? I dunno it seem too quick to resolve itself to me, They looked at me incredulously, But man I've been punished so much recently for overlooking minor things.

But then again, I had to suffer the embarrassment of calling my Dad to pick me up and drive my car back to my place, I had to wait two days without driving before I was able to go to the DMV, I walked 6 plus miles in sleety snow while getting splashed by passing cars and waiting 4 hours in soaked clothes, I had to use TWO vacation days to straighten out my situation.

All because I neglected to open my mail to see that my license was revoked. I could have resolved it quicker.

Any why did I get my license suspended in the first place? I guess it was because I had switched insurance companies. And the gecko was seeking revenge.

Whiney Wishy Washiness.

So I got back from my short trip from Seattle and can deem it a success. It was a fact finding mission to determine if I really want to move back.

I've been whining about going back since the woman I moved back to Jersey for left my sorry ass in the apartment we shared back in 2007. At the time I was in no position to move back. I had no money and was obligated to pay off the rest of the apartment lease by myself. Getting money from the woman who also signed the lease would be getting blood from a turnip.

So I stayed out of desperation and need. I finally was earning money when I got my current job but it wasn't enough, or fast enough for me to be able to move back in 2008. Gas prices were absurdly high and spent a lot of money on my car for repairs. This also prevented me from moving even within the state of New Jersey. So I was trapped for another year.

Meanwhile I was away from Seattle for nearly four years and was thinking that merely moving closer to work would be a better situation. So in the summer of 2009 I moved to Union county, Closer to work, Closer to NYC. Things WERE a little better. Plus I made a trip to the west coast to determine whether or not I wanted to move back. The trip went well, But it was inconclusive in determining whether to move back. A lot of it had to do with the fact I had my most fun in San Francisco.

2010 started, I was starting to develop new friendships in Jersey City and had some routines that make me think that maybe I'll stay. But then summer came, the weather was Jersey lousy, and some things I hoped would happen...didn't. Also one of my best friends moved to Seattle. hmmmmmmmm.

I spent a lot of money once again on my car so I had to delay my planned trip to Seattle two months. That meant November, Which is the start of the gray season in Seattle. And sure enough, The weather came as advertised. That was part of the plan though. I figured if I can feel Seattle's draw at its worst time of year, I should go back. I think the plan worked.

It didn't really start that way. I mean, It was great to have one of my best friends pick me up from the airport and we had some coffee at my favorite coffee place, Cafe Ladro. I was dropped at my hotel and I was wondering what I'd do to fill in my time before I went out that night. I decided to see a movie.

You see, Seattle is one to best places to see a movie. They have a great selection of movie houses which plays all kinds of movies, In particular places that play foreign films, independent films and classic films. The dominant chain in Seattle is the Landmarks/Seven Gables chain. They took over old theaters, Masonite halls, Private clubs, and auto dealerships to form the finest set of theaters in the country. And the popcorn is to die for!

But I digress. I walked from my hotel to the Egyptian to see the movie "Fair Game". A great movie that encapulates the Valerie Plane/Joe Wilson CIA outing by the Bush administration. It puts in a nutshell the events that led to this act of treason. Now I don't need to reason to hate the Bush administration but the movie reaffirms my feelings. The movie won't be a hit, It's not the 70s where we actually went after the those who try to grab too much power.

Anyway, I called my old high school friend Jon K after the movie to see if he was in the city. Left a message, walked to the hotel and bided my time before going to Ozzie's. Walking to Ozzie's through somewhat shady neighborhood didn't inspire me to move back to Seattle.

But when I got to Ozzie's and was hanging out with my friends Paul and Star at one of my favorite places to do one of my favorite activities. All of a sudden I thought, Why not?















The next day I woke up and did some aimless wandering and ended up at the sculpture park that was finished after I moved back to Jersey. The place was pretty good but needs a lot more pieces of work to justify the removal of the trolley barn (And the ending of the excellent Waterfront trolley line).














Then I walked up to Pike Place Market and tried to find the Cafe Ladro my friend Pro told me about on Union St. Couldn't find it but instead I went to the Cafe Ladro I did know on Pine street and 8th avenue. My friend Jon K called to let me know he was coming into town and while I was waiting my other friend Pro called to let me know he was already in the city. I met up with him and was joined by Jon K and we ate at the newly opened Hard Rock Cafe, Located at what once was a strip club.

After that, I met with Jon K's lady and went on my merry way. So it's Friday night and I headed to Ozzie's again. This time I met up with another friend Rahul and that went well until it came time to be kicked out. Time was, I could hang out with Star and take my time saying goodbye, Those times are over. Meanwhile my friend Rahul still has that clout and I lost track of him forgetting that. I hung out a little bit but thought he left me high and dry. I was wrong. He was talking to his old friend paying his bill. So I went to bed, Alone again, naturally.

So I woke up Saturday still not convinced I want to move back to Seattle. The hotel I was staying at was too expensive for the quality of the place. I checked out because my friend offered his place to stay at. Since I'm cheap and I was curious what Pro's life was like in Bellevue. I wandered around the eastern part of Capitol Hill and had coffee at the Cafe Victrola. A great place that lost a little of its luster. Mainly by the massive amount of people taking advantage of Wi-Fi. It was a trend when I left Seattle but now it's at the saturation point. Still the coffee was excellent.

I wandered south to the gay triangle of Seattle, Or should I say "former" because much of what I remembered from the early 2000s is gone. Sure to be replaced by big apartment structures I'll either love or hate.

I met up with Pro yet again and took him to another cool Seattle coffee place, Cafe Bauhaus. This is what I miss about Seattle and really find depressing about Jersey. Granted the diners in Jersey have good coffee but even a Starbucks is hard to come by near where I live. In Seattle if you see a Starbucks, You just need to do a 360 and see a better alternative coffee shop.

So now I become the guide and my friend Pro becomes the tourist when I show him some of my favorite places of the Capitol Hill area. One of the things I pointed out was a hole in the ground where many places I went to used to be. The Jack in the Box, Twice Sold Tales and others are gone and at least Twice Sold Tales moved to a new location. But Seattle has a bad track record of long established places moving and staying long. The construction site had excellent artwork pasted on its wall which again reminds me how depressing towns like Union, NJ can be in regards to construction projects and empty storefronts.














We wandered up to Volunteer Park. Mainly it was to see Bruce Lee's grave and the Conservatory. It can be exhausting dragging a suitcase up that hill but in that overcast, foggy almost rainy afternoon, I had an epiphany. I got to go back. Seattle is beautiful, Has a lot going for it and basically encourages me to move around. The only time I was stagnant in my years in Seattle was when I lived in the suburb of Federal Way with my girlfriend. It wasn't her, It was the town. I wish I was able to convince her to move to the city but I had not leverage in our relationship.














We walked down from Volunteer Park to my favorite McCormick and Schmicks on the west side of Lake Union. It was dark but the view was still amazing. The burger was excellent. We walked back to the bus tunnel to take the bus back to Bellevue. It continued to rain a little but it didn't bother me one bit. Pro's and his wife's place is in the downtown area of Bellevue. It's a spectacular high rise that was built in the years since I left Seattle. The whole downtown has developed greatly since then, Many of the high rises remind me of the intense development that occurred in recent years in Jersey City. The only real difference is you see tall trees rising in the background as apposed to Manhattan. The fog made the view from the 16th floor dramatic. It's the type of place I always dreamed of living in when I was growing up.

We were tired and were unable to establish contact with my friend Jon but still toured a high rise mall where we had some drinks. We stayed up late just goofing around on the internet, Kind of reminding me of the Sloane House nights of laughing our heads off while trying not to wake up our security guard Gabbie.


















On Sunday it was mellow day. A good breakfast in Kirkland started the day. A trip to Seattle, particularly Ballard was in the cards. Pro's wife needed to do some job related shopping leaving me and Pro to wander around Ballard. I showed him the Ballard locks and the Fish Ladder. I showed him some landmarks both personal and public. He showed me a market fair that man, I wish were in greater numbers in Jersey. Then we went back to Bellevue, ordered Thai food and chilled again.
















What We didn't see in the fish ladder....






Pro dropped me off the next day and since I came back to Jersey I haven't found much to change my mind about moving back to Seattle. I thought maybe there were but I dunno.

Happy Anniversary to ..........ME!

Three years ago last week was the anniversary of my first day working at TSA. No big deal except that in my 27 years of my work history, It's the longest I ever held a job. Kinda sad I know, But that's how life is.

So, Why is that? How is a man with a college degree not able to hold on to any job longer than three years?

Several factors are involved.

One the main factors is that although I have a college degree. It's a BFA, an art degree. That gets you only so far, The portfolio takes care of the rest.

Plus, I hate looking for work, It was soul draining hearing why you're not good enough for the job. Too much work would be involved just trying to get a job. It took time from actually doing my art work for my portfolio. I was quick to learn I wasn't gonna be suited for freelancing.

That's another factor. What to put in the portfolio. When there are no assignments, you do what you want to do, Or at least that's what I did. Comic presentations, Timid Caricatures and unfocused water colors. The stuff wasn't bad but it was unfocused. My drive was limited, I had a hard time doing new pieces when I tried to market myself. I was and am lousy at networking. So after having a low paying artist assistant/publishing job I set out to a new frontier, Seattle.



It was 1991, I was 24 years old. I had an idea for a comic strip and I felt I was ready to conquer the west coast. After some false starts looking for art jobs I needed to work somewhere, anywhere. A friend from the east coast was a bartender, so I figured I look in that direction. I fell into a job working as a cook in a pub. It was only part time but it paid enough for me to live on in modest fashion. This allowed me time to my dream.

The dream, a comic strip I created whose name I hoped would be ironic: Pipe Dreams. I worked on it with gusto for the next few years. Sending it to syndicates only to have it rejected, Time and time again. It was good but not good enough and my enthusiasm would wane and wax depending on my mood. Still I worked at it, Improved it but than I met....her.

Her....or She, will remain nameless. Some people know who she is, A good woman for the most part. She supported me, Though I didn't like being helped and was upset that my efforts weren't successful so I sometimes resented her for it.

I met her when I was unemployed. My cook job was okay, But I needed more so I quit that to work at a nightclub. The nightclub was shady, and after a murder outside the club cut business in half and our quota was increased by double, We were laid off en masse.

That started what would be a unfortunate trend in my working life. Periods of unemployment. It took me six months to find another job and what I found was not good, paid little, and ultimately got me fired after a few months. It was a bakery after months and months of futile attempts of landing a bartending gig. I continued to work on my comic strip but was starting to think about getting a regular job doing graphic art of some kind. By this time all my fellow SVA alums were moving along nicely at their art careers in NYC. I had few opportunities but one in particular I was keen on...

By then I moved to the suburbs of Seattle in the town of Federal Way to live at my girlfriends place. I didn't like it there and hoped to move out as soon as I got this job at a place called Humoungous Entertainment. A computer software company that specialized in children's games. My interview went well but I was a little slow with learning to use a Wacom tablet. This being 1994-1995 and I had no computer I felt it was something I can pick up within two weeks. I didn't get the chance to prove that I didn't get the job.


It took about 3 months of unemployment when I took on a job through a temp agency. I also had a temporary gig doing caricatures for Guinness. Despite the low pay of the former gig and the grueling, depressing nature of the job, I was there for a year and a half. I got laid off when they cut their workforce right before Christmas 1995.

This started my longest period of unemployment to date. It lasted from December 1995 until August 1996. I spent the first part of it feverishly working on what I felt was my best set of comic strips I ever did.

Meanwhile I caught the acting bug by signing up for an ad agency. I thought about how ironic it would be if I could make a living as an actor in commercials and movies because I FAILED at regular jobs. Despite some work as an extra, It didn't work out. I was 29 and had gained 35 pounds and I was filled with enough self-doubt that I had to face facts and look for another real job.

The problem was that I wasn't getting anywhere looking at want ads and my piss poor skills at networking. So I went to another temp agency and they found me an even worse job than the warehouse job from a year back. I worked an assembly line in a bicycle factory.

I'm getting no closer to getting a career in anything. I hadn't lucked into anything substantial. Every job I had at this point were ones I wanted to leave the day I started. In both the warehouse and the bike factory, There was pretty much no direct way to move up into what would be a more suitable office job that paid better AND had benefits. But I needed to work regardless. Working a crappy job was better than being unemployed but every job I had was soul draining.

I worked at this bicycle factory for as long as I could and beyond. It was depressing, The only good thing was that I only worked four days a week. But I needed one whole day to recover from the job.

Finally I got a job that made use of my artistic skills, Kinda. We finally got a computer for Christmas 1996. I found a job through the internet at an embroidery factory. My job was to be a digitizer, A skill I had to learn from the ground floor. The complication of the Compucon program and my relative inexperience with computers made sure my job would not last. Plus, We had an embroidery woman who suffered with frequent bouts of "brown bottle flu" and I had to cover her slack without having any previous ability to work the embroidery machine.

So, Most of my time was spent covering for a drunk woman while simultaneously learning how to do my primary task by training myself and doing other tasks without any assistance. So after a mere four months I was let go.

I didn't want to go through an extended period of unemployment again So I grabbed the first job I could find. It was back in restaurant work, As a cook. It paid better than my previous jobs but it was hard work at times and I bitched and moaned like no one's business. I was 30, Fed up and failed out. Thankfully I was in a relationship with an understanding woman who shall still remain nameless. I was at this TGIF-like place for longer than any job ever at that point. Almost 3 years. I might have been there longer if my relationship hadn't fallen apart. My ex broke up our engagement and emotionally I had to leave the town of Federal Way in order to get my head back.

I thought I got lucky when I got a somewhat creative job working with trophies and plaques that paid well. By then I was somewhat good with the computer but the job really wasn't as creative as I hoped. But that wasn't the problem. I worked with three women who were openly hostile towards me. One was a bully, Another was paranoid of what I was thinking because I refused to listen to her spiel about Mormonism, and the third one accused me of sexual advances. Needless to say when I depended myself to that charge and mistakes other people made that I got blamed for, I got fired, On the same day the Supreme Court decide the will of the people didn't count and gave us George W as president AND the day A-Rod officially left the Mariners.

It was before Christmas, I had just moved back to Seattle and had a trip planned to visit my folks for the holidays. It was probably the most despairing time in my working life. Again my move forward was stopped in its tracks. I even had to cash out my old Savings Bond from when I was a kid. Thankfully it was double what the stated currency value. But it didn't take long for me to get another job, But unfortunately it was as a cook again.

I worked at a gay bar as a cook at a place that happened to share the same name as the woman I was engaged to. I was trying to find irony working there. And there was irony. I was still reeling from the breakup and feeling low on my self esteem. The customers at the gay bar were quite kind and flattering to me. Made me feel good about myself. I befriended many of the customers. The year 2001 was enhanced by the Seattle Mariners record setting 116 win season. Too bad 9/11 and the Yankees would put sour note on that fun. However my employment would not last. You see, the ownership was a bit shady and they had a habit of firing cooks after about a year so they don't have to give out benefits. The father of the owner was given the task of firing me basically for having a bad attitude. This same man said I was a very positive presence a mere 3 months before. I hadn't changed much.

It took me less than a week to find another job. It was at a steak house located right across the street form the under construction Seahawk Stadium and Safeco Field. A whole slew of us got hired at once. It was great having that kind of comradery there. The mass hiring was in anticipation of the 2002 Mariners baseball season. I was fortunate to be put in the seafood section of the kitchen. I developed lots of new skills plus I occasionally had the opportunity to serve people too. This was a financial windfall on game days. I made lots of money for three hours of work along with my cook salary. I hung out with my co-workers often on the off days which were slow, TOO slow. So when the Mariners collapsed at the end of the season and failed to get into the playoffs, My days were numbered and I was laid off. Too bad, I liked working there a lot.

It took a few weeks to get a job at Ruth's Chris. It was okay, We were allowed to cook off scraps of prime A fillets (which there was plenty of) to eat, But the management was too corporate and would send us home early at any point it was slow. They'd send the American born workers home first because we were paid quite a bit more than the Mexican immigrants who also worked in the kitchen. So I would be scheduled for 39 hours only to find that I would work as little as 28. So, I had to find a better job.

And I found it. The best job I had at Seattle. It was again at a restaurant. It was called 5-Spot. A local company owned this place a long with others that had its own identities. It was located a mere 5 blocks up Queen Anne Hill from my apartment. I got lucky and was put in the best part of the kitchen. The skill level was slightly above my abilities but I was able to pick it up pretty quickly. The menu would have a changing theme every three months. Part of the theme change involved the opportunity to do some paintings reflecting the theme. the best part, The paintings were for sale and I was fortunate to sell three of them. My co-workers were great, Interesting and artistic. I was scheduled for 4 day work weeks in which we had plenty of overtime opportunities and half hour breaks. These are rare benefits in restaurant work. I was happy there and had no plans of leaving until I started dating a woman who was moving back to Jersey. After a few months I would do the same thing. It was nearly a two year run, but I was foolishly in love with the wrong woman and moved back to Jersey.

Part of the reason I moved back to Jersey was that I thought my failure to sustain a good art related job was due to my lack of connections and opportunities in Seattle. But no, I had to face facts, I fell way behind in my art related skills, Especially involving computer graphics. It was getting to 2006 and the economy was starting to sour. It starts in the creative sector. No boom in that department, So my lack of experience would hamper my abilities to get a good job in the filed. Plue one of my main connections moved away two days after I moved back to Jersey.


I had worked three low level jobs to keep busy. Night stock man at Shop-Rite, Followed by summer work at a fish market/restaurant, and a stint at another bar restaurant when my unreliable unattentive girlfriend announced she was leaving me without giving me a valid reason. I had applied TSA by this point because she gave me crap about my inability to get a better job. Gave me crap about always being on the computer looking for jobs, Working on artwork while she was watching the Bravo channel on TV.

But I got into an argument at the bar where I worked and got fired the next day. I desperately needed to find a good paying job to survive at this point. My money was running out, I was paying off the rest of the lease my ex left me with by myself. I applied for a driver job at UPS because of its great reputation. Didn't get the driver job, Because they don't allow you to do that right away. They needed loaders and made the mistake of accepting. I had to do it because I was collecting unemployment at the time and couldn't refuse a job offer. The job was terrible in so many ways. It was the worst pay rate I had in at least ten years. The work was brutally hard and the hours were very few. So I was able to combine unemployment and my feeble UPS pay to survive while I looked for much better jobs and waited for TSA to come through.

The only good thing about UPS is that my resume looked good in that there was no gap in my employment history. It also vital in getting me a cheaper apartment that was my base while I licked my wounds. I finally got the call to TSA and after working part time for 9 months I finally was able to quit UPS and here I am three years later happy with a secure job that I enjoy. I have no plans of leaving other than to transfer to Seattle when I move next October, Barring any wishy-washiness on my part.

So, what's the lesson here?

I have no idea.

I know I am terrible about selling my skills. I have a hard time dealing with failure and I have never said "no!" to any job offers that came my way. I feel like I'm begging when I inquire about job opportunities at any friend's work place. I give up at the wrong time, I get settled into jobs I don't even like and I fail to apply myself well in getting promotions. But I'm content. I'm at my most financially secure and hope to be more so when I'm back in Seattle.

25 years ago today continues...

So I recently discussed my entering the Sloane House "dorms", The day that my life had changed. But there is more to the story. I had spent 5 and half days of solid partying at Sloane House over the extended Labor Day weekend of 1985. I would meet and greet most of the students who live on the two and one half floors of that YMCA on 34th street and 9th avenue. I had a few outings courtesy of our RAs in exploring Manhattan and experiencing first hand how long the blocks were between the avenues of the borough, Went comic book shopping with gusto in terrific comic stores. I personally experienced several things I had not experienced in my life that weekend. It was terrific, One big party.

But Tuesday September 3rd, 1985 was the day when classes started, Time to get serious, Time to meet my teachers, Time to knuckle down.

Yeah right.

Funny enough, That first day of class was an experience unique from my first days at Sloane House. Now, Our freshman year was our "foundation" year in which all freshmen would take the same curriculum of standard art classes with some mandatory classes in English and Art history thrown in. That Tuesday my curriculum set up had a painting class with Frank Roth at 9am-3pm and Art History later with Ms. Ann Wooster(?) These classes took place in a rented building that also housed a Planned Parenthood.

I was mailed a sheet of paper with the list of art supplies I needed to get for my classes and I still needed to get two more tubes of oil paints for Roth's class. The good news was that there was an art class next to SVA's main building. The bad news was that the tubes of paint cost 7 bucks each which meant I had little money for food for the rest of the week.

At the store I ran into a girl named Katie and a guy named Shaun. Both were in the same class set up as me, Both lived in Sloane House but I had not met over that weekend. I found it funny that none of the freshmen I HAD met at Sloane House had my foundation classes and weirder still was that the people I met in the art store were the only ones in my class that lived in Sloane House. I soon found out the rest of my class of about 18 people had commuted to class.

About a third commuted from either Jersey and Westchester, The rest were from the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn complete with the New Yawk attitude that comes with it.

I must have came across as a very naive fair skinned boy to these classmates. Now at Sloane House I hung out with a bunch of people from Upstate New York, Downstate New Jersey and the rest of the globe reminiscent of the famous Saul Steinberg cover to the New Yorker. I thought I was streetwise in the week I was at Sloane House. I got schooled otherwise pretty quickly.
























For one thing, I was intimidated by many of the women who were in my class, even the ones I had a crush on. they were strong willed, tough, aggressive and loved to fuck with my fragile egg shelled mind. Many of the guys seemed tough to me too, After all a few of them grew up in Brooklyn. Not 21st century boutique Brooklyn but 1980s Brooklyn. I decided to buddy up with two of them. They loved my innocence, My wide eyed eagerness, And the fact I was easily fooled by tall tales.

There was others in the class. A giant woman who reminded me of Big Barda from DC comics, Another one who went by one letter as her name, A Doctor Who fanatic, An effete stuck up snob who constantly had a cigarette in his fingers, The Woman who had a crush on him, A guy who expressed homophobic hatred towards him who would eventually become his boyfriend, A jovial African American guy who marveled at my ignorance of 1980s street lingo, A guy with an impressive zebra like mullet A lovely black woman who I didn't believe was a Led Zeppelin fanatic (That was important to me), Ann Bancroft's niece, Three women I had major crushes on, and Millie (nuff said)

Now, We're gathering around with a circle of easels finding a spot around a platform. Our gruff teacher, Mr. Roth snapped at us that our model was ready and I looked up to a scary sight.

Now, I knew our classes would involve drawing nudes. I wasn't a prude but I was shy. However, I was expecting the model to be more like a struggling young singer from Detroit who didn't shave her arm pits. Skinny, young and hopefully cute. My first model on the other hand involved a middle aged, Overweight, saggy and quite a bit haggy. AND for a loop. And this class was gonna be for SIX hours! That's EIGHT times the length of my art classes back in high school!

oh, my.

I survived that class but came close to not surviving the art history class that followed it. It was a class featuring slide shows of art history taught by a wry but boring woman named Ms. Wooster (?). I had a hard time staying awake in that dark crowded class. Most of the women in our class adored her but I just found her to be too boring to increase my interest in art history.

I was really tired after that first day but of course not too tired to party at Sloane House. That day twenty five years ago I formed a clique that I called my SVA clique which was distinct from my soon to be formed Sloane House clique. I would keep in touch with my Sloane House clique but would lose complete touch with my freshmen SVA clique when the 90s came and would not re-establish touch with almost any of them until facebook came along.

So I ask those who were there, What do you remember from that first day in Frank Roth's class at SVA? And those who weren't what was your day like?

Effin' Metrocard.

I curse the day the day the New York Subway System and the Path train system of New Jersey decided to adopt the Metrocard system.

You see, It was suppose to be a convenient and efficient way to get around the public transportation of NYC. I suppose if you're a daily user and you have established a routine in the card usage, It works out fine. However, For first time users it's a nightmare. Even for those of us who use it occasionally. It is a pain in the ass and hardly "convenient" It's got to be the most inconvenient public transportation payment system on earth. The BART of San Francisco is close but its complication has more to do with how to figure out how much to pay in where you go.

Ahhh, But in the old days, We had a token system in NYC and a cash setup on the PATH line. The token could be purchased at every subway station and used on both buses and trains. You knew exactly how much fare you had merely by taking a quick glance at how many tokens were in your pocket. You knew way before you entered a subway station whether you needed to buy more tokens.

With the Metrocard it's a mystery. You have to get rejected by the turnstiles after swiping five times in order to figure out how much fare you have left on the card. Now, you have to go to a token attendant (if you can find one) to replenish it. You can either put in the exact amount needed to get you through the day but that might involve a little quick math figuring out how much you need to pay into the card minus the amount that is left in the card. Or you can opt to pay a exact dollar amount to move things faster for the attendant because so much of their time is now wasted explaining how the Metrocard system works to neophytes who might not be able to speak clear enough English or Spanish to penetrate the thick walls of the toll booths.

Metrocard's solution to the toll attendants is to set up Metrocard machines in all the stations. Sometimes there is as many as five machines in the station. Most of the time you can't put in the exact amount needed to fill your card. It'll only take money to the nearest dollar. That is, If it'll take a dollar. Some machines only take coins but still will take it to the nearest dollar.

Sometimes you get a machine that takes only one time only round trips. This is okay unless you have only 3 dollars in cash and the fare is $3.50 and you have an old card with 75 cents left in it that the machine won't accept.

Some machines will only take take cash, Some only credit, Whoa behold if you choose the wrong machine.

Now some machines will give you a card to fill in whatever amount you want but WON'T refill the card you already have. So now you're stuck with two cards with some of the fare on it. The turnstiles will NOT let you use two cards each short of fare but combined would get you a train ride.

So, you can conceivably come across 5 machines at a PATH station each with a unique quirk and NOT have a suitable combination to get you a train ride. And yet in your pocket, You have the means to get you that ride.


Yep, I would curse the day that NYC went to the Metrocard system except I don't know what day that was, I was living in Seattle at the time.