|
june third, twenty ten a quick thought on the blown perfect game call from last night... the LAST thing baseball needs is more instant replay. i hate replay to begin with because 1) it eliminates the human element and 2) it slows down an already slow game. so the umpire blew the shit out of a call. should anyone besides him or armando galarraga care? humans make honest mistakes. that's the difference between us and computers and tv cameras. /rant at any rate, here's some early observations of the new kick ass place...
may twenty eighth, twenty ten
may twenty seventh, twenty ten this only proves that downtown needs a real park (like after 81 is torn down would be nice) yet also proves that people will swim in unsanitary conditions. it's kind of funny to read the reaction in that article from the one white collar worker on her lunch break. it's like she's never seen kids having a really good time in the city and sounds really put off by it. OH MY GOT THEY INTERFERED WITH ME EATING MY HAM SANDWICH HOLY CRAP I'M GONNA EXPLODE. but seriously, there's got to be a way to find some common ground here. how about allowing people to wade (which is was its true intention was when the square was reconstructed in 2001), no laying down or bathing whatsoever, a limited capacity on people playing near the fountain (like a max of 10), and no swimming for anyone over the age of 18 (i can do without seeing the 50 year old dude in a spedo trying to blend in like he's totally normal). wadding: fine. allowing little kids to play around: ok. turing it into a drink-a-thon and full-on public pool: shit no. early dismissal, 5-day weekend, and moving in 3 days! bust it!
may twenty fifth, twenty ten great game - second largest crowd ever there and i probably had the most fun i've had in the 300 section ever, but getting into the ballpark was a different story. i really don't know what it is about people sometimes, but when it comes to driving, they insist on parking right in front of where they wan to go. here are your six options by car, in cheapest to most expensive, in getting to alliance bank stadium...
normally i do park in the stadium lots, but it kind of kills me that 80% of the people in attendance for this particular game (for the sake of the argument, let's say 10,000 people did this because some people did walk in) insisted on parking next to the stadium. it created such a mess. doing so took 50 minutes. kind of unheard of for a chiefs game. and i'm guessing it took longer for others that arrived later. yet there were plenty of spots open on the side streets near the stadium. i understand that parking in the northside at night and walking in can be intimidating to some, but when you have thousands of people all doing it, it becomes a "safety in numbers" thing (as my dad always says). you're not going to get stabbed or mugged or shot by walking two blocks into 1st north street while wearing a chiefs t-shirt. it really just doesn't happen. and it becomes even less likely if you're surrounded by people who are all also going to the game. i mean think about it: 10,000 people were either too scared or didn't know that they could park for free, walk, and get there faster than sitting in car for an hour and paying $4. it boggles the mind. i'm still thinking about it (obviously). when did we all become sooooooooooooo car-oriented... that is the question.
may nineteenth, twenty ten i got one. finally. it really came down to the nitty grit, but i landed one. albeit small, it's a studio in hanover square. pretty sure you can't into the center of the city anymore than this. it will bring in some things that i'm missing in my life: puts me back downtown, be able to walk to where i want to go, entice me to get a new job (i can't picture myself working from home in it for all too long), and give me the ability to one day sell my car (something that i've been wanting to do for a few years now). because let's just get right to it: i made a big mistake by moving out to liverpool. i should've stayed put where i was, dropped cable, and found a new job. that's all i had to do. and they were easy things change, but i put it off. i think being out here really put me in a crap mood after a few months. and then i got into a crap mood about being in a crap mood because i didn't want to be. guh. a bad cycle. but there's no point in dwelling, really. gotta keep on movin. and i'm definitely happy with the way things seem to be heading right now. granted, there were a few things that were nice about wiggerpool: heid's, nichols, sahota, and retreat. while all good in their own right, a few sporadic businesses can only entice you so much. living here was more or less like being stuck in a giant culdesac with a bunch of cars heading their way in and out of the city as you watch old people with dogs and kids with parents ride their bikes to the park. i don't think i'll miss it all too much. and i'm pretty sure my neighbors will not miss me puking on cars, clapping abrasively during mets games, friday night beer pong tournaments, or me randomly yelling "don't tase me, bro!" or singing "mississippi quee-eeen!" in falsetto. safe to say i don't think i blend in with these peeps.
it's kind of a shame that i wanted my time here to go by so quickly. when you're 28 years i mean, it's a random thought, but even my passion for downtown has diminished a bit from not living there (i haven't really written about it since moving and doing so has always seemed kind of forced). i feel good when i'm there, but once i'm out, it's like an "out of sight, out of mind" thing and in the back of my head, i would always kind of sigh about having to go back to l'pool. and it's not like it's a shit hole here (my apartment may be). it's a cool place if you want to raise a family or something, but that's not what i'm looking to do right now. that all being said, i like the new apartment. the new hood is pretty chill and the building has some young musicians and artists in it. i think it's a good demographic for me to be around and a good place for me to be in. looking forward to it. ok... i'm like flipping balls about it... it's pretty kick ass... i think i was hyperventilating while reading the post on craigslist a few days ago...
may twelfth, twenty ten hit up a chiefs game last thursday, got hit on by 16 year olds (flattering, but enough of me getting hit on by girls that are well out of my age range..... or is it??? heyoo!) and watched the chiefs win as they donned the throwback unis - who are now also rocking the old school socks. this uniform setup can do no wrong. i WILL be getting one of those jerseys soon. and over the weekend, i took a trip to boston to hang with this guy and this guy. green dragon, jacob wirth (for bratwurst), bukowski's, pour house, some-bar-that-i-don't-know-what-street-it's-on-or-the-name-of-that-i-always-black-out-in-that-i've-been-in-twice-now, giacomo's south end (lobster, linguini, wine, and fried calamari), somehow managed to take the t home even though i don't quite remember - think i got the hang of doing it bombed when i lived there, sam adam's brewery tour, sully's (talking with the owner about how pissed he is at sam adam's), beer works (blueberry beer), corner cafe (the old north end dive), neptune oyster (raw clams and oysters, fried clams, clam chowder, and a lobster roll - this place rules), and ended it with some wii karaoke. all of that was done within a matter of 36 hours. pretty much hit up everything i wanted to: the faves with some new things thrown in. a kick ass weekend and probably the best one i've had in a long time. i still miss boston. i started to get a little reflective about it all driving through it on my way back on sunday. i do sort of regret not being totally independent for myself when i was there and being a general shitbag. but it's hard to say i have any real regrets about anything because it brought me to where i am now. lived life. learned some shit. it's a little tempting knowing that i have a job with a good company and cubicle waiting for me to return anytime i want. i was seriously considering moving back a couple years ago, but i think me moving there would just prolong the inevitable of me moving back here. i could go there, have a great time, meet people, move up ye old corp ladder pretty easily, but it would only buy me so much time before i ended up leaving again. i still do love going there. and even miss my old commute (who says that?). pretty much nothing but baseball, friends, good food, and beer over the last week. can't. freaking. beat it.
may fourth, twenty ten garv: ok, but are you aware that you own an iphone? me: yes. and i love it.
april thirtieth, twenty ten the risk in talking with complete strangers is you can end up talking with someone who is really weird or clingy or who will want to talk your ear off. i'm a pretty good listener so sometimes the convos can start out ok, but then make me want to end it like this...
april twenty seventh, twenty ten
april nineteenth, twenty ten i did some volunteering on saturday picking up trash along salina street, pearl street and around i-81. don't want to sound like an a-hole but i probably picked up more trash than everyone else (including hopping fences and climbing up i-81 embankments to pick up trash that's been sitting there for years). a sign of the times in terms of what people really like to throw on the ground...
afterwards, we all received a meal ticket for a sandwich, chips, and soda at j ryan's (which is slowly becoming one of my favorite syracuse bars). the turnout for volunteering was low, so the organizer gave out extra meal tickets to nearby homeless people, who showed up and ate food with us. probably the nicest thing i've seen in a really long time.
april fifteenth, twenty ten i did some research online this week about what people who are legally blind in one eye go through and how they deal with things (like contacts, depth perception, ect...) and it was extremely surprising. a lot of people sounded really depressed about being blind in one eye - almost to the point of being suicidal. it ranges from a whole bunch things: inability to be able to catch and throw, worrying about people staring or commenting, insecurity about looking in the mirror, being unhappy with how you look. it just really shocked me. i guess i never really thought about it that much because i've had to deal with it my whole life and it's become so second nature to me. sometimes i feel weird about my eye looking lazy (i know it happens - especially when i'm tired) but i can't really do anything about it so i just go on with life. sometimes the depth perception thing does get in the way (i brake early when i drive, i can't see 3d movies, sometimes my shoulder hits the door on the way out, if someone tosses me something small like quarter i have like a 1/100 chance of actually catching it, stuff like that) but it's never been anything that makes me depressed. i actually think i've adjusted to it really well (i'm pretty good at basketball yet some people can't even play sports anymore). i felt kind of bad for the people who are depressed about it. i felt like telling them it's not all that bad. you can still see. i mean, sometimes i get a little insecure when i look at pictures of myself and notice my eye isn't where it should be, but life goes on. it's not really anything you can change so just enjoy that you can see out of one at least. i don't want to sound arrogant but i'm half blind and half deaf and i've never gotten upset with how i am. just adjust yourself and be happy with what you have. aaaand scene. on the plus side of the exam, the doc said that i have excellent peripheral vision (which i've known) and i have 20/20 vision right now in my good eye with my glasses on. which at this age basically means that i will never need a new prescription for a long time. so it's not all bad news. i think one day i may get contacts - maybe when i'm 40 or something. and i'm looking into the lasik surgery, but as of right now, i'm fine with ye old glasses. i might get some new ones though. just gotta decide between the buddy holly or the malcolm x. hmmmmm. at any rate, will def be rockin the rec specs for kickball and softball this year.
april ninth, twenty ten
 music: elvis costello "veronica"
april fourth, twenty ten this may mean taking a hefty cut in some expenditures in order to live where i want to live. there's a huge demand for downtown housing right now (something like a 98% occupancy rate) and rents have gotten up pretty high lately (a 45% increase of monthly rent at my old apartment building since 2007, for example). i most likely won't end up moving back there specifically, but i am willing to sacrifice a little to be happy in my surroundings again. i'm starting to get really excited about it and hope that i can find that allusive pad where i can just chill comfortably for a few years. t'would be nice.
april second, twenty ten i wish i could find the exact quote that i read recently online, but it went something along the lines of simply returning back to your roots can be the biggest, defining act of-self confidence that one takes. it's hard to imagine that i would ever believe something like that 2 and a half years after wanting to get the hell out of here so badly. i wrote this on july 7th, 2007. i swear to god. 26-year-old joe lorenz would punch 28 year-old joe lorenz square in his effing face right now. while chugging a can of pabst.
april first, twenty ten i feel a lot better since being single. it's like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. i was at the point where i was dwelling in the past, overly-stressing about the future, and not at all concerned about what was going on in the present (i tend to do that to a small degree, but not at all as extreme as i was letting it get). it was really draining everything of me. to the point where i was sacrificing my own happiness. i'll miss my best friend and the connection we had because it was definitely there at one point in time. sometimes major things like distance, environment, time, and people come into play, but life goes on. i've been able to focus on me again lately - something that i was putting off for way too long - and i'm finally starting to feel like myself again, which has been long overdue. i'm definitely ready to get things going again, see what the next chapter brings, and to... pay off my credit card, put money into savings each month, find a kick-ass apartment, get contacts and rec specs, overhaul the bed, join a softball team, expand my dining blog, get settled in the city, start brewing beer, get a part time job at a restaurant or bar, start practicing bass, join a downtown development committee, continue playing shows on piano, get a full-time job downtown, get a blonde girlfriend who plays violin, has a russian accent, and wears boots, pay off my car loan, take a cooking class, small business class, or web development class, audition for the symphony, join a carsharing program, sell my car, open a restaurant or bar, buy a downtown condo, sit and wait patiently for the mets to win a world series. and away we go.
march twenty sixth, twenty ten at any rate, a tough 'cuse loss. probably the worst of the season (i was preparing for it and kind of had a feeling they weren't going to make it once ao got injured last week). but i'm totally ready for mets and chiefs baseball. and nicer weather. and driving with the windows down. and nights at alliance bank stadium. and yelling at umpires. and grilling outside. and scantily clad girls. and citi field. and seeing jose reyes run. and having a beer while watching the game. on tap for this weekend: two baseball drafts, seeing two bands, qt w/gf, thai food, depositing my surprisingly huge massachusetts tax return (i love you, commonwealth. forgive me for ever doubting you) and livin and lovin life.
march twenty third, twenty ten there was a small group of us kids in the immediate neighborhood who were always hanging out together pretty heavily for several years it seems (for me, probably age 8 to age 15) - mostly in summers when the weather was nicer when it gave us all a chance to play outside and do things like kickball, go to the local pool, or just hang out outside one of our houses on the street. it's sad to think that it happened. i have nothing but good memories of him. he was a good kid with really nice family and i feel really sorry for his twin brother. being a little older than me, he was someone i looked up to a little bit at the time way back then too. life is pretty crazy.
march eighteenth, twenty ten once was in a bar with petey. the hot, female bartender was chatting with some guy for roughly seven minutes and when she came over to take our drink order, i kinda went off on her (constructively). essentially giving her criticism on how she needs to be a better bartender. what was slightly disappointing was her only defense mechanism was attempting to flirt. which not only was not my intention of why i was talking to her to begin with, but i also wasn't acknowledging at all. so she just walked away and didn't serve us. at least i got my point across. the second one was in disney with a teacher and his students. after a long day of riding 5 buses and commuting, ni and i were waiting in line for last the bus to our hotel with roughly 50 hyperactive high school students (several of which cut in line in front of us and other people behind us). one of them cut in front of me and i went off on them and gave the teacher the death stare a couple of times during my spiel. this all was justified up until the teacher sarcastically let us in front of him saying how the more priveledged people need to get on the bus first. i don't know what was more aggravating - students cutting in line or a teacher not knowing how to handle authority and criticism. i know i was right in both instances, but i'm hoping that this only leads to me voicing my opinion a bit more and less of me exploding on people randomly (which is a huge problem that i have sometimes). i really don't want to be that guy at the supermarket who flips out on random employees because they don't have cilantro. and i def do not want to turn into a mr. tarkanian. cause that's not cool. i more or less would like to stick up for my own opinion, society functioning as it should, and people following the rules and respecting others. am i wrong? am i wrong? no walter. you're not wrong. you're just an asshole! ok then.
march fourteenth, twenty ten i will say this about disney world (and hollywood studios, downtown disney, and the boardwalk in particular): although its streets, waterfront, sidewalks, walkways, and buildings are all fake, pre-determined, and deliberately placed, the design and feel are really amazing. throw in mass transit options like light rail, boats, an always on-time and easy to use bus system, taxis, car rentals, shuttles, a monorail, and add flawlessly clean streets and sidewalks, clearly marked signage, freshly painted road lanes, clean water, clean buildings, and clean interstates with no pot-holes, and it's really a wonder why we can't model our cities like this. it's basically a perfectly constructed and organized pedestrian environment. it's really a shame that we can't take notes from these sort of things. people are obviously comfortable traveling like this, walking around in it, and sight-seeing in it and yet we can't actually implement any elements of it into our own communities. some things that i liked in particular... the buildings at hollywood studios are all done with an art-deco, 1940's hollywood style...
 loved the trash cans with the city seal and "please help keep our city clean". (let's face it, i'm the only dork at disney who was taking pictures of a friggin trash can).
 also loved the generic "library" here. when was the last time a library was built with classicalism and placed right up against the street? 1930?
 although designed for movies, the brownstone-esque residential buildings with commercial stores on the corners were cool too.
 to rant, it's amazing to me that we are still trying to build sectioned-off and expansive housing developments that only value the individual and not the community and only further propels this whole me-first generation that we seem to be severely slipping into as of late. all in a bad economy no less. isn't it cheaper to build a brownstone that a couple of families can live in in a city environment rather than huge, grandios mcmansions in the middle of nowhere that we have to drive back and forth to? sigh... the boardwalk area, although pricey, was really nice. 3-story buildings, a picturesque waterfront, street performers, outdoor restaurants, vendors, and boat transportation.
 leave it to me for taking the introspective look at it all (don't get me wrong, the aerosmith ride, germany, test track, and mission space were totally kick ass), but the design and layout were awesome and something that i never noticed in my other 3 or 4 visits. while disney might be sectioned off from the rest of the world, it's just an awesome pedestrian-friendly environment. nice job, diz. ...just don't get me started on why there were so many entitled and bratty people there because i think i have a theory for it that deals with design as well...
march eighth, twenty ten i've been doing a lot of music stuff lately. it's been pretty cool to play upright and electric bass so much. not only because it's really what i love to do, but i'm at the point now where i can actually hear myself develop as a musician (seems to be easier for me to judge myself with bass than piano or singing). but at any rate, because i haven't played in so long, i'm able to critique myself and hear myself a lot better. i know the techniques already after having them drilled into my head for so long so i know how it needs to sound, it's just a matter of doing it. and i think when i was at ithaca, i got into a rut of playing everyday but not really listening to what i was playing or how it was really supposed to sound. so bad habbits just kept repeating themselves over and over again. so now, although my chops might be a bit rusty, it's like having a fresh physical and mental start when you haven't played in a while. all it takes is just your ears and hands working the right way. not that not practicing is a smart thing, but i feel much better about my music abilities right now. i was worried that they would eventually dry up if i didn't use them, but apparently they can come back. plus, i'd like to audition for a symphony sometime within the next couple of years (i mean, i have a freaking bachelors degree in it i may as well give it a shot, right?) so it's pretty reassuring to know that i can still play the bass. or at the very least, know how it's supposed to sound when it comes out. it actually makes me excited about playing. which didn't really happen while at college. peace out, snow. i plan on not seeing you when i return from orlando. giggidy!
march second, twenty ten
 as i alluded to yesterday, this building at 921 north state street collapsed last week and will be demolished sometime within the next 2 weeks. the building itself is 122 years old and originally housed the national brewery in 1888. kind of a sad story from a lot of differnet sides but i have many random points, observations, and solutions... it's kind of aggravating when the first people to chime in on this subject are the ones who are worried about their commutes changing. a guy just lost his business and this is the first thing that pops into your head. this is literally a fraction of the "oh my god! my car!" kind of response that's only going to become more widespread as discussions of what to do with i-18 through downtown gain momentum from here on out. and really, how hard is it to find a detour through a city. we have a lot of really cool innovations these days like google maps (complete with streetview if you're feeling randy!), gps, and a little thing called STREET SMARTS that people seem to be less and less able to grasp or feel comfortable with. i normally don't side with people who can't maintain their own properties (and especially when it comes to any historic building deteriorating) but in this case, i actually do feel for the owner. first, this building that he's owned for 25 years just gave way because of the weather. second, he looses his business and clientele. third, he has to relocate. fourth, he is more than likely going to be slapped with a $500,000 bill from the state. and fifth, this guy and his immediate family's finances are probably totally effed for the time being, if not for the rest of his life. and what does he get from all this? a huge fine. all because some a-holes thought it would be really cool to keep pumping money into an interstate that cuts through a small city's downtown. from a personal standpoint, it's a shame that the building collapsed. i used to drive by it all the time - on the way to a baseball game, the mall, franklin square, the post office, or the inner harbor. yes, it looked like shit and the immediate neighborhood is dicey and run-down over there, but it doesn't dispute the fact that this building, especially the side facing state street, was designed with extremely beautiful craftsmanship (complete with a really cool facade). it's too bad that one of the few remaining buildings that was a part of a once prosperous and proud brewing city (and brewing neighborhood) has to be torn down. most of them were all within about a mile of each other and there ain't that many left. there has to be a way to at least save a section of this. the 3-story portion is the section that looks bad, while the 2-story section still looks decent. can't they just save this side? then the guy gets to keep a least a portion of his property and business, a building gets reused, and the city spends less money on demolition. or is that all too simple of a solution? they really don't build them like they used to. i realize that expression sounds short given the fact that the building did actually collapse in the end, but think about it: this structure took 122 winters before it finally showed any signs of letting up. that's freaking engenuity. they knew how to build things. i'd like to see one of these pre-fabricated mchouse's survive almost a century and a halfs worth of harsh syracuse winters. goodbye 921 n state street. hopefully you get replaced with a nice park or something after they re-route i-81 and not become a parking lot for destiny usa.
march first, twenty ten it would also be nice if these same people didn't complain about how it's going to take 10 more minutes to drive home after a building collapsed on n state street. you can't have both. can't live outside the city and then complain about how hard it is to get in and out. that allllll being said, let's go orange. also, i love march.
february twenty sixth, twenty ten at any rate... i think getting away from the cold and snow for 5 days is only going to be that much greater. add my favorite person, fave team, fave sport, magic kingdom, and drinking at every country around epcot, and that recipe can cure just about any inconvenience whatsoever. i've already mentioned how much my apartment bugs me, haven't i?
|