Jan 28-30 - Dancing in the dark and Moving under the Lights (and NJ Too)

We try to get enough sleep, stay hydrated and take our vitamins and minerals and drink plenty of orange juice. Plenty of fiber, plenty of water and wash with antibacterial soap and use Colgate Total and T Control Listerine on the teeth. Preparation is always key.

The week ends on a high point. Work is under control and the bosses are happy. I had planned on going to the gym but that fell through as I left work too late. Came straight home, inhaled the steak dinner and headed into the bathroom to complete the haircut. Ernesto showed up to hang a little and chat and we watched some tv before preparing to head out.

After going down on the elevator we said our good nights to Ernesto and parted ways to our separate vehicles. Hopped into the Murano and plowed through the residual snow in the parking lot on the way out to the street. The newest CD was in the player and we drove into the cold night headed into the city. The ride in was slowed under the promenade slightly by a disabled vehicle but once past that the rest of the ride over the Bklyn bridge was easy. We dodged potholes, taxis and early evening drunk people and pulled into a parking space right up the street from our destination. Said hi to the doorguys and walked into the place. Paid the cashier and doffed the coats at the coatcheck and then headed for the back stairs. A quick walkthrough of the slowly filling dancefloor and then we were at the front bar to say hi to barman Brett. We exchanged our hellos and ordered our first drinks. Splash was filling up slowly and there was still plenty of room next to the bar to dance and hang as we watched whatever happened to appear on the monitors and reflected on the mirror across the way. We had only been inside for a little bit before spotting Reggie wearing white and black (last week it was all white). I walked across the room, walked up and surprised him on the dance floor. We walked back over to Pais and ordered some red bull and more drinks. Once the drinks were in hand Reggie and myself headed out to the dancefloor to clear some space and dance. From the middle, to the back, to the back bar, to right in front of the stage, DJ Alex Lauterstein kept us on hold at first and then at 12:15 unleashed a dancefest that kept us in motion until it was time to kick it up a notch. After being chased around the floor by pushy people and strange smells I heard the familiar beats of an oncoming dance favorite. With the dancing boy off of the box at the moment I stepped onto the speakerbox, lit my hands and proceeded to dance to "Lola's Theme". After that song was over I extinguished the lights but still stayed to dance into the next song before stepping down and heading to the front bar and catching up with the Pais. I handed Brett a copy of my latest mix CD "Thunder Snow" and promised Reggie that I would give him copies of my other CDs before I left for the night. (He had no pockets big enough and with the cargo pants, I could hold the music all night). I made sure the cases were turned so I wouldn't break them while I danced and continued move around the dancefloor. Inbetween I discussed music with Brett and he told me he had been given passes to the Blue Ball in Philly but wasn't sure if he wanted to go. I said it was cool but I was doing my normal NYC circuit so I knew where I would be. When it was time to head downstairs to the restroom I took in the all dark lounge area and the slow moving crowd. The bathroom wasn't too bad and I made use of the stall with no door as it seemed to have the shortest wait time. Back upstairs by way of the back and we danced some more to a well choreographed set by the DJ and some very appreciative dancers on the floor dancing to "The Third Dimension" and "Tribal Madness". No stage time but plenty of time on the floor and eventually it was time to go. At 3Am we bid goodnight Reggie, handed off the CDs and retrieved the coats from the coatcheck. Another night was concluded and we headed back home to BK.

We awoke and had some breakfast, Pais had a bagel, I had an energy shake. Ernesto came back and we hung out some before settling in and watching the end of our "Anchorman" DVD. The slow beginning hid the fact that the movie quickly became out of control and full of ridiculously funny parts. I had not laughed that hard at a movie in a while. Ernesto went off to visit with his family and we caught a nap in preparation for heading out later. We awoke all too soon and prepared to get ready to head over to NJ. Showered outfitted and with the newly re-arrived Ernesto we made our way down to the car and headed out.

The ride into the city was easy and we met up with the rest of the crowd ready to travel right in front of the Dugout. We said our greetings, chatted a little and then separated to our separate vehicles and drove out. Through the Lincoln Tunnel and down Route 3 and with the directions we copied from the Jimmy we made it in good time. After parking the car we overstepped the icy mat and knocked on the door. Larry welcomed us inside and we said our hellos to Donnie and the parrot. After we hung the coats up I mixed a few Grey Goose and cranberries for everyone. I soon homed in on the chips and dip to keep my stomach busy on more than alcohol. Pretty soon we welcomed the expanding arriving team members of Hal, Steve, Matt, Dave and then Jimmy arrived with Demetrius and Chris. The meeting began and all different facets of the upcoming softball season were discussed. From uniforms, to player positions to new team members, it took a while but finally it was all run through. Afterwards we got up and turned around and dug into the great repast that Glenn had prepared. The ribs in two different flavors and the pasta salad were excellent and the ribs were quickly depleted. With full bellies and good company we passed the time talking and hanging some more until different people had to return to different errands that called them away. We stayed until 11pm and then we too said our goodbyes and hugged and bid farewell. The ride back to the city was made quickly and easily and we got everyone back to the city in one piece. We dropped Ernesto off at the subway so he could retrieve his vehicle and head home while we looped back across town to find parking. A quick costume change in the car and a bottle of water on 9th ave and we were all ready to head over to Roxy. After giving up on a few parking spots that were stickered as off limits, we settled on the lot around the corner. I went to wait on line in front of the club while Pais waited on the line for the lot. Who should be on the line but Chris and the Jimmy. I waited with them for a short bit in the cold and Paisley sights us on line and we all get inside together. Chris gets disc passes for all but I don't need it so Chris and Pais use them to get in. After the coat check we make our way inside and I picked up the first round after saying hi to barman Barker. Brett was in the house as well with his buds as he decided to stay in the city rather than drive down in the cold to hang in Philly. We were looking forward to a good set from DJ Peter Rauhofer but he wasn't in house just yet. With one of his planned sets playing for the crowd the place slowly began to fill and the crowd got into it. The mood ratcheted up quickly and we definitely got into the party mood as we danced to songs by Janet Jackson, Destiny's Child and Suzanne Palmer. Despite the bigger crowd the back bar still had not recovered its popularity and was not too busy so we stayed at the front. Over the course of the night we hung out with Duane, Andre as well as Troy at the front bar as well as several short visits with Brett as he held court near the entrance and spoke to Carson K a bit before heading out to dance in the asian section to "Sexercise" by Altar. The boys in the section kept moving my drink so I decided I could just stay for one song and walked across the tables to appear right in front of Pais and the Jimmy as they stopped by for a brief visit and watch. Peter arrived with a vengeance to kick the crowd up a notch and we could hear the crowd respond. Chris had to head out early this eve so he was gone by 2am but the rest of us stayed to hear some more. No laser for me tonight but plenty of chances to light my hands as later on I danced on the front speaker near the door to Gwen Stefani and"What you Waiting For". I made it on to the speaker by the stage, the dancefloor and the spaces near the front as the fun went on for quite some time. I lost track of the others for a bit but still had a moment to say goodnight to Barker before another quick circuit of the place. I found the rest of the guys right near the front door and just like that it was time to go. We stayed until 5am and then with a wave to the crowd we bid the party good night. A quick walk around the corner and we were able retrieve the car and head back to BK post haste. Another long day comes to a close.

Sunday we awoke late and after having breakfast delivered we watched a DVD of "Aliens vs Predator". The movie was entertaining enough despite some wild leaps of logic and convenience but it was a good afternoon popcorn movie. We also watched some basketball and then it was time to find something to eat. We then made ready to go out to eat and returned to Jakes near the waterfront to have some more great portions of barbecue. We drove the whole neighborhood looking for a parking space and settled on a spot on the same block not too far away. Dodging cars in the street we were able to make our way inside and be seated. The out of the way location meant the place had a much shorter wait than the Dallas BBQ behind Macy's. Pais had the meatloaf while I had the pulled barbecue chicken breast. The food was once again excellent and we both had to bring portions of the dinner home. We stopped on the way home at Pathmark to pick up some soda and soap. With that mission accomplished we headed back home and watched The Simpsons on Fox. We then watched a DVD of "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow". Very fun and an interesting movie too. Afterwards it was just time for the news and catching up on some DVR programming.

Another weekend under wraps and plenty of fun had along the way. We come up to the end of the month and await more fun as the chill seems to lift. Looking forward to the temps in the 40s later on this week. Until then will stay warm until its Hot once again.

Jan 21 - 23 - Out of the Cold and Into the Blizzard and back again...

I came into the weekend happy that it had arrived. The workweek was mercifully one day shorter but still, the end of work cannot come soon enough. We prepared well ahead of time making sure all of the varied cast would be out there. Phone calls, invitations, outright harassment, all the usual goads to get the friends and "family" out there. I planned on going to the gym on Friday eve but forgot my locker lock and had to come straight home like a bad kid. It was ok though as I was still feeling the burn from the last workout earlier in the week and I figured I would do a little dancefloor working out anyway. I got home at 8:45, ate my steak and spinach and started to pick out the wardrobe for the evening. The doorbell rang and Ernesto arrives first with his own dinner to eat (chicken and broccoli). Shortly afterwards the Jimmy arrives in his goosedown Starter. We all say hi, chill out and we watch a little TV. I was back and forth between entertaining in the living room and picking out a playlist for my next mix CD. I finally pick out the last song right before its time to leave and we decide that we are going to drive into the city in the Murano.

Nice and spacious, nice and warm and very comfortable, we roll into the city easily as the traffic wasn't too bad and the city streets were only a litte broken up and we arrived easily. We couldn't find a parking space out front but after a quick turn around the corner we were parked and ready to go. I attempted to go to an ATM first to bulk up but after walking a few blocks I realized I had come out without my ATM card. I walked back down the block, passed the guys at the car and went right in. Said hi to the doorpeople, hi to the cashier and headed for the coatcheck. After checking a few coats I headed up to the front bar and braved the crowds around the bar to say hi to barman Brett. All of us piled up underneath the monitors and toasted to hanging out and having fun this year. I turbodrank for the first hour before I realized I needed to slow down and enjoy the the whole evening and not just the first 45 minutes. This evening Splash had DJ Eddie Elias on the turntables and despite the cold the place was fully packed by 12:30. We moved around and went downstairs which was kinda empty at first but gradually over the course of the night it filled out some. I headed back upstairs to dance and hang out with the crowd and even danced on the stage for a song before heading back into the crowd to hang with the boys. Over the course of the eve we hung out with Shawn and Reggie and I even said hi to Ra who was hanging at the front bar but almost lost his scarf. I chided him a little and made sure that he knew that we do not lose D&G accessories. Brand name stuff must always be accounted for. The DJ made sure we kept up our energy and even David noted that so many times after 1:30 the music is all downhill but DJ doubleE kept the tribal hits and fierce beats moving late late into the night. I danced up on the speakerbox with one boy who couldn't decide if he was up or down and lit up my hands and showed off a little on the box. I then got down and danced in the middle of the dance floor amidst the turbulent crowd and let the lights flash over me. At one point during one vocal dance song, Reggie, myself and a few of the boys in front of the stage put on an impromptu dance show showing off and generally dancing our butts off. At one point one boy dance challenged Reggie to who would show up who and while the boy was russian dancing towards him, Reggie did a cartwheel sideways up and over the guys left shoulder and landed on his feet facing the guys back. Couldn't have looked better if they had choreagraphed it. I found the boys rest of the boys back at the front and we decided it was time to head out. I picked up the coats, loitered around the front until everybody was ready and then we headed out into the night. We all piled back into the car, all 5 of us and headed back into BK. After we got back to the house we bid the boys goodnight and they all drove off in their own vehicles. I was home already so I just had to have drink of water and get ready for bed. The usual.

Saturday I awoke to the bright whiteness of snow and the blustery winds of our first big blizzard of the year. Despite plenty of notice we had run out of the essentials in the house such as dishwashing liquid and diet coca-cola. So I had the brainstorm to test out the four wheel drive on the Murano with a trip over to Target at the other end of 4th Ave. We listened to chill-out music as we rolled up the drive and dodged snow covered pedestrians on our way up the ave. We parked in the lot underneath Pathmark and made our way upstairs and across the bridge into Target. Surprisingly I was not the only person who thought it was a good day to go shopping and the place was full of people out looking for a good deal. We wandered the floor buying soda, bubble gum, a Scunci steam cleaner and a window brush/ice scraper for the new car. The checkout was a breeze and after a nice cup of starbucks we were ready to go. I waited by the elevator as Pais traveled back to the car. I read the latest Honor Harrington novel by David Weber as I waited for Pais who was stuck in traffic coming out of the lot. After waiting a bit I headed down on the elevator and waited with the rest of the peoples by the outside door. As soon as I got the cell call I headed out with a set of bags into the white wind. Pais was NOT right by the door but I found him soon enough and convinced him to move up a little before I headed back for the final two bags. After packing it all in we drove out of the little lane between the buildings and headed down the ave back to our neighborhood. For lunch we decided not to go to the first KFC we happened upon (ghetto) and drove further down the street to our usual KFC. After picking up the extra-crispy and the best cole slaw in the world we headed back home, parked under the carport downstairs and brought the bags into the house. After a quick lunch and some experimenting with the new steamer on the stove and in the bathroom we watched some of Will Farrell in Anchorman. I started the mixing on my latest CD while the defrost started on the turkey wings in the m-wave. Between checking on the weather reports and getting DB's mobile number into my phone and my cellphone I put together a nice dinner between sessions at the computer and sat down to eat at 8:25. The macaroni and cheese and the turkey were both excellent and we polished the dinner off quickly. Despite the ominous predictions for the weather, a timely upper air disturbance cleared out the tail end of the winter storm sooner than expected and by the time 10pm rolled around I called up DB to say the trip into the city was on, she said she had already called ahead to Roxy and was told that they were definitely open. We synched watches and began preparations to head out. Showered, shaved and sprayed (cologne) and picked out the outfit. All accoutrements accounted for and we decided to leave a little early to account for the slower driving speed on the road and we left the house at 11.

We cleared off the car, opened the driveway door and jumped over the pile of snow out front onto the street. We dodged a few pedestrians walking in the street and slalomed a few disabled vehicles at the bottom of the hill on third ave. The streets were clear but very quiet and pretty. Some cars, especially the limo drivers, were still driving like it was just rain, but a snowstorm when its 20 degrees out means you are supposed to 4wheel it or stay home. On the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge we got a call from DB that said she could not get a car service to come and pick her up. The companies were telling her no cars were available or they could not go that far (crosstown?) Anyway we decided since we had plenty of time we would just make our way up the FDR, get off at Houston St and pick her up in alphabet city. Pretty soon we said our hellos to DB and CK and we made a quick stop crosstown at the Chase branch on Bway for some wallet fuel. We made it all the way crosstown to the west side and made it up 10th ave to park in the lot (no street parking today). We had to brave a few snow hills and walked in the street right up to the front door. Since the girls had their invites in hand we didn't have to ask for any from doorman Derek and we said our hellos (no line) and went right in. Despite a last minute money placement and shoe change by the girls at the coat check we headed inside in short order and got our first drinks. I said hello to barman Barker and we looked out on the dancefloor which was still mostly empty. I showed the girls the upstairs lounge which was still very quiet and the upstairs balcony in the front. We looked down on the slowly filling dancefloor and then after talking some we headed back downstairs to the main floor. After checking on Pais we headed to the back which was very empty and showed the girls the balcony over the back bar. We commented on the view, looked out over the floor and then decided it was time to get another drink so it was back downstairs for us. Our DJ tonight was Chad Jack who is always adept at throwing us plenty of surprises so we kept on hearing the dance beats calling us out until by 1:30 the dancefloor seemed pretty full. It was nice to see that even without the full complement of the B&T crowd the place can still pack them in on a Saturday night. Me and DB headed out to the dancefloor ourselves and proceeded to work up a sweat to one particularly hot tribal beat. Afterwards we picked up Pais and CK and walked around the club some more. The girls liked my choice of drink for them to try of Mandarin Orange and Cranberry (but I did miss the Stoli Orange so..). We hung out some more in the front and then I told Pais that if the girls looked for me I was going to appear on the speaker. I ran across the table tops and stood behind the box for a moment and then stepped up onto the speaker and began to dance. I ignited the hands and proceeded to put on a dancing show for the boys who had braved the cold to dance in the club with us. I also noticed that there was not another lit up person in the house (no glo sticks - no flashlights, even the only one with the green laser). Pretty soon DB and CK were right there next to the speaker cheering me on and taking pictures and I did my best to keep up to the music and have fun while I was up there. After I stepped down and rejoined the crowd at the front we took to the floor and did Salsa and Meringue over the beat of the dance music. At one later moment I noticed the stage was empty except for one boy sitting on the corner. I forget the song I danced to but I was really just dancing in front of the DJ and appreciating the beats. Later on after dancing on the dancefloor with the girls I put on my final speaker dance in the asian section to Abel's take on "La Puta". The girls enjoyed and so did I as we danced and I overlooked the slowly contracting dancefloor. I lit my hands and felt the tide turn against the impending blackness but in the end I left the speaker when it was time to go. The girls told us that they were finally tired and footsore and were ready to go home so we said our goodnights and I walked them out to the coatcheck. We waved goodbye at the front entrance and then I returned back inside to spend some more party time with Pais. The lights and the music were still going at full swing and plenty of other boys had followed my example and taken to the speaker to entertain and dance too. Finally at about 4am we decided to call it a night and we turned from the crowd, put our shirts back on and made our way to the coatcheck. After we picked up our coats and made our way outside it was back to the snow. Thankfully they had plowed the sidewalk so we did not have to walk in the street and we picked up the car without too much trouble. We drove over to 6th Ave and Joe's Pizza and I braved the crowds to pick up two nice slices for us to munch on in the car. After that we headed down Broadway and turned onto Canal street to cross the Manhattan Bridge. The streets were still quiet but the ride was effortless in the 4wheel drive and we made it back to the streets of BK with no trouble. We parked right next to our usual spot and headed indoors to end the evening. I was happy we made it out and was happy with the music, the friends and another good time in the city. And then I got some rest.

Sunday the storm thankfully was ended and the time now was for the cleanup. Thankfully because we had taken the car out the night before there was nothing really to clean off except some ice. A toasted bagel, and some housecleaning and we ready to 4wheel out in the streets once again. After watching some football we were able to head outside to the car, brush off the windblown snow and take off through the plow drift at the end of the driveway and dodge pedestrians once again. We headed up 4th ave once again, this time heading for Macy's to see the store almost empty like we were there for a pre-sale closed door famous people shop. Anyway we did not find anything to truly take advantage of the emptiness and non busy-ness and headed back outside to make our way over to Wendy's for lunch. There was no line inside and we were able to get our food quickly and it tasted nice and fresh. Outside in the cold we noted the poor unfortunate souls waiting for buses ouside and we were verry happy that we had our own wheels and were not beholden to the MTA on the weekend. I walked back to the car singing belly laugh ditties about waiting for buses (so coldhearted) and I warmed my cold hands in my lap and my gloves on the heated seat. We drove down Atlantic ave and headed up 4th ave back towards the house. Back inside once again I settled in to watch some TV and I promptly passed out on the couch. I woke up around 8pm and new it was about time to cook dinner. After some defrosting and boiling of water I was able to throw together a serviceable dinner of spaghetti and meat sauce and we were happy enough with dinner to even go back for seconds. After the football game was over we watched DVR episodes of Family Guy and The Simpsons. After watching the news and the weekend wrap-up it was time to get ready for bed. Another weekend all wrapped up and then we return to the real world.

Can't wait to hang out with friends once again with a weekend untainted by the specter of impending snow. Until we tap into that well of endless energy known as another great song once again (real soon). I plan to stay friendly and stay warm. New hotness warm.

Three Day Weekend, Friends, Friends and Friends Again

The people at work decided to have a little drink downstairs at Ole. I was heavily invited so I left work to go downstairs and have one drink. We discussed the new year with high expectations (anything better than last year). Celebrated working for the same company we were at 2 years ago and laughed and even danced a little to "Follow Me" by Aly Us. I did get back upstairs to finish up with work so it would not be waiting for me Monday Morn. I was offered a ride from V so me and LL hopped into the new Infiniti SUV and rode back home into BK. The car was pretty much the same as the Murano with just buttons instead of dials and a different gear shift and different placement of the cup holders. A little more expensive because it has a different platform but the same size and options. Am happy that Pais settled on the Luxury suspension instead of the sport suspension as the ride was a little rougher, but still a nice ride. Got home plenty early just after 8pm and proceeded engage in a haircut, shower and then a nice steak dinner. We discussed with The Jimmy about whether to go to Krash or to Splash but I knew where my fun was so we wished Jimmy well and headed into the city at just after 11 to get to Splash. Walked across the lot and headed inside, paid the cashier and headed for coat check. There was a line but it was not that bad. Headed for the backstairs and then up across the dance floor and met up with the crowd at the front bar. I got a drink for me and for Pais and said hi to barman Brett. He introduced us to Quentin E and his friendgirl Tina. She told me that Quentin would be performing at Splash on the 31st for a fund raising benefit. We said for sure and I gifted her with one of my mix CDs (The Workout CD) and proceeded to enjoy the evening dancing. DJ Eliot DeHoyos gave us another dose of his Tribe party and the place got more and more filled as the night progressed. I was surprised that the regular light guy was in attendance but he showed a renewed interest in synching the lights to the mood and to the music and gave the crowd that little extra push to keep the crowd going. Over the course of the evening we heard the Shapeshifter Dub Mix (as usual) and also a remix of. Erotic City (Prince), Twisted (Star 69) , and La Noche. I danced on the stage and later in the night as I got more bold I danced on the table box and then crossed the dancefloor to dance on the steel speakerbox. I danced a little reckless considering the size of the speaker, the fact someone else joined me and the lateness of the night (right around 3am) but I survived and eventually it was time to call it a night. I said gnite to Brett, picked up an HX and headed back out into the night to the car. We found out that the Jimmy had spent an hour on line waiting to get into Krash. He said the place was full and that it was fun but where I was it was pretty full too. No wait for me and plenty of friendly faces. We got home easily and turned in. Another Friday night experience that was all good and then some. Nice.

Saturday morning has a brunch with Kevin and Phil at their place to attend so we cleaned up around noon and headed over with a gift CD and a bottle of Korbel. We drove almost straight there but realized we were on clinton and not clifton. After circling the block we showed up just as the crowd started to pile in and even though I started with a soda one of the guys we just met from Cali made a killer mimosa (Mostly champagne with some orange juice for color). We enjoyed the great food (Fresh Direct) and the great new furnishings. The little kids watched Shrek in the other room while we all talked and hung out. We even all joined together to sing Kevin "Happy Birthday". What was funny was that we made it sound eerily professional. Nothing like having a whole room of friends who know how to hold a note. Sounded really good. We then had cupcakes and then prepared our various groups to say our goodbyes and head to our various other tasks for midafternoon. We grabbed a couple of doggy bags to take with (bagels, cheese and coleslaw and a few cupcakes) and we got back in the car headed over to Pathmark. I walked the aisles to get some soda, and a few other household items and then headed back for home. I cleaned the mirrors, discarded some container badness from the fridge and generally just hung out. The bell rang around 5 and in walked Ernesto. We passed the time watching football, reading the news and looking up people online. Ernesto finally had to head back out to to visit with friends in the city before heading back to LI. We rested up and ate our italian delivery dinner and made sure all was in order before preparing to head out later. I checked out the new On-demand stations we had around the dial and made sure the outfit was together (repaired the button on the Tommy's) and made sure we were all set and ready to go.

The drive into the city on such a cold night was still easy and after circling a bit we found a space on 23rd Street. The walk down to the club was long but I had dressed warm enough it was not too much of a trial. After arriving in front we took our place on line and began to wait. Because of the constantly arriving crowd of supposed VIPs and one boy with no ID who held up the regular line for several minutes we thought me might never get in. Finally after waiting on line for almost 10 minutes in the sub-zero the line finally moved, Derek apologized to those he kept waiting and we were allowed in past the outdoor heater and then inside. I took off my coat before I even bought my ticket and was ready to go through the coatcheck immediately afterwards. I made my way inside the Roxy and made my way over to the front bar to say hi to barman Barker and order my first drink. The DJ of the evening was Manny Lehman and we were definitely prepared for a night of great beats and lots of energy. The party was going to come out and get you no matter what. As I went to the dancefloor in the back to dance to Shapeshifters and then returned to the front to talk with Bob, Hal and Pais and found myself dancing to Superchumbo "Dirtyfilthy". I danced on the speaker next to the stage (both sides), the speaker in the asian section and the speaker in the front near the door. The music was definitely as good as advertised and the place filled up and stayed jumping well into the night. We stayed until just after 4 and my last drink of the evening was a bottle of Gatorade. I picked up a Next magazine on the way out, had a running conversation with Pais as we made our way back up the street and headed into the diner. After finishing off another great burger and chip fries we were able to walk around the corner to the car and then head on home. The trip back to BK was made safely and I turned in to fall into my very welcome bed and nice clean sheets.

Sunday I climbed out of bed around 12:30 and hung out watching football on TV. Midafternoon I stated I had a taste not just for chicken or quiznos but wanted something barbecue. Pais said we had a menu that had been left downstairs that advertised a barbecue place over in red hook. I looked up the address and said it wasn't in red hook but between the battery tunnel and the Bklyn Bridge. After mapquest finding the place we headed down to the car and went for a ride over to the place. The neighborhood was quiet and the place seemed small but once inside we liked the nice city pictures on the walls and the friendly staff who made sure we got our order in and then were surprised with the portions. Jake's Barbecue was definitely worth the trip and we are sure the place will really pick up once they start building up the neighborhood to revitalize the waterfront that is supposed to start this year. The food was good and I couldn't even finish it all but they didn't make too much fun of me and let me take home a nice little bag of leftovers. We spent the rest of the evening watching more TV and just hanging around. I decided since I had the next day off I would head out into the city. Foregoing the classic theme parties, and the expensive parties I headed over to Avalon and the promise of a low price entry and low price drinks (a winning party combination) The holiday crowd was surprising packed into the place and I waited on a short line outside and then a long line for the coatcheck inside. There were a lot of young people out for the night, a lot of girls and friends of girls and a lot of friends of friends of girls. The bar in the chapel was crowded beyond walking space and took far too long to get from one side to the other. I went from bar to bar trying to find out where I could get a drink the quickest and settled on the bar in the front just off of the dancefloor. While getting one of my many weak but tasty low price drinks, I spotted Bob and John and a few of their friends nearby. I kept on coming back to the same bartender and after tipping nicely he remembered me after a few trips, buying bottled water and vodka red bulls. The DJ DeMarko made sure that we did not know what kind of music to expect next. We went from Peter remix of "How Would You Feel" to high speed techno, mashups of classics and new beats and the lightshow to match. I went from upstairs to downstairs checking out the crowd but eventually went up to the stage when I noted a space clearing out right in front. I lit up my hands and danced for a few songs. Before I could leave the stage however I was approached by a young guy who actually wanted to buy my lights. I told him they were not for sale regardless of what he wanted to pay and I left the stage. I went back to the bar and had some more but was drawn back to the dancefloor and danced right at the front between the bar and the speakerbox. I made my way around the club again, tripping up and down the sudden floor height changes so much I started warning other people and making sure they didn't follow my example as I made my way from front to back and upstairs and down and then found myself on the stage one last time to dance to "Glamourous Life." I then headed to the back lounge which had emptied out some and seeing an emptly space I actually pole-danced until it became too crowded up on the mini stage with its pole once again (I never did that before but it was fun). I then walked through the place again and decided it was time to go. I had a wait almost as long to retrieve the coat as I did during check in. It was a little unorganized but eventually I got my coat back and was able to head out into the night. I waved for a taxi but could not get one right away. I walked down the street towards 14th St and three cars later the third taxi let me get in and took me home. We went all the way cross -town to Bowery and got home rather quickly. I handed the driver the twenty and let him keep all of the change and made my way inside. I readied myself for bed in record time and turned myself in for bed arrest.

Monday I stayed in and rested. Yes on the third day the body needed rest and I took it. I spent the day web browsing, watching MTV and VH1 and just laying low. I was very happy with how my weekend went and don't think I would have changed anything vital. (Except for my sunday bartender grilling me to make sure I wasn't on drugs. Ha!) All is well that ends well. I didn't waste the weekend and did not feel TOO wasted at the end of my weekend either. A quick nap Monday evening and I was able to perk right up and make it through the rest of my evening. The next weekend starts in just 4 days. And I am about to start my gym workouts back up again tomorrow (Sweet). It just gets better with time.

Jan 6-9 - Family Made and The Family You Are Born With

Life changing stuff happens all the time. Decisions made and chances lost. Firm stands taken and stuff that you let slide. I think the year that I will have this time will have all that was good from before and I will work on filtering out what I no longer need and require. I have learned so much in this past year and have traveled and made new friends and thought about starting so many new things. I still have plans and now I have to choose the ones that make the most sense and go with the high points.

As it starts, Thursday was a work day, pulled it all together, tried to make it all work out and fall into place and got all my ideas across and in a timely fashion. Left work a little early because I had a lot to do with my weekend but then determined if I wasn't going to do my full weekend of hanging with friends and ripping and running around NYC I would at least go out on Thurs. night since I had Friday to use as a travel day. I did the ride into the city thing all by myself since everyone else had to get up early in the morning so I called up Castle and had the car out front in less than five. The driver said the hi and actually remembered me from the last drive into the city (his car smelled much better this time). He pulled out the cell phone and got onto the high speed chat on his headset and I brought out the Ipod and listened to music for the ride as we sped over the Brooklyn Bridge and up Church ave towards my destination. I forgot to take a Tums before I left the house since my dinner was kinda close to my going out. I stopped on 14th first and bought some at the store. The walk around the corner was quick and I said hi to the two doorman before heading inside. I went downstairs checked the coat and did a quick overlook of the downstairs before I headed up to the main floor by way of the back stairs. The dancefloor in Splash was just starting to fill with the usual college party crowd. The DJ for the eve was John Rizzo, who I have heard a few times before and was very happy with his high energy and continuous challenge to the people on the dancefloor to keep up. Across the dancefloor and right at the front bar was our barman Brett holding court and doing a great job of keeping the flow moving. It wasn't really busy to start with but his eyes brightened as he saw me and we said our hellos and how you do's. I told him I had the next day off so was making a special appearance but of course he still held it against me that I wasn't going to be there on Friday night. We let it go and just let the evening be as I started off on my first drink (Malibu Bay Breeze) and checked out the dancefloor. A whole lot of young people and a whole lot of girls and even pairs of girls and the place slowly got more and more filled up. Without a burning need to check out the downstairs I just went back and forth between the dancefloor and the front bar and even danced at the front bar as I had a few onlookers who appreciated the floorshow in front. (Only one trip downstairs during the night, regular Thursday night downstairs crowd, kinda lite). While at the front bar I met Tee who was the significant other of the DJ. She and the DJ had been together for 8 years and when I told her that I had a remix by John Rizzo in my ipod (That Look - (In Your Eyes)) she was able to remember the artist (De'Lacy). I like it when the other half pays attention to what one is doing. This was especially true since she stated that she was a DJ as well. She plays parties up in Connecticut but since I myself do not drive I could not make an appearance I could just wish her well with her outside of NY parties. She liked my upbeat energy and I liked the energy of the mixing and she stated that she thought it was a good thing too. No one could just stand still on the dancefloor as the beats kept coming at rapid fire and the songs changed before you could even think about getting bored. The mixing was done well and the hits kept coming from Destiny's Child, David Morales, Jeff Poirier (Take Me, Uh Huh) and a whole lot of other songs. The aggressive dancers were in full effect as well as poor Tee was set upon more than once by guys who wanted to dance with a girl even if she was not all that willing to be dancing with them. She ended up using her two friends as well as myself as blockers so she could stay on the dancefloor but she did take a few breaks up in the DJ booth with the DJ to get away from it all. During one of those breaks I took to the stage and danced to Shapeshifters and lit up my hands and made the most of it. I danced on the stage two more times throughout the night and had about 4 different drinks. I suggested a surfer-on-acid for Tee since she liked Jaegermeister in shots but she never got a chance to try one as her friends and the DJ made sure she had plenty of whatever she wanted as the night progressed. I had a good night and enjoyed the music until it was time to go. I stayed until 3:20 and then said goodnight and got it all together and snatched the first taxi in front to take me home. The ride home was easy and I got home nice and ready to turn in. The pillow came up to meet me and I slept.

Friday began my family weekend. Personal yet necessary, obligatory and yet welcome, I jumped into the ride with Pais , picked up my brother on Staten and we made the drive down to VA. The ride down was a little more scenic than was necessary as we went too far down route 1 and ended up driving through Ocean City. The road ended eventually and headed west. We went down route 113 and met up with route 13 which was the original objective but we still made it down safe and sound and despite not seeing the hotel right away after consulting the map we were able to make our way over to the Marriott and call it a night. Having a GPS in the car would probably be better as the old vaio laptop is no longer reliable when unplugged and the Powerbook does not have a readily compatible GPS (hint hint). So I need to make sure I do not have any more dramatic extra length trips that go on and on unnecessarily. If I have anything to say about it I will make sure that does not happen to me again. I will just have to be more proactive on the timing of directions and making sure I know exactly where I am. I so hate being lost. As long as I was going down south I did check out the Toy stores and see if I could find a DS. First place I looked I got the last one on the way down. Cool. Something to do during the rest of the ride. Me and my bro checked out the games and had fun with the functions.

The next day I spent with the family, aunts, uncles, cousins, mom and grandma too. Fun to start, serious in the middle and then fun again. Took some pictures and talked a lot. A little getting lost once again (so hate that) and then a quick change and then it was back to the house again to hang with the family. True life stories, a lot of fun, a little alcohol and talking late into the night and we all felt happy and glad we made the trip. I left the house at 1am and made it back to my hotel without getting lost (had already been on every street in the area so I had a good idea of where I was about now) and got back to the hotel good and ready to turn in. The night was not yet aged but when in VA you turn in when you have to. The bed was soft enough and I went to sleep and got that full weekend of rest in that I guess I have been missing. Change is good when it helps you to see what you could be missing. A nice night to rest up is not all that bad.

I awoke to the light streaming through the curtain and threw all of my stuff together and got my bag packed and left the hotel for the last time this trip. I picked up the second DS for my bro and we were able to try out the rest of the features on the way home (multiplayer). Headed over the family and hung out for a bit before saying the goodbyes, the so longs and farewells and then it was back on the road again. The trip back home was much faster and less stressful than the trip down. I found out that we should have turned off of route 1 at exit 2 and shifted over to 13 before it was too late. Ohh well, next time. We also found out that the high speed Route One would run right into the Delaware Mem. Bridge if you want to without stopping in the city at all (quick). We made it home in the time I had originally advertised and not the long time it took to go down. We made it back to the city safe and sound despite the jersey drivers and lack of light. The drive was quick and the way home was made.

Welcome back to NY. Unpacked and chilling. Good times.
But as stated at the beginning I have realized that I cannot continue as I was and have to endeavour to change my year and myself for the better as the years continue to advance. If I can't improve on myself then the forward motion stops and I go back. Since I cannot go back I will be better, stronger and smarter. Read even more, work out even more, be happy even more. I think it will be a good time.

You'll See.

Dec 31-Jan2 - Happy New Year and You Will Never Party Alone

Despite upheavals in the world, grand discoveries and more news than you can shake a stick at there are many contstants in my life. If I am in NYC, I will enjoy my weekend and I will enjoy my weekend with my friends and be out and about the town. There are so many choices and so much to do but the tried and true seems to do the trick every time. So it goes...

Despite a midweek hang with my coworkers (I only had one drink, a Blue Angel and got home by 9:20) I was full on set for a full fledged hang out throwdown come New Years Eve and Weekend. Everyone let out of work early on Friday and I headed for home. I actually got home by 6:15pm and was so psyched I mixed my new high speed (bordering on rave music) mix for the guy who sits next to me at work. This was just to prove that I could mix something so fast and chaotic but sound of it does make for great driving music for the city. I then trimmed the hair, broke out the CK tee and Black Ecko shirt with red and white piping and the ever useful cargo pants, Nike black sneaks and we were ready to head into the city. The Jimmy showed up at 10:15 we hung out in the house and after first saying we were going to head into the city with car service we decided to drive in (had to send the cab lady on her way, she didn't get the msg). The roads were pretty clear but the revelers were out in force as we entered into downtown and made our way through Union Square and then across 17th Avenue. We parked the car one block over and then walked over. Thankfully we did not have to wait on the line, which stretched down the block, and we were at the cash register and checked into Splash at 11:30pm. We made our way downstairs, checked the leather coats and Pais picked up our first round of drinks from barman Brett. The place was packed and I decided to do my first bathroom break after the initial rush at 11:50. I was in and out (thanks to the well timed bathroom attendant) and back in front of the screens so that we could see all of the TV screens downstairs awaken at 11:58 and we watched the final countdown of the last minutes of the year. We watched the green tinted ball descend and then the lights ignite to light up the year 2005. Kisses and hugs all around and pictures of Brett in his tutu, like all of the downstairs bartenders (Pourquoi?). And music by DJ Max Rodriguez. The guest performer sang some unrecognizable hits (except for the last one, some radio hit from 2 yrs ago). We had fun, we hung out and I avoided drinking any gift drinks from strangers. I went upstairs hung out with the crowd, danced to a whole gaggle of feel good hits from the past year and before as we danced to Deborah Cox, Whitney Houston and dance remixes of "Auld Lang Syne". I presented Brett with a copy of my new mix CD "Technorati" and traveled outside to walk to the pizza place for a bottle of water 3 times. Of course I was entertained by the various inebriated revelers, especially the black girl in the packed car who yelled "Happy Motherf...N New Year", twice. While dancing on the stage I tried wearing the lights on my wrists but ended up losing them when I wasn't holding them in my hands. At least the person they fell on was nice enough to give it back. We did not stay long enough to truly enjoy the extended liquor license but we did get our last drink just after the usual cut-off and enjoyed the new larger drink cups and well mixed drinks. We said our final goodnights at 4:50 and made our way back home to BK. Everyone turned in and tuned out and caught their next 40 winks with much need and longing. Nighty Night.

Saturday morning we awoke to the brand new day. We called down the street to inquire if Lindos was open (it was and busy too) and we then ordered a delivery of burgers so we could get our lunch on. The weather outside was excellent but we stayed in for most of the day, watching football and watching Hellboy on DVD. We finally headed out early evening and picked up some faux mexican from uncle moe's. I was not a fan of the mystery meat and the unseasoned mixture that was their idea of a platter and despite not finishing the meal it stuck to the ribs and made me feel full for a while. I dozed off and then got a call from Mom. Said hi, caught up on work stuff, family stuff and talked about all kinds of stuff. After the phone call was over, I dug into the closet and found the blue pants, pulled out the Ecko white reflective shirt and the white shiny sneaks and the outfit was laid out. We then did the face, the teeth and then showered, deodorized and scented before suiting up and preparing to step out. We watched the greatest hits of "Help Me Howard" on channel 11 and then prepared to head out after making sure of the nightttime temperatures.

We stepped out at 11:35 and headed into the city once again. Once again the traffic was light but we took no chances as we headed up Hudson street and past the different lights and places. We dodged the few slow pedestrians and found our way through the mostly clear streets. We found a spot fairly easy as most drivers had braved the city the day before and were sleeping it off, or just hunkering down for the beginning of the year. The club line grew some but since it was not too cold but we didnt mind the short wait. Talk of Paris Hilton and the tau creating a the line outside the club to garner passerby interest were spoke of as we stood there and then as the line moved we said hi to doorman Derek and wished the staffers we passed Happy New Year as we made our way inside. (The holiday amounts to an automatic conversation starter with all staff and new friends). We stepped inside Roxy and took in the look of the crowd. A lot of new people in town for the holiday and some extremely shiny decorations from the party from the previous night. A giant white 2005 over the front bar reminded everybody of what year it was and barman Barker regaled us of stories from the night before. (The party was busy but not too busy but got hectic as different bartenders ended their shifts and the extended liqour license meant he was busy for a long time. The party ended at 4:30pm. He just had time for a nap and was back at the club for our Saturday night hangout). The first DJ of the eve was Steve Travolta and he was happily spinning the same flavor of uptempo house music that hearkened back to the days of classic Roxy. I stated to Pais that the music would be perfect for the main floor of the black clubs that we go to and it would really have the boys moving. The crowd was already on the dance floor at 12:10 am and the place only got more full as the night progressed. Some of the tourist crowd were not into the music at first but the DJ gradually won them over as he kept the boys totally into the music and peaked his set as I took to my first speaker of the night over in muscle beach as I danced to the hard mix of "Pass that Dutch" by Missy E. I took over the space from a slower moving big guy but he didnt seem to mind too much as I danced for the boys right next to the stage and enjoyed the lightshow over the floor as the whole packed place erupted to the music. We couldn't cross the stage space but ended up pretty much staying in the front as you could not see the dance floor from the back bar due to a strange layout of the draped material around the dancefloor. We bumped into our friend Dwayne (my friend from my Roxy rollerblading days) whom we had not seen in a few years (a couple of black parties ago) and said our hi's and how you do's. We will hopefully see him again soon. We also saw our friend Duane from NJ who just got a new place just outside of the city near the Lincoln tunnel. Another new HomeOwner. We congratulated and bought our drinks at the front and discussed. I eventually heard the change in the DJ that signalled that DJ Peter Rauhofer had taken over the decks and a quick glance over to the booth told me it was true. He was supposed to premiere 10 different Peter flavoured remixes this eve and the beats came out hard and fast. We met up with Darren and after checking out the scene and we were inbetween good tunes we headed upstairs to the crystal room to see what DJ Danny Echi was doing. We walked through the room to tunes of Madonna and "Holiday" but went out the balcony to see the crowd below. Just then the live performer of the eve, Lea Lorien took to the stage and sang "Can't Forget You". I was practically accosted by a tweaker person who wanted to know who was performing and when I told him who it was he didn't know who I meant so I told him the name of her hit song, to which his response was "I love her!" He disappeared as quickly as I had been accosted and I decided to take Pais downstairs also as I wanted to see her from downstairs as well as hear her. We headed back downstairs just as she launched into her hit "How Would You Feel" and I stepped up and over to the speaker in the asian section, right in front of the stage and stood in front of the boys on the box and sang along and danced as she performed. She was a very gracious performer, thanked us all and wished us home safely. I finished off my drink and I started to dance as DJ Peter Rauhofer picked up the pace of the beats once again. After a nice turn on the speaker I stepped back down and made my way back to the front. I spotted the first half of the night DJ hanging in the front and he seemed a little depressed that he only was doing a short set this eve. I introduced myself and told him that I loved his set and had especially enjoyed the set from the week before when I had one of my truly enjoyable moments dancing before the crowd. He hugged me twice and thanked me for my appreciation and I hopefully left him happier than before. Pais and myself enjoyed plenty of bottles of water as well as our always well made drinks and saw the party well into the night. We prepared to leave at 4:15 but the call of Destiny's Child and "Lose My Breath" called me back up to one more speakerbox appearance near the front door. I finally stepped down and we bid our goodnight to the Rox. Our poor coatcheck girl was dealing with left item drama so we got the attention of one of the other checkers and dressed for our trip outside. We picked up the car and made it up to the diner. In through the door and sat at an empty seat and waited for our food. The table next to us was filled with the entourage of some drama queen who told the story of how some boy in the club did her wrong. Anyway, back to the burger, we enjoyed each truly juicy bite and finished off the very necessary meal and headed back home. The drive home was uneventful and we pulled into the parking spot and called it a night. I had stated that I was guaranteeing myself a good time this weekend. I guess I made true on my promise to myself. It was a definitely a great time.

We woke up to a phone call from Pais sister but were able to fall back asleep and finally rise up around noon to clean up and dress up so we could head out and visit with the family in NJ and see the family and exchange gifts. We headed over to Atlantic center and Target and made sure that the gift card and the pillow for Amy were picked up before our trip out to NJ. After that stop and picking up Amy at the train we headed through the city and then up the west side. The only traffic we ran into was in crossing Canal street which is the usual state of things in the daytime, and headed up the West Side and 10 Ave without any issues. There was the usual volume going through the Lincoln Tunnel and then we made it over to NJ with no other problems. The family welcomed us in and we finished up making various recipes and then settled in for lunch. The steaks, salad and pasta shrimp salad were all good and we settled down for some interesting afternoon conversation. We later exchanged gifts and enjoyed the traded outfits and books but finally had to leave to make sure we beat the stadium traffic as well as the returning vacationers. After our goodnights we were on the road again and headed back into the city. The trip back over to the NJ turnpike was okay even with the traffic approacing the exit toll (made better by the new high speed express lane) and we were up to the GW Bridge rather quickly. However the traffic turned for the worse once on the bridge as we stayed in the same place for 10 minutes before finally moving over 2 lanes and heading up the west side and a drive past the cloisters rather than brave the awfully backed up cross- bronx. We drove up into the Bx and then up the Moshulu taking the round about way but were glad we were out of the traffic. We dropped off Amy and then then headed back to BK over the Triborough and over the BQE and back towards the Prospect Expwy and Park Slope. After arriving at home we watched the Sunday Night football on channel 7 and watched the come from behind win by the Giants.

The New Year is here and we will await what the times have for us as the days grow longer and the nights keep coming. Have to take care of some family issues next weekend so we take another road trip. So we begin a year again. I welcome the challenge. That is to push the feeling on and keep it fun. When the fun changes to something else, we'll see what to do when that happens. But until then.. We continue to bring it.