Mellow night and thoughts about the NYC subway hero. Gearing up for my favorite Brit and also some snow in Soho.

It snowed for about 10 minutes in NYC this afternoon. A fickle moment of winter. I stood @ the corner of Waverly & Greene in Soho and tried to catch it on film, just to make sure I wasn’t imagining it.

I skipped outta work early today @ noon; I’d gotten there @ 7am and by 9am I just couldn’t do it anymore… just one of them days that bitch goes through. Anyone else ever feel like that? I think it was the weight of knowing I’m scheduled 6 days in a row before my days off, and also I’ve been feeling under the weather all week but kind of kept ignoring it — so it’s all catching up with me now. Need to get rested up though, cuz I’m supposed to see Kathy Griffin @ Carnegie Hall tomorrow night and come hell or high-fever I will be in my seat @ 8:00pm. Might be sneezing every 20 seconds but I’ll be there, dammit.

P stopped by tonight to swap dogs. He got himself a new puppy over the weekend (Lucy — and yes, that makes FOUR dogs in our lives now) and is trying to crate-train her, so he figured he come get Mo from me and try to train him too. He’s so determined to turn my pee machine pup into a well-behaved dog, it’s adorable. He left with Mo and told me, “Say goodbye to him now. I’m not bringing him back till he works”. It’s very The Miracle Worker, with his Anne Bancroft to my dog’s Patty Duke. I can just picture it, The Breakthrough: my boyfriend stressed at wits end, hair looking all fucked up and sweaty, and my dog suddenly making the connection that you Don’t Pee On the Hardwood Floor. Mo will slowly find a wee-wee pad, squat, and do his business where it goes, and P will weep with joy, pat his head, and scream “He knows! He knows!”. Can you see it?

Pressured to promote. I bitch (from bed) about some work-related drama on the rise.

The No Pants Subway Ride came back again yesterday.

This is why I love New York; cuz in a city where blackouts, terrorism, and transit strikes only reinforce our jaded stances, folks still find ways to let it all hang out… in public, quite literally. Perfect strangers dancing around in their underwear. Yet another reason why my city rocks more than yours. Also more indication as to why I can’t ever seem to spend more than 2 days away from this city. Well, maybe also cuz I can’t drive, but whatever.

Finishing the 1st entry, on the A train home to the top of the world. I talk about “In the Heights”, a new musical about three days in the life of Washington Heights. my hood!

Podcasting from the L train early this morning on the way to work. Also, Lucy makes an entrance. The end of this gets cut off!

Stop what you’re doing. Just watch.

I love that Jake knows who his core fanbase is, and I love that he gets the joke and can poke fun at it. The gay cowboys in the audience are my favorite, next to the beefcake arms. Love the Gyllenaahl for this (and for that), and that he did it full-out without camping it all up like most straight guys would (“Look, I’m a guy in a dress! That’s funny, see? Cuz I’m a GUY in a DRESS!”). Hilarious, I was peeing myself at my computer.

Still though, let’s not forget who went there first. Mmkay?

All this and Jennifer Hudson won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, first award of the night. I sat on my futon crying in front of the TV, overidentifying as usual. Between all the crying and peeing this weekend I’m just drained.

W Union Square

I wandered around work this morning, snapping shots of the hotel to send my parents (I think they imagine I work at a stuffy place), and they came out kinda cute so I’m posting them here. I spend 40hrs a week at this property, usually getting caught up in a whirlwind of work, and at the end of the day I just wanna get the hell out and run screaming into the streets. But occassionally I have a really nice, slow day — like today — and I remember what a beautiful place it is, and how happy I am to part of the ambience.

Been pondering the decision to move forward @ work. There’s an opportunity to enroll in a 6month training program (just one day a week) that lets me observe and crosstrain different areas of the company. I’ve always had a mild interest in learning more about the Sales Department, maybe Human Resources too, so this would be a great way to do that. Originally, I was going to do the program anyway but despite what I’m assured, I’m pretty you are only accepted into the program with the idea/expectation that you’re looking to take a promotion once you complete. This is why I’m 80% set on not doing it afterall.

My mom would tell me that I’m letting my “fear of success” hold me back. It’s a keen observation but not so much the case. Can I just say I would totally kick ASS running things in this industry? I’m AMAZING @ what I do, I love my job and I could see myself lasting a long time here; running a hotel is something I could see myself doing and enjoying. But I’m just not sure I want to. Truth is, I’ve upgraded my way to a plum position as Concierge — despite the pressure of playing Perfect Host to millions of travellers you get better pay, perks, and esteem than most of the managers (and sometimes more power). I feel like I got really fortunate landing my position and it would just be stupid to let my spot go, especially when this isn’t quite the career I’ve got my heart set on. Don’t ask me what I really want to do, it’ll bring on a big mess of tears and sputtering confusion. Let’s just stick with the topic at hand.

I’m still thinking about it. Do I want to move forward here? Not sure yet. In the meantime, it sure is pretty.

It’s amazing how one nekked homeless man, with ungodly stink practically steaming from his ass, can bring my peaceful 6am power nap on the subawy to a screeching halt. I’ve never woken up with such a jolt, or ever seen a train empty out so fast. Really gross. Nevertheless, I do believe that my sinuses have been burned clean; no more allergies. There’s a silver lining in everything, I guess, even in the reeking derelict.

And this is how we begin our morning in New York. Happy Friday.