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snousleWow, that was a busy trip. Felt like I was gone for a month.
Suffered a last-minute flight cancellation. Thirty minutes before the hotel check-out deadline, my driver was waiting, and I had no idea what airport or even what day I'd be flying out. Twenty minutes on hold, and of course my fucking phone dropped the call, meaning I had to start all over again. Aaargh! Fortunately I managed to get on a shuttle from La Guardia to Boston, where I caught a flight to SFO, and arrived only about two and a half hours later than planned. The silver lining was scoring a bulkhead seat with lots of legroom, instead of the middle-back seat I'd been assigned on the original flight.
Manhattan was exciting, but I could never live there: I would die of sexual starvation. You all know what a horndog I am, and in particular I can spot a big moustache from a mile away. But it's as if the whole island is some sort of facial hair exclusion zone. Lots of quarter-inch stubble - that seems to be the fashion - but that's about it. There were a couple of hot homeless-looking guys, and a few fellows at Ty's that I gave a second look, but nothing to write home about. As for bump and grind potential, I give the city a big fat zero. (A few of you readers excepted, of course. ;-)
It was therapeutic to be in a place where a lot of the little things that bug me were not so much occasional intrusions as a way of life. Like red light running - wow, I mean, sometimes you see half a dozen cars blasting through at high speed well after the opposing light turns green. Yet somehow, the city continues to function. I also have to admit that in the long run, casual surliness is more agreeable than fake courtesy.
Some of the people were sure funny. At Kingswood, I sat next to three young men, apparently low-level financial functionaries, that were dressed identically - shirts with vertical blue stripes, brown belts, black pants, even identical hairdos. I cannot imagine working in an environment like that. I felt a little self-conscious poking occasionally at my phone during my solitary dinner there, but at any given moment at least 2 out of 3 of the people around me were doing the same thing while ignoring their dining companions. I mean, really, why even bother going out with someone?
I made use of Grindr for the first time, and aside from a "hi" from some twink, my first message was from a dog. That is, the four-legged variety. LOL. I messaged back - "sorry, I'm only into short-haired dogs and wolves". Didn't hear any more from him after that, heh.
And children - in SF, there are no children in the city to speak of, but in Manhattan, they seem to be everywhere. This struck me as kind of odd. Also strange: half the high-rise apartments have balconies, but they never, ever seem to get used, even in nice weather. What's up with that?
The shops were kind of far out. Never seen a place where you can just walk in and buy an original Matisse, or a Tesla roadster, or any number of absurdly unaffordable things. There are a few places like that here, but in NYC they seemed to be everywhere.
Met with a Nobel laureate for the second time in my life, which was interesting. But sheesh, you can't tell these guys anything. I mean, what makes them think they're so damned smart? LOL. For those who are curious, the company has just put up a Web page, at http://www.envoytherapeutics.com/ , with links to papers describing the technology they've licensed.
I arrived home to find that John had unpacked all our books, which had been stacked in boxes for nearly 2 years, and that he had completely rearranged the office. It looks great! Very appreciated, considering I'm going to spend the next six months chained to the computer...
Suffered a last-minute flight cancellation. Thirty minutes before the hotel check-out deadline, my driver was waiting, and I had no idea what airport or even what day I'd be flying out. Twenty minutes on hold, and of course my fucking phone dropped the call, meaning I had to start all over again. Aaargh! Fortunately I managed to get on a shuttle from La Guardia to Boston, where I caught a flight to SFO, and arrived only about two and a half hours later than planned. The silver lining was scoring a bulkhead seat with lots of legroom, instead of the middle-back seat I'd been assigned on the original flight.
Manhattan was exciting, but I could never live there: I would die of sexual starvation. You all know what a horndog I am, and in particular I can spot a big moustache from a mile away. But it's as if the whole island is some sort of facial hair exclusion zone. Lots of quarter-inch stubble - that seems to be the fashion - but that's about it. There were a couple of hot homeless-looking guys, and a few fellows at Ty's that I gave a second look, but nothing to write home about. As for bump and grind potential, I give the city a big fat zero. (A few of you readers excepted, of course. ;-)
It was therapeutic to be in a place where a lot of the little things that bug me were not so much occasional intrusions as a way of life. Like red light running - wow, I mean, sometimes you see half a dozen cars blasting through at high speed well after the opposing light turns green. Yet somehow, the city continues to function. I also have to admit that in the long run, casual surliness is more agreeable than fake courtesy.
Some of the people were sure funny. At Kingswood, I sat next to three young men, apparently low-level financial functionaries, that were dressed identically - shirts with vertical blue stripes, brown belts, black pants, even identical hairdos. I cannot imagine working in an environment like that. I felt a little self-conscious poking occasionally at my phone during my solitary dinner there, but at any given moment at least 2 out of 3 of the people around me were doing the same thing while ignoring their dining companions. I mean, really, why even bother going out with someone?
I made use of Grindr for the first time, and aside from a "hi" from some twink, my first message was from a dog. That is, the four-legged variety. LOL. I messaged back - "sorry, I'm only into short-haired dogs and wolves". Didn't hear any more from him after that, heh.
And children - in SF, there are no children in the city to speak of, but in Manhattan, they seem to be everywhere. This struck me as kind of odd. Also strange: half the high-rise apartments have balconies, but they never, ever seem to get used, even in nice weather. What's up with that?
The shops were kind of far out. Never seen a place where you can just walk in and buy an original Matisse, or a Tesla roadster, or any number of absurdly unaffordable things. There are a few places like that here, but in NYC they seemed to be everywhere.
Met with a Nobel laureate for the second time in my life, which was interesting. But sheesh, you can't tell these guys anything. I mean, what makes them think they're so damned smart? LOL. For those who are curious, the company has just put up a Web page, at http://www.envoytherapeutics.com/ , with links to papers describing the technology they've licensed.
I arrived home to find that John had unpacked all our books, which had been stacked in boxes for nearly 2 years, and that he had completely rearranged the office. It looks great! Very appreciated, considering I'm going to spend the next six months chained to the computer...
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no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 08:54 pm (UTC)It could've been cos I was there only for a few days, but although I started and chatted to some people I couldn't really penetrate (hoho) this layer of detachment...it was a little like SF can be, or London but a lot more - the tourist glass-wall syndrome (why should I make an effort cos there'll be another along in a minute...). And so laidback when it came to the gay/bear bar they were horizontal...I've pulled at Lone Star, but I couldn't pull there.
All surface no feeling on that front? Can't be true, but I found NY a little strange. Muted?
no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 08:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-25 09:17 pm (UTC)The appropriate New Yorker response to
"I ♥ NY"
is
"Who Gives a Rat's Ass"
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 12:36 am (UTC)and NYC women look fucking ridiculous.
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 03:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 02:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 04:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 04:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 06:48 am (UTC)In the 70's Straight men grew out their hair & beards. Gay's resisted.
In the 80's Straight men grew out their hair & beards. Gay's resisted.
In the 90's Straight men grew out their hair & beards. Gay's resisted.
Etc, Etc, Etc.
Any questions?
no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 05:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 05:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-03-26 11:58 pm (UTC)Glad ya had a good trip