18 May 2008   PHOTOS: AIDS Walk 2008 / Friday at Work

Since I've transitioned my journal to the Livejournal part, I am going to keep this part as a storage area to keep my pics.

I wanted to provide a way for my firewall-blocked friends to be able to still see my pics, so hopefully this link was noticed at the bottom of my frontpage so they can get here still. But my main journal is still now at LiveJournal, unfortunately, because it's just so much easier to use (for me).

Basically, I'll have to link to these photo sections in my Photos page, but as you can already see, I haven't been doing that great a job in that regards lately!

16 May 08 - A Friday at Work (I got a nameplate!)
Me and my new nameplate	I was really happy about it	Pravi	Joel	Arielle	Once more	A very stormy windy commute home - this was the view from the ferry	The stormy Hudson River

18 May 08 - AIDS Walk NY 2008
Early day started at the Port Imperial Light Rail	I met up with Arielle at the Hoboken PATH station	And here's Arielle while we're walking to 57th and 5th	The view from 57th and 5th - that's the Plaza Hotel there	The Apple Store, which was the check-in center for AW2008	Me and Arielle	Approaching the start line	This was the 'beginning' of the Walk	To put it mildly, it was packed	Here we're WAY uptown and heading towards Riverside Dr

4 May 2008   No More April

Thank God. It started out great enough....okay, part of my life was okay when April started, but overall the month was just shitty.

Don't get me wrong - I've definitely had shittier months. Just refer to February 2008, or 2003, or the beginning of 2006....or hell, any of my entries usually has some sort of pessimism in it. Let's be real. But it's always tinged with my trademark sarcastic enthusiasm, so hey, it's not all bad. But April..... the beginning of the month was the rollout of my project/program to a challenging bunch of people at work that made me want to do very bad things. But of course, I didn't. But it was stressful as all get out and to think that was all within April when it feels like FOREVER ago...distressing. At least in that regard, things have gotten modestly better (knock on wood). And then of course the fun of having someone who I really liked in my life and then suddenly not having him in my life (aka getting dumped) was a real reality-settling-in moment. It was good to have happen though. I have a date this Wednesday evening (yay!) and I'm not going in with anything but just the expectation to have fun and meet someone new. Whatever happens - happens.

Alright, I haven't updated in a few weeks. And there's been times where I just wanted to post a random thought. I really need to figure out how to integrate a blogsite to this here website, as I have some wonderful things to write about but by the time I get home, I am so far removed from motivated that it never happens. That may be what occurs on this site very soon. And maybe I'll finally put up the Flash-based theme site I got for this here site. But that would take some work.

What else has happened? Plenty. Two weeks ago when I was over in the Jersey/CNBC facility in the morning, my friends Arielle and Dan decided it would be fun to do something to my desk (which is where I was relocated to after squatting in a pretty damn sweet window office for the first 6 months) while I was away from 30 Rock. So before I got to 30 Rock in the afternoon, I had received an email from someone I didn't know at work wishing me a Happy Birthday....hmmm...that's odd. Then I get to work and as I turn the corner to see my desk, it's COVERED in birthday decorations and there's even a birthday card for me. Yes, a birthday card. Signed by quite a few people. I went over to Arielle who is laughing hysterically. They decided to tell everyone it was my birthday and they got streamers, a banner, and even a singing balloon (which is LOUD) for the occassion. These people are nuts.

Also went with Shelly finally to a gay bar - I've gone a few times, but not with her (typically while on a date). So this past Friday night, we had decided to meet up and she'd come into the city while I'd just stay and hang out until she got in. So first I went to City Lobster and grabbed some food and a few beers and basically texted a ton of folks while waiting. Then when Shelly arrived and after she had some dinner, we strolled over to Posh, a gay bar I had heard was a lot of fun but with minimal attitude (which unfortunately is typical of many of the gay bars around - I usually ignore it but it's very evident when you go to most places that you're evaluated and appraised as soon as you walk in) - luckily Posh turned out to be a lot of fun, and they played great music. That's one of the things I love about the gay bars - us gays know from good, fun music. :-) Shelly and I had a blast and were dancing the entire time. I wasn't on the prowl (nor will I ever be, to be honest) but I think many in the bar were confused as to what my deal was, as here I was dancing with an attractive female in a gay bar. Were we a straight couple lost? Was Shelly my Grace? I noticed plenty of looks my way but I'm not sure if they were looks of interest or looks of trying to figure things out. One guy leaned over and mentioned to Shelly that we were adorable as we were obviously having so much fun dancing. I realize, now, that was a possible opening for me...and I'm retarded. But I just was having so much fun. And I was a little blitzed. Luckily it was all beer though so no nasty hangover the next day. I can't wait to go back there though. As well as some other clubs/bars - including apparently one of the mega (although also 'touristy') gay clubs called Splash. Oh well, I like touristy!! And hotness. Just sayin'.

BTW, Madonna's new album, Hard Candy, is fantastic.

And one final thing: I got a PlayStation 3. Yes, Byron and Robbie, I have finally joined your ranks. And it is wonderful. I got it mainly because of Grand Theft Auto IV, which is un-frackin-believable. I have been playing GTA3: San Andreas again just to get in the 'mood', but damn, the graphics differences are mind-boggling. Literally, the virtual world in GTA4 is jaw-dropping in its realism. And now having been in NYC for a while, it's very authentic. I haven't made it into the 'Manhattan' section yet, nor the 'New Jersey' side either, but I can't wait to see if there's a Rockefeller Center-ish place. They seem to have made everything else. I also picked up 2 Blu-Ray movies: 300 and Happy Feet. Blu-Ray is unreal and has to be seen to be believed. So yes, I'm finally a member of the High-Def cool kids in both movies and the video game generation. YAY!

Okay, one real true final thing: Jeff Crepeau just invited me to a 30th Birthday Party bash in Colorado Springs at the end of the month...and I think I'm going to accept. Now it's just a matter of seeing what the price of plane tickets are for Memorial Day weekend...but who goes to CS for Memorial Day weekend????? ;-)

And for your viewing pleasure, some pics from my not-birthday.

24 Apr 08 - My Not-Birthday
It's NOT my birthday	That's my new window-less desk	Evan my coworker who also got to experience my not-birthday	Later that evening after everyone had left, I transplanted the decorations to Arielle's desk	And there she was the next morning, enjoying her not-birthday
And here's a brief video of this loud-ass birthday balloon (~2 MB)