Coming home from, of all things, breakdance practice, I encountered a subtle form of racism that is fairly common for me. I was coming out of the Atlantic Avenue subway station in Brooklyn when I heard someone yell out "Jackie Chan!" in my direction. I turned to see a group of young black men and…
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Flesh Eating Beetles at the Field Museum!
This week, I was fortunate enough to get a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the incredible Field Museum in Chicago, one of the finest natural history museums in the country. The fascinating tour culminated in a visit to the "dermestid beetle room", where fresh carcasses are turned into skeletons. This is done through the very efficient…
Swifty’s 52-self-portraits-for-a-year challenge
My roommate Swifty announced three weeks ago that he’s going to try and do the "52 self portraits in a year" challenge on Flickr. Here are his first three weeks of self-portraits, which are all gems. I hope he can do a full year’s worth. The bathroom one is awesome! Our shower curtain might be…
Scott Pilgrim Graphic Novel Series: Must Read!
My roommate Swifty recently loaned me Volume 1 and 2 of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series, thinking I would like it. Man, was he right. Scott Pilgrim, by Bryan Lee O’Malley, tells the story of the title character, a Toronto slacker who’s only ambition it seems is to play bass with his band Sex…
Meeeeerrrrrrrrry Christmas!
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!(And don’t overdo the Pine Sol, kids!)
Hurray for Frankyboy and Adriana!
Congratulations and mazeltov to my dear friends Frankyboy and Adriana for getting hitched yesterday. It was a beautiful setting for a wedding, by the Hudson river with the trees just starting to show their fall colors as a backdrop. I couldn’t be happier for the two of them, and wish them every blessing.
“The Yellow Peril” Figurine: a reminder of Asian xenophobia
Shopping for antiques while up in the Adirondacks, I came across a cute figurine of a Chinese girl carrying water. This reminded me of a prized possession of mine, a tiny statuette of an asian woman of indeterminate origin lying with her kimono-ish dress spread out before her. An old work friend gave it to…
“Knock Yourself Up”: one woman’s tale of becoming a single mom
There was this lovely woman Louise who had been coming to our weekly swing dance last year. She was attractive, tall, brunette, fun to dance with, and by the spring, very obviously pregnant. Apparently light exercise like walking and dancing is good for expectant mothers, and we’ve had more than a few come by our…
I’m Brooklyn Bound!
Yes, that’s right, I’m headed to Brooklyn, baby! To the right is the Google Map image of the apartment building in Fort Green I’m moving into starting October 1. After a pretty stressful past month or so of an increasingly desperate housing search, my friend Ryan and I fell in love with this lovely, spacious…
Regina at Astor Place Hair
Astor Place Hair is one of those New York institutions that you take for granted until rising rents force them out of business. Open since 1945, Astor Place Hair over the last 10 years has begun to be penned in by Starbucks, the Gap, Barnes and Nobles and other corporate franchises. And yet it soldiers…