Closing

Following yesterday morning's run, I walked all the way back downtown for the final performance. I feel as though, in the past few days, I have gotten worse at standing up for myself and not better. A guy at a juice bar misunderstood me and made me a juice instead of smoothie ... and I let him. Then something in this juice seriously disagreed with me and I began to have ... digestion problems. Like, a half-hour before the show. It's not a show I want to do with the sh*ts.

I'm sorry, what is the show anyone wants to do with the sh*ts? Maybe Jean Genet's The Sh*ts. In any case, once the performance started, in spite of my exhaustion, dehydration, and physical distress, everything went according to plan. There were 14 people in the audience, not that I expect any different on a Saturday at 2 PM, and the response was as warm this day as for any other performance.

In general, more than in general, by large, the audiences were engaged and interested, and they laughed. It was enjoyable presenting this show.

My first partner from GLTF, Mariah came into town to catch the show, and she and her husband Bruce and I went to get me a plate of pasta after the show. It has been years and years since I have had the chance to catch up with her.

Then I found out my camera is dead. Sigh. The pictures I have taken are fine, but it won't take any new ones. Hmn.

And so I was on my own to decide how to spend this last night in New York before heading home today. The plan was to cram as many shows into one evening as possible, but I was demoralized by the first one I saw. More an AEA workshop production than anything else, I was stunned by the amount of people who attended this one-act, which included polished acting, clever dialogue, the potential for conflict, or horror, or revelation, but instead just ended abruptly at 50 minutes. I only attended this show because I knew it was short and it fit into the schedule, by the description I was not expecting much. But I did get caught up in the story so it was even more distressing when it ended with not a bang but with that whisshing sound that came out of the air mattress as I put it away this morning.

So instead of seeing another show, I needed company so I called Kelly and she watched me eat a burger (A REALLY GOOD BURGER) at the Tavern on Jane (hey - check out the first photo on the website, that is exactly where we sat!) Mariah told me she was going to see a show today, one written by an old colleague, PEACE WARRIORS. A bit of kitchen sink, the tangled lives of progressive, academic Jews.

By then it was past midnight, and in spite of my better judgement, I decided to say farewell to Kelly and Sam and make my way to FringeCENTRAL. It was "international night" and Owen and Mark both said they would be there, and so they were. I got to say a proper good-bye to a number of people - I was charmed that Charlie gave me a shout-out from the stage during the show, I think they were saluting the people who didn't just come to drink at 11 PM but actually stayed to be engaged in the variety show.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, you may FINALLY enjoy the podcast from last Saturday night's VPR. I have not listened to them yet, but I am assuming you will find Mark Storen performing Stab U in the first half and my performance in the second half ... which for some reason is not yet online. Not that I could use it to promote my show now, anyway.

I felt a definite sense of sadness that I had no reason to hand any of the people I ran into last night postcards for ATYD. In fact, I didn't have any, I made a point of taken the packet of cards I still had - maybe 50 cards - and putting them in the trash. I do not need them. I have some archive copies at home, and I successfully managed to distribute almost 2,500 cards. At four different fringe festivals, I have never divested myself of nearly that number. I did everything one (or one person with a friend) possibly could.

We pack up today, bid a fond farewell to Allison, the Venue Director from God, and then over to Brooklyn for a picnic with Eva Dean before hitting the road. Hopefully we will be home shortly after dark.

Thanks, NY Fringe. That was a good time.

Curtain Up review

Criticism

And Then You Die is a work-in-progress. I have changed words here and there since the Fringe began. And I intend the alter it even further. I don't think it needs to be 80 minutes long. During the BIG BOX rehearsal process, I was kicking out long pieces of exposition. 

After BIG BOX I got the impression that the NY Marathon pieces were too long, they were difficult to say while running, and besides, we got it, Pengo. Move on.

I also got the impression that people wanted more of Pengo, of the illustrator, of the relationships. I did not add to those, I cut the running bits so we could get back to them.

The reviews I have received here have been extremely helpful. Believe me, I am not just saying that. Some comments I find difficult to take seriously - TONY said (in addition to numerous extremely kind and positive things) "a virtual run through Cleveland goes nowhere." 

But when nytheatre.com adds "Segments about how he trained for the race, especially his final preparatory run, from his own home on one side of greater Cleveland, to his parents house across town, are similarly fascinating," it is easy to dismiss such comments outright. 

 

HOWEVER, I do believe I did not do an adequate job with the Cleveland run on opening night - when TONY was in the audience. And that has changed the way I have done it in subsequent days. That's a lesson, too.

As to the rest of the nytheatre.com review, Martin Denton states very clearly; "What I wanted was to understand why running is so fundamentally important to Hansen. But this show never really gets us to that place." This is extremely important to me, and I take it to heart. Denton's review was very carefully critical, like I was receiving feedback from a member of the Play House Playwrights Unit, or a teacher, or a friend.

What he never does in his review is get clever, add humor for its own sake, write with condescension ... it is as though he cares. And Martin Denton is, by the way, the founder of nytheatre.com. That's who they (he) sent to my show. Time Out New York sent Michael Freidson, the editor-in-chief. Both sites are trying to cover all 201 shows. I am flattered. And I really feel this trip has been worth everything.

Final

Car-Free Streets to 440 Lafayette

Distance: 6.2 miles
Weather: Overcast and HUMID

So we begin, so we conclude. Only this time instead of Beyonce I had Harris with me. That's okay, too.

Coming home I hit up the in-line skate booth for a free AMP. Why do I drink those things? More sweet, spiced coffee, and a big, sweaty slog up and down Park Avenue. Last week it was brighter, sunny, not muggy. Doesn't matter. Great run. Good time.

The Fab Marquee review "David Hansen's story will have you dusting off your sneakers and running to make a change in your life."

Working backward ...

My 7-Day Metrocard expired at midnight. I guess we are about done here.

Took Andrew, his wife Amy, Missy, Gina Gigi and the whole crew to FringeCLUB tonight. Oops. That was awkward. Last week I guess it were only the Fringe faithful who showed up, a pleasant number of people who were up for a great variety show.

Tonight the joint was packed with hipsters aching to line-jump, and double-fist their bracelets for free Tanqueray. I was in line for over a half-hour, and by that time Andrew and Amy needed to be off. Missy hung out thought, and I was a little dismayed at how few people were interested in watching the show, chatting through everyone's performance.

Prior to that I had show #4 - the biggest attended show I have ever had in NYC. 22 people. My grand total now is 67 audience members, which already outdoes my meager 2004 attendance level of 48. That was everyone who saw I HATE THIS in New York.

It was a very good show, though I did have one of my massively amusing malapropisms tonight, where I described how my wife passed a cantaloupe with a boy the size of a head through her vagina. That's her day job. In Thailand.

I finally began seeing people who I did not know in the audiences today, a lot of them tonight (though Brian D. was there, too, thank you!)

Kelly and Sam told me after the earlier gig that they were going to check out Mark Storen at 6.15 so I broke one of my long-standing rules and saw a Fringe show twice (okay, I saw DSG twice, too) because I figured hey, when I am going to be visiting Perth any time soon? I picked a CD, too - so Josh, you are gonna get the full treatment!

I had borscht at Veselka for a snack between shows, talking bidness with someone Lee at home hooked me up with, a U.S. boy named Darren who's now an NYC theater pro.

The first show of the day filled me with big dread, I just didn't know if I had the stamina for a double run today. And yet, it was the best performance of the run, I think. Maybe. It felt good. And there was a lot of Fringey love in the audience as we were joined by Owen - and Michael from the shows DOLLS and ABE LINCOLN. I didn't get to meet him, but I did chat up his dads outside HERE and again before I saw his solo performance yesterday. I guess they dragged him there today, that was very sweet and I hope they all liked the show.

The reason I was so depressed was partially because I had spent so much time walking around downtown in the 90 degree heat, shopping for the kids. I was unhappy with my lunch selection and arrived at 440 feeling drained, spent, miserable, and just damn sleepy. I guess everything turned out all right.

For those who missed it:

TIME OUT NEW YORK review

nytheatre.com review

Critic-O-Meter (not a review - a compendium of other reviews, interesting)

Yep.

Central Park Run
Distance: 3.5 miles
Weather: HUMID

I have two shows today. I got maybe six hours of sleep. I just ran 3.5 miles in deep humidity. I am insane.

In Review

Live blogging from the Swift on 4th Street ...

Running with Harris this morning was a thrill. He asked if I wanted to do a shorter route, or if I wanted to do the northern route, and I was like, hey! I have nothing else to do, hells yes I want the northern route! I have to run, to feel good. Every day. I am addicted. It's a fact.

In the afternoon, Kelly joined me to see Michael Phillis' DOLLS. We'd met Michaels dads outside ALBGDP on Tuesday night, and they told us about him and the fact that he was not only in ABE LINCOLN, but that he had his own solo performance about, well, dolls. There is something about meeting a guy's parents that makes you need to see their work.

And it is a delightful show - he's really good. Very funny, and more than funny. Very talented and a highly enjoyable hour, he really works well with a close, intimate crowd - and I am so glad we got in, it was very well attended.

Speaking of which ... my show had a smaller audience than last night. Thirteen audience members. And I knew pretty much every one of them. I had cousins from Philadelphia who came in, and from New Hampshire. Tracey came from BARGAINS & BLOOD, parents of my children's friends, and even the professional actor son of one of my favorite English teachers from high school. And Eva Dean and maybe one or two people I did not know at all.

And it went much better than last night - much more relaxed, very comfortable with my story. It went very well ... though I am a little daunted. I mean, if everyone I know came tonight ... what hope do I have of complete strangers showing up? And believe me, short of throwing a lot of money at the problem, I have worked so hard to get people to attend. Met a lot of folks, handed out a lot of cards, there is little else I can do.

Afterwards, we went to this bar, where I still sit with the remnants of this evening's party (Harris, Sam & Kelly) and had a big hurrah when the word came in on everyone's smart phones that WE HAVE A REVIEW.

Time Out New York
**** [FOUR STARS] David Hansen’s autobiographical one-man show, about his lifelong obsession with long-distance running, is a simple and tragic yet reaffirming tale, told earnestly and with minimal poetics. There’s no irony, no wacky AV visuals, no Fringe Festy Negro spirituals in space: how refreshing to be touched by something real. Better known as Pengo, Hansen is a Harvey Pekar–like cartoonist (his well-reviewed graphic novel is titled I Hate This), living in Cleveland with his wife and two children; after a family tragedy, he’s inspired to run the New York Marathon. Onstage, he re-creates that race, interweaving it with flashbacks from his youth (fat dad), teens (awkward first kiss), twenties (joblessness) and thirties (obesity, depression). But despite the hardships it details, And Then You Die is no downer: We hear about Hansen’s rebounds, too, and his emotionally—and, at times, physically—naked performance balances the pathos with high energy. According to my watch, the piece clocks in at 75.3 minutes, about 15 minutes longer than its goal time; a virtual run through Cleveland goes nowhere, as do a few when-I-was-young memories. But the heart is always there. At one point, his daughter asks Hansen if he’s going to “win the marathon.” No matter what happened in the race, kid, trust me: Your dad’s a winner.—Michael Freidson, editor-in-chief

Awesome.

Park Life

Today's Central Park Run
Distance: 5.1 miles
Weather: HUMID

Headed out to the Delacorte the hand postcards to people waiting to see THE BACCHAE. Why wasn't I doing that all week, duh.

Man, there were a lot of trees knocked down the night before, the clean-up in the park is astonishing. Harris took me the northern route, I'd never run up there before. Passed a huge, great looking public pool. That looked really good.

Opening

Okay. Did that.

Spent the day in relaxation mode - which was a f***ing chore, let me tell you. I went the familiar places. After recovering from a potential migraine, and running with Harris, I took my time cleaning up and went to the Met. I saw my regular playlist of attractions, but that has epanded over the years. I find myself more engaged in the avante garde painters of the early 20th century and with the modern wing than with the Medieval or the Impressionists.

But some places must be visited, if only to say hello. I took my traditional trip to the roof to get the most expensive beer in New York, take in whatever weird installation they have on there and gaze at the tops of buildings and trees. But the 90 degree weather is particularly impressive up there and in spite of my best intentions I am developing an urban farmer's tan.

Lunch was Indian food at Bathesda Terrace and back to the apartment for another nap. Indulgence! Eventually I made my way downtown to print up "People's Choice" ballots for the programs (don't see many other acts including those in their programs) and handing out more bottled water with ATYD labels on them. The crowd seeing SCATTERED LIVES weren't as impressed with them, though Josh and Kelly were impressed by that show.

And my show? Well, I had a show. We had 17 folks in the audience, including Gina, Joanna and Eileen from home, and Mark Storen and his crew, plus critis from Show Business Weekly and Time Out New York - who promise to review every show in the Fringe for the online edition.

I was a little tense at first but nothing to be ashamed of. Kelly says I relaxed 3/4 of the way through, which is better than not at all. I think it has a lot to do with the running scenes ... I get concerned that if I am too loosey-goosey I get sloppy. But I also nail the words. Who can tell?

I hope numbers pick up from there, I can say I am already on track to improve overall attendance over the 2004 run of I HATE THIS, which in spite of everything, received a grand total of 48 audience members. That's total, all five shows.

Two people who said they know members of the company bought tickets at quarter til, went out to get pizza, and were shocked to return and discover that the Fringe really does enforce the NO-LATE SEATING POLICY. I don't know who they were yet, but apparently (unless you are going to see Owen Dara) this rule will be ruthlessly carried out.

So if you are planning to attend - please do not be late!

migraine WIN!

That was a close one. Last night was late one, again, and the power was out in the apartment. Max is three and gets up early and he is a delightful, lively boy who wakes me up. I have kids, this is not alien to me. But the circumstances are different, I am camping in the living room, it's hot, there is little escape. And I was very, very tired.

Josh called at 7.30 to announce their train finally arrived in Park Slope at 2.30 AM. They would not be joining us for an 8 am run. Seriously? That's a shame. Now excuse me, I think I need to vomit because I have migraine coming on.

Pain relievers, a shot of coffee, a dark room, and more sleep. I woke an hour and a half later later feeling better, with plans in my head to hit the art museum. There was no way, in spite of my desire, to go running on this, opening day.

Only Harris was at that moment heading out. To run. Wait! I joined him.

Distance: 3.4 miles
Temperature: 74º

Central Park. A lot of people out at 9.30 AM, running, biking, walking. Lots of shade, it is humid, to be sure. Huge storm last night, lots of large branches and even whole trees knocked down. Incredible. But it is a bright sunny day, and I got my run in. NOW, I am headed to the museum.

We have been here for only a little over half our stay. And yet, it hasn't happened yet. I feel confident in my success ... in handing out postcards. Now I actually have to perform. Oh. That's right. THAT'S why I am here.

Okay, that's it.

Bed at midnight, up at 6 AM to walk ten blocks to the CBS headquarters for a crowd spot on the EARLY SHOW.

Not exactly prepared, I figured it would not hurt to show up and hand out postcards. I had an ATYD T-shirt on (not washed) which basically made me look like some guy, not an actor. Especially when I had actors from THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS in period costumes standing around me, dude from 6 SECONDS IN CHARLACK with his shirt off, and a giant nose from MAY-DECEMBER WITH THE NOSE AND CLAMMY getting a lot of, uh, face time.

I did get my hands on a FRINGE sign, and the folks from THE DOCTOR ... were kind enough to let me use a marker, so I did my best block lettering to write the URL of this site - which I am sure was entirely illegible.

Standing. On the pavement. For two and a half hours. The people were all nice, but my back hurts. A lot. My show opens tomorrow. I have had less than optimum sleep. I am making an executive order and telling the entire cast of my show (that's me) to stay home, rest, don't talk, and drink lots of fluids.

BTW - Everyone needs to see Jessica Manuel in THE ANTARCTIC CHRONICLES. I will explain why later.

Represent

Entered the Spring Street station last night to head home. Dude with a rhythm guitar and a drum machine struck up Grazin' In The Grass. He got a dollar. Play my song, get a dollar. Cowbell or no cowbell.

Walked past John Oliver on Saturday afternoon. Played it cool, just smiled. Half a block later I said, "Aw, sh*t! I should have given him a postcard!"

This morning Harris and I invited He-Who-Hates-New York to join us for a run in Central Park. I will leave it to Josh as whether he enjoyed it or not.

After, I sat in Washington Square Park, had a hot dog and a Pepsi and ran lines.

Tech was, all things considered, smooth. Tempers were even, communication was good, we got a run in (that was a nice change from previous festivals) and our Venue Director, Allison, is the hands-down shizzyizit.

I had bought a flat of 24 bottles of water at KMART because they were cheap. And then I realized this would be the only time I could see THE APERTURE ... which was at Bank & West Avenue in the FAR West Village. I schlepped them all the way there, gave them ATYD labels and handed them out to happy audience members. Said "hi" to Heather afterwards and met Isaiah. It isa very interesting show and they both do such a good job, there's one more show on Wed. if you can make it.

Then back across town to Dixon Place. I dropped postcards as many places I could on the way, including at Cherry Lane where a show had just let out. Everyone was chatting, there was a big crowd outside the theater, I think there was a lot of press there.

And that was when I noticed ... I feel like I am the only who labors in the old-fashioned fringe-style of handing out cards at other peoples' shows. I don't know what's up with that but I am the only person I see doing that. Maybe I am just in all the odd places at odd times, I dunno.

Onto BARGAINS & BLOOD (HOW TO SUCCEED IN HOME SHOPPING) to see Tracey G. perform for my first time since she left Cleveland, almost 15 years ago. She was tremendous, the whole cast was great fun.

The show falls into John Waters-style theater, trashy people being trashy (and one sweetheart.) So I have seen one of those, a socio-political drama, a singing cabaret and an evil clown show. I am just WAILING on the Fringe theater this time around.

The only thing missing is naked people.

Drunk & Battery

This is the first time in several night I have been in a home, anyone's home, before 1 AM. It is wildly relaxing.

The fact is, yesterday jes' plain whupped me. Harris woke me at 6.30 - the plan was to drop postcards at both the starting and finish lines of the NYC Half Marathon. The gun was to go off at Central Park (two blocks way) at 7 AM. Guess we were going to miss that. And me with only three hours of sleep.

We got to Battery Park for the finish around 8.30, with only a few elite runners having crossed the finish line already. As the finishers began trickling in, we handled to two major entrances to the post-race festivities and handed cards to dazed runners and their confused family members and supporters.

At Fringe events, they know why you are handing them cards. Here, it was like handing them out on the street. In New York. "Who the f*** are you?" Only not quite. No one was rude. Some brightened up when I said, "When I ran the New York City Marathon!" Others gave us the brush off until we said, "New York Fringe Festival!" and then they changed face and said, "Oh, cool!" and took a card.

We must have handed out almost 300 cards - and to a non-traditional audience! Yay alternative marketing exercise!

One guy listened to my pitch, and then had one of his own. "This half marathon sucked!" he confided, and then went on the kvetch about the water stops. Harris had asked me whether it were better to run an entire marathon in perfect, cool weather - or to run 13.1 miles in this humidity. I think they'd all rather have gone the distance.

Some were impressed by the idea of a show like this. Some thought the title was a little inappropriate. Me with the uplifting show titles.

After I headed to Brooklyn for a production meeting with Kelly, Josh and Sabrina at a diner in Park Slope. Sabrina is our Authorized Company Representative and she has been amazing, she is really on top of things, and her communication with the FringeNYC people has been going extremely well. We tech tomorrow and she went over a lot of issues which left me feeling calm and confident about what we have to do tomorrow.

Unfortunately, I was also two night's sleep-deprived, and fading horribly. As Leah was getting ready to leave town for a week and I was already in Brooklyn, she invited me over to hang out while she tidied up and packed, and I got to see her place in Bed-Stuy, and even close my eyes for a little bit.

Heading back to the Village, I decided to see one of my favorite acts from the night before at the VPH, live from Australia, MARK STOREN'S A DRUNKEN CABARET. This man is drop-dead hilarious, and charming and his show is great fun. It is a shame that the bar at the CSV was closed tonight - and I did have enough time to get something from across the street. I do not know if A DRUNKEN CABARET is funnier drunk, but I was willing to learn.

When the podcast for last night's even goes online, you have got to listen to the love song he sings - it went over even better last night than it did at this evening's performance. Because, you know. We were drunk.

So, no. I passed out no cards at Fringe shows today ... but we did a great job this morning, which, like most mornings the past few days, feels like years ago.

Hearts of Marketing

Considering the state in which we pulled into the city, yesterday was a pretty full, successful day. After running to the space and back Harris, Max and I walked - on Park Avenue - almost the entire way back up the avenue, more leisurely this time, with a stroller. Just another couple out for a walk with their three year-old. We met Liz for lunch and I headed out for FringeTEASERS.

Josh & Kelly phoned to say they, and the event's MC, were having great difficulty finding the space, it was tucked into a playground/b-ball court betwixt 6th Ave and Greenwich. By the time I got there I got to meet said MC Eva Dean and helped her and her assistant schlep a great, big fiberglass ball up the street.

The event itself was great fun, we got to see short pieces from a number of shows I would like to create the opportunity to see. However, it did seem as though we were only performing for each other, Fringe performers only.

Some acts did their piece and headed out, we chose to stay and see all the performances - which led Eva to ask me to fill in for someone who had not arrived. I had the distinct feeling the assembled were thinking, "oh no not him again" but then again, they were all seated in the sun under 80 degree heat. I kept using a microphone that didn't actually work. I felt kind of wonky and unsure. No surprise there.

Leah caught up with us and the four of us had Chinese before heading to the CSV Cultural and Educational Center to see EGG FARM. A two-man, evil clown show (complete with bowlers) EF is about some post-apocalyptic time when humanity's only hope is gene-splicing themselves to the last-living chicken. Very Fringy! Lots of songs and great movement pieces. And I know evil clown shows.

Josh hung around to watch THE DOCTOR AND THE DEVILS while Leah showed me around the Bowery until it was time for the VARIETY POWER HOUR. It was a little weird at first, the guy at the door (I think he worked for Tanqueray, not for the Fringe, I can't be sure) was confused when we and some drag queens arrived at 10.30. The show didn't start until eleven. But we'd been asked to arrive early. And the MC couldn't be found. Eventually he let us in anyway, and Leah and I tried to discuss how I was going to possibly be funny in an interview session, if the need arose.

Unfortunately, we both got bogged down in a deep, introspective treatise about my show and what it means. Interesting. Meaningful. Not funny.

When the doors opened - still no MC, apparently - we were told we could move to the lunge one flight down, which is where the free gin was, and sandwiches. Folks started arriving, networking, passing out postcards, having a good time. I still didn't understand where the act was going to be - or how they were going to record it for a podcast.

Then they announced the show was about the begin - downstairs. Another downstairs! A sub-basement! Cool!

The show was great fun. I am, I hate to admit this, not much of a late-night person anymore. And I had gotten scant rest the night before, and run six miles, and blah blah blah, I hoped I would hold out. I was delighted to find it was a real high-intensity and hilarious evening.

The regular MC, Charlie, was held up on a train for an hour. His surrogates made an excellent substitute while he was away ... the show was not just a selection of five minute performances, but brief interviews promoting the shows, and some energetic, semi-improvised party games for which, as they say, you had to be there. (Seen at right: Bollywood Dance Number.)

I went last, which was nerve-rattling as I was under the impression that of all the pieces mine was the lowest-keyest and least outrageous ... well, except for the urination and implied bestiality. I am interested to hear how the podcast turns out, I felt like every interview question they asked I said "I dunno," first, and then they restated the question so I had the chance to think of something clever.

Which was very nice, when you think about it.

Spring St. Station, 6 Train, in bed by 2.30 am. I (Heart) NY.

This must be the place

Car-Free Streets to 440 Lafayette

Yes, yes I did. That was awesome (and thank you, B.) I mostly kept to my music and kept right (cyclists on the left) making my way downtown, down Park Avenue, skyscrapers on either side.

You call it shadow. I call it shade.

Oh, the urban lifestyle. I wanted to take my cellphone, and thought I would need to hold it. Harris says, "you've got a pocket." No, I don't. He points to the iPod strap I have been using for the past five years. It didn't just hold a cellphone, it held it tight.

Oh. Yes. I see. Hey!

Free water, even free iced coffee, that hit the spot during the last five blocks. I dropped postcards at the Robert Moss - did I say it was up the street from the Public? Sorry, it's right across the street from the Public. So you know.

Walked a little to take calls from the wife, the kids. Leah rang, she'll meet us at FringeTEASERS - which by the way I will be performing at at 3:20 PM in the playground at PS 41 between W. 11th and Greenwich at Charles. You should join me.

FringeNYC 09 Playlist
Halo - Beyonce
Pon de Replay - Rhianna
No Pause - Girl Talk
The Power - Snap!
The District Sleeps Alone Tonight - The Postal Service
American Boy (Soulseekerz Club Remix) - Estelle
Don't Cha (Ralphie's Hot Freak Radio Mix) - The Pussycat Dolls
Boom Boom Pow - Black Eyed Peas
This Must Be The Place - Miles Fisher
Dry County - The B-52s
Wannabe - Spice Girls
Daft Punk Is Playing at My House - LCD Soundsystem

Distance: 6.2 miles
Temperature: 75º
Weather: hot!

I should do that again next Saturday.

Arrival

When Kelly surprised me with the news that she had a production meeting that started at 1 PM yesterday, I flipped out. I flipped out then. I was unpleasant. I was petulant. It was irritable. And then I was resigned.

When we were stuck on the Jersey side in the parking lot of a closed gas station at 12:30 am because the Lincoln Tunnel was closed (after waiting in traffic for an hour to even get close) with a throbbing empty tank light, on the phone with my wife to triangulate where we were and how exactly to get to the GWB, I was and calm and breathing easily. Because I knew this would happen.

I need to call Kelly and Josh and see when they finally got to Park Slope at Josh's brother's house. I was lucky, I just needed to navigate NYC city streets to Harris & Liz's place, and then I got to get out. I did head the wrong way down a one-way street, but if you are going to do that, 2 AM really is the best time.

There was an air mattress waiting for me, and a very friendly cat. It was distressing that I could not fall asleep right away.

But we are here. I have a street theater thing at 2 PM. I need a bagel.