A Weekend In The Borough

I hope you had a nice weekend, full of relaxing and cavorting and not too much stress or worry. It was another one of those weekends in The Borough, where I managed to make it to some things, arrived horribly late for others, missed other entirely, and spent alot of time watching time go by.

Friday night in The Borough, I managed to get to Coney to meet a few friends for some beer and sundries. Of course I was late, hopelessly late - and to anyone who may have actually shown up at 7 - thinking I'd be sitting there with beer in hand - I must apologize. As usual there was a string of events that deterred me from my goal. I'll be back there on 7/11, ontime - ready to drink, smoke and cheer on the last summer of Coney. Though the guys at Ruby's are already saying that they think they'll be back for 2009. Yeah well....I 'll believe it when in July 2009 I'm sitting there saying "shit, I guess we have one more summer", but for now I'll be saying that this summer is the last. I tried to get the "virtual" friends to come out and enjoy, but as always the virtual world is not one where people keep their word or even reply. Why do I continue to invite people and let them know about amazing cool things - when I know they are already too self involved to make an effort? you got me, but I do keep trying. maybe one day people will surprise me.

Saturday I made it out to Riis (Tilden), just slightly out of The Borough, and met some amazing people - including Rob Jet and his wife Robin - who are the coolest beach couple I've met so far. He is an avid birder (check out I've posted the link to his blog) - this dude knows everyone (even the guy who calls me to do plum beach clean up for Audubon- I've added their link too). I'm always talking about how I want to be more involved in the things that I find worthy of my time and effort - and I take meeting him (and his lovely wife) as a sign that advocacy and environmentalism are within reach. You know my life has changed when I'm more interested in talking to someone at length about bird migration and habitat than going to a club or bar.

I felt like in a 20 minute conversation I had been given a chance to educate myself - trying desperately in the summer heat to remember all the names and websites that rolled out of his mouth. I wish I was one of those people that could remember things for more than say 20 or 30 seconds.

The beach was as lovely as always, and I don't think I'll even bother this year with going to the beaches in The Borough, not that I'm becoming a Queens convert or anything - I just like being on the ocean rather than the inlet. Besides there are no radios, fewer people and a feeling of peace and calm that I don't think is possible in Brighton anymore. I try not to have too much of an us vs. them mentality - it's somewhat racist and wrong - but I can't stand the Russian teenagers - they blast horrible crappy disco dance techno music - sit on top of you (c'mon minimum 10 feet when the beach is empty) and have no regard for peace and quiet (this is one place the pod people are welcome!). It could be that it's just teenagers I despise, and since the neighborhood over there has been overrun by the new wave of eastern european immigrants, it's just more likely that they are the ones going to that beach. It's fine, let them have the beach in The Borough, I'll skip over to the peace and quiet and enjoy my communing time with the ocean. Crowds and loud music are for the young - and I wouldn't give back my own youth in Brighton, probably pissing off a whole bunch of people. Such is the way. See anger management is helping.

I got caught in a thunderstorm on the way home (soaked to the bone) and even though I left the beach at 5:30, I didn't get home until after 7. I was to tired, without even showering (and I was very sandy) I fell asleep on the couch. So Saturday night's plans went down the tubes, which I feel kinda bad about - since it was yet another metaljohn gig - and he had specifically called me and told me not to be a weenie and show up. I woke up briefly around sunset and thought shit. I'm a weenie.

Sunday provided me with an early rise (that's when happens when you go to sleep at 7:30pm), and I did the laundry, cleaned the bathroom and did all of the tasks I never get to do...then a nice afternoon vegging in front of a movie put me right out again. I love weekends where I can just sleep and eat and lay in the sun. Oh yeah it would be nice to hang out with people, but frankly I find them overrated.

Now I got some time in the sun, some time on the couch and I even managed to clean things up a bit so I don't have to worry about that after a 10 hour workday. life is sweet in The Borough, enjoy!