Month: June 2011

Part of me would love to relax all day, but it’s an historic occasion. I have to make myself go out there and drum in the parade. I just discovered that I’ve forgotten how to do my favorite drum pattern though. Trying not to cry. It must be a combination of only drumming once or twice a year and aging. I’m going to ask a friend to record themselves drumming it so I can relearn in.

The outdoor pool at my gym has been filled with water! I don’t see any lap lanes blocked off, however. I’ll be very sad if I can’t keep swimming laps every week. But there’s always the fall.

The block on the far side of the pool is Leroy Street, one of the prettiest blocks in the Village. It’s also where they shot the outdoor scenes for Audrey Hepburn’s apartment in Wait Until Dark.

I just went out for a walk and came upon a parade. It made me so happy I kept filming them until my camera died. No way I’m not drumming in the parade tomorrow now.

It’s killing me how long it’s taking to upload to YouTube!! (Oh how quickly we take these things for granted. Thank you for existing YouTube. Sorry for the killing me comment.)

UPATE: Christ, that took hours! But here is the video I shot.

I woke up to learn that New York had passed the gay marriage bill (and that Neil Patrick Harris is engaged)! New York does the right thing!! Looks like I really must join my band Manhattan Samba and drum in the Gay Pride Parade this year (it’s tomorrow). I usually do, but it’s a marathon thing and I’m getting old! Hours and hours of drumming in the blazing heat (usually).

But it’s my favorite parade because it’s just the most joyous happy thing. Every year on that day all the good will in the world is packed into those blocks of Manhattan. There’s cheering and screaming and clapping the whole way down, and when you get downtown and turn west off 5th Avenue you hit a wall of cheering that never stops. There are no words to describe how great it feels. The first few years I felt guilty, like I was stealing someone else’s cheers (I’m not gay) but finally I thought no. I’m marching and drumming in celebration of pride so I get to share in the cheering too.

UPDATE: Apparently Neil Patrick Harris has been engaged for five years. He’s been waiting all this time to be able to marry.

This guy was playing the piano spectacularly well outside the library yesterday. The piano was put there by an organization called Sing for Hope. Sing for Hope is a group of artists who volunteer at hospitals, schools, etc. The piano is part of an installation called Pop-Up Pianos and this is the story behind this particular piano.

I’m so depressed. Ricky’s dance for your life routine was amazing, so amazing they had to chose him, but I love Wadi. I wanted to see him dance more!! I don’t give a f***k that he can’t do cha-cha. He’s just more exciting to watch. Depressed.

I’m torn about Ryan. I don’t like her. I just do not like her. I was shocked when the judges praised her routine with Ricky this week. Her constant mugging for the camera, the happy smiles (vs alluring smiles) ruined it for me. The judges kept going on about how sexy it was, but I thought they had zero chemistry together, no heat.

But Missy’s dance for your life routine didn’t wow me even though she’s a great dancer, so I agreed with what Nigel said there, and Iveta, there’s something so hard about her. It makes it difficult to love her. I agree that ultimately Ryan shows the most potential, but again, I don’t like her so I was rooting for Iveta, even though I don’t really love Iveta.

I miss Wadi. Sob.

For my fellow Fringe fans: this is Michael Cerveris singing Purple Rain at last night’s Loser’s Lounge Prince tribute. There were lots of great moments (Jack Skuller singing Manic Monday, Seth Berkowitz singing 1999, and Mike Fornatale singing Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad, and others) but the high point of the night for me was Samantha Brown singing Nothing Compares 2U. She is working on a debut record with Modern Vintage Recordings which is due in September. Look for it!

I have to run to a conference that my friend Steven thought I should go to and got me in to, but I wanted to quickly post that the Japanese edition of my book Unbelievable is about to come out!! I am so so so excited.

Sayaka Nakai, the most fabulous and wonderful translator, posted pictures on Facebook. Thank you so much Sayaka, and Mr. Izumi (the editor) and Mr. Matsuda (the book designer). I am very grateful for all the work and attention and care you put into my book. I am beyond happy and thrilled. And nervous too! (I hope people buy it and love it.) But my nervousness aside, thank you all, and Kinokuniya, very much!

Here is the really cool and sleek cover (I love the suggestion of the ESP cards, really smart) and ..

… a look inside! I love that they have photographs inside (the American edition did not). Woohoo!!