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I got some great shots (I think) at David’s birthday party last night, held at Ellen’s apartment (officially the best one bedroom apartment in Manhattan).

I love this one.  They were out on the balcony posing for someone else and I was inside and I noticed the light and how they were framed by the window so I quick stole a shot!

I have such musical friends!  But this group of friends are from the band I play in called Manhattan Samba.  That’s David, aka the birthday boy, on the left playing the drum.

Playing around the piano where I learned Ellen can really sing, and Giovanni is a seriously trained classical pianist (he gives concerts and everything).

My smooshed face aside, I am playing an instrument here!  That egg is a shaker, and it has a surprisingly great sound, you wouldn’t believe it.

I’m actually a little proud of myself.  Last night I was woken up by a flying cockroach/waterbug thing flying into me at 3:30 in the morning! I of course screamed and cried and considered which neighbor might forgive me for waking them up to ask them to kill the bug, decided none, and grabbed a magazine and a sneaker.

I’m proud because when he flew at me I somehow managed to stand my ground. You have to understand, I don’t know why but these things fill me with such dread and such fear I will cry, and I mean really cry, and shake, just being in the same room with one. Had I not managed to kill it I would have gotten dressed and found a bar to hang out in until it was safe to wake a neighbor.

But when he flew at me I waved the magazine at him, and waited for him to land next, and he was dead within five minutes of swat-miss-swat-miss.  And because it’s me I felt bad about killing him.

And you guys. YOU GUYS!!  It’s your freaking job to kill these things!!  As I’ve said in my bio here, they will go after cute, tiny, furry little mice with all they have, and they will not stop until that mouse is dead, whatever it takes, however long it takes. But something of true horror like a flying cockroach and they can’t even work up the energy to warn me.

They’re watching and planning their next move.  Meanwhile, doesn’t it feel like the holiday weekend has already begun??  Let’s party!!  Looking at my “to-do” list.  Hmmm.  I don’t see “party.”  This was a improperly prepared list.  To-do: re-do list.

I’ve been researching at the Municipal Archives.  These pictures are actually from the County Clerk’s office on the 7th floor.  It was suggested that I go up there and take a look around, and I suspect if they let me, I could find a lot of buried treasure here.  I couldn’t take pictures everywhere, but this what you see when the elevator doors open.  (More below.)

This is the view turning left.

I love places like this. But the best part was a storeroom in the back, that is where the buried treasure is (I’m sure it’s there). I wasn’t allowed to photograph back there, which was fine. It was the kind of place where I could spend weeks exploring if they’d let me.

Maps, and ledgers and books of minutes for meetings from the 1800’s, photographs, so much city history I was practically hyperventilating. One of the archivists there kindly xeroxed a picture I came across of Jumel Place that I wanted to send to people I recently met who have a house there.

Maybe I should write a guide to how to find what. For instance, I noticed piles of maps which among other things, showed who lived where at the time that the maps were drawn. I know historians and genealogists could really use a lot of the information buried there. And I’m sure there are plenty of people who know it’s there, but still. I wonder.

The other night I was channel surfing and came across a BBC news show and man, it was such a pleasure. News like it used to be. It was mostly reporting, little opinion, no debate. No comments from people who are completely biased and predictable and add absolutely nothing. They covered an array of subjects from all over the world. The anchors were more subdued, less “personality.” It was like news for grown-ups.

I looked around to see if there was any kind of 24 hour news channel for the BBC, but I didn’t find one. This is what I need though. I have absolutely had it with all the 24 hour news shows here.

Two hours later: I started writing that post and then got caught up in this that and the other thing!  So much to do.  I want to run back down to the Municipal Archives.  I forgot to go up to the 7th floor to see what was there.

This is Grace Church, where I sing. I took this the other night walking home from the Loser’s Lounge.