halloweenie.

never have i been in a town that takes this day of ghoulish fun more seriously. this is spooky on steroids, let me tell you. every night since saturday i've seen people traipsing about the city in outlandish costumes. yeah yeah, as ministry screeched, "everyday is halloween" in new york, but this week in particular is insanity. and on this, the day itself, i expect nothing less than mayhem.

the fun started last saturday, with a fete at possibly the nicest apartment ever. sure, that sounds like a major exaggeration, but this place was ridiculous. all 20 foot ceilings and chandeliers and fancy get-ups. a major downpour in between point A and point Party left us completely bedraggled, so we stuck out like wet thumbs in a sea of pretty this and pretty that. or is that sexy this or sexy that. what i mean to say is, the girls were all in various shades of hot.

i recycled my old slash costume, not the most attractive option, but certainly original for a lady. sadly, not original for a man, seeing that the host of the party was also slash. quick improvisation on my part turned my slash into "slashley" and all's well that ends well.

but of course, it didn't end there. there was another party on wednesday that saw another quick improvisation - a pair of stupid obama glasses and equally stupid sparkly headbands, and the democratic party was born. in a warehouse in williamsburg. mazel tov. this party was artsier, keg-gier. crazier. cartoonish animals mingled with geeky science fiction mingled with hipster hipster hoorah. very fun times, very friendly people. even a bit of a dance-off towards the end.

and finally, here we are on the day of days. naturally, there is a parade. i mean, why shouldn't there be one? doesn't it just makes sense to have a big celebratory march where people can celebrate, um, the legacy of trick or treating? well, even if it doesn't make any sense, it should be interesting. there's even a reenactment of the ferris bueller float scene. you know, the part where he leads the crowd in 'twist and shout'. not to mention the trillion random parties and warehouse functions. it's all almost a bit too cool for skool for me. or is that, uncool. i can't tell. regardless, i'll put my party face on, and venture out into the evening. because, well, that's what you're supposed to do in a new city. say yes to plans, regardless of how questionable they may be.

right? right?

it's raining, it's pouring.

and i'm the old man who feels like snoring. honestly, one thing i am a lacking at the moment is a nice 8 hour session in dreamland. i seem to be tossing/turning my way into an insomniac of late. is it that there's so much to think about? or is my mind just too busy for a leisure activity as leisurely as resting?

it's not for lack of darkness. the pigeon coop apartment is very suited for slumbers. but perhaps that's part of the problem. i love basking in sunlight, and in the night light of street lamps and sky. and, of course, soon, i'll move to brighter climes, and we'll see if sleep eludes me then.

it's hard to believe that it's already november, the quick prelude to the holiday season - the trailer before the big christmas blockbuster. november always feels like a bit of an afterthought, or rather, a before-thought. at any rate, it never really gets the attention it deserves. and obviously i can't remedy that for the entire universe, but i shall make an effort to really savor this month.

which i don't think will be a problem, considering.

and here i am.

settling into paradise city, where the grass is greener and the girls are pretty. and by pretty, i mean they are the prettiest damn girls i have ever seen in my life. there are gorgeous creatures adorning every corner, draping loveliness all over stoops and sidewalks, and oozing beauty, like slugs, as they parade down the avenues. of course, there's a lot of ugly too, which balances it all out quite nicely.

i guess there's just a lot of everything here. people people and more people. faces, places, spaces and races. all crammed into a mess of urban. my apartment is a tiny little shoe box, nestled in the back of a large cupboard of a building. it is dim and vaguely dirty, but still quite endearing. pre-war high ceilings and shiny old wood floors and plenty of room for all my art. and oh, there will be stories. there already are. the smell of incense from the himalayan gift shop downstairs wafts through the stairwell, as i hike up the four flights it takes to reach my apartment. my super is a crazy little man named freddy who wheezes. my neighbor has some sort of pet bird that squawks rather constantly. it is quite an experience, oh yes.

and the location, the location - i can walk everywhere. well, everywhere that's within walking distance. which is a lot. i can walk to work. i can walk to stores. i can walk up to union square or down to the williamsburg bridge. to the library down the street. to coffeeshops and eateries and everything in between.

i might just walk myself into oblivion here. and i can't wait.