Sunday 02nd 2003f November 2003
« « All Quiet| One Month » »Hallowe’en
Poker game. Lost $28. Alcohol and poker don’t mix, particularly with the bizarre games and strange wild cards that came up – whatever follows the queen is wild, threes and nines are wild, low card on the board is wild… It was tough to keep track! I had a good night, and I hope they ask me back. I went on to Ladbrokes Poker the next day and won back about $15, playing low-limit Texas Hold ‘Em, so it wasn’t too bad.
I did leave my hat in Al’s flat, though, which was a shame as it was intended to be an integral part of my Hallowe’en costume. This was Liza’s idea. She somehow divined that I wasn’t prepared to make any effort whatsoever, so she cunningly came up with the idea that I should be Indiana Jones for the evening. This was OK by me, as it basically involved wearing my clothes and One Other Thing – a whip – and not shaving for a couple of days. She dressed up as a biker chick, which really wasn’t fair.
I had to buy a whip, so I went into town, down to a shop on Astor Place. It was popular – there was quite a line, which you can’t really see in this picture, but trust me – it stretched all the way down the block.
Anyway, I got my whip there, and I bought a new hat at a stall on St. Marks Place. It’s not great, and not really as different from my old hat as I would have liked, but it does have a wider brim, making it better for archaeologist impersonations. Quite a few people got who I was supposed to be, despite my general lack of a resemblance. The hat and whip are very strong indicators. Now I own a whip.
We met up with Marilyn and John – Liza’s boyfriend, dressed as a newsie. Marilyn was working and didn’t have time to get a costume together. I had bought some devil horns for her, but she felt that if she couldn’t go all out she’d rather not do anything at all. We went to see the Sun Ra Arkestra play a free gig in the Jazz department of Columbia University. It was amazing. I’ve never been to a proper jazz session before, just the occasional quartet playing quietly in a bar or whatever. It was quite an eye opener. These were real old school jazz heroes – I’m convinced some of them have made guest appearances on the Cosby Show. It was fascinating to watch the combination of order and chaos – the director directed, sure, but there still seemed to be an enormous amount of freedom. At first it was just strange, but after a while I got into it, and I realised that they really swung. Yes indeed, they were sure hep. Crazy, man, crazy.
After that we went into the village. Lots of people wandering around in crazy costumes. Much more fun than Hallowe’en in Dublin. – they really take it seriously here. Just had a few drinks in a place called the Art Bar in the West Village, and went home. There are pictures here.
Went out again last night, to a bar called the Ear Inn. It was great – not an Irish bar, as such, but a lot of Irish people there. I went to meet a guy called Conor Brennan, a friend of Alan Gilsenan, whose movie Timbuktu was the last thing I worked on in Dublin. He might have a good contact for me, and it’s a pub I’m sure I’ll revisit. The marathon ran by this morning. I heard it, but I was too hungover to get up and watch. Even the prospect of watching Diddy run the city couldn’t drag me up.
I will have been here four weeks tomorrow. I haven’t got any work yet, but I think it’s just a question of meeting people who’ll put me in touch with other people, until something clicks, and I’m not going to predict what that will be. Just today I was talking to a barmaid here in Greenpoint, and she told me her ex-boyfriend is a sound editor, so she’s going to give him my card. It’ll probably come to nothing, but I’m just going to keep chucking rocks up the hill until one rolls back down to me. Just had to pay a months rent today. Gotta start earning. Or winning at poker.
Comment ID: 1175
At 11:40 am on Monday 03rd 2003f November 2003, Mick felt the urge to writeHey anthony I love the blog,
Its a great idea,..hang in there with the work situation.
Is it getting cold there.
I was working on the IFTA’s at the weekend,
I see Sara Gaines got a nomination, but Dan Birch won,
Dermot Diskin picked himself up an award also.
Otherwise Same old same old in Dublin
Talk soon
Mick
Comment ID: 1176
At 3:51 pm on Monday 03rd 2003f November 2003, jim blurtedCouldn’t you have gone as the tango man in that fleece?
Good to see you are doing so much stuff and meeting so many people. Do you think you will still be there next easter? in Which case I am booking flights tomorrow!
We spent hallowe’en in Leiden (where we used to live, remember?) We had a brilliant few days though Saturday night is a bit of a blur. (Not that I had that much to drink or anything mum and dad…)
Doesn’t your phone take good pictures?
Have you ever seen the poker games in Malcom in the Middle? That is my image of poker in the states. Don’t lose your shirt.
Eleanor
Comment ID: 1177
At 6:03 am on Tuesday 04th 2003f November 2003, peter saidDon’t mind those nasty American poker players, Ladbroke’s is still pretty safe all the way up to 3/6 level
Comment ID: 1178
At 3:24 pm on Tuesday 04th 2003f November 2003, Nigel realised it was important that we all should understandWhy are you posting links to poker sites? Is this a cunning scheme for you to win your rent money from us? Just because nobody has PayPaled you any cash.
Comment ID: 1179
At 3:47 pm on Tuesday 04th 2003f November 2003, Anthony was inspired to addPhone pictures – well, they look good on the phone screen. Don’t know if I’ll be here next Easter – I’d like to be, but I can’t live on air!
Thanks for the update, Mick – yeah, too bad about Sarah. I was the dialogue editor on that show, so I might even have been thanked. Still pretty warm here – Yesterday was pretty humid. I think it’s starting to get a bit colder, though. Days are still a reasonable length, which is definitely an improvement over Dublin.
And Nigel, your losing money at Ladbrokes would be of no benefit to me. And how do you know nobody’s Paypaled me?
Comment ID: 1180
At 3:41 pm on Wednesday 05th 2003f November 2003, Nigel wroteI’ll qualify that by saying nobody apart from your parents. They wouldn’t count!
Comment ID: 1181
At 6:24 pm on Wednesday 05th 2003f November 2003, Anthony proclaimedNo, they haven’t had to bail me out. Yet. Although here almost exactly a month and no job offers yet. Hmmm… This is going to be more difficult than I thought…
Comment ID: 1182
At 4:00 pm on Thursday 06th 2003f November 2003, Nigel channelledI had to borrow money from my sister after 5 months in London. Think of it as a future source of happiness. I thoroughly enjoyed cutting a cheque to repay her a few months later.