'coaxed downstairs one step at a time'

the first few times i came to nyc, st mark's place was one of the first places on my agenda. i haven't been in a few years (no more accompanying boyfriend and friends -hi trippy, chrispy, andru!- on vinyl shopping sprees) and meandered around that way today for old times' sake. i am contemplating some new ink and st mark's is so tat-friendly… anyway. it was much to my surprise -and chagrin- to realize that this grungy little avenue is now home to a chipotle, a quizno's, and a supercuts! i was really sad. and the borderline seedy basement crazy ass clothing store i used to love has vanished, along with the sign at the shoe place boasting they would platform any pair of kicks. it was disheartening to the point where i didn't even feel like going into the good mondo kim's or even trash and vaudeville. my whole foray into the area lasted less than 10 minutes, whereas several years ago i would have built an afternoon around it. times change, and i guess so do i . . .

my melancholy was brief as it usually seems to be in this city, as for every place that i have either grown out of or has disappeared, 10 new places of interest seem to crop up in their place.

after reading a blurb about virtual nails in this month's inStyle, i got an appointment at the salon in NY that does them and had a lovely manicure. on my way down the block, i spotted a sign at a drugstore for free burt's bees makeover. i happened onto a cancelled appointment slot and walked out 20 minutes later with lots of freebies and a compliment on my lack of need for concealer. score!

i am leaving the first part of my day out of these stories, not really intentionally but because venturing downtown in b'lyn to the new york schools HR office was not terribly exciting. shelling out $115 to get fingerprinted was not the highlight of my trip, but i'm content to let less pleasant things roll of my back right now for the greater good. as i waded through the hour-long process, i shook my head comparing the experience to my fingerprinting when i started teaching in NK five years ago. let's just say never in my life have i been happier to be a leetle fish in a huge m-f'ing pond.

oh! in my continuing proof of dumb-ass-ness, i think i left my cell charger plugged into my bedroom wall in fairfax, and as of an hour ago i was down to my last battery bar. if you're texting, we're pretty much SOL, and if you're
calling, i'm probably not ignoring you.