...just don't go corporate.

I know I've already told some of you this story, but it burns me up so much that I simply HAVE to tell it a little more, just to get it off my chest. I was at the gym, in the locker room, standing naked in front of my locker and putting on my running clothes. A woman was just getting ready to leave, and was taking her things out of the locker next to mine. She noticed the tattoo on my bicep and asked me what it said. When I answered (and demonstrated, by turning my arm), she said, "Hmmm. Wow. That's neat." Then turned the corner and left. A few seconds later, she reappeared from around the corner, so I thought she'd left something behind. Instead, she just looked at me and said, "Yeah. Just don't ever go corporate." And then she left again. I was stunned. I didn't know what to say, and even if I did... well, I was stunned.

What the hell did that mean????

DON'T EVER GO CORPORATE???

Bitch.

Okay, so I have a few tattoos. However, they're invisible when I'm fully clothed, and I'm guessing that people tend to be fully clothed int he corporate world, yes? There are people who see me almost every day, have even seen me regularly for years, and don't know I have a single tattoo. And what if anyone DID know that I have tatoos? They're not of naked women or skulls and crossbones or anything like that (mind you, I find neither of those at all objectionable, nor am I saying I'll never have tattoos of either)... the tatoo this woman saw says "philosophy" if you read it one way, and "art & science" if you read it the other. As for my others, they're all... well... interesting in a pretty academic way. And okay, I have a naked picture tattooed on me, but it's of DaVinci's Vetruvian Man. Seriously... never go corporate???

Actually, I don't suppose I ever will. Then again, I'm pretty close to it now, working in my big office building in midtown Manhattan, with my own office and my daily boardroom meetings and such. And my attire is regularly complemented by the people in my office, none of whom have ever seen a single one of my tattoos. Prompted by this incident, I asked John, who is covered in his share of skin art, if he had ever had anything like that happen to him. he said it happens now and then, and he wasn't sure why, either. He doesn't exactly look the part of what is actually does, for that matter, so people are often shocked to hear that the guy covered in tatoos is a PhD student in Classics holding down a full teaching load at a university. you know... despite the tattoos and the pony tail. So yeah, he gets the odd comment, and he doesn't really care. As for me, I still think the lady was a bitch. She wasn't making small talk... she was giving me life advice I wasn't even asking for. Hell, she came BACK into the locker room to tell me that. And for what? Don't go corporate OR ELSE? What the hell? Ugh... I hate people.

Okay... That's done. One a lighter note, here are some new pictures from my last race, the Al Gordon Snowflake 4-mile. See any tattoos?

(Bitch. Okay, okay, I'm done.)

It's called the Al Gordon Snowflake 4 Mile and there are actually snowflakes? Yipee!

Ah, snow... oh wait... this race is gonna be cold.

Oh well... I finished anyway! Yeay for me, I'm a winner!

And check it out... not a bad finishing time for 4 miles on a cold day and icy roads... treacherous conditions be damned!

Checking things off the list

For instance... I just finished up headlining at an AIDS benefit concert at Fordham, which I think went well. It ran a little late, so the crowd was a little thinner when I finally got up there, but my set went well, and I sold a CD. Yeay for my big ten bucks! Anyway, it was fun, I'm glad I did it, and now it's done. I've also just finished vocalizing with the cast of the show I've been assistant music directing for (they're having their opening tonight), and they sound great, so my work's done there. As of this evening, I've put the finishing touches on the call for abstracts for the qualitative conference, and I'm on my way to upping my running miles tonight so that I'm into the double digits by next week in my marathon training regimen. Check, check, and check.

I'd like a nap, please.

I mean, I feel great, so I'm not running myself ragged or anything. I just want a nap, that's all. That, and about six extra hours tacked on to each day. I just don't have enough time, and that's always stressful. yesterday I gave an interview to the "Inside Fordham" paper, about my role as a graduate student mentor to the Fordham University Choir. Afterwards, I stoped and thought about what I'd said... something about other grad students probably wanting to do all the things I'm doing but simply not having the time to invest in the undergrad community, since they're so busy with their graduate work. it makes me wonder why the hell I think that I've magically found the time that the other people around me don't seem to have. Truth is, I haven't, though I continue to try. Was it always this way?

Yep. I've always done this. Ever since I was a kid... lessons, choirs, activities, shows... always. And there's always more, and I always do that, too. When cancer came along, I got this great excuse to keep doing things this way... live for the moment, you never know how long you have left, do everthing you possibly can, and all that. Whatever... I'm having fun, yo.

Taking time to catch my breath

I never thought comps could take so much out of me. It's really taken me this long to lick my wounds after than weirdness of two weeks. I have no idea how I did, but I can't really say that I entirely care anymore. I'm just glad to be done, and that's the most important thing.

Anyway, moving on.

I'm working on three major projects, a symposium, and two conferences right now. I also just got a new job, working at my practicum placement at a more involved level (and I have an office now!)... I'm virtually Mary Tyler Moore in a beret, traipsing in and out of my gigantor skyscraper office building in midtown. I'm gonna make it after all, or something... just as soon as I get my first paycheck. 

Right. So now, I'm sitting in a rehearsal of a musical at Fordham... somehow, I ended up as the assistant music director on this show, and here I am. More on that later, I'm sure. I also have another race coming up, which I think is a 5 mile run at Central Park. The NYC marathon lottery also opens up soon, and I fully intend to throw in. This next race is just another one of many, many more.