No Work

I didn’t get the job. I decided to tear the band-aid off. I didn’t even expect to hear from them until next week instead I heard yesterday. I have no idea what happened as the interview went so well and I got nothing but praise from the interviewers. I won’t speculate, at least I won’t share my speculations as they are uninformed. I’m extremely disappointed but not crushed. I am grateful for how supportive all my friend were when I thought things went well. Now to follow the advice of Beethoven

O friends, no more of these sounds!

Let us sing more cheerful songs,

More songs full of joy!

Earlier in the week Jim emailed me and asked if I wanted to go to a WFUV Marquee Member Show with him, Jesse Malin. I only knew Malin’s name, but I wanted to see Jim for the first time since March 2020, so I said yes. The show was at the Sheen Center in the East Village. We decided to meet for dinner first. A little googling found The Grey Dog. I had heard of it and in the back of my mind it was in an article on the best hamburger in New York. I don’t know if this is true in other cities but there are scores of restaurants in New York that have been named “The best hamburger in New York.” If any article said that once the restaurant will boast about it forever. It was only a few blocks away on a stretch of Mulberry Street I had never been on. I had been on it in Little Italy and China Town and above Houston, but never between them in Nolita. Why Nolita? NOrth Of Little ITAly. Did the real estate powers that be in other cities start naming neighborhoods with acronyms We have Soho, which has been called that my whole life, Tribeca, Noho, Dumbo, and I’m sure there are more. LES is not an acronym, you read out the letters, nobody pronounces it like Les Paul. I discovered a tiny street I didn’t know existed, Jersey St. It runs two blocks and is just big enough for a car to fit on. Jim thinks a truck could make it. Maybe a panel truck but not a tractor trailer.

I loved the Grey Dog. They had outdoor seating, an amenity that is a silver lining in the pandemic cloud. The waitress and busboy, who was a woman, were delightful, and it really was perhaps the best burger in New York City. We were both quite impressed. They have five locations, I’ll keep them in mind when I’m near one. I give it êêêêê.

I was disappointed that I knew only one other person in the audience at the show, Suzanne. I did get to see many friends from the WFUV staff, Eric, Corny, Delphine, Paul, Kathleen, Oona, Laura, and the people that will no longer be my friend because I’m forgetting them. WFUV is one of my homes away from home, my Cheers, where everybody knows my name. I’d like to think of myself as Norm but fear that I’m Cliff.

The opening act was, how should I put it? Curious. She can’t really play guitar. On many songs all she did was repeat a base note, once per beat, instead of playing chords. She did a few three chord songs but even then, each measure had only one chord. Rhythmically the songs were drones, and the lyrics couldn’t carry them. Her voice was like Nico’s but only Nico could get away with that as she was singing Lou Reed lyrics. I was fighting to stay awake.

Jesse was the opposite, he reminded me in many ways of Willie Nile, high praise indeed. He was filled with energy and energized the crowd. He told great stories. I compared the entire show to Easter weekend, death followed by resurrection. He gets two thumbs up.

I considered going to the Irish Session at Mary O’s but I decided against it, instead I spent quality subway time with Jim. The rides with Katherine on Sunday and Jim yesterday were highlights of the week. I’m not easily pleased, I just know what’s important. I choose great friends that are the best entertainment. The other advantage of heading home was watching the Dodgers-Braves game. The Dodgers won! Baseball has been berry berry good to me. It was a blowout and after things were decided I called a friend; I still needed to process not getting the job. Baseball, friends, and Little Debbie Fudge Rounds to wonders for my spirits.

Today’s agenda is therapy and a Donut Walk™. There’s more baseball tonight. Now for breakfast.