The softened image of peeling paint waving back and forth, echoing my movement.
The sensation of the water's coolness on my eyeballs surprises me. Feels good.

I raise my head and shoulders out of the water and lean back from the edge of the tub. I take a deep breath. Must have been 30 to 40 seconds under that cold clear tubfull.

How am I going to survive the sweltering heat and jungle humidity of NYC's blazing summer without AC?
By dunking myself in a bath of cold water every hour or so...

How to Survive the Sweltering Heat of NYC's summer without AC:

1. Stay hydrated - keep drinking cold fluids.

2. Make cold food... NO BAKING!!!

3. Make good use of your fans. Remember, hot air rises. So blow air in your APT from as low as possible and out of your APT from as high as possible. This increases efficiency and doesn't fight physics, yay!
Box fans are actually the best for this method especially if they fit in your window. Forcing air out of your APT creates a vacuum in the space which will suck air in from any other openings, preferably cooler air (uhuh). This works best at night wne the outside air cools off and your APT is nice and toasty from a warm summer day.

REFRESH:
When I am home during the day and its too hot to move across the room without beading sweat, I have a couple of ways to refresh myself.
Trying to keept the APT cool is important. I have developed a simple cost efficient method of dropping the temperature several degrees in my APT. First I try to block as much direct sunlight from entering the APT as possible. I also close all the windows. I plug the tub and turn the shower on as cold as it can go. I place a box fan as close to the tub as I can get it blowing the freshly cooled bathroom air out into the APT. This is basically turning your bathroom into a giant air conditioner. When the bath fills, turn off the water, but keep the fan blowing across the top of the water. It may take a bit, but after 10, 20 minutes you should already notice a drop in the temperature of your APT.
Now, obviously, the key to staying cool is keeping your body temperature low. One of my favorite ways of doing this is by using the already filled tub of cold water. Shirtless (depending on your preference), I submerge my head and shoulders for about 30 to 40 seconds. This is extremely refreshing and will keep you cool for a good half hour even in a sauna of a living space. It makes me feel like I was just swimming in a cool mountain stream. Don't forget to plug your nose as you go upside down.

"Hai, Hai hai!!!"

Found this song on you tube today. Takes me back to high school. My aspiring opera singer roommate would practice this song in our room. "Mein Vater, Mein Vater!!" He was quite good then. Wonder what he sounds like now after intense school years.
Well, the story is quite sad but the song is beautiful.

Original German

Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

"Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?"
"Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlenkönig mit Kron und Schweif?"
"Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif."

"Du liebes Kind, komm, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel' ich mit dir;
Manch' bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand,
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?"
"Sei ruhig, bleib ruhig, mein Kind;
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind."

"Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir gehn?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reihn,
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein."

"Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?"
"Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh es genau:
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau."

"Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch ich Gewalt."
"Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids getan!"

Dem Vater grauset's, er reitet geschwind,
Er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Müh' und Not;
In seinen Armen das Kind war tot.

English translation

Who rides so late through night and wind?
It is the father with his child.
He has the little one well in the arm
He holds him secure, he holds him warm.

"My son, why hide your face in fear?"
"See you not, Father, the Erlking?
The Erlking with crown and flowing cloak?"
"My son, it is a wisp of fog."

"You sweet child, come along with me!
Such wonderful games I'll play with you;
Many lovely flowers are at the shore,
My mother has many golden garments."

"My father, my father, and do you not hear,
What the Erlking quietly promises to me?"
"Be calm, stay calm, my child;
The wind is rustling the dry leaves."

"Won't you come along with me, my fine boy?
My daughters shall attend to you so nicely;
My daughters do their nightly dance,
And they will rock you and dance you and sing you to sleep."

"My father, my father, do you not see there,
Erlking's daughters in that dark place?"
"My son, my son, I see it definitely:
It is the willow trees looking so grey."

"I love you; I'm charmed by your beautiful shape;
And if you are not willing, then I will use force."
"My father, my father, now he has taken hold of me!
Erlking has hurt me!"

The father shudders, he rides swiftly,
He holds in arm the groaning child,
He reaches the farmhouse with effort and urgency;
In his arms, the child was dead.

[edit]

Dirty Sheet wrestles in the gutter
Waving at gulls to lend half a cigarette.
Window screams at roses, but they are dead.
Two empty curried chicken boxes look up from their filthy conversation
The one nudges lonely Air Jordan who can't remember.
why solemate left.

Smudged glass shakes with another scream
Despair whistles from dark hollow sending paper towel
To attack flowers!
Dead petals fall
Alive once more and free
Gathering strength, holding to gust
Tumbling, fluttering...
Wings on rats, burning eyes
He glides above thronging
Once used plastics and styrofoam cups leap to touch
cold dead skin.

Reminds of gentler days
When river edges beckoned boat
Three-eyed birds rode on bellies of floating fish
Window screams, radiator hisses,
Fridge cries from hunger and routine
Flowers wait irritably, dancing side
to side grasping fire escape like jealous girlfriend with weak fingers.
They are dead and burial eludes them.

Tried out for a PDL (player development league) soccer team called the Brooklyn Knights. Result - haven't heard back 3 weeks later so I'm assuming I won't hear back.

Applied for a residency with a print shop: Have not heard anything yet, though I know someone who was already declined. I'm pretty sure the residency was supposed to start in April, so I am assuming they didn't want to waste time emailing me a "no" (typical New York style). I just sent them an email asking them to tell me.

Applied to the Gotham Fellowship through redeemer: a group of serious young Christians who are trying to live out the gospel as they forage ahead in the professional world. Application was received and is currently in process.

A week ago today had a couple works up in a one day show/concert/dance party at the Galapagos theatre in Brooklyn during there April Fools Party. The art was enjoyable. Didn't stay for much more.

Was approved last week by World Harvest to go to Ireland in 2009 joining the MAP staff there. Yay!

Currently, I'm in Ireland for a quick visit of one week.

Its Tuesday morning. I got up at 7 today which I try to do as little as possible but this morning I wanted to go to a coffee shop and check mail before I intern for my artist friend cheryl. We will be making a table and running a couple errands for her new studio.

I'm at "Grounded", a bright, hip, trendy coffee shop in the West Village. As I walked in this morning, a camera man was instructing a scarfed guy on the red velvet couch to drink his tea.

On a wall across from the bookshelf, 5 black paintings hang with white wedding dresses centered. Various ridiculous objects protrude from them. Text on one canvas says "A tooth is wed". A tooth in a wedding dress stands nearby... I don't know why I am describing these. I don't even find them very interesting.

A poem from the bookshelf:

Bliss is the the plaything of the child --
The secret of the man
The sacred stealth of Boy and Girl
Rebuke it if we can

-Emily Dickinson

Sometimes, I think its my right to be comfortable.

Is the red velvet couch really worth anything if I'm not grateful for it, but think I deserve it?

50 Hertz Feat. Haxor Och Porr And Slagsmalsklub

In no apparent order:

Jude Campbell Herron of Daniel and Tasha Herron

Ben Campell Wilhelm of Greg and Esther Wilhelm

Ella Ruth Cobb of Johnny and Kaki Cobb

Macy Rain Cobb of Matt and Laura Cobb

Luke Gregory Wilhelm of Greg and Esther Wilhelm

Among these Christians are a few forms of Prosthelytizers. We've all encountered one or two of them, and everyone enjoys reading the hellfire warnings on the path between Times Square station and the Port Authority.

The other day I had two very different experiences with prosthelytizers, both on the subway and both provoking me to wonder about this whole idea of street or subway preachers.

The first prosthelytizing encounter was a black woman preaching on the A train. She angrily described the way some young people treated each other and called it murder. She than yelled about how much we needed Jesus, and told us we could not say on the day of judgement "Oh God, I never hear about this. You didn't tell me nothing." because she was telling us right then. She than handed out tracts. A couple police officers told her she had to leave.

The second prosthelytizing encounter, if I can call it that, was on the 1 train later in the day. A black man was playing guitar and singing a couple worship songs. He sang "Be unto your name" and the one that goes "Jesus, Lamb of God worthy is your name." His voice was tired but he strained. He didn't ask anyone for money. Both the songs were sincerely worshipful. It reminded me to worship since that day I hadn't thought about it yet.

Sometimes I am embarassed to be a part of the "Christian" body when people are yelling and saying the same things over and over, demanding change without interest in who people are, handing out tracts like advertisements. I have no idea if or how God may use those things, but they don't seem like intelligent or engaging conceptions of the Great commission.

Thoughts, anybody?

Wish I got pictures of the whole thing but I went and found my borrowed camera during intermission and was told to stop using it during ACT3

As we drop our coats and bags, the actors walk among us in the foyer already in character, unbeknownst to us. I see a dapper bald man wearing a white trenchcoat and white hat. A sexy woman in a satin white dress and white shades walks with him. At first I think they are just fancily dressed theater attendees. I then realize the sexy young woman is a girl I talked to last night at a cook out, an actress. I take a second look. The dapper white man gives me a dirty look. They call us into the theater. There are a few people seated randomly in an auditorium much like hunter colleges but about half the size. They walk the entire audience on to the stage to sit in chairs facing the auditorium. I recognize sexy woman and dapper white guy up in the balcony watching us. The play begins and they hop around the whole auditorium delivering their lines. They lounge in theater seats, they climb over them and walk up onstage right in front of us, stepping over our feet. They run around, sit on the balcony railing. One guy walks down a banister on the balcony, walking on the railing, delivering his lines. Another person carefully delivers a shot of vodka to him walking along the railing with a tray.

not taken by me

ACT II: They move us back stage in the studio space, using every possible room in the theater it seems. They are up above us, in the sound box, climbing "drunk" and falling down steep wall steps. Then it rained, and there was mud. They were getting covered in mud. Mud!

ACT III: An actual set this time, in a space they hadn't used yet. In this act they spend much of their time walking among the chairs we sit in, spaciously spread on the studio floor. They walk among us while talking and shouting. Sometimes they run. Its wonderful.

ACT IV: Everything happens on the entire backstage set, all around the audience. Mud. Rain. Balancing. Tearful goodbyes. Awkward moments. Makeout sessions. Chanting. Brilliance.

not taken by me"

Fortunately I was able to read the play beforehand... Before the play I climbed up a hill next to the theater to get a coffee and read the script. I approached a building that looked like a cafe. Their was a bunch of people gathered inside looking like a party. I wasn't sure so I ducked in to check. One guy said something. I said that I didn't speak Romanian. A woman told me it was a private party. Than the main guy said something cheery in my direction. The woman asked me if I wanted a beer. The guy that seemed to own the place gave me a beer and motioned for me to go. I asked about paying. The woman said the main guy had given it to me cause it was his birthday. I said happy birthday, took the beer to a viewpoint and read the script while drinking my free beer. It was tasty.

My Body Is a Cage

Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Vangelis - Chariots of Fire
Tommy Tutone - 867-5309 (Jenny)
Cars -Shake it Up
Men At Work - Who can it be now
Kool and The Gang - Get Down On It
Loverboy - Working for the Weekend
Stevie Nicks - Edge of Seventeen

Not too mention all the songs that make you wish for temporary hearing loss (ehem, Air Supply).