My Blog

Phase I of travel month is about to come to an end. My week in NYC is waning as dew melts away from early mornings. Tomorrow in the early evening I board a big bird that will take me over the Atlantic to Dutch tulip fields.

David and Yamit’s wedding was wonderful, a class act for certain. It was reminiscent of Michael’s wedding three years ago (06/2001), insofar as it encompassed an entire week. Of striking similarity, was the large Houston contingent; a homecoming.

Bringing so many different groups of people together - family, friends, college pals, work colleagues, etc… - is one of the most incredible aspects of this kind of event. Having worlds collide at a black tie party is always on the “plus list.”

I like to imagine that these are the new trade routes, where people from different “cultures” can share the most important aspects of their lives. There are always new sayings, nicknames, joke-y bits (in our case) that come from these collisions.

This week also brought along an exciting new cast of characters, both principles and supporting. Everyone had their role, and I’m sure we will cross paths again.

Here are the highlights from Friday - today; in no particular order:

- Getting smashed before the rehearsal dinner to cool nerves before the toast
- Giving the audience alternating feelings of fear, tension and laughter during the toast
- Calling Shitburger his name to his face -> by someone he had never met before
- Bitchnicki and Todd barebacking in the hotel room
- Seeing Wendy Endelman and Fred Endelman - these two are incredible folks and awesome parents
- Chas and Sharon Sasson’s incredible hospitatlity and patience; especially with all of the nicknames
- Getting to spend time with Ari and Uzi Sasson, these two guys are a lot of fun
- The beautiful wedding of Yamit and David
- Singing “The Way You Look Tonight” eighteen drinks in, at karaoke in the city
- Not going to bed Friday night because of an afterparty at my cousin’s apartment
- New City Pool - this never gets old
- That stupid hand snap thing that everyone else on the planet can do
- Eating my fucking brains out every single day
- Sleeping an average of 3 hours/night for a week

That’s it. I have to sleep.

I will be in Amsterdam in just over 24 hours.

Revised 8/02/05 …

I was reminded by my dear friend Steve of a horrible omission…

On July 4th I got a chance to see Melissa and Kody, two wondeful folks that I’ve known since high school. Melissa and I were very close our last two years of school and she means the world to me. She is super smart and witty and has a heart the size of Texas. She falls into a similar category as I do that we are both East Coasters that were raised on the prairies of Texas. Kody and I got to perform in one of my favorite stage performances during the summer of 1997. He is a dynamic perfomer and musician and recently accepted into a graduate program at Columbia. His father and I once butted heads on ice cream and how much one should eat in a sitting, but other than that, I have no complaints. Melissa’s sister, Jocelyn was also there, although I don’t know her as well. She is a visual artist, so she’s tops in my book.

–end–

It’s very early in the morning, and I just came in from David’s bachelor party. Without running the gamut of details - of which, I am happy to share in person - it was a great time.

One of the highlights was running into Steve Van Zandt at an establishment where women sometimes dance for money. Replace “sometimes” with “always” and you will catch my drift.

Who is Steve Van Zandt? He is the guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and most recently one of the stars of The Sopranos, in his brilliant role of Silvio Dante, Tony Sopranos consigliere. What was most confusing, largely due to the alcohol, was the fact that his character on The Sopranos owns a strip club. But he was wearing the swashbuckling attire - colorful pants, do-rag, etc… - that he wears when he plays with Bruce Springsteen.

I didn’t know whether to take a dump on the lady who was dancing next to me, or run out of the establisment screaming. I did neither, thankfully.

It’s 3:30a, my brain hurts and my stomach feels like it’s on a roller coaster.

Who knows what will go down tomorrow.