The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Then, of course, there is that small issue of gangs of maurading teenagers roaming the park ready to attack you while you are running, but you strike me as swift of feet, Hank.

Question for Sebby
 

My bad. I thought you were implying that it was less fishy tasting or something, which made no sense because there are lots of types of sushi that aren't fishy-tasting.*

TM

*Which isn't surprising since, when I was in Japan, I was told by a connoisseur that sushi and sashimi are more about texture than flavor.

Question for Sebby
 

To me, hamachi [yellowtail] is the least fishy tasting there is. Tono/toro or tuna has a distinct taste as does salmon.

Question for Sebby
 

I had abalone sashimi at some high end Tokyo place. The texture was that of eating cartilage, it was like an everlasting gobstopper you could chew for hours w/o getting anywhere. and it is a delicacy.

The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Can't you tell when someone is hitting on you?

TM

Question for Sebby
 

Hmmm. So sushi and sashimi have no taste? Like rice and bread?

I feel that we've closed the circle. In an illogical, internally inconsistent way.

The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Are you nuts? there was no straw involved. no compliments of the hair. Just Yoda, the damn plastic clam shell bin and jabbing of which I almost knocked her out. stop jabbing me, biatch.

Question for Sebby
 

Am I correct to assume you ate that exclusively and had absolutely no rice, then?

TM

The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Are there bats? I was nearly taken out by a few bats on my run on Sunday because I miscalculated sunset (stupid daylight savings time) and managed to hit the Waugh bridge right around the time that the bats woke up and got hungry. It's very disconcerting to be running along, listening to your ipod and then suddenly surrounded by a couple dozen very hungry, very fast itty bitty flying rodents. I feel like I understand Bruce Wayne a bit better now.

I don't really dislike bats, and I'm not particularly afraid of them. But that, coupled with a seeing soothsayer squirrel divining the future with bird entrails and possibly being marked by some sort of hex (both of these things happened this morning) all around Halloween time sort of gives me the heebeejeebees.

The boys of the NYPD choir were singing "Galway Bay"
 

On the upside, they've got cars big as bars/they've got rivers of gold.

Question for Sebby
 

Well, I wouldn't say that. I would say that you've closed your circle of illogicalness, yes. But it's mostly because you don't know what the word "more" means.

TM

The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Gangs of marauding teenaged squirrels.

The One Thing I Hate about NY
 

Come to Duff Gardens, where gangs are no longer a problem.

Question for Sebby
 

I didn't mean it to be condescending at all. I go through food phases. I may go through a yellowtail phase again soon, and if I do, it'll run many months, possibly a year. My wife is still in a yellowtail phase. She's bought it every time we've gone for sushi, for the past eight years.

I also eat my food in phases. I finish one type of fish, then move on to the other. My mother says its a sign of a psychological disorder. Whatev.

Happy Halloween
 

Continuing my tradition of the last few years, I give you my favorite Halloween/angst-y breakup song. Enjoy.


Are You Happy Now? (Richard Shindell)

You took the toaster when you went
You never paid your half the rent
You took the spices from the rack
But you don't have to put them back
Cause in your haste on Halloween
You left your camera on the bed
Where we played roles in black and white
You left a role of black and white
I set the timer and thought of you
And put the lense up to my head
I took a photograph for you
What comes out gray is really red

Are you happy now?

I smashed your pumpkin on the floor
The candle flickered at my feet
As goblins flew across the room
The children peered into the room
A cowboy shivered on the porch
As Cinderella checked her watch
A hobo waited in the street
An angel whispered, trick-or-treat
But what was I supposed to do
But to sit there in the dark?
I was amazed to think that you
Could take the candy with you too

Are you happy now?

I've sat all night and now it's dawn
And I cannot believe my eyes
There's garbage strewn across the lawn
Where we once stared up at the sky
And streams of paper fill the tree
That hovered over you and me
Shaving cream covers the car
That we picked up in Baltimore
Though I know it's hard to tell
I hope that what's-his-name treats you well
I still maintain that he's a bum
But it's your money - have some fun

And are you happy now?

You always asked why I had not
Written you a verse or two
Since that's the one thing I regret
I dedicate this one to you

Are you happy now?
Are you?