Cock Pit Rock Out

Have you ever just rocked out in your car? I mean full on, radio blasting, singing at the top of your lungs, raising your fist to the imaginary crowd that makes up the speedometer, kind of rocking out? Now, have you ever been caught doing it?

Unless you absolutely hate your life, I can safely assume that we've all done this. Maybe you're not a driver, but you've rocked out in public with your ear buds in. I can say that I've worn and have seen them on the city bus. And after catching someone watching us as we 'literally' melt off some faces, blood rushes to our cheeks, our eyes widen, and our mouths shut at a staggeringly slow pace. We turn away from the stranger's gaze and beat ourselves up in our internal monologue. 

Tonight, I vowed to never do that again. I was driving down the road and had been stopped at a red light for about a minute. Foster the People were on and the volume was louder than normal because I was just doing 50mph right before coming to this stop. That's when I started bobbing my head to the beat, then came the singing along. Before I knew it, I was full out singing the words and beating my fist into the passenger seat to the kick drum.

As my 'rock out' is in full swing, I turn my head to the right to see a guy watching my performance from two lanes away. Instantly the thoughts of "you're an idiot" and "I can't believe that dude saw me" came rushing to my brain. That's when I shut off my brain, slapped on a huge grin, and waived to the mustached onlooker. He wrinkled his eyebrows and held up an unconvincing wave. At that moment, I didn't care what this guy thought of me. Hell, I will most likely NEVER see this man ever again and even if I do, I know for sure I won't recognize him. Let him be completely jealous of my good time and bow before the awesome that is my rock out.

Creature From The Back Room-goon

By the time this post goes up, I'll be gearing up for the New York Comic Con. It'll be the first time I'm surrounded by complete comic book nerds and hopefully, many half clad women. I'm sure that the majority of them will have their guts hanging over their belts, but I stay optimistic. I'm talking about the women. Overweight comic book nerds are a given.

So, what should I expect from my first "Con"? Will I be disappointed or glad? Will I accept these nerds and furthermore, will they accept me? Either way, I'm headed in with a good friend who is like me.

We're both the type of nerds that aren't really nerds at all. Many of our friends are just cool people with nerdy attributes. Yes, he loves Planet of the Apes and I have my undying allegiance to The Doctor, but we can both successfully drink our weight in beer and hold a conversation with women. Not to mention we've both spent many years playing in bands (guitars, not marching).

The shyness of nerds has always been a laugh for me. I crack up every time I see a caricature of the nerdy group of guys who constantly push their glasses to the bridge of their nose, breath through their mouths and freak out as an attractive girl approaches them. My friend and I encountered these very nerds while we were checking out a comic shop. 

We walked in and spent some time browsing the racks, chatting up the owner, and found out there was a section in the back with more stock. So, we make our way to the back half of the store where we were greeted with the sight of five guys, one barefoot, sitting around a table and arguing about the direction a writer was taking a certain superhero comic. I couldn't believe it. The very guys I saw in comedy bits and on TV were sitting before my very eyes. One was flipping through his pages of playing cards while the others thumbed through comics, only lifting their eyes to state their opinions. 

We made our way back up front, paid for our books, and walked out. Neither one of us said a word until we both sat in my car and just started laughing. It was such a shock to the both of us that these guys existed and we couldn't be more happy that we weren't like them. Don't get upset though. We were both very appreciative of these guys and know that they have a good time being who they are. It just made us appreciate who we are and how great it was to have each other as friends.

What cracks me up is that this entire blog entry could have been written by one of those guys. In their version, we're the weirdos and they laughed at us as we walked out. Either way, I was the one able to laugh about it with a girl later that night.

Gain Some Real World Experience

Lately, I've been exploring the cringing thought of what an interview actually is. Before graduating a few years back, I heard my college professors liken it to going on a date. Well, if that's the case, I completely under dress for my dates, but I can see the similarities.

Arriving at an interview, you try to be early and show that you're conscious of time. Your heart is racing, perhaps because you ran a few blocks to get there on time, and your palms are a little sweaty. Like with all of my dates, I introduce myself with a sturdy handshake and look each person in the eye while thinking "I will own you."

For the first time in my life, I went on an interview where the company presented themselves to me. Every single job I've ever applied for, and interviewed with, was always the opposite. It was about what I could do for the company and how I could better their business. The concept of the company trying to sell itself to me first was a brand new experience. Needless to say, I immediately applied it to my dating life and expect every girl to sell themselves to me. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

Almost everyone can agree that their dates have been about trying to "sell" themselves to the other person. Either they were trying to impress or just be someone they're not. It's something most people have come to recognize and I hope they shed that kind of thinking or they're in for a rude awakening. It's this realization that has helped me out in my daily life and has made me a happier person.

Ok. Life lesson over. Go have some fun, kids.

Slap 'Em With Kindness

Picture the scene: WOMAN talking on her phone barks order at a coffee shop worker. In between each customized order, she barks orders at her phone. There's a lot of "no"s involved. Uncertain, the coffee shop worker stops and erases the transaction. They start all over again and we find out the person on the other end of the phone is her husband. I let out a loud "ha" and continue to sip my drink.

Somewhere in the last two decades, the human connection was lost. The art of appreciating one another went right down the toilet. I don't mean to say that everyone has lost  their good sense, but that things aren't the same as they used to be.

Earlier this morning, a couple from out of town were out wandering around the Lower East Side. They stood at the corner where I was waiting for a friend, with their map out, and completely lost. They kept to themselves and searched for the street signs and how it corresponded with what they held in their hands. After thirty seconds of feeling bad for them, I offered my help. I pointed to our location on their map and wished them a good day as they left. Turning to my friend, I simply said "breaking that stereotype." He laughed because we know that as New Yorkers, we're not thought of as nice people. New Yorkers are tough, but it doesn't mean that we can't be kind.

So, I've created a personal challenge. I'll do my best to be kinder. Don't get me wrong. This doesn't mean I'll a be pushover. I'm not that woman's husband. I'll simply try my best to be a gentleman and stand against the current.