For What It's Worth: December 2009

December 2009
Bills & Utilities: $875.25 (down $1)
Food & Dining: $410.77 (up $68)
Shopping: $335.67 (up $247)
Cash & ATM: $160.00 (down $260)
Entertainment: $146.16 (up $64)
Subway: $89 (same)
Travel & Taxi: $40.59 (up $2)
Health & Fitness: $26.17 (down $22)
Personal Care: $26.00 (up $26)

Total: $2,109.61 (up $12.61)

Evolution of an Apartment, Part VI

It occurred to me that I haven't updated Evolution of an Apartment in a while, though there have been a few changes. But before I do, why not take a trip down memory lane, to the previous versions of Evolution of an Apartment, which live here here here here and here. It's sort of cool to watch it change over the past eighteen months.

Too lazy? Yeah, I would be too. As a mini-walkback, take a look at my living room a year ago compared to what is it now:


Neat, huh? It looks like I live in a real apartment now! I also updated the bathroom with a new shower curtain (as you can see, it was much needed) and a new rug. Old is first, new is second:



Okay, so the picture don't do it justice. It does look and feel a lot better, though, in person. I also moved my room around, where my bed is against the windows instead of behind the door now. Fascinating, I know.

Because this post is totally pointless and mundane, I'll also update you on the status of my magazine collection. You may remember from the inaugural Evolution of an Apartment post from way back in October of 2008 that "my modest magazine collection [had] already begun to overwhelm the bookshelf." You don't? Well look here:


Meanwhile, at the end of 2009, it looks more like this:





Yeah... overwhelming the bookshelf is no longer the issue. However, as I said in 2008, "magazine collecting is a difficult job, but someone has to do it." I stand by that statement still today.

And now back to your regularly scheduled life.

A Southerner Returns Again; or, Home for the Holidays as Seen Through an iPhone Camera

I've spent a lovely time in Mississippi over the holiday, and it took me back to my roots and reinvigorated my love for life and New York, as I hoped it would. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I'll wrap it up in a few photos and move on. Everyone loves a photo post, right?

Before I left, my aunt Judy came to the city to do a The Holiday-style apartment swap for the holidays. She chilled in New York and my family and I spent a night in her apartment in Oxford, where I went to college, while visiting family in upstate Mississippi. Judy and I walked around Central Park after the snow from a few days earlier.


The next day, on the plane, I saw a hazy sunrise as I left LaGuardia at 6:30 a.m.


It had also snowed over Chicago, where my connection to Memphis was. Shady weather was about to hit the city, but somehow I made it out of both New York and Chicago on time. Great job, American Airlines.


It was Christmas Eve when I landed in Memphis, where my family picked me up. We at lunch at Chili's (don't judge! I love Chili's and we don't have them outside of airports in the city!) and later went to my grandparents' house in Holly Springs for dinner. My grandmother cooked some salty ass chicken 'n' dumplins' that were the shit, plus some leftover spaghetti, beef stew, and cornbread, just for the hell of it. And it wasn't even a big event, she just made a "small supper." Then she brought out a collection of six cakes she'd acquired at various holiday parties or made herself. Welcome home.

Since it was Christmas Eve, we of course had to take Mawmaw and Pawpaw (yeah, we actually call them that) to the local Baptist church for the 8 p.m. holiday service. The choir wears robes, we sang from a hymnal, there was a candle lighting, and there was a call-and-response reading. I grew up in this church, and everyone knows me as "Jackie's boy."


The church is next to the town Piggly Wiggly, a real-life grocery store that has been there for at least 30 years. It was raining and all I could snap was a blurry photo, but here it is anyway.


The next day was Christmas, and there was food everywhere. First at my dad's mom's house in New Albany with those cousins and aunts and uncles, then a repeat performance at my mom's sister's house in Holly Springs. The menu was literally the same: ham, turkey, dressing, gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, over-buttered roles, slow-cooked veggies and tons of cookies and cake. Fatty fat fat.

On the drive home to Brandon that night, we stopped at a truck stop in Winona that had my dream Christmas present: a custom soda fountain capable of making the Moby Dick of cokes, the Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr Pepper from a fountain. Thank you Jesus.


At the mall, there is an entire store devoted to SEC shit.


I'd just finished Life of Pi, so I was very into the idea of visiting the Jackson Zoo while I was home. My whole family went on Sunday. It was $6 a person, and my mom complained that it that "was high" and it "used to be just a couple of dollars." I expected to pay $12 each. New York has warped my pay scale. I took a few photos and a lot of video. Maybe I'll compile it later.


The next day we saw Avatar in 3D, my first 3D movie, and it was very cool and definitely worth seeing, just for the spectacle of it all. Afterward, we ate at our favorite Mexican place, El Potrillo, where I was reminded that the waters in Mississippi are GIANT. Anyone wondering why I drink so much friggin' water at restaurants in New York, here's why:


Coin for comparison, naturally. The next day we went shopping and ate at Sonny's in Brandon, where I ordered water again and had to take another photo. I'm not kidding, these drinks are huge. And this is the size you get if you order a coke or a sweet tea or anything. And refills are free! FREE, y'all! Damn Yankees.


At home, I hung out with my dog Zoe. She sleeps all day in preparation of sleeping all night, and she looks like a stuffed animal. Basically the cutest thing ever.



My Tuesday afternoon flight got canceled and moved to Wednesday morning, giving me the extra day I was actually hoping for. I went to Best Buy with the fam and noticed a salon a few doors down in the same shopping center. I'd been thinking about getting my hair cut off and decided to just go for it. I'm pleased with the results.


Later, I took a drive in my mom's pick-up truck and blasted Lady Gaga and Beyonce on big speakers, possibly the number one item on Things I Miss About Living Outside of New York list. There's nothing like going hoarse because you're singing your ass off to pop music in a car.

Now I'm packed, awaiting my flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth at 10:35 in the morning and then my 1:00 flight back to New York. My vacation was everything I hoped it would be, a perfect picture of the simple, slow, sweet Southern life I've forgone to live in New York. And now I'm ready to be back in my own shoes, in my own apartment, in my own city.

See you later today, NYC.

New Layout: The 6 Train Rides Again

I found this cool photo of an old 6 train pulling into the Bleeker Street station and used it as the inspiration for my new post-holiday layout. It's graffiti-afied and a little dark, but I like it.

Neighborhood Door Watch: Merry Christmas!

It never fails: a new holiday, a new door decoration. My neighbor in 2E, whose name I can't remember but usually refer to as Rhonda for some reason, is quite festive. I enjoy it every time even the most menial of holidays rolls around. Now you can too.


For good measure, I'm including Thanksgiving's door, which I happened to snap a photo of. Oh Rhonda. You bring such joy to my stair climb.

The Little Things That Make New York

I've been going to the same laundromat on 105th and Second almost the entire time I've lived in East Harlem, for more than a year. For a while I switched to a different one that was around the corner from my apartment, but they organized drop-offs weird, wanted the money upfront, and a suspicious number of my clothes came back with tiny little holes in them while I was using that place. The reason I switched, though, was the hours: the good laundromat closes at an undisclosed time between 7 and 8, while the not-so-good one closes reliably at midnight. And since I work until 6:30 all the way downtown, it's always a hustle to get my laundry from the good place. But it's worth it. I trust them.

This entire time I've been using the 105th Street laundromat, though, I've never been in the system. For a while I would just get a nameless piece of paper. Then, about six months ago, the guy asked me for my last name, so I was "Wilson, [no first name]" in the system, with no address, no phone number. About two weeks ago, the man asked me if I wanted to complete my profile. I did, and now when I get that little sheet, it has my name and address on it. I've gone twice since then, and both times it's made me inexplicably happy to see my name printed.


It's the little things like that that make you feel like you really live in the city. A few weeks ago I walked past a new little coffee place, Lloyd's, that's next to the laundromat. The man who usually takes my drop-off was sitting in the window and he waved at me. I waved back. And today, I told the other drop-off man that I needed to make sure I got my clothes tonight because I am going out of town. He smiled and told me he'd "take care of it," and wished me a good Christmas Eve.

Why do these things matter so much? Why does being recognized by the owner of Yo In Yo Out, one of our favorite restaurants (on 100th and Lex), feel so good? Why is it so important to have a neighborhood identity?

It's comfort. The comforts of a place becoming a home. And though it takes a long time, these little things are what make living in this city so wonderful. It's something big-box retailers can't give you, something you can't get at a random McDonald's. Living and loving this neighborhood has had such an effect on me over these last 18 months, and when I first moved to it, I never expected it to.

These little notions, little surprises, little comforts make it all worth it. They make me want to press on through the tough times and ride with vigor through the good ones. It matters, this stuff, and I'm so glad this is my life.

The Many Definitions of 2010

My friend Brittany and I got dinner and drinks in the East Village last night, and, as we're both single, confused about current life situations, broke, and so on, we ended up talking about our hopes for the new year versus the actuality of this past one. Brittany remembered back to this time in 2008 when she coined the term "2009 is mine!" and had high hopes for the year. Looking back, we agreed that "2009 was fine" is a more fitting summation.

The next stop is...?

Not that it wasn't amazing, because it was. This time last year I'd just started working at my current place of employment, but on a freelance basis. Now, I'm on full-time and have health insurance and all that. And the work is good. I enjoy it, it's mentally stimulating, a great job, etc. I still have a great apartment. I've had Meghan up here for a year, and that's been great. I went to Chicago and San Francisco this year, and obviously to Mississippi a few times. I've seen a thousand Broadway shows, some spectacular theater and movies and art, had wild nights out, great evenings in. I've fallen even more in love with East Harlem. It's been a good year, I've accomplished a lot, and I in no way feel behind.

And yet, still the feeling of 2009 is just "fine." I'm in a slump, a funk. Again. I'm confused in life. I miss home more than I ever have. It's freezing outside and I don't have proper footwear. I'm emotional. I don't know if this funk feels particularly different because it's the end of the year or if I just can't remember the good times when I'm in the bad times (or the bad times when I'm in the good times), but it does feel like my lifepath could be splitting and taking me somewhere unexpected. And it could be good or bad.

Reading back on posts from the summer and fall, I was so take-life-by-the-horns. Now I'm more please-let-me-stay-in-bed. I want to get up again, but I just feel so... tired.

And now, more than ever, I have ideas floating around in my head that I just don't have enough time (or sometimes energy) to sort out and execute. As Brittany suggested, though, I need to pick one and work on it. Not forget the others, but decide on which one I want to spend my limited free brainspace on and stick with it. Easier said than done, but a start.

Obviously I hope that an upcoming trip to Mississippi and a week and a half off work will clear my head. I'm out of here on Thursday morning and back the next Tuesday night, then off work until the next Monday. New Years Eve is fast approaching, and I think (and desperately hope) as a symbol it will be a nice reset.

Brit and I failed to come up with a "2010 is ___" phrase. 2010 is this again? 2010 is zen? 2010 is gin? 2010 is the end? ballpoint pen? opium den? cornish hen?

Maybe, hopefully, 2010 is a new begin...ning. For my friends, for me, for my spirit, for my soul. Not as catchy, but sort of encouraging nonetheless. I need a reset, I need a refocus, so why not 2010? Perhaps I give myself the next ten days to reflect, sulk, sit, wait, and then it's time to be myself again. To get up and go, to hone in on something, to create.

Maybe that's it: 2010 is creation. (Pronounced "cree-ay-shin," as in, "Where in creation are my shoes?" Rhymes with tarnation. Work with me, you damn yankees!) Maybe 2010 is expression. 2010 is acceleration. 2010 is imagination, interpretation, determination, illumination, dedication. Maybe...

Hmm. Yes. 2010 is creation. I'm beginning to think that might work just fine...

A Brief Note About Grad School

Concerning grad school, that all-temping, grass-is-greener, nearly-always-open door to a life of seemingly leisurely reading and writing, my thoughts are as follows: I could make $50k over the next two years, or I could spend $50k over the next two years. And in two years, I'm going to be in essentially the same place, only in one I have negative $50k and in the other I have just $0.

Tom Ford Captures Beauty on Film in 'A Single Man'

Tom Ford knows beauty. Tom Ford knows suits. Tom Ford knows men. And thus is born A Single Man, his directorial debut, also written for the screen and produced by (you guessed it) Tom Ford. Oh, and the lead, Colin Firth, also wears all Tom Ford Menswear suits. Naturally.

From waking to sleep we follow Firth's George as he overcomes/succombs to his anxiety and depression over his longtime partner Jim's unexpected death. It's an emotionally complex though relatively mundane story, but on purpose and in the best way.

Firth plays George like I've never seen him before. I'm a Firth fan anyway, but this really is a different side of him, and the Oscar buzz is worthy. He is deep but accessible, completely relatable in his situation, and he looks great.

In fact, everyone and everything looks great. The styling is impeccable, almost to a fault, and the mostly-male cast could be its own modeling agency. Ford's shots are smart, creative and focused, though at some points it can get a bit over-the-top.

Ford uses color—and the lack of it—in an interesting though sometimes admittedly amateurish way. I got the feeling a few times that he wanted to experiment with every color setting on the camera and computer just to see the effect, then ended up leaving his trials in the final cut. It's not a hindrance to enjoying the film at all, but sometimes it can feel a bit overdone.

The casting is brilliant, from the always-amazing (and one of my favorite crazies) Julianne Moore to the surprisingly significant role of Kenny, played by Nicholas Hoult (who has grown up since his role in About a Boy). And Matthew Goode is loving and beautiful as George's now-deceased Jim. Sometimes so loving and beautiful, in fact, that you have to wonder if the Jim in George's memory is the real Jim or an overblown portrait of male perfection.

If it wasn't Tom Ford, this would be a small and beautiful experimental art film, and I would like it very much. But with his name attached, his foray into film became an released feature, and a beautiful one at that. Because Ford knows beauty, and Ford knows style. Even if it's a little too much at times.

Snippets from IM: The Genius of Fools

Jenny: what is the hurt locker and should we see it?
Zachary: it's about Iraq or something—all modern warsy sadsies
Zachary: but a woman directed it and there's a huge shortage of women directors, especially doing non-rom-coms
Zachary: not sure if I could see it or not
Zachary: war movies scare me...
Zachary: ugh, just read over that again
Zachary: do we talk like fools or are we genius?
Jenny: i pick genius
Jenny: makes me feel better

Reasons That New York (Magazine) Has Too Much Damn Money

Yeesh. They just posted a behind the scenes video on NYmag.com's Daily Intel (probably my favorite blog ever) about how the got the shot of a couple who met on last January's Sully's-a-hero-on-the-Hudson flight, this year's number one Reason to love New York. The shot's pretty cool (though you can't really see their faces), but the making-of video goes into how complicated it was to get it. First, they got permission to shoot on this friggin' boat. Then they CHARTERED A HELICOPTER to fly the photographer, Vincent Laforet, beside the boat and get the shot, with Manhattan in the background.

Photo by Vincent Laforet, and obviously owned by New York magazine.

Really, New York mag? Really? All that for a shot where you can't even see the couple's faces? And in a recession? Especially a magazine recession, where even you cut two issues from your publication schedule this year? Where hundreds and hundreds of people have been laid off, including some at your very own magazine? Really?

Sigh. This industry.

Google Street View as Art

I love Google Maps. Like, really really love them. They work, they're amazing on the computer and on the iPhone, and Street View is one of the coolest and most innovative initiatives of the web, ever. Apparently artist Jon Rafman noticed because he's put together a collection of photos showing scenes from Google Street View as art, and it's really, really astounding. We have a slideshow of some of the photos over at Fast Company. So cool.

New Layout: It's Beginning to Look A Lot... More Tacky?

So, yeah, I holiday-ified my blog. Hardcore. And yeah, it's super tacky on purpose. I'm testing some new ideas for the direction of the blog. In theory, I want it to be a little less serious, a little less thought out, a little more pop culturey, a little more fun and random. A little more me. I see so many movies, watch so much TV, see shit on Broadway all the time—I want to have a space to reflect that, and before it didn't really fit with the overall theme. I've also lived in New York for a year and half now, and as I've stated with the previous rejiggers, the endless flow of oh-my-god-New-York-is-so-new-and-different posts has, well, stopped flowing. I want to be a little more experimental, a little more casual.

MY EEEEYES!!! Muahaha!

So here it is. My first step toward a little attempt. Obviously after the holidays the look will change again, and hopefully frequently after that depending on what I'm into at that time, with some kind of pop culture reference, something seasonal, whatever.

Ah, and a new tagline. The old: The story of a Mississippi boy slowly but surely becoming a New Yorker, and everything in between. The new: Tales of twenty-something living, selected pop culture, and New York fucking City. Hooray!

(PS: As an aside, I also want to point out that I photoshopped the shit out of the new header image above. Here's what it was before. Holler back. Just saying.)

Golden Globe Reactions, Twitter Style

As the Golden Globe nominations, this year's first glimpse at Oscar noms, were announced, naturally I live-tweeted. The results are below, and the full nomination list is here.

Snippets from IM: To Infinity and...!

Chalin: are you going to be in NYC for christmas?
Zachary: no im gone xmas eve and beyonce
Zachary: or beyond
Zachary: im just so used to typing beyonce...