Last Days In New York... this year

New York Coffee.  The very first thing I will do in Seattle is go to a proper coffee shop.  Who knows?  Perhaps someday a Seattle type shop will be here so that New York can be properly caffeinated. 

I wandered around Brooklyn today looking for a place for a haircut. I came across an offer I couldn't refuse.  $12.  There are a myriad of barber shops so I'll have to sample a few.  On a scale of 1-5, I'll give this place a 3.5.  

I also got one last days worth of work in for the year.  We finished off Sharon's kitchen with a new coat of paint.  She chose the colors.  We have a darker blue for under the cabinets and a lighter for the rest.  

Sharon is to the left.  She has been quite the helper through the whole process.  The final addition will be a granite slab in the window sill and trim around.  

And I got once last day with Kharma.  I have been assured that come spring, Kharma and I will be spending a lot of time at the park.  

So I am off to Seattle this weekend to try and remember how to be green.  

Winter in Waiting

Ok.  So I have been promised a harsh winter and snow by pretty much everyone here.  But after seeing the pictures of the winter wonderland in Seattle this weekend, I have to admit, I am deeply disappointed.  

This is the closest to winter we have gotten here.  It was cold as I have ever felt last Saturday, with windchill down to 15 degrees.  And there was a little bit of snow this morning, which quickly vanished.  

However, it was fun to see my buddies from Jordan, who operate a market on my block, marvel and take pictures of the snow as it fell as there is a lack of such flurry in the harsh deserts of the middle east.  

So after some winter teasing, and with my trip back to Seattle in just a few days, winter in NY will have to be one in waiting.  Perhaps January will be more fitting.  I do hesitate briefly, remembering the old saying, be careful what you wish for. 

Touring NY

On Saturday, I accompanied Eddie, to scope out prospects for both CBS and Leonard General Construction, on what was supposed to be a real estate tour.  However, upon arrival to the real estate office in Queens, our agent apologetically informed us she had gotten the date wrong.  

So to make up for her error, she took us to a little Korean restaurant down the street for coffee and pastries.  After discussing our real estate prospects we moved on to other subjects.  

Here is our agent ordering our goodies.  This restaurant is located in Queens on Main Street and 70th.  

Below is the picture of our vehicle for Friday and Saturday.  It is the Quest which was fitting considering our tasks for the two days.  We needed to go up to Manhattan to get a couple of things appraised at the auction house, then back down to Brooklyn to finish a client's kitchen, and then up to Queens to meet with Eddie's cousin Mike who owns a number of real estate properties and a bar.  I was Eddie's driver for the two days, an easy way to make money despite the complexities of NY traffic.  We were also treated to a game of pool at Mike's bar in north Brooklyn.  

I was sitting at the bar with a complimentary beer when Eddie came over and handed me the pool stick, telling me I had to play, and whispering that he had played the guy for money years ago and that he had never paid.  He didn't want him to recall the incident.  I tried to let the guy win but he was just that bad.  

Meet Leonard General Construction's new mascot, Kharma.  Eddie got this kitchen job via Kharma.  Kharma lives down the street from me and is learning how not to chew up everything in his path, maturing from a puppy.  

First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum

I was told that the Brooklyn Museum hosts free admission on the first Saturday of each month where they serve wine, include music and a dance floor, as well as opening up the galleries to all who show up.  Now I expected the company to include some of our finest senior citizens and perhaps a pleasant waltz in the dance hall but was surprised to find the entire museum packed with locals and city dwellers alike ranging in age from toddlers to our esteemed citizens of advanced years.  

The picture above is the dance floor, complete with DJ's, in a simply amazing section of the museum that crossed between a European disco and what must have been the parties of old.  There must have been hundreds of people on the floor and when I commented on the diversity of the attendees, he responded, "looks like Brooklyn," with a smile.  

This is the outside of the museum as I approached.  I could tell from here there were going to be a great deal of people as a line was forming outside the foyer.  And for my first celebrity sighting, in attendance was Wyatt Cenac of the Daily Show.  I went with my roommate Marnie, along with some of her friends from NY and from NYU film school. 

In a similar vein, I was in a short film, written by Marnie, for her final project for her director's class.  As soon as I have the video I will post the link.  Even in the midst of finals, there is no shortage of entertainment.  

Working Towards Understanding the New

One of the unexpected benefits of moving to New York, and the need for employment, has been the friendship and unofficial training in construction here.  I have seen nearly every apartment in my building, as it is sadly falling apart, as well as sites in Queens, Manhattan and other places in Brooklyn.  

Below is a picture of a new learned skill, namely grouting.  The tiles, having been previously placed, needed to be grouted and Eddie took the opportunity to allow me to learn. 

We also had to repair a ceiling, having been previously "repaired" twice by the super in an apartment in my building.  Below is the nearly finished product being sealed by Eddie.   

The picture below is the debris left from the super in his "attempts" to replace not one but three ceilings. 

And here is a picture of me about to head back down for clean up after the ceiling demolition. 

This was the state of the ceiling before we fixed the previous mistakes in craftsmanship.

Eddie has given me a great opportunity to learn a ton about construction I had not previously had, although many previous opportunities helped pave the way for the basic understanding of that which I am learning now.  It has also given me the chance to meet those who came to NY for the opportunities to work as well as meeting those who are struggling to keep their jobs through this present financial downturn that has hit NY especially hard.  I have told Eddie a great deal about the now mythical Seattle and he is eager to get on a train and asks me every time we meet when he might be able to go.  His impression of me has given him the belief that Seattle is full of hard-working, polite people.  I guess he is mostly right and can only humbly accept the compliment.  It is naturally only the product of a good upbringing and the sense of community the NW has to offer, despite its negative qualities.  

Signs of Christmas

It begins with a little sign.  Christmas trees mark the sidewalks, decorations appear on fences and street crossings, and flurries of snow fall from the skies.  My first snow in NY comes in the first instances of Christmas.  I was asked to visit the Rockefeller Center and I will attempt to do so Wednesday following my final.  

With Christmas comes the bone chilling cold of the East Coast.  As a West Coaster, this is something I am not even remotely accustomed to.  Let me share a few observations then.  Like the heat in CA, it helps to keep moving.  But nothing, and I mean nothing, can prepare you for the hurt that accompanies the wind.  You may be slightly less than comfortable walking down the street or waiting for a bus, but when the wind comes up, you want to scream for relief.  

I was given a skull cap and that has been a welcome and much needed addition to keep my ears and head warm.  In time I am certain gloves will be necessary and I am most certainly considering growing a full beard.  But for the most part, the freezy chill is avoided by hot drinks, subway rides, and generally staying indoors.  

A final interesting observation is meeting all of the transplants also not accustomed to the weather and those that say it just isn't as bad as Chicago and so on.  So they tell me, it only gets worse.  Brace yourself, they tell me, for sub freezing temperatures and a wind that only continues to shred your outer senses.  Bring it on I suppose.  

Fun Places in NY

One of the best things about living in NY is how the ordinary is transformed into something just a little bit special.  The first picture is from a movie theater near Columbus Circle, and the South end of Central Park, where under NY custom, ordinary transcends into the unordinary.  

The other three pictures are taken on my way back from the Chinatown express, taken to DC, in the belly of Chinatown.  I can't help but be reminded of Blade Runner every time I pass through. Enjoy the pics and a little creative editing.  

Leonard General Construction

Let me introduce you to Eddie and Monte, or as Nic the Greek called him on Saturday, Maawnteeee.  Eddie is who is paying the bills.  We got to talking while he was working on my apartment, about life, philosophy, religion, politics, etc., and not too long after, I was working for him.  He has construction jobs all over the city and his story is fascinating.  

Eddie is West Indian, from Guyana, which borders Brazil and Venezuela.  He came to Toronto over 20 years ago and then came to NY.  He has had a variety of jobs working where he can.  He started working for a construction company in the Hamptons and due to having grown up working, he rose up the ladder very fast.  He then decided to go on his own.  His cousins, of whom Monte is one, came sometime before him and had been working as well.  

Eddie had always been the social ring leader, so after getting bored working other jobs, he decided to start working with his family.  All of them are expert craftsman.  Their story is a bit of a sad one.  Monte and Charlie, Monte's brother, both have college degrees from Guyana, which was formerly a British Colony.  In the 60's, the Soviet Union intended to use much of South America (now Cuba, Venezuela, and Bolivia are all communist) as a staging ground for a potential war with the United States.  The Prime Minister of Guyana was a West Indian who married a Jewish American woman who had ties with former communist USSR and the rumors were she was still a communist.  

A worried JFK and CIA seeking to contain communism, supported the independence of Guyana from the British by covertly aiding (a popular method until the 80's) African immigrants which resulted in Independence and a power shift.  Segregation of West Indians followed and graduates found it impossible to get work and poverty quickly ensued.  Most Indian and Chinese immigrants fled to Canada and the U.S. under refugee status.  Monte and Charlie both have degrees in engineering and all of them received formal British educations and they all speak multiple languages.  The work crew is not only well-educated, their experience and cohesiveness adds a great deal of harmony and professionalism to an oft unprofessional field.  

They were nice enough to have me come work with them and I am learning so much.  And not just about construction.  These guys have seen everything.  Monte used to cut timber in the Amazon, hunts and fishes in Brazil and the Atlantic, and still has family in Guyana.  Eddie has been attacked by a snake, and younger than the rest, saw Guyana post-independence and its downward spiral.  Each of them are just trying to make enough money so they can retire in Guyana and just hunt and fish.   

The picture below is of Eddie and Monte trying to figure out how on earth they were going to remedy the mistake made by the union plumber who set the toilet 4 inches too far from the wall leaving the door now 3 1/2 inches into the seat.  The frame around the door takes Monte about 5 minutes to measure, cut and install.  He does all the math in his head.    

Eddie had me time him while painting the halls and said he could do it in less than 15 minutes.  It took him 16 because he had to locate the paint after "Joe the Plumber," as Monte refers to him, moved the paint outside for some odd reason.  I was amazed at the speed but was more amazed to not be able to find a single mistake.  

This is typical Monte.  He is a cutting machine.  Occasionally, he calls out, "Mr. Leggett...Help, Help...."  When I get there to hold the board for him he usually has a story to tell.  He loves to talk about politics including NY and he absolutely hates Sarah Palin.  He is married and has 3 grown children.  He gives Eddie a hard-time most of the day.  

This was the outside of the studio apartment we remodeled in Queens.  The owner is named Nic the Greek, at least to Eddie and Monte.  He loves these guys and gets them a discount at the Chinese Restaurant at the end of the building (which he owns) and he works along side them, though he is most often just in the way.  

Eddie pays me to help out painting, touching up, making cuts, installing, etc., but he also pays me to talk business with him.  As an immigrant a lot of the paperwork and red tape keeps him from expanding.  That's where I have been able to help out.  He has a lot of contacts and people that want to invest in properties and share the sale profits if he fixes them up.  We put together some business cards, I am helping him put together a website, as well as moving him from the black notepad to a computer.  I go with him to new jobs and meet the clients and he introduces me differently each time.  Today we looked at an apartment on my block for a shoe designer who needs her kitchen floors replaced.  He said I was his "sidekick like the kid in Indiana Jones" today.  Other introductions have included: my attorney, my business advisor, my swami, my cousin, Jawsawn of the Argonauts, Mr. Fonda, Brother Tom (from Godfather), and the observer.   

Autumn in New York

Our apartment is finally complete.  Here is a shot of the bathroom taken from the shower.  We have a new cabinet, sink and vanity as well as new tiling on the floor and wall. We also have new, much brighter lighting. 

This is of our new shower with new tiling, tub, and shower head, etc.  We also have replaced all the lead pipes with copper pipes... a process I was completely enamored with. 

This is taken from the kitchen.  We have new paint, chosen by Yael, on the wall on the right, and a fresh coat of white.  We have had to rearrange the furniture because the wall had to come about 4 feet in to the living room to make room for the new tub.  We also have new flooring and the space above the doors have been filled (by me;-) 

So the good news is that we got upgraded to the nicest bathroom in the apartment building. The better news is that I got a job working with the guys who began as the construction crew on my apartment.  The best news is I am having a great time doing it and learning a ton!

I leave you with a picture that captures my first Autumn in New York.  It is fitting that it is also my first real Autumn.  Seattle has its sights in the fall but summer seems to extend a great while and winter looks more like Spring.  I thought it was picture worthy to have a woman walking down the street in Orange as the leaves were in their final color change and falling from the trees.  

Community Building Strategies

Community Building Strategies.  That's the name of the non-profit I am starting.  Let's start with the following preface: the picture below features a lot that has been purchased and construction is about to begin.  This is in the heart of Brooklyn which is composed of a diverse population, skills, and cultures. 

Imagine you are now sitting in a room with people from your community, all representing this diversity.  The following question is asked: What do you want your community to look like? You have two options.  

The first is modeled after your community where each person or group of people is encouraged to start a business that brings wealth and maintains diversity to the community.  Looking at the picture below you can see which one doesn't fit with the others.  (As a side note, like many chains, the possibility of individual ownership could be molded in to the question but for the sake of simplicity, let's continue the hypo).     

The second option is the corporate mall model.  These two store fronts are currently within .25 miles of each other.  Considering the open space, which would you prefer?    

We would then go into the details of each choice.  Consider for example that Circuit City, pictured above, will be sending its profits to its headquarters, not in Brooklyn, and will be employing community members at minimum wage.  On the other hand, small businesses are hard to manage and maintain.  

That is where we come in.  CBS does not believe that corporate identities are good for the community.  They don't reflect the diversity spoken of before and they don't allow community members to make livable wages.  At the end of the cycle are people being forced out as property values skyrocket (until the bubble bursts and Circuit City takes off for a new money making opportunity) and communities start from scratch.  

CBS will help assist those who want to build their community using a model focused on business growth, artistic development, and health awareness.  As I walked through Brooklyn, I think I know which most residents prefer.  It's time to get back to some good old fashioned values and build our economy from the community up.  More details to come as the plan develops.   

A New Partner and Seattle Reminders

I have wanted to work on a project that looks at how law school is taught and what would make it better.  The central point is kind of two fold: most people have a negative view of lawyers and lawyers have been slacking in their duties to apply democratic norms.  My three examples are: 1) The lawyers involved with the Enron scandal; 2) The two lawyers who wrote to the Bush administration that torture is essentially ok; and 3) The lawyers involved with the recent financial crisis.  

Were these individuals bad people or were they just serving their client's interest?  My argument is that even if they were bad people before they came to law school, their education didn't limit their evil scheming and even produces some more bad eggs.  We are basically never taught what our role is in a constitutional structure and yet are given vast responsibility.  So part of the reason I came to NY was to see what this whole CUNY thing was about and how the first public interest law school does business.  

I have been greatly satisfied with my class choices and overall opportunities to work with like minded people.  I am well on my way to developing a non-profit and have learned a great deal about public interest lawyering.  So imagine my surprise when I met with one of my favorite teachers here, who is helping me start the non-profit, who was a founding member of the school when he told me CUNY is nowhere near what it was supposed to be.  

We talked at great length about the vision of the school then and how it has succumbed to outside pressure and lost its way.  He asked if I wanted to work with such a cynic and I, at the edge of my seat, almost shouted, "YES, YES!"  The school he had described was exactly what I, and most of my friends from Seattle, had dreamt of.  I said that even though it may not have worked out in practice, the idea is more powerful and attracts students who want to make things better.  He has agreed to work with me and we will start writing in the spring.  

I have had many experiences thus far that have made me believe this is the perfect place for me at this time.  This was another.  Then as I was leaving his office, I saw three painting strewn about the second floor, all from the Seattle Art Museum.  Even all this way, I have Seattle reminding me of where I came from, and seemingly urging me to push forward.  

At the very least, Seattle is well-represented at CUNY law.  

Catching up: lots of projects

I apologize again for falling behind on the blog.  After several complaints, I am back up.  It has been a busy couple of weeks.  I will begin to catch up from the beginning.  The picture below is one piece of a window grill I am painting for Eddie (my employer) which is going to be installed this week for a lady up in the Bronx.  Finally, my graffiti skills are put to work.  

Eddie has a lot of jobs going so I told him I would paint the pieces for the grill.  I spent a few nights getting the pieces done and Ali will be soldering them together tomorrow.  

I was also able to move back in to my room.  As much as I will miss the comfort of the wide open living room floor, I think I will readjust just fine.  I took the opportunity to build some desks for workspace utilizing the tools and spare wood downstairs.  

The picture below shows the table to the left for my monitor and various other items (apparently a wine bottle) and there is a desk behind the chair.  I was going to have to buy a chair but as luck would have it, there was one for free right across the street.  They thought it was broken but with a little tinkering it is back in working condition.  When I told Monte (whom will be in a picture in another post), he shook his head and said, "everyone in this country... just waste and waste."  One man's junk is another man's treasure.  

We also fixed my bed and I may be able to install a cabinet from the remodel downstairs if I have the time.  It has been nice to get back in to the routine and now have space to work.  You can see from the photo that I built a little mail slot, a keyboard holder and now I am set!  

Hope

I had my first election at the polls experience.  Now this isn't entirely truthful because I do remember the 1992 election, accompanying my parents, but naturally I was not allowed to vote.  

So I got up at 5:30 AM, with my roommate Marnie, down to the Brooklyn Museum and got in line.  We waited for a little over an hour.  It was a little disorganized but I pointed out to her that an hour wait makes us far better off than other democracies.  I walked into the booth and cast my vote on a pretty old-school polling machine.  

After we left, there was something in the air.  Believe it or not, it was hope.  Later in the day I walked to the print shop to help my new quasi-client/ employer Eddie make some business cards. We encountered so many people along the way who were grinning, saying hello, and again there was something in the air, hope.  

I saw people getting pictures of Obama framed, everyone talking about the election, people arguing that even if you weren't voting for Obama to get out and vote because this is democracy and the times are too hard.  It was something remarkably refreshing.  I walked to the grocery store later in the day and again it was all smiles, polite gestures, and an overwhelming feeling of something better coming, hope.  

Finally, I was sitting on the couch today with my other roommate Yael, a foreign national, unable to vote.  She had expressed little interest in politics but today she was curious.  She said to me, "is it true that Obama's grandmother died today?"  I said yes and that he had gotten some negative commentary for visiting her a week ago, flying to Hawaii instead of campaigning. She said, I saw him talk today and I really like him.  He has the kind of character I think would be good in a President.  I hope he is doing ok with the loss.  

It was amazing.  Someone not the slightest bit interested in politics senses something in the air. Despite the criticism and even the audacity of it all- hope is real and if you doubt it, go look at the people who have had it the roughest the last 8 years.  We all have had our fair share of pain. But fear not, hope is around the corner.  We have the opportunity now let's get to work.  

A Work in Progress... but hey isn't everything?

You might be asking yourself, "where have I seen this before?"  The odd thing is, you haven't. While my faithful readers might think they recall this being a picture repeat, in fact it is our new bathroom extension.  "Bathroom extension?" You might ask.  "But I thought there was progress being made."  Well, that was last week and as you all know, this is this week.  After attempting to replace the tub, our crew determined this was simply impossible.  So we are now extending the bathroom 6 inches into the living room.  That pushes us back a construction workers "week" meaning 2-3 weeks in real person time.  

So you can imagine my slight surprise, and then rational acceptance, of the scene of walking in to see framing and amazingly enough, "re-plumbing."  Oh well.  

The construction HAS been a pain.  I can't lie.  I am sleeping in the living room, get woken up every morning by either one of my roomies getting ready or the cat pretending it is an African safari and I am helpless prey.  My privacy is gone which also means my study nook is gone too. Not that being interrupted with mind numbingly boring "dilemmas" isn't fun, but really people, I have stuff to do.  Speaking of which, I just finished my midterms for law school.

Which brings me to my "CUNY weekend update."  I often get asked how I like it, what's different, and so on and so forth.  Let me try and answer these inquiries in a concise and lawyerly manner.  First let me say it is fantastic.  The environment is perfect FOR ME.  Not for everyone.  And certainly there are downsides which I will get in to at some point, some day.  But for now, let's focus simply on the differences.  Well, midterms, that's different.  I got very used to simply attempting to soak things up for 12 weeks and then panicking when I had 1 comprehensive final for 5 subjects with 3 days to study and just "get it."  So it was kind of odd to have a midterm where I could actually relax, focus, and feel like I really mastered the topics up to that point.

My other classes are similar.  CUNY doesn't believe in a one time assessment of your learning. I tend to agree with the philosophy for a number of reasons.  But for now, I will let you know I have weekly "problem sets" in my Tax class where we actually are expected to apply that week's reading to actual problems and then get graded for our work.  It is eerily similar to the real world and frankly has no place in a law school.  I kid because that is actually true at Seattle University.  In my International Law class, my teacher is one of the founders of CUNY, and we get to choose whether we want an in-class final, a take home final, or a paper.  I chose the take home because I have never had one.  Take that rational basis scientists.  We also have weekly reading reviews.  I love this part because we actually have to reflect on the reading and contribute something NEW to the discussion.  It's nice to be treated like an adult.  My Business Associations has fairly consistent quizzes on the major topics and my UCC class had the midterm and problem sets much like Tax.  All in all, I am learning a heck of lot more.  

There is room for improvement but I'll save that for when I write the paper next semester. Which brings me to the overall environment.  Just today I told a friend of mine, I felt like NY was just the right thing to do when I was in Seattle.  Now I know.  I just couldn't have done this there.  I was dissatisfied with the way law school was taught and here we are, a new way of teaching.  I didn't want to work for a big firm or really do traditional legal work, and here we are, a place that encourages you to start a non-profit.  Not only that but I am surrounded by people with a public interest mindset and am collaborating with two other students, each of whom plan to start their own orgs.  It's just a very positive, community focused environment.  

That's CUNY.  As for NY, I like it.  It inspires me for one and makes me work harder.  A little personal update.  I am working on a screenplay with a friend which is hopefully going to be done sometime in January or February.  We are 1/3 of the way done writing and the outline is basically done.  Also, starting tomorrow, I will be working on an interesting project with a old friend, and long-time author which involves writing a novel together but without any more communication than reading what the last wrote and moving the story forward.  We agreed on a genre and a premise.  From here on out, no communication.  After we have made some progress I will get you the link, should you be curious or if you want to do me a favor and read ;-)  Finally, I am working with several people towards developing the non-profit.  The goal is to have the plan finished this year and to be filing the paperwork in the spring.  

So NY has done me well.  Next up on the agenda: 1) possible employment with Eddie the Indian guru and craftsman;  2) A trip to a cafe on the other side of Brooklyn per the request of a friend and faithful reader; 3) A review of the new grocery store on the corner; 4) TBD

Thanks for reading up to this point and I hope I can provide some more entertainment soon.   

A little bit of Panama

My friend, Jonathon Silvera, came to NYC on "business" for Microsoft.  I met him and his mate Matt, an Aussie who also works for Microsoft at a little pub in the east village.  After a couple of beers, many of them free, I informed my guests that this was a NY trick.  Basically due to the high supply of bars in the area, bartenders seduce you into staying the entire night in their joint by offering you free beers up front anticipating you will buy more than you planned later.  But I am on to them and quickly escorted my friends out.  

We next went to a Russian bar on Houston Street (It is pronounced How-s-ton here in NY) and met up with Matt's Aussie Mates who are currently living in Harlem but soon to be living near me in Brooklyn.  In the picture above we are having a mock arm wrestling contest.  We do this because this is what is done in their country.  Very niiiiice.  

Outside the Russian bar (let me digress by informing my readers that this bar has some 80 plus kinds of Vodka.  Now I actually despise vodka so I thought it would be a short stay but then my mate Matt bought me a vodka on the rocks and gosh darn it, it tasted like chocolate.  4 later, I was feeling rather nice) we met this fine gentleman from the Dominican Republic.  Jonathon, feeling his latin roots come to the surface, tried his luck with his supposed connection to baseball.  After failing the who is the famous baseball player quiz, I interjected with "Roberto Clemente" and "are you from Santo Domingo as well?"  which got me mega points.  When Silvera asked who our new friend Rafael would take on his baseball team, he looked at Jonathon, then looked at me and said, "I'd go with my brethren but something tells me the white boy has a cannon."  Indeed I told him, good choice.  Thanks for the baseball lessons padre, it finally paid off- a free vodka and a bouncer who had our backs.  

If you can't laugh...

Today I got to go to the Daily Show with Jon Stewart near Radio City Hall near Midtown, Manhattan.  It was a great experience.  The tickets were free, and due to a lucky break, I was able to get a ticket online (reservation) because they had originally planned not to do any shows this week.  

So I got there at 2:45 and was number 23 in line.  at 5:15, we were escorted, through a metal detector, into the waiting area and then finally into the set.  As 23, I should have been seated in likely the second or third row, but since I was solo, there was an open seat in the first row. This seat just happened to be eye level with Jon, again front row, and directly in front of him.  When they say "as the crow flies," that was me, about 25 feet away.  

The show was great, former Press Secretary Ari Fleischer was the guest and in between the boos (for him) and the laughs (for Jon) there was the usual journalistic satire.  It was definitely worth the wait and pretty much anything is worth missing class.  

When I got home, I checked out the construction zone at home and found, to my dismay, the project had expanded.  They took out the radiator in the living room, are sanding, still have not finished my room, and have only replaced the plumbing (in the midst of) in the bathroom.  I think we are looking at a serious delay...