Saturday night I went out to New Paltz to have food and drinks with some friends. I got there around 9PM, we hit up McGillicuddy's (great waffle fries) and P&Gs (where at one point we were pretty much the only people in the place), and I left around 2:30. And that's when the night got interesting.
In an attempt to bypass any law enforcement encounters, I decided to stay off 299 for as long as I could and opted for a side road. But I soon had headlights behind me, and I knew it was a cop. Sure enough, the lights go on. State trooper. I pull over, turn off my radio, roll down my window, and wait. The following is the encounter as best I can remember it.
The cop first asked for my registration, which I fished out of the glove box of him. He told me that he had pulled me over because my license came up as suspended. I assured him that I had no reason to think that was true. He asked for my license and double-checked with me that the information on my license and the registration were correct. He gave my registration to the second cop who was with him, then abruptly asked me, "Where do you stop at a stop sign?" I was somewhat befuddled by this question and thought it was some kind of trick. I slowly answered, "At the stop sign." "Not in the middle of the intersection?" he asked. "No," I said. He then asked if I was in a hurry to get home. I told him that I had to work tomorrow, but other than that not really. Then it really got good.
The second cop came up the other side of my car and the cop I was talking to asked me to unlock my passenger door. I did, and the second cop opened the door and reached down by my backpack. I thought he was going for my spray-on sunblock when he brings his hand up, looks at his fingers, then shuts the door. Then the first cop says to the second cop, "Is that cocaine?" WHAT?! I get asked directly, "Is there cocaine in your car?" "Absolutely not," I respond.
"Be honest," he said, "how hammered are you right now?"
"I'm not hammered at all. I had a couple beers with dinner around 9PM, but that's it." (Close enough for jazz.)
"On a scale of zero to 10?"
"I'm a zero."
"When was your last drink?"
"Probably around 10PM."
"Four hours ago?"
"Yes."
"Alright, please follow my finger with just your eyes." So I did.
At this point the second cop comes back with my registration and saying something about letters being mixed up. The first cop gives me a funny look, hands me my registration and says, "Clerical error. Have a good night." The cops do a u-turn and head back the other way, while I continue going straight.
Nine miles later, I went through the toll plaza for the Mid-Hudson Bridge at the same time as another car - I immediately went into the left lane while the other person stayed in the right. All of a sudden I had two bright headlights behind me, and then the flashers went on. I was getting pulled over AGAIN! And not only was I getting pulled over, but so was the other car. I was trying to think of why we could both be getting stopped, and could only come up with both of us driving a little too much over the 25mph speed limit. I pull over, turn my radio off, roll my window down, and wait.
The cop comes up and says, "License and registration, please."
"Sure - it's in my pocket."
I hand him my license and he says, "Have I seen you already tonight?"
"Well, I've gotten pulled over already tonight, but I don't know if it was you."
"Are you the typo guy?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Have a good night, boss."
SERIOUSLY? I got pulled over twice in one night. By the same cops. Nine miles apart. And do I have cocaine in my car? What the hell is that all about?
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Lobster
It seems I have to learn the same lesson every year.
Saturday was a beautiful day and I decided to spend most of it outside. First, after a Friday night that saw me crashing a Vassar party (say whaaat?) and going to sleep at 4AM, I chose to get up at 8:30AM and go to Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery to help place flags in preparation for Memorial Day. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around, examining grave stones to determine if they should get a flag, I ran home, took a shower, and then went to a picnic at Waryas Park. Burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, dips, watermelon, jello shots (which melted from the heat), very little shade, and the Hudson River. For about 3 1/2 hours.
Later that night as I was getting ready to go see The BIG Shoe in New Paltz, I noticed something. I was a little red. A little redder than I anticipated. I'm reminded of this movie scene. And I should've known better, but it always seems to happen once a year. The sun does not like me, and on Saturday it attacked me from both the sky and the surface of the river.
I think the lesson has been learned for 2011.
Saturday was a beautiful day and I decided to spend most of it outside. First, after a Friday night that saw me crashing a Vassar party (say whaaat?) and going to sleep at 4AM, I chose to get up at 8:30AM and go to Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery to help place flags in preparation for Memorial Day. After 2 1/2 hours of walking around, examining grave stones to determine if they should get a flag, I ran home, took a shower, and then went to a picnic at Waryas Park. Burgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, dips, watermelon, jello shots (which melted from the heat), very little shade, and the Hudson River. For about 3 1/2 hours.
Later that night as I was getting ready to go see The BIG Shoe in New Paltz, I noticed something. I was a little red. A little redder than I anticipated. I'm reminded of this movie scene. And I should've known better, but it always seems to happen once a year. The sun does not like me, and on Saturday it attacked me from both the sky and the surface of the river.
I think the lesson has been learned for 2011.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
"Endless Sky," Part Duex?
got an encouraging email yesterday.
As you may remember, last year I wrote, recorded, and submitted my song, "Endless Sky," for the 2010 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award. And ss you may remember, I did not win. I did, however, take the song and - with the help of friends around the country - created what I think is a powerful video highlighting areas of our nation that are suffering from severe economic hardship. You can view it here. (You can also receive the song as a free download when you sign my mailing list.)
So, I got an email yesterday from Peter Bliss, the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Peter was in charge of the songwriters workshop that I participated in last year, and it was through him that I learn of, and submitted to, the 2010 award. Well, he's now recommending that I re-submit my song to be considered for this year's award. I appreciate that he thinks my song is worth a second look, and nine months after we recorded it, I'm still very proud of the final product.
We shall see...
As you may remember, last year I wrote, recorded, and submitted my song, "Endless Sky," for the 2010 ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award. And ss you may remember, I did not win. I did, however, take the song and - with the help of friends around the country - created what I think is a powerful video highlighting areas of our nation that are suffering from severe economic hardship. You can view it here. (You can also receive the song as a free download when you sign my mailing list.)
So, I got an email yesterday from Peter Bliss, the professional activities coordinator for the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Peter was in charge of the songwriters workshop that I participated in last year, and it was through him that I learn of, and submitted to, the 2010 award. Well, he's now recommending that I re-submit my song to be considered for this year's award. I appreciate that he thinks my song is worth a second look, and nine months after we recorded it, I'm still very proud of the final product.
We shall see...
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Osama bin Laden & "The Big Lie"
I was at the studio on Sunday night with Seth and some friends hanging out when one of them got word on their phone that bin Laden was dead and the president was going to be making a statement. This was about 10:30PM, and we watched until about 1:30AM. I then came home and watched until after 3AM. And I spent the majority of Monday digging through news for all the information that I could get.
I posted on my Facebook, "Other than the feeling you get when you know that you will always remember where you were when something happened, I have no strong emotional response to this news. This, to me, was a terrible necessity, and I feel no great release, and no great catharsis." It's still true. Truthfully, I felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing the mass celebratory gatherings over a man's death, especially the fact that a great many of those celebrating at the White House were college students - most of whom were probably too young to comprehend what happened on 9/11.
I then was one of those people who posted the fake Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." (I even did a Google search before posting it, but I still got duped). But even thought it's fake, I'm glad that I re-posted it, because it's how I feel. I might feel differenltly if this were the end of a war, but it's not. Read Ezra Klein's explanation of bin Laden's end-goal, but then think about this: we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I have been told by a few people in the know that this is a "global" war. So, it won't end, and the country will continue to hemmorage money. Rough times still lay ahead.
Shifting gears just slightly, Daily Beast blogger Andrew Sullivan talks about "The Big Lie" that has accompanied the killing of Osama bin Laden - that torture worked and helped. Definitely worth a read.
Part 1
Part 2
The fact that the U.S. participated in sanctioned torturous actions is depicable and shameful, and it contributed to our weakend stance throughout the world during he last administration. Many Americans pride ourselves on the inherent goodness of our country - a goodness which is corrupted when we sink to the level of our enemies. America can only claim the high road when we actually take the high road, and this is also seen in how the body of Osama bin Laden was handled following the raid (i.e. the traditional burial). As put by a pundit whose name escapes me, it shows to the world that we are different than our enemies - we do not drag the bodies of our enemies through the streets; we do not cut off their heads to send a message or for entertainment. We are better than that.
Sunday's actions were terrible, sobering, unfortunate...and necessary. But the torturing of prisoners was not.
I posted on my Facebook, "Other than the feeling you get when you know that you will always remember where you were when something happened, I have no strong emotional response to this news. This, to me, was a terrible necessity, and I feel no great release, and no great catharsis." It's still true. Truthfully, I felt somewhat uncomfortable seeing the mass celebratory gatherings over a man's death, especially the fact that a great many of those celebrating at the White House were college students - most of whom were probably too young to comprehend what happened on 9/11.
I then was one of those people who posted the fake Martin Luther King, Jr. quote: "I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." (I even did a Google search before posting it, but I still got duped). But even thought it's fake, I'm glad that I re-posted it, because it's how I feel. I might feel differenltly if this were the end of a war, but it's not. Read Ezra Klein's explanation of bin Laden's end-goal, but then think about this: we're still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and I have been told by a few people in the know that this is a "global" war. So, it won't end, and the country will continue to hemmorage money. Rough times still lay ahead.
Shifting gears just slightly, Daily Beast blogger Andrew Sullivan talks about "The Big Lie" that has accompanied the killing of Osama bin Laden - that torture worked and helped. Definitely worth a read.
Part 1
Part 2
The fact that the U.S. participated in sanctioned torturous actions is depicable and shameful, and it contributed to our weakend stance throughout the world during he last administration. Many Americans pride ourselves on the inherent goodness of our country - a goodness which is corrupted when we sink to the level of our enemies. America can only claim the high road when we actually take the high road, and this is also seen in how the body of Osama bin Laden was handled following the raid (i.e. the traditional burial). As put by a pundit whose name escapes me, it shows to the world that we are different than our enemies - we do not drag the bodies of our enemies through the streets; we do not cut off their heads to send a message or for entertainment. We are better than that.
Sunday's actions were terrible, sobering, unfortunate...and necessary. But the torturing of prisoners was not.
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