The view from the bathroom of my new freelance gig in DUMBO, which (aside from the view, kinda) reminds me of a bathroom in South Korea. Go figure.

DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, and it’s one of the more unique neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Old warehouses converted into office spaces, art galleries, and expensive apartments; all accompanied by the intermittent roar of a subway train rolling over the bridge. Lots of art being made there, which makes it a more interesting place to work than midtown Manhattan, and it’s only a fifteen minute subway ride from my apartment, which makes me wish I could work there all the time. Or maybe it’s because the bathrooms remind me of South Korea.

An editor friend of mine rents an office there with a few other people, and when I asked him if it was expensive he said “uh… Kinda.”

I apparently remind people of (the musician) Andrew Bird. My cousin Sarah has been telling me this for several years, but over the past six months two close friends have sent me spontaneous text messages telling me the same.

Apparently it’s not so much that Andrew Bird and I look strikingly similar, it’s apparently the combination of our unusually similar appearances and our unusually similar mannerisms.

Somewhat coincidentally, Franny won tickets to see Andrew Bird at the Beacon this past Friday, and she took lucky me as her plus-one.

One of the first concerts I recall going to in NYC was to see Andrew Bird and Keren Ann at the Bowery in 2005. Andrew Bird played first, and I went up to him at the bar after his set and had him sign a CD: my pal << one f

Both times I’ve seen Andrew Bird have been great, but for different reasons –– the first show I had no idea what to expect and ended up being profoundly surprised, this last show I knew what to expect but still ended up being profoundly surprised (albeit somewhat less profoundly than the first time).

At the last show I was also trying to determine if he reminded me of myself, and I concluded (in part due to Franny’s assessment) that I guess he does remind me a little of myself, although it’s hard for me to say because I can’t see me from the outside. Lord knows I’ve tried.

This might be my new favorite song by him:

..if only because it contains my new favorite lyric:

“There will be snacks.”

There will not be any photos.

“We think constant connection will make us feel less lonely. The opposite is true. If we are unable to be alone, we are far more likely to be lonely. If we don’t teach our children to be alone, they will know only how to be lonely.”

The Flight From Conversation (NY Times)