July 11th 2014: Day 1… I can’t change, even if I wanted too. She keeps me warm, She keeps me Warm. I love Macklemore, back when I used to drink I used to call girls up twisted and sing this line down the phone to them. I just love the general sentiment to it. If she keeps you warm, then what is the problem with loving her, no matter what the sexual orientation, skin colour, religious preference etc. In other words, I went to Macklemore and it was Ace. My cousin text me the previous day when I was travelling from Tipperary to Galway to see my little brother in Spanish College, and asked me would I like a ticket to the concert. Ammm…do nuns get hot and bothered when the priest takes off his white collar thing…Yes I would!
We were standing about four rows from the front of the stage. TPJ should have been there but my brother needed him in Galway so he decided to stay there instead where he was needed most. It was a seriously cool concert to be at and one I wasn’t expecting to go to. He is now one of Ireland’s favourite performers, not usurping Garth Brooks or U2 just yet but he is definitely getting there. His costume changes included matador, dirty wife beater tramp and Irish soccer player. We were bouncing with the crowd and I even met a lovely married woman who had no problem grinding up against me until we couldn’t bounce anymore. It was just a lovely day and I’m very thankful to Ray and Lisa for the ticket…and obviously the poor girl who couldn’t make it in the end. Ray dropped me to the airport at 1am and I made a very comfy chair bed which proved to be my best sleep in days. Tried to charge my phones but no luck.
Woke up at 6am for the flight at 8.55am. Checked in my mah-husive bag full of books and kitchen sinks and Zippy, my beautiful new Gibson Guitar. They wouldn’t let me bring her on the plane but promised to treat her with the respect she deserves. Women’s Rights for All Guitars of All Nations…power to the Guitars!!! Briefly chatted up two Irish teachers. They were babes but none of us were in the mood for foreplay because it was too early so we just chatted, standard-ly realised that one of them was previously taught by my aunty in Seskin (that stuff happens all the time in Ireland) and went on our way. Frisked, Beaten and talked dirty to and then sent on our way to our next our next molestation site in the airport, we finally got through security at about 8am. Took a photo with some flags and read some of John Hayes’s autobiography…they were literally the most exciting things that happened. Oh and I charged my phone.
Airports are boring when you aren’t suspicious looking! On the plane, went to America, buff said about that. You know what a plane is so it doesn’t need an elaborate tale. Took some photos though, nice blue sky. I love the contrast between the blues of the sea into the sky with the horizon splitting heaven and earth.
Very picturesque indeed. got off the train, went into the city and met a lovely Turkish guy who wants TPJ to come to Istanbul and South turkey in 2015. Might take him up on the one. He was a really nice internet programmer, visiting his missus in New York. He also had some sick equipment which he displayed openly. I gave him a feel of Zippy but he played percussion so didn’t know what to do with the strings. We parted on 42nd street and I walked to 19 W 37th street from the stop. Called into the Standard obviously for a chat (I love it there) and departed again for New York Conservatory of Dramatic Arts (my home for the next five weeks). When I arrived I looked at my address again. It had somehow changed to 37 W 19th Street…Shit! Taxxxxxxiiii!
Arrived at NYCDA and immediately met one of the coolest cats I had had the pleasure of meeting in LA last summer. Jarayne the legend – I think that’s his full name. We greeted each other like brothers and headed up to the second floor. Claire Yale showed me around and I left happy about leaving my bags down, and with the direct intention of getting lost for a few hours in this beautifully Big Appley city. I walked around, sat in Madison Park for a while where I got a lovely compliment on my newly styled hair ‘Hey man, great hair…the back looks so animalistic. I mean a lot of people have the front Mohawk but the back is unique…like a badger or something!’ Ammm…thank you???…I think.
Walked to the Churchill Bar, had a lemonade, posted some photos on Instagram which I can now upload easily here edited nicely and went back to collect my bags from 19th street. sweet Jesus they were heavier than I remembered. I had to go to Park and 29th to meet a dear friend who was putting me up for the night so I clawed my way to her hotel and arrived sweaty and breathless. Sanam Skelly and I attended Trinity College Dublin together in 2005/06 and we have remained as close as ever. She still gives out to me for not calling her on my 4 hour lay over in NYC last year so I made it my business to contact her ASAP this time. She showed me upstairs to the rooftop pool which was beautiful. Gansevoort Hotel is really beautiful and I got to chill with some of the owners family randomly while I was waiting. They were more than friendly and warm and offered me as much cranberry juice as I wanted. It was also so nice to dip my trodden-on feet into the pool.
At 8pm myself and Sanam departed the hotel and made a beeline across the Brooklyn Bridge in a $25 dollar taxi. We ate at a beautiful Italian restaurant called Frankies who did the most delicious Pannamere Lamb for me a Fussilini pasta with Sausage for herself and some delivious Lemonade. We even indulged in a solitary glass of chilled white wine which I thought was from Ghana but actually was called something like Lubgana.
It was a really nice day and I’m glad I am documenting it for memory sake because I will undoubted forget most of the little details. I hit the couch and hit it hard at 3am Irish time, 10pm US. what a fun first day. Excited about tomorrow. I love being excited for tomorrow. Makes me know I am on a good path in life when one is looking forward to the future. Too Philosophical? I don’t care, I love thinking about that stuff…makes me live in the present. Haha. Looking forward to getting the Tiger here so I can write for him. I’m not the best at writing as Brian. Hope y’all are well wherever in the world you may be. Have a good day…wait scratch that…Gave a day that you can write about. Fuckin go out there and smash it. Brian xxx
Tiger Paws Junior 
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