In Madrid

I am in Madrid for another 15 hours or so. Do I want to return to the U.S.? Certainly. Do I want to go back to my working life in New York? Not really. Not at all. No. Would I want to go back if I had a different job and the apartment of my dreams? Maybe.

I had a great time Labor Day weekend. I got to see some friends from back home, had a picnic in Central Park, and played tourist on Monday. The weather was beautiful, the city wasn't as crowded, and the best part was that I didn't have to get up at the buttcrack of dawn to go to work on Monday. Yes, I've made peace with my job. But that doesn't mean that I won't breathe a sigh of relief when it's over. I really like New York now (as compared to a year ago), but only when I can play in it, and working full-time almost an hour from my apartment with a start time of 7:00 am doesn't give me a lot of time for playing in New York. Now that I like the city, I definitely feel as though I can leave.

Soooo, Madrid. I like it much better than when we came in 2006, and I think that's because it hasn't been warmer than 80 degrees the whole time, and mostly a whole lot cooler. I can actually look around because I'm not consumed with how hot I feel and when do we get to the next air conditioned building. Our friend's wedding (the reason we came in the first place) was beautiful and fun and really well done. We did some traveling, and got to see Toledo and Segovia, and I really liked Segovia. It's a town in the foothills of the mountains, and there's a palace there named Alcazar, after which one of the Disney theme park castles was modeled. It was a lovely town, muy tranquilo, very calm. And the aqueduct! The Roman aqueduct isn't intact in most places. This one is still standing, complete, and cars aren't allowed to drive under it to preserve the structure. It's a breath-taking sight, pulling up to the entrance to the old city and seeing this towering stone structure stretching as far as you can see, stone piled on stone without mortar, and the cobblestones and medieval houses behind it. Just lovely. I highly recommend that if one goes to Madrid, be sure to take the 30-minute train ride to Segovia. Just lovely.

We fly back to the States tomorrow, and I can't shake the feeling that I might be disappointed when I look at New York. It certainly won't look anything like Segovia. Oh well. Only a few more weeks and then I'm gone.

No good blog for Tuesday

Sorry.

I worked a full day at the temp job, then catered until 11:30 pm. I'm ragged. And I'm never cater waitering again on a work night. The small amount of money is not worth the pain of tomorrow's eight hours of Extreme Drowsiness.

Ow. Everything hurts.

Red and Blue

Red
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

The show has ended, and I'm back to being a 7-3:30 working stiff. And the funny thing is that I'm STILL TIRED. Why is it that I can't get myself to bed before 11:30pm? I know that I have to get up at 5:00 am, and yet I fritter away my sleeping time with...what? A whole lot of nothing that adds up to missed sleep and ridiculous amounts of caffeine consumed just to stay somewhat functional at work.

I'm a little blue now that the show is over. I'll feel it most this weekend when we're not doing the show. I expected to be full-on depressed for at least three days after the show ended, but I'm doing ok. I miss my peeps, but I'll see some of them this weekend, so I don't have long too wait before the reunion.

Speaking of this weekend, I'm catering for the first time since December. I accepted the job because, well, I spent a leeeetle too much money during the run of the show. I ate out a lot, went out a lot, and it turns out that I broke the bank a little. I can pay all my bills (Mom, Dad, Ishy-girl), I just can't eat out again for a while. So, catering again. It'll be a nice change from sitting at desk all day, and there are some fellow waiters I'd be happy to see again. Unfortunately, the gig is at Ellis Island, and that's almost never a pleasant time. There's a time crunch to get the guests fed and onto the last guest ferry, plus there's a time crunch at the top end when all the setting up has to be done in about an hour and a half after the museum closes and before guests arrive for the cocktail portion. It's stressful, but the best thing to do is keep your mouth shut and your hands folded until someone tells you to speak or do something. It's meditative, actually.

And for the fun surprise of the evening: going to see '33 Variations' tonight, starring Jane Fonda. A friend managed to score some last minute tickets, so off we go! And off I go. I must gussy up just a touch.

Toodles, kidlings.

Bye Bye Bed

Bye Bye Bed
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Leak Watch 2009 seems to be over. I still haven't taken down the plastic bag from the exhaust fan. Maybe when I move.

I bought another air mattress. I'm so excited to not have to wake every three hours to blow up the bed because I'm sleeping in a folding position and my butt is almost on the floor. If I've learned anything here, it's that you don't skimp on shoes or sleep. Buy the expensive, well-made shoes that fit well and support your foot. Buy the perfect mattress for you, because those 60-70 hour work weeks will catch up with you really fast if you're not sleeping well.

Speaking of 60 hour work weeks, rehearsal starts next week for The Less We Talk. I can't express how much fun this show is going to be to create. I can't wait to see what Alec has done with all the material we've generated. I can't wait to see my workshop peeps again and get to know some new ones. I can't wait to spend hours creating and letting the rest of the world go on without me.

"Do you talk, like, like nice, all the time?"

University College Dorm
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

My coworker asked me if I "talk nice all the time." I said, "What do you mean? Not 'black'?" He laughed a little, then said, "No, like, I mean, yeah, you talk nice here at work because you wanna be professional and stuff, but when you're with your friends, do you talk all hard and stuff, like 'Yeah...', you know?" I answered, "Yes, I 'talk nice' all the time. This is just the way I speak."

I'm proud of him for asking, because most (non-black) people (who haven't known me for a while) just think that question, and never ask. It's potentially embarrassing, because non-black people sometimes have a hard time acknowledging racial differences. But yes, I do "talk nice" all the time.

I don't code switch. I know what it is, but I don't do it. I suppose it's because I've never heard my parents speak anything but grammatically correct, clear English, and because I was raised in an environment that was 90% white. I'm also an avid reader, and always have been; I ended up a highly verbal person (much to the detriment of my grades in math after 6th grade). I'm proud of the way I speak, and I'm also a little snobbish about it.

It grates on my ears when I have to continually listen to bad grammar. (Maybe that's why my hair is 50% whiter than when I left: riding the subway can be a harrowing auditory experience.) These days, I have to listen to it all day, and I often bite back screams and nasty comments. Is it so difficult to properly conjugate "to be"? I am, she is, he is, you are, we are, they are. I was, she was, he was, you were, we were, they were. I know English is screwy, but these are very basic rules, and we hear them used correctly every day. So why doesn't it sink in for some people?

I know certain dialects are a source of pride for others, just as I take pride in the way I speak the English language. I'm not always right, especially when conversing with my friends, but in a business setting, please use standard English. Language evolved to help us understand one another better. If you're speaking a different language, I'm going to get frustrated because I can't understand you. If there is an agreed upon standard - and in this case, it's "business english" - then let's use it.

So, yeah. I do "talk nice all the time."

Some bubbly, perhaps?

Some bubbly, perhaps?
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

That glass of champagne is also being raised to my fellow "The Less We Talk" workshoppers. Thank you for an extremely fun and educational process. I wouldn't have learned as much if you all weren't as fearless and supportive as you were! See you soon!

***************

I was thinking about networking a few days ago. I'm looking for another job and I tell EVERYONE, knowing that I can get information and leads from friends and acquaintances. It doesn't matter whether or not they directly have something for me. They may know someone who knows someone who knows someone, and that's better than nothing.

I really appreciate that sense of sharing information and helping everyone at the same time: you have a job, I'm looking for one. If I fit, you fill your job, and you think highly of the friends that helped you find the right candidate. Win-win!

What I don't appreciate is when people are hesitant about sharing information with me because they don't think I can help them. I remember one instance, riding home from a dinner party organized by a Minnesota friend, two other attendees were exchanging business cards. I already had the business card of one of them, and I asked the other if I could have one as well. He hesitated, obviously reluctant to give me one. I almost wanted to say, "Wow. Were they expensive? You don't have to waste one on me if you don't want to," but I held my tongue and smiled.

I learned something in that moment. I learned that, personally, I'm happy to give people my contact information. I never know what projects you'll be up to in the future, and you never know what I'll be up to in the future. I may need your skill set exactly, and in five years time you may get a call out of the blue from me saying, "Hey, you're the only one I know who can do this. Can you?" Every interaction is a chance for both parties to advance, to live the principle of "win-win" rather than "win-lose."

So, "win-win," people! Help each other. It really doesn't cost you anything unless you let it.

Metro

Metro
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I have orange pulp between two of my molars. Ugh. Time for floss.

For not having done that particular monologue in months, my audition went well. I didn't walk out feeling like I "should have done X!" and the director said "That was very nice." I'll take it.

I tried something new in that audition. Normally, I only have about five seconds of silence before I start talking, if even that. But because of the work we've been doing in this workshop, I decided to "see and be seen" before I moved into the meat of the monologue. It's a clown term that basically means let the audience see you and you connect with them before you start doing anything. Obviously I don't want to make eye contact with the auditor (too confrontational), but I can enter the space that I've created, let him look at me and take me in, and then start the monologue. So there was a good 30 seconds of silence at the top of my audition piece. And it felt good. So using that again.

Coliseum in the Sun

Coliseum in the Sun
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Hey! I'm back.

Sorry. I've been sniffling, sneezing, moaning and moping about the house for the last few days; when I wasn't shooting a music video or workshopping or catering, that is.

SO. I watched the episode of Life On Mars for which I was an extra. I am there, I am visible. It was cool to know that thousands of people had watched that episode. Granted, no one was looking at me in the background, but it was still cool.

I have a confession to make, though. There was an additional scene that involved all the BLA members sans me. That was, um, hard to watch. It was cool to see all the people I'd hung out with for two days, but I couldn't help wondering I had done something wrong in that I wasn't invited back for another day of work. Had I not behaved myself? Did I totally suck? Was I pulling focus? What did I do?

And in the end, I'll never know. There's no reason for me to beat myself up over it. No actor mind taffy!

Speaking of acting, things may, um, be changing for me. I may or may not have a full-time job come, oh, tomorrow. Which means that acting would be relegated to evenings and weekends. That's how I started in Minnesota. Not a bad way to start over here. But, once again, nothing is set in stone. I'll keep ya posted.

UPDATE: Yeah, no full-time job. I had it, and then I let it go. I kind of convulse into a laughing fit whenever I think about it. Mostly because turning it down makes no sense. But then again, chasing a dream never makes sense looking forward. Looking backward, though:

As we look back and survey the terrain to determine where we've been and where we are in relationship to where we're going, we clearly see that we could not have gotten where we are without coming the way we came. There aren't any other roads; there aren't any shortcuts. There's no way to parachute into this terrain.

-The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Il Coliseo

Il Coliseo
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I liked visiting the Coliseum. I was in a bit of a funk when we got there (for whatever reason; something trivial, I'm sure), but it was awesome to tromp around in there walking in the footsteps of ancient people. Always supa cool.

I woke up with a sore throat this morning. It was with me yesterday, but I thought it was because I hadn't had enough water. Nope. It's the scratchy kind that announces that unwelcome visitor: the virus. So I stayed in bed as long as I could. (I got released from the catering gig last night at 12:30 am, didn't get home until 2:15 am due to track work and wonky trains and waiting waiting waiting.)

I fear that my novel may suffer if I start suffering from a cold, so I will employ a strategy that seems to work well: sleep as much as possible right away to keep the ick from dragging out for days.

News flash: W00t! I just scheduled an audition for next week for a company I auditioned for in the spring. Yay! I love when that happens.

Still No Internet

Oh, kidlings. I fear that my "free" internet is gone! I hope that this glitch is temporary, but downtime has never lasted two days before. It's usually just a few hours, and then everything is back to normal. Having to wait until I get to the yoga studio or typing on my phone is terribly inconvenient, and I can't post photos. Boooooooo. This stinks.

*********

Currently reading a book called There's No Place Like Here. It's the author's fifth novel. Another of her novels, P.S., I Love You, was made into a feature film. She's the co-creator of "Samantha Who" on ABC. She's 27. *sigh* Happy for her, but *sigh*.

*********

Today I'll be photographed for The (Red) Campaign. I feel honored to be a part of such a great concept. It's a win-win idea, and according to The 7 Habits..., win-win is the way to live. Hopefully I'll be able to get a copy so you all can see!

I Know You're Totally Jealous

I Know You're Totally Jealous
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Wow. Teenage girls love them some Jonas Brothers.

Worked a private concert yesterday for the clients of Netjet and MarquisJet. Hundreds of screaming little girls in attendance.

There was a projection screen above the stage that said, "Text the Jonas Brothers at 612-***-****!" (612?) The sent messages would then scroll at the bottom of the screen. One message said, "I'm saving myself for you! Meet me backstage!" Whoa.

Step Pyramid at Sakkara (Saqqara)

Step Pyramid at Sakkara (Saqqara)
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Sakkara.

I'm all a-twitter. Bonnie Gillespie commented on my blog. I feel like I've been visited by Yoda. Not meaning that she's green and tiny and talks backwards, but that I'm the padawan and she's the Jedi Master.

Catered at Ellis Island last night. Hoo boy. Not fun. Not fun at all. I think the people who've worked that location before have had unpleasant experiences, and they bring those memories with them, and so everyone's expecting a bad night and that's what they get. Not to mention that some personalities (not naming names to protect myself) are high-stress anyway, and they set everyone off on the wrong foot, i.e. the cranky, yelling foot; even people who I've never seen yell. It was the most unpleasant job I've worked thus far.

Not to end on that note, here's my Cub commercial, up on the interwebs!

Mykonos

Mykonos
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Goodness. What a weekend.

So, to recap:

- 12-hour catering shift in Westchester, broken down bus, home at 4:30am
- keys lost, locked out until Monday afternoon, wandered around Manhattan from 4:30 until 9:00 am on Sunday, called a locksmith, couldn't cough up $240, checked into a hotel
- 5 am call for catering on Monday morning
- interview this morning with a really great company, torn about what to do next if offered the job

Catering again tonight. Fortunately for me, it's in Brooklyn, about three stops away on the subway.

I have some decisions to make, and many tasks to do, but all I want to do is sleep. The chaos of the weekend really messed up my routine, and I feel like I need a day to get back on track. I'm not going to get one, though.

When shooting exteriors until 4:00 in the morning in the fall...

...wear layers.

Oh, kidlings, I was so cold on Thursday night/Friday morning. I wanted to cut open one of my fellow extra's bellies and crawl inside for warmth. (**Wow. Reading this for editing, this is a little brutal. Heh. Seriously, though! It was cold.**) I wanted to bum rush the stars and steal their parkas. I wanted lava to spew out of the East River and blanket the Long Island coast. So, so cold.

So, yeah, we shot until 4:00 am. I got home at 5:30. Went to sleep at 6. Woke up at 9 to wait for the maintenance man that never came. Called and rescheduled my 3:00 interview because I knew I would be half-dead, and didn't want to give the impression that I was always half dead. Went back to sleep.

I don't think they're going to need us next week. I thought there were interior shots, but I don't think so. I think the 8th and 9th were on hold in case the weather was inclement. So, oh well. But two long days is still great, money-wise. I'll be able to pay my rent!

It was a good day, though. Tempers got short, people yelled, but I still would rather be there, on set, than anywhere else. I met a bunch of cool, professional actors, made some money, and got my foot in the door in the on camera world in New York. I have momentum. So, even when it's bad, it's good.

Moar, plz. Kthnxbai.

Whew

So, I got released at 9 pm. Not as much overtime as I'd hoped, but still an 11 and a half hour day. Not bad.

A few semi-famous folks on set, and a few famous ones.

The semi-famous:

Gretchen Mol



Michael Imperioli



Jason O'Mara, the lead (had *no* idea he was Irish)



The famous:

Harvey Keitel



There were some other people, but I didn't recognize them or know their names, so I can't look them up. And I am tired. I want to sleep. So good night.

More live-blogging on Thursday!

"Stand over there and look scared."

"Stand over there and look scared."
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Last night.

- catering gig: Clinton's Global Initiative

- sighted: Big Willy himself. Came through the hallway where the caterers were working, took a minute to come say 'hi' and shake the hands of some of the staff. Skinnier than I remember him.

- sighted: Rev. Jesse Jackson. Rolled up to the bar as I was clearing glassware and plates. More handsome in person than on tv.

- not sighted: Mohammed Ali and Madeleine Albright. Might have seen Albright. Wouldn't recognize her if I did.

- spilled: two glasses of red wine. One glass landed on the floor, spraying glass shards and wine all over some woman, who proceeded to give me death glares. Other one didn't break, but sent red wine down my side. Thank goodness for black clothing.

- strained: every muscle in my lower back. Look, folks. If you're at a catered affair, and there's someone moving through a very crowded room with a tray full of heavy items who says, "Excuse me," please move, and not just half an inch away. It's heavy, and her back is probably burning and unless you want the whole tray on your foot, MOVE. (And if it does fall, don't look at her like she's a clumsy oaf. Have you been carrying a heavy tray back and forth for two hours?)

- consumed: cold leftovers at the end of a very long night.

Consensus: some catering gigs are easy, others make you want to drop your tray full of red wine glasses on some haughty chick and walk away forever.

Stolen

Stolen
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

They're never giving these puppies back.

Waiting for the building maintenance man to come so that he can light the oven's pilot light. It's been out for a few months, and I didn't think anything of it. My father took a different tack. He mentioned the "constant trickle of gas" and "places blowing up", and that got me moving. These are things I knew, but didn't think too deeply about until I realized that I'll soon be closing my windows. A + B = C. So I talked to the management office yesterday. Hopefully this dude actually comes. They don't have the best record when it comes to that stuff.

Audition this evening for a one-act. It'd be nice to get it. I'm not being facetious to hide my excitement or anything. It takes a lot of energy to exist here, and it takes a lot of energy to get excited about things, especially things that 90% of the time do not go the way you'd like them to go, so I'm choosing my battles. It'd be nice, but I'm not counting on anything.

I stumbled on The Simple Woman's blog and magazine and I think I'm in love. Despite my dry humor, I'm a romantic. A cynical romantic, if you will, if I may. I used my fountain pen and leather journal to complete a "Daybook" entry, and I could feel all the churny bits inside settling into a nice, lazy pattern of movement. I smiled and danced to my iTunes playlist. I used my fountain pen for the first time in months! When I leave this city, I'm finding myself a farmhouse.

Biceps are sore from catering last night. The event was at one of the catering co's exclusive spots: Jazz at Lincoln Center. Sanit, the area where we drop dirty things, was on the 6th floor. The place where the people got rid of their dirty things was on the 5th floor. We aren't allowed to use the elevators. Stairs ahoy! My butt hurts.

"That's the end?" - Janet Jackson

"That's the end?" - Janet Jackson
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

HAIR has been extended until September 7th! W00t! I'm going to try the line again on Tuesday morning. :D

In other news, my daily photos are going to go on hiatus for a while. The first reason for that is that I leave in a week for a three-week vacation and I'm not bringing my computer. The second reason is that I'm in need of new inspiration, and the objects are, more often than not, leaving me cold these days. I'm too self-conscious to do a daily self portrait, so I'm hoping other inspiration will strike.

And now, I must go to Borders. And then to work. Five more days. FIVE! MORE! DAYS!

Scuffed

Scuffed
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I feel like a big coward today. I feel like a big coward because I get freaked out when I try to polish my resume, or when I flip through an LSAT book, or when I think about the impending mountain of rejections, or worse, no response at all.

Reading an older post from PilgrimGirl's blog, I felt humbled that I balk at what are simple tasks compared to what she's gone (and going) through. I'm ashamed of my fear.

But I still don't make any moves. It's easier, simpler, less taxing, to sit still.

Believe me: I wish I didn't think this way. I wish I didn't agonize over every little detail and feeling and impulse. I wish I was content to wake up, go to my 9 to 5 job, come home, watch tv or read, go to bed, and do the same thing over again the next day, and the next, and the next. But this feeling that I need more than that has been going on long enough that I know it's not just something I can "get over" and "get a real job." You can chalk it up to being immature, spoiled, self-centered, or selfish, but I know those explanations don't apply here. I'm driven by the impulse to create. I am, dare I proclaim it, an artist.

Artists are branded with a lot of stereoptypes in this country. Artists are "weird, lazy, flaky people who just don't want to do an honest day's work." Artists are "immature, impotent, homos." Artists are "crazy and broke." Artists are "just avoiding the realities of life." Maybe there have been artists who fall into those categories because, in one way or another, they've been told that being an artist isn't acceptable.

Our loved ones might not say it out loud, but if someone pursuing an artistic life, one that wasn't completely financially stable, decided to go get an MBA, you can bet that their loved ones would breathe a sigh of relief. The motivation for the relief is concern for the artist's well-being, but the message still comes through: art is not a "real job."

There's no reason why an artist can't have a full-time job. A lot of artists do. A full-time job can keep one sane. But they're still an artist who happens to have a full-time job. They're chasing that something, or, rather, letting creativity flow through them. They have somewhere to turn to let it out. They're not toiling in a day job that has become their life, sticking a cap on their creative well. The job is a means to an end.

Bringing it back around to me, I understand that full-time can balance with creativity. I just can't seem to shake the fear that when I interview for these day jobs they'll see right through me. They'll see that I'm not willing to give them all of me, or even the illusion of all of me. Companies seem to be a little insulted when they sense that you're not their priority, no matter how low-level the job.

So I guess what I'm saying is, "I'm awesome. Hire me and I'll be great, as long as you don't expect more of me than the body who occupies space in your office building between the hours of 9 to 5. So gimme a job."

(Yes, I'm being silly. Somewhat.)

(I blabbed a lot today.)

Morla!

Morla!
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Dude. That movie traumatized me. I loved it.

I should be enjoying the morning outside, where it's gorgeous and sunny. The sky is full of white, puffy, marshmallow clouds. There's an occasional breeze strong enough to lift your skirt and the humidity is low. It's a perfect day for cloud-gazing on a rock in Central Park.

But I'm not outside. I'm inside, and in a few minutes I will go take a shower because, in an hour, I need to leave for work. Where I'll sit in a basement for the next five hours, drinking coffee to stay awake, freezing and going a little crazy from the florescent lights. Eight more days. Eight more days. Eight more days.

Mutant Eyebrow Hair

Mutant Eyebrow Hair
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

Sorry about the lack of blog and photo yesterday. I had to get up early for a pointless conference call at work. It was pointless because the procedure discussed will not take place until after I leave. Gotta love it!

Yesterday morning was beautiful, though, and I was glad to be up and about in it. The air was dry, really dry, for the first time since May. It was dry enough that my skin started to itch when I got out of the shower. I thought, "Why am I itchy? Oh yeah! This is what low humidity feels like! I need lotion!" I briefly considered moving to the desert so that I could experience that sensation on a regular basis.

Today is still cool, dry, and brilliantly sunny. August, you amaze me!

No photo today

Yesterday's post was deleted due to whining.  Whining: mine.  And sometimes, I get tired of the whining, so I just delete.  Delete, delete, delete.

I write three stream-of-consciousness pages every morning.  I try to write three stream-of-consciousness pages every morning.  Some morning I fail because I don't wake up early enough and I have to be somewhere.  But most days I write them.  The intent of these pages is not to share them.  They are for the artist and the artist alone.  However, I will share that for the last, oh, two months, I've probably mentioned my need for a job change almost every day.  Ms. Julia Cameron says that anything you find yourself consistently griping about in your pages means it's time to change whatever that thing is.  And she's right.

So yesterday, I turned in my notice at my part-time job.  I didn't want to talk about it before I actually did it.  Now that I've done it, I can.  I enjoyed working there, for the most part, but I've come to realize that I need full-time employment.  I can tolerate most non-career related positions if my financial needs are being met.  They weren't at this job.  That's the long and short of it.  New York is expensive, and I have bills to pay.

I've also realized in the last few weeks that I am highly employable, and not just at McDonald's.  So, full-time job, here I come!

Every Morning

Every Morning
Originally uploaded by AdiaMichelle

I'm a coffee addict. Admitted, confessed, totally come clean. I LOVE to drink coffee. I love the smell, the heat, and the action of it. I suppose it's the same for cigarette addicts: the chemicals are only a small part of the experience of smoking a cigarette. The rest of the activity is just as addictive.

I have a day off today. That means I run around doing all the things I don't do when I have to work later. For instance, today I'll be attending a workshop for actors looking for side work. Maybe they'll give me some ideas.

I also have to attend a diversity training class at my part-time job. *gag* I know it's important, but corporate diversity training classes tend to be...lame. (See: "Diversity Day" episode of The Office.) I believe this one is simply a matter of compliance with federal blah dee blahs. We sign in, watch a video, and leave. "Hooray. I am now extremely knowledgeable about workplace diversity and will never offend anyone ever again. This 30-minute video has given me the tools I need to succeed in my diversification endeavors." 

Went to a free concert in Central Park yesterday. It was good to get out of the house, even if it drizzled on us most of the time. I'm just glad we didn't get the brunt of the storm, because there sure were some yellows and reds on the radar passing just south of the city. We simply enjoyed the benefits: an afternoon high of 77 degrees. Haven't experienced that since June, or maybe even May. And it seems to be lingering today. Rockin.