Time to Tango!

I was better in time (see previous post) to go to my tango bootcamp, where I had the first 3 hours of 6 in total to learn how to dance tango.

It is a lot of fun!!!


www.newyorktangoclub.com

Protesting for TV!

I had an early call to play a protestor in a scene in the upcoming TV drama "Kings" (premieres in March). All the extras went out into the freezing cold to film a scen where we shouted at the King not to give away our land.

Appropriately enough, it was behind the Museum of the American Indian, whose land was given away by he King of England, essentially, when the Pilgrims came over.

I was one of the protestors holding a sign that saud "Peace at What Price?" And I think my blood pressure dropped while I was standing there, because I started to pass out and had to be sent home. (I am OK now.)

See how passionate I am about my fake protests?

Subwayland!

Every now and then, I read a really great book centerd on NYC. With the exception of Sophie Kinsella's "Shopaholic Takes Manhattan", it is NEVER chick lit.

I read "Subwayland" by Randy Kennedy, who wrote a series of essays on NYC's extensive subway system and the many people who ride it and work for it.

His interviewees include conductors, kiosk workers, commuters, a student doing a thesis on the subway (literally), performers, people who sleep on it whether or not they are homeless, and even a couple who met on the subway and took their photo at the station where they met after their wedding ceremony, complete in bridal regalia.

I even found out the name and history of a magician I saw down there in September 2006 (see "El magico -- Dios mio!" Sept 8, 2006). Turns out he is the only subway magician, and he goes by the name of Olmedini -- a combination of his name Olmes and an homage to the magician Houdini. He hails from Ecuador.

Barack Hussein Obama -- 44th president!

Today, at 12 noon EST, Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in as the 44th US president!

Oh My! Doo-wop

I was on the 6 train headed uptoen around 5:30p when I saw the a capella doo-wop group who always travels this way. (See "Don't Need No Baggage" 7/2/2004).

They sang their own version of the "Doo Run Run":

"Knew what he was doing when he caught my eye!
The doo-run-run-run, the doo-run-run!

In the White House, oh my! a black guy!
The doo-run-run-run, the doo-run-run!"

Everyone laughed. As the group says when they finish a song, "Smile! It won't mess up your hair!"