It’s a long weekend here in America, thanks to Thanksgiving — but as I don’t have any friends or family to spend it with, I’m just lounging around, sunbathing, reading some Philip K. Dick, tidying the house, that kind of stuff. In earnest, I’m a bit bored, and a bit lonely too. I wouldn’t say that things haven’t gone to plan, but… well, it turns out that I’m not very good at making friends. Or, well, at least when those people are my age. Younger or older still seems to be no problem at all — but my age… I can only assume that I need more practice.
Anyway, despite all that stuff about being bored and lonely, I’ve done a lot in the last month — and next week I’m doing a four-day road trip of Upstate New York! To Lake Placid… and beyond! It’s staying resolutely warm here on the coast — it was t-shirt weather today — but hopefully there’ll be some snow, ice, and clouds up there.
Last week I went to see the Garden State Philharmonic perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 1. It was surprisingly good. I sat next to two college freshwomen who had been forced to attend, for some music appreciation class they were taking (damn liberal arts students, huh!) I told them enough about the symphony that they no doubt got full marks for their essays. I hoped to be invited back to some crazy, teenage sorority party, but alas… no dice.
I talked to the conductor afterwards and geeked out — he’s a huge Mahler fan as well (this was his first Mahler symphony, so it was a big deal for him).
The week before that I headed down to Washington DC, to pick up a girl, and then head down into Virginia via the Shenandoah National Park. It really was beautiful up there. We had a ball. Then, as we crossed Virginia to the Chesapeake Bay, things went south (well, geographically east, but south in a metaphorical sense — and not in the good, euphemistic sense). I’m still not entirely sure what happened. It was a cold and chilly drive back to DC, anyhoo.
The week before that… hmm… I’m not sure. That might’ve been Halloween weekend? In which case, it was fairly crazy, and a reminder of what university life was like. If you follow me on Flickr, you probably saw a few photos from one of the parties I was at. Oh! I just remembered — I saw Sweeney Todd at the Paramount Theatre! It was put on by the Premier Theatre Company, which is semi-amateur, semi-pro. Sweeney himself was fantastic. Everyone else was pretty good. Not While I’m Around and Pretty Women (hot gay guy alert) get me every damn time.
Except some drunken nights of debauchery, talking to my cadre of Old Wise Men on the Wisdom Bench, eating lots of cake, and discussing LSD trips with the ex-Special Forces, Vietnam veteran downstairs… I think that’s about it for the last few weeks. I’ve been working hard. Made a few nice meals. Enjoying living on my own, but it ain’t easy, that’s for sure.
Damn, I just realized that I actually started this blog post to tell you about my Thanksgiving adventure — and I’ve written nothing about it… and I need to go to bed. I will tell you all about Thanksgiving tomorrow. Unless I magically develop a social life, in which case it might have to wait a few more days. Oh, I was at Occupy Wall Street, too! Damn, I have lots more stories to tell.
Alison
Nov 27, 2011
Which PK DIck are you reading?
Mahler rocks. They really should have invited you out for drinks or something after that, and I’m surprised the accent wasn’t a clincher for the deal either.
Al.
Candace
Nov 27, 2011
I agree with Alison. How is it that the accent didn’t help you? British accents get me everytime!
sebastian
Nov 27, 2011
I’m reading his collected short stories, Alison — almost finished the second volume. Gonna start one of his novels next — any suggestion as to which?
I think they didn’t invite me out because I intimidated them a bit. They were obviously into me — because of the accent, and because of my awesome knowledge of Mahler — but… I’m 6’5, 27… they were tiny, and 18, and not the stereotypical, headstrong SoCal type.
Also, I think the legal drinking age is 21 in New Jersey
Alison
Dec 4, 2011
Hmm, Dick. It’s hard to go wrong, but I’ll give it a little bit of a stab in the dark as I can’t say I’m intimately familiar with your tastes. Assuming you have already read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, then I would recommend, The Man in the High Castle, The Clans of the Alphane Moon, The Three Stigmata of Palmer Aldritch or The Man Whose Teeth Were All Exactly Alike. One of his lesser novels (IMHO) is Counter-Clock World (not even Dick was brilliant all the time) so feel free to skip that one.
I’ve just finished reading Pierre Boulle’s “Monkey Planet”, heh, good for a laugh, and you’ve inspired me to raid my shelves for any Dick I haven’t read yet, so I’ll be diving into The World Jones Made next.
Gosh, my 18th year is so long ago, but I don’t think I was the shy retiring type, even back then. I was already in 2nd year uni by then, and thus had been a regular down the pub for a while. I don’t think they worry so much about age here (at least at the uni pubs that is) as long as you look old enough and aren’t causing any trouble. It was also back in them days that I had the pleasure of performing Mahler’s 3rd with the Sydney Symphony (I was one of the angelic voices). Sigh, a lifetime ago!
Cheers
Alison.
sebastian
Dec 11, 2011
Alison! Slow reply, I know. Anyway, when you wrote your message, I hadn’t started Electric Sheep — but now I’ve finished it! (Mostly thanks to a trans-Atlantic flight…)
Pretty cool. Wasn’t as mind-blowing as I’d hoped. But definitely a fun story. PKD seems to have an infatuation with cute, lithe, young girls with ‘small, sharp teeth’ (not that I’m complaining).
I have a cousin who does a lot of choir stuff. She’s in the choir that Doctor Who uses, even (we have two family connections to the show!)
I’ll check out some of your PKD recommendations — thanks
Alison
Dec 11, 2011
“PKD seems to have an infatuation with cute, lithe, young girls with ‘small, sharp teeth’ ”
When you start to learn a little bit more about his life, his depictions of female characters, and his obsession with mind-altering or reality questions make more sense for sure. Which reminds me, I forgot to mention A Scanner Darkly, which is in bits, semi-autobiographical, and another very good book.
Enjoy!
Cheers
Al.
a!k0
Jan 1, 2012
Mr seb!! Where are you?? Happy new year!! I didn’t know you moved to the states??!
oh and 6’5″ -wow!! Tall! 
we are the same age! Can’t believe it!!! Sorry I’ve been away too long 
hope you had a great new year!
xoxo
sebastian
Jan 2, 2012
I’m here! Just… busy
I’m going to try and finish the blog post now (I started writing it three weeks ago, before I left the US…)
Happy New Year! And welcome back to the blog