I left my cassette tape recorder at Sidewalk Cafe last night. Around 2 am I called to ask if they had found it. The manager said "hold on."

Then Hannah picked up, "Is this Bernard?"

Epilogue:

They didn't have it, I'll call tomorrow to see if it's in the soundbooth or something.

I gave blood a little bit ago. I've been getting telephone calls for two years from the New York Blood Center asking me to donate. (My last donation was two years ago, when they set up shop in the building I lived in)

Giving blood is pretty interesting. The way you can feel your life being pulled out of you. I find some pains exhilirating. This feels more like dying though. Sinking.

It kind of puzzles me why one would want to give blood. Clearly to do something good. Or to stop getting phone calls.

Or some other stranger reason. Because before being stuck, you have to fill out a questionnaire, and once that's done you are told to put a barcode on the form. There are two to chose from: one if you lied, labeled "DO NOT TRANSFUSE" and one for those who told the truth, or are lying even more labeled "TRANSFUSE MY BLOOD". The barcode prevents the people handling the form from knowing your choice (you put the barcode on, but not the text).

I find it funny that there is even an option, because if you choose "DO NOT TRANSFUSE" it means that you are telling them not to user your blood, but you are going to give it to them anyway.

I like walking in midtown Manhattan when it's dark outside. Two summer's ago I would walk from Sidewalk Cafe to Penn Station every Monday night/Tuesday morning around 4am. It was always very calm, and it reminded me of scenes from movies about a rundown New York City. Dark, dirty, and generally unpleasant.

But the walk was always a good way to finish out a long day. Two nights ago I walked to Union Square from the Penn Station area, around 10:30pm. The only real difference at this time is that there are more people out. I saw a homeless man sitting on the street, and he asked for change. When I told him "sorry, not tonight" I looked him in the eyes, which was out of the ordinary for me, and smiling he said "that's alright, god bless you."

Walking! What a pleasant activity.