Scary Elevator Incident and Billi Pod’s Upcoming Doubleheader.

Good morning all of my loyal and faithful readers.

It is majorly nasty weather in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The Word, this morning==>32º @ 8:00am, rain and light snow.

It is now 10:00am as I am writing this posting and it is snowing much heavier. No doubt about it ... it is gonna be a slushy day/night, which ain’t good because both of my entertainment events are kinda far away from mass transportation. Plus ... there are massive service schedules this weekend on several of the subway lines. Oh well ... ain’t nothing Billi Pod can do about it ... so ... let’s move on to ...

Yesterday evening I had one of those OMG!! WTF!! scary moments you dream about (or have nightmares about) if you live in a high-rise apartment building like 420 W. 42nd Street. What am I talking about you are no doubt breathlessly asking?

Well ... it goes like this ... I was heading out to my Carnegie Hall concert, which had a 8:00pm starting time. I was leaving a bit early because I wanted to pick up my ticket before the Carnegie Hall lobby area got too crowded and then have time for coffee at a local cafe.

Got on the elevator. It stopped at the 30th floor and a guy about my age got on. He had one of those yappy small dogs on a leash. Down we went.

We stopped at the 24th floor ... but ... the door didn’t open. Hummmmmm ... that’s kinda strange, thought I. I waited a minute and then pushed the lobby button ... and ... nothing happened. WTF!! I then pushed the button to open the door ... and ... nothing happened. WTF!! We weren't moving!

The other guy said (and I am not making this up) ... “Oh my God, I had a nightmare about this last night.” I have to admit that my heart began to pound. Small dog started to yap, of course. The guy already had a panicked look on his face

We pushed the door button ... the up button ... the down button ... and ... nothing happened. OMG!! WTF!!

We hadn’t pushed the alarm button because we weren’t certain if that would totally shut down the system ... but it was time to do something ... so I called the lobby desk on my cellphone ... and the call didn’t go through ... OMG!! WTF!!

OK ... now it was time to hit the alarm button ... my heart was really pounding ... no joke ... pounding ... OMG!! WTF!! ... then ...

On its own the door opened and we both literally jumped out. Whew!! The door closed but the car remained on the 24th floor.

I pushed the down button, not sure if another car would come to the floor since one was already here. Luckily, one did arrive and we hopped on it. Little dog was still yapping.

When we got to the lobby I reported the situation to the doormen on duty and they got this startled look on their faces and said they would immediately address the issue.

Whew ... it was scary but Billi Pod survived, so he headed out to Carnegie Hall, where he picked up his ticket and had time for a leisurely cup of coffee ... but ... honestly ... the elevator issue was still whirling in his head.

Billi Pod totally enjoyed the AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA concert @ Carnegie Hall. His comp. seat was in the rear orchestra section. Nice!

Major quibble==>the second hour was an operatic work by Bizet called Djamileh, an hour in length. Of course it was in a foreign language. Carnegie Hall doesn't have the projected subtitles like most other classical venues ... instead ... the libretto is provided as an addition to the PlayBill program.

The problem was ... the lighting in the Hall during the performance was so dim you couldn’t read the libretto. Now this wouldn’t have been a huge distraction for a shorter work ... but for a full hour it was a major problem for a lot of people. In fact ... after about 30 minutes into the piece people began to get up and leave, something you very rarely ever see at Carnegie Hall.

Billi Pod stayed until the end because the music was beautiful and that is what he focused on.

When I got back to PHC the questionable elevator was back in service (the building has three) but I opted not to use it.

Today is yet another entertainment doubleheader for Billi Pod ...

2:00==>LOOK BACK IN ANGER - “A shocking and vibrant drama about four people struggling to live together and love each other in 1950s England.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show has gotten very mixed reviews from the critics and from my theater-buddies. I had put off seeing it but when it showed up on one of my services I decided to give it a try. As I mentioned above ... the nasty weather may make getting there an issue.

After the show will come back to PHC to have my usual fruit and cheese plate and then will head down to The Village for the second part of the doubleheader ...

8:00==>THE THING ABOUT DAN - “A warped and wistful play about two men, Paul and Zip, who are running as fast as they can away from themselves. They are waiting for Dan, the friend who keeps their lives running smoothly. The problem is, he's sleeping with their wives.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This theater is on West Christopher Street only 2 blocks from the Hudson River so I know in advance that it is going to be very windy and cold getting to and from the venue. Frankly, had I known about the bad weather I probably wouldn’t have booked this show ... but ... since I did through one of my ticket services ... I gotta go.

Oh, do you get the feeling that Billi Pod is through with Winter and is now ready from Spring to arrive? Well ... you are right ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-172

Billi Pod Has A Tripleheader Today!!

Good morning everyone.

It was 23º and snowing in The Big Apple @ 8:30am this morning. And, as I write this posting at 11:00am, it is still snowing.

The forecasters say to expect a 4-5 inch accumulation by mid-afternoon. That’s enough to make getting around a bit tricky.

This nasty weather is kinda bad news for Billi Pod’s Saturday tripleheader ... yes ... that is correct ... I said tripleheader ... so take a deep breath and calm down ... it is a tripleheader and this is the schedule ...

3:00==>OUTSIDE PEOPLE - “Set in modern-day Beijing, this dark comedy is the story of a young American man who falls in love with a young Chinese woman and the impact this foreign culture has on his deepest fears and desires.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Hummmmm ... this sounds a lot like the recently closed Broadway show CHINGLISH, doesn’t it?

Anyway, I wanted to see it and it is playing downtown in the Union Square area. When the show is over I will find someplace for coffee and a snack and then head down to the West Village for my evening shows ... which are ...

7:00==>CEMETERY GOLF - “A solo performance back to the Deep South with preachers shoutin' from the mountaintops, mamas pickin' switches, and Hellfire is just a heartbeat away.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

The advance buzz on this show is very good.

It is playing at The Barrow Street Theatre which usually has pretty good stuff.

Then ... at the same theatre is ...

8:30==>HONOR AND FIDELITY - “A woman’s journey to find her cultural identity by unraveling the history of her family's past, set at a boarding gate at JFK airport.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show also has a running time of approximately 60 minutes.

Now, I want to share with you loyal and faithful readers the fact that I had scheduled the two evening shows about a week ago. Late yesterday afternoon OUTSIDE PEOPLE showed up on one of my ticket services and I immediately booked it.

Well ... as soon as I had booked it the thought hit me ... WTF have you done butt-wipe ... it is supposed to snow and be majorly nasty in the afternoon ... what were you thinking? Or better yet ... why the f**k weren’t you thinking??

But ... it is done and all I can do now is talk to the Weather Gods and ask that the snow stops no later than 2:00pm. Are you listening Weather Gods? Please ... no later than 2:00pm.

Anyway ... moving on to last night’s entertainment event ... which was ...

AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA @ Carnegie Hall: Stravinsky Outside Russia==>highly entertaining.

My seat, as expected, was in the upper nosebleed section but not as high up as Thursday’s American Cancer Society Gala Concert.

The individual soloists and the choral group were excellent and the orchestra did its usual highly professional job. It was a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment, and, yes, Billi Pod stayed for the complete concert this time ... thank you for asking.

In closing==>I am happy to report that Alex aka Army Guy made it safely back to his base in Kuwait.

Now ... awwwwwwww ... YES ... a tripleheader in the snow ... bring it on!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

ALEX-151

Tuesday==>Another Damn Snow Day!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers. In The Greatest City In The World we had light snow flurries @ 8:30am this morning and the temperature was 28º.

Now three hours later the snow is coming down harder. All Billi Pod can say is that this is getting mighty tiresome and it’s only the end of January.

Yeah, yeah ... I know ... please no emails and/or texts ... I am here in the Northeast in the Winter by choice and ... yes ... If I wanted to, I could be somewhere else, in a warmer climate. All I can say is ... be careful what you wish for ... Billi Pod could end up sleeping on your couch for the rest of the Winter ... think about it before you send any snarky responses ...

Because it was so damned cold, Billi Pod stayed in yesterday during the day, meaning==>no errands and stuff.

It warmed up a bit in the evening (18º), so I met up with John Scott Reed aka Fabson for dinner at Joe Allen.

We had a great time and I am happy to report that he is enjoying his new career path as Director of Operations & Executive Assistant to the CEO, Lori Levine, of Flying Television, a talent booking and brokering firm.

Unfortunately for Billi Pod, the delicate and highly confidential nature of his professional responsibilities prohibit him from sharing even the smallest of “insider” details - dammit-to-Hell - and he won’t budge. Oh well ...

I hope the snow ends soon because I really have some things and stuff I need to do, including an overdue trip to the grocery store.

As might be expected there is a lot of ... woulda, coulda, shoulda ... stuff in the local papers over the Jets/Steelers game on Sunday.

Tons of second guessing. To all of this Billi Pod says==>Hey guys, the season is over, so let’s move the f**k on ... OK?

Kinda different entertainment schedule for the remainder of the week in that I have 3 classical music concerts on tap. Tonight is the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Thursday is the New York Philharmonic, and Saturday is the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra.

So, details about tonight --

8:00==>BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA @ Lincoln Center - Haydn’s Symphony No.102; Haydn’s Piano Concerto in D major; and, Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. (discounted TDF ticket).

Still snowing and it looks beautiful from way up here on the 41st floor in warm and cozy PHC. The snow flakes are huge.

I will close with the usual ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Bright times depend on the amount of light at the end of the tunnel.”

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Friday==>Snowing Again In The Big Apple.

It is snowing again but it is not expected to reach blizzard intensity. The predictions are for 2 to 5 inches of “powder” snow with little, if any, accumulation. We will see.

Of course Mayor Mike has been on a nonstop PR blitz to assure “us” that The City is ready this time for whatever happens. Sorry Mike, but you are two weeks too late to win us back.

The view from PHC, on the 41st floor, is awesome and I am nice and warm and comfortable. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

As you loyal and faithful readers will no doubt recall, when Billi Pod gave his report card on DRACULA he predicted that the critics were going to drive a stake through its heart when it opened ... well ... tada ... they just did that and almost everyone hated the show and the so-called actor playing Dracula.

According to internet buzz the show will probably close this weekend.

Which leads into Billi Pod’s report card on --

BEIRUT==>F<==worst show in a long long time, 10 times worse than DRACULA. The acting sucked and I can’t remember less applause from an audience at a curtain-call. Thank God it is only 60 minutes long.

Tonight’s entertainment event --

9:30==>JOHN FAUSTUS AND THE OVERCLOCKED DEATH DRIVE-“a frenetic and futuristic multimedia adaptation of The Tragical History of Dr. Faustus.”

Oh yes, this time it is a brilliant young programmer who sells his soul to the Devil. Hummmmm ... hello Mark Zuckerberg, it that you?

The nice thing about this show is that it is playing in a theater just 3 short blocks from my building.

I am happy to report that I got the new printer all setup and am becoming very comfortable with my new machine. Will do some data transfers this afternoon (what better way to pass the time on a snow-day) and figure out what stays and what goes.

So, my loyal and faithful readers, I leave you with what I know will be Billi Pod’s most controversial musing thus far. Please, just think about it for a few minutes before you judge ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Who circumcised God?”

Remember==> please think about it ...

GO GATORS AND GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”

Sunday==>It Is Snowing In Columbia

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, it is snowing here in Columbia, SC, as it is in most of the East Coast, up to and past New York City.

As a result of the snow, dammit to Hell, my return flight to NYC, scheduled for Monday morning at 6:05am has been canceled.

Delta rebooked me for the same flight on Tuesday morning, so we will just have to wait and see what develops. Please keep your fingers crossed for me.

Bill III opted not to stay for the anticipated snow, so he left yesterday and is now back in Orlando.

Tonight our friends Alvin and Linda Strasburger are coming to dinner to partake of Dr. John’s divine lamb shanks. Of all of John’s gourmet dishes, this is my absolute favorite. It takes a long time to prepare, so he’s working on it now. Yummy yummy!! Can’t wait!!

Will spend the afternoon and early evening in a couch-potato mode watching pro-football.

So ... let me close with the highly anticipated ...

Musings from THE MIND OF BILLI POD (a memoir in progress):

“Betcha didn’t know that Viagra was originally developed to treat horn dysfunction in male Unicorns.”

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

“Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.”