#121212concert Part B or White Boy NOT in Paris

Ok, so I feel like a shit.
Why?
Because I trashed Kayne on FB yesterday. Now I feel bad since he seems like a good guy.
Here's why:
I was working JFK yesterday.The Air France 7:10 flight, the huge A380 plane, was all queued up with hundreds of people eager to get on the plane. (Always surprises me why they are in such a rush to get in front of each other. Plane not going anywhere until ALL are on-another story).
So, I look around and see a couple of regular looking guys standing pretty much right in middle of the pre-boarding area in plain view of everyone. One of the dudes is quietly talking on the phone.Not smiling, not laughing , just regular soft talking. (maybe?).
As he turns I see that I definitely recognize this face-yep, you got it, Kanye West. Swear! I figure I HAVE to get a pic with him.
Yes, go figure. A pic with my FAVORITE entertainer.
But I don't want to interrupt him so I wait, and wait and wait. Now I think he is pretending to talk so as not to be bothered.
As the boarding is about to begin he slowly works his way to the 1st class line. But he hesitates. Not sure why.
This is the moment.
I go over, ask if we can get a shot together "for my daughters", and he nicely complies. Took a quick buddy shot then stepped away laughing to myself about my comments yesterday on FB and now meeting him.
But he remains in an off  spot and not really in line.
I go to young woman at the counter and inform her that Kanye West is there and can she move him up.
She says OK and to tell him.
I go over to him tap his buddy on the shoulder and suggest he go to the front of the line.
He looks at me and then moves up.
Not far enough.
So, I go back and say :"ALL THE WAY". Kanye looks at me with an appreciative smile and nudges past others to the front.
Pretty cool I think. From the stage of the #121212 concert to the front of the line for VIPs.
As I walk away, I see a woman I know who handles the queues and asked if she saw him.
"Oh yes, sure," she said. "I told him to go to the end of the line."
"Why" I asked, "he is a VIP".
"VIP or not" she replied. " When you travel in economy, you take the other line".
OOPS.
Kanye, hope you enjoyed being treated like a VIP.Next time travel business class.

Like they say, you can make this stuff up.Buzzfeed.

Oh, and by the way , what was that you were wearing at the concert. Meggings? Clothing castoffs from Sting?

( And for the record, come on you entertainers. Tip the Skycaps, wheelchair pushers and service people will ya!)

#121212concert

Big thanks to all who participated in the #121212concert event. Bigger thanks to all the people who came from all over the country to help out; and to the men/women in the field who worked 16 hrs while going back to homes without power and starting alll over again the next morning. #Sandy was a major blow to our area and many have lost much. At the same time many of us were only dealt a glancing blow from her wrath and for that we are all thankful.
Interesting to see the performers and actual time they spent on the stage.I could feel the level of concern or lack of it. For example Billy Joel, Bruce, Bon Jovi and Alicia sung from the heart while The Stones seemed to be there more as an expectation than desire. Mick suggests that when it rains in London we help out. What gall, but not unexpected from a group who has turned more needy and greedy as they age.Hey, did you actually donate from the money you received from the NYNJ concert goers recently?
But age and genre are major points of my short blog today.
Is Rock & Roll on life support?  What is going to happen to this genre of music after all the grey beards begin to murmur old lyrics in the nursing home? Did you see all the greying of America there on stage. Notice the lack of any young and upcoming R&R? I did not. Will this genre be relegated to muzak only in another 5 years? Hate to be stuck with Kanye going forward! He personally annoys me with pompous and silly theatrics. Maybe this is why the R&R standard bearers get so much interest during these shows. They all seem like the last concert-they are a dying blue -jeans breed. And, hate to say it but come on Daltry, or should I say Tom Jones, enough with the open shirt. Not sexy at this point in time.If I had to retire my Speedo you have to retire the naval exposure. LOL Rock on.

Barrier Islands After Sandy-Long Beach, NY

Well, my quest to see the barriers islands along the south shore of Long Island, NY continues. I went by Long Beach 30 days after #sandy. Like most places the whole oceanfront and properties up to 2 blocks north got a beating. The board walk extends along about 2 miles or so along the Atlantic and many large buildings occupy the area with many renovated into nice living apartments and condos over the years. The boardwalk is a favorite of mine to bike ride off season to get some fresh air and see who else is about enjoying the scenery. A buddy of mine lives in one of theses buildings and is now staying with a friend in Manhattan because he is so depressed by the wreckage. He was fortunate living on the 9th floor and did not lose possessions but his building did not have elevator or electric for three weeks.Long Beach got hit hard. Just yesterday dead cars were still being removed, a huge mountain of sand is being amassed due to contamination, and household debris grows daily as people still clean out their homes and businesses.
There are the regular daily visits of curiosity seekers that drive up with cameras strung around their neck taking photos of the twisted boardwalk, dangling garbage cans and small signs of rebuilding here and there. One can hear the sighs of concern and amazement as they peer under the collapsed boardwalk and out to the ocean where before walls of sand obscured the same view. In the background you can see big work trucks, bulldozers and contractors still removing feet of sand from the roads and parking lots which held some cars buried 6 feet of sand. Now you can see the profile of surfers back in their favorite rips along the beach. For them, the ocean is a place of comfort and challenge. Many of these surf rats live in the area  and will go back home after catching some waves and sift through years old collections of stuff and continue the painful task of selecting the few salvageable to keep as memories of days past.They are reconciled to the whims of nature and live many others along the Mid-Atlantic, muddle through the despair, pain eventually building back what they once had. The flying of the American flag is a testament to their belief in our ideals of facing challenges and overcoming them.