RIP CBGBs

(thanks matt for the post idea)

so CBGBs closed for good last night, and there are all of these new sites that have stories about it, and interestingly enough the NYT was the only one that i thought did it justice. i think that there is a misperception of what CBGBs really was. it was actually the first NYC venue that i ever went to. cool right? yes, it was cool. i mean, the talking heads, the ramones, blondie, all got their start in this place... but it is so fucking disgusting. i mean, i bet all they did was just spray the floor down every month or so to 'clean' the place up. granted the walls were covered with posters of shows/artists that had played there before... but what was the last great act to play there? i have only been back to CBGBs once since that first time, and thats not necessarily because i didnt want to get infected with some random disease (which is a good reason), but mainly because none of the great acts of recent years would think to go there when you have other great small venues all over the city that are actually clean like roseland, the bowery, or even webster hall.

and now that its closed, theyre moving it to VEGAS? i mean really? i think the history behind CBGBs deserves better. i mean, donate the sign to the smithsonian or rock and roll hall of fame or something. vegas? come on!

and do you remember when owning a CBGBs tshirt was cool? the fact that i had to ask that question (for you slow people out there: to imply that it is no longer cool) is because any poser/d-bag from around the country/world can just go into a aero-eagle-urban outfitters or go online to get one.

is it sad that CBGBs has closed? yes. but i think almost everything about CBGBs has become just as sad.

RANT: get your greasy hands off of my coke!

so this rant is really a two-parter. the more recent event reminded me of a previous occurrence that was similar. and to preface, i love coca-cola. its like the greatest non-alcoholic beverage ever. EVER. its not too sweet like pepsi, and has a nice bite to it, which is probably why i like root beer too. anyway, here we go...

so we had a lunch meeting today, which was kind of cool because lunch was actually on the company. we all were requested to email our orders yesterday, which i did: shredded pork in garlic sauce and a coke. so i go to the meeting, and people have already picked up their food from the side table, so i go to get my meal. wait... they forgot the coke. dammit. wait. other people have coke... thats weird. wait, here's the list of people and their orders... that fucker is drinking MY coke. he ordered a diet coke, and unfortunate for him, they fucked up his order, so why fuck with mine too? now not only is the restaurant just a bunch of dicks, but now so are you! man this shredded pork is good... a little spicy. you know what would really hit the spot right about now? my fucking coke. assbag.

so that situation reminded me of something that happened to me while at my first job here in the city. about once a month the department would have a pizza (or if anyone was quick enough to organize something different w/the same budget) lunch. everyone in the office was at least 5-10 years older than me. read: metabolism slowing down, more sedentary lifestyle, yet more 'health conscious', or so they say... so when i first started, the only drinks that the admin would order were diet. so after the second or third month, i asked her to get me a regular coke. no problem she said. next pizza lunch, guess what beverage was picked up by someone else before i got there? thats right, MY coke. so at the time, i was like, ok, no biggie, get the admin to get a few more next time. next time, all 4 regular cokes are taken by these jerks that have no self control when it comes to having something they want but say that they shouldnt have. so this time i actually call them out on it, and for the rest of my tenure there, everyone remembers to leave my fucking coke alone.