I got into a discussion with one of my staffers about the racial state of Buffalo and how divisive this city can be. What got us on the topic was the latest production to come to the Zoo. For a few weeks, this guy had been pestering my staffer to come and shoot for a show he has on local access. He wanted to do a music video, conveniently sending the lyrics for an 8:30 shoot over at a few hours before hand.

It actually went pretty well. The song was a hip hop piece, pro conservation, ecology and education and was pretty good. I don't know if they will get anywhere truly, but it was fun to watch. I knew it was going to be problematic as their cd was corrupted and wouldn't play. So, for the sake of lip synching, the mc had to work with captured audio of a cell phone. Dude did pretty well because that had to have been tough. They staged the same thing a few times around the Zoo for editing sake. The shots at the gorilla pen had me in stitches as two of the gorillas sat down outside the glass as the music is playing, just chillin' watching the camera. Finally the one male gorilla threw himself at the window to announce his presence. Scared the shit out of performers and crew.

Anyway, they finished all the shots that they needed for the video and quickly worked up staged question and answer to help in promoting the video. By this time, the Zoo is coming alive with field trips and I saw these two field trip Moms watching us from a distance and both had tha t "omigod, theres ethnic folk there" looks on their faces. Like the playground wasn't safe. You like to think that we are beyond such expressions, but it was unmistakable that those folks that the playground area was something to be regarded with suspicion.

That kind of shit makes me a little nuts. Only parallel I can think of was a number of years ago. My ex (who's black) and I (who's so not) were in Sweet Tooth partaking of some of their gastrointestinal delights and we are getting looked upon with disgust by this septagenarian who just can't comprehend that the races could come together, especially over ice cream. She wasn't even being subtle with the dismay. Finally, my lovely spouse shouting "What are we naked?' and that broke the old bitty's concentration.

More thngs change, more some perceptions stay the same. We all just folks, wish more folks could see it like that.

After dealing with a video production crew who was so prepared for their music video shoot, they ran their audio off a cell phone, this was a nice diversion.

The winds can blow pretty fast around here. The Doghouse might just have a doggy door in back. With all the suburban kids on break last week, all hands were on deck. For parts of four days, I spent a good chunk of the day directing traffic, trying to get people into the Zoo a little faster.

While in the midst of that crush, I got what I assumed to be a sales call from a guy wanting me to create a special discount. I thought it might have conflicted with an existing discount and politely declined. Turned out it was the pet project of a board member so, of course, it was turned into a thing. I hear my boss defending me to said board member, only to come tear me a new one for not talking to her first. I still kick myself pretty hard when stuff like that happens. That combined with the boss asking somebody else about the website when I’m sitting right there left my self-esteem eagerly awaiting the end of the week.

I come in yesterday determined to turn things around with a memo of proactive suggestions for the gate staff and show it to the boss for her blessing. Suddenly, I’m smart again. I guess you got to enjoy the moments for what they are. I just had a newspaper salesperson in my office, telling me I should approach corporate partners for more money after they have already given money to advertise with her paper. The way she talked down to me was like I was a little kid caught joyriding in Mom’s car. A little patronization goes a long way.

Anybody else get caught up in the traffic stop at Delaware and Forest last night. A bunch of the local gendarmes were checking license, registration and inspection last night on the right home. Weirdness. I’ve seen those types of stops before, but they are usually on one of the toll booths. I’m not sure why Delaware was picked other than it is a popular escape route for the suburbanites.

Thanks to a clueless landlord, I had to hightail to the laundry mat at Elmwood and Auburn and caught a look of the flashing blue light of surveillance shining down on us from the light standard near Willy Farms. Do I feel safer? No, not really considering the fact that I wasn’t thinking I was in much peril before the hanging of the new strobe light. All these high end stores and we still have blue light specials.

Nice day outside.

Crazy german mardi gras floats....

After yesterday's experience, the key grip is the rest of the production company's bee-yotch. In addition to everything else going on at the Zoo these days, one of the national talk shows was here filiming a series of segments on animal diets. While the Zoo's p.r. coordinator was wrangling with the local guys, I was part of the talk show crew for the day.

It was kind of cool to be outside and away from my desk, but I'm feeling the effects today. We did five segments at various portions of the Zoo. I had to be a bad guy and shoo some folks away from the giraffe filming, but it was kind of cool to be "working the crowd" as we set up for stuff with the Sea Lions and Tigers. When we were working with the Sea Lions, one got a little too happy to see the food bucket and balanced on the ledge of the pool for a few seconds before being scolded to go back into the water. The Lion jumped up just opposite of this little kid, who's eyes were as big as saucers with delight.

We staged a gorilla photo op for the final segment and I got to admit it was very cool to stand on top of the exhibit with a care package of snacks and playthings only to have a gorilla stand not too far away with a look of "C'mon throw it already" on his face.

In between the fun stuff, I was a roadie. We lugged equipment all over the place. One film crew can bring a lot of crap. The host brought a friend of his. The two of us formed a very efficient crowd control/crew monkey alliance. Host was giving me good natured grief, "only in the not-for-profit world would a marketing manager be a key grip." I told him I was getting a little long on the tooth to be a best boy. It was a hoot, basically spent all day in the sun, at various times running a boom mike for weary audio guy, helping white balance the camera dude and looking smarter than I really am for Zoo guests (don't tell).

Very cool to get "back stage" at a few exhibits. These were places I hadn't been yet. Coolest picture that I hope came out was when the gorillas were looking throught their window into their off limits cage, trying to see what was going on.

Not your average monday.

3rd dates are good. That is all

Damn, what a day, spiritually renewing, sunlight on your face for a lengthy period of time. Practically wanted to smoke when the sun went down, settled for a trip to Dairy Queen with number one son. That was after we traipsed up the marina and into the Naval park, resulting in the following Sunny Afternoon photo dump

I miss Calvin and Hobbes for just such observations.

Lacking in cleverness, that is the best I got for today.

Had a pointless 7:30 meeting this morning, so I had to cut out on the hoopla at Mr. Goodbar last night practically old man early (which I know isn't much of a stretch). Nice to see everybody again and finally meet (e:Ajay). Good time, but it's been awhile since I've been out on a school night

My forties haven't taken too much of a toll on my hairline, yet somehow walking from my apartment to my car, the biggest, fattest rain drops managed to find precisely where my hair is the thinnest for two impressive sounding smacks. That kind of nonsense will wake you up.

I walked the ring road at Delaware Park at lunchtime yesterday for the first time in quite awhile. I didn't embarass myself but my knees went to great pains to remind me of how not a kid anymore that I am. It was an interesting reminder how joggers work with clouded thinking. On the inset of the grass is a rarely used trail that was set up for the jogger, smaill gravel that was set on the grass so it is a little softer than running on the asphalt. Do the joggers go for it? No, they stay out on the asphalt. That makes me wonder. Why punish yourself further when the only person that rewards is a spinal specialist? Maybe, it's jealousy as I can't run for shit. But to watch them as I was walking, it seemed like none of them were enjoying their runs so why not reduce the torture a little bit.

Maybe it's me.

There is a certain population of park goer that might need smacked with a bag of hammers. The peeling paint down the middle of the road apparently provides a line that a small population needs to trace as they walk. These folks remind me of the folks who walk the street on snowy days even though the sidewalks are clear. In the park, they follow that painted line, which would be no big deal except cars travel right on the other side of that line. Personally, I have a healthy respect for my right cheek so I don't go where an SUV can smack it. Hug that grass side, people.

Maybe it's me

My Colbert ticket connection collapsed, which kind of sucks, but alas, stuff happens. Gonna be a good weekend anyway. Temperatures are a little more human. Actually went out on a Thursday, gonna drag the kids kicking and screaming to the Art Gallery for free friday, going the movies with a fellow grownup tomorrow night, gonna drag my bike over to the Elmwood bike shop for a tuneup somewhere in between.

Amazing, what a little sun can do.