Commutes and Ms. Turner

Oh today was one of those bitchy commute days. I leave and get on the Q (I stayed in Brooklyn last night with my bf) about 5 minutes early.  Now anyone who takes the train here knows that 5 minutes can make a huge difference...you'll either be really early, right on time, or fucked like always.  Well in my case it has meant that I'm too early--which is better than anything.  So I get a nice window seat where I can get the best view of the city and Ms. Liberty right before Canal St...this always makes me smile in the morning.  Well the train is running uber slow today for some reason of course--no big deal, right?  I look at my watch when we get to canal street and it's like 7:50.  I can't believe it we made it into Manhattan from Ave. M in like 20 minutes.  So I get off at Union Square (14th st) to transfer to the 4, 5, or 6 express which will take me right to Grand Central--getting me straight to my office within a block.  Usually the 4,5,or 6 are known for being crowded, but lately there haven't been too many problems.  So no sweat...I've got my ipod blasting with some Simon and Garfunkel and I'm set.  I go and wait by the platform...and wait....and wait...and wait...and meanwhile the crowd behind me is piling up--which ultimately means one thing---PUSHING!  SHIT!  So finally after waiting 10 minutes a 4 train comes.  It's completely packed. I'm secretly praying that everyone gets off, although I know this is chaotic in itself.  So the doors open and no one moves...then suddenly people are fighting to get off the train because the people staying who are by the doors refuse to get off.  Well in the meantime, though I am next to the door people have begun to crowd and just push their way onto the train. I'm starting to get pissy--but I look at my phone and still have plenty of time so I'm not gonna sweat it--I'll wait for the next train because surely it's right behind this one.  NOPE! 15 minutes later the train arrives.  I'm starting to sweat it because at this point it is 8:20 and I need to be in the office at 8:30.  So I step in...well the people behind me have the brilliant idea to push their way on...and I don't mean lightly push...I mean push like they are trying to move something extremely heavy.  Their pushing pushes me into this sweet looking woman who is ramming her face into the pole because of their pushing. I've had enough and I literally start losing my shit on the train...I turn around and start screaming at the people behind me...something I never really do but wish I would...but today it was manifested.  I must have been quite forceful because several people just looked at me like "wow he is really pissed!"  Jesus!  So anyways...what a way to start the day, right? 

Last week at the end of the week was the book signing with my fav. Kathleen Turner.  First she does a discussion and a Q&A with her co-author Gloria Feldt.  Greg and I had sat in the second row.  She was right in front of us.  It was an unbelievable evening of bliss for me.  I adore her and not just because of her work--but I truly believe she represents a kind of realness that most artists and especially celebrities don't.  She's extremely frank, kind, hard edged, and intelligent. She really took the time to look at everyone in the audience during the talk and she freely spoke her mind.  Her ideas about film and theatre were so wonderful.  When asked if she were offered a strong film role again if she would do it her reply was... "to be honest I don't get those kinds of scripts anymore...it's always grandmother scripts."  And I'll never forget how she said my name after signing my book and the look she gave me when she looked up. *sigh* Mostly I was stunned by her beauty that is still VERY apparent.  In recent interviews she just hasn't looked the best, and of course her wonderfully smoky voice seemed so deep on television.  In person one can really see that's it's Kathleen Turner-and almost the same 1980's Kathleen Turner.  When she flips her head to the side you can't help but see the same person who did Peggy Sue Got Married.  Her voice is extremely resonant-one has NO trouble hearing her...and the quality doesn't seem to be one of someone who has smoked 10 packs a day--but more so the result of aging and training (she said she has trained it to be lower...and proved she could speak higher in the forum discussion which was great).  Overall it was just an amazing evening spent with my favorite actress...and well Greg was a trooper putting up with his psycho boyfriend who is obsessed with Kathleen Turner. :)