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Today’s Music: Jen Chapin – Little Hours
Sunset over the #7 tracks in Queens NY – Photo by Chris Goldberg
It’s a beautiful evening in Queens, New York tonight. The air has a cool bite to it. There are a few clouds in the sky, but not enough to obscure the deep blue and deepening orange of the fading sunset.
I have nowhere to be tonight. No errands to run. No relatives to visit. No calls to make, forms to fill out, information to hunt down and organize.
No one to comfort, nothing to attend to.
Just have to figure out what’s for dinner, and have a nice quiet meal with my wife.
Later on, I may watch some of the Presidential Debate. Maybe not. Yes, I’ve already decided I’m voting for Obama. (You’re welcome to criticize below, just be polite about it.) Maybe I’ll turn on the ps3 and play a game.
I might strum my guitar for a bit. There’s a song I’m trying to learn that still needs a lot of work.
At some point, I’ll sit under the stars I can see from our porch and have a cigarette. Maybe I’ll have a beer with it. I’ll read a bit, check my email, but mostly, just sit and relax quietly.
There will be music.
Later on, I’ll go to bed. My girl (TMWGITU) and I will go through our nightly routine. We’ll make jokes about each other. We’ll complain to each other about setting our alarms for tomorrow.
I’ll change out my earring.
We’ll get under the blankets and I’ll put my arm around her.
Her feet will be freezing. I’ll shout when she puts them on me, and she’ll laugh at me.
It will be a quiet night at the Guapo household, like it hasn’t been for a while.
I’m looking forward to it.
The Friday Foolishness posts will continue (as long as I can think of polls – never a guarantee). Other than that, well, I was never a prolific poster. As stuff occurs to me, and as I can set more adventures on the page, or trifectas or beatnik poetry slams, I’ll post them. Just no idea how often.
You’ll still see me on twitter, and on your blogs. As much as I like trying to tell a good story here, I really love listening to all your stories.
So not goodbye, just a pause – a time out.
And if you need me, hey, I’m easy enough to find…
See you out there. I’ll be the one relaxing, enjoying the quiet time.
I think I feel good about that. (Photo by Lizzie Cracked)
El Guapo
Sometimes the quiet nights at home are the best. Okay–most times. Enjoy your downtime.
Thanks Carrie. I expect a break will do me good.
*waving vigorously*
Just don’t knock any coconuts down onto your head….it hurts like the devil!
I think my blood pressure went down a few tics just reading this, Guap. Enjoy your break AND this lovely evening.
Thanks Waiting. It was cathartic to write it too!
Hazzah to the little things making it all worthwhile!
Amen Lori.
Enjoy your time out. Your evening sounds a lot like ours, and I enjoyed the description very much!
Thanks RFL. And I’m glad you’re enjoying a cool clear evening.
Good for you, Guap!
And, hot women always have cold feet!
That explains so much, Ginger.
Maybe I should get her some argyle pirate socks.
Argyle pirate socks kick ass! They are the latest in London, I swear it.
I can confirm this
Sounds wonderful. Enjoying that same starry sky here in Jersey, on our way to the Poconos where we will see it even clearer. What takes do you play on your PS3!? I’m an Xbox nerd myself
Games*!
Nothing like a clear night with fewer lights around, Nicole.
Lets see… I just picked up Uncharted 3, Metal Gear 4 and Infamous 2. And I still have Arkham Asylum from way back when.
Lots to blow up!
What are you playing?
Nope, nothin’ like it.
Nice! I love Left 4 Dead, Skyrim, Bioshock, Dead Space, mostly things involving zombies or aliens or knights. I’m also thinking of picking up Resident Evil 6; I like to hang in the background once a new game comes out and wait to see what other gamers – or just my copy of Game Informer – has to say about it first, and GI gave it a 8.75. I’ll be picking it up this week!
We all need pauses and life as it happens is important.. Take how long you need and no fear your friends (ME) will be here!!
remember to smile at least once daily, ok?
Will do, FPP!
And now I’ll be able to catch up on the last edition of “take it to the street.”
When you’re out on the porch with your beer looking at the nighttime sky, take a minute to look for the planet Oopus. Someone who loves you might be smiling from above. Smile back. From both of us.
I Will, WG.
Aww I have always thoroughly enjoyed you. ((hugs)) I will keep my eyes peeled for new posts. Enjoy your time out and I will be thinkin’ of ya. ((hugs))
x
Becca
ps…I vote the same.
Thanks so much, Becca!
If I’m not mistaken, that’s the view from the 46th Street station.
Well spotted Gus.
Not sure if it’s 46th,but it very well could be. (I haven’t ridden the 7 in years.)
Try this arrangement:http://youtu.be/mowIPtHA4JI It has a similar feeling to the essay attached, that I had published last month. Thanks,Allan
Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2012 23:36:50 +0000 To: 1167_aw@live.ca
Such sweet and heartfelt words! It sounds like you’ve got a real good start on some wonderful downtime Guap!!
Thank you, Linda. Looking forward to taking it easy and spending time with your delightfully named creations!
sigh… since you aren’t leaving forever, I will be understanding and compassionate, supportive and all that muckity goo
if you were leaving for good I would be raising a big stink and running around like a crazy woman – good thing I am not crazy right? No…,I mean good thing you are taking a break ..hahaha I got that mixed up. Take care my friend and may you have peace in your calm… 
I love that sunset picture btw – really cool..
Thanks so much, Lizzie. And just slowing down a bit.
I like the pic on the bottom of the page…
;-D
You’ve earned yourself a break, Guap. I’ll miss you, buddy.
Thanks madame Weebles. Just slowing down a bit. For a bit.
Liking what Madame W. and Carrie said…adding to that my own…
well done! Going to miss you…..
Thanks Jots.
The Friday posts will be continuing.
But! But! I just got here. Well, enjoy what I see from your blog is a well deserved break. I have to admit your plan for a aimless evening sounds pretty fine.
And I’m glad you made it, RG!
the Foolishness polls will be continuing, the rest of it will probably just be occasional until I get my head clear(er) again.
Enjoy! xo
Thanks Lisa!
You know, Guapsterola, my dear friend. I’m wondering if blogging is a “been there, done that” thing. When i first started, I followed several wildly successful people (like yourself) who signed off. I was so disappointed because I’d just found them and wondered how could anyone ever give up the great posts and following they had. But…now I understand. Sometimes it’s time to invest more in other areas. see more places, travel, read, volunteer, build something tangible. Or…just relax. Several of my favorite bloggers have shut down for a while, recently. For every time there is a season. Now’s the season. Enjoy yourself. It’ll make me smile to think of you, sitting back and watching the skyline.
Yeah, I’ve seen some favorites log out completely too, Barb.
I’ll keep chugging along with the Friday posts, just going to fall off any sort of race to post more or more frequently – I want to be able to maintain the…distinctiveness…of my posts.
No plans at all to ditch this completely.
And on the same note, it’s a pleasure to see you posting more frequently again!
Enjoy your time out! In the meantime you can catch up with my pictures
That’s one of the things I’m looking forward to most, Kitten!
Enjoy your break. Sitting smoking and drinking is my favourite hobby (it counts).
Glad you will still be around, many bloggers who leave cut off completely which is always sad.
Along with le Clown you are brilliant and connecting people together and getting people involved making it a much better blogging experience for all so you’ll leave a gaping hole.
Thanks Joe.
The community is entirely a group effort, one I love being a part of.
Now if we could just find someone to pay us to smoke, drink and blog.
Is RJ Reynolds hiring?
Everyone needs to relax every now and then, even though it’s sad for us that you need to
.
No, seriously, it sounds like a great plan, Guapo. O, and with the little knowledge I’ve got from the American politics, I’d vote for Obama as well. Just sayin’.
Thanks NBI, and some down time for the brain will be a pleasure.
I may hope you don’t leave us for nothing at all
!
Your post delivered a wonderful sense of calmness, which is perfect during your time out. One has to do what they have to do, so breaks are good. But like Zannyro said, beware of the coconuts!
Thank you Frank. Calm is what I was aiming for.
And I’d love to catch me some fresh coconuts!
Have a nice time off, Guap…but…You’re LEAVING ME??!! ugh….Sorry…I had to have my selfish moment there. See ‘ya round the sandbox….
Ha, not leaving, kayjai.
the friday post will still be there. Just taking all pressures of any kind of post schedule off.
Whew…okay, then. Have a good quiet time off…
I was sitting outside looking at the stars and listening to a passing train last night. Sometimes it is good to just sit and be in the moment. Enjoy!
thank you Sandy – that sums it up perfectly.
Enjoy your break me old chum!
Thanks GfB. I’ll be spending some of the break studying your new avatar…
Guap, that sounds like a perfect evening. I miss those evenings. I have been running around rampant lately. Thanks for reminding me to take a normal night off and enjoy the stars on my balcony.
My pleasure, Becca. I need to get me a few more of those evenings.
Go forth and enjoy!
Peace
Hoping…
Thank you Rich
Here I am on vacation and still checking in with everyone! Hahaha! Peace to you Guapola just don’t “peace out!”
No peaceing out for me, Susie.
more a “pacing” thing…
I am glad to hear that!
I love this little glimpse into your night off, Guap. A slow landing into the Ordinary. Enjoyment of those little routines and predictable habits filling in the space between bigger stories… a wonderful way to live. Thank you for sharing.
I was thinking that I should post something, and then this just rolled out onto the keyboard, Laura.
And reading it back to myself made me appreciate the routine moments that much more.
Enjoy yourself, your wife and her cold feet. Have a blast but come back as often as you want. I find that blogging is more rewarding when I feel like I have something to say than when I’m just posting to get my stats back up.
Relax and enjoy.
That’s it exactly, Elyse.
I’ll stick with the Friday posts, and do others as they occur to me. Or not…
Thank you!
This is my favorite part of the above post: “Her feet will be freezing. I’ll shout when she puts them on me, and she’ll laugh at me.” When you get to this level, you basically share souls. Take as much downtime as you need. We’ll all be here when you get back (I subscribe so I get the updates whenever they come in). Glad to hear you will enjoy yourself!
I think she does that bit with the feet on purpose, Asplenia.
And I wouldn’t have her any other way!
Thanks, and now I’ll have time to keep up with your posts too!
I’m glad to hear you’ll still have a presence in the blog world as well as on Twitter. The world needs more El Guapos. It would be a better place.
Enjoy every minute your respite. You certainly deserve it. We’ll be waiting for you here when you get back.
I’ll bring the cheese.
CHEESE?!?
*runs back to blog to start posting immediately*
Thanks, ODNT. As always, you are too kind!
Well, I think you SHOULD feel good about that, man. I’ll look forward to seeing your stuff on Fridays and whenever. I didn’t look through the above comments yet, but I’m hoping nobody jumped on your choice to vote for Obama. Now, there’s PLENTY of reasons to give someobdy s*** for voting for either of the major candidates, and if this post were called “Why El Guapo is voting for Obama” such criticism might be appropriate. But that’s not really what this post is about, is it?
Just the same, I hope you ended up playing video games or guitar instead of watching. Do we really learn anything from the debates except that these two intelligent, good-looking (and deeply-flawed) men can make points off each other for 90 minutes?
Thanks Smak.
Fortunately, it’s a very unpolitical comment thread.
I ended up watching the debate for minutes, then went for the video games. A nice fun evening.
Yes, enjoy all the simple things in life that make you happy, friend!
Thanks whitelady.
It really is mostly the simple things, with occasional bouts of hair raising lunacy.
But mostly the simple things…
Love how you write!!!
xx
Sooz
Thanks you Sooz!
(Likewise!)
My feel ALWAYS are freezing And i always put them on Mr Speedy…. It is your men’s cross to bear.
He usually just gets up, grabs fuzzy socks, and puts them on me like I’m an infant.
I’m such a grown up. Sigh.
I knew it was a conspiracy of women, imakeeper!
But what can a guy in love do. Sigh…
Well, I’m very glad to hear you’re going to keep up with Friday posts, otherwise we can’t be bookends to the week anymore & that would make me very sad! I will miss you Guap, you’ve been so kind & thoughtful to me. I hope you get a great rest & recharge of your batteries. Please keep us up to date when you can & an occasional comment is always welcome.
Thank you, Benze!
One of the things about worrying about my blog less is that I’ll be able to get to all the ones I enjoy. And there’s no way you’re getting off that list!
sounds perfect. felt like I was there snuggling with you both with my own cold feet (;
where in Queens? I grew up in Oceanside!
Oh, more cold feet. Yay.
We’re not far from Forest Hills, Pigeon Heart.
I poked around your blog a bit before. Looking forward to reading through your posts!
Pretty area. Yes I too have looked through your writing- good stuff! Looking forward to more of your posts as well (:
Sounds wonderful – and I love the picture too. I went to New York in January 2003, the first time I’d ever been on a plane….oh, I think I’ll blog about this memory! Sorry for digressing – your night sounds wonderful, I love it when we get nights like this. What did you eat?
Can’t wait to read your memories of the city, Kirsty!
We had homemade mushroom barley soup, with beef.
Delicious! (Because I remembered the sherry this time.)
OMG – that soup sounds so good
I can email you the recipe if you like.
Oh, that’d be great
K, I’ll probably send it over the weekend. It’s one of my favorites.
Brilliant – thank you
Quiet time is good, Guap. Enjoy it.
I have freezing feet, too. <3
Thanks Stacy Lyn, and why aren’t you wearing the travel socks?!?
I haven’t been traveling this month. Looking for a place to call home. When I’m not traveling, I wear my moon socks.(Still have freezing feet, though.) <3
The peacefulness of this post just blows me away. It’s pretty much perfect. And the picture is phenomenal too!
P.S. My reader misses about 40% of posts, so I’m grateful that you have a kinda sorta posting schedule. I usually know to check once on Fridays and once mid-week.
Thanks, L&L. Calm was what I was going for – needed a bit of it.
A beautifully calming post. Thanks for your support, and enjoy your rest!
Thank you, wim2s!
I’ll still be keeping up on the adventures of WB.
I relish that downtime. I remember a time in my life when I would have given anything for the noise, the business of other people’s lives. Now, an uninterrupted nap is like heaven.
Well said, Jen.
I loves me some good naptime!
Everyone needs a break, even super bloggers such as yourself. I used to post every day, now I am lucky if I get one in per week. maybe I take cue from this and take a break as well (as soon as I figure out how to finish my current tale of the Holy Wars). I look forward to reading your comments, they keep me on my toes.
Take Care and enjoy!
Thanks SnB!
I’ve noticed you’ve slowed down recently, but your posts are as good as they’ve always been.
A break sounds good, Guap. I didn’t know. So have a nice relaxing time doing nothing in particular. I hope you see more sunrises and sunsets like that picture at the top!
Thanks Hotspur.
If this isn’t fun, I can’t see the reason for all the effort. But it is fun, so I’ll keep at it as the mood strikes me…
This one had a beautiful flow to it, buddy. Great work!
Thanks Hook.
Surprisingly, once I started typing, it most wrote itself.
When you were talking about guitar, I thought about a song “Hotel California”.
Do you know how to play this song?
Yes – as a chord progression, ristinw. That was one of the first songs I learned long ago. It’s a fun one!
If you haven’t watched the songified debates, they’re pretty awesome:
That was painfully funny, Jillian.
They should do a freestyle battle royale!
Oh, I know! If you’ve never seen other schmoyoho stuff (which you probably have if you’ve heard of “Bed Intruder Song”), their stuff is HILARIOUS! (You can get lost in it for Hours!)
Golden. Hope you enjoy that peaceful easy feeling for quite some time.