xtcian

5/13/02 Even though I had

5/13/02

Even though I had the kind of headache that would have driven lesser men to flagellate themselves, I tried to rally for the 52nd Street Project Benefit dinner, which has traditionally been more fun than you think it's going to be. Poor Tessa has been battling something in the liminal between a cold and the flu, so after two conversations, she could barely talk. Which forced me into small talk with people I only 1/9th-know, but these exercises are good when you go into automatic pilot as often as I do.

The theme this year was "disco," and naturally, only about 15% of the guests arrived in costume. You can add me and Tessa to that 15% however:

This picture, for those of you playing the home game, doesn't do my chest hair justice. My dad must have been psyched to be a hairy-chested man in 1976 I don't think he wore a shirt during Jimmy Carter's entire presidency.

The 52nd Street Project does a lot of great work for kids in Hell's Kitchen, teaching at-risk youths about drama, and it is supported by such absentee luminaries as Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Tessa and I ended up having a blast and catching up with old friends: Zandy Hartig, Billy Crudup, Lorraine and Alex Tobias, Jace Alexander, and a lot of other talented people. Like someone said in the crowd, "it's the kind of event none of the bad people show up to." Which is the opposite of most of my parties, but to each his own, I guess.

The proud UNC alums: Zandy Hartig, me, Tessa, Billy Crudup. I look like I just got off the short bus, and Billy looks like he's going to barf.

The Celextant, May 13, 2002
Man, if Celexa is what gave me the headache today, I have to wonder whether being happy is worth all the pain it's causing. My anxiety levels are definitely less acute in the city, although I still have those stupid daymares and re-enactments clouding my brain. I have to keep telling myself that the future is usually weirder and more interesting than any of my fears.