Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur

We all know how cool rock stars are, but some take their awesomeness to new and impressive levels by using their talents and their influence to benefit a good cause. On June 12, 2007, Warner Bros will release Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur, a 2-disk, 20-track compilation on which stars, like Christina Aguilera, R.E.M, Green Day, Regina Spektor, The Flaming Lips, Jack Johnson, and Jackson Browne cover John Lennon songs. Proceeds from the compilation will go toward the campaign to save the war-ravaged Darfur region of Sudan. If you pre-order on amazon.com before the release date you can shave a full $6.99 off the $21.99 list price!

More here from mp3.com

SaveDarfur.org

Track Listings for Instant Karma: The Campaign to Save Darfur
Disc: 1
1. Instant Karma - U2
2. #9 Dream - R.E.M.
3. Mother - Christina Aguilera
4. Give Peace a Chance - Aerosmith, Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars
5. Cold Turkey - Lenny Kravitz
6. Whatever Gets You Through the Night - Los Lonely Boys
7. I'm Losing You - Corinne Bailey Rae
8. Gimme Some Truth - Jakob Dylan, Dhani Harrison
9. Oh, My Love - Jackson Browne
10. Imagine - Avril Lavigne
11. Nobody Told Me - Big & Rich
12. Jealous Guy - Youssou N'Dour

Disc: 2
1. Working Class Hero - Green Day
2. Power to the People - Black Eyed Peas
3. Imagine - Jack Johnson
4. Beautiful Boy - Ben Harper
5. Isolation - Snow Patrol
6. Watching the Wheels - Matisyahu
7. Grow Old With Me - The Postal Service
8. Gimme Some Truth - Jaguares
9. (Just Like) Starting Over - The Flaming Lips
10. God - Mick Fleetwood, Jack's Mannequin
11. Real Love - Regina Spektor

Happy Birthday Sgt. Pepper!

Tomorrow marks 40 years since the Beatles, via Capitol Records, released Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in the UK (it was released the following day in the U.S.). This album firmly holds it's place in music history as one of the most notorious, well known, and most appreciated albums of all time. The fact that I, who was born in 1980, can recognize and appreciate the famous album cover, and the songs on the album, is a testament to Sgt. Pepper's staying power and ability to transcend trends in music and popular culture across time and generations. Wow, 40 years is OLD! I hope I am just as awesome as I am now, when I am 40 :)

More on Sgt. Pepper from MSNBC

F is for Festival!

With Bonnaroo fast approaching, June 14-17 in Manchester, TN, the schedule has finally been released! I know just how important that coveted sched is for anal concert goers such as myself who plan our every second so as to maximize our listening enjoyment! So, those of you who may be going to Bonnaroo this year, can get your highlighters out and download the schedule now! The 2007 lineup includes: The Police, Tool, The White Stripes, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, The Flaming Lips, The Decemberists, The Roots, Lily Allen, Feist, Cold War Kids, Paolo Nutini, and many more.

Don't forget about Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago's Union Park July 13-15. How come Chicago gets all the awesome stuff? To catch Sonic Youth, Yoko Ono, Iron and Wine, Cat Power, Of Montreal, and more in the windy city in a little over 1 month, pick up your crazy cheap 3-day pass for only $50 HERE.

See LCD Soundsystem for FREE in Philly next Wednesday!

Yo Philly people, if you like LCD Soundsystem, you can see a FREE show in Philadelphia next wednesday. It appears to be a myspace promotion, so follow the directions below, and you're in there like swimwear! Have fun :)
FREE SHOW
LCD Soundsystem
Philadelphia, June 6th
GET ON THE LIST,its easy as…

1. Add LCD Soundsystem and The List to YOUR Top Friends on Myspace.
2. Send a MESSAGE to The List with your name/e-mail answering this question:
Q: What does DFA (James Murphy's Record label) stand for? (HINT: Death From Above )
3. Once you're on The List we'll send an e-mail with venue info and instructions on how to pick up your tickets for you and one guest.

Lost Theories to blow your mind!

I was in Minneapolis all weekend, and wouldn't you know it, I could NOT get LOST off my brain! I swear, we talked about LOST all freakin weekend, no joke! Does that make me lame? Maybe. But what does that say about you for reading a lame girl's blog, huh? ANYWAY, I was given a tip on a great website where some brainiac dude has methodically broken down our biggest LOST mysteries, and has taken it upon himself to answer the questions that everyone is asking via his personal time travel theory. The concept really does fit and is actually quite genius. Even if he's not 100% accurate in his perceptions, I like what he has to say, and I think you will too! Besides, what else can we do but speculate for the next several months till the network puts us out of our misery and aires the new season? Just read it.

Check it out on LOST-Theories.com.

Bridge the Gap- Real World Las Vegas REUNITED!

Just when I realized that I hadn't been watching any MTV shows lately, but before I could completely resolve myself to be slowly sliding out of the demographic, I was lured back in! Its almost as if MTV has brilliantly launched a plan to reach out to my specific age group- those of us who were in college in 2002, religiously watching the Real World Las Vegas marathons all day on Saturdays while nursing our keg beer hangovers- and loving every painful minute of it! Since that season, I have been hesitant to get involved in new seasons of the Real World because everyone is younger than me, and well, that's just depressing. I grew up watching the Real World- in the beginning everyone was older than me, and gradually we crossed the time space continuum, and I was them. We were the same people, living our parallel lives in different states, but joined by the forces of MTV and our cable providers, via the glorious medium that is the Real World. However, upon graduating from College in 2002, I crossed the line, and left my Real World companions behind me, to live constantly in a state of 18-22 year old joy into infinity. I shed a tear, and I moved on to The Challenges like Gauntlet and Inferno, where there were still people older than me (thank you, Timmy!)

NOW, MTV, has done the unthinkable: They have re-assembled the entire cast of 2002's Real World Las Vegas, in the SAME Penthouse on top of the Palm Casino, for a second go at it! This is not just a reunion special- they are actually all going to live together again! I know! I can't believe it either! The new/ old Real World Las Vegas premiers tomorrow night, May 30 at 10PM- and I can hardly wait! I haven't been this excited since 2004 when HBO released "Gang War 2: Back in the Hood", the sequel to the quotable, mind-blowing 1994 documentary "Gang War: Banging in Little Rock".

(Beware: You can now watch the casting special and old episodes of the original Real World Las Vegas on mtv.com now! Your world may never be the same!)

"Hold onto your cocktails because here we go again! Reunited: The Real World Vegas is bringing us back to Sin City to see what happens when the cast of The Real World: Las Vegas reconvenes to live together once again. The tables are turned as all of the original roommates head back to their old stomping grounds, the suite at The Palms Casino Resort. Will they be able to put the past behind them and start anew?
No longer seven strangers, Real Worlders Trishelle, Steven, Brynn, Irulan, Frank, Alton and Arissa have some serious history together. Even after The Real World: Las Vegas ended in 2002, they kept in touch while battling it out on such Real World/Road Rules Challenge shows as The Inferno, Battle of the Sexes and The Gauntlet...

Since going their separate ways five years ago, Trishelle and Steven have not surprisingly called it quits, but so did Alton and Irulan. Brynn got married and had a baby. So there's definitely going to be some serious drama when the cast is thrown back into close quarters on Reunited: The Real World and you'll want to be there for every hot tub hookup, drunken rant and knock-down, drag-out fight! "

You're welcome!

Lily Allen and Blondie perform Heart of Glass together on The Today Show

Blondie fan, Lily Allen, got the opportunity to perform "Heart of Glass" with her inspiration, Debbie Harry, and Blondie, on The Today Show this morning. Allen has covered "Heart of Glass" several times, in concert on her own, but today it all came full circle, as part of Today's Summer Concert Series. Actually, I thought Lily's vocals were better than Debbie's, but you have to give her credit for continuing to make music after all these years! WATCH VIDEO HERE.

Plain White T's AOL Sessions

I told you last November that I didn't particularly care for the Plain White T's latest album, Every Second Counts (they are still on tour through September to promote it). However, Plain White T's are responsible for one of my favorite songs (I have about a billion, but this is definitely one), called "Hey There Delilah", from their 2005 album, All That We Needed. This month, the band performed a number of songs for AOL, including my fav, and also a cover of the Beatles' "We Can Work It Out". Watch the AOL video for "Hey There Delilah" below. What's especially cool about this video is that lead singer, Tom Higgenson, explains the story behind the song, revealing that there actually is a real Delilah, who went to school in New York City, and inspired him to write this sweet song about young love! Let's say it together: "Aaaaawwww".

Lyrics to "Hey There Delilah":
Hey there Delilah
What's it like in New York City?
I'm a thousand miles away
But girl tonight you look so pretty
Yes you do
Times Square can't shine as bright as you
I swear it's true

Hey there Delilah
Don't you worry about the distance
I'm right there if you get lonely
Give this song another listen
Close your eyes
Listen to my voice it's my disguise
I'm by your side

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me

Hey there Delilah
I know times are getting hard
But just believe me girl
Someday I'll pay the bills with this guitar
We'll have it good
We'll have the life we knew we would
My word is good

Hey there Delilah
I've got so much left to say
If every simple song I wrote to you
Would take your breath away
I'd write it all
Even more in love with me you'd fall
We'd have it all

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me

A thousand miles seems pretty far
But they've got planes and trains and cars
I'd walk to you if I had no other way
Our friends would all make fun of us
and we'll just laugh along because we know
That none of them have felt this way

Delilah I can promise you
hat by the time we get through
The world will never ever be the same
And you're to blame

Hey there Delilah
You be good and don't you miss me
Two more years and you'll be done with school
And I'll be making history like I do
You know it's all because of you
We can do whatever we want to
Hey there Delilah here's to you
This ones for you

Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
Oh it's what you do to me
What you do to me.

(Does this song remind you of anything? *Sigh* Seems like a lifetime ago!)

OMG LOST!

HO-LEE-SH!T!! I just finished watching last night's LOST season finale and I'm pretty sure the bomb dropping 2-hour episode gave me a brain tumor! I cannot believe how many significant, mind blowing events they executed this episode. It seems, however, with every question they answered, they raised two even more important questions! WARNING: DO NOT CONTINUE READING IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!

I'm not going to give you a well organized, all inclusive play by play because THIS ARTICLE, on CNN.com does a pretty good job of that. I will, however, give you my personal input of course!

First of all, I LOVE LOVE LOVE Hurley! My favorite line from the whole episode is after Hurley runs over one of the others with the van, and they rescue Sayid, Jin, and Bernard. He calls Jack on the walkie and Jack asks if everyone is alive. Hurley says "I told you dude, I saved em all!" See! And everyone told him he'd just get in the way because he's too fat! Pssshhhh! I love you, Hurley!

Ok, and what about Rousseau and Alex meeting for the first time, then 10 seconds later being all good. No questions. No tears. Just, "hey, sure you're my mom. Ok, whatever." (those are not direct quotes, but you get the idea) That was weird.

I have to admit that I cried when Charlie "drowned". I use quotation marks because I can never be certain of anything I am lead to believe on LOST. Charlie could turn up alive next season, and I am really hoping that he does. I like the little fella! Before lights out, Charlie was able to receive a shout out from Desmond's girl, Penny, who doesn't know Naomi by the way, and has no boat in the vicinity! Courageous Charlie, scrawls "Not Pennys boat" onto his hand seconds before he is engulfed in water and presses his hand against the window for Des to read in his dramatic last seconds of life. Hell yeah!

How about Locke being alive, and then crippled, and then ok again!? Annnnd, what about a suddenly pubescent Walt appearing to tell Locke to basically stop being a pussy and go save the day? He has magically aged about 2 years, gotten a fade, and a new shirt, and he's going all Oracle on us again! Sweeeeet!

And now for the biggest brain buster of it all: This "flashback" that we think we're watching throughout the episode where a bearded drugged up Jack flips out about an obituary, tried to commit suicide, then later meets up with a cleaned up Kate is actually supposed to be THE FUTURE! Apparently, they made it off the island somehow but Jack realizes that leaving was a terrible mistake and he needs to get back! WTF?!?!

Thank you, LOST people for making me crazy this afternoon, and for making up for a cluster of sub-par episodes this season. You have succeeded in hooking me into another season! Now, what on earth am I supposed to do until the new season starts in 2008??

Oy! Here's a fantastic pic of my man, Hurley, just cuz. Word.

Lady Sovereign is a weirdo

Word on the street is that Lady Sovereign completely flipped her lid at Studio B over the weekend, playing only two songs (half-assed), then telling the crowd about her money problems, depression, and disinterest in doing the show, before walking off stage all together.

Read THIS BLOG for an eye witness account. Is she even famous enough to be throwing this type of tantrum and acting all bruised by the system?? We've already got a rapper filling Da Brat role here in the States, Lady. Take your snotty 'tude back across the ocean, mmmm-kay! Anyway, here's a video of some of her WAHH WAAAAHH routine at Studio B.

In case you were wondering what she's famous for, this is Lady Sovereign's video for "Love Me or Hate Me"

Chris Cornell will "Carry On" June 5th

If you asked me who is the best male vocalist, of my time, of COURSE, I would say Eddie Vedder. However, Pearl Jam obsession aside, I would have to say fellow 90's grunge scenester, Chris Cornell, formerly of Soundgarden and Audioslave, runs a very close second to Eddie!

Chris's latest solo album, entitled Carry On, drops June 5th, 2007. Videos for "Arms Around Your Love" and "No Such Thing", from the upcoming album, are already available to the internet viewing public. It would be fair to say that most of the music that Chris Cornell makes, both alone, and as part of an ensemble, sounds very similar, BUT, with a set of pipes like his-that typical "Cornell" wail that keeps working for him decade after decade, I'd say consistency is a good thing! Thanks for keeping us supplied with new stuff, dude! Keep up the good work! :)

Watch "Arms Around Your Love" Now:

ASSSSCAT 3000 with stacked deck!

One requirement of my current improv class at Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, is to see at LEAST one improvised show per week. It is actually more of a privilege though, because I get to see them for free now that I'm a student there, and I would see them anyway even if it wasn't required, so it works all around. This week, I chose to see ASSSSCAT 3000 on Sunday night at 9:30pm. ASSSSCAT is a fully improvised show, featuring celebrity improvisers such as Horatio Sanz, Amy Pohler, and many others from Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Conan OBrien. It plays 2 times every Sunday night at the UCB Theatre on 26th street at 8th Avenue, and I HIGHLY recommend it!

Last night we had a fully stacked cast including Seth Meyers (co-head writer and cast member on SNL), Jason Sudeikis (SNL), Amy Pohler (SNL), and Horatio Sanz (formerly of SNL). As always, I laughed my ASSSS off, but I was also treated to an exciting surprise in that Seth Meyers is actually super hot in person! Those blue eyes are piercing, his arms are chiseled, and oddly enough, the butt chin totally works for him!

Anyway, even if you don't have a crush on a cast member, I still recommend seeing ASSSCAT or any other show at UCB because it is a great way to get a few guttural belly laughs in. You should also come see my class performance there on June 24th. I can't guarantee you'll laugh at my brilliance, but you will definitely laugh at my awesome classmates.

Flashback to 1996

It's Friday, kids, and that means, I am trying to find ways to occupy myself at work. Here's a little gem of my enigmatic idol (Eddie Vedder) making a surprise fleeting appearance on The Late Show back in 1996. First, here's a little description of the incident, as it appears in the book Five Against One- the Pearl Jam Story, by Kim Neely:
"For weeks, Paul Shaffer and the Letterman band had been using Pearl Jam's "Black" as an intro and outro for commercial breaks- Letterman himself had been supplying comical, glass-shattering vocals- and Eddie, in New York to see one of the final Ramones shows..., rang up The Late Show to inform them that he'd been watching and wouldn't mind stopping by. Later that evening during the show, viewers were delighted when, during Shaffer and Letterman's running "Black" gag, Eddie walked on, sang a few bars of the song, and, just as quickly, disappeared again."


If this doesn't bring a smile to your weekend ready faces, I don't know what will. You should work on that!

Go Ricki! Go Ricki! Go Ricki!

I weigh more than Ricki Lake. I never thought this day would come, but I have to be honest. 123 lbs never looked so bad! I'm sorry. I definitely give Ricki Lake a shit ton of respect for winning the battle against the bulge, especially without any surgery (or so she says) BUT, do you seriously think she looks attractive when she's naked?? Where do you think all that skin that stretched over her former 250 lb frame went? I'll tell you where: Its inside that red bathing suit down there. All of it. Ms. Lake, though claiming she fits into a size 4 pants now, actually looks like a melting He-man doll when the pants come off, and isn't that what's really important- the pants off dance off? My pants are larger than Ricki's, and I eat sandwiches that weigh more than 123 lbs, but I can almost bet the farm, that I look better naked. Its a fact you're just going to have to accept. I've been this size all my life, so my skin fits me. Poor Ricki, wears a skirt of flesh, when she's in the shower. Trust me, I watch enough plastic surgery shows to know the deal. I'm not hating (well maybe a little), but I just wanted to make sure the world knew, that without surgery, there's no way she looks good without her double extra heavy duty Lycra swimsuit on. That being said, I must give credit where credit is due. After all, if I weighed 250 lbs, I would probably swear off pants altogether, plop my fat ass onto a king sized bed, and have the TV remote embedded into my belly flesh for easy access. I have no will power. Has anyone seen my Stella Doro cookies???

Jason Schwartzman wants to put you in his suitcase

Apparently, former Phantom Planet drummer, Jason Schwartzman, who we may better know as an extremely short but funny actor in movies such as I Heart Huckabees, Rushmore, and Marie Antoinette, has launched a solo music career! Well don't that beat all! I must say, the music is not bad. I mean, he basically sounds like every other male solo artist today, trying to fit into the "alternative rock" genre.

(to jog your memory, Phantom Planet is the band that recorded the song California, which became best known as the theme song for the TV show, The OC.)

Watch the video for West Coast courtesy of AOL Music below:

Looks like Studio B is the place to BE!

I still havn't been here, but I think I need to check it out asap.

Austin City Limits 2007

What's that you say? You want to hear about more music festivals? Well alright then! This year's Austin City Limits Festival will be held September 14-16 at Zilker Park in Austin, Texas. I'm starting to think my dream career in the music industry could quite possibly be in the Lone Star State. I plan to re-shuffle my life right around September, which could make me actually attending ACL this year, a semi-strong possibility. Here are some of the bands playing (there are over 130 bands booked). Now, lets work on me getting a job that pays me to fly all over the country for festivals, shall we?

Arcade Fire at Radio City

Last night I saw Arcade Fire for the first time live at Radio City. At first I was disappointed to be up in the second mezzanine, namely because I've become somewhat of a snob when it comes to seeing shows up close, and also because I had read all over the internet that the two previous NYC shows this week, at United Palace, involved crowd participation on stage. That didn't happen at our show, however, due to tight assed security, and it turns out that there is really no bad seat in Radio City, so I enjoyed myself just fine. I didn't take these pictures though. I stole them from this person. I also missed the opening act, The National, because I was at UCB class.

The show was completely entertaining! Picture ten musicians atop a neon donned stage, running around, dancing wildly, frequently switching places and instruments, ooooooh-ing into a mega phone....it was fantastic! Although the RC crowd was not allowed onstage with the band, we participated well enough by singing the choral parts of the songs loudly and amazingly in sync and on key! Apparently there was a bit of a crowd control problem down on the main floor, but from where I was, everything seemed to be going brilliantly! I would re-think handing out glow in the dark drink stirrers to a bunch of crazy kids at a rock show again. You had to know those were gonna get tossed around.

The violinist with the short shorts and heels caught our eye, as well as the guy I dubbed "the spaz" who went back and forth between banging the shit out of a drum set on the floor at stage right, frantically shaking a tambourine like his life depended on it, tearing pages from what one would assume was a bible (Neon Bible is the title of their latest album), and at one point, we thought he might even be banging on a keyboard with a drumstick. I totally have a crush on that spaz guy now!

Overall, Arcade Fire put on a great, high-energy show, with an incredible unique sound which combines chorus like folksy vocals with a shit storm of instruments that blend to musical perfection.

Can't wait to see them again at Lollapalooza, though I'm sure the outdoor show will be another experience altogether!

Ricky Gervais Shows in NYC

Ricky Gervais's FAME tour hits NYC this month with 3 shows: 2 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center (May 17th & 18th), and 1 at the Theater at MSG (May19th). You know British Comedian, Ricky Gervais, from the UK version of The Office, and of course from Extras, on HBO.

Tickets still available!

A taste of Chinese Democracy...

You know what I'm talking about- the album Axl Rose, and his new GNR have been working on for about 10 years now. Well, its leaking slowly onto the internet as expected and you can listen to 4 tracks so far, "The Blues", "I.R.S.", "There Was A Time" (notice the acronym there), and "Chinese Democracy", via MetalSucks.net.

I think the songs are ok, but definately not blowing my skirt up. See for yourself what you think and let me know. I miss Slash....and the 90s!

Ruined music celebrated one year!

Ruinedmusic.com is a website where people can share and read stories about how certain songs have been ruined for them based on sad or disturbing life experiences. Everyone has been affected by the ruined music concept at some point in their lives, usually due to a break up, or some other equally f'd up circumstance which magically transforms a former favorite tune into the balad of your enemy. For me it's Dido, Sade, Coldplay, and the King and Queen of emotional anguish: Peter Cetera and Cher- Blech!

To celebrate their first year in operation, the operators of the website hosted a party at the Delancy last night, and although I am posting this too late for hopeful party goers, I thought I'd post it anyway to give a good website a little press.

Will Pearl Jam play the Gorge again this year?

On Sunday May 6, the Seattle Times reported the following with regard to summer concerts at the beautiful Gorge Ampthitheater:

"And hometown heroes Pearl Jam will probably do another multidate gig at the Gorge, likely selling out two, maybe three, nights."

I like what I hear! I would gladly make the trip to Washington for another round of Gorge shows!!

LCD Soundsystem plays...James Murphy & friends keep the party going!

If you're seeing LCD Soundsystem at Studio B this Saturday, you can stick around for an after party, featuring LCD's James Murphy, among others, in the DJ booth. Even if you don't plan to catch the LCD show you can still come for the after party for only $8. Now, THAT's a bargain!

Arcade Fire in NYC

Arcade Fire is back in the city this week for 3 shows with The National. Yesterday and tonight's shows are at The United Palace, and tomorrow night at Radio City, where I will be in attendance!

For tomorrow's show, The National goes on at 8pm, with Arcade Fire scheduled to take the stage at 9:15 pm. Stay tuned for my review of the show on Thursday.

Yeah, I guess I'm a little crazy....

Last night, as part of TFF, I saw a documentary film called Doubletime, directed by Stephanie Johnes, about a national jump rope competition at the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem. Let me just say that I have a new found appreciation for competitive jump roping! Seriously, these kids, from all over the world, were tremendously devoted to the sport, to each other, and to their skill. The performances were impressive, the music was awesome, the energy level was intense.....the experience was incredible overall! Competing against several teams from across the United States were several teams from Japan who flew all the way to NY to dominate the competition. I won't ruin the surprise of who took 1st place in the advanced category, but I'll just tell you that those Japanese kids kicked ass. I totally wanna be Japanese when I grow up!

The National Double Dutch League sponsors an annual Holiday Classic Competition at the Apollo, featuring an advanced fusion category which combines double dutch jump roping with dance! The product is seriously amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and I was excited to discover that there will be a double dutch exhibition, THIS SATURDAY, as part of the festival:
Tribeca Family FestivalSixth Annual Outdoor Street FairDDDD Double Dutch ExhibitionSaturday May 5th, 20071:00 PM - 4:00 PMESPN Stage at 1pm (performance)Main Stage: 3:30 pm performanceStreet Sets throughout the day New York City, NYFor more information: tribecafilmfestival.org

Late last night, after my shift at the Tribeca Film Festival, I was headed home on the subway and seated across from me was a "crazy" guy. I use the term "crazy" in quotes because there is a very broad category of "crazies" in New York City, which one may publicly encounter at any given moment. The ones I am referring to now, are the ones that are most inclined to remove their shoes in public. This fella that sat across from me last night was one such fella.

If you are to ride on the New York City subway system, you are likely to encounter a "crazy" person who displays many, if not all, of the following characteristics, which I find to be oddly uniform across genders and varying ages, races, and walks of life:

1. Prefers the two-seater at the very front or back of the subway car, directly next to the door between cars (often used to set up camp for long rides, and sometimes doubles as a make-shift bathroom)

2. Carries on a conversation with his or her self which is mostly inaudible, but appears to be of a very serious subject matter. (often his/her eyes will be closed, and emphatic hand gestures will be used to drive home important points)

3. TAKES OFF HIS OR HER SHOES for no apparent reason. (crazies will frequently be seen sniffing their shoes, and even commenting on the scent. I recently witnessed a crazy guy remove one shoe at a time, to take a huge whiff of each. Upon breathing in the aroma of the second shoe he stuck his hand out, palm faced down, then tilted it to one side then the other, giving his shoe a "so, so" assessment.)

4. Giggles avidly and then becomes very enraged immediately afterward.

5. Wears several coats in the summer time, yet complains out loud about being hot.

There are many times when I not only think of removing my shoes in public, but actually do it, for any number of reasons. Sometimes my feet feel restricted and I feel compelled to release my aching dogs for a breath of fresh air. Other times I have an itch which simply cannot be successfully subsided without removal of a shoe. My concern, now, is that I will be mistaken for a crazy person. Sometimes I laugh out loud by myself....I do like to sit alone so no one touches me, and those secluded 2-seaters are perfect for isolation...do you think people who observe this behavior perceive me to be an NYC crazy?