In New York for the last four days for meetings. Tons of meetings. Spent some time looking at apartments on Sunday. You cannot believe the small quarters that people live in in New York. It is truly unbelievable if you live in any other city what people pay for a 600 square foot box. A lot of people find this very frustrating because they rent and regret every month of it. I just chose instead to process it as exciting, opting instead to purchase rather than rent even for a month. When I see these little shacks that people pay at the very least $2000 a month for I see dollar signs. You just can’t believe what people are paying for a one room apt in New York. It would never happen in any other city. So rent? Fuck no. not a chance. Buy. And if you hate it and have to move, just keep it forever and rent it out.

Being in New York this weekend I was filled with excitement and energy. Although I was plagued by constant vertigo due to the insane driving of the cab drivers. I was popping Dramamine every four hours. The cabbies are crazy. I'm talking to my mom one night about it. she says, “you know your like the tenth person who has told me that lately. It seems that everyone is getting dizzy lately due to the planetary shifts that have been happening.... [my mom is kind of lets say... new agey to say the least...] I'm like, mom I don't know about any planetary shifts but I do know that I am dizzy as hell the last few months and I can’t figure it out. Last week I was so dizzy for two days that I couldn’t get out of bed. We cancelled two shows. I'm not kidding. It's crazy. Seriously. I hope there really were planetary shifts because that would give me a reason for this insanity. There is just nothing as excruciating as being dizzy all the time.

At dinner on Friday with the president of this publishing house, I had to excuse myself right in the middle of the conversation. I seriously just tried to keep myself from throwing up all over my plate, looked the guy straight in the eye and said, “Uh, I'm really sorry, but I have to go outside and get some fresh air. I'm not sure when I'll be back...” excused myself and bolted for the door. Just walked the city streets trying to get my balance back. the cool thing is that we still got the deal. The guy ended up paying the bill, following me out, and walking with me sixty blocks back to my hotel because I refused to get into another cab. So we ended up having a really good meeting walking for two hours. He must have thought I was one crazy fuck. Luckily I'm pretty tame compared to most rock singers. [has anyone been following the antics of Courtney love as of late?]

Take everything that you love about yourself and everything that drives you crazy about other people... there in New York you will find 5 million other people who feel the same way you do... for me at least. I don't know what it is, but it is as if everyone who is friendly intelligent artistic cultured cool and intellectual just migrates there, like they have to... some inner voice tells them 'go to New York now...' and there they find a bunch of people who feel the same way as they do.

There is still a little bit of that old school New York vibe left like back in the eighties and nineties.... but it is disappearing fast unfortunately. But what it is being replaced by is a very fast-paced but somehow relaxing vortex of like-minded people from all over the world who are smart, educated, fast-moving, quick-thinking, motivated, inspired, very friendly, knowledgeable, no-bs kind of folks. Its inspiring.

The older I get the harder it is for me to live anywhere else full-time knowing that New York exists, even though it is a hard place to live: loud, concrete, very small cramped quarters, crowds everywhere... but that is the price you pay for access... access. The ultimate access.

Last screening: the eternal sunshine of the spotless mind. I haven't seen a movie this brilliant in a long long time. this is his masterpiece. If there is one movie to see, this was it.

Current Spin: and in more good news, the album of the month, perhaps the year, The Grey Album. A strange underground hybrid of the Beatles white album and Jay Z’s black album. Pure awesomeness.