Tonight I had the unique opportunity to represent MEAT and wander the upper west side on a friday night.  It was a slow start.  I was with a none drinker---a very cute, funny non-drinker.  We had both just gotten off work ---side note, I work for a family and I took the head with me, and left it at the bottom of the stairs, and no one said anything, nothing.  No, hey, nice dog head, that's your, or where's you get that it's great.  My job may be in jeopardy.  

I journeyed one.  CVS clerks were incredibly pleased (however, when the the happy pill register didn't work the pharmacist said she wanted to kill some.  "I want to kill someone," seriously I though she wanted do, and was like, "please don't kill me."  She wasn't eased from here retail hell (earlier I helped them rethread their register paper, and gossiped about justin jessica, she's a bitch).  There were thankful, they didn't even see the dog head, and they loved me cause I'm awesome.  To people like us [artist], it's [dog head] is just an accessory---I've had conversations about the line this references from Gossip Girl on Face Book.  

After a lame bar (which I won't name because of influence and responsibility I clearly pretend to have) early in the evening, we, nondrinker (from here known as ND) and I, encountered a very interested friday nighter--- a very enthusiastic non-uwsdb (upper west die douche bags).  Ok, ok, so she caught on that no one was that interested or at least not showing it, "is that your commit on new york life?" (she did even say "new york life." she just wanted to know what the fuck we were about).  Dude, she was up front, but then very serious.  She cowered and whimpered a little (not really, but she was for sure something messed somewhere all up in there), puffed her cig, then stuttered, "ok, ok, so, can I ask , can I ask the obvious question"

She was interested and honestly as critical and constipated as she was she was genuinely there, critically.  She was getting it and also rebelling mentally.  Cigarettes kill, but you know what, you do your thing . . . forgot her name.  I'm usually good with names but with the head it gets blocked, but not really.  She was on something and I really liked challenging her friendlily.  .  "Is that, is that, I mean what is this, what."  she was drunk and beautiful.

"Thank you, we are having fun"

"You are the most interesting thing, I mean how could you not be interested, not look"

"oh you'd be surprised"

(ok, now)

"oh, really, really, so, is that, so, you are commenting on modern urban life.  On the lack of surprise, novelty (she didn't use that word)."

"umm, yeah, but it's for fun, mostly.  I guess you could (or would) call it nothing.  Just out for fun"

well, blah blah, 

she was totally critical, but still great. (one of best things about the head is that you don't have to answer anything ---figure out ur self mother fucker)

But some points she brought up (without asking "where'd you get that, etc"

Why do you wear this dog head:

We like fun.  And we really get off on making people laugh.  Maybe you won't understand if you haven't worn the head.  People on the street in Manhattan tend to be either amused or annoyed.  Maybe we are bringing back real art to Manhattan. . . 

People on the street.  Well, this woman brought up a good point.  we pass so much stuff, information, on a daily basis in New York City.  She recalled having her mother not recognizing her on the street when they passed.  

Are you performance art, she asked.  Good question.  I guess that may be the best description.  In my opinion beauty can be had everywhere and performance art become a balance of conservative and still distinctively a show.  A dog head is obvious, but our activities and behaviors are often mundane.  Is this a mission statement? to break away from the mundane while adhering.

I take care of a special needs child on the uws which is where I was before we went out.  I talk about Jonathan a lot and someone asked if I wore the dog head for him.  No, of course not, that's my job.  Likewise, while we are not trying to prove or promote anything except fun and theatrics (and perhaps the reoccurring idea of consumerism, of needing to be about something, to have to be seeing something, or that fun is not for free)  

I forgot what I was saying.

We have been offered small donations, which we denied.  "Thank you but that's not why we're here."  and she wasn't really offended or shocked really.

despite her moderate eastern european accent, I said "she must be from new york"

You tip for everything here and that's awesome.  But when did fun become a commodity?  And is this some how linked to positivity or positive thinking?  Optimism?  

Optimism would be find the up side of any given situation.

And yet we don't have to wait for a situation to judge.  I put on a dog head because I have one and I don't believe in wasting, and because it's fun, which I won't explain here but only ask you to come out and try, and finally because I get high from seeing people smile.