sorry but i think any kind of hustling on the trains is an assault on the senses and the last thing i need on a train after a hard day are the boom box guys blasting music and break dances in my face! back to the streets please! as for the writer of the article try spending at least two hours a day of your life on the subway for the last fifty years before you say how exciting things are down in the underground! no doubt you are not a native new yorker!
1
I don't believe the writer was expressing excitement or even enjoyment of the performance. Rather, he was describing a slice of NYC life and he managed to capture the humanity of a diverse group of strangers.
10
Dear Gruntled,
I've never submitted a Metropolitan Diary entry to be approved for publication, but I would expect that those authors who are published consider it an honor to have Freddie commemorate their experience in one of his brilliant song parodies. Far from "co-opting" or detracting from their writing, his songs give an added dimension of enjoyment to each entry and help us experience them on a different level. He never fails to brighten my day.
I've never submitted a Metropolitan Diary entry to be approved for publication, but I would expect that those authors who are published consider it an honor to have Freddie commemorate their experience in one of his brilliant song parodies. Far from "co-opting" or detracting from their writing, his songs give an added dimension of enjoyment to each entry and help us experience them on a different level. He never fails to brighten my day.
18
Dear Gruntled,
I enjoy Freddie's contributions as I am sure many others do also. Parody, irony and sarcasm are particular New York usages,long may they continue.
I enjoy Freddie's contributions as I am sure many others do also. Parody, irony and sarcasm are particular New York usages,long may they continue.
19
Jeremy, good job!
and *great* job, observing & understanding the kids.
and *great* job, observing & understanding the kids.
6
Neither the buskers nor the peddlers belong on the train. They just make a hot day worse. Glad this story happened long ago.
2
This dear diary was a good read.
6
gruntled - Please take a look at the bottom of page A15 of the print edition presentation of the Diary. If you do that and still think Mr. Glowacki has had anything taken away from the presentation of his story, then... well, anyway, I'll be speechless.
8
You painted a fabulous Norman Rockwell style picture with words. A moment of life in NYC with all the participants fully animated Thank you!
13
The posting below was made at 7:18am July 2 in response to this newspaper's re-appraised approach to comments. That an individual is allowed to continue his unbridled co-optings is remarkable.
"The moderators certainly have their work cut out for them, but perhaps the rules of 'commenting' should be altered.
"Too often I wonder the non-rhetorical question: 'when is a comment not a comment?' It is, in my opinion, when a particular commenter seizes a writer's work, and 'comments' in the form of belabored, attempted parody. This occurs in the daily 'Metropolitan Diary' where one individual seems to lie in wait at 8:15pm the previous night to be the first to remark on a writer's hard-won acceptance (by the New York Times) of a diary submission. The 'parody,' if it can be called that, is nothing more than a narcissistic attempt to siphon off comments from the original work to bring praise, and comments, to his own. It is tactic obnoxious, disrespectful, and rude.
"Moderators, please! Be aware of this and stop this awful invasion."
Please note the time of the commenter's post.
And to Jeremy Glowacki, nice piece of work.
"The moderators certainly have their work cut out for them, but perhaps the rules of 'commenting' should be altered.
"Too often I wonder the non-rhetorical question: 'when is a comment not a comment?' It is, in my opinion, when a particular commenter seizes a writer's work, and 'comments' in the form of belabored, attempted parody. This occurs in the daily 'Metropolitan Diary' where one individual seems to lie in wait at 8:15pm the previous night to be the first to remark on a writer's hard-won acceptance (by the New York Times) of a diary submission. The 'parody,' if it can be called that, is nothing more than a narcissistic attempt to siphon off comments from the original work to bring praise, and comments, to his own. It is tactic obnoxious, disrespectful, and rude.
"Moderators, please! Be aware of this and stop this awful invasion."
Please note the time of the commenter's post.
And to Jeremy Glowacki, nice piece of work.
34
Great piece by Mr. Glowacki! I don't know who to feel sorrier for, the audience or the buskers.
Not sure I'd classify Freddie's work as co-opting (I think that was the intended meaning of the quoted remarks). They are more in the vein of tributes.
Responses can take many forms. Some people praise, some complain, some sing and some grunt. Some people try to capture the aspects they like about a piece in verse. There is an art to this; it may be even better classified as ‘literary criticism and analysis in verse form.’ It can help a reader unlock a work of writing that might have missed them on the first read.
Not sure I'd classify Freddie's work as co-opting (I think that was the intended meaning of the quoted remarks). They are more in the vein of tributes.
Responses can take many forms. Some people praise, some complain, some sing and some grunt. Some people try to capture the aspects they like about a piece in verse. There is an art to this; it may be even better classified as ‘literary criticism and analysis in verse form.’ It can help a reader unlock a work of writing that might have missed them on the first read.
10
Paul - thanks for that, and yes, that's how I mean them!
As my mom said when I told her what was going on: Co-opt, rental, what's the difference, as long as everyone gets along.
As my mom said when I told her what was going on: Co-opt, rental, what's the difference, as long as everyone gets along.
9
Interesting perspective ... I always enjoy the musical restatement of the story ... and see it as affirming the contributor's experience... not taking away from it ...
8
Wonderfully vivid. I feel like I’ve been there with buskers like these. But so well told, I could almost feel the cool breeze from the fan at the end!
Tune of “Don’t Put Your Daughter on the Stage, Mrs. Worthington”
Don’t let your children on the train, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t let your children on the train
The 6 is overcrowded
We are plotzing from the heat
The last thing we need
Is a stampede
Who all have two left feet.
Yes they have nice smiles, to give the awkward kids their due
But don’t you think the kids are too,
Er, tired to entertain
Say you won’t, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t let your children on the train
Tune of “Don’t Put Your Daughter on the Stage, Mrs. Worthington”
Don’t let your children on the train, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t let your children on the train
The 6 is overcrowded
We are plotzing from the heat
The last thing we need
Is a stampede
Who all have two left feet.
Yes they have nice smiles, to give the awkward kids their due
But don’t you think the kids are too,
Er, tired to entertain
Say you won’t, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t, Mrs. Worthington
Don’t let your children on the train
38
Oh, how I love a good song parody!
9
Keep writing
7
me, too
:)
hi!
:)
hi!
2