And...we're back.

Unemployment, Day 18.
...Well, actually, if you count business days, it's only Day 12. And that's not so bad, right? I mean, a guy needs some time to get his bearings, adjust to a new sleeping pattern, file for unemployment, etc.

A recent observation- Here in Ft. Greene, the gentrification has been slow but steady over the past couple of years. Without saying whether or not I think this is a good thing or a great thing, I think I've indentified the most accurate- and unexpected- indicator of gentrification: the tennis courts. Over in Ft. Greene Park, I play tennis almost every day. Anyone playing there is supposed to have a permit, but I've been playing two years without one. Anyway, the permits cost over $100 dollars. Last year, there was almost never any sort of Parks official checking for permits, at least during the weekdays, and I could just go play anytime I wanted to. Now, 14 months later, even on the weekdays there are long waits for tennis courts, and at least one Parks person is there all the time, checking permits and assigning court times. Basically, the courts are swarming with all sorts of players of various ethnic varieties, body types, and skill levels. But just about everyone is decidely upper middle class. You'd have to be to pay that much just to play tennis. While I am all for the conversion of the neighborhood toward the upper middle class, this is quite an unexpected and unpleasant side effect. I'm beginning to fear that next year I may actually have to dish out the 100 bones to play tennis like everyone else.