days of awe/I love fall

1) A flaming tin of boot polish is one of the most beautiful things in the world.

2) I just got back from a nice long walk with Critter to the dogrun over in Morningside. On the way over I made friends with this West Indian man named Sunshine, who chatted with me about all sorts of stuff but was also kind of flirting with me. It took me a minute, but I was like, Ohhhh, he thinks...Oh.

I am training my self not to care, you know? Focus on the positive effects of méconnaisance, like strange joyful interactions with neighborhood men who don't know I'm a boy. (I mean, not like I'm always misread by everyone, but it happens, like at the 124th st deli. For a while, oh blissful ignorance, I just thought the guy behind the counter was fearless about flirting with boys. Oops.) Speaking of blissful ignorance, I am also trying to give myself the benefit of the doubt in situations where I can't tell-- like at the dog run, with this beautiful hazel-eyed kinda straight-acting guy with a little dog named Bucket.

3) So, trying not to care, but also, in true Gemini fashion, oscillating back and forth regarding wanting to shoot T again. Baaack, and forth. Wanting to feel my voice thickening in my throat again.

4) Time for a bathroom haircut.

before and after (boots)

Once upon a time I found a pair of beautiful cordovan Chelsea boots at Beacon's Closet- you know, the ones that were two or three sizes too big but nothing some insoles and heel cups can't fix? Well, I went out getting lost wandering one night and it started to rain. Lo and behold, the beautiful cordovan leather started peeling and cracking. I didn't know what to do.

I fixed them today by saddle-soaping them up, applying thin coats of melted polish into the cracks, polishing them and smearing in some protectant for good measure:
( before )

and ( after )

They look much better, though obviously the cracking/peeling hasn't been fixed. If any of you guys know how to prevent it from getting worse-- or looking better in the meantime-- please let me know. Otherwise, just admire my decent repair job!

(PS- that crappy haze in the first picture is from the silicone waterproofer I'd used-- which I think I'll hold off on with these boots)