Time for day 6 of the Fabulous 40 NYC Birthday Trip recap.

Started out with breakfast again, and a nice older couple realized there were people waiting for a table, so they asked (more motioned) if they could sit at mine so they didn’t take up another one. I said motioned, because they didn’t speak English, so while it was nice to be able to share a table, we couldn’t make small talk.

Then it was off to walk a few blocks to the Intrepid – Sea, Air, and Space museum. I had to get there before it opened because I bought a tour of it that was an hour before it opened to the public. It was a wonderful tour and nice to have it before it opened to the general public. It was great getting an overview of the museum and the history behind the aircraft carrier before exploring on my own. There is a lot of info there and things to see. I then had a Space Tour that talked about the space program before going to see the Enterprise Orbiter. Was great hearing the history of everything and seeing a real life orbiter (not a shuttle, as the term shuttle is really used to describe the orbiter and the fuel modules together). While the Enterprise never flew in space as it was the test orbiter, it was cool because it was the Enterprise. The tour was great and I was the only one on it except for 2 other employees who were learning information for their jobs. I continued exploring and listened to a presentation on Mars from the same guy who gave my Space Tour – he is really knowledgeable. I of course got emotional at times because of lives lost on the Intrepid during war. I must say – war is awful for all people involved, you’d think we’d eventually learn and stop it. I toured the museum right up until it closed. Glad I got the extra hour with the early tour.

Back to the hotel and time for a quick change and find a place for dinner. Found a nice little place again that had good food and not very busy. The waiter wasn’t too attentive, but was still decent and quick service. Had a wonderful apple pie/cobbler/crisp thing for dessert.

Then it was to play #7 – Afterglow. This was my “edgy” show to see. I wanted to make sure to catch something a bit different and that I probably would never see anywhere else. This was about a married gay couple who have sex with a 3rd person. Long story short, one of the couple falls in love with the 3rd person, while still loving his husband, and then the play deals with how they react and handle it. Makes you think a lot about love, sex, relationships, and how they all fit together – or don’t. Although, it is a show that leaves you wondering how it goes on in the future, as basically the 3 characters are all apart at the end. This of course left my mind racing with thoughts of any possible relationship I might ever get into, and what am I really looking for, am I willing to do work to make a relationship work, am I prepared for the heartache and pain that comes from an ending relationship, etc. Also, it was edgy because it has full male nudity in it. While the play typically tends to be first known for that, it is just a way of telling the story, and after awhile you tend not to even think twice about it. I’m glad I went and it was a really good show.

Then I stopped by my room for a quick part change of clothes, and onto the MTA to go to the Staten Island Ferry for a ride there and back. Since it is free, it is a nice tourist thing to do because you get to see New York and cities in New Jersey from a distance. I did cry and pray when I saw the Statue of Liberty as I keep thinking of The New Colossus (Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free) and the state our country is in with how we treat people. It was a perfect night for it – just cool enough to feel nice and the breeze from moving on the boat. Perfect weather and beautiful sights.

Then back on the MTA to my hotel and call it a night.

My closing random thoughts.

While I love learning things at museums and other places, it can be depressing. Since the more I learn the more I realize how very little I know and how much there is still to learn.

On the MTA I learned that it is Houston St. not Houston, but Houston. Oh – crap – writing it out doesn’t help! It is How-Stun, not Hu-Stun. Sort of like Charlotte vs. Charlotte!

I would have liked to been here for Pride weekend, not so much for the parade or a festival, but because MoMath has a special event! If you want me to go to pride/gay events, have things at a math place is the way to get my interest!

Time for a quick sleep before another, and last, packed full day with a variety of places to see and one more play!