I love recognition for my work and friendships that others pay for, like going on the field for batting practice
In my clubbing days over a quarter-century ago, I used to have to work to meet people to get into cool clubs and VIP rooms. I went for the music and dancing, but New York City clubs are like status sorting machines. At first I didn’t know many people, but over the years I met and befriended club owners, DJs, staff, and friends of all these people. They could bring me to VIP areas, behind the booth, and so on.
Cash could get you past most velvet ropes and closed doors. I saw cash as a crass way to show status, or rather to fake it.
When I showed my art at Crobar when it was the biggest club in the city, being a resident artist gave me status. Each time I showed new art, I’d get a list as long as I wanted for people I invited to get in without waiting in line or paying. I showed new art a few times a year. The club also gave me a bottle-service table without charge.
Meanwhile, the bottle-service tables next to mine were populated usually by finance people who paid thousands of dollars per night for what the club gave me. I love when my talents, hard work, or friendships lead people with high status, access, or some other valuable but scarce resource to share those things that others pay a lot of cash for with me, so the exchange is friendly and mutually beneficial, not transactional or based in cash.
Last Sunday, July 20th, podcast guest, friend, and pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds Brent Suter played the Mets. He arranged for me to get access onto the field for batting practice before the game started. I brought my two nieces and sister, seen in the picture below.
On top of going on the field myself, I love being the favorite uncle. You better believe I’m going to show off pictures and a video of me sharing the status Brent shared with me.
Here we are with Brent:
Here’s a movie panorama of the field while they’re still setting up the pitcher’s mound and bases:
More pictures of us in the park, in case you haven’t seen enough already. The last picture is the view from our seats, pretty close to the field.
Brent pitched that game. Here are some pictures of him pitching:
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