Yesterday I took advantage of early holiday leave time and did something after work I have been wanting to do for years. I went to see the inflation of the Thanksgiving Parade balloons on 81^st Street and Central Park West.

As a native New Yorker, I have never been to the actually parade and have never wanted to but from the first time I saw a photo someone took years ago (maybe my dad’s?) of the balloons on the ground being inflated at night, I had it filed it away in my head as something I always wanted to check out. It’s the surreal feeling of being so close to things so large and colorful that injected me with a shot of pure childlike awe. And it was everything I expected and more.

I was amazed at how easy it was to get to. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I got the directions from a friend/co-worker before I left and I just followed them. There were already droves of families in the train car on their way so I figured I’d just follow them.

You see the first balloon before you even emerge at the top of the subway staircase! They’re all lined up across from the Museum of Natural History. I was just….a kid. My mouth fell open several times as I uttered the word wow to myself over and over. How had I waited so long to do this? The weather was perfect, the light was perfect and warm classical holiday music was being piped through speakers for the masses. I ate it all up. I needed it. I took a bunch of photos before my phone battery died just as I got to the last balloon in the line. But it was okay. I was just so happy to do something I had wanted to do for so long and that it was so incredibly energizing and fun and that anyone in New York can do! It was just what I needed to temporarily offset the sadness and shock of violence and terror that has been rocking our world lately.

I just needed to feel a moment of pure wonder and joy, instead of fear, anger and frustration.

Despite everything, I really do love New York.

Soooooo…if it hasn’t become obvious as yet, I like Drake.

A lot.

It’s rare that people “call me on my cell phone” and leave a message but when they do they hear my recorded voicemail announcement that I’m away because I’m probably listening to a Drake song. Which is more likely than not to actually be true at least half the time.

I guess I’m more out about my Drake love on other forms of social media than I am here at Urban Eve. I did write a article on Medium where I mentioned that I like his work but the truth is I have been listening to Drake albums for damn near months now. Listening to his collaborations, listening to his stories, listening to the sounds he makes, to his values, his emotions, his rythyms, his hooks, his hang ups, his devotions, his loyalty, his shout outs, his nastiness, his cock-suredness.

I get bored easily, and I’m not sick of Drake yet.

I’ve been steadily enjoying the free three month trial of Apple music so I’ve been on a Drake joy ride for some time. I’m not saying that all I do is listen to Drake but I do buy a new song to add to my Drake playlist like every other week. Because I like the way Drake makes me feel and I know that when I want to feel a certain way, 9 times out of 10, a Drake track is gonna get me there.

There’s not very much I do in order so I can’t say that I’ve started with his first album or mixtape and worked my way forward. I’m very random. I usually just listen to my Drake Pandora station to see what comes up and then follow my instincts. I can say that of all his albums so far, most of the tracks I’ve purchased have come from “If You’re Reading This it’s Too Late.”

The general feeling I like that Drake is unabashedly known for is just a bordlerline a-hole cockiness. Not for nothing, but when Drake says Omigod, Omigod, If I die, I’m a Legend I just think to myself, what’s wrong with saying that?

Only see the truth when I’m staring in the mirror, lookin at myself like there is there…”

I mean I never thought I could ever hear someone say that and not write them off as just plain conceited. Instead, with Drake, I just take the ride.  I enjoy his lyrical dexterity and his masculine bravado and the way he’s always standing for his Woes, his team, his click, buying them malls, getting them in free and getting them “Really big rings,”How he started paying his mom’s rent when he was 17, how he puts up strippers (but they’re virgins to him) when they need a place to crash. Being the “Biggest boss” means taking on a lot of responsibility. It’s also just part of what it means to be a real man

Plus which, I have never seen such broad merchandise potential explode from a freaking rap video the way I have for “Hotline Bling.” Drake gets all in his feelings about a booty call he’s no longer recieving, effortlessly and dorkily hops around in large, multicolored glowing squares and all of a sudden the market produces inspired sweaters, t-shirts, keychains, paintings everywhere! It’s not a question of whether I am actually going to purchase a Hotline Bling Christmas ugly sweater. It’s which color will I get? LOL!

Okay, that’s enough about Drake…

Let’s play some Drake.