johnozed

A beautiful day and it’s great to wake up in a bed with clean sheets (thanks to Bill going to the laundromat for 2 hours last night). So comfortable to sleep in and Bill is so comfortable to sleep with. Things are good lately and yesterday we made a pretty good team. While Bill was laundering, I threw in the dvd of DiG!, a documentary of the rivalry between the Brian Jonestown Massacre and the Dandy Warhols. I found it harrowing and Bill came in halfway through and he loved it. I guess it was too close to home, the rock and roll debauchery thing, having spent quite a few nights partying with bands after hours at McSwells. Of course all that cleaning and moving stuff around tired us out enough that Bill only lasted the first half hour of Saturday Night Liver whereas I hung in there until the end. I enjoyed it, the SNL Digital Short was hilarious as well. Kanye West was pretty good too.

Which way to Oz?

But first a foot long hot dog!

Today was a day where I went to get bagels, but you know all about that so I won’t chew my cabbage twice. They were setting up on Washington Street for the Hoboken Art and Music Festival. They have one in the spring and one in the autumn. This years featured bands from McSwells heyday. Chris Stamey Group, Glenn Mercer (from the Feelies) The Health and Happiness Show and the headliners, the Bongos. Brother Frank and his wife Elaine made it down which was cool. Good to see them out and about and the day was excellent for all concerned, perfect weather, not too hot, not too cold, just Goldilocks.

I made it down Washington Street earlier as things were being set up around 11:00 this morning as I ran errands around town. I needed my Stevia and I was running low. I can’t do with out my Stevia here at home and I’m glad I can buy it so close to home. It’s for my coffee. Started using it around November 2005 and haven’t looked back since. And it’s full of fiber. Jeezy Creezy! I’m writing about fiber? What’s next? A review of the new flavor of Metamucil?

I made it down to the Observer Highway stage where the Chris Stamey Group was playing. Stamey used to be in the dB’s and still is sometimes. He was playing a bit of the old and a bit of the new, but the sound was really loud and there weren’t enough bodies to filter out the high ends. I stood off to the side and listened, looking at people.

Chris Stamey Group

A former cook from McSwells, Eddie and his boyfriend Pat came over to see me. I actually saw them first but waited for them to come to me. Eddie used to have a thing for me back in the day. I liked him, but not that way. Still he’s a nice guy. So is Pat, but Pat and I never had anything to say to each other, maybe because of Eddie’s unrequited feelings for me.

Glenn Mercer

Next up was Glenn Mercer who sounded good, but I saw him a year or so ago so I didn’t feel the need to listen to his whole set. Elaine, brother Frank and I wandered through the crowds, up to Tunes, the record store where Frank went in to see what was on sale. Elaine and I stood outside talking about things. Catching up, they’re going to see Brice Springsteen at the Meadowlands. Brother Frank goes back to work tomorrow. Summer’s over, back to school or rather work.

Frank and Elaine

Kathe and Chaz

People (I liked this guy’s hat)

The ghost of Compay Segundo?

We made it back to see the Health and Happiness Show fronted by my friend, Jim Mastro. His wife Meghan was there as well as my kid with Meghan, Lily and Jim and Meghan’s kid, Ruby. They sounded great. I admit back in the day when they were playing regularly I wasn’t that into them, but now it all seemed to gel together. I was in the right mindset and they really sounded great. I’d go see them again should they start playing again.

Meghan

Jim Mastro (Health & Happiness Show)

After the Health and Happiness Show, Frank and Elaine had to head back to Garfield so I walked them to their car. After saying goodbyes and see you laters, I walked back, firing up a Padron 5000 and saw the Bongos, who I used to love and saw dozens of times. That was 25 years ago. I enjoyed them but for me it was a nostalgic trip. They were fine, but not as good as the Health and Happiness Show.

The Bongos

Jim Mastro, Frank Giannini, Richard Barone and Rob Norris

I usually title each entry after a song that haunted me throughout the day, or merely pops up, or just a title that I pluck out of the ether. Tonight is a title that was misheard by Jet who went with me to a few Bongos shows. He used to hear the Bongos singing Barbarella, as Follow the Red Line. Now when I hear or think of Barbarella, I think of Follow the Red Line.

Hoboken.

Mary on a half shell

Hoboken Motor Cycle Club

the best seats

She has the light

The Funnel Cake/Butterfly Fries crowd carries on

♫ Happy Birthday to Earl!
&
Happy Birthday to Rita! ♪

Shhh! Don’t tell NBC

the video was pulled because a music sample wasn’t cleared with the publisher. doh, indeed.

SA-TUR-DAY Night! Well, it is. And I’m tired. Spent the day inside the apartment, cleaning up and throwing things out. There’s still a lot of crap, but we’ve made inroads. It was cool to be cleaning the apartment with Bill. Something we can do together, and we both benefit from it. I know, ‘Awwww’ but the price to pay is exhaustion. A zombie tonight that’s for sure. Also last night’s blog and photos page took a long time. Just writing Sa-tur-day was exhausting. That required enthusiasm and that is in limited supply. Either that or we threw it out with the other trash.

Here’s a sampling of what we listening to today.

Boz Scaggs, What Can I Say? From Silk Degrees.
I can do a pretty good Boz Scaggs impersonation I think. I should do Low Down or Lido Shuffle at a karaoke bar one of these days. I’ve never been to a karaoke bar before, have you? Let’s go, one of these days.

Ghost Walk, The Budos Band.
Got this from a download via Jockohomo, who is really good with the music tips. I find him to be an entertaining blogger and worth checking out, if only for the downloads. And he has pictures of sexy humpy men on occasion.

Maybe This Time, Natasha Richardson from The Cabaret Broadway soundtrack.
Great show stopping song, I would have loved to have seen Natasha Richardson on Broadway as Sally Bowles. I saw Jennifer Jason Leigh and she was good, but all the ushers and building staff hated her guts. I saw it for free through the Roundabout Theater Usher program, just have to wear black trousers and a white shirt.

Philadelphia Freedom, the Elton John Band
Yes I’m a friggin stickler! The original 45 was credited to the Elton John Band, the late Dee Murray, Nigel Olsson, Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper. Elton’s best band. Stupidly got rid of Dee and Nigel soon after Captain Fantastic was released. My sister saw this line up. Great pop song from my past, 1975, seventh and eighth grade. One of my desert island songs. (That’s something I’ll do someday, make a desert island disc list, he threatened). I met Davey Johnstone on a NYC street about two years ago. That was a thrill, for I was once a HUGE Elton John fan. That’s another story for another time. (he threatened)

Every Time We Say Goodbye, Betty Carter from Night & Day A Cole Porter Selection.
Recorded live at the late Bottom Line and conducted by Dave Amram, this dreamy slice of class is a perfect Sunday morning song. Annie Lennox covered it the first time I heard it so there’s a soft spot in my ear for her version, but this is sublime. And I met Dave Amram once at WFMU when he was on brother Frank’s radio program back in the day.

Love Me or Hate Me, Lady Sovereign.
This is right now the favorite song in the apartment, since I played it for Bill this afternoon. Bill loves the line, “If you love me/then thank you/if you hate me/then fuck you” That’s about it for tonight. Love me or hate me.

No Pictures! No!

Finally Friday is here. As I wrote that a commercial said, ‘It’s finally here!’ I hate it when they cop my style. Madison Avenue Bastards! Last night it was a chore to write, but I got some feedback from some of you who enjoyed my captions which made me take 91 pictures today, thinking “I’ve got to top yesterdays captions.’ This is why it’s generally a good thing not to tell me what a good job I’m doing, because I try to duplicate whatever it is the good job I am doing. Mostly it’s an unconscious thing, then when it becomes conscious I get into trouble. So where does that leave me? Craving for attention and praise and then freaking out when I finally get it.

Yesterday I had an errand to run at the end of the day, had to go to Chelsea, or was it the Flatiron district? Either way I was walking down west 21st Street, past where Danceteria used to be, past where Tramps used to be when I saw someone who looked like the girl who plays David Duchovny’s daughter Becca on Californication. I had my headphones on listening to LCD Soundsystem and the camera wasn’t ready, plus she’s just a kid. I figured it out when someone in a passing car yelled a compliment at her and she smiled while lugging her guitar. About a hundred feet after Madeline Martin came Michelle Hurd who was the black female detective on Law and Order Special Victims Unit. Once again camera wasn’t handy so you’ll have to take my word for it. I don’t think they even made it to Gawker Stalker.

Last night after struggling with the blog last night I watched the Daily Show and Colbert Report which were both quite good. The duet between Stephen Colbert and Tony Bennett was charming. Then I watched the Office which was very good. Great one hour season premiere. Everyone got some good lines in, and it promises to be an interesting season down the line. No more Rashida Jones though. That’s too bad, but Dwight and Angela were hilarious.

The I watched My Name is Earl and that was brilliant. Once again, top notch writing made sure there were a lot of funny lines for everyone. Ben Foster was on, he played Russell on Six Feet Under and from what I heard steals the movie, 3:10 to Yuma, out from under Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. He was good and borderline psychotic. Almost unrecognizable. The scenes with Joy and Earl’s brother Randy were priceless. Dummy!

I didn’t record Ugly Betty but watched it online and that was very good and funny but ultimately sad. Betty’s father is still stuck in Mexico, Amanda and Mark were brilliant with Amanda putting on the pounds after finding out that she is actually Fay Summers daughter, and possibly the daughter of Bradford Meade, Betty and her boss Daniel Meade was bittersweet and Hilda and Santos, well that’s the sad part. So much for hope.

This morning on my way to work, I made a point of swinging through Rockefeller Center where the Boss, err…Bruce Springsteen was playing live backed by the E Street Band. It was crazy crowded and I didn’t linger like I had a couple of years ago, seeing Ringo Starr playing in Bryant Park. I did have the camera ready as Bruce and company started sound checking to The Promised Land. I knew I’d have a chance to see it on TV when I got to the office and of course, he was excellent and had the crowd in the palm of his hand. There was one guy in the audience who they focused on, a black dude who knew every word to the Promised Land it seemed and the camera went to his face as he sang along with Bruce, ‘Mister I ain’t a boy, no I’m a man/and I believe in the Promised Land’. The dude was very emotional and in the moment. If you recorded it like I should have you’ll see him.

Well this was a lot easier than yesterday. Turtle Bay has quieted down somewhat, not the heavy police presence as earlier in the week and the bodyguards have slimmed down and taken to wearing off the rack suits from an ersatz Men’s Wearhouse. There was a demonstration by the United Nations for Burma (formerly Myanmar, formerly Burma), that’s a mess over there. Led by a brutal military regime, the government has shut down access to the Internet as well as text messaging and sending pictures from cellphones. Black Water killed more civilians in Iraq, and the report is backed up by the Iraqi police. Black Water had no comment. Cheney and Bush should pick up big dividends once they get out of the Whore House.

I was approached by a representatives from the Human Rights Coalition, a group that I occasionally give money to. As the guy started his pitch, I told him I knew about the HRC and my support and I was gay. He thanked me and told me that he was gay too. I said, ‘Yeah, I thought you looked familiar’. They laughed and I walked away.

And now, pics. Somehow I took 91 of them.
♫You’ll only see a portion or a slice, slightly warm, but very very nice. ♪

Max and Bruce’s forehead

‘It’s not a tie, it’s an albatross’

“No, down here…”

Bootay on a bike

“…and it’s Grey Suit in the front…followed by Euro Tourist with Richard Griffiths bringing up the rear….”

“..What’s he wearing? Ball cap, olive tshirt, carpenters pants, work boots….he’s 29, versatile…”

I figured if I stood in front of this window looking forlorn, someone would buy me this suit.

There’s a few more pics. I’ll be posting others in the Photos page. Please check them out.

So happy it’s Thursday. I like that acronym. And I am thankful to Thor for it is his day, in his chariot pulled by goats, son of one eyed Odin, half brother of Loki. You can thank or blame Marvel Comics for that. I’ve always loved mythology but I admit my bias towards the Mediterranean gods, Greek, Roman and Judeo Christian. Greek and Roman myths are more interesting to me at least, and that may be from over exposure to the Judeo Christian myths. Today has been a relatively calmer day, politics wise personally. Not fired up like yesterday, then again I hadn’t read the papers online in depth.

Last night, was chill out time again. Watched Ric Burns series on World War 2 on PBS. I keep missing the first hour since it’s on the same time as the Daily Show and the Colbert Report and both last night were really great broadcasts. I’ve noticed Fuck Snooze is going to run a show to start beating the drums of war louder for Iran. According to the commercial, they have sleeper cells here in the states. Plans to use Iraq as a base for an attack on Iran. Where will the money come from? And where will the personnel come from? Such a mess.

After Ric Burns, there was more WW2 only this time was focused on New Yorkers. By that time I was a zombie and it was just background noise with voices from Canarsie, Sheepshead Bay. Classic old time New York voices. Apparently when I’m not arguing about the war, I’m watching newsreel footage from over 60 years ago. The world’s a mess. It’s always been a mess. Now it’s really a big mess that will require a lot of cleaning up. That’s putting it nicely.

Work was ok today. Vivek, Tom Chin and Desi Gandoo flew down to Orlando for the day. That’s the flight I booked yesterday. Landed this morning and they should be back tonight, around 9:00 in Newark. The office was quiet. Going through resumes, only a trickle. Trying to go alternate routes rather than to go through an agency. Trying to save some money for the company. My eye, is on the bottom line. Sent a general email to various friends, got a couple of replies. Dreading having to interview someone, but then again I’m sure I can find some interview pointers online somewhere.

The part of midtown where I work, Turtle Bay, has calmed down considerable Ahmenijhad and Bush both left town taking their big muscular security forces with them. So there weren’t as many to take pictures of. I can’t believe the responses I got from my comment last night about fashion photography. It was definitely eye opening, and makes me consider different options, so for that I thank you all. That’s basically it for tonight. Just going to watch Ugly Betty, My Name is Earl, and The Office, all season premieres. I’ll more than likely comment on that tomorrow. I’m tired. Good night and Good Luck.

Oh yeah, some pics. Only a few though.

Nice suit. His glasses had no sides, they just perched on his nose!

Very hot, but had 3 tear drops tattooed by his eye….

“Yeah. Teardrops. Three of them…”

“So, you live around here…?”

“Three teardrops?”

Fin

Middle of the week. The humpiest of days. Feeling pretty good though now I’m fired up. Had an online chat with Juan about the MoveOn.org advertisement regarding General Petraeus. He thinks MoveOn went to far, and basically I think they did just fine. The facts were all there in the text, but people couldn’t get past the headline. Too many confounding words? The ad didn’t bother me one bit and my belief was reinforced when I read the text. It’s all there, MoveOn poking holes in the administrations lies, but people don’t want to see it. This general, put in front of Congress by the administration gets slammed and everyone is up in arms. It’s bullshit. It’s a distraction, soldiers are still being maimed and killed and my congressman Albio Sires voted to condemn the advertisement. Bush, Cheney, Powell lie to the country, lie to the world and there is no condemnation. One advertisement and it’s boo hoo. The left are so mean! Ann Coulter can say whatever she wants and she gets a pass. 3.2 million members of MoveOn do something and fucking democrats get into bed with republicans condemning the advertisement. Juan had a point of the left stooping to the level of the right, but after years of being pushed around by the right and their lies, I think it was the correct thing to do. If I’m like this now, how will I be a year from now? And not for nothing, the chimp in charge has set this whole situation up so that the democrats will have to reinstate a draft for this fiasco. I really hope I’m wrong

Work was ok. Some running around. Had to get my nephew Earl a birthday card and an iTunes gift card. He’s a great kid and deserves a lot, though I don’t live with him and couldn’t tell you if Annemarie and Rex would agree. I do remember when I was 17. I learned the truth at 17, that love was meant for beauty queens. Difficult times for all concerned but not constantly difficult. Life is still pretty sweet when you’re 17 and a beauty queen, but not if you’re merely a queen, trust me. At least it wasn’t in 1979.

Took a walk around again at lunch time and once again took a lot of pics. You think there were a lot yesterday, well I didn’t post them all. Also posted a few times at the Daily News website and almost got flamed by tedirene. It was all about Bill O’Reilly. I actually sort of defended him by stating his comments sounded like someone who’s only contact with black people and contact is through television and that there were a lot of people like that. I was one of the many I admit. Black people weren’t demons per se, but regarded as inferior when I was growing up. Racist neighbors, occasional use of the dreaded N word around the house, along with faggot and queer. My first ‘real’ contact with black people was when I was working at HBJ and eventually became great friends with Jet who was black. So basically I was ignorant. I even asked Jet a few ignorant questions about black people who had no answer and educated me on how ignorant I could be. At least I asked, looked like an idiot doing so, but I found out.

That’s about it. Daily Show from last night is on now, and the first 8 minutes are brilliant. Eff that, the whole show is BRILLIANT.

Here’s some pics, so shaddup.
No more Taj Mahal, now it’s DeliverNow

This cutie knew I was taking his picture

This one didn’t

Outside the Waldorf Astoria where Bush was staying

“OMG! I almost wore the same thing!”

“OMG! I almost wore the same thing!”

These guys were HOT. Woof!

He was handsome

John Ozed almost wore the same thing

Black Panthers!
OMG! We DID wear the same thing!

Cigar Smoker (secret handshake with accompanying cough not pictured)

Thinking about what to wear tomorrow

“So, what are you going to wear tomorrow?”

I think I should be a male fashion photographer. Whaddaya say?

Tuesday again. Blah blah blah. Spent the night solo again, no Ciara in the house. Who is Ciara? You got me. Just a name snapped out of the ether I suppose. I watched The new show, Chuck, last night and I liked it somewhat. Good premise, would have been better if the guy was totally clueless though, instead of a glimpse of Chuck being on the edge of finding things out. I guess they will stretch that out for the rest of the season. Most of the scenes from the commercials for Chuck were on the first episode so perhaps they have their work cut out for them.

Heroes came on after that and that was pretty good. The episode takes place four months later after the season finale which makes sense since it was basically four months ago. The show was briefly interrupted by Harpy playing the role of angry drunk. That was cute for about a minute, but I wanted to watch the show. Harpy has a blog. Maybe he should write his rants there. Harpy is usually a happy drunk and seemed annoyed that I wanted to watch Heroes rather than listen to his slurring. But I still loves me my Harpy. Plus he’s a dynamite editor and Heroes was pretty good. Hayden Panettiere is going to be a big star I bet, Milo Ventimiglia has gotten hotter even though he was only in the last five minutes and the mind reading cop is still cute.

After that it was an easy slide into Weeds which was of course great. I love all the characters on the show and I think Mary Kate Olsen is doing a pretty good job as the pothead saving her vaginal virginity for the man she will marry someday. Like lot’s of girls, oral sex doesn’t count as sex. As long as the hymen is intact all is good and she can still wear white on her wedding day. Interesting sexual tension between Nancy, played by the excellent Mary Louise Parker and the Latino gang banger who wanted his heroin back. He was nasty hot.

Then it was Californication with David Duchovny. I like the show more with each episode, good stories mainly, though the subplot with the bald guy and his secretary and his wife was a bit thin. With Duchovny I can take him or leave him. He does work well with strong women though. Hey keep playing the line from the first episode where he’s dreaming about being in a church with a black Jesus on the cross, where he goes, ‘High Five’ to the crucifix. Tacky and forced it was.

After that it was the dreadful mundane news, and since Otis Livingstone was not giving out the sports report I went to bed. Slept well, woke up and went to work. The bus was running late and that made me a bit late. Still I was the first one in the office. I did walk past the hotels where the diplomats and heads of state were staying and surreptitiously took some pics of them. The guards weren’t as big and beefy as yesterday but still a few of them looked good in their suits and ties and wires going into their ears.

Work was ok, still getting busy which is fine by me. Had to book a flight, hang some photographs and other sundry tasks that I juggle most every day. Had a salad for lunch and then walked around midtown taking pictures of protesters, police and various groups around Turtle Bay. When I came back, Carla the receptionist cornered me and handed me her letter of resignation. She got a job at Foot Locker. Not the store, but the corporate offices. Carla graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology and wanted a job with a clothing manufacturer and Foot Locker made an offer. I doubt it will be like working where she is now, with me but it’s her life, her choice and I wish her the very best. Now I have to find a replacement by October 10. If you know someone, contact me pronto!

Got my Arcade Fire/LCD Soundsystem/Blonde Redhead/Les Savy Fav tickets for October 6 at Randal Island and while I spoke to brother Frank on the phone today, it seemed like he might be up for the show which would be cool.
The chimp in charge’s motorcade sped past my building. Ronald Reagan drove by my parents house in the early eighties, which makes me think these idiot commanders in chief are practicing a drive by on me.

And now quite a few pics.

Insecurity details

Outside where Bush is staying

where Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is staying

Falun Gong

Police Line Do Not Cro

The motorcade sped on

Hardcore Security

Dapper Gent

The return of the Taj Mahal in Bryant Park

Work it, Girls!

Chicks on the loose

Guys smoking cigars

Blurry cutie

Stage Door

Garage Door

The End