Tag Archives: Chelsea

If I Had No Loot

Today is Friday, May 8, 2008. It’s official. There’s no two ways about it. Maybe somewhere else it’s Saturday, but right now it’s Friday. I didn’t go to work today. I took a day off.

I did check my email a few times as well as checking my voice mail. Apparently I didn’t miss anything. Just checked, I really didn’t miss anything.

Last night was mellow. Roger Johansen texted me, telling me he had an extra ticket to see Mike Watt at McSwells. But I was basically in for the night. Too lazy to go out even though it would probably be a good show and also good to see Roger.

No not for me, at least last night.

I was content to just stay in and relax. Bill came home a little before 10:00 and we had a lot of laughs. We then watched Southland which we’re both enjoying. I’m liking it more than I expected to. Still, a shiny object could easily divert my attention.

I stayed up and watched the Simpsons again. Woke up as Bill was getting ready to go to work. I just had to go to the bathroom and when I went back to bed, Bill was at the ready, all set to tuck me in before he left the apartment.

That was sweet.

I slept for another hour then got up and showered and made some coffee. Did some laundry and read the news online. Yes I am contributing to the death of the newspaper. I still buy them on weekends so that has to be some form of contrition.

I also ran some errands to the dry cleaners, the coffee shop for more coffee. Jeff wasn’t there. I was hoping to ask him if he moved into his new apartment, which is across from my kitchen window, on Willow Street.

I was actually hoping for a review of my Prancing Pantomime Pony routine that most anyone looking in my kitchen window could catch several times a day.

Tonight I’m going to see Wolverine with Bill and an old friend of his, Fred. We’re supposed to meet at a Mexican restaurant in Chelsea at 7:15 then catch the 9:30 show nearby. I enjoyed the X-Men movies, but the last one was a bit lame.

I also used to read the comic book faithfully, specifically after the rebirth, which introduced Wolverine. So I do have an interest in this one.

Plus, Hugh Jackman.

Tonight is all Bill’s planning and he’s good at that sort of thing. All I have to do is show up. That means I should leave here in around 45 minutes. Haven’t had Mexican food in a while, and I do like Mexican food.

More Cal-Mex than Tex-Mex though.

I’m happy to be out of the apartment, even though I did walk around Hoboken a couple of times today. Lot’s of people were out, it was a good day to take off. And hopefully the weather will continue to be pleasant.

It would make for a nice night in Manhattan, specifically Chelsea.

Here’s a pic from my travels around Hoboken this afternoon.

hob-photo-0134

Empty Landscape

Well today is quite cold. Last night was when the temperature started to drop. I was safe and sound in the apartment. Watched O & RM, then the Daily Show which had Darryl Hall and John Oates on the show backed with T Bone Wolk on acoustic bass singing a song about Allen Colmes leaving Hannity & Colmes, sung to the tune of She’s Gone. Very funny, Jon Stewart looked genuinely thrilled to have them there.

They were followed by my ersatz doppleganger Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I don’t care what anyone says, I do not look like him. He’s a good actor, that’s a given, but he’s a lot rounder in the midsection than I am despite Vivek mentioning my gut the other day at work.

Yeah I’m a bit sensitive about that.

A few years ago when Bill and I started going out, we went to the Lure in the Meatpacking district, (before it became boutique central) for some sort of party. Lot’s of heavyset guys there, some were pretty fat I thought to myself, when Bill walks up and tells me all these guys reminded him of me.

My first thought- he’s saying that I was fat. That’s what I was thinking while mingling around the heavyweight set. I was horrified, and Bill was totally innocent since he had no idea what I was thinking. I still chuckle about that years later.

After the Daily Show I watched The Colbert Report, once again very funny. He has Michael Phelps on and it was a very funny interview.

I also watched the Office which was surprisingly downbeat. It had some funny moments but overall it was one of their odder episodes. 30 Rock was way funnier with Elaine Stritch playing Alec Baldwin’s mother.

After that I went to bed around 1:00AM. Woke up around 8:30, got bagels and whatnot. Saw Julio, Stine and Kal-El for a little while. They were getting ready to go out and I was getting hungry. Had a nice breakfast, read the news and did some laundry, all finished by 11:00.

Watched It Came From Beneath the Sea, a 1950’s sci-fi movie about a giant octopus that attacks San Francisco. I saw it a few times in my childhood. Never really heard a certain line from the movie until today when one male character says to another about how today’s woman (in the 1950’s) isn’t afraid and is quite courageous, and able to do a lot of things men can do. Of course this is said right before the octopus attacks the Golden Gate Bridge so it was quickly forgotten.

I decided to head into the city and check out some art galleries. I waited for the bus and I ran into Meghan Taylor Mastro with her daughter Ruby who has sprouted up quite a bit since I last saw her during the summer. Quick plans to meet up when Ann Louise Boyles comes to the area next week.

I decided on Chelsea since there’s a lot of galleries all within walking distance. I started out at the Cindy Sherman show but I wasn’t too impressed. I guess I have to be in the mood for her.

I was impressed by Eric Fischl’s sculpture show. That was very good and very powerful. A few more shows which were ranging from fun to okay. I do enjoy art when it makes me laugh or smile.

I called up Rita after leaving the Eric Fischl show remembering she liked him way back when. Just a quick word telling her to check out the show before it closes this Friday. If she’s into it, maybe I’ll leave work early on Friday and we can check it out.

After that I had a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero that I had extinguished before heading into the galleries. Walked over to the Path and started reading last week’s New Yorker.

Walking up Washington Street I noticed about 30 Santa’s heading downtown. Apparently it’s Dress As Santa day and lot’s of guys were in the pubs and bars dressed like Kris Kringle with their girlfriends dressed as Mrs. Claus or elves and reindeer.

It reminded me of dreams that I used to have when I was actually killed by Santa Claus. Basically the dream was with me playing in my parent’s driveway and looking up to see his sleigh landing on top of me much like the house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East in The Wizard of Oz. It was one of those dreams that I used to have frequently when I was growing up.

Other dreams featured a large box, designed as a book that my mother used to have photographs in. In that dream I was told never to open that book/box but of course I did, unleashing a river of blood that Jesus would surf on, never helping me as I drowned.

It was the same Jesus who’s picture hung on the wall above my parents bed next to a picture of his mother Mary, both with their sacred hearts out of their chests.

Then there was the Black Ghost, a shroud reminiscent of the ghost of Christmas Future from a Christmas Carol. The Black Ghost would appear down the block in front of the Crist’s house and summon me towards him despite my resistance.

Then we would go flying over Lodi. In retrospect, the Black Ghost treated me better than Jesus or Santa.

There was also the Red Devil (who looked like the bad guy/wolf from Underdog) who used to make hot dogs in my backyard and threatened me with eternal damnation.

The Black Ghost and Red Devil eventually faded away when I had a dream in which I overheard my sister Annemarie and my brother Brian discussing who was going to be the Black Ghost and who was going to be the Red Devil that night.

I took a few pics this afternoon, but being on Bill’s Mac I can’t upload them. I’ll try later in the week.

Right now, It’s A Wonderful Life is on in the other room. I can hear Old Man Gower wailing on George’s ear. Ouch! ‘Please Mr. Gower, I know you’re sad, it’s not your fault’ Smack! Smack! ‘Don’t hit my sore ear again!’