Posts Tagged ‘Cigar’

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Bummed Out City

Sunday, August 9th, 2009

Yeah, It’s been one of those days. I should have stayed in bed until the afternoon instead of rising at 9:00.

Last night Julio and I took yet another walk along the river, a few other people looking at the wreckage or at least trying to. It was dark and all that could be seen were police boats anchored around the site where the helicopter and the plane hit the Hudson River.

Like I wrote yesterday there were no survivors.

Not much to see yet people kept coming and staring into the darkness that lay between the shores of Hoboken and Manhattan.

A block or so away the girls were all dolled up for a Saturday night on the town. Big bouncers stood next to them as the girls tried to entice Julio & myself into various bars and clubs.

We just wandered up the boulevard, running into the Latino kid who works at the shoemaker shop around the corner. He invited me to stop by the store sometime, saying he had a gift certificate for me.

Since the last time I was there in November 2008, things had gotten ugly real fast. It wasn’t his fault, it was the runner they have, some GED program drop out who turned up the heat on the problem at hand. A born & raised Hobokenite from way back when with nary a tooth in his head.

The Latino kid was gracious and shook my hand and wished me a good evening before going on his merry way.

Julio and I continued walking when we ran into Bill who was just getting back from stage managing a play in midtown, off off Broadway.

Actually we heard him first, saying that Julio and I made for a nice couple. The three of us walked back to our building, Bill explaining his plan for the night at 10:00.

He was going to rent a Zip Car at midnight so he could drive around Bergen County and explore the routes for the bus company he’s going to be driving for.

Having grown up in Bergen County I knew of some of the routes, but I wasn’t about to head out there and go driving. He expected to get back in a few hours, like around 2:00 or 3:00.

I didn’t stay up, I just went to bed. When I woke up this morning, there was Bill in bed. I asked him what time he got in and he said 5:00 making me feel I did the smart thing and stayed home.

It’s ridiculous, but Bill wants to drive a bus that badly and who am I to say otherwise? He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t do drugs. He just wants to drive a bus.

Now I’m at home after walking around by myself. I was going to head into the city, just to get out of Hoboken and brave what appeared to be approaching storm clouds.

But, I missed the bus and walked along the river and sat, enjoying a cigar and finishing up the New Yorker and reading some of the Tom Waits biography by Barney Hoskyns.

Not much to see again, just some boats and some buoys making where debris was submerged as well as various news trucks parked alongside the road.

I should have gone into Manhattan.

8.9.09 Recovery boats 001
8.9.09 Recovery boats 002
8.9.09 Recovery boats 003
8.9.09 Recovery boats 004

News crews in their tents

News crews in their tents

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Whats for lunch? | 1 Comment »

Forgetful Heart

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

So here I am again, this time it’s Tuesday. Oh, I neglected to mention that I wrote yesterday’s entry using Google Docs. As I am today. I usually use Open Office but it was annoying me. This is quite user friendly which is why I using again today. I’m still at work.

Going to a wake tonight in Manhasset, Long Island. A former co-worker’s father passed away and since the co-worker was a nice person I thought I would show my face. I’m meeting up with 2 other former co-workers, Robert and Gazi.

I’m meeting Gazi in front of the library then heading into the subway to meet Robert where we will ride to Gazi’s house in Queens and then drive to Manhasset. So that is all out of the ordinary.

Last night was nothing special again. Wound up alternating between listening to music and watching TV.

Today is the dreaded May 12. A foul day for me and my siblings. In 1991 May 12 was Mother’s Day which turned into the worst day of my life. Or one of them at least. Since I wrote about it previously on May 12, 2006 there’s no need to go and write about that sadness again, at least not today.

Work has been weird today, but what else is new? Vivek was in this morning and asked me if I was going to be able to work with him on his latest project. Of course I said yes. I mentioned that despite a few stumbling blocks once they’re out of the way I could only see clear sailing.

I think I have the gift of telling people what they want to hear. He was somewhat subdued but seemed to appreciate what I was saying. But there is always this anxiety that invades my consciousness throughout the day. It usually happens when I’m out of the office running an errand or something.

Today I had to deposit some dosh for Vivek and as I walked to the bank it struck me. Just the uncertainty in my employment. My sister Annemarie nailed it before I even recognized it. Working in what used to be a financial firm that is teetering on the brink of disaster is freaking me out in moments where my mind is unoccupied.

On the way to the bank there was a Salsa band playing and that certainly took my mind off my woes. I’m a sucker for a trombone.

I’ve done all I can do for the day here in the office and now it seems I’m merely killing time until 5:15 when I will leave, light up a cigar and wander over to the Public Library on Fifth Avenue and meet up with Gazi. I haven’t seen him in a few years so that should be a hoot, if only the circumstances where more entertaining than going to a wake.

I’m just glad to be writing this now rather than trying to write it later. I hope to get home at a decent hour.

Tomorrow I’m going to see the Ludes at Kenny’s Castaways on Bleecker Street. The Ludes are John and Donna Hamilton and Dave from Tiny Lights with Lois DiLivio performing a tribute to the Carpenters. It’s a free show so if you find yourself on Bleecker Street around 9:00PM, stop by.

It’s also a farewell for John Hamilton who is leaving NYU to teach at Harvard. I suppose I’ll be writing early tomorrow as well since it makes sense to stay in the city, rather than head home and then back into the city again.

Plus they do want me to stay late here at work so if I stay until 8:00 that should make them somewhat happy.

Now here’s some Salsa!
photo-0135

Tags:, , , , , , , , ,
Posted in the day after yesterday, Yesterday's News Tomorrow | 2 Comments »

Lip Service

Monday, May 11th, 2009

And we’re back on Monday again. And that means back to the bullshit. I was more anxious about it last night than I was this morning. But I put on my brave face and headed in.

I decided to listen to Elvis Costello & the Attractions, This Year’s Model. Good way to start off the week I thought. That brought back the memory of being such an Elvis Costello fan that I really wanted (I Don’t Want to Go to) Chelsea and it wasn’t on any US versions.

I wound up taking a bus to a record store next to the Oritani theater in Hackensack and buying a Canadian EP which cost me my bus fare. causing me to call home and my brother Frank picked me up, understanding my love of music while upset that he had to pick me up.

I should have walked home and could have but I was scared from all of the stories I heard about Hackensack in those days.

Vivek and Sanjay were back from India with their crazy plans. Today I was told to find them a suite in National Harbor in Maryland, checking in tomorrow, checking out on Wednesday. Of course since it was less than 24 hours to check in, hotel rooms were unavailable.

And they were very specific on which hotel they wanted. Which made it impossible. It was out of my hands. I do wonder whats going on with them.

This morning I received a phone call for Vivek. He wasn’t in yet so I took a message. It was all about some woman they are hiring in June.

I did wonder if she was being hired for my job. Not that I want to be out of work, but to go through the anxiety that Vivek creates, is it worth hanging onto a job like that?

Abby was in today and though he’s a nice guy, he’s also a liar. I caught him in a lie. I asked him if he got his car back to the dealer before the lease expired, causing me to go into the office on a Saturday. He told me he lied to the dealer, saying that he was awfully sick and wouldn’t be able to return the car on time.

It’s good to know the people you work for.

I left the office around 6:00 tonight which was early for them, but since I had been there since 9:30 it was getting late for me. Enjoyed a nice cigar walking across town, a Saint Luis Rey. It was a nice evening, New Order- Power, Corruption and Lies on the iPod.

Last night Bill came home, stressed out as usual and needing a big hug which I gladly gave him. I was happy to have him home and we watched Scrubs from last week, the penultimate episode and the season/series finale. He got weepy which made me get weepy at the end. Not sobbing, just a bit of the bladder moving closer to the eyes.

After that he just sat on the couch with his eyes closed. I suggested he go to bed and he did. I watched the Alzheimer’s documentary on HBO which was depressing and sad.

Bill really wanted to watch it and I’m sure he will. I’ll probably need to have some more tissues around for that. Bill’s mother has Alzheimer’s and there are a lot of people that are a lot worse than Bill’s mother in the documentary.

There really wasn’t anything lightweight to watch after that. And I certainly did look up and down the dial.

I wound up reading some more of Uncut magazine before going to bed after the news.

That’s about all that’s going on around here and in my mind. How are things on your end?

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Mood Mambo | 3 Comments »

M386

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

It’s Sunday and though it’s beautiful day, there is a feeling of anticipation in my gut. More like anxiety. It comes and goes, not a constant thing. As long as my mind is occupied I’m fine.

Last night I watched discs 3 & 4 of a series from the 1970′s called ‘All You Need is Love- The story of Popular Music’. It went back to the beginning of the 20th century with vaudeville and Tin Pan Alley up to about 1975 with the cutting edge music of Black Oak Arkansas.

It did have a lot of footage that if I hadn’t seen before, then I saw it when this series was first broadcast on PBS in the 1970′s and if that’s the case, I had forgotten I had seen it.

3 hours each disc. I watched disc 5 this morning into the afternoon, so ask me anything about Black Oak Arkansas. You’d still get the dumbfounded look that I would have given you then. I’m glad I watched it, but it was a bit much.

I gladly walked to the Post Office, enjoying a cigar to drop off the Netflix discs. I actually bought a book the other day, I couldn’t resist. I was reading somewhere about a biography on Brian Eno and ordered it promptly.

So far, up to chapter 2 and it’s a very entertaining and informative read. Brian Eno has always been a fascinating person in my world. I even had the pleasure of meeting him when I worked at Skyline Studios and he was producing some things for Laurie Anderson.

He was a nice guy, very quiet and startled me a few times when he suddenly would be standing right next to me. He was also quite kind enough to sign his first 4 solo albums and Ambient Volumes 1-4 and a book.

Still within reach and in good condition too. Last night, Saturday Night Live was really funny, excepting the Jimmy Fallon guest spot as Barry Gibb which was about 25 years too late and 10 minutes too long.

I doubt that the 20 somethings that watch it or are the target demographic would actually get the joke.

The stand out bit was the digital short with Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake reprising their roles from Dick in a Box and becoming Mother Lovers for Mother’s Day. Susan Sarandon and Patricia Clarkson played the mothers. It was very laugh out loud funny.

I was up until 1:30 reading Uncut magazine. Did not want to get out of bed this morning, just so comfortable. Bill was off to get his mother and bring her to church. I eventually did get out of bed around 8:30 and was soon getting the Sunday morning supplements.

Then after reading the papers I watched the discs and headed out to mail them back. And after enjoying a cigar I met Bill on the street and we just enjoyed a pizza from Grimaldi’s courtesy of Bill’s largess.

Now he catnaps on the couch and I sit a few feet away writing this and playing selected ambient Eno tracks for his napping pleasure.

51009-hoboken-001

51009-hoboken-002

51009-hoboken-003

51009-hoboken-004

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Abstract Absurdist Otherness | No Comments »

Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock & Roll)

Saturday, April 18th, 2009

Well today was an even more gorgeous day than it was yesterday. No Juan today though he did stop by last night. We watched Vicky Christina Barcelona which was good. Not his best and the movie does brighten once Penelope Cruz comes on screen.

Funny how she basically eclipsed Scarlett Johansson. And I had never heard of Bridget Hall before. Don’t know where she’s from. Juan pointed out that Rebecca Hall’s fiancé in the movie was Ted who was Claire Fisher’s boyfriend in Six Feet Under.

The great Patricia Clarkson was in Vicky Christina Barcelona as well as Six Feet Under and I think there were one or two other actors in the movie who also had small parts on Six Feet Under. It was good, but not one of Woody Allen’s best. Bill came in on the second half of the movie, but it didn’t really matter and there was no need for him to be caught up.

After that ended Bill was off to bed and Juan was heading back to Union City. I was soon fast asleep I woke up early, around 8:15 and did my Saturday morning thing, bagels and newspapers. Got Bill some bagels as well. He likes to toast them in the oven until they are almost charred.

Whatever works I guess.

I decided to head into my office and clean the bamboo shoots. They’re contained in vases by the windows in one of the conference rooms and after a month and a half they start to get covered in algae. I like to come in on a Saturday since it’s a messy thing, cleaning the vases, scrubbing the rocks and cleaning the shoots.

An added bonus is the fact that no one is in the office on Saturdays. As I was scrubbing who should appear but Vivek. He and his business partner were in for a conference call at 1:30. Vivek phoned the other day when I was in my blue mood and wanted to know what was wrong.

I didn’t want to talk about it with him, not then at least. He saw the opportunity to talk to me today after their conference call which should have been over at 2:00. At 2:45 I left a note saying that I had to get back to Hoboken.

Nice walk across town, enjoying a cigar and taking surreptitious photographs of various people. I had a nice call with Annemarie while I rode the bus. I never have phone conversations on the bus but this time I simply didn’t care.

Anne recommended seeing the Love Guru which I was surprised to hear her recommend. She liked it enough, telling me how it was really funny in some scenes. I told her if it was on cable I would watch it, but I wouldn’t rent it.

It looked terrible and even the giant poster that advertised the movie in Times Square was another deterrent to seeing it.

Bill and I met up in Hoboken and we checked out my friend, Hiro Takeshita’s art exhibit at the Hoboken Historical Museum. I’ve known Hiro for about 25 years. He lives on the second floor of my first apartment building at 2nd and Madison.

His latest medium is/are cut outs which are quite intricate and beautiful. Nice turn out at the museum, lot’s of familiar Hoboken faces that I’ve seen for a long time but never knew their names. Still don’t mainly though I did get the name of one familiar busy body, Marion who used to be the court clerk.

I sort of remembered her from when she rented videos from a video store I worked at. That’s how I remember a few faces, from the video store. ‘Oh that’s the guy who rented Butt Bongo Fiesta’, ‘She’s the woman who rented Ghost every weekend for six months.’

Can’t put a name to the face but I do remember their viewing habits and fetishes.

Here’s some pics of Hiro Takeshita’s art exhibition

click to embiggen

click to embiggen

41809-nyc-hoboken-075

41809-nyc-hoboken-077

41809-nyc-hoboken-078

41809-nyc-hoboken-080

41809-nyc-hoboken-082

Me, Hiro Takeshita, & Bill

Me, Hiro Takeshita, & Bill

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Iron my Shirt | 2 Comments »

Waterloo

Friday, April 17th, 2009

Well today is 180 degrees from yesterday and I mainly owe it to Juan. He didn’t make it by last night, I figured it would be too late. He planned on showing up around 11:00, that meant more than likely showing up around 11:30, after finding a parking spot. So we decided to meet up today.

I just hung out last night, not doing much of anything, not even turning on the TV until Keith Olbermann which I then ignored basically. Bill came home, very tired. By that time my mood had lifted considerably. I knew avoiding most everyone would do the trick.

I did watch Southland which replaced ER. I was initially resistant to it, mainly due to the ad campaign, but I did watch the first episode last week and found myself getting into it. I watched the news and the Simpsons and even part of Scrubs before turning in.

Bill said that I was snoring pretty loudly last night which I guess could be attributed to my bad mood. I felt I slept really well and woke up to Bill kissing me good bye after which I fell back asleep, not getting out of bed until 8:30.

I had some coffee and cereal after showering and wondered what would be a good time to call Juan when all of a sudden, Juan was calling me. He had just woken up and wanted to vent and then go to Ikea.

He vented about some parental troubles then we headed to Ikea. I hadn’t been there in a few years. Juan was hilarious as usual. It was a great day anyhow. Ikea is by Newark Airport and I still get a thrill out of seeing tons of metal flying off and coming in.

How can anyone not be impressed? It hasn’t even been that long since the Wright brothers flew their plane at Kitty Hawk NC.

Right now it doesn’t look like I will post tonight.

I keep getting a message from Word Press, Fatal error: Call to undefined function: preg_replace() in/home/randy/www/johnozed.com/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 982 and having written that, it seems to be back up so you will be reading this tonight.

I hope the 5 of you are happy.

I would have said 6 but I don’t think Juan reads this anymore.

Rand just called. He’s Mr. Aces tonight. He upgraded my Word Press account and fixed that fatal error. Rand is having an impromptu family gathering with mojitos. Salud Hoppes!

It was weird for a few minutes. Writing and it not going anywhere. What is this? A diary?

Julio and Stine just got a new car. A Volkswagen Passat. It’s good for the family, so I guess they’ll be keeping Alexander, and that’s a good thing since it increases their familial value. So after I write this, my plan is to go downstairs and enjoy a cigar and look at the car.

It’s a beautiful night and I wouldn’t mind sitting there watching whomever strolling down Park Avenue.

I picked up a Saint Luis Rey Robusto and it’s a good cigar, if you’re into that sort of thing. I hope you have a good night. Spell check doesn’t recognize johnozed and suggested Johnnycakes. Johnnycakes!

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in So how's band camp? | 4 Comments »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »