Yes I am tired. Yes I went to work today. Yes it snowed quite a bit last night. Not enough for the NJ Transit system to stop running, not enough to slow down the bus and train schedules. I took my time getting ready for work, walking to the bus stop.
The bus filled up enough with what seemed to be people like me who did not want to go to work today. That was one of the rare times where I identify with the other riders. Most of the time I don’t like them, I don’t care for them and think they’re stupid.
Sometimes it seems like I am on a bus tour to Bala Cynwyd.
A song popped into my head as I rode the bus, and I did my best to duplicate the song in a voice message to Bill’s iPhone. He didn’t know what song it was but I eventually figured it out with his help, the song being Birdland by Weather Report.
I thought of Stanley Siegel whom had Birdland as his theme song for his talk show I think in the 1970’s. That made me think of a major storm in maybe 1975, things shut down, my father not going to work. Me and himself, trekking in the snow to the Lodi A&P to get who knows what. I think my mother was working.
My sister in law Elaine made an appearance, living a block or so away with Frank on Main Street. She gave me a book about the Who which I thought was cool. I more than likely had something to eat before heading out with a sled and heading down Gunther Avenue and wiping out before spilling onto Main Street.
Wilson Street was more of a daredevil street, a steeper hill and a few hills where we would literally go flying a few feet in the air.
I just had a thought, if there were any kids in that neighborhood and if so, do they take their sleds down those hills. It seemed like a personal hill for me and my friends, no other kids from other neighborhoods would go sledding down Gunther Avenue or Wilson Street.
Such carefree times.
Now I commute into the city to a job I don’t particularly care for, no hills for sledding anymore. It was a long day at the cigar shop. Not much foot traffic in the cigar shop area. A lot of people either had the day off or took the day off, opting not to bother with the frozen mess.
It was Calvin and I mostly, with Sean coming in mid-afternoon. I decided to treat myself, a reward for making it in. I went to Whole Foods and had a Shepard’s Pie. I never had it before but it had loomed in my mental menu for the past few days.
I had to find where they made hot foods and took a chance and got a Shepard’s Pie. I was wary since I never had one before and if I didn’t like it, then I would have thrown good money away. But I bought it, and I liked it and will probably have it again.
It certainly was a hearty meal. I had an early lunch and 6 hours later, I was still satisfied with what I had for lunch.
Well it’s been a day unlike any other like all days are. Today, the first Saturday in March is the Fake Patrick’s Day parade, which causes a lot of youngsters to come to town and get properly shitfaced.
For some odd reason, they decided to allow the bars to open at 9:00AM instead of 11:00 like most weekends. I really couldn’t say since I am not a fan of drinking during the day. Maybe if at a barbecue that’s acceptable but otherwise it just screws up my sense of time.
Last night, Bill wore his mouth apparatus and his apnea mask so no snoring from him. We both got up around 8:00 and I found myself online outside the bagel shop at 9:00 while newly legal boys and girls were queuing up outside bars and pubs.
All these newbies on line to get green bagels. Bill was across the street waiting for his bus and by the time I made it into the store, Bill was on the bus and Rand was at the end of the queue for bagels. I hooked Rand up and got him 2 everything bagels and half a pound of tofu so he didn’t have to wait as long as I did.
I came home, and fixed myself a nice breakfast. I made plans last night with Rand to check out the parade with him and Lisa at 1:00. Bill and I were invited to a brunch next door in the building and I did have plans to check it out.
A few years ago Bill and I bought Kelly green scarves at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Manhattan and I spent some time looking for mine to no avail. I did find a big bag of photographs which I had forgotten all about when I moved back to Hoboken 8 years ago.
Back then, before digital cameras I would have my photos developed onto a Kodak CD. This morning I found myself pouring through a bunch of photos and CD’s and decided to upload some pictures from August 2000. A party in Hillsdale with my brothers, their wives and their kids.
Annemarie wasn’t there and I hadn’t met Bill yet. I did have to resize about 15 photographs. Before I knew it, it was time to go to the parade.
Instead of just showing up at the brunch for a few minutes and leaving I opted to head for the parade instead.
I stopped off at the library and dropped off Old Boy, a Korean DVD which I was disappointed by. Perhaps it was because I chose to watch a dubbed version instead of subtitles, but I knew what was up when the lead character was in the sushi bar. I
t seemed obvious to me and by the end I didn’t care a bit.
The streets were crowded with people wearing the green. I wandered over to my usual spot at Sixth and Washington and started taking pictures of various characters and what was going on around me. Rand and Lisa eventually showed up and the parade was highly entertaining.
On the way down Rand and Lisa heard a drum and bagpipe corp playing a Lady Gaga song. By the time the drum and bagpipe corp got to me they were playing Louie Louie while all the other corps were playing When the Caissons go Rolling Along. Made for a very swingin’ difference.
All together the parade lasted for an hour. No once accosted the Guinness guy which was nice. There seemed to be a lot of watchers this year than previous years. Perhaps it was because it was 57 degrees out, whereas last weekend we were all digging ourselves out of 14 inches of snow.
During all of this I got a phone call from Pedro who was asking what I was up to. He was headed into the city, had to get out of Otisville. He mentioned some art show he wanted to check out on 34th street. I told him I would give him a call when the parade was over.
Rand and Lisa walked me over to the Path train through the throngs of drunken revelers. The train was pretty crowded to 33rd street so I stood. When I got off the train I called Pedro and got his voice mail. It was OK, I had a back up plan to go up to JR Cigars and get some discounted cigars.
Spoke with Annemarie on the phone after dealing with a guy in the cigar store who didn’t know too much about cigars. I admit I was a bit gruff talking to Anne on the phone. She thought I was wrong not to go to the brunch where I didn’t think it was that big a deal. I did buy my neighbor a silk rose in the colors of the Irish flag and taped it to her door with a note.
I made it back to the Path train and git a seat for myself for the ride back to Hoboken. Had to pee so I went to the train station lavs which smelled of stomach acid. Had to pull my pea coat over my nose to mask the smell.
More drunken revelers on the way home.
Ran into Julio, Stine and Alexander who lost some weight from being so sick the past week. Julio asked who John was and once again Alexander pointed to me, which was so sweet. He also shook my hand when I decided to head upstairs.
Took over 100 photographs today which I spent time uploading to Facebook. Finally after not eating anything since breakfast, I decided to make some dinner. As I sat, about to eat my cellphone goes off. It’s my sister in law Elaine.
She’s worried about Corrine who was having a lousy time in Hoboken. She wants to come over but doesn’t remember where I live. I tell her she’s more than welcome. Corinne called Elaine from somebody else’s phone since her own phone died.
I leave my food on the table and walk downstairs where I see Corinne outside with some guy who was nice enough to see her crying and loan her his phone. She thanked the guy and came upstairs a little bit drunk.
We passed some drunken party-goers or leavers from the brunch next door on the stairs. I hooked Corrine up with some water and sat her on the couch. I offered her some food but she wasn’t hungry. I played some ambient stuff sat and ate in the kitchen while she fell asleep on the couch.
After I ate I called Elaine to let her know Corinne was alright, still breathing and asleep. We discussed getting her on a train home but decided to have Elaine and Frank come down to Hoboken to pick her up.
Corinne eventually woke up in time to watch the Office before we headed downstairs. She’s a good kid, just a little drunk, a little forlorn. Who wasn’t at age 23?
Now I’m writing this, the TAMI Show is on public television. Quite good. James Brown definitely stole the show. The Rolling Stones, so stiff compared to the Godfather.
That’s about it for a busy day. Here are some pictures from today. Enjoy.
My Bill
Out in force today
This bald dude said he received a $2000.00 summons for an open container
So nice to sit down in a comfortable chair, he wrote after coming back from spending a good part of the day with his sister in law and his niece. The three of them had gotten together after a plan was hatched a couple of weeks ago.
The niece had texted him about meeting up on February 21, which is today, to visit the exhibition of Titanic artifacts. His niece loved the movie Titanic and wanted to see the exhibition before it closed.
So today was the day and it was a lot of fun, if looking at the effects of a disaster could be called fun. Actually the fun was in spending the time together. It was crowded a bit. Who knew so many people would still be interested in such a thing almost 100 years later?
We had all met up in Hoboken at a Dunkin Donuts by the Path train. We sat and drank coffee and chatted for about an hour. Some catching up had to be done. Soon enough though, we were on the Path train headed to 33rd Street, where we then walked up to 44th Street, in the old New York Times building.
When I was first asked about going I explained that it might have been too pricey, but the niece insisted on paying and that she wanted to see me so she made it so. As we entered we were given cards with various passengers and crew and instructed to check at the end to see who survived and who didn’t.
I was a third class passenger from Ireland traveling with the missus. I had a pretty good idea how it was going to turn out. My sister in law and my niece were first class passengers, boarding in Southampton, England.
A few tools, and mechanical things from the ill fated ship were on display. As we continued on through the exhibition the items got more personal, clothes, hats, and personal effects were on display as were coins, change purses, personal correspondence. As was a piece of an iceberg that we were encouraged to touch.
It could have been macabre but it really wasn’t, it was quite tasteful. We were also encouraged to touch some brace that was used to hold the ship together. Everything was arranged in air tight, climate controlled boxes except for the iceberg and brace.
There was even a replica of the staircase which features prominently in the movie. My niece and I were photographed on it We got to the end of the exhibition, and my outcome was assured.
White Star Line passenger Mr. John Bourke, accompanied by his wife Catherine, his sister Mary and a group of passengers from County Mayo boarded the Titanic in Queenstown, Ireland, perished at sea when the ship sank.
Dishes and cutlery recovered from the ocean floor were displayed relatively intact in sand. The crate carrying them disintegrated from the pressure of being 2 miles down as well as worn away by salt and the currents.
After that we opted to leave, rather than pay for green screen photos, or shots of my niece and I on the fabled stairway. We were trying to do things on the cheap you see.
Then the three of us were hungry and we walked over to the midtown branch of John’s Pizza. I’ve eaten there a few times with Bill and I pointed out to my sister in law and niece that the restaurant used to be a church. Stained glass ceiling and windows still intact.
We left sated and I reassured them that whatever we ate, we would walk off, as we headed back to the Path train.
It was all well and good and I had a most excellent time, spending the day with Elaine and Corinne.
Well it’s a Sunday evening. Clocks were moved back an hour last night/this morning so though my body is saying it’s 6:24PM, it’s actually 5:24PM. That should take some getting used to but I think I might be used to it already.
Last night I sat at home, in front of the computer, just playing music through iTunes. Bill came home and started to go into the bedroom to watch the World Series. I suggested he watch it in the TV room since I wasn’t watching just playing music.
I thought he would have the sound down while the game went on and the music played. But he needed to hear the commentary so he sat with headphones on. I didn’t realize it until I actually turned around. I was playing for his benefit so that was a bit of a downer for me.
I even went in a Jazz direction with some Miles Davis, Cesaria Evora and Chocolate Genius to name a few. I decided to let him listen to the game without the headphones and sat and listened to Bill yell at the TV.
The only time I yell at the TV is when I watch Millionaire in the afternoon. I grew up in a house where my father would yell at the TV during sporting events and now, here’s Bill yelling at the TV. He didn’t stay up to watch the game and I certainly didn’t watch it after he went to bed.
I stayed up watching part of ‘Australia’ until 1:30/12:30AM. Today my niece Meghan was running in the NYC Marathon and the plan was to meet up with my sister in law Elaine and Corinne, Meghan’s sister at the train station.
They were coming in from Garfield at around 8:30. I was up at 7:00 and got myself ready. Got a call at 8:00 from Corinne, they were one stop away. I hustled a bit more and soon was on my way. I met up with them in the Dunkin Donuts by the Path train and soon we were in the station.
Meghan’s husband showed up after driving from Staten Island, seeing Meghan get to the starting line. We all rode up to 33rd Street in a very crowded train. Rob took off to queens hoping to catch Meghan before she crossed over the 59th Street Bridge. Corinne, Elaine and I trekked up Sixth Avenue, through a street fair, past the HBO store with a pit stop in the Hilton to hit the head as it were.
Then it was up to 59th street where it wasn’t too crowded. I let Elaine call the shots and we wound up walking to First Avenue where I ran into Steve Dressel who I used to work with earlier this year. He got a job up by Tarrytown and now he and his wife are likely fleeing Manhattan and moving to Croton on Hudson.
I could only stay for a minute since Elaine was chomping at the bit to find a better spot to try and catch Meghan. After moving about for close to an hour we finally saw Meghan running by. I yelled out Meghan and she turned and waved.
It was a relief to see her since Elaine and I secretly were worried and hoped she was able to make it this far. After that came the plan to head into Central Park which was the first time for Corinne.
We found a not too crowded spot in the east drive and we sat on the wooden rail like a few other people were. Unfortunately a volunteer across the drive shouted that we couldn’t sit on the wooded rail so for some reason we all got up and stood just inches from where we sat.
I was tired and my lower back was killing me and sitting down brought some relief. I looked down about a hundred feet or so where I saw a few other people sitting on the wooden rail opposite a few police officers who weren’t telling them to move.
I mentioned to Elaine that I was going there to sit. It was a great place to sit, right off a curve in the road. There were so many runners that I looked up the road towards Elaine and Corinne, scanning their faces for enthusiasm for when Meghan was running by. I had my cellphone camera all set to go, my digital camera all set to go, and my GO MEGHAN sign ready for viewing.
I sat there for about 20 minutes when some guy next to me asks what mile this part of the marathon was. I guessed about 2 miles to go so that would make where we were, at the 24 mile mark. He mentioned that his daughter was in the marathon and I said that my niece was too.
I then looked up to see Elaine & Corinne but I couldn’t find them. That meant Meghan had run by as the neckbone next to me was telling me about his daughter. I saw Elaine and Corinne and they asked if I saw Meghan and of course, I hadn’t.
Oh I was so pissed at the guy next to me, I should have just ignored him. I could only hope pigeons attacked his eyes as his daughter approached. I did stop complaining about him since I noticed I sounded like ‘himself’ or ‘himself’s eldest son’.
We did make it over to the west side where families and friends could meet up with the marathon runners. Rob had run with Meghan for a bit but was ejected at the 400k mark since he wasn’t registered. He would have run the whole marathon with Meghan but did not qualify.
26.2 MILES. 3HRS 21MIN. 7.67 MIN PER MILE
We had a good walk to the subway after meeting up and a quick ride on the Path train home. Some pizza in Hoboken before we parted ways, they going back to Garfield and me, back home in Hoboken. It was a very good, if not tiring, day. And if I’m tired Meghan is more than likely far more tired than I could ever be.
It’s back to work for most, and another day with less people around for those of us between jobs, or to put it less delicately- unemployed. It’s now raining out quite hard making me glad that whatever I had to do today, I got it done before the downpour.
I did laundry, ran around midtown looking for a photograph of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing in ‘Top Hat’. It’s for one of the occupants of the offices at the old job. Owner of the company is a multi millionaire and I was asked by his assistant to find the photograph and get it blown up for his mansion in Palm Beach.
I didn’t mind, but Jerry Ohlingers’ once of west 3rd Street by Bleecker Bob’s, then on 14th Street is now on 35th Street. At this rate they will be across the street from the Apollo in a number of years. But I couldn’t find that exact picture and they suggested Movie Star News on 18th Street which was closed today, presumably for Yom Kippur.
So I will have to try tomorrow. Weather permitting.
I spoke with my sister in law Elaine today. She was off of work due to the Jewish holiday. It was an unexpected and fun chat. She was thinking about seeing Leon Russell yesterday but she was a fan of his back in the day. I emailed her some pics of ol’ Father Christmas and since she didn’t see them, not being at work, I told her about them which really isn’t the same thing as seeing them.
And since a picture is worth a thousand words, and I sent her 4 pictures…well, do the math.
One of the things that came up was my brother Frank. I don’t know if I mentioned it in an earlier post, but one thing I told him in my Beatle remastered euphoria was the fact that there was a slight jealousy regarding the Fabs.
It was also an attempt to boost his ego.
I told him that I was envious that he was aware of the Beatles releasing new records back then, and when I started listening to them, they were history and nothing new was going to come from them as a group, only as individuals which as you may well know, is not quite the same.
It was just something that came into my mind as I was riding the bus into the city. Just odd little transient thoughts that take up temporary quarters in my mind. So things seem to be back to normal, which is so loosely defined in my world.
Not like ‘Next to Normal’ the Broadway musical about a woman who’s having a nervous breakdown. People apparently leave the theater very depressed and not singing a happy tune. Not the show for me to see though it did win a couple of Tony awards I think.
I myself happy that I haven’t won any Tony’s. I don’t have a mantle to put them and wouldn’t know if I should get the mantle first or win the award first. Overall, I am content, not contentious. That was Saturday
and not today.
Nothing much happened today. Did some laundry. That’s about it. I may have another Susquehanna Investment Groups job coming up from another refugee from the jungle where I used to work. That remains to be seen.
I do have a job on Saturday, hanging some pictures in an office. That should take about an hour.
Tomorrow will be the trip to the Metropolitan Museum with Harpy. Then Hurricane Danny might hit here this weekend, making it an indoor weekend which is no fun. But I won’t know until I get there.
I hope it doesn’t happen. My friend Excer is supposed to play the Central Park band shell on Sunday afternoon and I would like to check that out. So fingers are crossed (which makes for difficult typing) for Sunday.
Time for you to roll your eyes since I’m about to write about the iPod shuffle.
Smalltown Boy- Bronski Beat
This came out in 1984. Jimmy Somerville’s falsetto. Patrick Morrissey and Alphonso Portillo’s apartment at 201 Madison Street. Crashed my last car in the afternoon, Patrick took me in and made me dinner. He and Alphonso lived on a floor below. Meat Loaf with cream cheese inside. And white wine. A good way to end a terrible day. A song about coming out and leaving home. It was a hit in the UK and got some airplay here on New Wave stations.
Towers of Dub- The Orb
A 10:24 track on a CD that Bill gave me as well as giving me an iPod one Christmas years ago. Fun trippy dance oriented stuff. Sounds great on headphones. Maybe in a club as well. But I’m not clubbing anymore, Blow Off was more than enough for me. I’ll be in the chill out room if you need to find me. Actually this would work better in the chill out room.
Filthy/Gorgeous- Scissor Sisters
From their first and best album. They are a fun group. Juan had a crush on Baby Daddy. Baby Daddy would probably have a crush on Juan if he ever met him. This album reminds me of being with Annemarie and Earl driving from the Saddle Brook A&P.
99 Problems- Jay Z & Danger Mouse
Most everyone knows who Jay Z is. Danger Mouse is a producer who is also one half of Gnarls Barkley. This is from the Gray Album which was Jay Z’s Black Album, mixed with the Beatles White Album. In this track, it’s Jay Z rapping over Helter Skelter. Of course it’s a totally illegal release, but it was everywhere a few years ago, and could be bought on Canal Street for $5.00.
Change- Killing Joke
Killing Joke was a band that a few people told me I would like since I liked Gang of Four so much. I couldn’t get into them. This is the only song of theirs that I like. Youth who was in Killing Joke is one half of the Fireman with Paul McCartney. I think it’s the right half since Macca is a lefty.
1/2- Brian Eno
From Music for Airports. Definitely a chill out track. I think the first time I heard this was when my brother Frank had a cassette of quiet songs to help with his wife Elaine’s delivery of their first daughter Meghan. I don’t think it was played since Elaine wound up having a caesarian section. I think it was played at La Guardia Airport for a time to help passengers relax.
Robber Dub- The Clash
I know the first time I heard this was when Laszlo Papp bought the 45 when it first came out at St. Mark Sounds. Then we traipsed over to some friend of his apartment and played our latest purchases. My purchase was Private Idaho by the B-52′s. Summer of 1980 it was. I was learning the truth at 17.
Get on the Good Foot (Pt 1) – James Brown
I never really heard James Brown when growing up. It wasn’t until the 1980′s that I really discovered him and that was mainly through the use of his beats and the sampling that went on in Hip Hop. I did go to see him once or twice at outdoor concerts. But I was so far away I couldn’t see him, only hear him. Would have loved to have seen him at the Apollo in the 1960′s though.
Be Here- Raphael Saadiq
I love Raphael Saadiq. He has one of the best voices out there and his music these days is very soulful, like in a 1970′s vibe. This also features D’Angelo who used to be the sexiest man in music 10 years ago. They also sang ‘She’s Always in my Hair’ by Prince together. Raphael Saadiq is always worth checking out if given the chance, especially if you like soul music.
Coal to Diamonds- The Gossip
From a collection of songs that Juan made for me when we first started hanging out. The Gossip are fronted by Beth Ditto and she’s a sensation in the UK. Here she wouldn’t get arrested, much like Scissor Sisters. I can easily picture Juan singing this song onstage. He’s be a good performer I think. Does he think so?
