Posts Tagged ‘Lawn hors d’oeuvre’

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I’m Not Afraid

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

It’s Wednesday I think. Annemarie flew off to California this morning. She had an early flight and stayed at a hotel near the airport. When she was getting on a plane, Bill was heading off to the gym before work and I stayed asleep in bed.

I heard While My Guitar Gently Weeps playing as I eventually woke up and started my day. A shower and a skipping of the shave, breakfast cereal and coffee.

I headed out and went to the cleaners to pick up some shirts and also to the supermarket and bought some groceries, and a rain check since they didn’t have my cereal on the 2 for $5.00 deal on my cereal. Back home for a few before I changed into my suit, tie in the bag.

Headed up to Washington Street and once again my shirt was translucent in parts. My bus arrived and I got on, sitting on the left side so the sun wouldn’t be beaming upon me as we rolled towards the Lincoln Tunnel. I decided to play Madness, One Step Beyond as I walked through the terminal. Still a classic record.

As I approached the subway turnstile I was directed by a police officer that I needed to have my bag checked. I obliged of course, knowing that I had no bombs or drugs or paraphernalia inside.

Sweated as I waited for the train and then chilled as I got on the A train, strong air conditioning. Headed into the shop a bit early. No rock stars from the 1960′s nearby.

I swear since I’ve started working this gig on June 1, I lost weight. 17.5 shirts are no longer tight around my neck, and the trousers I wear also have ample room. I’m not complaining. It must be from standing on my feet 9 hours a day.

Most of the usual customers came in. I went outside for lunch and had a very good cigar from La Flor Dominicana. It was unbearably hot and humid out and I wasn’t enjoying myself so I headed back to the shop and sat in the back.

It was crowded when I left for lunch and when I came back it was empty. And that was how I liked it. Someone left a New York Post behind and I read some of it, all the while feeling my IQ slipping a few points.

Hard to believe I would read it fairly regularly, now maybe I’ll read it if someone leaves it behind, like today. Calvin joined me for a bit and we talked about Lindsay Lohan and the mosque that is planned for construction down near the World Trade Center.

Calvin agreed that it was basically my god is better than your god. It’s all bullshit to me. The afternoon went by without much notice. I closed the shop once again and decided it was too hot to hustle on down the avenue to catch a bus.

And because I did not hustle, I missed the bus by a minute.

I was alone at the gate for a few minutes before other people showed up, including 2 twenty something girls who were having a conversation about living in Hoboken and how much they like it and that they don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.

That’s basically all that happened today. Annemarie is back in Arcata, safe and sound. Bill is behind me, watching Lawn Hors d’œuvre and dealing with a bottle of soap that opened in his backpack.

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Posted in Iron my Shirt | No Comments »

There’s A Place

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Starting a bit early today. I feel a bit bad. Not physically. Just because I was standoffish towards Bill earlier. Mainly because he made dinner for himself last night and left a sink full of dirty dishes.

I don’t mind washing the dishes if he’s running off to work or theater rehearsals, but there he was on the couch this morning watching Lawn Hors d’œuvre while the dishes sat in the sink.

I got up and made coffee and said loud enough in a Shakespearean manner, ‘Dishes- wash thyself!’ Said it twice actually. It didn’t register with him and I knew the dishes weren’t going to wash themselves so I washed them.

Had crazy dreams last night or rather this morning, one involved a movie that I was working on (in the dream) about Gabriel versus Lucifer. And another involving my brother Brian and I singing at an event somewhere, playing two songs, one of them being Louie Louie.

Bill and I also had a discussion about David Paterson, the governor of New York. Bill sort of thinks that Paterson is getting railroaded. I explained that Paterson was born into the political machine and that he surrounded himself with people who if they weren’t corrupt to begin with, became corrupt since power corrupts absolutely.

Mainly I was grouchy though and that wasn’t too cool. Of course I realize this once Bill has left for the day. He is a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny.

It is a bright and sunny day though and I plan to go out and enjoy it. I was out earlier, once again to get bagels. Yesterday there was a line and much to my surprise there was an even longer line this morning. I was not in the mood to wait on line again so I just got the paper and came home.

Cablevision and ABC Television have reached an impasse with programming so ABC has withdrew from Cablevision’s programming. It happened at midnight last night. The cable went out for about 15 minutes right in the middle of Saturday Night Live.

I was hoping to catch Vampire Weekend. Not that I am much of a fan, the jury is still out. Out of all the channels the only one broadcasting during those 15 minutes was Cablevision and their message on channel 1999, detailing their side of the story regarding ABC.

Even the DVR crapped out. My solace was the fact that Saturday Night Live wasn’t that good anyhow. I knew the kissing family sketch at the wake would end up with someone kissing the corpse. Just a bad night overall regarding television.

Bill is off work this week. As they get closer to the play’s opening, it’s time to focus on the tech aspects and Bill wouldn’t have the time nor the energy to have the day job and do the play. He has 4 weeks vacation this year so this is one week he’ll be taking. I just found out about it this morning which could have added to my attitude.

We do have something planned for tomorrow possibly, something that I am not going to write about until it happens. Yes I am a tease.

And Soily Maurice posted some crappy comment on the blog. Perhaps she/he/it was drunk or strung out on math, I really couldn’t say. I don’t even know what gender it may happen to be.

I think when she/he/it sobered up she apologized for posting it but it was too late. I don’t need her/his/it’s Susquehanna Investment Group bullshit. Stick to the t-shirt racket Miss Lady Boy, for wit is not your strong suit.

To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, ‘An Asshole is an asshole is an asshole.’

Jeez, was something released into the water supply? I was just on the phone with someone who is anxious for me to check out an iPhone thing. I don’t have an iPhone, Bill does.

Bill and I tried checking this thing the other day and we couldn’t do it right away and decided to try another time. I just got off the phone with this guy who was quite upset that I hadn’t seen it yet, like it will vanish any minute now.

Apparently I’m supposed to be a tyrant and nag Bill to let me use his iPhone to look at an avatar which is probably the same avatar I’ve seen the other day.

It won’t, just the fact that I didn’t jump at the opportunity to use someone else’s iPhone to check out an avatar upset him so much that he wound up saying, ‘forget about it’. I said, OK and then he said good bye and hung up the phone.

Is it astrology or proctology? Sometimes I can’t tell the difference. Especially when I was an asshole this morning.

Speaking of assholes, I admit I instigated the following the other day:
John Ozed to sallymae8874 show details Mar 5 (3 days ago)
Hope all is well and wondering if my blog sent any visitors to kinematic…
La la la,
John
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sally Mae to me show details 7:48 PM March 7, 2010 (26 minutes ago)
John,
I am finished wasting time on your blog. I have more important things to do these days.
Regards,
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Ozed to Sally show details 7:57 PM (17 minutes ago)
I certainly hope to never hear from you again.
In fact, your last comments will be the last ones to be posted.
Say hello to Michael Hutchence for me.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sally Mae to me show details 8:06 PM (9 minutes ago)
Then please stop reaching out to me. I unfortunately made the decision to make a comment on your blog. I now see what a mistake it was to try to change the opinion of someone as hard headed as yourself. Good luck John.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Ozed to Sally show details 8:10 PM (5 minutes ago)
Go to hell you stupid thing.

I admit what I wrote was a horrible thing. My apologies to Michael Hutchence and his family.

And she continues:
Sally Mae to me 8:26 PM (5 minutes ago)
John,
Again I asked you very nicely to stop reaching out to me. I am done in regards to your blog and hope to not have any contact with you in the future. Telling me to go to hell is just over the top and unacceptable. I feel sorry for you. You seem like an absolutely miserable human being. Now please you go live your life and I will live mine.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
John Ozed to Sally 8:29 PM (3 minutes ago)
Then stop replying dumb ass. Apply a Yahoo filter so you won’t have to read my response.
I’m sure you could figure it out Lady Smug.
I’ve applied a label to your inane holier than thou missives. It certainly sums up how I feel about you.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Like a dog with a bone, SallyMae won’t let go
Sally Mae to me 8:43 PM (14 minutes ago)
I pity you John I really do. It must be hard to live such a bitter and miserable life. I really hope you find some happiness.
to which I reply:
I don’t need your pity. I don’t need your prayers.
I have a wonderful man for my partner. I have many good friends and a loving family.
It seems that you are the miserable one. No info on what you have in your life, so I can only guess you have no one. That is sad.
I would say a tragedy, but from what you’ve written and the way you’ve written you more than likely brought it upon yourself. Much like my response.
Stop whining about my responses. I explained, do not reply and you won’t hear from me again.
Yet you continue to reply. I know you’re bitter, but are you really that lonely?

This ‘Sally Mae/Maurice thing feels they could write anything they want, but flying spaghetti monster forbid, I reply and Sally Mae/Maurice gets upset.

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Diggin the New

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

A blessed fatigue. Not overtly so. Let’s see. Last night, watched the second half of the Dark Knight. Still blown away by Heath Ledger’s performance as the Joker. Truly deserved the Academy Award for it I think.

The whole movie is so very good, but Heath Ledger stole the movie. It’s still a shame that his life was snuffed out like it was. It was on HBO and I knew if I waited I could catch the west coast broadcast and so that’s what I did. Caught the first half up till the convoy destruction scene in the middle of Gotham City.

Bill was working the 6PM to 6PM shift so he wasn’t home. I slept soundly when I went to bed, but missed his warmth in the night. He got home around 7AM with the sun shining through the blinds. And as usual after he put his sleep apnea mask on, his head hits the pillow and he is out like a light.

He was good enough to bring home the paper and bagels saving me from the trouble of doing it myself this morning. I puttered about on the quiet side as Bill slept.

Still avoiding the news programs and watched Across the Universe a few hours later. Bill was awake by that point and wondered what it was I was watching. He enjoyed it, as I slowly indoctrinated him into the Beatles music some more.

It’s a beautiful movie to watch, a bit over the top sometimes, sometimes a bit wonky but overall an enjoyable movie. I knew there was a Lawn Hors d’œuvre marathon on and I wasn’t in the mood for that. I wanted to be entertained.

After Across the Universe ended I searched on the TV and saw that All Together Now was about to begin and switched to that. Bill got a kick out of that. It’s about the making of the Beatles LOVE Show in Las Vegas with Cirque de Soleil. More Beatles, Paul & Ringo with Yoko and Olivia.

Bill enjoyed the behind the scenes look at the show in progress over the course of almost a year, asking me would I do some of the high wire acrobatics in the show for $1000. If there was no risk of life or limb of course I would. Hell, right now there isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for $1000.00.

But I do have my limits and some principles and those can always be negotiated.

Just got back from Julio & Stine’s. They’re still having problems with their heater so I brought down the 2 Allen wrenches I had which we of no use and some matches. Alexander is now chatting somewhat.

The parents are clearly getting on each others nerves which makes me think that mother and child flying to Denmark next week might be a good thing for a break.

Alexander is quite amusing and always angling for my attention just like his parents. Now I’m being pulled in 3 directions, but I focus on Alexander since he’s less stressful.

Just checked my cellphone and I missed a call from my nephew Brian. I left the phone in the apartment while I was downstairs. That sucks but he sounded really good, saying he misses Bill and myself and he loves us and hopes to see us soon. He also said he’s feeling good so that is excellent news! Wow!

Today was a nice enough day that I went to the river with my guitar expecting to maybe see Tariq or Tim. Neither was around so I just played guitar by myself. Didn’t really sing, maybe grunted a bit.

Played a bluesy slower version of Love Shack, The Lion Sleeps Tonight and Elton John’s Hercules, Please Please Me, Me & Julio by the Schoolyard.

It was a lot of fun, and I made $3.00 which isn’t a lot to most but it was a slice of pizza for me, and officially makes me a busker, having made some dosh while playing.

I’m very happy with that result. I think The Lion Sleep Tonight will be my go to song since it’s really easy to play and only three chords. And as Annemarie remarked, a lot of kids probably know it from the Lion King. I wouldn’t know since I’ve never seen it. But I think it’s a nice feather in my cap.

Tomorrow the weather is supposed to be even nicer and I plan to go out earlier. Not for the money, but for the practice.

The money is nice though, but as usual, I’m not in it for the money, I’m in it for the music, for the art, for the X Ray Style.

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Posted in So how's band camp? | 3 Comments »

Helen Wheels

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

Well I really enjoyed last night’s Season/Series Finale of Scrubs. Zach Braff, Judy Reyes and Bill Lawrence were leaving the show and I don’t think it will continue. If it does it won’t have the same name.

It would be best for all concerned that last night was the season finale. It ended perfectly, with appearances from most everyone who had been on the show, characters that lived and characters that died.

I can’t wait for Bill to see it. He asked if it was a good series ending like Six Feet Under, and no it wasn’t. Six Feet Under had me with a tear in my eye at the end when David sees Keith who had been dead for a few years right before David passes away.

You saw all the major characters die throughout the future years, all very stirring. Scrubs was more bittersweet, JD looking into the future which may have wound up with Turk’s daughter and J.D.’s son getting engaged which caused JD to collapse from happiness a few times.

And Peter Gabriel singing The Book of Love was really touching.

Since Lawn Hors d’œuvre was on last night we watched that after I watched Lost which was good, but next week is the series finale, a 2 hour episode.

After the fire department got busted and sent to jail on Lawn Hors d’œuvre Bill went to bed and I watched the Simpsons which was really funny, a perfect way to end the night. Slept really well and woke up to Bill saying goodbye.

I got up soon after that, headed into work. Reading the latest New Yorker. It was muggy and overcast and by the time I got to the office once again I was all sweaty. I decided to leave work early. Not much for me to do, finished a lot with Abby yesterday.

Helped Greg Stevens out some today and he was gone by 12:30 this afternoon. Definitely not as stressed as I’ve been earlier this week.

My brother Brian called while I was on the bus heading to the office. He wasn’t sure about whether or not he’d be able to make the show at the Highline Ballroom tonight. No worries on this end. If it happened it happened.

I got a phone call later on with Brian saying it wasn’t going to happen. Next week I’ll see him at the graduation party for my niece Corrine who is graduating from Kean University.

That’s definitely something to look forward to.

I might take off from work tomorrow, which will make today’s leaving early excuse more believable.

Tonight’s a wake, tomorrow’s a funeral. No one questions death and when someone is dead already, it’s good to put them to good use.

I could use a break from the job, just a day. If it were busy I’d be more inclined to go in, but even though out of the past 6 Fridays, I was not working for 3 of those. And Fridays are notoriously slow and dead.

I will check in from time to time like I just did a few minutes ago. All quiet on the work front. Checked the voice mail and it was Bill. Checked my email and my Indian overlords in Kent, WA are asking for what I sent out before I left. I’m good.

Tomorrow I will send an email to Abby letting him know I will be attending a funeral.

And then Monday I will send an email telling them I resign since I will have won the lottery. With my lottery winnings I will invest and help fund cures for almost every disease on the planet and once done with that I will feed the poor and clothe the hungry and create world peace.

It’s a pretty good plan I think.

That’s just how I roll.

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Born Late

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

OK, this is what happened today. I wonder if I should start off each entry with ‘this is what happened today’? But then again I do write about the night before so maybe I should write, ‘This is what happened in the past 24 hours’.

Last night was quiet, Bill came home halfway through Lawn Hors d’oeuvre. I wish I caught the whole episode but I watched The Colbert Report after Lost. Lawn Hors d’oeuvre had some very good acting by a Central American actress who was simply heartbreaking at the end.

So damn sad. I think it had something to do with the beating and eventual death of Jose Sucuzhanay who was attacked in Brooklyn in December while walking home arm in arm with his brother after drinking one night. And also the day laborers out in Long Island who were routinely beaten by gangs of white kids. Gripping.

Lost was good last night, and too convoluted to get into here.

Bill was in a weird way, mostly depressed from not getting enough sleep. He’s been using a mask for his sleep apnea and it isn’t comfortable for him, causing him to wake up several times in the night.

With no relief in sleep and the situation with his mother who told him that she wants to die the poor guy is a mess. This morning he sent me a text about how he just wants to cry. He was at work and thats not how he usually goes through his day.

I was waiting for Abby to pick me up when I got the text. Abby told me yesterday that he was going to pick me up at 9:00 to go to Avenel. At 9:00 as I was about to leave, Abby calls.

He said he spoke to the property owner and said we should be there at 10:30, so he was going to pick me up at 10:00 instead.

Now I’m a stickler for time and a sucker for time. No matter how many times I’ve been kept waiting by family members, partners and friends, if they tell me they they will be somewhere like say, noon, I will be there at 11:55.

I always give them the benefit of the doubt.

So at 9:50, I went downstairs thinking that maybe this new guy, Abby will be early. I don’t like to keep anyone waiting you see.

At 10:15 I called Abby to find out what is going on. He told me he was on 50th Street and should be here in 10 minutes. Also the property owner apparently told him anytime after 10:30 was fine, which was not what he originally told me.

He also wondered why I was calling while waiting outside. I told him that we could do the trip some other time.

I had to go to the bank to get some cash and find out when I would be getting my new bank card, and there were things to do in the office that needed to be done today.

I’m probably being a pain in the ass to Vivek and company buy I do have other responsibilities. Responsibilities that are more or less concrete rather than the kind that change with the weather and Vivek’s whims.

I made it into the office and spoke with Greg Stevens before he headed out to the Hamptons. He just laughed at this situation, telling me that these guys run on Indian time. He inferred that Vivek was like a big kid who is used to getting his way, by hook or by crook.

Then it was off to the Hamptons for him.

I did whatever it was I could do in the office, also checked in with Bill from time to time. He took my advice, had a banana in the morning, a salad for lunch and another banana in the afternoon.

When I last spoke to him, he sounded a lot better. Not exactly ‘happy’ but busy enough at work to occupy his mind.

And if you’re in Hoboken on Sunday, and it’s not raining, you should check out Rand’s gate sale which is conjunction with Lois’ gate sale.

lois-gate-sale

It’s also the Art and Music Festival with the headliners being the Box Tops featuring Alex Chilton and also various members of the Feelies in various bands like Yung Wu, Wild Carnation and East of Venus.

Unless it rains.

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Atomic Moog 2000

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

Well So Happy It’s Thursday is an apt acronym. It fits. Last night, thanks to Harpy’s heads up, telling me that Lost was a repeat I watched part of Religulous, the Bill Maher documentary about religion. Maher is predictably snarky through out and I have to give him some reluctant credit, going up to people and asking them questions that I would love to ask but never have the opportunity.

Plus I’m too nice a guy to be so snarky. And I don’t have a film crew and or some security behind the camera. It was ok. Bill came home after seeing his mother in the hospital a little before 10:00 and asked to watch Lawn Hors d’oeuvre which was fine by me. I could easily jump back into the Bill Maher DVD whenever I want to.

It was a return to the old days with Bill and I watching TV together. It was an ok episode though. Still haven’t caught on to the current cast like Bill has. He went to bed after that and I watched the Daily Show which was funny as ever with Paul Rudd as his guest. Tonight though he has James Cramer as the guest.

Jon Stewart has been riffing on CNBC and especially James Cramer, deservedly so. Tonight Bill is staying in Stuyvesant Town after visiting his mother again. He has a stress test at 7:15 in the morning and doesn’t want to be late. He didn’t ask for me to go with him, though my sister Annemarie thinks that I should.

Bill is ok with the fact that I’m not going. He knows it’s way too early for me, that it would involve me getting up around 5:30 to hop on a bus and get to 59th street for the appointment. He’d rather go by himself. I didn’t put up any argument.

Work was the quietest it’s been lately. The right wing subtenants were all out at meetings, Vivek still out. I had to send info regarding flights back from Florida yesterday for him and his business partner and I hope he got the info. I haven’t heard otherwise, not that that eases my mind.

No email, no voice mail. And since I won’t be back in the office until Monday, if there is anything to be said I should hear it then.

31209-jot-nyc-011

I did my best to look natty today. I wore my sharkskin suit and the Ben Sherman skinny tie I bought yesterday Sort of my Mad Men look. I think I looked nice. Bill said so this afternoon when I stopped by his office building and he came down for a few minutes.

I puffed on a Padron, Siouxsie & the Banshees with Monitor all queued up as Bill and I talked about the stress test. No big deal for him though he did appreciate Annemarie’s concern. He told me not to worry about it.

Pleasant enough bus ride home, reading David Sedaris “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” which is always a macabre chuckle. Tonight promises to be quiet, just TV. Bill in Stuyvesant Town, me in Hoboken.

31209-jot-nyc-012

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