Posts Tagged ‘Rand’

« Older Entries

I Don’t Wanna Dance

Tuesday, October 25th, 2011

Oh I certainly have had better days than this one. This one was one of the worst. Bad enough that I wound up having the most morbid thoughts on my lunch hour which did not prove to be relaxing. Every time I think I have a grip on the situation, it doesn’t turn out to be that way.

I am sure the gods are laughing at me. It started out this morning, with my computer monitor. I know you get what you pay for and this monitor I got for free a few years ago, maybe two or three years ago from BIO-IB. An office monitor, probably in use for a few years before I got it, and it was more than likely on all the time. So yes I got what I paid for.

It worked well for a few years and this morning it was kaput. It started acting up a few days ago, I would turn it off and hope for the best. And it worked but hope ran out and now I have a rectangular doorstop. Of course being plugged in like I am I need a monitor.

I have the computer that Bill bought for me last year for the holidays as a way to get me to not use his Mac which does not get used at all. It’s his Mac and I suppose boundaries must be maintained and it most definitely his prerogative to allow or disallow my use of his computer. I checked the cables and the connections and everything seemed to be in order.

With no computer my morning routine was cut short and I was on the street a few minutes earlier than usual. And I called Bill as I walked to the bus stop. I told him the situation with the monitor and he asked if I checked the cables and the connections.

I even texted Rand to see if he had any ideas, ideas on where to get a good monitor on the cheap. He responded that Best Buy was having a sale, but alas I am still supporting the boycott of Target/Best Buy so that would be out of the question. I decided to kill some time and head over to Radio Shack on Washington Street.

I wound up buying a monitor for a little over $100.00 which was the price Rand quoted for Best Buy. I wasn’t about to lug a monitor to work so I asked if I could buy it then and there and have someone pick it up later on, someone meaning Bill. I know I should have checked with Bill to see if he could do it and luckily for me he said he could when I asked.

The sales person was a it hesitant on the whole thing but I was fortunate to convince him that it was on the up & up. The ride to work was uneventful, I rode with neighbor Deborah who was supportive and offered hope that something might happen for me where she works and as much as I would like to believe in that I do not hold out much hope on it.

I mean, I like pets, but the ASPCA? I am not so sure, yet I do prefer pets to people. The cigar shack was moribund at best, Frank Burns assuming the role of liter while Zack went to lunch then to meetings and was gone for the rest of the day.

Just as well since Zack hasn’t been to keen on anything that I do, having replaced Thomas on the shit list since Thomas has been on vacation for the past 5 days. Overall it’s been a stone cold drag today. I do not like the situation but must bide my time until something better comes along.



download
11 Road to No Regret


Tags:, ,
Posted in uncategorizable | No Comments »

I Don’t Like Mondays

Saturday, October 15th, 2011

Well it’s a Saturday and it’s been a day off and from what I can tell nice day weather wise. It’s been alright, I’ve been relatively busy though operating on a low flame. Not that I am ill or anything like that. Physically I feel fine.

All week long I was looking forward to going to Maxwells to support Rand and the Kirby Enthusiasm art show. I spent most of the day killing time, cleaning the apartment, getting some groceries and running errands.

Went to the bibliothèque and picked up a couple of things on hold for me and a stop at the dry cleaners to pick up some clothes. I came home and watched some television, not watching anything in particular. All in all it’s been a nothing day really. Lying low basically.

Last night I was home at a decent hour after work, Bill was off working on the play. I watched Bill Maher and then the news. Surprisingly (or maybe not) there was nothing to watch. Bill came home and we talked for a while before he went to bed.

I soon joined him, falling fast asleep. I slept fairly well, probably from the Xanax I had taken 12 hours before. The day before at the cigar shack was so soul crushing that I needed to let things slide and it certainly helped. And the comedown was pleasant enough to insure a good night’s sleep.

The sleep was good enough to make me sleep later than I expected, awoken once more by Bill kissing me good bye for the day. Bill had a full day, a voice lesson and then picking up his cousin’s son (whom he calls his nephew) to work alongside Bill on the play for some school project.

I did go walk around Hoboken for a spell this afternoon. Not much going on anywhere, so my walk was short lived. After coming home and having something to eat, as well as my Saturday phone call to Annemarie I started to get ready to go to Maxwells for the Kirby Enthusiasm show.

I took my time since I was watching a DVD and also downloading some Everly Brothers tracks as well as some Dave Edmunds and a couple of Elvis Presley songs. I wasn’t sure how cool it was outside since on the fifth floor of my building it was quite windy with the windows open.

I did get it together and started to head out. I also called CREDO since I checked my smartphone account. I was near my 300 text limit and couldn’t figure out how that happened so fast. I called CREDO and spoke to customer service.

They told me that my texting including the sending and receiving of texts as well as photographs, which I’ve been sending quite often. So I upgraded my text messaging and downgrading my phone plan because it seems I only talk to my sister and Bill. A trade off of sorts I guess.

Around 5:00 I decided to finally head out the door. But of course I didn’t actually hit the street until 25 minutes later. I walked up Washington Street, listening to the Bongos on the iPod. On the way I saw a young mother with a toddler and a baby in the carriage about to go into the building.

The toddler climbed the stoop to open the door for the mother. I figured the mother would need help carrying the carriage up the front steps so I offered to help. It was no big deal. I was smoking a cigar and lodged it in the front grate and then helped the mother up the four or five steps. After helping her out, I reclaimed my cigar and walked up the boulevard towards Maxwells.

Inside it was busy enough, people coming in for Saturday night dinners. I walked in and some guy waved to me so I waved back even though I had no idea who he was. I didn’t know anyone there so I looked at the art hanging on the wall. Great stuff, many different artists.

After a few minutes I still didn’t see anyone I knew. It was almost like the first time I went to Maxwells, just a feeling of unease from not knowing anyone. I did check in on my smartphone and decided I might have a better signal outside. Standing on the sidewalk I had a smoke and checked my bank account online and saw it was dangerously low.

I decided to head towards the river, planning on sitting on a bench. As I walked away, out of the corner of my eye I did see someone I knew, but didn’t really hang out with back in the day. Now he approached with one of his kids. I figured he didn’t see me so I had the advantage and kept walking, not turning around.

I turned the corner and felt better at being unseen. It was then I felt it would be best to go home. I saw the artwork and liked it, but couldn’t afford a pint or anything else, including a friend’s band playing in the back room as part of the Kirby Enthusiasm event. I felt bad but what could I do.

Perhaps pride got me going home, or perhaps it was shame at not having the funds. Still it was a way to save face. I feel better being home now, regretting not seeing any friends but I was there and they weren’t. Now they are there probably and I am not. That’s how it goes I suppose.

Bibliotheque





heading home



Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Cool Cold Reality | No Comments »

I Close My Eyes

Thursday, August 25th, 2011

Well Bill did not come home until the time he usually heads off to work, around 6:00. He went right to sleep and I woke up around my usual time, time to go to work. But I was off today and was able to take my time getting my day started. Getting the day started has been easier than starting this entry tonight.

So many distractions. Facebook, TV, email, phone. You name it, it will have my attention for a few minutes. And it just happened again, being distracted by Second Hand News by Fleetwood Mac, a song that has been floating around my head for the past couple of days. I went to the bibliothèque the other day and one of the CD’s I picked up was Rumours.

So having that at my disposal I thought I would play it. Dreams just came on and yes, I like that song. I like the song so much that I already had a copy of it. Then there is the distraction of being able to read every single issue of Rock Scene magazine from the late 1970’s, early 1980’s. I didn’t read it that often, preferring Highlights for Children or My Weekly Reader. I identified with both Goofus AND Gallant, which probably says a lot about my state of mind in my adulthood.

Bill slept a good part of the day before heading into the city to go to a call back, and seeing his mom in the hospital. Bill’s mom seems to be OK and comfortable. Apparently she was nauseous and clammy, then she fainted, which is when Bill’s cousin called for an ambulance. The strange thing is, she tried getting in touch with Bill via his iPhone, while we were waiting outside Le Poisson Rouge, trying to find out if Bill’s garment bag was still in the dressing room.

Bill’s phone was dead though, and it would have made things a lot easier if we knew about his mom before heading back to Hoboken. But that’s in the past and all unchangeable.

As Bill was getting ready to head out this afternoon, he started getting caught up in ‘I Love You Philip Morris’ starring Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor. It’s surprisingly very good. I can’t remember liking any Jim Carrey flick, but this one was quite charming and had a few twists in it. I had to remind Bill that we have the DVD and when he comes back we can watch it again.

I can easily see why it took so long to come out, it has a few explicit gay scenes which more than likely made Jim Carrey’s fans quite uneasy. It wasn’t titillating and it had some genuinely sweet moments.

Not much walking around Hoboken since it was raining, but I did spend a few minutes with Rand who is currently attempting to extract 20,000 songs from iTunes on the old computer which will probably be put out to pasture (landfill) or refurbished for someone else to have. Either way I’m cool with it.

I would like to get those 20,000 songs back but it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I don’t. I do have a few back up CD’s somewhere, I’m just trying to figure out which I have uploaded already.

That’s about it for today, back to work tomorrow which isn’t so bad. My mantra should be recharged and ready for use once again. More distraction, courtesy of Windex. Yes I saw a spot on my PC screen and had to clean it, and then I saw the TV screen was dusty so I had to clean that too.

I am so close to being next to godliness. Found the backup discs so now I am uploading a whole bunch of stuff. Bill just called, his mom is OK, and depending on the oncoming hurricane she may be released on Monday.




An early Tuesday morning fire burned down two large tobacco warehouses of Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia., the manufacturer of Fuente Fuente Opus X and Arturo Fuente cigars. Does Calvin know about this? Is Calvin the Shack Master? Does the Shack Master know Lazy Teat? Is it all one great big incestuous fuzzy lollipop?

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Yesterday's News Tomorrow | 2 Comments »

I Met Her Today

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

It was a relatively OK day today. Slept well last night, as did the non-snoring Bill. I can’t say I am getting used to this stay until 9:30 nonsense, but I’m getting paid and it is not saving the cigar shack owners any money so that’s fine with me.

I had an interesting dream last night which featured my dear friend RoDa, but I don’t really recall what it was about over 12 hours later but the dream probably came about since he was interviewed online for the latest AOL venture, Hoboken Patch.

Basically any town in the US can have an AOL Patch page so it’s really no big thing but obviously it registered in my unconscious mind. Hail Xenu indeed! I did not want to get out of bed as usual but I got it together. Bill was gone a few hours already, his back improved over the previous 24 hours.

I did catch the Daily Show this morning, its part of my routine lately. I watch the Colbert Report at 11:30 and catch the Daily Show in the morning so I could watch the 11:00 bad news. I paddled around the apartment, shower, coffee, breakfast then it was out on the street.

I walked to the bus stop, initially listening to Joy Division which I found too heavy so I decided for some lighter fare, and played Squeeze instead. Squeeze were such a great band and fun to sing along with. Rand & I could do a good impersonation of Difford and Tilbrook, Rand covering Glenn Tilbrook and me handling Chris Difford, much like Difford & Tilbrook sounded a bit like Lennon & McCartney. Just like them!

I stopped into Hoboken Daily News where Andy & his brother were quite happy. Andy shook my hand telling me that the 7 Eleven directly across the street from the newsstand was going out of business in six weeks.

I replied I was happy for them but still it wasn’t good to see people lose their jobs, to which Andy pointed to the ceiling and said it was all because of the guy upstairs. I guess the guy who rents an apartment above the Hoboken Daily News has a say in matters such as this.

I waited for the bus listening to Squeeze when suddenly I got a pat on the back, more like a shove. I was ready to throw down when I saw it was Rand. Very good to see my old pal. Been a few weeks. He was looking good and looked like he lost weight. He said he didn’t but I think ol’ Rand was being modest.

We had a nice talk while I waited for the bus and puffed on a cigar. Soon though the bus arrived and I had to get on board though I would have rather spent more time with Rand.

I called Bill once I was in the vicinity of the cigar shack and killed sometime hanging around outside, before heading in with a minute to spare. Calvin phoned in sick so Marcus was there running things while Thomas was trying to be busy.

With Calvin out, that meant that both Thomas and I would be stuck in the cigar shack all day. Every silver lining has its cloud I guess. It wasn’t that bad, and I had a nice cigar on my lunch hour. It wasn’t as peaceful and quiet as I would have hoped but still it was relatively enjoyable.

I’m currently reading A Freewheelin’ Time by Suze Rotolo and it’s a fun read. Suze just passed away a few weeks ago but she does have some interesting things to say about her time with Bob Dylan. Have to return it to the bibliothèque soon.

not my bus


I like this one. Rand does not. Says his eyes are magnified with his spectacles on.


His choice.

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

I’m Bad

Saturday, July 3rd, 2010

It’s July 3rd. It’s a Saturday. I have to work. Or rather, had to work. I didn’t mind. The day started off with the Supremes singing Love Child. Actually there were a few other songs that played before I hit the snooze button, but Love Child was the one that registered.

I set about starting my day. Julio called offering to buy bagels but I had to turn him down since I wouldn’t have any time to eat them. I did have time to check emails and such while the morning news played on behind me.

As I checked the email, I heard a report of an accident in New York Harbor by the Statue of Liberty. What may have happened was that two boats were near the statue, perhaps anchored when a larger boat cruised past creating a large wake causing the larger of the two boats to rise out of the water and land on the smaller boat.

There were three people in the smaller boat when the larger boat landed atop of it, killing one of the three. The other two were rushed to the hospital. The driver of the larger boat was charged with boating under the influence and vehicular homicide.

I knew the driver of the larger boat. The company he works for sublet office space from Bio-IB in the last year I was working there. He was a nice guy, one of the few in the group of Israeli conservatives. It’s a shame all around.

It was a shock to hear the name of someone you know on the news. I expect more will be said later on the 11:00 News.

After all that I was waiting for the bus where Rand stopped by for a few minutes, telling tales of his fun times at Maxwells the past few nights. Unfortunately the bus was fast approaching and I had to get on it to get to work on time.

Still reading You Never Give Me Your Money by Peter Doggett. Such nastiness between John, Paul, George & Ringo. Mainly John, George & Ringo with Allen Klein against Paul. Bitchiness, drugs, booze and Hare Krishna. A gripping read.

Got to the shop on time, hardly anyone in midtown Manhattan except for tourists. It was a slow day and there was only one register functioning since the other register was fucked up last night, and not because it was short.

It was slow enough that one register was all that was needed anyhow. Some of the usual customers who hadn’t fled the city came in, including one opera singer who dislikes me.

Calvin & I discussed this and figured out that it was probably because the opera singer, let’s call him Pagliacci, is deeply closeted and I am not. Calvin remembered that when Pagliacci and I first met, he wasn’t the usual jovial self he seems to be with everyone else.

In fact he quickly withdrew his hand after a brief handshake, whereas with everyone else he’s glad handing Andy. No skin off my back, I couldn’t care any less.

Came home by 10:00, from the cigar shop to the bus terminal in 15.4 minutes, courtesy of the Raybeats.

Bill is on his way home. There was an accident, some woman sideswiped his bus. No injuries, no passengers on the bus. He’s not too happy, and that’s understandable.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in What's it doing outside? | No Comments »

I’m All Over It

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

What a beautiful day it has been. Simply splendid. Nice weather, not humid, an occasional breeze.

I slept soundly last night. Bill didn’t. When we left East LA last night it was cool and breezy and the comment was made about having the windows open while we slept. I was hesitant, figuring it that it still might be too hot.

But when I finally went to bed, Bill had the air conditioner on. I decided to turn it off and open the window. I don’t know if the open window prevented Bill from a good night’s sleep, but I think it helped me. I suppose we’ll continue the experiment tonight and see how that goes.

I was up hours after Bill left, and after breakfast and showering I dropped off a suit at the Cary’s Dry Cleaners and went to the bibliothèque. On the way I spoke to Pedro who got back from South Beach the other day.

He had a blast and recommended that I visit there some day. Unlikely, but I did not say no.

In the bibliothèque, Diane the librarian, remembered a DVD she recommended the other day, Role Models starring Paul Rudd. So I picked that up.

But my main thing was the fact that a book about the Beatles, You Never Give Me Your Money by Peter Doggett finally came in. It was released earlier this month and for once BCCLS did not say it was too new, like the message I got when I requested Iggy & the Stooges Raw Power remaster. And I requested it from the Hoboken bibliothèque.

So far so good with regards to the Beatle book. The prologue was all about 8 December 1980, how Paul was shocked, George wouldn’t answer the phone and Ringo was drunk. Cynthia Lennon was staying with Maureen Cox, Ringo’s ex when she got the call.

John’s Aunt Mimi was in bed drifting in and out of sleep, listening to the BBC World Service and not know if she was dreaming or not when she heard about John’s brutal murder. That was the prologue, not I’m in chapter one, where Brian Epstein has died and the Fabs are starting up Apple Corps. The book promises to be full of Apple juice and so far I’ve been entertained.

I sat by the river and read, smoking a cigar. The sweet Karen Kuhl stopped by for a minute. She’s playing the Pier 13 show tomorrow night, but I won’t be able to make it since it ends at 10:00 and I won’t be getting to Hoboken after work until 10:00.

She’s also unsure if she could make the party in 12 days (!), and that’s too bad since I had hoped she’d sing a song or two from the Gutbank days. She’s unsure like I said so who knows? She just might. Then Karen split and Rand pulled up on his bike, and we had a nice chat as well.

It was almost like a talk show, I’m on a bench and a few friends stop by for a chat. Simple premise. It could be done I suppose. I’d be willing to do it on Public Access, even in the winter and in the rain.

It would be a surreal affair and with me being me, I don’t see how it could be any other way.

I always wanted to have a talk show. I remember way back, growing up and sitting in mounds of snow with Donna Foglio and playing talk show. I wanted to be Mike Douglas and she was a reluctant Totie Fields.

A Beautiful Day in Hoboken

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Wonderful World Beautiful People | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries