Posts Tagged ‘West Indian Tony’

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Keep It Rollin’

Thursday, October 16th, 2008

Well I’m feeling a whole lot better. That’s good news. Not 100% but in the upper 90′s. Last night Bill and I watched the debate and I participated in the Hoboken411 live blog and defended Obama valiantly.

Not taking any shit this time even with a temperature of 97.7. The democrats outnumbered and out gunned the republicans. My comments immediately went up without approval, so overall Obama and the democrats won. Hopefully we will repeat this on November 4.

Slept really well and didn’t beat up Bill for which he was glad. I woke with no problem and found myself on yet another crowded bus. No Casey. I hope I didn’t get him sick. Listened to A Tribe Called Quest on my journey across town.

Got my weekly egg sandwich. West Indian Tony still not behind the grill and no one knows when or if he is coming back. His partner behind the grill is no longer there either. Walking down 49th street I see a lot of secret service agents again as well as a battalion of police officers and detectives.

I asked one of the cops who was around and he told me Obama. I got excited and lingered with my camera out hoping to get a pic. Obama and 10,000 McCainiacs were in town for the big Alfred E. Smith (I always think Alfred E. Newman) political roast at the Waldorf Astoria.

Eventually I was moved behind a barricade, far away enough to totally not see Obama getting into the SUV motorcade so I took some pictures of some not so secret service men instead. That got me to the office a little past 8:00, not that it mattered since no one was in yet.

Did the usual turning on machines and tvs and changing tapes and making coffee. Trudy, a woman from Northern Ireland was in and we generally get along fine.

She asked how I was feeling and I told her and also mentioned that I felt better knowing that it was a cold from Stine, since I saw her on Friday and Sunday. Trudy said that wasn’t the case since these things incubate for two weeks. I repeated my claim and she repeated hers quite adamantly to the point I just turned and walked away from her. It was like I was arguing with my mother.

The day was odd. I don’t think I mentioned that with all the bad news lately regarding work, one of the former partners has taken legal action against the company. Legal Action that we more than likely can’t afford, so there were some very long meetings between Vivek, Greg Stevens and Tom Chin behind closed doors. The day proceeded under such a pall.

I cut my Netflix from 3 dvd’s to just 1. Starting my personal cutbacks. Tomorrow is going to be another quiet Friday, just me and Vivek which means I should be on the way home at 2:00 which is fine by me. I also found out that the office space that we’ve been trying to rent, has been rented and even more good news, my hours aren’t going to be cut….for now.

I checked to see if Obama was back on my way home but there were only one or two agents and police officers around. The streets were crowded with news trucks though lined up outside the Waldorf Astoria. I wasn’t hanging out to wait this time.

Came home saw Juan. He was on his way to a show, now I’m chillin’. I will probably check out O & RM tonight to see their debate coverage, so there goes that abstention.

Go Obama!

US Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ) reacts to almost heading the wrong way off the stage after shaking hands with Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) at the conclusion of the final presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, October 15, 2008. REUTERS/Jim Bourg (UNITED STATES) US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN 2008
(USA)

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When the Whip Comes Down

Thursday, October 2nd, 2008

Well yesterday seems to have been a better day than today. And the fiction I published yesterday seems to have struck quite a chord what with all the comments, all the ‘what the fuck was that?’. Really!

Last night was pretty much quiet, Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, with the Senate vote broadcast live during Rachel’s show. The bailout bill was passed 74-25, now it goes to the house.

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were spot on, Colbert had James Taylor on his show, promoting his new album which is all cover versions of songs he really likes. I worked with James Taylor years ago, really nice guy, no star trip and the people around him were very nice too.

James was enjoyable, saw him sing (I’m A) Roadrunner, originally by Jr. Walker. There was another song following the commercial break, but the DVR didn’t catch it. Caught the news and then I snoozed.

Slept really well, woke up it was dark out. Bill kissing me goodbye, telling me he can’t wait for Sarah Palin to go down in flames.

I was wary even while lying in bed and told Bill, ‘Don’t be cocky’. Ran into Casey on the bus. Mr. Animated he is. We talked about the tonight’s debate, how gosh darned inept Sarah Palin is. Lucky Casey is going out of town with the missus this weekend. I’m staying put of course. He was off on his way to work via the subway, I walked through midtown, past the Tai Chi people in Bryant Park.

Stopped in Smilers on Fifth Avenue, West Indian Tony is still out. Been out a month I think. He’s got a bum knee and staying on his feet behind a grill all day is not the way for it to heal. Hopefully he has insurance, but being a short order cook in a deli, it doesn’t seem likely.

Heard from another old friend from my old neighborhood, Donna who has custody of her late sister’s son. Apparently Donna’s sister was married to an abusive guy, who abused her and their son. So now Donna has custody, but she and her husband are getting ready for a court battle over who the son should be with.

A family that loves the kid, or an abusive father who never really cared for the kid in the first place. I used to play with Donna until she got all girly.

Work was quiet and awfully slow. At one point this morning, Greg Stevens and Vivek sat me down to have a talk with me. It was about how things aren’t going so well, and if it continues to be this way, they may have to cut my hours, from a five day work week to a four day work week.

They wanted to keep me in the loop, and also said if I had any other offers I should seriously consider those offers. Unfortunately I have no other offers. That did my head in somewhat. I spent most of the day walking around in a daze.

It’s not necessarily the end, but the writing seems to be on the wall unless Greg and Vivek’s plans go through. If they don’t then the ship is going under. I left at 4:00 rather than 4:30. Nothing was going on and I had nothing to do. Didn’t feel like staying much longer.

Walked across town listening to Mambo’s from the 1940′s and 50′s and enjoying a Padron. Caught the bus and ran into Casey again, this time I was the animated one and he was not so much.

I walked over to the library and picked up The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Blurbs by Howard Zinn and Studs Turkel on the back cover, so she’s in good company. That’s it for now. Just anticipating the debate tonight and hoping it goes well for Joe Biden.

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Away From The Numbers

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

Oh what a day it has been. It’s been a Wednesday that’s for sure. But first, last night. Watched Olbermann. Rachel Maddow was on and it was announced she’ll have her own show following Olbermann. It doesn’t have a name yet, but will start after the conventions. That should be a good week starting with Rachel Maddow and ending with the B-52′s in Union NJ that Saturday.

After Olbermann, Bill came home from choir practice. He went to bed soon after that and I watched Enchanted on cable. It was ok, just as I expected. A half step behind funny. It wasn’t offensive and had some laughs. I wasn’t the demographic it was geared towards but I can see how the pre-teen girls loved it.

Saw very little of the Olympics, just enough to pass the time before the usual bad news at 11:00. Went to sleep before the sports report which was fine by me. Bill was out a little before 6:00 and I was out of bed a little after. No Casey again on the bus, listened to Tricky as I walked across town, stopping by to see West Indian Tony and got myself an egg sandwich.

Tricky is playing Irving Plaza in a few weeks, but I’m in no rush to see him. Saw him a few times back in the day, but I was interested in him then, now- not so much. Roda wants to go and is trying to get free tickets. If it’s a freebie I’ll go, but paying cash seems doubtful.

It was a beautiful morning and promised to be a beautiful day. Lot’s of good looking men on the streets today. We have some empty office space and I have been assigned to find people to fill the vacant spaces. I’ve posted online with Craigslist but so far no takers for a 13 x 11 office for $3300.00. The cheapest office is $1750.00.

I found out that someone was coming by to check out the space, a friend of a friend of the managing director. The visitor expressed some sort of interest but needed to hear from a partner about it and said he’d get back to me next week. I was told not to say this, but to say that. Don’t mention this, but it’s ok to mention that, things like that. Whether or not it went well remains to be seen. I guess I’ll find out about that next week.

I’ve also been trying to tidy up the petty cash for the bookkeeper. It’s been under control but as I added things up it was off by a few dollars. I decided to do everything over again, writing in a new ledger. That turned out to be a mistake and despite my careful adding and subtracting the balance was now off by $37.00.

That’s when I went to the well of despair. Just absolute zero self confidence. It wasn’t from not eating because I had a salad and when the blues hit I had a banana. I went out for a walk just to get away from the numbers. Had a cigar in Dag Hammarskjold Park by the United Nations. Sat next to another gent smoking a cigar. He called it the cigar section as the two of us sat there puffing and reading the papers.

Came back to the office after that, not feeling that much better. A woman in one of the offices in my office, Trudy mentioned that I carry myself in a certain way and when I speak people take notice of what I have to say. That helped me out a bit but still I had this petty cash problem to reconcile.

I decided to go back to the original ledger since that was off by only a few dollars and after adding and subtracting many more times, I found that I didn’t add up a certain item which was $36.00. It seemed I spent so much time looking at these figures that I couldn’t see them anymore.

Couldn’t see the forest, too many trees.

It’s all better now and a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders. Had to stay late though for some phone technician was coming in to check the lines. Left the office at 6:00 and walked to the Path train rather than wait on the long lines for the bus back to Hoboken.

Enjoyed another Padron on the way and listened to the playlist of songs that Juan played while I was touring the Versailles in my mind.

Feeling good now, and glad to be able to say that I got through it all on my own. Bill tried helping but he was on a head set and his words of com fort cam ou t a bi t garb led.

Here’s some pics from a few minutes ago.

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No Xmas for John Quays

Thursday, July 10th, 2008

Last night, I didn’t get to sleep at all. No, no. Well the hole in the street got bigger and at 11:00 there were two jackhammers going off. Bill, slept right through it, with the windows open five floors above.

I was towards the back, in front of the computer, TV on and I needed to close the windows to hear the TV. We slept with the windows open a little bit. They must have finished working around 11:30. We haven’t put the air conditioner in the window yet, just getting by with fans which is nice. I haven’t had the fear of the window unit falling out and killing someone. It’s something I obsess about.

Before that we watched Nova Science Now, hosted by Neil de Grasse Tyson who you might recognize from his appearances on the Daily Show and The Colbert Report. He’s an amiable chap and reminds me of Bill. He reminds Bill of Bill. Bill mentioned that he could have hosted the show, but I had to remind him that he’s not an Astrophysicist. Something he had forgotten.

I watched the final disc of Michael Palin’s New Europe. He was in Prague and East Germany, winding up in the former East Berlin. One of the people he visited was a holocaust survivor who was in a propaganda film from the early 1930′s about how well the Nazi’s were treating the Jews.

Fooled most of the world as well as the Red Cross. Footage of inmates tending gardens, harvesting food that they couldn’t eat. If someone stole a tomato they would be punished and sent to the camps for extinction.

Then Michael Palin took part in a Laughter Yoga session which was quite the opposite of the Nazi footage. My sister has been involved with Laughter Yoga in Arcata and she’s been enjoying the benefits.

It was interesting to see how a Laughter Yoga session proceeds. It’s laughing and clapping and maybe a little sing song in German. Or if in Arcata, more than likely English.

Then it was the news in a stuffy apartment with jackhammers muted through closed windows on a summer night. The uneasy sleep I had certainly was a contrast from the night before of spooning with Bill. And it set the tone for the day today.

I was just a little bit out of it. Did my job but really could have used an hour or two more of sleep. But it was too late for that. It was Thursday so I saw West Indian Tony and got my egg sandwich, surprisingly Tony didn’t ask about Bill. Just as well I was out the door and headed to work.

It wasn’t humid as it was the past few days and while I still had to change my t shirt when I got to the office, I wasn’t sweating as much. The day didn’t fly by and it didn’t crawl either. Thursday not only means an egg sandwich from West Indian Tony, it also means penne, pesto and chicken for lunch.

I have such a boring appetite. It’s a healthy appetite mainly. Salads everyday except for Thursday. I also try to keep it cheap.

The day finally ended, and I left work, walking across town, taking various snapshots as I enjoyed a Padron 5000. Saw the homeless guy I see almost everyday who calls me ‘soldier’. He started calling me that months ago while I was in a suit and tie, and now it’s every time. He salutes me and I give him some change.

Got on the bus crowded yet air conditioned, cracked open ‘Tweak’ by Nic Sheff and of course, he fell off the wagon and started shooting up meth again as well as just about anything he could get his hands on. Most everyone around him is telling him he’s making a big mistake, but he’s fallen in love with a fellow junkie and that leads to yet another relapse.

Stupid kid. Junkies ruin everything.

and how about that Jesse Jackson? Asshole or what?

Snaps!

A scary looking storm that passed overhead

11:00 PM

Tony Plana (the guy who plays Ugly Betty’s father)

Regurgitating

Mr. Softee (Elaine!!!)

How can these guys wear suits in 80 degree weather?

Now that’s more like it

An arm

A belly

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Posted in Mood Mambo | 2 Comments »

Fanny (Be Tender With My Love)

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Ok, it’s Thursday. Not much to report. Maybe I could make something up. No, not tonight. I’ll give you some mundane details. I promise, I’ll write some fiction soon enough. Until then some non fiction, some of my life. A pound of flesh for you dear reader.

Last night, I found the couch. It was buried under clothes and mail and Mojo and Uncut magazines as well as a songbook or two. Bill did a decent job in cleaning the apartment. It still has a way to go, but it’s a step in the right direction.

You’d think, two gay men living together, the place must be immaculate. Well that goes to show, you can’t trust stereotypes. I’ve always had a problem keeping things neat and orderly, and with Bill around I’ve surrendered to the chaos that surrounds us.

Normally if Annemarie, Rex and Earl were coming this summer we’d make an effort, perhaps even hire a cleaning lady to come in and do the things that we can’t seem to figure out to do ourselves.

We did that last year and talked about having her come every now and then, but we had more money last year and the Arcata contingent were headed east. Not so this year. It’s ok. Juan doesn’t mind.

He’s a college student so it all seems somewhat homey to him. He just sits in the couch and we watch the tv and get jazzy. Last night was the same only no Juan and I was doing a jazz solo.

Bill came back from the laundry and we watched Keith Olbermann then after that watched Dave Chappelle who was very funny, funnier than Keith Olbermann. After that, sleep. Bill was out at 6:00 and I stirred soon after getting out of bed myself.

Lot’s more people on the bus lately. Too many, and they all take my favorite seats. They always give the Hoboken run the worst buses, and this morning was no different.

I got off the bus, listening to Orbital as I picked up my free newspapers and walked to Smilers for my breakfast sandwich from West Indian Tony. Tony of course, asked all about Bill. He never asks about me, I guess that because I’m in front of him and by being there I must be alright. West Indian Tony can also predict the weather by how much his knees ache.

As I walked up Fifth Avenue I ran into a former co-worker. Daniel Begin, who set up a successful hedge fund which was also legal, and that’s rare these days. Nice guy, a fellow atheist and quite an intellectual from Israel.

I saw him last summer in Central Park with his wife and kids. It was awkward since I was beat from riding from Hoboken to the George Washington Bridge over and down to Central Park. Plus my eyes were a little bloodshot from a quick jazz improvisation off the bike path.

Not this morning though. We exchanged pleasantries and business cards and we were both on our separate ways. He asked me to tell my boss, Greg Stevens that he had said hello. Greg remarked that I always seem to be bumping into former co-workers and it’s true I do.

I saw the former head of Wanker Banker this morning too. His new company is across the street from my building so I see him fairly often.

Work was slow today. I had to see a vendor, someone who is trying to get my company signed up with her mobile phone service. They never take no for an answer and I was pigeonholed. She was nice and most guys that aren’t gay would love to spend time with her. Me? I just told her some horror stories about cellphone service, she works for T-Mobile which is my carrier.

She listened politely while telling me more and more about how the Blackberries she is promoting are the very best and give good value. I think deep down she knew she wasn’t going to get anything from me, everyone already has a Blackberry with their own service and they aren’t about to switch.

I told her I would bring it up at the next budget meeting next week, which isn’t going to happen. I did get her name which is the title of this post. After that was my special Thursday lunch, penne, pesto and chicken. I was quite a gavone while I ate.

Walked to the bus terminal after work listening to Public Enemy, then I saw a t-shirt that said ‘Never Stop’ so I switched over to Echo and the Bunnymen. Sat in a crappy seat and read ‘Tweak’ by Nic Sheff, the son of David Sheff who wrote the last book I read, ‘Beautiful Boy’ about his son’s addiction to methamphetamine. This is even more harrowing since it’s written by the junkie son. It’s a sad story.

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Posted in the day after yesterday | 4 Comments »

You Can’t Say No Forever

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Let’s see. Betty sent me a story about how Julie Nixon Eisenhower is a Barack Obama supporter, giving the maximum allowed by law. Her sister, Tricia Nixon Cox is a McCain supporter. Betty also sent me a link about the longshoremen and dock workers from Long Beach to Seattle going on a strike for May Day as a protest against the war. No mention of this on the national news. Brian Williams who I used to like isn’t mentioning at all.

Betty always sends me informative links since we are of similar mindsets. I first knew Betty when she was a waitron at McSwells and had an apartment directly above the bar. When I was living in Hoboken for those very long months in 1991, I would wait at the bus stop outside of McSwells and Betty would have a chat with me from her window above. Then I would take a bus into the city to get a bus out to Lodi. Such stupid, futile times those were.

For some reason I just flashed on a memory of playing something called The Noise Fest in Rahway NJ. It must have been around 1985. I had my Fender Super Bullet II plugged in, and my body was filled with caffeine. I did my fast rhythmic thing, Lois played bass, Jane played cello, and two others played various percussion. We were the Lay Offs and we were noisy alright, and I was a bundle of nerves unable to look at the audience which gave the appearance of being aloof. Don’t know why that popped into my head. There’s a tape of it somewhere, maybe.

Last night Bill was here once again and that was good. We watched, what else, but Lawn Hor d’oeuvres. It was better than The Olivia Show somewhat, all about a Scientology type group that an artist was trying to frame for his wife wanting to leave him and her murder. It was ok. I try to guess the killer in the first 5 minutes but I guessed wrong, it wasn’t the art dealer, it was the artist. I went to sleep soon after that, Bill stayed up to watch some David Letterman.

Once again, slept really well and once again slept later than I used to. Bill stayed in bed as I showered and dressed and still sleeping when I went off to work. He’s been going to his mother’s apartment before work to make sure she’s eating properly. When he comes to Hoboken he also goes there before coming over to make sure she’s eaten dinner and ready for bed.

I made my way across town, since it was Thursday I stopped by Smilers, saw Bill’s biggest fan, West Indian Tony and got myself an egg sandwich. Thursday also means Penne, Pesto and Chicken for lunch. It really is the little things in life that gets you through the day. Well at least today it was the little things.

This weekend is the Hoboken Spring Art and Music Fest which means a street fair with all the little knick knacks and tchotchkes that you don’t really need. Where in the past the music was the Bongos, or Patti Smith or Dr. John, this year it’s Micky Dolenz who lately looks like a former dictator from the Soviet Bloc. Don’t know if I’ll be checking it out, though deep down I know I’ll check out one or two songs. I’ll let you know.

Here is a white tiger swimming.

This has been my 900th entry. Woo hoo! Cheers!

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Posted in Interesting Things as of Late | 6 Comments »

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