10.17.05 Word on a Wing

Today is Monday. I now have a domain name. I am the master of my domain. Yesterday, Rand and I discussed while walking with Lisa, how I should blog my writings, and ‘hey why don’t I have a domain name too’. So after we parted ways, Rand and Lisa went home, I climbed my 4 flights of a five story walk up and wrote what I wrote yesterday. Eventually it will all appear somehow.

So I come home, in my charcoal gray double-breasted Givenchy suit, purple silk tie, black braces, tasseled loafers and TNT OTC sox. A bit sweaty. Also a bit later than I expected since I had an email from Chris Hammer who was in Manhattan and wanted to meet me at the Townhouse. Chris likes suits and also likes to smoke cigars. This is what started us chatting a few years ago. Things being what they are, we could never really hook up.

We were supposed to meet last week but there was nonstop rain, and he was traveling from down the shore. So that fell through. He was apologetic which was nice. Other times I was supposed to meet someone it didn’t work out, usually because someone flakes. Either me or the other guy.

Song2 was a nice guy and very sweet though he disputes this. He was also on time. But the weather was in our favor two weeks ago. Last week the weather was in the favor of waterfowl. I can’t really compare both Song2 and Chris Hammer, because both seem to be genuinely sincere. And in Gay.Com land, that is a very rare quality.

So I met Chris at the Townhouse. He saw me and made a beeline. He shook my hand and offered to buy me a drink. I had a Heineken, he had a Bombay Sapphire and tonic. I’m such a cheap date. He had some time to kill before his dinner with friends and wanted to meet and buy me a drink and apologize to my face.

So we sat on a sofa and chatted. Nice guy, handsome, reminded me of my cousin Joey Powers. It must be an Italian thing. It was also the first time in over a year that I’d been kissed. REALLY kissed. That was fun. I was surprised I remembered how. It certainly is nice to be with someone who thinks you’re really hot and good looking. Or ‘bangin’. No, Chris didn’t say ‘Bangin’.

That was from 3 girls a few years ago in the summer when I was walking home from Central Park. Three girls hangin out under a scaffold on 7th avenue and W50th Street saw me and yelled, “Hey Mister, you bangin’” That made my day, and still brings a smile years later.

Of course I told Julio this, who to this day has a laugh and says “Hey Mister, You bangin’” especially when I think I’m looking good.

But no, Chris didn’t say that. He did like the way I looked and the way he kissed me seemed to convey that nearly perfectly. He may be traveling thru Hoboken on his way back down the shore, and asked if he could call me when he got off he PATH train. I said yes.

He’s a handsome guy, about 5’6”, to my 6’2”. Some thinning hair, but that doesn’t bother me. Also some heft around the waist and that’s also alright with me. I think it’s cute.

This is the first entry for johnozed.com. I hope you like it. Plenty of room for improvement I’m sure but hey, it’s something.

10.17.05

10.16.05 Crawling from the wreckage

Another fine sunny day with the occasional cloud. It’s a windy day in Hoboken, leaves flying off the trees. Still damp in some places. Brisk autumnal weather. Nice day for a walk. And so I met up with Rand and Lisa. Always willing conspirators for cultural events in Hoboken.

This is probably the 3rd tour made with Rand. The previous ones were accompanied by Bill. Would’ve been nice to have him around. I do enjoy turning him onto new things.

We met around 6th Street and Washington Street. I was smoking a cigar. Lot’s of people walking around, some participating on the Studio Tour. Others just brunching.

We went to Newman Leathers and dropped by Tim Daly’s studio. His work is always great. And the fact that he is such a nice guy is more than an added bonus.

Sheilah Scully was there too. She’s always a lot of fun. Totally engaging.

In the studio next to Tim’s was a woman artist who’s name I don’t remember. In her studio was this woman who’s I’ve seen for the past 20 or so years. She’s soft spoken, has a few kids, but didn’t know where I saw her from. Just one of those Hobokeners you see for years and never bother to introduce yourself to them nor they to you.

Such a small town.

Gerri Fallo made her appearance, which was the sign to high tail it out of there. Nothing against her, but it was time to move on. We bee lined thru the bottom of the building and came out on Newark St. We wandered over to my first real neighborhood in Hoboken, 201 Madison Street.

Hiro Takeshita lives there like he used to when I lived on the top floor. Hiro’s a nice guy too. Does some work that keeps getting better each time I see it. Now he’s into paper cutting. He used to do a lot of pastel work, but the cutting is really amazing. An added depth that he couldn’t achieve before. Very warm. His ex wife Terry was there. She was married to him when I moved out of 201 Madison.

They have 2 kids. She lives at 8th and Willow I believe. Very nice and she seems to be still supportive of Hiro. Maybe she’s paying him alimony, though the rent from living there is probably a little over $500.00 after 20 years. We chatted for a little while, Lisa, Rand Hiro, Terry and myself. Hiro and Terry’s kids are showing artistic talents already. One’s a teenager or almost 20. Scary how time flies.

Rand, Lisa and I left the apartment and walked up Madison, deciding to forgo the Monroe Arts Complex. That’s always pandemonium and not much fun. Too many artists in one building. Aesthetic sensibilities run amok.

I told Hiro’s ex wife Terry that artists should be spread out, not concentrated all in one spot. She smiled, but I didn’t know whether or not she ‘got’ me. Lisa spotted a computer tower that was being tossed away. Rand promptly opened it and salvaged some cards and a processor. He’s constantly amazed how people throw out all these good parts just because they got a brand new pc.

I told him not everyone is fortunate enough to have a Randy Hoppe in their lives.

10.16.05