Monthly Archives: May 2006

Smile, Please

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A pretty good day. Not bad at all. And presently watching the season finale of Gilmore Girls, which so far featured, Sparks, Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo. Very interesting. I almost played with Yo La Tengo years ago. Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley both worked or hung out at McSwells. They were starting up Yo La Tengo and were looking for a guitarist. They handed me a tape and asked me to listen to it and maybe see if I’d like to play with them.

I didn’t like the tape much and didn’t want to play with them. Now, years later. There they are on Gilmore Girls. And Sonic Youth’s Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore. (who my old friend Maurice used to nanny for Kim and Thurston’s kid) Weird. But good weird.

Bill took off today, declaring himself a weekend, yesterday and today. He spent the day in the apartment cleaning. All over. I’m impressed. Lot’s of trash to be thrown out. I should do the same.

I’m definitely getting used to the crowded Path train in the morning. Not enjoying it, just tolerating it. No choice really. It’s only about a 15 minute commute and there are always trains leaving at 7:30 in the morning. I walk down Hudson Street, nice stroll fairly quiet, and worlds away from midtown. I’m getting used to the commute.

I send out the email, the morning announcements about who’s where, who’s not coming in, who’s going to be late. Felicia called. Her dog has been sick all night and she’s waiting to hear from the vet. A nice British woman, Linda came back from a long weekend. She’s very nice and willing to help me out when needed. I busied myself but also decided not to sweat downtime.

I took a relaxed approach to the job at hand and worked on all my projects. Even showed how useful I can be by catching a typo and also be being at the right place at the right time with paper towels.

After work I walked down Church St. smoking my Padron, listening to Station to Station by David Bowie. I know Bowie lives in Tribeca so that would be a hoot to run into him buying groceries for the missus, Iman.

“David, we’re out of bread.” ‘Right love, I’ll run right out.’

I sincerely doubt he’d remember me anyway. It was about 10 years ago when I met David Bowie when he was recording his ‘Earthling’ album at Right Track studios, where I used to work. He was a great guy and I’ll never forget hanging out with him. How could he?

He even took the time to autograph his personal cassette after he gave it to me. I was a fan of his before, but this definitely put my fandom over the top. He asked me towards the end of the sessions if I could suggest anyone to mix some tracks on the record. I drew a blank and called up Rand and a few other people who gave me some ideas. I gave David a list of some names, some he heard of and some he didn’t. I didn’t figure it out until weeks later. He knew I DJ’d occasionally.

I could have suggested me.

I should have.

Nobody Hurts You

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Ugh. Mondays. No me gusta. No mas! Woke up not wanting to go to work. I know most everyone feels that way. Hard to get motivated this morning. Just didn’t want to go. A depressing feeling. I felt so lost. Some days are better than others of course. This was not one of the better days. Just don’t know where or how to fit in at the new job. I am alone most of the time, everyone is about 100 feet away from me.

It’s a different scene for sure. Where at Wanker Banker I had at least the IT guys and some Admins to talk to, at the new job there is really no one. Even Dave Disco, my ex boss would be available to talk to. But Felicia isn’t really that social, at least not with me. I still don’t know what’s really expected of me so I spend a lot of time and energy just keeping busy.

Still there are moments of downtime where I just don’t know what to do. Phones aren’t ringing off the hook, occasionally I go make sure there is a fresh pot of coffee, rinse off some dishes and put ‘em in the dishwasher. They’ve stopped ordering soda so that’s one less thing I have to do. It is drudgery but well paying drudgery. I have to remind myself of that from time to time.

But still most of the day was spent feeling down about the job. I think it’s because I had such a good time over the weekend, with the jamming on Saturday with Bill and Tom, Juan coming over in the evening and then hanging out with Frank and Elaine at the Art and Music festival in Hoboken on Sunday, winding up watching the Sopranos and Big Love with Bill and Julio.

The mood lifted somewhat in the afternoon after a mediocre salad. I like taking a late lunch because it makes the afternoon seem shorter and going home faster. At least it seems that way.

I’ve taken to walking down to the World Trade Center Path train, it’s about a half hour walk and good timing to smoke my Padron before I descend into the train station. I remember how it used to be before the tragedy almost five years ago, when 3000 people died. It’s a major tourist site, now more than it used to be.

But the walk down there is enjoyable and not too many people on the street to complain about the cigar. It was more crowded last week with the Tribeca Film Festival, with lots of people wandering around. This week, a lot less. I walk down the street, past White Street where I was shanghaied in 1980 at the Mudd Club. It was a lot more dangerous then than it is now.

Industrial lofts converted into luxury condos selling for millions. JFK Jr lived down here. A lot of Hollywood people do too. I just keep on walking.

Got off the Path train and walked down Washington Street which definitely had less people than yesterday. I downloaded Graham Parker and the Rumour, ‘Squeezing Out Sparks’. High school. Long time ago.