Another day, crazy weather, pinched nerve, Sunday. Sunny cool morning, got bagels, eggs and the New York papers. It was all done due to the benefit of coffee. What a difference it makes. Bill doesn’t drink coffee, and sort of looks down on people that do. Me? Obviously I need that final jolt to the system before heading out into the world. It’s more for the benefit of the world than for me actually.

Saw Julio briefly this morning as I handed him his newspaper and bagel. He was preparing to really clean the apartment since Mrs. Stine Lopez was due to arrive in just a matter of days. We chatted briefly knowing that we’d see each other tonight to watch the Sopranos. And Big Love.

I read the papers and watched the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, which was actually ok. Didn’t deserve the thrashing it got when it was originally released. Mos Def was as good looking as ever.

Got a phone call from my brother Frank who was imploring me to go out and buy the Bergen Record. He wouldn’t tell me why but insisted that I should. Apparently it was big news. So I had a La Gloria Cubana and walked out into the beginnings of a major downpour. Had to go to two newsstands before I could get the paper. I asked for a plastic bag for the paper would have been soaked from the rain. The cigar was fine though.

Came back home and started reading the Sports section where Frank said to look. And there it was, my niece and goddaughter Meghan is getting married to Rob. They’re a great couple very cute and very much in love. Rob proposed on one knee in front of hundred of fellow coaches at a track meet coaches meeting. So fantastically sweet. Meghan of course accepted. There’s a nice picture of the two of them. If I could I will make a pdf of the article with picture and post it.

The rain has stopped bright and sunny and very windy. I can hear it creaking around the building. The pinched nerve comes and goes. Right now it’s not here. Said it was going out for some smokes. Now it’s back. Now it’s gone. Read a lot of magazines that I’ve been trying to keep up with and haven’t even touched the New Yorker, which I am behind a few weeks already.

Bill is at Foxwoods again though at this time he’s probably legging it back to this area. He will probably show up mid Sopranos, or right before Big Love. Season is winding down for both shows and it’s starting to get really interesting.

There’s also a show I plan on watching, Baghdad ER a cinema verite or a documentary on life and death for the soldiers. Takes place in an ER in Baghdad I guess.

I was supposed to hang with Juan but he spent the night in Princeton at a party, and I’m not really up for anything due to the bent look on my neck. Postponed!

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A definite low key Saturday. Day of Saturn my ass. More like day of Uranus. Big neck pain today. The catch is my insurance should be activated by Monday. It’s Saturday. Got up at 6:00 AM this morning. Bill had left for another trip to Foxwoods. The good talk seems to have turned a corner and cleared the air. I took one his pillows and replaced it with one of mine that was driving me crazy.

I immediately felt at ease. I figured out that when Bill had cleaned a lot and changed the sheets and pillowcases he mixed up our pillows and that may be the cause of my neck problems. That makes sense. I did want to get a new pillow anyhow. I asked Julio if he could give me a ride to Target. I wanted to also get a new computer chair. He said he could help but had many chores to do so it would be much later.

I was able to get bagels without the benefit of coffee, which I had to go get at the supermarket. It was risky being out in public without caffeine but it was a chance I had to take. I even had to go to the bank. The stiff neck came back a little while after taking a hot shower. By the time to the bank I was el Stiffo again and barely awake after the caffeine. It was the pain that was keeping me awake. And why not? It has been interrupting my sleeping anyway.

There was a short line at the bagel shop and no one was in the bank so that was in and out pretty fast. The supermarket wasn’t that crowded either. I gave Julio a bagel and came upstairs where I made breakfast. Sitting upright with the pain shooting down my right bicep.

I still kept myself busy with laundry but decided not to over exert myself due to my condition. That meant I sat on the sofa and kept everything in reach without having to move much. As I sat there reading the papers the phone rang. It was a deep voice saying, ‘Hi Uncle John!’ It took me a minute to realize that it was my nephew Earl. Hadn’t spoken to him in a while and now he sounds like a young man. Jeezy Creezy! Well he will be 14 in September so it makes sense.

He was asking me about Napster which I used to use. He was getting songs and trying to burn them onto cd’s, but was having problems. I told him to look for preferences or options and try a lower speed to burn. It might take longer, but it might definitely help. I spoke to his mom, my sister Annemarie who gave me some suggestions regarding the neck problem and proceeded to do what she was saying, wrapping a towel, getting a cold press and laying on the bed with pillows under my knees.

It worked. I lie there about 15 minutes and felt almost as good as I did a week ago. I was even able to take a nap for about twenty minutes. After cat napping the day away, Julio showed up and we went to Target where I bought a new pillow and computer chair. Julio was kind enough to carry the chair from where he parked two blocks away and up four flights of stairs.

Then he assembled it, knowing it would take me a long time, probably days. He gets bagels for life from now on. Oh and Mrs. Stine Lopez, arrives on Wednesday.