Well I didn’t go for a bike ride today after all, wasn’t up to it. I did walk around Hoboken today, it was quite a lovely day though the sun was so strong, sun block might have been a good idea. Ran into Tallahassee and his friend Ft. Lauderdale and that was fun. Don’t have much else to write about so it’s shuffle time.

I’m Straight- The Modern Lovers
Great song by Jonathan Richman and the original Modern Lovers. All about Jonathan stating that he’d be a better boyfriend than Hippy Johnny. Heartfelt, Jonathan on the outside looking in. Saying straight in the midst of the 1970’s drug culture.

The Air Near My Fingers- The White Stripes
From Elephant, which I think is their best album. Probably their biggest seller too. Haven’t played it that often but it’s worth a listen to every now and then. Jack and Meg White freak people out, or they used to.

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite- The Beatles
Outtakes from The Beatles Anthology releases. Lennon sounds languid, the lads not playing together very well, at least at first. Very short actually, but segued neatly into

Concrete Jungle- Bob Marley and the Wailers
Love this song. Marley certainly wrote so many really good songs that weren’t hits, meaning not on the Legend album which is one of the biggest selling records of all time. This song inspired some graffiti done on my part in my nineties Rasta phase.

Swamp- Talking Heads
From Stop Making Sense, the live version. This has more of a punch than the studio version. I admit I loved it when it first came out, but in retrospect, after their peak with Remain In Light, this really doesn’t hold up too well. It’s good, but not great. Fun to watch in the movie though, a highlight. Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads was in the original Modern Lovers. Fun fact indeed! Also met Jerry at McSwells one night when working the door and had the balls to ask him for a job. He gave me his manager’s office number where I promptly got the run around!

Satta Massa Gana- The Abyssinians
Hard Core roots reggae from Jamaica. One of my favorite reggae songs ever. This version from the cd of the same name is a remake, doesn’t have the same bass heaviness as the original 45 that I once had in my possession. Patti Smith covered this live a few times.

We All Feel Better In The Dark- Pet Shop Boys
B-side from their Behaviour period, when I really liked them a lot. Even saw them at Radio City Music Hall this song features a lead vocal by the usually silent DJ? Programmer? Chris Lowe, going on in his way about how he wants it, he really really wants it. Ah, memories.

Let It Be- The Beatles
Surprising myself with a second selection by the Fabs. This is a song that was a monster hit but the Beatles as well as a few other. Oddly enough, not one of my favorite songs by them, at least not today. This version is the single version with George Harrison on lead guitar, album version is different. Pass the chicken.

Green Eyed Loco Man- The Fall
From the 50,000 Fall Fans can’t be Wrong Compilation. Mark E. Smith, poet of modern Britain. An acquired taste if you’ve seen the Mitsubishi commercial where there a bass heavy song and a vocal going, “I was walking down the street/I saw a poster…” you’ve heard the Fall.

It’s been an odd day, and not in a bad way. Was planning on a bike ride, and didn’t go, wasn’t planning on writing anything today, and I wrote. Nutty me.

It’s Friday and normally I would be happy, over the moon almost. Not today. Don’t know why. Last night was a quiet evening alone with Bill at his folks. Watched Ugly Betty, Scrubs, My Name is Earl and The Office, all very good episodes. No complaints there. Went to bed at a decent hour and slept ok. Woke up ok with the alarm clock. I puttered around, did the routine, showering, cereal and coffee and I was out the door in time to catch the bus. Yesterday, since I saw Bjork the night before I decided to go into work a little bit later that usual.

I told them I’d be in at 10:00, but wound up in the office at 9:30. Today it was back to normal, at my desk around 8:05, still the first one in. I knew it was going to be a quiet day since Tom Chin was going to be out the next 5 days. He’s a fusspot and could be gay. Hasn’t mentioned a wife or girlfriend but has talked about his two dogs, small kicker dogs. Not that that’s a clue and I really don’t care either way but it’s a good way to give Tom Chin something like a back story.

So it was rather quiet. Carla asked if she could take an early lunch to go to a sample sale. I said yes. Her lunch was at 10:45 and she did come back an hour later empty handed due to the long lines just to get into the showroom where the sample sale was. A few weeks ago I had a run in with the security company that provides access to our office. It was an ugly argument and the following day I gave the project of dealing with these idiots to Carla who arranged for them to come in. She also arranged for our IT guy, Ian to come in. He works as a consultant out of his apartment in Queens.

He came in, nice guy, handsome, helped me out with a program that was troubling me the past few days. He sat with the security guys and set everything up. Ian asked me how I was doing there and I told him so far, so good. He told me I lasted longer than the previous guy, Franklin Pena who lasted two days. Ian said that Franklin couldn’t handle the pressure. From what Carla told me, it was the pressure that got to him. And he was trained by Nadine who had the job previously. I’ve never met Nadine, nor had any email contact. I’m basically setting up a system with no guidance from anyone.

The fact that I’ve outlasted Franklin seems to be an accomplishment, and I’ve been told that I’m doing a good job by a few people in the hierarchy. I strolled around midtown for lunch and wound up in the neighborhood of Wanker Banker where I ran into Walter the UPS guy. I told him all about the Bjork show and he regretted not being able to go, he being a big Bjork fan. He asked where I was working and what I was doing and I told him how finally I was an office manager. He then said now all the problems will fall on my shoulders. That was disconcerting and also when I noticed my self doubt creeping up on me.

I walked back to the office feeling worthless and stupid, feeling that I’ve carried with me since childhood. Most of the time the self doubt is ignored, but as usual when I’m alone and left with my thoughts that’s when I get into trouble. I was planning on leaving the office early today at 4:00 and it seemed to take forever to get there. I blame that on writing about how fast the days goes by last week. I’m still doubting myself and making promises to make headway next week when I go back to work. I am hoping to go for a bike ride tomorrow, perhaps up to and over the George Washington Bridge. That might alleviate my spring time blues. It’s supposed to be a gorgeous day. Cross your fingers and look both ways.

This is from the bloglist, Joe.My.God who got it from Towleroad, also in the bloglist.
Gay Death Threats At FLL

Blogs are buzzing this morning after a gay couple in the Fort Lauderdale airport heard the following intercom announcement at the baggage carousel: “‘A man who lies with another man as he would a woman is subject to death.” The announcement, which came at 12:45am, was repeated several minutes later.

I wrote to a friend who runs one of the airline lounges at FLL and he’s going to try and get some inside scoop on the culprit. He tells me that intercom access is available from all over the airport, so the identity of Levitical creep may never be known. Check out the story on Towleroad for fuller details.