Monthly Archives: February 2008

So Glad To See You Here

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Well it was back to work today after a three day weekend. It wasn’t so bad. I knew I had to do it. Still buzzing after The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. Called up brother Frank to talk to him about it, but he wasn’t in, instead I had a long talk with Elaine, his wife. It was just about everything that Annemarie had told me the night before, angioplasty, breaking and entering, things like that. Not my bag so it’s not for me to write about though I do think Elaine will be fine regarding the angioplasty and in any event, my thoughts are with her.

Last night I watched TV, Daily Show, Colbert Report and a documentary on Ray Charles. After that I read, and eventually went to bed. Got up on time, did the routine and was on the bus reading a book about the last 5 years of John Lennon’s life, called Nowhere Man. I bought it cheap yesterday while wandering about the Village. It seems trashy though it had a good blurb from Allan Jones, the editor of Uncut magazine. So far I don’t feel dirty while reading it like I have when reading other books about famous people.

Today at work I was rather busy, errands and other things that got me out of the office, and I was able to use the fact that something that had to be hand delivered was right near the Path train in the Empire State Building and therefore enabled me to leave early to drop it off. That was cool. I also bought a pair of slippers since the pair that my sister got me a few years ago are no longer fluffy, they’ve gone flat. Dearfoam slippers for $8.00 was a bargain though I felt guilty about not wearing the older slippers. I get attached to things sometimes, emotional memories, even though my sister ordered them from a catalog, and they were shipped from LL Bean, my sister never touched them at all, just pointed and clicked online. Still the attachment was there. I haven’t thrown out the slippers yet.

I had an idea for a movie about someone like me who runs into someone not seen for about 10 years. In the movie, my character 10 years earlier, while drunk in a bar make a friend promise to kill him if he’s ever seen wearing a suit and tie to his job. Now the friend shows up, willing to fulfill his promise. Hilarity ensues hopefully. Two guys hanging out in a dive bar, jeans and t shirts talking shit, years pass, one of the guys realizes that the money is where the suits are and easily adapts. The other guy hangs in there, wearing the jeans and t shirts, not making much money. What do you think?

Here’s another idea, another guy, like me, feels somehow plugged into a spiritual network around town. He recognizes things like witches and things like that, how certain witches don’t cross bodies of water, either a puddle or a stream or a lake. Somehow they get around it. Meanwhile our hero, me, make his way through life observing the everyday occult events going on around him. I know, needs work. Needs a plot more like it. Well, you know, that if these 2 concepts make it to the big screen without my input, you’ll just know they’ve seen it here first.

Fidel Castro resigned, which makes me wonder when all the Cuban expatriates, will repatriate. Time to snap up property in Union City, he said tongue in cheek. Bush is demanding democratic elections, as if he knew what that was. I think it would be funny if they went Muslim and voted for an Islamic theocracy.

Atlantis to Interzone

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Well last night was very cool. Bill was here and that was great. He ordered a pizza, I think he’s putting some child of Grimaldi’s through college. I had a slice or two even though I had eaten a few hours earlier. Sort of wished it was Lodi Pizza though, but it wasn’t and I made do with it. We watched 60 Minutes which had a segment on why the Danish people are the happiest on the planet, according to some survey. 50% tax rate, great health care system and the quality of life is quite good. Tough immigration laws keeps things the way they like it. I saw that it was on yet forgot all about it until I got a phone call from Julio insisting that I put 60 Minutes on right away.

It was interesting alright, almost made us want to move to Denmark, but with so much going on here we quickly forgot about that. We watched the Simpsons after that, killing time until The Wire, which was good. Bill hasn’t been following it so I gave him the quick low down. Baltimore PD has no money, McNulty hatched a plan to create a phony serial killer to get the Feds involved and pump more money into the Department. That’s working nicely and a reporter who has a habit of making up stories, ala Jason Blair has caught on and is fabricating a lot though the city desk editor at his paper has an idea that this reporter, Templeton, is a fake, but the newspaper’s management loves the reporter. And Omar is still limping around the streets with a bum ankle, looking for Marlo and taking out Marlo’s soldiers one by one, waiting for a showdown with Marlo in the street to avenge the murder of an old blind friend of Omar.

Too much for Bill so he went to bed. I was soon in bed, cuddling up to Bill while wrestling with my pillows. Last night they decided to be uncooperative. Despite the pillow revolt, I was able to get some decent sleep, Bill kissing me good bye for the day and me laying in bed, hearing the rain. I slept some more knowing that it isn’t often that one has a rainy day and Monday off, makes for a good reason to stay in bed. But I had to wake up, get moving. Not for work mind you, I had off. It’s President’s Day, a celebration of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Namaste bitches! Brought the suit that I’m wearing to my cousin Neil’s wedding party to be altered at the tailor. Came back farted around, did some more laundry.

I decided to go to the movies and I decided to see The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. I called Harpy, Rand, Roda and they all couldn’t make it. I called Carla, whom I used to work with and we made plans to meet up after the movie. Left messages for Chaz and Kathe, and still I went on my own. It was an amazing film, quite touching, a bit harrowing and highly recommended. I really haven’t seen any other films quite like this. A magazine editor has a stroke, paralyzing all of his body except for one eye. You see the film from his point of view, interacting with his physical therapists, and the memory of his previous life.

So far, Julian Schnabel has made three excellent films. I’m usually wary about Schnabel, not much of a fan of his art, but his films shouldn’t be missed. I think he has found his true medium. Called up and left a message for brother Frank afterwards telling him what a good movie it was, also called Annemarie about it. It’s playing in Eureka and she had better see it before it goes away. It is nominated for a foreign film Academy Award, deservedly so. (Actually Schnabel is up for Best Director) Told Bill about the film, he couldn’t make it since he had to work today, but he never heard of it. He asked if it was something he’d be interested in, and I told him if he didn’t mind subtitles I’m sure he be interested in it. Stopped by Farfetched, chatted with Susan, then I met up with Carla and we walked around Union Square and the Virgin Mega Store before having a nosh at the Bob Vivant Diner.

We caught up quite a bit, or rather I told her mainly what was going on in my life lately. She’s such a sweetie pie, and she was looking very good. Why she doesn’t have a boyfriend, I’ll never know. But there probably any boyfriends good enough for her. She also agreed that Tom Chin is crazy. Good to know I wasn’t the only one. And Susan at Farfetched was looking fetching, a boyfriend for Susan! Pronto! Chop chop! That’s it for me, back to work tomorrow.