Monthly Archives: July 2008

Love Will Find A Way

On TV right now, Karl Rove’s dancing partner, David Gregory is mourning the death of the Bush administration’s mouthpiece Tony Snow. I am not mourning. He put forth the lies of the Bush administration and enabling the mess that we are in right now. Blood on the podium in the White House press room. No sympathy for the devil here.

Last night was mellow indeed. Bill napped as we watched Rachel Maddow filling in for Keith Olbermann until Olbermann goes on vacation again. After that I had a surprise for Bill who woke up in time for the theme song to ‘Maude’, the tv series starring Bea Arthur in the 1970’s.

Adult fare then, probably wouldn’t last in this day and age. So odd to watch a show with a live studio audience when most comedies these days go without a laugh track, at least the shows I watch. I could only bear 2 episodes.

Bill asked why and I told him I didn’t want to get caught in a time warp. 2 were more than enough. I wouldn’t watch the others unless maybe Bill was around, and he’s with his mother this weekend, so I guess I won’t be watching.

It’s funny how much of my liberal outlook was formed by Norman Lear’s liberal outlook. I guess I watched shows like Maude, All in the Family, Good Times and The Jeffersons while growing up. I preferred them to shows like Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley. Peer pressure dictated that I watch those shows, though I drew the line at Three’s Company.

After all the TV was my babysitter most of my life, being a latch key kid. I’m not complaining. I’d would rather have been aware of issues that were going on in the 1970’s then a fantasy from what is now 50 years ago.

And yes, Adrienne Barbeau had a very large bust. I never noticed it then for some reason. I only noticed last night since I heard so much about them. Today was mellow yet again, Bill off to take care of his mother. Me doing laundry, running errands.

A nice cool day, but a beaming sun. I’ve become wary of the sun lately. Can’t be out in the sun like I used to. Not good for the skin you see, and having had sun poisoning a few times in my childhood, a visit to the dermatologist is somewhere down the road for me. I expect to have things taken off my body sooner or later.

I’m not worried, it seems to be a routine thing lately. After years of being told to go out and get some color, it’s like the Woody Allen joke from Annie Hall where he says all the things our parents told us that were good for us, really aren’t. Sun, red meat etc. I went bike riding around Hoboken this afternoon, putting sun block on beforehand.

Crossed paths with Rand and Lisa who were prowling around for gate sales. Slim pickings this afternoon. We parted ways, meeting up later for a couple of Mojitos. I rode off to Pier A and read some of the latest Mojo Magazine, specifically the 20 years of Sub Pop Records being around. Sub Pop won it’s first Grammy for The Flight of the Conchords. A comedy Grammy last year.

I saw quite a few Sub Pop bands coming through McSwells in the late 1980’s. Mudhoney, Nirvana, TAD and a horde of others that really didn’t do a thing for me. I think that was when I started becoming disinterested in the alternative scene then.

Alice in Chains? Give me a break. I couldn’t care less. And today I still feel the same way. Even with Nirvana, I like some of their songs, but not all of them.

Speaking of junkies, I finally finished Tweak. It was a good read, albeit unnerving. Nic Sheff comes out alive at the end, and I really wish he stays clean and sober. I recommend it, as well as his father, David Sheff’s book, Beautiful Boy.

Now I have Simon Rich’s Ant Farm, a collection of humorous short stories. I read something he wrote in the New Yorker a week or so ago and thought it was hilarious, so I ordered the book from the library.

Support your local library. They could probably use the support.

Here’s some pics.

Nappy Bill

Authorized Personal Only

“It’s buried underneath a big dubya…!”

Who ordered the beefcake?

Beware of Darkness

It’s finally Friday and we all give thanks for it. Who do we thank? I don’t know, I’ll just put it out there in the ever expanding universe. Not that the universe runs on an earthly calendar. Could be a Mayan calendar, but I doubt it.

In any event, it’s good to be home and resting. I just ordered Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros for my brother Brian’s birthday present.

Hopefully it will get to Hillsdale by Thursday and hopefully his son Brian won’t open the package thinking it’s a present for him. Little Brian’s gift is a gift card from Pac Sun, his sister Cassie got $2000000.00 and my niece Cory got $30000000.00 since she’s an adult and could use the money for gas or whatever. I just hope they don’t cash the checks.

Brian’s oldest daughter, Hillary has her birthday at the end of July which gives me some breathing space. The four birthdays in the middle of the month lightens my wallet somewhat. I’m glad the rest of the birthdays are spread out through the year.

Today was a bit of a purple nurple. Slept well, Bill was off to work, kissing me goodbye as I said hello. I got motivated and did my thing and was out of the apartment before 7:00 since I don’t like the morning show team on TV. They changed some anchors and they didn’t ask me.

I rode the bus, reading about the saber rattling towards Iran. Man this country is in a mess thanks to that buffoon on Pennsylvania Avenue.

The headphones I bought a few weeks ago are shot, or at least on their last legs. Made listening to David Bowie a little bit difficult but I managed. Work was quiet since it was a Friday. Most of the major players were out, still some were in.

I entertained the idea of leaving early today, like around 3:00 but having only worked four days this week, it didn’t seem likely. Last week I dropped off my eyeglasses that I got in November, broken arm on the frame. Evan who seems to like me a lot said he would have them fixed.

Today they came in and I went across the street to pick them up. They looked brand new as Evan cleaned off the lenses, mentioning that the lenses are no longer a problem. They were not fully in the frame the whole time I had them and I thought thats how they were supposed to be.

I walked out of the store, into the sunlight wearing my like new specs. I came to the office and they seemed a bit dirty so I cleaned them. Still dirty. Cleaned them again and I noticed they seemed stained. I went back across the street, the lenses were dislodged again.

I spoke to Evan who said he’d order me new lenses. I was frustrated and called my insurance company to find out when I would be able to get a new set of lenses. That wouldn’t be until November, at least the getting the prescription, and actually getting a new set of glasses wouldn’t be done until January.

Since I had the insurance company on the phone I asked how my appeal for my dental work was going. I resubmitted my claim in June. They told me once again that since I had two procedures done on the same day my claim was rejected.

I resubmitted with a letter from my dentist while explaining that while I maybe out of the network I was saving them and myself money. I got a letter from the insurance company today telling me I have to submit my periodontal chart as well as the x-rays.

I have to do this myself, the dental school doesn’t do paperwork. So I have to make arrangements to go to the dental school and pick up these items next week.

I didn’t leave the office until after 4:30 this afternoon. I had my Padron and walked across town, not staying around for Manhattan-henge. That’s when the sun is in a perfect position as it sets and all the cross streets in the grid of Manhattan are illuminated with sunlight.

I came home on a crowded bus, trying to read Tweak while next to me a woman standing up, her purse kept landing on top of my book, making it difficult to turn the page. She of course was oblivious. I came home and decided to have hot dogs for dinner.

Then I realized I let Bill finish off the bread leaving me without bread. Out to the supermarket where I ran into Stine and Alexander, making the end of my day so much better than the day that came before it.

Here’s some snaps

The Kiss Army at 7:30 waiting for Gene Simmons to show up at 12:30.

The shin

My building reflected