Monthly Archives: November 2008

On Some Faraway Beach

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Ok here we are, on Bill’s Mac. The day started out with my iPod skipping songs in a playlist. The other day they were there, today they aren’t. A while ago I logged into a website for determining the life of your iPod. My iPod is scheduled to die on December 1, 2008, which is right around the corner.

I couldn’t figure out what was happening and couldn’t find any easy answers online. It wasn’t the end of the world and I figured though it would be time consuming I could replace the missing songs when I got home. But that would depend on my computer working properly, and it isn’t which is why I am on Bill’s Mac.

I seem to have a very good wireless connection, excellent it tells me, but it’s trying to acquire a network address. That does me no good.

One thing I learned today during some downtime was sewing. I was able to tighten up some buttons that were loose enough to make me worry about losing them. It was so much easier to grasp the concept of sewing watching it on video and it didn’t involve pricking my finger constantly.

So I didn’t lose too much blood and was able to re-sew a few buttons, which was a check mark in my accomplishment column.

Jeez, Bill’s Mac is so much easier and friendly. Not as temperamental as mine.

Greg Stevens returned from his vacation in Arizona. It was good to see him and it’s an interesting thing, our friendship. He really looks out for me and sat me down to tell me what Vivek told me a week or so ago, about how my job is relatively “stable”. Of course anything could happen overnight.

Greg mentioned that he lost quite a bit of money due to the distress of CitiGroup. He worked for them for 20 years and acquired stock. Now that stock is basically worthless. He was looking forward to retirement but doesn’t know how that will go.

He and his wife might sell their Manhattan apartment and live in Southampton and Arizona. If he’s worried about things then we’re all basically on shaky ground.

Greg also mentioned that I wouldn’t be getting a bonus this year. To tell you the truth I wasn’t really expecting one. I told him that, and also that I have had jobs where I didn’t get anything so not getting something that didn’t really exist isn’t really that much of a problem, though last year’s bonus was quite nice.

I think Vivek has a plan for me to work with another partner of his for a different company. It would be nice if more money was involved, but we have to have a sit down to discuss his plans for me.

Last night I watched the season finale of True Blood, which was very good. Edge of the seat type of thing. Turned out the woman that Tara was living with, with the musician known as Egg, wasn’t the devil. Still a scary chick though, that’s for sure.

It was very very good though and I won’t say anything else in case some of you hadn’t seen it yet and will wait for the DVD. Entourage was also very good, also a season finale with a happy ending and cameo appearances too.

My computer is still on the fritz but obviously it isn’t all bad since you’re still reading this.

And I suppose if all else fails employment wise, with my new skills sewing I could perhaps start a career as a tailor. Buttons only though, don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.

Ahem.

Only You

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Sunday night. Went scarf hunting today. Went to Burlington Coat Factory. Sometimes you can find something good there, but not today. It was a mess an hour after it opened and no one really knew anything.

I asked for mens scarves and was told 2 locations, but could only find them in one and it was a poor selection. I’m not one for branding so that reduced the selection to almost zero. I did ask another salesperson and she said basically they probably had them but she didn’t know where since a lot of things were still in boxes.

I almost bought a tie and some undershirts, but there was no real line, just a mob of people going to the registers from all directions. I just put the things I was planning on buying on a table and walked out.

Wound up walking around Hoboken in the sun, smoking a Padron. Expected to run into someone, anyone but to no avail. I guess that they saw me first. Walked around.

Watched Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in To Be or Not To Be and it was just as good as the Mel Brooks Anne Bancroft version. In fact I think the same script was used. Odd to see Jack Benny as a Nazi saying Heil Hitler with a swastika armband on his arm. It was good and breezy and fairly fast paced. Carole Lombard was gorgeous, easy to see what Clark Gable saw in her.

I just checked and there was a TV movie in the 1970’s starring James Brolin and Jill Clayburgh as Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. I probably saw it when it was broadcast. ABC used to show made for TV movies on Friday nights which I used to watch since I had no where to go on Friday nights. Much like today.

I also remember watching Hey I’m Alive, a TV movie starring Ed Asner and Sally Struthers who played plane crash survivors trying to stay alive in the snowy Yukon by eating toothpaste.

And Home for the Holidays starring Sally Field who watches her father and sisters get murdered by their step mother over the Christmas holiday. That one scared me, I used to think that that would happen to my family. Or a scenario like the Clutter family from In Cold Blood which I saw at much too early an age.

Last night I watched the Too Tough to Die: The Tribute to Johnny Ramone. It was ok. Marky Ramone’s documentary is better as is End of the Century, the ‘official’ Ramones bio. Johnny was a taskmaster right winger. Johnny stole Joey’s girlfriend and the two of them didn’t speak for years even while sitting in the same van on tour. Joey wrote The KKK Took My Baby Away about Johnny and Joey’s ex-girlfriend.

I know some girls thought Johnny was cute, but Dee Dee was always the cuter one, as well as the most troubled, being a junkie and all. And dey awl had dat deep Queens way of talkin’ you know wud I mean?

Tommy speaks the best and now it’s just him and Marky. CJ and Richie Ramone really don’t make the list. Should they?

It was a live concert basically from Los Angeles. Bands like X, The Red Hot Chili Peppers (Anthony Kiedis really sounded like Johnny Ramone), The Dickies among others. Eddie Vedder was in it too. Ho hum. Said he was a good friend of Johnny’s. Might have paid for Johnny’s tombstone as well since a quote from Vedder was inscribed on it. X were great of course.

Rob Zombie was the MC so I guess it was all a big Los Angeles love fest. Left me somewhat whelmed.

Tonight is the season finale of True Blood. Who knows what will be revealed? I’m almost psyched. Perhaps I will be more so when it’s 9:00. Back to work tomorrow. 2.5 days of work. Yippie!