Monthly Archives: December 2008

Learn to Learn

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Ahh… just woke up from an hour long nap. It was well deserved after walking basically the length of Hoboken. Not the width mind you, just the length, which was enough. I wandered up to the Burlington Coat Factory and bought a new tie (pink) and some undershirts.

Nice cotton shirts by Nautica, I’ve been buying them up whenever possible. Very comfortable, thick cotton, not thin like Fruit of the Loom. Alas when getting jazzy a few weeks ago, a crumb burnt a hole in a shirt I was wearing so it needed to be replaced since that t-shirt is now a rag.

I’m also on the look out for microfiber boxer briefs so if anyone sees them on sale somewhere let me know. Also quite comfortable, I find microfiber more agreeable than mere cotton. I’m just saying.

It wasn’t as cold out as it was yesterday but there were not too many people out wandering about in Hoboken. I enjoyed a cigar after walking from Burlington to the main post office to drop off The Dark Knight DVD from Netflix.

I watched The Dark Knight last night and yes it was very good. Heath Ledger was great in it, actually he was the best thing in it. Definitely the best Batman movie, ever. Miles ahead of Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson which in hindsight looks like a crap movie almost 20 years later.

After that I watched Saturday Night Live which overall was sub par. Hugh Laurie was ok, the sketches were iffy, the digital short was lame and Kanye West sucked big time. It was disappointing about Kanye since he usually is quite a dynamic performer.

Off to bed after that and today was all about walking around Hoboken. Saw Julio, Stine and Superboy for a spell this morning. I did hang out with Julio for a few minutes last night. Stine was with the baby at Julio’s cousin’s house and I ran into him on Washington Street.

We had a seasonal shot of Aquavit. Obviously so much has changed for him in the past 9 months so I can’t really say it was like old times, more like a close approximation which was still good. The three of them are flying to Denmark on Wednesday and won’t be back until the first Monday in January.

I talked to Rita a couple of times today. An old friend of ours, who is also a friend of my brother Brian got in touch with me via Facebook, Dave Bell. I became Dave’s Facebook friend and told him of the plan for Rita and I to go gallery hopping on Friday and invited him to join us.

Dave couldn’t make it but suggested having dinner during the holiday break. So I called Rita and she was into it, so we just have to wait on Dave. Again. That was what we used to do. It should be good to meet up with Dave & Rita after all these years.

Back to work tomorrow, have to un-forward my phone from the fax machine. It was a deterrent for the Korean stalker to stop filling my voice mail with her screaming and crying and pleas for marriage.

Got my clothes all picked out, including the pink tie.

From the Daily News/Associated Press:
An Ecuadorean immigrant viciously beaten by men who yelled anti-Hispanic and anti-gay slurs at him and his brother has died, nearly a week after the attack, a family spokesman said Saturday.

Jose Sucuzhanay died late Friday at Elmurst Hospital as his mother was en route from Ecuador to see him, spokesman Francisco Moya said. Sucuzhanay, a 31-year-old real estate broker, had been listed in critical condition since the assault early on Dec. 7.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2008/12/13/2008-12-13_victim_in_hate_assault_jose_sucuzhanay_h.html

Empty Landscape

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Well today is quite cold. Last night was when the temperature started to drop. I was safe and sound in the apartment. Watched O & RM, then the Daily Show which had Darryl Hall and John Oates on the show backed with T Bone Wolk on acoustic bass singing a song about Allen Colmes leaving Hannity & Colmes, sung to the tune of She’s Gone. Very funny, Jon Stewart looked genuinely thrilled to have them there.

They were followed by my ersatz doppleganger Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I don’t care what anyone says, I do not look like him. He’s a good actor, that’s a given, but he’s a lot rounder in the midsection than I am despite Vivek mentioning my gut the other day at work.

Yeah I’m a bit sensitive about that.

A few years ago when Bill and I started going out, we went to the Lure in the Meatpacking district, (before it became boutique central) for some sort of party. Lot’s of heavyset guys there, some were pretty fat I thought to myself, when Bill walks up and tells me all these guys reminded him of me.

My first thought- he’s saying that I was fat. That’s what I was thinking while mingling around the heavyweight set. I was horrified, and Bill was totally innocent since he had no idea what I was thinking. I still chuckle about that years later.

After the Daily Show I watched The Colbert Report, once again very funny. He has Michael Phelps on and it was a very funny interview.

I also watched the Office which was surprisingly downbeat. It had some funny moments but overall it was one of their odder episodes. 30 Rock was way funnier with Elaine Stritch playing Alec Baldwin’s mother.

After that I went to bed around 1:00AM. Woke up around 8:30, got bagels and whatnot. Saw Julio, Stine and Kal-El for a little while. They were getting ready to go out and I was getting hungry. Had a nice breakfast, read the news and did some laundry, all finished by 11:00.

Watched It Came From Beneath the Sea, a 1950’s sci-fi movie about a giant octopus that attacks San Francisco. I saw it a few times in my childhood. Never really heard a certain line from the movie until today when one male character says to another about how today’s woman (in the 1950’s) isn’t afraid and is quite courageous, and able to do a lot of things men can do. Of course this is said right before the octopus attacks the Golden Gate Bridge so it was quickly forgotten.

I decided to head into the city and check out some art galleries. I waited for the bus and I ran into Meghan Taylor Mastro with her daughter Ruby who has sprouted up quite a bit since I last saw her during the summer. Quick plans to meet up when Ann Louise Boyles comes to the area next week.

I decided on Chelsea since there’s a lot of galleries all within walking distance. I started out at the Cindy Sherman show but I wasn’t too impressed. I guess I have to be in the mood for her.

I was impressed by Eric Fischl’s sculpture show. That was very good and very powerful. A few more shows which were ranging from fun to okay. I do enjoy art when it makes me laugh or smile.

I called up Rita after leaving the Eric Fischl show remembering she liked him way back when. Just a quick word telling her to check out the show before it closes this Friday. If she’s into it, maybe I’ll leave work early on Friday and we can check it out.

After that I had a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero that I had extinguished before heading into the galleries. Walked over to the Path and started reading last week’s New Yorker.

Walking up Washington Street I noticed about 30 Santa’s heading downtown. Apparently it’s Dress As Santa day and lot’s of guys were in the pubs and bars dressed like Kris Kringle with their girlfriends dressed as Mrs. Claus or elves and reindeer.

It reminded me of dreams that I used to have when I was actually killed by Santa Claus. Basically the dream was with me playing in my parent’s driveway and looking up to see his sleigh landing on top of me much like the house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East in The Wizard of Oz. It was one of those dreams that I used to have frequently when I was growing up.

Other dreams featured a large box, designed as a book that my mother used to have photographs in. In that dream I was told never to open that book/box but of course I did, unleashing a river of blood that Jesus would surf on, never helping me as I drowned.

It was the same Jesus who’s picture hung on the wall above my parents bed next to a picture of his mother Mary, both with their sacred hearts out of their chests.

Then there was the Black Ghost, a shroud reminiscent of the ghost of Christmas Future from a Christmas Carol. The Black Ghost would appear down the block in front of the Crist’s house and summon me towards him despite my resistance.

Then we would go flying over Lodi. In retrospect, the Black Ghost treated me better than Jesus or Santa.

There was also the Red Devil (who looked like the bad guy/wolf from Underdog) who used to make hot dogs in my backyard and threatened me with eternal damnation.

The Black Ghost and Red Devil eventually faded away when I had a dream in which I overheard my sister Annemarie and my brother Brian discussing who was going to be the Black Ghost and who was going to be the Red Devil that night.

I took a few pics this afternoon, but being on Bill’s Mac I can’t upload them. I’ll try later in the week.

Right now, It’s A Wonderful Life is on in the other room. I can hear Old Man Gower wailing on George’s ear. Ouch! ‘Please Mr. Gower, I know you’re sad, it’s not your fault’ Smack! Smack! ‘Don’t hit my sore ear again!’