Monthly Archives: February 2009

Tenth Avenue Freeze Out

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Well it was back to work for me and I made it until 3:00PM. I had an errand that was close to the Path train which allowed me to leave early. I wasn’t feeling 100% and Tom Chin mentioned quite a few times that I don’t look so well and I sounded congested.

I thought I looked ok but it’s true I was still congested. It seems like the cold or bug or whatever has moved from my sinuses to my chest. Some coughing, in a Flemish style.

I spoke with my brother Frank and texted with my brother Brian as well as emails with my sister Annemarie. I seem to be the conduit for all three. Brian asked me to forward an email to Bill which I did, and later speaking with Frank about an email I offered to write it for him, saying ‘Duh’ a lot as well as ‘I forgot what I was trying to say’. He laughed at that which was good.

Annemarie, 3000 miles away was expressing concern for me and my ailment, suggesting various things to make me feel better, which I did but still never got the zinc lozenges. Think it would be best for all concerned, meaning co-workers, that I stay home tomorrow.

Fridays are generally slow and quiet and I usually leave early anyhow and who knows how many people I’ve infected just by going to work. That’s probably how I got whatever it is that I’ve got. I just made some pasta which took care of some hunger.

On the way home I ran into William Charas my former roommate from my Weehawken years. It was good to see him but I didn’t stick around much since he was heading into the Hoboken Farmboy and I was heading home and it was 25 degrees out with a whipping wind.

Going to be 7 years since I moved from Weehawken and 6 years since he was forced out of a lovely living situation at 127 Jane Street. We definitely get along better now that we don’t live together. We had gone through a few ups and downs, the loss of our fathers but through it all we occasionally did get on each others nerves.

The last part of our living together was silently wishing the other one would move out. Since both of us were friends with Julio, Julio got to hear both sides of the problem, eventually telling me of the apartment on the top floor of his building.

It turned out to be the right choice since within a year William, his brother Chaz and his wife Kathe in 129 Jane Street were all forced to move due to the hideous landlords. The landlords were such a pain in the ass to deal with that in order for Bill and myself to have a fun time, we rented a hotel room in Manhattan for the weekend. Things were cheaper then and the hotel had a really good deal.

But it was great seeing William, we parted ways telling each other, I love you. I came home feeling good and lucky to know that I had so many good friends that love me, and I of course love them right back.

(Keep Feeling) Fascination

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Still a bit under the weather but I persevere. Didn’t sleep well last night, so since I’ve been home I haven’t napped. I’m tired enough to nap but I resist the arms of Hypnos. I figure if I don’t nap I should sleep better tonight.

Already I am planning on phoning in sick tomorrow since I need to get better and just get some rest, plus it’s been snowing all day and though it hasn’t been sticking, it will freeze up tonight and it’s supposed to continue to snow all night. So staying home and resting is my plan for tomorrow.

Last night was just rest and I felt better but then again I was next to an open window. It was warm enough to do that. I can breathe outdoors in fresh air with no problem, inside it’s congestion city. I watched Scrubs and Olbermann, forsaking Rachel Maddow for Heroes.

I enjoyed Heroes, but it could have been shorter. I tried watching Chuck in 3D, but it wasn’t as enjoyable as watching Keith Olbermann in 3D, and by enjoyable, I mean terrifying. Heroes was good though. Very much like a comic book, now that this Legion of Super Heroes is hiding. It would have made a good two hour episode but no, they had to bring back Medium which a show I cannot get into.

I watched RuPaul’s Drag Race on Logo. It’s a show about who can be the best drag queen. I enjoy RuPaul, always did ever since she gave me passes to a party back in the 1980’s saying that she was my big black mama and she wanted to see me there. I didn’t make it though, risking the wrath of my big black mama.

I don’t watch many reality shows at all. Actually I don’t watch any, but this was worth a look and it was fun and enjoyable. Drag queens are generally tough people. They have to be. You never know who’s going to come at you so they have to have their guard up at all times as well as looking good.

They were also on the front lines at Stonewall in 1969. Drag is not my scene but it was a fun show and if I remember I will check it out again.

While RuPaul’s show was on, I was sitting in front of my computer, an elbow on the table when all of a sudden, the table vibrated for a few seconds. I obviously thought it was odd but since it only lasted a few seconds it was quickly forgotten and ignored.

The 11:00 news came on and it was announced there was an earthquake with the epicenter in Morristown. That’s what I felt. I have to say it was thrilling to know. Luckily no one was hurt and it certainly wasn’t on a scale like a California earthquake. I didn’t go through anything like my sister has been through in the past so I am lucky to say it was a novelty.

I neglected to write that over the weekend I watched 3 DVD’s. ‘Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride’ a short documentary on Hunter S. Thompson. It was so so. Not impressed but then again I never read any Hunter Thompson. His myth overpowered his writing and he always felt like he belonged to my brother Frank’s generation rather than mine.

‘Human Traffic’ was about a group of British youth off work for the weekend and partying up a storm. That was funnier than I expected and oddly true to life.

And lastly, ‘Man on a Wire’ a documentary about Philippe Petit, who crossed from World Trade Center Tower A to Tower B in 1974. I watched that with sweaty palms of course, me with my fear of heights. I remember hearing about it while having breakfast before school sitting across the dining room table from my mother.

That was fascinating and Philippe Petit still lives. He was on The Colbert Report a few days ago. Now I sit drinking juice and constantly blowing my nose with a temperature of 98.2.

Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper…50 years ago today.