October | 2012 | johnozed

The weather on Saturday was quite nice, almost 80 degrees. Yesterday, it was in the lower 50’s and cold and damp. Today it is still cold and damp. Not much fun today. It is Columbus Day so some things are closed and some things aren’t. It’s been alright, even though it’s been spent indoors mostly. A lot of reading, catching up on the New Yorker, some books and I have finally finished the October issue of Mojo and moved onto Uncut. Uncut is not as much of an entertaining read as Mojo so my heart certainly isn’t in it. Still I will get through it.

It has been cool enough that yesterday I turned on the heater. Also dressing warmer and the heater is only on for a few minutes here and there. Short sleeves out, long sleeves are in, jackets are on whenever going outside. In fact I have to head outside in a few minutes to get Bill’s laundry from the dry cleaners so I have a jacket ready. I was out earlier today, a trip to the really big supermarket was in order. I saved myself a few dollars in doing so. It’s a bit of a hike but not so bad since it’s still in Hoboken and Hoboken is only a mile squared city.

I slept really well last night, it’s been a while since I had done that. I even had a dream where I was with Joe Klein and his family. Joe Klein is a writer and a pundit on the news shows. He also wrote Primary Colors about the Clinton administration. In the dream I was on 10th Avenue in Chelsea by the art galleries and trying to help Joe Klein get a cab for him and his family who all had iPhones and iPads. A strange but not an awful dream. Joe Klein, really?

It’s also funny that when I use Google on my Gmail page to look up Joe Klein, Katie Klein always pops up. She was and perhaps still is a staffing consultant. I stepped on her toes a few years ago and certainly set fire to the bridge between us when I went behind her back and contacted a client that I was hoping to get a position through. She was understandably pissed off and probably blackballed me in the staffing agency world, if blackballing is a thing that staffing agencies to. 420 Blazers might do it, I don’t think Staffmark does.

Then there is Emmitt Josephs from Harborview Consultants. In July as I was going down the shore with Annemarie Emmitt called with a great new position for me. Emmitt needed an updated resume which I told him I would send when I got home that night. And Emmitt had one more question, ‘What year did I graduate high school?’ Now staffing agencies and potential employers can’t come right out and ask you your age, but then can figure it out by asking a question like that. I told him 1980 and when I got home I sent Emmitt the resume.

A week later I contacted Emmitt. A month later I contacted Emmitt again. The other day I tried once again, identifying myself as the geezer from the class of 1980. A little humor, a little snark- well those are two things that Harborview Consultants certainly have no need for and I once again set afire to the bridge between myself and Emmitt Josephs. Emmitt will find out eventually the disparity of the whole job search thing, and it’s too bad but then again he propagates the methods however underhanded that are used.
That seems to be the nature of the beast.

14 Wedding Bell Blues

I just got home from a few hours spent in Manhattan with Pedro and Connie and I am more than happy to report that I am not trashed. Eating definitely helped. I heard from Pedro once he and Connie hit the city, they were about to check out the Highline. I had done it once, maybe twice. Once I was solo, and I think the other time I did it with Harpy. No need to do it again, so the plan was to meet Pedro and Connie at 30th Street. I stood around enjoying a cigar when the two of them snuck up on me.

I knew a drink would be in the plan, and was going to suggest the Little King pub on 23rd Street, but they wanted Mexican so I suggested the Rocking Horse Café on Eighth Avenue. We strolled on over there, walking down 22nd Street past where Rita used to live and over to the restaurant. It was still early enough for the brunch menu so that’s what we had, all of us had Coronas and of course Pedro insisted on a shot of top shelf Tequila. He had one shot by himself and then ordered two the next time around.

The food was excellent of course, the wait staff all a twitter over Pedro. It was fun, lots of stories and catching up. Pedro just had a vacation in Las Vegas so the majority was about his trip. Entertaining stories with tributes to both Elvis Presley and Prince, interrupted with laughs and giggles. I suggested checking out some art galleries but they weren’t into it so we basically walked around Chelsea and the West Village, remembering adventures from the 1990’s, so very long ago it seemed.

It was getting time to head home and Pedro insisted on the proverbial nightcap. I did have a spot in mind since we were walking down Hudson Street, but that spot was closed for a private party. Then I remembered Mr. Dennehy’s on Carmine Street with an entrance on Seventh Avenue South so we went there. A pint for me, a Corona for Pedro and nothing for Connie. The last time I was at Mr. Dennehy’s was in 2006, with Lesley Robertson and Adam Ames before seeing Scritti Politti. Oddly enough I remember most everything from that night despite being so trashed that I needed a taxi home from Manhattan.

Pedro and Connie parked on Jane Street and were headed in that direction. I walked with them part way then walked down Greenwich to the Ninth Street Path station. Not much else planned, they headed off after kisses and hugs and I listened to Led Zeppelin walking down the street. Crowded train home, standing room only. I was in Hoboken in no time, walked along the river promenade, no one out really. Too cold for some, just right for me. And that was it basically. Harpy invited me to the Metropolitan Museum to see the Warhol exhibition as well as Dean and Britta but Pedro asked me first.

I saw that Harpy did make it to the show and I am glad that he did. I am also glad I made it out to see a dear friend. And I’m glad that Annemarie is having a good time in San Francisco!

03 I Found Out