Author Archives: johnozed

About johnozed

I'm 50+ years old, 210-ish#, 6'2", reddish blonde, blue eyes with glasses (and without) masculine, funny, relatively intelligent, enjoy the company of assorted friends and family especially sordid friends and family. I love music, reading, writing, conversing, laughing, going to films, shows, concerts and smoking cigars. And I also enjoy looking nice in a suit and tie. Looking more like Lewis Lapham than Tom Wolfe. I'm sure there is more, but we'll just have to find out when I write about it. In a lifetime relationship with partner Bill Vila.

Keep The Car Running

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Just woke up from a nap. Took place in the Shop Rite in Hoboken which I rarely go to since it’s not as close as the supermarket two blocks away from my apartment. In the dream I am wandering around while the Smiths ‘Is It Really So Strange’ is playing on the store PA system.

I spy Maurice Menares by the meat section, he’s on the phone and waves to me as I wander around singing and waving my arms about like Morrissey. I get on line for the courtesy counter because my box of cereal looks difficult to open.

Then I realize I could easily use scissors at home. I leave the store and I am on the back streets of Hoboken with the Smiths still playing, this time ‘Sheila Take A Bow’. I see some day laborers, one of them is Puerto Rican who I eye while his fellow laborer voices his annoyance. Thats when I woke up.

Apparently the House passed the bailout vote, which should be good news for my office, but it depends on if the vacant spaces are rented in my office and/or if a potential deal goes through. Good advice from BettiCola last night, yes I still have a job and it’s not over yet. It’s the waiting that’s the hardest part, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I forgot to mention the other day, that I was walking up Park Avenue on an errand when I was stopped by two women. One of them asked me about my suit. It was a black pinstriped suit, three button by Hugo Boss. She asked where I got it and I told her Syms, just a few blocks away. She said it looked good on me. That compliment carried me through the day. Bangin’ again!

Last night was the debate, which as far as I’m concerned was won easily by Joe Biden. Somehow conservatives insist that Palin won simply because she didn’t implode. I always figured that you needed to answer questions directly in a debate which is something Palin simply did not do. Also winking at the camera doesn’t add points which she did three times.

No, she was out of her league and towards the end it looked like she was about to cry. I watched the debate with Bill while participating in a live blog on Hoboken411. I was dismayed to find out that the guy who runs Hoboken411 is a republican. Disappointed actually, but not enough to not go to the website since it is a great source of information regarding Hoboken.

I was also surprised that he puts down global warming as a political hoax, citing that weather changes, you know like how the earth rotates on it’s axis (?) and how the polar caps melt every 10,000 years or so. I mentioned that it was due from the fact that there is a lot more co2 and fewer rain forests.

Meaning that, yes- global warming is man made and not just from cars and industry, but also from so many humans on the planet, breathing. Still he does have a useful site and I don’t hate all republicans, there are some in my life like certain relatives and of course my employers.

Just got back from a walk around Hoboken. Got a slice of pizza (actually 2) from a new place that came recommended by Hoboken411, Zebu Forno which sounds like the Italian wing of the Scientology Celebrity Center.

It was alright, thin crust, nice atmosphere and good service. And cheaper than the pizzerias up and down Washington Street. So I’ll probably be back. Just a block away from Pier A which means it would be a good place to pick up a snack before heading over to the river.

Now it promises to be a quiet evening. Bill is at gospel choir practice and won’t be back until later. A quiet night in Hoboken.

Happy birthday BettiCola!

When the Whip Comes Down

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Well yesterday seems to have been a better day than today. And the fiction I published yesterday seems to have struck quite a chord what with all the comments, all the ‘what the fuck was that?’. Really!

Last night was pretty much quiet, Olbermann and Rachel Maddow, with the Senate vote broadcast live during Rachel’s show. The bailout bill was passed 74-25, now it goes to the house.

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert were spot on, Colbert had James Taylor on his show, promoting his new album which is all cover versions of songs he really likes. I worked with James Taylor years ago, really nice guy, no star trip and the people around him were very nice too.

James was enjoyable, saw him sing (I’m A) Roadrunner, originally by Jr. Walker. There was another song following the commercial break, but the DVR didn’t catch it. Caught the news and then I snoozed.

Slept really well, woke up it was dark out. Bill kissing me goodbye, telling me he can’t wait for Sarah Palin to go down in flames.

I was wary even while lying in bed and told Bill, ‘Don’t be cocky’. Ran into Casey on the bus. Mr. Animated he is. We talked about the tonight’s debate, how gosh darned inept Sarah Palin is. Lucky Casey is going out of town with the missus this weekend. I’m staying put of course. He was off on his way to work via the subway, I walked through midtown, past the Tai Chi people in Bryant Park.

Stopped in Smilers on Fifth Avenue, West Indian Tony is still out. Been out a month I think. He’s got a bum knee and staying on his feet behind a grill all day is not the way for it to heal. Hopefully he has insurance, but being a short order cook in a deli, it doesn’t seem likely.

Heard from another old friend from my old neighborhood, Donna who has custody of her late sister’s son. Apparently Donna’s sister was married to an abusive guy, who abused her and their son. So now Donna has custody, but she and her husband are getting ready for a court battle over who the son should be with.

A family that loves the kid, or an abusive father who never really cared for the kid in the first place. I used to play with Donna until she got all girly.

Work was quiet and awfully slow. At one point this morning, Greg Stevens and Vivek sat me down to have a talk with me. It was about how things aren’t going so well, and if it continues to be this way, they may have to cut my hours, from a five day work week to a four day work week.

They wanted to keep me in the loop, and also said if I had any other offers I should seriously consider those offers. Unfortunately I have no other offers. That did my head in somewhat. I spent most of the day walking around in a daze.

It’s not necessarily the end, but the writing seems to be on the wall unless Greg and Vivek’s plans go through. If they don’t then the ship is going under. I left at 4:00 rather than 4:30. Nothing was going on and I had nothing to do. Didn’t feel like staying much longer.

Walked across town listening to Mambo’s from the 1940’s and 50’s and enjoying a Padron. Caught the bus and ran into Casey again, this time I was the animated one and he was not so much.

I walked over to the library and picked up The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein. Blurbs by Howard Zinn and Studs Turkel on the back cover, so she’s in good company. That’s it for now. Just anticipating the debate tonight and hoping it goes well for Joe Biden.