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.

Day In Day Out

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Well last night I was getting better, or so I thought. Bill came home as I was watching a retrospective on George Carlin. Bill didn’t know that he had passed away. I drank some juice and soon went to bed. Didn’t sleep as well as I did earlier, perhaps I had slept too much. 20 hours of sleep will do that to you. My temperature has been around 97.9.

I didn’t actually fall asleep properly until I put a pillow between my knees as I slept on my side. I got up to the sound of 96 Tears by ? & the Mysterians. I decided to take it easy, to go into work later than usual. I showered and shaved and had some breakfast. Put on some clothes, too hot for whatever it was I was wearing so I changed again as Bill was stirring.

I headed out to the bus stop just missing one when I felt out of it. A bit light headed, more than usual. I felt it would probably be best if I stayed home again and to go in tomorrow. Bill was surprised to see me walking through the door, more surprised that I was covered in sweat. I went about taking off my clothes and sitting in my underwear.

Bill’s concerned obviously and worried. I told him after my last dental visit to be aware if I stop making any sense, a fear of having a stroke like my brother Frank had in May 2007. Now he’s overly concerned. I reassured him that I was ok, just needed another day to get back on my feet.

I decided to read Nic Sheff’s harrowing memoir of addiction and started to think I was withdrawing. But I’m not addicted to meth or heroin or any of those nasty things he’s been shooting up. Decided to stop reading that for a while and get some sleep.

Yesterday there was an engine on the street outside my building and every time I would start to fall asleep the construction workers would turn on the engine. I guess they were done with the engine since I haven’t heard it rev up today. Made for an easy nap when the phone rang. It was my sister Annemarie from California, worried about me.

Of course the phone was in the other room so I eventually got out of bed and got the message and called her back. She was worried about my neck hurting but no, it’s basically my back and since I heeded her advice from years ago about the pillow between my knees I’ve been alright. Except for the phone ringing.

It was nice that she called, and I hate the fact that she’s worried about me. I don’t get being worried about too well. I always think there are so many other things to be worried about than me. And there are. But you know what? I would be hurt if no one worried about me. I’ve got to get over it.

Still it was nice to hear from her, just wish she wasn’t so concerned. And it was nice that she offered to help me should I need anything. But at 3000 miles away, I don’t think she’d be willing to get me some orange juice.

Well I just ate my first meal in about 48 hours. My temperature is 98.4, an hour ago it was 98.8 so I guess I’m back to ‘normal’. Or in the ballpark.

Got an email from work : You poor little thing….just stay home for the rest of the week. I handled Maywood yesterday, so all is well in New Jersey. You just keep drinking liquids and feel better soon. We are all fine. Kate. Kate’s a managing director. I’m feeling better and I am going to work tomorrow.

I’m So Tired

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Well I don’t know what it is, but I do know it wasn’t the beers on Saturday night, nor the bike riding earlier in the day, because I have never been ill like this before. Last night after my hasty posting, courtesy of Harpy commenting and my response I went to sleep around 8:30. Woke up around 11:00. then throughout the early morning.

Just waking up and noticing the time, not actually getting out of bed. So basically I wound up sleeping close to 20 hours. I took my temperature and the highest was 100 degrees. Now it’s 99, when earlier it was 98. I sit, I sweat and I fart. I did have the ambition to go out and get some food and some juice, even took a shower, but couldn’t actually leave the apartment and now I don’t think I want to.

Lot’s of sleep that’s for sure. Now I am awake, (or am I sleeping) and dealing with the hard knot that used to be a spine. George Carlin died while I slept. That’s too bad. He was funny. He was quite hip with Toledo Window Box and his various albums in the 1970’s. Quite counter culture but he didn’t start out that was.

I do remember that Saturday night in 1975 when my brother Brian and I decided not to watch wrestling on WOR Channel 9 and watched instead that new show, called Saturday Night on NBC. George Carlin was the first host of the series. It’s too bad, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. Now the news is on, teenage girl with the world at her feet dies at a graduation party on Long Island.

Tom Ridge rattles his saber insisting that Iran is running rampant in Iraq. This after saying that things were getting better. You think they would be a little more consistent with the disinformation they spew forth each day. The MTA in New York is making noise about raising the rates for riding the subway which is still in a state of disrepair and not dependable at all.

So yes, the thing to do would be to raise the rates, not having the people that run such a dilapidated system take a pay cut. Just nothing but bad news which makes me wish I stayed asleep.

I spoke with Rand and he said what I had sounded like the cold he had a week or so ago. But I’m not congested, just exhausted. Not even hungry though I made myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich earlier today. Oh how it sucks to be ill during the summer.

Hopefully my body could get it together and make it to work tomorrow. That seems to be it for now. Probably going back to sleep later. Feel pretty out of it. If only it were a hangover. I think it’s from walking down the street the other day and people coughing without covering their mouths. I usually hold my breath as I pass through that area but I guess something got in regardless, leaving me in this state of sweat and achy bones.

Bleech.