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.

What Keeps Mankind Alive?

It’s another beautiful day. Nice breezes, clear skies, quite nice. Last night I watched The Savages. I know I said I was going to wait for Bill, but there was nothing else on so I watched the DVD instead. It was very good and recommended especially if you had a cantankerous parent or elder in your life. Both Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman were great as was Philip Bosco, who played the father. It hit home on many levels and definitely worth watching again.

I do have to return it sometime, but I have a feeling it will turn up on cable over and over. Never saw Laura Linney in a part like this. So far away from Mary Ann Singleton. And my doppleganger, Phil Hoffman, was in the back seat compared to Laura Linney’s superb acting. Expertly acted and directed. See it even if you didn’t or don’t have a cantankerous elder in your life.

Today was a rather frustrating day. I almost wrote stupid day. Next week I have oral surgery which I’m getting anxious about. I emailed my dentist about how much it would cost and would there be difficulty eating afterwards. She recommended a light meal beforehand, then to chew on the side of my mouth that won’t be cut up. And it was going to cost $600.00.

The last visit was April and I submitted my forms to the insurance company from work. They approved the first scaling and planing on the right side of my mouth, but denied the claim for the left side. I called Oxford Insurance with their United Health care Plan and they needed to know the ADA Code for next week’s surgery.

So I called NYU and got the run around, finally getting a phone number for Astrid and leaving 2 voice mails for her to call me back. She never called, I still have no clue. I know it’s not a big thing like heart surgery or treatment for Multiple Sclerosis, but if it’s frustrating for something ‘minor’ like oral surgery, I can’t imagine what hoops other people have to jump through regarding their illnesses and procedures. And I know, I am lucky to have insurance.

It’s just that I’m trying to be on a budget and have the cash on hand to pay for what they are planning to do. I don’t think I’m getting implants. If they don’t take, and sometimes they don’t, I’d be screwed and out a certain amount of dollars. I’m leaning towards dentures, which would be in the back I think. Or rather, I hope. Other than that, people are really annoying.

Nine times out of ten, as I’m walking at a brisk pace down the street, I always find people planting themselves right in my path, and it usually winds up in a tight squeeze trying to avoid them. The goal of walking across town is to not touch anyone and in crowded midtown Manhattan that in itself is a feat. Then there are the people who decide that the top of a staircase is definitely the very best place to have a conversation. Oh I am just so fed up with people.

In work related news, I had to tell Moe Stooge that Vivek has rented Moe’s office and he’ll have to move into a cube. Moe is a jerk, and as politely as I told him the score, he got all uppity saying he had a deal with Vivek. I told him his deal was with Vivek, not with me and he has to move. I don’t expect Moe Stooge to take the cube. He’s not bringing in any money to the company, though he claims to have a deal in the works and if he has to move, he’ll take the deal somewhere else. I think Moe is bullshitting.

And how was your day, dear?

Wire is playing South Street Seaport on May 30, My Bloody Valentine is at Roseland in September. Many other good shows are coming up. Something to look forward to I think. Wire is a free show, My Bloody Valentine will require tickets.

And here’s some Tom Waits tour info.

Monkberry Moon Delight

Last night was great. Nice and quiet, no visitors, not that I mind visitors. My body clock was awry most of the weekend after tying more than one on Friday night. Memo to self, “Must eat something substantial if going out drinking or the days that follow will be filled with woe” My memos to myself are generally ominous with a touch of Shakespeare, or Marlowe, or Bacon or a combination of all concerned.

I wound up watching The Simpsons and King of the Hill which didn’t let me down, then somehow wound up watching Michael Moore being interviewed on Larry King. I wasn’t paying much attention until they went to Barack Obama making a speech in Indiana. And of course, Barry was inspiring and dignified. Said so many important things and didn’t go after Hillary Clinton, he made some charges against John McCrazy which were right on, of course. Then I watched the news and went to bed.

Woke up this morning, with some difficulty. Still I rallied and got it together and stood on line for the bus with a few other people, some I have seen before, others, complete strangers. I paid them no mind as I read about human trafficking of women from Moldova. Hard stuff to take in, very eye opening. I didn’t know exactly where Moldova was so I made it a point to look it up when I got the chance.

According to the article it’s pretty dismal in Moldova, and many young women, not knowing any better take job offers in another country, sometimes offered by ‘friends’ or ‘boyfriends’ and wind up working as prostitutes in various countries around the world. Very sad, but there is an organization, trying to help and rescue these women, and sometimes men (who get tricked into slavery following construction jobs). Then there is the death toll in Myanmar of possibly 10,000 people killed by a cyclone. Bad news from around the world.

Who says I’m not topical?

Another week ahead of me, trying to find things to do. Also trying to find a replacement for Lydia who is leaving at the end of the month to resume her tennis pro job at a country club in Southampton. If you know of anyone in the NYC Metro area, send them to me. I’d rather hire a friend, or a friend of a friend than go outside my circle and get someone I don’t know. El Jefe forwarded me a clip that he made at yesterday’s Art and Music Festival which I am posting here.

No plans for the evening, just watching TV I guess. I have The Savages on DVD from Netflix, but I want to watch that with Bill, and he ain’t going to be around tonight. So that’s about it for today. No drama, no fuss, no fight. It was a nice day weather wise and continues that way into the evening. Nothing else to report. No sir, not here, not me.

Hope you are doing ok. This clip was shot by El Jefe. Lady Gigglepuss and I have a cameo at the end.
[flv:/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/2008springmickey.flv 432 240]
What about those turtles?

Here is a link to 23 years ago… cut n’ paste if you will….

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2008/04/the-feelies-and.html