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.

Atlantis to Interzone

Well last night was very cool. Bill was here and that was great. He ordered a pizza, I think he’s putting some child of Grimaldi’s through college. I had a slice or two even though I had eaten a few hours earlier. Sort of wished it was Lodi Pizza though, but it wasn’t and I made do with it. We watched 60 Minutes which had a segment on why the Danish people are the happiest on the planet, according to some survey. 50% tax rate, great health care system and the quality of life is quite good. Tough immigration laws keeps things the way they like it. I saw that it was on yet forgot all about it until I got a phone call from Julio insisting that I put 60 Minutes on right away.

It was interesting alright, almost made us want to move to Denmark, but with so much going on here we quickly forgot about that. We watched the Simpsons after that, killing time until The Wire, which was good. Bill hasn’t been following it so I gave him the quick low down. Baltimore PD has no money, McNulty hatched a plan to create a phony serial killer to get the Feds involved and pump more money into the Department. That’s working nicely and a reporter who has a habit of making up stories, ala Jason Blair has caught on and is fabricating a lot though the city desk editor at his paper has an idea that this reporter, Templeton, is a fake, but the newspaper’s management loves the reporter. And Omar is still limping around the streets with a bum ankle, looking for Marlo and taking out Marlo’s soldiers one by one, waiting for a showdown with Marlo in the street to avenge the murder of an old blind friend of Omar.

Too much for Bill so he went to bed. I was soon in bed, cuddling up to Bill while wrestling with my pillows. Last night they decided to be uncooperative. Despite the pillow revolt, I was able to get some decent sleep, Bill kissing me good bye for the day and me laying in bed, hearing the rain. I slept some more knowing that it isn’t often that one has a rainy day and Monday off, makes for a good reason to stay in bed. But I had to wake up, get moving. Not for work mind you, I had off. It’s President’s Day, a celebration of both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays. Namaste bitches! Brought the suit that I’m wearing to my cousin Neil’s wedding party to be altered at the tailor. Came back farted around, did some more laundry.

I decided to go to the movies and I decided to see The Diving Bell and The Butterfly. I called Harpy, Rand, Roda and they all couldn’t make it. I called Carla, whom I used to work with and we made plans to meet up after the movie. Left messages for Chaz and Kathe, and still I went on my own. It was an amazing film, quite touching, a bit harrowing and highly recommended. I really haven’t seen any other films quite like this. A magazine editor has a stroke, paralyzing all of his body except for one eye. You see the film from his point of view, interacting with his physical therapists, and the memory of his previous life.

So far, Julian Schnabel has made three excellent films. I’m usually wary about Schnabel, not much of a fan of his art, but his films shouldn’t be missed. I think he has found his true medium. Called up and left a message for brother Frank afterwards telling him what a good movie it was, also called Annemarie about it. It’s playing in Eureka and she had better see it before it goes away. It is nominated for a foreign film Academy Award, deservedly so. (Actually Schnabel is up for Best Director) Told Bill about the film, he couldn’t make it since he had to work today, but he never heard of it. He asked if it was something he’d be interested in, and I told him if he didn’t mind subtitles I’m sure he be interested in it. Stopped by Farfetched, chatted with Susan, then I met up with Carla and we walked around Union Square and the Virgin Mega Store before having a nosh at the Bob Vivant Diner.

We caught up quite a bit, or rather I told her mainly what was going on in my life lately. She’s such a sweetie pie, and she was looking very good. Why she doesn’t have a boyfriend, I’ll never know. But there probably any boyfriends good enough for her. She also agreed that Tom Chin is crazy. Good to know I wasn’t the only one. And Susan at Farfetched was looking fetching, a boyfriend for Susan! Pronto! Chop chop! That’s it for me, back to work tomorrow.

Cheese and Onions

Definitely a gray Sunday today. Definitely the essence of low key. I don’t mind, good to do nothing really. Just a lazy day, and why not? My weekend plans were mainly ignored, didn’t talk to many people on the phone so if you were expecting a call from me, well sorry about that. Next weekend I promise. And now that I have put that in writing, you can hold me to it, but please, be gentle. Last night, I watched The Bourne Ultimatum.

Very good, I really enjoy the take charge attitude of Jason Bourne, dealing with violent situations or surveillance. And Matt Damon is easy on the eyes. Definitely appealed to the 12 year old boy in me, the one who went to see the James Bond movies at the now nonexistent Century Theater by the Garden State Plaza. Saw my first movies there when I was growing up, The Jungle Book and Where Angels Go Trouble Follows.

After The Bourne Ultimatum I watched Saturday Night Live, which was a repeat with LeBron James hosting and Kanye West as the musical guest. A very funny episode which I’m sure I wrote about when it was first broadcast. By 1:00 I went to bed, listening to whomever was walking down the street and yelling to their friends quite drunkenly. I’m sure I did that once or twice in the past and it wasn’t so bad since I’m on the fifth floor. I know it would sound differently, and my attitude would be different if I was on a lower floor.

Woke up around 9:00, had coffee and went out hunting and gathering. Then all I did was make breakfast and read the papers, and watched Hard Eight by Paul Thomas Anderson, which was very good. That Philip Baker Hall, I love him and could probably watch him in anything. Just a very good taut story, and relatively seedy and shadowy. Worth catching if you’ve never seen it before. Now I can say I’ve see all of P.T. Anderson’s movies, and they’re all very good. I should watch Magnolia again, if only on brother Frank’s suggestion.

Not much going on in Hoboken, not that there ever is. Last night took some photos which are posted here. Reading Uncut Magazine which is marginally better than Mojo this month. Can’t always be home runs I guess. It’s odd that when I sit on my couch, to my right is a calendar of Magnetic Poetry, those little magnets with words on them that you can play with. And I have played with them somewhat. But the odd part is when I sit on the couch, I always think it’s a Warhol calendar that I had a few years ago, rather than the magnetic calendar.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see this,
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when it is actually this!
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Odd huh? I don’t know what to think. And it’s always Marilyn by Warhol. A famous Warhol piece for sure, but why after a few years do I see that? Unsettling in a funny ‘strange’ way.

Here is what the magnetic poetry says
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here are some pics from last night
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