The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. Yes, that song has been playing in my head since I got home this afternoon. Earlier it was Half Breed by Cher. Cher is still alive as I write this, but Levon Helm passed away this afternoon after a battle with cancer which he seemed to be winning but apparently did not.

Today was out of the ordinary for me. I slept later than I had in a while, waking up at 10:00. No worries, everything was alright. Just slept a really good sleep and had no need to rush out of bed. Nothing scheduled really, perhaps a bike ride with Rand which was brought up a few days ago.

A trip to the supermarket was in order so after a cuppa I was on my way. Did not run into anyone I knew at the grocery store, no almighty Isis either. The woman she was training was at the register and she took quite a while to get things done. The new cashier is an older woman and a bit overwhelmed by the buttons and the scanning of items that needed to be done. And the person on front of me was an older woman as well who was having her groceries delivered so that added some extra time.

But I was in no hurry and looked at my smartphone. The woman behind me knew the woman in front of me so I was caught in the crossfire of chit chat. I walked home with my canvas bag full of groceries and saw the older woman from the line wobbling down the street. I asked her if she needed help but she didn’t so I continued on my way.

More coffee and breakfast awaited me once I got home and I set about eating that and listening to the television in the next room. I did get a phone call from an agency from a while ago. They’ve been stringing me along with a prospect at a ‘really cool company that has a ping pong table in their offices’ based in Newark. Prior to the phone call I got an instant message from Rand with regards to bicycling this afternoon, and I suggested we roll at around 1:30. It proved to be a good time for the both of us.

I told the agency that I would be available for a phone interview until 1:30, and then I should be back around 4:00. They told me the really cool company with the ping pong table would be calling me this afternoon. At 1:25 I was done inflating my tires and on the sidewalk with Rand when the agency called, confirming I was still available. I mentioned that I was and told Rand that we might have to pull over so I could take this call and Rand was OK with it of course.

But they never called until about 3:15 by which time Rand and I were at Liberty State Park, on the Hudson River where it was mighty windy, so windy I did not hear the phone call. I did get the voice mail from a guy from the really cool company with the ping pong table and told Rand we should probably head back so I could call this guy without the wind blowing so hard.

I hadn’t been bike riding since Memorial Day weekend in 2010, and that was with Rand as well. He’s a great bicycling companion. We headed back through the streets of Jersey City, not backtracking along the river which is how we got to where we were. I was apprehensive about bike riding, getting scared in my old age I suppose. But it went well and I could still find enough balance to ride with no hands on occasion.

Rand went back home and I climbed the four flights of steps to the apartment. I called the guy at the really cool company with the ping pong table and left a voicemail. It was now around 4:30 and figured they had gone for the day, but he called back a minute or so later and had a short interview. The job is in Newark and I have no idea where exactly it is, though Google Maps was able to chart my course should I have to go there for a face to face interview.

I also got a phone call from a company that I emailed my resume to through Craigslist. I have had some luck with Craigslist, some good, some bad and didn’t give it much of a thought. But here they were calling me for a phone interview. I think this went well. They’re located in Manhattan which is a heck of a lot easier to get to than Newark. I hope to meet with them soon.

Tomorrow it’s back to the cigar shack where I will have a meeting with Zack with regards to a performance review for January to March 2012. I already told him I agreed with most of what he had written about me, I am my own worst critic after all. I think he was expecting a confrontation with me, but how could I confront him when I agree with a lot of what he said?

I do have to say, thank you to Rand for getting me out of my apartment, out of my own way. Too much time has been spent on my days off in despair and today, though not as warm as it has been lately, was perfect enough for a ride with one of my oldest and dearest friends. And I’m pretty sure he enjoyed my company as much as I enjoyed his. The two of us being big overgrown kids at heart, and you now that can’t be bad.

Paulus Hook, Jersey City

Rand & his shadow

Rand & Lady Liberty

Rand Running Up That Hill