It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day and I’m feeling OK. I used to really like that Nina Simone song but wow it is overplayed and overused these days. It’s been like that for a while now, maybe a year or so but I wasn’t writing then and I am writing now.

I had a collection of Nina Simone, a disc one out of two that I got when I was working for Arif Mardin at Atlantic Studios. I eventually got the two-disc set years later but to tell you the truth I prefer the first disc. And Feeling Good is not on that collection. I got it years after I got the Colpix collection when my brother Frank gave it to me.

Now Nina Simone is recognized for the giant she was, the force of nature, and the tragic figure. I almost watched her biopic but I knew where it was going and I did not need to see that. I am somewhat particular about the things that I watch.

Though like I wrote yesterday I can take comic book violence and gore but other violent things I avoid. I also avoid zombie flicks. Those pop up in my dreams and who needs that? Last night I had a dream that involved a semi-famous photo of Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Siouxsie Sioux, Viv Albertine, Pauline Black and Poly Styrene. (I’d post it here but Word Press changed its set up so I can’t. It’s all words words words unless someone steps up and helps me out with that and they won’t since I’m not asking)

Six female singers around 1980. It pops up every now and then on the social medias so you can find it there or do a search using what I just wrote. I just remember seeing the photo or perhaps being at the photo shoot which was interrupted by a man who had a fear of flowers flying in the air.

And it’s been almost 40 years but some friends of mine who had a band called Tiny Lights had a song called ‘Flowers in the Air’. 40 years since I heard that song but it still takes up residence in this mind palace of mine. The man with the flying flower phobia had an ominous air about him. How long is a dream though?

The dreams one has when sleeping, not the type of life plan people have. I’ve never had a dream like that and I’m fine with that. I’m happy and trying to enjoy life so maybe that is the dream. Simple but not easily attainable. Same with ambition. I wasn’t pushed into anything growing up.

Well, I was shanghaied into playing Summer League baseball but that was a necessity since no one had any idea what to do with me during the summer months. I don’t think my brothers or my sister were encouraged to ‘go for it’ to ‘reach for the stars’.

We were encouraged to look out since my father had a bad day and a few drinks in the bar car of the train home.

And now it is Sunday. It’s been a good day. It rained last night and that added to the humidity. I watched the first episode of the new season of The Boys. I put it on the other night since Bill and I watched previous episodes but Bill said it was too gory and did not want to watch.

That was a surprise. His mind was made up and my attempt to explain it away as mere comic book violence fell on deaf ears. And it was gory. I watched the recap and I guess it had been a long time since I last watched and they showed quite a bit that I have no recollection of.

Then again, do I really watch TV these days? I’m usually looking at the computer while the TV plays over my shoulder, three feet away. The TV is more like a radio with pictures that I sometimes turn my head to watch. There were a few episodes in the new season but last night I wasn’t that interested. Some other time perhaps.

Bill was up at 4 AM off to do his work. I of course slept in. And though he doesn’t drink coffee himself, Bill likes to make the coffee for me, all I have to do is turn on the coffee maker. It used to run on a schedule but that burned itself out. Bill wanted to get a new coffee maker but this one still works.

The last flash of lightning was very close to me just now, maybe 100 feet from my window and this computer. Ominous? Tempting fate?

The sun showed itself just around noon and I took that as a sign to get ready to go bicycling. Once again to North Bergen. A change of familiar scenery. I think the rain last night kept a lot of people away from the Hudson River Walkway since there was hardly anyone around.

I did keep an eye out for the little older lady who is probably 15-20 years older than me who yelled if I had passed her earlier in the day last week. I was hoping it was a thing that she does, randomly asking passing cyclists pointed questions. Alas, she was nowhere to be found. It was an enjoyable ride regardless, the views of the GWB and the Verrazano were somewhat obscured by fog and haze.

A mellow ride back to Hoboken where the walkway is in terrible disrepair. I had a better handle on how to deal with it so it was almost easy. That part of the bicycling was a drag.

Right now it is pouring down in a thundershower. The thunder part seems to have moved on but like a meteorologist, I can be wrong half the time. The rain is falling straight down so I can have an open window and allow some of that humidity to come right in. If only I had a stash of some good cigars to take advantage of that humidity.