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.

I Go to Rio

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Oh how I did not sleep well last night. I mean, I was pretty tired when I turned in at 1:00, and at 2:00 I followed my advice and got out of bed and surfed the net a bit. Then went back to the bed about 20 minutes after that, but still I could not fall asleep. I simply could not shut my brain off.

Too many thoughts coming in from all directions on all different subjects. Finally I guess around 3:00 I did fall asleep somewhat, but still it was not enough. I probably had that mad eye look when Bill was leaning over me, kissing me goodbye as he headed off to work. I tried to get some more sleep but the sun was coming in and I eventually had to get up and get out.

I had shown Bill how to make coffee the other day so I had a nice pot waiting for me, one less thing to do in the morning. Somehow I remained awake in the shower and cleaned myself up, washing whatever sleep there was from out of my eyes. A couple of cups of coffee and after checking email and whatnot I was on the way to the bus stop.

I was several feet behind myself though, and it was like that throughout the day. I felt stoned, like I had taken a massive hit off a joint and left to fend for myself among the natives and tourists of Manhattan. I’ve been saving some money by walking to the cigar shack instead of taking the train but it didn’t help much.

I mean money wise it did, but still I was groggy. And it was Bradley and Jerry Vale in the cigar shack today and of course that meant that Bradley was calling the shots much like the Frank Burns he used to be and sometimes still is. I was doing well in sales though and for most of the day I had a several hundred dollar lead.

Then I went to lunch and an order that both Jerry Vale and I worked on, well all the credit went to Bradley who was quite a fucking bitch about the whole thing. I explained the reason my initials and Jerry Vale’s initials were on the work slip, to which Bradley stated that he could not figure out what the initials JV were for.

I was pretty upset about the whole thing with regards to Bradley being a dick but things got better since I just surpassed him in sales and I didn’t have to steal credit for it. About 20 minutes left in the cigar shack for the day and of course it is taking it’s sweet ass time in getting here.

Cat Stevens is singing Father and Son and Jerry Vale just related a story about how he played the song for his son, who hated the line ‘you are young and it’s all your fault’. I just want to go to bed.

lucky penny?






2 – Downtown

I Go To Extremes

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Back to work at the cigar shack again. Not so bad, Zack is out of town at some meeting, Bradley was off so it was Thomas and Jerry Vale and myself today. We all get along quite nicely and are very supportive of each other as well as cracking wise about each other.

Bill went back to work today, after having last week off. He spent most of last week organizing his stuff which was all over the place. To the surprise of the both of us we found a couch underneath all that mess. If only Juan were around to be able to sit comfortably. But Juan is doing his thing in the Trenton area, leaving Bill to sit on the couch solo and me in front of the computer which is my usual spot.

Chaz threw a great party, his best in years on Saturday night. His wife Kathe was up from Florida and Connie made it up from down the shore. Kathe was her old self, very funny and silly. Connie was apologetic for having a bad year.

She is quite ill and there were times when I was headed down the shore that I would call her to see if she wanted to join us at the beach but she was too weak to answer the phone. She mentioned that there were times that she was too weak to even work the remote control for her television set.

Bill rented a car for the night and picked up Rand & Lisa and the three of them met me by Journal Square. From there it was off to Chez Chaz. The smell of vegetarian chili wafted through the air, drinks aplenty and great company all around. Unfortunately, we had the car only until midnight so we had to head back to Hoboken just as things started to get interesting. Before we left, both my former roommate William & Rand mentioned they expect interesting things to happen in the spring, something big. They don’t really know what exactly but something is bound to happen.

A ride back with Rand & Lisa and soon Bill and I were back in our apartment by midnight. He went to sleep soon after and I stayed up watching Saturday Night Live. We both slept really well, some tossing and turning on my part since I did have a few beers. Sunday was a do nothing day basically.

A bit hungover, I went to the supermarket where it was more crowded than I would have liked. Then I stayed in for most of the afternoon. Bill headed into the city and I lounged about. I did go to CVS to drop off some photographs which I paid for but were not mine. There was no problem with that, I had the receipt and was able to get my money refunded.

On the walk back home I notice a brawl erupting across Washington Street. A group of drunken twenty somethings spilling out onto the sidewalk, fists a flying. I called the Hoboken Police who sent two cop cars. I didn’t stick around to see the outcome, just kept walking. A crowd did form to watch the fight though and I’m sure someone else blogged about it.

Bill and I watched Shameless which I enjoyed more last year. I just wasn’t in the mood for it last night and I guess neither was Bill since he went to bed halfway through. I also watched House of Lies, starring Don Cheadle and I did not like that one much at all. Thank goodness it was only a half hour long, since that was barely tolerable.

Tonight former employee Raymond came into the store tonight, just getting off from work and buying a cigar. We commiserated somewhat and I found I always feel worse about the cigar shack gig after talking to him so it’s probably best that we don’t talk about the cigar shack.






Killer Queen 1