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 Got Stung

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A day off for me. And yesterday was a day off for you. You didn’t have to read this blog. Of course you never HAVE to, I mean, it is nice that you do and I’m grateful for it. As far as I know you or someone might have been to this here blog and read SOMETHING yesterday. That’s fine.

Today has been gray and chilly. Not exactly welcoming to go outside. Plus after having to deal with people at work in the world of retail, dealing with people on my day off does not appeal to me.

I think I got the hour that I lost with the daylight savings thing. It was well deserved. Yesterday I worked with Calvin and it was alright. Not much to report on that front. The day did go fast but that was probably because the body was saying that it was 4:00 but looking at the clocks it was now 5:00.

It was an agreeable illusion, but with five days in a row of working at the cigar shack, I was pretty much toast at the end of the day. So today was mainly about recharging my batteries.

And speaking of batteries, last night I decided to listen to some Madonna as I headed from the cigar shack to the bus terminal. I heard maybe 2.5 songs before the iPod crapped out. I originally got the iPod from Bill in 2005 and in 2006 I’m pretty sure I got it replaced since it crapped out then.

I was working for Wolff Olins or McMann & Tate and wound up at the Apple Store on Prince Street. I remember having just purchased Bob Dylan’s Modern Times and soon after that the 2005 iPod crashed. The girl at the Smart Bar in the Apple Store made a remark about Dylan burning out just like my iPod.

I’m pretty sure I wound up getting a new iPod. I’ve had it for a few years now and it has served me well, but now I think it is about to shuffle off its mortal coil. I do have a back up courtesy of Julio & Stine from a few years ago, so it’s not the end of the world, but it only holds so many songs.

I’m going to save my money and get a 160GB iPod to replace the 30GB. I blame it all on Madonna. I mean, I should have known better.

And like I wrote on Facebook, if that is the only thing I have to complain about, then I really don’t have anything to complain about. Not with what is going on in the world today.

The news from Japan keeps getting worse and worse. The nuclear power plants are exploding or melting down. Bad news indeed. Hopefully it will get the US to rethink its policy on nuclear energy.

Kaddafi’s killing the Libyan rebels, Saudi Arabia has sent in troops to Bahrain, Wisconsin and Michigan have been going through labor troubles and I’m complaining about my iPod? Oh boo hoo. Woe is me. And I know the same thing could be applied to my employment situation.

Lots of people are still out of work and at least I still have a job so why complain? It’s true, things could be better managed at the cigar shack and despite some nibbles elsewhere I should be happy with what I got.

‘Easier said than done’ he wrote.

The world continues to spin on its axis, albeit a little more wobbly than it was before the earthquake. I’ve been catching up with Big Love on HBO. A very good show, great acting all around. If you’ve never seen it, it’s worth watching on DVD.

You know who you are.


that's my Bill


I Got Lucky

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Another day at the cigar shack and here I am getting an early start on writing. Not much else to do. I did the right thing this morning and did a Xanax before I came in. It’s felt great and there has been no need to desire to punch anyone in the face.

I slept well last night, thanks to some jazzy cigarettes. Watched Bill Maher last night and it was more annoying than anything. Bill did make it home and I got the hug I was looking for and then proceeded o tell him about the day that I had.

He was tired but understanding and listened to every word which was exactly what I needed. The we watched part of The Laughing Policeman before Bill went to bed. I stayed up and watched footage of the disaster in Japan, which to me looked like animation. Just a mass of mud and sea water sweeping trucks and cars away with just a wave of Mother Nature’s hand.

And the day today was not as bad as it was yesterday. The boys seem to be on their best behavior but then again I seem to be on Xanax. Things will slow down considerably in 20 minutes when the man cave shuts down. That wouldn’t be so bad after all. And that is definitely the Xanax talking.

Still the occasional asshole wanders in but thanks to the Xanax, its water down a duck’s back. Tomorrow I will be working with the Poacher Calvin. Now we are listening to Prince Sign of the Times. We listened to Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions. And also Billie Holiday’s Greatest Hits which is what the Boy Wonder Thomas requested the past few days and I remembered to bring it in for him.

He’s going to borrow it so I guess he will burn himself his own copy. Sorry Lady Day, but you know how it is. And the Boy Wonder Thomas messed up a few times today. I don’t know if it was pride but something prevented him from asking for help, leaving me to clean up the messes after he had left.

I like the Boy Wonder Thomas, he’s a nice guy, has a good sense of humor and seems to be a born salesman. I don’t know how he does it but he’s been number one or at least number two in sales.

Where in February I was told my numbers were impressive, now my numbers are anemic and pathetic. I expect to hear something about it sooner or later. And the Xanax this morning was definitely a good idea, though by the end of the day it wore off somewhat.

I didn’t have the homicidal urges that I had yesterday but still there was a modicum of frustration to deal with and that was mainly the Boy Wonder Thomas’ mistakes, making me leave the cigar shack about 20 minutes later than I would have.

Street Fighting Man, Gimme Shelter, Satisfaction, The Last Time and Jumping Jack Flash got me to the bus terminal in 18 minutes, no frantic stomping thanks to the Xanax. Now I am home, I am happy and I am not writing tomorrow, but I am working with the poacher. Have a good Sunday.