Well, it has been a long time since I last sat down and wrote anything. Really, I can’t think of anything that I could say that I wrote. It’s been over 7 years since I posted words for the blog and I might as well give it a go.
Lewis Lapham died last week. He was the Editor Emeritus of Harpers Magazine. Bill and I met him in October 2005 at the Society for Ethical Culture. Lewis Lapham gave me the idea for this blog. He mentioned that certain writers would have a method of writing daily. Some would do this, some would do that.
It struck a nerve and a few days later I started writing at least 500 words a day. It was an easily attainable goal, mostly. I mentioned it to my friend Rand, who suggested writing a blog so these wayward words would have a place to go and maybe some other people would read it. So Rand hooked me up with this here blog.
So from October 2005 to sometime in 2013, I wrote daily. At first, it was 7 days a week, then I made it 6 days, opting to take Sundays off. And I got in trouble a couple of times with what I wrote. Some people suggested that I don’t write about my job but if I write about my day, and a good chunk of that day is spent at a job, I don’t see how I could not write about it.
What I wrote did not make them look good but I wasn’t writing for them. And if things were rosy then perhaps I would write about that. The last gig I got fired from, at least one of the reasons why I was fired was because they thought I was writing this blog on a smartphone and I am simply not coordinated enough to do such a thing. My thumbs would give out.
So you can thank to blame Lewis Lapham for the https://johnozed.com
I am returning to work tomorrow after being off of holiday since July 27. Bill and I went as they say in New Jersey, ‘down the shore’ We’ve been going to Ocean Grove for years, since 2017. We did not go in 2020 due to the pandemic and 2023 was a washout due to other things like money.
Not having a chance to get out of town was troubling so it was imperative that we got the hell out of Dodge for at least a few days, Sunday to Wednesday. We had previously gone down on a Friday and left on Monday but we found it cheaper to go on Sunday to get those weekday rates. It was certainly less crowded. I enjoyed the fewer people but sort of missed the hustle & bustle.
Bill is great at planning things like transportation so all I have to do is follow. We both enjoyed the water and the quietness. Tomorrow I go back to a job that I once liked working at.
It’s been a mostly indoor day today. Wind chill feels like 5 degrees and that is no fun. Plus there is nowhere to go. Bibliothèque is closed since its Dr. Dre’s birthday. I have been busy and sociable this weekend which was quite a feat. On Saturday I did go out to Tim Daly’s party. I owe that to Rand & Lisa deciding to go. If they decided not to, I would have stayed at home. But they were game and so was I. I headed out soon after posting the last entry and walked over to Garden Liquor to get a six pack of Heineken.
It wouldn’t be right to show up empty handed. I kept my apprehension of running into the former drunkard and the badly drawn woman to myself as I walked with Rand & Lisa. They went to Sparrow Liquor and I went to the cigar store and got myself some small cigars. Yes I am still on good terms with Shlomo and the Zionist hoodlums. I get a great discount and I would be foolish not to go there. Israel is the one I avoid and no one brings up his name anyhow which works out fine.
It was a good time and we rode the rickety elevator to the floor where Tim’s studio is. Tim’s wife Sheilah mentioned her hope that there would be dancing so I brought my iPod just in case. I had to restore the iPod to its factory settings and it is working fine once again. Reloading it is a chore, a labor of love if you will. People were dancing and almost immediately I was happily set upon by Jon & Deena, my Cucumber friends. I last saw them in December but was too under the weather to stay for their set at Maxwell’s.
Everyone bought beer and wine so there was plenty to drink and Tim and Sheilah had quite a spread of food set up. No one was smoking except for Tim so I didn’t smoke. I gave up the cigarettes once again, as well as diet soda (and all soda) and the cranberry juices I liked to mix. I do love soda, always have all my life, but apparently it’s bad for you and I’ve been told that for a few years. Here I thought I was doing better by not drinking alcohol and just drinking soda but it seems to have been a misstep.
I danced for a song or two with Lisa as various guys tried to figure out what to play. It went from Malcolm McLaren’s Soweto to The Chi-Lites singing Oh Girl which made for a strange and abrupt segue. After a couple of hours I had to head home, I had four beers and I did have things to do. Plus I had to get up early to help Bill out. Rand and Lisa left with me and we made a stealth exit, saying good bye to Sheilah as she was by the coats.
A fun walk home ending with me singing Troy McClure’s song from Stop the Planet of the Apes I Want to Get Off. I enjoyed singing it and I think Lisa enjoyed it though she might have forgotten where it came from. I couldn’t see Rand’s expression. They went their way with Rand closing all gates they were open onto sidewalks. I trudged upstairs, buzzed after four beers and settled in for Saturday Night Live which wasn’t as bad as it’s been the past few episodes. And then a restful night of sleep followed.
Bill was coming in the morning on the train and then he had to go tend to his mother. He had a bunch of gear with him and his plan was to get off the train, drop off the gear then turn around and get on the Path train to see his mom. I suggested that I meet him at the train and then I would take his gear home and he could just jump on the train. He was grateful for that and I was more than happy to help. We walked to a nearby bagel shop and then parted ways.
I had a nice breakfast at home and Bill ate his on the train. It was quite windy out and I was happy to stay in. It was Third Sunday in Hoboken which means a few galleries and artists open up for people to wander in and see what was going on. There was a gallery I heard a lot about that I hadn’t been to so I decided to check it out. It is at the south western border of Hoboken, far away from just about everything if you don’t have a car, which I don’t.
On the way I stopped by the cigar store to tell Shlomo those little cigars were very dry. He apologized and gave me some freebies as he put the other cigars in a working humidor. Then I walked past the Guitar Bar where I didn’t see Jim Mastro. I did see him on Friday and thanked him and Meghan for the Helmer’s gift certificate that Bill and I used on Valentine’s Day. I continued walking down First Street, with each block I passed I thought about just going home. Looking south I could see smoke and figured that was where the fire engines were headed.
I continued on and saw two building on fire. There was a lot of smoke and a few people documenting everything. I don’t think anyone was injured though they were displaced. After a couple of minutes I walked to the Barsky Gallery studio where I talked with a woman named Annette(?). It was a decent show, a few artists. A little too Abstract Expressionist for me but there were some pieces I liked. It was all rather quick since it is a small space.
Then a cold walk down the streets, the fire under control, less documentarians around. It was on Madison Street between Newark and First Streets. I used to live on Madison and Second so I walked past my old building. I needed some items to make dinner so I went to the nearby overpriced supermarket. The really good supermarket was a bit out of the way and it was too cold for that hike. The nearby supermarket is like a ghost town since the really good supermarket reopened.
After that I was home, made dinner and settled in for the night. Bill came home in time to watch Maggie Smith on 60 Minutes, then we watched the Simpsons and Bob’s Burgers before Bill went to bed. I stayed up and watched yet another documentary on Saturday Night Live which was not as good as the other ones. Probably because it was about the 1990’s.
Party!
Fire!
If the Freedom Tower antenna collapses, it may be from this bolt which should be up there but is actually in Hoboken.
