A Town called Walker

A song by Tom Verlaine played in my head as I walked to the PATH train this morning.

November 13th, Thursday, crazy guy walking down the street in my direction, I’m out of the way of his eyeline, but you never know. I slept very well last night, very interesting dreams, specifically one where all of a sudden I was riding my bike in Liberty State Park on a path I’d never been on before and it was so spontaneous, I had nothing no gear no bike shorts no nothing as I drove or rode my bike on grounds that look salty as a dried out salt marshes.

The crazy guy who was shouting seems to have quieted down and is not walking in this direction after all, which is a good day.

I’m not used to waking up in the dark, but that’s how it was this morning, and it’s going to be like this until the spring, I suppose

Catholic school kids just walked by carrying signs and placards with regards to supporting immigrants. Certainly not my high school, I didn’t do anything like that. We were too isolated out with the suburbs in that regional high school of Paramus Catholic

So part of the things I had to do this morning was go to the other office, which is about a half mile away and I did just that on the way there stopped off at Cigarville on 14th Street picked up a tin of smokes that I usually do on Friday but I did it today since I was there even though I walk by it most mornings

Lately, throughout the day, I just look forward to going home and going to sleep. That’s an easy life, nothing too complicated

Bill is also in Manhattan, driving his bus, driving some plebs around, and we’re in the vicinity of each other, but did not connect like ships that pass in the morning

I got a new keyboard for my work computer at the fruit stand, and that was nice

Once again, there is a damp chill in the air sky was blue earlier, but now it’s just cloudy. Bill was adorably insufferable last night. We had a few laughs about it

Mike got himself a laptop, and he’s excited about it and Bill, who is helping him move furniture from Newark to Jersey City next week, will help set him up on it. I’m not sure if Mike is coming over this weekend. I have a feeling he is maybe he could just bring it over if we could set it up at the apartment.

I’m smoking my second mini cigar of the day. The first one I had walking back from the fruit stand half a mile away to where I am now, which is generally the same spot that I’ve had one day through Friday, weather permitting
I have no idea how to dress these days. You leave in the morning, and it’s one way, and just the afternoon is something else, but sitting on cold concrete is probably not the thing to do

I put in my PTO requests, which will give me 12 days off at the end of the year, weekends included. Those PTOs were approved, I just have to make it to them

I am really enjoying the book about The Cars. I think Bill Janovitz did a good job.

I am 63 years old, roughly the same age as my mother when she retired from HBJ

Thinking of how the friendship with Perry deteriorated, but put me on the path where I am today, working in the music biz, meeting fantastic people, if I were still friends with him, that probably would never have happened over 40 years ago

I just saw a man who looked like Arif Mardin talking to a man who looked like Jack Warden.

A day late and a dollar short.

Didn’t dictate it, did not write yesterday, thought about writing last night, but was not motivated enough

And here I am a day later. An attempt, I suppose. I’m not a slave to what I used to do, write every day 500 words, now I write when I want to, and I didn’t want to yesterday, although I should have, I didn’t.

I’m in an elevator running down, and it smells like perfume

Out on the street near the spot where I sit, but not sitting, standing. Bill was upstate New York on Monday, came back on Tuesday, and today, which is Wednesday, he is working, which is good. And he’s close to home in Carlstadt, New Jersey, at least that’s where he started from this morning.

I had chicken for lunch, which was good. First time for the restaurant, and I ordered online and they wanted me to tip, but I didn’t feel good tipping about it, something I haven’t had yet yea,h that rare moment of reason popped into my head.

I have an appointment at 3:30 to discuss something with a coworker named David. He’s going to Paris next week, and I need to cover for him while sitting at my desk half a mile away. Funny thing is, I’m usually apprehensive and anxious about these types of things but today I’m feeling like “hell, it’s no problem, I can do this”.

I did ask him to send me a schedule of things that might be delivered or arriving while he’s away, and he said that he would, so I’m sure we’ll discuss that.

I also spoke to the corporation or sent an email to the corporation that placed me at the fruit stand, asking them if holidays or what they call PTO in the biz, and be carried over to the next year, and I’m specifically thinking of one day next year, which would be January 2nd. I had to tell them that just in case they’re like no no no no.

Mike, who’s doing well financially, has been going crazy buying clothes right and left. I’ve been buying them and he’s been reimbursing me since his internet access is somewhat limited and his neighborhood is less than desirable for package deliveries, whereas mine is just fine.

He loves Psalm 23 and has it on his jerseys for the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Knicks, and he just put a leather jacket or a varsity jacket with leather sleeves, which seems sketchy, but we’ll find out, I suppose.

When he was over the weekend, I suggested that he buy a laptop, which is just as expensive as some of these items that he is buying. He is a skilled poet, and I do believe when he says he’s a very good playwright. He wrote what he wrote when he was incarcerated and put it on for his fellow incarcerated and some church folk. It seemed to go over well, and I explained that he should put it down on paper or at least digitally, so I’ll have it to work with and get moving. Also, to improve his typing skills, which are currently hunting and pecking.

It could only help in the work he does now, or a promotional opportunity should that arise at his present position.

Bill and I have discussed with Mike getting an affordable laptop. He does not need a printer and scanner at this moment, but an external hard drive could be a good thing for him

I had been using melatonin for the past couple of years, and when I did see a doctor a few years ago for a physical, he said I shouldn’t take it, and I just shrugged it off. I continued to use it. But yesterday I saw that melatonin use can lead to heart problems, and that was enough to get me to stop. So I stopped last night and still slept well. There are three other things that I do to go to sleep, and they seem to have done the job quite well. Technically, four things…

The job of this here blog or the discipline for this here blog was to write at least 500 words, and I believe in the past 20 minutes or so, I have surpassed 600 words. Actually, 700 words more or less.

Yesterday the temps dropped to the 30s, today or in the upper 40s, still a bit cold and damn but manageable as I sit outside now rather than stand where I usually do.

A co-worker mentioned that the weather is moody, which is an apt description.