Category Archives: Interesting Things as of Late

isn’t it all?

Above Chiangmai

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John zombie. Zombie John. Feeling OK. Feet hurt from standing for 9 hours. I work 10 hours and you can bet that one hour I have for lunch is spent sitting down somewhere. I’ve gone from living on the Internets for 11 months to not being able to go online.

It’s OK. Really nothing to worry about. I’m eating less and been more active. I found out today that I can access my email, but access to Facebook is blocked. That means I come home and my friends have posted 300 updates.

And I find myself hiding from view certain friends. Some people I know, some people I admire, some people I like. Can’t bring myself to hide Ivan Kral even though he really doesn’t have much to say and having written that I have decided to hide Ivan Kral.

The routine thus far, or at least for the past week- I awake and get out of bed around 6:45 and do my thing which if you’re a regular reader know what that entails.

I leave at 7:45 and catch a bus around 8:00. I get to the bus terminal by 8:30 and catch an uptown train, dropping me off a little before 9:00. I find a spot to change into my suit and tie, usually wishing it was autumn and also muttering ‘fucking hell’ at least once.

Then I leave the building and find a shady spot to just chill out and drink some ice water. I drink a lot of water these days, which according to Harpy is a reason why he and I sweat like a pair of thoroughbreds.

At about 9:25 I can be found in front of the shop waiting for someone to let me in. Today it was me and Calvin until 11:30 when Raymond and Don came in. Calvin and I get along very well I think. He’s a nice guy and I genuinely like him. I haven’t seen his bad side though, if he has one. Everyone does.

Yesterday Raymond mentioned that when you work an 8 hour shift you’re supposed to get 2 15 minute breaks. Here, you have to mention that you’re stepping out for some fresh air. Calvin doesn’t say no and mentioned that he understands that breaks are needed and shouldn’t be abused.

I was able to take a break in the morning as well as in the afternoon. It being so summer-like lately the usual cigar smokers that come in and hang out until the cigar lounge closes at 7:00 do not stop by on Fridays. Most everyone heads out of town.

That meant it was especially slow this afternoon. We still have to stand there in our suits and ties though when we work on weekends, polo shirts are OK to wear as are guayaberas. Yay!

I have off this weekend and don’t have to go in until 11:30 on Monday. That means I’ll be working until 9:30. A new experience that will be.

It was so slow this afternoon that Calvin asked if I had seen the whole complex where the shop is located. I said I hadn’t only gotten as far as the second floor and he suggested that I wander around and see whats what.

It really is an impressive, albeit expensive complex. I made it as far as I could, the fifth floor and then wound my way back down on various escalators. With not much to do, time crawled. I did have a moment when I got back from checking out the complex to get my street clothes ready for a quick change.

When I told various friends and family that I would be working in a cigar shop, I think they envisioned that I would be smoking cigars all day. I thought that too. It’s not like that at all.

Calvin usually recommends a cigar to smoke when I take lunch and when I get back I tell him what I thought. And that’s about it, besides another cigar at the end of the day, when I walk down to the Path train.

Yes I walk 26 blocks after standing around all day. It clears my head and I also find walking a distance like that beats standing around all day. Now I am home, tired and feeling alright.

Since I am working late on Monday I’ll be able to see Bill in a new play on Sunday night. Tomorrow is laundry and chores that I used to do at my leisure and trying to make a party for Rock & Roll Roger’s Honey tomorrow in Weehawken.

I get to sleep late too. Probably wake up around 8:00.

Also heard from Todd regarding the July party at Maxwells. It’s going to be in the front room. Which is a slight twist. More details to follow, but not tonight. John zombie.

The weight of a metal world atop one of my shoulders.


Day Tripper

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I can’t go on, I’ll go on. Part 4.5

Yes here we are. Another Memorial Day weekend is upon us. The unofficial start of summer. The exodus from Hoboken begins. The residents with homes down the Jersey shore are en route, if not there already.

I spent some time once again playing and singing by the river. As I played, three little kids came over and the two girls danced while I played. The boy that was with them just sat and watched. They didn’t know any of the songs that I played, except for The Lion Sleeps Tonight and All My Loving.

I also played Good Lovin’ by the Rascals and a trainer from the gym nearby sang along with that as he trained his client. He wasn’t too much interested in training her but she was ‘in the zone’ and didn’t realize his inattention.

Time flies when you’re playing guitar and before I knew it I was strumming for almost 3 hours. I headed back home after attempting Rocket Man by Elton John. Not sure if all the chords are correct and will have to figure that out.

This is the 1,655th entry that I’ve written. That’s an accomplishment of sorts. I’m sure that for some of you, it’s small change. Since I’ve written about my day and I have nothing else to write about, let’s have a look back.

May 28, 2006- The night before I elbowed Bill twice in the head. By accident. It was a Sunday and I went out and bought bagels for Julio and Stine. Alexander hadn’t arrived on the scene yet. Juan started working and seemed to be enjoying it. A bike ride to Liberty State Park was accomplished with Julio and Stine with some Frisbee tossed back and forth.

A ride back home, burgers at O’Neill’s and then drinking Stella Artois on the front steps and then a look at the backyard, overrun with weeds and smelling of cat shit, courtesy of Chris G next door. Juan came over and we watched Bjork videos, Juan saying ‘Homegirl is crazy’.

May 28, 2007- Bill and I not talking for some reason. Julio & Stine inviting me for a ride and I didn’t go since I didn’t want to be a third wheel. A crappy Memorial Day weekend. Laundry and me feeling melancholy, sitting by the river, bashing my dirty laundry against a rock and listening to Rufus Wainwright and Scritti Politti.

Also watched Pan’s Labyrinth which was not as good as I had heard. I think I was still in shock after my brother Frank had a brain attack.

May 28, 2008- It was a Wednesday and I was working for Vivek and company. A receptionist was needed and my request fell on deaf ears. They decided not to hire a receptionist after all. I was hoping to get Juan in there for a summer job.

I watched Lars & The Real Girl and a documentary called American Hardcore which was actually pretty good. I knew some of the people in it though I wasn’t involved with the Hardcore scene.

May 28, 2009, A phone call with my friend Rita. I noticed that Rita seems to have a problem saying goodbye on the phone. Always a bit awkward. My brother Frank had retired from his job and was having a difficult adjustment.

A humid and drizzly day and 2 movies about Quentin Crisp from Netflix were available, The Naked Civil Servant and Illegal Alien, both starring Mississippi John Hurt as Quentin Crisp.

Not much has changed for this May 28. I have 500 Days of Summer, An Education and 2 versions of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge from the bibliothèque to watch over the weekend. Bill is driving to Atlantic City again.

Mississippi John Hurt


Quentin Crisp

Me, May 28