After an afternoon, followed by an evening of rain, after watching TV all night, finally falling asleep around 12:30 or so I woke up to a crisp autumn morning. Nothing to eat for breakfast meant that I would have to go to the supermarket to pick up provisions if I was going to break my fast. I ran into Julio kissing Stine goodbye on the third floor landing. Julio was headed to West New York to repair some repairs that a well intentioned tenant had performed themselves, only to make matters worse and create the need for Julio to go and do his landlord bit.

I walked him to his car and then it was off to run errands at 9:00 in the morning. The stroller set were making their initial appearances on Washington Street which meant that I had better get out of there quickly lest I start tripping over the many baby carriages that always spring up on a Saturday morning after a rainfall. Even made it to the bank. To make a deposit. In my account. That hardly ever happens, maybe twice a month. This allows me to see the fresh scrubbed faces behind the two inch glass that separates me from my money.

I decided to hold off on the jazz experience until 4:20 PM, after reading yesterday the meaning behind 4:20. It’s a term that I had heard many times, yet never put into practice until today. Now it’s 4:41 and this is the second attempt at writing this since the first attempt froze up and is now floating somewhere in cyberspace. It froze at 4:24 tainting what should have been a pleasant 4:20 experience. No worries, it’s just that I hardly ever rewrite and with Harpy not being a very good editor these days I am left on my own.

I walked around Hoboken for a spell earlier, not affected by any paranoia that sometimes duets with a good jazz riff. It was good to get out of the house as it was a brilliant day. I considered heading into the city to check out some galleries or maybe see Across the Universe, that Juan recommended but I wasn’t that motivated to do so. I did get sucked into watching a good TV movie about Helen Keller, starring Mare Winningham and Blythe Danner. It takes place after the Miracle Worker, after Helen leaves Alabama to go to school at Radcliffe. There’s a soft spot in my heart for Helen Keller, after I read and reread her biography in grammar school. I never did see the Miracle Worker, though I did enjoy this. I do love Mare Winningham and Blythe Danner was also very good as Anne Sullivan.

I tried to think of something to do, thought about heading into the city, maybe check out some galleries, thought about seeing Across The Universe on Juan’s recommendation, but with the motivation of someone else to go with I wound up by the edge of the Hudson River on a bench,writing. I know I could have called up someone to join me but I didn’t. More than likely I would have heard excuses on why some people couldn’t join me. No big deal, in fact I could have been wrong, someone might have said yes but I didn’t take that chance.

Tomorrow is the Artist’s Studio Tour in Hoboken. An open house of sorts, people wander around from studio to studio throughout Hoboken, looking at art and drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers. After a few stops on the tour, one sometimes starts judging the art by the food and wine the artists put out. Roda is taking part in the tour as well as Tim Daly and Hiro Takeshita. Hiro lives in the building I lived in 23 years ago on Madison Street. I’m sure if you go back to a Sunday in last year’s blog, or perhaps in 2005 you’ll see an entry regarding the tours during those years.

And now, some pics.

Guess who?

Run! Run for your life! And get the hell out of my frame!

Brunchers

Corner scene

NOT featured on the Artists studio tour

Well last night was pretty mellow. It was a Friday night for me, even though it was actually Thursday. I took off work today, you see. Not that I ran out and sowed my wild oats, though that’s what Dwight Schrute was planning on doing on the Office. That basically what I did, stay and home and watched TV. Nothing special. My days of going out are fading fast, especially since no one else seems to want to go out. Perhaps they are, but they’re not inviting me. No, that can’t be it. I’m a worthwhile companion, suitable for parties or just conversation. But you knew that already.

Watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report and of course they were funny. The R. Kelly Impersonator was the best bit I think. Jake Gyllenhall was also pretty funny. He seems like someone it would be fun to get jazzy with. I was recording My Name is Earl & 30 Rock at that time and watched The Office following Comedy Central. I know you know that the Office is really one of the funniest shows on TV right now. Actually the first two hours of prime time on Thursday nights for NBC really is an oasis of funny television.

It also opposite Ugly Betty which I really like. Didn’t get a chance to watch it on the computer yet. Faster speed at work and I’m hesitant to watch a herky jerky version of it. Actually I just tried to set the whole thing up but I need to install something and I fear that might take me away from you dear reader. Or is it deer reader? I have been getting some feedback from the antler set the past couple of when evers. They seem to be fans and were grateful that I did not publish the gruesome pic that Pedro sent me after hunting with his next door neighbor. I just hope they ate it.

Today was so so weather wise. I enjoyed sleeping past 6:00 though I did have to get out of bed to shut off the alarm on the cellphone. I set it so I wouldn’t forget it when I head off to work. I forgot to shut it off so that meant I stumbled out of bed, and somehow shut it off. Of course, my sleep was interrupted and having seen the sunlight I tried to fall asleep again with my head buried in the pillows and succeeded for about ninety minutes.

Chatted with Bill on the phone. He was worried that I was ill, having forgotten my taking an official day off. Poor guy has enough on his plate, even if I was sick I wouldn’t tell him. He did tell me about good old Elsie and Andy Capp. The latest shenanigans. When they’re not condemning Bill for being gay, they have no problem asking him for some moolah. Two parents in the house, one works (and I almost offered her a job where I work) and the other doesn’t work. A live at home dad, trying to get that elusive crooning career going despite being about 60 years too late. Dicks! The Pair of ’em!

Happy Birthday Brother Frank! Many more!