A real nothing kind of day. I have them often. People like my brother Brian don’t. He wishes he had a day to do nothing, and I’m not being snarky by saying that. I just stayed local and low key. Bill’s dad is still in Bellevue and they’re still running tests to figure out what the hell is going on. Why the swollen feet? And the other stuff? Bill’s distressed by the fact that the hospital isn’t doing all that they could be doing for his father’s comfort and general well being. Bill just came home about an hour ago, very tired and in low spirits. Sometimes it’s an emotional roller coaster, since he’s presently rambunctious again.

I had a few errands to run today. Some toiletries and a haircut mainly. That was the extent of it. Oh, a walk to the Post Office and sitting on the stoop, smoking a Padron and reading about Prince in the latest issue of Mojo. No plans for the evening, no plans for tomorrow. Not yet at least. Heard from Julio earlier today so hopefully he was laying down a foundation for a beach day tomorrow. And I’ve probably jinxed that by writing it down. Curses. Where is that delete ke

Here’s some iPod shuffle stuff.

Wait- Angela Lansbury (from Sweeney Todd- The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
I’ve seen this show (not with Angela Lansbury) quite a few times, some versions better than others, have the cd, the vinyl and two versions of the dvd. Guess I like it huh? It’s also a bonding moment between brother Frank and myself. Also looking forward to Tim Burton’s take on the bloody tale, starring Johnny Depp with the score once again by Stephen Sondheim.

S.U.S.- The Ruts
From Made in Britain- A Mojo Collection from a few years ago. Don’t really like it much. Don’t recall hearing it twenty or so years ago. Sounds close to metal actually. I do know the Ruts had a single called Staring at the Rude Boys.

It’s Gettin’ Hot in Here- Nelly
Classic summer song from a few years ago. I remember hearing this being in Pedro’s car with Bill heading down to what Pedro calls Domino Park in Soho. Still a lot of fun to shake your ass to. It’s just reanimated Bill’s tired spirits as well.

Energy Fools the Magician- Brian Eno
This has chilled Bill’s boisterous spirit. Nice mellow piece, jazzy in the musical sense. Based on Tarot cards I’ve heard. Energy (the Sun), The Fool and the Magician. Check it out.

This Life Makes Me Wonder- Delroy Wilson
From an Uncut magazine collection from March 2007. Old school reggae. Perfect for a summer evening. Great production and you know those guys were all playing and recording at the same time in the same room, which isn’t how they do it anymore. This life makes me wonder, how to live to another day gone.

Very Very Hungry- David Byrne & Brian Eno
From My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Classic landmark album. I have a few copies of this, including an early version with Qu’Ran (Koran) which was deleted after initial pressings so as not to offend. This was in the 1980’s , not today mind you. This was the replacement track, since an Imam singing people to prayer set to a beat could cause a whole lot of trouble.

Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)- Otis Redding
Didn’t know too much about Otis until a few years ago. PBS had a documentary about Stax Records on a week or so ago and featured Otis, including a clip of him singing this song on a TV show in the sixties. What a talent. Would have loved to have seen him live.

There you go. That’s it. Better than nothing, wouldn’t you say?

It’s Friday. Left work early today, things were slow, half the office was out on holiday. Just woke up from a nap. I had a dream that I was living in a house on the border of Hoboken and Weehawken, by the overpasses on Park and Willow Avenues. At one point in the dream I was riding my bicycle, then all of a sudden I was riding my skateboard, the orange Bigfoot skateboard that Annemarie gave me 31 years ago. I was better on the skateboard in the dream than I was in real life. A lot of people had gathered in the middle of the street watching someone named Peter in a fist fight with a small person, actually a midget. From the point of view I was at, looking up at the overpass, all I could see was Peter swinging wildly. I skated past a growing mob and headed towards a party where there was a DJ spinning records by my house. Some spreading puddles of greenish water encroaching. Then I woke up.

Today was truly a bittersweet day. Billie heads back to Washington DC tomorrow after training up in New York for six weeks. It was originally supposed to be for two weeks then three which was bumped up to six. It was great to have him around for so long. He certainly enjoyed Bill and my company and we definitely enjoyed his. I stopped by to see him for a bit this morning at his store, but the street was closed off for yet another steam pipe breaking. Not as bad as the steam pipe explosion last month, but unnerving nonetheless.

I had burned a few cd’s for him, including the Corinne Bailey Rae that Annemarie had burned for me. I think Corinne Bailey Rae will be the soundtrack for a bittersweet summer this year. I told Billie that it felt like summer was over when Annemarie, Rex and Earl went back to Arcata in July, but that having Billie around seemed like an extension of that feeling. Now that Billie is heading back home, that feeling of summer ending has returned. I offered to meet up with Billie tomorrow to see him off at the train station and it seemed like a good idea.

After I left work for the day I stopped by again to touch base, and Billie said it probably wouldn’t be a good idea since he would probably wind up crying at the station. Billie also said that the crew he was leaving in New York had been saying their goodbyes and it was making him emotional. We stood there and talked for a bit when I felt my bladder inching up towards my eyes. Billie was right in the fact that there would be two queens crying in the middle of Penn Station tomorrow, so we would be better off if I didn’t see him off. I’ve had many teary farewells at boarding gates in the past, one more wouldn’t be so bad, but I’ll respect his wishes. Maybe.

As I was napping, Bill called. The WNBA game is off tonight since Bill’s father isn’t doing so well. There were some problems this morning and Bill called me, telling me they were going to go to the stroke unit at Bellevue at the paramedic’s suggestion. If there isn’t a stroke then they will take him to the Veterans Administration hospital on 23rd street. Bill’s father is 83.

On a lighter note, speaking of being 83 as I was walking through Bryant Park this morning I noticed that the Mike Love and Bruce Johnston version of The Beach Boys were putting on a show for Good Morning America. Didn’t see the Cowsill that was supposed to be playing with them but here’s some snap shots illegaldress.

some security looking like his head is in Mike Love’s crotch.

If given a choice I would have chosen Bruce Johnston.

and here is a clip from a few years ago, the finale of Six Feet Under which added to today being bittersweet.