Jeezy Creezy it’s Monday. I dislike Mondays. Yesterday of course was Sunday. Nothing special about that. Nobody around to do much of anything so going out to get the bagels and newspapers was my only time outside. I didn’t do anything just watch TV and read the papers and Mojo and Uncut and I also had the New Yorker and the new Vanity Fair with the Sopranos on the cover with James Gandolfini in a nice pinstriped suit, smoking a cigar. Yes, I am that transparent. I think he’s handsome and immensely do able, he looks like he could be a goombah from Lodi.

That used to be my type, and apparently it still is. Yes, heavy set older guys nattily attired smoking cigars gets me going. Shock! Horror! He’s only a year or so older than me so he slipped by that qualification. Juan feels the same way and why not? Since we are basically the same person we do have very similar tastes in men. It’s uncanny. But I won’t go any further. Unless you want me to. I took a nap in the middle of the day for about 2 hours which I thought would’ve helped me out with the clocks and Daylight Saving but it didn’t.

Juan came over last night and we watched Rome which Juan enjoyed. He knew a little about since his roommate watches it. I gave him the back story since it coincides with I, Claudius. I think I figured out how it will end. Vorenus went off to Egypt with Mark Antony after finding out his daughter was spying on him. He feels he can’t stay in Rome any longer. Pullo however is staying in Rome. The big battle between Octavian (Augustus Caesar) and Mark Antony looms. I think both Vorenus and Pullo will reluctantly kill each other since Pullo will be fighting for Octavian. It would tie up the loose ends in a nice bow.

Bill fluttered about as Juan and I watched Battlestar Galactica. He watches that a lot more than I do. I have no idea what is going on and thought for a Sci Fi adventure series it was moving a bit slow. He tried filling me in on who was who and what they had done in previous episodes. I hate to admit it but I soon found myself reading Uncut magazine’s interview with Lou Reed about his Berlin album, which I’ve never heard. There was a nice picture of my friend Jane playing cello on stage with Lou which made it all worthwhile.

I worked with Lou Reed in the nineties and he was a jerk. Perhaps it’s true what John Cale said about Lou Reed, ‘how can someone write such beautiful songs and be such a horrible person?’ And what kind of spell does Lou Reed have on Laurie Anderson? Oh it’s a dilemma and not mine. I’m pretty sure I won’t ever work with him again and I doubt if I will see him live. I saw him a few times years ago, but lately I just don’t care what he does anymore. He has that effect on people.

Work today was stupid. The spring ahead bit caught me off guard and in the middle of the day I was starting to crash. President Naomi went home early and that re energized me somewhat. She’s been grumpy lately.

Sunday. A very lazy day. Last night I programmed 4 talking gnomes on sale at Farfetched. They are about 5 inch dolls and you press the foot and record something then you press the chest and what you’ve just recorded plays back at a fast, Chipmunks like sound. I recorded on all four gnomes variations of ‘I’m Going to Kill you Harpy’ and ‘Die Harpy Die’ since Harpy was going to be working at the store alone. I wasn’t sure whether or not he would notice and thought I would have to call before the store opened to tell him to check them.

I did it last night before the store closed and a customer did press on the chest of the gnome and heard, ‘Harpy, I’m going to kill you and chop you up into little pieces’. The customer was surprised and a little put off and I had to reassure you that unless her name was Harpy she would have nothing to worry about if any gnomes were saying things like that. I don’t know if she got the joke since she left soon after. Jessica laughed through her scarf though. I didn’t have any need to call since Harpy did call me up laughing about the whole thing.

He told me he leaves messages for Susan and Lois but they generally go unheard. It’s their store and there’s no time for fun and games like that which is totally understandable. But Harpy laughed and I know I did good. I wound up walking to 33rd Street last night, smoking my Padron. I could have caught the Path train at 14th street but decided I wanted a seat and felt the main terminal would guarantee that. Plus it was a nice evening to stroll around and smoke a cigar. I read the New Yorker and was back in Hoboken soon enough. Bill was home already watching TV, what it was I don’t remember.

We did watch a documentary on the History Channel about Caligula. Basically it was all stuff I knew from watching and reading I, Claudius though I did forget that Caligula was dead by 28. Nasty guy. Nasty enough that Claudius who succeeded Caligula as Emperor had all statues of Caligula destroyed. I suppose it’s a testament to John Hurt’s acting that every time I think of Caligula I think of his performance from the mini series. Same goes for Claudius as portrayed by Derek Jacobi.

Tonight Juan is expected over, and I plan on watching Rome which is the early story of Augustus Caesar. I, Claudius takes place at the later years of Augustus’ life. During Rome he is still known as Octavian and Mark Antony is still alive. I’ve finally gotten into the show, which has been called by the critics as ‘I,Claudius for people who like the Sopranos’. Which definitely makes sense, bigger budget for sets and special effects, but lacks the gravitas of I, Claudius but still it’s better than a lot of other stuff out there right now.

Andy Rooney just recommended starting the draft again.