Category Archives: Interesting Things as of Late

isn’t it all?

I Could Kick Your Ass

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Something is happening but you don’t know what it is, do you Mr. Jones? Yes, Ballad of a Thin Man is playing at the cigar shack right now. It’s been a decent day, working alongside Thomas and Bradley. All of us in good moods so jokes and laughs were had throughout the day.

Not a bad day after all. Of course the tally could be better Sally, but it is a holiday weekend after all. Regulars have fled the city, people in Brooklyn have fled from the West Indian Day parade on Monday.

Tomorrow is Brazil day in midtown which is usually a fun thing to attend, but crazy crowded. So crowded that sometimes if you want to walk up Sixth Avenue, you have to walk up Fifth Avenue instead. I thought about it but then I thought again. Tomorrow is a day off so I have my doubts about attending. Perhaps if there was someone to go with, but with Bill driving tomorrow I think I will be staying on the western shores of the mighty Hudson River.

The day started out nicely, Bill was up and out hours before I stirred. I vaguely remember a kiss goodbye. Been having dreams that I actually remember lately, one dream involved my regret in not going to the bibliotheque with Roda, another dream had me in a cafeteria with my father and an old coworker from the Maxwells era, awkward introductions back and forth, considering one of those characters was dead.

Now it’s a little over a half an hour left. Thomas is closing so that means I get to go home a full 15 minutes earlier. Both he and I will be off tomorrow, due to return on Minday, Labor Day, working alongside Jerry Vale.

I am sick of tattoos. I know a few friends have them and have had them for years, but lately, it’s like an explosion, whole arms covered in ink by those who apparently did not consider what they will look like in 20 years.

Perhaps if I was in my twenties these days, and did not know any better I too would be inked way too much. When I was in my twenties I did not even consider the fact that I would be alive at 48 years, and here I am. Neck tattoos, I mean really. I just don’t get it. But that’s them and not me and not my concern, it’s just that I see so many of them it’s offputting. Live and let live I suppose.

I might take whatever train pulls into the station tonight. Lots of construction going on at the bus terminal on the way in, so the Path might be a viable option. I will throw the dice in the air and let the metro cards fall where they will.

It seems like a nice evening out anyhow, and a walk from the Path train to home should be nice, unless the other trains pull in first and if that’s the case well I will cross that bridge, or in this case- tunnel, when I get to it.

And the Path train turned out to be the way I got back to the mainland. A nice walk home, talking to Julio who invited me over next weekend when his in laws fly back to Europe. I mentioned that I never see them anymore and that is what prompted the invite.

I may just do that but of course I will have to reconnect next weekend. I will be working next Saturday and Sunday but since I get out early on Sunday that just might be the day. It would be nice to see Julio & Stine and of course, Alexander.

Fare thee well, Film Center Cafe










I Can’t Love You Back

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I just got back from a visit down the Jersey Shore, yes the Jersey Shore. Specifically Seaside Park, right next to Seaside Heights where the TV show Jersey Shore is filmed. Lots of clones there, girls with big hair and guys with wife beaters and tilted baseball caps. Nice to look at from a distance, but one doesn’t want to get close enough to hear them speak.

I went down with my niece Corinne and we visited her sister Meghan and her husband Rob. It was a late start and we got down there later than expected but it all worked out in the end. The water was 72° and the beach was crowded. Not at all like Sandy Hook where some space could be had away from other people. Still it was nice to be able to swim in the water and not look up and see Manhattan in the distance.

Then a walk on the boardwalk where the gelled hair set started to come out once it started getting dark out. Nice slabs of beef roaming around but like I said, one doesn’t want to get too close. The four of us devoured a very large pizza on the boardwalk, then checked out some rides, but didn’t get on any.

A storm was approaching and since Corinne and I were driving back, along with Corinne’s puppy Brady- we didn’t want to get caught in the rain. Luckily the storm was passing to the south of us and we didn’t get any rain. Still it gets quite dark on the Garden State Parkway and I didn’t want to keep Corinne out too late.

Yesterday was quite out of the ordinary. I traveled to Poughkeepsie and then onto Millbrook. I was representing the cigar shack at a rifle range. They were having a shootout, different teams skeet shooting or clay pigeons. Prizes went to the best score in each group.

I was out of the apartment at 8:30AM and headed to the Path train. I was hot and sweaty when I got to the Path and got on an air conditioned train, standing all the way from Hoboken to 33rd Street. From there I walked over to Grand Central Station.

Another crowded train but I at least was able to sit from Manhattan to Poughkeepsie. I stared out the window, looking at Harlem, the Bronx all the way up the Hudson Line. When I got to Poughkeepsie I found a taxi, a van actually. I told him where I wanted to go and he said he knew where it was. Halfway there he pulled over and asked me to call the rifle range and ask them where they were.

Once I got to the rifle range, I was fed and set up with 270 cigars to hand out. As soon I was set up, about 30 guys lined up all wanting a cigar. I would ask if they wanted a mild, medium or full bodied cigar and gave each to whomever requested one. Then I was set up in the woods under a few trees situated at a crossroads where various rifle men would stop by and get some more cigars.

I networked, handing out cards for the cigar shack and enjoying a couple of cigars myself. It was great to be out of town, in the woods and getting paid for it. Yes I was working, but at least I wasn’t in the shack. A good crowd of men, the agreeable type all enjoying the cigars and the camaraderie that goes along with smoking cigars. The brotherhood of the leaf.

I was able to secure a ride back to the train station after that, in time to catch the 6:40 train which was actually the uncatchable 6:35 train. I was able to have a pint in a nearby pub and killed some time before catching the 7:40 train. I was home around 10:45 and quite happy to be there.

Bill came home a few minutes after me and I was so happy to see him. I love him so.