So how’s band camp? | johnozed

Right now, everything is good. It’s been a weird kind of day. Slept in since my 10 hours of work were completed yesterday. I did get a call from Viveka about a marble mouse that Vivek was looking for.

I had it here, so I planned on bringing it in. I was also hoping to get my allotment of Hot Wheels cars but since yesterday was Vivek’s birthday, Sanjay and Abby and the birthday father to be went out gallivanting, rendering Vivek incapacitated and unable to come in.

Yeah, it sucked. But it wasn’t the end of the world and I know I will get paid eventually.

I hope sooner rather than later of course. I came home and decided to take random pictures of people on the streets. It was a nice day after all. Not one drop of rain and nary a cloud in the sky.

On the walk across midtown I was pleasantly surprised to catch a few whiffs in different areas of some pungent aromas. It was almost like it was twenty years ago. In broad daylight, some brave folk out for a toke.

I had almost forgotten that it can be done. Hell, I used to do it all the time. That was when I had cojones. Nowadays, not so much.

Came home and farted around. Returned some library books and walked around a bit. I saw Jim Mastro inside the Frozen Monkey Cafe so I walked in to say hello when Lily and Ruby Mastro walk up. Lily was drumming for some kids who take lessons at the Guitar Bar.

The girls told me Meghan was on the way. I stuck around and had some fun with Meghan who might have an extra pass for All Points West on Saturday if Jim couldn’t make it. She said she was going to let me know by tomorrow.

My Bloody Valentine and Arctic Monkeys are on the bill. There are other acts on the bill, but those are the two I would like to see.

I would have stayed at the Frozen Monkey Cafe but I was actually planning on food shopping. Plus it wasn’t Lily’s band, she was only filling in and the guys in the band really liked Guns & Roses and as annoying as that band used to be, hearing Sweet Child of Mine played by a 15 year old was more than I needed to hear.

I also made tentative plans with Meghan to hop on a train one day soon and just spend some time out in Glen Ridge. Been meaning to do that for a while now and since I’m not working, as Meghan pointed out, now would be as good a time as any.

And by now she meant next week. Now it a quiet evening, a breeze wafts through the open window. Haven’t hooked up the air conditioner. The fans have been good when Bill and I sleep.

It’s only when the sun is out, that’s when I would like to have an air conditioner on. Or to be in an air conditioned office, working.

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Well I’m back. Been back for a few hours actually. Came home, showered and took a nap. Woke up to the sound of the St. Ann’s feast band marching through the streets, and stopping in front of my building for a blessing.

Not the way I wanted to wake up but it worked nonetheless. Still a bit groggy. Many beers were drunk last night and I woke up still buzzed.

Getting to Otisville was pretty easy, got on a train and just took the two hour train ride. Read most of the New Yorker including an interesting article on organ donation for altruistic reasons. Compare that to the organs for cash scheme which was revealed the other day as part of the NJ corruption arrests.

The scam was reportedly going on for 10 years, run by some Rabbi. Nice. I made it up to Otisville with no problems. A few girls making some noise was easily ignored. There was a hitch once I got off the train.

No cellphone service at the station. I stood around for 20 minutes trying to call Pedro & Connie, on their land line and his cellphone to no avail. I didn’t panic. It was a nice day, clear skies and I enjoyed a cigar while I tried to get through. Even tried a pay phone but that was out of service as well.

I finally got through and Pedro was on his way. A few minutes later a car pulls up and I was expecting it to be our friend Excer. No, it was Ulysses, someone I hadn’t seen in years.

Ulysses started working at Murdoch Magazines the day after I started in 1986. We hit it off immediately back then, so much so that I was DJ’ing a friends wedding and Ulysses and his late brother Tony rented me their equipment for $100.00.

I hadn’t seen Ulysses since Tony’s wake in 2000 or so. After Ulysses started working there, in came Pedro and Tony and eventually Excer. Harpy was there by that time as well.

Last night was all about Stella Artois and dominoes Ulysses didn’t play dominoes, he was too busy downloading various programs for his music studio. Pedro, of course dominated the dominoes, I was a drunken second place.

Every one crashed by 1:00, the only 2 staying up were me & Ulysses, chatting away until 2:30 when he decided he had to head home despite Connie setting a bed for him.

I tried to convince him to stay over but as Pedro explained this morning, he never stays out, always heads home before sunrise. I woke up bleary eyed, hearing Excer and Connie talking in the kitchen.

Excer offered me a ride back to Hoboken so I figured he would want to get moving soon. I got out of bed and had some pancakes and scrambled eggs that Connie made as well as some coffee.

Excer and I were on the road at 10:30, taking Route 17 all the way down to Route 3 where I directed him to Hoboken, specifically right in front of my building.

Came upstairs, Bill was cleaning the apartment. I showered and took a nap. After being awoken by the St. Ann’s feast band, I went for a stroll with Julio.

We stopped in Radio Shack when all of a sudden, the skies opened and it started pouring and hailing. We were inside the store for about a half hour waiting for the rain to stop.

The staff didn’t mind, they were too busy laughing at the soggy people walking down the street avoiding cafe umbrellas that started flying on the sidewalks.

That is about it. I’m sure I will sleep well tonight. Here are some pictures from last night.
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