Category Archives: the day after yesterday

Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can

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Well here we are on a Saturday. Day of the dead or Dia de los Muertos for those playing at home. So far it’s been a good day which promises to be a good evening. Last night I did go out after all. Walked up to McSwells where Rand was dressed as a zombie cracker pimp and Lisa was his ho. Lois was dressed as a zombie cannibal Wall Streeter.

I of course didn’t have a costume. It took a lot for me to get out of the house. Bill had gone to be early and I was content to do nothing. Rand called and texted me, effectively cajoling me to go out. So I got my act together and headed out. It was a Friday night and walking up to McSwells I thought about how rarely it is that I go out.

I used to work at McSwells on Friday nights as a bar back so I didn’t really know how things were on the outside. Perhaps it was different then, but last night there were mobs of people in their Halloween costumes all queuing up to get into various bars and pubs. When I lived in Weehawken I really didn’t go out on Fridays. I was definitely content to stay in an do whatever it was that I used to do, which was watch TV and play with Zed.

I had my ID checked at the door which should have been flattering and then waited for a pint of Guinness. $6.00 a pint and with a tip it made for $7.00. Found Rand and Lisa and Lois in the back all dressed up. On stage was a woman dressed as Sarah Palin singing what may have been a Carpenters song.

It was my first time at karaoke and it wasn’t quite what I expected. Not that it was bad or anything like that, just that I expected something different. I felt a bit out of place not being in a costume but then again I wasn’t planning on staying long. I didn’t understand whether people are really bad singers, or just mangling a song because they could.

I’m sure there are different types of people that go to karaoke. There are the ones who do their best and take it very seriously and then there are those who are simply out for a laugh. I understand both camps. I did entertain the idea of getting up on stage and singing a song, whether faithfully or interpreting the song as a way of overcoming my terrible stage fright. But last night wasn’t the night for me to do that.

After a long wait for a second pint I saw Lois sing Money (Thats What I Want). Money as well as human flesh is what she actually wanted. Rand and I joined in from the audience with Lois’ request for human flesh. Unfortunately the karaoke machine broke down in the middle of Lois’ song and as a way of making it up to her offered another song to sing.


Unfortunately the song was One Eyed One Horned Giant Purple People Eater which wasn’t the same thing and a bit lame. Who knew there were actually lyrics to that song?

I had enough by then and didn’t feel like waiting a long time for another pint so I made my exit after wishing Rand and Lisa and Lois a good time. I would have stayed to hear Rand and Lisa sing but I was getting cranky. Two pints seemed to be enough for me and I wandered on home, avoiding groups of costumed revelers.

Bill was still fast asleep, he didn’t even realize I had gone. I watched the rest of Bill Maher and then went to sleep myself. Got up ran some errands, saw Linda the former cashier at the supermarket who hung on my arm as we walked into the store. She then went her way and I went mine.

After a few hours I went out and bought myself an Obama as Superman t-shirt to wear to the B-52’s tonight, then walked over to the Obama Headquarters where I phoned over 100 people in Kearny to remind them to vote on Tuesday.

Mostly I left messages and only spoke to two McCain supporters who I still reminded to vote on Tuesday and to have a good day today. So now I’m just getting ready to see the B-52’s which really should be a good show.

Get Off of My Cloud

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Well it was back to work for me today. It wasn’t so bad. Had some difficulty sleeping last night even after remaining awake most of the night. It wasn’t due to nerves. It was too warm, then it was too cool. It went on like that for awhile until I don’t know when. Bill of course was fast asleep snoring which usually puts me to sleep mostly, but not last night.

I’m pretty sure the bug had left me. It didn’t kill me, it made me stronger. Or so I would like to think. I did wonder during the intake last week at the ER, why I was asked what my religion was. I answered Atheist, which is what I am, but why would religion enter the picture?

Perhaps to see if I was a Christian Scientist, or a Jehovah’s Witness? I don’t know, but it was an odd question and perhaps an invasion of privacy.

The antibiotics worked so now I’m doing pro-biotics as per my sister the erstwhile blogger suggested. That means eating yogurt which isn’t as bad as I remembered. I bought some organic yogurt in Manhattan this morning which made me realize that I should have bought some in Hoboken instead and save some money that way.

I did take my time getting to work, caught a later bus, no Casey again. I really hope he didn’t catch whatever it was that I had. I did give him Purell almost immediately after shaking his hand. Maybe the terrorist fist jab would have been more appropriate.

Got to the office at 8:30 and of course no one was in. In fact no one was in until 10:00. Greg Stevens sent me an email saying that he was sick with a cold and a sore throat which made me realize that that was what I had and I more than likely infected him, though the bug is going around and he could have gotten it from anyone, especially since he rides the subway. I replied, wished him a quick recovery and suggested a good rest and plenty of fluids.

The mood in the office is still pretty much a downer and with Greg out that left Vivek, Tom Chin and myself. And Tom Chin and I had a run in mere minutes after him asking me how I was feeling. You see on Friday, while feverish I got a call from one of the sub-tenants asking me how to get into a locked file cabinet. I told her and thought that was that.

Apparently there were some items in the locked cabinet that were confidential, but the sub-tenant wasn’t going for those, she just wanted access to two empty drawers. Tom Chin has this really annoying habit of asking a question and when I answer proceeds to talk at me.

He’s been doing this since I started and I’ve generally resigned myself to the fact that he’s an asshole on this point. But this morning as he proceeded to get at me I stopped and turned the tables telling him that I answered the phone with a fever of 101 and it may have been a mistake but nothing happened at all.

The problem was taken care of right then and there when Vivek saw what the sub-tenant was doing. Tom Chin’s power trip over me ended this morning, basically letting him know that he had better cut the shit, so to speak.

He was quite meek throughout the rest of the day, which is probably how he is when at home dealing with his wife and their two terriers in Connecticut. Never saw a picture of his wife, but have seen a picture of Tom Chin with the two dogs. Looked like three bitches to me.

It was a good day.