What’s it doing outside? | johnozed

Man it’s a hot hot hot day. Quite a scorcher. And I woke up at a very good hour this morning without the sound of the street being torn up. It was the alarm clock that did the job. And I knew that I had better get it together in case they turn off the water again. So it was a jump in the shower after making a pot of coffee and getting a bowl of cereal all set. After that it was the usual thing, watching the Daily Show and The Colbert Report and then alternating between Gilmore Girls repeats & The View. I try to catch the news at noon before going out.

Of course I would be willing to give up the news at noon should the need arise. But it hasn’t arisen as of yet, so I watch the news until the weather report then I generally head out for the afternoon. And today I had decided to check out the art galleries in Chelsea once again. It had been a while since I had last been and since it was going to be quite hot, in my mind I mapped out the streets that would have the most shade.

It didn’t really matter since I still sweated like a horse. I did have the foresight to take the bus to the Path train, getting as much air conditioning as I could. It worked out so much that I was out in the hot air for merely a moment before jumping on the Path train where I once again sat in air conditioned comfort. I was definitely cruised on my ride to 14th Street by a guy who was falling asleep, then he’d wake up and give me the once over before drifting off. So it goes.

I walked on the south side of 14th Street as did everyone else and their Aunt Tillie. Still there weren’t that many people out and I finished a cigar that I started on the other side of the Hudson River. I had only one show on the agenda, since I missed the Cindy Sherman show which closed two weeks ago. I think there is still a retrospective of Cindy Sherman at MoMA but that isn’t exactly my favorite museum so I keep putting it off. And on a side note there is a plan to see the Keith Haring exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum with RoDa before it ends July 8.

I wanted to see the Richard Avedon show at the Gagosian gallery and was relieved at how air conditioned it was, but put off by the security the show has. No need to ask if I could take photographs since that was why there was a guard on every mural. There were big murals of Allen Ginsburg, The Chicago Seven, some Military bigwigs and the Warhol Factory crowd. I had never seen Candy Darling’s cock before, I didn’t even think she had a cock. Everyone has seen Joe Dallesandro’s cock before so that was nothing new. And everyone including Aunt Tillie has seen Allen Ginsburg’s cock already.

After Gagosian is was just wandering around. I walked into the 40OWLS Gallery and liked what I saw there, three exhibitions. The woman who worked there was quite nice and outgoing which is a change from the usual gallery scene, where they just sit at the front desk looking at computer screens. Most galleries don’t mind if you take photographs and sometimes I just start shooting, sometimes I ask. I saw a fun Claus Oldenburg which screamed to have it photo taken but after two snapshots I was told that it wasn’t allowed. I was tempted to sneak a photo of a large Swiss Army Knife for Jimmy Seltzer, but decided not to, lest the effete gallery person get all huffy.

After a few hours of that it was time to go home so I walked up to the bus terminal once again walking on the shady side of the street. And that’s about it. It is still quite hot out, and I am not doing much moving or anything else. Bill has come and gone to his physical therapy and I am looking forward to a low key evening.

Again.

40OWLS Gallery

Illicit Oldenburg

another Illicit Oldenburg

Francisco Clemente

10 Ruby Keeler Calliope

The penultimate day before summer, which is occurring on Thursday. It’s been a very good day. I did receive word from the company I interviewed with last week, the standard ‘Thanks but no thanks. Oh and by the way- Good Luck’ message. It was alright, I did not expect to get the job but still there was a sliver of hope in the back of my mind. I have a cavernous mind and it was all the way in the back next to my Duncan butterfly yoyo and my copy of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, under my autographed Brian Eno records.

I slept fairly well last night. I also stayed up later than usual which probably contributed to the fact that I had a good night’s sleep. I’ve been setting the alarm clock lately, trying to hang onto something resembling a routine. It’s sort of been working but what actually woke me up this morning (after Bill’s farewell kiss to me) was the sound of construction and destruction. Next door they’re doing something to a garage and that’s been noisy but what was even noisier was the water department chopping up the street down the block. Luckily I got out of bed at that time.

I made some coffee and jumped in the shower and then about an hour later, the water was cut off. It was a drag but manageable since I had done the ‘important’ stuff beforehand. That still left some dirty dishes in the sink but I knew the water would be back on eventually. I decided not to wait for the water to come back and headed out to do somethings. A trip to the bibliothèque was in order since I needed to return a CD that I took out yesterday, the Bongos- Numbers With Wings/Beat Hotel.

I used to be a big Bongos fan. Bog enough that I was taller than the guys in the band and most of the audience. Unfortunately the CD was only half good and that was the Numbers With Wings part. The Beat Hotel part is best forgotten and not mentioned. Their first album, Drums Along The Hudson was great and still is fun to listen to. Then they signed to RCA, and it all went pear shaped. It was the eighties and no one knew any better but it was a major misstep for all concerned. Still I am friends with 3 out of 4 Bongos, which is why I am holding back here.

I did see a former Bongo today, Jim Mastro, Mr. Wonderful. Always good to see him. One daughter home from college, another daughter has one more day of being a high school sophomore, and then there is Meghan off for a few weeks before doing something with kids during the summer. I had my bicycle out and decided to go for a ride. I aimed to head up the river rather than down to Liberty State Park. I had heard the Hudson River Walkway was sort of completed and I wanted to see where it would take me.

I got as far as North Bergen before the walkway ended. It was enjoyable though it would have been more fun if there was someone to ride with. I enjoyed the solitude and the weather was perfect for it. I returned back to Hoboken, the same way I left it and stopped to look at some geese with their goslings, none of them named Ryan. Finally by Sybil’s Cave I sat in the shade and enjoyed a cigar while finishing last week’s New Yorker. Then I rode my bike home. .

The water was back on when I came home but there really wasn’t anything to eat. So after putting the bicycle away and climbing the four flights of stairs, I was back on the street heading to the nearby supermarket. It was a gamble and I was hungry and you don’t go food shopping when you are hungry. But I was good and only bought a few things I needed. OK, I also bought some Belsen Dark Chocolate biscuits since they were on sale and I wanted something chocolate. So now after riding about 20 miles today I don’t think I will have any problem sleeping tonight.

Jinx!