Category Archives: Wonderful World Beautiful People

Move On

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It’s been a quiet day. Woke up to pouring rain which meant no visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Harpy. I put the kibosh on that one. Just didn’t want to deal with the rain.

And it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, with Sunday just a threat of rain. That means on Sunday I might be able to see Excer’s band playing the band shell in Central Park. And Grizzly Bear is doing a free show in Williamsburg on Sunday night.

Dare I do both? Dare I?

I did make plans again with Harpy, this time I suggested the American Museum of Natural History. It’s an easier trip for Harpy, being on the West Side. And I reserved a museum pass from the Hoboken Library, good for one day which will be Monday. With or without the permission of the weather.

I just got choked up watching Jean Kennedy Smith describing the tribute to her brother Ted.

Last night Bill came home out of sorts, claiming to be very ill and not really making much sense. He attributed it to going in and out of various office climates and the heat on the street.

I tried telling him that he might be overdoing it (and he has) and not eating right.

Some people might get a chuckle out of someone like me commenting on what someone else is eating, but having gotten to 46 and having various people in my life telling me about the importance of diet I did actually listen.

Annemarie, Rex and Earl are all vegetarians, Julio was for a while and I did live with William for 11 years and he was thisclose to being macro-biotic. Last heard he was all about raw foods. And Rand & Lisa are 99.9% veggie.

So I tried to impart my cobbled together wisdom on eating right, without nagging but it fell on deaf ears mainly. I did mention it this morning once again with Bill on Google chat and he said it was a comfort.

Like me and my flirtations with certain jazz cigarettes from time to time. But I reminded him that this wasn’t about me, it was about him. It was best to let the chat end soon after that.

Like my friends and family wanted for me, I wanted the same for Bill. And like how I resented at the time to be ‘lectured’ on what I was eating, Bill probably resented me for doing the same.

I guess since I eventually came around somewhat and modified my diet, I can only hope Bill will do the same before it becomes too late.

I spent some time with Casey and the missus this afternoon. They’ve moving away tomorrow and were all packed up. I’m going to miss them. I wish we were able to spend more time together, but that’s adulthood I suppose.

That's him, Casey Chasm

That's him, Casey Chasm

People move up and away all the time. Sometimes you reconnect, sometimes you don’t. I certainly hope we all reconnect. But the Chasms read this frequently so perhaps they’ll post a comment every now and then.

So that is that. Hope you all have a good weekend.

Since it’s supposed to be rainy tomorrow, I picked up Woody Allen’s Manhattan, Mel Brooks High Anxiety and a vampire movie which is supposed to be one of the best ever made, Let the Right One In. Should make for an interesting viewing.

(Not Just) Knee Deep

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Night Owl Edition, you can pick it up at the Saddle Brook Diner for 5 cents. This is the updated version of that, only it’s free. You just need a computer and access to the Internets.

I just got back from Bergen County. Spent a good part of the afternoon with my brother Brian, who I think is a really good guy and a really good friend. I didn’t always think that way, especially after having to share a bedroom with him for the first quarter or so of my life.

It was a very hot day today, close to 90 degrees before noon. And of course, 100% hummus. Brian was picking me up around 2:00 so I had some errands to run.

To the library to return the Tom Waits biography which I wasn’t finished with. That was OK since I ordered another copy from another library. You can only renew items twice and I hit my limit and decided to go to the well again.

Then a walk to the supermarket, by which time I was totally drenched. I probably sweated off a few pounds too. I advised the cashier to stay after her shift since it was so hot out. She laughed.

Back home, carrying juices up four flights of steps. I was able to rest for awhile before Brian phoned to tell me he was outside in his air conditioned van waiting.

I was happy that before I did anything today, I installed the air conditioner in the window this morning and was humming along quite nicely.

A cool ride up to Hillsdale with Brian where we caught up on various events in our lives with Karen, Brian’s wife. The three of us chatting in a nice air conditioned living room. Their daughters Hillary and Cassie soon joined us, more catching up then dinner.

After that Brian and I got in the car and drove down to Paramus. My brother Frank and his wife Elaine were there as were all the children of Jim & Irene Grant.

Growing up, my family and the Grant family were very close. They had six kids to our four, but the ages between both groups of kids were close enough for most of us to play together growing up. And we all went to St. Francis de Sales school in Lodi.

I reconnected with the 2 youngest daughters Irene and Kathy when my father passed away and met them in Hoboken a few times for drinks at McSwells.

So there was some catching up with the two of them, as well as meeting Jimmy, Jeannie, Robert and William as well. Each time they said they last saw me when I was a little more than knee high.

Mrs. Grant sat in the front row, eyesight failing. She seemed to recognize me and we had a very brief chat. I always loved her, she used to watch me until my mother came home from work sometimes.

Always a kind and gracious lady, volunteered at the hospital when my brother Frank had his stroke and made a point to seek him out to see if he needed anything.

It was a mish mosh of jokes and memories.

As I get older, perhaps as we get older, wakes although sad, are also social events, reconnecting and remembering mostly good times.

I’ve gone to a lot of wakes in my life, the first one I remember is my Aunt Madeline. I must have been 4 or 5, she was in her coffin, blue dress, pearls and her white hair, resting in a box.

For me, wakes aren’t creepy, they’re obligations.

I am in no rush to fulfill any more obligations, so if any of you are reading this, don’t die. Please.