Again and Again and Again

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Well it’s Monday. The big news today was all about New York Governor, Eliot Spitzer being caught in a prostitution ring, based out of Cliffside Park. He was known as client #9 of call girls who charge in the range of $1000 to $5000. It’s fucked up, that he fucked up. I wouldn’t be so concerned but via 6 degrees of separation I’m somehow connected to this. Not in any big way, but in the most basic sense of the 6 degrees. Someone knows someone who runs the household up in Albany.

It would suck if she got fired because of Spitzer’s resignation which some people are calling for, whereas others are saying that it if Bill Clinton could get through the Lewinsky mess, then why can’t Spitzer? Before that things were pretty much copacetic. Damn daylight savings fucked me up this morning. Intercourse that extra hour of daylight. I don’t like waking up when it’s dark outside and it was plenty dark this morning at 6:00. Still I rallied and did the things I do when I am getting ready to go to work.

Made it on time to catch the bus, finished the New Yorker, finished Hotel California and the new Mojo and Uncut Magazines are not on the stands yet. Actually Uncut is but I buy the magazines in pairs so I just couldn’t buy one without the other. A small concession to being anal retentive perhaps? Made it across town this morning cutting through Grand Central listening to Echo and The Bunnymen. That was fun, good beat enabled me to swiftly walk through the crowds pouring out of Metro North trains.

Outside the Waldorf Astoria there were a few trucks for tonight’s broadcast of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I did enter a contest to attend but since I didn’t win, I don’t care about the Hall of Fame. I’m inclined to agree with David Bowie who turned down the nomination a few years ago. In 1997 I did see the Rascals rehearse for their induction. My boss- the producer, Arif Mardin produced them back in the day and I had to deliver some papers to the rehearsal space for Arif to sign. I was instructed not to hang out but Arif insisted that I hear one or two songs and who was I to disagree? That year the Hall of Fame ceremony was in Cleveland, OH. So I wasn’t going to attend anyhow.

Today I occasionally have to report to Tom Chin and things had been good lately, until this morning. Lydia the receptionist had asked him about something and for some reason he started yelling at her, threatening to yell at me through her. I heard my name mentioned and I stepped in to find Tom Chin yelling because of a simple question. He started yelling at me about something I had nothing to do with. I told him that in a voice slightly higher and authoritative than his. He backed down and I took Lydia aside and told her, from now on (until May when she leaves) she should talk to me before she has anything to do with Tom Chin.

I can more than likely head things off at the pass and keep the bad vibes from Tom Chin to a minimum. He did lighten up later in the day. It’s usually best that we keep contact to a minimum. It is tax time and he’s the Chief Financial Officer. Two weeks ago he was upset that I ordered notepads and pencils. He’s the King Knucklehead in the office. The Wire ended it’s run last night and I liked it a lot. It will require seeing it again. Sad endings with an occasional smile. No tears though, that’s for sure. No redemption for Baltimore. It goes on and then it goes around again.

This Charming Man

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Well there was a howling wind last night. Bill made it home to Hoboken as Robert the oh so handyman was disconnecting the hot water heater. I helped Robert move the heater with the broken tank out into the hallway. Robert reassured me that it wasn’t anything I had done, the heater was about 12 years old and they really don’t last much past their five year warranty. I was reassured as Robert headed down the stairs and off into the storm. He was gone for a while and I thought I’d be calling up Julio and Stine to ask if I could use their shower in the morning. No need to ask for Bill since he showers at his gym.

Bill asked if I was hungry and I said I was a little bit, which prompted him to call and order a Grimaldi’s pizza. I was in the mood for it and obviously so was Bill. I sat writing last night’s blog while 3:10 To Yuma was finishing up. Pretty good movie, a bit slow in parts but overall enjoyable. I prefer to watch Russell Crowe to Christian Bale, though Ben Foster stole the movie from both of them as Charlie Prince. Ben Foster played Claire’s on again off again boyfriend/art partner from Six Feet Under, he was intense there and even more so in 3:10 To Yuma.

About an hour later the bell rang and I mentioned to Bill, ‘oh it must be the hot water heater.’ Bill explained it was the pizza and I explained that I was joking. Bill headed down the stairs and shouted up that the hot water heater was on it’s way up. I knew I should have said, ‘oh it must be that million dollars I hoped for’. Up the stairs came Robert with Peter the landlord, huffing and puffing after climbing four flights of stairs. They maneuvered the new heater into the kitchen and after scanning the room with his eyes, Peter made a hasty exit. I suppose it will be another two years until I see Peter again. He’s an absentee landlord if that’s possible in Hoboken. He also insisted that I call Robert next time should I need any work done in the apartment. He doesn’t want to be bothered.

Bill and I sat and watched The History Boys, not the first time for me and sort of the first time for Bill since he was so exhausted the other night. Who knows what Robert thought as he welded the copper pipes into place and made sure the brand spanking new heater was set up properly. I offered Robert some pizza and some water but he turned me down. He left a little while after that and I was relieved since Bill and I inhaled the pizza and if Robert changed his mind about a slice, he would have been out of luck. Bill enjoyed The History Boys though not like me. I mentioned that it was a smart film and then thought that Bill might be put off by that remark, thinking that the movies he likes aren’t so smart. Perhaps I think too much.

The dvd ended on time, so that we watched the news and Saturday Night Live which was funny. Amy Adam hosted and Vampire Weekend were the musical guests. I have the Vampire Weekend cd and it’s ok, a bit twee if you ask me though live it sounded a whole lot better. Bill went to sleep midway through and I stayed up reading the rest of Hotel California, which I am almost finished with. I went to bed happy to have hot water once again. It was rough to be without for those hours, he wrote tongue firmly in cheek.

Woke up and moved the hands on the clock an hour ahead for daylight savings. Lost an hour of sleep but I didn’t really have it to begin with. Ran into Mike Korman with his son Harrison as I did my morning rounds. Good kid it seemed though Mike told me he and his wife, my old friend Clara have no idea how to handle this three year old boy since he doesn’t listen to either one of them and does whatever he wants. Too much information for me with one cup of coffee in my system. I parted ways with them after wishing them a good day.

Bill had headed off to church and I had a nice quiet breakfast. Headed into the city for a quick trip to Farfetched, saw Harpy and gave him Steve Martin’s Born Standing Up which I read a few weeks ago. Very good and I thought Harpy would enjoy it. After picking up some cards and a pair of spider shaped cuff links I walked up to 33rd street where I got a seat on the Path train and read the rest of last weeks New Yorker.