Dear Prudence

The day after St. Patrick’s day. No hangover here. All is calm, all is bright. Another beautiful day today, enough so that I headed into the city and looked into getting some new eyeglasses.

Not that my eyes are getting bad, it’s just that the lenses have some light scratches in the which can be annoying. I’m on Bill’s insurance and it has an eye plan so I thought I would check it out. I did stop by at the end of January and they gave me a coupon for 50.00 off frames.

I walk in and look over the 99.00 frames. That is when they expertly direct me to the more costly frames. I have a problem with the price of frames. I just don’t believe that an average plastic frame does not cost 250.00 to make. It was their hard sell that ultimately got me out of there.

It must be the main method of the store. But I’ve been lightly browbeaten by them in the past and wasn’t going to go for it again. And they weren’t in Bill’s insurance network anyhow. I made an excuse that I wanted my partner’s input on the decision so the girl suggested that I take a cellphone pic and send it to him that way.

Not the frames I had in mind

Not the frames I had in mind

Gigi was her name and she took the photo for me. Then I said I was going to call Bill and get back to her. I walked outside and did leave a message, then went back inside and told Gigi that I was going to talk to him and take a walk while I waited.

She told me I had better come back.

I walked over to Lens Crafters and had an exam there. They were in Bill’s network. It turns out my vision hadn’t really changed since my last exam 2 years ago. And my left eyelid was a little droopy which was the first I ever heard of that. I think if it is, it was always that way.

I took over 300 pictures when I was in Manhattan. I went crazy. A lot of people out and about. I think they came out good. Not much different than photo I’ve posted in the past from Manhattan, just about 280 more than usual.

Currently trying to upload them in Facebook. But that’s not working out as well as I hoped. Maybe it’s the amount of pic that causing the trouble, but I continue to try.

From my notes the past week: I’ve decided to write about the blogs I read every day. They’re all in the blogroll to the right. I usually read at night, hours after most of the entries have posted. Most f the blogs report news of some sort whereas mine is mainly news about me.

I usually open tabs for Rod2.0. Jockohomo, JoeMyGod and Towleroad as well as Blabbeando. Rod 2.0 is news from an African American and gay slant. Lot’s of news for everyone as well as the occasional side of beefcake. Rod was the first blogger to ever comment on this blog, almost 5 years ago.

Then there’s Jockohomo who has turned m onto a lot of great music. I credit him turning m onto Girl Talk.. Lot’s of fun Pop Culture stuff as well as beefcake and great links. Joe.My.God is great, a lot of fun, and mainly political info but lot’s of fun stuff too.

Bill and I have met Joe a few times at various demonstrations and I remember seeing him outside the Highline Ballroom having a cigarette during my ill fated ecstatic trip to Blow Off last June. I don’t know if he recognized me and I’m not really sure if I recognized him, being an an altered state of mind at the time.

Towleroad is the most newsy of the the first for, and least daily newsy. A many layered cake of information, videos and pictures. It takes a while to get thorough it all so out of the first four it’s the last one I read.

Blabbeando is a personal favorite of mine. Written by a really nice guy, Andres who I’ve also met at demonstrations around Manhattan. A political and cultural blog which offers a Latin view point. He’s also very supportive, we collaborated on a blog that’s also in the blogroll. Won’t say which one, I’ll let you guess.

I use Google Analytics every now and then to see where my blog is being read and since the beginning of March I’ve had 658 visits, the most visits being from New York. The surprising thing is no one in Hoboken reads it. I found that out yesterday. Since I’m been analyzing the stats, it was quite a surprise.

Still having so Facebook problems uploading pics. In the meantime here are but a few.

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The Irish Rover

And today is St. Patrick’s Day. The real thing, not the Fake Patrick’s Day which left Hoboken crowded with newly of age drinkers. And my niece. Bill was up and out early this morning, gave me a nice kiss before he left while I was still in bed.

Groggy eyed and without glasses on I asked him if he was wearing green and he said that he was so I had to take his word for it.

Me & Bill St. Pats NYC 2008

Me & Bill St. Pats NYC 2008

I suspected he had his kelly green beret on and, I then rolled over and continued dreaming about redesigning the artwork for Elvis Costello & the Attractions ‘Punch the Clock’ album which was being reissued for the ninth time.

That’s something about Elvis Costello, new packaging for his back catalog several times over with each re release.

Woke up to find a St. Patrick’s Day card on my computer as well as one in the kitchen and a drawing from Bill on a paper towel professing his love for me, covering up a bowl of cereal that he had poured before he left.

Jeez I love this guy.

It was a gorgeous day, a great day for the Irish. First time in a long time that I didn’t see the parade in NY. When I was working I would take a slightly extended lunch hour and check out the parade. Not this year obviously.

No suit for me today which meant no green tie either. I didn’t even think about going into the city. Not much fun to do it on my own, missing the hordes of kids playing hooky. Been there, done that and did not buy the t-shirt.

Today it was close to 70 degrees, bright & sunny. I decided to head out early this afternoon and stopped by CVS to get a last minute St. Patrick’s Day card for my cousin Theresa.

From there I walked up to 15th Street, up to the Lipton Tea building. It’s been months since I’d been up there and took the standard photo of the Empire State Building seemingly at the end of the walkway.

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It was a beautiful day. I wore my late cousin Jackie’s Chesterfield coat and even wearing just a long sleeved t-shirt, it was a bit too warm. Still I like the way it looks.

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Once again many photos were uploaded to Facebook. Just give me a compliment on my photographs and I am inspired to photograph more and more.

Enjoyed a nice La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700 as I strolled. Sat by Sinatra Park as I did yesterday, only this time read the New Yorker instead of Mojo. After an hour or so I came back home and wrote out the card for my cousin Theresa.

I wanted to at least get it postmarked for today so it was back outside for me. This time, putting on a greenish shirt and a suit jacket. On the way over to the post office, a guy asked for money, saying ‘Do you have any change for a homeless man?’ I couldn’t help so I said, ‘Sorry I can’t help you, I’m an unemployed man’.

And it’s true, when I had money, when I had a job, I wouldn’t think twice about helping out other people. Now on a tight tight tight budget I can’t do it. At least I communicated and didn’t shun him like other people do.

Outside the post office I ran into a friend, Jared and we talked. Mainly I talked about the upcoming Street Corner Mourners show on Friday night at the Park Theater in Union City. We did talk about young people playing music as well as the state of the music business.

He bemoaned the fact that there weren’t as many venues for live music, I mentioned the fact that these kids just set up and play on the street, albeit acoustically. We parted ways and I promised to send him a link for Friday night’s show.

Then I ran into Ralph, a former McSwells patron. He’s working as a conductor for NJ Transit and was on his way to work so it was fleeting. I re-lit the cigar I had earlier and continued on my way up Washington Street where I ran into Jennifer, Ralph’s wife. She had their boys who were most anxious to get to some practice they were running late for.

On the way home I decided to pick up a small bouquet for Stine as a way of thanking her for witnessing the filling out of paperwork for Bill and my civil union. Spent some time with her and Alexander who had just woken up from a nap and was playing with his Thomas the Tank engine train set. Alexander loves Thomas the tank engine.

Then I came home and since I hadn’t eaten since some Irish soda bread and coffee for lunch I had dinner around 6:00.

Julio texted me that he was going to the park with Alexander so I thought I would meet them there and run to the library and return the CD’s I took out earlier in the day. St. Vincent- Actor. Very interesting. Haven’t heard the whole thing yet. Also Phillip Glass’ interpretation of the songs of David Bowie and Brian Eno from ‘Heroes’.

Julio hadn’t left his apartment so I just sat on the stoop and played with my camera. Then Julio and Alexander came out and the 3 of us went to the park where Alexander was just running around and climbing over as many things as he could.

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Being such a warm evening there were a lot of children and toddlers out. Julio encouraged Alexander running around just to tire him out. It was a fun evening all around. A near perfect day.

No Guinness yet, but it may be just a matter of time since I do have a few cans in the refrigerator.

camera play

camera play


What?

What?


Eye see you

Eye see you


Uhh Davey...

Uhh Davey...


Hope you had a happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hope you had a happy St. Patrick's Day!