Tag Archives: Jersey City

Too Tender (To Touch)

Well here I am writing again even though I said I might not. Force of habit I suppose. Today was somewhat different. I got my bicycle together, inflated the tires and went out for a ride.

Lovely day for it. I decided to stay away from the guitar as much as possible today. Just a break. Will return to it fresh tomorrow.

But in honor of Albert Hoffman and his fateful bicycle ride on April 19, I decided to take the bike out for a spin on April 20 (4/20 for some). I rode up Park Avenue, feeling a bit naked since I didn’t have the rear view mirror that I usually strap to my left wrist.

I had a feeling it was somewhere in my backpack and made a note to check it when I had the chance. I found the strapped mirror and put it on. I bought three of these things at Farfetched back in the 1990’s, one for me, for Julio and one for my then roommate William. I know I still have mine.

I rode up to 15th Street and Park Avenue making a right to head into the Lipton Tea Building complex. No one around except for nannies and their charges. Beautiful day, blue skies, a few clouds. Rode along the river past more nannies, past Maxwell Place onto Sinatra Drive.

The skateboarders were out as I rolled past. Decided to head into Jersey City and pedaled over to the train station. Had to walk through the station but once I got back to the light rail station I hopped on and started pedaling again.

Saw a baby blanket on the river walk and asked a few nannies up ahead if they lost a blanket. If they did I would have turned around and picked it up. They said they hadn’t but each nanny thanked me for asking.

I rode along the Newport river walk, past office workers out having a smoke. Found a nice spot across the river from the Winter Garden and sat for a spell, just staring across the river. It was nice and quiet, no one else around, save a guy who decided to take a nap a few yards down.

Back up on the bike, I rode around again, past OfficeTeam when I was interviewed by Omar Castillo back in November and who called me up about a possible job, or a lead in Hoboken. Told him I was interested and sent an email back to see how it went but haven’t heard anything yet.

Perhaps if he Google’s his name he’ll see this. Then again the name has been changed to protect the innocent.

Back up to Hoboken. On te way I bought a banana. In Hoboken at Natural & Plus they usually cost 45¢. On weekends they weigh the banana and will charge you the extra 2¢. From a cart in Jersey City it was 25¢. (I do like Alt 155).

Back through the train station where I bought the Daily News and sat by the river and read the paper, had a banana and smoked a cigar. Even rode the bike down the bike path to see if Tariq was out with his guitar but I guess he was singing ‘Melissa’ across the street from the Plaza Hotel.

Just rode back home after all that and had an earlier supper than usual since I was plenty hungry when I got home.

That’s about it. An easy peasy day.

Tomorrow night is the Specials concert. Have to figure out whom I am meeting and where.
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The bicycle
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Vitamin

Today is Sunday, day three of a four day weekend. It did not start well and last night didn’t end well either. I don’t know what happened. After a wonderful day with Julio, Stine and Alexander and family in Van Saun Park in Paramus, and a few Stellas with Julio and Stine I came home, feeling ok.

I was pretty tired and when Bill came home I was just exhausted. I got myself ready for bed before midnight and just said a good night to Bill before heading to sleep.

I don’t think I slept too well and I woke up feeling sad. Bill was up already getting ready to head to church. He gave me a donut last night which I wanted to have this morning but when I woke up this morning it was gone. Bill ate it. That made me sadder.

Bill headed out and I showered and made some coffee when a few minutes later Bill showed up with a donut, some bagels and the newspapers. He decided that me well being was more important than catching a bus into Manhattan. It was a very nice gesture but still I had a melancholy air about me.

Like the Sunday night feeling that I would have when I was a kid with a major book report due the next day.

It really wasn’t Bill or anything that he did or ate, it was work that was weighing heavily on my mind. Bill was off once again, concerned about the state of mind I was in and I was concerned too.

I made some breakfast and had a bagel. I was able to copy the photos from yesterday onto a disc for Julio and Stine and headed downstairs where the boy wonder had opened up his gifts.

Mine was opened last night and they waited for me to show up this morning when they gave it to Alexander. I also gave the other bagels Bill got for me to Julio and Stine. I sat with Julio watching Alexander while Stine cooked some food to bring to Brick NJ.

The duck on a stick worked fine but Alexander just kept bashing it on the floor. He’s a strong boy but the duck was stronger. After a while they had to get ready to go and since I wasn’t going with them, despite being invited, I headed upstairs.

Still a bit gloomy, all the news in the papers was mainly bad and it was bumming me out. Even though I had a few cups of coffee, I thought it best to take a nap. A reboot as it were.

That didn’t last long and I set about hanging some paintings that Bill’s late father painted throughout the apartment. Then I just farted around a bit when Rand texted me a little past noon.

He was thinking about a bike ride and asked if I was interested. I was interested. It would be good to see Rand again as it always is and a bike ride would more than likely clear the blue cobwebs in my head.

Rand showed up an hour later giving me time to do some proper stretching before cycling. I also had the foresight to apply some sunblock beforehand. Since it was Rand’s idea to go riding he was calling the shots.

Last time we headed north up to Guttenburg, this time the plan was to head south. We headed to Jersey City, exploring the riverfront pathways whenever possible and wound up at Liberty State Park.

It was an excellent ride yet disappointing to see that since I had last been cycling down in Jersey City a few years ago, they still have not done one thing to make access to the bike paths bike friendly.

We tossed a Frisbee for a while before getting all sweaty.

Mid Toss!

Mid Toss!

A ride back through Jersey City brought forth ices from a street vendor who confused coconut with lemon and got a bit indignant when I returned mine.

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An easy ride back into Hoboken where I left Rand on the steps of his building, turning down a martini with Rand and Lisa, deciding to head home and grill up some hot dogs instead. Bill was home for a while before heading into the city for a reading at the Theater for the New City on First Avenue in the East Village.

I was supposed to have drinks with the Chasms tonight but they backed out, then backed in while I was showering and Bill was napping. No worries, I’m pretty beat even after stretching after cycling.

Just staying home tonight. I know I’m going to sleep well tonight and I don’t have the blues anymore.

Stine mentioned last night that she wasn’t comfortable with pictures of Alexander being posted online, that other people will see them before she does so I’m not doing that anymore. You’ll just have to take my word for it that Alexander is a handsome boy from now on.

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Lisa on the phone with...

Lisa on the phone with...

...Rand!

...Rand!