Tag Archives: Mike C & Sarah

A Well Respected Man

Well I was a bit crabby yesterday. The disheveled drunkards can do that to you. On my way home I got a text message from Rand who was telling me about his buddy Karl having an art opening last night at Maxwells.

Yes that’s right, I wrote Maxwells.

I was weary, and merely replied ‘Sweet’. Rand invited me and I couldn’t say yes or no. I came upstairs and wrote over 1000 words and felt a bit better, and less bitter. Bill came home as I ate a turkey sandwich.

He was pretty tired. I continued writing and thought about going to the art opening. Last time I went it was pretty crowded and all I could do was think about how the art openings at Maxwells were so much more fun 20 years ago. Free beer and wine and familiar faces made the difference.

Bill went to take a nap and asked me to wake him up in a few hours. I mentioned that I was probably going out. Though his body was tired, his mind was racing and was unable to nap so he wandered around the apartment.

By the time I was done writing and posting entry 1601 I had decided to head out. As I walked down the stairs I texted Rand and told him I was on the way.

Got to Maxwells and it was crowded and loud but I enjoyed Karl’s artwork. Very comic book style, a lot of fun. Talked to Rand and Mike C and Mike’s girlfriend Sarah who was very sweet. I talked about busking and music and made Sarah giggle a bit.

Chris Repella showed up and bought some artwork. I thanked her once again for the photographs of the civil union thingamajig on Saturday. She joined Rand and Mike and Sarah as well as Lisa, Rand’s wife. I spotted Todd and told him I needed to talk to him.

Todd and I used to butt heads back in the day. We went out side and I told Todd about the civil union and asked if he would let me use the back room for a few hours on a Sunday afternoon in the summer. To my delight he said yes.

I thanked him profusely and offered an invitation to join us. He asked that I send him an email today to remind him to keep the date booked for us. Quite nice. I called Bill and told him the good news and also called Annemarie.

After Maxwells I walked home with Chris Repella, walking with Mike C and Sarah. Chris and I sat in front of her building just talking about music. Mainly about the Kinks and how she doesn’t like the Beatles. Chris went off to either the supermarket or to Starbucks to see her daughter and I came home and invited about 120 Facebook friends to the summer Civil Union event.

Then I remembered that not all of my friends are on Facebook or even online so I text messaged about 20 more friends about it. I know that not all of the invitees will be able to make it, so I’m not worried about too many people.

Anyway if it gets too crowded there could be a nice back and forth between the front and back room at Maxwells.

A few trays of pasta and salad, paper plates and plastic utensils on the back bar and if you want a drink, you’ll have to pay for it in the front bar.

Today was a good day for busking. Yesterday while playing I spent too much time in the sun and my nose was bit red. Bill mentioned that this morning while kissing me good bye. So today I applied the sun block and wound up playing in the shade.

Today’s songs were Lola, Sunny Afternoon, I Should Have Known Better and You Can’t Do That, as well as the toddler’s favorite, The Lion Sleeps Tonight. I even sang today. Loudly and to the sky. Tariq joined me. Couldn’t keep up though. Not good with the sevenths still.

I indulged Tariq somewhat and we played Hotel California. Then the guy who sat next to me on Sunday showed up and it turns out Tariq knew him. The guy asked how to pass a screening for alcohol and I said the best way to pass the test is to not drink.

Tariq went off to buy some beer and asked me to watch his guitar again. I did and played my guitar while ignoring the guy to the best of my ability. Tariq came back with some beer and I took that as my opportunity to leave, saying that I had to bounce.

Sorry if this was a little disjointed tonight, but there were a few phone calls going on while I wrote. Perhaps I should shut off the phone while I write.

But still it was Jane who called who was thrilled to hear about the party and she said she will be there this summer, as will be Connie who plans on buying a new dress for the occasion. And Harpy who will probably show up naked.
FLOWERS

Blue Moon

Let’s get it over with shall we? Goodbye 2009. Crap year for me and a lot of other people. New calendars are in order. I was going to head into the city and go to a Barnes & Noble to see what calendars I can get there.

Also to exchange the John Lennon biography that Julio got me. I read it already and changed my mind about keeping it. I can get a calendar and probably a different book.

I started out stopping by the library to drop off the DVD of The Apartment, the Billy Wilder movie. I had never seen it before and neither did Bill. Very good movie, Jack Lemmon was perfect, Shirley MacLaine was pretty and Fred MacMurray was a real dick. Just a pretty good movie to watch at the end of the year.

I headed towards Washington Street intending to walk to the Path train or catch a bubs into Manhattan and by the time I made it up to the boulevard I changed my mind. I just walked around a bit and came back to the apartment building and shoveled the sidewalk in front.

No one else had and it didn’t seem likely that anyone would. I didn’t mind and it was just pushing the snow into the gutter. I was finished with that in about 10 minutes and climbed up the four flights to my apartment.

Bill was at work and I was going to take a nap but started watching videos on YouTube, then Juan called. He’s in California having a good time. Bill came home as I was listening to Tomorrow Never Knows on YouTube, quite loudly. I didn’t hear the door open and I was startled.

Also spoke with Ulysses who had called to wish me a Happy New Year. He wasn’t doing anything, just spending the night with his mother like he’s been doing the past few years.

So the plan for Bill and myself, after he wakes up from his nap, is to go to our annual steak dinner at Arthur’s restaurant in Hoboken. We’ve been doing it for a number of years, then we smoke cigars and stroll around Hoboken, come home and rest and then go to Rand and Lisa’s for cocktails.

It’s usually a low key night which is how we like it. No complaints on this end.

Just finished watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High on cable. Seen it a few times before, now it’s a look back on the early 1980’s. Back then I didn’t know what to make of it. More of a Southern California scene than a North Jersey scene. Still can’t relate to it and I’m not sure if I’m supposed to.

I think Dark Was the Night was the best CD release this year. Best reissues were the Beatles remasters. Best compilation was Bob Dylan: The Bootleg Series Vol. 8. (which may have come out in 2008 but I got it in 2009 so fuck off) I guess the best movie was Avatar. Best concert, Paul McCartney at CitiField of course. That was an easy end of year list.

Hope you all have a Happy New Year. All the best wishes for 2010. It has to be a better year. It just has to!

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Best DVD watched in the past 24 hours!

Best DVD watched in the past 24 hours!

Blue moon New Years Eve which I will take as a good omen.

Perhaps the best song of the last decade: