Tag Archives: Newport Mall

Love Letter to Japan

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Well today is spring ahead, fall behind time. I usually set the clocks before I go to sleep but didn’t. I found myself sleeping in bed at 8:30 when the phone rang. It was Bill and it was actually 9:30. Not that I had to go to work, it’s just that I rarely sleep that late these days. No bother though. I stirred and got ready to head out in the world.

I checked my email to see if a poster that I ordered for Julio and Stine had been delivered and it was. I told Julio about it just as he was getting sick a week or so ago and I tracked the package that said it was delivered to Julio’s place of work. I called him up and he remembered that I told him about it being delivered to him. Everyone likes the poster of a kitten hanging for dear life with the caption, Hang in There Baby, Friday’s coming and I hope they’re happy with what I got them.

I also picked up some bagels and newspapers and visited Julio for a few minutes. They were trying to put Alexander to sleep so no seeing Superboy for me, and no Stine either. Came home and listened to The Bird and The Bee, Ray Guns are not Just the Future which is very good but Jenny Lewis’ Acid Tongue is really the best.

Juan turned me onto Jenny Lewis when she was in Rilo Kiley a few years ago. Now I have the music but Juan is nowhere to be found. I guess he’s doing alright. If he’s anything like I was when I was all those years ago, we’ll probably never see each other again. Nothing bad happened, just moved on to other people to hang out with. And so it would be perfectly understandable if he did the same.

Saturday Night Live was awfully funny last night, though Ray LaMontagne was a bit of a bore as the musical guest. Dwayne Johnson, formerly known as The Rock was hilarious and he’s a nice piece of eye candy. The opening number of him singing and dancing was a keeper for sure.

I also watched Oliver Stone’s W. That was engrossing. Apparently Colin Powell comes across as a flawed hero, Dick Cheney the evil behind the throne and Dubya of course conflicted with daddy issues and an empty head. It was interesting to watch if only for the impersonations rather than the story itself.

Elizabeth Banks was wasted as Laura Bush and Thandie Newton looked constipated as Condoleeza Rice. Bruce McGill reprised his role as D-Day from Animal House. No wait..he played George Tenet. It was like a car accident. You hated to look but with just a glance you couldn’t take your eyes off it. Recommended only if you have 2 hours to kill and there’s nothing else on.

Today I made a trip to the Newport Mall. Hadn’t been there in a while and it seems to have fallen on somewhat hard times. Not too many people there on a Sunday afternoon. I bought some boxer briefs (microfibers, yes!) and some socks. Doing my best to stimulate the economy.

I walked back to Hoboken, a nice walk on an overcast day. Spoke with Annemarie and Bill and I’m glad to be back on track with both of them. I think they’re glad as well. Back to work tomorrow, another 4 day work week. Ho hum.

when the party's over...

when the party's over...

Love Plus One

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It’s another scorcher, this being a Saturday. Last night was hotter, yesterday was hotter. I watched Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten. A very good documentary on the former John Mellor. Those who knew the Clash story knew that Joe’s father was in the civil service in England, Joe was born in Ankara, Turkey. Being middle class didn’t help with one’s punk credentials in England at least.

It was done similar to the Beatles Anthology, and what they did regarding John Lennon being dead. They used countless interviews to tell Joe Strummer’s story. It wasn’t all favorable. Joe dicked some people in his life and they tell their side of the story. Joe regretted some his his actions, like kicking Mick Jones out of the Clash.

The documentary was filmed around campfires, in London, Los Angeles and New York as well as other places. Mick Jones was indoors though. No campfires for him. Topper Headon, excellent drummer kicked out for being a junkie, tells of living skint while hearing Rock The Casbah playing somewhere. Joe also slept with Topper’s girlfriend, as well as other girlfriends of various people.

It was Topper’s song, Rock The Casbah. I’m sure he gets royalties, since by the time of Sandinista, all the songs were credited to the Clash, rather than Strummer/Jones, or Simonon. Not much Paul Simonon in the documentary. Thats something that keeps bands together, songwriting royalties, U2 does it. Everyone shares in the money. Joe Strummer was also upset that Rock The Casbah was being used as a soundtrack to the first Gulf War.

Songwriting breaks up bands usually. It caused stress in Talking Heads. The band would jam and David Byrne would write the lyrics and get all the songwriting royalties. Eventually they changed it to Lyrics by Byrne, Music by Talking Heads.

But the Clash dissolved, and forget about the Cut the Crap Clash, they barely got a mention. It’s a very good documentary directed by Julien Temple who made The Great Rock and Roll Swindle and The Filth and The Fury about the Sex Pistols. Worth watching if you’re a Clash fan. Some of the footage is also from Dick Rude’s excellent documentary on Joe, called Let’s Rock Again. Also worth watching.

Manager Bernie Rhodes comes off badly. He hated Mick Jones and Topper Headon and set about working Joe and Paul against Mick after Topper got the boot.

I started watching the extras on the dvd, Mick Jones getting fucked up as he tells the story of the Clash over a few hours. Really a spliff too far. I couldn’t keep my eyes open and I started to look like Mick Jones so I wound up asleep in my air conditioned bedroom by 11:15.

Didn’t sleep too well. Pillows went bad. Sometimes they just get uncomfortable. Since I was off yesterday I bought the papers instead of reading them online and saw a sale at the Newport Mall on pillows. That was my plan for the day. Make it to the mall. I walked by Mr. L, my barber and at 8:30 there were guys waiting for a haircut.

Not being one to wait, I got some bagels and the papers and came home for breakfast. An hour later I was out on the street, more guys getting haircuts. It’s so hot out that a lot of guys are getting shorn today. So I headed to the train station, walking in the shade and hopped on the light rail to the Newport Mall.

I was there before most of the stores were open. Bought some pillows on sale, bought some nice Airwalk sandals at Payless for $15.00, and microfiber underwear marked for clearance at Macy’s. I can’t wear cotton underwear anymore. I find it uncomfortable, and microfiber is more comfortable but seems hard to find. I found it though.

Made it back to the light rail, back to Hoboken where it was still too busy to get a haircut. Came home, had a bagel and decided to take a nap with the new pillows. It was a much needed nap. Had a dream that my brother Brian was calling me to tell me he had some really good acid.

I slept for 2 hours, air conditioned and happy. It felt like the nap made up for the uneasy sleep of the night before. I finally felt on track. Went out to try to get a haircut again, but still, no luck. Bought groceries and talked to Annemarie while I shopped in the air conditioned supermarket.

Mr. L’s closes at 5:00 on Saturday so I went down at 4:45. My barber, Tony was finishing up for the day. The other barber told me that I was next in line 3 times. This time I was staying. Just as well since I was Tony’s last customer. I told him to cut it all off. He knew better than to listen to me. I just got a nice close cropped haircut. Not a crew cut, more like a suedehead, and it feels great.