Tag Archives: Padron

Down in the Depths

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The day is Thursday. Oddly enough it’s been a bright and sunny day. Me, I’ve been morose at best.

It was most noticeable this morning while walking to the office in midtown Manhattan. The day started off kind of depressing. Nothing in particular but then again everything in particular. Perhaps it’s all from waking up on the wrong side of the bed, but then again if that was the case, everyday would be like today.

And it isn’t like this everyday..

What happened? Let’s see, I was almost hit by a Coach USA bus in midtown. The driver insisted he was in the right since the Don’t Walk sign started flashing as I was midway through the intersection, enabling him to justify almost killing me.

Flipping him the middle finger didn’t bring the satisfaction that it used to. I got the bus number, but not the ‘How’s My Driving?’ 800 number. Took a picture of it but by the time I got to my office I stopped caring. What is it with bus drivers? Why are they such an unruly sort?

Shortly after the bus incident, I walk past some guy with what appears to be Tourette’s Syndrome screaming quite loudly either at me or in my direction. So that is basically the start of my day.

My sister seemed to pick up on my blue mood 3000 miles away. She suggested taking a walk to clear my head, but having walked from 50th Street and Third Avenue to 30th Street and Sixth Avenue and then from the Path train to Sixth and Park in Hoboken didn’t clear my head to begin with.

I think staying in and not seeing anyone is the perfect remedy.

Last night after vacillating back and forth about whether to go out, I went out. I walked up to the Whiskey Bar a little after 9:00 and saw my friend John Williams play in his band, The Caterpillar Book.

Why the Caterpillar Book for a band name? I couldn’t tell you. They were good, competent musicians, John was a tasteful guitarist.

They write their own songs which made it odd to see them at the Whiskey Bar since it’s mainly a place where cover bands play. Pearl Jam & U2 tribute bands, but on Wednesday nights, bands playing originals are welcome.

The Caterpillar Book is pretty much a Jersey Shore band, good but a little too AOR for my tastes. But like I said they were good, but not my cuppa.

I also got carded at the door by a handsome cugine who could have been my son if not for the bulging muscles in the tight black t shirt and the black hair straight out of Bensonhurst.

I know this blue feeling, or period, won’t last and will probably be gone by tomorrow.

My three day weekend begins with laundry and then who knows?

I hope to get some bike riding in. Don’t know where to or how far but if the weather is permitting, that is what I might just do.

Right now I’m just glad to be home, away from people.

Ha! Juan just called, he might be stopping by. He’s not people.
"How's My Driving?" The bus that almost ran me over.

The bus that almost ran me over. “How’s My Driving?”

In the Ditch

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It’s a Monday and all is ‘meh’. Just one of those days. Last night was quiet as well. Bill came home after 2 church services, dropped off his mother with Elsie and Andy Capp and came home depressed and in need of a nap.

He napped for a few hours and then I woke him up around 7:00. Our usual show on Sunday nights, 60 Minutes was late due to golf and that gave me an opportunity to watch a Bill Moyers rebroadcast from Friday about Abraham Lincoln with Sam Waterson and a Lincoln scholar.

Since Bill had just woken up he was confused that 60 Minutes wasn’t on and hearing Sam Waterson’s voice thought Lawn hors d’oeuvre was on. He soon got into Bill Moyers though.

After that, The Simpsons which was as good as expected. Worst Couch Gag ever! Bill wasn’t feeling King of the Hill. Maybe he doesn’t like Tom Petty and is more of a Billy Bob Thornton fan.

We watched some of Metallica’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, more ugly women in his eyes though there were no women on stage. Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Ronnie Wood, Metallica, Flea and Joe Perry all on stage playing Train Kept a Rollin’ at the same time. It was a bit much, but over within minutes.

I told Bill the tale about how Metallica took over the recording studio I worked at for a few months and how they treated us all nicely. Food for days, weeks and months. Generally they were alright, though Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted were outgoing and willing to talk to the common folk, Lars and James were aloof at best.

Once again the people around them were obnoxious, the band themselves were ok. Q Prime is their management. A room full of wankers, one of whom got into an argument with me and threatened to have Metallica leave and go to another studio.

I knew that wasn’t going to happen and called him on it. He never called again.

Bill and I then watched an early episode of Lawn hors d’oeuvre: SVU which was good. Well paced and ended leaving us hanging and wanting more. Then Bill went to bed and I stayed up watching Peter Gomes, the Harvard theologian at a book signing from 2007.

I could listen to Peter Gomes talk all night. He was on a book tour for his then current book, The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus. Entertaining and informative, I would love to have dinner with him sometime. It would be enlightening. Even Luis Buñuel counted clergy as friends despite his atheism.

Off to work today. Vivek came back from Mexico and of course didn’t show up until an hour before I left. He sounded like hell and in turn he said I sounded hungover, which I wasn’t. Hardly anyone was in the office and that made the day crawl by.

4:30 couldn’t arrive soon enough so I left at 4:15. Tomorrow I have to go to the Indian consulate for Vivek and get a work visa for someone coming in from India.

That should be interesting. Never been to the Indian consulate before.