Rand + Lisa | johnozed

Well I am thisclose to writing on my own computer, but right now Bill is trying to get me access to his wireless network. Rand has graciously hooked me up with another new computer, new meaning, new to me.

A lot more disc space which is a good thing and everything has its place once again on the PC. So if you haven’t guessed by now I am writing this on Bill’s Mac. Today has been a beautiful day and a productive day at that.

But first off let me say in case you were wondering, Annemarie & Earl have made it safely home to the other side of the continent- Arcata, California. And she says she had a great time, so maybe, I’m not the terrible brother I envisioned myself to be.

I was up around 8:30 this morning after Bill was off to collect his mother and go to church. A bright and brilliant morning and definitely a beach day.

But there was no beach in the day planner for me.

I ran around Hoboken, got Julio & Stine bagels, even though picked up bagels last night from H&H in Manhattan. Also got the Daily News which was the usual terrible stuff.

I folded the laundry and put it away and also got rid of hundreds of pictures that I had printed out, mainly of musclemen.

I still dig looking at the bodybuilders but there’s really no need for those pictures anymore so I camouflaged them and got them ready to recycle this week.

I should put them in front of someone else’s building when the sun goes down just to be on the safe side.

I made a promise to myself and also to Bill that I would like to have this apartment cleaned up so that the next time Annemarie comes out here, she could stay in Hoboken which usually worked out for the best in previous years that she has come west.

Recycling photos of bodybuilders is a step in the right direction. Rand has been working on the new computer and was almost finished with it this afternoon. We texted each other and he and Lisa were wandering around Hoboken, visiting various tag and gate sales.

I passed one or two gate sales and snapped up Un-Ledded by Robert Plant & Jimmy Page for a buck.

Also met up with the funniest girl alive, Meghan Taylor as she was going to help out at hubby Jim’s Guitar Bar. It was fun to stop by and see Jim with Rand & Lisa & Meghan. Our daughter Lily also showed up for her drum lesson.

A nice walk around Hoboken after leaving the Mastro’s in Mastrodamia. I certainly enjoyed a La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero 700 as I strolled with Rand & Lisa.

Sat in Elysian Park and talked for a while then headed to Casa de Hoppe where I read comic books while Lisa surfed the net and Rand ably got my computer functioning with all the info on my old computer.

Now Bill is here and was able to complete the wireless situation and now I am back in business and dizziness.

On a sad note, Frank McCourt passed away at 78. He wrote Angela’s Ashes, Tis, and Teacher Man. Angela’s Ashes was his memoir about living hand to mouth or worse in Limerick, Ireland.

Some people called him a phony saying (Richard Harris, my cousin Jackie) and that it was all made up, but for some reason I believed his story.

The movie version was OK, but for me the better book is Tis, and that’s probably because it takes place in Manhattan mostly. Teacher Man was good as well but by that time I had moved onto other things.

The reason that I am writing about Frank McCourt was because he was an inspiration to me. He didn’t start writing until late in life and won a Pulitzer Prize first time up at bat.

Not that I’m going to win a Pulitzer Prize, but that believing that the time had passed to start writing was a ridiculous idea.

So rest in peace Frankie. You did well mate. Hopefully someday I can come within a country mile of writing as wonderful as you did.

Ta.

Back on Bill’s Mac. Nothing bad happened, just that Rand is presently in the process of hooking me up with another computer, Frankenstein style. Meaning bits and pieces of my old computer as well as odds and ends that he has found here and there.

Good enough for me and with more disc space I’m happy with it. He’s a great guy that Rand and that makes Lisa a great gal.

I brought my computer over to Rand’s this afternoon after Rand called and suggested I bring the Tokyo Pop bag that I use to transport my computer back and forth. Unfortunately due to the heat and more than likely the hangover I had from last night, I only brought the bag and not my computer, which meant I had to come back home and get the computer.

Totally duh.

Last night was something else, that’s for sure. Julio and Stine decided to join Annemarie, Earl, Bill and myself to go see Paul McCartney. The 5 of us met up in front of my building to head over to the Path train into the city to collect Bill at his office.

The neighbor on the third floor of our building graciously offered to pick up my box at the UPS truck. To Anne’s dismay it was a box of cigars that I ordered online.

We made it to Bill’s office and waited outside for him to join before heading on a 7 train to Flushing. We wisely followed Bill’s lead since he knows these routes the best out of all of us.

We lucked out, and got on an express train getting there rather quickly. Thankfully the MTA added extra trains for the Macca event. We were there in no time and soon on an escalator up to the seating area.

Julio had the brilliant idea of getting some beers so we got on line. Two beers per person and we had our fill each except for Stine and Earl. The beers weren’t that expensive.

Standing around, Julio wandered a bit and found a nice spot to have our beers before splitting up to go to our respective seats. Annemarie had the idea to just stand there and watch the show until we were asked to move on.

Stine was hesitant to bend the rules like that so after a while she and Julio headed to their seats before realizing that the view was better where we were standing. Plus it was very close to the beer concession.

The opening act, The Script were ok in their thankless task of opening up for an ex-Beatle. Their sound wasn’t that good either. Annemarie recognized one of their songs and they closed their short set with a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes.

Paul came on a little while after that starting off with Drive My Car. The stadium erupted and Annemarie was screaming her head off. I did some yelling as well, just not in the upper register that Anne possessed.

Suppressed Beatlemania for 45 years was finally released.

Paul did the hits of course, including some decent songs from his latest releases. He also dedicated My Love to Linda McCartney. Paperback Writer, Day Tripper, Back in the USSR, The Long & Winding Road, Hey Jude, Let It Be, Band on the Run, Jet, Let Me Roll It and Live & Let Die were major stand outs as well as his song for John Lennon, Here Today.

He also did George Harrison’s Something, starting on ukulele then the band joined in (a crackerjack band if there ever was one I might add) as well as a medley of A Day in the Life/Give Peace a Chance.

The stadium went bananas when Billy Joel appeared and sang and played piano during I Saw Her Standing There with Paul. It wasn’t as bad as I thought and it was over in about 2 minutes.

The sound was excellent and of course most of the time we were staring at the gigantic screens bookending the stage since to the naked eye, Paul & the band were quite tiny. It was mainly a blur, the evening was.

They finished with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Reprise and The End. As we were leaving the stadium some guy came up to Bill and said that he thought it was great that Bill and I were so affectionate to each other during the show.

The guy’s wife was a few feet behind and wanted to know what the guy said and when Bill told her, she said in 20 years of marriage she had never heard him speak like that.

Our party lucked out once again, getting on another express train back to Manhattan. Bill once again came to the rescue with his knowledge of bus schedules and we were soon on line in the bus terminal for a few minutes, then soon on the bus back to Hoboken.

A splendid time was had by all. I did upload some pics but they’re on the computer, which is at Rand and Lisa’s place. They can also be found on my Facebook page if you really want to see them. They’re worth a look.

Had a nice dinner with Anne & Earl and Rand & Lisa at Grimaldi’s. Anne & Earl and I ate there when they first got to Hoboken a very fast 9 days ago. It was a nice way to see them off with another dinner at the same spot.

We said goodbye on Washington Street, me somewhat regretful about the behavior that I showed once or twice. I just think my sister is one of the coolest people I have in my life and with all the stress in her life I certainly didn’t need to add to it and I hope my apologies for acting like that were enough.

I really do.
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