Tag Archives: Rand

Radio Gaga

Friday afternoon

Friday afternoon

Just got back from another lovely day outside. Today was even nicer than yesterday. Clear skies, nice temperature. Almost perfect. Last night was mellow, Bill was off rehearsing with his church choir for a big thing on Sunday.

I watched TV, played some bass, some guitar. Watched on 20/20 an episode about Etan Patz who was abducted 30 years ago on his way to the bus stop in Soho. An unresolved story, which is still sad 30 years later.

I remember seeing his 6 year old face on the cover of the Daily News when it happened. Etan’s parents still live in the same loft on Prince Street, perhaps in a vain hope that Etan might return someday.

After that I watched Bill Maher which I thought was tedious. Bill came home when I switched over to the last Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Conan O’Brien was the guest with James Taylor coming out and singing Sweet Baby James, requested by Jay Leno.

Never really cared much for Leno and can’t say that I ever watched a complete episode of the Tonight Show when he was hosting. It was OK overall. I am looking forward to see how Conan holds up on Monday.

Bill stayed up watching Craig Ferguson and I went to bed. I slept in while Bill went off this morning to get the bagels and whatnot. Eventually I got myself together and made some breakfast for myself.

Julio stopped by to get his Frisbee since he and Stine and Alexander were going down the shore with Stine’s sister and her family who are visiting from Denmark.

It was brief visit. I was soon walking up and down the aisles in the supermarket, replenishing the juices that I bought the other day.

Cut back on drinking soda you see, and been I’ve drinking juice lately.

Bill and I had plans to make it into the city to see a friend of his performing at the Lincoln Center library. Nice ride into the city as well as a stroll up Eighth Avenue on a spring afternoon.

We ran into another friend of Bill’s (which sounds like an AA meeting) Jesse and after chatting with her outside the library we all headed in.

The performance was titled When She Was King- D.R.E.D. : Daring Reality Every Day. The artist was Mildred Dred Gerestant who performs as a drag king. Same premise as a drag queen only with the gender reversed. It was a lot of fun, and a few laughs.

Definitely not what I was expecting to say the least.

Bill directed Mildred in her everyday drag in a workshop reading. So that’s how they know each other. It really was an entertaining performance that I would check out again if the circumstances were permitting.

After that Bill and I walked up to Gray’s Papaya and got some hot dogs and headed into Central Park. We wandered over to the skate circle where the disco was in full bloom. Lot’s of the same people that were there 10 years ago are still there skating around in circles.

The DJ was quite good as Bill and I watched from on top of the rocks. There were a few bears opposite on Bear Hill, a few that were probably in the demonstration on Tuesday night. We didn’t stay too long and caught the 1 train from 72nd street to the Path train.

A nice evening walking back to the apartment. Twilight in Hoboken can be quite nice. Now I’m waiting to meet up with Rand and Lois to discuss something that Lois has planned.

I’m not going to get into it right now, but it promises to be a fun endeavor.

heading in...

heading in...

..the city

..the city

Lincoln Center

Lincoln Center

Mildred 'Dred' Gerestant

Mildred 'Dred' Gerestant

Central Parkers

Central Parkers

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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!