Tag Archives: Raphael Saadiq

El Cuarto de Tula

“People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power. “ Bill Clinton said that last night. Bill and I watched the convention again. A rousing speech by Clinton & John Kerry. But Beau Biden introducing his father was touching as was the embrace by Joe Biden when he came out for his speech.

Really a beautiful moment. I don’t recall my father ever hugging me like that, then again I don’t recall my father hugging me at all.

I sincerely hope that Barack Obama wins the election in November. I can’t afford to be optimistic but I can be hopeful. One of the most depressing days in my life was when John Kerry lost the election in 2004. I certainly don’t want to go through that again. But watching Obama come out after Joe Biden’s speech was electrifying.

I just think it would be phenomenal if he would win. A black man as President of the United States was something I thought I would see in my lifetime, just didn’t expect it so soon, and now that it’s a distinct possibility it really gives me a hopeful feeling. And whatever ambivalent feelings I may have towards Joe Biden have fallen by the wayside.

I didn’t know his story before and now that I do I am impressed. I stayed up and watched the entire convention last night. We’ve been watching it on CSPAN, rather than MSNBC. Occasionally we catch it on PBS, but CSPAN doesn’t have commentators, just a nonstop camera on the stage. No talking heads there. No advertisements. And it’s up to us to make up our own minds thank you very much.

Woke up around 8:00 which was pleasant. Went out got the papers, went to the supermarket. Did laundry, talked with Angry Juan who was very angry. Not at me, but rather mad at the world. It’s a good thing they have a cooling off period when buying firearms. Not that he bought firearms.

But if he did…

I went into the city, saw Bill, saw my friend Jesse and watched a building on fire, or rather watched a fire being put out on top of a building. I was going to head down to Farfetched and came close to jumping on the subway but wandered around midtown instead and went back home.

I had other things to do, co-edit the other blog and see if my sister got the Mets souvenir visor I bought at Shea Stadium on her birthday. Heard from Song who was asking me if I wanted to have dinner with him and Ray in the city, but since I was mere feet away from the bus terminal I passed.

I had hoped to meet up with Song and Ray when they were in town but things being what they are, it didn’t work out. I found out Raphael Saadiq was playing the South Street Seaport tomorrow night and I am definitely going to that. I saw Raphael Saadiq last in 2000 on tour in Lucy Pearl.

He was so magnetic on stage and when he smiled I could have sworn he was smiling right at me. Who knows? Maybe he was. I was smiling at him thats for sure. Anyway, that’s where I will be tomorrow night. Last show of the season at the Seaport, featuring Raphael Saadiq.

Do youself a favor and check out his website: http://www.raphaelsaadiq.com/ I just love his voice, ever since hearing him sing with his cousin and brother in Tony Toni Tone. Good for the soul. I’m psyched!

Here are some pics!

This afternoon’s fire

wrist bone

This perhaps, did not end well

Make My Day

Well it was back to work for me. No more days feeling like the previous day, today felt like a Friday and basically Friday sucked. I wasn’t 100% mind you, more like 90% but still Lydia told me yesterday about big meetings going on, clients coming in, food needed to be ordered, things like that. Lydia told me during the day how they were looking for a folder that I was working on Wednesday afternoon, and I left the folder on my desk when I left for the day. I told her to call me from my desk and when she did I was able to tell her exactly where the folder was.

Tom Chin told her to tell me he yelled at her in my absence. She thought it was a joke, but no it was the truth, since Tom Chin chewed me out. There was some vital info in the folder, but only important if you knew what to look for. He also mentioned that not only was Tom Chin upset with me, but also Vivek and Greg Stevens. Oh that, and the fact that next week is my employee evaluation which I don’t think will win me any prizes.

It may tie in to the mythical bonus, but I needed that bonus last month and since I didn’t get it then, it won’t kill me if I don’t get it at all. It’s all non-existent money, which is nether good nor bad. It only exists if it’s in my account, or my wallet. I’ve done everything they have asked of me, I’ve tried instituting a system so things could run smoothly but without the cooperation of everyone else, my ideas fell to the wayside. I’m not upset. It’s a good job, but then again, it’s just a job.

I’m not planning any moves, though they might be. But I doubt even that, since Tom Chin asked me to do something, a task that I had done in November and that task entails the rest of the year. I’ll just keep on keepin’ on, making sure Tom Chin has enough rope. And it was busy today. Lydia enjoyed the busyness yesterday, she wasn’t bored and was constantly moving around. Today we were a team and we preformed admirably. Desi Gandoo Investment Bank (DGIB) would be proud, but since Tom Chin is a honcho at DGIB, I’m sure it will go unnoticed until he comes up with an idea for teamwork.

After work I had a Padron and started to walk my usual route to the bus terminal. At the corner of 49th and Park I saw a woman who I thought might be Janelle Rintrona, a real sweetheart of a woman who I worked with at Wanker Banker. We keep in touch via email lately. I inched up hoping to get a glimpse of her face since the vibe said it was Janelle. When she turned I was surprised that the vibe was right and she was surprised to see me.

We caught up quickly, about what we’ve been reading, what’s been going on with who and what’s what. She told me she reads the blog and she actually likes it. She finds it funny, and that when she or her friends Google Janelle Rintrona, invariably johnozed pops up and they read it.

Good to know some people laugh and enjoy what I write. I thought it was generally maudlin but I guess some people enjoy it. Now if only I can get them to leave a comment, or even a hello, letting me know there’s someone out there, besides the five that I know of, which is actually down to three since Kathe doesn’t say anything and Song is probably upset that I missed him over the holidays. That leaves Annemarie, Harpy and Juan. Who knows who else? Would it kill them to even post an asterisk? But it was great to see Janelle again, she made my day. She was looking good, and it seems like she knows where she’s going in life which is definitely great for her. Now if we can get a GPS on Rina Persico or Kristy Fallon that would be something.

I was supposed to see Happy Days tonight, but it’s cold and since I’m not 100% better I checked to see if I can exchange my ticket for another performance, saying how I wouldn’t want to infect the staff or the audience. That worked and I’m going to the matinée tomorrow afternoon which works out quite nicely. Love to all.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Tom Chin
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