Tag Archives: The SImpsons

Tell Me What You See

This has been an odd day. Nothing bad happened, at least not yet. It just started out on the wrong foot, leading to a day of missteps. I woke up, tried to contact Julio to see if he and Stine wanted bagels. No answer. I called Stine instead and she said no, they were going out. That was no problem.

I went to the bagel shop where there is never a line anymore. It used to be there would be a line out of the store onto the sidewalk, but hasn’t been like that in a few months.

I asked Jeff, someone who’s been working there for ages, a week or so ago if it’s been slow and he mentioned that I had just missed a rush. I didn’t believe that since there is hardly anyone in there when I’m there. Denial or just putting forth the company line?

I’m convinced they don’t like me in the Bagel store. One guy in particular doesn’t like me, I can tell. When I moved back to Hoboken almost 7 years ago, I started getting my bagels on Washington Street. A few weeks later I saw this particular guy on the street with his kids and as I passed I said hello. He gave me the stink eye in return. I figured with the hundreds of people he sees each week I was lost in the shuffle.

After that I saw him again and once again said hello and once again I get the stink eye. One time I gave my order at the counter, something like 3 sesame, and 2 poppy bagels. He gave me 3 and 3. I mentioned that it wasn’t what I ordered and he got all uppity. So ever since then it’s quite frosty between us.

I do try to support small businesses, but in Hoboken, the small business owners don’t make it easy and show very little gratitude. Next to the register is a container for tips. Knowing that some of the staff have families to support I sometimes leave my change in the container. Sometimes I get thanked, and other times like today with me and Frosty the bagel counter person I get nothing.

I think next time I go in I will wait for Frosty to be waiting on another customer. And if I hear Jeff say to a new customer, ‘You know those bagels will make you thirsty, you sure you don’t want something to drink with that?’ I’ll go postal.

That basically set the tone for the day. I went out once after that and it just seemed so weird that I decided not to go out again until tomorrow. But I did go out, hoping to run into the Chinese dude who usually sells bootleg DVD’s at the barber shop at 4:00PM on Saturday afternoons.

I didn’t see him and I wasn’t going to go hang out in a barber shop if I wasn’t getting a haircut. I was hoping to get a $5.00 DVD of Slumdog Millionaire. Oh well. The only Academy Awards movies that I’ve seen are Milk and The Visitor, and Wall-E.

Maybe I’ll do a live blog during the awards tomorrow, or rather write about it as it happens and post afterwards. That seems more likely since I don’t think I’m equipped for live blogging.

Last night I caught up on what I had DVR’d. Spectacle with Elvis Costello. 1st up had guests She and Him, Jenny Lewis and Jacob Dylan. All very good and enjoyable and that Jacob Dylan sure is cute, and he sounds like Bruce Springsteen I think. Imagine growing up being Bob Dylan’s kid, how strange that must be.

I have a newfound love for Jenny Lewis, though Juan has been hyping her up to me for a while now. And She and Him, Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward were good enough to make me think about getting their record.

Then I watched what I guess is the season finale for Spectacle, this time hosted by Elton John who interviewed Diana Krall and had her husband, Elvis Costello come out opening with a song and singing with Diana and Elton at the end.

Geez, I swear Diana Krall is like so many women that I know, at least in the way she talks and her mannerisms. I enjoyed her, but sometimes it was like watching my niece Corinne on TV. If only Corinne played piano. She was very entertaining, Diana Krall and I think she’d be worth checking out as well.

After that I watched the 11:30 Simpsons who had Stephen Sondheim on, writing a song for Krusty the clown. And Bart was in therapy and really getting a lot out of it, even though 5 sessions were mandatory as punishment for a school prank.

I almost stayed up to watch Conan O’Brien’s last Late Night show but since I was recording it I figured I would watch it today. Which I did do, watch it today. Unfortunately it ran long and as Conan was summing up his 16 years hosting the show it got cut off.

So I watched that on NBC.com, and posted it on my Facebook page, as well as Conan releasing Abe Vigoda back into the wild, since ‘Pa’ said he wouldn’t be able to take him to Los Angeles where he will host the Tonight Show.

Though I didn’t watch Conan that often since it was on past my bedtime, I will miss him. But I should be able to catch some of the Tonight Show with Conan . I’m 6’2” and wear a size 12, Conan is 6’4” and probably wears a larger shoe, and I can only hope Jimmy Fallon could fill those shoes.

Bop Gun (Endangered Species)

Back to the beat, back to the grind. That means it’s Monday. Yes yes I know, big deal. Last night was pretty quiet, I watched the Simpsons and True Blood and Entourage. The Treehouse of Horror was ok. The opening scene with Homer trying to vote for Obama several times and each time it was a vote for McCain before the machine ate Homer and left his carcass with an ‘I Voted’ sticker on his forehead.

After that I watched True Blood which was once again very good. Steven Root is playing a gay vampire that Suki’s brother and his girlfriend kidnapped so they could always get a fresh supply of V. Very sad scenes.

Also Vampire Bill is on trial for killing a vampire that was about to kill Suki and you know, vampires aren’t supposed to kill other vampires, so Vampire Bill is going on to vampire trial. Before he left he asked the bar owner Sam to keep an eye on Suki. Vampire Bill obviously knew something that some of us only had an idea about.

It turns out Sam can turn himself into a dog. The same dog that has been appearing from time to time. Entourage was pretty good, Jason Patrick was excellent playing an asshole, which is basically a send up of how he’s been portrayed in the press.

Bill came home after dealing with his family and he’s heart broken. He feels like he is at wit’s end, trying to take care of his mother while still maintaining his own life. She definitely cannot be left alone and needs supervision at all times.

Once again she almost burned a kitchen down, this time his cousin’s kitchen. And once again all I could do was listen and give him a hug and let him cry on my shoulder. We both slept quite soundly, Bill kissing me goodbye as he was out the door before the sun came up.

The sun wasn’t up when I left. I made a point to dress extra sharp since I was going to volunteer again at the Obama office after work. Work was quiet. Most everyone attended a luncheon put together by Greg Steven’s wife Lorraine on behalf of her foundation.

Then Greg and Lorraine are flying to Arizona for a few weeks so they both can get some rest and relaxation and also a few rounds of golf. Tom Chin was home, sick with the bug that I had. If it’s the same bug, Tom will be out for the rest of the week. I know he’s going to blame me for catching the bug, not the thousands of people he comes into contact with, riding Metro North to and from Connecticut every day.

I left the office around 4:15, enjoying a Padron and walking to the Path train so I could volunteer again. More phone calls to Kearny again. More messages left on voice mail and only one or two people who told me they were voting for McRage.

After about 90 minutes of calling, I headed home where I just cooked some pasta. Also picked up some coffee for the office, talked to nice guy Jeff. He’s playing bass and has a gig in a week or two in Jersey City. I’d go see him but he never told me where he was playing and lets get real. I’m going to Jersey City to see a band that I might not care for?

Obama’s grandmother passed away, it’s sad she didn’t get a chance to see her grandson on Election Day, perhaps winning the nation’s highest office. But I’m sure she was proud of all that he has accomplished so far. I know I am.

Barack Obama and his grandmother Madelyn Dunham are seen together in this photo from 1979.

Don’t forget to vote tomorrow. In New Jersey the polls are open from 6:00AM to 8:00PM. And do the smart thing, VOTE OBAMA! PLEASE! And NO on Prop h8 as well as similar measures across the country!

♫ and Happy Birthday to Juan!!! ♪