Tag Archives: United Nations

Alpha Beta Gaga

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Well it’s Thursday. I found that out the hard way this morning. I lay in bed, barely remember Bill saying good bye like he always does. I lay there, the alarm on my cellphone going off to remind me not to forget it.

I drifted closer to the shores of being awake when I realized that as comfortable as I was in bed, it was Thursday and not Friday and I had better get moving.

Interruption at present: Harpy being a most curmudgeonly curmudgeon. Drunken call at 9:15 whining about how much he hates that I post things on Facebook that his other friends have posted already. It’s so cute to be berated by the drunken Harpy.

He complains that everyone is dumping on him so the thing to do is to call the guy who always takes his call and give him (me) a hard time. Oh he’s just dripping with charm tonight.

Anyway back to me, I got my act together and walked across midtown to the office winding up in the office at 9:20. No one seemed to care or notice. I ran a few errands and picked up a bagel. I actually had a few projects going on.

Next week I’ll probably be alone in the office since Greg Stevens will be back in Arizona and Vivek will be in Acapulco. Still there are four other companies I have to support. Harpy called me Apollo since out of most of his friends I am getting a steady paycheck.

I stayed a little later in the office since I had plans on going to the United Nations to support Jon Fried and Deena Shoshkes as well as their friend John O’Neil from the New York Times. It was a concert of sorts in support of World Autism Day.

John O’Neil would say a few words, ending on a keyword that would be the title of a song that he wrote with either Jon or Deena. It was quite nice and they had a good crowd. A few researchers and teachers of children with autism also said a few informative and encouraging words.

It was a nice change of pace and definitely good to see Jon and Deena. I always liked the Cucumbers, from the first time they played McSwells. I even gave their first EP as a holiday gift when it came out.

I didn’t get a chance to speak with Deena but I did speak with Jon. We gave each other a hug and he told me that his mother in law Googled his name and what came up was John Ozed, specifically last night’s entry about how Deena was shooting daggers at me from the back seat as Jon was driving me close to my apartment in Weehawken.

We had a larf about that, and Jon said he remembered the night perfectly and that Deena was shooting the daggers at him, not me. I was only collateral damage.

It was all in all a pleasant evening, topped off with a Padron as I strolled down 42nd Street, from the United Nations to the bus terminal where a bus was waiting.

Jon Fried & Deena Shoshkes

Jon Fried & Deena Shoshkes

Jon

Jon

Deena

Deena

almost like the Exploding Plastic Inevitable

almost like the Exploding Plastic Inevitable

Me

Me

My Boyfriend

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I’ve been showing restraint lately. When commenting on various websites or even Facebook, I start to write, then I think, ‘Is this worth it? Do I want to continue this line of thought and further antagonize people?’ Then I realize that I don’t.

Case in point, on Facebook, Andy Peters, former sound man at McSwells, now in Arizona commented on how can anyone take John McCain seriously especially with economic matters, then mentions the Keating Five. Good on Andy.

I commented, ‘Gerroff my lawn you kids!’ and then someone mentioned that it’s time for McCain to retire, calling him a war hero. I was about to write, ‘How is McCain a war hero? Former POW, yes, but war hero?’ That’s when I stopped and decided not to add to the comments.

Just didn’t feel that adding my two cents was worth it. I’ve even stopped commenting so much on the tabloid websites. I still do it from time to time but overall I don’t do it as much as I used to. A lot of people are dumb and stooping down to their level doesn’t do my back any justice.

I just watched a report on Michelle Obama in London and I couldn’t help but smile at how she has the British enthralled, as well as most of the world. She just seems so down to earth. What a lovely couple she and Barack are. A strong unit.

Today was not as busy as it’s been lately. I spoke with both my brothers, Brian and Frank. It was good to speak with both of them. Brian is buying an iTunes gift card for Frank since Frank was able to help Brian and Karen out and chauffeur their son around the other day.

Brian wanted to know if Frank had an iPod and I know he does since I gave him my old iPod a few years ago, fully loaded. I hope he still has it.

I ran an errand this morning and after that wound up in Syms buying two new Ben Sherman skinny ties on sale. Tomorrow I’m going to the United Nations. An old friend, Jon Fried from the Cucumbers is involved with a group called Sing Out SOS which has to do with autism.

He invited me, and since I work only a few blocks from the UN, I accepted. It’s after work and I wanted to look bangin’ hence the new ties. I haven’t been to the UN or at least inside the UN since the 1960’s I think.

I haven’t seen Jon Fried in about five years. Last time was at Rutgers University where my niece Meghan was running the NJ Folk Festival. Jon’s wife Deena Shoskes was performing at it and they were nice enough to give Bill and I a ride back to the train station. That was different than the last time they gave me a ride home.

It was in the 1990’s and I ran into them at the Knitting Factory where my dear friend Jane Scarpantoni was playing. It was a bit late and I was downtown. I knew they were headed back to NJ and I might have asked Deena who said no. Then I asked Jon who said, ‘of course’.

Oh what an uncomfortable ride that was. Deena in the back seat shooting daggers with her eyes at me with such intensity it was palpable. To her credit, it was one of the rare moments where they were able to be away from their sons and here am I, the big goof in the front seat cutting into some heavy petting and necking I guess.

For the ride to the train station, Bill and I were in the back seat doing some heavy petting and necking.