Things Ain't So Good

Since I have been working a good, proper job again, I some times forget that it is still pretty grim in these parts.

The Dead

There have been too many wakes to attend lately, but this is a funeral worth notice.

A Fine Sunday

The night air is cool and good. Lord, it is friss and refreshing. Beautiful. ...as Beslin used to write.

What a glorious day it was: Sunny morning with The News, perfect air, brunch in Hoboken with Markowitz, driving to jigs, reels and ballads on Bronx Irish radio while flying over the Pulaski Skyway in the Chevy, home again jiggity jig, back out to the highway with the jazz at dusk and a few jars with big Johnny Mac behind the stick at The Quiet Woman to finish it up. I've had worse Sundays.

And I was happy to be busy with it all, busy simply enjoying, since there was little in the papers today. So far, the best piece I have come across is the book that is this week’s Sunday Times is the fine little obit about one of brave, lucky Aussie. And The News had a nice little shout-out for their reporters and photogs who covered the March on DC forty years ago.

Time to search through the Times for another gem or two.

Or maybe I will just click back to Ken's blog. He seems to be doing well with it today.

Getting In The Last Little Bit of Summer

The rain is falling lightly here in Elizabeth. Of course it is, it is a long holiday weekend.

Thankfully, I used a little comp time yesterday and my old pal Mike Markowitz and I hopped in the old Chevy and hit Routes 1&9 to the Shore. (By the way, here is the last little bit of journalism I did with Mike over the summer.)

There was only regular traffic all the way down to the Highlands. And funny enough, the sun came out as soon as we crossed the Raritan River.

If you ever down in that area stop by Off The Hook. What a fine meal we had there in the sun looking at the sea. And then it was only a few minutes drive the beautiful beaches of Sandy Hook.

After the beach, do as we did, and enjoy a cocktail at The Sea Gulls' Nest.

Let's just keep trying to get as much summer in as possible.

The Monkey Cup

Soon after I jumped behind the stick at The Quiet Woman Thursday evening I popped the new Ken Layne CD in the music machine. I just had to give the regulars a little taste.

"The Monkey Cup" was the big hit even though it scared one woman sitting at the bar. Think she called it evil. But bass player, QW regular and all-around good guy Doug Shank (pictured above) soon had everyone saying Monkey Cup over and over again. Doug even drew a couple little monkey heads over the bar's quote of the night.

Thanks to Ken and The Money Cup happy hour was just a little more special in Hoboken last Thursday

Good Morning, Joisey

Lord, look at this amazing day outside. Warm, sunny and no humidity. Brilliant. Eat it up and enjoy. And when the sun is done for the day and you happen to be in or near Hoboken, swing by The Quiet Woman on First Street. I'll be behind the stick pulling pints all night. Cheers.

Almost Back, Really...In the Meantime Listen to the Music

The air is heavy, wet and too damn hot outside the air-conditioned windows in the Elmora section of Elizabeth, New Jersey, this evening. The sun is still blasting through the closed blinds. What better time to get back to this little blog deal here?

Guess I should explain a bit about my silence here this summer. In a nutshell, I've been busy leaving journalism after 15 years. I now work for a local government in New Jersey in constituent services. And of course, I am the photographer there.

This means, besides other things, I will have to change the front of this here web site. I am no longer a photojournalist and I now longer live in Jersey City.

And it is amazing, this public service--like doing an intense masters in civics, government and politics.

But more about that, my new home city, my new used car, driving, the blackout, news, photo pals some time real soon.

More importantly, I need to talk about Ken Layne's music right now.

When I came home from work there was a little box of Ken Layne CDs waiting for me outside my door. Out of the work clothes, into a cold beer and crank up the old tunes. Simply Brilliant!

Ken traded me a few CDs for my photographs of his new band.

Anyway, KEN LAYNE THE ANALOG BOOTLEGS is good listening. I know just about ever song on the album and even had copies of most of them at some point. But to have them all nice and together on a brand new CD is amazing. Besides the fact that they are just great songs, listening is bringing back memories. I think I was sitting with Ken and Matt in the Bartok Bela flat in Budapest when they recorded part 1 of "I SHOULD BE THAT GUY" and to hear it blend into the live version with TSAR behind it blows me away.

Damn, they are all wonderful, fun, sad, twisted, thoughtful songs.

So, go buy Ken's CD. You have to for no other reason than “Springtime in Budapest” and “National Day of Mourning.”

I Shall Return...soon

My beautiful friend Angela says she missing me blogging. I miss me blogging, too. A fun, fine crazy summer of change, including a new job, new flat, new adventures and a new old car, has keep me away from here. And I was following Ken Layne's advice to take the summer off. But since Ken didn't follow his how advice, I guess I should begin posting again. So, daily blogging will return soon.