Say What, Ditch?

Lots of nice ditches in Hamilton Park, guess it’s time to lay some pipe. Well, there goes another deadline for the opening of the park, February. Can’t say there’s no progress being made, though. What I love about this ditch is similar to the planters on Newark, everything not in use becomes a litter receptacle in this town. Maybe we need more garbage pails, less garbage, or citizens who give a hoot and don’t pollute. During his surrealist phase, Bob Dylan has an interesting quote about ditches, not really applicable but it’s still pretty cool.

At dawn my lover comes to me
And tells me of her dreams
With no attempts to shovel the glimpse
Into the ditch of what each one means
At times I think there are no words
But these to tell what's true
And there are no truths outside the Gates of Eden

Montgomery Street in the Snow

Not everything has to have a specific purpose, or meaning. I just liked the way Montgomery Street looked in the snow, had to do some stuff down there in the morning, Exchange Place way. We’ve seen this thousands of time before, but not so often in the snow and I like the way it looks,

and I like the Flamingo Restaurant & Bar sign, always have, the tropical insinuation but the fact of the matter is, it’s one of the greatest Jersey Diners in the state of New Jersey. That’s the paradise. Snow falling instantly creates a stillness of time, space and mind. A diner at the end of the road, hot beverages on a cold morning, how do you want your eggs?

All Goes Back to Abraham, Anyway

I’ve always loved this building and thought it look pretty splendid during our morning snow storm. I could do the history thing, but I don’t quite have the time. It’s a synagogue, get yee to shul my Hebrew brethren, but is now a mosque. Praise Allah, friends of Allah. I believe it’s a Sufi mosque, catering to the Moslems from India and Pakistan. I went into the building once, they had just bought it or something, it was during the day and there were folks around and were more than happy to let me look about. A friend of mine, also a muslim but of another branch—A Fruit of Islam guy, African American buddy of mine, has actually went there to pray, as has another muslim buddy. Both of whom are not of the congregation, and I’m not quite up-to-speed with the different strains of Islam, but my friends have told me they’re really friendly here, inviting, everyone welcome for their call to prayer. I say, Mazel Tov! Why, this is a beautiful old synagogue, and I just love the fact that it is now the mosque, and I am willing to bet 100 shekels it’s the only Mosque with menorahs and the Stars of David. Dig the lions. Something very New Jersey about this irony.

Vending Machine

Although now, a former smoker, I have nothing against smoking and oppose all anti-smoking laws, but with all my work towards world peace, and helping mothers, orphans and puppies, I have little time to stand up for smoker’s rights. But in a certain diner in Jersey City, there still is a working Cigarette Vending machine. I love the design, mid-20th century, probably retrofitted to take dollars in the 80s. I get the hard boiled vibe. It’s late at night and all you can afford are smokes and a cup of joe and after the cup, you go home and smoke and fall asleep to the sound of the milkman. The cigarettes make you feel less alone. Actually, this vending machine may be against the law, a technical violation—or maybe the law is that you can’t have it accessible to minors—of course, it is illegal to sell “loosies” but that doesn’t stop our bodegas. By the way, $9.50 for a pack of smokes in this vending machine. You basically need a roll of quarters to go for a ride.

Dog Fox Dancer Fence Cats

Dog. Fox. Which is the brown one, which is the lazy one. I forget. Wasn’t it the fox that was lazy? It’s the old typing exercise line, is that still used? Is that pre qwerty or post? I remember thinking, why not just type the alphabet? Saw this at the Brunswick Community Garden. You see random art in the secret corners of the neighborhood. I don’t always take a picture. I wonder what this is supposed to be saying. A resting dancer, is she the fox or the dog is there another irony here I’m missing? The dancer seems Degas via R. Crumb. I don’t quite get the juxtaposition about the lazy and/or brown canines. Is it a comment on the literal meaning of the phrase, or does this dancer—who looks kind of tired, if not, past her prime, is now considering secretarial work? Or maybe she's just doing yoga. Tell you one thing about the artists in this town, they’re some really talented illustrators here. Why this picture is on this fence, who knows. If you look through the fence you’ll see the glowing eyes of a cat. A few cats were in the garden, curious about why I was looking at them. It was one of the warm winter days, close to dusk. Sparse and bare, have the lots even been allotted? Jersey City cats remain on patrol; Jersey City art randomly hung.

New Facade: Safe & Tan

The Facade beat never ends. At least this story has a happy ending. They painted the tarpaper black under the facade a pleasing tan, or is that taupe or beige? Order returns to Newark Avenue, and although we lost that the 50s art deco facade, the building looks nicer and is at least, safe.

restless farewell

Oh, ev'ry thought that's strung a knot in my mind,
I might go insane if it couldn't be sprung.
But it's not to stand naked under unknowin' eyes,
It's for myself and my friends my stories are sung.

From: Restless Farewell by Bob Dylan