So After spending the previous two days hanging out with old friends and exploring new places, I enter into my actual days off from my job. I wanted to make the most of them but in actuality, not much happened.
Tuesday I woke up early thinking that my job didn't know I was on vacation or I got the days wrong when I was off. this happens all the time with me. We have an arduous procedure at my work in setting up vacation time. Anyway, The weather was getting a bit hot and was gonna get hotter. So I did an early and quick hike on South Mountain Reservation. My plan was to go back to Tuesday routine when it was my day off, That is to say, Meet up with my friend Brook, Draw in Hoboken then karaoke at O'Connells.
When I called Brook, He told me that he was gonna go to the city, Do a little open mike stand up at 6pm. This meant missing out my drawing session. Since I hadn't seen Brook in awhile and I like checking out open mike to see if I get the courage to try it out sometime. Anyway, The place was on the east side on 33rd street. It was a cool bar (style wise) but unbelievably stuffy and hot temperature wise, especially in the room where they were doing the stand up. This may account why no one really got a good response nor was the material strong. The funniest parts were from the audience who comprised of people going up there to do their act.
Anyway, It was good to see Brook but I wanted to get back to Jersey City to do karaoke and hopefully run into people I knew. When I got to O'Connell's I was shocked by three sights. One, It was crowded, Two, There was a different host, and Three, The usual bartender Sue wasn't there and I found out why. She got into an accident that totally knocked her out of work for awhile.
I had fun though. I ran into someone else I hadn't seen in while. Someone I was interested in but allowed myself to blow it with her. Still, We're friendly but man I hoping to try to start over again into something more substantial. Oh well. Some of the regulars showed, I sang twice, Both times quite good. It was fun. So I have something to look forward to when I get a new work schedule in October.
Wednesday I woke up early because in my no air conditioned apartment, I couldn't sleep. I knew it was gonna be brutally hot Wednesday and Thursday. My plan was to go down to the shore but I wanted it to be waaaayy down Wildwood way. That's three hours from Union! However, It's only about an hour and change from Manchester, The place where my parents live. So I took it upon my self to call my parents and weasel my way into an overnight stay in their air conditioned place. I also got a free meal, Courtesy of my Dad doing a little experimenting with his tools in making a damn decent dinner.
I woke up early to help my Mom get to an eye doctor appointment cuz my Dad was doing his weekday church thing. that meant I had a good head start to get down to Wildwood. Holy cripes it was frickin' hot! I worry for my car when I push it to the limit. I had the AC on of course, And since my ipod got swiped from my car I had to settle in trying to find a decent radio station to listen to, It was futile.
When I finally got to Wildwood, I was not impressed. I thought it would be a Googie paradise.
I know that many of the 50s era (Doo-Whop in Wildwood terms) motels and buildings have been torn down during the last housing bubble but there was enough left over to get a gist of the character of the town. I dunno I thought it would be more spectacular, Not something that Seaside Heights has in a similar amount. Yeah, There was its share of bland condos dominating the streetscapes but not so much. Still Wildwood should impose a Leavenworth, WA approach in new construction by imposing the "Doo-Whop" approach on every structure built, So that Wildwood can be a far flung destination that is unique from the rest of the non gambling shore towns in Jersey. The WaWa down there DID do this, so maybe there's hope. I was so disappointed I didn't take any pictures. Actually, I forgot to bring my camera and I still haven't figured out how to keep pictures on my phone.
Anyway, I walked the boardwalk in the 99 degree humid weather. I dared to go shirtless. My skin was gonna get it. I was pale from my neck to my stomach. I walked the two mile boardwalk from one side to the other, Taking in the scene, they had the little "sightseer" people movers I thought not to do in the heat. the heat got to me and I wanted to spend some time indoors. They had a "mall" that featured the usual shore suspects of games but in the back there was a section dedicated to old pinball machines, I mean OLD pinball machines that you pay 5 bucks to play for a half hour. Most of the machines were of the 50s and 60s variety with some very unique games. some were so unique I had to figure out how to play because the flippers were in weird places and the strategies were very different form the more notable "solid state" 70s variety. The ones that had a race horse theme were the coolest.
After I was done with pinball and after talking with the proprieter for awhile, I braved the outdoors again. I walked on the boardwalk again, Came across yet another arcade but this one had an old photo booth which I am a huge fan of as anyone who has seen my picture on facebook would know. so I paid my three bucks, waited for the four flashes that indicated my picture was being taken. I got out saw the sign that said it would take five minutes. I waited and wandered the place for about five minutes, no picture. I decided to play a little game on my phone as I timed out five more minutes, No picture, Played and wandered again for five minutes, No picture.
I decided, What the hell, I'll go on the beach and go in the water. the beach was too hot to walk in barefooted and yet when I got to the water, It was too cold to fully immerse myself in. I read a safety sign about the dangers of cold water, So I got paranoid. I went up to my waist. The waves wasn't big enough for me to truly enjoy the water anyway. Besides, Surely my photo booth picture was ready annnnnnd it wasn't.
Ahhhhh, whatever. I looked over to Morey Pier and thought if it was a nicer day, if I was staying longer and if it was even opened I would enjoy a skyride.
Alas I wasn't enthused to do much of anything. I got back in my car and drove around to see if I can spot some of the classic motels. I did, they were cool but there wasn't enough. I had lunch at a diner. Unfortunately It wasn't good. It was the first diner burger in I dunno how long I didn't like. I got some gas and drove the slow way up on rt. 9. It was a good drive, listening to a local politics station. The storm clouds were looming on the horizon as I approached Union county. A relief from the last few days.
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