I would like to know what part of me is so naive and hopeful that I keep insisting on buying lottery tickets? At least I never buy more than one at a time and never buy scratch-offs. Do you know that they have these $10 scratch-off tickets? Ten dollars. For one ticket. My friend Chris buys them. Insane.

Beautiful day here in NYC. In the 50s and sunny and here I sit lazy and uninspired from drinking too much beer at Movie Night at Carolina & Janos's last night (btw, we saw "Matchstick Men" -- good movie). Spent a little time in the backyard so that Lola could play with Jake, her Lhasa Apso friend from upstairs, but that is about as far as my ambitions seem to be carrying me today. I'm supposed to go to a party in Manhattan tonight, but I really don't want to go. I know I would have a good time there, but I also don't want another night of drinking (and, let's face it, there's no way I would end up sitting there sipping seltzer water) and sitting around in a whole bunch of cigarette smoke is not very appealing to me these days. Plus I'm trying to save a little money. Lastly, it would be nice to feel energetic enough tomorrow to get to the park or something, especially if it's going to be another day like this. What to do, what to do.

So, I was talking to my father today and he was telling me how he and Lori went to see The Passion of Christ. I can't believe it. Two hours of a movie completely in Aramaic. ARAMAIC! Anyway, he said it was horrible. Bloody and gory and horrible. Gratuitous gore. When the movie was over he said, "My God. Mel Gibson must be crazy!"

You couldn't pay me to go to that movie. Well, actually, you could, but I would have to reserve the option to be heavily sedated first.

Tonight was another Spin class with Ellen. That makes two for this week. Woo!

Tired now... must sleep...

It's all Julia's fault. She's making me more & more obessed with reading more and more BlOGS! This blogger is hysterical. Thanks for the lunchtime chuckle. Oh, all right, add another link to blogs sidebar...

This just in: Study concludes that human babies are incredibly stupid.

Did anyone happen to catch Queer Eye yesterday? I think last night was the scariest apartment that I have ever seen (and I live in NYC, I've seen some pretty scary places). Thom is a brave, brave man. (Not to mention a genius)

Pregnant Woman Acting Like No One Ever Got Pregnant Before. This article is priceless, and can be so true (in some circumstances). After the birth, I'm sure the child will be the little prince (or princess) that is so special that every one in that office will have to bow to it's mere existence.

I'm on a roll this week. I managed to get to the gym again today on my lunch hour. I concentrated mostly on the upper-body weights machines and then threw in 20 minutes on the elliptical for some cardio. I had left work at about a quarter to 12 to get up there before the rush and I did notice a difference. There were only a few people using the various weights machines, although the cardio machines were being heavily used by the time I was finished (there was no wait for anything, but it was a bit busy). Walking back to work, I tried to relax and slow it down a notch instead of weaving between and passing all the hordes of shoppers and tourists and strollers. I found myself much less aggravated this way and it probably only cost me about a minute in travel time. Hmmmm, I think there could be a lesson here somewhere.

They were interviewing Sarah Jessica Parker on The Today Show this morning. Apparently one of possible endings that they shot for Sex and the City was Carrie asking all her girlfriends to be bridesmaids in a wedding of her to Big. I am so glad they didn't go with this scenario! This society sends such a strong message to single (and childless) people, especially women, that you are somehow a second-class citizen because of your lifestyle choices, etc. One of the things I've really loved about this show over the years is that it challenges that idea. Many people may not necessarily be single completely by choice, but they are also not willing to compromise on their ideals, on what they want for themselves. Certainly, I've known plenty of people to marry out of desperation, or because all their friends were doing it, or because their (dare I say it) biological clock was ticking. Well, there are those in the World who don't wish to compromise and so they don't. They want their friends, and their careers and their interests. And if a guy is going to qualify as a husband, he better damn well be your best friend AND lover AND your strongest cheering section (and frankly, in my experience, all of these things in one package is a rare thing). Additionally, why does marriage have to be the only answer? I like the way they left the show, yes Big is in her life and they're obviously going to have a relationship of some kind. But that may or may not include marriage. And that's okay. Better than okay.

Managed a Spinning class with Ellen & Ken tonight. It kicked my butt, but I did it. And I did it without having to take a break at any time too, totally kept up with the rest of the class. So there. We followed up with a couple of beers at a bar across the street from Penn Station. Hey! At least I worked out!

is it only tuesday?

Things That Annoy Me: Someone listening to (LOUD) opera music in the vicinity of my cube.

Cher is getting a haircut. I need one too, just don't know what to do with this head. I need to be inspired somehow. I'm thinking maybe bangs. Haven't had them in a number of years.

Things That Make Me Happy: Wonderful, crisp, organic apple from Whole Foods. Even if it did cost me a dollar. For one apple.

Went a little overboard with the onions on my salad today -- yikes!

Seen this morning in the kitchen on my floor at work: co-worker making a smoothie in the blender out of an avacado and some skim milk (and god only knows what else). Bleargh!

Since it was such a mild and delightful day, I came home from work, changed into running clothes and took Lola to the little park (not big, dark, scary Forest Park) for a quick jaunt. I basically wanted to do a brisk walk with the option of throwing in a little light jogging. Dicey call on clothes for such an activity during a Winter month such as this, as clothing for walking is going to be way too warm for running and running appropriate clothing is bound to have you too cool. I ended up wearing a long-sleeve coolmax running shirt, long running pants and running "shell" (windbreaker-type jacket) and that worked out pretty well, although I was a little cold for the first five to ten minutes of the walk. Not too bad. Anyway, we did a nice, brisk walk up to the park and then four slow jogging loops around the footpath loop within the park and a brisk walk home -- with a run up one steep hill in our path. It felt pretty good (except for my chronically tight right hip), so I should try to do this a few times a week. It was very surprising not to encounter any other runners or dog walkers around however, for such a nice night -- Queens, weird place. It was so quiet that I was able to have Lola off the leash the entire time we were in the park (she was very good about staying right with me, I might add). Anyway, today turned out to be a relatively active day for me, given my recent history.

Things That Annoy Me: People who scarf down food in inappropriate places. Like on the elevator (or on the train, etc.) Like this woman who could not wait the one minute it would take her to ride to her floor before eating her pastry out of her Hot & Crusty bag. Pulling pieces of it out and cramming it into her mouth and then wiping her hand on her pants. gah! Or like the person who always has to sit next to me on the train going home slurping on an enormous ice cream thing. gaaaah! It's 6 PM, you're an adult, you're on your way home, aren't you going to have dinner when you get there??? Gross, gross, gross.

So I went to the gym for a quick workout at lunch. I tried their XpressLine weights circuit and managed to cruise through an upper body weights routine relatively quickly and painlessly. I followed the weights with a fifteen minute session on the elliptical machine (basically all I had time for). At first I was on that machine and working so hard, I thought that I was going to pass out. I had been on it for four minutes before I realized that I had somehow set the resistance level to 18 when setting up my session. I had meant to set it to level 6. Doh! Oh well, I'm sure I burned some extra calories this way.

I came back to the locker room to find this chick spread out completely with a suitcase(?!) on the floor in front of my locker. ARGH! So I had to step over and around her to drag all my crap out of my locker and onto a bench in the middle of the floor. I was pissed! Have a little damn consideration.

One other thing about Sex and the City, how anti-climatic was it that Big's name turned out to be "John"? Or perhaps is was meant to be ironic, after six years of wondering, his name turns out to be so... generic.

I can't believe that Sex and the City is all over. I found the finale poignant and satisfying, if a little too pat and happily-ever-after-ish. But then again, I'm just the sappy kind of person who enjoys a happy ending with all the loose ends wrapped up. But maybe that's just me.

Actually got Julia and Joe's wedding invitation today. That was fast. I guess mine must have been the first one they mailed -- that's how important I am. heh.

Wow. I must have been really drunk last night. I don't remember blogging at. all. doh!

Stupid. The amount of time it takes to boot up a computer, bring up the proper page, etc. inspiration is lost to the four winds. Gone like a cell of ash on the Wind.

Carolina and I sat around and drank wine hoping that Janos would find his way home. Carolina is a relatively new convert to Sex and the City and so my narrative was somewhat welcome to each archived episode we watched. I was hoping Janos would come home at some point as I find Janos on a couple of cocktails very entertaining and enlightening, but there was neither hide nor hair of Janos by around 1 Am, so I decided maybe I should go home.

Tonight I am off to Carolina's for some pinot gregio and Sex and the City re-runs. Just a bit of a recap before Sunday's series finale. Janos is in the City drinking with the boyz, so this will be a girl's night and thus a good night for an overdose of the show (Janos can't watch it without commenting repeatedly about how he thinks Sarah Jessica Parker looks like a horse).

I've spent most of today in a complete daze. I don't know if it's because I was unable to start the day with a shower, or because I'm congested today, or tired or what, but I need this workday to be over, like, right now.

I don't know how people who shower at night do it, I really don't. Forced by the boiler situation at home today, I showered last night. And, since I have super-straight as well as fine hair, I braided it in a few braids while wet, so that sleeping on it wouldn't turn it into this flat-weird-shaped-mess. Took the braids out this morning to see that my hair had become a bush-head. Tried to flatten it down with some water to calm it down, so I have no idea what the state of it is by now (afraid to look in the mirror). Besides my hair, I don't feel clean, nor do I feel fully awake. I really need my morning shower to get me going. Clean and fresh with clean and shiny hair. Is that too much to ask???

My train was on time this morning. I mean, on. the. dot. Weird.

(still managed to pull into Penn Station about five minutes late though)

My apartment building posted signs all over this morning warning residents that there are some needed repairs that are going to be performed on the boiler tomorrow, and because of this, the hot water will be turned off starting at midnight tonight (to be turned back on around 2 PM tomorrow). And while I know this sort of thing happens from time to time in all buildings, it is still a big pain-in-the-ass, especially coming on the heels of my shower disaster -- I mean, another damn morning I'm not going to be able to have a shower (I feel as if I've just now gotten clean, afterall). But what didn't sink in this morning when I first read the notice was that there would be no heat provided either. How can you turn the heat off in the middle of Winter? Especially when there are a number of elderly people living here too.

Well, it apparently doesn't matter whether or not you wear a coat while walking through KMart. People seem to think I work there regardless. Sheesh!

Stinky Lunch Girl is at is again. That's my cue to go talk a lunchtime walk. I am outta here...

Luminita is planning a big birthday gathering for Paul at this bar. I can just tell that this is going to be very expensive. Argh!

Okay, so I figured out where that $1,000 came from. Last year my company instituted TransitChek for employees to pay for NYC transportation. My monthly train pass comes out of pre-taxed income. So that makes sense. I feel a little better now (even though I'm still an idiot).

I sat down and did my taxes tonight. Damn. I was really hoping to get back more than I am. And, I admit to being pretty much an idiot about such things, but what does it mean that my adjusted gross income is actually over $1,000 less than it was last year? Does this mean that, even though my salary, technically, has not changed, I am actually making less? (Due to the various shifting of this tax and that withholding, blah, blah, blah, or whatever.) It's all just too depressing.

Things That Annoy Me: People who insist on standing right on top of you when you are paying at a checkout counter. Wait your damn turn!

Rant Of The Day: Smokers. I've had just about enough of the selfish smokers who insist on standing right outside the entrance to my building, forcing everyone (smoker or non) to walk through their poison. If you insist on smoking, have a little damn courtesy and stand far enough away from building entrances so that people don't have to swim through your toxic cloud just to get to work. Bastards.

Why Is It? Did you ever notice that Black History Month is the shortest month of the year? Now, why is that? Another conspiracy of our society against minorities, no doubt.

I'm thinking of taking beginning running classes at the New York Road Runner's Club even though I've been running for years and have even run a marathon, it's been so long since I've had much of a consistent program and I am woefully out of shape. I think maybe this might help me in the motivation department. Or not. The beginning class only has a prerequisite that you can walk briskly for 20 minutes. Well, I may be out of shape, but I know I can do that, at the very least. It'll also maybe help me get used to going up to Central Park after work. Maybe I can make that a habit. (It could happen!)

Happiness Is: Taking a real shower (in my own bathroom). Bliss.

Things That Make Me Happy: The fact that there is a new Queer Eye episode tonight -- yay.

Gawd, what an ordeal. I finally closed my apt door on the last plumberportersuper. six hours after today's start. SHEESH! The simple clogged drain turned into some kind of problem that ended up taking hours of drilling (yes, drilling), banging around, stomping in and out of my apartment and who knows what else. But it's done! I finally have a shower again. The wall needs to be retiled, but I'm not going to think about that today, I've had enough for a while, believe me.

The plumber is gone and the shower hardware has been replaced (I guess the tile work will have to wait until another day). Now Sam the Super is "fixing" a clogged drain that the plumber reported to him. I hope he doesn't break anything else...

The plumber has finally arrived and has drilled a huge hole in my bathroom wall, sending a bowl in my kitchen on the other side of the wall crashing to the ground in the process. I hope this is resolved today -- I think I will literally freak out if it isn't.

So much for the plumbers being here at 9 AM. It's after 10:30 and I'm still waiting. Bastards.

Shower Disaster Update (Part III):

After being told that I was going to have to wait until Tuesday for my shower to be fixed, I basically threw a hissy fit and so Sam the Super went downstairs to make a couple of phone calls. He came back and told me that he had managed to make arrangements for the plumbers to come on Saturday (the day my shower was put completely out of commission -- along with the ability to use any water in the apartment at all, besides the toilet). Waited around all day until around 6:30 or so when Sam came up and rang my bell to tell me they weren't going to be there that day afterall (no kidding) but would come on Sunday.

-in the meantime, I had turned the water on so that I could at least wash my hair in the kitchen sink, never realizing that having the cold water on causes water to come shooting out of my wall and straight across the room! Came into the bathroom about five minutes later to a disaster with everything in the room completely soaked and waves of water rolling across the floor like the tide was in, YIKES!-

So anyway. Ended up waiting all day on Sunday until about 3 pm or so, when I told the porter that I was going out for a while (and made sure he had a key). Was gone for a couple of hours to Bed, Bath & Beyond with Michelle and came home to find that obviously no one had been here. No one shows up and I hear nothing at all for the rest of the day.

This morning Sam shows up at my door again to tell me (guess what) that the plumbers will be here tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9:00 AM. Great. I said, "Sam, I haven't had a shower in three days!" He offers to give me the key to the office downstairs so that I can at least shower there. He goes on to tell me that they (the management company) did not want to pay the overtime of the plumbers and so that is why no one has shown up all weekend. Well just freaking great. Then why did they say someone was coming at all??? And, you know what? Maybe I don't freaking feel like paying the extra 500-freaking-dollar-special-freaking-assessment they tacked onto my maintenance this year (basically, everyone has to pay an additional assessment to pay for a bunch of stuff the building needs). I'm not exactly happy about that, especially after not having a raise in three years. Bastards, bastards, BASTARDS! I am so pissed off, I can't even stand it.

Shower Disaster Update: Carolina seemed to think my shower woes might be the responsibility of the building (since the leak seems to be coming from within the wall or something), so I stopped by Sam the Super's office this morning and asked him to come up and have a look.

The Good News: He seems to think it is something the building will pay for and fix (what a relief!)

The Bad News: He took my shower faucet apart to analyze the situation and in the process has broken it even further. So now all the water to my apartment is turned off and he doesn't think he will be able to get anyone in here to fix it until Tuesday. Tuesday! I am so screwed.

Happy-Freaking-Valentine's-Day

Oh crap. Tomorrow's Valentine's Day. Crap, crap, crap.

Fun Thing To Do: go down to KMart with your company security badge around your neck and no coat on (accessible through Penn Station, coat not needed). Ignore and run away from all the people trying to flag you down for help. "miss, miss, MISS!" heh.

Hordes of toddler-style children clutching Mylar balloons surround my building here and the entrance of Madison Square Garden, all here for the dreadful "Sesame Street on Ice" or something equally as terrible. Makes a quick run outside to nab some lunch a horrible ordeal.

I'm really tired today after a crummy night's sleep that had me tossing and turning with worries about my plumbing problem and how I'm going to pay for it and fantasies about winning the lottery and interspersed with dreams aboutThe Apprentice. I'm so glad it's Friday.

On a positive note: I received a bunch of accolades this morning on this web report I put together earlier in the week. Apparently it has stirred up a huge hornet's nest in our Sales & Marketing Division. It's nice to once in awhile have something you've done be recognized and appreciated.

While watching tonight's episode of The Apprentice, it occurred to me that I had never watched a TV show while muttering, "bitch, bitch, bitch" out loud for the entire hour before. Despite my mantra, Omarosa rides her broom for at least one more week. In a way, I guess I should be a little happy, the conflicts certainly make for interesting TV. You've got to have a villain to keep things interesting after all.

Oh crap. My plumber friend happened to be in the building tonight to change a shower head for Michelle, so I had him stop down to check out my problem (basically, one faucet handle had broken off in my shower on Christmas Eve -- I've been using a wrench since then -- and the other day the other side sprang a leak). He told me that it's a major problem and that I'm not only going to have to get a plumber, but someone is going to have to rip out the entire wall. OMG! I almost cried right there. I don't know what to do. He said that he can't do it because buildings such as these require specially licensed contractors with millions of dollars of insurance, etc. I am freaking out because I have no money. I mean none. And he said that this is the sort of thing I shouldn't let go -- it could be a huge mess. What frig am I going to do????

Things That Make Me Happy: Spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken Soup. With a dash of Tobasco. Yum. Although, I could have done without the carrots (why does every place have to put carrots in every soup they make?)

Well, TG, I seem to be having a better day today. Things always seem to look better in the morning. I know it's a cliche, but it's true. Still pretty busy at work, but it is mostly the good kind of busy.

I've decided to play with the name for my blog. I've always disliked, "Looking for Joy...". Besides, it hardly describes the bitching and rantings contained on these pages. Anyway, any ideas or input would be most appreciated. Help me come up with an appropriate name for my blog!

I had the worst freaking day today. My boss and another project manager invaded my cube (without knocking, while I was eating lunch) to give me this emergency busy-work project. Basically because the PM was too busy with his own crap to do it. And because I'm a nobody. It almost felt like they were ganging up on me, I felt so demoralized by the whole thing. And, while I admit that my feelings on the matter may have been somewhat of an over-reaction, I think, more importantly, it is a symptom of how I've been feeling about my company, my job and my role in both lately. So I dropped all of my work to do this stupid thing. And stayed two hours late to make sure I got it done. Did not want to have it waiting on my desk for the morning (needed to shake the whole thing off tonight). I am so happy this is a long weekend coming up. Oh crap. It's also Valentine's Day. Just great.

Things That Annoy Me: NEXTEL phones. On a train. Loud people w/ cell phones are annoying enough, but must you talk on your walkie talkie thingie??? It's like bringing a speaker phone on the train with you. Argh!

Things That Annoy Me: People who do not understand the concept of a merge. Grrrrrr.

Okay, so I'll admit it. As much as I spout about Reality TV being a modern plague upon our society, I find I've been watching more and more of it. So shoot me. It's kind of like rubber-necking at a car crash. You don't want to look, but somehow you can't help yourself.

Anyway, one of the latest reality shows I've been tuning into is My Big, Fat, Obnoxious Fiance scheduled on FOX on Monday nights. The premise is that this attractive girl has to convince her family that she's met this oaf of a guy on a reality show and that she now wants to marry him. Her goal is to plan the wedding and her entire family has to show up in support. If she accomplishes this, she gets a whole bunch of cash. What she doesn't know is that the guy they've paired her up with is actually an actor playing a part designed to drive her crazy and make the task of convincing her family that this is a good match practically impossible.

So, this guy has spent the past few weeks embarrassing the "bride" with a lot of frat-boy type behavior. Bodily noises, drunkenness, breaking things, inappropriate comments, or (my personal favorite) dropping a stink bomb and pretending to drop a load in his pants while attempting to do yoga. So this week the guy was introduced to her parents. And so this week it really went from being a little bit funny, to quite a bit mean. Her parents are genuinely upset. The bride-to-be keeps talking about what all this money will mean to her family and how she's doing all of this for them. But I don't buy it. They showed a scene of the family in their home in Colorado. They live well, don't appear to be suffering. They're not exactly living in a rusted-out trailer. Just exactly who are you doing this for again?

And another thing. From the beginning this chick was freaking out about how this guy was acting. Protesting that she would never date a guy like this and how nobody will buy it. Completely stressed out everytime the guy screws up (which, in reality, was just another stunt he was pulling). I don't know about anyone else, but if it were me, I would roll with it. Play along, laugh out loud at his antics and tell all your friends and family, "isn't he hilarious?! I've never met anyone like him before -- I think that's why I fell in love" blah, blah, blah. Especially once you saw that the guy wasn't going to fit your mold. Relax and just go with it. But that's just me. Also, in my world, my brother or sister would not be mad or upset (to the point of tears) over anyone I wanted to marry (like this chick's siblings were). In fact they would probably applaud any guy at all who would be up for taking me on. Me and all my caustic ways. But again, that's just me.

Just when we think reality T.V. can sink no lower, FOX adds a new dating show with a twist to the mix. It is described as follows:

"FOX SPECIAL:
"THE LITTLEST GROOM, PART 1"

DOES SIZE REALLY MATTER WHEN IT COMES TO TRUE LOVE ON THE ALL-NEW SPECIAL “THE LITTLEST GROOM” AIRING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16 ON FOX

Two-Part Special to Air Over Two-Nights on Monday, February 16 and Monday, February 23

Should your height determine whom you find attractive? Of course not! THE LITTLEST GROOM will venture where no other show has gone by helping a young man who is 4’5” tall to find true love. Initially believing he will choose among women of similar stature to his own, he later discovers, in a surprising twist, that some average-sized women will enter the picture. Will his ideal mate be a little person, or will she be of average height? His quest begins on Part 1 of THE LITTLEST GROOM airing Monday, Feb. 16 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. (SP-0455) (TV-PG)"


Where will this reality insanity end?

Heard on the elevator at lunchtime: Random guy (who was so oblivious, by the way, that he had to just about stand on top of me, even though the elevator was relatively empty) talking to his colleague about why he can't eat dairy and all the intestinal consequences he suffers if he does. This was perhaps too much information for me at this time.

Things That Make Me Happy: Spicy brown mustard.

The first lawsuit resulting from the Jackson/Timberlake Super Bowl incident is in. People are crazy. Get over it! it was a breast, not a public execution!

Double Standard?

Why is it that, after the Super Bowl breast-baring debacle, Janet Jackson was dis-invited to the Grammy Awards, yet Justin Timberlake, although arguably as responsible for the incident as Jackson, was not only fully in attendance, but also allowed to perform? Am I missing something here?

Perhaps I am missing something, I did not watch either event, but just reading news snippets in the aftermath of each.

Things That Make Me Happy: Lola snuffling my bare feet while I check email.

In the ever increasing need to quell and manage the spam on my various email accounts, I find it increasingly necessary to inspect the contents of my spam folders as more and more of my legitimate mail seems to end up filtered there. This morning I found this -- you are meant to believe that it is an official notice from Yahoo:

"Dear* YAH0O Client,

This _email_ inform _you_ TH@T your Yahoo` user ID (deborahsulli@yahoo.com)
wi|l be BL0CKED after 16 days* (@S _after_ autoomateed reegisttration) 1f Y0U will
not s!gnup _on_ Yahoo` wh1te l!st (T0 sign up - c|ick here: http://- address deleted -/)

Th1s is _done_ beecause we update now Yahoo` not autoomateed reegistered user IDs.

H1Fijf4yPv "

I mean, really. I know that there are plenty of stupid people out there, but I can't imagine anyone stupid enough to fall for this.

For some reason I'm really craving Valentine'sDay-style chocolates. You know, the kind that comes in the red box, shaped like a heart? Must be the plethora of these boxes overflowing the aisles at Duane Reade and similar.

Things That Annoy Me: Stinky Lunch Girl -- giggling loudly in the next cubicle. Argh!

Things That Annoy Me: This damn, hard chair! Hate it.

Train Drama:

I was surprisingly a little early for my train this morning, so I stopped in at the coffee place by the station to buy a bagel (after all, I was out drinking last night until midnight, a bagel was in order). All of a sudden a double-decker train pulls up. It was too early for my train (even if my train was on time) and the only double-decker that stops at Kew Gardens is scheduled over half an hour before. Anyway. every one goes running for the train, but I tell the girl that is helping me not to bother rushing, I figure there is no way I'm going to make it. Well, as I shove the bagel in my bag and grab my coffee, I see that the train is still there, so I decide to run for it. I run slipping and sliding through the ice and slush (yes, another Winter storm this morning) to the one open door that a woman has forced to remain open (all other doors are closed) for her husband who is running behind me and breathing down my neck. I leap onto the train with an exhale of relief and notice that there is this guy in one of the first seats on the upper deck yelling, I mean really yelling "comeon, comeon, COMEON!!!" or some such. The woman who had been holding the door, her husband and I all ignore this guy and slink quickly down to the lower level (nobody was going near this guy) and settle in. Turns out, by forcing the door to remain open like that, she had somehow jammed it. So the conductors all come down to deal with it, open the panel and do what they have to do, etc. And I notice there is some intense discussion going on up there. Well, all of a sudden Loud Guy comes running down from the upper deck, says something to the conductors in the vestible and runs down to the lower deck (still yelling), "There she is! She's the one!" (at this point, I slink down in my seat and try to act casual), "the one in the fur hat". Animatedly pointing his finger and yelling. So, he finally goes back to his seat and one of the conductors stalks down and gives the woman an angry ass-chewing, during which (among the rest of his ranting) he supplies the information that the train was already 35 mins late and that she's screwed up the entire schedule. I may be wrong, but if the train was already 35 mins late, the schedule was pretty screwed up already. He finally has it all out of his system and walks away. I hear the woman breathe, "whatever." Anyway, it all worked out to my advantage. Managed to get my bagel AND make the train. Who knows when the next one would have come? Such drama.

Interesting night of W&B with Ken & Ellen tonight. Went to a strange place I had recommended in their neighborhood. Interesting cultural mix. One guy got me up to do (what can only be called) the "booty dance" where I complied until he wanted me to "slap the ass". A girl has got to draw the line somewhere. Got into a fight with this guy across the aisle from me on the train, who insisted on sitting there with his dirty, grubby feet up on the seat across from him. You just know that I'm going to end up sitting in that seat in the morning on my train in. I said as much to him. He just looked at me like I was out of my mind and mumbled something to me. I said, "I'm sorry, I can't hear what you said" He mumbled something again -- all this time not moving his feet from the seat. I finally said, " so, you're just telling me that you're an asshole." He continues to mumble (he was actually saying, "you have a nice night now") we went through this song and dance until my stop, where I straightened up and locked eyes with the poor police cadet who happened to be facing me (there was a whole slew of them on the train). I said, "this city is driving me insane, it's people like this who make me crazy." Police Cadet's eyes widened (he must be about 19 yrs old) and he said, "I know just how you feel."

I think he was afraid of me.

So, Julia has somehow convinced this poor blogger that she (Julia) is somehow normal. (insert evil laugh) I ask you, is it normal to print out a ream and a half worth of blog archive? AND she likes chicken-fried steak. This is not normal folks. heh.

Looks like W&B plans for tonight are on! Woo!

Things That Make Me Happy: Wings & Beer. Need I say more?

Things That Make Me Happy: Stila eyeshadow in "Wheat".

While riding the railroad, passengers are usually privy to some amount of cryptic communication back and forth between conductors and collectors on the PA system of the train. When I hear an announcement like this, "Attention to the collector, New York Station Manager wants to see you in his office", I can't help but think, 'ooooooooo, you're in trouble!'

Things That Make Me Happy: Kirby cucumbers. Yum!

Things That Annoy Me: People who move slowly. Move your ever-fricking arse! ARGH!

I have an a$$-sucking presentation to give this afternoon. Why do these things never get any easier? And why am I always scheduled at the end of the day -- rather than the beginning of the day when I could get it overwith and move on. But that never seems to happen.

I wish I could just choose not to eat anymore. Seriously. I stopped at the grocery store on my way home from the train. Our crappy, four-aisle grocery store. I bought: A package of (3) chicken breasts, a bundle of asparagas, one red pepper, a box of dog bisquits, a loaf of (garden-variety whole wheat) bread and a small thing of mozz. cheese. Cost me $17. Seventeen dollars!!! The World has just gone insane.

Rant of the Day: This chick who works on my floor (for a different department) takes over our common kitchen every single morning. Every morning has to spread out all of her breakfast crap (her damn egg to be sliced, her fruit to be cut up, he stupid oatmeal) right in the corner of the pantry where all the cups and sugar and tea are and the microwave is and even the drawers for the spoons and forks. So now anyone who needs to get in there (which is everyone in the morning) has to reach around or over her, while she stands, obstinately in that prime space. Now why she can't do her thing at a table or a counter away from where everyone needs to get to, is beyond me. It's a whole room and she picks the one corner that is going to be the most inconvenient for everyone else on the entire floor. Sometimes she leaves all her breakfast makings (in that spot) in the pantry while she goes to the ladies room first. I've been tempted to throw it all in the garbage. You just know if I did, I would get so busted. My luck. So I just seethe about it every morning instead.

SOMEONE asked about the cost of shipping a car that one might purchase from eBay Motors. Well, in some cases the seller posts on his posting what the cost to ship would be. One car I looked at was quoted at $1.5 per mile. In other cases there may not be a specific shipping price mentioned, but there is usually some statement about shipping. Usually you can email the seller and get an estimate.

I was just browsing on eBay Motors and am totally amazed at how cheap you can get a car there! I am going to get my license back (have the # to a driving school in Forest Hills) and am going to buy me a cheap-ass car! Don't care if I have to park it in the street. Can't stand to be trapped in Queens anymore. Yep, that's what I'm gonna do. Uh huh.

Why is it that I look forward to the weekend all week long, if only to be able to catch up on my sleep. Sleep enough on Saturday and Sunday to finally feel rested, only to screw it all up by staying up late on Sunday night and starting the cycle all over again?! Argh! I think I was up until 2 AM last night -- just great. Feeling really special this morning. Ugh, Mondays are tough enough without adding this to the mix.

You really know that your social life has taken a turn for the worse when you have not been invited to any Super Bowl events. Not one. I can't say that I attend a SB party every year (Sunday is not my favorite night of the week to go out), but I usually have at least one invite.