Another Broken Urinal

Ah . . Today started out to be a beautiful day. I awoke on time. The weather was temperate.I even found a quarter on the floor of the parking garage. I was on time. There was only one homeless person between the station and the booth. It was looking to be an easy glide of a day .
I entered the boothe , greeted my boss, to which she had a coughing fit in reply. I'm pretty sure she has bronchitis.That's my professional opinion. Her insurance won't cover a doctor's visit (which defeats paying for insurance in my book !). She can't leave until the third person shows up at noon. Until then, she will cough and weeze and struggle to breathe until she can leave. I really hope I don't get bronchitis. I really can't afford the time to be that kind of sick. Fortunately, she still had the strength to smoke. She's a trooper ! I'm so glad I don't smoke anymore.
Anyhow. . . . The guys from the city came back to deal with the problem in the Men's bathroom. There's a problem with the toilet and one of the urinals. They had to take the urinal out of the wall to fix what was underneath. The did that and one of the guys dropped the urinal. It cracked. Thereby , rendering it useless. They had to call back to the head office to get a new one. They don't have any in stock. It doesn't really affect me. I use the girls room . However, if they don't get that new urinal in time for the busy season. There will be all sorts of clogs happening around that men's room. I mean that literally and figuratively.
The third arrived, my boss left and I lost .6 pounds at Weight Watchers this week. It was a slow afternoon and it was still light out when I got home from work. So, all in all, it really was a good day.

I Love Cheese!

Kiki and I went to see "Ghost Rider" tonight . It stars Nicholas Cage, Eva Mendes,Sam Eliot and Wes Bentley. It's based on the Marvel comic. It had demons, Hells Angels, motorcycles, horses,skeletons and Firey skeletons. Nicholas Cage has had some work done on his face, but he was perfect in this role. He plays the character with total seriousness, even while he's jumping Mack trucks on a motorcycle !I completely believed he was Satan's Bounty Hunter. Sam Eliot is awesome as the mysterious guy who lives at St. Michaels cemetery. With Sam, a lot of it is his voice .
I kept trying to figure out where the movie was filmed. Something wasn't right about the Cops. Like , sometimes, when a film is shot in Canada, you can tell there is something different about the Police Station ? Or how the Detectives act ? I noticed that in this movie. It's cuz they're Australian. They're Australian , playing American , apparently researched by watching American movies filmed in Canada. It wasn't an insurmountable point, but I noticed it.
Nichloas Cage wore some amazing leather motorcycle suits. The girl that was in American Beauty who played Kevin Spacey's manager at the fast food restaurant. She said "You're so busted" to Annette Bening at the Drive-thru. Remember her ? Well , she's in Ghost Rider . She has a great line where she's talking about the Ghost Rider having " firey skull, but it totally worked for him".
We liked it. It's a shame that Cage probably won't get an Oscar nod for this, but I thought it was a lot of fun. I recommend it.

Dead to the World and Other Thoughts

Yesterday was in the high teens and it felt downright balmy. Today, it should get up to the 40's. I'll barely need to wear pants !Yesterday, I did get stuck on a mound of ice and I got rescued by 4 men who happened to come along at the right time. I may not have a boyfriend, but the universe has been providing men when I most need them. Thank you , you strong , mechanically minded men. You can hold a door open for me , anytime !
Sunday was almost a complete wash-out for me. I worked a different job on Saturday. Though it wasn't particularly difficult , it was 9 hours long , under yellow flourescent lights and I had to be there at 8 AM. I was asleep Saturday night by 10 PM. I woke up around 7:30 on Sunday , did some laundry, watched my shows (CBS Sunday morning and Sunday Morning Shootout on AMC) and I was asleep again by 1PM. I awoke about 4 and was asleep again by 10. I don't know what this is about, but I'm getting nothing done.
I am slow on the draw today , too. My Mother has called High-Hosey on the bathroom. SO, I can't get ready to go out until she's gone.
I'm not complaining, but I am trying to keep this blog thing going. I would have written yesterday, but I couldn't get into my account.
I think we're going to see an Oscar nominated movie tonight. I'll post about it later.

The Right Tool

As a result of the weather, my car has been encased in ice since sometime , early, Wed. morning. It looks like a barley pop. If you were to try to lick it , you would have assumed it would taste like root beer. It looked like a car glued onto an art car hood. A mound of ice with car windows . Like my car had seemlessy been bonded with the environment by using icey snow. Today, I had to hack it out , so I could go to work.
I rooted around the cellar looking for something I could use to break up the snow.Essentially anything can be used to break up the ice. I once got a big old Dodge Ram Van unstuck using elbow grease and a soup spoon. It takes longer that way , but you do what you have to do. I found a pitchfork that had seen better days. The tines were twisted around in different directions. Not pretty but it was hefty enough to break up the snow. I went out to the car, layered and bundled head to toe, and started slamming the pitch fork into the snow to try and loosen things up. I was at it for a good half hour and not making much headway. The shovels I had to use was also ineffective, it being made of plastic and all. . . I was pretty sweaty and discouraged (also a regular condition for me) when my brother noticed what I was trying to do and went out to the garage. He returned with the most beautiful , modern, sturdy ice breaker I'd ever seen in my life. "I found it in the garage yesterday. I forgot I had it." he said. I was greatful and I got busy. That shiney ice breaker was just the thing. I chopped out a trench around my car. I tossed the ice chunks onto the lawn. The defroster was blasting away in the car and working on the frozen stuff on the windows, I chopped that stuff up with my scraper. I got the car out of the driveway on the first try.
It took my over an hour to get it done. I got to work pretty late, but I got there.

It's Raining Snow

The weather that has been terrorizing the rest of the country, in particular Upstate New York, has finally turned it's menacing gaze upon New England. The weather people have been warning us for days. Some of us "smelled" the oncoming snow or felt it's imminent arrival. I thought I could "See" it on the way. Though, frankly, I was beginning to doubt we would see snow this winter. That wasn't something I was all that sad about. Finally, it arrived last night and it's still going.
It started about midnight last night. It was a fine, wispy snow. When I arrived home, I could hear it, which meant ice. By this morning, it was slush falling from the sky. Then it turned into that picturesque snow. Really pretty. The kind of pretty that momentarily makes you forget that you're going to have to shovel like crazy to get home.
The weather is really not an attractive selling point to tourists. My boss and I had a bet . I thought we'd only have 3 visitors today and she thought 7. When our third co-worker arrived she said 6. 6 is how many visitors we had , not including homeless guys coming in to use the bathroom. It was a whole lot of nothing. Also, there were puddles, lots and lots of shallow looking but deep puddles. One of the Rangers astutely observed "Tomorrow, this is all going to be ice". I concurred.
By mid day, it turned into a heavy, steady rain. The windy-ness had just started when I got on the train.
When I got to Harvard Square, my bus had just pulled in. The driver told me in some sort of Slovakian-Russian accent that he wouldn't be going the usual route tonight. Because of the snow, a major uphill road was unsafe to drive and so, we would be taking an alternate route. I was prepared to hear that. It's happened in the past. The bus stays on mainly flat land and I get to walk up the hill in the rain. There were several accidents , or at least a lot of fire engine and apparatus on the way home. I couldn't really see out the bus windows,because they were all steamed up, so I don't know what the fire engines were responding to but there were at least 3 clusters of response vehicles along the way. I couldn't see, so, I don't know what was going on. Also along the way, we pulled up behind the bus ahead of us and we saw a bus go by on it's return route. Usually the buses run every half hour or so at this time of night (Between 5-7). I don't recall seeing an other bus on the route completing it's circuit before. We were behind the bus that left 20 minutes ahead of us most of the way.
I walked home from the heights. The rain had let up a bit but it was still slippery. I had a long coat on, my leather backpack and a canvas bag filled with today's reading materials and a pair of shoes. I had waterproof boots on, thankfully. Unattractive, but oh so practical. It was slow going in the cold. It was slippery and the snow had already started to harden. Halfway home, I knew I was going to have to try and shovel a walk. There were also puddles, though no too many streams.
When I got home I tried one shovel and then another and then another. All our shovles are made of plastic. I need a spade or an icebreaker. A soup spoon would be more effective. I just couldn't dig out a path. I have no idea what it will do tonight. I think it's going to get really cold and freeze everything. I don't know. Maybe it will get really warm and it'll all be melted whe I get up in the morning !!!!
Unlikely. I'll probably be taking the bus again tomorrow. I hope this little weather report isn't annoying. Though, if it was, you probably stopped reading by now. I wish we had a spade shovel. I'll probably go to the hardware store on my lunch break tomorrow and buy an ice breaker. I have to get my car out of the driveway to go to work on Friday.

It's Raining Snow

The weather that has been terrorizing the rest of the country, in particular Upstate New York, has finally turned it's menacing gaze upon New England. The weather people have been warning us for days. Some of us "smelled" the oncoming snow or felt it's imminent arrival. I thought I could "See" it on the way. Though, frankly, I was beginning to doubt we would see snow this winter. That wasn't something I was all that sad about. Finally, it arrived last night and it's still going.
It started about midnight last night. It was a fine, wispy snow. When I arrived home, I could hear it, which meant ice. By this morning, it was slush falling from the sky. Then it turned into that picturesque snow. Really pretty. The kind of pretty that momentarily makes you forget that you're going to have to shovel like crazy to get home.
The weather is really not an attractive selling point to tourists. My boss and I had a bet . I thought we'd only have 3 visitors today and she thought 7. When our third co-worker arrived she said 6. 6 is how many visitors we had , not including homeless guys coming in to use the bathroom. It was a whole lot of nothing. Also, there were puddles, lots and lots of shallow looking but deep puddles. One of the Rangers astutely observed "Tomorrow, this is all going to be ice". I concurred.
By mid day, it turned into a heavy, steady rain. The windy-ness had just started when I got on the train.
When I got to Harvard Square, my bus had just pulled in. The driver told me in some sort of Slovakian-Russian accent that he wouldn't be going the usual route tonight. Because of the snow, a major uphill road was unsafe to drive and so, we would be taking an alternate route. I was prepared to hear that. It's happened in the past. The bus stays on mainly flat land and I get to walk up the hill in the rain. There were several accidents , or at least a lot of fire engine and apparatus on the way home. I couldn't really see out the bus windows,because they were all steamed up, so I don't know what the fire engines were responding to but there were at least 3 clusters of response vehicles along the way. I couldn't see, so, I don't know what was going on. Also along the way, we pulled up behind the bus ahead of us and we saw a bus go by on it's return route. Usually the buses run every half hour or so at this time of night (Between 5-7). I don't recall seeing an other bus on the route completing it's circuit before. We were behind the bus that left 20 minutes ahead of us most of the way.
I walked home from the heights. The rain had let up a bit but it was still slippery. I had a long coat on, my leather backpack and a canvas bag filled with today's reading materials and a pair of shoes. I had waterproof boots on, thankfully. Unattractive, but oh so practical. It was slow going in the cold. It was slippery and the snow had already started to harden. Halfway home, I knew I was going to have to try and shovel a walk. There were also puddles, though no too many streams.
When I got home I tried one shovel and then another and then another. All our shovles are made of plastic. I need a spade or an icebreaker. A soup spoon would be more effective. I just couldn't dig out a path. I have no idea what it will do tonight. I think it's going to get really cold and freeze everything. I don't know. Maybe it will get really warm and it'll all be melted whe I get up in the morning !!!!
Unlikely. I'll probably be taking the bus again tomorrow. I hope this little weather report isn't annoying. Though, if it was, you probably stopped reading by now. I wish we had a spade shovel. I'll probably go to the hardware store on my lunch break tomorrow and buy an ice breaker. I have to get my car out of the driveway to go to work on Friday.

Jason, My Hero

Well, today was really friggin' cold here in Boston-town. Not the best day to leave your headlights on in the parking garage, when you leave it there from 7:00 am to 6:45 PM. No-Sire-Ree, that's what is commonly considered a "Bad Idea". And . .. .Yet. . That is exactly what I did. Not on purpose,, however, it was quite inconvenient. I got in the car , turned the key in the ignition, and nothing . Just extended darkness. Nothing . Couldn't get it to turn over, click or fart. Nothing. I was sitting in an unattractive paperweight.
I open the trunk to pull out my jumper cables and that 's when I remember where my jumper cables are, it the room next to mine at home. In a box, next to the bed. You know what's in my trunk ? Christmas decorations. Lots, and lots of Christmas decorations. It's almost Valentine's day. I need to get my priorities straight, soon.
I lift the hood and peer into the engine area. I recognize what's there, but I'll be darned if I can tell by looking at it if it's working or fixable. I get back in the car. Who can I call ? I can call AAA, and I know they'll come, but they're backed up and I don't really want to wait 4 hours for a jump. I'll be dead from the cold, even if it is an enclosed parking facility. I would call my cousin , he would come , but I don't want him to get all the way over to where I am just to tell him my jumper cables are at home. I can't call my brother, because he won't be out of work for another couple of hours. My friend Korte would come. I bet his friend Barry would show up as well, if I called him , and he doesn't even own a car.
In my rear view mirror I see guy heading to the big SUV that I'm parked beside. I ask him if he has jumper cables, he says he doesn't think he does, he checks, no dice. Okay , thanks for trying, Buddy. I get back in the car. Everybody I can think of is either still working, or doesn't have a car.
Just then , I see a guy in a Cleveland Indians hat and a Cleveland Indians jacket heading my way. "Do you need a jump" "yes" I reply "but I don't have any jumper cables, do you ?" "yes , I do" . Let me warm up my car and I'll be right over" . He warms up his car and comes right over. He attaches the cables and my car starts right up . He introduced himself as Jason. He advised me to let it warm up for about 20 minutes and I should probably look into getting another battery real soon. When a battery goes dead in this kind of weather, it kind of sets a pattern for more dead battery opportunities. The battery ain't getting stronger .
I did as I was instructed, I got gas, picked my friend up and we went to the movies.All because of the kindness of a stranger.
My hero , Jason.

Another Monday Morning

First off, I have not been able to update my website. I can't get in to the page. So , if you've switched to here to see what I'm up to. . .. Thursday, February 8, I'm at Lew's Place in Tewksbury -showtime between 9 -9:30. On Friday, Feb. 9, I'm at the Comedy Studio in Harvard Square on the 3rd floor of the Hong Kong restaurant. Showtime is 8 PM. Okay, that's my essential business.
It is very cold here in New England. I haven't been out since Saturday night , but I can tell it's wicked cold out there ! Saturday , I went to Vinny's with Margaret & her new husband and their best man and his wife. Only the Best Man had been to Vinny's before. It was so oo good ! I had scallops and fusilli in a pink sauce.I asked for red cream and the waitress responded "You mean Pink" . Yeah , okay, pink. It was exactly what I wanted . Note to self:order the "Pink" sauce. For dessert I had the Tartufo- a chocolatey , creamy ball rolled in crushed walnuts and sprinkled with coco powder and drizzled with chocolate sauce. I know it's not in the Weight Watchers point system, but man it was good. I couldn't finish the pasta, so I had it for breakfast yesterday.
Not much has been going on. I was suppposed to work a job last Thursday and got coverage and then the people who hired me said they had the wrong date, could I work Tuesday the 6th instead . I juggled my stuff, but I couldn't get Thursday back, so, I was all excited with the possibilities I could indulge in having an unexpected day off. Go to the movies ? Call a friend to go to lunch ? Head up to Gloucester and look at the water ? Hmm ? I ended up working on my bank statements. I hadn' t balanced them in a while and it took a couple of hours . However, I felt really good when it was all done.
I was working on Boston Common the day of the fake bomb scare. First , we heard a lot more sirens, than usual, and saw a lot of police cars screaming down Tremont Street. Then we heard a helicopter, then another and another.At the height of the alarm, there were about 6 helicopters hovering over the Common. The Chief sent a Ranger to be in the center all day.They shut down the Red line. I was concerned about how I was going to get home. I know I can walk the couple of miles back to my home, in case the whole system got shut down, I just didn't want to do all that walking. I didn't have appropriate shoes on. My co-workers were calling relatives who would be at home watching tv , maybe they could tell us what was going on. The Rangers only knew the last thing the Chief had communicated to them, that pipe bombs had been found.
By the end of the day, the trains were running again. I got home on time. It's turned into quite a media scandal. It's gone worldwide and made Roeters ! Unbelievable !
So, that's the week that was. I am not looking forward to going outside. At least it's not snowing.