Happy Kitty Love to all!

Today will be a good day.

"Upon awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives. . . . Here we ask . . . that we be shown all through the day what our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we need to take care of such problems." -- Alcoholics Anonymous

I'm done laundry. I'm about to shut down the computer, take a shower, and get on the bus. I've got my i-Pod, my book (which we've already established as a good distraction) and paperwork to do, if I feel so inclined.

I promise to not get too upset. I promise to not let noise or other people make me angry today, EVEN if people are being dicks. Let me let them be dicks and go on my merry way! I will also try to smile a lot more.

New toys! Yay!

Does this cat look evil to you? P. says he does. I think that's just crazy. Look at those adoring eyes....

My friend Jean-Paul of Shadow Lane fame just sent me a flogger that he'd made himself. Isn't it pretty? P. tried it out on me last night and it was quiet stingy, both on my back and butt. But he was also able to make it nice, with a bit of thuddiness.
Thanks, Jean-Paul; can't wait to use it on YOU next!

speaking of pseudo-intellectual book lovers...

I've got my nose in a book this morning on the 1 train; it's a slightly older book that I never got around to reading until now and I can hardly put it down. It's called "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers, and is about a 21-year-old whose parents die within five months of each other, and he has to raise his little brother. Unbelievably good. I'm behind everyone else in discovering this, of course...

I'm about half-way through, on a very exciting and funny scene. I notice we are at 96th street, people get on, and I resume reading. Three stops to go. The train continues through the tunnel. I am completely lost in the story. We go by 103rd, 110th, and, apparently, 116th, my normal stop.

None of this becomes obvious until I notice the train has suddenly gotten much brighter. I look up and there's sunlight through the windows -- we're now above ground on the elevated track, pulling into 125th. I'm disoriented and can't even manage to collect my senses and get up and off the train. 125th is still an easy walk to my office, a block or two further than 116th.

Instead, I keep going to the next stop, 137th, which is too far to walk, well, at least not QUICKLY. It was already 9 a.m. Not only that, but there's no transfer point there -- I had to exit, go upstairs, cross Broadway, enter the downtown side, and head back. I got off at 125th afterall because I just wanted to get off the train at that point.

Dork. Well, at least I wasn't walking and reading. Smack me if you ever see me doing that.

Don't worry

I have my moments, but I'm not turning into ranting subway lady just yet. Today I get on the 1 train south, which is not crowded, and thankfully I get a seat on the end with no one touching me. I am trying not to look at anyone directly, but across from me, slightly to the right, is this pair of skinny legs moving and stomping. Stomp, stomp, stomp. Oh, no, someone's "dancing" along to her i-Pod, I think. I mutter out loud the first phrase that comes to me, "Oh, no, we don't need this."

Well, turns out the girl didn't have her i-Pod on, she was just being randomly obnoxious, and she must have heard me because she stopped. She and her two young twitty friends continued to talk loudly across the train to each other, but at least no more stomping. At 96th THEY didn't move, so I did -- got off and hopped on the express to 42nd. A lot of people get off at 96th to catch the 2 or 3, but I like staying on the 1 local because once it clears out it's so nice, and the express at that time of day tends to be crowded. As it was, I did have to stand in the middle of the car, but no one was touching me, I had a pole to grip, and when the evening's performance started (a VERY bad, thankfully not-too-loud singer), I pulled out my i-Pod and blasted my own music.

A good commute, although, between trains to Astoria and the traffic home, we tend to get in very late. It's 8 p.m. already and P. is just cooking dinner now.

And another thing...

If you think you've mastered walking and texting at the same time -- you haven't. You're blocking everyone else, because you don't think you have to wait or move out of the way. Did you realize you were walking around a very busy city, it's morning, and people are trying to get to work?

OK, this also goes for you pseudo-intellectual book lovers who can't take your noses out of your books for two minutes while exiting subway.

And again, for cell phone users who can't wait outside a train station to make a call, but have to block half the stairway by making the call after they come down into the station. What is WRONG with you?

I have again spoken.

People. Please. Shut up. I'm VERY CRANKY!

Okay, I'm trapped on the freakin' little bus, not enough room on the seats, everyone's squished together, there's no overhead rack for our bags or coats so there's even less room, the damn Treee Lighting Ceremony is going on at Rockefellor Center so crazy tourists are swarming all over the place and the bus is dragging through traffic.

It's like, an hour-and-a-half ride from midtown to Oakland Gardens, Queens.

Do I HAVE to sit there on top of everything else and listen to your long, loud cell phone conversations? Two days in a row. Cell phones with ringers turned up, people yakking in three seats around me, no one gives a F*** how annoying and irritating that is when most of the bus is quiet (it's not so bad on a normal, regular in-city route where it's already noisy and people are coming and going).

The one day, I was sitting there ready to start screaming. I wanted to read my book. Yes, I had my i-Pod, and was ready to turn it on as a last resort, but to drown out these ignoramuses i would have had to turn it up very loud, it may have given me a headache and I wouldn't have been able to read.

I'm not a complete cell phone nazi. I don't care if you have to make a call on the bus, really. But speak softly, and don't go on and on and on for half an hour, 45 minutes gossipping and talking about sex. For god's sake don't start a sales pitch. I BEG YOU, don't start a sales pitch.

I wonder if I can start some kind of movement. Yes, I realize I'm coming across as Ms. Cranky tonight, but the commute is hellish enough without this. When I feel like I'm sharing the pain with my fellow commuters it's not so bad. When I want to get up and throttle them, it's not so nice.

I have spoken.

One screwed-up Google search

Well, today I am cooking "Rutabaga Casserole" for my brother's Thanksgiving dinner later, and the recipe I cut and pasted yesterday (yeah, when I was supposed to be working) had a typo.

I did a Google search for "Rutabago Casserole" plus "Saltines" because that was one of the ingredients. The THIRD choice that popped up was a white supremicist web site.

Ewwwwwww. In between hanging nooses and burning crosses, it seems they are downright homey and exchange recipes with each other. NOT what I was looking for, thank you very much. I won't post the web site here; I don't need to perpetuate hatred. But if you do the search exactly like I said above, you'll see what I mean.

Here's the recipe I am making: Rutabaga Casserole

Enjoy!

We just want to be loved

Is that so WRONG?

Deliciously sore this morning

We had an audience at paddles last night, and P. took advantage and gave it to me really, really hard. God, it felt good. The usual needy men were lurking about. I can't deal with most of them. Last night, I really didn't want to. Maybe I am judgmental and shallow. But it's so hard to play with someone who turns you off. If a guy wants to be spanked, does he have to be pathetic about it? There are a few who aren't, and I like playing with them.

But, enough about them. I had a good time. P. strapped me for a long time. THEN used the nasty rat tail. THEN paddled me -- hard -- with a wooden paddle. I was yelling out loud when he used that. Mercifully, he only gave me 20 strokes. Then he "just" used his hand to finish me off. Wow.

Perfect end to the day

I came home after my meeting and at 9:30 p.m. there was a parking spot right across the street from the building. Oh, Joy! Could life get any better? It's cold; I was so glad I didn't have to walk all the way from 73rd Avenue. At the meeting we read and discussed the 6th Step. Character defects. Are you ready to have them removed? Ha! I have so many.

P. and I watched last week's episode of The Office, which we'd missed. And had popcorn.

Now, bedtime; back to work tomorrow. It's going to be very busy...

Beautiful, busy day off

I have to admit I have a hard time relaxing. It's something I need to work on -- but in the meantime, there are things to be done. Today I took a personal day, with the idea that I would use it to go over to Social Security office and the Department of Motor Vehicles to officially change my name (in case anyone doesn't know, P. and I got married last December, and till today I hadn't legalized my name change).

Drive to Jamaica, which I am not familiar with. It is a busy area, and I had forgotten quarters for the meter so I drove till I found a free parking place a distance away from Social Security but reasonably close to Motor Vehicles. Social Security was annoying. A long line to wait on, a Chinese girl standing behind me too closely, repeatedly bumping into me as a result. Glares and constant shifting did not get through to her, apparently. I know it's a cultural thing somehow. I need more space to feel comfortable; perhaps she simply needs LESS to feel comfortable.

When my turn came, the employee was less than helpful. Downright surly. Stared at my marriage license, then checked computer screen, then stared at license, then checked screen again, all the while saying nothing to me. I was feeling really uncomfortable, waiting for some bad news that I didn't have "proper" documentation. (What that could have been, I have no idea). Finally he shoved a paper at me through the window opening to sign. I signed it and he didn't say anything else. "Is that it, then?" A surly nod. Okay, then, have a good day. I get new card in about two weeks. He lectured me that I must have our last name on mailbox. OK. Whole visit took, I guess, around 45-50 minutes.

At the NY Department of Motor Vehicles I had a completely opposite experience. All three people I had to deal with were friendly: The information desk lady, the photo lady, and the payment dude. I was second in line to information, she took my form and told me to step around to the photo area. I stepped around, expecting to wait half an hour like in Jersey. No. They took my picture right away, and the lady let me look at the screen to make sure I liked it. Then they said to wait in the other area for my number to be called. I had a seat, again expecting a half-hour wait, but then I looked up at the screen and my number was already up there. I walked over to the window, signed something, gave him my check, and that was it. New license in two weeks. Total amount of time: less than 10 minutes. Unbelievable. I'm very excited about my new name finally being official, by the way!

Between SS and DMV I walked down Jamaica Boulevard. There are tons of discount stores there, and I walked into a fabric shop to check out their prices. While I was browsing I noticed they sold foam rubber. This is one of my many projects to finish -- fixing the couch, which my cats have destroyed, for Paul. I was going to order foam from a Manhattan place, but this was cheaper, and I got more for the price. The guy cut it for me using an electric knife, the kind you carve a turkey with. I bought some muslin to cover it, and I'll pick out upholstery fabric later. (I'll have to bring in a swatch of the old cover to match the color).

Then I had to walk about seven blocks back to the car with this load -- but it was worth it.

After DMV, I went home, did laundry,

then decided to put up the bike hangers that I bought ages ago. The bike needed to be put out of the way.

While I had the drill out, I also put up the first of several closet hangers I'm installing to hold our toys. There wasn't time for anything else, I had to go pick P. up then. We had pork chops and I made "zucchini boats" as a side dish.

Yes, I'm insane. Too much for one day. And I still have my aa meeting later.

Curtains are hung! Valence is done!

I bought curtain rods last week, and took the plunge and put them up yesterday. Took a special drill bit to get through the wall, I think we are right up against a hardwood stud. I had some fabric I'd purchased a while ago, so I made valences for the top (it was a double curtain rod; one in front of the other).

Here is the result. Having never done this before, I think it came out pretty nicely.

I THOUGHT I would have pictures to post today of our newly repainted kitchen cabinets, but we are not done. The color looks nice, but we have some fixing to do on the second coat. Sigh.

I am so tired. Yesterday I also installed an under-counter garbage holder, but this meant sawing off part of the center support so that it would fit. It's not pretty, but it's hidden and looks better than what we were doing, which was hanging a bag over the handle of the stove.

I'm also tired because we went to Paddles last night. I got to play with B., a very hard male bottom, and I really loved whipping him with his own leather belt.

Paul got me good, as well, with hand, belt, strap and nasty rattail. !!!!