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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in
The Only Living Boy in New York's LiveJournal:
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| Friday, November 20th, 2009 | | 5:36 pm |
Squirrel Girl would be proud
Caught a squirrel up in my attic room at my parent's house today. Took it to Flushing-Meadow Park and released it there - I figure that's far enough away that it won't come back, and still gives it the best chance of survival. This is the third squirrel this year. At least this one was alive. It was also the most destructive, leaving lots of evidence of its raiding. I really wish my father would get the hole in the roof I discovered fixed so no more break in. On a very slightly related note, a few days ago I saw the South Park "Starvin Marvin" episode for the first time, and watched the residents get attacked by killer turkeys, until they fight back and kill them all. The next day, the front cover of NY Newsday announced an emergency turkey hunting season in Suffolk County because of repeated attacks by a booming population of wild turkeys. Life imitating Art? | | Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 | | 10:35 pm |
Something different - a video game critique
I've never written about video games in my LJ before (despite enjoying them all my life) but, then again, I've rarely got to play through a new game right when it came out before, and talk about it when everyone else is talking about it. I've been very console deprived throughout my life, and never had a computer powerful enough to run the latest games. But my brother purchased an Xbox 360 when he got back from Iraq, and while we've mostly been buying the best games of the last few years at half price, a few games were exciting enough to buy right at release. The first was the recent Batman game, which was pretty uncontroversial - there's only so many ways all the reviewers in the world can say "This game is awesome", and my only original comments were petty fanboy quibblings. The second, last week, was Modern Warfare 2, and it's that I want to talk about. ( Cut for minor spoilers ) | | Friday, November 13th, 2009 | | 4:58 pm |
There's a dead kitty in the back yard. It looks to be an adolecent, all black, dead for at least a day. No sign of what killed it. I had to dispose of it. Another dead one, and this is before the winter has even started... Current Mood:  sad | | Friday, October 30th, 2009 | | 5:24 pm |
Complaining about the Weater, Part 523
Back in New York. Back in my comfort zone. Back amoung the streetlights and busses and trains and narrow streets and looming buildings and deep shadows and milling people and constant noise and everything else I've grown up with and feel vaguely uneasy without. Well, comfortable for everything except the weather. I'm lucky - it's only chilly, not freezing. I managed to dodge the huge wave of freeze and snow that washed over the NorthEast, and now it's back to normal fall weather. The 50s feel a lot less obnoxious in the end of October then they do in the begining of September. And it's been raining all week since I got home - which is at least predictable, unlike the sudden shifts from brightsunlight to pouring rain that kept taking me by surprise in Florida. (Although that rainstorm on Miami Beach as the sun went down was expected and pretty cool.) And fall. It's so pretty, but I hardly ever notice. I don't really appreciate fall when it comes on gradually. When there's a little more day after day, it's just a another depressing reminder of how summer is over, and how freedom and warmth are being replaced by school/work and the invetible freezing cold. But coming into it suddenly, when it's in full bloom against the cold dark sky, when I can tell and be sure that the air smells different, and tastes different, and everything feels changed - it's stunning. I still know, subconciously, that it's really a constant surrounding sign of death, and of the invetibility of winter, and of how miserable and nasty the weather will be for the next few months. But it's still beautiful. | | Tuesday, October 27th, 2009 | | 5:55 pm |
Why does it take all of 5 minutes to adjust to Florida's heat, but it takes all winter to get used to NYC's cold? And why isn't the heat on in the apartment? It's certainly chilly enough. | | Monday, October 26th, 2009 | | 1:17 pm |
Why does a comparitively smaller airport like Orlando have 4 times as many check-in staff and TSA staff then any terminal in JFK or LaGaurdia that I've been in? I breezed through the whole process in 15 minutes. Why can't that happen in New York? Why are two of the biggest airports in the world horribly understaffed, while others seem to have more workers then they need? | | Saturday, October 24th, 2009 | | 11:19 am |
Observations on a rental car
What idiot designer thought it was a good idea to put the cupholders in the car door instead of on the dash? If you're drinking from a soda can or an open cup or anything else without a cover, it'll splash all over the place every time you have to open/close the door. | | Friday, October 23rd, 2009 | | 4:50 am |
Strange Native Rituals
So I have almost completed my time among these gentle Floridians. Today I observed one of the strangest rituals practiced by the residents of Miami. They all gather at the chosen one's house to play video games. But instead of playing multiplayer games or trading off, one person plays a single player game and everyone else watches and comments. (and occasionally naps.) The game tonight was Brütäl Lëgënd, and the chosen player was me. With so many people cheering me on, I dared not falter or pause, much less take a bathroom break or dare suggest the heresy of playing another game. The game is hilarious and excellent and fun, so it wasn't much of a torture (especially compared to Pixel Guy a few nights earlier). But it was odd, not the sort of things I could not see many in my social group tolerating for more then a few minutes, much less an entire night. But it worked - I had a lot of fun, and it seemed to be some sort of bonding experience, and I felt a tiny bit like "one of the gang" at the end. They don't seem to realize the gift they were born into, to reside in this magical world of eternal summer, where cold is just a myth, a story that happens to someone else in a far away land. They pump up the air conditioner even in the mild 70s nights, as if to experience this cold air they hear about. It leaves me, who's fled here to escape just such frigidy, shivering and covered in layers. But I can always retreat outside, where the wonderful warmth embraces me in a humid blanket once again. | | Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 | | 7:42 pm |
Spent the day just staying in ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) cagexxx apartment, catching up on various work things, reading, and wandering around the area. And it feels like I just started, but the sun is already going down. It's like time passes even faster here then back home. | | Sunday, October 18th, 2009 | | 12:12 pm |
| | Friday, October 16th, 2009 | | 12:31 am |
Hapless and Helpless
Nearly a month lying in bed... followed by a weekend of religious dancing on Simchas Torah... followed by having to run like hell to catch my flight when some presents in my carry on fell under the prohibited liquids list led to a brief detention and search... made worse by my gate being all the way at the other end of the terminal... (all of the above done in dress shoes)... followed by walking for 3 miles yesterday exploring the immediate area of Port Charlotte. I woke up this morning with excruciating charlie horse. For once, something on my leg hurts worse then my knee - namely all of both upper legs and the back part of both lower legs. It's been so long since I've had charlie horse, I'm not sure when the last time was. I also have a blister on the outer side of each fourth (ring?) toe. Fortunately, stretches, time, and painkillers eased it, and I can walk regular distances again. Hopefully it'll continue feeling better tomorrow, there's a lot of walking I want to do. | | Wednesday, October 14th, 2009 | | 12:47 pm |
Spent the morning wandering around Port Charlotte. Walked about 3 miles. I seem to the be only pedestrian here - everyone else is driving. There aren't even any sidewalks, or shade trees by the side of the road. Had a delicious breakfast at a local diner, but it's amazing how far of a walk it is to get to anything. The weather is lovely, wonderfully hot and humid. After eating, came across a women who had pulled over and called animal control. A baby racoon was lying in the middle of the road, clearly injured. Another lady came out of a nearby house and helped move it off the street and into some shade until the animal control officer got there and took it away. It'll probably be put to sleep, but that's better then getting run over a second time. My knee is hurting - between dancing on Simchas Torah, running for the plane, and this walk, I've really been exerting it. And my allergies and throat and athsma are bothersome, though no where near as bad as back home. And the rest of me feels wonderful. | | 12:17 am |
The weather outside is delightful
Safely arrived in Florida. Had a very eventful morning. What follows is the entry I typed on the plane while trying to get the onboard wi-fi to work. It's been a short but eventful day. I'm typing this on the airplane, which I caught at the last second. They teased us with the promise of free wi-fi, but apparently you have to pay for most of it. The air in the cabin oscillates between freezing and painful or warm and overly dry. I have an odd seat, but in a strange way, a good one. My original seat seems to have been taken by some very hip and nordic girls (possibly trans, I'm not sure) with some very well matched relaxingwear and lovely hairstyles. Not particularly caring about my assigned seat, I asked for the empty seats diagonally back from them. I'm sitting in a tiny blocked off section - just two rows of two chairs each. In front of me is a wall separating me from the steward/ess cabin, and the row behind me appears to be reserved for crew. So, for the most part, I have an entire small corner of the plane all to my self. I can lean my seat back, I can put my feet up against the wall and try to nap. (If only I hadn't lost my travel pillow!) And most importantly, the other seat in my row is empty, so I can spread out, and I can put my fragile stuff there instead of crushing it in the overhead compartment. But my window shows me nothing but a jet engine. Fortunately, I can see the window ahead of me before the wall, and watch as ghostly streams of unknown substance get sucked into the engine. The wing juts into my field of view, which, surprisingly, instead of being annoying, frames the ground with a wonderful triangle shape that makes certain features, like airfields, look all the prettier. I wish there was some way to know what part of the world your airplane is flying over, so that when you look out the window, you would know what road and farms and towns you were looking at. I wish I had thought to bring gum. Add that to the list of things not to forget next time. Along with my overcoat. It was warm enough today that I forgot to grab it while rushing out. I'll regret that on the ride home from the airport when I return. The pilot just announced that temperature in Tampa is 88 degrees. In mid-October! PARADISE! | | Wednesday, October 7th, 2009 | | 3:06 pm |
more crap
So yesterday I was supposed to go back to the ENT for more tests to determine why I've been getting so sick all month. But in the morning, I got a call from the office telling me the appointment was canceled because not only were they unable to get approval for the testing - but they were informed that my insurance has been canceled as of that day. This is after all the hours I put into getting it renewed, not to mention catching what ever the hell this was that laid me low for nearly a month while waiting all day at the health headquarters just to submit a few forms. There's nothing I can do until I get the letter telling me that my insurance has been rescinded, and more importantly, why. I couldn't guess why, as I jumped through every hoop they put in front of me, but I do remember the last time this happened, it was because of a typo on the part of some unknown bureaucrat, and it took me 6 months to get my coverage back. | | Monday, October 5th, 2009 | | 5:03 pm |
I still remember the 80s, doesn't anyone else?
With New York City having become so safe, are people loosing some of their basic survival instincts? I feel uncomfortable if I leave the car windows open or the doors unlocked for just a minute when I run in somewhere. But twice in the last two weeks I've noticed two people leave their cars running with the keys in the ignition while they ran into their houses. Walking around my neighborhood late at night, I notice that quite a few of the co-ops leave their front door wide open. I'm certain the inner doors that lead to the individual apartments are locked, but it's still bizarre to see, when I can remember a time when every door had a half-dozen locks on them. Still, unlike a idling car, it does add a certain pleasant and safe feeling to the neighborhood. Current Mood: icky | | Friday, October 2nd, 2009 | | 5:23 pm |
Health Update
I've been meaning to write this all week, but I've been too stressed/sick/busy. Thanks to these illnesses, I'm a month behind on everything. I specifically mention this because of the wonderful responses to my Yom Kippur post, each of which deserves a thoughtful response from myself in turn, if I can find the time to do it. Last week, I felt better a day or two, then started feeling worse again. Instead of the right side of my throat hurting and swelling up, the left side was doing it. I had a followup with the doctor already scheduled, so I went in and had myself checked over. He checked me out and sent me back to the ENT specialist, this time with a day's warning so tests could be pre-approved. So last Friday I went back to the ENT, and they ran a whole bunch more tests on me. And sticking that video tube down my nose and into my throat again, they discovered that I now have Sinusitus. They ran the same test last week and didn't find this - this is something new. I'm sick yet again. And now on a whole new round of antibiotics, my third in as many weeks. But this was a week ago, and I seem to be getting better. I'm still feeling crappy most of the time, and occasioanlly feverish, and my allergies are murder, but I'm on my feet and slowly working through a three week backlog of things that need to be dome. But the allergies and dropping temperatures are making getting better a challege. When the temperature dropped to the 40s yesterday and barely went up, I was sick and utterly miserable all day, and wound up shivering in bed for half of it. So on that note, I'm planning on going to Florida after the holidays are over. Get away from the cold, and more importantly, get away from the allergens while ragweed season is at its worse. Give my body a chance to heal. And to see my friends, of course. So, to all of you in Florida, you're on notice. Get in touch with me, we'll plan. | | Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 | | 10:44 pm |
Runoff
The turnout for the runoffs in my neighborhood was actually slightly higher then for the primaries. My district and the booth next to it both got ten+ more votes. Perhaps the papers constant complaining about the low turnout had some effect. Jenny's district had a lower turnout, though. But both had the vast majority of votes go to Yassky and Green. Virtually everyone I've talked to through out the city was voting for Yassky and Green. And yet they seem to have lost, and the union/WFP machine candidates won. Looks like glowing endorsements from all the major papers and politicians don't get candidates as many votes as the unions pushing their members to the polling booths. | | Sunday, September 27th, 2009 | | 5:53 pm |
Thought on Repentance
Every Yom Kipper I struggle with the fact that I'm apologizing to G-d for things I'm not sorry for and repenting for sins I wholeheartedly enjoyed and fully intend to do again. But I've came to the very uncomfortable realization that even when I'm feeling bad about all this, I'm not feeling bad that I sinned against G-d - I'm feeling bad that my life is unpleasant and lot of bad things that are out of my control have happened to me, which I attribute to G-d and as punishment for my sins. What do I do about this? Not only is my repentance insincere, but even when I feel bad for my sins I'm selfishly feeling bad for the wrong reasons. On that note, I want to apologize to all my friends, acquaintances and readers if I've hurt or inconvenienced them though my thoughtlessness and stupidity. These are the sins that I really, honestly, wholeheartedly do regret. | | Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009 | | 4:52 pm |
Equinox
2009 shall forever be remembered as the summer that never was. R.I.P. warmth. :( | | Monday, September 21st, 2009 | | 2:14 pm |
I can't breathe
First I go to get my health insurance renewed, and I catch an infection that sickens me for weeks. Now that I'm getting over it, I spend two days in synagogue praying for good health, and there I catch a cold. The irony is not lost on me. |
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