I Can Do 40

I'm referring to the temperature people :-). And I can do 40 degrees because I had to last week - brrr! Surprisingly, I had a good weekend. I will explain, but first:

I BOUGHT A TICKET TO COME BACK TO AUSTIN!! WOOHOO! I'm coming back December 5th - that's a Wednesday people. Be ready :-).

Ok, back to life. So I left off last Wednesday. Last Wednesday I went over to my friend's house - Mo, softball guy. He had gone to the hospital Tuesday and was all doped up and home sick and all, so I went to keep him company. I offered to bring food, but we ended up ordering Chinese for delivery at his place. No worries about what he had - he had gotten a cut on his neck infected, and was on antibiotics and pain meds. So yeah. So we decided to watch a movie, and he said I'd love the movie "The Doors" basically about Jim Morrison. We watched it - oh my God, it was scary! I don't know that that was the intended effect, but it scared the crap out of me. Maybe I have control issues, but how can a man be that reckless with his life? How can he abuse his body that much? Eeek - scary. Interesting movie, though.

Thursday I got bullied by Mo to go to a concert. Well, he had tickets and his friend bailed on him. I didn't feel like going, but I did. To Paul Lesh - he was part of Grateful Dead in the day. The theater (in Time Square) was really nice, and in the end I'm glad I went. It was nice music to just sit and listen to, even if you didn't know it. They did "improv rock" so I swear in their 2 hour sets, they played 5 songs in each - the songs just lasted forever. One band member would just go off on a tangent for awhile, and then they'd come back and then another would go off... crazy. The audience was interesting - older crown - 40-60 and sorta hippies. But nice :-). But I was tired and we stood for hours, so we left a little before it ended officially.

So Friday - which I count as the weekend. I slept a lot this weekend. It was very nice to sleep a lot - slept in Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and napped Friday and Saturday too :-). One reason is that my TV doesn't work - never could figure it out. So my place is quiet and there's not much to do. I read a bunch too - good thing I have a good book - "Kite Runner". And I'm listening to my music more. I finally made myself leave the house on Friday around 2 I think - went out to the Union Square Farmer's Market. Very fun, as usual, but different than Saturdays which is bigger. But got vegies, which makes me happy. Including brussel sprouts to try cooking, and purple carrots, and purple cauliflower :-). And got some apple cider and cider donuts - yum. Amazing that though it was a cold, rainy day, the farmer's market always cheers me up :-). So I brought my spoils back to the apartment (a block away), and got my computer to go to a coffee shop. I got food at a cute bakery in Union Square, but had troubles with their internet. But the leek quiche was tasty :-). So I went across to Starbucks and had good internet :-). Worked there for awhile, and I hate how it's dark before 5pm these days. But it was still rainy and cold, and my experiments were just running, so I decided to go to a movie. Went and saw "Gone Baby Gone" in a theater a block away :-). Very good movie - I liked the twist and the ending. I only go to movies now that rate highly on Rotten Tomatoes. :-). So I went back to Starbucks, checked on my jobs, and then walked to "Restaurant Row" to get Indonesian food, because I'm weird. Although it was rainy and cold and the walk was probably close to 3 miles, I had fun because I talked to Mary the whole time! Halleluah for friends :-). Always nice to chat. Lifts me up a bit. It'll be interesting to go back to my house in Austin :-). So I get my Indonesian food. I'm getting used to eating alone. I get a price fixed thing where I can try like 10 things. I really loved their peanut sauce and their shrimp crispy chips. I didn't like all the entree stuff, though. The chicken was odd, and the tofu with chili sauce wasn't that tasty. I liked the beef entrees - one with curry I think. My favorite was the string beans with curry - yum! I love vegetables. So, I left, and although the cold almost convinced me to take the subway - I persevered and walked home - my legs tired by when I got home. But I was lazy and didn't exercise otherwise, so there you go.

Saturday - more sleeping in - yay :-). I got up earlier this time because I wanted to go out to get breakfast. But I just went in a sweatshirt because I didn't feel like showering. I had a fantastic pumpkin muffin. And discovered Snapple's low calorie juices. I love gingerbread and pumpkin things during this time of year :-). And then I decided to wander around my neighborhood. Past the art in Union Square. Down Broadway, for fun. I got a free bag of popcorn - don't know why. Then I found a Beard Papa's store, which I've been wanting to try. They are from Japan - they sell supposedly fabulous cream puffs. I got a vanilla (regular) one and I have to say, what people say is right! Flaky crust, awesome filling. Yum. Then I happened upon a street fair thing, so I bought myself a roasted corn. Haphazard lunch. Then walked by NYU and came up University to see that on the way back. I like being around students :-). Stopped for a smoothie with pomegranate juice. Yippee - food makes me happy :-). So then I went home and holed in for awhile to warm up. It wasn't raining, but still chilly. I think this is when I took my nap. I also read a lot. My place is a mausoleum like that - very interesting, but quiet and cold and you feel you shouldn't touch things much. And I've gotten a lot of bug bites lately - I'm wondering if they are from my bed because another person in the building told me someone had bed bugs, and it's really cold outside for there to be bugs there. Weird. But it's a nice challenge - not having a TV. I was pretty down that afternoon, pretty bleak. Part of the reason is because by then I'd done enough experiments to verify the recent changes to my project just weren't working. So basically I knew we weren't going to make the paper (deadline being Thursday). Another failed project. But I'm taking it pretty well. And the reason is my 2 saviors this weekend: Rishi and Sharon.

So Rishi invited me to a Divali party on Saturday night. I waited for him to call me so I could just leave my house. Didn't get called until close to 9pm. But leave, I did. And wow, did that rejuvenate me. I just NEEDED people. Needed random conversation, even if it was "What do you do?" Needed to laugh - which I did, and that surprised me for some reason. But I had fun! I joked with people, I felt welcome. I ate Rishi's friend's homemade Indian food - the good cauliflower curry thing? And I drank wine. It was just great to be out, to feel like I had friends (sorta). Her apartment was really cute. And WARM! I stayed as long as possible - we all left around 2am after some good cards - Indians like cards of course :-). We played "Asshole" and the first 3 or so rounds I was the King! So fun :-). And I talked to people about their jobs, and about living in teh city. Most peopel here don't like their jobs, btw. But I have to say, I love the Indian culture. So a bunch of people there went to high school together in India. And they just KNEW each other, were close. Joked with each other. I love that closeness, that shared experience. I love that the girl who lived there waited until after 10pm to each because that's when her best friend came. And I love the hospitality, the informality. And I love that the 2 best friends (girls) leaned on each other and stroked each other's hair - they are CLOSE, you know? Americans don't do that. Anyway - that roused me out of my stupor of talking to no one for 2 days. It felt great :-). I fell asleep happy.

And Sunday was great! I woke up (although slept in), jumped up, finished organizing my place - still hadn't hung up a lot of my clothes (they were in suitcases). Headed out to grab a bagel for breakfast. It was still cold, but a crisp, sunny day, and it felt fantastic to be out. Indeed many were out. I saw Tim Robbins on the way to get my bagel! I swear! My carpool guy said he lives in the area. I only saw him briefly walking on 5th, but that was so cool. I love him :-). Had a tasty everything bagel, although I still like Asiago cheese and blueberry-type flavors better than what they generally have here. Then hurried home to bundle up for my braved bike ride. I wanted to exercise, but the cold really makes me not want to do anything. But today I was going! I had shorts, then hiking pants over them on the bottom, and my warmest socks. I had 3 layers on top - my long-sleeved workout shirt, a sweatshirt, then a light windbreaker. I put a cheese earwarmer headband thing I got free from IBM over my head under the helmet. Then gloves - and not my fingerless bike gloves - fingered gloves. I was ready :-). And I set out (after carting my bike down 3 flights). I was actually really warm, but I still appreciated my clothes. When I stopped for a bit in the park, I was cold pretty quick. So I biked up 6th Ave, and back 5th. And on account of it being a "nice" day, there were a lot of people out, so it was tricky manuevering on real streets with a lot of shoppers and cabs. But I'm getting better at it! So I went up to Central Park and around my big loop for the first time since I left the Upper West Side. Ah it was wonderful - like coming home. The park and it's familiar sights and green trees and space just cheers me up too. And there were a bunch of trees with fall colors this time. I was surprised. Although I see BEAUTIFUL trees and colors on my way to work everyday - just gorgeous - I haven't seen much in the city. But there were some in the park. So I passed my favorite parts of the park - saw skaters at Wollman Rink, saw the Boathouse, saw the obelisk, the reservoir, the old pool (now rink too), the Harlem Meer, the tennis courts. Took the hills again. It was great :-). At the end of my loop I hopped off my bike to see the skating rink and see the bridge - my stone bridge again. I have no idea why it strikes me so, but I love it. Beautiful scenes - a bride and groom were there taking pictures. And the lake with the ducks underneath, and trees drooping over the water - trees reflected in the water in yellow - beautiful. Very nice. So, had a great ride. Almost was sad when it was over.

I got home and had a text message from Sharon asking if I wanted to go to dinner! I was very happy - another friend get together. Sharon and I have been trying to get together for awhile now, and it's always not worked out (she was out of town for a couple of weeks). So, I showered (warmed up), and took care of some stuff around the house, then went out on the town again. A really cool store that I've been wanting to check out, Anthropologie, is across the street from me. So I went in. I wasn't in a shopping mood, and boy it was good because everything in there was too expensive for me, but it was fun to look :-). Then I checked out a HUGE sports store in the area - Paragon. I'd heard of it, but sheesh! I didn't know they made stores that big in this city. Again, I wasn't in the mood to shop, but there I could've bought stuff. Like a giant Sports Authority. And you turned a random corner and you were in another huge room for a different sport. Sorta neat. Then my friend Nalini called - it was nice to talk to her. She's good to me. I miss her. After that, it was time to go meet Sharon up by Columbia for dinner. And I was hungry - had only eaten a bagel all day! So I went up there - Columbia's campus is really pretty btw. She was there - had worked all day on her paper deadline. And we did what we always do - talk about boys :-). Well, her mostly - she let's me get a word in edgewise eventually :-). But it was good to see her nonetheless - great to just have girl-talk. We ate at Tom's Restaurant, too! The diner from Seinfeld? Very funny. I had a pizza hamburger and salad. But it was fun to catch up. And she is a very different person than me, so it's fun to get her take on things. Although she's a bit crazy too :-). Anyway - good times. I felt close to her even. And we stopped at Starbucks for a hot drink on our walk home - I got a pumpkin spice latte (decaf) that was very tasty. So, fun night! And another savior :-). Went home with a smile on my face. Even got myself a piece of gingerbread for a treat (the bike ride made me hungry). Went home and did chores, but felt happy about my weekend :-). 3 cheers for friends!

Today - another Monday. I was sad to tell my colleagues about the failure to make PLDI. Sad news, but what can I do? And how many failed projects can I have? We shall see... But there is more to be done - even other things to be done. On my way home I "discovered" Whole Foods which is in Union Square. FABULOUS place really! I could eat dinner from there every night! I got some treats there, some sorta stuffed salmon and cornbread and brought them home and made a big salad to go with them. Love Whole Foods, and my proximity to it! And watched a Netflix movie. So another good night! And with that, I'll sign off. Here's thinking about ya.