Around and about - sort of

You know what's wonderful? Air conditioning. Purrr.

I'm camped out at the new place. Currently waiting for the phone guy (time window of 12-6pm, so this could take a while, ya think?) to come install a new jack for when I move my computer into the living room. In the meanwhile I'm trying to catch up on a lot of stuff so don't mind me if I'm not very punctual about email or LJ replies.

On the positive side, there's a chance I might be able to get a new monitor from my old job since BigBoss doesn't think there's much point in selling them. I'll be talking with him later tonight so keep your fingers crossed.

Other than that I'm fairly content. Slept well, had lunch, making a thousand and one phone calls - did I mention I have air conditioning? Happy sigh.

I'm such a good wife

Gacked from catscradle

1. On the Job - what is the single most stupid/irritating question you've ever been asked at work, and how did you respond?

One night during my time as a New Orleans tour guide, the French Quarter decided to blow up. Basically manhole covers were deciding to screw that whole "staying in the ground" thing and were exploding into the air. It made the Quarter very dangerous but it was still possible to give a walking tour if you stayed in certain areas (in theory).

At the start of the tour my boss and I explained the situation to the gathered tourists, and then asked if there were any questions. One of them raised his hand and said "What do we do if a manhole cover hits us?"

I silently thanked the God of Comedy Setup Lines and replied "Well the usual procedure is to clutch your head and then fall to the ground screaming."

Scarily, none of the tourists got the joke.

2. Who is your favorite villian (can be from a TV show, book, comic, cartoon, et cetera)?

Like catscradle I love me some Harley Quinn, but these days I'm partial to Angelus.

3. What type of person are you - nice, friendly, sarcastic, abusive, ditzy, exciting, boring . . . ?

Pfft - all of the above, depending on the mood you get me in.

4. Drive or public transportation - and which do you prefer?

Depends on where I'm living? I'm basically in the burbs now which means that it's car or nothing. There's public transportation here but it sucks. But when I lived in proper cities like Manhattan and New Orleans I relied on public transportation and that was fine. You couldn't get me to drive a car in Manhattan if you paid me.

5. Have you ever eaten sushi?

Yeah but I'm fairly sushi neutral. Tried it years and years ago and barely remember the experience.

6. What's the best dinner you've ever had?

Over in Germany we - my dad, my brother, his wife, her parents and her brother and sister - went to this restaurant to thank my sis-in-law's family for putting up with us putting us up for the week. It was this great food with the best French Onion soup I've ever had. I hate that I'd have to go back to Germany and track the restaurant down to eat it again.

There have been others though. My brother's wedding dinner is one. Mom's Thanksgiving dinners and my grandmom's Xmas dinners are others.

And then there was the night in New Orleans when we were swamped with Halloween tours and I and 2 of my fellow tour guides were starving and desparately in need of a break from all the @#$%ing tourists. We escaped into the Chart House and had the best steak dinners of our lives, helped in part by the fact that it was an oasis in the storm.

7. Fantasy wedding - what would yours be? (need not want to marry to answer this question - all sexual orientations welcome)

Similar to my two brothers'. They went for small weddings of about 30 people which meant that the only people there were family and close friends. It made everything so cozy. I'd want something like that, and probably use the caterer that my middle brother used because damn that was some good food.

8. Favorite number?

3. I don't know why.

9. Favorite beverage (can be alcoholic or non-alcholic)?

Coke. I actually drink water 90% of the time (these days - I used to be a diehard Cokaholic) but water's just water. For a favorite drink you need flavor and that's Coke.

10. What would you name a Smurf?

Bitter Smurf.

Shut up. Just shut up.

Ahem. So the thing is the phone guy is coming on the sixteenth and not, as for example, today.

I found that out when I decided that 5, even though still well within the window of 12-6, was late enough for me to call and make sure the guy hadn't done something stupid like knock on the front door of the building and not realized that he needs to press the bell if he wants to get me. I pull out my notes to get my confirmation number and luckily I was smart when I made the phone call b/c there it was in blue and white - 16th.

Don't I feel like a schmuck?

Oh well. At least it didn't mess me up. I did a few things on my computer that I've needed to do for a while now so at least that's out of the way.

In the meanwhile I need to go to the library so here's me doing that. Back later.

Not my brightest day

So I went out to the library and I walk because it's basically three blocks away (long city blocks, but still 3 blocks). My unemployment check came today too so I bring that along to deposit in the atm.

I do a quick call to my mom to share in the dorkiness of me getting the date for the phone guy wrong and she tells me a big storm is coming. It's 5pm and dark like it's 9 but do I let this phase me? Of course not.

It starts sprinkling when I leave the apt and actually raining by the time I get to the bank. I manage to duck in before my check gets wet (I had it and my library book in a canvas bag) and figure I'm good.

I go out again and the heavens open.

Luckily my old apt is just down the block so I head for that with visions of being trapped there - hot but at least with cable TV - for hours dancing in my head. Except I don't have my security card to get in. I remember when I moved in being told my keys would take care of this situation. I find out now I was lied to.

Luckily somebody else comes along and swipes his security card so I can get in. Then, like the major dork I am, I make a big show of going to my mailbox to check my mail so this guy won't think I'm some weird girl trying to get into the building to set off a bomb or something.

Like he could care.

I go up to my apt, get rid of the junk mail and decide to call Mer in the city so she can laugh at my situation. Only thing is my cell phone doesn't work in my old apt (not very well anyway) and when I go to pick up the land line - BUZZZZZZCCCRRRSSSSSSS - I forget that I have the exact same phone line in my new apt and that I left the computer logged on. So no luck with the phone.

I then debate with myself what the Hell to do b/c I'd really like to get to the library before it closes and I'm not keen on being trapped in the hot apt for hours, even if I can order in food (in theory).

I then - after way too much time has passed - remember that I used to live in this apt and that therefore things like raincoats and umbrellas can be found in the closets.

This is so not the smartest day I've ever had.

I grab a baseball cap and an umbrella and head out.

It's pouring but my library book (The Naked Chef Takes Off - not nearly as good as the first book. Jamie, hon, put the chilies down) is safe. Plus I'm wearing dark colors and sandals and it's a warm rain so actually it's kind of fun, especially now that I can, you know, see.

I squish my way through the library, make a copy of the one recipie in the book that I felt was worth bothering with and then grab two books to sustain me over the weekend, assuming I don't finish both of them by Thursday.

On the way back I grab a big sandwich for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow, and then make the mistake of going to a new convienence store on the way back to get chips and some chocolate. I pick this place out of all the other ones along the way because it's brand new and the last time I stopped by they had just opened and I was only ducking my head in to see what the spice prices were like (the owners are Indian so I wanted to see if they'd have better prices compared to the American stores). The guy behind the counter - who I assume is the owner - was all happy to see me and "can I help you?" in a geniune way and at the time I felt bad that really I didn't need anything. So I figure I'll stop by today to even out the karma there.

Bad idea. He charged me a dollar for a Hershey bar. A dollar. For a regular bar too, mind you. Not a king size or anything. Pfft. I know all convienence stores are basically Ye Old Stop and Rob but jeez - give me some lube first, would ya?

I suppose I'm a schmuck for paying the dollar but at that point I was hungry and just wanted to get home.

The rain had more than stopped by then so things were getting humid (ah, the one difference between North East summer rains and New Orleans summer rains - here we actually care about the humidity. Down in NO you were always at a 100% so it's not like the rain can make it worse). Plus I discovered that the way back is actually on a hill. Yeah, the way back is also the way there but point is it's a slight hill so you don't notice it on the way down, just when you're on the way up and you're hot and humid and now carrying library books and some groceries.

But still, kinda fun for all that I'm apparently brain damaged today.