2001-10-26 - 1:38 p.m.

Speaking of fun (NOT) I planned to go to NJ this weekend, to see my family and attend Patty's kid's birthday party. When I called my Mom to give her an approximate ETA, she went into a small rant about my dad. Which makes me want to not go home at all, because I don't want to hear it. Listen, he's been a great father to me, but I would never be able to be married to someone like him. So I feel her pain. But I certainly don't want to be her outlet for it, you know? So now I'm dreading the weekend, although I know she'll just vent about it and it will be over - will no one allow me to keep any illusions intact? Man.

I am, that aside, feeling much better than yesterday, though. I went out for drinks with Jerry and Maria, then home to order in dinner and watch a movie with the boyfriend.

It looks like they are going to start running the N and R trains this weekend, which should help the overcrowding on the other lines, and will be one more step toward normalcy. I keep saying that I'm not afraid of the anthrax thing, that the odds of me encountering it are slim. Not in the media, not a public figure, not a postal employee, not near a government building... and yet. This morning on the subway, there was an empty seat. Normally, there'd be someone elbowing me out of the way to get to it. But there was a flyer on it - a folded piece of paper. And noone wanted to move it, or touch it. So the seat stayed empty, in the middle of a crowded rush hour train. Strange.

The natives have been restless in my neighborhood this weekend. Last night it started rather early. I looked out the window around 9ish, just in time to see some bedraggled looking skinny guy taking a leak on the side of the mailbox. He had his back to the sidewalk on that side of the street, which gave everyone in and across the street an unobstructed view of him relieving himself. Which was no treat, I assure you. But the real fun doesn't start these days until about 11:30 - you know, just when we're going to bed. Yelling, singing, dogs barking their heads off at each other. I want to scream out the window at the assholes who think it's ok to continue to stand together at midnight, even though their dogs are barking maniacally at each other. I so want to open the window and lean out - but whenever I think about it, I get a visual of myself in curlers, a nightgown, and a green facial mask, opening the window and throwing a big pot of water on them. I don't know why, but I get that mental picture every time. And then I crack myself up and forget about it. *sigh* It almost makes me long for winter, when it's too cold for the freaks to be out.

I'm off to get some coffee now, and to mail Weetabix her Doc Marten laces, before I cut out of here early. Oh, and one more thing. If you haven't already, go send my girl Jen some love. Seriously. I'd like to bitch-slap him myself.

last - next