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     In the last four days I have started writing a post three times.  The other day I was so tired I just napped.  I started working full time at the store and this week I am opening for five days straight.  Remember though that now I have to use public transportation everyday so in order to be at work at 8 AM I have to take one of two buses, the 7:09 AM or the 7:25 AM bus.  In order to take the bus I have to be awake, dressed and at the bus stop minutes before it is supposed to arrive.  Thus my waking at 6:30 AM now.  Most people will rise up and complain about how they have been doing this sort of routine (or earlier) for much longer.  I understand and sympathize.  I, on the other hand, had work before this week at 2:30 PM at the earliest, which was Sunday.  My classes for the last few years never started before 11:30 and both Tad and I can be a bit of a night owl. 

     This is just an excuse though.  The real reason I haven't written in a few days is I feel there is nothing to write about.  Tad and I have been staying in as I adjust to my ever-changing schedule (which is going to give me lots of moolah hopefully) and all I've done is catch up on world news everyday and watch a movie from the library here and there. 

     Today we went to Toastmasters.  This is a national club that helps people overcome their problems with public speaking.  It uses informal environment, a mixture of impromptu/practiced speeches and guidance from more experienced members.  I will probably be joining it as a member although I will have to give ten speeches to complete the competency communication series.  Everyone was very nice to talk to, though, and I do need other things to do up here.  I can't always sit around and hang out with Tad.

     Last I am giving a shout out to my sister, Gara, who is moving from Rochester, NY to Oakridge, TN this weekend with my parents.  I hope everything goes better than my housing move did.  You know, having actual housing and all.  Jaa for now.

A Slow Day

     Since I have nothing else to do today I am watching Julie and Julia.  Ok, who cares if it is about blogging and cooking and maybe even what I originally wanted to do with this blog.  What?  No, not the cooking and Julia Child's BFF on the interwebs and all.  Just something cool like that.  Lobster killer.  Only, if you've seen the movie or read the book (I have yet to) they were in Queens and I in Brooklyn.  Also, they have actually jobs.  Oh, and I'm not obsessed with my blog, I just do it in my free time.

     I finished the book Three Men in a Boat and it was just as good the last page as the first.  I once again suggest you read it.  Hum de dum.  My mind is all over the place today.  Worst part is, of course, that I really have nothing better to do but looking for a nicer job or apartment.  I have done some of these very, very essential tasks this morning already.  Well, looking into it.  Started, really.

     What I should do today is clean the apartment now that my sister-in-law and her friend have left for school.  I also picked up the tiniest apples in existence.  They were called Lady Apples.

The large apple is a normal Gala apple and the small ones are obviously the adorable Lady Apples.  I need some amazing cheese to go with amazing tiny apples.

     I should review this brunch place everyone went to yesterday here in Brooklyn.  The Farm On Adderley is a bus and about five blocks walking from us here and we went out for a last bang before Anna and her friend went back for school.  Brunch was amazing and everyone had different dish.  I had the Farmer's Breakfast which was scrambled eggs on top of steamed swiss chard on top of home fries.  Anna had poached eggs over fried trout with salad greens and hollandaise sauce.  Each meal was delicious and a good mixture of breakfast foods.  It was so packed with people that it must be worthwhile, although we got there just before the real rush behind us.  I will be going there again when I have another occasion, perhaps for dinner.  Want a rating? I would say A.  9? Three thumbs up?  Hmm, I will have to think of a rating system if I keep going out to eat.

501 books count: 56

Three Men in a Boat

     These men are not the butcher, baker and candlestick-maker.  Three Men in a Boat (to Say Nothing of the Dog) is a short novel from 1889 written by Jerome K. Jerome about the adventures of three young Victorians boating down the Thames.  It is filled with hilarious anecdotes, picturesque scenes from the British countryside and bumbling about.  It actually has a scene that no matter the context is one of the most hilarious things I can imagine: trying to open a tin can without a can opener.  I have seen this in real life so I know how truly amazing this gets.  First you try a small knife if available.  It breaks.  Then a stone to smash it about and crack it open.  This dents the can until it is a misshapen horror but does not break it open.  So then you get frustrated and irrational.  A log?  Throwing it against the side of your car?  Driving over it in your car? All these and more can occur and every time it will end poorly.  Log smashes someone in the head.  Scratch and dent your car.  Blow a tire.  And still the can does not open.

     I haven't finished the novel yet despite only being 135 pages it is rather wordy and I am really only reading it on the trip in and out of the city.  When I finish it I will glorify it some more.  If you like silly British incompetence I suggest reading this.  Either way, I suggest reading this book.  It really will make you snicker.

     What have I seen in NYC recently?  It is fashion week you know.  I saw this dress in a window on Grand St. down near Chinatown.  I swear it came directly out of my childhood.

     Hmm.. what else has happened?  I met up with one of our groomsmen (and Tad's dear college friend) Mike yesterday for Japanese.  It was a nice place near his work up in Midtown called Ise that had fairly cheap items for a Japanese restaurant.  They did a hot pot filled with veggies and tofu but a real Japanese place is not somewhere to go for a vegetarian.  I thought there was daikon radish in the dish and it was fishcake.  Ick.  My stomach was pretty upset last night even if I didn't swallow any of it.  Psychosomatic or not I was still feeling pretty queasy.

     OH!  People have been asking to see what our current living space is like.  I took a couple of pictures.  Remember we're only living here until we find some real housing.

     That's right, say hi Tad!  Not much but it's fine for a month or two, very spacious of just two people.

Oscar Wilde wrote a children's book

     So you may be thinking to yourself I wonder what Kai did for Valentine's Day.  You know, being in the Big Apple and all... but the truth is much less glamorous than you are imagining.  We made dinner from left overs although we did indulge a bit and eat some delightful nibbles (chocolate cigars) as already mentioned this weekend.  This is going to be the slow week while we finally get everything together.  Tad's schooling is picking up and we have a few events planned in the next few days but we'll see.

     The bathroom in the apartment we're staying in is an absolute horror.  There's mold growing all through the grout around the tub and it looked like no one had scrubbed it in months.  I've taken the task though of scrubbing in really well once a day now.  I've done it three days running now and it looks loads better.  I used scrubbing bubbles, white vinegar and some Formula 401 with bleach to get rid of the nasty ring inside the tub, bleach out the grout a bit and clean the tiles up.  It isn't a bad place to rent for a month or so but there is no way I could keep showering in that cesspool. 

     I also washed the delicates by hand and they are currently hanging (or laying flat in the sweater's case) on the empty bunk bed in the room.  It works fairly well as a drying rack although I think it is mostly the dry air leeching the water out.  I have done a whole load of laundry now, both at home and at the laundromat.  It was a nice place with an old Jewish lady complaining.  So in reality, just like Florida. :p

     I did realize it had been a good while since I had added my count to the 501 books list so I have amended this by reading The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde.  This is a series of moral stories by the famous writer/playwright for children.  Good read and a bit different than what I was expecting.  They have a sort of double quality to them I really enjoyed.  Not too much to say really but I would recommend you to read them just to say you have.

     501 books count: 55

Lolcats V-Day

Happy Valentine's Day

     Here is a good article on modern perceptions of love.  Read it when you have the time.