PepGiraffe Production

Do You Know How Much That Hurts?

2012-02-10T10:40:00.001-05:00

Joel Samberg is a copywriter and journalist from Connecticut who has just written a book called

I Would Rather Have Root Canal Once a Week For the Rest of My Life Than Ever Buy a House Again

This begs the question: has he ever actually had a root canal? Because as bad as his experience seems to have been (I haven't yet read the book), he is proposing something on the order of a couple of thousand root canals. Ignoring that you don't have that many roots in your mouth, that is crazy. Plum crazy.

You know what? I'm going to ask him. I will you know what I find.

In February, I Shall Rise

2012-02-01T18:49:00.004-05:00

Last week, someone on some blog asked a question about Resolutions for the New Year. I don't remember the blog, but the blogger was asking her audience what their goals were and how people were handling keeping them. I then remembered that I'd had this great idea several years ago about having month long resolutions since the received wisdom is that year long resolutions are super hard to keep.

Therefore, starting today, I will stand up at least once an hour at work. I have been reading articles on and off for a couple of years now that talk about how bad sitting is for you. So I am taking a stand (yeah, you read that right) and, you know, standing. I expect to increase my circulation, lose weight, and gain respect, balance, and the ability to fly. I'm not certain why I expect those things, but I will tell you how it goes.

This is the article that I cut out two years ago that really got me thinking about this: Congratulations, You've Won an Article on Standing!!!

It would be kind of like this, but without the tie. And I would be next to my desk, not on it. And I'm not in school anymore. Also, I'm not Robin Williams.

Thank You, American Express

2012-01-31T07:42:00.000-05:00

Some people get a new game and just start playing. "Forget the rules!" they think, "I'll figure it out as I go along! I will take the fun immediately!" (Not sure about the correct grammer here. They are all thinking I, so I am keeping it singular.)

Some people get a new game and read all the instructions and won't let anyone play at all until they are done.

Some people do a mix of these things.

I don't have any hard and fast rule to these things, but I do have a soft spot for games I can win, especially free ones. So last month, when American Express announced their Gift Chain, I made it a point to go to their Facebook page. I wasn't actually all that excited about it. Well, I was, until I read the details. First, you have to register your American Express card. Second, you have to use that card to make an *online* purchase of *at least $25* at one of seventeen stores. If you did that, you would automatically win a gift. Automatically win. While those words were intriguing, that seemed like a lot of running around for a gift that could end up being a $2 statement credit. Not worth my time. As I was exiting the page, though, I noticed some legalese that most all legit contests have: NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR RECEIVE A GIFT.

Wait.

How can no purchase be necessary if you need to spend at least $25? Well, I'm glad I took the ten or fifteen minutes to look into that because I ended up spending $4.40 on postage to send my entries in by mail and with the ten (maximum) gifts I received, I got statement credits totaling $72 plus a free year membership to ShopRunner, which I might not use, but was still free.

Thanks, AmEx (and cosponsors) for my free money. Finally, something to unqualifiedly enjoy about the holiday season (Christmas).

Saturday; Gallery

2012-01-24T11:05:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I visited the Steven Kasher Gallery. Although the two main exhibits are on WEEGEE and Vivian Maier, they also have a selection from Accra Shepp's Occupy Wall Street: A visual diary.

Shepp had taken a photo portrait of Rick (I've named my boyfriend Rick) and we wanted to see if his picture was at the gallery. He wasn't. However, it's been a long time since I've been to a gallery, so I will say it was time well spent, though I didn't love anything I saw there. (Except the person I was with, but I brought him with me, so that doesn't really count.) What I did find somewhat interesting, though, was the story of Vivian Maier.

Vivian Maier took thousands of photos in her life and never showed any of them to anyone. She didn't even print most of them. Then, after she died, she was accidentally discovered by some fellow who came across her negatives at a local thrift auction house. Some people are comparing this to Emily Dickinson and some to artists who are not appreciated during their own lifetimes. I disagree with both ideas. If anything, she seems like someone who just couldn't stop snapping pictures and didn't necessarily care about the outcome.

And It's 2012

2012-01-06T19:59:00.000-05:00

It's the start of another year. I didn't make any ~~reservations~~*, mostly because I didn't get around to it, not because I don't think that there is anything I need to change.

Ten things that happened in 2011

I got my own office at work (I should complete the move in process next week)
I moved from my basement apartment to a great studio on the other side of Astoria
I amped up my exercising and got plantar fasciitis
I got a boyfriend (yeah, that's right!)
I blogged so infrequently that my average daily number of visitors reached 0
Rivster, Bill, Beernut, Poppyseed, and Peach moved to within bus distance of me
We got an intern at work who is fantastic (never thought I'd say that, did you?)
I got a couch. And an air conditioner. (!!!!!)
Went to Radio City Music Hall for the first (and second! time)
I got a super short hair cut

Just to clarify, I made neither reservations nor resolutions. Thanks to MF and SE for pointing out my horrible, horrible mistake.

The Following Trends Have Me Flummoxed

2011-12-13T11:23:00.001-05:00

1) Bacon everydamnthing
2) Mustaches
3) Zombies

Would you like some specifics?

Yes, that's right. Bacon SOAP!

Yum?

You might remember this from your childhood.
Oh, wait. No, you wouldn't.

And if you think I am making up how far up the chain this goes, consider the following fact. The CDC has put up a web page that details how to prepare for a zombie apocalypse. And while I applaud their ingenious use of an imaginary threat to help prepare for a real one, like a tornado or a hurricane, I think it just proves my point. Ridiculousness everywhere.

True Capitalism

2011-12-07T19:18:00.001-05:00

I cannot help but be impressed. I think I would have thought, leave it to grow another year, not, "It doesn't look like much, but I have a bunch of indoctrinated people I know I can sell these to."

This is an Egg Cup

2011-12-02T10:05:00.001-05:00

The reason I mention this to you is because it turns out that it was not usual to grow up using egg cups. I did a recent survey among friends and colleagues and not everyone even knew what it was. In my head, I was thinking, "Clearly not Gulliver's Travel's fans," but when I looked it up, it turns out that although the end of Chapter 4 of the Lilliput travels does contain a section about breaking eggs on the little ends (or big ends), there are no mention of cups. They are, nonetheless, a great invention.

I believe I decorated this with Rivster when she visited me in Boston one year, I think 1997 or so. I also decorated a spoon rest, but it was horribly ugly and it appears that it has been lost/misplaced/disposed of in between then and now.

I leave you with this (those of you who think that Gulliver's Travel's is a kids book, it's because you haven't read the real thing):

[T]wo mighty powers have... been engaged in a most obstinate war for six-and-thirtymoons past. It began upon the following occasion.

Itis allowed on all hands, that the primitive way of breaking eggs,before we eat them, was upon the larger end; but his presentmajesty’s grandfather, while he was a boy, going to eat anegg, and breaking it according to the ancient practice, happenedto cut one of his fingers. Whereupon the emperor his fatherpublished an edict, commanding all his subjects, upon greatpenalties, to break the smaller end of their eggs.

Thepeople so highly resented this law, that our histories tell us,there have been six rebellions raised on that account; whereinone emperor lost his life, and another his crown. Thesecivil commotions were constantly fomented by the monarchs ofBlefuscu; and when they were quelled, the exiles always fled forrefuge to that empire. It is computed that eleven thousandpersons have at several times suffered death, rather than submitto break their eggs at the smaller end. Many hundred largevolumes have been published upon this controversy: but the booksof the Big-endians have been long forbidden, and the whole partyrendered incapable by law of holding employments. Duringthe course of these troubles, the emperors of Blefusca didfrequently expostulate by their ambassadors, accusing us ofmaking a schism in religion, by offending against a fundamentaldoctrine of our great prophet Lustrog, in the fifty-fourthchapter of the Blundecral (which is their Alcoran).

This,however, is thought to be a mere strain upon the text; for thewords are these: ‘that all true believers break their eggsat the convenient end.’ And which is the convenientend, seems, in my humble opinion to be left to every man’sconscience, or at least in the power of the chief magistrate todetermine. Now, the Big-endian exiles have found so muchcredit in the emperor of Blefuscu’s court, and so muchprivate assistance and encouragement from their party here athome, that a bloody war has been carried on between the twoempires for six-and-thirty moons, with various success; duringwhich time we have lost forty capital ships, and a much a greaternumber of smaller vessels, together with thirty thousand of ourbest seamen and soldiers; and the damage received by the enemy isreckoned to be somewhat greater than ours.

Christmas Surprise

2011-11-28T19:06:00.001-05:00

I went to go see The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (featuring The Rockettes) this weekend. Now in 3D!

The cynic in me has to comment that since this was a live show, it was already in 3D*, but I also have to admit that they used 3D technology brilliantly when it came to Santa coming from the North Pole and flying to and through New York.

I was not looking forward to seeing this show. I'd never had the desire to see the Christmas Spectacular because I always figured it would be Christmas-y so what is there to see?

What I did not anticipate is that because it is billed as a Christmas show (and not a holiday show that features everything Christian and Christmas plus a driedle), I enjoyed it as such, as much as I would enjoy any other show on it's own terms.

Perhaps it helped that watching The Rockettes made me feel like I was in the 1930s or watching an Esther Williams film (without the water) or something like that. They are really amazing.

There were live animals for the Living Nativity scene. There were fireworks. There were teddy bears dancing The Nutcracker.

*And also, that the Chase logo appeared at least four times.

I Love Allie Brosh

2011-11-15T17:55:00.000-05:00

Over the summer, I rediscovered "Hyperbole and a Half," a fantastic blog showing off the artistic stylings of Allie Brosh. I had just had a conversation with a male member of our species who refused to use loofahs because they were unmanly when I somehow stumbled onto this:

found here

It was part of a long laugh-out-loud blog entry of graphic panels about men and shower products.

Since then, and because I loved a lot of the other entries I saw on her site, I have been a fan. Her latest entry, though, takes the cake. It is the heart-breaking, funny truth about why she has not posted for several months and it deserves some type of reward: Adventures in Depression

Occupy Wall Street

2011-11-10T18:00:00.000-05:00

Last week, I went down to Zuccotti (nee Liberty) Park to see Occupy Wall Street for myself. It was incredible and I was especially impressed with how organized a lot of the things are. There is even a library.

I've been very unhappy with some of what I have been reading online. Many of the people who are against OWS characterize the movement as some sort of hippie-Communist rabble of people who are too lazy to get jobs.

Yesterday, I found myself on a site (http://action.freedomworks.org/5478/reject-occupy-wall-street/) that features a one minute and three second video, about 15 seconds of which feature anti-semitic actions and sentiments by approximately five people who appear to be (and probably are) part of the OWS movement. The video is paired with a petition that says, in effect, that if you support OWS you are supporting anti-Semitism and that OWS itself hates Jewish people (see below).

It’s time we reject the hate coming from Occupy Wall Street, a movement, which claims to represent 99% of Americans.

Beyond the class warfare rhetoric of the radical left, Occupy Wall Street is now lashing out at the Jewish people.

We reject Occupy Wall Street’s hate toward people of the Jewish faith.

Stand against anti-Semitism. Sign this petition to say that Occupy Wall Street DOES NOT speak for you.

This is hogwash - pardon the treif reference - and it drives me bonkers.

Of course, a big challenge of the OWS movement is that they have not articulated their goals, mainly because they haven't decided what they are. They won't do anything that 90% of everyone there doesn't agree with. Slow going, but definitely small-d democratic.

The best succinct and to-the-point explanation of the purpose of OWS that I've found comes from a comment I found on an article that ran in Scientific American.

The main complaint of the majority of the Occupiers is that “Too-Big-To-Fail” Corporate Interests have gamed the system and have slowly but surely undermined the democratic processes, like a virus inserting its code into a cell’s code to co-opt the host.

The Big Money people have co-opted the political process with their money, and their lobbyists insure that the get everything they want.

The Occupiers want their democratic country back.

The Occupiers want long-term wisdom instead of short-term profits.

And the Occupiers want sustainability – environmental and economic.

I think we should stand with them. It is in our own enlightened self-interest.

Robert L. Oldershaw
Fractal Cosmology

No, I don't know what Fractal Cosmology is.

Interviewing Pressure Valves

2011-10-19T11:04:00.000-04:00

Well, okay, I'm not really interviewing pressure valves, per se, but more than a year after our office went from 15 to 10 people, with a commensurate uptick in the workload, we're going to be hiring a new web intern and a temp office assistant. Hurrah!

So, What Do You Think?

2011-10-14T15:37:00.001-04:00

What do you think of the new template? Thumbs up or down?

Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die

2011-10-04T11:36:00.000-04:00

It's been a fairly draining couple of weeks.

9/17/11 Bill's grandmother died at the ripe age of 100.
9/22/11 My cousin died at her home, after a protracted bout of cancer.
9/27/11 JJ's dad died of a completely unexpected stroke.
9/30/11 Mom/Aunt/Gma of some friends of the family died.
10/3/11 Found out that someone at work died on Friday, but no one knew.

Then yesterday, when I was processing the news about my work associate, I got a call from one half of my favorite New York Couple to find out that his wife was at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Now, I don't know why it didn't occur to me that if you are at MSKCC, you may have cancer, but I didn't. The good news is that pathology isn't back yet, so it isn't for sure.

I did spend the beginning of the High Holidays with my PA family, so while it was sad for my folks not to have their kids at home, it was happy for me that three of the four of us were together.

Filing D

2011-09-26T12:53:00.002-04:00

It's been very busy at work. Very busy. I now have an arch nemesis. She doesn't know we are arch nemeses. She destroyed the intent of the project that I have been working on for almost six months. The first folder in my filing cabinet under D is Debacle. I might have to open a new file there.

I Know the Answer, but the Question is Still Interesting

2011-09-20T09:42:00.000-04:00

Which is more impressive? To run for two and a half hours straight or to run for five hours straight?

Didn't Feel a Thing

2011-08-23T14:54:00.000-04:00

The news said that there was an earthquake here about an hour ago. I didn't feel it or at least I didn't notice it. Is that because I never pay attention to anything or because I'm from CA and 5.9s are de rigueur?

Welcome to Astoria

2011-08-18T10:59:00.000-04:00

So my club has two new members:

Cyrus

Jan

I Did Not Make This Castle Cake...

2011-08-09T10:44:00.000-04:00

...but I certainly ate it. (Not all of it.)

It was Kacey's birthday last week and she threw a BBQ at The Hobbit Hole*. The whole Astoria Gang was there, and more. I knew almost everyone so it was especially awesome. Kacey's twin sister Tracey was there, so it was a double celebration. Hot dogs were roasted, marshmallows were wet on fire, Scene It was played (after it started raining, we went inside).

As a gift, Scooter got her the following cake:

Note the dragon on top and the drawbridge that is made of chocolate.

*The Hobbit Hole is her apartment. Much like mine was The Bat Cave.

Off to Zarkana!

2011-08-02T17:15:00.000-04:00

I'm FINALLY going to see Cirque de Soleil! I've wanted to since I first heard about it a decade or so ago, but I never got around to it.

In two hours, Scooter, Tye, and some other friends and I are going to be meeting at Radio City Music Hall and will experience the magic. At a discount. (So it's even better.)

La Zarza. Plus, it's HOT!

2011-07-22T17:30:00.000-04:00

Last night, I saw my Favorite New York Couple for the first time in a really long time. More than six months. We met at La Zarza, a Spanish lounge/restaurant which, oddly, is right next to an Italian restaurant called Lanza.

The food was okay and the service was slow, but the desserts were amazing and the company fantastic. Also, I was impressed with the bathroom because they were nicely decorated.

In other news, it is really hot as hell here in New York. I mean, really, really hot. Happily, my AC decided to start spontaneously working again when I scared it by asking the super to come up and look at it. He didn't actually do anything, but once he was in the room, it started working. T.G!

Together Again

2011-07-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

After a long while, Kacey, Tye, Scooter and I got together for dinner last night in Astoria. We generally meet at Scooter's and, now that Glee is in hiatus, shoot the breeze. Last night was no exception and we started to do some serious planning for the trip we are taking in September to Universal Studios. We already have tickets and hotel, etc., so it's the details we are hammering out now.

In other news, work has been draining. For weeks I've been working on the annual metrics report. I actually came in over the weekend and worked on it for almost ten hours. The part that takes so long is running the actual metrics because we use a program that as far as I can tell just isn't set up for an organization this size. Every time I think it is done, it turns out I'm wrong. Last draft in turned in last night at five. Hope it's the final one.

Thank You God, for the Following:

2011-07-18T14:58:00.002-04:00

1) AC

2) other stuff

Science, Reason and Critical Thinking: Trolling For Dummies by Dennis Markuze

2011-07-05T17:12:00.000-04:00

Science, Reason and Critical Thinking: Trolling For Dummies by Dennis Markuze

For those of you who follow blogs with a lot of commenters (mine would not be an example), you will very much enjoy this.

UPDATE. Problem Solved

2011-06-29T09:33:00.000-04:00

Well, actually, there was no problem. Yesterday, I complained about someone in our HVAC department when I found out that he was planning on submitting charges from April on Monday, which is after the end of the fiscal year. While I still contend that the charges should have been made a month and a half ago, the charges were submitted on Monday, the Monday already past.

The miscommunication happened either because English is PicBill's second language, or because he is a poor typist. He said "I send it up on Monday." He meant sent.

That's Why I Contacted You In APRIL!!!

2011-06-28T17:28:00.000-04:00

So aggravating. The fiscal end of our year is June 30th. I ordered new ACs for our conference room and a couple of people in April because I knew we had extra money in the budget. So I emailed HVAC. Then I called two weeks later. Then I emailed again. They were ordered by the end of April.

I noticed that they didn't weren't charged to the May statement (and they obviously weren't on the April statement).

On 6/6/2011 2:43 PM

Hi [Person in Charge of Billing for HVAC]. I noticed that we have not yet been charged for the 3 AC units that were installed last month. Will those charges hit in this fiscal year?

Sincerely,

PepGiraffe

On Jun 6, 2011, at 2:52 PM

You should see these charges on June statement.

Bests,

PicBill

But I have worked with these people before, so on a hunch, I checked the system.

On Jun 28, 2011, at 4:04 PM

Hi PicBill,

I looked in the system yesterday and didn't see the air conditioning charges. I wanted to make sure we didn't slip through the cracks!

PepGiraffe

Because really, what is the polite way of asking of someone has done his job or not?

On Jun 28, 2011, at 4:29 PM

I send it up Monday morning.

PicBill

Well no, PicBill, Monday is July. Monday is too late. If I wanted this done for FY12, I wouldn't have contacted your department three months ago. Son of a bitch.

Note to Self (If I Were Bruce Wayne)

2011-06-09T17:50:00.000-04:00

8:57 a.m.

2011-06-06T13:43:00.000-04:00

My new commute is three minutes shorter than my old commute (approximately), but I've been getting here way earlier because my life is now so new and exciting.

Went to the Queens Center Mall yesterday to return my cable box and modem to Time Warner Cable. Now that I live on the R line instead of the N line, the rest of Queens is more accessible and I feel more Queensian. The TWC man was delightful to deal with and the whole process, from getting into the store to leaving it couldn't have been longer than then ten minutes. Then I went to have Sprint check my phone because I can't get video on it.

Four hours later, I went home, exhausted, my plans to go into Brooklyn shot. Maybe next weekend.

PepGiraffe Has Left the Building

2011-06-02T10:59:00.000-04:00

My move is complete!! After a terrible weekend that included a lot of packing and finding out that I didn't have a mover twelve hours before I thought I was going to be moved, I am finally in my new place, about three miles away. It is slightly smaller and about ten times better.

Special thanks to my brother-in-law Bill and Astorian friend Kacey for both taking a day out of their weekend to help me with the packing. Thanks to Payless Shoesource and Jolson's Liquors for the free boxes. Thank you to Visa Signature Concierge Service to finding me a last minute mover. Thank you Jay, the new resident of The Bat Cave (my former residence) for being cool with letting me stay an extra half day and moving in a day later than he had planned on it.

Glee Finale, Finally

2011-05-25T14:01:00.000-04:00

The Astoria Glee club met for the last time this season last night. As usual, we were at Scooter's place (because it is the coolest and because he offers).

Scooter and Tye got Chinese food, but I opted for something a bit healthier, stopping off at Juice for Life for a fruit and soymilk smoothie to go with a protein wrap. Good eatin'.

Kacey wasn't scheduled to come because she was meeting with her writing group, but she made a happy-making surprise appearance for the last ten minutes (plus schmooze time afterwards).

The finale itself was fine, but I have to admit that I am getting tired of the show and if it weren't for my friends, I don't think I would even DVR it. If I were to recommend anything, though, it would be to watch last week's episode, which was surprisingly sweet and also showcased talent in a completely believable way.

I'll Still Be Astorian

2011-05-18T21:43:00.000-04:00

Exciting news: I am moving. It isn't that far away, but instead of being in a one bedroom basement, I will be in a second floor studio - with windows! And a walk in closet!

I just got off the phone with the mover that a friend of mine recommended. I sold off another 15 books to Powells and sent them on their way yesterday. I've also started listing things on Craigslist and Ebay. I have a lot of things to get rid of, which is quite exciting. I'll give them away if I have to, but I'd rather make money.

Next, change of address forms....

If You Build It...

2011-05-16T11:22:00.000-04:00

The gym bag I made in sixth grade home ec might not have big enough for all of my gym clothes (see: measure twice, cut once), but it is the perfect size for holding a pair of casual shoes (or sandals) when I have to tramp to work in my rain boots.

In California for One More Day (Passover)

2011-04-20T11:22:00.000-04:00

A Chag Sameach to all my Jewish friends. Last night was the second night of Passover and, as usual, we had the seder at the synagogue. For the first time ever, the head table that I sit at (that is, the Rabbi's table) was split in two, which made conversation much easier.

I was at the table with my sister's family and Ace and Bette (now married). Unfortunately, my nephew Peach had a fever, so my brother in law was at home with him. Although it meant a certain lack in the conversation, we did take his dessert, so it was not a total loss.

Also there was my second cousin George (from Atlanta), who lives in LA, and his girlfriend Kimberly. Since my gallstone surgery had prevented me from going to his sister's wedding, this was the first time I was meeting her and I am sorry I had not met her sooner. She was great to talk to. By the way, I will now be ending sentences in prepositions . . . of.

Happiness is . . .

2011-04-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

I received a letter on my birthday from my friend Happy. This might not seem like such a feat, but she lives in Japan. I understand that she doesn't live near the epicenter of the quake, but she still lived through a six minute eight point nine earthquake and not only remembered my birthday, but did so in time to hand make a card that I received on my birthday. Exceedingly impressive.

And congrats to Larry of Carol and Larry who just got a new job.

My Office Mate Went on Vacation

2011-03-30T10:33:00.001-04:00

So now I can leave the window closed the entire time I am here! And turn on the heat and leave it on!

Social Coupon Consolidator YipIt

2011-03-25T12:30:00.000-04:00

I have been very overloaded with emails, so I have been unsubscribing from as many as I can. Today, though, I heard about YipIt. As a general rule, I used Groupon, but there are a lot of other social couponing services out there. I have neither the time nor the desire to go through all of them to see what I might like.

What I like about YipIt is that it aggregates 145 such sites and lets me choose what types of coupons will come through. I never have to sort through gardening, tanning or automotive coupons again. Hurrah!

Just Bought Ticket Home for Passover

2011-03-17T12:41:00.000-04:00

I know it's been awhile and this is a pittance, but I will try to keep in mind that a pittance is better than a nonce.

For regular readers of the blog, if you are wondering about my Japanese friend Happy, she is safe at home and her husband, after a few cold days trying to traverse a city is home as well.

A Grammar Follow-Up

2011-02-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

This link (above) is not for the faint of heart, but if you don't mind some ridiculously gratuitous obscene language, this is laugh out loud funny. If I were an English teacher, I would really want to post it in class room. I wouldn't, because I'd get fired, but I would be tempted.

What Happens in Vagueness Stays in Vagueness by Clark Whelton - City Journal

2011-02-13T13:47:00.001-05:00

What Happens in Vagueness Stays in Vagueness by Clark Whelton - City Journal

I think that my language fans among you (i.e., DadGiraffe and Rivster) will really enjoy this.

It Will Be Snowing

2011-01-26T09:43:00.002-05:00

Until Friday.

It's Freezing

2011-01-14T10:07:00.000-05:00

I missed the last blizzard, but I was here (and prepared) for this week's storm. No snow day for us (per usual), but it was fine. Since then, though, it's been getting colder. Now, it is below freezing.

My favorite temperature is around 84 degrees F, but assuming I am dressed for it, I am fine all the way down to the freezing mark. For those of you who don't know it, the freezing point (for water) is 32 degrees F. Today, it is 28. Long underwear for me and a sweater and leather boots with a big puffy coat and I am still cold. Typical.

Of course, once I get to work, I then have to undress and redress because I don't work at a ski lodge. I've dressed in layers, but I'm not going to take off my sweater and pants and walk around in my thermals. I mean, come on!

At Last (9 years, 11 months, twenty days)

2011-01-12T13:45:00.000-05:00

I have finally found a hair dresser I think I can call my own. I went to her for the second time on Saturday and I really like the job she did again. It's pricey, but worth it. Still getting compliments.

Not a Winner

2011-01-05T12:52:00.001-05:00

I played the MegaMillions lottery yesterday. My boss called during lunch and said that we should buy tickets because we are both Aries and 1/4/11 was supposed to be a good day for financial transactions. It was not to be. Next time, MegaMillions, next time.

Returned

2011-01-04T17:10:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long absence. I was in California for a week. I went primarily for my Grandmother's unveiling (of her headstone).

Three days before I left, I disconnected my computer from the internet in order to move it to the other room in my apartment and I have yet to reconnect it.

Nonetheless, I am back now and will go back to minimum once a week blogging on this blog. I so resolve.

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from Last Night

2010-12-21T11:22:00.000-05:00

Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse from William Castleman on Vimeo.

Found via Talking Science.

You Are Now Entering the World of Tron/et al.

2010-12-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

Someone told me that there was no plot to Tron. That's not true. There are five or six, but none of them have to do with each other and most of them don't make sense. I think that is where the confusion lies. Here is my question. When Young Flynn (what was his name again?) shot that first air ship and said, "I got one!" was I the only one in the theater who said, "Don't get cocky, kid."?

The #MoneyJar Clues from @RetailMeNot

2010-12-16T19:26:00.002-05:00

I really want to win the money in @RetailMeNot's money jar.

For the Love of God, Please Someone Win This

But, if I can't win it, then I want someone else to win it really soon so I can go back to my regularly scheduled life. Yes, I know I could just stop trying to win, but that seems silly. And, of course, I could just make random guesses based on what I know instead of sorting through all the guesses that have already been guessed to make sure I'm not seconding someone else's guess, but that also seems silly.

It would go a lot faster if everyone took the clues into account, but unless you've been following, you have no way of knowing what they are. So here they are:

There is more than $1,000 in the money jar. (11/3/10)
Look as we turn the money jar. Ooo. Aaah. (11/10/10) I thought this was a pretty useless clue until I watched it again and realized that there were no pennies in it, only quarters. Then I watched it again and saw at least one dime. Still no pennies as far as I can tell.
There is more than $2,000 in the money jar. (11/15/10)
There is more than $3,000 in the money jar. (11/22/10)
There is less than $10,000 in the money jar. (11/29/10) This was a mostly useless clue because only nine people in the 12 days before that had posted a guess greater than $10,000.
There was a very close guess last week. An alternate view of the bills can be found at http://imgur.com/J7mE3.(12/7/10) That's not really all the helpful either since they don't say what they mean by "last week." Also, because in the seven preceding days, there had been 408 guesses between $3k and $10k. And what do they mean by very close, anyway? Off by one penny? Off by one digit (so it could be a penny, a dollar, a ten, etc.)? Also, the alternate view of the bills doesn't show what many of the bills are. As far as I can tell, there are at least 250 bills in there.)
There is more than $6,000 in the money jar. (12/20/10)

In short, if I am correct in all my assumptions, the amount of money in the money jar is between $3,000.05 and $9,999.95. It does not appear to be $3,333.33, $4,444.44, $5,555.55, $6,666.66, $7,777.77, $8,888.88, $9,999.99 or $3,627.18 nor does the probability of successfully navigating an astroid field* seem to have been taken into account.

You can only tweet once a day and your tweets have to include @Retailmenot and #moneyjar. Good luck me. Barring that, good luck everyone else.

*$3,720.21, $3,722.01, $3,720.01 And if you don't understand that, you can look it up.

You Know Who Would Be Horrified By This?

2010-12-09T11:55:00.000-05:00

Frume Sarah. And I'm not terribly thrilled about this either.

Fast Company called it "a chic little Christmas tree made entirely out of Stars of David, which lets Santa-loving Jews celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah-loving Christians (or whomever) celebrate Hanukkah. It's perfect for families who observe both."

Actually, it's perfect for families who want to strip the meaning out of both.

It Pays to Read Other People's Mail(Not Counting the Fine or Time in Prison)

2010-12-07T15:45:00.000-05:00

Thanks to cutbacks at work, we've all taken on additional jobs. In my case, some of my new work is really just what I did I was the assistant. Two of them are opening mail and getting holiday gifts for other departments.

A catalog to Norm Thompson came addressed to Joel, the head of our department. Before putting it in his mailbox, I flipped through it. Although I didn't see anything that would be of use for other departments (my boss Lisa insists that any food we send be individually wrapped. I think this is ridiculous. It means we can't send popcorn, dipped apricots, boxed chocolates, etc.) I found something that was perfect for MomGiraffe. I mean, really really perfect. Something I had never seen before. Loads better than what I was going to make for her (which she will probably now get for her birthday). What was it, you may ask?

A Mushroom Log

Smiling Won't Help You

2010-11-29T09:59:00.000-05:00

I plan on another post to tell you about my pleasant Thanksgiving weekend in Vermont with the Vermont side of my family. But first things first.

Last Monday marked the beginning of the use of cameras in the NYC bus lanes that will send $115 tickets to non-bus drivers inappropriately using the lanes (for example, it is okay to go into it if you are about to turn onto another street as long as you do so within a block).

Today, I saw a bus with a sign that said that there are cameras and you will be fined, etc. However, it also ended with a statement that sounds unintentionally chilling: "Smiling won't help you."

Tag line to a horror movie. A horror movie in which you drive in the wrong lane and get fined $115.

For All You Politicos

2010-11-22T13:36:00.000-05:00

I just found a really good website for people who wished they knew more about American History. So far, my favorite thing is that they give an analysis of the impact and legacy of each president.

"The Miller Center of Public Affairs is a national nonpartisan center to research, reflect, and report on American government, with special attention to the central role and history of the presidency."

What a Week or So

2010-11-19T16:35:00.000-05:00

Sorry I've been out of touch. I had a fantastic weekend last weekend.

Saturday night was my friend Harx's birthday dinner at Mama Mexico where they have amazing make-it-at-the-table guacamole and at least eight people celebrated their birthdays while we were there. We know because they have a roving mariachi band that sings Feliz Cumpleanos a Ti to the birthday notables and they struck up ever eight to ten minutes. It was surreal. Now I may have to go there for my birthday. Unfortunately, since it was in Morningside Heights, I felt compelled to take a cab home so it was a somewhat expensive night.

Sunday, a had brunch in Brooklyn with my friends The Financiers. Mr. Financier went to my alma mater. I met him my freshman year because he lived next door to a fellow I had a crush on. Later that year, I moved away from my obnoxious roommate and into a suite with Mr. Financier's then girlfriend. His then-girlfriend is now a Swedish doctor in Norway and he lives in Brooklyn with his wife of over ten years. Last week, I realized that the last time I had seen the Financiers was when Dr. Norway was in town so I called up and pointed out that since she lived 3,531 miles away from me and he lived 8 miles away from me, we should really spend more time with one another than either of us spend with her. Anyway, it was really fantastic to see them again. You know, I have had so much going on this past year or so and I have been pretty sick for a lot of that time, and I forgot that I just haven't been out much.

With the great weekend behind me, I was prepared to have a great week. Didn't happen. Instead, I started getting sick Monday night and then was out Tuesday and Wednesday with what I now think may have been food poisoning. Book.

However, I feel better now and have another great weekend to look forward to.

Please Rise!

2010-11-10T10:40:00.003-05:00

Your chair is your enemy. Click on the title to read more.

I Had a v8

2010-11-08T10:53:00.000-05:00

In my quest to get more vegetables in my diet, I have started buying v8's weekly pack. I've gone from thinking v8 is disgusting to thinking it is tolerable, a definite win.

Vote for Women!

2010-11-02T10:12:00.000-04:00

Or at least vote. I forgot to this morning, so I will have to do so after work. Although I find it surprisingly difficult to locate everything I am supposed to be voting for.

Charity of the Day: @WNYC

2010-10-29T10:53:00.000-04:00

I don't listen to my radio, mostly because I don't have a car, but I believe that public radio is the best kind out there and who won't support it if I won't?

Ace is a Married Man

2010-10-27T10:13:00.000-04:00

If you were wondering why I have been blogging it's because I was in PA for Ace and Bette's wedding. Done deal. More later.

What the Meter Means

2010-10-20T11:57:00.000-04:00

File this under You Learn Something New Every Day

In 1983, the length of the meter was redefined by the international body Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures (GCPM) by a method to give greater accuracy. Originally based on one ten-millionth of the distance from the North Pole to the equator, the meter was re-established as the distance that light travels in a vacuum in 1/299,792,458 of a second.

I had no idea that the meter was anything other than an arbitrary measurement. Opens up a whole new category of things that I could explore, but probably won't.

And Congrats/Mazel Tov to my CA friends JJ and John, who are welcoming baby #4 into their family. Is it a coincidence that his middle name is Jock??

The Circle of LIfe

2010-10-19T10:23:00.000-04:00

On Sunday (two days ago), my uncle the Commissioner died. The funeral is in a few hours.

Yesterday, my friend JJ went into labor.

On Sunday (in five days), Ace and Bette get married.

Wasn't Sure if Yoga Bread Was Worth It

2010-10-13T10:32:00.000-04:00

but now I am. When I spread some peanut butter on a piece of bread that has

whole wheat
cranberries
pumpkin seeds
flax seeds and
poppy seeds

it actually curbs my hunger. Hurrah!

Weekend in PA

2010-10-11T10:14:00.000-04:00

Spent the weekend in PA. Did my second dress fitting. Looking good.

Time for Your Flu Shot

2010-10-04T12:58:00.001-04:00

I got mine. Your turn.

Congrats to Robert G. Edwards...

2010-10-04T09:27:00.000-04:00

...the 2010 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine for the development of IVF. Please note that I have never met this guy. And I got up at six a.m. for nothing.

I Love the Way Scientists Think

2010-09-28T12:27:00.000-04:00

I have something that I call my Golden Rule. It goes something like this: 'Do unto others twenty-five percent better than you expect them to do unto you.' [Pause.] The twenty-five percent is for error.

Linus Pauling's reply to an audience question about his ethical system, following his lecture circa 1961 at Monterey Peninsula College, in Monterey, California.

Loser. Winner! Loser. Winner!

2010-09-22T13:14:00.000-04:00

This past Monday was my company's annual blood drive. It's much earlier than it has been in the past, which is great because it means that I can start trying to donate on Thanksgiving with the Vermonsters again. Unfortunately, when the NYBC nurse tested the blood that she got out of the first finger of my right hand by piercing my skin with a needle contraption, the hemoglobin level was too low. She then guilted me into trying the other finger. That was a bit ridiculous, because it was so low that there was no way other blood in my body was in the acceptable range for donation and in the end, I should have stuck to my guns because all it does is waste their needle contraptions.

End result: NO lives saved. Four Oreos eaten.

from Ventnor Blog

from CollegeCandy

Last night, I went to a bar called Sweet Afton to meet some Astorians I had never met before through Meetup.com. It was a lot of fun. I really like Meetup. As a general rule, you aren't the only person who doesn't know anyone there, so it's all good. They are famous for their Mac & Cheese, but I had the grilled cheese with carmelized onions instead, because the M&C was much too cheesy. It was a win of a night. In addition, it started early enough that I got to my laundromat before it closed and picked up my laundry.

from local718queens

Today, I went to give a very small amount of blood to a researcher who is researching something or other. They actually called me to request that I come in because I had given up some of the red stuff for a different researcher at their institution earlier this year. They made the mistake of not asking me any of the screening questions until I got there though, and since the thing that they are researching has to do with inflammation, and I was there as a healthy volunteer, the medication I take to manage my Crohn's disqualified me. No $20 for me. Although it amused me greatly to find out that if a minor was participating in this study (with parental permission of course), s/he didn't get $20. S/he got a $20 gift card to Toys R Us.

Right before my surgery, I won a $50 gift certificate from ScoutMob.com last month to go to Hill Country BBQ.

In short, you win some, you lose some.

What Are the Odds?

2010-09-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

The odds of winning money from a $1 scratch off ticket are about the same as winning off a $2 scratch off ticket, but the prizes are significantly greater (up to about 5x the amount). Does it make more sense to get 2 $1 scratch offs or one $2 one? (I know it makes the most sense to get none. I'm looking for the one that makes the second most sense.)

Don't Let the Creationists Grind You Down. Usually.

2010-09-19T13:08:00.004-04:00

Adventuring into the New England Journal of Medicine

2010-09-17T10:15:00.000-04:00

Several weeks ago, I got a random email from the New England Journal of Medicine telling me they had redesigned their site. I think I once accessed an article there four years ago for a project I was working on, but I decided to take a look. I'm easily distracted.

When I clicked on the link, they asked me which newsletters I wanted to sign up for. Of course I signed up for everything related to gastroenterology, but I also signed up for their weekly bulletin for medical residents. It contains a teaching case having to do with an article in that week's journal.

I get the first issue and it's like I am learning how to read all over again. I'm not sure why it surprised me; I'm not the target audience. It's really a whole new language.

I have to look up a word every other sentence or so, but it's fascinating. I enjoy words that mean very specific things. Auscultation means listening to the internal sounds of the body, usually with a stethoscope. I don't think I'll remember that unless I come across it a lot, but I like it anyway.

At a certain point, though, maybe the doctors are just showing off. Do they really need to call a blood pressure meter a sphygmomanometer? Yes, that's one word, but it contains more syllables than the three word phrase it represents. And is "esophageal dysmotility" really all that clearer than "can't swallow?"

My favorite, though (so far), is when I came to a line that said, "The patient may have then inhaled aerosolized spores into her oropharynx and then ingested them." I didn't have to look up any of the words to know what they meant. The patient had breathed the damn things in.

Dinner with Kacey

2010-09-15T14:23:00.000-04:00

Last night I had dinner with Kacey (one of my neighborhood friends) at the diner on the corner where my train lets out. I'm a regular, which is kind of hilarious. I knew my eating habits had gotten bad when they started asking of I wanted chocolate pudding without whipped cream at the end of every meal.

2010-09-13T10:55:00.002-04:00

I hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. Mine was fine.

All the bandages are totally off. My belly button, where the main surgical cut is, is itchy because it's healing. I'll take it as a reminder, ironically, not to touch it.

I actually remembered to restock my supply of snacks and Benefiber stick packs at work today. It's a win/win.

Non-Monthly Weight Update #8

2010-09-08T08:28:00.001-04:00

I have clearly not been on top of keeping you informed. Happily, I am pretty sure you don't care. In fact, I had x equalling "wouldn't you like to know" when it probably should have equalled "except for being slightly curious, couldn't care less." (In either case, x equals my beginning weight.)

Anyway, I am going to count this at the end of last month instead of the now so that it is in line with everything else. Because I was so sick with the gallbladder thing and everything I ate made me ill and I didn't eat much after the surgery, I lost five pounds! Hurrah!

So, weight as of 8/30/10 is x-11.5. Just about twenty more pounds to go. That is four reams of paper. Or one of the weights below.

At this rate, I will complete my goal sometime in July of 2011. However, I don't have that many more organs I can easily get rid of, so I am guessing that it might take even longer.

Meanwhile, with Ace and Bette's wedding coming up next month, I can't lost that much weight because I need to fit into my dress. Of course, I could always get it taken in.

You know, I just looked at all my stats and realized that I weighed this exact same weight thirteen months ago.

My Dentist Loves Me

2010-09-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

Well, I assume he loves me since I saw him two weeks ago, yesterday and will see him in two weeks. Actually, the feeling is mutual - I think he's a great dentist. (If you are looking for someone on the Upper East Side, his name is Dr. Pfeffer.) He filled two cavities for me yesterday and he said exactly what was going to happen before it happened. "This won't hurt, but you'll feel a little pressure. Ok. There's going to be a noise and then you'll feel some vibration, etc." Also, I like that he hums to himself when he works. It is soothing.

I loved that he was open on Labor Day (I think it's because he'll be closed for all the Jewish holidays). After I left, I found a street fair and I had some fresh watermelon and stir fried chicken. Yum.

Heigh Ho!

2010-08-30T11:26:00.000-04:00

Back at work.

I Made It

2010-08-25T01:42:00.000-04:00

Still alive. More later.

Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benezir Bhutto

2010-08-23T10:46:00.001-04:00

This weekend, I saw the play Shaheed: The Dream and Death of Benezir Bhutto, who was the female prime minister of Pakistan who was assassinated in 2007.

The acting was fantastic. It's a one woman show, but she plays several characters. It was pretty absorbing.

I went because a friend of mine from high school is one of the producers. Of course, since he was a year behind me, I think of him as much younger than I am. You know, by a year. Crazy how things that mattered so much when we were younger matter not at all now. But the residue of the feeling is still there. Perhaps that is the crazy part.

Anyway, congrats, Luis, on a great show and on your upcoming nuptials.

A Dichotomy of Presence Exists

2010-08-20T17:01:00.000-04:00

Hi All.

I have been accepted to write for an online site. It's not paid, but I'm excited nonetheless. And thank you to my sister Rivster who originally forwarded me the application.

Now that I am thinking about writing "for reals" though, it occurs to me that I ought to use my real name. Look. I know that if someone were to spend, oh, forty minutes looking into it, they can figure out who I am. Nonetheless, I want to keep PepGiraffe as something separate from my so-called real life.

I think what I need is a new blog, one that is professional that people can go to see what my writing is about (such as it is). I would still write here, but it would be more of what it was originally intended for: to let my family know what I am doing without having to phone every one of them individually. I'll let you know what is going on in my private life here and save the brilliant rants (and the other ones) for my public persona.

My question for you is this. What should I name my other blog? Just my real name? Or something like:

procrastinationpersonified
dichotomyofpresence
eclecticselections
untamedglories
peculiarpeculiar
notjustanother[NAME]
thefifthbestsinger
thedreamsaregettingworse
itsnotwhatyouthink
ameredistraction
thepepperparade
bleedingidanceonglass

These are all off the top of my head, by the way, so please make suggestions in the comments if you think of something good.

Recession Effection*

2010-08-17T09:35:00.000-04:00

What effect has the recession had on you? This has been an ongoing question in newspapers, magazines, surveys, forums, and myriad other places both on and off line.

The biggest change I made is that I have been much more consistent with recording the amount of money I have been spending. I have been pretty good about actually making a budget, but the only way you can tell if you are following a budget is if you know how much you actually spend. (It's the cash outlays that will trip you up every time.)

The best thing about honestly setting down what you think you will spend in a given year, is that you can tell if you are setting yourself up for failure. After figuring my 2010 budget, when all was said and done, I was actually planning on spending about $1,000 more than I was making.

While it was true that I could have cut things out, I'm pretty close to the bone as it is, so I decided instead that I would just earn an extra thousand dollars. Here are some of the ways I have done this over the last year:

Surveys
Squidoo
Mystery Shopping
Selling Books
Clinical Trials
mTurk/CrowdCloud/YouData

Later posts will tell you how effective each of those methods were. Until then, happy budgeting!

*Effection is a real word; I looked it up.

Edward Stone

2010-08-11T19:04:00.000-04:00

I was talking to Grandpa Bear (aka Mr. Grand of The Grands) last night and he pointed out that this whole gallbladder situation would seem a lot friendlier if I named my gallstones. Although I have scores of stones, there is a doozy three centimeter wide (over an inch for you non-metricals out there). His name is Edward Stone. Ed is being evicted on August 24th.

Anyway, as promised, here is the "Foods to AVOID" list that I got from my doctor last week. (There is a Foods ALLOWED portion too, some of which I will mention in conjunctive with this ridiculously restrictive list.

Foods to AVOID

raw fruits, dates and figs (fruit juice okay)
dry ready-cooked cereals including puffed rice, shredded wheat, corn flakes, etc. (strained oatmeal okay)
cream soup, meat stock, chicken soup
asparagus, brussel sprouts, cabbage, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, dried beans or peas, turnips, onions, bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes, sauerkraut, fried potatoes (cooked spinach okay)
mutton, pork, fried meat, fatty meat, canned meat, canned fish, shellfish (one portion of lean, broiled, baked or boiled beef, lamb, veal, chicken, turkey or fish okay)
cheese (fat free cottage cheese okay)
eggs, eggnog
cream, malteds, whole milk, butter, margarine
Fresh breads, rolls, muffins, biscuits (day-old bread or toasted bread okay)
alcohol, carbonated beverages
pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, ice cream, candy, chocolate (rice pudding okay)
olives, pickles, smoked foods
spices, salt, pepper
nuts

So you tell me this: How can I possibly get through the next two weeks without mutton?

Gall Watch 2010 (Edition 1)

2010-08-10T12:56:00.000-04:00

Things were pretty bad this past Saturday. I couldn't make it to the JJ Abrams-a-thon* at Scooter's place, which was a true bummer. Instead, I opted for pain killers strong enough to sleep through the pain. It was almost ER worthy, but not quite. If I do have to go to the ER, I might have to postpone the surgery or have emergency surgery (ironic, no?), neither of which I want to do.

from Wired Magazine

SILVER LINING, SARCASTIC EDITION: Due to the ridiculously restrictive diet the doctor put me on, I lost a quarter of a pound.

Tomorrow: Details of the ridiculously restrictive diet.

---------
*Creator or co-creator of Lost, Felicity, Fringe, Alias, and other one name titles.

The Unmitigated Gall

2010-08-05T14:58:00.000-04:00

This is not an obscene paint-by-numbers image.

You might remember me mentioning last month that I had to go to the ER to deal with a gall bladder problem. I had an attack after what is probably the last corned beef sandwich I will eat. Luckily, we were at Junior's, so it was a good one.

A few weeks later, I was visiting Bette and Ace (wedding in late October, btw) and we went to a Mexican restaurant. Actually, it was Tex-Mex, but apparently, that falls under the same heading. The service wasn't great. We ordered and it took a long time for our food to come. In the meantime, though, the waiter kept coming back with more tortilla chips. They were really, really good. And I probably could have had three or four of them without a problem. Actually, I did have three or four of them, but then I started over and had another three or four. And another. And possibly more.

That night, I woke up in five in the morning in intense pain. It was close to unbearable. The good news (in my mind) is that it felt exactly like the pain that took me to the ER, so I guessed (correctly as it turned out) that the course of the pain would be the same. In this case, the ER forgot to give me my medicine until four hours after I was supposed to get it and the pain had already started to subside. I waited it out.

Making a long story medium length, today I am going for a second opinion to see if I need to have surgery. At first I was incredibly opposed because I don't feel that bad. Everyone has been telling me it's not big deal (except the acupuncturist) because you can live without a gall bladder. It's still and internal organ, though. I mean, you can live without a left hand, too, but you wouldn't want to.

It occurred to me on Tuesday that it could be that a lot of other minor inconveniences I've been experiencing (tiredness, aches, pains) could be related to the gall bladder. (Above, in green, labeled #2.) Also, I've been feeling progressively more nauseous and as good as that might be for losing weight, it's kind of a drag. I mean, I can't eat chocolate anymore. The sight of it makes me queasy. No candy bars. No chocolate milk. One or two chocolate chip cookies seems to be okay as long as I don't think about what I'm doing.

NO!

And the follow up . . . .

2010-07-29T16:40:00.002-04:00

My boss is back from a very exciting three day conference, filled with ideas about how we can change the report that she has not yet sent to the higher ups.

In other news, I lost two pounds this month, but that may be due to gall bladder issues so I can't take full credit.

Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Programming

2010-07-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

The stupid project that I've been working on at work is finally over, so I can have my life back and it is much more likely that I will be posting on a regular basis. I turned in what I thought was the final draft yesterday afternoon, though my boss did tell me several hours later that she rewrote the whole thing, so I guess it wasn't a final final draft.

Someone Asked: Think of a Time When You Were Inspired

2010-07-09T19:46:00.000-04:00

1997. I had just quit my job and was not having much luck finding a new one. My new roommate Michelle, just out of school, had landed an internship with Project Bread, an organization that helps fight hunger in Massachusetts. Specifically, she was working on their annual "Walk for Hunger." Michelle ended up becoming one of my best friends - I was a bridesmaid at her wedding - but back in 1997 we were just getting to know each other. We'd tell each other how our day went, watch tv together, borrow each others books, commiserate about the walk to the laundromat, stuff like that.

About a month and a half into her internship, Shelley asked if I could do her a favor. She said that she knew I liked to sleep in in the mornings (completely true) but that she needed to recruit people to come to a breakfast presentation about the Walk. Knowing that I was living off my savings until I was gainfully employed again, she assured me that she didn't expect me to give anything and also that there would be free food.

I went to the presentation and sat at the interns table and listened to what the head honchos had to say; really listened. What I heard was very upsetting. Now, almost 15 years out, I don't remember the exact facts that were projected onto the screen. What I do remember is that on the verge of tears I told Shelley that I might not be able to give any money, but that didn't mean I couldn't raise it. I said I would raise $1,000.

This was before Facebook, Twitter, and paypal. In fact, most of the adults I knew didn't even use that new electronic mail that was all the craze. It took several attempts, but I crafted what I have to say was a good schnorr letter and sent it to every single one of my relatives and everyone I knew who had a job. I threw house parties where Shelley would give the shpiel and I would ask for donations. I asked my neighbors. I asked my pharmacist. I asked the dry cleaner down the block. In one memorable instance I accidentally bumped into someone at the grocery store and told him what I was doing and how important it was and he gave me $5. I'm normally shy, but I felt angry and helpless. There were children who were hungry and malnourished. Children. This wasn't Ethiopia or Siberia or Honduras; it was Boston and right on the eve of the 21st century, too. There was no excuse for it.

The day of the Walk was hot, in the 90s with some very unfriendly humidity. I rushed back from teaching religious school and went to turn in my money. With help from my grandparents and parents, siblings, friends and strangers, I had . . . failed to reach my goal.

I had raised $768.50. It might not be four digits but it was a good haul from a jobless, unwealthy, shy, short 24 year old with glasses. I wished I'd gotten the whole thousand. But still, while more is better than some, some is definitely better than none.

The truth is that $1,000 is an arbitrary number. The truth is that $250* more wouldn't have eradicated hunger in Massachusetts or even just in Boston. The truth is that I still give money to hunger organizations and so can you. Hunger has no deadline.

*I know it's really $231.50, but that would have broken up the rhythm of the paragraph. Donate to your local food bank.

The Most Boring Fact You Will Ever Find Out About Anyone

2010-07-08T14:06:00.000-04:00

I ordered myself a new ergonomic keyboard (one of the perks of having to take over all the ordering in the office is that I pay attention to what I actually need instead of waiting until something breaks) and found out that for my entire life, I have been hitting the "B" key with the wrong finger (my right one).

Sorry for the lack of length here, but I am under the gun at work with another big project. Details later unless they, too, are really boring. Hope you all had a nice fourth.

Our First Computer

2010-07-02T14:17:00.000-04:00

I know I should have something brilliant to say here, but I'm just on my lunch break and I am in the midst of a big project that has to be completed by next Wednesday, so this is a short one. I believe the year was 1983. I believe this is an Apple IIe. Check out the joy stick to the right and the 5 1/2" floppy disks to the left (in the disk carrier). They were actually floppy, which is where the name came from.

Thanks, MomGiraffe, for finding a couple of packets of developed film and passing them along.

Monthly Weight Update #6

2010-06-30T12:50:00.000-04:00

Change in weight = -3.5
Current weight = x - 4

Comments: It's good news this month, except that part (hopefully not all) of the loss can be attributed to a gall bladder attack that ended with me in the ER and part can be attributed to the fact that it has been so hot that it's uncomfortable to eat. Even chocolate. I've had the acupuncturist add gall bladder to the list of things that she is fixing.

Pilates

2010-06-29T09:57:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was my first day of pilates ever. It was very difficult and I couldn't do anything, but I was happily surprised this morning to find out that nothing hurt.

I Couldn't Have Said it Better Myself

2010-06-28T09:30:00.000-04:00

So I won't even try.

Courtesy of AMNewYork.

Too Relevant Email

2010-06-25T10:45:00.000-04:00

I just unsubscribed from Staples emails because they were coming all of the time. When I unsubscribed, they wanted to know why and provided a checklist for me. I was to tick off the reasons I didn't want to receive emails any more. One of the options was that the emails were "Too relevant (feel like being watched)." I find this noteworthy. Obviously, there have been complaints about this very thing or it wouldn't be an option. And I'm not going to lie, when I first started getting emails or letters from companies based on what I bought at other companies, it startled me. It started years ago, though, and after some consideration, I've decided that if I am going to get advertisements about something, it may as well be something I have a remote chance of buying. After all, I would be much more likely to watch commercials if I didn't have to sit through commercials about cars and beer. That's just a waste of time.

Speaking of commercials, I saw a commercial that I loved so much that I am thinking of buying their product just to reward them for having a commercial I actually want to watch. Here it is.

I now have to strongly recommend that you go to their website, which I just did. Click here.

Bridal Shower in PA

2010-06-23T18:13:00.000-04:00

This weekend was Bette's bridal shower, which was fun. It was low key and tasteful and everyone appeared to have a good time.

Went to a Book Signing Tuesday for Rules for My Unborn Son

2010-06-17T11:42:00.000-04:00

I met the author, Walker Lamond. He was so charming that I thought he was from the South, though he said no. I found out about the signing through FreeNYC.net, which sends me email every day about free or cheap things to do in the city. I usually don't even read it until it's too late, but I happened to see this one in time.

The book (and his site) are really fun to flip through and I think have a lot of wisdom. It's not so much the common sense is not so common type of wisdom so much as having a bunch of common sense, succinctly put, in one place.

Also, I had a lot of fun having Walker sign the book for someone else's unborn son. (Don't worry, the family isn't Jewish. And I'm not giving the book until after the baby is born.)

Does Taking Benefiber Make Me an Old Person?

2010-06-15T09:46:00.000-04:00

What about having bursitis?

If I Can Do It, So Can . . .

2010-06-04T12:13:00.000-04:00

someone with my similar skill set.

When people say "If I can do it, so can you," it drives me nuts.

The Absent-Minded Professor

2010-06-02T11:38:00.000-04:00

The head of our department (Jeff) is not actually a professor, but he also isn't stupid, so I'm using the above-referenced allusion to explain what happened this morning.

I was trying to use our corporate American Express card over the phone. When the salesman asked for the expiration date of the card, as per the norm, I saw that the card expired last week. So I called up Jeff and asked if he had the new card. He said, "No. I've been getting emails about the card expiring, but I didn't know what to do with them, so I ignored them."

I replied, "Okay. Forward the email and I'll take care of it." I get the email. It's from last week and it is a forward of an original email sent three weeks ago. It has one line: "Your corporate card expired May 31. Kindly take a moment to read and return the attached form to my attention."

Really, what could be more simple than that. But the truth is that we've lost 1/3 of our office in the past year and everyone is doing more with less, so I have to imagine that what Jeff meant to say was, "No. I've been getting emails about the card expiring, but I never got around to reading them."

Happy National Safety Month

2010-06-01T11:02:00.000-04:00

From the National Safety Council Web site:

The number of people hurt or killed each year because of unsafe behaviors is unacceptable. In 2008, there were an estimated 76,700 deaths in the home and community. Each of these deaths could have been prevented. NSC asks the public to address this issue by getting involved in their communities as Safety Ambassadors.

Do they mean that these 76,700 deaths were caused by unsafe behaviors? Even so, I'm sure that some of those people would have died of other things.

However, if you would like to be a Safety Ambassador, you can. Please let me know how that goes.

Monthly Weight Updates #3 through #5

2010-05-28T12:22:00.002-04:00

Monthly Weight Update #3, 3/29/10
Change in weight = -2
Current weight = x-2

Comments: I can't believe it. I lost two pounds! I'm rich! I'm rich! (Or at least that's how it feels.)

Monthly Weight Update #4, 4/26/10
Change in weight = +1/2
Current weight = x-1.5

Comments: I'm going the wrong way!

Monthly Weight Update #5, 5/24/10
Change in weight = +2
Current weight = x-0.5

Comments: Still going the wrong way. I've been diligently recording the food I eat on The Daily Plate. Looking back over my records, I see that I do pretty well and then every ten days or so, I have a really high calorie day. I'll try not to do that going forward; that should help.

Racial Profiling Success

2010-05-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

Last week, I was coming home from Brooklyn on the N train. It's a fairly long ride, Crown Heights to Astoria, and when I transferred at Atlantic-Pacific, the train was already full. It wasn't jam-packed, but there were no seats left.

I knew that the train would empty out (and fill back up) at Times Square, but I didn't want to stand for that long if I didn't have to. I took a look around and positioned myself in front of some tired looking older Asian folks. Then I waited. The next stop was Canal Street, which, as it happens, is the entrance to Chinatown. The Asian folks got up and I got my seat.

Discuss.

Voting with your Dollars

2010-05-24T09:48:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I passed an independent book store that looked really cute. I thought I should support it, even though I knew the price would be higher. I probably just bought a card, but I looked around and found a number of interesting things. I settled on a book called Why Manners Matter, because I have been thinking about this topic for quite some time and because it was less than $15 (I got the paperback version). Sadly, I'm not enjoying it much. It's actually a little boring.

While I was there, though, I flipped through Picasso and the Girl with the Ponytail and I liked that quite a bit. Might get that for the nieces and nephews at a later date.

All Night Long

2010-05-20T19:26:00.000-04:00

For Shavuot, I went to my synagogue. I had signed up for the dinner and the study session that took place after services.

The blintzes were abysmal. That made me pretty sad.

The study session was uninspiring. I liked the idea of the clergy coming around to each table so that all tables had the opportunity to study in small groups.

I had planned to go to the JCC afterwards, because they have a fantastic program, but I was just exhausted and went home instead. I'm glad I took the next day off, though, because I needed the sleep.

In other news, the landlord FINALLY fixed the pressure on the hot water in my tub. It only took a year.

Con Edison was scheduled to come today and retrofit the basement pipes, which run underneath my closet, so I woke up at six this morning and emptied my closet onto my bed.

Just a Bunch of Little Things

2010-05-15T11:43:00.030-04:00

Excited to see my Grandpa, who is making the rounds of the out of state grandkids. He's in TX now, and NY tomorrow. Then PA, MA and VT.

Today I have my first acupuncture appointment. My back isn't pain free, and I've heard that this could help. I've done it before, so I'm not nervous.

Last Wednesday I went to our annual congregational meeting slash volunteer appreciation night. I reconnected with my friend Jessica who I haven't seen in such a long time that she has a new job and is single again. I also made out a check for the blintz dinner after services on Shavuot, saving myself stamp money and stamp aggravation (read: finding my stamps). Most importantly, I actually remembered to bring a stack of clean nice clothing that I have been meaning to get rid of for my synagogue's Partnership with the Homeless clothing drive AND some food for the Yorkville Common Pantry (we're a founding sponsor).