(no subject)

There are supposed to be three of us IT type people here at the Chicago office I work in.

One of us is on vacation. I was out sick yesterday (which turns out to be a very good thing, as I will relate later on). But IT dude number three was out sice yesterday too. So our office where a lot of the execs are based, and where our CEO is a significant amount of the time, had no IT staff yesterday. Ooops.

I hope this doesn't reflect too badly on us, or me. It's been a long time since I called in sick, so I didn't feel too bad about it 'till now.

(no subject)

So I stayed home yesterday 'cause I had a nasty headache in the morning, coupled with (or perhaps because of) not enough sleep. Three or four more hours of sleep plus 400 milligrams of Ibuprofen and I was feeling much better.

It was a good thing I was home. Kuma wasn't feeling well either and had icky diarrhea all over the bedroom and Moira's workshop/our library. I puzzled over how to fix that for a bit, then went out and rented a Rug Doctor. I'd been intending to do that anyway and hit some places that have historically been the site of kitty accidents.

I got back with it and got the upstairs mostly done. Then I blew a fuse. I should note that the house we rent has both breakers (in one box) and fuses (in another one). I found a blown 15 amp fuse and replaced it, but things were still wonky. Some outlets seemed to have power, some not, and some were like half-powered or something. It was odd; I could plug an extension cord into one and see the light showing there was power, but nothing would run on that outlet.

Back into the basement I went. This time I pulled the scary-looking big square panels out of the fusebox and found that they had two 60 amp fuses, one of which was blown. I took one of said big square panels with me to look for a replacement at the hardware store.

Meanwhile, Kuma made another mess all over the living room, and was then confined to the kitchen behind a baby gate in one doorway and a pile of plastic tubs in the other. Poor pup; I felt bad for him.

Moira graciously cleaned up what she could while I checked three stores for 60 amp bus fuses. DG Hardware was out. I decided not to buy the slow-blow kind, even though they'd fit and would save me lots of driving. I figure I ought to make sure I have the right thing when dealing with that much current. Sears and Chester Electronics didn't carry them. Moira suggested the True Value on 52nd, who had a bunch of them.

I got home and installed the panel with the new fuse and steam-cleaned the downstairs area that the dog got. Then I moved on to the stair landing and certain areas at the baseboards of the dining room the cats have taken a liking to. I thoroughly went over all of that, then sprayed them down with an enzymatic cleaner. I saw reference to such a thing online while trying to figure out how to clean up after the dog.

I kept spraying enzymatic cleaner on the spots for several hours and went through most of a spray bottle. Our downstairs smells really noticeably better now, so I'm happy. I'm probably going to hit the spots a few more time and make sure I get everything out so the cats don't recreate the issue. This stuff is great!

Let's see. I also washed the futon cover, 'cause he got that. We also threw out the small area rug in front of the front door 'cause it was gross. We needed to replace it anyway.

And on top of that, I got caught up to date in Quicken on my personal bank account, our savings account, and our shared household account. Whee! That's a weight off my mind! I don't know why I keep getting anxious about doing the finances. I actually really enjoy the process, and it feels great when I'm done and I know exactly where we are monetarily, but somehow I get really anxious that we won't have any money when I'm done and I keep putting it off, and find myself surfing the tubes when I actually sat down to work on Quicken. *woofs* But it's all done now, and I need to keep up to date at least weekly, though I really want to do it every day.

The best part of Monday was that, despite all the nasty and annoying things going on, Moira and I, together, had a really good day and enjoyed spending it in each other's company. It was the kind of day that make me think my relationship is really good and solid and happy. I'm still smiling about it.

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I went to fair with Moira and Sabrina on Sunday and had a really nice time doing low-key hanging out. We met a few people who I haven't seen in quite a long time, Vlad and Kyttin and Datahawk; that was nice. I got to meet up with Meg again too, and chatted a little bit about my trip to New York and stuff going on in her life. The trhee of us were all going to The Brat Stop after faire, but for some reason they seemed reluctant to seat us. Several larger parties got there after us and were seated first, then they tried to put us off to the side somewhere. We snubbed them and went to Old Country Buffet instead, which was actually really nummy. Good spinach casserole!

Prior to that, I got to meet Brownkitty for the first time (not to be confused with Brownleopard who I'll probably meet this weekend for the first time) and her kids. That was at the tea in the park gathering that Posicat does semi-regularly. I had a fun time meeting new people and juggling clubs out in the park. I was also advised that Brownkitty's husband has my dream car, and is looking to sell it. *bouncebounce* I don't think it would be a daily driver (I don't actually have a daily driver at this point since I don't drive daily), but I'd just love taking photo road trips in a '67 Beetle. *giggles* I've wanted a Beetle since I was a little pup. I was never into cars in general growing up, but somehow I always loved and longed for a Beetle.

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Also (last but not least!) was a trip out to Elgin on Saturday for a party at Polymorphism and Nekouken's apartment. There were more people that I'd realized would be there, and I was nervous and quiet for a while. But after the typical hour or so, I was relaxed and talking to people a bit and having a nice time. Thanks for inviting me! And things to my dear one, the lovely Moiracoon, for going with me.

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Since I was out sick Monday, I'm probably going to end up working on Friday, which means I won't get to Akron 'till Saturday. I'm still trying to determine how to situate my plans for the weekend in light of that.

Times Square pictures

I'll return to my narrative soon, but I just put a few Times Square pictures up.

( Look behind the cut for a few samples )

There are some more over at my Flickr photostream too.

New York Part 3: Times Square and The Empire State Building

I just had my first interaction with a policeman that was brought about by someone calling to report me looking 'suspicious'. I got back to Ogilvie with rileybear67 around seven, so I missed the train that would get me all the way to Kenosha. (Fortunately, moiracoon has offered to pick me up in Waukegan, and will be meeting me there shortly; thanks!) She left shortly on her trip home. Since I had some time, I started looking around the station. I walked out to the end of one of the platforms, passing a Union Pacific yard engine on one of the tracks and a Metra train on the other. I stood out at the end for a while watching trains and locomotives shuffle around between tracks. I looked up and enjoyed the clouded twilight sky and my view of the Sears Tower standing proud over Ogilvie.

After maybe half an hour, I started walking back toward the station proper and was met by a policeman who asked me what I was doing and for ID. I provided ID, though I feel a little bit bad about that. I wasn't doing anything illegal and should not have been required to show it. I'm glad he didn't ask to look in my backpack, as I probably would have politely stated that, though I know he's doing his job, the privacy of my belongings isn't something I will give up without a good reason.

I explained that I was just waiting for my ride home and that I like trains and enjoy watching them. He seemed just fine with that, though he wrote my name and home city down. I suppose I'll be in some database somewhere. There is a view of the Sears Tower from the platform end that I need to make a photograph of, and I'm going to go back and get it at some point regardless. Hopefully I'll manage to do it without arousing any further suspicion.

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So, back to New York.

We explored Times Square, staying through dark. We checked out the TKTS booth, where you can buy discount Broadway tickets. I was just amazed by the crowds, the light, the sounds, the unending, innumerable moving billboards blanketing every side of me. You already saw pictures in one of my previous posts, so I'll refrain from linking them here.

Times Square is the single most unnatural place I have ever set foot. I don't say that with any negative connotation; it just is. There isn't a hint, a whisper, of anything natural. Subway gratings are underfoot to remind you of the vast underworlds beneath the streets. Endless fleets of taxis motor through the ceaseless crowds. To the sides, the buildings are swathed in expanses of animated LED billboards, bathing the square in strange, ever-changing hues. Above, the only natural feature in sight, the sky, is squeezed into narrow bands by the structures that rise, canyon like, all around you. The only sounds to be heard are the droning of hundreds of voices, punctuated by automobile horns. This is supremacy of man over the natural world at it's apex.

Oddly, I kind of liked being there.

In the subway, as we left the square, akreaveter was creepy again. He's way too good at that.

From there, we decided to move on to the Empire State Building before retiring for the night. The rest of my family all went up to the observation deck. I elected to stay down on the ground. It would have been neat, but not quite twenty dollars neat. They must be making a killing off of all the tourists!

Instead, I photographed the lobby. I got some neat shots of lobby in general and some of the architectural details therein. After spending a while in there, I went out on the street and wandered around the nearby shops. I watched someone from city maintenance watering the plants in the giant planters on the sidewalk. I wandered over to a shop full of cheesy touristy stuff, but did not find anything worth buying for anybody. (I did find a penny squisher and squished some pennies for rileybear67 that I gave her tonight, along with some from elsewhere in New York City, the Ohio turnpike, and the Quincy mine in the Keweenau!) After that, I went back to the Empire State Building to look for folks, and took pictures of them as they walked through the lobby toward the street, of course. (I have pictures from the Empire State up on Flickr now. I really like the brass medallions in the lobby honoring the technologies that went into creating the building.)

From there, we got on the subway and went back to the hostel. Due to the lateness of the hour and resultant changed train schedules, we got a bit mixed up, but made it back in due time. We also got to see a train consisting of some older, non-revenue service passenger cars and a few flatbed cars that seemed to be picking up garbage at the stations. Neato! (Pictures of those will be up next.)

And thus ended our Wednesday as we collapsed into bed. Thursdays's stories (and more!) to come.