The above map of New York City shows the density of Age 65+ residents in each borough. And as an older transwoman, I figure that I should "act my age" and visit the NYC outpost of SeniorPlanet.Org for a 1 hour class on website building. I didn't expect much, but it was a good excuse to visit the city and see an Off-Broadway play afterwards.
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The day started with the drip in my bathtub's hot water faucet becoming a steady stream of hot water. This is something I couldn't fix on my own, and would need the help of our apartment complex's super whether or not a plumber needed to be called. So, after I got dressed and on my way to NYC, I called our super and he agreed to come over sometime tomorrow.
Now that I got the process of fixing the leak started, it was time to pick up a sandwich that I could have for lunch before going into the city. Because of this stop, I might have missed the train I wanted to take. But I did catch a train that, with connections would bring me to NYC's in-person Senior Planet site at exactly 3 pm, including subway connections and walking.
When I arrived at Senior Planet, I wasn't sure of what to expect, save that the class would be a very light overview of website building. And yet, I was surprised to find how little people of my generation understand about the internet and how things work. So, I'm glad that places like Senior Planet exist, if only to provide technical scaffolding for those who didn't grow up around technology, as I did. Since the lady at the entrance asked me to stop by her desk on my way out, I did so - and became a member. We chatted for a minute (woman to woman) and she found my humor entertaining. Now, if I go there again, it will be as Marian - as I want to live as much as my life as possible as a woman. But I digress....
Next, it was off to Greenwich Village to eat. After trying to find the Stonewall Historic site, I gave up after walking further than I wanted along Christopher Street. (My back was bothering me, it was warm, and I had only a limited time to eat and travel to the theater.) So, I walked back to the Ghandi Cafe for a "quick" dinner. Although I ordered my old standbys, Samosas, Lamb Sagwala, and Onion Naan, I wasn't happy with today's meal. I think that part of my reaction was predicated by the restaurant having its front window open and relying on ceiling fans to keep people cool. This wasn't good enough for me, as I polished off at least a quart of water and a glass of Lassi to stay hydrated. If anything, I'd bet that my taste buds were affected by my body's reaction to the warm weather.
Around 6:20, I was off to catch a train going uptown, and arrived at the theater with 15 minutes to spare before the show began. I had good tickets for The Imaginary Invalid, an adaptation of Molière's classic comedy about love, greed, doctors, and deception. One problem, my body's reaction to heat had me semi-conscious throughout the show, and I missed many of the jokes. (I may go back and see this play again before it closes, weather and money permitting.) But what jokes I did catch were funny, and actually got me to laugh (a rarity).
At 8:30, I was headed back to Grand Central and made it there with 10 minutes to catch the next train back to Croton. When I got off the train, I tripped on the platform and almost fell down. But I was able to keep my balance and step onto the platform without harming my self. Getting into the elevator, two ladies of my generation and I chatted for a second in the elevator. When I came down the steps leading to the cab stand and parking lot, one of those ladies made sure to wait for me to come down the stairs - as if I were a typical woman traveling alone late at night. It's nice to know that most people seem to be seeing me as a large, but overweight woman.
