Chicago Girls Trip - The Aftermath

Now that I returned from Chicago, I had to take care of many things related to the theft of my wallet.  First, I had to call the remaining credit card companies that I couldn't reach on Monday to close the accounts to new transactions.  Then, I had to replace the documents I had kept in my wallet related to my driver's license, car registration and car insurance. Following that, I had to visit two banks to make sure that the correct cards were cancelled, and that new ones would be on order.  For all of these tasks, I was glad to have my US Passport handy, as this would serve as government issued photo ID for every procedure that requires photo identification,

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I  should feel more exhausted than I do right now.  But I think I'm running on a steady flow of Adrenalin in my arteries.  When I texted RQS, STX, and JTX, they told me that I accomplished a lot in a short day.  In reality, one can accomplish a lot if one has a good plan.  Although I'm good at doing things on the fly, it helped for me to write down a list of things to do before I started out for the day.  This way, I would know how to adjust things when circumstances dictated a change in plans.

Just before I went to bed, I noticed that the fraud unit of American Express stopped payment on the wrong purchase.  The thief made a bogus charge to Target, and I made a legitimate charge to the Frank Lloyd Wright trust, and the chargeback went to the wrong parties.  So I called Amex at 2:00 am to get this fixed while I was awake enough to do so.

Monitoring both credit card charges and my credit reports will become a regular thing for the foreseeable future, especially when it's time for me to turn off credit freezes so that I can finance a car I plan to buy.  The big question will be: What kind of car do I want and how much will I finance?

Chicago Girls Trip - Day 3

 

Off to the left (mostly out of this picture) is a building called "The Rookery".  It is an anomaly, as Frank Lloyd Right was tasked with renewing another architect's work and did so in magnificent fashion - working in a style that enhanced the original architect's vision instead of obliterating it.

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RQS and I had our last breakfast with STX before going our own ways.  (JTX had to leave much earlier in the morning, as she had a 7:00 am flight, and couldn't be with us.)  We left STX waiting at the bus stop while we headed off into the Loop for a tour of the Rookery. 

Our trip into the look was uneventful, but my back was bothering me again.  But I was gallant, and soldiered on through an our of walking and standing.  We learned a lot about this building, and were planning to visit the Federal Reserve's Money Museum after the Rookery.  Unfortunately, my wallet was stolen, and I spent the rest of the day dealing with the loss. (I documented this day in a prior entry.)

Instead of eating a nice dinner out for our last Chicago meal, we ate some take-out chicken. But I couldn't relax.  I was still dealing with being hyper stimulated, and being in a vicious cycle loop of worry.  I couldn't sleep - and I wished I could all through the night/

I learned something though - be ultra careful with one's wallet and contents when not in familiar areas....

Chicago Girls Trip - Day 2

 

The second full day of our trip started with another breakfast at the Egg Harbor Cafe.  And again, RQS and I got up at the awful hour of 7:00 am to be ready in time to eat.  But to see our friends, it was worth it.  They went out of their way to see them.  So we knew it was right to do the same.

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Once done with breakfast, it was time to go to the Willis Tower and go to the Skydeck.  The above picture was taken from there, and on my previous visit, I saw a plane flying BELOW the level on which I was standing.  But I digress....

All 4 of us knew what we had to do to reach the Skydeck  This time, we got there early, and we got there on a day where we were able to see something other than rain in front of us.  After a little time killing, we went up to the observation deck.  On this visit, I was underwhelmed.  When it came time for us to stand on the Ledge (a 1.5" thick plexiglass platform jutting out from the building), it was mobbed. 10 years ago, people weren't making an effort to stand on the Ledge.  Now, people pose there for some interesting photos which then can take home and forget about. Yes, I bought some of those pictures, and have sent digital copies to RQS, STX, and JTX as souvenirs of our trip.

After the Skydeck, it was off to the Magnificent Mile, and the Billy Goat Tavern.  The original Billy Goat is classic Chicago, and the model for Saturday Night Live's Olympia Diner skit. Even now, you'll hear the chant of "Cheeborger, Cheeborger, Cheeborger" several times during a typical visit. And from there, we explored the Mile, and then took the bus to the river where we explored a control house for one of the Chicago River's Bascule bridges.

Walking was beginning to take a toll on us, and we decided to go for some Deep Dish pizza to finish off our time together with a filling meal. Yum!  Over dinner, we talked of many things, and we all hoped we could get together again next year.  San Francisco came up, and it is high on our list of options.  Given a choice, I'd vote for the City by the Bay.  Maybe next year at this time?  We'll see....

Chicago Girls Trip - Day 1

 

What was it that John Lennon said?  "Life is something that happens while you are making other plans."  Well, our first day in Chicago was one where we started to try to do things according to plan, and where our actions diverged from the plan shortly after we started.

We met at 8:30 am (a big stretch for RQS and I), and had breakfast at a local eatery.  Once done with breakfast, we marched off to our first stop in a light rain - the El that would take us to the Bus's starting point.  And that's where our plan unraveled.  The train that would take us to the Loop was late, and we had to try something else.  And that's where we got lost - even with the use of Google Maps!  (I hate their walking instructions, as it's too easy to go in the reverse direction from where one wants to head.)  After some effort, we got to the Willis Tower and got on the bus.

Our first stop would be the Art Institute of Chicago, where we spent a couple of hours skimming what the museum had to offer.  There is way too much to see in one visit, and we were not out to perform a superhuman effort to do so.  After a quick lunch, it was off to the Field Museum for a while.  That's where my back problems got to me, and I had to sit down more than walk.  Once done there, we went out to catch the tour bus that would take us to Navy Pier, a tour bus that didn't come.

When we had waited 45 minutes, we decided to use our multi day passes for Chicago's mass transit system, and take a local bus to Navy Pier.  (This might have been a mistake, as the tour bus came shortly after we gave up on it.)  It was bitterly cold all day, and we needed a place to warm up and eat before our scheduled night time river tour.  Luckily, we found it at the pier.  But we ended up skipping the river tour.

After dinner, luck finally smiled upon us, as a bus that runs along Chicago avenue was waiting at the bus stop, and we found we could take it directly to our hotel.  So we did!

Besides the asassination, how was the play?

 

After this weekend, I am not sure that I will bother with Chicago again.  Most of the trip was great, but it was book-ended by events that soured me on a lot of things.  But I will go into that after a brief reporting of our Girls Trip to Chicago.

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There were 4 of us scheduled to spend a long weekend in the Windy City: STX, JTX, RQS and me.  I'd be traveling in female mode for the entire trip, with only my masculine legal ID available to get me through airport security.  (More on that later.)  It would also be the first time that RQS would be taking a trip with me solely presenting as Marian.

I had packed both my suitcase and my backpack, and took a cab to to Croton Harmon station.  Well, I was so absent minded, that I left my backpack with my Chromebook in the washroom - and it was gone by the time I went back for it.  AARGH!  If I'm lucky, Metro North may find it, and then bring it to Lost and Found at Grand Central Terminal.  But to claim it, I need legal ID - of which I left a backup version (US Passport card) in that bag.  (Again, more on this later.)  So I took the cab back to my apartment, so that I could get a new supply of medicine before the trip.

The next few days with the girls was mostly uneventful.  (More on this later.)  We had a great time exploring Chicago, going to the Field Museum, the Art Institute, and Navy Pier on our first full day there, and then going to the Skydeck (Observation level at the Sears/Willis Tower), and then the Magnificent Mile on our second full day there.  After STX and JTX left for home, RQS and I went to the Rookery to see this classic building.  And that's where my troubles began.

After our Rookery tour, we went to a local place to have lunch.  That's where my wallet was stolen.  AARGH!  Instead of going to see the Money Museum at Chicago's Federal Reserve Bank, we ended up making phone calls to banks to cancel credit cards, and going to the South Side of Chicago to file a police report.

Arriving at the police station, we saw a migrant encampment completely surrounding the police station's block.  This is where I realized that having my wallet stolen is a "first world" problem.  These people have it much worse than I ever will. I couldn't avoid the children playing with the revolving door, as they didn't have much to play with.  Inside the station, people were encamped on one side of the "receiving area" while the other side had been cordoned off for police business.   

Chatting with the police officer while he was taking down my information, I found out that the area within the Loop has become a high crime area.  It is very different from the last time I was there, and even the PO has had his wallet stolen once.  So you can now see why I won't be visiting Chicago again for a while.

Today, it was time to go home.  With ALL of my ID taken by the pickpocket, I was worried about TSA airport security - and for good reason.  We checked out of our hotel room early, and got to the airport.  Although I had TSA Pre-Check privileges, for this trip, I lost them due to my missing ID.  I had to fill out a form to inform TSA that I was without ID, and then (after a minor back and forth between the TSA area and Delta's ticketing area) I had to wait again until a TSA officer was available to ask me several security questions to insure I was the person who would be flying home.  After a few minutes, this officer made a phone call, asked me some personal questions, and then I was cleared to pass through security screening - without Pre-Check privileges.  

Given a choice, I'd always go for Pre-Check (or Global Entry, if traveling internationally) to avoid the hassles of intense TSA screening.  Today, it was time to go home the way most people do.  I went through the full body scanner without my shoes, all of my bags were swabbed down for dangerous chemicals, and I had to have a full body pat down.  TSA had the grace to ask me whether I wanted a male or female to perform the pat down, and I said that it didn't matter. Once the pat down was done, I still had to wait for my bags to be processed, and after 30-45 minutes, I was ready to enter the secured area of the airport.

Once I entered the secured area, it was time to look for RQS.  And I couldn't find her.  Instead of being close to the TSA zone, she had located herself in an area where I couldn't see her.  So I proceeded to take the long walk to the gate, and wait for RQS - she'd have to pass by me to go home.  This made perfect sense, as she did find me with a little help from our cell phones.

Two hours after we boarded the plane, we landed at La Guardia airport.  And we were home before 7:15 pm.  Not bad!  But I still had to make it home.  Leaving at a little after 8:00 pm, I made perfect connections to get to Croton Harmon, and then found a cab waiting for a fare at the station.  After telling him my story, he offered to drive me home for free.  I'm glad that I didn't have to accept his generosity, as RQS had given me some money to have in my purse if needed.  But I am grateful that there are still some people in this world....

By the time you read this, I will have returned from my trip.

 

Cloud Gate.  It's one of the most visually impressive works of art in Chicago.  But, with the expected weather, I doubt we'll have the chance to visit "The Electric Kidney Bean" (as some have called it.)  

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Last night, the 4 of us gals (3 Cis, and 1 TG) discussed our final plans for the trip.  And it looks like we'll be doing the hop on/off tour bus to make our way around the tourist sites in the city.  If I were traveling alone, I'd do things much differently from the way we're doing them on this trip, as I've been to the city before and would want to get to know it in greater detail, and not doing another "view from 30,000 feet."  

Chicago is one of those few cities that one needs more than a short weekend to fully enjoy what the city has to offer.  Too bad my friends will only have two days there.  Even RQS and I are staying for too short a time, as we leave the day after our friends.  I will have more to report when I get back....

Dinner with my former student voice clinician

 

Today's entry is going to be a quick one, as I have to leave for RQS's place in a little while.  But it involves dinner with someone who helped me become the woman I am (for better and worse).

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Several years ago, I started transgender voice training at Mercy College's (now, University's) speech and hearing clinic, where future clinicians are trained.  Compared to the rates charged by one NYC practitioner who has an office on Broadway, I was getting a bargain.  But the help I could get there was limited, as the students rotated in and out of in-school clinical practice every semester.  As a result, the quality of service varied quite a bit, and that there would be a limit to the amount of help I could receive at Mercy.

LK and I have developed a friendship over the years. She is the only student clinician that I encountered who was "fully adult" (she was approaching 40) when I met her.  Last year, she had a baby, and his health complications got in the way of us meeting for a while.  So, getting together with her was a special event.  I was surprised to find that she is pregnant again, and experiencing all of the classic symptoms of pregnancy that she was lucky to have missed the first time around. I won't go into the details of what we chatted about, save that we caught up on each other's lives and hope to get together much more often, now that they have a handle on her son's issues.

All too soon, it was time to leave, and we had to go.  LK went home, while I went to Walmart to pick up a couple of last minute items that I needed for my trip.

If I were a normal sized gal, I'd have an easier time packing.

 

My doctor has been telling me for years that I must lose some weight.  This has been one of the hardest things to do, given that I no longer burn off as much fat as I once did with my everyday activities.  An unfortunate byproduct of this is that my clothes take up more space in a carry-on than they should - especially in Marian mode.

Over the past few days, I have been trying to squeeze a week's worth of clothes into a single carry on bag, with any overflow going into a small backpack.  It was a little easier for me when I had a bag from Mystic Seaport which could be expanded at will.  (It was a great personal item to take on a plane.)  But I think that it migrated to RQS's place - and that I don't have it when I need it.  AARGH!

Sooner or later, I'll have to learn how to minimize what I pack.  But my makeup and toiletry kits take up a lot of precious space - something I wouldn't need if I traveled as Mario.  At least, I'll be traveling as Marian on this trip, and not needing to present as Mario for at least 7+ days.  I can finally get my nails done!!!  

Hopefully, I'll be able to drop a few pounds before next summer's trip....

Switching Handbags - something all women do from time to time.

 

Normally, I carry my personal items in a bag similar to this.  Being able to wear a handbag makes things so much easier for me, that I have started to hate having to use pockets when presenting as a male.  Yet, I'm not out to say which is easier, as pockets reduce the number of things one must hunt through to find the things one wants.

Today, I received a small Crossbody bag that I can use to hold my essentials while traveling.  Why is this important?  I don't want to be rummaging through a small backpack (my personal item) to find things when at the airport.  Instead, I want to carry a small bag to carry things such as my driver's license, cash, and my cell phone that I can stuff in my backpack when I no longer need access to them.

Although it will feel very awkward at first, I expect that I will find this bag very useful when I travel en-femme, and flying with only a carry-on.  But if I'm checking bags, it makes much more sense for me to carry my usual handbag, as this gives me much more flexibility when I arrive where I'm going.

Let's hope that this isn't wasted money....

 

 

 

PS: I ended up changing my wallet too.  See why in future posts....

The sofa's delivered, but there is a defect

 

The clock keeps ticking, and I am not yet packed for my trip to Chicago.  There is a little bit of ambivalence about this trip, and I'm still not sure of where it's coming from.  But I'll discuss that again later.

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Today was the big day.  I had a few things to do today, and got showered and out of the house by 11 am.  My first stop was to return an item purchased online at the local post office.  Then it was off to the local library to return some books, and finally to Kohl's to do an Amazon return.  About the only thing I did do to take care of myself was a quick burger at a fast food chain.  (I know my doctor would disapprove.)  And finally, I would return home to await the delivery.

Around 12:30 pm, I felt I could use a short nap, so I put the CPAP on so that I could fall to sleep if needed.  (I had the alarm set for 1:30 pm, just to be safe.)  As I was arising from semi-consciousness, the doorbell rang.  It was the deliverymen.  Within 15 minutes, the new sofa was snapped together (the sofa backs slide into place for ease of delivery and setup.)  But there was something wrong - the control for the right hand seat wasn't working.  The deliverymen noted the issue and left.  I didn't have to sign for anything -yet.

Although I still don't know when someone will come to fix things, I told the men that I won't be available until next Thursday afternoon.  Hopefully, everything will fall into place then, and I will have a fully functional sofa.

PS: Amazon sent me an email that I should expect a replacement drill tomorrow.  This is a good thing, as I can not drill into the legs of my coffee table to install casters without it.

PPS: I called Raymour & Flannigan, and got a date 10 days out for replacement of this sofa.  Hopefully, I will have no problems with this sofa - especially, when I have to stay in Mario mode until the new sofa is installed.

Another Day, Another Return to Amazon

 

Yesterday, I boxed up a dress that had to be returned because it was too big.  Today, I have to return a drill I bought from Amazon because it wouldn't charge.

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Buying off-brand items of Chinese provenance is like buying pigs in a poke.  One doesn't really know what one is getting until one opens the box and inspects the merchandise inside.  Sometimes, the product is quite good, and is a bargain.  Other times, the product is garbage, and has to be returned.  In the case of the drill above, it has a solid feel, but ts construction leaves a little to be desired.  For example, this drill is charged using a USB-C cable.  But it doesn't come with a charger block that can be plugged into a wall socket.  So I connected it to two charger blocks of my own, and it didn't charge.  So, back it goes to Amazon for a refund.

Over the past few months, Temu has been spending a fortune on a media campaign to get people to use its shopping app.  From having a woman dancing on screen showing off her latest purchases to "authority figures" showing products on Temu whose prices are too good to be true, this firm's business model is built on getting customers used to low prices and cutting Amazon out of the shopping equation.  But Amazon has an advantage that Temu doesn't - One and Two day deliveries.  If I need a product NOW, I can get it quickly.  With Temu, the product has to be shipped by air from overseas, and then delivered to the end customer.  They don't have Amazon's economies of scale.

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Even Amazon has its weak points.  If I need to inspect an item, try on an item, etc., then Amazon doesn't do much for me.  For example, I'd prefer to look at a pair of shoes and try them on before buying them.  I'd have saved from many mistakes, had I been able to do this more often.  If I need something "yesterday", then even Amazon isn't the right place to buy something.  That is why "Category Killer" stores are so useful.  I'd never know what products are available (and at specific price and quality levels) without being able to see them in the stores.  The blinds in my windows are examples of items I needed to see in person before buying them.  And I wouldn't have wanted to have them shipped to me, then have to ship them back if they weren't what I really wanted.

There are some products that Amazon realizes require a hands-on purchasing experience.  Their purchase of Whole Foods was a good way for them to see how people buy perishable goods, and apply what they learned to in-store shopping experiences.  When I was in LAX (Los Angeles Airport), I saw a store which used Amazon's shopping technology to offer a "Grab and Go" shopping experience.  Yes, it may be convenient.  But it lacks a human touch.  If a product is defective (let's say some foreign product if found in a bag of chips), one has no one to complain to.  

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In the end, no shopping experience will ever be perfect.  As a TG who straddles both masculine and feminine worlds, I like the ability to find products online that I can buy - all in one place.  But I miss being able to chat with store personnel to find out what looks best on me.  

But for now, I have to shower, get dressed, and return my drill before my next delivery comes....

I forgot it was a holiday, but the post office didn't.

 

I decided to return a dress I bought through Amazon.  It looked "just OK", but not good enough to keep right now.  So I boxed it up, printed a return label, and got set to bring the dress to the post office to be returned for credit.  One problem - today was a Federal Holiday, and I can't bring a package to a post office that's closed.  AARGH!  That's one more task I'll have to take care of tomorrow before my new sofa arrives.

After that, I figured that I should make a quick run to Walmart to pick up a couple of pairs of leggings.  Unfortunately, I misplaced those I used to wear to work under my tunics, and needed a couple to wear on my upcoming trip.  Again, a problem - the local Walmart didn't carry in my size.  So, I decided to drive up to Fishkill, where I found 2 pairs in my size in a color I could wear under tunic length dresses.

Do I intend to wear dresses without leggings if I can?  Yes!  I prefer wearing dresses whenever I can.  As a TG who lives on both sides of the gender coin, I prefer to wear dress like garments that reaffirm my feminine nature.  However, I'll have my leggings, so that I can be practical in the cooler autumn weather.

The awkwardness in my plan is that I'll be with RQS at her place the day before our trip, and there the night we return.  Why is this an issue?  No counter space in her bathroom.  I'll have to get made up in a hurry, and can't afford to skip anything, or to leave anything behind.

Keep your fingers crossed....

I can't believe I made such a dumb mistake

 

I just received a dress today, and I can't believe that I made such a dumb mistake as I made.  As most women know, women's sizes are all across the chart.  Depending on the vendor, I run from being a woman's size 1X to 5X.  Usually, I order size 3X when ordering from Catherine's, and 2X when I'm ordering from Woman Within.  Because I wanted to avoid the BOGO 50% off deal, and get the above dress at 75% of list price, I ordered it through Amazon.  But I made one BIG mistake.  Being a size 28, many of the places I shop at put me into a 3X dress, as consistent with the sizing on the Catherine's site. But this dress has a Woman Within label, and a size 3X is a size 30-32.  I'll have to return it before I travel. (As if I didn't need any more things do I?)

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Getting home after a weekend with RQS is a little sad.  Yet, there's a part of me that still enjoys being by myself, and not having to answer to anyone.  Today was one of those days.  I always enjoy it when we're together.  But sometimes, I like being alone.  I guess many widows and widowers get this way in our old age.  But I had the chance to see my neighbors, and inform them of my travel plans.  They will look for any deliveries that come after mid week,  and hold them for me until I get back from my trip.  It pays to have good relationships with one's neighbors.

 

 

 

Once inside my apartment, I proceeded to take care of installing a 6 outlet adapter that I had just received from Amazon.  Although one can get these at Home Deport, Lowe's Target, Walmart or any decent hardware store, I decided to bundle this with the above order for ease of bookkeeping.  As usual, I did things the hard way, and didn't wait until the morning to start this task.  Instead, I had to look for a flashlight to see things, and then screw this in for security.  I don't want to think of this again when I have my reclining sofa delivered in a couple of days.

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As you can guess, I have lots left to do before my trip, and not enough time to do them....

Powerball. It's a hope and a dream for many.

 

As I write this, the Powerball Jackpot is at the $1.4b payout level (if taken as an annuity).  Given that the odds of winning are roughly 250M to 1, it is almost always a sucker bet, and an easy way for states to pick peoples' pockets instead of levying taxes.  But once taxes and the current value of money are factored in, any jackpot in the $900M+ range is a rational bet, as the after-tax payout in present value dollars is commensurate with the risk taken to win that money.  So, I will likely spend a tenner to buy 5 quick picks and indulge in a poor person's dream.

When my dad was alive and living at home, he would give both my brother and I several scratch-off tickets on our birthdays.  Yes, it was a waste of his money.  But it was cheap entertainment for us.  Once, we had the pleasure of taking him to the Connecticut casinos and spending a day together.  No, it's not how I'd normally spend a day.  But it made my dad happy, and that's all that counts.

Do I think of what I'd do if I won the lottery?  Sometimes.  But it would simply allow me to own a small home where I had a two-car garage, two cars in the garage, one of them electric and the other gas powered, and convenient to mass transit for my long term needs.  If I won it today, I'd probably travel more than I do now.  My life wouldn't change much.  But I wouldn't advertise that I got lucky, as all the "distant relatives and lost friends" would come out of the woodwork for a handout.  

What would you do if you won a big jackpot?

In a couple of months, I'll be on a solo cruise.

 

Soon, I'll be taking the above cruise.  It is highly likely that I won't bother to get off the ship at any of these stops, two of them because I am in a gender non-conforming presentation.  Strangely enough, I feel almost as at risk getting off at Port Canaveral as I would getting off in Nassau. This is a time where I wish I lived on the West Coast, as  I'd feel safe disembarking at all US and Canadian ports there.  But this was a cheap cruise booked out of New York.

It's going to be strange traveling without RQS.  But it'll be a good thing I do this.  I need reasons to get up in the morning, and enjoying a cruise will provide a week's worth of reasons.

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The last time time I took a solo cruise similar to this was shortly after the pandemic cruise stop was ended.  On that trip, I got off at Charleston, SC to see Fort Sumter. Before that, it was a cruise with XGFJ, where we got off in both Port Canaveral and in Nassau.  (She decided to go snorkeling at the cruise line's private island and was underwhelmed.)  My impression of all 3 ports was lackluster at best. Port Canaveral is a refueling stop disguised as a place worth visiting.  There is no 'there' there. The only things to do are to visit the nearby Space Center or taking a 90 minute shuttle to the Orlando theme parks for a half day of overpriced rides.  Nassau isn't worth stopping at, as there is little that found worth doing or seeing there.  And that leaves the cruise line's private island.  It's a great way to separate  people from their money, as all the special attractions generate money for the cruise line and not independent vendors (as is the case in Nassau).

So, why am I taking this trip?

Simply, I need to get away.  I want to see whether the cruise line is worth it for future cruises with RQS, especially for last minute getaways.  

Wish me luck.

I'm preparing to travel, and I'm missing things

 

Since I started to clean out the clutter in my apartment, I kept stumbling into the compression bags that I use for travel.  Today, I looked for these bags and couldn't find them.  AARGH!  I knew where things were in the old clutter.  But I don't know where things are in the new mess.

- - - - - -

Right now, my apartment has a vacant space where a sofa used to be.  Things which would normally be near the sofa have been pushed away, so that the new sofa can be put in place.  But this gets in the way of me accessing those compression bags.  In the game of Jenga, I'm caught between a rock place.  No matter what I move, I lose.  In the case of my apartment, if I move something, I will lose track of where it is.  And I am already upset that I can't find the costume jewelry I had in the bedroom that I moved as part of the electrical work done over a month ago.

Luckily, I sorted much of what I need for travel into two easy to find bags, and much of the stuff I will need for the trip is already in my "Go Bag".  But I think I will repack things when I get back from RQS's place, as I know that my backpack should be treated as a personal item.  This way, I can stash my pocketbook in the backpack (or in my carry-on) and retrieve it when I land in Chicago (or when I return to New York).  

- - - - - -

My upcoming trip will be the first one I take with RQS as Marian.  This will be a very interesting trip, as the women we're meeting in Chicago only know me as Marian, but know of Mario's existence.  Let's hope it all goes well.

Only two things to do today, and it was easier to do as Mario

 

Today will be a very short entry.  I had two things to do today, and I ended up doing one of them in Mario Mode, as I had to be able to identify myself to a bank where the co-op has an account....

- - - - - -

Normally, the co-op president takes care of things when we need to move money between accounts at the bank, or to get a check drawn on one of these accounts.  However, the co-op president was otherwise occupied, and I decided to take care of things today.  So I got dressed as Mario, preparing to go out later as Marian, and proceeded to the bank.  Once done there, I delivered the check to its recipient, and went out to eat.

When I got back, I dealt with my laundry, only putting one load in the washer today.  Once the washing and drying was done, I brought the clothes back upstairs and decided not to go out anymore.  I figure that later on, I'll fold the laundry and start packing things for my upcoming trip as Marian.

As I said - not much to say....

Out with the old sofa...

This is obviously not a picture of my apartment.  It looks too clean and barren.  But it represents how I feel, now that the sofa that I've owned for 25 years is out of the apartment.

But first....

Last night was another (almost) sleepless night, where I couldn't fall asleep to save my life.  Something was preventing me from relaxing enough to drift off to sleep.  And if I had a container of zzzQuil, I would have mega-dosed on it just to fall out.  So I knew that I was going back to bed once the junk haulers left and try to nap a little bit.

I don't know if any of my readers have had the need to use Junk King's removal service.  This is a franchised operation similar to 1-800-GOT-JUNK, where one identifies the junk to be removed, and shortly thereafter, it's gone.  The regional franchisee for the operation runs a side business in selling second hand goods and estate sales - Revivals.  It's a nice synergy (I hate that word, as it is overused to justify many corporate mergers) of two complementary businesses.

This morning, 3 men came to remove my sofa - at exactly 10 am (as scheduled).  I knew that getting the sofa out of the apartment would take a lot of effort, but I wasn't letting the cat out of the bag.  By the time they figured out how to get the sofa out, they had to remove the sofa's stump legs with a pry-bar and sledge hammer, then removing the entryway door to get the sofa out.  (It wasn't this hard to get the sofa into my place 25 years ago, as I only remember having to remove the door.  But I digress.)  Once they got the sofa out the door, they were gone in 5 minutes.  I paid the bill, thanked the 3 men, and then went back to my bed for a nap.

- - - - - -

Waking up at 2 pm, I knew that this would not be a day spent in Marian mode.  I had a co-op board meeting scheduled for 6 pm, and needed to present as Mario for that.  So, I reluctantly got dressed as Mario and took care of some chores before the board meeting.

The board meeting went quickly, and I was able to go out afterward to pick up some outlet extenders at Lowe's  One problem, these aren't the type one permantly attaches to the wall outlet.  So I will have to get different ones tomorrow.

Synchronization

 

After spending the weekend (mostly) as Mario, I finally got a chance to go out in the world as Marian.  First, RQS and I went for pedicures,.  And later, Vicki and I went out for dinner.  This doesn't sound like much, but....

- - - - - -

RQS has noted that by the end of the weekend, we are totally in sync with each other, and that it is hard to part.  Our arrivals at the other's house begin with a greeting, and then a period of synchronization with each other after being apart for the better part of a week.  By the end of the weekend, it seems like we can almost always have a good read on what the other is thinking and work seamlessly together.  Yet, RQS noted that I was several steps ahead of her yesterday when I shifted our pedicures into today.  Once she realized that I had to be in Mario mode to buy the sofa, all was OK.  But she would have liked a better clarification of what I was doing, to understand the whys and wherefores before things start to happen.  Today, with incomplete information from her, I realized which nail salon she wanted to go to, and made sure we went there before she had to go home.

Later on, I dropped RQS off at the train station and killed some time at BJ's before proceeding to Vicki's house.  I got there a few minutes early and texted Vicki of this, saying not to rush.  But when she got home, she wondered - did she give me the right time?  I told her that I was there early, and texted her to say she didn't need to rush.  And then, we headed off to Lefteris Gyro.

Both of us ordered the Greek Salad with Chicken - and both of us feasted.  Unlike most meals, she finished first.  She was famished!  We chatted about many things.  But when I told her about what is going on with our board and our managing agent, she started saying what to do, instead of listening to find out what was really going on.  Eventually, she caught on, seeing that our slow progress on some projects depended on one person - and understanding why things are the way they are.  (Vicki is one of the people I use for reality checks, and I know she can keep a confidence.) 

Once dinner was over, I drove Vicki home and fell out early.... 

I bought the sofa!

 

Today's post is a short one with a large purchase - I bought the sofa!

Originally, RQS and I planned to get a pedicure today.  One problem.  I would need to present as Mario to buy the sofa, and I didn't want to change back to Marian after being out all day.  So I adjusted our plans on the fly (with a comment from RQS to keep her informed on how my mind was working) and decided to spend the day as Mario for the sofa purchase, then spend tomorrow as Marian for the pedicure.

- - - - - -

Around 2:30 pm (we usually get moving slowly when we have no firm plans), we drove to Yonkers and asked for the salesman who serviced us last time.  After a little bit of waiting (he was servicing another customer at the time), he showed up and I told him that we were ready to make a deal.  He was very happy.  When I asked about the price of the sofa, he started to quote the non-discounted price of the item before (as planned) RQS brought out a copy of the online price for the same item.  Almost immediately, the price adjusted downward, and we chatted for a while on stuff other than furniture.

A little while later, RQS interrupted us, noting it was time to fill in the paperwork.  So, we proceeded over to the service desk, and finalized the deal.  On the way out, the salesman said NOT to bring along the wife next time.  (He was joking, but there was the part of me that said - the two of us work too well together, and he wanted a chance to make a higher commission.)

All in all, a good day!