It was Mario's day out. (A short post)

 

A financial issue with the co-op forced me to go out as Mario this afternoon (Wednesday).  I was asked to move a small amount of money from our savings account and wire it to our operating account.  This would allow us to make a payment from the operating account that had to take place by the end of the week. Unlike most days, I didn't mind so much going out as Mario, as I had several errands of my own to take care of as Mario.  So, when the president of the co-op called me while she was away, I used this essential excursion to the bank as Mario to also pick up a suit from the cleaners and a blazer from the tailor. 

My first stop was at the bank, where I performed the wire transfer.  And then, it was off to the cleaners to pick up my suit.  This stop took more time than expected, as my car had just downloaded an update to its software, and I had to give it 10 minutes to complete after the download.  So, this was a perfect excuse to have a slice of pizza before picking up the suit.  Fifteen minutes later, I was back in the car (with my suit), and off to the tailors to pick up my blazer.

Once I had everything in hand, I drove to BJ's for a shopping expedition.  Although there may have been 1 or 2 items that I might not have needed right now, I figured that I'll eventually use these paper plates as my old stash runs out.

I've been trying to avoid dwelling too much on politics

 

"Hail! Hail! Freedonia, Land of the free and the brave."

Around 90 years ago, the 4 Marx Brothers made a movie called "Duck Soup" which lampooned the lead up to war and the absurdity of fighting that war.  I wonder what witticisms Groucho would say if he were still around to see the Orange Snowflake make a mess of America and the world.

- - - - - -

Only a fool would take the GOP speaker of the house seriously when he blamed the House of Representatives' shutdown on Zohran Mamdani's run for Mayor of NYC.  How could a man from an opposition party, not involved in the Federal Government be the cause of the shutdown?  Sadly, this is the level of lunacy that passes for GOP logic these days.

As I see it, we will have some interesting pain points for DC politicians coming up as I write the entry:

• 11/01/25 - SNAP Benefits (Food Stamps) & ACA Healthcare Subsidies End.
  
  This is going to hurt poor people, especially in the GOP run states.  Families will not have the funds to buy enough food for their families, nor will they be able to pay the healthcare insurance premiums coming due in 2026.
   
• 11/04/25 - Election Day.
  
  Although there will be no nationwide election, several local elections may indicate how disenchanted people are with what's going on in Washington, DC and tell us who they blame for the impasse.
  
  
• 11/05/25 - The Shutdown becomes the longest in American History.
  
  It will be over a month since the last full paycheck for virtually all Federal workers (save for the Post office).  Given that most people in America live paycheck to paycheck, and that they are 3 paychecks away from financial disaster, the pain becomes very real for most government workers.
  
  
• 11/21/25 - The day the GOP's Continuing Resolution Bill expires.
  
  This is an interesting date.  The speaker of the house has kept the house out of session, so that the newly elected representative from Arizona can't be sworn in.  Why is this?  He doesn't want the 218th vote to be cast, so that a house resolution makes it to the floor, calling for the Epstein Files to be released.
  
  If the house stays out of session, there is no Continuing Resolution bill for the senate to approve, so the House GOP line that the Senate Democrats must pass the bill to reopen the government.  At this point the speaker has a hard decision to make: Does he keep the house shut down and be THE cause of the shutdown?  Or, does he bring the house members back in session, and see the Epstein File resolution pass?  
  
  

Sadly, the Democrats in the Senate caved before this entry was to go live.  In one sense, this is a good thing, as the GOP didn't decide to "Go Nuclear" and eliminate the filibuster. (I did not support this option, as I was "all in" on the shutdown.)  At least, we'll get some movement towards releasing the Epstein files, now that the congresswoman from Arizona has been sworn in.

 

Lunch with "Short Vicki". (But not tomorrow with "Tall Vicki".)

 

This is not anywhere near what I had for lunch.  It's an illustration of what I'll likely be eating this weekend as part of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.  But first....

- - - - - -

I woke up early today, and wish I could have stayed in bed for another 3 hours.  However, RQS had to go home, and I had to meet "Short Vicki" for lunch.  So I got dressed in a tunic length dress and leggings (I almost always see Vicki in female presentation) and started to feel tired as soon as I got moving. After dropping RQS off at the train station for her trip home, I had time to kill before my lunch with Vicki.  So, I went to Walmart to pick up a few things such as makeup remover wipes before heading down to Scarsdale for lunch.  On my way to Scarsdale, I knew that I would need to rest before lunch, as I was already feeling the urge to nap.  So, once I got to Moscato, I decided to rest for 30 minutes before entering the restaurant.  Although I didn't fall asleep, I had the energy I needed to get out of the car and have lunch. 

Vicki arrived shortly after 1 pm, and we proceeded to have a nice lunch from the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week menu.  For $29.95, we each had an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert.  It was well worth the money we spent.  I'd have the Pappardelle with meat sauce any day, as well as the Veal Parmigiana and Italian Cheesecake that came afterward.  We talked about several things, such as our trips, her non-binary offspring, and politics.  She gave me information on a food bank for which I will likely contribute some money, hopefully helping some needy people during this time of crisis.

Around 2:45, we left for our homes.  By the time I got home, it was all I could do to stay awake enough to get undressed and fall asleep on my bed.  A little over 3 hours later, I still had my bra and breast forms on, but I felt much better rested than before.  After stripping these items off and putting on a pair of trousers, I went downstairs to pick up a delivery from Universal Standard.  However, my UPS delivery went to the wrong address - ¼ mile away!  So I ended up contacting them, and got 2 call backs, with a hope that they can find the parcel and deliver it to me in the morning.

I could have gone apple picking. Instead, I picked an apple pie.

 

When we got up, we had one thing to do: Pick up 2 of RQS's dresses at the cleaners.  So, we had a lot of time to relax before we got moving.

- - - - - - -

Often, our weekend routine has us relaxing, watching TV (or Youtube videos) until noon or so. Neither of us has much energy when we get up, so we're lucky to be retired and have the freedom to get up when we please.

As usual, this would me a day that I'd present as Marian.  When the weather chills down, I find it hard to dress in an obviously feminine way, and not look out of place. One thing I tend to do is wear dresses as tunics, and leggings underneath them,  If I feel like being a little more dressy, I'll wear a dress with stockings or tights underneath. In many ways, this is a compromise I make to avoid looking more like a female then a person who has the body of a typical overweight male.

When we finally got moving, it was 2 pm, and we didn't have much sunlight left.  Our first stop was at the cleaners, and RQS got her dresses.  I had forgotten to give her the receipt for the suit I dropped off the previous day, so I'll have to pick it up next week.  After a brief stop back at the house to pick up my cell phone, it was off to the North for some residual leaf peeping.  Sadly, as expected, the colors were muted, as many of the leaves had already fallen.  But it was enough to make the drive worthwhile. My GI tract was telling me that it was mildly upset at me, so I knew not to go too far from modern plumbing.  So, I decided to make my turnaround when I reached Fishkill.  

- - - - - -

Years ago, I became familiar with the Fishkill area when I moved to Croton.  During the American Revolution, the Fishkill Supply Depot was one of the largest encampments during the war.  However, like much of America's history, it has been mostly plowed under in the name of progress.  When I moved here, there was a small mall nearby that has also been plowed under, being replaced by a Home Depot, a campus of the local community college, and some derelict buildings. 

Since my stomach had stopped bothering me, I figured that we'd make it to Fishkill Farms to pick up an apple pie.  I remembered this place from the time I dated Patty, my ex-girlfriend of 25 years ago. The place was mobbed, as many people were going there for the corn maze and for some apple picking.  As for me, I knew I could get a good apple pie here, as well as some other farm fresh food to eat. 

I was glad that my stomach had settled down, as RQS had to use the facilities at Fishkill Farms.  Who ever wants to use a port-a-potty?  It was time to head home so that I could take my bio break.  But first, it would be a stop at Trader Joe's.  After navigating the roads from the farms, we got on the highway and headed home.  TJ's was busy, but we got out of there relatively quickly. And we were home for the night just before dark.

PS: The Apple Pie was just as good as I remembered, and worth the drive to get it.

Game night - This time, I just kibitzed.

 

This was a half and half day, where I started out as Mario and bought a lightweight blazer for my upcoming cruise, took it to the tailor to get altered, then took a business suit to the cleaners to be fresh in time for the cruise.  The other half of the day was spent in Marian mode, so that I could have dinner with MAR, then play games in Yonkers.

- - - - - -

I got out of the house late, and dropped off my suit at the cleaners.  The place looked almost empty, as if the owner wasn't getting enough business to stay open.  So I'll be sure to get my suit out of there as early as possible, maybe this Saturday, as I doubt the shop will remain open to the end of the year.  (RQS's dresses are in the shop, having been hemmed last weekend.)  Next, I drove down to DXL to buy a blazer, and $225 later, it was hanging in my car and on its way to a tailor I could trust.

There is a dry cleaning shop in the heart of Croton that does its cleaning on premises AND has a dedicated tailor on site.  This was the shop I wanted to take up the cuffs on my blazer.  $40 later, I was out the door, and able to pick up the blazer next week.  So, by 2:30 pm, I was ready to change into Marian mode and prepare for dinner with MAR.  One problem - she was hurting badly (cramps), and wanted to postpone dinner (again).  I suggested rescheduling dinner, and she jumped at it.

At this point, I had a couple of hours to kill before going to game night.  Just as I was about to put my makeup on, my brother called.  This caused me to get out of the house late, and arrive too late to participate in the one game being played tonight.  Just as well.  I was more in the mood to hang out, and kibitz a little.  (Note: "Kibitz" is meant as idle conversation, and not as providing unwanted advice.)  Even though I didn't play any games, it was a nice evening. 

I didn't bother getting out of my jammies today.

 

I only wish I could have looked like the woman in the picture above.  She is in the prime of young adulthood, she is pretty, and she looks good in whatever lingerie she models.  Instead, at best, I look like a frumpy old woman with a non-conforming body.  At least, I now feel comfortable in wearing the clothing I want to wear, and I am accepted as a woman by many people I meet.

- - - - - -

With the above being said, I stayed in the slip I slept in and then hung around the house all day.  Yes, I did reload my bookcase with the books I took out in preparation for a visit from the cable company's service technician.  Although I have read 90% of the books in the bookcase, there are still some I have to get around to reading when I have (or make) the time to do so.

Once I was done with reloading the bookcase, I went into the other room to work on the co-op's web page.  First, I had to make sure that the current edition of the newsletter was properly inserted into its page, and then I had to make a blog entry which contained some of the items from the page.  Soon, I will discuss an idea I have for the blog: putting less "sensitive" from our meeting minutes into entries we can publish on a monthly basis.  It'll be nice to be able to publish things on a monthly basis, instead of the sporadic basis we now publish entries on the blog. 

Tomorrow may have me venture out in Mario mode for a while, only to bring a suit to the cleaners for pressing and to shop for a lightweight blue blazer, both of which I will wear on an upcoming cruise.  RQS asks me whether I have my dress shirts yet, and I keep telling her that I have two of them somewhere in the house.  (I ordered them from J.C.Penney's a while back, and now have to find where my pooka has put them.)  Given that I have a dinner date, and then game night, I will be out of the house, no matter what.

 

I can't believe someone would let an apartment get this bad (a short post)

 

The above pictures are of a hoarder's apartment that my co-op will have auctioned off by the time you read this post.  Several years ago, we became aware that this person wasn't paying his rent, nor did he keep his apartment in habitable shape.  

A few years ago, we had to enter his apartment, in order to deal with a leak that affected the apartment below this person's apartment.  We found the place in a total mess (much worse than this), and had to pay someone to clean out enough of the place in order for the plumbers to do their work.  Over the years, we have tried to find the owner to serve him notice that he either had to pay the co-op the money owed to is, or surrender his shares in the co-op.  It wasn't until the Spring of this year that we were able to send him the appropriate notice, and that we could put the apartment up for auction to recover our uncollected maintenance fees.

As you can see, this place is not habitable at the moment.  As I see it, one would have to do a total clean out of the apartment, and then strip out everything in the kitchen and bathroom just to get started.  Molding and trim work in the place would need to be replaced, floors sanded and refinished, walls repainted, as well as other work needed to replace fixtures in the apartment.  

I can't see someone living in the apartment as it was when the plumbers first needed entry, nor can I see someone living in this apartment until a major cleanup and rehab is done to it.  SJM thinks it needs $30k-$50k worth of work to make it habitable, and thinks we should simply clean it up and sell it as-is.  As for me, I feel we can't do anything about this apartment until more pressing affairs are taken care of, and only then can we make decisions on what to do next if the place doesn't sell at auction.  We'll see what happens at month-end when the auction is held. 

 

A visit to the doctor (a short post)

 

 

"Doctor" Johnny Fever (From: "WKRP in Cincinatti")

Two weeks ago, my doctor put me on a new medication, and wanted me to come back today to see if it worked. So far, so good.  But now, he drew some more blood for a test to see if other blood levels had changed from my cessation of alcohol consumption.  (We'll find this out over the next couple of days.)  Given how little alcohol I usually drink when on land, I've found my doctor's instructions easy to follow. 

My doctor has been concerned about my weight for years.  And now he's concerned about my liver.  A few years ago, he wanted me to get a liver scan.  I finally scheduled it, and the ultrasound technician didn't understand what my doctor was asking for.  So the scan was never done.  Today, the doctor wanted me to go on a GLP-1 drug to lose weight, and I told him I'd try it if insurance covered it.  He also wanted me to get the liver scan, and I reminded him of my past experience with this.  So I got a new script for this, and told him that I'd want to do the scan when he is in the office, so that if I have this issue again, they can call him for guidance.

Getting old is a bitch, but it's better than the alternative for now....

UPS Doesn't Deliver!

 

Above is the tracking history of a package having been shipped by UPS.  The package has been held up in Philadelphia for a while, and no reason is being given by UPS for the hold up. Dollars to donuts that this package is being held up for two reasons:

1. Lack of US Customs personnel in Philadelphia due to Government Shutdown.
2. Trump's Tariffs causing confusion at import points

This is the second time I've had problems with deliveries not being delivered, and held up in mid stream. (The first was with Amazon, and mentioned here in a prior post.)  I expect things will start getting much worse as the Holiday season approaches.

So what's going on here? 

We've seen reports of foreign mail services refusing to ship small parcels to the United States.  In the past, an items valued $800 (or less) could be mailed to the US without having to pay duties.  Now that the "De Minimis" floor of $800 has been removed, all parcels are subject to US tariffs, and are subject to duty collection.  But who pays?  Where is this money collected?  How much should be paid? Sadly, because of this confusion, foreign postal agencies are simply saying NO to shipping packages to the US.  And I can't blame them one bit.

Even though my package is being delivered by UPS, is my package one of those affected?

I'll be contacting UPS to find out more about what's going on.  If I have to pay a reasonable duty right now, I'll consider it.  If not, I'll write off this purchase for now.  But if I have to write off this package, I'll avoid doing business with Ulla Popken (a great German retailer) until things clear up. 

- - - - - -

PS1: Before I had the chance to call UPS, I saw an update - they expect to deliver the package tomorrow (as I write this, Wednesday).  I'll make an update to this post if delivery occurs as now expected.

PS2: UPS changed the delivery date again.  Contacted UPS to find out why package is delayed.  Will update this post as new information is received.  Hopefully, I will finally receive the package as now scheduled.

PS3: UPS Keeps pushing back the delivery date.  It's now scheduled for Friday.  Will need to call their phone number for international deliveries to see what's up. 

PS4: Late last night, UPS reported the package was in "Clearance Scan" state (I couldn't capture this on time).  This morning, it is "On The Way".  I wonder whether I will receive the package on Friday as now scheduled.

PS5: The package is finally on its way.  It's hard to believe that it took 2 weeks to clear importation procedures in Philadelphia.  Hopefully, there will be no more delays, and the package will be at my door as now scheduled. 

PS6: Things have now gotten ridiculous!  The package was delivered on Monday as was now scheduled, but to the wrong address! (My doorway looks nothing like the doorway above.)  Around 7:30, I filed a report of package mis-delivery, and by 7:50, I received a call back.  UPS had delivered the item to the wrong address - about 1/4 mile away from my apartment.  Although the person at the other end of the line explained how this could happen (several properties on my hill have similar addresses), UPS should train its delivery workers better to deliver goods in areas like mine.

 

PS7: On Tuesday, I contacted UPS again around 9:45 am, and they mentioned that the issue has been reported to the local delivery center.  Hopefully, I will hear back from them by the afternoon.  Then I contacted Ulla Popken, where my request for a new shipment or refund was passed to the shipping department for processing.

 

PS8: Around 7:30 pm on Tuesday, I got another call from UPS asking me about the mis-delivered package.  She confirmed where the package was delivered, and I mentioned again that that is not my address.  It's hard to believe how screwed up UPS can be when they deliver a package to the wrong address.

 

PS9: This afternoon, I found a package near my mailbox.  The shipment from Ulla Popken had finally arrived.  So, I sent an email to Ulla's customer service, saying that UPS finally delivered the package, and that finally, all was right with the world.  19 days from date of order to delivery - AARGH!  At least, I now have the package.

 

 

Now that I'm home, I'm catching up on things

 

It took me roughly 2 hours to get home today, and I'm starting to take care of things needed to get me through the week. 

- - - - - -

Returning home after a weekend with RQS can be a pain, as I know of all the tasks to take care of when I get home.  For example, unlike my brother, I prefer NOT to use my bank's phone app to take care of bill payments and other things.  My financials are way too important to me to trust to a device that can get easily stolen (as happened with my wallet in Chicago a couple of years ago).  So, moving money from my personal account to the account dedicated to the family homestead had to be done from home.  But there were other tasks to take care of, such as 2 loads of laundry.  That got done this evening.  And I was expecting a delivery from Ulla Popken which UPS reports is stuck in Philadelphia.  (Dollars to donuts, the shipment is being delayed because US Customs isn't clearing the shipment due to the government shutdown.)

Normally, I'd have taken the time to switch into Marian mode and relax.  However, I have to present as Mario in the morning when I visit my doctor, as well as meeting the management company's site representative for a run through of the vacant apartment we are auctioning off next week.  Only after this is taken care of will I be able to switch into Marian mode and get my nails done (if I have the time) before going to a meetup in Valhalla.

I still have a big mess to straighten up over here, as well as laundry to fold and put away.  Those tasks can wait.  I'm tired and want to rest for a while.  

Another weekend in Queens

 

Although the above picture was taken in Chinatown, RQS and I spent most of the weekend at her house.  Sadly, this was a weekend spent as Mario, as my brother was coming over to eat with us this past Sunday. 

But first....

The weekend started off with a drive to Queens.  There was a little more traffic than I expected, but in the places that are normally backed up, traffic was moving.  So, I made it to RQS's place a little faster than usual, getting to her place before the sun went down.

Saturday came, and we had originally planned to go to Midtown Manhattan to visit one of the venues opening their doors for Open House New York (OHNY) weekend.  However, this conflicted with "No Kings" protest weekend, and RQS didn't want to be anywhere near any of the protests.  So we decided to take the subway to Chinatown and have a bite to eat.

We got off the subway at the Chambers Street station (one of the ugliest and poorest maintained stations in the system) and walked upstairs and saw these policemen in a relaxed mood.  It seems like the "No Kings" demonstrations went off without any problems, as every policemen we encountered seemed to be enjoying themselves in the beautiful weather we had this Saturday.  On our walk to Chinatown, RQS and I spotted 20 policemen on bicycles casually riding back to Police Headquarters, looking like they had an easy day on duty. (Later, we found that there were no incidents related to the protests.  This was good, as I seriously considered that the Orange Snowflake might create some "False Flag" trouble.  If the protesters were Anti-American, as the corrupt administration in DC claims, then count me in as one.  But I digress.)

Eventually, we made it over to Mott Street and made it to one of the better "Noodle Joints" in town - Wo Hop.   It's not one of the restaurants I'd usually eat at, as I prefer Szechwan cuisine over Cantonese.  But both RQS and I wanted a change of pace on this visit.  That left us with a big question:  Do we go to the original Wo Hop, located in the basement, their upstairs dining room, or Wo Hop Next Door?  Well, we chose the upstairs dining room, as there were no lines.  (Later, we found out that both upstairs and downstairs dining rooms share the same kitchen.  So, while we had no wait to get a table, people had to wait to eat downstairs.)  Both RQS and I enjoyed the food.  Yet, I think that next time we are in town, we may try another noodle joint.

After our meal, we explored Chinatown a little, and took the subway back home for the night.  We got in our share of walking for the day, and we had another day of good food ahead of us on Sunday.

- - - - - -

Sunday came, and we took our time getting out of bed.  My brother was coming over in mid-afternoon, and we would be proceeding to Rockaway Beach for dinner at a "Red Sauce" joint.  (Note: Red Sauce Joints are old style Italian Restaurants.)  He arrived about an hour late, and we made the 45 minute drive to the Rockaways. Rocco's of Rockaway Beach is a Red Sauce joint that was well worth the effort to get to by car.  Just around the corner from the end of the subway line, it could have been a regular place for us to go - if we didn't have to make 2-3 subway transfers to get there.  But it was the perfect place to go with my brother to celebrate his birthday, as it gave him a chance to talk about his problems if he felt the need to do so.

We sat down to eat, and had a leisurely dinner.  About 2 hours later, we were finishing off our meals, and I was tasked with the drive back to RQS's place.  My brother's legs were hurting him, and he needed a break before driving back to his house.  So, I took the "long" way home, and we bid our farewells for the evening.  I feel sad for him, as he's in the early states of separating from his wife, and he doesn't know the half of what he's in for over the next few months.

- - - - - -

On Monday, I had a hard time in getting moving.  I had to go home and take care of editing the co-op's newsletter, as well as catch up on things at my place.  Although RQS will be up here this coming weekend, I will still miss having her next to me for the next few days.
 
 

"Not Ready for Prime Time" is ready for prime time

 

Tonight, I went to a limited engagement show called "Not Ready for Prime Time".  This play was much better than I expected, and well worth watching if you're in NYC for its limited run.  

But first....

This would be my last chance to go out as Marian until next Tuesday night.  So, I decided to wear a sweatshirt dress over leggings and an old faux leather jacket to keep me warm, and trek into NYC to see this off-Broadway play. The cheap seats usually cost $38.  But on day of performance, "Rush" seats are available for $18.  At this price, it was worth taking a last minute gamble on seeing the play.  So, off to the city I went, and I arrived at Grand Central Terminal (GCT) at 6:45 pm.

I didn't have much time to waste, as GCT is at 42nd street and 4th (Park) Avenue, while the theater is located on 52nd street between 10th and 11th avenues.  For those not familiar with New York City,  the tone has to travel 1/2 mile North and 3/4 mile west from Grand Central to the theater.  This wouldn't be so bad, save that the closest subway station to the theater is 1/2 mile away.  One way or another, I'd be doing a lot of walking to make it to the theater on time to see the play. Having arrived 10 minutes early, I was seated in the front row, almost at dead center.  This gave me a perfect view, with one exception - part of the stage extended 3 rows into the seating area.  When performers entered this area, I couldn't turn enough to see them speak.  But this was a minor flaw for these seats. 

When I sat down before the play started, the band was playing instrumental songs from the mid-1970's.  It was nice to hear Billy Preston's "Nothing from Nothing" performed before show started, as it was a fitting intro to the story of the  Not Ready for Prime Time Players.  (Preston was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live's (SNL) first show.) And then the show began....

"Not Ready for Prime Time" focuses on the history of the show from the hiring of the original cast to the mass departure of this cast after the show's 5th season.  It documents the rise of Chevy Chase as the star of the show, his departure, the career growth of the remaining crew after Chase's departure, along with the tensions between the Not Ready for Prime Time players during their 5 years on the show.  What was a nice touch was that the show touched on the death of John Belushi, followed by the death of Gilda Radner. And this paragraph can not do this show justice.  But is does show how the first 5 chaotic years of SNL set the stage for the next 45+ years that the show would be on the air.

A little over 2 hours after I arrived, the show ended with the entire cast dancing to "Ackroyd" and "Belushi" reenacting the "Blues Brothers" routine and their performance of "Soul Man".  It was a fitting way to end the show - with some joyous music, and the memories of how great things were (at times) during the formative years of Saturday Night Live.  

But now I had a problem - I had to make it back to Grand Central, as well as finding a rest room to relieve myself.  I couldn't find the 50th street subway station I used on the way to the theater.  (Not all NYC subway station entrances are easy to find.)  So, I had to walk the 1/2 mile to the Times Square subway station to get to Grand Central.  And thankfully, I made it to Grand Central in time to prevent an unfortunate accident. (If I was in male mode, I'd never have made it to that rest room on time.)  Yet, I had another issue - I had only 5 minutes to make my train.  Missing it would cost me over an hour in my return home.  Luckily, once you make it to the platform, they always give people a fair chance to get onto the train before the doors close, and the train leaves the station.

Once back in my car, I drove home, and was entering my door at 11:45 pm.   It was a long day, but worth all of the headaches to enjoy the show.

A magnificent and glorious shutdown - may it last for a few more months.

 

As I write this, we are a little over two weeks into the federal government shutdown, and people are hurting. A food pantry has been set up just outside of West Point (the Army's service academy) to serve the needs of military families who are doing without pay.  Other "Essential Workers" such as Air Traffic Controllers are taking sick leave to work jobs in the "Gig Economy" to pay for necessities.  In short, the Democrats in the Senate are successfully using their only tool left in the political tool chest to protect Obamacare subsidies for the poor and middle class in America.

The GOP is wrongfully claiming that the Democrats are demanding healthcare (and other benefits) for people illegally in this country.  They are lying, as they do not want to anger the Orange Snowflake by making things right for the American public.  They only serve to benefit the "Billionaire Bandit class" (not to be confused with "Vanilla Billionaires") who see the average person as only a disposable tool to be used in increasing their wealth among their class.  The "Vanilla Billionaire" (and there are many of them) doesn't see the average person as a tool.  They see these people worthy of government services and want to make sure that these people have no reason to rebel against our capitalist system which allows the wealthy to enjoy their wealth. 

Are people hurting?  Yes!  Yet, many of us participated in the "No Kings" protests being held around the USA.  What is the GOP message about these protests?  It is that these protests are "Anti American."  Hmmm....  If we didn't protest against unjust laws 250 years ago, we'd still be flying the Union Jack over our land.  And the GOP is saying that all protest against their authoritarian ways is wrong.  As George Takei said about William Shatner in a celebrity roast (and as I'd say to the snowflake), "He can go F*** himself and the horse he came in on. (And in that roast, Shatner did ride in on a horse.)  Although I was unable to attend a "No Kings" march in October, I hope to do so the next time one is called.  Constant pressure from all sides is needed to make the GOP crack.

At this time, the Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is keeping the house out of session, so that he doesn't have to swear in a new Congresswoman from Arizona.  Why, you might ask?  Well, when she is officially in congress, she'll be the 218th vote to release the Epstein Files.  We know that the Snowflake's name is mentioned many times in those files, and we know that this is the one area that MAGA demands answers from the GOP - which are not being given.  Maybe the Democratic party should alter its message slightly and "officially" focus on the other names in these files, saying that they want to expose the names of the pedophiles in the "Donor Class".  Of course, the Snowflake would figure predominantly in what is revealed, but this would make it easier for GOP congressmen to abandon support for the snowflake.

Without the House being session, there is no hope for any compromise between Senate Democrats and the GOP.  So, I expect that this will be a very long (maybe record breaking) shutdown, as saying no to the GOP is the only leverage they have left, and would be foolish to give up before they had an iron clad commitment from the GOP that Democrats' needs will be met. And when the GOP cracks, watch the snowflake have a temper tantrum the likes you've never seen him have before.  I can't wait for this to happen!

It was nice to take out my leather jacket again.

 

I'll always wish I could look like the female version of my face in the picture above.  She looks happy and secure in herself.  No matter how much I try, I can never snap my fingers and be the cisgender female version of who I could have been if I were born with two X chromosomes. At least, if I can improve my health by losing some weight, I could get some facial feminization surgery and make my face look more like an older version of the woman above.

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Today, I did nothing for most of the day, even though I got dressed early in the afternoon.  I originally thought that I might go into NYC and see an Off-Broadway play.  But I didn't want to get moving early enough to do so.  Instead, I decided to leave the house around dinner time and looked in my closet for something warm to wear - and found a leather jacket I haven't worn in years.  So, I put it on and went out the door.

My first stop was at Mickey D's for a couple of burgers, and then to BJ's to walk around.  $42 later, I was loading my car and driving home.  On the way home, I returned the call from our co-op's president, and we discussed some things that needed to be done. And all too soon, I was home, stripping off my stockings, my dress, my bra, and everything that a woman would find uncomfortable after a day at work. (This, even though I haven't had a job in years.)

Once comfortable, I signed some papers for the co-op, then put some ribs in the slow cooker for tomorrow's dinner.  (I may bring some cooked ribs to RQS's place this weekend if I'm in the mood to do so.)  And finally, I was able to rest for the night.

And now back to my regularly scheduled ranting and raging

 

As much as I am an out and about transgender person, I can go back to stealth mode if I need to do so.  Yet, I am upset because the Orange Snowflake won't be happy until the last one of us is gone from "HIS" America.

I try to keep my calm, as to give into anger, as it will distract me from staying calm in the face of danger. For example, I could rage at the world and accomplish nothing.  Or, I can do things such as participating in protest marches, notifying people when I see ICE come into my neighborhood, and do other non-violent things to foul up the snowflake's evil plans.  I choose resistance in the same way as followers of Martin Luther King Jr. did.  His henchmen are most afraid of being seen for what they are: Malignant Bullies who want to turn America into Nazi Germany.  (When was the last time you saw the snowflake cast a good light on anyone not an Aryan male?  Never.)

Tonight, I had a conversation with TCL.  When I said that I'm going for second citizenship (and associated passport) as a way to have an exit route if things go sour in the USA.  I said that if I am forced to leave the USA, I'll marry RQS and take her with me.  I'd be poor, but I'd be free.  TCL thinks that I'd be able to take my money with me.  I reminded her of the early days of the Nazi regime: They allowed Jews to leave, but they didn't allow the Jews to take their money with them as they left.  It's amazing that a woman with a history degree didn't know about that.  I guess that our collective memory about the Nazi era has faded too much for most Americans to recognize the scope and severity of today's dangers.

It's amazing that the mainstream news media isn't covering the violence being used by the snowflake's henchmen to terrorize people.  But then, these are people who thrive on "access" and are afraid to cooperate with each other to take down a threat to their industry.  The Fourth Estate was neutered by the Nazis, why doesn't it see that the same tactics are being used against it in America 90 years later?  Luckily, we still have independent news reporting on the internet, something which they don't yet know how to control.  (Russia and China have developed effective controls on their independent reporters, yet there are still some leaks - all wrapped in metaphors and coded language.  For example, don't talk about "Winnie the Pooh" in China, as that will get you in trouble for its connection to Chairman Xi.)  

Why am I still in America?  I still have hope that the authoritarian tide can be held back.  Yet, it feels more and more like a losing task every day, as people are giving up hope.  When/if I do, I'll be gone.

Happy Halloween!

 

Happy Halloween!

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You wouldn't want me to forget the cross-dressers'  annual holiday, would you?  Given that I already dress as a woman, it might be appropriate for me to dress as a male this one day of the year.  What do you think?  And what better a costume than David S. Pumpkins!

See you tomorrow!

 

A legal holiday, just when we need it.

 

Due to the Nor'easter that came to the NYC area, RQS stayed an extra night over the weekend with the idea of going home after the 3-day weekend was over.  This was another chance for us to cuddle and relax. But it was an excuse to do virtually nothing for the end of the weekend.

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On Saturday, we bulked up on refrigerator food to last us the weekend.  So, we were eating various tasty goodies each night, including Wagyu burgers one night.  I had foodstuffs in the cabinet just in case we lost power during the storm.  (Luckily, we didn't lose power, and the refrigerator stayed cold.)  Neither of us had much energy, and I surfed the internet a bit.  While surfing, I stumbled onto a message that concerned me - it appeared that an ex-girlfriend of 28 years ago had recently passed away.  I wasn't going to try and get more information - I've been out of this woman's life for years, and I think her husband would be upset if I did any more than just send my condolences.

Now, that got me to thinking of some of my other friends, and I've outlasted so many of them.  It's strange to see one's peers die (or otherwise drop out of contact for health reasons) while one is still tolerably healthy.  For example, WDS is no longer reachable in Florida, DCD is no longer contactable in Connecticut or New York, as he no longer has a cell phone and has stage 4 cancer, and Joanie (a former workmate) is unreachable.  

Years ago, someone set up a site called "if I die" which would contact a person on a regular basis, and email a selected contact if the first person did not respond.  Given how loosely people are connected these days, it would make sense for a person to pay a one-time fee for this kind of service.  Yes, there would likely be some false positives.  But it would be nice to know if someone has passed from the scene - even if one was unable to go to a funeral for that person.

- - - - - -

I spoke with my brother over the weekend, and his marriage is effectively over.  I can't help but feel sad for him.  But all of us have our crosses to bear.  It's just that some crosses weight more than others.  Let's hope his load is lightened soon.

A dreary day to get a dress hemmed and go furniture shopping

 

One of the errands we needed to take care of today was getting RQS's dresses hemmed for our next cruise  So, when we finally got dressed, our first stop was the local cleaners.  It's hard to believe that tailoring for the dresses cost much more than the dresses themselves. But that's the price one pays when one gets dresses from thrift shops (even upscale ones).

We got to talking, and RQS mentioned that we should go looking at furniture for her apartment.  Specifically, she wanted to replace her living room loveseat with a reclining loveseat.  I thought to visit Bob's Discount Furniture in Yonkers for this.  So we drove to Yonkers and we looked at the only loveseat that fit her needs.  Since we weren't buying, we thanked the salesman and proceeded home.

I thought of going to another furniture store one the way home, and made one mistake - it moved to the former location of another furniture store.  After entering the parking lot, we found out that the store had moved (I should have remembered this from other trips to lower county), and decided to do some food shopping at Whole Foods so that I could get "free parking" in the lot.  $54 later, I had a validated parking ticket that saved me $3.  A great way to "Save", huh"

On the way home from Whole Foods, I called my brother and he opened up about his life.  His marriage is over in all but name, and he wants to get on with his life.  I feel sorry for him, but given his wife's alcoholism, he needs to take proactive measures to save his own life.  Thankfully, my relationship with RQS is infinitely more nourishing.

A Bronx Tale (a great story, but a short post)

 

Last night, RQS came up a day early for the weekend, so that she could come to game night, and then go to see Chazz Palminteri in "A Bronx Tale" tonight.  It took a little bit of schedule coordination, so that we could get some chores done before getting together.

- - - - - -

I won't go into detail about game night, save to mention that hardly anyone came.  People who normally attend didn't, so bringing RQS made it possible to play a game or two.  We went home for the evening, and planned our schedule for the next day: getting a mani-pedi, doing some food shopping, and seeing Chazz's play.

The next morning, we got dressed and went out for a mani-pedi.  When the afternoon came around, we started to go to Fishkill to shop at Walmart.  Yes, this would mean that as soon as we got home that I'd have to put some lamb shoulder ribs in the oven and hope everything would be done by 6 pm.   But traffic got in the way.  So, we turned around and went to the local supermarket and picked up what I was planning on picking up in Fishkill.

Once done with food shopping, we went home, and I started cooking the lamb shoulder.  With a few mishaps, the lamb was ready around 6:15, and we were able to start out for the theater around 7:00.  Even then, we had to park 1/4 mile away from the theater due to the nature of parking in Peekskill.  (Not enough street parking, but lots of parking in nearby parking lots.)

The play started late, but it gradually got riveting.  For those who haven't seen it, this one man show documents a period in young Chazz's life where he is befriended by a local mobster for whom he did a solid when he was 9, to the time where that mobster was gunned down in front of Chazz 7 years later.  What was most impressive about this play was Chazz's appearance on stage, telling how he refused $1,000,000 to have Robert De Niro perform the lead in the film adaptation, and then having De Niro say that he was right - and partnered with De Niro to make the movie and jump start Chazz's career.

If you ever get the chance to see the play (or movie), do so!

Sorry, We're Closed!

 

At the time I'm writing this entry, the US government shutdown is 10 days old.  We have a president who is threatening to target the firing of federal workers in opposition party cities and states, to deny paying furloughed federal workers when the shutdown ends, and is willing to destroy the healthcare of Americans because he hated the person who set up the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare).  His lackeys on the GOP seem to be afraid to do anything to keep him in check, as if the Orange Snowflake is the Antichrist himself.

The only people who have been able to put a crimp in the snowflake's plans seem to be the Democrats in the US Senate.  Due to the Senate's filibuster rule, 45 Democrats have prevented the GOP (and the snowflake) from adopting a budget which kills off Obamacare.  As a result, our federal government has shut down, with minimal civilian functions and the military required to work without pay. And many of these essential employees have been calling in sick - no pay, no work.  I feel sorry for the understaffed air traffic controllers who work mandatory overtime, as they are being pushed to the brink of exhaustion.  I also feel sorry for many military families who have to make do without the paychecks of their breadwinning service member's paycheck.  And I feel sorry for all of those federal workers who are going without pay and have entered the gig economy (doordash, Uber, etc.) to help make ends meet.  (I'll bet that some essential workers are calling in sick to work gig jobs just to earn the cash needed to buy groceries.)  Yet, as much as I feel sorry for these people, they are collateral damage in the war against tyranny, just as the civilian lives that were lost because they lived too close to a munitions plant being bombed in WW2.

With all the pain suffered by these essential workers, they are pawns in a winner take all game of politics. If the snowflake wins, there will never again be a challenge to his power.  So, it is essential that the Democrats stand firm against the snowflake.  I figure that after 3 months, the system will crack.  Essential employees will start to quit, so that they can pay their bills working other jobs (if they can be found).  Service members may not re-up their enlistments, and look to find work in the civilian economy. And, if the transportation secretary starts firing workers in the already understaffed air traffic control system, the American skies will be empty - civilian air transit will be at a standstill.  Going 3 months without pay will make this a very bleak Thanksgiving and Christmas for the affected workers, and I can't wait for things to break down.  Only then will the snowflake's support among his supporters start to crack.  And I hope this happens soon.

I'm already starting to think of what will happen if this shutdown lasts much longer than I hope and expect.  I have a cruise scheduled for next year that sails out of Southampton, UK.  How would I get there if civilian air traffic in the US is shut down?  I could either cancel the cruise if the shutdown lasts into April OR consider buying airfare from Toronto to London, UK and going into Canada by land.  In my opinion, we all must start planning for a long shutdown, as I believe that the Democrats need to go "all in" on this issue.

Keep your eyes open on what happens in the House.  As I write this, the House is being kept artificially closed for 2 reasons: (1) to prevent a budget bill acceptable to the Democrats being voted on, and (2) to keep a new Democratic member from Arizona from being sworn in, and triggering a vote to release the Epstein Files.  Why is number 2 important?  Well, if there is one thing that the snowflake fears is the release of these files, as they potentially implicate him in Epstein's crimes against underaged girls.  To me, the snowflake fears this more, as he is unable to control enough of the GOP to prevent their release.