I've just enrolled in a scientific study

 

I won't go into details, but I've enrolled in a scientific study on brain performance that will last the better part of 3 months.  It will involve MRI Scans at the beginning and at the end of the study, zoom interviews, and use of some software for 15 min/day for 12 weeks.  This will be the first time I will be participating in any kind of study, and I think I should have fun doing so.

Why do I note this?

As I get older, I want to contribute a little to the world.  Doing anything related to politics is a non-starter, as I have way too many skeletons in my closet that, if exposed, would cause me a lot of grief.  The idea of leaving money to a scholarship fund still has value to me, but the logistics of setting it up may make this idea a non-starter.  Volunteering has lost its luster for me, given how little I enjoy many of the grunt tasks I once did.  So, when RQS told me about this study, I figured that I'd apply and see if I would be accepted.  And I was.   (More on this study later....)

- - - - - -

What I'd love to see is a scientific study on the types of people who hold rigid social/political/religious beliefs.  Is there something that can be gained by knowing how people function better than they know themselves?  Would this information be abused?  We already know how well political pollsters can gauge how the masses will react to certain messaging.  We already know how people react to selected advertising campaigns.  But at what level should this information stop being collected and analyzed?  Could we figure out why people join cults, and how to break their ties to their cults?  Could this be used in politics?  What about marketing?  Just because I'd like to see research in this area, I'm not sure if it wouldn't be misused.

We have extreme political polarization right now.  I'd like to be able to use scientific methods to end that polarization, as well as prevent it from happening again.  Sadly, populist leaders have an innate sense of how to manipulate people, and society at large doesn't have the tools to prevent populism from becoming a cult.  Life isn't simple as I'd like it to be....

I could ramble on  for a long while and say nothing of note.  So I'll end this entry here for today.

Lawrence! (A Quick Post)

 

I always find it amazing that the younger generation knows so little about the past.  Even worse, I find it appalling that it knows so little about the world as a whole.  And yet, there's a certain logic about this, from a quote (that I'll paraphrase) from the movie, Lawrence of Arabia. 

"It is up to the young people to fight the wars.

 It is up to the old people to make the peace."

Hidden the above are the attestations of valor and courage to the young, while the older generation is associated with the treachery that causes was in the first place.  In short, as I see it, younger people fight, while older people try to settle disputes.  Lawrence the man was one of those singular young people who was in a place to influence how the world would look 100 years later, and he did just that.

- - - - - -

What can I say about this movie that reviewers haven't said for the past 62 years?  Since RQS has never seen this movie, I bought tickets for us a few nights before.  I knew that she'd enjoy the movie, and that it would make an extra night up here well worth it.

Arriving at the theater, the two young ticket takers commented that the movie was 4 hours long.  They asked me what the movie was about, and I mentioned the birth of Saudi Arabia as an independent nation and the Arab world as it is today.  (I was amazed that they didn't know about this being a classic film, working in a movie theater.  But then, youth don't learn much about their recent past and it's culture.) We then took our seats, and sat down to watch the film.  While the film played, RQS asked me several questions about the film, as she wasn't aware that this story was based on real historical events.

Later on, when we got home, it was too late to do anything but go to bed.  It was a nice evening, and a good chance to watch a film on the big screen that should only be seen on the big screen.

 

A visit to the museum

 

Today, RQS and I had an errand to run before the day's end - she needed to go to a jewelry store to have a link added to her watch band.  So I had an idea:  If we got out of the house early enough, we could go to the Magazzino Italian Art Museum in Cold Spring, NY.  

When I first saw this museum on the side of the road, I thought it was a warehouse for the sale of Italian art.  Well, I was partially right.  From what I was told, the Italian word "Magazzino" translates to the English word "Warehouse".  So I can say that I was half right.  Once I found out that this was a museum, I figured that I'd visit it when I had an opportunity.  Today was that opportunity.

Both RQS and I got dressed and out of the house by 2:45 pm.  By 3:30 pm, we were at the museum.  And this is where we got exposed to Contemporary Italian Art.  Much of it was not my taste.  But some of it captured both RQS's and my interests.  (You might see my reflection in one of the artworks above.) If you get the chance to visit this place, do so!  Not only is the art interesting.  But the grounds are beautiful too.  Both of us took lots of photos inside and outside the museum, and we might just go back in the fall to enjoy the grounds and some upcoming exhibits.

Once done with the museum, we drove into Cold Spring proper and had some ice cream before driving home.  After dinner, we went out again for a walk.  I had changed into my black exercise dress, and got compliments from both RQS and one of my neighbors.  (That was a nice way to end this day!)

It's amazing how much of a mess was near my desk - a quick post.

 

If I'm guilty of vices other than gluttony, I'd say that my next one might be sloth.  Laziness is a hidden trait that can be attributed to me, as I don't like to work.  This doesn't mean that I won't work hard.  I just avoid hard work whenever I can.

Over the past few months, I have allowed messes to accumulate in the corners of my apartment, and I decided to attack one for a few hours (with a lot of breaks).  It's amazing what one can accomplish when one breaks work down into manageable chunks.  (I guess that my experience of being a project manager helps me in this regard.)

Sooner or later, I will get everything organized in my apartment.  Until then, expect me to talk about my mess now and then.

- - - - - -

This weekend, the weather is supposed to be bad.  So, when I go out as Marian, I'll be wearing a dress over leggings, mimicking the kind of garments a cisgender woman would be wearing in inclement weather.  I've found that the leggings I've bought from Universal Standard are of a much higher quality than what I have bought from Woman Within.  So, I'll try to up my garment game in the future by buying garments from brands I know have the quality level I want.

Why do I mention garment quality?   Simple.  I'm finding that well made athleisure garments tend to be more forgiving of odd shaped people when they are worn.  Not once did I have to pull up Universal's leggings during a day of wearing (except when taking bio-breaks, of course).  I can't say this about the leggings I have bought from WW or Walmart.

There will always be some garments I'll buy at cheaper outlets.  But now that I have developed a sense of my own feminine style, I can afford to buy clothes that I expect will last, instead of clothes I know will end up in a donation bag after a few wearings.

If it weren't for game night, I wouldn't have even bothered getting dressed today.

 

The rainy weather has made me a bit lethargic, and I had a hard time getting moving today.  There were two things on my docket that required me to get dressed, one being laundry, and the other being game night.  So, I figured that I could take care of a couple of things while doing laundry and caused a minor issue for myself.

RQS was originally scheduled to go home on Sunday.  Fathom Events scheduled a 2-night revival of Lawrence of Arabia for Sunday and Monday at selected theaters.  I bought tickets for Sunday evening. But that creates a conflict between the time RQS expected to be home and the time she'd be in the theater.  So I asked her if she could stay another night.

The other task that I took care of was removing the nail polish from my fingernails.  I figure that I'll need to present as a male when I meet with the sleep doctor on Monday, as well as an appointment I have later in the evening for a research study.  Given that I want to look my best when I meet RQS in the city for dinner on Tuesday evening, I'll likely schedule a Mani-Pedi for the morning.

Luckily, I had only one load of laundry to take care of.  The one problem is that I usually do my sheets along with the rest of my colored laundry.  This means that I'll have to inspect the fitted sheet to make sure that nothing got caught in it while in the dryer.  That I can do in the morning when I fold the laundry in advance of RQS's arrival.

Around 4:30 pm, I showered, and went downstairs to do laundry as Mario.  This was the more convenient way to be out of the apartment when my face had yet to be made up.  But when almost ready to go out for the evening, I had switched into Marian mode. Though I started doing the Laundry at 5:00 pm, I wasn't able to get out of the apartment until 7:10 pm. This meant that I'd be in Yonkers after the first game had started.  Even so, I drove down, and found that only an abbreviated portion of the group was in attendance.  I got into a couple of games, and left before the hostess returned with her dog.  (Just as well - he is ready to bite anyone who isn't family.)  On the way home, I chatted with RQS, and picked up some stuff for dinner to be eaten tomorrow or Saturday.

I was glad to finally be back at home by midnight, as I couldn't wait to strip and get comfortable again.

 

 

Rain, Rain, Go Away.... (a short post)

 

Unlike the other day, I decided not bothering getting dressed and going out in the rain when I had no real plans for the day.  If it had been dry, I might have put on my exercise dress, applied some blush and lipstick, then gone outside for a 20 minute walk.  Unfortunately, this was not the case.

- - - - - -

This week, it looks like we'll have a total of 7 consecutive rainy days before we see the sun again.  Luckily, RQS will be here for one of these days before she goes home again.  And after one day, I'll be taking the train into NYC, so that we can enjoy a fancy dinner during NYC's Restaurant Week.  

I'll admit that I find it easier to have RQS come to see me, than it is for me to see her.  Yet, because we can get into my car, we have more options regarding what we can do when the weather is bad.  If we are in Queens, we must wait at the bus stop for (up to) 20 minutes before a bus comes, or walk 1/4 mile to the closest subway station, climb up 4-5 flights of steps, and wait outside for (up to) 15 minutes before the train arrives.  Contrast this with a 200 foot walk to my car, and we have many more comfortable options up here.

- - - - - -

Tomorrow is Game Night, and I'm hoping for better weather.  Specifically, I'm hoping that we only have a drizzle in the evening, as I don't want to bother with an umbrella.  But if I need to bring one, I will....

Co-Op business and a trip to the store

 

I didn't want to start moving to go outside.  The weather forecast was terrible, and I didn't feel like getting dressed.  However, I had an exercise dress waiting at Macy's for me to pick up, and I didn't want to waste any time.

- - - - - -

Around 2:00 pm, I received an email from my co-op's president, telling the board about some issues people were having with our managing agent. (No, I won't go into any details here for privacy concerns.)  But this triggered my need to check in with her, resulting in a set of questions we need answered by our site representative, and a task for this person to take care of.

Next, I called my doctor's receptionist, and she established an account for me on their system.  Although I am connected, I can not yet send messages to the doctor via this portal.  Luckily, I'll be speaking with the receptionist again this week, as I have to schedule another appointment with the doctor (as well as scheduling a liver scan at Northwell's local office).

Now, I was ready to prepare to go to the store.  But I lallygagged a little, and it wasn't until 6:00 pm that I decided to go into the shower.  By the time I was ready to go out, it was raining.  But I didn't know hard it was raining until I got to the front door.  In for a penny, in for a pound - and I was out the door in the pouring rain.  Things got even worse, as my car's accident prevention system couldn't see through the pouring rain.  If I made it to Macy's by 8:00 pm, I'd pick up my dress.  If not, at least I was driving slow and safe.  

I arrived at Macy's around 7:40 pm, and the rain had eased off a little.  10 minutes later, I was out of the store, and the rain started up again.  So I drove home slowly and safely.  By the time I got home, the rain had eased off again, so I wasn't soaking wet as I got in my door.  But this is a trip I should have  deferred until the morning, and will do so next time it's raining this hard.

- - - - - -

On other matters, I was originally scheduled to see DCD tonight for dinner.  Now that he's late in making his monthly car payment, he is avoiding me.  Since I know that his car is off the road due to his actions, it serves him right to try to make it home in this rain via public transit.  Karmic justice....