The only time we went out on Sunday was to pick up veggies for dinner.

 

Yesterday (as I wrote this, RQS and I went out and disposed of some e-waste.  On our way, we passed by this building, where one tenant keeps up a campaign, calling his/her landlord a slumlord.  What I found interesting about this shot is that the downstairs apartment is supporting the landlord.  (You may want to enlarge the windows to see their signs.)  Given NYC's lack of affordable housing (and housing types), it's not hard to understand why this person may be staying in a substandard apartment.

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Today, neither of us were in the mood to go outside.  But we had to take care of two things: (1) Picking up vegetables for dinner from the local bodega, and (2) Making sure that my car is parked on the correct side of the street for alternate side of the street parking rules.  So, I got dressed in a frock I had stored at RQS's place, and we walked the block and a half to take care of things.  My car was parked in a place that would allow me to sleep late, so I walked back to the bodega to meet RQS and bring home veggies for dinner.

RQS was hurting - her knee was acting up, and it was a major effort for her to walk the block and a half to the bodega and back.  As for me, I carried the heavy stuff home (a 12-pack of soda), knowing that I'd have something cold to drink later on. I figured that the way RQS felt, we were going to be in for the night - and I was right.

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We took it easy for the rest of the evening, and watched a movie before going to bed.  On the whole, it was a quiet day.  But rest was something we both needed, as we are still recovering from our latest cruise. 

Carting off electronics for recycling, then figuring out what and where to eat.

 

One of the things RQS has been putting off was recycling her e-waste.  She had a printer not worth anything, 3 old cell phones which no longer work, and a broken all-in-one computer/monitor that had to be disposed of.  However, she would normally have to make a big effort to dispose of this stuff properly. This weekend, the stars aligned, and disposal would be easy for part of the day on Saturday.

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RQS and I woke up relatively early, but took forever to get moving.  Once out and about, we carted some e-waste out of her apartment and walked over to her storage locker.  She was having a hard time keeping up with me, as her leg was acting up again.  (I'm glad this didn't happen while on our recent cruise.)  But, we made it to the storage locker on time.  Once we put the dead computer in the cart, we walked a few blocks to dispose of everything.  Then if was off to lunch.

There is an operation called Wonder that is popping up all over the place. It is a ghost kitchen that imitates multiple restaurants, gearing its offerings for takeout and delivery.  Although one can eat inside many Wonder outlets, there is less service than at the average McDonald's - all orders are placed via an on-site computer screen, or on a mobile phone app. It is convenience in exchange for frugality. Although RQS was able to start placing my order (Chicken Parmigiana), she couldn't get her order (Eggplant Parmigiana) which was also on the menu.  So we walked out before finalizing our order and went to Wendy's.

Normally, we wouldn't be in for the day before 4 pm.  Yet, with RQS's leg acting up, we stayed inside for the rest of the day.  Dinner was Thai delivery, and then it was YouTube videos for the rest of the evening. 

Starting off another weekend (a short post)

 

I didn't have much to write about today.  It's hard to believe that we only got back from our New England / Eastern Canada cruise a little over a week ago.  And yet, it feels like forever in some ways.  RQS is finally replacing her bathroom sink faucet, something her landlord should be doing.  Now, she soon will be able to use her sink without having to play around, trying to get cold water out of a faucet that doesn't work right.

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Lately, I often wake up early in the morning, and feel very tired by early afternoon. Today, it wasn't as bad as usual.  Yet, I didn't start my drive down to RQS's place until 3 pm, and I hit traffic jams going to RQS's place which caused me to arrive 2½ hours later.  Luckily, I found a decent parking spot within 2 blocks of her house.

Originally, when we were getting to know each other, RQS wasn't sure about me meeting her at her place as Marian.  Now, it's a matter of comfort for me.  It's nice to know that I'm able to wear the clothes I want, when I want to wear them.  RQS is a keeper.   

So, why did I drive down today?  Well, I still had a large suitcase waiting to go home, and I needed my car to take care of that mission.  Additionally, I was traveling as Marian, and I wanted to be in air conditioned comfort on my way to Queens. Even though I tried a new route that caused me to lose a little time driving down, I was glad to have made the choices I did for this trip.

When I arrived, it was not yet time for dinner.  Yet, we decided to order a pizza and stuff ourselves.  It was an early end of the day for both of us, as we passed out before 10 pm. 

Lunch and Dinner with friends (a short post)

When I woke up this morning, I had only two things on the docket: Lunch with CCS and Dinner with Vicki.  And both were scheduled for today due to the timing of the Jewish High Holy Days.

But first....

Lunch with CCS is usually after 1:30 pm, as CCS has her exercise class scheduled during "lunch hour". Today, it was scheduled for 2:30, as her exercise class was later than it usually is due to the Jewish holiday.  So, I had much more time than usual to get ready, and made it to the restaurant at the same time her was pulling into the restaurant's parking lot.

We didn't have that much to say today.  I talked a little about my travels, and she told me a little about her travels.  Both of us feel the same way about what's happening in the world these days, and both politics and world affairs came up - and we both see the signs of loudly creeping authoritarianism, understanding what they could mean if left unchecked.  Lunch ended, and we set a new date, then we were on our separate ways.  I then went to BJ's to do a little shopping, and then back to the house to rest before meeting Vicki for dinner.  

Vicki and I met in Mt. Kisco at Lefteris for dinner.  Both of us ordered the Greek Salad w. Chicken, Vicki polishing it off more quickly than I did.  Just as we were finishing our salads, another diner asked me when I thought of NYC's mayoral candidate, and we had a polite discussion with Vicki taking on more of the lead in talking.  This fellow didn't like what Mamdani stood for, and Vicki mentioned that Mamdani will be checked by the realities of NYC.  As for me, I support Mamdani for one reason only - he can't be controlled by the Orange Snowflake.  

When I got home I had a decision to make: How will I present for the weekend with RQS?  As Marian or as Mario?  It'll be nice to stay in dresses while I'm able to do so comfortably.

A prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls coins out of your pocket.

 

Ambrose Bierce defined the word "Dentist" as follows:

"Dentist: A prestidigitator who, putting metal into your mouth, pulls coins out of your pocket."

Now days, the dentist pulls more than coins out of one's wallet.  Yet, I see mine, on average, at least 3 times each year. And I often wince when I pay the bill, even though I know it pays to keep my teeth in better shape than the rest of me.

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Around noon, I started getting ready to go out.  Shaving, showering, and doing my makeup was the first order of the day, and I was done by 12:30.  And then it was time to get dressed, and kill a few minutes before going down the hill to the dentist's office. 

I usually go to the dentist presenting as Marian, and today was no exception.  The dental hygienist was running late, and it took longer than expected for me to get my teeth cleaned.  As the kid used to say in toothpaste commercials: "Look Ma, no cavities!"  And then it was time for lunch at the local pizzeria.

Once I was finished with lunch, I drove to Costco to do a little shopping.  One rule I have is: If I don't know whether I will be stopping somewhere on the way home, I don't buy anything perishable at Costco. And I followed this rule, buying an electronic scrubber and some other small items.  

As you can guess, the visit to the dentist was the most notable part of the day.  Hopefully, you do just as well as I did on your next dental visit....

It's amazing how things change in a week....

 

Today's post will be a short one with a link to a very important message.  A week ago (as I write this), Jimmy Kimmel was taken off the air due to pressure from the Trump administration.  During the past week, Hollywood took action against the Disney corporation. Additionally, American subscribers to Disney media products cancelled their subscriptions, and Disney's stock price dropped 2% while the market in general rose 1%.  Disney capitulated to public pressure, and Kimmel's show wea broadcast tonight for the first time in a week.

Why do I mention this?  Kimmel's monologue said so much, that I consider it a must view for all who haven't had the chance to see it.  Please click on the link below to hear what he had to say.

Jimmy Kimmel Monologue for September 23, 2025

A ghost package at USPS & billing screwups via my doctor

 

I occasionally have use of the skills I developed when I was a technology guru.  One of them is root cause analysis.  Today, I was able to diagnose the root cause of a problem and have it confirmed by my doctor's office.  But before that, I had to deal with a "Ghost Package" supposedly waiting for me at the local post office.

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When I awoke this morning, I knew that I'd have to visit the post office as Mario and show legal identification to claim a package that USPS said was waiting for me.  So, I got dressed and went to the post office at 10 am, presenting the paperwork to the lady behind the counter.  She couldn't find the package in the back, and asked me: "Did you receive it already?" I responded in the negative, and I heard her chatting with a supervisor, and then crickets for 15 minutes.  When she returned, she said it was a glitch in their computer system.  And I left with nothing to show for it.

But this got me to thinking.  Given that I often have unusual static interference when I use my cell phone to call people I know, could the regime in Washington have me on its watch list?  Could this USPS ticket have been a tool to get me out of my apartment so that they can bug my apartment?  I openly oppose the Orange Snowflake, and being TG, have honest concerns as to how far this government may go to silence opposition.  Even if I sound overly paranoid right now, I'm letting my mind explore the extremes to see if anything fits - even if I don't believe these things at the moment.

When I got home, I found an explanation of benefits from a former insurance provider.  They rightfully did not cover the lab tests my doctor requested.  In early afternoon, I receive 4 different texts from Quest Diagnostics telling me that I could pay the bill electronically, or wait for the paper bill to come. Well, I prefer receiving paper to verify that all is on the up and up.  But I knew I had to call my doctor's office while the issue was fresh in my mind (and when he was in the office).  So, around 1:30 pm, I called the doctor's receptionist and told her of the problem, and she told me that she'd update the account with Quest.  AARGH!!!!  This is what I requested be done over a month ago at my last appointment.  Hopefully, I'll be done dealing with Quest on this issue.  

I had figured that the problem with Quest was a paperwork issue coming from my doctor's office, and I was right.  But how does one communicate something simple, when one doesn't know the precise details of what goes on within a black box?  In my case, I knew that Quest defaults to insurance information provided by the doctor when each test is given.  So, the point of failure was at my doctor's office.  And once I could pinpoint the area of responsibility, the solution should be simple.  We'll see about this when I visit my doctor next month.